| Like an iced drink in the hot summer, it | | | | location and accessibility. New Orleans is |
| sounds so good. New Orleans, or just call it | | | | roughly in the center of the country, but far |
| the "Big Easy." In the same moment, images | | | | enough south that the snow doesn't pound it |
| of a non-stop party town mingle with the | | | | in the winter. Interstate 10 runs right |
| scenes of the Hurricane Katrina aftermath | | | | through it. American, Delta, Southwest, US |
| that have been engraved into our minds by | | | | Air, and several more airlines continuously |
| watching the news. So what does New Orleans | | | | fly there from nearby Atlanta and Houston, |
| have to do with saving money on travel, and | | | | but non-stop flights also come from Dallas, |
| aren't there are a lot of things to worry | | | | Denver, Chicago, Detroit, New York, DC, Los |
| about if you go there? *After two years, is | | | | Angeles, Las Vegas, and more cities. But the |
| the city still underwater? No, the flooding | | | | layout is absolutely the best part. It is an |
| was a temporary problem directly resulting | | | | easy 1.5 miles from one end of the French |
| from the storm. *Are there lawless | | | | Quarter to the other end of the Warehouse |
| vigilantes roaming and looting the city? | | | | District. The CBD lies in the middle with a |
| No, the ratio of police officers to citizens | | | | range of brand name hotels that vary from |
| is actually double the pre-Katrina levels. | | | | limited service to luxury. There are the |
| *Are the historic areas destroyed? No, the | | | | historic hotels in 'the Quarter' and several |
| historic areas got the lesser of the effects | | | | newer hotels in the Warehouse District, |
| of Katrina. *Is New Orleans a deserted | | | | including one with a Starbucks right in the |
| ghost town? No, there are about 200,000 | | | | hotel. But in the end, it all comes down to |
| people living in New Orleans itself, with | | | | the money you save. Here is a good |
| over a million in the metro area. The city of | | | | comparison. Starting with a hotel in the New |
| New Orleans is heavily dependent on the | | | | Orleans CBD, a random week was picked and |
| visitor, it's largest industry by far. With | | | | prices pulled from the internet for a Tuesday |
| over $5 billion per year at stake in | | | | arrival / Friday departure (Nov 6-9). For a |
| conventions, meetings, and tourism in the | | | | comparable hotel room for 3 nights in equally |
| city: the residents, the government, and the | | | | accessible cities, $90 was saved over Chicago |
| business community have worked feverishly to | | | | and roughly $120 over Dallas, Atlanta, or |
| make sure that the key areas - the French | | | | Houston. If you travel to New Orleans, you |
| Quarter, the central business district (CBD), | | | | are in a position to save a lot of money. |
| and the Warehouse District are ready for | | | | The weak demand makes it a traveler's market. |
| visitors to return. Judge their efforts: | | | | You may not be able to pronounce |
| In 2006, the American Library Association | | | | Tchoupitoulas Street (I had to ask a local), |
| trusted New Orleans with a 20,000-person | | | | but you can save a lot of money. For |
| convention. In 2007 so far, the Healthcare | | | | pictures of the city from my recent tour look |
| Information & Management Systems Society has | | | | at our website to experience beautiful, |
| held a 24,000-person convention and the | | | | historic, and alive New Orleans. See you |
| National Collegiate Athletic Association has | | | | there! |
| held a 20,000-person convention. Recent | | | | |
| corporate meetings held in the city include | | | | Jim Branham is a Group Specialist for Sell |
| those of Whirlpool, Coca-Cola, Konica, | | | | Away, a groups/meetings travel agency based |
| Minolta, Sherwin Williams, and IBM. After | | | | in Dallas, TX. They find and negotiate the |
| all, it's easy to see why New Orleans would | | | | best prices for groups headed anywhere in the |
| be a great choice because of the incredible | | | | continental USA. |