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