Hundreds from New Orleans’ Hospitality Workforce Take to Streets to Send Message

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 6, 2011

Hundreds from New Orleans’ Hospitality Workforce Take to Streets to Send Message to Local, State and Federal Leaders of Travel’s Impact on Local Employment and EconomyNew Orleans CVB to lead rally, parade and press conference to celebrate city’s largest industry for
National Travel and Tourism Week

WHAT: To mark National Travel and Tourism Week, New Orleans is one of 50 cities across the nation to rally on Tuesday, May 10, 2011 in support of the quiet giant of commerce, tourism, which supports 10 million workers nationwide. Uniformed front line hospitality workers, musicians, festival organizers, restaurateurs, representative of the New Orleans Hornets, hoteliers, chefs, elected officials and more will take to Canal Street for a Mardi Gras-style parade to illustrate the diversity of the 70,000 local citizens employed by our tourism industry and to celebrate the $5 billion per year economic impact from which tax revenues account for one-third of the City of New Orleans’ operating budget.

WHO: Hospitality workers, uniformed front line staff, New Orleans Hornets representatives, restaurateurs, retailers, musicians, hoteliers, festival organizers, three bands, floats from Mardi Gras World, elected officials and leaders of our local tourism industry: Area Managing Director of Starwood Hotels & Resorts and Chairman of the CVB Board Bill McCreary, President/CEO of the Audubon Institute Ron Forman, Vice President of the City Council Arnie Fielkow, Councilwoman District C Kristin Gisleson Palmer, Councilman District E Jon Johnson, Artistic Director of the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra Irvin Mayfield and President/CEO of the New Orleans CVB Stephen Perry.

Participants will be available for one-on-one interviews regarding hospitality-related topics such as overcoming the BP oil spill, rising gas prices and travel, and achieving 8.3 million visitors in 2010 which generated $5.3 billion in spending—the most ever in city history.

WHERE: Rally will begin on Canal Street at Bourbon Street and parade to the Riverwalk’s Spanish Plaza for a press conference. Media may check in at the Astor Crown Plaza Hotel beginning at 8:30 a.m., 739 Canal at Bourbon.

WHEN: Tuesday, May 10, 2011, 9 a.m.—10 a.m. CST
Participants will gather beginning at 8:30 a.m. at the Astor Crown Plaza Hotel (739 Canal)
Parade and rally will commence at 9 a.m.
Press conference will begin roughly at 9:30 a.m. at the Riverwalk’s Spanish Plaza

DETAILS: Tuesday, May 10, 2011, is being declared Tourism Matters Day in support of National Travel and Tourism Week. Hundreds from the local hospitality industry workforce will converge on Canal Street for a Mardi Gras-style parade, rally and press conference to communicate the power and importance of the tourism industry to our local, state and federal leaders in a visual and vocal way. The event is open to the public and all are welcome to attend.

WEBSITES:
New Orleans CVB: www.neworleanscvb.com
U.S. Travel Association: www.ustravel.org

MEDIA CONTACTS:
Jennifer Day, 773-909-2514, jday@neworleanscvb.com
Kelly Schulz, 504-421-0962, kschulz@neworleanscvb.com

###