New Orleans Tourism Marketing Corporation, NOTMC, Launches GO NOLA, the First Official City Visitor App for iPhone

Lea Sinclair, NOTMC
504-491-5330
lea@notmc.com

Kelly Schulz, NOCVB
504-566-5045
kschulz@neworleanscvb.com

New Orleans Tourism Marketing Corporation, NOTMC, Launches GO NOLA, the First Official City Visitor App for iPhone
GO NOLA visitor app by NOTMC launches as smartphone use soars to record 50 percent of mobile subscriptions, according to Nielson research.

NEW ORLEANS (May 15, 2012) - Celebrity tour guides including John Goodman and Wendell Pierce are guiding visitors through New Orleans thanks to the premiere of the New Orleans Tourism Marketing Corporation (NOTMC) visitor app. An augmented reality feature identifies landmarks through the phone's camera. Named GO NOLA, it is the only official tourism app for the City of New Orleans and is now available free on the iPhone. 

"Our official tourism app for the City of New Orleans, GO NOLA embodies all that is New Orleans in the palm of your hand," says New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu. "It represents our great and unique city just as it should be."

The walking tours will even teach New Orleans natives a thing or two. Tours will include Emmy-winning actor, John Goodman strolling among the picturesque riverfront while touting the virtues of New Orleans, and Wendell Pierce, star of HBO's Treme, connects the Treme neighborhood, featured in the award-winning series, with authentic street corners seen in the show.

"With this free resource, we are positioning New Orleans as a leader in travel technology," says Mark Romig, President and CEO of NOTMC. "Nielson estimates that 18 percent of all app downloads are travel related which makes GO NOLA not only a must for planning your trip, but a must-have on your trip as well."

GO NOLA is not just an app - it's a guidebook, navigator, entertainer, restaurant guide, and event calendar rolled into one.  Savvy travelers can plan ahead with My Trip organizer, stay connected with insider tips, and discover what the locals do with off-the-beaten-path recommendations. With GO NOLA's "Near Me" feature, visitors can use augmented reality to find whatever they need, wherever they are, while "Things to Do" reveals timely happenings through a stream from NewOrleansOnline.com, the Official New Orleans Tourism website.

"The many features that GO NOLA offers is unlike any other apps on the market and makes it the premium tourism app for New Orleans," says New Orleans Convention and Visitors Bureau President and CEO Stephen Perry. "Visitors and locals will find value in its ease of use and wealth of information, including which local tourism businesses are members of the Convention and Visitors Bureau."

Every feature in GO NOLA is customizable, from narrowing restaurant choices to a preferred neighborhood or price range, to creating a budget friendly night on the town. Visitors and locals will find these functions invaluable as they navigate the city. 

Features offered on the app include:

• Customized filters including neighborhood, price, distance from user's current location and more.

• Celebrity-narrated walking tours of famous New Orleans' neighborhoods, each with a unique archive of historical documents and photographs. Celebrity narrators include John Goodman and Wendell Pierce, with more to come soon.

• "Insider Tips" with knowledge only locals know.

• "My Trip" makes trip planning a breeze.

• "Get Directions" activates built-in GPS for directionally challenged visitors.

• "Near Me" recognizes your location on a built-in map, and shows nearby sightseeing opportunities, places to eat, and things to do.

• Augmented Reality enhances "Near Me" capabilities: discover what's around you in a completely new way using your iPhone's camera.

• Send friends your favorite New Orleans locations and tell them "where y'at," using Facebook, Twitter, SMS and email sharing.

Device Requirements:
GO NOLA is currently available for iPhone users via the App Store.  Compatible with iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPod touch (3rd generation), iPod touch (4th generation) and iPad. Requires iOS 5.0 or later.

Pricing and Availability:
GO NOLA is free for download in the App Store. A free version for Android users is in development.

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About New Orleans Tourism Marketing Corporation (NOTMC)
NOTMC promotes the city as a leisure tourism destination throughout the year. Annually, NOTMC's marketing campaigns include strategic print, broadcast, and Internet advertising and public relations. Web sites: www.NewOrleansOnline.com; NewOrleansMuseums.com; RadioFreeNeworleans.com; GoNola.com.
Social media: Facebook.com/NewOrleansOnline; Twitter.com/visitneworleans.

About the New Orleans Convention & Visitors Bureau (NOCVB)
NOCVB is a nationally accredited, 1,000-member destination marketing organization and the largest and most successful private economic development corporation in Louisiana. The CVB and its members influence thousands of decision-makers and millions of visitors to choose New Orleans through direct sales, marketing, public relations, branding and visitor services at our New Orleans headquarters and offices in Washington, D.C., New York, Chicago and four foreign countries. Consistently recognized as one of the top five CVBs in the country, the New Orleans CVB celebrated its 51st anniversary in 2011. For more information, please visit www.neworleanscvb.com.