Episode 52: Tourism Report – Busy Spring Weekends Raise Hopes for Bigger Comeback in the Fall

Thanks to a long spring break season and exceptionally beautiful weather, visitors have been flocking to New Orleans again - but mostly on weekends and mostly by car. Attractions like the Audubon Zoo have been posting attendance numbers that are similar to 2019, but the hospitality industry - ordinarily a source of more than $10 billion in visitor spending - still has a long way to go. Hospitality officials are waiting for meetings, cruises, big weddings and international flights to return before they pop any champagne corks. On this week’s podcast, we talk to New Orleans & Company president and CEO Stephen Perry about the state of the industry, his high hopes for the fall and the slow road back to full health.