NEW ORLEANS – The New Orleans Convention and Visitors Bureau released the following information about what’s new in the hospitality industry this November:
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: RECENT AWARDS
New Orleans continues to garner national and international attention as a world-class destination. Recent honors include:
• Thrillist named New Orleans one of the Most Romantic Cities in America.
• Condé Nast Traveler has named New Orleans the No. 5 Best Big City in the U.S. as a part of the publication’s Reader’s Choice Awards 2016.
• New Orleans’ Compère Lapin was named one Playboy’s Best Bars of 2016.
• New Orleans’ National WWII Museum was named No. 4 Museum in the U.S. and No. 11 Museum in the World by TripAdvisor’s Traveler’s Choice Awards 2016.
• One of the Top 25 Coastal Cities in the World by Chicago Line Cruises.
• New Orleans’ restaurants: Shaya and Brennan’s, included in Condé Nast Traveler Magazine’s Where in the World to Eat Awards 2016.
• New Orleans’ restaurants: GW Fins, Restaurant August and Shaya included in Forbes’ 100 Best Restaurants for Foodies in America 2016.
View a full list of awards here
RECENT ANNOUNCEMENTS
• British Airways has announced a new international non-stop flight from London to New Orleans.
The Boeing 787-800 Dreamliner aircraft will begin travel four times per week from London Heathrow to Louis Armstrong International Airport on March 27, 2017.
The United Kingdom is New Orleans' second largest international source of visitors.
This services marks the first direct flights from London to New Orleans since the early 1980s, when British Airways operated flights to and from London Gatwick Airport.
• Condé Nast Traveler has named New Orleans the No. 5 Best Big City in the U.S. as a part of the travel publication’s Reader’s Choice Awards 2016, drawing feedback from more than 300,000 readers.
The Reader’s Choice Awards survey is an annual readers’ roundup that rates cities, hotels, airports, cruise lines, resorts and islands.
This designation is New Orleans’ most recent accomplishment in a string of accolades including being named a “World’s Best City” in the U.S. and Canada on Travel + Leisure’s annual reader survey, the “Number 1 City for Food in the U.S.” and “Number 2 Best City for Culture in the U.S.” by Travel + Leisure and more.
UPCOMING EVENTS AND DEVELOPMENTS
• Faux/Real Festival returns to New Orleans Nov. 3-13 for a celebration of the creative work of artists in literature, theater, food and drink.
Participants can attend performances, readings, tastings and parties across the city during the festival’s reign.
• The Emeril Lagasse Foundation's signature outdoor music and food festival, Boudin, Bourbon & Beer returns to Champion’s Square November 4th.
Chefs Emeril Lagasse, Donald Link, John Currence, Stephen Stryjewski, as well as more than 60 local and regional chefs will headline the festival, serving creative dishes featuring boudin.
The Emeril Lagasse Foundation provides financial support to non-profit organizations providing youth education in culinary, nutrition, arts and life skills development in the Gulf Coast region.
• The WWII AirPower Expo will welcome veteran aviators and historic 1940s airbirds to the New Orleans Lakefront Aiport for a three-day hands-on interactive experience.
The expo will feature aerial demonstrations, authentic WWII-era entertainment, aircraft tours and more from Nov. 4-6.
• New Orleans original Caribbean festival, Bayou Bacchanal, will take place on Nov. 5 in Armstong Park and will celebrate Caribbean culture.
Bayou Bacchanal is hosted by Friends of Culture, an organization who helps to bridge the gap between the New Orleans and the island nations of the Caribbean.
• The Bywater Neighborhood Association's annual Mirliton Festival will celebrate the unique Creole squash on Nov. 7 at Mickey Markey Park.
The vegetable is native to Mexico, but cooked differently in Louisiana than anywhere else.
The mirliton will be featured by food vendors throughout the festival, incorporated into a variety of dishes.
• The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation will celebrate gumbo and brass bands at the 9th annual Tremé Creole Gumbo Festival in Congo Square of Armstrong Park Nov. 12-13.
Brass band headliners include Grammy-winning Rebirth Brass Band, the Hot 8 Brass Band, the Pinettes and many more.
Fourteen vendors will showcase their best bowl of gumbo, including gluten-free, chicken and andouille sausage, dark and light roux, vegan, and seafood gumbo.
• The 43rd annual Bayou Classic returns to the Mercedes-Benz Superdome for the tradition of Grambling State and Southern University's rival football game on Nov. 26.
The Bayou Classic brings four days of open-to-the-public events including a Thanksgiving Day Parade, Fan Fest at Champion's Square, a Career & College Fair, a Gospel Brunch and a Battle of the Bands & Greek Show.
• December in New Orleans brings Christmas New Orleans Style, a month of holiday celebrations that includes light displays, festivals, concerts and more.
Enjoy light displays across 25 acres of New Orleans City Park, one of the largest urban parks in the country, during Celebration in the Oaks, opening Nov. 25 – Jan. 1.
NOLA ChristmasFest takes over the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center for 10 days during the month of December, featuring an indoor ice skating rink, carnival rides, holiday events and more.
In Creole tradition, restaurants across the city present Reveillon dinners during the month of December, with modern takes on the traditional nineteenth century holiday feasts. Restaurants have also added a cocktail component to the dinners, serving up holiday-themed cocktails during the holiday season.
Throughout the month of December, travelers can enjoy Papa Noel Hotel Rates for hotel rooms across New Orleans as well as for bed and breakfasts.
RESTAURANTS
• Chef Isaac Toups has recently opened Toups South, inside of Central City's Southern Food & Beverage Museum (SoFab).
Chef Toups first opened Toups' Meatery in Mid-City after being named Bravo's Top Chef Fan Favorite.
Toups South is the chef's second restaurant and includes a menu that focuses less on Cajun and more on the entire South.
HOTELS
• The Royal Sonesta has recently debuted its newly renovated Grand Ballroom, available for meeting space and events.
This reimagined update to the Grand Ballroom follows a recent renovation of the hotel's 483 hotel rooms and 36 suites.
ATTRACTIONS
• The New Orleans Museum of Art is hosting Seeing Nature: Landscape Masterworks from the Paul G. Allen Family Collection Oct. 14 -Jan. 15, 2017.
This exhibition is co-organized by the Portland and Seattle Art Museums and features 39 masterpieces showcasing the evolution of European and American landscape painting from Paul G. Allen, Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist.
• Prospect New Orleans will screen Christian Marclay's 24-hour video installation, The Clock, at the Contemporary Arts Center from Nov.10 – Dec. 4Thursday-Sunday as a part of Prospect's Bridge Years' Community Engagement Programs.
This film utilizes thousands of excerpts from the last 100 years of cinema to indicate the passage of time and chronicles the 24-hour period through a watch or clock.
The video will run continuously day and night on the weekends of Nov.18 and 25 from Friday at 5 p.m. through Sunday at 5 p.m.
• The Steamboat Natchez will release a new book, Steamboat Natchez, New Orleans & The History of Mississippi River Steamboats this month.
The book will feature photography and text by Kerri McCaffety with original commander of the Natchez, Captain Clark C. Hawley, describing the only true steam-powered boat on the Mississippi River today.
AIRPORT
• Construction is underway on a new terminal at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport, set to debut in 2018.
This $826 million project will feature 30 gates, a 2,000-car parking garage, a central utility plant and a ground transportation staging area.
The new terminal is projected to have a $3.2 billion annual economic impact on tourism in New Orleans.
The airport has added a variety of new flights:
• Choice Air has just announced year-round non-stop service to San Pedro Sula, Honduras from New Orleans beginning De. 17.
This new flight will depart on Wednesdays and Saturdays from Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport to Ramón Villeda Morales International Airport.
• JetBlue has begun daily, non-stop flights to Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport from New Orleans.
JetBlue is celebrating its 15th year flying to and from New Orleans.
• Condor will begin one new twice-weekly departure to Frankfurt, Germany, beginning May 3, 2017.
This will be New Orleans’ first nonstop flight to Europe since the 1980s and will connect New Orleans passengers to more than 120 other cities in the Eastern hemisphere through Condor’s partner airlines.
Flights will depart on Wednesdays and Sundays on a Boeing 767-300ER aircraft with 259 seats.
The flight is estimated to bring nearly 10,000 people to New Orleans annually.
• Allegiant
One twice-weekly departure to Tulsa International Airport, May 26.
One twice-weekly departure to Concord Regional Airport beginning Nov. 18.
• Branson AirExpress
Return of seasonal air service four times weekly to Branson Airport, May 26-Aug. 14.
• GLO Airlines
Two seasonal weekly departures to Destin-Fort Walton Beach Airport, June 24-Sept. 5.
Three times weekly departure to Huntsville International Airport beginning on Sept. 30.
One new flight to Cleveland beginning Feb. 17, 2017.
MEETINGS AND CONVENTIONS
Meetings (3,000 or more in attendance) include:
• Obesity Society ObesityWeek | Oct. 31-Nov. 4
ObesityWeek is an international event focusing on the basic science, clinical application, surgical intervention and prevention of obesity.
Projected attendance: 4,500
• American Heart Association Scientific Sessions | Nov. 12-15
The Scientific Sessions feature five days of educational sessions, hands-on simulation activities and abstract presentations on cardiovascular research from the world's leaders in cardiovascular disease.
Projected attendance: 25,000
• International WorkBoat Show | Nov. 30-Dec. 2
The WorkBoat Annual Conference welcomes commercial marine-specific professionals to learn the latest in marine safety, technology, government regulations and business management.
Projected attendance: 14,000
The New Orleans Convention & Visitors Bureau is a nationally accredited, 1,100-member destination marketing organization and the largest and most successful private economic development corporation in Louisiana, organization reps said. 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 its New Orleans headquarters and offices in Washington, D.C., Chicago and four foreign countries. Consistently recognized as one of the top five CVBs in the country, the New Orleans CVB celebrates its 56th anniversary in 2016.
