As tourism changes gear from holiday celebrations to Mardi Gras revelry, New Orleans closes out 2015 with bragging rights, topping multiple national rankings.
Most Visited Destination Across the Globe of 2015 by AFAR
AFAR magazine named New Orleans as the number one most visited destination of 2015. Nola was ranked above international destinations including Portugal, Rome, Paris, New York City and several more. AFAR's list noted the city's live jazz-filled streets, the open-container policy and the unique cuisine as factors for New Orleans being named as the most traveled destination across the globe in 2015.
#4 on Washington Post's "The 10 Best Food Cities in America" List
Within a 10-month project to "eat, drink and shop" his way through the United States, food critic Tom Sietsema of The Washington Post traveled across the country to rank the top 10 food cities, naming New Orleans number four. New Orleans ranked above other popular culinary destinations such as Charleston, New York City and Chicago. Sietsema visited New Orleans in the fall of 2015 and dined at a variety of staples within the local restaurant scene, noting that New Orleans is a city that prides itself on its unique cuisine. Sietsema dined at each type of restaurant the city has to offer, including sandwich shops, markets, fine dining restaurants, museums, bars and stores. His itinerary included Shaya, St. James Cheese Company, The Southern Food and Beverage Museum, Toups' Meatery and many more.
Corporate & Incentive Travel Magazine's Award of Excellence for the fifteenth time
Corporate & Incentive Travel Magazine recognized New Orleans as an ideal meeting destination for the fifteenth time. Noting the collision of Creole cuisine, rich history, hotel, restaurant and meeting developments as well as a culture unlike any other, the magazine calls New Orleans "a feast for the senses." The award points out meeting venues unique to the city, including Blaine Kern's Mardi Gras World and The National WWII Museum, where attendees can have an experience like no other.
Expedia Media Solutions' 2015 North American Most Innovative Campaign of the Year awarded to New Orleans Convention & Visitors Bureau
The Travelocity Roaming Gnome's spring visit to New Orleans resulted in the New Orleans Convention & Visitors Bureau (NOCVB) being recognized with the 2015 Most Innovative Campaign of the Year Award. The NOCVB joined forces with Expedia Media Solutions to partner with the Travelocity Integrated Marketing Communications team to create a tourism campaign that showcased New Orleans through the bearded traveler's experiences.
In an effort to jump-start the warm weather season and show the world that New Orleans is back and better than ever, the Travelocity Roaming Gnome visited the Crescent City during the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. Through an integrated social media campaign and interactive landing pages, the gnome showcased many of the activities that make New Orleans so unique. As a part of Travelocity's effort encouraging travelers to "go & smell the roses," the gnome enjoyed beignets at Café du Monde, danced in a second-line parade, ate a Mother's po-boy and turtle soup at Commander's Palace, took a riverboat cruise on the Steamboat Natchez, and even attended a swamp tour. The Travelocity visitor demand to visit also grew in the travel market by double digits year over year, especially within the 4.5 million impressions made from the display and email activities through the campaign.
Most Compassionate State in the Nation by YouCaring.com
Louisiana claimed the top spot for giving, according to the website YouCaring.com. Of all fundraisers started on YouCaring.com, the top 10 states reporting were tallied and Louisiana's count came to 181 fundraisers per 100,000 households during 2015, with top causes from medical and pet charities. YouCaring.com analyzed metrics for fundraisers launched across the U.S. that included all 50 states, to reveal the 10 most compassionate places as well as the causes closest to the hearts of its residents.
