Tourists spill into New Orleans, despite spill in the Gulf

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Tourists spill into New Orleans, despite spill in the Gulf
June 24, 2010
Don Ames
WWL

The New Orleans area may actually be benefiting somewhat, tourism-wise, from the Gulf oil spill.

A lot of vacationers are apparently foregoing the Gulf Coast beaches in favor of a more urban environment.

And Stephen Perry, President and CEO of the New Orleans Convention and Visitors Bureau, says that's meant a bit of a bump for the Big Easy.

"We've had some marginal gains from those who were heading to the beaches," says Stephen Perry, President and CEO of the New Orleans Convention and Visitors Bureau.

"Only in very, very small numbers," says Perry. "I think we're getting a little bit."

Still, he says, when folks want to go to the beach for summer...they want to go to the beach.

"It's hard to take that beach away from them, so they're going to find another beach to get to," Perry says.

He says the areas that are benefiting most are the beaches on the east coast.

"Absolutely exploding numbers at Hilton Head and Myrtle Beach," he says.

Still, in spite of the negative national publicity concerning the Gulf Coast lately, New Orleans tourism numbers have seen an increase.

However, he says the oil spill came at the worst possible time, from a momentum perspective.

New Orleans ranked first in hotel performance growth among the top 25 U.S. destinations this January through May.

"New Orleans is doing incredibly well, and now we know...one of the hottest places in the Unites States to visit," says Perry.

He's hoping, though, that the momentum can be kept up, and there are worries about the future.