New Orleans Achieves Highest Ever Visitor Spend

March 10, 2015

New Orleans’ tourism industry welcomed 9.52 million visitors in 2014, an increase of 2.6 percent, or about 240,000 people, from 2013 (9.28 million). The 9.52 million visitors spent $6.81 billion, a 5.3 percent increase over 2013 and the highest spending in the city’s history, according to a study released March 9.

The 2014 New Orleans Area Visitor Profile study, completed by the University of New Orleans (UNO) Hospitality Research Center for the New Orleans Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) and New Orleans Tourism Marketing Corporation (NOTMC) represents a milestone.

After Hurricane Katrina, visitor numbers dropped to 3.7 million in 2006, with $2.9 billion in visitor spending. Due to the efforts of the New Orleans CVB and the NOTMC, visitor numbers have steadily increased, with visitor spending more than doubling the figures reached right after Katrina.

Of the respondents who offered open-ended comments in 2014, 69.9 percent provided positive feedback about the city; 44.1 percent of them plan to return or recommend New Orleans to others, and 43.9 percent visitors indicated they “love New Orleans.” The survey showed that New Orleans continues to have great success in attracting repeat visitation, with 62.6 percent of respondents indicating this was a return trip. The percentage of first-time visitors to New Orleans decreased to 37.4 percent in 2014.

Mayor Mitch Landrieu said, “Year after year, New Orleans proves to be one of the best places in the world to visit. For the ninth consecutive year, New Orleans has seen a record-breaking increase in the number of visitors and their collective spending. Thousands of business owners, artists, producers, innovators and restaurateurs take pride in offering our visitors an authentic experience even adding new options every year. New Orleans is on a roll and we’re thrilled that visitors — leisure and business alike — across the globe are taking notice. This year, we look forward to welcoming visitors and friends for the Jazz Festival, Essence Festival, French Quarter Festival and more.”

Visitor spending increased in all categories, resulting in an overall 5.3 percent increase in spending activity for 2014, compared to 2013: Lodging spending increased by 5.9 percent.

Entertainment spending increased by 11.2 percent.
Shopping spending increased by 5.7 percent.
Restaurant spending increased by 2.9 percent.
Spending in bars and nightclubs increased by 3.9 percent.
Visitors who stayed overnight in a hotel spent an average of $249 per person per day.
Visitors who came to New Orleans for the day spent an average of $180 per person.

The majority of visitors (31 percent) traveled to New Orleans during the second quarter of 2014, which can be related to Jazz Fest, French Quarter Fest and a robust convention calendar that quarter. The primary purpose of their visit remained similar to what it has been over the last five years:

77.2 percent of visitors surveyed were in New Orleans for vacation/pleasure.
12.4 percent of visitors surveyed were in New Orleans for association, convention, trade show or corporate meetings.
10.4 percent of visitors surveyed were in town for general business.
57.8 percent of convention and business visitors extended their stay by an average of two nights to enjoy the city; an increase over 2013 (55.4 percent) and 2012 (57.6 percent).
Cruise visitors comprised about 1.5 percent of the total number of visitor responses, and nearly all (91 percent) stayed in New Orleans before or after their cruise. The average number of nights in the city was 2.5, compared to an average of two nights in 2011-2013.

“The 2014 visitor numbers are a testament to our efforts that as a destination we are attracting the right type of visitor. Visitor spend is the highest it’s ever been, driving economic growth and enriching the lives of every New Orleanian, especially the more than 80,000 New Orleanians who work in the tourism industry,” said Stephen Perry, president and CEO of the New Orleans CVB.

“A major theme to our marketing campaigns has been to encourage visitors to stay longer and stay mid-week. There is more live music and entertainment on a Tuesday in New Orleans than a Saturday night in most destinations. The 2014 report shows that visitors, in particular business and convention travelers, are extending their trip longer than before to experience the destination and prove that New Orleans is a great city to work and play,” said Mark Romig, president and CEO of NOTMC.