Tagged: tourism

The president of a business organization in New Orleans says the group is focusing on changing the image the city presents to businesses that are thinking about relocating or expanding.

Rodrick Miller, president and CEO of the New Orleans Business Alliance, told a luncheon Wednesday that many people often associate New Orleans with Bourbon Street, jazz and its port. But Miller said they don't think about the new things coming to the city like the film industry and technology companies.

GULFPORT, Miss. — Developers of Gulfport's waterfront Harbor Town Casino say they will present new plans to the Mississippi Gaming Commission on July 19. Rotate Black CEO John Paulsen tells the Sun Herald the plan increases the investment from $87 million to $100 million. He says developers will bring in a four-star hotel with an upscale swimming pool area and cabanas.

New Orleans hotel operators say occupancy is the highest in more than a decade. They credit refurbished hotels, a jam-packed calendar and continued recovery from the levee breaches after Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

Room rates are up, too. The Times-Picayune reports that Smith Travel Research quotes the city's average daily hotel rate at $154 — the highest since February 2002, when it averaged $159.40 a night.

Rates through April of this year averaged $148.61. That's 12.6 percent better than same four months last year.

The World War II Museum, which opened June 6, 2000, expects its three millionth visitor to arrive sometime Tuesday.

The museum has been experiencing record-setting attendance. Last month, it had a total of 44,807 visitors — the most ever in a one-month period — and over 1,000 more than its previous record month in March 2010.

Based on current visitor total and visitation trends, the museum will expect the three millionth visitor around midmorning.

A presentation ceremony will begin at 11:30 a.m. CDT.