FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contacts:
Kelly Schulz/Jenn Lotz                                                       Lea Sinclair
New Orleans CVB                                                               NOTMC
504-566-5019                                                                  504-491-5330
kschulz@neworleanscvb.com/jlotz@neworleanscvb.com  lea@notmc.com


New Orleans Receives Multiple Awards and Honors in Summer Months
National and international publications recognize New Orleans as premiere destination for travel, lifestyle and retirement

NEW ORLEANS - August 7, 2012- In the last three months, New Orleans has received 13 awards and honors for being one of the country's hottest destinations for shopping, travel, and retirement. The city's accolades have been featured in some of the top international publications for leisure and corporate travel.

"New Orleans is on a roll and we're making major progress," said New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu. "We thank those sending awards our way and for recognizing that there is no better place in America to live or visit."

· Travel + Leisure ranked New Orleans as a Top City in the U.S. and Canada - World's Best Awards, July 2012
New Orleans was ranked number five on the list of the top ten cities in the U.S. and Canada with a score of 86.55, moving up from the number six spot on the 2011 list. Readers voted for New Orleans based on luxury, boutique and antique shopping.

· Kiplinger named New Orleans the Best City for Retirees, July 2012
Kiplinger Magazine acknowledges New Orleans for its affordable healthcare, cost-of-living and beautiful neighborhoods. "...N'awlins has bounced back! The rebounding population has helped spawn a building boom of newly constructed and refurbished homes, as well as new infrastructure."

· New Orleans named "One of the Top 20 Places Every American Should See" by The Palm Beach Post, July 2012
The Palm Beach Post spotlighted French Quarter architecture and attractions available during festival season. This segment includes the top picks for photo ops - listing Jackson Square as a must-see location - and insider tips for tourists.

· TripAdvisor ranked New Orleans among the most affordable cities in the U.S. for domestic travelers, June 2012
This accolade was based on one night's accommodation, dinner for two, cocktails and a taxi ride. 
 
· Travel + Leisure names New Orleans as the best U.S. city for shopping, based on consumer experience, June 2012
New Orleans claimed the number one spot on Travel + Leisure's 2012 list for best shopping in the U.S., beating out New York City, Los Angeles and San Francisco. This list was based on luxury, boutique and antique shopping.

· New Orleans named a top ten shopping destination by Germany-based publication AMERICA Journal, June 2012
AMERICA Journal's staff praised New Orleans display of multicultural heritage in the shopping districts of the French Quarter. "Clearly, the highlight of the visit is a stroll through the city's historic French Quarter. Antique shops, art galleries, libraries, jewelry stores, and arts and crafts markets represent New Orleans' creativity, and merges with the 200-year-old history of the city." The New Orleans CVB works with international journalists year round to promote New Orleans as one of the country's leading destinations.

· AAA Southern Traveler's Annual Best of the South named New Orleans as the Best Large City for a Weekend Getaway for the third consecutive year. Additionally, several members of the New Orleans CVB and its industry partners were recognized for excellence, June 2012
AAA Southern Traveler readers were asked to select their southern favorites in 17 categories. From there, three finalists were selected in each category and readers were asked to select the winners through the official poll. In addition to being named Best Large City for a Weekend Getaway, New Orleans was recognized for the Best Large Hotel (Hotel Monteleone), Best Bed & Breakfast (Grand Victorian Bed & Breakfast), Best Attraction (The National WWII Museum), Best Brunch (Commander's Palace), and Best Fine Dining (Galatoire's Restaurant).

· New Orleans ranked in TripAdvisor's 2012 "Top 25 Travelers' Choice World Destinations" and in "Top 25 Travelers' Choice U.S. Destinations," May 2012
New Orleans was ranked by the TripAdvisor community - a group of over one million users - alongside London, Rome, Barcelona, Buenos Aires and Dublin as one of the best destinations to visit in the world. This marks the third year in a row that New Orleans has won a Traveler's Choice award.

"New Orleans could not be in a better place these days," said Mark Romig, President and CEO of New Orleans Tourism Marketing Corporation. "Our visitors have the best tourism experience in the country and the awards we keep receiving are a big endorsement of their approval."

"Tourism is a $5 billion dollar industry for New Orleans, and one that is solely based on image and perception," said Stephen Perry, President and CEO of the New Orleans Convention and Visitors Bureau. "These prominent awards show that the perception and actual visitor experience are better than ever and will go a long way in attracting future tourists to the city."

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. 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 our New Orleans headquarters and offices in Washington, D.C., New York, Chicago, Phoenix and four foreign countries. Consistently recognized as one of the top five CVBs in the country, the New Orleans CVB is celebrating its 52nd anniversary in 2012. For more information, please visit http://www.neworleanscvb.com/.

The New Orleans Tourism Marketing Corporation promotes the city as a leisure tourism destination throughout the year. Annually, NOTMC's marketing campaigns include strategic print, broadcast, and Internet advertising and public relations. Web sites: NewOrleansOnline.com; NewOrleansMuseums.com; RadioFreeNeworleans.com; GoNola.com. Social media: Facebook.com/NewOrleansOnline; Twitter.com/visitneworleans.