New Orleans mayor says city's tourism economy on upswing

[NVMojo]

RENO, Nev. (AP) - You can party hearty again in the Big Easy.

New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin said his city's tourism-based economy is starting to rebound, more than 15 months after Hurricane Katrina blew through town.

Nagin, in a speech Saturday at the National League of Cities annual convention in Reno, said a string of major conventions has been held without a hitch this year. The latest, held by the National Association of Realtors in November, drew 30,000 people.

"Sixteen months later, we're on our way and every day gets better," Nagin said. "We are now back, and the noises and rhythms are back to where they used to be."

The city's general sales tax revenues are at 80 percent of pre-Katrina levels, and all utilities have been restored, he said. Ninety-eight percent of restaurants that attract convention-goers are back, and 97 percent of medium and large businesses are open.

For next year, about 70 percent of the convention business expected before Katrina is in place. Officials expect convention business to be at 90 percent of pre-Katrina levels in 2008, Nagin said.

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http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/nevada/2006/dec/09/120910100.html

[msongs]

1. touring the devastation zone is big business? nt

[pitohui]

2. most tourists have no idea that a storm ever hit

because of the crime most tourists never step foot outside the designated tourist ghetto which was not flooded and which is fully recovered from the storm

the biggest PITA is the lack of flights and the weird-ass times and convoluted routings you have to mess with, however, you do get some damn cheap flights, for instance, a recent offer was seattle-new orleans, round-trip, ALL taxes and fees included for $135