Tourist officials are once again encouraging holidaygoers to come and have "fun" in New Orleans in a bid to regain its once-thriving tourism industry.
Prior to the devastation of Hurricane Katrina in 2005 New Orleans had been popular with both
backpacking and luxury tourists, but has since struggled to cope.
However, people are once again voting with their feet, with the number of visitors nearly doubling from 3.7 million in 2006 to 7.1 million in 2007.
Confident in the unique cultural appeal of the city, president of the New Orleans Tourism Marketing Corporation, Sandra Shilstone, explained that travelers only need a little encouragement to make a return
She told the Worcester Telegram: "We learned from research that we needed to reach as many people as possible as quickly as possible to convince them to return post-Katrina."
Commenting in the Houston Chronicle, a spokesperson for the corporation added that it was important to make "sure people understand that it's OK to come and visit and have fun".
Major events set to entice visitors to New Orleans include Mardi Gras 2009 and the NBA All-Star Games.
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