New Orleans launches 10th Annual COOLinary Restaurant Month

The New Orleans Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) has announced the line-up of world-class restaurants for its 10th annual COOLinary restaurant promotion, offering special two and three-course lunch menus for $20 or less and/or three-course dinner menus for $35 or less, available August 1-31, 2014. More than 50 New Orleans restaurants are participating.

The event highlights the renowned and authentic cuisine of New Orleans and its culinary community. COOLinary, along with New Orleans CVB’s Be a Tourist inYour Own Hometown campaign, has become a staple calendar event for locals and visitors alike for a decade.

“People from all over the world come to New Orleans to eat, drink and relax. COOLinary New Orleans is an invitation for locals and visitors alike to sample our world-class cuisine at New Orleans’ most prestigious restaurants. Participating restaurants will offer exquisite dishes that are representative of our city’s food culture.” said Kim Priez, Vice President of Tourism for the New Orleans CVB.

This year’s COOLinary restaurants include: Antoine’s Restaurant, Besh Steak, The Bombay Club, Bourbon House, Brigtsen’s, Café Degas, Café Giovanni, Charcoal’s Gourmet Burger Bar, Charlie’s Steak House, Coquette, Court of Two Sisters, Criollo, Crossroads at House of Blues, The Irish House, Desire Bistro & Oyster Bar, Dickie Brennan’s Steakhouse, Dominique’s on Magazine, Fountain Lounge, Galatoire’s Restaurant, Galatoire’s “33” Bar & Steak, Galvez Restaurant, GG’s Dine-O-Rama, The Grill Room, GW Fins, Hard Rock Café, K-Paul’s Louisiana Kitchen, Little Gem Saloon, M Bistro, Manning’s, Marti’s Restaurant, Martin’s Wine Cellar, Mat & Naddies, Muriel’s Jackson Square, Mr. B’s Bistro, Morton’s Steakhouse, Palace Café, Patois, The Pelican Club, Restaurant R’evolution, Red Gravy Café, Redemption Restaurant, Rib Room, Saint Lawrence, Superior Seafood & Oyster Bar, Tableau, Tivoli & Lee, Tujague’s Restaurant, Zea’s Rotisserie & Grill and more!

In 2014, Food & Wine magazine readers picked New Orleans as the “clear favorite” as the top dining city, and Condé Nast Traveler names New Orleans the fifth the Best American Cities for Foodies. New Orleans recently received international recognition as a 2014 “World’s Best City” by Travel + Leisure, as one of two American cities to make the top 10 World’s Best Cities list and as the number two city to visit in the U.S.

Please visit www.CoolinaryNewOrleans.com to see the growing list of restaurants, menus, specials and more about COOLinary New Orleans.

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. The New Orleans CVB is consistently recognized as one of the top five CVBs in the country. For more information, visit www.neworleanscvb.com; www.facebook.com/neworleans; www.twitter.com/neworleans.

Louisiana celebrates National Tourism Week, kicks off rally held in New Orleans

National Travel and Tourism Week is a tradition celebrated annually since 1984. It was established as National Tourism Week when the U.S. Congress passed a joint resolution in 1983 designating the week to be celebrated in May. In a White House ceremony, President Reagan even signed a Presidential Proclamation urging citizens to observe the week with ceremonies and activities in their communities. 

 

Every year in mid-May, the New Orleans Convention and Visitors Bureau, along with our major tourism partners like the Louisiana Restaurant Association, the Greater New Orleans Hotel & Lodging Association and New Orleans Tourism Marketing Corp., join cities across the United States to celebrate National Travel and Tourism Week and the industry that employs more than 75,000 locals and brings $6 billion to our city annually. We expect approximately 700 people to attend the luncheon and we have an exciting program planned.

 

"The promotion of tourism to Louisiana is vitally important to the restaurants across Louisiana," said Stan Harris, LRA President/CEO. "National Travel and Tourism Week affords our industry the opportunity to remind the public of the unique culinary and cultural treasures we have in Louisiana and how that translates to jobs and revenue."

The first full week of May is annually recognized as National Travel and Tourism Week, a tradition first celebrated in 1984. Localized events are presented in cities, states and travel businesses nationwide to champion the power of travel. It was established as National Tourism Week when the U.S. Congress passed a joint resolution in 1983 designating the week to be celebrated in May. In a White House ceremony, President Ronald Reagan signed a Presidential Proclamation urging citizens to observe the week with “the appropriate ceremonies and activities.”

While New Orleans hosts a rally to emphasize the economic impact and number of individuals the hospitality industry employs, Louisiana Lt. Governor Jay Dardenne toured the state this week spreading the message of tourism's role in the state's economy. The press tour kicked off in New Orleans for the rally and moved on to the Northshore, Bossier City, Lake Charles and Jeff Davis Parish.

Since its establishment, the U.S. travel community has collectively marked the event in a number of creative ways, from staging local rallies and conducting media outreach to securing proclamations and resolutions from local legislative bodies.

Tourism rally brings focus on industry careers

Staff of the Creole Cuisine Restaurant Group proudly sport
their Tourism Matters t-shirts and their company banner.

This morning, the New Orleans Convention and Visitors Bureau hosted its third annual Tourism Rally, which saw more than 1,000 hospitality industry workers—carriage drivers, servers, bellmen, artists, Mardi Gras Indians, chefs and many others, gather in the French Quarter. Participants marched down Royal Street and the parade featured industry staff donning Tourism Matters t-shirts and signs about the importance visitors have on their livelihoods.

“New Orleans is one of 75 American cities that host a rally,” said Kelly Schulz, VP of Communications for the NOCVB. “Tourism provides 74,000 individuals in the Greater New Orleans area with jobs and rewarding careers.”

With the increase of national sporting events and the upcoming 2013 NFL Super Bowl and an ever growing Mardi Gras and festival season, the industry is a $5 billion boon to the Louisiana economy. By 2013, the industry is expected to top $7 billion in visitor spending and add an impressive 33,000 new positions in the hospitality sector—hotels, restaurants and attractions.

“The Louisiana Restaurant Association actively advocates for tourism promotion to our state,” said Stan Harris, President and CEO. “Louisiana is a destination for millions of visitors each year and when they are here, they fill our restaurants enjoying the authentic and truly unique cuisine we offer."

By 2022, Louisiana's restaurant industry is projected to add 17,400 new positions according to the Louisiana Workforce Commission. To meet this demand, the LRA Education Foundation administers the nationally-recognized ProStart program--a restaurant management and culinary arts curriculum currently offered in nearly 50 high schools statewide.

May 5-13 marks National Travel and Tourism Week, a tradition first celebrated in 1984. Localized events are presented in cities, states and travel businesses nationwide to champion the power of travel. It was established as National Tourism Week when the U.S. Congress passed a joint resolution in 1983 designating the week to be celebrated in May. In a White House ceremony, President Ronald Reagan signed a Presidential Proclamation urging citizens to observe the week with “the appropriate ceremonies and activities.”

NOCVB President Stephen Perry is a member of the U.S Travel and Tourism Advisory Board, a group of 32 CEOs who advise the U.S. Secretary of Commerce on policies affecting the travel and tourism industry. He was sworn in by President Obama in January at Walt Disney World, where the President announced a national strategy to make the United States the world’s top travel and tourism destination, as part of a comprehensive effort to spur job creation.