Interview: Kim Priez

Interview: Kim Priez The New Orleans Convention and Visitors Bureau this month (January) will begin giving travel agents discount coupon books for cruise passengers, according to Kim Priez, vp of tourism. “Our travel agent focus groups say it makes them look as if they’re bringing more to the table for their customers,” she told Travelmole.com. That’s only one example of how the area’s CVB continues to “aggressively” court travel agents, she added. “The travel agent market may be declining a little bit, but they’re still a very strong market for us. We still have some very loyal agents,” she said, adding the local CVB is among the few markets with specific personnel dedicated only to travel agents. The New Orleans each year gets upwards of 8.3 million visitors. Travel agents book much of that travel. A recent random survey found that 65% of visitors were primarily business travelers; of those, almost one third said they had used travel agents for some of their bookings. “Cruises have opened some new markets for us, but we’re also working closely with groups, where agents seem to often have a better margin,” said Ms Priez. The area has had a growth spurt in hotel rooms. There are now 35,000 rooms and 6,000 of those have been built in the past 18 months, so discounted prices are inevitable. While it’s widely known for Mardi Gras, New Orleans has developed many other diverse attractions. And one area Ms Priez suggests is largely unexplored by agents is the city as an alternative to Europe or another exotic destination. “New Orleans is somewhat of a sleeper. It’s a walkable city with a lot of art attractions, good food and great music,” she said. “Agents who are finding customers are canceling a trip to Europe, say, might try to convince their clients they can find an exotic destination right here in New Orleans,” she added.