New Orleans out of bounds for tourists until 2006

New Orleans will be out of bound to tourists for at least three months as the relief and rescue operation in the stricken city finally begins to gather speed.

Tourist chiefs pleaded with holidaymakers not to desert the region altogether but to visit other sights in Louisiana or simply deter their trip until the new year. They insisted the city “will rise again”.

It emerged over the weekend that UK tourists were among the thousands of people holed up in the city’s Superdrome while others claimed US authorities refused to evacuate them as Hurricane Katrina approached the city.

According to some holidaymakers stranded in New Orleans, police visited hotels and guest houses offering to evacuate Americans but not Britons.

At least 140 Britons are still said to be unaccounted for.

While stressing the priority now must be the welfare of the New Orleans citizens, New Orleans Convention and Visitor’s Bureau and Louisiana Office of Tourism urged the UK not to turn its back on the region. It admitted however that it will be unlikely that tourists will be able to travel to New Orleans for the next three months.

“We are very confident that through planning, government funding and sheer strength of will, the city of New Orleans will rise again and open its doors to tourists from around the world,” said Jody Hanson, UK sales director for the New Orleans CVB and Louisiana Office of Tourism. “The UK is the strongest international market to New Orleans and we very much hope that this will continue.”

She said many members of the public have called and reassured then that they will travel to the region once they are able to do so.

“Meanwhile, many are seeking alternative holiday destinations throughout Louisiana and the Deep South in cities that are very much open for business and looking forward to welcoming British visitors,” said Hanson.

According to the CVB, tour operators are making decisions on a week by week basis, offering customers alternative destinations and fly drive routes through the Deep South or allowing them to cancel. It said many have expressed their commitment to the area.

After the rescue operation is complete, tourism officials have urged the government to preserve and protect the integrity of the French Quarter, which they said is dependent on tourism.

Although the Quarter was flooded in knee high deep water and was “battered” by the ferocious winds, the hospitality infrastructure survived.

Report by Steve Jones