NEW ORLEANS - October 18, 2006 - To reacquaint travel professionals 
with New Orleans, the New Orleans Metropolitan Convention & Visitors 
Bureau (NOMCVB) hosted travel agents during the "Back to the Big Easy" 
familiarization trip and post-visit survey results show that New Orleans 
continues to be considered one of the top leisure destinations in the 
country. 

For two months, 600 travel agents came to the city to enjoy the 
authentic New Orleans experience-one that is unmatched and better than ever. 
The "Back to the Big Easy" fam was held this past July and August and 
gave travel professionals the opportunity to experience New Orleans as it 
is today. After the visit, the NOMCVB sent participants an online 
survey and the results were unmistakable-New Orleans is not only ready for 
visitors, but it also maintains the same level of hospitality and 
adventure for which the city has become famous.

According to the "Back to the Big Easy" survey, 90 percent of travelers 
said New Orleans met their expectations. Here are more results from the 
questionnaire:

*	98 percent said the "Back to the Big Easy" fam met their expectations
*	87 percent plan to promote New Orleans travel in 2006  
*	98 percent plan to promote New Orleans travel in 2007

"We were very warmly received by all vendors," said one "Back to the 
Big Easy" fam participant. "The [tourist area] is as fun and musical as 
it ever was, and the people we encountered seemed very glad to have us 
as visitors. There was a sense of pride from the locals who decided to 
stay and rebuild that could be felt in our daily interactions every 
place we went. As a promoter of travel, that is a very good thing to sell 
to a customer-to know that they will be genuinely well-received and feel 
good about choosing New Orleans for their destination. Thank you."

Participants enjoyed three days and two nights in New Orleans, and were 
able to take a riverboat cruise, dine at fabulous New Orleans 
restaurants and visit famous city attractions.