NEW ORLEANS WILL See Tourism Dollars Spread Throughout Our City

All

You may not work in tourism, but tourism works for you. Every time a tourist spends their hard-earned money in our city, those dollars are spent several more times throughout our city. Since visitor spending makes for the largest source of fuel for our economy, it matters to us all.

king cake and mardi gras mask new orleans

(photo from praline3001 on Flickr)

The Path of a New Orleans Tourism Dollar

When Mardi Grass-goer Maggie and her friends take a trip to New Orleans for Carnival, they are ready to let loose and experience the magic of the season in our one-of-a-kind city. While here, they hit parades, restaurants, bars, music venues and more. The indulgent spirit of Mardi Gras encourages not only celebration, but also spending, and Maggie and her friends don’t hold back. From specialty beads in novelty shops to pedicabs after long days of partying, they are giving our local businesses a big boost. One morning when they all need a big dose of caffeine to get ready for the parades, Maggie decides to treat her friends to coffee and pastries. They order lattes, mochas, black coffees, muffins, king cake, bagels and more, running up a hefty tab. Maggie happily pays the bill and leaves a generous tip for the baristas and they make their way to the parade routes.

lattes

(photo from Karin Beil on Flickr)

Maggie has just provided one of our local businesses with income, not to mention tips for the employees, and those dollars will continue to be spent throughout our economy via those coffee shop workers. Because the small coffee shop is doing well due to the many tourist patrons like Maggie, Owner Olivia is able to buy her husband a shiny new suit at a local men’s clothing store, and Barista Brandon can use his income to splurge on dinner on Freret Street with his friends. The shop worker at that men’s store and the waiter at that Freret Street restaurant can then also spend the money they earned from Olivia and Brandon on things like fresh baked bread at a a top-notch, local bakery. And from there, those dollars, originating from Mardi Gras-goer Maggie, continue on, deeper into our local economy.

Tourism dollars mean so much more to our economy than the first point of contact, which is why tourism is so important to us all. The more we understand, the more we can support each other and our city, creating a stronger New Orleans for generations to come.