Tulane University Freeman School BLOG

Looking for a top education in a great setting? Look at New York, then New Orleans, then stop! So says this article from NOLA City Business - in a survey of 60,000 people New Orleans ranked second only to New York City as the top domestic destination.

This is great news for the city, and something I’ve been championing for a while. In past posts I’ve mentioned how most of the people moving to New Orleans are young professionals, looking for opportunity and growth. 1/5 of the Nation’s energy passes through our city, and with oil at $88/barrel, you can bet that number isn’t going to decrease anytime soon. And with this year’s hurricane season winding down (yep, I just called it), a flooded New Orleans is hopefully a fading memory in the minds of investors and businesses.

Travel & Leisure: America’s Favorite Cities 2007

New Orleans ranks No. 2 among destination U.S. cities behind N.Y.
NEW ORLEANS — Nearly 60,000 responses from travelers in America have determined New Orleans is a top American city to visit along with New York, Portland, and Charleston, N.C.

New Orleans ranked No. 1 in:

— Nightlife, including After Dark, Cocktail Hour and Live Music;

— Food/Dining, including Cheap Eats;

— People, including Fun;

— Shopping, including Antiques, Flea Markets; and

— Type of Trip, Girlfriend Getaway and Wild Weekend.

Only New York received more No. 1 rankings with 15. Results can be seen at travelandleisure.com under America’s Favorite Cities.

“This is great news for New Orleans,” said Sandra Shilstone, president and CEO of New Orleans Tourism Marketing Corp. “Two reputable organizations and 60,000 travelers have reinforced what we always knew … New Orleans is a great place to visit.”

Travel + Leisure Magazine and CNN Headline News polled travelers across the country on what they like and dislike about the top 25 urban destinations in nearly 60 different categories. They voted on everything from friendly and attractive residents to best restaurants, museums, historic sites, shops, and more.

Cities included Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Charleston, Chicago, Dallas/Fort Worth, Denver, Honolulu, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Nashville, New Orleans, New York, Orlando, Philadelphia, Phoenix/Scottsdale, Portland, San Antonio, San Diego, San Francisco, Santa Fe, Seattle, and Washington D.C.

Methodology: An online survey appeared on travelandleisure.com and cnn.com from April 30 to July 15. Respondents were asked to rate their choice of one or more cities (among 25 previously selected cities) in 55 different categories. Respondents were asked to identify whether or not they were residents of each city they rated. Responses were collected and tabulated by travelandleisure.com.

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