Convention & Visitors Bureau

Four years after being knocked down by Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans meetings are regaining their footing. Last year, 7.6 million visited the city, according to the New Orleans Convention and Visitors Bureau, up from 3.7 million in 2006 and 7.1 million in 2007. Before Katrina, in 2004, a record 10.1 million visitors showed up. This year looks good: Mardi Gras attendance reached pre-Katrina levels of about one million.

There are 119 hotels in New Orleans with 22,000 hotel rooms. And rates at the luxury hotels there are a good deal, many being quoted at $70 per night.