The tax-funded New Orleans tourism marketing organization is shifting blame for repeated violations of COVID-19 safety rules in Bourbon Street and other tourist-targeting areas by accusing locals of being the problem.
In an email to members and colleagues, Stephen Perry, CEO of New Orleans & Company, wrote that residents were behind the recent scenes of “ blatantly unsafe behavior ” that prompted Mayor LaToya Cantrell to impose controversial new rules that will go into effect. for the last few days of the carnival season.
On February 5, Cantrell announced that bars in the city would be closed from February 12-16, in addition to some streets that usually fill up with celebrations, to reduce the continued spread of COVID-19.
Cantrell Announces New Restrictions for Mardi Gras Covid: Bar Closure, Street Barricades
Cantrell and New Orleans & Company are both criticized for encouraging visitors to travel to New Orleans despite the dangers of traveling during a pandemic.
But Perry, whose organization represents local businesses and multinational hotel chains, insists the locals are at fault.
“Our own residents created a dilemma for the government,” the letter states.
Perry also urged city officials, who have been under investigation for lax enforcement of rules, to re-examine the way they deal with code violations and “blatant” illegal public gatherings.
“It was not the small number of responsible tourists we received or the majority of our citizens and businesses,” Perry said.
Perry also criticized the “young people” of New Orleans, referring specifically to a recent party at Uptown bar Monkey Hill, attended by large groups of college students.
In recent weeks, an increase in visitors has come to the city for revelry, although the numbers are nowhere near previous years.
Despite city officials’ message to “act like a local” and wear face coverings while avoiding crowds, regularly documented footage shows people violating mandates and flocking to popular tourist destinations that don’t tend to attract locals. including Bourbon Street. And last month, an Oklahoma tourist shot a homeless man in the French Quarter.
Some downtown hotels said last week that they expect to fill rooms with people from out of town in the coming days, expecting to reach up to 50% or 60% capacity, despite the cancellation of parades and other traditional celebrations.
New Orleans hotels are seeing a slight jump in Mardi Gras guests, but how does this compare to recent years?
Hotels are not subject to the same occupancy rules as restaurants or other businesses, except in common areas such as lobbies and elevators.
Perry – who also sparred with the mayor over restrictions last May – called Cantrell’s latest decision “ problematic ” and said he was concerned about optics.
“We are concerned that our brand will be affected by tricky messages in the city,” he wrote. “This is where we are when the locals do stupid things and the city’s compliance and quick response in real time is weak or non-existent.”
Read the full letter here.