We like tourists. But we are becoming disenchanted with tourism.

I know it sounds contradictory. We naturally like showing people a good time but having tourism as a mainstay of the economy is not giving us enough economic benefits for the amount of energy expended.

For too many of us, tourism is our economy. So please, come down, visit, have a good time and a great meal. Dance and all that.

We want people to get a full sense of the city. From the places where you wouldn't even know there had been a storm to the places where you wouldn't even know there had been a recovery. (true story: I met a woman today from Boston who asked if we still had water in the streets, she seemed otherwise smart but I set her straight immediately)

So.. if we don't answer posts about suggestions we might just be a little tired. But if you show up here this city is ready and able to host your vacation.

hey Beka!! (Beka and I met last year when I went to Maui).

I speculate that no one answered that requst last month because it was too hot. Seriously.
It's been 90 this last week and that felt cool. Seriously.
Plus, it was the Katrina month and everyone was, well, a bit anxious...even if they didn't admit it. Anything that wasn't essential didn't get done.

One of the things I like best about NOLA is that people really respond to the weather here. If it's too hot, business may not open (even though the sign on their door says that they should be or are) and no one expects you to do anything other than lift a cold drink.

And most tourists are really good at lifting cold drinks, and we like them for it. I personally hate them for it, but only when the cold drink compels them to wear balloon hats, ridiculous beads they've bought at a store, and show their tits to me.

Lots of people hate tourists for going on the Appetite for Seeing Destruction tour, but frankly, I'm not one of those, for I think outsiders need to see and they need to go home and tell their friends and their friends' friends and the clerk behind the cash register and their teachers and their priests. People need to know.

So no worries. And plus: I love you already!!
And folks, I can vouch that Beka won't wear a balloon hat. (just saying!)

love.
ali

p.s., I'm gonna answer your post on the n.o.madic tribal site too, but wanted to give any others an opp first.

New Orleans is very friendly to tourists. It's not just because the local economy depends on them. Hospitality is deeply ingrained in the southern personality. As a general rule.