• New Orleans Hosting the World for IPW 2027 – New Orleans took center stage at IPW 2026 in Greater Fort Lauderdale as the next host city for the U.S. Travel Association’s premier international marketplace. During the event, New Orleans & Company, the Louisiana Office of Tourism and tourism partners officially invited global travel buyers, media and industry professionals to experience IPW 2027 in New Orleans. Over four days, New Orleans & Company conducted 182 individual customer meetings while the communications team met with more than 50 journalists. The destination announcement featured remarks from Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser, a welcome message from Mayor Helena Moreno and a special musical performance by Robin Barnes and Pat Casey. IPW 2027 will take place in New Orleans May 2-6, 2027.
• Smoothie King Center Renovation Plans – Plans are underway for major renovations to the Smoothie King Center, aimed at enhancing the fan experience and modernizing the arena. The upgrades will support the venue’s ability to host major sporting events, concerts, and entertainment, reinforcing New Orleans’ position as a premier destination for live events.
• City Park – City Park Conservancy (CPC) is embracing the future of New Orleans City Park, unveiling City Park 2050 – a bold, long-term Park plan that will help guide the Park’s growth and development for the next two decades. City Park 2050 establishes an innovative and thoughtful roadmap for City Park’s future – one that will prioritize the greater good, address community needs, preserve historical and cultural context, strengthen environmental resiliency, and foster a welcoming sense of place for generations of Park users and visitors.
• Goldring/Woldenberg Riverfront Park Expansion – Audubon Nature Institute recently completed the latest phase of improvements to Goldring/Woldenberg Riverfront Park, adding new public gathering spaces, landscaping, seating areas and enhanced connectivity along the Mississippi River waterfront. The project continues the transformation of New Orleans’ riverfront into a more accessible destination for residents and visitors alike.

HOTEL NEWS  

• New Orleans continues to make significant investments in its meetings and hospitality infrastructure, with more than $1 billion invested in hotel renovations across the city. These investments demonstrate our commitment to maintaining a world-class hospitality product for meetings and conventions of every size.
• Omni Convention Center Headquarters Hotel – The planned Omni Convention Center Headquarters Hotel, expected to break ground in the near future, will be a transformative addition to the convention district. The 1,000-room headquarters hotel will be located directly across from Hall C of the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center and is projected to open in 2030.
• Fairmont Hotels & Resorts – The upcoming Fairmont Hotels & Resorts property in the former Bank of New Orleans building will bring a new luxury hotel offering to the city. The Fairmont is an 18-story luxury hotel with 250 guestrooms, including 40 suites, 20,000 sq. ft. of meeting space and a 10,000 sq. ft. Spa.
• Element by Marriott – The recently opened Element by Marriott adds 216 extended-stay guestrooms as part of the same luxury, upscale project at the former Bank of New Orleans building.
• Hilton New Orleans Riverside – The Hilton New Orleans Riverside is completing a comprehensive renovation of its 1,622 guestrooms along with major resiliency improvements. The project includes upgrades to guestrooms, guestroom bathrooms, parlor rooms, corridors, elevator lobbies and vending areas, along with new fixtures, furniture, equipment and updates to existing ADA guest rooms.
• New Orleans Marriott – The New Orleans Marriott is finalizing a renovation of all 1,333 guestrooms and is ushering in a new era for one of the city’s most recognizable hotels with the completion of a comprehensive guest room and M Club redesign, debuting this fall. The guest room renovation introduces a contemporary design across all guest rooms and suites, featuring a refined palette of soft blues and grays complemented by natural wood finishes and gold accents. Enhancements focus on both aesthetics and functionality, including the conversion of Double/Double beds to Queen/Queen beds and the addition of a chaise lounge in most King guest rooms that converts to an additional double bed. As part of the reconfiguration, five of the hotel’s 32 Crescent City Suites will now offer Queen/Queen accommodations, while 16 former Tower Suites are being converted to mirror the Crescent City Suite layout, increasing consistency and flexibility for group and business travelers.
• New Orleans Marriott Warehouse Arts District – The New Orleans Marriott Warehouse Arts District recently completed a renovation of all 332 guestrooms as part of a broader property enhancement, further strengthening the city’s inventory of modern accommodations and meeting-ready hotels.
• JW Marriott New Orleans – The JW Marriott New Orleans has renovated all 22 of its meeting and event spaces, enhancing more than 24,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor function space.
• The Omni Royal Orleans is undergoing a renovation to be completed in early 2026. The renovation involves a full upgrade of guest-facing spaces and event areas while preserving the building’s historic character. Work includes the construction of a new lobby bar, music lounge, coffee shop, and a fully renovated ballroom, along with the addition of a rooftop bar and pool. For more information, click here.
• In early 2026, Hilton New Orleans on St. Charles Ave will begin an extensive, property-wide renovation led by HRI’s Hospitality in-house construction team, HCI Construction. The project will update all public areas, meeting and event spaces, and guest rooms, including the new presidential suites and a reimagined lobby bar. For more information, click here.

CULINARY NEWS

• North America’s 50 Best Restaurants 2026 – New Orleans was once again recognized on North America’s 50 Best Restaurants list in 2026. Dakar NOLA was ranked No. 4 and earned the title of Best Restaurant in the South USA, while Emeril’s was ranked No. 20. Acamaya also made the list at No. 30, giving New Orleans three restaurants among North America’s 50 Best.
• North America’s 50 Best Bars – New Orleans bars continue to earn national recognition, with Jewel of the South ranked No. 6 on North America’s 50 Best Bars list and named Best Bar in the South USA for the fourth consecutive year. Cure was also recognized at No. 21, earning the list’s Highest Climber Award.
• New Orleans was well represented at the MICHELIN Guide to the American South Ceremony in November. Emeril’s was awarded Two MICHELIN stars while Saint German and Zasu were awarded One MICHELIN Star each. Chef EJ Lagasse was awarded the Michelin Young Chef/Culinary Professional Award.
  • 11 New Orleans restaurants were named to the Bib Gourmand list, which recognizes eateries for offering great food at a great value.
  • 18 New Orleans restaurants were also named to the MICHELIN Recommended Restaurants list.
  • To view full lists of Bib Gourmand and MICHELIN Recommended Restaurants, click here.

CRUISES

• Norwegian Cruise Line continues to operate seasonal sailings from New Orleans, with the Norwegian Breakaway sailing Western Caribbean itineraries early 2026 and the Norwegian Getaway returning for late fall departures.
• New Orleans continues to serve as a major homeport for Caribbean cruise departures along the Gulf Coast. Carnival Cruise Line remains the only cruise line with two ships homeported year-round in New Orleans, with Carnival Liberty sailing year-round itineraries. Beginning in May 2027, the larger Carnival Dream will return to Port NOLA, offering four- and five-night Western Caribbean itineraries and accommodating more than 3,600 passengers.
• Royal Caribbean International also maintains service from the Port of New Orleans with Mariner of the Seas, offering six- to nine-night Western Caribbean cruises during multiple sailings throughout 2026.

RAILROAD

• The Amtrak Mardi Gras Service continues to exceed expectations, connecting New Orleans, Bay St. Louis, Gulfport, Biloxi, Pascagoula and Mobile by rail for the first time in the 20 years since Hurricane Katrina. By April 2026, the service was nearing 100,000 passengers, surpassing its original annual projection of 75,000 riders just eight months after launch. The service has brought thousands of visitors to New Orleans, with strong visitation from Mobile and Mississippi Gulf Coast communities, while also earning customer satisfaction ratings above 95%. The strong ridership demonstrates growing regional demand for rail travel and provides visitors with a convenient, car-free way to reach New Orleans.

AIRPORT

• MSY Awards and Recognition – Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport continues to earn national and international recognition for passenger experience and customer service. MSY has been named Best Airport in North America among airports serving 5 to 15 million passengers for five consecutive years and was one of only three airports in North America to receive the Best Airport at Departures recognition from ACI World’s Airport Service Quality Awards each year from 2021 through 2025. In 2026, MSY was also one of only eight airports worldwide inducted into ACI World’s Director General’s Roll of Excellence for consistent passenger service excellence. The airport also received ACI-NA’s 2025 Excellence in Airport Marketing, Communications and Customer Experience Award for Best Customer Experience Program for Music @ MSY, which supports local musicians and entertains travelers throughout the terminal.