The tax-financed New Orleans tourism marketing organization is shifting the blame for repeated violations of COVID-19 security rules on Bourbon Street and other areas that cater to tourists, accusing residents of being the problem.
In an email addressed to members and colleagues, New Orleans & Company CEO Stephen Perry wrote that residents were behind the recent scenes of “blatant unsafe behavior” that prompted Mayor LaToya Cantrell to impose controversial new rules that will come into effect in the last days of the carnival season.
On February 5, Cantrell announced that bars across the city would be closed from February 12 to February 16, in addition to some streets that are usually full of celebrations, to mitigate the continued spread of COVID-19.
Cantrell Announces New Mardi Gras Covid Restrictions: Bar Closure, Street Barricades
Cantrell and New Orleans & Company were criticized for encouraging visitors to travel to New Orleans, despite the dangers of traveling during a pandemic.
But Perry, whose organization represents local companies and multinational hotel chains, insists that the residents are to blame.
“Our own residents created a dilemma for the government,” says the letter.
Perry also urged city officials, who were scrutinized for lack of application of the rules, to reexamine the way they deal with code violations and “flagrant” illegal public meetings.
“It was not the small number of responsible tourists we host or the majority of our citizens and businesses,” said Perry.
Perry also criticized the “young people” of New Orleans, referring specifically to a recent party at Monkey Hill bar, Uptown, which was attended by a crowd of college students.
In recent weeks, an increase in the number of visitors has fallen on the city for revelry, although the numbers are nowhere near the previous years.
Despite the message from city officials to “act like a local” and use facial coverings while avoiding crowds, frequently documented images show people violating mandates and gathering en masse in popular tourist destinations that don’t tend to attract residents, 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 hope to fill rooms with outsiders in the coming days, predicting that they can reach up to 50% or 60% of capacity, despite cancellations of parades and other traditional celebrations.
New Orleans hotels have seen a small increase in the number of Mardi Gras guests, but how does that compare to previous 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 fought with the mayor last May over restrictions – called Cantrell’s latest decision “problematic” and said he was concerned about the optics.
“We are afraid that our brand will be impacted by strange messages from the city,” he wrote. “This is where we are when the locals do stupid things and the city’s compliance and rapid response is weak or non-existent in real time.”
Read the entire letter here.