Author: Jennifer Gibson Schecter

  The only thing that is constant is change. And in these new COVID-19 times, change comes continuously. This will be the last Biz Tourism Blog for the foreseeable future, possibly forever. Biz online remains committed to tourism coverage and…

  Executives from four of the largest American and European airlines sent a letter Tuesday to the White House and European Union to request a new coordinated program to test passengers for COVID-19 in order to restore flights between the…

  Audubon Aquarium of the Americas, one of New Orleans’ top tourist attractions, will reopen tomorrow, July 16, for the first time in four months. The COVID-19 closure of the aquarium and Audubon Institute’s other facilities from March to June…

  Yet another New Orleans festival has succumbed to COVID-19 as organizers announced this week that the 2020 National Fried Chicken Festival (FCF) has been cancelled. The three-day festival would have celebrated its fifth anniversary in the fall and likely…

  Sometimes the lens of history helps us see current events more clearly. I’ve been thinking about the sacrifices made during World War II—how communities rallied together for the greater good—and how we can apply those lessons to the challenges…

  Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), the world’s largest cruise industry trade association, announced last week that its ocean-going cruise line members will extend the suspension of cruise operations from U.S. ports until Sept. 15, 2020. The current “No Sail…

  Tourist-favorite attractions, Audubon Zoo and Audubon Aquarium for the Americas, have been nominated by USA TODAY for the 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards. This makes four years running for the New Orleans institutions to be nominated by an expert panel…

  The New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center is facing unprecedented challenges. In April, a watchdog report critical of its hotel expansion plans cautioned against it in the near term. At its May board of commissioners meeting, the financial…

  As coronavirus restrictions ease and those who haven’t been frontline workers cautiously leave their homes, being a tourist in your hometown is more tantalizing than ever. One of New Orleans’ most popular tourist destinations is City Park, and it…

  Yesterday, 190,477 people were screened by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) at airports nationwide. On the same day last year, 2,312,727 travelers were screened. With companies continuing to limit work trips and leisure trips looking questionable, the precipitous decline…

  Following the statewide lifting of the stay-at-home order, New Orleans will begin to open up businesses Saturday at 6 a.m. New Orleans, considered a hot spot for the coronavirus with 6,718 cases and 477 deaths, will have stricter mandates…

  In the ever-shifting landscape created by the uncertainties of coronavirus, the seascape fares no better. Cruise lines are extending cancelations, suffering financial losses, and New Orleans, the sixth-largest cruise port in the United States, is being directly impacted. Carnival…

  With Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards’ extension of the stay-at-home-order to May 15, restaurants continue to feel the strain of closure. The dining scene of New Orleans is a major draw for tourists and a point of pride for…

  Perhaps one of the most unsettling aspects of the current situation of social distancing due to the coronavirus, or COVID-19, is the interruption of our traditions. Unlike Washington, DC, which runs on the legislative and election calendar, or a…

  As the closures and cancellations stretch on during the social distancing measures to control COVID-19, New Orleans musicians are struggling to make ends meet. These musicians are experiencing a total loss of income with few opportunities to perform. Local…

  There is no precedent for the current state of the world and the impact of the novel coronavirus, or COVID-19. Many of us feel we are grasping at straws to know where to begin in the “new normal.” We’ve…

  When the world is in crisis, it’s easy to give in to the feelings of anxiety and fear. Sometimes you need to, maybe for 30 minutes, before you pull yourself back out of that place and refocus on moving…

  Cases of coronavirus, or COVID-19, are now in every state in the U.S., and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says the number of cases will continue to increase. On Monday, March 16, Louisiana Gov. John Bel…

  On Monday, the city of New Orleans declared its first presumed case of coronavirus, or COVID-19. There are now at least three such cases in the city being treated at three different hospitals. On Tuesday night, the state of…

Communicable diseases bring a certain dread to those who work in the tourism and hospitality industry. Since news of Coronavirus, or Covid-19, first made headlines, those who are responsible for the health and safety of travelers and conveners have been…

When people travel, they are wise to look for cultural gems off the beaten path. That is especially true for New Orleans and the larger metro region. Ask most locals what they do on a Friday night, and few would…

  Who else is spending 80 percent of their day with Al “Carnival Time” Johnson in their heads? It can’t be just me who constantly hears the staccato eighth notes of the horns and piano in the song’s opening? Washing…