New Orleans tourism numbers may reach pre-Katrina levels for 2012
57452642
Credit: Getty Images
NEW ORLEANS - MAY 15: Crowds line Bourbon Street in the French Quarter on a Friday night May 15, 2009 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Tourism is the number one industry in New Orleans, over 400,000 people attended this year?s JazzFest, the largest crowd since Hurricane Katrina. New Orleans continues to be revitalized with $19 billion in federal rebuilding money yet to be spent along with $3.8 billion in federal stimulus funds in the pipeline. However the city still has more than 68,000 vacant homes, most of which have were damaged by Hurricane Katrina in August, 2005. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)
