NEW ORLEANS -- The Saints playoff run is having an effect both on and off the field. What at first seemed like a slow start to the year for the tourism industry has now taken off, and the Saints appear to deserve much of the credit.
"It could be a very big night in the French Quarter Sunday night," said Mary Beth Romig of the New Orleans Convention and Visitors Bureau.
The Saints playoff run is turning into a boon for one of the city's biggest economic engines: tourism. It is a good news story that is driving positive coverage of the city and attracting people to hotels and restaurants. Restaurateur Ralph Brennan said some of his restaurants saw a 40 percent jump in business, during this past Saturday's Saints game against the Arizona Cardinals.
"Business was fabulous," Brennan said. "A lot of people were out celebrating, getting ready for the game and with a 3:30 [p.m.] kickoff, we were able to get some good lunch business and then dinner business afterward."
Business has been tough to capture for the hospitality industry in New Orleans, after the Sugar Bowl earlier this month. With no major conventions on tap, January was looking slow-- until the Saints playoff run began boosting business.
"I will say for 2010, it's a little bit quieter than we had hoped, which is why all that we're getting as a residual from the Saints is certainly helping," Romig said. "So, it's been fantastic for us because we can't put a dollar figure on the kind of coverage this is giving the city, for a good reason."
Now, some restaurants and hotels are looking to capture and cash in on the NFC Championship game, with some restaurants and bars planning to be open for extra hours on Sunday.
"We just modify our menu a little bit-- and we're going to run a menu all day," Brennan said. "Normally, we close in the afternoon for lunch, but we'll open at 11 o'clock and just run straight through 'til game time and we'll even stay open after the game this Sunday."
Tourism officials said, while there has been an uptick in the occupancy rates at local hotels, it is not because fans of the opposing team are coming to town in large numbers. Instead, metro area and regional Saints fans are coming in and staying the weekend for the playoff game.
