NEW ORLEANS -- A spokeswoman for the New Orleans Convention and Visitors' Bureau is optimistic about 2009 but says officials early in the year will be watching whether the national recession affects tourism numbers.

Mary Beth Romig says no conventions have cancelled so far but companies may send fewer attendees to meetings.

Major sporting events and tourist staples such as Mardi Gras and the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival brought crowds that got 2008 off to a strong start.

Officials are still taking stock of the year, which included a citywide evacuation for Hurricane Gustav over the typically busy Labor Day weekend.

Next month brings a gathering of meeting planners that Romig says can effect billions of dollars in future business.

June and July, typically slower months because of the hot, sticky weather, include seven citywide conventions. Romig says tourism officials would typically count themselves blessed if they had two conventions, plus the Essence music festival in July.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)