After Tragedy, New Orleans Grapples With Tourists' Fears

City follows path of others that have kept visitors coming: A mix of new messaging, more security

- ALLISON POHLE

After tragedies, visitors don't just want to be safe, they want to feel safe.

And to keep tourists feeling safe following the New Year's Day attack that killed 14 people on Bourbon Street, New Orleans is taking a page from the Las Vegas playbook.

New Orleans is trying to find a way to honor victims while reassuring visitors that the party continues, safely. Much is at stake given that the city is gearing up for a few months of peak tourism, including Mardi Gras and next month's Super Bowl.

New Orleans's marketing arm has devoted a section of its website to the attack. On the site and in many public comments, the city is mourning those killed and injured.

But the city is also encouraging people to keep their plans and reassuring them repeatedly about safety in New Orleans. Tourism officials, in conjunction with city officials, are discussing increased security presence in the coming weeks.

After the 2017 shooting at the Route 91 Harvest Festival in Las Vegas-the deadliest such incident in modern American history-the city hurriedly revamped the tone of its tourism promotions. Security also ramped up in casinos and hotels, with more cameras and uniformed personnel to help visitors feel safer.

Tourism dropped off in the early days after the October tragedy. It picked up by the holidays.

Next for New Orleans

Wise Lubanda had long put New Orleans on his bucket list for its architecture, culture and food. After he read about the attack, the 26year-old insurance adjuster from Dallas considered canceling his trip.