on location: south O
melinda hughey
New Orleans Embraces Voluntourism
Tour groups do
their part to rebuild
the storm-damaged city.
Student volunteers in New Orleans get time to explore the French Quarter.
WHEN A HURRICANE CALLED
“In 2008 our festivals enjoyed record-
nating an instrument to a school band,
Katrina roared through the Crescent
breaking numbers.”
building a playground. We try very hard
City nearly three-and-a-half years ago, the devastation left in her wake
But that’s not all. Convention busi-
to match up the tour groups with a proj-
ness is booming. The city played host to
ect that suits them. It is a process for
prompted dire forecasts of a recovery
the American Heart Association (AHA),
sure.”
that might not occur for years, if ever. In
the most prominent citywide convention
those days and weeks following the na-
in 2008, for Scientific Sessions this past
are countless numbers of church groups,
tion’s worst-ever natural disaster, few
November. The AHA/American Stroke
student groups, leisure groups and con-
could have anticipated the outpouring
Association (ASA) International Stroke
vention delegates, not to mention offi-
of aid from volunteer groups converging
Conference was held last February. The
cials from some of the country’s leading
on the city armed with the desire to help
convention picture for 2009 looks even
tour companies and other hospitality
rebuild.
brighter.
and tourism entities. In April nearly 350
Today, thanks in no small part to
Yet for all the success stories, there
At the center of this wave of laborers
travel professionals convened for a full
that generous and continuous surge of
remains plenty of recovery work to be
day of badly-needed repair in Louis
manpower, New Orleans is flourishing,
done. “There is not a day that goes by
Armstrong Park as part of the Tourism
according to Lisa Holland, tourism sales
since Katrina that we don't get a request
Cares project, accomplishing more in
manager of the New Orleans Metropoli-
for a group to do some type of service
one day than the park's staff could have
tan Convention and Visitors Bureau.
project,” Holland said, “whether it be
completed in several months, according
gutting a home in the Ninth Ward, do-
to the organization's website.
“New Orleans is thriving,” she said. 40 February 2009
LeisureGroupTravel.com