There was a story in my local newspaper (no, not USA Today) about a displaced Katrina person heading back because the job is starting back. I think he was from Jefferson Parish.

The areas that weren't totally distroyed, like the French Quater and the Garden District can get up and going with generators and imported/bottled water. Maybe the staff will sleep in the buildings at first.

Sure, some touristy things won't be available, but you can substitute others. There was another post about plantations are open for business.

As with any town, it changes over time. This change, however, was sudden and obvious.

Intersting article in the NY Times:
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/13/bu.../13hotels.html
As Gretchen said, open and open for tourists are quite different.
Hopefully for tourists will be soon.

Actually the thing mostly likely to delay the rebirth of tourism in New Orleans is not so much the damage, but the PERCEPTION that the city has been destroyed. Historically that has almost always been the case.

Thailand was 99 percent fine after the big tsunami passed through. The east coast resorts and interior sites were fine. There were even many resorts on the west coast that for one reason or another were largely untouched by the waves (they were on slightly higher ground or irregularities of the ocean bottom resulted in smaller waves there, etc). From ALL I've read, the beaches there were more beautiful than they'd been in decades. Many of these places were up and functioning within hours or days - yet people stayed away because the PERRCEPTION created by the media was that the entire area had been ravaged. These places were up and running, staffed and begging for folks to come visit them. New orleans will be the same in a relatively short time.

Remember to the media, normality is NOT news and they will NOT show it. The focus is always on the worst hit areas, thus giving the perception that the ENTIRE area is ravaged.

The fact is that it's pretty clear the French Quarter is largely untouched - as are most of the other tourist areas. They will not need generators, the power that is coming back on thoughout the city is regular city power.

Most (not all) of the areas that were submerged are NOT areas where toursist are likely to go.

It won't always be National Guardmen there. An army of professional construction workers (carpenter, plumbers, electricians) will soon have the econmoy of New Orleans booming. I expect you will start to see these folks appearing on the scene sometime next month (maybe sooner).

Ken

Wow, some real winners here today! Funny how the quality of the posts seem to be directly proportional to the poster's ability to spell and/or use proper grammar. Anyone else think some of these trolls are actually in the 2nd grade?!? padrik? whada yous thinck? :-)

Upon checking the websites of several FQ hotels, they state that they will remain closed for tourist business until 10-15 at the earliest (most say after October 31)
Many are currently providing food and shelter for relief workers and media (although, the NY Times article said some of the food in the Royal Sonesta was a tub of peanut butter and a tray of apples--no gourmet fare for a while yet!)

MzPossum -

Well, I guess we'll see. They may be right, but so far things seem to be shifting to the "left" and happening sooner than originally expected (water level dropping sooner, power coming back on sooner, allowing people back in the parts of the city sooner, etc, etc).

Time will tell.
I think I'll stand by my predictions of a far degree of activy and psudo- normalcy over the course of the month of October though.

I may be wrong, but that's my guess...

...and I'm stickin' to it.

:)

Ken

Now if only I could learn to type.

Ken

Bottled water is nice....but it might take a lot for a decent shower. I think I'd wait until they got the laundry up and running. I hate dirty sheets or "clean" sheets that have been washed in polluted water.

Ken, I agree with your post.

The city has zero funds coming in and FEMA is having to cover employee city wages.

Also every day hotels aren't open, it is costing shareholders money.

I agree that NO will be up and running (or limping) much sooner than people think.

I've seen it firsthand.

Bunch-nice to see you and all your little friends today!

To get back on topic for those who are really interested in New Orleans and not in bashing each other: One of the best websites for updates of all sorts is www.nola.com. It shows status of the city almost minute by minute, chronicled by city district and by neighboring cities around Lake Pontchartrain. If you REALLY want to know what's going on in the whole area, you can read reports by real citizens on site, rather than by CNN or other media. You will also get good updates from the local Times-Picayune newspaper.

As for visiting New Orleans (and this is the last time I'll say this, but some posters here just don't seem to understand)---sure, you'll be able to visit pretty soon. But I can assure you it won't be much of a visit. Hope is always a good attitude, but reality is better---and reality says it will be a long time before the average tourist can return to New Orleans and enjoy it.

Well said, Wayne. That's just the point I was trying to get across in my posting this morning.

I've got a friend who has a home in the Garden District. She has always noted that being 8 ft above sealevel has advantages...

Still, she has a home elsewhere in the US (and happened to be visiting friends in Maine lately) so it is doubtful that she is hurrying back to see how her house fared just yet. In fact, I think it would be wise to wait until you could be certain that the water system is safe, electricity has been restored, etc.

Meanwhile, the sooner businesses can open up to serve the people who have liveable places to return to, the better. It's clear that things will progress in stages. That includes building up some sort of an interim economy. GOOD LUCK NEW ORLEANS!