NEW ORLEANS, La.
The U.S. Travel Association announced that New Orleans will be the venue for IPW 2016—the first time the blockbuster travel industry event has returned to the Crescent City since 2002.
New Orleans also previously hosted the annual five-day event, formerly known as International Pow Wow, in 1993 and 1979.
IPW is the largest travel trade show in North America—which hopes to provide an opportunity for U.S. destinations, attractions and businesses to showcase themselves to thousands of influential travel professionals from international markets.
The business transacted at IPW has been calculated by the independent firm Rockport Analytics to bring nearly one million extra international visitors and $1.7 billion in international tourism spending to recent host cities, and 8.8 million additional international visitors and $28 billion in international tourism spending to the U.S. economy overall.
"One of the major objectives of IPW is to spotlight the economic benefits of travel and tourism, and few cities anywhere in the world understand that equation as well as New Orleans," said Roger Dow, U.S. Travel Association President and CEO. "New Orleans epitomizes the idea of rolling out the welcome mat for your guests."
A Change of Plans
Greater Miami and The Beaches had been previously announced as the host city for IPW 2016, but arrangements for the event were postponed when the City of Miami Beach Commission voted through a $500 million renovation and expansion of the city's convention center, set to begin in 2015 and last an estimated three years.
Dow praised the handling of the transition by both Miami and New Orleans, and called it a virtual certainty that IPW will return to Greater Miami and The Beaches once upgrades to its convention facilities are complete.
"We have to change venues for IPW 2016 for the best, most welcome, reason we can possibly think of: Miami has wisely decided to make a huge investment in its convention space," Dow said. "The fiscal benefits of that decision will return to the city many times over, and in the meantime, we will have another top-shelf new facility to consider for a future IPW."
Off to New Orleans
"We are thrilled to showcase New Orleans to the entire world marketplace for international travel by hosting IPW in June 2016," said Stephen Perry, president and CEO of the New Orleans Convention and Visitors Bureau. "New Orleans is a magical place built on deeply rooted culture, innovative and authentic food, inspiring music and fabled architecture.
"Hosting this critical international selling and marketing show is a perfect fit with our plans for the world promotion of New Orleans' 300th Tricentennial birthday in 2018," Perry added.
