Easter weekend brings travelers to New Orleans

NEW ORLEANS — With Easter Sunday right around the corner, travel is picking up at Louis Armstrong International Airport.

“I’m very excited and very pleased to be here,” one traveler said.

The Roen family flew into town today, and they’re gearing up for the Crescent City Classic.

“Well, I’m very excited about the race, but I’m mostly excited about eating at all of the restaurants after the race,” Crescent City Classic runner Paul Roen said.

Good Friday is always a busy day for travel, but this year, it’s breaking records. Fifty-thousand flights are taking to the skies this holiday weekend.

“Among those people taking a trip eighty-eight percent of people say they’re planning to fly over the spring break period,” Consumer Travel Expert Lindsay Schwimer said.

Many of those flights are heading towards New Orleans. According to AAA travel data, New Orleans is in the top 20 most popular Easter travel destinations in the world.

From the Crescent City Classic to mass at St. Louis Cathedral, people from all over the world come to New Orleans to celebrate Easter weekend. New Orleans and Company Senior Vice President of Communications Kelly Shulz says Easter weekend is big for business.

“A weekend like this with beautiful weather and a holiday weekend, we’re going to see a lot of business for our community, our hotels, our restaurants, our music clubs our shops, our tour guides, our musicians,” Shulz said.

It wouldn’t be a holiday in New Orleans without a parade.

“The Easter Parade and the Gay Easter Parade roll through the French Quarter, and those are always highlights of Easter weekends,” Shulz said. “You know, people here will always find a reason to celebrate with the parade and Easter is no exception.”

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