This past week, the news media was full of the first anniversary look at New Orleans one year after Hurricane Katrina struck. And not to be outdone, we also offer in this issue our look at the hotel industry in this major tourist/business meetings destination. It’s needless to further remind everyone of the devastation that this Category Five storm caused. But the story obviously has to be revived— if only to learn from previous mistakes. And what struck me most about everything I read this past weekend is that everyone has failed miserably in achieving much of anything. There is a lack of leadership and the scary thing is that in an era when our weather patterns have been quite unstable, something like Hurricane Katrina could happen again and we are no better prepared. And yes, as one columnist pointed out, the same can sadly be said about our preparedness for another major terrorism event. However, my intent here is not to get into a discussion of all the problems our nation faces in its preparation for catastrophies. Rather, my purpose here is to stick to the New Orleans situation since it is an a important spoke in this country’s hospitality wheel of fortune. Without a functioning city there, we lose a great destination which gives us an experience you will find no where else in this country. Jazz is dead everywhere but there. And the level of food available there is right up there with the best offered by every destination city. But as you read through much that has been written on this first anniversary of the story, there is every reason to believe that this city will never return to its joyful past. While some might say much has been done since the hurricane, it is more correct to say that not much has been done. And what’s worse, when questioned about this by a reporter, the mayor of New Orleans likened this disaster to the “big hole” still remaining in New York. This low blow shot is certainly not fair since New York was fortunate to have two outstanding mayors, one who helped us survive emotionally our disaster and the other who returned the city to its perch at the top of the tourism/business meeting market. While the destruction in New Orleans was obviously greater, the mayor there found it easier to criticize New York than to marshal a New Orleans revival plan that could have done a lot more than what obviously has been done in a year’s time. Certainly it’s great to have help from the outside, but it is better to have a “you can’t kill us” attitude and pull together New Orleans natives into recreating their miracle on Bourbon Street. Yes, there is some movement finally happening there, but I’m afraid it is too little, too late. If the refugees who fled the city when the storm struck do not want to return, I would venture to say that any substantial revival is in jeopardy. I hope I am wrong, but my head tells me different.
