The Big Easy’s big dinner

Surveys seem to suggest that since the pandemic, people are seeking more from their vacations. AMEX’s Global Travel Trends report for 2022 found that 81 per cent of people want to travel where they can immerse themselves in local cultures. 

While, according to this year’s IBM Consumer Study, post-COVID, more than half of consumers are up for a blend of IRL and virtual experiences. 

A collaboration with the client’s agency partner Dentsu Creative, this eight-minute VR trip, NOLA Plus One, is designed for viewing on Oculus headsets, but is also accessible via YouTube and marks an a new step in tourism marketing. 

“After years of lost time and uncertainty, travel has taken on new meaning,” says New Orleans + Company CMO Mark Romig. “People aren’t looking for places to escape to, they’re looking for places to connect with others while rediscovering themselves.”

Participants can journey through the dinner party to reach the homes, studios and work places of notable New Orleans entrepreneurs, artists, musicians, chefs, activists and more.

The guests’ mini profiles reveal various fascinating stories – from the origins of drum kits to the culture of the city’s Mardi Gras Black Indians and life for the Vietnamese fishing communities. 

All of which build up a multi-faceted portrait of this remarkable, vibrant “city made from mud and water”.