LGBTQ+ Tourism in New Orleans

LGBTQ+ Tourism & Representation in New Orleans

NEW ORLEANS HAS LONG BEEN CELEBRATED AS ONE OF THE GREATEST epicenters of culture in the Gulf South, where hearing a jazz tune float in through the open window is just as common as rounding the corner and ending up in the middle of a food festival. It’s a city of parades, music, cuisine, art, and celebration — but it’s much more than all that, too.

Most importantly, New Orleans is a place of self expression. The city’s culture is just as much experienced as it is shaped by the people who pass through its streets. The tapestry of interwoven voices and perspectives is constantly evolving, including the way the LGBTQ+ community lives, works, and plays in the city.

In 2017 and 2018, New Orleans was named the Second Most Welcoming City in the world by GayCities, while Southern Decadence earned the distinction of Best Weekend in 2019. The shift toward establishing New Orleans as an LGBTQ+ safe-haven in the south is part of a deliberate and ongoing messaging effort. That means embracing, celebrating and growing from our history — the good, the bad, and everything in between.

“New Orleans has always been a confluence of cultures coming together, and with that comes a forced recognition that we don't all look alike and act alike, but we all have common interests,” says Mark Romig, Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer at New

Orleans & Company. “It hasn’t always been easy, but we’ve always found a way to celebrate, and that’s become a sort of permission to express ourselves and to be supported in our expression.”

An established New Orleans figure in his own right, Romig has been one of the leading voices determining how the world perceives New Orleans, both in his current role and as the former President and CEO of New Orleans Tourism Marketing Corporation (NOTMC). Integral to that task is ensuring the LGBTQ+ community, of which Romig is also a part, is accurately represented.

One notable hurdle? Overcoming the belief that New Orleans starts and ends with Bourbon Street.

“We’re making sure audiences realize there are so many things you can do,” Romig says.

In collaboration with partners like Dustin Woehrmann, founder of marketing and branding agency Communify, local tourism officials have worked to expand public knowledge of what the city offers LGBTQ+ travelers, workers and entrepreneurs.

“One of the first things we did was have Dustin do an audit of our site to determine whether we were LGBTQ+ friendly,” Romig says. “The first thing he said is, ‘You’ve got too many rainbow flags.’ As a gay man, I thought I knew everything about gay travel. It spoke to the fact that we need to be cognizant of what people are looking for in a destination and that people see themselves in our messaging. Whether it’s a couple traveling alone, with children or a single visitor, they need to feel like they belong in New Orleans.”

And there are plenty of places to belong, as evidenced in NOTMC's "One Time in New Orleans" video series, featuring local drag queen Varla Jean Merman. Locals and travelers alike can find a wide range of activities to satisfy any hobbies HOT SPOTS

Allways Lounge and Cabaret 2240 St. Claude Ave.

Big Daddy’s 2513 Royal Street

Bourbon Pub & Parade 801 Bourbon Street

Cafe Lafitte in Exile 901 Bourbon Street

The Corner Pocket 940 St. Louis Street

The Country Club 634 Louisa Street

The Friendly Bar 2301 Chartres Street

The Golden Lantern 1239 Royal Street

Good Friends Bar/The Queen’s Head Pub 740 Dauphine Street

Kajuns Pub 2256 St Claude Avenue

Napoleon’s Itch 734 Bourbon Street or interests, from LGBTQ+ literary festivals to inclusive sports leagues, athletic clubs, cooking classes and entertainment venues.

More than that, the LGBTQ+ community will find support and resources including BreakOUT! New Orleans (which seeks to end the criminalization of our youth) and SAGE New Orleans (providing advocacy for our elders).

Ongoing conversations about citywide messaging also led to the formation of the New Orleans LGBT Hospitality Alliance (NOLHA). This group of like-minded individuals is dedicated to growing LGBTQ+ rights and programming in the city, as well supporting and educating participating organizations.

All this, combined with the efforts of the Gulf South LGBT Chamber, has positioned our community for unprecedented levels of inclusivity and prosperity.

There’s no shortage of opportunity here, and when you travel to New Orleans, you’re invited to create stories that go further than (but certainly include) the vibrant nightlife and festivities. You’re invited to create stories that reflect everything you are and everything you want to become.