(CNN) — For all the perfect Dooky Chase gumbo, Sazerac cocktails and live jazz that bathe New Orleans in unmatched flavors and rhythm, the Big Easy's 60-year-old airport passenger terminal left much to be desired. Chris Graythen/Getty Images"We are thrilled to trumpet the opening of the new Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport terminal, the first of its kind to be built in the US in over a decade," said Stephen Perry, president and CEO of New Orleans & Company. "This airport terminal will immerse our guests in the spirit of New Orleans upon arrival, and will also give our residents a welcome reminder of how nice it is to return home -- to New Orleans." Louis Armstrong New Orleans International AirportAll 16 commercial airlines offering flights through the New Orleans airport will operate from the new terminal, while the older facility will close to the public. The city of New Orleans hosted more than 18.5 million visitors in 2018, a 4.3 percent increase in visitors compared to 2017, according to a study commissioned by New Orleans & Company and the New Orleans Tourism Marketing Corporation.

Source: CNN November 06, 2019 13:52 UTC