Leslie Lotten (pictured above), assistant director of event services for the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, received the “Tourism Matters” award from New Orleans and Company at a National Travel and Tourism Week Rally on May 7. The award is granted to select tourism industry professionals who have distinguished themselves through hard work, dedication and years of service.
Lotten’s 32 years of dedication to the convention center have been benchmarked with thousands of events that have visited the city, as well as an exponential growth in the New Orleans tourism industry. “She was chosen because of her 32-year career at the convention center, her rise throughout her career, and her above and beyond commitment to her clients,” says Stephen Perry, president and CEO of New Orleans and Company. “People like her are the reason people come to New Orleans.”
A native of New Orleans, Lotten is one of three industry professionals who received the award from New Orleans and Company. “Leslie is a hard-working tourism industry professional whose talents help us achieve our goal of being one of the best convention centers in the country,” says New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center President Michael Sawaya. “Her leadership and experience have been invaluable assets to our team, and we are proud to see her honored with this award.”
With 1.1 million square feet of prime exhibit space, in an entirely contiguous hall, the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center provides the largest single exhibit space in the country. The New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center features an award-winning staff and first-class amenities, and is the sixth largest convention center in the nation. A consistent Top 10 host of the largest conventions and tradeshows in the nation annually, the convention center is also one of the city’s “Top Workplaces.” A leading contributor to the city’s robust tourism economy, the convention center’s event activity has produced $81.7 billion in economic impact since its 1985 opening, including $5.1 billion in new tax revenue for state and local governments. For more info, visit www.mccno.com.
