Travel

Conference Logo Created by Diebold, Inc.

Travel Information

Air Travel Discount Brought to You by Southwest Airlines

Southwest Airlines offers a 10% discount off most fares for air travel to and from NACCU's 10th Annual Conference. Call Southwest Airlines Group and Meeting Reservations at 1-800-433-5368 and reference the assigned I.D. Code (J8682). Reservations Sales Agents are available 7 a.m. - 8 p.m. Monday-Friday, or 8:30 a.m.- 5:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Central Standard Time. Make Reservations five or more days before you want to travel or take advantage of this offer. Or register online at www.southwest.com.

Travel During Mardi Gras

Because of the timing of our annual conference in this historic city, you will have the opportunity to participate in the world-renowned Mardi Gras. However, this could present a few travel obstacles that we would like you to know about ahead of time. We highly encourage you to arrive early and join in the festivities.

Traveling on Monday, March 3, may take more time than usual, but if you make plans to arrive before 5 p.m., you should still be able to get to the New Orleans Marriott before the streets become completely congested with parades. By Wednesday, March 5, most of the Mardi Gras traffic will begin to clear. Traveling on this day will be much easier than the days preceding Fat Tuesday.

The challenging travel days will be Saturday, March 1, Sunday, March 2, and Tuesday, March 4. The major parades are on these days, and downtown New Orleans and the French Quarter will be packed with Mardi Gras revelers. The Newcomers and Opening Receptions do not begin until late afternoon on Wednesday, March 5; however, "Sales Pitch" sessions begin at 12:15 p.m. and continue until 4:15 p.m. That may mean that some of our attendees may choose to arrive on Tuesday.

Please review the following so you can make your travel plans to the 10th Annual Conference accordingly:

Arriving Monday, March 3, 2003

Taxicabs should be able to get you to the hotel. There are parades scheduled for Monday night so you will have the opportunity to participate in the Mardi Gras festivities. After 5 p.m., the roads will be crowded with parades. Try to make travel arrangements that will get you into New Orleans as early as possible.

If you plan to arrive in New Orleans prior to Wednesday, March 5, this will be the best day for travel.

Arriving Wednesday, March 5, 2003

Traveling into New Orleans this day will be much easier. Please take a taxicab or airport shuttle to the New Orleans Marriott. Please keep in mind that "Sales Pitch Wednesday" sessions begin at 12:15 p.m.

Arriving Saturday, March 1, Sunday, March 2, or Tuesday, March 4, 2003

If you plan to arrive on one of these days, be prepared for a journey you will never forget!!! Saturday, Sunday, and Tuesday are the biggest days of New Orleans’ Mardi Gras season, and the streets are filled with pedestrians, which makes traveling on the roads in downtown and the French Quarter complicated. Finding a shuttle or taxicab from the airport to the New Orleans Marriott will be extremely difficult.

If enough people show interest in coming to New Orleans on these days, NACCU will try to make special arrangements for travel from the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport to, or as near to, the hotel as possible for a fee. Nobody knows which roads will be closed around downtown and the French Quarter on these days. If this transportation is provided, NACCU will try to get you to the back door of the Marriott Hotel via back streets. If it is not possible to get to the back door of the hotel, you will be taken as close as possible and it will be necessary for you to walk the rest of the way. This could be one block, or it could be 12 blocks.

If you plan to arrive in New Orleans prior to Wednesday, March 5, it is imperative that you notify NACCU of your travel plans so we can work to make you arrival in New Orleans as stress-free as possible.

NACCU Home

Updated: July 31, 2002