Suzanne Becker, the general manager of the Henry Howard Hotel, mentioned that the delta variant significantly impacted their August plans. However, there was hope as guests were expected to occupy almost all rooms after weeks of low occupancy. Many hotels were fully booked for holiday weekends, allowing for higher room rates. The cancellation of the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival in October due to rising coronavirus cases led to the removal of many reservations. Hotels were eagerly anticipating Labor Day in New Orleans, a popular holiday in the city according to Robert LeBlanc, owner of the boutique hotel Chloe in the Garden District. Despite a decrease in reservations due to the delta variant in late July, his hotel was fully booked and had an increase in restaurant reservations. The French Quarter was expected to be packed with visitors for Southern Decadence, also known as "gay Mardi Gras." Beaux Church, who manages three gay bars in the French Quarter, scheduled twice as many bartenders for the busy weekend. Despite having enough staff, he was confident that they would receive a lot of tips and be able to financially recover from the losses during COVID. However, Hurricane Ida hit Louisiana and caused his bartenders to evacuate to other cities, leaving the Henry Howard Hotel and many others empty. As a result, Southern Decadence has been canceled once more. Even though Cafe Lafitte in Exile, known for being open 24 hours a day, had to close due to not being able to operate essential systems, such as lights, air conditioning, and a margarita machine, other businesses in New Orleans are also facing challenges after Hurricane Ida. The city's tourism industry, which is crucial for its economy, is once again dealing with the impact of a natural disaster. Some fear that Ida could be the event that discourages visitors from returning to the city, similar to the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005 when tourist numbers dropped significantly. It wasn't until 2010 that the number of visitors returned to pre-Katrina levels. Kelly Schulz, a spokesperson for New Orleans & Company, emphasized that Hurricane Katrina did not have the same impact on New Orleans as it did on other parts of Louisiana and Mississippi. Due to the city's infrastructure remaining undamaged, she hoped tourists would come back once power was restored. Some may argue that the city is better off without large crowds, given the high number of COVID patients and low vaccination rates in Louisiana. Researchers have linked Mardi Gras in February 2020 to a significant outbreak of coronavirus. Restaurant owners, hotel managers, and event planners believe that they could have managed the influx of visitors if the storm had allowed, as the city now requires proof of vaccination or a recent coronavirus test along with masks to enter most businesses. Visitors appreciated the safety measures put in place, as it allowed them to move forward with events feeling secure. Amanda Price, an event planner in New Orleans, noted that Labor Day weekend, typically not a popular time for weddings in the city due to hurricane season, saw an increase in weddings this year. Many couples were determined to have their weddings after cancellations caused by COVID-19 concerns and restrictions on large gatherings. “It’s been really hectic,” she mentioned. Cayla Contardi, a resident of Austin, Texas, is a client of Price's who was looking to reschedule her wedding. Saturday, September 4th, marked her third wedding date. Initially, she was set to tie the knot in Tucson, Arizona, on June 20, 2020. She noted that all of her guests had either recovered from COVID or were fully vaccinated, so she believed they could safely hold the 120-person event in a ballroom in the French Quarter. On Saturday afternoon, Contardi received devastating news that her husband's family, who reside in New Orleans and in St Tammany Parish approximately 50 miles north of the city, were evacuating their homes. Despite the hotel informing her on Monday that her guests could no longer stay due to severe damage, she found it difficult to come to terms with the cancellation of her wedding. She mentioned having a beautiful dress that she has owned for three years and expressed reluctance to plan another wedding. Labor Day had traditionally been a busy weekend for restaurants in New Orleans, even before the impact of COVID-19, according to Nina Compton, the chef behind Compère Lapin and Bywater American Bistro. "Usually, many individuals visit the town for a lively celebration before the school year begins," she explained. She had expected a hectic week this year. However, when she noticed the approaching storm, she realized that her expectations would not be met. She found it difficult to accept that while people throughout the state were facing difficulties, restaurants were forced to discard a large amount of perfectly good food. "It's frustrating that we are unable to donate food to those in need because they lack the means to cook," she remarked as she finished clearing out the walk-in fridge at Compère Lapin. She had found a buyer for the produce, but milk and fresh pasta were going to waste. James Doucette, the general manager of Meals From The Heart Cafe, expressed sadness over all the wasted food in the French Quarter's market. He mentioned in an email that his team is currently displaced due to the storm, which is just another challenge they have to overcome. Alon Shaya, the founder of Pomegranate Hospitality, added that the restaurant industry will not only suffer from the loss of weekend tourists, but also from the absence of longer-term visitors due to the storm. Students had recently come back to Tulane University, which was beneficial for his restaurant, Saba, located about a mile away. However, the university has now decided to delay classes for at least another month. This sudden change in plans is a familiar experience for the hospitality industry in New Orleans. At the beginning of the pandemic, business was so slow that almost half of the city's restaurants and one-third of its hotels had to shut down indefinitely. But as more people received vaccinations and began to come back to New Orleans, optimism among businesses skyrocketed. During the spring, Church, who oversees a diner and three gay bars in the French Quarter, experienced a surge in business that exceeded the previous all-time high in 2018. However, the arrival of the delta variant caused Bourbon Street to become deserted almost overnight, resulting in a significant drop in revenue for his bars. Church attributes this decline to tourists avoiding establishments with strict rules requiring proof of vaccination and masks, rules that he personally supports. He had high hopes for the Southern Decadence festival, as organizers were clear about enforcing these requirements. Edgar Chase IV, also known as Dooky, who operates two Dooky Chase restaurants, described the situation as a roller coaster ride due to the unpredictable nature of the business. The weekend was supposed to be a major one for his team, but they had to evacuate instead. He stated that in times like these, his primary concern is not money, but rather how they can provide comfort to people. He believes that this should be the main focus of the hospitality industry at this time.