Suzanne Becker, the general manager of the Henry Howard Hotel in the Lower Garden District, expressed disappointment at how the delta variant affected their August. Despite this setback, the hotel was finally seeing a surge in guests booking rooms at higher rates typically seen during holiday weekends. Becker had high hopes for a successful period, but the cancellation of the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival in October due to rising coronavirus cases resulted in many reservations being canceled. Hotels were eagerly anticipating Labor Day in New Orleans, a popular celebration in the city. Robert LeBlanc, owner of the Chloe boutique hotel, mentioned that his hotel was fully booked and had an increase in restaurant reservations for large parties. The French Quarter was expected to be busy with visitors for Southern Decadence, also known as "gay Mardi Gras." Beaux Church, manager of three gay bars in the French Quarter, scheduled twice as many bartenders as usual for the event. Despite having a full staff, he was confident that they would receive a lot of tips and be able to catch up on their financial losses from COVID. However, Hurricane Ida hit Louisiana, causing his bartenders to evacuate to other cities and leaving the Henry Howard Hotel and many other hotels vacant. As a result, Southern Decadence has been cancelled once again. Even Cafe Lafitte in Exile, a gay bar known for its 24-hour operation, had to close because it couldn't turn on the lights, air conditioning, or margarita machine due to the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. With many residents still without power and surrounding areas assessing the damage, New Orleans' tourism industry, a major economic driver, is once again facing challenges. Tony Leggio, an organizer of Southern Decadence, expressed concern that Ida may discourage visitors from returning to the city long-term, similar to the impact 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, as businesses and homes in the city remained undamaged. She expressed hope that tourists would come back once power is restored. However, with overcrowded intensive care units and low vaccination rates in Louisiana, some may argue that the city is better off without large crowds. Researchers have linked Mardi Gras in February 2020 to a significant coronavirus outbreak in the city. Restaurant owners, hotel managers, and event planners believe that despite the challenges posed by the storm, they could have managed the influx of visitors if given the chance. The city's requirement of proof of vaccination or a recent coronavirus test, in addition to masks, for entry into most businesses was appreciated by visitors as it provided a sense of safety for events. Amanda Price, an event planner in New Orleans, noted that Labor Day weekend, typically not a popular time for weddings due to hurricane season, saw an increase in weddings this year. Many couples were determined to reschedule weddings that had been canceled due to concerns about the coronavirus and restrictions on large gatherings during the pandemic. “It’s been very hectic,” stated Cayla Contardi, a resident of Austin, Texas and a client of Price's who was looking forward to a second chance. September 4th was her third attempt at a wedding date. Originally planned for June 20, 2020, in Tucson, Arizona, Contardi felt confident in proceeding with her 120-person event in a French Quarter ballroom as all her guests had either recovered from COVID or were fully vaccinated. Contardi was devastated to find out on Saturday afternoon that her husband's family, who reside in New Orleans and St Tammany Parish, were evacuating their homes. Despite being informed by the hotel on Monday that her guests could no longer stay there due to damage, she struggled to come to terms with the cancellation of her wedding, as she had a beautiful dress she had owned for three years. She expressed that she will not plan a wedding a fourth time. Labor Day weekend had traditionally been a busy time for restaurants in New Orleans, according to Nina Compton, the chef of Compère Lapin and Bywater American Bistro. She mentioned that usually many people visit the town for a big event before the start of school, and she was expecting a busy week this year. However, when she saw the storm approaching, she realized that things would not go as planned. She found it difficult to accept that despite people in the state facing hardships, restaurants were having to discard a lot of perfectly good food. She explained that it was challenging to donate food to those in need because they lacked the means to cook it. She expressed her frustration as she finished clearing out the walk-in fridge at Compère Lapin. She had found a buyer for the produce, but the milk and fresh pasta were going to be thrown away. James Doucette, the general manager of Meals From The Heart Cafe, expressed his sadness about the waste. In an email, he mentioned that the storm was another challenge they had to deal with and that his team was currently displaced. Alon Shaya, the founder of Pomegranate Hospitality, which oversees two restaurants, also shared concerns about the impact of the storm on the restaurant industry, not only in terms of lost weekend tourists but also in deterring longer-term visitors. Students had recently come back to Tulane University, which was beneficial for his restaurant, Saba, located approximately a mile away. However, the university has now decided to delay classes for at least another month. This feeling of sudden change is not unfamiliar to the hospitality industry in New Orleans. At the start 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 individuals received vaccinations and chose to visit New Orleans again, optimism in the industry began to rise. During the spring, business for Church, who oversees a diner and three French Quarter gay bars, exceeded its 2018 peak. However, the arrival of the delta variant caused Bourbon Street to suffer, with his bars going from earning $10,000 a night to just $1,000 practically overnight. Church believes that tourists stopped coming once his staff enforced strict rules requiring proof of vaccination and masks, rules he supports. Despite the ups and downs, Edgar Chase IV, also known as Dooky, remains hopeful, especially with the upcoming Southern Decadence festival and its clear communication of requirements. Chase runs two Dooky Chase restaurants, one near the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport and one in the Treme neighborhood. It was supposed to be a busy weekend for his team, but instead they had to evacuate. He is more concerned about providing comfort to people than about money in these situations. He believes that the hospitality industry should now prioritize offering comfort to those affected.