HURRICANE KATRINA: NEW ORLEANS
Hurricane Katrina first formed on 23rd August 2005 and was one of the most dangerous and destructive hurricanes in history
The most damage to property and lifes lost occured in New Orleans, where approximately 1836 people lost their lifes and 80% of of the city was flooded as the levee systems failed leaving many people homeless
Levitt J & Whitaker M (2009)
When hurricane Katrina struck in New Orleans the media immediately distributed negative images of areas demolished by the hurricane, which immediately caused panic and left tourists worrying for their own safety, therefore avoiding New Orleans
However the media played a crucial role and was part of the solution for redeveloping tourism. The Media kept New Orleans in the spotlight, making the world aware of the significant damage caused by Katrina and the world in return had great sympathy for the victims and wanted to help. If Katrina was forgotten about immediately by the press little support would have been offered and New Orleans May never have recovered
Cooper C & Hall M (2008)
As the media continued to highlight the damage and
destruction of Katrina tourists become curious and wanted to go and view the scenes for themselves
Tourists want an authentic experience and that is what New Orleans provided, a rare experience of a disaster zone showing the reality of this catastrophe, unlike memorials which are designed to commerate disasters
As tourists came to New Orleans they could go on a bus tour for £35.00, which took tourists around new orleans highlighting the disaster that shook the city
Local people became frustrated stating
tourists posing for pictures of ruined houses like it was a FREAK SHOW
How can unconnected people do this and treat our neighbourhood like a tourist attraction, this is a sacred place where rescue people are still searching for missing people
However it is important to acknoledge £3.00 from every ticket sold went to help people who were affected by the hurricane
All tour guides were locals who were peronally affected by the hurricane
Miller D (2008)
If tourists did not go to New Orleans after the disater would it have ever recovered?
Was it ethically right for these tours to take place?
If the Media did not put New Orleans in the spotlight would the world have been aware of this devastation?
Did the tours have a significant affect?
References
Cooper C & Hall M (2008) Contemporary tourism: An international approach, Butterworth-Heinemann, Oxford
Grayline bus (2014) available at http://hankstruckpictures.com/hs_buses_misc2006.htm accessed on 04/01/2014
Levitt J and Whitaker M (2009) Hurricane katrina: Americas unnatural disaster, University of Nebraska press, USA
Miller DeMond (2008) Disaster tourism and disaster landscape attractions after Hurricane Katrina: An Auto- ethnographic journey, International jounal of Culture, tourism and hospitality research 2 (2) Pge 115 -131
New Orleans (2014) available at http://commons.trincoll.edu/edreform/2012/05/was-hurricane-katrina-good-for-the-education-of-students-in-new-orleans/ accessed 04/01/2014
New Orleans (2014) available at http://tcktcktck.org/2013/01/house-on-its-side-after-katrina-photo/46816 accessed on 02/01/2014
New Orleans (2014) available at http://news.cnet.com/8301-13772_3-9982575-52.html accessed 01/01/2014
New Orleans bus tour (2014) available at http://youtu.be/u9nHG6Pt50M accessed 01/01/2014