New Orleans leaders hail Mardi Gras as "resounding success"

The big picture: New Orleans had 20% more out-of-town visitors than last year, says Walt Leger, the president and CEO of New Orleans & Co., the city's tourism arm.

• Seth Knudsen, the president and CEO of the Downtown Development District, said tourism numbers in the DDD were the highest since 2020, based on data from Placer.ai.
• Mayor Helena Moreno said her "heart is full of gratitude" for city employees who made the celebrations possible.

By the numbers: It's been a week since Fat Tuesday. Here's the data so far from New Orleans & Co., the Downtown Development District and the mayor's office.

👥 2.2 million visitors from Feb. 12 through Fat Tuesday.

🎉 7,000 attendees at the Lundi Gras Festival.

♻️ 40,000 pounds of parade waste recycled via RecycleDat.

🌳 618 tree limbs trimmed on parade routes.

🤕 149 people treated at first aid stations.

🚔 700 NOPD officers and Louisiana National Guard troops deployed daily.

💪 1,600 tons of concrete barricades placed along parade routes.

🚁 11 air-recon flights with the U.S. Coast Guard.

What's next: The New Orleans City Council has a meeting March 9 to discuss Mardi Gras violations and fines.

• Report possible violations to [email protected].