TOURISM CARES: TOURISM - CARING FOR AMERICA 2004Tourism - Caring for America '04 | Tourism Cares '06 | Globus American Icon: St. Louis No. I
In February, 2004, following a week of Mardi Gras revelry, more than 400 members of the tourism industry “gave back” to their country by helping to preserve St. Louis Cemetery No. 1, one of America’s historic landmarks. They helped lime-wash tombs, paint and clean up as part of the second annual national effort of the Travelers Conservation Foundation’s Tourism – Caring for America program, which was founded to preserve, conserve and protect America’s tourism related sites. “We developed Tourism - Caring for America so that the tourism industry, which relies on historic and cultural sites to inspire people to travel, could participate in the preservation and rejuvenation of those same resources”, said Bruce Beckham, executive director of TCF. Some of the most interesting and frequently visited sites in New Orleans are the cemeteries. Their attraction, apart from their historic significance, is that the tombs are built completely above ground. St. Louis Cemetery No. 1, located near the French Quarter, was consecrated in 1789 and is the oldest of 31 existing cemeteries in New Orleans. Unfortunately, many of the tombs have fallen into disrepair and are not being maintained as descendants cannot be identified or have moved out of the region. Participants in the Tourism – Caring for America project used donated materials to help clean and repair tombs, paint iron fences and do cleanup work under the supervision of local contractors. Tour guides and other volunteers from Save Our Cemeteries acted as team leaders on projects designed by the local tomb conservation firm Chaux Vive. As part of the festivities, local Chef Paul Prudhomme, owner of the famed K-Paul’s Louisiana Kitchen in the French Quarter treated participants to a taste of local cuisine during lunch. Mike Valentino, a French Quarter hotelier, served as the event’s local chairman. “St Louis No. 1 is one of the city’s most treasured and toured landmarks, filled with history and legends of New Orleans. Participants experienced the culture and sights of New Orleans, while learning about the significance of the cemeteries and their place in our national heritage,” said J. Stephen Perry, president/CEO of the New Orleans Metropolitan Conventions and Visitor’s Bureau. “It’s an honor to be chosen for this project, especially on the heels of last year’s remarkable clean-up effort at Ellis Island.” The St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 Project, one of the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Save America’s Treasures projects, is part of a nationwide series of conservation projects sponsored by the TCF under the Tourism - Caring for America banner. The TCF realized that due to budget cutbacks and reduced workforces in cities, national parks, recreational areas and historic landmarks, areas that are important to the tourism industry, are becoming endangered by lack of maintenance and care. The mission of Tourism – Caring for America is to bring the tourism industry together to work, network and give back, all at the same time, while demonstrating the size and economic impact of the tourism industry to the public, governments, park services and its own workforce. Many prominent tourism organizations and individuals have come forward as sponsors of this event. They include: Amtrak, American Bus Association, Collette Vacations, CoachQuote.com, Valentino New Orleans Hotels, National Tour Association, Edelman Public Relations, Louisiana Restaurant Association, MaCher, Student & Youth Travel Association Foundation, Tauck World Discovery, the United States Tour Operators Association, Starwood Hotels, Globus Tours, PhotoVision and Group Tour Magazines. For more information on Tourism – Caring for America or to become a volunteer or sponsor in the future, contact Bruce Beckham at 781-821-5990 or bruceb@tourismcares.org. |
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