Tourism group funds extra police in New Orleans ahead of Mardi Gras

New Orleans square decorated for Mardi Gras. Image by Loren Javier / CC BY 2.0

New Orleans’ tourism industry is stumping up $2.5 million to fund extra police on the streets ahead of Mardi Gras season. The move comes as the city has seen a recent increase in violent crime, especially in the French Quarter, which is the main tourist district. Mardi Gras falls on 17 February this year, but there are many parades ahead of this date. The 2015 season is expected to be especially busy with many hotels already fully booked for the festival. Read more: skift.com