Air Travel
Contact The Travel Business to assist you in finding the best fares for your air travel to New Orleans for The Rental Show. Call 800-747-0070 (U.S. and Canada) or 309-762-9625 weekdays between 7:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. Central Time. You also can book online at www.resx.com. Enter company ID TTB-3355 and member ID TheRentalShow to get started. No password is needed the first time you log in. Once you do, the system will prompt you to create your own member ID and password.
Rental Cars
ARA has signed a rental car agreement with Hertz for The Rental Show 2012. The Travel Business can handle your rental car needs by calling 800-747-0070 (U.S. and Canada) or 309-762-9625 weekdays between 7:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. Central Time. You also can make reservations online at www.hertz.com or call Hertz directly at 800-654-2240 (U.S. and Canada) or 405-749-4434. The Hertz CV number is 04EQ0003.
Shuttle Buses During The Rental Show
Three shuttle bus routes will run to and from the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center and select ARA Show hotels.
Route One includes the Doubletree New Orleans, Hilton New Orleans Riverside, Loews New Orleans, Renaissance New Orleans Arts Hotel, W New Orleans and Wyndham Riverfront.
Route Two includes the Holiday Inn French Quarter, New Orleans Marriott and Westin New Orleans Canal Place.
Route Three includes Astor Crowne Plaza, JW Marriott New Orleans and Omni Royal Crescent Hotel.
The following hotels are within walking distance of the convention center: Courtyard Convention Center, Embassy Suites New Orleans, Hampton Inn and Suites Convention Center, Hilton Garden Inn Convention Center, New Orleans Marriott Convention Center, Residence Inn New Orleans Downtown and SpringHill Suites Convention Center. Shuttle bus service will only be provided to these hotels on the evening of Feb. 7 for the Crescent City Carnival event at Mardi Gras World.
Shuttle buses sponsored by Graco and Wacker Neuson Sales Americas
Travel Tips
Here are some tips to help you prepare for The Rental Show, both in your travel there and once you are in New Orleans.
When should I arrive for The Rental Show?
If you’re attending Events & Tents
Events & Tents begins on the afternoon of Saturday, Feb. 4. For the event industry tour, you’ll need to be at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center by 12:15 p.m. that afternoon since the buses depart at 12:30. (Remember you’ll need to stop by Registration first to pick up your badge and tickets.) Depending on the distance you are traveling to New Orleans, you likely will need to arrive on Friday, Feb. 3. If you’ll be attending the Events & Tents welcome, it begins at 3:30 p.m. with seminars at 4 p.m. The reception begins at 6 p.m.
If you’re attending The Rental Show seminars
The full day of seminars for those with full registration is on Sunday, Feb. 5, starting at 8 a.m. Please plan to arrive in New Orleans on Saturday, Feb. 4. Registration opens at 7 a.m. on Sunday and you will need your badge to attend the seminars. Registration also is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday.
If you’re attending the keynote session
The keynote is at 8 a.m. on Monday, Feb. 6, so plan your arrival for Sunday. All attendees with full registration and all exhibitors are invited to the keynote session – you will need your badge to attend. Registration opens at 7 a.m. on Monday and the trade show floor opens at 10 a.m. That morning tends to be the busiest day for registration. It’s suggested that you register or pick up your badge prior to that morning if possible.
How do I get from the airport to my hotel?
An airport shuttle and taxis are available. Airport Shuttle Inc. provides the official ground transportation for Louis Armstrong International Airport and it offers service to and from all New Orleans hotels and other designated locations. The fare is $20 per person one way or $38 per person round trip. A discounted fare of $35 per person round trip is available when you make your shuttle reservations online here. To receive the discount, reservations must be made online at least 24 hours prior to your flight arrival time. After making an initial online reservation, you can make changes if needed by calling 866-596-2699 .
A cab ride has a flat fee of $33 from the airport to the convention center hotels for one or two persons and an additional $14 per person for three or more passengers. Pickup at the Armstrong International Airport is on the lower level, outside the baggage claim area. There may be an additional charge for extra baggage. Taxis from the airport are required to offer a credit card payment option.
How do I get from my hotel to the convention center?
There will be shuttle buses for some of The Rental Show hotels – see above for more details.
Many of the Show hotels are within walking distance of the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. Please be aware that there will be a lot of walking involved – like all convention centers, this one too is large and very long so it can take time to get where you want to go. Depending on the distance from your hotel to the convention center, it could take you anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes to get from the hotel to the registration area, seminars or show floor.
Taxis also are available between hotels and the convention center. Taxi rates are $3.50, plus $2 per mile thereafter (25 cents per one-eighth mile). For each additional passenger, there is also a $1 per person charge.
How much walking is required?
The Ernest N. Morial Convention Center is very long and narrow – nearly 11 city blocks from one end to the other. While The Rental Show will not occupy the entire convention center (exhibits will be in Halls E through J) there will be a fair amount of walking for everyone inside the convention center. Be sure to wear comfortable shoes for the Show!
There also is scooter and wheelchair rental available. See the information in the Frequently Asked Questions.
Is New Orleans a safe place for visitors?
Yes. There’s not another city in the world that manages special events, crowd control and visitor safety as well as New Orleans. The city is known for the safe and successful management of major tourism events such as Mardi Gras, Jazz and Heritage Festivals, professional and college football championship games, and special sports events such as the NBA All-Star Game. The world’s most prominent corporations and associations select New Orleans for conferences and conventions just like The Rental Show that bring tens of thousands of attendees from around the world to the city.
Superintendent Ronal W. Serpas, Ph.D., took over leadership of the New Orleans Police Department in May 2010. Under his leadership, the NOPD has made significant changes in the popular tourist areas of New Orleans such as the French Quarter, Downtown/Central Business District, Uptown, Garden District, Magazine Street, Warehouse/Arts District, Convention Center Boulevard and Faubourg Marigny. These areas are among the most safe and walkable places for visitors of any city in America.
Crime exists in all major cities. In New Orleans, the vast majority of violent crime is targeted criminal-on-criminal drug and retaliation acts that occur in inner-city neighborhoods. As with any destination, we recommend that you practice common sense and do not wander into deserted, non-tourist areas of the city.
Here are some visitor safety tips
- Use common sense as you would in any major city.
- Do not display large amounts of cash in public places.
- Avoid walking alone on deserted streets at night, just as you would in any major city. Travel with a colleague or friend if possible.
- Trust your gut instincts. If someone or something seems suspicious, leave the area or alert a police officer.
- If approached by strangers for con games such as “I bet I can tell you where you got your shoes,” do not participate. Simply smile and walk past them.
- If you drive to New Orleans, it’s best to park at your hotel to avoid parking restrictions in popular tourist areas.
- Always go with a group when touring any New Orleans cemeteries. Most cemeteries close at 3 p.m.
- Remember that most laws enforced in your city are enforced in New Orleans as well.