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The city of New Orleans, Louisiana, is currently preparing itself for the Mardi Gras festival in February and is set to gain a massive financial boost from the event, according to reports.

Mardi Gras, which literally translates as Fat Tuesday, will be celebrated all over the world on 5 February, but there are few destinations that are as well known for their festivities as New Orleans in the United States of America.

Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to descend on the southern city over the coming weekend and boost the local economy with plenty of spending.

The 2008 Mardi Gras carnival is set to support the ongoing recovery of the New Orleans tourism industry following Hurricane Katrina, which devastated the city in August 2005.

Mavis Early, executive director of the Greater New Orleans Hotel and Lodging Association, told the Associated Press that at least 90% of the metropolitan area's 32,000 hotel rooms are booked up for the coming weekend.

Charles Weber, manager of local club Rick's Cabaret, claimed that many people visiting this year have never been to Mardi Gras before.

'We're seeing a lot of new faces,' he said. 'People are coming in to Mardi Gras for the first time.'

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