City sightseeing

What City sightseeing does

City Sightseeing New Orleans is a hop-on hop-off double-decker bus tour operator serving tourists, families, and event-driven visitors in New Orleans, Louisiana. The service runs 18 designated stops on a 90-minute loop with buses arriving every 25 minutes, and the operator sells single-day, multi-day, and combo tickets priced from $49 to $130 alongside themed tours covering ghost, foodie, and plantation itineraries. The business is privately held under Valentino Hospitality, a family-owned tourism group that also operates seven hotels and complementary attractions, providing internal cross-sell capacity.

Name

City sightseeing

Legal name

City Sightseeing New Orleans

Website

https://citysightseeingneworleans.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

City Sightseeing New Orleans operates hop-on hop-off double-decker bus tours across 18 stops, serving tourists, families, and event visitors with flexible tickets, attraction combo packages, and themed tours under parent Valentino Hospitality.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sightseeing Tours

NAICS

Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Land (4871), Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Land (48711), Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Other (4879)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Cultural Heritage & Historic District Tours (THAJAAAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Walking City Tours (Highlights & Orientation) (THAJAAAA), Museum & Landmark Guided Tours (Skip-the-line/Docent-led) (THAJAAAC), Neighborhood & Local Life Tours (Communities & Hidden Gems) (THAJAAAJ)

Keywords

• Hop-on hop-off tours
• City sightseeing tours
• Guided walking tours
• Attraction combo packages
• River cruise tours

Headquarters

HQ city

New Orleans

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Hop-On Hop-Off Tour Tickets: Primary revenue from selling hop-on hop-off bus tour tickets in 24, 48, and 72-hour durations. Tickets provide unlimited rides and access to guided walking tours in combo packages.
2. Group and Private Charters: Revenue from private charter services and group tickets for events, corporate groups, and special occasions using the double-decker bus fleet.
3. Gift Cards: Gift cards sold for use on any experience offered through the website, including tours, cruises, and attraction admissions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

City Sightseeing New Orleans sells hop-on, hop-off sightseeing tours on open-top double-decker buses running a continuous 90-minute loop with 18 stops every 25 minutes across French Quarter, Garden District, Treme, Marigny, and Riverfront neighborhoods. The core offering includes tiered 24, 48, and 72-hour passes with live guided narration, complemented by guided walking tours, river cruises, cemetery tours, museum admissions, and combo packages bundling partner attractions.

Product overview

City Sightseeing New Orleans operates a comprehensive hop-on hop-off bus tour platform centered on open-top double-decker buses with 18 stops across New Orleans. The core product is the Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour available in 1-day, 2-day, and 3-day ticket formats. The company offers numerous add-on modules including guided walking tours (French Quarter, Garden District, St. Louis Cemetery No. 1, Ghost Tours, Pirates of the Quarter), river cruises (Paddlewheeler Creole Queen), attraction admissions (Vue Orleans, National WWII Museum, Audubon Nature Institute, JAMNOLA), and adventure tours (Jean Lafitte Swamp Tours). These are sold as individual add-ons or bundled into combo packages providing 20% savings. Additional services include group tickets, private charters, private tours, gift cards, a bus tracking mobile app (AudioMe Tours), and the City Deals discount program for partner establishments.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tours Open-top double-decker bus tours offering unlimited rides with 18 stops across New Orleans neighborhoods including French Quarter, Garden District, Treme, and Marigny. Tickets available in 1-day, 2-day, and 3-day formats with live guided narration; full loop takes 90 minutes and buses arrive approximately every 25 minutes.
• French Quarter Walking Tour 45-minute guided walking tour through the historic French Quarter covering Jackson Square, St. Louis Cathedral, and Pirates Alley. Departs from 700 Decatur Street.
• Garden District Walking Tour 45-minute guided walking tour through the Garden District featuring historic antebellum mansions, Greek Revival and Italianate architecture, and celebrity homes along tree-lined streets.
• St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 Guided Walking Tour 55-minute guided tour of New Orleans' oldest cemetery featuring above-ground tombs including Marie Laveau and Homer Plessy. Limited to 20 patrons per tour.
• Paddlewheeler Creole Queen Mississippi River Cruise 2.5-hour narrated cruise down the Mississippi River with historical commentary, skyline views, and shore excursion at Chalmette Battlefield. Lunch buffet available on board.
• Vue Orleans Observation Deck Multi-level cultural experience atop the Four Seasons Hotel featuring interactive exhibits, nine original films, and a 360-degree rooftop panoramic viewing platform at 34 stories.
• National WWII Museum Campus Pass General admission to the National WWII Museum featuring immersive exhibits, multimedia experiences, and artifacts documenting the American experience in World War II.
• Audubon Nature Institute Tours Tours to Audubon Zoo, Audubon Aquarium, and Audubon Insectarium featuring wildlife, marine life, and insect exhibits across 3,600+ animals from 250+ species.
• Pirates of the Quarter Walking Tour 2-hour guided walking tour exploring Jean and Pierre Lafitte's smuggling empire and pirate history through Jackson Square and Pirates Alley.
• JAMNOLA (Joy, Art, Music NOLA) Interactive cultural funhouse with 29 exhibits created by over 100 local artists celebrating New Orleans art, music, and culture. Includes Chromadepth 3D Glasses.
• New Orleans Ghost Adventure Walking Tour 2-hour walking tour exploring haunted locations, Lalaurie Mansion, and Laffitte's Blacksmith shop with historically accurate ghost stories.
• Group Tickets Discounted group ticket options for organizations, tour groups, and events requiring multiple passengers on hop-on hop-off services.
• Private Charter Private bus charter services using the City Sightseeing fleet of double-decker vehicles for custom group transportation and events.
• Private Tours Customized private tour experiences for groups exploring New Orleans with double-decker open-top vehicles.
• Gift Cards Gift cards redeemable for any experience on the City Sightseeing website including tours, cruises, and attraction admissions.
• 1-Day Hop-On Hop-Off + Vue Orleans Combo Combined ticket pairing 24-hour hop-on hop-off access with Vue Orleans observation deck admission for panoramic city views.
• 1-Day Hop-On Hop-Off + Mississippi River Cruise Combo Combined ticket with 24-hour hop-on hop-off pass and Paddlewheeler Creole Queen river cruise with Chalmette Battlefield tour.
• 2-Day Hop-On Hop-Off + National WWII Museum Combo Combined ticket with 48-hour hop-on hop-off pass and National WWII Museum general admission.
• Ultimate Louisiana Adventure: Bus + Bayou Combo 48-hour hop-on hop-off pass combined with Mississippi River cruise and 1.5-hour Jean Lafitte swamp tour on pontoon boat.
• 3-Day Deluxe NOLA Experience 72-hour hop-on hop-off pass combined with river cruise and National WWII Museum admission.

Quantifiable outcome

• 18 stops covering all major New Orleans neighborhoods and attractions
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Paddlewheeler Creole QueencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner attraction offering Mississippi River cruises departing from Stop #7 and #18. City Sightseeing tickets include or can be bundled with Creole Queen cruises featuring historical narration and Chalmette Battlefield tours. $5 discount for City Sightseeing ticket holders.
• National World War II MuseumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor museum partner at Stop #10 offering admission bundled with hop-on hop-off tickets. Combo packages include 2-day and 3-day passes with museum admission. $2 off adults, $1 off seniors for City Sightseeing ticket holders.
• Vue OrleanscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMulti-level observation attraction at Stop #18 offering panoramic city views from 34th floor. Partnered for combo packages with hop-on hop-off passes. Located in Four Seasons Hotel at 2 Canal Street.
• Audubon Nature Institute (Aquarium & Insectarium)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAquarium and zoo attractions accessible via Stop #18. City Deal discount of $2 off each ticket for hop-on hop-off passengers. Located at 1 Canal Street adjacent to Riverfront.
• JAMNOLAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInteractive cultural experience at Stop #3 (Marigny Bywater) featuring local art, music, and culture exhibits. $5 off per transaction for City Sightseeing ticket holders. Located at 940 Frenchmen Street.
• Mardi Gras World (Blaine Kern's)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBehind-the-scenes float-making attraction near Stop #16 (Convention Center). City Deal offers $2 off adults, $1 off seniors/kids for hop-on hop-off passengers. 10-minute walk from Convention Center stop.
• Jean Lafitte Swamp ToursminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSwamp tour operator with pickup at Stop #5 (Basin St. Station). Combo packages available combining bus tour with 1.5-hour swamp adventure. $5 off adults for City Sightseeing ticket holders.
• Various Restaurant Partners (City Deals)minorGTM or Marketing Partner15+ local restaurants offering discounts to hop-on hop-off passengers including Bon's New Orleans Street Food (20% off), Aunt Sally's Pralines (15% off), Chuck's on the Avenue (free souvenir), Gris-Gris (free dessert), and others along the route.
• Valentino HospitalitycoreOthersParent company: local, family-owned New Orleans employer with 7 hotels in French Quarter, Central Business District, and Uptown areas, plus Basin St. Station visitor center, Official St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 Walking Tour, and various travel websites. Over 60 years of local hospitality experience.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Hop On Hop Off New Orleans (Tour New Orleans): Local hop-on hop-off tour competitor serving New Orleans tourists with the same flexible sightseeing product, route coverage of major neighborhoods, and bundled attraction packages.
• Gray Line New Orleans: Established sightseeing tour operator in New Orleans offering hop-on hop-off and guided city tours. Directly comparable in product offering (double-decker buses, city narration), customer type (tourists), and geographic market.
• Big Bus Tours: The largest global hop-on hop-off double-decker bus tour operator. Operates in New Orleans and dozens of other cities worldwide, competing directly with City Sightseeing on the same product format, route concept, and tourist customer base.
• New Orleans Tour Company: New Orleans-based small-group tour operator offering city, swamp, plantation, and combination tours. Competes for the same tourist dollars via bundled experiences, though with smaller vehicles rather than double-decker buses.

Broad incumbents

• Viator (a Tripadvisor company): Global online tour and experience marketplace that aggregates sightseeing operators including hop-on hop-off bus tour companies. Represents both a distribution channel opportunity and a competitive threat to City Sightseeing's direct booking economics.
• GetYourGuide: Major global tours and activities marketplace offering sightseeing tours, attraction tickets, and local experiences across destinations including New Orleans. Competes for tourist mindshare and direct booking share alongside City Sightseeing.

Emerging players

• Royal Carriages: Iconic French Quarter carriage tour operator offering narrated sightseeing experiences. Competes for the historical-narration visitor experience in New Orleans but via a different mode (horse-drawn carriage) and at a smaller scale.
• Free Tours by Foot New Orleans: Pay-what-you-want walking tour operator active across multiple U.S. cities including New Orleans. Competes on walking tour content (French Quarter, Garden District, cemeteries) overlapping City Sightseeing's walking tour add-ons.
• Witches Brew Tours / Haunted History Tours (NOLA Ghost Adventures): Specialized New Orleans ghost and haunted history walking tour operator. Overlaps with City Sightseeing's Ghost Adventure Walking Tour product and competes for the same history-enthusiast visitor segment.

Others

• Jean Lafitte Swamp Tours: Independent swamp/boat tour operator in the New Orleans region with whom City Sightseeing has a formal combo partnership. Relevant peer because of overlapping tour categories (swamp excursions) and shared distribution through City Sightseeing's ticket bundles.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/CitySightseeingNewOrleans
• Instagraminstagram.com/citysightseeingneworleans
• TikToktiktok.com/@citysightseeingnola
• Xx.com/hoponhopoffnola
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/city-sightseeing-new-orleans

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about City sightseeing