This weekend starts off the four day countdown to 2008's Mardi Gras. Many tourists are expected to come to New Orleans this weekend for the countdown to Fat Tuesday.

Since Hurricane Katrina, the interest of tourists have gone down, but this year's celebration is expecting a good outcome. Though there there is an expected smaller crowd due to the earlier date, according to Mavis Early, executive director of the Greater New Orleans Hotel and Lodging Association, 90 percent of 31,000 hotel rooms

have been booked with an expected 2 percent increase. According to Nola.com, hotel room occupancy for Mardi Gras 2008 is about on par with that of 2003, 2004 and 2005, the three years before Hurricane Katrina.

Mardi Gras is a great way for residents of New Orleans to recover economically after Hurricane Katrina. It has been a challenging two and half years for residents, but more and more are starting to come back, and with celebrations, such as Mardi Gras and upcoming concerts, post-Katrina New Orleans is only getting better. During Mardi Gras, bars and clubs are expected to gain much profit. According Charles Weber, manager of Rick's Cabaret, during a weekend or big event, a waitress can pull in up to $500 while entertainers can see $2,000 to $3,000.

With the passing of time, New Orlean's residents, and this city alone, is starting to get back on track; and many residents are looking forward to Mardi Gras for profit, and also for just the celebration that takes place in their city.