Last night, "NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams" aired live outside of Halls H, I, and J of the Morial Convention Center in New Orleans. During the show, Williams updated viewers on the progress that has taken place in New Orleans and at the convention center and the Superdome since Hurricane Katrina stuck in late August 2005.The timing of the broadcast is good for the city, which, after a better-than-expected 2006 for meetings, has seen a rise in cancellations from meeting groups for 2007 and 2008 events. In fact, some event planners who cancelled did so without setting foot in the destination to see the progress that has been made since Hurricane Katrina hit, says Cory Chambers, director of sales and marketing for the New Orleans Marriott. "Much of what the city faces with meeting planners is simply perception," he notes.In response, the city and several of its meetings-heavy hotels are hosting more familiarization trips of meeting planners so they can see firsthand the rebound of the tourism and hotel product in New Orleans.