The lure of the music fest Associated Press Copyright 2013 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Updated 3:29 pm, Thursday, April 18, 2013 Yet, given that most bands tour, what would prompt someone to invest the time and money in traveling far afield to hear music they could hear closer to home? Last year, the music lineup was so impressive that she and her husband attended the first weekend in late April with their children, ages 8 and 10, then flew home for a few days before returning the next weekend to meet friends from Boston and Philadelphia. The New Orleans festival attracted 450,000 people over seven days last year, a lower daily attendance than some of the other major festivals. Since the city itself is a tourist mecca, it's hard to say how many traveled specifically for the jazz festival, entering its 43rd year (versus how many folks live locally). “We've had people travel from all 50 states for the festival — definitely opening up our typical eight-hour drive market,” said Missy Zak, spokeswoman for Meyer Vacation Rentals, which manages more than 1,500 properties in the area. Despite the travel costs, some view music festivals as good value, and an incentive to visit places they otherwise wouldn't.