The head of the New Orleans Convention and Visitors Bureau is expressing concerns about Governor Bobby Jindal's proposal to raise the state's sales tax, as he looks for ways to eliminate the state income tax.

Stephen Perry said in a statement Wednesday that local tourism/hospitality officials fear an across-the-board sales tax increase, without exemptions in our business sector, could seriously jeopardize New Orleans' largest industry and employer.

Perry said the purchase of a hotel room in New Orleans is already the highest taxed sale in Louisiana. If a large increase to that is made, the city would have one of the highest taxed hotel rooms in the country, and that could be very detrimental to corporate and association meetings business as well as special events, sports and leisure travel.

"We look forward to working with other business sectors, the governor and his team and legislative leaders to come up with a plan that works for all citizens and business sectors and that is pro-economic development and pro-job creation," Perry said.