Thanks in part to the Super Bowl, New Orleans has been named top destination internationally by the Orbitz Insider Index .

The travel site's predictions for 2013 has New Zealand coming in second followed by Charleston.

After ranking as the 8th top destination internationally last year, the Super Bowl and the NCAA Women's Final Four are just part of the reason

After topping Travel and Leisure's Favorite Cities survey in 2012, New Orleans is primed for even bigger things in 2013 says Jeanenne Tornatore, Senior Editor at Orbitz.com. This year the Big Easy will host Super Bowl XLVII, the NCAA Women's Final Four, and countless food, music and lifestyle festivals appealing to all types of travelers. "With a few more hotels opening and more flight options I think you guys are going to see a lot of tourism this year," she adds.

Plus they say a $90 million road improvement project will make it that much easier for travelers to take in all the city has to offer. "We expect 2013 to be a banner year for travel in New Orleans thanks to a diverse lineup of events, new hotels like the Hotel Indigo in the Garden District, and major airlines adding nonstop service," said Jerrold Broussard, New Orleans destination expert and regional director for Orbitz Worldwide.

New Zealand comes in second for top destination, thanks to the movie The Hobbit. Charleston, South Carolina rounds out that list due to many of the same reasons New Orleans is so popular; historic architecture, great restaurants and lots of southern charm.

They also ranked what they call some sure bets for great deals this year. "The first is Orlando," says Tornatore, "This is always a family favorite and there are so many hotels out there so with all this inventory on the market there's really something for every budget."

Phoenix, the Dominican Republic and Atlantic City round out the list for affordable destinations.

Orbitz also predicts a lot more international travel this year, with Europe especially attractive with the need to fill extra hotel rooms built for the Olympics in the U.K., and the recession in Southern Europe will drive many travel bargains.

Click here for more on Orbitz's travel trends.