NEW YORK CITY AND MILAN ANNOUNCE CITY-TO-CITY TOURISM PARTNERSHIP TO EXPAND TRAVEL BETWEEN THE TWO DESTINATIONS
NEW YORK CITY AND MILAN ANNOUNCE CITY-TO-CITY TOURISM PARTNERSHIP TO EXPAND TRAVEL BETWEEN THE TWO DESTINATIONS
—Partnership Marks First Time New York City has Signed a Joint Tourism Agreement with a City in Italy—
—Joint Marketing Exchange to Promote Reciprocal Travel Between the Two Destinations—
Milan, Italy (November 9, 2015) – The Trade, Productive Activities, Tourism and Territorial Marketing Department of the City of Milano, today joined NYC & Company, New York City’s official destination marketing organization, to announce a first-ever city-to-city partnership to boost tourism between Milan and New York City. Deputy Mayor Trade, Tourism and Territorial Marketing of the City of Milan Franco D'Alfonso and NYC & Company President and CEO Fred Dixon made the announcement this morning at Palazzo Marino. The two-year agreement—the first of its kind between New York City and a city in Italy—includes a reciprocal multimedia marketing exchange between the two destinations, joint promotional support and the sharing of best practices in tourism.
“This initiative has a deep strategic meaning, strengthening the dialogue between two important actors in the world of design, creativity and innovation: Milan and New York City", said Deputy Mayor Trade, Tourism and Territorial Marketing of the City of Milan, Franco D'Alfonso. "This collaboration will help increase the presence of American tourists in Milan. This year we already experienced an important growth of 16.48% also due to the effect Expo, from 195,453 in January - September 2014 to 227,663 in the same period of 2015”.
“New York City is very pleased to partner with Milan to promote tourism between our two cities—as the first partnership with a city in Italy, we’re proud to collaborate on our effort to grow reciprocal travel between our two destinations. New York City and Milan are both centers of business, creativity and innovation and hubs of fashion and design: our two cities are perfectly suited for this exciting and worthwhile new partnership,” said Fred Dixon, NYC & Company’s President & CEO.
The city-to-city marketing exchange includes a swap of outdoor media in New York City and Milan. In Milan, about 700 posters promoting New York City in winter will appear beginning on November 13 in the center city, showcasing NYC & Company's new seasonal campaign, "Unlock NYC."
In New York City, bus shelters promoting Milan with an estimated 40.9 million impressions will appear throughout the city starting in mid-February 2016 for four weeks, promoting the Triennale design events beginning in April.
As part of the new agreement, New York City and Milan will also share best practices in tourism management in an effort to increase the number of visitors between both markets in the year ahead.
Moreover NYC & Company has joined with leading Italian tour operator Best Tours to offer special travel packages promoting winter breaks in New York City to discover the five boroughs, and their quintessential and only-in-NYC experiences, in the most affordable period of the year.
In 2014, New York City welcomed 509,000 visitors from Italy, a 9.5 percent increase over the previous year, 42% of which are flying from Milan’s airports. Visitors from Italy spent an average of $1,393 U.S. per visit and collectively $709 million in 2014.
About NYC & Company:NYC & Company is the official marketing, tourism and partnership organization for the City of New York, dedicated to maximizing travel and tourism opportunities throughout the five boroughs, building economic prosperity and spreading the positive image of New York City worldwide. For more information, visit nycgo.com.
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Contact: NYC & Company / Chris Heywood 212-484-1270
NYC & Company Italy/ Monica Tagliabue 02 669927229