NYC & COMPANY CELEBRATES GLOBAL MEETINGS INDUSTRY DAY IN NEW YORK CITY

NYC & COMPANY CELEBRATES GLOBAL MEETINGS INDUSTRY DAY IN NEW YORK CITY 

—New York City Landmarks Light Up in Blue in Celebration of the Power of Face-to-Face Meetings and Events—

—This Week's Activities Include NYC & Company Tri-State Meeting Planner Event and Gathering of Local Industry Association Chapters—

New York City (April 7, 2022) — NYC & Company, New York City’s official destination marketing organization and convention and visitors bureau, is proud to support the Meetings Mean Business Coalition (MMBC) during its seventh annual Global Meetings Industry Day (GMID) on Thursday, April 7. Iconic landmarks across all five boroughs will light up in blue (MMBC’s signature color) to raise awareness of the power and impact that face-to-face meetings have on the global economy and NYC’s local tourism and hospitality industry. On Tuesday, NYC & Company held a Tri-State Meeting Planner Event with more than 100 suppliers and more than 250 meeting planners in attendance at the Javits Center. The organization’s Convention Development team will also participate in a local industry GMID reception this afternoon at the Intercontinental New York Times Square. 

“As the business capital of the world, we know that when you meet face-to-face anything is possible. We join our colleagues in the travel industry to celebrate those opportunities on Global Meetings Industry Day as the world reconnects. We encourage business and event leaders to bring colleagues, clients and collaborators together by hosting meetings and events in the greatest city in the world - a place of infinite experiences, where everything is possible,” said Fred Dixon, President and CEO of NYC & Company. 

The following participating locations will light blue for GMID: the Javits Center’s glass-enclosed 15-story Crystal Palace (April 5-7); the spires of One Bryant Park (April 7); the One World Trade Center spire and podium (April 7); Sven Long Island City in Queens (April 7); 30 Rockefeller Plaza (April 7); Pier 17 (April 7); One Vanderbilt (April 7); Empire State Building (April 7) Coney Island Parachute Jump (April 7); and 151 West 42nd St (April 7). 

“It is an honor to annually light New York City blue in celebration of GMID,” said Jerry Cito, NYC & Company’s Executive Vice President, Convention Development. “NYC & Company is proud to continue to spotlight the impact of our industry and the importance of live meetings and events in NYC and around the globe.”

Tuesday evening, the NYC & Company Convention Development team hosted its annual Tristate Meeting Planner event from 6pm to 8pm at the newly renovated Javits Center. More than 250 planners from across the region came together for a night of networking with more than 100 NYC & Company member businesses. 

City celebrations will continue today with the Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI), MPI Greater New York, SITE Northeast, PCMA New York Chapter, ILEA, NYSAE and the Live Events Coalition of NY & NJ holding an event this afternoon at the Intercontinental New York Times Square. Together, these industry partners will share best practices and tips for success for planners and suppliers as they look ahead to the future.

“We are honored to light up our Crystal Palace in blue to celebrate Global Meetings Industry Day and reinforce the importance of our industry,” said Alan Steel, President and CEO of the Javits Center. “With our recent expansion, we are seeing a strong demand for in-person meetings and events as our largest trade shows and conventions are returning with a renewed sense of excitement and energy. With 95 percent of adult New Yorkers vaccinated, it is a perfect time to come together again and share ideas that can move our economy – and our industry – forward.”

In 2021, the Javits Center celebrated the completion of its $1.5 billion expansion, including a 1.2 million-square-foot expansion; 54,000 square-foot special event space; a new rooftop pavilion that can accommodate 1,500 people; a one-acre rooftop farm; 90,000 square-feet exhibit space; and more. New York City is also expected to see nearly 10,000 new hotel rooms open this year. For additional information on destination updates, NYC & Company released a new resource, 22 Reasons to Visit NYC in 2022 to help visitors, delegates and locals alike plan for a trip in NYC.

Last September, NYC & Company unveiled It’s Time to Make It NYC, the organization’s largest marketing and sales effort for the meetings and conventions industry.

For additional information about organizing meetings, conferences and events in New York City; planning tools including webinars and newsletters; a new Javits Center Guide and infrastructure guide; listings of hybrid event venues and virtual site tours; and a team directory, visit nycgo.com/makeitnyc.

About NYC & Company:
NYC & Company is the official destination marketing organization and convention and visitors bureau 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 on meeting in New York City, visit nycgo.com/makeitnyc.

About Meetings Mean Business:
The U.S. Travel Association’s Meetings Mean Business Coalition was created in 2009 to showcase the incredible value that business meetings, travel and events bring to the US economy. Its members span all facets of the face-to-face meeting and events industry, which have come together behind a common goal: providing the resources, tools and information to show the real impact the industry has on businesses, economies and communities. For more information, visit MeetingsMeanBusiness.com.

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