NYC & COMPANY INTRODUCES TRAVEL TRADE TO TOURISM READY SMALL BUSINESSES FROM EVERY BOROUGH
NYC & COMPANY INTRODUCES TRAVEL TRADE TO TOURISM READY SMALL BUSINESSES FROM EVERY BOROUGH
—After Year-Long Tourism Ready Initiative, Nearly 100 Small Businesses and Attractions Introduce Their Offerings to Tour Operators—
New York City (June 7, 2016) — NYC & Company, New York City’s official destination marketing organization, today hosted New York City’s trade show introducing small businesses from each borough to travel professionals, including tour operators and destination management companies. Discover More NYC is the culmination of NYC & Company’s Tourism Ready initiative, a year-long program designed to increase visitation to off-the-beaten-path parts of the City and help small businesses reap the benefits of tourism.
“More than ever, visitors want to experience New York City like locals. And NYC & Company wants all five boroughs to feel the positive impact of visitor spending,” said Fred Dixon, president and CEO of NYC & Company. “We recognized that many local businesses weren’t sure how to make the most of tourism and developed this initiative to empower them. As a result, approximately 100 of New York City’s authentic, local businesses are ready to welcome group travelers for the first time.”
Tourism Ready established tourism committees in every borough. Businesses and attractions were invited to join the committee at no cost; in monthly meetings and one-on-one consultations, they learned how to market themselves to travel professionals. More than 80 travel professionals who promote travel year-round to New York City attended Discover More NYC at The Wyndham New Yorker Hotel in Manhattan, and the initiative is expected to increase the amount of group travel these businesses and neighborhoods receive.
“This event offers our borough an opportunity to continue to attract visitors from all corners of the earth. The Bronx Tourism Council recently released their updated visitors guide, and tourism is at an all-time high in The Bronx. People from all over the world, including numerous presidential candidates, are discovering our borough,” said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. “It is an exciting time for tourism in The Bronx, and we thank NYC & Company for showcasing our borough’s small businesses and attractions in their first-ever trade show.”
“I’m proud to work alongside NYC & Company to get Brooklyn’s small businesses ‘Tourism Ready,’ and Discover More NYC is a valuable way for them to get meaningful exposure and access to stakeholders in the travel industry, which can translate to more visitors exploring the unexplored corners of our borough. In the years ahead, I look forward to encouraging more mom and pop operations and neighborhood gems to take advantage of the opportunities our City affords to grow their marketing know-how and expand their potential reach,” said Brooklyn Borough President Eric L. Adams.
“The magic of Manhattan and New York City as a whole is so much more than tall buildings and well-known landmarks – it’s in the unique sights, sounds, and experiences you can only find in our neighborhoods,” said Manhattan Borough President Gale A. Brewer. “Helping travelers find, support, and enjoy the local experiences that make our city truly special is a win-win for our small businesses, our neighborhoods, and the millions of visitors from around the world who want to experience what New York has to offer.”
“Thanks to our incredible diversity, Queens is home to a wide array of small businesses that offer an amazing variety of internationally-themed items and attractions,” said Queens Borough President Melinda Katz. “Today’s travel trade show hosted by NYC & Company was a wonderful opportunity for our borough’s small business owners to let travel professionals know about the fantastic food, shopping and entertainment experiences that can be found only in Queens. NYC & Company should be commended for the great work it has done to help our small businesses attract more of the ever-growing number of tourists who are visiting our City."
“This trade show is extremely exciting. While many tourists and journalists have begun to find Staten Island and there is a very positive buzz about the borough, this is our opportunity as cultural organizations and attractions, to introduce ourselves to the travel trade and potentially welcome a whole new audience to discover our island and see that we’re more than the iconic ferryboat,” noted Borough President James Oddo.
About NYC & Company:
NYC & Company is the official destination marketing 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 / Caroline Peck 212-484-1270