NYC & COMPANY PRESENTS 2019: A MONUMENTAL YEAR FOR NEW YORK CITY AT IPW 2018
NYC & COMPANY PRESENTS “2019: A MONUMENTAL YEAR FOR NEW YORK CITY” AT IPW 2018
—Groundbreaking Developments and Events Set to Drive Visitation to New York City in 2019, Including Hudson Yards, The Shed, WorldPride and More—
Denver, CO (May 22, 2018)— At a press conference this afternoon at IPW, the travel industry's premier international marketplace and the largest generator of travel to the United States, NYC & Company presented “2019: A Monumental Year for New York City” to an audience of global travel media, outlining key destination updates for the upcoming calendar year.
At the event, NYC & Company president and CEO Fred Dixon discussed significant new developments in New York City including infrastructure, hotels, arts and culture, retail, events, and more. He was joined by representatives from major new developments coming to Manhattan’s far west side in 2019: Related Companies’ Hudson Yards, the largest private real estate development in the history of the US, and The Shed, the first arts center designed to commission, produce and present all types of performing arts, visual arts and popular culture.
“With blockbuster openings, historic anniversaries and big events, 2019 will be a monumental year for New York City,” said Dixon. “Tourism is now a major driver of the local New York City economy and the fastest growing source of new jobs. This is made possible by a record $45 billion in visitor spending and $65 billion in economic impact—reinforcing the City’s position as the largest tourism economy in the US—as well as the country’s number one international destination. We are proud to be back at IPW for its 50th anniversary to showcase why a visit to New York City in 2019 should be at the top of everyone’s list.”
New York City’s largest development since Rockefeller Center in the early 20th century, Hudson Yards is now rising in the 21st century to its west (hudsonyardsnewyork.com). When complete, this premier destination will include more than 18 million square feet of commercial and residential space, more than 100 shops, a collection of dining experiences, 14 acres of public space, an Equinox® branded luxury hotel, Thomas Heatherwick’s Vessel, and the multi-arts center The Shed (theshed.org).
Expected to open spring 2019, The Shed will advance culture and art with a mission to nurture multi-disciplinary artistic invention under one spectacular roof. Housed in an innovative 200,000-square-foot movable structure, it’s designed to physically transform itself to support the artists’ most ambitious ideas. Under the leadership of artistic director and CEO Alex Poots, seven unique commissions have been announced for the inaugural season with program dates coming soon.
Dixon also provided an update on New York City as the host city for WorldPride 2019, taking place in conjunction with the 50th anniversary of the 1969 Stonewall Rebellion (coined Stonewall 50). WorldPride, a global event taking place for the first time in the US, will comprise two months of programs and events under the theme “Millions of Moments of Pride,” along with NYC’s annual Pride March and PrideFest in June 2019, among other events.
Additional 2019 destination highlights featured during the press event included the expansion of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), the expected openings of the Statue of Liberty Museum and the Nordstrom Women’s Flagship Store, MetLife Stadium as host to WWE’s WrestleMania and more. Upgrades to infrastructure and new 2018 product that will benefit visitors in 2019 include significant investments at all of New York City’s four regional airports, the City’s first and only outlet destination at Staten Island’s Empire Outlets with more than 100 retail stores, the rebuilt Pier 17 at the Seaport District NYC and more.
New York City has the most active hotel development pipeline in the country, with 117,300 hotel rooms as of May 2018 and an expected inventory of 136,500 hotel rooms by the end of 2019. Noteworthy hotel property openings in 2019 include Equinox Hotel Hudson Yards, Six Senses New York, TWA Hotel and Westin New York Staten Island, among others.
Prior to the press conference, NYC & Company hosted its seventh consecutive IPW Luncheon, NYC Center Stage, in conjunction with Broadway Inbound. The event showcased live performances from Come From Away, Dear Evan Hansen, Escape to Margaritaville, Phantom of the Opera and Wicked.
During IPW, NYC & Company is joined by 14 New York City travel industry partners: Alliance for Downtown New York, Carnegie Hall, Century 21 Department Store, Grand Hyatt New York, Madison Square Garden Company, National Geographic Encounter: Ocean Odyssey, NFL Experience Times Square, NYC Airporter Transportation, Parker New York, Patina Restaurant Group, Rockefeller Center, SPYSCAPE, The Shops at Columbus Circle and The Sightseeing Pass.
New York City welcomed 62.8 million visitors in 2017, the City’s eighth consecutive year for record-breaking tourism, with 49.7 million domestic and 13.1 million international visitors. New York City remains the number one US destination for international visitation, visitor spending and economic impact. In 2018, the destination is expected to welcome 65.1 million visitors.
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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