Leadership In Tourism Awards Honor Leaders For Outstanding Contributions To NYCs Tourism Industry

LEADERSHIP IN TOURISM AWARDS HONOR LEADERS FOR OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTIONS TO NEW YORK CITY�S TOURISM INDUSTRY

Dinner Recognizes Former Deputy Mayor Dan Doctoroff and Loews Chairman and CEO Jonathan Tisch;
NYC & Company Foundation Raises Record $1.2 Million to Support New York City�s Non-Profit Cultural Organizations

New York City (December 2, 2008) The NYC & Company Foundation, which produces arts marketing programs that promote New York City�s non-profit cultural organizations, this evening held its 8th annual Leadership in Tourism Award Dinner at the newly reopened Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum. This year�s event, hosted by NBC TODAY anchor Hoda Kotb, honored former deputy mayor of economic development for the City of New York and president of Bloomberg, Daniel L. Doctoroff, and Chairman & CEO of Loews Hotel and co-chairman of the Board of Loews Corporation, Jonathan M. Tisch. The event raised a record $1.2 million dollars in funding for the NYC & Company Foundation to support the City�s non-profit cultural organizations.

�The recipients of this year�s Leadership in Tourism Award have given their tireless energies to support and grow New York City�s $30 billion travel and tourism industry,� said George Fertitta, CEO of NYC & Company. �We thank everyone who has joined us to honor Dan Doctoroff and Jon Tisch, and for their support of the NYC & Company Foundation, which raised a record $1.2 million this year. The funds raised tonight will further support hundreds of New York City�s non-profit cultural institutions, which ultimately benefits the entire industry.�

�The collective efforts of this year�s award recipients have made a significant positive impact on New York City�past, present and future,� said NYC & Company Chairman Emily Rafferty. �Support for New York City�s cultural organizations is more important than ever; the money raised tonight helps ensure that the cultural community across the five boroughs continues to thrive.�

Daniel Doctoroff became president of Bloomberg, the leading global provider of financial data, analytics and news, in January 2008. Prior to Bloomberg, he served as deputy mayor for Economic Development and Rebuilding for the City of New York. Under the leadership of Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, Doctoroff led one of the city�s most dramatic economic resurgences, spearheading the effort to reverse New York�s fiscal crisis after the attacks of 9/11 through a five-borough economic development strategy.

Doctoroff also spearheaded the reorganization of NYC & Company, making it one of the premier marketing, tourism and partnership organizations in the world. He oversaw the seamless merger of NYC & Company with NYC Big Events and NYC Marketing to form the new NYC & Company in 2006.

Mr. Doctoroff also led the creation of PlaNYC. The 127-point plan, designed to create the first environmentally sustainable 21st century city, focuses on every facet of New York�s physical environment � transportation, housing, land and park systems, energy, and water supplies and air quality � and sets the course for a 30% reduction in global warming emissions by 2030.

Jonathan Tisch is co-chairman of the Board and a member of the Office of the President of Loews Corporation, one of the largest diversified financial holding companies in the U.S. He is also Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of its subsidiary, Loews Hotels. Tisch formerly served as the chairman of NYC & Company and helped lead the rebuilding of the City�s travel and tourism industry following September 11, 2001.

During his tenure at Loews, Tisch has engineered Loews Hotels� expansion and emergence as a leading luxury hotel chain. He is the author of two best-selling books, The Power of We: Succeeding Through Partnerships and Chocolates on the Pillow Aren�t Enough: Reinventing the Customer Experience.

Recognized as a national leader of the travel and tourism industry, Tisch has served since 1995 as chairman of the Travel Business Roundtable, a prominent coalition of chief executives representing various sectors of the travel and tourism industry. In 2003, he also was appointed to the U.S. Department of Commerce�s U.S. Travel and Tourism Advisory Board. Tisch also served a five-year term as an officer of the American Hotel & Lodging Association, culminating in his chairmanship of the organization in 1997.

The NYC & Company Foundation is a 501(c)(3) charitable and educational organization whose mission is to support tourism to New York City by promoting the arts and cultural organizations that make visiting New York City a special and exciting experience. Since its inception in 1999, the Foundation has focused on educating domestic and international audiences about the vibrant and diverse cultural community throughout New York City.

Contacts
Kimberly Spell
kspell@nycgo.com
Tiffany Townsend
ttownsend@nycgo.com

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.