NYC to launch $30 million tourism advertising marketing campaign in June | Economic system

New York Mayor Bill de Blasio announced a $ 30 million tourism marketing blitz to begin in June. This is the city’s largest campaign to date to recharge a dying industry that once employed 400,000 workers and raised $ 70 billion to the local economy.

“We are open to business,” said de Blasio at a briefing on Wednesday. “There’s only one New York City.”

The campaign is called “NYC Reawakens” and aims to bring both national and international visitors to the city. Funds will come from federal stimulus programs and will go towards television advertising and social media campaigns, including a “Wish You were Here in NYC” campaign to invite New York friends to visit the city. The city will restart its annual Summer Restaurant Week from July 20th to August 15th.

City officials said New York won’t require visitors to show vaccination records or take COVID tests, but de Blasio said rising vaccination rates would help boost travel.

The city’s tourism department is forecasting 36.4 million visitors in 2021, recovering more than half of the record high of 66.6 million visitors in 2019.

Other tourism indicators, while recovering early and subtly, are beginning to recover. According to STR, hotel occupancy has risen by six percentage points to 35 percent since January. The industry reported its fifth consecutive monthly increase in average daily room rates, up 12 percent since December.

Statue Cruises’ vice president of marketing, Rafael Abreu, said 4,100 people took the ferry from Lower Manhattan to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island on a Saturday, up from 2,500 three weeks ago.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art averages 7,000 visitors a day, up from 4,000 when it reopened last summer. The American Museum of Natural History reports a similar increase. On Monday, New York said it would increase the capacity limit for museums, zoos and cinemas.

There is still a long way to go. Tourism is still struggling after suffering a blow that even exceeds the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. It has barely recovered to the extent of other New York prosperity measures like the stock market. According to STR data, hotel occupancy has dropped from 88 percent two years ago.

Coupled with the decline in visitor numbers, many rooms are empty as around 200 of the city’s 700 hotels are closed, some permanently. Others, like the Mandarin Oriental and the Park Hyatt, reopened this month, with a few more to come.

During the briefing on Wednesday, Chef Daniel Bolud praised the campaign and said the restaurateurs were ready to welcome visitors. He pointed to the imminent opening of his Midtown restaurant, Le Pavillon

“The rebirth of our economy, but also our culture, that is what we need,” said Chef Daniel Bolud, who spoke at the briefing. “New York has always attracted talent, ambition and creativity.”