This week during IMEX America in Las Vegas, NYC & Company, New York City’s destination marketing organisation, is showcasing the “new” New York City to an influential audience of meeting planners from around the globe. As a meeting destinations, NYC offers various hotel options, meeting spaces and venues, incentives and infrastructure upgrades.
“New York City is one of the world’s most desired and anticipated places for meeting planners looking to create dynamic meetings that stand out from the ordinary. With new and developing neighbourhoods, expanding hotel inventory, world-class venues and event spaces, the ‘new’ New York City guarantees an unforgettable experience in one of the world’s most welcoming destinations,” said Fred Dixon, president and CEO, NYC & Company.
Jerry Cito, SVP – convention development, NYC & Company, commented, “We invite meeting planners and delegates to meet where they want to be and see how having a meeting in New York City is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Whether it’s an iconic moment atop the Empire State Building or a team-building experience in Central Park, these and other only-in-NYC moments await those who choose to make it NYC.”
Leading the growth of new venues is this year’s announcement by Governor Cuomo’s office of the Javits Center expansion, which will add more than 1.2 million sq ft of event space in the coming years, including the largest ballroom in the Northeast at 60,000 sq ft.
In 2015 a record 6.1 million meeting and convention delegates visited the city’s five boroughs. In addition, NYC has the most active hotel pipeline in the country, with more than 110,000 hotel rooms throughout the five boroughs and 135,000 total hotel rooms expected by the end of 2019. Since January 2016, there have been more than 17 hotel openings, adding over 4,100 hotel rooms.
To support the city’s expanded meeting and convention offerings, there have been several new and upcoming infrastructure improvements. The 34th St/Hudson Yards subway station opened across from the Javits Center in September 2015, connecting delegates to Times Square and beyond via the seven subway line. The World Trade Center Transportation Hub, completed this past May, connects delegates in Lower Manhattan to 11 subway lines and trains to New Jersey via Path.
By the end of December 2016, the Second Avenue Subway line extension is expected to open on Manhattan’s east side, while Citywide Ferry Service will provide delegates access to venues around 21 landings throughout the five boroughs by 2018. Late last month, Governor Cuomo unveiled the latest renderings for the redevelopment of Penn Station, expected to be modernised and expanded by the end of 2020. In addition, LaGuardia Airport broke ground this summer on a comprehensive redesign into a single main terminal and is expected to be rebuilt by 2022, complete with an AirTrain link to Manhattan. Free wireless Internet access throughout the city has also been expanded.
NYC & Company members represented at IMEX America this year include 1 Hotels, Access New York Metro, Alicart Restaurant Group, Alliance for Downtown New York, Briggs Inc, Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises, Convene, Fourth Wall Events, Gansevoort Hotel Group, Golden Touch Transportation, Hornblower Cruises & Events, Hotel Edison, InterContinental New York Barclay, The Lexington New York City, New York Marriott at the Brooklyn Bridge, The New York Pass, Park Central Hotel, The Pierre a Taj Hotel New York, The Ride, Rockefeller Center, The Roosevelt Hotel NYC, Row NYC, Shackman Associates New York and Yotel New York.
