TORONTO — A new campaign from NYC & Company aims to showcase New York City as a top-of-mind comeback destination, as travel restarts both domestically in the U.S.,as well as in several key international markets.

While NYC and New York State were among the hot spots for COVID-19 at the height of the crisis in the U.S., the city is poised to come roaring back for the summer. Half of all New Yorkers have received at least one vaccination “and you can feel the optimism starting to grow,” says NYC & Company President and CEO, Fred Dixon.

Dixon hosted the ‘NYC Reawakens’ virtual event yesterday, highlighting the city’s progress amid the pandemic and featuring cameo appearances by Mayor Bill de Blasio, restauranteur Danny Meyer and president and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association, Roger Dow.

The US$30 million ‘NYC Reawakens’ campaign will launch in June 2021. NYC & Company is projecting that 36.4 million people will visit New York City in 2021, recovering more than 50% of the record 66.6 million visitors that came in 2019.

“Nothing can keep New York City down, nothing,” said Dow at yesterday’s briefing, as he congratulated NYC & Company, and the destination, for taking a lead role on tourism recovery efforts.

The dates for NYC Summer Restaurant Week were announced yesterday, now on the calendar for July 20 – Aug. 15, 2021. NYC & Company also reinforced its commitment to promoting the city’s vibrant multicultural offerings, including the recently launched “The Black Experience in NYC.” Latino and AAPI content will also be rolled out later this year on NYCgo.com. 

NYC & Company also provided a summary of New York City’s new 2021 developments and openings including hotels, restaurants, attractions, retail offerings, meetings venues and more.  For meetings delegates, a newly-expanded Javits Center awaits along with attractive hybrid meetings venues throughout the City. A “Meet Local NYC” campaign recently launched by NYC & Company calls on local corporations and businesses to hold their next meeting or retreat in the five boroughs. On the hotels front, 110,000 rooms are expected to be available in the city’s inventory by year’s end.

“Tourism accounts for hundreds of thousands of jobs in this city, and building a recovery for all of us means welcoming tourists back to the greatest travel destination in the world. The ‘NYC Reawakens’ initiative will show travellers everywhere that New York City is not only ready to host them – it’s creating a fairer, better, and more vibrant city than ever before,” said Mayor de Blasio.

NYC & Company’s Dixon added: “As the ship turns toward tourism recovery, we’re pleased to present ‘NYC Reawakens’ as a call to action to encourage visitors and meetings delegates to plan and visit the five boroughs this year and experience the City’s unmatched energy, excitement and dynamism. With a packed cultural calendar, world-class hotels, a new outdoor dining scene and so much more, visitors can experience the best of everything right here in New York City. We’re so grateful to be collaborating with Mayor de Blasio to launch this unprecedented marketing campaign later this Spring to draw visitors back to the greatest city in the world.”

“Our recovery will be gradual, but it is certain,” added Dixon.

While the Canada-U.S. border remains closed until at least May 21, and no doubt longer as the third wave rolls through, when travel restrictions lift Canadians will no doubt head back to New York City in droves. For more destination details see NYCgo.com.