NYC Showcases New Attractions at ITB Berlin (VIDEO)

Photo © NYC & Company / Julienne Schaer
Photo © NYC & Company / Julienne Schaer

At ITB Berlin, NYC & Company President and CEO Fred Dixon and representatives of leading New York City attractions and developments discussed the state of the city's tourism landscape. 

This week in Berlin, Dixon is joined by a delegation of 18 New York travel industry partners, as well as NYC & Company Senior Vice President of Global Tourism Development Makiko Matsuda Healy and NYC & Company Senior Vice President of Global Communications Christopher Heywood.

At ITB Berlin NYC & Company hosted a press conference where Dixon and Heywood highlighted new developments throughout New York City’s five boroughs. These range from transportation infrastructure and hotel development to new and renovated museums and attractions, as well as hot NYC dining spots and upcoming retail offerings. NYC & Company was joined by guest speakers from the Whitney Museum of American Art, One World Observatory and the New York Wheel and Empire Outlets. These projects, beginning this May, will change New York City’s tourism landscape, specifically in the Meatpacking District, Lower Manhattan and Staten Island’s St. George neighborhood.

At ITB Berlin, NYC & Company also launched the newest iteration of its NYCGO Insider Guides neighborhood program, with a spotlight on Manhattan’s East Village. This month’s feature highlights the eclectic shops, restaurants, historic sites, nightlife and more in a documentary-style video and editorial content with local’s recommendations of what to see and do in the East Village. 

Since March 2013, the neighborhood program, formally known as Neighborhood x Neighborhood, has highlighted more than 30 different neighborhoods throughout the five boroughs. 

Neighborhood content can be found at nycgo.com/insiderguides

Highlights of developments discussed at NYC & Company’s press conference include:

- The Whitney Museum of American Art’s new building in the Meatpacking District will debut on May 1. Designed by Renzo Piano and situated on Gansevoort Street between the High Line and the Hudson River, the new nine-story building will greatly increase the Whitney’s exhibition and programming space. 

Visit whitney.org  

- The One World Observatory, opening in late spring 2015, is a three-level observation deck atop the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere. The new observatory will occupy floors 100 to 102 of the recently opened One World Trade Center. At the top, guests will experience a movie celebrating New York in the See Forever Theater, enjoy a slate of dining choices and explore the observatory filled with interactive exhibits hosted by tour ambassadors, who will interpret and point out the sights.

Visit oneworldobservatory.com
 
- Located in St. George, Staten Island, the Empire Outlets will debut in 2016 with 1.1 million square feet of retail space, including approximately 100 shops and an extensive array of waterfront food and beverage concepts, in addition to a 190-room boutique hotel. The St. George development also includes the 630-foot-tall New York Wheel, which will be the tallest observation wheel in the world and the only one in New York City when it opens in 2017.

Visit empireoutletsnyc.com and newyorkwheel.com

Since 2006, international travel to New York City has increased by more than 67 percent, from 7.3 million visitors in 2006 to 12.2 million last year. 

Visit nycgo.com