NYC & Company hosted a Sales Mission event in the Iveagh Garden Hotel in Dublin on the 10th & 11th of October 2022. NYC & Company is the official destination marketing organisation and CVB for the 5 boroughs of NYC. As Tryphavana Cross shared “Our mission is to maximise travel and tourism opportunities throughout the city, build economic prosperity and spread the dynamic image of NYC around the world”. Reginald Charlot welcomed the members of the trade and reminded the audience that NYC & Company has a host of tools and resources to support the travel trade – check it out here https://business.nycgo.com/travel-trade/product-directory/.
An outstanding prize packed with accommodation, attraction tickets and return flights with United for arguably the greatest city on earth went to the delighted Michelle McManus (Best4Travel).
Expectations for Annual Growth in Visitor Numbers over the Next Three Years
Tryphavana shared that New York City expects 2022 visitor numbers to reach 56.7 million equating to 85% of 2019 figures (66.6 million) with annual growth forecast to 2025 driven by a year-on-year increase in both domestic and international visitors. 2023 expectations of 63.6 million visitors equate to over 95% of 2019 figures and is split between 52.3 million domestic and 11.3 million international visitors. Forecasts for 2024 and 2025 total 69.8m and 72.0m, respectively, however, Tryphavana is expecting to exceed those forecasts (probably a safe bet after tonight’s event!).
Active Hotel Room Inventory
Estimates see average active rooms in NYC hotels already exceeding 2019 figures with February 2022 estimates at 123k (vs. 2019 at 122.9k) and a further seven thousand rooms expected to come on stream by the end of 2024.
Arthouse Hotel
Arthouse Hotel is located on the Upper West Side of Manhattan on 2170 Broadway. With a newly renovated lobby, this place is both modern and historic with vintage charm and New York elegance. It offers 291 rooms ranging from single & double rooms, and suites. There are even New York studios with a terrace on the 14th and 15th floors overlooking the city and Hudson River for something really special. True to its namesake, the hotel’s entertainment program highlights local artists. See more at https://www.arthousehotelnyc.com/.
Downtown Alliance
The Alliance for Downtown New York supports and promotes Lower Manhattan and advances the dynamic, vibrant neighbourhood. Whether you’re making the most of a weekend getaway or looking for ways to mix up your lunch break, Downtown New York has all the shopping, dining and entertainment you could ask for. From City Hall to The Battery, it is home to some of the world’s top chefs. Also in this part of NYC, visit the 9/11 Memorial and the Ellis Island Immigration Museum. Take in a show or get a taste of New York nightlife and dance ‘til dawn. Find out more at their website and discover this “magnetic and electric” place – https://downtownny.com/explore/.
The New Empire State Building Experience
This building was constructed during the Great Depression and it took just 14 months, a monumental achievement by any standard. Now there’s a chance to experience the Empire State building in a new way and it’s better than ever. In 2022, The Empire State Building was awarded the number one attraction in the USA for travellers to visit and third in the world overall according to Tripadvisor. In 2019, an extensive update costing $165m was completed. This offers an even better experience to travellers including time ticketing and a new lobby for observation visitors. There is a new interactive experience to learn about the history, sustainability efforts and a snapshot of the iconic movie moments captured at the Empire State Building. https://www.esbnyc.com/.
Hotel Beacon
Named for its original airway beacon located on the roof of the hotel, Hotel Beacon dates back to the beaux-arts style in 1928. Located at the corner of Broadway and W 75th, Hotel Beacon is one of the few remaining residential hotels, and one of the few places in Manhattan where you can find spacious rooms and numerous two-bedroom suites. Rooms come furnished with fully-equipped kitchenettes allowing guests to live like a real New Yorker and enjoy the plethora of family-owned grocery stores and bustling delis that are so emblematic of the Upper West Side. It’s worth remembering this place has no service fees. Check it out at https://www.beaconhotel.com/.
Hudson Yards
Hudson Yards is New York’s newest neighbourhood and home to 100+ shops and culinary experiences, public art and cultural institutions as well as 14 acres of public plazas, gardens and groves. Hudson Yards is also home to two premier attractions, the first being Edge – the tallest outdoor observation deck in the western hemisphere. There is an indoor observation deck on floor 100 and a cantilever deck that extends out over the edge by 20 meters so you can effectively step out “into the sky”. City Climb is the latest offering from Hudson Yards. Strap on a harness and exit about five floors ABOVE Edge and climb up a 160-step staircase all the way up to the apex of the building and, if you dare, lean out over New York City a mere 1,200 feet above the ground. It boasts the accolade of being the tallest outdoor building climb in the world and is also the highest public point a person can be in New York City. Check it out – https://www.hudsonyardsnewyork.com/.
The Museum of Modern Art
The Museum of Modern Art or MoMA underwent a significant expansion in 2019 and is home to some of the most renowned paintings in the world. This includes Andy Warhol’s Campbell’s soup cans, Monet’s Water Lilies and Vincent Van Gogh’s Starry Nights plus a host of audio-visual exhibitions, sculptures, three movie theatres and more. MoMA is free for children 16 and under with adult tickets for $25. Find out more at https://www.moma.org/visit/.
Rockefeller Center
Rockefeller Center is iconic, top to bottom from “Top of the Rock” to the Christmas Tree framing the ice rink at Christmas. Top of the Rock offers 3 decks with 360-degree views of the city including all the other decks including the Empire State Building. At ground level, visitors can experience the roller-skater rink, Flipper’s at The Rink (from April through October) with ice skating during the winter season (November through February). This is home to the infamous Rainbow Room – the epitome of New York glamour and elegance and made famous to us Irish on the silver screen and TV shows. There are plenty of other eateries easier on the wallet at Rockefeller plus a renaissance of retail options on offer. Check it out all year round at https://www.rockefellercenter.com/.
United Airlines
Martina Coogan updated the audience on United Airlines’ winter schedule for 2022/23 for Ireland. In addition to year-round Dublin – Newark flights, United is extending Dublin – Washington, DC seasonality offering customers choice and easier one-stop connections across the USA.
The Dublin – Newark route has a 5-day week reduction from the end of September through October to accommodate crew training hours. This is a proactive step by the airline to ensure no crew flying limit time outs for peak end-of-year holidays. The Washington service will pause for five weeks in late January and early February.
The daily seasonal service from Dublin to Chicago which ended on 30 Sept 2022 resumes on 26 March 2023. Also, the daily seasonal service from Shannon – Newark ended on 09 Oct 2022 and resumes on 26 March 2023.
