New York City’s official marketing and tourism partnership organization announced plans to attend World Travel Market in London on November 9 through 12. Tourism is a $30 billion industry for New York City, and the UK represents the top international market. World Travel Market, or WTM as it’s known, is a four-day business-to-business event held at the ExCel London. “WTM is one of the year’s most important trade shows,” said Fred Dixon, senior vice president of tourism and convention development for NYC & Company, who believes that the show will help increase visibility for all five NYC boroughs. Almost 50,000 international travel professionals attended WTM in 2008.
More than 1,300,000 British travelers visited New York City in 2008. Eighty-four percent of them stay in hotels versus renting apartments or lodging with friends and family, and the average visit is 5.2 nights. The U.S. has seen a 53% increase in British tourism since 2008, and last year these visitors represented $1.9 billion in revenue for NYC.
Thirty-two partner organizations are joining NYC & Company for the four-day event:
- Academy Bus
- Affinia Hotels
- Amadeo Travel Solutions
- American Museum of Natural History
- Apple Core Hotels
- B&H Photo
- Broadway Collection
- Brooklyn Tourism
- Canal New York
- Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises
- CityPass, Inc.
- CitySights NY/Go Airport Shuttle
- Empire State Building Observatory
- Highgate Hotels
- Hotel Beacon NYC
- Hotel Metro
- Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum
- Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts
- Long Island Convention & Visitors Bureau
- Macy’s
- Metropolitan Museum of Art
- Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA)
- New York State Division of Tourism
- The New York Pass
- Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Times Square
- The Roosevelt Hotel NYC
- SuperShuttle International
- Theatre Direct International
- Top of the Rock Observation Deck
- Visit Buffalo Niagara
- Wellington Hotel
- Wine, Water & Wonders of Upstate New York
- YMCA Guest Rooms