New York Expands Global Communications Campaign to Germany
The expansion of the global communications campaign ‘This is New York City’ into Germany, the City’s second largest overseas market was announced by NYC & Company CEO George Fertitta.
The campaign is key to NYC & Company’s strategic plan to promote tourism to New York City. The latest estimates show that a record 46 million people from around the country and world came to New York City in 2007, up 5 percent from the all-time high of 43.8 million visitors in 2006.
The news comes against the backdrop of ITB, the leading trade fair for the global tourism industry, held each year in Berlin, Germany. It also marks one year since NYC & Company used the same platform to unveil plans for its global expansion and international marketing campaign. The ultimate goal is to achieve Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg’s vision of attracting 50 million annual visitors by 2015.
Since January 2007, NYC & Company has opened 10 new offices for a total of 17 locations serving 24 markets worldwide. Among the highlights last year was the company’s first venture into Asia, with new offices in Shanghai, China, Tokyo, Japan, and Seoul, South Korea. Additions in 2008 have included Toronto, Canada, and Sydney, Australia.
The past year also saw the launch of the tourist appreciation campaign, Just Ask The Locals, in addition to the global This Is New York City campaign. The global campaign includes the 60-second television spot scheduled to premiere in Germany in the coming weeks.
The spot communicates the joy and excitement of being in the City while illustrating the extraordinary diversity of experiences throughout the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens and Staten Island.
The new online program also will be providing critical support to the German market, which has shown strong growth in travel to New York City since 2002. The latest estimates show that 470,000 German travelers visited NYC in 2007, a potential gain of 12 percent over the 420,000 who came in 2006.
The increases are expected to continue in 2008, when growth of 6.5 to 7 percent could take the number of visitors past the 500,000 mark. New York City also continues to be the top U.S. destination for German travelers, who count shopping, dining and sightseeing among their main interests while visiting.
