DENVER - The Big Apple is bearing more fruit than ever, with a bevy of new developments that tourism officials expect will bring more Canadians and other international visitors.
Speaking at the IPW U.S. Tourism conference in front of hundreds of journalists from around the world, NYC and Company President and CEO Fred Dixon said 2019 is shaping up to be a "monumental" year in the city, with the World Pride Parade (the first time it will be in the city), new hotels and attractions and the opening of the Hudson Yards development on the west side of town. It's billed as the largest development in U.S. history and the largest in New York City since the iconic Rockefeller Center was built in the early 20th century.
The official Hudson Yards opening is set for March of next year.
Dixon said 970,000 Canadians visited NYC last year, up from 928,000 the year before. The city is counting on Canada smashing through the 1 million visitor mark next year, he said.
"The Canadian market is performing very, very well for us."
Dixon also said the New York City partnership with Tourism Toronto, which involves trading media space to promote one another's attractions and lifestyles, is working well.
"I think other things will be coming," he added.
Dixon pointed to a wide array of new hotels on the way, including the city's first Six Senses Hotel, an Equinox Hotel at Hudson Yards, a new Westin Hotel on Staten Island and many more. Staten Island's giant wheel (similar to the London Eye) is in limbo at the moment, but the island's Empire Outlets - the first outlet shopping centre in the five boroughs that make up New York City - will open in 2019.
Also coming next year will be a new Statue of Liberty Museum, a major expansion of the Museum of Modern Art and a new Nordstrom Women's flagship store in Manhattan, not to mention Wrestlemania.
Dixon said all four major NYC-area airports are undergoing substantial renovations; great news for Canadians and other visitors. The long-neglected La Guardia Airport, where most Canadians arrive, is being almost entirely rebuilt, and there's also a new terminal coming to Newark Liberty, which is the airport Porter Airlines flies into.
The big news is Hudson Yards, a multi-billion project on the city's west side, between 30th and 34th Streets and between 10th Avenue and the Hudson River. The complex, already nearing completion, will feature glittering high-rise office towers, which are expected to be home to such firms as CNN and Loreal. There also will be new residences, parks, 100 shops, and restaurants from the likes of celebrity chefs Thomas Keller and Montreal chef Costas Spilidias, the brains behind the Milos restaurant chain (I had a great meal at his place in Las Vegas a few weeks ago).
One of the coolest features is The Vessel, a sculpture/walkway that rises high above the ground and features a series of criss-cross pathways with some 2,500 steps; perfect for working off a big lunch.
Another major addition will be The Shed, a giant performing arts centre that will feature an eight-million-pound glass cover that can be moved in an out of place over an open plaza for concerts and other events under cover; something like a crystal Rogers Centre roof.
"We're proud to be at IPW for its 50th anniversary to showcase why a visit to New York City in 2019 should be at the top of everyone's list," Dixon said.
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