by Jim Byers
Last updated: 6:31 PM ET, Tue May 11, 2021
Canada is key to New York City's economic recovery, New York tourism officials said on Tuesday.
NYC and Company, the city's tourism marketing group, held its first international sales mission of the year on Tuesday and made sure they started with Canada, the city's second-biggest foreign market after the UK and a consistent source of visitors over the years.
John Marshall, Director, Tourism Market Development, said studies suggest the Canadian market could rebound to 2019 tourism levels by 2023.
For the city overall, they're not expecting to reach 2019 levels (66.6 million visitors) until 2024.
Still, the rebound is already beginning, and New York City is moving ahead strongly with reopening plans that grow every week. Indoor dining at NYC restaurants increased to 75% capacity on May 7. Outdoor gathering limits rose to 500 people on May 10, with social distancing and mask requirements still in place. Museums and attractions also are open.
The best news of all is that some Broadway theatre productions are set to re-open on September 14, including Wicked, Hamilton and other shows, and that all shows should be back by the beginning of 2022.
There's always something going on in the Big Apple, and this year is no exception. Ongoing projects include the new Moynihan Train Hall, a massive extension and modernization at Penn Station, an expansion of the wildly popular High Line park on the west side, and the Hudson River Park, which will include an actual beach on the river.
Canadian agents and media members received updates from a number of NYC suppliers on Tuesday. Here are some highlights:
Museum of Modern Art: MoMA, one of the city's most beloved museums, will begin a showcase of Cezanne's drawings on June 6, while Automania, which includes amazing, classic cars, will start on July 4. MoMA underwent a 3,600 square meter expansion in October of 2019.
Broadway Inbound: Shows will begin on September 14 of this year with full capacity. That includes such crowd faves as Hamilton, Wicked and Chicago, as well as the feel-good Canadian story, Come From Away. Other shows begin in the new year.
Summit One Vanderbilt: This new observatory space in midtown (close to Grand Central Terminal and Bryant Park) will feature viewing space more than 300 meters above Manhattan. It's expected to open in October of this year.
Hotel Beacon: This is a family-friendly hotel on the Upper West Side at 75th and Broadway. It's convenient to museums and Central Park and also has a kitchen in every room. The hotel even has one and two-bedroom suites.
Whitney Museum: This fine museum in the popular Meatpacking District will feature a Jasper Johns exhibition this year, the largest-ever retrospective of his work. They're also unveiling a new, permanent display called Day's End by renowned artist David Hammons, which will be in Hudson River Park.
New York EDGE: This is a 100th floor observatory in the booming Hudson Yards district that also features a glass floor and wonderful views of the city. It's the highest outdoor observatory in the city. The Peak is a 101st floor restaurant that specialized in farm-to-table cuisine.
New York Botanical Garden: The Bronx has a number of amazing gardens, including this one, which features the oldest, undisturbed forest area in the city. It's more than 250 acres and features more than one million plants. There's also an azalea garden and a rose garden, and it has its own subway stop that's just 20 minutes north of Grand Central Terminal.
Disney Broadway:i This company produces both Aladdin and The Lion King, which is celebrating its 25th year on Broadway. Amazing.
Top of the Rock: The top of the Rockefeller Center is one of the best places for an eagle eye view of the city, with wonderful vistas in every direction. There's almost 10,000 square feet of observation deck over three levels. In winter, Rockefeller Center has a magical ice skating rink.
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