The September 11th attack
New York launches marketing blitz to revive tourism
USA Today
NEW YORK — Companies and organizations are doing their best to show just how much they "Love New York" as they work to rebuild the tourist trade in Gotham.
With tourism off by about 40 percent in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks, Delta Airlines is leading a push to get tourists back into the Big Apple over the next six months. The airline announced earlier this month that beginning about Oct. 15, radio stations and travel agencies will begin contests nationwide to give away 10,000 round-trip Delta plane tickets to New York.
Delta is one of many businesses that together are trying to help boost the city's tourism with nearly $75 million in marketing and advertising support.
New York tourism officials say that is recognition of how vital the business is to the city.
It's "more apparent than ever that tourism is an extremely important industry for New York City," said Cristyne Nicholas, president and CEO of NYC & Co., the official convention and visitors bureau of New York. "We have always touted '$25 billion into the economy.' But I think the incredible drop really made people notice."
The impact on business here was immediate. Broadway shows closed, restaurants shuttered and hotel rooms stood vacant. In the first two weeks following Sept. 11, the city lost an estimated $163.7 million in tourist revenue.
And the drop will be felt beyond New York City, not least because city tourism generates almost $3 billion in city, state and federal taxes each year.
As the biggest tourist season is about to begin — one-third of annual tourist dollars are generated during the fourth quarter — New York is looking to avoid greater losses.
The marketing effort "is all designed for one purpose and one purpose alone," says Mayor Rudolph Giuliani. "It's to tell people to get out of the house. If you're thinking about coming to New York in the next year, do it now."
In the past week, some tourist business has taken a positive turn. Though hotel occupancy dipped to 45 percent immediately following the attacks, the rate has climbed to just over 50 percent. That still pales against the 90 percent, however, that has been typical for recent autumns here, and is not enough to make money.
"Break-even is at around 60 percent to 65 percent occupancy," said John Fox, senior vice president of hotel consulting firm PKF in New York. "If we could get above that, it'd be a sigh of relief. I'm optimistic that the marketing will work. There's pent-up goodwill out there for New York."
Among the efforts being made to turn that goodwill into renewed tourist traffic:
• In addition to the free tickets, Delta signed a three-year partnership with NYC & Co. to replace Continental as the group's "official" airline. Among other things, it cuts mileage requirements and waives fees for redeeming travel rewards. "The goal is simple," says Leo Mullin, Delta chairman and CEO. "We want Americans to visit New York City on Delta."
• New York state is rolling out a new version of its "I Love New York" campaign. The $40 million advertising push (financed by the state and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey) features Gov. George Pataki, the mayor, Derek Jeter and Ben Stiller, among other New York notables in TV ads. Print and Web advertising are also scheduled.
• Broadway theaters, among the first and hardest hit, were the first to respond with dedicated marketing. The League of American Theater Producers rallied actors and actresses to appear in "I Love New York Theater" TV ads. Print ads proclaim: "Let's go on with the show."
• Sister hotel chains Inter-Continental and Crowne Plaza Hotels are running print ads and offering discounted rooms through Oct. 31. The theme: "Come back to New York."
• NYC & Co. created its own ad campaign to thank Americans for their support. The ads say New Yorkers want to thank them in person. The group also moved its annual "Paint the Town Red" promotion — which offers discounts and travel incentives — to this month from February and renamed it "Paint the Town Red, White and Blue."
"We are going to come back faster than anyone else in the country thought possible," predicts Tim Zagat, chairman of NYC & Co. and founder of the Zagat dining surveys. "... We will be back to pretty near normal by Thanksgiving."
