NEW YORK (WCBS 880) — New York City is shelling out millions on a campaign to attract travelers from the United Kingdom now that the Biden administration has lifted international travel restrictions.
The $6 million campaign has plastered billboards with the message, “It’s time for New York City," across the UK, where bookings to the city have spiked.
“We welcome travelers from all around the world. We're particularly anxious to see those travelers come back from the UK, a great bond we share with the people of the UK,” de Blasio said Tuesday. “We want to see them come here and we have this great partnership going with British Airways, British Airways Holidays.”
British Airways has reported a 70% increase in bookings from a year ago, during the heart of the coronavirus pandemic.
“We've seen huge spikes and I think that's set to continue thanks to the partnership that we have with the NYC & Company,” said Claire Bentley, a managing director with British Airways, referring to the city’s official marketing and tourism organization.
De Blasio said the city was the top destination for all travelers heading back to the states following the easing of the U.S. travel ban in Europe and other parts of the globe.
“We're now the number one destination for bookings at any place in the country for American travelers, they're coming here between Thanksgiving and New Year's,” de Blasio said.
The city’s tourism industry is eager to have international tourists — and their wallets — back in the five boroughs.
“It takes the spending of four domestic travelers to equal the spending of one international traveler; so you can quickly see how important they are to our economy,” said Fred Dixon, the CEO of NYC & Company.
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