New York's appeal as a tourist destination is well established, as is its key role in the business world. Has the sector fully recovered from the pandemic?
Nancy Mammana - Not yet at 100%. In 2024, New York welcomed 64.3 million tourists, or 97% of the record attendance achieved in 2019. And we will surpass this pre-Covid volume in 2025, thanks in particular to the Asian clientele, which has been slower to return until now. The comparison with the pandemic will then no longer apply, for both leisure and business customerswhich has been lagging behind until now. As everywhere, teleworking and the increase in the number of virtual meetings have weighed on the return of business travel to pre-pandemic levels. But we're almost there. Full recovery will be achieved by the end of 2025, I think.
This permanent appeal is also reflected in the development of the hotel industry, with each year bringing its own batch of new establishments. More than fifty new hotels are expected by 2027. How is this accommodation offering evolving?
N. M. - New York tourism is lucky. We have no problems either with flight capacity to New York or with hotel development, with a steady stream of new hotel openings. We should see the addition of around 7,000 new rooms next year through new construction or the completion of major renovations such as that of the Waldorf Astoria. What is new is that the transformation of this hotel, like that of the Four Seasons recently, has incorporated a residential component, offering private flats alongside a reduced number of rooms. Prior to this, other smaller luxury hotels have opened their doors, such as the Surrey and Twenty Two this autumn, or previously the Fifth Avenue. We have a very diverse range of luxury properties, boutique hotels and all the mid-range establishments that are springing up here and there, offering slightly more affordable accommodation solutions. And not just in Manhattan.
With new hotels in Queens and Brooklyn, a DoubleTree by Hilton recently opened on Long Island, and a Westin due to open next year on Staten Island, Manhattan does not have a monopoly on hotel development.
N. M. - In fact, a large proportion of developments take place in the other boroughs of New York. This helps us to showcase the city's cultural diversity. We are of course highlighting Manhattan's iconic attractions, which are very important for a first discovery of the city, but we are also inviting regular visitors to go to these outlying districts. Restaurants, shopping, culture: there's so much to discover and experience here.
Which boroughs are the most attractive for business travellers?
N. M. - It all depends on their interests. If they like to eat well, they should definitely go to Queens, which offers the most diverse culinary scene of the five boroughsWith small, family-run restaurants that are extremely authentic, Queens has every type of cuisine imaginable. For a business traveller, Queens is also very convenient, being close to JFK and LaGuardia airports. The Bronx also has a lot to offer on the food front, with Little Italy, a market and some very authentic restaurants not far from the Bronx Zoo. Meanwhile, there's always plenty going on in Brooklyn, with the French market naturally drawn to this part of the city. Staten Island, on the other hand, is a little less well knownBut here too it's completely unique, with lots of cultural spaces and outdoor venues. Even if you're staying in Manhattan, it's very easy to get around by public transport, and we encourage business travellers to come and discover these lesser-known attractions. Take the Brooklyn Museum, for example, which is now celebrating its 200th anniversary. This incredible place is still a little neglected by tourists, whereas anywhere else but New York, it would be the most important museum in the city.
In terms of culture, one of the highlights of the year will be the reopening of the Frick Collection in April. What are the top places to visit for business travellers?
N. M. - Culture is obviously a huge asset for the city. Many museums are being extended or renovated, such as the Frick Collection, which is due to reopen in 2025. The Morgan Library, which will celebrate its 100e anniversary, these two stand out for business travellers. Because of their location in Manhattan, but also because they are relatively small. When you're away on business and don't have much time, you can visit them and see everything in 90 minutes.
To see an exhibition in Paris, you often need to book your tickets well in advance, which makes it difficult to visit unexpectedly, between two appointments or before catching a plane. Is this also the case in New York?
N. M. - Not as many. There are so many museums in the city that attendance is fairly scattered. So our museums are fairly easy to get to.
Culture is not, after all, the most important thing for business travellers. Closer to their practical concerns, the transformation of New York's airports is underway. Where do these projects stand?
N. M. - The port authorities of New York and New Jersey have undertaken a massive programme to renovate our airports over the last few years. The transformation of LaGuardia is over, and if you've ever visited this airport, you'll notice a very big difference. It continues at Newark as it did at JFK, with new infrastructure expected in 2026 (Editor's note: this project, estimated at 19 billion dollars, will see the modernisation of terminals 4 and 8 and the reconstruction of terminals 1 and 6, which have been completely redesigned). The port authorities have taken inspiration from best practice to make the airport more functional, by bringing technology up to date, but also more attractive, by bringing a city feel to the airport, with Manhattan-style restaurants and shops selling local produce.
Will this speed up security checks, which are often a problem for travellers?
N. M. - I'm not sure that the airport itself can have an impact on this, other than by ensuring that travellers are properly directed. The US Travel Association pleads for smoother journeysThe risk of losing customers. Business travellers have a choice. They can organise a virtual meeting instead of travelling, or travel every two years instead of coming every year, or even go elsewhere. All we can do is defend this idea of an airport offering the most seamless experience possible.
As another aspect of business tourism, do conferences and professional events make up an essential part of stays in New York?
N. M. - Yes, of course! We have an in-house team that tries to create customised solutions for meetings of all sizes. As far as major events are concerned, our main convention centre, the Javits Center, has undertaken a number of improvements, particularly in terms of sustainability, with its roof covered by an urban farm and solar panels. As it is not as large as other American convention centres (editor's note: its total surface area is 310,000 m², compared with more than 800,000 m² for the McCormick Place convention centre in Chicago), we also have a way of supplementing the possibility of hosting large groups with the combination of meeting spaces at the Hilton Midtown and the Sheraton Times Square, just a few steps from each other around the 53rd Street.e rue and 7e Avenue. This creative solution, called NewYork 5000, can accommodate groups of up to 5,000 people.
The Javits Center may not be the biggest MICE venue in the US, but New York is still a great destination for meetings.
N. M. - Although we only have one convention centre, we also have a number of smaller events. New York is a great destination for this, with a wide choice of spacesparticularly in hotels. With its large ballroom that can accommodate many guests, the Waldorf Astoria will be an iconic meeting place when it reopens. I'm sure it will be a very popular venue. Many training centres can also be used for meetings, whether in Brooklyn or Midtown. When it comes to meeting spaces, a player like Convene also offers several locations across the city, notably on Park and Madison Avenue and soon at Hudson Yards.
How is Hudson Yards developing as a new business district?
N. M. - It has become a bustling business district. Formerly a marshalling yard for many years, the area was redeveloped to make way for this new district. Today, Amazon, JP Morgan and Google have their offices here, as do thousands of other companies, but you'll also find shops, flats, bars and restaurants, including a new food hall by chef James Beard and City Winery. All this life next door makes a huge difference. This is also an advantage for those attending an event at the Javits Center. They only have to cross the street to find a restaurant or go for a coffee, whereas before there was little choice around the convention centre. The inauguration of the 34th Street-Hudson Yards station and the extension of line 7 in 2015 has also improved the experience for visitors.
To conclude, what will be the highlights of the city in 2025?
N. M. - We have a number of major events in the pipeline, including the FIFA Club World Cup in 2025 and the Football World Cup in 2026. But above all, next year we will be celebrating 400 years since the town was founded and the following year the 250e anniversary of the United States. A number of events will be organised to mark the occasion, and we will be launching a campaign covering the two years called "Founded by NYC". It will celebrate not just the history of the city or the founding of the country, but everything that happened in New York. All the things that started here and have had a global influence in terms of art, history, music, design, restaurants and so on. Our website for the general public, like the one proposed to event organisers, will broadcast a calendar of events and itineraries of important places to visit. In this way, it will be easy for a business traveller or meeting participant to find all the useful information. Coming to New York in 2025 and 2026 will be a great experience.
