WINTER is the best
time of year to travel
to New York for hotel
room availability, cheap
room rates and lots of other
value offerings, says Makiko
Matsuda Healy, md of
tourism market development
for NYC & Company, New
York’s official marketing and
tourism organisation.
NYC & Company hosted
travel trade roadshows in
Cape Town, Johannesburg
and Lagos last week, each
attended by about 50 travel
agents. Meetings were also
held with tour operators and
travel retailers.
Speaking at a ceremony
in Cape Town to mark
the renewal of NYC
& Company’s current
marketing partnership
with Cape Town Tourism,
Makiko said New York
was promoting the ‘NYC
Winter Outing’ programme
in South Africa to coincide
with United Airlines’
new non-stop seasonal
service between Newark
International Airport and
Cape Town, starting on
December 15.
Makiko said good deals
could be had in New York
during January and February,
including ‘NYC Broadway
Week’ and ‘NYC Must-See
Week’ deals, which offered
two-for-one tickets at
Broadway shows, museums,
attractions and tours. ‘NYC
Restaurant Week’ offered
special dining rates, while
winter was a great time for
shopping with lots of sales
taking place.
She said NYC & Company
had made tools and
resources available for the
South African travel trade
to assist them in selling
the destinations, including
webinars, a dedicated
travel trade website, an
e-newsletter, an educational
programme and online
itinerary building tools.
“We want to assist them
to not only be able to
sell the iconic New York
experience, but to also
sell different experiences
such as culture, music,
new neighbourhoods,
new products and local
experiences in all five New
York boroughs.
