NYC and Mexico City join forces to boost tourism

April 6, 2017

The uncertain political climate and anti-immigrant rhetoric following Donald Trump’s election caused a drop in tourism to New York from many countries, and notably, from Mexico. In an effort to repair its relationship, New York City and Mexico City renewed a city-to-city partnership this week to foster tourism between the two places. As Crain’s learned, NYC & Company, the city’s official tourism agency, collaborated with Mexico City’s Ministry of Tourism, to share best practices in tourism marketing and provide reciprocal promotional support. In Mexico City, billboards and bus shelters will declare “New York City- Le da la bienvenida al mundo,” which means “welcoming the world.”

In the past, Mexican visitors to NYC have made up some of the top contributors of foreign tourists to the city. According to NYC & Company, in 2015 Mexican tourists spent more than $1 billion in NYC, an average of $2,315 per person per trip. While visits to NYC from other nations were projected to increase, after the election of Trump, there was a sudden decline. During his presidential campaign, Trump hinted that Mexican immigrants were “rapists” who were “bringing drugs” into the country. Now recent forecasts predict a six percent decline in tourists traveling from Mexico in 2017.

Beginning on April 25, New York City’s LinkNYC kiosks and bus shelters will show ads for travel to Mexico City. Plus, special promotional travel discounts and incentives will be offered to Mexican visitors between May 1 and July 31, through Aeromexico. The campaign will total about $900,000 USD.

[Via Crain’s NY]

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Image via NYC & Company