NEW YORK CITY TOURISM + CONVENTIONS CELEBRATES THE POWER OF BUSINESS TRAVEL ON GLOBAL MEETINGS INDUSTRY DAY

Statement on Global Meetings Industry Day 
Jerry Cito, Executive Vice President, Convention Development 
New York City Tourism + Conventions  

“New York City is widely considered the business capital of the world, and we’re proud to champion the impact of in-person meetings by supporting Global Meetings Industry Day (GMID), produced by U.S. Travel’s Meetings Mean Business Coalition (MMBC). Face-to-face meetings support local economies and elevate destinations like ours as global business hubs, fueling the nation’s tourism industry. 

To mark the occasion, we hosted our largest-ever Tristate Meeting Planner event at The Glasshouse, bringing together 120+ NYC businesses and 300+ business event professionals with additional support from The Manhattan Center and Ink48 Hotel, along with a special performance by Hamilton via Broadway Plus. Once again, this evening, we’re lighting up the New York City skyline blue in celebration of GMID, with landmarks including Empire Outlets, the Javits Center, One Bryant Park, One Five One, SUMMIT One Vanderbilt, One World Trade Center, Pier 17, Rockefeller Center, and Sven. 

New York City is also shaping the future of business travel with Ellis—the first-ever AI chat platform built for business event professionals by a convention and visitors bureau. Available in 45 languages, Ellis makes it seamless for global planners to design unforgettable events across our five boroughs. 

With 13 million business visitors projected in 2025—accounting for 20% of all NYC visits—and a full recovery of the business travel segment expected by 2026, the City’s momentum is evident. As we commemorate 400 years of NYC in 2025 and America 250 in 2026 with Founded By NYC, we showcase how this city has made and continues to make history—and remains an innovator for global business.”