Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday December 7, 2007
POTENTIAL PINPOINTED IN GROWING INTERNATIONAL TOURISM
Contact: Kristen Matejka
Director of Marketing
LICVB&SC
631 951-3900 xt.317
Jon Schneider
First District
Congressman Tim Bishop’s Office
631 696-6500
HAUPPAUGE, NY –(December 7, 2007)- Congressman Tim Bishop and the Long Island Convention and Visitors Bureau held a press conference to discuss the Travel Promotion Act, which would establish a communications and promotion campaign on par with America’s global competitors, to promote the United States to overseas travelers as a premier travel destination.
The Act would create a Corporation for Travel Promotion, which would communicate the benefits of travel to the U.S. while dispelling negative perceptions. Congressman Bishop emphasized that the timing for the Act was right because “an increase in foreign tourists translates into higher sales” of domestic product.
Also recognizing the potential economic benefits of attracting international visitation, especially at a time when travel to the U.S. is a relative bargain for most Europeans due to the weak dollar, the Long Island Convention and Visitors Bureau and Sports Commission (LICVB&SC) recently expanded its tourism sales and marketing programs in 2007 to include several initiatives aimed at gaining a larger slice of the international tourism pie.
The Bureau’s initial programs focus on two major international travel market segments:
- United Kingdom and Ireland
- German and German-speaking countries
Programs initiated this year are a foundation to begin attracting international visitors and include:
- Translation of website into German and Spanish
- Attendance at two major international tradeshows
- Development of a German-language sales brochure
- Partnerships with I LOVE NY and NYC & Co.
- Aggressive public relations program targeting international travel writers and editors.
Anecdotally, it is known that Long Island enjoys some international visitation. However, the numbers and their impact are currently not known.
NYC and Company projected 7 million international visitors to the city in 2007. The seven million represents 17% of their total visitor volume – BUT their expenditures represent 50.1% of their total visitor expenditures!
Increase In International Web Activity at LICVB&SC Tourism Website
One means of measuring international interest in Long Island is through statistics gathered through Long Island’s official tourism website, www.discoverlongisland.com
In 2006, the LICVB&SC’s website, www.discoverlongisland.com received:
- 5,400 unique visitors from the United Kingdom
- 4,400 unique visitors from Germany
In 2007 (through October), the Bureau’s website received:
- 8,300 unique visitors from the United Kingdom
- 6,000 unique visitors from Germany
General Long Island Tourism Information
Overnight visitors to Long Island in 2005: 8,070,000
Travelers to Long Island spent: $4.3 billion
Local taxes generated: $223 million
Jobs sustained (directed and induced): 75,000
Domestic overnight visitors spend 2 ½ times more than day trippers.
The Long Island Convention & Visitors Bureau and Sports Commission (LICVB&SC) is the official tourism promotion agency for the destination’s travel and tourism industry. Based on Long Island in Hauppauge, NY, the LICVB&SC contributes to the economic development and quality of life on Long Island by promoting the region as a world-class destination for tourism, meetings and conventions, trade shows, sporting events, and related activities. For more information about Long Island, please contact the Long Island Convention & Visitors Bureau and Sports Commission by calling 1-877-386-6654 or visit www.discoverlongisland.com
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