New York is the ultimate meetings destination for corporates, says a recent report submitted by Air and Business Travel News.
NYC & Company, the official marketing, tourism and partnership organisation for the city, rated it on availability of contemporary venues, and better valuation of the venues, irrespective of the fluctuation in exchanges rates.
NYC & Co vice-president, Jerry Cito, said, ‘Planners have great opportunities to secure competitive rates and find added value in leaner months, particularly in the first quarter of every year. These lower rates can be teamed with events such as Restaurant Week, which offers fixed-priced menus, and Broadway Week or Off-Broadway Week, which offer two-for-one tickets to popular shows.
An event here guarantees record attendance. Importantly, we are home to some key associations across various sectors, so there’s a lot of synergy in placing congresses or meetings in the city.’
The city, which is home around 40 Fortune 500 companies, is also host to a plethora of corporate events, often held in the Manhattan venues, which earn maximum in terms of hosting corporate events, attended by a higher number annually than any other city in the world.
For corporates, ‘It is possible to snatch a bargain, although you need to think outside of the box’, said Pauline Houston, a director at Carlson Wagonlit Travel, a US-based company specialising in business travel management. ‘You need to explore beyond Park Avenue and 42nd Street, pinpoint your location and its suitability for clients, know what’s what and juggle with what’s happening and where within your time frame.’
