Times Square in New York on a rainy night. Getty Images
BY EMILY DAVENPORT
A new initiative is seeking
to help revitalize New York
City’s tourism scene as the city
continues to slowly reopen.
In an effort to help New
Yorkers reconnect with the
city, the Coalition for NYC
Hospitality & Tourism Recovery,
an initiative of NYC &
Company, recently unveiled
its roadmap for tourism reimagining
and recovery, a Stay
Well NYC Pledge and new revitalization
campaign, All In
NYC. These new initiatives
aim to remind people that
New York City is now one of
the safest cities from a public
health perspective, and help
the City’s more than 403,000
tourism and hospitality employees
return to work.
“The challenge of rebuilding
tourism cannot be underestimated,”
said NYC & Company
President and CEO Fred
Dixon. “This roadmap and revitalization
campaign are a
signifi cant fi rst step to rally
New Yorkers to safely explore
their city once again and energize
the business community
as NYC comes back to
life. Tourism recovery will be
gradual but certain, and NYC
& Company is All In on NYC.”
The All In NYC: The Roadmap
for Tourism’s Reimagining
and Recovery outlines
three stages: Rise, Renew and
Recover. Across these three
stages, there will be messaging
and tourism-friendly programs
that will fi rst target towards
metro residents, then
as conditions allow, will expand
to regional, domestic
and, ultimately, to international
travelers. The roadmap
also unveils a simple tagline
that embodies how New Yorkers
feel about their city and describes
its greatest strengths:
All In NYC. The tagline was
designed by Aruliden, a New
York City–based, womanowned
global award-winning
design agency.
The fi rst component of the
campaign will focus on unifying
health practices through
the Stay Well NYC Pledge.
NYC & Company will be creating
transparency around
Standard Operating Procedures
to ensure that every
New Yorker and visitor knows
that the city is aligned on bestin
class cleaning standards.
Consumers can get more information
at NYCgo.com, and
member businesses can download
the tool kit/standards
to participate.
the second component of
the All in NYC campaign
aims to encourage New Yorkers
and visitors to explore
neighborhoods throughout
the fi ve boroughs and support
local businesses. NYC & Company
will be creating a series
of video profi les along with
a platform that allows residents
to share their love for
their neighborhoods, elevating
a diverse range of voices
across channels to both celebrate
the locals who make
the City so engaging and to
help visitors enjoy a deeper,
authentic experience in NYC’s
many enclaves.
NYC & Company will
also launch Art on the Grid,
a multi-platform exhibition
of new work by a group of 50
NYC-based emerging artists.
The large outdoor art exhibition
BRONX TIMES REPORTER,40 OCTOBER 23-29, 2020 BTR
will feature works of
art on NYC bus shelters and
LinkNYC screens around
the City. The campaign also
includes supporting industries
such as restaurants,
with content featuring New
York City chefs; promoting
New York City-based staycations;
leveraging well-known
New Yorkers to become infl uencers
for their city; engaging
external audiences; and
expanding the campaigns
reach geographically.
“Created by New Yorkers
for New Yorkers, All In NYC is
a rallying cry and campaign
platform designed to help
unite New Yorkers around
the immutable spirit that they
share and the infi nite experiences
this city offers them.
We are proud to partner with
NYC-based creative agency
Aruliden on this revitalization
campaign, and are very
appreciative of their amazing
work as well as that of our collective
network of local photographers.
All have greatly
contributed to our effort to
showcase not only NYC’s
strength in tough times, but
its diverse culture and inclusivity,
which will be at the
forefront of our messaging as
we move through the stages
of recovery and beyond,” said
Nancy Mammana, CMO at
NYC & Company.
For more information,
visit nycgo.com/recovery.
BY MARK HALLUM
New York City Council’s
stated meeting Thursday
will see a vote to approve
three bills expected to bring
relief to taxi drivers and medallion
holders experiencing
hardship from debt by fi ghting
off predatory lending.
The taxi industry was
struggling prior to the pandemic
with 2018 seeing an increased
number cab driver
suicides linked to outstanding
medallion debt and
COVID-19 has not been any
kinder to them as medallion
prices have dropped considerably
and profi ts are down.
As part of the package,
city council will be creating
an Offi ce of Financial Stability
within the Taxi and Limousine
Commission (TLC)
which will evaluate the industry
and provide oversight
of income and expenses
for medallion owners, medallion
loan terms and
market manipulation.
“We cannot afford to have
the TLC auction off medallions
at speculative prices or
approve medallion transfers
with speculative loans,” the
bill’s sponsor, Councilman
Richie Torres said. “This bill
will create a new offi ce that
will have the statutory obligation
to oversee and regulate
the fi nancial stability
of the medallion market. We
must ensure that taxi drivers
are not driven into another
fi nancial crisis cause
by a medallion bubble and
predatory lenders.”
Int. No. 1584-A by Councilwoman
Adrienne Adams
would require those applying
for a taxi license to disclose
fi nancial reports on income
and any loans secured,
as well as any other interests
the person fi ling the disclosure
has in any taxi, livery
or for-hire vehicle business.
“Unfortunately taxi drivers
in New York City were
sold the American dream
that not only did not materialize
but placed them in
severe fi nancial debt,” said
Adams. “Taxi drivers desperately
need assistance
and Introduction 1584 will
be a step forward toward
transparency and an end
to predatory behavior. As a
city, we must do all that we
can to end the suffering for
taxi drivers.”
These two bills would go
into effect 120 days from being
approved by Mayor Bill
de Blasio.
The third bill, introduced
by Councilman Ydanis Rodriguez,
would require the
TLC to take into account
the character, honesty and
integrity of brokers, agents
and licensees when they either
submit for a new license
or renew an old one. The TLC
could, in the future, reject an
application if the individual
is found to lack these qualities
upon taking into account
any prior fraudulent,
deceitful or unlawful acts
while engaged with the commission
in the course of obtaining
a license.
“We saw what happened
when taxicab brokers,
agents, and taxicab licensees
were left to their own discretion.
They took advantage of
vulnerable and mostly immigrant
New Yorkers who were
trying to make an honest living,”
Rodriguez said. “With
this bill, any taxicab broker,
agent and licensee who
violates TLC’s prescribed
rules and regulations on
this matter will face serious
consequences, including
denial or nullifi cation of
their license.”
This bill will go into effect
180 days after being signed
into law.
Reviving NYC tourism
Council approves
taxi relief
Campaign looks for solution for visitors, locals
/NYCgo.com
/recovery