Getting the low-down on NYC & Company

Taylor Swift hits the nail on the head in her song, Welcome to New York, singing "Live any real love, it keeps you guessing. Like any real love, it's ever changing."

Although the piece was not written in anticipation of her gig as the city's newest global ambassador, as Time Magazine reports, "it very well could have been."

This message of an ever-changing destination is one that Christopher Heywood, NYC & Company's senior vice-president of global communications, continues to impress upon travel industry and media partners, especially as the tourism office continues to leverage opportunities within Canada, its largest international market.

"Our visitors are guaranteed that there's always going to be a different experience every time they return," he told PAX in an interview. "There are 10,000 hotels room opening this year in New York City, the largest we've ever had, and not just new hotels but also new brands... There are always new Broadway shows, new cultural exhibitions, new restaurants, new shops – it never slows down."

Here are some insights and updates that Heywood shared with PAX.

Winter visits

"This is certainly a message we want all audiences to know about, whether it's trade or consumer. Looking at the currency fluctuations here, it is something that is top of mind for us and we want to be able to communicate the affordability of New York City, especially during the first quarter.

"The first quarter is that one time of year when visitors can really get pretty extraordinary value: the hotel rates are lower, the lines at the museums and attractions are shorter, it's easier to get restaurant reservations, and it's a time of year when NYC & Company runs a lot of its value programs such as Restaurant Week, Broadway Week and Off-Broadway Week. It's great for two audiences: the budget traveller who really wants to experience the best of New York City without breaking the bank, and the luxury traveller who can afford to come to New York City but they can get so much more.

"And it's not just the affordability – it's the value of experiences; even if you come for a weekend, you can do so much more in three days than in other destinations. Plus, Canadians can handle our winters!"

(Click here to see a Free in NYC guide.)

New connections

"The Number 7 subway stop is going to open by Sept. 13 at Hudson Yards – that's the name of the stop. It's right next to the Javits Center, so visitors can now walk the High Line or if they're on the far west side for a meeting or convention, they can pick-up the Number 7 line and take that into Times Square, and then to Grand Central and then out to Queens. That has all been in place except for this new stop, which is the connecting point between Times Square and the far west side.

"The far west side is going to be home to a new development called Hudson Yards. It's the largest private real estate development in the history of the U.S., and it's going to be a commercial and residential space, more than 100 shops and boutiques, 20 restaurants, open public space, and a 150-room Equinox hotel. The initial phase is set to open in 2016.

"LaGuardia Airport is going through a major refurbishment. LaGuardia’s current terminal layout, comprised of multiple, fragmented terminals, will be replaced by one main, architecturally-unified terminal. This will be accomplished by demolishing the existing Terminal B building, which is operated by the Port Authority, and replacing it with a larger structure, located closer to the Grand Central Parkway."

Beyond Manhattan

"Our newly-released NYCGO Insider Guide is for St. George, Staten Island. This is the area where the New York Wheel and the new Empire Outlets will be based, a free 25-minute ferry ride from Manhattan. Even before this opens, which is a couple of years away, we're still showcasing a lot of the things you can see and do in St. George. Cultural opportunities, sports, Flagship Brewing Company, restaurants, a September 11 memorial, and the St. George theatre is really beautiful. (A short video here tells the story of the destination).

"One of our goals for the trade is to expand their horizons; to really understand that New York City is five cities in one, and the one borough that doesn't get as much attention as it should is Staten Island. We don't want people just taking the ferry over and hopping right back on again, so all they're experiencing is the harbor. What we're encouraging them to do is stay a little longer and experience all the cultural and recreational opportunities available."

The five boroughs

"We've been making an effort over the last 2.5 years to encourage more visitation beyond the typical tourist zones, and we have had a focus on this area, we've developed some travel trade toolkits for areas like downtown Brooklyn and Long Island City, and we've also developed more information about the airport areas. We're really trying to spotlight a different New York City neighbourhood every month. Especially for Canadians who come back to New York again and again, the idea of the boroughs is really resonating.

"About 30 to 35 per cent of our hotel development has been in the boroughs beyond Manhattan, so there's a lot of opportunity for visitors to not only visit but stay in areas outside of mid-town Manhattan. The Queens borough was named the number one destination by Lonely Planet in 2015, so that's just one example of an area that has come into its own. People are still doing Manhattan, but they're adding on and a lot of that is driven by events and exhibitions.

"We have 100 per cent brand awareness but what we don't have is a thorough understanding of what the city has to offer, and I'm talking about more of the authentic experiences. We're really trying to showcase these. Some of it is seasonal, some of it is product driven, some of it is event driven, but it is part of a strategy for us – as tourism grows for us, the goal is to see visitors spreading out to all corners of the city. For example, developments like the New York Wheel and Empire Outlets will be a catalyst to drive people to Staten Island, and this will be a must see."

PHOTO: Of NYC & CO: Javier Fernandez, trade representative - Canada, ConnectWorldWide; Marsha Mowers, PR representative, ConnectWorldWide; Christopher Heywood, senior VP, global communications; & Britt Hijkoop, manager, tourism PR