Bright lights, mega events afoot in New York City

It's been a year since New York City Tourism + Conventions rebranded from NYC & Company, and the branding change is resonating, according to Watson Li, regional director of international MICE.

"The old brand caused some confusion – some customers thought we were a clothing company. The rebrand makes us more obvious, and we’re all kitted out at the trade shows we go to,” said Li, alluding to the distinctive branded black tees that the New York City Tourism + Conventions team donned at The Meetings Show Asia Pacific.

The new identity captures New York's dynamic spirit as the city prepares for a monumental 2026. As a host for the 2026 FIFA World Cup finals at MetLife Stadium, football fever will grip the Big Apple. Adding to the excitement, the U.S. will mark its Semiquincentennial - the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence - promising citywide festivities.

Bring on the heat for 2026

The new identity captures New York's dynamic spirit as the city prepares for a monumental 2026. As the host for the upcoming FIFA World Cup in 2026 – the U.S. will be hosting the competition alongside Canada and Mexico – the finals is scheduled for 19 July at the MetLife Stadium, just outside of the Big Apple itself.

Adding to the excitement, the U.S. will mark its Semiquincentennial – the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence – promising citywide festivities during 4th of July.

“Every city is planning ways to reflect the past and look into the future [for the Semiquincentennial], and that’s something we’ll be planning alongside preparations for the World Cup.” Li said.

Endless exploration opportunities

With New York's ever-evolving lineup of attractions, hotels and venues, Li emphasises visitors can have an incredible experience any time, not just during major events.

The city offers endless possibilities, from The High Line, which is a hybrid public space for nature, art and design built on a historic freight rail line elevated above the streets on Manhattan’s West Side, to the Top of the Rock Observation Deck located at Rockefeller Center and SUMMIT One Vanderbilt, which provide visitors with breathtaking views of the city and famous landmarks like the Empire State Building.

“We have a lot of observation decks - and they’re all different experiences,” enthused Li. “There are all kinds of projects that are still ongoing, like Lowline, which is one of the upcoming ones and sounds very interesting – that could be a place where there could be a lot of art pieces, it could probably host events.”

Safe and speedy destination

Li acknowledges that incentive visitors from Southeast Asia tend to have concerns about acquiring a visa to visit the US, but the wait time has drastically reduced since over the past year.

Furthermore, he adds that commercial service providers New York City Tourism + Conventions works with may be able able to assist or secure last-minute appointments for incoming groups.

New York has also prioritised visitor safety, with Li stating it's one of the safest cities in the US. "We've been constantly improving safety measures. Our mayor’s office has been spending a lot of effort in making sure people are safe. And this is why we want to continue working with and welcoming more groups from Southeast Asia.

“With the FIFA World Cup we’re doing a lot of infrastructure upgrading, even to JFK [International Airport]. Once that’s established we’ll be able to have more international flights. This is how the future is going to be.”