Empire State Development announces new 'I Love New York' representation in Australia

'Becoming Australia Ready' workshops to be held with tourism partners across New York

Empire State Development has announced the appointment of Global Group by JG, an international marketing firm specializing in travel, tourism and lifestyle brands, as New York state's tourism promotion agency in Australia.

New York's outreach to Australia is a result of the 2014 New York State Tourism Summit, where Gov. Andrew Cuomo made the commitment to expand the state's global reach through increased representation and partnerships in key international markets.

"International travelers are vital to the success of New York state tourism," ESD President, CEO and Commissioner Howard Zemsky said. "We look forward to vigorous representation with our friends 'down under,' so that they will be able to join the nearly 14 million other international travelers coming to experience the world-class destinations and attractions found in every region of the Empire State."

Representation in the Chinese cities of Beijing, Shanghai, Guangahou and Chengdu was announced last year, and they join "I Love New York's" international presence in the United Kingdom and Germany.

ESD Division of Tourism Executive Director Gavin Landry noted the importance of increasing New York's presence in Australia, saying, "As part of Gov. Cuomo's Global Tourism Initiative, we are strategically expanding into new international markets. The Australian traveler is an affluent traveler, with large expendable income and the ability to take international vacations that last 20 or more days. The destination represents considerable opportunity for New York, with $28.4 billion in international travel expenditures."

Global Group by JG will represent the division of tourism via strategic, integrated marketing, trade and media relations for the state's "I Love New York" brand. All of Global Group by JG's trade, media and consumer marketing will be tailored to coincide with Australian travelers' U.S. interests as revealed by a Brand USA study, which include: shopping, culinary experiences, visiting small towns and heritage sites, art galleries and museums and guided tours.

"New York City has always been a pre-eminent vacation destination for Australians, and Global Group by JG is honored to help shine a light on the state's enriching, yet undiscovered features," said Jena Gardner, Global Group by JG's president and CEO. "With U.S. visitation and spending from Australian travelers doubling since 2006, the market represents a growth opportunity for the state's tourism organizations and businesses. We look forward to showcasing New York state's history, natural beauty and cultural offerings to the Australian travel market, and inspiring statewide experiences."

To engage partners across the state in the effort, "I Love New York" is offering "Becoming Australia Ready" workshops to educate the private sector, government agencies and other tourism/hospitality organizations on how to best promote themselves to the Australian market. Key topics covered during the workshops in Albany, Syracuse and Buffalo will include understanding the Australian visitor and how to work with Australian tour operators. The workshop will be presented at three locations across the state as follows:

•Albany: Thursday, May 14, 8 a.m. to noon at the Empire State Plaza, Meeting Rooms 4 and 5, South Mall Arterial, Albany

•Syracuse: Friday, May 15, 1-5 p.m. at The Oncenter, 800 S. State St., Syracuse

•Buffalo: Monday, May 18, 8-11:45 a.m. at Salvatore's Italian Gardens, 6461 Transit Road, Depew

The interactive workshops will include presentations by six tour wholesalers from Australia, while three from the "I Love New York" Australia will provide specifics on how to identify and work with the industry entities and merchants. In addition, Dolores Simonds, vice president of strategies and alliances for "I Love New York" Australia, will explain the division of tourism's short- and long-term plans, and how state destinations and attractions may participate.

Attendees will be able to meet the tour operators who are seeking to add New York to their product offerings. The workshops are combined with a statewide tourism familiarization tour by the Australia delegation, which includes a representative of Quantas Airways, Australia's flag carrier, which has hosted the travel to New York state.

In early 2014, Cuomo launched Global NY to capitalize on New York's international appeal and growing potential. As the gateway to the U.S., New York is the No. 1 destination for overseas visitors with close to 14 million international visitors coming to New York in 2014.