June 2019 marks the 50th anniversary of the historic Stonewall Inn riot in New York City that helped usher in the modern-day LBTQ rights movement. To commemorate the anniversary, the city will host World Pride for the first time in June with more than 50 conferences, meetings, panels, parties, lectures, rallies and more. “We have declared 2019 the Year of Pride, to not only celebrate WorldPride and Stonewall 50 but to acknowledge the perpetual spirit of New York City’s vibrant LGBTQ community,” said Fred Dixon, the President and CEO of
NYC & Company.
Attracting LGBTQ Travelers
Along with LGBTQ-focused events, exhibitions will honor the Stonewall Inn uprising. A WorldPride Ambassadors competition also launched ahead of summer events to encourage LGBTQ New Yorkers to submit a video about why they’re proud of their state. The videos also included what area they would show off to LGBTQ visitors this summer. Those selected as WorldPride Ambassadors will be featured in select I LOVE NY WorldPride promotions.
Beyond honoring and celebrating the LGBTQ community, the competition will continue to help showcase the state’s offering to travelers, meeting professionals, businesses. "The WorldPride Ambassadors competition is the perfect opportunity for New Yorkers from across the state to showcase the best we have to offer as we extend an invitation to LGBTQ+ travelers from around the world,” said Empire State Development President, CEO and Commissioner Howard Zemsky. The city also expects an influx of year-round travelers. “We are expecting 4 million travelers or more in June alone—a marked increase from the 2 million who traditionally enjoy NYC Pride—and, in 2019, the city is projected to welcome a total of 67 million visitors, amounting to the ninth consecutive year of tourism growth,” said Jerry Cito, executive vice president, Convention Development at NYC & Company.
Summer Events
The World Pride summer events are slated to be the largest event in modern LGBTQ+ history with events like Pride on the Beach in Long Island, Pride at Niagara Falls, and beyond will help showcase tourism in the state, as well as it’s friendliness to the LGBTQ+ community and businesses. The popular and longstanding Pride Island also returns with an annual weekend celebration of music, dancing and community and live acts. The live event production, management and entertainment firm that develops ground up special events
JJ|LA stepped in to help make Pride Island an engaged and innovative event. The firm was already creating large scale LGBTQ events for over a decade, including the LA PRIDE Festival and Parade.
Jeff Consoletti, founder, principal and CEO, knew they had a unique challenge of working with an already successful event that sells out before headliners like Grace Jones were even announced. JJ|LA’s goal was to exceed the crowd’s expectations and find a way to add even more value to the program and enhance the consumer experience. “People want to see something that feels different,” Consoletti said. “If you’ve been the customer coming to the show year over year, how do you make them come back for something different?” Consoletti’s approach is why creating a safe, comfortable, user-friendly event is just the first step. The firm also infuses colorful, overhead features, inspired to pick up a smartphone to create that photo moment and share what’s happening during the event.
Beyond World Pride
Beyond the summer festivities, several organizations are also aligning their conferences, meetings and conventions around New York with consideration to the Year of Pride. The
International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association hosted their recent convention in New York City and further bolster attention to the LGBTQ community and 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising. “It was only fitting that we'd bring our premier educational and networking event to New York City for the first time in a year so symbolic to our community. NYC & Company is a longtime IGLTA member and has been incredibly engaged, supportive and generous throughout the convention planning process,” says John Tanzella, IGLTA president and CEO.
When asked about unique networking opportunities at the convention, Tanzella said, “This year we debuted the TLC Showcase to allow all attendees to network over lunch alongside a small group of exhibitors rather than being confined to a single lunch table with one sponsor talking.” The convention also offered new ways to connect with small businesses. “As we continue to enhance our appointment-driven BuyerSupplier Marketplace, this year partnering with the American Society of Travel Advisors to expand the participant base. Our moderated roundtable discussion for small business owners was a big hit last year, so we offered two versions of it this year: one specifically for travel advisors and one for other types of small tourism businesses owners; it gave them a peer-guided forum to share best practices and address challenges,” says Tanzella.
New York as a Welcoming and Diverse Destination
New York expects to see an increase in such conferences, conventions and events as a result of their ongoing cultural and inclusive programming. “Thanks to cultural programming throughout NYC’s ‘Year of Pride’, buzz surrounding the first U.S. WorldPride, and the 50th anniversary of the historic Stonewall Uprising, event planners have yet another reason to relay to key decision makers—from associations to corporates—how welcoming and diverse New York City is,” said Jerry Cito, executive vice president, Convention Development at NYC & Company. “It has never been more evident that the five boroughs are the premier destination to host a meeting or event that will draw delegates of varied backgrounds and orientations and increase overall attendance and satisfaction.”
The state of New York already holds a strong track record for championing LGBTQ rights and business initiatives. In 2011, New York passed the historic Marriage Equality Act and, in 2015, Governor Cuomo implemented regulations affirming that all transgender individuals are protected under the State's Human Rights Law. Governor Cuomo also launched the I LOVE NY LGBT tourism initiative in 2013 to make an invitation through advertising, social media and experiential marketing to the $70 billion LGBTQ domestic travel segment to discover the attractions and activities of New York State. “Currently, the LGBTQ market represents 10 percent of visitation to NYC,” said Jerry Cito, executive vice president, Convention Development at NYC & Company. “Considering the existing strength of that tourism sector and adding the draw of ‘Year of Pride’ events—targeted to both consumer and trade visitors—and there is certainly a compelling draw for leisure and business travelers to visit the five boroughs not only in June, but during the entirety of ‘2019: A Monumental Year.’”
World Pride and the Year of Pride will serve as natural expansion and enhancement of the state’s already progressive and inclusive initiatives and goals. For official resources for planners looking to hold an event in NYC, please visit nycgo.com/makeitnyc.
