New York City: Shining bright as a place for all the family

New York City: Shining bright as a place for all the family

Rita A. Widiadana, The Jakarta Post, New York City, New York

Fall in New York City is a romantic season, and probably the best
time to visit the most dynamic and culturally diverse city in the
world.

The city also glitters in the Christmas and New Year holidays
as it holds a series of splendid events to celebrate the festive
season.

But you can visit at any time of the year since New York City,
after the dark days of 9/11 and its aftermath, is shining
brighter than ever with all that is on offer at its sprawling
high-rise business centers, shopping attractions, newly renovated
hotels, museums, restaurants and cultural attractions.

New York City is offering amazing arts and cultural festivals,
which began last summer and will last through early 2004, to
bring back visitors.

If your budget does not stretch to shopping sprees at
luxurious boutiques along trendy Fifth Avenue or dining at an
expensive Manhattan restaurant, don't be disappointed. There are
a lot of attractions, many of them free of charge, to sample the
beauty and vibrancy of this city with its multiracial and
ethnically diverse population.

Music lovers will be entertained with outdoor rock, pop, jazz
and even classical music concerts.

Ample opportunities for "star-gazing" are available on
legendary Broadway, including Chicago with Hollywood star Melanie
Griffith stepping into the shoes of Catherine Zeta Jones, the
Disney' musical Lion King with singer Toni Braxton and 42nd
Street.

Throughout 2003, the city has prepared varied exhibitions, art
activities, family programs and sports competitions at such city
landmarks as Central Park and Battery Park, the American Museum
of Natural History, Lincoln Center, the Dance Theater of Harlem,
Bronx zoo and also on the Brooklyn Bridge.

Although devastated by the terrorist attacks on the World
Trade Center's Twin Towers two years ago, the city has rebounded
and is out to solidify its image as the world's most important
business center and attractive tourist destination.

The 9/11 attacks dramatically changed the face of New York
City and impacted the global travel industry as a whole, with
millions of people canceling their air travel plans out of fear
of further terrorist attacks and other security concerns.

Prior to 9/11, New York City tourism was responsible for US$25
billion in economic activity, provided nearly 300,000 jobs and
generated $3 billion in city, state and federal taxes.

International travelers account for only 18 percent of all
city visitors, yet are responsible for 42 percent of tourism
spending. Although New York City specific figures are not yet
available, foreign visitor numbers reflect an overall 9.4 decline
in the aftermath of the WTC tragedy, from 50.9 million
international visitors to the U.S. in 2000 to 45.5 million in
2001.

As America's number one foreign visitor destination, New York
City lost a significant number of foreign travelers after the
attacks.

"Nobody had the courage to travel by air soon after the 9/11
tragedy. But, a few days after the tragedy, I had to fly to New
York City to try to find any information on my friend who worked
at the WTC," recalled a visitor, Christian, during the second
observance of the tragedy at Ground Zero in September.

Like many others who never found their loved ones, Christian
has decided to make an annual visit to the site to honor their
memories.

For New York City, the flood of visitors, both businesspeople,
holidaymakers and relatives of the victims, will certainly
improve its tourist business.

The city welcomes nearly 37 million visitors every year of
which 11 million are family visitors, making family travel the
city's fastest growing visitor category.

Up 25 percent over the last five years, family travel is
increasing, thanks largely to the transformation of neighborhoods
(such as the once notoriously seedy Times Square and its porn
shops) into family friendly destinations.

Crime in New York City has plunged 6 percent in the past year
to levels not seen since 1963 as the city continues to have the
lowest crime rate of any large city in America.

According to the latest Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
crime statistics, New York City is one of the safest large cities
in America.

As part of the image transformation, NYC & Company, the city's
official tourism marketing organization, and Big Tent
Entertainment, announced a major campaign by introducing the
world-renowned children's book character, Miffy, as its Family
Tourism Ambassador.

Miffy is the popular children's storybook character created by
Dutch author and illustrator Dick Bruna. It is expected Miffy's
great popularity will help New York City lure back lucrative
European and Asian visitor markets.

Visiting this vibrant, pulsating city may indeed by the stuff
of everybody's dreams if it were a little less expensive and
obtaining a tourist visa to the United States was a bit easier.
When you do eventually get there, however, it's worth it.