National Travel and Tourism Week: Celebrating the Spirit of Travel
Today, May 3, marks the first day of National Travel and Tourism Week (NTTW). Despite our industry being shut down right now, as leading health officials work toward the recovery, this year's annual celebration aims to spotlight resilience and hope in the face of the coronavirus pandemic with this theme: the Spirit of Travel.
Celebrated annually the first full week in May, NTTW was created by Congress in 1983 to underscore the economic power of travel in the U.S. The 37th NTTW (May 3-9) arrives at an opportune moment to unite the industry, celebrate its indomitable spirit and elevate the role it will play in America’s economic recovery.
“Through every hardship, I find myself in awe of the travel industry’s ability to join together, adapt, and emerge stronger than before,” said U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Roger Dow. “This is our toughest challenge yet, but what I’ve seen is that the spirit of travel has not been shattered.”
The U.S. Travel Association created this video to highlight the people behind this important industry:
Since in-person rallies and events that have been hallmarks of NTTW in years past are not an option this year, there will lots of virtual offerings. Many GANYC members are offering their own, and you can see our recent roundup here. We encourage to plan your own as well! Another fun event is being organized on Twitter this Tuesday, called the 'Virtual Road Trip' (you can follow the US Travel Association on Twitter and follow along with the #VirtualRoadTrip hashtag there that day)... they will be moving from the east coast to the west coast, stopping virtually in every state, highlighting attractions and businesses along the way.
This week, GANYC is also working to finalize our upcoming Tour Your Own City initiative. This project, which will launch later this month, will begin to prepare NYC tourism for the long recovery once PAUSE ends. As the Summer proceeds, we will aim to move beyond virtual explorations, and encourage locals-- not just New Yorkers, but from nearby states as well-- to come out and explore New York City with local guides. All tours will be kept small, to ensure safety, while exploring this amazing city and its many hidden treasures that so many take for granted. This project will not only help working guides, but will create explorations that will ultimately help small businesses all throughout the city as they begin to reopen and formulate their own long roads to recovery. Our guides truly embody the spirit of travel, and we can't wait for folks from all over the region to see them doing what they do best.
Join our May monthly membership meeting online this Wednesday at 6pm EST during this celebratory week to learn more about this project. We will also speak with Rafael Espinal, President and Executive Director of the Freelancers Union in learning about support available for guides, and Dan Pitzer (of Breaking the Chain Counseling) to discuss anxiety in the wake of COVID-19.