An estimated four million people are expected to visit New York in June to attend a series of pride events, culminating in WorldPride.
The city is marking the 50th anniversary this summer of the Stonewall uprising, which launched the modern gay civil rights movement.
The anniversary has also meant that international LGBTQ+ travel association IGLTA held its annual global convention in New York for the first time this week (April 25-28).
Fred Dixon, president and chief executive of tourism authority, NYC & Company, told delegates that about 10% of New York’s visitors are LGBTQ+ and the city is the top destination in the US for the sector.
New York anticipates 67.1 million visitors in 2019, up from 65.1 million in 2018, so almost seven million will be from the LGBTQ+ community, he added.
“2019 is important because of the historical relevance of Stonewall… which was a breaking point in LGBTQ+ history and led to the first gay pride in 1970,” he said during the convention.
To mark the Year of Pride, NYC & Company has developed a new logo and motto: NYC Pride. Uncontained.
It has also developed ‘Project Rainbow’, an initiative to welcome visitors during WorldPride, offering support such as gender-neutral bathroom signage.
There will be Stonewall events in galleries and museums during 2019, and seven weeks of pride celebrations in five boroughs (May 10-June 30), culminating in WorldPride (June 24-30).