City Launching Global Tourism Campaign

The city's tourism office is officially launching its first major international advertising effort today, aiming to sell potential visitors a new New York, one that is as much the birthplace of hip-hop as it is the home of the Empire State Building.

The campaign is part of an ambitious strategy in the last year to promote New York City around the globe. The tourism office, NYC & Company, already has bureaus in places like Dublin, Buenos Aires, and London, and plans to open a total of eight offices in 2007, from Toronto to Tokyo.

Despite its reputation as a top destination, the city has never before embarked on a global ad campaign.