VOA常速英语2007-New York City Launches Campaign to Attract Touri

By Paige Kollock
New York City
29 October 2007
 

With 43 million visitors last year, New York City is a destination that needs no promotion¹.  But the city of over-achievers is not satisfied with the status quo.  It wants to attract 50 million tourists by the year 2015, and with them, their tourist dollars.  VOA's Paige Kollock reports on the city's campaign to increase visitors.

New York City's new advertising² campaign, celebrates the virtues³ of Manhattan, and is aimed at attracting international tourists.  

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg recently said, "This campaign, our multi-media campaign, is one designed to make tourists to our city feel more welcome, help them enjoy their stays and thank them for visiting our city."

The city has launched a program called "Just Ask the Locals." It uses celebrities⁴ to encourage visitors to ask New Yorkers about their city.

Tourists say it is working. "We have been absolutely amazed at how friendly people have been,” said a recent visitor.  “When they see us with our map and they say, 'Do you need help?' or 'Can we tell you where to go?'"

The city's tourism agency, called "NYC and Company," has launched a new advertising campaign, with TV commercials airing in Spain, Italy, Portugal, Britain and Ireland.  Research shows that travelers from those countries tend to stay longer and spend more money.  City officials say the $25 million a year tourism industry is vital because it supports about 350,000 jobs. 

Chris Heywood of NYC & Company says that helps put money back in New Yorkers' pockets.

"People don't necessarily know the economics of tourism, and when you put it into perspective, it really saves the average household in New York City about $950 in annual taxes a year,” he told us. “So by having tourists here in the city, it actually helps offset⁵ taxes here and makes the city more manageable to run."

International tourists on the streets of New York may not agree that the city is manageable, but many tourists do find New Yorkers welcoming -- a contrast to their reputation for rudeness. 

 "It's a little bit too large, it's a little bit complicated, but the folks are very polite," said one.

"Everyone is really friendly -- you know, hustle⁶ and bustle⁷.  Don't know that I could live here for a long period of time, but it's really good to visit," said another.

The tourists may love New Yorkers, but how do the eight million residents feel about the additional influx⁸ of people? 

"It's bad enough, you can't cross the street, everyone is always pushing you, everyone's in a rush. To have more people here -- we won't be able to move!" said one resident.

Another New Yorker said, "With the exchange rate, with the pound in Great Britain and the Euro, we have plenty of tourists coming in from Europe right now.  Having more obviously is helpful for the New York economy, but there is a limit in terms of the services in New York: transportation, access to the theater, to cultural events."

Mayor Bloomberg says more than half of all the tourism dollars spent in New York last year were generated by international visitors -- visitors who may have previously⁹ relied on guidebooks to help them, but who can now "Just Ask the Locals."  

1 promotion   

n.提升，晋级；促销，宣传

参考例句：

• The teacher conferred with the principal about Dick's promotion.教师与校长商谈了迪克的升级问题。
• The clerk was given a promotion and an increase in salary.那个职员升了级，加了薪。

2 advertising   

n.广告业；广告活动 a.广告的；广告业务的

参考例句：

• Can you give me any advice on getting into advertising? 你能指点我如何涉足广告业吗?
• The advertising campaign is aimed primarily at young people. 这个广告宣传运动主要是针对年轻人的。

3 virtues   

美德( virtue的名词复数 )； 德行； 优点； 长处

参考例句：

• Doctors often extol the virtues of eating less fat. 医生常常宣扬少吃脂肪的好处。
• She delivered a homily on the virtues of family life. 她进行了一场家庭生活美德方面的说教。

4 celebrities   

n.（尤指娱乐界的）名人( celebrity的名词复数 )；名流；名声；名誉

参考例句：

• He only invited A-list celebrities to his parties. 他只邀请头等名流参加他的聚会。
• a TV chat show full of B-list celebrities 由众多二流人物参加的电视访谈节目

5 offset   

n.分支，补偿；v.抵消，补偿

参考例句：

• Their wage increases would be offset by higher prices.他们增加的工资会被物价上涨所抵消。
• He put up his prices to offset the increased cost of materials.他提高了售价以补偿材料成本的增加。

6 hustle   

v.推搡；竭力兜售或获取；催促；n.奔忙(碌)

参考例句：

• It seems that he enjoys the hustle and bustle of life in the big city.看起来他似乎很喜欢大城市的热闹繁忙的生活。
• I had to hustle through the crowded street.我不得不挤过拥挤的街道。

7 bustle   

v.喧扰地忙乱，匆忙，奔忙；n.忙碌；喧闹

参考例句：

• The bustle and din gradually faded to silence as night advanced.随着夜越来越深，喧闹声逐渐沉寂。
• There is a lot of hustle and bustle in the railway station.火车站里非常拥挤。

8 influx   

n.流入，注入

参考例句：

• The country simply cannot absorb this influx of refugees.这个国家实在不能接纳这么多涌入的难民。
• Textile workers favoured protection because they feared an influx of cheap cloth.纺织工人拥护贸易保护措施，因为他们担心涌入廉价纺织品。

9 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。