NYC launches tourism info center, site

The information center and Web site are designed for both visitors and residents and will allow people to better navigate and manage their visits to and within the five boroughs.

The Web site offers information on hotels, dining, attractions and events. Bloomberg also announced new corporate partnerships with companies such as Google and Travelocity to provide advanced online capabilities and with content providers such as Time Out New York, Paper magazine, the New York Observer and Greenopia for up-to-date event listings.

"Our city's travel and tourism industry is as important today as ever," Bloomberg said. "And by extending these new travel resources to our residents, we are giving New Yorkers the chance to more actively take advantage of the City's diverse and exciting neighborhoods."

The new center, located at 810 Seventh Avenue between 52nd and 53rd streets, will feature new interactive capabilities, including personalized itineraries. The center features digital city maps and up-to-the-minute event and venue information on attractions throughout the five boroughs. Wall-mounted multi-lingual information kiosks, available in nine foreign languages, offers information on how to navigate New York City with transportation tips and an array of services.

Knowledgeable, multilingual information specialists will be on hand to help people develop a comprehensive and easy-to-follow travel itinerary through the use of interactive map tables. The center will also sell MetroCards and tickets to top NYC attractions. The visitor information center, closed in July 2008, was renovated at a cost of $1.8 million.