Albany, New York (April 1, 2013) – Empire State Development (ESD) today announced that Gavin Landry has joined ESD as the Executive Director of its Tourism Division. Mr. Landry’s appointment comes at a time of continued tourism growth across New York State, and amidst the launch of a series of new tourism initiatives by Governor Andrew M. Cuomo.
“Under Governor Cuomo’s leadership, the tourism industry is growing and thriving in New York State,” said Empire State Development President, CEO & Commissioner Kenneth Adams. “I am pleased to welcome Gavin Landry to the team, and look forward to working with him as we continue to promote New York State’s many assets and attract new visitors and create jobs.”
“I am excited to take on this new role, and am honored to support the Governor’s goal of increasing tourism throughout the State. I look forward to showcasing all New York State has to offer,” said Mr. Landry.
As Executive Director, Mr. Landry will lead the iconic I LOVE NEW YORK marketing campaign and develop and implement new initiatives to further the State’s positive tourism growth. Tourism is the fifth largest employer in the State. In 2011, the Empire State welcomed 8.3 percent more visitors than the year before, resulting in $53.9 billion in direct tourism spending and $6.9 billion in state and local tax revenue. Since taking office, Governor Cuomo has put in place a series of initiatives to bolster statewide tourism, including launching new marketing and advertising campaigns. To build on these successes and continue to boost tourism and create jobs, Governor Cuomo also recently announced several new initiatives to spotlight the State’s natural beauty and recreational opportunities, to attract visitors to Upstate New York and to promote “Made in New York” products through Market NY and Taste NY.
In his new role, Mr. Landry will also work closely with Governor Cuomo’s Tourism Advisory Council (TAC), which provides input and advice regarding the state’s tourism efforts.
“We are thrilled that Gavin will share his fifteen plus years of experience in the tourism industry with the State as we embark on aggressive tourism development initiatives to increase visitation to New York,” said Cristyne Nicholas, Chair of the New York State Tourism Advisory Council.
Before joining Empire State Development, Mr. Landry ran Landry Hospitality Consulting Services, where he provided full-service hospitality consulting to numerous hotel developers and owners. Mr. Landry ran commercial hotels for a professional management company in markets such as Detroit, MI; Columbus, OH; Charlotte, NC and Somerset, NJ. He has also served as president of the Saratoga Convention and Tourism Bureau. A graduate of Cornell University, Mr. Landry is currently an adjunct professor at New York University’s (NYU) Tisch Center for Hospitality, Tourism and Sports Management where he teaches graduate courses in various disciplines of the tourism industry. Last month, Mr. Landry was the recipient of an award for teaching excellence from NYU, one of 20 given out across nine disciplines. Mr. Landry is a member of the NYS Hospitality and Tourism Association and of the Cornell Society of Hotelmen.
Empire State Development (ESD) is New York’s chief economic development agency (www.esd.ny.gov). The mission of ESD is to promote a vigorous and growing economy, encourage the creation of new job and economic opportunities, increase revenues to the State and its municipalities, and achieve stable and diversified local economies. Through the use of loans, grants, tax credits and other forms of financial assistance, ESD strives to enhance private business investment and growth to spur job creation and support prosperous communities across New York State. ESD is also the primary administrative agency overseeing Governor Cuomo’s Regional Economic Development Councils and the marketing of “I Love NY,” the State’s iconic tourism brand. For more information on Regional Councils and Empire State Development, visit www.regionalcouncils.ny.gov and www.esd.ny.gov.
About New York State
New York State features 11 beautiful vacation regions. New York’s attractions span from landmarks such as Niagara Falls to the wine trails of Hudson Valley and treasures like the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. Whether it’s wide-ranging outdoor activities for the whole family like hiking, biking and boating, culinary wonders and farm-to-table fresh foods, or the rich history and culture of one of the 13 original colonies, New York State offers big excitement and tons activities for all travelers. For more information, visit http://www.iloveny.com/spring for all of our spring activities. Media can find press releases and more at thebeat.iloveny.com.
Follow the I LOVE NY social media channels for news on tourism in New York State. From NYC to Niagara Falls and all points in between, there's so much to love to LOVE in NY! Check out I LOVE NEW YORK on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for great ideas for your next getaway.
Follow I LOVE NEW YORK on social media:
Facebook: Facebook.com/ILOVENY
Twitter: @I_LOVE_NY
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YouTube: YouTube.com/OfficialILoveNY
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Flickr: Flickr.com/OfficialILoveNY
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CONTACT: Melanie Klausner
M. SILVER – A Division of Finn Partners
(212)-754-6500, ext. 243
melanie.klausner@finnpartners.com
Eric Scheffel
Empire State Development
(518) 292-5274
escheffel@esd.ny.gov
