Hochul Unveils $450M To Restart NY Tourism

NEW YORK CITY — A $450 million boost could help New York's faltering tourism industry bounce back from the coronavirus pandemic.

Gov. Kathy Hochul on Monday announced the massive cash infusion from the American Museum of Natural History — one of several institutions that saw visitors disappear overnight as COVID-19 forced shutdowns in the city, state and country.

But the museum and other tourist hotspots are destined for a comeback, in part because the United States reopened its borders for international travel, she said.

“My message finally is when this industry rises and comes back, that’ll be the best indicator that we as a state rise and be back,” she said. “This industry is critically important to our psyche.”

The plan will allocated $100 million to give as many as 36,000 workers "hanging on by thread" a one-time payment of $2,700, Hochul said.

She said another $100 million will go toward a work grant program that gives tourism businesses, cultural institutions and nonprofits $5,000 to every full-time employee they keep on the payroll for more than six months.

New York will also put $25 million into a marketing campaign to draw back travelers from Europe, she said.