Destination Promotion Inside City Participation

Tourism Boards
Official Destination Promotion Partners

Tourism Boards are official governmental destination-promotion offices — national tourism offices, city tourism offices, ministries of tourism, consulate tourism attachés, cultural attachés, commercial attachés, tourism directors, and official destination-promotion offices. They support city and national participation through the City Application — there is no separate Tourism Board application.

What is the role of a Tourism Board in the Celebration?

Tourism Boards support the broader city and national participation, helping their selected city present tourism, heritage, cuisine, hospitality, and travel opportunities to NYC audiences and global media. Tourism Boards may support: • Destination promotion • Tourism content for the national pavilion • Tourism media • Visitor packages • Airlines, hotels, tour operators, and travel partners • Passport to the World promotion • Post-event tourism follow-up • The two around-the-world travel tickets as prizes (qualifying pavilion visits) • The selected city's tourism booth or tourism presentation inside the national pavilion The city brings its story. The Tourism Board helps turn that story into visitors, travel interest, and measurable destination promotion.

How does a Tourism Board engage if no separate Tourism Board application exists?

Tourism Boards engage as support partners inside the City Application. The candidate city lists its Tourism Board contact directly within the City Application form. There is no separate Tourism Board engagement form because Tourism Boards are already part of the city and national governmental participation structure. If a Tourism Board wishes to begin discussions without a specific candidate city in mind, the Governmental Engagement pathway is available.

What about private tourism associations, airlines, hotels, or tour operators?

Private or industry-based partners — airline partners, hotels, tour operators, travel agencies, hospitality associations, tourism-business associations, and destination marketing companies — participate through the Sponsorship & Partnerships pathway as Tourism Associations & Travel Industry Partners. These partners may sponsor pavilions, Passport to the World, Country Star moments, the two around-the-world travel tickets as prizes, and other Celebration programming.

What measurable tourism data do Tourism Boards receive?

Tourism Boards receive Passport to the World engagement data — participation records (pavilion visits, experience check-ins), interest category data (tourism, food, culture, heritage, education), geographic reach (where traveler participants come from), qualified tourism interest records, and post-event follow-up records. This converts NYC cultural presence into a documented tourism pipeline tied to destination marketing ROI — qualified leads, content for destination campaigns, and a measurable economic trail beyond the event itself.

Quick Answers

Frequently Asked Questions

Who counts as a Tourism Board?

Tourism Boards are official governmental destination-promotion offices: national tourism offices, city tourism offices, ministries of tourism, consulate tourism attachés, cultural attachés, commercial attachés, tourism directors, and official destination-promotion offices. They are not private tourism associations or travel-industry companies — those engage through the Sponsorship & Partnerships pathway as Tourism Associations & Travel Industry Partners.

How does a Tourism Board participate in a city application?

The candidate city includes its Tourism Board contact and supporting commitments directly within the City Application. Tourism Boards are listed as support partners alongside the mayor's office, national ministry, consulate, chamber of commerce, and cultural institutions.

Can regional/sub-national tourism boards participate?

Yes. Regional and sub-national tourism boards are welcome to engage, particularly when supporting the candidate or winning city from their region. Coordination with the national tourism office and the selected city is encouraged.

When is the best time to engage for 2027?

Now. The 2027 cycle application deadline is September 15, 2026; winning cities are announced September 21, 2026. Earlier engagement allows for stronger destination preparation and travel-prize partnership coordination.

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The International Cultures Celebration Ecosystem

Support a City Participation

Tourism Boards strengthen city applications. Begin by working with your candidate city through the City Application — no separate Tourism Board form needed.