DISCOVER LONG ISLAND HIGHLIGHTS POSITIVE IMPACTS OF VISITOR ECONOMY DURING NATIONAL TRAVEL AND TOURISM WEEK

Follow #DiscoverLiLi for Insight from LI’s Industry Leaders on Why Tourism Matters

LONG ISLAND, NY (May 6, 2019) – Discover Long Island kicks-off National Travel and Tourism Week (NTTW) with a week long campaign, utilizing the new mobile visitor center “LiLi” to highlight Long Island’s travel and tourism community in support of the many ways travel contributes to the region’s visitor economy.

NTTW, taking place May 5-11, 2019, is a nationwide effort led by the US Travel Association to educate and advocate the positive aspects of the visitor economy on job creation, tax revenue generation, personal wellness, community pride and quality of life for local residents.

In line with the 2019 NTTW theme “Travel Matters,” Discover Long Island will be utilizing LiLi, an ice cream truck that was recently transformed into a mobile visitor center, to travel around the region and showcase the people, places and product that contribute to Long Island’s unique culture and robust economy. Each day of NTTW will celebrate a different facet of travel and tie in a local Long Island leader making strides in this category: the economy, new experiences, jobs, infrastructure, health benefits, hometown pride and how travel strengthens families.

“We are proud to join the U.S Travel Association and industry advocates around the Nation to highlight the many positive impacts that the tourism industry has on our region and we’re thrilled to have LiLi as a new vehicle of communication to drive awareness throughout our community,” said Kristen Jarnagin, President & CEO of Discover Long Island. “Tourism on Long Island is a $5.9 billion industry that impacts job creation, supports small businesses and generates over $720 million annually in local and state tax revenues for our region,”

Discover Long Island’s mobile visitor center, LiLi, will be out in the field throughout the week sharing insight from Long Island’s industry leaders on why tourism matters to the region on Discover Long Island’s social media channels including Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.

Interviews and attractions that will be featured throughout the week for the specific daily themes including: Nassau County Executive Laura Curran and Suffolk County Steve Bellone on “Economy” with an inside look at the Long Island Marathon, Anthony Rosamilia of iFly and featured attractions Old Westbury Gardens and the Montauk Light House on “New Experiences,” Pindar Damianos of Pindar Vineyards and Bryan Brady of The Preston House on “Jobs”, Shelley LaRose of The Long Island MacArthur Airport, Andrew Lynch of the Hampton Jitney and the Long Island Railroad on “Keeping America Connected,” Beth Skudin of Skudin Surf on “Health,” Theresa Pinelli and Halie Geller of Locali Bread and Terrance Saporito of Island Strong on “Hometown Pride,” and Bryan Deluca of The Long Island Aquarium and Suzanne LeBlanc of the Long Island Children’s Museum on “Families.”

“With renowned attractions including NYCB LIVE’s Nassau Coliseum, miles of pristine beaches, the historic Gold Coast, Belmont Park, prestigious golf courses and more, Long Island sees upwards of 9.6 million visitors annually,” said Nassau County Executive Laura Curran.  “As one of the busiest travel destinations in the Country, Long Island has a thriving hotel, hospitality and entertainment industry.  Tourism on Long Island is a vital component of our region’s economic success - almost 9% of all jobs on Long Island are under the umbrella of hospitality and tourism.  I am proud to support the work of this essential industry and its advocates as we continue to promote our County as a fantastic place to live, work - and of course – play.”

“With millions of visitors from around the globe enjoying our beaches, parks, vibrant downtowns, accommodations and attractions, tourism continues to serve as an invaluable asset to our region, stimulating growth through the creation of local jobs and supporting small businesses,” said Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone.

Join us by following LiLi’s adventures on social media @discoverlongisland #DiscoverLiLi #tourismmatters #nttw19.  For more information on what’s happening on Long Island in 2019, visit www.discoverlongisland.com.

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ABOUT DISCOVER LONG ISLAND:

Discover Long Island is the official regional organization charged with furthering the $5.9 billion tourism economy. The organization contributes to the economic development and quality of life on Long Island by promoting the region as a world-class destination for visitors, meetings and conventions, trade shows, sporting events and related activities. For more information, please call 631-951-3900 or visit DiscoverLongIsland.com.

Media Contact:

Maggie LaCasse Director of Communications Discover Long Island 631-951-3900

MLaCasse@DiscoverLongIsland.com