Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, NYC & Company and Tourism Cares today announced that New York City will host the largest tourism hospitality and tourism volunteer organization in the country next Spring.  The 10th Anniversary of Tourism Cares for America’s Give-Back Project will be held May 30-31, 2013. Hundreds of global tourism and hospitality professionals will visit the City and participate in volunteer projects to improve Brooklyn and Queens.

“We are proud to welcome Tourism Cares America to New York City—the largest tourism volunteer organization in the world—for its forthcoming 10th anniversary volunteer event next May. As the nation’s number one city tourism destination, there could not be a more fitting backdrop in which to bring together hundreds of tourism and hospitality professionals from around the world who will give back to an industry that has become such an important economic engine and job creator for our City and nation,” said Mayor Bloomberg.

During the volunteer effort on May 31, hundreds of tourism industry professionals will partner with the staffs of NYC & Company and NYC Service to complete improvement projects in Brooklyn and Queens.  The program will include an effort in Coney Island to paint playground benches, light posts, water fountains and trash cans.  In Jamaica Bay, Queens, volunteers will participate in a dune preservation and beach clean-up project at Fort Tilden Beach.

“We look forward to holding Tourism Cares’ 10th anniversary volunteer project here in New York City—the enhancements that are planned will benefit Coney Island, Jamaica Bay and the scores of future visitors who will visit our City in the years ahead,” said George Fertitta, NYC & Company’s CEO.

“It’s only appropriate for Tourism Cares and the tourism industry to return to New York City for its 10th anniversary project—we came to the City following the events of 9/11 and look forward to being back in the City to assist Coney Island and Jamaica Bay with rejuvenation projects,” said Bruce Beckham, executive director for Tourism Cares.

NYC & Company will collaborate with its 2,000 members for the 10th anniversary event. In addition, the organization will establish a host committee to support the event, chaired by NYC & Company executive committee member Herve Houdre, general manager of the Hotel InterContinental Barclay. Volunteers traveling to New York City for next year’s Tourism Cares event will stay in hotels in Lower Manhattan and Brooklyn.

The first Tourism Cares for America volunteer event was held in New York City in June, 2003, following the events of 9/11. During that time, volunteers participated in an improvement project for Ellis Island.