As we wrap up 2021, we look back at a year full of challenges, but also a time with many green shoots of growth—the return of Broadway, the return of international travelers, the return of New York City tourism. Even in the context of the Omicron variant, there remains plenty of supporting data indicating an ongoing return for New York City. Despite the high-profile Broadway cancellations of the last few days, and the early end of the Rockettes's run, a look at the Broadway League's new resource for schedules shows the majority of shows going forward as planned. (And grosses have been up, while capacity holds steady.)

The major question for tourism right now is whether Omicron is another Delta—suppressing travel and spending—or whether this variant will prove to be a milder version with less effect on New York City. Early reports are favorable from a tourism perspective.

As we come down the homestretch on 2021 we are feeling thankful at City Guide. Thankful for the return of international tourists. Thankful for vaccines and the new treatments that will allow us to come together again. Thankful for governmental support and its promotion of our city. Most of all we are thankful for our colleagues and all our loyal partners. As we reflect with friends and family this weekend, we will feel grateful we have such a strong, vibrant community in New York City tourism, one that has better times ahead on the near horizon. 

City Guide congratulates Mayor-Elect Eric Adams, who will be inaugurated as the 110th Mayor of New York City. We are hoping an influx of strong leadership will guide midtown and the broader city through our immediate challenges. On the tourism front there are some encouraging signs. National bookings are on the rise ahead of the November 8th border re-openings. Covid concerns are ebbing. Allianz Partners recently analyzed more than 2 million roundtrip itineraries and found Americans' top choice for Thanksgiving weekend is NYC. City Guide will be ready for the arrivals. This week we are putting together new print editions of the magazine, which will appear all around the city starting a week ahead of Thanksgiving.

Subway ridership is up and the MTA notes declining crime, back to pre-pandemic levels. (And there will be no fare hike this year.) More signs of return for NYC. The Times this week reports the city is looking to culture to lead the comeback. As the Broadway and Off-Broadway calendars fill in, and more festivals announce dates, that shift is already well underway.

As much as I’d like to dazzle you with a complete list of Broadway previews, openings and re-openings, the current roster is far from complete. Still, considering the Great White Way has been dormant for over a year and a half, the evolving influx of announcements is dramatically optimistic!

It's getting hard to keep up. With the city's COVID infection rate below 2% and falling fast, reopening announcements are piling up, and Broadway is leading the pack. Hamilton. Lion King. Wicked. All back September 14th. Tickets on sale today. Capacity will be 100%. And further premieres and returns are close behind, including Broadway's longest-runner The Phantom of the Opera. Dr. Fauci has announced that, as vaccinations increase, relaxation of indoor mask requirements will follow. Broadway's return will change the city's dynamic for tourism dramatically. The savvy move of offering vaccinations to visitors will further help the travel market.

Capture your favorite moments from screens large and small in New York City—ready for Instagram glory. From an unassuming set of Bronx stairs to a Queens cemetery, iconic filming locations abound (if you know where to look, that is).

It happens every year: the fall portion of the new Broadway season comes in like a lamb and moves into winter like The Lion King. Unlike the spring, musicals in fall are generally outnumbered by plays, which come packed with big name stars from the U.S. and U.K. For those willing to congregate at the stage door after the show, handshakes, autographs, and selfies with celebs add up to pretty awesome rewards.

Let me be among the first to welcome you to a new season of theatre—New York style.

As we turn the corner to the Tony Awards’ home stretch, major star wattage fills the theatres of Broadway.

Jeremy Jordan to join the cast of Broadway's Waitress; Hugh Jackman to return to Broadway in 2020 starring in The Music Man, and James Corden will helm the 73rd Annual Tony Awards.

Relax in style at LeGrande Lounge, the posh bar located inside The Time Hotel in NYC. This Times Square gem allows you to sit back with a cocktail on a velvet couch or chat at the bar with new friends. If you’re seeing a Broadway show nearby (The Book of Mormon is right next door!), this is the place to go for pre- or post-theatre drinks. Read on for what to expect at LeGrande Lounge in Times Square.

If you’d like to visit New York but are worried about how to keep the kids entertained, don’t worry—there are numerous exciting and interesting activities for children and teens to enjoy. All you need is to do some forward planning to see which activities appeal to your kids and will fit into your schedule, and then you’re set for success in the Big Apple.

Original, dynamic, and wildly anticipated, fall 2018 is unleashing its arsenal of new NYC theatre productions backed by some of the biggest names in showbiz. In fact, taking into account Broadway and Off-Broadway’s already proven super shows, this is an autumn so theatrically eclectic that no matter what you crave—from pop-saturated musicals to thought-provoking dramas—it’s yours for the taking in New York.