Empire State Development (ESD), the state’s chief economic development agency, on Friday announced that Gavin Landry has joined the agency as executive director of the tourism division.
Landry will lead the “I Love New York” marketing campaign and develop new initiatives to expand the state’s growth in tourism.
Tourism is the fifth largest employer in the state, according to ESD. In 2011, the number of tourists rose 8 percent compared to the previous year, resulting in nearly $54 billion in direct tourism spending and nearly $7 billion in state and local tax revenue, the agency said.
In his new role, Landry will also work with the governor’s Tourism Advisory Council, which provides input and advice regarding the state’s tourism efforts.
Before joining ESD, Landry operated Landry Hospitality Consulting Services, LLC in Brooklyn, where he provided hospitality consulting to numerous hotel developers and owners.
Landry has previously operated commercial hotels for a professional-management company in markets such as Detroit, Columbus, Charlotte, and Somerset, N.J., according to ESD.
A graduate of Cornell University, Landry is currently an adjunct professor at New York University’s Tisch Center for Hospitality, Tourism, and Sports Management where he teaches graduate courses in various disciplines of the tourism industry.
Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com