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Venues & Destinations
NYC Tourism + Conventions Launches Ellis: First-ever AI-generated Chat Platform for Business Event Professionals
1/14/2025
NEW YORK CITY — New York City Tourism + Conventions, the official destination marketing organization and convention and visitors bureau for the five boroughs of New York City, today announced its launch of the first-ever meetings and conventions planning artificial intelligence chat platform created for business event professionals. In partnership with GuideGeek—Matador Network’s award-winning artificial intelligence travel genius—Ellis provides expert guidance and resources for meeting planners in 45 languages, available at nyctourism.com/meetings and via WhatsApp. This launch comes as members of NYC Tourism + Conventions attend PCMA Convening Leaders, PCMA’s flagship educational and networking event, along with thousands of business event professionals from around the world. “We’re pleased to unveil Ellis, the first-ever AI chat platform by a DMO designed to revolutionize event planning in New York City,” said Julie Coker, President and CEO of New York City Tourism + Conventions. “As a global leader in travel, we’re breaking new ground with this free, innovative tool that empowers planners to craft unique events across our five boroughs. With 13.1 million business travelers expected this year, NYC is primed to deliver unforgettable experiences.” “Ellis opens up an exciting new chapter for business event professionals,” said Jerry Cito, Executive Vice President, Convention Development at New York City Tourism + Conventions. “We’re thrilled to enhance our convention development services with this innovative new feature, helping planners customize their events with endless possibilities across New York City’s five boroughs.” Named after the storied landmark Ellis Island, a beacon of welcome in New York City, Ellis was built on the ChatGPT4o platform by Matador Network’s GuideGeek—ingesting information from NYCTourism.com along with over 1,000 integrations for travel information—to help business event professionals streamline venue research and welcome delegates to NYC. Meeting professionals can ask Ellis questions like, “What is a room with a fantastic skyline view I can rent for a meeting for 50 people?” or “How can I incorporate authentic Chinatown cuisine into a conference I'm hosting in the area?” and receive instant, detailed responses. In the spring, NYC Tourism + Conventions will launch a subsequent consumer-facing chat platform, Libby—named after the Statue of Liberty—providing leisure travelers with best-in-class service to plan a trip to New York City and to explore the destination once in-market. Custom versions of GuideGeek, which earned recognition as one of Fast Company’s 2024 Most Innovative Companies, prioritize proprietary data from the DMO along with custom guardrails and settings so that the AI can provide instant responses via the DMO’s website and social media accounts, ranging from generating full itineraries to providing on-the-go recommendations. Matador Network survey data shows that travelers with disabilities, families with kids and LBGTQ+ travelers are more likely to use AI for travel. In addition, about a quarter of GuideGeek users engage with the technology after they have arrived at their destination. “New York City Tourism + Conventions is moving the global meetings and conventions industry into the future with their new Ellis chat platform, powered by our industry leading GuideGeek AI,” said Ross Borden, founder and CEO of Matador Network. “Ellis will connect meeting planners on a much more personalized basis with New York City’s meetings and conventions industry to create more customized and dynamic attendee experiences.” These business- and consumer-facing multilingual chat platforms are NYC Tourism’s trusted AI guides to exploring the five boroughs and strategically introduced ahead of New York City hosting global travelers for the FIFA World Cup Final as well as eight matches in 2026. In 2025, business travel is expected to grow to 13.1 million, adding to the estimated projection of 67.1 million visitors, marking a full tourism recovery. About New York City Tourism + Conventions New York City Tourism + Conventions is the official destination marketing organization (DMO) and convention and visitors bureau (CVB) for the five boroughs of New York City. Our mission is to invite the world and energize the City, building equitable, sustainable economic prosperity and community through tourism for the mutual benefit of residents, businesses and visitors. For all there is to do and see in New York City, visit www.nyctourism.com. About Matador Network Matador Network is the world’s No. 1 media brand for modern adventurers and creator of the free AI travel assistant GuideGeek. With more than 16 million followers across social media, Matador has become a leading travel brand through its production of article features, city guides, creator-first content and original videos. Matador is the top-ranking travel brand on TikTok and its videos are viewed more than 140 million times per month. It has content distribution deals with American Airlines, Hearst Media and GSTV, and works with brands like Ford, REI, Samsung, YETI, Southwest Airlines, Visit California and Microsoft. www.matadornetwork.com Contact: questions@exhibitormagazine.com |
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