Talking tourism with Carlo Scissura

New York City is known for its cultural institutions and attractions, which draw millions of tourists every year.

But there’s still room for improvement, according to the New York Building Congress.

The group’s recent report – “Building a World Class Tourism and Cultural Sector” – notes a number of areas where the city could take steps to better compete with other major cities around the globe.

“You can’t have a tourism and cultural scene if you don’t have new buildings, restored buildings, if you can’t get into airports, if tourists can’t arrive here, if people can’t travel places on trains and whatever,” Scissura said in an interview on a City & State Presents podcast. “So we put out this report that says yes, we are a world class city, but there are a lot of cities that are doing great things also. You look at London, you look at Sydney, you look at L.A.”

Among the recommendations for New York City? Invest in its subway lines like other cities around the globe, or even in the U.S., like Los Angeles and Washington, D.C.

Scissura also explained why his report calls for the creation of a second convention center in Queens, to complement the Javits Center in Manhattan, and touched on other topics, including the status of New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio’s Charter Revision Commission and the debate over congestion pricing in Manhattan.

To listen to the full podcast, go to iTunes or click on the link above.