Governor Cuomo Announces Global Tourism Initiative to Promote New York Businesses to the Chinese Tourism Market
Andrew M. Cuomo / http://www.governor.ny.gov/press/07172014-global-tourism-initiative
I LOVE NEW YORK expands its global reach by offering “Becoming China Ready” workshops to NY businesses and tourism organizations
Albany, NY (July 17, 2014)
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that the I LOVE NEW YORK program promoting New York businesses and tourism is expanding into China. In addition to establishing an office in the country to market New York’s tourism attractions and activities, I LOVE NEW YORK is helping the State’s businesses and tourism organizations tap into to the $102 billion dollar Chinese tourism market by hosting several educational “Becoming China Ready” workshops. The expanded marketing strategy, which is aimed at creating awareness to consumers and travel industry leaders abroad, delivers on the promise made at the Governor’s second tourism summit to make New York State a global destination.
“Earlier this year, we pledged to make New York known to its widest audience ever as an international tourism destination, and today marks a major step forward in that effort,” Governor Cuomo said. “From the Adirondacks to Niagara Falls, New York has unparalleled tourism assets that support businesses in a variety of sectors, and by raising the State’s profile to global tourists we are helping to attract economic activity and create jobs in communities across the State.”
According to a Brand USA Custom Study, New York State is one of the top desired states for Chinese travelers to visit, and more than half of those who do visit plan 7-13 night stays while vacationing in New York. In an effort to access this high growth market, I LOVE NEW YORK established a China office earlier this year, and representatives from the program’s Global Tourism Initiative participated in the Governor’s tourism summit this year. The program’s representatives in China are located in four cities: Beijing, Shanghai, Guangahou and Chengdu. Together, the offices reach trade, media and consumers in over 20 other cities, help create awareness to consumers and travel trade abroad, and generate excitement about the best that New York State has to offer.
I LOVE NEW YORK is also offering “Becoming China Ready” workshops across Upstate New York to educate the private sector, government agencies and other tourism/hospitality organizations on how to best promote themselves to the Chinese market. Key topics covered during the workshops in Albany, Utica and Rochester will include understanding the Chinese visitor and how to work with Chinese tour operators. The workshop will be presented at three locations across the State as follows:
- Albany: Monday, July 21, 2 p.m. - 7 p.m. at the Empire State Plaza, Meeting Rooms 4 and 5, Madison Avenue, Albany, NY 12210
- Utica: Wednesday, July 23, 2 p.m. - 7 p.m. at the Radisson Hotel, Mohawk Room, 200 Genesee Street Utica, NY 13502
- Rochester: Friday, July 25, 8 a.m. – noon at the Woodcliff Hotel & Spa, Conference Center, 199 Woodcliff Drive, Fairport, NY 14450
China expert David Turchetti, a senior marketing and media professional, who frequently speaks to business groups about China business strategy and marketing-communications topics, will be the featured speaker. Turchetti, who has spent sixteen years working in mainland China and is fluent in Mandarin Chinese, will discuss cultural differences and what it takes to generate business from Chinese tourists.
Workshop sessions will also be presented by two tour wholesalers from China and two from the United States who will provide specifics on how to identify and work with the industry entities and merchants. In addition, Brenda He, Director of ILNY China, will explain Empire State Development’s short and long term plans as well as how attendees can participate in ESD’s China programs. The program will also provide attendees with the opportunity to meet representatives of 12 carefully selected tour operators that are seeking to add New York State to their product offerings and representatives from the four ILNY offices in China.
There is no charge to attend the workshop, however advance registration is required and must be submitted by July 18, 2014. More information, including a list of participating tour operators and registration details, can be found here.
As a result of the Governor’s support of tourism in 2013, the industry has seen an increase in spending, state and local tax revenue, visitors and employment. In 2013, New York’s tourism industry generated direct spending of $59.2 billion, producing an estimated $7.5 billion in state and local taxes. The number of visitors to New York is estimated to have increased by 8.8 million and projected to finish at 218.8 million visitors in 2013. As the fourth largest employment sector in New York, the tourism industry also added 28,500 jobs in 2013 for a total of 832,500 jobs and generated more than $17.96 billion in wages. One out of every 12 jobs in New York is tourism-related.
Port of New York and New Jersey Stakeholders Release Port Performance Task Force Report as a Roadmap to Improve Customer Service
Port of New York and New Jersey / http://www.panynj.gov/port/port-news-announcements.cfm?tabnum=2
Report recommends areas to improve port productivity and service reliability to benefit customers in the East Coast's busiest port
The Port Performance Task Force today released its report, which consists of 23 recommendations that if implemented will reduce truck congestion and resulting air emissions in the Port of New York and New Jersey, improve customer service for truckers and other port stakeholders, and enhance the flow of goods from the port to the marketplace. A new group of port stakeholders - the Council on Port Performance - will be formed to immediately begin the task of implementing the recommendations.
Nearly 100 port partners representing all sectors of the industry - including the New York Shipping Association, International Longshoremen's Association, National Retail Federation, ocean carriers, importers and exporters, terminal operators, chassis providers and trucking companies - developed the recommendations over the past six months following extensive analysis, discussion and collaboration.
The Task Force was created by the Port Authority in conjunction with the New York Shipping Association in December 2013 to identify challenges and examine broad long-term recommendations to improve service reliability and efficiency in the port. The Task Force also explored ways to address more immediate issues
The recommendations include:
- Development of a model to improve the management of truck chassis in the port.
- Development of a Truck Management System to meter truck arrival rates, which would reduce congestion and resulting air emissions, decrease truck turn times and improve terminal productivity.
- The coordination of gate hours at all of the privately operated terminals serving the port.
- The use of Radio-Frequency Identification, or RFID, technology to measure and report on various truck movement times, including turn times on the terminal, queue times at terminal entrance gates and traffic on port roadways.
- Improved customer service at the terminals to assist truckers with transactions and other questions.
The Task Force was led by Port Authority Port Commerce Director Richard Larrabee and John Nardi, President of the New York Shipping Association. Five working groups were established - Intermodal Equipment, Drayage Operations, Terminal Optimization, Express Rail and Government/Community Outreach - to address a diverse set of concerns related to port productivity and performance. Senior staff members from the Port Authority facilitated each working group, which consisted of 10 to 15 industry experts from the port community.
While the report was being developed, port stakeholders began to address improvements for moving cargo on and off port terminals by hiring 274 new workers to the labor force, adding new container handling equipment, establishing longer operating hours, increasing the availability of chassis and authorized the hiring of 100 new officers in Customs and Border Protection.
The recommendations are geared toward ensuring the Port of New York and New Jersey remains the leading destination for international shippers on the East Coast. The Port Authority has invested or authorized approximately $4 billion in port infrastructure in the last 10 years, including $1.3 billion to raise the roadway of the Bayonne Bridge, which support 296,000 jobs and $12 billion in economic activity that the port generates.
All port users and stakeholders were invited to attend a town hall meeting at 10 a.m. on July 15 at the Newark Liberty Airport Marriott, 1 Hotel Road, Newark, N.J. The town hall meeting is an opportunity for Task Force members to discuss the recommendations from the five working groups and to hear the public's perspective on the report. A similar town hall meeting also will be held on Staten Island.
CBP Encounters Unique Threats to America’s Agriculture at Washington Dulles
U.S. Customs & Border Protection / http://www.cbp.gov/newsroom/local-media-release/2014-07-15-000000/cbp-encounters-unique-threats-america%E2%80%99s-agriculture
STERLING, Va. — One of U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) border enforcement priorities is to intercept agriculture products that pose potential threats to America’s agriculture industries. The usual interceptions consist of prohibited meats and fruits. But sometimes, CBP agriculture specialists encounter some really unusual discoveries, including three recent cases.
Primate Teeth Necklace
A traveler from the African nation of Gabon arrived June 18 with a necklace made of mandrill teeth. A mandrill is a primate closely related to the baboon. The passenger claimed to be a voodoo priest and he said he used the necklace for spiritual rituals. In consultation with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), a decision was made July 3 to destroy the necklace due to the possible introduction of Ebola, HIV, monkey pox or other viruses or diseases.
“Good Luck” Primate Skull
On May 22, CBP officers discovered a primate skull in the baggage of a traveler from Russia. The skull was not cleaned, and it was topped by feathers that also were not cleaned. The passenger claimed she purchased the skull in Togo and that skull was a token of “good luck.” In consultation with CDC and USFWS, a decision was made June 25 to destroy the skull for the same reason as the primate teeth necklace. The contaminated feathers also presented an avian disease risk as well.
The travelers in these two incidents failed to declare their prohibited products to CBP during their inspections.
Dead Bats, Mongoose
CBP agriculture specialists encountered a traveler who arrived from the South Sudan May 24 with scientific research samples contained inside a five gallon bucket. The bucket contained small dead animals, including six species of bats, shrews, dormice, rats, mice, and Mongoose. The traveler did not possess appropriate import documents, and the samples were not properly packed for transport. In collaboration with CDC, USFWS and U.S. Department of Agriculture, all appropriate permits were attained and the scientific samples were properly preserved for shipment; CBP subsequently released the samples July 3.
In all three cases, CBP detained and safeguarded the products until authorities reached a final determination.
Agriculture Protection Mission
Title 9, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 94 (9CFR94) restricts the importation of animal products from countries that are known to have certain exotic foreign animal diseases, such as Foot and Mouth, and African and Classical Swine Fevers. The accidental or deliberate introduction of animal diseases poses a potentially significant threat to American livestock industries.
“Agriculture is a significant industry in the United States and one that is vital to our nation’s economic vitality. Protecting our nation’s agriculture industries is a very complex and challenging responsibility, and one that Customs and Border Protection agriculture specialists take most seriously,” said Stephen Kremer Acting CBP Port Director for the Port of Washington Dulles. “Our desire is for travelers to know what products are prohibited from the U.S. so that they don’t have to surrender their spiritual or good luck tokens. Visiting CBP’s and USDA’s websites are a good start.”
CBP agriculture specialists have extensive training and experience in the biological sciences and in the inspection of agricultural commodities.
On a typical day, CBP agriculture specialists inspect tens of thousands of international air passengers, and air and sea cargoes nationally being imported to the United States and seize 4,379 prohibited meat, plant materials or animal products, including 440 insect pests.
Visit CBP agriculture specialists webpage to learn more about their vital border security mission.
In addition to agriculture enforcement, CBP routinely conducts inspection operations on arriving and departing international flights and intercepts narcotics, weapons, unreported currency, and other illicit contraband or prohibited items.
Visit CBP’s Travel webpage to learn rules governing travel to and from the U.S., and to learn about admissible and prohibited products.
Public Bulletin on Import/Export License and Designated Port Exception Permit Renewal
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Services / http://www.fws.gov/le/public-bulletin.html
Read: Public Bulletin on Import/Export License and Designated Port Exception Permit Renewal
Hurricane Season: Be Prepared
U.S. Food & Drug Adminstration / http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm403865.htm
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration experts have predicted a near-normal or below-normal 2014 Atlantic hurricane season. While a potential dip in the number of hurricanes this year would be welcome news, it’s important to remember that severity and quantity are two different things.
When the gale-force winds start blowing and the torrential rain raises water level, people and their food and water supplies need to be ready.
“The most important thing is to avoid letting your crops, or your food and drinking water, come into contact with the flood waters,” says Yinqing Ma, Ph.D., Consumer Safety Officer in the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA’s) Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. “Flood waters may have been exposed to sewage, chemicals, heavy metals, pathogenic microorganisms, or other contaminants.” If crops do come in contact with flood waters, consult FDA’s guidance on Evaluating the Safety of Flood-affected Food Crops for Human Consumption.
Watch Video: Food Safety During Power Outages
Read Further: Keeping Water and Food Safe
ITA: Press Release
International Trade Administration / http://www.fws.gov/le/public-bulletin.html
07/15/2014 Commerce Initiates Antidumping Duty and Countervailing Duty Investigations of Imports of Certain Passenger Vehicle and Light Truck Tires from China
07/11/2014 Commerce Finds Dumping of Imports of Certain Oil Country Tubular Goods (OCTG) from India, Korea, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, and Vietnam, and Countervailable Subsidization of Imports of Certain OCTG from India and Turkey
United States Enters Consent Decree with New York Dietary Supplement Manufacturer
U.S. Food & Drug Administration / http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm404417.htm
Triceutical, Inc., of Farmingdale, New York, and Liqun Zhang, the company’s president, have agreed to stop production and distribution of dietary supplements under the terms of a consent decree because of violations of federal dietary supplement regulations, known as Current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) requirements.
Triceutical, under the FDA’s supervision, is required to recall and destroy all dietary supplements that were manufactured, prepared, packed, repacked, labeled, held and/or distributed since February 6, 2012, in accordance with the procedures in the consent decree. The consent decree was entered by United States District Judge Leonard D. Wexler of the Eastern District on July 8, 2014.
The FDA issued Triceutical a warning letter dated November 8, 2012, that outlined serious violations of cGMP requirements, including failure to perform tests to verify the identity of dietary ingredients used to manufacture the dietary supplements.
Follow-up inspections by FDA revealed that Triceutical failed to take adequate corrective actions to correct that violation and to ensure the manufacturing process complied with cGMP requirements. Failure to follow cGMP requirements made Triceutical’s products adulterated under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.
“When a company violates good manufacturing practice requirements, they put consumers at risk,” said Melinda K. Plaisier, the FDA’s associate commissioner for regulatory affairs. “Our goal at the FDA is to ensure that the dietary supplements consumers have access to meet federal standards for safety, effectiveness and quality."
As part of the consent decree, Triceutical must bring its procedures for manufacturing, packing, repacking and labeling dietary supplements into compliance with FDA laws and regulations before it can resume production and distribution.
The consent decree also requires Triceutical to hire an outside auditor to assess whether the company continues to comply with cGMP requirements. For at least the next five years, the auditor must send biannual reports to the FDA documenting the audit findings.
If Triceutical violates cGMP requirements in the future, the consent decree provides FDA with the authority to order the company to take appropriate measures to achieve compliance.
Any illnesses or adverse events related to use of these products should be reported to the FDA at https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/medwatch/or by calling 800-322-1088.
The FDA, an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, protects the public health by assuring the safety, effectiveness, and security of human and veterinary drugs, vaccines and other biological products for human use, and medical devices. The agency also is responsible for the safety and security of our nation’s food supply, cosmetics, dietary supplements, products that give off electronic radiation, and for regulating tobacco products.
Cargo Numbers Continue Climb
Port of Long Beach / http://www.polb.com/news/displaynews.asp?NewsID=1324&TargetID=1
Busiest June in seven years in Long Beach
Cargo container volume rose 8 percent in June at the Port of Long Beach, compared to the same month last year. With more than 610,000 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) moved, last month was the busiest June since 2007, which was the busiest year for container cargo at Long Beach.
Terminals handled a total of 610,516 TEUs in June 2014. This included 316,054 TEUs of imports, which is an 8.8 percent increase. Exports were up 4.7 percent to 140,034 TEUs, and empty containers rose 9.3 percent to 154,428 TEUs. Imports again exceeded exports, and empties are returned overseas to be refilled.
June was the third consecutive month with a year-over-year increase in container volume. Long Beach has seen an increase of 2.5 percent for the first six months of 2014 compared to the same time last year.
Last year, against which 2014 is being compared, was the third-busiest year in port history with a total of 6.73 million TEUs.
With an ongoing $4 billion program to modernize its facilities, the Port of Long Beach continues to invest in long-term, environmentally sustainable growth.
For all the latest monthly cargo numbers,
click here