The plan of action was for the borough’s hotels to work together to accommodate as many guests as they could. Ibrahim explained that if a group of 300 wanted to book rooms at the Marriott for example, and they could not accommodate them, the Sheraton might be able to take 100 and another hotel might take another 100.

“It’s important to keep the success going in this area,” explained Ibrahim. “And so we arranged to have the tourism meeting here to discuss this with the other hotels and businesses in the area. That way we could work together to benefit the hotels in Brooklyn. It’s a big deal for Brooklyn because it’s good for the economy, the restaurants, the stores, for Brooklyn itself. Everybody benefits here.”

Ibrahim said by collaborating and helping to promote each other, they would not have to turn any business down and would ultimately be able to keep all the business in Brooklyn.

Attending the tourism conference was Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce President Andrew Hoan and Downtown Brooklyn Partnership President Regina Myer.

“Manhattan has long boasted that it is the international cultural hub of New York City, but these days Brooklyn is the center of the universe with international food, culture and music,” Adams told the Brooklyn Eagle.

“Tourism is a gateway to culture, welcoming people from near and far into a new destination to experience the sights and sounds that give us pride as a people. Tourism is also big business.”

According to Ibrahim, 15 hotels were invited to the tourism meeting and the representatives of the 11 hotels who attended loved the idea. He projects other meetings will follow and will be hosted by the other hotels on board.

Marriott area sales leader Christopher Ender said that this was a first step to collaboration with the other hotels. As a result, hotels would not have to lose conventions to Chicago, Atlanta or Florida.

“We had a great dialog,” said Ender. “It’s about sharing business opportunities. Collectively as a group, I don’t think we’ve ever had the hotel community all together in one room to discuss things that were important to us all.”

And the priority is to enhance Brooklyn as a first choice destination for meetings, business, tour and travel. “We wanted to amplify our overall message about Brooklyn for its excitement and energy along with its historical significance,” Ender said.

“You know one thing people don’t understand is that Brooklyn has a lot of history,” said Ibrahim. “When people from Europe or Canada, or even California and Florida, come here and find the history, then more customers will come here, more visitors, which is going to benefit everybody. We sometimes underestimate the history of the borough.”

Ibrahim said that he had been thinking of events that would make Brooklyn a must-see destination. He said that he and the borough president had discussed having a New Year’s Eve ball drop either by Borough Hall or at the Barclays Center. “The borough president loved that idea,” said Ibrahim. “So we are probably going to do something to further put Brooklyn on the map.”

Ibrahim does have some valid suggestions for areas that require immediate attention such as the back entrance to the Brooklyn Bridge. The access to the exit from the bridge down into DUMBO needs to be upgraded and rehabilitated.

“What the entrance is now,” according to Ender, “is a dark and dirty staircase that needs to be refurbished.”

Sales executive Maxence Wiemer added, “We also talked about the entrance going into Tillary Street, and how it just really puts you into such a busy intersection that once people reach there they don’t have any direction to guide them to Smith Street or Montague Street. So often people will be confused and rather than continue through Brooklyn, they will turn around and go back to Manhattan.”

Also warranting immediate attention is The Brooklyn Tourism & Visitor Center, which was located at Borough Hall, and active when Marty Markowitz was borough president. Markowitz chaired the group and Ibrahim was a member of the board. “Borough President Adams has made a commitment that he will reactive it,” said Ibrahim.

And a further area of concern, according to Ibrahim, is people who want to walk across the Brooklyn Bridge. The foot traffic over the bridge is so heavy now that the plan would be to expand the walkway so that it would no longer be so crowded and unsafe for pedestrian traffic.

“Through our marketing and tourism partners, Explore Brooklyn and NYC & Company, we have launched a number of successful campaigns that have framed our borough positively in ways that generate excitement and incentivize spending,” said Adams.

Adams thanked the Brooklyn Marriott and the Downtown Brooklyn Partnership for taking the next steps in a conversation that will help boost tourism in every corner of the borough.

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