The coronavirus pandemic devastated New York City’s industries that heavily relied on tourists. But the city and hospitality businesses are hoping to revitalize the tourism industry.

A sign of New York City’s recovery, The Plaza Hotel will reopen next month after closing its doors to guests for over a year. The iconic Central Park South hotel announced it will open its luxury rooms again on May 20, about 14 months after it first suspended services due to the pandemic. “For the past year you’ve been asked to stay home, The Plaza is now extending its formal invitation to return to New York,” the hotel’s website reads.

New York City aims to fully reopen on July 1 and allow businesses including restaurants, shops and stadiums to operate at full capacity, Mayor Bill de Blasio said on Thursday, offering a tantalizing glimpse of normalcy even as his authority to actually lift restrictions on businesses was somewhat limited.

A pledge from Mayor Bill de Blasio that New York City would fully reopen on July 1 brought hope. But his vision of a city reborn faces significant obstacles.

When Gov. Andrew Cuomo ordered offices to effectively shutter as the pandemic bore down last spring, New York City’s work habits changed inexorably and millions of square feet in commercial inventory suddenly sat fallow.

Restaurants and shops that fell behind on their rent and other expenses during the COVID-19 pandemic will soon be able to apply for additional grants.

Just over a year after city tourism came to a screeching halt, hotels are filling up—at least the ones that are still open.

A proposal expected to be included in the state’s executive budget later this week to allow the conversion of unused office and hotel space for residential purposes has been met with skepticism by some.