Business Essential

New York City is one of the world's leading financial centres, and the number of Fortune 500 corporations that are headquartered in the city, is higher than anywhere else in the US. The business district of Manhattan is represented by its impressive skyline of skyscrapers, symbols of thriving business activity and high real estate prices. New York is also the home to some of the most important US financial markets like the NASDAQ and the New York Stock Exchange. If New York City was a nation it, would rank as having the 16th highest GDP in the world, just to give an idea of the city's financial proportions. "Time is money" is a term often coined to describe the New York business culture so don't be too surprised if you're invited to a breakfast meeting at 7 in the morning. But don't let that scare you off. New York is second to none in offering business services and accommodations to make your stay pleasant.

Banking, finance, communication and service industries.

Manhattan. Midtown Manhattan is the largest business district in the U.S, while Wall Street is located in the Lower Manhattan business district. Traditionally the advertising industry can be found in Madison Avenue, while Seventh Avenue has become synonymous for the fashion industry.

Monday to Friday 8.30/9am - 5 or 6pm is normal, however in practice many work longer hours.

Arrange appointments in advance and make sure you get the date right. Americans indicate the month first, then day followed by year e.g. September 15, 2006, or 9/15/06. It's also important to be punctual for your appointments so make sure you calculate extra time for travelling as traffic can be troublesome. In overall most people dress formally for work, so you cannot go much wrong by wearing a conservative business suit. This will of course depend on what business sectors you'll be dealing with, and you should note that casual wear is getting more and more common. When meeting someone for the first time, use titles, such as Dr., Miss, Mrs., or Mr. followed by surname unless invited to do otherwise, like using the first name.

Below you find links to useful business resources like meeting rooms, trade fairs, couriers etc