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Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Named NYC's 2016 Family Ambassadors

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) -- Cowabunga, dudes! The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are New York City's official family ambassadors for 2016.

The city's tourism agency NYC & Company announced that the sewer-dwelling reptiles will star in ads to encourage families to explore the city.

Agency CEO Fred Dixon says the turtles are "the perfect guides to help families discover the vibrancy and excitement throughout the five boroughs.''

The family ambassador program started in 2009 to promote New York City as a family-friendly destination. Since the Family Ambassador program started, family visitation has increased by around 32 percent, according to officials.

According to NYC & Company, the city welcomed an estimated 17.5 million family tourists last year -- almost a two percent increase since 2014.

Last year's ambassador was Dora the Explorer, who succeeded Curious George. In 2012, former mayor Michael Bloomberg named the Muppets as the the city's official tourist mascots.

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles -- Donatello, Michelangelo, Leonardo and Raphael -- started as crime-fighting 1980s comic book characters. Nickelodeon owns the rights to the turtles now.

(TM and © Copyright 2016 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2016 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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