NEW YORK— HOTEL BUSINESS® has learned the Big Apple enjoyed a record-breaking year for tourism in 2000, with 37.4 million people visiting here, according to the latest figures released by NYC & Company, the citys tourism marketing organization. The number represents a 2% increase over 1999, with the city seeing a 28% growth in visitors in the past five years. And despite a slowing economy and less-than-robust tourist traffic this season, NYC & Company is confident the city still will see a slight increase to 37.6 million visitors, a projected 1% increase over 2000. The group revised its earlier projections of a record 39.3 million visitors in 2001, and 3% increase over 2000. Commenting on the numbers, New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani said, “Tourism continues to be one of the engines powering New York Citys economy. Last years record number of visitors is a testament to New York Citys broad appeal to people from all over the world. In addition to our historic reductions in crime, we have made significant improvements in quality of life and great advances in both economic vitality and cultural achievement. There is great energy in New York City now— and tourists come here to be a part of that.” Last year it was apparent that the city was considered more of a family-friendly destination, with family travel rising 3% to 10.5 million and increasing an overall 45% since 1996. Visitor spending rose 9% in 2000 from 1999 to $17 billion. Preliminary figures show a total economic impact of $24.9 billion, supporting 282,000 jobs and contributing $936 million in city taxes, a 7% gain, and $882 million in state taxes, up 8%. NYC & Company, headed by president/CEO Cristyne Nicholas, reported New York City remained the number one United States’ destination for overseas visitors with the majority— 1.1 million— coming from the United Kingdom in 2000, a 19% gain over 1999. More than 3,000 new hotel rooms were added to the NYC market in 2000 and 1,700 more rooms are expected to come online by year’s end, for a total of 68,900. According to a just-released report by PKF Consulting, NYC hotel occupancies for first-half 2001 were 76.1%, decreasing from the year-ago period when occupancies were at 84.0%. ADR in first-half 2001 dropped 2.2% from the year-ago period, with June 2001 room rates at $216.69.
New York is expected to be third most traveled to destination this holiday season.