New York City last year drew 10 percent fewer international tourists, a drop of 573,000 people which the mayor Tuesday attributed to poor overseas economies. The latest data showed that visits by world travellers have plunged 25 percent since 2000, though with 22 percent of the market, the Big Apple remained the number one destination for overseas tourists, according to NYC & Company.
THE CITY’S OFFICIAL TOURISM agency added that U.S. residents helped pick up the slack; their ranks swelled 2.2 percent to a new record of 30.2 million people in 2002. Only Orlando, Fla. attracted more U.S. citizens; Las Vegas came in third.
The total number of visitors who came to New York City was up 0.3 percent from 2001, when the Sept. 11 air attacks made many global and domestic tourists fear flying.
Tourism contributes mightily to the city’s economy. Last year, 35.3 million domestic and international visitors spent $21 billion, supporting 226,100 jobs and producing $731 million in tax revenues for the city, NYC & Company said.
Mayor Michael Bloomberg at a news conference said that many tourism industry jobs were filled by immigrants “and people starting up the ladder. We really need these kinds of jobs, given that 40 percent of our people are foreign-born,” he said, adding that one of the city’s main attractions is its diverse populace, as well as its famous museums.
So-called cultural visitors totaled 16.9 million, exceeding 2000 levels, the city’s tourism agency said.
But tourists last year spent 7 percent less on everything from theaters to restaurants to hotels than in 2001. And spending was down 18 percent from the record of $25 billion set in 2000, NYC & Company said.
The drop in global tourists was particularly painful because they typically outspend domestic visitors.
NYC & Company said international travel picked up ”significantly” in the last four months of 2002, while leisure travel gained 3 percent. And 10.7 million families — people with at least one child under one year old — traveled to the city, up 4 percent from the previous year. There also were 11 percent more overnight guests in 2002.
“The economy in this city is encouraging. Is it back to where it was? Not by a long shot, but the trends are favorable,” Bloomberg said.
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