Courtesy of NYC & Company
Corona, Flushing, and Long Island City are set to be featured in one of 13 new custom “See Your City” videos aimed at NYC travel inspiration for this winter.
By Forum Staff
New York City will welcome an all-time record 60.3 million visitors by year’s end, surpassing the 60-million visitor milestone for the first time ever, according to administration officials who made the announcement on Monday.
This marks the seventh consecutive year of travel and tourism growth for the five boroughs, the City noted. The new figure is 600,000 visitors higher than the original forecast of 59.7 million announced earlier this year, and 1.8 million more visitors than last year’s revised year-end figure of 58.5 million.
“Not only has 2016 brought the largest number of visitors in New York City history, but it also caps off seven years of strong tourism growth and 15,000 more jobs for New Yorkers,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio, adding that travel and tourism now sustains more than 375,000 jobs in NYC. “More tourism means we have more people investing in New York City and are able to create more sustainable jobs for more people. New York is a culturally rich and diverse city, with so much to offer those who visit. I look forward to continue promoting this beautiful city and welcoming all those who visit in the future.”
Additionally, hotel demand in the five boroughs has grown this year by 1.2 million, according to City stats, generating 34.9 million hotel-room nights sold by year’s end – an all-time record. The City is also expected to add 24,000 new rooms by the end of 2019. Hotel and sales taxes are estimated to contribute over $1 billion in revenues this year, administration officials noted.
“We are proud to exceed our forecast this year and welcome an all-time record 60.3 million visitors, achieving a new tourism milestone for New York City,” said Fred Dixon, NYC & Company’s president and CEO. “The appeal of the ‘New’ New York alongside our classic attractions continue to draw travelers from every corner of the globe. We invite visitors and locals to take advantage of all the nonstop and affordable NYC experiences on offer this winter as well as the opportunities to discover our City’s multicultural neighborhoods in all five boroughs.”
The administration also announced on Monday that NYC & Company’s “See Your City” campaign will expand with the launch of 13 new custom videos along with neighborhood tips on nycgo.com, the City’s official tourism website. In partnership with corporate sponsor American Express®, the videos will spotlight itinerary content for locals and visitors throughout the five boroughs to drive visitation into the neighborhoods. Featured neighborhoods in the videos include: Queens’ Corona, Flushing, and Long Island City; Manhattan’s Harlem, Lower East Side, and Lower Manhattan; Brooklyn’s Sunset Park, Cobble Hill, and Crown Heights; The Bronx’s Belmont and Fordham; and Staten Island’s Randall Manor and St. George. Consumers will be asked to use the hashtag #SeeYourCity when visiting the neighborhoods, according to NYC & Company.
“From our reputation as the safest large city in America to our world-class hotels, attractions, cultural organizations, restaurants, shops and more, there’s no better place than the five boroughs to enjoy the best of everything in one single destination,” said Emily Rafferty, NYC & Company Board chairwoman and president emeritus of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
