January 06, 2006
Record NYC holiday tourism: 8.25 million visitors
Despite the three-day transit strike just before Christmas, New York City tourism had a record holiday season, with more than 8.25 million visitors who spent $4.4 billion here in November and December, according to preliminary figures released by NYC & Co., the city's tourism bureau.
For all of 2005, the city hosted 41 million visitors, and figures show attendance at tourist attractions are up 15 percent over 2004 and New York City airports are about 7 percent busier.
December's citywide hotel occupancy was estimated at 86 percent, up from 83 percent in 2004. For the year, 22 million hotel room nights were sold, an increase of one million over 2004. For 2006, NYC & Co. sees 3,300 more hotel rooms opening up, with 2,400 located in neighborhoods outside of Midtown. There are 18 hotels scheduled for construction or renovation, many in downtown Manhattan, Harlem, Brooklyn, Staten Island and Queens.
The city is also getting a boost from the cruise ship industry, which has been adding service here and will bump it up further when a new terminal opens in Red Hook, Brooklyn in April. The city anticipates more than 1 million cruise passengers in 2006.
Another big benefit has been the city's ability to draw foreign tourists. "(W)hat's important to keep in mind is that they are responsible for about 45 percent of what is spent in New York City," Jonathan Tisch, chairman of NYC & Co., told the New York Times. "So about 18 percent of our visitors spent about 45 percent of the dollars that they dropped into the coffers of New York City businesses."
Earlier:
Broadway ends 2005 with highest grossing week ever
2005 average room rate was $207 - NY Hotel Assoc.
Times Square: now 57 percent more crowded
New York City: now safe enough to sleep in the parks
Average NYC hotel room rose to $292 in November
November tourism at record high for NYC
Survey says: tourists love NYC for the culture, food
Even in an August heat wave, New York is packed
January 6, 2006 09:07 AM in Etceterology
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