Mayor Bill de Blasio and NYC & Company today announced that 2015 was the sixth consecutive year for record-breaking tourism, with the city welcoming an estimated 58.3 million visitors last year, an increase of 1.8 million visitors than the year before. Visitation for 2015 comprised 46 million domestic and 12.3 million international visitors, both all-time highs.
Hotel demand was also strong with a record 33.7 million hotel room-nights sold, and meeting and convention delegates reached new heights, with a total 6.1 million attendees. The announcement was made by NYC & Company President and CEO Fred Dixon and Chairman of the Board of Directors Emily K. Rafferty during NYC & Company’s Executive Committee Meeting today.
“Through the hard work of NYC & Company, and their support of the city’s various attractions, 2015 marked a new milestone for NYC tourism. As the safest and most exciting big city in America, we have so many rich offerings that continue to make the five boroughs a global draw,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio.
“We are pleased to see a sixth year of tourism growth in New York City as we welcomed 58.3 million visitors last year. The city continues to evolve, always offering fresh reasons to visit again and again, with more new developments on the horizon. However, with the continuing pressure on the global economy and the strengthening dollar, we will all need to work even harder in 2016 to sustain our competitive edge,” said Fred Dixon.
In 2015 the city saw major attraction openings such as the Whitney Museum of American Art, Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration, One World Observatory, Brookfield Place, Kings Theatre, High Bridge and Staten Island Museum at Snug Harbor. Additionally, the seven subway line was extended to Manhattan’s Far West Side at 34th Street and Eleventh Avenue and Queens benefited from being named the number one US destination by Lonely Planet. To commemorate these enhancements, NYC & Company held events around the globe to promote all these new openings under the banner of the ‘new New York’.
In November NYC & Company also announced its latest tourism campaign, Unlock NYC, to promote winter travel to the city’s five boroughs.
Comments are closed.