New Jack City
August 5th, 2004, 05:12 AM
NY1
Record Number Of Tourists Visited NYC In 2003
AUGUST 04TH, 2004
Tourists are flocking back to the city in record numbers.
According to the city's tourism bureau, a record 37.8 million people visited the Big Apple in 2003, signaling a rebound after a post-9/11 tourist slump. More than 33 million people came in 2002, and only 30 million in 2001.
"People want to come to the world's second home," said Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
Despite the apparent recovery, the number of international visitors fell by almost six percent. Officials say the loss of foreign tourists is due to international events like the war in Iraq and the SARS outbreak in Asia.
This summer has brought another fear: terrorism. The result has been a beefed up police presence at the city's major attractions and financial institutions.
But the mayor says he doesn't think the terror alert will end up hurting tourism.
"Most people in America know we live in a dangerous world and they are just not prepared to lock themselves in their house," said Bloomberg.
Visitors spent around $16 billion in the city last year, up 15 percent from 2002.
"Tourism equals jobs," said Bloomberg.
Officials also say business travel driven by conventions, trade shows and group meetings is growing quickly.
Hotels say this summer has been busy. Marriot reports that occupancy rates this week at its hotels average around 95 percent and that this summer has brought higher than usual advance bookings from tourists not wanting to be shut out by the Republican Convention.
Visitors say they're not worried about terrorism.
"Terror alerts, there have been a lot of them, it's something to take into consideration, but it's not something that you change your life for," said one visitor.
"The information was old and I really don't believe too much in the alerts," said another.
But the actual numbers of tourists who will visit despite alerts won't be known until next year.
Record Number Of Tourists Visited NYC In 2003
AUGUST 04TH, 2004
Tourists are flocking back to the city in record numbers.
According to the city's tourism bureau, a record 37.8 million people visited the Big Apple in 2003, signaling a rebound after a post-9/11 tourist slump. More than 33 million people came in 2002, and only 30 million in 2001.
"People want to come to the world's second home," said Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
Despite the apparent recovery, the number of international visitors fell by almost six percent. Officials say the loss of foreign tourists is due to international events like the war in Iraq and the SARS outbreak in Asia.
This summer has brought another fear: terrorism. The result has been a beefed up police presence at the city's major attractions and financial institutions.
But the mayor says he doesn't think the terror alert will end up hurting tourism.
"Most people in America know we live in a dangerous world and they are just not prepared to lock themselves in their house," said Bloomberg.
Visitors spent around $16 billion in the city last year, up 15 percent from 2002.
"Tourism equals jobs," said Bloomberg.
Officials also say business travel driven by conventions, trade shows and group meetings is growing quickly.
Hotels say this summer has been busy. Marriot reports that occupancy rates this week at its hotels average around 95 percent and that this summer has brought higher than usual advance bookings from tourists not wanting to be shut out by the Republican Convention.
Visitors say they're not worried about terrorism.
"Terror alerts, there have been a lot of them, it's something to take into consideration, but it's not something that you change your life for," said one visitor.
"The information was old and I really don't believe too much in the alerts," said another.
But the actual numbers of tourists who will visit despite alerts won't be known until next year.