We all know New York City is a tourist mecca, and last year even more visitors flocked to the Big Apple than usual, according to Mayor Bill de Blasio
An estimated 62.8 million people visited New York City in 2017, de Blasio announced on Tuesday. That’s an increase of 2.3 million people from 2016 and a new record-breaking number for the eighth year in a row.
Of all those visitors, 49.7 million were traveling from within the United States and 13.1 million visited New York City from other countries.
“We’re keeping our door to the world open,” de Blasio said in a statement. “Even with all the headwinds from the White House, we attracted a record number of visitors to our city. That’s a testament to the strength of our tourism sector and the values of our city.”
NYC & Company, the city’s official tourism marketing organization, launched two campaigns in 2017 called “New York City — Welcoming The World” and “True York City.”
These initiatives aimed to depict New York City as a must-visit destination, even during some “geopolitical challenges” and changes to the U.S.’s travel policies enacted by the Trump administration, according to NYC & Company.
City officials praised the influx of tourism as a local economy booster and experts predict 2018 will bring even more sightseers to the city with 65.1 million anticipated.
“Domestic and international tourism being at all-time highs is a testament to New York City’s reputation as a place for all people,” said Assembly Member Daniel O’Donnell, chair of the NY Assembly Committee on Arts & Tourism, in a statement. “I’m proud that our city not only believes in this sentiment but is also able to successfully communicate this message to the world.”
