ARCHIVES OF THE MAYOR'S WEEKLY COLUMN Archives of Rudolph W. Giuliani

New York City Welcomes Record Number of Visitors

Summer is upon us, and New Yorkers are flocking to the city's beaches, pools, and parks; our baseball stadiums are drawing record crowds; and free outdoor cultural events are happening everywhere. Nothing can match summertime in New York, which is why the city is such a magnet for tourists.

Word has spread that New York City's streets are clean and safe, that our economy is surging, and that our famous, diverse cultural life is as vibrant as it's ever been. In 1999, nearly 37 million people - a record - visited the City of New York to see a Broadway show, visit a museum, watch a ballgame or visit with family or friends. This year, we expect that number to rise even higher, topping 38 million.

The numbers are staggering. According to a survey released last week by NYC & Company, the City's convention and visitors bureau, 36.7 million international and domestic travelers came to New York City last year - an increase of 11 percent over 1998 - and spent an estimated $15.5 billion. Since 1995, visitors to the city have increased by more than 28 percent, resulting in tax revenues of almost $1 billion and the creation of thousands of jobs.

According to NYC & Company, New York City remains the most popular U.S. destination for overseas travelers, we've overtaken Las Vegas as the country's No. 2 domestic tourist destination, and we're challenging Orlando for the No. 1 spot.

These record numbers can be partially explained by the fact that family travel has increased dramatically -- up 11 percent over 1998, with 10 million family travelers visiting the city last year. Since 1996, family travel has increased 27 percent. When we announced with Disney Chairman Michael Eisner that we were going to put family-oriented entertainment in Times Square, the press laughed at us. That was in 1994, and now family tourism is at an all-time high, and it's a wonderful thing to see.

Visitors are no longer frightened or unwilling to come here because of the quality of life and physical conditions that used to exist in the city. Crime is down this year, in all five boroughs.

A safer city attracts business, and New York City is on pace for another record year in job creation. And one of the things contributing to the creation of those jobs is the tourism industry and its associated hotels, restaurants, theaters, and cultural institutions. These all provide employment at all levels. When a hotel is full, it means they have to employ more people. And when you build another hotel, it means another 200 or more people can have a job. And when you put a new restaurant in, it's another 50 jobs. Tourism is a great industry for us, because it means more jobs, more paychecks and more opportunities for New Yorkers.

The city's cultural offerings are, I think everyone knows, a big draw for people, but last year 15.6 million visitors came directly to New York to shop, which produces a tremendous number of jobs for the city. The shoppers increased 23 percent over 1998. I should remind them that they no longer have to pay sales tax on clothing purchases of $110 or less.

There's a good and bad side to having a tremendous amount of tourism. The good side is lots of jobs and lots of money in New York's economy. The bad side is we're very crowded. We're working on that and ask for your patience while city planners consider widening sidewalks in parts of Times Square and make other changes to try to reduce traffic and pedestrian congestion.

The record growth in tourism reflects the transformation that has taken place in both the perception and reality of New York City. Thanks to New Yorkers with courage, vision, and imagination, our city has become one of the world's cleanest, safest, and exciting places to visit - reaffirming the fact that New York City truly is the Capital of the World.