Because of the coronavirus pandemic, the metropolis of New York expects only around half as many tourists this year as in 2019. Around 36.4 million visitors are expected in 2021, said Fred Dixon, head of the New York tourism authority NYC & Company, at a press conference on Wednesday. Most of them are people who have come from other parts of the United States.
In 2019, a record was set for the tenth year in a row with 66.6 million tourists. This number could probably only be exceeded again in 2024, and then the 70 million mark could be exceeded in 2025, said Dixon.
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In 2020, only around 22.3 million people had traveled to New York, most of them before the start of far-reaching Corona restrictions in the spring. The tourism industry, which employed around 400,000 people before the outbreak of the pandemic, is an important economic sector in the metropolis.
New York had become one of the epicentres of the coronavirus pandemic last spring. In the meantime, however, the infection rate has stabilized and the vaccination campaign is making rapid progress. The metropolis is on the way back from the crisis, said Mayor Bill de Blasio at the press conference. “There is a resilience, a life and a vibrancy here that bring the city back like never before.” (dpa)
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