New York City records 50.5 million visitors in 2011

Michael R. Bloomberg, Mayor, New York City and NYC & Company, New York City’s official marketing, tourism and partnership organisation, recently announced that the city ended the year with a record 50.5 million visitors, slightly higher than the 50.2 million estimated visitors announced in December. NYC & Company also estimates that the city welcomed 40.2 million domestic visitors and 10.3 million international visitors. The overall figure is an increase of 3.5 per cent over the 2010 figure of 48.8 million visitors. Visitor spending reached an estimated USD 32 billion, up from USD 31.5 billion in 2010. Warm weather at the end of December brought an influx of day-trip visitors to the city, contributing to the higher record-breaking total.