New York City Sees Slide in Tourism
By CHRIS HERRING
New York City, one of the world's most visited places, is seeing a downward slide in tourism this summer even as it battles other economic woes.
City tourism officials project about 11.3 million people will visit this summer, down nearly 6% from last summer's 12 million. Industry officials say they need the long July 4 holiday weekend to reverse the momentum.
The highlight event on Independence Day, the annual Macy's Fourth of July Fireworks Show, which this year will be over the Hudson River, routinely draws more than two million people, including both city residents and tourists.
"This is an iconic holiday, and we're hoping that will mean good news for the industry," said George Fertitta, chief executive of NYC & Company, a city-funded organization that works to bring tourists to New York. According to U.S. Travel Association estimates, Americans will take 322 million leisure trips this summer -- down from 329 million in 2008 and 331 million in 2007.
Those numbers don't bode well for New York, which has been hit hard by layoffs in the financial sector that have had a domino effect into other industries. City officials were hoping that tourism, which generates revenue through sales taxes on merchandise and direct hotel-room taxes, would help compensate for revenue losses in other areas.
A decadelong crackdown on crime has made the city more inviting. Times Square, once a den for pickpockets, has become more family-oriented, accentuated by a huge Toys "R" Us store and several Disney-sponsored Broadway shows dotting the theater district. By 2007, nightly hotel rates for New York soared to almost $400 and occupancy crept above 90%.
But the global recession has begun to take a toll even though New York should be well positioned to benefit from "staycations," in which people spend their vacations at or near their homes. About 83 million people -- roughly a quarter of the U.S. population -- live within 500 miles of New York, according to an analysis of Census data by Kenneth Johnson, senior demographer at the Carsey Institute at the University of New Hampshire.
Now, hotel occupancy, at 85% in June, is up from a few months ago but has dipped far below levels seen in recent years. Some hotels have cut their prices by nearly half since 2007.
Broadway hasn't been immune, either. A number of plays and musicals, including "Hairspray" and "Gypsy," closed earlier than expected this year for reasons in part tied to the poor tourist traffic and the economy.
The recent rise in gas prices -- up about 65 cents per gallon between May and July -- may be one explanation for the drop in visitors.
And New York's success of fashioning a glitzy image is likely now hurting it, as the city is perceived too pricey. "That's ironic because the hotels and restaurants are trying everything to drop their prices, hoping to get tourists looking for deals. Even that's not working," said Jeff Higley, a vice president with Smith Travel Research Global, a firm that tracks the tourism industry.
New York, like the rest of the U.S., is also seeing fewer Europeans, as the relatively stronger dollar, compared to the robust Euro of two years ago, translates the Big Apple into less of a bargain. Visitors in general are monitoring their spending and visiting the inexpensive attractions, like the World Trade Center site, rather than the Broadway shows.
Tony Valenti, of Tampa, Fla., said the economy was "definitely" playing a role in his family's spending. While at M&M World, a vast chocolate candy and merchandise store in Times Square, Mr. Valenti noted that his two children were empty-handed.
"No souvenirs this year," he said. His wife, Mary, jokingly added that their family was "bumming cars, food and shelter" off relatives in West Point, which is 50 miles north from the city. "It's much cheaper to stay with them," she said.
I still see many of the tourist buses in the city with tour guides. The article fails to mention that some foreigners don't need the hassle to enter JFK. The city needs to do a better job with DHS in explaining that we want to attract tourism not give visitors the impression they ought to be happy to be allowed in to see NYC. I have been to other countries in the world where I enter without the hassle and scrutinization. Can't people travel just to have some fun or to experience other parts of the world in person and not through brochures or encyclopedias? People are saying there are other places where they feel welcome and are willing to allow them to spend their money to invigorate the economy.
I totally agree with the above post. In order to make your city tourist-friendly, it all starts with the immigration officer greeting you in a manner in which you feel welcome without much red tape if you are arriving from another country.
Its pretty much a world wide recession.
I've seen the same articles for my home town SAN, and LAX, SFO, ORD, MIA.
Then when you see their offering hotel deals in luxury hotels (chk travel link) in other areas, its all the same.
When the $ was at 2 to the £, lots of British people were going on shopping weekends to NYC. Even though the pound has strengthened a lot recently, it's still nowhere near the $2 level, so no more shopping trips.
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I blame TSA and DHS - who wants to have to deal with either of these disgusting, un-American organizations? Guests from other countries get treated like criminals, then have to deal with the supreme stupidity of TSA policies.
Both TSA and DHS should be destroyed so that tourism and other US industries may recover from the disease that these two agencies are.
__________________
You cannot uphold American ideology with un-American actions. It's time for change.
I blame TSA and DHS - who wants to have to deal with either of these disgusting, un-American organizations? Guests from other countries get treated like criminals, then have to deal with the supreme stupidity of TSA policies.
:
Immigration officiers are LOOKING for criminals, screening passengers who may or may not be allowed in this country. Yet, people complain on this site that TSA shouldnt go above and beyond looking for dangerous items passing through security, yet you all want your immigration officier to be a Walmart Greeter. That's NOT their job. They ask questions, YOU answer them. Cut the small talk, there's hundreds of passengers in line behind you.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by NYC96
Immigration officiers are LOOKING for criminals, screening passengers who may or may not be allowed in this country. Yet, people complain on this site that TSA shouldnt go above and beyond looking for dangerous items passing through security, yet you all want your immigration officier to be a Walmart Greeter. That's NOT their job. They ask questions, YOU answer them. Cut the small talk, there's hundreds of passengers in line behind you.
I don't give a rat's ___ what they are looking for when they harass people at the border or checkpoint.
Border: got a passport? Come on in.
Checkpoint: check for guns and bombs only, no other checking permitted.
Don't like being behind someone who complains? Tough crap. Write your representatives to end the harassment.
Our borders should be open to all not currently incarcerated.
__________________
You cannot uphold American ideology with un-American actions. It's time for change.
I agree that unfriendly DHS and TSA officials do dissuade tourists. I do think DHS has become a bit friendlier in the last year (at least to me), but TSA is still a total mess.
However, the terrible infrastructure is also to be blamed. The absolute horror pits that are EWR and JFK and difficulty of getting to and from either and Manhattan can only dissuade discretionary leisure travel to NYC.
I don't give a rat's ___ what they are looking for when they harass people at the border or checkpoint.
Border: got a passport? Come on in.
Reasons why non-U.S. citizens may be denied entry into the United States include association with criminal or terrorist organizations, prior criminal convictions, prior attempts to enter the United States illegally, or simply a lack of the required entry documents.
If that's harassment, then, I'm glad their doing their job.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by NYC96
Reasons why non-U.S. citizens may be denied entry into the United States include association with criminal or terrorist organizations, prior criminal convictions, prior attempts to enter the United States illegally, or simply a lack of the required entry documents.
If that's harassment, then, I'm glad their doing their job.
Boohoo.
The fervent search for such things are exactly why many fine, upstanding citizens of other countries are choosing not to visit the USA and spend their Euros/Pounds/Zoolacs elsewhere. And I, for one, applaud them for making that decision.
Our government is out of control. And because of this cowardice and stupidity, the tourism industry and many other industries are in the crapper. Maybe a few more bankruptcies will help paranoid people see the light and stop acting in a manner contrary to the principles upon which this nation was founded.
DHS and the TSA should be destroyed.
__________________
You cannot uphold American ideology with un-American actions. It's time for change.
The fervent search for such things are exactly why many fine, upstanding citizens of other countries are choosing not to visit the USA and spend their Euros/Pounds/Zoolacs elsewhere. .
well, according to the article:
City tourism officials project about 11.3 million people will visit this summer, down nearly 6% from last summer's 12 million. Industry officials say they need the long July 4 holiday weekend to reverse the momentum.
11 MILLION tourists dont share YOUR VIEW. And, of those 6 percent not coming, ohhh, I would guess the global economy has something to do with it and not that 3 minutes in front of the immigrations officier.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by NYC96
well, according to the article:
City tourism officials project about 11.3 million people will visit this summer, down nearly 6% from last summer's 12 million. Industry officials say they need the long July 4 holiday weekend to reverse the momentum.
11 MILLION tourists dont share YOUR VIEW. And, of those 6 percent not coming, ohhh, I would guess the global economy has something to do with it and not that 3 minutes in front of the immigrations officier.
The global recession is playing a negative part. However, the relatively weak dollar is playing a positive part. So are dirt cheap airfares. (another industry in the crapper) I hope that the tourism numbers continue to decline and that Chicago is passed over for the 2016 Olympics. The United States' immigration and "security" policies are a global disgrace and are the mark of cowardice and shameful panic - not that of a nation whose principles are freedom and liberty. What pathetic hypocrites we have become!
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Research Shows Americans’ Travel Intentions, Spending Expectations Same or Better than Last Year
"While the domestic leisure travel market has been fairly resilient, a more concerning trend is the expected 9 percent decline in international travel to the United States for full-year 2009, including a 7 percent decline in overseas travel. Because international travelers spend more money, averaging $4,500 per trip to the U.S., increasing travel to the United States is the most efficient form of economic stimulus."
As long as people continue to view the USA as a country with Communist-style immigration and "security" policies, recovery will be slowed or prevented.
__________________
You cannot uphold American ideology with un-American actions. It's time for change.
