Mayor Adams Celebrates Nearly 65 Million Visitors to NYC in 2024, Second Highest Number of Visitors in City History

December 20, 2024

New York City Tourism Projected to Surpass Pre-Pandemic Levels in 2025, Marking Full Economic Recovery and Return of Tourists  

Number of Visitors to City Increased by 3.5 Percent in 2024 New York City Remains Most Visited Large City in United States 

NEW YORK – New York City Mayor Eric Adams and NYC Tourism + Conventions President and CEO Julie Coker today announced a new end-of-year tourism forecast that shows the city’s continued strong economic growth and reputation as a global tourist destination. In 2024, nearly 65 million visitors came to New York City — the second-highest figure in city history and a 3.5 percent increase from the previous year. The city is on pace to surpass pre-pandemic levels in 2025, marking a full economic recovery. Today’s announcement is another significant milestone highlighting the city’s near-full economic and tourist recovery post-pandemic.  

“With nearly 65 million visitors this year — the second highest figure in our city’s history — New York City has once again solidified its position as the premier destination in the nation and one of the top travel spots in the world,” said Mayor Adams. “New York City remains a dynamic hub for tourism, drawing tens of millions of visitors from around the globe and bringing in $79 billion in economic impact. Whether visiting for business or pleasure, the five boroughs has everything you need, from conference halls to theatres to restaurants and hotels — New York City remains the heartbeat of innovation, culture, and opportunity. And we’re looking forward to beating our own tourism record next year with a full recovery.” 

“New York City’s tourism sector continues to thrive, reflecting the resilience and global appeal of our city,” said NYC Tourism + Conventions President and CEO Coker. “In 2024, we saw growth in both visitation and spending, reaching an estimated total direct spend of more than $51 billion across the city and state. This recovery supported over 388,000 leisure and hospitality jobs and generated more than $6.8 billion in tax revenue, benefiting local businesses. As we look ahead to 2025, we expect this momentum to continue, further strengthening New York City’s role in driving the state and local economy.” 

New York remains the most visited city in the United States and a top destination for international markets and major events. Visitor activity generated an economic impact of $79 billion across the city and state economies, including over $51 billion in direct traveler spending, not adjusted for inflation, reflecting a 3.5 percent increase over 2023. This impact spans multiple sectors, including accommodations, dining, entertainment, sports, live theatre, arts and cultural attractions, retail, and transportation. This economic activity supported over 388,000 leisure and hospitality jobs — approximately 9 percent of the city’s workforce — and benefited thousands of small and minority-owned businesses across all five boroughs. Visitor spending also generated more than $6.8 billion in tax revenue, which helped save each New York City household around $2,000 in 2024. 

New York City continues to be the largest point of entry to the United States, with more flights arriving through city airports than any other destination in the country. The New York City subway system rebounded, reaching 1 billion trips before the end of 2024. October was the busiest October for New York City Transit since the pandemic, with nearly 114 million subway rides and over 40 million bus rides — 10 million more subway rides and 3 million more bus rides than the previous year, respectively.    

Under Mayor Adams’ leadership, the city has continued to experience economic growth and recovery following the COVID-19 pandemic. The Adams administration released “Festive Spending: The Impact of the Holiday Season in NYC,” showing holiday season shopping in New York City has fully recovered following the COVID-19 pandemic by attracting up to 4.4 million daily visitors, creating 14,000 jobs, and pouring over $500 million into New York City’s local economy. As the Adams administration and New York City have broken multiple records for total jobs in the city’s history, and a recent analysis from the New York City Department of City Planning shows a robust recovery of the retail sector, the holiday season is bringing a significant boost to New York City’s economy and continues to put money back in New Yorkers’ pockets, making the city more affordable for working-class people.  

Mayor Adams and New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy were awarded the rights to host the FIFA World Cup 26™ Final and seven other matches throughout the tournament at New York New Jersey Stadium (MetLife Stadium) in East Rutherford, New Jersey. FIFA World Cup 26™ will be the biggest sporting event ever — where three Host Countries, 16 Host Cities, 48 teams, and 104 matches will unite an entire continent to showcase a momentous new tournament format. FIFA World Cup 26™ matches played at New York New Jersey Stadium (MetLife Stadium), including the Finals, are projected to generate over $2 billion in economic impact for the New York/New Jersey region and will support over 14,000 jobs. Moreover, it is expected that the tournament will bring over 1 million visitors to the region, roughly half of whom will be non-ticketholders.   

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