New York State‘s tourism industry achieved a historic milestone in 2022 by welcoming a record-breaking 291.5 million visitors, the largest number of visitors in the state’s history. This remarkable achievement was accompanied by more than $78.6 billion in direct spending, signifying a significant boost to the state’s economy.
Governor Kathy Hochul highlighted the unprecedented success, stating, “New York’s pandemic recovery has been one for the history books, with an unprecedented 291 million visitors. In the three years since the pandemic ground tourism to a halt, we have made transformative investments to uplift businesses and support workers in tourism and hospitality. Visitors are confirming what we’ve known all along – New York is the place to be.”
In addition to the impressive visitor numbers, the state-wide economic impact of tourism reached a record-high of $123 billion in 2022, surpassing the $117.6 billion impact of 2019 by 4%. New York State also witnessed a 10% increase in visitation compared to 2019, and spending saw a significant uptick of over 50% compared to 2021.
Governor Hochul’s “Bring Back Tourism, Bring Back Jobs” recovery package, launched in late 2021 with a $450 million investment, played a crucial role in supporting travel industry workers and small business support programs.
Throughout 2022, the “I LOVE NY” marketing initiatives continued to encourage travel throughout New York State, including specialized campaigns like the I LOVE NY Black travel program. These efforts have not only revitalized the tourism industry but also solidified New York’s position as a premier travel destination.
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