New York City Tourism Expected to Explode in 2013 CheapOair Staff January 4, 2013 general 1 Comment 2012 proved to be an exceptional year for NYC tourism, despite Hurricane Sandy devastating each borough in its own horrific way. Officials are happy to announce that in 2012, New York City welcomed 52 million visitors – the most in history. Tourism resulted in a $55 billion impact to the city’s economy, and furthermore led to selling a record 29 million hotel rooms. The city’s occupancy is up to 87 percent, the highest in the nation. The spike in tourism has prompted officials to keep momentum up. “I’m confident that 2013 will be another mammoth year for tourism in our city,” said Mayor Michael Bloomberg. “Tourism is booming because we’re the nation’s most exciting city and during 2013, we’re going to keep adding to the parks and cultural institutions that bring millions of people here every year.” Sightseers included 41 million domestic tourists and 11 million internationally. That’s a lot of flights to New York City! It’s not hard to figure out why tourists flock to the Big Apple. With the shopping, dining, landmarks, culture, Broadway, and famous sightseeing, there’s something everyone can enjoy. Tourism officials will continue being relentless in trying to attract international visitors, as they spend significantly more money than Americans. Cha-ching! Don’t forget to ‘LIKE‘ us on Facebook! Sources: MSNBC Photo: Andrew Lerner