Tourism had been one of the engines powering New York City’s economy through a boom that ended abruptly in March when the pandemic forced the shutdown of most businesses. New York drew a record 66.6 million visitors in 2019 and was on pace for even more this year, Mr. Dixon said. The industry is critical to the city, providing as many as 400,000 jobs and drawing $46 billion in spending, by NYC & Company’s estimates. The wipeout of tourism has devastated several other sectors of the economy, including hotels, restaurants and Broadway theaters. Its new forecast calls for 38.2 million visitors in 2021, rising to 69 million by 2024.

Source: International New York Times November 16, 2020 17:03 UTC