Indicators of Optimism as NYC Sees Rise in Tourism

The once empty steps in front of New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art fill with visitors. Near the finance area, people are picking up again Selfies with the Wall Street Charging Bull.

As pandemic restrictions ease, visitors who left the city’s museums, hotels, and other attractions a year ago are slowly returning. There is still a long way to go, however, to the city’s Broadway theater district, which will be filled with international travelers.

Recently, however, the number of hotel guests and museum visitors has increased due to American travelers and those taking a day trip to the city.

“I’ve always wanted to come to New York just because I’ve seen films,” said Chazmin Führer. A first-time visitor from Concord, California, she came to town for a few days to celebrate a friend’s birthday.

Führer sat at a table in Times Square and said she knew it wasn’t as busy as usual, but she wasn’t worried.

“It’s kind of nice without a lot of people outside,” she said when three street performers started their dance moves nearby.

City officials are pleased despite New York City recently witnessed a violent gun incident that killed three people.

Mayor Bill de Blasio said after the shooting that New York City is very safe. He added, “In the end, people want to come to this town.”

An estimated 67 million people visited the city in 2019. Last year, that number dropped to just over 22 million when the virus spread in March.

Restaurants, shops and some hotels had to close. In late spring, social unrest over racial injustice resulted in two days of property destruction and some theft. And then President Donald Trump loudly criticized the city.

After a difficult year, things are starting to look better.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art has reached 9,000 visitors in the last few days. That’s still far less than the 25,000 people who visited the museum on one of the busiest days before the pandemic. And the visitors ride the ferry from the southern edge of Manhattan to the Statue of Liberty.

Rafael Abreu is Vice President of Marketing at Statue Cruise, a ferry company that brings visitors to the statue. He said it was “pretty slow” through February, but visitors rose to around 25-30 percent of the pre-pandemic time in March and April.

In the past few weeks, hotel occupancy in the city has risen to almost 50 percent of the prepandemic. New hotels are opening and the number of rooms is expected to reach 118,000 by the end of the year, Fred Dixon said. He is president of the city’s tourism agency.

“It’s just wonderful,” said Dixon, adding, “It gave us a lot of hope.”

City and state officials have taken steps in the past few weeks to open up the city as much as possible.

Andrew Cuomo, governor of New York, announced that the city’s subway system would be back in service around the clock in mid-May. Company restrictions are lifted. A social distance of 2 meters is still required.

De Blasio announced a $ 30 million tourism marketing campaign last month that will start in June.

The city and state are also setting up vaccination areas to offer free shots to tourists. De Blasio says he has a message for tourists.

“Come here. It’s safe. It’s a great place and we’ll take care of you,” he said.

I am Susan Shand.

The Associated Press reported the story. Susan Shand adapted it for learning English. Hai Do was the editor.

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Words in this story

selfie – n. a self-portrait taken with a phone camera

tourist – n. one who visits a place for pleasure

ferry – n. a boat that takes passengers short distances

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