New York: More than 60 million tourists visited New York in 2016, the most ever, attracted by the Statue of Liberty, the 9/11 Memorial, Broadway shows and four-star restaurants.
The number of tourists from across the United States and around the world exceeded forecasts, city tourism officials said on Monday, and topped last year’s record by 1.8 million.
“The iconic attractions are always a big draw,” said Fred Dixon, president and chief executive of NYC & Company, the city’s official destination marketing organization. “These are the hallmarks of a New York City visit, especially for the first-time visitor.” The city’s signature landmarks, including the Empire State Building and Central Park, remain high on the list of must-sees, but lower Manhattan has become a big draw for tourists as well.
Tourists are eager to pay their respects at the 9/11 Memorial and Museum in the Financial District, peruse the exhibits at the new Whitney Museum of American Art and take a stroll on the High Line on the west side of Manhattan. Many visitors are also venturing out of Manhattan to the so-called outer boroughs, Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island and the Bronx, in search off-beat attractions and restaurants - trips that would have been inconceivable 40 years ago, when the city fell to a financial and crime-ridden nadir.
