New York State achieved unprecedented tourism milestones in 2023 with a record 306.3 million visitors. This influx of tourists led to a historic $88 billion in direct spending and contributed to a remarkable $137 billion in total economic impact statewide. The Governor revealed these figures at the Great New York State Fair, which she said plays a key role in the state’s tourism sector. The data, compiled by Tourism Economics, show substantial growth compared to the previous record set in 2022 and far exceed the highest figures recorded before the COVID-19 pandemic.
Last year, the total statewide economic impact of tourism reached a record-high $137 billion, representing an 11 percent jump over 2022. Direct visitor spending was also up nearly 12 percent from $78.6 billion in 2022 to $88 billion in 2023 – the third straight year of double-digit growth. New York State also saw a five percent increase in visitation to 306.3 million travelers, up from 291.5 million in 2022. Additionally, state and local tax revenues generated by tourism saved the average New York State household $1,420 in taxes.
The reports by Tourism Economics detail the industry’s statewide and regional importance and underscore that New York State not only remains a top destination, but travel demand remains strong in the post-pandemic landscape. Each of the state’s 11 vacation regions experienced sustained growth, with the Finger Lakes, Greater Niagara region, Long Island and New York City all recording visitor spending increases of over 10 percent. While domestic visitor spending dominates New York’s travel economy, spending growth from Canadian and overseas visitors outpaced that of domestic travelers.
Wednesday’s announcement comes ahead of the fall travel season, one of the most popular times for residents and visitors to travel throughout the state. New York State has one of the longest and most colorful foliage seasons in the country, welcoming visitors from around the world who explore the seasonal attractions throughout the state’s unique and diverse regions. To help travelers plan a fall getaway, I LOVE NY will be launching its weekly fall foliage reports on September 12, with updates issued every Wednesday thereafter throughout the season.
I LOVE NY’s fall foliage reports are compiled weekly using on-location observations from a team of more than 85 volunteers throughout the state’s 11 vacation regions. The spotters track color changes in their area and detail prevalent leaf colors, percentage of total transition, and progression relative to peak conditions for the upcoming weekend. Peak conditions are considered the best that the foliage will look in a given season, and generally occur between late September and mid-November, depending on the location.
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