Global Insight, a financial analysis and forecasting organization based in Waltham, MA, released its annual ranking of  ’Top 100 U.S. Tourism City Destinations’ for 2007. The study is part of the City Tourism Impact service offered in partnership with D.K. Shifflet & Associates, the foremost authority on U.S. travel volumes, visitor spending, and trip behavior. Full results and more details about the study available here.

New York City, which was third in 2006, topped the charts for 2007, leaping over Orlando and Las Vegas to capture the top spot in total tourism spending. NYC’s growth in tourism is spurred in part by international visitors, who tend to stay longer and spend more than US nationals. Photo by Worldislandinfo.com via flickr (creative commons)

New York gained about 1.5 million overseas visitors last year and increased its share of total international visitors by 3.3%. Foreign visitors also pushed up Washington DC, Miami, Seattle and Santa Ana/Anaheim in the rankings.

In a press statement, Christopher Pike, Tourism Principal at Global Insight, said that “Exchange rate advantages, economic growth at home, and re-doubled promotional efforts are behind this success”.

Its a pleasure to know that at least somebody, even if they aren’t Americans, are enjoying New York vacations. You know, this brings up an interesting issue. Do you take your own backyard for granted? I mean, if you’re a New Yorker, you couldn’t care less about checking out Times Square or Fifth Ave or the Brooklyn Bridge. It would be idiotic to take time out of a busy day to visit the Empire State Building. I wonder if these places maintain some kind of statistics which show how many New Yorkers actually visit their own world famous attractions.

So here’s what I propose. Help your own state’s tourism promotion efforts and take a New York staycation. Book yourself in for the weekend at one of the swanky New York hotels in or around Times Square and act like a tourist - pretend to be lost, gaze up at tall buildings, point towards the Statue of Liberty, wear an ‘I Love New York’ t-shirt, carry a guidebook and map in your hands, look around and smile at people in the subway - But mostly, just reacquaint yourself with all the attractions and things to do in New York that you have been busy ignoring year after year.

Posted on July 27th, 2008 by PLing
Filed under: Travel News