Next time you are stuck behind tourists taking their time gawking at the bright lights of our big city, try to stifle your annoyance; instead, you might want to thank them.
As board members of NYC Tourism + Conventions, we congratulate our new mayor, Zohran Mamdani, who energized us with his enthusiasm for tourism during the campaign, and we look forward to working together to maximize our city’s vast tourism potential.
Tourism is a crucial economic driver for NYC, yet it remains weakened by the pandemic and other outside forces.
With national air traffic disruptions, prolonged visa processing, and a perception that the U.S. is unwelcoming to international visitors, visitor projections were reduced by 13% to 64.7 million visitors for 2025. That includes 5% fewer international visitors, or a $4 billion loss of direct spending. Dollars that could have paid for essential services for New Yorkers. Foreign visitors account for approximately half of the $53.4 billion in spending annually.
As visitation shrinks due to outside headwinds, NYC Tourism’s $36 million budget (including $21 million from the city), is competing against cities like L.A. ($74 million), Las Vegas ($426 million), and Orlando ($117 million). Closer to home, we are competing against Washington, D.C. ($44 million) and Boston ($45 million), which are smaller destinations with far fewer visitors.
Yet, even with a smaller budget, NYC Tourism + Conventions remains the little engine that could, supporting 387,000 jobs, generating $81.4 billion in economic impact, with $7.1 billion to NYC in taxes.
The mayor’s message of affordability for New Yorkers might seem contradictory to focusing on visitors’ enjoyment, but investing in tourism is a great way to fund his affordability agenda without raising taxes.
Many cities allocate a fraction of the hotel tax, casino, or convention revenue to their tourism bureaus. Some have Tourism Improvement Districts; these models are designed to invest in tourism marketing to generate revenue for cities. Additionally, Gov. Hochul is a strong proponent of tourism, and we welcome collaboration between the governor and mayor in the tourism arena.
We are excited and hope to welcome more visitors in 2026. This summer, NYC will host eight World Cup matches. As a true soccer fan, the mayor understands the significance of this moment. Tourism Economics, a leading industry analyst, estimates the World Cup will generate more than $3 billion of economic activity, much of it from international visitors.
We will also celebrate our nation’s 250th anniversary this year, including a spectacular parade of tall ships and other events estimated to bring $2.8 billion in additional spending. Some readers may be old enough to remember the 1976 Bicentennial, which occurred during one of the city’s lowest ebbs and lifted everyone’s spirits. This parade will be visible across New York Harbor and dovetails with the new mayor’s goal of spreading tourists around the five boroughs.
And it’s not just the bright lights of Broadway and big events in Manhattan; we want visitors to explore the New York Aquarium in Brooklyn, the Museum of the Moving Image in Queens and Snug Harbor Cultural Center in Staten Island. These only-in-NYC experiences will be topped off by enjoying world-class cuisine in restaurants from Harlem to Arthur Ave. to Astoria and Jackson Heights.
Every tourist dollar spent, puts money in the pocket of New Yorkers. Money that can be spent on groceries and rent, just as Mamdani rightly argues.
As we welcome this new era, we look forward to a breakthrough year for NYC tourism — welcoming millions of new visitors and new opportunities to dedicate resources to making sure they return again and again.
Calvelli is the executive vice president of the Wildlife Conservation Society and past chair of the Cultural Institutions Group. Wilson is the owner of the world-famous Melba’s Restaurant in Harlem. They serve as vice chairs of NYC Tourism + Conventions.
