Visitors splash more cash in the Big Apple

VISITORS spend more money in New York City than any other US city, according to Global Insight, a leading financial analysis and market intelligence body.

International spending in the big Apple rose to $15.5 billion, up from $12.37b in 2006. The next two cities where visitors were most ready to open their wallets in 2007 were Orlando, Florida and Las Vegas, Nevada.

International visitors – most arriving with ‘strong’ currencies - represented 19% of all ‘person trips’ in 2007 but accounted for 54% of total visitor spending. New York gained about 1.5 million overseas visitors last year and increased its share of total international visitors by 3.3%. The city’s mayor, Michael R. Bloomberg, said this summer that the City was on track to achieve 50 million visitors annually in 2012, three years earlier than his initial goal of 2015.

www.nycvisit.com