The tourism industry is accounting for many New York jobs.
A new report by Empire State Development revealed that 672,000 New York jobs, or 6 percent of all the state’s employment, were created by the tourism industry in 2007. The report noted visitors spent $51 billion in the local economy during the year. The study was commissioned by the state Department of Economic Development’s Division of Tourism.
Much of the industry’s increase was the result of overseas and Canadian visitors traveling to New York as a because of a favorable exchange rate. Overseas visitors spent 15 percent more in New York in 2007 than in 2006. Canadians’ spending was up 11 percent in 2007 when compared to 2006. Foreign spending represented 28 percent of all visitor spending in 2007.