New York state’s tourism industry in 2014 reached an all-time high of $100.1 billion, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo announced recently.
Citing a report released by tourism report and research company Tourism Economics, Cuomo said last year’s spending total marked the first time tourism-related spending has topped $100 billion in a year.
“A stronger tourism industry in New York means more jobs and more economic activity in local communities,” Cuomo said in a press release.
According to figures provided by Tourism Economics, direct consumer spending, up by more than 5 percent from the previous year, accounted for $62.46 billion in 2014, while the indirect spending impact brought in $18.52 billion. Other local economy spending accounted for $19.18 billion in 2014.
Tourism spending in 2014 generated roughly $7.8 billion in state and local sales taxes, the report said. Cuomo also said tourism employment in New York has increased by 16 percent since 2011.
Cuomo, citing figures from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s travel and tourism office, said 2014 marked the 14th consecutive year that New York was the most-visited state by foreign visitors. The state saw 9.98 million overseas visitors last year.
