The tourism industry in New York is still experiencing a 4.3% deficit compared to pre-COVID levels, according to a report from the State Comptroller’s Office. The pandemic led to a significant loss of tourism-related jobs, with no region fully recovering. The Mohawk Valley and North Country regions saw the most significant job losses at 17% and 15.2% respectively. Despite the ongoing employment gap, the industry’s total wages in 2023 increased by 6.9% compared to 2019, amounting to $23.1 billion with an average salary of $55,000.
The report also noted a surge in state park attendance and the growth of agribusiness. State parks saw over 900,000 more visitors in 2023 compared to 2000, marking an increase of 9.1%. Governor Kathy Hochul emphasized the importance of state parks to the state’s economy and her administration’s commitment to boosting the tourism industry.
In an effort to promote access to state parks, Governor Hochul signed a bill on July 3, 2023, allowing state parks to accept forms of payment other than credit cards. The report also highlighted a 31% growth in non-work trips into New York from other states (mostly New Jersey) in 2022 compared to 2020. However, international travelers to New York in 2023 were still not fully recovered from an 84% COVID drop.
In 2023, tourism generated $34 billion and employed almost 417,000 New Yorkers, making New York the second-largest state in terms of economic activity directly from tourism, after only California. Agritourism, including activities like wine tastings, hayrides, and fruit- and vegetable-picking, also saw growth, with almost twice as many farms and more than triple the income compared to 2007.
The full report can be found below.
