When it comes to the top tourist-attracting cities in the U.S. the race usually boils down to two cities that boast more than 100 million travelers between them: New York and Orlando, Fla. While the Associated Press indicates that in 2011 New York saw 50 million visitors, a report from USA Today puts the tourist count to Orlando at 53.3 million. When it comes to tourism dollars spent, New York takes the crown, as the Wall Street Journal reports the city took in more than $32 billion from tourists in 2011. The race for top tourist destination, and the dollars and jobs that come with it, is set to intensify throughout 2012.
Which city has an early edge?
The Orlando Business Journal reports Orlando hotels saw occupancy increase 9.5 percent in 2011, and the report expects that trend to increase again in 2012. While the Wall Street Journal expects New York tourism to increase, any jump in Orlando's occupancy will make it tough to catch.
How is the number of visitors counted in each city?
One of the more controversial parts of the friendly competition is the methodology of counting visitors. While neither city disputes New York's international tourism popularity of 10 million visitors to 4 million for Orlando, as reported by USA Today, the Florida city counts visitors to a much wider area that include a number of theme parks and New York counts only visitors in the city to see an attraction, according to the Orlando Sentinel.
Is the travel outlook good for 2012?
According to TravelClick's 2012 Hospitality Review from Hospitality-Industry.com, group bookings are up 5.4 percent this year and transient booking, leisure and business travelers are up 4.8 percent over prior year totals. While those numbers do not represent skyrocketing improvements, any increase for the travel industry signals good news and positive outlooks.
What are the biggest challenges facing tourism in New York and Orlando?
The major hurdle facing anyone planning a day trip to either city in 2012 will likely be the rising cost of gas, as NPR reports. But folks looking to spend the night in either city will also be faced with rising hotel rates, according to the Orlando Business Journal. Therefore, 2012 might not be a peak travel period for budget conscious travelers looking for rock-bottom deals. While hotels cannot do anything about the retail price of gas, rates and incentives could pop up, particularly over the summer to help drive demand.
Jason Gallagher is a former travel professional with a decade of experience in the industry. He remains an avid traveler and hotel fan with exposure to technology and trends in properties across the United States.
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