The city is expecting about 400,000 fewer out-of-town visitors than originally anticipated this year, in light of the recent financial crisis.

Revised projections released today by the city's tourism office, NYC & Company, estimate a total of 47.3 million people traveling to New York in 2008 -- still, about 2.8 percent more than in 2007. The original forecast estimated about 47.7 million tourists.

Nearly 46 million visitors came to New York in 2007, according to the agency.

Prior to the economic downtown, the city had experienced a 10 percent increase in international travelers over the first six months of 2008.

New York City hotels last month benefited from the highest average occupancy rate in four years, according to the latest figures from NYC & Company.

The city's tourism office reported an average occupancy rate of 92.4 percent in August. The average daily rate edged upward about a buck from July to $285.84.

That's $20 higher than in August 2007, but still about $40 less than this past June, when a typical night cost $325.94.

Hotel rates should only increase over the next several months, as the city's various lodges hit peak travel season.

Last September, the average overnight stay cost $340.33. Rates last November and December hovered around $370.

New data from the city's tourism agency, NYC & Company, indicates that nightly hotel rates shot up to $350 on average in May. That's an increase of $50 from the same time last year.

Suddenly, the current minimum $249 nightly rate at the dumpy Hotel Pennsylvania (pictured right) doesn't seem quite so steep.

Tonight, according to Expedia.com, you can also stay at the Paramount, Hilton, New Yorker and Roosevelt hotels for less than $300.

Book now!

Are skyrocketing gas prices nixing your vacation plans? Here's a cheap getaway: Stay home.

NYC & Company is launching a new campaign this week called "Go Local."

"We're somewhat bored with the word 'staycation,'" noted George Fertitta, CEO of the city's tourism agency.

Beginning Thursday, NYC & Company street crews will be hitting up all the major transit hubs, passing out pamphlets about all the events, activities, and attractions happening right here in the five boroughs -- things like the Governors Island Folk Music Festival, Latino Film Fest, and, yes, those makeshift waterfalls that everyone seems to be talking about.

"This isn't a consolation prize -- this is as good as it gets," said Mr.  read more »

Jonathan Tisch, your New York Giants just won the Super Bowl! What are you going to do now?

"It's time to move on," Mr. Tisch told the Times on Sunday, announcing that he's stepping down as chairman of NYC & Company, the city's tourism agency.

The 54-year-old co-owner of the Giants and CEO of the Loews Hotels chain, whose properties include the 353-room Regency at 540 Park Avenue, helped spearhead efforts to resuscitate the city's wounded tourism industry after the September 11 terrorist attacks.

Besides winning the Super Bowl, Mr. Tisch can also boast of attaining an all-time-high annual tourism level of 46.3 million visitors in 2007.  read more »

A breakdown of the city's latest tourism estimates suggests that Britons (1.46 million), Canadians (880,000), and Germans (470,000) comprised the biggest crowds of international visitors to New York in 2007.

Numbers were up among all groups last year -- including the roughly 300,000 residents of Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg, weirdly categorized as "BeNeLux" -- except for one, the Japanese.  read more »

"We are incredibly grateful for the weak dollar," quipped George Fertitta, head of the city's tourism office NYC & Company.

Mr. Fertitta joined Deputy Mayor for Economic Development Robert Lieber in crediting "beneficial exchange rates" for boosting tourism to record levels in 2007.

An estimated 46 million total travelers visited New York last year, contributing some $28 billion to the local economy, according to the city's latest projections, which officials presented at a press conference at Pier 88 on Sunday alongside the docked Queen Victoria cruise ship.  read more »