LOWER MANHATTAN SEES RECORD-BREAKING TOURISM YEAR WITH 9.8 MILLION VISITORS
As the steel rises at the World Trade Center site, tourism in Lower Manhattan is reaching new heights. According to the Downtown Alliance's 2011 Year in Review , 9.8 million tourists flocked to Lower Manhattan's major museums, events, and attractions last year - 800,000 people more than in 2010.
The growth - an eight percent increase over 2010 - reflects growing interest in all that Lower Manhattan has to offer and comes amid a citywide tourism boost. Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and NYC & Company, the city's official marketing, tourism and partnership organization, recently announced that New York City ended 2011 with a new record 50.5 million visitors, with visitor spending reaching an estimated $32 billion.
The National September 11 Memorial Plaza, which opened in September 2011, has been a significant draw to the district, attracting one million visitors in its first three and a half months alone.