New York State's successful tourism industry continues to shine with news of record visitation and economic impact, a full slate of I LOVE NY events and experiences, and growing recognition of all that New York State has to offer visitors—especially the cities of Syracuse and Buffalo.
The Numbers: New York tourism is on a record-breaking run, according to 2017 statistics announced in July during the Governor’s sixth annual Adirondack Challenge. Last year, New York State welcomed a record-high 243.8 million visitors who generated $67.6 billion in direct spending, an all-time high. The total economic impact of tourism reached $108.7 billion, exceeding $100 billion for the fourth straight year. Tourism is now New York State’s third-largest private sector employer.
Comedy’s NYS Home: The National Comedy Center, a $50 million state-of-the-art museum dedicated to telling the story of comedy in America, opened Aug. 1 in Jamestown, Chautauqua County, the Western New York hometown of legendary comedian Lucille Ball. The center features exclusive collections and immersive exhibits, an interactive visitor journey through comedy history utilizing cutting-edge personalization technology that creates a customized humor profile for each visitor.