NYC Tops For Domestic Tourism

Long the #1 destination for international tourists, for the first time in 20 years New York City has topped Orlando and Las Vegas as the most popular vacation spot for Americans too.

Speaking at the Greenhouse Cafe in Brooklyn, Mr Bloomberg said: 'Over the past eight years, our efforts to make New York City an even more exciting place to visit have helped produce a record number of tourists and create thousands of jobs. 'Last year, while tourism declined significantly in cities across the country, we fared far better than most. In fact, for the first time in 20 years, we were the most popular tourism destination in the country, surpassing Orlando.' Visitor numbers are expected to increase further this year to reach 46.7m.

NYC's 2009 tourism figures are down 3.8% over 2008, a much smaller drop than was predicted. The now moot Orlando-Las Vegas rivalry for the top spot has long been a topic in Florida's newspapers. Orlando remains the second-favorite destination for foreigners.