The next easing in New York: when do tourists come?

For ten years in a row, the New York City Tourism Authority was able to announce one record after another. The number of visitors to the US east coast metropolis climbed to new heights, in 2019 to almost 67 million. NYC & Company expected a new record this year, but then came the coronavirus pandemic. The tourism authority not only had to revise all forecasts for 2020 downwards, but also release more than half of its own employees.

Start the third phase of easing

The pandemic hit the place of longing for millions of people around the world particularly hard. More than 210,000 of New York’s 8.4 million residents have already contracted the virus, and around 23,000 have died after being infected. In the meantime, however, the numbers are falling steadily – also thanks to extensive restrictions on public life.

The third phase of the relaxation can therefore start on Monday (July 6th): After, among other things, construction work in the first phase and hairdressing salons, shops and outdoor areas of restaurants in the second, nail salons and tattoo shops, for example, will be allowed to reopen their doors. Distance and hygiene rules continue to apply.

It takes some time for tourists to come

“The New Yorkers have shown incredible resilience to this crisis and thanks to their hard work we are on track for the third phase,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. One restriction had to be made, however: unlike previously planned, restaurants, bars and cafés are not allowed to reopen their interior areas at the beginning of the third phase. This is also due to the fact that in many other US states that reopened completely some time ago, the number of new infections has recently increased dramatically.

The former epicenter of the pandemic in the USA is now in better shape, but it will be a long way to go before the tourists from abroad can come back to the densely populated metropolis. At the moment, there are still extensive entry bans in place for many countries – including Germany – the end of which is not yet in sight. But even if the tourists can come then, they will probably find a changed city.

Many attractions don’t open

Many attractions such as the Broadway theaters or the Metropolitan Opera have already announced that they will not open again before 2021. The city administration is beginning to consider converting hotel rooms into affordable living space for those in need.

“I am an optimist. I hope that the tourists from abroad will come back around Christmas ”, says Erol Inanc. The 53-year-old from Munich has been living in the city for almost 30 years and organizes complete packages for couples who want to get married in New York. Inanc took care of the last wedding in December. “Since then, the business has completely collapsed. Most days I don’t even get e-mails. ”Inanc was able to fall back on savings and helped his girlfriend, who as a nurse also looked after Covid patients, with the household. “This is the worst crisis I’ve experienced here in New York because it has eaten its way into the city. There is a new humility and modesty. ”

No return to New York until spring 2021

The Seafarers International House in Manhattan, the former German Seaman’s Mission from New York, usually sleeps around 38,000 people a year. The guest house had to close in March and then housed Covid 19 patients for a few months, who recovered there after a hospital stay. It is currently unclear when regular overnight guests can be received again, says Henryk Behnke, who has lived in New York since 1998 and has been working for the Seafarers International House for some time. The Berliner is currently advising family and friends from Germany not to come back to New York before spring 2021. “The city has changed,” says the 52-year-old. “But it is to be hoped that their essence remains.”

Sanel Huskanovic hopes that tourists from Europe can come to New York again in October or November. The 38-year-old, who was born in Bosnia and later came to Germany as a war refugee, usually runs a travel agency, mainly for German-speaking tourists, very close to Times Square. “The energy of the city has changed tremendously because there are about five million tourists missing every month. That’s a lot of energy and a lot of people – a lot of happy people. “

The rent can no longer be paid

Many of the more than 600,000 people who normally travel to New York from Germany each year book tours and excursions with Huskanovic. He looked after the last guests in March, and now Huskanovic can no longer pay the rent for the office and apartment and sleeps on the sofa with friends. But he’s not giving up, says Huskanovic – just like New York. “The city has fallen so many times, but has always got up again. That’s why I love New York so much, because it keeps reinventing itself. Here I learned that you have to see a crisis as an opportunity. “(Dpa)

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