Everybody hates tourists ... until they're all gone.
The big story yesterday was that New York City's tourism industry probably won't bounce back until 2025. And that's a big deal because, as the Times and Gothamist reported, tourism is an increasingly large portion of the city economy — and why New York will be slower than other cities to recover from the pandemic.
It's going to take a long time to get back to the record 66.6 million visitors who saw the sights — and, more important, spent their money — in New York in 2019.
So sure, it's nice to be able to go to Katz's Deli on Saturday at lunchtime and not have to stand in line, but lines like that at least meant money in the pockets of restaurant workers, hotel cleaners, taxi drivers and tour guides.
In other news:
- Four people were injured after two drivers got into a fight over a parking space that led to road rage (WABC7). Clayton Guse of the Daily Newsuh later added some vital context: The incident happened where the city hoped to build a car-free busway, only to be blocked by a Flushing council member who chanted "Business Lives Matter!" in support of his effort to make bus riders' lives more miserable.
- The Department of Transportation will require restaurants to make their outdoor dining facilities more sturdy, including heavier barricades (Eater, NY Post), which prompted our own Dave Colon to quip that maybe city bike lanes should demand to be considered restaurants — if only to get the better protection. Meanwhile, Gothamist did a deeper dive on wintery dining. So did the Wall Street Journal. Colder temps will hit the city on Wednesday, but warmer weather will return.
- The Times did what only the Times can do: a nice, touching, visually arresting peak into the lives of several Queens street vendors written by David Gonzalez.
- Sen. Chuck Schumer is convinced that the election (and presidency?) of Joe Biden will mean good news for the stalled Gateway tunnel project, which is essential to the New York region's economic survival, yet somehow eluded President Trump. Come for the amNY coverage, stay for the Larry Penner naysaying quote. The Daily News also covered.
- The News and the Post provided more evidence that basic economic hardship is what drives fare evasion.
- A cop was injured when a wanted man tried to run him over near Times Square. (NY Post)
- Like Streetsblog, the Post also covered the road death of Bronx pedestrian, Raul Irizarry.
