Tourism comes in many different shapes and sizes. Tourism can be international or national; it can even be relatively close to one’s home, as tourism is not defined by how far an individual goes, but by the fact that he or she has traveled and the types of activities that he or she participates in while gone from home (Wurzburguer , Pattakos & Pratt, 2008). Tourism can be measured a number of different ways using a number of different metrics; however, from a practical standpoint, tourism is generally understood as being domestic tourism, inbound international tourism, or outbound international tourism (Karanasios & Burgess, 2008). New York City is one of the world’s top tourist destinations—each year, 12.27 million international tourists arrive in New York to experience the city itself (Otis, Greenfield, & St. Louis, 2014).
New York is one of the largest metropolitan centers in the world, and is also one of the most densely populated cities in the world (Otis, Greenfield, & St. Louis, 2014). There are five boroughs in New York City. The five boroughs of the city are Manhattan, the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island (Otis, Greenfield, & St. Louis, 2014). Manhattan is the smallest geographic area of the city, and it is the part of the city that many people think of when New York is brought up. Home to many of the world’s best museums and Central Park, one of the foremost tourist areas of the city. As many know, Manhattan is the foremost area in the city for business and politics—international, national, and regional alike—as well as academia and administrative services. For the allocentric tourist, there are a number of important landmarks like museums that can engage their interest in Manhattan (Litvin, 2006). For the anthropologist, museums are also an excellent experience; however, Central Park and the United Nations are interesting spots for investigation. The explorer will enjoy walking among the high rises and exploring Central Park (Foo, McGuiggan, & Yiannakis, 2004).
Brooklyn is very different from Manhattan, despite being relatively close geographically. Brooklyn is the borough with the most people, but it is not the densest—that honor goes to Manhattan (Otis, Greenfield, & St. Louis, 2014). Brooklyn has been the home to a number of different important arts and cultural movements over the years, especially counter-culture movements. Today, Brooklyn is known for being culturally and ethnically diverse. For the allocentric tourist, there are plenty of diverse restaurants and shows available for the tourist to experience, with many different cultural and ethnic backgrounds.
Queens is home to Citi Field, one of the two major stadiums in New York City—it is home to the Mets (Otis, Greenfield, & St. Louis, 2014). It is also home to the biggest airports in the reading, including the two major international airports in the region, LaGuardia and JFK International (Otis, Greenfield, & St. Louis, 2014). There is less to see in Queens for tourists, but the allocentric tourist may enjoy the food and the people-watching in this area. The anthropologist would also enjoy the food and the sports, while the explorer may enjoy shopping in the area (Litvin, 2006; Otis, Greenfield, & St. Louis, 2014; Foo, McGuiggan, & Yiannakis, 2004).
Staten Island and the Bronx are the two last boroughs in New York City. Staten Island is more suburban than the other boroughs, as it is a more residential area (Otis, Greenfield, & St. Louis, 2014). The explorer and allocentric tourist may enjoy seeing the views of Manhattan, Ellis Island, and the Statue of Liberty from many of the ferries that go to and from Staten Island each day (Otis, Greenfield, & St. Louis, 2014). There are also many parks and small shops that the anthropologist and the allocentric tourist (Litvin, 2006; Foo, McGuiggan, & Yiannakis, 2004). The Bronx has a number of important landmarks, including the Bronx Zoo, which is one of the foremost zoos in the country and the largest American metropolitan zoo. For the allocentric tourist, the zoo would be an excellent option. The explorer might also enjoy the zoo, while the anthropologist might enjoy many of the street shows that still exist in the Bronx today, especially on the weekends. The Bronx is the home of modern-day hip-hop in many different forms, and the art is still practiced extensively in open-air shows today (Otis, Greenfield, & St. Louis, 2014). The street scene and open-air shopping is quite different in the Bronx, and all three of the types of tourists discussed here would enjoy this scene—albeit for different reasons.
New York’s strengths are its ability to provide something to everyone who comes to the city. There are weaknesses—New Yorkers can be crabby and the city is large and sometimes difficult to navigate—but there are so many unique things to see that it can be hard to outweigh the strengths. Now that the dollar is stable internationally, it is a good time for foreigners and Americans alike to travel, so there are many opportunities for New York to attract more tourists. The biggest threat for New York is interest in other international destinations like Beijing, Hong Kong, and Dubai, which generally cost less to visit.
New York City is one of the foremost international tourist destinations on the planet. There is something to be seen in New York City for everyone—no matter what type of tourist an individual is, there is something that they can enjoy in New York City. Although someone who enjoys the sea and sun might be better served choosing a different travel destination, there are even options for sea, sand, and relaxation in New York in the summer and early fall (Otis, Greenfield, & St. Louis, 2014).
References
Foo, J. A., McGuiggan, R., & Yiannakis, A. (2004). Roles tourists play: An Australian perspective. Annals of tourism research, 31(2), 408-427.
Karanasios, S., & Burgess, S. (2008). Tourism and Internet adoption: a developing world perspective. International Journal of Tourism Research, 10(2), 169-182.
Litvin, S. W. (2006). Revisiting Plog’s model of allocentricity and psychocentricity one more time. Cornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration Quarterly, 47(3), 245-253.
Otis, G. A., Greenfield, B., & St Louis, R. (2014). Lonely planet city guide series: New York City.
WURZBURGUER, R., Aageson, T., Pattakos, A., & Pratt, S. (2008). Creative Tourism. A global conversation. How to Provide Unique Creative Experiences for Travelers Worldwide.
