NYC & Company today announced that the city will welcome an all-time record 60.3 million visitors by year’s end, surpassing the 60 million visitor milestone for the first time ever, and representing the seventh consecutive year of travel and tourism growth.

The new figure is 600,000 visitors higher than the original forecast of 59.7 million announced earlier this year, and 1.8 million more visitors than last year’s revised year-end figure of 58.5 million.

Travel and tourism now sustains more than 375,000 jobs in New York City, representing a gain of 15,000 jobs over the last year.

“We are proud to exceed our forecast this year and welcome an all-time record 60.3 million visitors, achieving a new tourism milestone for New York City,” said Fred Dixon, NYC & Company president.

“The appeal of the ‘New’ New York alongside our classic attractions continue to draw travellers from every corner of the globe.

“We invite visitors and locals to take advantage of all the nonstop and affordable NYC experiences on offer this winter as well as the opportunities to discover our City’s multicultural neighbourhoods in all five boroughs.”

To continue welcoming record visitation and boost winter travel in 2017, NYC & Company today unveiled a new “Nonstop NYC” programme comprising its popular vibrancy programmes NYC Restaurant Week, NYC Broadway Week, NYC Off-Broadway Week and an all-new NYC Attractions Week.

The organisation is also expanding its “See it for Yourself” campaign to further encourage travel during the first quarter and beyond.

This year, visitors from the United States will represent a forecasted 47.6 million visitors while travellers from international markets will comprise an estimated 12.65 million international visitors, both all-time highs.

Among all visitors, meetings delegates will comprise 6.15 million people.

In 2017, NYC & Company is forecasting the City will welcome approximately 61.8 million visitors with 48.7 million domestic travellers and 13.1 million international visitors.

Hotel demand in the five boroughs has grown this year by 1.2 million, generating 34.9 million hotel room nights sold by year’s end, an all-time record.

Home to more than 111,000 hotel rooms, the city is also expected to add 24,000 new hotel rooms by the end of 2019, reflecting the nation’s most robust hotel development pipeline.

A significant contribution to the city’s economy, hotel and sales taxes are estimated to contribute over $1 billion in revenues this year.