While nearly half a million New Yorkers bring the city to life each day in its hotels and restaurants, the numbers behind NYC's hospitality industry tell a remarkable story of post-pandemic resurgence, revealing not just massive economic impact but also the evolving landscape of opportunity for its diverse workforce.
Key Takeaways
- In 2023, the NYC hospitality industry employed approximately 463,000 workers, accounting for 11.5% of the city's total workforce
- As of Q4 2023, there were 52,300 hotel jobs in NYC, a 5.2% increase from 2022, driven by post-pandemic recovery
- Women comprised 54% of the hospitality workforce in NYC in 2023, with higher concentrations in food service roles at 58%
- NYC hospitality generated $14.5 billion in wages in 2023
- Total NYC restaurant sales reached $35.2 billion in 2023, up 12% from 2022
- Hotel revenue in NYC hit $9.8 billion in 2023
- NYC visitor spending on hospitality $28.6 billion in 2023
- 62.2 million tourists visited NYC in 2023, 95% of pre-pandemic levels
- International visitors to NYC spent $12.4 billion on hospitality in 2023
- NYC had 720 hotels with 130,000 rooms in 2023
- NYC hotel occupancy rate averaged 82.3% in 2023
- Manhattan luxury hotels achieved 89% occupancy in Q4 2023
- NYC had 28,500 restaurants in 2023
- Fine dining restaurants in NYC numbered 1,200 with avg cover $150 in 2023
- NYC casual dining sales per unit $2.8M average 2023
NYC's thriving hospitality industry rebounded strongly in 2023, creating many new jobs.
Employment Statistics
- In 2023, the NYC hospitality industry employed approximately 463,000 workers, accounting for 11.5% of the city's total workforce
- As of Q4 2023, there were 52,300 hotel jobs in NYC, a 5.2% increase from 2022, driven by post-pandemic recovery
- Women comprised 54% of the hospitality workforce in NYC in 2023, with higher concentrations in food service roles at 58%
- The average hourly wage for hospitality workers in NYC rose to $22.45 in 2023, up 7.1% from the previous year
- In 2022, 28% of NYC hospitality employees were foreign-born, primarily from Latin America and Asia
- Hospitality sector added 15,000 net new jobs in NYC from Jan to Dec 2023
- Bartenders in NYC earned a median wage of $18.50 per hour in 2023, excluding tips
- 65% of NYC hotel staff were full-time employees in 2023, compared to 55% in restaurants
- Unemployment rate in NYC hospitality was 4.8% in 2023, below the city average of 5.2%
- Over 120,000 NYC hospitality workers benefited from minimum wage hikes to $16/hour in 2023
- Chefs and head cooks in NYC had a mean annual salary of $68,200 in 2023
- 22% growth in NYC hospitality job openings from 2022 to 2023, per online postings
- NYC hospitality workforce diversity: 35% Hispanic/Latino, 25% Black/African American in 2023
- Housekeeping supervisors in hotels earned $52,000 annually on average in NYC 2023
- 18,500 new hospitality jobs projected for NYC by 2025
- Front desk clerks median wage $19.20/hour in NYC hospitality 2023
- 40% of NYC restaurant workers were part-time in 2023
- NYC hospitality training programs enrolled 10,200 workers in 2023
- Security guards in NYC hospitality averaged $21.50/hour in 2023
- Turnover rate in NYC restaurants was 72% annually in 2023
- Maintenance workers in NYC hotels earned $24.80/hour median in 2023
- 75,000 NYC hospitality jobs supported by tourism in 2023
- Waitstaff tipped income averaged $35,000/year in NYC 2023
- NYC hospitality union membership covered 45% of workers in 2023
- Cooks in NYC fast food outlets median $17.90/hour in 2023
- 12% increase in NYC hospitality veteran employment 2022-2023
- Event planners in NYC hospitality averaged $68,500 salary 2023
- 32,000 NYC hospitality jobs in Brooklyn alone in 2023
- NYC hospitality workforce aged 25-34 comprised 42% in 2023
Employment Statistics Interpretation
Behind the glittering skyline, New York runs on a diverse, rising, and still-gritty army of nearly half a million hospitality workers—women-led, tipped, union-backed, and perpetually in motion—proving the city’s recovery is served one plate, one check-in, and one shift at a time.
Hotel and Accommodation
- NYC had 720 hotels with 130,000 rooms in 2023
- NYC hotel occupancy rate averaged 82.3% in 2023
- Manhattan luxury hotels achieved 89% occupancy in Q4 2023
- 15 new hotels opened in NYC adding 2,800 rooms in 2023
- Average length of stay in NYC hotels 3.2 nights in 2023
- Brooklyn hotels saw 15% RevPAR growth to $195 in 2023
- 42% of NYC hotel rooms were in 4-5 star properties in 2023
- NYC boutique hotels (under 100 rooms) numbered 180 in 2023
- Hotel guest satisfaction score in NYC 8.4/10 in 2023
- Extended-stay hotels in NYC grew 12% occupancy to 78% 2023
- Times Square hotels ADR $320 highest in NYC 2023
- 68% of NYC hotel bookings via online travel agencies in 2023
- Eco-certified hotels in NYC reached 25 properties in 2023
- NYC hotel construction pipeline 8,500 rooms for 2024-2026
- Airport hotels near JFK/LGA 92% occupancy peak summer 2023
- Direct bookings share in NYC hotels 28% in 2023
- NYC hotels employed 52,300 staff with 4.2% vacancy rate 2023
- Upscale hotels RevPAR $245 in Queens NYC 2023
- 22 million hotel room nights sold in Manhattan 2023
- Pet-friendly rooms in NYC hotels increased to 15,000 in 2023
- NYC hotel spa revenue $450 million in 2023
- Independent hotels 18% of NYC market share 2023
- Midtown East hotels 85% occupancy business travel rebound 2023
- NYC hotel energy efficiency improved 11% industry avg 2023
- Female-led NYC hotels 12 properties in 2023
- Downtown Brooklyn hotel pipeline 1,200 rooms 2023-2025
- NYC hotels contactless check-in adoption 76% in 2023
Hotel and Accommodation Interpretation
While Manhattan luxury hotels bask in 89% occupancy and Times Square commandeers a $320 average rate, the city's true hospitality victory is a collective 8.4/10 guest satisfaction score, proving that whether you're in a burgeoning Brooklyn hotspot or an eco-certified boutique, New York's 52,300-strong workforce is mastering the art of keeping the concrete jungle both booked and beloved.
Restaurants and Food Service
- NYC had 28,500 restaurants in 2023
- Fine dining restaurants in NYC numbered 1,200 with avg cover $150 in 2023
- NYC casual dining sales per unit $2.8M average 2023
- 45% of NYC restaurants offered outdoor dining in 2023
- Michelin-starred restaurants in NYC 72 in 2023 guide
- NYC pizzeria count exceeded 1,800 in 2023
- Fast-casual chains grew 8% to 2,500 outlets NYC 2023
- NYC rooftop bars 120 venues averaging $15M revenue each 2023
- Vegan/plant-based restaurants in NYC 450 in 2023
- NYC food hall square footage 1.2M sq ft across 25 halls 2023
- Ghost kitchens in NYC numbered 350 operating 2023
- NYC ethnic restaurants 65% of total, Asian 28% share 2023
- Average NYC restaurant labor cost 32% of revenue 2023
- NYC ramen shops 250 locations with $200M sales 2023
- Seafood restaurants in NYC 420, peak sales summer 2023
- NYC brunch spots over 1,000 drawing weekend crowds 2023
- Dim sum parlors 180 in Chinatown NYC 2023
- NYC steakhouse revenue $850M total 2023
- Food trucks permitted 4,200 in NYC 2023
- NYC tasting menu restaurants 85 with avg $250 pp 2023
- Cocktail bars in NYC 650, craft segment dominant 2023
- NYC bakeries/patisseries 950 outlets 2023
- Oyster bars 110 in NYC with $120M sales 2023
- NYC farm-to-table restaurants 320 certified 2023
- Tapas/small plates spots 240 in NYC 2023
- NYC BBQ joints 150 with smokehouse trend 2023
Restaurants and Food Service Interpretation
New York's culinary scene is a dizzying dance of extremes, where a $250 tasting menu coexists with a $2 slice, and the real art isn't just on the plate but in balancing the 32% labor cost against the rooftop bar's $15 million view.
Revenue and Sales
- NYC hospitality generated $14.5 billion in wages in 2023
- Total NYC restaurant sales reached $35.2 billion in 2023, up 12% from 2022
- Hotel revenue in NYC hit $9.8 billion in 2023
- NYC hospitality contributed $70 billion to GDP in 2023, 8.2% of total
- Average check per restaurant guest in NYC was $45 in 2023
- NYC event catering revenue $2.1 billion in 2023
- Tax revenue from NYC hospitality totaled $3.4 billion in 2023
- NYC hotel occupancy drove $4.2 billion in room revenue Q4 2023
- Fine dining segment sales grew 15% to $8.7 billion in NYC 2023
- NYC bar and nightlife revenue $6.5 billion in 2023
- Hospitality sales tax collections up 18% to $2.8 billion in NYC 2023
- Average daily room rate (ADR) in NYC hotels $285 in 2023
- NYC quick-service restaurant sales $12.4 billion in 2023
- Revenue per available room (RevPAR) in NYC $220 in 2023
- NYC hospitality small business revenue averaged $1.2M per establishment 2023
- Banquet and conference revenue $1.8 billion in NYC 2023
- NYC street vending food sales $450 million in 2023
- Luxury hotel revenue share 35% of total NYC hotel sales 2023
- NYC restaurant delivery revenue $4.1 billion in 2023
- Total hospitality payroll taxes $1.9 billion in NYC FY2023
- Midscale hotel RevPAR $180 in NYC 2023
- NYC coffee shop sales $2.3 billion in 2023
- Upscale dining revenue per sq ft $1,200 annually in NYC 2023
- NYC hospitality e-commerce sales $1.5 billion 2023
- Hotel food & beverage revenue $2.4 billion NYC 2023
- NYC 8.875% hospitality sales tax generated $3.1B in 2023
- Independent restaurant sales 62% of total NYC restaurant revenue 2023
Revenue and Sales Interpretation
The proof is in the profits, from the bodega coffee to the penthouse minibar: New York City runs on the fuel of a hospitality industry so robust it practically demands a service charge just for looking at these numbers.
Tourism Impact
- NYC visitor spending on hospitality $28.6 billion in 2023
- 62.2 million tourists visited NYC in 2023, 95% of pre-pandemic levels
- International visitors to NYC spent $12.4 billion on hospitality in 2023
- Domestic leisure travelers accounted for 54% of NYC hotel stays in 2023
- NYC convention attendance 15.2 million in 2023, boosting hospitality
- 78% of NYC tourists dined out at least 3 times per trip in 2023
- Cruise passengers to NYC 1.1 million in 2023, generating $250M hospitality spend
- NYC group travel bookings up 22% in hospitality venues 2023
- 45% of NYC tourists stayed in hotels, 25% Airbnb in 2023
- Broadway attendance 12.5 million drove $2.1B ancillary hospitality spend 2023
- NYC sports events attracted 8.7 million fans, $1.8B hospitality impact 2023
- Shoulder season (Sep-Nov) tourism spend $9.2B in NYC hospitality 2023
- 32% of NYC tourists from Europe, highest hospitality spenders 2023
- NYC wedding tourism generated $1.2B in hospitality revenue 2023
- Average tourist length of stay 4.8 nights in NYC 2023
- 67 million total overnight stays in NYC hospitality 2023
- NYC cultural attractions drew 50M visits, $4.5B hospitality ripple 2023
- Millennial tourists 42% of NYC hospitality users, avg spend $1,200/trip 2023
- NYC airport arrivals 72 million supported hospitality surge 2023
- Eco-tourism segment grew 18%, $800M hospitality spend NYC 2023
- Family travel 28% of NYC tourism, higher dining/hotel spend 2023
- NYC film tourism added $650M to hospitality from 2023 productions
- Peak summer tourism 18M visitors, $10B hospitality 2023
- Business travelers 35% of NYC hotel occupancy, $5.6B spend 2023
- Repeat visitors 62% of NYC tourism volume in 2023
- NYC shopping tourism drove $3.2B hospitality cross-spend 2023
- LGBTQ+ tourism $1.1B hospitality impact in NYC 2023
- Off-peak weekend stays up 25% in NYC hospitality 2023
Tourism Impact Interpretation
New York City's hospitality industry in 2023 was a sprawling, high-energy revival, proving that whether you come for a convention, a croissant, or a cruise, everyone ultimately checks in to eat, sleep, and spend.
Sources & References
- Reference 1NYCnyc.govVisit source
- Reference 2BLSbls.govVisit source
- Reference 3DATAdata.bls.govVisit source
- Reference 4HOSPITALITYNEThospitalitynet.orgVisit source
- Reference 5FREDfred.stlouisfed.orgVisit source
- Reference 6NYny.govVisit source
- Reference 7LIGHTCASTlightcast.ioVisit source
- Reference 8SALARYsalary.comVisit source
- Reference 9RESTAURANTBUSINESSONLINErestaurantbusinessonline.comVisit source
- Reference 10QSRMAGAZINEqsrmagazine.comVisit source
- Reference 11NYCGOnycgo.comVisit source
- Reference 12INDEEDindeed.comVisit source
- Reference 13UNITEHEREunitehere.orgVisit source
- Reference 14DOLdol.govVisit source
- Reference 15DATAdata.census.govVisit source
- Reference 16NRAEFnraef.orgVisit source
- Reference 17BIZBASHbizbash.comVisit source
- Reference 18STRstr.comVisit source
- Reference 19OPENTABLEopentable.comVisit source
- Reference 20NIGHTLIFEASSOCIATIONnightlifeassociation.orgVisit source
- Reference 21HOTELNEWSNOWhotelnewsnow.comVisit source
- Reference 22MEETINGSNETmeetingsnet.comVisit source
- Reference 23PKFpkf.comVisit source
- Reference 24GRUBHUBgrubhub.comVisit source
- Reference 25CBREcbre.comVisit source
- Reference 26NCAUSAncausa.orgVisit source
- Reference 27STATISTAstatista.comVisit source
- Reference 28AHLAahla.comVisit source
- Reference 29INDEPENDENTRESTAURANTCOALITIONindependentrestaurantcoalition.comVisit source
- Reference 30JAVITSCENTERjavitscenter.comVisit source
- Reference 31PORTAUTHORITYportauthority.ny.govVisit source
- Reference 32CVENTcvent.comVisit source
- Reference 33AIRBNBNEWSROOMairbnbnewsroom.comVisit source
- Reference 34BROADWAYLEAGUEbroadwayleague.comVisit source
- Reference 35MSGmsg.comVisit source
- Reference 36OSTRostr.comVisit source
- Reference 37THEKNOTtheknot.comVisit source
- Reference 38TRIPADVISORtripadvisor.comVisit source
- Reference 39MUSEUMCOUNCILmuseumcouncil.orgVisit source
- Reference 40EXPEDIAexpedia.comVisit source
- Reference 41PANYNJpanynj.govVisit source
- Reference 42SUSTAINABLETRAVELsustainabletravel.orgVisit source
- Reference 43FAMILYTRAVELfamilytravel.orgVisit source
- Reference 44GBTAgbta.orgVisit source
- Reference 45LONGWOODSRESEARCHlongwoodsresearch.comVisit source
- Reference 46RETAILCOUNCILretailcouncil.orgVisit source
- Reference 47NYCGAYPRIDEnycgaypride.orgVisit source
- Reference 48BOOKINGbooking.comVisit source
- Reference 49CBREcbre.usVisit source
- Reference 50HOSPITALITYDESIGNhospitalitydesign.comVisit source
- Reference 51BOUTIQUEHOTELNEWSboutiquehotelnews.comVisit source
- Reference 52JDPOWERjdpower.comVisit source
- Reference 53CUSHMANWAKEFIELDcushmanwakefield.comVisit source
- Reference 54PHOCUSWRIGHTphocuswright.comVisit source
- Reference 55GREENKEYgreenkey.globalVisit source
- Reference 56LODGINGANALYTICSlodginganalytics.comVisit source
- Reference 57HSMAIhsmai.orgVisit source
- Reference 58PKFOHRIpkfohri.comVisit source
- Reference 59BRINGFIDObringfido.comVisit source
- Reference 60GLOBALSPAglobalspa.comVisit source
- Reference 61ENERGYenergy.govVisit source
- Reference 62FORBESforbes.comVisit source
- Reference 63NEWYORKYIMBYnewyorkyimby.comVisit source
- Reference 64MEWSmews.comVisit source
- Reference 65ZAGATzagat.comVisit source
- Reference 66NRNnrn.comVisit source
- Reference 67GUIDEguide.michelin.comVisit source
- Reference 68PIZZATODAYpizzatoday.comVisit source
- Reference 69THRILLISTthrillist.comVisit source
- Reference 70HAPPYCOWhappycow.netVisit source
- Reference 71FOODHALLTODAYfoodhalltoday.comVisit source
- Reference 72CLOUDKITCHENScloudkitchens.comVisit source
- Reference 73YELPyelp.comVisit source
- Reference 74TOUCHBISTROtouchbistro.comVisit source
- Reference 75RAMENramen.orgVisit source
- Reference 76SEAFOODSOURCEseafoodsource.comVisit source
- Reference 77BRUNCHNYCbrunchnyc.comVisit source
- Reference 78EATEReater.comVisit source
- Reference 79RESYresy.comVisit source
- Reference 80WORLDS50BESTBARSworlds50bestbars.comVisit source
- Reference 81BREADBAKERSGUILDbreadbakersguild.comVisit source
- Reference 82OYSTERALLIANCEoysteralliance.orgVisit source
- Reference 83RESPECTTHEPIErespectthepie.comVisit source
- Reference 84SMOKINGMEATFORUMSsmokingmeatforums.comVisit source