Squarely back in business
Times Square is buzzing brightly once again, as the glitzy attraction recently celebrated its 180th business opening since the pandemic — finally surpassing the 179 businesses that Covid-19 permanently shuttered.
As rubbing shoulders with strangers was the last thing on anyone's mind during the pandemic, daily visitor numbers plummeted from an average of over 360,000 in 2019 to just 125,000 in 2020, only inching up to a little over 172,000 the following year, per the Times Square Alliance.
Having once held the coveted title of the most visited location in the world, reaching its pre-pandemic neon highs was never going to happen overnight for Times Square. However, with businesses reopening, hotel bookings are also on the up — the area accounted for a quarter of the $1.9 billion worth of hotel transactions in Manhattan this year. Although visitor numbers have inched closer to 2019 levels so far in 2023, no month has yet brought the iconic intersection back to its former footfall heights.
