According to the Downtown Alliance’s 2011 Year in Review, 9.8 million tourists visited Lower Manhattan’s major museums, events and attractions last year -- 800,000 more than in 2010. The growth -- an 8 percent increase over 2010 -- reflects growing interest in all that Lower Manhattan has to offer and comes amid a citywide tourism boost.

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and NYC & Company, the city’s official marketing, tourism and partnership organization, recently announced that New York City ended 2011 with a new record of 50.5 million visitors, with visitor spending reaching an estimated $32 billion. The National September 11 Memorial Plaza, which opened in September 2011, has been a significant draw to the district, attracting 1 million visitors in its first three and a half months.

According to Downtown Alliance research, the number of tourists visiting below Chambers Street was 7 million in 2008, grew to almost 8 million in 2009, and reached 9 million in 2010. The remarkable growth the generated more demands for hotel rooms in the district. Five hotels opened below Chambers Street in 2010 and 18 hotels opened since 2001 -- triple the number of hotels that existed pre-9/11. The former Embassy Suites Hotel has been completely overhauled and will reopen in March as the Conrad New York, and seven additional hotels are in the pipeline and slated for completion by 2014. Today, there are 4,092 rooms in Lower Manhattan with an average occupancy rate of 80 percent. The expected additions to the market will bring the inventory to 5,074 rooms in 25 hotels.