The White House has new details for the return of international travelers on November 8th. Tweaks to the guidance will make it easier for families to travel (children under 18 will be exempted from the vaccine requirement) and there will be exceptions for emergency, humanitarian, and medical reasons. Recent data shows a rise in bookings to the U.S. in tandem with reopening borders, with clear peaks at the point of reopening and again for the winter holidays. In mid-October, NYC's weekend hotel occupancy reached a pandemic-era high of over 80%. Read on for other signs of NYC and tourism comebacks.

With the return of international tourism imminent, pieces are falling into place. Airline routes will stabilize and other nations will follow the U.S.'s lead, unfreezing borders around the world. We are confident a significant traveler flow is coming our way. The timing is excellent for the city's holiday push. The return of tourism tracks other indicator's of the city's health, like the luxury sales market—which is breaking records with three months of the year yet to go. There are lots of bright points on the opening/reopening front as well.

It's "a major turning point," in the words of U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Roger Dow. The Biden Administration is finally relaxing the rules that have kept international visitors out of the city for a year and a half. The new requirements are not too onerous—vaccines and a negative Covid test, with exceptions for kids too young to be vaccinated yet. 

There’s less traffic, so things are a bit easier for pedestrians, and you don’t have to worry as much about the reckless drivers in Midtown, for example. The Upper East Side has a reputation for being safe, charming, and a bit luxurious too. You are away from some of the city's touristy areas, but you can always get there if you’d like to. The following are some general things visitors should know about staying on Manhattan’s Upper East Side.

The city's schools are full of kids again. Vaccine mandate enforcement has gone into effect. Major Broadway players are back under the lights. Things continue to change quickly and the majority of it is for the better for tourism's return. Read on for more good news on the opening and reopening front.

Although the Delta variant's impact on the economy is drawing most of the headlines, it's worth noting the good news for New York that's out there as well. The city will not be competing with European destinations in light of new international restrictions. On the domestic front, the number one fall destination for Airbnb searchers? That would be New York City. NYC will be ready to greet these visitors—many coming for longer stretches than usual—as reopening news continues to post.

This week we're confronting the E.U.'s decision to drop the U.S. from its list of COVID-safe countries for travel. Strictly taking a tourism point of view, New York becomes an even stronger attraction for those seeking European lures without enduring passport control. The word is getting out about New York's commitment to safety, too—a round-up of top Labor Day destinations includes NYC at #5 thanks to our vaccine requirements (the Washington Post called us out as well for being a safe option).

New York is becoming the perfect vaping destination for many tourists, as you can now legally vape in public in the city. The new law allows vaping in hotel rooms, common restaurant areas, sports arenas, workplaces, adult clubs, and any other places allowing legal vaping.

The Governor is gone and the auto show is canceled. Again, lots of changes in a short span of time. Neither will have much downward drag on tourism's gradual return, with reports from malls and a major retailer that traffic has been ticking up in the last week. As the Delta variant intensifies in unvaccinated parts of the country, the reopening of international borders will be pushed back, increasing the opportunities for domestic travel. We do need to get through this period of hesitation, but on the other side there will be more and more draws for visitors to NYC.

New York City is larger than life—not merely in terms of its geographical size, but in its spread of arts and culture, food, and entertainment laid out for the wide-eyed traveler. With such stunning choice and complexity, no two visits will be the same. While there is a breed of travelers who routinely journey to New York, there is an equally large number of folks who will likely make the trip only once in their lifetime. Here are five simple tips to make the most of a visit to the city that never sleeps.

The Met is back over 10,000 visitors a day. Hotels may not be at capacity yet, but they're getting close. As a commenter put it on the Everything To Do NYC Facebook Group this week, "The city has come alive again and it's amazing!" Once again, the reopenings and returns continue to roll in.

Today we’re covering some great writing spots every student should visit in this city. The list is far from exhaustive, but it should be a great starting point. This city is full of treasures that we couldn’t possibly list in a single article. So, I instead made a list of the best of them—the ones that you have to see, no matter what.

The world's smallest art masterpiece. The famous art you're probably carrying in your wallet. New York City’s unique resilience. The Behind The Experience video series discovers these and more little-known city secrets hidden inside the Museum of the City of New York.

Here are a few tips to get you started on your way to finding the perfect apartment for you in New York City.

The return of indoor dining, middle schools, and pop-up performing arts all point to a rapidly restoring New York City. Broader traveler sentiments reflect that as well. A recent survey by market research firm Destination Analytics shows cities back on top of leisure travel plans.