Black Friday Crowds Expected to Surge in New York City

New Yorkers hoping to snag great deals this Black Friday might be met with even larger crowds this year, based on statistics shared by the city on Wednesday.

Last year’s Black Friday saw record-high traffic in key areas like Bryant Park, Times Square, and SoHo. In fact, around 1 million visitors flocked to the shopping hub last year, and many expect that number to rise significantly in 2025, per an analysis from the Economic Development Corporation.

At the same time, local business owners are expanding into retail districts across Queens, Brooklyn, and the Bronx. Some of these areas experienced double-digit increases in shopper traffic between 2023 and 2024.

Mayor Eric Adams commented, “From vibrant holiday markets to iconic department stores, New York City’s holiday festivals generate hundreds of millions of dollars into the economy and attract visitors from across the country and around the world.” He continued, “Our administration is focused on opening more streets to pedestrians, ensuring safety during major holiday events, and supporting small businesses across all five boroughs. This effort has helped grow the city’s holiday economy year after year.”

In terms of tourism, the Big Apple welcomed 64.3 million visitors in 2024, making it the second most frequented year in the city’s recorded history. The report indicated that Times Square saw an increase of 48,000 more tourists on an average weekend last December compared to the previous year, while Fifth Avenue noticed an uptick of about 27,000 visitors.

On a typical weekend in 2024, crowds were notably higher: Bryant Park was 2.6 times busier, Fifth Avenue recorded 2.3 times more visitors, and Times Square was 1.5 times busier than average.

It seems, perhaps not surprisingly, that around two-thirds of Black Friday visitors to Times Square were from outside the city’s five boroughs, with about half hailing from beyond the metropolitan area. Jamaica, a suburban area of Manhattan, along with Flushing in Queens, welcomed 170,000 visitors on Black Friday 2024—a rise of over 11,000 from the previous year.

Fordham Road in the Bronx and Metro Tech in Brooklyn both recorded an 11% increase in Black Friday traffic from 2023 to 2024.

As for overall visitor numbers, New York City recorded an impressive 64.3 million tourists in 2024. Yet, economic uncertainties loom, raising questions about whether those numbers can be topped in 2025. Experts predict that around 2 million fewer international tourists are expected to arrive this year, translating into a potential loss of $4 billion in foreign tourism by 2025.

On a single day like Black Friday, the city typically sees an average economic boost of about $500 million, according to City Hall.

“The holiday season in New York City is unlike any other, and the economic energy we experience during this time is something to celebrate throughout all five boroughs,” noted Andrew Kimball, president and CEO of EDC. He expressed enthusiasm for welcoming millions of visitors this year, emphasizing that their spending would have a significant positive impact on local businesses, from Bryant Park to Flushing to Fordham and beyond.