an economic injection for New York

Andrea Reyes is a young Colombian woman who works in a restaurant near the United Nations headquarters in New York. In recent days, she explained, the business in which she works has registered a considerable increase in clients, many of whom have expressly traveled to the Big Apple for the UN General Assembly.

“They are diplomats, there are also politicians, Secret Service personnel, they come from all over the world, most of them are international clients,” said this employee in statements to the voice of america while offering the service to a South African delegation.

And it’s not the only one. Other restaurants have also seen an increase in turnover, as have hotels, where they are fully registered these days. In general, this high-level summit has represented a positive change for the population of Manhattan, in part because it represents an economic respite for local businesses impacted by the two years of the pandemic.

Gabino, who runs a flower stall on one of the streets leading to the United Nations building, has also found that there is much more activity this week compared to other days.

“Due to the pandemic, all the businesses closed and nothing was being sold. But now, thanks to the event here at the United Nations, a lot of people have come and I’m selling a little more than before”, he said satisfied between bouquets of daisies and roses.

It is estimated that diplomats spend up to four times more than a tourist. So it doesn’t matter the chaos that this assembly generates in the lives of New Yorkers because the important thing, they say, is that those who come leave money.

For many of the residents of Manhattan, this is just a week of discomfort, with the city practically armored and with many difficulties to move around the city. And it is that despite the problems generated by the closure of streets and the strong police presence in this area, some are grateful that this, after all, means a good economic injection for businesses.

“A lot of money moves, the hotels are full and there is a lot going on, that means there is a lot more work,” said Julio Rosado, who has lived in the Big Apple for more than a decade.

Connect with the Voice of America! Subscribe to our channel Youtube and turn on notifications, or follow us on social media: Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.