5.4 Bright Lights, Big City

WEALTH AS A VACATION

cities are prime locations for VRP. Be aware that in most of these locations, you will be on your own with no organized full-service vacation rental management company near you. However, if you are living within an hour of metropolitan vacation hotspot, running your own VRP is a good way to start in this business. You can operate one or more VRP units and grow your business close to home, all while preparing to diversify to distant locations and into resorts—where the big profi ts and family benefi ts happen.

Below is a list of the most visited American cities by vacationing families. If you live near one of these massive metropolitan locales, with access to the attractions like sports stadiums, theaters, historic monuments, et cetera, you are in a prime location for VRP. The numbers of tourists coming to your area has a direct impact on the viability of an operating VRP.

Without further ado, here are some of the most visited cities in the US. Annual visitor numbers were sourced from WorldAtlas.com:

1. New York, New York (59.7 million annual visitors): Of course, the Big Apple is number one on the list. Located on the east coast by the New York Harbor, where the Hudson River drains into the New York Bay and on to the Atlantic Ocean, NYC features the Empire State Building, the Statue of Liberty, Central Park, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and Broadway theater productions near Times Square in Manhattan.43

2. Chicago, Illinois (54.1 million annual visitors): Located on the shores of Lake Michigan, the “Windy City” off ers an excellent arts scene, unique architecture, and lots of shopping along Michigan Avenue and beyond. City attractions include Grant Park, the Museum of Science and Industry, Shedd Aquarium, the Art

43. https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/the-most-visited-cities-in-the-us.html Accessed May 24, 2019.

CHAPTER 5

Institute, the John Hancock Center, Tribune Tower, the Wrigley Building, and Navy Pier.

3. Atlanta, Georgia (51 million annual visitors): A major urban center of the southeastern region of the country, Atlanta’s main tourist attractions include the Georgia Aquarium, CNN headquarters, and the World of Coca-Cola. Visitors also enjoy the Atlanta History Center and the Michael C. Carlos Museum, featuring ancient Egyptian, Greek, and Roman art in the southeastern region.

4. Anaheim/Orange County, California (48.2 million annual visitors): Most of the visitors to this region are there for Disneyland, the fi rst amusement park by Walt Disney. In addition, Anaheim off ers tourists day trips to nearby Catalina Island, whale watching tours, and Knott’s Berry Farm amusement park.

5. Orlando, Florida (48 million annual visitors): Located in central Florida, Orlando welcomes its tourists mainly to Walt Disney World, which includes Animal Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, Epcot, and Magic Kingdom. Universal is another popular attraction in Orlando that now features hugely popular Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Kennedy Space Center is about an hour away and features a NASA visitor area and space mission launch site.

6. Los Angeles, California (47.3 million annual visitors): Home to world-famous neighborhoods such as Beverly Hills and Hollywood, Los Angeles is also famous for its beaches, including Venice Beach and Santa Monica. Studio tours are another popular option for visitors.

7. Las Vegas, Nevada (42.9 million annual visitors): Located in the Mojave Desert, Las Vegas is famous for gambling, shopping,