True but for many places in the world, NYC is still bargain prices for them. Especially if their "dollar" has a little more purchasing power. My husband's co-workers come in from Sweden with empty suitcases and load up on brand name duds because they can get them for half the cost of basic clothes in Scandinavia. They go crazy for all those big name jeans that sell for $200 a pair because they are used to $150 for a basic pair of Levis.
My daughter who goes to college in NYC works part time as a greeter ($30.00/hour, it’s sort of a modeling/living mannequin type gig) at the Fifth Avenue Flagship Hollister store in Manhattan says the clientele with money to spend are largely the foreign tourists - often Asians. She is grateful she has the job as she is (mostly) paying her own way through college and works hard so she is thankful for these tourists. The store would be struggling without them.
Let’s hope the Occupiers don’t come back this summer and kill all tourism. Even for those who don’t have much use for NYC - it would be a sad day if it turned into a Detroit or other failed city because it does have a lot to offer.