NEW YORK (CBSNewYork / AP) - Mayor Michael Bloomberg and NYC & Company CEO George Fertitta had projected a record 50.2 million visitors to New York City in 2011. But it turns out another 300,000 showed up at the end of the year.

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That’s 3.5 percent more visitors than the number recorded in 2010.

“One of the primary influences, clearly we had wonderful weather during December,” said Fertitta on Wednesday.

He said that helped them exceed the average 125,000 visitors per day.

Fertitta believes a lot of international travelers extended their stays.

Also, he says, “Of course those people that live within a 150-mile radius that come in often for the day and spend all day here, they were coming in droves.”

He said visitor spending hit $32 billion, the highest in the nation. The numbers are compiled from sources including hotels and airlines.

The city hopes to also have at least 50 million visitors this year.

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