New York is welcoming back visitors with open arms after the US ended its 20-month Covid travel restrictions, but it will likely take several years before the number of tourists to the Big Apple reaches pre-pandemic levels, reports AFP.

Slowly the city has come back to life: Broadway is in full flow again and restaurants and bars are busy. Many workers have yet to return to offices though, leaving business districts still feeling quieter than before Covid-19.

New York requires proof of vaccination to enter museums, theatres, cinemas and restaurants, providing a sense of comfort for residents and visitors.

“We feel completely safe and we even tend to forget everything we've been through, and it feels good,” said Eglantine Lasserre, who was on the first flight to New York out of France.