Business Booms Memorial Day Weekend

Memorial Day weekend provided a larger-than-expected boost to the economy.

The Greater Boston Convention and Visitors Bureau says there were 1.3 million more people visiting the Boston-area this past weekend than last year. That’s a 6 percent increase.

Tourism officials tell the Boston Globe that lower gasoline prices and major sporting events brought out-of-towners to the city.

They say a lot of New Yorkers drove in for the Red Sox series against the Mets and the national college lacrosse championships.