TI News: An information service from Office of Travel & Tourism Industries (OTTI)

April 11, 2007

Preliminary 2006 Visitation and Spending Data Available
International Visitors Open Wallets Wider Than Ever; Arrivals Near 2000 Record

The U.S. Department of Commerce, Office of Travel and Tourism Industries today released preliminary international visitation and spending data for 2006. More than a dozen datasets have been published—ranging from the top 50 markets for international visitation to the United States to country-level visitor spending details for more than 20 countries and most major world regions.

The U.S. travel and tourism industry exported a record-breaking $107.8 billion of travel and tourism-related goods and services in 2006, an increase of more than $5 billion (5%) over 2005. The previous record—$103.1 billion—was set in 2000, prior to the September 11, 2001 attacks that subsequently led to three years of continuous declines. 2006 marks the full recovery of U.S. travel and tourism exports and the eighteenth consecutive year the industry has enjoyed a balance of trade surplus for travel and tourism.

When compared to 2005, international visitor spending by many European countries declined in 2006; total U.S. travel and tourism exports to Europe declined one percent in 2006. However, spending increases from Indian visitors (55%), Chinese visitors (21%), Canadian visitors (16%), and Brazilian visitors (11%) helped propel the industry into record-breaking territory.

International visitation to the United States (one night or longer) increased 4 percent to 51.1 million visitors in 2006, just shy of the previous record also set in 2000 when the United States welcomed 51.2 million international visitors. Moreover, ten of the top fifty markets set visitation records in 2006; six of the top twenty-five markets posted double-digit growth.

The Office of Travel and Tourism Industries projections suggest that nearly 53 million international travelers will visit America in 2007, surpassing the record previously set in 2000 when the United States welcomed more than 51.2 million international visitors.

The Office of Travel and Tourism Industries publishes visitation data for more than 200 countries that generate visitors to the United States, as well as visitation data for each world region.

To learn more about international visitation and visitor spending in the United States, access the 2006 data tables, and to read additional analyses of these data, please visit:
http://tinet.ita.doc.gov/outreachpages/inbound.general_information.inbound_overview.html