MORE THAN 30 CITIES AND 20 STATES AND TERRITORIES POST DOUBLE-DIGIT GROWTH IN OVERSEAS VISITATION IN 2004

The U.S. Commerce Department reported 32 cities and 22 states/territories posted double-digit growth in visitation in 2004. Among the top 20 cities visited, New York City, Washington, Las Vegas and Chicago posted the strongest growth for 2004. Among the top 20 states/territories visited, Virginia, New York, Arizona and Utah posted the largest growth rates when comparing annual 2004 to 2003 visitation growth estimates.

"The 13 percent growth in arrivals to the U.S. for 2004 represents the best single-year growth in overseas arrivals to the country since 1995," said Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Services Douglas B. Baker. "The strong showing by U.S. destinations illustrates the diversity and interest that international visitors have in our states, cities and territories."

Highlights of International Arrivals to the United States

• New York surpassed Florida as the top state/territory visited by overseas travelers in 2004. California was the third-most popular destination.
  
• New York, Florida, California, Hawaii, Nevada, and Guam all hosted more than one million visitors in 2004.
  
• Among the top 20 states, Virginia, New York, Arizona, and Utah posted the strongest growth.
  
• The top cities visited by overseas travelers in 2004 were: New York City, Los Angeles, Miami, Orlando, Honolulu, San Francisco, Las Vegas, and Washington, D.C. All hosted more than one million visitors in 2004.
  
• The strongest growth in visitation among the top 20 cities visited were New York City, Washington, D.C., Las Vegas and Chicago.

In addition to the total overseas visitation estimates, which exclude Canada and Mexico, Commerce also released visitation estimates by world region and for more than 20 countries. The market profiles not only provide census region, state/territory and city visitation estimates; they also illustrate some of the key traveler characteristics of overseas travelers to the United States.

The 2004 profile of overseas travelers to the U.S. provides detailed traveler characteristics for all overseas travelers to the U.S., as well as for leisure and business travelers. The significant differences in these travelers may be viewed and compared to past years in order to track changes occurring with overseas visitors to this country.

To view the tables, charts and analyses on the destinations visited in 2004, visit
http://www.tinet.ita.doc.gov/outreachpages/index.html#inbound.