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

June 14, 2006

INTERNATIONAL VISITATION TO THE U.S. GROWS SLIGHTLY IN THE FIRST QUARTER 2006 – MARCH COMPARISON AFFECTED BY EASTER HOLIDAY

The U.S. Department of Commerce today announced that 9.0 million international visitors traveled to the United States during the first quarter 2006, an increase of almost one percent over the first quarter 2005. February visitation was up one percent while March arrivals were down almost eight percent due mostly to the seasonal shift in the Easter holiday period (In 2005 Easter occurred March and in 2006 it was in April).

Highlights include:

• Canadian visitation grew four percent in the first quarter of 2006, which included a three percent growth in February and almost one percent in March.
• Arrivals from Mexico (traveling to interior U.S. points) were up five percent in the first quarter including a 33 percent increase in February and a 25 percent decline in March.
• Overseas arrivals (excluding Canada and Mexico) declined three percent in the first quarter. Arrivals were down nine percent in March preceded by a five percent decline in February.
• Visitation from Western Europe was down 10 percent for the quarter reflecting a 16 percent drop in March and a nine percent decline in February. Arrivals from Eastern Europe, however, continued to grow, up eight percent for the quarter and posting 31 consecutive months in arrivals growth.
• Arrivals from the United Kingdom were down nearly 11 percent in the first quarter impacted mostly from a 16 percent decline in March. Visitors from the U.K. accounted for 46 percent of all Western European arrivals.
• German arrivals were down 7 percent for the quarter with February and March in double digit declines.
• Visitation from Asia increased two percent in the first quarter. Japanese arrivals were flat for the quarter and accounted for 64 percent of all Asian visitors. Arrivals from South Korea, the People’s Republic of China/Hong Kong, Taiwan and India grew in the first quarter.
• Arrivals from South America were up four percent in the first quarter. Double-digit growth in visitation from Argentina and Brazil continued for the quarter. Brazil is the top arrivals market for South America, accounting for 31 percent of arrivals from the region.
• Travel from Oceania increased almost two percent in the first quarter with Australia registering a one percent increase. Australia accounted for 82 percent of all arrivals from Oceania in the first quarter 2006.
• Arrivals from the Middle East increased by 11 percent in the first quarter. Visitation from Africa, Central America and the Caribbean were down for the quarter, however.

To see the top markets and regional data, please go to:
http://www.tinet.ita.doc.gov/view/m-2006-I-001/index.html

In addition, the following is a summary of top port arrival activity for the quarter.

TOP PORTS January – March 2006

Arrivals to the USA by port-of-entry are tracked on a monthly basis. Department of Commerce has arrival data on more than 40 U.S. ports-of-entry from all world regions and 30 countries. A brief analysis is presented on the top 15 ports for overseas arrivals during 2006.

Overseas arrivals (which excludes Canada and Mexico) were down three percent for the first quarter of 2006. Arrivals through the top 15 ports-of-entry accounted for 86 percent of all overseas arrivals.

The top three ports of entry (New York JFK, Miami and Los Angeles) accounted for 37 percent of all overseas arrivals, slightly less than the market share percentage registered in 2005.

Only four of fifteen ports posted increases in arrivals for the first quarter of 2006. Detroit registered a double-digit increase. In 2006 Guam (Agana) moved to fifth position; San Francisco moved to seventh and Detroit moved up to thirteenth. Newark, Chicago and Boston dropped in position.

To access top port activity, go to:
http://www.tinet.ita.doc.gov/view/m-2006-I-001/top_ports.html

SOURCE:

The monthly Summary of International Travel to the U.S. report has approximately 30 tables that provide data on monthly and year-to-date arrivals to the country. The report provides data on approximately 90 countries each month and more than 40 ports of entry. Numerous breakouts are provided by world region and country for the port tables as well.

To find out more about this program, please go to:
http://tinet.ita.doc.gov/research/programs/i94/index.html

If you would like to purchase the monthly international arrivals reports, please go to:
http://www.tinet.ita.doc.gov/research/reports/i94/index.html

U.S. Department of Commerce
International Trade Administration
Office of Travel and Tourism Industries
14th & Constitution Avenue NW, Room 1003
Washington, D.C. 20230
Phone:(202) 482-0140
Fax: (202) 482-2887
Email: Tinet_info@ita.doc.gov