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

July 16, 2007

INTERNATIONAL VISITATION UP TWO PERCENT IN APRIL 2007
Year-To-Date Arrivals Seven Percent Above Last Year

The U.S. Department of Commerce announced that 4.0 million international visitors traveled to the United States in April 2007, an increase of almost two percent over April 2006. Total visitation in for the first four months of 2007 was up seven percent from the same period in 2006. International visitors also spent $9.7 billion during the month, up 10 percent from April 2006 and $38.0 billion year-to-date, up eight percent from the same period in 2006.

April traffic data suffered slightly from the positioning of the Easter holidays this year, April 8, 2007 vs. April 16, 2006. In other words, some early holiday inbound traffic may have moved in latter March this year rather than in April.

Highlights of April 2007 International Arrivals¹ to the United States

• Canadian visitation grew three percent over April 2006 driven by air arrivals, which were up five percent with land arrivals up two percent. Year-to-date arrivals were up four percent.
• Arrivals from Mexico (traveling to interior U.S. points) were up three percent in April 2007. This aggregate included air arrivals, which were down two percent while land arrivals increased by five percent in April 2007. Air arrivals year-to-date 2007 are up five percent.
• Overseas arrivals (excluding Canada and Mexico) were flat in April 2007 but were up six percent for the year compared to the first four months of 2006.
• Visitation from Western Europe was down two percent in April 2007, but is up six percent year-to-date. Eastern European arrivals were up eight percent in April and 12 percent for the first four months of 2007.
• Arrivals from the United Kingdom were down almost seven percent in April bringing it to flat growth year-to-date. Visitors from the U.K. accounted for 43 percent of all Western European arrivals.
• Although German arrivals were down 12 percent, French and Italian arrivals were up 23 percent and 17 percent, respectively, for the month, continuing growth trends from late 2006 which were up double-digits so far this year. Arrivals from the Netherlands and Ireland grew 12 and three percent, respectively, in April.
• Visitation from Asia increased two percent in April and was up two percent year-to-date. Japanese arrivals were five percent below the April 2006 visitor level, accounting for 58 percent of all Asian visitors for the year. Arrivals from India and PR China jumped 55 percent and 14 percent, respectively for the month and were up double digits for the year.
• Arrivals from South America were up four percent in April. Double-digit growth in visitation from Argentina and Brazil were noted for April and year-to-date. Brazil was the top arrivals market for South America, accounting for 30 percent of arrivals from the region. Central American arrivals were down one percent in April, but up four percent for the year.
• Travel from Oceania increased eight percent in April with Australia registering a nine percent increase. Australia accounted for 83 percent of all arrivals from Oceania so far in 2007.
• Visitation from the Caribbean was down four percent, overall, in April due to a four percent drop in air arrivals. Middle Eastern arrivals were down six percent in April while African visitation increased by six percent. The latter regions have posted double-digit increases in arrivals for the first four months of 2007.

To access the 2007 monthly arrivals data for world regions and top markets, visit http://www.tinet.ita.doc.gov/view/m-2007-I-001/index.html

The following is a summary of top port arrival activity for April 2007 year-to-date.

TOP PORTS April 2007 Year-to-Date

Arrivals to the USA by port-of-entry are tracked on a monthly basis. The 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 2007.

Overseas arrivals (which excludes Canada and Mexico) were up six percent through April 2007. Arrivals through the top 15 ports-of-entry accounted for 85 percent of all overseas arrivals about the same percentage as in 2006.

Ten of the top fifteen ports posted increases in arrivals for the first four months of 2007. Five of these airports posted double-digit increases.  New York increased by 12 percent increase in arrivals keeping ahead of Miami, which increased seven percent.  Arrivals through Newark were up 16 percent moving it into 4th position, ahead of Honolulu, which dropped seven percent from last year. San Francisco and Chicago moved ahead of Agana, Guam. 

To access top port activity, go to: http://www.tinet.ita.doc.gov/view/m-2007-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

¹ (The U.S. Department of Commerce complies with the UN World Tourism Organization (WTO) standard definition and class of international travelers when reporting monthly and annual arrivals data. This standard excludes all day-trippers from any of the counts/estimates including those from Canada and Mexico.)

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