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

October 16, 2008

INTERNATIONAL VISITATION UP 10 PERCENT IN FIRST SEVEN MONTHS OF 2008
SPENDING AT $83.5 BILLION FOR THE YEAR

July Arrivals 2 Percent Above July 2007

The U.S. Department of Commerce announced that 29.3 million international visitors traveled to the United States during the first seven months of 2008, an increase of 10 percent over the same period in 2007. In July 2008, total visitation was 5.4 million, an increase of 2 percent over July 2007.

International visitors spent $83.5 billion from January through July 2008, an increase of 24 percent over the first seven months of 2007. In July 2008, visitors spent a record $12.7 billion, an increase of 21 percent over July 2007.

The Official International Trade Administration press release on the July 2008 international arrivals is located on the web at:
http://ita.doc.gov/press/press_releases/2008/tourism_101508.asp

HIGHLIGHTS: July 2008 International Arrivals¹ to the United States

• Year-to-date 2008, Canadian visitation grew 14 percent over the same period in 2007 driven by land arrivals, up 14 percent. At the same time, air arrivals increased 13 percent.
• Arrivals from Mexico (traveling to interior² U.S. points) decreased three percent during the first seven months of 2008. Land arrivals decreased two percent and air arrivals for the year were down four percent.
• Overseas (excludes Canada and Mexico) arrivals increased 10 percent in July and year-to-date. Visitation from overseas markets has grown for 15 consecutive months.
• Visitation from Western Europe was up 19 percent for July and 17 percent year-to-date, accounting for 47 percent of overseas arrivals.

• Arrivals from the United Kingdom were up eight percent in July and year-to-date. Visitors from the United Kingdom accounted for 38 percent of all Western European arrivals.
• Year-to-date, German arrivals increased 20 percent, French arrivals grew 27 percent, and Italian arrivals were also up 27 percent, continuing growth trends from 2007. For the first seven months of 2008, visitation from the Netherlands grew 29 percent. At the same time, visitors from Spain and Ireland grew 33 percent and 17 percent, respectively. Arrivals from Sweden and Switzerland were up 22 percent and 18 percent, respectively, for the year.
• Visitation from Asia increased one percent year-to-date. Japanese arrivals decreased four percent year-to-date. Japan accounts for 51 percent of all Asian visitors for the year. Year-to-date, arrivals from South Korea were flat, but for the month, arrivals decreased eight percent. India and PR China, grew ten percent and 30 percent, respectively. Taiwanese visitation decreased four percent in the first seven months of 2008.
• Arrivals from South America were up 14 percent year-to-date. Year-to-date, double-digit growth in visitation was observed from Brazil, Venezuela, and Argentina. From South America, top arrivals were from Brazil, accounting for 31 percent of arrivals from the region.
• Visitation from the Caribbean area decreased six percent year-to-date. Air arrivals from the Caribbean were also down six percent for the year. During the first seven months of 2008, there was a 10 percent decrease in arrivals from the Dominican Republic, a six percent decline from Jamaica, and a 32 percent drop from the Bahamas.
• Travel from Oceania increased five percent year-to-date. Australia registered a five percent expansion year-to-date. Year-to-date, Australia accounted for 81 percent of all arrivals from Oceania.
• Central American arrivals increased three percent year-to-date.
• Arrivals from the Middle East increased 10 percent year-to-date. For the first seven months of 2008, Israel’s visitation increased seven percent.
• Eastern European arrivals grew 13 percent year-to-date. Russian visitation increased 27 percent for the first seven months of 2008.
• African visitation was up 16 percent year-to-date.

To access the 2008 monthly arrivals data for world regions and top markets, visit
http://www.tinet.ita.doc.gov/view/m-2008-I-001/index.html

TOP PORTS: Year-to-Date July 2008

Arrivals to the United States by port-of-entry are tracked on a monthly basis. The U.S. Department of Commerce has arrival data on more than 40 U.S. ports-of-entry from all world regions and 30 countries, with a brief analysis presented on the top 15 ports for overseas arrivals during 2008.

Year-to-date, overseas arrivals (excluding Canada and Mexico) were up 10 percent through July 2008. Arrivals through the top 15 ports-of-entry accounted for 84 percent of all overseas arrivals, about the same as last year.

Thirteen of the top fifteen ports posted increases in arrivals for the first seven months of 2008. Arrivals increased by double digits through nine of the ports. Arrivals through San Francisco were up 12 percent, moving it into 5th position ahead of Honolulu, which experienced a seven percent decline in arrivals. Atlanta, increasing 15 percent, moved into 8th place ahead of Agana, Guam. Houston, increasing 13 percent, moved into 12th place ahead of Detroit. At the same time, arrivals through Philadelphia increased 32 percent, moving it into the 15th spot.

To access top port activity, go to OTTI monthly arrival page above and scroll down the page until you see the yellow title bar entitled: 2008 Monthly Top Airports for Overseas Non-Resident Arrivals. Click on the Excel file to view the monthly port figures.

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://www.tinet.ita.doc.gov/research/programs/i94/index.html

If you would like to subscribe to 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 (OTTI)
1401 Constitution Avenue N.W., Room 1003
Washington, D.C.  20230
Phone: (202) 482-0140
Fax: (202) 482-2887
Email: Tinet_info@ita.doc.gov

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.  Also, OTTI has included non-immigrant visa type ‘E’ treaty traders or investors and ‘I’ representatives of foreign information media into the counts to more accurately reflect business visitation.

² The U.S. ‘interior’ begins 40 kilometers (25 miles) north of the U.S.-Mexico border.  This distinguishes longer-haul travelers, including air passengers, from short-haul border crossers.