TInews Archive #20040108.html

Date:	Thur, 8 Jan 2004
From:	TInews Announcement <announce@tinet.ita.doc.gov>
To:	TInews Announcement <tiannounce@tinet.ita.doc.gov>
Subject:	October 2003 International Arrivals to the U.S. - First Sign of Positive Growth Since Early 2003

=== TINEWS ===================================

January 8, 2004

Contact: Office of Travel and Tourism Industries
E-mail: tinet_info@ita.doc.gov
Web: http://tinet.ita.doc.gov
Phone: (202) 482-0140, Fax: (202) 482-2887

October 2003 International Arrivals to the U.S. - First Sign of Positive Growth Since Early 2003

During October, the U.S. welcomed 2.9 million international visitors, a one percent increase over last year, marking the first positive growth since January 2003. The growth of inbound travel contributed to the lessening of the year-to-date decline that now stands at less than six percent. Year-to-date arrivals totaled over 28.7 million visitors. To some extent the declines in March were partially offset by the gains in April due to the different dates in the occurrence of Easter (March 31, 2002 vs. April 20, 2003)

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• Total Overseas Arrivals in October (excluding Canada and Mexico) numbered 1.7 million, up one percent, and represented the first positive growth since January 2003. Year-to-date 2003 visitations of 14.8 million were down eight percent, a one basis point improvement over last month's (September) year-to-date.
  
• Western Europe, up four percent, showed the strongest growth among the major world regions in October. Year-to-date 2003 arrivals of 6.8 million were down by less than one percent.
  
• Asian visitation continued to decline in October, but at a lesser rate, down four percent. Year-to-date 2003 arrivals of 4.1 million were down 15 percent, a one basis point improvement over September's year-to-date decline.
  
• Other regions that experienced growth were: Eastern Europe, up five percent, the Middle East, up eight percent, and Africa, up three percent.

Salient top market results are as follows:

• Canadian arrivals increased by one percent in October, snapping back from the previous month's eight percent decline. Year-to-date visitation of 10.9 million was down three percent, nearly a one basis point improvement from the previous month.
  
• Arrivals from Mexico were flat in October. Year-to-date visitation, registered at 3 million, was down three percent.
  
• Japanese visitors to the U.S. totaled 310,000, a drop of four percent for the month. The monthly decline in Japanese visitors has been lessening, with October data showing the best performance since February. Year-to-date arrivals of 2.5 million were down by 16 percent, a two basis point improvement from September year-to-date totals.
  
• United Kingdom visitation increased by eight percent in October, with 398,000 arrivals. This was the largest monthly increase since January. Year-to-date U.K. arrivals totaled 3.2 million, up three percent.
  
• German travel to the U.S. increased by two percent in October after declining in the previous month. Year-to-date arrivals of 992,000 were down by two percent.
  
• Significant growth occurred in visitation from Spain, Sweden and Brazil, with increases of 12 percent, 10 percent and 14 percent, respectively, in October 2003. On a year-to-date basis, arrivals from Spain were up three percent, from Sweden, up one percent and down 19 percent for Brazil.
  
• The other top 20 overseas markets that showed growth in October 2003 were Italy, four percent, Netherlands, two percent and Taiwan, six percent. France, however, registered a 10 percent decline.

To access the monthly arrivals data that provides arrival totals and percent change for 11 world regions and 19 countries, go to: http://tinet.ita.doc.gov/view/m-2003-I-001/index.html

Top Ports January-October 2003

• Arrivals at the top 15 ports of entry accounted for 85 percent of all overseas arrivals in the January-October 2003 time frame. Total overseas arrivals, year-to-date, as reported above were down eight percent approximating the decline at the top 15 ports. The top three ports of entry (New York - JFK, Miami and Los Angeles) accounted for 37 percent of all overseas arrivals to the U.S.
  
• New York - JFK Airport, Chicago O'Hare, Newark and Boston all registered declines of less than eight percent.
  
• Orlando and Sanford, Florida airports were the only of the top15 airports to post year-to-date increases in arrivals.
  
• Agana, Guam continued to register the largest contraction, at 28 percent.
  
• New York - JFK held on as the leading port of entry year-over-year, maintaining its lead over Miami for the last five months. Chicago held onto position five and Washington, D.C. displaced Atlanta from position nine. Sanford remained at position thirteen, having displaced Detroit and Houston.

To access top port activity, go to: http://www.tinet.ita.doc.gov/view/m-2003-I-001/port_entry03.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 over 40 ports-of-entry. Numerous breakouts are provided by world region and country for the port tables as well. To learn 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 arrival reports for 2002 and 2003, please go to: http://www.tinet.ita.doc.gov/research/reports/i94/upcoming/index.html

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Office of Travel and Tourism Industries, International Trade Administration
U.S. Department of Commerce, Room 7025
Washington, D.C. 20230
(202) 482-0140, fax: (202) 482-2887
e-mail: tinet_info@ita.doc.gov

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