International visitation to US up 13% in March 2007
3.9 million international visitors traveled to the United States in March 2007, an increase of 13 percent over March 2006 as the
U.S. Department of Commerce announced. Total visitation in the first quarter 2007 was up 9 percent from the first quarter 2006. International visitors also spent $9.6 billion during the month, up 11 percent over March 2006.
March data may have benefited 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. Nonetheless, March 2007 arrivals were four percent above March 2005 during which Easter occurred.
Highlights of March 2007 International Arrivals to the United States
- Canadian visitation grew five percent over March 2006 driven by land arrivals, which were up six percent while air arrivals were up three percent. First quarter arrivals were also up five percent.
- Arrivals from Mexico (traveling to interior U.S. points) were up 40 percent in March 2007. This aggregate included air arrivals, which were up 22 percent. Land arrivals jumped 49 percent in March 2007. Air arrivals year-to-date 2007 are up nine percent.
- Overseas arrivals (excluding Canada and Mexico) increased 14 percent over March of 2006 and are up eight percent in the first quarter. Overseas markets have grown for 6 consecutive months.
- Visitation from Western Europe was up 18 percent in March 2007 and 10 percent in the first quarter. Eastern European arrivals, up 12 percent, continued double-digit growth from late 2006.
- Arrivals from the United Kingdom were up 10 percent in March bringing its first quarter increase to three percent. The increase posted in March was the first increase since April 2006. Visitors from the U.K. accounted for 43 percent of all Western European arrivals.
- German, French and Italian arrivals were up 20 percent, 35 percent and 11 percent, respectively, for the month, continuing a growth trend from late 2006. German, French and Italian visits are up double-digit so far this year. Irish and Spanish arrivals jumped 44 and 42 percent, respectively, in March.
- Visitation from Asia increased almost three percent in March and is up two percent in the first quarter. Japanese arrivals were five percent below the March 2006 visitor level, accounting for 59 percent of all Asian visitors for the year. Arrivals from South Korea, India, PR China and Hong Kong grew in March, up six percent, 46 percent, 27 percent and 11 percent, respectively. All grew by double-digits for the first quarter of 2007.
- Travel from Oceania increased 15 percent in March with Australia registering a 16 percent increase. Australia accounted for 83.5 percent of all arrivals from Oceania so far in 2007.
- Visitation from the Caribbean was up 19 percent, overall, in March with air arrivals up 18 percent. Arrivals from the Middle East and Africa increased by 28 percent and 18 percent, respectively, during March.
All three regions have posted double-digit increases in arrivals for the first quarter of 2007.
Top Ports
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 8 percent through March 2007. Arrivals through the top 15 ports-of-entry accounted for 86 percent of all overseas arrivals and were down over one percentage-point from the top 15 in 2006. This indicates increased use of secondary ports.
Eleven of the top fifteen ports posted increases in arrivals for the first three months of 2007. New York posted a 14 percent increase in arrivals keeping ahead of Miami, which increased 10 percent. Arrivals through Newark were up 22 percent moving it into 5th position, ahead of Agana, Guam, which dropped two percent from last year.
Theodore Koumelis
-
Monday, June 25, 2007