International visitation to US up 17 percent in November 2007
3.9 million international visitors traveled to the
United States in November 2007, an increase of 17 percent over November 2006 as the
U.S. Department of Commerce announced. Total visitation for the eleven months of 2007 was up 11 percent from the same period in 2006. International visitors also spent $11.2 billion during the month, up 21 percent from November 2006 and $111.6 billion year-to-date, up 13 percent from the first eleven months in 2006.
Highlights of November 2007 International Arrivals1 to the United States
- Canadian visitation was a “driver,” up 30 percent over November 2006 and 10 percent for the year. Air arrivals were up nine percent for the month and six percent year-to-date.
- Arrivals from Mexico (traveling to interior U.S. points) were up 10 percent in November 2007 and 16 percent for the year. Air arrivals were up nine percent for the month and 10 percent year-to-date.
- Overseas arrivals (excluding Canada and Mexico) were up 11 percent over November 2006 and up 10 percent for the year.
- Visitation from Western Europe, accounting for 47 percent of overseas arrivals, was up 14 percent in November 2007 and 12 percent year-to-date. Arrivals from the United Kingdom were up almost 11 percent in November and 7 year-to-date. Visitors from the U.K. accounted for 41 percent of all Western European arrivals this year.
- The other top Western European countries that also grew by double digits in November were Germany, France and Ireland, up 11 percent, 16 percent and 25 percent, respectively, for the month. Arrivals from Italy, Spain, the Netherlands and Sweden grew 16 percent, 25 percent, 13 percent and 20 percent, respectively, in November. For the 11 months of 2007 a majority of these countries posted double-digit gains.
- Eastern European arrivals were up 17 percent in November and 11 percent for the eleven months of 2007. Visitation from Russia, which accounted for 24 percent of arrivals from Eastern Europe in November, was up by 15 percent.
- Visitation from Asia, accounting for 25 percent of overseas arrivals, increased one percent in November and four percent year-to-date. Growth was driven by visitation from India and the People’s Republic of China, which increased 21 percent and 15 percent, respectively for the month and grew by 42 percent and 24 percent, respectively, for the year. Japanese arrivals were down four percent in November 2007 and for the year. Japan accounted for 55 percent of all Asian visitors so far in 2007 and is the only major market this year with a decline in traffic. South Korean and Taiwanese visitation grew by two percent and eight percent, respectively, for the month, and was up seven percent and four percent year-to-date.
- Arrivals from South America, accounting for 10 percent of overseas arrivals, were up 26 percent in November and 18 percent for the year. Double-digit growth in visitation from Brazil, Venezuela, Colombia and Argentina were noted for the month and year-to-date. Brazil was the top arrivals market for South America, accounting for 28 percent of arrivals from the region in 2007. Central American arrivals were up 18 percent in November and 13 percent for the year. Guatemalan visitation was up 24 percent for the month. ravel from Oceania increased 15 percent in November and 10 percent for the year. Australia increased 15 percent in November and 11 percent for the year accounting for 80 percent of all arrivals from Oceania in 2007.
- Visitation from the Caribbean was down almost six percent in November but still up 10 percent for the year. Air arrivals accounting for 92 percent of all arrivals were down six percent for the month. Although visitation from the Dominican Republic was up three percent in November arrivals from the Bahamas dropped 56 percent.
- Middle Eastern arrivals were up 13 percent in November and 12 percent for the year. Israel accounted for 51 percent of arrivals from the Middle East and was up 11 percent for the year. African visitation increased by 12 percent in November and 10 percent for the year.
TOP PORTS November 2007 Year-to-Date
Overseas arrivals (which exclude Canada and Mexico) were up 10 percent through November 2007. Arrivals through the top 15 ports-of-entry accounted for 83 percent of all overseas arrivals, about the same as the total arriving through these ports in the eleven months of 2006.
Twelve of the top fifteen ports posted increases in arrivals for the eleven months of 2007. Eight of the top airports posted double-digit increases. New York JFK maintained its lead in non-resident arrivals with a 16 percent increase. Arrivals through Newark were up 16 percent, moving it into 4th position, ahead of Honolulu, which declined two percent compared to 2006. San Francisco moved into 6th position, ahead of Chicago ORD. Boston, Detroit and Houston IAH moved into 12th, 13th and 14th positions, ahead of Orlando Sanford which declined three percent compared to 2006, dropping from 12th to 15th position.
Theodore Koumelis
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Tuesday, February 12, 2008