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USA; International visitation down six percent in July 2009 spending

The U.S. Department of Commerce announces that 5.1 million international visitors traveled to the United States in July 2009, a decrease of six percent compared to July 2008. Total visitation in the first seven months of 2009 was down 10 percent compared to the same period in 2008. International visitors spent $9.6 billion during the month, nearly 24 percent less than visitors spent in July 2008. July 2009 marks the ninth straight month of decreases in international visitor spending. In the first seven months of 2009, visitors spent $69.2 billion, down nearly 17 percent from the same period in 2008.

Canada and Mexico
- In July 2009, Canadian visitation declined eight percent compared to July 2008. Measured by mode, land arrivals (1.4 million) declined by nine percent and air arrivals (395,000) decreased eight percent. In the first seven months of 2009, visitation from Canada decreased nine percent, with land arrivals (6.4 million) down nine percent and air arrivals (3.6 million) down nine percent.
- Visitation from Mexico (traveling to interior U.S. points) totaled 762,000, up four percent in July 2009. For the month, land arrivals (563,000) increased 11 percent and air arrivals (195,000) decreased 10 percent. Overall, traffic for the first seven months of 2009 was down 10 percent, with land arrivals (2.5 million) down six percent and air arrivals (810,000) down 20 percent.

Overseas (excluding Canada and Mexico)
- Overseas visitation decreased seven percent in July 2009 and dropped 10 percent year-to-date.

Top 20 Countries
- In July 2009, 13 of the top 20 countries 13 posted decreases in visitation to the United States, and visitation from five of the top 20 countries registered double-digit declines.
- At the same time, Brazil, South Korea, Australia and Argentina registered double-digit increases.
- In the first seven months of 2009, 17 of the top 20 countries posted decreases in visitation to the United States, with visitation from nine countries registering double-digit declines.

Overseas visitation
- U.S. visitation from the 27 European Union countries declined 11 percent in July 2009 and also dropped 11 percent from the first seven months of 2008.
- U.S. visits from Western Europe, 1.1 million visitors, were down 11 percent in July 2009. Year-to-date, arrivals (6.1 million) also decreased 11 percent. For the month and year-to-date, visitors from Western Europe accounted for 47 percent of all overseas visitors.

U.S. visits from the United Kingdom, 368,000 visitors, were down 15 percent in July 2009, accounting for 32 percent of all Western European arrivals. Year-to-date, visitation from the United Kingdom dropped 17 percent and accounted for 35 percent of all Western European visitors.
German visits were down three percent for the month and down eight percent year-to-date. At the same time, French arrivals decreased seven percent in July 2009 and are down one percent for the year.
Italian visitation was down eight percent in July 2009 and down four percent year-to-date. Visitors from the Netherlands were down five percent for the month and down 12 percent for the year. Spanish visits decreased 17 percent in July 2009 and decreased nine percent in the first seven months.
Visitation from Ireland decreased 34 percent for the month, and was down 19 percent for the year. Visitors from Switzerland and Sweden were up five percent and down 25 percent, respectively, for the month. In the first seven months, visits from Switzerland increased three percent while visits from Sweden decreased 20 percent.

- Eastern European visits were down two percent for the month, and up one percent for the year. Russian visitation decreased one percent for the month, and was up two percent for the year.
- Visitation from Asia decreased 11 percent in July 2009 and 16 percent in the first seven months of 2009.

Japanese visits were 15 percent below the July 2008 visitor levels, and down 18 percent in the first seven months of 2009. Japan accounted for 47 percent of all Asian visitors for the month and 50 percent of Asian visitors in the first seven months of 2009.
In July 2009, visitation from South Korea and India grew 11 percent and declined three percent, respectively. Year-to-date, arrivals from South Korea and India both dropped 12 percent. In July 2009 arrivals from the People’s Republic of China were down 11 percent and were down six percent for the year.
Taiwanese visitation dropped 26 percent for the month and was down 25 percent year-to-date.

- U.S. visitation from South America increased eight percent in July 2009 and increased three percent in the first seven months of 2009.

Brazilian visitation was up 10 percent for the month and up eight percent in the first seven months. Brazil is the top visitation market from South America; and in the first seven months of 2009 accounted for 32 percent of visits from the region. U.S. visits from Venezuela increased five percent in July 2009 but declined two percent for the year.
U.S. visitation from Colombia decreased one percent for the month and dropped four percent year-to-date. Argentine visits increased 26 percent in July 2009 and grew 11 percent for the year.

- Central American visits decreased one percent in July 2009 bringing the region to a five percent decline for the year.
- U.S. visitation from the Caribbean decreased five percent in July 2009 and dropped five percent for the year.

Visitation from the Dominican Republic, the top visitation market from the Caribbean region for the year, increased three percent in July 2009 but declined seven percent for the year.
In July 2009 there was a 13 percent decrease in visits from the Bahamas. Year-to-date, visits were also down 13 percent.

- Travel from Oceania increased 12 percent in July 2009 but decreased four percent year-to-date.

Visits from Australia were up 17 percent in July 2009 but registered a three percent decrease year-to-date. Australia accounted for 82 percent of all visits from Oceania in the first seven months of 2009.

- U.S. visitation from the Middle East decreased two percent in July 2009 and was down four percent year-to-date.

Israeli visitation to the United States decreased six percent in July 2009 and dropped nine percent year-to-date.

- U.S. visitation from Africa decreased four percent in July 2009 and declined nine percent for the year.

Top ports: Year-to-date July 2009
In the first seven months of 2009, overseas visits (excluding Canada and Mexico) dropped 10 percent. Visitation through the top 15 ports of entry accounted for 85 percent of all overseas visits, almost two percentage points higher than last year.

The top three ports of entry (New York JFK, Miami and Los Angeles) accounted for 39 percent of all overseas arrivals, up one percentage point from the first seven months of 2008.

Miami, Orlando (MCO), Philadelphia and Fort Lauderdale are the only ports in the top 15 ports that posted an increase in arrivals in the first seven months of 2009. Eleven ports posted decreases. Arrivals decreased by double digits through five ports.

In the first seven months of 2009, visitation through Chicago decreased 19 percent, moving it into seventh position behind Honolulu. With arrivals through Detroit decreasing 36 percent, this port moved into 16th position behind Boston, Philadelphia and Fort Lauderdale.

To access top port activity, go to the OTTI monthly arrivals page above and scroll down the page until you see the yellow title bar entitled: 2009 Monthly Top Airports for Overseas Non-Resident Arrivals. Click on the Excel file to view the monthly port figures.

Arrivals to the United States by port-of-entry are tracked on a monthly basis. The U.S. Department of Commerce has arrivals 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 in 2009. Vicky Karantzavelou - Tuesday, October 13, 2009