The U.S. Department of Commerce announced that 3.6 million international visitors traveled to the United States in November 2009, an increase of one percent over November 2008. November 2009 marks the second straight month of increases in U.S. arrivals. However, for the first 11 months of 2009, visitation was down six percent compared to the same period in 2008. International visitors spent $10.2 billion in November 2009, seven percent less than in November 2008. In the first 11 months of 2009, visitors spent $111.2 billion, down nearly 15 percent from the same period in 2008.
Top 20 Countries
In November 2009, 12 of the top 20 countries posted increases in visitation to the United States. Visitation from four of the top 20 countries registered double-digit increases: Brazil, Australia, South Korea, and the People’s Republic of China and Hong Kong.
International Arrivals to United States for November and Year-to-Date (YTD) 2009
- Visitation from Canada was up five percent in November but down six percent YTD.
- Arrivals from Mexico were up two percent for the month but down five percent YTD.
- Overseas arrivals (excluding Canada and Mexico) totaled 1.7 million for the month, down one percent over November 2008, and totaled 21.6 million YTD, down seven percent over 2008.
- Visitation from Western Europe decreased 10 percent in November and 11 percent YTD.
- Visitation from top Western European markets was mostly down for the month of November 2009 as well as for the first 11 months of the year: United Kingdom, down 16 percent for the month and down 15 percent YTD; Germany, down four percent for the month and down six percent YTD; France, down three percent for the month and YTD; Italy, up three percent for the month but down five percent YTD; the Netherlands, down six percent for the month and down 10 percent YTD; Spain, down three percent for the month and down 10 percent YTD; Ireland, down 20 percent for the month and down 23 percent YTD; Sweden, down 14 percent for the month and down 19 percent YTD, and Switzerland, up nine percent for the month and up three percent YTD. Eastern European arrivals decreased eight percent for the month and two percent YTD.
- Visitation from Asia increased three percent for the month but decreased 10 percent YTD. Arrivals from Japan decreased two percent for the month and 12 percent YTD; South Korea increased 24 percent for the month but decreased six percent YTD; China increased 13 percent for the month and five percent YTD; and India grew four percent for the month but declined nine percent YTD.
- Arrivals from South America increased 13 percent for the month and seven percent YTD.
- Oceania visitation was up 24 percent in November and up two percent YTD.
Top Ports
For the first 11 months of 2009, visitation through the top 15 ports of entry accounted for 85 percent of all overseas visits, one percentage point higher than last year. The top three ports (New York JFK, Miami, and Los Angeles) accounted for 39 percent of all overseas arrivals, up nearly two percentage points from the first 11 months of 2008. Miami, Orlando (MCO), Philadelphia and Fort Lauderdale are the only top ports that posted an increase in arrivals for the year.