Τhe U.S. Department of Commerce announced that for the first six months of 2010, 27.5 million international visitors traveled to the United States, an 11 percent increase over the same period in 2009. In June 2010, 4.7 million international visitors traveled to the United States, an increase of 16 percent over June 2009. June 2010 registered the ninth straight month of increases in U.S. arrivals. International visitors spent $65.2 billion during the first six months of 2010…
Τhe U.S. Department of Commerce announced that for the first six months of 2010, 27.5 million international visitors traveled to the United States, an 11 percent increase over the same period in 2009. In June 2010, 4.7 million international visitors traveled to the United States, an increase of 16 percent over June 2009. June 2010 registered the ninth straight month of increases in U.S. arrivals.
International visitors spent $65.2 billion during the first six months of 2010, eight percent more than the same period in 2009. In June 2010, international visitors spent $11.2 billion, 16 percent more than in June 2009. June 2010 marks the sixth consecutive month of growth in monthly U.S. travel and tourism-related exports.
Top 20 Countries
In June 2010, 17 of the top 20 countries posted increases in visitation to the United States. Visitation from 14 of the top 20 countries registered double-digit increases: Canada, Mexico, Japan, France, South Korea, Australia, Brazil, the People’s Republic of China and Hong Kong, India, Italy, Colombia, Sweden and Norway.
International Arrivals to United States for June 2010 and Year to Date (YTD) 2010
Canada visitation (1.3 million) was up 12 percent in June. Visits (9.2 million) increased 12 percent YTD. In June 2010, air arrivals (441,000) were up 24 percent and land arrivals (889,000) were up nine percent. YTD, air arrivals (3.7 million) were up 15 percent and land arrivals (5.5 million) were up 10 percent.
Mexico visitation (1.1 million) was up 18 percent for the month. Visits (6.5 million) increased 11 percent YTD. o Air arrivals (122,000) were up 10 percent for the month and land arrivals (960,000) were up 20 percent. YTD, air arrivals (718,000) were up 17 percent and land arrivals (5.8 million) were up 10 percent. Note: For the first time, the Office of Travel and Tourism Industries is reporting Mexico resident travel, obtained from Banco de Mexico, which gives a more comprehensive picture of the inbound market than what has been previously reported. The Department of Homeland Security I-94 continues to be the source of air-only inbound travel.
Overseas visitation
In June 2010, overseas visitation (2.3 million) was up 17 percent over June 2009. June YTD 2010, overseas visits (11.8 million) were up 11 percent compared to the same period 2009. Compared to 2008, June 2010 overseas visits were up 4 percent. June YTD 2010, overseas visits were down less than one percent (0.6%) compared to the first six months of 2008.
- Visitation from Western Europe increased four percent for the month and was flat YTD. Visitation from 15 Western European markets was up for the month. Fourteen markets were up YTD. Seven of the top 10 markets registered increases in June (France +20%, Italy +18%, Spain +4%, Netherlands +0.4%, Sweden +18%, Switzerland +3%, and Norway +23%). Visits from the United Kingdom dropped two percent in June and dropped four percent YTD.
- Eastern Europe visits increased five percent for the month, but were flat YTD.
- Visitation from Asia increased 52 percent in June and was up 27 percent YTD. All of the top Asian markets registered increases in June (Japan +64%, South Korea +59%, China & Hong Kong +87%, India +21%, and Taiwan +16%).
- Visits from South America increased 17 percent for the month and grew 21 percent YTD. In June 2010, visits from Brazil, Colombia and Argentina were up 30 percent, 15 percent and 39 percent, respectively. U.S. visitation from Venezuela decreased 14 percent for the month. YTD, visits from Brazil increased 40 percent, visits from Colombia grew 19 percent, and visits from Argentina were up 24 percent. YTD, visits from Venezuela dropped seven percent.
- Visits from Central America were flat for the month but increased one percent YTD.
- Visitation from the Caribbean increased two percent in June and grew eight percent for the year. Visits from the Dominican Republic, the region’s top market, accounting for 22 percent of all visits, increased 12 percent in June 2010. YTD visits from the Dominican Republic increased 12 percent.
- Oceania visitation was up 39 percent in June and increased 27 percent YTD. Australia accounted for 80 percent of all visits from the region in June 2010. Visits from Australia increased 39 percent for the month and grew 28 percent YTD.
- Visitation from the Middle East increased 18 percent in June and was up 12 percent YTD. Israel’s visitation increased three percent in June but was flat YTD.
- Africa visitation grew 14 percent in June 2010 and increased 10 percent YTD.
Top Ports
In June 2010, visitation through the top 15 ports of entry accounted for 84 percent of all overseas visits-nearly two percentage points lower than last year. The top three ports (New York JFK, Miami and Los Angeles) accounted for 38 percent of all overseas arrivals, one percentage point below June 2009. Thirteen of the top 15 ports posted increases in arrivals in June 2010. Six of these ports posted double-digit increases. This upturn in the total of overseas arrivals reverses the majority of the declines registered in June 2009.
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
