May 17,
2010 - The U.S.
Department of Commerce today announced that 3.5 million international
visitors
traveled to the United States in February 2010, an increase of 22
percent over
February 2009. February 2010 registered the fifth straight month of
increases
in U.S. arrivals. For the first two months of 2010, visitation was up
15
percent compared to the same period in 2009.
International
visitors spent $10.5 billion in February 2010, three percent more than
in
February 2009. February 2010 marks the first increase in monthly U.S.
travel
and tourism-related exports since 2008.
Highlights
Top
20 Countries
In February 2010, 17 of the top 20 countries posted increases in
visitation to
the United States. Visitation from 12 of the top 20 countries
registered
double-digit increases: Mexico, Japan, Brazil, South Korea, the
People’s
Republic of China and Hong Kong, Australia, Italy, Argentina, India,
Spain,
Taiwan, and Switzerland.
International
Arrivals to United States for February 2010 and Year to Date (YTD) 2010
- Canada
visitation (1.2 million) was up eight percent in February. Visits (2.5
million) increased 11 percent YTD.
- In
February 2010, air arrivals (603,000) were up nine percent and land
arrivals (579,000) were up seven percent.
- YTD, air
arrivals (1.2 million) were up 10 percent and land arrivals (1.2
million) were up 11 percent.
- Mexico
visitation (704,000) was up 114 percent for the month. Visits (1.1
million) increased 53 percent YTD.
- Air
arrivals (91,000) were up 15 percent for the month and land arrivals
(612,000) were up 147 percent. The Departments of Commerce and Homeland
Security will continue to monitor the surge in Mexico land arrivals.
- YTD, air
arrivals (192,000) were up 11 percent and land arrivals (925,000) were
up 66 percent.
- For the
month, overseas visitation (1.6 million) was up 11 percent over
February 2009. YTD, overseas visits (3.3 million) were up 10 percent.
- Visitation
from Western Europe increased two percent for the month and YTD.
- Visitation
from 16 Western European markets was up for the month. Fifteen markets
were up YTD.
- Eight of
the top 10 markets registered increases in February (Germany +3%,
France +3%, Italy +11%, Netherlands +7%, Spain +11%, Sweden +5%,
Switzerland +21%, and Norway +23%).
- Visits
from the United Kingdom dropped two percent in February and dropped
three percent YTD. This was the smallest decline in visits from the
United Kingdom since September 2008.
- Eastern
Europe visits increased one percent for the month but was flat YTD.
- Visitation
from Asia increased 27 percent in February and was up 19 percent YTD.
- Nine of
the top 10 markets registered increases in February (Japan +13%, South
Korea +60%, the People’s Republic of China +90%, India +18%, Taiwan
+94%, Hong Kong +68%, the Philippines +5%, Singapore +28%, and Malaysia
+8%).
- Visits
from South America increased 19 percent for the month and grew 18
percent YTD.
- In
February 2010, visits from Brazil, Argentina and Colombia were up 40
percent, 11 percent and 17 percent, respectively. U.S. visitation from
Venezuela decreased three percent for the month.
- YTD,
visits from Brazil increased 34 percent, visits from Argentina grew 11
percent, and visits from Colombia were up 19 percent. YTD, visits from
Venezuela dropped six percent.
- Visits
from Central America were flat for the month but increased four percent
YTD.
- Visitation
from the Caribbean decreased seven percent in February and was flat for
the year.
- Visits
from the Dominican Republic, the region’s top market, accounting for 20
percent of all visits, decreased one percent in February 2010.
- YTD visits
from the Dominican Republic increased eight percent.
- Oceania
visitation was up 32 percent in February and increased 24 percent YTD.
- Australia
accounted for 86 percent of all visits from the region in February
2010. Visits from Australia increased 37 percent for the month and grew
28 percent YTD.
- Visitation
from the Middle East increased seven percent in February and was up 12
percent YTD.
- Israel’s
visitation decreased one percent in February but grew three percent
YTD.
- Africa
visitation grew nine percent in February 2010 and increased five
percent YTD.
Top
Ports
In February 2010, visitation through the top 15 ports of entry
accounted for 85
percent of all overseas visits-two percentage points lower than last
year. The
top three ports (Miami, New York JFK, and Los Angeles) accounted for 39
percent
of all overseas arrivals, one percentage point below February 2009.
Thirteen of
the top 15 ports posted increases in arrivals in February 2010. Five of
these
ports posted double-digit increases. This upturn in the total of
overseas
arrivals reverses the majority of the declines registered in February
2009.
National
Export Initiative
To improve conditions that directly affect the private sector’s ability
to
export, on March 11, 2010 President Obama created the National Export
Initiative (NEI). The automation of the arrival/departure form [CBP
Form I-94W]
for Visa Waiver Program travelers supports this initiative as the
automated
form will greatly improve the measurement and timely release of
international
arrival data to the United States. The Office of Travel and Tourism
Industries
(OTTI) is a member of the I-94W Elimination Project Inter-agency
Working Group
and will work to ensure that I-94 international arrival data for
visitors from
visa-waiver countries will continue to be processed in a seamless
fashion after
the paper form is discontinued. To learn more about the NEI, you are
encouraged
to visit <http://www.trade.gov/nei/index.asp>.
Background
Manufacturing and Services’ Office of Travel and Tourism Industries
(OTTI)
collects, analyzes and disseminates international travel and tourism
statistics
from the U.S. Travel and Tourism Statistical System. OTTI produces
visitation
data tables, including a business and pleasure arrivals rate of change
analysis
and a more detailed region, country and port analyses. To learn more,
you are
encouraged to visit: <http://www.tinet.ita.doc.gov/view/m-2010-I-001/index.html>. |