The U.S. Department of Commerce today announced that 6.0 million international visitors(1)(2) traveled to the United States in December 2016, down slightly (-294,733 visitors) from December 2015.
In December 2016 the top inbound markets continued to be Canada and Mexico. Non-resident visits from Canada grew 0.5 percent while visits from Mexico decreased 9.6 percent. The United Kingdom (-5.8%), Japan (-4.4%), and the People's Republic of China (excluding Hong Kong) (+13.9%) rounded out the top five. Only one of the top inbound overseas regional markets(3) – Asia – posted increases in non-resident visits in December 2016, with Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Middle East, South America, Central America, Oceania, the Caribbean, and Africa all posting declines.
For the calendar year 2016, international visits (75.6 million) were down two percent
(-2.4%) when compared to the same period in 2015.
HIGHLIGHTS
Top 10 Countries
- In December 2016 four of the top 10 countries generating travel to the United States posted increases in non-resident visits.
- During the calendar year 2016, three of the top 10 countries (sort based upon the annual 2016 totals) posted increases in non-resident visits to the United States.
Top 10 Countries (Sort based on YTD December 2016)
Country of Residence
% Change December
2016 vs. 2015
% Change
YTD December
2016 vs. 2015
Canada
0.5
-7
Mexico
-10
2
United Kingdom
-6
-7
Japan
-4
-5
People’s Republic of China (excluding Hong Kong)
14
15
Germany
-5
-10
South Korea
10
12
Brazil
-24
-24
France
5
-7
Australia
-6
-7
Non-Resident Visits from Overseas(4) Countries
- In December 2016 non-resident visits from overseas countries (3.0 million) were down four percent over December 2015, accounting for 50 percent of total international visits to the United States.
- During calendar year 2016, non-resident visits from overseas countries (49.7 million) were down two percent compared to the same period of 2015, accounting for nearly 50 percent of total international visits.
Top Ports: Year to Date December 2016
- Visitation through the top 15 ports of entry accounted for 85.1 percent of all overseas visits, the same as it was last year.
- The top three ports (New York JFK, Miami, and Los Angeles) accounted for 41.2 percent of all overseas arrivals, slightly more than last year.
- Seven of the top 15 ports posted increases in arrivals. Note the differences in the rates of change for each port. These changes will have a dramatic impact on the states and cities visited by overseas travelers to the country.
Pleasure Travel vs. Business Travel: Year to Date December 2016
- Of the top 20 overseas countries with visits to the United States, more than 90 percent of the visits recorded from Argentina (93.9%), Venezuela (90.7%), and Ecuador (94.6%) represented pleasure travel to the United States. On the contrary, 20 percent or more of the visits recorded from Germany (21.7%), India (20.0%), and the Netherlands (22.9%) represented business travel to the United States.
- Of all overseas non-resident visits to the United States, 81.9 percent represented pleasure travel and 13.9 percent represented business travel.
Access to National Travel and Tourism Office Monthly Arrivals Data
To access international travel and tourism statistics from the U.S. Travel and Tourism Statistical System, visit the National Travel and Tourism Office I-94 monthly arrivals page at http://travel.trade.gov/view/m-2016-I-001/index.asp
(P) = 2016 I-94 arrivals data are preliminary with these data subject to revisions.
(1)2016(P) I-94 arrivals data are official, but subject to further revision, if warranted (see ‘Special Note’ this month). Situations that allow for revision include improved solutions and/or sources discovered by the Departments of Commerce and Homeland Security as they complete the automation and migration of records.
(2)2014, 2015 and 2016 data sets are based on the same criteria, including the same visitor visa types and the ‘one night or more’ definition of a traveler. In addition, the methodology for identifying travelers with respect to Country of Residence (COR), and infilling records with missing COR data, is consistent for the three years. The years differ only in that 2015 contained more I-94 records as a result of automating the paper I-94 forms. Therefore, 2014, 2015, and 2016 arrivals data are arguably more comprehensive and credible than previous years.
(3)The nine major overseas regions are: Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Oceania, South America, Central America and the Caribbean.
(4)Overseas includes all countries except Canada and Mexico.
