International Visits Up 11% in January 2008

Spending at $11.4 Billion for the Month

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. October 14, 2008

MAY 1, 2008. The U.S. Department of Commerce today announced that 3.4 million international visitors traveled to the United States in January 2008, an increase of 11 percent over January 2007.

International visitors also spent a record $11.38 billion (travel receipts and passenger fares), up 23 percent from January 2007.

Highlights of January 2008 International Arrivals to the United States:

---| Canadian visitation was up 13 percent over January 2007. Air arrivals, accounting for 47 percent of all arrivals, were up nine percent with land arrivals being up 17 percent.

---| Arrivals from Mexico (traveling to interior U.S. points) were up 10 percent with air arrivals up down nine percent.

---| Overseas arrivals increased nine percent over January of 2007 continuing the strong growth experienced in 2007.

---| Visitation from Western Europe was up 11 percent in January 2008. Arrivals from Eastern Europe, up 14 percent, continuing the double-digit growth starting in late 2006. Russian visitation increased by 26 percent for the month.

---| Arrivals from the United Kingdom were up almost six percent in January following solid growth in 2007. Visitors from the U.K. accounted for 39 percent of all Western European arrivals down from 41 percent in 2007.

---| Visitation from other large Western European countries all increased by double-digits in January continuing their growth patterns from 2007. German, French and Italian arrivals were up 13 percent, 15 percent and 13 percent, respectively. The Netherlands, Spain and Ireland were up 16 percent, 17 percent and 22 percent, respectively, for the month.

---| Visitation from Asia increased almost four percent in January. Japanese arrivals, however, declined three percent for the month, accounting for 51 percent of all Asian visitors down from 55 percent in January 2007. Arrivals from South Korea, India and the People's Republic of China grew two percent, 16 percent and 34 percent, respectively. Also, arrivals from Taiwan and Hong Kong increased 11 percent and 6 percent, respectively.

---| Arrivals from South America were up 25 percent in January. Double-digit growth in visitation from Brazil, Venezuela, Argentina and Colombia were noted for the month. Brazil is the top arrivals market from South America, accounting for 41 percent of arrivals from the region.

---| Travel from Oceania and Australia increased 6 percent in January. Australia accounted for 84 percent of all arrivals from Oceania in January 2008.

---| Visitation from Central America was up 12 percent for January. However, the Caribbean was down nine percent mostly due to a 55 percent decline in arrivals from the Bahamas. Arrivals from the Middle East and Africa increased by eight percent and nine percent, respectively.

To access the 2008 monthly arrivals data for world regions and top markets, visit

http://www.tinet.ita.doc.gov/view/m-2008-I-001/index.html

In addition, the following is a summary of top port arrival activity for January 2008.

TOP PORTS January 2008

Arrivals to the USA by port-of-entry are tracked on a monthly basis. Department of Commerce has arrival data on more than 40 U.S. ports-of-entry from all world regions and 30 countries. A brief analysis is presented on the top 15 ports for overseas arrivals during 2007.

Overseas arrivals were up nine percent in January 2008. Arrivals through the top 15 ports-of-entry accounted for 86 percent of all overseas arrivals the same percentage from the top 15 in January 2007.

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 January 2007.

Thirteen of the fifteen ports posted increases in arrivals for January 2008 five of which were double-digit increases. Newark moved into fifth position displacing Agana (Guam) into seventh position. Orlando International moved up to 11th position with Houston Intercontinental and Detroit moving down to 12th and 13th positions, respectively.

http://trade.gov/press/press_releases/2008/tourism_042908.asp

http://trade.gov/press/press_releases/2008/tourism-factsheet_042908.pdf

To access top port activity, go to: http://www.tinet.ita.doc.gov/view/m-2008-I-001/index.html

SOURCE:

The monthly Summary of International Travel to the U.S. report has approximately 30 tables that provide data on monthly and year-to-date arrivals to the country. The report provides data on approximately 90 countries each month and more than 40 ports of entry. Numerous breakouts are provided by world region and country for the port tables as well.

To find out more about this program, please go to: http://tinet.ita.doc.gov/research/programs/i94/index.html

If you would like to purchase the monthly international arrivals reports, please go to:

http://www.tinet.ita.doc.gov/research/reports/i94/index.html

Media Contact:

Office of Travel and Tourism Industries

(202) 482-0140

[email protected]