People from all over the world are visiting the United States in ever-increasing numbers and spending more money during their trips, according to the latest data from the National Travel and Tourism Office (NTTO), a part of the U.S. Department of Commerce.
Approximately 76.9 million people visit the United States each year. The largest increases in the number of travelers came from South Korea, Brazil, Argentina, and Ireland.
Along with the total number of visitors, international spending has also increased. Travelers are spending around $251.4 billion, representing a 2% gain compared to previous years.
Business spending is helping to drive the increase, said Lorri Crowley, a Public Affairs Specialist at the National Travel and Tourism Office. “Just to give you an idea, in 2017, international visitors spent nearly $39.7 billion on business travel (goods and services), accounting for almost 16% of all international visitor spending in the United States,” she said.
Data from the National Travel and Tourism Office showed more visitors to the U.S. in the first quarter of 2018 than in any previous year. Similarly, the American Travel Association reports a 5.7% increase in 2018, and growth will continue in 2019 and the following years.
Source: www.shareamerica.com, by Lane Mikula