International Visitation Up Three Percent In January 2011

The good news on Tourism continues. International US inbound Tourism has increased the last 16 months.

The incentives and meetings are also on the increase and doing very well. If you live in a popular tourist and or resort destination now is a good time to apply to the local DMC's. Southern California companies are so busy at least one is offering a finders fee for help in localing additional staff.


The U.S. Department of Commerce today announced that 4.2 million international visitors traveled to the United States in January 2011, a three percent increase over January 2010. January 2011 registered the 16th straight month of increases in total U.S. visits.
International visitors spent $11.7 billion in January 2011, 10 percent more than in January 2010. January 2011 marks the 13th consecutive month of growth in U.S. travel and tourism-related exports.

Highlights

Overseas Resident Visitation
January 2011 overseas resident visits (1.8 million) were up nine percent compared to January 2010.
Top 10 Countries
In January 2011, eight of the top 10 countries posted increases in visitation to the United States, with five of those countries posting double-digit increases. However, for the month, visitation from Mexico declined 10 percent, and visits from Germany dropped three percent.
Top 10 Countries
Country of Residence % Change January
2011 vs. 2010
Canada 6%
Mexico -10%
Japan 4%
United Kingdom 2%
Brazil 28%
South Korea 19%
People's Republic of China
(excl Hong Kong) 49%
Germany -3%
Australia 27%
France 19%

Top Ports: January 2011
In January 2011, visitation through the top 15 ports of entry accounted for 84 percent of all overseas visits-more than one percentage point lower than last year. The top three ports (Miami, New York JFK and Los Angeles) accounted for 40 percent of all overseas arrivals, about the same as last year. Eleven of the top 15 ports posted increases in arrivals in January 2011. Six of these ports posted double-digit increases.

Access to OTTI Data
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 more detailed region, country and port analyses. To access this data, you are encouraged to visit the OTTI monthly arrivals page at .

National Export Initiative
To improve conditions that directly affect the private sector's ability to export and to boost employment recovery, 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 of international arrival data to the United States. To learn more about the NEI, you are encouraged to visit .
Throughout this report, percent changes posted for international visitation to the United States for January 2011 were calculated by comparing data in January 2011 to data in January 2010.


http://www.travmedia.com/north-america/pressrelease.php?id=69882&mo=3&referencekey=d66cd2092d34039ac4ad8d092024d19a