The U.S. Department of Commerce announced that 47 million international visitors traveled to the United States during the first eleven months of 2008, an increase of almost 6% over the same period in 2007. In November 2008, total visitation was 3.6 million, down 9% when compared to November 2007.

International visitors spent $131.8 billion from January through November 2008, an increase of 19% over the first eleven months of 2007. Total spending through November has exceeded the full year record spending in 2007 of $122.3 billion. In November 2008, visitors spent $11.5 billion, an increase of 2% over November 2007.

Highlights: November 2008 International Arrivals¹ to the United States

• Year-to-date 2008, Canadian visitation grew 8% over the same period in 2007 driven by land arrivals, up 8%. At the same time, air arrivals increased 9%.
• Arrivals from Mexico (traveling to interior² U.S. points) decreased 7% during the first eleven months of 2008. Land arrivals decreased 6% and air arrivals for the year were down 7%.
• Overseas (excludes Canada and Mexico) arrivals decreased 6% in November while increasing 7% year-to-date.
  
• Visitation from Western Europe was down 6% for November and up 14% year-to-date, accounting for 48% of overseas arrivals.
• Arrivals from the United Kingdom were down 14% in November but up 3% year-to-date. Visitors from the United Kingdom accounted for 37% of all Western European arrivals.
• Year-to-date, German arrivals increased 18%, French arrivals grew 26%, and Italian arrivals were up 25%, continuing growth trends from 2007. For the first eleven months of 2008, visitation from the Netherlands grew 22%. At the same time, visitors from Spain and Ireland grew 31% and 9%, respectively. Arrivals from Sweden and Switzerland were up 19% and 17%, respectively, for the year.
• Visitation from Asia decreased 2% year-to-date. Japanese arrivals decreased 8% year-to-date. Japan accounted for 52% of all Asian visitors for the year. Year-to-date, arrivals from South Korea decreased 5%. India and PR China grew 7% and 25%, respectively. Taiwanese visitation decreased 5% in the first eleven months of 2008.
• Arrivals from South America were up 13% year-to-date. Year-to-date, double-digit growth in visitation was observed from Brazil, Venezuela, and Argentina. From South America, top arrivals were from Brazil, accounting for 30% of arrivals from the region.
• Visitation from the Caribbean area decreased 9% year-to-date. Air arrivals from the Caribbean were also down 9% for the year. During the first eleven months of 2008, there was a 14% decrease in arrivals from the Dominican Republic, a 7% decline from Jamaica, and a 32% drop from the Bahamas.
• Travel from Oceania increased 3% year-to-date. Australia registered a 4% expansion year-to-date. Year-to-date, Australia accounted for 81% of all arrivals from Oceania.
• Central American arrivals for the first eleven months of 2008 were down 1% when compared to year-to-date 2007.
• Arrivals from the Middle East increased 10% year-to-date. For the first eleven months of 2008, Israel’s visitation increased 7%.
• Eastern European arrivals grew 14% year-to-date. Russian visitation increased 25% for the first eleven months of 2008.
• African visitation was up 15% year-to-date.

With dramatic changes currently taking place in the global economy, tracking monthly arrivals to the United States is becoming more important to stay informed on the changing developments of the international travel market to the United States.

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.

Top Ports: Year-to-Date November 2008
Arrivals to the United States by port-of-entry are tracked on a monthly basis. The U.S. Department of Commerce has arrival data on more than 40 U.S. ports-of-entry from all world regions and 30 countries, with a brief analysis presented on the top 15 ports for overseas arrivals during 2008.

Year-to-date, overseas arrivals (excluding Canada and Mexico) were up 7% through November 2008. Arrivals through the top 15 ports-of-entry accounted for 84% of all overseas arrivals, nearly 1% higher than last year.

Thirteen of the top fifteen ports posted increases in arrivals for the first eleven months of 2008. Arrivals increased by double digits through six of the ports. Arrivals through San Francisco and Chicago were up 9% and 5%, respectively, moving them into fifth and sixth positions ahead of Honolulu, which experienced a 9% decline in arrivals. Atlanta, increasing 14%, moved into eighth place just ahead of Agana, Guam. Houston, increasing 10%, moved into 13th place ahead of Detroit. Arrivals through Philadelphia grew 30% as it climbed into the 15th spot.

To access top port activity, go to OTTI monthly arrival page above and scroll down the page until you see the yellow title bar entitled: 2008 Monthly Top Airports for Overseas Non-Resident Arrivals. Click on the Excel file to view the monthly port figures.

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

If you would like to subscribe to the monthly international arrivals reports, please go to:
http://www.tinet.ita.doc.gov/research/reports/i94/index.html

U.S. Department of Commerce, International Trade Administration
Office of Travel and Tourism Industries (OTTI)
1401 Constitution Avenue N.W., Room 1003
Washington, D.C. 20230
Phone: (202) 482-0140
Fax: (202) 482-2887
Email: Tinet_info@ita.doc.gov

¹ The U.S. Department of Commerce complies with the UN World Tourism Organization (WTO) standard definition and class of international travelers when reporting monthly and annual arrivals data. This standard excludes all day-trippers from any of the counts/estimates, including those from Canada and Mexico. Also, OTTI has included non-immigrant visa type ‘E’ treaty traders or investors and ‘I’ representatives of foreign information media into the counts to more accurately reflect business visitation.

² The U.S. ‘interior’ begins 40 kilometers (25 miles) north of the U.S.-Mexico border. This distinguishes longer-haul travelers, including air passengers, from short-haul border crossers.