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U.S. International Air Travel Statistics (I-92 data)

This program provides information on international air traffic between the United States and other countries. The data has been collected from the Department of Homeland Security - Customs and Border Protection’s Advance Passenger Information System (APIS) since July 2010. Previously the data source was the DHS/INS I-92 paper form. These data are now obtained electronically from all U .S. and foreign flag carriers who operate United States international arrival or departure flights (Canada is included as of 2011). The APIS based “I-92” system provides air traffic data on the following parameters: number of passengers, by country, airport, scheduled or chartered, U.S. Flag, foreign flag, citizens and non-citizens.

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Americans who have traveled internationally stand out in their views and knowledge of foreign affairs

Do people who travel think differently about the world? A new Pew Research Center survey suggests they do.

Americans who have traveled internationally are more interested in and knowledgeable about foreign affairs, feel closer to others around the world, and favor a more active foreign policy, according to the survey of 3,576 U.S. adults conducted in spring 2023. We also surveyed people in 23 other countries about their international travel habits.

This analysis examines international travel with a focus on Americans’ travel, including which Americans travel abroad and how their interest in the world and views of international affairs differ from others.

For this analysis, we surveyed 3,576 U.S. adults from March 20 to March 26, 2023; 3,581 U.S. adults from March 21 to March 27, 2022; and 10,606 U.S. adults from June 14 to June 27, 2021. Everyone who took part in these surveys is a member of the Center’s American Trends Panel (ATP), an online survey panel that is recruited through national, random sampling of residential addresses. This way nearly all U.S. adults have a chance of selection. The survey is weighted to be representative of the U.S. adult population by gender, race, ethnicity, partisan affiliation, education and other categories. Read more about the ATP’s methodology .

For non-U.S. data, this report draws on nationally representative surveys of 27,285 adults conducted from Feb. 20 to May 22, 2023. All surveys were conducted over the phone with adults in Canada, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, South Korea, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom. Surveys were conducted face-to-face in Hungary, Poland, India, Indonesia, Israel, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Argentina, Brazil and Mexico. In Australia, we used a mixed-mode probability-based online panel.

Here are the June 2021 survey questions and responses used in this analysis. Those for the March 2022 survey may be found here , as well as those for the March 2023 survey .

How many Americans have traveled internationally?

Roughly three-quarters of Americans (76%) have visited at least one other country, including 26% who have been to five or more. About a quarter (23%) have not traveled internationally, though most in this group say they would if they had the opportunity.

Related:  How experience with international travel varies across 24 countries

To analyze how Americans’ travel experiences relate to their attitudes on other questions, we placed people into three categories:

• Globe-trotters have traveled to at least five other countries. About a quarter of the U.S. public (26%) falls into this category.
• Casual travelers have traveled to between one and four other countries. Half of Americans fall into this category.
• Nontravelers have never left the United States. This category includes 23% of Americans.

Compared with Americans, people in many European nations are more likely to have traveled to five or more other countries. For instance, 88% of Swedes have done so.

However, international travel is much less common in many middle-income nations. It is strongly correlated with a nation’s gross domestic product per capita. (For more on international travel and views about global engagement, read “Attitudes on an Interconnected World.” )

Who travels internationally?

Perhaps unsurprisingly, older people are more likely than younger people to have traveled internationally. Americans ages 65 and older are more than twice as likely as adults under 30 to fall into our globe-trotter category (37% vs. 17%).

Income is even more strongly related to travel than age. Two-thirds of upper-income Americans have traveled to at least five countries, compared with 9% of Americans with lower incomes.

Similarly, Americans with a postgraduate degree are far more likely to be globe-trotters than those with a high school education or less (59% vs. 10%).

Residents of suburban and urban areas generally have more international travel experience than people who live in rural areas.

There are no significant partisan differences when it comes to international travel: 26% of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents qualify as globe-trotters, as do 28% of Republicans and GOP leaners.

Do travelers know more about the world?

Globe-trotters are especially likely to say they are interested in foreign affairs and follow international news. Casual travelers, in turn, are more likely than nontravelers to do so.

Globe-trotters are also the most knowledgeable about international affairs. In 2022, we conducted an international affairs quiz , asking Americans 12 questions related to international news. On average, globe-trotters got 8.2 of the 12 questions correct, compared with 6.4 for casual travelers and 4.2 for nontravelers.

Is international travel related to views of global engagement?

International travel experience is also linked to Americans’ views about international affairs and their feelings of connection to other people around the world.

When asked which comes closest to their view, 57% of globe-trotters say the U.S. should be active in world affairs, while 43% say the U.S. should pay less attention to problems in other countries and concentrate on problems at home. In contrast, most casual travelers and nontravelers say the U.S. should focus on problems at home.

In all three groups, at least half of respondents say that when the U.S. is making foreign policy, it should take other countries’ interests into account – even if that means making compromises. But globe-trotters are especially likely to hold that view.

Globe-trotters are also particularly likely to say they feel close to people around the world, with 42% saying so. By comparison, 34% of casual travelers and 30% of nontravelers say this.

• International Affairs

Richard Wike is director of global attitudes research at Pew Research Center

Janell Fetterolf is a senior researcher focusing on global attitudes at Pew Research Center

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Home » Budget Travel » International Travel Statistics: Facts and Trends for 2024

International Travel Statistics: Facts and Trends for 2024

Every year, millions of tourists jet off to different parts of the planet in search of new experiences and lands unseen. Global tourism is a humongous industry – we’re talking trillions of dollars, millions of jobs, and thousands of attractions in every country around the world!

With international travel being such a Big Deal , there’s lots of interesting stuff to look into. So, that’s exactly what our mission here is today!

What are the most visited countries in the world? What nationalities travel the most? All the questions you never even knew you needed answers for – they’re all here.

I’ve dug up some cool travel and world tourism statistics. We’ll be looking at the most popular travel destinations around the world, international air traffic, travel styles, and more.

In addition, I wanted to find out some more stuff about the future trends of international travel statistics. No spoilers, but one of the biggest current directions of the international tourism market might start with the prefix “eco”.

So, without further ado, let’s find out what we can find out!

A Quick Look at International Travel Statistics

Top statistics about international travel, what’s coming – future trends in international travel, international travel – with more destinations to come.

Look, I get it – maybe numbers and figures are just not your thing. That’s fine! 

Do hang out for a bit, though. For folks like you, or just people who like spoilers, I’ve compiled a little list of the main facts. Here are some highlights of international travel statistics:

• International tourism makes up 10% of the global GDP
• The country with the most international tourists is China
• The most visited countries are France, Spain, and the US
• 4 out of 5 international tourists travel within their own region
• Bangkok is the world’s most internationally visited city
• 70% of all passenger flights fly to Europe, Asia, or the Pacific
• Eco is in: 83% of travellers consider sustainability important
• 84% of millenials would travel abroad to volunteer
• 61% of travellers say that the pandemic has made them want to travel more sustainably

Maybe that little list has awakened your appetite for facts… Or maybe you just enjoy reading statistics on travelling in your free time. In that case, follow me as we dive deeper into the world of international tourism statistics!

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Global travel and tourism make up a whopping 10% of the global GDP, and every 10th job worldwide is directly or indirectly tied to the industry [4a]. (Some travellers even end up in travel jobs themselves!)

In 2018, there were about 1.4 billion international arrivals (although this is not clearly comparable to the actual number of travellers – many international tourists would be travelling multiple times) [5]. That figure was already an increase from the previous year, so the real number would have definitely been even higher by 2020 when the pandemic hit.

For a funzies comparison: in 1950, there were 25 million international arrivals and 435 million in 1990. [5]

Some nationals are also more diligent travellers than others. In 2017, the Chinese were the biggest group of tourists abroad with 143 million trips. They were followed by Germany (92m), the US (87.8m) and the UK (74.2m). [5]

So, international travel has been experiencing a massive boom in the last decades as methods of travelling and information have become more widely available, cheaper, and safer. And there really isn’t a reason why it might be slowing down in the upcoming years – vice versa actually.

Now, let’s take a peek at some features of international travel statistics.

Who Travels Where?

There’s something to see in every country and region of the world. But which countries are the fan favourites? Which are the best-loved, most-travelled, super-favourite countries of all time? Here are some fun leisure travel statistics.

The list probably doesn’t come as a huge surprise. Here were the top 10 most visited countries in the world in 2019: [1]

• France – 90.0 million international visitors
• Spain – 83.7 million
• United States – 79.3 million
• China – 65.7 million
• Italy – 64.5 million
• Turkey – 51.2 million
• Mexico – 45.0 million
• Thailand – 39.8 million
• Germany – 39.6 million
• United Kingdom – 39.4 million

These countries have long been on top of travellers’ favourite destinations, and continue to be so. No wonder: they’re all chock-full of things to see – including some of the most famous attractions in the world – and have amazing infrastructure already set up to cater to tourist’s needs.

Plus, according to UNWTO, most travellers – four out of five – travel within their own region.  [5] Considering that the standard of living in Europe is generally high (so people have more money for travelling).

And travelling around Europe is easy, especially on an EU passport. It’s no wonder that Europe and Europeans lead these international tourism statistics.

But as even the more obscure parts of the world become more accessible, there will be some interesting, emerging destinations. 

Skyscanner’s data shows the biggest growth for bookings in different country categories: among popular countries, Argentina and Austria have seen the most increased bookings. In medium-visited places, it’s Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan. And in the least visited destinations, the biggest growth has been for St Maarten and Congo. [6]

Cities vs. Countryside

According to WTTC, about 44% of international tourist arrivals are aimed at cities. They looked at 73 top city destinations around the world and found that these cities’ tourism dollars contribute about 25% of the GDP of the tourism industry.

Moreover, almost half – 45% – of the money spent towards tourism in these cities came from international travellers. [4a] So, the effect of international travel on popular cities is HUGE. 

In 2018, the top five most visited cities in the world were:

• Bangkok, Thailand (22.8 million international tourists)
• Paris, France (19.1 m)
• London, UK (19.09 m)
• Dubai, United Arab Emirates (15.9 m)
• Singapore, Singapore (14.7 m)

This is not a super surprising order. Almost all of these cities are located in countries that were listed as the most visited in the last section.

However, as popular as city travel is, it seems that international visitors are now heading more and more to other destinations too. Travelling in the countryside, camping and hiking are gaining popularity as people are looking for ways to get into nature and avoid other travellers, especially post-pandemic.

Airbnb also notes this new trend and says that travellers are now headed towards more rural destinations than before. Tourists are more scattered. No more do people only congregate to the most popular places on the planet.

This kind of mindset shift is also thanks to widespread news about over-tourism . The tourists of today are more mindful of their impact than before and make conscious decisions to avoid places that suffer from over-tourism. [11]

More on sustainable travel later, though…

Up in the Air: International Air Travel Statistics

Let’s talk about international air travel statistics. For many travellers, finding a cheap flight is the easiest way to jetset off to an international holiday.

Just to note, I’ve mostly dug up data from 2019 here. They have still published reports during the pandemic but obviously it isn’t very representative of the “normal” airline industry.

For example, pandemic-time searches showed that people were booking less international trips, shorter (distance) trips for longer times, and favoured airlines with very high health and safety ratings. Lots of the data is muddled by people travelling to visit family and friends rather than for leisure.

In 2019, there were about 4,500 million international passengers in airline traffic. This number has been on a steady rise for years, even after events like 9/11 or the financial crisis. [8]

The most popular destinations in international flight traffic are clearly Europe and Asia/Pacific. In 2019, air traffic to these two destinations made up about 70% of all international passenger flights.

A total of 856 million international passengers flew to Europe – a huge number, considering the total number of international arrivals to ALL the other continents was 994 million. The Asia/Pacific area was a good second with 496 million passengers. Africa had the least international arrivals: 74 million. [8]

The rise of budget airlines has definitely helped a lot more people get out there, travelling internationally. Travellers are also taking advantage of different price options for flights. On long-distance flights, more tourists booked Premium Economy fares than First, Business, and Economy class.

However, on shorter flights, while Economy is still the most popular option, searches for first-class tickets have risen. [6] This is probably due to travellers wanting to be comfortable on their flight – but over-the-top comfort is not necessary.

On shorter flights, more people might be booking first-class because it is still relatively affordable since flight prices, in general, would be lower. [6] My guess as to why Premium Economy and similar are also gaining popularity is due to airlines’ luggage fees – especially budget airlines charge pretty large fees for extra baggage.

So, international travel is definitely going to keep growing and growing. People will keep travelling – there’s no surprise there. But what else is there to be expected in the international travel market?

More Sustainable Than Before

With growing concerns about climate change and the general state of woke-ness of the world in 2024, eco-travel is IN, in a big way! Statistics on travelling show that travellers appreciate being able to traipse the world while leaving a positive impact by supporting sustainable travel.

There’s clearly a demand for eco-friendly accommodation options. In a Condor Ferries survey, over half (58%) of the respondents said that they chose their hotels depending on if they gave back to the community and helped the planet. 

Similarly, a whole 70% of travellers said they’d be more likely to book accommodation if they knew it was eco-friendly. [2]

Similarly, when Booking.com asked its customers about sustainability, 83% of travellers thought that sustainability is essential. Almost half of them thought that, even now, there aren’t enough sustainable travel options.

3 out of 4 accommodation providers say that they have environmentally friendly practices in place. But only 1 in 3 out of them are actively marketing this info to potential customers. [3]

Unfortunately, though, only 7% of global travellers said they’d be willing to pay $10-$15 extra per night for environmentally friendly accommodation. [2]

So, even though it seems that travellers are more than willing to support eco-friendly travel, they’re not ready to foot the bill that comes with it. Eco is THE keyword for holiday accommodation now.

In the future, tourism operators are gonna have to figure out how to either provide eco-experiences for a lower price or make the environmentally friendly, more expensive service so attractive that people won’t mind paying the difference.

Or maybe the time for change is now – two-thirds of global travellers say that COVID-19 has made them want to travel more sustainably . Half have started new environmentally friendly habits at home. [3]

Giving Back to the Community – Travellers First

Voluntourism , ergo travelling abroad to volunteer somewhere, has become an increasingly interesting option, especially for the young travellers of today. Travellers are more aware of their impact on the destination – as well as the emissions their international travels cause

They are more eager to give back than before. In a 2015 survey, 84% of millennials, 68% of Gen X-ers, and 51% of Baby Boomers said that they would travel internationally to volunteer. [9]

In general, the tourists of today want more authentic, local experiences. This is all part of sustainable travel: tourists that are looking to travel on a more local level more easily become aware of grassroots issues in the destination. Tourists don’t want just experiences: they want to make connections. [9]

Post-Covid Travel: A Question Mark

World tourism statistics 2020 look pretty grim.

When the pandemic hit, the international travel industry took a massive smack in the face. Airline passenger traffic was cut in half. [8] In 2020, the tourism industry lost about $4.5 trillion USD, and about 62 million tourism-related jobs were lost. [1] 

The travel industry was, without a doubt, one of the sectors that was hit the hardest by COVID-19. But we’re climbing back, babey! Experts expect the travel industry to keep growing in the next few years. The pandemic might have slowed down international travel but I think it’s FAR from over.

Quite opposite – I think that once people are able to travel freely again, there’ll be an absolute boom in travel. People are sick of staying in their homes and feeling anxious about the state of the world. Many are looking forward to hitting the road and experiencing something new – now even more than ever.

Tourists will probably continue to be a bit cautious for some time, though. Many travellers who would’ve booked international trips before might opt for touring the homeland. About half of global travellers surveyed in 2021 were planning for a domestic holiday in the “next 12 months” [4b].

Not only for safety and money reasons: many people will want to support the tourism operators in their home countries after everything they’ve suffered through. Plus, in a booking.com survey, 61% said that ‘the pandemic has made them want to travel more sustainably in the future’. [3] Plus, being green is easier when you travel locally.

So, there you have it. International travel statistics – with a few survey-backed ideas of what might be to come!

Despite everything, I don’t think it would ever be possible for international travel to just completely stop. People have, and will always, be fascinated by foreign cultures and new experiences. Many are feverishly waiting to get back to the life of travel.

The pandemic has made travellers more aware of their impact on the world. As I’ve already mentioned, travellers think sustainable travel is more important than before , and not only for environment-related reasons.

More people are concerned about the effect of their travels on the local community. Three-quarters want to have an “authentic” travel experience that puts them close to the local life and they think that revenue from tourism should be spread evenly in society [3].

These kinds of ideas combined with the fact that many travellers want to avoid crowded destinations might open the road to even more offbeat destinations. In fact, it’s very likely: statistics on travelling show that over 2 out of 3 people said they wanted to travel off the beaten path on their next trip – 69% (nice). [3]

For international travel to continue and all these new destinations to emerge, a few things are needed. Travel and visa restrictions must be lenient; safety, both COVID-wise and in the general area, must be stable; and the countries must have good travel connections.

It will be interesting to see what’s next for international travel!

[1] World Population Review

[2] Condor Ferries

[3] Booking.com

[4] WTTC 4a: , 4b:

[5] The Guardian

[6] Skyscanner

[7] UNWTO: 7a, Sustainable Travel

[9] Responsible Travel

[10] Statista

[11] Airbnb

And for transparency’s sake, please know that some of the links in our content are affiliate links . That means that if you book your accommodation, buy your gear, or sort your insurance through our link, we earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you). That said, we only link to the gear we trust and never recommend services we don’t believe are up to scratch. Again, thank you!

Elina Mattila

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Travel and Tourism

Travel and tourism satellite account for 2017-2021.

The travel and tourism industry—as measured by the real output of goods and services sold directly to visitors—increased 64.4 percent in 2021 after decreasing 50.7 percent in 2020, according to the most recent statistics from BEA’s Travel and Tourism Satellite Account.

Data & Articles

• U.S. Travel and Tourism Satellite Account for 2017–2021 By Sarah Osborne - Survey of Current Business February 2023
• "U.S. Travel and Tourism Satellite Account for 2015–2019" By Sarah Osborne - Survey of Current Business December 2020
• "U.S. Travel and Tourism Satellite Account for 2015-2017" By Sarah Osborne and Seth Markowitz - Survey of Current Business June 2018
• Tourism Satellite Accounts 1998-2019
• Tourism Satellite Accounts Data Sheets A complete set of detailed annual statistics for 2017-2021 is coming soon -->
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Previously Published Estimates

• Data Archive This page provides access to an archive of estimates previously published by the Bureau of Economic Analysis. Please note that this archive is provided for research only. The estimates contained in this archive include revisions to prior estimates and may not reflect the most recent revision for a particular period.
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What is Travel and Tourism?

Measures how much tourists spend and the prices they pay for lodging, airfare, souvenirs, and other travel-related items. These statistics also provide a snapshot of employment in the travel and tourism industries.

What’s a Satellite Account?

• TTSA Sarah Osborne (301) 278-9459
• News Media Connie O'Connell (301) 278-9003 [email protected]

International tourism, number of departures

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The latest travel data.

MONTHLY INSIGHTS March 04, 2024

U.S. Travel has temporarily paused our monthly data newsletter, however, the latest travel data is still available via the U.S. Travel Insights Dashboard . This dashboard is updated each month (member login required).

The U.S. Travel Insights Dashboard , developed in collaboration with Tourism Economics, is supported by more than 20 data sources. The dashboard is the most comprehensive and centralized source for high-frequency intelligence on the U.S. travel industry, tracking industry performance, travel volumes and predictive indicators of recovery including air and lodging forecasts, DMO website traffic, convention and group trends, travel spending and losses, traveler sentiment, among others to measure the health of the industry.

Key Highlights January 2024:

• Travel appetite started the year on a softer note, but overall growth continued. Air passenger growth remained positive, up 6% versus the prior year but lower than the double-digit growth seen through 2023. Foreign visits remained strong, up 24% YoY.
• Hotel room demand continued a trend of slight contraction falling 1% versus the prior year, while short-term rental demand grew 1%, a lower rate than 2023.
• A particular bright spot was that group room demand within the top 25 markets displayed solid growth of 9% relative to the prior year.
• The outlook for the economy remains fairly optimistic due to the strength of the labor market, looser financial conditions and healthy household and nonfinancial corporate balance sheets. This has filtered through to slightly higher consumer sentiment in February.
• Sentiment is also growing for upcoming leisure travel in 2024. The share of travelers reporting having travel plans within the next six months increased to 93% in January from 92% in December, according to Longwoods International’s monthly survey.
• Travel price inflation (TPI) fell slightly in January as a result of falling transportation prices. Sticky services inflation should see relief from decelerating wage growth. However, upside risks stem from rising healthcare costs, supply chain disruptions and slowing labor supply. Source: U.S. Travel Association and Tourism Economics

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Additional monthly insights are available through the full U.S. Travel Monthly Data Report, exclusive to members. Please inquire with  membership  if you are interested in learning about becoming a member of U.S. Travel Association. 

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Where Americans Are Traveling in 2024: By the Numbers

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Americans are traveling abroad in droves.

The number of U.S. citizens flying to international destinations reached nearly 6.5 million passengers in March, according to the International Trade Administration. That’s the highest March total in over five years and shows that the post-pandemic “revenge travel” trend is the new normal.

It wasn’t just March, which usually sees a spike in international departures for spring break. In every month of 2024 so far, more Americans left the country than last year and 2019. These trends point to a blockbuster summer for overseas travel.

Nearly half of Americans (45%) plan to travel by air and/or stay in a hotel this summer and expect to spend $3,594 on average, on these expenses, according to a survey of 2,000 U.S. adults, conducted online by The Harris Poll and commissioned by NerdWallet.

That's despite rising travel prices that have caused some hesitancy among would-be travelers. About 22% of those choosing not to travel this summer cite inflation making travel too expensive as a reason for staying home, according to the poll.

So where are traveling Americans going? And what does it mean for those looking to avoid crowds of tourists and higher travel prices?

New travel patterns

Nearly every region in the world saw an increase in U.S. visitors in March 2024 compared with March 2023, according to International Trade Administration data. Only the Middle East saw a decline of 9%. Yet not every region saw the same year-over-year bump. U.S. visitors to Asia saw a 33% jump, while Oceania and Central America each saw a 30% increase.

Comparing 2024 with 2023 only tells part of the story, however. The new patterns really emerge when comparing international travel trends to 2019. For example, Central America received 50% more U.S. visitors in March 2024 compared with March 2019. Nearly 1.5 million Americans visited Mexico, up 39% compared with before the pandemic. That’s almost as many visitors as the entire continent of Europe, which has seen a more modest 10% increase since 2019.

Only Canada and Oceania saw fewer visitors in March 2024 than in 2019, suggesting that interest in these locations has not rebounded. Indeed, the trends indicate a kind of tourism inertia from COVID-19 pandemic-era lockdowns: Those destinations that were more open to U.S. visitors during the pandemic, such as Mexico, have remained popular, while those that were closed, such as Australia, have fallen off travelers’ radars.

Price pressures

How these trends play out throughout the rest of the year will depend on a host of factors. Yet, none will likely prove more important than affordability. After months of steadiness, the cost of travel, including airfare, hotels and rental cars, has begun to sneak up again.

About 45% of U.S. travelers say cost is their main consideration when planning their summer vacation, according to a survey of 2,000 Americans by the travel booking platform Skyscanner.

That’s likely to weigh further on U.S. travelers’ appetite for visiting expensive destinations such as Europe, while encouraging travel to budget-friendly countries. It could also depress overall international travel as well, yet so far, Americans seem to be traveling more.

For those looking to avoid crowds while maintaining a budget, Skyscanner travel trends expert Laura Lindsay offered a recommendation many of us might need help finding on a map.

“Albania has been on the radar of travelers looking for something different,” Lindsay said. "Most people have yet to discover it, but flights and tourism infrastructure are in place, and there are fewer crowds in comparison to trending European destinations like Italy, Greece, or Portugal.”

On the flip side, American travelers looking to avoid crowds of compatriots would do well to avoid Japan, which has seen a staggering 50% increase in U.S. tourists between March 2019 and 2024.

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Travel, Tourism & Hospitality

Travel and tourism in the U.S. - statistics & facts

What are the most popular travel destinations in the u.s., u.s. travel trends, key insights.

Detailed statistics

Tourism contribution to GDP in the U.S. 2019-2022

Total travel expenditures in the U.S. 2019-2026

Number of domestic leisure and business trips in the U.S. 2019-2026

Editor’s Picks Current statistics on this topic

Current statistics on this topic.

International travel spending in the U.S. 2019-2026

Leading city destinations in the U.S. 2019, by number of international arrivals

Related topics

Recommended.

• National park tourism in the U.S.
• Millennial travel behavior in the U.S.
• Tourism worldwide
• Hotel industry worldwide
• Sustainable tourism worldwide

Recommended statistics

Industry overview.

• Basic Statistic Tourism contribution to GDP in the U.S. 2019-2022
• Premium Statistic Total travel expenditures in the U.S. 2019-2026
• Premium Statistic Direct travel spending in the U.S. 2019-2022, by traveler type
• Basic Statistic Countries that visited the U.S. the most 2019-2022
• Basic Statistic Leading outbound travel markets in the U.S. 2019-2022, country
• Basic Statistic Contribution of travel and tourism to employment in the U.S. 2019-2022
• Premium Statistic Most visited states in the U.S. 2022

Total contribution of travel and tourism to the gross domestic product (GDP) in the United States in 2019 and 2022 (in trillion U.S. dollars)

Total travel spending in the United States from 2019 to 2022, with a forecast until 2026 (in trillion U.S. dollars)

Direct travel spending in the U.S. 2019-2022, by traveler type

Total direct travel spending in the United States from 2019 to 2022, by type of traveler (in billion U.S. dollars)

Countries that visited the U.S. the most 2019-2022

Distribution of international tourist arrivals in the United States in 2019 and 2022, by country

Leading outbound travel markets in the U.S. 2019-2022, country

Distribution of outbound tourist departures in the United States in 2019 and 2022, by country

Contribution of travel and tourism to employment in the U.S. 2019-2022

Contribution of travel and tourism to employment in the United States in 2019 and 2022 (in millions)

Most visited states in the U.S. 2022

Most visited states by adults in the United States as of September 2022

Key players

• Premium Statistic Leading holiday travel provider websites in the U.S. Q2 2023, by share of voice
• Premium Statistic Most downloaded travel apps in the U.S. 2022, by aggregated number of downloads
• Premium Statistic Number of aggregated downloads of leading online travel agency apps in the U.S. 2023
• Basic Statistic American Customer Satisfaction Index for internet travel companies U.S. 2002-2023
• Premium Statistic American Customer Satisfaction Index for hotel companies in the U.S. 2008-2023

Leading holiday travel provider websites in the U.S. Q2 2023, by share of voice

Leading travel brands in the United States in 2nd quarter 2023, by share of voice

Most downloaded travel apps in the U.S. 2022, by aggregated number of downloads

Most downloaded travel apps in the United States in 2022, by aggregated number of downloads (in millions)

Number of aggregated downloads of leading online travel agency apps in the U.S. 2023

Number of aggregated downloads of selected leading online travel agency apps in the United States in 2023 (in millions)

American Customer Satisfaction Index for internet travel companies U.S. 2002-2023

American Customer Satisfaction Index Scores for internet travel companies in the United States from 2002 to 2023

American Customer Satisfaction Index for hotel companies in the U.S. 2008-2023

American Customer Satisfaction Index scores for hotel companies in the United States from 2008 to 2023

• Premium Statistic U.S. hotel and motel industry market size 2012-2022
• Premium Statistic Number of hotel jobs in the U.S. 2019-2022
• Premium Statistic ADR of hotels in the U.S. 2001-2022
• Premium Statistic Occupancy rate of the U.S. hotel industry 2001-2022
• Premium Statistic Revenue per available room of the U.S. hotel industry 2001-2022
• Premium Statistic Change in monthly number of hotel bookings in the U.S. 2020-2023
• Premium Statistic YoY monthly change in number of online hotel searches in the U.S. 2020-2023

U.S. hotel and motel industry market size 2012-2022

Market size of the hotel and motel sector in the United States from 2012 to 2022 (in billion U.S. dollars)

Number of hotel jobs in the U.S. 2019-2022

Number of hotel jobs in the United States from 2019 to 2022, with a forecast for 2023 (in millions)

ADR of hotels in the U.S. 2001-2022

Average daily rate of hotels in the United States from 2001 to 2022 (in U.S. dollars)

Occupancy rate of the U.S. hotel industry 2001-2022

Occupancy rate of the hotel industry in the United States from 2001 to 2022

Revenue per available room of the U.S. hotel industry 2001-2022

Revenue per available room (RevPAR) of hotel industry in the United States from 2001 to 2022 (in U.S. dollars)

Change in monthly number of hotel bookings in the U.S. 2020-2023

Year-over-year monthly change in number of hotel bookings in the United States from 2020 to 2023

YoY monthly change in number of online hotel searches in the U.S. 2020-2023

Year-over-year monthly change in number of online hotel searches in the United States from 2020 to 2023

Attractions

• Premium Statistic Leading museums by highest attendance worldwide 2019-2022
• Basic Statistic Most visited amusement and theme parks worldwide 2019-2022
• Premium Statistic U.S. amusement park industry market size 2011-2022
• Premium Statistic Landmarks most recommended visitors in the U.S. 2022

Leading museums by highest attendance worldwide 2019-2022

Most visited museums worldwide from 2019 to 2022 (in millions)

Most visited amusement and theme parks worldwide 2019-2022

Leading amusement and theme parks worldwide from 2019 to 2022, by attendance (in millions)

U.S. amusement park industry market size 2011-2022

Market size of the amusement park sector in the United States from 2011 to 2022 (in billion U.S. dollars)

Landmarks most recommended visitors in the U.S. 2022

Most recommended landmarks by visitors in the United States as of September 2022

City tourism

• Basic Statistic City destinations with the highest direct travel and tourism GDP worldwide 2022
• Premium Statistic World's highest-priced business travel destinations Q4 2022
• Basic Statistic Selected cities with the highest hotel rates in the U.S. as of September 2023
• Basic Statistic Most affordable cities for backpacking in the U.S. 2023, by daily price
• Premium Statistic Average price per night of Airbnb listings in selected U.S. cities 2024
• Premium Statistic Number of Airbnb listings in selected U.S. cities 2024

City destinations with the highest direct travel and tourism GDP worldwide 2022

Leading city tourism destinations worldwide in 2022, ranked by direct contribution of travel and tourism to GDP (in billion U.S. dollars)

World's highest-priced business travel destinations Q4 2022

Most expensive cities for business tourism worldwide in 4th quarter 2022, by average daily costs (in U.S. dollars)

Selected cities with the highest hotel rates in the U.S. as of September 2023

Selected cities with the most expensive hotel rates in the United States as of September 2023 (in U.S. dollars)

Most affordable cities for backpacking in the U.S. 2023, by daily price

Most affordable cities for backpacking in the United States as of January 2023, by daily price (in U.S. dollars)

Average price per night of Airbnb listings in selected U.S. cities 2024

Average price per night of Airbnb listings in selected cities in the United States as of February 2024 (in U.S. dollars)

Number of Airbnb listings in selected U.S. cities 2024

Number of Airbnb listings in selected cities in the United States as of February 2024

Sustainable tourism

• Premium Statistic Travelers who find sustainable travel important in the U.S. 2022
• Premium Statistic Share of travelers that plan to make sustainable travel choices in the U.S. 2022
• Premium Statistic How much more travelers would pay to make a trip more sustainable in the U.S. 2022
• Premium Statistic U.S. consumers who have paid extra for sustainable travel in the past two years 2022
• Premium Statistic U.S. consumers willing to pay extra for a sustainable travel provider 2022
• Premium Statistic Share of U.S. travelers that feel guilty over non-eco-friendly past travel 2022
• Premium Statistic Reasons travelers were against staying in sustainable hotels in the U.S. 2022

Travelers who find sustainable travel important in the U.S. 2022

Share of travelers that think sustainable travel is important in the United States as of February 2022

Share of travelers that plan to make sustainable travel choices in the U.S. 2022

Share of travelers that intend to make more sustainable travel decisions in the United States as of March 2022

How much more travelers would pay to make a trip more sustainable in the U.S. 2022

Extra cost travelers would be willing to pay to make a trip more carbon friendly in the United States as of March 2022

U.S. consumers who have paid extra for sustainable travel in the past two years 2022

Share of consumers that have paid extra for sustainable travel in the past two years in the United States as of February 2022

U.S. consumers willing to pay extra for a sustainable travel provider 2022

Share of consumers willing to pay extra for a sustainable travel provider in the United States as of February 2022

Share of U.S. travelers that feel guilty over non-eco-friendly past travel 2022

Share of travelers that experience guilt over past trips not being sustainable in the United States as of August 2022

Reasons travelers were against staying in sustainable hotels in the U.S. 2022

Reasons travelers were against staying in a hotel with sustainable practices in the United States as of August 2022

• Premium Statistic Priorities when choosing a leisure travel destination in the U.S. 2023, by generation
• Premium Statistic Leading destinations travelers intend to visit in the next 12 months in the U.S. 2023
• Premium Statistic Trust in travel and hospitality brands in the U.S. 2023, by brand type
• Premium Statistic American Customer Satisfaction Index: travel and tourism industries in the U.S. 2023

Priorities when choosing a leisure travel destination in the U.S. 2023, by generation

Main factors for choosing a leisure travel destination among adults in the United States as of May 2023, by generation

Leading destinations travelers intend to visit in the next 12 months in the U.S. 2023

Leading leisure travel destinations travelers intend to go to in the next 12 months in the United States as of September 2023

Trust in travel and hospitality brands in the U.S. 2023, by brand type

Level of trust in travel and hospitality brands in the United States as of September 2023, by brand type

American Customer Satisfaction Index: travel and tourism industries in the U.S. 2023

American Customer Satisfaction Index for the travel and tourism sector in the United States in 2023, by industry

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UN Tourism | Bringing the world closer

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Statistics of tourism

The United Nations recognizes the World Tourism Organization as the appropriate organization to collect, to analyse, to publish, to standardize and to improve the statistics of tourism, and to promote the integration of these statistics within the sphere of the United Nations system.

“Official statistics provide an indispensable element in the information system of a democratic society, serving the government, the economy and the public with data about the economic, demographic, social and environmental situation.”

Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics

The UNWTO Statistics Department is committed to developing tourism measurement for furthering knowledge of the sector, monitoring progress, evaluating impact, promoting results-focused management, and highlighting strategic issues for policy objectives. 

The department works towards advancing the methodological frameworks for measuring tourism and expanding its analytical potential, designs practical guidance for their implementation in countries, supports statistical strengthening in countries through capacity building, and compiles and disseminates tourism statistics of countries all over the world.

The United Nations recognizes the World Tourism Organization as the appropriate organization to collect, to analyses, to publish, to standardize and to improve the statistics of tourism , and to promote the integration of these statistics within the sphere of the United Nations system.

Tourism Statistics Database

UNWTO systematically gathers tourism statistics from countries and territories around the world into a vast database that constitutes the most comprehensive statistical information available on the tourism sector. 

COVID-19 AND TOURISM STATISTICS

With new situations emerging from the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic, some clarifications need to be made to the UN statistical standards on tourism to maintain as far as possible data consistency and international comparability