The latest figures from the National Travel and Tourism Office (NTTO) reveal a thriving landscape for travel and tourism in the United States. In September 2024, international visitors funneled approximately $21.0 billion into travel-related activities, showcasing an impressive 7 percent increase compared to the same month last year.

Conversely, American travelers spent over $20.4 billion on trips abroad during this period, resulting in a notable trade surplus of $608 million in travel and tourism goods and services.

Year-to-Date Economic Impact

From January through September 2024, international tourists contributed nearly $189.3 billion to the U.S. travel and tourism sector, reflecting a substantial 14 percent growth from 2023. This influx averages around $693 million daily into the U.S. economy. In September alone, travel and tourism exports accounted for 22.9 percent of total U.S. services exports and 7.8 percent of all U.S. exports, which includes both goods and services.

Detailed Travel Expenditures

In September 2024, international visitors spent a remarkable $11.9 billion on various travel and tourism-related goods and services. This marks an increase from $10.7 billion recorded in September 2023, translating to an 11 percent rise year-over-year. This spending encompasses a wide array of expenses, including dining, accommodations, leisure activities, shopping for gifts, local transportation, and other incidental costs associated with foreign travel.

Travel receipts alone made up 57 percent of the total U.S. travel and tourism exports for September 2024.

Passenger Fare Revenue Insights

U.S. airlines reported $2.9 billion in fares from international travelers in September 2024, a 6 percent decline from the $3.1 billion collected in the same month of the previous year. These figures reflect the spending patterns of foreign residents flying with U.S. airlines, constituting 14 percent of the total travel and tourism exports for the month.

Spending on Education, Health, and Short-Term Work

In September 2024, spending associated with educational and health tourism, along with expenditures from border, seasonal, and other short-term workers in the U.S., reached $6.2 billion, an increase from $5.8 billion in September 2023. This growth of 7 percent underscores the expanding role of this sector in the travel economy. This category accounted for 29 percent of the total travel and tourism exports from the United States.

Conclusion

The data for September 2024 highlights a robust recovery and positive growth trajectory for the U.S. travel and tourism industry, driven by escalating international visitor spending and strong domestic travel activity. These trends not only contribute significantly to the economy but also emphasize the diverse and attractive experiences the United States has to offer travelers worldwide.

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