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U.S. Travel and Tourism Satellite Account for 2017–2021

By Sarah Osborne  |  February 9, 2023

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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 the Travel and Tourism Satellite Account (TTSA) of the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA). 1 By comparison, the broader economy, as measured by real gross domestic product (GDP), increased 5.9 percent in 2021 after decreasing 2.8 percent in 2020. Revised statistics on travel and tourism reflect the incorporation of the annual update of the National Economic Accounts, which was released on September 29, 2022. The 2022 Annual Update of the National Economic Accounts ,” Survey of Current Business 102 (November 2022)."> 2

Highlights from the TTSA include the following:

• As the industry entered the recovery period of the COVID–19 pandemic, travel and tourism's share of GDP increased from 1.54 percent in 2020 to 2.15 percent in 2021 ( table A ).
• The travel and tourism industry's real output increased $362.0 billion in 2021 but has not fully recovered from the pandemic. Travel and tourism’s real output for 2021 was 81.1 percent of its 2019 level ( table B ).
• The increase in 2021 is the largest expansion in real output since BEA began measuring these statistics in 1998.
• In 2021, real output increased for 21 of 24 commodities. The largest contributors to the increase were food and beverage services and shopping.
• Prices for travel and tourism goods and services increased 7.7 percent in 2021 after decreasing 5.0 percent in 2020. The largest contributors to the increase were gasoline, traveler accommodations, and automotive rental and leasing ( table C ).
• The TTSA is available on the BEA website; see the box “ Data Availability .”

The remainder of this article includes a discussion of trends in travel and tourism output, prices, value added, and employment.

Trends in Output and Prices

Real output.

Travel and tourism real output increased 64.4 percent in 2021. The largest contributors were food and beverage services, shopping, domestic passenger air transportation services, and traveler accommodations (table B and chart 1).

The upturn in real output (from a decrease of 50.7 percent in 2020 to an increase 64.4 percent in 2021) was led by upturns in food and beverage services, shopping, domestic passenger air transportation service, and traveler accommodations.

[View larger chart]

Travel and tourism prices turned up in 2021, increasing 7.7 percent after decreasing 5.0 percent in 2020, with prices of 21 of 24 commodities contributing to the increase (table C and chart 2). The upturn was led by upturns in gasoline, traveler accommodations, and automotive rental and leasing and a smaller decrease in domestic passenger air transportation.

Total output

Total tourism-related current-dollar, or nominal, output increased to $1.70 trillion in 2021, up from $952.0 billion in 2020. In 2021, total output consisted of $987.7 billion in direct tourism output and $716.3 billion in indirect tourism output. The 1.73 ratio of total output to direct output in 2021 means that every dollar of direct tourism output requires an additional 73 cents of indirect tourism output (chart 3).

Direct tourism output includes goods and services sold directly to visitors, such as passenger air travel. Indirect tourism output includes sales of all goods and services used to produce that direct output, such as jet fuel to fly the plane and catering services for longer flights.

Tourism Value Added and Employment

Value added.

A sector's value added measures its share of gross domestic product. The travel and tourism industry's share of GDP was 2.15 percent in 2021, 1.54 percent in 2020, and 2.99 in 2019 (table A). This pattern indicates that travel and tourism industries contracted and expanded disproportionately to non-travel and tourism industries during the COVID–19 pandemic.

Direct employment

Direct tourism employment refers to jobs that are directly related to visitor spending on goods and services. Airline pilots, hotel clerks, and travel agents are examples of such employees. Overall, direct employment increased by 1.3 million jobs in 2021 after decreasing by 2.9 million jobs in 2020. The largest contributors to the 2021 increase were food services and drinking places, which gained 730,000 jobs in 2021; shopping, which gained 206,000 jobs; and participant sports, which gained 86,000 jobs (chart 4 and table D).

Total employment

Total tourism-related employment (the sum of direct and indirect jobs) increased to 7.4 million jobs in 2021 from 5.5 million jobs in 2020. The 7.4 million jobs consisted of 4.8 million direct tourism jobs and 2.6 million indirect tourism jobs (chart 5). While direct tourism employment includes jobs that produce direct tourism output, such as airline pilots, indirect tourism employment is generated by the businesses that supply goods and services to the tourism sector, such as refinery workers producing jet fuel. Data for 2021 indicate that for every 100 jobs supported directly by the travel and tourism industry, an additional 53 indirect tourism jobs are also required.

• All measures of travel and tourism activity not identified as being in “real,” inflation-adjusted terms are current-dollar, or nominal, estimates.
• For more information see “ The 2022 Annual Update of the National Economic Accounts ,” Survey of Current Business 102 (November 2022).

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Fact sheet: 2022 national travel and tourism strategy, office of public affairs.

The 2022 National Travel and Tourism Strategy was released on June 6, 2022, by U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina M. Raimondo on behalf of the Tourism Policy Council (TPC). The new strategy focuses the full efforts of the federal government to promote the United States as a premier destination grounded in the breadth and diversity of our communities, and to foster a sector that drives economic growth, creates good jobs, and bolsters conservation and sustainability. Drawing on engagement and capabilities from across the federal government, the strategy aims to support broad-based economic growth in travel and tourism across the United States, its territories, and the District of Columbia.

The federal government will work to implement the strategy under the leadership of the TPC and in partnership with the private sector, aiming toward an ambitious five-year goal of increasing American jobs by attracting and welcoming 90 million international visitors, who we estimate will spend $279 billion, annually by 2027.

The new National Travel and Tourism Strategy supports growth and competitiveness for an industry that, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, generated $1.9 trillion in economic output and supported 9.5 million American jobs. Also, in 2019, nearly 80 million international travelers visited the United States and contributed nearly $240 billion to the U.S. economy, making the United States the global leader in revenue from international travel and tourism. As the top services export for the United States that year, travel and tourism generated a $53.4 billion trade surplus and supported 1 million jobs in the United States.

The strategy follows a four-point approach:

• Promoting the United States as a Travel Destination Goal : Leverage existing programs and assets to promote the United States to international visitors and broaden marketing efforts to encourage visitation to underserved communities.
• Facilitating Travel to and Within the United States Goal : Reduce barriers to trade in travel services and make it safer and more efficient for visitors to enter and travel within the United States.
• Ensuring Diverse, Inclusive, and Accessible Tourism Experiences Goal : Extend the benefits of travel and tourism by supporting the development of diverse tourism products, focusing on under-served communities and populations. Address the financial and workplace needs of travel and tourism businesses, supporting destination communities as they grow their tourism economies. Deliver world-class experiences and customer service at federal lands and waters that showcase the nation’s assets while protecting them for future generations.
• Fostering Resilient and Sustainable Travel and Tourism Goal : Reduce travel and tourism’s contributions to climate change and build a travel and tourism sector that is resilient to natural disasters, public health threats, and the impacts of climate change. Build a sustainable sector that integrates protecting natural resources, supporting the tourism economy, and ensuring equitable development.

Travel and Tourism Fast Facts

• The travel and tourism industry supported 9.5 million American jobs through $1.9 trillion of economic activity in 2019. In fact, 1 in every 20 jobs in the United States was either directly or indirectly supported by travel and tourism. These jobs can be found in industries like lodging, food services, arts, entertainment, recreation, transportation, and education.
• Travel and tourism was the top services export for the United States in 2019, generating a $53.4 billion trade surplus.
• The travel and tourism industry was one of the U.S. business sectors hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent health and travel restrictions, with travel exports decreasing nearly 65% from 2019 to 2020. 
• The decline in travel and tourism contributed heavily to unemployment; leisure and hospitality lost 8.2 million jobs between February and April 2020 alone, accounting for 37% of the decline in overall nonfarm employment during that time. 
• By 2021, the rollout of vaccines and lifting of international and domestic restrictions allowed travel and tourism to begin its recovery. International arrivals to the United States grew to 22.1 million in 2021, up from 19.2 million in 2020. Spending by international visitors also grew, reaching $81.0 billion, or 34 percent of 2019’s total.

More about the Tourism Policy Council and the 2022 National Travel and Tourism Strategy

Created by Congress and chaired by Secretary Raimondo, the Tourism Policy Council (TPC) is the interagency council charged with coordinating national policies and programs relating to travel and tourism. At the direction of Secretary Raimondo, the TPC created a new five-year strategy to focus U.S. government efforts in support of the travel and tourism sector which has been deeply and disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Read the full strategy here

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U.S. Travel & Tourism Statistics 2020-2021

The ultimate fact guide to america's tourism industry including outbound, inbound, domestic & business travel figures..

The American tourism industry is thriving, International and domestic travel is currently contribution over $1.1 trillion to the United States GDP every year. When looking at the annual travel split of domestic and international travel, Americans domestically traveling within the country last year made up the lion's share, totaling 2.29 Billion, a 2% increase from the previous year. Following past US tourism trends, the volume of Americans outbound traveling internationally was of course much less, amounting to 79.6 Million, which was a 3.5% increase from the previous year.

Leisure based travel accounts for 73.8% of all tourism in America, leaving 26.2% for business and other reasons. Overall the tourism expenditure accounts for $1,089 Billion a year, and the industry provides a direct source of employment for 5.29 million jobs.

RELATED: 2022 Tourism Trends & Outlook

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TOP U.S. TOURISM STATISTICS:

US Citizen domestic tourism:   Americans take 2.29 Billion domestic trips each year.

US Citizen outbound tourism:   Americans take 93.0 Million international outbound trips each year.

International Inbound Tourism:   Annually, there are currently 79.6 Million international visitors to the US.

$1,089 Billion:   Yearly American tourism expenditure ($932.7b domestic / $156.3b international)

Expenditure sources:   $267.7B on food services, $232.2B on lodging, $200.4B on public transport, $166.5B on auto transportation, $112.6B on recreation, $109.6B on retail.

15.7 Million   American jobs were supported by travel in 2018.

By 2028,   yearly U.S. tourism is estimated to hit the $2.4 trillion mark.

Days/yr. traveled by age group: Gen Z   (29 days) , Millennials   (35 days) , Gen X   (26 days)   and Baby Boomers   (27 days).

Top 5 inbound countries:   Mexico (19.1m), Canada (12.3m), UK (4.9), Japan (3.4), China (2.9)

Top 5 outbound by continent:   Europe (17.7m), Caribbean (8.7m), Asia (6.2m), South America (2.1m), Central America (3.2m)

Top US cities visited:   New York (9.8m), Miami (5.38m), LA (4.98m), Orlando (4.47m), San Francisco (3.57m), Vegas (3.33m)

Business vs. leisure:   U.S. travelers took 466.2 million domestic trips for business (26.2%), and 1,779.7 million for leisure (73.8%)

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Quick links: navigate our statistic topics, how many americans travel out of their country a year, how much did americans and tourists spend on travel last year, how much is the travel industry worth to america, which american age groups travel the most, why do americans travel, what are the popular trending activities in america, how do americans book their travel.

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US INBOUND & OUTBOUND TOURISM STATISTICS

US domestic travel increased by +2%  YTD in 2019 with Americans taking 2.29 Billion domestic trips.

Domestic leisure travel increased 1.9%   in 2019 to 1.9 billion.

80% of all US domestic trips  were for leisure travel in 2019.

Domestic business travel in 2019   accounted for 464 million trips.

US Citizen outbound tourism:   Americans take 93.0 Million international outbound trips each year. (+6.3% YTD Change)

International Inbound Tourism:   Annually, there are currently 79.6 Million international visitors to the US. (+3.5% YTD Change)

Top 5 inbound countries:   Mexico (19.1m), Canada (12.3m), UK (4.9), Japan (3.4), China (2.9).

Top 5 outbound by continent:   Europe (17.7m), Caribbean (8.7m), Asia (6.2m), South America (2.1m), Central America (3.2m).

Top US cities visited:   New York (9.8m), Miami (5.38m), LA (4.98m), Orlando (4.47m), San Francisco (3.57m), Vegas (3.33m).

Each year,   35% of American families   plan vacations 50 miles or more from home.

In a Travel Leaders Group survey,   24%   of Americans stated they plan to travel to Europe.

22%   of American vacations are via road trips.

USA’s top 5 road trip routes:   #1 Las Vegas – National Parks, #2 Northern California - Southern Oregon Coast, #3 Northern New England, #4 Blue Ridge Parkway #5 Black Hills.

The lion’s share of the United States tourism is from its own citizen’s domestic travel, with over 2.29 billion Americans taking trips within the country. This saw a +2% year to date increase, which is enormous considering that domestic travel spend was worth $932.7 Billion.

As you can see from the US outbound travel statistics above, the number of Americans traveling out of the country is remarkably low compared to domestic travel. According to Trade.gov, outbound tourism hit 93 Million last year and saw a sizable +6.3% year to date increase, showing more Americans are willing to take an outbound trip and travel out the country.

The outbound travel expenditure of these 93 million people was worth $156.3 Billion to America’s tourism industry, so 6.3% is a very significant outbound tourism statistic! The hottest US outbound destinations were Europe, Caribbean, Asia, South America, and Central America.

The US inbound tourism statistics also paint a fascinating picture of America’s continued tourism industry growth, with visitors flocking from Mexico, Canada, UK, Japan, and China. International visitors totaled 79.6 Million with a 3.5% year to date increase, with the top US vacation destinations being cities such as New York, Miami, LA, Orlando, San Francisco, and Las Vegas.

Sources :   Statista ,   AAA ,   TravelLeadersGroup ,   TravelAgentCentral ,   MMGY

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AMERICAS TOURISM INDUSTRY SPEND STATISTICS

American’s spent around   $930 billion USD   on domestic travel in 2018.

In 2017 the amount spent on summer vacations was around   $101.1 billion USD , up from $89.9 billion in 2016.

$1.1 Trillion   / $1,089 Billion: Yearly U.S. travel and tourism expenditure ($932.7b domestic / $156.3b international).

U.S. leisure spend totalled   $761.7 billion   in 2018 from domestic and international travellers.

U.S. business sped totalled   $327 billion   in 2018, with $136 Billion from travellers attending conventions or meetings.

Expenditure Sources:   $267.7B on food services, $232.2B on lodging, $200.4B on public transport, $166.5B on auto transportation, $112.6B on recreation, $109.6B on retail.

Behind nightlife/dining,   travel was voted   America’s most popular choice for spending disposable income at   36%.

$101.1 Billion   is spent every year in America on summer vacations alone.

The average American spends   $6,080 on international trips.

Inbound overseas tourists stay an average of 18 nights and   spend $4,200   while in America.

Overseas travellers account for   84%   of international tourist spend, despite being half of all international arrivals.

Canadian tourists are the biggest spenders with   £22.2 billion   in the U.S. every year.

New York brings in  $16.1 Billion   a year from international visitors.

If you’re wondering how much Americans spend on travel each year, it was huge; International and domestic travelers spent $1.1 Trillion US dollars ($1,089 Billion). Americans spending through domestic travel increased by a massive +5.8% year to date, whereas international tourism spends only saw a 0.3% bump from the previous year. To break this down, this sort of spending would support 8.9M jobs, which in turn would generate $171 Billion in tax and $268 Billion in payroll.

Out of the $1.1 Trillion spending, leisure travelers from both international and domestic spent $762 Billion in 2018, which was a +6.1% increase from the previous year. When looking at business travel spend, it had risen +2.4% to $327 Billion, with 41.5% coming from

What are American tourists spending this $1.1 Trillion on? According to the latest US travel spending statistics, food services such as restaurants, bars, and grocery stores were the most popular spending category at 26.7%. This was followed by 23.1% on lodging, 20.0% on public transport, 16.6% on auto transportation, 11.2% on recreation, and 10.9% on retail.

Furthermore, this $1.1 Trillion spending isn’t the only financial impact of the tourists. When you look at the inputs used to supply or produce the goods travelers desire, and take into account the spend of the employees of travel businesses – there is a considerable multiplier of the financial impact to the US economy, estimated to be a total of $2.5 Trillion.

Sources :  US Travel ,  US Travel 2 ,  Phocuswright ,  TravelAgenctCentral ,  Squaremouth ,  Statista

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US TRAVEL AND TOURISM INDUSTRY JOB STATISTICS  

The travel industry accounts for   7.1%   of America’s private employment.

15.7 Million American jobs   were supported by travel in 2018.

8.92 Million   American travel-related jobs were supported by tourism in 2018 (7.73M domestic / 1.19M international)

$1 Million   in travel revenue directly produces eight jobs with the industry.

1 in 10 jobs   in the U.S. depend on the travel industry (Excluding farming).

$267.9 Billion   in payroll is generated yearly by U.S. travel and tourism ($234.6 Billion domestic / $33.3 Billion international).

$170.9 Billion   in tax revenue is generated yearly by U.S. travel and tourism ($147.3 Billion domestic / $23.6 Billion international).

A massive   $117.4 billion   of the $170.9b in tax revenue was spent on leisure travel, $53.5b on business.

International and domestic business travel generated   $327.3 billion   in 2018 through direct spending.

In 2018, U.S. residents recorded   463.6M   trips for business (38% being events and meetings).

The tourism industry is vital to the US economy, so much so that it accounts for 7.1% of the countries private employment. Overall, 15.7 Million American jobs were supported by the tourism industry last year, making one in eight non-farm jobs dependent on it in some way, direct and indirectly. The trend is on the up, the 15.7 Million American jobs in the travel industry had a +1.3% increase from the previous year.

Jobs, where workers are supplying goods or services directly to visitors, would be classed as ‘direct’ - this supported 8.9 million U.S. travel-specific jobs. The remaining 6.8 Million jobs were classed as indirect, these would include areas whereby workers created goods or services which helped produce the goods or services (sold or used by the 8.9M direct jobs).

The travel industry is known for being extremely labor intensive, its upwards trends have the power to develop new career opportunities much fast than any other niche. If you exclude the farming industry, one in ten jobs would be dependent on the travel industry – as an example, one in five non-farming industry jobs would be created from $1 million sales, but the same value in the travel industry would create one in eight.

Sources :  US Travel 1 ,  US Travel 2

US TRAVEL STATISTICS BY DEMOGRAPHIC

42%   of Americans own a passport, up from 27% 10 years ago.

Days a year traveling by age: Millennials ( 35 days ), Gen Z ( 29 days ), Baby Boomers ( 27 days ), and Gen X ( 26 days ).

Millennials :   62%   of parents travel with kids under five.

Millennials :   58%   prefer traveling with friends, 49% book last-minute vacations.

Millennials :   58%   want to solo travel,   26%   already have.

Solo Travel Women:   Take 3 more trips a year and are the most likely to travel alone.

Solo Travel: 43%   take over three trips a year.

Solo Travel: 50%   have a college or university diploma/degree.

Family: 4 out of 10   plan a trip with a family each year.

Family: 80%   take summertime trips to travel with family.

Family: 42%   opt for spring break vacations.

Baby Boomers:   Aim to take 4+ leisure vacations a year.

Baby Boomers: 30%   opt for a cruise as their vacation choice.

When analyzing the latest US outbound travel statistics by age, it was clear that millennials are the group willing to travel for the most extended period at 35 days a year, while generation X vacationed an average of 26 days.

Millennial Americans that are without children are now less of the typical ‘tourist’ and more of the ‘experience’ generation. Most of their booking habits are focused on exploring cultures, booking retreats, or activities rather than visiting theme parks and tourist trap areas. Their freedom and spontaneity let almost half of them book last-minute vacations, with or without friends as, to them, solo travel means cultural growth and meeting new people.

These travel age statistics also show us that half of the solo travelers take up to 3 more trips a year, have a college or university degree, and American solo travel is more prominent in women. What percentage of Americans own a passport? The myth was only one in ten do which appears in many blogs across the web, but now the Census and State department confirm that over 42% of Americans own a passport.

One travel by age group statistic shows almost one in three baby boomers opt for a cruise as their vacation and aim to take at least 4 trips per year. When it comes to families, the majority go during summer break (80%), and only 4 in 10 plan trips with their family. However, millennial families are far more likely to travel with younger children, at 62%.

Sources : Expedia, Resonanceco,  InternetMarketingInc ,  PRNewswire ,  SoloTravelWorld ,  TravelAgentCentral ,  NYU 1 ,  NYU 2 ,  AARP ,  TripAdvisor

REASONS AMERICANS TRAVEL FACTS & STATISTICS

Business/Leisure: U.S. travellers took   466.2 million   domestic trips for business (26.2%), and   1,779.7 million   for leisure (73.8%).

Family:   95%   prioritized their family to be happy and entertained.

Family:   89%   prioritized vacation deals and value.

Family:   85%   needed planning around school holidays.

Family:   85%   wanted outdoor activities for their family.

Gen Z:   55%   travelled to increase their knowledge and experience.

Gen Z:   40%   travelled to avoid stress and relax.

Millennials:   43%   want to find themselves.

Millennials:   23%   want to meet new people.

57%   of U.S. travellers would choose a free heritage vacation over alcohol for a year.

56%   of global international travellers agree it taught them life skills.

51%   want to escape normal life and recharge mentally.

42%   take trips to visit friends and family.

35%   are travelling to experience local delicacies.

Top   bucket list vacations   are volunteering trips (39%), food travel adventure (38%), mystery journey (38%), ancestry/heritage trip (36%), and sabbatical (36%).

59%   of solo travellers stated the reason they went alone is to see the world without waiting for others.

Why do Americans travel? When looking at the data from several survey sources, it was clear that the gender and age of respondents had little impact on the three most important factors.

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The most important reasons why Americans travel were:

Being with friends and family

Fun experiences (did index higher in younger generations)

Relaxing and unwinding

In terms of gender-based travel reasons, men indexed higher than women overall for exploring the great outdoors or outdoor activities that fall into that category. Generation Z, Millennials, or general age groups from 18-35 had higher responses around wanting to travel for music events or festivals than people aged 35 and over.

The most important trend we’ve noticed from reviewing multiple studies around American’s desires for travel is that younger generations are factoring in ‘experience tourism,’ this was very common in their responses. Experience tourism can be defined by people wanting to book activities or retreats, meet new people and ‘find themselves’. This is popular among solo travellers, like a cultural trip to Thailand for a detox retreat rather than visiting a traditional tourist attraction like a theme park.

Americans over 35 were keen on finding a vacation where food and drink was priority. Visiting a town or city that had cultural foodie scenes or breweries were very trendy.

Sources : ShortTermRentalz,  Wysetc ,  Trekksoft ,  TravelNews ,  USTravel ,  Booking.com ,  HospitalityNet ,  SoloTravelWorld

US TOURISM & TRAVEL ACTIVITY STATISTICS

Top 5 culture activities:   #1) 65% visit history/art museums, #2) 59% visit aquariums, #3) 56% visit science museums, #4) 55% visit theme parks, #5) 55% visit zoos

73%   of families take their children to a theme park, 34% aim for a world famous one.

Overseas visitors top 5 activities:   #1) 54% Shopping, #2) 49% visit historical/cultural sights, #3) 49% Restaurants, #4) 46% Monuments / National Parks, #5) 46% Sightseeing tours.

Trending:   89% increase in sunset cruise excursions trips since last year.

Trending : 64% increase in snorkelling activities since last year.

Trending : 55% increase in sailing trips since last year.

Trending : 49% increase in kayaking and canoeing experiences since last year.

33%   of visitors will get spa or beauty treatments while on vacation.

15%   of travellers book mindfulness or meditation retreats.

One of the reasons Americans do not travel abroad that much is that there is so much to offer in their own country. There is a wealth of cultural activities such as art galleries, museums that index high on the popular activities list, not to mention the volume of theme parks, zoos, and aquariums across the country.

Families want to book all-inclusive trips where everything is taken care of, and they can focus on shopping or taking their children sightseeing. An overwhelming volume of people wanted to book a cruise in the future, which pairs well with relaxing is one of the most popular reasons for travel data above. Cruises were particularly popular in respondents over the age of 45, as well as self-guided tours, whereas group tours were one of the least popular options for booking.

Even though sporting related activities are trending up, going to a physical sporting event was one of the least popular reasons Americans book travel, with most wanting to support their team… from home.

Sources :  MMGY ,  NYU , StatisticBrain,  TripAdvisor ,  Booking.com

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US TOURISM BOOKING STATISTICS

65%   of hotels are booked on the smartphone the same day as it was researched.

79%   of Americans researching trips will eventually book on their smartphone via app or online.

90%   of U.S. travellers use apps at their destination to make life easy.

#1 factor   in Americans booking travel is price, but reviews and amenities are close runners up.

Americans aged 18-24 classed   reviews   as the second most crucial factor in the booking.

Overall, travel is most commonly booked between   1 to 3 months   in advance.

Men are more likely to last-minute book their trips   2 to 4 weeks   out.

Excluding price as the main factor for Americans booking travel, amenities, and reviews were the most popular choices. So when comparing hotels, resorts or cruises of similar price, these are the factors that will sway the booking decision.

Popular amenities people look for when booking hotels are free breakfasts, pool access, fitness centers, and on-site restaurants. Public transportation was the least influential factor for people considering amenities when booking; this increased with ride-share options.

Only 11% of travellers book trips 6 months out; the most standard booking periods were for trips within 1 to 3 months.

Demographics wise, travelers without children would be the target market for last-minute booking, the no strings attached lifestyle leaves their schedules open. This makes them the ideal target for using last-minute deals to sign them up to hotel or travel loyalty programs.

Sources : StatisticBrain,  ThinkWithGoogle ,  Trekksoft

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December 2023 International Inbound Visitor Spending

International visitors spent $19.5 billion in the united states in december 2023.

Data recently released by the National Travel and Tourism Office (NTTO) show that in December 2023 :

• International visitors spent $19.5 billion on travel to, and tourism-related activities within, the United States, an increase of more than 22% compared to December 2022 and the highest level of monthly spending since December 2019 (before the onset of reported COVID-19 cases). In fact, monthly U.S. travel and tourism exports are within $1.4 billion of their highwater mark set back in March 2018 when international visitors spent an appreciable $20.8 billion experiencing the United States.  
• Conversely, Americans spent $18.9 billion traveling abroad during December, yielding a balance of trade surplus of $544 million and the sixth consecutive month during which the United States enjoyed a balance of trade surplus for travel and tourism-related goods and services.  
• International visitors have spent more than $212.2 billion on U.S. travel and tourism-related goods and services year to date (January through December 2023), an increase of more than 28% when compared 2022; international visitors have injected, on average, more than $581 million a day into the U.S. economy during 2023.  
• U.S. Travel and tourism exports accounted for 22.4% of U.S. services exports during December 2023 and 7.5% of all U.S. exports, goods and services alike.  

Composition of Monthly Spending (Travel Exports)

• Purchases of travel and tourism-related goods and services by international visitors traveling in the United States totaled $11.3 billion during December 2023 (compared to $8.8 billion in December 2022), an increase of 28% when compared to the previous year. These goods and services include food, lodging, recreation, gifts, entertainment, local transportation in the United States, and other items incidental to foreign travel.  
• Travel receipts accounted for 58% of total U.S. travel and tourism exports in December 2023.  
• Fares received by U.S. carriers from international visitors totaled $3.4 billion in December 2023 (compared to $2.7 billion in the previous year), up 24% when compared to December 2022. These receipts represent expenditures by foreign residents on international flights provided by U.S. air carriers.  
• Passenger fare receipts accounted for 17% of total U.S. travel and tourism exports in December 2023.  
• Expenditures for educational and health-related tourism, along with all expenditures by border, seasonal, and other short-term workers in the United States totaled $4.8 billion in December 2023 (compared to $4.4 billion in December 2022), an increase of 11% when compared to the previous year.  
• Medical tourism, education, and short-term worker expenditures accounted for 25% of total U.S. travel and tourism exports in December 2023.

Interested in an interactive data visualization of these statistics? Please visit our Monthly Travel Trade Monitor for a more comprehensive and customizable experience.

Monthly Travel Trade Monitor

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United States Tourism Statistics

United states us: international tourism: expenditures, view united states's united states us: international tourism: expenditures from 1995 to 2016 in the chart:.

United States US: International Tourism: Expenditures: % of Total Imports

View united states's united states us: international tourism: expenditures: % of total imports from 1995 to 2016 in the chart:.

United States US: International Tourism: Expenditures: for Passenger Transport Items

View united states's united states us: international tourism: expenditures: for passenger transport items from 1995 to 2016 in the chart:.

United States US: International Tourism: Expenditures: for Travel Items

View united states's united states us: international tourism: expenditures: for travel items from 1995 to 2016 in the chart:.

United States US: International Tourism: Number of Arrivals

View united states's united states us: international tourism: number of arrivals from 1995 to 2016 in the chart:.

United States US: International Tourism: Number of Departures

View united states's united states us: international tourism: number of departures from 1995 to 2015 in the chart:.

United States US: International Tourism: Receipts

View united states's united states us: international tourism: receipts from 1995 to 2016 in the chart:.

United States US: International Tourism: Receipts: % of Total Exports

View united states's united states us: international tourism: receipts: % of total exports from 1995 to 2016 in the chart:.

United States US: International Tourism: Receipts: for Passenger Transport Items

View united states's united states us: international tourism: receipts: for passenger transport items from 1995 to 2016 in the chart:.

United States US: International Tourism: Receipts: for Travel Items

View united states's united states us: international tourism: receipts: for travel items from 1995 to 2016 in the chart:.

Explore our Data

12. Washington

Market share: 2.0%

Visitation figures 2022: 467,000

Washington has a range of geological features, including the Cascade Mountains, Columbia River, and Coast, which attracts many tourists. The variety of landscapes offers an opportunity for outdoor activities such as camping, wildlife viewing, and winter sports.

11. Pennsylvania

Market share: 2.5%

Visitation figures 2022: 592,000

Pennsylvania has popular tourist destinations, including Philadelphia's Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell. The Pocono Mountains and other natural landmarks are located in the state. Pennsylvania is also famous for Hershey's Theme Park.

10. Arizona

Market share: 2.8%

Visitation figures 2022:663,000

Millions of tourists have been drawn to the state due to its natural features, which include the Grand Canyon, Sedona, Monument Valley, and the Sonoran Desert.

9. Massachusetts

Market share: 3.4%

Visitation figures 2022: 807,000

Massachusetts attracts tourists due to its rich history and cultural sites. It is also known for universities such as Harvard and MIT. Historic downtown Boston has sites like the Freedom Trail. Meanwhile, Faneuil Hall Marketplace provides entertaining shopping and dining experiences for visitors.

8. New Jersey

Market share: 3.6%

Visitation figures 2022: 867,000

New Jersey has many natural features, including beaches and mountains, that make it popular among tourists. The Jersey Shore and Atlantic City are some of the famous destinations. The state also has many historic places, including the Ringwood Manor and Batsto Village. New Jersey has secured the ninth place on our list of 25 states with highest tourism revenue in the US.

Market share: 4.0%

Visitation figures 2022: 953,000

The state is a very popular location for tourists due to its natural beauty. There are many activities for visitors in Hawaii, including hiking, golfing, snorkeling, and surfing. The Hula culture in Hawaii is also a major attraction for tourists as it is a blend of traditional music and choreography.

6. Illinois

Market share: 4.7%

Visitation figures 2022: 1,135,000

Chicago is a famous tourist destination with places like Navy Pier, Millennium Park, and the Art Institute of Chicago. The state's historical sites include Lincoln Home National Historic Site in Springfield.

Click to continue reading and see the 5 States With Highest Tourism Revenue in the US .   Suggested articles:

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Disclosure: None. 25 States With Highest Tourism Revenue in the US  is originally published on Insider Monkey.

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US tourism top states stats round-up post

The most notable trend is travelers’ desire to spend more time outdoors. They’re helping revive the tourism industry in states like Utah and Arizona, where state and national parks are plentiful. Meanwhile, Florida’s booming theme park industry and accessible beaches are driving an exceptional recovery for the state.

This is good news for tour and attraction operators. The uptick in visitors to your state will translate to more bookings and revenue for your travel business.

If you’re not sure how your state is faring, here are all the U.S. tourism statistics by state that you need to know.

What US states spend the most on tourism? 

Historically, Hawaii, Florida, and California were the top three states that spent the most on tourism. Texas, Michigan, and New York were also among the top spenders.

Over the past five years, state tourism funding has increased by 20% across the board. States spend, on average, $22 million on tourism initiatives to attract tourists and generate visitor spending.

Most states took a major step back in tourism spending during the pandemic, but now, they’re jumping back into the marketing game.   Twenty-nine states ramped up their tourism budgets during the 2021-2022 fiscal year, including Colorado, Florida, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Texas, and Washington.

Hawaii and Florida were among the top spenders: In 2022, Hawaii secured a $60 million tourism budget, while Florida had over $80 million to work with, including $30 million in federal stimulus money. 

How much of Florida’s economy is tourism-driven?

Nationwide, travel and tourism are major drivers of economic activity. The tourism industry is responsible for 2.9% of the U.S. GDP.

That number is even higher in Florida, where tourism represents 10% of the state’s overall GDP. The industry supports nearly 13% of the state’s jobs.

In 2019, Florida welcomed 131 million out-of-state visitors, 10% of which were international. In total, visitors spent $98.8 billion and helped generate $27.6 billion in federal, state, and local taxes.

The total economic impact amounted to $96.5 billion in 2019.

How much of Hawaii’s economy is tourism-driven? 

Hawaii is also heavily reliant on tourism. The travel industry represents about a quarter of the state’s economy.

Over 10 million tourists traveled to Hawaii in 2019, which is over seven times the state’s population. Visitors spent $17.8 billion and contributed over $2 billion in tax revenue.

What are the top 20 US states with the most tourists?  

New York, California, and Ohio are among the most popular states in the U.S. In 2021, many states experienced a strong rebound in visitors as domestic travelers started to venture out of their home states.

These were the top-visited states in 2021; numbers are shown for the year 2021 unless otherwise noted.

• 265.5 million visitors (2019)
• $73.6 billion in visitor spending (2019)
• $117.6 billion in economic impact (2019)
• 219 million visitors
• $47 billion in visitor spending
• 213.5 million visitors
• $100 billion in visitor spending
• 211 million visitors (2019)
• $46 billion in visitor spending (2019)
• $4.8 billion in state and local taxes (2019)
• 159.6 million visitors
• $34.4 billion in visitor spending
• $4.2 billion in state and local tax revenues
• 126 million visitors (2019)
• $24.2 billion in domestic and international travel spending in 2021
• $1.9 billion in state and local tax revenue
• 122 million visitors
• $96.5 billion in revenue (2019)
• $27.6 billion in taxes (2019)
• 110 million visitors
• $43 billion in visitor spending (2019)
• $2.5 billion in state tax revenue (2019)
• 102 million visitors
• 20.9 billion in total economic impact
• $1.4 billion in state and local taxes
• 96.6 million visitors
• $37.3 billion in visitor spending
• $4.6 billion in state and local taxes
• 84.2 million visitors
• $21.9 billion in visitor spending
• $1.5 billion in state and local tax revenue
• 72.5 million visitors (2018)
• $83 billion in visitor spending (2019)
• $7.8 billion in state and local taxes (2019)
• 56 million visitors
• $60.6 billion contribution to the economy just in Southern Nevada
• Over $36 billion in visitor spending in Southern Nevada
• 49.3 million total visitor volume
• 13.6 billion in visitor spending
• $1.7 billion in state and local taxes
• 44 million visitors (2019)
• $25.2 billion in visitor spending
• $1.8 billion in state and local taxes
• 45 million visitors
• $28.9 billion in visitor spending 
• $2.3 billion in state and local taxes
• 41 million visitors
• $1.1 billion in local, state, and federal taxes
• 40.9 million visitors
• $23.6 billion in visitor spending
• $3.4 billion in tax revenue
• 28.2 million visitors
• Nearly $20 billion in visitor spending
• $1.1 billion in state and local taxes
• 21 million visitors (2019)
• 15.8 million people visited Utah’s parks in 2021
• $1.6 billion in visitor spending at Utah’s parks

Top 10 fastest-growing US states for tourism 

Theme parks, casinos, and parks are fueling a strong tourism rebound in these 10 states.

The state is quickly catching up to pre-pandemic visitation numbers and even setting new records. In 2021, Florida welcomed nearly 118 million domestic visitors, the highest level in state history. This was great news for the hotel industry, which is already generating revenue at pre-pandemic levels. The state’s total hotel revenue hit a record in 2021 at $17.3 billion, a 2% increase from 2019.

2. Tennessee

Tennessee’s tourism industry is already setting post-pandemic records. In 2021, visitors spent a record $24 billion traveling through the state. That breaks down to $66 million daily, a 44% increase from the year prior.

3. Virginia

The shift toward outdoor and adventure travel has increased park attendance across the U.S. In Virginia, nearly 8 million people visited the region’s 41 state parks in 2021, a 15% increase from 2019.

4. Arkansas

Similarly, the tourism growth seen in Arkansas is driven by its parks. The state welcomed just over 41 million visitors in 2021, surpassing the 36.3 million that came in 2019. Hot Springs National Park had over 2 million recreational visits in 2021, topping the previous visitation record set in 1970. 

Utah’s strong rebound can be attributed to the popularity of the “Might Five,” which is the nickname given to Arches, Bryce Canyon, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, and Zion National Parks. The five parks welcomed 11.2 million recreation visits in 2021, and all but Bryce Canyon National Park had a record-breaking year. 

Wyoming had a big tourism year in 2021. Visitors spent $4 billion, which helped generate $243 million in tax revenue — a 50% increase from 2020. Yellowstone National Park welcomed a record number of visitors (nearly 5 million).

Tourism in Maine has rebounded to pre-pandemic levels. In fact, tourism was up 25% in the first five months of 2022 compared to the same period in 2019. Meanwhile, visitor spending was up 18% in May of this year over May 2019. In 2021, over 15.6 million visitors flocked to the state, an increase of 29% from 2020.

Montana’s state parks welcomed a record-setting number of visitors in 2020. That trend continued into the following year when visitors spent $5.15 billion while traveling through the state, a billion dollars more than they spent in 2019.

In 2021, Arizona outpaced the national rate in terms of visitor spending and overnight stays. The state recovered 87% of its overnight visitation and 92% of its visitor spending rate from pre-pandemic times. Overnight visitors spent $23.6 billion across the state in 2021.

Las Vegas is fueling a strong tourism rebound in Nevada. This past February was the best in history for Vegas, with $1.1 billion of casino winnings recorded. Meanwhile, monthly passenger traffic at Harry Reid International Airport more than doubled in February compared to a year ago.

What are the top 10 least-visited states in the US? 

Alaska,  Nebraska, and Vermont are among the least visited states in the U.S.

Yet even these states are growing in popularity as domestic travel returns in full force. Visitors flocked to the Alaskan outdoors this summer, boosting demand for hotels and car rentals. Meanwhile, Nebraska’s lodging tax revenue hit an all-time record this year. And as autumn rolls around, Vermont is gearing up to welcome hordes of leaf-peeping tourists .

These are the top 10 least visited states in the U.S. — at least for now:

• Alaska: 2.26 million  
• West Virginia: 3.96 million
• Nebraska: 6.5 million
• Wyoming: 8.1 million (Despite being one of the least visited states, record visitation at Yellowstone National Park in 2021 have propelled Wyoming’s tourism industry forward.)
• Delaware: 9.2 million
• Montana: 12.5 million (Montana’s state parks welcomed a record number of visitors in 2020, putting the state’s natural beauty on the map.)
• New Hampshire: 12.8 million
• Vermont: 13 million
• South Dakota: 14.5 million
• Maine: 15.6 million (Despite being one of the least-visited states, tourism was up 25% in the first five months of this year compared to the same period in 2019.)

Whether you run a business in one of the most- or least-visited states in the country, your busy season is about to get a whole lot busier. As tourism continues to rebound in 2022, is your travel company ready to welcome the influx of visitors?

Writer Carla Vianna

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Billion-dollar industry: Erie County tourism growing as visitor spending is on the rise

Tourists are bringing and spending money when they visit Erie.

The Pennsylvania Tourism Office detailed in its 2022 visitor data report that people visiting Erie spent $1.03 billion in different categories from food and beverage to lodging and more.

For the Pennsylvania Great Lakes Region, which consists of Erie, Crawford, Mercer and Venango counties, visitor spending rose 13% at $1.75 billion which surpassed the pre-pandemic levels and exceeded numbers reported from 2016-2022.

Whether it's for festivals, sporting events, concerts or just curiosity in the region, people are finding reasons to visit northwestern Pennsylvania.

“These findings highlight the pivotal role tourism plays in strengthening Pennsylvania's economy," John Oliver, CEO of VisitErie stated in a news release. "With one in 10 jobs in Erie County connected to hospitality, tourism dollars support essential services, including transportation, infrastructure, education, and public safety programs. Without this contribution, every household in Pennsylvania would bear an additional tax burden of $880."

How are visitors spending their money?

Here is a breakdown of counties that makes up the Pa. Great Lakes Region and how visitors are spending money:

• Total: $1.0388 billion
• Lodging: $121.8 million
• Food and beverage: $229.4 million
• Retail: $187 million
• Recreation: $219.9 million
• Transportation: $280.8 million

More: It's totally happening April 8 in Erie, Pa. Check out these solar eclipse viewing events.

• Total: $257.4 million
• Lodging: $13 million
• Food and beverage: $61.7 million
• Retail: $41.9 million
• Recreation: $39.4 million
• Transportation: $101.4 million
• Total: $309.8 million
• Lodging: $33.8 million
• Food and beverage: $74.4 million
• Retail: $58.9 million
• Recreation: $57.9 million
• Transportation: $84.9 million
• Total: $147.8 million
• Lodging: $10.1 million
• Food and beverage: $26.3 million
• Retail: $21 million
• Recreation: $21.7 million
• Transportation: $68.7 million

An increase in spending from 2021

How do the numbers compare to the 2021 report? Here is the 2021 tourist spending report:

• Total: $927.7 million
• Lodging: $109.8 million
• Food and beverage: $209.3 million
• Retail: $179.3 million
• Recreation: $180 million
• Transportation: $24.93 million
• Total: $220.3 million
• Lodging: $11.7 million
• Food and beverage: $53.8 million
• Retail: $38.8 million
• Recreation: $32.2 million
• Transportation: $83.8 million
• Total: $270 million
• Lodging: $27.8 million
• Food and beverage: $64.8 million
• Retail: $57.2 million
• Recreation: $46.9 million
• Transportation: $73.1 million
• Total: $127.8 million
• Lodging: $8.6 million
• Food and beverage: $22.7 million
• Retail: $19.7 million
• Transportation: $59.6 million

More: Erie is expecting heavy traffic for the April 8 solar eclipse, and not just on our roads

Erie tourism numbers back in swing post-pandemic

The numbers are showing that Erie is back on track in the tourism industry following the COVID-19 pandemic.

The lowest total amount for spending in the Great Lakes Region was $1.228 billion in 2020 around the start of the pandemic.

"It continues to show that Erie has come out of the pandemic stronger than before it," Oliver said. "It shows that we're reaching and able to convince visitors that Erie is a place they should vacation at and it's evident that they are coming here to vacation and spending their dollars here benefiting our economy."

An increase in spending and job creations

The Great Lakes Region has seen spending flex from $1.665 billion in 2016 to $1.754 billion in 2022. The highest amount of visitor spending was reported in 2022.

"Certainly we would like to see spending across all categories," Oliver said. "That occurs when we are successful in attracting more visitors to the area."

For the visitor spending and employment unit of the report, the Great Lakes Region increased by 766 jobs at a 6% increase. Erie County has seen a 92.9% increase in this category since 2019. Erie County in 2022 reported 7,414 jobs supported by visitor spending in 2022.

"We're able to see the numbers on a month to month basis," Oliver said. "We're seeing on average over the course of a year over 13,000 people in Erie County that are employed in hospitality businesses."

Gov. Shapiro calls for increased funding for tourism

Gov. Josh Shapiro is calling for a $15 million increase in tourism funding in his 2024-25 budget proposal, as stated in the Pennsylvania Office of Tourism news release.

This increase would support nearly 500,000 Pennsylvanians who work in the travel and tourism industry creating a major investment to drive economic growth, leading to new businesses and jobs.

Oliver said he was encouraged by the call for increased funding.

"It wasn't that many years ago that Pennsylvania was being funded at a level of two million dollars," Oliver said. "To see the additional dollars be recommended I think shows that the governor understands and recognizes the important role that tourism plays in the overall economy for Pennsylvania."

Contact Nicholas Sorensen at [email protected] .

An official website of the United States government

• Arts and Cultural Production Satellite Account, U.S. and States, 2022
• News Release
• Related Materials
• Additional Information

Arts and Cultural Production Satellite Account, U.S. and States, 2022 New statistics for 2022; 2017—2021 updated

The Arts and Cultural Production Satellite Account released today by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) shows that arts and cultural economic activity, adjusted for inflation, increased 4.8 percent in 2022 after increasing 10.8 percent in 2021 (table 1). By comparison, the broader economy, as measured by real gross domestic product (GDP), increased 1.9 percent in 2022 after increasing 5.8 percent in 2021. Arts and cultural economic activity accounted for 4.3 percent of GDP, or $1.10 trillion, in 2022 (tables 2 and 3).

Real (inflation-adjusted) value added for core arts and cultural production industries, which include performing arts, museums, design services, fine arts education, and education services, increased 18.2 percent in 2022. Supporting arts and cultural production industries, which include art support services and information services, increased 1.4 percent in 2022 (table 1).

• Performing arts increased 39.2 percent in 2022 after increasing 12.4 percent in 2021. The leading contributor to the increase was performing arts companies, which increased 76.5 percent in 2022 after decreasing 27.8 percent in 2021.
• Museums increased 6.9 percent in 2022 after decreasing 10.9 percent in 2021.
• Design services increased 8.5 percent in 2022 after increasing 13.6 percent in 2021.
• Fine arts education increased 24.0 percent in 2022 after increasing 21.4 percent in 2021.
• Education services increased 7.3 percent in 2022 after decreasing 3.1 percent in 2021.

Nominal value added

Nominal value added (not adjusted for inflation) increased 7.8 percent nationally in 2022 (table 2). The leading contributor to the increase was core arts and cultural production industries (table 4). Supporting arts and cultural production industries increased 4.1 percent to a level of $825.6 billion; the leading contributor to the increase was information services. Core arts and cultural production industries increased 21.8 percent in 2022 to a level of $249.0 billion; the leading contributors to the increase were performing arts and design services.

In 2022, nominal value added in arts and cultural production industries increased in every state and the District of Columbia. The percent change across all states ranged from 23.9 percent in Connecticut to 2.0 percent in Nebraska (table 2).

In Connecticut—the state with the largest increase in value added—broadcasting, other information services, and design services were the leading contributors to the increase in value added. In Nebraska—the state with the smallest increase in value added—a decrease in other information services mitigated the increase (table 4).

For all states and the District of Columbia, the arts and cultural share of total GDP ranged from 9.5 percent in Washington to 1.3 percent in Delaware. The share for most states ranged between 2 and 5 percent. Washington, the District of Columbia, California, and New York were the only areas where the arts and cultural share of total GDP exceeded 5 percent (table 3).

The top arts and cultural production industries varied among the states. In Washington, publishing and retail industries were the leading contributors to the share of total state GDP. Government and broadcasting were the leading contributors in the District of Columbia. Other information services and motion pictures were the leading contributors in California. Broadcasting and other information services were the leading contributors in New York (table 3).

Arts and cultural employment nationwide increased 6.4 percent in 2022. The total number of arts and cultural jobs for the nation was 5.2 million. Arts and cultural employment increased in 45 states and the District of Columbia. The percent change across all states ranged from 14.5 percent in Louisiana to −2.8 percent in Oregon (table 8).

Louisiana had 55,212 jobs related to arts and culture, representing 2.8 percent of all jobs in the state. Retail industries and motion pictures were the leading contributors to the increase in arts and cultural employment in Louisiana. In Oregon, retail industries and publishing were the leading contributors to the decrease in arts and cultural employment (table 9).

Compensation

Arts and cultural compensation nationwide increased 4.3 percent in 2022. Arts and cultural compensation increased in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The percent change across all states ranged from 17.2 percent in Michigan to 0.3 percent in California (table 8).

Update of arts and cultural production statistics

Today, BEA also released updated national-level arts and cultural production statistics on output, value added, intermediate inputs, employment, and compensation from 2017 to 2021, with new statistics for 2022, and updated state-level statistics on value added, employment, and compensation from 2017 to 2021, with new statistics for 2022. These revised and newly available statistics primarily reflect the incorporation of revised and newly available source data from the 2023 comprehensive updates of BEA’s National and Regional Economic Accounts. Combined with new and revised arts and cultural production-specific source data, these improvements allow the arts and cultural production statistics to capture the dynamics of this sector more accurately.

The reference year for the chained-dollar estimates of national-level arts and cultural production statistics is updated to 2017 from 2012.

BEA’s Arts and Cultural Production Satellite Account is supported by funding from the National Endowment for the Arts.

Next release: March 2025 Arts and Cultural Production Satellite Account, U.S. and States, 2023

Full Release & Tables (PDF)

Release tables only (excel), interactive tables.

• Technical (National) Kenneth Beatty 301-278-9572 [email protected]
• Technical (Regional) Clifford Woodruff 301-278-9234 [email protected]
• Media Connie O’Connell 301-278-9003 [email protected]
• Stay informed about BEA developments by reading The BEA Wire , signing up for BEA’s email subscription service , or following @BEA_News on X, formerly known as Twitter.
• The time series of detailed annual statistics for 2017 through 2022 are available at “ Arts and Culture .”
• Access BEA data by registering for BEA’s Data Application Programming Interface .
• For more on BEA’s statistics, see our online journal, the Survey of Current Business .
• For upcoming economic indicators, see BEA’s news release schedule .
• For complete information on the sources and methods used to estimate arts and cultural production, see BEA’s arts and cultural production methodology .

Definitions

“Culture” in the context of input-output tables for the Arts and Cultural Production Satellite Account can be defined in a variety of ways, including language, traditions, beliefs, and values. For this account, arts and cultural production is defined narrowly to include creative artistic activity—the goods and services produced by it, the goods and services produced in support of it, and the construction of buildings in which it takes place. The input-output table is a valuable tool to identify and estimate the value of the “creative chain.” This chain captures the economic value of the creation of a cultural product (composing a symphony) from its production (the performance being recorded in a studio), distribution (by various modes), and final consumption (by the listener).

Arts and cultural production output consists of all domestically produced goods and services purchased (for example, movie tickets or design services).

Arts and cultural production employment consists of all wage and salary jobs in which the workers are engaged in the production of arts and cultural production- related goods and services.

Arts and cultural production compensation consists of the remuneration (including wages and salaries as well as benefits, such as employer contributions to pension and health funds) payable to employees in return for their arts and cultural production-related work during a given year.

Arts and cultural production value added consists of output less intermediate consumption (for example, costumes rented by performing arts companies or printing of the program for the show).

Gross domestic product (GDP) is the value of the goods and services produced by the nation’s economy less the value of the goods and services used up in production. GDP is also equal to the sum of personal consumption expenditures, gross private domestic investment, net exports of goods and services, and government consumption expenditures and gross investment.

Core arts and cultural production industries are originators of ideas and content associated with the creation of arts and culture. Supporting industries produce and disseminate arts and cultural commodities.

Current-dollar estimates are valued in the prices of the period when the transactions occurred—that is, at “market value.” Also referred to as “nominal estimates” or “current-price estimates.”

Real values are inflation-adjusted estimates—that is, estimates that exclude the effects of price changes.

Statistical conventions

Quantities, or “real” measures, and prices are expressed as index numbers with a specified reference year equal to 100 (currently 2017). Quantity and price indexes are calculated using a Fisher chain-weighted formula that incorporates weights from two adjacent periods (quarters for quarterly data and annuals for annual data). “Real” dollar series are calculated by multiplying the published quantity index by the current-dollar value in the reference year (2017) and then dividing by 100. Percent changes calculated from chained-dollar levels and quantity indexes are conceptually the same; any differences are due to rounding.

Chained-dollar values are not additive, because the relative weights for a given period differ from those of the reference year. In tables that display chained-dollar values, the value of the "not allocated by industry" line reflects the difference between the first line and the sum of the most detailed lines. For the real value added by industry table, this value also reflects differences in source data used to estimate GDP by industry and the expenditures measure of real GDP.

Key gauges of US economy advanced at healthy clip to end 2023

The government’s two main measures of U.S. economic activity posted strong advances at the end of last year, pointing to an economy that’s still expanding at a healthy clip.

Gross domestic product rose at an upwardly revised 3.4% annualized pace in the fourth quarter on the back of stronger household demand and business investment, according to the third estimate of the figures from the Bureau of Economic Analysis out Thursday.

The government’s other main gauge of economic activity – gross domestic income – rose 4.8%, the most in two years. GDI measures income generated and costs incurred from producing goods and services, whereas GDP measures spending on such goods and services.

In theory the two indicators should be equal, but over the last several quarters an unusually large gap had opened up between them, with GDP increasingly outrunning GDI. The discrepancy raised questions about the underlying pace of economic expansion.

The group responsible for officially dating recessions at the National Bureau of Economic Research uses the average between GDP and GDI in determining turning points in the business cycle. The average increase in the fourth quarter was 4.1%, the most in two years.

Consumer spending – which accounts for two-thirds of GDP – rose at a 3.3% rate amid stronger spending on health care and financial services, even as goods outlays were revised lower. The stronger nonresidential investment figures reflected upward revisions to spending on structures, intellectual property and equipment.

The Federal Reserve’s preferred inflation metric – the personal consumption expenditures price index – rose at a 1.8% annual rate in the fourth quarter, the least since 2020. Excluding food and energy, the gauge rose 2%, slightly less than in the previous estimate.

The report also showed that adjusted pre-tax corporate profits rose 4.1%, the most since mid-2022. After-tax profits as a share of gross value added for non-financial corporations, a measure of aggregate profit margins, remained historically elevated at 15.1%.

Recent earnings reports have shown publicly-traded companies are enjoying a bump in gross margins as they finally get some relief on input costs – a dynamic which is not necessarily showing up at the cash register for consumers. That helps explain recent investor optimism as the S&P 500 heads for a fifth straight month of gains.

President Joe Biden has zoned in on robust earnings as reason to believe that companies are taking advantage of consumers with high prices, particularly at the grocery store, as he campaigns for re-election.

More recent economic data have indicated consumers may be growing more discerning following years of spending fueled by pent-up demand. Data on personal consumption expenditures for February is due Friday.

Looking ahead, the trajectory of inflation and the labor market will be key in determining how long consumers will be able to continue supporting economic growth. A separate report out Thursday showed continuing applications for U.S. unemployment benefits rose to 1.82 million in the week ended March 16, the highest level in nearly two months.

From prenatal care to pediatrics, Providence is creating a healthier future for families

Like many expectant mothers, Miranda Kekauoha had a plan.

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

International travel spending in the united states from 2019 to 2022, with a forecast until 2026 (in billion u.s. dollars).

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2019 to 2022

* Forecast Figures have been adjusted for inflation and include general travel spending as well as passenger fares.

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• Travel and tourism revenue in Malta 2019-2028, by segment
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• Leading countries in the Travel & Tourism Development Index 2021
• Best-rated countries in the Gay Travel Index 2023
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• Number of inbound tourists in Malta 2001-2023
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• Inbound tourist expenditure in Malta 2010-2023
• Contribution of inbound visitor spending to Maltese exports 2010-2021
• Leading inbound travel markets in Malta 2023, by Google travel demand growth
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• Spending of outbound tourists from Malta 2010-2023
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• Leading outbound travel markets in Malta 2023, by Google travel demand growth
• Number of domestic tourists in Malta 2016-2022
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• Number of cruise passengers arriving in Malta 2019-2023, by age
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• Basic Statistic Travel and tourism's total contribution to GDP in Malta 2019-2022
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• Basic Statistic Travel and tourism's total contribution to employment in Malta 2019-2022
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Domestic tourism

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Cruise tourism

• Premium Statistic Cruise passenger movements in Mediterranean ports 2019-2022, by country
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Biden signs $1.2tn spending package as government shutdown is averted

Package passed Senate late Friday night by vote of 74-24, narrowly averting shutdown and banning Gaza aid through March 2025

President Joe Biden on Saturday signed into law a $1.2tn budget bill to keep the US government funded through a fiscal year that began six months ago and to avert a partial shutdown, according to a statement released by the White House.

“The bipartisan funding bill I just signed keeps the government open, invests in the American people, and strengthens our economy and national security,” Biden said in the statement.

The bill was passed in the Senate after midnight in a vote that fell 74-24. It came after funding had expired for government agencies, but the White House sent out a notice shortly after the deadline announcing the Office of Management and Budget had ceased shutdown preparations because there was a high degree of confidence that Congress would pass the legislation and the president would sign it on Saturday.

“Because obligations of federal funds are incurred and tracked on a daily basis, agencies will not shut down and may continue their normal operations,” the White House statement said.

Prospects for a short-term government shutdown had appeared to grow on Friday evening after Republicans and Democrats battled over proposed amendments to the bill. Any successful amendments to the bill would have sent the legislation back to the House, which had already left town for a two-week recess. But shortly before midnight the Senate majority leader, Chuck Schumer, announced a breakthrough. “It’s been a very long and difficult day, but we have just reached an agreement to complete the job of funding the government,” Schumer said. “It is good for the country that we have reached this bipartisan deal. It wasn’t easy, but tonight our persistence has been worth it.”

The news came hours after the House voted 286 to 134 to pass the bill, which will fund the departments of state, defense, homeland security and others through September.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was one of 22 House Democrats who voted against the $1.2tn, six-month spending package . The package includes a ban on direct US funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian refugees, an agency providing key assistance to Gaza, until March 2025.

Biden had already said he would sign the bill “immediately” once it reached his desk. The president signed a spending bill covering the rest of the federal government earlier this month, so all agencies are now funded for the rest of the fiscal year, eliminating any threat of a shutdown until October.

The bill’s approval brings an end to a tumultuous appropriations process that forced Congress to pass four stopgap funding bills, known as continuing resolutions, since the fiscal year began in October. Senator Patty Murray of Washington, the Democratic chair of the Senate appropriations committee, praised the lawmakers who helped bring the process to a close but lamented the considerable delay in reaching a resolution.

“It should never have taken us this long to get here,” Murray said in a floor speech on Friday. “We should not teeter on the verge of a shutdown and lurch from one CR to another.”

The Senate vote came down to the wire. Members had to unanimously agree on fast-tracking the bill’s passage, and some Republicans raised objections to the expedited process, insisting on taking up amendments to the proposal.

Senator Rand Paul, a Republican of Kentucky, attacked congressional leaders for releasing the lengthy bill in the early hours of Thursday morning and holding a final vote one day later.

“Why are we up against a deadline? Because they didn’t give us the 1,000-page bill until 2.30 in the morning on Thursday,” Paul said in a floor speech. “You think we ought to read it? You think we ought to know what’s in it?”

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Paul warned the bill was “teeming with about $2bn worth of earmarks at a time when we can’t afford the additional debt”, calling on colleagues to block the proposal.

Rejecting that line of criticism, Senator Susan Collins of Maine, the top Republican on the Senate appropriations committee, reminded colleagues that members of both chambers spent months negotiating over funding levels.

“Every single bill – each and every one of them – was subject to robust debate and amendments. Many of them passed unanimously,” Collins said. “No one can say that they were not available for scrutiny, since we reported the last of them from committee way back in July.”

Murray blamed hard-right Republicans for repeatedly jeopardizing the federal government’s functionality and urged her colleagues to “learn from the hard lessons of the past few months about how we do get things done in a divided government”.

“The far-right elements who forced this dysfunction claim to care a lot about fiscal responsibility, but the constant chaos that they create is the opposite of fiscal responsibility,” Murray said. “Working together, focusing on solutions, solving problems for people back home: that is the responsible way to get things done.”

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‘Bigger than the Super Bowl’: Americans are spending big on eclipse tourism

Eclipse viewing parties are everywhere, from alpaca farms in texas to ski slopes in vermont.

For those hoping to catch a glimpse of the total solar eclipse in April, there’s no shortage of options. Six Flags Over Texas is hosting a “Solar Coaster” viewing party. Holland America has a 22-day Solar Eclipse Cruise. And after filling up one path-of-totality flight, Delta Air Lines has added a second, promising unadulterated views from “extra-large” windows.

But almost everything is sold out.

The total solar eclipse, which will be visible from more than a dozen states , is fueling a small spending boom across the nation. Hotels are booked, campgrounds are full and rental cars are nowhere to be found around the April 8 event. States including Arkansas and Indiana are expecting record-breaking travel and spending.

“This is likely going to be the single biggest tourism event we’ve ever had,” said Michael Pakko, an economist at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, who is projecting a statewide windfall of $105 million. “Obviously, it’s going to be a short duration — a long weekend — but for that concentrated period of time, it’s going to be a very big deal.”

It’s also rare. A total solar eclipse — in which the moon completely covers the sun for a few minutes, creating a pitch-black “path of totality” — is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for many. It’s been 99 years since New York had one, and 218 years for Ohio. This time around, the path of totality will stretch from Texas to Maine, covering parts of several states, including Missouri, Kentucky and Pennsylvania, along the way.

The boost to those local economies could be significant. Texas, which is expected to get the biggest influx of visitors, could pocket $428 million in eclipse-related spending, according to Ray Perryman, an economist in Waco. Johnson County, Ind., is forecasting as much as $25 million in extra revenue, while Rochester, N.Y., expects about $10 million.

Americans emerged from the pandemic ready to shell out, especially for memorable experiences. The total solar eclipse is the ultimate example, with the next one being two decades away for most of the United States. In all, as many as 3.7 million people are expected to travel to the path of totality for the eclipse, according to estimates from geographer Michael Zeiler.

Robust consumer spending — which has continued despite high prices — has kept the economy chugging along at a time when many had feared a recession. Spending on international travel and live entertainment surged nearly 30 percent last year, five times the rate of overall spending growth, as Americans splurged on European vacations and Taylor Swift concerts. Eclipse travel is expected to fuel another mini spending boom.

Indiana, for example, is preparing for a record 500,000 visitors — more than seven times the attendance at the 2012 Super Bowl in Indianapolis, according to Amy Howell, vice president of tourism at the Indiana Destination Development Corporation.

State officials in transportation, natural resources and homeland security have been meeting for months to iron out logistics, such as port-a-potty availability and traffic plans, she said. Some schools are closed that day, and garbage collection will be on hold.

“We know how to host big events, but this is huge — bigger than the Super Bowl and the Indy 500 put together, plus the state fair, which is 18 days long,” she said. “We’re expecting to have all of those visitors in one day.”

A thousand miles away, Steven Wright is making similar calculations at his Vermont ski resort. The 900 rooms at Jay Peak have been sold out since last spring, with the earliest eclipse-related reservations arriving five years ago. In all, some 8,000 people are expected to take part in the resort’s festivities, which start at $365 for two people.

A Pink Floyd cover band will play the “Dark Side of the Moon” album right as the eclipse begins. Also unfolding then: a 50-person wedding on the mountain’s peak.

“It’s an awful lot of buildup for a few minutes,” said Wright, the property’s general manager.

These types of viewing parties are cropping up everywhere, including at alpaca farms in Texas, Hot Springs National Park in Arkansas and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway . For those seeking a more exclusive experience, T.E.I. Tours and Travel is offering private path-of-totality flights starting at $9,750 per person.

The Planetary Society, a nonprofit headed by Bill Nye “the Science Guy,” is hosting a 1,000-person camp-out at a wedding venue in Fredericksburg, Tex. There will be astronomy talks in the glass chapel and telescopes and games on the lawn. Tickets are $325 a pop, and so far the attendee list includes people from nearly all 50 states, plus Finland, Japan and Spain.

“We are huge space nerds, and seeing a total solar eclipse, it stirs something deeply profound inside of us,” spokeswoman Danielle Gunn said. “People travel all over the world to see this — and once you see one total eclipse, you get why.”

This will be the third total eclipse for Nazmus Nasir. He and his wife began planning their trip from Boston to Marble Falls, Tex., seven years ago, after seeing the last one in Tennessee. They nabbed an Airbnb in 2022, as soon as bookings went online, and plan to drive the 30 hours to central Texas in a rented minivan with their 11-month-old son.

“I don’t think words can describe how it feels to be under totality,” said Nasir, a 34-year-old software engineer and amateur astro-photographer. “Nothing really prepares you for it. I knew what was happening, but my brain still couldn’t believe what I was looking at.”

That’s the experience Otilia Vindfeldt Jensen is hoping for. She and her husband are flying from Denmark to Mesquite, Tex., for the town’s “ Solar Rodeo .”

“The way people talk about it, there’s so much awe and they find it difficult to find words for what they’ve seen,” she said. “I really want to be a part of that.”

Jensen, a 31-year-old clinical researcher, and her husband talked about it for over a year, she said, before finally booking $1,500 flights last month. The couple plans to spend three weeks in the United States, most of it driving across Texas.

The rush of visitors is expected to give many small towns and rural areas an unprecedented boost. In Greenville, Maine, the Lodge at Moosehead Lake has been booked for months in anticipation of the eclipse. But people are still calling — even offering to pay for a spot on the inn’s back deck or its parking lot, owner Beverly Burgess said.

Burgess has turned down those requests and is instead focused on figuring out how to manage the crowds. She’s loading up on extra food, has a generator on hand in case the power goes out and has hired a parking attendant for the day of the eclipse, when Greenville’s population is projected to swell from about 1,400 to more than 30,000.

“This is certainly more people than we’ve ever seen before,” she said. “It’s a lot for this little town.”

Julieann Taylor, 66, is determined to see the eclipse — and has hotel rooms booked in three states, just in case. The retired nurse, who lives in northwest Indiana, is planning to drive to Arkansas with her husband, sister, adult son and dachshund, Dieter. But if that falls through or the weather is bad , she’s also reserved rooms closer to home, in Indianapolis and Findlay, Ohio.

Taylor saw the partial eclipse in 2017, but wishes she’d experienced totality. “In that moment, I said, ‘If we’re still alive, we’re going to go to the next one,’” she said. “This is probably our last chance in our lifetime, so we’re going to make the effort.”

Taylor has spent about $2,500 on hotel bookings and says she can barely contain her excitement. Her husband, though, is less enthused: “He’s just not into this at all,” she said. “He’s complaining, ‘Why are we going? We could be going somewhere fun other than Arkansas.’”

In any case, Taylor is powering on. She’s poring over satellite maps to find the best viewing areas and filling a Yeti cooler with water, fruit and cheese sticks in case they’re stuck on the road for long stretches.

“If we miss it,” she said, “it won’t be for a lack of trying.”

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Congress Passes Spending Bill in Wee Hours to Fend Off Shutdown

After hours of delay, the Senate overwhelmingly voted for the $1.2 trillion bill to fund more than half of the government, sending the measure to President Biden’s desk.

By Catie Edmondson

Reporting from Capitol Hill

The Senate overwhelmingly gave final approval early Saturday to a $1.2 trillion spending bill to fund more than half of the government, effectively averting a shutdown by sending the legislation to President Biden’s desk just hours after a midnight deadline.

The 74-to-24 vote, which concluded about 2 a.m., capped an extraordinary day on Capitol Hill that began with a big bipartisan vote to speed the measure through the House, which set off a conservative revolt and prompted one Republican to threaten a bid to oust Speaker Mike Johnson from his post.

The Senate action came more than 12 hours after the House vote, after intense haggling to arrange a series of politically charged votes on proposed changes to the legislation that Republicans had demanded that threatened to push the government into a brief partial shutdown into the weekend.

The White House said in a statement minutes after the midnight deadline that federal officials had “ceased shutdown preparations” in anticipation of Mr. Biden signing the legislation later Saturday. But the delay underscored the difficulties that have plagued spending negotiations from the beginning and was a fitting coda to an excruciating set of talks that are on track to finally fund the government through the end of the fiscal year, Sept. 30, six months behind schedule.

“It’s been a long day, a long week and a very long few months,” said Senator Chuck Schumer, Democrat of New York and the majority leader. “But tonight, we have funded the government with significant investments for parents and kids, and small businesses and health care workers, military families, and so much more. It’s no small feat to get a package like this done in divided government.”

Earlier on Friday, in a 286-to-134 vote that came down to the wire in the House as leaders scrounged for the two-thirds majority needed for passage, Democrats rallied to provide the support to overcome a furious swell of opposition by conservative Republicans.

Infuriated by the bipartisan spending agreement to keep federal funding flowing for the Pentagon and Department of Homeland Security, the hard right balked, and as the vote was still ongoing, Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia began the process of calling for a vote to oust Mr. Johnson .

Ms. Greene told reporters on the House steps minutes after the vote that she would not seek an immediate vote on his removal, but had begun the process as a “warning” because his actions were a “betrayal.”

“This was our leverage,” Ms. Greene said of spending legislation. “This is our chance to secure the border, and he didn’t do it. And now this funding bill passed without the majority of the majority.”

The 1,012-page legislative package, which lumped six spending bills together, faced an uphill climb in the House after ultraconservatives revolted over the measure. They delivered a series of incensed speeches from the floor that accused Mr. Johnson of negotiating legislation that amounted to an “atrocious attack on the American people,” as Ms. Greene put it.

No other Republican has publicly supported ousting Mr. Johnson, and Democrats have signaled in recent weeks that they might be inclined to help protect him should he face a G.O.P. threat to his post.

But the bill’s passage came at a steep political price for the speaker, who was forced to violate an unwritten but sacrosanct rule among House Republicans that Ms. Greene alluded to against bringing up legislation that cannot draw support from a majority of their members. Just 101 Republicans, fewer than half, supported it.

That left it to Democrats to supply the bulk of the votes to push the bill through.

“Once again, it’s going to be House Democrats that carry necessary legislation for the American people to the finish line,” Representative Hakeem Jeffries of New York, the Democratic leader, told reporters at the Capitol ahead of the vote.

Republicans won the inclusion of a number of provisions in the spending package, including funding for 2,000 new Border Patrol agents, additional detention beds run by Immigration and Customs Enforcement and a provision cutting off aid to the main U.N. agency that provides assistance to Palestinians. It also increases funding for technology at the southern border by about 25 percent, while cutting funding for the State Department and foreign aid programs by roughly 6 percent.

“House Republicans achieved conservative policy wins, rejected extreme Democrat proposals and imposed substantial cuts while significantly strengthening national defense,” Mr. Johnson said in a statement after the vote. “The process was also an important step in breaking the omnibus muscle memory and represents the best achievable outcome in a divided government.”

Yet conservatives said the legislation was insufficiently conservative, citing the $1.2 trillion price tag. They were particularly infuriated to see $200 million in fresh funding for the new F.B.I. headquarters in Maryland, as well as earmarked funding requested by senators for L.G.B.T.Q. centers.

“We got rid of all our poison riders, and Schumer wouldn’t agree to take away their poisonous earmarks,” said Representative Robert Aderholt, Republican of Alabama, referring to Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, the majority leader. Mr. Aderholt, the chairman of the Appropriations subcommittee overseeing labor and health programs, opposed the legislation.

Before the vote on Friday morning, Representative Andy Biggs, Republican of Arizona, had fumed that the bill was “chock-full of crap” and urged Mr. Johnson to be more combative in negotiations with Democrats.

“Doggone it, fight!” Mr. Biggs said. “This is capitulation, this is surrender.”

Democrats secured a combined $1 billion in new funding for federal child care and education programs, and a $120 million increase in funding for cancer research.

“This legislation does not have everything either side may have wanted,” said Representative Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut, the top Democrat on the Appropriations Committee. “But I am satisfied that many of the extreme cuts and the policies proposed by House Republicans were rejected.”

Standing on the House floor minutes later, Mr. Biggs ruefully agreed with Ms. DeLauro’s assessment.

“And yet somehow Republicans are going to vote for that?” he said. “That’s outrageous. She’s right, though: She got the spending. She killed the riders.”

Robert Jimison contributed reporting.

Catie Edmondson covers Congress for The Times. More about Catie Edmondson

A Divided Congress: Latest News and Analysis

Replacing Mitch McConnell: The intensifying battle for a new Senate Republican leader recalls an earlier era , when such races in Congress were crowded and sometimes messy affairs.

Ukraine Aid: Speaker Mike Johnson has expressed a personal desire to send aid to Ukraine despite voting against it repeatedly. Now, he appears to be in search of the least politically damaging way to do it .

Spending Bill: A  bipartisan spending package  approved by Congress ended the prospect of a government shutdown. But the legislation also represented a major defeat for ultraconservatives in the House, who immediately turned on Johnson .

A Dwindling Majority: Representative Mike Gallagher, Republican of Wisconsin, announced that he would resign from Congress months earlier than expected on April 19, bringing the already minuscule G.O.P. majority down to a lonely one vote .

An Invite for Netanyahu: Johnson said that he planned to invite Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel to address Congress, moving to welcome a leader who has become a flashpoint for partisan disagreement  over the war in Gaza.

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Travel advocates share new trillion-dollar impact figures with policymakers.

Travel’s essential contributions to U.S. economy, opportunities to grow travel are front and center at legislative fly-in

PRESS RELEASE April 19, 2023

WASHINGTON -

At $1.2 trillion, direct spending on travel in the United States in 2022 was on par with pre-pandemic figures, according to new data released today by the U.S. Travel Association—reflecting the industry’s essential contributions to the American economy.

“Travel rebounded strongly in 2022 thanks to robust demand for domestic leisure travel,” said U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Geoff Freeman. “Now we must focus on fully restoring the international and business travel segments to continue growing this critical driver of the U.S. economy.”

Key points:

• Travel accounted for $1.2 trillion in direct spending in 2022, which produced an economic footprint of $2.6 trillion .
• In 2022, travel supported nearly 15 million American workers—8 million directly employed by the travel industry.
• Travel spending generated nearly $160 billion in total tax revenue, including $84 billion in state and local tax revenue in 2022.
• Travel-generated tax revenue alleviated an average of $1,270 in taxes per U.S. household.

U.S. Travel economists cautioned, though, that when adjusting for inflation, overall travel spending remained down 14% in 2022.

Telling Travel’s Story in Washington

On Wednesday, nearly 250 travel industry leaders from U.S. Travel member organizations elevated the industry’s essential contributions to federal policymakers during the association’s annual legislative fly-in, Destination Capitol Hill .

Delegate meetings were scheduled with 230 members of Congress and their offices to discuss how travel drives economic growth and creates jobs within their respective communities, as well as legislative priorities to grow all sectors of the U.S. travel industry.

Top legislative priorities :

• Fully fund the office of the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Travel and Tourism.
• Lower visitor visa wait times.
• Provide H-2B cap relief to address travel workforce shortfalls.
• Advance Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization priorities.

“Travel’s success is the nation’s success—these priorities are not just important to our industry, but to the future of the U.S. economy,” added Freeman.

U.S. Travel Association is the national, non-profit organization representing the $1.2 trillion travel industry, an essential contributor to our nation's economy and success. U.S. Travel produces programs and insights and advocates for policies to increase travel to and within the United States. Visit ustravel.org for information and recovery-related data.

Greg Staley

Senior Vice President, Communications

202.408.2162