International visitor spending hits all-time record of $153 billion The U.S. Department of Commerce today released tourism data revealing that international and domestic tourism spending increased 8.1 percent in 2011, supporting an additional 103,000 jobs for a total of 7.6 million. A big factor in the increase was a surge in international visitors to our country: in 2011, 62 million international visitors came to the United States, an increase of 2.5 million from the year before. These international visitors spent an all time record of $153 billion on U.S. travel and tourism-related goods and services. The large volume of international visitors makes travel and tourism our number-one service export. These figures come on the heels of President Obama’s announcement of new initiatives to significantly increase travel and tourism in the U.S.
“Today’s data confirms that international tourism is an enormous economic engine in this country," said Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar. "Our national parks, public lands and water play a critical role in President Obama’s tourism strategy as we work to identify new ways to raise the profile of our country’s most iconic destinations. As more and more international visitors choose the United States for their next vacation, local economies-hotels, restaurants, gas stations-will continue to benefit.”
Source: U.S. Department of Commerce
