Gina M. Raimondo, Secretary of Commerce | Ballotpedia
Today marks the second anniversary of the U.S. Department of Commerce's issuance of the National Travel and Tourism Strategy, which set a five-year goal to welcome 90 million international visitors annually by 2027. The Department has announced that it expects to reach this target ahead of schedule. According to the latest estimates from the International Trade Administration, the United States anticipates welcoming 91 million annual visitors by 2026, surpassing the original goal one year early.
In recognition of this progress, Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo issued a statement: "Thanks to the steadfast leadership and efforts of the Biden-Harris Administration, travel and tourism continue to be critical drivers of economic growth and employment across the United States, supporting 9.5 million American jobs and $2.3 trillion of economic output per year. But our work is far from over. The Commerce Department is taking decisive actions to support the travel and tourism industry’s recovery from the economic challenges of a global pandemic, and we will continue working with state and local governments and private sector partners to welcome more international visitors to the U.S. so they can experience the diversity, beauty, and hospitality that make our country the premier travel and tourism destination in the world."
The National Travel and Tourism Strategy aims to enhance federal efforts in collaboration with private sector partners to boost U.S. travel and tourism's global competitiveness while fostering a more equitable, resilient, and sustainable industry for future generations.
Significant achievements over the past two years include:
- From 2020 to 2023, international visitation to the United States increased by 246% to reach 66.5 million.
- Travel exports generated by international visitors rose by 153% to $213 billion.
- American jobs supported by travel exports grew by 63% to total 1.6 million.
As a result of these increases in international visitation outpacing global trends, America's share of global travel rose from 4.7% in 2020 to 5.2% in 2023.
For further details about the National Travel and Tourism Strategy, please refer to its Fact Sheet.
