How big is the tourism industry?

Tourism is America's largest service export:

• International travelers spend $91.1 billion in the U.S.
• An $8.6 billion trade surplus for the U.S. is generated by this spending.
• The average overseas visitor to the U.S. spends $1,647, with an average trip duration of 15.6 nights.

• Tourism directly employs 7.9 million people.
• Tourism indirectly employs 9.4 million people.
• Total tourism employment is 18 million people.
• Travel related payroll is $174 billion.

• $537.2 billion in total expenditures
• $98.7 billion in tax revenue for federal, state and local governments
• American travelers in the U.S. spend $1.5 billion a day, $61 million an hour and $1 million a minute on travel and tourism

What do travelers do?

The top ten activities of U.S. residents and overseas visitors:

What are the current trends in tourism?

In response to current economic, social and political realities . . .

• American travelers are choosing more rural and out-of-the-way destinations, focusing in part on cultural, historic and natural resources.
• Domestic travelers are taking more trips closer to home and the average leisure trip is 3.4 nights.
• Travel expenditures declined for the first time since TIA began tracking such data in the 1970s, falling 5.8 percent in 2001.
• The U.S. share of worldwide tourism has fallen 30 percent between 1992 and 2001. In 2001 alone, international arrivals to the U.S. declined from 50.9 million to 45.5 million.
• By the year 2020, tourism will be the world's largest industry.

Geotourism, an emerging sector in tourism, is defined as tourism that sustains or enhances the geographical character of a place being visited -- its environment, culture and heritage. In a study conducted by the Travel Industry Association of America (TIA) and National Geographic Traveler, 55 million Americans are considered geotourists.

The report divides geotourists into eight segments. Two of the three largest segments, Geo-Savvys (16.3 million) and Urban Sophisticates (21.2), are predominantly baby boomers and show a distinct preference for culturally- and socially-related travel. They share an intellectual curiosity as reflected in their well-above average tendencies to participate in a number of educationally- and culturally-oriented activities in their local communities. They also share more highly-developed social consciences, engaging in pro-environment behaviors at home and more actively supporting environmental and cultural organizations through donations of time and money than the other segments. Sources:
Tourism Works for America 2002 Report, Travel Industry Association of America.
Geotourism Study Phase I: Executive Summary 2002, Travel Industry Association of America

Updated March 2003