Skift Take
Economic developments have knocked the Euro Zone out of its first-place position as a tourism exporter to the U.S. and boosted booming China and Brazil.
International tourism to the U.S. continues to grow, with 4.4. million visitors coming to the States in February 2013, a 6 percent increase over the year-ago period.
But trends have shifted in terms of those travelers’ origins.
The traditional stronghold for tourism to the U.S., Western Europe, changed course, sending fewer tourists to the U.S. in the early part of 2013 than in the same timeframe last year. Tourism from France, in particular, dipped sharply, falling 14 percent compared to last year.
Meanwhile, the emerging markets of China and Brazil more than filled that gap, sending 85 percent and 11 percent more tourists respectively to the U.S. in February 2013 than in February 2012.
The chart below shows U.S. Department of Commerce statistics on the percentage change in tourists from major source countries.
| Country of Residence | % Change February | % Change YTD February |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 vs. 2012 | 2013 vs. 2012 | |
| Canada | 7% | 5% |
| Mexico | -1% | -3% |
| Japan | 6% | 5% |
| United Kingdom | -5% | -3% |
| Brazil | 11% | 16% |
| People’s Republic of China (EXCL HK) | 85% | 29% |
| Germany | -5% | -5% |
| South Korea | -2% | 4% |
| France | -14% | -10% |
| Australia | 6% | 5% |
The Daily Newsletter
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Photo credit: The Natick mall in Massachusetts. Many Chinese and Brazilian tourists come to the U.S. for large-scale shopping trips. Gabriela Pinto / Flickr