Skift Take
Travel slowed in October as leisure trips came to an end; however, year-over-year growth exceeded previous months suggesting more consistent travel patterns emerging after the recession.
Some 2.2 million U.S. citizens traveled abroad in October 2014, up five percent over October 2013, according to monthly statistics released this week by the U.S. National Travel and Tourism Office.
This brings U.S. citizen international travel to 57.1 million in the first nine months of the year, up six percent for the year.
Every month, the NTTO releases data regarding recent travel activity, including details about outbound travel from the United States. This is the most recent month for which this information is available.
Through October, travel to overseas locations accounted for 46 percent of U.S. outbound international travel while a slightly higher percentage, 54 percent, went no farther than Canada or Mexico.
Europe and the Caribbean remain the most popular destinations throughout September capturing a total 29 percent of all travel.
The greatest growth among overseas markets year-over-year was seen in the Middle East, up 10 percent, to 134,000 travelers in October, and the Caribbean, up 10 percent to 437,000 travelers that month.
U.S. travel to border nations of Mexico and Canada increased 19 percent compared to October 2013 with the most growth seen in Mexico. American visits to Mexico increased 25 percent to 1.9 million travelers, but only increased seven percent in Canada to 905,000 travelers.
The full statistics can be found below:
Regions | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Total YTD | % Change YTD | YTD Market Share |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Europe | 577,691 | 497,003 | 806,663 | 868,367 | 1,305,842 | 1,614,486 | 1,413,798 | 1,185,907 | 1,241,537 | 915,090 | 10,426,384 | 4.7% | 18.3% |
Caribbean | 498,620 | 550,203 | 705,211 | 629,774 | 624,280 | 742,860 | 821,650 | 629,224 | 347,244 | 436,791 | 5,985,857 | 9.9% | 10.5% |
Asia | 376,296 | 312,814 | 397,296 | 381,817 | 379,197 | 424,155 | 397,960 | 342,239 | 338,630 | 397,721 | 3,748,125 | 4.7% | 6.6% |
South America | 127,749 | 137,612 | 154,680 | 123,068 | 144,464 | 208,023 | 167,627 | 143,609 | 112,581 | 123,729 | 1,443,142 | 2.4% | 2.5% |
Central America | 219,192 | 225,540 | 283,108 | 213,929 | 209,012 | 301,095 | 308,557 | 206,176 | 121,158 | 145,848 | 2,233,615 | 9.2% | 3.9% |
Oceania | 51,774 | 62,658 | 60,097 | 41,314 | 46,359 | 45,003 | 48,892 | 39,913 | 38,013 | 46,573 | 480,596 | 5.2% | 0.8% |
Middle East | 140,179 | 119,192 | 140,706 | 141,744 | 162,244 | 180,874 | 148,098 | 145,620 | 133,173 | 134,341 | 1,446,171 | 10.6% | 2.5% |
Africa | 23,982 | 21,066 | 27,950 | 27,596 | 36,044 | 40,542 | 40,732 | 34,231 | 29,205 | 25,974 | 307,322 | 2% | 0.5% |
Total Overseas | 2,015,483 | 1,926,088 | 2,575,711 | 2,427,609 | 2,907,442 | 3,557,038 | 3,347,314 | 2,726,919 | 2,361,541 | 2,226,067 | 26,071,212 | 6.4% | 45.6% |
Mexico | 1,962,616 | 1,932,875 | 2,260,427 | 2,036,762 | 1,960,747 | 2,183,275 | 2,325,094 | 2,149,457 | 1,613,564 | 1,892,281 | 20,317,097 | 19.8% | 35.6% |
Canada | 476,583 | 509,976 | 585,887 | 713,435 | 1,070,319 | 1,509,984 | 1,902,171 | 1,940,471 | 1,121,073 | 904,533 | 10,734,432 | 0.9% | 18.8% |
North America | 2,439,199 | 2,442,851 | 2,846,314 | 2,750,197 | 3,031,066 | 3,693,259 | 4,227,265 | 4,089,928 | 2,734,637 | 2,796,814 | 31,051,529 | 12.5% | 54.4% |
Grand Total | 4,454,682 | 4,368,939 | 5,422,025 | 5,177,806 | 5,938,508 | 7,250,297 | 7,574,579 | 6,816,847 | 5,096,178 | 5,022,881 | 57,122,741 | 9.6% | 100% |
Monthly % Chg(1) | 7.60% | 9.30% | 6.70% | 16.70% | 14.50% | 10.40% | 10.50% | 6.30% | 7.30% | 12.40% |
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Tags: skiftstats, tourism, usa
Photo credit: Inside Saint Isaac's Cathedral in Saint Petersburg, Russia, on September 21, 2009. Dennis Jarvis / Flickr