International Visitor Spending in U.S. Still Severely Lagging, New Data Shows
Photo Credit: U.S. will be strong this year but international visits will need a push. VisualHunt.com / Bill Damon
Skift Take
The U.S. Covid testing regimen is likely to stick for awhile given global vaccine inequality and the Omicron variant still lurking. But selling the U.S. to overseas travelers does need to get fierce for a quicker rebound.
The amount of money that international visitors pour into the U.S. economy continues to lag significantly compared to pre-pandemic levels, according to fresh data released this week by the U.S. Department of Commerce.
In December, the month following the United States reopening its borders to all vaccinated persons, international visitors spent $10.4 billion on travel and tourism in the U.S., or just over half of 2019 levels, according to Commerce’s International Trade Administration (ITA) and its National Travel and Tourism Office.
“The increase in international visitor receipts is encouraging following the reopening of U.S. ports of entry in November, thou
