Chapter 4: American Travel Habits

Top U.S. Destinations for Overseas Visitors

At the end of 2011, the U.S. Office of Travel and Tourism Industries predicted that international tourists would spend more than $152 billion. In 2010, the Commerce Department said that foreign visitors generated $134 billion in tourism, making it the largest U.S. service export industry. The report cites four countries - Canada, Mexico, China and Brazil – as expected to account for two-thirds of the projected growth in international arrivals to the U.S. over the next five years. With President Barack Obama’s push to streamline foreign tourist visa applications to the United States, which focuses on increasing inbound affluent Chinese and Brazilian travelers, visitors from these countries and others including India and Russia, are likely to continue to boost U.S. tourism revenues in the upcoming years.

In welcoming more than 50.5 million tourists in 2011, New York City again ranks as the number one destination for foreign travelers to visit in the U.S.

Cities on the east and west coasts continue to be the most popular destinations for international travelers (with the exception of Chicago and Las Vegas). Washington D.C. enjoyed an increase in international arrivals as it ranked number 10 on the list for the first time in a few years.

Other noteworthy American destinations that moved up the list include Key West, Brooklyn, Denver, Santa Barbara and the Grand Canyon.

	Top U.S. Destinations for Overseas Visitors Rank City State 1 New York NY 2 Las Vegas NV 3 Orlando FL 4 Miami FL 5 Los Angeles CA 6 San Francisco CA 7 Honolulu HI 8 Chicago IL 9 San Diego CA 10 Washington DC 11 Boston MA 12 Fort Lauderdale FL 13 Seattle WA 14 Newark NJ 15 Anaheim CA 16 Lake Buena Vista FL 17 San Antonio TX 18 Key West FL 19 Houston TX 20 New Orleans LA 21 Grand Canyon AZ 22 Sunny Isles Beach FL 23 Philadelphia PA 24 Hollywood CA 25 Denver CO 26 Atlanta GA 27 Doral FL 28 Portland OR 29 Detroit MI 30 Atlantic City NJ