U.S. COMMERCE DEPARTMENT FORECASTS REBOUND IN INTERNATIONAL
TRAVEL TO THE UNITED STATES BY 2010
The U.S. Department of Commerce projects international travel to the U.S. to regain its footing by 2010, following its first forecasted year of decline in 2009 since 2003.
Reflective of the current global economic environment, international travel is forecasted to decline by 8 percent in 2009. This is met by a projected rebound of 3 percent growth by the end of 2010, followed by 5 percent annual increases through 2013.
In 2009 twenty-four of the top 25 arrival markets are estimated to decline. The largest decreases will be from Ireland (-13%), Spain (-12%), and Mexico (-11%). The United Kingdom, France and Italy are each expected to post 10 percent declines for the year.
The top two markets generating visitors to the U.S., Canada and Mexico, are forecasted to decline by 6 percent and 11 percent, respectively, in 2009, and to grow by 14 and 6 percent, respectively, from 2008 to 2013. By 2011, both Canada and Mexico are forecast to set new records for arrivals to the U.S.
These decreases follow a record year for the United States in 2008, having hosted 58 million international visitors. In the long term, the forecast estimates an increase of 10 percent between 2008 and 2013 to reach a record 64 million international travelers to the United States.