U.S. Travel Spending Reaches $21.5B from International Visitors in August – Focus on Travel News

International visitors spent an impressive $21.5 billion on U.S. travel and tourism-related activities in August 2024, marking an 11% increase compared to the same month in 2023.

The boost in travel exports contributed to a trade surplus of $865 million for the month, as American travelers spent $20.6 billion abroad.

International visitors have spent more than $168.6 billion on U.S. travel and tourism-related goods and services year to date (January through August 2024), an increase of 16 percent when compared 2023; international visitors have injected, on average, $694 million a day into the U.S. economy year to date.

U.S. travel and tourism exports accounted for 23.3 percent of U.S. services exports during August 2024 and 7.9 percent of all U.S. exports, goods and services alike.

Travel Spending

Purchases of travel and tourism-related goods and services by international visitors traveling in the United States totaled $12.0 billion during August 2024 (compared to $10.4 billion in August 2023), an increase of 16 percent when compared to the previous year.

These goods and services include food, lodging, recreation, gifts, entertainment, local transportation in the United States, and other items incidental to foreign travel.

Travel receipts accounted for 56 percent of total U.S. travel and tourism exports in August 2024.

Passenger Fare Receipts

Fares received by U.S. carriers from international visitors totaled $3.3 billion in August 2024 (compared to $3.1 billion in the previous year), up 7 percent when compared to August 2023. These receipts represent expenditures by foreign residents on international flights provided by U.S. air carriers.

Passenger fare receipts accounted for 15 percent of total U.S. travel and tourism exports during August.

Medical/Education/Short-Term Worker Spending

Expenditures for educational and health-related tourism, along with all expenditures by border, seasonal, and other short-term workers in the United States totaled $6.1 billion in August 2024 (compared to $5.8 billion in August 2023), an increase of 6 percent when compared to the previous year.

Medical tourism, education, and short-term worker expenditures accounted for 29 percent of total U.S. travel and tourism exports in August 2024.