NTTO releases study measuring the economic impact of overseas visitors in the USA

For the first time since 1997, the National Travel and Tourism Office (NTTO) has estimated the economic impact of overseas visitors for U.S. states and territories. These new estimates include overseas visitors’ spending on travel goods and services in each U.S. state and territory as well as the local employment supported by this spending. The report was released in April 2026.

The 2024 report on the economic impact of overseas visitors on U.S. state economies provide deeper insight into the significance of international tourism on local economies. The NTTO measured both visitor spending on travel-related goods and services and the local jobs supported by that spending.

In 2024, the United States welcomed 35.2 million visitors from overseas countries, excluding Canada and Mexico. These visitors spent a total of $169.8 billion on travel-related goods and services across the country, including spending by international students on education-related expenses such as tuition, fees, and living costs. This spending directly supported nearly 906,000 jobs across the U.S. economy.

The top 10 overseas source markets accounted for 59% of all overseas visitor spending in the United States. These countries were China, India, the United Kingdom, Brazil, South Korea, Germany, Japan, Australia, Italy, and Colombia. Visitor spending covered lodging, food services, shopping, recreation, education, local transportation, and other travel-related services.

New York ranked first in overseas arrivals, visitor spending, and related employment. In 2024, New York welcomed 9.8 million overseas visitors who spent $32.1 billion and supported 156,840 jobs. California followed with 7 million visitors, $26.9 billion in spending, and 132,670 jobs. Florida welcomed 8.9 million visitors who spent $25.2 billion, supporting 124,970 jobs. Texas recorded 2.1 million visitors, $7.9 billion in spending, and 45,620 jobs, while Massachusetts welcomed 1.5 million visitors, generating $7.7 billion and supporting 42,250 jobs.

Together, these five states—New York, California, Florida, Texas, and Massachusetts—captured $99.7 billion in overseas visitor spending, representing 58.7% of total overseas visitor spending nationwide. They also supported more than 502,000 jobs, or 55.5% of all direct employment generated by overseas visitors in the United States.

In total, overseas visitors spent more than $1 billion in 26 individual states and U.S. territories in 2024. Twenty states supported more than 10,000 jobs through overseas visitor spending.

Other leading destinations included Hawaii with $7.5 billion in visitor spending and 35,170 supported jobs, Illinois with $5.7 billion and 31,250 jobs, Nevada with $5.2 billion and 25,550 jobs, the District of Columbia with $4 billion and 18,410 jobs, and Pennsylvania with $3.7 billion and 24,210 jobs.

The number of jobs supported by each dollar of visitor spending varied by state due to differences in labor intensity, labor productivity, and labor costs. States where visitors spend more on food services and education—both labor-intensive sectors—tend to generate more jobs per dollar spent. Labor productivity and wage levels also play a major role, especially in states with large urban centers and major tourism attractions.

The report explains that overseas visitor spending includes expenditures on lodging, food services, recreation, entertainment, local transportation, retail shopping, and other travel-related goods and services. Consistent with U.S. travel exports as measured by the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), the estimates also include education-related spending by overseas visitors studying in the United States.

The estimates are primarily based on NTTO’s Survey of International Air Travelers , which tracks overseas travelers’ visits to U.S. states and territories, trip duration, and average spending per trip. Total spending across all states matches total U.S. travel exports, excluding Canada and Mexico, as published by BEA.

U.S. air passenger service exports—such as transportation provided by U.S. airlines between the United States and foreign countries—were excluded because these transactions do not occur within specific U.S. states or territories.

Employment estimates were calculated using industry-specific employment-to-output ratios based on Economic Census data, BEA state GDP and employment statistics, and Bureau of Labor Statistics Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages data. The study however measured only direct employment.

The report was officially released in April 2026 and provides one of the most comprehensive state-by-state views of how international tourism supports local economies across the United States.