UK visitor numbers to US are dramatically down
UK visitor numbers to the US were down 26% in March 2009, compared to the year before.
According to the latest figures from the US Department of Commerce, visitor numbers fell for the seventh consecutive month to 278,000.
Total international visitors to the US dropped 20% in March, compared to March 2008.
International visitors spent $9.9 billion during the month, 16% less than visitors spent in March 2008.
Total visitation in the first quarter 2009 was down 14% from the first quarter 2008.
Part of the decline in March 2009 was expected because the Easter holidays fell in April.
By Bev Fearis
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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