US inbound tourism recovering
US inbound tourism is on its way to making a full recovery, according to the IPK International World Travel Monitor.
But estimated arrivals from overseas markets are still down from their 2000 peak, said the Office of Travel & Tourism Industries (OTTI) in the US Department of Commerce.
Trends for the first ten months of the year from OTTI point to a 17% increase in arrivals from Mexico, with a 10% growth from both Canada and overseas markets. These figures correlate with IPK International’s own estimates through the month of September.
France leads the growth in European travel to the US.
According to IPK, west European travel to the US rose by 11% over the period, in terms of trip volume, as against +10% for east European markets.
The leading European sources, in order of importance, are:
The UK (+6% over 2006 in terms of trips), Germany (+9%), France (+28%), Italy (+20%), Spain (+22%), the Netherlands (+13%) and Ireland (+17%). Russia also increased by 20%, although it is not among the leading sources.
“With the exception of the UK, which grew by a comparatively modest 6%, Europe’s leading markets all performed remarkably well,” said Rolf Freitag, President & CEO of IPK International. “This was hardly surprising, either, given the favorable exchange rates and pent-up demand in some markets.” He added:
“France’s exceptional growth, for example, follows a poor 2006 attributed to confusion and delays over new passport and visa regulations for the US. French leisure travel to the US increased by an even more impressive 36%.”
Report by David Wilkening
David
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
CCS Insight: eSIMs ready to take the travel world by storm
Germany new European Entry/Exit System limited to a single airport on October 12, 2025
Airlines suspend Madagascar services following unrest and army revolt
Qatar Airways offers flexible payment options for European travellers
Air Mauritius reduces frequencies to Europe and Asia for the holiday season