According to data recently released by the National Travel and Tourism Office (NTTO), in January 2024 international visitors spent nearly $19.7 billion on travel to, and tourism-related activities within the United States – an increase of more than 23 percent compared to January 2023 and the highest level of monthly spending since December 2019.

In fact, monthly US travel and tourism exports are within $1.1 billion of their highwater mark set back in March 2018 when international visitors spent an appreciable $20.8 billion exploring the United States.

In January 2023, international tourists spent nearly $19.7 billion on travel and tourism-related activities in the United States, which is a 23% increase from the previous year. This spending level is the highest since December 2019 and is close to the peak recorded in March 2018 when international visitors spent around $20.8 billion exploring the US.

In contrast, in January, Americans expended over $19.0 billion on international travel, resulting in a trade surplus of $638 million. This marks the seventh consecutive month where the United States has achieved a trade surplus in travel and tourism-related products and services.

In 2023, international tourists contributed approximately $213.1 billion to the US economy through spending on travel and tourism-related products and services. This represents a nearly 29 percent growth compared to 2022. On average, international visitors injected roughly $584 million into the US economy every day throughout the year.

In January 2024, U.S. exports related to travel and tourism contributed to 23 percent of the total US services exports and accounted for 7.7 percent of all U.S. exports, including both goods and services.

Composition of Monthly Spending (Travel Exports)

• Travel Spending

Purchases of travel and tourism-related goods and services by international visitors traveling in the United States totaled $11.4 billion during January 2024 (compared to $8.8 billion in January 2023), an increase of 29 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 58 percent of total US travel and tourism exports in January 2024.

• Passenger Fare Receipts

Fares received by US carriers from international visitors totaled $3.5 billion in January 2024 (compared to $2.8 billion in the previous year), up 22 percent when compared to January 2023. These receipts represent expenditures by foreign residents on international flights provided by U.S. air carriers.

Passenger fare receipts accounted for 18 percent of total US travel and tourism exports in January 2024.

• 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 $4.9 billion in January 2024 (compared to $4.4 billion in January 2023), an increase of 12 percent when compared to the previous year.