Recent data published by the National Travel and Tourism Office (NTTO) indicates that international visitors allocated $21.5 billion towards travel and tourism-related activities within the United States during August 2024, reflecting an increase of over 11 percent compared to August 2023.
In contrast, American travelers spent in excess of $20.6 billion on international travel during the same month, resulting in a trade surplus of $865 million for travel and tourism-related goods and services.
From January to August 2024, international visitors have contributed more than $168.6 billion to U.S. travel and tourism-related goods and services, marking a 16 percent rise compared to the previous year; on average, this equates to an infusion of $694 million per day into the U.S. economy.
In August 2024, U.S. travel and tourism exports represented 23.3 percent of total U.S. services exports and accounted for 7.9 percent of all U.S. exports, including both goods and services.
Composition of Monthly Expenditures (Travel Exports)
Travel Expenditures
In August 2024, international visitors in the United States spent a total of $12.0 billion on travel and tourism-related goods and services, marking a 16 percent increase from $10.4 billion in August 2023. This spending encompasses a variety of items, including food, accommodation, recreational activities, gifts, entertainment, local transportation within the United States, and other incidental expenses associated with foreign travel.
Travel expenditures represented 56 percent of the overall U.S. travel and tourism exports for August 2024.
Passenger Fare Revenues
In August 2024, U.S. carriers received $3.3 billion in fares from international travelers, an increase of 7 percent from $3.1 billion in the same month of the previous year. These revenues reflect the spending of foreign residents on international flights operated by U.S. airlines.
Passenger fare revenues constituted 15 percent of the total U.S. travel and tourism exports during August.
Medical, Educational, and Short-Term Worker Expenditures
In August 2024, spending on educational and health-related tourism, along with expenditures by border, seasonal, and other short-term workers in the United States, reached $6.1 billion, up 6 percent from $5.8 billion in August 2023.
Expenditures related to medical tourism, education, and short-term workers accounted for 29 percent of the total U.S. travel and tourism exports in August 2024.
