TInews Archive #980306155104

Date:	Fri, 6 Mar 1998 16:00:49 -0500 (EST)
From:	TInews Announcement
To:	tiannounce@tinet.ita.doc.gov
Subject:	TInews: U.S. Sets Record for Overseas Visitors in 1997

=== TINEWS ===================================

An information service from Tourism Industries
http://tinet.ita.doc.gov/
U.S. International Trade Administration
U.S. Department of Commerce

3/6/98

U.S. Sets Record for Overseas Visitors in 1997

Contact:	Tourism Industries office
E-mail:	tinet_info@ita.doc.gov
Web:	http://tinet.ita.doc.gov
Phone:	(202) 482-0140, Fax: (202) 482-2887

A Popular Destination, America Hosted 24.2 Million Overseas Travelers Last Year

The U.S. hosted a record 24.2 million overseas visitors in 1997, a seven percent increase over 1996, the Commerce Department announced today.

The data, released by the Department and the Immigration and Naturalization Service, will be available earlier than previous years to public and private sector groups for use in mapping travel-related export strategies. This early release by the agencies reflects the success of the Clinton Administration's efforts to streamline government and make it more responsive to industry and public needs.

HIGHLIGHTS OF OVERSEAS ARRIVALS TO THE UNITED STATES:

- Western European travelers totaled over 10 million visitors to America for the first time ever.

- Asia, the second largest region for arrivals to the United States, reflected the downturn of the Asian economy primarily in the last quarter, but still turned in a record 7.6 million visitors in 1997, a 3% growth rate over 1996.

- South American markets performed extremely well, with the region generating over 2.8 million visits to the United States in 1997, a fifteen percent jump over 1996.

- All of the other overseas world regions produced record arrivals to the United States in 1997 as well.

- The top twenty overseas countries for visitors to the United States had positive increases with just a few exceptions of relatively flat growth.

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Tourism Industries, International Trade Administration U.S. Department of Commerce, Room 1860 Washington, D.C. 20230 (202) 482-0140, fax: (202) 482-2887 e-mail: tinet_info@ita.doc.gov

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