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November 20, 2012

U.S. International Outbound Travel Up Four Percent in August 2012, Up Three Percent YTD

U.S. citizen departures totaled 42.2 million travelers for the first eight months of 2012

August Year-to-Date (2012/2011) Comparisons

U.S. travel to overseas markets(1) reached 20.0 million, up seven percent in the first eight months. Regional results were:

  • Europe, 7.9 million travelers, up five percent
  • Caribbean, 4.7 million travelers, up eight percent
  • Asia, 2.9 million travelers, up six percent
  • Central America, 1.7 million travelers, up 12 percent
  • South America, 1.2 million travelers, up four percent
  • Middle East, 1.0 million travelers, up 14 percent
  • Oceania, 361,000 travelers, up 10 percent
  • Africa, 255,000 travelers, up one percent

U.S. travel to North American markets totaled 22.2 million, flat from last year.

  • Mexico, 13.7 million travelers, down two percent; air travel (4.1 million) was up four percent
  • Canada, 8.5 million travelers, up three percent; air travel (2.5 million) up by almost three percent

August 2012 Year-to Date Market Share

U.S. travel to overseas locations claimed 47 percent of all U.S. outbound international travel.

  • Europe, a 19 percent share;
  • Caribbean, an 11 percent share;
  • Asia, a seven percent share;
  • Central America, a four percent share;
  • South America, a three percent share;
  • Middle East, a two percent share;
  • Oceania, a one percent share, and
  • Africa, almost a one percent share

North American markets received 53 percent of all U.S. international outbound travel.

  • U.S. travel to Mexico a 32 percent share; and
  • Canada a 20 percent share.

Total U.S. outbound travel by month: January, up one percent; February, up 12 percent; March, up eight percent; April, up one percent; May, up one percent; June, up five percent; July, down three percent and August, up four percent.

For detail information and data tables please visit: https://travel.trade.gov/view/m-2012-O-001/index.html

In 2011 OTTI began to report U.S. outbound travel monthly by all modes, not just air-only traffic. Total travel, inclusive of all modes, to Canada and Mexico is reported in addition to the air-only subtotals. The timing of this report is dependent on receipt of aggregate data from Stats Canada and Banco de Mexico.

U.S. Department of Commerce
International Trade Administration
Office of Travel and Tourism Industries (OTTI)
1401 Constitution Avenue NW, Room 10003
Washington, D.C. 20230
Phone: (202) 482-0140
Website: www.tinet.ita.doc.gov
Email: otti@trade.gov

(1) Overseas markets reflect non-stop air-only data. A portion of the non-stop passenger traffic to Europe will not visit Europe, but will connect through one of Europe's airline hubs (LHR, AMS, FRA, CDG, MAD, etc.) to Africa and the Middle East. The adjustment to these regions, reflecting visitation (1+ nights), occurs after year-end data is compiled.