TI News: An information service from Office of Travel & Tourism Industries (OTTI)

March 12, 2013

U.S. Citizen International Outbound Travel up Three Percent in 2012

Departures totaled 60.7 million travelers - First Annual Increase Since 2007
U.S. Travel in December down One Percent

Annual 2012/2011 Comparisons

U.S. travel to overseas markets⁽¹⁾ totaled 28.5 million, up six percent for the year. Regional results were:

• Europe, 11.2 million travelers, up four percent
• Caribbean, 6.4 million travelers, up seven percent
• Asia, 4.3 million travelers, up four percent
• Central America, 2.4 million travelers, up 11 percent
• South America, 1.7 million travelers, up three percent
• Middle East, 1.5 million travelers, up 11 percent
• Oceania, 547,000 travelers, up eight percent
• Africa, 365,000 travelers, down less than one percent

U.S. travel to North American markets totaled 32.2 million, up two percent compared to 2011.

• Mexico, 20.4 million travelers, up one percent (We expect this estimate may be revised in May). Air travel (5.8 million) was up four percent
• Canada, 11.9 million travelers, up two percent; air travel (3.5 million) was up by two percent

Annual 2012 Market Shares

U.S. travel to overseas locations accounted for 47 percent of 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 three percent share;
• Oceania, a one percent share, and
• Africa, a one percent share.

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

• U.S. travel to Mexico a 33.5 percent share; and
• Canada a 19.5 percent share.

Total U.S. outbound travel by month: January, up one percent; February, up 12 percent; March, up eight percent; April, up almost one percent; May, up one percent; June, up five percent; July, down three percent, August, up four percent, September and October, both up almost one percent and November, up two percent. December was down almost one percent.

For detailed 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, expanding beyond 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.