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The information presented in this analysis is from Tourism Industries’ monthly publication June 2000 & Year-To-Date Summary of International Travel to the United States, and information pertaining to estimates for travel and passenger fare exports and imports were obtained from the U.S. Department of Commerce, BEA.

Analysis for June 2000 and Year To Date Arrivals To the United States

The first half of the year 2000 showed a strong growth of 9 percent for international visitor arrivals totaling 20.9 million, after almost no growth during the first quarter of last year.  This half year growth was accompanied by a strong increase in travel receipts, up 11 percent for the first half of 2000.  The strong growth in arrivals is attributable to strong growth in most major travel markets, with the exception of four countries.  Arrivals from Asia were not only positive, but had strong double-digit growth of 11 percent  for the first half of 2000, compared to the same period last year.  Last year, Asian arrivals were at a decline of almost 1 percent for the first half of 1999.  The Pacific region or Oceania (a collective name of islands in the south, west, and central Pacific, including Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, and other islands) also had a much stronger growth for 2000, up 13 percent compared to the first half of last year which had a moderate increase of 1 percent.  Western European arrivals remained strong, up 8 percent compared to the first half of 1999.  South American arrivals were up 5 percent for the first half of 2000 compared to the same period in 1999.  The growth in South American arrivals for 2000 was good news, after experiencing a 4 percent drop during the first half of 1999.

Canada
Canada, the largest country for visitor arrivals to the United States, grew by 8 percent totaling 6.9 million arrivals for the half of 2000, after experiencing a decline of 3 percent in 1999 for the same period.  This half year increase is a result of the continued growth in the economy.  Total U.S. travel receipts from Canadian travelers increased by 9 percent to 4.7 billion dollars for the first half of 2000, compared to the same period last year.

Mexico*
Mexico is the fourth largest country for air and limited land arrivals (see footnotes) to the United States with a growth of 14 percent totaling 1.8 million in air arrivals for the first half of 2000.  This first half growth was much stronger than last year’s growth which showed a 1 percent increase during the first half of 1999.  Most of the growth was due to the Easter vacation travel, up 59 percent for April alone compared to April of last year.  This is also attributable to Easter falling on the 4^th of April this year in contrast to last year where Easter vacation was taken in March instead of April.

Overseas
Overseas arrivals (which excludes Mexican and Canadian arrivals) were up by 9 percent totaling 12.2 million arrivals for the first half of 2000 compared to the same period last year.  This half year growth was much faster than last year’s growth which increased by 2 percent for the same period.  This major increase was due mainly to the double digit growth in the United Kingdom,  South Korea, Australia, Netherlands, People’s Republic of China and Hong Kong, and Ireland.

Top Markets  [This information is also available for 9 world regions and 90 countries by subscribing to TI’s Summary of International Travel to the United States.]

Japanese arrivals grew by 7 percent totaling 2.4 million arrivals for the first half of 2000, after experiencing declines in 1999.  This reflects Japan’s recovering economy since Japan’s financial crisis in 1998.  April and February were the strongest growth months during the first half of 2000.  This volume increase was accompanied by a 13 percent growth in travel receipts, totaling 7 billion U.S. dollars that were spent by Japanese visitors during first half of 2000.

British arrivals continued its strong growth, up 13 percent, totaling 2.2 million arrivals for the first half of 2000.  This increase is almost double the growth during the first half of 1999.  Most of the increase was in April and February.  British total expenditures increased as well, up 13 percent totaling 5.4 billion U.S. dollars for the first half of 2000 compared to the same period last year.  The top ports of entry for British travelers were: New York (JFK), Orlando International, Newark, Los Angeles, Sanford Orlando International, Miami, and Chicago.  This information is also available for 9 world regions and 30 countries, and 40 ports-of-entry by subscribing to TI’s Summary of International Travel to the United States. 

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German arrivals were down 5 percent, totaling 884,000 arrivals for the first half of 2000 compared to the same period last year.  This is a result of the declines for most of the months except April which experienced a 31 percent growth compared to the same month in 1999.  These declines are despite Germany’s growing economy.  The German Mark depreciated against the U.S. dollar in the year 2000 compared to the previous year, (currently 2.2 German Marks per U.S. Dollar) which could explain some of the decline in arrivals.

Other European Highlights:
French arrivals had continued growth for the first half of 2000, up 9 percent totaling 525,000 arrivals.  Most of the growth happened in the first quarter, up 16 percent compared to the 4 percent growth for the second quarter of 2000 from last year during the same periods.  Italian arrivals increased by 6 percent during the first half of 2000 compared to the same period in the previous year.  Dutch arrivals increased by 14 percent for the first half of 2000 compared to the first half of last year.  This is a welcome reversal of the declines seen in the Dutch market the first half of 1999. Swiss arrivals increased by 3 percent in the first half of 2000 after negative results as well in 1999.  Swedish and Spanish arrivals were up 4 percent and 6 percent respectively for the first half of 2000 compared to the same period in 1999.  Irish arrivals increased by 34 percent despite the slower growth in the economy for the first half of 2000 compared to last year for the same period.  

Other Asian/Pacific Highlights:
South Korean arrivals surged 41 percent during the first half of 2000,  following a 36 percent growth last year during the same period.  These two strong growth periods have helped Korea recover from the 59 percent decline registered in the first half of 1998. Taiwanese arrivals were steady in the first half of 2000 compared to the same period last year.  Most of the increase came in March, up 17 percent.  Arrivals for the reunified Hong Kong and the People’s Republic of China increased by 19 percent compared to last year’s 12 percent drop for the same period.

Australian arrivals for the first half of 2000 increased double digit, up 16 percent totaling 260,000 arrivals compared to the first half of 1999.  The months with the greatest growth were April and May.  This increase in volume was accompanied by an increase in U.S. travel receipts from Australia, up 11 percent totaling 1.2 billion U.S. dollars  for the first half of 2000 compared to the same period last year.  Arrivals from New Zealand increased as well, up 10 percent totaling 79,000 arrivals for the first half of 2000 compared to the same period in 1999.

Other Latin American Highlights:
Brazilian arrivals were up 5 percent totaling 355,000 arrivals for the first half compared to the same period last year. The strongest growth months were April and March where March showed the first sign of recovery since December, 1998.  Brazil is experiencing continued recovery from the weakening of the Brazilian currency in 1999.

Colombian and Venezuelan arrivals were down slightly in the first half of 2000.  Argentine arrivals were up 3 percent for the first quarter of 2000 after a 3 percent drop last year.   

To obtain additional information on arrivals to the United States, please consider subscribing to the monthly, quarterly, and/or annual Summary of International Travel to the United States.  This report has 28 tables.  Each table has two Sections, arrivals by volume and percent changes for the current month and year-to-date arrivals.  Within the report arrivals data are provided for 9 world regions and more than 90 countries.  To learn more about this report, visit TI’s website at

http://www.tinet.ita.doc.gov/view/m-2000-I-001/index.html.

SUMMARY TABLE OF INTERNATIONAL ARRIVALS
AND PERCENT CHANGES FOR THE FIRST HALF OF 2000
COMPARED TO FIRST HALF OF 1999

* Mexican tourist arrivals reflect air travelers and approximately 35 percent of total land travel.

For more information on monthly arrivals, quarterly performance and other visitor arrivals statistics for the United States visit Tourism Industries web site at http://tinet.ita.doc.gov/research/programs/i94/index.html or contact Michelle Greenberg at 202-482-0140.