U.S. citizen departures totaled 42.2 million travelers for the first eight months of 2012, according to the Office of Travel & Tourism Industries (OTTI) and the U.S. Department of Commerce.
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: http://www.tinet.ita.doc.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.