ITA Data Release: December 2021 International Inbound Visitor Spending

$10.4 billion spent by international visitors in travel and tourism-related activities within the United States, an increase of 108% over December 2020.
Nearly $8.3 billion spent by Americans traveling abroad in December 2021, yielding a trade surplus of $2.1 billion for the month—the second month in a row.
Year to date, $80.1 billion spent by international visitors on U.S. travel and tourism-related goods and services for calendar year 2021—a 5% decrease when compared to total spending in 2020.
Year-to-date $73.9 billion spent by Americans abroad—an increase of 51% over 2020, yielding a trade surplus of nearly $6.2 billion.

Composition of Monthly Spending (Exports)

Travel Receipts: $5.2 billion purchases by international visitors of travel and tourism-related goods and services in December

379% Increase over December 2020.
For a pre-pandemic perspective, travel receipts totaled nearly $12.0 billion in December 2019.
These goods and services include food, lodging, recreation, gifts, entertainment, local transportation in the United States, and other items incidental to foreign travel.
Travel receipts accounted for precisely half (50%) of total U.S. travel and tourism exports during December.

Passenger Fare Receipts: $1.8 billion in fares received by U.S. carriers from international visitors in December 2021.

Compared to $3.4 billion and $589 million in 2019 and 2020, respectively
203% Increase year over year.
Passenger fare receipts accounted for 17% of total U.S. travel and tourism exports during December.

Medical/Education/Short-Term Worker: $3.4 billion in expenditures for educational and health-related tourism, along with all expenditures by border, seasonal, and other short-term workers.

Compared to $4.8 billion and $3.3 billion in 2019 and 2020, respectively
An increase of nearly 3% when compared to December 2020.
Medical tourism, education, and short-term worker receipts accounted for 33 percent of total U.S. travel and tourism exports during December.

Interested in an interactive data visualization of these statistics? Please visit our Monthly Travel Trade Monitor for a more comprehensive and customizable experience!

Visit the interactive data visualization of this inform
NTTO is responsible for collecting, analyzing, and disseminating international travel and tourism statistics for the U.S. Travel and Tourism Statistical System. For more monthly travel and tourism-related trade data dating back to 1999, please visit the International Travel Receipts and Payments Program.

Keep up-to-date on the travel and tourism industry by visiting TI News.