Where in the World Did International Tourists Go?

Did you visit Italy in 2010, only to remark that there seemed to be fewer Americans taking photos in the Piazza dei Miracoli? The United Nations' World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) sheds some light on international travel statistics.

International Travel Industry Figures

The 2011 edition of the UNWTO Tourism Highlights paints a comprehensive picture of travel destinations that were hot, lukewarm or growing cold. Counting 940 million tourist arrivals, the organization points out that the international travel industry is on the upswing. In 2010 alone, world travelers spent $919 billion, which is up from $851 billion in 2009.

Where are the Hot Locales?

Europe is surprisingly lukewarm. Showing only 3 percent in travel growth, this continent was not as favored by international travelers as the Middle East (14 percent growth), Asia and the Pacific regions (13 percent), Africa (7 percent) and even the Americas (6 percent). It is therefore not surprising that you encountered fewer American travelers in front of Italy's Leaning Tower of Pisa.

How do International Tourists travel?

Approximately 51 percent of 2010's travelers favored airplanes, while 41 percent took the open road. Rail transport only accounted for 2 percent; water conveyances were somewhat more popular with 6 percent of the market share.

Which are the Top 10 Tourist Arrival Locales?

France tops the list, followed by the United States, China, Spain, Italy, the UK, Turkey, Germany, Malaysia and Mexico.

Who spends the most on International Travel?

By country, Germany is the undisputed leader in international tourism expenditures. With $77.7 billion in 2010, the country surpassed the United States' $75.5 billion. Other big spenders are China, the UK, France, Canada, Japan, Italy, the Russian Federation and Australia. When looking at per-capita travel expenditures, Australia leads the pack with $1,014, followed by Germany, Canada, the UK, France, Italy, the United States, Japan, the Russian Federation and China.

How many Visitors did the United States welcome in 2010?

The U.S. Department of Commerce tallied the figures and shows that 60 million international travelers came to the United States in 2010. This is a 4.8 million increase over 2009, which translated into approximately "$1.1 trillion in economic output for the U.S. economy." The tourists alone spent about $134.4 billion while visiting the sights and sounds that the U.S. has to offer.

Who visits the U.S.?

The greatest increase in visitors comes from Korea with 49 percent in U.S.-bound travel growth. It is followed by Brazil (34 percent), Australia, (25 percent), Japan (16 percent), and Canada, Italy and France with11 percent each. Germany and Mexico only saw increases of 2 percent each. Negative growth occurred with our visitors from the U.K.

Source

UNWTO Tourism Highlights; "2011 Edition"

U.S. Department of Commerce; "U.S. Travel and Tourism Industries: A Year in Review 2010"