# Tourism in the United States

Tourism in the United States is the travel of domestic and international visitors to and within the US, an industry that in 2023 generated $2.64 trillion in tourism-related output, 10.0 million jobs, and 3.03% of GDP, and that in 2024 received 72.4 million international visitors, 91.1% of the pre-pandemic 2019 level.<sup>[1](https://apps.bea.gov/scb/issues/2025/02-february/0225-travel-tourism-satellite-account.htm)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[2](https://www.trade.gov/feature-article/december-and-annual-2024-total-international-travel-volume)</sup> The sector is dominated by domestic travel, which U.S. Travel Association forecasts will account for about 87% of total travel spending in 2026, and it entered a downturn in 2025, when international arrivals fell 5.5% to 68.3 million.<sup>[3](https://www.ustravel.org/research/travel-forecasts)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[4](https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/oecd-tourism-trends-and-policies-2026_3fd3cd75-en/full-report/united-states_59baf3c3.html)</sup>

| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| International arrivals | 72,390,321 in 2024 (up 9.1% from 2023, 91.1% of 2019); 68.3 million in 2025 (down 5.5%, 86% of 2019)<sup>[2](https://www.trade.gov/feature-article/december-and-annual-2024-total-international-travel-volume)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[4](https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/oecd-tourism-trends-and-policies-2026_3fd3cd75-en/full-report/united-states_59baf3c3.html)</sup> |
| Economic scale | $2.64 trillion tourism-related output and 10.0 million jobs (6.5 million direct) in 2023; 3.03% of GDP<sup>[1](https://apps.bea.gov/scb/issues/2025/02-february/0225-travel-tourism-satellite-account.htm)</sup> |
| Overseas spending | 35.2 million overseas visitors spent $169.8 billion in 2024, directly supporting nearly 906,000 jobs<sup>[5](https://www.trade.gov/sites/default/files/2026-04/2024-Visitors-by-State_Final.pdf)</sup> |
| Geographic concentration | Five states captured $99.7 billion, 58.7% of overseas visitor spending, in 2024<sup>[5](https://www.trade.gov/sites/default/files/2026-04/2024-Visitors-by-State_Final.pdf)</sup> |
| National parks | 331.9 million recreation visits in 2024; $29.0 billion spent in gateway regions, supporting 340,100 jobs<sup>[6](https://www.nps.gov/nature/customcf/nps_data_visualization/docs/NPS_2024_Visitor_Spending_Effects.pdf)</sup> |
| Entry system | Visa Waiver Program covers 41 countries; each ESTA traveler pays a fee, part of which funds Brand USA promotion<sup>[7](https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/R47857)</sup> |
| Per-trip spending | International visitors spent about $4,200 per trip pre-pandemic, staying 18 nights on average; about $4,000 per trip in 2025<sup>[7](https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/R47857)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[8](https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2026-trump-toll-on-global-travel/)</sup> |

## International arrivals and key markets

Total international visitor arrivals in 2024 were 72,390,321, up 9.1% from 2023 and equal to 91.1% of 2019 arrivals.<sup>[2](https://www.trade.gov/feature-article/december-and-annual-2024-total-international-travel-volume)</sup> [Western Europe](https://www.edgepedia.org/western-europe) was the largest region by visitor volume with 13,067,365 visitors, and Asia posted the largest percentage increase at 21.6%.<sup>[2](https://www.trade.gov/feature-article/december-and-annual-2024-total-international-travel-volume)</sup>

Recovery has been very uneven across markets. Among the top 20 source markets, which together supplied 85% of 2024 visitation, only five had surpassed 2019 levels: India (149% of 2019), the [Dominican Republic](https://www.edgepedia.org/dominican-republic) (114%), Colombia (113%), Ecuador (108%), and Italy (103%).<sup>[2](https://www.trade.gov/feature-article/december-and-annual-2024-total-international-travel-volume)</sup> China stood at 57% and Japan at 49% of pre-pandemic visitation, while Canada (98%), Germany (97%), and Mexico and France (93%) were also below 2019.<sup>[2](https://www.trade.gov/feature-article/december-and-annual-2024-total-international-travel-volume)</sup> In 2025 the top five source markets were Mexico (26% of arrivals), Canada (24%), the United Kingdom (6%), and India and Japan (3% each).<sup>[4](https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/oecd-tourism-trends-and-policies-2026_3fd3cd75-en/full-report/united-states_59baf3c3.html)</sup>

## Getting in: visas, ESTA, and entry

The [Visa Waiver Program](https://www.edgepedia.org/visa-waiver-program) covers 41 countries, mostly in Europe, with Israel joining in 2023 and Qatar in 2024; each traveler from a VWP country using ESTA (the [Electronic System for Travel Authorization](https://www.edgepedia.org/electronic-system-for-travel-authorization)) pays a fee, part of which funds travel promotion through Brand USA.<sup>[7](https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/R47857)</sup> Most travelers from other countries need a B-1/B-2 visitor visa, and as of October 2023 the average wait for a B-1/B-2 interview was 178 days.<sup>[7](https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/R47857)</sup>

Entry rules tightened after 2023. In February 2025 the administration narrowed eligibility for waivers of the in-person nonimmigrant visa interview requirement, and in December it required applicants to attend interviews in their home countries; a travel ban effective June 9, 2025 suspends entry of certain nationals from 19 countries.<sup>[9](https://www.congress.gov/crs_external_products/IN/HTML/IN12589.html)</sup>

## Where tourists go and what they spend

Tourism in the US is heavily concentrated. In 2022, the five states with the most international visits accounted for 65% of international visits by state, and the five metropolitan areas with the most international visits accounted for 51% of the total.<sup>[7](https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/R47857)</sup> New York City was the largest port of entry for overseas visitors in 2024 with 6,111,777 arrivals, followed by Miami (4,757,596) and Los Angeles (3,361,708).<sup>[2](https://www.trade.gov/feature-article/december-and-annual-2024-total-international-travel-volume)</sup>

**State spending.** The top five states for overseas visitor spending in 2024 were New York ($32.1 billion), California ($26.9 billion), Florida ($25.2 billion), Texas ($7.9 billion), and Massachusetts ($7.7 billion); together they captured $99.7 billion, 58.7% of all overseas visitor spending, and supported more than 502,000 jobs, 55.5% of direct overseas-visitor employment.<sup>[5](https://www.trade.gov/sites/default/files/2026-04/2024-Visitors-by-State_Final.pdf)</sup> New York led with 9,801,000 overseas visits and 156,840 jobs supported, ahead of Florida (8,858,000 visits, 124,970 jobs) and California (6,956,000 visits, 132,670 jobs).<sup>[5](https://www.trade.gov/sites/default/files/2026-04/2024-Visitors-by-State_Final.pdf)</sup> Overseas visitors spent more than $1 billion in 26 states and territories, and the top 10 source countries accounted for 59% of overseas spending.<sup>[5](https://www.trade.gov/sites/default/files/2026-04/2024-Visitors-by-State_Final.pdf)</sup>

**National parks.** The National Park System received 331.9 million recreation visits in 2024, up 2% from 2023, and park visitors spent an estimated $29.0 billion in local gateway regions, up 10% from 2023.<sup>[6](https://www.nps.gov/nature/customcf/nps_data_visualization/docs/NPS_2024_Visitor_Spending_Effects.pdf)</sup> That spending supported an estimated 340,100 jobs, $18.8 billion in labor income, and $56.3 billion in economic output; lodging was the largest direct spending category at $11.1 billion, followed by restaurants at $5.7 billion.<sup>[6](https://www.nps.gov/nature/customcf/nps_data_visualization/docs/NPS_2024_Visitor_Spending_Effects.pdf)</sup> The system comprises 423 sites covering more than 85 million acres and hosts roughly 320 million visitors a year.<sup>[10](https://www.annualreviews.org/content/journals/10.1146/annurev-resource-111920-021401)</sup> Among overseas markets, the United Kingdom led national park visits in 2025 with 1.7 million visitors, followed by France (918,000), Germany (895,000), Brazil (721,000), and India (546,000).<sup>[11](https://www.hotel-online.com/index.php/news/ntto-releases-12-market-profiles-of-overseas-visitors-to-the-united-states-for-calendar-year-2025)</sup> Among the 9.4 million overseas visitors who rented cars, the top leisure activities were shopping (87%), national parks and monuments (41%), small towns (38%), amusement and theme parks (37%), and historic locations (31%).<sup>[11](https://www.hotel-online.com/index.php/news/ntto-releases-12-market-profiles-of-overseas-visitors-to-the-united-states-for-calendar-year-2025)</sup>

## By the numbers

The sector's headline quantities, with their sources and years:

- **Overseas spending and jobs.** 35.2 million overseas visitors (excluding Canada and Mexico) spent $169.8 billion in 2024, including international student spending, directly supporting nearly 906,000 jobs.<sup>[5](https://www.trade.gov/sites/default/files/2026-04/2024-Visitors-by-State_Final.pdf)</sup>
- **GDP share.** Travel and tourism's share of US GDP rose from 2.96% in 2022 to 3.03% in 2023, still below 2019's 3.04%; tourism value added was $840 billion in 2023.<sup>[1](https://apps.bea.gov/scb/issues/2025/02-february/0225-travel-tourism-satellite-account.htm)</sup>
- **Output.** Total tourism-related nominal output reached $2.64 trillion in 2023, split into $1.52 trillion direct and $1.12 trillion indirect; real output recovered to pre-pandemic 2019 levels.<sup>[1](https://apps.bea.gov/scb/issues/2025/02-february/0225-travel-tourism-satellite-account.htm)</sup>
- **Employment.** Total tourism-related employment rose to 10.0 million jobs in 2023 from 9.1 million in 2022, consisting of 6.5 million direct and 3.6 million indirect jobs; every 100 direct jobs supported an additional 55 indirect jobs.<sup>[1](https://apps.bea.gov/scb/issues/2025/02-february/0225-travel-tourism-satellite-account.htm)</sup> Direct employment of 6.5 million was 4.0% of the total workforce and exceeded the 2019 peak of 6.4 million.<sup>[4](https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/oecd-tourism-trends-and-policies-2026_3fd3cd75-en/full-report/united-states_59baf3c3.html)</sup>
- **Domestic scale.** Domestic travelers took an estimated 2.4 billion person-trips in 2025, up 1.9% from 2024, and travel exports accounted for $250 billion, 20.3% of total US service exports.<sup>[4](https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/oecd-tourism-trends-and-policies-2026_3fd3cd75-en/full-report/united-states_59baf3c3.html)</sup>

## How it compares with other destinations

Globally, international tourism receipts reached $1.6 trillion in 2024, about 3% more than 2023 and 4% more than 2019 in real terms, and average spending per international arrival was an estimated $1,100 in 2024, above the pre-pandemic average of $1,000.<sup>[12](https://www.untourism.int/news/international-tourism-recovers-pre-pandemic-levels-in-2024)</sup> Against that average, the US is a high-value destination: international visitors spent about $4,000 per trip in 2025, and about $4,200 per trip with 18-night stays before the pandemic.<sup>[8](https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2026-trump-toll-on-global-travel/)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[7](https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/R47857)</sup> The US remains the world's largest travel and tourism market, but in 2025 it was one of just a handful of developed countries to post a decline in international visitor spending.<sup>[8](https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2026-trump-toll-on-global-travel/)</sup>

## Recent developments

**The 2025 downturn.** International arrivals fell 5.5% in 2025 to 68.3 million, the first decline since 2020 and short of the record 79.4 million of 2018.<sup>[4](https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/oecd-tourism-trends-and-policies-2026_3fd3cd75-en/full-report/united-states_59baf3c3.html)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[9](https://www.congress.gov/crs_external_products/IN/HTML/IN12589.html)</sup> The decline was driven primarily by Canada, with visits from Canada down 21% in volume in 2025.<sup>[3](https://www.ustravel.org/research/travel-forecasts)</sup> Spending fell as well: the Congressional Research Service, citing the World Travel and Tourism Council, put 2025 international visitor spending at approximately $176 billion, down 4.6% from 2024, while the US Travel Association put it at $175 billion, down 2.4%; the two figures have not been reconciled.<sup>[9](https://www.congress.gov/crs_external_products/IN/HTML/IN12589.html)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[3](https://www.ustravel.org/research/travel-forecasts)</sup>

**Policy and promotion.** The FY2025 reconciliation act (P.L. 119-21) reduced the cap on annual federal matching funds for Brand USA from $100 million to $20 million and added new visa and admission fees.<sup>[9](https://www.congress.gov/crs_external_products/IN/HTML/IN12589.html)</sup> Brand USA, the public-private promotion body funded largely by ESTA fees, reported that its FY2024 marketing generated 1,611,223 visits (2.2% of all visitors) and $5.9 billion in incremental visitor spending, with each dollar of marketing generating $24.56 of visitor spending ($23.37 including operating overhead), against a total FY2024 budget of $253,557,286.<sup>[13](https://pop.ustravel.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Brand-USA-FY24-ROI-Tourism-Economics.pdf)</sup> On the federal statistics side, the National Travel and Tourism Office had an operational budget of approximately $7 million in 2025 and certifies up to $20 million in Travel Promotion Fund matching funds for Brand USA.<sup>[4](https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/oecd-tourism-trends-and-policies-2026_3fd3cd75-en/full-report/united-states_59baf3c3.html)</sup>

**The World Cup effect.** Forecasts for 2026 point to a partial rebound: the US Travel Association predicted in October 2025 that international visits could increase 3.7%, partly due to the 2026 World Cup, and Oxford Economics forecast 3.9% growth in international inbound travel.<sup>[9](https://www.congress.gov/crs_external_products/IN/HTML/IN12589.html)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[14](https://www.oxfordeconomics.com/resource/us-international-inbound-lessons-from-2025-outlook-for-2026/)</sup> Early tournament data support a real effect: arrivals in June and July 2026 from countries with participating teams declined only 1.1% year-on-year, versus an 8.9% decline among non-participant countries.<sup>[15](https://www.tourismeconomics.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/20260730-US-World-Cup-Bump-to-Overseas-Arrivals-and-Hotel-Performance.pdf)</sup>

## References

1. [U.S. Travel and Tourism Satellite Account for 2018–2023, Bureau of Economic Analysis (February 2025)](https://apps.bea.gov/scb/issues/2025/02-february/0225-travel-tourism-satellite-account.htm)
2. [December and Annual 2024 Total International Travel Volume, NTTO](https://www.trade.gov/feature-article/december-and-annual-2024-total-international-travel-volume)
3. [U.S. Travel Association Travel Forecasts (May 2026)](https://www.ustravel.org/research/travel-forecasts)
4. [United States, OECD Tourism Trends and Policies 2026](https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/oecd-tourism-trends-and-policies-2026_3fd3cd75-en/full-report/united-states_59baf3c3.html)
5. [Overseas Visitor Impact on State Economies 2024, NTTO](https://www.trade.gov/sites/default/files/2026-04/2024-Visitors-by-State_Final.pdf)
6. [2024 National Park Visitor Spending Effects, National Park Service](https://www.nps.gov/nature/customcf/nps_data_visualization/docs/NPS_2024_Visitor_Spending_Effects.pdf)
7. [U.S. Tourism: Economic Impacts and Pandemic Recovery, Congressional Research Service](https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/R47857)
8. [Trump's $40 Billion Travel Slump, Bloomberg](https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2026-trump-toll-on-global-travel/)
9. [International Tourism to the United States, CRS Insight](https://www.congress.gov/crs_external_products/IN/HTML/IN12589.html)
10. [Economics of the US National Park System, Annual Review of Resource Economics](https://www.annualreviews.org/content/journals/10.1146/annurev-resource-111920-021401)
11. [NTTO Releases 12 Market Profiles of Overseas Visitors to the United States for Calendar Year 2025, Hotel Online](https://www.hotel-online.com/index.php/news/ntto-releases-12-market-profiles-of-overseas-visitors-to-the-united-states-for-calendar-year-2025)
12. [International tourism recovers pre-pandemic levels in 2024, UN Tourism](https://www.untourism.int/news/international-tourism-recovers-pre-pandemic-levels-in-2024)
13. [The Return on Investment of Brand USA Marketing, Tourism Economics for Brand USA (FY2024)](https://pop.ustravel.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Brand-USA-FY24-ROI-Tourism-Economics.pdf)
14. [US International Inbound: Lessons from 2025, Outlook for 2026, Oxford Economics](https://www.oxfordeconomics.com/resource/us-international-inbound-lessons-from-2025-outlook-for-2026/)
15. [World Cup Bump to Overseas Arrivals, Tourism Economics](https://www.tourismeconomics.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/20260730-US-World-Cup-Bump-to-Overseas-Arrivals-and-Hotel-Performance.pdf)

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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Society and history › Economics and business › Business and work › Travel, tourism, and visitor services*

*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 10, 2026 · Edited: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 10, 2026; Oct 11, 2026; Oct 15, 2026 · Last review: Oct 10, 2026*

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