International visitors to the United States spent a total of $21.2bn (+4%) in the month of July and nearly $146.3bn between January and July 2017 (+3%) on travel and tourism-related goods and services, according to US Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross.

 

In a statement, Ross said this performance to date is unprecedented: “It is a pleasure to announce that international visitors spent more in the United States in 2017 than any other period in history and that if this trend continues 2017 will be a record setting year.

 

IN PRAISE OF TOURISM EARNINGS…

“The Trump Administration is unequivocally committed to ensuring that United States continues to be a premier destination for visitors from around the globe.”

 

Ross’ comments are more than timely and perhaps partially influenced by earlier criticism of the government’s controversial travel visa restrictions on certain Muslim countries. For example, international visitor numbers did fall by -4% to 15.8m between January and March of this year from the UK, Mexico, Germany, Japan and other countries.

 

However, the National Travel and Tourism Office also points to an otherwise healthy long-term picture, with visitor numbers reaching an all-time high of 77.5m in 2015 before numbers fell back by -2.4% in 2016.

 

In a clear political plug, Ross added: “It is clear that the United States travel and tourism industry remains a strong engine for growth and job creation.

 

ALWAYS ROOM FOR A POLITICAL PLUG….

“This spending [visitor expenditure in the US] proves that international travellers know that the safety enhancements introduced by the Trump Administration are far more important than the processing inconveniences from them.”

 

In terms of detail, the US Commerce office says purchases of travel and tourism-related goods and services by international visitors travelling in the United States totalled $13.1bn during July, an increase of nearly 2% when compared to the previous year.

 

These goods and services include food, lodging, recreation, gifts, entertainment, local transportation in the US and other items incidental to foreign travel. Travel receipts accounted for 62% of total US travel and tourism exports during July 2017.

 

In terms of passenger fare receipts the amount received by US carriers from international visitors totalled $3.3bn for the month, a rise of nearly 6% when compared to July 2016 and the largest monthly increase since November 2014. Passenger fare receipts accounted for 16% of total US travel and tourism exports during the month.