Travel and tourism-related exports outpace imports by more than $40.5 billion through October
The U.S. Department of Commerce recently announced that international visitors spent an estimated $13.9 billion on travel to, and tourism-related activities within, the United States during the month of October - nearly $770 million more (6%) than was spent in October 2011.
- Travel
Receipts:
Purchases of travel and tourism-related goods and services by
international visitors traveling in the United States totaled $10.7
billion during October, an increase of more than 7 percent when
compared to last year. These goods and services include food,
lodging, recreation, gifts, entertainment, local transportation in
the United States, and other items incidental to foreign travel.
- Passenger
Fare Receipts:
Fares received by U.S. carriers (and U.S. vessel operators) from
international visitors increased ever-so-slightly (less than 1%) for
the month, following an increase of more than 1 percent in
September. U.S carriers have, however, received more than $33
billion from international visitors during the first ten months of
2012, the strongest year-to-date performance on record.
Americans have spent nearly $99.1 billion abroad year to date (up 9%) - resulting in a $40.5 billion balance of trade surplus for travel and tourism through the first ten months of 2012.

Source: U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis (December 2012).
The Office of Travel and Tourism Industries (OTTI) 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 1992, please visit: < http://tinet.ita.doc.gov/outreachpages/download_data_table/Monthly_Exports_Imports_Balance.xls >.
