Coming to America: Global travelers rank U.S. No.1 destination for 2016

NEW YORK - In a worldwide survey conducted by Travelzoo, a global media commerce company, travelers voted the United States the top vacation destination for 2016. Australian, British, Canadian and French voters named the U.S. as their top destination, while the U.S. ranked second among Spanish and Chinese respondents.

The U.S. saw the biggest increase in popularity among the British, rising from sixth to first place year over year, while the destination also remained popular among Chinese voters, staying at second spot for the second consecutive year.

Travelzoo North America president, Michael Stitt noted, "The strong dollar was expected to deter international travelers, but the launch of new direct flight routes and America's image as a safe destination contributed to its growing popularity."

"The U.S. is more popular this year for a number of reasons, including an increase in direct flights with aggressive fares. British tourists can find return flights to New York and San Francisco for under £400," said Richard Singer, president for Travelzoo Europe. "The U.S. is also viewed as a safe destination. After the terror attacks in Tunisia, Egypt and Paris, many British tourists are considering alternative destinations. We expect to see a sustained increase in demand for long-haul destinations as new flight routes make them more accessible and affordable."

"The Chinese like to travel to the U.S. for a variety of reasons, including university visits and outlet shopping. With more direct airline routes and safer travel options, we anticipate the U.S. to maintain its popularity among travelers from Asia Pacific," said Vivian Hong, president for Travelzoo Asia Pacific.

The annual online survey conducted by Travelzoo tallied votes from 5,753 respondents across Australia, the UK, France, Spain, Germany, Canada, the U.S. and China. The 2016 top-ranked destinations by global travelers include: 

Australians

• United States
• Australia
• New Zealand

Britons

• United States
• Italy
• United Kingdom

French

• United States
• Spain
• France

Spaniards

• Spain
• United States
• Italy

Germans

• Germany
• Spain
• Italy

Canadians

• United States
• Canada
• Caribbean

Americans

• United States
• Caribbean
• Italy

Chinese

• Japan
• United States
• Australia

When asked how unrest or terror events impact destination selection, 64% of respondents said they will avoid destinations that experienced a terror attack within the past 12 months. Climate, price, culture and safety were ranked highly when selecting a vacation destination.