In October 2012, the top inbound markets continued to be Canada and Mexico with each market up six percent and seven percent, respectively. Seven of the nine overseas regions were up in October 2012 (Asia +13%, South America +13%, Oceania +7%, Middle East +8%, Central America +1%, Eastern Europe +5%, and Africa +6%). Western Europe and the Caribbean registered the only two declines, down eight percent and four percent (respectively) in October 2012 compared to a year ago.
For the first ten months of 2012, visitation (56.0 million) was up six percent compared to the same period in 2011.
Highlights
Overseas Resident Visitation
- In October 2012, overseas resident visitation (2.6 million) was up one percent over October 2011.
- October
YTD 2012, overseas resident visits (25.0 million) were up six
percent compared to the same period of 2011.
- In October 2012, seven of the top 10 countries posted increases in resident visitation.
- During
the first ten months of 2012, eight of the top 10 countries (sort
based on October 2012) posted increases in visitation to the United
States.
|
Country of
Residence
|
% Change
October
2012 vs. 2011 |
% Change
YTD October
2012 vs. 2011 |
|
Canada |
6%
|
6%
|
|
Mexico |
7%
|
6%
|
|
United Kingdom |
-5%
|
-2%
|
|
Japan |
13%
|
14%
|
|
Germany |
-7%
|
3%
|
|
Brazil |
12%
|
17%
|
|
France |
-17%
|
-3%
|
|
People's Republic of
China (EXCL HK) |
24%
|
37%
|
|
South Korea |
14%
|
8%
|
|
Australia |
11%
|
8%
|
YTD October 2012, visitation through the top 15 ports of entry accounted for 80 percent of all overseas visits, a little less than one percentage point below last year. The top three ports (New York, Miami and Los Angeles) accounted for 39 percent of all overseas arrivals, nearly one percentage point below last year. Twelve of the top 15 ports posted increases in arrivals during the first ten months of 2012. (Note: the Port of Chicago was up just 200 arrivals.) Five of these ports posted double-digit increases.
DHS Working to Improve the Travel Process for U.S. Visitors
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is diligently working to improve the entry process for U.S. visitors by automating the white CBP Form I-94 card. Currently, when a Foreign National (FN) from non-visa waiver countries enters the United States in a non-immigrant status, they are issued a 2-part white I-94 card. Federal regulations mandate the issuance of I-94 cards to FN entrants. So in order for the I-94 to be fully automated and the paper I-94 card eliminated entirely, an interim final rule is being cleared by OMB to change the Federal regulations. Along with revising the rule, the CBP is designing a system that will automate the I-94 process that will be responsible for electronically issuing I-94 numbers and tracking departure information without the necessity for manual data entry. Automating the I-94 card will offer processing advantages - enhanced data integrity with the elimination of manual keypunching and interpretation of handwritten entries, quicker data turn-around for reporting purposes, enhanced matching of arrival to departure records; and continued use of all data fields included in the current white I-94 card.
