The U.S. Department of Commerce announces that 3.6 million international visitors traveled to the United States in June 2009, a decrease of 11 percent compared to June 2008.

Total visitation in the first six months of 2009 was down 10 percent compared to the same period 2008. International visitors spent $9.6 billion during the month, 22 percent less than visitors spent in June 2008. June 2009 marks the eighth consecutive month of decreases in international visitors spending. In the first six months 2009, visitors spent $60 billion, down 15 percent from the same period in 2008.

For more monthly visitor spending data, please visit:
<http://tinet.ita.doc.gov/outreachpages/download_data_table/Monthly_Exports_Imports_Balance.xls >.

Highlights(1) (2)

Canada and Mexico

In June 2009, Canadian visitation declined 13 percent compared to June 2008. Measured by mode, land arrivals (818,000) declined by 15 percent and air arrivals (354,000) decreased 11 percent. In the first six months 2009, visitation from Canada decreased nine percent, with land arrivals (5.0 million) down nine percent and air arrivals (3.2 million) down nine percent.

Visitation from Mexico (traveling to interior U.S. points) totaled 458,000, down one percent in June 2009. For the month, land arrivals (345,000) increased five percent and air arrivals (111,000) decreased 15 percent. Overall, traffic for the first six months 2009 was down 13 percent with land arrivals (1.9 million) down 10 percent and air arrivals (614,000) down 23 percent.

Overseas (excluding Canada and Mexico)

Overseas visitation decreased 11 percent in June 2009 and dropped 10 percent year-to-date.

Top 20 Countries

In June 2009, of the top 20 countries 16 posted decreases in visitation to the United States, with visitation from nine countries declining at double-digit growth rates.

In the first six months of 2009, 16 of the top 20 countries posted decreases in visitation to the United States, with visitation from eight countries declining at double-digit growth rates.

To access the 2009 monthly arrivals data for Canada and Mexico; Overseas; and the Top 20 Countries, please visit http://tinet.ita.doc.gov/view/m-2009-I-001/index.html

OVERSEAS VISITATION

U.S. visitation from the 27 European Union countries declined eight percent in June 2009 and dropped 11 percent from the first six months of 2008.

U.S. visits from Western Europe, 945,000 visitors, accounting for 48 percent of all overseas arrivals, were down eight percent in June 2009. Year-to-date, arrivals decreased 11 percent and accounted for 47 percent of all overseas visitors.

U.S. visits from the United Kingdom, 339,000 visitors, were down seven percent in June 2009. Year-to-date, visitation from the United Kingdom dropped 17 percent. For the month and year-to-date, visitors from the United Kingdom accounted for 36 percent of all Western European arrivals.

German visits were down 13 percent for the month and down eight percent year-to-date. At the same time, French arrivals decreased one percent in June 2009 and grew one percent for the year.

Italian visitation was down eight percent in June 2009, and down three percent year-to-date. Visitors from the Netherlands were down 22 percent for the month and down 14 percent for the year. Spanish visits decreased four percent in June 2009, and decreased seven percent in the first six months.

Visitation from Ireland decreased 10 percent for the month, and was down 16 percent for the year. Visitors from Sweden and Switzerland were down 22 percent and up eight percent, respectively, for the month. In the first six months, visits from Sweden decreased 19 percent while visits from Switzerland increased two percent.

Eastern European visits were up three percent for the month, and up one percent for the year. Russian visitation increased five percent for the month, and was up two percent for the year.

Visitation from Asia decreased 28 percent in June 2009 and 17 percent in the first six months of 2009.

Japanese visits were 39 percent below the June 2008 visitor levels, and down 18 percent in the first six months of 2009. Japan accounted for 40 percent of all Asian visitors for the month and 51 percent of Asian visitors in the first six months 2009.

In June 2009, visitation from South Korea and India declined 13 percent and 10 percent, respectively. Year-to-date, arrivals from South Korea and India declined 17 percent and 14 percent, respectively. In June 2009, arrivals from the People’s Republic of China were down 18 percent and were down four percent for the year.

Taiwanese visitation dropped 30 percent for the month and was down 24 percent year-to-date.

U.S. visitation from South America increased five percent in June 2009 and increased two percent in the first six months of 2009.

Brazilian visitation was up 14 percent for the month and up eight percent in the first six months. Brazil is the top visitation market from South America; and in the first six months of 2009 accounted for 32 percent of visits from the region. U.S. visits from Venezuela increased 10 percent in June 2009 but declined four percent for the year.

U.S. visitation from Colombia increased two percent for the month but dropped four percent year-to-date. Argentine visits decreased four percent in June 2009, but grew seven percent for the year.

Central American visits were flat in June 2009 bringing it to a six percent decline for the year.

U.S. visitation from the Caribbean increased three percent in June 2009 but dropped four percent for the year.

Visitation from the Dominican Republic, the top visitation market from the Caribbean region, increased one percent in June 2009 but declined nine percent for the year.

In June 2009, there was a 55 percent increase in visits from the Bahamas. Year-to-date, visits were up 25 percent.

Travel from Oceania decreased three percent in June 2009 and decreased seven percent year-to-date.

Visits from Australia were down two percent in June 2009 and registered a six percent decrease year-to-date. Australia accounted for 83 percent of all visits from Oceania in the first six months of 2009.

U.S. visitation from the Middle East decreased three percent in June 2009 and was down four percent year-to-date.

Israeli visitation to the United States decreased three percent in June 2009 and dropped nine percent year-to-date.

U.S. visitation from Africa decreased 14 percent in June 2009 and declined 10 percent for the year.

To access the 2009 monthly arrivals data for world regions and top markets, visit
http://tinet.ita.doc.gov/view/m-2009-I-001/index.html

Visitation to the United States: Business Travel vs. Pleasure Travel
From Selected Overseas Countries
January – June 2009

COUNTRY OF RESIDENCE	% Change Business Travelers	% Change Pleasure Travelers	Pleasure Arrivals Rank	Total Arrivals	% Change Total Arrivals	Total Arrivals Rank	Business Travel % of Total	Pleasure Travel % of Total
UNITED KINGDOM	-27	-16	2	1,781,391	-17	3	14%	86%
JAPAN	-41	-15	3	1,320,029	-18	4	9%	89%
GERMANY	-29	-2	4	764,158	-8	5	18%	81%
FRANCE	-28	9	5	540,763	1	6	16%	83%
BRAZIL	-27	18	6	379,491	8	7	14%	83%
AUSTRALIA	-30	0	7	309,790	-6	9	15%	85%
ITALY	-22	2	8	297,588	-3	10	17%	82%
VENEZUELA	-28	1	14	193,606	-4	16	13%	85%
ARGENTINA	-27	16	16	169,849	7	18	14%	85%
SWITZERLAND	-21	10	18	152,936	2	20	20%	78%
DENMARK	-21	3	21	116,169	-2	23	19%	80%

The monthly figures on all travelers from each country to the United States represent mainly business, pleasure and student travelers. For some countries, there is a significant difference in the rate of change by the type of visa. The table above shows these differences for selected overseas countries, specifically the change in business travel versus pleasure travel. For example, during the first six months of 2009, total visits from France were up one percent, but with business travel down 28 percent and pleasure travel up nine percent.

TOP PORTS: Year-to-Date June 2009

In the first six months of 2009, overseas visits (excluding Canada and Mexico) dropped 10 percent. Visitation through the top 15 ports of entry accounted for 85 percent of all overseas visits, almost one percentage-point higher than last year.

The top three ports of entry (New York JFK, Miami and Los Angeles) accounted for 39 percent of all overseas arrivals, up over one percentage-point from the first six months of 2008.

Miami, Orlando (MCO) and Philadelphia are the only ports in the top 15 ports that posted an increase in arrivals in the first six months of 2009. Twelve ports posted decreases. Arrivals decreased by double digits through seven of the ports.

In the first six months of 2009, visitation through San Francisco decreased 19 percent, moving it down into sixth position behind Honolulu. Chicago dropped from sixth into seventh position. Travel through Agana, Guam decreased 13 percent, dropping it behind Atlanta into ninth position. With arrivals through Detroit decreasing 34 percent, this port moved into fifteenth position behind Boston and Philadelphia.

To access top port activity, go to the OTTI monthly arrivals page above and scroll down the page until you see the yellow title bar entitled: 2009 Monthly Top Airports for Overseas Non-Resident Arrivals. Click on the Excel file to view the monthly port figures.

Arrivals to the United States by port-of-entry are tracked on a monthly basis. The U.S. Department of Commerce has arrival data on more than 40 U.S. ports-of-entry from all world regions and 30 countries, with a brief analysis presented on the top 15 ports for overseas arrivals in 2009.