50+ US travel and tourism statistics 2024-2025

The travel and tourism industry in the U.S. feels strong and healthy. We see a steady trend of growth in the industry overall fueled by a healthy increase in both inbound and outbound tourism. Additional investment into the tourism market by states has been contributing to this growth as well.

Although we also see growth in average airfare, it does not seem to take a toll on the tourism activity in the country.

Here are a couple of key highlights from the industry overall.

• The Travel and Tourism market size is $2.36 trillion. Current forecasts also show an expected market size of $3.1 trillion by 2034.
• Annual tourism budgets for states have seen a 7% increase from 1.74 billion last year to 1.87 billion now.
• The average domestic airfare cost ranges between $273.31 and $472.97 in the United States.
• Travel and tourism account for 22% of services exports in the U.S.
• The city with the most expensive hotels in the U.S. is Boston with a double room costing an average of $320 per night (as of October 2024).
• New York ranks 3rd as you need to pay $284 per night for the same kind of room.
• Leisure travel accounts for over 30% of tourist spending in the U.S.
• Tourists spend an average of $529.50 per day during their vacation.

Sources: World Travel and Tourism Council, Statista Hotels Report, U.S. Travel Association, U.S. Department of Commerce, State Department of Transportation, Statista Tourism Report, World Bank.

We can also see a clear upward trend in international tourism in the U.S. The number of incoming tourists has been increasing steadily, and the projections are promising as well - with an even larger number of foreigners picking the U.S. as their travel destination.

We can also see a shift in the preferences of international travelers. New York has emerged as the new trendy destination. Another factor contributing to the growth of the market is the high level of spending per international visitor.

Here are more detailed statistics regarding inbound tourism.

• In 2023, the U.S. had 66.5 million arrivals which was an increase of 31%. The number of 2024 is estimated at 77.7 million.
• The total number of international arrivals is expected to reach 96.8 million by 2028.
• Canadians and Mexicans are still the leaders in terms of number of tourists. Around 20.5 million Canadians and 11.3 million Mexicans have visited the U.S. this year.
• New York takes the lead as the most visited state as of 2023 (ranked up from 2nd place back in 2022). Florida and California are the second and third in the ranking respectively.
• A visit to the U.S. costs tourists $4,000 on average. It sums up to $155 billion in U.S. travel spending per year.
• The total spending on travel-related goods and services for 2024 has grown by 13% and reached $210 billion.
• Medical tourism, business travel, and education account for 29% of total travel and tourism exports as of October 2024.

Sources: U.S. Travel Association, U.S. Department of Commerce Forecasts, Fact Sheet, State Travel Statistics, and Spending Analysis.

Tourism targeting the natural beauty of the U.S. retains its strong share in the overall tourism market. The places that attract tourists include the many national parks and nature destinations such as the Grand Canyon and Niagara Falls.

We can also see a steady trend of travelers becoming increasingly sensitive to preserving nature and leaving minimal impact on the environment. This has resulted in increased interest in eco-friendly tour packs and programs. The projections confirm this trend too, with sustainable tourism expected to grow rapidly in the future.

Now, let’s get into more detail regarding EcoTourism facts.

• Grand Canyon National Park is the most popular destination. Niagara Falls comes second.
• Around 51.1% of travelers in the U.S. plan their trips to be eco-friendly.
• There were over 61 million people in the U.S. in 2023 that practiced hiking.
• The sustainable tourism sector was $0.83 billion in the U.S. for 2023. The 2029 prediction gives it a size of $2.89 billion.

Sources: Statista Tourist Attractions Report, Statista Sustainable Travel Report, Statista U.S. Travel Industry Report.

Just like inbound tourism, the market of outbound tourism is experiencing significant growth as well. More and more Americans traveled to foreign destinations this year and the figure is expected to rise in the upcoming years too.

Naturally, the nearby neighbors of the U.S. — Canada and Mexico are the most popular outbound destinations for U.S. tourists considering the ease and lower cost of travel. European countries are also popular, considering the cultural richness that attracts travelers from the U.S.

Tourists from the U.S. remain one of the most lucrative sources of tourism income in many countries around the world, considering their household income and high spending during international travel.

Here’s what outbound tourism looks like in numbers.

• Mexico, Canada, and the United Kingdom are the top three destinations for American travelers.
• In 2023, 98.46 million people from the U.S. traveled abroad. The preliminary estimate for 2024 is over 110 million.
• Apart from Mexico and Canada, top destinations include the UK at 3.7 million, France at 3.1 million, Italy at 2.6 million, Germany at 2 million, and Spain at 2 million.
• The combined annual household income of the average U.S. traveler is $148,000.
• The average outbound traveler stayed aboard for 17.9 nights and spent $1,783.
• Americans plan their trips on average 102 days before departure day.
• Total spending of U.S. residents in foreign countries was $215.4 billion in 2023.

Sources: Statista, U.S. Department of Commerce Outbound Travel Statistics and International Travel Statistics.

The travel and tourism industry in the U.S. looks quite healthy with steady growth during the past years along with a promising outlook for the future.

The growth has been explained by both the increase in outbound and inbound tourism. We also see a relatively new but promising trend of sustainable tourism becoming prominent. American tourists have started paying more attention to environmental protection and a growing number of them prefer tours that offer environmental options.