The U.S. is leading the global rebound in travel and tourism, driven by the strong increase in outbound travel and the creation of millions of jobs, a recent study has suggested.
According to the latest global trends report conducted by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), along with members ForwardKeys and Mabrian Technologies, the GDP contribution of the U.S. travel and tourism sector surged 16.9% in 2022 to reach $2 trillion. Additionally, compared to 2021, the sector created 2.7 million more jobs.
The U.S. travel and tourism sector is expected to reach $2.2 trillion this year, WTTC said, while jobs will total 17.4 million.
The robust growth can be attributed to the resurgence in demand from overseas visitors and their increased spending. International visitor spending soared over 150% YOY to stand at $115.7 billion in 2022, the report said.
Domestic visitor spending has almost caught up with the pre-pandemic levels, with figures reaching $1.18 trillion in 2022 relative to the $1.2 trillion in 2019.
In terms of economic contribution and spending by international and domestic visitors, the U.S. had the biggest travel and tourism sector globally in 2019 and 2022, the report stated.
OUTBOUND TRAVEL
According to ForwardKeys, there has been a 13% rise in forward-looking U.S. outbound travel, with the major growth destinations, like Greece, Italy, the Dominican Republic, Mexico and Jamaica, recording increases from 30% to 63%.
Travel recovery is mainly led by families, with family-sized groups posting a 21% rise compared to 2019.
The leading international destinations for travelers from the U.S. were Mexico, Canada and the U.K. Together, these three destinations account for 52% of all outbound departures in 2022 in the U.S.
American travelers continued to prefer destinations in southern Europe, the report said. Searches for vacations to southern Europe fell slightly by 0.3%, according to ForwardKeys, highlighting that U.S. travelers continue to find interest in the region despite high summer temperatures.
AIRPORT STATISTICS
The U.S. continues to have some of the busiest airports in the world, according to data from Mabrian Technologies. Denver International had the highest inbound passenger growth among any other airport in the country, with close to 2.2 million additional passengers between 2019 and 2023.
Orlando International also saw increased inbound traffic and recorded 1.8 million more travelers in 2022 relative to 2019. The newly branded Harry Reid International Airport in Nevada stood third, with 1.7 million more travelers in 2023 compared to 2019.
Other airports in the U.S., including Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International, Dallas Fort Worth International and O’Hare International, are projected to feature among the top 10 busiest airports in the country this year in terms of total inbound passenger figures.
Together, the figures mean that the U.S. welcomed a total of 9.6 million additional travelers in 2022 compared to 2019.