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US: Foreign tourists' spending hits record


Foreign visitors spent more than ever in the USA last year despite their numbers continuing to be held down partly by the war on terror.

Government figures out on March 8 show people from other countries spent a record $104.8billion on lodging, meals, entertainment and other travel expenses, up 12% from 2004. The number of foreign visitors -- 49.4 million -- was up 7% from 2004, according to the U.S. Commerce Department. The number of foreign visitors continues to lag behind the recent peak of 51.2 million in 2000.

The USA has been losing its share of international travelers for several years, and the U.S. travel industry has become increasingly aggressive in pushing the government for help.

Post-9/11 airport security measures, more burdensome visa requirements, rising anti-American sentiment and aggressive marketing campaigns from countries such as Spain and Jamaica are behind the USA's declining share of the global travel market.

Jay Rasulo, chairman of the Travel Industry Association of America and chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, says the record spending by foreign visitors underscores the importance of winning a bigger share of global tourism.

The number of foreign visitors to the USA has risen annually since 2003. But Rasulo says the rebound should be much stronger in light of favorable currency-exchange rates and fast-growing international travel around the world.

"Given the explosive growth of the global travel and tourism market, the United States could and should be doing even better," Rasulo says.

He and other travel industry leaders have been lobbying the government to better balance hospitality and security at U.S. borders and to provide more help with a marketing campaign abroad. The government this year is spending about $10 million to market U.S. tourism in Japan and the United Kingdom.

The new government figures show the USA had record numbers of visits from 58 of the more than 200 countries tracked, including Australia, Spain, India and the Dominican Republic.

Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez said in an interview the record spending "shows that we have great appeal for tourists around the world."

According to the new figures, visitors to the USA spent nearly $10 billion more here than U.S. travelers spent elsewhere.

For 2004, the USA ranked as the world's third-most-visited country behind France and Spain. China was fourth. It is not yet clear whether the USA kept its No.3 ranking last year because worldwide figures have not yet been compiled.

 

(www.ehotelier.com)

 
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