Americans Traveled Less, Spent More in 2008

According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, the U.S. resident outbound market, totaling 63.6 million travelers, declined by 1 percent in 2008 compared to annual 2007 figures, representing the first decline since 2002.

Travel to Mexico grew by 4 percent whereas travel overseas and to Canada declined by 1 percent and 7 percent, respectively. Spending by U.S. residents traveling abroad in 2008, however, set a record for the fifth successive year at $112.3 billion, up 7 percent from 2007.

Spending by U.S. travelers within foreign countries totaled $79.7 billion, and spending on air transportation, via foreign air carriers (passenger fare payments), totaled $32.6 billion in 2008.

The top five countries where U.S. spent their 2008 travel dollars were: Mexico ($11.1 billion), United Kingdom ($10.5 billion), Canada ($7.3 billion), Germany ($6.3 billion) and Japan ($5.2 billion). U.S. travelers set records for 2008 travel spending in Germany, Japan, Italy, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Korea, Australia, Netherlands and Argentina.