New data recently released by the National Travel and Tourism Office (NTTO) shows that in December 2022, international visitor arrivals to the United States totaled 5,015,338. That amounts to an increase of 46.2 per cent compared to December 2021.
International Arrivals to the United States
- Total non-U.S. resident international visitor volume to the United States of 5,015,338 increased by 46.2 per cent compared to December 2021 and represented 72.9 per cent of the pre-COVID total visitor volume reported for December 2019, down from November’s 75.5 per cent.
- Overseas visitor volume to the United States of 2,481,680 increased by 46.0 per cent from December 2021.
- December 2022 was the twenty-first consecutive month that totals non-U.S. resident international arrivals to the United States increased year-over-year (YOY).
- Of the top 20 tourist-generating countries to the United States, Colombia (with 99,472 visitors), and Costa Rica (with 34,559) were the only countries that reported a decrease in visitor volume in December 2022 compared to December 2021, with a 23.3 per cent, and a 11.8 per cent change respectively.
- The most significant number of international visitor arrivals was from Canada (1,370,912), Mexico (1,162,746), the United Kingdom (315,610), Brazil (150,616) and France (121,284). These top five source markets accounted for 62.2 per cent of international arrivals.
Calendar Year 2022 International Arrivals to the United States
- Total international visitor arrivals totaled 50,869,685, an increase of 128.3 per cent from 2021, but was 64 per cent of the total international visitor arrivals in 2019.
- Total overseas visitor arrivals totaled 23,952,957, an increase of 161.1 per cent from 2021.
- All world regions reported an increase in visitor volume to the United States from 2021, the largest source region being Western Europe with 10,341,306 visitors (+509.2 per cent YOY). Oceania, with 798,444 visitors, had the most significant percentage increase of 1084.7 per cent YOY.
- The world region that reported the smallest percentage increase in 2022 was Central America, with 1,191,561 arrivals representing an increase of just 0.9 per cent YOY.
- New York reported the largest volume of visitor arrivals as a port of entry for 2022 (4,450,767). Miami was second (3,815,420), followed by Los Angeles (2,071,421).
International Departures from the United States
- U.S. citizen international visitor departures from the United States totalled:
- Eight million three hundred eighteen thousand one hundred forty-seven in December 2022, an increase of 38.5 per cent compared to December 2021, with total departures reaching 93.8 per cent of pre-pandemic December 2019 volume.
- 80,729,714 in 2022, an increase of 65.7 per cent compared to 2021, with total departures still 18.7 per cent below pre-pandemic 2019 volume.
- December 2022 was the twenty-first consecutive month total U.S. citizen international visitor departures from the United States increased YOY.
- Mexico recorded the most significant outbound visitor volume for both December and 2022.
- In December, outbound visitor volume to Mexico was 3,697,009 (44.4 per cent of total departures).
- In 2022 outbound visitor volume to Mexico was 33,539,995 (41.5 per cent of total departures in 2022).
- Canada recorded a YOY increase of 95.0 per cent in December 2022.
- Outbound volume to Canada reached 9,088,472 in 2022, up 334.1 per cent since 2021, yet only 60.6 per cent of pre-pandemic December 2019 volume.
- Mexico (33,539,995) and the Caribbean (9,207,788) accounted for 53.0 per cent of total U.S. citizen international visitor departures in 2022, up 0.3 percentage points from November 2022 YTD and down 18.5 percentage points from 2021.
- Europe was the second largest market for outbound U.S. visitors for December 2022 and 2021.
- December U.S. outbound visitor volume to Europe was up 95.0 per cent compared to December 2021.
- Outbound volume to Europe reached 15,821,521 in 2022. U.S. visitor volume to Europe increased 202 per cent during this time, accounting for 19.6 per cent of all departures.
- In 2022, there were notable shifts in market share compared to 2021.
- Overseas regions increased to 47.2 per cent of total travel from 37.4 per cent (up 9.8 percentage points) in 2021.
- Mexico decreased to 41.5 per cent of total travel from 58.3 per cent (down 16.8 percentage points) in 2021.
- Canada increased to 11.3 per cent of total travel from 4.3 per cent (up 7.0 percentage points) in 2021.