Travel and tourism in the U.S. - statistics & facts

The United States is one of the most popular travel destinations worldwide. Every year, the country's famous cities, national parks, and entertainment options attract millions of visitors from around the globe. Thanks to this influx of visitors and a boost in U.S. travel spending, the travel and tourism industry contributed nearly 900 billion U.S. dollars to the country's GDP in 2021. Domestic leisure travelers have historically accounted for the majority of travel spending throughout the country. In 2021, the total direct travel spending of domestic leisure travelers in the U.S. amounted to 751 billion U.S. dollars. Meanwhile, during that same year, international travel spending in the U.S. amounted to only 40 million. Spending was forecast to grow into the trillions by 2022 and reach as much as 1.26 trillion U.S. dollars by 2026.

What are the most popular travel destinations in the U.S.?

As one of the largest countries in the world, the United States is home to a variety of attractions. Ranging from buzzing state capitals and modern gambling powerhouses to ancient UNESCO heritage sites, the country's geographic and cultural diversity appeals to many different types of tourists. One hot spot among travelers is New York City. As of June 2021, New York was the fourth leading city ranked by number of cultural attractions worldwide. The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York was one such attraction that landed in the top ten most visited museums worldwide during that same year. Other popular destinations include Miami, Las Vegas, and Walt Disney World. In 2021, the latter was visited by over 12 million people, making it the most visited amusement park worldwide.

U.S. travel trends

One of the most visible trends in the travel and tourism industry is the growing popularity of non-traditional accommodation options. While hotels remain a popular choice among tourists, accommodation services such as Airbnb are increasingly being booked for overnight stays, as they can be less expensive and offer a more “grassroots” holiday experience than hotel or motel rooms. These days, tourists also look for more sustainable accommodation and travel options to limit their ecological footprint. Just as in other regions across the world, awareness of sustainable and ethical travel practices is rising in the United States. In 2021, the market size of the ecotourism sector in the U.S. totaled 25.6 billion U.S. dollars, and the share of adults willing to pay more money for eco-friendly accommodation in the U.S. reached 25 percent.

This text provides general information. Statista assumes no liability for the information given being complete or correct. Due to varying update cycles, statistics can display more up-to-date data than referenced in the text.

Contribution of travel and tourism to GDP in the U.S.: 1.27tr USD

Total travel spending in the U.S.: 0.89tr USD

Number of domestic leisure trips in the U.S.: 1.77bn

Editor’s Picks Current statistics on this topic

Total contribution of travel and tourism to the gross domestic product in the United States from 2019 to 2021 (in trillion U.S. dollars)

Travel, Tourism & Hospitality

Tourism contribution to GDP in the U.S. 2019-2021

International travel spending in the United States from 2019 to 2021, with a forecast until 2026 (in billion U.S. dollars)

Travel, Tourism & Hospitality

International travel spending in the U.S. 2019-2026

Leading city destinations in the United States in 2019, by number of international arrivals (in millions)

Travel, Tourism & Hospitality

Leading city destinations in the U.S. 2019, by number of international arrivals

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Industry overview

Premium Statistic Total travel expenditures in the U.S. 2019-2026
Total travel expenditures in the U.S. 2019-2026
Total travel spending in the United States from 2019 to 2021, with a forecast until 2026 (in trillion U.S. dollars)
Premium Statistic Direct travel spending in the U.S. 2019-2021, by traveler type
Direct travel spending in the U.S. 2019-2021, by traveler type
Total direct travel spending in the United States from 2019 to 2021, by type of traveler (in billion U.S. dollars)
Premium Statistic International travel spending in the U.S. 2019-2026
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International travel spending in the United States from 2019 to 2021, with a forecast until 2026 (in billion U.S. dollars)
Premium Statistic Domestic travel spending in the U.S. 2019-2026
Domestic travel spending in the U.S. 2019-2026
Domestic travel spending in the United States from 2019 to 2022, with a forecast until 2026 (in trillion U.S. dollars)
Premium Statistic Share of total travel gross bookings in the U.S. 2021, by segment
Share of total travel gross bookings in the U.S. 2021, by segment
Share of total travel gross bookings in the United States in 2021, by segment
Premium Statistic Inbound tourism volume in the U.S. 2010-2020, by region of origin
Inbound tourism volume in the U.S. 2010-2020, by region of origin
Number of international tourist arrivals in the United States from 2010 to 2020, by region of origin (in millions)
Premium Statistic Number of domestic leisure and business trips in the U.S. 2019-2026
Number of domestic leisure and business trips in the U.S. 2019-2026
Number of domestic business and leisure trips in the United States from 2019 to 2022, with a forecast until 2026 (in billions)

Hotels

Premium Statistic U.S. hotel and motel industry market size 2012-2022
U.S. hotel and motel industry market size 2012-2022
Market size of the hotel and motel sector in the United States from 2012 to 2021, with a forecast for 2022 (in billion U.S. dollars)
Premium Statistic Number of hotel jobs in the U.S. 2018-2022
Number of hotel jobs in the U.S. 2018-2022
Number of hotel jobs in the United States from 2018 to 2021, with a forecast for 2022 (in millions)
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ADR of hotels in the U.S. 2001-2022
Average daily rate of hotels in the United States from 2001 to 2022 (in U.S. dollars)
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Occupancy rate of the U.S. hotel industry 2001-2022
Occupancy rate of the hotel industry in the United States from 2001 to 2022
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Revenue per available room of the U.S. hotel industry 2001-2022
Revenue per available room (RevPAR) of hotel industry in the United States from 2001 to 2022 (in U.S. dollars)
Premium Statistic Change in monthly number of hotel bookings in the U.S. 2020-2022
Change in monthly number of hotel bookings in the U.S. 2020-2022
Year-over-year monthly change in number of hotel bookings in the United States from 2020 to 2022
Premium Statistic YoY monthly change in number of online hotel searches in the U.S. 2020-2022
YoY monthly change in number of online hotel searches in the U.S. 2020-2022
Year-over-year monthly change in number of online hotel searches in the United States from 2020 to 2022

Attractions

Basic Statistic Leading cities by number of cultural attractions worldwide as of June 2021
Leading cities by number of cultural attractions worldwide as of June 2021
Selected leading cities ranked by number of cultural attractions worldwide as of June 2021
Premium Statistic Leading museums by highest attendance worldwide 2019-2022
Leading museums by highest attendance worldwide 2019-2022
Most visited museums worldwide from 2019 to 2022 (in millions)
Basic Statistic Most visited amusement and theme parks worldwide 2019-2022
Most visited amusement and theme parks worldwide 2019-2022
Leading amusement and theme parks worldwide from 2019 to 2022, by attendance (in millions)
Premium Statistic U.S. amusement park industry market size 2011-2022
U.S. amusement park industry market size 2011-2022
Market size of the amusement park sector in the United States from 2011 to 2022 (in billion U.S. dollars)

City tourism

Premium Statistic Most attractive city destinations worldwide 2021, by pillar
Most attractive city destinations worldwide 2021, by pillar
Leading city destinations worldwide in 2021, by tourism attractiveness (index ranking)
Premium Statistic Leading city destinations in the U.S. 2019, by number of international arrivals
Leading city destinations in the U.S. 2019, by number of international arrivals
Leading city destinations in the United States in 2019, by number of international arrivals (in millions)
Basic Statistic Selected cities with the highest hotel rates in the U.S. as of September 2023
Selected cities with the highest hotel rates in the U.S. as of September 2023
Selected cities with the most expensive hotel rates in the United States as of September 2023 (in U.S. dollars)
Premium Statistic Cheapest cities to travel to in the U.S. 2021, by daily price
Cheapest cities to travel to in the U.S. 2021, by daily price
Cheapest cities to visit in the United States as of November 2021, by daily price (in U.S. dollars)
Basic Statistic Most affordable cities for backpacking in the U.S. 2022, by daily price
Most affordable cities for backpacking in the U.S. 2022, by daily price
Most affordable cities for backpacking in the United States as of June 2022, by daily price (in U.S. dollars)

Selected trends

Premium Statistic Airbnb revenue worldwide 2019-2022, by region
Airbnb revenue worldwide 2019-2022, by region
Revenue of Airbnb worldwide from 2019 to 2022, by region (in billion U.S. dollars)
Premium Statistic Number of Airbnb users in the U.S. 2016-2022
Number of Airbnb users in the U.S. 2016-2022
Number of Airbnb users in the United States from 2016 to 2022 (in millions)
Premium Statistic Market size of the ecotourism sector in the U.S. 2020-2021
Market size of the ecotourism sector in the U.S. 2020-2021
Market size of the ecotourism sector in the United States from 2020 to 2021 (in billion U.S. dollars)
Premium Statistic Willingness to pay more for green accommodation in the U.S. 2021, by generation
Willingness to pay more for green accommodation in the U.S. 2021, by generation
Share of adults that would be willing to pay more money for eco-friendly accommodation in the United States as of August 2021, by generation

Traveler opinions

Premium Statistic Trust in travel and hospitality brands in the U.S. 2022, by brand type
Trust in travel and hospitality brands in the U.S. 2022, by brand type
Level of trust in travel and hospitality brands in the United States as of April 2022, by brand type
Premium Statistic Opinion on social media presence of online travel brands in the U.S. 2021, by age
Opinion on social media presence of online travel brands in the U.S. 2021, by age
Online travel brands believed to have the best social media presence in the United States as of August 2021, by generation
Premium Statistic Leading destinations travelers intend to visit in the next 12 months in the U.S. 2022
Leading destinations travelers intend to visit in the next 12 months in the U.S. 2022
Leading leisure travel destinations travelers intend to go to in the next 12 months in the United States as of April 2022
Premium Statistic Willingness to pay more for free booking changes in the U.S. 2021, by generation
Willingness to pay more for free booking changes in the U.S. 2021, by generation
Share of adults that would be willing to pay more money for free cancellation/date change/refund on accommodation in the United States as of August 2021, by generation

Impact of the coronavirus

Premium Statistic Change in monthly number of international tourist arrivals in the U.S. 2020-2022
Change in monthly number of international tourist arrivals in the U.S. 2020-2022
Year-over-year change in monthly number of international tourist arrivals in the United States from 2020 to 2022
Premium Statistic Effect on hotel sector KPIs in the U.S. due to COVID-19 2020-2021 vs. 2019
Effect on hotel sector KPIs in the U.S. due to COVID-19 2020-2021 vs. 2019
Impact on the hotel industry's key performance indicators due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in the United States in 2020 and 2021 vs. 2019
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U.S. adults concerned about taking a vacation due to COVID-19 in the U.S. 2022
Share of adults that are concerned about taking a vacation due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in the United States as of March 2022
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U.S. public interest in staying at a hotel post COVID-19 as of March 2021
Level of public excitement to stay at a hotel once the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is under control and the economy has reopened in the United States as of March 2021

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