Data & insight · Updated
US Tourism Statistics
How many people visit the United States, where they come from, what they spend and where they go — the latest official figures, drawn from the National Travel and Tourism Office, the BEA, the National Park Service and the WTTC. Headline numbers are for 2025, the most recent full year, with 2026 year-to-date where available.
Inbound visitors
International visitors to the US
International arrivals fell 5.5% in 2025 to 68.3 million — about 86% of the 2019 peak — almost entirely because Canadian visits dropped by a fifth. Overseas arrivals held up better (−2.5%). Figures here are total arrivals, including the Canada and Mexico land-border markets.
Total international arrivals (NTTO I-94), including Canada and Mexico; overseas-only arrivals were 34.3m in 2025. 2024 reflects NTTO’s revised series; the 2020–21 totals are approximate, and Canada/Mexico figures from 2020 onward remain subject to revision. 2026 so far: total arrivals in January–June were level with 2025 (−0.4%), and NTTO forecasts 70.5m for the full year.
Source NTTO — National Travel & Tourism Office — I-94 arrivals program — 2025 annual and monthly series (2024 revised; updated through Aug 2026). total-arrivals basis
Visitor spending
What international visitors spend
International visitors spent more than $250 billion in the US in 2025 — about $686 million a day — slightly below 2024’s record. Travel remains one of the country’s largest services exports. Figures are nominal.
NTTO/BEA travel & tourism exports (includes passenger fares). 2026 so far: $145.4bn in January–July, level with 2025 (−0.1%). The WTTC’s narrower international-visitor-spending measure puts 2025 at $176bn — a definitional difference.
Source NTTO / BEA — International visitor spending — Travel & tourism exports, December 2025 release (27 Feb 2026); 2026 year-to-date through July. travel-exports basis
Source markets
Where the US's visitors come from
Mexico overtook Canada as the largest source market in 2025, as Canadian arrivals fell by 21%. The United Kingdom remains the largest overseas market, while Japan (+7%) was the strongest grower among the major markets. Bars show 2025 arrivals; the muted figure is the change vs 2024.
Source NTTO — National Travel & Tourism Office — I-94 arrivals program — 2025 annual and monthly series (2024 revised; updated through Aug 2026). I-94 arrivals, 2025 vs revised 2024
Why they come
Purpose of visit
Leisure dominates: vacations and visiting friends or relatives together make up nearly four-fifths of overseas trips. This split covers overseas air visitors only (NTTO’s Survey of International Air Travelers).
- Vacation / holiday 57%
- Visiting friends & relatives 22%
- Business 16%
- Convention & other 4%
Source NTTO — Survey of International Air Travelers — 2025 results, released 28 May 2026 (overseas air visitors). 2025 — overseas air visitors only
Seasonality
When they visit
Summer is the peak: the July–September quarter brings 27% of the year’s arrivals, and August (6.9 million) is the busiest month. December sees a second, holiday-season bump.
Quarterly totals aggregated from NTTO’s monthly I-94 series for 2025 (total basis, incl. Canada & Mexico).
Source NTTO — National Travel & Tourism Office — I-94 arrivals program — 2025 annual and monthly series (2024 revised; updated through Aug 2026). 2025 monthly series
Attractions
the US's most-visited attractions
The US has no single visitor-attraction survey like the UK’s. The clearest national gauge is the National Park Service, which logged 323.0 million recreation visits in 2025 — slightly down on 2024’s record, in a year that included a 43-day government shutdown. These are the ten most-visited national parks (all visitors, domestic and international).
Source National Park Service — 2025 visitation statistics, released 13 Mar 2026.
Accommodation
Hotels & occupancy
US hotel occupancy and revenue per room fell in 2025 for the first time since 2020, though room rates edged up to a new high.
Source STR / CoStar — U.S. hotel performance, full-year 2025 (released 20 Jan 2026).
Economic impact
Tourism in the US's economy
The United States remains the world’s largest travel and tourism economy, according to the WTTC. Domestic travellers account for the great majority of activity; international visitor spending fell in 2025.
WTTC puts domestic visitor spending at $1.54 trillion in 2025, against $176 billion from international visitors. WTTC’s 2025 jobs figure reflects a re-based series and is not directly comparable with its earlier estimates.
Source WTTC — Economic Impact Research — U.S. travel & tourism GDP, jobs and visitor spending, 2025 (released 16 Apr 2026).
At a glance
Fast facts
- −21% Canadian arrivals, 2025 vs 2024
- 34.3m Overseas arrivals, 2025 (excl. Canada & Mexico)
- 16.9 nights Avg. length of stay (overseas air, 2025)
- $1,829 Avg. spend per visit (overseas air, 2025)
- 323.0m National park visits, 2025
- 70.5m NTTO forecast arrivals for 2026
Questions
Frequently asked questions
How many international visitors does the US get each year?
In 2025 the US recorded 68.3 million total international arrivals (including Canada and Mexico), down 5.5% on 2024 and about 86% of the 2019 level. Overseas arrivals, excluding those two land-border markets, were 34.3 million. NTTO forecasts a rebound to 70.5 million in 2026.
How much do international visitors spend in the US?
More than $250 billion in 2025 on NTTO’s travel-exports measure — about $686 million a day and just below 2024’s record. The WTTC’s narrower measure of international visitor spending puts the 2025 total at $176 billion.
Which country sends the most visitors to the US?
Mexico, with about 18.0 million arrivals in 2025, overtook Canada (16.0 million) after Canadian visits fell by 21%. The United Kingdom is the largest overseas market at roughly 4.1 million.
What is the most-visited US national park?
Great Smoky Mountains, with 11.5 million visits in 2025 — part of 323.0 million national-park visits nationwide.
Why did international visits to the US fall in 2025?
Almost entirely because of Canada: Canadian arrivals dropped by about 4.2 million (−21%). Mexico grew 6%, and overseas arrivals slipped a more modest 2.5%. Total arrivals in the first half of 2026 were roughly level with 2025.
Notes & sources
Methodology & sources
This page compiles publicly available official statistics. Every chart links to its source above. Key caveats:
- Latest data. Headline figures are for 2025, the most recent full year, from NTTO’s I-94 arrivals program; 2024 reflects NTTO’s revised series. 2026 year-to-date figures are preliminary, and the 2020–21 arrivals totals are approximate.
- Total vs overseas. The most important distinction: “total” international arrivals include the large Canada and Mexico land-border markets (68.3m in 2025), while “overseas” arrivals exclude them (34.3m). Purpose, length-of-stay and per-visit spend figures cover overseas air visitors only; the “convention & other” share is the remainder of NTTO’s published shares.
- Spending measures differ. NTTO/BEA travel-export figures (~$250bn) are broader than the WTTC’s international-visitor-spending measure ($176bn). The difference is definitional; both are nominal.
- Attractions basis. With no US equivalent of a single visitor-attraction survey, we use National Park Service visitation. Those counts include domestic as well as international visitors.
- Economic impact. WTTC figures refer to 2025 from its April 2026 release. Its jobs series has been re-based, so the 20.4m figure is not comparable with earlier WTTC estimates.
Primary sources
- NTTO — National Travel & Tourism Office — I-94 arrivals program — 2025 annual and monthly series (2024 revised; updated through Aug 2026).
- NTTO — Survey of International Air Travelers — 2025 results, released 28 May 2026 (overseas air visitors).
- NTTO / BEA — International visitor spending — Travel & tourism exports, December 2025 release (27 Feb 2026); 2026 year-to-date through July.
- National Park Service — 2025 visitation statistics, released 13 Mar 2026.
- STR / CoStar — U.S. hotel performance, full-year 2025 (released 20 Jan 2026).
- WTTC — Economic Impact Research — U.S. travel & tourism GDP, jobs and visitor spending, 2025 (released 16 Apr 2026).
- NTTO — International Visitor Forecast — Spring 2026 forecast of international arrivals, 2026–2030.