Rising foreign spending on U.S. travel in August a sign of economic recovery

10-10-24

In August 2024, international travelers spent $21.5 billion on tourism-related goods and services in the United States, marking a significant and continued increase in tourism's contribution to the U.S. economy. These data reflect a positive trend toward recovery in the tourism sector following the challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, which for months crippled much of the global travel industry.

This billion-dollar spending, reported by the U.S. National Travel and Tourism Office (NTTO), covered a wide range of products and services, primarily focused on passenger transportation, lodging, food and entertainment. Of the $21.5 billion, approximately $13.7 billion went to the more traditional tourism sectors of lodging, dining, shopping, cultural events and leisure, all of which are critical to local economies.