United States (US) Source Tourism Insight by Domestic and Outbound Tourism, Key Destinations and Tourist Profiles, 2023 Update

US Source Tourism Market Report Overview

The US source tourism market witnessed 94.4 million outbound trips and 1.594 billion domestic trips in 2022. International travel recovery from the US is expected to grow consistently, with projections indicating that it may cross pre-pandemic levels by 2023.

Traveling for leisure and visiting friends and relatives (VFR) is helping the tourism industry recover post the pandemic. Additionally, the share of business travel is increasing steadily both domestically and internationally. Economic losses during the pandemic led to reductions in the corporate travel budget. The availability of video conferencing tools, collaborative work software as well and environmental considerations are impacting the recovery of business tourism.

The US source tourism market research report provides a thorough insight into the US domestic and outbound tourism market. The report looks at the profiles of US tourists and summarizes the key reasons that they travel. It also offers an in-depth analysis of traveler flows, spending patterns, main destination markets, and current and future opportunities for tourism businesses seeking to tap into the US outbound travel market.

US Source Tourism Market Dynamics

Domestic tourist expenditure grew consistently from 2017 to 2019 but declined significantly in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite this drastic fall, there was a noticeable recovery in travel expenditure in 2021. This was mostly driven by the retail, transportation, and food service sectors. The forecast values for the period 2023 to 2027 suggest a substantial increase in domestic tourist expenditure across all sectors, thereby promoting growth and recovery of the economy fueled by the lifting of travel restrictions, increased vaccinations, and demand to travel both for leisure and to visit friends and relatives.

In terms of outbound tourist spending, transportation remains the highest spending category for US tourists. Affordability and accessibility are the most considered factors by US travelers when choosing a destination. The significant growth projected for the different sectors shows a positive outlook for the US tourism industry.

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US Source Tourism Market Segments

The key segments in the US source tourism market are domestic tourism and outbound tourism. Domestic tourism was the leading segment in the US source tourism market in 2022.

Domestic Tourism: Visiting Friends and Relatives (VFR) has always been the key driver of domestic travel in the US. Thus, with the understanding of travel patterns and traveler behavior, VFR is being looked at as a forerunner in the recovery of domestic travel in the US. In addition, for the year 2022, travel by land was by far the most popular mode of transport. As restrictions eased in 2021, there was a slight recovery in expenditure, particularly in retail, entertainment & sightseeing, food service, and travel intermediaries sectors in the domestic market. As domestic travel recovers further, domestic expenditure on tourism is expected to rise significantly by 2027.

Outbound Tourism:  There is a growing demand for outbound travel from the US. This trend is largely attributed to the reopening of the Canada-US-Mexico border for all travelers. As vaccination efforts increase and travelers regain confidence in international travel post-pandemic, GlobalData projects international departures to grow significantly by 2027. Leisure is the primary purpose of outbound travel for US travelers as US citizens find it easy to travel to 185 countries visa-free. Moreover, multiple air routes have been revived among nations, thereby dramatically increasing the accessibility to travel, which is an important consideration for travelers when making travel plans.

US Source Tourism Market Analysis by Segments, 2022 (%)

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US Source Tourism Market Segmentation by Holiday Types

The types of holidays preferred by tourists from the US are sun and beach holidays, cultural holidays, visiting friends or family, city break, gastronomical holidays, adventure/sports holidays, eco holidays, wellness/medical holidays, multi-stop trip, cruise, religious holidays, wedding related holidays, and LGBTQIA+ holidays, among others. The most popular holiday choice for US travelers is the sun and beach.

Mexico, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic are among the most sought-after tourist destinations. Even in the domestic market, there is strong demand for sun-and-fun variety locations in Florida. This allows them an opportunity to escape the cold and benefit of the tropical weather along with the local food and culture. These destinations often have a vibrant tourism infrastructure, with resorts, restaurants, and entertainment that cater to all kinds of international visitors. This type of holiday is in high demand across the globe and is perceived to be a major driver of recovery of tourism.

US Source Tourism Market Analysis by Holiday Types, 2021 (%)

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Segments Covered in the Report

US Source Tourism Market Segments Outlook

• Domestic Tourism
• Outbound Tourism

US Source Tourism Market Holiday Types

• Sun and Beach Holidays
• Cultural Holidays
• Visiting Friends or Family
• City Break
• Gastronomical Holidays
• Adventure/Sport Holidays
• Eco Holidays
• Wellness/Medical Holidays
• Multi-Stop Trips
• Cruise
• Religious Holidays
• Wedding Related Holidays
• LGBTQIA+ Holidays

Scope

This report provides an in-depth analysis of traveler flows, spending patterns, main destination markets, as well as current and future opportunities for tourism businesses seeking to tap into the US outbound travel market.

Reasons to Buy

• This report provides clear insight into developments in US’s domestic and outbound tourism markets.
• The report uses data and analysis to discuss future trends related to domestic trips, international departures, traveler spending, and main destination markets.
• The report explores the different profiles of US tourists and the reasons that they travel, hence providing an insight into the trends in different segments of the market.
• The reader gains a strong understanding of the opportunities in the country, as well as the risks, to support better business decisions.