Where do most Americans go on holiday?


The Guardian 2007 Travel Awards gave us an idea of British travel trends, so I thought it would be interesting to see some American ones.

Compiled by the US Office of Travel and Tourism Industries, the top 10 countries Americans visited the most in 2006 are:
1)Mexico
2)Canada
3)UK — gives Americans “the feeling that they’re going somewhere different, but also that they’re home.”
4)France
5)Italy
6)Germany
7)Jamaica — Americans feel it’s “familiar yet mysterious”.
8)Bahamas
9)Japan
10)China

The list isn’t a surprise; however it’s hard to track where Americans go once they’ve left the States.

Nevertheless, basis this list, the article draws some conclusions:

  • Americans are generally drawn to the familiar.
  • A good section of Americans are adventurous as they venture to different continents (China has broken into the top 10), and are exploring non-cliché parts of destinations such as the UK and France.
  • The economic and political image of the country Americans travel to, matters.
  • The fall in the dollar is compensated for in European countries simply by spending less!

The full piece and statistics can be found here.