International visitor spending in the United States is finally on the rise! Last February, travelers from overseas spent $10.4 billion on travel and travel-related purchases, an increase of almost $180 million from February 2009, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce. This was the first increase in more than 15 months.
The money wasn’t spent on travel itself, however. Passenger fare receipts received by U.S. carriers and vessel operators from visitors outside the country fell 6 percent to $2.2 billion for the month, a drop of $134 million. Meanwhile, purchases of goods and services related to tourism and travel in the United States reached $8.2 billion, representing a 4 percent year-over-year increase. These purchases include food, lodging, recreation, gifts, entertainment and local transportation.