WTTC: US ​​Leads Global Travel & Tourism Rebound

The World Travel and Tourism Council ( WTTC ) pointed out that the United States globally leads the recovery of the sector, through its levels of economic contribution, as well as in terms of spending by national visitors. and international.

The agency, together with members of ForwardKeys and Mabrian Technologies, announced, according to the WTTC 2023 Global Economic Impact Trends Report for Travel and Tourism, that the contribution to the GDP of the Travel and Tourism sector of the United States grew 16.9% in 2022, to reach 2 trillion dollars. In addition, the sector also generated 2.7 million more jobs compared to 2021.

By the end of 2023, WTTC forecasts that the sector's contribution to GDP will reach 2.2 billion dollars and that the number of jobs will total 17.4 million.

This significant growth was driven by a strong rebound in demand from international visitors, whose spending increased by more than 150%, to reach $115.7 trillion in 2022. The report also shows

that domestic visitor spending in 2022 nearly recovers. its pre-pandemic levels with figures reaching 1.18 trillion dollars.

Travel trends 
ForwardKeys data reveals a 13% increase in outbound travel from the United States, mainly to destinations such as Greece, the Dominican Republic, Italy, Jamaica and Mexico, which have increases ranging from 30% to 63%. 

During 2022, the top international destinations for US visitors were Mexico, Canada, and the United Kingdom, which together accounted for 52% of all foreign travel from the United States.

Likewise, American travelers have remained steadfast in their continued preferences for southern European destinations. Holiday searches in southern Europe only saw a minimal decline of 0.3% according to ForwardKeys, highlighting sustained American interest in the region, despite high summer temperatures.

On the other hand, according to the same study, family groups are leading the recovery of the tourism sector. This type of travel has reached a growth of 21% compared to 2019.

Julia Simpson, President and CEO of the WTTC, highlighted: "The performance of the United States is more than just numbers; it shows resilience and lasting demand for travel and tourism In 2019, one in ten jobs globally was in the travel and tourism sector and it is expected to contribute $9.5 trillion to the global economy this year alone."

Statistics from Mabrian Technologies reveal that the United States continues to be home to some of the busiest airports in the world. Denver International represents the fastest passenger growth of any airport in the country with an increase of nearly 2.2 million passengers, between 2019 and 2023.

Orlando International also experienced an increase in traffic, serving an additional 1.8 million travelers in 2022, compared to 2019. Harry Reid International Airport in Nevada ranks third, with an increase of 1.7 million travelers in 2023 compared to the same year.

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International, Dallas Fort Worth International and O'Hare International airports are also projected to be among the top 10 busiest in the United States by 2023. Taken together, these figures underscore that the airports

in the United States welcomed 9.6 million more passengers last year compared to 2019.

With contributions reaching pre-pandemic levels, the positive trajectory of the US travel and tourism industry indicates optimism and growth, reflecting resilience and the potential of the sector.

Source: WTTC