International visits grow by 8.1 percent from 2010

Growing visits to national parks like Badlands is a big part of the federal government's push to increase tourism.
By Summit Voice
SUMMIT COUNTY —Thanks in part to a favorable exchange rate, international tourist visits to the U.S. surged in 2011, contributing to an 8.1 percent increase in domestic and international tourism spending.
A big factor was an influx of international travelers — up 2.5 million to a total of 62 million for the year, according to figures released by the U.S. Commerce Department this week. The department estimates that the growth in tourism supports an additional 103,000 jobs.
Altogether, visitors from overseas spent an all-time record $153 billion on U.S. travel and tourism-related goods and services in 2011, making travel and tourism the country’s number-one service export. The figures come on the heels of President Obama’s announcement of new initiatives to significantly increase travel and tourism in the U.S. (more…)
Filed under: business, economy, tourism, Travel | Tagged: business, International tourism, Tourism, Travel, United States, Visa Waiver Program | Leave a Comment »


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