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National Tourism Year 2024: Glory of Dien Bien Phu

Effectively exploit potentials and advantages 

Speaking at the press conference, Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Trinh Thi Thuy said that in 2023, Vietnamese tourism has achieved positive results, with impressive numbers. Vietnam welcomed more than 12,6 million international tourists, 108 million domestic tourists, total tourism revenue reached over 678 trillion VND. 

In January 1, the number of international visitors to Vietnam reached over 2024 million, an increase of 1,5% over the same period in 73,6. These are positive and encouraging signs, demonstrating the efforts of entire industry in developing Vietnam's tourism in a comprehensive, fast and sustainable way.

Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Trinh Thi Thuy and Vice Chairman of Dien Bien Provincial People's Committee Vu A Bang co-chaired the press conference on the afternoon of February 21.

In addition, the tourism industry has also organized many activities and events to concretize the policies of the Party and State, creating opportunities for quick and sustainable recovery such as: Opening ceremony and a series of events for the Year of Tourism. National 2023 in Binh Thuan province; Tourism linkage activities in localities...

Deputy Minister Trinh Thi Thuy emphasized that Dien Bien is known as a historical land associated with the victory of Dien Bien Phu "famous in five continents, shaking the earth". Relics such as: A1 Hill, Do-cat-t-ri Tunnel, Dien Bien Phu Victory Monument, Dien Bien Phu Historical Victory Museum, Muong Phang Campaign Command Headquarters or Temple of Martyrs and Heroes At Dien Bien Phu Battlefield... invested in construction and renovation, it has met the needs of visiting and learning history of many domestic and international tourists.

In addition to its historical tourism strengths, Dien Bien is also a land rich in potential for resort tourism, health care with a hot mineral spring system, invested homestays or eco-tourism, exploring natural landscapes. nature and experience the cultural identities of 19 ethnic groups. 

In the tourism development orientation of Dien Bien province to 2025, orientation to 2030 clearly states: Developing tourism to become a spearhead economic sector on the basis of effectively exploiting potentials and advantages based on three pillars. The main column is: Historical - spiritual tourism; national cultural identity tourism, exploring natural landscapes; resort tourism, entertainment, health care.

Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Trinh Thi Thuy spoke at the opening press conference.

To continue promoting the role of Dien Bien tourism in linking and creating motivation for tourism development in the Northwest region, in 2024, Dien Bien province is honored to be chosen to host the National Tourism Year. with the theme "Glory of Dien Bien Phu - Endless Experience". 

“With 169 programs and events organized, we believe that through the National Tourism Year - Dien Bien 2024 event "Glory of Dien Bien Phu - Endless Experience", the values ​​and potential of tourism will Dien Bien tourism in particular, the Northwest region and Vietnam tourism in general will be converged, promoted and promoted effectively, contributing to realizing the goal of making tourism a key economic sector", Deputy Minister Trinh Thi Thuy expressed.

An important boost to help the economy - society in general and tourism in Dien Bien province prosper

Giving an overview of the National Tourism Year 2024 and activities and events within the framework of the National Tourism Year, Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Dien Bien province Nguyen Minh Phu said that Dien Bien province is a border land, located in the northwest of Vietnam, with a natural area of ​​9.562,9 km2, a border of 455,572 km, adjacent to China and Laos. 

Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Dien Bien province Nguyen Minh Phu.

Dien Bien province currently has 33 ranked historical relics, including 1 special national historical relic of Dien Bien Phu Battlefield, 14 national relics, 18 provincial relics; 18 national intangible cultural heritages, including Xoe Thai Art and Then Practice of the Tay, Nung, and Thai people, are registered by UNESCO as representative intangible cultural heritage of humanity. Dien Bien is also a land blessed by nature, friendly and hospitable people, and diverse cultural identity. 

Currently, Dien Bien is the only province in the Northwest provinces that has an airport connecting Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City that has just been upgraded and expanded into a large airport, qualified to operate A320 and A321 aircraft. The road traffic system connecting provinces in the region is being invested and expanded... These are important factors for Dien Bien province to build and develop quickly and sustainably in the coming time.

Mr. Nguyen Minh Phu emphasized that the National Tourism Year - Dien Bien 2024 is a typical cultural - economic - social event, with a national and international scale, associated with the 70th anniversary of the Dien Bien Victory. Government (May 7, 5 - May 1954, 7). The organization of the National Tourism Year - Dien Bien 5 is expected to be a very important push to help the socio-economy in general and tourism of Dien Bien province in particular prosper, creating conditions to attract resources in the region. Invest in development and construction of new, attractive products, contributing to creating momentum for the province's socio-economic development in 2024 and the following years.

Vice Chairman of Dien Bien Provincial People's Committee Vu A Bang spoke at the press conference.

Within the framework of the National Tourism Year - Dien Bien 2024, 169 programs and events will take place; including 13 national programs and events organized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, ministries, departments and central branches; Dien Bien province presided over the organization of 28 programs, events and activities; 128 events and response activities organized by 33 provinces and centrally run cities.

The highlight of the National Tourism Year - Dien Bien 2024 is the Opening Ceremony, associated with the organization of Hoa Ban Festival in 2024, with the theme: "Returning to Hoa Ban region" held on March 16, 3 in Quang Nam province. 2024-7 school, Dien Bien Phu city; A special art program and high-altitude fireworks display will be held on the evening of May 5, 6 at 5-2024 Square, Dien Bien Phu city; The 7th anniversary of the Dien Bien Phu Victory was held on the morning of May 5, 70, at Dien Bien Provincial Stadium; Northwest Tourism Fair - Dien Bien, National Cuisine Festival 07 held in August 5, at 2024-2024 Square, Dien Bien Phu city; Northwest - Dien Bien Industry and Trade Fair 8 in Quarter II/2024; Summary and Closing Ceremony of "National Tourism Year - Dien Bien 7" held in December 5 in Dien Bien Phu city.

Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Dien Bien province also said that in recent times, the People's Committee of Dien Bien province has organized a number of activities and events within the framework of the National Tourism Year - Dien Bien 2024, of which the most typical is Culture Week. – Northwest tourism in Ho Chi Minh City; Dien Bien Culture and Tourism Week in Hanoi; Receiving the flag to host the National Tourism Year - Dien Bien 2024 from Binh Thuan province; The 2024th Swallowtail Boat Racing Festival; The 2024th National Paragliding Club Championship, 2024 and the Dien Bien province tourism promotion and promotion conference in Muong Lay town; Cherry Blossom Festival - Dien Bien Phu in 2024; Dien Bien - Thanh Hoa Culture and Tourism Week in Thanh Hoa province, 2024, with the desire to propagate, promote and spread the National Tourism Year - Dien Bien XNUMX to the people and tourists at home and abroad , along with the attention, coordination, and companionship of the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, ministries, departments, branches, and People's Committees of provinces and centrally-run cities, thanks to which the preparations for the National Tourism Year - Electricity Bien XNUMX – A different experience is ready for activities and events.

Logo and slogan of National Tourism Year - Dien Bien 2024, with the theme "Glory of Dien Bien Phu - Endless Experience", built on the heroic sound of the Victory "illustrious in five continents, shocking". Earth", along with the meanings and lessons of history that are still valid, along with the convergence and crystallization of the heroic history, unique culture, and majestic nature of the borderland in the Northwest. of the Fatherland, with gentle and friendly indigenous people.

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Dien Bien hosts the 2024 National Tourism Year

On November 13, Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Doan Van Viet signed Decision No. 3462/QD-BVHTTDL approving the Project to organize National Tourism Year - Dien Bien 2024.

"Dien Bien Phu Victory" Monument, the biggest bronze sculpture in Vietnam, in Dien Bien Phu city. 

Accordingly, the National Tourism Year - Dien Bien 2024 is a typical cultural - economic - social event, with a national and international scale, associated with the 70th anniversary of the Dien Bien Phu Victory (May 7, May 1954 -May 7, 2024). Vietnamese name: "National Tourism Year - Dien Bien 2024". English: “Visit Viet Nam Year - Dien Bien 2024”. With the scope of organizing main activities and events, it is concentrated in Dien Bien province. Responding programs and events will be hosted by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and other ministries, departments, branches and localities in Dien Bien or relevant localities.

National Tourism Year - Dien Bien takes place throughout 2024 with many outstanding activities such as: Opening ceremony of National Tourism Year - Dien Bien 2024 and Ban Flower Festival of Dien Bien province in 2024; Program to survey and develop tourism products to serve the National Tourism Year 2024. Especially a series of activities to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Dien Bien Phu Victory such as: Rallies, military parades, Special art shows and high-altitude fireworks displays; Film week commemorating the 70th anniversary of the Dien Bien Phu victory (May 7, 1954 - May 7, 2024); Bicycle racing tournament "Returning to Dien Bien Phu - People's Army Newspaper Cup"; Exhibition "Vietnam cultural heritage and tourism in 2024"...

Bicycle racing tournament "Returning to Dien Bien Phu - 2019, People's Army Newspaper Cup". 

Through the organization of National Tourism Year - Dien Bien 2024 to promote the mobilization of development investment resources and strengthen socio-economic infrastructure; exploit local potentials and advantages, develop the economy, ensure social security; reduce poverty quickly and sustainably, improve the material and spiritual life of the people; preserve and promote the value of ethnic cultural identities and national historical relics, especially Dien Bien Phu Battlefield; contributing to stimulating domestic and international tourism demand, creating steps to develop tourism into a key economic sector and building Dien Bien province into one of the tourism centers of the Northern Midlands and Mountains region./.

Dienbien.gov.vn

Tourism is a bright spot in Dien Bien's socio-economic development (28/06/2024 6:02 CH)

The Embassy of the Philippines paid a courtesy visit to the Leaders of Dien Bien Provincial... (27/06/2024 10:30 CH)

The Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee worked with the French Development... (21/06/2024 11:09 CH)

Memorial Service and Burial of 12 Remains of Vietnamese Volunteer Soldiers Who Died in Laos (20/06/2024 3:15 CH)

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• History of Dien Bien province
• Overview of Dien Bien
• Administrative map
• Duties and powers of the Provincial People’s Committee
• Leaders of the provincial People’s Committee
• Members of the Provincial People's Committee
• Distric, Town, City
• Departments & Agencies
• Dien Bien Phu battlefield special national relic
• Tourist attractions
• Culture village
• Martyrs cemetery and Spiritual culture sites
• Transportation
• Accommodation

INFOGRAPHIC: SOME SOCIO-ECONOMIC INDICATORS DIEN BIEN PROVINCE THE FIRST 6 MONTHS OF 2024 (30/06/2024 2:11 CH)

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National travel and tourism week.

Throughout NTTW, we shine a spotlight on the contributions of the U.S. travel industry, showcasing how travel drives economic growth, cultivates vibrant communities and enriches the lives of Americans nationwide.

Explore the toolkit below for helpful resources, including key messages, social media posts, graphics and brand guidelines to engage with us on May 19-25. 

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National Tourism Year 2023 kicks off in Binh Thuan

Vgp - national tourism year 2023 entitled “binh thuan – green convergence” was launched on saturday evening in phan thiet city - the capital cof the south central province of binh thuan..

In 2023, Binh Thuan expects to welcome more than 6.5 million visitors, surpassing the pre-pandemic figure of 6.4 million tourists.

The tourism year comprises of 204 events and activities, including 13 national-scale activities, and 31 unique and attractive cultural, sports and tourism events at inter-provincial, national, and international scale to take place throughout 2023.

There are also 164 cultural, sports and tourism events and activities organized by 41 provinces and centrally-run cities in response to the 2023 National Tourism Year.

National Tourism Year 2022 wraps up

Sustainable development of sea and island tourism.

The closing ceremony and countdown festival welcoming New Year 2024 are slated for December 30, 2023, at Centara Mirage Muine Resort.

In the national tourism year 2023, Binh Thuan is expected to receive more than 6.5 million visitors, surpassing the 6.4 million tourists that arrived before the pandemic.

With great preparation, the 2023 National Tourism Year will make a good impression and attract domestic and foreign tourists for Binh Thuan province and Viet Nam in general, creating a strong push for the tourism industry to take off in the new period, said Nguyen Minh, Vice Chairman of Binh Thuan Province People’s Committee.

Binh Thuan province owns many natural advantages, including a coastline of more than 192 km. Known as "resort capital" of Viet Nam, the locality has become a familiar destination for tourists.

Binh Thuan has nearly 900 accommodation establishments with over 17,000 rooms, including 45 hotels and resorts from 3 to 5 stars with nearly 5,000 rooms; and 13 travel agencies, including eight international travel agencies.

Last year, the province welcomed over 5.7 million visitors, up 3.2 times against 2021 including nearly 88,000 foreign tourists./.

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Editor-in-chief: Nguyen Hong Sam

License: No. 102/GP-BTTTT dated on April 15, 2024.

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U.S. Travel & Tourism Statistics 2020-2021

The ultimate fact guide to america's tourism industry including outbound, inbound, domestic & business travel figures..

The American tourism industry is thriving, International and domestic travel is currently contribution over $1.1 trillion to the United States GDP every year. When looking at the annual travel split of domestic and international travel, Americans domestically traveling within the country last year made up the lion's share, totaling 2.29 Billion, a 2% increase from the previous year. Following past US tourism trends, the volume of Americans outbound traveling internationally was of course much less, amounting to 79.6 Million, which was a 3.5% increase from the previous year.

Leisure based travel accounts for 73.8% of all tourism in America, leaving 26.2% for business and other reasons. Overall the tourism expenditure accounts for $1,089 Billion a year, and the industry provides a direct source of employment for 5.29 million jobs.

RELATED: 2022 Tourism Trends & Outlook

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TOP U.S. TOURISM STATISTICS:

US Citizen domestic tourism:   Americans take 2.29 Billion domestic trips each year.

US Citizen outbound tourism:   Americans take 93.0 Million international outbound trips each year.

International Inbound Tourism:   Annually, there are currently 79.6 Million international visitors to the US.

$1,089 Billion:   Yearly American tourism expenditure ($932.7b domestic / $156.3b international)

Expenditure sources:   $267.7B on food services, $232.2B on lodging, $200.4B on public transport, $166.5B on auto transportation, $112.6B on recreation, $109.6B on retail.

15.7 Million   American jobs were supported by travel in 2018.

By 2028,   yearly U.S. tourism is estimated to hit the $2.4 trillion mark.

Days/yr. traveled by age group: Gen Z   (29 days) , Millennials   (35 days) , Gen X   (26 days)   and Baby Boomers   (27 days).

Top 5 inbound countries:   Mexico (19.1m), Canada (12.3m), UK (4.9), Japan (3.4), China (2.9)

Top 5 outbound by continent:   Europe (17.7m), Caribbean (8.7m), Asia (6.2m), South America (2.1m), Central America (3.2m)

Top US cities visited:   New York (9.8m), Miami (5.38m), LA (4.98m), Orlando (4.47m), San Francisco (3.57m), Vegas (3.33m)

Business vs. leisure:   U.S. travelers took 466.2 million domestic trips for business (26.2%), and 1,779.7 million for leisure (73.8%)

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Quick links: navigate our statistic topics, how many americans travel out of their country a year, how much did americans and tourists spend on travel last year, how much is the travel industry worth to america, which american age groups travel the most, why do americans travel, what are the popular trending activities in america, how do americans book their travel.

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US INBOUND & OUTBOUND TOURISM STATISTICS

US domestic travel increased by +2%  YTD in 2019 with Americans taking 2.29 Billion domestic trips.

Domestic leisure travel increased 1.9%   in 2019 to 1.9 billion.

80% of all US domestic trips  were for leisure travel in 2019.

Domestic business travel in 2019   accounted for 464 million trips.

US Citizen outbound tourism:   Americans take 93.0 Million international outbound trips each year. (+6.3% YTD Change)

International Inbound Tourism:   Annually, there are currently 79.6 Million international visitors to the US. (+3.5% YTD Change)

Top 5 inbound countries:   Mexico (19.1m), Canada (12.3m), UK (4.9), Japan (3.4), China (2.9).

Top 5 outbound by continent:   Europe (17.7m), Caribbean (8.7m), Asia (6.2m), South America (2.1m), Central America (3.2m).

Top US cities visited:   New York (9.8m), Miami (5.38m), LA (4.98m), Orlando (4.47m), San Francisco (3.57m), Vegas (3.33m).

Each year,   35% of American families   plan vacations 50 miles or more from home.

In a Travel Leaders Group survey,   24%   of Americans stated they plan to travel to Europe.

22%   of American vacations are via road trips.

USA’s top 5 road trip routes:   #1 Las Vegas – National Parks, #2 Northern California - Southern Oregon Coast, #3 Northern New England, #4 Blue Ridge Parkway #5 Black Hills.

The lion’s share of the United States tourism is from its own citizen’s domestic travel, with over 2.29 billion Americans taking trips within the country. This saw a +2% year to date increase, which is enormous considering that domestic travel spend was worth $932.7 Billion.

As you can see from the US outbound travel statistics above, the number of Americans traveling out of the country is remarkably low compared to domestic travel. According to Trade.gov, outbound tourism hit 93 Million last year and saw a sizable +6.3% year to date increase, showing more Americans are willing to take an outbound trip and travel out the country.

The outbound travel expenditure of these 93 million people was worth $156.3 Billion to America’s tourism industry, so 6.3% is a very significant outbound tourism statistic! The hottest US outbound destinations were Europe, Caribbean, Asia, South America, and Central America.

The US inbound tourism statistics also paint a fascinating picture of America’s continued tourism industry growth, with visitors flocking from Mexico, Canada, UK, Japan, and China. International visitors totaled 79.6 Million with a 3.5% year to date increase, with the top US vacation destinations being cities such as New York, Miami, LA, Orlando, San Francisco, and Las Vegas.

Sources :   Statista ,   AAA ,   TravelLeadersGroup ,   TravelAgentCentral ,   MMGY

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AMERICAS TOURISM INDUSTRY SPEND STATISTICS

American’s spent around   $930 billion USD   on domestic travel in 2018.

In 2017 the amount spent on summer vacations was around   $101.1 billion USD , up from $89.9 billion in 2016.

$1.1 Trillion   / $1,089 Billion: Yearly U.S. travel and tourism expenditure ($932.7b domestic / $156.3b international).

U.S. leisure spend totalled   $761.7 billion   in 2018 from domestic and international travellers.

U.S. business sped totalled   $327 billion   in 2018, with $136 Billion from travellers attending conventions or meetings.

Expenditure Sources:   $267.7B on food services, $232.2B on lodging, $200.4B on public transport, $166.5B on auto transportation, $112.6B on recreation, $109.6B on retail.

Behind nightlife/dining,   travel was voted   America’s most popular choice for spending disposable income at   36%.

$101.1 Billion   is spent every year in America on summer vacations alone.

The average American spends   $6,080 on international trips.

Inbound overseas tourists stay an average of 18 nights and   spend $4,200   while in America.

Overseas travellers account for   84%   of international tourist spend, despite being half of all international arrivals.

Canadian tourists are the biggest spenders with   £22.2 billion   in the U.S. every year.

New York brings in  $16.1 Billion   a year from international visitors.

If you’re wondering how much Americans spend on travel each year, it was huge; International and domestic travelers spent $1.1 Trillion US dollars ($1,089 Billion). Americans spending through domestic travel increased by a massive +5.8% year to date, whereas international tourism spends only saw a 0.3% bump from the previous year. To break this down, this sort of spending would support 8.9M jobs, which in turn would generate $171 Billion in tax and $268 Billion in payroll.

Out of the $1.1 Trillion spending, leisure travelers from both international and domestic spent $762 Billion in 2018, which was a +6.1% increase from the previous year. When looking at business travel spend, it had risen +2.4% to $327 Billion, with 41.5% coming from

What are American tourists spending this $1.1 Trillion on? According to the latest US travel spending statistics, food services such as restaurants, bars, and grocery stores were the most popular spending category at 26.7%. This was followed by 23.1% on lodging, 20.0% on public transport, 16.6% on auto transportation, 11.2% on recreation, and 10.9% on retail.

Furthermore, this $1.1 Trillion spending isn’t the only financial impact of the tourists. When you look at the inputs used to supply or produce the goods travelers desire, and take into account the spend of the employees of travel businesses – there is a considerable multiplier of the financial impact to the US economy, estimated to be a total of $2.5 Trillion.

Sources :  US Travel ,  US Travel 2 ,  Phocuswright ,  TravelAgenctCentral ,  Squaremouth ,  Statista

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US TRAVEL AND TOURISM INDUSTRY JOB STATISTICS  

The travel industry accounts for   7.1%   of America’s private employment.

15.7 Million American jobs   were supported by travel in 2018.

8.92 Million   American travel-related jobs were supported by tourism in 2018 (7.73M domestic / 1.19M international)

$1 Million   in travel revenue directly produces eight jobs with the industry.

1 in 10 jobs   in the U.S. depend on the travel industry (Excluding farming).

$267.9 Billion   in payroll is generated yearly by U.S. travel and tourism ($234.6 Billion domestic / $33.3 Billion international).

$170.9 Billion   in tax revenue is generated yearly by U.S. travel and tourism ($147.3 Billion domestic / $23.6 Billion international).

A massive   $117.4 billion   of the $170.9b in tax revenue was spent on leisure travel, $53.5b on business.

International and domestic business travel generated   $327.3 billion   in 2018 through direct spending.

In 2018, U.S. residents recorded   463.6M   trips for business (38% being events and meetings).

The tourism industry is vital to the US economy, so much so that it accounts for 7.1% of the countries private employment. Overall, 15.7 Million American jobs were supported by the tourism industry last year, making one in eight non-farm jobs dependent on it in some way, direct and indirectly. The trend is on the up, the 15.7 Million American jobs in the travel industry had a +1.3% increase from the previous year.

Jobs, where workers are supplying goods or services directly to visitors, would be classed as ‘direct’ - this supported 8.9 million U.S. travel-specific jobs. The remaining 6.8 Million jobs were classed as indirect, these would include areas whereby workers created goods or services which helped produce the goods or services (sold or used by the 8.9M direct jobs).

The travel industry is known for being extremely labor intensive, its upwards trends have the power to develop new career opportunities much fast than any other niche. If you exclude the farming industry, one in ten jobs would be dependent on the travel industry – as an example, one in five non-farming industry jobs would be created from $1 million sales, but the same value in the travel industry would create one in eight.

Sources :  US Travel 1 ,  US Travel 2

US TRAVEL STATISTICS BY DEMOGRAPHIC

42%   of Americans own a passport, up from 27% 10 years ago.

Days a year traveling by age: Millennials ( 35 days ), Gen Z ( 29 days ), Baby Boomers ( 27 days ), and Gen X ( 26 days ).

Millennials :   62%   of parents travel with kids under five.

Millennials :   58%   prefer traveling with friends, 49% book last-minute vacations.

Millennials :   58%   want to solo travel,   26%   already have.

Solo Travel Women:   Take 3 more trips a year and are the most likely to travel alone.

Solo Travel: 43%   take over three trips a year.

Solo Travel: 50%   have a college or university diploma/degree.

Family: 4 out of 10   plan a trip with a family each year.

Family: 80%   take summertime trips to travel with family.

Family: 42%   opt for spring break vacations.

Baby Boomers:   Aim to take 4+ leisure vacations a year.

Baby Boomers: 30%   opt for a cruise as their vacation choice.

When analyzing the latest US outbound travel statistics by age, it was clear that millennials are the group willing to travel for the most extended period at 35 days a year, while generation X vacationed an average of 26 days.

Millennial Americans that are without children are now less of the typical ‘tourist’ and more of the ‘experience’ generation. Most of their booking habits are focused on exploring cultures, booking retreats, or activities rather than visiting theme parks and tourist trap areas. Their freedom and spontaneity let almost half of them book last-minute vacations, with or without friends as, to them, solo travel means cultural growth and meeting new people.

These travel age statistics also show us that half of the solo travelers take up to 3 more trips a year, have a college or university degree, and American solo travel is more prominent in women. What percentage of Americans own a passport? The myth was only one in ten do which appears in many blogs across the web, but now the Census and State department confirm that over 42% of Americans own a passport.

One travel by age group statistic shows almost one in three baby boomers opt for a cruise as their vacation and aim to take at least 4 trips per year. When it comes to families, the majority go during summer break (80%), and only 4 in 10 plan trips with their family. However, millennial families are far more likely to travel with younger children, at 62%.

Sources : Expedia, Resonanceco,  InternetMarketingInc ,  PRNewswire ,  SoloTravelWorld ,  TravelAgentCentral ,  NYU 1 ,  NYU 2 ,  AARP ,  TripAdvisor

REASONS AMERICANS TRAVEL FACTS & STATISTICS

Business/Leisure: U.S. travellers took   466.2 million   domestic trips for business (26.2%), and   1,779.7 million   for leisure (73.8%).

Family:   95%   prioritized their family to be happy and entertained.

Family:   89%   prioritized vacation deals and value.

Family:   85%   needed planning around school holidays.

Family:   85%   wanted outdoor activities for their family.

Gen Z:   55%   travelled to increase their knowledge and experience.

Gen Z:   40%   travelled to avoid stress and relax.

Millennials:   43%   want to find themselves.

Millennials:   23%   want to meet new people.

57%   of U.S. travellers would choose a free heritage vacation over alcohol for a year.

56%   of global international travellers agree it taught them life skills.

51%   want to escape normal life and recharge mentally.

42%   take trips to visit friends and family.

35%   are travelling to experience local delicacies.

Top   bucket list vacations   are volunteering trips (39%), food travel adventure (38%), mystery journey (38%), ancestry/heritage trip (36%), and sabbatical (36%).

59%   of solo travellers stated the reason they went alone is to see the world without waiting for others.

Why do Americans travel? When looking at the data from several survey sources, it was clear that the gender and age of respondents had little impact on the three most important factors.

RELATED: Find An Inspiring Tourism Speaker For Your Next Event

The most important reasons why Americans travel were:

Being with friends and family

Fun experiences (did index higher in younger generations)

Relaxing and unwinding

In terms of gender-based travel reasons, men indexed higher than women overall for exploring the great outdoors or outdoor activities that fall into that category. Generation Z, Millennials, or general age groups from 18-35 had higher responses around wanting to travel for music events or festivals than people aged 35 and over.

The most important trend we’ve noticed from reviewing multiple studies around American’s desires for travel is that younger generations are factoring in ‘experience tourism,’ this was very common in their responses. Experience tourism can be defined by people wanting to book activities or retreats, meet new people and ‘find themselves’. This is popular among solo travellers, like a cultural trip to Thailand for a detox retreat rather than visiting a traditional tourist attraction like a theme park.

Americans over 35 were keen on finding a vacation where food and drink was priority. Visiting a town or city that had cultural foodie scenes or breweries were very trendy.

Sources : ShortTermRentalz,  Wysetc ,  Trekksoft ,  TravelNews ,  USTravel ,  Booking.com ,  HospitalityNet ,  SoloTravelWorld

US TOURISM & TRAVEL ACTIVITY STATISTICS

Top 5 culture activities:   #1) 65% visit history/art museums, #2) 59% visit aquariums, #3) 56% visit science museums, #4) 55% visit theme parks, #5) 55% visit zoos

73%   of families take their children to a theme park, 34% aim for a world famous one.

Overseas visitors top 5 activities:   #1) 54% Shopping, #2) 49% visit historical/cultural sights, #3) 49% Restaurants, #4) 46% Monuments / National Parks, #5) 46% Sightseeing tours.

Trending:   89% increase in sunset cruise excursions trips since last year.

Trending : 64% increase in snorkelling activities since last year.

Trending : 55% increase in sailing trips since last year.

Trending : 49% increase in kayaking and canoeing experiences since last year.

33%   of visitors will get spa or beauty treatments while on vacation.

15%   of travellers book mindfulness or meditation retreats.

One of the reasons Americans do not travel abroad that much is that there is so much to offer in their own country. There is a wealth of cultural activities such as art galleries, museums that index high on the popular activities list, not to mention the volume of theme parks, zoos, and aquariums across the country.

Families want to book all-inclusive trips where everything is taken care of, and they can focus on shopping or taking their children sightseeing. An overwhelming volume of people wanted to book a cruise in the future, which pairs well with relaxing is one of the most popular reasons for travel data above. Cruises were particularly popular in respondents over the age of 45, as well as self-guided tours, whereas group tours were one of the least popular options for booking.

Even though sporting related activities are trending up, going to a physical sporting event was one of the least popular reasons Americans book travel, with most wanting to support their team… from home.

Sources :  MMGY ,  NYU , StatisticBrain,  TripAdvisor ,  Booking.com

RELATED: Online Destination Training For Agents

US TOURISM BOOKING STATISTICS

65%   of hotels are booked on the smartphone the same day as it was researched.

79%   of Americans researching trips will eventually book on their smartphone via app or online.

90%   of U.S. travellers use apps at their destination to make life easy.

#1 factor   in Americans booking travel is price, but reviews and amenities are close runners up.

Americans aged 18-24 classed   reviews   as the second most crucial factor in the booking.

Overall, travel is most commonly booked between   1 to 3 months   in advance.

Men are more likely to last-minute book their trips   2 to 4 weeks   out.

Excluding price as the main factor for Americans booking travel, amenities, and reviews were the most popular choices. So when comparing hotels, resorts or cruises of similar price, these are the factors that will sway the booking decision.

Popular amenities people look for when booking hotels are free breakfasts, pool access, fitness centers, and on-site restaurants. Public transportation was the least influential factor for people considering amenities when booking; this increased with ride-share options.

Only 11% of travellers book trips 6 months out; the most standard booking periods were for trips within 1 to 3 months.

Demographics wise, travelers without children would be the target market for last-minute booking, the no strings attached lifestyle leaves their schedules open. This makes them the ideal target for using last-minute deals to sign them up to hotel or travel loyalty programs.

Sources : StatisticBrain,  ThinkWithGoogle ,  Trekksoft

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Related articles, these six tourism trends will rule 2022, tourism academy announces top travel trends for 2023, top 20 tourism keynote topics for inspiring journeys.

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National park tourism in the U.S. - statistics & facts

What are the most visited national parks in the u.s., how many visitors were there to u.s. national parks, key insights.

Detailed statistics

Market size of national parks and other nature institutions in the U.S. 2022-2023

U.S. NPS sites visitation 2010-2023

Most visited National Park Service sites in the U.S. 2023

Editor’s Picks Current statistics on this topic

National Parks

Number of visitors to national parks and sites in the U.S., by type 2018-2023

Share of visits to U.S. national sites 2023, by site designation

National park visitation in the U.S. 2023, by region

Further recommended statistics

Industry overview.

• Premium Statistic Market size of national parks and other nature institutions in the U.S. 2022-2023
• Premium Statistic Number of national parks and other nature institutions in the U.S. 2022-2024
• Premium Statistic Employment in national parks and other nature institutions in the U.S. 2022-2024
• Premium Statistic U.S. NPS sites visitation 2010-2023
• Basic Statistic National park visitation in the U.S. 2023, by region
• Basic Statistic Number of visitors to national parks and sites in the U.S., by type 2018-2023
• Premium Statistic Share of visits to U.S. national sites 2023, by site designation

Market size of national parks and other nature institutions in the United States in 2022 and 2023 (in billion U.S. dollars)

Number of national parks and other nature institutions in the U.S. 2022-2024

Number of national parks and other nature institutions in the United States in 2022 and 2023, with a forecast for 2024

Employment in national parks and other nature institutions in the U.S. 2022-2024

Number of employees in national parks and other nature institutions in the United States in 2022 and 2023, with a forecast for 2024

Number of recreational visits to National Park Service sites in the United States from 2010 to 2023 (in millions)

Number of visits to National Park Service sites in the United States in 2023, by region (in millions)

Number of visitors to national parks and sites in the United States from 2018 to 2023, by type of park (in millions)

Distribution of recreational visits to national sites in the United States in 2023, by site designation

Visitor spending

• Premium Statistic Economic contribution of national park visitor spending in the U.S. 2012-2022
• Premium Statistic Visitor spending at national parks in the U.S. 2022, by category
• Premium Statistic National park visitor spending in the U.S. 2012-2022, by trip type
• Premium Statistic Daily national park visitor spending in the U.S. 2010-2022, by category

Economic contribution of national park visitor spending in the U.S. 2012-2022

Value added of national park visitor spending to the economy in the United States from 2012 to 2022, by economic activity (in billion U.S. dollars)

Visitor spending at national parks in the U.S. 2022, by category

Visitor spending at national parks in the United States in 2022, by category (in billion U.S. dollars)

National park visitor spending in the U.S. 2012-2022, by trip type

Expenditure of visitors to national parks in the United States from 2012 to 2022, by trip type (in billion U.S. dollars)

Daily national park visitor spending in the U.S. 2010-2022, by category

Average visitor spending per day/night at national parks in the United States from 2010 to 2022, by category (in U.S. dollars)

Visitation figures

• Premium Statistic Most visited National Park Service sites in the U.S. 2023
• Basic Statistic Number of visitors to Golden Gate National Recreational Area in the U.S. 2008-2023
• Basic Statistic Number of visitors to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in the U.S. 2008-2023
• Basic Statistic Number of visitors to the Gateway National Recreation Area in the U.S. 2008-2023
• Basic Statistic Number of visitors to the George Washington Memorial Parkway in the U.S. 2008-2023
• Basic Statistic Number of visitors to Natchez Trace Parkway in the U.S. 2008-2023
• Basic Statistic Number of visitors to the Grand Canyon National Park in the U.S. 2008-2023
• Basic Statistic Number of visitors to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in the U.S. 2008-2023
• Basic Statistic Number of visitors to Yosemite National Park in the U.S. 2008-2023
• Basic Statistic Number of visitors to Yellowstone National Park in the U.S. 2008-2023

Most visited National Park Service sites in the United States in 2023 (in millions)

Number of visitors to Golden Gate National Recreational Area in the U.S. 2008-2023

Number of recreational visitors to Golden Gate National Recreational Area in the United States from 2008 to 2023 (in millions)

Number of visitors to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in the U.S. 2008-2023

Number of recreational visitors to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in the United States from 2008 to 2023 (in millions)

Number of visitors to the Gateway National Recreation Area in the U.S. 2008-2023

Number of recreational visitors to the Gateway National Recreation Area in the United States from 2008 to 2023 (in millions)

Number of visitors to the George Washington Memorial Parkway in the U.S. 2008-2023

Number of recreational visitors to the George Washington Memorial Parkway in the United States from 2008 to 2023 (in millions)

Number of visitors to Natchez Trace Parkway in the U.S. 2008-2023

Number of recreational visitors to Natchez Trace Parkway in the United States from 2008 to 2023 (in millions)

Number of visitors to the Grand Canyon National Park in the U.S. 2008-2023

Number of recreational visitors to the Grand Canyon National Park in the United States from 2008 to 2023 (in millions)

Number of visitors to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in the U.S. 2008-2023

Number of recreational visitors to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in the United States from 2008 to 2023 (in millions)

Number of visitors to Yosemite National Park in the U.S. 2008-2023

Number of recreational visitors to Yosemite National Park in the United States from 2008 to 2023 (in millions)

Number of visitors to Yellowstone National Park in the U.S. 2008-2023

Number of recreational visitors to Yellowstone National Park in the United States from 2008 to 2023 (in millions)

Outdoor recreation

• Premium Statistic Camping participation in the U.S. 2010-2023
• Premium Statistic Most used camping accommodation in North America 2018-2022, by number of households
• Premium Statistic Hiking participation in the U.S. 2010-2023
• Premium Statistic Fishing participation in the U.S. 2010-2022

Camping participation in the U.S. 2010-2023

Number of camping participants in the United States from 2010 to 2023 (in millions)

Most used camping accommodation in North America 2018-2022, by number of households

Leading camping accommodation used in North America from 2018 to 2022, by number of households (in millions)

Hiking participation in the U.S. 2010-2023

Number of hiking participants in the United States from 2010 to 2023 (in millions)

Fishing participation in the U.S. 2010-2022

Number of participants in recreational fishing in the United States from 2010 to 2022 (in millions)

Further reports

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National Travel and Tourism Office

The National Travel and Tourism Office (NTTO) in ITA’s Industry and Analysis unit works to enhance the international competitiveness of the U.S. travel and tourism industry and increase its exports, thereby creating U.S. employment and economic growth, through: 

• Travel and Tourism Research: The management of the travel and tourism research and statistical program system for assessing the economic contribution of the travel and tourism industry and providing the official source for data on international travel to and from the United States.
• Travel and Tourism Policy: The development and implementation of travel and tourism policy, strategy, and advocacy initiatives through collaboration with domestic and international public and private sector stakeholders.
• Travel and Tourism Export Promotion: The organization and administration of travel and tourism export expansion activities.

The National Travel and Tourism Strategy guides our work. The Strategy brings a whole-of-government focus to increasing American jobs and growing the economy through travel and tourism, and to support a more robust industry moving forward.

Find out who is visiting the United States, what cities they are visiting, and why. Our Country Profile Monitor shows the demographic visitor profiles for more than 70 countries.

Our Travel and Tourism industry experts are available to assist you with business counseling, market intelligence, and matchmaking services. They focus on and construct programs that enhance the industry’s competitiveness and promote travel exports.

The United States Travel and Tourism Advisory Board (TTAB) is a federal advisory committee and advises the Secretary of Commerce on government policies and programs that affect the U.S. travel and tourism industry, offers counsel on current and emerging issues, and provides a forum for discussing and proposing solutions to industry-related problem.

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Each member of the NTTO team brings unique skills and a commitment to excellence. From creative thinkers to strategic planners, we work together to deliver exceptional results. Discover the people behind our success and what makes our team extraordinary!

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Use the contact form to connect with our team for prompt assistance. Whether you have inquiries, suggestions, or require assistance, our amazing team is here to address your needs.

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National Tourism Day – May 7, 2025

National Tourism Day takes place on May 7. This day is observed during National Travel and Tourism Week in the United States, which occurs every first full week of May. National Travel and Tourism Week was first celebrated in May 1983, as President Ronald Reagan signed a Proclamation urging all citizens to observe the week.

National Tourism Day timeline

The term ‘tour’ is first used, soon followed by the term ‘tourist,’ referring to participants of tourist events.

Tourism is mainly for the rich, who have enough money and spare time for traveling.

As the oldest travel company in the world, the Thomas Cook Company initiates organized tourism.

The Thomas Cook Company organizes the first group package tour.

National Tourism Day related content

The Best Tabletop Radio of 2023

The best tabletop radio will allow you to groove and listen to your favorite tunes as and whenever you like!

National Tourism Day Activities

Send a souvenir from your city or state.

Pick one of the many souvenirs from your local city or state, and mail it to one of your friends abroad. You’ll be amazed at their reactions.

Plan a trip out of country

With a plethora of travel options at your fingertips, why not plan to travel abroad for a week, or two, or three?

Give the gift of travel.

Give a plane ticket to a loved-one, or friend. They say traveling is one of the most enjoyable and enriching activities one can do.

Why We Love National Tourism Day

Tourism opens up people to new experiences.

Travel is good for lots of things – if you’re traveling for business, on a one-week family trip, or gave up everything to pursue a nomadic life, traveling can make you a happier person by building self-confidence through new experiences, breaking barriers and allowing you to meet people from all over the world.

Tourism bridges the language barrier

People who visit foreign countries are encouraged to learn new phrases, words of the native languages of each foreign country they visit. Speaking in foreign tongues helps people attain a whole new outlook in life.

Culture shock

Culture shock describes the impact of moving from a familiar culture to an unfamiliar one. It's the surprise of a new environment, with new people and a new way of life.

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Visitation numbers.

The National Park Service's Social Science Program coordinates the collection of visitor use statistics for more than 400 national parks throughout the year. Official statistics are traditionally reported during the first few months of a new year. Learn more about visitation statistics collection and find official reports by the National Park Service. Use the NPS Stats database to find national summaries, additional data and reports for individual parks, and data for past years.

Learn more about how the National Park Service conducts studies and analyzes visitation numbers.

Find quick highlights of recreational visits to national parks from the previous calendar year.

Use the database to crunch numbers and run reports on various visitation-related statistics.

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Last updated: February 22, 2024

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Celebrate The 40th Year Anniversary of National Travel & Tourism Week

Posted May 9, 2023 by Iris Dishno

Join us as we keep moving forward #TravelForward

What Is National Travel and Tourism Week (NTTW)?

Established in 1983, National Travel and Tourism Week (NTTW) is an annual tradition to celebrate the U.S. travel community and travel’s essential role in stimulating economic growth, cultivating vibrant communities, creating quality job opportunities, inspiring new businesses and elevating the quality of life for Americans every day. May 7-13, 2023, marks the 40th anniversary of NTTW. Join us to highlight how integral travel is to every industry and nearly everything we do. Our recovery is the nation’s recovery, and travel is essential to a future of American growth and innovation. Join us as we keep moving #TravelForward.

The Power of Travel’s Untapped Potential

“Prior to the pandemic, travel was our nation’s #1 services export and generated a significant trade surplus. In 2022, travel’s trade surplus declined to just $3 billion—from a peak of $86 billion in 2015—due to the slow return of inbound international travel and full recovery of outbound travel. How we build back: Drastically lower visa wait times and welcome more international visitors to the U.S. Domestic leisure travel spending reached $837 billion in 2022. While far above pre-pandemic levels in nominal terms, it has essentially recovered to 2019 levels when adjusted for inflation. As domestic business and international inbound travel remain further behind, there is much room to grow: Domestic business travel spending remained at just 74% of 2019 levels (inflation-adjusted). International inbound visitations were 64% recovered, while inflation-adjusted spending was just 55% recovered. Let’s move #TRAVELFORWARD”

-USA Travel Association

“Tourism Matters to Wisconsin.”

“TRAVEL AS AN ECONOMIC ENGINE: In 2022, direct travel spending totaled $1.2 trillion, powering communities and livelihoods across the nation. Did you know: 68% of Americans agree travel and tourism to their region are important economic contributors to local businesses and jobs. With an economic output of $2.6 trillion in 2022, travel serves as an essential catalyst for a productive U.S. economy and helps to fuel connection and innovation within other industries. Travel spending generated nearly $160 billion in total tax revenue, including $84 billion in state and local tax revenue in 2022. What’s more: 62% of Americans agree taxes paid by travelers help fund essential services in their communities.” Your trip will mattered . How special is that?! -USA Travel Association

“You are helping #TravelForward”

“The travel industry fuels every industry—our industry’s success is the nation’s success,” said U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Geoff Freeman. “This week is a prime opportunity to elevate the message that travel is essential to moving America’s economy forward.”

National Travel and Tourism Week 2023 celebrates the industry’s critical role in powering economies, communities and connections. By moving #TravelForward, we can demonstrate our industry’s critical importance—in every corner of our country.

Our success is the nation’s success. We’ve made progress, but the sooner the travel industry returns to growth, the sooner America will as well. Let’s work together to make sure policymakers understand the value of our industry and partner with us to help move #TravelForward.

From The Grandad Bluffs to the great Mississippi River, the La Crosse Region’s tourism, promoted by Explore La Crosse, contributes so much to our local economy and the spirit of our community. From all of us at La Crosse County Conventions and Visitors Bureau, we are excited for all of the promising things ahead for the La Crosse Region and the U.S. travel industry.

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Enjoy National Travel & Tourism Week

May 7-13, 2023.

National Travel and Tourism Week (NTTW) is an annual industry tradition celebrating the value travel holds for our economy, businesses, personal well-being and more.  #TravelForward

Established in 1983 by a congressional resolution, National Travel and Tourism Week (NTTW) is an annual tradition celebrating the U.S. travel community and travel’s essential role in stimulating economic growth, cultivating vibrant communities, creating quality job opportunities, inspiring new businesses and elevating the quality of life for residents. This year marks the 40 th anniversary of NTTW and is the first full week of May from May 7-13.

The travel industry has a profound economic impact on the United States. Prior to the pandemic the U.S. travel industry generated $2.6 trillion in economic impact. The travel industry supports nearly 20 million American jobs and is a critical component to the economic vitality of communities in every state.

Here in Washtenaw County, 6.1 million people visited our local communities in 2021 and spent $899 million dollars shopping, dining, staying overnight and exploring our communities. Visitor spending supported 6,800 jobs in Washtenaw County and generated $33.1 million in state and local tax revenue to provide public essential services that our residents rely on, such as K-12 education, local libraries, parks, road services, public safety and more.

Tourism Industry Coalition of Michigan (TICOM) and Pure Michigan will celebrate the collective strength of Michigan's travel industry during National Travel and Tourism Week with a private press event kick-off in Ann Arbor. Pure Michigan is also promoting special offers and packages during NTTW. Additionally, Pure Michigan is livestreaming interviews with travel industry leaders in Washtenaw County and across Michigan throughout the week. Please visit Michigan.org for more NTTW details and info on the statewide special offers and packages.

Below is a special webcast recording of the official National Travel & Tourism Week press conference at the Big House! 

For local special offers and packages, see below.  

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North Korea plans to launch major tourism site next year though it still blocks foreign tourists

Associated Press

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — State media say North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has visited a major tourism site being constructed on the country’s eastern coast and discussed steps to open the zone by next year. Kim’s visit to the Wonsan-Kalma zone earlier this week comes as North Korea continues to block entry by most foreign tourists. North Korea has been slowly easing its harsh pandemic-era curbs and entry restrictions as part of efforts to revive its economy. But it still hasn’t reopened its borders to foreign tourists, except for a relatively small number of Russians who visited earlier this year as ties boomed between the two countries.

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Celebrating two years of progress in national strategy to reenergize u.s. travel and tourism, office of public affairs.

Today, two years after the U.S. Department of Commerce issued the National Travel and Tourism Strategy and set an ambitious five-year goal to welcome 90 million international visitors annually by 2027, the Department is announcing we expect to reach that goal ahead of schedule. According to the latest estimates from the International Trade Administration, the United States expects to welcome 91 million annual visitors by 2026, surpassing the Strategy’s goal one year in advance of the anticipated timeline. In celebration of all the progress made since the launch of the National Travel and Tourism Strategy, Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo issued the following statement: 

“Thanks to the steadfast leadership and efforts of the Biden-Harris Administration, travel and tourism continue to be critical drivers of economic growth and employment across the United States, supporting 9.5 million American jobs and $2.3 trillion of economic output per year. But our work is far from over. The Commerce Department is taking decisive actions to support the travel and tourism industry’s recovery from the economic challenges of a global pandemic, and we will continue working with state and local governments and private sector partners to welcome more international visitors to the U.S. so they can experience the diversity, beauty, and hospitality that make our country the premier travel and tourism destination in the world.”

The National Travel and Tourism Strategy focuses federal efforts in partnership with the private sector to strengthen the global competitiveness of U.S. travel and tourism and create a more equitable, resilient and sustainable industry for the future. Some successes over the past two years include:

• Increasing capacity and efficiency to issue 20% more non-immigrant visas in 2023 compared to pre-pandemic issue rates through the U.S. Department of State;
• Funding $750 million for travel, tourism and outdoor recreation communities provided by the American Rescue Plan and issued by the Economic Development Administration;
• Investing $195 million in climate restoration and resilience projects to protect our national parks, and more through the U.S. Department of the Interior.

From 2020 to 2023, international visitation to the United States increased 246% to 66.5 million, travel exports generated by international visitors increased 153% to $213 billion, and American jobs supported by travel exports increased 63% to 1.6 million. As a result of international visitation to the United States outpacing travel to the rest of the world, our country’s share of global travel increased from 4.7% in 2020 to 5.2% in 2023.

For more information about the National Travel and Tourism Strategy, please visit the Travel and Tourism Strategy Fact Sheet .  

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Rural S.D. pharmacy relies on tourism to stay open for locals who need it

Arielle Zionts

Wall Drug is a huge tourist attraction near Badlands National Park visited by 2 million people a year. It also has a functional pharmacy for the town of Wall, South Dakota, pop. 700.

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An Alaska tourist spot will vote whether to ban cruise ships on Saturdays to give locals a break

FILE - Cruise ships are shown near downtown Juneau on June 7, 2023, along the Gastineau Channel, in Alaska. Voters in Alaska’s capital city could decide in October whether to ban large cruise ships on Saturdays starting next year. (AP Photo/Becky Bohrer, File)

FILE - Cruise ships are docked on June 9, 2023, in downtown Juneau, Alaska. Voters in Alaska’s capital city could decide in October whether to ban large cruise ships on Saturdays starting next year. (AP Photo/Becky Bohrer, File)

FILE - A group of people take in the views of the Mendenhall Glacier on June 8, 2023, in Juneau, Alaska. Voters in Alaska’s capital city could decide in October whether to ban large cruise ships on Saturdays starting next year. Supporters of the proposal say it would give residents a reprieve from the crush of tourists drawn to attractions like Juneau’s fast-retreating Mendenhall Glacier, but opponents say it would hurt local businesses and invite lawsuits. (AP Photo/Becky Bohrer, File)

FILE - The face of the Mendenhall Glacier on Sunday, April 21, 2024, in Juneau, Alaska. Voters in Alaska’s capital city could decide in October whether to ban large cruise ships on Saturdays starting next year. Supporters of the proposal say it would give residents a reprieve from the crush of tourists drawn to attractions like Juneau’s fast-retreating Mendenhall Glacier, but opponents say it would hurt local businesses and invite lawsuits. (AP Photo/Becky Bohrer, File)

FILE - People gather near the base of Nugget Falls, a popular destination for selfies on June 13, 2023, at the Mendenhall Glacier Recreation Area, in Juneau, Alaska. Voters in Alaska’s capital city could decide in October whether to ban large cruise ships on Saturdays starting next year. Supporters of the proposal say it would give residents a reprieve from the crush of tourists drawn to attractions like Juneau’s fast-retreating Mendenhall Glacier, but opponents say it would hurt local businesses and invite lawsuits. (AP Photo/Becky Bohrer, File)

FILE - A cruise ship departs from downtown Juneau, on June 7, 2023, along the Gastineau Channel, in Alaska. Voters in Alaska’s capital city could decide in October whether to ban large cruise ships on Saturdays starting next year. (AP Photo/Becky Bohrer, File)

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JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — Each year, a crush of tourists arrives in Alaska’s capital city on cruise ships to see wonders like the fast-diminishing Mendenhall Glacier . Now, long-simmering tensions over Juneau’s tourism boom are coming to a head over a new voter initiative aimed at giving residents a respite from the influx.

A measure that would ban cruise ships with 250 or more passengers from docking in Juneau on Saturdays qualified for the Oct. 1 municipal ballot, setting the stage for a debate about how much tourism is too much in a city that is experiencing first-hand the impacts of climate change. The measure would also ban ships on July 4, a day when locals flock to a downtown parade.

The “ship-free Saturdays” initiative that qualified this week will go to voters unless the local Assembly enacts a similar measure by Aug. 15, which is seen as unlikely.

Juneau, accessible only by water or air, is home to the Mendenhall Glacier, a major draw for the cruise passengers who arrive on multi-story ships towering over parts of the modest downtown skyline. Many residents of this city of about 32,000 have concerns about increased traffic, congested trails and the frequent buzz of sight-seeing helicopters transporting visitors to the Mendenhall and other glaciers.

Deborah Craig, who has lived in Juneau for decades, supports ship-free Saturdays. Craig, who lives across the channel from where the ships dock, often hears their early-morning fog horns and broadcast announcements made to passengers that are audible across the water.

The current “overwhelming” number of visitors diminishes what residents love so much about Juneau, she said.

“It’s about preserving the lifestyle that keeps us in Juneau, which is about clean air, clean water, pristine environment and easy access to trails, easy access to water sports and nature,” she said of the initiative.

“There’s this perception that some people are not welcoming of tourists, and that’s not the case at all,” Craig said. “It’s about volume. It’s about too much — too many in a short period of time overwhelming a small community.”

The current cruise season runs from early April to late October.

Opponents of the initiative say limiting dockings will hurt local businesses that rely heavily on tourism and could invite lawsuits. A voter-approved limit on cruise passenger numbers in Bar Harbor, Maine, another community with a significant tourism economy, was challenged in federal court.

Laura McDonnell, a business leader who owns Caribou Crossings, a gift shop in Juneau’s downtown tourist core, said she makes 98% of her annual revenue during the summer season.

Tourism is about all the “local businesses that rely on cruise passengers and our place in the community,” said McDonnell, who is involved in Protect Juneau’s Future, which opposes the initiative.

Some schools recently closed due to factors including declining enrollment, while the regional economy faces challenges, she said.

“I think that as a community, we really need to look at what’s at stake for our economy,” she said. “We are not in a position to be shrinking our economy.”

The cruise industry accounted for $375 million in direct spending in Juneau in 2023, most of that attributable to spending by passengers, according to a report prepared for the city by McKinley Research Group LLC.

After a two-year pandemic lull, cruise passenger numbers rose sharply in Juneau, hitting a record of more than 1.6 million in 2023. Under this year’s schedule, Sept. 21 will be the first day since early May with no large ships in town.

The tourism debate is polarizing, and the city has been trying to find a middle ground, said Alexandra Pierce, Juneau’s visitor industry director. But she noted there also needs to be a regional solution.

If the Juneau initiative passes, it will impact other, smaller communities in southeast Alaska because the ships, generally on trips originating in Seattle or Vancouver, Canada, will have to go somewhere if they can’t dock in Juneau on Saturdays, she said.

Some residents in Sitka, south of Juneau, are in the early stages of trying to limit cruise visitation to that small, island community, which is near a volcano.

Juneau and major cruise lines, including Carnival Corp., Disney Cruise Line, Norwegian Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean Group, agreed to a limit of five large ships a day, which took effect this year. They more recently signed a pact , set to take effect in 2026, seeking a daily limit of 16,000 cruise passengers Sundays through Fridays and 12,000 on Saturdays.

Pierce said the overall goal is to keep total cruise passenger visitation around 1.6 million, and to even out daily numbers of visitors that can spike to about 18,000 on the busiest days. Peak days in the past have felt “a bit suffocating,” she said. Juneau traditionally has been the most popular cruise port in the state.

A number of projects around Juneau are expected to help make existing cruise numbers feel less impactful. Those include plans for a gondola at the city-owned ski area and increased visitor capacity at the Mendenhall Glacier recreation area, she said.

Renée Limoge Reeve, vice president of government and community relations for the trade group Cruise Lines International Association Alaska, said the agreements signed with the city were the first of their kind in Alaska.

The best strategy is “ongoing, direct dialogue with local communities” and working together in a way that also provides a predictable source of income for local businesses, she said.

Protect Juneau’s Future, led by local business leaders, said the success of the ballot measure would mean a loss of sales tax revenue and millions of dollars in direct spending by cruise passengers. The group was confident voters would reject the measure, its steering committee said in a statement.

Karla Hart, a sponsor of the initiative and frequent critic of the cruise industry, said the threat of litigation has kept communities from taking steps to limit cruise numbers in the past. She was heartened by legal wins this year in the ongoing fight over the measure passed in Bar Harbor, a popular destination near Maine’s Acadia National Park.

She believes the Juneau initiative will pass.

“Every single person who is going to vote has a lived experience and knowledge of how the cruise industry impacts their lives,” she said.

This story corrects a quote from Pierce about peak days.

Rural S.D. pharmacy relies on tourism to stay open for locals who need it

Wall Drug is a huge tourist attraction near Badlands National Park visited by 2 million people a year. It also has a functional pharmacy for the town of Wall, South Dakota, pop. 700.

Copyright 2024 KFF Health News

Hotels, restaurants look forward to the $1.3 million boost from twirling competition

SOUTH BEND ― This is the only time of year when you can drive by an area hotel and quite possibly catch some bedazzled youth in a parking lot practicing incredible feats with a baton. 

Known for many years as America’s Youth on Parade, the name of the event has been changed this year to the National Baton Twirling Championships, but the energy and the summertime economic boost that the organization and the contestants bring to the area remain unchanged. 

Except for a break during the pandemic in 2020, the event has called South Bend home since 1970 with all competitions scheduled for Purcell Pavilion on the University of Notre Dame campus. 

“It’s amazing for the hospitality industry,” said Noor Hadzimesic, area director of sales for the Inn at Saint Mary’s and the Hilton Garden Inn in South Bend. “It’s a citywide sell out.” 

While most hotels do well on weekends because of amateur sporting events, the baton twirlers are unique in that they provide a big lift during the work week with many arriving on Sunday and remaining till the weekend. 

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Hotels get a nice boost during the summertime lull on area campuses as well as restaurants, retailers and perhaps other area attractions that might be used to entertain families while they’re here. 

“They’re very talented individuals who bring a good vibe to town,” said Hadzimesic, adding that both hotels near campus are sold out for the week and Bistro 933 at the Hilton Garden Inn has had increased business, as well. 

Events, which run through Friday at Purcell Pavilion, are free and open to the public and include competitions for kids up to college age students representing most major athletic conferences, said Dennis Kaminski, event director. Those interested in visiting can find the schedule of events at the National Baton Twirling Association website.

This is Kaminski's first year running the annual event, but he’s been coming here since 1972 ― first as a competitor and then as a judge and event coordinator.  

“As the National Baton Twirling Championships enter a new era, we’re thrilled to continue the tradition of hosting it at Notre Dame,” he said. “Our participants and spectators look forward to it every year and the community does a wonderful job of welcoming everyone.” 

There are about 2,000 competitors, but the local tourism organization ― Visit South Bend/Mishawaka ― estimates that the event attracts about 8,000 because nearly all contestants travel with families, plus there are vendors offering everything from costumes to equipment. 

Jeff Jarnecke, executive director of Visit South Bend/Mishawaka, estimated that the event is filling about 500 to 600 hotel rooms each night, and that doesn’t include groups that are staying in short-term rentals. 

“The 2023 event generated an economic impact of about $1.3 million,” Jarnecke said, adding that the annual championship kicks off a strong two-week period for the local hospitality industry with a large youth baseball tournament with about 1,000 players ― the ETS World Series ― running through Sunday and then the 2024 Scrabble Players Championship running through Wednesday July 24 at Century Center. 

“Having the baton twirling championships is a big boost for the community,” Jarnecke said. “But putting all three events together gives the hospitality industry a run that they don’t typically get in the summertime.” 

Matthew Lau: Abolish the ministry of tourism and its handouts

Helping hotels renovate their pools produces no spillover benefits to people not guests or owners and they certainly don't target the poor

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Earlier this year, Liberal Health Minister Mark Holland, who had previously berated desperate Canadians seeking medical care outside Canada where access is better, railed in the House of Commons against Canadians who take road trips for their summer vacations. “Don’t worry about taking action on the planet,” he thundered. “Enjoy your 10 hours in the car and let the planet burn.” Whether prime ministers who fly long distances for much more luxurious vacations and whose annual air travel is over 100,000 kilometres are also burning the planet by contributing to global warming, Mr. Holland did not say.

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Matthew lau: abolish the ministry of tourism and its handouts back to video.

The minister’s attacks on vacationing Canadians are also odd given the Trudeau government’s proclivity for spending millions subsidizing tourism. In June, it announced $1.3 million in combined handouts for a dozen tourist events and festivals in southern Ontario. A lights festival in Stratford gets $200,000 from taxpayers; a multi-day “Environmental Awareness Festival” that will take place in Oshawa, Clarington, and Cobourg receives $150,000.

Other subsidies include: $250,000 to the Chinatown Business Improvement Area in Ottawa for various events and “culturally distinctive statues”; $75,000 to the Talk is Free Theatre — a performing arts theatre evidently not free for taxpayers — to attract tourists to Barrie; and $30,000 for an arts festival “focusing on racialized women and newcomers.” Spending hours in your car to burn the planet is now apparently a government-subsidized activity, as long as you are burning the planet on your way to a racialized women’s arts festival in a rural area of Waterloo Region.

In addition to these projects, last week the Liberals announced nearly $1.2 million more in subsidies for six additional tourism projects in southern Ontario, among them: $200,000 to help install an inflatable waterpark in Milton; $200,000 for tourism operator training and other projects in Hamilton; and $180,000 for some kind of hologram at a tourist centre in Halton.

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Tourist attractions in other provinces have also received significant taxpayer funding from the Liberals recently. Le Québec maritime, which markets tourism destinations to out-of-province travellers, received $5.7 million from taxpayers for the organization’s salaries, professional fees and other expenses. Another tourism organization in Quebec received a $361,738 handout to buy a boat and hydraulic platform; a third, a hotel in Rivière-du-Loup, was given a $400,000 repayable loan to refurbish its swimming pool and otherwise upgrade its facilities.

Combined taxpayer subsidies of almost $800,000 went to support seven tourism projects in the Yukon; a five-star Prince Edward Island inn received a $220,000 repayable contribution. With local MPs and cabinet ministers responsible for the relevant regional economic development agencies in attendance, many of these tourism-subsidizing announcements were made by the federal minister of tourism — a strange cabinet post for the government to have if it believes people who travel on their vacations are incinerating Planet Earth.

The truth is, minister of tourism is a cabinet post that should not exist, and neither should these tourism subsidies — not for any reasons to do with global warming, but because they are simply a colossal waste of money and a counterproductive exercise in central planning. How is the minister of tourism, who has never met me, never met my family and never spoken to any of us, supposed to decide on my behalf at which tourist attractions I should be spending my vacations? In fact, I don’t even like travelling. Why am I made to subsidize people who do?

There are two standard economic justifications for government subsidies. One is that there is a positive externality: that people visiting tourist locations create benefits for third parties uninvolved in the transaction. If this were true, then in a free market without subsidies, not enough tourism would take place. But Environmental Awareness Festivals in Oshawa, hotel swimming pools in Quebec and campground facilities in a cabin in the Yukon do not generate positive externalities.

The other standard justification for subsidies is that they redistribute resources to the poor. But poor Canadians who cannot afford their rent and regularly visit food banks are unlikely to be travelling either around or beyond their province to visit tourist attractions. Quite the opposite, tourism subsidies exemplify the tendency for governments to make vote-buying expenditures targeted at the populous, vote-heavy middle class at the expense of the rich, who pay the most taxes, and the poor, who have the least political power.

Two pieces of advice for the Liberals: First, stop the money-wasting tourism subsidies. Second, tell Mr. Holland to be quiet. His silence would improve the quality of political discourse in Ottawa.

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