US tourism's share of GDP up, to reach $2.2trln

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The GDP contribution of the US travel and tourism sector is forecast to top $2.2 trillion in 2023 with job numbers hitting 17.4 million.

A report by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), together with WTTC members ForwardKeys and Mabrian Technologies, has unveiled new insights into the strong expansion of the US travel and tourism sector.

According to WTTC’s Travel & Tourism Economic Impact 2023 Global Trends Report, the GDP contribution of the US Travel & Tourism sector grew by 16.9% in 2022, to reach $2 trillion. Additionally, the sector also created 2.7 million more jobs compared to 2021.

This impressive growth was fuelled by a strong resurgence in demand from international visitors, whose spending increased by more than 150% year-on-year, to reach $115.7 billion in 2022.

The report also shows that domestic visitor spend has nearly regained its pre-pandemic levels with figures reaching $1.18 trillion in 2022, close to the $1.2 trillion spent by domestic visitors in 2019.

Measured by economic contribution, and spending by international and domestic visitors, the US led, boasting the largest travel and tourism sector in the world, in both 2019 and 2022.

Outbound travel trends

Data from ForwardKeys reveals a 13% increase in forward-looking US outbound travel, with prime growth destinations such as Greece, the Dominican Republic, Italy, Jamaica, and Mexico seeing increases ranging from 30% to 63%. Families are leading the travel recovery, with family-sized groups witnessing a 21% growth over 2019.

The top international destinations for US visitors are Mexico, Canada, and the UK, together making up 52% of all outbound departures in the US in 2022.

Increased passenger numbers

The resurgence in travel is also reflected in US airport statistics.

Statistics from Mabrian Technologies reveal that the US continues to host some of the world’s busiest airports. Denver International has witnessed the highest inbound passenger growth of any US airport with almost 2.2 million more passengers between 2019 and 2023.

Orlando International also experienced a rise in inbound traffic, accommodating 1.8 million more travellers in 2022 compared to 2019. The recently rebranded Harry Reid International Airport in Nevada ranks third, with 1.7 million more travellers passing through its gates in 2023 as opposed to 2019.

Other major US airports, such as Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International, Dallas Fort Worth International and O’Hare International, are also all forecast to be amongst the top 10 busiest airports in the US in 2023 in terms of total inbound passenger numbers.

Together, these figures underscore that the airports across the US welcomed a combined 9.6 million more passengers last year in comparison to the period just before the pandemic hit.

Future outlook

Julia Simpson, WTTC President & CEO, said, "The US's performance is more than just numbers; it shows the resilience and enduring demand for Travel and Tourism.

“In 2019, one in 10 jobs globally were in the travel and tourism sector and it’s set to contribute $9.5 trillion to the global economy this year alone.”

Shift in destination preferences

US travellers have remained steadfast in their continued preferences for southern European destinations. Searches for vacations to southern Europe only saw a minimal 0.3% decrease according to ForwardKeys, highlighting Americans’ sustained interest in the region, despite high summer temperatures.

With contributions reaching pre-pandemic levels, the US travel and tourism sector's positive trajectory signals optimism and growth, reflecting the sector's resilience and potential.