Travel Industry Facts: In Advance of the President's Speech at Walt Disney World

WASHINGTON, Jan. 18, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The President will deliver remarks tomorrow, January 19, at Walt Disney World to unveil a national strategy to boost tourism and travel. Representing $1.8 trillion in economic output and supporting 14 million jobs, the U.S. travel industry makes a significant impact on the U.S. economy.

"Every 35 international visitors we welcome to the U.S. generates one American job that can't be outsourced," said Roger Dow, president and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association. "We look forward to working with the Administration to improve policies that would bring more international travelers to the U.S., as well as increase the facilitation of travelers within the U.S."

Travel and tourism is one of America's largest industries (2010 data)

• Generated $1.8 trillion in economic output, with $759 billion spent directly by domestic and international travelers that spurred an additional $1 trillion in other industries.
• Directly generated $118 billion in tax revenue for local, state and federal governments.
• Each U.S. household would pay $1,000 more in taxes without the tax revenue generated by the travel and tourism industry.
• Direct spending by resident and international travelers in the U.S. averaged $2 billion a day, $86.6 million an hour, $1.4 million a minute and $24,000 a second.

Travel and tourism is one of America's largest employers (2010 data)

• Supported 14 million jobs, including 7.4 million directly in the travel industry and 6.7 million in other industries.
• $188 billion in travel-generated payroll for those employed directly in U.S. travel industry.
• 1 of every 9 U.S. non-farm jobs is created directly or indirectly or is induced by travel and tourism.
• Travel is among the top 10 industries in 48 states and D.C. in terms of employment.
• Every 35 international travelers supports one U.S. job.

The Lost Decade – What the Overseas Travel Decline Has Cost the United States

• In 2000, the U.S. enjoyed 17 percent of the global long-haul travel market. In 2010, that number had dropped to 12.4 percent.
• Had the U.S. kept pace with patterns in global long-haul travel between 2000 and 2010…
  • 78 million more overseas arrivals
  • $606 billion in total spending
  • $37 billion in new tax revenue (direct)
  • 467,000 total American jobs could have been created and sustained

Travel and tourism is America's largest services export industry

• $134 billion in travel exports (including traveler spending in the U.S. and international passenger fare payments to U.S. carriers) and the…
• $103 billion in travel imports (including U.S. residents' spending abroad and international passenger fares paid to foreign carriers) creates…
• $32 billion in balance of travel trade surplus for the U.S.

The U.S. Travel Association is the national, non-profit organization representing all components of the travel industry that generates $1.8 trillion in economic output and supports 14.1 million jobs. U.S. Travel's mission is to increase travel to and within the United States. Visit www.ustravel.org.

Follow us on Twitter @ustravelpr.

SOURCE U.S. Travel Association