U.S. Sees a 9.5% Boost in International Visitor Arrivals in December 2024
The United States welcomed 6.46 million international visitors in December 2024, marking a robust 9.5% increase compared to December 2023. This data, provided by the National Travel and Tourism Office, indicates a strong performance that pushed the total international visitor arrivals for the calendar year 2024 to over 72.3 million, a 9.1% rise from 2023.
All world regions reported increased visitor volume to the United States in 2024. Western Europe led the way with 13.07 million visitors, while Asia recorded the largest percentage increase at 21.6%. The recovery now represents 91% of 2019 pre-pandemic visitation levels, demonstrating the strong rebound of international travel to America.
Top Overseas Tourism Markets in December
- United Kingdom: 301,933 visitors
- Brazil: 215,604 visitors
- Japan: 141,203 visitors
- Colombia: 133,265 visitors
- Germany: 128,491 visitors
Business travel also showed strength with India leading overseas business arrivals at 29,147 visitors.
Outbound travel by U.S. citizens reached record-breaking levels in 2024, with 107.7 million departures, up 9.2% from 2023. December alone saw over 10 million U.S. citizen departures, an increase of 7.7% year-over-year.
“These numbers reflect the continued recovery and growth of international travel, benefiting local economies and supporting millions of jobs across the tourism industry,” noted industry analysts. The strong performance bodes well for 2025 as travel demand continues to normalize post-pandemic.