One has to be cautious about making any definitive statement regarding increases or decreases in percentage year-over-year gains or losses in travel volume or declines in market share when reviewing the U.S. National Travel and Tourism Office report, Overseas Visitation Estimates for U.S. States, Cities and Census Regions: 2014. There are always exogenous factors, such as calamitous weather or a loss of airline service, that might explain the arrivals number. And market share changes are deceptive, too. For instance, in the second table below, one will see that New York City’s share in the total overseas visitors market declined, even though its number of visitor arrivals increased. The latter could mean that additional destinations are beginning to enjoy a share of the growing overall market.
There are some signs that travelers to the U.S. from overseas are beginning, ever so slightly, to go beyond the gateways in the destinations they are choosing to visit. Here are some notes on the tables that follow.
—States Increasing share: Florida, Massachusetts, Arizona, Georgia, Washington, Utah, Colorado, North Carolina, Virginia
—States Losing Share: New York, California, Hawaii, Nevada, Texas, Illinois, Guam, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Maryland
—States Maintaining Share at Same Level: Louisiana
—Cities/Population Centers increasing share: Miami, Los Angeles, Orlando, Washington DC, Boston, San Diego, Flagstaff-Grand Canyon-Sedona, Ariz., Atlanta, Anaheim, Seattle, Tampa-St. Pete
—Cities/Population Centers Losing Share: New York City, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Honolulu, Chicago, Houston, Fort Lauderdale, , Philadelphia, Dallas, San Jose, Calif.
Note: Not included are cities, population areas or states for which there was an inadequate sample size per the standards of the U.S. National Travel and Tourism Office
