Country’s visitor arrivals in USA A Set a Record in 2019
Much of the travel trade press attention on the re-opening of U.S. borders to visitors from Europe beginning November 8th has focused on the UK—understandably so, since the latter is the number one overseas source market for travelers coming to the United States.
But watch out for the French visitors. At, in or near the top ten overseas source markets for inbound travel to the USA, the country as a market set a record in 2019 for the number of visitors it sent to the United States for one year. Then came the end of the first quarter in 2020 and a virtual halt to visitor traffic to America.
Outlook, in Brief: Perhaps the tourism industry in France has fared better than other countries because of the financial assistance it afforded its employees and owners. One indication is that France’s population was is in a better position than others as destinations abroad opened up. Recent coverage of the industry indicates that French travelers were inclined to travel as never before—to favored European, Mediterranean and short-haul destinations. And yes, they are just as likely to visit the USA in strong numbers.
Market Profile-France:
Arrivals in USA
(000s)
Year | Number of Arrivals | % Change from previous year |
2000 | 1,087 | +3% |
2005 | 879 | +13% |
2010 | 1,342 | +11% |
2015 | 1,767 | +5% |
2016 | 1,641 | -7% |
2017 | 1,688 | +2% |
2018 | 1,767 | +6% |
2019 | 1.844 | +4% |
2020 | 298 | -84% |
Source: NTTO
What the Current Data Show Us: We took a look at recent data provided by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Travel and Tourism Office (NTTO), focusing on its market update for France. What one learns is that, for 2020, some familiar destinations and activities stand to benefit for a resurgent French market. For example:
—More than three quarters of French visitors come to America for either a vacation/holiday or for VFR purposes.
—French travelers still value personal recommendations (27 percent) as an information source for making a travel selection.
—However, more than half (53 percent) rely on airlines for information, while OTAs (28.6 percent) and brick-and-mortar travel agencies are preferred by about 12 percent of travelers.
—More than a third (38 percent like to visit are galleries or museums; another 18.4 percent like to see historical locations; and
—Nearly half (47.6 percent) of French visitors coming to the U.S. want to visit our national parks and monuments.
More than three out of every four visitors to the USA from France arrive via New York & Newark, Miami, Los Angeles, San Francisco or Atlanta.
—And, of course, shopping is big for visitors from a country that invented haute couture
Top Ports of Entry for Visitors from France to the USA
Port of Entry | Share of Arrivals to U.S. from France |
1. New York & Newark | 33.6% |
2. Miami | 18% |
3. Los Angeles | 14.2 |
4. San Francisco | 6.4% |
5. Atlanta | 4.9% |
Share of Above Ports of Entry of Total | 77.1% |
Market Profile:
Spending Trends
(In Millions of U.S. Dollars)
2000 | 2005 | 2010 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | |
Total Travel & Tourism Receipts* | $3,403 | $3,052 | $4,579 | $5,854 | $5,441 | $5,472 | $5,830 | $5,975 | $1,237 |
Travel Receipts | $2,845 | $2,358 | $3,772 | $4,767 | $4,386 | $4,400 | $4,588 | $4,749 | $965 |
Business | $1,200 | $934 | $1,053 | $861 | $747 | $735 | $785 | $797 | $144 |
Short-term workers | $38 | $41 | $28 | $38 | $38 | $37 | $29 | $45 | $12 |
Other business | $1,161 | $893 | $1,025 | $824 | $709 | $698 | $756 | $752 | $131 |
Personal | $1,645 | $1,423 | $2,719 | $3,906 | $3,639 | $3,665 | $3,804 | $3,952 | $821 |
Health Related | $10 | $9 | $9 | $12 | $11 | $12 | $12 | $12 | $3 |
Educ’n Related | $142 | $163 | $232 | $336 | $341 | $349 | $359 | $360 | $284 |
Other Personal | $1,494 | $1,252 | $2,478 | $3,559 | $3,287 | $3,305 | $3,433 | $3,580 | $535 |
Passenger Air Transportation | $558 | $694 | $807 | $1,087 | $1,055 | $1,072 | $1,242 | $1,226 | $272 |
% Change vs. Previous Year | +6% | +12% | +12% | +2% | -7% | +1% | +7% | +2% | -79% |
* In millions of U.S. dollars
Note: Total Travel & Tourism Exports = travel receipts (purchase of travel and tourism-related goods and services, to include food, lodging, recreation, gifts, entertainment, local transportation in the country of travel, and other items incident to a U.S. visit) + passenger fare receipts (fares paid by foreign residents to U.S. air carriers for travel from foreign countries to the United States). All traveler spending data are subject to periodic, annual, and decennial revisions. BEA releases data for various countries and various categories across three release dates throughout the year. The March release provides travel export estimates for only the largest export countries and for only the “Travel Receipts” category. NTTO estimates Passenger Air Transportation in order to provide a total travel and tourism export estimate prior to October of the current year, when that estimate otherwise would be released. All NTTO estimates are supplanted by the BEA October official release, and previously-released BEA estimates may be revised.
Market Profile-France:
Trip Purpose—Main Purpose
Main Purpose*(%) | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 |
Business | – – – | – – – | – – – | 12.2 | 11.0 | 12.3 | 13.5 | 12.0 | 13.1 |
Business/Professional | 34.5 | 27.0 | 14.3 | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – |
Conv./Conf./Trade Show | 3.8 | 4.2 | 3.2 | 5.1 | 6.5 | 6.0 | 5.8 | 4.6 | 8.1 |
Education | – – – | – – – | – – – | 2.2 | 2.7 | 3.3 | 3.3 | 2.3 | 2.2 |
Study/Teaching | 1.9 | 1.7 | 3.2 | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – |
Health Treatment | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.4 |
Vacation/Holiday | – – – | – – – | – – – | 62.6 | 59.4 | 60.9 | 59.9 | 65.3 | 58.2 |
Leisure/Recreation/ Holidays | 38.7 | 42.7 | 59.1 | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – |
VFR | 20.5 | 23.1 | 19.7 | 17.1 | 20.2 | 16.9 | 16.5 | 15.1 | 16.7 |
Religion/Pilgrimages | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.0 |
Other | 0.5 | 1.0 | 0.1 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 1.3 |
* One Response (Percentage of Respondents)
Market Profile-France:
Information Sources Used for Trip
% of Respondents | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 |
Airlines | 19.9 | 19.3 | 25.4 | 41.5 | 43.7 | 47.7 | 49.3 | 48.9 | 53.0 |
Corporate Travel Department | 10.1 | 10.6 | 7.6 | 12.3 | 10.5 | 13.1 | 13.0 | 12.2 | 14.6 |
In-flight Information Systems | 0.4 | 1.3 | 0.6 | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – |
Newspapers/Magazines | 1.5 | 3.0 | 1.5 | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – |
Personal Recommendation | – – – | – – – | – – – | 24.5 | 31.8 | 26.5 | 29.8 | 29.9 | 26.7 |
Friends/Relatives | 12.7 | 8.7 | 13.1 | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – |
Travel Agency (Online) | – – – | – – – | – – – | 31.7 | 30.6 | 30.6 | 29.6 | 29.3 | 28.6 |
Travel Agency (Office) | – – – | – – – | – – – | 16.4 | 14.9 | 13.9 | 13.1 | 11.9 | 11.9 |
Travel Agency | 56.3 | 40.8 | 27.6 | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – |
Travel Office (National/State/City) | – – – | – – – | – – – | 4.5 | 5.8 | 5.5 | 7.8 | 6.4 | 5.2 |
National Gov’t Tourist Office | 1.6 | 0.7 | 1.7 | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – |
State/City Travel Office | 1.4 | 1.7 | 1.0 | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – |
Personal Computer | 17.2 | 36.7 | 50.2 | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – |
Tour Operator/Travel Club | – – – | – – – | – – – | 6.9 | 6.7 | 5.6 | 4.2 | 5.0 | 4.5 |
Tour Company | 4.5 | 3.3 | 2.7 | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – |
Travel Guides | 9.6 | 8.9 | 8.5 | 15.5 | 17.7 | 18.5 | 15.3 | 19.1 | 9.4 |
TV/Radio | 1.6 | 0.9 | 0.8 | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – |
Other | – – – | – – – | – – – | 4.5 | 5.7 | 4.6 | 5.4 | 6.2 | 7.6 |
* One Response (Percentage of Respondents)
Market Profile—France:
Activity Participation Part One
% of Respondents | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 |
American Indian Communities | 7.3 | 7.0 | 5.9 | 9.3 | 8.2 | 9.0 | 10.8 | 9.4 | 6.0 |
Amusement/Theme Parks | 25.2 | 16.4 | 27.1 | 25.6 | 24.5 | 27.2 | 21.5 | 24.7 | 21.7 |
Art Gallery/Museum | 32.0 | 30.8 | 37.9 | 42.4 | 42.0 | 41.3 | 43.2 | 42.2 | 38.0 |
Camping/Hiking | 4.8 | 2.8 | 6.8 | 5.0 | 6.3 | 6.7 | 6.8 | 8.4 | 4.0 |
Casinos/Gamble | 12.2 | 14.0 | 14.9 | 11.1 | 10.3 | 9.2 | 10.6 | 9.6 | 5.5 |
Concert/Play/Musical | 17.6 | 12.3 | 19.7 | 17.4 | 18.9 | 17.7 | 15.4 | 14.0 | 9.2 |
Cruises (see note below) | 3.5 | 4.3 | 6.2 | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – |
Cultural / Ethnic Heritage Sites | – – – | – – – | – – – | 20.6 | 18.8 | 20.4 | 21.2 | 19.7 | 14.8 |
Cultural Heritage Sites | 23.6 | 27.2 | 37.1 | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – |
Ethnic Heritage Sites | 6.0 | 5.8 | 8.8 | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – |
Dining (Experience Fine) | – – – | – – – | – – – | 46.5 | 27.7 | 21.4 | 18.4 | 19.0 | 22.3 |
Dining in Restaurants | 85.3 | 80.8 | 80.7 | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – |
Environmental/Eco. Excursions | 9.6 | 9.1 | 7.9 | 3.9 | 3.3 | 5.4 | 3.3 | 4.4 | 3.1 |
Golfing/Tennis | 3.5 | 3.3 | 2.5 | 2.4 | 2.0 | 2.4 | 1.0 | 2.6 | 3.2 |
Guided Tours | 13.3 | 14.7 | 14.8 | 21.7 | 20.5 | 17.8 | 20.5 | 16.0 | 21.9 |
Historical Locations | – – – | – – – | – – – | 30.1 | 29.8 | 29.7 | 28.1 | 30.8 | 18.4 |
Historical Places | 38.7 | 46.0 | 54.6 | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – |
Hunting/Fishing | 1.6 | 2.0 | 1.5 | 1.9 | 1.0 | 0.8 | 0.7 | 0.8 | 0.3 |
Notes: “Cruises” was removed as an activity type in 2012, but was added as a transportation type (“Cruise Ship/River Boar 1+ Nights”)
Market Profile—France:
Activity Participation Part Two
% of Respondents | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 |
National Parks/Monuments | – – – | – – – | – – – | 48.2 | 50.2 | 49.6 | 50.6 | 49.0 | 47.6 |
National Parks | 26.7 | 24.2 | 30.9 | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – |
Nightclubbing/Dancing | 13.2 | 13.9 | 12.1 | 11.6 | 12.8 | 10.2 | 9.5 | 11.6 | 13.3 |
Ranch Vacations | 1.0 | 0.8 | 0.7 | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – |
Shopping | 80.1 | 86.1 | 86.1 | 86.4 | 84.7 | 85.0 | 84.8 | 82.9 | 81.1 |
Sightseeing | – – – | – – – | – – – | 77.7 | 78.3 | 74.6 | 75.0 | 75.6 | 68.1 |
Sightseeing in Cities | 49.0 | 49.0 | 55.0 | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – |
Touring Countryside | 23.3 | 22.3 | 17.1 | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – |
Small Towns | 30.7 | 30.0 | 29.9 | 32.8 | 28.1 | 29.8 | 32.3 | 34.3 | 23.8 |
Snow Sports | – – – | – – – | – – – | 0.9 | 0.7 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 3.4 |
Snow Skiing | 1.2 | 1.3 | 1.1 | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – |
Sporting Event | – – – | – – – | – – – | 11.8 | 11.4 | 10.1 | 13.7 | 12.0 | 16.2 |
Attend Sporting Event | 5.0 | 8.4 | 6.9 | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – |
Water Sports | – – – | – – – | – – – | 8.4 | 6.9 | 7.7 | 8.4 | 6.2 | 5.8 |
Water Sports/Sunbathing | 17.1 | 18.6 | 17.1 | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – |
Other | – – – | – – – | – – – | 2.7 | 1.2 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 2.1 | 2.4 |
INBOUND’s Inside Tip: French visitors seem to have a special fondness for a unique U.S. product—its music and, in particular, music with a uniquely African American signature. Just take one of the tours of New York City offered by Harlem Spirituals, which has been marketing its tours of Harlem and other parts of the city for more than three decades, with a special emphasis on gospel music. A large portion of its visitors are from France, and most of its guides speak French. We tried its basic tour twice and found that the many French visitors on the tour bus were likely to know about the famous African-American poet, Langston Hughes (1901-1967), whose ashes are buried beneath the lobby area of the New York Public Library’s Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture in Harlem at 515 Malcom X Boulevard. Tours also include a brief stop at the world-famous Apollo Theatre at West 125th Street in Harlem.
###
Click here for NTTO tables on all major country markets.
A final note: Those interested can access the phone numbers and e-mail addresses of the NTTO team of analysts here: https://www.trade.gov/travel-and-tourism-research-team/