International tourism/spending up in U.S. report announces

The Dept. of Commerce's International Trade Administration announced this morning (4/29):

For Immediate Release: April 29, 2008

WORLD TRAVELERS FLOCK TO THE UNITED STATES

International visitation up 11 percent & Spending at $11.4 billion for January 2008

"WASHINGTON–The U.S. Department of Commerce today announced that in January 2008, visitation to the United States, as well as spending by those visitors, continued to rise, marked by 3.4 million international visitors, an increase of 11 percent over January 2007.

International visitors also spent a record $11.38 billion in January, a 23 percent increase from January 2007. Spending by international travelers while in the United States, including travel receipts and passenger fares, is defined as a U.S. export. Exports are a critical driver of economic growth in the U.S. economy. In 2007, the United States exported $1.6 trillion of goods and services—nearly a 13.0 percent increase over 2006." ....

for the complete press release

for the complete vistor numbers report

for the complete visitor spending report