Overseas visitors to the US are increasingly favoring independent travel over package vacations and are staying longer on average, according to official data released by US National Travel and Tourism Office.
The report offers a detailed look at the inbound market and suggests that visitors are staying for longer periods.
Foreign tourists spent an average of 17.5 nights during a US vacation in 2013, up from 17 nights a year earlier.
However although average trip length is increasing, fewer destinations are being visited during a vacation.
The average number of destinations visited in a single trip fell slightly from 2.0 to 1.9 while the number of travelers who visited just one destination increased by one percentage point.
Overseas visitors traveling independently as opposed to a tour package increased 9% in 2013 and there is a gradual upward trend for intercity bus travel rather than air or rail.
As an industry, travel contributed 2.8% of GDP and employs 1.3 million people directly supported by international travelers.
The US National Travel and Tourism Office forecasts a 4% annual increase in visitor arrivals over the next five years to 83.8 million by the end of 2018.
