The overall US outbound market grew by one percent last year compared to annual 2006 figures, allowing it to post the fourth successive record for total US outbound travel, says Office of Travel and Tourism Industries, US Department of Commerce.
Last year, 64 million US residents traveled abroad, surpassing 2006 figures of 63.6 million.
Travel to Mexico and Canada, however, declined by one percent and three percent.
Spending by US residents traveling abroad (imports) also set the fourth successive record in 2007 at $104.7 billion, up five percent from 2006.
Spending by US travelers within foreign countries (travel payments) totaled $76.2 billion and spending on air transportation, via foreign air carriers (passenger fare payments), totaled $28.5 billion in 2007.
The top five countries where US spent their 2007 travel dollars were: Mexico ($11.1 billion), United Kingdom ($10.5 billion), Canada ($7.6 billion), Germany ($5.9 billion) and Japan ($4.7 billion).
Report by David Wilkening
