U.S. Travel Abroad Surpasses Pre-Pandemic Levels

by Mindy Cohn

U.S. travelers from January through July of this year have finally not only hit but exceeded pre-pandemic levels for traveling out of the country 

So far this year, forty million Americans representing an 8.6% increase over the same period in 2019, are traveling in increased numbers further abroad, according to new data culled from nonstop flights from the U.S. and tracked by the U.S. International Trade Administration.

Travelers to the Middle East increased by 46.1% over the number of Americans who traveled there from January to July 2021. The jump in tourists includes Qatar, which has received 494,000 American visitors this year, a 92% increase over 2019. Eretz Yisroel had 442,000 American visitors so far this year, a 36.2% increase over 2019. Turkey has had 560,000 American visitors,  an 81.1% increase over 2019.

Europe received 29.1% of U.S. citizens traveling outside the country this year. The most popular European destinations include the U.K., with 3 million American visitors this year, France at 1.5 million, and Germany, which was the destination for 1.6 million visitors. 

Mexico had 8.3 million American visitors this year, a 6% increase over 2019. The Caribbean received 20.3% of American travelers so far this year.

Australia's visitors decreased by 33.7% over 2019, New Zealand recorded a 14.1 % decrease in tourists over the same period in 2019, and Canada's visitors fell by 16.1%. 

Travelers into the United States have not returned to pre-pandemic levels. Only 30.2 million foreigners have visited so far this year, while there were 37.7 million during the same time period in 2019.