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WASHINGTON –

As a result of sluggish restoration and declining U.S. international journey market share, U.S. Journey Affiliation commissioned Euromonitor Worldwide to assess the competitiveness of the U.S. relative to different prime international locations for international journey.

The U.S. ranked seventeenth out of 18 international locations analyzed, stemming from a long time of underinvestment and a scarcity of focus and coordination from the federal authorities.
Inefficiencies within the U.S. journey system threaten the economic system. One instance: The U.S. dangers dropping 39 million guests and $150 billion in spending over the subsequent 10 years as a result of extreme customer visa wait instances (Tourism Economics).
U.S. Journey launched a Fee on Seamless and Safe Journey, comprised of former authorities officers and private-sector executives, to develop a imaginative and prescient and coverage roadmap to modernize the journey expertise and enhance U.S. competitiveness.

U.S. Journey Affiliation right now launched a research that discovered the United States ranks seventeenth out of 18 prime journey markets when it comes to international competitiveness, in line with Euromonitor Worldwide. A long time of underinvestment and a scarcity of focus and coordination from federal policymakers brought on the U.S. to fall behind, whereas different international locations actively apply sturdy methods to extend journey and develop financial output.

U.S. officers can’t ignore the daring, decisive steps different nations are taking to advance and modernize their journey economies. America ought to aspire to cleared the path into a brand new period of seamless and safe journey and capitalize on the various alternatives to develop this important sector. U.S. Journey Affiliation President and CEO Geoff Freeman

— Supply: U.S. Journey Affiliation

U.S. Journey commissioned the research to raised perceive the sluggish restoration of worldwide inbound journey to the U.S. and the way the nation can extra successfully compete for international vacationers within the coming decade.

Whereas the U.S. remains to be essentially the most desired vacation spot for international vacationers, it slid to 3rd in whole visitation (behind Spain and France). In 2023, it’s estimated that america welcomed almost 67 million worldwide guests—down from 79 million guests in 2019 and solely 84% recovered from pre-pandemic ranges, which is way behind different opponents’ restoration charges.

U.S. international market share for long-haul journey declined from 5.4% in 2019 to five.3% in 2023.

— Supply: U.S. Journey Affiliation

— Supply: U.S. Journey Affiliation

KEY FINDINGS

The research assessed 18 prime international locations for international journey (together with america) throughout 4 weighted classes: 1) Nationwide Management, 2) Model & Product, 3) Identification, Safety & Facilitation and 4) Journey & Connectivity. The U.S. notably underperformed within the classes of Nationwide Management and Identification, Safety & Facilitation.

— Supply: U.S. Journey Affiliation

Nationwide Management

The U.S. ranked final when it comes to authorities management on travel-related points and the power of its nationwide journey technique. Most prime markets have a minister of tourism; the U.S. has an Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Journey and Tourism place, however the position has not but been stuffed or absolutely funded by Congress. The U.S. has few particular federal insurance policies and little funding to extend inbound visitation.

Different international locations like Canada have sturdy nationwide methods to spice up journey spending, enhance customer experiences and spotlight lesser-known locations by way of key partnerships.

The U.S. scored extremely within the journey promotion class thanks partly to the effectiveness of Model USA and sturdy emergency funding offered by Congress in 2022.

Model & Product

The U.S. is a extremely desired vacation spot, with numerous merchandise and a robust model identification amongst worldwide vacationers. The World Financial Discussion board Security and Safety Pillar—which considers varied elements such because the prevalence of violence and crime—was used to rank the security class, inserting the U.S. towards the underside.

Identification, Safety & Facilitation

Extreme customer visa interview wait instances, which strategy a median of 400 days in prime supply markets, positioned the U.S. final on this important class. The U.S. additionally ranks unfavorably when it comes to the variety of international locations it permits for visa-free journey, granting the privilege to solely 42 nations—far behind the U.Okay., which permits 102 international locations visa-free journey.

The U.S. ranked in the course of the pack on biometric safety screening capabilities, with solely 36% of U.S. worldwide airports using each biometric entry and exit programs. The know-how is severely underutilized in comparison with different nations, although a majority of People are comfy with biometric screening if it leads to a extra environment friendly air journey expertise.

Prolonged Customs wait instances upon arrival into america, mixed with an outdated home airport safety screening course of for a lot of vacationers, additional resulted in poor rankings for safety and facilitation. In the meantime, there are clear examples of different international locations evolving their safety screening processes—like leveraging know-how to take away liquid bans on flights—to be extra environment friendly and globally aggressive.

Journey & Connectivity

The U.S. ranks on the prime of the worldwide air connectivity community, serving as a serious world hub for direct and connecting flights.

ECONOMIC IMPACT

There’s severe financial threat in failing to handle inadequacies throughout the U.S. journey system. In response to an evaluation by Tourism Economics:

When a brand new each day worldwide flight (Boeing 787-10) can’t be accommodated as a result of Customs and Border Safety staffing shortages, the U.S. economic system loses as much as $227 million per yr.
The inefficient aviation safety screening course of might deter American vacationers from as many as three million home journeys this yr, leading to spending losses of $7.4 billion.
The U.S. dangers dropping 39 million guests and $150 billion in spending over the subsequent 10 years as a result of extreme customer visa wait instances.

Nevertheless, there are alternatives to facilitate development.

In 2024, the U.S. might acquire 2.4 million extra guests if the market have been unconstrained by visa wait instances.
Increasing the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) can be a big software in boosting competitiveness.

The 5 international locations added to this system from 2008 to 2014 skilled a 52% acquire in visitation to the U.S. over the primary three years.
Visits to the U.S. from South Korea elevated by 60% by its third yr within the VWP and visits from Slovakia surged 70% over the primary three years in this system.

SEAMLESS AND SECURE TRAVEL COMMISSION

At the side of the brand new Euromonitor evaluation, U.S. Journey right now launched a solutions-oriented Seamless and Safe Journey Fee, chaired by former Performing Secretary of the U.S. Division of Homeland Safety Kevin McAleenan.

The fee—comprised of former authorities officers and personal sector consultants—is tasked with making a imaginative and prescient and making coverage suggestions to modernize the journey expertise, enhance U.S. competitiveness and facilitate development. The fee plans to launch its coverage suggestions in autumn 2024.

Confirmed fee members (as of January 11):

Kevin McAleenan, Former Performing Secretary of Homeland Safety; Former Commissioner & Deputy Commissioner, U.S. Customs & Border Safety

Shawn Kinder, International Company Growth and Technique Director, Ferrovial Airports

Stewart Baker, Former Common Counsel, Nationwide Safety Company; Former Assistant Secretary for Coverage, U.S. Division of Homeland Safety

John Pistole, Former Administrator, Transportation Safety Administration

Lucy Chadwick, Former Director Common, Worldwide, Safety & Atmosphere Group, U.Okay. Division for Transport

Patty Cogswell, Former Deputy Administrator, Transportation Safety Administration

John Sanders, Former Performing Commissioner & Chief Working Officer, U.S. Customs & Border Safety; Former Assistant Administrator, Chief Know-how Officer, Transportation Safety Administration

Martha Bárcena Coqui, Former Mexican Ambassador to america

Michael Huerta, Former Administrator, Federal Aviation Administration

Seth Stodder, Former Assistant Secretary for Borders, Immigration & Commerce Coverage, U.S. Division of Homeland Safety

John Holland Kaye, Former CEO of Heathrow Airport

The U.S. can now not sit out of the race to modernize journey, stated Freeman. As we speak’s scenario is a long time within the making. It’s time the U.S. authorities collectively will get severe about establishing a metrics-based plan to assert our spot as the highest vacation spot on the planet, which pays dividends for many years to return.

Abstract report right here.
Full report right here.

About U.S. Journey Affiliation

U.S. Journey Affiliation is the nationwide, non-profit group representing the $1.2 trillion journey business, a vital contributor to our nation’s economic system and success. U.S. Journey produces applications and insights and advocates for insurance policies to extend journey to and inside america. Go to ustravel.org for info and recovery-related knowledge.

Greg Staley
U.S. Journey Affiliation