Travel Trends - August 2008

INTL. VISITS UP 11% IN FIRST 6 MONTHS OF 2008. The Department of Commerce said that 23.9 million international visitors traveled to the U.S. during the first six months of 2008, an increase of 11% over the same period in 2007. In June, total visitation was 4.0 million, an increase of 8% over June 2007. International visitors spent $69.9 billion from January through June, an increase over the first half of 2007. Overseas arrivals increased 10% year-to-date. Visitation from overseas markets has grown for 14 consecutive months. Canadian visitation grew 17% year-to-date, while arrivals from Mexico, traveling to interior U.S. points, increased 1% during the first six months of 2008. Details at 202-482-0150. (Special to TA)

--Reflecting the deepening downturn in tourism, the occupancy rate at Hawaii's hotels tumbled to a 10-year low in July, with the high-end market taking the biggest hit. Average hotel occupancy fell to 74.2% in July, down 6.5 percentage points from the same month a year ago, It was the fifth consecutive monthly decline and marked the lowest occupancy rate for any July since 1998 when it was 73,6%, according to a report released this week by Hospitality Advisors LLC, an industry consulting firm. The report showed average daily room rates declined by 0.8% to $211.53. The figures reflect a 14.1% drop in July visitor arrivals reported earlier by the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism. (www.HonoluluAdvertiser.com/Business, 9/10)

--For the seventh straight month, Nevada's casinos amassed less revenue than they did a year earlier. The Nevada Gaming Control Board reported that gaming revenue fell 13% in July, as casinos collected $997.3 million, compared with $1.15 billion in July 2007. On the Las Vegas Strip, July gaming revenue fell 14.7%, from $608.4 million to $519.2 million. (www.TravelWeekly.com, 9/10)

--A new study paid for by Central Florida's biggest tourism bureau says that visitors to Orlando spent a combined $31.1 billion in 2007. That was up 4.7% from 2006. Domestic travelers made up 94% of the total number of visitors to the region but accounted for 82% of visitor spending of $25.6 billion. International travelers made up just 6% of the visitors but 18% of visitor spending, or $5.5 billion. The study was conducted by Global Insight Inc. for the Orlando/Orange County Convention & Visitors Bureau. (www.Orlando Sentinel.com/Business, 9/10)

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As someone from outside the US, your financial situation has definitley prompted me to consider a holiday there - our economy is in relatively good shape (considering our recent floods and other disasters) so I think this will pick up as other contries continue to bounce back.