U.S. tourism surges to historic highs, smaller markets set for growth

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America’s less traveled destinations looking for their piece of the tourism revenue pie

Writer: Mirella Franzese

The U.S. is the No. 1? tourism and travel market in the world, beating China, Germany,?Japan, and the U.K., according to a report from the The World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC). U.S. travel has also surpassed pre-pandemic levels with the tourism sector making the largest contribution to the national GDP ever recorded in history.??

Tourism spending alone is expected to generate $2.5 trillion this year, which represents 9% of the U.S. economy. The top markets for travel and hospitality are vibrant metropolitan centers, such as New York, Miami, Orlando and San Francisco, which rank among the 10 most popular destinations for visitors according to FareGarage.?

However, with $265 billion in revenue expected by 2029 from the travel and tourism sectors, America’s less traveled destinations are partnering with government agencies in a national push for greater equity in the tourism space. From Plymouth, Massachusetts to St. Paul, Minnesota, to Jacksonville, Florida, some of those locations are actively working to claim a piece of the tourism revenue.????

The preservation of history is one of the key strategies for attracting visitors in the state of Massachusetts, Lea Filson, president and CEO of See Plymouth, told Invest:. “History is generally what draws tourists because Massachusetts itself is literally the foundation of the United States. We have a Historic Cultural District where our arts thrive, our history thrives, and where the restaurants and attractions are…. We have everything from an authentic tea room to a living history museum as well as many unique experiences for families.”??

Click here to read the full article.

Top image via See Plymouth

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