74 million Americans traveled internationally in 2015. That’s a 9 percent increase over 2014, and the fourth year in a row to see an increase. Of those, 33 million Americans went “overseas,” that is, not to either Mexico or Canada, which still remained the most popular destinations.
New York, Miami, Atlanta, Los Angeles, and Newark led the way for departure points. Fifty-three percent of travelers said they were going for vacation, while only 10 percent were traveling for business.
What does this mean? For one, it means that the travel industry is continuing to grow, which is a good sign economically. The fact that more people traveling likely means that more people can afford to travel, even if that’s just because they’re taking advantage of cheap fares or other good deals.
It also means that people aren’t afraid to travel, although fear of traveling might have been a more realistic concern following the 9/11 attacks of 2001.
This steady increase in international travel implies that Americans are showing a greater interest in the world at large. Mexico accounted for 28.7 million travelers, while Canada saw 12.5 million, the United Kingdom 2.9 million, the Dominican Republic 2.8 million, and France saw 2.4 million. That leaves about 24.7 million people choosing to visit less obvious destinations such as Thailand.
Before we pat ourselves on the back too much, we need to remember that 74 million Americans is only a little bit more than 20 percent of the population, meaning that there are still many more people who didn’t travel internationally during 2015.
It would be a great idea for all of us who love international travel to encourage others to do the same. As we know, it really opens our eyes to the rest of the world and gives us a perspective we never would have had if we hadn’t ever left the United States.
Do you encourage people to travel? Have you helped them find a way to travel? Please share your thoughts on how travel has expanded your horizons.