U.S. remains number one source of tourists to Europe, China and Mexico

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The number of U.S. tourists visiting European countries is expected to rise by 1.6 percent this year, while arrivals from China and Mexico will decline, according to a recent survey by the UN World Tourism Organization.

The report, which is part of a larger report on the economic impact of tourism, surveyed more than 16,000 tourists and around 800 tourism companies across the world, and found that the U.S. still remains the biggest source of tourists, receiving a 6.2 percent market share in 2018. But more companies are turning their marketing efforts towards Asia, and more European countries are wooing U.S. tourists back.

The United Kingdom saw the largest increase in international arrivals, with a 10.4 percent growth rate and could welcome back over 1 million American tourists this year, following Britain’s decision to leave the European Union. France, Italy, and Spain, meanwhile, all increased their annual returns by 3.3 percent, and are targeting Chinese tourists.

In Mexico, the biggest source of tourist revenue, arrivals grew by only 4.2 percent, with Mexican tourists heading to Florida and Texas. But although arrivals from China will decline slightly, the country’s market share is still expected to grow by 2.1 percent.

Mexico will host the Summer Olympics this year, and the country’s tourism chiefs are hoping that the influx of visitors to Rio de Janeiro can be channeled toward the host of those games, and not into Mexico. Last year, Mexico achieved the country’s best ever response to a World Tourism Organization survey on number of international arrivals, with exports of 4.6 million international tourists, one million more than 2016.

Read the full story at CNBC.

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