January 2026 International Visitor Spending
U.S. Travel and Tourism Exports and Imports in January 2026
Data recently released by the National Travel and Tourism Office (NTTO) show that in January 2026:
- International visitors spent more than $20.9 billion on travel to, and tourism-related activities within, the United States during the month of January, a decrease of 3 percent when compared to January 2025.
- Americans spent nearly $23.1 billion traveling abroad during January (up 7% compared to last year), yielding a $2.2 billion balance of trade deficit (exports minus imports) for the month.
Composition of Monthly Spending (Travel Exports)
Travel Spending
- Purchases of travel and tourism-related goods and services by international visitors traveling in the United States totaled $11.7 billion during January 2026 (compared to $12.1 billion in January 2025), down 3 percent when compared to the previous year. These goods and services include food, lodging, recreation, gifts, entertainment, local transportation in the United States, and other items incidental to foreign travel.
- Travel receipts accounted for 56 percent of total U.S. travel and tourism exports in January 2026.
- Purchases of travel and tourism-related goods and services by international visitors traveling in the United States totaled $11.7 billion during January 2026 (compared to $12.1 billion in January 2025), down 3 percent when compared to the previous year. These goods and services include food, lodging, recreation, gifts, entertainment, local transportation in the United States, and other items incidental to foreign travel.
Passenger Fare Receipts
- Fares received by U.S. carriers from international visitors totaled $3.2 billion in January 2026, relatively unchanged (+0.2%) when compared to January 2025. These receipts represent expenditures by foreign residents on international flights provided by U.S. air carriers.
- Passenger fare receipts accounted for 15 percent of total U.S. travel and tourism exports during January.
- Fares received by U.S. carriers from international visitors totaled $3.2 billion in January 2026, relatively unchanged (+0.2%) when compared to January 2025. These receipts represent expenditures by foreign residents on international flights provided by U.S. air carriers.
Medical/Education/Short-Term Worker Spending
- Expenditures for educational and health-related tourism, along with all expenditures by border, seasonal, and other short-term workers in the United States totaled $6.0 billion in January 2026 (compared to $6.3 billion in January 2025), a decrease of 4 percent when compared to the previous year.
- Medical tourism, education, and short-term worker expenditures accounted for 29 percent of total U.S. travel and tourism exports in January 2026.
- Expenditures for educational and health-related tourism, along with all expenditures by border, seasonal, and other short-term workers in the United States totaled $6.0 billion in January 2026 (compared to $6.3 billion in January 2025), a decrease of 4 percent when compared to the previous year.