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Most Americans have traveled abroad, although differences among demographic groups are large

Americans are gradually returning to international travel, though international travel restrictions remain in place in many countries.

In March 2021 – the most recent month for which data is available – around 3 million American citizens traveled outside of the country. This is shy of the nearly 4 million U.S. citizens who traveled abroad in March 2020 as the coronavirus pandemic unfolded and far below the roughly 8 million who did so in March 2019, according to U.S. Department of Commerce data . But it represents a significant uptick over the low point in the late spring of 2020, when only around 1 million Americans or fewer left the United States. Still, international travel by Americans remains far below pre-pandemic levels.

To provide context for the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on international travel, this post looks at the habits of Americans when it comes to who most frequently goes abroad, as well as those groups in the U.S. who have been less likely to do so. To do this, we analyzed I-92 data from the International Air Travel Statistics Program at the U.S. Department of Commerce. This data includes all flights in and out of the U.S. and reports the total volume of air traffic as well as the number of U.S. citizens traveling. 

The post also uses findings from a Pew Research Center survey conducted June 14-27, 2021. The survey sampled 10,606 adults who are part of the Center’s American Trends Panel (ATP), an online survey panel that is recruited through national, random sampling of residential addresses. This way nearly all U.S. adults have a chance of selection. The survey is weighted to be representative of the U.S. adult population by gender, race, ethnicity, partisan affiliation, education and other categories. Read more about the ATP’s methodology .

Here are the questions used for the report, along with responses, and its methodology .

Whether before or during the pandemic, international travel is something a 71% majority of U.S. adults have done at some point in their lives, according to a June Pew Research Center survey. By contrast, around a quarter (27%) have not traveled abroad.

Still, the degree to which Americans have traveled around the globe varies widely: 19% have been to only one foreign country, 12% to two countries, 15% to three or four countries, and 14% to five to nine countries. Only 11% of Americans have been to 10 or more countries.

Who travels – and how much – also differs substantially across demographic groups. Income plays a decided role: Almost half (48%) of those earning less than $30,000 a year have not left the country, compared with 28% of those who earn between $30,000 and $79,999 a year and 10% of those earning $80,000 or more. These highest earners are also significantly more likely to have visited multiple countries.

Americans with lower levels of education are much less likely to have traveled widely than those with more schooling. For example, 37% of those with just some college education or less have not left the country, compared with only 7% of those who have graduated college. College graduates are also more likely to have been to multiple countries: A quarter have been to 10 or more countries. 

Women (32%) are more likely than men (22%) to have never traveled outside the country. Men, for their part, are much more likely than women to have been to five or more countries (30% vs. 22%). Still, men and women are equally likely to have been to only one country. 

Black Americans are much less likely to have ever traveled abroad (49%) than White (75%) or Hispanic Americans (73%). White adults are also more likely to have been to five or more countries (30%) than Black (13%) or Hispanic (15%) adults.

When it comes to party affiliation, there are no significant differences in the share of Republicans and Democrats who have traveled internationally or in the number of countries they have visited.

The 64% of Americans who say they are at least somewhat interested in keeping up to date on foreign affairs or foreign policy are much more likely to have traveled abroad at some point in their lives than those who say they have limited or no interest. They are also more likely to have been to many countries. For example, 32% of those who are interested in foreign affairs or foreign policy have been to at least five foreign countries, compared with 14% who are less focused on keeping up to date on foreign affairs.

Note: Here are the questions used for the report, along with responses, and its methodology .

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NTTO Releases New Data Visualization Tool

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Home » Budget Travel » International Travel Statistics: Facts and Trends for 2024

International Travel Statistics: Facts and Trends for 2024

Every year, millions of tourists jet off to different parts of the planet in search of new experiences and lands unseen. Global tourism is a humongous industry – we’re talking trillions of dollars, millions of jobs, and thousands of attractions in every country around the world!

With international travel being such a Big Deal , there’s lots of interesting stuff to look into. So, that’s exactly what our mission here is today!

What are the most visited countries in the world? What nationalities travel the most? All the questions you never even knew you needed answers for – they’re all here.

I’ve dug up some cool travel and world tourism statistics. We’ll be looking at the most popular travel destinations around the world, international air traffic, travel styles, and more.

In addition, I wanted to find out some more stuff about the future trends of international travel statistics. No spoilers, but one of the biggest current directions of the international tourism market might start with the prefix “eco”.

So, without further ado, let’s find out what we can find out!

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A Quick Look at International Travel Statistics

Top statistics about international travel, what’s coming – future trends in international travel, international travel – with more destinations to come.

Look, I get it – maybe numbers and figures are just not your thing. That’s fine! 

Do hang out for a bit, though. For folks like you, or just people who like spoilers, I’ve compiled a little list of the main facts. Here are some highlights of international travel statistics:

• International tourism makes up 10% of the global GDP
• The country with the most international tourists is China
• The most visited countries are France, Spain, and the US
• 4 out of 5 international tourists travel within their own region
• Bangkok is the world’s most internationally visited city
• 70% of all passenger flights fly to Europe, Asia, or the Pacific
• Eco is in: 83% of travellers consider sustainability important
• 84% of millenials would travel abroad to volunteer
• 61% of travellers say that the pandemic has made them want to travel more sustainably

Maybe that little list has awakened your appetite for facts… Or maybe you just enjoy reading statistics on travelling in your free time. In that case, follow me as we dive deeper into the world of international tourism statistics!

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Global travel and tourism make up a whopping 10% of the global GDP, and every 10th job worldwide is directly or indirectly tied to the industry [4a]. (Some travellers even end up in travel jobs themselves!)

In 2018, there were about 1.4 billion international arrivals (although this is not clearly comparable to the actual number of travellers – many international tourists would be travelling multiple times) [5]. That figure was already an increase from the previous year, so the real number would have definitely been even higher by 2020 when the pandemic hit.

For a funzies comparison: in 1950, there were 25 million international arrivals and 435 million in 1990. [5]

Some nationals are also more diligent travellers than others. In 2017, the Chinese were the biggest group of tourists abroad with 143 million trips. They were followed by Germany (92m), the US (87.8m) and the UK (74.2m). [5]

So, international travel has been experiencing a massive boom in the last decades as methods of travelling and information have become more widely available, cheaper, and safer. And there really isn’t a reason why it might be slowing down in the upcoming years – vice versa actually.

Now, let’s take a peek at some features of international travel statistics.

Who Travels Where?

There’s something to see in every country and region of the world. But which countries are the fan favourites? Which are the best-loved, most-travelled, super-favourite countries of all time? Here are some fun leisure travel statistics.

The list probably doesn’t come as a huge surprise. Here were the top 10 most visited countries in the world in 2019: [1]

• France – 90.0 million international visitors
• Spain – 83.7 million
• United States – 79.3 million
• China – 65.7 million
• Italy – 64.5 million
• Turkey – 51.2 million
• Mexico – 45.0 million
• Thailand – 39.8 million
• Germany – 39.6 million
• United Kingdom – 39.4 million

These countries have long been on top of travellers’ favourite destinations, and continue to be so. No wonder: they’re all chock-full of things to see – including some of the most famous attractions in the world – and have amazing infrastructure already set up to cater to tourist’s needs.

Plus, according to UNWTO, most travellers – four out of five – travel within their own region.  [5] Considering that the standard of living in Europe is generally high (so people have more money for travelling).

And travelling around Europe is easy, especially on an EU passport. It’s no wonder that Europe and Europeans lead these international tourism statistics.

But as even the more obscure parts of the world become more accessible, there will be some interesting, emerging destinations. 

Skyscanner’s data shows the biggest growth for bookings in different country categories: among popular countries, Argentina and Austria have seen the most increased bookings. In medium-visited places, it’s Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan. And in the least visited destinations, the biggest growth has been for St Maarten and Congo. [6]

Cities vs. Countryside

According to WTTC, about 44% of international tourist arrivals are aimed at cities. They looked at 73 top city destinations around the world and found that these cities’ tourism dollars contribute about 25% of the GDP of the tourism industry.

Moreover, almost half – 45% – of the money spent towards tourism in these cities came from international travellers. [4a] So, the effect of international travel on popular cities is HUGE. 

In 2018, the top five most visited cities in the world were:

• Bangkok, Thailand (22.8 million international tourists)
• Paris, France (19.1 m)
• London, UK (19.09 m)
• Dubai, United Arab Emirates (15.9 m)
• Singapore, Singapore (14.7 m)

This is not a super surprising order. Almost all of these cities are located in countries that were listed as the most visited in the last section.

However, as popular as city travel is, it seems that international visitors are now heading more and more to other destinations too. Travelling in the countryside, camping and hiking are gaining popularity as people are looking for ways to get into nature and avoid other travellers, especially post-pandemic.

Airbnb also notes this new trend and says that travellers are now headed towards more rural destinations than before. Tourists are more scattered. No more do people only congregate to the most popular places on the planet.

This kind of mindset shift is also thanks to widespread news about over-tourism . The tourists of today are more mindful of their impact than before and make conscious decisions to avoid places that suffer from over-tourism. [11]

More on sustainable travel later, though…

Up in the Air: International Air Travel Statistics

Let’s talk about international air travel statistics. For many travellers, finding a cheap flight is the easiest way to jetset off to an international holiday.

Just to note, I’ve mostly dug up data from 2019 here. They have still published reports during the pandemic but obviously it isn’t very representative of the “normal” airline industry.

For example, pandemic-time searches showed that people were booking less international trips, shorter (distance) trips for longer times, and favoured airlines with very high health and safety ratings. Lots of the data is muddled by people travelling to visit family and friends rather than for leisure.

In 2019, there were about 4,500 million international passengers in airline traffic. This number has been on a steady rise for years, even after events like 9/11 or the financial crisis. [8]

The most popular destinations in international flight traffic are clearly Europe and Asia/Pacific. In 2019, air traffic to these two destinations made up about 70% of all international passenger flights.

A total of 856 million international passengers flew to Europe – a huge number, considering the total number of international arrivals to ALL the other continents was 994 million. The Asia/Pacific area was a good second with 496 million passengers. Africa had the least international arrivals: 74 million. [8]

The rise of budget airlines has definitely helped a lot more people get out there, travelling internationally. Travellers are also taking advantage of different price options for flights. On long-distance flights, more tourists booked Premium Economy fares than First, Business, and Economy class.

However, on shorter flights, while Economy is still the most popular option, searches for first-class tickets have risen. [6] This is probably due to travellers wanting to be comfortable on their flight – but over-the-top comfort is not necessary.

On shorter flights, more people might be booking first-class because it is still relatively affordable since flight prices, in general, would be lower. [6] My guess as to why Premium Economy and similar are also gaining popularity is due to airlines’ luggage fees – especially budget airlines charge pretty large fees for extra baggage.

So, international travel is definitely going to keep growing and growing. People will keep travelling – there’s no surprise there. But what else is there to be expected in the international travel market?

More Sustainable Than Before

With growing concerns about climate change and the general state of woke-ness of the world in 2024, eco-travel is IN, in a big way! Statistics on travelling show that travellers appreciate being able to traipse the world while leaving a positive impact by supporting sustainable travel.

There’s clearly a demand for eco-friendly accommodation options. In a Condor Ferries survey, over half (58%) of the respondents said that they chose their hotels depending on if they gave back to the community and helped the planet. 

Similarly, a whole 70% of travellers said they’d be more likely to book accommodation if they knew it was eco-friendly. [2]

Similarly, when Booking.com asked its customers about sustainability, 83% of travellers thought that sustainability is essential. Almost half of them thought that, even now, there aren’t enough sustainable travel options.

3 out of 4 accommodation providers say that they have environmentally friendly practices in place. But only 1 in 3 out of them are actively marketing this info to potential customers. [3]

Unfortunately, though, only 7% of global travellers said they’d be willing to pay $10-$15 extra per night for environmentally friendly accommodation. [2]

So, even though it seems that travellers are more than willing to support eco-friendly travel, they’re not ready to foot the bill that comes with it. Eco is THE keyword for holiday accommodation now.

In the future, tourism operators are gonna have to figure out how to either provide eco-experiences for a lower price or make the environmentally friendly, more expensive service so attractive that people won’t mind paying the difference.

Or maybe the time for change is now – two-thirds of global travellers say that COVID-19 has made them want to travel more sustainably . Half have started new environmentally friendly habits at home. [3]

Giving Back to the Community – Travellers First

Voluntourism , ergo travelling abroad to volunteer somewhere, has become an increasingly interesting option, especially for the young travellers of today. Travellers are more aware of their impact on the destination – as well as the emissions their international travels cause

They are more eager to give back than before. In a 2015 survey, 84% of millennials, 68% of Gen X-ers, and 51% of Baby Boomers said that they would travel internationally to volunteer. [9]

In general, the tourists of today want more authentic, local experiences. This is all part of sustainable travel: tourists that are looking to travel on a more local level more easily become aware of grassroots issues in the destination. Tourists don’t want just experiences: they want to make connections. [9]

Post-Covid Travel: A Question Mark

World tourism statistics 2020 look pretty grim.

When the pandemic hit, the international travel industry took a massive smack in the face. Airline passenger traffic was cut in half. [8] In 2020, the tourism industry lost about $4.5 trillion USD, and about 62 million tourism-related jobs were lost. [1] 

The travel industry was, without a doubt, one of the sectors that was hit the hardest by COVID-19. But we’re climbing back, babey! Experts expect the travel industry to keep growing in the next few years. The pandemic might have slowed down international travel but I think it’s FAR from over.

Quite opposite – I think that once people are able to travel freely again, there’ll be an absolute boom in travel. People are sick of staying in their homes and feeling anxious about the state of the world. Many are looking forward to hitting the road and experiencing something new – now even more than ever.

Tourists will probably continue to be a bit cautious for some time, though. Many travellers who would’ve booked international trips before might opt for touring the homeland. About half of global travellers surveyed in 2021 were planning for a domestic holiday in the “next 12 months” [4b].

Not only for safety and money reasons: many people will want to support the tourism operators in their home countries after everything they’ve suffered through. Plus, in a booking.com survey, 61% said that ‘the pandemic has made them want to travel more sustainably in the future’. [3] Plus, being green is easier when you travel locally.

So, there you have it. International travel statistics – with a few survey-backed ideas of what might be to come!

Despite everything, I don’t think it would ever be possible for international travel to just completely stop. People have, and will always, be fascinated by foreign cultures and new experiences. Many are feverishly waiting to get back to the life of travel.

The pandemic has made travellers more aware of their impact on the world. As I’ve already mentioned, travellers think sustainable travel is more important than before , and not only for environment-related reasons.

More people are concerned about the effect of their travels on the local community. Three-quarters want to have an “authentic” travel experience that puts them close to the local life and they think that revenue from tourism should be spread evenly in society [3].

These kinds of ideas combined with the fact that many travellers want to avoid crowded destinations might open the road to even more offbeat destinations. In fact, it’s very likely: statistics on travelling show that over 2 out of 3 people said they wanted to travel off the beaten path on their next trip – 69% (nice). [3]

For international travel to continue and all these new destinations to emerge, a few things are needed. Travel and visa restrictions must be lenient; safety, both COVID-wise and in the general area, must be stable; and the countries must have good travel connections.

It will be interesting to see what’s next for international travel!

[1] World Population Review

[2] Condor Ferries

[3] Booking.com

[4] WTTC 4a: , 4b:

[5] The Guardian

[6] Skyscanner

[7] UNWTO: 7a, Sustainable Travel

[9] Responsible Travel

[10] Statista

[11] Airbnb

Elina Mattila

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• Number of international tourist arrivals worldwide 1950-2023

The number of international tourist arrivals worldwide increased in 2023 compared to the previous year. That said, it remained still below the figure reported in 2019, before the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. After declining with the onset of the health crisis to roughly 407 million, the lowest figure recorded since 1989, global inbound tourist arrivals showed strong signs of recovery in the following years, totaling just under 1.3 billion in 2023.

Europe is the most popular destination for international tourism

Since 2005, Europe has been the global region attracting the highest number of international tourists . While inbound tourist arrivals in Europe rose significantly in 2023 over the previous year, they did not catch up yet with pre-pandemic levels. Within this region,  Southern and Mediterranean Europe was the most popular area for international tourism , recording around 265 million arrivals in 2022.

How big is the global travel and tourism market?

According to Statista Mobility Market Insights, the global travel and tourism market's revenue - including hotels, package holidays, vacation rentals, and camping - amounted to nearly 860 million U.S. dollars in 2023, recovering from the impact of COVID-19. When breaking down  travel and tourism's revenue worldwide by sales channels , it emerges that the online channel generated over two-third of the global transactions' value that year.

Number of international tourist arrivals worldwide from 1950 to 2023 (in millions)

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1950 to 2023

Data prior to 2011 were previously published by the source.

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Statistics on " Tourism worldwide "

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The latest travel data.

MONTHLY INSIGHTS March 04, 2024

U.S. Travel has temporarily paused our monthly data newsletter, however, the latest travel data is still available via the U.S. Travel Insights Dashboard . This dashboard is updated each month (member login required).

The U.S. Travel Insights Dashboard , developed in collaboration with Tourism Economics, is supported by more than 20 data sources. The dashboard is the most comprehensive and centralized source for high-frequency intelligence on the U.S. travel industry, tracking industry performance, travel volumes and predictive indicators of recovery including air and lodging forecasts, DMO website traffic, convention and group trends, travel spending and losses, traveler sentiment, among others to measure the health of the industry.

Key Highlights January 2024:

• Travel appetite started the year on a softer note, but overall growth continued. Air passenger growth remained positive, up 6% versus the prior year but lower than the double-digit growth seen through 2023. Foreign visits remained strong, up 24% YoY.
• Hotel room demand continued a trend of slight contraction falling 1% versus the prior year, while short-term rental demand grew 1%, a lower rate than 2023.
• A particular bright spot was that group room demand within the top 25 markets displayed solid growth of 9% relative to the prior year.
• The outlook for the economy remains fairly optimistic due to the strength of the labor market, looser financial conditions and healthy household and nonfinancial corporate balance sheets. This has filtered through to slightly higher consumer sentiment in February.
• Sentiment is also growing for upcoming leisure travel in 2024. The share of travelers reporting having travel plans within the next six months increased to 93% in January from 92% in December, according to Longwoods International’s monthly survey.
• Travel price inflation (TPI) fell slightly in January as a result of falling transportation prices. Sticky services inflation should see relief from decelerating wage growth. However, upside risks stem from rising healthcare costs, supply chain disruptions and slowing labor supply. Source: U.S. Travel Association and Tourism Economics

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Additional monthly insights are available through the full U.S. Travel Monthly Data Report, exclusive to members. Please inquire with  membership  if you are interested in learning about becoming a member of U.S. Travel Association. 

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Overseas Arrivals and Departures, Australia

Statistics on international travel arriving in and departing from Australia.

• Next Release 14/05/2024 Overseas Arrivals and Departures, Australia, March 2024
• Next Release 12/06/2024 Overseas Arrivals and Departures, Australia, April 2024
• Next Release 12/07/2024 Overseas Arrivals and Departures, Australia, May 2024
• View all releases
• Overseas Arrivals and Departures, Australia Reference Period January 2024
• Overseas Arrivals and Departures, Australia Reference Period December 2023
• Overseas Arrivals and Departures, Australia Reference Period November 2023

Key statistics

In February 2024:

• Short-term visitor arrivals: 857,950 – an annual increase of 257,240 trips
• Short-term resident returns: 775,630 – an annual increase of 136,060 trips
• Total arrivals: 1,786,650 – an annual increase of 411,140 
• Total departures: 1,491,730 – an annual increase of 423,320

These statistics report on the number of international border crossings rather than the number of people. Most data in this release are rounded to the nearest 10. As a result, sums of components may not add exactly to totals.

Overseas Migration Statistics

This release presents statistics on all overseas arrivals and departures, which is not the same as overseas migration statistics.

If you are looking for ABS statistics on overseas migration, please refer to:

• Overseas Migration ;
• National, state and territory population .

Arrivals and departures

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• Provisional data for the most recent month has not had the full quality assurance methods applied as is done for the earlier months. Provisional data will be revised in the next issue of this publication.
• Provisional data for the most recent month has not had the full quality assurance methods applied as is done for the earlier months. Provisional estimates will be revised in the next issue of this publication.
• Category of travel data is not available from provisional estimates.
• Permanent arrivals (settlers) comprise: travellers who hold permanent visas, New Zealand citizens who indicate on their passenger card an intention to migrate permanently, and those who are otherwise identified as eligible to settle.
• Australian resident includes Australian citizens, permanent visa holders residing in Australia, and any New Zealand citizens who can be identified as a resident.
• An overseas visitor is any traveller arriving to, or departing from, Australia who is not an Australian resident.

Note: Long-term are travellers who have been away or in Australia for 12 months or more. Short-term are travellers who have been away or in Australia for less than 12 months.

Visitor arrivals - short-term

Compares international visitor arrivals each month by source country and change at the state and territory level. Analysis in this section is undertaken on short-term trips (less than 1 year).

For visitor arrivals to Australia:

• A total of 857,950 short-term trips were recorded, an increase of 257,240 compared with the corresponding month of the previous year.
• The number of trips for February 2024 was 7.5% lower than the pre-COVID level in February 2019.
• China was the largest source country, accounting for 18% of all visitor arrivals.

Countries where visitors came from

The three leading source countries where visitors came from were:

• China (149,770 trips)
• New Zealand (105,970)
• The USA (82,790).
• Top 10 source countries based on month ending February 2024.
• Excludes SARs and Taiwan.

State or territory of stay

All travellers are asked their intended address in Australia upon arrival. For February 2024, the highest number of visitor arrivals for short-term trips was observed for New South Wales (352,320), whilst the Northern Territory recorded the fewest (3,380).

2.3 Short-term visitor arrivals, state or territory of stay - February 2024

This map presents the number of short-term visitor arrivals in Australia in February 2024, by their state of intended stay.

- New South Wales (352,320) - Victoria (238,270) - Queensland (139,620) - South Australia (24,390) - Western Australia (78,250) - Tasmania (9,990) - Northern Territory (3,380) - Australian Capital Territory (11,620).

• Includes Other Territories.

Visitor arrivals - state and territory

Compares international visitor arrivals each month by source country for each state and territory. Analyses in this section are undertaken on short-term trips (less than 1 year) unless otherwise stated.

New South Wales

For visitor arrivals to New South Wales:

• There were 352,320 short-term visitor arrivals, an increase of 105,300 compared with the corresponding month of the previous year.
• The number of trips for February 2024 was 1.4% lower than pre-COVID levels in February 2019.

The three leading source countries for New South Wales were:

• China (67,160 trips)
• The USA (46,700)
• New Zealand (38,250).

Long-term visitor arrivals

For visitors arriving in New South Wales for a long-term trip (1 year or more):

• There were 40,110 arrivals, an increase of 4,150 compared with the corresponding month of the previous year.
• The number of trips for February 2024 was 25.8% higher than pre-COVID levels in February 2019.

For visitor arrivals to Victoria:

• There were 238,270 short-term visitor arrivals, an increase of 83,700 compared with the corresponding month of the previous year.
• The number of trips for February 2024 was 8% lower than pre-COVID levels in February 2019.

The three leading source countries for Victoria were:

• China (50,240 trips)
• New Zealand (32,610)
• The USA (17,150).

For visitors arriving in Victoria for a long-term trip (1 year or more):

• There were 40,550 arrivals, an increase of 4,640 compared with the corresponding month of the previous year.
• The number of trips for February 2024 was 22.9% higher than pre-COVID levels in February 2019.

For visitor arrivals to Queensland:

• There were 139,620 short-term visitor arrivals, an increase of 39,580 compared with the corresponding month of the previous year.
• The number of trips for February 2024 was 15.5% lower than pre-COVID levels in February 2019.

The three leading source countries for Queensland were:

• New Zealand (25,180 trips)
• China (16,990)
• Japan (16,940).

For visitors arriving in Queensland for a long-term trip (1 year or more):

• There were 16,100 arrivals, an increase of 1,350 compared with the corresponding month of the previous year.
• The number of trips for February 2024 was 29% higher than pre-COVID levels in February 2019.

South Australia

For visitor arrivals to South Australia:

• There were 24,390 short-term visitor arrivals, an increase of 3,470 compared with the corresponding month of the previous year.
• The number of trips for February 2024 was 19.4% lower than pre-COVID levels in February 2019.

The three leading source countries for South Australia were:

• China (3,600 trips)
• The UK (2,750)
• The USA (2,180).

For visitors arriving in South Australia for a long-term trip (1 year or more):

• There were 7,340 arrivals, an increase of 190 compared with the corresponding month of the previous year.
• The number of trips for February 2024 was 47% higher than pre-COVID levels in February 2019.

Western Australia

For visitor arrivals to Western Australia:

• There were 78,250 short-term visitor arrivals, an increase of 20,650 compared with the corresponding month of the previous year.
• The number of trips for February 2024 was 5.1% lower than pre-COVID levels in February 2019.

The three leading source countries for Western Australia were:

• The UK (14,130 trips)
• China (6,860)
• Singapore (6,750).

a. Top 10 source countries based on month ending February 2024. b. Excludes SARs and Taiwan.

For visitors arriving in Western Australia for a long-term trip (1 year or more):

• There were 14,000 arrivals, an increase of 1,850 compared with the corresponding month of the previous year.
• The number of trips for February 2024 was 76.8% higher than pre-COVID levels in February 2019.

For visitor arrivals to Tasmania:

• There were 9,990 short-term visitor arrivals, an increase of 1,810 compared with the corresponding month of the previous year.
• The number of trips for February 2024 was 24.7% lower than pre-COVID levels in February 2019.

The three leading source countries for Tasmania were:

• New Zealand (1,630 trips)
• The USA (1,260)
• China (940).

For visitors arriving in Tasmania for a long-term trip (1 year or more):

• There were 1,150 arrivals, a decrease of 80 compared with the corresponding month of the previous year.
• The number of trips for February 2024 was 13.7% lower than pre-COVID levels in February 2019.  

Northern Territory

For visitor arrivals to the Northern Territory:

• There were 3,380 short-term visitor arrivals, an increase of 550 compared with the corresponding month of the previous year.
• The number of trips for February 2024 was 33.8% lower than pre-COVID levels in February 2019.  

The three leading source countries for the Northern Territory were:

• The USA (760 trips)
• India (220)
• Indonesia (200).

For visitors arriving in the Northern Territory for a long-term trip (1 year or more):

• There were 980 arrivals, an increase of 70 compared with the corresponding month of the previous year.
• The number of trips for February 2024 was 58.3% higher than pre-COVID levels in February 2019.

Australian Capital Territory

For visitor arrivals to the Australian Capital Territory:

• There were 11,620 short-term visitor arrivals, an increase of 2,150 compared with the corresponding month of the previous year.

The three leading source countries for the Australian Capital Territory were:

• China (3,790 trips)
• The USA (1,200)
• India (780).

For visitors arriving in the Australian Capital Territory for a long-term trip (1 year or more):

• There were 2,960 arrivals, an increase of 200 compared with the corresponding month of the previous year.
• The number of trips for February 2024 was 3.5% higher than pre-COVID levels in February 2019.

Visitor arrivals - short-term - calendar year 2023

Compares annual international travel arrivals over time by source country, state and territory, age and sex, main reason for journey and median duration of trip. All analysis in this section is done on short-term trips (less than 1 year).

For the most recent analysis by financial year, see the  June 2023 issue of Overseas Arrivals and Departures, Australia .

For visitors arriving in Australia in 2023:

• There were 7,187,430 visitor arrivals, nearly double the previous year
• New Zealand was the largest source country, accounting for 18% of visitors
• The most popular reason for travel was 'holiday' (40%)
• The median duration of stay in Australia was 14 days, down from 18 days in 2022.

Annual visitor arrivals

The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a substantial decline in travel movements due to international border restrictions from March 2020. These restrictions were progressively lifted from 1 November 2021, and by 21 February 2022 Australian borders were reopened to most travellers. 

There were 7,187,430 visitor arrivals in 2023. This is an increase of nearly double on the previous year, up from 3,694,380.

Visitor arrivals have increased since international border restrictions were removed in November 2021, but remain lower than pre-COVID levels back in 2019. The number of arrivals in December 2022 was 60% of the same period in 2019, and by December 2023 had increased to 81% of the 2019 level. The total number of visitor arrivals in 2023 was 76% of the number recorded in 2019. 

Visitor arrivals to Australia have generally been increasing over recent decades, with a continuous increase in the ten-year period ending 2019. However, due to the impact of COVID-19, a substantial decline was observed from February 2020 onwards. Since November 2021, visitor arrivals have been increasing as border restrictions were progressively lifted.

Peaks were seen during the:

• Brisbane Expo in 1988
• Sydney Olympics in 2000
• Easing of COVID-19 border restrictions from late 2021.

Decreases were observed during the:

• Asian financial crisis in 1998
• September 11 attacks in the USA in 2001
• Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) outbreak in 2003
• Global Financial Crisis (GFC) in 2008
• Global COVID-19 pandemic starting in 2020. 
• 2001 Sept 11 attacks
• Asian financial crisis

The top five source countries for 2023 were New Zealand, the USA, the UK, China and India.

• Short-term visitor arrivals for all top 5 source countries were higher than the previous year
• New Zealand remained the largest source country for visitor arrivals with 1,272,140 visits
• Arrivals from the USA were the second highest with 659,750 visits

Ten years ago, in 2013, the top five source countries were New Zealand, China, the UK, the USA and Singapore.

• Top 5 source countries based on year ending December 2023.

Visitor arrivals have increased significantly since the easing of travel restrictions in November 2021, but visitor numbers from different countries have recovered at varied rates.

South Korea was the only one of the top 10 source countries in 2023 to exceed pre-COVID levels, reaching 103% of 2019 arrivals. China had the lowest rate of recovery, reaching 37% of 2019 arrivals.

• Top 10 source countries based on year ending December 2023.

All travellers are asked their intended address in Australia upon arrival. 

11.7 Short-term visitor arrivals, state/territory of stay — 2023

This map presents the proportion of short-term visitor arrivals in Australia in 2023, by their intended state or territory of stay:

• NSW (38.4% of all short-term visitors)
• Vic. (25.6%)
• Qld (20.4%)
• Tas. (1.0%)
• ACT (1.3%). 

Ten years ago, in 2013, Victoria had a smaller proportion of visitor arrivals (22.3%) than Queensland (23.5%) and the Northern Territory had a larger proportion (1.2%) than the Australian Capital Territory (1.0%) and Tasmania (0.7%).

All states and territories expect the Northern Territory recorded an overall increase in international visitors in the years prior to 2020. While most states recorded steady annual growth, the Northern Territory and South Australia experienced fluctuations in visitor numbers. All states and territories observed a considerable drop in visitor numbers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Since the easing of travel restrictions in November 2021, visitor arrivals have increased in all states and territories, but have increased towards pre-COVID levels at different rates. In 2023, visitor arrivals to ACT reached 86% of 2019 movements, the highest of any state or territory. Visitor arrivals to the Northern Territory were the lowest, with movements in 2023 reaching 60% of 2019 levels.

The mix of source countries at the state and territory level was different to that at the national level. In 2023:

• New Zealand was the largest source country for visitors to NSW, Vic., Qld, SA and Tas.
• The UK was the largest source country for WA
• The USA was the largest source country of visitors to the NT
• China was the largest source country of visitors to the ACT.

Ten years earlier, in 2013, it was similar, the only difference was that the UK was the leading source country for visitors to SA, and New Zealand was the leading source country for visitors to ACT.

Age and sex

There were more visits to Australia by females than males in 2023 (3,456,860 males compared with 3,730,570 females). In 2013, however, there were more male short-term visitor arrivals than female (3,317,100 males and 3,164,600 females).

In 2023, the median age for male visitors was 41 years, while the median age for female visitors was 42 years. When broken down into five-year age groups, the largest group of visitor arrivals was those aged between 25 and 29 years. New Zealand was the largest source country for this age group, and ‘holiday’ was the most frequently stated reason for journey (42%). In 2013, the median age for male visitors was 40, and the median age for female visitors was 39.

Main reason for journey

Visitors are asked the main reason for their journey upon arrival in Australia.

In 2023, the most frequently stated reasons were:

• ‘Holiday’ (40%)
• ‘Visiting friends/relatives’ (37%)
• ‘Business’ (6.2%).
• As a percentage of all short-term visitor arrivals.

In the pre-COVID period, ‘holiday’ was the most frequently reported reason for journey for visitor arrivals (47% in 2019), but international travel restrictions due to COVID-19 caused a change in travel behaviour. Since the easing of these restrictions, the number of visitors to Australia has increased for all reasons, and ‘holiday’ has returned to the most common (40% in 2023).

Female visitors were more likely than males to record their main reason for journey as 'holiday' or 'visiting friends/relatives'. Male visitors were more likely to record 'business' or 'employment' than female visitors.

• Visiting friends/relatives

Duration of stay

Visitors are asked their intended duration in Australia upon arrival.

During 2023, the median duration of stay in Australia was 14 days. This is a decrease compared to 2022, when the median trip duration was 18 days. In 2019, prior to the pandemic, the median duration of short-term visitor trips was 10 days, but median duration of stay increased during the pandemic.

The median duration varied between the states and territories and between the numerous source countries.

• Top 10 source countries have been calculated at the Australia level.
• Excludes SARs and Taiwan.

In 2023 the median duration by state or territory was:

• Highest in NT at 21 days 
• Lowest for NSW and Qld at 12 days.

Visitors from India recorded a median duration of stay of 61 days, which was the longest of the top 10 countries. This was down from 86 days the year before.

Visitors from Japan recorded for a comparatively shorter stay, with a median duration of 7 days. This was down from 10 days the year before.

The median duration of stay of short-term visitors to Australia also varied by their reported reason for journey. Those travelling for:

• ‘Education’ stayed the longest (152 days)
• ‘Employment’ (147 days)
• ‘Visiting friends/relatives’ (20 days)
• ‘Holiday’ (10 days)
• ‘Convention/conference’ and ‘business’ stayed the shortest (7 days).

Arrivals - international students

Compares international student arrivals each month by visa type.

• In February 2024 there were 175,950 international student arrivals to Australia, an increase of 33,370 students compared with the corresponding month of the previous year.
• The number of student arrivals in February 2024 was 4.3% lower than the pre-COVID levels in February 2019.  
• International student visa holders whether it be for a short-term (less than 1 year) or long-term (1 year or more) duration. This is not the same as when a traveller self reports 'education' as their main reason for journey.
• English Language Intensive Courses for Overseas Students.

Resident returns - short-term

Compares international resident returns each month by destination country and change at the state and territory level. Analysis in this section is undertaken on short-term trips (less than 1 year).

For residents returning from overseas:

• A total of 775,630 short-term trips were recorded, an increase of 136,060 compared with the corresponding month of the previous year.
• The number of trips for February 2024 was 4.0% higher than the pre-COVID level in February 2019.
• New Zealand was the most popular destination country, accounting for 14% of all resident returns.

Destination countries

The three leading destination countries residents returned from were:

• New Zealand (105,970 trips)
• Indonesia (95,610)
• Japan (72,210).

State or territory of residence

All travellers are asked their intended address in Australia upon arrival. For February 2024, the highest number of resident returns from short-term trips was observed for New South Wales (258,540), whilst the Northern Territory recorded the fewest (5,260).

13.3 Short-term resident returns, state or territory of residence - February 2024

Description: This map presents the number of short-term resident returns in Australia in February 2024, by their state of intended residence.

- New South Wales (258,540) - Victoria (213,310) - Queensland (144,380) - South Australia (32,390) - Western Australia (102,930) - Tasmania (5,720) - Northern Territory (5,260) - Australian Capital Territory (12,940).

Resident returns - short-term - calendar year 2023

For Australian residents returning to Australia in 2023:

• There were 9,975,230 resident returns from overseas, an increase of over 4.7 million on the previous year
• Indonesia was the leading destination country for Australians travelling overseas, accounting for 1,368,050 trips
• The most popular reason for travel was 'holiday' (57%)
• The median trip duration was 15 days.

Annual resident returns

The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a substantial decline in travel movements due to the introduction of international border restrictions in March 2020. These restrictions were eased progressively from 1 November 2021, resulting in increased travel in 2022 and 2023.

9,975,230 residents returned from overseas trips in 2023. This was an increase of over 4.7 million on the previous year, when 5,225,640 trips were taken.

The number of resident returns in 2023 remained lower than pre-COVID but increased across the year, and by December 2023 had reached 99% of the corresponding period in 2019. The total number of residents returning from overseas in 2023 was 88% of 2019 (pre-COVID) volumes.

The number of Australian residents travelling overseas has largely been increasing over recent decades, with the general trend interrupted by various historical events such as the: 

• Early 1990s recession in Australia
• September 11 terrorist attacks in 2001
• Bali bombings in 2002
• Global COVID-19 pandemic starting in 2020.

A substantial decline was observed in late March 2020 due to the impact of COVID-19. Travel by Australian residents has been increasing over the past two years after border restrictions were gradually removed from November 2021.

• 2002 Bali bombings
• Early 1990s recession

The top five destination countries in 2023 were Indonesia, New Zealand, the USA, the UK and Japan.

• Short-term resident returns for all top 5 destination countries continued to increase after the removal of international travel restrictions 
• Indonesia was the leading destination country with 1,368,050 trips, most of whom recorded 'holiday' as their reason for travel (86%)
• Residents returning from New Zealand increased to 1,263,540, up from 707,990 in 2022
• The USA was the only country in the top 5 where travel volumes remained lower than 10 years ago (667,080 trips, down from 972,020 in 2013).

Ten years ago, in 2013, the top five countries were New Zealand, the USA, Indonesia, Thailand and the UK.

• Top 5 destination countries based on year ending December 2023.

The number of Australian residents travelling overseas has increased significantly since the easing of travel restrictions in November 2021, but the number of residents visiting various countries has increased at different rates.

India was the highest of the top ten destination countries when compared to pre-COVID levels, with trips taken in 2023 exceeding the 2019 level by 15%. The number of Australians visiting Fiji also exceeded the 2019 level by 12%. The USA had the lowest rate of recovery of the top 10 countries, reaching 63% of the 2019 volume.

• Top 10 destination countries based on year ending December 2023.

All travellers are asked their intended address in Australia upon arrival.

14.7 Short-term resident returns, state/territory of residence — 2023

This map presents the proportion of short-term resident returns in Australia in 2022-23, by their intended state or territory of residence:

• NSW (33.5% of all short-term resident returns)
• Vic. (28.0%)
• Qld (17.9%)
• ACT (1.9%). 

Ten years ago, in 2013, the Northern Territory had a higher proportion of resident returns (1.2%) than Tasmania (1.0%). Victoria’s proportion has increased (up from 24.8%) and Western Australia’s has decreased (down from 15.3%).

Most states and territories recorded growth in the number of residents taking overseas trips in the years prior to 2020. Western Australia remained steady from 2014 until the impact of the pandemic, while the Northern Territory fluctuated across the decade. There was a considerable drop for all states and territories from March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The easing of travel restrictions from November 2021 has resulted in an increase of international travel from residents of all states, but travel has increased towards pre-COVID levels at different rates. When compared to 2019, overseas trips were the highest for Victorian residents, with resident returns in 2023 reaching 90% of 2019 levels, and lowest for Northern Territory residents, with 2023 movements reaching 66% of 2019 levels.

The top destination country varied between states and territories:

• New Zealand was the most popular destination for residents from NSW, Qld, Tas. and ACT.
• Indonesia was the top destination for Vic., SA, WA and the NT.

Ten years earlier, in 2013, the difference was that New Zealand was the leading destination for residents of Vic., and the USA was the top country for those living in NSW, SA, and the ACT.

There were more trips taken overseas by Australian males than females in 2023 (5,092,650 males compared with 4,882,580 females). Ten years earlier, in 2013, there were also more trips taken by males than females (4,586,090 males compared with 4,123,510 females).

In 2023, male residents returning to Australia had a median age of 42 years, whereas female residents had a median age of 41 years. When broken down into five-year age groups, more women than men travelled in the age range of 15 to 34 and there were more men than women in all other age groups under 90 years of age.

Australian residents returning from overseas are asked to provide the main reason for their journey.

• 'Holiday' (57%)
• 'Visiting friends/relatives' (29%)
• 'Business' (6%).
• As a percentage of all short-term resident returns.

Prior to COVID, ‘holiday’ was the most frequently reported reason for residents returning from overseas trips (57% in 2019). However, due to the impact of the pandemic and travel restrictions, the proportion recording ‘visiting friends and relatives’ became the most frequent reason during that period and reached a peak of 59% in February 2022. In 2023, ‘holiday’ has returned as the most common reason for journey (57%) and surpassed ‘visiting friends/relatives’ (29%).

Female residents returning to Australia were more likely than male residents to record their main reason for journey as 'holiday' or 'visiting friends/relatives'. Male residents were more likely to record 'business' or ‘employment’ than female residents.

The exact duration away is measured for Australian residents returning from overseas.

During 2023, the median short-term trip duration for Australians travelling overseas was 15 days. This was less than in 2022, when the median trip duration was 16 days.

In 2019, prior to the pandemic, the median duration of short-term resident trips was 14 days, but median duration of stay increased during the pandemic.

The median duration varied between the states and territories and between the numerous destination countries.

• Top 10 destination countries have been calculated at the Australia level.

Residents visiting India stayed away the longest of the top 10 destination countries, with a median duration of 29 days.

Residents travelling to Fiji had a median duration of 7 days, which was the shortest of the top 10 destination countries.

The duration of stay of short-term trips by Australian residents going overseas varied according to reason for journey. Those travelling for:

• 'Employment' stayed away the longest (24 days)
• 'Visiting friends/relatives' (23 days)
• 'Education' (21 days)
• 'Holiday' (14 days)
• 'Convention/conference' (9 days)
• 'Business' stayed the shortest (8 days).

Data downloads

1. Additional provisional data is available under the Data downloads for State of clearance (Table 13), Country of citizenship (Table 14), and Visa group (Table 15). No further breakdowns of provisional data are available, other than those which appear in this release.

2. The ABS identified a data quality issue with OAD processing which affected the state of clearance and visa grouping data. As a result, Overseas Arrivals and Departures data from September 2007 to August 2015 was revised and released in the March 2023 publication.  A further revision to data from July 2007 to June 2017 was released in the April 2023 publication. For further information see Methodology page, in the History of changes section for the year 2007. 

3. Due to improvements made to the quality of the imputations used to estimate duration of stay, OAD data from January to March 2022 has been revised and released in the April 2022 issue.  These imputations use historical data and have been impacted by changed travel behaviour during the COVID-19 travel restrictions period. For further information see Methodology page in the History of changes section for the year 2022.

4. The ABS identified a data quality issue with the source data which affected the state and territory of stay/residence data.  As a result, Overseas Arrivals and Departures data from July 2021 to February 2022 was revised and released in the March 2022 issue. For further information see Methodology page in the History of changes section for the year 2022.

5. For all Short-term Visitor Arrivals (STVA) and Short-term Resident Returns (STRR) series, the trend estimates have been suspended from February 2020 and the seasonally adjusted estimates have been suspended from April 2020 due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on international travel. For more information, see the Seasonally adjusted and trend estimates section in the Methodology page associated with this release.

6. The quality of the imputation used to estimate duration of stay for some resident departures was impacted by changed travel behaviour during COVID-19 travel restrictions. The proportional split between short-term resident departures and long-term resident departures was impacted from April 2020 to December 2021. Where possible, instead of departure volumes, we recommend clients use short-term resident returns and long-term resident returns for greater accuracy. For more information on how this variable is imputed, please see paragraph 28 of the Imputations and derivations section of the Methodology page.

7. Occasionally situations occur that necessitate breaks being applied to the trend series. For an overview of the breaks currently included in the trend series, see paragraph 14 of the Seasonally adjusted and trend estimates section in the Methodology.

8. For further information about the data, including updates or changes, see the Methodology page.

Time series spreadsheets

Table 1: total movement, arrivals - category of movement, table 2: total movement, departures - category of movement, table 3: short-term movement, visitors arriving - selected countries of residence: trend, table 4: short-term movement, visitors arriving - selected countries of residence: seasonally adjusted, table 5: short-term movement, visitors arriving - selected countries of residence: original, table 6: short-term movement, visitors arriving - intended length of stay and main reason for journey: original, table 7: short-term movement, residents returning - selected destinations: trend, table 8: short-term movement, residents returning - selected destinations: seasonally adjusted, table 9: short-term movement, residents returning - selected destinations: original, table 10: short-term movements, residents returning - length of stay and main reason for journey: original, table 11: short-term movement, visitors arriving - state of intended stay: original, table 12: short-term movement, residents returning - state of residence: original, table 13: total arrivals and total departures - state of residence/stay and state of clearance, table 14: total arrivals and total departures - country of citizenship, table 15: total arrivals and total departures - visa group, table 16: total arrivals - state of residence/stay by visa group, table 17: total departures - state of residence/stay by visa group, data explorer datasets.

Two Overseas Arrivals and Departures datasets are available in Data Explorer.

1.  Visitor arrivals and resident returns, Selected Countries of Residence/Destinations

2.  Visitor arrivals and resident returns, Intended Length of Stay and Main Reason for Journey

Caution: Data in Data Explorer is currently released after the 11:30am release on the ABS website. Please check the reference period when using Data Explorer.

For information on Data Explorer and how it works, see the  Data Explorer user guide .

This release contains overseas movement data which should not be interpreted as 'persons'. See the Scope section, paragraph 1 in the Methodology for more detail.

The statistics in this release have been rounded. See the Confidentiality section in the Methodology for more detail.

For enquiries about these and related statistics, contact the Customer Assistance Service via the ABS website  Contact Us  page. The  ABS Privacy Policy  outlines how the ABS will handle any personal information that you provide to the ABS.

Previous catalogue number

This release previously used catalogue number 3401.0.

Post release changes

02/05/2024 - A post release correction was applied to Figures 2.3 and 13.3. Their descriptions both previously stated that the reference month was January 2024 but should have been labelled February 2024. These have now been corrected.

Methodology

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Are You a 'Globetrotter'? See How Your Travel Experience Stacks Up to Average Americans

A recent survey from the Pew Research Center uncovered some interesting findings about Americans' travel to other countries. A surprisingly large percentage of Americans have international travel experience, and these global adventures have affected their perspectives in powerful ways.

Are you a longtime world traveler and frequent flyer? Or are you still getting ready to apply for a passport for the first time? No matter where you fall on the spectrum of world travel experience, you might enjoy these insights about how Americans travel -- and how international travel changes people's lives.

Let's look at a few surprising insights from the Pew Research Center on how Americans travel abroad.

A large majority of Americans have traveled to other countries

I'm an American who has spent time living and traveling in other countries. And sometimes I've gotten the impression that people from other countries have a stereotype about Americans. They tend to believe that lots of Americans haven't visited other countries, and that Americans aren't curious about the wider world beyond U.S. borders.

But this stereotype isn't true! The Pew Research survey found that 76% of Americans have international travel experience. Only 23% of Americans have not traveled to other countries -- and most of these non-travelers said they would like to visit other countries if they had the opportunity.

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The Pew Research study broke down the survey respondents into three groups, based on who has traveled the most:

• 26% of Americans are "globetrotters" who have traveled to five or more other countries.
• 50% of Americans are "casual travelers" who have visited one to four other countries.
• 23% of Americans are "non-travelers" who have not (yet) left the U.S.

I have had the great privilege of being able to travel to 11 other countries (so far), which puts me in the "globetrotters" group. Americans have some catching up to do if we want to be as well-traveled as people in Australia, Canada, South Korea, and Europe. Here's how a few of those other places stack up in the rankings on the international "globetrotters" list (five or more countries visited):

The survey results didn't go into detail about which countries were most frequently visited by Americans; maybe a lot of Americans are getting their first international travel experience from countries close to home. Sometimes the best way to break in your new U.S. passport is to take affordable winter vacations in Mexico or the Caribbean. But wherever people are going, it's heartening to see such a large percentage of Americans joining the proud ranks of world travelers.

How international travel changes your life

Traveling to other countries has been one of the most profound and formative experiences of my life. It's the best money I've ever spent. (I wish I was booking another trip right now; where's my credit card ?) International travel is a 24/7 immersive learning opportunity. You learn so much every day in another country, about food and music and language, and all the little nuances of people-watching, getting around, and navigating a new place. Every restaurant meal or grocery store visit is an adventure.

When you're in another country, it feels a little easier to be outgoing, open to possibilities, and excited to greet the day; I've quickly made new friends during my international travels in ways that don't often happen when I'm at home. I believe -- I hope -- that international travel has made me a more broad-minded, well-rounded, and compassionate human being.

There's some evidence that international travel changes your perspective in powerful ways. The Pew Research survey found that "globetrotters" (people who've been to five or more countries) are more likely to be knowledgeable about international affairs, and more likely to have an international perspective. The study found that, among globetrotters:

• 57% want America to be active in world affairs
• 66% want America to take other countries' interests into account, even if it requires compromise
• 42% feel close to people all over the world

We are living through a time of global crises like pandemics, war, and climate change. It's more important than ever for people to find common ground and a shared sense of humanity. International travel can help create those connections, one person at a time.

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Want to join the ranks of the "globetrotters?" Here are a few tips for how to get cheap international travel that fits your budget:

• Search for "anywhere" plane tickets: Use Google Flights , Skyscanner, and Kayak to search for flights to anywhere -- with no specific destination. You'll immediately see surprising deals from your home city to anywhere in the world!
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Bottom line: A surprisingly large majority of Americans have traveled to other countries, and more are likely to join the ranks of "globetrotters" in the years ahead. Booking affordable international travel is more doable than you might think. You too can enjoy the life-changing learning experience of visiting other countries.

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