International visitors spent $19.9 billion in the United States in August 2026, with spending on travel-related goods and services down nearly 9% from the same month last year, according to new federal data.
International visitor spending in the United States declined in August 2026, extending concerns about the country’s ability to maintain international tourism revenue despite continued growth in global travel demand.
According to the National Travel and Tourism Office (NTTO), international visitors spent nearly $19.9 billion on U.S. travel and tourism-related goods and services in August, down about 5% from August 2025.
The decline was more pronounced in spending directly associated with visitor activities, including lodging, restaurants, recreation, entertainment, shopping, and domestic transportation.
Traditional Tourism Spending Falls Nearly 9%
International visitors spent about $10.8 billion on travel-related goods and services in the United States in August, down from $11.8 billion a year earlier.
The nearly 9% decline matters for the hospitality industry because it includes hotel accommodations, food and beverage purchases, recreational activities, and other expenditures tied to international leisure and business travel.
These purchases accounted for 54% of total U.S. travel and tourism exports during the month.
The figures measure visitor expenditures rather than hotel room demand directly. Nevertheless, the decline indicates reduced international spending across several sectors that depend on inbound travelers.
Airline Passenger Revenue Also Declines
Passenger fare receipts from international visitors traveling on U.S. airlines totaled $2.8 billion in August, down approximately 3% year over year.
These receipts represented 14% of total U.S. travel and tourism exports.
The decline adds another dimension to the slowdown in international visitor expenditures, although passenger fare receipts reflect spending with U.S. carriers rather than total international airline activity.
Education and Medical Tourism Provide Some Support
Not all categories of international spending declined.
Expenditures on education, medical tourism, and border, seasonal, and other short-term workers rose more than 3% year over year to about $6.4 billion.
This category accounted for 32% of total U.S. travel and tourism exports in August.
Its growth helped offset weakness in conventional tourism spending, highlighting differences among the activities included in the federal government’s travel export statistics.
U.S. Maintains Narrow Travel Trade Surplus
International visitors spent nearly $19.9 billion in the United States, while American travelers spent more than $19.7 billion abroad in August, up 0.5% from the previous year.
The difference produced a $157 million travel and tourism trade surplus for the month.
For the first eight months of 2026, the United States recorded a cumulative travel and tourism trade surplus of nearly $5.6 billion.
However, the narrowing gap between inbound and outbound spending underscores pressure on the country’s international tourism trade balance.
International Visitor Spending Reaches $165 Billion Through August
From January through August, international visitors spent an estimated $165 billion on U.S. travel and tourism-related goods and services, nearly 1% below the comparable period in 2025.
That spending averaged about $679 million per day to the U.S. economy.
The year-to-date decline was smaller than the August decrease, indicating that the latest monthly figures were weaker than the cumulative trend.
For hotel owners and operators, the distinction between overall tourism exports and direct visitor expenditures is important.
While total international tourism spending remains substantial, the August figures show a sharper contraction in the categories most closely associated with hotel stays, dining, and destination activities.
The NTTO data do not establish whether the decline resulted from fewer international visitors, shorter stays, changes in visitor spending patterns, or a combination of factors.