The U.S. Department of Commerce, adding to the good news for tourism to the United States, reported spending by international visitors to the U.S. in April 2013 totaled nearly $14.5 billion, an increase of more than 5 percent when compared to April 2012. According to the department, international visitors have spent an estimated $57.9 billion on U.S. travel and tourism-related services year to date in 2013 (January through April), an increase of 8 percent when compared to the same period last year.

The Commerce Department also reported purchases of travel and tourism-related goods and services by international visitors traveling in the U.S. totaled $11.2 billion during April. These goods and services include food, lodging, recreation, gifts, entertainment, local transportation in the United States, and other items incidental to foreign travel. Fares received by U.S. carriers (and U.S. vessel operators) from international visitors totaled nearly $3.3 billion for the month. Because of this the United States enjoyed a favorable balance of trade for the month of April in the travel and tourism sector, with a surplus of nearly $4.2 billion.

Overall for 2012, international travel and tourism spending reached a record $168.1 billion, up 10 percent from 2011. The increase was the result of a surge in international visitors to the United States: in 2012, a record 67 million international visitors came to the United States, an increase of 4.3 million from the year before.

Highlights of the 2012 arrivals data show that Canadian visitors set a record with 22.7 million visitors, up 6 percent. Mexico was second up 8 percent, with a record 14.5 million arrivals. The U.K. (down 2 percent), Japan (up 14 percent) and Germany (up 3 percent) rounded out the top five.

Countries among the top 20 with the largest increase in 2012 from the previous year were: China (up 35 percent), Colombia (up 21 percent), Venezuela and Argentina (both up 20 percent) and Brazil (up 19 percent). All five countries set records for visits to the United States in 2012.