U.S. travel volume grew 3.2 percent year over year in May,
according to the U.S. Travel Association's Travel Trends Index. Total domestic
travel grew 3.6 percent, with growth in both business and leisure volume.
Domestic business travel grew 3 percent and domestic leisure grew 3.6 percent.
The slower growth of business travel, which has smaller volume compared to
leisure travel and, therefore, a smaller calculation value in U.S. Travel's
index formula, pulled total travel growth down slightly, but not enough to
register on the index after rounding.
USTA forecasts a slowdown in the coming months. From June
through November 2019, the organization projects total domestic travel will
grow 2 percent. That's slower than any of the previous six months, and business
travel will cool faster than leisure, resulting in a stronger downward pull on overall
domestic travel growth in the coming months. USTA attributes the projected slowdown
to weaker consumer spending and hesitation in business investment.
International inbound travel to the U.S. for May grew 1.2
percent year over year. From June through November 2019, it is projected to
slow to 0.4 percent year over year due to weaker economic activity, prolonged
and expanding trade tensions and uncertainty surrounding the Trump
administration, according to USTA.
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