When it comes to wooing the world’s travellers, it seems New York remains the belle of the U.S. tourism ball—no surprise to those who’ve walked Fifth Avenue or picnicked in Central Park, but now confirmed by complex data from Washington’s bean-counters.
The National Travel and Tourism Office (NTTO), an agency nestled within America’s International Trade Administration, has just refreshed its U.S. States and Cities Visited Monitor to reflect overseas travel patterns for the full calendar year 2024. The results are, as the Americans might say, big news.
And leading the charge? New York, both the state and the city, stands proud like the Empire State Building.
America’s Tourism Titan: New York Still Reigns Supreme
In 2024, the Empire State welcomed a staggering 9.8 million overseas visitors, keeping its crown as the most-visited U.S. state among international travellers. Meanwhile, New York City, with its Broadway razzle, bagels the size of dinner plates, and a taxi-horn soundtrack, hosted 9.5 million global guests.
That’s almost the entire population of Sweden turning up to ogle Times Square and complain about tipping culture.
Southern Charm and Northern Surprises
While New York might be soaking in the spotlight, Florida flexed its sun-kissed muscles with the most significant numerical increase in overseas visitors, up by 927,000 from 2023. That’s a lot of extra bodies on South Beach and queueing for butterbeer in Orlando.
But Vermont, America’s answer to the Snowy Mountains, took home the gold in percentage terms. The Green Mountain State posted a jaw-dropping 87.8% jump in international visitation—proof perhaps that maple syrup and moose sightings are having a moment.
Just Five States Captured 62% of Overseas Tourism.
According to the NTTO’s freshly updated dashboard, the top five U.S. states—New York, Florida, California, Texas, and Nevada—captured 62% of all overseas arrivals in 2024. A similar trend echoed in cities, with the top five metropolitan areas, including perennial favourites like Los Angeles, Miami and Las Vegas, accounting for 48.5% of visits.
It’s clear: the U.S. travel game remains one of the big players and even bigger personalities.
A Handy Tool for Data Nerds and Destination Marketers
The NTTO’s U.S. States and Cities Visited Monitor isn’t just a list—it’s an interactive treasure trove for tourism boards, airlines, hotel groups and, of course, nosey journalists. Updated to include 2024 data, it’s divided into six practical sections:
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Top 5 States & Cities by volume, growth, and decline
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State Selector with rankings, volume, % changes and top MSAs
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Interactive Map of the top cities in each state
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Top States Table with market share and year-on-year comparisons
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Top Cities-MSAs Table, offering the exact breakdown as above
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Data Downloads, for those who like to run their numbers (or just really love Excel)
You can’t tinker with it to your heart’s content on the NTTO Data Visualisations page. Fair warning: it’s a rabbit hole, but one well worth diving into—especially for destination marketers keen to understand where the international dollars are going, and more importantly, where they aren’t.
The Takeaway: America’s Still a Magnet—But It’s Shifting
While America’s top travel drawcards remain familiar, what’s telling is the redistribution of overseas interest. Florida’s sunny spike suggests renewed confidence in the South, while Vermont’s leap could hint at the rising appeal of nature-based, slower-paced travel among global wanderers.
For tourism operators, it’s a timely reminder not to rest on big-brand laurels. Smaller, quirkier destinations may be winning hearts (and passports) as international travellers seek depth, charm, and a good story—something Australia knows a thing or two about.
As for New York? It’s still the one they come for, cameras at the ready and dreams of Broadway, bagels, and bewildering subway signs tucked in their travel wallets.
And from the look of it, that’s not changing any time soon.
By Jason Smith
