Travel and Tourism Satellite Accounts
Overview
The U.S. Travel and Tourism Satellite Accounts (TTSAs) are based on the latest detailed benchmark I-O accounts and are consistent with the integrated annual industry accounts. The methods that are used to prepare the TTSAs are also consistent with the methods used to estimate gross domestic product, national income, and other national economic measures. These accounts are developed by the Bureau, with the support of the Tourism Industries Office of the International Trade Administration, to measure the contribution of travel and tourism to the economy more accurately.
Updated annually, the TTSAs present a detailed picture of travel and tourism activity and its role in the U.S. economy. These accounts present estimates of expenditures by tourists, or visitors, on 24 types of goods and services. The accounts also present estimates of the income generated by travel and tourism and estimates of output and employment generated by travel and tourism-related industries.
Uses of the accounts
The TTSAs can be used to determine the size of tourism and the components of travel and tourism. Specifically, these accounts can be used
- To determine the shares of the goods and services that were sold to visitors and the shares that were sold to local residents
- To assess the effects of travel and tourism on the U.S. economy
- To examine the relationship among the travel and tourism industries
- To determine the expenditures of tourists
- To compare travel and tourism industries to other manufacturing and services industries
Availability of data
TTSA estimates are updated and published annually, and the results are discussed in BEA's online journal the Survey of Current Business.
The most recent estimates are available on the TTSA Data Sheets page.