March 16, 2016

Inflation adjusted spending (or output) on travel and tourism decelerated in the fourth quarter of last year, increasing at an annual rate of 1.7 percent, after rising 4.5 percent in the third quarter.

For comparison, inflation-adjusted — or real — gross domestic product also decelerated during the same period, increasing 1.0 percent in the fourth quarter, after rising 2.0 percent.

The leading contributors to the deceleration in overall travel and tourism spending in the fourth quarter were transportation and traveler accommodations. Inflation adjusted spending on transportation decelerated, growing 1.0 percent in the fourth quarter, after increasing 8.5 percent in the third quarter. Inflation adjusted spending on traveler accommodations turned down, decreasing 4.2 percent, after increasing 4.0 percent in the previous quarter.

For all of 2015, travel and tourism spending grew 4.4 percent, after increasing 3.1 percent in 2014.

For more information, read the full report.

Chart 1. Quarterly Growth in Real Tourism Spending