A survey of international shopping travelers, conducted by Virginia based Mandala Research & Consulting shows that 50% of international shopping travelers surveyed who have visited the United States in the last 12 months are likely to come again over the next year.

According to this study, the top 25 shopping cities in the US are:-

1. New York, NY
2. Los Angeles, CA
3. Las Vegas, NV
4. Orlando, FL
5. San Francisco, CA
6. Honolulu, HI
7. Miami-Fort Lauderdale, FL
8. Chicago, IL
9. San Diego, CA and Washington, DC
10. Houston, TX
11. Boston, MA and
12. Buffalo, NY
13. Atlanta, GA
14. Phoenix, AZ
15. Dallas-Fort Worth, TX and Seattle, WA
16. Tampa, FL
17. Philadelphia, PA
18. Detroit, MI
19. Fort Myers-Naples, FL
20. West Palm Beach, FL
21. Denver, CO
22. Portland, OR
23. Baltimore, MD

Nearly 20% of these travelers say they have already booked their next trip to the United States, and an additional 50% are very likely to visit and shop in the next 12 months. And the best part is that these are all big-spenders, spending on average $1,063 per person on shopping alone, out of a total average of $3,692 per total trip, per person.

The other activities that international shoppers engage in include visiting historic sites (48%), museums/art exhibits (39%), concerts/theatres (36%), national parks (48%); 27% report also shopping at museum stores, and 42% reported seeking out unique dining experiences while visiting the United States.

The study was commissioned by Taubman Centers and Shop America Alliance in partnership with the U.S. Department of Commerce, Office of Travel & Tourism Industries, and included 1,760 respondents from Canada, Mexico, U.K., Germany, and Japan, representing 75% of all inbound U.S. travelers.

In a press statement, Helen Marano, director, Office of Travel and Tourism Industries, U.S. Department of Commerce, said that “The International Shopping Traveler study will help retailers, destinations, and travel companies better understand and attract the shopping traveler. This can go a long way in boosting tourism.”

Oh, and a vast majority of these international travelers currently use online sites to plan and book their U.S. travel.

Related Links:-
Mandala Research & Consulting - http://mandalaresearch.com/
Taubman Centers - www.TaubmanWorldClassShopping.com/
Shop America Alliance - www.ShopAmericaTours.com/

Source: U.S. Travel Association (USTA, formerly Travel Industry Association - TIA)

Posted on May 22nd, 2009 by PLing
Filed under: Travel News