Hispanic travel volume is up 20 percent from 2000 to 2002 (increasing from 64.1 million to 77.1 million person-trips), much higher than the two percent growth of travelers overall. A majority of Hispanic person-trips are for leisure (77%), of which visiting friends or relatives is the ultimate goal for many (43%). Entertainment trips (16%) and outdoor recreation (8%) make up smaller shares of Hispanic person-trips. The states that attract the greatest number of Hispanic travelers include California, Texas and Florida. Nevada, Arizona, and New Mexico are also popular destinations. Hispanic households spend an average of $480 on a trip, excluding spending on transportation to their destination. One third (33%) of trips by Hispanic households include children under 18 years old, significantly higher than for overall traveling households in the U.S. (24%). (Source: The Minority Traveler, 2003 Edition)

February 25, 2001

Minority Americans are traveling more-in some cases at an increased pace significantly higher than the one-percent growth of U.S. travelers overall.

The figures are included in a new report called The Minority Traveler, which is based on a survey of 240,000 American households conducted in 1999 for the Travel Industry Association of America. It found African-American travel volume increased 16 percent from 1997 to 1999 (from 60.1 million to 69.6 million "person-trips"). Hispanic travel volume was up 11 percent (increasing from 63.9 million to 71.2 million person-trips) and Asian-American travel volume increased seven percent (from 28.5 million to 30.4 million person-trips). The increases in both African-American and Hispanic-American travel was also much higher than the one percent growth of U.S. travelers overall.

"In the 1990s, every sector of our industry-hotels, theme parks, city visitor bureaus-has reached out to the minority traveler through targeted advertising, minority travel guides and special ethnic promotions, and I think we are seeing the results," said William S. Norman, president and CEO of the non-profit national industry organization.

Other findings: In 1999, minority travelers generated 17 percent of all trips taken in the U.S., but they generated 20 percent of domestic travel expenditures. The result is that domestic expenditures by minority travelers totaled about $90 billion in 1999.

In any given month during 1999, on average, a quarter of African-American (26 percent) and Hispanic-American (27 percent) households reported taking a trip. In addition, four in 10 Asian-Americans (42 percent) reported taking a trip on average in any month. In comparison, 32 percent of U.S. households overall take a trip on average in any month.

As is true for all U.S. resident travelers, pleasure trips are the most common form of travel for African-Americans, Hispanics, and Asian-Americans.

Most of these trips are to visit friends or relatives. For all minority groups, entertainment is the second most common reason for taking a pleasure trip.

Asian-Americans spend the most on an average trip ($635), excluding spending on transportation to their destination, followed by Hispanics ($540) and African-Americans ($407). Average trip spending in the country, excluding spending on transportation to the destination, is $438.

All travelers take trips most often in the region where they live. Thus, Asian-Americans and Hispanics tend to travel in the Pacific and Mountain regions, and African-Americans in the South Atlantic, East South Central and West South Central regions.

The primary theme for Hispanic American travelers is family. This group is much more likely to take their children with them while traveling, with three in 10 trips including a child under the age of 18-significantly higher than average. And this is likely the reason that Hispanic travelers have slightly larger travel party sizes and why they are more likely than average to include theme parks on their vacations.

Leisure travel accounts for 60 percent of all trips taken by Asian Americans, compared to 66 percent for travelers overall, and they are much more likely than average to travel for business. Three in 10 Asian American trips are taken for business purposes, which is probably the reason they are more likely than other ethnic groups, as well as all U.S. travelers, to use air transportation, rental cars and hotels. This also explains why Asian-Americans are more likely to travel alone.

Shopping is the No. 1 leisure activity while traveling for all minority groups. However, there are some differences within each group: African-Americans are more likely to go on a group tour, or attend cultural events or festivals. Along with Hispanics, African-Americans are more likely than Asians to visit theme or amusement parks. Hispanics are the most likely to visit beaches. All three groups are more likely than all U.S. travelers to participate in nightlife activities and gambling while traveling.

African-Americans are least likely to participate in outdoor activities, play golf, play tennis or ski, or go to national or state parks while traveling.

Since most African-Americans live in the South, they also travel there the most-particularly to Texas, Georgia, Florida and Virginia. Other popular destinations are New Jersey and California.

Half of all Asian-Americans live in the Pacific Region, so they travel to California and Nevada much more often than travelers overall.