U.S. Tourism Office Has Put Out Inaccurate International Visitor Data For Years
Skift Take
International visitor data reporting began to run amok before President Donald Trump took office and destinations are left wondering what data they can trust. The Trump Administration has worked to spread disinformation, but this is a new level of concern for the travel industry.
Many U.S. destinations and travel companies expect accurate international arrivals data from the U.S. National Travel & Tourism Office, but documents shared Tuesday with Skift show flaws have existed in the data collection process for years and that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has been reluctant to correct errors.
Data is an increasingly key pillar of any industry, and particularly for the travel industry. Inaccurate data reporting has the potential to impact companies and destinations beyond the United States, but many destinations and companies aren't waiting around for National Travel & Tourism Office data as they use a handful of sources to understand who's getting off planes, boats, busses, and cars in their locales.
The U.S. Department of Commerce, which oversees the National Travel & Tourism Office, announced on Monday that it plans to suspend further releases of international arrivals data until technical issues are resolved, according to a stat
