Skift Take
The U.S. tourism office obviously spins these numbers in their most positive light, but outside of the several states that saw tourism boom, the data highlights the country's travel trouble spots that need to be addressed aggressively.
Overseas travel to the United States grew 7 percent in 2012, according to the U.S. Office of Travel and Tourism Industries' report Overseas Visitation Estimates for U.S. States, Cities, and Census Regions.
However, several trends suggest that 2012 was actually a poor year for tourism: Travelers visited fewer states, stayed for less time, and the number of first time travelers dropped.
The 7 percent boost can be attributed to the growing tourism sectors of Asia and Latin America more than U.S. marketing efforts or infrastructure improvements. And just as many states and cities posted increases in overseas visitation as those that suffered declines.
New York and California, which accounted for 51.5 percent of U.S. tourism in 2012, each experienced a 2 percent drop in leisure travelers.
Hawaii and Florida, which accounted for another
