New study highlights U.S. travel plans

Bloomfield Hills, Mich. A recent study commissioned by Taubman Centers and Shop America Alliance, in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Commerce and Office of Travel & Tourism Industries, found that more than 50% of surveyed international shopping travelers who have visited the United States in the last 12 months are likely to come again over the next year.

New research on The International Shopping Traveler study from the Top 5 international inbound markets to the United States -- Canada Mexico, the United Kingdom, Germany and Japan, representing 75% of all inbound U.S. travelers -- was conducted by Mandala Research via an online survey in January.

Highlights of The International Shopping Traveler study results include:

• 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;

• Thirty percent said shopping was a factor in their choice of destinations, while 23% said it was a key reason for the trip;

• Travelers allocated a sizeable portion of total trip spend to shopping activities, spending on average $1,063 per person on shopping out of a total average of $3,692 per total trip, per person;

• International shoppers most frequently purchased apparel, but other popular categories include footwear, food/candy, souvenirs and fashion accessories;

• Eighty-four percent made purchases for themselves followed by spouse/significant other (68%) and children (44%); and

• Good value and variety are most often cited as important elements of the shopping experience.

For a copy of the executive summary, visit www.ShopAmericaTours.com.