Brits and Germans flocking to US for a holiday

More Europeans are travelling to America than ever before, reports Medill News, and the Brits and Germans are leading the pack.

More European travellers are choosing America as their destination of choice because of the current exchange rate of the euro for the American dollar, making tourism and shopping in America a top priority.

The Marriott hotels are even offering European tourists free suitcases so they can shop-till-they-drop and have the means of taking their goodies home with them, reports the news provider.

The US Office of Travel and Tourism Industries told reporters in the first five months of this year, the number of tourists to America jumped by 12 per cent when compared with the same period last year. Of the 20 million international visitors on an American visa during this period, more than 4.5 million were European nationals, which is a 15 per cent increase on last year’s figures.

Jon Moore, Vice President of Marketing and E-Commerce at the Marriott Hotels, said the biggest increase in travellers are from the UK and Germany.

"It’s been very positive this year because of the value of the dollar related to the euro. The travel to New York has been exponentially up," said Moore. "Our business is up as much as 50 percent over last year in New York, and about 15 percent to 25 percent in the other cities."

All nationals from countries that are part of the visa-waiver agreement with America who wish to travel the country for less than three months are not required to obtain a visa. For all other international visitors, and for those who wish to travel the country for three months or more, an American tourist visa is needed.

The American Visa Bureau is an independent consulting company specialising in America visa and immigration services.

Article by Jessica Bird, American Visa Bureau.