Mapped: America’s Most Visited States by International Tourists (2024)

Which U.S. states attract the most international tourists? According to new data from the ITA National Travel and Tourism Office, the answer is remarkably concentrated: just four states — New York, Florida, California, and Nevada — captured nearly 57% of all overseas visits to the United States in 2024.

The data, visualized by Visual Capitalist, maps overseas visitor arrivals to every U.S. state, excluding visitors from Canada and Mexico. In total, the U.S. counted 48.9 million international visitors from overseas in 2024.

Interactive Map: Overseas Visitors by State

Hover over any state to see its overseas visitor count and national ranking. The darker the blue, the more international tourists it welcomed in 2024.

The Big Four: New York, Florida, California & Nevada

An impressive 57% of all overseas visitors to the U.S. went to just four states:

• New York — 9.8 million visitors. The state’s namesake city remains among the most popular international destinations on Earth, while Niagara Falls draws millions more to its western border.
• Florida — 8.9 million visitors. World-famous theme parks, Miami’s international appeal, and year-round warm weather make it a magnet for overseas tourists.
• California — 7.0 million visitors. Los Angeles, San Francisco, and the state’s national parks create a diverse tourism draw that spans the entire coastline.
• Nevada — 2.6 million visitors. Las Vegas punches well above the state’s size as a global entertainment and gambling capital.

Together, these four states accounted for 28.3 million of the 48.9 million overseas arrivals — leaving the other 46 states (plus territories) to split the remaining 43%.

Full Rankings: All 50 States

Here’s how every U.S. state ranked by overseas visitor arrivals in 2024:

Rank	State	Overseas Visitors (2024)
1	New York	9,802,000
2	Florida	8,860,000
3	California	6,954,000
4	Nevada	2,644,000
5	Texas	2,088,000
6	Hawaii	1,976,000
7	Massachusetts	1,501,000
8	Illinois	1,410,000
9	New Jersey	1,227,000
10	Arizona	1,160,000
11	Georgia	1,069,000
12	Washington	858,000
13	Pennsylvania	805,000
14	Utah	640,000
15	Virginia	548,000
16	Tennessee	524,000
17	North Carolina	510,000
18	Colorado	461,000
19	Maryland	425,000
20	Michigan	418,000
21	Louisiana	387,000
22	Ohio	369,000
23	Connecticut	320,000
24	South Carolina	299,000
25	Minnesota	232,000
26	Indiana	222,000
27	Oregon	218,000
28	Wyoming	204,000
29	Wisconsin	193,000
30	Missouri	165,000
31	Alaska	137,000
32	Kentucky	130,000
33	Maine	127,000
34	Alabama	109,000
35	Rhode Island	105,000
36	Idaho	95,000
37	New Mexico	95,000
38	New Hampshire	81,000
39	Oklahoma	77,000
40	Vermont	77,000
41	Arkansas	74,000
42	Iowa	67,000
43	Kansas	63,000
44	Montana	56,000
45	South Dakota	53,000
46	Mississippi	49,000
47	Nebraska	49,000
48	Delaware	42,000

Hawaii: More Tourists Than Residents

One of the most striking findings is Hawaii’s performance. The Aloha State received over 2 million overseas visitors in 2024 — significantly more than its entire resident population of 1.4 million people. That puts it well ahead of far larger states like Arizona (1.2 million) and Georgia (1.1 million).

Hawaii’s geographic isolation in the Pacific actually works in its favor for international tourism: it’s the closest U.S. state to Asia and Oceania, making it a natural gateway for visitors from Japan, South Korea, and Australia. Its stunning natural beauty and unique Polynesian-influenced culture are powerful draws that have endured even through recent challenges like the devastating 2023 Maui wildfires.

The Midwest Tourism Gap

While coastal and Sun Belt states dominate the top of the rankings, the Midwest tells a very different story. Illinois was the only Midwestern state to crack the million-visitor mark, largely thanks to Chicago’s international airport connections and cultural attractions.

The rest of the region averaged just a few hundred thousand visitors. Despite stunning national parks like Mount Rushmore and the Badlands, South Dakota attracted only 53,000 overseas visitors. Distance from international airports, fewer direct flight connections, and lower global brand recognition all contribute to the Midwest’s tourism drought.

Nevada Punches Above Its Weight

Nevada’s #4 ranking is remarkable when you consider the state’s relatively small population of just 3.2 million. Unlike Texas (#5 with 2.1 million visitors) and Illinois (#8 with 1.4 million), which depend heavily on visitors from neighboring Canada and Mexico, Nevada draws its international tourists from across the globe — all converging on Las Vegas.

The city’s decades-long reputation as a global entertainment, convention, and gambling capital gives this small Mountain West state an outsized presence in America’s international tourism landscape.

Why It Matters

International tourism is big business. The 48.9 million overseas visitors in 2024 represent billions in spending on hotels, restaurants, attractions, and retail. But the extreme concentration — with over half of all visitors going to just four states — raises questions about whether the economic benefits of international tourism are being shared broadly, or mostly flowing to already-wealthy coastal metros.

For states in the bottom half of the rankings, the challenge is clear: how to attract international visitors when you’re competing with the gravitational pull of New York City, Disney World, and the Las Vegas Strip.

Sources

• Visual Capitalist — Mapped: America’s Most Visited States by Tourists
• ITA National Travel and Tourism Office — U.S. States & Cities Visited by Overseas Travelers
• U.S. Department of Commerce — National Travel and Tourism Office Data Resources