U.S. travel to overseas markets flat

For the first half of 2013, U.S. travel to overseas markets is flat at 14.5 million people, according to data released Wednesday by the Office of Travel and Tourism Industries.

Month-over-month, 3.3 million people left the country for overseas markets in June, up 2 percent. U.S. citizen travel to other North American locales was up 2 percent at 3.2 million month-over-month but was flat for the year at 14.9 million.

Mexico received the most U.S. travelers in June, with 1.7 million, up 4 percent. Air travel to the country was up 10 percent to 619,000.

The largest change went to Central America and Africa. The former saw an increase of 6 percent to 279,000 travelers and the former saw a 6 percent decrease to 39,000.

U.S. travel to overseas locations accounted for 49 percent of U.S. outbound international travel. Europe has the largest slice of that pie with 18 percent, followed by the Caribbean with 12 percent. In terms of the North American share, Mexico has 34 percent and Canada has 17 percent.