Foreign visitors spend big in U.S.

Neither epic ice storms, Ebola outbreaks nor rising air fares slowed travel to the U.S. last year, as international visitors spent a record $222 billion while in the country, according to a new federal estimate.

Spending by international visitors to the U.S. increased 4 percent last year, compared to 2013, when travelers from abroad spent $215 billion to fly into and stay in the country, according to an estimate released Wednesday by the U.S. Department of Commerce.

International travelers spent $43 billion on travel expenses, with the remaining $179 billion going toward hotels, food, drinks, souvenirs and other expenses, according to the report.

In contrast, Americans spent an estimated $147 billion to travel abroad, resulting in a $75.7 billion trade surplus, according to the report.

Domestic and international travel has been on the rise in the last few years, thanks partly to a stronger economy, improving consumer confidence in the U.S. and increased spending among the middle class in Asia and South America.

Roger Dow, president and chief executive of the U.S. Travel Association, also attributed the rising travel numbers to policies adopted by the Obama administration to make it easier for travelers in China and Brazil to get visas, as well as other efforts to boost international visitation numbers.