Image Credit: Stephanie Ervin

The U.S. Department of Commerce recently announced that international visitors spent an estimated $18.2 billion on travel to, and tourism-related activities within, the United States during the month of September.

But let’s break it down.

Our foreign visitors spent $11.2 billion on food, lodging, entertainment, and local transportation in the U.S.

But because of the declining Euro, fares received by U.S. carriers from international visitors only totaled $3.1 billion for the month, a decrease of nearly 15 percent.

How does this affect you? It’s a great time to go to Europe.

There are now more empty seats on flights to Eurozone countries than ever before, and airfares are reflecting that excess capacity and the imbalance of traveler numbers.

From January through April, expect those foreign visitor numbers to decrease even more, making the first four months of 2016 a true buyer’s market for American travelers heading to Europe.

For more information about international currency, check out:

• More Credit Cards Remove Foreign Transaction Fees
• 3 Questions to Ask Before Signing Up for a Travel Credit Card
• How to Get the Best Foreign Exchange Rates

Keep reading for more travel tips.