Maybe 2010 is the year it all changes. Online travel searches for the U.S. has increased with 130%, according to www. Skyskanner.com. Travelers from the UK lead the pack, followed by Germany and Italy. China has shown a great increase this year, surpassing Russia.

Here is the top 10 favorite destinations for international travleers:

1. New York
2. Orlando
3. Los Angeles
4. Las Vegas
5. Miami
6. San Francisco
7. Chicago
8. Boston
9. Washington DC
10. Atlanta

However, cities that are not usually regarded as destinations for foreign tourists have also shown growth – places like Phoenix and Portland are attracting more international travelers this year, a trend that is expected to increase in the coming months. This is good news for us on the coast. It makes us believe that our unique and beautiful cities such as  Charleston, Savannah, Jacksonville, St Augustine and Myrtle Beach soon will show up in the statistics too.

While Skyscanner’s data shows New York to be the favorite destination for foreign tourists, it is particularly preferred by the British – fully 25% of queries from the UK focused on the Big Apple. However, it only accounted for 5% amongst the Chinese. And Honolulu, which doesn’t make the list of Top10, is the second most popular city for Japanese tourists. Hawaii also attracts many Russian visitors, who interestingly also do many searches for destinations in Alaska.

Which nationality prefers visiting the coast of Georgia, South Carolina and Florida one wonders? According to www.Skyscanner.com,  2010 appears to be a bright year for international tourism, and for the US tourist industry as a whole.