US eyes more Indian tourists in coming yrs, number expected to rise to 2mn

The NTTO expects visitors from India to go up to 2 million by 2027

The US is looking to woo more Indian tourists in the coming years – currently its fifth biggest market for inbound tourists.

The US received 1.7 million visitors from India in 2023, up 20 per cent from 2019, when it received 1.4 million such visitors. The US National Travel and Tourism Office expects this number to go up to 2 million by 2027.

“The real exciting opportunity is the growing affluent middle class, which is a huge growth market for us. The younger demographic of the population in India also brings opportunities in terms of the lifetime potential of a visitor and increase repeat visitation,” Staci Mellman, chief marketing officer at Brand USA, a public-private destination marketing organisation for the US, told Business Standard.

“We have seen that there's been a shift over the last decade from Indian travellers just visiting friends and family to being open to exploring beyond the core gateways,” over the years. The top destinations for Indians travelling to the US are New York, California and Florida.

Indian travellers to the US typically stay for two weeks and spend significantly higher than other international visitors, she further said.

Even as the country looks to woo more Indian tourists, a lack of visa appointments remains a challenge. “We realise the impact that visa delays have on potential inbound visitation and we work with the agencies to help alleviate the problem. The US issued 1.2 million visas to Indians last year – its highest ever. As many as 250,000 new appointments were opened recently and weekend appointments have also started to help fasten the process,” she said.

She added that an in-person interview is not required for visas lapsed in the last four years – all measures to help ease the situation. “The consulate in Hyderabad is now seeing about 3,500 people every day. These will help ease the visa related challenges that potential tourists see,” she added.

While these hindrances are worked out, the organisation has tied up with e-commerce player Tata Cliq Luxury to promote experiences in the US.

“Our goal with this unique partnership, is to make sure that the USA is remaining top of mind to the traveling audience,” Mellman said.

When users click on the book now option on the platform, it will redirect them to Expedia, where they can book hotels and air tickets to the US. “The whole premise of the campaign is that travel should not be about just the destination and visiting a place. It's more about the experience, which we have seen people seek more after Covid especially. The campaign highlights experiences that people can have in the US,” she added.