India's Impact: USA's Second Biggest Tourist Market in 2024

USA's Second Biggest Tourist Market: India

India has become a popular travel destination for the United States, ranking second for international tourist arrivals between January and May 2024, according to data from the US National Travel and Tourism Office (NTTO). This marks a significant jump from their third-place ranking during the same period in 2023.

The data reveals a strong upward trend, with a nearly 32 percent increase in Indian visitors to the US in May 2024 compared to May 2023, totalling 263,150 Indian passengers arriving in the US last month. From January to May 2024, India sent a total of 882,404 visitors to the US, reflecting a growth of 37.2 percent compared to the previous year. This places India second, behind only the United Kingdom, when excluding Canada and Mexico from the rankings. When including these North American neighbours, India becomes the fourth-largest source market for international tourists to the US for the January- May 2024 period.

Several factors contribute to this surge in Indian tourism to the US. The ongoing ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024, co-hosted by the US, has attracted many passionate Indian cricket fans. The upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026 is also expected to fuel this travel trend further. Increased accessibility, with the anticipated addition of new flights between India and the US later this year, is another contributing factor.

Recognizing India’s growing importance as a tourist market, Brand USA, the US destination marketing organization, is actively working to enhance travel experiences for Indian visitors. This includes continued marketing efforts and collaborations with the Indian travel industry.