India becomes Asia's highest source of international travelers, especially US: Report
2 min read 24 Jun 2023, 06:42 AM ISTIndia has become Asia's highest source of international travelers, with the US trying to accommodate the boom by opening two new consulates in the country.
PremiumIndians have been traveling abroad more, particularly to the United States as it is trying to accommodate the new tourism boom by opening two new consulates in the South Asian country, according to a report published by Reuters.
This week, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been at the White House which has been billed as a turning point for bilateral relations between the two nations. PM Modi on Friday had plans to meet with numerous executives seeking to invest more in India as the US pushes to process more visas.
For the first time in 2022, India because Asia's highest source of international travelers. The international travelers from India exceeded those of China, South Korea, and Japan last year, the tourism consultancy IPK International said.
Geoff Freeman, CEO of the US Travel Association said, “New markets like India may offset (other countries) and help us grow in the long run."
In a joint statement, US President Joe Biden and PM Modi said that the United States will open two new consulates in two Indian cities — Bengaluru and Ahmedabad.
They directed officials to identify additional mechanisms to facilitate travel for business, tourism, and professional and technical exchanges between the two countries, the statement read.
According to data from the US Department of Commerce National Travel and Tourism Office, travel from India to the United States has exceeded pre-pandemic volumes in the first five months of 2023. Other Asian countries are lagging, particularly China, where travelers have been slow to return to the United States post-pandemic.
Last year, India ranked third among overseas travelers visiting the United States, up from eighth in 2019. The figures do not include cross-border visitors from Canada and Mexico.
Addressing a hospitality conference this month, IHG Hotels and Resorts CEO Keith Barr said, “When you think about the power of the Chinese(international) traveler (due to) that rising middle class and wealth creation there, India is going through the same evolution too."
A State Department spokesperson said that US embassies and consulates in India have issued 44% more non-immigrant visas in 2023 than in the same period in 2019 and are on course to process over one million visas this year, Reuters reported.
“Our consular teams have been making a huge push to process as many visa applications as possible in India. This is a top priority for our government," the spokesperson said.
(With Reuters inputs)
