How the U.S. Is Strengthening Tourism Ties with Its Second-Largest Overseas Market — India Report
Skift Take
The U.S. is increasing its efforts to attract tourism from India. The country’s destination marketing organization Brand USA held its 11th India Sales and Media Mission in Hyderabad this week in its largest mission ever, according to President and CEO of Brand USA Fred Dixon.
CEOs representing U.S. destinations also visited India for the mission, along with 48 U.S. tourism companies and 67 U.S. exhibitors.
During the event, Brand USA shared that in 2024, 2.2 million Indians visited the country, a 24% increase compared to 2023. India had surpassed pre-Covid numbers by November last year, Skift had earlier reported. It had also become the country’s second-largest overseas source market by May, a position it sustained till the end of the year.
This surge is despite the long visa wait times, an issue that all destination CEOs agree needs to be addressed. During their visit, the destination heads also visited the U.S. consulate in Hyderabad to understand the processes, Dixon told reporters during the event.
Visa Waiver a Possibility? “The visa issue is certainly a problem. We cannot skirt that or make that look pretty,” John Percy, CEO of Destination Niagara USA and a member of the U.S. travel association board of directors, told Skift. “I think there have been improvements, but we know that the wait times are a serious problem, not just in
