US Report: Indian tourists visiting the U.S. expected to cross 10 lakhs in 2015

According to the Department of Commerce in its most recent report on international visitors and their projections, 69.8 million international visitors travelled to the US in 2013, generating a

record USD 181 billion in receipts and a USD 57 billion trade surplus. The figure of Indian tourists visiting the US is expected to cross 10 lakhs in 2015 and Indian tourists will register the third fastest growth after Chinese and Columbians from 2013 to 2018, a US report has said.

All top-20 visitor origin countries are forecast to grow from 2013 through 2018. Four countries are likely to account for 59 per cent of the projected growth from 2013 through 2018. These volume growth leaders are Canada, China, Mexico, and Brazil. India could add 461,000 additional visitors, while South Korea should produce an additional 375,000 visitors.

In 2013 supporting 1.3 million jobs, international visitor tourism spending increased 9.1 per cent from 2012. The Bureau of Economic Analysis says, 8 million jobs are supported, directly and indirectly, by US travel and tourism.

Penny Pritzker, U.S. Commerce Secretary said that U.S. can expect four per cent average annual growth in tourism during the next five years and a record 72.2 million foreign travellers are likely to visit the United States in 2014 alone.

The Spring 2014 Forecast for International Travel, released semi-annually by the U.S. Commerce Department’s International Trade Administration, forecasts continued strong growth through till 2018 following four successive years of record visitor volume.