India emerges as 2nd overseas inbound market to the US; over 2 Mn visitors for second year

Indian travellers recorded generating USD 24.4 billion in the United States in 2024 alone   

India continues to strengthen its position as a key source market for inbound travel to the United States, with visitor numbers crossing the two-million mark for the second consecutive year, according to Brand USA. Looking ahead, visitation from India is forecast to reach 2.3 million by 2028.    

India leads overseas growth momentum    

Speaking exclusively on the market’s growth trajectory with T3, Jackie Ennis, Vice President, Global Trade Development at Brand USA, said India first entered the top 10 inbound markets to the US in 2019, ranking tenth at the time. “Arriving in the top 10 seemed like this huge accomplishment, and now when I think back, in 2024 it became the second largest overseas market into the United States,” she said. For the first time, the US welcomed over two million visitors from India, a trend that continued into 2025. “We were still over two million visitors to the United States from India for the second year running.”

India is now the second largest overseas source of international visitors to the US and, Ennis noted, is also believed to be the second largest spending market. She highlighted a significant shift in the profile of Indian outbound travellers. “What we’re seeing is a really kind of almost transformative landscape in terms of outbound travel from India,” she said, adding that travellers are increasingly seeking customised itineraries and unique experiences, a change reflected in the market’s rapid growth.    

In 2024, Indian travellers accounted for 6 percent of overseas arrivals to the United States, excluding Canada and Mexico – up from 4 percent in 2019. Beyond India, Brand USA’s largest international markets remain Mexico and Canada due to geographic proximity and cross-border traffic. Among overseas markets, the UK continues to lead, followed by India. Ennis pointed out that this year has seen a slight reshuffling, with Japan, Brazil and Germany also featuring prominently among the top overseas markets.    

Looking ahead, visitation from India is forecast to reach 2.3 million by 2028, reinforcing the market’s importance to future visitation, spending, and economic impact across U.S. destinations.    

Longer stays and rising spend

Fred Dixon, President and CEO of Brand USA, shared, “India now ranks second globally for total visitor spending, with Indian travellers generating USD 24.4 billion in the United States in 2024 alone.”

Sharing insights into visitor behaviour, Ennis said official data indicates an average length of stay of over 60 days, a figure influenced by students and short-term corporate or business travellers. For leisure visitors, however, the typical stay ranges between 16 and 21 days. “The length of journey really, two to three weeks is the minimum length of stay for a leisure visitor,” she explained, noting that limited non-stop connectivity often results in one-stop flights to the US. She also observed strong growth in visitor spending, adding that travellers to the US “have the money to spend”.    

Addressing market segmentation, Ennis said visiting friends and relatives (VFR) remains an important segment due to the size of the Indian diaspora, though it presents challenges from a data and marketing perspective. She explained that while travellers often stay with friends or relatives initially, many now branch out to explore other parts of the country. “Often those arrangements are actually booked once they are in the United States, so when that happens they are considered a domestic traveller,” she said. As a result, economic impact figures may not fully reflect the true spend of Indian VFR travellers, as bookings are frequently made locally or by hosts already residing in the US.    

Opportunities around FIFA World Cup 2026    

Looking ahead to the FIFA World Cup 2026, Brand USA is working with trade partners to develop itineraries that extend beyond host cities. Ennis said these include city-based experiences as well as road-trip itineraries highlighting attractions within a two to four-hour drive. She noted growing interest from the Indian market, particularly from eastern India. “What I have learned this week is Calcutta is showing that there’s lots of groups that are already booked,” she said, citing football’s strong following in the region.    

Interest from Delhi and northern India has been more muted, underlining the varied preferences across different regions of the country. Ennis added that while demand obviously not as high as seen four years ago for Doha, due to longer travel distances, specialist sports tour operators are still seeing movement from India. “For the passionate football fans, we are definitely seeing movement from the Indian market,” she said.    

Brand USA brings Travel Week to India    

Brand USA Travel Week India recently concluded in Bengaluru, held from January 19 to 22, marking the integration of the United States’ second-largest overseas source market into Brand USA’s global Travel Week franchise. The event consolidated Brand USA’s long-standing engagement with the Indian travel trade and media, bringing these efforts together under a single, unified platform.    

“As a priority growth market and a key driver of visitation to the United States, bringing Brand USA Travel Week to India was a clear choice,” shared Dixon. This expanded platform is designed to support that scale and significance – bringing U.S. destinations together with in-market partners to strengthen collaboration, build the right travel products, and expand distribution as we work together to grow the market.”

America the Beautiful debuts in India

Brand USA has rolled out its flagship global campaign, America the Beautiful, in India, marking a significant step in the organisation’s efforts to deepen engagement with the Indian outbound market. The campaign’s India launch coincides with Brand USA Travel Week India and forms part of its broader integrated marketing strategy. The campaign encourages Indian travellers to explore the people, places and stories that define the United States, with a focus on emotional storytelling and authentic, experience-driven travel.    

“As we expand our presence in India, America the Beautiful provides a powerful platform to inspire travel to the United States and convert intent into action,” said Leah Chandler, Chief Marketing Officer of Brand USA. “India’s travellers are increasingly seeking meaningful, multi-generational, and experience-led journeys, and this campaign speaks directly to those motivations.”