The U.S. Travel Association (USTA) is expecting to receive around a million visitors from India by 2014, almost doubling from the 550,000 visitors in 2009. Though the number of business visitors dropped by 12 per cent in 2009, there was a slight increase by 3.9 per cent in the number of leisure travelers for the same year.

 

Speaking at the annual September Trade Mission organised by USTA in Mumbai, Bryan Lewis, U.S. Travel Chief of Staff and General Counsel, informed that the number of visitors are bound to increase in the coming years. "Following President Obama's announcement of the Travel Promotion Act in March 2009, an executive council is being formed which will market US globally. India, with its huge population and travel industry, is definitely one of the top five markets for the new council. Once appointed, the board will embark on a high impact marketing and promotional campaign across all mediums."

 

Twenty delegates from the U.S. visited Mumbai and New Delhi to promote US and conduct meetings with tour operators, airline representatives, travel agents, media and other bodies. Sartha Marketing Consultants are representatives of the U.S. Travel Association in India.

 

Lewis also took the opportunity to promote their travel trade event, 'International Pow Wow 2010', scheduled in San Francisco, California from May 21 to 25, 2011. "This year, we are extending invitations for the event to MICE buyers as well. We are inviting around 100 buyers from around the world, based on certain parameters, of which around 5 to 10 will be from India," he added.

 

The USTA September Trade Mission will also be held in Chennai and Bengaluru over the weekend at a smaller scale, with representation from a smaller contingent.