No. of Indians visiting US will grow by 42% in 2015

The number of Indian tourists visiting United States this year is expected to grow by 42 per cent, more than four lakh tourists in absolute terms compared to 2014, a report has said.

US department of Commerce in a report on Monday said international visitors who stay one or more nights in the United States will reach a record 77.6 million this year -- up more than 3.6 per cent from total visitors in 2014.

However, China with a whopping 163 per cent projected growth is expected to lead globally and in the Asia Pacific region followed by Colombia (54 per cent) and India (42 per cent), it said.

Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker speaking at the IPW 2015 luncheon issued the '2015 Spring Travel Forecast' showing America continues to be a premier travel destination and will continue to see strong visitation growth through 2020.

"We want and welcome international visitors to see and experience all America has to offer. As the world economy continues to shift, promoting travel and tourism is essential to our competitiveness, . . . to the success of our businesses and economy," Pritzker said.

"Obama has understood from the beginning how vital travel and tourism is to the economic health of the United States.

“Visitors to our country spent a record $221 billion on travel goods and services last year, supporting 1.1 million total US jobs," she said.

According to the current forecast, the United States will see a 3.8 percent to 4.6 per cent annual growth rate in visitor volume during the 2015-2020 time-frame.

By the year 2020, it is projected that 96.4 million visitors will travel to the US -- an increase of 29 per cent over 2014.

The latest forecast produces a compound annual growth rate during the forecast period of 4.3 per cent -- a slight increase from the 2014 Fall Travel Forecast.

Mexico (37 per cent), and Taiwan (33 per cent).

Venezuela is the only country expected to have a decline in volume during the forecast period.

Three countries -- Mexico, China, and Canada -- are expected to account for 61 per cent of the projected growth from 2014 through 2020.

Image: A tourist poses as the Statue of Liberty. Photograph: Reuters