'Chai and samosas': US hotels roll out welcome for Indian travellers

US hotels and travel companies are aiming to tap a surge in Indian tourists to boost revenue as domestic leisure spending falters and demand from East Asian countries remains below pre-pandemic levels.

NEW YORK - US hotels and travel companies are aiming to tap a surge in Indian tourists to boost revenue as domestic leisure spending falters and demand from East Asian countries remains below pre-pandemic levels.

Nearly 1.9 million Indian tourists visited the US in the first 10 months of 2024, an almost 48 per cent rise from 2019, according to data from the US National Trade and Tourism Office (NTTO).

The surge was driven by a 50 per cent jump in visas issued for business visits and a 43.5 per cent increase for leisure, data showed.

The expanding Indian middle-class population, higher travel budgets and increased flight capacity were also behind the South Asian country's travel boom.