Indian tourists rank as second-largest group of overseas visitors to US this summer

Even after extended wait times for visa interviews and high airfare prices, Indians were found to be the second-largest group of overseas visitors to the United States this summer, as per a survey published by the National Travel and Tourism Office (NTTO) of the US Commerce Department.

The survey, which was analysed by Times of India, found that for overseas visitors to the US, the United Kingdom held the top spot, contributing 9.7 lakh visitors, followed by India with over 5 lakh; Germany stood at the third place (4.7 lakh), followed by France with over 4 lakh, and Brazil with 3.7 lakh visitors, according to NTTO.

Interestingly, Canada and Mexico -- that share land border with the United States -- saw 26 lakh and 7.2 lakh visitors flying to the states during the summer, respectively.

Regarding overseas travellers between April-June 2023, here are the NTTO's findings:

The most visited state in the US was New York, with 24 lakh visitors, followed by Florida with 19 lakh, California with 16 lakh, Nevada with 5.2 lakh, and Texas with 4.8 lakh.

Additional NTTO data reveals that, on average, overseas visitors stayed for 19 nights during their visit to the United States and spent approximately $1,933 during their stay.

The primary purpose of the trip for most visitors was vacation or holiday, followed by visiting friends and relatives, and business purposes.

In terms of leisure activities, shopping was the top choice, followed by sightseeing, exploring national parks and monuments, visiting art galleries and museums, and exploring small towns and countryside areas, according to the data by NTTO.