Destination America beckons Chennai!

C Shivakumar

Chennai:

American travel firms are wooing South India, and tourists in Chennai in particular, as United States expects Indian travel market to grow by 90 per cent.

James Golsen, principal commercial officer at the consulate told Express that South India, including Chennai will be the ones who will help in spearheading the growth of travel industry.

Although no concrete statistics are available, but US consul Nicholas J Manring told Express that that Chennai consulate has issued 69.716 tourist visas in 2011. “We do estimate it to grow by another 10 per cent this year,” said Manring.

Interestingly, the number of travelers from emerging economies with growing middle class such as India is expected to multiply in coming years.

US consul general Jennifer McIntyyre says that it is the people to people connection that enhances the value of travel and friendship between both the nations. “Each time an Indian takes a vacation in the US, visits a friend or relative, travels or business, or begins a degree programme, the connection between our two countries is strengethened,” said McIntyre.

She feels the growth rate of Indian travelers to America is projected to increase by 50 per cent.

Manring says that US conulate in Chennai has introduced series of measures which includes faster interview process besides reducing the waiting time to less than 10 days.

Manring also said that plans are on to expand the banks to accept visa fees in Tier-1 and Tier-2 cities by the end of the year. Golsen said although US is trying to woo tourists in China and Brazil but the prime focus is India.

Manoj Gursahani, vice-chairman of VUSACOM, an independent voluntary organization comprising of travel trade professionals and formed with the support of US Consulate General, said that Chennai will soon have a VUSACOM chapter in Chennai with the sole objective to prote travel to United States. Currently 650,000 tourists from India travel to United states and they spend about $4,500 in united States, says Gursahani.

He said he expects the number to go up by 900,000 within a year. He also said the total spend of India in United States is $3 billion.

India is currently ranked 12^th in terms of number of tourists visiting United States but Vusacom feels the number will soon get into single digit. “We are expecting to reach the ninth spot soon,” said Gursahani.

But with stringent security restrictions will United States attract tourists from abroad, “We are trying make the entry into United states as smooth as possible for leisure travel without compromising on security,” said Golsen.