US Hotels Introduce Chai, Samosa, Indian TV Channels To Welcome Indian Tourists

As US tourism struggles to regain its pre-pandemic momentum, the hospitality industry has found new hope in the rising number of Indian travellers. Nearly 1.9 million Indians visited the US in 2024, a surge of 48% from 2019, according to data from the US National Travel and Tourism Office (NTTO), reported Reuters. 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. 

US hotels and travel firms are strategically catering to this burgeoning market. Some properties are also introducing details that may resonate with Indian travellers – from chai and samosas in the lobby to popular Indian TV channels in the guest rooms, said Laura Lee Blake, CEO of the Asian American Hotel Owners Association, members of which own 60% of the hotels in the United States.

The expanding Indian middle-class population, higher travel budgets and increased flight capacity are also behind India’s international travel boom.

In contrast, visitor volumes from China, Japan and South Korea dropped 44.5%, 50.8% and 23.9% during the same period, compared with 2019 levels, NTTO data showed.

Wealthy consumers from East Asian countries such as China have been travelling more within the region, especially to destinations in Southeast Asia, avoiding long-haul trips to the United States. European tourists have been returning to the US but visitation from countries such as the UK, Germany and France has remained below 2019 levels.

“Indian travellers are stepping up to fill part of the gap left by lower visitation from China, Japan, and South Korea,” added Laura Lee Blake. “Their growing interest in exploring smaller cities and secondary markets is helping to spread the recovery across a broader range of destinations,” she said, adding that they generally prefer budget and mid-scale hotels.

Travel firm Viator, a TripAdvisor brand, has said US bookings made by Indian travellers jumped more than 50% in 2024 and have tripled from pre-pandemic levels in 2019.

“Over the past three years, we’ve seen over a 45% increase in nights booked by Indians travelling to the US,” said Dave Stephenson, chief business officer at Airbnb.

With the growing interest from Indian tourists and increasing flight capacity, the US tourism industry is on track for a promising future. As travel preferences evolve, US businesses are adapting to meet the demands of younger, experience-driven travellers from India, ensuring continued growth in this vital sector.