Destination DC, the official destination marketing organisation for Washington, DC, recently visited India, in its first direct effort to market the nation’s capital to the South Asian country. In partnership with Etihad Airways, Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) and US Travel Association, the delegation has visited Hyderabad, Mumbai and New Delhi.
According to the US Department of Commerce, nearly 1.13 million Indian travellers visited the US in 2015. This number is forecasted to increase 25.6 per cent by 2020, to 1.41 million visitors.
IAD is served by 39 airlines flying nonstop to over 50 international destinations around the world. The airport is served by Etihad Airways from its hub in Abu Dhabi, with daily scheduled flights operated by its new generation Boeing 787 Dreamliner. With strategic Indian partner Jet Airways, Etihad Airways operates 252 weekly flights between 15 cities in India and Abu Dhabi, offering onward connections to the US.
India is one of the largest and fastest-growing markets for air travel, and the number of Indians travelling by air is increasing rapidly. Passengers flying on all Etihad Airways flights from the Indian sub-continent to the U.S. are processed through the U.S. Preclearance facility at Abu Dhabi Airport, which means they pass through all U.S. immigration and customs checks in Abu Dhabi and arrive in the U.S. as domestic passengers.
In 2015, Washington, DC welcomed 80,000 visitors from India, making it DC’s sixth largest overseas market. Visitation from India to DC has grown 40 per cent since 2013, when it ranked ninth. Capital Region USA, the region encompassing Washington, DC, Virginia and Maryland has seen 70 per cent increase in Indian arrivals.
“India is a strong and emerging market for Washington, DC and the region with lots of potential in terms of leisure travel and business development. In 2015, one out of every 10 Indian visitors to the US visited the capital region,” said Elliott Ferguson, president and CEO, Destination DC.
As part of the mission, the delegation will promote attending IPW in Washington, DC, from June 3-7, 2017. Hosted by US Travel Association, IPW is the largest generator of travel to the US. The five-day trade show will take place in Washington, DC for the first time in the event’s over 40-year history. More than 6,000 attendees from over 70 countries, including 1,300 international and domestic travel buyers, conduct business during IPW, resulting in more than US$ 4.7 billion in direct bookings to US destinations over the next three years. According to Rockport Analytics, Washington, DC is expected to receive a US$ 1.7 billion economic impact over the three years.
IPW has experienced steady participation from the Indian market, averaging 15 delegates annually. Given the large increase in projected inbound travel growth from the Indian market, US Travel Association’s goal is to increase IPW buyer and media involvement for 2017 and beyond.
