New York City is gearing up to welcome a significant surge in Indian travellers this year. With a robust 93 per cent rebound from its 2019 visitation levels, the city anticipates a 14 per cent growth in footfalls from India, targeting approximately 3,83,000 travellers in 2024.
In 2023, the city hosted 3,36,000 Indian visitors, according to a statement from New York City Tourism + Conventions, NYC's official marketing, tourism and partnership organisation. This increase reflects the city's ongoing efforts to attract a diverse global audience, with India emerging as a key contributor to its tourism influx.
The overall tourism numbers for 2023 stood at an impressive 61.8 million travellers, showcasing a remarkable recovery rate of 93 per cent from the pre-pandemic levels of 2019. New York City remains steadfast in its commitment to reaching and surpassing the 2019 record visitation levels, with a projected goal of 64.5 million visitors for the current year.
Senior Vice President of Tourism Market Development for New York City Tourism + Conventions, Makiko Matsuda Healy, expressed delight at the positive reception in India. "We were pleased to be back in India, a rapidly growing feeder market for New York City tourism, for our annual sales mission," she stated.
Healy highlighted the introduction of the Travel Trade Academy program, now enriched with Hindi subtitles, to ensure that the Indian travel trade can effectively engage with the city's five-borough destination. "By incorporating Hindi subtitles, we aim to empower the trade to adeptly respond to evolving consumer demands," she added.
In collaboration with Turkish Airlines, New York City's delegation recently concluded its annual sales mission in India from January 29 to February 3. The mission included stops in Mumbai, Ahmedabad, and Delhi, aiming to strengthen ties with the Indian travel industry and position the city as a premier travel destination. As the city remains a top choice for global travellers, the increasing numbers from India underscore the appeal of New York City as a must-visit destination in 2024.
(With inputs from PTI)