Leisure trips from India to the United States may soon slow down, as growing visa uncertainty and changing policies from the US administration begin to weigh on travel sentiment.
Several Indian tour operators say that travellers—especially senior citizens and those who don’t fly abroad often—are starting to think twice before booking their holidays to the US.
“There has been a marginal dip in bookings for travel to the US. However, what is evident is a certain hesitancy, especially among senior citizens and not-so-frequent travellers,” said Ajay Prakash, vice-chairman of the Federation of Associations in Indian Tourism and Hospitality, according to reports. “It is likely that leisure travel to the States will come down,” he added.
While there’s no official cap yet, industry insiders are wary of a likely dip in the number of visas granted in the coming months. The problem appears to be building across various fronts—limited visa interview slots, inconsistent messaging from the Trump administration, and India’s continued absence from the US visa waiver programme.
The American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) has also pointed to worrying numbers. According to its data, of the 327 reported visa revocations and SEVIS (Student and Exchange Visitor Information System) terminations in recent months, nearly 50 % were Indian students.
The US remains one of the most popular destinations for Indian travellers, thanks to a sizeable diaspora and longstanding business ties. In the first 10 months of 2024, close to 1.9 million Indians visited the US—a sharp 27 % rise over the same period in 2023, which saw 1.7 million arrivals.
However, industry observers aren’t sure this momentum will hold.
“There’s a growing sense that leisure travel will take the bigger hit. Business and official travel are more need-based and less likely to be disrupted unless something drastic happens,” another travel consultant noted.
US-based hotel chains are keeping a close watch. Speaking at the Skift India Forum in April, Marriott International’s CEO Anthony Capuano said while a broad pullback in inbound tourism seems unlikely at the moment, “tough tariff talk” and political rhetoric could start pushing international tourists away—including Indians.
Despite the unease around visas, the number of flights between India and the US hasn’t changed much. Currently, there are 130 nonstop flights operating weekly on this route. Air India runs the bulk of them—102 a week—followed by United Airlines and American Airlines, which fly 14 each.
