TravTalk India Online Magazine
The United States Commercial Service partnered with Discover Destinations to organise a tourism networking event in New Delhi recently. The event brought together important players in the US tourism industry and representatives from the Indian travel trade.
Janice Alyosius
The United States Commercial Service, the trade promotion arm of the US Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration, partnered with Discover Destinations, an American Destination Management Company, to host a tourism networking event in New Delhi recently. The event featured prominent destinations and tourism stakeholders from the United States, as well as representatives from the Indian travel trade, underscoring the commitment of both governments to bolster travel and tourism exchanges.
Addressing the participants at event, Brendan Mullarkey, US Consul General, said, “India is the top priority for the US for visas. Two years ago, as we were emerging from the pandemic, the situation was very dire in terms of staffing and meeting the demand for people wanting to travel to the US. These individuals were not just seeking leisure trips to Disney World or New York; they were students, workers, and families who had been separated during the pandemic. Therefore, our headquarters decided to prioritize India over nearly every other country in the world. You can see this reflected in the volume of visa applications we are processing.” He added, “The only country in the world with a higher volume is Mexico, which is understandable due to our proximity. However, after Mexico, India has the highest volume of visa processing anywhere in the world. To demonstrate the State Department’s commitment to prioritizing India, they have significantly increased our staff strength in India.”
Mullarkey noted that despite their best efforts, the waiting period for visa applications from first-time travellers from India still hovers around 500 days. To address this challenge the US State Department has agreed to further increase staffing beyond pre-pandemic levels. “In 2024, we already have two approved and funded positions, and officers are currently being trained and scheduled to arrive,” he revealed.
Umang Malbari, President, Discover Destinations, highlighted the company’s commitment to retaining its entire staff even during the peak of the pandemic. Through a presentation, Malbari showcased their expansion efforts, including the recent opening of their first office in Canada, located in Toronto, and plans to open an office in Mexico within the next six months. “The US, Canada, and Mexico sector has shown remarkable recovery for us, with the United States leading the way. Many of you are familiar with our key products, such as M!CE, Destination Weddings, sports tourism, and fixed departures. Additionally, we have the 2024 T20 Cricket World Cup,” Malbari said.
