The United States remains one of the most aspirational long-haul destinations for Indian travellers. However, visa friction, rising travel costs, geopolitical uncertainty, and shifting global sentiment are increasingly influencing traveller confidence and conversion. In an exclusive conversation with TTJ at IPW 2026 in Greater Fort Lauderdale, Geoff Freeman, President and CEO, the US Travel Association, discusses the structural challenges facing inbound travel to the US, evolving perception issues, and why India continues to remain central to America’s long-term tourism strategy.
Despite strong underlying demand, the US travel ecosystem is navigating a period of adjustment where growth is being tempered by external pressures. Visa delays, geopolitical trade friction, and air capacity constraints are all influencing travel flows. Geoff acknowledges the challenge but stresses that millions of travellers still choose the United States each year, even as the industry works to rebuild confidence and ease access.
Perception Pressure in a Shifting Global Environment
Geoff described the current environment as one in which sentiment is being shaped as much by global narratives as by actual travel experiences.
“This is a challenging time for the US travel industry. We recognise that there are some travellers around the world who have concerns, and there are still millions of travellers who have been here before and want to enjoy everything the US has to offer. There is no doubt that we need to take steps to make the US more attractive. We need to let the world know that we are open for business,” emphasised Geoff.
He also pointed to broader geopolitical and trade tensions as indirect contributors to hesitation in travel. “Travel has been impacted as collateral damage in some of these trade wars. We need to address some deterring policies that have been proposed, and we are in the process of doing exactly that,” he added.
At the same time, Geoff highlighted gradual improvements in customs processing, aviation infrastructure, and visa operations. “Visa wait times have actually come down over the past two years, but they are still far too long. We have seen positive steps in the right direction, and investments are being made in our aviation system. However, industry efforts alone cannot resolve systemic constraints,” he stated.
India: High Demand, Slower Conversion
India’s recent shift from the second-largest overseas source market to fourth position, excluding Canada and Mexico, is not something Geoff views as a decline in strategic importance. Instead, he sees it as part of a broader recalibration occurring across global travel markets.
He said, “Over the past decade, Indian travel has grown immensely and become very important to destinations across the United States, including some second-tier destinations.”
Geoff cited examples of destinations such as Niagara Falls and emerging regional markets where Indian travellers are increasingly visible, signalling a diversification beyond traditional gateway cities. However, two structural challenges continue to limit faster growth: visa processing time and air connectivity. Visa wait times should be adjudicated within a month; 30 days or less should be the goal, and this is being worked on to make it achievable.
On air capacity, he is more cautious, pointing to economic pressures that currently constrain expansion. He said, “We do not have the lift from India that we would like to, and at a time when fuel prices are surging, we are not going to see that capacity increase any time now. But over time, we would like to see more nonstop flights out of India.”
Rethinking Visa Facilitation
Questions around group visa appointments reflect wider concerns in India regarding facilitation mechanisms that existed before the pandemic. While Geoff said he is not particularly familiar with such systems being widely used, he highlighted a new model emerging around event-based visa facilitation.
He pointed to the ‘FIFA Pass’ initiative introduced for the FIFA World Cup 2026 as a potential framework for future expansion.
“Around the World Cup, authorities launched the FIFA Pass for travellers holding match tickets. It creates a streamlined pathway to secure interviews and, hopefully, approvals to enter the United States,” he explained.
Geoff believes the concept should eventually extend beyond sports tourism into large-scale trade and business events as well.
“If 20,000 people are travelling to attend the Consumer Electronics Show and can demonstrate confirmed registration, we should be able to move them ahead in the visa queue. The same approach should apply to major conferences and conventions,” he said.
According to him, the broader objective is not preferential treatment, but improving efficiency, competitiveness, and ease of access for verified international travellers attending globally significant events.
Olympics, Cricket, and Expanding Event-Focussed Travel
With cricket set to return to the Olympic programme at the 2028 Summer Olympics, the conversation shifted towards whether similar facilitation frameworks could eventually benefit Indian travellers and sports fans attending the Games.
Geoff sees strong continuity between the World Cup model and future Olympic planning.
“I absolutely expect a system similar to the FIFA Pass introduced around the World Cup to be implemented during the Olympics as well, particularly for travellers who can provide proof of tickets to Olympic events,” he said.
He added that coordination efforts are already underway through dedicated task forces focused on scaling successful frameworks for future mega-events.
“Once the World Cup concludes, I expect this task force to turn its attention to the Olympics, applying the most effective strategies and lessons learned from this event in preparation for the Games two years later,” he stated.
Immigration Policy vs Travel Economics
Geoff acknowledged that US visa policy sits at the intersection of economic opportunity and national security priorities, making it a politically sensitive space for the travel industry.
“We as an industry certainly see the value of travellers, and the US Travel Association is out there every day advocating for our international guests. At the same time, the political environment is heavily weighted towards illegal immigration concerns, and it has been challenging to find the right balance for legal visitors while still strengthening borders,” he said.
He noted that sustained engagement with policymakers is helping the industry push for incremental improvements, even if broader structural challenges remain.
“There are more than five million Indians holding valid non-immigrant visas today, and we are thrilled because it is a real opportunity for Brand USA to engage that pool and convert them into repeat travellers,” he added.
The US Entry Experience: A Perception Problem
One of the most persistent challenges Geoff identifies is not policy-related but perception-driven, particularly around US border and customs entry experiences, which continue to shape traveller hesitation in key source markets.
He noted that many international travellers continue to associate entry into the United States with heightened scrutiny or concerns around detention and device checks, despite there being no significant procedural changes.
Geoff stressed that the data do not support many of these concerns, but acknowledged that perceptions continue to shape traveller decisions, particularly in markets such as India where shared experiences and digital narratives carry significant influence.
Beyond Gateways: Unlocking Regional America
While gateway cities such as New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Orlando, and Las Vegas continue to dominate as primary entry points for Indian travellers, Geoff emphasised the importance of building greater awareness around regional America.
“A first-time visitor is likely to go to one of those destinations. It is often during the second or third visit that travellers begin to branch out,” he explained.
He cited growing interest in destinations such as Minneapolis and the wider Minnesota region among Indian travellers, despite the absence of direct air connectivity from India.
“They were raving about the growth in Indian travel to Minnesota, and yet they do not have a nonstop flight from India,” he pointed out.
According to Geoff, improved air connectivity remains one of the biggest catalysts for deeper geographic dispersal and broader tourism growth across the United States.
IPW 2027 and the Momentum Reset
Looking ahead to IPW 2027, Geoff sees the event as part of a broader effort to reset global travel momentum and reshape international perceptions around travel to the United States, rather than merely serving as an annual trade showcase.
“We have got work to do over the next year to change perceptions. We have got to work with the administration and springboard off the FIFA World Cup to begin to make a pivot in how travel to the United States is perceived,” he said.
Geoff believes the successful execution of major global events such as the FIFA World Cup 2026 can play a pivotal role in rebuilding confidence across the global travel trade ecosystem, including buyers, media, and tourism stakeholders.
“If we can send a message of welcome to the world through the FIFA World Cup, it will strengthen inbound travel and strengthen shows like IPW as well,” he stated.
For Geoff, the equation remains straightforward: perception drives confidence, and confidence ultimately drives inbound tourism growth. The issue facing inbound travel to the United States is not a lack of interest from international travellers, but the friction that continues to slow conversion and confidence.
He sees India as one of the most promising long-term markets for US tourism, supported by strong outbound growth from India, a large pool of repeat visa holders, and rising interest in exploring destinations beyond the traditional gateways.
At the same time, Geoff believes sustained growth will depend on addressing practical barriers such as visa wait times, air connectivity limitations, and lingering perception concerns surrounding travel to the United States.
){kind=link}