Washington, DC Visits India for the First Time
Destination DC, Etihad Airways, Washington Dulles International Airport and U.S. Travel Association Partner for Three-City Sales & Media Mission
Destination DC, the official destination marketing organization for Washington, DC, visited India on 15 to 18 Nov., 2016, 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 and U.S. Travel Association, the delegation has visited Hyderabad (15 Nov.), Mumbai (16 Nov.) and New Delhi (17 Nov.).
According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, nearly 1.13 million Indian travelers visited the U.S. in 2015. This number is forecasted to increase 25.6 percent by 2020, to 1.41 million visitors.
Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) is the world’s gateway to the U.S. capital region, served by 39 airlines flying nonstop to over 50 international destinations around the world. The airport is a U.S. gateway served by Etihad Airways from its hub in Abu Dhabi, capital of the United Arab Emirates, 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 convenient onward connections to the U.S.
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% since 2013, when it ranked ninth. Capital Region USA, the region encompassing Washington, DC, Virginia and Maryland, tells a similar story with an even greater rise. Indian visitation to the region has increased 70% and rose from the ninth overseas market in 2013 to the fourth in 2015.
According to Travel Market Insights Inc., visitors from India to the region ranked sightseeing, shopping, and visiting national parks and monuments among their top three activities. Washington DC’s incredible museums and art galleries, exceptional dining and nightlife scene, high-end designer retail along with its iconic monuments and memorials make the city a highly desirable destination. With more than $9.6 billion in major development underway in the city and nearly 5,000 new hotel rooms in the pipeline, there are many reasons for visitors to return.
“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,” said Destination DC President and CEO Elliott Ferguson. “In 2015, one out of every 10 Indian visitors to the U.S. visited the capital region.”
As part of the mission, the delegation will promote attending IPW in Washington, DC, 3-7 June, 2017. Hosted by U.S. Travel Association, IPW is the travel industry’s premier international marketplace and the largest generator of travel to the U.S. The five-day trade show will take place in Washington, DC for the very first time in the event’s 40-plus 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 $4.7 billion in direct bookings to U.S. destinations over the next three years. According to Rockport Analytics, Washington, DC is expected to receive a $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, U.S. Travel Association’s goal is to increase IPW buyer and media involvement for 2017 and beyond.
About Destination DC:
Destination DC, the official destination marketing organization for the nation’s capital, is a private, non-profit membership organization of 900 businesses committed to marketing the area as a premier global convention, tourism and special events destination with a special emphasis on the arts, cultural and historic communities. For more information, visit washington.org.
About Etihad Aviation Group:
Etihad Aviation Group (EAG) is a diversified global aviation and travel group comprising four business divisions – Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, Etihad Airways Engineering, Hala Group and Airline Equity Partners. The group has minority investments in seven airlines: airberlin, Air Serbia, Air Seychelles, Alitalia, Jet Airways, Virgin Australia, and Swiss-based Darwin Airline, trading as Etihad Regional.
From its Abu Dhabi base, Etihad Airways flies to, or has announced plans to serve, more than 110 passenger and cargo destinations in the Middle East, Africa, Europe, Asia, Australia and the Americas. The airline has a fleet of over 120 Airbus and Boeing aircraft, with 204 aircraft on firm order, including 71 Boeing 787s, 25 Boeing 777Xs, 62 Airbus A350s and 10 Airbus A380s. For more information, please visit: etihad.com
About the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority:
Washington Dulles International Airport is operated by the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, which also operates Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, the Dulles Airport Access Highway and the Dulles Toll Road and also manages construction of the Silver Line project, a 23-mile extension of the Washington region’s Metrorail public transit system through Fairfax County and into Loudoun County, Virginia. More than 44 million passengers a year pass through the two airports. The Airports Authority generates more than 387,000 jobs in the National Capital Region.
About U.S. Travel Association:
The U.S. Travel Association, owner and operator of IPW, is the national, non-profit organization representing all components of the travel industry that generates $2.1 trillion in economic output and supports 15.1 million jobs. U.S. Travel’s mission is to increase travel to and within the United States. Visit www.ustravel.org or www.ipw.com.