In an effort to augment tourist traffic to and from India to the United States, a Visit USA committee Vusacom India chapter has been launched on May 29, 2003 in Mumbai. Vusacom is a worldwide initiative of TIA (Travel Industries Association), one of the largest American travel associations. First of its kind in India, the Vusacom chapter is also supported by the US Commercial Services, an arm of the American consulate in Mumbai.

“The US Commercial Service promotes exports to the US including outbound travel which we consider an export of sorts. Moreover, since there is no formal US tourism promotional body in India, we have undertaken the task of tourism promotion. The idea of Vusacom besides promoting outbound tourism to the US is to address issues related to the same,” says Charles D Pinto, trade specialist, US Commercial Service.

Endorsing his statement, Lalit Seth, chairman - Vusacom, elucidates, “The India chapter will fill the present void in efforts to promote the United States as a destination. We would also like to educate the trade as well as the traveller regarding the requisites of obtaining a US visa as the procedure has become stringent and intricate in the recent past.”

The India chapter commenced in Mumbai will work out of Raj Travels & Tours’ office and is likely to spread nationwide in the near future and is slated to take the cities of Ahmedabad, Pune, Bangalore and Delhi into its fold.

The committee invites professionals from the industry who would work to facilitate and promote travel to the US ie travel agents, tour operators, airline professionals, hotels, etc. The membership campaign has been launched across India. Membership will be in the name of the company and would be in the form of ordinary and promoter members.

“Our target is about 150 to 200 members within the first month of which we have already received in the vicinity of 50 applications. These members will be charged an annual fee of Rs 3,000,” says Seth.

An important selection criteria for membership would be the profile of the applicants as the committee aims at enrolling select industry professionals on board. In terms of benefits, the Vusacom will organise familiarisation trips to the US at subsidised rates for its members to better understand the product. Plans are also in the pipeline to affiliate with hotels, cruise companies, amusement parks etc in the US so that visiting Vusacom members can avail of industry discounts.