It’ll soon be that time of the year when we start seeing new winged visitors around us. Yes, the winter migratory birds are just around the corner, with some already here in India, and some yet to come. India, with its diverse ecosystems ranging from wetlands to forests, is a haven for birdwatchers, especially during the winter months (October to March) when millions of migratory birds arrive from regions like Siberia, Europe, and Central Asia. The reason why these birds come to visit us is because they are in search of a warmer wintering spot. For food and offspring, our winter is perfect for them. As they escape harsh northern winters, they make some of India’s popular bird sanctuaries their home for a few months. Here is a list of top bird sanctuaries across India preparing to welcome these winged visitors in the 2025 winter season.

India saw its first fall in travel to the US in June 2025 compared to the previous year, breaking a two-decade trend. According to a report by the US Commerce Department’s National Travel and Tourism Office (NTTO), data shows 2.1 lakh Indians visited the US in June, down 8% from 2.3 lakh in June 2024. Provisional figures for July indicate a 5.5% year-on-year drop.

The decline is not limited to India. As per the NTTO data, overall international visitor arrivals to the US fell 6.2% in June 2025 compared with the same month last year. Similar decreases were seen in May (7%), March (8%) and February (1.9%), while January and April recorded small gains of 4.7% and 1.3% respectively.

India remains the fourth largest source market for US travel. Since Mexico and Canada share land borders with the US, India is the second largest overseas source market after the UK. Together with Brazil, these five markets made up nearly 60% of total international arrivals in June, NTTO reported.

According to a report by the Times of India, tourism industry experts warn against linking the dip solely to the visa policies under President Trump’s second term. A leading travel agent said, “We are seeing a very visible impact on the student segment this year due to delay in visa issuance even after people securing college admission.” He added that visiting friends and relatives, business, and students remain the top travel categories, while leisure travel to the US has historically lagged behind Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Europe.

The US has a large Indian diaspora of over 50 lakh, keeping demand for travel high. However, few experts have noted that factors like delayed visa appointments and stricter issuance rules could affect future travel, especially as many Indians currently rely on 10-year multiple-entry visas already in hand.

Travel from India to western destinations was also hit by other recent developments, including the Pahalgam terror attack, closure of Pakistan’s airspace, and the Air India Ahmedabad crash. “Every destination, especially in the west, was impacted badly. The drop to the US may not be in isolation,” another travel executive said.

According to India’s tourism ministry, outbound travel in April 2025 was strong, with 29 lakh Indians travelling abroad. The UAE, Saudi Arabia, Thailand, Singapore and the US were the top five destinations that month.

(With inputs from TOI)