Growth of 2015 over 2014: International Tourism Market

A successful tourism business requires a brand that speaks to its target markets, content that successfully generates potential clients and a level of service that listens to customers’ demands and no doubt all tourism boards are ready to do this with Indian market.

 

As the global travel market continues to expand with yearly increasing Indian arrivals and growth only expected to increase, opportunities in the tourism industry are endless. 

 

Bejan Dinshaw, Country Manager, India, TCA Abu Dhabi, said: “We are delighted to share that India has once again secured its top position as the leading overseas source market for Abu Dhabi. We have received an overwhelmingly positive response for all our market promotion initiatives concluded during a very successful year 2015. We are confident of sustaining this growth as we march forward with our endeavours in the New Year. We thank all our partners, including airlines, hotels and DMC’s for their support. We will continue to associate with our stakeholders with even more enthusiasm to expand our India market initiatives in the year 2016.”

 

Namgay Wangmo, Marketing and Promotion Division, Tourism Council of Bhutan said “The Indian tourism industry is one of the fastest growing industries in the world and with the projection of 50 million outbound tourists from India by 2020; every destination is tapping on this market.  India has always been major source market to Bhutan and we can only expect the market to grow.”

 

Mr. SanJeet, India Representative - Destination Canada said “In absolute numbers, India’s outbound to Canada grew by 15,000 travellers which is substantial keeping in mind that Canada is a long-haul destination. The promotional and marketing activities of Destination Canada in India market are showing good results; specially working with the travel industry is bearing fruits. We recently were awarded as the Best NTO at North India Travel Awards. We hope to continue achieving good numbers in the coming years as well.”

Ismail A. Hamid, Egyptian Tourism Counsellor, Regional Director, India said “The year 2015 was a great success for Egypt in the Indian market with 27.2% increase over 2014. The market has reacted very well to the promotion activities run in the market in 2015 and it proved the potentials are very huge. With new products offered and new market segments targeted we are expecting around 48% increase in 2016 over 2015 to fully recover to the figures of 2010 which witnessed the peak year for Egypt in the Indian market.”

 

Shelly Chandhok, Country Manager, VITO India said “our main objective is to promote Indonesia as a wholesome affordable luxury & fun destination for family, honeymooners or be it the business traveller for MICE and in 2015 we have seen overwhelming response from all target segments. We are now showcasing newer itineraries and regions for the traveller to get the best experiences exceeding the expectations. Our marketing strategy in the coming year will be to be more visible through engagement with the consumers through various platforms to reach them and update them on the new offerings from Wonderful Indonesia. We will continuously share updated information about the archipelago with the travel trade, wedding planners and MICE agents.”

 

Hassan Madah, Director, Israel Ministry of Tourism, India said “In the last few years, many Indians prefer to travel abroad to see new countries and enjoy unique experiences, increasing their travel to Israel. As a destination, Israel attracts all types of travelers for its unique places and experiences – like the Dead Sea, desert tours, historical sites, beautiful beaches on the Mediterranean, exotic cuisine, adventure sports and exciting nightlife. The traditions and customs of the past, the always changing and vibrant culture of cities like Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and Eliat, and the landscape of the country, makes Israel a truly unique experience, especially for the Indian travelers.”

 

Mr Daisuke Kobayashi, Director –Singapore, Malaysia & India, Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) said “There has been a growth in Leisure travel to Japan from India. More and more Indians are now travelling to Japan for holidays as awareness on the destination continues to increase. Indians are now looking at Japan as a holiday destination as it has a lot to offer in terms of Culture, Attractions, Food, Shopping and much more.”

 

Vivek Anand, Country Manager, Mauritius Tourism said “We have seen a remarkable rise of Indian footfalls to Mauritius from all target groups i.e.? FIT, MICE, Wedding, Families and honeymooners. We would like to thank all stakeholders for partnering MTPA in this endeavour. We have seen more wedding and MICE groups showing interest in Mauritius. As part of promotional campaign, we initiated direct interaction with the consumers – promotions in malls and during Golf tournaments, Radio campaigns and a destination promotion series on NDTV Good Times anchored by Rocky & Mayur helped us to increase awareness about the destination. We expect the numbers to increase by another 20% next year with more weddings and MICE groups visiting Mauritius. We will continue promoting Mauritius as a MICE, Wedding, Honeymoon, Adventure, Golf, Family and Luxury destination in 2016.”

Lubaina Sheerazi, India Representative, Ministry of Tourism, Oman said “We have seen a positive growth last year and the increase can be credited to the fact that Oman is becoming popular as a wedding destination for Indians. From Sonam Kapoor to diamond merchants in Surat and NRI’s, several Indians are now visiting Oman for the purpose of destination weddings. This has contributed a lot to our footfalls from India. MICE tourism in Oman has also seen an increase and to attract more MICE activities this year, our efforts are aimed at increasing interactions with tour operators and corporates. Excellent airline connectivity, short-haul destination and varied experiences to offer have led to Oman becoming a popular destination in the region.”

 

Sanjeet, Tourism Attache, Philippines tourism, Marketing Office India, said “Over the last couple of years, DOT Philippines has been actively promoting the destination not only as a holiday destination but also for weddings, luxury, MICE and small group travel. Destinations like Manila, Boracay, Cebu, Bohol, Palawan and Davao have been aggressively promoted in recent years. In order to strengthen co-operation with our important feeder markets, several promotional activities such as roadshows, taxi branding, participation in fairs and exhibitions and FAM trips have been carried out. With the AJACSS UK visa relaxation at all international airports, the Philippines is sure to attract more Indians in the coming years.”

Alain St. Ange, Minister of Tourism and culture, Government of Seychelles said “We are thrilled with the phenomenal response from the India market in just the second year of us opening office here. I strongly believe that this achievement has been possible in such a short time because of a very good team work with Air Seychelles, the DMCs and the resorts. In spite of a limited budget, together we have been able to occupy a place in the minds of the travel trade and to an extent in the consideration list of the traveller. We are geared up and excited for 2016 and are confident that we will keep this momentum alive.”

Hanneli  Slabber, Country Manager South Africa Tourism said “The change in visitors has been seen as a more accurate reflection of real tourists. Our direct flying service, the national carrier discontinued services which also is a contributor to this change. Capacity issues at our immigration center lead to visa delays, which is now taken care of and is running smoothly. We are positive and are also seeing affirmative changes in the number of travelers to South Africa. We are definitely seeing a surge in travelers for this year and our marketing efforts are also fueling this surge. We are excited for 2016 to be one of our best years thus far.”

 

Dana Urmonas, Regional Director, Southeast Asia & India, SATC said: “The South Australian Tourism Commission recognises that India is a key growth market for us. What makes the Indian market special is the diversity and quality of tourists, who are now changing the way they travel and spend on their holidays. South Australia offers something exclusive to every Indian traveller and we will continue to build efforts to increase Indian visitor numbers.”