Offbeat destinations trying to woo the Indian traveller

Few have heard of the Changdeokgung Palace or the ruins of St Paul’s. These landmarks from South Korea and Macau may not be as well-known among Indian tourists as the Leaning Tower of Pisa or the Statue of Liberty, but these are slowly becoming sought-after destinations.

According to Tourism Satellite Accounting research, released by the World Travel and Tourism Council, the demand for travel and tourism in India is expected to grow by 8.2 per cent between 2010 and 2019. This will place India at third position in the world in this regard and tourism hubs are only too eager to get a slice of this market.

More than business
The Korea Tourism Organisation recently held a road show in Mumbai as part of the ‘2010-2012 Visit Korea Year’ campaign. The event attempted to create awareness about the year-round attractiveness of Korea and invite more Indian tourists to visit.

Tae Shik Kim, Director (New Delhi Office), Korea Tourism Organisation, said: “From the low numbers of Indian tourists who visited South Korea last year, we would like to increase it to at least 100,000 and more tourists by the end of 2012. Though Korea is largely famous for the Olympics and the Formula-1 Grand Prix, we want to promote tourism also as a leisure visit and not only a business visit, as it is largely right now.”

While language is always a concern for Indian tourists visiting the Far East, the Director assured, “We offer free interpretation services, 24x7, for tourists to ensure that they don’t face any problem in getting around, even on their own.”

The Macau Government Tourism Office (MGTO) also hosted a mini-mart in Mumbai and New Delhi for an interaction with the Indian trade, to promote itself as a leisure and a Meetings, Incentives, Conferences & Exhibitions (MICE) destination. The aim was to provide a chance to representatives from both sides to increase their networking.

Our sheer numbers
Nalini Gupta, MD, Lotus Destinations, said: “Not only Korea and Macau, but every country wants to woo the Indian tourist because of the sheer volume the country's population, if tapped correctly, can provide. Indian trade fairs help agents to sell what they know. This presents a good opportunity for tour operators from both countries as well, because local expertise is needed. But, ultimately, the product offered has to be good.”

Representatives of the Macau tourism industry pointed out the lack of direct flights connecting India with Macau and appealed to Indian airline operators to provide connections. Indian tourists are currently forced to take a ferry from Hong Kong. While about 108,000 Indian tourists visited Macau, the number was almost three times higher for Hong Kong. Representatives believed 19-22 weekly flights are needed to serve the market.

SanJeet, India Representative, MGTO, said: “The Indian tourist market is growing and we are hoping to touch 150,000 tourists this year. Macau is about 29 sq km and it is easy to navigate around the territory. There is a hotel to suit every budget and it makes for a great leisure destination. There are also plans for a metro within the territory and a bridge that will connect Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau, which will make traveling much easier and are expected to be completed in about five years.”

Additionally, at the unveiling of the ‘2010-2011: A World of Choice brochure’, Emirates Holidays noted that the Indian traveller today demands quality and service at an affordable price. Nadeem Ulde, Business Development Manager-India, Emirates Holidays, said: “India is an important market for Emirates Holidays and we are expecting a growth of 25 per cent for India in FY10-11. Emirates Holidays has been achieving strong growth and support from Indian travel agents and consumers.”