Mart Marketing
While the WTM and ITB are world-level markets, the Asian mart aims at exploring the business in the Asia-Pacific region. The ITB attracted 119,915 visitors and 6,125 exhibitors from 176 countries. The WTM had 157countries with 64,500 participants.
The Asia Travel Mart, in its debut year in 1995, attracted 143 exhibitors from 43 countries. Sanjeet says, though it cannot be quantified the fairs definitely mean more business. What they offer is a chance to meet the right people face to face and renew contacts with overseas partners. Participation in these fairs does not come cheap the rate at the WTM, for example, is 320 per square metre.
The Indian governments tourist office has increased its space booking at the WTM from 70 sq mt four years ago, with around 10 companies participating, to last years figure of 600 sq mt. This year, the Indian pavilion is of 800 sq mt with around 70 companies expected to participate. Apart from the department of tourism, state governments of Goa, Kerala, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, travel companies such as TCI, UVI and Sita and hotels chains such as Oberoi and Taj have been become veteran participants. Companies such as Hotel Leelaventure, Indebo (India) Ltd and Timms International have booked individual booths.
Says Sanjeet: Many Indian participants do not do their homework and lack information readily available. They just take a stall and sit for two days and return. Many of the participants criticise the lack of aggressive marketing effort on the part of the tourism department whose officials treat fairs as vacations. On one occasion, the officials were more interested in chaperoning Miss World Aishwarya Rai, who had been invited to pitch in for the country, rather than make a serious effort to sell the country to the world.
But there are many who exploit this opportunity to the maximum. Shikhar Travels, an adventure tour operator, has been participating at the world markets consistently. Swadesh Kumar says that he prefers to meet people directly. Kumar also prepares the groundwork much before he leaves for the fair. He gets in touch with the prospective customers and fixes up appointments in advance. This way he has build an impressive database of his customers.
Again, the Sterling Resort company hired local talent to get buyers and promote their stalls. Best Western India, which went as a visitor last year, is participating in the WTM for the first time. Its country manager, Mithilesh Kumar says they will be looking to attract inbound visitors to Best Western and scouting for franchises.
By Geeta Nair