How to sell India

After covering itself with glory at the Cricket World Cup earlier this year, India is on a winning streak when it comes to tourism too, as Kerry Baggott reports.

Just three weeks into the job as regional director of India Tourism, Vikas Rustagi is heading up the India pavilion at Arabian Travel Market this year.

He takes to the helm at a good time for India’s tourism sector. Following a disappointing 2008/9; 2010 finally saw international visitor numbers boosted.

Admittedly this had much to do with the hosting of the Commonwealth Games in Delhi back in November, in preparation for which significant improvements to infrastructure were put in place. Couple this with India hosting — and winning — the World Cup Cricket earlier this year and awareness of this vast sub-continent is now at an all-time high.

Having achieved its moment in the spotlight, India Tourism is now looking at achieving an average annual growth in international arrivals of up to 12% by April 2012.

Currently, India enjoys 5.6 million worldwide visitors each year. This constitutes 0.6% of the total world tourism arrivals and in the next five years, India is aiming to see that figure rise to 1%.

As well as exposure, sporting events have brought crucial investment into infrastructure. Rustagi estimates that at least 25-30 hotels opened their doors in Delhi’s National Capital Region alone in the run-up to last year’s Commonwealth Games.

This can only be good news for a country in which hotel rates can be among the highest in the world due to a lack of supply. That pressure will be further eased when the 48,000 classified hotel rooms, which are currently in the pipeline, open within the next six months to two years.

Returning visitors to Delhi will most definitely see a change, thanks to the myriad of recent infrastructural improvements, such as roads and transport, and most significantly for travel agents, an influx of new hotels.

The Taj group, for example, was at Arabian Travel Market announcing the opening of no less than ten properties belonging to its Vivanta by Taj brand.

Targeting Gulf travellers India’s tourism authority is targeting the Middle East market to play a major contribution in achieving its tourism target. 350,000 tourists from the region currently visit India annually.

“This is a very promising market,” says Rustagi. “All the ingredients for success are here — connectivity is excellent with Dubai being a major international hub.

Almost 50 airlines connect to India through this region. Plus, it’s only three hours from Dubai to New Delhi and three-and-a-half hours to Mumbai,” he adds.

Rustagi views the airlines as major strategic partners. “Both Jet Airways and Emirates have their own tour operating wings and we work closely with them.” India Tourism’s regional marketing activities include agency fam trips, roadshows, advertising and newsletters.

And while still riding on the back of the ongoing ‘Incredible India’ campaign (conceptualised back in 2002), Rustagi admits that a slightly different approach must be adopted when it comes to enticing travellers from the Middle East market.

“The main holiday season in the Middle East is from June to September and of course this clashes with India’s monsoon season,” he points out. “This means we emphasise the Himalayan region at this time of year.” But he adds that monsoon rains make a welcome break for people from this region in the summer.

The nuances of the Gulf region have also affected how tour operators do business here. “The Middle East is a very late booking market,” says Mahesh Shirodkar, managing director, Tamarind Tours. “Normally bookings are made just a couple of weeks before travel. And because of the working week in the Middle East, we are open seven days a week.”

Shirodkar also points out the clear differentiation between the region’s pool of Western expats and the Arabic population. “Expats look for culture and heritage and are more adventurous,” he says.

“Arabs don’t really go to the north. They want ‘stay-put’ holidays. They head to Mumbai for the shopping, nightlife and the rains or to Kerala— particularly for ayurvedic and medical treatments.”

Medical Tourism
Medical tourism is a sector for which India Tourism has extremely high hopes. It is reported to be enjoying a growth rate of 27% annually and will be worth US$2.4million by 2012.

Of course, India is the birthplace of Ayurveda medicine and the southern state of Kerala has an equable climate and natural surroundings that make it best suited for Ayurveda’s curative and restorative packages.

For example, guests staying at Kalari Kovilakom, must stick to a ‘no-shoes-meat-or-wine lifestyle’ that strictly adheres to the traditions of Ayurveda.

Stays here are for a minimum of 14 days and Shilendran M., vice-president sales of CGH Earth, which owns the property, openly admits that “here, the customer is not king. They go through a strict schedule of cleansing that will positively impact their lives forever”.

CGH Earth has a portfolio of 13 boutique hotels in Kerala and is considered to be pioneers in their field. “Our aim is to give all our visitors an authentic and experiential holiday,” says Shilendran. “We are not marketing at mass tourism. We are looking to propagate sustainable, high-quality tourism,” he says.

A cultural hot bed
It’s a very different story elsewhere in India, where the hustle and bustle of Delhi or Mumbai competes with the colour and history of Rajasthan, the peaceful lakes of Udaipur, the desert fortresses of Jaisalmer, the wonder of the holy city of Varanasi and the tiger prowling park of Bandhavgarh.

While the stunning beaches of Goa or Kerala are often the choice for returning visitors to India, first-timers normally opt for the Golden Triangle of Delhi, Agra and Jaipur, primarily because it takes in India’s iconic Taj Mahal.

In fact, the sheer variety of this vast sub-continent leaves plenty of scope for return visits: “India is almost the size of Europe and the diversity it throws up is amazing,” says Tamarind’s Shirodkar. And with India and all its partners batting from the winning side, it looks as if the World Cup winners are ahead of the game.

Where to stay

The Oberoi, Gurgaon,
New Delhi
Opened just two months ago, the property has been grabbing the headlines for offering a number of firsts: India’s first luxurious suites with private heated pools; the city’s first 24-hour spa and the country’s only exclusive cigar lounge. The renowned Oberoi service comes complete with a series of Rolls Royce and BMW 7 series limousines and 24-hour butler service for each guest. Its 202 rooms are among the largest in New Delhi. From US$268 per room per night.
Contact www.oberoihotels.com

Taj Falaknuma Palace,
Hyderabad
This exquisite property opened as a hotel only last November, but has long been hailed one of India’s grandest palaces. Following careful refurbishment, it now offers 60 guestrooms and suites. Elaborate frescoes, Venetian chandeliers, priceless furniture and art and stained-glass windows, make this property a living museum. The billiards table is one of a set of two — the other is in Buckingham Palace.
Cost is from US$450 per room per night.
Contact: www.tajhotels.com.

Alila Diwa Goa
Despite being just over a year old, this luxury boutique Asian brand has already been showered with a plethora of awards including ‘Best New Hotel’ in 2010 by Conde Nast Traveller, and ‘Top 10 Relaxation/Spa Hotel’ in India in the TripAdvisor Traveller’s Choice 2011. Situated amidst lush paddy plantations, Alila Diwa Goa is located in South Goa along the beautiful Majorda Beach, 20 minutes from the airport. At the heart of the stylish resort is an endless infinity pool that extends out into the paddy terraces.
Contact: www.aliladiwagoa.com

How to get there:
Almost 50 airlines connect India to the Gulf region so there are plenty of options:
Emirates flies to 10 gateways in India operating 185 flights a week from Dubai.
Jet Airways has close to 20 flights a week from Dubai and Sharjah to nine gateways.
Air India operates from Dubai and Sharjah to nine Indian cities.
Plus Air Arabia, Etihad and RAK Airways, Qatar Airways and Oman Air are all regional operators to India. International players flying via Dubai, such as Lufthansa and KLM, boost connectivity further.
Budget carrier FlyDubai last month announced a new route to its second Indian destination of Hyderabad.

When to go: In general the coolest weather lasts from November to mid-March, with fresh mornings and evenings and dry, sunny days. Between April and June temperatures can soar and it is dry and dusty. Monsoon rains occur in most regions in summer between June and September.

Visa info: All foreign nationals require a visa to enter India, prior to arrival.

Health: Depending on the region being visited and the activities undertaken, some vaccinations may be required, such as typhoid, rabies, tetanus and hepatitis A and B. Protection against malaria is also recommended.
See www.mdtravelhealth.com or www.fco.gov.uk

Time: GMT + 5.5

Contacts:
www.incredibleindia.org