Travel industry leaders tap India for potential audience

Global and luxury travelling expands

Business

Tourism

August 26, 2016

/ By / New Delhi



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Travel industry leaders see a potential market in India, as the travel and tourism industry here witnesses a boom.

One of its kind and a full-fledged travel mart, the Business and Luxury Travel Mart (BLTM) will be organised from October 24-25, 2016, at the Hyatt Regency in Gurugram (Gurgaon), near New Delhi.

The fair which will feature sellers from global businesses, MICE and luxury travel suppliers, travel planners, wedding planners, event management companies, et al, will see an interaction amongst the organisers and qualified hosted buyers from India. Delhi and the National Capital Region are believed to be good source markets for tourism.

The Host State- Haryana Tourism will be supporting and participating in BLTM to promote itself as an emerging MICE destination.

Emergence of a specialised Indian travel market

India continues to remain the 10th largest business travel market in the world, moving up five spots since the year 2000.  A report issued by the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) Foundation forecast 10.7% growth in business travel spending in 2016, followed by another 10.2% in 2017. GBTA expects that India will become the 6th largest business travel market in the world by the end of 2019.

“We are committed to creating BLTM as India’s premier show focused on Business, MICE and Luxury Travel segments,” said Sanjiv Agarwal, Chairman of Fairfest Media Ltd. “Hundreds of genuine hosted buyers will be flown in from all parts of India and neighbouring countries. Additionally, the venue, Gurugram will provide a rich hinterland of high-value corporate buyers in thousands, who will be also accorded the same status as hosted buyers,” he added.

BLTM has also been confirmed of support from leading trade bodies like Society for Incentive Travel Excellence (SITE) India, Network of Indian MICE Agents (NIMA), India Association Network (IAN), Indian Golf Travel Association, (IGTA) and Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI), who will be conducting networking sessions during the two-day event.

Movies, weddings and luxury travel

The affluent Indian travellers are now seeking luxury travelling and the demand is being fuelled byy the Indian markets for weddings and other social occasions, and film-makers.

Apex organisations from the film industry, including the Film & Television Producers Guild of India Ltd, Motion Picture Association of America- India office, National Film Development Corporation of India will actively participate to highlight the marketing opportunity of promoting destinations for and through film shoots.

To cater to the growing segment of weddings, BLTM has roped in WedWise, India’s first ‘community driven’ wedding start-up with 31,000 active members including the top wedding planners in India.

The support and participation of other travel industry associations like Global Business Travel Industry Association (GBTA), Outbound Tour Operators Association of India (OTOAI), Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO), is being finalised. Event and Entertainment Management Association (EEMA) is also keen to come onboard as a key stakeholder for the MICE industry.

The participants

International destinations like Korea, Nepal, Malaysia, Zimbabwe etc, are the early birds who have confirmed their intention to participate. Confirmations are awaited from at least 10 more countries.

BLTM will also provide unique opportunities for the Indian states to promote their Business Travel, MICE and Luxury products. Among the ones who have shown keenness to participate in BLTM along with the private sector are Goa, Rajasthan, and of course Host State Haryana, with confirmations also expected shortly from Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal.

Sellers at the BLTM include Accor Hotels, Chancery Hotel Bangalore, Clarks Group of Hotels/ 1589 Hotels, Club Mahindra, Hotel Fairmont– Jaipur, Lemon Tree Hotels/Redfox Hotel, Ottila, Pride Group of Hotels, Shanti Maurice, The Ambassador Hotel Group, The Lodhi Hotel, The Paul Bangalore/Kumarakom Lake Resort, The Royal Orchid, The Tamara– Coorg, Travel Motivations, Variety Cruises.

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