Mumbai, Maharashtra -- (SBWIRE) -- 01/31/2012 -- Quality activities & services in sync with niche destinations are the drivers for “sustainable” future of Outbound Travel & Toursim from India.

SATTE 2012 brings together the travel industry & destinations for this New Year!

The mood is upbeat in the travel and tourism segment, especially outbound, as figures show that India is going places - be it in the domestic or the outbound segments. The Indian outbound travel market, a mere 3.7 million in 1997, is estimated to touch between 11 and 13 million this year. In percentage terms, it is now the fastest growing outbound market in the world; in terms of numbers, the second fastest after China.

Buoyed by attractive airfares and affordable hotel room rates, more Indians have chosen to holiday abroad this season compared to last year.

Travellers have opted for places such as UAE, Thailand and Malaysia as domestic airfares in India have shot through the roof. International travel is registering growth of as high as 30% and few of the top destinations are Singapore, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Dubai, Hong Kong, Colombo and Kathmandu, according to travel industry experts.

In addition to airfares, hotel rates are much cheaper in Bangkok or Colombo, compared to Goa or Trivandrum. South-East Asia is the emerging holiday spot this season where hotel room rates are approximately half of what the peak season rates are at domestic party destinations like Goa, Kerala or Pondicherry.

Sajid Desai Project Director –UBM India for SATTE 2012 said “India’s middle classes are moving into the 'cash rich/time poor' bracket and are starting to demand improved quality on their trips in terms of packaged deals offered by travel & tour operators as well as the deals they get on popular travel portals online. And every year, millions more Indians move into an income bracket where they can afford to travel overseas with different priorities to keep in mind while choosing destinations. New segments that individuals are keen to explore are growing more quickly as travel moves up the list of household spending priorities.”

According to PATA (Pacific Asia Travel Association), the Indian Outbound Travel Market is expected to increase at a compounded growth rate of over 25% over the five year period scanning from 2010 to 2015. So, what are the drivers of such an impressive growth?

Ajay Prakash, President, Travel Agents Federation of India said, “Tourism will grow responsibly only when destinations across the world are wake up to quality over quantity. With the Asia Pacific and the Middle East zone attracting more than two thirds of total Indian outbound trips, Indian travellers are increasingly looking beyond the established destinations. A lot of Indians still travel to Bangkok or Dubai, for example, there is prestige attached to going somewhere off the beaten track, such as beach resorts in Bali, Phuket or Maldives where quality is given more emphasis than quantity of people.”

Other reasons that are blowing in the winds of change in travel and tourism industry can be attributed to liberalization of air transport, fluency in English and comfort level with international travel, greater segmentation in the market and a strong demand for travel among families, young people, women and seniors. A specific trend that seem to be a well sought travel aspect are the options to have a great leisure time in South East Asian destinationations post wedding’s in romantic, undisturbed locations as these places are blessed with outstanding scenary & sights.

Chattan Kunjara Na Ayudhya, Director, Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), Delhi said, “The primary endeavor is to anticipate and keep up with important tourism trends, & support the travel trade industry in implementing marketing activities whenever possible. With much emphasis being laid on active engagement on various levels of the industry, there is a simultaneous effort to venture into new geographical territories to capture new segments. The core focus is on the future potential and thus we are investing in IT resources and following and aggressive networking to create a synergy with the industry.”

In recent years, destinations have become experts in accommodating particular tourism activities and events. For example, Indian weddings are held regularly in places like Chiang Mai, Phuket and even lesser-known Kanchanaburi. And these days honeymoon planners and tour and travel management companies provide several tailor made honeymoon packages related to destinations as chosen by the couples. These services are end-to-end in nanture comprising of hotels, air travel as well as some aspects of leisure and privacy for the newlyweds.

Apart from that, the well organised services, delicious delicacies, shopping facilities, throbbing nightlife, warm hospitality and the pleasant climatic conditions truly make Southeast the most sought after honeymoon destination. With a population of more than 1.1 billion and GDP growth of more than 8 per cent per annum, the country offers enormous potential for future growth in outbound travel and as it reveals clear opportunities for market segmentation and niches, the market is already showing signs of maturing in the past year alone.

As the premier travel trade fair in the country, SATTE 2012 has grown from strength to strength; year-on-year and provides an excellent opportunity to renew travel & torusim relations, make new contacts and discover new and exciting destinations, products and services within the country and overseas.
For more information log onto: SATTE (http://www.satte.org)

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Mutual PR
Neil Mascarenhas
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Email: neil@mutualpr.com