India holds huge promise as a visitor market for NSW. Not only is projected to become the world's most populous country in April 2023, with over 1.4 billion people, but Indians are the most adventurous travellers in the Asia Pacific region.
Research released last year by online travel company Booking.com via its APAC Travel Confidence Index revealed that India is the most confident country when it comes to travel, with 86 per cent of those surveyed intending to travel in the next 12 months.
That confidence is reflected in international travel data for 2022 released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). It revealed India was the fourth biggest market for visitors to Australia in 2022, with the arrivals from India (303,000) having the strongest recovery, reaching 76 per cent of its pre-pandemic level from 2019.
India is a priority market for Destination NSW. Prior to the pandemic, it was the fastest growing segment to NSW, with Indian travellers spending an estimated $444 million in the year ending December 2019.
The agents who attended the Destination NSW Focus On India event attended one-on-one appointments with sellers and participated in familiarisation programs in Sydney and regional NSW.
Activities in Sydney included BridgeClimb, visits to Australian National Maritime Museum and SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium, a tour of Sydney Opera House, a scenic flight with Sydney Seaplanes, Oz Jet Boating rides, a Clearview Glassboat Sydney Harbour dinner cruise and a Taronga Zoo tour.
The post-familiarisation groups enjoyed a variety of visitor experiences in the Blue Mountains, Hunter Valley, Port Stephens, Southern Highlands, Jervis Bay, Shoalhaven and Kangaroo Valley.
Click here to watch video highlights from Focus On India.
Crown Towers Director of Sales Michael Fletcher said: “It has been great for us to meet the Indian market in person at this trade event. To see the agents' excitement about our new product and reengage with them has been fantastic.”
Beacon Holidays Director Heena Munshaw said: “Sydney has the best harbour in the world and there are so many activities and beautiful things to do. The experience of this harbour in the middle of the city is magnetic. Post pandemic, the Indian traveller mindset is changing, it’s getting far more experiential. Our customers need to discover more NSW regions."
Kesari Tours Director Zelam Chaubal said: “There are so many things to do in and around Sydney. Our clients just love NSW and they want to spend more time here enjoying the experiences on offer.”
Destination NSW CEO Steve Cox welcomed the Indian agents and NSW operators during a networking event at Terrance on the Domain.
"NSW features visitor experiences like nowhere else. From the outback to the mountains, to the city and the coast, this unmatched offering and its energising impact are a significant drawcard for Indian travellers," Mr Cox said.
"International visitation to NSW continues to increase exponentially, with 946,200 visitors generating $3.6 billion in visitor expenditure during the year to September 2022. NSW continues to lead the nation for international visitor numbers, absolute growth and market share.
"Destination NSW has a laser-sharp focus on ensuring visitation and spend continues to skyrocket."
"There was an electrifying buzz in the room during the one-on-one sessions that Destination NSW hosted at Taronga Zoo," she said.
'There is nothing more satisfying than seeing old colleagues and new colleagues connect and do business. The excitement expressed by buyers about NSW visitor experiences was incredibly positive and an encouraging indicator of potential growth for this market."
*Source: Destination NSW
No comments:
Post a Comment