PATA predicts continued Growth in Indian Outbound Travel

The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) is predicting that all Asia Pacific destinations will receive continued growth in tourist arrivals from India to at least 2007.

At a PATA Travel Mart 2005 luncheon seminar Wednesday, which updated delegates on the status of the Indian outbound market, PATA Director-Strategic Intelligence Centre (SIC) Mr John Koldowski told travel industry representatives that the forecasts were encouraging for travel marketers focused on India. 

“India is considered to hold significant potential as an outbound tourism market because of its expanding middle class and its population size, which is comparable to China’s. However, India’s outbound has recently lagged behind expectations,” he said.

PATA’s Asia Pacific Tourism Forecasts 2005-2007 predicts all Asia Pacific destinations will experience growth from India. The top five average annual growth rates in Indian arrivals to 2007 will be seen in Cambodia (15%), Hong Kong SAR (15%), Australia (13%), Macau SAR (12%) and Pakistan (11%). 

“India is a highly complex market, due to its large size and myriad target segments,” said Mr Koldowski. Nevertheless, PATA Travel Mart delegates learned the following facts: - 

• The average length of stay of an Indian traveller on vacation is 12-15 days

• Many Indian trips are family-oriented holidays with plenty of activities such as shopping, nightlife and theme/amusement parks for kids

• Indian consumers are very price sensitive, yet most will still use travel agents for their requirements, despite high Internet penetration

• Indian booking patterns are late

• Most decisions are taken by the family together.

PATA Travel Mart delegates also learned of some of the travel market segments by type of travel:-

• First-time travellers look for cheap destinations, special deals and often travel in organised groups

• Family travellers include children and often two families travelling together

• Honeymooners, whose trip is usually paid for by the family

• Meetings and business travellers often mix business with pleasure

• Travellers visiting friends and relatives stay longer.

The five most popular destinations for Indian travellers in 2004 were Singapore, USA, Thailand, China (PRC) and Hong Kong SAR.

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