Tapping domestic travel potential
In an uncertain environment, the Indian travel industry is coming to realise that domestic tourists are and will be their primary audience.
Holidaying is fast becoming a priority with the Indian traveller, revealed the 2015 Kuoni-SOTC Holiday Report. As a result, domestic tourism has increased considerably during the last couple of decades. Larger income, longer holidays coupled with lowered room rates and discounts offered by hotels, resorts and airlines are pushing up the country's domestic tourism. Indians are now considered as the world’s largest holiday bargain hunters.
India's travel industry is booming and throwing up many new trends. There were quite a few surprises. A few years ago, visiting a nearby foreign country was seen as a trend, while India didn’t much figure on most of the paying Indians’ touring list, often seen as a budget destination. But in recent times, this trend has changed.
Tourism boards have started focusing on domestic tourists. They have TV and print campaigns for them because ultimately, that’s where the volumes lie. This is by far the largest segment of market with a potential of 20 crore local tourists travelling annually. Even if 10 per cent of the population travels outside the native state, it involves a massive movement of over 10 crore.
About 82 per cent of the population wanted to travel within the state for holidaying, medical and shopping purpose, whereas 17.7 per cent wants to travel outside their state. Maharashtra had maximum movement within the state followed by Uttar Pradesh. Considering visitors from outside states, Uttar Pradesh was the most visited state followed by Rajasthan.
On the other hand, for visitor-trips with leading purposes business, social, religious and pilgrimage, education and training and others, Uttar Pradesh was the most visited state followed by Andhra Pradesh and Telangana combined. These two states had also most visitor trips from outside states revealed a survey conducted by NSSO in 2015.
Destinations like Goa and Kerala always had a season. Today, ‘Goa in the Rains’ is being sold as a domestic package. The state is also rolling out other attractions designed specifically for Indians. Kerala, too, has a threemonth monsoon, which is now been packaged as the ‘Dream Season’. There are other attractions — yoga, Ayurveda, wellness camps — thrown in. Tourists prefer to travel to domestic spa resorts as opposed to overseas spas. With no visas required, the ease of travel domestically has also attributed to its appeal. The rupee’s travails have also given an accidental push to domestic tourism.
This is by far the largest segment of market with a potential of 20 crore local tourists travelling annually. Even if 10 per cent of the population travels outside the native state, it involves a massive movement of over 10 crore
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