NSW chalks out India strategy

The Destination New South Wales (NSW) is looking at growing the honeymoon segment, family, Visiting Friends and Relatives (VFRS) and business travellers to the region.

TT BUREAU With

the opening of the new office in Mumbai, Destination New South Wales (NSW) has geared up to target the India outbound in a big way. According to Sandra Chipchase, CEO, Destination NSW, the India office is playing the dual role of enticing more Indian holidaymakers to

The set-up of Mumbai office was to leverage the Trade and Investment Department of NSW office in Mumbai

and Relatives ( VFRs) and business travellers to NSW,” she adds.

Paramjit Bawa, Country Manager, India, Destination NSW asserts the key focus would be business development, promoting destinations around Sydney, engagement with the travel trade, supporting the travel trade with collaterals, partnering with key tour operators, conducting training and workshops for the travel trade and consumer campaigns among others. “Currently, the travel trade is only selling Sydney. We will also promote areas around Sydney such as Hunter Valley, Blue Mountains, Port Stephens, Wollongong to add to the various hues of experience a traveller should get,” he adds. NSW witnessed 70,000 Indian visitors, which is an increase of two per cent compared to March 2011. The expected growth of visitors from India to Australia in 2020 is expected to grow by more than 100 per cent. The composition of Indian arrivals to NSW is 40 per cent VFRs, 15 per cent students, 13 per cent leisure travellers and 11 per cent business travellers.