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Vimala Vasan

ABU DHABI, Jan. 4

RIDING on the back of a sudden spurt in overall tourist traffic to India in October and November last year, the India Tourism Office, Dubai, is initiating measures to attract more Arab tourists to visit India, particularly as increased airline connectivity from the Gulf is expected to make more Indian destinations accessible to visitors.

Overall Indian tourist traffic witnessed a 16 per cent growth in October and November 2002, compared with a minus 10 per cent status between January and September. This also includes some growth in traffic from the Gulf region and efforts are under way to keep up the momentum in the early part of 2003, Mr Gour Kanjilal, Regional Director, India Tourism Office, Dubai, told Business Line.

India Tourism Office in Dubai with the help of the national carriers and travel trade is formulating a special plan to attract Arab families, honeymooners and expatriates from West Asia, Mr Kanjilal said.

"We have plans to organise roadshows in GCC countries involving a high level delegation from India. Last year's roadshows in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Muscat were very successful and these measures reflect the focus of the Indian Government on luring tourists from West Asia," he said.

Mr Kanjilal said that a major positive factor in increased potential for Arab and other tourist traffic from this region is the increase in the number of airlines operating to various Indian destinations.

"Qatar Airways is operating to Hyderabad and Kochi, Oman Air has increased its flights to India and Yemen Airways will be launching flights to Kochi and Hyderabad early this year. Emirates airline has also started operations to Kochi late last year. All this means very competitive air fares and this augurs well for growth of tourist traffic from the Gulf region," he said.

Apart from airline connectivity, proximity to this region and affordability of Indian tourist packages are to be the focus of the Tourism Office's promotional campaigns, he said. "Many premier Indian hotels have dropped their room tariffs and very good packages are on offer," he said.

The Tourism Office, Dubai which is responsible for the promotion of India in West Asia, South and Central Africa, has also recently brought out a series of booklets in Arabic and English on Indian tourist destinations including Kolkata and the East, The Great Rail Journeys, The Great Summer Escape destinations, Golden Triangle, Tamil Nadu, updated general India and medical facilities in India, he said.

Plans are on to launch our TV campaigns in the leading Arab Satellite TV channels and organise familiarisation visits to various destinations in India for media personnel and tour operators in West Asia.

The India Tourism Office will also participate in 10 to 12 exhibitions during 2003, including a major interactive participation at the Arabian Travel Mart in Dubai in May, he said.

Mr Kanjilal said that though in terms of numbers, tourists from the Gulf/West Asia are limited taking into consideration the overall tourist arrivals in India (Arab visitors vary between 1,10,000 to 1,15,000 every year), they provide a significant contribution to the tourism business because they move at a time when it is off season in India. They are also high spenders so it helps to get greater revenue, he added.

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