Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM), has led a delegation of representatives from the Emirate’s tourism industry on a B2B roadshow of five key metro cities across India, with the aim of further increasing the number of visitors to Dubai from its second biggest source market.
As part of a multi-pronged 2014 marketing strategy to further boost the overall number of Indian travellers to Dubai; the roadshow in New Delhi was followed by visits to the cities of Kolkata, Chennai and Bengaluru. The roadshow will conclude in Mumbai on 20 September. During the five city visit, the delegation led by Dubai Tourism will interact with over 700 Indian retail partners that include tour operators, travel agents, cruise specialists, wedding planners and MICE specialists.
Dubai Tourism, along with its co-participants comprising leading hotel chains, resorts and destination management companies, updated the retail trade with information on Dubai’s new tourism product offerings that can further enhance Indian visitor experiences. The multi-city workshops follows close on the heels recent announcement of multi entry visas for Indian travellers and the strong position that India occupies as one of the top source markets of travellers to the Emirate of Dubai. Longer term, Indian visitors will continue to be a key strategic focus for Dubai, especially as the United Arab Emirates readies to stage the iconic World Expo 2020, marking the first time the mega event will be held in the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia (MENASA) region.
Issam Kazim, CEO, Dubai Corporation of Tourism and Commerce Marketing, commented, “India consecutively ranks as the second top source market globally for visitor traffic into Dubai. In 2013, the total number of Indian visitors totalled 888,835 representing a 16.34 per cent increase over 2012 and the current first half 2014 figures indicate a healthy trend, with more than 490,000 Indian guests staying in our hotels between January and end June 2014. Our B2B workshops play a vital role in facilitating the overall number of inbound travellers into Dubai as it helps build a strong alliance between the Indian and Dubai private sector retail chain.”
Commenting on the Dubai India Roadshow 2014, Carl Vaz, Director, DTCM India said, “Our roadshow creates a platform of interaction for tour and travel operators, cruise and MICE specialists and even wedding planners from various parts of India to widen their product knowledge and thus enhance Indian traveller experience creating more first time and repeat travellers. Our key market segments this year are leisure group series departures and the family segment in addition to niche segments comprising weddings / honeymoon, school groups, adventure / sport and luxury seekers and single women travellers who will be heading for the Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF) 2015. More-so with the recent announcement of multiple entry visas, we have opened a new avenue for travellers to take in regional cruise options.”
The 17 member Dubai delegation will comprise of hotels, resorts, hotel apartments, attractions and destination management companies. The delegation at the roadshows comprise Emirates Airlines, Sofitel – The Palm, Bonton Tours & Travels, Atlantis – The Palm, Discovery Travel and Tourism, Joher Travels and Tourism, Kempinski Hotel Mall of the Emirates, Lama Desert Tourism, North Tours, Ramada Plaza – Jumeirah Beach, Royal Arabian Tours, Royal Gulf Tourism LLC, Sea View Hotel / Royal Ascot Hotel, Travco Travel, Warwick Hotel Dubai, White Sands Tours & Travel & Yoko Tourism.
The programme for the workshops will include presentations by officials of Dubai Tourism, Emirates Airlines, Sofitel The Palm, Bonton Tours & Travels in addition to detailed networking sess0ions between the Dubai delegation and leaders of the Indian travel trade community.
