The aspirational Indian traveller hasn’t left any corner of the globe untouched. The mature, confident Indian traveller is displaying an appetite for the good things in life while keeping an eye on the cost. “The Indian traveller’s mindset has evolved over the years. They want to take the path less travelled and look for exclusivity in every holiday. They are, hence, not restricting themselves to regular activities. We are not talking of only soft adventure, but really high adrenaline adventure,” said Vikram Madhok, Managing Director, Abercrombie & Kent India.
According to Vikram Malhi, Country Head, Expedia India, the Indian travel industry has witnessed huge growth and evolution in the past few years. “India is likely to be home to the fastest growing offline and online travel market, with gross bookings expected to touch Rs 1,18,469 crores and Rs 43,201 crores respectively. Online travel is the driving force in the e-commerce segment, with a global contribution of 70 per cent of all e-commerce activities. The growth drivers include factors such as rising disposable income coupled with proliferation of the internet, which has increased online traffic considerably,” he stated. He further added that the share of online travel bookings currently stands at 30 per cent and is expected to rise exponentially as the internet penetration increases in the country.
According to a recent IMRB and IAMAI report, the number of internet users has touched the 100 million mark and is expected to grow rapidly, especially with mobiles contributing to internet access/connectivity. Rakesh Raicar, Regional Sales and Marketing Manager South Asia, Cathay Pacific opined, “Travellers have evolved and become very tech savvy and they know that in two clicks one can find out rate differences in flight tickets or accommodation. Travellers deal with holiday booking like professionals and do not just entirely depend on their travel agents.” Madhok further added that today’s traveller is very internet savvy, they check all data and information online and then book offline. This, in a way, enables the companies to know what exactly a traveller is looking for and helps them market their products accordingly.
According to Malhi, the Indian traveller has evolved into a more aware consumer who no longer relies on the travel agent to book his holiday. “They do their research, compare the best available deals and take charge of their bookings. They like to rationalise costs and spend intelligently. The evolved consumers look forward to niche destinations for diverse experiences,” he said.
Ozgur Ayturk, Turkish Embassy Culture and Tourism Counsellor, Turkish Embassy New Delhi opined that, looking at the present global economic scenario, they expect the travellers to become more cautious while planning their holidays, adding that the key to success in this scenario will be to deal with the altering travel patterns and consumer preferences effectively for which the tourism department will work towards diversifying their products, maintaining excellent service and investing in innovative marketing and distribution channels.
Himanshu Patil, Director, Kesari Tours stated, “Even the dwindling fortunes of the rupee haven’t managed to dissuade Indian travellers. Globetrotting is a sign of rising mobility. The great Indian desire to travel is an opening of minds.”
Commenting on the challenges faced by the travel industry on meeting the changing consumer demands, Malhi said, “The primary challenge is the external environment in the travel industry. The volatility in the aviation industry not only impacts the inventory and pricing but also the consumer sentiment while buying a travel product. Besides, the internet availability, broadband penetration and the prevalence of online banking and credit/debit card is very low in the country. As penetration increases further to tier II and III cities, there will be an exponential growth in the online travel booking segment.”
