The honeymoon segment from India is increasingly catching the attention of most of the National Tourist Offices, especially island destinations such as Fiji, Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago, who are going aggressive in the Indian market. “While other islands may offer sun and sand, Jamaica presents a fantastic diversity of options for couples in search of rich cultural experiences in addition to a setting of extraordinary beauty,” said Kavi Ghei, Chairman, TRAC Representations that represents Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) in India.
He further stated that Jamaica offers the world’s most renowned all inclusive honeymoon resorts such as Sandals Montego Bay and Couples Sans Souci, Ocho Rios. “Growth in stop-over arrivals by permanent residence from India in Jan–Feb 2014 as compared to Jan – Feb 2013 has been 23.4 per cent. The increasing numbers prove that Jamaica has been gaining popularity in the Indian market,” Ghei added.
Trinidad and Tobago, which is still a niche and relatively new destination in the Indian market, is focusing on promoting diverse products. However, the honeymoon segment is rapidly seeing an increase in demand and bookings. “Honeymoon couples today are much more experiential and are ready to opt for destinations such as Trinidad & Tobago, which are off the beaten track yet offer a wide variety of products and offerings. Trinidad & Tobago has several day-time offerings for honeymooners such as scuba diving, turtle watching, sailing, snorkelling as well as a vibrant nightlife,” shared Huzan Fraser, India Representative, Tourism Trinidad and Tobago. Trinidad and Tobago received approximately 5,000 visitors from India and expects a 15-20 per cent growth in number in 2014.
Fiji is also witnessing a consistent growth in Indian traffic – a 30 per cent increase in 2013, and the growth largely came from honeymooners and couples, said Kajal Somaiya, India Representative, Tourism Fiji. “While our main focus remains honeymooners and couples, we will continue to develop the family market and niche segments such as adventure, diving and high-end incentive groups,” she added.
Further, to make its presence stronger in the Indian honeymoon segment, these destinations have upped their marketing activities. Somaiya added that their main aim is to make the couples’ honeymoon the most memorable experience possible by applying all their knowledge, expertise to catering to all their needs and comforts. Fiji is conducting a webinar (with T3) in the third quarter to reach out to the Indian travel trade in a more effective manner. JTB uses an integrated marketing strategy with maximum thrust on public relations, and promotional activities to reach the travel trade as well as consumers.
