Indians’ first taste of travel was visiting their hometowns during the holidays. Then they began travelling on work. Vacations soon became a necessity and they travelled on annual family holidays. The Indian traveller has come a long way from that first phase to where it stands today – travelling for a plethora of reasons several times a year, including weddings! Destination weddings have been in style for a while now, with celebrities leading the way and attracting more and more high profile weddings to the destinations popularised by their own nuptials.
While launching their ‘Top of the Pyramid 2014’ report, Kotak Wealth Management revealed that India is home to 117,000 ultra HNIs (individuals who earn Rs. 3-5 crores a month or have an investable surplus of Rs. 25 crores). It is no wonder then that destinations have been promoting themselves for destination weddings bearing in mind that the market is one that can afford the extravaganza.
When we say ‘promoting themselves’, it is not limited to offering the destination as a venue with a unique backdrop for Indian weddings. These destinations have gone the whole nine yards to learn the intricacies of Indian customs, be it of any religion. Hotels we have interviewed in the past have admitted to having tie-ins with wedding suppliers so they are prepared to provide every product and service required, from the horse for the baraat and elephant to royal weddings to the bangles for the wedding day.
With these destinations making the kind of effort they are to woo wedding parties, India is not one to lag behind. Leveraging its myriad of backdrop offers, from heritage venues to cultural richness, and the home advantage it has, Indian destinations are adding weddings to their tourism segments.
On home ground
Destination weddings within the country have been at an advantage as there is greater faith placed in the venues’ abilities to cater to the wedding parties needs, and being within the country eases the planning process for weddings. For inbound wedding parties these destinations provide an exotic backdrop rich in culture and heritage.
Ease of access and lower cost when it comes to hosting a whole wedding party are added advantages. Popular leisure destinations in states such as Rajasthan, Kerala, Goa, Gujarat and many more have begun to welcome wedding parties. Even smaller hill stations such as Lonavala and Mahabaleshwar in Maharashtra, Panchkula in Haryana and Udaipur in Rajasthan among others have started seeing traction from this segment owing to the advent of luxury and the advantage of a venue away from the bustle of a city.
The world’s favourite coastal destination Goa recently hosted the Goa Wedding Show with an aim to increase bookings from this segment. Speaking about the move, Dilip Parulekar, Tourism Minister, Goa said, “The Indian wedding market is valued at US$ 38 billion per annum and is expected to grow at the rate of 25-30 per cent annually. We are hoping this initiative will bring the best of Goa upon one platform and showcase the state as a great wedding destination. We could do this every year.”
The eighth edition of the Kerala Travel Mart (KTM) to be held later this year has also chosen to focus on promoting the state as an ideal destination for weddings and honeymoons. The mart is set to have destination wedding themes to focus on this segment, and is expecting a large turnout of global wedding planners as part of the visiting crowd.
A senior official from the Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation mentioned in an earlier interaction with T3 that, during the state hosts several weddings a year, and sometimes faces the hurdle of turning down wedding parties due to unavailability of dates.
Far, far away
Dream destinations to visit soon became dream destinations to tie the knot. Aspirational travellers with spending propensity are now seen booking international venues, both near and far, to celebrate their special day. Thailand, for instance, witnessed over 200 weddings during 2013. According to Soraya Homchuen, Director, Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Mumbai Office, at about 400-600 guests per wedding, the Authority estimates that a good 80,000 – 120,000 arrivals emerge from destination weddings alone. TAT hopes to have hosted 250 Indian weddings by the end of 2014.
“India remains one of the top five destination markets for Thailand. What makes it more significant than almost all our other markets, even those that might have a larger number of weddings (such as Australia) is the size of guest list, and consequently a higher spend overall. All our service providers and hotels in Thailand confirm this. Indian families tend to host the largest weddings in Thailand as compared to all our other markets. Weddings also typically last longer considering the higher number of ceremonies and rituals. According to estimates, an Indian couple spends an average of THB 6-10 million over a minimum four-days-long stay for themselves and their wedding invitees,” revealed Homchuen
Malaysia has recorded about 60 Indian weddings taking place in the last three years, and Tourism Malaysia expects these numbers to double this year. Manoharan Periasamy, Director, Tourism Malaysia India believes that Malaysia is emerging as one of the most happening wedding destinations of the world, with the market pegged at US$38 billion in 2013 and growing at 25 per cent annually.
“Malaysia is emerging as one of the most hip and happening wedding destinations of the world. Many destinations weddings have taken place in Malaysia, on the beaches of Langkawi, in Kuala Lumpur and the highlands of Cameroon. Malaysia has a gorgeous coastline that entails numerous islands and beach resorts. Malaysia can prove to be a perfect beach wedding destination. The presence of a mix of cultures, including Indian greatly promotes this land as a favourable wedding venue.
The question is, do these destinations have the wherewithal to organise Indian weddings? The answer is, they have ensured they do! TAT’s international wedding brochure ‘Thai the Knot’ lists Indian weddings as one of the types of wedding arrangements possible in Thailand. The hotels and wedding planners are well geared to plan an Indian wedding and cater to the needs of Indian couples.
“We are proud to say that Thailand tops the list of destinations where Indian customs and traditions are understood and catered to. Thailand hotels and law enforcement, for example, have (over the countless weddings organised) understood the need for fire as part of the Indian wedding ceremony. From extended deadlines for parties, to processions which witness the groom riding a horse elephant, special décor for sangeet, mehendi and the actual reception and, of course, Indian cuisine, or if they prefer to bring their own chef, we’re happy to accommodate this too. In fact, we provide the horse or elephant ride as part of the procession complimentary as an incentive for Indian families to host their wedding in Thailand. A small gesture, but one that couples look at fondly,” said Homchuen.
She further added that, given the size of an Indian wedding party, TAT has introduced the concept of a special fast track queue for the wedding group if they inform in advance giving ample time for preparation.
Malaysia has witnessed a move from weddings being a traditional affair to incorporating western culture. According to Periasamy, there is a transformation from the traditional ‘mandap’ to a classier ambience located at a perfect beach or a mountain top.
A newer destination for the India market, Oman, has also been promoting destination weddings. Leveraging it’s proximity to India, coupled with a unique topography, the destination has been working closely with the Indian trade to woo wedding parties. Muscat is already preparing to host two large-scale Indian weddings comprising of 700 and 1000 people taking place in November and early next year respectively.
Speaking about Oman as an ideal wedding destination, Lubaina Sheerazi, India Representative, Oman said, “As per industry estimates, the wedding market in India is about USD 25 billion and is growing at 25 per cent to 30 per cent annually. Indians are constantly on the lookout for new wedding destinations to conduct lavish weddings which has become a trend now. We feel Oman has great potential to become a wedding destination and the feedback we got from some wedding planners after they visited the country was very encouraging and positive.”
Mauritius, which has been a popular destination for Indian honeymooners for years, has seen an increase in wedding parties as well. Countries still in their nascent stage as far as tapping India is concerned are also on a mission to tap the market’s wedding segment. Monaco expressed an interest in wooing wedding parties and honeymooners when they last visited India. Kenya with offers ranging from beach weddings, balloon weddings and wild bush weddings and Jamaica with it’s islander charm and luxurious hotels have also been keen on hosting Indian weddings. Cyprus Tourism Organisation (CTO), which only recently forayed in India, has also joined the queue to tap the wedding segment.
Weddings Ahoy!
Enthralled by the option of, quite literally, sailing off into the sunset, couples have begun considering cruise liners as wedding venues. In a society where each family is continuously trying to outdo the other in wedding extravaganzas, it doesn’t get much more unique than tying the knot mid-ocean.
Ratna Chadha, Chief Executive, Tirun Travel Marketing- India Representative, Royal Caribbean International said, “People are always looking out for a new destination or venue for hosting a wedding to remember. Cruise ships are the latest to join the list of most sought-after wedding venues. We already get about two Indian wedding bookings on board the Royal Caribbean ships each season. As of November 2014 we will have a ship positioned in Singapore till March 2015, and thereafter a full year deployment and we look forward to hosting many more weddings on board.”
Star Cruises has hosted three-four weddings on board last year and has recorded it as a growing phenomenon among Indians. “The attraction of a wedding on a cruise liner is that everyone is bound together on the vessel. When you wed on shore people tend to wander off sightseeing and the bonding, which is part of the whole charm of a wedding, is lost. Furthermore, meals, venues are all inclusive which is a great advantage to the hosts. Finally, getting to see the destinations the vessel docks at is an added perk,” said Pradeep Saboo, Managing Partner, Guideline Travels LLP.
Cruise Professionals is also aiming to get a few wedding groups in the near future and are going to actively promote this facility. “When it comes to planning and executing a wedding, the detailing with which we go about is mind-boggling – choice of various ports (Caribbean, Australia or South Asia etc.) at which the wedding could be conducted, to the kind of food which could be served, the wedding theme etc., there are options for every possible item and this is executed beautifully without a worry to the host,” said Nishith Saxena, Director, Cruise Professionals.
Royal Caribbean started out with one wedding per year and has grown to host at least two weddings per season. Speaking of the challenges faced, Chadha stated that, a wedding on board a luxury cruise ship requires an 8-10 month lead time as space is a constraint during peak season. “Sometimes we have to turn down requests as the ship is already booked for the season with vacationers,” she added.
Saxena stated that it cannot be denied that Indian weddings pose more challenges due to multiple rituals and religious ceremonies, but, as long as there is a willingness to adjust, clarity of requirements and timely interventions for improvisation, there is scope for a very successful wedding onboard, he opined.
Royal Caribbean is well-versed with catering to the Indian palate as they have carried Indian passengers for over 20 years. Chadha further revealed that there are special chefs on board who are veritable masters of Indian cuisine and understand Indian dietary and customary requirements very well. “In fact, Indian food generally also finds a prime place on the menu of every Royal Caribbean ship,” she said.
Working with the trade
No segment of Indian tourism comes without the help of the travel trade fraternity, and the wedding segment is no different. With a large task at hand, wedding parties find the need for guidance to determine the best destination and venue for a wedding. Similarly, destinations lean on the expertise of their trade partners to bring them to right kind of clientele for weddings. From roadshows to training programmes and familiarisation trips, NTOs leave no stone unturned to get the agents on board.
TAT hosted a full wedding symposium earlier this year where 30 Indian wedding planners were not only familiarised with many parts of Thailand but also had the opportunity to network with every service provider related to destination weddings like florists, decorators and local event companies and hotels, DMCs and so on.
“As with every travel segment to Thailand we count on the travel agent to be our guide, our source of feedback and our pulse on the market also for destination weddings. We gear them to recommend wedding destinations, ideal hotels and to provide correct information to those aspiring to tie the knot in Thailand. In our experience with the weddings segment, a to-be-wed will typically approach a wedding planner, who collaborates with an event company in the destination and a travel agent may be roped in, in the process. As a result, the wedding planner segment also forms a very significant part of our B2B strategy in this segment,” stated Homchuen.
Malaysia too works with the travel trade and wedding planners largely as they are big influencers in recommending destination wedding. “We have taken a few wedding planners to Malaysia on a FAM to familiarise them with the offerings of the destination to hold wedding. Apart from through our advertising campaign we project Malaysia as a perfect wedding destination and honeymoon destination. We are working with a few travel agents who have diversified their business to organised destination weddings,” said Periasamy.
To make in-roads into the Indian wedding industry, Oman conducted an exclusive wedding planners FAM in 2013 and 2014. Having received positive response from the wedding planners, Oman also participated for the first time at The Experiential Planner 2014 in Delhi, Mumbai and Ahmedabad.
During the next fiscal year TAT will promote ‘Amazing Romance in Thailand’, with the goal of consolidating it’s leading position as a wedding destination. Promotions will happen in traditional markets across East Asia, Europe and the USA too, apart from growing markets such as India and Australia, Homchuen concluded.
