India Tourism Unleashed was the central theme of the BITB 20th edition, held at Leela Palace, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi. Attended by senior leadership across all verticals in India’s travel, tourism and hospitality industry, it was addressed by more than 30 speakers, to a 150 plus audience.
What was the sum and substance of the deliberations? That we have arrived, that we are on the cusp of some magical growth ahead, that the best days are yet to come.
That presently the government is loud and clear, that tourism is a priority, cheered by none other than the prime minister, himself. PM Modi remains the most vibrant ambassador for India’s tourism industry, given his often-spoken references to the industry, is focussed upon infrastructure, his pronouncements every time he inaugurates any new facility, that this would augment the region’s capacity for travel and tourism.
The government has done well to speed up highways, airports and support airline growth. That the government has speeded up comfort and speed and connectivity on rail. That government capex has been astronomical since the early days of covid, when we needed to kick-start economic activity. That all this has resulted in giving a new momentum to domestic tourism, which has truly become the foundation of the country’s tourism plant, as it should have been, given the aberrations in the industry’s growth model over decades, where foreign tourism was considered the bedrock.
Destination Rajasthan 2.0
Starting with destinations, the focus came upon Rajasthan as Diya Kumari, Dy. Chief minister of the state, was chief guest. Her commitment was to reinvigorate the state’s efforts, find new innovations to the traditional, bridge infrastructural gaps, complete last mile connectivity. She said the brand Rajasthan was the sum of many big brands, each a big globally recognized brand, like Jaipur, Jodhpur and Udaipur and so many more – her task was the leverage around them and re-kindle, find a Rajasthan 2.0 version that is more vibrant and alive to modern travellers’ needs. Like her plans to recreate the Pushkar of old, make it again a most sought-after festival, year on year.
What’s trending?
In hospitality, segmentation and brand differentiation has become the key to growth. A company like IHCL has made phenomenal progress, being able to capture a larger market share, building brands that provide extra reach across price points, and product mix. From super luxury, to eclectic, from mid-market to budget, the company has seen its most profitable years in the last four, ever since the industry came out of its covid impact.
Technology has become the mainstay, for research and bookings, with Google going strong with newer products, and now with embracing AI, the next steps. You can delight customers with better experiences and support, thanks to Ai. Voice support to visual, now, circle to find out. It is all there, facilitating – Google is seeing 20 billion visual searches every month. How does our industry leverage this technology for destination promotion, that remains critical. In our perspective, there is greater need for governments and city administrations to join hands with tech companies like Google, leverage each city and its attractions for greater market penetration.
In a destination as old and gold as Goa, it is time for refresh button, going back to what the destination was, its original self. Rural countryside is the best foundation, added and aided by all else which the contemporary tourist seeks. It is a holiday destination, with centuries old traditions and folklore. Nature and sustainability also become relevant and priority. If tourism has to have a future, it must be built upon models that ensure long term sustainability. These are perhaps early days yet on this score for our industry, but not so, entirely. There is a growing awareness and consciousness among the senior leadership, as well as the grass roots young generation.
Culture and Tourism:
Culture and Tourism enjoy a symbiotic relationship, often overlooked, much to the nation’s peril. The Past is the Present, when Heritage is the Key Driver of Indian Tourism. Heritage. The term itself, like culture, or legacy, is ambiguous, amorphous, implying different things to different people. It is something that can be both personal as well as collective. It is most tangible as built heritage – havelis, palaces, temples, forts; received down the ages as material culture – festivals, music, dance, poetry, literature, language, food; but implacably difficult to understand as something that is inherently inherited as a value or instinct – respect, honour, chivalry, family, community.
Its interface with tourism as a key driver is what makes India a truly unique destination, a rich mosaic of history that has seeped into the present and is the country’s unique selling proposition in which everything else – world-class airports, luxury resorts and hotels, new highways, trendy nightclubs and restaurants, sleek malls – are simply the infrastructure that backs up this product.
Different people, diverse views, several disagreements, a few agreements – that was the crux of the discussion in which the sum and substance seemed to suggest a greater role for private sector initiatives and participation; delinking dependence on the state to find independent solutions within existing government frameworks; an escalation of cultural events linked to specific destinations to draw domestic and international tourists; a return to the grassroots for a more holistic understanding of our heritage and culture; a sense of responsibility and ownership over one’s own as well as community projects related to heritage and culture.
To paraphrase their varied points of view, as anchor Kishore Singh for this session, summed up, might then sum up the broader scope of the discussion to suggest that being modern is not about breaking from the past; that heritage is the ability to combine a vibrant and sustainable way of life as a unique resource to enrich one’s present; and to become consumers as well as custodians of an inheritance that sets India sufficiently apart from the rest of the world to, therefore, draw them to the country within an enriching tourism environment.
Delhi as a Global Hub, in the likeness of the Big Cities:
It is an often talked about desire, mostly unrealised. The irony is that Delhi has everything going for it, just about everything. A few years ago, it missed on global air connectivity. That too, has been realised. With an airport, IGIA, with four runways, with a second airport coming up by the middle of this year, 50 km apart, but which will get connected, too. With Air India and Indigo having ordered wide body, long haul connectivity is now on the threshold. What then is missing? Political will and quality of governance! This is missing, it has been missing, all this while. Keeping the city clean, joining the dots that create an ease in experience for the visitor, is what the city lacks. Also, perhaps, a recognition that all is tourism, tourism is all – it is not just the monuments but the entire city eco-system that needs to come together, working in tandem.
Infrastructure as a Holistic Rendering, a Must for Tourism:
This, too, is happening. In the last few years, the pronounced thrust of the central government upon a holistic upgrading of infrastructure for travel which will provide ease in tourism experience. None other than the prime minister himself, has been the most vocal proponent for tourism, and this has augured well for the industry.
The Indian growth story, especially in travel and tourism, has emboldened the private sector to invest. This confidence continues, giving rise to more hospitality projects and also to aviation linked investments in airports and airlines. There is also the need to look at the level of the visitor experience, with better signages in cities, better toilet facilities, and other conveniences.
What is Driving the Business of Travel?
Well, technology, for sure. Technology to power up scale. The power of data. It is first and uppermost data that will help power Ai. And innovations will continue.
It is the growth of tire 2 and tier 3 and even tier 4 cities that are finding new buyers of affordable luxury, enjoying sophisticated experiences. The competition between hospitality majors is no longer restricted to the bigger metros, it has spread across the country. This is no surprise, as Indian economy and Indian consumers become more educated, aware and sophisticated.
A chain like the Radisson has to day 25 operating hotels across the NCR. Infrastructure, last mile connectivity, holistic development are critical to destination development.
