Mumbai: “Queensland on Tour” was organized by Tourism and Events Queensland for the 8th consecutive year in India, offering participating suppliers a unique platform to showcase their products, educate Indian Trade representatives about the destination and negotiate future business deals. The annual roadshow commenced in Chandigarh on 13th January, travelled to Delhi on 14th January, followed by Kolkata on 15th January, Pune on 16th January and concluded in Mumbai on 17th January, 2014. Realizing the growing potential of Tier 2 cities in India, the trade delegates visited Chandigarh and Pune for the first time.
The multi-city roadshow saw the participation of first time representatives in addition to industry veterans that have serviced the India market for years. The delegation represented a wide range of products Gold Coast Tourism, Village Roadshow Themeparks, Vibe Hotel, Outrigger Hotel, Tangalooma Wild Dolphin Resort, Kingfisher Bay Resort, Hamilton Island, Hayman Island, International Coaches & Tours and Wildlife Tropical North Queensland, each having something unique to offer. The appointment of Ms.Lim Mui Khim as the New International Director South East Asia & India who will handle India was announced.
Joining the brand team as New International Director South East Asia & India, Lim Mui Khim said, “This is a great initiative which is highlighted by the number and quality from participants of Queensland as well as engagement from the Indian industry. I look forward to working more closely with this market in the future and growing the number of Indian visitors to Queensland”.
Talking about the overwhelming response received from the Indian market, Chad Croft, Tangalooma Wild Dolphin Resort said, “Coming back to India with Tourism Queensland and visiting these cities has been very beneficial and welcoming. It is very hard to cover the number of agents we do during the Tourism Queensland mission if we are doing sales calls on our own. The agents have been incredibly friendly and accommodating in their support and attendance of the event. We will return to the tourism Queensland mission in India again.”
Queensland, Australia has seen a 22.2% growth in arrivals from India with 37,000 Indians visiting Queensland till September 2013. The growth of tourist arrivals from India has propelled a huge interest from Queensland’s tourism industry.
Over the years, Tourism and Events Queensland’s annual roadshow has received a huge response from the key metro cities visited in India. With a view to achieve a larger footprint in the Indian market, Tourism and Events Queensland in association with Destination New South Wales will also host a series of training workshops in March 2014 in Trivandrum, Surat, Ludhiana & Guwahati for the first time. The annual trade workshops help train front-line staff of Travel Companies on the destination, constantly innovating products and customizing experiences for Indian consumers.
Queensland offers a unique holiday experience with value for money. Indian travelers are attracted to Queensland’s pristine beaches, Iconic landmarks, Wildlife, Rainforests, national parks and the Great Barrier Reef (GBR). Leisure travellers are now the largest spending segment out of India.
Tourism and Events Queensland is confident that the upcoming ATE 2014 in Cairns will be a huge draw as Cairns and the surrounding regions will be showcased to visiting Indian agents on fam trips. With a view to see increased air capacity into Australia that will benefit Queensland and result in passenger growth contributing to visitor increase, Tourism and Events Queensland will continue working closely with its airline partners on famils and co-op marketing campaigns – Singapore Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, Thai Airways, Cathay Pacific & Qantas.
Tourism and Events Queensland will focus on Adventure, Romance and luxury in its roadmap to destination marketing. With the number of trade and consumer-based activities scheduled in the forthcoming months, Tourism and Events Queensland hopes to increase visitor arrivals from India by at least 10% in 2014-15