Providing buyers and sellers a rich and focused platform to engage, the Great Indian Travel Bazaar has scaled many new heights in its fifth edition. With a newer set of buyers and increased state participation, the Bazaar is quite the place to be to network, explore, promote and offer the diversities that exist in Indian tourism. By Priyanka Kotamraju
The Great Indian Travel Bazaar (GITB), since its inception in 2008 until now in its fifth edition, has become an eponymous symbol to promote in-bound tourism. Calendars are earmarked by international buyers and Indian sellers to attend this annual event and participation has not only increased but is also varied with buyers coming from countries as far flung as Chile and Peru, evincing interest in Indian tourism.
Kicking off the proceedings on April 15, at The Lalit, Jaipur which coincidentally threw open its doors to guests that night, the three-day event was co- organised by the department of tourism, Government of Rajasthan, the ministry of tourism, Government of India and FICCI.
The prelude to the main event was held in the presence of dignitaries like Subodh Kant Sahai, minister for tourism, Government of India; Bina Kak, minister for tourism, Government of Rajasthan; R V Kanoria, president, FICCI; Usha Sharma, principal secretary, tourism and Dr Jyotsna Suri, chairperson of the tourism committee of FICCI.
Making time for the GITB in his packed schedule, Sahai tourism, remarked that only 0.5 per cent of the world tourist population visit India. “Our aim”, he said, “should be to look at attracting a billion tourists to the country this year.” He also talked of the seriousness of the tourism industry, the vast potentials of domestic, inbound and outbound tourism.
The minister, while exhorting for increased influx of foreign tourists, also outlined various measures that the ministry of tourism is undertaking; to facilitate easier movement from countries, visa-on-arrival, tax exemptions, setting up a tourist development fund to focus on the infrastructure of the industry.
| `GITB is a great ITB!’ |
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He reiterates that the GITB platform does not look at policy issues in the industry nor does it address tourism infrastructure, which he feels are issues best dealt at another platform. The success of the GITB is measured in terms of increasing participation. He says “We have more than 8,200 meetings pre-scheduled, 259 FTOs from 54 countries and eight participating states,” figures that indicate significant growth in the scale of GITB over previous years. “The growing numbers of foreign buyers and the numerous newer concept offerings from Indian sellers also indicate serious business intent” he remarks. Two new, nascent platforms have emerged this year, he informs us. One is the Great Domestic Tourism Bazaar (GDTB) that will see its inaugural session in New Delhi this August. While GITB has become a premier platform for inbound tourism, the tourism industry’s mainstay remains domestic tourism. FICCI has recognised the need for a place like the GITB to emerge for the domestic tourism sector, hence the creation of the domestic bazaar. The second new story to emerge is a platform dedicated to Film tourism, called ‘Shoot at Sight’ which will happen at the 2013 FICCI Frames, Asia’s largest convention on the Business of Entertainment. ‘Shoot at Sight’ will be a one day focused interactive conclave and B2B platform, where India and countries across the globe would showcase destinations and locales to attract the various stakeholders of the film industry, at home and abroad. Commenting on GITB’s stature in the global arena, he remarks, “The numbers are growing right now and will continue to do so until we reach an eventual plateau. But the interest being generated reflects potential in the vast untapped regions of Indian tourism. Comparisons are unnecessary but as someone said to me the other day, GITB is a great ITB, I take that as a compliment and that we are on the right path to further the cause of inbound tourism.” |
The Great Indian Travel Bazaar is a platform that devotes itself solely to addressing the marketing issue of tourism and showcasing newer products of Indian Tourism, opines Rahul Chakravarty, additional director, FICCI. In a conversation with Express TravelWorld, he states that the objective of GITB is restricted to provide a networking platform for buyers and sellers focused exclusively on inbound tourism. “There isn’t a single platform for inbound tourism nationally or internationally, with the exception of PATA perhaps” he says. According to him, pre-fixed B2B meetings through a careful selection process to bring in foreign buyers constitute the backbone of the idea behind GITB and also the reason for its success. A platform for all seasons
The fifth edition of GITB saw over 8,200 meetings being pre-scheduled and many more that happened over the two days of the event. According to FICCI officials, many of the foreign tour operators that participated were first timers, evidence of growing international interest in India as a destination.
Six halls in the Birla Auditorium played host to over 230 Indian exhibitors, 259 foreign buyers from 54 countries and more than 8,200 meetings. The FTO committee headed by Dr Suri ensured that the foreign buyers invited to participate had serious business on their minds; the registration and screening process remaining as exacting as ever to deliver participation of quality buyers. Eight state governments were partners of the event and Gujarat continued to be the theme state for the 2012 edition.
Pre-fixed meetings between buyers and sellers have remained the mainstay of GITB, with most participants remarking that this feature has been the most attractive and indicative of the serious nature of the tourism business.
In its fifth edition, GITB saw an upsurge in the number of meetings scheduled, participating buyers, sellers, states and countries and also stall space.
This year also saw an addition of one more hall to accommodate the swelling list of exhibitors. Over two days, the Birla Auditorium truly came to life with the bustling activity. The stalls were hotbeds of animated discussions, where one could witness the myriad varieties of tourism on offer (balloon safaris, tree houses, coconut lagoons, art hotels), with exhibitors showcasing unique and emerging concepts to increase the inbound tourist traffic.
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GITB 2012 : Highlights
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‘Atithi Devo Bhava’
In their address to the delegates of GITB, both Kanoria and Sahai spoke of the reverence with which guests in our country are treated, a staple feature of the Indian culture that is aptly reflected in ‘Atithi Devo Bhava’. In keeping with that cultural sentiment, Rajasthan Tourism pulled out all stops to treat participants and guests to a heartfelt hospitality.
Delegates of the event were treated to a polo match followed by a sound and light show at the Amber Fort, a delightful escape from the scorching summer and the equally scorching meeting schedules.
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Comparative analysis 2012
2011
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New milestones
While the focus of GITB is clearly on inbound tourism, there is little doubt that domestic tourism is the biggest driver of the industry in India today. FICCI, with its commitment to furthering all endeavours of tourism, has recognised the need for a GITB like platform for the domestic market.
“The Great Domestic Tourism Bazaar (GDTB) will be such a place for domestic B2B operators to network” announced Dr Suri. The GDTB will be held in Delhi on August, 24, 2012, an announcement that was met with much approval from the audience.
FICCI also released two reports at this year’s GITB in collaboration with YES Bank, the knowledge partner – Emerging dimensions and new products in indigenous tourism and Diverse Beliefs: Tourism of faith, issues that hold tremendous potential for the industry. Comparisons with international travel fairs like ITB Berlin, PATA, JATA or ILTM may be premature but GITB is certainly on the path to establishing itself as a premier travel event in its own right as the growing numbers and popularity indicate.
The next edition of the GITB will be held from April 14 to 16, 2013 in Jaipur, Rajasthan.
