The travel and tourism industry in India seems to be in a constant state of flux. The sentiment especially amidst the travel agents and tour operator’s fraternity is rather mixed. The dramatic change in the business environment has brought in further skepticism, especially for those who are heavily dependent on only airline ticketing as their main business focus.
The recent change on the aviation front with Emirates in the news on the commission cut adds to their concerns. However, there are those within the industry who have accepted the fact that the volatile business environment is here to stay and there is no option but to plan future forward. Being a travel specialist and not just an agent is the reality of today and it is all about offering niche within niche product portfolios.
Talking about niche, some travel agents and operators seem to be on a path to explore some out of the ordinary adventure experiences. It’s about pushing your limits to offer something special to the clientele and when it’s a self driven and experienced exercise the counseling to the client proves to be highly effective.
This issue also highlights some vibrant MICE venues worldwide. Our cover story lists some state-of-the-art venues and convention centres for the corporate, wedding and other sectors to explore. MICE is also high on the agenda of many of our state governments. Like J&K for example. The state is aggressively promoting itself as a MICE destination, not only in metros, but also in Tier II cities such as Raipur and Kanpur which are essentially industrial hubs. Hopefully, more of such initiatives will put India on the global MICE map as well.
Reema Lokesh
Editor