ANDREA LOPES – New Delhi
The Great Domestic Tourism Bazaar (GDTB) scheduled to be held from August 24-25, 2012 in New Delhi, hopes to provide a platform to small and medium sized operators to devise new strategies to keep their businesses afloat. Speaking to Express TravelWorld, Rakesh Lamba, member FICCI Select Committee on Tourism and director, Prakriti Holidays said, “There is an annual increase of 15-20 per cent in domestic tourism, yet outbound tourism is growing much faster than domestic or inbound tourism. In addition, small and medium tour operator revenues have been badly hit and they are facing tough competition from the online space.”
In keeping with this, GDTB has planned discussions on innovation in business. “If we support domestic tourism in a planned and strategic way and look at new ways to increase profits, all stakeholders will benefit. We want to know why the government isn’t spending on developing domestic tourism,” he said. In addition, high-potential domestic tourism products including cruise tourism, MICE and adventure tourism would also be discussed. Meanwhile, Jyotsna Suri, CMD, The Lalit Suri Hospitality Group shared her thoughts, “I have been a pioneer of domestic tourism and we haven’t gotten anywhere touching the tip of the iceberg when it comes to domestic tourism in the country.”
