Saloni Bhatia – New Delhi
The second annual convention of the Outbound Tour Operators Association of India (OTOAI) will be held in Bali, Indonesia from March 17-21, 2016. Speaking to Express Travel World, Riaz Munshi, chairperson of the convention said, “One of the top reasons to pick Bali was to highlight it as a destination to our tour operators. Many people still do not know that there are direct flights from major Indian cities to Bali. I was also able to manage some great partners for the convention on such short notice.”
This year the theme for the convention is ‘India Outbound- The Game Changer’ and around 300 delegates are expected to attend the five-day event. Talking about the theme Munshi shared, “There has been a 360 degree change in the industry and especially for the outbound sector, the members need to focus on the future. Both online and offline marketers can be benefitted if they understand the market and plan aggressive marketing strategies.” Bali is one of Indonesia’s most popular destinations and the convention is seen as a motivator for outbound operators to promote it. The initial three days include meetings, discussions and planning while the latter two days would include familiarisation trips.
Throwing light on what would be the major takeaway from the convention, Munshi stated, “ All the discussions would focus on sales and marketing strategies that help operators understand the real scenario and plan accordingly. All these would only help them strengthen their brand and eventually grow with the changing time.” As the chairperson of the convention, he wants to simply share one message with the delegates, “Everyone should know that the dynamics have changed in the industry and one needs to move accordingly. We need a new outlook in marketing and growth of the product. All the operators need to have faith in their product and focus on it.”