DoT intensifies tourism promotions in India

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Tourism (DoT) expects to capture a bigger market share of the fifteen million outbound tourists from India by yearend as it conducts a four-day sales mission in New Delhi and Mumbai.

The Philippine delegation will conduct its sales presentations in time for the production of tour packages for the April-June Indian travel season.

Tourism Secretary Alberto Lim expressed optimism that the on-going sales mission will serve as the DoT’s major drive to showcase Manila and Cebu as ideal destinations for Indian tourists, given the high-spending capacity of the target segment.

“With more than fifty percent increase on target arrivals from India, the mission will help ensure that the Philippines will be in the 2011 tour offerings,” said Assistant Secretary for International Tourism Promotions Benito Bengzon, Jr.

“The program involves meetings with the presidents and CEOs of top Indian tour wholesalers, one-on-one business meetings between Indian tour operators and their Philippine counterparts, as well as presentation updates on connectivity and entry requirements to the Philippines,” DoT Marketing Team India head Raymund Glen Agustin said.

The Philippines is vying for interest in shopping and entertainment in this market with Manila and Cebu as principal sites known for their large high-end shopping malls, entertainment and recreation centres.

In fact, a group composed of 254 top producers of Nerolac Paints in India chose the Philippines for their four-day incentive tour last December 2-5. The group, made up of chemists, engineers and other paint technology professionals visited Manila, Tagaytay, and Pagsanjan for some sight-seeing, casino gaming, night-life entertainment, and shopping activities .

“This is the largest incentive group from India this year which was made possible through Cutting Edge, an Indian-based tour operator in partnership with its local counterparts Shroff International Travel Care. Cutting Edge participated in the DoT initiated familiarization tour for Indian travel agents last year and has committed to send next year incentive groups covering more than a thousand individuals on a staggered basis,” Agustin said.

He added that the arrival of such a huge group is a direct result of the DoT’s marketing and promotional efforts for the Indian market.

Secretary Lim, on the other hand, said that aside from the incentive groups, Indian industry partners through local counterparts will send more tourists to the country, particularly when Philippine Airlines resumes in March next year its MLA-New Delhi flights thrice weekly and via Bangkok also thrice weekly.