As Indian outbound travel grows, the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), hosted a robust series of four city shows in Kolkata, Bengaluru, Kochi and Chennai last week with the objective of introducing the travel trade fraternity to major tier II cities. for new offers in Dubai. The Roadshow provided an excellent opportunity to network and engage with a wide delegation of Dubai Tourism stakeholders ranging from mid-segment to luxury hotel brands, attractions, DMCs, airlines and cruise lines.
The trade engagement program was attended by over 150 travel trade partners in each city, fostering new stakeholder networks and deepening destination knowledge. The strong turnout at the road shows rekindled the heightened interest of the Indian travel trade in all that Dubai has to offer. Be it futuristic innovations, sports, gastronomy, tourism or entertainment options (business + entertainment), since reopening to the global market in July 2020, Dubai has never looked back. Indian visitors including families, honeymooners and MICE travelers have made their way to Dubai in 2020 and 2021 and continuing the trend in 2022 to participate in strategic initiatives for growth. Dubai recorded 858,000 Indian tourists in the first half of 2022, making India the no. 1 source market for the Emirate. Compared to the first half of 2021, Dubai witnessed a 100% increase in visitor arrivals from India. Moreover, this number was close to the number of tourists reached in the first half of 2019, which saw 996,000 Indian arrivals. The Emirates’ ability to quickly return to near pre-pandemic tourism levels is all the more remarkable given the impact of unprecedented challenges and other macroeconomic factors on the global economy and tourism sector.
Bader Ali Habib, Regional Head of International Operations South Asia at the Department of Economy and Tourism in Dubai, said: “Looking at the economic growth trajectory of Tier II cities in India and the growing purchasing power among consumers, the access that Dubai enjoys in smaller cities as well as the growing appetite for travel in India, we see an opportunity to further penetrate through a more targeted and personalized approach. Tier II audiences have a different travel pattern and behavior, and we continue to study them closely and tailor our efforts to them.”
Habib further added, “As India remains the no. 1 Source Market For the year, many of our marketing efforts are tailored, data-driven, and dedicated to our audience’s tastes and preferences. From a B2B perspective, this year we have taken a more aggressive path in terms of engagements, visits and B2B contacts to ensure that we can continue to build relationships with the trade in smaller cities across all regions of India. We have partnered with leading travel agencies, OTAs and B2B travel platforms. These strategic tie-ins have calendar attachments to ensure packages are pushed dynamically throughout the period addressing different audience segments and profiles.”
As travel confidence grows, Dubai is anticipating sustained visitation from India in 2022 and beyond as more and more travelers discover and rediscover the city and the diversification of the emirate’s offerings and experiences. With the continued support of Dubai Tourism partners and partners, Dubai is committed to always offering something new, unique and world-class to the sophisticated global traveller. Earlier this year, the Emirate witnessed the inauguration of the beautiful building, the Museum of the Future, by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Dubai. Many more mega-projects are in the pipeline as Dubai continues to build on the pillars of the destination – be it culture or gastronomy, entertainment, wellness and relaxation, outdoor adventures or beach activities, family-oriented experiences and shopping in line with visionary leadership. of the emirate. aim to make Dubai the most attractive destination and the best city in the world to live and work.