TravTalk India Online Magazine
India is looking like a lucrative market right now, specially for its luxury travellers. With China still being pretty much closed, which used to be one of the biggest luxury spenders internationally, today the focus is on India, says Edgar Lacker, Chief Executive Officer, Aviareps.
Hazel Jain
Look at the sheer size of the population in India, it having surpassed China recently, says Edgar Lacker, CEO, Aviareps. “Assuming that 10 per cent of that is currently travelling, the volume is simply massive. The potential of India as a source market for other destinations is enormous and will only grow in the next few years. India is looking like a very lucrative market right now, specially for its luxury travellers. With China still being pretty much closed, which used to be one of the biggest luxury spenders globally, today the focus is on India. You have so much wealth, and destinations do need to look for alternatives. I have seen Indian travellers in many countries, and they are looking for distinctive experiences and luxury,” he exclaims.
Lacker was in India recently to meet partners of Aviareps. “Now that all restrictions have been lifted, and slowly airline capacity is returning to pre-COVID levels, you see the capacity being added to and from India – because there is demand,” he adds.
Travel agents still vital
Travel agents play a significant role for the industry, he says. “I believe COVID did a lot in contributing to this by resurrecting them with many travellers experiencing hardships, and what it means to be lost while travelling. At times when flights got cancelled abruptly or more restrictions were put in place during the lockdowns, travel agents were still around to assist and support clients and recommend them what to do. There is a huge value that travel agents bring to the table even today, especially specialised travel agents focusing on luxury segment, focusing on niche destinations,” Lacker adds.
Then again, it depends on the segment and the destination. “For instance, it comes to the upmarket segment, travel agents will always play a significant role here. If it’s just, say for instance, a point-to-point trip, online business is definitely taking the lead. In fact, India is a role model market when it comes to point-to-point traffic. But travel agents and tour operators will always remain valuable,” Lacker says.
UNWTO partnership
UNWTO will work with its affiliate member Aviareps to offer grants for destination marketing and research services to five countries in Europe. “UNWTO puts destinations on the map which may not have the budget to attract visitors. It will only choose destinations that provide sustainable tourism. The first project will be for Bulgaria. Today, you cannot market a destination without the sustainable tourism aspect,” Lacker says.
Under this partnership, Aviareps will provide UNWTO member states with destination marketing and research grants on a pro bono basis to boost tourism in selected countries. Recipients of this grant will be provided in-depth international travel trade and consumer research spanning multiple key markets. The research will be coupled with deep-dive analysis into the destination’s current positioning and perceptions in each market, along with opportunities and areas of focus to expand travel demand from each. UNWTO will chose the beneficiaries of the grants.
