TravTalk India Online Magazine
Australia has emerged as one of the most sought after M!CE destinations, thanks to easy visa and increased air connectivity. Nishant Kashikar, Country Manager – India, Tourism Australia, shares reasons behind the success.
Nisha Verma
India has been one of the most coveted M!CE markets for destinations around the world, and Nishant Kashikar, Country Manager-India, Tourism Australia, couldn’t agree more. “Today, India is considered one of the fastest growing major economies in the world, and as a result, the business travel and M!CE sector is on the rebound. According to a recent American Express survey, 41 per cent of Indian businesses travelled to attend, host or present at conferences and events in 2023,” he says.
Advantages galore
Sharing details on how Tourism Australia is attracting Indian groups, he says, “In an effort to welcome more delegates to Australia from India, the Australia High Commission in New Delhi provides a streamlined and personalised visa process for large corporate or incentive groups. Plus, there has been a significant boost in flight options between Australia and India, with Air India and Qantas tripling direct aviation capacity between the two countries. The introduction of three non-stop Mumbai to Melbourne flights per week by Air India will further enhance accessibility. Business Events Australia also has a Bid Fund Program, which is designed to increase the conversion of bids for new international business events for Australia through the offer of financial support at the critical bidding stage. Of the 26 incentive events won from around the world as a result of Bid Fund support, five are from India, worth $26.2 million in total.”
Dreamtime 2023
Dreamtime 2023, the signature incentive showcase of Tourism Australia, concluded in Adelaide recently. It saw Indian M!CE agents meet with representatives from Australian event industry. Speaking on the same, Kashikar says, “We know from previous Dreamtime events that the showcase delivers tangible results. The 2017 event, held in Brisbane, generated 200 business leads, of which 73 converted into business worth $50 million. And even with the disruption of the Australian bushfires and the pandemic, Dreamtime 2019 in Perth generated 36 business leads in just three months, worth $97 million. It’s clear that agents that can experience a destination firsthand understand the offering better, and therefore, can sell it better.” The event, normally held every two years, will now be held annually.
India big for incentive
When it comes to Indian incentive groups, there are specific requirements for service, food and experiences. Kashikar stresses that Tourism Australia leaves no stone unturned to cater to the same. “We find that due to
India’s closer proximity to Australia compared with other key markets, business events groups from India often have a better understanding of Australia and its offerings, and so groups often explore further. Cricket tests and tournaments can also influence destination and program selections, and timings. We have found groups from India often align their incentive program with sporting events such as cricket test series or T20 tournaments,” he adds.
Promotional activities
Informing about the initiatives they take in India for boosting the M!CE numbers, he says, “My team in Mumbai remains in touch with key planners and decision makers – we organise seminars to help educate planners on the business event offerings in Australia, and regularly host planners on familiarisation trips to Australia, like the Business Events Australia mega-famil earlier this year. Our incentive inspiration magazine Australia Next, available on the Business Events Australia website, shares ideas on new restaurants, hotels, experiences, destinations and suppliers across Australia to help planners arrange their next event.”
Outlook 2024
Talking about the business outlook in 2024, Kashikar asserts, “Business Events Australia would like to maintain the strong momentum generated since Australia’s borders reopened, and continue to cement Australia’s attractiveness as the preferred long-haul M!CE destination among Indian corporates and business event planners.”
