India will participate in the WTM in London from November 5-7, 2024, aiming to enhance inbound tourism through its diverse cultural heritage, wedding tourism, and MICE sectors. The event will feature a ‘Chalo India’ initiative encouraging the Indian diaspora to promote travel to India, providing incentives such as free e-tourist visas. Additionally, India is showcasing wellness, adventure, and ecotourism, with significant representation from various state tourism departments to emphasise regional offerings and sustainable travel practices.
India’s Ministry of Tourism is set to showcase its diverse tourism offerings at the World Travel Market (WTM) in London from November 5-7, 2024. The event presents an opportunity for approximately 50 delegates, including state governments, airlines, and hoteliers, to promote India’s rich cultural heritage, wedding tourism, and MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) tourism. The UK is a vital market, with a recorded 0.92 million visitors in 2023, prompting India to strengthen ties with the Indian diaspora. The newly launched ‘Chalo India’ initiative invites the Indian diaspora to recommend India to their non-Indian friends, offering them a free e-tourist visa to facilitate visits. The pavilion will also highlight unique aspects of India’s cultural offerings, including a mock wedding altar to represent wedding tourism. Additionally, focus areas include wellness, adventure, and ecotourism as India aims to create diverse travel experiences. Participating state tourism departments showcase regional attractions, emphasising sustainable travel and lesser-known destinations. This comprehensive strategy aims to position India as a globally accessible destination, expanding its tourist base, particularly from the UK, and enhancing the benefits of tourism distribution across rural areas and small towns.
India’s participation in WTM 2024 underscores its ambitions to elevate its status as a premier tourism destination. The event is essential for connecting with global tourism stakeholders, particularly focusing on enticing British tourists. With the UK being one of the top three source markets for inbound tourism, India’s efforts, including the launch of the ‘Chalo India’ initiative, demonstrate its commitment to leveraging the Indian diaspora and expanding its tourism reach through compelling cultural and experiential offerings when attracting new visitors.
India’s promotional efforts at WTM 2024 highlight its diverse tourism appeal, from cultural heritage to wedding and MICE tourism. The initiative to engage the Indian diaspora for promoting travel to India, particularly through the ‘Chalo India’ programme, reinforces the potential for increased inbound tourism from the UK. India’s focus on sustainable travel and the involvement of regional tourism departments will likely diversify visitor experiences, ultimately broadening its global tourism market share.
Original Source: www.travelandtourworld.com