India's tourism sector is a key focus at the ongoing Arabian Travel Market 2022 (ATM) in Dubai which features 1,500 exhibitors, representatives from 158 global destinations, and an anticipated 20,000 attendees.
The event which opened on Monday and will run through Thursday, is 85 per cent larger than ATM 2021 in terms of floor space, with growth in every single region. The in-person event will be followed by ATM Virtual, which will run from May 17-18.
The Incredible India Pavilion was inaugurated by Rupinder Brar, Additional Director General at the Union Ministry of Tourism, and Aman Puri, Consulate General, Dubai, on the opening day of ATM 2022.
The pavilion is showcasing India as a '365 Days Travel Destination' with something for everyone from culture, adventure, golf, luxury, wellness and medical tourism.
As Indian flight queries for the UAE and Egypt have witness a significant uptick, and the country retains its position as Dubai's biggest source market, India's tourism sector is a key focus for delegates, exhibitors and attendees.
With India's travel industry projected to account for 29 million outbound trips per year by 2025, according to analysis from GlobalData, and ResearchandMarkets.com predicting its outbound tourism market will surpass $42 billion by the end of 2024, ATM 2022 will offer a timely opportunity to explore the vast potential offered by the country's travel, tourism and hospitality sector.
Data from Dubai's Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) shows that the country ranked top of the Emirate's source market list for 2021, accounting for 910,000 inbound visitors, and short-haul flight queries for destinations including Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Egypt have witnessed a 30 per cent uptick among Indian tourists, according to Thomas Cook (India).
The number of inbound tourists travelling from India to the UAE has witnessed a 50 per cent increase of late, with VFS Global processing 40,000 travel visas since Dubai reopened its borders following the pandemic.
With a buyer forum dedicated exclusively to India, attendees, exhibitors and delegates at ATM 2022 will have ample opportunity to take a deep dive into the country's tourism, travel and hospitality industry, examining current and future trends, and exploring the ways in which destinations across the Middle East can capitalise on this important source market.
Focus Area: The Incredible India delegation is being headed by Brar. Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka and the northeastern region are the focus areas from India's side to showcase to the world. Uttarakhand Cabinet Minister Satpal Maharaj is also in attendance to showcase the opportunities in the hill state.
During the event, India is projecting the various verticals of tourism potential in the country. The Ministry has been aggressively promoting different tourism products and destinations. The major focus has been given to the potential of MICE,film, wellness, medical, luxury, wildlife and adventure Tourism. The Middle East has been the major target market for the Indian tourism. Large number of tourists from the Middle East visit India for MICE, medical, wellness, luxury tourism etc. The Union Ministry of Tourism has been holistically promoting Indian tourism in the Middle East market. Participation in the ATM has been one such initiative by the Centre.
India has opened up for the international visitors, for this the Ministry has already initiated the 'Namaste India' campaign encouraging foreign travellers to come to India. The Ministry has also been focusing on confidence-building strategies post-pandemic. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's appeal of 'Chalo India' thereby urging the Indian diaspora to inspire at least five of their non-Indian friends every year to visit India, calling them 'Rashtradoot' emphasizing the role of tourism for the overall economic growth of the country.