The Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) has stepped up its efforts to promote the destination in the first half of the year, including metropolises, Tier-II and III markets, through B2B travel trade engagements like trade workshops, mega familiarisation trips, exhibitions, and roadshows.
Dubai is intended to be promoted by DET as the top choice for Indian tourists. Taking advantage of its closeness and direct access to Indian cities, DET is dedicated to growing its presence in secondary markets there while showcasing the wide range of services Dubai has to offer. Dubai had a stunning 23% increase in overnight visitor numbers over the first five months of 2023 compared to 2019. The results so far have been excellent.
Over 200 travel agencies from 30 cities in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Punjab, Delhi NCR, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Gujarat, Assam, and Uttar Pradesh participated in DET’s massive familiarisation tours between January and June 2023. Exposing Dubai’s offerings at trade shows like SATTE 2023 and ATM 2023 helped draw in new and returning tourists. DET staged roadshows in Hyderabad, Bengaluru, and Chennai in March to promote Dubai as a popular international vacation spot. By connecting with Dubai stakeholders including airlines, DMCs, hotels & resorts, and attractions in Dubai through these events, the Indian tourism industry was able to forge beneficial collaborations.
DET held trade workshops in major cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad, and Bengaluru in order to increase inbound travel from India. The workshops provided thorough insights into Dubai’s changing tourism industry, including new and old attractions, top-notch hospitality, and culinary experiences, empowering the travel industry to create varied itineraries that are educational and enriching.
Emirates and two of India’s leading airlines, IndiGo and Vistara, participated enthusiastically in these courses. They made a significant point of emphasising Dubai’s excellent flight connectivity, with direct connections to 22 Indian cities, and stressed ease of access, promoting Dubai as an excellent choice for fast getaways and layover locations to and from the UK, Africa, Europe, and North America. Over 350 people from these five cities participated in all of the workshops.
Det also sponsored trade dinners in Jaipur, Guwahati, and Bhubaneswar to highlight Dubai’s tourism offers and further enhance the allure of the city as the top choice for travel. This was done as part of DET’s strategy to better penetrate Tier-II cities and understand the market requirements. To publicise the new flight sector between Bhubaneswar and Dubai, DET co-hosted the dinner event in Bhubaneshwar with IndiGo. Owners of the top travel businesses in each location attended these special trade dinners.
According to Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism’s Head of South Asia, Bader Ali Habib, “India is a key priority for us, and we are devoted to displaying all aspects of the destination to the Indian tourist. With a 23% rise in overnight visitor numbers compared to 2019, we achieved great success with our pan-India outreach, reaching 1 million visitors in the first five months of the year. To further solidify our position as the top outbound destination from India, we have conducted multi-city roadshows, trade workshops, and massive familiarisation visits throughout the country. We have also actively participated in fairs including SATTE 2023 and ATM 2023. We are confident that our upcoming initiatives will increase awareness about Dubai’s diverse attractions, multicultural setting, and abundance of hotels and attractions, making it the top choice for Indian tourists, thanks to exceptional flight connectivity, a simple visa application process, and our ongoing commitment to the Indian market.
In the first half of July, the board held a second roadshow in the cities of Lucknow, New Delhi, and Chandigarh. Over 550 people attended.
Source- Travel biz