Tuesday, April 01, 2008 Shopping, recreation lures Indian tourists
IN luring more Indian tourists to Cebu, tourism stakeholders must push for the promotion of local shopping and entertainment facilities rather than the province’s world-class beaches, an Indian envoy said.
“Shopping is the best way to attract Indian tourists. This is the reason why thousands of them are going to Singapore, primarily to shop,” said Indian Ambassador Rajeet Mitter.
While he admitted that Cebu is an emerging beach destination of Asia with its renowned hotel and resort facilities, but unfortunately, this will not be attractive to Indian visitors.
Big spenders
“India, like Cebu, has many beach resorts, so we are not that interested in them anymore, unlike the Europeans and (tourists from) Western countries,” Mitter explained.
However, when it comes to shopping, he said Indians are slowly gaining a reputation of being among the “world’s highest spenders.”
India, whose economy has grown significantly over the years, has seen an increase in the purchasing power of its middle class market.
The country’s growth also boosted the capability of most Indians to shop and travel for business and leisure purposes.
The traveling market, Mitter said, are mostly families of two or three clans going together for a vacation.
He noted that most Indians shop for electronic gadgets, clothes and jewelry.
Their primary shopping destination in Asia is Singapore with over one million Indian national arrivals recorded every year by the tourism board, Mitter said.
This, in effect, prompted the Singaporean tourism stakeholders to mount 130 flights a year to India, he said in an interview with reporters.
Mitter urged the Department of Tourism (DOT) to intensify its marketing efforts in highlighting Cebu’s shopping destinations, including malls and pasalubong centers, as magnets for Indian tourists.
Earlier, DOT Undersecretary for tourism planning and promotions Eduardo Jarque Jr. said tourism stakeholders are acknowledging the strong potential of the Indian tourism market.
Apart from the well-known beach destinations in Cebu, he said Indians, especially the men, are attracted to the local nightlife establishments, like restobars.
On the other hand, Indian women “love to pamper themselves” by frequenting spa salons and malls, Jarque added.
Likewise, DOT 7 Director Patria Aurora Roa said tourism stakeholders have also conducted a series of travel missions to India, promoting Central Visayas as a tourism gateway to the Philippines. (MMM
