Four emerging travel segments from India

Source: – Tourism Update, 24/07/2015

The well-travelled and ultra-wealthy are one of the emerging travel
segments from India.
A `one size fits all` approach won`t work when dealing with the Indian
market. Sue van Winsen reports on some of the different segments that
are interested in travelling to Southern Africa.
1. Adventure seekers
Indian travellers are increasingly interested in adventure activities,
such as zip-lining and bungee jumping, says Johan Groenewald, MD of
Royal African Discoveries. While this is driven, to a degree, by the
younger generation, he says groups are often multi-generational, with
children, parents and grandparents all travelling together. "This
means that it`s not unusual to find grannies in the group going
skydiving!"
These sentiments were echoed by SA Tourism Country Manager for India,
Hanneli Slabber, who at the recent launch of the `Learn South Africa`
programme, said that Indian women accounted for a large proportion of
business in SA`s adventure tourism sector, taking part in a wide range
of adrenalin-inducing activities such as shark diving and sky diving.
Top activities for this segment include anything with an experiential
spin – from safaris, to niche tours, such as cycling and wine-tasting
through the Cape Winelands or cooking lessons in the Bo-Kaap.
2. Glamorous under 25s
There is a growing market of travellers under the age of 25. Despite
their young age, these are usually not budget travellers, as the trip
is paid for by their parents. These travellers want to spend time in
the cities, and while they are adventurous they are not interested in
roughing it.
This may include couples looking for a romantic holiday but most are
singles travelling with friends, looking to have fun, freedom and a
relaxing time.
According to a SA Tourism report on the Indian market, travellers from
this segment want to be free and unrestricted whilst exploring a new
place and engaging in activities. "They relish meeting new people and
visiting popular pubs and clubs." Cape Town is particularly popular
with these young travellers, who are drawn to the shopping and nightlife.
Popular experiences include exploring major attractions, such as Table
Mountain and Cape Point, taking part in adventure-related activities,
having fun at trendy nightspots, relaxing on the beach or going to
spas and shopping for the latest designer brands.
3. The new professionals
The rapid growth of India`s economy has resulted in many
`middle-class` Indians being able to afford international travel, some
for the first time. While more traditional aspirational destinations
are likely to be their first choice, including the US, UK and the rest
of Europe, the affordability of South Africa may also be a drawcard,
as this segment tends to be quite price sensitive, especially with
fluctuations in the Indian rupee.
According to a report by the Market Intelligence Group of the European
Travel Commission, there is a strong distinction between
upper-middle-class travellers who are often travelling on a tight
budget and the extremely affluent segment, for whom luxury travel is a
prerequisite. "Working in modern high-tech industries (IT,
pharmaceuticals, mechanical engineering, etc.) they make short or
extended trips abroad. They may be travelling alone or with colleagues
but also may be taking the opportunity to bring their partners or
families to explore the wide world," says the report.
4. The well-travelled and ultra-wealthy
The Merrill Lynch/Cap Gemini World Health Report in 2013 estimated
that 111 000 Indians have a nett worth (excluding their primary
residence) of more than US$1 million, while Credit Suisse reckons that
2.4 million Indians have assets of more than US$100 000. While the
ultra-wealthy account for only a small percentage of Indian
travellers, they are obviously likely to spend far more than any of
the other segments while on holiday.
The Market Intelligence Report states that India`s millionaires
"travel aboard frequently and extensively, often with their families,
and often accompanied by staff (domestic assistants, personal
assistants, drivers, etc.) and demand an extremely high level of
service". As travel becomes more accessible and commonplace, it is
becoming less of a status symbol, but still has a certain amount of
`brag factor` attached to it. This market will really look to push the
boundaries in terms of high-end experiences that fit in with their
personal sense of identity and achievement.
This market is also likely to have very high expectations in terms of
the standard of service delivered by those encountered during their
trip. "In India, they live luxurious and pampered lives: labour is so
cheap that most have several servants, including a nanny, cook and
driver. When abroad, they therefore expect high standards of service
from porters, waiters and hotel staff," says the report.
Activities generally need to suit the whole family and options would
include exploring the country`s natural attractions and game reserves,
visiting historic sites and learning about local cultures, adventure
activities such as scuba diving, dining out and shopping for designer
brands.