VisitBritain’s Destination Britain India 2023 roadshow that recently concluded in Delhi drew an enthusiastic response from the Indian travel trade that turned up in large numbers. Higher airline capacity as well as desire to go beyond London, thanks to the ease of travel within Britain for Indian travellers, are likely to be the highlights of a travel boom that VisitBritain and the Indian travel trade foresee for 2024.

With expectations of an imminent boom that would propel the Indian travel market for Britain to the GBP 1 billion landmark in 2024, the Destination Britain India 2023 roadshow came to a successful conclusion earlier this week.

Organised after a hiatus of almost four years, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the roadshow held in Delhi attracted dozens of British industry suppliers from across Great Britain as part of VisitBritain delegation to come to meet with 75 top buyers from India as well as several other local buyers from across India over the three days of the roadshow. The British suppliers included hotels, retailers, visitor attractions, tour operators, transport providers and local destinations from across Britain.

The event saw hundreds of pre-fixed meetings between the suppliers and Indian travel agents during the roadshow. It also provided ample window for networking meetings with gala dinners. 

Several product seminars were also organised on the occasion. These included seminars by West Midlands Growth Company, Marketing Manchester and Visit Cumbria, to inform the Indian travel trade about the latest market developments and trends. VisitBritain also showcased its GREAT Britain ‘See Things Differently’ campaign promoting the fresh and exciting experiences on offer, inspiring visitors to explore more of Britain, to travel across the seasons and to come now.

The outlook for 2024 is extremely positive, with airline capacity in September having already risen 53 pc above the pre-pandemic level. VisitBritain officials believe that a travel boom from India is now imminent and which is likely to propel India to a new landmark of GBP 1 billion in terms of travel spend in Great Britain next year.

VisitBritain officials believe that the Indian market is well-suited to go and explore Britain beyond London, notably its interiors, thanks to the ease of travel that exists for them. 

‘‘So, what we have seen actually is a trend in travellers from India looking at travelling into the regions, outside the cities as well. Be it exploring the countryside, the coast, going into and immersing themselves in the culture. They are spending more time in destinations and also looking at mono country itineraries. And I think what we are trying to do over here is that we have got a few destination management organisations and we have got attractions, a lot of regional products that the travel trade in India can actually look at contracting with, which they can then offer to their clients,’’ Louise Bryce, Partnerships Director of VisitBritain tells India Outbound.

Bryce adds that dramatically improved air connectivity has helped in propelling tourist traffic from all over India, especially from Tier II cities.

“You have got Air India, which we know has expanded a lot into the market and Virgin Atlantic, for example, is starting in March with the Bengaluru flight. So there is that connectivity that is coming in. What it has also done is that it is in the regions and the Tier II cities in India where we are seeing a lot of the economic growth. There is disposable income that is coming in and that is a market that we need to start educating and we have been advocating for the past few years now and will continue to actually, you know, try and inspire and encourage product development there. For example, because Air India connects Tier II Indian cities directly with Birmingham, but the consumer and the travel trade there is not very aware of our products. So we are  trying to get those connections, trying to get that product in which can eventually serve the customer,’’ Bryce adds.

VisitBritain’s Country Manager India Vishal Bhatia says that like many other countries, the Indian outbound travel market, too, has evolved in the post-pandemic era.

‘‘There are some global trends that are playing out in India as well, and that is a move much more towards experiential travel. People want to feel that having an authentic experience, they want to get to know the locals. They want variety and a richness of experience. So we’re seeing that play out in the Indian market with much more travel outside of London of Indians spending 50 pc of their time now outside of London, they are using public transport and some of them are even jumping in a car and driving themselves, which is very exciting,’’ Bhatia tells India Outbound.

Bhatia says there is a lot of new products and experiences that await Indian travellers in Britain and some of which were being highlighted at the Destination Britain India roadshow.

“Well, actually, we have three key areas which are actually on this mission, the Birmingham in the West Midlands, which I think became very popular for hosting the Commonwealth Games. And they are showcasing some new product. It is also Cadbury’s 200th anniversary. There is a new attraction where you can experience the Peaky Blinder effect in Manchester. There are new music arenas opening there are always new restaurants opening, and Cumbria, which is a countryside destination, has actually now got 13 Michelin stars, which is incredible really, for for a such a small area and which is perhaps known best for being rural,’’ Bhatia adds.

The response from the Indian travel trade that participated in the roadshow has been no less enthusiastic. They say they found a high quality of suppliers, with new offerings for the Indian travellers.

‘‘It has been a great platform. All in terms of the destination, I would like to say in terms of the suppliers and sellers that have come in from UK, there is a huge, big platform of new sellers that have come on the table. Earlier, when we used to kind of plan products, it used to be mainly London and a bit of Lake District, but today you can actually have the opportunity to talk to many more sitting right here whether it is from Birmingham or from a destination like Liverpool or Manchester. You have a wide range of people that you can meet and talk so that we could actually get into on your product for our clients,’’ Sunita Amarnani, Executive Vice President of V-explore, a travel firm based in Mumbai, tells India Outbound.

Amarnani adds that the Indian client, today, is seeking precisely these new experiences, stepping beyond London. “That’s what our client today is looking at. I mean, London has been done and dusted with. I know I shouldn’t be saying this, but it is now more like a getaway into the UK and people are looking beyond London. So I think it has been a great opportunity for all of us to meet such a huge team out here and I am looking forward for many more meetings,’’ Amarnani adds.

‘‘Luxury today is all about the experiences. And I think UK as a destination has loads of experiences right from culinary to adventure. Language is not a problem in the UK because everybody speaks English. Our food is not a problem, so people are willing to actually go to the interiors because today vegetarian food is easily available everywhere in the UK,’’ says Amarnani.