Trade Bytes

Creative Travels focuses on newer areas

MICE, handicap tourism get greater focus

Anupama Sushil - Delhi

The MICE segment in India is today being regarded as very serious business and this has opened newer avenues for the Indian tourism market. Looking at the increasing international conference travel, the Indian Convention Promotion Bureau (ICPB) lately identified ten sectors of excellence namely Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Agra, Jaipur, Goa and Cochin. Explaining the efforts that are being taken to cash on this development Rajeev Kohli, vice chairman, ICPB said that while India holds only a one per cent share in the world convention market, it still has a lot of potential for the future. This figure, however, has risen as the international businesses have grown globally and there is an increasing need for such convention facilities.

Thus, India needs to cash in on this potential and look at delivering a high quality product. Keeping this scenario in mind, Kohli who handles all the marketing issues for Creative Travels, says that the company is focusing mainly on its specialised MICE segment. He added that conference and incentive travel are two major segments and need to be handled expertly, as both involve a higher level of expectations. This means specialisation of the product offerings ensuring the highest quality standards. This can be ensured by sound training of the people involved.

Currently, Creative is looking at encouraging handicap travel in the country. American society of Travel Agents (ASTA) and Society of Assessable Travel and Hospitality along with Creative Travels will be organising a training session on how to deal with these special tourists. Trainers from abroad will be flown in to impart a short-term training course in and around four cities in the country. The training session would also actively involve the city administration and other civic bodies, along with the Archeological Survey of India. It aims to help all involved sensitise themselves to such travel, and will be conducted sometime in the month of July this year. The company is also looking at getting into the outbound travel market, sticking to the high end segment to ensure the highest quality levels.

Kohli further revealed that they were now lobbying with a few private players, numbering six to seven, to come together and share information that can be used for everyone's benefits. This will not only help in serving clients better, but it will also help to tackle difficult situations.