‘Incredible India’ Campaign has Incredible Budget
India welcomed 4.43 million tourists last year with many of them attracted because of the country’s ongoing worldwide marketing campaign, ‘Incredible India’. (For the first time ever, 100,000 Australians visited India last year.)
In order to achieve this record total India’s Ministry of Tourism spent around $15.7 million in overseas markets on the dynamic promotional campaign during 2006/2007.
Launched in 2002, the ‘Incredible India’ promotion is widely heralded as establishing India as a positive brand in the international marketplace. Subsequently it has had a major impact in generating additional tourist arrivals and accelerating foreign exchange earnings.
Between 2005/2006 tourist traffic increased by 13.3 per cent while foreign exchange earnings increased by 21 per cent in 2005.
Tourist traffic is currently ahead by 13 per cent this year over the same period last year.
The total expenditure in both domestic and overseas markets for marketing, advertising and publicity during the financial year 2006/2007 that ended on March 31 was around $69.6 million.
This amount was spent by India Tourism Offices located in overseas markets and at trade shows and tourism fairs supported by the Ministry.
The Ministry of Tourism has utilised a number of methods to get the ‘Incredible India’ message to the public including testimonials of well known personalities like fashion models and singers as well as well known spiritual guru, Deepak Chopra.
In addition, the Ministry has employed a number of innovative outdoor advertising ideas including eye catching billboards and attention getting signs on the sides of buses and taxi cabs in Europe, West Asia, Africa and Asia-Pacific.
The ‘Incredible India’ message has also aired on leading satellite and terrestrial TV channels in many major markets as well as in emerging markets like Russia, South Africa and Spain.
The Ministry anticipates the momentum of the ‘Incredible India’ campaign will continue with tourist arrivals expected to reach 10 million by 2010. While the media campaign has been successful, India’s share in the global tourist market remains low at 0.53 per cent.
According to the World Tourism Organisation, for instance, Southeast Asian countries received 53.76 million tourists last year while China had some 49.60 million arrivals.
“Lack of adequate tourism infrastructure, high room tariffs, deficiencies in airport facilities, road and railway connectivity” are cited as some of the deterrents towards attracting more foregm tourists to India.
Exclusive Report by Thomas E. King, Travel and Lifestyle Editor
John Alwyn-Jones
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
Airlines suspend Madagascar services following unrest and army revolt
TAP Air Portugal to operate 29 flights due to strike on December 11
Qatar Airways offers flexible payment options for European travellers
Air Mauritius reduces frequencies to Europe and Asia for the holiday season
Airbnb eyes a loyalty program but details remain under wraps