Published Friday, 11 January, 2008 at 12:38 PM
Minister for Tourism, Regional Development and Industry
The Honourable Desley Boyle
Tourism Minister won’t let cricket affect Indian tourism to Queensland
Tourism Minister Desley Boyle has given a Tourism Queensland trade mission a clear charter to strengthen cricket frayed ties with the important Indian tourism market.
Ms Boyle said the state’s $32 million Indian tourism market could be affected by tensions caused by the country’s current cricket tour of Australia.
“India is one of the state’s fastest growing tourism markets with Tourism Forecasting Council of Australia predicting an average annual growth rate of 17.4 per cent each year to 2016,” Ms Boyle said.
“The Queensland Government, through Tourism Queensland, has a delegation leaving today to visit with more 600 of India’s key travel industry representatives.
“I have given the group a clear charter to ensure that the fantastic relationship being enjoyed by the two country’s tourism industries would not be affected by current issues.
“We love India and Indian tourists love Queensland.
“India and Australia are both cricket mad countries but let’s leave the cricket on the field.
“The delegation will finish the tour with an annual bridge-building cricket game between the Queensland operators and Indian trade, designed to build both the Queensland brand and strong relationships.”
Ms Boyle said a new tourism campaign to lure Indian families to Queensland will also be launched next week during a 10-day trade mission.
Ms Boyle said Tourism Queensland’s fourth annual Queensland On Tour India mission – from January 14 to 25 – would focus on strengthening tourism relations between the two countries while introducing key Queensland tourism operators to Indian travel trade.
“India is an ever-growing market with huge potential for Queensland tourism,” Ms Boyle said.
“This new campaign Family, Fun, Queensland is aimed at educating and attracting both Indian travel agents and consumers on Queensland holiday experiences through a glossy brochure to be released in time for India’s summer holiday season.
“The five-city road show, of New Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Chennai and Bangalore, will create an ideal platform for tourism operators from the Gold Coast, Cairns and the Great Barrier Reef to offer updates and new experiences for the Indian consumer.”
Ms Boyle said a booming economy, a strong rupee and higher disposable income meant the average Indian could now explore exotic foreign destinations.
“India is touted as one of the fastest-growing outbound tourism markets in the world,” she said.
“India was identified as a significant future tourism opportunity in Tourism Queensland’s India Market Strategy Discussion Paper, released in 2007.
“Of the total visitors from India in 2007, a high proportion were visiting Australia for a holiday and of these, approximately half visited Queensland.”
Ms Boyle said in the year ended September 2007, Queensland welcomed 24,900 visitors from India which represented an increase of seven percent on the previous year.
Indian visitors stayed an average of 17.5 nights in Queensland and spent a total of $32 million in the year to September 2007.
Ends
Media contact: 3225 1005 or 3224 2007
11 January 2007
Ms Boyle said the state’s $32 million Indian tourism market could be affected by tensions caused by the country’s current cricket tour of Australia.
“India is one of the state’s fastest growing tourism markets with Tourism Forecasting Council of Australia predicting an average annual growth rate of 17.4 per cent each year to 2016,” Ms Boyle said.
“The Queensland Government, through Tourism Queensland, has a delegation leaving today to visit with more 600 of India’s key travel industry representatives.
“I have given the group a clear charter to ensure that the fantastic relationship being enjoyed by the two country’s tourism industries would not be affected by current issues.
“We love India and Indian tourists love Queensland.
“India and Australia are both cricket mad countries but let’s leave the cricket on the field.
“The delegation will finish the tour with an annual bridge-building cricket game between the Queensland operators and Indian trade, designed to build both the Queensland brand and strong relationships.”
Ms Boyle said a new tourism campaign to lure Indian families to Queensland will also be launched next week during a 10-day trade mission.
Ms Boyle said Tourism Queensland’s fourth annual Queensland On Tour India mission – from January 14 to 25 – would focus on strengthening tourism relations between the two countries while introducing key Queensland tourism operators to Indian travel trade.
“India is an ever-growing market with huge potential for Queensland tourism,” Ms Boyle said.
“This new campaign Family, Fun, Queensland is aimed at educating and attracting both Indian travel agents and consumers on Queensland holiday experiences through a glossy brochure to be released in time for India’s summer holiday season.
“The five-city road show, of New Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Chennai and Bangalore, will create an ideal platform for tourism operators from the Gold Coast, Cairns and the Great Barrier Reef to offer updates and new experiences for the Indian consumer.”
Ms Boyle said a booming economy, a strong rupee and higher disposable income meant the average Indian could now explore exotic foreign destinations.
“India is touted as one of the fastest-growing outbound tourism markets in the world,” she said.
“India was identified as a significant future tourism opportunity in Tourism Queensland’s India Market Strategy Discussion Paper, released in 2007.
“Of the total visitors from India in 2007, a high proportion were visiting Australia for a holiday and of these, approximately half visited Queensland.”
Ms Boyle said in the year ended September 2007, Queensland welcomed 24,900 visitors from India which represented an increase of seven percent on the previous year.
Indian visitors stayed an average of 17.5 nights in Queensland and spent a total of $32 million in the year to September 2007.
Ends
Media contact: 3225 1005 or 3224 2007
11 January 2007