1 United National World Tourism Organisation (2012), Tourism Highlights 2012

2 Tourism Research Australia, International Visitor Survey, December 2012; Australian Bureau of Statistics,
Visitor Arrivals, April 2013
Knowing the
customer in India
2020
The India 2020 Strategic Plan
India is one of the worlds fastest growing outbound travel markets, with the United
Nations World Tourism Organisation predicting 50 million outbound travellers by
2020
1
. The India 2020 Strategic Plan (the Plan) was developed to maximise Indias
tourism potential and to set the foundation for the future, when long haul leisure
travel becomes more common. Launched in June 2012, it was developed by Tourism
Australia in collaboration with industry and government stakeholders. It is a key
deliverable of the Tourism 2020, Grow Demand from Asia strategy, recognising
Indias role in driving tourism growth in this Asian Century. The Tourism 2020
Strategy identies that India has the potential to be worth between A$1.9 billion and
A$2.3 billion to the Australian economy by the end of the decade.
The Plan identies four strategic pillars that are pivotal to being competitive and
winning market share in India: Knowing the customer, A dedicated Geographic strategy,
Delivering Quality Australian tourism experiences, Building Aviation and access.
Since its launch, leisure spend and arrivals from India have grown by 26 per cent and
16 per cent respectively. India is one of Australias fastest growing inbound markets
and is amongst Australias top 10 source markets. Indian arrivals grew 7.5 per cent in
2012, reaching 159,400, and were worth A$786 million in overnight spend.
2
Knowing the target Customer in India
Integral to achievement of the India 2020 Strategic Plan is putting the target customer
at the centre of all that we do at Tourism Australia. This means understanding the
needs and wants of consumers and sharing these insights so that the Australian
tourism industry can tap into the potential of this growing but complex market.
In early 2013, Tourism Australia commissioned Ipsos Social Research Institute (Ipsos)
to conduct research into the long haul travel behaviour and preferences of Tourism
Australias target customer in India to improve understanding of what drives their
travel decisions. Research was undertaken in Delhi and Mumbai (where Tourism
Australia has been focusing its consumer marketing efforts), as well as Kolkata,
Chennai, Bangalore and Hyderabad.
The research indicates that there are considerable opportunities for Australian
tourism. While Delhi and Mumbai continue to present the strongest opportunities,
there is also potential in Chennai, Kolkata, Hyderabad and Bangalore.
Key Research Findings
Australia is a highly aspirational
destination for Indian travellers,
with visiting Australias beaches and
iconic landmarks high on their list.
Associations with Australia are
strongest for its natural landscapes
and wildlife. Australia is perceived to
have a range of experiences on offer,
both adventurous and family friendly.
Recommendations from family and
friends who have visited or who live
in Australia play a very inuential
role in destination choice.
Indian travellers want a holiday that
offers comfort, happiness, relaxation
and adventure.
Pre packaged holidays are preferred
for long haul travel as they provide
convenience, a range of options,
value for money and safety.
Online travel information is their
primary source when dreaming
or considering a holiday destination as
well as in the holiday planning phase.
Most Indian travellers continue to
use travel agents to plan and book a
holiday to Australia.
Knowing the customer in India July 2013
`
Mumbai
Singapore
Hong Kong

New Delhi
Bangkok
Kolkata

Dubai
Kuala
Lumpur
Hyderabad
Bangalore
Chennai
Ahmedabad
How Australia stacks up
Perceptions of Australia are
largely positive
Beautiful scenery and
interesting wildlife, as well as
modern infrastructure
Australian people are viewed as
laid back and friendly
Culture is appealing lots
of freedom.
Holidaying in Australia generally has
high status among friends some
thought it denitely had a wow factor.
Australia is viewed as a good
honeymoon destination (romantic);
as well as good for older people (laid
back, relaxing) and young travellers (has
adventure, lots to see and do).
Most associations with Australia tend
not to go beyond icons (most involved
kangaroos, Sydney and cricket). Overall,
there is a low level of knowledge about
specic Australian locations
and attractions.
Australia is viewed as a luxury
destination a long way away,
expensive to visit, highly developed,
not polluted and with good facilities.
Although Australia is considered an
expensive holiday, it is also felt to be
good value for money as it provides a
memorable experience.
Delhi and Mumbai continue to have
signicant potential. Outside Delhi
and Mumbai, the cities with the
most potential for increasing travel to
Australia are Bangalore and Hyderabad.
Once Indians travel to Australia,
they rank it highly in terms of
safety. However a little negativity
remains in some Indian cities, with
Australia viewed as potentially less
safe compared to other long-haul
destinations. This is resultant from
past incidents of violence affecting
Indian students.
The leisure traveller... what we learnt about Tourism Australias target customer
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
Italy
Hong Kong
Thailand
UK/Britain
Canada
Malaysia
Switzerland
Australia
USA
Singapore
11%
12%
15%
15%
21%
23%
23%
24%
33%
12%
Australias competitiveness
Australia fares well compared to other destinations ranking third as the country
they are considering for a holiday in the next one to two years. Singapore is top,
followed by the USA. Australia shares third place with Switzerland.
The desire to visit Australia is highest among those who have visited before.
Countries considered for holiday/leisure travel in the next one to two years
0 20 40 60 80 100
Guided sightseeing tours with
an experienced guide
Transfers to and from your hotel
All entertainment and activities
Some entertainment and activities
All meals
Some meals
Hotel/Accomodation (some)
Transport within Australia
Hotel/Accomodation (all)
Everything
Car rental
Flights
12%
19%
24%
25%
25%
27%
27%
32%
35%
23%
42%
51%
How they like to travel
Prefer semi-free independent travel most will pre-book / package parts of
their holiday before arriving in Australia. This includes booking ights, transfers,
accommodation and some activities.
Group travel/tours are popular options for less experienced travellers group travel
is considered safer for a new destination so far away from home.
Convenience, value and safety are the main reasons these consumers pre-book parts
of their holiday.
Most Indians travel to Australia after rst travelling short haul within Asia and long
haul to Europe or the USA.
Pre-booked holiday components
How they research and book a holiday
Overseas holidays are planned with immediate family, with feeling comfortable of
most importance in their destination choice.
Planning is done both in person with travel agents and online. These are the two key
information sources used. Family and friends also provide inspiration and information.
Most start planning 2-6 months before travelling, with some variations across cities.
For long haul destinations, bookings are predominantly made with a trusted travel
agent. For short haul and familiar destinations, bookings are increasingly made
through online channels, particularly for airfares and accommodation. Even if travel
agents are used, most consumers will do some independent research to verify what the
agent is telling them.
Travel Agents are used to arrange and obtain visas.
Preference for package, group or independent travel by city
0 20 40 60 80 100
Total
Bangalore
Hyderabad
Kolkata
Chennai
Mumbai
Delhi
4% 32%
16% 19%
14% 74%
18% 25%
23% 41%
27% 52%
14% 35%
33%
41%
13%
39%
31%
21%
33%
26%
18%
18%
5%
15% 4%
7%
6%

A pre-packaged group tour/deal, travelling
with people I may or may not know

A pre-packaged group tour/deal, travelling
only with my friends/family

A package that is customised to my needs
or the needs of my friends/family

A holiday I design and book myself (e.g.
accomodation and ights and activities
booked separately)

Do not know/Not sure
How to inuence their travel decision-making
Recommendations from family and friends
who have visited or who live in Australia
play the most inuential role these are
seen as trusted information sources.
Travel specic information on the internet
inspires and is used to get ideas and
recommendations.
Travel agents and tour operators are
consulted for information on where to
holiday, and are important in the planning
and booking process.
Online social networking sites such
as Facebook are used to consult and
gather information.
Destinations featured on TV and in lms
play a role in destination choice.
Marketing messaging should give
reassurance that they are getting a good
deal; and that once they arrive at their
holiday destination people will be helpful
if anything goes wrong.
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
Gaining social prestige and status/bragability
Media ads by govts/tourism boards/orgs marketing holiday destinations
Media ads/promotions by airlines or travel agents
Travel-specific programs on the radio
Locations your children want to visit
General news reports (in print, on television, in online media, etc)
Travel brochures
Travel books or guides
Online blogs and reviews, e.g. Trip Advisor
Travel-specific articles or information in newspapers or magazines
Locations/places that you have seen in movies or TV serials
Social networking sites on the internet (e.g. Facebook)
Travel-specific programs on TV (e.g. on Travel and Leisure Channel)
Advice from a travel agent or tour operator
Travel-specific information on the internet
Recommendations from friends or family who have lived or do live there
Recommendations from friends or family who have visited there
1%
2%
2%
6%
6%
7%
9%
10%
17%
19%
20%
23%
25%
27%
31%
34%
51%
Inuences on destination choice
What travel sellers have to say...
The research included interviews with travel sellers in India. Some insights:
Australias visa application process has become easier for Indian travellers in the last
12 months.
Indian consumers are high users of the internet and as a result they are well informed
and will shop around for the best deals. Australia has a wide variety of products and
experiences, but needs to continue to innovate, create and communicate new reasons
to travel to Australia in order to remain competitive with other destinations.
The average middle-class Indian traveller makes two overseas trips a year, one long
haul and one short haul.
The luxury travel segment has grown signicantly in the last year and continues to do
so, despite the declining Rupee. These travellers are often accompanied by domestic
staff (cooks, personal assistants, drivers and so on) as luxury travellers do not want to
compromise on the service levels they are used to at home.
Because of Indias rising wealth, Tourism Australias target customer - afuent
consumers in key cities - is endorsed as the right target segment in India.
To reach these tech-savvy target customers, operators are increasing marketing spend
in online channels. This includes not just information, but also online sales.
Non-stop direct ights, whilst not essential, are preferred by Indian travellers as
they allow more time in the destination and are easier to manage when travelling
with children.
Who our target customers are
Afuent they are amongst the
wealthiest of Indias population, but
income does vary across cities.
Men and women aged 35-54 years.
Couples (including honeymooners) and
families (often travelling with children).
Work as:
Entrepreneurs or are self employed.
Highly qualied professionals.
Senior executives at multinational
companies.
Experienced travellers have travelled
for leisure in the past 12 months and
have Australia as part of their holiday
consideration set.
Live predominantly in Delhi and
Mumbai, but also in Chennai, Kolkata,
Hyderabad and Bangalore. Analysis of
economic and demographic forecasts
as well as aviation, visa access and
industry feedback was undertaken to
identify cities with potential.
(Travel sellers in India have endorsed
this target).
What they want from a holiday
For a long haul trip (such as Australia), a holiday of up to 10 days that includes time
to de-stress and spend time with family. The latter are key motivators for leisure
travel and the main consideration when designing their holiday.
Safety and security Australia is generally viewed as safe for tourists and families.
Visiting beaches and famous landmarks are the most popular activities.
Direct ights are preferred, however most are happy to consider a stop-over. Those
from smaller cities (for example, Chennai), accept two ights are often necessary.
Ease of obtaining a visa.
Value for money.
The availability of Indian/ Jain / pure vegetarian food is valued. For some, it is key in
destination choice, while for others trying different cuisines is appealing.
This research provides some really valuable learning
about the Indian consumer, their purchasing
intentions and desire for experiencing travel. India is
already Australias tenth largest source market and has
the potential to grow strongly in coming years if we
get the marketing, product, distribution and aviation
access right. Andrew McEvoy, Managing Director, Tourism Australia.
Knowing the customer in India July 2013
Next steps
Tourism Australia will share the ndings and insights from this consumer research
with industry and governments in Australia and India to help drive targeted
marketing communications, and inform product and experience development.
Insights from this research will also help to rene Tourism Australias marketing
activities in India, including improving media efciencies and determining key
projects that will drive demand for Australia.
The Research
This is the rst time Tourism Australia has undertaken such comprehensive research
into the travel behaviour and preferences of consumers living outside Mumbai and
Delhi. Along with these cities, analysis was also undertaken in Kolkata, Chennai,
Bangalore and Hyderabad. Ipsos undertook the study, focusing on understanding the
differences between these cities.
Findings included some similarities and differences across cities, for example,
Australia is in the top three future destinations of choice in all cities except Delhi
and Mumbai. Another nding was that Delhiites are most likely to design and book
their own holiday; while the comfort and safety of a package was more appealing for
respondents from Chennai, Kolkata and Mumbai.
The research was undertaken in two stages using both qualitative (focus groups and
in-depth interviews) and quantitative (face-to-face surveys) methodologies. A target
sample of 2,054 participants was used.
Research objective
The key objective of this research is to increase Tourism Australias understanding of
what motivates the Indian target customer to travel long haul, their intention and
desire to travel, what they currently know about Australia and how Australia compares
with other destinations, travel preferences, planning and booking channels, and
media consumption habits. Insights from the research will inform Tourism Australias
marketing and communication strategies in India.
Want to know more?
For more detail, please contact the
Global Insights team in Sydney
Chris Rigg
Senior Insights Analyst, Global
Insights, Tourism Australia
E: crigg@tourism.australia.com
T: +61 2 9361 1354
For media queries, please contact the
Corporate Affairs team in Sydney
Leo Seaton
Manager, Media Relations,
Tourism Australia
E: lseaton@tourism.australia.com
T: +61 2 9361 1363
Or ask.us@tourism.australia.com
www.tourism.australia.com
@TourismAus

Tourism Australias corporate site
(www.tourism.australia.com) contains
information on India and the Indian
consumer. Updates on Tourism
Australias activities and the India market
are published in Tourism Australias
industry newsletter, Essentials.
State and regional tourism
organisations are also a source of
market intelligence on India.
About Ipsos Social Research
The Ipsos Social Research Institute
is part of the Ipsos group, a global
organisation based in Paris with over
85 ofces world-wide. It is a leader
in understanding the perceptions of
citizens, public service users and other
stakeholders. Its aim is to help clients
in governments and the public sector
make better, evidence based decisions.
www. Ipsos.com
The research revealed the high status and importance
of overseas travel to Indians in all six of the cities
included. Australia certainly has a wow factor for this
market, with its natural environment being among the
strongest attractions. There is now an opportunity to
further build on these positive perceptions by raising
awareness of specic destinations and activities on
offer to visitors to Australia. Hannah Race, Research Manager
at Ipsos Social Research Institute