Till recently Canada was a destination clubbed together with a visit to the USA or just a destination with high VFR traffic from India. But things have altered significantly, with tourists becoming more and more experimental. The attractiveness of Canada as an outbound destination is on the rise owing to India’s ever emergent outbound potential, and to benefit from this opportunity, Canadian Tourism Commission (CTC) plans to offer Indians, new experiences and tourism products.
This year CTC will be launching the Canadian Signature Experiences. The Collection showcases extraordinary Canadian tourism experiences from across the country that will ensure Canada stands out in a competitive marketplace. “It is a collection of once-in-a-lifetime travel experiences found only in Canada. Through this, we can show the world what Canada’s tourism brand is all about. It also makes it easier for the travel trade to sell more Canada, and make more money doing so,” said Tina Singh, Assistant Vice President -Canadian Tourism Commission (CTC), India.
These experiences include Polar Bear sighting in Manitoba, Aurora Borealis, Heli Yoga in Canmore, Cliff walk at the Capilano Suspension Bridge, CN Tower, Canadian Rockies, Niagara Falls etc. “The campaign is a bold example of how CTC intends to use these unique experiences and tourism products to entice travellers to Canada from India in 2013 and beyond,” she added.
According to Singh, it is expected that 18.7 million Indians will travel overseas. Canada received a total of 162,900 overnights from India in 2011, up 8.7 per cent; travel receipts soared 11 per cent to $160.9 million; and the average spend per person-trip while in Canada reached $988. In 2012, CTC recorded a growth of 7.7 per cent (up till September). “India’s exuberance for long-haul travel and its large population of long-haul travellers make this market one of the CTC’s strongest in terms of future growth and investment returns,” she said.
Over the years CTC has worked very closely with the Indian travel trade and believes that it is the most significant factor of the Indian tourism industry. “CTC India has always been working closely with agents while equipping them with adequate destination knowledge and sales tools through regular workshops and training sessions. Going by the trend, Indian travellers use a combination of traditional and online sources when choosing a destination that includes word of mouth, websites of online retailers, travel advertising, print media, destination-specific websites and websites of hotels, airlines and attractions,” she opined.
Citing the effect of the depreciating value of Indian Rupee on outbound travel, Singh stated, “Unfortunately the depreciating value of Indian Rupee and the rising air fares have affected the number of Indian travellers to Canada like any other North American or European country.”
