Explore the major takeaways from Skift, one of the most celebrated global travel events, held for the first time in India. Gain insights into India's infrastructure challenges compared to destinations like Dubai and Europe, and discover critical gaps that need addressing to make India a more appealing destination for international travelers. Join the conversation as industry experts discuss strategies for unlocking India's tourism potential.
#IndianTourism #SanjayGhare #Vervotech #SkiftIndiaEvent #Travel&Tourism #TourismBusiness #Oneindia
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#IndianTourism #SanjayGhare #Vervotech #SkiftIndiaEvent #Travel&Tourism #TourismBusiness #Oneindia
~HT.178~PR.282~GR.124~PR.274~
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00:00 If you look at that, I think the Indian travel industry is growing.
00:05 And it's growing in a sustainable way where companies are going public in India.
00:11 It's a sign.
00:12 So it is happening not that frequently.
00:16 But it is a good sign that this will happen more frequently in the coming time.
00:19 A lot of great startups coming up.
00:21 Indicates that India is a very important and big and growing market for travel and tourism industry.
00:29 India is very unique geographically and population wise.
00:35 Hello and welcome. You are watching GoodReturns.
00:37 My name is Pankaj Mishra.
00:39 Well, we are today joined by Sanjay Ghare, co-founder and CEO of VrboTech.
00:43 And it's not just that.
00:45 He is also the founder of Techspion and Jill Connect.
00:50 Now, the concept of traveling abroad is something that is only not restricted to booking flight tickets, boarding the flight and landing.
01:00 There is a lot happening in between, right from booking the hotel, from getting your right choice as far as the hotel is concerned,
01:09 whether you have cab facility there or not and all those things.
01:12 So, in that regard, let me engage Mr. Sanjay Ghare to explain it to us.
01:18 Sanjay ji, welcome to GoodReturns. Thank you so much for taking time out.
01:22 Thank you. Thank you for having me, Pankaj.
01:25 Sanjay ji, Skipt, which is one of the most celebrated global travel events, happened for the first time in India.
01:34 And being a participant of that event, what were your major takeaways that you can share with us?
01:41 So, I think, first of all, Pankaj, Skipt, which is there for decades, happening in the other developed markets, came to India for the first time.
01:52 Itself indicates that India is a very important and big and growing market for travel and tourism industry.
02:00 And I will talk about two quick things, you know, which can be, you know, seen very visibly in the Skipt.
02:09 One is, if you look at, you know, McMytree is the largest OT in India.
02:15 When they started and they grown well, they went public, you know, on NASDAQ.
02:22 But now, you know, two years back, EaseMyTrip, which is the second largest OTA, went public, you know, in India.
02:31 There is another company which is in the queue for going public again from travel industry, but in Indian stock exchange.
02:39 So, if you look at that, I think the Indian travel industry is growing and there is, you know, it's growing in a sustainable way where companies are going public in India.
02:50 It's a sign. So, it is happening not that frequently, but it is a good sign that this will happen more frequently in coming time.
02:58 A lot of great startups coming up. Second important thing is, you know, the flights or air transfer is very important for the tourism industry.
03:09 And India, you know, doesn't have really the carriers like, you know, Middle East carriers like Etihad, Qatar, you know, Emirates.
03:18 But Air India is definitely taking steps towards it.
03:22 So, you know, as of today, since the privatization of Air India from government, Air India is buying a new aircraft every six days.
03:33 The kind of things, the kind of technology upgrades they are doing. So, I think it is really going great.
03:39 And we will see things like, you know, bigger and better, you know, flight carriers, you know, out of India as well.
03:48 All right. So, Sanjayji, you spoke about, you know, how other nations are actually promoting it and as far as the infrastructure part of travel is concerned.
04:01 And to attract any tourists, you know, infrastructure plays a crucial role.
04:07 So, what do you think, where does India stand in terms of its infrastructure and how does it match with the ease of travel found in places like, say, Dubai or Europe?
04:17 That's an interesting question, Pankaj.
04:20 Okay. So, you know, you said Dubai. If you see, you know, in UAE, the road infrastructure is really great.
04:26 Or if you look at Europe, I think rail is the foundation of, you know, their transport.
04:31 Or if you look at the United States, the flight, you know, domestic network of airports and flights is their, you know, base of transport.
04:42 India is very unique geographically and population wise.
04:47 We need an integrated solution for transport.
04:52 So, we have to have airports and flights just like USA.
04:56 We have to have rails which are like, you know, Europe.
05:01 And we have to have road infrastructure like, you know, UAE as an example.
05:06 And the great part is I talked about Air India.
05:09 Of course, Air India alone can't do.
05:12 But the kind of steps, you know, they are taking is a good sign that there would be one good airline and the more will come.
05:19 A few months back, government announced a major investment in the rails in terms of renovating stations and coming up with new rails and upgrade.
05:30 And Indian road infrastructure has been really, you know, on the development for last seven, eight years, which is really going well.
05:38 So, I think all of these three has to come together because for point to point journey, you need really an integrated and a world class service for flights, rails and road, all three.
05:52 Absolutely. Absolutely.
05:54 So, in your view, what are the critical gaps then that need to be addressed to make India more appealing destination, if I may say so, for international travelers?
06:04 Yeah. So, one thing, you know, I want to acknowledge one fact, though the tourism industry is growing very well.
06:11 We all are excited, you know, as a part of industry about the opportunities ahead of us.
06:17 We all have to acknowledge the reality is if you look at the Indian tourism industry, there are two parts to it.
06:23 One is people traveling, you know, outside India, outbound travel is really high.
06:30 And then there is a domestic travel, which is also high.
06:33 But inbound travel where people coming from the other states to India is really, you know, not haven't really picked up for ages.
06:44 That is one problem which stays a problem even today.
06:49 And I think solving and developing the industry, we have to go to that.
06:54 OK. And to address that part. So, of course, the infrastructure is important. I think the steps are being taken on the infrastructure side.
07:04 The strategic development of destinations is very important.
07:09 Like, you know, now the Lakshadweep is a destination getting developed.
07:13 Ayodhya is again a destination which is getting developed.
07:16 I think the beauty, you know, so if you remember, probably 15 years back, people were not traveling for leisure to United States.
07:25 OK, they were traveling to Europe or they were traveling to Southeast Asia.
07:29 But people started traveling and the way USA has developed their leisure is around business.
07:36 If people are coming for business, they started exploring destinations and slowly, slowly it also became a destination for leisure.
07:44 I think the good part about India is there are already a lot of businesses of, you know, a lot of countries.
07:50 People from different countries have reasons to come down to India.
07:53 So that business travel can convert it into a leisure travel by developing the destinations.
07:59 But one last thing which we all have to address and acknowledge is also about safety and security.
08:07 For international travelers to come down to India, they have to feel safe and secure.
08:14 You know, I have been to many countries, Pankaj, the reality is not, you know, every destination or every city is equally safe and secure in all the developed countries also.
08:27 There are bad parts or there are risky parts of the destinations, even in the developed countries.
08:34 OK, so the case would be with India. You know, I think India has achieved a lot from a safety and security standpoint as well.
08:42 But, you know, the recent example of what happened with a Spanish girl, you know, in Jharkhand.
08:48 So I think these kind of things really, you know, I would say disrupt the image of India and all of us have to work on it.
08:57 Of course, one side of work is working on the policies and how can we make it more secure and safe.
09:04 But the other side is as Indians, we all have to also become more brand ambassadors and talk about how India is changing, because that perception is not going to change overnight.
09:14 So I think there is a work on that side as well.
09:17 Right. Indeed, Sanjay Ghariji, thank you so much for sharing with us the message and the tips on which not just India, but other countries too can work upon.
09:29 And for a safe and a comfortable travel experience, this is how it should be. The scenario should be.
09:37 Thank you so much, Sanjay Ghari there, co-founder and CEO of Vavotech and also the founder of Techspion and Jilkiney.
09:44 Thanks for talking to Goodreta.
09:47 Thank you. Thank you, Pankaj. Thank you very much.