EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW 19
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW 19 “Find What You Seek” at ITB Berlin India’s Tourism Minister champions new campaign and a “paradigm change” in his country’s marketing approach Championing India’s “Find What You Seek” campaign, India’s Minister for Tourism, Dr K Chiranjeevi is present at ITB Berlin, despite parliamentary sessions being in progress in his homeland, underlining the importance of this event for his government. In 2012 India’s Foreign Exchange Earnings from tourism grew a massive 21.8%. Arrivals also grew by more than 5%. We asked Mr Chiranjeevi what he puts this success down to… When you come into our land, most things are very affordable… almost anyone can afford to stay in India. We cater for all sections of people. Ours is a diversified culture, and any kind of people can come and visit 365 days a year… For us there are no seasons! It is a huge country, right from the Himalayan mountains to the backwaters and the thick forests. All through the year, people can find something. There are no restrictions; there is no limited season. These are reasons that we have been able to maintain such strong growth year after year. 2012 has seen a big increase in the popularity of your Visa on Arrival scheme. Could you tell us more about the scheme and how it is helping tourism growth? Internal security has been an issue, and we have had limitations, but now, we are extending visa on arrival to countries such as Finland, Luxembourg, Japan, New Zealand, Myanmar and Singapore just to name a few. We are also trying to get some more countries, such as Spain, France, Germany, Italy and other European countries, to ease visa restrictions. So it’s “opening the borders and the skies”… Yes… Very recently I met with our External Affairs Minister and Home Minister, and said, ‘Wherever I go, where I meet with other Ministers such as the Tourism Minister of Spain, they agree we have to increase the mutual exchange of tourists. They want to have direct connectivity as well as easing visas’. Our ministers have understood this, and I think soon, most countries will be able to get visa on arrival. You have announced a new international campaign called “Find What You Seek”, marking a paradigm shift in your promotional strategy. What has changed? In 2002, we launched the Incredible India campaign, which was very successful. At that time, we wanted to promote our destinations – all our products to the world – as a showcase. But now there has been a paradigm shift in the consumer’s point of view and what they are expecting; what they want to see. When I was recently in the UK, the message was clear that people want to see the rural India. They want to taste, see and experience rural India, not the modern India. This helps us – having the consumer’s point of view, in how to promote rural India. We are keeping this in mind, also in promoting the rich tribal cultures in places like Ours is a diversified culture, and any kind of people can come and visit 365 days a year… For us there are no seasons! Arunachal Pradesh. We are enhancing these things for foreign tourists. It’s really a paradigm shift. How important is ITB Berlin for India when it comes to reaching international trade and press? Actually, our parliamentary sessions are going on at the moment, and I thought I might have to postpone this programme until another year. But our Prime Minister and other Ministers said, ‘You should not miss ITB Berlin. It is very important. You should participate and our presence should be strong because we need the German and European visitors to come, and with your visit, this is definitely going to happen.’ This is why the Prime Minister gave me permission to come even as our parliamentary sessions are going on. So it is very important for us to be part of ITB Berlin! [INTERVIEW by RICHARD BARNES] Hall 5.2 B Stands 201/202 Dr K Chiranjeevi Tourism Minister, India ITB BERLIN NEWS • Thursday 7 th March 2013
