A ‘one size fits all’ approach won’t work when dealing with the Indian market. Sue van Winsen reports on some of the different segments that are interested in travelling to Southern Africa.
- Adventure seekers
Indian travellers are increasingly interested in adventure activities, such as zip-lining and bungee jumping, says Johan Groenewald, MD of Royal African Discoveries. While this is driven, to a degree, by the younger generation, he says groups are often multi-generational, with children, parents and grandparents all travelling together. “This means that it’s not unusual to find grannies in the group going skydiving!”
These sentiments were echoed by SA Tourism Country Manager for India, Hanneli Slabber, who at the recent launch of the ‘Learn South Africa’ programme, said that Indian women accounted for a large proportion of business in SA’s adventure tourism sector, taking part in a wide range of adrenalin-inducing activities such as shark diving and sky diving.
Top activities for this segment include anything with an experiential spin – from safaris, to niche tours, such as cycling and wine-tasting through the Cape Winelands or cooking lessons in the Bo-Kaap.
- Glamorous under 25s
There is a growing market of travellers under the age of 25. Despite their young age, these are usually not budget travellers, as the trip is paid for by their parents. These travellers want to spend time in the cities, and while they are adventurous they are not interested in roughing it.
This may include couples looking for a romantic holiday but most are singles travelling with friends, looking to have fun, freedom and a relaxing time.
According to a SA Tourism report on the Indian market, travellers from this segment want to be free and unrestricted whilst exploring a new place and engaging in activities. “They relish meeting new people and visiting popular pubs and clubs.” Cape Town is particularly popular with these young travellers, who are drawn to the shopping and nightlife.
Popular experiences include exploring major attractions, such as Table Mountain and Cape Point, taking part in adventure-related activities, having fun at trendy nightspots, relaxing on the beach or going to spas and shopping for the latest designer brands.
- The new professionals
The rapid growth of India’s economy has resulted in many ‘middle-class’ Indians being able to afford international travel, some for the first time. While more traditional aspirational destinations are likely to be their first choice, including the US, UK and the rest of Europe, the affordability of South Africa may also be a drawcard, as this segment tends to be quite price sensitive, especially with fluctuations in the Indian rupee.
According to a report by the Market Intelligence Group of the European Travel Commission, there is a strong distinction between upper-middle-class travellers who are often travelling on a tight budget and the extremely affluent segment, for whom luxury travel is a prerequisite. “Working in modern high-tech industries (IT, pharmaceuticals, mechanical engineering, etc.) they make short or extended trips abroad. They may be travelling alone or with colleagues but also may be taking the opportunity to bring their partners or families to explore the wide world,” says the report.
- The well-travelled and ultra-wealthy
The Merrill Lynch/Cap Gemini World Health Report in 2013 estimated that 111 000 Indians have a nett worth (excluding their primary residence) of more than US$1 million, while Credit Suisse reckons that 2.4 million Indians have assets of more than US$100 000. While the ultra-wealthy account for only a small percentage of Indian travellers, they are obviously likely to spend far more than any of the other segments while on holiday.
The Market Intelligence Report states that India’s millionaires “travel aboard frequently and extensively, often with their families, and often accompanied by staff (domestic assistants, personal assistants, drivers, etc.) and demand an extremely high level of service”. As travel becomes more accessible and commonplace, it is becoming less of a status symbol, but still has a certain amount of ‘brag factor’ attached to it. This market will really look to push the boundaries in terms of high-end experiences that fit in with their personal sense of identity and achievement.
This market is also likely to have very high expectations in terms of the standard of service delivered by those encountered during their trip. “In India, they live luxurious and pampered lives: labour is so cheap that most have several servants, including a nanny, cook and driver. When abroad, they therefore expect high standards of service from porters, waiters and hotel staff,” says the report.
Activities generally need to suit the whole family and options would include exploring the country’s natural attractions and game reserves, visiting historic sites and learning about local cultures, adventure activities such as scuba diving, dining out and shopping for designer brands.
