| Driven by the booming trade, China is gradually emerging as a significant destination on the Indian outbound travel map. The growing familiarity, primarily because of increasing business visits, is encouraging Indian travellers to explore beyond Beijing, Shanghai and the Great Wall.
What’s expected to aid growth here is the increasing number of direct flights between the two countries. Today, there are only seven direct flights a week between India and China. With the Indian and Chinese governments realising the importance of more direct connections, the bilateral entitlement is expected to increase to 42 flights a week next month. An agreement to this effect should be inked during Chinese premier Wen Jiabao’s forthcoming visit.
A cargo carrier from China is also expected to launch direct services to India. Negotiations are complete on many aspects to improve connectivity between the two countries, according to civil aviation secretary Ajay Prasad. At least three private carriers from China are expected to obtain permission to launch services to India. Jet Airways and Air Sahara are expected to get the green signal on a reciprocal basis for launching flights to China.
Air-India has already decided to increase the frequency of its flights to Shanghai and Hong Kong. “More connectivity to China is on the cards because of the increasing demand,” says V Thulasidas, chairman & managing director of Air-India.
The Chinese are also working on ways to appeal to the Indian palate. Travel industry sources say Indian chefs are much sought after in the Dragon country. China clocked the 100-million foreign tourist mark in 2004, even as India tom-tomed crossing the 3 million figure last year. Though around 3 lakh Indians visited China in 2004, a growth of over 40% from the year before, Indians comprise barely 1.5% of annual inbound tourist traffic to China.
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“More than 50% Indians go for business meetings or to attend conferences and exhibitions, with many taking their families along,” points out Wiejin, with Beijing and Shanghai being the most popular hot-spots for Indians. “We are organising at least half-a-dozen trade incentive tours to China in 2005,” says Homa Mistry, regional manager, North India, TCI, one of the first operators to set up a China outpost in 2002.
For Chinese tourists coming to India, the numbers do not do justice to 29 million outbound Chinese who travelled out of their country in 2004. Official figures of the tourism ministry suggest that barely 21,000 Chinese tourists visited India in 2004. “India’s biggest problem is the inadequate number of Chinese interpreters and guides,” says G Naqshband, chairman, Le Passage to India. Mistry points out that Chinese tourists are a price-conscious lot and there is a need for “affordable” hotel accommodation, more in the 3-star and 4-star categories.
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