Indian tour managers expand Saudi links

India is organizing tourism road shows in Saudi Arabia from May 19-22.
In India, every traveler will find what he is seeking in life. And, India’s latest ‘Find What You Seek’ campaign has been woven around this theme.
The Middle East, and particularly Saudi Arabia, is one of the main source markets for inbound tourism in India. During 2011, around 26,000 Saudi nationals visited India registering, a growth of over 12 percent over the previous year.
The road shows will be in Jeddah on May 19 at Hilton Hotel, in Riyadh on May 21 at Sheraton, and in Dammam on May 22 at Sheraton.
The Indian delegation to these road shows is led by Ministry of Tourism Secretary Parvez Dewan. He is accompanied by major destination managers, tour operators, hoteliers, airlines, and representatives of state governments.
"The road shows are aimed at taking tourism cooperation between the two countries to the next level," the embassy said in a press release. "Through these road shows, an effort is also being made to update the Saudi tourism stakeholders with latest information on Indian tourism policy, destinations and products.
The government of India recently lifted the restriction of two-month gap for entry of foreign nationals between two visits, including those from Saudi Arabia. This decision has facilitated travel of international tourists to India.
Today, India has established itself as an around-the-year destination. It is a destination for all seasons and for all reasons. India offers something for every traveler. It has a vast range of tourism destinations and products, from magnificent Himalayas in the north to the beautiful and serene backwaters of Kerala in the south, legendary forts and palaces of Rajasthan to world-class heritage sites like Hampi (Karnataka), sprawling beaches of west coast to the calm lakes of east coast, from exotic one-horned rhinos of Kaziranga (Assam) to magnificent herds of elephants of Bandipur (Karnataka), from magnificent lions of Gir (Gujarat) to royal tigers of Sunderbans (West Bengal), from variety of cuisine to exquisite shopping.
India has also emerged as a destination for wellness, medical and MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions) tourism. The wellness and medical tourism sector has been growing at the rate of 20 percent per year. The Indian systems of medicine like Ayurveda, Yoga, Siddha and Unani are some of the most ancient systems of medical treatment in the world.
India has a number of world-class hotels, resorts and trains. India has also evolved itself as a luxury destination offering the ultimate luxury services to the high end travelers. Indian destination management companies are offering door-to-door services to such high-end travelers. The luxury trains of India offer a unique tourism product. These luxury trains provide excellent amenities to tourists besides visits to various tourist places. These include Royal Rajasthan, Palace on Wheels, Golden Chariot, Maharaja Express and Deccan Odyssey.
With world-class polo clubs, golf courses and sports facilities, India is a world-class sports destination. It is a shoppers’ paradise with a wide range of jewelry items and other products.