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Abstract
MICE which includes business meetings, travel incentives for employees, conferences, large exhibitions and events; is one of the fastest growing segments of the Indian outbound travel market. India is estimated to generate 6.5 million outbound luxury and MICE tourists annually by 2020, reinforcing the country’s influence as a key source market for MICE and luxury travel. According to a report by the World Travel and Tourism Council, business travel spend is expected to grow by 6.7 per cent in 2018 to ` 806.4 billon, and rise by 7.0 per cent pa to ` 1,589.7 billon in 2028. The hospitality industry in the West is fast orienting itself to the changing profile of the luxury tourist. They are tweaking their offerings to tempt the Indian, Chinese and Indonesian upper end travellers who are willing to overlook price points in favour of exclusivity, comfort, novelty and privacy. In India too, the luxury travel segment is no longer the exclusive preserve of the International tourist who is besotted with the palaces, forts and regal aura of Rajasthan or the sun, sand and beaches of Goa, the coconut lined serene backwaters of Kerala or the hustle and bustle of the bustling metropolises of Delhi and Mumbai. Indian tourists have matured to the point where they want a luxury experience and are more than happy to bypass the cost factor when signing up for a vacation.