Tourism industry poised to for a big leap by 2010: Experts

Bangalore, June 12 (UNI) The Indian Tourism Industry, which is still in evolving stage, was poised to reach a greater height, thanks to the emergence of technology, said Mr Deep Kalra, Founder and CEO, MakeMyTrip.Com, India's top online travel company.

Speaking after opening company's Karnataka office here, he said that Indian Tourism Industry, which has a potential of over USD 10 to 15 billion, was contributing about 6 per cent to the national GDP. With its robust growth of over 6 to 7 per cent annually the Industry would be among top 10 in the world in the next ten years.

He said that except Kerala, Goa and Rajasthan, the potential value of hospitality was yet to be tapped elsewhere in the country due to constraints in infrastructure availability.

Mr Kalra said that the revolution made in the Telecom industry and the emergence of Mobile, Broadband, Credit Cards and Venture Capital funds has made Tourism industry in the country to achieve robust growth. Taking advantage of the emerging technology MakeMyTrip.Com was launched in 2000 for the booming 'USA to India' travel market and hit early success and then launched India operations in 2005 with over 6 years of profitability in real time bookings of flights, hotels, holidays and car rentals in United States, he added.

Mr Kalra said that his company made one million trips recently and became country's top online travel company. To maintain its market leadership and reach further height had received USD 18 million venture capital from two firms including US based Softbank Asia Infrastructure Fund (SAIF). The fund would be utilised to expand operations and create infrastructure across the country, he added.

Replying to questions Mr Kalra said that Karnataka is emerging as the biggest market for International and domestic travel after Maharashtra, Gujarath, Punjab, Gujarath and New Delhi, growing at 25 per cent annually and was expected to be worth Rs 2500 crores over the next three years. Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and Bali were the favorite international travel destinations from Bangalore.

Bangaloreans are also displaying an increasing interest in off beat destinations like Kenya, Vietnam, Cambodia, South Africa and Eastern Europe, he added.

MakeMyTrip.Com, a market leader in online travel domain, has several firsts to its credit including providing a lowest airfare guarantee, introduce online bookings for hotels, cash back offer for various travel products ranging from air ticket to international holidays. In an industry-first the site also maps hotel locations from reference points like city centre, and major local attractions.

While addressing the needs of the growing travel community in the country MakeMyTrip sells over 5000 flight tickets, 1000 hotel rooms and more than 50 holiday packages every day, he added.

UNI