Market Overview
High disposable incomes and a willingness to spend on luxury
brands and big-ticket items like holidays, as well as an
increasingly global mindset, are driving outbound travel from this
market.
New Zealand is a popular destination among honeymooners and
those seeking self-drive itineraries. Free Independent Travellers
(FIT) currently make up around 60 per cent of New Zealand's Indian
visitors and this sector is increasing more rapidly than group
travel.
Indians prefer to visit New Zealand during their summer - April to
June - making this market an important source of visitors for New
Zealand's autumn shoulder season.
The Indian market has a strong Visiting Friends and Relatives
(VFR) component (about 30 per cent of total visitors), while
holiday visitors account for almost 50 per cent of arrivals. The
vast majority of Indian holiday visitors will be visiting New
Zealand for the first time. Three quarters combine their trip to
New Zealand with another destination; 30 per cent visit Australia
as well as New Zealand.
There is currently no direct air service to New Zealand from
India. Indian travellers must travel via Singapore, Hong Kong,
Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur or Sydney.
India's economy is showing signs of a slowdown in the face of
the global debt crisis. With 11 interest rate increases in 18
months and growth slowing for the...