The rise in the income of Indian middle-class has in the recent past beckoned several international tour operators to invest here in promoting their countries as tourist destinations.
This was evident at the Travel and Tourism Fair (TTF) that began at the Gujarat University Exhibition Hall on Friday, as the number of participant countries increased from last year?s eight to 11. Egypt and Nepal are participating as feature countries this year.
Egypt?s Tourism director Adel El Masry said his department came to India in 2005, and now invests half a million US dollars to promote the country through the media, airlines and travel agencies. The expenditure has been increasing at rate of 10 to 20 per cent annually in an effort to increase the tourist traffic from the current 100,000 to 1 million, he said.
?This is a potential market,? said the lady manning the stall of China, which joined the fair this year along with Japan.
It is not only the number of international destinations that is increasing. Last year, 20 Indian states were represented at the Fair, and this time, the number rose to 27. Kerala and Himachal Pradesh occupied entire aisles, while Gujarat, Uttarakhand and Karnataka have set up massive stalls.