Indian business events movement to Australia is growing strongly on the back of improved direct air access between the two countries, making the market one of the fastest to recover since Australia reopened borders for tourism in 2022.
There are now 22 direct flights a week between India and Australia, compared to seven prior to the pandemic.
In an interview with TTGmice at the ongoing Business Events Australia (BEA) Asia Mega Famil Showcase that kicked off on 30 March, Robin Mack, Tourism Australia executive general manager of commercial & Business Events Australia, said the Indian market has been bringing in “sizeable groups”.
In July 2022, a group of 600 pax from an insurance company in India visited Melbourne and the Gold Coast.
Strong demand is persisting through 2023, with a group of 350 attendees from a dealership of an automobile company calling at Sydney earlier this year.
“Improved air connectivity has been a strong pillar of rebuilding the Indian market,” remarked Mack.
Australian flag carrier Qantas started four-times-a-week flights between Sydney and Bengaluru last year – making it the first direct connection between Australia and South India. The airline also commenced flights between Melbourne and Delhi in December 2021.
“Adding to this, indirect services from Singapore offer great connectivity for Indian MICE groups as (Singapore Airlines) flies to seven gateways in Australia,” he added.
Not only are Indian corporate groups eager to return to Australia for meetings and events, they are also staying on longer.
Mack shared that while Indian business events groups used to stay an average of five nights in two destinations in general, they are now extending their time to seven or eight nights for the same two destinations.
Kristian Nicholls, executive general manager client engagement, Business Events Sydney, said: “India was one of the first markets to open up for Sydney, and at present is among our top three key source markets. Considering the US inbound market is slower to restart at the moment and China has just opened up, I definitely see India as being a critical market for us moving forward.”
Illustrating the promise of the Indian market, Nicholls said demand comes from “vast business verticals, from insurance to paint companies, which we don’t see in other markets”.
“The average size of Indian MICE groups has been between 300 to 500 pax. However, now we are also seeing queries of 1,000-plus groups,” added Nicholls.
Australia attracted 59,000 business events visitors from India in 2019 who contributed A$339 million (US$229.7 million) in direct expenditure. India was the sixth-highest business events market in terms of visitors; and fifth in terms of spend.
