International Tourist Arrivals 2005

8/8/2019 International Tourist Arrivals 2005

1/14

INTERNATIONAL TOURIST ARRIVALS 2005- 2008

COUNTRY

2005In

Million

2006In

Million

2007

In Million

2008

In Million

GROWTHRATE

(2005-2008)

In Percent

GROWTHRATE

(2007-2008)

In PercentINDIA 3.91 4.47 5.08 5.37 37.34 5.71

MALAYSIA 16.43 17.54 20.97 22.05 34.21

5.15

COMBODIA 1.33 1.59 1.87 2.15 61.65

14.97

SPAIN 55.91 58.19 59.19 57.4 2.66 (3.02)

POLAND 15.2 15.67 14.9816.1(Forecas

ted) 5.92 7.48

JAMAICA 1.48 1.68 1.7 1.75 18.24 2.94

CUBA 2.26 2.15 2.12 2.35 3.98 10.85

INDONESIA 5 4.87 5.5 6.4 28.00

16.36

SINGAPORE 7.08 7.59 7.95 10.1 42.66

27.04

MALDIVES 0.4 0.60 0.67 0.68 70.00

1.49

MACAU 9.01 10.68 12.94 14.36 59.38 10.97

(For the sources of the above figures, refer to appendix 1)

The above table shows the international tourist arrival figures from 2005-2008

for 11 countries and the growth rate of each country over the three years. On

calculating the growth rate keeping 2005 as the base year, deceiving results

were noticed due to small figures. For example, tourism in Maldives grew from

0.4 million (2005) to 0.68 million (2008) and had a growth rate of 70%,

however, tourism at Macau increased from 9.01million (2005) to 14.36 million

(2008) and had a growth rate of 59.38%, even though the performance of

Macau is better. Keeping this difference in mind, growth rate was calculated

from 2007 2008, in order to have the correct vision. Refer to appendix 2 for a

graphical representation of the above table.

It is quite evident in the above table, the maximum International Tourists were

received by Spain, however the number of recipients in 2008 was lesser than

2007, symbolizing a declining growth graph. The second in the line is Malaysia

followed by Poland, Macau and Singapore. Even though Singapore ranks 5th in


2/14

the table, it has the highest growth rate amongst the 11 countries. India is

ranked 7th in the number of tourist arrivals as well as the growth percentage.

INCREDIBLE INDIA.COM VS. VISITSINGAPORE.COM

The approach used for evaluating Indias and Singapores online Destinationmarketing organizations is the modified balance score card approach

developed by Feng et al, 2003. According to this approach, there are four

criteria for website evaluation: technical quality, webpage design, marketing

strategies and marketing information. TECHNICAL

QUALITY: The technical aspect can be assessed by using three parameters:-

a.)Readiness Check: On typing the key words Tourism India or Tourism

Singapore, both websites are listed on top of the results. Thus, they are well

indexed. b.)Load Time Check: Incredibleindia.com takes 12 seconds to loadhowever, visitsingapore.com is loaded within 8 seconds. c.)Dead Link

Check: The Incredible India website has more than 10 dead links (See

Appendix 4 and 5), whereas there are no dead links on Singapores online

DMO. These dead links negatively influence the viewers evaluation of the

website. (Joseph, 2008)

WEBPAGE DESIGN: The webpage design has been evaluated based on the

12 criteria on Parkers Scorecard. On the basis on this model,

incredibleindia.com amassed a score of 44 points whereas visitsingapore.com

took the lead with 56 points. (See appendix 6 for the detailed analysis)

MARKETING STRATEGIES:The homepage of visitsingapore.com shows all the

latest promotions and year attractions that the different market segments are

looking for. It also gives hyper links to other STB sites, other organizations and

sponsors, which is an indicator of partnership activity. Closer customer

relationships can be developed through the existence of an enquiry or

feedback forms, online surveys, etc. These elements are present in both the

websites, but they look more attractive and appealing on the visit Singapore

website (see appendix 8). The website traffic of visit Singapore is also around

4 times more than that of incredible India, indicating more popularity amongst

the tourists (see appendix 3).


3/14

MARKETING INFORMATION: The Incredible India website contains all the

information starting from the history of India to Holiday ideas for the tourists,

however, the site focuses more on promoting the place rather than connecting

the experience. This component is very well disseminated in the Visit

Singapore website. Singapore website allows the user to make hotel, flight or

restaurant reservations through the site itself and the user may also request

for an itinerary which is generated within 30 seconds. This function is not

available on the Indian DMO site.

Thus, from the above analysis one can conclude that visitsingapore.com has

reached the final stage of Willcocks and Sauer model (See appendix 7),

however, incredibleindia.com is still on stage 2 and needs a lot more

improvements in order to reach the stage 4.

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR INCREDIBLEINDIA.COM

1. BRAND IMAGE: The online campaign carried out by partnered efforts of

the Ministry of Tourism and Microsoft in from October 2006 to June 2007

branded India as an exciting and exotic travel destination.

(www.advertising.microsoft.com)This extensive marketing may also be one of

the reasons for an increase in the international tourist arrivals for 2008 despite

the terrorist activities occurring during the year. The daily page views

percentage was also more in 2008 compared to the 2009 statistics. The reasonfor this may be because the tourists no longer recall seeing the campaign.

Marketing is a continuous process and not a one time investment, therefore

their should be regular online campaigns in order to remind the customers that

we exist. 2. INTERACTIVE FEATURES: The viewers must be

able to interact with the information given there. The search engine on the

website does work properly. A question-answer column (like the one on the

Singapore website) may also be installed that could solve the queries within 20

seconds rather than the guests writing in emails and getting the response after

24 hours. 3. REGULAR UPDATES AND CHECK ON DEAD LINKS:

Accurate and up to date information is the key success factor for all websites.

Blank links must also be rectified as they leave a bad impression and

sometimes may leave the viewer curious about what was in there.

4. RESERVATIONS AND ITINERARY FACILITY: Like the Visit Singapore


4/14

website, incredible India should also have the reservations facility so that the

guests do not have to go from link to link to make different bookings. (for

flight, hotel, car rentals, etc). Also, the most attractive aspect of the Singapore

website is the feature of generating itineraries within 30 seconds. Indias

website should also have such advanced features in order to hold a significant

position amongst the top online DMOs.

5. QUALITY INFORMATION FOCUSSING ON CONNECTING THE

EXPERIENCE RATHER THAN PROMOTING THE PLACE: Irrelevant

information like the newly installed microsites feature should be removed,

since 90% of the links are dead links. Rather the latest hotel/flight promotions,

upcoming events, and the incredible experience that India provides should

be disseminated to the viewers via the website.

6. RELATIONSHIP MARKETING: Guest profiling, feedbacks, surveys etc. A

user registration model may be used. This would help in understanding the

individual needs and wants of the guests. All it needs is a synergy

of vision and branding to develop a more comprehensive marketing

strategy agreeable to the leaders, tourists, citizens, suppliers and

public-private partnership to make it an India that is truly incredible

in experience. (Vardhan, 2008)

APPENDIX 1

REFERENCING FOR THE TABLE

1. Figures for 2005-2007 for all 11 countries taken from - Tourism Highlights 2008

edition (WTO); Facts and figures at URL: www.unwto.org

2. Figures for international tourist arrivals 2008

a.) India- http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=46550

b.) Malaysia- http://www.tourism.gov.my/corporate/mediacentre.asp?

page=news_desk&subpage =archive&news_id=304

c.) Maldives- http://www.forexfactory.com/newsphp?do=news&id=148537

d.) Combodia- http://www.cambodiacalling.com/2009/01/cambodia-tourist


5/14

-arrivals-for- 2008.html

e.) Spain- http://www.expatica.com/es/news/local_news/Foreign-tourist-arrivals-in-

Spain-fell-by-2_6-percent-

f.) Poland- http://www.businessmonitor.com/poland_tourism.html

g.) Jamaica- http://www.caribbeanpressreleases.com/articles/4438/1/Jamaica-

Four-Per-Cent-Growth-in-Tourist-Arrivals-in-2008/Page1.html

h.) Cuba- http://www.caribbean360.com/News/Business/Stories/

2008/12/31/NEWS0000006751.html

i.) Indonesia- http://indonesia-tourism.com/news/2009/01/16/bali-leads-record-

indonesia-tourist-arrivals/)

j.) Singapore- http://www.business.gov.sg/EN/News/20090113singapor.htm

k.) Macau-http://www.tourist5.com/travel-new/2009/macau-tourist.html

APPENDIX 2

BAR CHART REPRESENTATION FOR INTERNATIONAL TOURIST ARRIVALS

(2005-2008)
http://www.tourist5.com/travel-new/2009/macau-tourist.htmlhttp://www.tourist5.com/travel-new/2009/macau-tourist.htmlhttp://www.tourist5.com/travel-new/2009/macau-tourist.html


6/14

APPENDIX 3

WEBSITE TRAFFIC incredibleindia.com vs. visitsingapore.com

International

Touris

tArriv

als(In

Billion)


7/14

(www.alexa.com)

APPENDIX 4

INCREDIBLE INDIA DEAD LINKS
http://www.alexa.com/http://www.alexa.com/


8/14

APPENDIX 5

INCREDIBLE INDIA DEAD LINKS CONTINUED


9/14

APPENDIX 7


10/14

APPENDIX 8

FEEDBACK FORMAT ON VISITSINGAPORE.COM


11/14

FEEDBACK FORMAT ON INCREDIBLEINDIA.COM

BIBLIOGRAPHY


12/14

Combodia Tourist Arrivals (Cited online on 3rd February 2009)

http://www.cambodiacalling.com/2009/01/cambodia-tourist -arrivals-for-

2008.html

Choi, S., Lehto, X.Y. and Oleary, J.T. (2007) What does the ConsumerWant from a DMO Website? A study of US and Canadian Tourists

Perspectives; International Journal of Tourism Research. USA: Vol.9,

Pg.59-72

Cottrell, S. (2003) The Study Skills Handbook (Second Edition); Palgrave

Macmillan: New York

Cuba Tourist Arrivals (Cited online on 3rd February 2009)

http://www.caribbean360.com/News/Business/Stories/2008/12/31/NEWS0000006751.html

Daily Views Comparison (cited online on 27th Feb 2009)

Feng, R. , Morrison, A.M. and Ismail, J.A (2003) East versus West: A

comparison of online destination marketing in China and the USA

Fyall, A. and Leask, A (2006) Destination Marketing: Future issues-Strategic Challenges; Tourism and Hospitality Research. United Kingdom:

Vol. 7, Issue. 1, Pg. 50-63

Incredible India Reaches Out to International Travellers Online (cited

online on 20th Feb2009)

Incredible Response to Incredible India Campaign (Cited online on 20th

Feb2009)


13/14

India Tourist Arrivals (Cited online on 3rd February 2009)

http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=46550

Indonesia Tourist Arrivals (Cited online on 3rd February 2009)

http://indonesia-tourism.com/news/2009/01/16/bali-leads-record-indonesia-tourist-arrivals/)

Jamaica Tourist Arrivals (Cited online on 3rd February 2009)

http://www.caribbeanpressreleases.com/articles/4438/1/JamaicaFour-Per-

Cent-Growth-in-Tourist-Arrivals-in-2008/Page1.html

King, J (2002) Destination Marketing Organizations- Connecting the

experience rather than promoting the place; Journal of Vacation

Marketing. London: Vol. 8 Iss.2; Pg. 105-109

Macau Tourist Arrivals (Cited online on 3rd February 2009)

http://www.tourist5.com/travel-new/2009/macau-tourist.html

Maldives Tourist Arrivals (Cited online on 3rd February 2009)

http://www.forexfactory.com/newsphp?do=news&id=148537

Malaysia Tourist Arrivals (Cited online on 3rd February 2009)

http://www.tourism.gov.my/corporate/mediacentre.aspage=news_desk&subpage =archive&news_id=304

Palmer, A. and McCole, P. (2000) The role of electronic commerce in

creating virtual tourism destination marketing organizations;

International Journal of Contemprary Hospitality Management. Bradford:

Vol. 12, Iss. 3, Pg. 198

Poland Tourist Arrivals (Cited online on 3rd February 2009)

http://www.businessmonitor.com/poland_tourism.html

Singapore Tourist Arrivals (Cited online on 3rd February 2009)

http://www.business.gov.sg/EN/News/20090113singapor.htm
http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=46550http://www.tourist5.com/travel-new/2009/macau-tourist.htmlhttp://www.businessmonitor.com/poland_tourism.htmlhttp://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=46550http://www.tourist5.com/travel-new/2009/macau-tourist.htmlhttp://www.businessmonitor.com/poland_tourism.html


14/14

Spain Tourist Arrivals (Cited online on 3rd February 2009)

http://www.expatica.com/es/news/local_news/Foreign-tourist-arrivals-in-

Spain-fell-by-2_6-percent-

STB revamps Visit Singapore website (cited online on 21

st

February2009) < URL: marketing-interactive.com/news/>

Tourism Highlights 2008 edition (WTO); Facts and figures at URL:

www.unwto.org

Vardhan, J. (2008) From a Desert to a Dreamland- the case of successful

destination marketing of Dubai; Conference on Tourism in India-

Challenges Ahead- IIMK (Cited online on 20th Feb08) < URL:

http://www.dspace.iimk.ac.in>

Winner of PC World Web Award 2008 (cited online on 27th Feb2009)

URL: http://www.incredibleindia.org (cited online on 2nd February2009)

URL: http://www.visitsingapore.com (cited online on 4th February 2009)
http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=39669http://www.incredibleindia.org/http://www.visitsingapore.com/http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=39669http://www.incredibleindia.org/http://www.visitsingapore.com/

International Tourist Arrivals 2005

Documents

Transcript of International Tourist Arrivals 2005