Following the Premier’s visit to India in September, the Allan Labor Government is welcoming a delegation of Indian tourism and business leaders to Victoria so they can experience firsthand our tourism wonders across the state.
Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events Steve Dimopoulos today announced that Visit Victoria will tour 30 Indian tourism and business leaders around the state, placing Victoria top of mind when they are planning travel itineraries and conferences for their clients back home.
The tour will showcase Victoria as a place of incredible diversity, passion and creativity to some of India’s most influential tourism decision makers.
Victoria is currently the top state in Australia for visitation and expenditure from India. In the year ending June 2024, there were more than 187,000 Indian visitors to Victoria who spent more than $480 million in the state – making India the state’s second largest market for international spend.
Victoria is home to almost 260,000 Indian-born residents. More than 370,000 Victorians have Indian ancestry.
The tour will run from 2 to 9 December and has been designed by Visit Victoria to strengthen inbound visitor and expenditure growth and encourage new audiences and travelers to visit Victoria.
This summer, Victoria will also host the Boxing Day Test between Australia and India and the first ever Pro Kabaddi League exhibition match played on Australian soil on 28 December.
The delegation will experience Melbourne and regional Victoria firsthand through curated tours and will engage in business-to-business meetings with 36 Victorian industry partners, so they have a clear idea of what they are offering to their Indian customers when planning their trips and conferences.
The tour comes off the back of the recent success of the Australian Tourism Exchange (ATE) held in Melbourne in May. Immersion programs at ATE saw more than 400 global travel agents and buyers take part in 64 itineraries featuring more than 330 Victorian businesses, with every region of Victoria hosting a visit.
As stated by Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events Steve Dimopoulos
“We’re the number one tourist destination for Indian tourists but we are backing our visitor economy to shine even brighter on the world stage.”
“India is a key international market for our state and this tour will increase that market share – with those benefits flowing into local businesses and communities right across the state.”
As stated by Visit Victoria CEO Brendan McClements
“Visitors from India to Victoria generated more than $480 million last year and we are looking forward to working with local and global leaders to drive even more visitation through this trade mission.”
