DRMumbai: BLTM Delhi and OTM Mumbai have received very high approval ratings and advance intent based on a form filled by 191 of this year’s participants to book space in 2020, indicating a 25 per cent rise in space booking compared to last year.
In an exit survey filled by 216 verified respondents, 99 per cent of BLTM and 94 per cent of OTM exhibitors confirmed their intent to participate in the 2020 edition of both shows.
Delhi and Mumbai shows will be held with a gap of just 1 day, to be presented as ‘Outbound Week’
Likewise, in a survey filled by 343 verified respondents, 98 per cent of Hosted Buyers at BLTM 2019 were well-pleased with the show. 99 per cent confirmed their satisfaction with the business meetings conducted at the show while 99 per cent of the Hosted Buyers at OTM 2019 echoed this opinion.
In a sample survey in which 289 verified responses were received, 98 per cent of Trade Visitors at OTM believed the show was imperative to break into the ever-growing Indian outbound travel market and 99 per cent were keen on returning to the show in 2020.
As the numbers testify, OTM and BLTM is the winning combination of travel trade shows in India. The success of this combination has prompted Fairfest Media to launch a unique tradeshow-cum-roadshow opportunity that will cover 100 per cent of the Indian outbound travel market.
Mumbai, followed by Delhi are the top two source markets in the country, claiming nearly half of the entire market share. The other half of the market is scattered across 10s of cities in India.
The National Tourism Organisations (NTOs) and other destination promoters approach these markets directly, mainly in two ways – by attending major travel trade shows in top two cities and organising roadshows in these as well as other major cities. The roadshows usually cover three to four cities in one go. This often necessitates two or more trips to India for the contingent – from destinations – first to cover roadshows and then, trade shows, or the other way round.
“We have been participating in BLTM for the past two years and the show has grown enormously since then. Last year, we received some great response from the travel trade sector and this year too our co-participants were glad to be a part of BLTM. The buyers here at BLTM mean business and they have great potential as well. I would love to be a part of upcoming BLTMs.”
Dr Trust Lin
Director of Taiwan Tourism Bureau
To tackle this problem and to enable NTOs and destination promoters to tap the Tier I, Tier II and Tier III cities while participating in trade shows in two major cities, Fairfest Media, organisers of the leading travel trade shows OTM Mumbai and BLTM Delhi is presenting an innovative opportunity in 2020, combining the powers of tradeshows and roadshows.
Spanning for a week from January 31 to February 5, the tradeshow-cum-roadshow opportunity will be called the ‘India Outbound Week 2020’, starting with BLTM Delhi and ending with OTM Mumbai. The strategic scheduling of these shows will make it convenient for the sellers to attend both at one go.
In addition to participating in BLTM Delhi and OTM Mumbai, NTOs and other destination promoters who are very active in Indian markets will be able to organise exclusive roadshows on the sides of the two shows, in 5-star settings.
Slots in the mornings and evenings of the tradeshow days will be available for organising roadshows on the sides of BLTM and OTM, for different source markets. These roadshows would be conducted in usual settings where sellers will be seated and buyers will be able to go around, with arrangements for product presentations and F&B served to all buyers and sellers in 5-star settings.
“This was our third year at OTM this time. I had some quality time here at the event. With the help of events like OTM, we received a great platform to showcase our destination to potential Indian travel trade and travellers. I want to congratulate the organisers on such a grand show.”
Konstantinos Tsegas
Secretary General of Greek National Tourism Organization
For example, one or two slots in BLTM could be utilised for an exclusive roadshow for Delhi and another slot for the North India region as a whole, where buyers from cities like Jaipur, Chandigarh, Ludhiana, Kanpur, Lucknow, etc. would be hosted. Likewise, on the sides of OTM, one or two of slots could be utilised for a roadshow for buyers from Mumbai, the next slot for Western India and the last slot for the rest of India including South India. This way, sellers will be able to target buyers from as many as 10 or more cities, while participating in BLTM Delhi and OTM Mumbai. The buyers from cities other than Delhi and Mumbai will be fully hosted by Fairfest Media, in either Delhi or Mumbai. The invitee lists for the roadshows will be controlled by the destination seller.
The above approach will ensure that the sellers need not travel to all the 10s of cities where there is a good source market but in single digit percent, yet cover them all, while participating in BLTM Delhi and OTM Mumbai.
A typical itinerary of a proactive seller exploiting the fullest of Outbound Week in 2020 would look like:
•January 30 – Transit / Delhi Roadshow Slot 1 (morning or evening), BLTM set-up day
•January 31 – Delhi Roadshow Slot 2 (morning or evening), BLTM day 1
•February 1 – North India Roadshow Slot 3 (morning or afternoon), BLTM day 2
•February 2 – Transit / Mumbai Roadshow Slot 4 (morning or evening), OTM set-up day
•February 3 – Mumbai Roadshow Slot 5 (morning or evening), OTM day 1
•February 4 – Western India Roadshows Slot 6 (morning or evening, with buyers from Ahmedabad, Pune and other cities in Western India), OTM day 2
•February 5 – South and East India Roadshow Slot 7(morning, with buyers from Chennai, Bangalore, Kolkata and other cities in South and East India), OTM day 3
The above is only an example itinerary. As the sellers would control the invitee lists of the roadshows, the various slots on different days can be utilised as they wish, for their target lists. However, as the two shows will have hundreds of VIP buyers hosted by the organisers of BLTM Delhi and OTM Mumbai, it would be possible to supplement the guest lists with these. However, if an NTO or destination promoter is keen on actually visiting a source market other than Delhi and Mumbai that could be still done just before BLTM Delhi or after OTM Mumbai, to organise a roadshow within another source market.
This unique tradeshow-cum-roadshow concept is designed for maximum coverage of the pan-Indian market at least spend and out-of-office time. It is an opportunity to meet and network with buyers and key decision makers who will be specially identified and hosted at the show. In addition, exhibitors will be able to avail no-hassles booth plus stay package at competitive prices and great inclusions.
Apart from targeted promotions in roadshows, the sellers will get a chance to interact with thousands of other buyers who visit OTM and BLTM every year.
OTM Mumbai has been a favourite among many countries and states. It has emerged as the leading travel trade show in India, year after year.
Hundreds of hosted buyers are already hosted in 5-star settings, for visiting BLTM Delhi and OTM Mumbai, usually with a 1N/2D itinerary. The roadshows will provide additional impetus, bringing these numbers to thousands of VIP hosted buyers with 2N/3D itineraries.
Hosted buyers at BLTM and OTM include corporate travel planners with purchasing authority, travel companies catering to business, leisure, MICE and luxury travel, MICE travel managers and buyers, MICE organisers and managers, business travel managers and buyers, film destination companies, associations, wedding planners and event management companies.
BLTM Delhi is from January 31 to February 1 at the Leela Ambience Convention Hotel which is the largest in Delhi, followed by OTM Mumbai at the Bombay Exhibition Centre from February 3 to 5, in 2020. Hyatt Regency and Leela Mumbai are the official hotels of OTM Mumbai.
