Promotional events in India

Promotion of the Costa Brava in the emerging market of India

The Costa Brava Girona Tourist Board visited New Delhi and Mumbai to present the tourism offering of the Costa Brava (especially golf, culture, Dalí and fine dining) to representatives of the country's main wholesale travel agencies over the course of two workshops attended by 90 and 80 travel agents, respectively.

This is the first promotional and marketing initiative made by the Costa Brava Girona Tourist Board targeting the Indian outbound tourism market. The schedule of meetings served as an initial contact with tourism professionals, designed to capture the interest of Indian tour operators in Catalan tourism products.

This trip took place as part of the institutional visit made by the Government of Catalonia, headed by President Artur Mas, to India from 23^rd to 29^th November, aimed at strengthening academic, technological and commercial ties with the country.

According to the estimates of the Spanish Tourism Office in Mumbai, 60,000 Indian tourists visited Spain in the 2012 season, accounting for 80 million euros in spending. Furthermore, it is calculated that around 50% of the Indian tourists who visit Spain also visit Catalonia, with the Catalan capital, Barcelona, being a key destination.

MICE travel is the main reason for visits by Indian tourists to Catalonia (with conferences, meetings and incentive trips representing between 30% and 40% of the toal), followed by summer and family holidays. Growing numbers of Indian tourists have been visiting the Costa Brava with an interest in fine dining (following the naming of El Celler de Can Roca as World's Best Restaurant 2013 and thanks to the long list of Michelin-starred restaurants in the area) and in the Salvador Dalí museum sites. This interest is also due in part to the impact of the Bollywood film Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara, filmed in various Catalan locations, including Empuriabrava and Cadaqués.