Punjab News Express
MUMBAI: Visit California and 14 California tourism businesses participated in the seventh annual Brand USA India Mission from 23-28 Sept. 2018, marking their seventh successive year of attendance.
The annual mission is an opportunity for leaders from California’s travel and tourism industry to meet a large cross-section of Indian tour operators, travel agents and media executives.
This year, the visiting delegation travelled to Bangalore, Mumbai and New Delhi to engage in a full day of buyer-seller meetings and VIP networking events, followed by a media event in Delhi.
After the Brand USA India Mission, select travel agents from targeted cities will join the California delegation the third annual Visit California India Sales Days in Gurgaon, an initiative to educate and network with tour operators from growing secondary Indian cities.
“India is California’s top opportunity market, showing strong growth and increasing interest in the Golden State, ” Visit California President and CEO Caroline Beteta. “Building lasting relationships is critical to continuing our upward trajectory and inspiring Indians to make the trip to California.”
The California delegation includes a mix of iconic destinations and attractions, including Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board, San Francisco Travel Association, California Academy of Sciences, Citadel Outlets, Leisure Pass Group, Hornblower Cruises & Events, Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority, Mammoth Lakes Tourism, Red and White Fleet, Roaring Camp Railroads, San Diego Zoo/San Diego Zoo Safari Park, Santa Monica Travel & Tourism, SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment and Universal Studios Hollywood.
In 2017, 333, 000 travelers visited California from India, spending $823 million in the state on trip that average 19.6 days. By 2022, visitation from India is projected to reach 476, 000, a growth of 43 percent.
In addition to the annual Brand USA Mission and India Sales Days, Visit California works with Indian travel trade, media and consumers year-round to build awareness and excitement for California as a travel destination.
The destination marketing organization offers many content-rich tools and resources including a localized consumer website, a new online Media Center (media.visitcalifornia.in) with India-focused content and an online training platform for travel agents called California STAR with localized content and training programs.