Disha Shah Ghosh - Mumbai 
TAAI (Travel Agents Association of India) President Jyoti Mayal is currently leading a delegation to Kazakhstan for knowledge exchange. This initiative is aimed at offering know-how about the requirements of the Indian traveller, group, individual or MICE, while on an international holiday, and the preparedness of the destination to service their demands. She is hopeful these efforts will bear fruit, and the coming two years will be crucial for trade members from both nations to offer a newer destination for an overseas holiday to their clients.
In the past two years, TAAI has actively engaged with the Kazakhstan Tourism Board at various occasions to offer them assistance in tapping and successfully catering to the Indian traveller.
Talking to TravelBiz Monitor in Almaty, Mayal said, “Today we met 100 trade partners of Kazakh Tourism and Almaty Tourism which included hotel representatives, resort owners, restaurateurs, DMCs and travel agents. The discussion revolved around requirements of vegetarian cuisine, improved air access, and options for shopping, and promoting the various adventure tourism activities among the Indian traveller.”
She went on to add, Kazakhstan can be promoted as a year-round destination in India, with the winter months offering a great option for skiing. Moreover, with visa-free entry, ample options for shopping, shorter flight time of three hours and cost-effectiveness of the destination, India can be developed into a promising inbound market for Kazakhstan Tourism Board and its capital Almaty. Mayal also spoke about eventually bringing in the other cities of Kazakhstan in the limelight for tourism.
However, for a destination to witness tourist traffic in volume, air connectivity is the key, and for that Mayal has already spoken to the destination promotion agency about working with airline partners. “Of course, demand is key for an airline to invest in starting new routes, and start additional frequencies. That is why effort is first required to generate traveller interest.”
