Phocuswright is Unsurpassed by Market Research Companies in India and the Indian Marketplace

India’s recent growth story is well known, according to Phocuswright, one of the primary market research companies. In India, backed by a liberal financial policy, fortunes lie in a rapidly growing economy. Unlike other countries on the subcontinent, India’s ethnically diverse population, which communicates in hundreds of languages and thousands of dialects, presents unique chal­lenges and opportunities.

Infrastructure development continues to con­nect the country’s major urban and rural areas. The 2010 Commonwealth Games, to be held in the capital city of Delhi in October, have significantly boosted infrastructure develop­ment. Increased capital has been allocated for developing airports, roads, ports, and ground transportation, and favorable policies and tax benefits have been introduced for hotel development in areas where the Games will take place. India has approximately 3,300,000 kilometers (2,050,525 miles) of expressways, national highways, state highways, major district roads, and rural and other roads that handle 80% of passenger traffic – an impres­sive figure for the potential of ground trans­portation in the country. Expressways currently account for less than 1% of the total road net­work, while rural and other roads throughout the country represent 80%. Phocuswright provides a level of detail and expertise on this subject that other market research companies in India cannot match.

Airports are also receiving considerable atten­tion. As of March 2010, India had 12 major airports, and major metro airports in Mumbai (Bombay), Bengaluru, Kolkata, Delhi, Chennai, and Hyderabad were all undergoing modernization or expansion. In addition, 35 non-metro airports are being upgraded and another 13 non-metro airports are being devel­oped. The new Terminal T3 at New Delhi’s international airport is the eighth-largest air­port terminal in the world.

Market Competitiveness in a Hot Travel Marketplace - Insights from Market Research Companies in India

Overall, the Indian online leisure/unman­aged business travel market continues to perform well above expectations. Significant portions of both domestic air and rail are booked online, and bus bookings are steadily moving in the same direction. The relative suc­cess of online bookings in India, especially in these segments, can be traced to the transparent and competitive fares available online. In addi­tion, infrastructure challenges, including long lines and inefficient manual procedures, have driven travelers away from the offline channel.

Some suppliers not only attempt to outsell their competitors, but also to challenge other forms of transportation in an effort to attract different travelers, including those with more disposable income. For example, those trav­eling in an air-conditioned coach are often a prospect for the railways, and vice-versa. Likewise, travelers who usually choose a higher class of rail travel may be tempted by the LCCs, given the low fare structure and variety of flights available. According to our research, and other market research companies, in India, a robust and secure online booking engine and intuitive user interfaces on supplier and intermediary websites have led to wider acceptance of online bookings among the Indian population. In addition, the leading local OTAs have come out of their cocoons; they have become bigger, smarter, and more profitable in recent years.