WEDDING TOURISM

DESTINATION
INDIA
May, 2017

Knowledge Partner
Title WEDDING TOURISM - DESTINATION INDIA

Author MRSS India

Date May 2017

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notice.
Neither MRSS India and FICCI, nor other legal entities in the group to which they
belong, accept any liability whatsoever for any direct or consequential loss
however arising from any use of this document or its contents or otherwise arising
inconnection herewith. Many of the conclusions and inferences are specific
inferences made by MRSS India in their expert capacity specifically in tourism sector
and does not have any correlation with financing related outlook that as a research
organization may have.

Contact FICCI Majestic Research Services and

Address Headquarters Solutions Limited
Rahul Chakravarty Chandramouli Guin
Consultant, FICCI Head - Government Practice
Federation House 1, Tansen Marg MRSS India
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Tel : +91-11-23311720-Direct/ Okhla Phase –I
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Information samanda.syiem@ficci.com
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Table of Contents
Executive Summary .........................................................................................1

1) Wedding Tourism – An Overview ..................................................................5

a) The Concept .......................................................................................6

b) Evolution over the years .......................................................................6

c) Stakeholders and benefits received from Wedding Tourism ..........................6

d) Pre-requisites for a wedding destination ..................................................7

2) The Global Scenario in Wedding Tourism .......................................................9

a) Trends ..........................................................................................10

b) Hot Spots .........................................................................................11

c) Major Global Source Markets for Wedding Tourism ....................................11
d) How are Service providers promoting and how are consumers accepting?......12

3) Wedding Tourism in the Indian Context.......................................................13

a) Coinage ..........................................................................................14
b) India as a destination for Wedding Tourism .............................................14

c) The major drivers of Wedding tourism in India .........................................15

d) How India matches up with global destinations of wedding tourism.............15
e) The Market Size – Current & Future ........................................................16

f) Matching the trends of Wedding Tourism – Global vis a vis India ..................17
g) A deep dive into potential Wedding Tourism Destinations – .......................17
State wise perspective
i) Rajasthan ..................................................................................17
ii) Odisha ......................................................................................20
iii) Andhra Pradesh ..........................................................................20
iv) Delhi NCR ..................................................................................21
v) Goa ..........................................................................................21
vi) Himachal Pradesh .......................................................................21
vii) Jammu & Kashmir .......................................................................21
 viii) Karnataka .................................................................................22
ix) Kerala.......................................................................................22
x) Madhya Pradesh..........................................................................22
xi) Maharashtra ..............................................................................22
xii) Punjab ......................................................................................23
xiii) Tamil Nadu.................................................................................23
xiv) Telangana..................................................................................23
xv) Uttarakhand ..............................................................................23
xvi) Uttar Pradesh .............................................................................24

h) SWOT Analysis of India as a Wedding destination......................................24

a) Aamby valley City ........................................................................25

b) Ramoji Film City ..........................................................................25

5) FICCI – MRSS 10 point recommendations to improve .....................................27

Wedding tourism in India

6) Bibliography ..........................................................................................30

List of Figures & Tables

Fig 1: Stakeholder Benefits in wedding Tourism......................................................7
Fig 2: Pre-requisites of a typical wedding destination ..............................................7

Fig 3: Wedding Tourism – specific areas and trends around it...................................10

Fig 4 : Global hotspots of Wedding Tourism ..........................................................11

Fig 5: Marketing Channel for decision making = Service Provider vs. consumer ............12

Fig 6: India as wedding tourism hub – some points that could work in its advantage ....14

Fig 7: India as wedding tourism hub – some points that could work in its advantage ....15
Table 1: Advantage India – In Wedding Tourism ....................................................15
Fig 8: Estimated Wedding Tourism Turnover..........................................................16

Fig 9: Types of Tourism preferred by consumers.....................................................16

Fig 10: Global vs. Local – Shifting preferences ......................................................17
Fig 11: Tourist spots of Rajasthan ......................................................................18

Fig 12: SWOT Analysis – India as a Wedding Destination..........................................24

Executive Summary

Knowledge Partner
 Executive Summary

Wedding tourism, also known as destination tourism or marriage tourism,

wherein the bride and groom travel to a serene destination, along with guests
to exchange vows, has moved from strength to more strength and has already
carved a niche in the global tourism industry. The International bodies,
Government, ecosystem players in addition to the end users derive considerable
benefit out of this arrangement.

Globally, the industry has moved from strength to more strength and has been
able to amass considerable revenue for itself. Advisories of top destinations,
do's and don'ts, tips from travel experts seem to dawn the horizon. In India,
enough potential exists in majority of the states for developing this niche
tourism, yet this is yet to come up in accordance with its' potential. A thorough
analysis of the prerequisites and mapping them back to the leading tourism
destinations have been attempted in course of this whitepaper. India's
potential to qualify as a global wedding tourism hub can be highlighted in the
diagram below.

Renowned in the tourism world

Varied Terrain and geoclimatic realms

Sprawling Coastline

Innumerable heritage attractions

Distinctive and virile ethinicity

Well developed connectivity

Geared up wedding ecosystem

Hospitable Locales

2 Wedding Tourism - Destination India

 India has a considerable advantage when placed head to head with the prime
global destinations of Wedding Tourism. A comparative is presented in the Table
below.

Parameters Global Destinations Indian Destinations

Connectivity ü ü
Transport facility ü ü
Tropical Weather ü ü
Professional wedding planners ü ü
Resorts with exquisite facilities ü ü
Picturesque settings ü ü
Technology footprint and accessibility ü ü
Gold Standard Cuisine ü ü
Competitive Rates on offer ü
Opportunity to view world heritage sites ü
Range of destinations/ themes to choose from ü

The industry size is estimated at INR 23,000 Crs and is slated to grow at a
humongous rate of 25% which is INR 45,000 Crs by end of 2020. Some factors
which can work in its’ favour are as follows:-

Rise of middle
Firm establishment Lack of manpower
class and growth
of Nuclear family and time for The NRI Connect
in disposable
system organizing
income

Celebrity
Emergence of Wedding Ecosystem players
endorsements High degree
like Wedding Planners and spruced
of destination of personalization
up infrastructural support amenities
marriage

A large no. of States, especially Rajasthan, with its wide array of forts and
luxury hotels and Odisha, with its widespread forts in addition to private

10
3 Wedding Tourism - Destination India
 entities like Aamby Valley in the West and Ramoji Film City in the South have
already made their name as prime wedding destinations in India.

FICCI – MRSS suggests the following steps to be taken to make India a wedding
tourism hub

• Develop a Working Committee as apex body for Wedding Tourism

• Defining Standards
• Defining legal limits for the consumer segment
• Vouch for special incentives for NRI/ PIO’s
• Market Research and Intelligence gathering
• Don’t ignore the Domestic market
• Skill Development
• Developing Innovative Tools
• Infrastructure built up
• Extended flight range

4 Wedding Tourism - Destination India

Wedding Tourism –
An Overview

Knowledge Partner
 Wedding Tourism – An Overview

a) The Concept

Many definitions of Wedding tourism are available today. In the real sense, it is a
grand plan of travelling to another place, other than the hometown of both Bride and
Groom, in order to get married. This is also termed as “Marriage Tourism” or
“Destination Wedding”. Wedding Tourism can also be referred to as a concept where
one travels to get married in an exotic location in a unique manner irrespective of the
legalities of the union in their own place of residence.

b) Evolution over the years

Wedding tourism has gained popularity as a niche concept of tourism since the turn of
the century. The success of the concept could be observed in the following cases
wherein wedding tourism as a concept withstood the acid test of time.

• In 2003, UNWTO requested Maldives to formulate laws for marriage of foreign

nationals in the country. Thus the Foreign Tourist Marriage Act 2003 came into
being with the sole objective of registering marriages of foreign nationals or non
- islamic tourists.

• The travel and leisure industry of Dubai has realized that wedding tourism is “war
proof” in real sense. The invasion of Iraq by USA led to cancellation of most
corporate bookings but the hotels survived due to wedding bookings.

• Today all major national tourism sites have a separate section promoting wedding
tourism in their country, testifying the fact that it has cemented its’ position in
the niche tourism products.

c) Stakeholders and benefits received from Wedding Tourism

There are many facets of Wedding Tourism which presents a win - win
situation for all the involved stakeholders

6 Wedding Tourism - Destination India

 Fig 1: Stakeholder Benefits in wedding Tourism

Bride & Groom

• Dream come true - Wedding @ exotic location, a lifetime experience for a special
event
• Help them create an USP of their own
• Easier to manage since resorts have in built facilities, provide packages
• Savings can be made on decor as exquisite locations provide apt setting
• Opportunity to have Wedding and Honeymoon togather
Guests
• Allows them to travel to an exotic location
• Allows an opportunity to have fun + enjoy vacation
Resorts
• Revenue romp up
• Allows them to utilize their expertise and market capabilities - acts as cross
marketing of services
• Allows them to sell bulk packages
Government
• Boosting tourism revenue through successful implementation of key niche
tourism concept
• Boost local employment scenario
Wedding Ecosystem players
• Business prospect and ability to showcase their offerings to a larger world
Source : MRSS Analysis

d) Pre-requisites for a wedding destination

It goes without saying that Fig 2: Pre-requisites of a typical

all these destinations have wedding destination
an essential pre-requisite,
Excellent
which qualifies the same as a Accommodation &
ready wedding destination, Banquet facilities
Widely acclaimed Exquisite Natural or
wherein the stakeholders can Legal framework Man made Resources
simply plug and play. A
A typical wedding
careful analy sis of t he tourism
Hospitable Climate Excellent
repository of the aforesaid in some parts of the destination
Connectivity
year at least
destination throws up the
following aspects as depicted Well developed
in the diagram below. Friendly Locales supporting
Infrastructure

10
7 Wedding Tourism - Destination India
The Global Scenario in
Wedding Tourism

Knowledge Partner
 The Global Scenario in
Wedding Tourism

a) Trends

Wedding tourism has started contributing incredible statistics in its global

development. It has recorded a massive growth of 75% between 2007 and 2012, as it
has been reported by Weddings and Honeymoons International (2012); and
incredible 400% increase from 2000 to 2010 for the American market (TIAA, 2010).
These figures, though a little old showcases the immense potential that this niche
tourism has to offer.

The changing trends with the important facets of Global wedding tourism has been
elaborated in the diagram below:-

Fig 3 : Wedding Tourism – specific areas and trends around it

Altering Decor
• Rustic Glam replaces shabby chic
• Bold Shades and Metallic accents rules the roost

Technology enabled Personalization

• Personalization in guest favours to wedding hashtags
• Snapchat offering geotagging allowing guests to participate
• 3D printing has taken personalization to a new level

Taste of ethnicity in Food & Beverage

• Locally Sourced ingredients giving feel of locale culture
• Food making way in floral bouquets

Trendy Fashion
• Grooms are donning white suit jackets, bright ties and colourful
shoes
• Brides are donning embellished sleeves, tulle skirts etc.

Innovative Planning Tools

• Wedding Planning Apps are gaining popularity

Source : Destination Wedding Travel Group

10 Wedding Tourism - Destination India

 Hence, the worldwide trends can be summed up as :-

• Ever changing and personalization of offerings

• Change in fashion, food & drinks being the norm
• Widespread footprint of technology
• Effects of Global economics

b) Hot Spots

The hotspots for wedding tourism in the world at current times can be indicated in the
Diagram below> The spots are marked in black:-

Fig 4 : Global hotspots of Wedding Tourism

c) Major Global Source Markets for Wedding Tourism

As per Destination Wedding Travel Group, a leading organization in end to end

wedding management, the main source markets are those most predisposed to
marrying abroad, and have sufficient wealth to holiday abroad after a domestic
wedding. Typically these are:

• United States
• United Kingdom
• Germany
• Italy
• France
• Scandinavia

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11 Wedding Tourism - Destination India
 d) How are Service providers promoting and how are consumers
accepting?

As per proceedings of International Conference on Hospitality and Tourism

Management, a mapping of marketing channels influencing purchase decision of
wedding services had been undertaken. The results have been depicted below.

Fig 5: Marketing Channel for decision making = Service Provider vs. consumer

Internet - Company Website

100
Television 80 Word of Mouth
60
40
20
Internet - Ads on wedding
Wedding Fairs & Exhibition 0
related websites

Internet - Links on tourism

Newspaper & Magazines
related websites

Wedding Planner - Agent

Service Providers Consumers

Source : International Conference on Hospitality & Tourism Management

It can be observed herein, that Word of Mouth followed by Internet links on Tourism
website has the maximum traction. Major gaps exist in most marketing channels
adopted by the Service providers.

12 Wedding Tourism - Destination India

Wedding Tourism in
the Indian Context

Knowledge Partner
 Wedding Tourism in the
Indian Context

a) Coinage

In India, Wedding Tourism is often referred to as Marriage Tourism, officially found its
first usage by the then Union Tourism minister, in a speech at the inaugural ceremony
of International Tourism Bourse – Berlin, held between 7 -11 March 2007, though as a
concept it was practised far and wide.

b) India as a destination for Wedding Tourism

India has an impeccable opportunity to place itself at the global map of wedding
tourism. The following factors formidably place India at the helm of wedding.

Fig 6: India as wedding tourism hub – some points that could work in its advantage

Renowned in the tourism world

Varied Terrain and geoclimatic realms

Sprawling Coastline

Innumerable heritage attractions

Distinctive and virile ethinicity

Well developed connectivity

Geared up wedding ecosystem

Hospitable Locales

Source: MRSS Analysis

14 Wedding Tourism - Destination India

 c) The major drivers of Wedding tourism in India

The major events that gave impetus to wedding tourism in India can be highlighted in
the diagram below

Fig 7: India as wedding tourism hub – some points that could work in its advantage

Rise of middle
Firm establishment Lack of manpower
class and growth
of Nuclear and time for The NRI Connect
in disposable
family system organizing
income

Celebrity
Emergence of Wedding Ecosystem players
endorsements High degree of
like Wedding Planners and spruced up
of destination personalization
infrastructural support amenities
marriage

d) How India matches up with global destinations of wedding tourism

The Indian destinations have the potential to match up with the global leaders in
terms of it’s exclusivity and exquisiteness. The Table below indicates the way Indian
destinations matches up with the global ones in terms of the various parameters
involved.

Table 1 : Advantage India – In Wedding Tourism

Parameters Global Destinations Indian Destinations

Connectivity ü ü
Transport facility ü ü
Tropical Weather ü ü
Professional wedding planners ü ü
Resorts with exquisite facilities ü ü
Picturesque settings ü ü
Technology footprint and accessibility ü ü
Gold Standard Cuisine ü ü
Competitive Rates on offer ü
Opportunity to view world heritage sites ü
Range of destinations/ themes to choose from ü
…. Change the symbol to rock

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10 Wedding Tourism - Destination India
 Thus it can be understood from the Table above that India has a few competitive
advantages as a wedding destination largely due to the vast biogeographical realms,
lots of historical facets and opportunity to extend vacations.

e) The Market Size – Current & Future

As per industry sources, the wedding market in India is pegged at Rs. 1,10,000 Crs of
which around Rs. 23,438 Crs can be attributed to destination wedding. The figure is
going to be in excess of Rs 45,000 Crs by end of year 2020 as per leading ecosystem
players.

Fig 8: Estimated Wedding Tourism Turnover (` Crs)

45776

36621

29297
23438

2017 2018 2019 2020

Source: Industry sources

A recent survey undertaken by a leading new agency, the type of wedding preferred by
upwardly mobile classes have been depicted in the diagram below.

Fig 9: Types of Tourism preferred by consumers (` Crs)

Destination, 28 Traditional, 40

Simple, 10

Theme, 22

16 Wedding Tourism - Destination India

 f) Matching the trends of Wedding Tourism – Global vis a vis India

The figure below showcases that Indian Wedding Tourism is catching up with the
Global Trends.

Fig 10: Global vs. Local – Shifting preferences

Global India

High degree of personalization

Technology enabled
with destination weddings
Personalization
getting more exotic

Modernization of ancient/ retro

Altering Decor drapes, minimalist silhouettes,
bold colors

Consumer becoming more fashion

Trendy fashion inclined, lot of experimentation
and comparion

Mix and match, accessories, a lot of

Taste of Ethnicity
tryouts in jewelry, artisans' products

Innovative Planning Tool Use of technology

g) A deep dive into potential Wedding Tourism Destinations – State wise

perspective

i) Rajasthan
USP - The State of Rajasthan is an epitome as far as inbound tourism in India is
concerned. No one in the 1970’s thought that a dry and arid state can be such a
big tourist attraction that it will motivate Government to run 2 luxury trains
namely “Palace on Wheels” and “Royal Rajasthan on Wheels” covering the major
tourist destinations of the State.

10
17 Wedding Tourism - Destination India
 State Tourism Policy
The State of Rajasthan promotes wedding tourism as a niche product in its policy, the
key initiatives of which has been depicted below:-
• Wedding Tourism destinations to be listed in an online inventory system to aid
wedding planners and event management firms.
• Palatial/Heritage properties and gardens in government undertaking to be offered
for hosting events.
• Department of Tourism will participate in Indian and International events to
promote Rajasthan as a wedding destination.

Fig 11: Tourist spots of Rajasthan

18 Wedding Tourism - Destination India

 Destinations that can be promoted – Any of the main 25 destinations. Special emphasis
on Jaipur, Jodhpur, Udaipur, Jaisalmer, Bikaner, Mandawa, Pushkar, Alwar, Neemrana,
Ranthambore etc. A few of those destinations have already made their mark as prime
wedding destinations as discussed below:-

Udaipur

Udaipur, known far and wide as the city of lakes, palaces, offers a picture-perfect setting
for a royal wedding. Jagmandir Island on Lake Pichola, Devigarh Fort Palace, and Zenana
Mahal are some of the most sought after wedding venues

Jodhpur

The Blue City of Jodhpur, is picturesque and awe-inspiring. Umaid Bhawan Palace on a
hilltop, overlooking this magnificent city, is an ideal location for organizing a fabulous
wedding.

Jaipur

Royalty and romance are etched in every nook and corner of Jaipur. There is no dearth of
splendid wedding venue options in Jaipur; however, the Rambagh Palace, Raj Palace and
Jal Mahal Palace are undoubtedly some of the best locations. New 5 Star properties also
promote wedding tourism to the best of their ability.

Ranthambore

Not the glamorous of the location, Ranthambores’ natural beaty and wilderness makes it
the best wedding attraction

Neemrana Fort

Neemrana Fort is one of the oldest heritage sites in India. Perched atop a hill, Neemrana
offers the perfect setting for a wedding. Neemrana is easily accessible both from Delhi (137
kilometers) and Jaipur (154 kilometers), which makes it an ideal wedding venue. A magical
ambiance is created when the fort is bedecked with flowers and lights

Celebrity Weddings in Rajasthan

• Raveena Tandon and Anil Thadani chose the romantic city of Udaipur to solemnize
their vows.

• Katy Perry and Russell Brand got married in a true traditional style wearing
Rajasthani dresses and circling around the fire, Ranthambore

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10 Wedding Tourism - Destination India
 Advantages – Excellent infrastructure and wedding ecosystem. Very hospitable
localesExquisite hotel chains.

Rajasthan has embarked upon a vision of making itself one of the leading states of the
country by 2022. With this in mind, a few key areas have been identified and action plan
has been set up for the same. Tourism, being a major contributor to the economy of the
State, a special emphasis has been provided to it.

ii) Odisha

USP - Odisha, located in the eastern fringe of India with a vast coastline, has
been attracting tourists predominantly domestic ones from time immemorial.
The attractions of the State can be summed up as

• 14 Beaches
• 8 Lakes
• Waterfalls – Around 15 waterfalls adorn the State
• 4 Hot Water Springs
• 17 Hindu Temples of significance
• 14 spots of Buddhist interest
• 2 spots of Jain interest
• 2 Spots of Painting and Etching

Destinations that can be promoted - Bhubaneshwar, Cuttack, Puri, Chilika,

Brahmapur
Advantages – Large Coastline, Exquisite and diverse culture, Clearly earmarked
and well defined policies for growth of tourism

iii) Andhra Pradesh

USP - New State but has the legacy of major tourist destinations of erstwhile
Andhra Pradesh.

Destinations that can be promoted - Vishakhapatnam, Tirupati, Araku Valley,

Warangal

Advantages – NRI Connect has been the mainstay for wedding tourism, which is
quite well evolved in the State. Additionally, Infrastructure gear up happening at
lightening speed for the New capital

20 Wedding Tourism - Destination India

 iv) Delhi NCR

USP - Major entry point in the country. National capital and political nerve
centre.

Destinations that can be promoted - Delhi, Gurgaon

Advantages – Major entry point. National capital and political nerve centre.
Accommodation and wedding ecosystem well developed in the destination

v) Goa

USP - Goa, the State nestled in the Konkan coast between Karnataka and
Maharashtra is a big draw for the tourists from across the world as well as India.
Given the topography, rich virile culture (Portuguese as well as Konkani), Goa
has attracted tourists from across the world from the time it became a part of the
Indian Union

Destinations that can be promoted - Entire State of Goa can give beach tourism
destinations across the world a run for their money

Advantages include - Excellent infrastructure, far reaching repute as a

destination of repute, Excellent Tourism infrastructure. Another point is that the
same is Accessible throughout the year.

vi) Himachal Pradesh

USP - Picturesque natural and serene beauty of the Himalayas. A state that can
be visited throughout the year.
Destinations that can be promoted - Shimla, Chail, Manali, Dalhousie
Advantages – The State has a highly evolved tourism infrastructure and tourism
continues to be the mainstay for people in the State. HPTDC properties are
located at pristine locations and are well equipped to handle weddings.

vii) Jammu & Kashmir

USP - Often referred to as Switzerland for its natural mountainous beauty,

diverse cuisine and tourist attraction makes it the most sought after destination

Destinations that can be promoted - Srinagar, Sonmarg, Gulmarg, Pahalgam,

Vaishno Devi

Advantages – The State has a highly evolved tourism infrastructure and the State
intends to focus on niche tourism, with Wedding Tourism being one of the area of
thrust.

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10 Wedding Tourism - Destination India
 viii) Karnataka

USP - Hosts the IT Capital, Boasts of the Silicon valley of India

Destinations that can be promoted - Bangalore, Mangalore, Mysore

Advantages – NRI Connect has been the mainstay for wedding tourism, which is
quite well evolved in the State of Karnataka. Extensive coastline, Wildlife, rugged
terrain Well connected through Rail, Road and Air. Well-developed Wedding
ecosystem.

ix) Kerala

USP - Is one of the top draw for tourism in India, easily recognized world over as
God’s own Country

Destinations that can be promoted - Trivandrum, Cochin, Alleppey, Munnar

Advantages – NRI Connect has been the mainstay for wedding tourism, which is
quite well evolved in the State. The State is well connected by Rail, Road and Air.
Excellent Connectivity. Developed Infrastructure and Wedding Ecosystem

x) Madhya Pradesh

USP - Madhya Pradesh, rightfully called the heart of “Incredible India” has been
a tourist friendly state from time immemorial. The wildlife, heritage, religious
and scenic destinations make it the most sought after destination for foreign as
well as domestic tourists.
Destinations that can be promoted - Gwalior, Bhopal, Indore, Panchmarhi

Advantages – Exotic resources like Wildlife, culture and Heritage, Palaces and
Forts. Exemplary and sustained marketing efforts

xi) Maharashtra

USP - According to data compiled by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of

India, Maharashtra is one of the most preferred destination for international
travellers. With Mumbai being the commercial capital of the country and one of
the major entry – exit points and the huge state offering 147 varied destinations
across 34 districts, the state draws in a lot of foreign tourists throughout the
year
Destinations that can be promoted - Mumbai, Nagpur, Amby Valley, Ratnagiri,
Ganapatipule, Nasik

22 Wedding Tourism - Destination India

 Advantages – Commercial capital, major entry point of the country. Has
extensive coastline, heritage sites, religious edicts, vineyards. Additionally, rich
cultural heritage, architecture, historical edicts and wildlife rule the roost. The
State has got good infrastructure and network connectivity

xii) Punjab

USP - Referred to as the granary of North India, offers scenic trail of North
Indian plains especially in Winter.

Destinations that can be promoted - Chandigarh, Patiala, Ludhiana, Amritsar

Advantages – NRI Connect has been the mainstay for wedding tourism, which is
quite well evolved in the State of Punjab. The State is well connected by Rail,
Road and Air. Thanks to the evergreen culture the State is well evolved in terms of
wedding infrastructure

xiii) Tamil Nadu

USP - Gateway of Southern India, well known worldwide. Has an array of scenic
spots,
Destinations that can be promoted - Chennai, Coimbatore, Kanyakumari, Ooty,
Kodaikanal, Conoor, Thanjavur
Advantages – Excellent Connectivity, Well networked. Strong NRI Connect . Well
developed in terms of eco Tourism

xiv Telangana

USP - New State but hosts the 2nd IT Capital viz. Hyderaba
Destinations that can be promoted - Hyderabad (Ramoji Film City

Advantages – NRI Connect has been the mainstay for wedding tourism, which is
quite well evolved in the State of Telengana. The State is well connected by Rail,
Road and Air.

xv) Uttarakhand

USP - Exquisite beauty of the Himalayas- Serene, natural , unpolluted.

Destinations that can be promoted - Nainital, Ranikhet, Almora, Mussourie

Advantages – Government emphasis predominantly on developing tourism and is

concentrating on nieche tourism

23
10 Wedding Tourism - Destination India
 xvi) Uttar Pradesh

USP - Has the top tourism draw of India, easily recognized world over – an
epitome of Love, The Taj Mahal
Destinations that can be promoted - Agra, Lucknow, Varanasi, NOIDA

Advantages – Well developed road and accommodation infrastructure. Emphasis

of the State Government on promoting tourism in a bigger scale.

h) SWOT Analysis of India as a Wedding destination

The SWOT analysis of India as a Wedding Destination has been depicted in the diagram
below:-

Fig 12: SWOT Analysis – India as a Wedding Destination

• Well known far and wide as a prime tourist destination

• Natural resources is bounty , an essential prerequisite
Strength
• Ecosystem is well developed in pockets, thanks to the Big Fat
Indian weddings

• Lack of well defined standards for supplers, making barrier to

entry low for ecosystem players
Weakness • Segment based marketing not undertaken
• Lack of clearcut policy around Wedding Tourism

• Ecosystem geared up in some places, can be a plug and play

acitivity for ecosystem players, provided scope is well defined
Opportunity • A high spending Indian market can easily justify the carrying
capacity requirements

• Maldives, Sri Lanka have moved faster into the space

• Undefined legal framework for various target segments. viz. 2nd
Threat Marriages, Same sex Marriages

Source: MRSS Analysis

24 Wedding Tourism - Destination India

 Successful Wedding Tourism Venues in India

a) Aamby Valley City – The location has become an epitome of wedding tourism
ecosystem in West India. Not only foreign tourists but also Indian couples throng
the picturesque settings to “tie the auspicious knot”. The city has an unparallel
infrastructure and provides complete end to end services for wedding tourism. It
has the following exclusive and exquisite ecosystems to take care of the off the
individual choices

• The Supreme – Sprawling garden of 19,340 sq.ft. off which lawn is 14,237
sq.ft.
• Lake Symphony – Shimmering water body with 18200 sq.ft of venue
• E.A.S.T Deck – Hill City’s exclusive lake front with 27,111 sq.ft venue
• Chionk TaK – Ambience of a naga village with 160,000 sq. ft of venue
• Beneras Ghat - Resembling the original sacred waterfront by the Ganges,
the venue spans over 5,158 sq. ft.
• Town Plaza – A multiplex themed 12,000 sq.ft venue
• Golf lawns - Dispersed over 80,000 sq. ft., surrounded by the majestic
mountains & lush green turf.
• Great Lake Complex - One of the biggest complex spanning 37,860 sq. ft.
with a manmade surround-beach, it is flanked by an aquatic playground that
offers a slew of waterfront entertainment activities
• Aamby Valley Auditorium - One of the largest Auditoriums in India, it
provides an ideal setting to celebrate those exclusive events
• Town Square - It is Asia’s largest venue that presents 2 lac sq. ft. area,
catering to the needs of large gathering.

b) Ramoji Film City– The location has become an epitome of wedding tourism
ecosystem in South India. Getting wed in a royal set up/ especially in a cinematic
dream sequence is the dream of many in the current generation. The film city
provides the following themes of wedding as depicted below:-

• Maharaja and Maharani in a period set

• Hero & Heroine in Bollywood Night
• Shehzada and Mallika
• Chandragupta and Chandramukhi
• Badshah & Begum in Hawa Mahal
• Village Theme

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10 Wedding Tourism - Destination India
 • Statewise Theme
• Customized Theme
The city also provides end to end professional support as depicted below:-
• Party Night
• Joyride
• SPA Services
• Bridal Shower
• Photography
• Trousseu packing
• Celebrity performances

26 Wedding Tourism - Destination India

 FICCI – MRSS 10 point
recommendations to improve
Wedding tourism in India

Knowledge Partner
 FICCI – MRSS 10 point
recommendations to improve
Wedding tourism in India

FICCI – MRSS suggests the following points to enhance prospect of

Wedding Tourism in India

• Develop a Working Committee as apex body for Wedding Tourism – This could
be under aegis of a leading industry association and shall have representatives
from respective departments of State and Central Governments, Travel Industry
and Wedding Ecosystem. This will forge a better co-ordination amongst
stakeholders and ensure swifter decision making.
• Defining Standards – The Working Committee should work together to define
standards in the Wedding Tourism industry. This will ensure a quality service is
meted out to the end-users viz. Couples intending to marry can have a fair idea of
what will be delivered to them at the end. This will also weed out the so called fly
by night operators
• Defining legal limits for the consumer segment – This appears to be a tricky
area but continues to be the most important area. The correct legal framework
may solve many a problem in the future arising out of legal cases. Appropriate
modifications of certain legal requirements for foreign couples can bring new
customers that are unmotivated by long legal procedures.
• Vouch for special incentives for NRI/ PIO’s – The NRI’s/ PIO’s are the major
contributors for this nieche theme of wedding. Hence, the Working Committee
should work for devising a policy to provide special incentives for NRI/ PIO
community willing to get married in prime destinations of India. This special
status to be extended to the Wedding ecosystem players as well.
• Market Research and Intelligence gathering- There is an urgent need to
Improve methods of data collecting and gathering feedback from wedding
couples/ decision makers. This helps destinations collectively and what couples
increasingly want. The results of these could be used to develop and test new
models that describe consumer motivation and business behavior in this
specialist industry, as well as measure customer feedback on the destination
wedding experience, identify their position on offerings and the degree to which
the experience met customers’ expectations. Prompt feedback is essential due to
the constant change of consumer preferences. Additionally, tracking the
developed markets in wedding tourism and trends would provide requisite
feedback to the stakeholders, especially ecosystem players to prop up their

28 Wedding Tourism - Destination India

 services. Including the research and intelligence body to help wedding
companies make business decisions, market and promote their products and
services, and find their target customers. These resources help tourism and
wedding businesses transform their tourism offerings into the experiences that
will keep visitors coming back.
• Don’t ignore the Domestic market – The domestic market has a huge potential
and can offer lucrative returns to the installed capacity, initiatives. Hence, a
separate modus operando may be adopted for the same.
• Skill Development - Staff employed in the tourism and wedding industry need to
be properly trained- from the basics of hospitality management at hotels and
restaurants, speaking more languages to the professional event management at
the high end and serving new markets. Additionally, higher use of technology
has to be percolated down to the lowest level to enable faster communication
and execution support. This can be taken up by professional agencies with a
strict monitoring by the working committee.
• Developing Innovative Tools – The Working Committee should be committed to
helping tourism and wedding service providers succeed. Developing industry tool
kits can help small and medium-sized businesses leverage national tourism and
wedding image.
• Infrastructure built up- If destination marketing is promoting a wedding
destination, it is crucial that the destination possesses all the advertised
attributes and, moreover additional products and services that needs to exceed
customer’s expectations and influence their repeated visit. As seen earlier, word
of mouth appears to be the most influencing mode of influencing. Hence, this is
of utmost importance.
• Extended flight range - Cooperation with airline companies and foreign
governments can permanently or seasonally involve including direct flights to
new destinations, which significantly expands the potential visitors group

29
10 Wedding Tourism - Destination India
 Bibliography

• International Conference on Hospitality & Tourism Management

• The World Tourism Organization UNWTO (2012); Tourism in the Mediterranean

• Destination Wedding Travel Group

• Conde Nast Traveller Bridal Group

• Destination Weddings: A profitable match for agents; Travel Market Report

• Association of European Wedding Professionals-AEWP

• Saikat Mookherjee, Travel Enthusiast & Blogger

30 Wedding Tourism - Destination India

NOTES
NOTES
Rahul Chakravarty Raj Sharma
Consultant, FICCI Chairman, MRSS INDIA
Federation House 1, Tansen Marg, Mr. Sarang Panchal
New Delhi 110001 CEO, MRSS INDIA
Tel : +91-11-23311720-Direct/ 23738760-70 (Ext.342) No. 601 & 701, Trellis, Plot No. 202/203,
Fax : +91-11-23765333 LBS Marg Near Asha Petrol Pump,
Email : Rahul.chakravarty@ficci.com Kurla West, Mumbai – 400070
manish.ahuja@ficci.com Tel./Fax No. : +91-22-26502751 / 52
samanda.syiem@ficci.com Email : raj.sharma@mrssindia.com
arshad.danish@ficci.com sarang.panchal@mrssindia.com
info@mrssindia.com
Website : www.ficci.in
Website : www.mrssindia.com