Market research in developing tourism business in the North East of India: A study to understand Tourism Market (Mainland India)

Abstract

This project aims to identify major attributes of a successful Indian domestic tourism industry that is suitable to the North Eastern states. Our core analysis essentially starts with the customer’s expectations i.e., to try to understand the potential domestic tourist’s attitude to the kind of tourism the North Eastern states can offer both in terms of the challenges and its unique regional features like being remote culturally yet being endowed with rich natural landscapes. Our primary research includes in-depth interviews, focus group discussion and a survey questionnaire. Analysis of our survey results indicate significant differences in expectations of services based on the respondent’s marital status, being a student or not, two statistically distinct sets of groups whom we labeled ‘convenience seekers’ and ‘nature loving’ and also different sets of clusters of respondents with different expectations. From a marketing point of view, this offers the possibility of aligning and positioning to the needs and expectations of such potential customers. It also has implications on tourism related policy formulations for the North Eastern states.