Monaco targets Indian tourists

According to a report on the Express Travelworld [1] website, representatives from Monaco Government Tourist Office and Convention Authority [2] and the Societe des Bains de Mer [3] have visited India to promote the Principality as a luxury destination, especially for what's called MICE tourism (meetings, incentives, conferences and events). Statistics* show that there are currently few Indian visitors to Monaco and Monte Carlo, and this is something that the local industry wishes to change. India, along with China, is seen as one of the leading future markets for luxury goods and services, and it's these high-spending tourists that Monaco wishes to attract. There's even talk of bringing a Bollywood production to the Principality. With Prince Albert II's recent attempts to attract young British millionaires [4], perhaps we'll start to see more excellent Indian restaurants in the region too.

*Monaco's tourism statistics are available on the official Government website [5], in the publication Monaco en Chiffres, edition 2007. Chapter 4 gives statistics on the economy [6], of which part 6 (tourism) [6] is a downloadable PDF file.