According to International Data Corporation (IDC), India is expected to record the highest compound annual growth rate (CAGR), of 84%, among Asia-Pacific countries in e-commerce revenues between 2003 and 2008, exceeding the CAGR of 81% expected in China. It is estimated that travel will account for one third of this. Much of the growth is expected to be driven by intermediaries.
By 2010, India is expected to have 100 million Internet users, with the majority of them aged 25-39. Transportation and accommodation transactions will grow as they seek out newer experiences and get more comfortable with the medium.
Across all the sectors, much higher growth is expected from the Internet in contrast to bricks-and-mortar business operations. 16% of travel retail business in 2010 is expected to be sourced through the Internet, as the nascent dynamic packaging subsector picks up due to the efforts of on-line retailers.
While there is no direct danger of bird flu at the moment, it is definitely a potential threat as India sees a significant number of migratory birds from China, Tibet, Mongolia and Russia. Having said that, India’s pharmaceutical industry is more than sufficiently equipped to provide supplies of medicine for the purpose. A significant proportion of India’s poultry industry is small scale and scattered, translating to a low level of threat.
