Tourism New Zealand Names Tishtar Parakh India Country Manager to Drive Outbound Travel Growth

Tourism New Zealand has appointed Tishtar Parakh as Country Manager for India, marking a strategic move to strengthen its presence in one of the fastest-growing outbound travel markets. Based in Mumbai, she will lead initiatives to increase visitor demand and expand engagement with travel trade and industry stakeholders.

Appointment Aimed at Expanding India Market Presence

The organisation announced Parakh’s appointment as part of its efforts to deepen its footprint in India, a key source market for international travel. In her role, she will oversee market development activities, focusing on enhancing New Zealand’s positioning among Indian travellers and industry partners.

Her responsibilities include building stronger relationships with travel trade networks, airlines, and tourism stakeholders while driving initiatives that improve destination awareness and accessibility.

Focus on Trade Partnerships and Demand Generation

Parakh will lead Tourism New Zealand’s strategy to grow visitor numbers from India by strengthening partnerships across the travel ecosystem. Her role involves working closely with tour operators, travel agencies, and airline partners to develop coordinated campaigns and expand distribution channels.

The organisation said she will also focus on promoting New Zealand as a long-haul destination for Indian travellers, aligning marketing efforts with evolving travel preferences and demand for experiential tourism.

Professional Experience in Destination Marketing

Prior to this appointment, Parakh spent over six years with VisitBritain, where she progressed from Travel Trade Executive to Manager – Industry Relations & Partnerships. During her tenure, she led destination marketing campaigns aimed at increasing visitor arrivals and spending from India.

Her work included building trade partnerships, organising industry events, and executing collaborative initiatives such as visa workshops in coordination with the British High Commission in New Delhi to facilitate travel processes.

Strategic Timing Amid Growing Outbound Demand

The appointment comes at a time when India continues to emerge as a high-potential outbound travel market, with travellers increasingly seeking long-haul and experience-driven destinations. Tourism remains a major contributor to New Zealand’s economy, ranking among its leading export sectors.

Tourism New Zealand is focusing on capturing this growth by tailoring its market strategies to Indian travellers and strengthening its industry partnerships in the region.

Role in Driving Sustainable Market Growth

In her new position, Parakh will be responsible for implementing targeted marketing campaigns, managing trade engagement programmes, and supporting long-term market development initiatives. Her mandate includes promoting sustainable tourism growth while ensuring alignment with the organisation’s global strategy.

She has assumed her role and is currently overseeing Tourism New Zealand’s India operations, including trade partnerships, campaign execution, and stakeholder engagement from her base in Mumbai.