TOURISM INDIA OCTOBER 2015

ISSN 2249-4-2461

October 2015 Vol. 17 No. 06 Price: India ` 75 US$ 4.99 GBP 2.99

Kerala State Tourism Award Inter Continental Chennai Holiday Inn@Silicon Valley Shangri-La Hotel Bengaluru

Equestrian

Jamaica

Tourism India October 2015 

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New Season with hope and concerns...

We are stepping into a new tourism season, after the long days of global recession and uncertainties of war and tragedies around the globe. As usual the industry is expecting good harvesting in this year too. The introduction of Tourist Visa on Arrival (TVoA) enabled by Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) recently by the government has increased in foreign tourist arrivals to the country gives hope to the tourism players across India, and almost everyone is prepared to welcome the new season. Expanding this facility to more Airports will encourage travellers coming to India to use the facility and will make them comfortable to visit India. The industry expects more such facilities and that will give them a strong hand support to expand their business and the industry. More than 2 Lakh Tourists arrived on e-Tourist Visa during Jan-Sept 2015 showing an increase of 945.6% over the same period last year. The highest number of tourists arrived on e-Tourist Visa from USA during Jan-Sept 2015.

The fall of Indian Rupee affected the market differently. Some benefited from it while others paid the price. However, the market now responds positively to the crisis and building new strategies to tackle the recession. In recent years, the Indian tourism industry faced several tragedies and crises including the Uttarakhand and J &K floods, Russian ruble crisis etc . The worst being the Uttarakhand tragedy, the government now realises the vulnerability of major tourism spots in the country. The illegal construction and development projects at many hill stations and beaches in many parts of India are a real threat to the proper and sustainable development of the tourism in India. Now is the time to take it seriously and propel the need of strong laws.

According to Taleb Rifai, UNWTO Secretary-General, Sustained growth in international tourism is very positive news for all as the sector increasingly contributes to creating jobs, promoting trade and investment, developing infrastructure and fostering inclusive economic growth. This is particularly true in recent years, when tourism has been instrumental in supporting the economic recovery of many countries and in generating new jobs. Yet, we should not be complacent. We need to continue advancing fundamental issues such as travel facilitation and connectivity while placing sustainability at the core of our action.

Among the world’s top source markets, China continues to report double-digit growth in outbound travel, benefiting Japan, Thailand, the United States and various European destinations. Among the other emerging markets, India, South Africa and Egypt reported double-digit growth in tourism expenditure. Meanwhile expenditure from the Russian Federation and Brazil was significantly down, reflecting the economic constrains in both markets and the depreciation of the Ruble and the Real against virtually all other currencies.

The Perception of India has also changing day by day among tourists and our country is slowly moving from the budget tag to luxury and MICE market. So, let's hope for the best and welcome the new season right away!

Ravisankar K.V. Editor Tourism India October 2015  7

October 2015 Vol No. 17 No 06

Managing Editor Ravisankar K.V. Executive Editor Rajani A. Sub Editor Anand V. Art Editor N. Bhattathiri Layout Artist Jessy George Co-ordinator-Circulation Divya N.S Legal Advisor Adv. C.P Udhayabhanu Financial Advisor Bhadrakumar FCA

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Kerala State Tourism Announces 2013-14 Awards

Corporate Advisor Krishna prasad

Business Offices: UK-England: T. Haridas, 86 Tooting High St. London SW 17 ORN. Mob: +7775833754 Germany-Berlin: Thomas Kannankeril, Reiseburo Skyreisen, Potsdamer Str. 189,10783 Berlin, Tel:+49 30/82309240. Fax:+49 30/82309241 Middle East Asia: P.M. Abdul Salam PB No. 14775, Dubai, UAE. Tel: +971 50 6747686 New Delhi: D. Anil Kumar Tel: +91 011-24634248, Mobile: +91 98681 23311 Mumbai: K.V. Sathyanath, Sanjith Tel : +91 22 29209285 Kolkata: Jayasree Singh Tel: +91 33-24187750, Mob: 9433060333 Hyderabad: Premraj A. Mobile: +91 9446514732 Bangalore: Damodaran. K. Nair Mobile: +91- 9035616040 Pondicherry : K. Ramasubrahmaniam Mob: +91 9894977161

Editorial & Corporate Office: Tourism India Magazine, SRL C-36, Sankar Road, Sasthamangalam (P.O.), Trivandrum, Kerala, India, 695 010.

Tel: +91 471 2315256 Fax: +91 471 2315197 Email: info@tourismindiaonline.com Editorial : editor@ tourismindiaonline.com Mob: +91 98470 60531 Marketing : email: marketing@tourismindiaonline.com Mob : +91 9947260531 Circulation : circulation@tourismindiaonline.com Mob: +91 99471 60531

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DS Kovalam and Westinn New Delhi wins the World Luxury Hotel Award- 2015 ISSN 2249-4-2461

October 2015 Vol. 17 No. 06 Price: India ` 75 US$ 4.99 GBP 2.99

Kerala State Tourism Award Inter Continental Chennai Holiday Inn@Silicon Valley Shangri-La Hotel Bengaluru

Internet edition: www.tourismindiaonline.com Digital edition: www.issuu.com/tourismindia No part of this magazine may be reproduced without the written permission of Tourism India Magazine All rights reserved. Copyright © 2014 Edited, Printed and Published by K.V. Ravisankarfor TOURISM INDIA PUBLICATIONS PVT LTD., SRL C-36, Sankar Road, Sasthamangalam (P.O.), Trivandrum, Kerala, India, 695 010. at Arsha Offset Graphix, Janvilla Lane, Vellayambalam, Sasthamangalam P.O., Thiruvananthapuram - 695 010.

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Equestrian

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A first for India: Kerala Tourism at the Westminster

21 Eram Scientific won Toilet Titan Award from PM

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First Inter Continental Resort in India opens in Chennai

36 'Hospitality from the Heart' Shangri-La Hotel Bengaluru Tourism India October 2015 

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ochi-based Inter-sight Tours and Travels took the award for the Best Inbound Tour Operator to

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Kerala, as the 2013-14 State Tourism Awards were announced.

Mathew C Thomas GM Taj Kovalam

The winners for Best Three Star, Four Star and Five Star Hotels are Alappuzha’s Marari Beach, Kovalambased Uday Samudra Leisure Beach Hotel and Spa and the Kumarakom Lake Resort respectively. The Raviz Hotel’s Leela Kovalam is the Best Five Start Deluxe Hotel. Coconut Lagoon in Kumarakom won for Best Heritage Hotel.

The winners, for the 27 awards in three categories, were selected by a jury chaired by the Tourism Secretary from a short list drawn up by an expert committee.

Somatheeram Ayurvedic Beach Resort bagged the Best Approved & Classified Ayurvedic Centre title. The Best Approved & Classified House Boat Operator is Rainbow Cruises, while the Best Approved & Classified Homestay is Coconut Creek Farm and Homestay in Kumarakom and the Best Approved & Classified Serviced Villa is Munnar’s British County.

Kovalam Vivanta by Taj’s Mathew C Thomas is the Best Hotel Manager.

The Best Tourism/Hotel Management Institute is Oriental School of Hotel

Management, Wayanad.

Mathrubhumi Yathra’s senior sub editor G Jyothilal took the prize for the Best Tourism Related Report in print media, while Mathrubhumi newspaper’s senior news photographer C Biju won for Best Photography in the Tourism Sector. Green Leaf was selected as Best Tourism Related Magazine.

The Waterworld Live Museum at the Main Boat Jetty in Ernakulam is the Most Innovative Project in Tourism, while the Somatheeram Ayurveda Group won for the Most Innovative use of IT in Tourism.

Ourland Island Backwater Resort in Punnapra has been recognised for Best Practices in the field of Responsible Tourism. Kochi’s Kalypso Adventures won for Best Adventure Tourism Operator. Tirur’s PPTMYHSS Cherur won for Best Tourism Club, while Abdul Hameed of the same school won for Best Teacher Coordinator of Tourism Club. Danish C from Malappuram’s MUA College took the title of Best Student Coordinator of Tourism Club.

Sanal Kumar A G from Paravur and Ganeshan S from Alappuzha are Best Tourism Police, while Virjin S from Thiruvananthapuram and Charlson P from Kannur are Best Tourism Lifeguard.

Kannur’s Ajayakumar N R is the Best Tourism Guide.

The Best Tourism Destination is Wonder La in Kochi.

This year, a new certifi-

cate of recognition for a new initiative among service providers was announced. That went to Malappuram’s Teak Town Serviced Villa.

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s the name states it, Madhya Pradesh is a true slice of Incredible India, from its UNESCO World Heritage sites, cultural pursuits, roaring tiger wilderness, Jungle Book Mouglees, this land offers a fascinating range of touristic experiences. Geo-

graphically, the heartland of India and second largest state, MP has its uniqueness to achieve few of the best tourism awards of the nation.

2015, being the visit MP year the second edition of Madhya Pradesh Travel Mart was set on a B2B platform with 200 well screened and me12  Tourism India October 2015

ticulously handpicked hosted buyers and media from 20 countries explored business opportunities for discerning travel and tourism products, thus making the affair one of the most sought after travel events in the country. Visit MP year 2015, the overwhelming success of the inaugural edition of ‘MP Travel Mart last year, many a milestone winnings in tourism industry all made it are sounding success with Madhya Pradesh Travel Mart 2015.

During the official inauguration, Mr. Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh said with 2015 being the Visit MP Year, the Government has initiated several projects to increase visitors to the State to see some of the country’s best kept world heritage sites, amazing landscapes, the State also offers a safe

and secure environment.

With the Simhastha 2016 taking place from 22nd of April to the 21st of May, we will see one of the biggest gatherings of pilgrims in the country and we would like to invite the travel agents to promote this event in a big way.

The event enlisted the support of major travel – trade and hospitality association in India such as ‘Association of Domestic Tour Operators Association of India (ADTOI), Adventure Tour Operators Association of India (ATOAI), Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO), Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI), Travel Agents Federation of India (TAFI), Federation of Hotel & Restaurant Association of India (FHRAI), etc The event had Two Exhibitor Segments, the ‘Destination Madhya Pradesh’ & ‘Incredible India Section’ Madhya Pradesh has been one of India’s biggest tourist attractions with its wide arena of attractions. The exclusive pavilion of Madhya Pradesh showcased the different facets of Madhya Pradesh such as UNESCO World Heritage Sites, festivals of Madhya Pradesh, Her-

itage Hotels, Buddhist Trails in Madhya Pradesh, Wildlife Resorts and National Parks, Medical Tourism, Destination Management Companies, Travel Agents and Tour Operators, Religious Tourism, Handicrafts, Cultural Vistas, etc Incredible India section comprised of Indian State Tourism Departments, who form part of the country’s destination portfolio of the country’s rich culture and heritage. With leading Travel Agents, tour operators, online travel agents, travel technology products, hotels and resorts from across the country all involved in, thus Madhya Pradesh gave an opportunity to host some of the biggest tourism & destination brands in the country There was an upbeat tempo and enthusiasm within travel fraternity who were able to attend the mart. According to Motaz Oathman, publisher MICE Middle East and TTG Middle East from Jordan, “India is so close to Middle East in different meanings, in distance, only few hours flying with huge connections, Indians and Middle East people have a long history in the past and

meantime, being in India you feel that you are between your friends. What attracts me to here is the people of India, who become close to heart quickly and easily”.

During the inaugural ceremony Mr. Subhash Goyal, President, Indian Association of Tour Operators rightly pointed out various facets of the tourism industry and how Madhya Pradesh has been in the forefront of tourism marketing.

The organisers and Madhya Pradesh Tourism where eager and careful to show the huge culture attractions in Madhya Pradesh, first place to visit was a World Heritage Site, A Buddist Monument at Sanchi. Early morning heritage tour was also a super hit among the participants. Familiarization tours were also done focusing wild life, culture, and history.

MP tourism board had selected it’s stakeholders precariously. So, they had good promotions instantly, like Mr. Montaz from Jordan is planning to organise an Agri tourism trip from Middle East to Madhya Pradesh and Vice versa.

For Beverly DSouza, Up

and Away Travel, San Diego, California, it was an honour to attend the Madhya Pradesh Travel Mart 2015.

As she says, “ I felt we were well taken care of and treated like royalty. The tourism office of Madhya Pradesh did an amazing job to showcase all the fabulous prod-

ucts available within the State, whether it is history, culture, nature or the pleasure of being close to wildlife.

I definitely look forward to marketing Madhya Pradesh and currently working on putting a package together to attract the right group.”

Madhya Pradesh Travel Mart second edition ended charming more guests for the coming days!

by Liza shajan

Tourism India October 2015 

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State Chief Secretary Shri Jiji Thomson presenting a book on Spice route to Indianborn MP, Shri Virendra Sharma, in the presence of Tourism Secretary Shri GKV Rao.

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ritish MPs Charmed by 'God's Own Country' at Kerala Tourism Presentation Kerala's time-tested Ayurveda and the enchanting backwaters have wooed the British parliamentarians, in a first-time presentation by an Indian state tourism board at the Westminster.

Kerala Tourism made the presentation about the state for the British MPs, at a special meeting held in the British Parliament complex on October 11. The meeting was led by State Chief Secretary Shri Jiji Thomson and Tourism Secretary Shri G Kamala 14  Tourism India October 2015

Vardhana Rao, who met the British MPs, including many Indian-origin members of the British Parliament.

Shri Thomson and Shri Rao were in the British capital to take part in the 'Mayor of London' event to showcase 'God's Own Country' to a British audience. The cultural extravaganza, which had 'mohiniyattam', 'thiruvathirakali' and 'kathakali' performances, was held at the iconic Trafalgar Square on the same day.

"It was an honour for Kerala to address the British MPs in the parliament

complex," said Shri Thomson. "The MPs evinced great interest in Kerala and admired our top status on the global tourism map," he added.

Among those present were Shri Virendra Sharma, Indian-born MP of the West London constituency Ealing, Southall, and Stephen Timms, Member of Parliament from the suburban East Ham seat.

"We wanted to directly address the British parliamentarians and tell them why the United Kingdom is the biggest tourism market for Kerala in the world," Shri Thomson said.

Two years ago, the British royal couple, Prince Charles and wife Camilla Parker Bowles, had visited Kerala, watching Kathakali in Kochi and celebrating the 65th birthday of the Prince of Wales at the backwaters resort of Kumarakom. Among prominent British visitors to Kerala include the Beatles legend Sir Paul Mcartney.

Last year, Kerala had received 151,497 travellers from the United Kingdom.

Kerala Tourism's London visit is aimed at increasing the figure substantially during the 'Visit Kerala' year.

The presentation by Kerala Tourism in the British Parliament complex assumed significance because of the many Indian-origin politicians elected to the House of

Commons.

"The Indian community members in Britain are the greatest ambassadors of our country," Shri Thomson said, while inviting them to come and invest in Kerala's tourism sector.

The meeting, held in a Parliament conference hall, was also attended by several prominent members of the large Indian diaspora in Britain.

"Kerala is a very enchanting land," said the Ealing MP Shri Sharma, while recalling his visit to the state. Offering his support, he appreciated the efforts of Kerala Tourism in leading an energetic campaign across the world to promote tourism in the state.

"The engagement with the British parliamentarians was a major step in elevating our campaign to a much higher level of direct dialogue," said Shri Rao, who talked to the MPs about the varied destinations and new tourism products offered by Kerala.

"We will organise an exclusive meeting with British parliamentarians during the World Trade Mart in London next month," he added.

Kerala Tourism will take part in the WTM, London, the leading travel and tourism fair in the world attended last year by more than 50,000 participants and 5,000 exhibitors from 186 countries. The WTM 2015 will be held during November 2-5.

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nterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), one of the world’s leading hotel companies, has announcedthe appointment of Mr. Arindam Kunar, as Area General Manager , South India and Mr. Mr. Arindam Kunar Mr. Greesh Bindra Greesh Bindra as Area General Manager, North India.

In his new role, Mr. Arindam is responsible for driving the performance of IHG's hotels in South India. This includes the company's two hotels in Kochi: Crowne Plaza Kochi and Holiday Inn Kochi; Crowne Plaza Bengaluru Electronics City, and the latest addition to the IHG family, Holiday Inn & Suites Bengaluru Whitefield. The company's two hotels due to open in Chennai over the next year, InterContinental Resort Chennai Mahabalipuram and Holiday Inn Chennai Tidel Park, will also fall under his remit.

Mr. Arindam will continue to be based at the newly opened Crowne Plaza Chennai Adyar Park where he was previously General Manager.

As Area General Manager, North India, Greesh supports IHG’s growth in the northern Indian markets and over sees the performance of the company's hotels in the region, including Crowne Plaza New Delhi Rohini, Crowne Plaza New Delhi MayurVihar, the Holiday Inn hotels in Mayur Vihar, Pune and Amritsar and the recently opened Holiday Inn Chandigarh Panchkula. He will continue to be based at CrownePlazaGreater Noida where he was formerly General Manager.

Mr. Shantha de Silva, Head of South West Asia, IHG said, "As we continue to expand in India it is critical that we have the right people driving our growth and leading our hotels in delivering consistently great experiences to our guests. As a company we place a huge focus on developing our next generation leaders and promoting talent internally, and I am delighted to have Arindam and Greesh, both seasoned General Managers and great leaders, taking on new roles to strengthen our operations leadership team in South West Asia."

IHG currently operates 23 hotels across fourbrands:InterContinental, Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express. Over the next three to five years, the company will open a further 46hotels, including the second InterContinental hotel in India, InterContinental Resort Chennai Mahabalipuram.  Tourism India October 2015

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ims to further increase growing number of Russian tourists to state Kerala Tourism is marketed well, its charms to Russia with a presence at OTDYKH Leisure, a leading International Trade Fair for travel and tourism recently. The fair which commenced in Moscow on September 15 featured 1,236 exhibitors from 94 countries and Russian regions.

The four-day OTDYKH Leisure, which in its 21st year, is the largest international autumn trade fair for tourism in Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States countries. Kerala Tourism is also conducting a road show at St Petersburg that will serve as a platform for business meets with tour operators and media.

“It is a privilege for the state’s tourism department to participate in this internationally-acclaimed fair,”

said Mr. AP Anil Kumar, Minister for Tourism, Kerala.

“Since Russia is one of the 43 countries recognised for the ‘Tourist Visa on Arrival’ facility, the state’s exhaustive marketing in the trade fair is expected to create a huge stride in tourist arrivals from this country.”

As part of the Visit Kerala initiative, Kerala Tourism has been hard-selling the state’s key products—Ayurveda, backwaters and culture— across the globe.

The Kerala Tourism stall at OTDYKH Leisure shows off its famed backwaters, beach and Ayurveda in the 32-sq m stand at the fair.

The state welcomed 35,010 Russian visitors in 2014, up from 32,000 in 2013.

Mr. P I Sheik Pareeth IAS, Director of Kerala Tourism who led the Kerala delegation, said last year’s increase in the number of Russian

visitors to the state, coupled with their interest in beaches, convinced the officials to market God’s Own Country with its serene beaches as one of the USPs. “The Indian Embassy in Russia has also offered support for expanding the Kerala tourism market and for conducting cultural exchange programmes,” he added.

The Kerala stand saw the visit of several senior officials, including Director of Jawaharlal Nehru Cultural Centre, Moscow, Mr. Ashish Sharma and First Secretary (Consular) Indian Embassy Moscow, Mr. K V Sreejesh.

Trade partners from Kerala, who participated in the show, include Abad Hotels & Resorts, Ayurveda Mana, Niramayam Heritage Ayurveda Retreat, Poovar Island Resort, The Paul Resorts & Hotels and Joys Resorts and Hotels.

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rganises roadshow in Warsaw Kerala Tourism has hit the road in the Polish capital of Warsaw making its foray into Eastern Europe, the fastest growing economic region in the whole of the European continent.

The age-old medicinal tradition of Ayurveda and the pristine beaches of Kerala were the highlights as the state tourism department organised its roadshow in Warsaw on Wednesday, drawing a large number of visitors and representatives from the domestic outbound tourism sector.

"With its vast geography, diverse culture and a fast growing economy, East Europe is a very important market for tourism," said Kerala Tourism Minister Shri A P Anilkumar.

"Poland is today considered Europe's growth champion following its successful economic reforms and building of vital institutions since 1989," he said.

"We are confident that our entry into the outbound tourism market of Poland will be a catalyst for attracting travellers from East Europe," Shri Anilkumar added.

Kerala Tourism Director Shri P I Sheik Pareeth led the state delegation at the Warsaw roadshow held in Mamaison Hotel Le Regina. India's Ambassador to Poland and Lithuania, Shri Ajay Bisaria, was the Chief Guest at the function.

As many as eight trade

partners of Kerala Tourism -- CGH Earth, Somatheeram Ayurveda Group, Kairali – The Ay u r ve d i c Healing Village, Pioneer Personalised Holidays, and Lotus Destinations, Sitaram Beach Retreat, The Nattika Beach Ayurveda Resort and The Paul Resorts & Hotels participated in the roadshow.

"We received tremendous response from the travel and tourism trade representatives based in the Polish capital," said Shri Pareeth. "They were all very eager to know about Kerala," he added.

"The trade partners on both ends are confident about conducting business due to the easy flight connectivity, via Dubai and introduction of e-tourist visa facility," Shri Pareeth said.

Poland, which has seen its per capita gross domestic product (GDP) double between 1989 and 2013, was the only European economy that withstood the 2008-9 European financial meltdown. The purchasing power of Polish citizens has grown fast in the period, reaching the level of more than half of their counterparts in the rich West Europe.

Kerala is expected to gain substantially from the Warsaw roadshow as Polish tour-

ists prefer holidays in Asian Countries. The polish travellers are also known for their preference for beach destinations, another advantage for the state, which has several sun-and-sand destinations.

Tourists from Poland also favour traditional healing therapy, making themselves inclined to Kerala's Ayurveda, already a much-preferred medical alternative in West European countries like Germany.

According to India's Ambassador Shri Bisaria, a "focused marketing campaign" in East Europe will be able to attract more tourists to Kerala from the region. As many as 4,824 Polish tourists had visited Kerala last year.

"Kerala's authentic Ayurveda has more opportunity in Poland," Shri Bisaria said, adding cultural exchanges and organising cultural performances in Poland on important national occasions would help consolidate the goodwill and spreading of awareness gained during the Warsaw roadshow.

Tourism India October 2015 

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day Samudra Leisure Beach Hotel & Spa Kovalam has the World Luxury Hotel Award for the sixth consecutive year in the category of Best Beach Resort in India while The Neeleswar Hemitage in Kazargode, Kerala has won two awards in best Luxury Hotel-Best Scenic Environment and Luxury Beach Resort category.

Westin Sohna Resort and Spa New Delhi has also bagged two awards in India’s best Luxury Hotel & Luxury Spa Hotel category.

The Award for UDS Kovalam was received

by Mr.Rajashekhran Nair, CMD & Ms.Karthika Nair, Executive Director of the UDS group at the prestigious ceremony held at Hotel Harbour Grand, Hong Kong on 25th October 2015.

The other award winners includes Fortune Select Excalibur, India ( India’s best Luxury Business Hotel), Hilton Shillim Estate Retreat & Spa ( India’s best Luxury Mountain Resort ), Oakwood Premier Pune ( Indi’s best Luxury Serviced Apartments) , Radisson Blu MBD Hotel, Noida (India’s best Luxury City Hotel) , Sofitel Mumbai BKC ( India’s best Luxury Boutique Hotel) , The Grand New Delhi ( India’s best Luxury Hotel & Conference Centre ), The Imperial, New Delhi ( India’s best Luxury Historical Hotel) ,

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day Samudra Leisure beach Hotel & Spa a 5 Star Beach Hotel is the only complete wellness resort in the International tourist destination, Kovalam. On to the beach, nestled in the palm groves is the luxury resort sought by tourist from India and overseas. UDS is a home away from home where you enjoy every moment to the fullest. It’s an unforgettable experience at UDS which would be remembered forever and one would love to revisit often.

The UDS's philosophy of combining the best elements of nature with the convenience of today's modern world, through exceptional standards of luxury, elegance and service, together with ISO 9001 - 2000 standards and impressive management tools, has created a powerful presence in the hospitality sector. The hotel, which features 225 Rooms, 5 Restaurants, 3 Swimming pools, 7 Banquet Halls, Ayurveda & Yoga Centre, Ocean Spa, Slim & Shape

Naturopathy Centre, Beauty Studio, Health Club, Dental Clinic, is a luxury destination in its own right.

Uday Samudra Leisure Beach Hotel & Spa branded as UDS & its other properties are Uday Suites, the only four star Airport hotel in Trivandrum, Uday Sky kitchen & UdaySamudra Ayurveda & Yoga Beach Resort, UDS group is growing enormously in Indian Hospitality sector with its upcoming projects, Hotel & Convention Centre with 2500 seating capacity plus 190 rooms, Backwater resort in Alleppey at the famous backwaters of Kerala & Ayurveda Hill resort in Waga-

mon near Thekkady.

UDS has bagged many awards in the past which includes World Luxury Hotel Award for six consecutive year from 2010 onwards, Kerala State Tourism Award for Best 4 Star Hotel for the year 2009-10,201112,2012-13 &2013-14, also the, Kerala State Tourism Award for Best Tourism Product, from Dept of Tourism, Government of Kerala.

Mr. Rajasekahran Nair, the Chairman and Managing Director is a man with a clear vision and with over 4 decades of experience in hospitality sector and several accomplished projects to his credit, whose determination has made UDS group a major group of hotels in Kerala. He also runs several business enterprises in Mumbai, including 4 major restaurants. His hall mark is his dynamic personality that his thoughts being very innovative.

Tourism India October 2015 

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erala Tourism and St Petersburg’s tourism department will sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to promote tourist inflow from this secondlargest Russian city to Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi.

A meeting between Mr. G Kamala Vardhana Rao IAS, Kerala Tourism Secretary and Mr. Arun Kumar Sharma, Consul General of India in St Petersburg with Rimma Sachinova, Deputy Chairman, St Petersburg Tourism, paved the way for an agreement on the MoU, which is expected to give a huge fillip to tourist arrivals to Kerala from the historic city of St Petersburg.

Kerala Tourism has had a busy schedule in Russia, with a road show conducted in the port city of St Petersburg on September 21 that followed the OTDYKH Leisure 2015, a 20  Tourism India October 2015

four-day International Trade Fair for travel and tourism held in Moscow.

The road show, which hosted trade and media meetings, saw huge footfalls from the Russian trade fraternity.

“We have received a positive response from the people here,” said Kerala Tourism Minister Mr. A P Anil Kumar.

“The Russians have showed great interest in knowing more about our state.”

Mr. Arun Kumar Sharma was the Chief Guest at the function where the Kerala delegation was headed by the Tourism Secretary.

“In 2014, the tourist arrivals from Russia were 35,010.

With this road show, we are expecting a perceptible increase in the arrivals of Russian tourists,” Mr. Rao said.

The ten Kerala trade part-

State’s road show in the Russian city gets huge response from local trade fraternity ners, who participated in the road show along with the state delegation, were Abad Hotels and Resorts, Ayurvedamana Group, CGH Earth, Kairali - The Ayurvedic Healing Village, Niramayam Heritage Ayurveda Retreat, Poovar Island Resort, Somatheeram Ayurveda Group, The Paul Resorts & Hotels, The Raviz and The Silver Tips.

“The trade partners on both ends are confident about business due to the flight connectivity, via Dubai and introduction of e-tourist visa facility,” he noted.

Shri Sharma discussed with the trade partners various measures to strengthen the business relationship between Russia and Kerala.

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ram Scientific Solutions has been conferred with the “Toilet Titan” title during the Safaigiri Summit and Awards 2015. Dr. Siddeek Ahmed, the Chairman and Managing Director of Eram & ITL Group of Companies, received the award from Mr. Narendra Modi , Honourable Prime Minster of India during the Awards ceremony held at Taj Palace, Delhi on 02 October 2015.

Eram Scientific was selected as a winner by an eminent jury comprising Mr. AroonPurie Mr.N. R. Narayanamurthy, Infosys co-founder; Mrs. VidyaBalan; Mr. Chetan Bhagat; Mr. Rajeev Chandrasekhar; Mr. Vinayak Chatterjee, and Mr.Bindeshwar Pathak.

Eram Scientific is recognized with this honor for it visionary innovation in the sanitation sector, the “eToilet”, India’s First Electronic Public Toilet. The Company has, to date, reached across more than 18 states with over 1200 eToilets. Eram has bagged more than 38 awards for its exemplary works in the field of sanitation.

Dr. Siddeek Ahmed, said: “Sanitation is the most difficult sector to penetrate. I wanted to prove that if technology is used in a smarter way, it could provide a fundamental necessity to millions of people. This achievement reinforces our commitment towards improving sanitation facilities for the common man and this will drive us ahead to create more

meaningful solutions powered by technology convergence. We hope that the Safaigiri awards become an inspiration and our works would help in motivating others to be cleanliness champions and learn from our humble stories.”

The eToilets have simple user interfaces and has integrated a comprehensive maintenance plan which ensures that the eToilets are clean and hygienic for every user. eToilet has a facility of pre-flushing before entering, automatic flushing once usage is done, in-built water tanks, sensors for water and

electricity conservation, automatic platform cleaning and power back-up with coin operated entry. Keeping in mind individual needs these toilets are programmed to flush 1.5 litres of water after three minutes of usage or 4.5 litres if usage is longer. The performance status of the units can also be monitored via web using GPRS connectivity of the units.

These toilets incorporate full-cycle approach in sustainable sanitation by integrating electrical, mechanical and web-mobile technologies. eToilets have multiple revenue options which ensures sustainability of operations.

Tourism India October 2015 

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ntegrated offering to provide 360 degree analysis of guest reviews and competitor performance.

RezNext, a leading distribution technology and profit Management Company, has announced its partnership with RepuFactTM, a business division under Good Hotel Network, providing guest intelligence and analytics based on online reviews.

RezNext’s hotel network will now have access to smart analytics on guest feedback and can dissect the data into KPIs by source, sentiment, geography, demography and assign them to specific departments to act on. The RepuFact dashboard will be integrated with the RezNext Distribution Intelligence Application, allowing customers to monitor, track and respond to guest reviews from one single application, while using the performance indicators to improve internal operations.

According to Mike Kistner, Chief Executive Officer, RezNext Global Solutions, “The RezNext product strat22  Tourism India October 2015

egy also focuses on best-ofbreed partnerships that can add value to our integrated distribution offering. We see great synergies with RepuFact in providing our hotel customers actionable intelligence across their distribution function. Our offerings will be well integrated to provide hoteliers a single version of truth across their guest booking patterns, pricing, service levels, competition trends and marketing intelligence.”

Several leading hotels like The Fern Hotels and Resorts, Sun n Sand Hotels, Keys Hotels and Resorts, Spree Hospitality, The Lalit Group and Staywell Hospitality have signed up for RepuFact and are seeing visible performance improvements in their operations.

According to Ameet Wagh, Head - Sales and Marketing, Sun n Sand Hotels, “I am really pleased with the competition analysis that RepuFact has to offer. I can

now plan my strategy not just looking at my strengths, but also after figuring out my competition's weaknesses.”

Headquartered in Bangalore, RepuFact aspires to become the world’s best guest analytics company for the hospitality industry.

“We are excited about our partnership with RezNext. We believe our strong combined offering will help hoteliers leverage rich data analytics for improved profitability. This partnership is an important milestone for us and will help us accelerate our market penetration efforts”, said Deepak Mavinkurve, Founder & CEO, RepuFact.

With the integrated solution suite, hoteliers can evaluate their service levels as well as their competition’s, and use the intelligence to price their offering appropriately. It will also easily enable adoption of a dynamic pricing model.

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he Ministry of Tourism has taken various initiatives to attract more foreign tourists in the country. The details are as under: a) Launch of e-Tourist Visa for citizens of 77 countries. b) Promotion of the destinations through the Incredible India Campaign across the globe. c) Participation in major International Tourism Travel Fairs and Exhibitions. d) Organising Road Shows to promote tourism destinations and products of country in major tourist source markets in collaboration with stakeholders. e) Development and promotion of “Niche Tourism” products. f) Creating an increased pool of trained manpower in Hospitality Tourism sectors for delivery of quality service to the tourist. g) Release of regular domestic advertisement campaign in national print and electronic media. h) ‘Welcome Booklet’ with information on Dos and Don’ts for tourists, contact details of India Tourism domestic offices and Tourist Helpline Number for distribution at immigration counters to tourists arriving at international airports. i) 24x7 ‘Incredible India Help

Line’ to provide the tourist valuable information and to guide them during emergencies.

The Ministry of Tourism (MOT), as part of its on-going promotional activities releases print, electronic, online and outdoor media campaigns in the international markets, under the ‘Incredible India’ brand-line, to showcase India’s tourism potential and to increase foreign tourist arrivals to the country. In addition, a series of promotional activities are also undertaken through the India Tourism Offices overseas in important and potential source markets overseas, with the objective of attracting a larger number of foreign tourists to the country.

These include participation in international travel fairs and exhibitions; organizing Road Shows, Know India seminars & workshops; organizing and supporting Indian food and cultural festivals; publication of brochures, offering joint advertising and brochure support, and inviting media personalities, tour operators and opinion makers to visit the country under the Hospitality programme of the Ministry.

The Ministry of Tourism also provides financial assistance to approved stakeholders and Tourism Departments of States/Union Territories

for promotion of tourism in overseas markets, under the Marketing Development Assistance (MDA) Scheme.

The Ministry of Tourism has launched following two new schemes pursuant to the Budget 2014-15 announcements: 1) Swadesh Darshan for Integrated Development of Tourist Circuits around Specific Themes.

2) National Mission on Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Augmentation Drive (PRASAD) to beautify and improve the amenities and infrastructure at pilgrimage centres of all faiths.

Twelve theme based circuits i.e. North East Circuit, Buddhist Circuit, Himalayan Circuit, Coastal Circuit, Krishna Circuit, Desert Circuit, Tribal Circuit, Eco Circuit, Wildlife Circuit, Rural Circuit, Spiritual Circuit and Ramayana Circuit have been identified for development under “Swadesh Darshan”. The circuits can provide engaging and complete tourism experience to both domestic and foreign tourists.

Under PRASAD, initially twelve cities have been identified namely Ajmer, Amritsar, Amravati, Dwarka, Gaya, Kedarnath, Kamakhaya, Kanchipuram, Mathura, Puri, Varanasi and Velankanni.

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alindo Air, Malaysia’s hybrid airline today officially announced that it has been granted approval from Civil Aviation Safety Authority of Australia (CASA) to fly from Kuala Lumpur to Perth.

Australia will be the eighth country in the airline’s growing international route network. The 11x weekly service will commence on 11 November 2015.

Promotional fares for the new route start from RM599 for Economy Class and RM1, 499 for Business Class oneway all inclusive of perks such as free baggage allowance, in-flight entertainment, a meal and light refreshments.

Ticket sales will begin upon

24  Tourism India October 2015

receiving approval from Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) Malaysia.

The narrow-body Boeing 737-900ER aircraft with a seat capacity of 180, with 12 Business Class and 168 Economy Class seats, will be deployed on the 4,126 kilometer route. The 5 hour 50 minute flight will be the furthest route from the carrier’s main hub in KLIA2 by distance.

CEO of Malindo Air Chandran Rama Muthy said, “We are extremely excited to get approval from CASA to commence Malindo Air’s flight to Australia and to name Perth as our first Australian destination. We are indeed very

thankful to CASA for their unrelenting support and cooperation throughout our application process.”

“Our international network development in the second half of 2015 supports our long-term vision to provide travellers with an extensive range of destinations and seamless connectivity from Kuala Lumpur as a regional hub. Perth will expand our coverage and strengthen our customer proposition in the strategically important markets of Asia. We are very confident that this new service, our first to Australia, will boost travel and trade between Australia and Malaysia,” said Chandran

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tihad Airways will introduce sweeping new baggage policy enhancements in conjunction with the launch of its new Fare Choices tariff structure, effective for tickets issued on or after 14 September 2015, providing more choice and clarity to its guests.

Majority of routes move to piece concept allowance Excess baggage charges cut dramatically Enhanced benefits for Etihad Guest members The new policy has been introduced to respond to individual customer needs with greater flexibility and to more closely align Etihad Airways with other Etihad Airways Partner airlines. The changes will provide greater benefits to travellers, with increased rewards for Etihad Guest loyalty program members.

Peter Baumgartner, Etihad Airways Chief Commercial Officer, said: “In line with industry best practice, we are moving to a fair and transparent baggage concept.

Our new Fare Choices are an easier way for guests to understand what they are paying for, offering clearer pricing, and the flexibility which best suits their travel plans.

This also applies to their baggage requirements.”

Most routes will now operate on a piece concept basis. This means that customers are entitled to one, two, or three bags, depending on their Fare Choice, route, and Etihad Guest membership status.

As part of the policy change, the cost of excess baggage will be dramatically cut on the majority of fares.

On some routes the cost of buying an additional 23kg piece of baggage will be reduced by up to 90 per cent, with a further reduction of up to 30 per cent if pre-purchased directly with Etihad Airways up to 24 hours before travel.

Members of Etihad Guest, Etihad Airways’ award-winning loyalty program, will especially benefit from the new baggage concept, as higher tier members now receive an extra bag or additional weight allowance depending on the market and route.

New baggage policy highlights: Increased allowance for Economy Value and Economy Freedom guests on certain routes from 30kg to two pieces of baggage at 23kg per bag - a total allowance of 46kg.

On selected routes, the Economy Class allowance has been increased for all fare choices from 30kg to two pieces of baggage at 23kg per bag.

In premium cabins on certain routes, the allowance has been increased from 40/50kg to two pieces of baggage at 32kg per bag.

Etihad Gold and Platinum members will receive one extra piece of baggage at 32kg on piece concept routes, compared to 15kg and 20kg respectively previously.

For piece concept markets, Etihad Silver members now receive a minimum of 2 bags of 23kg.

Tourism India October 2015 

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Mr. Bino George, District Sales Manager, Trivandrum of Oman Air handing over the prize to a winner at Corporate Convention held at Triavndrum

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man Air conducted a Corporate Convention at Hotel Hycinth, Trivandrum, on 30th September, which was attended by around 60 26  Tourism India October 2015

participants from the leading corporate companies, frequent flyers, office bearers of the associations IMA & CREDAI, PRO's of leading

hospitals handling the medical tourism segment, members of the French /German cultural centers and media personalities.

An interactive product presentation highlighting the opportunities presented

by Oman as a tourist destination, launching of the new B-787- Dreamliner on Salalah /Frankfurt routes, the value adds of the Sindbad program, the SPA's and code share options available, the STPC / lounge options available at Muscat for transit passengers, chauffeur services for Premium, and the in flight products and services - in economy , business & first class on the wide body sectors were discussed. The event was successful in generating an interest among the participants on Oman Air products.

The participants were entertained by a British lady singer. A quiz competition and lucky draw was conducted and gifts were presented to the winners.

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madeus travel agents first to gain access to Travelguru’s extensive Indian hotel content Amadeus to distribute Travelguru’s 20,000 hotels from 800 Indian cities Travelguru, India’s largest domestic hotel content provider has chosen Amadeus to distribute its 20,000+ hotels from across 800 cities in India. This is the first time that Travelguru makes its content available through a global distribution system, offering both leisure and corporate travellers’ access to a widespread choice of hotels through the travel agency channel.

Travelguru’s hotel content will be available to agents in Q3 2015 through the extended marketplace in Amadeus Hotels Plus. This solution provides seamlessly integrated content from multiple hotel sources in one single interface. Travel agents can see hotel results in a standardised format making comparison shopping quick and easy.

Hotels partnering with

Travelguru will benefit from international reach through Amadeus’ global travel agency network. Travelguru will also offer dynamic commissions in the Amadeus solution, so that travel agents are guaranteed to have the most attractive commission available when booking a hotel for their customers.

Mr. Akash Poddar, Head of B2B Business, Travelguru said that global reach was a key factor in the decision to distribute their hotel content via Amadeus. “Amadeus’ true global network of travel agency customers means we can increase our sales channels. In addition Amadeus provides us with a globally adopted platform to engage with, and tap into, new mar-

kets which we previously could not reach. Domestically, this helps us to further consolidate our leadership position in the Indian subcontinent.”

Christian Lukey, Head of Hotel Distribution, Amadeus Asia Pacific commented, “This partnership with Travelguru ensures that the whole spectrum of hotel properties in India from boutique to budget and high-end luxury hotels are now available to Amadeus travel agents. India is an increasingly popular destination, for both leisure and corporate travellers, so it’s fundamental that Amadeus travel agents can offer as many choices as possible to their customers.”

The inclusion of Travelguru’s Indian hotel content means that Amadeus travel agents will now be able to search, shop and book over 1 million hotel shopping options.

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he third India International waiters’ race 2015 was held at Uday Samudra Leisure Beach Hotel & Spa Kovalam on 15th Oct, 2015. The purpose of the event is to recognize and acknowledge the invaluable services being rendered by the waiter’s fraternity who are the unsung heroes in the hospitality sector Shri Kamal Vardhana Rao, Secretary Kerala Tourism was the chief guest for the valedictory function and he congratulated the organizers in rolling out a noble and novel venture to enthuse the waiter community. Shri H Venkatesh, Commissioner of city police, while inaugurating the function opined that more and more awareness to be provided to the waiters for exhibiting their inherent talents. Shri Rajashekharan Nair, CMD of UDS informed that hereafter Oct 15th will 28  Tourism India October 2015

be celebrated as waiter’s day.

Senior Hoteliers from various hotels, Hotel Owners, Officials from Tourism dept. etc. attended the function.

This was a full day event starting from 8AM to 6PM, with over 100 participants representing the leading hotel groups across South India, all trying for that top spot.

The below mentioned are the competitions which was conducted in the event.

1, Salver Obstacle Race, 2, Salver relay Race 3, Salver long distance Race 4, Water pouring Competition, 5, Table Frilling Competition, 6, Napkin folding 7, Cocktail making, 8, Food & Beverage Quiz Once again this event has proved to be a great success drawing support from the neighboring hotels across South India, with around 100 participants from 20 participating hotels. The overall win-

ner of the event was Vivanta

By TAJ, Kovalam & Runners – up Uday Samudra Leisure Beach Hotel & Spa, Kovalam Man of the Event was won by Mr.Ghasi Sameem, Vivanta

By TAJ, Kovalam.

These events were judged

by IHMCT, Kovalam (Institute of Hotel Management & Catering Technology, Ministry of Tourism.

The origin of ‘Waiters’ Race’ was in France in the beginning of 20th century and since then it has been held in Paris, London, Berlin and other parts of the world.

These events were started to recognize the importance of waiter profession in the hotel industry. Now, for more than a century these events have been bringing waiters together for competitions from different restaurants of hotels around the world.

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ims to bring in operational excellence & set a higher benchmark in customer service MiCar, the leading selfdrive car rental company which was launched last year in July 2014 in New Delhi by Mr. Suyagya Agrawal, is set to usher in an evolved standard of operational excellence and raise the bar for customer service in the industry. To this end, it has announced the appointment of Mr. Ashok Vashist as the new CEO. Mr. Vashist will execute MiCar’s expansion plans across multiple cities, boost customer experience and target higher operational excellence.

Mr. Vashist’s long association with the car rental industry and his profound experience in working with reputed brands makes him the perfect fit to lead the growth curve at MiCar. His chief responsibilities at the company will involve Operations Management and Excellence, Marketing, Customer Experience and Overall Strategy.

Talking about the appointment and his key respon-

sibilities, Mr. Vashist says, “I’m elated to take on this new role that’s as challenging as it will be rewarding.

My constant endeavour is to make sure that our customers get the best. As a step in the same direction, we’ve introduced new offers such as doorstep delivery, easy booking through mobile and web app, low security deposit and a transparent billing system.”

Mr Vashist has been instrumental in the growth and expansion story of global car rental brands in India. He has been the brain behind innovative strategies that have now become a prototype for every new car rental com-

pany to follow. During the course of his career, he has held various senior level positions in Sales, Marketing and Operations with industry bigwigs such as Hertz, Europcar, Easycabs and Wise Travel India (WTI).

MiCar is a self-drive car rental company that provides self-drive cars for rent at the customer’s doorstep – at affordable per hour/per day rates. Consumers can avail of this service by going on the company’s mobile and web app. With a fleet network of 150+ cars, MiCar is currently offering cars for self-drive in Delhi NCR with its head office in Dwarka.

MiCar is changing the way cars are owned and rented out thanks to its economic and convenient approach with affordable rates, userfriendly app-based booking, paperless billing, doorstep delivery and minimal security deposit to name a few.

The company has also ensured that there is minimum paperwork for the customer.

A Perfect Portrait of God’s Own Country

KERALA TOURISM MAGAZNE www.keralatourismmagazine.com

A mirror to Kerala’s Business, Industry & Development

BRAND KERALA MAGAZINE www.brandkerala.biz Tourism India October 2015 

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ite Bite Foods HMSHost to pump 100 crore in next to 3 to 4years to develop travel destinations ~Lite Bite Foods partnered with HMSHost to acquire rights to operate outlets at travel destinations~ ~Company will focus to develop travel retail destinations~ In an endeavour to evolve the F&B industry in India, Lite Bite Foods with HMSHost, the world’s largest provider of food and beverage services will together bid to acquire the rights to launch and operate international and domestic F&B outlets at retail destinations like airport, train stations and highways across India. With HMS Host’s presence across the dynamic F&B markets in the world, it will bring tremendous opportunities for Lite Bite Foods to enter new markets.

The joint venture will operate under the name Lite Bite Foods HMSHost and will 30  Tourism India October 2015

be based out of Gurgaon.

While HMS will own 51% of the joint venture, LBF will own the remaining 49%. The association combines the global resources and expertise of HMSHost and Lite Bite Foods. The partnership will capitalize on the strong reputation HMSHost has developed as a leading provider of food and beverage services for travellers. Lite Bite Foods will use its expertise in operating outlets at Delhi & Mumbai airports and its robust presence across the country.

Speaking on the occasion, Lite Bite Foods Chairman Mr. Amit Burman said: “Lite Bite Foods has in its fold a number of strong food retail brands like Baker's Street, Punjab Grill and FrescCo, and Autogrill is among the oldest and the leading F&B service provider for travellers across the globe. The new company has the combined value of Autogrill's international ex-

pertise and experience and Lite Bite Foods' extensive local market and cuisine knowledge and network of established outlets. This agreement represents each organization’s strong commitment to provide the best F&B retail experience to our consumers across all travel channels. Together, we will bring an exciting new force to the country's travel food retail industry and revolutionise this emerging channel.”

Further to this, Mr. Rohit Aggarwal, Director, Lite Bite Foods said, “Lite Bite Foods HMSHost proposes to acquire the rights to operate outlets at the Airports in India and neighboring countries, at these locations, we plan to increase the brand presence of all our brands at strategic locations.”

Mr. SharadSachdeva, CEO, Lite Bite Foods said, “With millions of passengers travelling annually, the transit

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hubs like Airports & Railway Station have become a strategic location for our brand’s presence. We are very excited about this JV and this association will definitely help extend our brand in neighboring countries as well.”

“This partnership is an important step forward in the strategy of expansion in emerging markets, especially in Asia, which the Group has been adopting in recent years,” said HMSHost International CEO Walter Seib. “We are confident that the know-how developed

by Autogrill on an international level and Lite Bite Foods’ knowledge of the Indian market will enable the two companies to successfully expand in all the travel channels in the country. We are thrilled to work with one of the most reputable family companies in India which have been very successful in the food & beverage sector as well.”

conic New York landmark, The Pierre, A Taj Hotel, welcomes Francois-Olivier Luiggi as the property's newly-appointed General Manager. In his new role, Luiggi will be responsible for managing all hotel operations.

"Francois-Olivier's global perspective and proven track record in the luxury hospitality industry positions him perfectly for the role of General Manager at The Pierre, A Taj Hotel," said Rakesh Sarna, Managing Director of Taj Hotels Resorts & Palaces. "With his diverse international experience, energy and enthusiasm, we are confident Francois-Olivier will continue to elevate the property to a new era of glamour and excellence."

Prior to his appointment at The Pierre, A Taj Hotel, Luiggi spent over five years as General Manager at Langham Place, Fifth Avenue and has experience at some of New York City's finest properties, including The Mark and The Carlyle.

"I am proud to join the Taj Hotels Resorts & Palaces team, especially at a storied landmark property like The Pierre, A Taj Hotel," said Luiggi. "As one of NYC's most iconic and vibrant hotels, I look forward to joining the dynamic associ-

ates behind the five-star standards for which The Pierre is known, and contributing my own brand of hospitality to create a refreshing experience for our guests."

Originally from Corsica, France, Luiggi graduated from ESSEC Business School in France, with a joint MBA in Hotel Management from Cornell University. After completing his studies, Luiggi entered the hospitality world through the Food & Beverage division, quickly rising through the ranks to become the Corporate F&B Training Specialist for the entire Four Seasons brand. An internationally-trained hotelier, he speaks fluent English, French and Italian.

Well-regarded throughout the luxury world for its finely-tuned service, wellappointed accommodations and innovative food and beverage program, The Pierre, A Taj Hotel has long stood as an icon in Manhattan, attracting heads of state, titans of industry and royalty.

Tourism India October 2015 

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nterContinental Chennai Mahabalipuram Resort to be the most luxurious destination in the “Golden Triangle of Tamil Nadu” InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), one of world’s leading hotel companies has announced the opening of the highly-anticipated InterContinental Chennai Mahabalipuram Resort in India. The Resort will join InterContinental Mumbai Marine Drive to be the second hotel under the company's luxury portfolio in India.

Located 30 kilo meters from the Chennai In32  Tourism India October 2015

ternational Airport, InterContinental Chennai Mahabalipuram offers worldclass accommodation to discerning guests who can unwind, and be pampered in the lap of luxury. The resort is located in a picturesque location overlooking the Bay of Bengal on East Coast Road, making it one of the most exclusive properties in the city and joins the award winning InterContinental Hotels & Resorts around the world such as InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula in Vietnam.

Mr. Shantha de Silva, Head

of South West Asia, IHG commented, “The opening of InterContinental Chennai Mahabalipuram Resort marks an important milestone in IHG’s journey in India. Chennai is a city that boasts the perfect mix of diversity and culture with a glossy layer of cosmopolitan glamour. Whether for a leisure break, an intimate wedding or a romantic getaway, our newest property in Chennai will offer unrivalled facilities and access to many cultural opportunities of one of the country’s biggest cities.”

The 105room resort offers a full range of facilities and amenities to guests, including an outdoor swimming pool, a fully-equipped health club and a spa that offers relaxing therapies including indigenous sea-inspired beauty treatments and yoga.

The resorts expansive and versatile indoor and outdoor venues are ideal for conferences, meetings, and special occasions such as wedding celebrations.

InterContinental Chennai Mahabalipuram offers three gourmet dining op-

tions which includes an The Melting Pot with three live kitchens that serves the best in European, South Asian and Peninsular Indian cuisine, a Chinese Specialty Restaurant, Tao Of Peng & Lounge Bar, The luxury resort has been designed by CV Sydney, a firm which is an offspring of the renowned Singapore based Kerry Hill design firm.

All rooms are elegantly designed and furnished to provide maximum comfort to guests. In addition to the breath-taking view, the hotel has state-of-the-art architecture and décor to add to the luxurious experience of world-class accommodation, personalized service, and dedicated amenities.

Mr. Vijai Singh, General Manager, InterContinental Chennai Mahabalipuram Resort said, “The InterContinental brand is trusted around the world for its superior service which guests have come to know and appreciate. InterContinental Chennai Mahabalipuram Resort will be one of the first five star beach resorts on the east coast of India and is sure to offer unforgettable memories to the guests visiting the city.”

To celebrate its launch, InterContinental Chennai Mahabalipuram Resort is offering a special opening

rates starting from INR 9900 per room, per night, inclusive of breakfast for two and a dine in credit of 2000 per day. For more information and reservations please log on to www.intercontinental. com/chennai InterContinental Hotels and Resorts is one of the world's leading hotel brands with a long and successful heritage, going back over 65 years when the first InterContinental was founded in 1946. Today, InterContinental is an award-winning brand, picking up accolades such as the coveted title of "World's Leading Hotel Brand" at the World Travel Awards last year – an award it has held for six consecutive years; and the title of "Best Hotel Brand Worldwide" in this year's Business Traveller Middle East Awards. Globally, IHG operates 180 InterContinental hotels and resorts, with 52 hotels due to open in the next three to five years.

IHG® currently has 22 hotels operating across four brands in 14 cities in India, including: InterContinental, Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express with a further 47 hotels in the development pipeline.

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he world’s most recognised hotel brand opens in Bangalore, offering the brand’s renowned warmth and comfort InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG®) hasopenedHoliday Inn®& Suites Bengaluru– the first Holiday Inn hotel in the Silicon Valley of India. Located inWhitefield, the city’s biggest IT hub, the 122-room Holiday Inn & Suites Bengaluru alsoincludes19 suites and two apartments and caters to the growth of business and leisure travellers to the city.

The hotel, which was previously Alila Bengaluru, has received a series of awards and accolades for its design and contemporary look. The hotel features an open lobby and extensive landscaping to create a fresh feel and relaxing environment.

Guests staying at Holiday Inn & Suites Bengalurucan choose froma variety of ways to unwind after a busy day, whether it’s a swim in the infinity pool, which offers views of the city’s skylineor wind down in The Library, a contemporary lounge featuring business facilities, as well as plenty of books for the literary enthusiasts.

Guests can also choose to have a workout in the wellequipped gym or make the most of the hotel’s spa.

The hotel caters tothe city’s growing business sector with The Event Centre, made up of three flexible event spaces of indoor and outdoor space, including a

ballroom which can host up to 160 guests.

For relaxing dining experiences, the hotel has two restaurantsand a bar. The signature restaurant, Pasha Bar and Grill, offers north Indian-inspired dishes in a relaxed and modern setting, while guests can enjoy comforting and fresh, international dishes at Tiffin Room throughout the day. For a light bite and drinks, guests can get comfortable and settle in at Tiffin Bar. Commenting on opening of the hotel, Shantha de Silva, Head of South West Asia, IHGsaid:“Over the last decade, Bengaluru has emerged as a popular cosmopolitan city in India.

The combination of business opportunities and the vibrant culture attracts both business and leisure travellers so we’re delighted to have converted this property to the Holiday Inn brand and bring it under our portfolio of hotels. It’s the perfect destination for us to expand our footprint in the southern Indian market.

“The opening of this hotel is in line with our strategic expansion plans to grow the Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express hotels across India. These brands make up more than 85 per cent of our

development pipeline in the country.”

Mr GautamNambisan, Chairman, UKN Properties commented:“Bangalore is one of the fastest growing cities in India, driven by the huge expansion of the technology industry here - and there’s room for even further growth in the coming years.

It’s a pleasure to join the IHG family by converting this hotel to the Holiday Inn brand.

We’re looking forward to a fruitful partnership.”

Holiday Inn is one of the fastest growing hotel brands in the world, with 88 hotels and 20,300rooms open

across the Asia, Middle East and Africa (AMEA) region, and a further 52 properties in the company's development pipeline in AMEA. Globally there are almost 1,200 Holiday Inn properties open and 273 properties due to open within the next three to five years.

To book and explore other Holiday Inn Hotels and Resorts around the world, visit www.holidayinn.com.

Tourism India October 2015 

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By Susheela Nair

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s I stepped into the Shangri-La Hotel, a doorman in his jewel-toned sherwani and brocade headdress greeted me. Nine enormous cylindrical chandeliers and imposing marble columns highlighted by wall sconces with intricate motifs herald a welcome to the lobby. The 36  Tourism India October 2015

sandstone wall installation depicting a gold-stained palm leaf pattern in the Lobby Lounge was equally striking. Ensconced in the heart of Bangalore’s bustling Palace Road, on a 2-acre land between the central business district and residential suburb, the 397-room Shangri-La Hotel stands

19-storeys tall in a leafy blue ribbon suburb. It offers close proximity to the city’s nerve centres of trade and leisure.

The city’s hotspots are also just a stone’s throw.

In keeping with the ‘green spirit’ of Bangalore, the hotel has infused abstract floral silhouettes in its tiles, carpets, furniture, fabrics, and wood carved screens. Other impressive stylish hints in the public spaces include marble from Italy, Turkey and China and textiles sourced from United Kingdom. Towering above the city’s skyline, the guestrooms exude a soothing retreat in beige. One feels cocooned in a world so distant from the mad, honking traffic outside. Gazing out from my window, I had a stunning view of some of the city’s landmarks tucked amidst abundant foliage.

The rooms ranging in size from 41 to 274 sq. metres flaunt an earthy colour palette enhanced by light and dark timber, and carved em-

bellishments.

The hotel’s 30 suites– awash in colours of gold, plum and green – range from 98 to 274 sq metres. Guests of the 3 Governor Suites and the Palatial Shangri-La-Suite have the privilege of enjoying full access to the Horizon Club Lounge. Also catering for Horizon Club guests, the lounge is a sophisticated space providing breakfast, tea, evening cocktails and the services of a concierge team. While tucking into breakfast in the Horizon Lounge I had sweeping views of the city, lush greenery and the Bangalore Palace in the distance.

Shang Palace, Shangri-

La’s signature Chinese restaurant, will be opened shortly. Cantonese dim sum, barbeque specialties, the flavours of Sichuan, Beijing and north-east China, as well as regional vegetarian dishes will find a place in their menu. Shang Palace boasts

a modern and vibrant design with strong Chinese design elements; stone carvings and gold and silver leaf, pearl, rock crystals, marble and vases. Guests can entertain in this elegant setting or in one of the private dining rooms. b Café, the all-day dining

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restaurant on the lobby level, features interactive kitchens preparing international and local fare for its buffet and a la carte menu. Adjoining the restaurant is b Café Pastry –an enticing alcove for eat-in or take-away sweets and savouries. Closely following the opening, three more restaurants will open at Shangri-La Hotel. They include Caprese – a stylish Mediterranean restaurant on level 18, serving seafood, traditional Italian dishes, Middle Eastern meeze platters and Spanish tapas among topiary pots and wood finishes.

On the same level, diners can feast on cuisine from the north and south of India at Saffron, while admiring the Indian restaurant’s ornate carvings and metallic sandstone sculptures. For an alternative sky-high dining experience, Yatail is a medley of the best of traditional and modern Japanese food to deliver fresh sushi and sashimi, and tappanyaki for dinner.

Hype, a trendy and distinctive bar on the hotel’s rooftop, on level 9, is scheduled to open before year end. Set against the city’s backdrop 38  Tourism India October 2015

a chic indoor and outdoor lounge offers plenty of space to indulge in worldclass whiskeys or handcrafted cocktails by expert bartenders’ under the open sky bar and accompanied to the energetic tunes spun by guest DJs, guests can nibble their way through a tapas menu or sip on custom zodiac cocktails.

CHI, Shangri_La’s signature spa is a serene and luxurious retreat in the sky. A brass sculpture fashioned to resemble a blooming flower and flaming sun greets guests at the entrance of level 3. In harmony with the warmness of the art piece, the spa is punctuated with dark timber floors. One can experience a fusion of chi techniques and Ayurveda treatments namely Udhwartana, Shirodhara, Pinda and Sweda can be in one of the nine treatment rooms, including VIP couple suites and a dedicated Ayurveda room.

Adjacent to CHI, The Spa is the health club, facing the door and kid’s swimming pools. The 24-hour gymnasium offers state-of-the-art equipment and time-deprived executives the option to work and hold conference calls during a training session- made possible through an Android interface system.

For fitness freaks the hotel provides a host of wellness facilities which include a sauna, steam room and Jacuzzi,

weekly Yoga sessions and the well program – a running tour of nearby Bangalore Palace or Cubbon Park, accompanied by a health associate.

Spread over 2 levels are the hotel’s splendid banqueting areas, conference and meeting rooms, “Our diverse portfolio of accommodation, dining destination and meeting space means we are perfectly positioned to set new standards and provide an urban lifestyle for our guests from the community and all over the world.” said Jens Corder, General Manager of Shangri-La. Hong Kong based Shangri-La Hotels & Resorts, one of the world’s premier hotel companies which currently owns and manages more than 90 hotels under the Shangri-La brand with a room inventory of 38,000. “I am thrilled to bring ’Hospitality from the heart’ our brand’s philosophy to this historic yet urban city of Bangalore. With my efficient and capable team, we shall aim to build an operating philosophy based around the quality and consistency, strengthening the reputation of the hotel and ownership by providing guests with distinctive Asian standards of hospitality and service which has always been the cornerstone of our brand,’ added Corder. Known for its warm hospitality and stellar cuisine, over 4 decades the group has established its brand hallmark of ‘hospitality from the heart’.

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”are family, a unique vacation homes is proud to announce the launch of two brand new luxurious properties in Goa on October 1st, 2015 with the aim of adding more properties by the end of this year. Casa Verma and 3 Tropical Woodshave unmatched luxury and beautiful environment. An easy to book and affordable lodging option, “V” are family 40  Tourism India October 2015

give travellers a “home away from home” to enjoy time together and offer a variety of accommodations to enjoy beachfront hideaways in Goa. 1. Casa Verma – Situated in the heart of South Goa’s bustling Cavelosimbeach area and sits within a luxurious gated community on the banks of the river Sal. 2. Tropical Woods - Ten min-

utes off the Panjim bridge in North Goa, this home is perched up on top of a hill, overlooking the grand vistas of the of river Mapsa back waters.

Commenting on the launch of the Goa properties, Mr. AmanBatra said, “Goa is a great place for travel and we are excited to announce that we now have homes in the area! Especially since

new-year is around the corner, there will be an increase in tourism and bookings. We’re adding more options to make everyone’s travel and stay a lot more comfortable!”

V are family aims to provide a luxurious experience in beautiful environments. The vacation home is fully inclusive of the dedicated space and staff at your disposal.

Unlike mainstream 4 and 5 star hotels,which charge additionally per person, and lack private spaces for entire families and groups, and where F&B margins are prohibitive and plus plus costs are the norm, at “V” are family, home rules apply. One can even feel free to bring one’s own provisions for food and beverages, or order what you wish to eat and the villa staff will purchase the ingredients locally at market cost, and cook you any Indian home meal.

About the Founder: Mr. AmanBatra, Founder of “V” are family is an entrepreneur and management professional, with experience of incubating multiple new ventures and managing operations at large and medium sized enterprises. He completed his studies from Babson College, USA and started his career as an investment banker in New York and continued in the financial sector with Ernst & Young in India.

He is an Alumni of the Law-

rence School Sanawar and Modern School VasantVihar, New Delhi.

About “V” are family:“V” are family is a whole new concept of defining leisure holidays with friends and family, in a homely atmosphere, with a pristine surrounding. They offer comfortable homes across categories

including, Hill Villas, Beach Bungalows, Farm Houses and Golf Resorts. These luxurious vacationhomes are perfect for groups of 8 to 15 people, and even more so with kids.

All the homes are tastefully furnished, technology enabled, and fully equipped on a standardized platform that is best in class.

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artnership Will Strengthen Florida’s Travel Experiences among Global Millennials and Hispanics VISIT FLORIDA CMO Paul Phipps announced a new partnership with global music superstar Pitbull during the Florida Governor's Conference on Tourism in Tampa recently. The partnership is designed to help Florida integrate its travel brand into the

international music scene on a huge scale through this unprecedented ambassador program.

Some of the partnership highlights: • With more than 100 million social followers, Pitbull will use and feature VISIT FLORIDA’s #LoveFL hashtag on all his video screens at concerts around the world, as well as on his live New Year’s Eve special from Miami on Fox • VISIT FLORIDA will be doing a week-long takeover on Elvis Duran and the Morning Show/iHeart Radio featuring daily prize packages to Miami and VIP passes for Pitbull’s New Year’s Eve event • Florida’s beaches will be the exclusive backdrop of Pitbull’s upcoming video for the single “Sexy Beaches” – his videos have over 6 billion views, his worldwide music sales exceed 60 million singles and he has No. 1 hits in

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more than 15 countries “Pitbull is certainly ‘Mr. Worldwide,’ but he’s also a native Floridian with a true passion for the Sunshine State,” said Paul Phipps, Chief Marketing Officer for VISIT FLORIDA. “Aligning our two brands not only allows us to have a Florida ambassador who can help tell the authentic story of the state’s diverse travel experiences, but provides us a platform to reach a new generation of travelers through his global fan base.”

Other elements of VISIT FLORIDA’s partnership with Pitbull include promotional appearances, concert ‘meet and greets,’ social media calls to action driving to VISIT FLORIDA’s Facebook page and the inclusion of Florida locales in future music videos.

“Florida is home, and I’m excited to be working with VISIT FLORIDA to share what I love about the Sunshine State with my fans around the world,” Pitbull said.

elebrity Designer Mr. Narendra Kumar was presented with a voucher for a stay at Hotel Fairmont, Monaco by Mr. Rajeev Nangia, Director, Monaco Government Tourist Bureau. This was presented during Lakme Fashion Week Winter/Festive 2015 collection. Monaco Government Tourist Bureau associated with the famous designer Narendra Kumar. He showcased his collection inspired by charismatic fashion character and style of Monaco.

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amaica is a beautiful island offering fantastic beaches, picturesque landscapes and broad expanses of rugged terrain and there is no better way to explore the mountain trails, the peaceful meadows and the sandy shores of the island than by horseback. The island country is not only familiar as wedding and honeymoon destination, but is also popular for family vacations for its adventurous equestrian activities.

The equestrian activities

by Caymanas Park situated in Kingston, the capital city of Jamaica promises one to be the most fun-filled experience. Whether you go 44  Tourism India October 2015

to admire the prime stock at any of the major derbys or watch as the horses and jockeys compete for prizes and awards, race day is always a delight. For those travelling with families, the fully staffed Kiddies Stable is open for children-centred activities on racing days.

Experience the thrill of riding a beautiful horse through the scenic countryside, along the shore to a beautiful, white-sand beach where your dream of riding a horse into the sea becomes a reality. Braco Stables is a truly fun and enjoyable equestrian experience for the whole family offering you a ride with trained guides.

The horseback riding adventure provided by Hooves Ltd. is a the two hour long trail which takes you back in time to learn about Jamaica's turbulent past, and combines history with fun, as you take a horseback ride through the waves. Your knowledgeable guide will give you a constant narration of the scenery and area, telling the story of Jamaica along the way.

Experience a swim with the horse in Caribbean Sea by one of the most popular horse back adventures of Jamaica, Chukka Caribbean Adventures. The tour offers a three-hour horseback ride that passes through several

old sugar plantations and ends up on a private beach. It lets you enjoy a ride through the vibrant scenes and ends with a swim.

One cannot resist visiting Half Moon Equestrian Centre for some serious horseback activities in Jamaica's popular Half Moon Hotel. The equestrian centre also provides a number of rides which includes rides for beginners, swim with the horse and pony rides for the kids. The centre also provides sessions on the skills of using body language to communicate and control the horse.

Jamaica is well known for its love and passion for

sports. With fun filled equestrian activities to unforgettable experience to elegant and vibrant views, Jamaica, the land of Wood and Water has a lot to offer to its tour-

ist. Whether an experienced horse rider or a first timer, horse back rides in Jamaica will be an incredible experience.

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estled between bush and hills and girdled by food-rich offshore currents, Dunedin has achieved the reputation as the wildlife capital of New Zealand. In addition to its flagship penguin and albatross residents, the city and environs offer the visiting birder a diverse mix of avifauna - whether endemic, introduced, or migrant.

Tourism New Zealand is yet again leading the field in destination marketing entering a global partnership with Facebook to attract visitors to New Zealand.

The Kombi Diaries, a series of five short films following 46  Tourism India October 2015

a couple's trip around New Zealand is the result of a direct collaboration between Tourism New Zealand and Facebook's in house creative team, developing integrated creative to work across their platforms of Instagram and Facebook. The global digital campaign featuring The Kombi Diaries will feature across nine markets.

Description: Macintosh HD:Users:karishmakirpalani: Desktop:Kombi Diaries 1.jpg This activity will be launched through Facebook India on 10th August targeting Active Considerers in the key cities -Mumbai, Delhi,

Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Ahmadabad and Kolkata.

The creative collaboration brought together people who traditionally would never work together to build story-driven content and Facebook describes the result as 'world class'.

Tourism New Zealand's Director of Marketing, Andrew Fraser said it was increasingly important to be able to work effectively across all digital platforms and working directly with Facebook was a great opportunity to ensure the campaign used the most effective best

practice techniques.

"Essentially what we did was go to Facebook and ask them to create a content idea that addressed some of the barriers faced by people who are actively considering coming to New Zealand. Our research showed that while this audience understands the epic landscapes, there are gaps in their knowledge regarding their perceptions of our infrastructure, ease of travelling around New Zealand and the variety of things to do and see.

"These are the people Tourism New Zealand wanted to target. They are not the

fly and flop type of visitor. They are the type of visitors looking for real experiences and appreciate authenticity and that is what The Kombi Diaries is about," says Andrew.

To u r i s m New Zealand established collaboration between production company, Symphony, and the Facebook creative shop to bring the idea to life. The result is an engaging, natural story of two American tourists missing the train to Wellington from Britomart and embarking on a Kombi road trip where they meet the locals and see the country.

"The Facebook Creative Shop was on the road trip, collaborated with the production crew and shot their own content. The Facebook team provided two strong insights. The first was a technique to start each of the films in reverse to grab attention in the opening seconds and keep people watching to the end. The second was around length, to not be re-

stricted by 30 or 60 seconds, and make the films as long as was necessary to tell the story and remain interesting."

The Facebook-produced content includes films, stills and cinema graphs. In addition, www.newzealand.com/ kombidiaries has been established to encourage sharing of stories.

Facebook Creative Shop's Gavin Carver says: "This was a pure creative collaboration among people who, traditionally, would never have worked together. It's paving the way for how we grow clients' business, build storydriven content and creatively inspire each another. Symphony really understood the opportunity to tell brand stories on our platforms and the result is world-class.

"Tourism New Zealand is redefining marketing for this category. They have married art and science to create content that is relevant and engaging for a global audience on Facebook and Instagram."

Symphony's Client Liaison Peter Moore says: "To be able to target stories into the Facebook medium and have them integrated into a global promotion is not the near future, but the now reality of brand storytelling. It's fantastic to see Tourism New Zealand embracing this." w w w.facebook.com/ purenewzealand w w w. i n s t a g r a m . c o m / purenewzealand www.newzealand.com/ kombidiaries Tourism India October 2015  ďƒŽďƒŽ

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ioneers in personal mobility devices create new benchmark in Green Personal transportation Bird Mobility is all set to raise the bar in Green Personal Transportation with addition of new products to its portfolio of personal mobility devices. The company will now get into the small electric vehicle segment and will be exclusive distributors of the Gocycle, Ninebot products, Bird Board Drifter scooter, Acton’s M scooter, Rocket skate and Blink (power skate board) in addition to the Segway Personal Transporter (PT).

With an international perspective and based on global market, Bird Mobility has focused on leading the innovation and technology reform of the smart transportation products in India. Today, Bird Mobility products address the concerns of ur48  Tourism India October 2015

ban congestion and pollution and have successfully become the first personal smart transportation for families.

“The growing concerns over traffic, rising pollution levels as well as increasing health awareness amongst people has resulted in a growing demand for personal mobility devices in India.

At Bird Mobility we focus on offering innovative solutions by bringing in best global brands that are known for developing safe, unique products thus redefining personal transportation for consumers and businesses in India”, shared Rony Abraham, Business Head – Bird Mobility The company will introduce the Gocycle, an automotive designed, lightweight electric bicycle and Bird Board, an electric selfbalancing skateboard. Additionally, they will also add to the small electric vehicle (SeV) segment with the Segway Personal Transporters GEN II Special Edition Models, Ninebot E and Ninebot One that are smaller versions of Bird Segway Personal Transporter (PT). The products will be made available to customers across India via

a robust network of authorized resellers and dealers appointed by Bird Mobility.

Soon these products will also be available online to customers through a dedicated e-Commerce Platform as well as existing e-Commerce platforms. In addition Bird Mobility will also provide full warranties and aftersales services for all products through their flagship service centres and network of resellers across India.

Bird Mobility has pioneered in selling personal mobility devices in Indian markets with selling Segway Personal Transporters (PTs) as their Exclusive Distributor for India Markets. Today, Bird Mobility is focused on serving the customers by developing safe, unique products that redefine personal transportation for consumers and businesses. Further keeping in mind the requirements like traffic concerns, rising pollution levels, health & fitness fanatics etc. Bird Mobility presents a wide range of mobility product options like Segway PT, Ninebot, Gocycle, Bird Board Drifter scooter, Acton’s M scooter, Rocket skate and Blink (power skate board), for markets in India.

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TOURISM INDIA October 2015 Vol. 17 No. 06

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