TOURISM INDIA SEPTEMBER 2015

ISSN 2249-4-2461

September 2015 Vol. 17 No. 05 Price: India ` 75 US$ 4.99 GBP 2.99

Kerala & Gujarat

shines at National Tourism Awards 2013-14

Tourism India September 2015 

3

4  Tourism India September 2015

Tourism India September 2015 

5

6  Tourism India September 2015

Connectivity and eVisa to more countries

T

he number of international tourist arrivals globally grew by 4% in the first half of 2015 and destinations worldwide received some 538 million international tourists between January and June 2015, an increase of 21 million compared to the same period of 2014 as per the latest statistics of UNWTO. Europe, Asia and the Pacific and the Middle East all recorded 5% growth in international arrivals and the Americas 4%.

In spite of this overall growth, results by destination are rather mixed.

Safety and security remain a global concern while the economic scenario is comparatively more volatile with the recovery of advanced economies contrasting with the slowdown of emerging economies. Tourism demand has also been impacted by lower oil prices and currency fluctuations.

Meanwhile the Ministry of Tourism has taken various initiatives to attract more foreign tourists in the country includes Launch of e-Tourist Visa for citizens of 77 countries, Promotion of the destinations through the Incredible India Campaign across the globe, Participation in major International Tourism Travel Fairs and Exhibitions, Organising Road Shows to promote tourism destinations and products of country in major tourist source markets in collaboration with stakeholders, Development and promotion of “Niche Tourism” products, Creating an increased pool of trained manpower in Hospitality Tourism sectors for delivery of quality service to the tourist, Release of regular domestic advertisement campaign in national print and electronic media, ‘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 and 24x7 ‘Incredible India Help Line’ to provide the tourist valuable information and to guide them during emergencies.

The recently concluded meeting of Indian Ambassadors/High Commissioners in various countries highlighted the importance of improving connectivity and wanted direct flights of Air India connecting the capital cities of various countries to India. The countries of Europe wanted that the facility of e-tourist visa be extended to all the European countries. The participating countries proposed that improving people to people exchanges and contacts will go a long way to improve the relationship of these countries with India and yield good results in other areas like trade etc.

They also offered to give incentives to Bollywood producers/directors for shooting films at beautiful locations in their countries. The Ambassadors Forum seeks involvement of serving Heads of Mission from all regions of the world and provides a unique platform for developing viable solutions for matters of vital interest, generating international goodwill and understanding along with decision makers.

Hope authorities will take the lead from our diplomats and roll the red carpet for a better future!

Ravisankar K.V. Editor Tourism India September 2015 

7

September 2015 Vol No. 17 No. 05

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 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

12

Kerala & Gujarat shines at National Tourism Awards 2013-14

Vindod Zutshi, IAS, New Union Secretary of Tourism India to Pact with Seychelles for Revised Air Services Aswani Lohani new CMD of Air India Kerala & Gujarat shines at National Tourism Awards 2013-14 National Tourism Awards 2013-14 - List of Awardees Abraham George will lead KTM Society Met Tube acquires Leela Goa Indian Civil Aviation and Tourism8th International Conferences held India and Cambodia sign MoU on Tourism Co-operation 4.5 % growth in FTA 170000 Tourists arrived on e-Tourist Visa Sports Ministry Recognizes 'Yoga' as a Sports Discipline Kerala Tourism to Strengthen Ties with Russia Tribal Circuit of Chhattisgarh to be in the Swadesj Darsjhan

10 10 11 12 15 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28

ISSN 2249-4-2461

September 2015 Vol. 16 No. 05 Price: India ` 75 US$ 4.99 GBP 2.99

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.

8  Tourism India September 2015

Festival- Navratri, Gujarat PIC Gujarat Tourism

www.mytourreview.com New Start up review platform for Tour Operators Worldwide 29 IACC Survey Reveals Generational Preferences of Meeting Planners 30 Immersive Events, for this year's IBTM Knowledge Programme 31 TRAC REP will represent Singapore Tourism in South 32 Medical and Wellness Tourism Promotion through a focused approach: Dr Mahesh 33 Jiva Grande at Vivanta by Taj - Bekal, Kerala Wins the 2015 Top Ten Organic Spa Awards 34 Ethihad Appoints Neeraja Bhatia the New VP 35 for Indian Sub-continent Zacharia George appointed as GM of Ramada Resort Alleppey 36 Air India Express between Varanasi and Sharjah inaugurated 36 TAj Group appoints Sarabjeet Singh 37 as Area Director, Sri Lanka and Maldives Emirates launch second daily A380 service to Frankfurt 38 Growth in Domestic Airline Passenger Numbers 39 Ethihad becomes founding member of 40 UAE Business Council in India Qatar Airways Returns to Nagpur 41 Oman Air-Cargolux Co-operation Adds Second Flight to Chennai 42 IT & CMA 2015 Chosen To Promote ASEAN MICE through Debut Forum 43 Lufthansa Cook and fly Contest held in Tie with "The Leela Palaces' 44 Toronto to Host IGLTA's 35th Annual Global Convention 45 Perth Airport adopts Amadeus' cloud technology 46 Tourism New Zealand Highlights its Offers for Corporate Travellers 47 Bali's Perfect Family Resort 48 Madame Tussauds Las Vegas' 49 Love in St Moritz 50 Brand USA Successfully Concludes FourthIndia Mission 52 launches luxury badge for the travel trade

India to Pact with Seychelles for Revised Air Services

20

Abraham George will lead KTM Society

India and Cambodia sign MoU on Tourism Co-operation

42

10

23

Oman Air-Cargolux Co-operation Adds Second Flight to Chennai

Tourism India September 2015 

9

M

r. Vinod Zutshi, a 1982 batch Indian Administrative Service officer, Rajasthan cadre, has been appointed as New Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, Govt of India, who succeed Dr. Lalit K Panwar, IAS who had retired from service on 31.07.2015.

Mr. Vinod Zutshi, was the Deputy Election Commissioner in the Election Commission of India prior to his elevation as Secretary-Tourism.

He was also the Secretary of

Tourism, Rajasthan, and Chairman, Rajasthan Tourism Deve l o p m e n t Corporation (RTDC) between 2004 and 2007 in his home cadre.

A postgraduate in Business Administration and an MBA, Zutshi started his career as an SDO in Rajasthan in

T

he Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, recently gave its approval for the signing of the revised Air Serv-

10  Tourism India September 2015

1984 and had been the Managing Director of Industries, Secretary for Education, Ag r i c u l t u r e , etc. in the home cadre Rajasthan. On Central deputation since 2009, Zutshi has been OSD and subsequently Deputy Election Commissioner in the Election Commission of India.

ices Agreement (ASA) between India and Seychelles to modernize and update the existing ASA signed on 30.10.1978.

The ASA signifies an important landmark in the civil aviation relations between India and Seychelles and has the potential to spur greater trade, investment, tourism and cultural exchanges between the two countries.

As a result of this agreement, the number of flights between India and Seychelles has been increased from three per week to seven per week.

M

r. Ashwani Lohani has taken charge of his new assignment as Chairman & managing Director of Air, India’s National carrier.

Prior to this he was the Commissioner & Managing Director of Madhya Pradesh Tourism. Mr. Ashwani Lohani, is one of the prominent face of India Tourism has considered as authority of Indian Heritage Railway .He had earlier worked as Chairman & Managing Director of India Tourism Development Corporation , Direc-

tor in the Ministry of Tourism Government of India, Director, National Rail Museum, New Delhi , Chief Mechanical Engineer, Northern Railways and Divisional Railway Manager, Delhi.

He has earlier been on the board of Andhra Pradesh Tourism and still on the board of Directors of Chattisgarh Tourism. He had earlier also served as Managing Director of MPSTDC ( June 2006 to December 2009 ) and during this period Madhya Pradesh Tourism bagged the National Tourism Award for ‘Best Tourism Performing State in the Country’ in 2008.

Recently the Appointments Committee of Cabinet has approved appointment of Lohani, a 1980 batch Indian Railway Service of Mechanical Engineers (IRSME) officer, as CMD, Air India Ltd in place of Mr. Rohit Nandan for tenure of three years, an order issued by Department of Personnel and Training said. .

Mr. Rohit Nandan, a 1982 batch IAS officer of Uttar Pradesh cadre, was in October last year given second extension till August 21. The first extension came on August 11, last year, after he completed a three-year term at the helm of Air India, steering it through a difficult phase of merger with the direction that the process of selection of a new CMD may be completed in the meantime. Following this, the Civil Aviation Ministry had sought his continuation in the post crediting Nandan with improving the performance of the loss-making airline and successfully making Air India a member of the 27-member global airlines grouping, Star Alliance.

The appointment comes at a time when the government is finding it difficult to make the airline more sustainable.

The government has been continuously infusing capital into Air India: Rs 2,500 crore in 2015-16, Rs 5,780 crore in 2014-15, and Rs 6,000 crore each in 201213 and 2013-14.

That apart, the government, in its supplementary demand for grants, provided Rs 800 crore as additional equity infusion.

The government seems to be in no mood to privatise the carrier and expects it will achieve operational profits next year.

Tourism India September 2015 

11

Mr. A.P.Anilumar, Minister for Tourism, Kerala and Mr. G. Kamal V Rao, Tourism Secretary of Kerala receiving the National Tourism award from Mr. Pranab Mukherjee, President of India in the presence of Dr. Mahesh Sharma, Union Minister of State for Tourism and Culture

G

ujarat Tourism has won National Tourism Award 2013-14 for the Best State/UT for Comprehensive Tourism Development while Kerala Tourism department and its private stake holders has bagged 10 awards including Most Innovative use of Information technology, Best Tourism Film, Best Foreign language brochure and Vivanta

by Taj KUmarakom ( Best 12  Tourism India September 2015

Four star Hotel) and Somatheeram Research Institute & Ayurveda Hospital Pvt. Ltd ( Best wellness Centre) The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee presented the National Tourism Awards 2013-14 at a function held at Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi today.

Speaking on the occasion, the President congratulated the award

winners and said that these exceptional individuals and institutions who have been felicitated today have distinguished themselves through their dedication in promoting India as a tourist destination. He said that broader social contacts between tourists and receiving communities go a long way in enhancing mutual understanding, tolerance, and awareness between

Mr. S. J. Haider, Tourism Secretary of Gujarat receiving the National Tourism award from Mr. Pranab Mukherjee, President of India

peoples. India offers one of the best tourism experiences in the world, he added.

The President said that with the growth of the Indian economy and the increase in disposable income of the people, we may expect tourist inflows to remain on a positive trajectory in the years to come. We must pay focussed attention to the building of a high quality tourism infrastructure in the country. The launch of two initiatives - Swadesh Darshan and PRASAD (Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Augmentation Drive) - aiming at integrated development of circuits and pilgrim centres would go a long way in achieving this objective.

He emphasized that the safety mechanisms that

we create, the precautions that we put in place must reassure our guests - so that they never have to be apprehensive about their personal safety or that of their belongings.

Highlighting the contribution of tourism to the economy, the Union Minister of State for Tourism (Independent Charge), Culture (Independent Charge), Civil Aviation, Dr. Mahesh Sharma said that the country earned Rs1,23,000 Crore rupees of foreign exchange through tourism last year . It contributes 6.8% to the GDP. Tourism, he said is an ‘Industry of Smiles’ and the Government gives top priority to Swachhta, Suraksha and hospitality as the 3 pillars of tourism promotion in the country.

Highlighting the recent

steps taken by the Government, Dr. Mahesh Sharma said that Welcome Booklet is being distributed at the International Airports, giving important information including DOs and Don’ts to the foreign travellers. Similarly, 24X7 helpline has been set up which is currently functional in Hindi and English and will soon be functional in 12 International languages.

Similarly, started in November last year, e-Tourist Visa facility has been extended to 113 countries in such a short span of time.

Dr. Mahesh Sharma said that the achievementsmade by the tourism industry could not have been possible without the contribution of the private stakeholders. The work done by the stakeTourism India September 2015 

13

Ms. Krishnendra Kaur "Deepa" ,Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Tourism, Art and Culture, Govt. of Rajasthan receiving National Tourism Award Mr. Pranab Mukherjee, President of India

holders has not only generated revenue but also given employment and contributed to women empowerment.

The Secretary , Tourism, Shri Vinod Zutshi congratulated all awardees.

He said that the Tourism Awards will go a long way to catalyze & incentivize the tourism sector in India and encourage the stakeholders to give their best performance.

The National Tourism Awards are given in several categories including Comprehensive Development of Tourism, Best Rural Tourism Project, Best Heritage City, Best Hotels, Awards to Inbound Tour Operators and Travel Agents for their outstanding work, awards in the field of publicity/promotion and overseas marketing, use of information 14  Tourism India September 2015

technology for tourism among others.

Among the important recipients of awards include the state of Gujarat for the Best State/UT for Comprehensive Tourism Development; Heritage City Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh as the Best Heritage City; Municipal Council of Maheshwar (Distt.Khargone) in Madhya Pradesh for Best Civic Management of a Tourist Destination in B Category.

Gujarat has been awarded as the Best Film Promotion Friendly State/Union territory while Deptt of Tourism, Kerala received the award for Most Innovative use of Information technology. “The Great backwaters of Kerala’ by Kerala Tourism has been awarded the Best Tourism Film while the Coffee Table Book “Gujarat’s 50

Golden Destinations’ by Tourism Corporation of Gujarat Ltd got the award of Best Tourism Promotion Publicity material.

M/s Kuoni Travel India Pvt. Ltd, Gurgaon received the first prize for Best Inbound Tour Operators/Travel agents in the category of earning Foreign Exchange of Rs 100 cr or more in a year, M/s Trail Blazer Tours India Pvt was given first prize in the category of earning Foreign Exchange of Rs 50-Rs 100 cr in a year. M/s Eco Mobility and Hospitality Pvt Ltd won the first prize in Category I of Tourist Transport Operator, while M/s Snow Leopard Adventure Pvt Lts, Gurgaon won the prize for Best Adventure Tour Operator.

Mr. Baby Mathew Somatheeram, CMD and Mrs. Sara Mathew receiving the National Tourism award from Mr. Pranab Mukherjee, President of India

Mr. Deepak Deva, CEO of SITA receiving the National Tourism award from Mr. Pranab Mukherjee, President of India

Planning & Coordination 1. Best State / Union Territory Comprehensive Development of Tourism Rest of India (3 awards) 1st Gujarat 2nd Madhya Pradesh 3rd Rajasthan 2. Civic Management of a Tourist Destination in India Category B1 Municipal Council of Maheshwar, Dist. Khargone, Madhya Pradesh Category C1 Tranquebar, Tamil Nadu 3. Best maintained and Disabled Friendly Monument Bhojpur Temple, Bhojpur, Madhya Pradesh 4. Tourist Friendly Railway Station Railway Station Habibganj – Madhya Pradesh 5 Airports Airports in Class X Cities (Bengaluru, Delhi, Hyderabad, Greater Mumbai and Kolkata 1 Indira Gandhi International Airport, Delhi Airports in other cities 1 Swami Vivekananda Airport, Raipur, Chhattisgarh Tourism India September 2015 

15

Mr. Raj Bajaj, receiving the National Tourism award from Mr. Pranab Mukherjee, President of India

6 Best Heritage Walk India City Walks for Mehrauli Archaeological Park, Delhi 7 Best Heritage City Heritage City Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh 8 Rural Tourism Project Rann Utsav, Gujarat Hotel & Restaurant 1 Best 2 Star category hotel Resorte Marinha, Dourada, Tambudki, Arpora, Bardez, Goa – 403518.

Best 3 Star category

hotel The Marari Beach, Mararikulam North P.O., Alapuzha–688549, Kerala Best 4 Star category hotel - Vivanta by Taj Kumarakom, 1/404, Kavanattinkara, Kumarakom, Kottayam - 686566, Kerala Best 5 Star category hotel Meluha The Fern, An Ecotel Hotel, Central Avenue, Hiranandani Gardens, Powai, Mum-

Mr. Pandian, MD of South Tourism, receiving the National Tourism award from Mr. Pranab Mukherjee, President of India

16  Tourism India September 2015

bai - 400076 Best 5 Star Deluxe category hotel The Oberoi, Dr. Zakir Husain Marg, New Delhi Best Heritage (Basic) category hotel Samode Haveli, Gangapole, Jaipur, Rajasthan Best Heritage (Classic) category hotel Coconut Lagoon, P.B. No 2, Kumarakom, Kottayam - 686563, Kerala Best Heritage (Grand) category hotel The Oberoi Cecil, Chaura Maidan, Shimla - 171004, Himachal Pradesh 3 Best Hotel Based Meeting Venue Hotel 1st Prize - Jaypee Palace Hotel & Convention Centre, Fatehabad Road, Agra – 282004 & The Lalit, New Delhi – 110001 4 Best Standalone Convention Centre Leonia International Centre for Exhibitions & Conventions, Leonia Holistic Destination, Bommaraspet, Shameerpet, Ranga Reddy Distt, Hyderabad – 500078, Andhra Pradesh 5 Best Hotel for having Facilities for Differently Abled Guest Taj West End, #25, Race Course Road, Bangaluru - 560001, 5 – Star Deluxe 6 Best Eco – Friendly category Hotel ITC Windsor Hotel,

Bangaluru, 25, Windsor Square, Golf Course Road- Bangalore – 560052, Karnataka 7 Best Chef for 1,2,3 Star category and Heritage (Basic) and Stand Alone Restaurants category Mr. G. Sultan Mohideen, Corporate Chef, Kwality Group World Over KIC-Foods (Stand Alone Restaurant) 4,5,5-Star Deluxe category and Heritage (Classic & Grand) category – Mr. Ravitej Nath, Executive Chef, Oberoi Hotels & Resorts(5-Star Deluxe) 8 Bed & Breakfast category approved by the State Government Coconut Creek Farm and Homestay, Kumarakom South P.O., Kottayam – 686563, Kerala (Diamond Category Travel Trade Best Inbound Tour Operators / Travel Agents (handling inbound tours) Category I (Foreign Exchange Earnings of Rs.100 crore & above) 1st Prize M/s Kuoni Travel India Pvt Ltd, Gurgaon 2nd M/s Le Passage to India Tours & Travels Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi 3rd M/s Caper Travel, New Delhi Category II (Foreign Exchange Earnings of Rs.50 crore & above but less than 100 crore) 1st M/s Trail Blazer Tours India Pvt Ltd, New

Mr. S. Swaminthan, MD of Dravidian Trails Cochin receiving the National Tourism award from Mr. Pranab Mukherjee, President of India

Del hi 2nd M/s Minar Travels Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi Category III (Foreign Exchange Earnings of Rs.25 crore & above but less than 50 crore) 1st M/s Cholan Tours Pvt Ltd, Trichy 2nd Travel Scope, Gurgaon 3rd M/s Top Travel &Tours(P) Ltd, New Delhi Category IV (Foreign Ex-

change Earnings of Rs.10 crore & above but less than 25 crore) 1st M/s GeTS Holidays Pvt Ltd, New Delhi 2nd M/s Travelite (India), New Delhi 3rd M/s Vasco Travel Pvt. Ltd., Goa Category V (Foreign Exchange Earnings of Rs. 5 crore & above but less than 10 crore) 1st Total Holiday Options Pvt Ltd,New Delhi

Mr. Biju Nair of Lulu Travels Dubai receiving the National Tourism award from Mr. Pranab Mukherjee, President of India Tourism India September 2015 

17

Promoters of Panickers Travels New Delhi receiving the National Tourism award from The President of India

2nd M/s Magadh Travels & Tours Pvt Ltd,New Delhi 3rd M/s Perfect Travels and Tours Pvt Ltd, New Delhi Category VI (Foreign Exchange Earnings of Rs. 2.5 crore & above but less than 5 crore) 1st M/s Centre Tour & Travels, Srinagar 2nd M/s Unitop Tours and Travel Pvt Ltd 3rd M/s Dravidian Trails Holidays Pvt Ltd,Cochin 2 Tourist Transport Operator Category I 1st M/s Eco Mobility & Hospitality Pvt. Ltd. 2nd M/s Carzonrent (India)Pvt Ltd,New Delhi 3rd M/s Parveen Travels, Chennai Category II 1st M/s Alwar Tourist Transport Service, New Delhi 2nd M/s Panicker’s Travel (India) Pvt Ltd,New Del18  Tourism India September 2015

hi 3rd M/s Sherya Travels, Nagpur 3 Best Domestic Tour Operators Category 1 Promoting and Selling Tourism Products of Rest of India 1st M/s Kesari Tours Pvt. Ltd. 2nd Southern Travels Pvt. Ltd. 3rd M/s D Paul’s Category II Promoting and Selling Tourism Products of North Eastern Region including Sikkim 1 award M/s Clubside Tours & Travels, Darjeeling Category III Promoting and Selling Tourism Products of Jammu & Kashmir Region 1 award M/s Kesari Tours Pvt. Ltd. 4 Best Adventure Tour Operator 1 award M/s Snow Leop-

ard Adventure Pvt. Ltd., Gurgaon 5 Best MICE Operator 1 award M/s Alpcord Network, New Delhi Publicity 1 Excellence in Publishing in English Experience Himachal on the Road Author : Raaja Bhasin Publisher : Times Group Books 2 Excellence in Publishing in Foreign Language other than English Eat Shop Trek [Essen Shoppen Wandern in German] Submitted by Kerala Tourism 3 Best Tourism Film ‘The Great Backwaters of Kerala’ Submitted

by Kerala Tourism 4 Best Tourism Promotion Publicity Material (State & Union Territory) - ‘Gujarat’s 50 Golden Destinations’ [Coffee Table Book] Submitted by Tourism

Corporation of Gujarat Ltd 5 Best Tourism Promotion Publicity Material (Private Stakeholders) 1 Set of Brochure containing (a) A Million Reasons to Experience: India & the Subcontinent (b) India: Cultural Fairs & Festivals (c) Indian Wildlife Experience Submitted by: SDU Travels Pvt Ltd, Dist Centre Saket, New Delhi Overseas Marketing 1 Best Overseas Tour Operator Latin America - 1 award M/s. Raidho Viagens, Brazil.

North America - 1 award M/s. SITA World Tours, USA West Asia & Africa - 1 award M/s. Lulu International Travel & Tourism, Abu Dhabi.

Australasia - 1 award M/s.

Exotic Holidays Ltd., UK - 1 award - Kuoni, UK Europe - 1 award - Travel Lab SAS, France.

2 Best Foreign Charter Operator for India 1 award - M/s. Pegas Touristik, Russia.

3 Best Foreign Journalist for India 1 award - Ms. Catherine Marshal, Australia.

Niche Tourism 1 Innovative / Unique Tourism Project 1 Sair Sapata – submitted by M/s. Madhya

Pradesh State Tourism Development Corporation Ltd., Bhopal 2 Responsible Tourism Project / Initiative “Human Rights Impact Assessment Conducted

by Kuoni – submitted

by M/s. KUONI Travel (India) Pvt., Ltd., Destination Management, Gurgaon” & “Thekkady” – submitted by the Department of Tourism, Government of Kerala, Trivandrum 3 - Tourism Friendly Golf Course Hyderabad Golf Course / Hyderabad Golf Club – submitted by M/s. Hyderabad Golf Association.

4 Wellness Centre Somatheeram Research Institute & Ayurveda Hospital Pvt. Ltd – submitted by M/s. Somatheeram Research Institute & Ayurveda Hospital Pvt. Ltd., Kovalam, Trivandrum, Kerala 5 Medical Tourism Facility - Apollo International Referral Centre Hospital, Hyderabad – submitted by M/s. Apollo Health City, Hyderabad 6. Tour Operator Promoting Niche Segments other than Adventure and MICE 1 M/s. Thomas Cook (India) Ltd., Mumbai for promoting Cruise Tourism (shore excursions) 7. Best Film Promotion Friendly State/Union Territory

1 Gujarat – submitted by Tourism Corporation of Gujarat Limited for their efforts to promote Gujarat as a film destination.

Information Technology 1 . Most innovative use of Information Technology / Best Website / Portal - Deptt. of Tourism, Govt. of Kerala 1 special award - Snow Leopard Adventures Pvt. Ltd.

Tourism India September 2015 

19

M

r. Abraham George, popularly known as Johnny in Tourism Industry has been elected as President of Kerala Travel Mart (KTM) for 2015-17 term. He is the Chairman and Managing Director of Kochi based, Intersight Tours & Travels, one of the leading Tour Operators of God’s Own Country.

Mr. Jose Mathew, Managing Director of Rainbow Cruise is the new Honorary Secretary and Mr. Jose Pradeep, Director; Hotel Yuvarani Residency Kochi is the new honorary treasurer.

The other office-bearers include: Mr. Prakash Nair, General Manager of Taj Hotels & Resorts has been elected as vice president and Mr. G. Gopinath, Managing Director BTH Sarovaram Hotels Kochi as Joint Secretary.

The other managing committee members include: Mr. Baby Mathew 20  Tourism India September 2015

(Chairman & Managing Director Somatheeram Ayurveda group), Mr. George Dominic ( Executive Director of CGH Earth Hotels), Mr. Rajasekharan Nair ( CMD, Uday Samudra Resort Kovalam), Mr. M.R. Gopalakrishnan ( MD, Kadappuram Beach Resort, Nattika, Trichur), Mr. C.C. Ashraf ( MD, Green Gates Hotel, Kalpetta), Mr. Ross Masood ( Executive Director, Great India Tour Company) , Mr. Scaria Jose ( MD of Carmelia Haven Resort, Vandenmedu, Idukki), Mr. Mathews E V ( Director, Eastend Hotels & Resorts), Mr. Roy Chacko (MD, Lezeldor Cochin), Mr. Swaminathan.S ( MD, Dravidian Trails Holidays Pvt. Ltd., Cochin), Mr. Manoj Babu, MD, Ayurbay Medicus Beach Resort, Vizhinjam) and Mr. Dilip Pottamkulam (MD of Camelot Resort, Munnar).

Mr. Mathew Philip will contin-

ue as the CEO of KTM. The new office bearers were elected at the 15th annual general body meeting held recently at Dream Hotel Kochi. This is the second consecutive term for Mr. Abraham George as KTM President.

Kerala Travel Mart Society is the umbrella organization of Travel, Tourism and Hospitality industry in Kerala.

Speaking on the occasion, the newly elected president said that new marketing strategies would be developed to bring more tourists to Kerala and efforts would be made to strengthen the tourism industry.

A new tourism culture will be formulated by KTM with the help and cooperation of State Government and various organisations and other establishments in the tourism industry, he said.

L

argest single asset acquisition in hospitality sector in India Hotel Leelaventure Limited, one of the leading hotel chain in India, has announced that it has entered into a Business Transfer Agreement to sell The Leela Goa to the leading Malaysian company MetTubeSdn. Bhd., Malaysia (MetTube) Ceres Hotels Private Limited, a wholly owned Indian subsidiary of MetTube, agreed to acquire the Goa Hotel for a total consideration of Rs. 725 crores. The Goa Hotel would be transferred to Ceres by way of a slump sale under the BTA subject to satisfaction of certain conditions precedent, including regulatory approvals.

Pursuant to a Hotel Management Agreement, HLVL shall manage and operate the Goa Hotel and the hotel shall continue to be known as the “The Leela Goa.” As one of India’s premier luxury properties, The Leela Goa blends local culture with the region’s Portuguese herit-

age. The 206-room Leela Goa is spread across lush 50 acres with direct access to the pristine Mobor beach. The resort has the advantage of being on the banks of river Sal at the far-side of the property.

With facilities including its premier spa, 12-hole golf course, private beach and several award-winning restaurants, The Leela Goa promises its guests an indulgent and relaxing stay.

It is the property’s unique location, world-class facilities and outstanding service that consistently make it one of the finest hotels in India today.

Commenting on the

transaction, Mr. Vivek Nair, Chairman and Managing Director of HLVL,said:

“The disinvestment of the Goa Hotel and retaining the management of the hotel under the Leela brand is in line with our strategy to restructure our debt, follow an asset light strategy and manage more hotels.”

Upon signing the BTA, Mr. Raghav Mittal, President and Chief Executive Officer of MetTube, remarked: “This investment signifies the group’s confidence in building and growing businesses in India. As a group we are very proud to have been able to diversify our business lines and make a useful contribution to the Indian economy.”

JM Financial Institutional Securities Limited acted as the sole financial advisor and Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas acted as the sole legal advisor to HLVL. Ernst & Young acted as the sole financial advisor, Khaitan& Co. acted as the domestic legal advisor and Wong & Partners (the member firm of Baker & McKenzie International) advised on Malaysian law to MetTube.

Tourism India September 2015 

21

T

he Union Minister of Civil Aviation Shri Ashok Gajapathi Raju and Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation, Culture (Independent Charge) and Tourism (Independent Charge), Dr. Mahesh Sharma jointly inaugurated the 8th International Conference on “Indian Civil Aviation & Tourism” in New Delhi recently. The event was organized by Ministry of Civil Aviation and ASSOCHAM. The conference aimed at holding deliberations on various issues affecting the aviation sector and invite suggestions from the stakeholders to meet these challenges.

During the event, a Knowledge Report titled 22  Tourism India September 2015

“Indian Civil Aviation: At the Cusp of Taking off” was released by Shri Ashok Gajapathi Raju and Dr. Mahesh Sharma. The Knowledge Report outlines the future roadmap for transforming the Indian civil aviation sector through a comprehensive development policy and provides important insights into the civil aviation sector. The awards were also given in various categories such as Best Airlines (International), Best Airlines (Indian) and Best Business Hotel etc.

On the occasion, Union Minister of Civil Aviation Shri Ashok Gajapathi Raju said that the Government policy acts like catalyst, but everyone

has to work together to make it a success. He said that the Prime Minister himself takes keen interest and has held discussions on the draft aviation policy. Speaking on the tourism growth in India, he said that India has a rich heritage and aviation sector can be helpful in promoting the growth of tourism in India. He called upon the industry leaders to work in the direction of taking India to new heights and come up with new ideas. The dialogue and idea-exchange should not stop, he added.

Addressing the audience during the event, the Union Minister, Dr. Mahesh Sharma said that revolutionary changes are being incorporated in the new Draft Aviation policy that will be fruitful to the nation. He also said that holistic process should be adopted integrating the

culture, tourism and aviation. He said that medical tourism can get a boost if the connectivity in provided via new means such as air ambulance.

During the inaugural session, H. E. Mr. Gustavo de Aristegui, Ambassador, Embassy of Spain also delivered his keynote address and shared various factors that contributed to the growth of tourism in Spain.

Dr. B.P. Sharma, Chairman & Managing Director, Pawan Hans Limited also addressed the gathering. He emphasized upon the inter-state and intra city connectivity through helicopters. He also said that the first heliport of the country is expected to come up in Rohini (Delhi) next year.

The inaugural session was followed by various sessions in which crucial issues related to aviation sector like Infrastructure challenges, Cargo and freight Industry, Regulatory Issues, Fiscal framework and potential of Tourism.

Shri Machendranathan, Chairperson, Airport Economic Regulatory Authority of India, Mr. Pratyush Kumar, President, Boeing India, Mr. Ajay Singh, Chairman and Managing Director, SpiceJet Ltd and other representatives of the aviation sector were also present on the occasion.

T

he Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has given its ex-post facto approval for signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India and Cambodia for cooperation in the field of tourism with an aim to promoting bilateral tourism between the two countries.

The MoU was signed during the visit of the Vice President of India to Cambodia on 16th September, 2015.

The main objectives of this Agreement are: i. Expansion of bilateral cooperation in the tourism sector. ii. Exchange of information and data related to tourism. iii. Encouraging Cooperation between tourism stakeholders including hotels and tour operators. iv. Establishing exchange of programmes for cooperation in Human Resources Development. v. Investment in the tourism and hospitality sectors. vi. Exchange of visits of tour operators/media/ opinion makers for promotion of two way tourism.

vii Exchange of experience in areas of promotion, marketing, destination development and management. viii. Participation in travel fairs/exhibitions in each other’s country. ix. Promoting safe, honourable and sustainable tourism.

Background: Cambodia is an emerging tourism source market for India.

The Government of India has extended the Electronic Tourist Visa (eTV) facility for citizens of Cambodia.

This has elicited good response from the travel trade of both countries The Ministry of Tourism believes the MoU signed with Cambodia will further increase tourist arrivals from this important source market.

India and Cambodia have enjoyed a friendly and cordial bilateral relationship. The two parties desiring to strengthen and further develop the established relationship, had signed a MoU on Tourism Cooperation.

Tourism India September 2015 

23

F

oreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) register a growth of 4.5 % in January- August 2015 over January- August 2014 Bangladesh accounts for the highest share of FTAs in July 2015 Rs. 10,471 Crore Foreign Exchange earned through Tourism during August 2015 Ministry of Tourism compiles monthly estimates of Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) on the basis of Nationality-wise, Port-wise data received from Bureau of Immigration (BOI) and Foreign Exchange Earnings (FEEs) from tourism on the basis of data available from Reserve Bank of India. The following are the important highlights regarding FTAs and FEEs from tourism during the month of 24  Tourism India September 2015

August 2015.

Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs): • FTAs during the Month of August 2015 were 5.89 lakh as compared to FTAs of 5.76 lakh during the month of August 2014 and 4.86 lakh in August 2013. There has been a growth of 2.3% in August 2015 over August 2014.

• FTAs during the period January- August 2015 were 50.68 lakh as compared to the FTAs of 48.51 lakh, showing a growth of 4.5%.

• The Percentage share of Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) in India during August 2015 among the top 15 source countries was highest from Bangladesh (15.79%) followed by USA (12.52%), UK (9.71%),

Sri Lanka (7.25%), Malaysia (3.54%), Germany (2.85%), Japan (2.84%), France (2.78%), Oman (2.46%), China (2.41%), Australia (2.37%), Canada (2.33%), Nepal (2.24%), Singapore (2.00%) and UAE (1.79%). These top 15 countries account for 72.88% of total FTAs during August 2015.

Foreign Exchange Earnings (FEEs) from Tourism in India in rupee terms and in US$ terms • FEEs during the month of August 2015 were Rs 10,471 crore as compared to Rs 10,385 crore in August 2014 and Rs 8,351 crore in August 2013.

• The growth rate in FEEs in rupee terms during August 2015 over August 2014 was 0.8%.

• FEEs from tourism in rupee terms in January- August 2015 were Rs 82,225 crore as compared to the FEE of Rs 79,803 crore during January-August 2014, showing an increase of 3%.

• FEEs in US$ terms during the month of August 2015 were US$ 1.608 billion.

• FEEs from tourism in US$ terms during January-August 2015 were US$ 13.017 billion.

D

uring Jan-Aug 2015 showing an increase of 893% over the same period last year Highest number of tourists arrived on e-Tourist Visa from USA during Jan-Aug 2015 Government of India launched Tourist Visa on Arrival (TVoA) enabled

by Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA), presently known as e-Tourist Visa scheme on 27th November 2014. At present, e-Tourist Visa facility is available for citizens of 113 countries (including 36 countries for which the facility was extended on 15th August, 2015) arriving at 16 Airports in India (includes 7 airports added from 15th August, 2015).

The following are the

important highlights of e-Tourist Visa during August, 2015: (i) During the month of August, 2015 a total of 22,286 tourist arrived on e-Tourist Visa as compared to 2,705 during the month of August, 2014 registering a growth of 723.9%. (ii) During JanuaryAugust, 2015 a total of 1, 69,976 tourists arrived on e-Tourist Visa as compared to 17,120 during JanuaryAugust, 2014 registering a growth of 892.9%. (iii) This high growth may be attributed to introduction of e-Tourist Visa for 113 countries as against coverage of earlier TVoA scheme for 12 countries.

(iv) The percentage shares of top 10 source countries availing e-Tourist Visa facility during August 2015 were as follows: USA (25.93%), Germany (10.00%), UAE (8.92%), France (8.76%), Australia (7.20%), Canada (6.39%), Republic of Korea (4.23%), Japan (3.41%), Russian Federation (2.37%) and Singapore (2.22%). (v) The percentage shares of different ports in tourist arrivals on eTourist Visa during August 2015 were as follows: New Delhi (42.67%), Mumbai (23.40%), Bengaluru (10.37%), Chennai (9.07%), Kochi (5.44%), Hyderabad (4.21%), Kolkata (2.38%), Trivandrum (1.87%) and Goa (0.58%).

Tourism India September 2015 

25

T

he categorization of various Sports disciplines was reviewed and the revised categories of sports disciplines and the scale of financial assistance admissible to each category was conveyed to IOC and all recognized National Sports Federations on 23rd March, 2015. It was also conveyed that ‘General’ category of sports disciplines shall be retained. Criteria for inclusion in this category and financial assistance to be provided will be separately issued.

It has now been decided by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports that sports disciplines included in the multidiscipline mega events like Olympics, Asian Games, Commonwealth Games etc and which have obtained a ranking up to 8th in individual events and up to 10th in team events in Olympics/Asian Games/

26  Tourism India September 2015

CWG or their respective Asian and World Championships shall be placed in ‘General’ category. Financial assistance for this category will be as under:i National Championships are to be funded. ii One international event in India in a year, can be funded. iii Maximum of one foreign exposure each in Senior & Junior categories can also be funded during a year.

Based on the past performance in major international events, it has been decided to upgrade the sport of Fencing from ‘Others’ to ‘General’ category.

It has also been decided to place ‘University Sports’ in the ‘Priority’ category.

It has further been decided to recognize ‘Yoga’ as a sports discipline and to place it in the ‘Priority’ category.

T

he Russian tourist figures are on the rise. To promote tourist arrivals and cultural exchanges, Kerala Tourism, along with the tourism departments of Goa and Uttarkhand have discussed of setting up a formal association with the Russian Tourism and Cultural Ministry.

The idea of formulating a board comprising the Government of India, the Ministry of Tourism, the Indian embassy in Russia and the tourism departments of Kerala, Goa and Uttarkhand and, will be taken up with the Centre. The key areas under the purview of the board will include a marketing campaign to increase the arrival of Russian tourists to India through various cultural and tourism promotional programmes.

Talks were held between Ms. Olga Yarilovathe Head of Tourism & Regional Policy Department of the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation and Shri P.I. Sheikh Pareeth- Director, Kerala Tourism at the Ministry of

Culture, Russian Federation. A team of key Russian tour operators and state tourism representatives from Goa and Uttarkhand, India Tourism and Indian Embassy officials too were present at the meeting.

rose, we have agreed to publish a list of Russian guides in our Kerala Tourism’s Russian language version website,” said Shri P. I. Sheik Pareeth- Director, Kerala Tourism.

“We will also promote cultural exchange be-

The Russian delegation raised the issues on reducing the visa fees and the airport fee incurred on chartered flights from Russia to India, which will be considered and taken up with the concerned authorities.

The Russian officials also expressed concern about the lack of Russian guides in Kerala.

“Considering the issues

tween Kerala and Russia where art performers from Kerala will go and perform there and vice versa,” he added.

Tourism Director also noted that Kerala Tourism will play a key role in strengthening India’s ties with Russia. “In 2014, we had 35010 tourist visitors from Russia, a nearly 10 % increase compared to the previous year” he added.

Tourism India September 2015 

27

D

r Mahesh Sharma, Minister of State for Culture &, Tourism held a meeting with the Minister of Tourism and Culture of Chhattisgarh, Shri Dayal Das Baghel in New Delhi recently. The meeting was a follow up meeting for inclusion of tourist circuits from Chhattisgarh into the Swadesh Darshan Scheme of the Union Ministry of Tourism.

Shri Baghel requested Dr Mahesh Sharma to include the important tour28  Tourism India September 2015

ist route of Jashour - Sanna – Tatapani – Mainpat – Chaiturgarh – Kurdar – Kabir Chabutra - Sarodha Dadar - Kanker – Kondagaon – Jagdalpur – Chitrakote – Dantewada circuit under the Tribal Circuit of Swadesh Darshan Scheme. Shri Baghel also urged Dr Sharma to make Rajmergarh - Kabir Chabutra - Achanakmer Tiger Reserve Kurdar – Sirpur – Kodar Dam – Gangrel Dam – Kanger Valley National Park as part of the Eco Circuit of Swadesh Darshan.

Dr Mahesh Sharma assured that the Ministry will assist d e ve l o p m e n t of the Tribal Circuit of Chhattisgarh under the Swadesh Darshan Scheme. As regards the Eco-Circuit, he assured that the Government will consider the proposal.

Shri Baghel also requested the Minister to include the important historical site of Sirpur in the Buddhist circuit. The Union Tourism and Culture Minister promised that the Centre will look into the demand to include Sirpur in its ambitious Buddhist Circuit project.

C

hanging times and changing trends has brought about drastic changes in all kinds of businesses. Until a decade back “Tour Operations” was considered to be a very serious business with very few venturing into it. Internet revolutionised the way we travel and the once highly conservative business suddenly became the favourite business for many.

Unchecked growth of operators, lack of licensing norms, unbelievable no. of websites and portals, extensive amount of information available online eventually took the toll and once rosy business of “tour operations” started losing the lustre and took a downward swing. ATTOI believes this correction in business is necessary as it will weed out unwanted players. ATTOI is also apprehensive about it as it will hit some of the good operators too.

There had to be a medium to safeguard the interest of good tour operators and ATTOI as the body of tour operators decided to take this initiative. www.mytourreview. com is this technological medium with which ATTOI intends to achieve this objective. ATTOI wants to arrest this negative trend of tour operations business by bringing reliable tour operators closer to prospective clients. www.my-

of technology intends to reach across to millions of travellers around the world. This well proven model with contributions from travellers who have experienced services with tour companies will have a detrimental effect on decision making process of tourreview.com is a start up concept developed in-house by ATTOI. This portal will function as a reliable source of reviews of travellers, for travellers, contributed by travellers who look for personalised and experiential holidays.

Reviews and referrals play a crucial role in making a decision when you Mr. P.K. Anish Kumar, President of ATTOI addressing the gathering. Mr. S. Sabarinath MLA, Mr. G.Kamal V Rao plan your travel. IAS, Mr. Jyothilala IAS, and Mr. Sreekumara Menon Secretary, ATTOI are also seen Since hotel revide real time feedbacks views are available, cus- to clients who are in the future travellers, just like tomer tend to look at planning stages just like it has with hotels today. various options before review sites for hotels. ATIndia’s prime body of booking online with ho- TOI with this initiative is tour operators, Associatels. As a traveller there confident it will help bring tion of Tourism and Trade was no standardization or back more clients to tour Organizations, India (ATbench marking available operators.

TOI) has decided to launch online to find quality tour There is no better mar- this exclusive tour review operators. keting tool than the ‘Word portal, on September 27.

ATTOI President Shri of mouth’ propaganda; ATTOI believes with this . Anish Kumar believes even with all the techno- nouvelle initiative will be that this global platform logical advancement, this a giant step in achieving will enhance business op- medium beats all even this year’s World Tourism portunities within the today. ATTOI has decided Day slogan “A BILLION tour operator community. to use this popular me- TOURISTS, A BILLION OPHe believes it will pro- dium and with the help PORTUNITIES’.

Tourism India September 2015 

29

I

ACC Survey Reveals Generational Preferences of Meeting Planners A recent survey conducted by the International Association of Conference Centres (IACC), in partnership with Development Counsellors International (DCI), has revealed the generational preferences of meeting plan-

ners in the Australia Asia Pacific region.

Key findings from this survey include the following results: The significant number of Generation Y participants for this survey (28%), compared to last year’s European survey (11%) and 2013’s Americas survey (12%), highlights the growing influence of Generation Y Meeting Planners in the Australia Asia Pacific region and potentially globally.

Generation Y planners prefer attending venue promotional events rather than trade shows, the 30  Tourism India September 2015

preferred choice of Generation X. Both Generation X and Generation Y dislike phone calls, which suggests that telesales is not the way to promote venues to buyers any longer.

Digital information is No.1 for providing planners with information they need to consider a venue for their meeting and those who have creative and effective ways of presenting the best virtual experience will please buyers.

Generation Y buyers place a greater deal of importance on technology capabilities of a venue than any other generation, with Baby Boomers placing location at the top of the list. Generation X place a greater importance on the food and beverage offering than their younger and older counterparts. Having an experiential learning aspect (teambuilding) is important for Generation Y or Generation Z participants, whereas Baby Boomer attendees appear to have a preference for good quality service.

72% of planners consider the age of the attendees when sourcing a

venue.

Baby Boomer appears more cost conscious than the younger generations when selecting a conference venue.

91% expect to do business in International English when placing a meeting overseas, an increase over the European study in 2013 (85%).

75% of those surveyed said they prefer to use a venue which provided a meetings focused environment and dedicated staff. Generation Y expressed the greatest desire for meeting space that fostered collaboration and learning.

The age groups of the participants were split into five categories: Generation X: age 3346 (45%), Generation Y or Millennial: age 18-32 (28%), Baby Boomer: age 47-65 (25%), Generation Z: under 18 years (1%) and Mature: +66 years (1%).

IACC is the only global professional association that represents small to medium sized venues focused on meetings, training courses and conferences. All members conform to a comprehensive global set of quality standards.

The organisation serves its members by being the global thought-leader in the meetings industry and currently has 355 members in 21 countries in the Americas, Europe and Australasia.

I

mmersive Events, for this year’s Ibtm Knowledge Programme This year’s ibtm knowledge programme, delivered at ibtm world, promises to motivate global industry players with a series of sessions that have been lined up to challenge existing thought models and raise the bar when it comes to organising events across the globe (w w w.ibtmworld.com/ knowledge).

Commenting on the changing needs of industry education, Dr. Rob Davidson, Managing Director, MICE Knowledge and ibtm events industry analyst said, “In the past 12 months, there has been a huge move towards designing meetings to be much more multisensory and immersive than before. The science behind this trend tells us that the more participants’ senses are stimulated, the more memorable the meeting experience will be for them, because more parts of their brains are activated, which in turn helps them to absorb and retain information more effectively."

Organised by Reed Travel Exhibitions, the pro-

gramme will feat u r e keynote sessions from industry thought leaders and will address these evolving educational demands through sessions including: What Can We Learn From Immersive Events?

- In this session, Deborah Armstrong, Managing Director of Strong & Co will discuss what exactly ‘Immersive Events’ mean in practice and why they are so important. Deborah will share key learnings around achieving meaningful and longer lasting engagement.

Through careful analysis of good and bad practice this talk aims to show you how to do it right and what the future of Experiential holds.

Engagement at Events – in partnership with ISES - Engagement has long been a go-to phrase for event professionals but like many areas of our industry, there’s little consensus on what it really means. This session, delivered by Kevin Jackson, Vice President EMEA, George P. Johnson and President of ISES UK will unpack what engagement

at events is and more importantly how you get audiences leaning forward instead of leaning back.

Appetite For Change – Presented by Ivo Franschitz, Owner & Managing Director, ENITED Business Events and Vanessa Schmoranzer, Brand Leadership Consultant and Change Management Coach, ma®kenkind.de, this session will address the shifting needs of professional business events and review them from the perspective of the host and of the participant.

Franschitz comments, “As a SME (small and medium-sized enterprise), we dared taking that risk and initiated a 14 month journey. Engaging professional, external expertise and committing ourselves to a roller coaster ride called change management.

Throughout, we gained invaluable insights and experiences, many of them very up-close and personal. In this workshop, we want to share those experiences and convey to you a clear message: “Change = Opportunity”. We want to stimulate your appetite for change.”

Tourism India September 2015 

31

S

ingapore Tourism Board appoints TRAC Representations as its Marketing Representative in South India TRAC Representations, one of India’s leading destination marketing companies, will be the new Marketing agents for Singapore Tourism in South India.

Singapore ranks amongst the most travel Ms. Meenakshi Gupta aspired destinations for Indians. It is consistently one of the top visited destinations for families, honeymooners, cruisers, business travellers and incentive groups from India. Visitor arrivals from India to Singapore reached Ms. Shreekala Sukumaran more than 520,000 in the first half of 2015 with a 6% year-on-year growth. South India is an important source market with direct flights from 8 different cities to Singapore, contributing nearly 30% of Indian visitor arrivals in 2014.

With two existing offic-

32  Tourism India September 2015

es in India operating out of Delhi & Mumbai, the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) has appointed TRAC Representations as their marketing representative for the South India market to strengthen trade relations and execute marketing initiatives in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Telangana and Kerala. TRAC will be operating offices in Bangalore and Chennai for STB. Ms. Shreekala Sukumaran and Ms. Meenakshi Gupta has been appointed as marketing representative for Chennai & Bangalore market. Shreekala is an expert business leader and customer service consultant in the Tamil Nadu travel industry. She has worked with various leading travel companies of Chennai and with an experience of over 11 years.

Meenakshi in Bangalore office has over 20 years of work experience. She has been working closely with the South Indian travel trade. She has extensive experience in sales, PR and marketing and has undertaken promotional activities for various international tourism destina-

tions. Both have a strong background in each and every aspect the travel trade, which is an added advantage.

The key objective of the marketing representative is to enhance the positioning of Singapore as a favoured travel destination for leisure and business amongst the travellers from the South India market.

Chang Chee Pey, Executive Director for South Asia, Middle East and Africa, STB said, “We are pleased to have appointed TRAC as STB marketing representative for the South Indian market and confident that they can support our quality tourism strategies. We look forward to work with TRAC to further strengthen our presence in South India and seek out new growth opportunities in the metro cities as well as Tier 2 markets.”

Commenting on being appointed as the Official Marketing Representative for Singapore Tourism Board in South India, Rajeev Nangia, COO, TRAC Representations said, “We are delighted with this appointment and privileged to be representing STB in South India. Singapore has a lot to offer and promises the best of everything to the India traveller. The team is ready and looking forward to interact with the South India travel mar-

T

he Ministry of Tourism has announced the establishment of the Medical & Wellness Tourism Board &its functioning on the occasion of World Tourism Day on 27th September 2015.

Dr Mahesh Sharma said that there will now be a focused approach to Medical Tourism& all the information will be made available on a single portal. The Minister disclosed that the information dissemination will also take place through the 14 overseas offices of the Ministry of Tourism.

In reply to a question, the Minister said that the safety of tourists is the uppermost concern of the government. In order to ensure safety and security of tourists especially the women tourists, the Ministry of Tourism has set up the ‘Incredible India Helpline’ service, he explained. The service is available on toll free telephone no. 1800111363 or on a short code 1363 for tourists. At present the Helpline is functioning in Hindi & English and soon the Tourism Ministry will introduce 12 more International languages for the Helpline, the Minister

informed.

The Ministry of Tourism has set up the Parytak Police (Tourist Police) with the help of states for the security of tourists.

Dr Mahesh Sharma said that earlier the tourism sector was not being given its rightful place as a key player in economic growth of the country.

The Government is now laying emphasis on the economic benefits of the tourism sector and is working on increasing the share of India in world tourism as well as increasing the Foreign Exchange Earnings & employment through tourism.

In a live Q & A session in the Public Speak programme of All India Radio recently, Dr Mahesh Sharma warned the travel agents/tour operators/ touts etc who are using the logo of Incredible India or name of Ministry of Tourism without per-

mission. He said the Ministry has initiated action against such tour operators and travel agents for indulging in illegal activity and cheating the foreign and domestic tourists.

The Ministry of Tourism will do everything to curb the touts& to prevent the cheating of tourists, Dr. Sharma added.

Secretary, Tourism, Shri Vinod Zutshi, while participating in the Public Speak Programme gave details about the Government’s plan to promote eco- tourism with the help of states to generate employment in the rural areas.

Tourism India September 2015 

33

J

iva Grande at Vivanta

by Taj - Bekal, Kerala recently won the 2015 Top Organic Spa Awards.

These awards are presented to the Top 10 Organic Spas for their sustainability initiatives, passion for using organic and local ingredients in their therapeutic treatments and cuisine, and commitment to immersive organic spa and wellness programs that lead the industry.

Jiva from Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces is 34 ďƒ­ďƒ­â€‚Tourism India September 2015

the only Indian spa brand in the world with unique Indian signature spa experiences, rooted in the rich and ancient wellness traditions of India. Each experience has been carefully designed to initiate physical, mental and spiritual equilibrium.

Vivanta by Taj - Bekal, Kerala spa resort, located along picturesque palmfringed backwaters in Bekal in North Kerala is spread over 165,000 sq. feet, and exudes a sense

of energy, soothing harmony and restorative balance. The Jiva Spa menu at Vivanta Bekal features signature experiences, Ayurveda programs, Indian therapies, Indian aromatherapy, scrubs and wraps, and beauty rituals. The signature body anointment and purifying bath ceremonies, the Alepa and Abhisheka pavilions, are amongst the most unique Jiva experiences offered here.

Also on offer are Ritu-

alistic Fire Ceremonies (Homams) for guests' AYUS and AROGYA (life longevity and health) with chanting by the Resident Priest.

The Ayurveda sanctuary at Jiva Grande is the high point of this wellness retreat. Designed in traditional style, built by the backwaters with its satvik dining lounge, courtyards, landscaped relaxation spaces and meditation nooks, a full-fledged wellness library and water bodies, this tranquil pocket of wellness offers authentic, holistic and comprehensive Ayurveda programmes by qualified and experienced Ayurveda physicians.

For guests looking for wellness and detox packages spread over a long period of time, the Jiva Grande also offer Panchkarma, a unique treatment in Ayurveda with five sanctification procedures that initiates cleansing and removal of toxins from the body. These are intensive treatments and given under medical guidance.

The spa focuses on long term wellness programmes of 2 - 4 weeks of yoga, Ayurveda and spiritual retreats and for the first time in India, guests have the opportunity to enjoy luxurious modern comfort while practising authentic and traditional wellness programmes.

E

tihad Airways, the national airline of the UAE, has appointed Neerja Bhatia to the position of Vice President India and Indian Sub-Continent (ISC). Ms Bhatia joined Etihad Airways in 2004 as Sales Manager Western India, shortly after the airline had launched its flights to Mumbai, its first Indian destination.

She then progressed to become Manager for Western and Southern India, before being appointed as General Manager India in 2007.

Danny Barranger, Etihad Airways’ Senior Vice President Sales, said: “Neerja has played a key role in the expansion of Etihad Airways in India during the last 11 years and has a wealth of experience and expertise which will be the key to the continued alignment of our activities together with our strategic partner Jet Airways in this important geographical area.

“We are delighted that Neerja will take up her new role, based in Mumbai, to lead Etihad Airways’ commercial activities across the region as we look to expand our sales operations in India, Bangladesh, Maldives,

Nepal, Seychelles, and Sri Lanka.”

Etihad Airways currently operates flights from Abu Dhabi to eleven destinations in India: Ahmadabad, Bengaluru, Calicut, Chennai, Cochin, Delhi, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Kolkata, Mumbai, and Thiruvananthapuram.

Together with strategic partner, Jet Airways, both airlines fly between Abu Dhabi and 14 Indian cities, operating more 200 return flights each week.

Within the remit of the Indian Sub-continent region, Etihad Airways also flies daily to Dhaka, Bangladesh; daily to Malé, Maldives; double daily to Kathmandu, Nepal; daily to Mahe, Seychelles, and double daily to Colombo, Sri Lanka.

Flights to the Seychelles are complimented by a daily service, carrying Etihad Airways’ EY code, by the airline’s strategic partner, Air Seychelles.

Tourism India September 2015 

35

M

r. Zacharia George has been appointed as General Manager of Ramada Alleppey, a five star luxury back water Resort in Alleppey, Kerala.

Mr. Zach has 24 years of experience in the Tourism and Hospitality industry in India. Most recently he was Group Vice President of Uday Samudra Leisure Beach Resort Kovalam and Uday Suites Hotel Trivandrum, overlooking Travel Trade, MICE & Corporate segments for the RR Holidays & Hotels Mumbai. Prior to that he has held several positions in Sales, Marketing, Food & Beverage with Windsor Manor Sheraton at Bangalore, Sterling Holiday Resorts at Ooty and Puri, Orissa, Bright Resorts Kovalam, Treasure Cove Kovalam, Intersight Holidays Cochin, and Royal Resorts and Hotels Limited, Baroda, Gujarat.

36  Tourism India September 2015

T

he Union Minister of Civil Aviation Shri Ashok Gajapathi Raju and Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation, Culture (Independent Charge) and Tourism (Independent Charge), Dr. Mahesh Sharma recently inaugurated direct flight of Air India’s budget arm, Air India Express, between Varanasi and Sharjah. The VaranasiSharjah flight, IX 183, took off from Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport, Varanasi with 170 passengers.

Air India Express has deployed a 186-seater Boeing 737-800 aircraft which will depart from Varanasi thrice a week at 1700 hours and arrive at Sharjah at 1930 hours.

On the return leg flight IX 184 will depart from Sharjah at 1050 hours and will arrive in Varanasi at 1600 hours. The non-stop flight will operate on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays, fulfilling a long-standing need of passengers of the areas, in and around Varanasi.

Air India has also introduced a hub and spoke service from Varanasi, which will offer convenient links to many international destinations, by connecting the passengers to/from Air India flights in Delhi. With the newly introduced hub and spoke service, Air India will offer convenient links to many international destinations in the Gulf countries, Jeddah, Moscow, Tokyo, Singapore, Hong Kong by connecting the passengers to/from Air India flights. The new hub and spoke flight, AI 039, will leave Delhi at 1035 hrs and reach Varanasi at 1145 hours. The corresponding incoming flight AI 049, from Varanasi will reach Delhi at 1720 hours after taking off at 1550 hours from Varanasi.

Speaking on the occasion, Shri Ashok Gajapathi Raju said that the new flight will improve the air connectivity. He also said that if Uttar Pradesh becomes more civil aviation friendly, connectivity will go up easily. He also emphasized upon the need of establishing training centers to improve the skills for aviation sector.

At the inauguration ceremony, Dr Mahesh Sharma said that Varanasi is an important destination for tourism particularly religious tourism. This flight will help in boosting the tourism in Varanasi.

T

he Taj Group has announced the appointment of Sarabjeet Singh as the new area director, Sri Lanka and Maldives, as well as general manager of Taj Samudra in Colombo.

In his new role, as well as the Taj Saumdra, four other properties will fall under his care. He will also be overseeing Colombo’s Airport Garden Hotel, Vivanta by Taj Bentota and the two Taj properties in the Maldives – Taj Exotica Resort & Spa and Vivanta by Taj, Coral Reef Maldives. These five hotels employ a workforce of approximately 1,200 associates.

With over 27 years of

experience in the TAJ Group, Sarabjeet Singh is a hospitality industry veteran. He arrives in Colombo from the Taj Krishna in Hyderabad, where he held the position of director of operations for GVK Hotels. He has spent time in Taj properties around the world.

He started his career as a Hotel Management Trainee at the Taj Mahal Palace & Tower, Mumbai in 1988. Over the course of the next quarter of a century, he continued to grow and develop in his career. He went on to be part of the management team at Taj Palace Hotel, New Delhi, Vivanta by TajFisherman’s Cove, Chennai and Taj Lake PalaceUdaipur to name a few.

This is Singh’s second appointment in Sri Lanka.

Previously, he was part of the opening team at the Vivanta by Taj in Bentota.

He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the Punjab University and Bachelor of Hotel Management and Catering Technology from Institute of Hotel Management and Catering Technology, Madras.

Tourism India September 2015 

37

E

mirates airlines has announced a second daily A380 service to Frankfurt, adding 1,155 seats a week on the route, with 280 in First Class and Business Class.

Commencing 1st January 2016, Emirates flights EK47/48, currently operated by a Boeing 777300ER, will be up-gauged to an A380. The first scheduled A380 service between Frankfurt and Dubai was in September 2014; since then, over 280,000 passengers have travelled with Emirates on this route.

"Our daily A380 service to Frankfurt proved to be extremely popular and we’re happy that demand has been so strong that we needed to increase capacity on the route. In fact, our four gateways in Germany are doing extremely well with 3 of them boasting a daily or double-daily 38  Tourism India September 2015

A380 service. Should the opportunity arise, Emirates would be keen to fly to additional cities that are currently underserved, offering more choices to travellers," commented Hubert Frach, Emirates’ Divisional Senior Vice President and Commercial Operations West. "Our customers love the A380 and adding a second one to Frankfurt will further enhance the travel experience on that route and provide more A380 to A380 connectivity to popular destinations around the world via our ultra-modern hub in Dubai,” added Frach.

“We are pleased that Emirates decided to operate a second daily A380 to Frankfurt. It shows a clear commitment of Emirates and underlines the attractiveness of Frankfurt

Airport”, said Dr. Stefan Schulte, Chairman of the Executive Board of Fraport AG. Emirates’ flight EK47 departs Dubai Interna-

tional Airport at 14:35hrs and arrives in Frankfurt at 18:40hrs. The outbound flight EK48 departs from Frankfurt at 20:30hrs and arrives in Dubai at 0610hrs the following day.

The new aircraft will feature 14 Private Suites in First Class, 76 flat-bed seats in Business Class, and 429 comfortable seats in Economy Class.

Passengers in all classes will enjoy access to over 2000 channels of films, TV shows, music and games through ice Digital Widescreen, the airline’s awardwinning in-flight entertainment system, as well as free Wi-Fi and gourmet cuisine. It will also offer access to the world’s only onboard Shower Spa for First Class passengers and to the Onboard Lounge, where First Class and Business Class passengers can socialise at 40,000 feet.

As with all Emirates flights, passengers will be able to accumulate Skywards miles and benefit from a generous baggage allowance of 30kg in Economy Class, 40kg in Business Class and 50 kg

in First Class. Passengers travelling in premium cabins will also enjoy Emirates’ dedicated lounge at Frankfurt Airport, as well as Emirates Chauffeurdrive service.

Emirates also operate nine weekly freighter flights out of Frankfurt, offering a total cargo capacity of up to 1,000 tonnes per week. Main products transported include machinery, chemicals, pharmaceuticals and electronic equipment bound for markets in the Middle East, Africa, Asia as well as USA and Mexico.

The Emirates A380 is partly manufactured at Airbus’ facilities in Hamburg-Finkenwerder, with various parts coming from

small and medium sized suppliers based in Germany like galleys, aircraft upholstery, paint and ground handling equipment which represent hundreds of millions of Euros in direct investments.

The Emirates’ A380 programme creates and supports manufacturing jobs across the global aircraft supply chain. With a total of 140 aircraft ordered, Emirates is the largest purchaser of Airbus’ A380, accounting for more than 40 percent of the total A380 order book. Airbus estimates that Emirates’ A380 orders support the employment of 14,500 direct, indirect and induced jobs in Germany.

21.13% growth in passengers carried by domestic airlines during JanuaryJuly, 2015 compared to the corresponding period of previous year The passengers carried by domestic airlines during January-July, 2015 were 455.78 lakh as against 376.28 lakh during the corresponding period of previous year thereby registering a growth of 21.13 %. The total of 67.45 lakh domestic passengers was carried by scheduled domestic airlines in the month of July, 2015.

Tourism India September 2015 

39

E

tihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, has been announced as one of the Founding members of the UAE Business Council in India, formed under the able leadership of H.E. Saed Mohammed Saed Al Muhairi, Charge de Affairs, Embassy of UAE. The council was officially opened by His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Foreign Minister, on Thursday 3 September at a special ceremony in New Delhi.

The airline was represented by Hareb Al Muhairy, Senior Vice President Corporate and International Affairs; Abdul Qader Hussein Ahmed, Vice President Government and International Affairs, and Neerja Bhatia, Vice President India and the Indian Subcontinent.

James Hogan, Etihad 40  Tourism India September 2015

Airways’ President and Chief Executive Officer, said: “India is a crucial market not only for Etihad Airways but the UAE itself and therefore we welcomed the opportunity to become a founding member of the UAE Business Council in India.

“Our strategic partnership with Jet Airways means both airlines are now carrying greater numbers of business and leisure travellers between the UAE and India and we look forward to using these ties as well as many more as we make a strong contribution to the UAE Business Council.”

Etihad Airways is one of nine founding members of the UAE Business Coun-

cil in India alongside First Gulf Bank; EMAAR; DP World; Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank; DNATA; NMC; Lulu Group and Borouge.

One of the key objectives of the organisation is to act as a catalyst for commercial entities to exchange ideas which in turn promotes economic synergy between the UAE and India.

N

on-stop service between Nagpur and Doha starts 1st December Seamless connections from Nagpur through Hamad International Airport to more than 150 destinations Highlighting the importance of its ongoing expansion and commitment to the Indian market, Qatar Airways will be reinstating its non-stop flights to Nagpur, India, from Doha, starting 1st December 2015. The reinstated service will take the airline’s total weekly passenger flights from 95 to 102 across 13 key cities in India. Qatar Airways had previously served Nagpur from September 2007 to May 2009.

Mr. Akbar Al Baker, Group Chief Executive of Qatar Airways said: “Reinstating the Doha-Nagpur route is part of Qatar Airways’ strategy to service increasing demand by providing the best possible flying experience to our customers in India.

Today, India has the largest number of destinations served by our carrier across any market and we will continue to look for more destinations and additional flights to expand our reach in the Indian subcontinent.”

Qatar Airways will operate a daily A320 on the route between Doha and Nagpur with an average flight time of just over four hours. The aircraft will feature 144 seats in a two-class configuration of 12 seats in Business Class and 132 seats in Economy.

Selected aircraft will feature seatback TV screens, providing passengers with the next generation interactive on-board entertainment system Oryx One, featuring a choice of more than 900 audio and video on-demand options, together with an SMS text messaging service from each seat.

Located in the State of Maharashtra and identified as one of the flag-

ship smart cities by the government of India, Nagpur is set to emerge as an important trade and business hub. A new economic zone and airport are being planned in the city – these developments are likely to increase the attractiveness of Nagpur and Qatar Airways will be poised to meet the demand in the market.

Qatar Airways currently offers a wide selection of flights from 12 cities in India via its hub in Doha to an exciting choice of destinations – Barcelona, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, London, Miami, New York, Paris, Philadelphia, Rome, Washington D.C. and many more.

The airline has seen rapid growth in just 18 years of operation and it currently flies a modern fleet of 164 aircraft to 151 key business and leisure destinations across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacific, North America and South Amer ica.

Tourism India September 2015 

41

T

he partnership between Oman Air and Cargolux, launched in April 2015, introduced a second frequency to Chennai from 11th August 2015.

The addition of Chennai to the Oman Air Cargolux network is the cooperation’s latest step in expanding its air freight services from Oman to India. The cooperation was established to enable Oman Air and Cargolux to jointly access new freighter destinations and contribute to the development of Oman’s logistics hub. It will allow Cargolux to utilize Oman Air’s experience of flying to a range of global destinations, including 11 destinations in India. In addition, it enables Oman Air to further expand its cargo operation and build

42  Tourism India September 2015

on the range of initiatives the airline has introduced over recent years.

Mafoodh Al Harthy, Chief Office Sales at Oman Air, said; “We are pleased to announce that Oman Air and Cargolux will now operate two full freighter flights from Chennai to Muscat. The new service will enable us to strengthen our presence within the Indian market by accessing the industrial belts of South India. “Vitally, however, they will also give an important boost to the development of the Sultanate of Oman as a global cargo hub. Our new services will generate increased cargo traffic that will not only attract important revenue streams, but will also demonstrate to the global market the outstanding, modern cargo infrastructure that Oman offers.

“We look forward to seeing our new services to Chennai rapidly become a

cornerstone for the transportation of cargo between India, the Middle East and Europe.”

It is anticipated that the partnership will build on the success of the newly-launched services by expanding its air freight services from Oman to destinations in China, Europe, Africa and the United States.

Niek van der Weide – EVP Sales & Marketing, Cargolux Airlines, further added “The importance and value of the cooperation and partnership with Oman Air which made the reintroduction of cargo services to India possible and, effective August 11th, we will go to 2 weekly flights ex Chennai” “India will be a very important market for Cargolux in the future and we will look at further expansion soon with planned addition of Bombay as a 2nd destination.”

T

he ASEAN MICE Forum (AMF) @ IT&CMA will debut on 29 September in Bangkok, in conjunction with the Leading International MICE Event Centred in Asia-Pacific. The only one of its kind in the world, AMF was made possible with the endorsement of the ASEAN Tourism Marketing and Communication Working Group.

“The AMF @ IT&CMA is the first major step we are taking to raise awareness of the ASEAN region, made up of the 10 member countries, as a collective MICE destination.

The AEC collaboration and close ties between the ASEAN nations literally expands the possibilities of any MICE programme to the region, as it can take on a multi-nation approach which will offer diversity and unique cultural experiences for participants. We are excited to initiate conversations with global MICE leaders during the forum,” said Khairuddin Abdul Hamid, Deputy Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Industry and Primary Resources, Brunei Darussalam, and concurrently the Chairman of ASEAN Tourism Marketing and Commu-

nication Working Group, ASEAN Secretariat.

Organised by TTG Events, AMF will be attended by some 50 global industry leaders including tourism heads from the ASEAN nations, IT&CMA buyers, exhibitors, and media, as they discuss and forward South-east Asia’s MICE developments and capabilities.

AMF will kick off with “A One-Stop MICE Wonderland” led by Karen Yue, Group Editor – TTG Travel Trade Publishing, TTG Asia Media, on how multi-destination programmes can be put together in the region. Industry players will have the opportunity to share mini case studies on their MICE events in relatively ‘fresh’ ASEAN destinations in the “Learning from Success: Case Studies” session. And to round up the day, Gary Grimmer, CEO of Gaining Edge will share the significance of convention bureaus and why they are important at a country and/or city level.

Darren Ng, Managing

Director of TTG Asia Media remarked, “The ASEAN MICE Forum is an opportunity for IT&CMA to play an anchor role in developing MICE in ASEAN through the engagement of global industry leaders. In that same note, IT&CMA is also the perfect platform for AMF as it is the leading MICE event in the AsiaPacific region. Leveraging on IT&CMA enables these global industry leaders to reach out to international MICE players who are present at the show.”

Access to AMF is complimentary for all IT&CMA 2015 delegates. Industry members who are not registered for IT&CMA can access the forum at US$50.

IT&CMA 2015 will be held from 29 September to 1 October 2015 at the Bangkok Convention Centre at Central World. This year’s edition is expected to bring together more than 2,500 Asia-Pacific and international delegates. It is co-located with the CTW Asia-Pacific – The Leading Corporate Travel Management Conference for the Asia-Pacific. For more information, log on to www.itcma.com Tourism India September 2015 

43

W

inning recipe to be featured in Lufthansa’s in flight menu: winners win a Lufthansa Business Class ticket to Europe; a 6 weeks internship with celebrity chefs at The Leela and complimentary overnight stay at The Leela Ambience Gurgaon In a gripping finale, Nandini Diwakar and Sanjeev Gakhar beat six other finalists in a live-cook out session to win India’s largest online culinary talent hunt, Lufthansa #cookandfly contest held in partnership with The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts. Nandini and Sanjeev were announced winners, at a glittering grand 44  Tourism India September 2015

finale ceremony at The Leela Ambience Gurgaon.

Rajni Kaura (Paneer-ehusn) and Simmi Sareen (Upma Polenta cakes with mushroom coconut sauce) won the first and second runner up titles respectively. The winning recipes – Nandini (Murgh Noore Bahara with Mawa Pulao) and Sanjeev (Masala Aloo aur khatte pyaaz) will be featured in Lufthansa’s in flight menu.

Lufthansa #cookandfly contest is Season 2 of Star Chef Contest where the nationwide hunt for India’s largest online culinary talent is conducted

by Master Chefs Kunal Kapur and Vinod Saini of The Leela and Lufthansa’s culi-

nary expert for the Asian region, Chef Thomas Brockenauer.

Conceived under Lufthansa’s “Non Stop You” positioning and “More Indian Than You Think” philosophy, the Lufthansa #cookandfly contest celebrates India’s cultural and cuisine diversity and aims to engage with target audiences on a topic close to their heart – their food preferences.

Hosted on Facebook, the contest also harnessed the power and reach of social media and received overwhelming response with entry submissions pouring even after the submission timeline was over.

Commenting on the contest, Mr. Rajiv Kaul, President, The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts said, “We are delighted to expand our partnership with Lufthansa to showcase the hidden culinary talent of India and help them spread their wings.

The Leela reflects the essence of India and our Master Chefs Kunal Kapur and Vinod Saini take pride in bringing the finest Indian culinary experiences from our signature Kitchen – Jamavar - to the skies.

We have brought this ethos to the campaign to

I

nternational travel association returns to Canada’s premier LGBT destination in 2018. The International Gay & Lesbian Travel Association is Canada-bound in 2018, bringing its Annual Global Convention to Toronto for the second time in the association’s history. IGLTA’s board of directors selected Ontario’s capital city – long celebrated for its vibrant LGBT community – for the 35th edition of the conference, 9-12 May 2018.

The convention, the leading educational and networking event for the LGBT tourism industry, will take place at the downtown Westin Harbour Castle hotel on the shores of Lake Ontario.

“Canada stands at the forefront of gay and lesbian rights, and our 2009 convention in Toronto was one of our best attended,” says IGLTA Board Chair Dan Melesurgo. “Toronto is truly a diverse, multicultural city that has world-class attractions and unique neighbourhoods, including a large and popular gay village.

We’re excited to return in 2018 and set the bar even higher.”

Toronto’s reputation as an LGBTwelcoming destination continues

to grow. World Pride 2014 united advocates and allies from around the globe in Toronto, attracting an estimated 2 million visitors over the course of the 10-day festival, and the city’s annual gay pride event is one of the largest in North America.

“Our tourism community looks forward to welcoming IGLTA in 2018,” said Andrew Weir, Chief Marketing Officer of Tourism Toronto. “The world is taking notice of Toronto’s vibrancy and progressive spirit that makes this not only a welcoming destination but also one of North America’s most exciting cities to explore.”

Tourism India September 2015 

45

P

erth Airport has formed a new longterm partnership with Amadeus to implement ACUS, a cutting edge cloud-based technology to benefit airline customers and travellers. This agreement marks Amadeus’ continued expansion of its airport IT business in the Asia Pacific region, with Perth Airport its first customer in Australia.

The next generation, cloud-based ACUS solution will make use of application virtualisation, allowing passenger processing systems to be accessed and deployed anywhere, on demand.

This means airlines can use the platform from a desktop computer, laptop or mobile device, and enables passengers to be checked-in and boarding passes to be printed from any location. Ground handlers will also be able to

46  Tourism India September 2015

handle passenger processing for multiple airlines at the same time from any gate or terminal and from any device.

Any combination of applications can be hosted without any constraint or limitation on the actual workstation or device. The common use platform will also simplify user training, allowing for the rapid deployment of new employees. The infrastructure and hardware reduction also means that Amadeus’ environmentally-friendly platform is expected to help Perth Airport reduce its carbon dioxide emissions and improve its environmental footprint.

Rowan Chalmers, Perth Airport Executive General Manager Operations and Customer Experience said that this partnership will put Perth Airport in a more proactive, reliable and flexible position when

it comes to the check-in process.

“The advanced systems we are delivering with Amadeus will provide a higher level of customer experience. During our selection process, it became clear that Amadeus was the only common use provider to truly deliver on the cloud-based model, bringing clear financial and structural benefits,” he said.

The investment in technology aligns with Perth Airport’s AUD$1 billion overall transformation of infrastructure.

“Moving to the Amadeus’ cloud-based common use system means we will be able to cut passenger processing costs by more than 25 per cent for our airline partners.

That was a key consideration when selecting this new and innovative system,” Mr Chalmers said.

Caroline Wilkie, Chief Executive Officer, Australian Airports Association said the introduction of the Amadeus platform was another example of how Australian airports were investing in the latest technology to deliver

better and more flexible services for passengers and airlines.

“As Australian airports continue to handle ever increasing numbers of passengers and aircraft movements, their adoption of innovative technology solutions will help in providing a better experience for passengers while also meeting the operational needs of their airline customers,” Ms Wilkie said.

John Jarrell, Head of Airport IT, Amadeus said that they were delighted to partner with Perth Airport as it pioneers new innovations in the Australian market, while investing to improve its service to both travellers and its airline partners.

“Airports across the world are under pressure to think differently in order to handle increasingly significant numbers of passengers, and modern

technology has a huge role to play. The deployment of ACUS is only the beginning of our partnership with Perth Airport, and we look forward to continuing to work closely together,” he said.

This partnership follows the launch of ACUS at Innsbruck Airport, announced in February and the major deal signed with The Avinor Group in June to adopt ACUS in the airports it operates in

T

show made a destination presentation on the offerings for Auckland, Waiheke, Rotorua, Waitomo, Queenstown, Wanaka and Christchurch.

The attendees were also taken through team building activities, venues/ accommodation, gala dinners, adventure and food and wine available in the regions.

Speaking about the event, Steven Dixon, Regional Manager – South and South East Asia, Tourism New Zealand said, “We have received a great response from the Experiential Planner MICE Road shows and look forward to more partnerships like

this that help us build awareness of New Zealand as a business events destination in India. We aim to highlight New Zealand as a destination that is diverse yet accessible through the range of activities it offers. We are pleased to see an increase in preference for New Zealand among corporate travellers and hope to keep up the momentum.”

The Indian market is growing at +25.4% with 42,896 arrivals (YTD July 2015) with an increase in holiday arrivals of 23.0% on the previous 12 months

ourism New Zealand recently participated in Experiential Planner MICE road show that took place in Delhi, Mumbai & Bengaluru. The tourism board showcased its multiple offerings for corporate travellers across regions in North & South Island to over 200 event planners who attended the event. MICE is one of Tourism New Zealand’s focus segments for the Indian market and the road show provided a great platform to meet with top planners in India.

Ms. Neha Bhola, Country Manager, Tourism New Zealand at Experiential Planners Road

Tourism India September 2015 

47

I

nterContinental Bali Resort is proud to be awarded as “Bali Leading Family Resort” by Bali Tourism Award (BTA).

The Bali Tourism Award, a non-governmental award given to various tourism hospitality industries based on online voting, assessed by Binus Business School and judged by Board of Advisor BTA 2015.

InterContinental Bali Resort as one of the leading family resort which provides a wide range of activities for adults, teens and toddlers. The kids club “Planet Trekkers” is structured as a mini-resort for children, which is a fullysupervised and secured zone with ample recreational space for age-appropriate children’s

48  Tourism India September 2015

facilities and fun-filled and culturally inclined indoor and outdoor such as kite making, dress-up, dance, music, turtle release and Indonesian Bahasa language lessons. Children can enjoy their most favorite gelato which is available around the resort.

The endless pristine beach at InterContinental Bali is perfect for early morning walks, family time on the sand and indulging in the daily ritual of watching the beautiful Jimbaran Sunset. The resort also provides a variety of water sports, and with its relatively calm waters, the beach offers a safe place for swimming with children and learning new water sports activities.

Located less than a fifteen-minute drive from Ngurah Rai International Airport, InterContinental Bali Resort offers a luxu-

rious range of 417 beautifully-appointed rooms, suites and private villas housed in six separate wings, which is defined by a contemporary Balinese style that embodies the spirit of refined tropical living and warm Balinese hospitality and this island’s age-old artistic and cultural heritage.

“We take pride in the fact that we are able to provide the best facilities for families including Club InterContinental, a resort within a resort, with an exclusive Club InterContinental privileges and entitlements and other activities”, comments Mr. Michel Chertouh, General Manager of InterContin e n t al Bali Resort.

S

mall, Intimate Chapel for Up to 30 People, Inspired by the Blockbuster Comedy, "The Hangover" Now available only in Las Vegas: the world's first wedding chapel inspired by "The Hangover." Jägermeister shots; Elvis as the minister; "Phil" and "Alan" as witnesses for the wedding and more are now available for daring couples looking for a raucous way to say "I do." Debuting this month at Madame Tussauds Las Vegas, the chapel can accommodate weddings up to 30 people. This wedding locale is now the centerpiece of the attraction's newest themed room, The Hangover Experience, based

on Warner Bros. Pictures’ “The Hangover.”

Before guests enter the chapel, they can meander in the notorious hotel room that includes a roaring tiger in the bathroom (surprise!) and "Phil" (played by Bradley Cooper in the films).

Outside the chapel doors awaits Zach Galifianakis as “Alan,” appropriately styled in his iconic “Human Tree” T-shirt, white jeans, sneakers, and of course his famous satchel.

Just for good measure, there is also an actual Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department vehicle.

As for the chapel, it is white and can be lit to complete transform into

any color of the couple's choosing. The ceiling drips with chandeliers as they dangle above the white chairs that fill the chapel, along with a podium and flowers at the end of the aisle.

For "The Ultimate Hangover Experience," the package includes:

Tourism India September 2015 

49

• Use of the chapel (30 people maximum) • Elvis minister • Bridal bouquet and Groom boutonniere • DJ • Shots of Jägermeister for the couple • Fun tuxedo t-shirt for the groom • "The Hangover" trilogy on DVD • All-access to the attraction • Two 6x8 Madame Tussauds souvenir photos • Two-hour beer & wine bar with bartender • Two-hour mini buffet hors d’oeuvres • Price begins at $5,500 For couples wishing to add a larger reception, Madame Tussauds also offers the "Viva Vegas" reception package. For up to 75 guests, this includes a DJ; 3-hour buffet of hors d’oeuvres; 3-hour beer and wine bar with bartender; tables and chairs with linens; commemorative Madame Tussauds Champagne and glasses; wedding cake; wedding coordinator and all access to the attraction for the couple and their guests.

The "Viva Vegas" room is located next to The Hangover Experience and features wax figures that pay homage the personalities and acts shaping Las Vegas’ dynamic history. This includes the Rat Pack, Elvis and Liberace, as well as Celine Dion and Blue Man Group.

50  Tourism India September 2015

H

oneymoon in a Winter Wonderland - A Very Special Experience at Kempinski Grand Hotel des Bains It doesn’t get more romantic for honeymooners than winter in the Alps. With snow-capped mountains from above on a helicopter tour, a gourmet dinner at a Michelin-starred restaurant, a sleigh ride followed by lunch at the frozen lake in the idyllic winter wonderland, a spa treatment for two, a private butler and champagne, you will fall in love all over again in the new elegant Kempin-

ski Residences at Kempinski Grand Hotel des Bains in St Moritz. Kicking off our “Love in St Moritz” package, our sportive and relaxed luxury hotel will welcome newly married couples throughout the winter season starting on December 4.

The hotel offers a BMW limousine service from either the Milan or Zurich airport that takes you on the most direct and convenient route to St Mo-

ritz. In their own Kempinski Residence, couples can enjoy undisturbed togetherness. Immediately after your arrival, the butler will welcome you with an exotic fruit plate and champagne, providing you round-the-clock service as well. That same evening, Michelin-starred chef Matthias Schmidberger creates a candlelight dinner at the gourmet restaurant Cà d'Oro and pampers you with aphrodisiac delicacies made of chilli, French oysters and the finest Valrhona chocolate. The next day, you’ll be in seventh heaven on a private helicopter flight over the snow-capped mountain peaks. For lunch, a roman-

tic sleigh ride and a subsequent gourmet menu served on the frozen lake surrounded by a picturesque winter scene and brilliant sunshine will start the fire in your hearts. On the second day, newlyweds can recharge

their batteries at Kempinski The Spa. Enjoy total relaxation for two with a full-body massage in the spa suite and cosy high tea by the fireplace in the lobby bar afterwards.

The package price starts at CHF 10,000 per person in the Kempinski residence for a stay of three nights, including honeymoon welcome treatment, daily breakfast, a sleigh ride and a lunch in the snow and an a la carte gourmet dinner.

A helicopter ride, 24-hour butler service, airport transfer from Milan or Zurich, access to Kempinski The Spa and a partner treatment in the spa suite will also be included. The package is now available to book for stays from 4 December 2015 to 28 March 2016. For bookings, contact the hotel at +41 81 838 3838 or e-mail info. stmoritz@kempinski.com.

More information can be found at kempinski.com/ stmoritz.

Tourism India September 2015 

51

B

rand USA concluded itsfourth annual India Mission organized for travel tradefrom September 6-11, 2015. The mission, traveling across three Indian metro cities of Chennai, Mumbai and New Delhiwitnessed an excellent response fromIndian travel industry professionals. The U.S. delegations included43 participants representing 31U.S. companies including destinations, attractions, hotels and receptive operators.

The missionprovidedan opportunity for U.S. suppliers to engage with key decision makers through

52  Tourism India September 2015

free flow one-to-one appointments with the goal of increasingdestination and product knowledge, business cooperation and travel bookings. The invitees included major stakeholders from the Indian travel trade, airline representatives, hospitality representatives and tour operators. Additionally, a dedicated media day was organised in New Delhi with leading travel trade and consumer media.

Brand USA today launched a new Luxury module on the USA Discovery Program, the online training program, for

agents in India.Housed at www.USADiscoveryProgram.in, the Luxury module focuses on the luxurious accommodation, dining, spa and ranch experiences that United States has to offer to its travelers. The online training tool enables agents to learn about the diverse destinations and experiences available in the USA and take interactive quizzes.

“As always, India Mission has been a great platform for our partners who want to generate more business from this key market. The growth in all major segments – FIT’s,

special interest, group, travel trade& luxury travel provides a huge opportunity for the USA, said Mr. David Whitaker, Chief Marketing Officer, Brand USA,. “We will continue to plan focused initiatives to widen our audience reach in India and leverage existing opportunities”.

Ms. Sheema Vohra, Managing Director, Brand USA in Indiaadded, “We are thrilled to witness such a great response from the Indian travel trade in all three cities.Every year, during the India Mission, we witness new developments, new partnerships and new opportunities for U.S participants as well as our Indian travel trade partners. We are confident that this trend will continue over the next decade and the India Travel Mission provides an excellent opportunity

for Indian travel partners to cultivate lucrative business opportunities to the USA." The USA has witnessed a steady increase in Indian travelers.In 2014, India is ranked 11th amongst the top 20 tourist generating countries for the U.S. with 961,790 arrivals,an increase of 11.9% over the previous yearaccording to the U.S Department of Commerce. In 2014, Indian visitors also ranked 7th globally in terms of money spent in the U.S., with a total spend of $9.6 billion - an increase of 7% over the previous year.

This year, India Mission included participation from Beverly Hills Conference & Visitors Bureau, Gray Line New York Sightseeing, Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau, Hornblower Cruises & Events, Las Vegas Con-

vention and Visitors Authority, Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board, Marriott International Inc., Maxim Tours, Nevada Commission on Tourism, NYC & Company, NYC & Co. Partner (Empire State Building Observatory), & NYC& Co. Partner (The Metropolitan Museum of Art), Papillon Helicopters & Scenic Airlines, Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau, San Francisco Travel Association, Sans Incredible Vacations, Santa Monica Travel and Tourism,Sawgrass Mills, SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment, Simon Shopping Destinations, Starwood Sales Organisation, The New Tropicana Las Vegas, Tours Limited LLC, Travel Oregon, Universal Orlando Resort, Universal Studios Hollywood, Visit California, Visit Florida, Visit Orlando, 7M Tours and Brand USA. Tourism India September 2015  53

54  Tourism India September 2015

TOURISM INDIA September 2015 Vol. 17 No. 05

RNI KERBIL / 1998/7642