IATO Day 2 2013 by Ashish Chakraborty

travtalkindia.com

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A DDP PUBLICATION

Making group landings a success MOT boosts group travel

IATO shows the way forward

For collective landing for groups, there are three essential conditions. It should be a group of 4 or more; applying through a travel agent authorised by MOT and 72 hours in advance, says Parvez Dewan, Secretary, MOT.

Clarifications from the Ministry of Home Affairs were sought to ensure that the group-landing permits are implemented effectively and all inbound players can make use of this facility.

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he Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has amended the special categories in its Visa manual and has entrusted the travel agents approved by the Ministry of Tourism to play an important role in getting the facility of collective landing for groups. “Foreign tourists in groups of four, or more, arriving by air or sea, sponsored by Indian travel agencies approved by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India and with a pre-drawn itinerary may be granted a collective landing permit for a period not exceeding 60 days, with multiple-entry facility to enable them to visit a neighbouring country,” said the circular issued by MHA in April. “To avail this facility, a tourist, or travel agency concerned shall mandatorily fill in the applications online on

Parvez Dewan Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India

This development also accepts the role of travel agencies accredited by the Ministry of Tourism

www.indiavisaonline.gov.in. A complete list of group members along with printed visa applications and their itinerary should be submitted by tourists, or travel agency to the FRRO, or FRO concerned, 72 hours in advance. The tourist or travel agency shall also give an undertaking to conduct the group as per the itinerary and extend a further assurance that no individual would be allowed to drop out from the group at any place” added the circular seen by . As per Parvez Dewan, Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, it’s a very important development. “India has now opened its shores by land and sea to people travelling in groups from most of the countries across the world, other than a few due to special consideration. Fortunately, this development also acknowledges the role travel agencies accredited by Contd. on page 18

We, at IATO, always try to get detailed clarifications from the concerned ministries on issues related to different ministries

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he Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had announced the revised procedure for foreign tourists in groups of four or more arriving by air or sea, sponsored by Indian travel agencies approved by the Ministry of Tourism, and with a pre-drawn itinerary in April 2013.

The inbound tour operators had been keen to make use of the scheme, but hadn’t used it due to the want of certain clarifications. Here, the Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO) had taken a lead by requesting the MHA for required clarifications and volunteering to help the cause of attracting foreign tourists’ arrivals. “We have sought clarifications from the Ministry of Home Affairs so that this can

Subhash Goyal President IATO

be implemented effectively and our members can make use of this facility. Here, the airlines also need to be informed that tourists might be taking flights without visa and they should be allowed to board. It can be

with computer printouts, which confirm that they are part of the group and they have applied for CGLP. As per the Circular no. 423 of MHA, it is required to fill in the application online on www.indianvisaonline.gov.in. Contd. on page 18

ANALYSIS

TRAVTALK IATO DAILIES 2013 – DAY 2

Kerala: A strong contender For a slice of life Lally Mathews, Co-Convention Chairperson, IATO EM Najeeb, Co-Convention Chairperson, IATO is bullish on Convention 2013; says that Kerala is all set to enter the the positive aspects of the 2013 convention in Kerala, which next level of tourism with the IATO Convention 2013. will put the state in tourism limelight VIVEK SETHI

n recent times, there have been rapid changes in the tourism and hospitality industry. The 29th Annual Convention’s theme ‘Tourism innovations and Partnerships’ highlights how the marketplace got so dynamic and how it requires an equally vibrant new approach. “In the fastchanging global order, the stakeholders in travel and tourism industry require formulating new business partnerships and innovations at regular intervals. The social media promotions and marketing is one such space that interests the tour operators’

fraternity a lot, as social media has become such a massive phenomenon. We are keen to get a speaker from overseas, who would explain all nitty-gritties of the social media wave,” said Mathews. “Moreover, the business sessions spread over the course of the convention will highlight various innovations and possible partnership opportunities to assist all our delegates. We had about 1,300 delegates in the Mumbai convention in 2012. This year, we are trying our best and are likely to match the numbers registered in the previous year,” he added. In the 2013 convention, IATO’s patrons and partners had been very prompt in extending their support. “The host

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he theme of the IATO Convention 2013 is ‘Tourism Innovations & Partnerships’, which Najeeb believes is a reflection of the true nature of tourism industry.

The business sessions spread over the course of the convention will highlight various innovations and partnership opportunities

“Tourism is a hospitality industry that is based on relationships, partnerships, innovations in technology, product development, creating customer delight and visitor experiences. There will be expert speakers talking on different dimensions of this theme and we expect very active deliberation from participants. Apart from that, there will be participation by the tourism departments of various state governments, other allied sectors of tourism industry, etc. conducting the National Convention of IATO in Kerala,” said Najeeb.

Contd. on page 4

“Having this convention conducted in Kerala brings a lot of positive attention to the

Lally Mathews Co-Convention Chairperson IATO Convention 2013

state from the tourism industry across India. The visit and familiarisation of the decision-making tour operators would promote tourism in the state. The post-conference tours will give an opportunity to the delegates to move around and experience locations and packages by the state,” he added. In the fast-changing global travel industry, travellers’ preferences have also changed. According to Najeeb, the most prominent travel attraction has always been the sun, sand and the blue sea. But more than that, the visitors look for experiential tours that give them a feel of India. “Specially-designed experiential programmes are products new-age travellers look for. Tourists also wants more participatory experiences. They are keen on the body, mind and soul programmes including yoga, meditation and Ayurveda.

EM Najeeb Co-Convention Chairperson IATO

Specially-designed experiential programmes are products new-age travellers look for. Tourists also wants more participatory experiences Contd. on page 4

TRAVTALK IATO DAILIES 2013 – DAY 2

HOTELS

The lap of luxury in Greater Noida Nestled in 450 acres of green township at Jaypee Greens along with a 18-hole Greg Norman golf course, Jaypee Greens Golf & Spa Resort at Greater Noida is a 170-room resort, with their area starting from of 750 sq. ft. T T B U R E AU

five-star luxury resort that portrays absolute serenity and harmony with

nature, Jaypee Greens Golf & Spa Resort at Greater Noida is an epitome of elegance. Nestled in 450 acres of green township at Jaypee Greens,

the resort is a harmonious blend of understated luxury and impeccable service. As you walk into the 170-room resort, with rooms starting

with an area of 750 sq. ft, the ambience exudes élan. The resort has seven premium dining outlets. The 24-hour resto-cafe, Eggspectation spreads out a creative international menu with an eclectic selection of fine fare, including many styles of eggs alone,

making the restaurant oneof-its-kind. Other dining experiences include Ano Tai – an authentic Chinese cuisine restaurant, La Brezza –

the Italian restaurant with an award-winning bar, Enoteca, Paatra for Indian cuisine, Matrix Bar – The Lounge bar, The Churchill – a Cigar Bar, The Tea Lounge and Bakers Studio – the Patisserie. The other unique offerings include Wet Feet – a dedicated area for kids, Aquene – a swimming pool for adults with an island bar, an exclusive shopping store, ‘The Shop’ with a range of Indian traditional

handicrafts; elegant, multifunctional venues with an exceptional banquet, and conference.

The property is also the first to introduce Six Senses spa, a superluxury global spa chain from Thailand in India. A unique concept spread over an area of 90,000 square feet, the Spa has been integrated into the naturally beautiful landscape. Located just a few kilometres from the F1 track, the recently-opened 165-km long Expressway connecting Agra and Delhi has reduced the drive-time from Greater Noida to Agra to just 90 minutes. The property offers great meeting facilities as well. With total space of 75,000 sq. ft, it can host up to 1,400 persons at a time.

South gets credence in world Contd. from page 1

state Kerala, and others like Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, J&K, and Chhattisgarh had already come forward confirming participation, and we expect many other states to come onboard at IATO 2013 convention. Airline partners including Jet Airways, SpiceJet, and IndiGo had been roped in. On the hospitality front, we have roped in as many as 11 hotel partners. All the support extended by our partners will make

the convention a great success,” said Mathews. “South India has now been very well-received in the global tourism circles. We receive as many queries for Southern states, as we receive for the Golden Triangle packages. Kerala is now ready to reach the next level with its houseboats, Ayurveda, pristine beaches, new seaplane services and upcoming destinations like Bekal,” he added.

Irresistible Kerala for tourists Contd. from page 1

The greenery and the beautiful nature of Kerala with its backwaters, beaches, spice plantations, hills and traditional home-stays make it an irresistible attraction for them,” said Najeeb. “Medical tourism is on increase as peo-

ple look for world-class treatment at competitive prices. MICE tourism is on the increase, and almost all new hotels coming up have conference and convention facilities. History, heritage and culture also are on good demand,” he added.

Japan promotes 311mph Maglev trains for India The first five cars of the new train, which has a distinct aerodynamic “nose” at the front, were displayed on a test track in Yamanashi Prefecture.

HOTELS

TRAVTALK IATO DAILIES 2013 – DAY 2

Agents fight sluggish inbound trend Terming the furore over safety aspects and its consequent fallout on foreign arrivals overrated, industry experts stay conﬁdent of growth in the forthcoming inbound season. T T B U R E AU

he pace of inbound visitors recently had fallen behind the expectations of the inbound industry. But, it hasn’t held back the courageous inbound operators from setting up aggressive targets for themselves. At the same time, they keep their eyes open for policy initiatives that can make India more inviting. “The present times are challenging, but FICCI’s survey on the present tourism scenario points out that a growing number of stakeholders in the tourism industry now feel that there could be a surge in inbound tourist arrivals in 2013. It is indeed

heartening to note that 46 per cent of (close to) 500 respondents feel confident that foreign tourist arrivals would go up in coming six months. An equal number of respondents also feel there would be no impact of the slowdown over the next six months on tourism. This is a marked improvement,” said Jyotsna Suri, Chairperson & Managing Director, Bharat Hotels and Vice President FICCI. Echoing similar sentiments, Vikram Madhok, MD, Abercrombie & Kent India has set up aggressive targets in the luxury inbound space that they operate. “In the first three months of the present year, we are about 10 per cent below target. But, the booking trend for September onwards is very positive. In fact, we strongly believe that the year will be very fruitful and we will end

bullish plans on the season ahead in 2013. “We are strongly committed to the plans and targets we’ve set ourselves for India Inbound season 2013-14,” said Surinder Singh Sodhi, Senior Vice President and Head, Leisure Travel- Inbound, Thomas Cook India. Jyotsna Suri

Arjun Sharma

Vikram Madhok

Chairperson & Managing Director Bharat Hotels and Vice President FICCI

Managing Director LPTI

Managing Director A&K India

Stakeholders in the tourism industry feel that there could be a surge in inbound arrivals in 2013 the year with over 20 per cent growth,” said Madhok. Arup Sen, Director, Special Projects, Cox & Kings

We certainly hope that policy initiatives will help in stimulating inbound demand also believe that the forthcoming season will offer good returns. “The winter of 2013 is expected to be much better

We strongly believe that the year will be very fruitful and we will end the year with over 20 per cent growth than 2012. We expect growth in our inbound segment,” said Sen, confidently. Thomas Cook India is committed to its

Here, Arjun Sharma, MD, LPTI, promptly brings in the policy initiatives that are facilitative in nature to stimulate demand. “We had seen a gradual deceleration in growth since the previous season. We certainly hope that policy initiatives like extending Visa-on-Arrival (VoA) scheme, various strategic source markets will certainly help in our objective of stimulating inbound demand. Steps like extension of grant of VoA on five new ports that was recently announced will definitely help revive the sentiment.” Contd. on page 14

AVIATION

TRAVTALK IATO DAILIES 2013 – DAY 2

‘Sliding rupee a grave concern’

Seaplane enters Kerala’s tourism service

In an exclusive interview with , IndiGo President Aditya Ghosh discusses the impact of depreciating rupee on the aviation sector and highlights the carrier’s growth strategy to stay ahead.

The first seaplane, to connect Kerala’s backwater destinations, arrived at Kochi airport to a ceremonial water salute. Kerala Minister for Tourism AP Anil Kumar, accompanied by

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Q. How has the weak rupee affected the business? The continued weakness of the rupee is a matter of grave concern for the airline industry, just like any other industry. The rupee has depreciated by 15 per cent yearon-year. Since 70-75 per cent of an airline’s costs are dollardenomi-

help us to consistently deliver better performance. Moreover, India is a growing economy, which means that the demand for affordable air travel will increase year-on-year. While there may be a bad period in between, but the long-term picture of the aviation definitely provides for a greater opportunity for the entire industry.

Q. IndiGo is now a leader in ASKMs (available seat

Aditya Ghosh, President, IndiGo

In India, the demand outstrips supply and we are running 428 flights… the fact that we’ve remained profitable means that the network makes money nated, the impact has an overall bearing on aviation turbine fuel (ATF) and other costs as well. Lower costs of operations will

kilometres). How do you manage to stay ahead? We focus on our core competence: on-time performance, neat and clean operations and courteous and hassle-free service at affordable prices. It all

boils down to a sense of discipline, ownership, accountability, which drives this organisation. Everything from our meetings, increments and flights happen on time. Our growth has been consistent. Today, we fly 66 aircraft, 422 flights daily, covering 33 destinations in seven years of operations.

Q. Any plans to increase in capacity? We had initially placed an order of 100 aircraft in 2005, out of which 66 are already flying today. In 2011, we placed an order for 180 aircraft. All these A320s will come into the system between 2015 and 2025. Whether we fly to metro or other cities, same flights operate everywhere, all economy. That gives us consistency in technology, maintenance and makes life much easier for us.

Q. There is a lot of buzz about impending Star Alliance partnership. What is the true picture? Right now we are only a point-to-point carrier, with low cost of operations and web-based distribution. We have not thought of a Star Alliance partnership yet.

Q. Why hasn’t IndiGo expanded rapidly into new destinations unlike its peers? Opening new destinations mean more costs as it is not just restricted to adding capacity and new flights on existing routes. New destinations mean more staffing at the airport and ticketing stations as well as investment on ground staff. Our strategy is not to expand the network randomly, but adding more flights to the existing route.

Depending on the overall viability of the market, we take one particular market, create connectivity around it, especially to Tier-II and III cities, so that customers don’t have to depend on a few flights of IndiGo and other airlines to complete their journey. It brings down the overall cost of operation and also gives us the advantage of a better recall. We do not want to open stations randomly just with two flights a day. Rarely have we gone into a market where we had to pull out. In India, the demand outstrips supply and we are running 422 flights… the fact that we’ve remained profitable means that the network makes money.

Q. Can boosting regional connectivity be a viable business model? We were the first to connect Guwahati, Lucknow and Jaipur with Bangalore; Jaipur with Hyderabad; Bhubaneswar with Hyderabad and Vizag; Kolkata with Vizag, Nagpur with Pune. Flights connecting Ranchi, Varanasi, Mangalore are on the cards. We have been successful in developing new markets and routes. Until we went to Patna in 2010, it was a stagnant market. Now, we operate three flights a day from various cities and the traffic has grown more than 85 per cent. Also, smaller airports have plans to improve facilities that will allow A320s to land.

What He Said O New destinations mean more staffing at the airport and ticketing stations as well as investment on ground staff

State Planning Board Vice Chairman KM Chandrasekhar and state Tourism Secretary Suman Billa, formally received the aircraft as it touched down at the Nedumbassery International Airport, on its maiden flight to Kerala. The service would be formally inaugurated by Chief Minister Oommen Chandy at Ashtamudi Lake in Kollam district on June 2.

The future of air travel? The model of an adjustable plane, with wings that can be attached to for instance train compartments, was shown at the Paris Air Show recently.

The ‘Clip-Air’ project is fresh off the drawing board and features a single flying wing that could be clipped onto, for instance train ‘capsules’ carrying passengers or cargo, the EPFL Technical University in Lausanne said in a statement. "More than a new type of flying device, its innovative concept could revolutionise the airports of the future," it said.

TRAVTALK IATO DAILIES 2013 – DAY 2

AGENTS

Striking a balance for travel firms MediaOneUp offers a unique proposition wherein its clients are charged zero fees. The company will provide leads, which can easily be converted into sales. In return, it shares a small chunk of its client’s profits. T T B U R E AU

ne of the major challenges being faced by stakeholders in the travel business is to strike a balance

“Our ambition is to make all our clients stand out from the crowd. Through our expertise in building flexible solutions as per needs of the clients, we catapult their

The best part of our solutions is that it combines a mix of both traditional offline channels and new-age online channels Manish Saini, Director, MediaOneUp

between online and offline marketing and promotional channels. Here, a new startup MediaOneUp offers endto-end solution customised for its travel patrons.

brand so that its awareness grows manifold and results in increased volume of sales,” said Manish Saini, Director, MediaOneUp. “We develop nichebranding, consulting and marketing solutions for our clients. The best part of our solutions is that it combines a mix of both traditional

offline channels and new-age online channels, depending on the needs of our clients. In fact, we also offer a unique proposition, wherein we charge no fees from our clients. We offer them leads, which they can easily convert into sales and finally, the start-up shares a small chunk of their overall profits,” Saini added. Saini has ambitious plans and is on the look-out to lure hotel chains and travel companies by offering them valuable leads. “I see ample

opportunities to serve hotel and travel companies. All our clients, in addition to substantial businesses, will also experience plausible brand reputation as an added advantage of working with us,” Saini added.

Overall Aims O The company’s ambition is to make all their clients stand out from the crowd through its expertise in building flexible solutions as per their needs

The 2nd Lalit Walk-A-Thon The Lalit Suri Hospitality Group recently organised The 2nd Lalit Walk-A-Thon to celebrate Dabbawalas at The Lalit Mumbai. The 2nd Walk-A-Thon saw participation from about 200 Dabbawalas against 125 who walked the roads of Mumbai during the 1st edition. Conceptualised by Jyotsna Suri, Chairperson & Managing Director, The Lalit Suri Hospitality Group, the event salutes the ever-pre- Jyotsna Suri, Chairperson & Managing sent 5,000 plus dabbawalas Director, The Lalit Suri Hospitality Group who deliver over two lakh lunch boxes across the busy city every day. Dabbawalas have become an part of the Mumbai culture and have won accolades across the world for their clockwork precision and teamwork.

35 hotels sign ‘green-pact’ Thirty-five 5-star hotels have decided to go the eco-friendly way by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that binds them to the Green Hotels Guidelines with the Delhi Government. Chief Minister Shiela Dikshit was present at the occasion. The new green measures that are likely to step-up the environmental suitability of the hotels comprise of water treatment plants that treats waste water and makes it fit for re-utilsation, solar panels for heating water, using biodegradable fuel as a major source of energy over electricity and natural gas.

TRAVTALK IATO DAILIES 2013 – DAY 2

STATES

Bringing Odisha to the fore In a special interaction, J K Mohanty, Managing Director, Swosti Group (Hotels-Resorts-Travels) and Chairman, Hotel & Restaurant Association of Odisha (HRAO) shares his company’s expansion plans and also active role being played by HRAO. Here are the selected excerpts:T T B U R E AU Expansion plans:Swosti has a number of achievements in its portfolio. It has won some of the most prestigious awards in the industry for quality and excellence in the hospitality business. Apart from its three existing properties (Hotel Swosti, Swosti Premium and Swosti Palm Resort) the Swosti Group has ambitious plans to open several new hotels and resorts at new exotic tourist locations in the state at Puri, Chilka, Satpada, Bhitarkanika, etc. We intend setting up world-class prop-

J K Mohanty Managing Director, Swosti Group (Hotels-Resorts-Travels) and Chairman, Hotel & Restaurant Association of Odisha

erties with best ambience, recreational facilities, quality food and service. It will be a memorable experience altogether for the guests. We manage all our properties at par with the best industry standards to give real value for money to our guests.

Looking at the growing demand and acute shortage of skilled manpower in the hospitality sector, the Swosti Group is starting the Swosti Institute of Management Science in Bhubaneswar from this year. Initially, courses related to hotel management will commence this year, but several new courses related to Travel & Tourism, Airline Management, Office Management, and Masters’ Degree in Business, Hotel Management will also be started.

Promoting Odisha:I feel Odisha as a state has much more to offer to tourists than any other state. We have beautiful beaches (a coast line of 480 km), and India’s largest brackish water lake (1100 sq kms). It is the only place where you can see Irrawaddy dolphins and millions of migratory birds that flock here during the winter season.

Apart from this, we hold regular coordination meetings with the government and the various departments such as Forest & Environment Department, Home Department, General Administration and officials at the district level. It is very difficult for tourism in Orissa to grow without the availability of trained manpower and meagre support from the Centre..

Konark Temple, Odisha

Besides this; Satapada, where the seven rivers merge into the sea is perhaps the only place in India where dolphins come alongside your tour boats and entertain you. The tribal villages and the culture are some of the attractions that keep European tourists in Orissa for three weeks or more. One has to plan to see the best of India in this part of the country, by planning at least for 21 nights. Swosti Travels, which is a leading inbound tour operating company in

Eastern India, specialises in Orissa and the Northeast. We can assure guests of our excellent standards and quality of services.

HRAO initiatives:I have been working with the State Government for better understanding and coordination between the industry and the state government. With 180 members in the Hotel & Restaurant Association of Orissa (HRAO), individual problems of hoteliers are also addressed by the association from time to time.

We are proud that, the dynamic leadership of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, has made Odisha one of the largest investment destinations in the country. The state tourism department has produced the best Tourism Policy of the country, which is awaiting cabinet approval and should be out shortly. Incentives never heard before have been incorporated into the new tourism policy, which would provide for a huge inflow of investment in the tourism sector.

TECHNOLOGY

Dial ‘XIM’ for global telephony XIM is a cost-effective, alternate global roaming solution which offers over 90 per cent savings over other options in this space. T T B U R E AU

lobus Roaming Services rolled out the XIM card, their international SIM card for travellers across India last year. Talking about the per-

Feroz Malik Director Globus Roaming Services

We are selling the product to B2B such as large corporate entities, tour and travel groups. We are offering them a lifetime revenue model. For every recharge, the agent gets a commission formance of the product in this first year, Feroz Malik, Director, Globus Roaming Services reveals, “What started as a pilot run to test waters in this segment, is now a full-scale business model. In a short period of just one year, we have managed to get a fairly decent customer base.”

Game Plan O By offering travel agents an alternate revenue source, the company is promoting the XIM card through the B2B travel fraternity in the country

Talking about the USP of the card, Malik affirms, “XIM is a cost-effective alternate global roaming solution which offers over 90 per cent savings over the other options in this space. We are selling the product to B2B such as large corporate entities, tour and travel groups. The XIM card offers

single number global roaming services to customers. Also, it is a lifetime card, once availed can be recharged and used anywhere in the world on subsequent travels.” By offering travel agents an alternate revenue source, the company is promoting the XIM card

through the B2B travel fraternity in the country. “Today, when travel agents sell tickets, they do not make any money, because margins are quite low or negligible. With this card, we are offering them a lifetime revenue model. For every recharge, the agent gets a commission,” he adds.

IATO DAILIES 2013 – DAY 2

TRAVTALK

Strangest items left on airplanes Virgin Atlantic has revealed the strangest items passengers leave behind after travelling with the airline. A survey shows it’s not just reading glasses and CDs. Some passengers also leave behind smartphones, iPods, iPads, wedding rings, baby strollers, shoes, and even passports. Any left items that are not claimed for more than 6 months, if not perishable, are donated for charitable causes. "We were surprised to find an artificial limb left behind by one of our passen-

gers, but were delighted that we were able to re-unite them,” said Stephen King, General Manager, Virgin Atlantic- India.

TRAVTALK IATO DAILIES 2013 – DAY 2

FAMILY ALBUM

...And the tourism ministers meet A National Tourism Ministers’ Conference was held in New Delhi in July to discuss the future strategies for realising the full tourism potential of the country. The Conference was chaired by K Chiranjeevi, Minister of State, Government of India and attended by over 23 State Tourism Ministers and tourism officials were present from all states and union territories.

Innovations to beat the slump of economy Contd. from page 6

The travel fraternity vehemently condemns all crimes, including instances of crime against women. However, they want to highlight in their own way that

been neither any cancellation nor any query on safety of any region,” he added. “With national and international media giving extensive coverage to the incidents, Incredible India’s

Arup Sen

Surinder Singh Sodhi

Director Special Projects, Cox & Kings

Senior Vice President & Head, Leisure Travel- Inbound, Thomas Cook India

This winter is expected to be much better than 2012. We expect growth in our segment India is a safe destination for tourists. In Madhok’s words the furore over the safety aspects and its consequent fall out on foreign arrivals, especially women is overblown. “The tour operators offer support right from the entry point till the departure, which practically means that there are no circumstances whatsoever that lead to the safety of our guests being put at risk. In our luxury domain, there has

The media should also highlight the initiatives taken by the MOT, Central and State Government and the administration image has been impacted adversely, more so with the issuance of travel advisories. Media plays a vital role not just as influencer, but often decision-maker and a balanced approach is missioncritical. They should also highlight the measures and initiatives taken by the MOT, Central & State Government and administration. They should showcase new tourism-focused developments; unique upcoming destinations, concepts and trends,” opined Sodhi. Sensationalisation of all incidents does not help in the long run, Sen said, giving a practitioner’s perspective.

TRAVTALK IATO DAILIES 2013 – DAY 2

HOTELS

Savoy Suites for biz travellers These properties are located in the up-and-coming bustling business centres, where the demand is only rising for such a concept. reports more on the group’s future plans. Bengaluru and Hyderabad, he adds.

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usiness travelers have been on the rise in the country. Betting big on this segment is the Ascot Hotels & Resorts Pvt. Ltd. The company has successfully launched new concepts in hospitality since 1995. It has various brands under its umbrella, of which the main brand is Savoy Suites, which are premium serviced apartments. Today, this brand is present in three locations in the Delhi-NCR, namely, IMT Manesar, Sector-16 Noida and Pari Chowk Greater Noida. Says Vikram Bakshi, owner and chairman, Ascot Hotels & Resorts, “These

Savoy Suites Greater Noida

properties are located in the up and coming bustling business centers, where the demand is only rising for such a concept. With satellite cities in the National Capital Region of Delhi developing at a fast rate and many local and international companies looking to expand their

reach in India, there has been a sharp surge in business travel over the last few years.” Executives from India and abroad spend from a few days to months in these business hubs and travel frequently. Hence, serviced apartments are a smart alternative to a high cost hotel stay or a no frill, no services guest house. The presence of this concept has been increasing in the metro cities such as Delhi, Mumbai,

Talking more about the existing properties, Bakshi elaborates, “Savoy Suites at IMT Manesar is directly accessible from the NH8 and offers 108 suites spread over five floors. Each suite has a fully furnished living room, a well-equipped kitchen and a comfortable bedroom with an attached toilet. The property also offers a fully functional gymnasium and pool, fully serviced state of the art banquet, meeting and conference facilities for various sized events. Additionally, there is a premium retail outlet center within the premises, housing various international brands and food chains.”

Savoy Suites at Greater Noida offers 58 suites spread out over six floors, all overlooking the atrium on the inside. The one and two bedroom suites have a comfortable bedroom, a living room and a fully equipped kitchen. The property also has a fully functional fitness centre, outdoor pool and Jacuzzi and four meeting rooms to cater to varying needs of business meetings and conferences. The hotel is a part of the Ansal Plaza mall at Pari Chowk and guests have a separate entry into the mall.

Features O All the suites have a fully furnished living room, bedroom and an Italian kitchenette. This property also offers a gymnasium and a terrace swimming pool, meeting rooms and also a convenience store

Etihad to have flying nannies Etihad Airways has launched a dedicated in-flight child care assistance programme for families, led by the introduction of a new Flying Nanny on board long haul flights. Identified by bright orange aprons, each Flying Nanny aims to provide a ‘helping hand’ to families and unaccompanied minors. They will also introduce children to the exciting collectable Etihad characters – Zoe the bee, Jamool the camel, Kundai the lion, and Boo the panda – who accompany them on their trip. During the past two months, 300 Etihad Airways cabin crew members have completed enhanced training for the role. A further 60 will be trained in September and 500 Flying Nannies will be working across Etihad Airways flights by the end of 2013. The course includes indepth training, from the world renowned Norland College, concentrating on child psychology and sociology, enabling the Flying Nannies to identify different types of behaviour and developmental stages that children go through and how to appreciate the perspective and needs of travelling families.

MOT

TRAVTALK IATO DAILIES 2013 – DAY 2

`10-cr boost to Rajasthan tourism Rajasthan should proactively market its tourism potential, said the Rajasthan Chief Minister, Ashok Gehlot on the occasion of Foundation Laying Ceremony of a `10 crore ‘Paryatan Bhawan’ in Jaipur.

The state should not in any way lag behind in its marketing efforts to attract both the foreign as well as domestic tourists. According to Bina Kak, Minister of Tourism, the state has made immense progress in not only tourism but also in the field

of art and culture as well as forest and environment sector. She also said the six hill forts

Ranthambore, Gagron, Chittorgarh, Jaisalmer and Kumbhalgarh. The construc-

Ashok Gehlot with Bina Kak and Rakesh Srivastava, Principal Secretary-Tourism

were on the verge of being approved as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. These forts included Amber,

tion of the new building will be executed by Rajasthan State Road Development & Construction Corporation.

Conditions applied Contd. from page 1

MOT, who will play an important role in facilitating the grant of collective landing permits.” “There are 3 conditions, as it should be a group of 4 or more, applying through a travel agent authorised by MOT and at least 72 hours in advance. If applicant doesn’t meet the criterion, the permit will not be granted,” he added.

Make group-permit viable Contd. from page 1

But, on the website, it is only visa form that too, mission specific and there is no visible provision for submission of group itinerary. It is important to understand, where the application is to be filed by the tourist and which documents to be submitted by him,” said Subhash Goyal, President, IATO. “The format of undertaking to be given by tour operators should also be clarified to ensure nothing is left out. Moreover, the responsibility of the touroperator, in case a group member slips out, should be limited to reporting the matter to the nearest police

station and/or FRRO regional or the central office. The tour-operator shouldn’t be held responsible beyond this,” he added. Goyal is also quick to highlight that IATO has always worked for inbound tour-operators as an effective platform. “We, at IATO, always try to get detailed clarifications from the concerned ministries on issues related to different ministries. We then circulate them to members for their benefit.” “Tour operators cannot dictate terms, but can give directions on behalf of the Indian Government. There are some certain rules followed all over the world, which have to be followed by

Some of the issues for clarification • How and where to apply and papers/documents required for submission by the recognised tour-operator along with the list of group members as well as tour-program. • What will be the format of undertaking to be given by tour operators, to ensure nothing is amiss • Where and when the fees are to be paid, along with various options • In a group landing permit, what will happen to the air-ticket and tour cost paid by the tourist

the visiting tourists. It is not only in our country that we have to give directives to the tourists, on behalf of the government. There are various reasons, largely the security reasons, which cannot be compromised. However, Visa-on-Arrival has been introduced for many countries, which was not there earlier. Similarly, more cities like Goa, Kochi, Trivandrum, Hyderabad and Bangalore have been added. So government now unde stands the value of tourism and its contribution in creating employment and revenue generation,” added Goyal.

Features O The inbound tour operators had been keen to make use of the scheme, but hadn’t used it due to the want of certain clarifications O Here, the Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO) had taken a lead by requesting the MHA for required clarifications and volunteering to help the cause of attracting foreign tourists’ arrivals

TRAVTALK IATO DAILIES 2013 – DAY 2

ASSOCIATIONS

One group & 20 categories Leveraging on location Within 10 years of its operations, KSM Hotel Connections Situated in the heart of South Delhi, Iris Park Hotel New India now works on 20 different categories of properties Delhi plans to leverage on its central location to attract that covers all segments of hotels. travellers from the domestic leisure segment. T T B U R E AU

SM Hotel Connections India is one of the best hotel marketing groups headquartered in New Delhi. The company extends customised marketing solutions to its franchisees across the country.

Discussing the existing portfolio of KSM Hotel Connections India, KB Mahanta, Director, KSM Hotel Connections India, informs, “The company offers business-stays, residential conferences, HR initiative programmes, etc., at our 16 exclusive destinations in the country where we have a wide range of accom-

modation from luxury and super deluxe to budget hotels. We suggest the most viable accommodation options to both domestic as well as international travellers.” According to Mahanta, the main focus of the company is on corporate sector.Talking about the USP of the company, he says, “Keeping the philosophy of Atithi Devo Bhava in mind, our entire team has now reached a stage where we have achieved a remarkable growth in the number of lodging franchisers.” Throwing light on future plans, Mahanta says, “We plan to increase our emphasis on both corporate and domestic markets. Also, we have got a good response from our corporate for the international sector.

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KB Mahanta Director KSM Hotel Connections India

We suggest the most viable accommodation options to both domestic as well as international travellers Currently, we are also promoting Thailand, Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia.”

ashish Kumar Roy, General Manager, Iris Park Hotel New Delhi said, “The prime location in the centre of a vibrant city like Delhi and close proximity to Delhi Airport make this hotel ideal for business and leisure travellers from the inbound and domestic segments.” The Iris Park Hotel, New Delhi has 57 rooms spread across three floors as well as all-day dining options, meetings, conferences and banquet facilities. Roy added, “Business travellers and FITs will be delighted with our emphasis on value for money experiences and exceptional services. We are also one of the few hotels in Delhi to have a 24-hour kitchen which will help us provide better F&B services to travellers whenever they need it, even if it’s at 4 AM. The hotel also owns and maintains its fleet of cars, thereby guaran-

teeing travellers quality transport options.” Elaborating on their plans to engage with the travel trade, Roy said, “Though we also work with the inbound segment, our target is mainly the domestic leisure market especially families. Over the last few years, we have been working on reaching out to travel agents and tour operators personally in order to develop our network as well as build relationships with the trade and increase awareness about the Iris Park Hotel, New Delhi. Going forward, we will look to further widen our reach and expand the number of cities we are looking to tap.” The hotel is targeting metros and Tier II cities in South and Western India such as Pune, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai and Mumbai to attract visitors to the hotel. Iris Park Hotel New Delhi expects to see 7-10 per

Aashish Kumar Roy General Manager Iris Park Hotel New Delhi

Our target is mainly the domestic leisure market, especially families cent growth this year. Roy concluded by saying, “It has been a good year so far and we are positive that we will see significant growth in 2013.”

AGENTS

TRAVTALK IATO DAILIES 2013 – DAY 2

Parveen Travels banks on B2B

Travstarz Holidays consolidating in India

The group made a gentle beginning with one tourist taxi. Today, it has got the biggest ﬂeet in South India and had received the National Tourism Delhi-based Travstarz Holidays & Destinations is focussing on Awards for 7 consecutive years since 2000. consolidating its presence in the es in its field. “Things can East, Europe, Germany and T T B U R E AU Indian company. change in a short span of time USA. We are also looking for

hennai-based Parveen Travels has taken to the B2B route to grow its business. In fact, as per A Mohamed Aarif, Managing Director, Parveen Travels, the group gets about one-third of business through the B2B network. “The major contribution to our business is from inbound tourists, and B2B plays a major role. It alone contributes to 30% of our total turnover. We handle both Inbound and outbound tourists. Our major focus in the outbound sector is Asian countries, Middle East, Far

if the Government comes forward supporting the tourism sector and recognises it as an industry, and by relaxing its norms and policies with regard to inbound foreign tourists,” said Aarif.

more tie-ups in both domestic and international regions with B2B agents,” said Aarif. For the uninitiated, the growth story of Parveen Travels is a case study in itself. The group started off with one tourist taxi and today, it has got the biggest fleet in South India with more than 1,100 vehicles, which also include the most luxurious of sedans. A must-mention about its fleet is the 1045 seater coaches, which include Volvo and Mercedes Benz, with chemical toilets to name a few. “We have our head office in Chennai and branches spread across in five states. With a tagline ‘One Stop Shop For All Your Travel Needs’, we have received

A Mohamed Aarif Managing Director Parveen Travels

The major contribution to our business is from inbound tourists, and B2B plays a major role National Tourism Awards for 7 consecutive years since 2000 for earning maximum Indirect Foreign Exchange and for providing excellent servic-

“Though transport is considered to be the backbone of the Tour and Travel industry, the government has never created any strong infrastructure nor given any support to the transport segment. The government should come out with a policy Of ‘One Permit, One Tax, One India’ which will promote tourism industry in a big way. Then, we can see growth in both domestic and international tourists and we could also give uniform revenue to the government year after year. Apart from Road Tax, tourists are also charged with Entry Tax, Service Tax etc which the government should look into,” he added.

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ravstarz Holidays & Destinations also plans to introduce packages to Australia, the USA and Canada later this year. The travel company had recently launched packages to Europe. Pankaj Nagpal, Managing Director, Travstarz Holidays & Destinations said, “The fluctuating rate of the rupee has definitely had an impact on outbound travel. However, we are still seeing travellers interested in travelling abroad, though they might shorten their length of stay or countries visited. The Indian traveller is rapidly evolving and is keener to have an experiential unique vacation.” Nagpal also revealed that Travstarz had seen growth of over 30 per cent in Q1 of 2013 compared to the same period in 2012.

Pankaj Nagpal Managing Director Travstarz Holidays & Destinations

Travstarz which was launched by Nagpal along with his wife Sucheta Nagpal also plans to launch an online portal by the end of 2013 called Travstarz Online. He informed, “The online portal will be a one-stop shop for travellers who are planning a trip. A customer will be able to book hotels, flight tickets Contd. on page 23

GeeTee: Revving to go GeeTee Travels is currently focussed on strengthening its operations across the country. It recently opened its branch office in Ahmedabad called Voyage Charter Coaches. T T B U R E AU

dditionally, GeeTee Travels has also placed an order for Vauxhall Movanos which are due to arrive in early 2014 making them the first transport and logistics provider in the country to have these vans in their fleet. Mohan Goyal, Director, Geetee Travels said, “After establishing our base in Mumbai, we have decided to expand further afield to Ahmedabad which is a rapidly growing market. Once we have consolidated our position in the Gujarat market, we will aim to expand to other markets in the country such as Rajasthan in 2014.” Speaking of working with the travel trade, Goyal added, “Our main focus is on the inbound tourism segment which is rapidly growing. Additionally, we are seeing a lot of demand from the MICE segment as well. We are constantly working together with our partners in the travel and hospitality industry in order to provide quality services to

Mohan Goyal Director Geetee Travels

Once we have consolidated our position in the Gujarat market, we will aim to expand to other markets inbound tourists to the country. GeeTee deals with over 300 operators across India as a part of our franchisee network, covering almost all cities and towns in the country” GeeTee Travels provides passenger, luxury, pre-

mium and top-of-the-line vehicles on hire. Its fleet includes passenger level cars, Executive Level Cars, Luxury Cars, Motor Homes, Mini Coaches and Volvo Coaches. Goyal stated, “GeeTee has an exclusive fleet of Mercedes Benz cars. We are the only car rental company in Mumbai to offer a Mercedes S 350 in its fleet. We also have one of the largest fleet of Volvos with 12 Volvos today, a significant increase from 2 Volvos in 2007.” He said, “2013 has been a very good year so far, and I am estimating approximately 10-15 per cent growth this year.” Goyal informed, “At GeeTee, our goal is to provide our customers with an individualised rental experience while satisfying the customer and to constantly grow by improving our services as well as constantly innovating. When we first launched in 2003, we had just two vehicles in our fleet, today we have over 250 vehicles which is testament to our growth in the market.”

ASSOCIATIONS

IATO DAILIES 2013 – DAY 2

TRAVTALK

Taxation is the biggest burden on tourism Apart from challenges like infrastructure and heavy taxation, the country’s tourism sector is also facing problems like terrorist activities, safety and security, says Vijay Thakur, Past President, IATO. T T B U R E AU

he Indian travel industry is burdened with number of taxes which makes the ‘Incredible India’ not so attractive for inbound as well as domestic tourists. India has a lot of potential in the field of tourism and travel as

Vijay Thakur Past President, IATO

compared to some of the countries like Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, Hong Kong and Mauritius which earn more foreign exchange than what we do. It is a matter of concern, however, that a country which supports more than sixteen per cent of

Soon, luxury retail brand Contd. from page 22

and domestic and international packages from across the world from our inventory.” Additionally, the company also plans to launch a retail brand targetted exclusively at the luxury segment by the end of the year. The company which works with over 15,000 travel agents and tour operators across the country is keen on further strengthening its relationship with its travel partners. Nagpal said, “Our focus is on building our relationships with the travel trade across the country and we do this through our e-mail marketing campaign as well as regularly engaging with agents and suppliers for more networking opportunities.”

the world population had just one per cent share of the global tourist arrival. According to Thakur, taxation is the biggest challenge faced by the Indian travel and tourism sector. He said, “Be it ATF for airlines or transport for tourism; the industry is burdened with

heavy taxes and often double taxation is observed. There is a need for avoiding this burden to give a boost to domestic tourism sector and also improve foreign exchange earnings. The Ministry of Tourism has done an excellent job by introducing Visa On Arrival facilities for various

countries. This is not only improving our inbound business but is also helping the country’s GDP growth.” Moreover, Thakur emphasizes strongly on state-to-state collaboration for promoting India as a country among global markets. “States like Kerala and Rajasthan are doing

extremely well among global markets and emerging states like Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and North East states are gaining awareness. However, there is a strong need for states to collaborate among themselves to further boost tourism with mutual benefits,” says Thakur.

MOT has done an excellent job by introducing Visa-on-Arrival facilities for various countries

HOTELS

TRAVTALK IATO DAILIES 2013 – DAY 2

Rajasthali Resort focusses on MICE With 54 keys, leisure facilities and banquet area to cater around 200 guests, the property recorded 65 per cent of its business coming from MICE. T T B U R E AU

ith ample space for banquet and conference facilities, Jaipur-based Rajasthali Resort & Spa is further enhancing its busi-

ness strategy for MICE business growth. With 54 keys, leisure facilities and banquet area to cater around 200 guests, the property recorded 65 per cent of its business coming from MICE, which

Girish C Agarwal CMD, Rajasthali Resorts & Studios and Puja Construction

was dominated by destination wedding events. It intends to further grow this segment for which it is closely working with MICE

The Rajasthali Resort provides the best backdrop for royal weddings and signature events operators in India and overseas. Talking about the business strategies to attract

MICE business, Girish C Agarwal, CMD, Rajasthali Resorts & Studios Ltd and Puja Construction said, “MICE is one of the fastestgrowing travel segments in India, and Rajasthan is known for destination weddings in domestic and global markets. This year, we are projecting 70 per cent of our business to come from MICE.

With an excellent heritage property offering royal Indian hospitality experience, the Rajasthali Resort provides the best backdrop for royal weddings and signature events. We are encouraging MICE operators with attractive incentive schemes and deals to bring in more MICE business and make Rajasthali Resort a preferred destina-

tion for MICE. We are also offering all-inclusive value packages for corporate companies which also include spa services, transport and sightseeing.” The property is offering family holidays for two nights and three days at the property for high-performing agents who are getting quality business in volume.

Top of the travellers’ list The Wall Street Hotel in Jaipur is the top choice for corporate travellers as it offers quality services at competitive rates. T T B U R E AU

he Wall Street Hotel is considered to be a prestigious address for leisure and business travellers alike. Situated at a comfortable location at M-I Road in Jaipur, the hotel offers all facilities and services at competitive rates. The team at Wall Street is committed to provide to their valued guests the highest standard of personal service and care, qualities that make it the

Services O The services that it offers are steeped in the tradition and culture of Rajasthan O The hotel offers complete value-for-money to its guests O The team at Wall Street is committed to provide to their valued guests the highest standard of personal service and care

top choice for corporate travellers. The discerning feedback of the guests has enabled the hotel to progressively improve upon its services and form a great source for future guidelines. Understanding how competitive the market is today, The hotel offers complete value-for-money to its guests. The services that it offers are steeped in the tradition and culture of Rajasthan. Commissioned in 2005 by the UKM Group, the management was then handed over to Concept Hospitality Pvt Ltd, the pio-

neering group managing Ecotel Hotels. Equipped with all modern amenities in the rooms, like tea-coffee maker, LCD TV, running hot and cold water, Wi-fi enabled rooms, car rentals, travel assistance, doctor-oncall valet parking, the hotel boasts of Conversation, a 66-seater restobar that serves excellent multi-cuisine food. Besides the a-la-carte menu, Conversation also offers breakfast, lunch, dinner and midnight buffet.

NEWS

Caravans as mobile hotels In many parts of our country, rooms are still a constraint. Caravans can be used as mobile hotels and then be moved to another place, where there is a shortage. “In countries like UK, US and Singapore, where facilities of caravan tourism exist in plenty, caravans had been used in many innovative ways. In many parts of our country, rooms are still a constraint, especially in peak season. We can use caravans as ‘mobile hotels’, which can be a great

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t the curtain-raiser on ‘Caravan Tourism India by Road’ meet conducted by PHD Chamber of Commerce in New Delhi, the Secretary, Ministry of Tourism highlighted best practices that could very

Chamber emphasised on the advantages of road tourism and its growth journey in the country. Sharing their experience with the Caravan Circuits, Om Vijay Choudhary, Chief General Manager, Madhya Pradesh

Dignitaries at the curtain-raiser on ‘Caravan Tourism - India by Road’ meet organised by the PHD Chamber in New Delhi

help during peak tourism periods,” he added.

well change the prospects of caravan tourism in India. “Caravans are a unique tourism product, which can promote various niche segments including family travel, pilgrimage, spiritual, MICE or even honeymoon tours. It has potential to promote new circuits and destinations, attracting inbound and domestic travellers of all ages,” said Parvez Dewan, Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India.

Here, Suman Jyoti Khaitan, President, PHD Chamber highlighted that India’s tourism sector is witnessing robust growth on the back of increasing inbound and domestic tourism and caravan tourism can be increased in India by developing public-private partnerships. Further, Rajiv Kumar Vij, Co-chairman, Tourism Committee, PHD

Tourism said, “MP Tourism has three coaches operating, where travellers can stay and travel the length and breadth of three major circuits.” Promoted as ‘Holiday on Wheels’, there are several packages that the State is promoting in three circuits with bases in Jabalpur, Indore and Bhopal. All the basic facilities are available onboard, including Internet connection, in the caravans.”

Market Brand India recently conducted a poll on “How can we counteract the impact of the falling rupee on Indian tourism?” EMI deals

8% 58%

25%

Creating innovative packages

Overseas offices marketing brand India

Forward booking

The responses to this came out very strong with a clear majority (58 per cent) of the industry members wanting the India Tourism Overseas Offices to market Brand India aggressively for inbound tourism.Other suggestions included innovative packages by hotels and travel companies, forward bookings and EMI deals to help promote holidays.

TRAVTALK IATO DAILIES 2013 – DAY 1

HOTELS

Treehouse’s new property by Nov 1

Cinema wanted in airports

This is a full-service ﬁve-star hotel, which restores one of Ranthambore’s oldest hotels, the Anuraga Resort into a modern complex with a traditional inheritance. T T B U R E AU

his season, let the lure of the tiger beckon you to the historic Ranthambore where the land tells tales of fierce valour and the jungle comes with its own spectacular surprises. Allow yourself to sink into luxury and heritage as you follow the trail of the elusive animals, indulge your senses with gourmet delights, or simply follow some of the roads less travelled. Treehouse Group welcomes you to its newest property, aptly named Treehouse Anuraga Resort. This is a full service five-star hotel, which restores one of

Ranthambore’s oldest hotels, the Anuraga Resort into a modern complex with a traditional inheritance. The resort is an important new addition to the Treehouse Group, which has already made a name for itself in the management of various hospitality concepts

across the country. Treehouse Anuraga Resort combines the best of the traditional Rajasthani hospitality with the modern and contemporary service standards of the Treehouse Group. The hotel has been created with authentic Rajasthani architecture and construction styles. It will have 40 rooms, four suites, a banquet hall, swimming pool, gardens, conference facility, spa and gym as well as restaurant

and bar. The hotel will be fully serviced and will offer all amenities to the visitors who frequently go to Ranthambore. The Treehouse Anuraga will be ready for guests by November 1 this year. From customised tours which take guests deep into the safari, temple trails, to day trips to an organic farm and dairy, the Treehouse Anuraga will offer unparalleled experiences for visitors.

A global survey of over 10,000 travellers conducted by travel search site Skyscanner has revealed that the complimentary feature most travellers wanted at an airport is a cinema. Around 49% of the Top 10 most wanted features: respondents voted for the silver screen over other services. Cinema 49% Sleep pod 36% Getting a quick nap also Library 32% scored highly with over a third Park 31% of the respondents voting for Vanity area 30% sleep pods, a feature that Abu Kids play area 21% Dhabi Airport unveiled recentPool 20% ly which, at UAE Dirham 45 Gym 15% per hour (approximately Man-made beach 12% ` 700), provides an affordable Bikes 11% alternative to a hotel room.

TRAVTALK IATO DAILIES 2013 – DAY 2

HOTELS

For hospitality and beyond As the only chain hotel in the branded segment in Alwar, Clarks Inn by MGB Hospitality is capturing the corporate segment and creating avenues to market the city as a potential leisure destination T T B U R E AU

nown as Matsya Nagri, Alwar is a little city that is aspiring to emerge big. “The quiet and calm nature of this small city attracted many retired couples to set up their homes as it is very safe for elderly couples,” says Manish Bhatia, MD of Clarks Inn Hotel Alwar. “It is almost emerging as a re-settlement city for aged people even though it is a hub for the corporate segment due to the existence of various industrial plants and offices in and around the city. Also, the city’s close proximity to industrial townships has ensured that it goes through a change,” he adds. Clarks Inn Alwar happens to be the fourth hotel of the Clarks Group. It also makes Bhatia’s hotel the only branded chain hotel in Alwar. “The hotel

Manish Bhatia MD Clarks Inn by MGB Hospitality Alwar

Alwar is noticing a growth of leisure business but it is still considered negligible was started in 2008 and we chose Clarks Inn considering

the market demand and the kind of hospitality we wanted to bring to the city. I decided to bring Clarks Group into Alwar to bring an organised approach of hospitality to the city,” Bhatia remarks. Primarily, the Alwar market is driven by corporate

business. “We get an average occupancy of 55-60 per cent commanding an ARR of ` 2,300 per night, which is fair enough in comparison to Jaipur in proximity,” he elaborates. Alwar is noticing a growth of leisure business but it is still considered negligible. “We get leisure book-

ing of four-five per cent of the total occupancy annually, but we expect it to grow to 20 per cent in future,” Bhatia affirms. Apart from hospitality, Bhatia’s interest has always been towards promoting the city in a holistic manner that

benefits the travel trade. “There is so much to explore about this city which remains hidden. Alwar’s name is missing from the travel map and that irks me. The township that has emerged into a city culture holds a lot of promise and is a hidden gem of Rajasthan,” he says. The hotel has also taken initiative to let people know about the various facets of the city that are tourist attractions. The hotel wants people to take notice of this destination as a weekend leisure getaway option from Delhi, Jaipur and even Agra. “We undertake weekend promotions to capture the travellers from Delhi, Jaipur and industrial belt of Rewari and Bhiwadi. Due to the rapid growth of real estate, the scope of the city has increased tremendously. It is time to just convert the potential into actual business,” Bhatia informs.

Better marketing for more hotel biz Through its innovative measures, the company is helping individual hotels increase awareness, presence and marketing to boost sales and occupancy levels during current competitive times. T T B U R E AU

n a bid to promote standalone and small hotel chains in the Delhi and NCR Region, Global Hotel

Representations has been established by OP Mendiratta. Talking about the USP of the company, Mendiratta, Managing Director, Global Hotel Representations says, “The company will help in marketing hotel properties. Representatives of Global Hotel Representations can visit potential corporate hous-

es, tour operators, MICE operators and other business sources throughout Delhi and NCR region, and increase awareness about their hotel. Our own sales team will be equipped with the latest technology to provide effective visual presentations of their properties. The company will also engage in joint promotions.” At a slightly later stage, the company can also look at promoting a joint discount or loyalty card, where all hotels

they are representing can participate in. In addition, in the second phase of expansion, the group will look at starting a reservation facility in New Delhi, he adds. Throwing light on the ongoing trends in the hospitality industry, the MD elaborates, “Today, the hotel occupancy levels across India are very low. There are many factors responsible for this trend – the upcoming General Elections of 2014, the elongated off-season, the

worldwide recession, supply of rooms exceeding demand. Therefore, our company can help individual hotels to increase awareness, presence and marketing to help them achieve higher sales and better occupancy levels during these competitive times.” The company currently represents St Marks (4-star with 96 keys) in Bengaluru, The Resort (5-star with 94 keys) in Mumbai, Sayaji Hotel (5-star with 244 keys) in Pune and many more.

OP Mendiratta Managing Director Global Hotel Representations

Today, the hotel occupancy levels across India are very low. There are many factors responsible for this trend

AVIATION

Betting big on charters Subha Aviation, commanding around 75 per cent market share in the charter industry in India, arranges charter services for corporate meetings, appointments, health emergencies, holiday trips and social events. T T B U R E AU

one-stop solution for all air charter services, Subha Aviation meets all aviation needs. Talking about the USP of the company, Madhukar Kher, Head of Operations and Business Development, Subha Aviation comments, “It is difficult for anyone to adjust their own schedule of engagements with fixed timings determined by scheduled airlines. These often clash for top-level management and other policy planners. Thus, our services are designed to meet special needs without being encumbered by air carrier schedules.” The moment the company is informed of travel plans, including duration, destination and stopovers, it initiates action with an inflection on special personalised service. The company can arrange to provide aircraft with seating capacity ranging from five to 150. The primary factor prompting people, particularly corporate executives, to use charters is

Madhukar Kher Head of Operations and Business Development, Subha Aviation

The company has shown approximately 100 per cent growth in the last two years the need for confidentiality about their movements. Such confidentiality is not possible with travel by scheduled air services. In the case of charter flights, the schedules are related to the convenience and immediacy of their requirement, he adds. Going

forward, the company is looking at increasing its alliance with the B2B travel fraternity. According to Kher, the travel agents and tour operators’ community is vital for the growth of the company. “We also educate this segment in order to offer quotations and guide them to pick up the expectations of end-users. Sometimes, even our partners arrange meeting directly with the travel agents. We also started another sister concern called AGS Tours and Travels last year. Through this, we handle domestic and international ticketing with holiday packages, which are customised and tailor-made as per client requirements,” he says. “In the last two years, there has been 35 to 40 per cent increase in the charter business in our country, from both domestic and international markets. The company has shown approximately 100 per cent growth in the last two years. In terms of big aircraft, we command a market share of almost 75 per cent,” he reveals.

Clean India: All for a cause K Chiranjeevi, Minister of Tourism, Government of India along with other dignitaries took Clean India Campaign to Taj Mahal, Agra on July 24, 2013. Taj Mahal is the second heritage site to be covered under this project. In fact, at the initiative of Ministry of Tourism, Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has agreed to the proposal of ONGC adopting six monuments under the Clean India Campaign. The first was Qutub Minar in New Delhi which was adopted by India Tourism Development Corporation in June 2012.

Palace on Wheels 1st journey for 2013-14 The Palace on Wheels rolled on its first commercial journey for 2013-14 to Rajasthan and other destinations. In the first trip, tourists from 34 different places of the world are traveling on this super-luxury train

AGENTS

Kesari Tours focusses on inbound It has launched ‘short-break’ tours for foreign nationals and NRIs. Their inbound division has chalked out a varied number of tours to suit travellers’ choice of destination, budget and dates. T T B U R E AU

nown for its personalised services, Mumbai-based Kesari Tours is setting stage for the coming inbound season. Kesari Inbound, a division of Kesari Tours for FIT & Leisure Groups recently forayed into fixed departure

Shailesh Patil Director, Kesari Tours

Our team is ready to offer customised, personalised and excellent services to our clients tours to Himachal Pradesh and Kerala. The division also launched ‘short-break’ tours for foreign nationals and NRIs visiting India for a short duration. Kesari Inbound also conducted two extremely successful FAM trips for foreign tour operators to Kerala and Rajasthan and received a positive response from them. For the coming season, the company is offering inbound packages covering special interest tours, spiritual tours, adventure tours, honeymoon tours, wellness and spa tours, cultural tours, family tours and many more. Talking about the company plans and the forthcoming inbound season, Shailesh Patil, Director, Kesari Tours said, “With the rupee falling to an all-time low, it is the best time for foreign nationals to visit India. The inbound season is looking promising

and our team is ready to offer customised, personalised and excellent services to our clients. We have unique packages to every part of India offering excellent prices. Our inbound division has chalked out a varied number of tours to suit travellers’ choice of

destination, budget and dates. We work on a very simple principle embedded by Kesari Bhau Patil, Founder & Chairman, and Kesari Tours, which says – ‘When you make a promise to a guest, honour it’.” Elaborating on shortbreaks concept for foreign

nationals and NRIs, Patil said, “Many foreign nationals and NRIs visit India on short business trips or meeting relatives. For them, we have launched short-breaks through which they can explore certain parts of India in limited time duration.”

IATO DAILIES 2013 – DAY 2

TRAVTALK

FDI in hotels hits 6-month high of $2.32 billion Foreign direct investment (FDI) into India for hotels increased 25 per cent year-on-year to $2.32 billion in April, the highest level in the past six months. In April 2012, the country had received FDI worth $1.85 billion, according to data from the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP). The sectors that received large FDI inflows during April

this year include hotels and tourism ($2.32 billion), pharmaceuticals ($987 million), services ($238 million), chemicals ($51 million) and construction ($32 million).

HOTELS

TRAVTALK IATO DAILIES 2013 – DAY 2

Now, Bonton office @New Delhi The travel management company launched its first regional office at Connaught Circus, New Delhi in March this year. This comes on the back of successful establishment of seven branch offices of the company. T T B U R E AU

company offering endto-end travel solutions for both inbound and outbound tourism across all segments and with presence across the globe, Dubaibased Bonton Tours & Travels is concentrating on India in a big way. And to make its base stronger in the country, the leading multinational travel management company launched its first regional office at Connaught Circus, New Delhi in March 2013. The commencement of the regional office comes on the back of the successful establishment of seven

branch offices of the company in Mumbai, New Delhi, Hyderabad, Chennai, Kochi, Ahmedabad and Pune. Besides these branch offices, the company also has its corporate headquarters in Mumbai and a back office in New Delhi other than franchisees and preferred sales agents located across India. Commenting on the development, Avanish Sharma, Managing Director, Bonton Group said, “Our investment in New Delhi is focussed on delivering valueadded customised and localised support to our partners in North India that will surely enhance the consumer experience and help in building customer loyalty to deliver long-term growth. We understand the importance of this region and

Avanish Sharma Managing Director, Bonton Group

We want to provide this region with the best customised travel solutions through our regional office value the response that we have been receiving from the region. We appreciate the nuances in the requirements

of North India as compared to the rest of the country and hence want to provide this region with the best customised travel solutions through our regional office.” The branch office will continue to provide 360-degree travel products while the regional office will concentrate on product research and development and product contracting. The corporate office based in Mumbai will continue to develop products for the rest of the country, he added. Since inception of the regional office, the company has already launched new products for Hong Kong, Macau, Europe and China as well as domestic religious tours. The regional office is expected to introduce many more North India specific products that will see added interest with more travellers connecting with the company for their travel needs.

MOT promotes film tourism The IIFA awards ceremony was organised at Macau on July 6, 2013. Addressing the occasion, K Chiranjeevi, Minister for Tourism, said that global award functions such as IIFA not only promote films, but also provide an effective platform for promoting tourism and the Incredible India brand. “The Tourism Ministry is Chiranjeevi, Minister for Tourism, in Macau providing financial assistance for films and facilitating single-window clearance for filming in the country. We have also participated in various international film festivals like the Cannes Film Festival to showcase Incredible India,” said Chiranjeevi.

INTERESTING FACTS Gay tourists in Russia could now face two weeks in jail This is a warning for visitors and tourists wanting to travel to Russia. Anything considered pro-gay, from gay-affirmative speech, to gays holding hands in public, to even wearing rainbow suspenders is now illegal. Russian President Vladimir Putin recently signed it into law, which is one of the most draconian anti-gay laws on the planet.

The new Ritz-Carlton Abu Dhabi has a camel milk mixologist The newly opened Ritz-Carlton Abu Dhabi, Grand Canal has an in-house “Camel Milk Mixologist” and offering up various flavoured milk shakes — strawberry, mint and others — to guests.

A ‘Grand’ MICE hub Hotel Signature Grand is a three-star property in West Delhi. The management says that growth and sales have been increasing every month. In 2012-13, the hotel has witnessed a growth of 15% in spite of recession. T T B U R E AU

otel Signature Grand is located in the western part of the Capital, in close vicinity to local trading and public sector community. Due to the easy access to business hubs and shopping centres across the city, the hotel has been getting massive business traffic. The hotel is within a 15-kilometre radius of the airport and railway station. With features such as a banquet hall, conference hall, and fine dining restaurant & bar, the hotel caters to dayconferences of various multinational companies. “We have kept our rates very modest, which attracts corporate traffic. We are the only property with such features in West Delhi. Shortly, we will also introduce a spa and health club,” says Gurdeep Singh Gujral, Managing Director, Hotel Signature Grand. To run the hotel better, the company has given operations to the SK Group, which is a prominent name in the

Gurdeep Singh Gujral Managing Director Hotel Signature Grand

We have kept our rates very modest, which attracts corporate traffic. We will also introduce a spa.

Discussing the importance of a B2B market, he adds, “Gujral Tours and Travels is a major stakeholder in Signature Grand. We take the help of tour operators to attract various inbound groups. We started our operations in October 2010 during Commonwealth Games. Our growth and sales have been increasing every month. In 2012-13, the hotel has witnessed a growth of 15 per cent in spite of recession.” Talking about the segment with maximum growth, Gujral adds, “Our F&B is extremely strong as we have two banquet halls and an open area to cater to marriages and social functions. In West Delhi, people are very fond of good food; our restaurant Park Baluchi restaurant attracts good clientele.”

Grand Beginning F&B segment. Through this, the hotel has come up with membership schemes. The introduction of live music in Park Baluchi has increased footfalls as well.

O Hotel Signature Grand started its operations in October 2010 during Commonwealth Games

ANALYSIS

TRAVTALK IATO DAILIES 2013 – DAY 2

A $3.2 billion FDI windfall for hospitality After the windfall in FDI in the hospitality industry, hotel experts give their opinion on its impact on the overall industry. But the fact is that the sudden increase is only because of one single large investment and not a change in investment climate, which would have led to a sustained performance. M E G H A PAU L

he interest of hotel companies seeking to invest in India has not appeared to wane. Joint ventures are being announced, expansion plans are getting drawn up, both private equity and pension funds are seeking to deploy capital, and newer groups are looking to get a foothold in the market. This is also indicated by the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the nation’s hospitality industry that has surged in the last financial year. According to the data of the Department of

Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP), the sector has attracted FDI worth US$ 3.21 billion during April, 2012-February, 2013. The FDI inflow in the sector in the last fiscal is significantly higher as compared to the flow of US$ 3.37 billion, which the country received during the last 12 years ending March, 2012. The foreign inflows in the hotel and tourism sector did not figure in the DIPP's list of the top10 recipients of FDI prior to September, 2012.

Much-needed govt boost Talking about the recent development, Nakul Anand, President, Hotel Association of India says, “It is definitely good news for the hospitality and tourism industry. However, a lot

Nakul Anand

Kamlesh Barot

President Hotel Association of India

Immediate Past President FHRAI

There is a need to look at land-related problems for the country’s hospitality sector

Only a few states like Odisha have actually made tourism-friendly initiatives at the government level needs to be done even now. Besides taxation and human-resource related issues, the government needs to take more steps to boost investment in this sector. There is a need to look at land-related problems for the hospitality sector. The recent DIAL hotels’ issue also needs to be solved as quickly as possible.” According to Kamlesh Barot, Immediate Past President, FHRAI, unfriendly tourist taxes and policies will only detract FDI in the sector. “The previous few budgets by the Centre have not only increased taxes on accommodation, but also on Food & Beverage. Only a few states like Odisha have actually made tourism-friendly initiatives at the government level. The rest of the states feel that by making tax percentages higher, they would gather more revenue for their exchequer. India is a great tourism market, and that is propelling investor interest. International investors typically demand greater research of the market and greater transparency, which the country needs to build into its system. We rank 132 out of 165 in the business-friendly index across the globe,” he informs. Unknowingly, many tourist-unfriendly practices like the FSI and operatingtime regulations under the pretext of security in prime tourist spots like Mumbai, drive investments

away from the entire state. “If the government focusses on the industry, we can leave the Information Technology industry far backward. But the government needs to prioritise hospitality, as Karnataka flourished bringing IT to the fore. If we remove the transaction of last year, the FDI inflows would drop to about 300-400 million dollars, which is broadly in line with the trend in previous years,” he adds.

Filling the gap Responding to the FDI increase, Barot remarks, “The challenge for FDI investors is that most international hotel operating companies would prefer to operate and not necessarily invest. Therefore, they also observe the private equity route or need a third-party to finance and own the hotel. To find reliable and committed

billion. However, the fact is that this jump is almost entirely on account of a very large single transaction last year, he adds.

Less development risk Akshay Kulkarni, Regional Director-Hospitality, South & Southeast Asia, Cushman & Wakefield feels closer scrutiny of the investments that have come in, reveal that the most of this investment is driven by either structured firms who have bought existing portfolios or through HNIs who may have bought one or two large assets with funds that have come in through international routes. “One of the major reasons for the increase in the FDI is the fact that the development risk is now reduced, as these assets are nearing completion or have been completed,” he articulates.

Akshay Kulkarni

Shagun Sethi

Regional Director – Hospitality, South & Southeast Asia, Cushman & Wakefield

Director, Sales and Marketing Fairmont Jaipur

One of the major reasons for the increase in FDI is the fact that the development risk is now reduced hotel-owners is a challenge for them. And to date, international foreign investment in India in all forms of real estate, in hotels or asset building is minimal.” In other developed markets-a lot of markets in the West and some markets in Asia-there is significant foreign investment already, whether in office buildings or hotels. In India, foreign investment shows the sector has recorded unprecedented FDI equity inflow. This is impressive, considering the cumulative inflows over the 12-year period from April 2000 to March 2012 were just $3.37

Incentives should be extended to all categories of hotels, so that their expansion plans can pick up the required momentum Shagun Sethi, Director, Sales and Marketing, Fairmont Jaipur feels tax holidays would certainly encourage FDI and will definitely help in new hotel development. “Such incentives should be extended to all categories of hotels, so that their expansion plans can pick up the required momentum. Also, these fiscal benefits should be extended to the industry to support its growth, which in turn will accelerate the growth of the Indian economy. Post Budget2013, the hospitality sector expects more involvement, thought and initiatives from the government,” she adds.

CLIPBOARD

IATO DAILIES 2013 – DAY 2

TRAVTALK

HIGHLIGHTS

TRAVTALK IATO DAILIES 2013 – DAY 2

... and some humour to sparkle up asks IATO’s members some offbeat questions on what would they like to have changed in India, and who would they like most to represent the country in certain fields. From SRK to Sunny Leone, here is what they had to say

Rakesh Chopra

Rajiv Mehra

Chairman, IATO Madhya Pradesh Chapter

Committee Member, IATO

Brand ambassador for India’s night tourism?

Shahrukh Khan

Brand ambassador for India’s sports tourism?

Virat Kohli or Sachin Tendulkar

Brand ambassador for India’s night tourism?

Brand ambassador for food tourism in the country ?

Brand ambassador to promote Bollywood tourism?

Sunny Leone Akshay Kumar Amitabh Bachchan

Brand ambassador for India’s Bollywood tourism?

Bhim Singh

Amitabh Bacchan

If I were PM of India? - I would abolish

service tax, rationalise other taxes and give ‘industry status’ to the tourism industry.

Chairman, IATO Rajasthan Chapter

Brand ambassador for India’s food tourism?

(1) Mr Hemant Oberoi, Corporate Chef & Grand Executive Chef at The Taj Mahal Palace Mumb (2) Mr Sanjeev Kapoor, Ex Executive Chef in Taj, Oberoi, ITDC.

Q Q

Amaresh Tiwari, Committee member, IATO

Q Q Q Q

Brand ambassador for India’s night tourism?

If you were the PM of India?

Shashi Tharoor

Bring strict Regulation for tour operators and all other stake-holders. Development of destination infrastructure, export industry benefit to tourism, Single window clearance of all tourism-related projects regarding licenses.

Brand ambassador for India’s food tourism? Sonia Gandhi

Brand ambassador for Bollywood tourism? Katrina Kaif

Brand ambassador for India’s night tourism? Undoubtedly, Amitabh Bachchan

If you were the PM of India? (A) Making road travel safer and connecting all major cities and tourist destination in the Country.

(B) Joining all cities by air. (C) Abolish Service Tax and other tourist related taxes on Tour Operators & Hoteliers and thus liberalise the tourism industry. (D) Visa on Arrival from all countries. (E) Improve immigration facilities to give a complete face lift to the department as this is the first impression of India, a tourist gets when he arrives from abroad.

Marine Drive, Kochi

FACTS ABOUT KOCHI

ed city in Kerala.

Chinese Fishing Nets, Fort Kochi The chinese fishing nets (Cheenavala) are distinctly unique to Cochin. It is believed that traders from the court of the Chinese ruler Kublai Khan introduced these nets here. Oddly, these nets are found only in Kochi, outside China! Many fishermen earn their livelihood by fishing using these massive nets. A whole stretch of the coast along Fort Kochi and Vypeen are dotted with these nets.

Heralded as the Queen of the Arabian Sea, Kochi was an important spice trading centre on the Arabian Sea coast from the 14th century. Personalities like Mahatma Gandhi and The British Viceroy have visited Cochin through the historic railway station of Ernakulam Terminus.

Santa Cruz Basilica, Fort Kochi The original church, situated in Fort Kochi, was built by the Portuguese in 1505 and named as a

cathedral in 1558. The British colonists destroyed the cathedral in 1795. The current structure was built in 1905 and raised to the status of a basilica by Pope John Paul II in 1984. Kochi city is also a part of the Greater Cochin region and is classified as a B-1 grade city by the Government of India, making it the highest gradVikramajit Chairman SanJeet Editor & Publisher Deepa Sethi Editor-in-Chief

Editorial Ratan Kr Paul Vivek Sethi Megha Paul Devika Jeet Anita Jain Lyandra D’Souza News-Editor Peden Doma Bhutia Desk-Editor Archana Sharma Sr. Sub-Editor Hritvick Sen Photographers Simran Kaur-Delhi

Marketing Gunjan Sabikhi Harshal Ashar Aarti Nagrath Karishma Khanna Geetika Pathak Baljinder Singh Monika Malhotra Anju Khattar Manish Singh Priyanshu Wankhade Amit Sarkar Gaganpreet Kaur Rishika Karra Elizabeth Rani

Design Nityanand Misra Sudhir Mudgal Vikas Mandotia Nitin Kumar Aarushi Agrawal Production Manager

Anil Kharbanda Circulation

Ashok Rana

Kochi has the first international airport in India which has been built without Central Government funds. Ernakulam Junction is one of the busiest railway stations in South India, with more than 128 scheduled train services daily. The female-to-male ratio is 1,028:1,000, sig-

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nificantly higher than the all-India average of 933:1,000. Kochi's literacy rate is 97.5%. The female literacy rate lags that of males by 1.1%, amongst the lowest such gaps in India. Kochi or Cochin is popularly known as the Queen of Arabian Sea. It also flaunts one of the finest natural harbours of the world. It was the centre of the world spice trade for many centuries. Old Kochi refers to a group of islands which comprise Willingdon Island, Fort Kochi, Mattancherry, etc. Today Kochi includes Ernakulam city, old parts of Kochi, Kumbalangi, and outlying islands. The city derives its name from the Malayalam word Kochazhi meaning small lagoon.

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