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Tiger tourism concerns ‘Approve FDI in aviation’ reports how the interim ban on tourism in the ‘core’ Subhash Goyal, President, IATO suggests that the tourism tiger habitat areas will encourage illegal wildlife trafficking and aviation sectors should be integrated. T T B U R E AU
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xtending the ban on tourist activities in tiger reserves till August 29, the Supreme Court has come down hard on the government, saying it was more worried about commerce than tiger conservation. Earlier on July 24, the court had banned tourism activity in the core
try. A bench of Justices Swatanter Kumar and F M I Kalifullah said no tourists should venture into the core zones of 41 tigers reserves till further orders. However, it should be noted that the ban is temporary. The court is expected to release its next ruling on August 29. In the meanwhile, spoke to hoteliers who have
MOT’s view is that tourism should be regulated in the protected areas and be permitted with appropriate safeguards and regulations. Now, it’s on the Court to decide on the appropriate regulations
by the presence of tourists. According to Akanksha Garg Dewan, Director, Waxpol Hotels & Resorts and VicePresident, Sunderban Tiger Camp, the SC has not taken a holistic approach as to how their interim decision will actually affect the wildlife and the locals in each region. “The SC verdict has a single stance towards wildlife
raised concerns about the recent verdict. They feel the ban on tourism in the “core” tiger habitat areas of the reserves will encourage illegal wildlife trafficking as poachers will not be hindered
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oyal believes in leaving behind the worries over the cyclical fluctuation in the economic condition and taking forward the industry in a united form to address the real challenges and scale new heights.
RH Khwaja
tourism. Conservation is been viewed in different ways across the world. However in India, conservation of wildlife will be successful only with Contd. on page 16
connectivity into the country and within the country. Presently, in the aviation space, due to issues with Kingfisher and Air India, the supply has fallen and demand has risen.
“There are only three possibilities. One can make a choice from moving backwards, remaining stationary, or moving forward.
In our case, the only option with stakeholders in the travel trade is to move forward,”
Secretary, Ministry of Tourism Government of India
areas of tiger reserves. Highlighting the threat posed to the endangered tiger species, the Supreme Court on July 24 banned all tourism activities in the core areas of all tiger reserves in the coun-
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said Goyal. The increase in airfare, inflation, cost of petrol and the new service tax regime coupled with other taxes, says Goyal, have created an unviable environment in terms of tour operators’ perspective. But, according to him, the biggest challenge being faced by the industry is to integrate aviation and tourism sector. “One can’t think of growth in tourism without strong air
Subhash Goyal President IATO
New licenses should be granted to the Indian airlines,” said Goyal. “Once the FDI policy is approved, more international players should be allowed in the aviation space without any further delay,” he adds. Goyal says that the arbitrary state taxes, lack of trained manpower and
cleanliness and uncertainty over safety and security aspects, should be addressed on priority basis. Moreover, on the policy making front, he says the Government should strive forward to announce initiatives like e-visa, extend Visaon-Arrival facility to source markets like Germany, France, UK, USA, Canada and Australia to name a few. On moving forward and progressing in challenging times, Goyal said, “We, across all segments, should get together and stand united to find the way forward. Our IATO Convention is one such platform that can unite the industry to collectively move forward.”
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IATO DAILIES 2012 – DAY 3
INTERVIEWS
‘Visit Odisha Year Campaign’ Provide product knowledge With the government of India recognising the importance of In the tourism and hospitality sector, along with the tourism and giving it an infrastructure status, the Odisha development of infrastructure, the contributions of skilled Chapter in IATO hopes to take advantage of this development. manpower is a prerequisite and of great importance. T T B U R E AU
Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh.
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he state will launch the ‘Visit Odisha Year Campaign’ which is about attracting tourists from India as well as abroad through more publicity and roadshows in countries/states that send a sizeable amount of tourists to Odisha and India. At the roadshows, besides interaction between foreign operators and domestic operators,
“A committee might be formed by the government for three years that will be actively involved in working on the campaign for promotion of Odisha tourism.” says J K Mohanty, Chairman, Orissa Chapter, IATO. J K Mohanty Chairman Orissa Chapter, IATO
cultural shows and odia food will also be included. The other products of Odisha that will be promoted will include Adventure & Wildlife / Eco Tourism, Beach Tourism, Buddhist Tourism, Health & Welfare Tourism and MICE Tourism. These roadshows will be held in countries like USA, Australia, UK, France, Italy, Thailand and in Indian states like
The state also hopes to improve the number of visitors to the Lord Jagannath Temple as it attracts a lot of tourists thus improving the tourist inflow into the state. There are talks also between the state government and government of India to declare the Bhubaneswar airport as international airport to boost more foreign arrivals into the state. Airlines like Fly Dubai, Air Asia and IndiGo have shown interest to start international operation from Bhubaneswar airport.
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he role of the IATO’s Education: Professional Training and Skill Committee is to ensure that the staff employed by the members has the necessary skills to perform their function within the organisation and enhance the same at every level in the organisation. Training the people about the practical aspects of tourism through short certification courses is the agenda of the committee. The committee will formulate programmes, create syllabus and appoint the best faculty members to conduct these short-term courses. Surinder Kumar, Committee Coordinator Education: Professional Training and Skill Committee, & MD, TravelMate India says, “In the coming few months, we plan to hold such trainings,
skill enhancement both in Delhi and in the state. In the long run, the committee will introduce these trainings regularly as a part of IATO’s functions. The
Surinder Kumar Committee Coordinator Education: Professional Training and Skill Committee, IATO
committee also has the responsibility to coordinate with IITTM about the skill development programme under the Hunar Se Rozgar Scheme which has been initiated by IATO.”
Col Sumant Bhatia, Committee Member & MD, Colonels Worldwide adds, “We want to provide more practical and product knowledge, so that even a fresher can understand the working of the tourism industry within 2-3 months of training. Anyone from executive level to managerial level can take the benefit of these courses and we hope to start these courses in one or two months.” Surinder says,
“The only challenge, we face, is to be able to train bigger numbers as the requirement is immediate and the participation of private sector has to be mobilised by the Government authority.”
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INTERVIEWS
IATO DAILIES 2012 – DAY 3
Open a Delhi-Jaipur Expressway Bhim Singh, Chairman, Rajasthan Chapter, IATO, believes that Rajasthan urgently requires air connectivity between Jaipur-Udaipur and Jaipur as well as air connectivity for Ajmer, Bikaner, Kota and Chittaurgarh. T T B U R E AU
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he opening of the Yamuna Expressway, it seems, has opened many opportunities by connecting Delhi to the tourist centre of Agra. In fact, key stakeholders in tourism also desire to have such expressways in their region.
Bottlenecks The lack of air connectivity in the key destinations within Rajasthan restricts growth of tourism in more than one way
“Jaipur-Delhi Highway should be constructed on the similar lines of Yamuna Expressway. The road connectivity between JaipurRanthambore and JaipurBundi-Kota needs urgent attention,” said Bhim Singh, Chairman, RajasthanChapter, IATO.
Jaipur-Delhi Highway should be constructed on the similar lines of Yamuna Expressway. The road connectivity between JaipurRanthambore and Jaipur-BundiKota needs urgent attention.
But, Singh insists that the lack of air connectivity in the key destinations within Rajasthan restricts growth of tourism in more than one way.
Bhim Singh
“The main hurdle is the air connectivity and the availability of only a few roads
leading to the important tourist destinations. There is no flight between Jaipur-
Chairman Rajasthan Chapter, IATO
Udaipur and Jaipur-Jodhpur for the last two years. In fact, more Greenfield airports should be developed and smaller airlines should be promoted between major tourist
attractions like Kishangarh (Ajmer), Bikaner, Kota & Chittaurgarh,” said Singh. “Jaipur Airport is likely to be closed for renovation and
therefore, the flights here will be re-scheduled. This will continue for 18-24 months, which is likely to affect the tourism to Rajasthan. Arrival of flights should be regulated in a way that the airport extension work is not disturbed and maximum flights land at Jaipur Airport. Besides this, Rajasthan Tourism department should be given more budgetary allocation in the state budget and from the central budget. The state allocation for development of tourism is only ` 40 crore as against the other state budgets ranging between ` 200-300 crore,” he added.
A ring road to connect UP’s key monuments In a freewheeling interaction with , Sunil C Gupta , Chairman, Uttar Pradesh Chapter, IATO highlights that Agra, which has Taj Mahal, does not have any flights at all. He gives a few feasible solutions to bring more tourists into Uttar Pradesh. T T B U R E AU
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upta says he feels blessed as Taj Mahal, the icon of Indian tourism, is situated in Uttar Pradesh, along with other leading tourist attractions like the Agra Fort and Fatehpur Sikri to name a few.
Highlighting the other tourist attractions in UP, Gupta says, “We have holy city of Varanasi, which is the oldest inhabited city in India; Lucknow is the state capital with heritage of Nawabs; Jhansi is the gateway to Bundelkhand; Ayodhya is the birthplace of Lord Rama; Mathura is the birthplace of Lord Krishna; Allahabad is known for its Sangam and Kumbh 2013 shall be held in this city. The Kumbh Mela during January to March 2013 is likely to be the single biggest congregation in the world with expected participation of 85 million pilgrims. Also there are Buddhist shrines at Sarnath, Kushinagar, Sravasti and Sanksya, which draws huge tourists for Buddhist tours.
Sunil C Gupta Chairman UP Chapter, IATO
However, the poor infrastructure in terms of bad roads, shortage of electricity, water, hygiene, very few airports and flights impede the state of UP from attaining its true tourism potential. “It is pathetic that the icon of Indian tourism- Taj
Mahal and an important part of the so called ‘Golden Triangle ‘of India- Agra does not have any flights at all. The Indian domestic pilgrimage has huge potential for Mathura, Ayodhya, Varanasi, Allahabad and also Buddhist places but there is no or poor air connectivity. In Varanasi, it takes huge efforts to reach the ghats through the dirty roads. In Agra, thousands of cars come daily via the new Expressway, but find a frustrating experience to reach the Taj Mahal after they leave Expressway via the literally crammed city roads,” said Gupta. As per Gupta, the way out to many of the present challenges being faced by UP can be
addressed by keeping tourism on top priority in the government planning as well in the allocation of budgets. This initiative should be followed up by more investments in infrastructure, local effective tourism committees working closely with ASI, DOT and civil administration and tourism industry. More airports and flights should be introduced at the earliest.
Challenges In Agra, thousands of cars come daily via the new Expressway, but find a frustrating experience to reach the Taj Mahal after they leave Expressway via the literally crammed city roads
“After the opening of the new Noida-Agra Expressway, there is an urgent need to plan a ‘Ring Road’ in Agra, which can seamlessly bring tourists to Taj Mahal and also connect all other major monuments. The helicopter service from Delhi to Mathura should start soon and similar initiatives may be taken to connect Ayodhya and Allahabad. The upkeep of ghats at Mathura and Varanasi and cleaning of river Ganges and Yamuna should be accorded priority attention,” added Gupta.
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IATO DAILIES 2012 – DAY 3
INTERVIEWS
Retaining the employees Cox & Kings for Gujarat Getting the most out of your employees without Cox & Kings has launched 12 holiday packages for exhausting them is one of the main commandments Gujarat that cover the destination’s prominent locales, edged in HR books of organisations. reports. wildlife and pilgrimage. The packages also embrace its art and cultural festivals like Navratri, Jain Yatra etc. T T B U R E AU
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he travel and hospitality industry is plagued with a high attrition rate. While some blame the erratic nature of the job, many feel that the vulnerability of the industry to factors such as price rise, competition, inept nature to adjust to changes add to the employee’s distress. Therefore corporates today have improved and reworked on their HR policy. Marriott Hotels has consistent-
We consciously and proactively organise regular group offsite tours and each of these have specific objectives Raj Tanwar Head, Human Resources Thomas Cook ly won several awards in the ‘best place to work’ category over the years. A feat not easy to have achieved, Gurmeet Singh, Area Director of Human Resourses - India Maldives Marriott International says “We ensure that there are ample growth opportunities for our people within the organisation and strive to create an environment which is full of fun and joy. It is rather a matter of great pride for us that our people look forward to coming to work every single day because we believe that our people are
upholders of our brand- its custodians, people who will sustain Marriott as an institution with great vitality and perpetuity.” Investing in building good recreational zones is also of vital importance in offices. Stress at workplace can often be minimised through the presence of such places. A healthy and encouraging camaraderie between fellow employees is also essential. Says Alpana Banerjee, Chief Human Resources Contd. on page 10
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peaking on the promotion, Yusuf Poonawala, Vice President – Bharat Dekho, Cox & Kings said, “We are delighted to be associated with Gujarat Tourism as it’s a great opportunity for us to share the tourism board’s vision and showcase the exotic and divine locales of Gujarat in newer markets in India.”
Gujarat Pilgrimage Tour, 05 Days / 04 Nights visiting Rajkot, Dwarka, Porbandar & Somnath. The highlights of the tour include visit to Gandhi Smriti in Rajkot, Dwarkadhesh Temple in Dwarka, Somnath Temple and the famous Gir National Park in Sasan Gir
The holiday packages launched will showcase the essential segments. These include:
Jain Jatra , 09 Days / 08 Nights visiting Ahmedabad, Bhavnagar, Jamnagar, Bhuj, Junagadh & Palanpur. The highlights of the tour include visit to Hatheesingh Jain Temple located in Ahmedabad, Mandavi beach at Bhuj, Ambaji and Modhera Temples in Palanpur and Rani ki Vav – a step well.
Wildlife of Gujarat with Beaches, 05 Days/04 Nights visiting Sasan Gir & Diu. The highlights of the tour include the famous Gir National Park in Sasan Gir, Nagoa Beach, Diu Museum and Fort and the Somnath Jyotirling Temple.
Saurashtra Darshan, 08 Days / 07 Nights visiting Jamnagar, Dwarka, Somnath, Rajkot & Ahmedabad. The highlights of the tour include visit to Beyt Dwarka , Somnath Temple, the much famous Akshardham Temple in Ahmedabad and Dwarkadesh Temple Gujarat - Land of Heritage, 05 Days / 04
Gandhi’s Foot Steps, 04 Day/ 03 Nights package visiting Porbandar, Rajkot & Bhavnagar. The highlights of the tour include visit to Kirti Mandir - the site of Gandhi's birth, Gandhi Smriti, Sabarmati Ashram and Barton Library and Museum
swaying in a blend of dance and devotion. Although this festival is celebrated throughout India, nowhere is it performed with more panache and zeal than in Gujarat.
Yusuf Poonawala Vice President – Bharat Dekho, Cox & Kings
Nights visiting Porbandar, Rajkot, Bhavnagar & Ahmedabad. The highlights of the tour include visit to Nehru Planetarium, Watson Museum and a Heritage Walk to Bhavnagar.
Tarnetar Fair (19th – 21st September 2012),
Divine Trail of Gujarat with Beaches, 07 Days / 06
03 Days / 02 Nights visiting Rajkot & Tarnetar. The Tarnetar Mela covers a large part of the Tarnetar village with a huge number of stalls put up to sell beautiful local handicrafts unavailable elsewhere, along with ethnic jewellery, statues of deities and traditional attire with tiny mirrors embroidered into the clothing.
Nights visiting Ahmedabad, Bhavnagar & Diu. The highlights of the tour include visit to Palitana Temple, Gopnath Mahadev Temple and Beach and Somnath Jyotirlinga Temple.
Navratri Festival (16th – 24th October 2012), 03 Days/02 Nights visiting Ahmedabad. Navratri Festival is “a circle of ecstasy” that beats non-stop for nine nights with millions of fantastically costumed devotees
Gujarat - Land of amazing Architecture, 05 Days / 04 Nights visiting Ahmedabad, Gondal, Rajkot & Bhuj. The highlights of the tour include visit to the historic city of Junagadh, Aina Mahal Museum, Calico Museum of Textiles and a heritage walk of Ahmedabad.
Saputara – Where Nature Resides, 04 Days / 3 Nights visiting Saputara.
Intersight does it again!
Intersight Tours & Travels has been bestowed with the award for Best Inbound Tour Operator instituted by Kerala Tourism, Govt. of Kerala, for the second consecutive time. The award was received by Johny Abraham, Managing Director, Intersight, from Oommen Chandy, Chief Minister, Kerala at the Mascot Hotel, Trivandrum on August 10, 2012. AP Anilkumar, Tourism Minister, Kerala, Vijayan Thomas- Chairman, KTDC, Suman Billa - Tourism Secretary and Ms. Rani George – Tourism Director were present at the occasion. Intersight Tours and Travels had won the same honour for the year 2009-10, with its innovative tour packages, immaculate services and extremely satisfied customers.
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IATO DAILIES 2012 – DAY 3
INTERVIEWS
The road ahead for inbound tourism As the IATO Convention 2012 focusses on the challenges in inbound and domestic tourism in India and explores the way ahead for the Indian travel and tourism industry, speaks to a number of Executive Committee members to understand their key responsibilities, strategies and the way forward. Sunil C Gupta The IATO
NS Rathor I have been in
Amaresh Tiwari This time I was
Convention this year is most apt. The inbound tourists have become indispensable for tourism growth in India. This year, over 15 states are participating, which shows how important this event has become in today’s scenario. Also, as I operate from Agra, I will stress on the need for improved infrastructure. In the first 10 days of the Expressway opening, almost 40,000 cars came to Agra from Delhi and NCR. This is a huge example of how one good road has facilitated travel and tourism. The government needs to play the role of not just a regulator but a catalyst as well.
Maharashtra for the last 32 years and unfortunately, the only two well-equipped leisure destinations are Mumbai and Aurangabad. Thus, this year, IATO is attempting to bring more lesser-known destinations in the forefront. We are organising five post-convention tours to explore the various segment of tourism. The idea is to retain inbound tourists in Mumbai for at least 10 days with these extended trips from the region.
the coordinator of the IATO Run For Responsible Tourism that was held recently. The first-of-its-kind event in IATO has gathered a lot of interest. This year it was a 5 km run/walk. Next year, we will make it a 10 km half marathon. What has been extremely interesting to observe is that we had anticipated a participation of 40 to 50 people. However, at this event, the participation crossed 200 people. Thus, the idea now is to make this an annual event. We want to create awareness about Responsible Tourism through this initiative.
EM Najeeb The Kerala Tourism
Ramesh Wattal My main concern
recently announced Kerala Tourism Policy 2012, which spells out the policy related to tourism business, infrastructure, Human Resources development, marketing and investments to which, IATO had contributed various suggestions. Going forward, we wish to raise the problems faced by the tour operator’s community and the hospitality industry through IATO. We will be approaching the Government with our constructive suggestions for streamlining tourism industry in the state.
when I joined as an EC member was that there should be transparency within the association, specifically for the medium tour operators. This is more or less sorted now. The main issues of IATO now are in its dealings with the Ministry of Tourism (MOT). Some have been resolved. For example; planning of the roadshows has been taken care of by MOT. Now MOT has an annual calendar of roadshows, which was not there earlier.
Rajiv Mehra IATO is now having more interactions with the MOT, Home Ministry and Ministry of External Affairs to get at least some headway for the Visa-onArrival (VoA) issue. Most importantly, the sub-committees have become extremely proactive and this goes a long way in the efficient functioning of the association. Even the modified MDA scheme has been sent for approval to MOT.
Ravi Gosain As an EC member, I am coordinating the activities of the Electronic and Internet Marketing Committee. I have also been actively involved in the IATO Silent Auction that is happening
for the first time, a fundraising technique adopted by IATO, this year. At the venue, one will find a display of donated items where everyone present in the Convention can bid and compete against others. This initiative, I am sure, will be highly successful and will bring the desired results.
Making the office best place to work Contd. from page 8
Officer-Emerging Markets & Specialists Division, Kuoni Group, “To help employees unwind from their fast-paced schedule, there is a recreation area with table tennis sets, basketball rings, chessboards and other entertaining games. In addition, there are large free-standing flat screen television sets at various corners in the head offices for employees to access breaking news or the latest the T20 match score.” Raj Tanwar, Head, Human Resources, Thomas
Cook adds, “We consciously organise regular group offsite tours and each of these have specific objectives. Usually they are combined with business and employee development needs. Constant follow up and feedback by leaders of the respective sections with their staff has yielded positive business impact.” The golden rule of employee satisfaction is to keep a stress free zone in office where grievances of the employees can be easily addressed. And what the employee really
Alpana Banerjee
Gurmeet Singh
Chief Human Resources OfficerEmerging Markets & Specialists Division, Kuoni Group
Area Director of Human Resourses India Maldives - Marriott International
wants is not motivation from the organisation, but the abol-
ishment of the act of demotivating them.
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HOTELS
IATO DAILIES 2012 – DAY 3
Unique luxury boutique hotels in Rajasthan Devi Resorts & Rasa Resorts are rare collection of unique luxury boutique properties in India, which are a cut above the global standards in terms of product quality and excellence in service. the future. The vision is about finding harmony in contrast and modernity going hand-in-hand with our heritage. We had recently launched two properties in Jaipur,” said Neeta GuptaGlobal Head Sales & Marketing, Boutique Hotels.
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ajasthan is a preferred inbound destination, where tourists visit to get a rich and colourful Indian experience. There has always been a need for luxury resorts especially in the key cities like Jaipur, Udaipur, Bikaner, Jodhpur, and Jaisalmer to name a few. Here, Devi Resorts & Rasa Resorts have gained a great advantage with their unique collection of Boutique Hotels that go beyond being merely ‘ethnic’ and offer a sensibility and standards comparable to the best in the world, while distilling local flavour. “The amalgamation of traditional and contemporary has made Rajasthan the most
Neeta Gupta Global Head Sales & Marketing Boutique Hotels
preferred holiday destination in India. We offer a collection of unique luxury boutique hotels in India while establishing global standards of product quality and service excellence. Our philosophy of the company has always been about living with history; keeping an awareness of our past while looking towards
“We offer the best luxury accommodation facilities to travellers from across the globe, satiating every possible desire of tourists. Our Devi Ratn is a completely new vision of a hotel experience that can dispel any myth about what India has to offer; and Rasa provides a luxurious experience to the adventurous traveller. In fact, Devi Resorts is also an ideal luxury and wellness destination. A guest seeking a holistic experience
can rejuvenate at Devi Spa by L’Occitane,” she added. Gupta also explained that Devi Ratn takes its name
from the ‘Nav Ratn’; nine pure gemstones that are said to focus cosmic energy and offers 60 suites and a few independ-
ent villas. The company has also launched a new brand of hotels (sub brand of Devi Resorts) under the name ‘Rasa Resorts’ to market boutique hotels with the same unique service and quality one associates with the group but at a more affordable price. “B2B segment supports the organisations' sales effort and improves company profitability. Hence, it is an important segment for all organisations. We are reaching the B2B audience through digital medium, email, SEO and social media. Trade shows continue to remain critical. Trade publications are another good medium to reach out to the B2B audience,” said Gupta explaining their intention to grow the B2B network.
Toshali for Buddhist circuit Rising aspirations of Kochi The group is focussing more on Buddhist circuit in Crowne Plaza Kochi will bring a change in the city by Odisha and building infrastructure in the region. becoming the city’s landmark to ‘Discover and Celebrate.’ T T B U R E AU
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oshali Resorts International is strengthening its base in the hospitality sector. It has recently bagged four Odisha Tourism-owned
accommodation units for management under Lease Development Agreement. All properties are located in the Buddhist circuit of Pathrajpur, Ratnagiri, Udayagiri and Lalitgiri. Toshali Group is actively marketing the Buddhist destinations of the state through its network of sales offices spread across nine cities in India and overseas partners. The group is also constructing a five-star luxury property with a capacity of 126 rooms in Bhubaneswar. Harihar Patra, Director – Marketing, Toshali Resorts International said, “Odisha has lot to offer for Buddhist pilgrims. Our focus is to develop customised packages for tourists who come to India for pilgrimage and cultural circuit
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Harihar Patra Director – Marketing Toshali Resorts International
visit so that they can experience the 2000-year-old Buddhist heritage sites of the state.” To promote their products in the Buddhist market of South East Asian countries and Sri Lanka, Toshali Group has acquired a Kolkata-based travel company, Pan-Asia, which has expertise in this sector.
y adding another hotel in the city of Kochi after Holiday Inn, IHG is aiming at making a strong statement through Crowne Plaza Kochi. Talking about the perspective of the new hotel for the city, the General Manager of the property, Terry Austen said, “The team is on board and look forward for getting ready before the height of the season. We are expecting this property to open in the festive season i.e. between September and November. For the last 14 months that I have spent here, the city has gone through a rapid developmental change and our hotel will add another dimension infrastructure facet to position the city
Terry Austen General Manager IHG
ahead.” The hotel has realised Kochi’s potential to deliver far more in hospitality and travel space. “The state government is investing heavily on the infrastructure projects to transform the city and our hotel is going to add to that,
charming the leisure market,” he added. The 269-room hotel, connecting with places of vivid interests within 45 minutes, will be captalising on the demand of the leisure as well as MICE traffic that the city is attracting. “Our hotel will offer the largest twin inventory in the city and our dedicated Crowne Meetings Director will help organise meeting and social events for up to 1500 pax,” Austen informed. The hotel will have 14 meeting rooms and would make use of the in-house garden for social events. On the leisure front, the hotel boasts 2 swimming pools, large health club and an exclusive spa floor spread Contd. on page 21
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TIGER TOURISM
IATO DAILIES 2012 – DAY 3
Regulate tourism in core tiger areas Tour operators and resort owners in tiger reserves across the country received a major setback with the temporary ban on Wildlife Tourism in core areas of tiger reserves across the country. This is most unfortunate. As a passionate wildlife lover and a tour operator for over two decades, I am spelling out 10 reasons to reconsider the decision.
1
Sariska and Panna Tiger Reserves were lesser known National Parks in the nineties, because sighting of the tigers and leopards were declining. Tourism to both these parks had fallen. Poaching, manipulation of numbers and inadequate security were the main reasons why tigers disappeared completely from the park around 2008. Tourism is not the cause; secondly there were only a handful of resorts in both the parks. This discouraged visitors from going to the park. Hence, it is being
clearly made out that tourists are not the villains here.
2
Forest eco development committees, constituted in villages surrounding the park, are gaining as much as 25 per cent, from gate receipts to tiger reserves, which is further being used for the development and upliftment of the villages. For example, the Kanha National Park has contributed close to ` 1 crore during the last financial year to these committees.
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In order to encourage community-based tourism parks, Kanha and Bandhavgarh National Tiger Reserve only employ local tribes to perform the role of guides and drivers.
4
Activists and naturalist point of view of prohibiting tourism in core areas give rise to yet another question. Are tourists not naturalists as well, will their knowledge of exotic species of flora and fauna is restricted to viewing television programmes and films on wildlife? How effective will monitoring be in these parks considering visitors are not allowed?
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Don’t close the core area on a permanent basis, keep it closed two days a week, to reduce the pressure of constant flow of vehicles twice a day. Further safari timings can be reduced by 15 to 30 minutes depending on the season and time of the year. The most important is the number of vehicles allowed to enter the park each day.
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Regulatory method needs to be adopted, in cases
like when a rare species is spotted and crowding of vehicles take place. Systems need to be set in place, including guards equipped with means like digital cameras that can record sightings and crowd behaviour.
7
In a spirit of give and take, the tourist must be willing to make some sacrifice as well. For example the well known tiger shows at Kanha need to come to an end.
8
It is believed poaching will come to an end once the ban is introduced. To assume that, poaching happens because of tourism is untrue. To ban tourism in wildlife areas, will probably indulge local populations to seek alternative sources of income, considering all tourism-related activities like driving, guiding, working in resorts and acting
as naturalists will come to a sudden end.
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Crowding of dwellings and resorts in buffer areas constricts space for movement and puts strain on limited resources. This is a prime reason for wanting to ban tourism in core areas. Though justifiable, the repercussions are several and range from loss of livelihood to local communities, tour operators and resort owners. The solution lies in putting a ceiling on new development, making it mandatory for resorts to switch to solar energy for power requirement, eliminating conference facilities, and further betterment of waste disposal facilities, to name a few.
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More attention also needs to be paid on highways. Especially the ones which crosses on state or national national parks. Only
then stealing forest wealth ranging from precious wood to elephant tusks and poaching of rare and extinct species will be a distinct possibility. Here too, the tourist is not to be blamed. Unscrupulous elements interested in robbing forests of its precious reserves are the main culprits.
(The writer is Hector Dsouza, President, L’orient Travels)
Wildlife Tourism in India? Around the world when we talk about Wildlife Tourism, the first instinct of any traveller is – ‘Let’s go to Africa. They have the Big 5’. Although, when we compare mammals, we have the big 5 and more – Lion, Elephant, Buffalo, Rhinoceros and the Leopard. In addition to these African Big 5, we have the Royal Bengal Tiger, which alone stands as the most attractive of all.
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e have all seen the news in the last few weeks, criticising Wildlife Tourism in India. Are we that unregulated? And is the argument – ‘this is not Africa’, allow us to ignore the African models? In my books, no. I have been to Africa a few times. They have tribals, they have abundance of
wildlife, accompanied by many major problems from epidemics to extreme poverty. But they still have great models, which allow humans and animals to co-exist. We imagine Africa as a similar terrain, but they do have the rainforest, the desert and the savanna land. But they all have different models. There isn’t one guideline for national park’s or conservancies in any African country. Uganda has Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, which runs on a very similar system like in India. All the lodges are outside the national park, but a limited number of permits are issued to track gorillas inside the park. Alternatively, Uganda also has Ishasha with Savanna lands, but the lodges exist inside the
national park. These are two very different models in the same country. Both employ local people, run with strict guidelines enforced by the government and practice what has become a keyword today – ‘Ecotourism’. The number of permits in Bwindi regulate the people entering the national park, whereas, the number of beds within Ishasha limit the people in a particular area of the park. The rapid economic development, globalisation and the growth of tourism, does put our natural heritage at risk. Whether it is the Tiger or any monument. However, the impact of tourism in the lesser-developed countries is not always a negative one. Apart from the much needed income generation that exter-
nal visitors can bring to communities, regulated tourism can also be beneficial especially when managed sustainably. In the above lines, regulated, is the key word. In the Uganda example, there were rules laid out for all lodges / hotels that were coming up. The ones within the park were not allowed electricity or flush toilets. Local skill development became a key and Wildlife Tourism became one of the biggest industry for the country. If our Wildlife Tourism policy would have been brought in, 20-30 years back with guidelines enforcing construction of lodges, states to open skill development schools for local villages, to actually have high
value but low impact lodges, then today we could have had community projects even inside the national park. But, the guideline that were put together by our forest ministry and is practiced in all of India under the same policy umbrella will not work. Simply, because Gujarat is not similar to Kaziranga nor Corbett is similar to Periyar, not only in terrain, but in governance as well. Our own government talks about Community-based Tourism. It sounds great on paper but are they providing a legal foundation for community’s to set this up? Our present wildlife protection and legislation is strongly exclusionary, with lip service paid to stakeholders while keeping them effectively out of
any decision making process. We need a bigger vision, possibly where Wildlife Tourism is separated from the forest department and the ones affected should be stakeholders rather than mere spectators.
(The writer is Amit Sankhala, Managing Director, Dynamic Tours, Encounters Asia and Jungle Lodges)
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‘Plan Wildlife, Tourism don’t ban it’ Wildlife tourism, over the last 10-15 years, has attained an important status in India. It has become a major attraction for inbound and domestic tourists. presents the current status of the same. T T B U R E AU
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ildlife and adventure tourism are both related to forest and environment. The effect of the delicate balance is now keenly observed by the departments as well as the NGOs. Probably the substantial increase in the wildlife tourist traffic has created a situation unplanned for by the forest department. Giving a few suggestions on this scenario, Abdul Kader,
Abdul Kader MD, Indian Adventures - Wildlife & Adventure Resorts
MD, Indian Adventures Wildlife & Adventure Resorts says, “Let us not ask for concessions, let us plan better, let us give room and value to our wildlife, let us demarcate the core zone with ‘No Entry’ boards.” Further, expressing his concern on the future challenges, Kader adds, “But the tigers cannot read and, with their growing numbers, will spill over to the buffer and tourism zones to please the hearts of the wildlife tourists.
Dedicated planning and analysis of required core zone areas is vital for the forest department. Putting the core zone banner on the entire National Park area is far from practical and will simply put ‘The End’
Flurry of questions on Wildlife Tourism There are still some questions that need to be answered: 1. Has the forest department demarcated the core zone effectively leaving enough buffers for wildlife protection? 2. Has the buffer zone been demarcated with safari routes for the keen and well-informed tourist for whom the wildlife sightings are an eye opener, and sows the seed for the cause of conservation? Can we really stop the wildlife tourism and uproot such seeds and
to these wonderful escapades to the wild.” The finalisation and demarcations of the core zones, the buffer zones, and the safari routes within the tourism zone have remained neglected in some way. He
love for nature from the enlightened youth? 3. Can we leave our heritage of wildlife habitats and its inhabitants to the mercy of the poachers? 4. Can we leave the National Parks and its periphery without the patrolling tourist vehicles? 5. Is the forest department geared for patrolling the large National Park areas with their limited resources?
ing on wildlife and adventure tourism, to which most other tourism segments are also closely linked? 7. Can we afford to lose our substantial foreign exchange earnings from wildlife and other affected tourism? 8. Can the National Parks be efficiently protected and managed without the additional financial income from tourism?
6. Can we disturb the livelihood of a hundred thousand Indians now depend-
9. Can all the wildlife resort owners afford to shut down their units and go back home?
opines, “Planning and regulating of safari routes related to entry and exits in some of the national parks have also caused congestions even though the department has made efforts to regulate such traf-
fic by various means. The alert NGOs do want things closer to ideal conditions and the Supreme Court now involved for a good reason merely wants to understand and improve tourism regulations.”
Don’t kill Tiger Tourism in India Contd. from page 3
tourism and its stakeholders participating in it actively.” Talking about the illeffects of the SC ruling, Manav Khanduja, Director-Marketing, Pugdundee Safaris opines, “Not only the wildlife lodge and tour industry would be destroyed but over two hundred thousand people directly employed by the industry and over a million connected to the industry will be affected. Over 80 per cent people attached to the industry are locals making over ` 60,000 annually, which is far higher than the national per capita income. And when
Akanksha Garg Dewan Director Waxpol Hotels & Resorts
Wildlife conservation will be a success with tourism and its stakeholders participating in it actively in rural India over half the population lives on ` 35 a day, these are generous remunerations.” The spirit of the eco-tourism guidelines presented by NTCA in court is community participation and involvement. The interim ver-
Manav Khanduja Director-Marketing Pugdundee Safaris
Conservation and community development are interlinked.The industry is the only financial stakeholder dict goes completely against the guidelines. “Our parks have seen a lot of revenge killing of wildlife by villagers when their cattle gets killed or fields are destroyed. My fear is when they lose their livelihood the revenge could ring the
death bell for tiger and conservation. The decision will create a larger gap between conservation and local communities and the department will have a tough time handling the situation,” he points out. The hotel business is anyway a seasonal one in the parks and none of the property owners earn more than what is required to manage and run their properties, so yes, if lesser tourists are turning up to the park, revenue will be less, hence the hotels will be forced to cut down the staff which may create local unrest along with increased villager dependency on the forest for poaching and deforestation, adds Dewan. Rather than saying how important tiger tourism for the hotels is, one should ask how important is tourism for the tigers, feels Dewan. “Other than running various wildlife resorts in Sunderbans, Dooars and Pench, we are also avid wildlife and nature enthusiasts. One of our firm observations over the years has been that tourism boosts wildlife, provides employment to the
locals and promotes conservation. Without the tourists who are the ears and the eyes of the forest, poachers will roam the forest freely and tigers will be killed in great numbers and nothing will be left to conserve. Fine examples are Sariska and Panna National Parks where there were no tigers left due to lack of tourism. Villagers will again start depending on the forest, which might lead to increased poaching activity and deforestation. To learn how to manage the park, the government needs to study and follow the African pattern of wildlife tourism, where conservation and tourism go hand in hand.” Reiterates Khanduja, “Conservation and community development are interlinked and our industry remains the only financial stakeholder in wildlife conservation. This remains the only industry which is not extracting from forests, creates jobs in back of beyond and contributes regularly for conservation. Last year more than ` 16 crore were generated as only entry tickets in Madhya Pradesh.
The money is used for the parks and also for lesser known sanctuaries. The industry is involved directly with community programmes, training and capacity building, which are directly linked to conservation.” Vibhas Prasad, Owner, Leisure Hotels informs thatunlike other national parks which are mostly shut during the off-seasons,
Corbett National Park is open 365 days. It is also one of the few parks where government accommodation is available inside the core zones as well. It might suffer if the final SC verdict goes against the benefits of tiger tourism. However, for the time being the company, which has five properties in national parks, is just hopeful that the verdict will be more favourable.
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HOTELS
Yes I can, says Radisson Blu Hyderabad Having opened almost a month-and-a-half ago in Hyderabad, the Carlson Rezidor property is living up to its tagline and guaranteeing 100 per cent satisfaction to its guests. Nishan Silva, General Manager, Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel Hyderabad Banjara Hills, says, he’s happy with the way things are moving forward.
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s you go around the Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel Hyderabad Banjara Hills, you can’t miss the ‘Yes I Can!’ badges that the hotel staff sports. According to their General Manager, these badges embody the very spirit of the brand, the positive attitude that guarantees 100 per cent guest satisfaction.
Banjara Hills, have taken strategic partnerships with the corporate world and are driving forward to a very good business model.”
in and in the month-and-ahalf that we have been here we have seen tremendous potential.” Proof of this can be seen in the fact that there are around four major hotels located within a close distance of each other.
P EDEN D OMA B HUTIA
While speaking about the hotel, Silva says, “I am happy with the way things are moving for Carlson Rezidor’s first Radisson Blu hotel in the city. We have seen tremendous potential and we are moving ahead in the right direction.” About Hyderabad as a city for the hospitality sector, he says, “Hyderabad has good infrastructure and the IT sector here is also doing very well. The expansion of the airport is another key decision that the government has taken. That’s why not only us but some of the major hospitality players are now
venturing into the city. Even the local hospitality companies are also doing very well. The competition is growing and we have a great mix of local and international companies. It’s a city you must be
The recent spurt in the number of hotels has only turned the tables around and the city which was once said to have an undersupply of hotel rooms now has an oversupply of hotel rooms. As Silva points out, “Now, we
Biodiversity conference We are looking forward to the international biodiversity conference in October which will take place in the Hyderabad International Convention Centre, a state-of-the-art, first of its kind convention facility in South Asia. It is the largest bio-diversity conference that this part of the world has ever seen. This is another important decision that the government has taken and will act as a major fillip for the hospitality sector of the city.
Nishan Silva General Manager, Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel Hyderabad Banjara Hills
have more hotels than what is needed and in the next 18 months we have another 600 rooms being added to the market as more hotels are coming up. Hyderabad is not the easiest cities to drive occupancy rate and if we look at the current market there is an oversupply of rooms. However, the future is looking good and we, at Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel Hyderabad
On being asked why the hotel at Banjara Hills has been categorically positioned as a business hotel, he says, “We are not driving much business from the leisure sector as people coming to the city are mostly business travellers. It is one of the biggest hotels covering 44sqm of area (it has 142 Superior, Deluxe & Business class rooms and 13 suites) and with facilities such as free internet, a great breakfast spread and great F&B facilities. However, the city has a small leisure market with 67 prominent locations for sightseeing. But even then almost 80 per cent of our business is from the corporate sector.”
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HOTELS
Fairmont Jaipur
redefines luxury
Unveiled on August 9, 2012, the hotel is upbeat about its luxury positioning attracting leisure as well as business segments of pillar-less conference space, the largest in the area, with five well-equipped meeting rooms and a sophisticated screening room. “From business meetings to weddings, our luxurious Jaipur accommodation is the ideal venue for a memorable event, blending classic grandeur and style with the best in modern meeting technology and an experienced, attentive staff. The hotel’s focus on service, coupled with an amazing location, ensures that all events will be memorable,” he adds
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n August 9, Canadianbased Fairmont Hotels & Resorts opened its doors in the ‘Pink City’. This is the five-star luxury brand hotel’s first opening in India. Says Atul Lall, General Manager, Fairmont Jaipur, “All Fairmont properties offer a diverse range of experiences. We endeavour to integrate cultures of the market where we are offering our guests a memorable stay each day. One of the many unique concepts we will be introducing in the market is the Fairmont Gold rooms. Rooms on these floors
Atul Lall General Manager Fairmont Jaipur
leges that will add to the superior levels of service
given an authentically local twist at Fairmont Jaipur’s lobby lounge, Anjum. In addition, traditional souvenirs and local handmade items are on offer at the ‘Kings Bazaar’ where guests can spend some time while dining at Zarin, our authentic Mughal-inspired Indian specialty restaurant. Some adventurous activities planned for our guests are hand on lessons with falconer to learn the ancient art of desert falconry, hot-air balloon rides and traditional folk music and storytelling sessions,” he adds. offer enhanced luxuries and amenities including butler service, access to a dedicated lounge, seamless check-ins and a host of exclusive privi-
and hospitality we offer to all our guests.” The furniture and decor at the palace are hand-crafted on site by traditional artisans. Retrieved from old forts the palace also holds a 300-year old door at the Baggi entrance, inspired by the local Rajasthani artwork and carving. Fairmont Jaipur also boasts of a pillar-less 60,000 square feet of convention space, the largest in the region which caters to all business and leisure travellers. “The internationally famed Fairmont tradition of afternoon teas has also been
In the coming months, Fairmont Jaipur will also introduce the Fairmont President's Club, a recognition programme designed around guest’s personal interests and Fairmont Fit that provides workout apparel, MP3 player and a yoga mat with a stretch band, all which can be delivered directly to the guest’s room upon request. Answering on whether Jaipur which is more of a leisure destination now changing its dynamics and attracting other sets of travellers, the GM reveals, “Jaipur’s strategic location; its proximity to NCR and
proactive government policies, have facilitated increased footfalls to the city on account of the leisure tour route – the Golden Triangle.
Since the city has eventually shown great potential as a MICE destination, one of the key focuses at Fairmont Jaipur is MICE and we will offer a variety of service mix to business and leisure travellers.” To accommodate the area’s growing meetings market Fairmont Jaipur boasts of 60,000 square feet
With the growing inbound MICE segment, expanding airlines operations, better transport systems and booming infrastructure in information technology, hotels and meeting facilities have made sure that India is an integral part of the worldwide MICE destinations. Talking about what kind of Average Room Rate (ARR)
the city is commanding at the moment, the GM informs, “Fairmont Jaipur has been launched at a time when the number of luxury room nights offered in the Jaipur city has gone up to 1500 from 721 just two years ago. Last year, Jaipur also showed a 13 per cent rise in the average room rates. It is because of
the nature of the hotel rooms that business is changing in Jaipur. Traditionally viewed as a leisure destination, Jaipur has emerged as a MICE and wedding market too. Thus the kind of ARR Jaipur is commanding at the moment is INR 9000. Fairmont Jaipur’s ARR is INR 11000.” With the excellent connectivity between Delhi and Jaipur, the hotel is betting big on the weekend getaway travellers as well. “Jaipur being a part of the world famous Golden Triangle is a huge benefit for us. Most of the international tourists visiting India usually visit the Golden Triangle. To add more to the connectivity, the travel time from Gurgaon to Jaipur is now down to three hours with the conversion of 90 per cent of the NH-8 into an eight-lane highway. Also NH 11 is yet another important tourism highway for Jaipur that connects Agra,” he points out.
The key economic driver in Jaipur is the services sector because the city is favourably located to cater to the huge North Indian market and is well-connected. Fairmont Jaipur will soon be a new landmark to grace this remarkable setting of culture, architecture, history and business growth.
EXHIBITIONS
IATO DAILIES 2012 – DAY 3
TRAVTALK
21
WTM developing a user-friendly product The world is increasingly being dominated by everything virtual and hence, it takes a lot of innovation to keep the human interface relevant. WTM adds Speed Networking to make the experience not just relevant, but necessary. R UPALI N ARASIMHAN
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TM is an event that brings together 4,947 exhibitors and 8,000 international buyers under one roof. Simon Press, Exhibition Director, World Travel Market said, “WTM 2012 is expected to generate a staggering business of GBP 1,653 millionan impressive 16 per cent increase over the previous
Simon Press Exhibition Director World Travel Market
year. By attending WTM, participants gain immediate competitive advantage for their business and stay abreast with the latest developments in the travel industry.” “WTM combines both face-to-face meetings and all
For MICE & more Contd. from page 12
across 6,000 sq ft to open early next year. As the 6th Crowne Plaza hotel to enter South West Asia, the brand is strengthening its positioning in the market and with two properties in Kochi, IHG would command a healthy inventory of 481 rooms. We therefore would leverage our IHG channels and conduct joint activities to raise awareness of our hotels. The hotel is next to the city’s largest convention centre with a capacity of holding upto 6000 people, and as the city evolves, Kochi will become competitive and strengthen as a year round destination for large scale groups and meetings.
encompassing education programme (more than 110 seminars and conferences) to ensure visitors and exhibitors are gaining the most out of their time over the four days. Instead of getting defeated by technology, the exhibi-
tion is harnessing the latest technology to create a more user-friendly product. “In WTM, we focussed on the use of social media for the travel industry. An enhanced social media programme will be available at this year’s event in
November. Last year, we introduced the WTM App,” he further informed. “Speed Networking is an important part of attending a successful WTM. Held on the first day of the show, it brings together buyers and sellers for fixing meetings,” he informed. In
2011, Speed Networking took place as a one hour-long session before the exhibition opened on the first day of WTM 2011 (November 7). Previously, Speed Networking was in five 45-minute sessions throughout the first day – based around the
regions of the exhibition. Currently still in the early stages of planning WTM 2012, one of the main objectives is to further improve the communication process between the Buyers (Meridian Club members) and Exhibitors.
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IATO DAILIES 2012 – DAY 3
Jabalpur to Delhi & Mumbai Chetna makes travel flexible SpiceJet is launching daily direct flights Chetna Aviation is making its presence felt in the non-schedbetween Jabalpur-Delhi and Jabalpur-Mumbai from uled flight domain. To further promote the product, they are offering good commissions and deal to the travel agents. September 7, 2012. gives details. T T B U R E AU
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piceJet has decided to further expand its network in Madhya Pradesh with upcoming flights that will connect Jabalpur with Delhi and Mumbai. The airline would be operating two daily direct flights from Jabalpur. Direct services will be available on the Jabalpur-Delhi and Jabalpur-Mumbai routes and the flights would start from September 7, 2012.
“We are pleased to expand our presence further in Madhya Pradesh, which is vast state. We are hopeful to serve people with better air connectivity at affordable prices,”
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on-scheduled flights have become popular as passengers do not have to stay time bound. Flexibility to travel has become important for the traveller today.
says Neil Mills, Chief Executive Officer, SpiceJet.
Neil Mills
Jabalpur is SpiceJet’s third destination in Madhya Pradesh offering affordable air connectivity to passengers. In the state, SpiceJet currently operates from Bhopal and Indore. SpiceJet has acquired 12 new Bombardier Q400 aircraft for enhancing connectivity to Tier II and Tier III cities. The airline will be deploying its Bombardier Q400 NextGen
Turboprop aircraft, which can accommodate 78 passengers and is widely preferred as the best option for short haul destinations on these two routes. SpiceJet has acquired 18.6 per cent of market share in the Indian domestic market, delivering the highest consumer value. The airline currently operates more than 287 daily flights to 36 Indian cities and 4 international destinations.
Chief Executive Officer SpiceJet
“We understand that in today’s world, the most important thing is the value of time. Hence, we provide 24X7 charter flight services so that it’s up to the customers to decide what time they want to travel. Contrary to the scheduled flights, we are not time bound, and give our services as a privilege to passengers all the time,” says Ragni Soni, Chairperson and Managing Director, Chetna Aviation. Chetna Aviation gives wings to its passengers to fly at their own convenience and without any time restriction.
Discussing their target audience, Soni says,
“Our basic target is business travellers and corporate clients. The segments, we are focussing on, are basically MICE and religious as we have best in its class business jets for corporate travellers. We also have our services for Chardham Yatra and Shirdi.” Discussing marketing strategy, she adds, “We believe in providing the best services and that is our marketing strategy. Providing the best commissions and deal to the agents, we have already
Ragni Soni Chairperson and Managing Director, Chetna Aviation
tied up with many travel agents pan India.” Chetna Aviation has jet planes and helicopters for their services. The Jet planes include, Beechcraft 400, Hawker 400 XP, Cessna Citation series, Beech King Air 90, Beech Super and King Air 200. The helicopters are Aerospatiale Squirrel, Augusta 109, Bell Jetranger, Longranger, Eurocopter EC120 and Eurocopter EC155.
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AGENTS
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Narrating the ‘Taj’ story Redefining ultimate luxury Equipped with audio visual and multi-lingual facilities, Jaypee Greens Golf & Spa Resort is a harmonious blend the Kalakriti Cultural & Convention Centre showcases of luxury, impeccable service, age old traditions and conMohabbat-the-Taj, depicting the story of Taj Mahal. temporary sophistication. T T B U R E AU
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n the year 2004, the Ashok Oswal Group, established a showroom in the name of Kalakriti in Agra, at stones throw away from the Taj Mahal. The idea was to promote Agra’s marble handicraft products to the high-end tourists visiting the city. But with the MICE segment picking up, the group decided to create
a state-of-the-art auditorium cum conference hall at Kalakriti. What followed next was a unique blend of art auditorium, meetings and conferences, in the form of Kalakriti Cultural & Convention Centre.
“The Kalakriti Cultural & Convention Centre has a seating capacity of 585 audiences and is ideal for live performances, meetings, conferences and product launch,” Kalyani Dagar, Manager, Business Development, Kalakriti Cultural & Convention Centre said. But that is not all. Kalakriti is home to Mohabbatthe-Taj, a series of plays, depicting the story of the Taj Mahal and the love saga of Shajahan and Mumtaz Mahal.
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his super-luxury designer resort built on 9 acres offers 170 elegant rooms (152 deluxe room and 18 suites) with a world renowned Six Senses Spa.
Kalyani Dagar Manager, Business Development Kalakriti Cultural & Convention Centre
The 80- minute play was first performed on September 1, 2008, for tourists and has been running since then. “The play, performed by over sixty performing artistes, is a dancedrama spectacle ably supported by audio-visual effects. But the highlight of the show is a Taj Mahal replica, measuring 12 feet by 12 feet, made of makrana marble and studded with semiprecious stones,” Dagar added.
Jaypee Greens Golf & Spa Resort offers an unparalleled vacation experience that will be forever etched in guest’s minds. It is not just another place to stay, it is a differentiate offering to weave long lasting memories. Jaypee Greens Golf & Spa Resort, Greater Noida not only consummate luxury but also combines the finest tradition of Jaypee hotels in offering its special blend of warm and consistent service,” Sharma further added. The splendid resort is opened with 24 hour resto café – Eggspectation that spreads out a creative International menu with an eclectic selec-
tion of fine fare, including many styles of Eggs alone, making the restaurant one-ofits-kind. Ano Tai – an authentic Chinese cuisine restaurant, La Brezza – the Italian restaurant with Enoteca Bar, Paatra offering Indian cuisine, Matrix Bar – The Lounge bar and The Churchill – Cigar Bar. Jaypee Greens Golf and Spa Resort also has pool side bar ‘Aquene’. The adult pool has a very different concept with the chairs being built inside the pool so that one can enjoy their drinks while enjoying the calming effect of the pool.
The resort offers a fine facility for corporate people who would want to combine their business with relaxation. The ‘Business Center’, with a seating capacity of 10 people has been set up at the resort for conducting meetings and conferences. Adding on the dash of Indian culture, an exclusive shopping store, ‘The Shop’ has been set up providing the customers with a wide range of Indian traditional handicrafts to choose from. Ranging from handlooms to accessories to traditional show pieces, ‘The Shop’ offers you a fine array of products that are definitely worth a buy..
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IATO DAILIES 2012 – DAY 3
Adding glitz to South Goa Wooing leisure & MICE The group is now setting up a night club in Radisson With a new club floor added at the rooftop of Hans Blu Goa at Cavelossim to meet the rising demand for Hotel, the property aims at strengthening presence in the same in South Goa. the domestic and MICE sector. T T B U R E AU he travel agents will soon have a new happening night spot in South Goa, which, otherwise, offers unexplored beaches and
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Vinay Albuquerque Director Alcon Victor Group
plethora of accommodation options. For the uninitiated, from its inception in 1971, the Alcon Victor Group has grown from strength to strength, making a mark in
construction, real estate, travel & tourism, hospitality, healthcare, ayurveda and nature cure. “India has a wide range of holidays to offer; eg leisure holidays, MICE, adventure tourism, medical tourism, etc which suits different budget types.
We, at the Alcon Victor Group, offers leisure and MICE at our three beach resorts and alternate medical tourism at Devaaya Ayurveda & Nature Cure Centre,” said Vinay Albuquerque, Director, Alcon Victor Group. “We are constantly working towards improving our service standards and upgrading our facilities. We are setting up a night club in Radisson Blu Goa at
Cavelossim to meet the demand for the same in South Goa. Moreover, the B2B sector is an important segment for us as most of the MICE business is catered by the B2Bs and our properties do a lot of MICE business during the off-season period,” he added. Albuquerque is also of the opinion that taxes and policies regarding transport and pollution should be made in such a manner that it least affects tourism.
quIck REad
‘2 for 1 offer’
Rail Europe in association with Switzerland Tourism and Swiss Travel System announced the ‘2 for 1’ promotion and campaign launch in India.
T T B U R E AU et in the busy and recently rejuvenated central business district of New Delhi, the Hans Hotel is a modern urban sanctuary, an interesting space juxtaposed with the bustle of the metropolis that serves as a perfect foil for travellers for whom convenience is on as much priority as comfort. The Hotel is ideal for both business as well as the leisure market. Its large spacious rooms provide breathtaking views of Delhi.
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The hotel has recently added a new club floor at the roof top. Here, all rooms are 350sqft each with large bathrooms and are modern minimalistic in design. Discussing the growth segment for the hotel, Rita Shah, Chief Operating Officer, Hans Hotels, says,
Leisure Hotels targets 4 segments The hotel is planning to cash in on four segments this year – pilgrimage, weekend traffic, wildlife and MICE. finds more details on the group. TT B UREAU ttarakhand-based Leisure Hotels has braced up its operations in India. The group, which is extremely well-spread in the state of Uttarakhand, is now looking ahead to tap various segments to boost its portfolio.
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A major player in Uttarakhand’s hospitality sector, its portfolio of resorts and luxury camps, incorporates beautiful properties in the state’s tourist and scenic destinations offering leisure, adventure and spiritual experiences. This year, the hotel is targetting four major segments in a big way.
huge convention facilities. Exploring new opportunities in the sector, the hotel chain will unveil two new products in the next financial year. The first property would open in Rishikesh and the second one would open in Kanha.
The hotel plans to cash in on pilgrimage tourism. Speaking about the company's focus on the North Indian pilgrimage market, Vibhas Prasad, Director, Leisure Hotels said, “We are constantly focussing on the northern market. The group is catering to the needs of tourists by way of luxury accommodations in the region.” The Chardham segment is an unorganised segment and Leisure Hotels are one of the very few organised players in the field. “Going forward, we plan to tie up with a large number of travel agents to promote this segment,” he added. Despite the recent challenges the segment faces, the hotel chain is extremely bullish on wildlife tourism and the weekend traffic segment from Delhi. Stressing on the need for improved infrastructure, Prasad pointed out, “We are hoping that the infrastructure will be improved now. This will make our current properties more accessible from Delhi for the weekend getaways as
Vibhas Prasad Director Leisure Hotels
We are hoping that the infrastructure will be improved now. This will make our current properties more accessible from Delhi they form a huge chunk of our revenue generator.” With available facilities to support big conferences, Leisure Hotels will target MICE. The Riverview Retreat, Corbett National Park has
Talking about the performance last year, the director informed, “The year 2011 or this current financial year has been good for our business as we unveiled four new properties. We opened Ganga Lahari, which has 16 rooms at Haridwar last September. The group also launched The Forest at Rajaji National Park in Uttarakhand, their business hotel The Manor at Bareilly and Aranya Safari Resort in Corbett National Park in Uttarakhand.”
Expansion Plan The hotel chain will unveil two new products in the next financial year The first property would open in Rishikesh and the second one would open in Kanha This current financial year has been good for the group’s business as it unveiled four new properties
“Currently, we are attracting both leisure and the corporate markets. We expect growth in the domestic market and MICE markets and they are expected to bring in large chunk of business.” Highlighting the importance of B2B relationship, Shah says, “The B2B is a very productive market medium, be it trade fairs or internet marketing or ebiz as it may be called. The revenue generated by B2B far exceeds the revenue generated by B2C. It is said that that hotels operating B2B deals provide greater relationship performance and commitment. Trade fairs provide a common platform where we meet both the
Rita Shah Chief Operating Officer Hans Hotels
global as well as the domestic partners. We plan to participate more often in various travel marts and also have more visibility on the internet.”
Key Features The Hotel is ideal for both business as well as the leisure market. Its large spacious rooms provide breathtaking views of Delhi
Global bigwigs at FHRAI Convention n Federation of Hotel & Restaurant Associations in India (FHRAI) will hold its 47th FHRAI Convention with the theme of ‘Employment Generation’ in Goa from September 6. The convention will witness an unprecedented high-level participation from premier global organisations such as the International Hotel & Restaurant Association (IH&RA), the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AH&LA), Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA) and Hospitality Finance and Technology Professionals(HFTP). Kamlesh Barot, President, FHRAI, says, “This convention will prove to be a great opportunity for all associations to mingle, discuss strategies and exchange ideas. We are crossing unprecedented numbers on our member's delegate count too. Due to the significant participation from the global bodies, we expect to see Indian tourism in the international market at newer height.” This is the most coveted event of FHRAI, where it puts its best efforts to make sure that it surpasses any
event ever taken place in India. To that effect for the first time, the IH&RA, the biggest association of the world with 2,00,000 hotels and 60,00,000 restaurants as its members, will fly to Goa with 17 of its global
Kamlesh Barot President, FHRAI
Association Presidents. Dr. Ghassan AIDI, the IH&RA President is the keynote speaker at this convention on ‘Employment Generation’. IH&RA had last visited India way back in1984. Besides IH&RA, Joe McInerney, President of American Hotel & Lodging Association (AH&LA) and Frank Wolfe, President, Hospitality Financial & Technology Professionals (HFTP), along with RP Rama, the incoming President, Alkesh Patel, President of Asian American Hotel Owners Association, will also participate in Goa Convention.
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A ‘Grand’ MICE hub in Delhi ‘Infinity Kaziranga’ in Assam Hotel Signature Grand is a three-star property in West Infinity Resorts have announced the opening of their Delhi. Started in 2010, the property did business 5th luxurious eco-friendly resort - Infinity Kaziranga worth ` 9 crore last year. Wilderness, close to Kaziranga National Park in Assam. Managing Director, Hotel Signature Grand.
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otel Signature Grand is located in the western part of the capital in close vicinity to local trading and public sector community. Due to an easy access to business hubs and shopping centres across the city, the hotel has been getting a huge business traffic. The hotel is within a 15 kilometre radius of the airport and railway station.
Gurdeep Singh Gujral Managing Director Hotel Signature Grand
With features such as a banquet hall, conference hall, and fine dining restaurant, the hotel caters to day conferences of various multinational companies. We had kept our rates very moderate which attract the corporate traffic. We are the one and only property with such feature in West Delhi. Shortly, we will introduce a spa and health club,” says Gurdeep Singh Gujral,
Discussing the importance of a B2B market, he adds, “Gujral Tours and Travels is a major stakeholder in Signature Grand. We take 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 2011-12, we did a record business of ` 9 crore”. Talking about the segment with maximum growth, Gujral adds, “Our F&B is very 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.”
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the forest is lessen,” says Dilip Khatau, Chairman, Infinity Resorts, India.
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he Infinity Kaziranga Wilderness Resort is set in the midst of a thick bamboo grove with a wide variety of medicinal plants and a plantation of betel nuts and fruit trees. The resort consists of 16 lake facing rooms with 380 sq ft area. The doors and windows have been designed to ensure that guests get a view of the tree tops and thick green canopy. The resort also boasts of a lake which is spread on an area of 20,000 sq ft. The amenities available at the resort include a restaurant, reception, spa, swimming pool, library and internet cafe. Guests can also undertake Wildlife Safari & Park Elephant Rides. “Setting up a good-class resort is a very capital intensive business and the gestation period can take up to 5 years or more.
Dilip Khatau Chairman Infinity Resorts, India.
We are in this business for the long haul due to our passion for wildlife. We do not envisaged profits in the short term, but the project will be self-sustainable. We create jobs and alternative livelihoods for the locals so that the pressure on
However, running a wildlife resort profitably comes with its own challenges. “The Forest Department changes its rules at the beginning of each season to suit their interests. Owing to these reasons, the rates of rooms have plummeted due to the fierce competition. Over and above, only certain resorts pay all taxes while the ‘fly by night’ lodges get away without paying them. This makes it very difficult and uneconomical to run a resort successfully,” adds Khatau.
Viewing Nature The resort consists of 16 lake facing rooms. The doors and windows have been designed to ensure that guests get a view of the tree tops and thick green canopy
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WelcomHeritage taps MICE market WelcomHeritage, the collection of heritage hotels and resorts in India with over 40 hotels across 13 states, has geared up to serve the MICE market in the country.
Hospitality for heritage of India
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WelcomeHeritage properties are all about a destination, experience and culture. WelcomeHeritage is a collection of heritage properties ranging from Legend Hotels, WelcomeHeritage Hotels and Nature Resorts. A joint venture between ITC Hotels and Jodhana Heritage, Welcome Heritage properties are a collection ranging from traditional havelis, magnificent forts, palaces and resorts to adventure-filled jungle lodges to nature. The
Sunil Sikka Head – Marketing Business Development WelcomHeritage Hotels
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alking about the USP of its properties, Sunil Sikka, Head -- Marketing Business Development, WelcomHeritage Hotels says, “Culture and heritage have always been and will remain the biggest attraction for tourism and these days, the travellers are looking for off-
beat destinations. Our hotels provide unique and picturesque appeal to the guests. Also, we have contemporary and traditional appeal. Besides
brand is constantly working towards making it more efficient, enhanced and stands for the best traditions of heritage hospitality and tourism in India. To depict the heritage of Indian history at each WelcomeHeritage property, guests can experience rich heritage, culture and realIndia.EachWelcomHerit age Hotel has the blueprint of a great holiday and every location offers an opportunity of peace and tranquility, rustic charm, lush greenery and that, in most of the hotels, the owner themselves are involved in all the activities of the hotel and hence, providing a personal touch to the servic-
panoramic view. It offers its patrons a multitude of experiences to choose from and a variety of adventures and sports activity to give the real feel of the history, gone by. To keep the experience real and charismatic, the room inventory of WelcomeHeritge Hotels varies from six rooms to a maximum of 70 rooms. A gathering of 20 to 500 people could be easily accommodated at these properties.
hotels in the coming years, especially in Gujarat and trying to fill the gap in the circuits. “In 2011, WelcomHeritage hotels revenue was stable as compared to last year. We have seen radical growth this year as we are witnessing increase in the domestic travellers in comparison to foreign tourists,” he adds. Regarding the growth of the B2B channels, Sikka feels, “The ever-increasing share
es. Moreover, these hotels are tourism-centric and promote India as a tourist destination.” According to Sikka, the group is planning to open
of online platforms and travel operators are equally important for us. We keep a close tab on all new activities under both the zones. Also, on regular basis, we communicate various promotions for the portals and likewise, we maintain a regular communication with all travel agents. We try to promote all our destinations through regular meetings and correspondences with both agents.”
UNA Smart-Amritsar to open in Nov In a mere 18 month journey, the UNA Hotels now have five hotels and resorts in its umbrella brand, namely UNA Comfort Dolmaar, Nainital, UNA Comfort Nandinia, Dharamshala, UNA Smart Matsay Aravali, Alwar, Hotel Aravali, Alwar, and soon to be launched UNA Smart, Amritsar. T T B U R E AU
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s part of our expansion strategy, UNA Hotels is looking forward to tie up with hotels and resorts in Tier II and III cities with 2035 keys on an average. The
UNA Hotels operates under three sub-brands, namely ‘Smart’ for mid-market business hotels, ‘Comfort’ for extend stay resorts and ‘Xpress’ for limited service hotels. Moreover, in a mere 18 month journey, the UNA Hotels now have five properties and resorts under its umbrella brand, namely UNA Comfort Dolmaar, Nainital (16 Keys), UNA Comfort Nandinia, Dharamshala (17 Keys), UNA Smart Matsay Aravali, Alwar (21 Keys), Hotel Aravali (managed by UNA Hotels), Alwar (42 Keys), and soon to be opened UNA Smart, Amritsar in November 2012 with 42 Keys. “We are a complete Hotel Management Solution Chairman Vikramajit Publisher SanJeet
Editorial Director Rupali Narasimhan Editor Deepa Sethi
Editorial Ratan Kr Paul Vivek Sethi Megha Paul Devika Jeet Anita Jain Dency Mathew News-Editor Peden Doma Bhutia Desk-Editor Archana Sharma Sub-Editor Raina Mandal
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Company, with a focus on the mid market segment of 4-star and 3-star hotels, and we cater to both business and leisure travel. We provide our partner hotels with unique proprietary applications, policies and procedures to optimise occupancy and maximise financial returns. We are backed by a
UNA HotelBusiness models Management / Franchisee Hotel Operations Revenue Share Operations
Hotel
Hotel Leasing & Operations Picture status: Production-
Design Nityanand Misra Sudhir Mudgal Vikas Mandotia Nitin Kumar Production Manager
Anil Kharbanda Circulation
Ashok Rana
With
dynamic suite of hotel management systems and a team of specialists in opening, taking over and operating hotels on pan India basis,” said Pankaj Giroti, Managing Director, UNA Hotels. Further, the group is also keen to expand its chain of microbrewery & restaurants in Chandigarh, Amritsar, Mumbai, Pune, and Bengaluru. “We are bullish to expand our F&B Brand, ‘The BrewMaster’– A Chain of Microbrewery & Restaurants that operates the sub brands, ‘The Mix’– Fine Dine and ‘Chaos’– Lounge. We will soon celebrate the first anniversary of our restaurant in Ludhiana. The next restaurant will be launched in Jalandhar, as we
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Pankaj Giroti Managing Director UNA Hotels
We provide our partner hotels with unique policies and procedures to optimise occupancy target the other markets in Chandigarh, Amritsar, Mumbai, Pune, and Bengaluru. We are also looking to grow the franchisee model on pan India
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Harpreet Singh Chadha Managing Director– The BrewMaster
We are looking to grow the franchisee model on pan India basis basis, being the only chain of Microbrewery Restaurants in India,” said Harpreet Singh Chadha, Managing Director– The BrewMaster.
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