TAAI 12 day 2 by Ashish Chakraborty

COVER STORY

TAAI DAILY 2012 – DAY 2

TRAVTALK

Involve business TAAI Theme Talk: to Evolve travel Change & Evolve Over the years, TAAI has drilled the message of ‘evolving business models’ in the minds of the travel trade. On its 60th Convention, it is now urging its members to ‘Involve’ the latest trends in the business models to ‘Evolve’. A N I TA J A I N

e it the ‘Growth through Evolution’ theme for 2007 in Chennai; ‘iNOW’ for 2008 in London; ‘Fittest will forge ahead’ for 2009 in Dubai; ‘Be a game changer’

thus, is drilling the message of evolution, change and harnessing technology in the minds of its drove of agent members over the years. Over the years, TAAI has asserted itself with air-

Iqbal Mulla

Om Prakash Saigal

President TAAI

Past President – Western India TAAI

for 2010 in Phuket or the latest ‘Involve to Evolve – A New Beginning’; Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI) has always stressed upon the need of evolution and growth. It’s said that when all else comes unstuck, it becomes compulsively necessary to return back to the basics. That in no certain terms is the message TAAI is going to dissipate among its members during its 60th annual convention in Istanbul. Too many new opportunities have come knocking for the travel agent to typecast himself as a bargain bucket shopkeeper. Evolution, however, is not about momentary brilliance or excitable moments of affirmation – it’s about struggling moments, often waged against one’s own flawed culture. But TAAI is an association of determination and

lines and lobbied with government to win its members and industry at large, positive traction on many contentious issues. During the zero commission era, it was TAAI which took a positive stand of transaction fee, helping agents to provide avenues of revenue during tougher times. Later, it joined hands with other Indian travel trade associations when the domestic carriers announced to move to zero commission regime. Talking about the evolving ways, Om Prakash Saigal, Past President – Western India, TAAI said, “Agents have to be alert and should regularly update themselves on various products and destinations to keep pace with the advances in the industry. They need to meet the challenges of time, adopt new technology and deploy it in the business, increase seg-

ments of service and efficiency in business while keeping the cost under control. Alongside, they need to keep their ‘eyes wide open’ to be ready for the global trends taking place in developed markets which will soon come to Indian shores.

TAAI as an association has always focused on these challenges and have successfully trained and educated its members to evolve by involving them with latest trends, products and destinations through workshops, training and programmes.” Started in 1951, the association has grown with leaps and bounds expanding its member base (both allied and active) along with building reputation on national and international level. With its first convention in Mumbai (then Bombay), over the years, the association has successfully held its conventions at various domestic and overseas venues. Not only does it work as an association to speak out for its members but also helps them grow and achieve their business goals. Iqbal Mulla, President, TAAI said, “All the previous presidents of TAAI were well known personalities in the Indian travel industry. With Contd. on page 14

TAAI has always supported its members during tougher and challenging times. This year, with ‘Involve to Evolve’ theme, the association is addressing the change and the way ahead. Regional and Chapter Heads talk about the theme. A N I TA J A I N

fter earning the tag of ‘Voice of industry’, TAAI has worked consistently to promote the interest of the Indian travel trade. It not only preaches the message of evolution to its members but has itself evolved to bring a revolution in the industry. This year, on its 60th Diamond Jubilee Convention in Istanbul, it has brought down some world renowned speakers to provide not only domestic but international perspective of the travel and tourism industry. However, while talking about the inter-

Jay Bhatia

Anil Kumar

President Western India Chapter

President Karnataka Chapter

efforts by all the service providers of the industry to work together for the success of every player. Through its annual convention and busi-

unique themes and business sessions for its annual convention pass on the message of evolving business models, harnessing technology and sustainable tourism.”

‘Involve to Evolve – A New Beginning’ theme is an apt theme for this year as we have started involving our members through workshops in association with tourism boards and service providers

According to Aparna Chaturvedi, President, Eastern India Chapter, it’s better to look at the rising sun instead of looking at the shadows. She said, “Eastern India is one of the markets with more challenges than Western and Northern Indian tourism markets. ‘Involve to Evolve – A New Beginning’ theme is an apt theme for this year as we have started involving our members through various workshops in association with tourism boards and service providers. It’s an initiative which will help travel agents to progress in their business model.”

Aparna Chaturvedi, President, Eastern India Chapter national outlook, let’s find out what the regional and chapter heads think about the theme this year, how different and apt it is in the current scenario and what solutions are they looking forward to for the challenges faced by them. To start with, Jay Bhatia, President, Western India Chapter said, “Everyday, travel agents are facing new challenges and to overcome them, we need to evolve and reinvent our business constantly. It’s not the ‘survival of the fittest’ anymore as there is a need for collective

ness sessions, TAAI has effectively assisted its members with multiple solutions for the challenge they face.” Adding further on the theme and unique ways of working with industry service providers, Anil Kumar, President, Karnataka Chapter said, “Till the time we don’t wake up and confront the challenges, our business won’t grow. TAAI through

2 TRAVTALK

ANALYSIS

TAAI DAILY 2012 – DAY 2

Indian shopaholics shop till they drop Shopping has become an important vertical of the travel and tourism industry. Thus, state tourism bodies and NTOs are promoting shopping festivals in a big way. M E G H A PAU L

raditionally considered as a subsidiary activity to travel, shopping has now emerged as an important vertical to boost tourism. Just as leisure travel is being deemed therapeutic for those engaged in busy and stressful lifestyles, shopping has become an indispensable activity of that holiday. In recent years with the relative decreasing cost of travel, shopping has become an important part of travelling to foreign and domestic destinations and statistics indicate that this is likely to be a continuing trend.

With tourism and shopping sharing a symbiotic relationship, it is obvious that the

growth due to shopping and vice versa is the home-grown Grand Kerala Shopping

Dr Rathan Kelkar

Azizan Noordin

Additional Director, Department of Tourism, Government of Kerala

Acting Director General Tourism Malaysia

state tourism bodies and even NTOs are taking steps to promote shopping festivals for garnering an increasing amount of tourism receipts. One clear example of tourism

Festival (GKSF), the signature shopping festival of Kerala promoted by their Department of Tourism. Dr Rathan Kelkar, Additional Director, Department of Tourism, Government of Kerala and Director, GKSF said, “The state is setting the benchmark by offering a right mix of tradition

with new age marketing module like this shopping festival. Our objective is not only limited to shopping but to take it beyond and evolve it as a product brand that compliments the state’s and country’s tourism to give a fillip to economic growth. Therefore, for the recently concluded GKSF, we tied up with the Kerala Travel Mart.” During the recently concluded fifth GKSF, around 5,382 retailers showcased their products in Kerala. Foreign exchange earnings had surged from ` 3,797.37 crore in 2010 to ` 4,221crore. The total revenue, both direct and indirect from tourism touched ` 19,037 crore last year compared to ` 17,348 crore in 2010.

wants to benchmark this festival as the only major international shopping festival in India and make it emerge as a travel product internationally, informed Dr Kelkar.

In 2011, GKSF promotion was also taken to WTM London. This was for the first time that the state took an initiative to promote off-shore to make the festival grow stronger as an international brand. The Department of Tourism, Kerala Government

NTOs are also stepping up initiatives to woo Indians for the shopping festivals in their respective countries. Tourism Malaysia is betting big on promoting shopping festivals as one of the main verticals for luring the India outbound market. According

to Dato Hj. Azizan Noordin, Acting Director General, Tourism Malaysia, there is almost a 25-30 per cent increase in arrivals from India during the shopping festivals in Malaysia. “Indians spend 30 per cent of their travelling budget in shopping. Also, Malaysia hosts 26 per cent repeat

Ozgur Ayturk

Jae-Sang Lee

Counselor Turkish Culture & Tourism

Director Korea Tourism Organisation

travellers from India for pure leisure and these are the ones who splurge on shopping in a big way,” he informed. Indians are now staying longer in Malaysia (from 6.5 in 2009 nights to Contd. on page 10

4 TRAVTALK

AGENTS

TAAI DAILY 2012 – DAY 2

Shree Tours unleashes new deals & offers With 9 years of experience in providing top-of-the-line service in all travel-related services in India, Shree Tours is one of the leading India-based online travel agencies. Now, to attract foreign tourists with the theme of ‘Padharo Mahare Desh’, Shree Tours introduces exciting offers. T T B U R E AU

rchana Thanvi, Director, Shree Tours said, “We had many deals for major destinations of India like Rajasthan, Himachal, Gujarat, Kerala, Uttaranchal, Goa, etc. In these packages, we will promote exciting sightseeing activities everyday, full of entertainment and traditional experiences.” In addition, to make their customers’ tours more satisfactory, the company is also introducing a cell called, ‘Customer Service Report’ to

identify their needs and improve customer service. Umesh Thanvi, Advisor, Shree Tours believe that creating exciting packages on exotic locations such as the sand dunes or by the sea would be a good place to start. He further revealed, “We are giving free exciting offers, with surprising gifts on every booking.” The Advisor said, “It should be our duty to tell each and every aspect of country in an easy way. If anybody comes in our country, it’s our duty to ensure that when they go back they say it was a good country to visit and the people were also good, helping and polite. They should get a feel of Indian hospitality and culture.”

Shree Tours believes that every information can be beneficial for the visitors, thus, they should be informed accordingly.

Archana Thanvi Director Shree Tours

Thanvi elaborated, “For example, if any extra discount for visitors is going on for any facility for accommodation and travel, the travellers should be made aware of it. Because ‘first impression is the last impression’

therefore, if anyone comes in our country and wants some help from our side we should help them. The most important advice in my

should also tell about the good things of our country like good shopping malls, famous historical places and the places of natural beauty.

Deepshikha Vyas

Umesh Thanvi

COO Shree Tours

Advisor Shree Tours

view is that if we meet a visitor and if they want help we should offer it. It will also be good if we can give the map of the city where the visitor wants to visit.” Deepshikha Vyas, Shree Tours added, “We

If we give synchronised information, travellers will not be exhausted to find these things. In addition, more tourists should be informed about local commutation modes such as local train and bus connections.”

Often the visitors do not have any idea of the weather. Therefore, according to Vyas, it is important to advice the visitors about the weather. The number of visitors also depends on the behaviour of their citizens. She said, “If people are good then many visitors would want to come, otherwise no one would like to come. Nowadays, visitors want a relaxing travel. If they get exhausted and nobody helps them, they will not come again.” With their motto, ‘We Promise for your Satisfaction’, Shree Tours brings the client the best travel and tour across the country, offering an experience that is intensely thrilling. They assure a trouble-free journey with wide choice of readymade tours to Rajasthan, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Goa and all other parts of Globe coupled with personalised services. In order to avail best deals, exciting offers and hasslefree holiday experience, book with Shree Tours.

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AGENTS

TAAI DAILY 2012 – DAY 2

Parveen Holidays promises Safir Tours fishes new client-focussed approach territories for cruises Parveen Holidays, a unit of Parveen Travels, The B2B travel operator Safir Tours has embarked offers all travel-related services under one roof. on a three-pronged marketing plan for 2012 to gives details... promote exclusive cruise destinations… hotels and apartments covers all major countries around the world and within India.

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andling both simple and more complex bookings through online or peoplebased channels, Parveen Holidays offer consulting services to assist with negotiation support. Offering global traveller assistance service, which operates 24 hours a day, 365 days per year, it provides peace of mind wherever the client is present. “The business module is built on a client-focussed approach where company personnel, technology solutions, processes and procedures revolve around your needs and expectations. Highlights of our corporate travel management programme include evaluating current cost management strategies, identify missed savings opportunities, overseas implementation of travel policy and compliance. The company also reviews & predicts spending patterns, monitor supplier policies to

South India Tour Packages

Mohammad A. Afzal Chairman & Managing Director Parveen Holidays

The business module is built on a client-focussed approach where company personnel, technology solutions, processes and procedures revolve around clients’ expectations.

Specialized House Boat Tour packages Goa Tour Packages Andaman Island Packages

They have introduced luxury vehicles like limousine, caravan, ‘Konferenz on Wheels’, ‘House on WheelsStar Craft’ and many more vehicles to be introduced. The ‘Konferenz on Wheels’ can accommodate 15 passengers at a time with plush ambience conference table and internet connectivity with LCD projector and state of the art interior with a wash

North India Tour Packages The Golden Triangle (Delhi / Agra / Jaipur)

Tamil Nadu Temple Tour Kerala Tour Package

“More importantly, Parveen Holidays has negotiated discounted rates with most of these hotel and apartment chains. These rates qualify as some of the best rates available to any company, corporate or travel company and the clients get the benefit of being able to access these rates through Parveen Holidays,” adds Afzal.

capitalise on new opportunities and establish direct & indirect cost & time-saving procedures,” says Mohammad A. Afzal, Chairman & Managing Director, Parveen Holidays. Parveen Holidays has tied up with most of the hotel chains across the world for the benefit of their clients. Today, their network of

Shimla / Kullu Manali Tour Packages Rajasthan Tour packages Kashmir Tour Packages

room facility to add the comfort of the traveller. The limousine, as its name stands, is a luxury by itself in providing comfort to a satisfying level. The “Star Craft” consists of a living room with LCD television, two separate bed rooms with air-conditioning and attached wash room that provides a luxurious stay.

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ecunderabad-based B2B travel operator Safir Tours has embarked on a three-pronged marketing plan for 2012. Firstly, the company is aggressively boosting its presence with niche cruise destinations, secondly, the company has also revamped its website to cater to the growing needs of the travel agents and thirdly, it is opening its office in Melbourne, Australia. It is promoting exclusive cruise destinations for 2012 - from cruises off the Kimberley Coast, Spitsbergen, European Arctic, Wild Scotland & the Faroe Islands; Bering Sea and Ring of Fire off the Russian coast for Australia-based Aurora Expeditions; Alaska’s inside passages for Inner Sea Discoveries; Antarctic cruises for Antarctica XXI to Galapagos and Amazon Cruises. As the exclusive representative for a USTOA operator, Pennsylvania-based Gate 1 Travel in India, the company is also focussing on River cruises in Europe. Regarding the long partnership with Gate 1 Travel, Nayaz Noor, CEO, Safir Tours said, “The products from Gate 1 Travel are value for money and focus on superior tourist class to moderate deluxe class level of accommodations with the highest level of service. Their escorted programmes worldwide have fantastic land-only prices that are commissionable to travel agents in India at a level much higher than what most others offer.” To be useful for the travel agents, the group’s revamped website features

Nayaz Noor

Suchitra Reddy

CEO Safir Tours

Director Safir Tours

To be useful for the travel agents, the group’s revamped website features over 250 itineraries worldwide over 250 itineraries worldwide. Thus, travel agents can quickly present several itineraries to their discerning clients. “We are getting inquiries from Indian travel operators, including some big ones for unique destinations and not just run off the mill ones. Belize and Costa Rica have been popular as well as Peru, Argentina and Brazil,” Noor revealed. To establish footprints globally, Safir Tours is expanding. It will open an office in Melbourne this year which will handle inbound and outbound operations from Australia. Regarding the new development,

We will also be working closely with Tourism Australia and will supplement their efforts with our expertise, experience and knowledge Suchitra Reddy, Director, Safir Tours informed, “This will primarily serve the Indian markets worldwide. We will also be working closely with Tourism Australia and will supplement their efforts with our expertise, experience and knowledge.” The office in Hyderabad will continue to serve travel agents as a B2B tour operator. Safir Tours will also be promoting the Canadian Rockies, Fiji Islands and Sultanate of Oman for the discerning traveller. The future plan is to keep exploring new destinations and introducing niche products.

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NTO

TAAI DAILY 2012 – DAY 2

Germany focuses on MICE groups in India The German National Tourist Ofﬁce is looking at further spreading the word on Germany as an affordable and innovative leisure and MICE destination, says Romit Theophilus.

growth from China, India and Brazil was responsible for our strong performance in the international source markets.

Talking about the development, Petra Hedorfer, Chief Executive Officer, German National Tourist Board (GNTB) informed, “In 2011, Germany again strengthened its position as one of Europe’s favourite travel destinations in striking fashion and generated considerable growth from the key source markets.” Recording growth of around five per cent, Germany estab-

In its constant efforts to promote Germany as a favored leisure destination The German National Tourist Office (GNTO) India has designed innovative sales and marketing campaigns to promote the destination. In addition to these marketing efforts, the German National Tourist Office continues its sales efforts to edify the Indian Travel Trade on Destination Germany via regular workshops and training sessions. The German National Tourist Office which focuses on theme based marketing is looking at further spreading the word on Germany as an affordable and innovative leisure and MICE destination. Speaking on the reaffirmed interest in

T T B U R E AU ermany has established itself as a leading MICE and leisure destination for Indians. With India continuing to be one of the leading and fastest growing overseas source markets for destination Germany, the favourable image of brand Germany in India is testimony to the steady growth seen from the Indian travellers.

Romit Theophilus Director Sales & Marketing GNTO

lished itself in 2011 as the second most popular travel destination among Europeans after Spain, which grew by approximately 10 per cent. This result, which is based on preliminary data from IPK International, shows that Germany has continued to extend its lead over France, which saw growth of about two per cent. Double-digit

Germany, Romit Theophilus, Director Sales & Marketing, GNTO said, “Germany has received repeated interest from the Indian outbound business travellers. This year we are also celebrating ‘The Germany India year’ with a growth of 20.1 per cent year on year from Indian travelers. Considering this trend, we have implemented a focused marketing strategy of ‘Affordable Hospitality’ which is the distinct reason for the resonance of this interest. Germany has a variety of choices for companies to be innovative in organizing their MICE trips.” Sharing the outlook for 2012, Theophilus revealed, “We believe 2012 will witness a continuous increase in Indian outbound tourism to Germany. We are upbeat that travel for leisure and incentives

will continue to grow as a popular choice for many corporate in the years to come.” The key focus will be to promote Germany as an affordable destination for business and leisure travel, he added. Germany offers unconventional meeting facilities from the huge city vibes to culturally infused charm of the castles which are now also modern conference centers. Germany has a variety of choices for companies to be innovative in organizing their MICE trip. The German National Tourist Office (GNTO), India confirmed that the number of visitor overnights have grown by 26.2 per cent over the corresponding period in 2010 (January – December), highlighting an average growth of over 15 per cent every month.

In 2011, Indian outbound MICE market was estimated to be around USD 550-600 million. Indian outbound travel grew strongly resulting in an outbound trip volume of 6.2 million and still on the positive scale. While 1.5-1.8 million passengers travelled outbound only for MICE. Pharmaceutical, Cement, FMCG, IT and Financial services are the major industry verticals contributing to outbound MICE sector. Interestingly, Indian companies are now conducting MICE trips across all the functions as a part of rewards and incentives under employee engagement and talent recognition programmes. Innovative experiences and events like gala dinners, wellness spa, white water rafting, etc are also forming integral part of itineraries for MICE providers.

India is 2 source market for Abu Dhabi nd

Recording a signiﬁcant rise in Indian arrivals to Abu Dhabi in 2011 and an escalation of 30 per cent compared to 2010, ADTA eyes more Indian travel enthusiasts. Abu Dhabi as a MICE destination

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bu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA) has seen a massive positive shift in the arrival of Indian travellers in the recent years. ADTA had organised its fourcity roadshow in India this month, India being the second largest source markets

Nuaimi, International Promotions Manager, ADTA.

for Abu Dhabi. This is the second roadshow organised by ADTA in the last six months (September 2011) to build its B2B relations with the Indian tour operators. “We are eager to find like-minded trade partners in India to promote Abu Dhabi as a business plus pleasure destination. India has a booming market and since, we as a destination, have entered late in India, we provide a sense of freshness and crispness to the

Mubarak Al Nuaimi International Promotions Manager, ADTA

Indian travel enthusiasts. To meet the increasing demand, we intend to have additional 3500 rooms to the current 21368 rooms by 2012,” informed Mubarak Al

The tourism authority is also expecting a 15 per cent growth from global markets and 25-30 per cent growth from the Indian markets. Al Nuaimi informed that India’s budget allocation is above average of major international source markets. ADTA will invest majorly on promotional activities for the leisure segments such as weddings, family, honeymooners, golfing, cruising, sports lovers, etc. and business segments such as meetings, conferences, incentives, etc. Explaining about the promotional activities, Al Nuaimi

ADTA recently hosted the quarterly, out-of-country meeting of 25 TAAI members (Executive Committee) in association with Etihad Airways to build awareness about the destination. Iqbal Mulla, President, TAAI had portrayed Abu Dhabi as ‘an eye opener’ and it has huge opportunities as a MICE destination. He said, “Indians usually travel on a seven to ten day break, so it would be ideal to stay in Dubai, with a few days in Abu Dhabi. It could also be a lead-in to more consumers getting to know the destination who then may return for longer, stand-alone days.” said, “To accomplish in the said segments, we plan to arrange a venture with three to five tour operators in New Delhi and Mumbai. Relying on the expertise of the tour operators in the Indian markets and trends, we plan to set up a series of tactical pro-

motional and novel strategies of expanding our market share together with them.” ADTA will also host its GIBTM exhibition this March. For the same, it is going to host a total of 20 Indian MICE operators (a mix of DMC and specific company buyers).

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NEWS

TAAI DAILY 2012 – DAY 2

A red carpet welcome for shopaholics Contd. from page 2

over 6.7 nights in 2011 on an average) and a larger share are visiting Malaysia as a mono destination (as opposed to visiting other countries during the same trip), Noordin added. The Istanbul Shopping Festival in Turkey aims to position the country as a shopping destination. Ozgur Ayturk, Counsel, Turkish Culture & Tourism commented, “This year, we have the Istanbul Shopping Festival from June 9-29, 2012. Normally, Turkey has been known as a shopping paradise in European countries. Now we want to enter new markets such as India. From India, most people go to Dubai for shopping. But interestingly, the people in Gulf visit Istanbul for

shopping. We have media campaigns and other marketing strategies in the pipeline to promote this festival in India.” Talking about the ongoing Korea shopping festival, Jae-Sang Lee, Director, Korea Tourism Organisation said, “The Korea Grand Sale 2012 will be even more successful than the last one as we are adding experience programmes for international tourists. We are actively working on marketing activities to attract shopping lovers from India to visit Korea.” “Going forward, we are expecting over 15,000 Indian visitors from India to Korea during the Grand Sale,” he added. More than 14,000 shops from 57 different types of businesses joined the Korea Grand Sale 2011. It produced more than $12 million in revenue. Also, tourism revenue exploded by 32.7 per cent ($17.5 million).

New World of Lifestyle Hospitality Svenska is a Swedish chain of luxury boutique hotels, part of Worldhotels and amongst the new breed of chic and trendy designer hotels in London, Paris, New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco. The Chain combines hospitality with art, music, fashion, dance, movies and gourmet F&B offerings. T T B U R E AU

urrently Svenska has two hotels operational in Mumbai and Bangalore, with another six in various stages of development in Delhi, Calcutta, Kakinada (AP), Bhilwara (Rajasthan), Dehradun (Uttarakhand) and Raipur (Chhattisgarh). Under its Vision 2020, Svenska plans to have over 20 hotels operational across various tier 1, 2 and 3 cities in India by the year 2020. At any given time in Svenska, you could come across a painting or photography exhibition; or witness a fashion show or a Bollywood success party; or participate in a gourmet cooking or dance class; or sit through a literary book reading and interact with a best-selling author.

Based on Scandinavian minimalist design concepts, Svenska offers highly personalised services that are tailored to the unique needs of each individual, with every staff member knowing the guests by their names and often having intricate knowledge about their tastes and preferences. Svenska delivers experiences that are beyond 5-star luxury, including complimentary welcome drink on arrival, breakfast buffet, in-room spa treatments, 24-hours private butler service, free high-

speed Internet and various entertainment options such as iPad, iPod docking station, DVD with selection of movies and gaming consoles such as

Upcoming plans Svenska has two hotels operational in Mumbai and Bangalore The other six properties are in various stages of development These properties are coming up in Delhi, Calcutta, Kakinada (AP), Bhilwara (Rajasthan), Dehradun (Uttarakhand) and Raipur (Chhattisgarh) Under its Vision 2020, Svenska plans to have over 20 hotels operational across various tier 1, 2 and 3 cities in India by the year 2020

Sony Play Station 3 and Nintendo WII. Svenska Mumbai and Bangalore have already become the hubs for the crème-de-la-crème of their cities, attracting fashion designers, models, TV/ movie stars, socialites and top corporate honchos, serviced by smart, young international staff dressed in designer Wrangler jeans and linen jackets.

QUICK READ From March 5, all applicants for the UK visa will need to complete and submit the form online before attending their appointment at the visa application centre.

Creating online presence One of the most acclaimed ticketing agents, SAS Mission Travels, is aggressively beeﬁng up its operations and expanding its portfolio. To cater to the B2B market, the company plans to launch a web portal in 2013. T T B U R E AU

aunched in 2005, SAS Mission Travels has grown in leaps and bounds over the years, making their presence felt in the tourism fraternity. One of the leading travel companies, they have been providing outbound and domestic travel solutions to the tourists all over India. Their team of versatile and dedicated employees is well equipped with expertise of creating tailor made itineraries that meet the demands of not only individual and leisure travellers but different-sized corporate and incentive groups. Further understanding the evolution of the Indian tourism fraternity, SAS Mission Travels understood the need of the hour and has decided to make its presence felt in the technological arena. “We have decided to launch an online portal and are now working to develop this. With our industry becoming technologically driven with a large online presence, this is the direction our industry is being headed

to. Our portal should be fully functioning by 2013,” says Anil Mishra, owner, SAS Mission travels. At present, the company is doing a lot of business with direct suppliers and IATA recognised companies and plans to take forward this relationship after the launch of their website.

“We will offer B2B services on our portal for non- IATA as well as IATA members. We will initially target agents in and around New Delhi and then expand the horizon across the country. By 2013, we also hope to get IATA recognition,” adds Mishra. This travel company provides door-to-door services in Delhi and NCR. They specialise in wildlife, adventure and honeymoon travel and their motive is to provide

Anil Mishra Owner SAS Mission Travels

best rates to prospective travellers. With an extensive domestic and international network, SAS Mission Travels can be your one stop solution to all travel requirements. Their expertise lies in Goa, Kerala, Srinagar, Himachal Pradesh, Thailand and Dubai, to name a few.

USP SAS Mission Travels provides door-to-door services in Delhi and NCR Their motive is to provide best rates to prospective travellers

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AVIATION

TAAI DAILY 2012 – DAY 2

Step into Istanbul with Air Arabia The airline offers great connectivity from India to Sharjah on a daily basis and from Sharjah to Istanbul four times a week. T T B U R E AU

ir Arabia, the first and largest low-cost carrier (LCC) in the Middle East and North Africa – gives us an

Istanbul is The city of beauty, culture and history A city that unites its natural beauties with its historical and cultural accumulation and modern infrastructure A city that has important historic buildings and exciting new art galleries and museums

opportunity to visit Istanbul, the city of beauty, culture and history. Istanbul is just a few hours away with Air Arabia’s on time connectivity from the thirteen cities in India. Istanbul is a city that unites its natural beauties with its historical and cultural accumulation and modern infrastructure. It is among the special cities of the world with its position as a bridge between Europe and Asia. The city’s over-abundance of important historic buildings and exciting new art galleries and museums provide visitors with more than enough to see and take home an incredible memory. Having a strategic importance in international area, the city hosts a very colourful and live business

life. Located on the northern west of Turkey, Istanbul has a mild climate. Istanbul has been amongst the preferred holi-

A K Nizar Head of Commercial Department Air Arabia

day destinations for Indian travellers and Air Arabia has been at the forefront of offering convenient and affordable travel options thus providing more and more Indian travelers an opportunity to travel to this beautiful country. Air Arabia also offers Indian travelers traveling to Istanbul, a

unique option of shopping in the UAE given that Sharjah is the hub of Air Arabia and has a stopover visa for the UAE. A K Nizar, Head of Commercial Department at Air Arabia, feels that this sector will continue to grow and Air Arabia will make travel more and more affordable to Indian travelers. He further adds, “Indian travelers are getting increasingly aware of exciting travel destinations and Istanbul is one such destination. The fact that all our cities in India offer connectivity to Sharjah-Istanbul speaks of our commitment to offer value-for-money and affordable travel to more and more Indians who desire to explore different countries and culture.” Air Arabia also offers great connectivity from India to Sharjah on a daily basis and from Sharjah to Istanbul four times a week. Air Arabia has been actively promoting Istanbul as a pre-

ferred holiday destination to Indians and has been working closely with the Turkish Tourism Department to create awareness for this beautiful country. The Air Arabia Holidays online portal is an integral

part of Air Arabia's strategy to tap increasing demand for low-cost travel. Air Arabia Holidays brings customers great value holiday packages by combining the carrier's low airfares and great deals on hotels stays and leisure activities.

QUICK READ The temples of Khajuraho, considered to be a commemoration of the wedding of Shiva & Parvati and the life forces of the entire Universe a manifestation of Shiva as the Ardha - Narishwar (half male & half female), were brought alive by The Lalit Suri Hospitality Group at Shiv Vivaha. On Maha Shivratri, Khajuraho bedecked itself in bridal glory to rejoice this celestial night.

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NTO

TAAI DAILY 2012 – DAY 2

From 1951 to 2012 Contd. from page 1

their vision and views, TAAI has come a long way and we as a team are working to take it forward from here. We are working on our Vision 2020 which was announced in 2010 along with short term visions and aims. Alongside, we are also aiming to achieve the target of 20 million tourists in India by 2020 which the Ministry of Tourism is working upon. For this, we are promoting India as a destination in various international markets.

We are promoting the inbound and outbound for India and I’m sure with the support of government, various NTOs, STBs, airlines and most importantly our members, we will celebrate our 100th Jubliee during 2051.”

Switzerland grows by 20.3% in Indian arrivals in 2011 The NTO gets additional budget for the Indian market for 2012. Plans to undertake initiatives to develop new market segments. T T B U R E AU

iding high on 20.3 per cent growth that Switzerland Tourism witnessed in overnights from India in 2011, aided by an

India. The NTO has announced that it will continue to make major investment in India in 2012 as well along with a host of new initiatives to develop new segments of travel.

Domestic air fares up by 18% As there has been an increase in the air fares across various regions of the globe which, in fact, has increased by 4 per cent in the last quarter, the domestic air fares within India has increased more than any

other fare type, with fares up 18 per cent. The recent American Express Business Travel Monitor has reported on February 23, 2012, that the fares to the EMEA region and Americas were flat last quarter whereas in the Asia Pacific region fares overall were up by 2 per cent and domestic fares were up by 4%.

(L-R): Sharma and Maeder addressing the press conference

additional CHF 1 million marketing budget last year, Switzerland Tourism has announced 2012 as ‘The Year of Water’ with plans to promote its famous lakes, glaciers and rivers in

“Looking at the results for 2011, Government has allocated additional budget for the Indian markets in 2012 as well. We will utilise the additional resources to develop new market seg-

ments in India like Youth, Senior and Adventure travel,” informed Michael Maeder, Managing Director, Switzerland Tourism India. The NTO is also aiming to boost its product offering for the India market in 2012. “We will introduce new products, packages and destinations like Engadin St Moritz and Glacier Express this year,” said Ritu Sharma, Deputy Director, Switzerland Tourism India. Sharma also said that the NTO will work with more and more tour operators in order to enable increasing number of middle class to visit Switzerland. Switzerland recorded 460,000 Indian overnights in 2011, a growth of 20.3 per cent over the previous year. “We are aiming 20 per cent growth in 2012 as well. India

Key facts Switzerland records 20.3 % growth in 2011 The NTO is targetting 20 % growth in 2012 To grow arrivals from new segments like youth, senior and adventure segments To promote new destinations and products like St Moritz and Glacier Express

is today one of the top four strategic growth markets along with China, Brazil and GCC. And I am sure India would be one of our top five markets in four to five years. Switzerland remains one of the most preferred holiday destinations for Indians,” he said. India currently ranks in the top 12 source markets of Switzerland.

Spain Tourism on a growth spree After ZNMD, agents have started adding Spain packages in their packages, which was almost non-existent last year, as the travellers now wish to follow an itinerary similar to the one in the movie. T T B U R E AU

eing the backdrop for a blockbuster movie, Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (ZNMD), ensured that a widespread audience saw Spain and its offering. “Spain was projected as a destination full of memorable experiences. The movie helped generate interest in the country and people began exploring it as a possible holiday destination. Agents have now started to add Spain packages in their brochure which was almost non-existent last year,” says Arturo Ortiz, Director, Tourism Office of Spain- Mumbai. Riding high on their Bollywood fame, the country saw a major increase in their tourist arrivals. “Spain has seen a 9.5 per cent increase in tourist arrivals from all over the world in 2011. Indian outbound for Spain grew by 50 per cent over 2010. From July to December, we registered a growth rate of 65 per cent,” adds Ortiz. The major contributor for growth last year has been the leisure segment.

MICE was not far behind and contributed almost 20 per cent to the overall travel. “Spain has become a popular choice with travellers seeking an unforgettable experience out of their holiday. They want to follow

This year, the tourism office plans to focus their marketing campaigns to reach out to the consumer. Not leaving behind the Indian travel industry, they will focus on regular training programmes, provide updates and destination information. “We will offer the agents with all the tools required to make them experts in selling Spain. We are planning a Spain B2B roadshow in the third quarter of 2012 which will provide agents a platform to interact with Spanish suppliers,” concludes Ortiz.

Key facts Arturo Ortiz Director Tourism Office of Spain- Mumbai

an itinerary similar to the one in the movie. In the first month of 2012, there was a 30 per cent increase in the number of visas issued. The pre booking for Spain for the forthcoming holiday season is very promising and we can safely project a 30 per cent increase in arrivals for 2012.”

a 9.5 per cent increase in tourist arrivals from all over the world in 2011 Indian outbound for Spain grew by 50 per cent over 2010 In the first month of 2012, there was a 30 per cent increase in the number of visas issued MICE contributed almost 20 per cent to the overall travel

16 TRAVTALK

TAAI DAILY 2012 – DAY 2

HOTELS

Scintillating stay in a home away from home As the ideal time to visit Goa approaches, accommodation options are dwindling faster than ever. This season try an alternative to expensive luxury hotels. Rent a private villa located in some of the most charming and uncharted corners of Goa along the stunning coast line and romantic backwaters. T T B U R E AU

edefine your holiday experience with a cozy stay in rented luxury villas courtesy Goa Villa. An initiative of George Duglas, a Moscow-based luxury holiday brand that exclusively caters to the unique needs of the luxury traveler, the property offers enhanced and distinctive holiday experience. George Duglas has appointed ALIVA Tourism & Travel as its sole agent for India. Goa Villa as a brand offers authentic properties, many of which boasts of

taking care of their basic requirements and is equipped with facilities like minifridge, continental quilts, warm bathrobes, etc. In some villas owner may additionally authorise a driver for intracity transportation.

exclusivity in composition and are simultaneously a unique blend of exquisite features like Portuguese frescoes combined with state-of-theart comfort and world class luxury. Goa Villa provides an opportunity to experience the local traditions and the way of life, allowing the tourists to fully admire the ‘Pearl of the Orient’. Situated amidst palmfringed and exotic trees of Goa, these villas can create one of the most soothing holiday experiences any tourist can have. Luxuriate in the poised and serene surrounding of the villas. Meditate in the tranquil and peaceful air of Goa and wake up to the sound of ocean. “Private villas on rent is not a new con-

cept in Goa but we alone offer a choice of more than 200 luxury villas and unmatched hospitality,” said Himanshu Jain, Director (Sales & Operation), ALIVA Tourism & Travel. “We provide hasslefree holiday experience with independent villas,” he added. From a plethora of remarkable villas choose the

one which suits your requirement. Proximity to the beach or the capacity of the villa, Goa Villa has all that you need for a perfect holiday experience. Select a villa close to the beach or choose a villa with a personal swimming pool. Goa Villa makes available to the tourists fully-furnished villas

You can now enrich your holiday experience in Goa and avail a world-class treatment without jeopardising your safety and privacy. “Not just a room, you own the entire luxury villa. You can open the door and walk into your own private lounge,” Jain explained. Goa Villa offers its lodgers private villas with top-notch facilities providing them with homely comforts and amenities such as housekeeping and in some villas, one can even have a personal chef and a driver. “The concept in Goa Villa is that of ‘self catering’, just like home but with many choices. Guests are

sure about the quality of food, with prices that are 10 times low and choices, 100 times more. However a housemaid is available in most of the villas for the same purpose,” he added. Goa Villa is suitable for all purposes, including accommodation for a large group of business travellers or organise personal events like marriage, reception, etc. “We conduct all kind of events. We already have quite a few requests for marriage functions and soon guests will be arriving from Moscow,” said Jain. “In case of an event like marriage, pick and drop services for the guests, party location, catering services, decorations, etc. are provided to the luxury clients at a very nominal rate. All this also depends on the budget of the client and the number of guests,” he further stated.

AGENTS

TAAI DAILY 2012 – DAY 2

TRAVTALK

Sahibjionline.com for complete travel solutions The website offers comprehensive solutions to travel agents and corporates through user-friendly reservation process for domestic and international air ticket bookings. T T B U R E AU

n a bid to offer travel agents and corporates comprehensive solutions through userfriendly reservation process for domestic and international air ticket bookings, Sahibji Travels & Tours has launched a unique website -- Sahibjionline.com catering to the B2B segment. Talking about the recent development, Gursahib Singh Sethi, Chief Operating Officer (COO), Sahibji Travels & Tours says, “We have launched

Gursahib Singh Sethi Chief Operating Officer (COO) Sahibji Travels & Tours

Sahibjionline.com B2B and our focus is to promote and increase our B2B network. We will be offering special airfares, hotel deals and packages on our Sahibjionline.com”. The online portal will offer trade partners considerable cost-savings by reducing their operational and transactional cost. It will offer them end-to end integrated solution as well. According to the COO, www.sahibjionline.com is the first B2B portal to have complete inventory of e-coupons and manual flight coupons live on the website. “Within sahibjionline.com we are building a unique holiday package system ‘Holidays by Sahibji’ which will redefine existing tour packages system,” he said. In the next six months, the company will also launch journey2book.com. Unlike the existing website, another upcoming portal will cater to the B2C segment. The company is planning to launch some new international destinations in the Indian mar-

ket, which are not so popular with the Indian traveller currently. Sethi revealed, “We have started our MICE and Inbound Division. With this, the group is looking forward to increase our base with the corporates for MICE and also inbound from different countries.”

Unlike most of the players in the package tour segment who specialise in two or three sectors, Sahibji offers destinations worldwide. It deals with both, inbound and outbound, across different market segments such as FIT and Groups in the leisure segment apart from corporate

and business as well as MICE segments. “On the other hand, it has also launched packages for Europe in this season,” Sethi confirmed. Going forward, the company is aggressively expanding by selling packages for various countries. “Some destinations

such as Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Dubai, Hong Kong, Macau, Sri Lanka, Maldives, etc are our key areas where we are selling packages on regular basis. We also have consolidation selling for Indian destinations like Goa, Kerala, Kashmir, North East and even Nepal.” Adding

on to its portfolio, the company has also forayed into the hospitality sector. Recently in December last year, it launched a sports bar in Goa. Tropical 24 x 7 is Goa’s only 24-hour food court. “Tropical 24 x 7, in Calangute has become a hotspot for the foreigners already. The restaurant specialises in Indian, Chinese, Continental food with a tastefully designed bar,” Sethi added.

18 TRAVTALK

AGENTS

TAAI DAILY 2012 – DAY 2

Heli-tourism in Maharashtra Wings and Rotors is offering ﬁxed departures on Mumbai-Shirdi route thrice a week and joyrides over Mumbai for FITs, groups and incentive segment… T T B U R E AU

bility test on Bhavnagar route.

umbai-based Wings and Rotors, in association with United Helicharters, started helicopter services on Mumbai-Shirdi route in November 2011. The fourhour Mumbai-Shirdi service received an immense response from the market as the packages starts at ` 26,600 per person all inclusive of taxes for MumbaiShirdi-Mumbai fare + transfers from helipad to the temple and VIP darshan. The company has deployed Bell 212 (13 passenger seats + 2 crew) on this route and operates services on Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays. The

Surat-

Divulging further details about the product, Pramod Panicker, Director, Wings and Rotors said, “Considering the traffic on Mumbai-Shirdi route during weekdays and weekends, we planned to introduce a convenient and short trip for religious passengers at nominal price. Pramod Panicker Director Wings and Rotors

15-minute joyride tour over Mumbai costs ` 5000 per passenger all inclusive of taxes. To spread awareness about the product and further increase the sales, Wings and Rotors works in close association with the travel trade fraternity offering minimum five per commission on sale of tickets. It is also conducting a feasi-

Since the launch, we are operating on almost 90-100 per cent loads and are expecting to further record an increase as we are working in close association with the travel trade fraternity. Once the demand increases further, we will deploy another helicopter with similar capacity as the company has five Bell 212 and 412. We also have an

exclusive login space for the travel trade to encourage long-term business prospects benefitting both the parties.” Talking about the joyride product, Panicker said, “Joyride is a fantastic product for people who want to fly on a helicopter. A lot of corporate companies are interested in this product for their team building exercises. We have created an exclusive product on the Mumbai Joyride which is called ‘Sights from the skies’.

Easy Travel The four-hour Mumbai-Shirdi service received an immense response from the market as the packages starts at ` 26,600 per person all inclusive of taxes for MumbaiShirdi-Mumbai fare + transfers from helipad to the temple and VIP darshan The company has deployed Bell 212 (13 passenger seats + 2 crew) on this route

On the house Etihad Airways recently launched a trade incentive promotion whereby the airline will cover the cost of living expenses for one travel agent in India for an entire year. One grand prize will include funds to cover personal bills for rent/mortgage, utilities, transportation and groceries. To enter, travel agents must first register at www.etihad.com/ livefree. Once registered, agents can log in to the site to enter details of Etihad Airways flight bookings made during the entry period, February 06 and March 05. Points will be awarded for each booking made: five points for Diamond First Class; three points for Pearl Business Class; and one point for Coral Economy Class. To be eligible to ‘Live Free for a Year’, an agent must accumulate 30 points during the entry period. One grand prize winner will be randomly drawn from the eligible entrants.

Etihad Airways will also offer mini prizes of 10 iPads and 10 iPhones every week throughout the promotional period.

Peter Baumgartner Chief Commercial Officer, Etihad Airways

Agents with any number of booking entries submitted during the respective week are eligible to win in the weekly draws. Peter Baumgartner, Etihad Airways’ Chief Commercial Officer said, “To live for free for an entire year with the peace of mind that all personal living expenses will be taken care of is truly a once-in-alifetime experience. We are thrilled to offer this opportunity to our valued travel agent community.

20 TRAVTALK

AVIATION

TAAI DAILY 2012 – DAY 2

Reading the pulse of aviation market The extremely competitive aviation sector in India is going through a turbulent period. While some foreign carriers are cutting flights and pulling out of India, others are strengthening their market share and offering new products for the Indian passengers. gets details. T T B U R E AU

t least five global airlines have given a second thought to decide on their decision to fly to India. Between reducing flights and stopping operations, Lufthansa, AirAsia X, Qantas, Austrian Airlines and American Airlines have been compelled to cut costs. One of the fastest growing aviation markets has not been promising for these airlines, the reason being steep rise in airport costs, slowing economy and increase in fuel prices. While this is the case for a few, some beg to differ. “The Indian market is the fastest growing aviation market across the globe and is the ninth largest in the world already. With international passenger traffic growing rapidly from the Indian mar-

Airline’s Plans Bahrain Air has now decided to add destinations in India with operations beginning on March 15, 2012 from Thiruvananthapuram Air Mauritius has decided to increase its frequency from Mumbai and New Delhi Cathay Pacific re-launched services on the DelhiBangkok sector and is now utilising all its traffic rights

ket, we expect it to attain a double-digit growth in the coming years. There is a considerable investment expected in back-end aviation infra-

Mauritius has decided to increase its frequency from Mumbai and New Delhi. “We look forward in boosting our route network to the Indian

Orhan Abbas

Richard Nuttall

Vice President – India & Nepal, Emirates Airline

CEO Bahrain Air

The Indian market is the fastest growing aviation market and the international passenger traffic is growing rapidly from the Indian market structure and maintenance, repair and overhaul facilities,” says Orhan Abbas, Vice President – India & Nepal, Emirates Airline. Bahrain Air has now decided to add destinations in India with operations beginning on March 15, 2012 from Thiruvananthapuram; where as Air

We look forward in boosting our route network to the Indian Sub-continent as another step in our route expansion process Sub Continent. This is another step in our route expansion process this year,” says Richard Nuttall, CEO, Bahrain Air. Cathay Pacific relaunched services on the Delhi-Bangkok sector and is now utilising all its traffic rights. “We have a great deal of confidence in the longterm future of the Indian market and we look towards playing our full part in growing the aviation business here. India is, of course, emerging as an economic

super power and aviation will play its part in realising that economic potential. It also has the same geographical advantage as the Middle East so there is no reason why India should become not just an origin and destination but an aviation hub,” says Tom Wright, General Manager –South Asia, Middle East and Africa, Cathay Pacific Airways.

Tom Wright, General Manager –

Sunil VA

South Asia, Middle East and Africa, Cathay Pacific Airways

Country ManagerNorth India, Oman Air

India is emerging as an economic super power and aviation will play its part in realising that economic potential

The airline will continue to roll out its new business class; new lounges in Hong Kong and Premium Economy will make its appearance on our long-haul flights from March 2012. Cathay Pacific has invested in new systems and processes that will enhance their offerings and also provide a more efficient

An Indian touch Finnair crew surprised its passengers with a dance performance onboard a Delhi flight to celebrate India’s Republic Day on January 26. Swiss has introduced Indian cuisine on India flights, in cooperation with the Oberoi group. They have also initiated a new smar t phone application that allows passengers mobile access to services like check in and upgrades passenger reservation system known as PSS. Some airlines, such as, Swiss and Finnair are providing an Indian touch on their flights to increase their popularity in this market. Finnair crew surprised its passengers with a dance performance onboard a Delhi flight to celebrate India’s Republic day on January 26. This was a wellappreciated surprise by the passengers and gained instant popularity. Swiss has introduced Indian cuisine on India flights, in cooperation with the

Oberoi group. They have also initiated a new smart phone application that allows passengers mobile access to services like check in and upgrades as well as real time flight information. Etihad Airways on the other hand is focussing on the travel industry and has introduced an agent engagement programme, providing an opportunity for agents to win prizes while selling tickets. Oman Air hopes to make the most of 2012 as Muscat is the Arab Capital of Tourism for

We want to strengthen our presence in India, as it is a very important destination for us

this year. The airline is offering opportunities to visit Oman and recommending it as a stopover destination. “We want to increase our presence in India, as it is a very important destination for us. At present, the airline operates from 10 Indian destinations and the load factor is 87-88 per cent,” Sunil VA, Country Manager-North India, Oman Air. While the foreign carrier’s decisions seem to show opposite ends of the spectrum, Delhi airport’s proposed charges will make it one of the most expensive airports in the world. “Airlines, if they make money at all operate on wafer thin margins; making Delhi the most expensive airport will force airlines to reexamine their operations,” says Wright. At this point along with weathering the adverse conditions, understanding and catering to the needs of the Indian passengers seem to be the need of the hour for foreign carriers.

22 TRAVTALK

TAAI DAILY 2012 – DAY 2

AGENTS

Selling experiences and not just holidays Maxxfun Holidays provides some life-time experiences such as art and painting tours in Bihar (Madhubani) and Rajasthan (Udaipur/Bhilwara), textile tourism tours in Gujarat and Rajasthan, vintage car tours, yoga and spiritual tours, along with awareness drive by doctors from EU towards breast cancer. provides details. T T B U R E AU

s the name suggests, literally, the recognised inbound tour operator Maxxfun Holidays are targetting selling fun in a big way this year. According to the company’s two directors – Surpal Singh Deora heading Inbound Tours & Corporate Travel and Vineet Chauhan heading Destination Weddings & Technological aspect of the company, the group is mainly focussing on special interest tourism.

Talking about this unique proposition, Deora remarked, “We have been dealing with art and painting tours in Bihar (Madhubani) and Rajasthan (Udaipur/Bhilwara), textile tourism tours in Gujarat and Rajasthan, vintage car tours, yoga and spiritual tours and awareness drive by doctors from EU towards breast cancer.” According to Chauhan, Maxxfun Holidays is involved in organising safaris in rural Rajasthan, NGO interactions with corporate travel, leadership seminar for many prestigious management schools and wedding tourism. The group is betting big on the niche segment of tourism.

Surpal Singh Deora

Vineet Chauhan

Director – Inbound Tours & Corporate Travel

Director – Destination Weddings & Technology

Commenting on the growth potential in this segment, Deora said, “We feel that innovating and exploring the niche market will lead to growth. Maxxfun Holidays has four divisions. The main segments that drive the growth are inbound tours, destination weddings and corporate travel, including leadership seminars and conferences. All the three divi-

sions are growing at pace with focus in repeat and referral clients. Also, apart from this, our fourth segment that provides support and complements the other three segments is the internal IT team to keep pace with the technological development of the world.” Regarding the new plans this year, Chauhan

said, “We are planning to take the above streams of tourism to promote them in the global market by participating in various international trade fairs and roadshows being organised by the Ministry of Tourism (MOT) in the days to come. The group is also focussing on wedding tourism, wherein the people take combined leisure travel with religious mock weddings at holy and spiritual places in India for a happier life.” “This segment has enormous potential as we believe that India has been the source of spirituality and holy vibrations to the world and the same can be imbibed in every family for leading a happy and contended life,” he added. Revealing the performance of last year, Deora said,

“The business has been growing at a pace of 40 per cent as compared to 2010 with focus on the niche markets. There has been an increase in the clientele base with wider plethora of services. Our services are now more personalised and customised for the global market.” The group has been winning accolades all the way. It was recently honoured by the President of India Mrs. Pratibha Patil for excellence in the field of tourism at the recently concluded Ministry of Tourism Awards in the last week of February.

New Plans Participating in various international trade fairs and roadshows Focussing tourism

wedding

24 TRAVTALK

ANALYSIS

TAAI DAILY 2012 – DAY 2

Impact of Internet

Now travellers are spoilt for choice Several young companies in the travel industry make aggressive use of internet for their business development efforts. It therefore presents a new challenge to some existing industry players who are used to traditional methods. T T B U R E AU

ehavioural patterns of tourists have changed (ABTA, 2004). Consumers display low levels of loyalty to any particular site and appear to be motivated by bargains. The bargain hunting behaviour is fuelled by recent trends towards shorter but more frequent trips and tendency of the consumers to piece together hybrid wants in one holiday, like, for instance, taking cheap flights but staying in four star hotels. Overall, there is a shifting trend towards customers

Online Travel Industry The internet reach has grown much beyond being only an enabling communication medium. E-commerce has become a new buzz-word over the last decade and likely to grow exponentially year after year in an under-penetrated country like India. In fact, e-commerce is expected to fast catch-up with the growth in overall trade market. This can be gauged from the fact that e-commerce penetration is still quite lower even among active internet users who look for information regarding products. Therefore, gradually the

increasingly relying on various self-service technologies but higher expectations of choice, value, customization and convenience (Wynne C, Berthon P, Pitt L, Ewing M and Napali J, 2001). There is however, an apparent dichotomy between building strong and lasting customer relationships and at the same time in encouraging consumer autonomy by developing more self service technologies. This is particularly evident in travel and tourism industry, which is expected to satisfy diverse needs. The

industry must support tourist needs of social interaction, entertainment and authentic information, besides or at the same time also respond to the trend to provide customers with the autonomy not only to search for information but also to complete their transactions. This article, therefore, examines the concept of online customer relationship management (e-commerce and m-commerce models of CRM) and self-service technologies (SSTs) in the travel and tourism industry.

Online travel industry (in INR billions)

*Source: Indian Business Blocks, Track In

conversion ratio of these users which currently stands at around 40 per cent, from being mere on-lookers to having brought any product over the internet could only rise from here.

financial services, online classifieds, etc. The above ratio of e-commerce market share has been skewed not just recently but has remained almost the same since the last 5 years.

Electronic commerce market size and share

Surprisingly, the IAMAI report on online commerce indicates that almost 80 per cent market share of current online commerce industry is dominated by the travel business and the remaining 20 per cent share is constituted of non-travel businesses such as e-retailing (electronic retailing), digital download, paid content subscription,

The survey also indicates that there would not be any drastic changes in the trend until the end of this year. However, online users in India have exhibited willingness to make purchases over the internet, which is evident from the increasing awareness and growth of the net commerce industry.

E-commerce and M-commerce ASSOCHAM studies have suggested that e-commerce grew in volume by 150 per cent and reached to a figure of INR 550 billion during 2007, in comparison to the total ecommerce sales during 2006-07 which was INR 220 billon. The online travel industry in India has grown to US $ 6 billion (over INR 2800 billion) in 2010 in terms of revenues (Business Standard, December 23, 2009). Fuelled by the sustained growth of the online travel industry, the Indian e-commerce market will gallop at an impressive growth rate of 47 per cent to over INR 4600 billion in the 2011 calendar year. A recent IAMAI report mentioned that “this growth is primarily driven by the online travel industry, which contributes 76 per cent to the total net commerce industry in India today.” The internet commerce industry in India has seen a manifold increase in the last couple of years, with the total market size increasing from INR 1968.8 billion by the end of 2009 to INR 3159.8 in 2010.

B2B Transactions According to Outlook Business (May 20, 2008), the total B2B transactions in India in the year 2008 was US$100 billion and B2B tourism and travel market could have accounted for almost US$15 to US$ 20 billion. India’s largest B2B portal Trade India, maintained by Infocom Network Ltd., also stated that e-commerce transactions in India demonstrate a growth of 30 to 40 per cent and will soon reach the US$ 100 billion mark. In near future, e-commerce is going to play a major role in multimedia, entertainment and fashion industry. The foreign branded companies are eager to take full advantage of the growing Indian market and are trying to a create market for their products over the internet. Some of the key B2B exchanges in India are Tradeindia.com, Matexnet.com, AuctionIndia.com, Indiamart. com, TeaAuction.com, MetaJunction.com, etc.

Conclusion The results suggest that while several travel consumers are increasingly turning to the internet, many are still hesitant to book online. Many travellers who were surveyed as a part of the study had utilised the internet for various uses. The main

Figures in INR billion. Percentage Indicate share of the Overall Market Size Year

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

Market Size

81.46

140.3

196.88

315.98

465.2

Online Travel Indutsry

62.5 (77%)

105 (75%)

149.53 (76%)

252.58 (80%)

378.9 (81%)

Online Non-Travel Industry

18.96 (23%)

35.3 (25%)

47.35 (24%)

63.4 (20%)

86.3 (19%)

*Source: Indian Business Blocks, Track In

Management of Customer Relationship in Online Environment Currently 43 per cent of the world’s 2 billion internet users are in Asia, with online penetration expected to increase by more than 39 per cent by 2015. The Asia Pacific online travel market is valued at US $ 53 billion or 21 per cent of the total travel market. The online travel booking market in the region is expected to reach a value of US $ 51.6 billion by the end of 2011 at a growth rate of 30-40 per cent per year. Travel sites in the Asia Pacific region are outpacing growth from the general internet audience by almost three to one, showing a strong affinity for travel growth, adoption of technology and the web in travel. More than three-quarters (79.6 per cent) of agents indicated that the web will continue to influence and drive their agencies through increased speed, efficiently and productivity of internet travel bookings as well as internet based reservations or ticketing. Of late, the internet usage has become so pervasive that it has touched almost all facets of the business. The internet revolution has consequently led to achieving a substantial size and greater potential to reduce costs (Gurau, Ranchhod and Hockney, 2003). • Larger displays, touch screen interactive displays, cloud computing and the rise of applications for the tablet devices, whether via Apple App Store, Google Android or Blackberry AppWorld, will all play a role in the ways in which the next generation travel agent will be able to leverage these devices in the future. • HTML5 is widely regarded as the next standard for website design and creation and this new evolution in HTML will allow for greater compatibility with video, audio and other interactive media. With this new code, Andriod and iPhone operating systems without flash plug-ins will be capable of watching YouTube videos. HTML5 is the wave of the future that will help drive technology further. With increasing mobile internet access speeds and newer mobile devices such as tablets and larger screen smart phones coming to the market, this new code will allow a reduced need for applications and a higher usage to mobile. • Social internet content is becoming an essential part in making travel decisions, whereby three in every ten travellers share travel experiences and 35 per cent interact with travel companies on social networks. Many agents indicated that social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter have proved highly successful in reaching out to their existing customers

barrier that discouraged consumers from booking travel via the internet is the perceived lack of a secure payment method. Other significant barriers stated include lack of confidence in working with latest technological advancements and the need for personal service and human interface. The

results of this research conflict with suggestions that travel agents will lose their client base overnight when secure payment methods are developed and consumers become more experienced with using newer forms of technology. The study highlights that many experienced internet users still prefer to

book their travel via traditional distribution channels and further believe that there will be a need for travel agents in the future. (Excerpts from white papers submitted by R Rajesh, G Anjaneya Swamy at the Disha Event organised by Thomas Cook)

26 TRAVTALK

AVIATION

TAAI DAILY 2012 – DAY 2

Now travel easy with airlines’ inflight services Shower spas located in First Class cabins for your exclusive use, Champagne and choicest of spirits in constant flow, Anchovy bell peppers and fresh Parmesan, cream of carrot and coriander soup, a choice of sorbets and fresh fruit, aromatic Masala Chai; It’s the good life, every day and every night on-board all around the world. INDER RAJ AHLUWALIA

ith airline competition fierce, savvy air travellers want full value and the very best for their money.

ing pure Indian vegetarian meals. Lufthansa’s in-flight entertainment channels offer a choice of the latest Indian movies as well as Indian music. And there are at least

flight entertainment system includes a vast range of recent cinema releases, over 40 TV programmes, and over 300 music CDs, including in Indian languages.

Axel Hilgers

Jean-Philippe Benoit

Pieter De Man

South Asia Director Lufthansa

General Manager – India Swiss International Airlines

General Manager, Indian SubContinent, Air France – KLM

Operating here for over five decades, Lufthansa understands the specific needs and preferences of Indian customers This makes in-flight service a vital ingredient and the key to airlines branding and image building. Axel Hilgers, South Asia Director, Lufthansa, feels travellers want to reach their destination safely and comfortably and so they’ve designed their in-flight services keeping passengers enjoyment in mind. India is a good case in point. Having operated here for over five decades, Lufthansa understands the specific needs and preferences of Indian customers. Quality Indian cuisine created by Indian celebrity chefs under their ‘Star Chef’ programme is an example. This is served to Indian flights First and Business Class passengers. Passengers requiring special food for health, nutritional or religious reasons have a choice of 19 different meals, includ-

We have also introduced Indian dishes on both their direct flights from Delhi and Mumbai to Zurich

The common ties with India have led Air France – KLM to adapt their products in line with Indian passengers’ expectations

reflect the passengers satisfaction levels, continued flying intentions,and help to build an image of the airline in their minds. The common ties with India have led Air France – KLM to become profoundly attached to this country, and made them determined to adapt their products in line with Indian passengers’ expectations. Air France’s modern international outlook which involves paying special attention to different cultures including passengers’ tastes and preferences, is a great plus for them. A warm and friendly attitude, a smile and courteous behavior together with attentive service to elderly passengers helps. While offering a truly French gastronomic experience, Air France focuses on its Indian passengers cultural habits and tastes. Air France and KLM also serve vegetarian dishes on all flights to Indian destinations. With a food tie up with The Oberoi and fine wines chosen by Olivier Poussier, they believe they serve top quality. A latest generation in-flight entertainment system provides a choice of over 80 films including Hindi movies.

two flight attendants fluent in local languages on all Indian routes. This year, they’ll introduce the high-speed on-board internet service, Flynet, on key Indian routes. Jean-Philippe Benoit, General Manager – India, Swiss International Airlines, feels in-flight service is a vital part of any airline. Their services offer Swiss hospitality and represent Switzerland’s classic values. They’re one of the few airlines in the world where the captain personally welcomes all passengers. Their award-winning culinary programme ‘Swiss Taste of Switzerland’, enables them to regularly treat their passengers to cuisine from different parts of Switzerland. Every three months, a renowned chef from a particular region develops local specialties. Special wines are carefully selected to accompany each cuisine. They’ve also introduced Indian dishes on both their direct flights from Delhi and Mumbai to Zurich. Their state-of-art in-

Orhan Abbas

MS Chawla

Vice President – India & Nepal Emirates Airline

Managing Director Siddharth Travels

With growing competition, Indian travelers evaluate airlines on aspects such as pricing, punctuality, etc.

The motto for airlines should be to deliver what they promise, and what passengers have come to expect from them

Pieter De Man, General Manager, Indian SubContinent, Air France – KLM, feels in-flight services are of paramount importance for Indian passengers as they

KLM passengers can enjoy a special dinner served on tableware created by designer Marcel Wanders. One can create his own dinner from the options available. Indian

route flights feature exquisite Indian meals. They’ve also introduced special A’ la’ Carte meals service. Orhan Abbas, Vice President – India & Nepal, Emirates Airline, feels that today air travel isn’t just about travelling, but about travelling in comfort. With growing competition, Indian travelers evaluate airlines on aspects such as pricing, punc-

ting when you expect a pyjama suit on a 10 – hour flight, and don’t get it. It would have been better to start selling such services and products as optionals at a price. After all some of the low-cost, no frill carriers sell excellent food at a price. The motto for airlines should be to deliver what they promise, and what passengers have come to expect from them. Once a

Lajpat Rai

Cdr CP Sharma

President Lotus Trans Travels

Managing Director Neptune Travco

For Indians, the most important thing is ‘service with a smile’. This is the key factor

tuality, and the quality of the travelling experience which is primarily dependant on inflight services. Airlines continuously work at improving their in-flight offerings. Emirates has been the best in in-flight entertainment, and awarded for seven consecutive years by SkyTrax. First and Business Class passengers can now look forward to a new range of white Royal Doulton fine bone china and elegant Robert Welsh cutlery. MS Chawla, Managing Director, Siddharth Travels, feels airlines must deliver what they promise. For premium class travelers in-flight service is a very big factor in their choice of an airline. A few rupees difference in pricing will not deter them from choosing an airline with reliable and better in-flight service. However, it isn’t easy for the full service carriers to maintain high service quality with rising costs. Reducing standards results in complaints and moans. It is upset-

For Indian travellers, food is the most important element in flying, followed by service by smiling flight attendants brand equity is damaged, it isn’t easy to get it back. Lajpat Rai, President, Lotus Trans Travels, feels that since in-flight service makes passengers comfortable during flying hours, it is an important aspect of airline working. Some airlines are offering service as a mere formality, but the fact is that service has to be up to the mark. For Indians, the most important thing is ‘service with a smile’. This is the key factor. So airlines that are friendly and flexible, and have the right attitude are going to do well. Cdr CP Sharma, Managing Director, Neptune Travco, feels in-flight service is a very crucial part of airlines’ functioning, and the aspect with which passengers are most involved. This makes it a significant factor in airline choice. For Indian travellers, food is the most important element in flying, followed by service by friendly and smiling flight attendants.

28 TRAVTALK

TAAI DAILY 2012 – DAY 2

NOSTALGIA

Precious moments of TAAI Convention 2010