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TAAI-2013: Making biz better
Go for coastal tourism
To leverage over 300 kilometres of Over the next two days, TAAI will ensure that the industry experts share its virgin coastline, the Karnataka their knowledge with the delegates. The latter will also get an opportunity State Tourism Development to meet exhibitors in ITTE (India Travel & Tourism Expo) 2013, where Corporation (KSTDC) plans on more than 30 exhibitors are showcasing their product lines. developing coastal tourism. A N I TA J A I N
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itching the traditional form of association, TAAI has evolved as one voice of industry and working towards the 20 million arrivals target for 2020. During its 61st annual convention in Bengaluru, TAAI is highlighting the key trends of global travel industry and preparing the Indian trade to adopt the same. Welcoming the delegates at the India Travel Congress, Iqbal Mulla, President, TAAI said, “For the next two days, delegates will not only learn about various innovative strategies to induct in their business models, but will also meet the who’s who of the industry.” Talking about the theme for this year – ‘Connect, Cooperate and Collaborate’; Mulla said, “With the boom in tourism industry (domestic, inbound and outbound), travel agents need to evolve their revenue models and meet the increasing needs of demanding travellers. Thus, the theme ‘Connect, Co-operate and Collaborate’ is apt for the current market conditions. In a bid to assist the Indian travel trade; TAAI, as an association, has evolved by involving
agents and for next two days, it will drill the message in and provide guidelines to survive in the future.” Over the next two days, TAAI will ensure that delegates receive knowledge from the experts of the industry. Delegates will also get an opportunity to meet
sion or passport/visa making; travel agents can no more rely on these services to sustain in business. Agents need to evolve in the business models by diversifying their revenue streams. To help them to grow; TAAI as an association is undertaking various initiatives that will be highlighted during the next
Travel agents need to meet the challenges of time, adopt new technology and deploy it in their business, increase segments of service and efficiency in business while keeping costs under control Iqbal Mulla President, TAAI exhibitors in ITTE (India Travel & Tourism Expo) 2013, wherein more than 30 exhibitors are showcasing their product lines. According to Mulla, the exhibitors are offering products which offer alternate revenue streams for travel agent’s business. He said, “Be it agency commis-
two days. All a travel agent has to do is identify the potential, analyse their specialisation and target the right audience.” Over the years, TAAI has asserted itself with airlines and lobbied with government to win its members
and industry at large positive traction on many contentious issues. Mulla informed further that travel agents have to be alert and 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 segments of service and efficiency in business while keeping costs under control. Alongside, they need to keep their eyes 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 focussed 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,” adds Mulla. TAAI is working towards improving tourism not only on domestic level but inbound as well. Through its international conventions annually in different countries, it gives an opportunity to its members to network with the local suppliers of Contd. on page 15
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he state is currently in the process of formulating a plan to develop tourist facilities, infrastructure and seaplane serv-
position to reveal more details.” Dyavaiah also said that KSTDC was keen to launch intra-state air services. He said that KSTDC had invited expressions of interest from private players to launch these services but that it was yet in the planning phase. “This will boost tourism in the state and we are working on a strategy to ensure the long-term sustainability of the service.”
CD Dyavaiah Managing Director KSTDC
ices along the Karnataka coast. This information was revealed by CD Dyavaiah, Managing Director, KSTDC. Dyavaiah said, “KSTDC plans to develop these facilities on a Public Private Partnership (PPP) basis. Once the policy is finalised over the next couple of months, we will be in a
Positioning Karnataka as a culture and heritage destination for the domestic segment, the state plans to promote Hampi, Mysore and Gokarna to attract tourists from all over the country. Further, state tourism development corporation also plans to conduct roadshows later this year in Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata, according to Dyavaiah. Contd. on page 15
AGENTS
TAAI DAILY 2013 – DAY 1
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Giving wings to visa facilitation With six offices spanning India, Udaan India is providing visa facilitation services to travel agents, travel management companies, corporates, and individual travellers. T T B U R E AU
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onceived with a vision to bridge the complex travel visa process and thus, liberating clients from all visa hassles, Udaan India is India’s leading visa-facilitation company. Recalling the growth of the company; Rajan Dua, Managing Director and CoFounder, Udaan India, remarks, “When we started in 1992, there were few agents, and visa facilitation and outsourcing was neglected. Thus, there was a need for a reliable visa agency with prompt services.”
Rajan Dua Managing Director and Co-Founder, Udaan India
A first-time traveller might not know how to pen a covering letter. We have created a format for this as well
The erstwhile Sita Travels, which is now Kuoni, had their own visa section in Delhi and every branch would send their documents here. Sita was the first agency which outsourced its visa requirements to Udaan. “The trend of visa outsourcing started from there, and then we handled Cox and Kings, Thomas Cook,
etc,” he adds. The company has six offices now – Delhi, Gurgaon, Mumbai, Chennai, Bengaluru and Kolkata. The agenda is to reach out to TierII and III cities by unveiling collection centres here, Dua informs. Going forward, the company is also looking at tapping the Nepal, Sri Lanka
and Dubai markets as well.Envisioning the impact of technology in everyday lives, Udaan India was the first company to launch its visa portal in the year 2000. “This gave us a leading edge over all other visa facilitators and made Udaan India a leader in the travel industry. With this inno-
vation, we pioneered the online Visa Tracking System,” Dua confirms. According to Dua, the main USP of the website is the information it shares with the agents. “In Udaan India.com domain, we have information for any consulate in India. For instance - if there is an Embassy of Iran
in Hyderabad, you will find it in our portal. We have also worked out requirements for Indian nationals for various visas. For example – a first-time traveller might not know how to pen a covering letter. We have created a format for this as well,” he points out.
Fast Fact N Envisioning the impact of technology in everyday lives, Udaan India was the first company to launch its visa portal in the year 2000
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HOTELS
TAAI DAILY 2013 – DAY 1
Following the road less taken successfully Unlike other hotel chains, The Suryaa New Delhi has adopted an asset-heavy model, and has proven that this strategy works in retaining its clientele and attracting new ones.
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and the new clients they get. This makes us more successful than many new brands in the country.”
Talking about the USP of the property, he opines, “Most hotel companies are following the asset-light strategy in India. This means they are hotel management companies and the primary service is client servicing. The larger the company’s spread, the cheaper is the cost of getting clients. We are an asset heavy company. This is a very different model. We build the hotel, we own and operate it and run the show ourselves. Our single greatest success has been our repeat clientele for over 30 years
Being in the vicinity of well-established hospitals, the boom in medical tourism in India has also helped the hotel garner business. “The medical tourism boom is encouraging hospitals and hoteliers to strike alliances. Medical tourism in the country got a boost early 2000 onwards. We tied up with Escorts to provide them hospitality services. The idea is to have rooms tailor-made for these patients. The hotel has about five rooms especially for post-op recovery,” he informs. Regarding the new initiatives taken in the last six months at the hotel; Pankaj Mathur, GM, The Suryaa New Delhi, says, “In the last six months, we have rolled out a one-point contact programme in the property. It is an international pro-
M E G H A PAU L ike the evolving hotel industry in India, The Suryaa New Delhi has evolved in its 31 years of operations. According to Luv Malhotra, Joint Managing Director, The Suryaa New Delhi; what keeps the hotel going is the brilliant network of its repeat clientele.
The HR advantage Though the industry has been growing at a fast pace, hotel management graduates opt to join other sectors like aviation and catering services where they are paid higher. In this current scenario where retaining the workforce in the hotel industry is a problem and attrition levels are high, The Suryaa is an exception. Almost 50 per cent of the hotel staff has been here for over 20 years, claims the GM. “Recently, the hotel has also rolled out a training and leadership programme based on soft skills,” he says. Luv Malhotra Joint Managing Director The Suryaa New Delhi
Our single greatest success has been our repeat clientele for over 30 years and the new clients they get gramme. All guest calls in the room land at one place.
Pankaj Mathur General Manager The Suryaa New Delhi
We are working on rebranding the property. We have redone the tagline – ‘Service so memorable’ It is like the helpdesk and is called the Suryaa Service. All
calls here get a call-back. This has been a big advantage. It was launched three months back, and since then we have seen a drop in complaints by 50 per cent. We are also working on rebranding the property. The Suryaa is an iconic property. We have redone the tagline -‘Service so memorable’. Now we are trying to internalise the caption and look at all service touch-points to make all services ‘so memorable’. ” The hotel has also added to the product mix by
creating a sky-lounge. “We have renovated our earlier restaurants Le Cafe and Seven. This will now be launched as one big restaurant called Essence by next month,” he adds. In the last six months, the property performed decently well, thanks to F1 and the upcoming weddings and MICE events. “With more hotels coming up, there has been an increase in supply. Consequently, the ADRs have dropped. But being in the heart of the city, we have not seen a decrease in occupancy,” he reveals.
A new jewel in Aerocity Double daily to Guangzhou With a capacity of 523 rooms, JW Mariott has been China Southern Airlines introduced 14 flights a week launched partially with 300 rooms for now with the rest between Delhi and Guangzhou from November 13, under construction and pending clearance. 2013. The flights will be operated by Boeing 757s. T T B U R E AU
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erocity’s first hotel, JW Mariott has opened its doors to the public after getting approval from the security agencies. With a capacity of 523 rooms, the hotel has been launched partially with 300 rooms for now. Police clearance for 105 rooms is pending while 118 rooms including the presidential suite are still under construction. The 523-room hotel owned by Asian Hotels (West) has been ready for operation since April this year. According to Sushil Gupta, Chairman & Managing Director, Asian Hotels (West), the project was delayed by almost nine months after completion because of security-related approvals and had incurred a cost escalation of 20 per cent
in the process. The ` 900crore hotel is the first JW Marriott in the Delhi NCR and the fifth in whole of India. Simon F Cooper, President & Managing Director – Asia Pacific, Marriott International, pointed out, “We have over 100
hotels across the world near airports, including the US, Hong Kong and London. Airport location is thus, not accidental. It is great to be in the Aerocity between Delhi and Gurgaon. However, we have never been held back from opening due to security issues. These requirements
were not unreasonable but they were unanticipated.” The luxury hotel is betting big on its location near the airport and Gurgaon to drive up occupancies. “The hotel is designed to attract luxury business travellers and MICE traffic. It has a total of 2,302 square metres of meeting space with eight meeting rooms spread across two levels. This includes the largest pillarless ball room in the capital in 1,210 sq metres. Out of the 523 rooms, 313 are Deluxe Rooms, 180 Executive Rooms, 29 Junior Suites and one Presidential Suite,” Balan Paravantavida, General Manager, JW Marriott Hotel New Delhi Aerocity stated. “We have all required security precautions in place. People are now showing active interest in the hotel and bookings are on. At the moment we are registering between 25-30 per cent occupancy,” he added.
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ondor Air Services is excited about the commencement of double daily services between Delhi and Guangzhou, effective
Chen Yong Guang General Manager, China Southern Airlines
We are very happy to announce our double daily flights from New Delhi to Guangzhou
November 13,” said Seema Sabharwal, General Manager, Condor Air Services GSA, China Southern Airlines. The seven evening departures will be from Delhi at 2325
Seema Sabharwal General Manager, Condor Air Services GSA, China Southern Airlines
Condor Air Services is excited about the commencement of double daily services between Delhi and Guangzhou
hrs, providing a seamless connectivity for travel to China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan and Southeast Asia. The noon departures from Delhi will be at 1245 hrs, offering connectivity to Australia, New Zealand and USA. “We are very happy to announce double daily flights from Delhi to Guangzhou. India is an important and potential market to China Southern Airlines,” added Chen Yong Guang, General Manager, China Southern Airlines. Currently, the airline operates more than 500 passenger and cargo aircraft. The fleet is ranked first in Asia and fifth among the 240 airlines in IATA (in terms of fleet size). The route network of China’s largest airline makes travel more convenient to more than 80 large and medium-sized cities across mainland China and more than 30 cities in Europe, America, Oceania, the Middle East, Southwest Asia, South Asia, Japan & South Korea, Hong Kong and Taiwan (China).
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NTO
TAAI DAILY 2013 – DAY 1
Charting evolution of Indian travellers Indian outbound travellers have evolved. Repeat travellers are now keen to venture further and explore new, unknown destinations. With maturing tastes and preferences, they’re no longer satisfied with standard checklist holidays, but seeking experiential and engaging ones. These travellers are also willing to explore their favourite holiday destinations more than once in search of newer experiences and routes. INDER RAJ AHLUWALIA
Tailor-made travel will hold the greatest appeal Romit Theophilus, Director, Sales & Marketing, German National Tourist Office, feels the Indian outbound traveller has now matured enough to move away from the conventional, and travel to off-the-beaten track destinations. He/she wants to experience more than the regular sights and is increasingly opting for experiences such as discovering Germany’s wine trails and other destinations. Indian honeymooners have been spotted on a hiking trip in Bavaria, and they are now taking the 300-feet base jump from the Alexanderplatz in Berlin, which was made famous by Shah Rukh Khan in Don 2.
Indians keen to discover new areas
Indians love to get close to nature
Medha Sampat, Representative, Argentina Tourism, feels that Argentina which is a relatively new destination for the Indian market, is an absolute wonder for leisure travellers, allowing them to create unique itineraries and discover the unexplored. Argentina offers them a chance to discover a new destination and great experiences, ranging from buzzing urban cities, to the majestic glaciers, to the energetic Iguazu Falls – identified as one of the seven natural wonders of the world – to the beautiful wine regions in Mendoza, San Juan and Salta, among others.
Mohit Batra, Representative, Scandinavian Tourism, stated that most Indians travelling to Norway wish to experience the fjords and get close to nature. They opt for cruise options that make detours within the fjords and allow docking of the boats to enable passengers to go hiking or walking. Increasing numbers of Indians are now inclined towards wildlife safaris, seeing sea eagles and whales from close range. Travellers to Denmark are seeking ‘active’ holidays that involve excursions. One activity that has interested the young and energetic has been to paddle one’s own kayak through Copenhagen.
Seeking uniqueness Hanneli Slabber, Country Manager, South African Tourism, feels Indian travellers’ mindsets have evolved drastically. They’re seeking uniqueness and customisation in their accommodation, sightseeing tours, cuisine, or experiences. High adrenaline adventure is becoming more popular, including shark-cage diving, sky-diving, quad-biking, etc. In recent times, Indian travellers have also adopted a concept called ‘voluntourism’, wherein they opt for volunteering activities like animal rescue and rehabilitation work with private game reserves. Self-drive holidays are becoming more popular.
Runjuan Tongrut, Director, Tourism Authority of Thailand, sees certain trends in Indians visiting Thailand. There are more FITs, and greater preference for luxury. Indians now like to experience new activities such as sailing, yachting, and island – hopping at places like Phuket, and adventure activities such as treetop flights; elephant safaris; and big bike rides etc. They’re also venturing further out to discover new destinations such as Koh Samet ( East Coast next to Pataya); Koh Chang ( East Coast); Koh Nangyuan & Koh Tao ( near Koh Samui); and Chiangrai ( Northern Chiangmai)
West Bengal to develop 11 tourism sites The West Bengal government has identified 11 sites for major tourism infrastructure development with the active help of private sector across the state. Few of the chosen destinations for tourism development include Gajoldoba, Jharkhali, Western banks of
Brag value of new destinations
More FITs, and greater preference for luxury
Hoogly among others. The state government will create the basic infrastructure like roads, electricity, drinking water, etc. in all these identified sites to attract private investors to invest in tourism facilities like hotels, restaurants, and other facilities on a PPP model. This was revealed by Uma Pada Chatterjee, Director, West Bengal Tourism. Instead of viability gap funding (VGF) which is practiced in many states, the West Bengal government will be investing
Beena Menon and Huzan Frazer who represent Tourism Ireland and Trinidad and Tobago Tourism, feel that today many travellers prefer to spend more time in a particular destination, exploring and getting the feel of a place as a local and not as a tourist. Road trips are becoming popular and Indians are venturing beyond Dublin to other sites like the Victorian city, Belfast, where they enjoy the Titanic Museum, or indulge in luxury shopping across the streets of Belfast. They’re also exploring fascinating landscapes such as the Giant’s Causeway and the Cliffs of Moher.
Indians are seasoned tourists now Gunbir Singh, MD, Divine Destination feels that Indians travelling overseas are maturing into seasoned tourists, and are today willing to try new destinations. Having done the normal South East Asia, European and Australian junkets, the pull is now on experiential, thematic journeys with a difference. Wine tours, Kenyan safaris, premium car journeys, Alaskan adventures are now up for grabs.
Theme-based and experiential travel on creation of “critical infrastructure” to lure private investors, he added. The objective is to showcase the state on its entirety rather than confining the contour to few places like Sunderbans, Darjeeling, and Shantiniketan.
MS Chawla, MD, Siddharth Travels feels that the trend in Indian outbound travel is changing faster than many people think. Many popular tourist destinations in the world are now giving way to lesser-known destinations. Further, Indian travellers are now looking for new experiences during their international holidays. This is leading to an increasing trend of theme-based and experiential travel as opposed to destination-based travel.
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AGENTS
TAAI DAILY 2013 – DAY 1
Shree Tours gains domestic edge
JW Marriott takes off at Aerocity
Now, the company is getting its principal agents to realise that it is also worth more to serve the unique domestic tourists. T T B U R E AU
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he Rajasthan-based Shree Tours has harnessed many B2B partners to cater to inbound and outbound space. Today, domestic tourists have more resources, less time and demand relatively shorter packages with added variety. “With over 1 billion domestic tourists in India, the domestic segment is very important to do round-theyear business. One needs to acknowledge that today, domestic tourists have got more than adequate resources to travel. The only thing that has shrunk is the availability of time for them,”
said Archana Thanvi, Director, Shree Tours. Here, Umesh Thanvi, Advisor, Shree Tours adds, “We had been prompt in figuring out these changes in the habits of domestic tourists. In fact, we have made many new itineraries looking at these new trends and expectations of our domestic travellers.” “In our Desert Triangle package, one can explore Bikaner, Jodhpur and Jaisalmer in 6 nights and 7 days. We also offer an exclusive Vibrant Colors of Rajasthan package that covers almost all flavours of the state including desert, palaces and hill experience spread over 11 nights and 12 days. In a Delhi-AgraRajasthan package, we cover all these three attractions for our
Archana Thanvi
Umesh Thanvi
Director Shree Tours
Advisor Shree Tours
Today, domestic tourists have got more than adequate resources to travel, but the time availability has shrunken domestic tourists in 12 nights and 13 days. Similarly, we have devised interesting and
We offer an exclusive Vibrant Colors of Rajasthan package that covers almost all flavours of the state
pro-experiential packages for other states like Himachal and Kerala,” he added.
The first hotel at Aerocity, JW Marriot, has officially opened recently after a delay of about nine months from their original schedule. The event saw inauguration of the 523-room hotel, which is the fifth in the country by the group
20 tourism projects in Goa The projects, worth ` 300 crore, deal with beautification and upgradation of tourist amenities across the state. Of these, three major projects are in Panaji - the tourism jetty, tourism information plaza and multi-level car parking facility to the west of the old Mandovi bridge.
INTERVIEW
The ‘IFC’ touch in tourism In a freewheeling discussion with , Shaun Mann, Senior Tourism Sector Specialist, International Finance Corporation (IFC)-South Asia talks about the organisation’s work with India’s Ministry of Tourism, state governments, and private stakeholders. MEGHA PAUL
In which avenues of tourism in India do we see IFC? The International Finance Corporation (IFC) is the private sector development and investment arm of the World Bank Group. We provide a variety of investment instruments for private sector companies (including hotel investors) and we
Buddhist Circuit experience, improve connectivity and site-level infrastructure, improve marketing and promotion strategies to reach new markets, and improve overall coordination and collaboration of different stakeholders around the circuit, including bringing into the discussion the monasteries and their constituents; (2) Rajasthan tourism development - IFC is partnering with the Government of Rajasthan in the
ronments in Sarnath and Kushinagar.
Which region in India has the maximum growth potential in terms of tourism infrastructure? India’s cultural and historic heritage are world-class assets that are hugely underutilised and under-valued. These assets could fuel local economic growth and employment with more
The states would need to nurture these assets and create avenues for the state government, private sector, entrepreneurs and most importantly, the local community Shaun Mann, Senior Tourism Sector Specialist, International Finance Corporation (IFC)-South Asia
advice and partner with governments - through jointly financed technical assistance projects - to implement positive changes to the business and investment environment.
Please throw light on the new initiatives by IFC in the country? We have a specific practice area focussed on tourism development where we are currently working in India on three projects: (1) Buddhist Circuit Upgrading - we are working with the State Governments of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh and the Ministry of Tourism to develop a very focussed strategy for upgrading the
In Aid N IFC is partnering with the Government of Rajasthan in the municipalities of Udaipur and Jodhpur to enhance the tourism experience through improvements in the urban offerings for tourists
municipalities of Udaipur and Jodhpur to enhance the tourism experience through improvements in the urban offerings for tourists. These involve planning and design for upgrading municipal spaces to include options for private investment in tourism services and attractions; (3) Odisha tourism development - IFC is partnering with the Govt of Odisha to plan and develop its tourism assets.
How are these projects funded? These projects are not loans provided to the state governments. They are jointly funded and jointly implemented technical assistance agreements that are focussed on delivering specific results that leverage other investment. For instance, on the work with the Buddhist Circuit, the project identified approximately US$ 200 million of infrastructure and tourism development improvements that were submitted to the Planning Commission for consideration and inclusion in the 12th National Development Plan. A part of that is now being operationalised through a proposed World Bank loan to Uttar Pradesh to upgrade infrastructure and urban envi-
investment in the sites and improved visitor management. The same applies for national parks in India. These have immense potential for the ‘African Safari’ type of experience. Authorities are currently unclear on how to use these areas optimally for both tourism and conservation objectives. Many parts of Africa have very successful tourism and community development initiatives in and around its national parks. In some cases, this has led to financial and ecological sustainability for some of them. The challenge in India is the high volume of domestic tourism visiting or wanting to visit these cultural and natural areas. This can be mitigated with well zoning and effective visitor management.
Could you elaborate on the kind of progress that has been made in each individual project? IFC’s tourism work in India is too recent. We only started working here in 2012. IFC does not give loans to governments, this is not its mandate. We are a private sector development institution and any loans that are made, are made to the private sector on commercial terms for financially-viable projects. With respect to our tourism projects, we do not have results yet. All our work are in initial stages.
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NEWS
TAAI DAILY 2013 – DAY 1
AP for spurt in round-the-year tourism In a freewheeling interaction, learns about various strategic initiatives built around Andhra Pradesh and its keenness to support Southern Zonal Tourism Council (SZTC). VIVEK SETHI
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ndhra Pradesh is among one of the top states that has developed state-of-theart infrastructure and amenities. As per Chandana Khan,
budget, we are looking at utilising all possible means to promote our state. One of the areas that will be our key focus is the MICE segment,” she added. AP also aims at realising travellers’ dream to see Southern India as one
ment and overall socio-cultural development,” said Khan. “The states would need to nurture these assets and create avenues for the state government, private sector, entrepreneurs and most importantly, the local
The states would need to nurture these assets and create avenues for the state government, private sector, entrepreneurs and most importantly, the local community to reap sustainable benefits Chandana Khan, Special Chief Secretary, Tourism, AP Special Chief Secretary, Tourism, AP, “Unlike most states that are still grappling with scarcity of state-of-the art infrastructure, AP has silently developed adequate infrastructure and other facilities in our state. For instance, Hyderabad has the largest MICE infrastructure, which cities like Delhi and Mumbai also lack,” said Khan. “The area that we perhaps lack is aggressive promotion. Now, with 10-fold increase in our promotion
complete product. In this direction, it earnestly believes that all the southern states should be built on their synergies. “We had recently conducted the second Southern Retreat of the southern states at Hyderabad, initiated by WTTC India Initiative. Indian Tourism demands all the stakeholders to come together, cooperate and coordinate. The states play a very important role in this. It is for us to understand the potential that these assets can create for the state’s economy, employ-
community to reap sustainable benefits,” she added. The most dynamic initiative in the direction of bringing all the southern
attractions together is the initiation of the Southern Zonal Tourism Council (SZTC). “The SZTC comprising states of AP, Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and the Union Territory of Puducherry had been mooted at the previous Southern Retreat in 2012. K Chiranjeevi, Minister for Tourism, in his interaction with the WTTC-India office bearers had welcomed and approved the idea,” said Khan. “The setting up of the SZTC will facilitate development of tourism and tourism products of Southern India in a holistic and comprehensive manner. The development of Integrated Tourism Circuits among the southern states will be the way forward. The issues of competitive taxation
of tourism products, interstate taxation, and seamless tourist movement at entry and exit points of the states will also be addressed by the council,” she added. Moreover, AP is also keen to partner its border states to step up tourism promotion jointly. Andhra Pradesh is bordered by Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh and Odisha in the North, the Bay of Bengal in the East, Tamil Nadu to the South and Karnataka to the West. “We have recently signed an MoU with Maharashtra. We are also in advanced deliberations with Tamil Nadu. Going forward, we would like to conduct joint promotions with all our neighbours and expand our
partnership with other states,” said Khan, at the sidelines of the State Ministers’ Conference in New Delhi. Moreover Andhra Pradesh has also taken steps to increase its tourism projects through PPP projects. The programme is supported by the Ministry of Tourism which has already sanctioned ` 221 crore. The initiatives include building coastal corridors along the VizagBheemunipatnam sea front and Vizag-VizianagaramSrikakulam Regional circuit with `175 crore investment, and eight new beach properties in Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, East Godavari, West Godavari, Prakasam and Nellore districts.
Tourism Infrastructure Investments Beach properties at: O Srikakulam O Vizianagaram O East Godavari O West Godavari O Prakasam O Nellore
Coastal corridors: O VizagBheemunipatnam sea front O Vizag-VizianagaramSrikakulam Regional circuit
Hussain Sagar, Hyderabad
` slide boosts inbound medical tourism The weakened rupee has made complex surgeries 35 to 45 per cent cheaper for patients from the Middle East, Africa and South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) countries. M E G H A PAU L
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n the back of weakening of the rupee, inbound medical tourism sector has got a boost with medical procedures becoming cheaper than before. According to a recent Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) study, the inbound medical tourists have shot up by 40 per cent over the last six months, with New Delhi, Hyderabad, Chennai, Bengaluru and Mumbai emerging as frontrunners for this market. “The weak rupee has made complex surgeries 35
to 45 per cent cheaper for patients from the Middle East, Africa and South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation countries. A medical procedure that would have cost US$10,000 in 2012 is now priced US$7,000. Tourists paying in Australian dollars pay 45 per cent less today, while prices are 30 per cent cheaper than before when paid in euros,” the study states. Anil K. Maini, Chairman, CII Sub Committee on Medical Tourism and Medanta’s senior advisor feels there are three indispensable players that dominate the medical tourism sector - tour operators, hotels and hospitals or integrated hospitals-cumhotels. For medical tourism to suc-
Anil K. Maini
EM Najeeb
Chairman, CII Sub Committee on Medical Tourism and Medanta’s senior advisor
Chairman Kerala Chapter- IATO, Kerala
The rise in medical tourism in these few months needs to be sustained ceed, a strong consortium of tour operators, hospitals and hotels is a must. “There has
The drivers are accredited hospitals, English speaking doctors and good connectivity been a rise in medical tourism from the inbound tourist in these few months. However,
this needs to be sustained as this is just a short-term growth. The purpose of the tour operators and agents is to liaise with the insurance companies and the medical practitioners in the European and American markets, so as to ensure a steady stream of patients,” he points out. The cost of the tour operators can be as high as 15 to 20 per cent of the total cost of the service offered. He reveals, “CII’s subcommittee on medical tourism has been working on this since the last seven years. Initially, it was involved in marketing and organising roadshows in Dubai, UK, US and Thailand. But now, it is more focussed on policy matters such as visa issues and other matters concerning medical travel. All the major hospitals are part of this committee, including Fortis, Apollo and Medanta.”
According to EM Najeeb, Chairman, Kerala ChapterIATO, Kerala has been extremely successful in medical tourism. The presence of several tourist spots and the ancient art of treatments have made Kerala an important state in terms of He says, “From the medical tourist’s perspective, the key drivers which motivate a patient to travel to India for medical purpose are the availability of hospitals with international accreditations, treatment provided is comparable to any other destination in developed countries, English speaking doctors and good connectivity. Kerala has all of these and thus, has profited in the recent times.” However, there are a number of challenges faced by this industry ranging from competition from other countries such as Singapore and Malaysia to unhygienic standards outside hotels and hospitals.
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AGENTS
TAAI DAILY 2013 – DAY 1
Air traffic in India grows at 11.5% y-o-y in October 2013: IATA The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced global passenger traffic results for October 2013. The total revenue passenger kilometers (RPKs) rose 6.6% compared to October 2012, an improvement over the September increase of 5.2%. While international passenger demand was up 6.9% in October this year compared to the year-ago, the domestic travel demand rose 6.0% in October compared to a year-ago, largely driven by strong traffic growth in developing markets. IATA stated that India’s airlines experienced double-digit growth as traffic leapt 11.5% in October compared to a year ago. Airlines have experienced substantial volatility in traffic and it is likely that the increase is a result of unusually low volumes a year ago rather than growth in October. Capacity rose 9.4% and load factor climbed 1.4 percentage points to 72.1%.The total revenue passenger kilometers (RPKs) rose 6.6% compared to October 2012, an improvement over the September increase of 5.2%.
World Travel Studio on expansion path It aims to appoint 50 PSAs across India by mid-2014, and have a presence in all metros through branch offices by 2016. A N I TA J A I N
M
umbai-based World Travel Studio, which was launched in February this year, is now on the verge of expansion through its Preferred Sales Agents (PSAs) network, the franchise route and its
appointing PSAs in metros and mini-metro cities and aims to have a network base of 50 PSAs by June 2014. The company, which specialises in customised FIT holidays, currently offers over 108 products online and is in the process of adding more products
Travel agents who opt as our PSAs would get excellent assistance in customised FIT holidays, competitive rates, faster rewards and incentives Haresh Koyande Founder & Managing Director World Travel Studio
own branch offices. At present, World Travel Studio operates from its head office in Mumbai and plans to add few more offices in the city at different locations to service its client base.
in coming months. It recently tied up with ICICI Bank as one of the preferred travel partners and intends to work with other likeminded corporate companies to offer FIT packages to their clients.
On the other hand, World Travel Studio will also start
Talking about the yearround performance and the plans
for coming year, Haresh Koyande, Founder & Managing Director, World Travel Studio said, “India, as a travel market, is performing well and with more airlines expected to operate in Indian skies from next year, India will be a market full of action! We performed well in our first year, and hence plan to expand in our second year. We want to first focus on developing the PSA network. It will give us presence in new markets with less investment. On the other hand, travel agents who opt as our PSAs would get excellent assistance in customised FIT holidays, competitive rates, faster rewards and incentives. Moreover, since we are a new company, we are ready to experiment with strategies, adopt technology for better interface and ready to learn and mould ourselves with new skills, trends, etc.” The company was initially launched as B2C, and has slowly moved to the B2B channel as well. According to Koyande, the B2B market is more exciting and
full of opportunities. “B2B was always on the cards as travel agents in mini metros are looking for agencies who can do hand-holding for them at foreign destinations. With our expert team, we have added the best locations and are constantly adding attractive and excellent products on our portal. We will continue to focus on B2B and our expansion in next year in by 2016. By then, we will have strong presence in all metro cities,” added Koyande.
Growth Plans N At present, World Travel Studio operates from its head office in Mumbai and plans to add few more offices in the city at different locations to service its client base N The company, which specialises in customised FIT holidays, currently offers over 108 products online
COVER STORY
TAAI DAILY 2013 – DAY 1
TRAVTALK
15
Working towards improving tourism Contd. from page 1
that country. However, with focus on domestic and inbound tourism; this year, TAAI Convention is planned in domestic market – in Bengaluru, Karnataka. Mulla
Looking Back N Started in 1951, TAAI has grown with leaps and bounds, expanding its member base (both allied and active) along with building reputation on the national and international level said, “India has loads of potential as states like Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and even North East region are emerging as new destinations apart from the traditional ones like Jammu & Kashmir, Kerala and Rajasthan. However, there is
MoU signed for boosting state tourism Contd. from page 1
Karnataka has also signed an MoU with Andhra Pradesh for cross promotion of tourism in both states earlier this month.
The possibility of extending Karnataka’s Golden Chariot train to Andhra Pradesh was also mooted. "We are extremely happy to associate with Andhra Pradesh government for this MoU. We are optimistic that this will be a step forward in terms of increasing tourism initiatives in both states," Dyavaiah said.
a need to work closely with travel suppliers as government agencies can’t assist travel companies with detailed information. India is booming, but travellers are opting for international destinations, taking money to overseas markets whereas India has much to offer. Associations, travel suppliers and government agencies should work towards improving domestic tourism as Indians are considered as one
of the highest-spending travellers in international markets. Thus, this year our focus is on India, on domestic tourism, inbound tourism, especially South India!” Started in 1951, TAAI has grown with leaps and bounds, expanding its member base (both allied and active) along with building reputation on the 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. Mulla said, “All the previous presidents of TAAI were wellknown personalities in the Indian travel industry. With 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 aim. 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. Thus, we are promoting the domes-
tic, inbound and outbound tourism 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 Jubilee during 2051.” So, welcomes the delegates in Bengaluru – the IT capital of India and wishes a fruitful time for next two days packed with business opportunities!
16 TRAVTALK
AGENTS
TAAI DAILY 2013 – DAY 1
TrawellTag ties up with Cover More The re-branded entity combines TrawellTag’s local market knowledge and established distribution channel, along with Cover More’s global expertise and customer-focussed innovations. A N I TA J A I N
A
cting as a catalyst to develop and grow the Indian travel insurance sector, Mumbai-based TrawellTag recently tied up with Australia-based Cover More. The re-branded entity ‘TrawellTag Cover More’ combines TrawellTag’s local market knowledge and established distribution channel, along with Cover More’s global expertise and customerfocussed innovation in the travel insurance and medical assistance segment. According to Dev Karvat, Managing Director, TrawellTag Cover More; the partnership will acknowledge the challenges faced by Indian travel agents while selling travel insurance and also build confidence among Indian travellers to buy insurance while travelling.
Karvat informs that the partnership will be very rewarding for their distribution partners, travel agents and travellers in India. He
to develop the market, make travellers understand the need and benefits of insurance while travelling, and on the other hand make travel
It’s not just travel insurance, but much more. It’s like ‘travel assistance’ wherein we are available 24x7 for any help, assistance or suggestions for our clients Dev Karvat Managing Director, TrawellTag Cover More
said, “Currently, the penetration level of travel insurance in India is very low as compared to global markets. Close to 20 per cent travellers buy travel insurance, of which most buy only due to visa requirements. It’s time
agents aware of the potential of travel insurance for ancillary revenue options.” Cover More successfully developed the Australian travel insurance market to 60-80 per cent in a span of seven to eight years by
offering innovative travel insurance products. Following similar strategy, Karvat is confident to develop the Indian travel insurance market through variety of travel insurance products which will fit into every need to different travellers. He adds, “Indians adapt to innovations and trends at a much faster rate than many global markets. All we have to do is make them aware of the benefits travel insurance can offer, especially TrawellTag Cover More. It’s not just travel insurance, but much more. It’s like ‘travel assistance’ wherein we are available 24x7 for any help, assistance or suggestions for our clients. For example, we assist travellers when they lose their passport while travelling or if they want to rent a car,
Know more about Cover More 1. Based in Sydney, Cover More is the market leader in Australia and the largest pure travel and medical assistance business in Asia. It has operations in Australia, New Zealand, UK, Malaysia and China - and now, with TrawellTag in India. 2. In the past year, Cover More has sold more than US$ 350 million of travel insurance throughout Asia and Australia. This is around five times the size of the total Indian travel insurance market. book a meeting room or even book a restaurant while they are not in India. We also provide cover to their family back home when our clients are travelling.” In addition, it will also have greater focus on claims handling efficiency and customer claims experience. TrawellTag Cover More offers global assistance including services like online tracking of lost luggage,
medical and travel insurance, family protection, concierge assistance. The company is also in process of introducing global SIM cards soon, which will be different from the usual run-of-the-mill. “We intend to introduce global SIMs by end of this fiscal, which will not only have best calling rates, but also data service plans, travel apps and many other options to make travel more fun and easier.”
‘A hassle-free visa regime needed’ The CII Services Conclave, organised recently, identified visa liberalisation and rationalisation of taxation as the key to stimulating tourism growth. gives details of the event. VIVEK SETHI
I
n the session dedicated to identifying challenges and bottlenecks in tourism sector during the Services Conclave, the expert panel identified visa and tax-related issues as prime challenges for inhibiting the growth of inbound sector. The Conclave was jointly organised by Ministry of Commerce and Industry, and the CII. The panel unanimously agreed that foreign arrivals will grow substantially, if two concern areas are addressed. The panellists included Subhash Goyal, President, IATO; Arjun Sharma, Co–Chairman, CII National Committee on Tourism and MD, Le Passage to India and Kapil Chopra, President, The Oberoi Group. It was chaired by Girish Shanker, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Tourism and MD, ITDC. Here, Shanker said “Tourism is one of the
close to half of its total inbound arrivals.” Sharma said, “The organised form of inbound tourism to India is only about a million. India needs to address its most critical areas, namely, access
fastest-growing sectors globally and in India. In fact, India has registered a higher growth-rate in foreign arrivals than the global average. In 2013, the growth rate has moderated a little, but it still promises to get better.” “We are hopeful that the extension of Visa-onArrival facility will enhance the growth momentum. A recent UNWTO study on visa process had also elaborated that liberal visa access can push growth in foreign arrivals substantially,” he said. But, Incredible India can’t tap the global tourism market without a detailed plan, opines Goyal. “The global international tourists, travelling across international borders, are now above one billion. India is the greatest show on earth and deserves a reasonable chunk of the global tourism pie. In this direction, our tourism industry needs long-term vision. We can do a similar revolution that IT had done in a policy framework that’s conducive to growth of the private sector,” said Goyal.
Girish Shanker
Subhash Goyal
Additional Secretary Ministry of Tourism and MD, ITDC
President IATO
India registered a higher growth rate in FTAs than the global average. It has moderated a little, but it will get better
“Unfortunately, we are over-regulated and overtaxed than most of the destinations that we compete with,” he admitted. Suggesting a way out, Chopra said “Visa policy is the most crucial aspect. Countries like Dubai, Thailand and even Indonesia are getting more tourists than India because
We can do a similar revolution that IT had done in a policy framework that’s conducive to growth of the private sector of the easy access. Hence, the government should, instead of rolling out VoA to a number of countries, should open them to strategic markets first. The German market can be one such case study, where rolling out of VoA facility can help India even get 250,000, arrivals from one source market, which is
due to ease of visa access. India has to address this issue and make visa accessible and hassle-free. We also need to move more aggressively towards rationalising tax structures, as
Kapil Chopra
Arjun Sharma
President The Oberoi Group
Co–Chairman, CII National Committee on Tourism and MD, Le Passage to India
Rolling out VoA in Germany can help India get even 2,50,000, arrivals from one source market to visa. People travel longer to reach China and Thailand, bypassing India,
People travel longer to reach China and Thailand, bypassing India entirely due to ease of visa access
today the cumulative incidence of tax is about 27-28 per cent on a tourist.”
18 TRAVTALK
RESEARCH TALK
TAAI DAILY 2013 – DAY 1
The Ministry of Tourism has set a target for doubling inbound arrivals and domestic tourist visits during the 12th Plan period. The statistics in the first pie-diagram show the vast opportunities India has to grow its top 15 markets along with new markets. The second pie-diagram reflects the immense growth potential that various Indian states and Union territories possess, especially ones like Kerala and Karnataka. Contd. on page 20
Percentage share of Top 10 Countries for FTAs in India in 2012 Others
Share of Top States/UTs of India in Number of Foreign Tourists Visit in 2012
USA
39.47%
15.81%
Himachal Pradesh Kerala
11.98%
3.8%
Bangladesh
7.40% Sri Lanka Australia
3.07%
Japan
France
3.34% 3.66%
Germany
3.88%
Karnataka
2.9%
Others
Maharashtra*
9.9%
24.7%
Bihar
4.52%
Malaysia
2.98%
2.4%
UK
5.3%
Canada
3.89%
West Bengal Rajasthan
5.9%
7.0%
Uttar Pradesh
9.6%
Delhi
11.3%
Tamil Nadu
17.2%
Source: MOT
Tourism in the World: Key Figures GDP-direct, 9% ofindirect 1in11 US$1.3 and jobs trillion in induced impact
exports
25
1,035 billion 5-6domestic int’l1.8tourists billion
from million international million in tourists in 1950 to... 2012
tourists
predicted in 2030 Source: UNWTO
20 TRAVTALK
RESEARCH TALK
TAAI DAILY 2013 – DAY 1
India as a round-the-year destination Contd. from page 18
Going forward, the month-wise tourist arrivals show that India is growing into a round-the-year-destination as the gap between peak and lean periods narrow down. Towards the end, we draw comparison of the India’s potential and its present status in the global tourism market.
Share of Top 10 Countries of the World and India in International Tourism Receipts in 2012
Percentage share of Top 10 Countries of the World and India in International Tourist Arrivals in 2012
Spain
USA
France
USA
8.02%
5.20%
11.96%
China
5.57%
China
4.65%
Spain
5.57%
Italy
Italy
Others
4.48% Others
61.60%
India
0.64%
54.94%
Turkey Malaysia Russia
UK
France
5.00%
3.45%
3.83% India
1.61 Australia
Germany
2.42% 2.48% 2.83% 2.94%
2.93%
Germany
Hong Kong
3.54%
2.95%
Macao (China)
UK
3.39% Source: MOT
Quick Fact
Share of Top 10 Countries of the World and India in International Tourist Arrivals in 2012 Rank
6%
Global Tourism contributes around 6 per cent of the world’s exports Source: UNWTO
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
Country
France USA China Spain Italy Turkey Germany UK Russia Malaysia Total of Top Countries India# Others Total
Int’l Tourist Arrivals in mn.
Percentage (%) share
83.0 N.A. 57.7 57.7 46.4 35.7 30.4 29.3 25.7 25.0 390.9
8.02 – 5.57 5.57 4.48 3.45 2.94 2.83 2.48 2.42 37.76
6.6 637.5 1035.0
(P) : Provisional, NA: Not Available # Excludes nationals of the country residing abroad Source: UNWTO Barometer April 2013
0.64 61.60 100.00
Share of Top 10 Countries of the World and India in International Tourism Receipts 2012 Rank
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
Country
USA Spain France China Italy Macao (China) Germany UK Hong Kong China Australia India Others Total
(P) : Provisional, NA: Not Available Source: UNWTO Barometer April 2013
Int’l Tourist Receipts (P) (in US$ billion)
128.6 55.9 53.7 50.0 41.2 N.A. 38.1 36.4 31.7 31.5 17.7 590.2 1075.0
Percentage (%) share
11.96 5.20 5.00 4.65 3.83 – 3.54 3.39 2.95 2.93 1.61 54.94 100.00
22 TRAVTALK
TAAI DAILY 2013 – DAY 1
FAMILY ALBUM
Cyprus hosts 1 roadshow in Delhi st
Cyprus Tourism Organisation (CTO) recently hosted its first roadshow in India in Delhi. The event showcased the country's tourism products for leisure, corporate meetings and incentive travel to woo the Indian travellers. The roadshow was attended by delegates from Cyprus and their Indian counterparts from the Indian travel industry.
24 TRAVTALK
AVIATION
TAAI DAILY 2013 – DAY 1
Air Asia underlines India’s importance In an exclusive interview with , Azran Osman-Rani, CEO of AirAsia X says that the airline has now carried more than 10 million passengers across 18 destinations in 9 countries of the Asia-Pacific region. AirAsia X plans to start more routes and buy more planes, according to him. AirAsia that flies to India. They go to 5 short-haul destinations - Kolkata, Chennai, Tiruchirapalli, Bengaluru and Kochi.
L E K H A S H A N KA R How would you differentiate AirAsia and AirAsia X? AirAsia focusses on the short-haul flights- those that are less than 4 hours. Any flight that is 4 hours or more - what we call ‘medium and long-haul’- falls under AirAsia X.
What about the plans to start an AirAsia India hub? They are very much on, and we are all waiting anxiously for it. As you know, Mittu Chandilya has already been named as our CEO for the India office. The licences take time, but once the office is launched, it will be an important factor to establish the AirAsia brand
AirAsia X used to fly to New Delhi? Yes, we launched flights to New Delhi in 2010, which was a 5-hour flight from KL. But it did not prove to be
in India. It’s all about ‘branding’ in this highly competitive and ruthless airline industry.
profitable for many reasons. There was only one-way traffic as most of the ethnic Indians in KL fly to the South of India rather than the North. Secondly, the airport taxes at New Delhi Airport were increased astronomically by nearly 200%. Lastly, Malaysia stopped its VoA (Visa-on-Arrival) scheme in 2010, which affected tourism. So now, it’s only
destinations. But we are great believers in ‘focus.’
You recently launched a Thai AirAsia X office in Bangkok? Yes, we launched this in October, after one year of working for it. This will be our second hub, after KL, and we hope to start a hub in Indonesia, later. AirAsia has a strong brand-image in Thailand, where it flies to at least 14 cities, which is why we thought it would be a good time to launch AirAsia X there, and start flights to destinations like Japan, Korea
and Australia. We always start hubs in countries where we have a strong brand image.
The airline industry is facing lot of challenges, isn’t it?
With huge numbers of Indian tourists going to Bangkok, will this benefit them?
Yes, it’s not easy for any of us, with volatile currencies, increasing fuel prices, bureaucratic and infrastructure constraints, in many new
Without a doubt it would, as multi-destination tourism has become a strong phenomenon with Asian travellers, including
Any other benefit for you?
Indians. In fact, this will be a brand-building image for AirAsia and AirAsia X with the Indian market. This will be good when we start a hub in India. India is a very important market for us. After all, it’s almost like a continent.
China seems a bigger market for you? China, like India, is so big, that AirAsia and AirAsia X both fly there. The southern cities like Kunming are less than 4 hours, while the northern cities like Shanghai are more than 4 hours from KL, which is why AirAsia X recently launched a flight to Shanghai. More than a third of our business comes from China, where we are very well-established. Europe is in recession, which is why we are focussing on the Asia Pacific region. We recently started new routes to Adelaide in Australia, Busan in Korea, as also Colombo in Srilanka, and Maldives.
How do you select new routes? We try to start 4 new routes, every year. We usually choose new routes in countries where we expect to have a strong two-way traffic, and where we have a strong presence through AirAsia. Right now, AirAsia is the leading low-cost carrier in SE Asia –they have 7 flights/ day to Bangkok and 5 flights/ day to Bali from KL.
Azran Osman-Rani
AirAsia X uses widebody aircraft, which is not common for low-cost carriers. That’s why we offer the Flat Bed service, which you don’t find in low-cost carriers. They cost as much as an Economy ticket in regular airlines. There are other benefits that come with it like free food, increased baggage allowance, separate check-in etc.
CEO of Air Asia
Travellers from India can please note this!
So, would you say that you are piggy-backing on the success of AirAsia? We have a symbiotic relationship. We launched AirAsia X in 2007, because of the huge success of AirAsia, which was launched in 2001. They are our feeder carriers. As far as the consumer is concerned, we are one brand and have one website, which is a huge benefit.
Are you excited by the formation of ‘Asean’ in 2015? Definitely; in fact with AirAsia being the top-most low-cost carrier in SE Asia, we hope to start more hubs, when ‘Asean’ becomes one unit in 2015. We expect a lot more intra-Asean travel, more feeder network through AirAsia, which will have a spill-over effect on us.
Do you plan to buy new aircraft? This year, we ordered 7 airplanes, and by the end of the year, we’ll have 19 more. By 2017, we expect to have 32 more wide-body aircraft (Airbus A330 300). Our target is to fly 15 million passengers by 2014, after which we may consider flying to Russia, Turkey and the Middle East.
Would you say that the AirAsia has truly pioneered low-cost travel in Asia? Absolutely. No one believed Tony Fernandes’ dreams would become a reality, especially his long-haul flights. We have created a new demand for travel .Today, people wait for our ‘sales’ (at least four times a year), buy up the tickets immediately, and then make their travel-plans! Our ‘free’ tickets are a powerful incentive. We have truly democratised travel.
UNWTO:Exploring tourism communication formats The impact of technological innovation and evolving media channels on tourism commu-
nication was the focus of the 3rd UNWTO International Conference on Tourism and the Media, part of an ongoing series aimed to lend tourism a higher level of editorial recognition (2-3 December 2013, Estoril, Portugal).
Vikramajit Chairman SanJeet Editor & Publisher Deepa Sethi Editor-in-Chief
Editorial Ratan Kr Paul Vivek Sethi Megha Paul Devika Jeet Anita Jain News-Editor Peden Doma Bhutia Desk-Editor Archana Sharma Sr. Sub-Editor Hritvick Sen
Marketing Gunjan Sabikhi Harshal Ashar Aarti Nagrath Karishma Khanna Manish Singh Shovan Kanungo Priyanshu Wankhade Amit Sarkar Gaganpreet Kaur Rishika Karra Elizabeth Rani
Centered around the theme, “How new media is shaping the news”, the Conference addressed, among others, the issues of tourism in today´s media coverage, the new media environment, the emergence of bloggers as influential news sources, and the transversal impact of technology on all communication formats. Opening the Conference, UNWTO Secretary-General,
Design Nityanand Misra Sudhir Mudgal Vikas Mandotia Nitin Kumar Aarushi Agrawal Production Manager
Anil Kharbanda Circulation
Ashok Rana
Taleb Rifai, said “while tourism coverage by mainstream, business and news agencies is growing, there is still much room for tourism to have greater journalistic recognition. New media can bridge this gap. In today´s interconnected world, tourism communication has evolved from being an exclusive encounter to an inclusive experience.” “Portugal has made a
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strategic decision in terms of promotion strategy, and that
was to give a higher priority to new media and online communication as a means to adapt to the changes occurring in the markets” said Adolfo Mesquida Nunes, Secretary of State for Tourism of Portugal. Organised in cooperation with Turismo de Portugal, the Conference gathered key speakers and panellists, as well as influential social media players from Brazil, Kenya and Uruguay.
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Taleb Rifai Secretary-General, UNWTO