Travtalk December 1st issue by Ashish Chakraborty

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A DDP PUBLICATION

Pages: 56 (Excluding cover)

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Vol. XXV No. 23; December 1 st fortnight issue 2013

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‘An easy visa regime needed’ The CII Services Conclave identifies visa liberalisation and rationalisation of taxation as the key to stimulating tourism growth. gives details of the event. VIVEK SETHI

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

Kapil Chopra, President, The Oberoi Group. It was chaired by Girish Shanker, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Tourism and MD, ITDC.

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–

India registered a higher growth rate in FTAs than the global average. It has moderated a little, but it will get better

Girish Shanker Additional Secretary Ministry of Tourism and MD, ITDC

Chairman, CII National Committee on Tourism and MD, Le Passage to India and

Here, Shanker said “Tourism is one of the 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.” “India is a 365-day destination with immense

potential. We are hopeful that the extension of Visaon-Arrival 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 Contd. on page 5

India backs the Philippines catches up with Guldeep Singh Sahni, President, OTOAI to know about strengthening the Indian-Filipino travel-trade partnerships. M E G H A PAU L

ust a month before the Convention, The Philippines was struck by Typhoon Haiyan and earthquakes. This did not deter the spirit of OTOAI that is now

TRAVTALK

travtalkindia.com

DECEMBER 1 ST FORTNIGHT ISSUE 2013

hosting its first convention in Manila. Tourism is the best possible way to help The Philippines recover and OTOAI will support the country through its first convention here. According to Sahni, the main motto of the maiden

We want to counteract the damage done and help the Philippines to recover as soon as possible Contd. on page 16

Guldeep Singh Sahni President, OTOAI

News Bulletin Single-window clearance for hospitality

See full story on page 6

FITUR 2014 for branding and social media See full story on page 7

A new jewel in Aerocity See full story on page 15

‘India is a very important market for us’ See full story on page 24

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BULLETIN

ATOAI roadshows now in Europe Akshay Kumar, President, Adventure Tour Operators Association of India (ATOAI), says that their recent overseas roadshows were a big success. PEDEN DOMA BHUTIA What was the idea behind hosting a roadshow in the US and Canada?

attended by eight Indian companies. The participation of the FTOs, which is the key to the success of any roadshow, has been phenomenal with the highest

The USA and Canada are very strong markets full of adventure travellers. Also, ATOAI is a member of the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA) based in Seattle and we were supported by the ATTA in inviting focussed adventure and active travel companies for this roadshow.

How was the reception to the roadshows in these places? The reception of the roadshows in all venues was very impressive. All the venues were well-equipped with everything in place and the event was managed very well. The roadshows were

Dates N ATOAI roadshow is in Europe from February 18-24, 2014 covering Frankfurt, Munich, Zurich, Geneva and Oslo.

Are you planning more such roadshows? If so, where? The Ministry of Tourism has approved another roadshow for ATOAI in this financial year. The next ATOAI roadshow is in Europe from February 18-24, 2014 covering Frankfurt, Munich, Zurich, Geneva and Oslo.

How helpful will the 50% rebate on peak fee levied by the IMF be for the industry?

Akshay Kumar President, Adventure Tour Operators Association of India (ATOAI)

turn out. In Los Angeles, we had 63 FTOs participating; in San Francisco, 64; in Seattle, 68; in Vancouver, 93 and 82 in Toronto. Tour operators, who are primarily dealing with active holidays, soft adventure packages, special interest tours, experiential culture tourism products etc., had been invited from different cities to participate in the ATOAI roadshows.

50% rebate on the peak fee levied by the IMF is a great opportunity for the flow of foreign tourists to India and generation of foreign exchange reserves for the Government of India. The rebate will encourage more climbing expeditions to Indian Himalayas and give a boost to the “777 Days of the Incredible Indian Himalayas” campaign. It will also help in generation of employment and entrepreneurial opportunities for the stakeholders and local population.

How do you look at the year 2013? What are your plans? The year 2013 was good. We started the year with

the promotion of North-East India by organising our 10th Annual Convention at Guwahati, Assam. A new team of ATOAI has taken over the reins. The relationship with the Ministry of Tourism, has been further strengthened. We have been invited by Government of West Bengal twice to conduct seminars on Scopes and Avenues on Adventure Tourism in West Bengal. We have also contributed to relief materials in Uttarakhand during natural disaster. A campaign titled “777 Days of the Incredible Indian Himalayas” had been launched by the Ministry of Tourism and ATOAI. We had successful roadshows in USA and Canada conducted with the support of the MOT. We have also tied up with GIZ (Gesellschaft fuer Internationale Zusammenarbeit GMBH) to organise a full-day seminar in Uttarakhand on December 13, 2013, followed by safety and disaster management workshops across the state. We are also looking forward to conduct similar seminars and workshops across other states also.

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STATISTICS

TAAI all set for 61 convention st

VIEWPOINT

Highly Active December

he closing of the calendar year is a busy season for travel agents all over the world. Other than the pressure of the peak season, many of the scheduled key travel-trade events are also keeping Indian travel agents on the move. To start with, the first OTOAI convention in the Philippines from December 1-4, 2013 has received an overwhelming response. Their convention becomes even more important because it reflects that the travel trade in India is not only resilient, but is willing to support a deserving destination in times of need. As we all know, Philippines was ravaged by a massive typhoon that put their tourism severely out of gear. Going by the theme of the OTOAI convention ‘The Changing Face of Indian Outbound’, it certainly highlights the new India. The second event is the CII Tourism Fest in Chandigarh from December 5-7, 2013. It had been designed in such a manner so as to showcase Northern India’s vast set of products to the Indian and foreign travel agents' fraternity. It has got an international flavour as well. It will be the first dedicated platform, primarily aimed at creating a conducive environment for the growth of the tourism sectors in Delhi, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Chandigarh. Towards the middle of December, the 61st Indian Travel Congress, TAAI Convention & Exhibition 2013 will be held in Bengaluru from December 13-16. The Department of Tourism, Government of Karnataka is supporting the event as the host state. Travel agents will come together in large numbers to decide on the selection of a team for the next term to support and assist members with various industry-specific issues.

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

Advertising Gunjan Sabikhi Asst. Vice President Aarti Nagrath General Manager Karishma Khanna Sr. Manager Marketing Udit Pandey Sr. Manager Marketing Geetika Pathak Manager Advertising Amit Sarkar Asst. Manager Marketing Photographers Simran Kaur-Delhi Bharat Dangiya-Mumbai

Over 600 delegates expected to attend 61st annual Convention at the IT capital Bengaluru from December 13-15, 2013 to network and learn about new trends in the travel industry. We are expecting over 600 confirmations and assure the delegates that they will take back some really useful ideas and tips to grow their business next year

A N I TA J A I N

he annual Indian Travel Congress-2013 is all ready to showcase the latest trends and business strategies in the Indian travel market during its 61st annual Convention and Exhibition of Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI). Scheduled between December 13-15, 2013; close to 300 delegates have already registered for the convention (while this edition of TravTalk was going into print) and the association is expecting to welcome over 600 delegates. Apart from learning new trends, networking with the who’s who of the industry, getting to know new travel products at India Travel Trade Expo

Iqbal Mulla President, TAAI

(ITTE 2013), the delegates would also experience the hospitality by Taj Group. Bengaluru being the IT capital, the convention will also focus on the multiple benefits of adapting to technology and deploying it in the Indian travel business model.

Talking about the convention, Iqbal Mulla, President, TAAI said, “We have always received excellent support from our members and travel trade suppliers in India. This year, we are expecting a good turnout, considering it’s at a domestic destination with value-for-money package deals. We are expecting over 600 confirmations and assure the delegates that they will take back some really useful ideas and tips to grow their business next year.”

He said, “We have negotiated and designed an attractive package to encourage more delegates to participate in the Convention. Special air fares are also being worked out with various airlines and this will be communicated soon. The local chapter members and the Ministry of Tourism of Karnataka are absolutely committed to offer the best of the hospitality in making the convention a grand success.”

CII Tourism Fest

North India to be highlighted The attention the international tourist fest draws from the leading Indian and international players on the North Indian offerings will be the main USP of the event. the discussions are on with other states to partner in this unique initiative. The aim is to boost tourism industry and in turn the economy as a whole.”

T T B U R E AU

he North Indian states and Union Territories had wanted to showcase their vast set of offerings to dedicated Indian and foreign travel agents. The CII Tourism fest to be organised from 5-7 December, 2013, had been designed in such manner to fulfill all desires of these states and union territories at their door step. “The Confederation of Indian Industry is organising a ‘CII Tourism Fest’ to boost tourism and hospitality

Partner States N It would be a first-of-itskind initiative, primarily aimed at creating an enabling environment conducive to the growth of tourism sector N Chandigarh would be the venue for the CII Tourism Fest

Advertising (Mumbai) Suchita Saran Branch Manager Harshal Ashar Deputy Genral Manager Priyanshu Wankhade Asst. Manager Advertising Rishika Karra Sales Coordinator Advertisement Designers Vikas Mandotia / Nitin Kumar Aarushi Agrawal Design: Nityanand Misra Sudhir Mudgal Production: Anil Kharbanda Circulation: Ashok Rana

Dignitaries announcing launch of CII Tourism Fest

industry and showcase tourism potential in the eight Northern states and UT of Chandigarh. The USP of our CII Tourism Fest will be the attention which the event will draw from leading Indian and international players on the offerings of the northern India. There have been a lot of initiatives being packed in the maiden international fest on tourism and hospitality. There will be both B2B and B2C components, which will complement each other and help stimulate further growth in tourism business,” said

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Arjun Sharma, Chairman, CII Tourism Fest 2013. The run-up to the CII Fest had also been eventful. In a news meet to announce the show Jayant Davar, Chairman, CII Northern Region said, “The first-ever ‘CII Tourism Fest’ would be organised with the partnership of all northern state governments in Chandigarh on 5-7 December, 2013 with a lot of domestic and international participation. Punjab and Chandigarh would be the host states and

“It would have an international flavour as well. It would be a first-of-its-kind initiative, primarily aimed at creating an enabling environment conducive to the growth of tourism sector and attracting investments in Delhi, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and UT Chandigarh. Chandigarh has been chosen as the location due to its connectivity with plain states and being a gateway to the hilly states, in addition to being the Capital of both Punjab & Haryana. Chandigarh also acts as a transit point for tourists in addition to being a hub of Tourism, Culture, Festivity and Business of North India,” he added.

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COVER STORY

DECEMBER 1 ST FORTNIGHT ISSUE 2013

TRAVTALK

Access to visa most critical for India Contd. from page 1

above one billion. India is the greatest show on earth and deserves a reasonable

Subhash Goyal President IATO

We can do a similar revolution that IT had done in a policy framework that’s conducive to growth of the private sector chunk of the global tourism pie. In this direction, our tourism industry needs long-term vision. We can do

Kapil Chopra President The Oberoi Group

Rolling out VoA in Germany can help India get even 2,50,000, arrivals from one source market, which is close to half of its total inbound arrivals a similar revolution that IT had done in a policy framework that’s conducive to growth of the private sector,” said Goyal. “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 of the easy access. Industry reckons that there are security issues. 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 close to half of its total inbound arrivals.” Echoing similar views, 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 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

Arjun Sharma Co–Chairman, CII National Committee on Tourism and MD, Le Passage to India

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 today the cumulative incidence of tax is about 27-28 per cent on a tourist.”

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STATES

TRAVTALK DECEMBER 1 ST FORTNIGHT ISSUE 2013

Single-window clearance for hospitality Maharashtra’s proposal includes reduction in number of licenses, abolishment of drinking and tourism zones operating 24X7. Hotel and Restaurant Association of Western India (HRAWI) announced their support to this proposal. A N I TA J A I N

he Hospitality Development Promotion Board of Maharashtra has recently proposed liberlisation of licensing policies, single window clearance and new licensing policy for hospitality players in the state. The proposal includes curbing number of licenses, permits, NOCs (No-Objection Certificate) and registrations from 38 to 19 for opening a new restaurant or renewing existing licenses. It also includes appraisals for tourist stretches that would remain open round-the-clock and abolishment of drinking

(MTDC) will become the nodal agency to which hotels and restaurants will apply for new licenses and renewals. Thus, MTDC will act as a single window that will in turn fetch all licenses from the relevant department on the Board and ensure that the permits are granted within a set time frame. The apex body of hotels and restaurants of western India, Hotel and Restaurant Association of Western India (HRAWI) has wholeheartedly supported the new licensing policy. The association also proposed five tourist zones for Mumbai,

What the Policy means The proposal includes curbing number of licenses, permits, NOCs (No-Objection Certificate) and registrations from 38 to 19 for opening a new restaurant or renewing existing licenses. It also includes appraisals for tourist stretches that would remain open round-the-clock and abolishment of drinking permits among others

permits among others. Once the policy is implemented, Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation

Bandra Kurla Complex, region around Domestic and International airport, Bandra and Kalaghoda.

have the full backing not only of its members but the entire hospitality industry and sectors directly and indirectly associated to it. “This is a landmark initiative and will

Dinesh Advani

Kamlesh Barot

President HRAWI

Immediate Past President HRAWI

This is a landmark initiative and will lead to the revival of the hospitality industry in state During a press conference in Mumbai, the association urged the government to implement the policy at the earliest and conveyed that the proposals have the full backing not only of its

Convincing inbound tourists to stay one more night will mean more forex members but the entire hospitality industry and sectors directly and indirectly associated to it. It urged the Government to implement the policy at the earliest and conveyed that the proposals

the Maharashtra government, the board discussed threadbare the Portal logistics, simplifying the process for investors and reducing time

Once the policy is implemented, Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) will become the nodal agency to which hotels and restaurants will apply for new licenses and renewals Thus, MTDC will act as a single window that will in turn fetch all licenses from the relevant department on the Board and ensure that the permits are granted within a set time frame.

How the new Policy Benefits Industry

lead to the revival of the hospitality industry in Maharashtra. The vibrancy and health of the hotels and restaurants of a state is directly linked to the region’s economic growth and prosperity. We whole heartedly welcome the initiative of Maharashtra Government,” said Dinesh Advani, President, HRAWI. During the Hospitality Development Promotion Board (HDPB) meetings with

taken by 65 per cent with immaculate time frames. Adding further, Kamlesh Barot, the Immediate Past President, HRAWI said, “If inbound tourist increases their overnight stay in Maharashtra, the state government can earn more in the form of forex exchange. For example, considering the current number of inbound tourists to Maharashtra, if all of them increase their Contd. on page 7

Konkan, Vidarbha push growth by 100% Maharashtra has recorded cent per cent growth in tourism around Konkan belt and Vidarbha region. more on its future plans… T T B U R E AU

fter organising multiple roadshows and events around the fairs and festivals of the state in domestic and international markets, Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) is gaining the rewards. Apparently, the state recorded excellent domestic tourist traffic dur-

ing Diwali festival this year. As per the figures provided by MTDC, the Konkan belt (popular for beaches) recorded the highest number of tourist inflow in the state followed by the Vidarbha region. Beaches and wildlife tourism were the most preferred attractions apart from the world heritage sites of Contd. on page 11

As per our records, the Konkan region has recorded 100 per cent occupancy. Our Vidarbha region which is popular for its wildlife and flora and fauna also received excellent response Jagdish Patil Managing Director, MTDC

reports

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EXHIBITIONS

DECEMBER 1 ST FORTNIGHT ISSUE 2013

TRAVTALK

FITUR 2014 for branding and social media The trade fair, which is due to take place in Madrid (Spain) from January 22-26, has launched a campaign in the social media for Europe and the Americas aimed at boosting their use as a tool for promoting tourism. T T B U R E AU

n view of the staging of its 33rd event (22-26 January), and in collaboration with a number of renowned bodies and companies from the industry, FITUR is organising a series of different environments designed to boost the tourism brands of the different destinations and bodies that take part at the trade fair. This is precisely at a time in which new technologies have opened up unlimited branding opportunities, with the Internet and the social media operating at the forefront of all of the latest trends. In short, this will be the main theme of the Seventh Exceltur Forum, an event organised by the employer's association, EXCELTUR, in collaboration with the UNWTO and FITUR. This forum will take place on 21 January, the day before the commencement of FITUR, in the North Auditorium at Feria de Madrid.

The theme at the meeting will be “Tourism: A Key Industry for Strengthening a Country’s Brand”, which aims to bring together representation from the international tourist industry and from politics and business. This event will focus on the objective of promoting the best information in order to facilitate progress in terms of competitiveness within the tourist industry, based on the vital role of the Internet and

On the growth spree Contd. from page 6

overnight stay in the state by just one night or more, the state government would earn close to ` 599 per night.” An online single window clearance shopping cart will increase room inventory for the state and reduce room tariffs, reduce waste of time, increase efficiency and form an ideal state to emulate across the country.” Currently, this association has 1,300 members. It assists members operating in the western India region in the states of Maharashtra, Gujarat, Goa, Madhya Pradesh and the adjoining Union Territories.

new technologies applied to tourism. Intelligent destinations will also be subjected to debate and reflection, based on an analysis of different trends and success stories presented at the trade fair by SEGITUR and the Spanish Foreign Trade Institute

(ICEX) within the framework of Fitur Know- How & Export. In this respect, participants will gain an insight into the vision of a number of differ-

ent experts in sustainability, accessibility and technology regarding the tourist destinations of the future. Other themes of interest will

include Google Glass, in its capacity as a tool for discovering destinations via the Internet. FITUR will also join the growing world of apps with the staging of the First Tourism Apps Competition, organised within the framework of Fitur Know-How & Export. This Competition will

select the best Spanish application for the tourist industry within four different categories (Active Tourism, Sun & Beach Tourism, Cultural Tourism and an Open Category), as well as the best foreign tourist application in the category of Best Destination Guide.

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STATES

Wooing tourists@WTM Travel operators from Netherlands and Bangladesh showed interest in the wide variety of tourism products on display by The Department of Tourism, West Bengal Government. T T B U R E AU

he Department of Tourism, Govt of West Bengal participated at the World Tourism Mart London for the first time independently by setting up an exclusive stall and offering a bou-

and special interest tours that offered destinations from religious and archaeological centres. A high level entourage comprising led by Ajit Ranjan Bardhan, Principal Secretary, Tourism Department, Government of West Bengal,

people visited the stall while 280 B2B meetings were set up. During his visit to the West Bengal tourism pavilion, Jagdish (Director of India Tourism-London) said that

“The efforts of the West Bengal Govt should pay off very well in terms of promoting the state as a tourism destination as the state has immense beauty and culture.” He also spoke highly of the well made stand the government built at the fair.

Ribbon cut by Ajit Ranjan Bardhan, Principal Secretary, Tourism, Govt Of West Bengal; accompanied by BD Das Gupta, MD (WBTDC)

quet of specially-designed tourism products from the state and also business promotions. The participation also offered opportunities for tourism investments in the state. The Department of Tourism, during B2B meetings, marketed a wide range of tourism products from wild life experiences at Sunderban Biosphere Reserve, Darjeeling’s tea and toy train, the forests of Duars in North Bengal, the sea beaches at Dihga and Sagar Islands. Also on offer were religious

Bhishamdeb Dasgupta, MD, West Bengal Tourism Development Corporation and Sarbanti Sen, Assistant Manager, West Bengal Tourism Development Corporation were at The World Tourism Mart London to promote tourism from the state. The fair witnessed participation from nearly 50,000 senior travel industry professionals, government officers and representatives of the international media, who converged to buy tour products. An estimated 3,000

Speaking on the success of the participation, Bardhan said, “Inbound tourism has been accorded a priority in West Bengal by the Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.” The USP of participation at this international travel forum exclusively was to market the tourism opportunity in the state of West Bengal to tour operators across the world. Thus leading tour operators, hoteliers, airlines from West Bengal, along with the state tourism department got the chance to promote packages across the state to look forward to forge ties with buyers.

ATOAI hosts roadshow in USA and Canada

The Adventure Tour Operators Association of India (ATOAI) and India Tourism offices in USA and Canada, recently hosted a five-city roadshow for USA and Canada tour operators and travel professionals interested in learning more about India’s wide range of travel options for active travelers.

UNESCO backing for Spice Route Project The UNESCO’s backing for the Spice Route Project by the Kerala government came after two days of meetings and presentations at the UN agency’s headquarters in Paris in

November 2013. The meetings were led by Vinay Sheel Oberoi, India’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to UNESCO and Suman Billa , Kerala Tourism Secretary. The

Kerala Tourism’s ambitious plan to bring the ancient Spice Route back to life for helping modern day travelers tread the path used by traders and explorers two thousand years ago.

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STATES

Infrastructure for tourists With an aim to woo inbound travellers, the state of Jammu and Kashmir has taken a slew of measures such as working on building infrastructure and to improve the visibility of Kashmir. D EEPA S ETHI

FROM

L ONDON

ammu & Kashmir presented itself in a big way at the recently organised WTM 2013. “My state has a history of Tourism. We have received many travellers from all over the globe. It dates back to many centuries ago, when Alexander came into Kashmir. Then we had Megasthenes, the great Greek traveller. The Chinese monks and finally the Moghuls, who understood the power of Tourism and built the beautiful gardens and parks to attract travellers,” said Ghulam Ahmad Mir, Minister for Tourism, Jammu and Kashmir. Kashmir is actively promoting Shikara boat-rides, water skiing, golf, paragliding, trout fishing & angling, mountaining & trekking, skiing & heli-skiing and mountain-biking. Talat Parvez, Director Tourism, Kashmir informed that the state and central governments are investing largely in infrastructure, i.e. roads, hotels, airports etc to attract tourists and improve the visibility of Kashmir. He said, “We are looking at the luxury sector; we have the highest gondola-ride in the world and we also have signature golf courses; we have old world charm with unique festivals, parks & gardens as well as the floating markets in and around Dal Lake. Our food is known and relished by the people around the world. We also have many pilgrimage spots like the Amarnath Caves and the Lamayuru Monastery, which is 1000 years old.” As a measure to speed-up infrastructure development in select tourist

resorts, Development Authorities, headed by Chief Executive Officers, have been constituted for Gulmarg, Pahalgam, Sonmarg, Yousmarg, Leh, Kargil, Patnitop and many surrounding places.

Department has an Enforcement Wing headed by a Superintendent of Police on deputation from the Police Department who is designated as Deputy Director Tourism (Enforcement). For cases requiring prosecution, written complaint of a tourist is admissible as evidence

Ghulam Ahmad Mir

Talat Parvez

Minister for Tourism Jammu and Kashmir

Director Tourism Kashmir

We have received many travellers from all over the globe. It dates back to many centuries ago, when Alexander came into Kashmir

To safeguard the interests of tourists visiting Jammu and Kashmir, the State has enacted a special legislation titled the "Jammu and Kashmir Registration of Tourist Trade Act, 1978/1982". Under this Act, all Tourist Officers posted in different resorts have been vested with special powers as Prescribed Authorities to register and regulate the tourist trade in their respective areas of jurisdiction, and to look into complaints from tourists visiting the state, the

We are looking at the luxury sector; we have the highest gondola in the world and also signature golf courses even if he may have left the state. The Jammu and Kashmir Tourism Development Corporation (JKTDC) operates and manages government accommodation in Tourist Centres in Srinagar and Jammu, and the Tourist Complexes, Hotels, Tourist Bungalows at various resorts. The Corporation also runs a Travel Division, which organises package tours to various parts of the state.

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NEWS

DECEMBER 1 ST FORTNIGHT ISSUE 2013

TRAVTALK

Slovenia inks tourism pacts with India The Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia hosted network dinner for the travel trade fraternity on the occasion of the visit of the Deputy Prime Minister & Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia, Karl Viktor Erjavec, to India. The event was also marked by the signing of code-share agreement by Adria Airways and Air India.

Maharashtra show in NY Contd. from page 6

Ajanta and Ellora, informed Jagdish Patil, Managing Director, MTDC. Talking about the growth, Patil said, “The year 2013 proved to be an excellent year for Maharashtra tourism, especially during the Diwali festival. As per our records, the Konkan region has recorded 100 per cent occupancy. Our Vidarbha region which is popular for its wildlife and flora and fauna also received excellent response. Our MTDC show at Times Square in New York was hosted just to create awareness about this festival of lights and we can see the results as growing number of inbound tourists are visiting the state during the festival. We can also see the growth continu-

Just Kidding? During the recent farewell of Sachin Tendulkar from the world of cricket, Chhagan Bhujbal, Tourism Minister of Maharashtra demanded that Kerala should hand over the ‘God’s Own Country’ tagline to Maharashtra because Tendulkar, the God of Cricket, belongs of Maharashtra. The tourism department is considering opening a temple and a museum for Tendulkar and also listing down Wankehde stadium under pilgrimage and heritage sites. However, Kerala government is against this move. ing in the coming months.” Moreover the state also recorded rise in queries for its luxury train – Deccan Odyssey. Additionally, the tourism board is coming up with a unique tourism centre in Panhala based in Kolhapur. This centre is designed and structured like an ancient fortress of Maharashtra and is scheduled to start by the end of December 2013.

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STATES

TRAVTALK DECEMBER 1 ST FORTNIGHT ISSUE 2013

Prince Charles in Kerala

Goa to register 3mn tourists in 2013 The new terminal at Goa airport will be inaugurated on December 19, 2013, where Visa-on-Arrival facility will be made available. T T B U R E AU

Prince Charles, and Camilla Duchess of Cornwall, chose to spend his 65th birthday at Kumarakom Lake Resort. After a day spent traversing through the traditional and renowned spots of Kochi, the royal couple set off to unwind on the serene backwaters of Kumarakom

he state of Goa is showing steady growth with a strong mix of inbound and domestic tourists. In fact, it is likely to register double digit growth in 2013. As per Sanjay V Prabhu Chodnekar, General Manager- Marketing,

Travel agents can make use of the GTDC accreditation scheme. The scheme will make available better rates to the travel agents and host of other incentives Deepak K Narvekar Public Relations Officer, GTDC

GTDC, “Goa had crossed the 2.7 million tourist mark in 2012. In 2013, we are hopeful to crossing 3 million

(L-R) Valsala Vijayan, Dy. Resident Commissioner, Goa, Deepak K Narvekar, Public Relations Officer, GTDC and Sanjay V Prabhu Chodnekar, General Manager- Marketing, GTDC

tourist arrivals, which will be inclusive of inbound and domestic tourists combined.” “The growth momentum is likely to pick up once the new terminal is inaugurated, where Visa-on-Arrival facility will be made available. Presently, work is in progress. It’s likely to get functional in December,” he added.

Chodnekar had also graced the Goan evening in New Delhi. In fact, during the event, the gathering was informed about the accreditation facility made available by GTDC. Here, Narvekar, said “Travel agents can make use of the GTDC accreditation scheme. The scheme will make available better rates to the travel agents and host of other incentives.”

Valsala Vijayan, Dy. Resident Commissioner, Goa, Deepak K Narvekar, Public Relations Officer, GTDC and

“The travel agents should also tie up with local travel trade associations in Goa, which will help all of

them to explore positive synergies. It eventually will lead to increase the flow of domestic and international tourist arrivals to Goa,” he added.

Figures Say It All O Goa had crossed the

2.7 million tourist mark in 2012. In 2013, we are hopeful to crossing 3 million tourist arrivals, which will be inclusive of inbound and domestic tourists combined

Italy, Switzerland showcased to Indian agents The Armani Hotel Milano, represented by Nijhawan Group in India, jointly with Odysseus India, organised a luxury familiarisation trip recently to Italy & Switzerland. Also partnering in the fam were other luxury hotels like Four Seasons Florence, Baur Au Lac Zurich & Beau Rivage Palace Lausanne along with Rail Europe. The fam trip was aimed at allowing senior travel agents from India to experience the embodying beauty, elegance and grace of the hotels.

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TRAVTALK DECEMBER 1 ST FORTNIGHT ISSUE 2013

FAMILY ALBUM

Cyprus Tourism Roadshow in Mumbai The Cyprus Tourism Organisation (CTO) organised its second and the last leg of its India roadshow in Mumbai on October 25. The roadshow is a part of its India entry plan and aimed to introduce the travel trade community in the city to Cyprusâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tourism products that will help attract leisure, corporate meetings and incentive travellers from India.

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HOTELS

A new jewel in Aerocity

With a capacity of 523 rooms, the hotel has been launched partially with 300 rooms for now with rest under construction and pending police clearance. M E G H A PAU L

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 Rs 900crore hotel is the first JW Marriott in the Delhi NCR and the fifth in whole of India. Talking about choosing the Aerocity destination for its JW brand, 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 pillar-less 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.

JW Marriott takes off at Aerocity

The first hotel at Aerocity, JW Marriot, has officially opened 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.

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NEWS

TRAVTALK DECEMBER 1 ST FORTNIGHT ISSUE 2013

On Authorised Money Changing business In view of increasing demand for currency-exchanging facilities, M Vedavalli, Former GM, RBI highlighted the key elements to become an Authorised Money Changer at a workshop hosted by FIEO. R ATA N K U M A R P AU L

ddressing the trade practitioners present at the workshop, TS Ahluwalia, Managing Committee member, Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) informed that objective of the workshop was to make new entrepreneurs aware of money changing business and to provide those details on licensing requirements and operational guidelines so as to enable them to do business as an authorised money changer. Also present on this occasion was Priya Safaya, Joint DDG, FIEO “RBI’s objective is to expand money changing business to every nook and corner, especially for the greater interest of the tourism and export industry. Apart from

M Vedavalli

Authorised Money Changing License Holders, RBI also encourages the franchisee model. However, it has clear rules and regulations and criteria to obtain Money Changing License to prevent any unscrupulous activities,” she said. Especially, RBI is emphasising on KYC/AML/CFT policy frame-work. She main-

Former GM, RBI

RBI’s objective is to expand money changing business especially for the greater interest of the tourism and export industry

tained that RBI’s role is as facilitator to provide sufficient number of Authorised Money Changers in the market to maintain a good balance between demand and supply. Vedavalli pointed out the Statutory Restriction which comes under Section 3 of FEMA 1999, which states that “No person shall deal in or

Number of Full Fledged Money Changers Ahmedabad - 159 Bangalore - 4 Bhopal -11 Bhubaneswar -1 Chandigarh -106 Chennai -127 Guwahati -3 Hyderabad -55 Jaipur-18

Jammu-2 Kanpur-31 Kochi-41 Kolkata-72 Mumbai-181 New Delhi-327 Panaji-19 Patna-3

transfer to any person foreign exchange, not being an authorised person and undertaking money changing business or advertising about carrying on money changing business without valid license from RBI shall be in contravention to the provisions of the Act 7 liable to be penalised.” She further elaborated on various categories pertaining to authorised to deal (AD) of foreign exchange. While ADs Category-I is authorised to deal in all current and capital account forex transactions, ADs Category- II will is for all non-trade current trade transactions. It permits to release/remit foreign exchange for non-trade related current account transactions such as private visits,

remittance by tour operators/travel agents to overseas agents/principals/hotels, business travel, fee for participation in global conferences, specialised training and some other purposes. ADs Category-III allows select financial and other institutions for transactions incidental to their own business. Vedavalli also elaborated on Full Fledged Money Changers (FFMC) Entry Norms and documentations required for getting new license. According to the FFMC Norms, the applicant has to be a company registered under the Companies Act, 1956. The minimum Net Owned Funds (NOF) required for consideration as FFMC are: for single branch FFMC`25 lakh and for multiple branch FFMC- `50 lakh.

Wooing more Indians to the Philippines Contd. from page 1

convention is to introduce Philippines to OTOAI members and give Indian travellers another new destination to explore. “Tourism is a growing business in the Philippines. The scale of the storm has made international headlines, frightening away tourists across the central Philippines and triggering mass cancellations at resorts. We want to alter this and help the Philippines to recover as soon as possible. The convention opens a new level of partnership between the Philippines and India,” the OTOAI president says. The Philippines is expected to benefit from the

convention by receiving a sizeable number of tourists after the convention. Currently, there are 50,000 Indian arrivals to Philippines and through this convention, OTOAI hopes the footfalls will increase. “We expect a new level of partnership between India and the Philippines tourism industry as well,” he adds. The destination is also being showcased to the travel trade through a fam trip to islands like Boracay, Palawan and Cebu. “Our fam trips, the shopping trails, casino adventures and a number of other activities are directly going to boost the Filipino economy. Thus, we are not only looking at creating future tourist numbers, but also directly spend-

ing more money in their country,” he informs. Also, currently there are no direct flights to the Philippines from India. “In case we can generate an overwhelming response and create the needed numbers, the association could also later on pitch for direct flights. This will further facilitate tourism,” he affirms. Riaz Munshi

Vineet Gopal

Vice President OTOAI and Convention Chairman

Joint Secretary, OTOAI and Convention Vice Chairman

India’s outbound tourism can impact the GDP of countries who get Indian visitors

The convention will also focus on promoting specific regions in the Philippines

Riaz Munshi, Vice President, OTOAI and Convention Chairman feels OTOAI is the platform where all countries targetting India as source markets can do their promotions. “India’s outbound tourism can impact the Gross Domestic Product of countries who get visitors from India. Hence the future of India’s outbound tourism is extremely bright,” he affirms.

However, there are many challenges and the business sessions during the convention are aimed at tackling these roadblocks. Elaborates Munshi. “We need to work together to ensure stable and growing business environment and help the tour operators develop and restructure their businesses into sustainable and profitable enterprises.” The convention will also focus on promoting specific regions in the Philippines like Boracay, Palawan, Cebu and Manila. The OTOAI is a good single point of contact for engaging the Indian outbound travel market, adds Vineet Gopal, Joint Secretary, OTOAI and Convention Vice Chairman.

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NTO

Made for India website

The growing importance of the Indian market has necessitated Turkey Tourism to launch its India-specific website for travel trade and tourists. will include both B2B and B2C clients.

PEDEN DOMA BHUTIA

he Turkish Culture and Tourism Office recently launched its India-specific www.turkeywebsite tourism.in, specifically for the Indian audience. Culture and Tourism Counsellor, Turkey, Ozgur Ayturk, says, “We had been using our global tourism portal goturkey.com for our Indian market, but we wanted something specific for Indian travellers and the travel trade through which even they could benefit.

This India-specific website will give detailed information according to the expectations of the Indian travellers and the travel trade community. The information that you get here will be different from what you’d get in the other websites. The content of the website is based upon our experiences and the recommendations of the travel trade community.” He says that the India-specific website was necessitated by the

Ozgur Ayturk Counsellor Outbound Tourism Turkey

fact that India is an important market for Turkey. Ayturk informs that they will very

When asked how different the India-specific website will be from the previous website, Ayturk says, “Information about the destinations will be more or less the same, but when it comes to special contests and special trainings, those will be different.” The website highlights Turkey’s attractions to the Indian audience, its close proximity, appeal to families, adventure tourists, backpackers, solo travellers,

Unique Selling Proposition The key feature of the website is its evisa application www.evisa.gov.tr. Since its inception in April 2013, over 15,140 Indians and 4,30,014 travellers around the world have used the online visa system (e-visa) for their convenience. soon include an online training module for the Indian travel trade as well in the website. He says that the website will be accessible for downloading e brochures, videos, hi-resolution pictures, special events and news pertaining specifically to the Indian market, which

luxury, MICE and business travellers. The key feature of the website is its e-visa application www.evisa.gov.tr. Since its inception in April 2013, over 15,140 Indians and 4,30,014 travellers around the world have used the online visa system (e-visa) for their convenience.

Bollywood pulls in Tahiti

The tourism board has recently launched an online destination specialist programme for the Indian travel trade. reports more… A N I TA J A I N

sually, national tourism boards adopt Bollywood as a marketing tool to establish their brand among Indian travellers. Well, ditching the usual format, Tahiti Tourism becomes the first NTO in India which is attracted by Bollywood. After celebrities like Abhishek, Aishwarya Rai Bacchhan and Hrithik Roshan visited Bora-Bora– one of the

Robert Thompson Director Tahiti Tourisme

popular islands in Tahiti, Indian travellers are increasingly inquiring about the island nation. Due to rise in queries from the Indian travel trade, Tahiti Tourism turned focus to India and have started recognising India as one of the best potential tourism markets of future. According to Robert Thompson, Director, Tahiti Tourisme;

India is proving to be an excellent potential market for the island nation as more and more high-end Indian travellers are opting for Tahiti for honeymoon, vacations, family holidays and even incentives. During his recent visit to India, Thompson met select travel agents who are

currently selling Tahiti to Indian travellers. He said, “After few popular Bollywood couples opted for Bora Bora islands, we were pulled into the Indian market as the number of queries was increasing. We are not looking at a mass market, but we are focussing on the creamy layer of the market which is looking at quality holiday experience.” The tourism board has recently activated its global online training programme for the Indian travel trade. Over 100 travel agents from India have already registered for the same. The tourism board will, in return, publish the name and contact details of the specialist agent on their website for India region. Elaborating on the training programme, Thompson said, “Currently, Contd. on page 18

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NTO

TRAVTALK DECEMBER 1 ST FORTNIGHT ISSUE 2013

Go Tahiti... Contd. from page 17

only Bora Bora islands are popular in India, but we intend to promote more than just that. We want to offer choices to travellers by adding islands like Moorea which have excellent beaches, hotels and even Indian restaurants. Through this specialist programme, agents would get a better understanding of our destination and would be able to sell Tahiti in a better way. Moreover, there is a need for product awareness in the market. Most travellers still think we are in Europe as Tahiti is a French colony. It’s important to make the travellers understand that we are not in Europe.” He also extended an open invite to agents who will be attending TRENDZ 2014 in New Zealand to come and visit Tahiti. “We don’t have the budget for the Indian market at the moment as its still at a nascent stage. However, we understand the potential of the market and thus are ready to organise fams for agents visiting New Zealand.” Tahiti is around four hours away from New Zealand, and is well-connected through multiple airlines.

2014:The year of Czech-Indian culture In a bid to attract Indian tourists to the country; Miloslav Stasek, the Ambassdor of Czech Republic to India, talks about introducing attractive conditions to encourage Bollywood to come and shoot films there. PEDEN DOMA BHUTIA

tasek says that the Czech castles are very famous for their architecture and the design and these are the major hotspots for tourists visiting the Czech Republic. “By hosting an exhibition of Czech castles, we want to promote our country and bring our history to India and attract people to come to the Czech Republic.” Talking about the idea behind the exhibition, Stasek talks about the collaboration between the Archaeological Survey of India and the National Museum of the Czech Republic, and says, “We have picked five major hotspots where most tourists visit, plus which have the biggest tourist potential for the Czech Republic.” Talking about the cultural exchange between the two countries, the ambassador expressed his interest to pro-

Miloslav Stasek Ambassdor Czech Republic to India

We have picked five major hotspots where most tourists visit, plus which have the biggest tourist potential for the Czech Republic mote Czech music in India. He said that this was the precise reason for hosting the Czech

classical music group – the Spork Quartet – at the inauguration ceremony. “We, along with the Ministry of Culture, have decided to call 2014 as the year of the CzechIndian Culture. During this period, we will have various programmes and we'll also focus on tourism. We are also planning to set up the tradition of the Czech Film Festival in Mumbai and Goa next year, and will be signing an agreement for collaboration of the movie industry. Our minister of culture is here to start the talks and prepare the groundwork for the agreement.” Stasek added that, “We would like to encourage Bollywood to come to Czech Republic and shoot movies in our country, we plan to introduce some attractive conditions to encourage Bollywood to come and shoot in Czech Republic. We have started the talks and we would like to sign an agreement next

Stasek says N By hosting an exhibition of Czech castles, we want to

promote our country and bring our history to India N We have picked five major hotspots where most tourists

visit, plus which have the biggest tourist potential for the Czech Republic N We, along with the Ministry of Culture, have decided to call

2014 as the year of the Czech-Indian Culture N During this period, we

will have various programmes and we'll also focus on tourism N We are also planning

to set up the tradition of the Czech Film Festival in Mumbai and Goa next year, and will be signing an agreement for collaboration of the movie industry year which should coincide with the launching of the Czech Film Festival in

Goa, which will most probably be around November 2014,” he says.

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NTO

DECEMBER 1 ST FORTNIGHT ISSUE 2013

TRAVTALK

Vienna for doubling Indian tourists ICCA, for the seventh time, has ranked Vienna as No.1 MICE city in the world. Going forward, Vienna Tourist Board will join hands with Barcelona for the MICE segment next year. T T B U R E AU

s per the Vienna Tourist Board (VTB), a total of 23,737 Indians visited Vienna in the last one year ending June 2013. According to Norbert Kettner, Director, Vienna Tourist Board, the Indian tourist arrivals to Vienna have more than dou-

Norbert Kettner Director Vienna Tourist Board

We now look forward to welcome larger inflow of young tourists from India in the coming years bled over the last years from 11,077 to 24,814 between calendar year 2006 and 2012. The country plans to take it over 50,000 in the next six years. “We now look forward to welcome a larger inflow of young tourists from India in

WTTC’s 2014 Global Summit in China The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) will conduct its 2014 Global Summit titled ‘Changing World, New Perspectives’ at the Renaissance Hotel & Resort Centre in Sanya, Hainan Province from April 24-25 2014. The summit will follow the success of WTTC’s inaugural Asia Summit, which took place in Seoul, Korea, in September 2013. It is fitting that WTTC returns to Asia for the Global Summit 2014 – the region will be in the vanguard of tourism development with annual growth in Travel & Tourism expected to average 5-7% over the next ten years.

the coming years. Vienna is one of the youngest cities in Europe and definitely has a lot to offer for this target group,” Kettner added. Going forward, the board is looking at increasing its presence in India through the travel trade fraternity. It has recently launched an

online training programme exclusively for the Indian travel trade, called ‘Vienna Experts Club International’. Registered members can participate in the programme through VTB’s website. “We currently have 105 Indian experts. The board is also collaborating with Thomas Cook

(India) to focus on young travellers, beginning this November. The strategic tieup includes launch of packages customised to cater to young Indian travellers by Thomas Cook (India) and training of over 100 travel partners and travel agents associated with Thomas Cook

to promote Destination Vienna via Thomas Cook’s educational arm, Centre of Learning,” the director elaborated, while commenting on the strategy of the board in Delhi at the Vienna Games. The Vienna Games were hosted by VTB for the outbound travel trade to facili-

tate knowledge building about Vienna among the fraternity. ICCA, for the seventh time, has ranked Vienna as No1 MICE city in the world, Kettner claimed. “We will also be promoting Vienna jointly with Barcelona for the MICE segment next year,” he revealed.

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TRAVTALK DECEMBER 1 ST FORTNIGHT ISSUE 2013

ASSOCIATIONS

OTOAI conducts first Italian workshop The Association delegates had an excellent learning opportunity in their first workshop organised in Italy. Further, it will be organising more such workshops in the coming months… he first workshop in Italy for Outbound Tour Operators Association of India (OTOAI) members proved to be an excellent platform for not only networking with Italian suppliers but also to understand the product first hand.

vided in-depth information about the destination and the OTOAI members got the opportunity to directly network with the leading travel suppliers of the region. Moreover, the post tours to Lake Garda and Lake Como provided detailed information about the destinations, local hotels and dealers.

The 50th edition of B2B fair was attended by a total of 37 OTOAI delegates. The event registered an attendance of 51,192 trade visitors. The three-day exhibition pro-

During the exhibition, the Managing Committee members of OTOAI also met Massimo Bray, Minister for Culture and Tourism, Italy. Meanwhile, the statistics

A NITA J AIN

FROM I TALY

elaborated by Euromonitor at the event showed the growth rate forecast for the next five years is an annual 4 per cent on a global scale, whereas the increased rate for Italy will be 2.1 per cent, equal to little more than 50 million arrivals in 2017. Until that date, the markets which are bound to generate the highest number of tourists are China, India and Russia. The report said that despite the global economic situation, the tourism industry is showing good resilience.

India is one of the potential tourism markets for Italy along with China, Indonesia and Kazakhstan. Through OTOAI, we are kickstarting our partnership in India and we look forward to work more closely with the association to boost tourism between both the countries in future. Lorenzo Cagnoni, President, Rimini Fiera

OTOAI delegates with Tourism Minister, Italy.

BRIC countries are considered important tourism markets by countries across the globe. For Italy, countries like Brazil, Argentina, China and India are the future markets from where we are currently recording maximum growth rate. With India, we have special bonding not only in terms of tourism offerings but also cultural heritage. Paolo Audino, Managing Director, TTG Italia

Italy is increasingly becoming a strong market for Indian travellers and through this workshop, our members can now package and sell the country in a better way. Through this workshop, we got to know the hidden gems in Italy which the Indians would love to visit – like Lake Garda and Lake Como. Riaz Munshi, Vice President, OTOAI

Bringing our workshop to Italy is one of the biggest achievements by our association. We are confident to continue our healthy partnership in the coming years. Moreover, we also intend to soon bring our annual convention to Italy. Vineet Gopal, Joint Secretary, OTOAI

We receive more than 400,000 Indians annually. However, the needs and requirements of Indian travellers are different. Through the partnership with OTOAI in India, we are not only going to understand the Indian market in a better way, but we will also get more business from the travel professionals who are members of OTOAI. Mabel De Bernardi, Managing Director, The Differences (Milan based)

I’ve always heard about the popular destinations in Italy like Rome, Florence and Milan. Through the OTOAI workshop, I got the opportunity to meet the suppliers directly and also explore new destinations like Lake Como and Lake Garda. Adl Karim, Director, Creative Holidays

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AGENTS

STIC for more offices in Asia STIC Travel Group announces plans to promote India as a tourist destination in South-East Asia. With their first international office in Singapore, the group now plans to open marketing offices in other Asian cities for promotion of customised tour itineraries for India and other destinations like Sri Lanka. TT B U R E AU

TIC also participated in Asia’s leading B2B Trade show – ITB Asia 2013 held at Suntec, Singapore. The STIC Singapore team was focussed on showcasing the diverse array of experiences that travellers to India can enjoy ranging from the popular Golden triangle to Yoga and wellness tours. In the words of Subhash Goyal, Chairman, STIC Travel Group, “Asia Pacific is the world’s largest travel market and it is slated to grow at an exponential rate. However, India is still focussed on only the longhaul markets for inbound business such as US, Europe and Australia. While these markets are important, we feel that to have a more long term and stable growth strategy, we need to look east-

Subhash Goyal

Richa Goyal Sikri

Chairman STIC Travel Group

Director – Group Business Development,STIC Travel Group

To have a more long-term and stable growth strategy, we need to look eastwards

The company plans to set up marketing offices across Asia to promote tourism within APAC

We would like to have the Asian emerging markets contribute at least 20% more in our sales figures wards towards cultures. We have a greater affinity within Asia and South East Asia.” Singapore-based Richa Goyal Sikri, Director – Group Business Development,STIC Travel Group elaborates on

this – “When I first started visiting tour operators in Singapore and Malaysia a year ago, the general reaction towards India was not positive to say the least. There is a tremendous lack of confidence towards our country internationally and a significant information gap. We first started by educating travel agents and operators about the destination and distributed a lot of informative material to support them. We then invited a group of agents from Singapore and Malaysia to visit India and are encouraged by their response post that visit. “Currently, about 60% of the international sales revenue of STIC comes from Western countries. With focussed efforts towards tourism promotion within Asia, we plan to take this ratio to a more balanced 5050 equation. We would like to have the Asian emerging markets contribute at least 20% more in our overall sales figures,” Sikri further adds.

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TECHNOLOGY

DECEMBER 1 ST FORTNIGHT ISSUE 2013

TRAVTALK

An ‘appy’ way to guide tourists around A first-of-its-kind specialised and personal tour guide mobile application now offers a step-by-step tour, key sights, history, trivia and tourist information to monuments and attractions around the world. T T B U R E AU

isit to historical monuments/sites and attractions ranks high among reasons for travel. The Taj Mahal is visited by nearly 3 million every year; Macha Pichu is visited by nearly 1 million tourists every year. Keeping this in mind, Guiddoo, a first-of-its-kind specialised and personal tour guide mobile application, was launched recently. The app offers a stepby-step tour, key sights, timeline, history and trivia, image gallery and tourist information to monuments and attractions such as the Taj Mahal, Statue of Liberty, The Colosseum, Eiffel Tower, Angkor Wat, as well as the Burj Khalifa, among others.

Guiddoo is every traveller’s personal tour guide and is a must-have travel companion. Current tour guide alternatives are limiting and often the experience is frustrating Nidhi Varma, CEO and Founder Guiddoo Travels

The interactive app allows for social sharing from within the app and once downloaded on an Android phone or an iPhone, it does not require an Internet connection to access. The app serves as an audio guide to these monuments. “Guiddoo is every traveller’s personal tour guide and is a must-have travel companion. Current tour guide alternatives are limiting and often the experience is frustrating.

Calls on flights FCC has made an announcement that they would review the rules surrounding in-flight calls and text messages

Guiddoo is a mobile app that travellers can download on their smart phone, and use its text, visual and audio tour to make their experience fun, informative and pleasurable. It allows them to be in control as they can view, stop, repeat information as and when they

please. Our marketing strategy plans to target India, China, Korea, Japan and the Middle East.,” says Nidhi Varma, CEO and Founder Guiddoo Travels. Talking about the how well the app has been received by the end users, Varma says, “Within three

weeks of its launch on the Google Playstore, the app has generated 30,000 downloads, and has received great ratings from users, App Reviewers like AndroidTapp and AppZoon as well as thumbs up from startup blogs like NBW and YourStory.”

All the likes N Within three weeks of its launch on the Google Playstore, the app has generated 30,000 downloads N It has received great ratings from users, App Reviewers like AndroidTapp and AppZoon as well as thumbs up from startup blogs like NBW and YourStory

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TRAVTALK DECEMBER 1 ST FORTNIGHT ISSUE 2013

AVIATION

‘India is a very important market for us’ AirAsia X has now carried more than 10 million passengers across 18 destinations in 9 countries of the Asia-Pacific region. The airline plans to start more routes, buy more planes, according to the dynamic Azran Osman-Rani, CEO of Air Asia X. Excerpts from an exclusive interview: 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.

AirAsia that flies to India. They go to 5 short-haul destinations - Kolkata, Chennai, Tiruchirapalli, Bengaluru and Kochi.

The airlines industry is facing lot of challenges, isn’t it? Yes, it’s not easy for any of us, with volatile currencies, increasing fuel prices, bureaucratic and infrastructure constraints, in many new destinations. But we are great believers in ‘focus.’

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 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

time, but once the office is launched, it will be an important factor to establish the AirAsia brand in India. It’s all about ‘branding’ in this highly competitive and ruthless airlines industry.

Azran Osman-Rani CEO of Air Asia

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, a CEO, Mittu Chandilya, has already been named for the India office. The licences take

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.

With huge numbers of Indian tourists going to Bangkok, will this benefit them? Without doubt, it would, as multi-destination tourism has become a strong phenomenon with Asian trav-

ellers, including Indians. In fact, this will be a brandbuilding 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 Contd. on page 44

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HOTELS

TRAVTALK DECEMBER 1 ST FORTNIGHT ISSUE 2013

Aerocity hotels get ready to launch With the launch of the JW Marriott, other hotels in Delhi’s Aerocity are waiting with bated breath for security clearances to start their own operations. ed in close proximity to Gurgaon - one of the fastest growing commercial hubs in India. The other properties are still in queue for their noobjection certificates from the Delhi Police. According to Douglas Martell, VicePresident, Operations, South West Asia, InterContinental

M E G H A P AU L

W Marriott at the Aerocity in Delhi opened its doors to the public this October. Part of the Aerocity Hotels Project near Terminal 3 of the Indira Gandhi International Airport, this hotel and 11 others, with a combined capacity of 3,750 rooms, were slated to be fully functional for the Commonwealth Games in 2010. The construction for these hotels began in 2007, and most of them were ready to be launched two years ago, when it dawned on the security agencies that the rooms at these hotels faced the runway of the airport. With such grave security hazards on the horizon, clearances were held up for hotels.

Thus, the inauguration of the first hotel to open in the Aerocity, JW Marriott, is a ray of hope for the other properties in this hub of hospitality.

Sushil Gupta

Douglas Martell

Rahul Pandit,

Chairman and Managing Director Asian Hotels West

Vice-President, Operations, South West Asia, InterContinental Hotel Group

President & Executive Director The Lemon Tree & Red Fox Hotel Company

We had to face 20% project overcost and nine months delay due to security clearances

The hotel expects 40% occupancy, depending on the opening of other Aerocity hotels

Delhi Police is yet to give us a final go-ahead. We are looking at opening by the end of December

Inaugurating the 523-room hotel, which is the fifth in the country by the group; Sushil Gupta, Chairman and

Managing Director, Asian Hotels West revealed they had to face 20 per cent project overcost and was delayed by

nine months as it got tangled in the security clearances. Constructed at the cost of ` 900 crore, the hotel is locat-

And the Background

ful that we will become profitable in six to eight months.” Martell said the hotel expects 40 per cent occupancy to start with, but this also depends on when the other Aerocity hotels open. Rahul Pandit, President & Executive Director, The Lemon Tree & Red Fox Hotel

N Part of Aerocity Hotels Project near IGI’s Terminal 3, this hotel and 11 others were slated to be functional for the CWG in 2010

N Most of them were ready to be launched two years ago, when security agencies realised that the hotel rooms faced the runway

N With such grave security hazards on the horizon, clearances were held up for hotels Hotel Group, which runs the Holiday Inn chain in the country, the Aerocity property will open by the end of the year. “Our prices would range from ` 4,500-` 5,500; excluding taxes. With taxes, they might go up to ` 6,500. We are hope-

Company pointed out, “While the hotels have got all the required fixtures in place, Delhi Police is yet to find time for an inspection to give us a final go-ahead. We are also looking at opening by the end of December.”

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TRAVTALK DECEMBER 1 ST FORTNIGHT ISSUE 2013

FAMILY ALBUM

Meet, network and negotiate@WTM 2013

The first three days of World Travel Market 2013 organised from Nov 4-7, 2013 in London experienced an impressive overall delegate increase of 5 per cent covering increase in all major delegate categories. The first day (November 4) of WTM 2013 was a resounding success with invite-only visitor attendance up 12% on last yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s event to almost 9,000 (8,916).

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FAMILY ALBUM

DECEMBER 1 ST FORTNIGHT ISSUE 2013

TRAVTALK

Bonding across nations through tourism

Contd. on page 36

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FAMILY ALBUM

The rising tide of tourism co-operation Contd. from page 35

Contd. on page 46

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AVIATION

DECEMBER 1 ST FORTNIGHT ISSUE 2013

TRAVTALK

Adria Airways makes its foray in India There will now be daily flights from New Delhi to Ljubljana with a stopover in Frankfurt. Air India will be the operating carrier for New Delhi to Frankfurt and Adria will be the carrier from Frankfurt to Ljubljana… M E G H A PAU L

nnouncing its foray into the Indian market, Slovenian national airline Adria Airways has recently inked a codeshare pact with

Mark Anzur CEO Adria Airways

We hope that air traffic between both countries would increase with the codeshare agreement, thus strengthening our tourism ties Air India. Signed by Rohit Nandan, Chairman and Managing Director, Air India and Mark Anzur, CEO, Adria Airways, in New Delhi, the

Karl Viktor Erjavec Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Slovenia

Last year, our government put India on the list of top strategic markets wherein we need to put in great efforts to develop the trade here agreement comes as an extension of the bilateral ties between India and Slovenia, which sees India as a highly strategic partner. Talking about the flight frequency, capacity and oper-

ation ports within India, Anzur said, “We are hopeful the air traffic between both countries will witness an increase with the codeshare agreement, thus strengthening our tourism ties. We will have daily flights from New Delhi to Ljubljana with a stopover in Frankfurt. Air

India is the operating carrier for New Delhi to Frankfurt and Adria will be the carrier from Frankfurt to Ljubljana.” The service is expected to commence in January, Anzur informed. Indian arrivals to Slovenia numbered 5,000 in 2012. Adria is a member of the Star

Alliance, a point of significance for Air India, which is keen to join the alliance. The code-share agreement came two months after Nandan and other officials held detailed discussions with their counterparts in Adria Airways in the Slovenian capital of Ljubljana. Air India, Aerodrom Ljubljana

and Adria had previously signed an MoU in June 2012 to forge greater cooperation and improve traffic between the two countries, clearing the way for the recent codeshare agreement. Earlier this year, Adria also appointed Dex Aviation as its general sales agent for India. According to

Karl Viktor Erjavec, Slovenian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, the country unfortunately had no brand presence in India till now. “We have lost some of our traditional markets due to the eurozone crisis. Entering India is, thus, a very strategic move to build new key markets.”

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AVIATION

‘Agents provide greatest yields’ With an impressive turnaround strategy and a well-planned marketing campaign after 10 years, Malaysia Airlines is back with a bang. India continues to stay important to plan the airline’s rapid expansion. D E V I KA J E E T

FROM

provide us with our greatest yield,” he adds.

K UA LA L U M P U R

rom $2.2 billion losses in 2011 to $104 million profits this year, Malaysia Airlines has had the perfect turnaround plan. With a new business plan, changed attitude and more strategic arrangement, the airline is moving forward and investing in their services. Malaysia Airlines also joined Oneworld this year and has now increased its reach to 880 destinations. “From having a marketing mix that was tactical to now introducing one which is more strategic, we are investing equally on our brand presence and marketing

spend,” says Dean Dacko, Senior Vice President and Head of Marketing, Malaysia Airlines. The new campaign was introduced in July in Malaysia and has been introduced in India market as well. “The notion was that we were virtually absent as a brand in India, but now we are being well-recognised,” adds Dacko. A major strength for the airline has been its engagement in the digital space. They created different country pages on Facebook. The India page is a very interactive one. The goal behind this is to react

Malaysia Airlines and the India market O India is strategically very important for the airline in its global expansion plan O The airline continues to support the travel fraternity with airline commissions in order to expand in this market

Dean Dacko Senior Vice President and Head of Marketing, Malaysia Airlines

Moving forward, we continue to invest, support and recognise that the travel agent is an absolutely key element to our success

O India stands as a huge opportunity to grow and have more revenue generation O The amount of audience looking to travel is huge in India O The amount of capacity competition will continue to grow O The airline wants to achieve more success aggressively O It is very excited about India and is investing more in the market O Malaysia Airlines is planning to increase capacity to the six Indian destinations it caters to O It will also start its double daily flights to Delhi and Mumbai soon

and not take away the business from the travel agents. “The reality for us is that the travel agent community is significant and the most important distribution channel. Moving forward, we also continue to invest, support and recognise that the travel agent is an absolutely key element to our success. They

India is strategically very important for the airline in its global expansion plan and they continue to support the travel fraternity with airline commissions in order to expand in this market. Dacko adds, “India stands as a huge opportunity to grow and have more revenue generation. We are investing more in the Indian market and are looking to expand our team, grow our resource and invest more in our brand building exercises.” Malaysia Airlines is planning to increase capacity to the six Indian destinations it caters to. It will start its double daily flights to Delhi and Mumbai soon. The airline is also increasing its network to one or two new destinations in India. “75 per cent of our business comes from agents and we will continue to invest in our travel agent partners. We believe that the commission is important for the agents and it’s about sharing as they add value to us,” says Dacko. The airline’s key strategy especially for next year is to expand its network, try to fly to new places and also increase its frequency in the marketplace. “Our new attitude is that we will aggressively compete. We will continue to be competitive.”

China Southern’s double daily China Southern Airlines introduced 14 flights a week between Delhi and Guangzhou from November 13, 2013. The flights will be operated by Boeing 757 aircraft, and have a capacity of 195 seats. 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).

TT BUREAU

“C

ondor Air Services is excited about the commencement of double daily services between Delhi and Guangzhou effective November 13,” said Seema Sabharwal, General Manager, Condor Air Services GSA, China Southern Airlines. The seven evening departures will be from Delhi at 2325 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

Chen Yong Guang

Seema Sabharwal

General Manager, China Southern Airlines

General Manager, Condor Air Services GSA, China Southern Airlines

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.

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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TRAVTALK DECEMBER 1 ST FORTNIGHT ISSUE 2013

NEWS

Ramoji Film City signs MoU with IRCTC The Memorandum of Understanding is aimed at mutual promotion and increase in tourist arrivals in Andhra Pradesh. T T B U R E AU

laimed to be the world’s largest film studio, Hyderabad based Ramoji Film City (RFC) has recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with IRCTC. The MoU is signed in an effort to mutually promote and market their services by leveraging each other’s strengths of presence, marketing, customer footfalls and organisational capabilities. Both RFC and IRCTC are positive that the MoU would result in an increased footfall into the state of Andhra Pradesh and improve inbound tourism.

Under the MoU, both the parties will jointly develop and promote special tour packages across India. The packages would be – Rail tour packages, FTR Charter Coaches and trains and customised packages from various locations in India to RFC and sightseeing in Andhra Pradesh. In these packages, IRCTC will utilise their strength and experience for the rail-based requirements and Ramoji Film City will bring in their local understanding and strengths of logistics management and organising customised city sightseeing. Talking about the MoU, Smita Rawat, Group General Manager, IRCTC said, “The MoU will allow us to innovatively extend not only the packaged services to our customers but also market our services more widely. Further,

The tie-up will lead to jointly manning of tourism information counters as well as cross selling of IRCTC-Ramoji Film City products across more than 100 outlets in the country.”

Both organisations will link their websites to enhance the reach of their products to their customers. Due to the tie-up, customers will be able to get special tariffs for accommodation at RFC as well as tour packages. Adding further, Vijayeswari, MD, Ramoji Film City said,

“We realised that the inherent strengths of both the organisations on collaboration would bring around all-round advantages of convenience, cost, customisation and capability to the customer. In turn, the tourism in the state will receive a big boost.”

A Big Hit N The film city, established

by the Ramoji Group, is an integrated film studio complex spread over 1,666 acres, with one million tourists visiting every year

Smita Ravat, Group General Manager, IRCTC and Vijayeswari, MD, Ramoji Film City

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TRAVTALK DECEMBER 1 ST FORTNIGHT ISSUE 2013

INTERNATIONAL PAGE

UK’s VIP mobile visa service in South India The United Kingdom has announced plans to introduce a VIP mobile visa service in India. The country will also pilot a ‘passport pass-back’ service in South India besides launching a ‘Great Club’, a visa initiative aimed at 100 global business leaders. T T B U R E AU

“O

ver the next 12 months, additional improvements (to the visa system) will include introducing a VIP mobile visa service to India and piloting our passport pass-back service in Southern India with a view to expanding countrywide if

successful,” a UK Home Office spokesperson said. Passport pass-back is a service for business travellers and some tourists that allow customers to keep their passport while their visa is being processed. This means they can travel or apply for another visa if they

need to, reducing the time it takes to get two visas. The spokesperson said that Great Club is an invitation-only service from 1 January, 2014 that will provide person-

alised support to 100 global business leaders who use the visa service and have strong links to the UK. While members of the Club will still be subject to the same visa checks as any other

applicant, it aims to provide Club members with ‘exceptional service’ from when they first apply for their visas to arrival in the UK. They will be provided with an account manager to ensure their journey through the visa and immigration service is swift and smooth. The account manager will also be able to

World's largest airline approved In a recently made announcement, it was declared that the merger of American Airlines and US Airways is now a go and authorised by the US Department of Justice. In the settlement, the two carriers agreed to give up landing and takeoff slots and gates at key airports, notably Washington's Reagan National and New York's LaGuardia. What does the merger mean for other US airlines UNITED AIRLINES, DELTA AIR LINES Currently the two largest airlines in the world, United and Delta will face increased competition from the combined American and US Airways, which will be slightly larger. The newly combined airline will serve more cities, with easier connections than American or US Airways individually offer. Delta has been aggressively picking up lucrative corporate contracts, expanding in New York, Los Angeles and Seattle. American's improved route network will make it harder for Delta to steal away additional business. Delta said that it would like to acquire additional slots at Washington D.C.'s Reagan National Airport. But the government isn't likely to allow that. When asked about Delta's interest in those slots, Bill Baer, who heads the DOJ's antitrust division, said: "We see legacy carriers as part of the problem."

SOUTHWEST AIRLINES

JETBLUE AIRWAYS

Southwest has aggressively added flights to cities abandoned by larger airlines. If the new American cuts flights out of a city like Phoenix, Southwest could try to get a stronger position there. Phoenix is already the fifth largest city in its network, by originating passengers. Southwest will be allowed to permanently keep 10 landing and takeoff slots that it currently leases from American in New York. It can also join in a bidding process for more slots there and in Washington, D.C.

New York-based JetBlue has a close relationship with American, and both airlines have big operations at Kennedy Airport. But the airlines is now trying to compete with the other airlines for high-paying first class travelers between New York and California. JetBlue will be allowed to permanently keep 16 landing and takeoff slots that it currently leases from American in Washington D.C. It can also join in a bidding process for more slots there and in New York.

American will also have to give up its gates at Dallas Love Field, further strengthening Southwest's overwhelming presence there. The airport close to downtown Dallas will become much more desirable next year when restrictions on which destinations carriers there can serve non-stop are removed.

ALASKA AIRLINES Alaska's core territory is flights up and down the West Coast, and even the merged American will still trail Delta and United in that part of the country. But Alaska does have a lessor relationship with American, feeding some flights to the region.

SPIRIT AIRLINES The low-cost airline will now face stronger competition on its lucrative Caribbean routes. However, it is aggressively expanding into large cities like Houston, Orlando, Detroit, Denver and Dallas. If American, Delta, Southwest and United raise fares in those cities, more passengers might flock to Spirit. It could also bid for some slots that open up in Washington and New York.

arrange visa services tailored to each individual’s needs at no extra cost during the pilot. The UK government also plans to expand the same-day visa service, currently available in India and soon to be available in China, to several more key locations by the end of 2014.

Cleaners find gold bars in aircraft loo If you're flying business class on an Indian jet, it may pay you to check the toilets for hidden gold. A scam aimed at smuggling gold bars into India has been uncovered, with the latest incident involving a Jet Airways plane at Kolkata airport. Cleaners found 24 gold bars worth more than US$1 million hidden in the plane's toilet. Police investigators say smugglers are targeting those international flights which, after landing at an Indian airport, continue on to another destination within India. The scamsters are thought to travel business class on international sectors since the number of passengers is less and the toilets are rarely used. They leave the gold behind when the aircraft lands at an Indian airport, before its onward domestic leg. Another passenger then books a business class ticket for the domestic leg, removes the hidden stash mid-air and, on arrival, walks away without customs examination.

Offering service beyond ordinary... Contd. from page 24

Bali from KL. 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.

more intra-Asean travel, more feeder network through AirAsia, which will have a spill-over effect on us.

Are you excited by the formation of ‘Asean’ in 2015?

Any other benefit for you?

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

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.

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 travelplans! Our ‘free’ tickets are a powerful incentive. We have truly democratised travel.

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TRAVTALK DECEMBER 1 ST FORTNIGHT ISSUE 2013

Contd. from page 36

FAMILY ALBUM

& Montcalm dinner in London

and Montcalm Luxury Hotels hosted a dinner in London during WTM at Montcalm Hotel on November 4, 2013. The Indian travel fraternity came in large numbers along with government officials and many local travel agents from London. It was an evening of excellent networking, people having animated conversations over drinks. Ramesh Arora, Managing Director of The Montcalm and Shaftesbury Hotel Groups, has been a strong supporter of the Indian travel industry.

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FAMILY ALBUM

DECEMBER 1 ST FORTNIGHT ISSUE 2013

It’s networking on a different level!

TRAVTALK

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TECHNOLOGY

Boosting online hotel sales RezLive.com sells over 1,25,000 hotel and apartment rooms, over 40,000 attractions and 5,000 tours in 500 cities and 5,000+ transfer options over 900 airport and city locations. websites as well as corporate booking tools to market our products with their branding and revenue,” he affirms.

T T B U R E AU

he Indian hotels’ B2B sale in the early 2007 was primarily sold as an offline product. Hence there was a void of options available for the travel agents to book online. In a bid to fill this gap and serve the B2B interests of the travel agents through an online platform, RezLive.com was launched. Talking about the overwhelming response received, Jaal Shah, Founder, RezLive.com and Group Managing Director, Travel Designer Group says, “We were overwhelmed with the response we received from the travel trade in the very first year of launch in India. The same has continued till date. In our sixth year, RezLive.com has grown over 50 per cent year-on-year.” Agents from over 50 cities in India have been supporting RezLive.com, he adds. Talking about Rezlive, he elaborates, “The name ‘RezLive’ itself explains the concept and offerings of the system. We wanted travel agents to make their reservations online. Being a 100 per cent dedicated B2B system gave travel agents the confidence to boost their revenues online. The stateof-the-art technology offered them large availability and

A Helping Hand N The multiple currency option and payment channels help in reaching out to various segments and travel companies

Jaal Shah Founder, RezLive.com and Group Managing Director, Travel Designer Group

We wanted travel agents to make their reservations online. Being a 100 per cent dedicated B2B system gave travel agents the confidence to boost their revenues online inventory, which helped them in giving more options to their customers, resulting in higher yield and global selling.” RezLive.com sells over 1,25,000 hotel and apartment rooms, over 40,000 sightseeing attractions and 5,000 tours in 500 cities and 5,000+ transfer options in over 900 airport and city locations. Also, the multiple currency option and payment channels help in reaching out to various segments and travel companies. “We also distribute our inventory over XML/API connectivity, which facilitates individual travel

The product is extremely beneficial for facilitating the interest of the travel agents. “For each hotel or apartment, we offer multiple categories of rooms. The intense research of the product offerings enable the agents to offer customised services and rooms to each client, resulting in increase in their revenues with every new reservation,” he adds. With support from over 19 source countries where RezLive.com has a presence, the company works with different market attributes. This also allows the agents to source their worldwide accommodation needs under one channel. The company is on the alpha stage of launching its airline tool on Rezlive.com by the end of first quarter of 2014. According to Shah, B2B online travel products in India have grown over the years. Online B2B hotel sales in the initial days were primarily focused on last moment reservations, business and corporate travel reservations and for travellers looking for best deals on hotels. “In the past couple of years, we have seen advance buying, leisure details and luxury reservations. Destination such as Maldives, Mauritius, Seychelles, etc which were booked primarily through offline using conventional channels have seen a major shift towards online buying.”

South African fam for Indian trade

South African Tourism, in collaboration with Kingfisher Resorts and Royal African Discoveries, recently concluded a FAM trip for select travel agents from India. Underlining the significance of the Indian market for South Africa, the eight-day itinerary by Royal African Discoveries highlighted varied unique experiences at some of the magnificent properties of Kingfisher Resorts.

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ANALYSIS

DECEMBER 1 ST FORTNIGHT ISSUE 2013

TRAVTALK

` 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 countries. A medical procedure that would have cost US$10,000 in 2012 is now priced US$7,000. M E G H A PAU L

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

offered. Additionally, while the hospitals sell the medical services, the hotels sell India as a tourist destination. Price is also a major selling point.

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 succeed, a strong consortium of tour operators, hospitals and hotels is a must. “There has 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 shortterm growth. Going forward, the tour operators need to become more active in the scene. The purpose of the tour operators and agents is to liaise with the insurance companies and the medical practitioners in the European and

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 American markets, so as to ensure a steady stream of patients,” he points out. The

The drivers are accredited hospitals, English speaking doctors and good connectivity cost of the tour operators can be as high as 15 to 20 per cent of the total cost of the service

Talking about the initiatives from CII in this direction, 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 Chapter- IATO, Kerala has been extremely successful in medical tourism. The presence of several tourist spots and the ancient art of treat-

ments have made Kerala an important state in terms of medical tourism. Explaining the USP of the state in the segment, he says, “From the customer’s perspective, i.e. 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 seen an influx of inbound medical tourists 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 resulting in common infections.

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HOTELS DECEMBER

NATIONAL 2 3 4 4 5-7

Bengaluru Chennai Delhi Mumbai Chandigarh

7-9 13-16 15-18

Lucknow Bengaluru Greater Noida

Chennai

28-30

Goa

European Quartet’s Roadshow European Quartet’s Roadshow European Quartet’s Roadshow Visit Finland’s B2B Training Confederation of Indian Industry (CII)’s Tourism Fest India Travel Mar TAAI Annual Convention The India-Japan Global Partnership Summit-2013 Canadian Tourism Commission’s Workshop India Travel Mart

INTERNATIONAL 1-4 2-5 4-11 5-8 6-8

Manila France Australia Turkey China

OTOAI Convention International Luxury Travel Market Tourism Australia’s Dreamtime 2013 Travel and Tourism Fair Chengdu International Travel Fair

JANUARY-2014 NATIONAL 3-5 10-12 13 14 15 16-18

Bengaluru Chennai Chandigarh Delhi Chennai Mumbai

16 17 17-19 20

Kolkata Mumbai Cochin Kolkata

Delhi

Chennai

Mumbai

24-26 24-26 27 28 28 29 30-31

Kolkata Nagpur Delhi Ahmedabad Mumbai Bengaluru Mumbai

NATIONAL

Travel & Tourism Fair Travel & Tourism Fair Queensland Tourism’s B2B workshop Queensland Tourism’s B2B workshop Queensland Tourism’s B2B workshop India International Travel & Tourism Exhibition Queensland Tourism’s B2B workshop Queensland Tourism’s B2B workshop India International Travel Mart Cochin South African Tourism’s B2B Roadshow South African Tourism’s B2B Roadshow South African Tourism’s B2B Roadshow South African Tourism’s B2B Roadshow India International Travel Mart India International Travel Exhibition Grayline Latin America Roadshow Grayline Latin America Roadshow Visit Britain’s Trade Mission Grayline Latin America Roadshow Grayline Latin America Roadshow

FEBRUARY-2014

3 4

Delhi Mumbai

Chennai

5 6

Mumbai Delhi

7 10

Bengaluru Bengaluru

Chennai

Kolkata

Mumbai

Ahmedabad

Fiji Tourism’s Roadshow Austrian National Tourist Office’s Roadshow Austrian National Tourist Office’s Roadshow Fiji Tourism’s Roadshow Austrian National Tourist Office’s Roadshow Fiji Tourism’s Roadshow Tourism Authority of Thailand’s Roadshow German National Tourist Office’s B2B Event Tourism Authority of Thailand’s Roadshow German National Tourist Office’s B2B Event German National Tourist Office’s B2B Event Tourism Authority of Thailand’s Roadshow

For more information, contact us at: talk@ddppl.com

Ahmedabad gets Novotel tag Novotel Ahmedabad is the group’s seventh Novotel and Accor’s 23rd hotel to open in India. Novotel is the midscale hotel brand of Accor. ensure that our MPI is better than our fair share. We would like to spread and consolidate our market base in the corporate segment and leverage our banqueting facilities along with rooms.”

T T B U R E AU

peaking about the hotel’s opening, JeanMichel Cassé, Senior VicePresident, Operations, Accor India, said, “We are delighted with the rapid growth of our Novotel network in India. The opening of Novotel Ahmedabad reinforces our focus on India as a key market for development. We are confident about developing new markets and segments in India.” Sandeep Johri, GM, Novotel Ahmedabad, said, “With the launch of the Novotel Ahmedabad, we look forward to presenting our guests with Novotel’s worldrenowned service, while maintaining a unique local flavour. Since we have just opened our doors, our main target is to increase the market penetration index and to

Jean-Michel Cassé,

Sandeep Johri

Senior Vice President, Operations, Accor India

General Manager Novotel Ahmedabad

The opening of Novotel Ahmedabad reinforces our focus on India as a key market for development

We would like to consolidate our market base in the corporate segment and leverage our banqueting facilities

Located close to the commercial, industrial and retail precincts of the city, Novotel Ahmedabad will offer 184 guest rooms and suites, meeting spaces augmented by the latest technology and interesting dining and recreation options. Playing with vibrant colors that reflect the city, the hotel will offer a contemporary ‘home away from home’ experience for business travellers and families alike. The key feature of the property is the innovative interiors inspired by the concept of ‘Uttarayan’ – the colourful Kite festival, exuding a space perfect for a world traveller.

First Novotel launched in Pune The hotel aims at establishing the brand in the market through quality service and innovative product offerings. A N I TA J A I N

ccor, in joint venture with Belaire Hotels and India Blue Mountains, has launched the first Novotel property in Pune. This is the third property by Accor in the city after ibis Pune, FORMULE 1 Pune and Hotel Mercure, which is in the outskirts of the city based in Lavasa. The four-star property features 223-room (164 standard rooms, 12 superior rooms with direct access to the swimming pool, 33 premier rooms and 14 suites), multiple F&B outlets, banquet facilities, a health

club/spa and swimming pool. With about 4,453 square feet area dedicated to banquet facilities, the property aims at attracting MICE events and social gatherings like weddings.

Talking about the business strategy, Bandish Mehta, General Manager, Novotel Pune said, “The challenge of competing with branded hotels is in itself an opportunity. We will follow a simple rule of service. Our strategy

Our strategy would be offering quality services at competitive deals, focussing on groups and MICE business, targeting social events with rooms and also make optimum use of the online medium for room sales

Bandish Mehta

General Manager, Novotel Pune

would be offering quality services at competitive deals, focussing on groups and MICE business, and targetting social events with rooms.” On the current market scenario, Mehta said, “Service has always been our key focus. Having said that, the name of the brand also plays an important role in building expectations in the minds of customers. We are sure that, with the unique offering we have for the city and the efforts of our dedicated sales force, we will achieve reasonable occupancy in year one.”

The Lalit Great Eastern Kolkata unveiled

Jyotsna Suri Chairperson & Managing Director, The Lalit Suri Hospitality Group

The Great Eastern was unveiled as The Lalit Great Eastern on 19 November. The inauguration ceremony was led by West Bengal’s Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Jyotsna Suri, Chairperson & Managing Director of The Lalit Suri Hospitality Group. The heritage landmark which was initially established on 19 November 1840, will now reopen in two phases. After

being bought over by The Lalit Suri Hospitality Group, the property has gone through extensive renovations and restorations. Speaking on the occasion, Banerjee said, “The heritage property will conquer the minds and touch the hearts. The Lalit Great Eastern Kolkata has my support and best wishes for their goal. The Great Eastern was popular, is popular and will remain popular.”

“We are proud to bring to you the iconic property ‘The Lalit Great Eastern Kolkata’. The restoration of this iconic hotel has been a labour of love, painful and time consuming but extremely rewarding,” said Suri.The Heritage Block I, which is still under renovation, will offer 49 rooms and suites. Heritage Block II will offer 95 rooms, while the New Block will offer 100 rooms.

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HOTELS

Best AVN Arogya for wellness Best Western India recently announced the launch of the Best Western AVN Arogya in Madurai, Tamil Nadu. community across different parts but also to the international audiences that the Best Western International presence in over 100 countries can provide.”

TT B U R E AU

he recently opened Best AVN Arogya is the result of a tie-up between Best Western India and AVN Arogya & Ayurvedic hospital and aims to give a boost to medical tourism in the region. It features 20 wellappointed cottages & rooms with up to two bedrooms with a private Jaccuzzi. A special feature for these rooms is the attached private therapy suites giving the discerning Best Western Traveller not only privacy but

Sudhir Sinha and Ramesh R Varier at the joint venture between Best Western and AVN Arogya & Ayurvedic Hospital

also the comfort of home at the same time. Sudhir Sinha, President and COO Best Western India, while making the announce-

What it offers? O The Best Western AVN Arogya offers private luxury suites with two bedrooms and a private therapy suite and with a private Jacuzzi, Deluxe Villas accommodating up to 4 persons with privacy for two persons, with attached therapy suites, Classic Villas and Deluxe AC Rooms with attached therapy suites. O The three-star category Best Western AVN Arogya also has Dhyana (Yoga Centre), Saffron- (Ayurvedic Restaurant), Tamarind tree (The Garden Restaurant), Hotpot (Coffee Shop), Tejus ( Beauty Spa), Kaya (The Health Club), Vilasa (The indoor games area), Apanika (The Gift & Boutique shop), Bodhini (The Library), Sabha, (The Board Room), Indraprastha (The Banquet hall) along with an organic dairy & vegetable garden, walking track & laundry facilities among others.

ment said, “This is a unique tie-up in the region. The Best Western International standards and experience of over 4000 Hotels Worldwide and the AVN Arogya’s 80 years experience in the Ayurvedic field offer a unique blend to attract international medical and wellness tourists to the region” Ramesh R Varier, Mg. Director & Senior Physician, AVN Arogya Healthcare, continued, “We are an integrated hospital offering authentic Ayurveda Services in a resort ambience. This tie up of Hospitality and Health-care will help us reaching further to not only the vast Indian

“This tie-up signifies that Best Western is the brand of choice internationally for accommodation as well as health, fitness, and, treatments even in the midscale segment. Our rapid growth in India is a testament to the relevance of our brand in a fast growing economy like India. We are happy to announce its launch today, expanding our presence in the state of Tamil Nadu. We are sure this will only be the beginning of our expansion in this region,” continued Sinha. “We already cater to many international customers for our Ayurvedic treatments and this association will help us in increasing our visibility and customer base further,” continued Varier.

Jharkhand trains unemployed youth in hospitality With almost 22 districts being Naxalite affected in Jharkhand, huge percentage of the state’s population is unemployed. Considering the hospitality potential in

Jharkhand, the Department of Welfare, Government of Jharkhand has taken the initiative to educate needy youths from Scheduled Tribes

(ST), Scheduled Castes (SC), Backward Category (BC) and Minority through a sponsored course in hospitality field. In 2005, a project on One year Skill development in hospital-

ity was proposed by Institute of Science & Management, Pundag, Ranchi to the Government of Jharkhand. The project is a brainchild of

this institute under Skill development programme for underprivileged category students. The programme got approved and sponsored by Department of Welfare, Govt.

Production. They are provided with accommodation, food, uniform, study material and a stipend of Rs 350 per month which are fully sponsored by the Department of Welfare,

of Jharkhand the same year. The students get trained in a particular area like Front Office, Housekeeping, Food & Beverage Service & Food

Govt. of Jharkhand. The students are selected from different districts like Hazaribagh, Ramgarh, Khunti, Palamu, Garhwa, East Singhbhum, West Singhbhum, Koderma, Deoghar, etc. Selection process is based on written examination followed by counseling. For counseling purpose various commissionaires are visited by the representatives of ISM & Welfare Department, so that the eligible aspirant’s selection can be done from their hometown only. Since 2005, several batches have been sponsored at different phases.

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NEWS

DECEMBER 1 ST FORTNIGHT ISSUE 2013

TRAVTALK

Sight on new markets Adding new verticals

With eight airline representations, Minar Travels As the sole representative of The Palazzi Group in India, is adding another airline representation in its aviation Blue Moon Travels has partnered with Palazzi Gas to vertical to take the final count to 10 by early 2014. promote Italy in the Indian market. T T B U R E AU

inar Travels has not been affected by the global slowdown. It is in a commanding position to end the present fiscal with over 20 per cent growth. As HS Duggal, Managing Director, Minar Travels, says, “Recession happens if people put their money in markets that are facing negative growth. Our focus is on the emerging growth markets.”

“We are bullish on the ‘Look East’ policy of ours with reasonable focus on the Latin American markets. We are confident of closing the year

VoA and Charters N Visa-on-Arrival (VoA) facility will help the charter business N With VoA facility, it becomes easier to sell the inventory

HS Duggal Managing Director Minar Travels

We are bullish on the ‘Look East’ policy of ours with reasonable focus on the Latin American markets with over 20 per cent growth and will cross the `100 crore turnover mark,” added Duggal. With over 200

charter flight operations a year, he opines that Visa-on-Arrival (VoA) facility will help the charter business. “With VoA facility, it becomes easier to sell the inventory, which otherwise would have gone unsold, as Indian visa takes anything in access of 10 days on an average. It will better our business in key markets like Russia, Kazakhstan, Ukraine and Iran,” said Duggal. Minar had also received good response to its MICE vertical. In fact, Duggal is prompt to highlight the first corporate group that its company is bringing to Delhi in December. “There are important developments on the aviation side as well. We presently represent eight airlines. In December, we will add one more airline. Its name can not be disclosed at this juncture due to protocol issue. In fact, in January, we plan to add another airline to the aviation vertical,” said Duggal.

have keen business interest in Italy. We also aim to target destination wedding planners/film & production houses as well as to be associated with the Italian Embassy in India.”

T T B U R E AU

lue Moon Travels is betting big on representation business for international companies as well. Kunal Sawhny, Vice PresidentBusiness Development, Blue Moon Travels says, “BMT Aviation & Hospitality is a subsidiary of Blue Moon Travels. We have recently ventured into the representation business for international companies, which are penetrating into the Indian market. Adding to the portfolio of this vertical is The Palazzi Group. It is one of Italy’s leading luxury event design and logistics agencies. They have appointed BMT Aviation & Hospitality as their sole representative in India and I will be marketing Palazzi Gas on pan-India basis.” Talking about the role as sole representative, Sawhny elaborates, “Our objective is to partner with Palazzi Gas to promote Italy in the Indian market. Our marketing activities

Kunal Sawhny Vice President- Business Development, Blue Moon Travels

With our expertise, we aim to be an arm to Travel/MICE companies for their events will promote the services offered by Palazzi Gas to Indian travel companies/MICE specialists/corporate houses that

BMT Hospitality is setting new benchmarks in the domain of destination weddings at various international locations. A wedding in Florence, a private event in Jodhpur and launch of a wellknow mobile phone were some of the vertical’s achievements this year. Regarding initiatives in the recent times, Sawhny comments, “BMT Representation and BMT Events are the new verticals that we have added under the umbrella. We have the right capabilities to execute both the new businesses. With our expertise, we aim to be an arm to Travel/MICE companies for their events and make a name for ourselves in the event management industry as well.”

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OPPORTUNITY/CLIPBOARD

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CLIPBOARD

DECEMBER 1 ST FORTNIGHT ISSUE 2013

TRAVTALK

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MOVEMENTS

TRAVTALK DECEMBER 1 ST FORTNIGHT ISSUE 2013

The Leela Palace New Delhi

Fairmont Jaipur

New Delhi

Jaipur

Louis Sailor has been appointed as the General Manager of The Leela Palace New Delhi. He brings to his new role nearly three decades of experience leading some of the finest hotels in the world, most recently as General Manager of London’s newest luxury hotel, Café Royal. Earlier in his career, he has helmed and worked in many topof-the-line hotels including The Fullerton Hotel, Singapore, Raffles Hotel, Singapore and Raffles Canouan Island, St Vincent & The Grenadines, Hilton & Conrad International in Japan and Singapore, Ritz Carlton, Laguna Niguel in California, and more.

Rizwan Shaikh is the newly appointed General Manager of the Fairmont Jaipur. In his role, Shaikh will manage the entire operations of the hotel and uphold Fairmont Hotels and Resorts brand position in the ‘pink city’ of Rajasthan. With an experience of almost 17 years, he has honed his skills at esteemed hotels across India and overseas. Shaikh started his professional journey with Sterling Holiday Resorts in Ooty before shifting to Goa where he was associated with properties like The Holiday Inn, Renaissance Resort and Taj Exotica (Taj Group of Hotels).

Novotel Hyderabad Convention Centre & Hyderabad International Convention Centre Hyderabad Jai Kishan has been taken on as the General Manager Operations for Novotel Hyderabad Convention Centre (NHCC) and Hyderabad International Convention Centre (HICC). He has more than 17 years of experience in the industry, spanning India, Switzerland, Taiwan, Singapore and Australia. He has also worked in Taj Coromandel Chennai, Hyatt Regency New Delhi, Hilton Taipei, Grand Hyatt Taipei among others.

Novotel Pune

Hyatt Delhi

Chennai

Aseem Kapoor has been appointed by Hyatt as its Area Director – North India, supervising Hyatt Regency Gurgaon, Hyatt Regency Delhi, Hyatt Ahmedabad, Hyatt Amritsar and Hyatt Regency Ludhiana from 2014. Kapoor began his hospitality career in 1989 as a Management Trainee with Holiday Inn Mumbai and in 1990, joined The Oberoi Mumbai as Catering Sales Executive. He joined Hyatt in 1995 as Assistant Director of F&B at Hyatt Regency, Delhi. This is in addition to his responsibilities as the General Manager of Hyatt Regency, Delhi.

Sunjae Sharma has been given the responsibility of Area DirectorSouth India, supervising Hyatt Bangalore, Park Hyatt Chennai, Hyatt Regency Chennai, Hyatt Regency Kolkata, Hyatt Place Hampi and Hyatt Regency, Kathmandu. Sharma has been associated with the hospitality industry for over 24 years and possesses a diversified experience panning across several hotel brands. A graduate from the coveted Institute of Hotel Management, Sunjae started his Hyatt innings with the Grand Hyatt in Delhi as Director Food & Beverage. This is in addition to his responsibilities as the General Manager of Hyatt Regency, Chennai.

GoAir

Embassy of Republic of Poland

Mumbai

New Delhi

Girish Nair has been appointed as Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) for GoAir. Nair brings a unique experience of 18 years in diverse sectors like media, information technology and aviation. He has been working for aviation sector from the past 13 years with focus on brand management, marketing strategy & business development. Nair is known to be passionate about aviation business. The airline will benefit with his vast experience across the different industries.

Priya Sharma has been appointed as the Media and Communications Expert for the Embassy of Republic of Poland. With a Masters in mass communications, she specialises in Media Relations, Brand Management, Internal Communications, Event/Campaign Management, Digital Marketing, and Advertising. Before this, she has also worked with The Park Hotels & the Accor Group with work experience of over three years.

Pune Bandish Mehta has been taken on as the General Manager of Novotel Pune. With over 16 years of leadership experience with the Accor Group, Mehta will oversee the complete management of the hotel and will train and develop the hotel’s team as it gears up for the launch in December. An Australian citizen, Mehta started his professional journey with the Sydney Convention & Exhibition Centre where he worked for 9 years before moving to the Hyderabad International Convention Centre.

Novotel Hyderabad Airport Hyderabad Sukhbir Singh has been appointed as the Executive Assistant Manager of Accor of Novotel Hyderabad Airport. He has over 15 years of experience in hospitality and finance verticals, working in companies such as American Express, ITC, Regus, Taj, and Oberoi, to name a few. He is a product of IIAS Institute of Hotel Management with a degree in Hospitality Management.

Talking People is a special dedicated corner, created as a sounding board for who’s who of the Indian and International travel industry. With Talking People, it is our endeavour to bring you face-to-face with people.Contributed by: Megha Paul, Vivek Sethi

Azran Osman-Rani, CEO, AirAsia X had a successful career in a digital satellite television and radio station. Then he moved to a start-up low-cost long-haul carrier, when he was hired by Tony Fernandes, the founder of Asia’s most successful low-cost airlines, AirAsia, to launch AirAsia X. According to him, India is awesome- it’s like visiting a hundred different countries with a thousand different cultures! However, his other favourite destinations are several such as Hokkaido in Japan, Kota Kinabulu in Malaysia, to name a few. From Lekha Shankar

Pankaj Mathur, General Manager, The Suryaa New Delhi feels that being a hotelier keeps you on your toes all the time. He loves being the family man during his leisure time. "I love to spend time with my family. I have three lovely girls -- my two daughters and one wife," he chuckles. "My daughters are 21 and 15. I love to play a game of Scrabble and Monopoly with them. My kids call themselves Goan as they grew up in Goa. I worked in Cidade Goa and thus, Goa is one place we keep going back to."

HS Duggal, Managing Director, Minar Travels, loves staying ahead of times, when it comes to taking care of his employees. This, at times, requires him to take home office work, which his family understands. However, he loves to spend as much time with his family. His wife is fully into management of home affairs and the two daughters are studying. The family favourite destinations in India are Manali and Goa, while Austria, Thailand and London attract them on overse as trips.

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Postal Reg. No.: DL(ND)-11/6044/2012-13-14; WPP No.: U(C)-178/2012-14 for posting on 1st-2nd and 15th-16th of the same month at New Delhi P.S.O., RNI No.: 53492/91 Date of Publication:30-11-2013

HIGHLIGHT

Aiming for the top two: Bailey Abacus is emerging as a strong market leader in India and has plans of being among the top two players very soon. With innovative technological developments and the highest level of services, Abacus guarantees appropriate solutions to increase productivity. D E V I KA J E E T

FROM

K UA L A L U M P U R

ecognising India’s phenomenal potential, Abacus is investing heavily in the market and has big plans to rapidly grow. In terms of booking volumes, they have already captured 15 per cent of the market share and this is just the beginning. Reiterating this, Robert

tions along with customising it to the Indian market. “In India, we differentiate on service and have a very strong and supportive team. We are trying hard and will continue to try harder to make sure the customers are well supported. We have a lot of tools available in the mobile

area. The demographic profile shows that educated, young and tech-savvy Indian travellers are coming out and being much more active in the travel industry. Empty nesters are also a high potential sector for travel. “The Indian market has grown at 20 per cent and the online agents are growing at 35-40

We have a lot of tools available in the mobile space and are pushing the boundaries in mobility for the Indian travellers. We will educate and pioneer in this area, and we already have first-mover advantages Robert Bailey, President and CEO, Abacus International

Bailey, President and CEO, Abacus International, says, “Our clear intention is to be one of the leaders in the market place. We soon want to be one of the top two leaders.” “We recognise the importance of the India market. It’s big; it’s growing fast and is becoming wealthier. Indians are going to look at more international and high value travel options. The demographics are also very interesting with a lot of young population travelling and making full use of technology. They understand technology, appreciate it and will soon change the business model.” With multiple strengths, Abacus is focussing on the Asia Pacific region and developing inventive mobile and emerging technology solu-

Bailey on India and Indian market O We recognise the importance of the India market. It’s

big; it’s growing fast and is becoming wealthier

O Indians are going to look at more international and high

value travel options

O They understand technology, appreciate it and will soon

change the business model

O India is in the forefront of the online travel agency

development

O The demographic profile shows that educated, young

and tech-savvy Indian travellers are coming out and being much more active in the travel industry

space and are pushing the boundaries in mobility for the Indian consumers. We will educate and pioneer in this area, and we already have first-mover advantages.” Bailey feels that India is in the forefront of the online travel agency development. While there are some mature and big players in this field, a lot of new initiates are also being taken and soon there will be a shakeout in that

per cent. They were growing at double the market growth and over time, this will change the profile of the Indian market,” adds Bailey. Discussing the unique Indian market, Bailey touches upon the LCC trend. “India does not have many pure play low-cost carriers. There is a lot of talk around LCCs but it’s actually a supplier direct model. In

India, with a large domestic air market, the development of point-to-point simple supply service is big.” The LCC content on Abacus grew over 80 per cent this year. “I see LCC as a big positive driver for travel and what we see is that the first-time travellers will tend to take an LCC because of the price point and with experience move up the value chain. Introducing new travellers into the market place, low-cost carriers have already cannibalised the traditional carrier space in India and are now making the market bigger.” He mentioned that the Etihad-Jet relation will change the profile of the international outbound market and with Singapore airlines and others coming in to launch more low-cost carriers, this will have a stimulus affect on the market.