TravTalk by Ashish Chakraborty

A DDP PUBLICATION

Pages: 32 (Excluding cover)

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Vol. XXV No. 10; May 2 nd fortnight issue 2013

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

he Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has amended the special categories in its Visa manual and has entrusted the travel agents approved by the Ministry of Tourism to play an important

TRAVTALK

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MAY 2 ND FORTNIGHT ISSUE 2013

role in getting the facility of collective landing for groups. “Foreign tourists in groups of four, or more, arriving by air or sea, sponsored by Indian travel agencies approved by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India and with a pre-drawn

itinerary may be granted a collective landing permit for a period not exceeding 60 days, with multiple-entry facility to enable them to visit a neighbouring country,” said the circular issued by MHA in April. “To avail this facility, a tourist, or travel agency con-

cerned shall mandatorily fill in the applications online on www.indiavisaonline.gov.in. A complete list of group members along with printed visa applications and their itinerary should be submitted by tourists, or travel agency to the FRRO, or Contd. on page 6

Parvez Dewan Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India

Travel agents pull shutters down In a recent move, the travel agents have now adopted a silent, Gandhi-style movement to agitate against airlines and the government. reports more on the issue… A N I TA J A I N

H Iqbal Mulla

Jay Bhatia

President TAAI

Western Region Chapter Head TAAI

istory is indeed repeating itself with travel agents across India agitating against airlines for their remuneration fee, against the ‘malpractices’ of airlines. This token strike is also against the recent announcement made by the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) about levying extra

charges on passengers for various services. On May 7, 2013, TAAI’s 36 Managing Committee members acted on a voluntary ‘Shutter Down’ against airlines which was supported well by other trade association members. Close to 5,000 agents across India volunteered for this move and successfully created an impact if not on the airlines then surely on the industry as a whole.

According to TAAI, travel agents book close to ` 100 crore worth tickets on BSP in Mumbai region in a day itself. Thus, close to ` 350-400 crore are said to be lost by all airlines operating in Indian skies (and present on BSP) during this Contd. on page 11

Unbundling services simplified Ram Tamara, Managing Director of Nathan Economic Consulting India, on whose recommendation Minister for Civil Aviation Ajit Singh permitted carriers to charge extra fees, decodes Indian aviation’s â la carte ticket pricing. See full story on page 14

BULLETIN

Caravans as mobile hotels In many parts of our country, rooms are still a constraint, especially in peak season. In this case, caravans can be used as mobile hotels and then be moved to another place, where there is a shortage of rooms. Co-chairman, Tourism Committee, PHD Chamber emphasised on the advantages of road tourism and its growth journey in the country.

V IVEK S ETHI

t the curtain-raiser on ‘Caravan Tourism - India by Road’ meet conducted by PHD Chamber of Commerce in New Delhi, the Secretary, Ministry of Tourism highlighted best practices that could very well change the prospects of caravan tourism in India. “Caravans are a unique tourism product, which can promote various niche segments including family travel, pilgrimage, spiritual, MICE or even honeymoon tours. It has potential to promote new circuits and destinations, attracting inbound and domestic travellers of all ages,” said Parvez Dewan, Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India.

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

“In countries like UK, US and Singapore, where facilities of caravan tourism exist in plenty, caravans had been used in many innovative ways. In many parts of our country, rooms are still a constraint, especially in peak season. We can use caravans as ‘mobile hotels’, which can be a great help during peak tourism periods,” he added.

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

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

STATISTICS VIEWPOINT

Protest done Start dialogue

here has been widespread resentment among the travel agents’ fraternity against dwindling/no commissions on the air component, which declined from as high as nine per cent to zero. It seems that the voluntary protests conducted by the travel agents on May 7, 2013, which has been hailed as a ‘no ticketing day’, came about as the anger among agents in general across the country peaked. However, it’s a long way before the agents can expect relief, or witness revival of their rightful remuneration for acting as the extended distribution arm of airlines, also offering an array of services to the customer. The mass protests, adequately highlighted in the media, have sent across a clear message that travel agents will not work without commissions. Going forward, to compel the airlines and government authorities in India to factor in travel agents as important stakeholders, the travel agent fraternity should take recourse to all possible legal and other platforms to settle on a fair reward. Fortunately, there exist a few prominent travel agents associations, but they need to get their act together. It’s been seen that these associations have different reactions and a very varied approach. One of the south-based associations had single handedly been pursuing legal remedies, while the other two prominent associations are also taking legal recourse, but separately. One needs to understand that there has to be a follow-up to the ‘no ticketing day’ observed on May 7. A core team needs to be created, that would represent the collective strength of travel agents, and initiate aggressive dialogue at all possible levels with the airlines and government agencies. Otherwise, the protest is going to be just another wasted day. Travel agents will also require to mobilise support, or at least sympathy of the general public, especially their clients, whether they travel for business or leisure. The travel agency has to foster its image as an important element in their travel plans. They also should highlight how, in their fight for survival, they are also fighting for the rights of consumers, who may face exorbitant charges being levied by airlines, once they unbundle services and charge for them.

Vikramajit Chairman SanJeet Publisher Deepa Sethi Editor

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 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

Asian travellers power tourism Beyond their spending, large numbers, and idiosyncratic habits, Asian women and older-generation tourists also represent a new class of globetrotters. T T B U R E AU

s of last year, there are more tourists travelling abroad than ever before at 1.04 billion according to the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO). Many of these new tourists are visiting-as well as coming fromemerging markets in Asia, Africa, and Central and Eastern Europe. While Europe is still the most visited region in the world, Asia saw the biggest increase in international visits of any region last year, according to the UNWTO. Much of that growth is from travellers within the region who are becoming wealthy enough to vacation beyond their borders.

increase some 400% by 2030 as more women take on executive-level positions that require travel. This map shows the expected increase,

China, which spent more than any other country on tourism in 2012, Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines also saw their

Japan has sent tourism representatives to the country. Emerging markets are becoming a key part of the global tourism industry. The

citizens’ overseas spending on tourism jump by double digits. Latvia’s foreign minister has tried to woo Malaysian tourists by extolling the ‘joys of winter’ that can’t be experienced in hot Southeast Asia, while

International Air Travel Association (IATA) estimates that Asia will see the highest profit margin growth of any region, a sign the global airline industry’s ‘centre of gravity’ is moving to emerging markets.

And in the list... Other growing markets include Venezuela, Poland, and Saudi Arabia which also saw doubledigit growth in tourism spending last year; Russia and Brazil are among the top 10 contributors to global tourism spending.

And two key demographics, according to a report by a market research firm Frost & Sullivan, are women travelling for business and travellers above the age of 65. Women travellers in seven East Asian countries–who number around 4.5 million in 2011–should

in millions, of older travellers from Asian countries, especially India. (Graph) Naturally, countries are vying for the cash these Asian tourists are willing to spend on hotels, shopping and excursions. Aside from

Letter to the Editor

Action and Reaction I have a long-standing reputation of being a negative person, but for people who appreciate black humour, I fully acknowledge the same. Over the past 6-8 weeks, most of travel trade journals are full of articles on ‘FAITH’ and the wonderful concept of NASSCOM of the travel industry. Over past 20 years and in each and every IATO & other travel trade convention, we have discussed the necessity for such a concept, where all travel trade bodies can sit together to discuss problems and approach various ministries with a single voice. The past tourism secretaries have been advising the various travel trade bodies to get their act together and at least have an intra-association meeting before approaching Ministry of Tourism with a charter of demands. So if the majority of senior leaders in the industry feel ‘FAITH’ is a necessity of the future, you must question my hidden motives when I say that the ‘foundations of FAITH are being built on quicksand and a stillborn baby is all that we will get to see’. My basic premise starts from the concept that the word ‘Tourism Industry’ defines every revenue source that a tourist creates for the GDP of the country, be it shopping, hotel stay, transport, travel and meal arrangements, etc. In India, we have a few very strong travel associations representing interest of Air Ticketing Agents (TAAI), Inbound Tour Operators (IATO) and Domestic Tour Operators (ADTOI). The customer base of TAAI and ADTOI is more or less the same, while the customer base of IATO is an exclusive domain. The taxation incentives sought by IATO is in contradiction of those demanded by TAAI and ADTOI. At this moment, a mention of other travel trade bodies like TAFI, Adventure Tour Operators and Tourist Taxi Operators, etc and its consumer base may create more confusion to explain than what I have to state. The Memorandum of Association (MOA) of each travel trade body defines the purpose for which particular association has been formed and its objectives. Any change in the MOA needs an extraordinary meeting of that association & proper filing of papers in the registrar of societies. I hope the authorised signatories of FAITH are aware of this and followed procedure. Otherwise, any of member of any association can approach the courts of law & FAITH will collapse like a pack of cards. Rajiv Verma, Director, Lawrence Travels

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 Design: Nityanand Misra Sudhir Mudgal Production: Anil Kharbanda Circulation: Ashok Rana

TRAVTALK is a publication of DDP Publications Private Limited. All information in TRAVTALK is derived from sources, which we consider reliable and a sincere effort is made to report accurate information. It is passed on to our readers without any responsibility on our part. The publisher regret that he cannot accept liability for errors and omissions contained in this publication, however caused. Similarly, opinions/views expressed by third parties in abstract and/or in interviews are not necessarily shared by TRAVTALK. However, we wish to advice our readers that one or more recognised authorities may hold different views than those reported. Material used in this publication is intended for information purpose only. Readers are advised to seek specific

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With reference to the letter from Rajiv Verma that has been forwarded to me by you, I would only say that this member of an association does not have any information about FAITH and may not have received any from his association or has not been briefed. I am certain that if he had gone through the documents, he would never have shown any dissatisfaction. I think, this much observation you must have also made yourself.

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HOTELS

MAY 2 ND FORTNIGHT ISSUE 2013

TRAVTALK

Hospitality attracts $3.2bn FDI in FY13 Industry experts attributed the sudden spurt in FDI to factors like an improving investment climate in the sector besides increasing opportunities. reports... M E G H A PAU L

oreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the nation’s hospitality industry has surged in the last financial year amid

Nakul Anand President Hotel Association of India

The government needs to take more steps to boost investment in the sector an improvement in investment climate and rising opportunities in the country’s hotel and tourism sector, lifting the outlook for Asia’s third biggest economy. According to the data of the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP), the sector has attracted FDI worth USD 3.21

Leela to set foot in Agra The luxury hotel chain’s cycle of development will focus exclusively on management contracts Luxury hotels chain, The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts will open a property in Agra in a joint venture. Rajiv Kaul, President, The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts said, “The final details of the joint venture are still being worked out and shall be revealed shortly. The chain is moving into the next cycle of development. We have also signed deals for properties in Bengaluru, Noida and Jaipur.” He added that the luxury hotel chain would also be expanding internationally with a 400room property in Dubai. Kaul also said that The Leela would look to double its properties in India over the next five years.

billion during the AprilFebruary 2012-13. The FDI flow in the sector in the last fiscal is significantly higher as compared to the flow of USD 3.37 billion, which the country received during the last 12 years ending March, 2012. The foreign

inflows in the hotel and tourism sector did not figure in the DIPP's list of the top10 recipients of FDI prior to September 2012. Talking about the recent development, Nakul Anand, President, Hotel Association of India says, “It is definitely

good news for the hospitality and tourism industry. However, a lot needs to be done even now. Besides taxation and human resource related issues, the government needs to take more steps to boost investment in the sector. There is a need to look at land-related problems

for the hospitality sector. The recent DIAL hotels’ issue also needs to be solved as quickly as possible.” Further, in India, services sector attracted highest FDI. During April-February 2013, the sector received foreign inflows in the

order of USD 4.74 billion. During the period, overall FDI has declined 38 per cent to USD 20.89 billion. Decline in foreign investments could put pressure on the country’s balance of payments and may also impact the value of the rupee.

TRAVTALK MAY 2 ND FORTNIGHT ISSUE 2013

Changing the rules Contd. from page 1

FRO concerned, 72 hours in advance. The tourist or travel agency shall also give an undertaking to conduct the group as per the itinerary and extend a further assurance that no individual would be allowed to drop out from the group at any place” added the circular seen by . As per Parvez Dewan, Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, it’s a very important development. “India has now opened its shores by land and sea to people travelling in groups from most of the countries across the world, other than a few due to special consideration. Fortunately, this development

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

Taking Responsibility The applicant shall give an undertaking to conduct the group as per the itinerary and that no one would be allowed to drop out from the group

Tourism goes ‘Gangnam’ The Korean Tourism Organisation will feature the singer PSY in a new video series next month to promote tourism to South Korea. The series titled ‘PSY’s Wiki Korea’, has the South Korean rap artist highlighting some of the

country’s major attractions, from samgyeopsal, a Korean pork belly barbecue, and the Jeju Olle trail, a walking path on Jeju Island off the country’s southwest coast, to Myeongdong, South Korea’s famed ‘shopping Mecca’.

NEWS

Need Guwahati-Thailand flights Anurag Singh, Managing Director, Assam Tourism Development Corporation Ltd, talks about the roadblocks in promoting tourism in the region and how ITM highlighted the tourism potential of Northeastern states. What are the roadblocks in promoting tourism in the North East?

PEDEN DOMA BHUTIA

How has the response of the tourists been to the North East this summer? The response has been quite encouraging this year. Tourists who come to visit our national parks or sanctuaries are now quite keen to visit other parts of the state such as tea gardens of Upper Assam and Majuli, the Buddhist sites etc. We are expecting an increase in the number of tourists during the Ambubasi festival in June this year.

Are you making any attempts to woo foreign tourists? Northeast, particularly Assam, attracts a considerable number of foreign tourists each year, apart from a large number of domestic tourists. Last year, we received more than 20,000 foreign tourists in Assam. More than 45 lakh domestic

Anurag Singh Managing Director, Assam Tourism Development Corporation Ltd

tourists visited Assam last year. We are also creating new circuits in the state with the inclusion of adventure and trekking sites for tourists. We have also started a river cruise from Guwahati to Majuli in the Brahmaputra river with a new luxury river cruise ‘Mahabahu’. There is a very promising response from different countries for advance booking of the cruise ship. The journey through this river is a treat for every tourist.

Assam is a land of varied landscapes endowed with the unique wealth of flora and fauna as well as cultural and ethnic diversity. Development of better infrastructure is our main thrust. It requires sustained and targetted approach for developing new tourists circuits, better infrastructure in terms of connectivity i.e. roads, resorts and hotels. Better marketing and publicity efforts are also required. The investment in infrastructure needs to be in a sustained manner and based on a separate master plan for each destination.

Do you think a dedicated airline in the region will help promote tourism in the North East? Assam is well connected to the rest of the country through air, road and rail. But I think the most impor-

tant thing would be upgradation of all airports in Assam and increasing the number of flights from Dibrugarh and Jorhat for Upper Assam connectivity. I believe that a dedicated direct airline connecting Guwahati to Thailand would help promote inbound and outbound tourism from north eastern states to other South Asian destinations.

How has the ITM in Guwahati helped attract tourists to the region? ITM 2013, held in Guwahati, has been a very important milestone in highlighting the tourism potential of the north eastern states. So far, the response from foreign tour operators has been very encouraging. It has helped in creating a reliable link between our tour operators and tour operators from foreign countries. I am sure the results of this effort would be visible in times to come.

TECHNOLOGY

MAY 2 ND FORTNIGHT ISSUE 2013

TRAVTALK

IATA helps decode NDC mystery IATA’s New Distribution Capability (NDC) is receiving global opposition as it is assumed that it will bring an end to GDS and travel agents. However, IATA assures that it will beneﬁt all stakeholders of the industry including agents and airlines. But, surprisingly, only handful of agents in India are aware of ‘NDC’. A N I TA J A I N

DC is currently the most talked about subject in global travel and tourism industry. There is a lot of confusion and commotion concerning NDC and its legal structure Resolution 787. It has become the global industry’s bogeyman with proponents insisting there’s nothing under the bed but an initiative to bring in efficiency

The key issues on NDC, seen from an agency view, are whether the travel agents in future will have an access to all products and prices on an NDC airline or not Lars Thykier, Chairman, WTAAA

in the airline booking system while the opponents are convinced that it will end GDS and agent distribution channel. However, in India, it is still an alien subject with very few agents aware of NDC. Well, as per IATA, NDC is an IATA-led collaborative industry initiative to define a

IATA moves to Delhi IATA is in process of centralising its business in India. Its partial operations will be done in New Delhi, while the rest will be done in Singapore. Since 1998, Mumbai has been the headquarters of IATA in India, which will be closed by end of this year. Its Delhi branch office will then become the onlytouch point office in India. Thus, latest by December 2013, IATA would be operating out of New Delhi and its central operations would take place from Singapore, informed Sunil Chopra, Assistant Director – India & Nepal, IATA. He said, “Since we deal with top government officials from the Union Aviation ministry and the airlines, it makes sense for us to move our operations to Delhi.”

messaging standard that will enable retailing opportunities through the indirect channel (travel agent/GDS) similar to those available on airline websites. But if it is beneficial

for all stakeholders of the industry, then why do the opponents smell this to be an airline’s plot to ‘free’ the industry from GDS and agents?

Global industry opposes Lars Thykier, Chairman, WTAAA defines NDC as a new way for the travel industry to see (airline) products that today are not easily compara-

ble across the board. He explains saying, “As example of the current shortfalls is the lack of comparability between airline service classes (Business Class on Airline A

Pradip Lulla National General Secretary TAFI

Vs Business Class on Airline B) in GDS systems or on travel agency website where GDS typically only shows business Contd. on page 26

PASSPORT

Hyderabad leads the race Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Chandigarh and Lucknow are now ahead of Delhi and Mumbai in terms of passports issued in 2012, which reďŹ&#x201A;ect that these cities will grow fast to become major hubs for tapping outbound touristsâ&#x20AC;Ś TT B UREAU

he statistics released by the Ministry of External Affairs reveal that Hyderabad took a big leap in terms of registering most of the passport applications received in 2012 and also ended up issuing 5,03,243 passports. However, in terms of getting the passport through Tatkal scheme, Delhi topped with 74,142 passports.

Headquarters and the Office of the Chief Secretary of Andaman and Nicobar Islands issued 59.40 lakh passports (inclusive of 2,301 Diplomatic passports and 22010 Official passports) and rendered 3.14 lakh passport-related miscellaneous services including Police Clearance Certificates. The 180 Indian Missions and Posts abroad issued 11.35 lakh passports and other pass-

estimated to be ` 1200 crore during the whole financial year, was ` 884.69 crore. An amount of ` 559.72 crore was allocated to Central Passport Organisation in the financial year 2012-13. In comparison as per the statistics released in 2011, Government had issued 58.69 lakh passports (inclusive of 2,840 Diplomatic passports, and 28,067 Official passports),

Statements showing the total number of passport applications received and passports issued, total miscellaneous applications received and services rendered; No. of passports issued as well as revenue under tatkaal scheme; and total revenue and expenditure of passport offices during January to December 2012

Statement showing the number of passport services rendered by Passport Office during January 1 to December 31, 2012 Passport Office

Ahmedabad Amritsar Bengaluru Bareilly Bhopal Bhubaneswar Chandigarh Chennai Cochin Coimbatore Dehradun Delhi Ghaziabad Hyderabad Jaipur Jalandhar Jammu Kolkata Kozhikode Lucknow Madurai Malappuram Mumbai Nagpur Panaji Patna Pune Rajpur Ranchi Shimla Srinagar Surat Thane Tiruchirapalli Thiruvanan -thapuram Vizag Total

No of Passport applications received

No of No of Passports No of miscella- No. of miscellaPassports issued under neous applica- neous services tions received issued Tatkall rendered

Revenue

3,30,121 77,404 4,07,646 72,695 1,05,927 30,484 2,83,102 3,29,408 2,96,255 82,156 54,577 3,18,129 1,15,131 5,23,720 1,84,720 1,27,731 25,149 2,81,197 2,32,604 3,54,259 1,76,821 1,93,462 3,24,529 87,560 30,215 1,46,582 1,44,928 37,473 56,979 24,461 56,728 1,15,671 1,92,332 1,41,374

3,13,656 73,671 4,00,263 70,610 1,09,243 73,164 2,82,672 3,19,321 2,64,968 78591 51,148 2,64,785 1,19,828 5,03,243 1,96,703 1,40,923 24,627 2,33,380 2,27,923 3,02,359 1,61,299 1,94,650 2,77,187 92,551 22,498 1,33,648 1,46,756 32,517 55,520 21,991 61,463 111,993 1,29,791 1,28,339

4,210 6,026 45,877 1,973 11,857 3,870 8,667 64,076 68,072 10,875 3,702 74,142 5,603 53,666 16123 1,645 47 17,385 38,509 12,595 135 35,434 32,833 5,433 283 2,119 22,422 3,983 4,428 2,826 231 2,884 13,156 7,341

9,876 6,370 11,823 3,506 1,151 1,234 13,919 11,186 71,729 1,274 2,011 6,789 3,507 49,136 12,801 13,221 1,203 9,645 10,820 26,506 8,005 9,292 8,198 1,014 2,892 11,838 4,099 378 3,486 1,951 1,159 7,040 5,123 8,917

9,758 6,945 11,541 3,272 1,131 1,199 13,748 11,003 14,740 1,215 1,783 6,467 3,372 46,516 7,792 12,734 1,039 8,968 10,638 25,562 7,754 9,285 7,840 977 2,628 13,358 4,153 367 3,211 1,905 973 6,411 5,071 8,917

38,16,73,340 9,10,00,700 55,86,79,649 8,08,58,235 7,49,51,290 4,49,62,100 33,38,78,200 47,77,27,000 3,35,18,1401 11,07,47,200 4,73,08,193 50,93,23,162 9,06,67,105 64,76,02,868 21,66,49,200 15,14,56,600 43,04,36,863 30,92,82,275 32,29,07,296 44,25,11,962 22,21,14,970 5,98,23,390 40,84,40,304 10,13,82,645 2,81,20,400 16,53,15,715 19,11,66,230 1,06,58,800 2,96,52,230 3,92,80,500 6,16,44,500 13,13,08,000 17,70,67,700 17,46,30,811

1,58,203 1,03,183 62,83,180

1,31,790 1,10,526 59,15,708

41,986 9,544 64,25,39

11,962 28,730 3,83,731

11,760 28,087 3,14,435

22,99,48,600 15,46,74,284 7,91,70,74,418

HQ CPV Division (Diplomatic/Official Passport) Passports/ECs Issued by 180 Missions/Posts Abroad Grant Total (Passport and ECs issued + Total Miscellaneous service rendered) On the whole, over the last decade, there has been a considerable expansion in the number of services rendered by Passport Offices. During January-December 2012, the 37 Passport Offices,

port-related miscellaneous services. Thus, the Government of India, in total, rendered 73.89 lakh passport services. The total revenue generated from all passport services in 2012-13 (April December 2012), which was

2301/22010 1135104* 7389558 and rendered 4.68 lakh passport-related miscellaneous services. The 178 Indian missions and posts issued 10.27 lakh passports. Thus, the Government of India, in total, had rendered 73.65 lakh passport services.

HOTELS

MAY 2 ND FORTNIGHT ISSUE 2013

TRAVTALK

Committed to promote tourism: Suri Post the soft launch of its Chandigarh property on April 13, 2013; Lalit has scheduled the launch of its Kolkata property later in 2013, which will take its tally of operational hotels to 11. TT B UREAU

ighlighting the India’s Tourism potential, Jyotsna Suri, Chairperson & Managing Director, The Lalit Suri Hospitality Group, said, “India has immense tourism potential and offers almost the entire gamut of travel attractions that any tourist may want to explore.”

Jyotsna Suri Chairperson & Managing Director, The Lalit Suri Hospitality Group and Vice President, FICCI

Inbound tourism will get a major boost with the extension of Visa-on-Arrival facility On developments on the corporate side, Suri said, “On the business front, our motto is not to just sell our hotels. Instead, we are committed to promote and build destinations. We take pride in being a leading hotel company from India, presently offering 17 luxurious hotels, with 10 operational properties and seven under development in the five-star deluxe segment. Our hotels presently have operating properties in New Delhi, Mumbai, Goa, Bengaluru, Srinagar, Udaipur, Khajuraho, Jaipur, Bekal and Chandigarh; with under-construction hotels, scheduled to open between 2013 to 2014 in Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Amritsar, Dehradun, London, Dubai and Koh Samui (Thailand). Our count will grow to 11 operations hotels in 2013, with launch of Kolkata being scheduled in 2013.” On prospects of growth in the inbound and domestic segments, Suri said, “The industry, in line with the Ministry of Tourism’s overall projections for the 12th Plan Period, is working in the direction of doubling the inbound and domestic tourism size. The inbound will get a major

boost with further extension of Visa-on-Arrival facility to important source market along with extending the facility to more ports. The domestic segment also holds great potential and accordingly, many new hotels and attractions had been coming up in the country to cater to the aware tourist.”

Suri also insisted that the niche inbound platform created by FICCI, the Great Indian Travel Bazaar, which just held its sixth edition in Jaipur with over 9,000 structured B2B meetings has taken the agenda of stimulating inbound segment further.

Further, the third edition of the Great Domestic Tourism Bazaar scheduled to be held from September 27-29, 2013 in New Delhi, created for promoting domestic tourism will replicate the same success in the domestic segment.

“In India, tourism contributes approximately 7 per cent to the national GDP and almost 10 per cent to the total employment. We are confident that with support from the government, the inbound and domestic tourism sector will increase by leaps and bounds,” she added.

Big Vision The niche inbound platform created by FICCI, the Great Indian Travel Bazaar has taken the agenda of stimulating inbound segment further The third edition of the GDTB scheduled from September 27-29, in New Delhi, created will replicate the same success in the domestic segment

ASSOCIATIONS

Branding the Himalayas After assuming the role of ATOAI President, Akshay Kumar, CEO, Mercury Himalayan Explorations, talks about the job at hand and how aggressive marketing of the Himalayas can make India a 365-day destination. PEDEN DOMA BHUTIA

What do you perceive of the adventure tourism industry in India? Over the past decade, there has been a visible shift from long, activity-specific and hard adventure to short, multi-activity and soft adventure trips. The Indian domestic market has also taken to adventure travel in a big way. Youth travel and corporate off-sites form a major part of the domestic adventure market. Earlier, adventure travel was perceived to be limited mainly to the Himalayas, but is now covering rivers, forests, deserts, islands, too. It is a genuinely pan-India activity. Even though the industry is booming, lack of regulation and certification is causing concerns which need to be addressed through workshops and capacitybuilding programmes. ATOAI will be very aggressive on this forum for the next year.

What are the roadblocks in the development of adventure tourism in India? How do you intend to counter them? a) Accessibility to the remote areas: To make airports in the mountains capable of landing small fixed-wing aircraft. Heliport tourism is not the answer due to constraints of carrying capacity in aspects like number of passengers and baggage. Also, the costs are prohibitive for operations of helicopters, making this a not-soattractive option for tourism.

Alternate access routes are long and waste precious time travelling by road which can be better spent trekking, hiking or rafting or, even just enjoying the view and the culture of the Himalayan destinations. There is an

Akshay Kumar CEO Mercury Himalayan Explorations

There is an urgent need to activate unused airstrips in the Himalayas and also to create new ones urgent need to activate unused airstrips in the Himalayas and also to create new green field landing strips in remote Himalayan locations like Kaza in Himachal Pradesh, Yambung in Sikkim, Mechuka in Arunachal Pradesh with Harsil, Pitthoragarh and Gauchar in Uttarakhand. This issue is being aggressively taken up at the Government of India level.

b) Forest land jurisdiction: Over 95% of all land-based adventure activities take place in areas controlled by the Forest Department. Lack of eco-tourism and wildlife policies, and the drive within the forest ministries, is leading to operational problems. Adventure and wildlife tourism is being considered on a par with pilgrim and allied activities. As a principle, all adventure and wildlife tour operators act as selfappointed wardens of our natural habitat and go to extreme lengths in educating staff and clients to practice minimum impact tourism. ATOAI will actively engage with the forest department and like-minded associations like ESOI to find solutions. c) Sat Phone Communication: The ban on use of satellite phones by private operators in India is limiting our capability to provide effective evacuation and rescue service in the wilderness. Many foreign agents do not feature India for wilderness travel as their insurance requires the use of sat-phones. The rules are such that they do not even allow fixed satellite communication systems if they are fixed on moving platforms like cruise ships, etc. d) Insurance: Domestic adventure tourists in India cannot purchase insurance for rescue and evacuation. It is quite strange that in case of a bad accident, a foreign client will be evacuated withContd. on page 14

STIC strives for inbound niche STIC’s Singapore marketing office, started in January 2013, will act as a catalyst to grow its inbound business, while more such offices come up in London and Sri Lanka. Another office is also planned in Africa in FY13-14. The group is gearing for its 40th anniversary later this year, while it also gears up to strengthen its overseas network of offices, which it has started with the Singapore office that commenced operations in January 2013. “Today, we are the top airline representation company in India and represent 11 airlines spread across the globe in addition to 7 non-air component and 2 technology

Subhash Goyal Chairman, STIC Group

companies. We will complete 40 years of operations and have special plans to build a niche in inbound business through our overseas office network,” said Subhash Goyal, Chairman, STIC Group. “Our Singapore office was made operational under the leadership of my daughter Richa in January 2013.

Now, we are also working on opening two more offices in London, Sri Lanka and Africa in FY13-14. The idea is to offer customised and flexible travel options and bring travellers into India by offering the product they want, not that we had prepared to sell,” he added. Lately, STIC had signed an exclusive distributor contract with Europcar, the global leader in car rental. The deal was inked at the ITB Berlin 2013. As an exclusive distributor, STIC Travel Group will bring Europcar’s global products to India, which are now being offered in over 130 countries.

COVER STORY

‘Non-cooperation move’ Contd. from page 1

one-day ‘Shutters Down’, informed Iqbal Mulla, President, TAAI. Post the Supreme Court order, the agents were not able to charge additional transaction/service fee over and above the ticket cost. Moreover, the travel agents are moving on the weekly payment cycle from June 1, 2013 meaning they have to pay airlines every week no matter they receive the ticket

This one-day shutter-down will cost the Indian airlines operating in the skies nearly ` 350-400 crores in revenue Iqbal Mulla, President, TAAI

amount from their client or not, explains Mulla. He said, “With our insurance premium increasing to 1.30 per cent, service tax levied on every product we sell (double taxation) managing skilled manpower for bringing in expertise to sell our products, it is

Charter of demands • • • • •

•

• • •

Complete transparency to be maintained in the airfares by the airlines Regulate the airfares which should not be exploited at any point of given time Consolidated airfares to be charged with all basic essential necessities of the consumer To avoid double taxation by the airlines to the consumer, need to unify the airfare and invoicing practices No industry functions without a commission and therefore, we demand for our legitimate right for commission as per Indian Aircraft Act 135 In the interest of the consumer, it is advisable that NO IATA regulations should be implemented in India without the consent of Indian Government, Travel Trade Associations and the Consumer forums. Agents must be remunerated by our Principals, for sales we complete. We have invested heavily, and cannot be let down. Airlines must respect the channel of marketing and cannot create web disparity. We cannot be quiet, when unjust practices are adopted against the Indian travel agency fraternity. Existing credit cycle should be maintained by the airlines.

not possible for us to survive in this business.” According to Jay Bhatia, Western Region Chapter Head, TAAI, the association is now urging airlines for five per cent agency commission on the total fare instead of one per cent on base fare. He says, “Without travel agents, travellers will be paying over 2030 per cent on fares. The association is also upset about the recent decision taken by MoCA for approving the airlines request of collecting extra

charges. The ministry had cited 'international practices' adopted by airlines in the USA and the UK. This decision, if implemented, will make air travel costlier. TAAI has sought an explanation from the Minister of Civil Aviation on the reasons behind allowing airlines to unbundle their tariff structures.' Through the one-day stir, the agents intend to bring in transparent airfares. “Consolidated airfares should be charged,” points out Bhatia.

Delhi travel agents talk to Vivek Sethi

Jyoti Mayal Chairperson, TAAI NR If travel agents remain united, we will succeed. The day-long protests were pretty successful, and all consolidators and some OTAs also volunatarily joined in. This shows that airlines will now have to retrospect on their attitude. Further from travel agents’ perspective, this was our first united step and there is more to come.

George Kutty, Hon. Secretary, TAAI NR Today airlines including LCCs are overcharging consumers, while offering no services. It’s here the travel agents play an important role in getting the consumers best value propositions that offer the highest satisfaction. Unfortunately, travel agents are not being paid their rightful commissions. The one-day voluntary shutter-down shows the agents’ dissatisfaction and strong commitment.

Neeraj Malhotra, Hon. Treasurer, TAAI NR Tourism in India is one among the top five foreign exchange earners with impressive growth prospects in times to come. The aviation sector also has a bright future. However, if the travel agents are to go down, crores of people will be affected. The consumer today needs travel agents more than ever, as they can’t stand in lines at the airport to get tickets issued.

Vijay Kumar Gupta, Chairman, TAFI NI Tourism is one of the biggest employment generators. The travel agents deserve to get industry status and fair remuneration. In fact, in the previous court judgment, it has been decided that agents are legally entitled to commissions. Hence, there are no reasons to deny travel agents their rightful commission. This day-long protest highlights agents’ plight without fair remuneration.

Kuku Kumar, Director, IAAI Today all travel agents are standing together all across India. The protest is beyond any association boundary lines and extends the legitimate demand for fair remuneration from the airlines.

Rajji Rai, Immediate Past President, TAAI The agents today are suffering at multiple levels. The commission had come down from respectable 9 per cent to, literally speaking, zero. Moreover, airlines soon will unbundle their services to charge the consumer much higher prices, and the weekly settlement norm will also commence, while transaction fees has been held unlawful. Agents cannot function without commissions.

HOTELS

Carlson on hiring spree The group is gearing to tackle the challenge of talent acquisition and retention. It will hire 9,000 people. cities (including our hotels) reveals the average number of employees-per-room in India was 2.01. This ratio was higher for hotels in non major metropolitan cities in India. “This means that in India, we need to focus on building employee capabilities so they become more productive in their work,” he adds.

TT B UREAU

ospitality major Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group recently announced its plans to hire around 9,000 people in India as part of expansion, under which it plans to have 100 hotels under it in the country by the end of 2015. Thus, the group is gearing to tackle the challenge of talent acquisition and retention, which poses a major threat to the hospitality industry. Nilesh Mitra, Senior Director-Human Resources, South Asia, Carlson Rezidor Group says, “In 2012, we opened Radisson Blu hotels in Ahmedabad, Ludhiana, Ghaziabad, Jaipur, Nagpur, Hyderabad and Kandla. Many of our hotels that are under construction are established in resort areas and satellite towns. This means that we need to have a closer partnership with local universities and hotel schools to scout talents as well as fine tune the training programmess so that new graduates are upskilled adequately to deliver

Nilesh Mitra Senior Director-Human Resources South Asia, Carlson Rezidor

We need to have a closer partnership with local universities and hotel institutes to scout talent service that is on par with our global standards.” In 2011, a survey involving 212 hotels in 61

He informs, “A study was conducted by Aon Hewitt India Hotel Survey in 2012 which stated that the attrition rate in India’s hotel industry was close to 35 per cent. This is considered high compared to other industries in India. However, to bring this matter into perspective, talents in developed markets generally enjoy a more organised career structure and benefits, so it is easier for people to see their long-term career projection with a particular company. Better career development structure as well as learning and development opportunities are areas where Carlson Rezidor is currently focusing on and is part of our talent retention strategy.”

3 new hotels for Lebua It is expected to add 640 rooms to the existing 900-room Lebua network. reports...

uxury hotel chain Lebua Hotels & Resorts is looking at spreading its wings in India. Having exited its debut hotel in Delhi’s Dwarka area after the property could not match up to its brand standards, the company has now moved on. “We did not want to compromise on the brand standards that Lebua is known for. The owner was not willing to make the investments required in the Dwarka property. So it was best to move on,” Deepak Ohri, Chief Executive Officer, Lebua Hotels and Resorts said. The group is looking at three additional hotels in its India portfolio by this year. By managing three new properties in India in 2013, it is expected to add 640 rooms to the existing 900room Lebua network. According to Ohri, the com-

Deepak Ohri Chief Executive Officer Lebua Hotels and Resorts

Things should look up in a year’s time with elections round the corner

More Properties The group is looking at three additional hotels in its India portfolio by this year. By managing three new properties in India in 2013, it is expected to add 640 rooms to the existing 900-room Lebua network

pany is negotiating with three Indian property owners to manage properties in New Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Goa. The deals are expected to be sealed by this year-end. The hospitality company has also signed up a joint venture

with European hotel chain, the name of which is not known, to bring its second tier-brand to India in cities such as Rishikesh, Ohri revealed. The hotel chain will also engage in a marketing alliance with the European company for its luxury brand. Currently, the company is managing three boutique properties in Udaipur and Jaipur. Meanwhile, Lebua is not upbeat about investing its funds in the India market. The company has made investments of around $150 million in Myanmar, Vietnam and Cambodia put together, $350 million in Thailand and another $100 million in New Zealand. “For the time being, we would only look at assetlight model for the country,” Ohri informed, saying, “The growth here is very sluggish. But things should look up in a year with elections round the corner.” Also, faced with challenging market scenario due to falling occupancies and sluggish average room rates, the chain is planning to acquire private jets which can ferry high-end travellers from Bangkok to India to increase occupancy levels here.

AVIATION

MAY 2 ND FORTNIGHT ISSUE 2013

TRAVTALK

China Southern spreads its wings Along with a list of value-added products, the airline has introduced ﬁve weekly non-stop morning departure ﬂights between Delhi and Guangzhou. T T B U R E AU

t a summer product launch party in New Delhi, China Southern Airlines introduced new routes and value-added products during the summer and autumn season of 2013. The representatives of the airlines talked about introducing 54 new domestic & five new international routes this summer and autumn season. The gathering comprised a good mix of travel agents and representations, including those from the regional and national wholesalers/consolidators, MICE & leisure tour operators, travel management companies and online travel portals. Once the new routes are implemented, the airlines’ route network will achieve a new milestone of operating 431 domestic and 112 international routes, besides routes to Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan. The highlights of the summer products included introduction of five-times a week non-stop morning departure flights between Delhi and Guangzhou with A330-200 aircraft with 4-class configuration – First, Business, Premium Economy and Economy. The morning departures provide ideal connectivity to all major long-haul destinations such as Australia, New Zealand and Los Angeles. The airline will continue to operate evening departure flights operated by B757 and offer connectivity to over 80 large and mediumsized cities across China and beyond to Japan, Korea, Philippines, Vietnam, Hong Kong and Taiwan. The airlines has introduced A330-200 aircraft between Delhi and Guangzhou comprising 4class cabin structure with a total of 217 seats which include 4-First class, 24Business class, 47-Premium Economy class and 142 Economy class seats.

New Destinations The morning departures provide ideal connectivity to all major long-haul destinations such as Australia, New Zealand and Los Angeles. The airline will continue to operate evening departure flights operated by B757 and offer connectivity to over 80 large and mediumsized cities across China and beyond to Japan, Korea, Philippines, Vietnam, Hong Kong and Taiwan

China Southern Airlines also launched ‘Canton Route’ as a service brand. The ‘Canton Route’ brand aims at developing Guangzhou as a comprehensive and integrated airline hub for further expanding the route network via the airline hub - Guangzhou to

enable travellers enjoy seamless transition between Asia, Europe, Australia and the Americas. China Southern Airlines is laying emphasis on improved transit guidelines and services, lounges, check-in services, transit

accommodation and duty-free experience at Guangzhou airport. The airlines’ ‘One Stop Service’ for all international passengers ensures smooth and swift transfer to their connecting flight without going through double security checks.

The representatives of China Southern Airlines at a summer product launch in New Delhi

TRAVTALK MAY 2 ND FORTNIGHT ISSUE 2013

AVIATION

Pay more for extra legroom and baggage T EENA B ARUAH

ith your airline ticket, would you like to add checked-baggage charges? Perhaps you prefer priority boarding or extra-legroom seats? Air passengers will soon face such choices while booking their flight tickets. Borrowing a marketing practice from auto makers, phone companies and others, airlines will bundle options in packages designed to get customers to spend more.

So what prompted you to table this recommendation at a time when AirAsia, an airline that made a success story out of unbundled services, is entering the Indian skies? This report was submitted to the government in 2012, long before AirAsia or FDI happened; when everyone was complaining about excessive pricing of airline tickets, just after Kingfisher exited the market. A lot depended on pricing of the tickets at that time, as the situation was so precarious that everyone was predicting that Indian airlines would soon

start dying. Our concern was how to revive these airlines, so that this industry becomes viable. One of our proposals was the unbundling of services.

How will this concept manifest itself? Unbundling is not a new concept. In the US, this model was so successful that it

Ram Tamara Managing Director Nathan Economic Consulting India

shaped the behaviour of fullservice carriers like the United. In the third quarter of last year, US Airlines collected $924 million in baggage fees, up 3% from a year earlier, and $652 million in reservation-change fees, up 8%. You allow airlines to charge passengers according to the services they use.

It’s a fair deal, as all these services add to the cost of the airlines. The concept is there in various industries. You pay a basic fare for a no-frills phone and little extra for SMSes or cricket updates. Your dish TV and pizza company also follow a similar business model.

So it’s like paying extra for additional pizza toppings? Yes, it’s everywhere. But it raises eyebrows when it comes to airlines as air travel is still considered a luxury in India. We have this notion that if it is a luxury, then why am I not getting all the facilities? But if airline travel is taken as any other mode of travel which takes you from point A to B faster thanks to cheap fares, we won’t be expecting hot meals served onboard.

As an economist, what are your do’s and don’ts of flexi-pricing for the airlines? The pricing structure should not be discriminatory, based on your gender, colour of your shirt or physical traits. Samoa Air’s new pay-by-

your-weight pricing is unacceptable for the same reason. It should also be transparent, so the customer knows upfront what services he’ll have to pay extra for.

What would be the difference between a basic fare and a full-service ticket? If you look at Ryanair, the difference could be fairly significant, between £20250. As an economist, we advised the ministry not to get too involved with how an airline prices its tickets. How the airlines will respond to it depends on how they interact with the market.

There seems to be a lot of confusion on whether this move will make flying more expensive or cheaper. Competition is good in any sector, it delivers efficiency and benefits the consumers. If an airline is pricing its a la carte menu in an exploitative manner, the competition in the industry will ensure that it loses its customers to another airline. So if one airline charges ` 300 for a meal, and ` 500 for extra leg room, another airline will try to undercut that.

This will segregate the market of customers into various ‘buckets’. Those simply travelling from point A to B will pay lower fares. Full service passengers will have to pay more. So everyone pays according to usage, rather than one group subsiding for the other. My only concern is that the difference between a basic fare and a full service ticket should be substantial. Gurdeep Singh Gujral CEO, Gujral Tours and Travels

Flexi ticket pricing will ensure that the base price will go down, but only during off-season. For the rest of the year, the prices will remain the same. Also, it will still add to the airport rush due to the time-consuming procedure.

Shravan Bhalla General Secretary, OTOAI

Using social media’s power Contd. from page 10

out any questions asked, but a domestic client will need to walk for hours or days or will have to be carried on horseback before he or she can get medical treatment. This issue is being followed up with insurance companies aggressively.

What are you working on to market adventure tourism in India? ATOAI feels that the time is right to brand the Incredible Indian Himalayas. The Himalayas are the one Indian feature, other than Taj Mahal, that is taught to every child in the world. There is a need to aggressively market the Indian Himalayas, which will not only encourage adventure travellers to look at India but will also project India as a 365-day destination. The Ministry of Tourism recognises this potential and is in the process of printing collateral and formalising a marketing plan around the Indian Himalayas. What the Indian Tourism and Hospitality industry needs to understand is that the Indian Himalayas offer the greatest solution for India’s summer off-season woes because when international travellers come in the summer to see the Indian Himalayas, they will also visit other destina-

tions like Delhi, Agra, Jaipur, Khajuraho, Varanasi, Udaipur, or Jodhpur. Summers are the best time to visit the Himalayan region. In Nepal, warm cities like Kathmandu are full of tourists in summers due to the fact that they use it as a base to reach Pokhara, Lukla, Jomsom, etc. In the past, when Kashmir was a highly-visited destination, foreign tourists also covered the Golden Triangle.

The new team in place at ATOAI has pledged to add value for membership. How do you propose to do that? Keeping our membership active and involved is a major flag-pole for ATOAI. We will be conducting Wilderness First Aid and CPR Courses coupled with activity-specific skills and safety workshops, providing networking opportunities through fellowship gettogethers, showcasing good practices to spread operational knowledge amongst

members, create a large database of trips offered by members so that they can crosssell each other and increase their own portfolio of adventures offered. We will also use social media to pass on the crucial information of new market trends to all our members. By tying up with associations like ATTA, we are also trying to bring the expertise and products of our members to members of similar associations in other countries.

What was the outcome of the ATOAI Annual Convention in Guwahati? The Guwahati event was the largest-ever convention for ATOAI till date. It opened up the North Eastern adventure travel market and brought the Indian North-East to mainstream tourism. We have had a great response in membership requests from across the North-East and we will be visiting this region again in December to organise seminars and workshops.

QUICK READ Chandigarh Tourism and North India Management Association are conducting a conference on ‘Integrated Tourism Development in Northern India’ on May 21. The conference will deliberate on various issues over the three technical sessions in the daylong conference.

TECHNOLOGY

MAY 2 ND FORTNIGHT ISSUE 2013

TRAVTALK

RoomsXML enters the Indian market A software intended to make travel agents’ workload lighter, it has many features that have business appeal. gives details of the hotel booking platform. T T B U R E AU

oomsXML Solutions Limited has recently introduced its hotel booking platform RoomsXML in the Indian market. An accommodation distribution system designed for travel companies, RoomsXML offers a sin-

Prakash Bang Managing Director RoomsXML Solutions

Our goal is to simplify the process of hotel booking for the travel agent gle solution to over 83,000 properties across the world as well real-time access to room rates. Prakash Bang, Managing Director,

Demand 360 picks up TravelClick, a global provider of revenue-generating solutions for hotels, will promote its business intelligence application Demand 360 to the Indian hospitality industry this year. Joy Ghosh, Regional Director India & Subcontinent at TravelClick said, “Demand360 is a market intelligence solution available to the hospitality industry. It provides future visibility in the market and shares performance across all distribution channels and segments. It will allow hotels to develop an understanding of the hospitality industry, in-market trends and identify strategies to capitalise on revenue opportunities.” Ghosh added, “Our aim is to bridge the knowledge gap in the industry.”

RoomsXML Solutions said, “The key point of difference with RoomsXML is in its proprietary software capability to flawlessly map and deduplicate the inventory that comes from many destination specific suppliers, direct contracting and dynamically from large hotel chains. Our

goal is to simplify the process of hotel booking for the travel agent.” Another key feature on RoomsXML is Retina, a retail interface, which displays the travel agent’s logo on the booking slip and also displays the rates with a preset mark-up. Bang added, “Another important feature

on RoomsXML is Q-Push. This helps the travel agent to submit quotations with property images and information via email directly from the RoomsXML booking panel. There's no need for the travel agent to spend time in preparing accommodation proposals manually.”

Elaborating on the marketing strategy for RoomsXML, Bang said, “Our focus is on educating the travel trade about RoomsXML. We will also attempt to reach agents through trade fairs such as SATTE and WTM. Initial response to the platform has

been phenomenal. We will rely on word-of-mouth as our marketing strategy to reach travel agents and tour operators. Our goal is to have the trade recognise RoomsXML as the most efficient and most preferred hotel booking platform in the industry.”

ASSOCIATIONS

Scaling new heights The CII Roundtable on Adventure Tourism talked about the need to position India as an adventure destination and making the country a 365-day destination. TT BUREAU

dventure tourism can be a great source

of increasing tourist arrivals, provided special attention is paid to product development. This was

the main issue discussed at the CII Roundtable on Adventure Tourism at New Delhi.

Experiences through adventure Arjun Sharma, Co-Chairman, CII National Committee on Tourism; & MD, Le Passage to India, expressed concern about how the image of India has been tarnished by heinous crimes that have unfolded in the recent past. However, he was hopeful that the country will spring back and that with the help of adventure tourism, we would showcase varied aspects of Indian culture. He talked about how the models of creativity are unfolding and how adventure tourism now brings to fore a vital aspect of tourism – experiences. He said, “Adventure tourists normally stay for longer periods in a destination, however, we have lost adventure tourism to Nepal. It’s time to present the real face of adventure tourism in India and for this, we also have the support of the Ministry of Tourism. We need to take advantage of the opportunity that we have lost so far.” Amita Sarkar, Senior Director, CII, said that adventure tourism plays a crucial role in not only driving inclusive growth but also for generating employment opportunities and hence its potential cannot be ignored.

Taking advantage of funds Subhash Goyal, IATO President and Chairman, Stic Travels, lauded the government’s efforts in promoting adventure tourism, and said that all tour operators should gear up to take advantage of the ` 3 crore which has been allocated by the MOT for the Incredible India Himalayan campaign. He also suggested installing a helpline in multiple languages exclusively for this industry.

The need for infrastructure Akshay Kumar, the newly-elected President of the Adventure Tour Operators Association of India (ATOAI), highlighted the enormous potential of adventure tourism, and said that over a period of time, focus has shifted from hardcore to softcore/multi-activity based adventure tourism. He talked about how the market has changed drastically and how people now opt for shorter holidays. Besides discussing issues such as infrastructure development, adopting effective marketing strategies and sustainable tourism development, the members at the roundtable also informed that the revenue from domestic tourists in adventure tourism is much more in comparison to inbound tourists. Kumar also emphasised upon the safety and quality issues, and suggested to encourage usage of satellite phones. He said, “Since 70% of the Himalayan range is in India, and the Incredible India Himalayan campaign is in place, the industry should strategise to encourage adventure tourism activities during the off-season and cater to tourists all around the year.” Some of the points raised at the conference included sustainable tourism development and providing a positive investment atmosphere for the private sector. The experts also discussed that government policies that support responsible adventure tourism activities should be followed by adventure tour operators and all involved in the industry. The roundtable conference also highlighted the lack of facilities and infrastructure for undertaking adventure tourism activities, such as arrangements for trekking, rock climbing, mountaineering, aerosports, winter/water-related sports, trekker huts and wildlife viewing facilities. It talked about the need for well-equipped infrastructure catering to the needs of adventure tourism in terms of accessibility, skills for trainers and good quality adventure tourism materials.

Using military air strips Ajeet Bajaj, Managing Director, Snow Leopard Adventures, said that nearly 90% of adventure tourism is concentrated in soft adventure tourism and recommended adopting a multi-pronged approach to help, promote and harness the potential in a safe and sustainable manner. With a view to make optimal utilisation of airstrips, he suggested that the defense airstrips be allowed to be used for commercial operations. He said, “Adventure tourism is resilient and has been trending upwards even in times that are economically difficult. At ATOAI, we have adopted four pillars for promoting adventure tourism – safety, sustainability, standard operating procedures and ethics. Emphasis should be placed on the insurance aspect as there is no insurance available for adventure guides and focus should be on opening new institutions to promote multiple adventure sports besides mountaineering like rafting, canoeing, skiing, etc.” Experts also discussed about the potential to position India as an adventure destination and how effective marketing strategies by both the government and private players can help highlight this niche tourism product.

HOTELS

‘Formule’ for success Formule1 plans at opening five more properties. It also aims at having offline and online distribution channels. TT B U R E AU

rench hospitality majorAccor rolled out its first Formule 1 property last year in India. With the flagship property in Greater Noida and later one in Pune, the group recently opened its third property in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.

With a clear intention of providing ‘great sleep and shower’ experience, the brand will soon roll out four more properties each in Gurgaon, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Pimpri (Pune) by September 2013. Overall, the brand intends to open seven properties in 2013 and bring the total to 15 by 2014, informed Madhu Joshi, Director-Marketing and Communications, Accor. Formule 1 is low-budget hotel brand offering the 7Cs – a Clean, Cool, Convenient, Cheerful, Corporate, Checkin (24X7), Coffee Bar and WiFi enabled environment. The brand is strongly relying on both online and offline distribution channels to improve sales and awareness. Explaining the growing importance of travel agents for the brand, Joshi said, “Travel agents are increasingly becoming an important channel which hotels cannot

Madhu Joshi Director – Marketing and Communication, Accor

India is one of the core markets for growth in Asia Pacific with a strong demand across all segments of hotels

avoid or ignore. With strong online presence, Accor is also receiving excellent response for travelagencies.accorhotels.com site. However, we understand that working with offline agents in different markets is also important, so we have presence across India in different regions.” Formule1 is specially working closely with corporate agents as the brand is focussed more on corporate travellers. Joshi adds, “India is one of the core markets for growth in Asia Pacific with strong demand across all segments of hotels. Accor is evolving and expanding its business and with the introduction of our first low-cost hotel in India, we are further strengthening our portfolio to forge distinctive, powerful and complementary positions across the various segments. We definitely aim at earning market-leader positioning for Formule 1 in the budget segment."

Expanding Portfolio Accor’s hotel pipeline till 2015 includes 4 Pullman, 14 Novotel, 5 Mercure and 12 Formule 1 hotels. The plan is to have 90 hotels across our brands in India by 2015. While the group is emphasising on the mid and economy segments, efforts are being made to expand in the upscale segment as well.

Kashmir Festival from May 13 As a major initiative to promote tourism in the Kashmir Valley, Union Minister Tourism K Chiranjeevi announced that Kashmir Festival-2013 will be held for a fortnight from May 13 to May 29 at different places in the state of J&K. The Ministry would be providing financial support for this. The festival will be held in Sringar, Pahalgam, Yousmarg, Manasbal, Doodhpathri, Gulmarg, Lolab Valley and Sonmarg and will include activ-

ities such as shikara races, cycle races, canoeing, river rafting, para gliding, painting, swimming competition, horse races, etc. The festival will also showcase culture of Jammu & Kashmir through performances by the cultural troupes of the State. For successful organisation of the Festival, the MOT is also coordinating with other ministries, including Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Civil Aviation, for outlining the

concessional fares/tour packages, Ministry of Culture for organising cultural events through different cultural troupes and Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports for undertaking sports activities. The local service providers such as hoteliers, guesthouse owners including house boats of Kashmir Division have already offered discount of 2030% as a special case for the tour packages/tourists during the forthcoming tourist season.

Marriott Mumbai to target MICE JW Marriott, Mumbai is targeting the MICE segment to attract visitors. Pavithran Nambiar, General Manager, JW Marriott Hotel Mumbai said, “The intention behind renovating the hotel was to bring a strong element of luxury in the rooms. Besides this, we also have an extensive F&B focus to the hotel. The JW Marriott Hotel Mumbai is one of the most iconic hotels in Mumbai and will appeal to the MICE segment, which is on the lookout for new and

unique destinations. Additionally, Mumbai is also developing its MICE infrastructure steadily and making it a more attractive location for MICE activities. We hope to see MICE taking a 25% share of our business by 2013.” Nambiar added, “Our goal for 2013 is to inform the Indian market that we have returned with 355 rooms and that we are ready to do business. Alongside MICE, corporate and leisure traffic, another important segment for us

is the wedding segment, and this year, the hotel will have played host to two wedding fairs. Additionally, we already have a strong relationship with the travel trade and we will put our efforts into making our partners aware of our renovated rooms. We will also work with travel agents and tour operators to move beyond the traditional markets and tap emerging markets in Africa and Europe as well as the Far East and Australia.”

ANALYSIS

TRAVTALK MAY 2 ND FORTNIGHT ISSUE 2013

Tour packages get a silver sheen With most travel agencies offering customised packages for elderly travellers, ‘silver citizens' in India have a reason to cheer this holiday season. ﬁnds out... TT B U R E AU

long with many travel agencies, Thomas Cook India has recently announced its senior citizen holidays created especially for those in their 60s and above. Top-selling destinations include

short-hauls like Mauritius, Sri Lanka, Far East and Dubai. “At Thomas Cook India, senior citizens form a key and growing segment,” says Madhav Pai, Director Leisure Travel (Outbound), Thomas Cook India, “The packages have been designed

Tough Calls Most travel agents agree that catering to silver travellers is a challenge. Pai’s team has to carefully screen hotels and offer accommodation choices that have wheel chair and doctor-on-call facilities. Also, rooms need to be allocated close to elevators or at the ground level. For Kak, the most important challenge is related to his clients’ medical needs. “Even though we do not take any customers without a valid insurance, at times, customers need medical attention when the policy is less than two years old. Diet, too, is crucial. We have an option of Indian vegetarian meals and even Jain meals on all our trips abroad. Also, it is a standard practice to provide a tour manager who speaks a regional language in addition to English,” says Kak. For Rajesh Sethi, Managing Director, Carnation Travel Services, offering a discounted package to this age-group is a challenge. “The cost goes up since all transfers have to be escorted. But this client is also price-sensitive, who often ends up with an inferior package on the basis of false premises.”

Madhav Pai

Karan Anand

Madan Kak

Rajesh Sethi

Director - Leisure Travel (Outbound), Thomas Cook India

Head, Relationships Cox and Kings

COO-Tours Minar Travels

Managing Director Carnation Travel Services

At Thomas Cook India, senior citizens form a key and a growing segment to suit the requirements of the senior traveller.” Speaking on the initiative, Pai says, “We have

We offer them flights that take off late in the evening, with minimum stop-overs observed that today’s senior citizens have a youthful outlook towards travel and are happy to experiment with group tours, with their family

They love relaxing holidays with a bit of sightseeing thrown in members as well as just themselves. Our luxury brand ‘Indulgence’ has seen strong growth via anniversary trips for this segment, to

Offering a discounted package to this agegroup is a challenge exotic destinations such as Hong Kong, Philippines, Bali and Japan.” Contd. on page 23

HOTELS

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TRAVTALK

Resorts World Sentosa turns to MICE The resort will work closely with MICE operators, trade associations and event management companies this year to attract more such groups TT B U R E AU

ince its launch in 2010, Resorts World Sentosa has always kept India in its potential and emerging markets list. With increasing number of Indians visiting Singapore and including the theme park in the itinerary, Resorts World Sentosa has now expanded its focus from metros to mini metro-cities in India. Moreover, it has also turned its focus to MICE segment from just families, FITs and groups. For the same, Resorts World Sentosa is now also working with individual tour operators from metros and mini-metros who are not a part of their GSA (General Sales Agent) network. This year, it intends to attract more Indians and has introduced two new attractions – SEA Aquarium and a water park.

Considering their spending power and passion for adventure, we are seriously looking at India as one of our core source markets Edward Goh, Senior VP-Resort Sales & Marketing, Resorts World Sentosa

With Singapore Tourism Board intending to attract one million Indians in 2013, Resorts World Sentosa is hopeful of recording a good growth from this market this year. Talking about the Indian market, Edward Goh, Senior Vice President-Resort Sales & Marketing, Resorts World Sentosa, Singapore said, “We are very excited about the Indian market as more and more Indians are opting for Resorts World Sentosa while visiting Singapore. Considering their spending power and passion for adventure, we are seriously looking at India as one of our core source markets. We have started working closely with tour operators, event management companies and MICE operators to further enhance our network and spread awareness about our product. We intend to position Resorts World Sentosa more than just a theme park, it’s a destination in itself.”

For MICE events, it has unique venues like Compass Ballroom (capacity to accommodate 6,500 people in theatre style), The Coliseum, Function Rooms (21 function rooms with a combined area of 2,800 sq meters), Universal Studios Singapore, Waterfront Promenade and Hard Rock

Hotel Singapore Function Rooms. Goh adds, “We offer some unique MICE venues at excellent cost. Operators can offer these venues with customised settings to their clients, earn a handsome commission and long-lasting business relationship with Resorts World Sentosa.”

What it has? For MICE events, the resort has unique venues like Compass Ballroom (capacity to accommodate 6,500 people) The Coliseum and Function Rooms (21 function rooms with a combined area of 2,800 sq mt.

TRAVTALK MAY 2 ND FORTNIGHT ISSUE 2013

FAMILY ALBUM

OTOAI 4 Members Meet in New Delhi th

The 4th Members Meet of Outbound Tour Operators Association of India (OTOAI) was held at Park Baluchi, Deer Park, Hauz Khas on April 22, 2013. Guldeep Singh Sahni, President, OTOAI, welcomed over 130 members to the meeting. He said the aim of this evening meet was to update members and special invitees on the progress made by OTOAI since their last gathering held in Mumbai in December 2012.

NTO

Film fillip to up figures Tourism Ireland believes that the visa waiver programme will continue to have a signiﬁcant impact on the number of visitors from the Indian subcontinent. Northern Ireland, on a valid UK visa are able to travel on to Ireland without the requirement to obtain an Irish visa.

LYANDRA D’SOUZA

n order to create greater awareness about Ireland in the Indian market, Tourism Ireland is planning to revamp its online training programme, Shamrock Agents. Jim Paul-Director Australia and Developing Markets, Tourism Ireland said, “The Shamrock Agents online training will engage our travel trade partners, increase their knowledge and assist them in their promotion of Ireland. We currently have approximately 750 travel agents and tour operators from India currently registered with the Shamrock Agents programme and our target is to double that figure this year. In addition, we will continue to work with the Indian travel trade through road shows, workshops and FAM trips.” Paul estimates an increase in the number of Indian visitors to Ireland with the visa waiver programme as well as the connections offered by several carriers

Jim Paul Director Australia and Developing Markets, Tourism Ireland

Television and film influence travellers strongly, and it is a great way to promote our tourism products in the country. such as Emirates and Etihad. Under the visa waiver programme, tourists or business people who have lawfully entered the UK, including

The tourism board, which is focusing primarily on Delhi and Mumbai in the Indian market is planning to tap film tourism in order to increase the number of Indian arrivals in Ireland. Paul added, “Television and film influence travellers strongly and it is a great way to promote our tourism products in the country. Additionally, we will also conduct FAM trips for Bollywood producers and directors in order to highlight the destination. MICE is another important segment to us and we estimate that approximately 7-8 MICE groups from India will visit Ireland this year.

Shamrock Calls Ireland recorded 20,000 Indian visitors in 2012 People on a valid UK Visa are permitted to travel in Ireland without needing an Irish Visa

Golfers tee off in Thailand

IGTA-India Golf Tourism Association, along with Thai Airways and TAT, organised a golf tournament in Phuket. All the golfers were flown back on the inaugural Phuket-Delhi flight on April 1. A total of 16 leading tour operators who are into golf tourism and also members of IGTA went and played three rounds of golf which include the famous Blue Canyon, Laguna -Banyan Tree and the final tournament at Red Mountain.

Lufthansa Star Chef Contest

Vandana Sethi was declared the winner of the Lufthansa Star Chef Contest in a grand finale at The Leela, Mumbai, where 12 aspiring chefs, selected from among thousands of contestants from across India, vied for top honours in a live cook-out contest. Sethi won the battle of taste with her recipe for Khoye ki Subzi, which will feature now in the celebrated Star Chef menu onboard Lufthansa flights from India and at select restaurants at the hotel chain. The contest began as a unique talent hunt on the airline’s India Facebook page to find the best original Indian recipe.

ANALYSIS

TRAVTALK MAY 2 ND FORTNIGHT ISSUE 2013

An Incredibly Safe India, please! While on the face of it, India’s tourism industry is well and thriving, and its coffers are full, there’s an urgent need to look inwards and reﬂect on what could have been. The fact is that the overall performance would have been substantially better but for some harsh ‘negatives’ that plague the industry and harm its progression. INDER RAJ AHLUWALIA

ndia’s destination image is an amalgamation of independent tourism factors and the perception about India is

“There is a need for more co-ordination in the Ministry of Tourism, and the state governments should highlight these issues,” he says.

the menace of touts; overcharging by taxis, autos, and shopkeepers; overall safety and security; cleanliness and hygiene; and heavy taxation on tourist

Lajpat Rai

Sunil Sikka

Sandeep Dayal

Managing Director Lotus Trans Travel

Marketing Manager WelcomHeritage

Executive Director Go India Journeys

The main negative plaguing Indian tourism is the general perception of non-safety reflected by the tourist memory. The image of India can’t be imposed on tourists by advertisement campaigns alone. It comprises various bits of information they hear from people around. This makes it imperative that the industry as a whole functions smoothly and becomes ‘visitor-friendly’, which it isn’t at the moment. It has to shape up and rid itself of its glaring ‘negatives’. Lajpat Rai, Managing Director, Lotus Trans Travel, feels Indian tourism could do much better but for certain negatives that plague the industry and hamper its growth and development. The main negative plaguing Indian tourism is the general perception of non-safety, which discourages visitors.

There are different travellers, and they have problems, which if not solved, become negative factors Sunil Sikka, Marketing Manager, WelcomHeritage, feels there are different types of travellers, and they

Safety remains a primary concern of travellers, as do other factors like outbreak of diseases products. All these are playing a negative role and harming the industry’s interests and image.

Indian tourism industry needs to be developed as a culture and not just a business, if it develops as a culture, business will follow Brig SP Singh, Director, Jumpin Heights

have different types of problems, which if not solved quickly, become negative factors. Unfortunately, the list of such negative factors in Indian tourism is rather long, but some issues are particularly harmful. For instance, sub-standard rail and inter-state bus stations;

Sandeep Dayal, Executive Director, Go India Journeys, feels the Indian tourist industry has to be clear in its thinking. The scriptures declare ‘Atithi Devo Bhava’ or ‘the guest is God’, but the ground reality is totally different, and safety remains a primary concern of travellers, as

do other factors like outbreak of communicable diseases; and lack of cleanliness and hygiene in certain areas. For the industry to reach a higher platform, ‘Brand India’ will need to form a clear, inspiring, truthful narrative of what India and its people really stand for. Building brand India is a long-term effort. For it to be successful, the vision has to be reflected in products and services.

ambitious in terms of becoming a major tourist country. Shivraj Singh, Managing Director, Atithi Voyages, feels India has a long way to go before it can become a truly tourist-friendly country. All the declared proclamations one hears have to be implemented at groundlevel, something that isn’t happening today. The glaring negatives, like for

developed as a culture and not just a business. If the culture is developed, business will follow. Tourists seek adequate information available at national and state levels when they plan their visits. They want to verify information details related to cost factors and the quality of services, and be reassured regarding safety and security. Very often, they don’t know who to contact during

Vijay Dadhich

Shivraj Singh

Cdr. CP Sharma

Managing Director Blue Moon Travels

Managing Director Atithi Voyages

Managing Director Neptune Travco

India needs a proper, complete infrastructure to handle its inbound tourism Vijay Dadhich, Managing Director, Blue Moon Travels, feels India needs a proper, complete infrastructure to handle its inbound tourism. The existing infrastructure is half done. It was spruced up to showcase to the world during the Commonwealth Games, and then dumped. It was not fully developed in a manner that would serve all needs. The need is for India to first get a complete, integrated infrastructure, and then get more

India has a long way to go before it can become a truly tourist-friendly country instance, safety and security; the menace of touts; and overcharging by taxis and shops, haven’t been effectively addressed and tackled, let alone eradicated. Unless the general perception of ‘tourist India’ improves, the industry will continue to be hit and fall short of optimum performance levels. Brig SP Singh, Director, Jumpin Heights, is of the opinion that the Indian tourism industry needs to be

What’s needed is an infrastructure that caters to all segments, in all categories, all the time emergencies. The lack of such a mechanism is a negative factor. Cdr. CP Sharma, Managing Director, Neptune Travco singles out the lack of a comprehensive tourist infrastructure to be the biggest negative in the Indian tourist industry. What’s needed is an infrastructure that caters to all segments, in all categories, all the time. A comprehensive infrastructure must be put in place immediately.

NTO

E-visa for Zimbabwe Introduces electronic visa facility for Indians; to work closely with trade associations like OTOAI, TAAI and TAFI. TT BUREAU

fter South Africa, Kenya and Tanzania, Zimbabwe has climbed on the bandwagon to attract Indian tourist arrivals. At present, tour operators are selling Zimbabwe by clubbing it with South Africa for its popular Victoria Falls. However, Zimbabwe is now intending to receive bigger chunk

Talking about the plans for the Indian market, Munyenyiwa said, “Trade relations between India and Zimbabwe are improving and there is a huge opportunity to tap in the tourism sector. During this visit, we met with top tour-operators in Mumbai and New Delhi who are selling Africa and are keen to promote and market Zimbabwe from this

Blessing Munyenyiwa MD, Love for Africa

Coming Soon: Univisa Zimbabwe is hosting the 20th session of the general assembly of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation from August 24-29, 2013. The much awaited ‘Univisa’ programme will be the top agenda at this event. Under this programme, governments of 14 member states of the Southern African Development Community will endorse a single visa programme that would ease movement of tourists in the region. of Indian arrivals with more overnights as a ‘solo’ destination. To raise the Indian tourism traffic, the Zimbabwe government has recently introduced electronic visa facility for Indian citizens. According to Blessing Munyenyiwa, MD, Love for Africa; who is working closely with Zimbabwe Tourism Authority for the Indian market; the country is planning to move India from CategoryC (pre-applied visa) to Category-B (visa-on-arrival) for visa and immigration.

year onwards. We have also signed an MoU with OTOAI and are in talks with TAAI and TAFI to bring awareness among their members about Zimbabwe and its tourism offerings.” Zimbabwe Tourism Authority has appointed Mumbai-based Blue Square Consultants as representative for marketing and sales in India. As an initiative, a small group of private operators-Gavin Rennie, MD, The Hide & Changa, Nommy Vuma, Marketing Manager, Africa Albida Tourism and Munyenyiwa along with

Trade relations between India and Zimbabwe are improving and there is a huge opportunity to tap in the tourism sector Rachel Marufu, Marketing Executive-India, Zimbabwe Tourism Authority recently met agents in Mumbai and New Delhi. To increase awareness, it is organising a FAM for tour operators in July and a roadshow in Mumbai, New Delhi and Bengaluru in October this year. The focus is more on high-end groups, MICE and families.

For comfort of senior citizens Contd. from page 18

Thomas Cook India’s ‘personalised holidays’ create special tailor-made itineraries ensuring focus on easy-paced sight-seeing, adequate stops for rest and comfort breaks. Typically, half day sight-seeing tours are included rather than full-day tours. Also, special meals are served as per their health and dietary requirements. According to Pai, “The combination of early retirement, high disposable income and healthy lifestyle has created room for more leisure time, which has created strong demand for travel. Our trend analysis has revealed that approximately 15% of our individual traveller segment will comprise senior citizens.” When Cox and Kings designs tours for senior citizens, they look at many aspects. “We offer them flights that take off late in the evening, with minimum stopovers. Otherwise, they end up spending time in the airport at night. Accommodation is pro-

vided on lower floors and hotels in the city centre are booked. We have dedicated staff on call, in case of any emergencies,” says Karan Anand, Head, Relationships, Cox and Kings, adding, “Dietary requirements are taken care of. We ensure that they walk less and provide

we offer to senior citizens,” says Madan Kak, COO-Tours, Minar Travels. “Then there are those who prefer to combine holidays with religious activities. We offer them a Golden Triangle tour with a pit-stop at Varanasi to visit

Group Show A large number of seniors prefer to travel in groups as they like the company of fellow travellers who are young and can give them company, claims Anand. Sethi agrees, “They are nervous about travelling alone and need to travel in a group, properly escorted. Many of them avoid fixed departures and opt for customised packages, which are not very hectic. We organise group departures for them for Hong Kong, Macau, Thailand, China, Egypt and Europe.” them transport to the nearest entry point at monuments etc.” In the domestic sector, Minar Travels specialises in selling destinations like Himachal, Kashmir, Ooty and Darjeeling to silver travellers. “They love relaxing holidays with a bit of sightseeing thrown in. A shikara ride on Dal Lake for three hours and a flask of tea/coffee with light snacks, is the kind of option

temples and watch the evening aarti by the Ganges. For those who want an extended holiday, an hour-long flight takes them to the Himalayan Kingdom of Nepal. A temple tour of Char Dhams is for those who can withstand strenuous journeys. A fivenight tour of Vaishno Devi and Durbar Sahib in Amritsar is also popular,” says Kak.

FAMILY ALBUM

ADTOI heads to Panchkula It was a weekend treat as ADTOI took its members for a hotel inspection round. The ADTOI delegation recently visited the beautiful town of Panchkula in Haryana. The 50-odd members stayed at the Pride KC Hotel & Spa at Panchkula in Haryana. The property offers 127 rooms with swimming pool, gym, business-centre, conference and banquets facility.

Harbour Plaza Workshop Harbour Plaza Hotels & Resorts, Hong Kong recently organised workshops in Delhi and Mumbai. The workshops were attended by many members of the Indian travel trade fraternity who came to discover the opportunities in "The finest Oriental Hospitalityâ&#x20AC;? . Harbour Grand Hong Kong, Harbour Grand Kowloon, Harbour Plaza Metropolis, Harbour Plaza 8 Degrees and Harbour Plaza Resor t City par ticipated in the workshop.

NTO

MAY 2 ND FORTNIGHT ISSUE 2013

TRAVTALK

‘Canada visa service is the fastest’ Canada’s visa acceptance rate is as high as 95 per cent when the application is moved by travel agents, as compared to 80 percent through other channels. VIVEK SETHI

aking stock of the industry developments at the members’ meet held recently in New Delhi, the TAAI-NR

Sidney Frank Minister-Immigration India, Nepal & Bhutan

We process the visa applications in centres like Delhi in about 3 days, which may extend to 5 days in case of peak season also called upon Sidney Frank, Minister-Immigration India, Nepal & Bhutan and Sarah Hayward, Head of

Sarah Hayward Head of Temporary Resident Unit

We encourage our travel agents to scan through the applications of the person at their end Temporary Resident Unit to make presentation and deliberate on the various visa aspects with members. “It’s a misconception that agents think getting

Canada visa is a cumbersome process. We have the fastest and simplest visaclearance mechanism in place, as compared to our peers. We, unlike our other competitors, neither ask for biometrics nor interviews in the Indian market,” said Frank.

“Under normal circumstances, we process the visa applications in centres like Delhi in about 3 days, which may extend to 5 days in case of peak season. Our visa acceptance rate is as high as 95 per cent, when the application is moved by travel agents, as compared to 80

per cent otherwise,” he added. In fact, the Canadian authorities are also willing to work with travel agents to make the visa process even more convenient for the Indian travellers. In this direction, Hayward said, “We face the challenge of scanning all visa applications in

such a manner that no unauthorised person stays in our country.” “Hence, we encourage our travel agents to scan through the applications of the person at their end. It’s in their interest also that they send people to Canada again and again, as they come back with

fond memories of a pleasant vacation,” she added.

Warm Welcome The Canadian authorities are also willing to work with travel agents to make the visa process even more convenient for the Indian travellers

TECHNOLOGY

TRAVTALK MAY 2 ND FORTNIGHT ISSUE 2013

Understanding NDC’s capabilities IATA’s New Distribution Capability (NDC) represents a unique opportunity to modernise air travel distribution. NDC will define a messaging standard that will enable retailing opportunities through the indirect channel, similar to those available on airline websites.

owever, the Global Distribution Systems (GDSs) use a less flexible preInternet message protocol. This legacy infrastructure cannot efficiently support modern retailing practices such as personalised and customised offers. An airline that offers some extra leg room or a special meal option cannot entice the customer with this added value when selling through travel agents because the GDSs cannot currently present that information effectively and attractively. Furthermore, in most cases, the airline does not know anything about the customer until the reservation is made, making it difficult to personalize the offer, as is common in most Internet retail activities.

That’s where NDC comes in. NDC is an IATA-led collaborative industry initiative to define a messaging standard that will enable retailing opportunities through the indirect channel similar to those available on airline websites. Using an XML-based standard, NDC will enable a dynamic, vibrant marketplace that is not possible with today’s closed proprietary systems. The NDC foundation standard was approved in October 2012. The next step is to conduct trials, which could begin as early as April. NDC will bring to travel agents the ability to offer travelers the same products and services they often can only find on an airline’s website.

But there are some misperceptions that need to be addressed: Customers will not have to surrender their privacy to compare fares or services and amenities. But consumers will benefit by providing additional information. In this regard buying air travel through NDC will be no different than other shopping experiences, such as grocery and department stores providing discounted offers to “club members”. Furthermore, airlines will have to conform to privacy laws and regulations concerning the collection and use of personal data—just as they do today. It will be possible to compare fares using NDC

and that the intent is not to cut GDSs and travel agents out of the system. There is a ‘content aggregator’ role in NDC to enable comparison shopping. Additionally NDC will help travel agents add value to their clients by allowing for comparisons of product and service options that today is only available on individual websites. It will facilitate the easy sale of ancillary products. NDC welcomes broad participation of travel agent community in development of NDC standards and determining the business requirements. IATA has and continues to engage with all participants in the travel chain including travel agents, agent associations, airlines, GDSs

and other technology providers. Furthermore, no airline will be required to participate in NDC.

laboration across the value chain will make for a better tomorrow.

Change always brings challenges. NDC will bring change. And the market will determine which aspects of that change are valuable to customers and offer business opportunities to the value chain. NDC will lead to a better informed shopping environment for air travel that will deliver value to passengers and create business opportunities across all aspects of the industry. And building it on principles of transparent standards, openness to innovation, fully informed consumer choices and col-

Aleks Popovich Senior Vice President Industry Distribution and Financial Services, International Air Transport Association

NDC falls under scanner Contd. from page 7

class as a class booking code and not as a visual presentation of the product on offer.” He cautioned saying that NDC is in no terms a finished product yet, but IATA is moving ahead with a number of key players. “In short, the key issues on NDC right now, seen from an agency perspective, are whether the travel agents in future will have an access to all products and prices on an NDC airline or not? Also, a big issue is the ownership of passengers’ PNR as well as a number of other legal issues, notably the airlines’ access to customer data. The list of questions that are up in the air is quite long.” There are many myths, fears, controversies and disagreements on NDC. For instance, NDC’s authenticating capabilities, revealing to the airline exactly who the traveller is, will mean that airlines will offer passenger fares derived from their past purchasing behaviour or from

other demographic information rather than offering a full range of fares. Not just global associations, but our own TAFI has asked for clarification on NDC. Pradip Lulla, National General Secretary, TAFI said, “Our members and agents across India received the policy information through email circulation by IATA. However, the proposal needs to be more detailed. The aspect of the distribution policy has to be defined.” When asked about the support or opposition for IATA’s NDC, Lulla said, “We have asked IATA to clarify certain clarification on this subject and are expecting a feedback from them soon. Once we receive the clarification, only than we can know if it is beneficial for our industry or not and decide to either support or object it.”

What’s the world doing on NDC? The Business Travel Coalition and the Global

Concerns about NDC •

Risk of bypassing the agents or the GDS

•

NDC is designed by the airlines for the airlines

•

Cost of implementation of NDC solution

•

Compatibility with back-office systems

•

Overall NDC cost to the industry and consumers

•

Ability to find a lowfare or best value in NDC

Business Travel Association are urging the travel industry to sign a draft Signatory Letter to Department of Transportation (DoT) of USA to urge them seeking additional information from IATA before ruling on the policy. The Association of Canadian Travel Agencies has asked Canada’s Competition Bureau to investigate Resolution 787, and is encouraging members to file comments with the DoT.

Welcoming India the Turkish way… Istanbul has a lot to offer to tourists, be it business travellers or the leisure crowd. This has created a market for luxury hotels in the city, and there is still space for more competition. Five or six more hotels are going

to open by the beginning of 2014. The Marti Group’s first city address, Marti Istanbul Hotel, is a 5-star property set in the cultural and commercial heart of Istanbul. “Since its opening in July 2012, the hotel has

welcomed 54 Indian guests and would like to increase this number and establish a market in India,” says Yelda Taluk Ülker, Asst. General Manager, Sales & Marketing, Martı Istanbul Hotel.

• • •

Risk of customer or agent discrimination in NDC Impact of NDC on the agent / GDS business model Role of the aggregator in the selection of offers Availability of NDC for self-booking tools Access to PNR and data ownership in NDC Risk of higher fares for en-route changes

ACTA believes that NDC would ‘negatively and significantly impact travel industry costs and airline competition and would drive up airline prices for passengers.’ The EU Directorate Generals of Competition, Transport and Enterprise will be asked to assess NDC in order to ensure ‘a level playing field.’ WTAAA is clarifying the triangular issues between

airlines, GDS and travel agents on NDC and establish an NDC Governance structure. On the other hand, the Airlines Reporting Corp has lent its support to NDC claiming that it will benefit both agents and their customers. IATA is seeking to dispel ‘myths and misinformation’ about NDC with the launch of a dedicated blog site. The site will provide updates, commentary and ‘thought leadership pieces’ regarding the NDC initiative.

on retail websites such as Amazon.com. However, GDS use a less flexible pre-internet message protocol. This legacy infrastructure cannot efficiently support modern retailing practices such as personalised and customised offers. For example, an airline that offers some extra leg room or a special meal option cannot entice the customer with this added value when selling through travel agents because the GDS cannot currently present the information effectively and attractively, informs Popovich.

IATA stands strong Standing strong for IATA, Aleks Popovich, Senior Vice President – Industry Distribution and Financial Services, IATA said that NDC represents a unique opportunity to modernise air travel distribution. Currently, airlines use internet programming language (XML) on their websites and are able to offer travel consumers an online shopping experience similar to what they can find

He said, “In most cases, the airline does not know anything about the passenger until the reservation is made, making it difficult to personalise the offer, as is common in the most internet retail activities. That’s where NDC comes in. Using an XMLbased standard, NDC will enable a dynamic and vibrant marketplace that is not possible with today’s closed proprietary systems.

E-visa to Turkey for Indians According to a new system put in place by the Turkish government, Indians with a valid UK, US, Schengen or a valid visa from any of the OECD member countries, can now get an online tourist visa to Turkey. Turkey has

launched this new revolutionary online visa application system for citizens of India, Pakistan and African countries. People can apply for the visa by going to www.evisa.gov.tr, pay by credit card and they will get

your visa in their email. “Indians can travel all over the world very easily but getting a Turkish visa for them was very hard. Now they will easily obtain a Turkish visa within minutes,” said Deputy Foreign Minister Naci Koru.

STATISTICS

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TRAVTALK

Rationalise tax for ATF, says survey A research study on the civil aviation sector in India, commissioned by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, reveals how India’s multilayer fuel taxation system including central excise duty and sales tax levied by the state governments limits the number and range of air carrier service providers. able given the global movement of crude prices, and demand and supply factors that affect the price of ATF.

TT B U R E AU

recent study conducted by Nathan Economic Consulting India emphasises that the high operating cost environment owing to high and rising cost of Air Turbine Fuel (ATF), is making operations unviable for carriers in India. It also addresses issues such as taxation of ATF and privatisation of airports.

Taxation and Pricing of ATF According to the study, India’s multi-layer fuel taxation system which includes the central excise duty, and sales tax levied by the state governments (varying from 4% to 30%), limits the number and range of air carrier service providers and the ability of Indian carriers to compete with foreign carriers providing international carrier services. Also, within India’s civil aviation sector, pricing of ATF is determined by a small number of suppliers. Indian

ATF consumers’ choice is restricted to four suppliers. Three suppliers are stateowned oil companies that enjoy access to essential facilities within India’s airports and maintain refinery capacity, resulting in market dominance. “The current structure of the Indian ATF market is conducive to cartelisation,” warns the survey.

In order to monitor ATF prices and track anti-competitive behaviour, the regulator may wish to take concrete steps for monitoring, enforcement and appellate activities. The regulator may wish to further investigate India’s ATF price structure by comparing price components such as fuel taxes and add-on charges to neighbouring

countries, as well as over a period of time. Currently, fuel prices for the airlines in the country are higher by at least 40 per cent than in competing hubs in Singapore, Hong Kong, and Dubai. It would be useful for the regulator to have benchmarks that can be used to detect deviations in ATF prices from what would be reason-

With regards to taxation of ATF, the regulator may consider analysing the taxation regime in relation to how it impacts the financial health of India‘s civil aviation industry as well as the industry’s competitiveness regionally and globally. Lastly, to ensure greater success in negotiations between national and state governments with regards to taxation of ATF, it is important to also investigate and report on how reductions in state level ATF taxes can lead to state governments reaping economic benefits of local job creation within the sector, growth of businesses associated with the sector, as well as economic development resulting in more business and leisure traffic to the state.

Privatisation of Airports Presently, there are just five private airports in India. According to the report, a major reason for low non-aeronautical earnings is that most Indian airports come under the Airports Authority of India (AAI) and the Authority cannot afford to invest much from its scarce fund in these services. Therefore, to make Indian airports internationally Contd. on page 28

Findings for Air India Removing regulations ensuring preferential treatment of Air India with regards to recapitalisation and flying rights Consider reducing fleet and equity requirements for passenger air carriers by looking at how India‘s regulators reduced requirements for cargo carriers; Consider introducing an incentivebased route programme of servicing all India‘s airports;

ASSOCIATIONS MAY 12-15

Ottawa

Canadian Tourism Commission’s Rendezvous Canada

13-15

Kuwait

Travel World Expo

15-16

Bangkok

5 Asia Pacific Hotel Investment Conference

16-18

Switzerland

Meeting Luxury 2013

19-22

Saudi Arabia

Ministry of Tourism's Roadshow

20-22

Lucknow

Macau Govt Tourist Office’s Sales Blitz

Moscow

PATA Hub City Forum Moscow

21-23

Germany

IMEX 2013

22-23

London

Boutique Hotel Summit 2013

24-26

Kolkata

India Tourism Fair

24-27

Taiwan

Taipei Tourism Expo

28-29

Singapore

9th Travel Distribution Summit Asia

29-30

Istanbul

Turkey & Neighbours Hotel Investment Conference (CATHIC)

29-Jun 3 Cameroon

Africa Travel Association’s 38th Annual Congress 2013

29-31

Macau Govt Tourist Office’s Sales Blitz

Ahmedabad

31-Jun 2 Bern

Switzerland Travel Mart

JUNE

2-4

Cape Town

3-6

Shanghai

International Luxury Travel Market Asia (ILTMA)

5-7

Thailand

Thailand Travel Mart Plus 2013

5-7

Guwahati

Macau Govt Tourist Office’s Sales Blitz

11-13

Chicago

Americas Incentive Business Travel & Meetings Exhibitions (AIBTM)

13-16

Hong Kong

International Travel Expo

19-23

Vancouver

Cruise3sixty 2013

21-23

Beijing

Beijing International Tourism Expo (BITE)

26-27

New Zealand

Tourism New Zealand’s MEETINGS 2013

The hotel industry is expected to continue facing challenges due to economic conditions in key western markets and the supply-demand imbalances. to economic conditions in key Western markets and the supply-demand imbalances. “Due to the impending elections, we do not expect many policy changes. The industry expects pressures on roomrates to continue, though we expect Tier-II and Tier-III markets to show good growth,” he pointed out.

M E G H A P AU L

s no major policy change is expected in the run-up to the elections next year, experts feel the industry would continue to face challenges due to the demandsupply imbalance. According to a recent study, the growth in demand would slow this year, owing to additional supply in the market.

Speaking on the sidelines of the Hotel Association of India (HAI) conclave, hoteliers said they had a cautious outlook this year. Jyotsna Suri, Chairperson and Managing Director, The Lalit Suri Hospitality Group remarked, “Last year was a challenging one for the industry with average room rates and revenue per room being under pressure. In 2013-14, the demand for hotel rooms is expected to see modest growth. We are trying to control our costs and overheads. So far, we

Jyotsna Suri

KB Kachru

Chairperson and Managing Director, The Lalit Suri Hospitality Group

Chairman Carlson Rezidor Group

In 2014-15, the hotel industry could see better growth after there is more clarity in the political situation

Due to the impending elections, we do not expect many policy changes

IATA: Annual General Meeting

JULY 5-7

Kolkata

Travel & Tourism Fair

5-7

Australia

The Wagga Great Outdoor Expo

5-14

Brazil

Expotche

10-11

Honolulu

Hawaii Lodging Hospitality & Foodservice Expo

11-14

Germany

European Outdoor Trade Fair

12-14

Hyderabad

Travel & Tourism Fair - Hyderabad

13-14

Mumbai

Times Travel Trade Fair

Zambia

Mte Exhibition - Zambia: Solwezi

17-28

California

California Mid State Fair

19-21

Bengaluru

India International Travel Mart Bangalore

Zambia

Mte Exhibition - Zambia: Kitwe

20-24

Reno

STN Expo

24-27

China

Asia Outdoor Trade Fair

26-28

Gold Coast

Midyear Caravan, Camping, Boating & Fishing Expo

26-28

Chennai

India International Travel Mart Chennai

31-Aug 1 Delhi

The hotel industry is cautious

Tourism New Zealand’s Kiwi Link B2B Roadshow

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

Raymond Bickson

Rajeev Kaul

Kapil Chopra

Managing Director Indian Hotels Company

President Leela Hotels and Resorts

President Oberoi Group

With rising operating costs, it has become imperative for companies to manage baselines

have not reduced our staffto-room ratio or room rates. These are trying times, not just for the hotel industry, but the overall economy. In

Our strategy will be to maintain the market share and look at subsegments carefully

2014-15, the hotel industry could see better growth after there is more clarity in the political situation in the country.”

The Oberoi group’s RevPAR has increased 14 per cent in south Mumbai

According to KB Kachru, Chairman, Carlson Rezidor Group, the hotel industry is expected to continue facing challenges due

Hotel chains are thus, giving discount offers and freebies this summer to spur demand in a poor market. “Companies are not expecting a turnaround in business, which has already witnessed a drop of seven per cent in the revenue per available room (RevPAR) and a marginal increase in occupancy. Going forward, our strategy will be to maintain the market share and look at sub-segments carefully,” Rajeev Kaul, President, Leela Hotels and Resorts asserted. Certain markets have seen an addition in supply of new hotels, he added. Throwing light on the sluggish growth in the sector, Raymond Bickson, Managing Director, Indian Hotels Company opined, “With rising operating costs, it has become imperative for companies to manage baselines. The market is changing, but we also have fixed perational costs. The legacy of the hotel is difficult to change in these changing times.” Most hoteliers, however, do believe that supply would create demand. “To keep up with the challenging times, we ought to choose our locations carefully. The Oberoi group’s RevPAR has increased 14 per cent in south Mumbai. To boost demand, we are also trying to have a good marketing mix,” Kapil Chopra, President, Oberoi Group confirmed. The luxury hotel chain has announced special offers such as a complimentary third-night stay with a booking for two nights, an additional room for two children and a complimentary third room with a booking for two rooms.

Wanted more private airports Contd. from page 27

competitive, the government must attract private investment into India‘s civil aviation infrastructure. Currently, out of ` 65,000 crore investment envisaged at airports during the XII Plan, a lion’s share of `

50,000 crore is expected from the private sector.The report recommends allowing more private investment into existing airports (i.e., authorising Brownfield projects) which will inject much needed equity into India’s civil aviation infrastructure. Injecting

private capital into existing airports will assist those airports in improving airport infrastructure as well as expansion projects needed to meet growing passenger demand. Private capital injected into different Indian airports will also

create more inter-airport competition within India and the region, since different airport investors would base business decisions on attracting more air carriers and passengers to their airport, thus maximising their investment.

FAMILY ALBUM

Virgin Atlantic: A red blitz of sales To launch their new flights to Manchester, Edinburgh and Aberdeen, Virgin Atlantic recently organised a sales blitz for its trade partners in Delhi and Mumbai. Virgin Atlanticâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s crew, along with the sales team, visited various travel agencies and gave away Manchester-inspired football-shaped cake pops and pens to all agents. They also gave away scotch miniatures and a game of Scotland Yard as on-the-spot prizes for issuing tickets to the Little Red destinations.

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s party time at Holiday Inn Cochin Continuing with the tradition of thanking its travel trade and airline partners, Holiday Inn Cochin hosted a second edition of the Travel Trade Party on April 4, 2013 at their newly opened poolside bar Oasis. The guests enjoyed a fun filled evening with exotic beverages and snacks, while being entertained by some amazing magic tricks and live jazz music.

CLIPBOARD

MAY 2 ND FORTNIGHT ISSUE 2013

TRAVTALK

MOVEMENTS

TRAVTALK MAY 2 ND FORTNIGHT ISSUE 2013

Thomas Cook (India)

Berggruen Hotels

Vivanta by Taj

New Delhi

Mumbai

Bengaluru

Indiver Rastogi has been taken on as the Senior Vice-President and Head-Global Enterprise Business at Thomas Cook (India). In this position, Rastogi will lead the global enterprise business in India and US markets. He is also responsible for the P&L of the business. With over a decade of experience in the sector, Rastogi has been associated with companies such as EGL-Eagle Global Logistics, Air France and American Express. He is also the Non-Executive Director at ITP Travel – International Travel Partnership. At ITP, Rastogi represents South West Asia, Africa and Middle East.

Vijay Sethi has been appointed as the company’s new Chief Operating Officer by Berggruen Hotels, the parent company of Keys Hotels, Vijay Sethi will bring on board an experience spanning 28 years. Before joining Berggruen Hotels in April 2013, Sethi was associated with Thomas Cook India as SVP & Head, Tour Management & Customer Service. During his close to three decades long career, he has also been associated with The Intercontinental Hotel, The Leela Kempinski Hotel, Jet Airways and Asian Heart Institute on varied leadership designations.

Sunil Taneja has joined Vivanta by Taj, Whitefield as General Manager. Taneja is an alumnus of Delhi University, with a Bachelor’s of Commerce and a Hotel Management from the Institute of Hotel Management, Delhi. Associated with IHCL for over the last two decades, Taneja’s portfolio included catering Manager Taj Mahal Hotel, F&B Manager Taj Palace Hotel, Taj Bengal, Resident Manger Taj Mahal Hotel. He has been at the helm of affairs across Strategic Planning, Finance, HRD and relationship management.

Alila Bangalore Hotel and Residence

Somerset Greenways Chennai

Radisson Blu, Dwarka

Bengaluru

Chennai

New Delhi

Krishna Unni has been appointed as the General Manager of the Alila Bangalore Hotel and Residence . Unni comes with over 15 years of expertise in the hospitality industry. His key responsibilities will include- overseeing the group’s operations, expansion and growth in the country and building the brand within this diverse and challenging market. Prior to joining Alila, Unni held management positions with Sankara Hotel Nairobi, Kenya, JW Marriott Hangzhou and Courtyard by Marriott Hangzhou Wulin, Courtyard by Marriott Beijing, and China Hotel, a Marriott Hotel Guangzhou, China.

Supriya Malhotra has been appointed as the General Manager of the 187-unit Somerset Greenways Chennai, Ascott’s first Somerset brand of serviced residence in India. She will be responsible for managing the operations of this property. Malhotra joins Somerset Greenways Chennai with 25 years of experience in the hospitality industry, both in India and abroad. Prior to her current role, she was General Manager of Radisson Blu Resort and Spa, Alibaug. She has also worked at Oakwood Premier, Mumbai, and Mariott Executive Apartments.

Manas Krishnamoorthy is the new addition and the general manager for Radisson Blu New Delhi Dwarka, replacing Sharad Datta. Krishnamoorthy brings to Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group 14 years of hospitality experience in India, having worked for various companies such as Oberoi, ITC and Imperial. He was most recently the executive assistant manager for The Imperial in New Delhi where he led the operational sides of the hotel. Krishnamoorthy has a Bachelor’s in Hotel Management degree from the Welcomgroup Graduate School of Hotel Administration in Manipal, India.

Fairmont Jaipur

Courtyard by Marriott, Mumbai International Airport

Samabe Leisure Group

Mumbai

Nisha Shrivastva has been appointed by the Samabe Leisure Group as the Sales Representative for the India Market. Shrivastva is in charge for Grand Mirage Resort & Thalasso Bali and Samabe Bali Resort & Villas – Bali resorts managed under Samabe Leisure. For the last four years, Shrivastva has been associated with Asia World Indonesia. Prior to this, she was a sales manager at Outbound Marketing, where she worked for five years. Shrivastva holds a diploma in Hotel Management, GNIIT, and MBA from Symbiosis, Pune.

Jaipur Shagun Sethi has been appointed as the Director of Sales & Marketing, Fairmont Jaipur. She has experience of over 11 years in the hospitality industry. Prior to joining Fairmont, Sethi worked with The Oberoi Group as a Sales Manager - Key Accounts National Sales. She has also held a progressive position in a brand like ITC. Sethi is a qualified radio jockey and has also worked with teams on projects involving AIDS awareness in slums and education of children as a part of ‘Each one, Teach one’ Programme.

Chandrashekhar Joshi has been appointed as the Director of Operations at the Courtyard by Marriott, Mumbai International Airport. Joshi comes with 11 years of experience in the hotel industry. He began his career with Le Meridien, Pune in Food and Beverage before joining the Renaissance Mumbai Convention Centre Hotel in the F&B beverage department. He has also worked with JW Marriott Mumbai, and Courtyard by Marriott Mumbai in 2011.

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: Vivek Sethi, Teena Baruah & Megha Paul

Alphonsus Stoelinga, Ambassador, Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, says, “I have a fantastic job because in every four years, my employer sends me to a new country. So not only do I get to know many countries, but I also get to know them very deeply. And now thanks to my knowledge of Hindi language, I am reading a big book on Indian history, and I have only read 350 pages. If I was not living in India, I would have no reason to read Alphonsus Stoelinga about the History of India. It gives rare insights Ambassador, Embassy of like the Chola dynasty temple in Chennai that I disthe Kingdom of the Netherlands covered during one of my official visits. I have a special connect with India, as my son studied in IIM Lucknow in 2005. That year, me and my wife travelled for two weeks, covered more than 3,500 km in ordinary trains, slept and woke up in incredibly beautiful towns. Ironically, that year I saw more of India than during my current diplomatic stint in the country.”

New Delhi

Janez Premoze, Ambassador, Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia, says, “When I was 25, I came to India as a backpacker to learn about its culture, languages and habits. It is very encouraging to see that now there’s a reverse flow of Indians travelling to Europe.”

Vaibhav Dayal, Managing Director, V Resorts says, "My first passion will always be travelling. I love to go to off-beat destinations.” His first preference will always be to travel within the country. "I personally feel India is the most beautiful country when it comes to unspoilt beauty and spoils of nature." His all-time favourite Vaibhav Dayal Janez Premoze destination is Nainital. "I used to go to Managing Director Ambassador, Embassy of “I love to visit places in an unofthe Republic of Slovenia Nainital every year during my child- V Resorts ficial capacity. For me, travel is not hood days. Internationally, I love just about exploring temples, art and architecture. On our London as I have lived there. I like going to different villages journeys, we mingle with people and know about their and eateries that keep popping up." Dayal is an avid golfer cultures. I take a lot of photographs which become and reader. Dayal is currently reading The Immortals of my scrapbook of memories,” he says. Meluha by Amish Tripathi. Subhash Goyal, Chairman, STIC Group, says, “Having made a modest starting in 1973, it’s heartening to be in a position where I can give back to the society. I have great interest in interacting with students and hence make a point to deliver guest lectures, when invited by various national and international institutes. I am also gearing up to release my autobiography, wherein I discuss my learnings since childhood and also share my opinion on the state of affairs in politics and various other aspects of life,” he adds.

Subhash Goyal Chairman, STIC Group

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:14-05-2013

HIGHLIGHT

US$ 12bn windfall for aviation At the launch of India Aviation 2014, Ajit Singh, Union Minister for Civil Aviation, shares his plan to expand air transport network and open up infrastructure to private sector participation. T E E N A B A R UA H

he airline industry in India is witnessing a revival, riding high on the success of various policy measures, said Ajit Singh. “Rapidly expanding air transport network and opening up of the airport infrastructure to private sector participation have fuelled the growth of the air traffic in India. The Indian airport system is poised to handle 336 million domestic and 85 million international passengers by 2020, making India the third largest aviation market,” he said.

Some carriers like Tata-Air Asia and Jet Airways-Etihad have already announced their collaboration. Further, Indian carriers have been allowed to import ATF directly.” Another important policy decision was the abolition of the Aircraft Acquisition Committee to liberalise the acquisition of aircraft by the scheduled, non-scheduled airlines, flying institutes and for private use. “Now, no permission for acquisition of aircraft will be required from the Ministry of Civil Aviation. They will be free to acquire aircraft as per their business

because of flexible usage of airspace. Small is the Indian aviation ministry’s new big idea to boost connectivity– small towns, small airports and small planes. In an endeavour to make the growth of the sector equitable and inclusive, government has taken significant measures for providing affordable air connectivity to remote and interior areas of the country the Northeastern Region and Tier-II & III cities of India. “We will incentivise Indian airlines

The Indian government has envisaged an investment of US$12.1 billion in the airports sector during the 12th Plan period, of which US$ 9.3 billion is expected to come from the private sector Ajit Singh, Union Minister for Civil Aviation Speaking at the press conference, Singh shared that Indian government has envisaged investment of US$12.1 billion in the airports sector during the 12th Plan period, of which US$ 9.3 billion is expected to come from the private sector for construction of new airports, expansion, modernisation of existing airports and development of low-cost airports. “The Indian government has introduced several policies and regulatory reforms to encourage private participation and investments in the sector. Recently, we have allowed 49% FDI by the foreign carriers in domestic airlines, which will provide much-needed relief to the domestic aviation industry.

plan and requirements,” the minister said. Emphasising on the government's thrust on development of infrastructure, the minister said, “The government has also allowed Flexi Use of Airspace by civil and military users, which permits them to efficiently and effectively utilise the available airspace on sharing basis. It would result in optimum usage of airspace, enhancement of airspace capacity, minimising delays, conservation of fuel, reduction in emissions and ultimate benefits to travelling public.” It is expected that there will be a reduction of carbon emissions by about 7 million kg per annum by direct routing between seven major city pairs only

to operate on these routes, by code-sharing and seat-credit mechanism. The bigger airlines will be able to use such credits to meet their requirement of having to connect such remote areas without having to lose money on such operations. This is expected to generate greater financial viability for regional operators. An Essential Air Services Fund is also being proposed by the Government for providing subsidy for development of low-cost airports throughout the country.” Another important move that has accelerated the modernisation and development process is the privatisation of five major airports under PPP mode and the

policy of development of Greenfield airports which envisages synergy between the public and private sector. “Moreover, to develop civil aviation in India, series of policy reform decisions are under consideration. These include getting ATF declared as notified product and bringing transparency in its pricing; rationalisation of bilateral air service agreements with different countries, traffic entitlements on international routes to Indian carriers, creation of a separate Air Navigation Services Corporation from AAI to make it more effective, efficient and professional body, creation of a Civil Aviation Authority in place of DGCA and creation of a separate Civil Aviation Security Force which is professionally trained for the work of civil aviation,” Singh told on the sidelines of the India Aviation 2014 launch. Singh sums up saying, “Airlines are expected to add around 370 aircraft, worth US$ 27.5 billion, to their fleet by the year 2017. It is estimated that commercial fleet size is expected to reach 1,000 from 400 today by 2020.”

Official Largesse To spur the growth of international air travel, the government has taken substantial steps to liberalise and grant traffic rights to Indian carriers to fly to several new destinations across the globe The new traffic rights have increased the overall traffic entitlements of the airlines by approximately 60% over the existing rights