TravTalk May 2nd 2014

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A DDP PUBLICATION

Pages: 28 (Excluding covers)

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Vol. XXVI Issue 10; May 2 nd fortnight issue 2014

` 50/-

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TRAVTALK

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MAY 2 ND FORTNIGHT ISSUE 2014

News Inside

Instant travel@ The Incredible India website takes a step further to become ‘the one-stop for all’ information with Tripigator.com, an instant travel planning engine. The website has been chosen as the official travel planner by the Ministry of Tourism.

WorthYourHolidays was the company that emerged the best. The model of the partnership is based on no-fund basis.

The services will be provided free of charge. This will be on an advertisement-based model, which is exactly what we have followed with audio-guides in Audio Compass and walking tours called WoNoBo.”

K A N C H A N N AT H ripigator.com, by WorthYourHolidays, an instant travel planning engine, was launched in Delhi in partnership with Incredible India, Ministry of Tourism. The website was unveiled by Parvez Dewan, Secretary, MOT. Other dignitaries present included Usha Sharma, ADG, MOT; Girish Shanker, Additional Secretary, MOT; Ravi Kant Bhatnagar, ADG, MOT, and its three founders

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(L-R) Karteek Narumanchi, Piyush Grover, Ravi Kant Bhatnagar, ADG, MOT; Girish Shanker, Addl Secretary, MOT; Parvez Dewan, Secretary, MOT; Usha Sharma, ADG, MOT and Mukul Garg.

Mukul Garg, Piyush Grover, and Karteek Narumanchi.

Tripigator.com instantly generates personalised travel

itineraries on fewer inputs and significantly reduces users’ effort by replacing 10 tabs with one tab.

Talking about the partnership, Dewan said, “We went through an Expression of Interest (EOI) in newspapers.

He added, “We have been discussing this software with Mukul Garg for a very long time. We wanted certain inputs Contd. on page 4

Flash Sales: Good, bad &whatever 35%

30%

Positively

Doesn’t Matter

35%

Negatively

polled the travel trade on how repeated airline flash sales affected the industry. The results are: Along with opinions, recieved detailed reasons from agents far and wide. The naysayers supported their statement by saying that flash sales didn’t get them any commissions, so why get excited? Those who supported flash sales, offered that even if flash sales didn’t benefit them directly, it still boosted air travel among the populace. And the third option-takers advised that a ‘flash in the pan’ was exactly that and nothing more.

ATM-2014 ends on a high note See full story on page 03

`24,000 crore revenue for Kerala See full story on page 05

Flying into Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport See full story on page 08

Youth Talk: New direction to travel insurance See full story on page 14

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EXHIBITIONS

ATM 2014 ends on a high note ATM 2014 that took place at the Dubai World Trade Centre from May 5-8 exceeded the expectations of visitors and exhibitors alike. The event organisers also awarded India with the New Frontiers Award 2014.

PEDEN DOMA BHUTIA t’s got bigger and better’, this was the unanimous reaction at the Arabian Travel Mart (ATM) 2014 that took place at the Dubai World Trade Centre from May 5-8. The event attracted

‘I

FROM

DUBAI

more than 2700 exhibitors from around the world and more than 23,000 visitors. Held under the patronage of Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and

Prime Minister of the UAE, Ruler of Dubai, the show is considered a must in everyone’s business diary and has become the largest showcase of its kind in the region and one of the biggest in the world. The message at the launch was

New Frontiers Award for India India was named the recipient of the New Frontiers Award 2014 at a special roundtable seminar session held on the third day of the annual event. The award was made in recognition of India’s ongoing efforts to rebuild physical infrastructure and its rural tourism economy in the wake of the June 2013 floods and landslides in Uttarakhand, and the devastation wreaked by Cyclone Phailin in the Northeast in October. Receiving the award from Mark Walsh, Portfolio Director, Reed Travel Exhibitions, Devender Singh, Economic Advisor, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, said, “Tremendous effort is being made at all the levels in terms of rebuilding tourism infrastructure in the affected areas, from state government activity to financial support from the Government of India.”

loud and clear that Dubai’s goal of doubling the 10 million visitors welcomed in 2012 to 20 million by 2020 is the collective responsibility of all the industry stakeholders.

Opening the session, Helal Saeed Almarri, CEO & Director General, Dubai World Trade Centre and Dubai Department of Tourism & Commerce Marketing (DTCM), said, “Dubai’s position in the world, with what we have to offer, is very promising. The Expo 2020 win offers a clear message that Dubai is seen as a tourism and business hub for the region. We’re very proud to have won the right to host the event, but Dubai won’t stop; it will continue evolving up to and beyond 2020.”

See Pictures on Page 18

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OPINIONS

South Africa addresses visa delays

VIEWPOINT If you are arm'd to do as sworn to do, Subscribe to your deep oaths, and keep it too.

William Shakespeare (Love's Labour's Lost) ravel Associations in India are going through turbulent weather. The industry is beginning to wonder where the problem lies. Is there basically something wrong in the system, on the basis of which it is set up?

Or is there a shortcoming in the thought process and hence in the modus operandi?

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With major delays in visa issuance for South Africa, the outbound travel to the country has been badly affected. The travel agents are looking at diverting holidays to Kenya, New Zealand, Spain, Australia and other destinations. finds out more.

T T B U R E AU he South African High Commission in New Delhi admitted that there have been visa delays and attributed technical issues behind the sit-

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The members also just take it lying down… there is no push from their side to aggressively take forward pending issues plaguing the industry. Outcome of meetings between the associations and the ministry are often disappointing, and nobody reacts!

One positive result however, has been the visa-on-arrival issue and ETA for incoming foreign tourists. This shows if an issue is taken up by all associations together and repeatedly, the results will be positive.

Coming into place this winter season, the amendment should be very encouraging for the industry’s growth.

Social media needs to be understood and used by associations to research, collect data, monitor their members’ sentiments and maneuver the government towards the betterment of the industry. Regular polls and questionnaires will help them grasp what people think about their work – are they on the right track or are they slipping somewhere? It is so important to have clarity about the value of social media and use it, not just experiment with it. It is vital to determine the buzz around an action, calculate and exhibit the effect of large-scale participation to drive policies benefitting the industry. It is important for executive committee members to touch the grassroots, undertaking initiatives that would traditionally have been left to junior staff.

The Ministry of Tourism has taken steps to support the travel agents with virtual tours, audio guides, Clean India campaigns, etc.

Shouldn’t all this have been taken up by the travel associations years ago?

Vikramajit Chairman SanJeet Editor & Publisher Deepa Sethi Editor-in-Chief

Editorial

Advertising

Megha Paul Devika Jeet Kanchan Nath

Gunjan Sabikhi Asst. Vice President Aarti Nagrath General Manager Karishma Khanna Sr. Manager Marketing Udit Pandey Sr. Manager Marketing Geetika Pathak Manager Advertising Amit Sarkar Asst. Manager Marketing

News-Editor Peden Doma Bhutia Desk-Editor Archana Sharma Neelam Singh Sr. Sub-Editor Hritvick Sen Photographers Simran Kaur-Delhi Bharat Dangiya-Mumbai

applicants travelling to South Africa and sincerely regret the inconvenience caused by this situation.”

Outbound Tour Operators Association of India (OTOAI), tour operators have to face huge losses due to last-minute cancellations. “Customers are unhappy as last-minute changes are costly. All the

These delays to South Africa have led to cancellations

Guldeep Singh Sahni

Pradip Lulla

Vineet Raina

President OTOAI

National General Secretary TAFI

Vice President-Outbound TBi -Trail Blazer Tours India

uation. In a response to , the High Commission said, “The South African High Commission is unfortunately experiencing technical problems that are affecting the issuing of travel documents.

This has resulted in delays in issuing of visas and other permits. We would like to reassure all concerned parties that this is being addressed at the highest level and in the interim, contingency measures are in place. We are aware of the impact of this situation on visa

of about 60 per cent of tours to the country in the last two months. Also, the revenues of tour operators have been hit.

The delay, stretching to over 30 days, has impacted both leisure trips and MICE tours.

Travel industry sources say the delay in visa issuance is being caused due to a shortage of visa officers in the South African High Commission at New Delhi.

According to Guldeep Singh Sahni, President,

investments done by tour operators such as advertising, blocking of hotels and air tickets are going down the drain, and it is also a loss to South Africa,” he lamented.

With South African tours in a limbo, Australia and New Zealand are attracting more outbound travel from India.

“Travel companies are also trying to shift their MICE groups to Indonesia, Turkey and other countries. Travel companies remit tour charges collected

from customers to destination management companies (DMCs) or local travel agents in advance. These agents arrange local bookings, and in wake of cancellations, the agents are keeping back the remittance as credit. So the cash remitted by tour operators in India is being locked up,” a travel industry source, who did not wish to be named, told .

“Due to the slow visa process, the backlog is around 20-30 days. We are advising our customers not to opt for South African trips till the visa delivery period normalises,” Pradip Lulla, National General Secretary, Travel Agents Federation of India (TAFI), said.

As per Vineet Raina, Vice President-Outbound, TBi -Trail Blazer Tours India, “South Africa is a preferred destination during the summer vacations for India outbound. However, as the Indian market still is a lastminute booking market, our company does inform them about the current visa issue.

Thus, we have seen a drop in bookings for the country this season. The three new destinations that have got a boost this year are Kenya, Italy and Australia.”

A ‘Living, Breathing website’ Contd. from page 1

to be made available for those visiting the website. For example, we needed to have the entire railway map of India and the bus map of India. However, things like the ‘sensitivity’ tool have been added by them.

With this, travelling to and within India will definitely become easier to plan. We hope that the process will be more enjoyable for all tourists, within the country and internationally.”

Dewan concluded, “With these initiatives, we are not only trying to make a tourist’s stay in India comfortable, but facilitating their travel to India without stress as they can get all the information from a single website with one single tab.”

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

Mukul Garg, Tripigator co-founder, said “A traveller spends approximately 20 days and visits 22 websites for planning a holiday, and more than 70 per cent are beset with troubles in the process. With Tripigator, the whole process is done in a few seconds.”

Talking about his product, he said, “Tripigator is a holiday planning engine. Just input your starting point, destination, and give your personal preferences and the system would create live itineraries for you having hotels, activities information, along with transport information. We collect the information, we process it and we design holidays for you.

Everything is done in a single

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

advice before acting on information contained in this publication which is provided for general use, and may not be appropriate for the readers’ particular circumstances. Contents of this publication are copyright. No part of TRAVTALK or any part of the contents thereof may be reproduced, stored in retrieval system or transmitted in any form without the permission of the publication in writing. The same rule applies when there is a copyright or the article is taken from another publication. An exemption is hereby granted for the extracts used for the purpose of fair review, provided two copies of the same publication are sent to us for our records. Publications reproducing material either in part or in whole, without permission could face legal action.

tab in few seconds. ” About the revenue model for them, Garg said, “In the next six months, we will try to see what the customer is looking for. If we are able to give them a wholesome user experience, we will create a revenue stream on that basis. We do not want to kill the user experience on our website. This is a product, which is ahead of its time. The industry will learn a lot from this product and will start licensing our technology in future.”

Garg added, “If a customer walks into a travel agent’s office and asks for a particular trip, the travel agent can go to our website, plan the holiday and share it with the traveller, so

that he has an understanding of the whole travel plan, and it cuts down time taken by the travel agent. The plan, which previously would have taken 2-3 hours, will now be ready in few seconds.”

Salient Features N A faster and easier way to

plan an Indian travel itinerary N Considers more than 30 parameters for designing a personalised holiday plan N Realistic plans with live prices of flights, trains, hotels, cabs and buses

The publisher assumes no responsibility for returning any material solicited or unsolicited nor is he responsible for material lost or damaged.

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STATES

Kerala logs in record revenue Thanks to Ayurvedic treatments requiring a two-to-four-week stay, Kerala Tourism has garnered ` 24,000 crore in 2013-14. The average length of stay for an international tourist here goes up to 18.6 nights.

M E G H A PAU L or 2013-14, Kerala’s tourism industry has witnessed a record revenue of ` 24,000 crore, compared with ` 22,000 crore the previous year. This was revealed by Suman Billa, Secretary, Tourism, Government of Kerala. According to him, tourism revenues make up for one tenth of Kerala’s GDP, and brought in foreign exchange worth ` 5,000 crore, the second highest after remittances.

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Suman Billa Tourism Secretary Government of Kerala

We are adding new activities such as adventure, festivals, backwater journeys, and village experience to encourage people to extend their holiday Giving details on the highend tourism that Kerala has been tapping, he articulates, “The focus has traditionally been on high-end tourism. We were targeting those who would spend more than US$100 on a hotel room per night. With the time of a traveller being limited, you have to get as much revenue as possible.” In the ‘classified sector’, Kerala has 60,000 hotel rooms, not including home-stays and other informal arrangements.

Ayurveda is the biggest draw for foreign arrivals and spending. Thanks to Ayurvedic treatments requiring a two-tofour-week stay, the average stay of an international tourist in Kerala is surprisingly high with 18.6 nights, among the highest in the world, he says.

“It doesn’t matter that we have only a million international tourists, the important thing is to focus on increasing the length of the stay. So we’re

constantly adding new activities such as adventure, festivals, backwater journeys, village life experience through Responsible Tourism, to encourage people to extend their holiday,” Billa said.

While in 1995-96, the US$100-plus per night category was only international, now domestic tourists, not only from the metros, but also from Tier-II and Tier-III cities, are opting for high-end tourism. UK remains

Kerala’s biggest market.

Surprisingly now, the US has emerged as a second market, he informed. With increased arrivals, the state will step up marketing through road shows and other activities there.

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HOTELS

TRAVTALK MAY 2 ND FORTNIGHT ISSUE 2014

Philippines cautions Indian travellers The Philippine Embassy has cautioned Indian travellers against fraud visas after a recent increase of apprehensions by Philippines immigration authorities of foreigners entering the Philippines with fake visas. These travellers have been later detained and investigated, and thereafter deported to their countries of origin with their names and particulars included in the Philippines’ Look Out List, which bars them from travel to the Philippines in the future.

For this reason, the public is urged to avoid acquiring fake Philippine visa from illegitimate/illegal sources and to apply for visa only with the Consular Section at the Philippine Embassy in Delhi or the Philippine Honorary Consulates (PHC) in Chennai and Mumbai according to established procedures. The embassy has advised visa applicants from Kolkata to direct their applicants to the Philippine Embassy in Delhi. PHC Kolkata will operate soon and

actual date of operation will be announced later.

Benito B. Valeriano, Ambassador, Philippine Embassy, said, “We request travellers from India to deal only with authorized members of the Overseas Tour Operators Association of India (OTOAI), Travel Agents Federation of India (TAFI) or Travel Agents Association of India (TAFI) while applying for visa through a travel agent.”

The embassy has urged all tour operators of OTOAI, TAAI and TAFI to inform visa applicants that they should only apply directly with the Philippine Embassy or course their applications through the active members of the above three organizations.

It has warned travellers of the dire consequences if applicant uses fake or spurious visas when travelling to the Philippines.

For more details, visa applicants are advised to read the Embassy’s website at: www.newdelhipe.com and read the visa guidelines, visa requirements and FAQs.

STARnet gains for travel agents During the recently-concluded eighth Annual Starwood Hotels Sales Expo in Delhi, Dhananjay S Saliankar, Regional Director, Starwood Sales Organisation-South Asia, spoke to about the company’s growth strategies for the India market.

M E G H A PAU L Enlisting more retail travel agents As part of strengthening our sales distribution in India for the company’s global hotel network, Starwood Hotels & Resorts will try to enlist more retail travel agents into its fold.

Starwood Hotels has created a dedicated tool – STARnet – for small and medium travel agents. The traditional agent whose core competence was ticketing, wants to now shift to hotel bookings. STARnet will help them to get the best commission rates and print their own vouchers. They can book 1,200 hotels globally by joining this programme. STARnet is catching up with retail agents in a big way. It is still very minimal, but we are looking at strengthening this segment further in the near future.

However, the DMCs and the wholesalers will continue to

We see an evolving Indian traveller who is venturing out not just in regular destinations but also to new destinations and is keen to stay in luxury hotels.

MICE and wedding markets as growth drivers

Dhananjay S Saliankar Regional Director Starwood Sales Organisation-South Asia drive the B2B business for the company.

Personalising travel in India The US-based hotel company rolled out the Starwood Personalised India Travel Programme towards the end of 2013. The group is currently in the process of enlisting hotels for this programme across the globe. The idea is to identify at least a number of hotels in each destination,

expanding its support structure in India, with a new sales office set to open in Ahmedabad next month. The group will continue to drive growth from Delhi and Mumbai, while more business would be generated from new areas like Gujarat and Kolkata.

which can deliver customised services for Indian guests.

Similarly, the international hotel company is also keen to grow sales of luxury hotels such as St Regis, W, and luxury collection from India. The strategy is also to drive more business into luxury brands internationally. We see an evolving Indian traveller who is venturing out not just in regular destinations but also to new destinations and is keen to stay in luxury hotels. In addition, Starwood is

We are aiming to tap the MICE and Indian wedding market. The MICE segment is growing at a phenomenal rate and we want to have a fair share of that pie. A 2,000strong incentive group from Amway India will be travelling to Toronto in July. Sheraton Centre Toronto will be playing host to this group. Destination weddings is another major area for Starwood Hotels in India. The company’s beach hotels are quite popular for Indian weddings. Sheraton Hua Hin Resort & Spa alone hosted 70 such weddings in the last four years.

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AVIATION

Destination@Paris airport Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport is Europe’s largest airport covering 3,257 hectares. In conversation with Augustin de Romanet, CIO of Aeroports de Paris, find out more.

547,000 passengers arriving or travelling to India.

K A N C H A N N AT H How many terminals does the Charles de Gaulle Airport have?

There are nine terminals at Paris-Charles de Gaulle airport. The airport's iconic Terminal 1 caters for both international and Schengen airline services. It mainly hosts Star alliance members. Terminal 2 (A-B-C-D-E-F-G) also caters for both international and Schengen airline services. Air France and a major part of its Skyteam alliance partners have pooled their activities in terminals 2E, 2F and 2G.

Oneworld alliance members operate their flights from terminals A, C and D. The Terminal 3 welcomes mainly the charter traffic and low-cost companies.

Could you tell us about Sky Team and what role does the airport play along with Air France in this global alliance?

Augustin de Romanet CIO Aeroports de Paris

more), and gives special attention to passengers with reduced mobility (lowered information counters, dedicat-

ed parking spaces equipped with a courtesy telephone, free assistance, etc.)

What facilities do you provide for passengers?

How many inbound and outbound flights are there with respect to India?

Aéroports de Paris provides many free services for all passengers such as PlayStation consoles, sound corners, a museum area, work areas, rest areas, play areas dedicated to children, many apps (My Way, My Airport and

The three Airlines are Air France, Air India and Jet Airlines (starting in May 2014). The destinations include Bengaluru, Mumbai, Delhi and Chennai. For the 2014 IATA summer season, there will be 62 flights per week.

In 2013, the airport welcomed

Since its introduction to Paris-Charles de Gaulle airport in 1996 in cooperation with Air France, the hub has helped the airport to become Europe's leading airport, with more than 25,000 connecting flights every week with transfer times below two hours. Most major international airlines – including Sky Team, Star Alliance and Oneworld alliance members – operate out of Paris-Charles de Gaulle, as do the main international cargo carriers. It is the global headquarters for Air France-KLM, the main hub for Skyteam, and the European hub for Fedex and La Poste.

Air France and a major part of Skyteam alliance partners have focussed their activity on terminals 2E, 2F and 2G. The new junction building of Terminal 2A and 2C facilitate fast and smooth access through the control area before boarding.

Hall 4 is dedicated to long-haul flights and jumbo and superjumbo aircraft (including 7 A380 stands) with a capacity of 7.8 million passengers every year. The changes to terminals 2E, 2F and 2G help simplify passenger circuits. One-Stop-Security (OSS) is a European regulatory measure that facilitates air transport between countries of the Schengen area.

IATO re-elects President (unopposed) The Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO) concluded recently its elections for the 2014-16 office bearers and the executive committee.

The election that took place at Hotel The Park in Delhi, witnessed the re-election of Subhash Goyal as the President of IATO. He has already served the association as President for 12 years.

After the elections, Goyal said there are some unfinished agendas which will be taken up with the help of the entire membership.

“We are interested to engage more members, who can contribute in their field of expertise, so that the efforts

Some of these included: N E-Visa and Visa-on-Arrivals

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Subhash Goyal President IATO

made by IATO yield desired results at the earliest,” said Goyal.

He emphasised that he would look into all the issues which IATO had taken up with the ministry but continues to remain pending.

N N N

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from 180 countries, which has already been principally approved by the Government Deemed Export Status for Foreign Exchange Earning (FEE) for inbound tour operators Rationalisation of State Luxury Tax Rationalisation of State Transport Taxes Issues with the Railways specially booking of foreign groups Marketing Development Assistance Guide Training Programme

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AVIATION

3 new Indian connections for flydubai flydubai to now connect Delhi, Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram to Dubai, making India the third largest country that the airline operates to by number of points.

T T B U R E AU ubai-based airline, flydubai has added five new destinations to its network. Building on the momentum from last year, when 17 new destinations were added to the network, the airline has further cemented its commitment to enhance connectivity between different cultures by doubling its network in India with the addition of flights to Delhi, Kochi and Thiruvanantha-puram.

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Ghaith Al Ghaith

Sudhir Sreedharan

Chief Executive Officer flydubai

Senior Vice President, Commercial (GCC, Subcontinent, Africa) for flydubai

flydubai’s rapid expansion plans continue to focus on destinations within a five-hour flying radius from Dubai. Delhi, Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram join Ahmedabad, Hyderabad and Lucknow to make India the third largest country that flydubai operates to by number of points.

flydubai has created a network of 74 destinations in 35 countries

Kazakhstan will join flydubai’s network for the first time and flights will launch

later this year to two destinations - Almaty and Shymkent.

Commenting on the

Our main priority is to offer convenient and reliable travel experience

announcement, Ghaith Al Ghaith, the Chief Executive Officer of flydubai, said, “As

flydubai approaches its fifth year of operation, it has created a network of 74 destinations in 35 countries. The route announcements are a clear demonstration of the important role we are playing in the development of the tourism industry and there remains much opportunity.

Our commitment to further strengthen the trade, travel and tourism links in the region by opening up previously underserved markets, supports The Dubai Tourism Vision 2020.”

Talking about the India market, Sudhir Sreedharan, Senior Vice President, Commercial (GCC, Subcontinent, Africa) for flydubai, said, “We are delighted to be given the opportunity to better serve the Indian market.

Since 2010, flydubai’s main priority has been to offer passengers convenient and reliable travel services and an unrivalled onboard experience.”

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HOTELS

TRAVTALK MAY 2 ND FORTNIGHT ISSUE 2014

Delhi Airport to have zero diversions Delhi Airport is set to become a zero-diversionary airport by October this year.

The government is set to implement the recommendations set out by an expert committee which was formed to look into the matter.

According to the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA), all stakeholders including India Meteorological Department (IMD), Airports Authority of India (AAI), Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL), Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) and Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), it is decided that various key recommendations on making Delhi a zero-diversionary airport should be implemented before October.

Data furnished by the ministry shows that during the last three winter seasons, IGIA witnessed a total of 289 diversions due to fog and other technical reasons. Apart from recommendations on making Delhi a zero-diversionary airport, the committee also suggested procedures for dealing with stranded passengers in case of flight delays or diversions.

Capturing the mid-scale market Park Inn by Radisson Gurgaon Bilaspur, the first next generation Park Inn by Radisson hotel in India, has formally opened now. The hotel had a soft opening in January earlier this year.

The hotel offers 98 rooms, including six suites. the same brand in the pipeline, he said, “Eight agreements have been signed and the hotels are in different stages of development. The next generation Park Inn by Radisson will open in IP Extension in Delhi.

We have two flagship properties which will soon start construction in Chandigarh, Mohali and in Sector 88 in Gurgaon.”

K A N C H A N N AT H ositioned to capture the mid-scale market, the hotel aims to cater to the business travellers, extended-stay travellers, FITs and families.

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The hotel is a result of the joint venture between Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group and Bestech Hospitality, to build 49 Park Inn by Radisson hotels.

Currently, there are eight such hotels in the pipeline. Carlson Rezidor Group will now have 66 hotels in operation and 45 hotels in the pipeline. Talking about it further, Raj Rana, Chief Executive Officer, South Asia, Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, said, “The joint venture between Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group and Bestech Hospitality, to build 49 Park Inn

by Radisson Hotels is for North and Central India, we are also looking for strategic partners to expand our reach to other parts of India, where we want

Raj Rana

Akash Roy Saigal

Chief Executive Officer, South Asia, Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group

General Manager Park Inn by Radisson Gurgaon Bilaspur

We are confident of the future as there are other businesses in the pipeline in the vicinity

We want to bring this brand to Tier-II and Tier-III cities, and similar locations to bring this brand into secondary and tertiary cities and loca-

tions that make sense.” Talking about other new openings of

Talking about what hospitality trends would be post-election, he said, “We are all very optimistic about this: there are two aspects to this a stable Government and what it does to the economy; and the second is that we have to remember that there is a demand and supply gap, an equilibrium situation that the industry is facing in some cities more than others. That also has to work out and the demand supply equilibrium has to be restored, in some cities and cases longer than others.”

Akash Roy Saigal, GM, Park Inn by Radisson Gurgaon Bilaspur, talking about the developments in the area, said, “We are really confident of the future because there are other businesses in the pipeline in surrounding areas. This is an industrial hub of Manesar, Bawal, Dharuhera, Bhiwadi and also to an extent Neemrana, which has lots of factories and manufacturing units. This is a major corporate hub for travellers coming in and setting up processes and assembly lines.”

Commenting on the location of the hotel, he said, “If you go back few years ago, it was the same outlook when Gurgaon developed. Nobody expected that Gurgaon would go far. Being on the outskirts of Gurgaon, this is the next destination to be developed because of the new Kundli-Manesar-Palwal (KMP) Expressway.”

A new address for MICE Co-branding budget hotels Ambica Empire in Chennai is betting big on its strategic Foraying further into the East after its first hotel in Kolkata, location. Being in close proximity to the city centre, the hotel Cygnett Hotels and Resorts will open its second property aims to tap a number of MICE and leisure travellers. in the Northeast in Guwahati. transport and business, shopping and entertainment options. The hotel also has five banquet halls seating up to 500 people. It also offers a range of services for business and luxury travellers. Thus, we are well-positioned to capture the MICE and leisure segments in Chennai.”

T T B U R E AU art of the Ambica Group, Hotel Ambica Empire is giving a new direction to the hospitality industry. The property is currently focussing on providing the best of facilities and amenities to its visitors. Talking about the USP of the hotel, R Kalathinathan, General Manger, Ambica Group of Hotels, said, “The promoters have studied and incorporated the best of the facilities and services that they observed while they were globetrotting.

We are at the forefront of creating new hospitality experiences for guests in a tranquil haven where they will be able to feel completely at ease.”

P

New Avenues N Last year, the Ambica

Group also unveiled a 34room 3-star property in Vishakhapatnam called Hotel Ambica Sea Green.

N In order to expand its presence, the group will unveil 10 hotels in different states.

R Kalathinathan General Manger Ambica Group of Hotels

We are at the forefront of creating new hospitality experiences for guests in a tranquil haven Giving more details about the hotel, he added, “The USP of this property is its strategic location. Ambica Empire is located in Chennai and is in close proximity to the city centre as well as other modes of

Last year, the Ambica Group also unveiled a 34room 3-star property in Vishakhapatnam called Hotel Ambica Sea Green. According to Kalathinathan, one of the key features of this hotel is its aquarium rooms. “They have aquariums at the entrance of the room. Additionally, the hotel is designed in such a way as to take advantage of the serene sea views,” he added.

In order to expand its presence, the group will unveil 10 hotels in different states.

The first of the slew of launches will take place in Hyderabad, where the hospitality company will launch a 3star property shortly.

T T B U R E AU olkata-based hotel management company, Cygnett Hotels and Resorts, has recently announced its association with the US-based Jameson Inn. According to Sarbendra Sarkar, MD and CEO, Cygnett Hotels, the company’s USP is to be turnaround specialist for loss-making projects. “Our initial focus is to franchise and manage around 45 hotels pan-India by 2020. The company has brands across the economy, budget, midscale and upscale segments.

Jameson, which has around 225 properties in the world, has also given the option of cobranding to Cygnett. With the partnership, Cygnett is also eyeing properties in SouthEast Asia,” he says. Going for-

K

Steps Ahead N Going

forward, the company aims to have over 300 keys in the budget and mid segment category within the next one year with six hotels

Sarbendra Sarkar MD and CEO Cygnett Hotels

Our initial focus is to franchise and manage around 45 hotels panIndia by 2020 ward, the company aims to have over 300 keys in the budget and mid segment category within the next one year with six hotels, he adds.

The first property under the joint venture has come up

in Kolkata. Giving details about the property, which has been operational for about two months now, Sarkar outlines, “We launched the first hotel in Kolkata in Park Street with 50 rooms. This is an untapped market. Unlike other regions, Kolkata still has more demand than supply in the mid-budget hotel landscape. The hotel is currently doing about 80 per cent occupancy and is mainly driven by corporate clientele.”

Foraying further into the east, the group will soon open its second property in the Northeast in Guwahati.

Specialising in small boutique properties, the company would open hotels in Varanasi, Lucknow, Jaipur and Bengaluru by the end of this year, he reveals. “Our growth would come from Tier-II and Tier-III places, which are untapped markets. They are our first priority. Then we would also focus on various state capitals,” he adds.

The company is also opening a new 100-room hotel in Nepal which would be functional in the next six months.

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14

YOUTH TALK

TRAVTALK MAY 2 ND FORTNIGHT ISSUE 2014

New direction to travel insurance Dev Karvat, Managing Director, TrawellTag Cover-More India (Winner of ‘Best Travel Insurance Provider’ at the South India Travel Awards), might just be 35 years old, but that has not deterred the young and ambitious MD from challenging one of the overriding philosophies of the travel business. Leading the company with staff strength of 500 across 53 branches in India over a period of seven years, the group has given a new direction to travel & medical assistance services. Read more…

M E G H A PAU L If I become the Tourism Minister of India Our country offers culture and heritage, lush nature, bustling city life, tranquil beaches, ecotourism, etc. You get to experience everything on the same plate. However, when it comes to promoting our culture & heritage, I feel that we are lagging behind compared to other countries. We need to develop systematic tourism even at the remotest destinations.

Three things I look forward to in a vacation Comfort, safety and gratification are the three most important

films being shot in India in recent times. Eat Pray Love, Slumdog Millionaire, Mission Impossible 4, and Life of Pi are some of the more renowned ones. However, compliances from government bodies create hindrances in getting permissions for film shootings in India. This is one of the key reasons why even Indian filmmakers prefer outbound locations over Indian locations despite the fact that our country offers exotic places. The same applies for foreign filmmakers as well. We also have to understand that the craziness of travelling to Switzerland just to visit the locations where Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge was shot is not present among foreign tourists. Considering all these facts, I can barely say inbound film tourism is increasing.

things for me. I love Chicotera in Italy for its natural surroundings and good food and London for its culture, cosmopolitan lifestyle, historic buildings and parks.

Potential of sports tourism in India Considered as a niche segment, sports tourism has been flourishing in India over the past few years. The trend was kickstarted with the ICC Cricket World Cup 2003, followed by IPL T20, offering exclusive exposure which Indian spectators never witnessed before.

The F1 Race circuit in Greater Noida is also one its kind to attract tourists and F1 enthusiasts. Nowadays, water rafting, kayaking, skiing are also gaining popularity. Moreover, from organising to the successful execution of the sports events create immense potential.

tion and tips online and plan our trip. In essence, technology has made travelling comfortable and convenient.

TrawellTag Cover-More deploys technology to the best advantage of the end-user. We provide ancillary services under ‘TravelTag Assist’ which uses technology at various touch points.

Technology is vital Technological advancement in travel industry allows us to make our travel plans on our own terms. Because of the convenience factor, we are now able to book flight and train tickets instantly. We get travel-related informa-

Challenges in promoting film tourism We have seen several international

My contribution to our company and the travel industry We have grown from a small enterprise of 10 people to a full-fledged organisation with

In A Nutshell

Travel agents should be provided with a comprehensive training package to learn about raising their income by selling travel assistance packages staff strength of 500 across 53 branches in India in seven years. Our partnership with Australia’s Cover-More has propelled our growth. Today, as a result of our marketing efforts with increased awareness and demand for luxury travel, we are able to tap a larger segment.

New industry trends

Age: 35 Birthday: Feb 1 Educational Background: Commerce Graduate from Mumbai University, Management course from IIM-A, Licentiate degree from Insurance Institute of India Favourite Sports: Cricket Favourite Bollywood Movie: Dil Chaahta Hai and Taare Zameen Par Favourite Hangout zone: Home with my family Favourite Author: Stephen Richards Covey Favourite Hobbies: Playing cricket and travelling to new exotic places

There are now travel-related apps which help customers get information at the click of a button. The traveller is willing to experiment and leans towards adventure holidays.

Industry practices that have become redundant and should be done away with Any practice which adds to the paper-work and requires tracing documents in the offline world would make it more cumbersome and

increase the customer turnaround rate. Introducing IT infrastructure systems and regularly updating the same will make the customer lifecycle easier and also for the people associated with the travel industry.

Changes that I want to bring in the industry Travel insurance till date is regarded as a commodity and a difficult process to manage.

I hope this perception changes so that people look upon travel insurance as an essential ingredient in their travel itinerary. The friendly local travel agent has to be well-informed with plans available at a client’s disposal. For this, we provide training programmes to educate the agent on the possibilities of a hike in revenue/income by selling such travel assistance packages.

AirAsia India cleared for take-off, gets AOP from DGCA

Mittu Chandilya Chief Executive Officer AirAsia India

The airline has been granted its Air Operating Permit by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, Government of India. AirAsia had submitted an application to the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) of India in February 2013 and received a formal approval in April 2013, followed by the No-Objection Certificate (NOC) in September 2013. Mittu

Chandilya, the Chief Executive Officer, said “All of us at AirAsia India have been working hard to prepare for this moment, and receiving the AOP today marks the beginning of a revolution in the Indian aviation industry. There are over a billion people travelling by train in India at present, and with AirAsia’ s everyday low fares, we hope to present to them the convenience of flying and get-

ting to their desired destinations in a faster, cheaper and safer manner.” Non-Executive Chairman of AirAsia India, S. Ramadorai, commented, “At AirAsia India, we will bring to reality the dream of millions of Indians who aspire to travel by air at attractive prices. I would like to thank the Government of India and the Ministry of Civil Aviation for guiding us and believing in our vision.”

Group CEO of AirAsia, Tony Fernandes, said, “AirAsia India has taken its first step towards changing Indian aviation forever.

The Indian consumer is the winner. India will be a huge addition in realising our promise of ‘Now Everyone Can Fly’.”

Chandilya added, “Safety and top notch quality along with low fares has always been our goal.

We spent the last 7.5 months working on getting the necessary

operational license and demonstrating our capabilities to operate as per the requirement of the Ministry of Civil Aviation and DGCA.” AirAsia India is expected to announce its first line up of domestic routes in the coming weeks, which the Indian public will be able to book through www.airasia.com as well as appointed agents throughout the country.

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16

TRAVTALK MAY 2 ND FORTNIGHT ISSUE 2014

FAMILY ALBUM

What’s your holiday plan this summer The Oberoi Group conducted a training session for agents recently at The Oberoi, New Delhi. Organised by Hemant Mediratta, Vice President, Sales, The Oberoi Group and Vikas Sharma, Regional Head, Sales Travel Trade, the event also honoured the travel agents with certificates of appreciation for their contribution. The agents were also made aware of the special offers launched by the Oberoi Group for the summer season.

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TECHNOLOGY

The give and tech model Jeet Sawhney, MD, Abacus India, talks about their plans to double their market share in India by 2016 and how they help agents to scale their business, while reducing costs.

PEDEN DOMA BHUTIA Abacus is now diversifying its portfolio into the business of providing IT solutions for the airline industry in a big way. Can you comment on that?

Abacus makes it possible for airlines to market their ancillary products through the trade channel, with travel agents actively upselling a basic seat with the products and services most suited to their customers.

tomers and so their websites have to deliver a positive experience.

They are meeting a widespread expectation that all the information and related products travellers might want will be accessible from the home page. It’s very important for travellers, when shopping online or offline, to have quality content available to them.

What do you think is the future of GDS now with airlines themselves

Our strategy aims to deliver world- class technology to India’s major and nascent travel brands and to develop the second-tier agencies so that they also mature and thrive Jeet Sawhney MD Abacus India The airlines, the low cost ones in particular, then see from the resulting bookings which are the most popular promotions, bundles or fare families.

What do you think is the reason for airlines fast turning their websites into a one-stop shop for all travel requirements?

Airlines want to offer a good service to their cus-

becoming very active online?

Airlines need to compete in the wider market, with neutral distribution platforms that enable them to present targeted propositions to travel professionals and travellers in every sector. That is the role of the GDS and the B2B channel.

Abacus is active in all 31 markets in Asia Pacific, with our

technology used at over 20,000 travel agent locations.

How big a role does Abacus play for the agents?

Agents choose Abacus to create a better experience for their customers and realise the operational efficiencies from deploying the technology. Abacus solutions help them scale their businesses, while reducing costs.

Across all 31 markets in Asia Pacific, Abacus processes over 30 million daily availability searches for flights and hotels alone.

What are your plans for Abacus India?

Our strategy aims to deliver world- class technology to India’s major and nascent travel brands and to develop the second-tier agencies so that they also mature and thrive. The plans we have will see our market share in India double by 2016.

Professional consulting services, available locally, are key to our expansion. We have just opened our 12th office in Lucknow to connect with local agents and wholesalers to look at how we can grow their businesses.

It’s very important to share market and product knowledge in India and so we will continue to recruit talent from across the travel industry and build out.

Double growth in three years The CEO of Ethiopian Airlines Ato Tewolde Gebremariam said that the airline has managed to double its size from what it used to be three years back, attributing it to corporate governance and the management.

According to Tewolde, the total revenue of Ethiopian Airlines has been raised from 16.4 billion ETB in 2010 to 38 billion ETB in 2013. “The number of airplanes has also been raised from 41 to 65, enabling the airline to raise its number of passengers from 3.1 million to 5.6 million per annum,” Tewolde added.

Ethiopian Airlines’ past three years’ performance underlined its attainability, the CEO said, adding that “the

objectives set for every year have already been achieved in the past three consecutive years.” Currently, the airline has more than 80 international destinations across 5 conti-

Ato Tewolde Gebremariam CEO Ethiopian Airlines

nents with over 200 daily flights. In India, it operates passenger flights out of Mumbai and Delhi and cargo freighters from Mumbai and Chennai. They are planning to

operate out of more cities (AMD, BLR, HYD, COK, MAA) in India.

Talking about the future plans, Tewolde informed, “During the period 2014-2015, we anticipate a more than 30 per cent growth on our revenue with the launch of the latest state-of-the-art Dreamliners. ET Holidays, a subsidiary of Ethiopian Airlines, is focussing on promoting Ethiopia as a Tourist Destination.”

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TRAVTALK MAY 2 ND FORTNIGHT ISSUE 2014

FAMILY ALBUM

ATM 2014 goes bigger and better The Arabian Travel Market (ATM), an annual travel trade event in the Middle East, which was held from May 5-8 at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre, ended on a high note on Thursday. The 21st edition of the ATM 2014, which was spread over 25,000 sqm of exhibition space, attracted over 2,700 exhibitors and more than 23,000 visitors.

Contd. on page 20

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TRAVTALK MAY 2 ND FORTNIGHT ISSUE 2014

FAMILY ALBUM

An ideal platform for networking

Contd. on page 22

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TRAVTALK MAY 2 ND FORTNIGHT ISSUE 2014

FAMILY ALBUM

ATM - Offering business, uninterrupted

Enjoying the finest oriental hospitality Harbour Plaza Hotels and Resorts, Hong Kong held a workshop at Jehangir Hall, Taj Palace Hotel, New Delhi, on May 1, 2014. Harbour Plaza Group is the largest hotel chain in Hong Kong. Six Harbour Plaza Hotels participated in the workshop along with their key directors. The workshop was facilitated by the Nijhawan Group, who are India representatives of Plaza Hotels and Resorts, Hong Kong.

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RAILWAYS

Connecting South India to Nepal IRCTC’s new AC Tourist Train connects South India to Allahabad, Varanasi, Ayodhya, Kathmandu, Manakamana, Pokhara and Kushinagar.

T T B U R E AU ilgrims in South India can now visit Hindu and Buddhist sites thanks to IRCTC’s latest offering. Tourist can now board the exclusive AC Tourist Train from Chennai and travel to Allahabad, Varanasi, Ayodhya, Kathmandu, Manakamana, Pokhara and Kushinagar.

P

(confluence of rivers Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati) in Allahabad, visit the famous Kashi Vishwanath temple and Visalakshi temple in Varanasi;

and visit Pashupathinath Temple, Swayambhunath (a Buddhist Temple) and Budha Nilkantha (Lord Vishnu) temple in Kathmandu. Also included in

This new train is in line with IRCTC’s continued effort to provide rail tour packages successfully for the past many years to various places of tourist importance. Tourists can now travel to the popular Hindu and Buddhist pilgrim destinations in India and Nepal, providing an opportunity to visit the Triveni Sangam

Recognition for IRCTC The Ministry of Finance, Government of India, has also recognised IRCTC as an outlet for the wide circle of LTC travellers for their ticketing. It also has the recognition of the IATA (International Air Transport Association) to deal with corporate travel services.

the package are visits to Lumbini in Nepal, the holy birth place of Lord Buddha and Kushinagar, another principal centre of Buddhism, where Lord Buddha passed away.

The visit to Ayodhya and sight-

seeing at Pokhara, Nepal, will also be the other attractions in this tour. The tourist train features 4 IAC (Luxury), 3 IIAC (Deluxe) and 1 IIIAC (Comfort) coaches, all of these have been specially renovated. The train has a separate pantry car to cater vegetarian food to the tourists. The PA system on the train will provide discourses and instructions regarding the day-to-day conduct of tour. The Tourist train will be routed through Vijayawada and Warangal for the convenience of pilgrims of Andhra Pradesh so that they can join the tour from there.

The tour includes travel by the ‘AC Tourist Train’, AC hotel accommodation at places of night stays, buses for transfers and sightseeing, on-board and off-board vegetarian catering, services of a tour escort, security, etc.

Government Sector/PSU employees can also avail the LTC facilities for the above tour.

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TRAVTALK MAY 2 ND FORTNIGHT ISSUE 2014

FAMILY ALBUM

Promoting Latin America to the world The second edition of World Travel Market Latin America, the leading global event for the Latin American travel industry - brought the world to Latin America and promoted Latin America to the world. Staged annually in the economic powerhouse of S達o Paulo, World Travel Market Latin America provided the perfect platform for the travel industry to meet in a professional setting.

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ASSOCIATIONS

Discounts for TAAI members To start with, Waterstones Hotel that hosted the recent TAAI Managing Committee Meet, has come up with special rates for members of TAAI. dnata has also given TAAI members special rates.

M E G H A PAU L utlining the roadmap ahead for TAAI, Harmandeep Singh Anand, General Secretary, TAAI, says the association will soon unveil a membership card and certificate for its members.

“TAAI is the oldest and biggest travel agents’ association in India. To take it forward, we need to give our members more benefits

O

Future Plans N Looking at conducting

service tax seminars

N Educating

the travel agents about new opportunities and how to develop cross-selling skills

N To change TAAI into a

corporate body, appointing a CEO

by

Harmandeep Singh Anand General Secretary TAAI

We are also educating the travel agents about new opportunities and how to develop crossselling skills

and strengthen our network pan-India. Thus, we are looking at coming out with membership cards and certificates for 2015 with add-on benefits and discounts. To start with, Waterstones Hotel that hosted the recent TAAI Managing Committee meet, has come up with special rates for members of TAAI. dnata has also given TAAI members special rates. We are looking at other such tieups also.”

The association is aggressively looking at conducting service tax seminars.

“We have covered almost six chapters by now – Punjab, Kolkata, Mumbai, etc. TAAI is not just educating members but pursuing the same with airlines and other service providers. We are also educating the travel agents about new opportunities and how to develop cross-selling skills,” he elaborated.

VisitScotland recently hosted TAAI Managing Committee to explore its tourism potential. “We had discussions that revolved around TAAI hosting its annual convention in Scotland for 2015.

The TAAI delegation visited Edenburgh International Conference Centre (EICC) that has a capacity of 1,200 guests,” he added. TAAI is in favour of seeing the association as a more active organisation in the form of a corporate body. Urging the members to be proactively involved in the working of the association, he said, “Going forward, it’s time for TAAI to change its way of working. We need to change it into a corporate body, by appointing a CEO to run it for liaisoning with government, airlines and suppliers. We have a big agenda to help members overcome problems and to be able to get more revenues.”

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NEWS MAY INTERNATIONAL 18-21

New Zealand

Trenz

20-22

Frankfurt

IMEX 2014

27-30

Vancouver

Canadian Tourism Commission’s Rendezvous Canada

29-Jun 1 Seoul

NATIONAL

Korea World Travel Fair

JUNE

9

Ahmedabad

Munich's Roadshow

10

Bengaluru

Munich's Roadshow

12

Chennai

Munich's Roadshow

13

Delhi

Munich's Roadshow

23

Bengaluru

Visit Britain’s B2B Roadshow

25

Hyderabad

Visit Britain’s B2B Roadshow

27

Chennai

Visit Britain’s B2B Roadshow

24-26

Gandhinagar

Gujarat Travel Mart

27-29

Guwahati

TTF Guwahati

INTERNATIONAL 2-5

Shanghai

Asia International Luxury Travel Market (ILTM Asia 2014)

4-6

Bangkok

Thailand Travel Mart Plus

10-12

Orlando

America Incentives Business Travel & Meetings Expo (AIBTM 2014)

15-17

Sydney

Outdoor Retailer Australia

19-21

Dhaka

Bangladesh International Tourism Fair

19-22

Singapore

Zak Salaam India Tourism Expo

22-24

Zimbabwe

Routes Africa 2014

27-29

Beijing

Beijing International Tourism Expo 2014

29-July 2 Barcelona

4th International Conference on Tourism between China-Spain

SriLankan Airlines joins Oneworld SriLankan Airlines has become the first airline from the Indian Subcontinent to join Oneworld, a global airline alliance. This alliance entitles SriLankan Airlines to provide its clientele with the full range of services and benefits.

HARSHAL ASHAR FROM SRI LANKA long with what is believed to be a leading range of alliance fares, they have also added a new ‘Visit South Asian Sub-Continent Pass’ to their services. The airline is also believed to code-share with two more Oneworld partners, namely: Finnair and S7 Airlines.

A

Commenting on the alliance, Oneworld Governing Board CEO, Bruce Ashby, said, “The addition of SriLankan Airlines concludes what has been the biggest

Expansion in India India is a very important market for SriLankan Airlines as it has 70-72 flights per week. Apart from planning a double daily from Delhi, the airline is looking at increasing the frequency of their flights from Hyderabad and South India Sectors, depending upon market opportunity and time. Varanasi and Gaya are already serviced by Mihin Lanka, seasonally. and fastest growth programme by any global airline

NATIONAL 4-6

Kolkata

Visit Britain’s B2B Roadshow

4-6

Kolkata

Travel & Tourism Fair – Kolkata

9

Delhi

Visit Britain’s B2B Roadshow

11

Chandigarh

Visit Britain’s B2B Roadshow

11-13

Hyderabad

Travel & Tourism Fair – Hyderabad

18-20

Bengaluru

India International Travel Mart

21

Bengaluru

Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau’s B2B workshop

23

Mumbai

Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau’s B2B workshop

25

New Delhi

Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau’s B2B workshop

25-27

Chennai

India International Travel Mart

31

Chennai

Tourism New Zealand’s Kiwi Link India 2014

INTERNATIONAL 4-6

Beijing

Luxury China

10-13

Germany

European Outdoor Trade Fair

11-13

Abu Dhabi

World Luxury Expo

23-26

China

Asia Outdoor Trade Fair

24-26

Cebu

Cebu International Travel Expo

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

Wickremasinghe, emphasised on the significance of this alliance and called it one of the most important developments to date for SriLankan Airlines. The Chief Executive officer of the airline, Kapila Chandrasena added that the alliance would benefit them tremendously with better network and subsequently increased revenue.

Targetting 10 hotels by 2019 Adamo Hospitality is focussing on multiple strategies to tap tourism in India. Having recorded 25 per cent growth in 2013, it now is concentrating on mid-scale segment.

T T B U R E AU

JULY

alliance, enabling Oneworld to consolidate its position as the

first choice global alliance for frequent international travellers. Cathay Pacific Chief Operating Officer, Rupert Hogg, added how pleased Cathay Pacific was to serve as the airline’s sponsor into Oneworld, supporting and mentoring it through its alliance implementation programme. SriLankan Airlines’ Chairman, Nishantha

he company, currently with three properties (one in Goa and two in Matheran), is targetting to open and operate 10 properties in next five years. The locations for additional properties will be decided by keeping business and tourism destination in mind, informed Harsh Ajmera, Director, Adamo Hospitality.

Placed in the mid-market 4star category, the properties in Goa and Matheran recorded business growth of 25 per cent in 2013 over 2012.

T

Ajmera says, “Adamo is targetting the mid-scale market as it has huge potential in the coming years.” He added,

“Despite having presence only in tourist locations, Adamo never left the focus on

other events. This focus has helped us gain insights into MICE business, and we are

We are concentrating on delivering value-for-money to our guests who look at getting the best facility and the best price possible without compromising on the service standards Harsh Ajmera Director, Adamo Hospitality

business travellers. It caters to a large number of corporates for their conferences and

soon launching a property in Mumbai. In the coming five years, we intend to operate

ten properties under Adamo Hospitality brand.” Apart from three properties in India, the group also operates White Feather Hotel apartment in Dubai and intends to further expand in international market.

Adamo Hospitality operates on multiple distribution channels – online booking engine, direct sales and tieups with online portals and travel agents across the world.

“Travel agents are the heart of Indian travel and tourism industry. They play a crucial role with the hoteliers in order to achieve their sale targets and we intend to continue our relationship with them in future,” adds Ajmera.

India streamlines visa rules for China India has streamlined its visa rules for Chinese tourists. The new visa policy, business and tourist visas will be processed within two days. “The

Indian Embassy has put in place an expedited timeline of two days from the date of submission of an application to issuing of business and tourist visa

with immediate effect and no extra charges,” Ashok K Kantha, India’s Ambassador to China was quoted as saying by the PTI. Furthermore,

India will host a year-long ‘Festival of India’ in 12 Chinese cities, to promote culture and tourism in the country.

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OPPORTUNITY/CLIPBOARD

MAY 2 ND FORTNIGHT ISSUE 2014

TRAVTALK

27

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28

MOVEMENTS

TRAVTALK MAY 2 ND FORTNIGHT ISSUE 2014

The Claridges Hotels & Resorts

DoubleTree by Hilton GurgaonNew Delhi NCR

Radisson Blu Hotel New Delhi Dwarka

Atul Lall has been appointed as Vice President Operations and General Manager for The Claridges Hotels & Resorts. Lall brings with him a wealth of experience in luxury hotel management, sales & marketing and financial planning with hospitality brands such as The Oberoi Hotels & Resorts, Taj Hotels Palaces & Resorts and Keys Hotels. Prior to this, Lall served as General Manager at the Fairmont Jaipur. In his new role, he will manage operations for The Claridges, New Delhi and The Claridges Nabha Residence, Mussoorie as well as direct the brand’s expansion plans with upcoming projects.

Gurgaon

Rohit Bajpai has been appointed as the General Manager for Radisson Blu Hotel New Delhi Dwarka. He brings with him over a decade of experience in a range of management positions across various hotel properties in India. Most recently, he was appointed as the Director Operations for Hilton New Delhi-Noida-Mayur Vihar and Doubletree

by Hilton New Delhi-Noida-Mayur Vihar. Prior to that, he was the GM of Doubletree by Hilton Goa-ArporaBaga, and also the preopening and opening hotel manager of Royal Orchid Hotel in Jaipur.

Shangri-La Hotel, Bengaluru

Rare Global

Hyatt Regency Chennai

Bengaluru

New Delhi

Chennai

Jit Bose has been appointed as the Director of Sales and Marketing at the Shangri-La Hotel, Bengaluru. In his new role, Bose will be heading Sales, Events, Revenue Management, Reservations, Marketing & Corporate Communications division of the Hotel. With over two decades in the hospitality industry, Bose’s last assignment was with Leela Palaces Hotels & Resorts for over six years as director of sales & marketing, where he also managed their global sales for over a year.

Papori Bharati has joined Rare Global as a Consultant. She will be also marketing the Post Hotel, Lake Louise, Alberta, Canada, mainly to the B2B trade. Bharati has been in the travel and tourism trade for the last 22 years, working with both travel agencies and tourism bodies. Her last assignment was with Visit Finland with whom Bharati had worked for seven years as an India Head Representative.

Sonale Zagade has been appointed as the Director of Rooms Hyatt Regency Chennai. She is a native of Pune, Maharashtra and has worked with reputed hospitality brands in Bengaluru, Mumbai and Pune, handling diverse profiles in the Rooms division. In her new role at the Hyatt Regency Chennai, Zagade will supervise the running of all operational aspects of the Rooms Division, including front office operations, housekeeping and laundry operations, spa and fitness centre and public areas of the hotel.

Courtyard by Marriott, Gurgaon

JW Marriott New Delhi Aerocity

The Westin Gurgaon, New Delhi

Gurgaon

New Delhi

New Delhi

Manisha Sharma is now the Director of Rooms at Courtyard by Marriott, Gurgaon. She will now spearhead Rooms operations, which includes front-office, housekeeping, reservations and guest service. Sharma began her career at the Oberoi Hotel and joined Marriott as Director of Services at Jaipur Marriott Hotel from where she moved to the JW Marriott, Pune.

Post two successful openings, she joined Courtyard by Marriott Gurgaon as the Front Office Manager to help her professional growth.

Rajat Kalia has joined the JW Marriott New Delhi Aerocity as the Restaurant Manager for its specialty restaurant Akira Back. He started his career with The Leela Palaces Hotels and Resorts at The Leela Palace Kempinski, Bangalore as a Management Trainee. Following this stint, Kalia held various positions in the F&B department at the Taj Vivanta, Surajkund.

In February 2011, Kalia joined The Leela Palace Chanakyapuri, New Delhi as the PreOpening and Opening Restaurant Manager for MEGU, New York’s iconic Japanese fine dining restaurant.

Qadir Khan has been taken on as the Sous Chef at Seasonal Tastes, the restaurant at The Westin Gurgaon, New Delhi. Before his appointment here, his culinary journey boasts of many hotels including The Marriott, Jaipur, The Marriott Hotel and Convention Center Pune, The Marriott Hotel and Convention Center, Hyderabad, The Lou Lou’A Beach Resort, Sharjah, The Le Meridian, Bangalore, etc.

New Delhi

Parmeet Singh Nayar has been appointed as the General Manager of DoubleTree by Hilton Gurgaon-New Delhi NCR. Nayar has assumed additional charge as India Regional Coordinator Operations Effectiveness, Hilton Worldwide. Nayar’s career in the lodging industry spans 24 years.

He joined Hilton Worldwide in July 2013 as General Manager of Hilton Chennai, a position that he has held until recently.

New Delhi

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

Atul Lall, Vice President Operations and General Manager, The Claridges Hotels & Resorts, says being an army officer’s son and living alone for a considerable time teaches you to keep yourself entertained. Lall has a soft corner for all animals and enjoys keeping pets. “I have two dogs. I am always happy to be outdoors. I have four cars and a bike. Driving or riding a vehicle on unsurfaced roads or tracks gives me immense pleasure. I do track racing and off-roading almost every weekend. I love to go to the Buddh Circuit for track racing and I go to as far as Jaipur for off-roading. In June, I am headed to Leh on a bike.”

Marion Walsh-Hedouin, VP-Marketing Communications & Public Relations, Minor Hotel Group, informs, “I have a daughter, who is just two years. And now I am expecting another baby in October. So, the last one year, we have gone on a number of family holidays.”

Hedouin’s best holiday last year was vacationing in South Africa. Talking about her current sojourn in India, she says, “We arrived in India recently, went to Rajasthan and stayed in Udaipur.

Going up to Lake Pichola for dinner was one of the best experiences I have ever had.”

Sumit Kumar, General Manager, Hyatt Place Hampi, shares, “I am trained in martial arts and I'm a black belt in it. I have specialised in female self-defence which teaches how to use female accessories like dupatta, hair pin, etc., to defend yourself. I also impart training to my colleagues as part of a CSR initiative and to create awareness as well. I’m very fond of travelling and have been around the world. My favourite destination is Istanbul. I love the place for its vibrant culture, the food is also amazing and provides a great blend of Asian and European influences. The hospitality there is something worth mentioning, not to forget the architecture.”

12-05-2014FINAL_TT May_2ND Issue:TT Layout 5/16/2014 11:40 AM Page 29

12-05-2014FINAL_TT May_2ND Issue:TT Layout 5/16/2014 11:40 AM Page 30

Postal Reg. No.: DL(ND)-11/6044/2012-13-14; WPP No.: U(C)-178/2012-14 for posting on 1st-2nd and 16th-17th of the same month at New Delhi P.S.O., RNI No.: 53492/91 Date of Publication:15-05-2014

HIGHLIGHT

India makes a mark at RTE shows As Craig Moyes, Portfolio Director, Leisure Travel Portfolio, Reed Travel Exhibitions, takes over his new role, we discuss new developments and India’s growing presence at the travel exhibitions.

D E V I KA J E E T

FROM

S A O P AU L O , B RA Z I L

ith two new exhibitions in the last two years, Reed Travel Exhibitions (RTE) is expanding their presence across the globe. WTM Latin America continues to provide access to South America and the recentlylaunched WTM Africa has opened the doors to yet another growing market.

W

Will this new expansion wave continue?

First of all, the leisure portfolio of events has grown up, to some extent, as a single event. But now, we plan to embark upon a process through which we would bring in some uniformity. We will raise the standards across all the shows and also move some innovations from one show to another.

We will take the best part of each show, and then reproduce that where it makes sense. More importantly, what we won’t do is try and force all the shows to be the same. We want to brand WTM and ATM, to be known for certain things like value and customer service, but this doesn’t mean that the shows will be exactly the same. We will also continue looking for other new events as well. We have five events

at present, but this is not the sum total of our ambitions.

Offering value to India While RTE’s leisure portfolio is increasing, so is India’s strong presence at these shows. India is very important to us for most of our shows, we know that India has a huge economy with a lot of growth and great destinations to offer.

tinuing to grow. While there is a discussion around prices, what we actually look at is value. No one is happy about a price, but what they talk about is the value offered at the show. At WTM, it’s about the value delivered

and I think if we were not delivering that, we would not have had a show. Exhibitors would not come back and they would find other things to do. We would not have 50,000 people coming, if we did not deliver value.

At WTM, it’s about the value delivered. We would not have 50,000 people coming, if we did not deliver value.

India is an important part of WTM and it’s exciting to see the participation con-

But do regional shows take away from their flagship WTM? Our intention is not to rob people to pay more; our intention is that each of these events should have a clear value proposition. Each exhibitor should know that by coming to a show, they would receive something different.

With regard to WTM Latin America, we know that 95 per cent of the buyers are from Brazil. We will have Brazilian buyers at WTM, but not in the same scale and volume. We know that our exhibitors will not pay twice to meet the same buyers. So it has to be different and not the same as WTM.

Craig Moyes, Portfolio Director, Leisure Travel Portfolio, Reed Travel Exhibitions

Entering new markets At RTE, we are constantly challenged to look for new events and growth. We are constantly looking for opportunity, and we will go where we think we can be successful. WTM LA is establishing a foothold in the local community, as well as the international one. We have begun to prove that we can provide the kind of audience required in the market- inbound and outbound. A lot of the international tourism boards are keen to attract this business and it continues to be a very exciting part of the world for tourists. Africa Travel Week is a new concept where we have all three of our major events taking place within a week. There is a willingness to travel in Africa, and more and more people are travelling within the continent and outside. The emergence of an African middle class has now created the market and the demand. All we are doing is getting more traffic to South Africa, and no one should view this as a threat. Our doors are always open to work with South Africa Tourism.

By having these other shows, we open up new markets for Reed Travel Exhibitions. We have great data as we get real travel professionals to come to our shows, and are constantly increasing out pool of knowledge and data. This gives us a huge global footprint and we are able to leverage that in different geographical locations.