Asian Traveller December 2008 by Asian Traveller

Vol. 2 | No. 3 | DECEMBER 2008

India Looks at Inclusive Growth in Tourism

All efforts are on to have inclusive growth in the tourism sector in the country, said Ambika Soni, Minister for Tourism, India.

9 Dr. Manoj Sharma Deputy Director Department of Tourism & Civil Aviation Government of Himachal Pradesh

Negative Growth Fears for International Tourism

Managing Editor Group Editor Vice President & CEO Executive Editor Consultant Editor Photo Editor Art Editor Editorial Team

: : : : : : : :

Director (Finance) Legal Advisor Financial Advisor G.M-North Sr.Mgr. Tamilnadu

: : : : :

AUSTRALIA

: Bandana K. Prasad 0061-892757447 : Vladimir Harizanov 00359-36186565 : Sam Mathew 00966-505150513 : Abdul Najeeb 0044-7769940391 : Bob A. Rex 00960 7776212 : Sanjeev S. L. 00971-501640549 : Mariam Titus 00965-6236120 : V. K. Gangal 09871180498 : Mahesh Nair 022 32499989 : Rohil Kumar A. B. 09844001625 : Nisha J. 09841008588 : K.S. Johnson 09441236010 : P. Mohandas 09719055472 : P. Deenadayalu 09843129535 : M. P. Sreekumar 09447118694 : Anurag Sinha 09830015667 : M. Sreekumar 09745444166 : Sheeba S. Jaya Rajeshwari Vidhu Krishna

BULGARIA KSA

International tourism will probably experience negative growth over the next six to nine months as a direct result of the global economic downturn.

LONDON MALDIVES UAE KUWAIT NEW DELHI MUMBAI

Destination 10

8 9

GREGORY DUFFELL IS THE NEW PATA CEO VOLVO OCEAN RACE LEAVES FOR SINGAPORE

KOLKATA THIRUVANANTHAPURAM Administration

MOT ISSUES STATEMENT TO REDUCE IMPACT OF TERROR ATTACKS

UNESCO TO SHOWCASE CHETTINAD HERITAGE

PARAMOUNT LAUNCHES SPECIAL PROMOTION MY COUNTRY INITIATIVE UNVEILED

Pran S. Dasan

ERNAKULAM

FHRAI MULLS ADVISORY ON CRISIS MANAGEMENT

FLYING HIGH

Carl Vaz Director, Dubai Representative Office in India.

DEHRADUN

CHENNAI

MADURAI

Elvis Gomes Director of Tourism Goa, India

BANGALORE

HYDERABAD

Azizan Noordin, Director, Tourism Malaysia International Promotion Division ( South Asia / West Asia / Oceania / Africa )

AS I TRAVEL V Duraikkannan

POSTCARD FROM GERMANY Anke Stirner Cover Photo: Dominican Republic Tourism

DECEMBER 2008 ASIAN TRAVELLER

14 16 27

Publication G. Biju Krishnan G. Gopakumar* M. P. Sreekumar Lerbin T. K. Dr. Madhav Manoj Retheesh Kariyam Amal Prasad R. Parameswaran Smitha R. K. Harikrishnan V. N.Gopalakrishnan Nair B. Prasad Wg. Cdr. V. K. Gangal P. Deenadayalu

All communications to: Media Steps India, TC-27/1741, PERA-66, Vanchiyoor PO, Thiruvananthapuram–695 035, Kerala State, South India. Tel: +91-471-6540888, 2574411, 09447 555 222 info@mediastepsindia.com, www.mediastepsindia.com Regd. Office: Media Steps India, TC-27/1915, MBRRA 70, Mathrubhoomi Rd., Thiruvananthapuram–695 001, Kerala State, South India. Mumbai Office: Media Steps India, Unit 9 & 10, Sardar Pratap Singh Industrial Estate No. 2, LBS Marg, Bhandup West, Mumbai-400078, India Tel.: +91 22 32499989 Hyderabad Office: Media Steps India, # B-305 & 309, Vasudha Apartments, Quthbullapur Road, New Jeedimetla, Hyderabad-500 055, Andhra Pradesh, India Tel.: +91 40 23080750, +91 40 23176966, +91 40 23176996, Fax: +91 40 27535260 Chennai Office: Media Steps India, 6/4, Sangeetha Gardens, 19th Street Ext, Jai Nagar, Arumbakkam, Chennai - 600 106. Tel: +91 44 42640531 EDITED, PRINTED & PUBLISHED BY G. Biju Krishnan and Printed at M/s. Safire Offset Printers, Sivakasi, Tamil Nadu for Cristal Printers, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala State, South India. Reg No.: KERENG 01910/11/1/2006-TC EDITOR: G. Biju Krishnan The news items and Advertisements published herein have been collected from various source, which are considered to be reliable. Readers are however requested to verify the facts before making business decisions using the same. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without the written permission from the Publisher. All rights reserved. Copyright © 2008 *Responsible for selection of news under the PRB Act

EDITORâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S NOTE

or the fourth time in as many issues the editorial is on the economic crisis the world in general and the tourism sector in particular are going through. A conference organised at Sharm El Sheikh in Egypt last month as a preparatory meeting for UNWTO's Resilience Committee has concluded that international tourism will experience negative growth over the next six to nine months along with all major economic sectors. Europe, USA and Japan are the three major tourism source markets and these three regions are experiencing severe economic downturns. As a result countries - especially those in the Asia-Pacific region where the revenue from tourism plays a major role in the economic well-being of the state - face a bleak period. As if the economic crisis is not enough there were other problems too - strikes (in Thailand) and terror strikes (in Mumbai). The anti-government uprising in Thailand has resulted in a shut down of Bangkok airport. Tourism, which accounts for as much as 12 per cent of Thailand's G.D.P., ground to a halt. An estimated 300,000 travellers were stranded. While visitors were stuck at resorts and hotels, outsiders couldn't get in and business travellers, who use Bangkok as a hub for South Asia travel, had to look for alternatives. As a result of the terrorist strike in Mumbai, which targeted tourist spots, the growth of tourism in India is likely to come down by six per cent this year, according to industry experts. To overcome the current crisis, the industry has to think out of the box and try to change established practices. The industry should go for targeted, strengthened promotional activities - particularly increasing marketing budgets and regional promotions, integrated new media approaches and institutional collaborative advertising in innovative co-branding approaches. It should also take up collaborative e-tourism initiatives which foster and brand sustainable communities, engage enterprises and build capacity - observed the Sharm El Sheikh Conference. The industry should also look at collaborative e-Tourism initiatives which foster and brand sustainable communities, engage enterprises and build capacity and replicate available transport, hotel and service initiatives to respond to climate change and reduce energy costs. The conference also suggested that the governments should make creative approaches including tax moratoria and rollback. All those concerned should try to put in to practices these suggestions. Tourism has time and again proved its resilience in the past. And let us hope that it will not be too long before it bounces back.

G. Biju Krishnan Editor & Publisher

Revitalizing Tourism and Confronting Crises ourism stakeholders' preparedness and effective and accurate communication are among the key factors to substantially mitigate potential negative impacts of crises on tourism. Effective crisis preparation was addressed during the 'International Conference on Revitalization of Tourism and Confronting Crises' held in Chengdu in China, during the third week of November. Through www.SOS.travel UNWTO assists its members and the tourism industry in natural and man made crises response. Specifically on the actual global economic downturn, UNWTO's recently launched Resilience Committee will provide short-term analysis and prospects to help the sector better asess the impact of the current situation on tourism performance. The Conference identified the importance of global cooperation among tourism stakeholders to avert the challenges associated with the various forms of crises including situations of global economic slowdown. "Tourism professionals have had to learn very quickly over the past decade how to deal with the aftermath of events that may negatively influence the travel public's intentions of visiting affected areas", said Taleb Rifai, Deputy Secretary-General, UNWTO. "In the face of the current economic scenario, tourism's undisputed role as a global growth and employment driver can also contribute to stimulate the global economy. UNWTO's Resilience Committee will monitor the evolving situation and provide analysis and forecasts", he added. The Conference was jointly organized by UNWTO, the China National Tourism Administration (CNTA), the Provincial Government of Sichuan, China, and supported by the Pacific Asia Tourism Association (PATA).

Verbatim

â&#x20AC;&#x153;

What an odd thing tourism is. You fly off to a strange land, eagerly abandoning all the comforts of home, and then expend vast quantities of time and money in a largely futile attempt to recapture the comforts that you wouldn't have lost if you hadn't left home in the first place.

â&#x20AC;?

William McGuire "Bill" Bryson, American Author

ASIAN TRAVELLER DECEMBER 2008

INCREDIBLE INDIA

ll efforts are on to have inclusive growth in the tourism sector in the country, said Ambika Soni, Minister for Tourism, India. She said schemes are being formulated and implemented in a manner that urban rural divide is bridged and every social and ethnic group is included in the promotion of tourism in the country. She was addressing the meeting of the Consultative Committee attached to Ministry of Tourism and Ministry of Culture in New Delhi recently. Capacity Building Programme under Tourism and Culture Ministries is the priority area for the Government with special focus on employment generation and trained manpower. Ambika Soni said Tourism Ministry has chalked out an elaborate plan for expansion and strengthening of capacity building infrastructure and its aim to establish 49 Indian Hotel Management Institutes (IHMs) and 31 Food Crafts Institutes (FCIs) by the end of Eleventh Plan. She said it has also introduced schemes of capacity building through rural tourism, Earn While You Learn, Certified Hospitality Trainer and Atithi Devo Bhavah schemes of the Ministry. She said most of the schemes for capacity building

A India Looks at Inclusive Growth in Tourism

are devised keeping in view the increased tourist inflow in the country on a long-term basis. She said Earn While You Learn scheme has been devised especially keeping in mind the Commonwealth Games 2010 to sensitize college going students to tourism and culture. She said the scheme provides training of students to work as volunteers during the Games. The Minister informed that more than 3000 students are to be trained before the games under the scheme. Travellers from abroad who visit India in 2009 will have a chance to get an extra sample of the country's Adventure Tourism and Ecotourism, Rural and Wellness Tourism in 2010 and 2011 too. The move, announced by the Minister at a meeting of the National Tourism Advisory Council (NTAC) is among many incentives offered to encourage repeat visitors to India. Ambika Soni, who chaired the meeting, said 2009 will be observed as the Visit India Year. "The concept is that those who visit India in 2009 will thereafter experience India's Rural Tourism, Ecotourism, Adventure Tourism, Wellness Tourism in specially worked out packages in 2010 and 2011," said a statement issued by the

Ministry of Tourism (MoT). The statement also mentioned that MoT in partnership with industry stakeholders will announce the details of the packages later. The MoT has also announced special financial packages for stakeholders facing a crunch in the wake of the Mumbai terror attacks and global recession. To protect the industry from the global meltdown, the Ministry proposed to increase the funds under its Market Development Assistance (MDA) scheme. Under the scheme, the Ministry gives financial support to approved tourism service providers for undertaking tourism promotional activities abroad. Now, the amount has been enhanced. Also, financial assistance will be given for participating in three international trade fairs in a year - up from two. "The Ministry will offer a subsidy of 25 per cent in participation fee, to the travel trade and state governments for participation in the India Pavilions set up by the ministry or the India tourism offices overseas at major international travel fairs and exhibitions till the end of the financial year 2009-10," the statement said.

Despite Higher Fuel Prices Car Trips Leave Air Travel Behind or the moment one of the most conspicuous travel trends of recent years seems to have been checked. For the first time, holidaymakers are increasingly favouring car and train travel. This is one of the findings of the ITB World Travel Trends Report, conducted by the consult ants IPK International and commissioned by the ITB Berlin. According to this trend analysis, now published, from January to August 2008 in Europe, holiday trips by car and train increased by five per cent compared with the same period in 2007. At 50 per cent, air travel still retains a larger share than car travel, which stands at around 30 per cent. Dr. Martin Buck, Director of the Competence Center Travel & Logistics at Messe Berlin, and responsible for the global travel industry’s leading trade Show said, “This is a remarkable development, particularly in view of the record fuel prices this summer.” According to the ITB World Travel Trends Report this slump in air travel growth can be mainly attributed to the price increases charged by airlines due to the higher cost of kerosine. “However, the inconvenience experienced by passengers as a result of increased security measures and flight delays has contributed to airline travel becoming less attractive of late”, said Martin Buck. The rising popularity of travel by train in the first eight months of 2008 can also ascribed to higher flight prices, delays, and the inconvenience experienced by passengers at airports. Furthermore, with Europe boasting modern high-speed trains and rail services now becoming attractive again, air travel has forfeited part of its market share.

DECEMBER 2008 ASIAN TRAVELLER

WORLD VIEW

Sujit Banerjee New Tourism Secretary

Sujit Banerjee, IAS is the new Secretary Tourism, Government of India. A 1972 batch IAS officer from the UP cadre Sujit Banerjee was Secretary and & Chairman at the National Authority for Chemical Weapons Convention prior to the current appointment.

Gregory Duffell is the New PATA CEO regory Duffell will be the new President and CEO of Pacific Asia Travel Association. The appointment of Duffell as President and CEO of PATA has been confirmed by the Association's Board of Directors. Gregory Duffell joins PATA from Bangkok-based Indochina Services Travel Group where he has worked as CEO since 2006 with responsibilities for operations in Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Indonesia. Gregory Duffell, aged 44, has extensive management experience in medium- to large-sized companies. Originally a pilot in the Royal Australian Air

WTM Chief Wins Shine Award iona Jeffery, chairman of World Travel Market, has won the prestigious Shine Women of the Year 2008 - Leadership Award. She was presented with the honor for leading World Travel Market over nearly 20 years, developing the event into a world-class brand, and managing difficult decisions such as the controversial move to ExCeL London in 2002 and its response to 9/11, when much of the global industry was in trauma. She was also praised for pioneering key international initiatives such as WTM World Responsible Tourism Day and the founding of water-aid charity “Just a Drop” ten years ago on behalf of the international travel industry.

WTTC Condemns Terrorist Attacks in Mumbai he Members of the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has expressed alarm and sadness at the terrorist attacks in Mumbai, India’s commercial and financial capital. The latest violence specifically targeted popular tourist sites, including two of the city’s leading hotels: the Taj Mahal Palace & Tower and the nearby Oberoi Trident. “We would like to express our deep sympathy to all those who have been directly affected by the terrorist attacks,” said Geoffrey J. W. Kent, Chairman & CEO, Abercrombie & Kent, and chairman of WTTC.” “It is important to remember at this difficult time that, however terrible, such terrorist attacks cannot undermine the resilience of travel and tourism,” said JeanClaude Baumgarten, WTTC’s President & CEO. “An industry that cements peace and understanding”, added Baumgarten, .

DECEMBER 2008 ASIAN TRAVELLER

Gregory Duffel

Force, he later built a career in business development in Australia, the Middle East, the United Kingdom and the United States. His most recent position was as International President of Migo Software, Inc., a US-based software technology company. He previously served as General Manager for the Thomas Cook Group Worldwide Network, developing and implementing Internet e-Commerce solutions across 120 countries and 3000 agencies; and Regional Director Asia Pacific for Budget Rent-A-Car, overseeing the opening of 200 franchise offices over an 11-year period.

Negative Growth Fears for International Tourism nternational tourism will probably experience negative growth over the next six to nine months as a direct result of the global economic downturn. That's the message emerging from a UNWTO conference in Sharm El Sheikh. The challenges posed by the economic scenario were discussed at the 'Conference for the Middle East and Mediterranean Region on Tourism Responding to a Turbulent Economy' which also underscored tourism's potential to foster growth, exports and employment, particularly in developing countries. The Conference called for active government support of the sector. The Conference was a preparatory meeting for

UNWTO's Resilience Committee, to be chaired by Zohair Garrana, Minister of Tourism of Egypt. It was attended by 175 participants from over 20 countries and 14 international organisations. Minister Garrana underscored his commitment to drive the work of the Committee to urgently and practically support the sector. He said that the most urgent priority is to deal with the massive macroeconomic uncertainty and the market

consequences and making flexibility in response an imperative, while keeping a close eye on the climate agenda. Secretary-General Francesco Frangialli (pictured) said that the UNWTO was committed to actively assisting the sector whilst keeping, at the same time, a strong focus on the longer-term challenges posed by the sustainable development and climate change agenda.

FACE TO FACE

Himachal Pradesh, A Picture Postcard Destination Himachal Pradesh is a beautiful hill state in northern India nestled in western Himalayas. The state is landlocked with the Tibetan plateau to the east, Jammu and Kashmir to the north, and the Punjab to the west. However the state stands apart from its neighbours in terms of its sheer topographic diversity and breathtaking pristine natural beauty. Dr. Manoj Sharma, Deputy Director, Department of Tourism & Civil Aviation. Government of Himachal Pradesh elaborates on the tourism scene in the state. Position in the tourism map Himachal Pradesh is located in the northern part of the country and it is one of the most beautiful places in the country. Our USP is that we are one of the safest places to spend a holiday with picturesque locations, snow capped mountains, lush green valleys, a cool climate and hospitable people.. Role of the state government The government of Himachal Pradesh looks after the main marketing and publicity part. Apart from them we make polices and guidelines. We also regulate adventure activities like mountaineering, paragliding etc. Apart from the regulatory, marketing, promotional and planning activities we have a civil aviation wing, under which we develop helipads and airports.

Strengths and weaknesses The strength is that it is one of the safest and scenic states. It is full of adventure. The weakness is the absence of larger airports that affects the accessibility. But the roads are excellent. The national highways connect the major hill stations and tourist destinations. Joint plans with your neighboring states We don't have any such plans at the moment. But there is a project funded by the Asian Development Bank for infrastructure developments. They are also issuing it to Uttarancal and Punjab. Under the scheme these three states may work together in certain areas like promotional activities. Budget allocation For the current year the budget is about ten crore. But there are various other funds from

Dr. Manoj Sharma

the ministry of tourism. In ten years time we have received more than 42 crores for infrastructure development. We have also set up a few institutes. The main markets We are mainly focused on the domestic sector. But for the last few years we have been attending international fairs and is advertising through the international media in both the print and electronic category. Budhhism is also an attraction here. Destinations like Dharmasala are one of the major attractions in Himachal Pradesh.

Volvo Ocean Race Leaves for Singapore he third leg of the Volvo Ocean Race was flagged off by the Ambika Soni, Indian Minister for Tourism and Culture from Kochi Race Village on Willingdon Island. After the ten-day stopover in India, which is also the first time in the event's 35 year history of the race, the yachts will sail to Singapore. The skippers of the eight teams addressed the media before leaving Kochi. The last day's events included traditional music and sky diving by Southern Naval Command at the race village and Acro Show by Powered Paragliding World Champion Mathieu Rounet, Cochin-Kavarathy Offshore Race Flag-off and a MultiReligious Event- Blessing of the Fleet . "The large presence of foreign tourists who had touched down in Cochin would send across a message that India is a safe tourist destination despite the recent Mumbai terror attacks," said Ambika Soni. "This Volvo Race is one of the big boosts for tourism. Kerala's Tourism Minister told me that 2000 foreign guests are present in Cochin alone. This is how the message will go around that India being such a large country, is a totally safe country to move around," she added. The flag off was a grand function in which thousands of people flowing in to wish the sailors luck for the remaining part of the race. They pressed deep into the passage, walked by the sailors and with arms waving and voices coarse, mobbed the crews and took pictures as they walked one-by-one to their boats. The grand auto exhibition featuring different beauties and beasts from Volvo's stable also attracted the crowd over the ten days. With the arrival of Volvo Ocean Race (VOR), Kochi, is set to become a major hub for international water sporting activities.

ASIAN TRAVELLER DECEMBER 2008

FACE TO FACE

India is an Important Market for Malaysia Azizan Noordin, Director, International Promotion Division ( South Asia / West Asia / Oceania / Africa ) speaks about various aspects of tourism in Malaysia. Marketing Strategy in India In India, the lower income group is given the main priority. Malaysia is a value for money destination. We are looking at the up-market as well as the middle income people. The second strategy is to make the Indians to stay longer in Malaysia. Until last year we got about 455,000 Indian tourists to Malaysia and they stayed about six nights. We are aiming make them stay Azizan Noordin in the country for more than seven nights and we are targeting it up to eight. The third one is Major Markets to open new festivities to the Indian market. The We have been in this industry for some time now starting from the late 60's. The major new generation is looking for sporting activities like scuba diving, sailing, rock climbing etc. markets we have are from the regions in Europe, Asia and Oceania. Now we are looking They also want something different in the lifestyle and the food segment. We also want more at Asia and countries like India which is the Indian tourists to visit the other part of in South Asia. We are also looking at West Malaysia other than Kuala Lumpur and Genting. Asia. At present our number one market is Main Challenges South and Southeast Asia followed by West The challenges we face is same as other Asia and Europe.

countries like the high fuel costs restricts people from travelling far. But in the case of India and Kuala Lumpur it is very near. It is only a couple of hours flight. But tourists coming from West Asia and Europe feel the pinch. Their numbers have gone slightly down. By next year we would have to move to a different strategy and the main focus will be on the quality. Pans for the Indian market The marketing plans we have now is good and we are looking forward to expand it. We have come up with a new advertising campaign. It will be aired in the near future. India is very important as a market. The travel agencies and the airlines have put in a lot of effort to promote the destination. My message to the Indian travellers is - do come to Malaysia, we are more like you in terms of language and food. We speak English. You can go shopping as the prices are controlled by the government.

Our USP is the People Known as 'Pearl of the Orient' and a 'Tourist Paradise', the state of Goa is located on the western coast of India in the coastal belt known as Konkan. The magnificent scenic beauty and the architectural splendours of its temples, churches and old houses have made Goa a firm favourite with travellers around the world. But then, Goa is much more than just beaches and sea. It has a soul which goes deep into unique history, rich culture and some of the prettiest natural scenery that India has to offer. Elvis Gomes, Director of Tourism, Goa spoke to Asian Traveller about the tourism sector in the state. Excerpts: introduced an advanced life guard system in the beaches with expert support from the Australian life guards. Being a beach destination and with more chance of casualties, this has been of Elvis Gomes immense help after its implementation in October this year. One hundred and fifty boys How do you position your state in the tourism have been trained and put in action. They market of India? managed to save about 33 lives in the first We are ranked as one of the topmost thirty days. destinations not only in India but across the What is your USP? world. We are proud of the place and we are The people of Goa! As we can see there is there to stay. not much difference in the geography or What is the role of the state government in topography with the Konkan region, improving tourism in your state? Maharashtra or Karnataka. But it is the people Whatever that has happened is because of of what make Goa unique. the support the state has given to the industry. We have created the right atmosphere. We take What are the main problems confronted by the tourism industry in Goa? all our tour operators to attend international We still have to go a long way in terms of trade events. We also promote Goa in the domestic tourism circuit from which every one is infrastructure. We have already set up a tourist policy separately but that again need benefited. What are the innovative measures taken by the augmentation and improvement. Other wise things are fine. Goa Tourism? Which are the main source markets of your state? We, for the first time in India, have

DECEMBER 2008 ASIAN TRAVELLER

Domestic market is the main source for us. In terms of foreign arrivals the United Kingdom continues to be the biggest followed closely by Russia. What is your budget allocation for the tourism industry? We spend about eight to ten crore Rupees on promotion and also some money on infrastructure development like illumination, roads etc. How the current financial condition has affected the travel and tourism industry in the state? We have not been affected by the economic recession so far. At the beginning of October we were unsure of the fate but the things have shaped well and demand for Goa is still great. We work in close relation with the industry and the apex association called the Travel Tourism Association of Goa. We already have done three rounds of discussion about this issue and the main suggestion was the reduction in tariffs and they agreed.

DESTINATION

The Dominican Republic

antique treasures, dazzling jewels, and the cavernous time capsules left to us by a long lost culture. In the Dominican Republic, culture really means adventure. Dominican Republic cuisine features lightly spiced, coconut imbued, native Antillean and hearty Creole recipes. Many dishes are similar Central and South America cuisine and consist of rice with fish

The Island Paradise t was Christopher Columbus who described The Dominican Republic- who discovered it during his first voyage to the New World - as "a beautiful island paradise with high forested mountains and large river valleys", in 1492, and it holds true even now. A colorful tapestry of Spanish, French, Haitian, and African influences woven by a rich and storied history the Dominican Republic offers an exciting and unique cultural experience that will captivate the senses of the visitor besides the comforts of sun, sea, and sand. This is a destination like no other - a sensual feast of dazzling landscapes, exotic cuisine, and a remarkable variety of arts and entertainment options. Things to do Year-round sports, effervescent nightlife, distinctive souvenir shopping, magnificent national parks, and world class gambling make for a jam-packed vacation to do list. But when you see the spectacular beaches, you might just want to pull up a chair and relax. Outdoor activities like golf, snorkeling, windsurfing, kiteboarding, and boating are a thrilling way to experience the natural beauty of land and sea. With over two-dozen national parks, other quieter options for communion with nature like hiking and bird watching are also available. Indoor activities offer you the chance to strike it rich, dance the night away,

DECEMBER 2008 ASIAN TRAVELLER

or shop for curious mementos like carnival masks, amber, and a strange, liquid cure-all called Mamajuana. Courses designed by legends such as Pete Dye, P.B. Dye, Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Robert Trent Jones, Gary Player, Tom Fazio and Nick Faldo and perfect weather make the Dominican Republic the premier destination of golf. 1,000 miles of super fine sand and warm, clear waters beckon you. The incredible variety of beaches will satisfy the placid, the adventurous, and everyone in between. Gaming is the perfect evening activity. Slot machines and table games including blackjack, craps table, poker and roulette are ready to make every day in the Dominican Republic a little bit luckier. The spirit and charm of the Dominican Republic is captured in its music, food, and national

pastimes. Known for its professional winter baseball, handcrafted cigars, and annual music festivals, the culture of the Dominican Republic is never stodgy, or boring. It's always an artful and colorful expression of life. Even the museums and archeological sites are vibrant, bringing the daring history of the Dominican Republic alive with

and other seafoods, meats, or vegetables. A love for the game permeates local culture. This could be the reason why so many talented baseball players come from the Dominican Republic. The music and dance moves of the merengue and bachata were once controversial. Now they are a staple of the entertainment scene.

Facts and Figures Location: The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island Hispaniola is occupied by the nation of Haiti. Connectivity: There are seven international airports and well connected to US and Europe and Asia. Capital: Santo Domingo. Climate: Maritime semitropical, with an average yearly temperature of 80 F. Currency: Dominican peso. Language: Spanish (But most employees in hotels and tourist spots speak English). Phone Code: International access code-809. The Dominican Republic enjoys warm tropical weather year round, so pack for paradise. Don't forget sunglasses, sunblock, and bathing suit. Entry Requirements: A passport, a Tourist Card (to be purchased on arrival for $10 USD each), and an embarkation form (to be completed on arrival) are required for entry. Please make sure to have cash on hand for to pay for Tourist Cards for each member of your party. Planning Your Trip: Seven major airlines serve the Dominican Republic, so you'll always have a good choice of flights. Many tour operators offer daytrips with a wide appeal, but specialty travel is also a popular option. (Courtesy: Dominican Tourism)

COLUMN

The Way Forward he Mumbai terror strikes were unique in several aspects. It cut across a spectrum of social and economic strata to affect one and all in a collective, destructive embrace. It impacted the common man as much as it did the rich and the poor. It hit every single business directly and indirectly ranging from travel and tourism to banking to hospitality to heavy industry with a collective estimated loss of USD 20 billion. For India, struggling to come to terms with a global meltdown that had seared its own economic ambitions, the Mumbai attacks could not have come at a worse time. I will not postulate on the causes and what could have been done but would like to analyze what this means for our industry - namely Travel. It is a fact that if we compare the numerous industries with the food chain, Travel and Hospitality come at the very bottom. This is primarily due to Travel being a means to an end and not an end in itself. Bad times leave the affected parties with a psychological demand to seek greater security. This obviously translates into a tendency to 'stay put' and maintain status quo or slash down expenses and cutback on any activity that is viewed as a risk enhancer. In case of bad times arising out of economic causes, the response is likely to be measured. However if the situation is triggered by something that directly threatens life, reactions are likely to be much more immediate and spontaneous and in case of travel predictably disastrous. IATA has forecast a colossal USD 5.2 billion loss for the airline industry globally. The estimated losses for Indian carriers are an equally disturbing USD 2 billion. Just at the time when the industry struggles to find its footing, comes a blow - at the heart of the financial capital which will make its task that much harder. The current climate of anger, anxiety and uncertainty about terrorist activity on our soil will certainly impact travel and India's economic growth over time in ways that are impossible to predict. But it needs to be understood that such

T Pran S. Dasan

DECEMBER 2008 ASIAN TRAVELLER

symptoms are a normal reaction to abnormal trauma rather than signs of weakness or resignation to our fate. On the other hand, what cannot be denied is that unless we see gross apathy on the part of our Government over the next years to weed out this problem, India has the economic wherewithal to relegate the impact of this attack to an aberration in its growth. Our projected GDP growth of 7.25 per cent per annum is envied by many. Indeed it is the fundamental reason for such attacks. Half the battle will be won by making our borders - land and sea impervious to infiltration and by radically revamping our intelligence systems. Clear, visible and measurable action on this front will contribute heavily to rebuilding and restoring international confidence in our success story that will attract more foreign investment into the country. Any assumption that we will bounce back and get back to where we were on September 25 would be a myth. The way forward does not mean forgetting, but learning to live with the consequences of changed circumstances. To quote the American reformer Wendell Phillips "Eternal vigilance is the price Wendell Phillips of Liberty".

FACE TO FACE

"Dubai Has Much More Than Shopping to Offer" Looking beyond We have already made significant changes and developments in promoting Dubai beyond a shopping destination. Historically Dubai is known as a shopping destination but in the last six years there has been a gradual shift from merely DSF to a destination promoting sporting events. We have the travel agents in India promoting Dubai as an international sporting destination for Dubai Desert Classic, which is a golfing tournament, Dubai World cup which is a horse racing tournament, Dubai tennis open etc. We have got enquiries from places including Delhi, Bombay and Kolkata for the rugby sevens which is the rugby tournament in Dubai. We are looking at promoting classical, heritage and cultural packages to Dubai. We have already spoken to various travel trade members for promoting festive offers in connection with Id, Ramadan, Diwali, Dussehra, Christmas, New Year etc in Dubai. We have been very successful in promoting the destination beyond just shopping. In 2007 we had 410,000 Indians staying in Dubai in hotels and hotel apartments. In fact they were not here only for the DSF. Now it is being promoted as an year round destination. We have seen Dubai's tourism traffic increase during the Dubai

Summer Surprise. It is a good season for the Indian travellers as the rates of the hotels and hotel apartments are less compared to the DSF season. We have also found significant amount of traffic to Dubai in the cultural and heritage segments. About 35 percent of the 410,000

free, hygienic environment for certain special medical treatments which is available in Dubai. Marketing strategies Going into 2009 and 2010 the strategy is three fold. The first is to increase the quality of traffic in Dubai, people who can stay in properties like the Atlantis which is opening in September, at the Palm Jumeriah. We have new properties opening up in Dubai Marina, in Business Bay etc. and these are all five-star properties. The second is to diversify the portfolios of travel agents who are selling Dubai. We don't want them to only sell the DSF or the sports or the Dubai Summer Surprises. We want to promote heritage and cultural products also as Dubai is a very modern cosmopolitan destinaCarl Vaz tion. But we would like people to see different face of an Middle East destination and underDubai, which is known in the travel and stand the Arabian culture in Dubai. For that we tourism circuit as a shopping destination have developed two products; in which one can has a lot more to offer, says Carl Vaz, have the traditional Arabic breakfast with a local Director, Dubai Representative Office in family. You can see traditional house and India. Carl Vaz speaks to Asian Traveller traditional farming. The Sheikh Mohammed about the various options and strategies. centre for cultural understanding is another attraction where we want more people to visit. Indian stayed in the four and five star hotels. We like to see more golf packages where The usage of the service apartments are also people fly first and business class which will getting popular among the Indians. We have benefit the airlines. With quality packages in, been successful in promoting Dubai beyond just they can come, play golf and go back. shopping. The other strategy is to target tier II and tier Developing Dubai as a MICE destination III cities. We have not so far entered cities like DTCM has a separate division called the Visag, Nagpur, Chandigarh, Ludhiana, Kanpur, Dubai Convention Bureau. The main objective is Bhopal, Indore, Surat, Kolapur Trivandrum, to bring in more MICE traffic to Dubai. Travel Kochi, Coimabtore and Pondicherry from where Agents Association of India, (TAAI) Western there are regular flights. The idea is to try and Region conference was held in Dubai in the first move gradually into different areas and go week of June this year. We also had the TAAI, deeper into the Indian market which will help Pune Chapter conference in Dubai. We are galvanize a larger number of tourists. The looking at more conferences and conventions Director General of Dubai Tourism and His this year. There is a lot of quality movement and Highness the ruler of Dubai has set a target of we have seen a number exhibitions happening 10 million visitors by 2010 from around the in Dubai. There is a concerted effort to bring world and we have already reached seven more MICE traffic beyond these conferences. million. India has been tottering about six per We are looking at exhibitions and events and cent of the overall traffic. If I want to get six per also medical tourism also is coming into the cent of the ten million in 2010, I will have to do scene which we are working on. India is a 600,000. That means the quantity also needs destination which is less costly for medical to be improved along with the quality and treatment. But there is a growing need for dust increase of the portfolios.

'Refrigerated Beach' in Dubai ubai will showcase another innovative attraction to its kitty as they are on the pipeline to build the first climate controlled beach. It will be at The Palazzo Versace, a luxury hotel in Dubai set to open in 2010 for the up market tourists. The temperature of the beach will be controlled by a network of pipes with flowing coolants paved under the sands while giant fans installed throughout blows a gentle breeze over the beach. Perfect temperatures are maintained with contemporary technology. The 10-storey luxury hotel will have 169 apartments and 213 luxurious rooms, each with individual temperature controlled pools.

ASIAN TRAVELLER DECEMBER 2008

COLUMN

uite often we do hear of and talk about' Thinking differently', 'Thinking laterally', and 'Thinking positively' etc. Many a time my sense of wonderment goes even deeper: 'Firstly, do we THINK at all?' An average human brain thinks of some 80,000 thoughts a day. But unfortunately, nearly 60,000 of them are the same old, repetitive thoughts and hence they are not thoughts but just recollections. A thought repeated is just a remembrance and retrieval from your old archive and there is nothing creative about that. When Picasso was asked whether he could reproduce his famed painting 'Guernica', he said that he could not 'reproduce' it but he could 'produce it again' which will be a creation by itself. Every

billion people in the world. One third of them will not have access to credit cards (People living in villages, islands etc) which reduces the six billion to four billion. Three-fourth of them will be adults eligible for the credits cards which makes it three billion. One third of them may not like to have/or cannot have either due to bad credit rate or default which reduces the 'card population' to two billion. While some have as many as a dozen cards, one can safely bet that a person will have an average of three cards (Visa, Master, and Amex) which makes the number six billion. Just thinking can make you easier and nicer. Indian Jesuit and psychotherapist Anthony de Mello (1931-87) said: 'Your enemies are not the ones who hate you. Your enemies are the ones you hate' A simple and elementary thought which can put you at peace and make your life enemy-free. With all Picasso the carnages and the thought is anew and ELEVEN PLUS TWO (a internecine wars that go everything is a creation by numerical anagram!) around all over this world, it itself. The questions called Fermi only goes back to my basic The term 'creative thinking' questions (named after the wonderment: 'Do we think at is again a tautology. It is like Italian nuclear physicist all?' saying 'adequate enough'. Enrico Fermi) are a great tool A few years ago, I happened When adequate is enough and to open up the springs of to listen to a presentation enough is adequate, why thinking. A Fermi question called 'B2B' at Hyderabad. It 'adequate enough' at all? may seem difficult and at was a travel trade gathering Thinking is creative and being times absurd but it has a and Dr. Sudhakar creative is to think. Thinking is tremendous educational value. Krishnamurthy, a sexologist seeking and seeking is the very For instance, the question: by profession who was making meaning of the 'How many credit the presentation looked the word 'question' cards are there in odd-man-out there. But his (quest = search). use in the world?' B2B was not 'Business to Questions lead The answer is six Business' but 'Bedroom to one to think. The billion. The Boardroom'. His theory and Socratic method deductive method contention was that a man's of learning is of arriving at this excellence in the boardroom is based on seemingly very much related to the questioning. 'Ask difficult question exuberance in his bedroom. questions and is as follows: That is a good thinking, isn't Anthony de Mello thou shalt know!' There are six it?!

V DURAIKKANNAN

DECEMBER 2008 ASIAN TRAVELLER

could very well be the muchneeded slogan for quantum learning. A young child that goes with her father to the icecream parlour asks him as they sit down for their treat: 'Dad, we order for our icecream and they take a good fifteen to twenty minutes to deliver that. It is we who do wait but how come they are called waiters?' That is a good start for thinking. Thinking makes one sharp, witty, and intelligent. Thinking leads to questioning, questioning leads to learning, and learning keeps one young and youthful. Learning is an anti-ageing agent. Learning enhances one's composure, and opens up a treasure-trove of joys and joys of mysteries. While 12+1 = 11+2, their verbal expressions also match: TWELVE PLUS ONE =

ASIA PACIFIC

Thailand Wins

Top Eco Award hailand took home top honors for Eco Friendly Transportation at the recent seventh Annual Skål International Ecotourism Awards which were presented by the President of Skål International, Phillip Sims and Hulya Aslantas in the presence of the Minister of Communication and Transportation of R.O.C. Dr. C.K. Mao during the opening ceremony of the 69th Skål World Congress held in Taipei, Taiwan at the TICC (Taipei International Convention Centre). Skål International is aiming at quality in tourism and values sustainable development in tourism as the key to the industry's future success and considers ecotourism but one area of the various components of sustainable development and responsible tourism. To encourage the conservation of the environment and help to promote the development of responsible and sustainable tourism, Skål International initiated Eco Tourism awards whose purpose was to highlight best practices in ecotourism around the world. In their seventh year, the awards have received continued support worldwide.

Thai Resort Bags Responsible Tourism Awards

Harsher Penalties Sought for Sex Tourists

aasai Resort, a small family owned resort near the coast at Kung Wiman, Chanthaburi province in Thailand came second in the "Wild Asia Responsible Tourism Awards." Winners in four categories were announced at a ceremony in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on November 21. Faasai Resort was the runner up in the budget category. The judges gave it a score of 96 percent for its sustainable practices. Over 40 entrants from across Asia entered the awards. Eight finalists from Thailand, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, the Philippines and India made it to the final round. Surin and Bronwen Laopha, a Thai-New Zealand couple, built the resort two years ago. The peaceful 15-bungalow Faasai (which means 'clear sky' in Thai) has many rare trees and herbs onsite, including aloes wood, barking deer mango, monkey jack and neem trees, which have culinary and medicinal value and provide shelter for birds and other wildlife. More than a dozen varieties of frogs, over 50 varieties of birds, as well as lizards, turtles and indigenous squirrels have been seen at the resort, which nestles at the foot of a hill 200 meters from the beach. Faasai Resort and Spa is easily accessible from Bangkok.

ourists who go abroad to abuse children should face the prospect of prosecution in their home countries if they are caught having sex with kids in nations with lax penalties. This demand was made by participants at a U.N. backed conference, which has concluded recently in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Sweden already has such a law, and about 3,000 experts plus government representatives from 137 nations backed the concept at the Third World Congress against Sexual Exploitation of Children and Adolescents in Rio de Janeiro. The declaration called for nations to establish laws allowing stiffer prosecution of child sex cases for perpetrators who take trips to nations with few or no penalties because they know they will face little if any retribution, said Nils Kastberg, UNICEF's director for Latin America and the Caribbean. They also supported the creation of detailed sexual abuse databases in nations around the world so that governments can find out the extent of sexual exploitation of children beyond just the sex trade. A recent U.N. survey estimated that 150 million girls and 73 million boys under age 18 were forced to have sexual intercourse or experienced other forms of sexual violence in 2002.

This year's winners are: Tour Operators and Travel AgentsNorthern Soul Wilderness Adventures, Canada Urban AccommodationThe Pefkos Beach Hotel. Sustainable Tourism And The Environment, Greece Rural AccommodationBuilding Livelihood & Eco Taj, India Transportation Natural History by Sea Kayak, Thailand General CountrysideLesvos Petrified Forest Geopark, Greece City And VillagesThe Orange Flag Programme: A Quality Label For Sustainable Tourism And Environment, Italy Educational Programmes - MediaEducational Programmes Of The Geopark Naturtejo Meseta Meridional Unesco European And Global Geopark, Portugal Global Corporate EstablishmentGlobal Tourism Business, Kenya Ivelihood & Eco Taj, India

DECEMBER 2008 ASIAN TRAVELLER

HOSPITALITY

Le Meridien Launches Resort Property in Kumbakonam

FHRAI Mulls Advisory on Crisis Management

e Meridien has taken over an existing property of Tamil Nadu Tourism Develop ment Corporation (TTDC) in Kumbakonam and re-launched it. The property has been converted into an 18-room resort hotel at an investment of Rs 5 Crore and will be officially launched soon. The 'Riverside Resort and Spa Kumbakonam' will have ten rooms, eight cottages, a vegetarian restaurant 'Cauvery', a multi-cuisine restaurant with a bar 'Mayuri' and a health club and spa 'Kasti'. It has standard rooms at Rs 3,500 and cottages at Rs 7,500. The company is in the process of getting four-star classification for the property. The property has been acquired from TTDC on a 15-year lease. The hotel will target the up market segment that comes to Kumbakonam for religious purposes. The spa therapies will be outsourced to a Coimbatore-based Ayurvedic company. The hotel further plans to tieup with travel agents in Chennai to offer tour packages to the guests. It will also provide transport options to guests who want to visit the temples in and around Kumbakonam. It will launch a full-fledged marketing campaign for the tour packages just before the official opening.

n the wake of the recent Mumbai terror attacks, the Federation of Hotel & Restaurant Associations of India (FHRAI) has decided to formulate an advisory document on crisis management for hotels in India. The document, which will be prepared in consultation with experts in security-related areas, will be recommendatory in nature. Sunil Gulati, Hony Secretary, FHRAI said that the document would be published and circulated among all member hotels, big as well as small, in India. "We have taken it up as a priority issue in the wake of the Mumbai incident. We hope that we will be able to come up with a comprehensive advisory document for hotels in a month or two," he added. The document will have a strong focus on training procedures to be adopted for employees to tackle any contingency, as well as reporting any unusual behaviour of the guests.

Strict Security Measures at The Leela Mumbai he Leela Mumbai has taken steps to ensure the safety and security of the guests in the light of the recent terror attack in Mumbai. "The tragic happenings which took place in south Mumbai have left us in deep shock and disbelief. With this tragedy, our hearts go out to all who have been affected, hotel guests and staff, our fellow colleagues in The Taj Mahal Hotel and The Trident, and the local authorities who serve to protect our beloved city," said Capt. C P Krishnan Nair, Chairman, The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts. The Leela has taken all appropriate steps to bolster the personal security and safety of the guest. "We had implemented strict security measures in all our properties and alerted our security to maintain a stringent level of vigilance during this 'high degree of caution' phase." says Onno Poortier, President, The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts.

'Wedding Planners' visit Bangkok and Hua-Hin

Jai Raj Gupta, CEO, Shaadi.com; Ritesh Kumat, Dream Weddings Indian Pvt. Ltd.; Sonalee Vaz, Tourism Authority of Thailand, Mumbai; Vinod Bhandari, Director & CEO, Wedding Xtraordinare and Saurabh Agarwal, Director & CEO, Red Events India Pvt. Ltd. at Queen Sirikit Convention Centre Wedding Fair 2008 - Exclusive in Bangkok.

Sales & Marketing Representative, Grand Hyatt, Hua-Hin; Jai Raj Gupta, CEO, Shaadi.com; Ritesh Kumat, Dream Weddings Indian Pvt. Ltd; Vinod Bhandari, Director & CEO, Wedding Xtraordinare; Saurabh Agarwal, Director & CEO, Red Events India Pvt. Ltd. And Sonalee Vaz, Tourism Authority of Thailand, Mumbai at Grand Hyatt Hua-Hin, in Hua-Hin.

ASIAN TRAVELLER DECEMBER 2008

INDIAN PANORAMA

MoT Issues Statement to Reduce Impact of Terror Attacks

Sikkim to Regulate

n the wake of the recent terror attacks in Mumbai, Union Ministry of Tourism (MoT) has issued a statement to reduce the impact of the attacks on the tourism industry and pacify foreigners travelling to India in the next few months. Most of the international and national media has reported extensively on the negative impact of the terror attacks on the tourism industry and have estimated a downturn of about 40 per cent in the coming weeks. MoT has taken feedback from tourists who are already in India and stated that most tourists currently travelling within the country feel safe and secure. MoT is closely monitoring the after effects of terror acts in the city and has coordinated with its overseas offices in order to induce foreign tourists to visit the country. "We are getting in touch with all our international offices to disseminate the security updates. Travel trade is another channel through which we are going to work aggressively for the next few months to rebuild the image of brand India in both domestic and inbound markets. We are also planning few short term strategies to cope with the current situation." said Devesh Chaturvedi, Director, MoT. United States of America, which is one of the biggest inbound markets for India, issued travel advisory against travelling to India. On November 29, 2008, The Department of State, USA extended the travel alert from 48 - 72 hours to December 31, 2008. UK, Canada, Singapore and Australia also issued similar advisories warning their citizens against travel to India.

n a bid to streamline the disorganised tourism sector in the state, Sikkim has set in motion a series of checks and balances under the Sikkim Registration of Tourist Trade Rules (2008) for ensuring quality tourism. The much-awaited rule, which saw implementation from this month, seeks to bring in more accountability and transparency in the activities of all the private tourism stakeholders such as tour operators, hotels and other service providers. Till now, Sikkim did not have any comprehensive rules to regulate the mushrooming of tourism service providers which had dented the growth of tourism in the State. All tourism service providers have been properly classified along the lines of the type of service provided.

Tourism Sector

Bavaria Tourism To Promote

The Region in India avaria Tourism Board has organised a road show in Mumbai to promote the region in the Indian market. Bavaria, Germany's favourite holiday destination which covers the Bavarian Alps, Franconia and East Bavaria, has a lot to offer the visitor. Bavaria, with its four holiday regions, Allgäu-Bavarian Swabia, Franconia, Munich-Upper Bavaria and Eastern Bavaria, is an ideal holiday region throughout the year and especially suited to family holidays. In Bavaria, holidaymakers can choose their holiday packages like ‘WellVital in Bavaria’, ‘Kinderland Bayern’, ‘Art, Culture and Festivals in Bavaria’ or ‘Delicious Bavaria’ which aim to meet most people's travel requirements are provided by the Tourism Board. The traditional customs are maintained throughout the year by the members of local folklore association s in their traditional attire. Guests are welcome to join in. Festivals are just as much a part of everyday Bavarian culture as the typical local cuisine with its unmistakable regional

BTB plans to evaluate the tourist traffic from the India and accordingly launch the Bavaria Specialist Programme in another two years time in India

DECEMBER 2008 ASIAN TRAVELLER

specialities. Bavaria Tourism is targeting family, leisure, health and MICE segments from India and will take the B2B route to promote the region in India and will work closely with the travel trade to spread awareness about the region and its offerings "This is the first marketing approach by Bavaria into the Indian market and we will look at identifying our markets and later position the products," said Richard Adam, CEO, Bavaria Tourism. Bavaria Tourism plans to evaluate the tourist traffic from the Indian market and accordingly might look at launching the Bavaria Specialist Programme in another two years time in the Indian market. Bavaria registered 80,000 Indian visitors for the year 2007 and is targeting a 15 per cent increase for 2008. Bavaria Tourism is also planning to tap the Bollywood segment and promote Bavaria through films.

VIEW POINT

After Zero - What Next ? Is it the end of road for travel agents ? OM PRAKASH SAHGAL

their employees about other services and products. Trade he entire travel trade is associations like TAAI and TAFI should take initiative, to posed with various provide training. fears. Many experts On one side our leading have been expressing the fear associations such as TAAI and of a large number of travel shops will down their shutters, TAFI and others are working together to find the amicable more than one lakh persons solution to protect the interest will loose jobs, thousands of of entire travel trade. Our duty families will be affected. is to whole heartedly support Yes, all these fears can be their efforts and to strengthen true after the "zero" commission is implemented by the unity of the travel trade. A all airlines. So does it mean that it is the end of road for the travel trade? What is the way out for our survival? We must consider implementing other forms of sales that can add revenue and keep the wheels moving. The reason for this fear is that the majority of small agents which large number of the agents account for the highest who are yet not members of number of travel the travel associations should establishments in India, are become the members, so that dependent on selling only the the strength of the trade is air tickets. The need of the consolidated. hour is to get exposure to the On the other hand the various other services and travel trade must engage in travel products that they can sell to offset the "Zero" effect. adding the other services and products, which can add The travel trade should revenue. In the past travel immediately start training

agents had not paid attention due to the satisfaction from the five per cent commission. Booking of hotels, booking of transportation, selling sight-seeing, selling of holiday packages of branded tour operators of India and abroad, selling honeymoon packages, servicing to students going abroad for higher studies, booking of cruises for holiday travelers, sports tourists, medical tourists, business tourists, pilgrim tourists, conventions and conferences, visiting relatives and friends, To tie up with Forex dealers to meet the clients requirement of foreign exchange, assisting to obtain visas, assisting to obtain passports and renewals. We should try and sell as many services as applicable to each client. Believe me, that the financial earnings from

average customer can be more than the ticket earning, after most agents part with commission. The travel agents should immediately take steps to stop extending credit to their clients in the wake of Zero. After all the travel agents' earning can be small amount and in no way the travel agents should be the bankers for their clients. It is high time that we work for our survival most seriously than to just depend on the mercy of the airlines to provide our bread. We must remember that we alone are responsible to run our business profitably; hence we have to find alternatives for our survival. I wish all the colleagues in travel trade better solutions and success in this time of national crises in the travel trade.

The author is Director, In ORBIT Tours and ex-Chairman TAAI (Western Region).

Egypt Named World's Best Country Brand for History gypt has once again been named as the world's Best Country Brand for History in the fourth edition of the Country Brand Index (CBI), edging out other historically rich country destinations like France, Italy, Greece and China. The top ranking also shows Egypt's continuing success in being able to market the country's rich historical heritage and positioning itself as one of the prime tourist destinations in the world. The 2008 Country Brand Index also puts Egypt in the top three list of world's Best Country Brand for Arts and Culture and is also cited for being in the top five list of world's Best Country Brand for Authenticity. "Egypt has once again proved that it is the number one tourist destination in terms of historical appeal. It has successfully positioned itself in this spot by leveraging its rich history, ancient sites and mystical

structures such as its pyramids, which have contributed in making Egypt one of the most popular destinations for travellers from around the world," said Mario Natarelli, Co-CEO, FutureBrand. This year's study also cites Egypt and the United Arab Emirates as the only countries from the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region that have made it to the distinctive list.

ASIAN TRAVELLER DECEMBER 2008

MOMENTS

The staff and guests at Leela Kovalam paying homage to victims of Mumbai terrorist attack

R.S. Sharma, CMD, ONGC during a visit to Leela, Kovalam

The Muthoot Plaza, Thiruvananthapuram run by Sarovar Group of Hotels, hosted a Cookie Baking Day recently. Wives of around 50 CEOs came together to make cookies of different varieties and tastes which were later delivered to various organizations for the needy kids, in and around the city.

Taj Awarded ISO:22000 Certification

The Taj Green Cove, Kovalam team with the ISO:22000 certificate

Kerala Tourism Minister, Kodiyeri Balakrishnan formaly inaugurates ‘City Tour Packages’ and ‘Digital Volvo Coaches’ of Travel India, at Thiruvananthapuram. Travel India MD, Raveendran, KTDC Chairman Cherian Philip , ATE CMD E.M. Najeeb, are also seen

DECEMBER 2008 ASIAN TRAVELLER

Tourists from Estonia who came by Destination Indus chartered flight being received at Thiruvananthapuram Airport by Kerala Tourism Minister, Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, KTDC Chairman Cherian Philip and Varghese Oommen, CEO, Destination Indus

Jojith K Antony has been appointed Regional Manager, Kerala Tourism Development Corporation, Central Region

Vella Ramasawmy has been appointed General Manager, The Leela Kempinski, Gurgaon, New Delhi, India

Nidheesh Nair has been appointed F&B Manager, SP Grand Days, Trivandrum, Kerala, India

TRAVELOGUE

Mawlynnong Where Ceanliness is a Way of Life Ever heard of a destination which boasts cleanliness as its main attraction? A cute and colourful village, Mawlynnong, in Meghalaya in the North East of India is renowned for its cleanliness. Sethumadhavan Machad recounts his experience during his recent visit to the village. t was my friend Surendranath, who is an Engineer with Doordarshan Kendara in Shillong who told me about Mawlynnong. Situated in the north-eastern hill state of Meghalaya - which literally means 'the abode of clouds' Mawlynnong is a unique picnic spot. But this quaint little village, hailed as the cleanest and eco-friendly village of Asia, finds no mention in the official tourist map of Meghalaya or in Meghalaya Tourism's website. It is travel bloggers like Anita Bora (www.anitabora.com/blog/ 2007/05/15/magicalmawlynnong-life-on-stilts/) and sketches by Suchismita Mitra that make an attempt to present Mawlynnong to the 'outside' world. Mawlynnong's fame is now drawing an endless stream of guests and visitors from across the country and abroad. Although residential facilities are still scarce, the existing one constructed from bamboo and thatch is itself an attraction; since it is a tree house. It has a little verandah giving a view of river flowing below, and also rendering a cool zephyr. Mawlynnong has a range of sights and sounds, all natural. There are waterfalls, trekking routes and

DECEMBER 2008 ASIAN TRAVELLER

picnic spots. The sparklingly clean streams and rivulets of this village are reminiscent of the good old days when all the rivers in this hill state were crystal clear and you could drink the water without the fear of it being polluted. There is a little cottage being built right at a vantage

of the most exotic flora and fauna. The aroma of bay leaves invades our senses as we get closer to the village. Mawlynnong is not just about sight seeing. There is a profusion of fruits like oranges, papayas, grapefruit, lemon and a range of vegetables growing in the

point from where on a clear day you can see the plains of Bangladesh stretching into horizon. Walk around the village and one will be impressed by the squeaky clean pathways ornamented with flowery gardens. The houses are small but impeccably maintained with floral vines both inside and outside the gardens. Cheerful bougainvilleas grow everywhere bordering shrubs and bushes at the entrances of homes, with orchids on the trees. Autumn is the right season to visit this little paradise. Vibrant red, yellow and green Coleus and Japonica grow profusely by the roadside giving the area a feel of Eden. The pleasant climate is just right for some

How to reach â&#x20AC;˘ The closest Airport is at Umroi; about 30 km from Shillong â&#x20AC;˘ The closest railhead is at Guwahati, 103 km from Shillong (sethumadhavanmachad@hotmail.com)

find something to grow all the year round. The caretaker of the Guest house will happily organize walks and treks around the place. So if you are a little adventurous, you can explore the 'living root bridge'. These bridges are unique. The bridge is actually formed by the roots of very old trees. The roots keep on growing till they reach the other side where they dip into the river bank. People use it as a bridge to cross the river. Mawlynnong is like a botanical garden surrounded village. People pursue their by lush jungle with beautiful traditional livelihoods growing waterfalls and rivers. A short betel nut, betel leaf and a host walk away is the border with of spices. Broomstick farming Bangladesh, with awesome is a common occupation. This panoramic views over the flat grass is easily cultivable and lands of the country. does not require the kind of This village is guaranteed care nor manure that other to rejuvenate the stressed-out crops do. In January every city dweller. Here we are lulled year, which is the time when to sleep by the chirping of the the harvested broomsticks are cricket and a dozen other ready for sale, traders from fascinating sounds from the forest; sounds that the new generation no longer recognizes. No doubt Mawlynnong is a model to the whole Shillong come to pick them up world with its high degree of in bulk. This area is still environmental awareness. largely forested with stretches Shouldn't the rest of India cleared for plantation crops. learn from these innocent People are enterprising and villagers?

COLUMN

A Fairytale Gone Well This time Anke Stirner writes about her recent visit to New Delhi, Indias captial City elhi - the capital city of India, one of the busiest cities in the world, home of Shahrukh Khan, place of residence of so many companies from all over the world, heavy traffic, a city which is always awake - the idea I had of New Delhi was a mixture, a combination of impressions garnered from books and narrations of friends who had been there. "Overcrowded, strange people, very dusty and annoying," said one. "Awesome city full of interesting things," said another. My mind was full of imaginations when I took the plane from Frankfurt to Delhi. What would I find when I would leave the airport? A complete mess? People staring at me, trying to force me to buy anything? Would I get lost in the crowd? When I stepped out of the airport I was expecting the worst. But - nothing happened. The airport was cool and very well organized, nobody was at all staring at me or trying to do anything to me, I was just a woman coming to a world city like millions had done before. The surprises didn't stop during my stay in Delhi. Having lived in traditional and conventional South Indian State of Kerala for nearly five months I had my own idea about India. In Delhi you can almost find everything - poverty that made me nearly cry, and richness that stunned me. Brands like Deutsche Bank, Lacoste, Mango and Nike. People from all over India and the world, talking in their different accents. Connaught Place, the heart of Delhi, was a vibrant centre with nightlife, clubs, bars and buildings housing financial companies to newspaper offices. Watching Indian ladies in short skirts or couples holding hands made me doubt if I was really in India. It is the perfect mix of facilities from the west with the Indian way of life; a city that offers everybody to find its place in any way you can imagine. During the day you can hardly find a person who is

not busy - it's all about business, appointments and money. The traffic is a mess, no doubt about that. It is unbelievable how much time you need to get from one point to the other in this huge city and I completely lost my sense of orientation. After two weeks some streets and corners seemed familiar to me and I'm sure it would take me a few years to get through Delhi without getting lost. But when the dusk falls the face of the city slowly

changes. Delhi has a nightlife which starts only when it is dark. You can see a lot of people walking around, having dinner, beer and cocktails in expensive, posh bars, restaurants and hotels, going to clubs, enjoying life. The prices are on par with the West. In fact Delhi is the most expensive city I have been to in India. Very charming are the different markets you can find everywhere in Delhi. There is the Khan Market, one of the most famous markets in Delhi, full of foreigners and small, lovely shops where you can find everything from Indian to western, clothes, books, small cafĂŠs which serve mouth-watering delicacies. I lost time when I walked around these markets, overwhelmed by the different colours, impressions and especially the smell which caught me and made me dizzy after a while. Delhi is also the greenest city I have visited. Trees and little parks everywhere. Even Connaught Place is full of greenery to sit down, relax and feel the city. I didn't stay long enough in Delhi to see even a quarter of it and I'm looking forward to go back and find out about more about this awesome city. ASIAN TRAVELLER DECEMBER 2008

SOUTHERN SPLENDOUR

UNESCO to Showcase Chettinad Heritage hettinad - the cultural heritage region in Tamil Nadu is all set for a major transformation with UNESCO pledging to preserve and promote it as a heritage zone. "We will sign an agreement with UNESCO for promoting heritage tourism in Chettinad as it has agreed to extend its expertise in developing the region as heritage zone in Tamil Nadu," said M Rajaram,

Bullock Cart Rides For French in Karaikudi mbarking on an innovative approach for creating employment opportunities, especially for women and disadvantaged groups, a tourism project has been launched to revive art, culture and craft of this region of Tamil Nadu. Termed as "tourism of a different kind", villagers offer bullock cart rides to visitors, including foreigners, while playing hosts. Besides the bullock cart ride, visitors are also treated to the rich culture of Chettinad, including its unique architecture, cuisine and folk dances. A total number of 24,640 foreigners had visited Chettinad till October this year while last year their number was 22,200, Managing Director of Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation, M Rajaram said, adding that majority of them were French. The number of foreign tourists is increasing since the launch of the project two years back, claimed Rajaram. Chettinad is a cluster of villages including Karaikudi, Pallathur and Kanadukuthan on the map of economically backward tourist destinations but is culturally rich district of Sivaganga in the state. Launched by the Tourism Ministry in partnership with UNDP, Chettinad is one of 36 sites selected by the government for launching the income-generating project at grassroot level. The decade-old palatial Chettinad buildings famous for its architecture are now being converted into heritage hotels for tourists. These hotels are now attracting a lot of visitors from France, Germany, England and other western countries.

Managing Director, Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation. Chettinad, 85-km from the temple town of Madurai, is a cluster of about 75 odd villages, including Karaikudi, Kanadukuathaan, Pallathur, Prithali and Kothamangalam. Palatial houses in this region are known for their architectural structure with wide courtyards, high ceiling, spacious rooms embellished with marble, Burma teak and intricate wood carvings at door frames. There are about thousands of such palatial old houses still in Chettinad.

"Some of these welldesigned houses are more than 100 years old and UNESCO is keen to guide us in restoring these structures," Rajaram said, adding that "we have drawn up a plan to develop Chettinad as heritage zone." According to the Chettinad heritage plan, UNESCO will help in preparing a draft regional master plan including guidelines for heritage areas for developing a heritage circuit in the region. UNESCO will also establish a heritage house, a model Chettinad building, in the area for tourists to visit.

Karavali Utsav From December 22 he Dakshina Kannada district administration will conduct a 45day 'Karavali Utsav' from December 22. Maheshwar Rao, Deputy Commissioner of the district, said that the utsav would focus on the culture and tourism of the district. The event would have events like beach festival, folk festival and meet on 'Dasa' literature, among others. There will be taluk-level events during the festival. Local artistes will be given importance in the Karavali Utsav, he said. The meeting decided to invite the Karnataka Chief Minister and the Karnataka Tourism Minister for the beach festival, which is tentatively scheduled for January 30.

TTDC Plans to Renovate All Its Hotels and Resorts he Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation (TTDC) is planning to renovate all its hotels and resorts and bring them on par with star category hotels. All 25 TTDC-owned hotels in the state will be renovated at a cost of Rs six crore. Renovation for Mamallapuram Resort alone will cost about Rs two crore. The renovation is slated

T 28

DECEMBER 2008 ASIAN TRAVELLER

to be completed by the end of this month. Apart from this, TTDC in association with State Transport Corporation will be launching a new scheme called, 'Hop on Hop off' bus service to help tourists visit various tourist centres in Chennai. Under this scheme, the tourist can board the bus at any location and get off at any stop in the city.

DOMESTIC TRAVELLER

Return of the Happy Camper DANIELLE FLETCHER

parks, offering the consumer a great deal of amping holidays in choice as well as providing the UK have seen a number of online guides to help people choose the resurgence in popularity amongst right type of camping British holiday makers as holiday for them. Another large holiday company, the effects of the credit crunch are forcing them Haven Holidays, reported to cut back on luxury a 30 per cent rise in the number of bookings for spending. Camping holidays in Britain were caravan breaks in Britain, aonce very popular, with whilst Canvas Holidays also recorded a 20 per thousands of sites across the country being filled up cent increase in booking every summer with numbers during May and June this year. The families looking for an affordable get away. But National Caravan Council the introduction of cheap showing also released figures showing that air fares by low cost airlines in the late 1990's Caravan sales have also meant that people could increased this year. A spokesperson from the suddenly afford to go abroad to relax; and the Council committed that popularity of camping in the sense of adventure derived from camping the UK declined drastically. In the last 12 along with feelings of months Britain has seen nostalgia from childhood holidays have helped unprecedented rises in petrol and household influence the choice to bills, with very little camp. But it is not just the campsites themselves corresponding rises in salaries. People have been which are doing well out forced to prioritise their of the rise in visitors, outdoor equipment spending but they still want to be able to get away specialists have also with their families. In reported increase in sales. During the first two weeks addition, increased concerns over the of July this year Blacks, environmental effects of who operate a number of outdoor and surf wear travelling abroad has led some people to rethink shops, saw their sales go their travelling plans and up by 6 per cent. Whilst Tesco Direct, the look for holiday options closer to home. Knowing catalogue arm of the large that less damage is being supermarket chain, saw caused to the environment rises in sales of camping through flight emissions equipment of 38 per cent and cut back on family in the 12 months from July 2007 to July 2008. finances has made camping a popular choice While camping is often once again. considered a purely summer activity the trend One UK camping reservations website, is not expected to be www.campsites.co.uk, has restricted to just the warm summer months. It has reported a huge rise in bookings throughout the been predicted that there past year. The site will be a rise in the number of families taking advertises 350 holiday

camping holidays over the winter months, as more campsites are choosing to remain open all year round. Typically the British weather has encouraged people to seek sunnier climes when choosing a winter holiday, however the rise of pre-

pitched yurt tents, which are big enough to accommodate inside a small fire and stove, can make the notion of a winter in the big outdoors seem romantic. For many new converts to winter camping, wrapping up tightly under warm fluffy blankets, while toasting marshmallows and sipping hot chocolate is a very inexpensive way of having some winter fun. These developments point to the fact that the benefits of camping are once again fashionable. A chance to be amongst nature and make new friends, as well as saving some money are encouraging more and more people to think twice about returning to what was once a very traditional British holiday option. With the effects of the global recession likely to continue for some time, cutting back on household expenditure is going to be necessary. Therefore finding a holiday which can be enjoyed across the seasons and which keeps the budget low has to be a winner. ASIAN TRAVELLER DECEMBER 2008

KERALA TRAVELLER

Dr. V. Venu IAS Secretary, Kerala Tourism

ith road shows in Europe, USA and Australia, Kerala enhanced its global presence last month. While the Frankfurt road show was a follow up of our participation at the ITB Berlin in March, the road show at San Francisco in USA was the very first in the region. Kerala Tourism also organised a meeting and interaction in New York, which was attended by 45 tour operators. The road shows conducted at Sydney and Melbourne in Australia emphasized Kerala's depth and diversity by bringing into focus the key attractions of the State. The shows also highlighted the

State as a good 'soft' entry into India with Singapore Airlines providing excellent air connectivity. Kerala Tourism also participated at the WTM London along with India Tourism. Last month also saw the first-ever charter to the State from the North European Baltic Republic of Estonia. The 50-member Estonian team comprising mostly of tour operators and travel writers were on a familiarization trip to the State. Meanwhile, preparations for the Cochin Stopover of the Volvo Ocean Race are in its final phase. Interestingly, the boats arrived earlier than expected on 30th November

Paramount Launches Special Promotion aramount Airways recently announced the launch of its new promotion, A Special holiday bonanza offer. The offer allows passengers to purchase one Elite Business class ticket and receive a ticket for free (INR1500 payable for taxes and surcharge on the companion ticket). This offer is valid for travelling in the peak holiday season. With the introduction of new flights to western India, key cities like Ahmedabad, Goa and Pune are now linked to Madurai. A new frequent flier programme, 'Paramount Royale, has also been launched. In addition to upgradation and mileage redemption, Paramount Royale members can also avail of golf club memberships and spa services. Many domestic and international airlines like Air Asia are seeking tie ups with Paramount Airways said Managing Director M Thiagarajan. Paramount will acquire two more aircrafts by 2009 and also operate international flights once Madurai's airport gets international status. We are looking into the possibility M Thiagarajan of operating international flights from Managing Director Paramount Airways Chennai also, he added.

and the team was accorded a warm welcome. The pavilions and the Race Village will be open for the public from December 3. However, November ended on a gloomy note with the terrorist attack on Mumbai. Along with the economic recession, the attacks will have an impact on the country's tourism scene and it's indeed a challenging time ahead. A stakeholders' meeting has already been convened by the State Government to work out strategies to overcome this crisis and I'm confident that India, with its proven resilience and unmatched attractions, will emerge strong.

Tourism-Media Consultative Committee Formed o co-ordinate the relation between the tourism sector and media, a tourism-media consultative committee has been formed with Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, Minister for Tourism, as Chairman. The society includes Dr. Venu,V., Secretary, Kerala Tourism, M. Sivasankar, Director, Kerala Tourism, and Cheriyan Philip, Chairman, Kerala Tourism Development Corporation (KTDC). Selected members from various media in the state are also part of the society.

Peace March by SKHF

DECEMBER 2008 ASIAN TRAVELLER

Peace march organised by SKHF at Thiruvananthapuram to express solidarity to the victims of Mumbai terrorist attack

KERALA TRAVELLER

Kerala Single-Window System to Tourism Monitor Tourism Works Issues he Kerala Government is economic crisis and the T planning to introduce a terrorist attacks in Mumbai Statement single-window system to had not yet affected tourist

M Sivasankar IAS Director Kerala Tourism

erala Tourism has issued an official statement to help con vince visitors that Kerala has not in anyway been affected by the Mumbai incidents. The statement signed by M Sivasankar IAS, Director, Kerala Tourism said "we have not in any way been affected by the unfortunate incidents in Mumbai that occured two weeks ago. Life is absolutely normal here. In fact, with the advent of the tourist season, travelers from across the world have started coming in to soak in the peace and quiet of Kerala, India's greenest State." The statement further reiterated that "Kerala is in every way a safe destination for you to travel into".

monitor and coordinate tourism development works being implemented by various departments, said the Minister for Home and Tourism, Kodiyeri Balakrishnan. Answering questions in the State Assembly recently, the Minister said that the global

arrivals in the State. The Government had devised a new marketing strategy to overcome the crisis and promote the State as a safe tourism destination. Besides, Tourism Destination Development Councils had been set up.

Book on Kerala Released erala: A Poem in Green and Gold", a 250 page book published jointly by Kerala Tourism and Invis Infotech has been released recently. Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, Minister for Tourism, released the book by handing over a copy to Cherian Philip, Chairman, KTDC. Written by K. Jayakumar , poet, lyricist and senior civil servant, the is a study into the rich social, cultural and political heritage of Kerala and provides the reader with an insight into the development of the state into an important tourist destination well described as "God's Own Country".

My Country Initiative Unveiled he My Country initiative or 'Ente Nadu' conference will be held at Le Meridien Convention centre in Kochi on December 23 and 24 and will be

jointly organised by the state tourism and industry departments,

and around 500 representatives from various non resident keralite communities from different countries. The highlight of the initiative is an opportunity for the diaspora to join the Malayalee Tourism Brand Ambassador Programme, providing on-line opportunities for NRKs to earn special privileges and incentives for motivating people to visit Kerala. The Brand Ambassador Programme affords investment opportunities to partner in private initiatives like resorts, hotels, service apartments and home stays. The scheme will encourage Public-Private-

Partnership (PPP) model investment and development in identified locations. The NRK meet is jointly organized by the Kerala Tourism and the State Industries Department. Tourism Resorts Kerala Ltd. (TRKL), a Government of Kerala undertaking for tourismbased investment promotion and infrastructure development, will act as the nodal agency for the event. "This initiative will be the first of its kind that acts as a perfect platform for inviting non resident Keralites to invest in the tourism sector in their homeland. It will also act as a helpdesk for all activities

except their daily business and said TK Mansoor, MD, TRKL. Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, Kerala Minister for Tourism the 'Ente Nadu' logo and www.keralatourism.org/nrkmeet website was launched by Industries Minister Elamaram Kareem recently. Partners of the Ente Nadu Kerala Tourism NRK initiative include Non Resident Keralite Affairs Department (NORKA), Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation (KSIDC), Kerala Financial Corporation (KFC), Kerala Tourism Development Corporation (KTDC) and the State Public Relations Directorate (PRD).

'Paathiramanal' to Become a Bio-Park athiramanal, a picturesque island in the Vembanadu Lake, is all set to become a bio-park. The project, which is meant to protect the natural beauty and environmental specialties of the place, has been inaugurated by V. S. Achuthanandan, Chief Minister. Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, Minister for Tourism, laid the foundation stone for the project, which is undertaken

by Kerala Tourism under its eco-tourist initiatives. The project will be implemented through agencies like Centre for Earth Science Studies, Fisheries Resource Management Association, Kerala Agricultural University, Kerala Forest Research Institute and National Museum of Natural History. ASIAN TRAVELLER DECEMBER 2008

ALBUM

DECEMBER 2008 ASIAN TRAVELLER

I N D U S T RY

WINDOWS

VARIETY

WelcomHeritage Hotel Directory Wins IATO Award

1. What is the literal meaning of the word 'crocodile'? 2. International cosmetic brand Lakme is from an Indian goddess' name. Name the goddess.

crocodile

3. Who coined the famous term 'American Dream'? 4. What is the origin of the word 'crony' meaning a friend? 5. What is Chunnel?

Sunil Sikka, Head - Marketing & Business Development, WelcomHeritage receives IATO Award for Best Brochure of the year 2007-08, from Murali Dhar Chanderkant Bhandari, the Governor of Orissa at Bhubaneshwar.

6. What is a folivore? 7. What are Tay, Spey, and Clyde? 8. What is the motto of Harvard University?

JANUARY 2009 ASEAN Tourism Forum, Hanoi, Vietnam

January 5-12

India Outbound, Mumbai

January 8-10

Monte Carlo travel Market, TBA Monaco

January 9-11

Harvard University

River Darling

9. What is a simulcast? 10. Where is River Darling? Compiled by DEEKAY

Camel Fair, Bikaner, Rajasthan

January 10-11

Kite Festival, Jaipur, Rajasthan

January 14

TTF OTM, Bangalore

January 16-18

Holiday World Dublin, Dublin, Ireland

January 23-25

Holiday Expo, Coimbatore

January 24-26

Austrian and Central European Travel Business (ACTB), Austria

January 25-27

FITUR Madrid

January 30 - February 03

India Travel Mart, Ahmedabad, Gujarat

January 30 - February 01

Send in your answers to info@mediastepsindia.com with TYKC15 in the the subject line. Answers should reach us before the 30th of this month.

Answers of TYKC - 14 1. One who operates from home, 2. Betel-Nut ('Pakku' in Tamil), 3. El-Al of Israel, 4. Field of Roses ( Roose + Veldt, Dutch for 'rose + field'), 5. STRENGTH, 6. Windermere, 7. 88, 8. Sodium thiopental ( trade name : Sodium Pentothal), 9. 14,300, 10. Philippine Airline

TYKC 14 - Winner

FEBRUARY 2009 Destination London, England

February 5-8

TTF OTM, Mumbai

February 7-9

TTF OTM, New Delhi

February 12-4

AIME, Australia

February 17-18

Taj Mahotsav, Agra, India

February 18-27

BIT Milan

February 19-22

IITM, Cochin

February 20-22

India Travel Mart, Chandigarh, Hariyana

February 20-22

MARCH 2009 Holiday Expo, Vadodara ITB BERLIN, Berlin, Germany

DECEMBER 2008 ASIAN TRAVELLER

March 1 - 3 March 11-15

Abhishek Gupta Marol Maroshi, Andheri West, Mumbai

One all-correct entry will get Free Stay at Le-Meridien, Kochi

[ 2 nights and 3 days for two ]* Nestled amongst 25 acres of coconut groves and backwater rivers, Le MĂŠridien Cochin Resort & Convention Centre sits at the heart of one of India's most naturally beautiful cities, Kochi. This prestigious landmark houses 5 floors of luxurious accommodation for international business and leisure travelers. The 151 spacious rooms and suites, most with breathtaking views over the manicured gardens and the backwaters. * Conditions apply