Vol. 3 • No. 1 • October 2009
Inside
this issue 10
PATA's New Structure Reflects Drive for Change
24
IT&CMA Ends on a Positive Note
26
ITB Asia Closes With Numbers Stable, Buyer Qualit y Up
32
India, Saudi Arabia to Increase Cooperation in Tourism Sector
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China and India to Lead Hospitalit y Business
54
STB, Industr y Leaders to Develop Tourism 2020 Roadmap
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7
Season of Hope Dawns
The world tourism has started showing signs of recovery if the preliminary international tourism figures until August this year is anything to go buy. All signs are that the worst is over for global tourism but an imminent recovery is not yet assured.
8
Asia Pacific Tourism Shows Up Ward Trends
Amit Aggarwal Co Founder and CTO VIA
Marinique Truter Executive Manager World Luxury Hotel Awards
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p 40
Ahmad Zuhri Manager India, SilkAir
Amith Sumanapala General Manager, SriLankan Holidays and Mice Division, SriLankan Airlines
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p 86
Figures released by the PATA has shown that the numbers of international visitors to the Asia Pacific region fell by an estimated six percent in July 2009 compared to July 2008, an improvement over the months of May and June which recorded year-on-year reductions of 10 per cent and eight percent respectively.
12 Increasing Confidence in 2010 Recover y for the Tourism Sector The conditions of the tourism market are starting to indicate stronger prospects for a recovery in 2010. These include macroeconomic upward revisions from the IMF together with preliminary international tourism figures until August this year.
30 Middleman Beware - Consumer Empowerment on the March The year 2009 is being tipped as the 'Year of the Deal' when online travel in Asia will come into its own. Online Travel Agencies operating in the region are still reporting grow th in transaction volumes albeit yields are down.
Columns 46 Flying High
58 As I Travel
A
Publication
Editor & Publisher Group Editor Vice President & CEO Executive Editor Consultant Editors
S P E C I A L
: : : : :
Photo Editor : Art Editor : Editorial Team : Director (Marketing) Director (Finance) Legal Advisor Financial Advisor G.M-Nor th Sr.Mgr. Tamilnadu
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80 Saving the Great Indian Bustard 88
Deepavali Lighting up Lives
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Puttan Malika Palace
KSA Sam Mathew, Tel: 00966-505150513 London Abdul Najeeb, Tel: 0044-7769940391 UAE Sanjeev S. L., Tel: 00971 508914709 Kuwait Mariam Titus, Tel: 00965 6638670 New Delhi V. K. Gangal, Tel: 09871180498 Mumbai Mahesh Nair, Tel: 022 32499989 Bangalore Sandeep Viswanath, 09845179243 Chennai Nisha J., Tel: 09841008588 Hyderabad K.S. Johnson, Tel: 09441236010 Dehradun P. Mohandas, Tel: 09719055472 Madurai P. Deenadayalu, Tel: 09843129535 Ernakulam M. P. Sreekumar, Tel: 09447118694 Thiruvananthapuram Vinu V. Nair, Tel: 09745444177 Administration Jaya Rajeshwari, Soniya S., Vidhu Krishna, Jayesh
94 Go Wild, Go Green 96
: : : : : :
G. Biju Krishnan G. Gopakumar* M. P. Sreekumar Lerbin T. K. A.G.K. Kumar Om Prakash Sahgal Retheesh Kariyam Amal Prasad R. Parameswaran Smitha R. Vinu V. Nair K. Harikrishnan Adv. G.S. Prakash B. Prasad Wg. Cdr. V. K. Gangal P. Deenadayalu
Kerala A Student's Paradise
104 Those Snow y Yellow Evenings
98 Footloose in Australia Cover Photo Courtesy: VISIT LONDON
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, w w w.mediastepsindia.com Regd. Of fice: Media Steps India, TC-27/1915, MBRRA 70, Mathrubhoomi Rd., Thiruvananthapuram–695 001, Kerala State, South India. Mumbai Of fice: 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, AP, India Tel.: +91 40 23080750, +91 40 23176966, +91 40 23176996, Fax: +91 40 27535260 Chennai Of fice: Media Steps India, 6/4, Sangeetha Gardens, 19th Street Ex t, Jai Nagar, Arumbakkam, Chennai - 600 106. Tel: +91 44 42640531 Edited, Printed & Published by G. Biju Krishnan and Printed at M/s. Safire Of fset Printers, Sivakasi, Tamil Nadu for Cristal Printers, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala State, South India. Reg No.: KERENG 01910/11/1/2006-TC New Reg No.: KERENG / 2007 / 28719 RNI Reg. No.: 101276 The news items and Adver tisements published herein have been collected from various source, which are considered to be reliable. Readers are however requested to verif y the facts before making business decisions using the same. No par t of this magazine may be reproduced without the written permission from the Publisher. All rights reser ved. Copyright © 2008 *Responsible for selection of news under the PRB Act
editor ’s note
orld over another tourism season is about to begin. Every one is keeping their fingers crossed. If the indications and projections are anything to go by the tourism industry is heading for better times - comparatively that is. The downward slide in international tourism that emerged during the second half of 2008 as a result of the economic slow down that rattled the economies world over, intensified in 2009 under the impact of the rapid deterioration of the world economy, combined in various destinations with the effects of the influenza A(H1N1) outbreak this spring. As UNWTO Secretary-General Taleb Rifai pointed out the latest economic data and prospects indicate that the world economy may be starting to emerge from its most severe recession of the post second world war period and in tourism too there are signs that confidence is returning and that demand is improving for both business and leisure travel. Still there is a lot of uncertainty about the prospects. At the same time there are signs indicating that the turning point may also have been reached in the tourism sector. The tourist arrivals for July 2009 have showed a relative improvement compared to the same period last year. For countries that already reported data for August, these two high season months have not in general been as depressed as the first six months of the year. Other industry indicators from air transport and accommodation sectors corroborate this upward trend. Reports from other parts of the world, especially destinations in Asia which suffered huge losses as a result of the economic slow down is also encouraging. It is also heartening to note that governments all over the world have realised the importance of tourism as a tool and vehicle to overcome the current crisis. "Governments which can continue to stimulate a quicker revival and implement short-term macroeconomic stimulus will contribute to reducing losses and mitigating the impact of the crisis", said a UNWTO statement. It has also pointed out that, "Travel and tourism can support short-term stimulus actions, namely those aimed at creating and sustaining jobs, as well as the long-term transformation to a Green Economy". Tourism is one of the largest employment sectors in most countries and a fast entry vehicle into the workforce, directly, or through its strong multiplier effect on related services such as construction, maintenance, commerce or agriculture. As things stand now the tourism industry seems to be on a recovery path. It seems the darkest hour is past.
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G. BIJU KRISHNAN Editor & Publisher editor@mediastepsindia.com OCTOBER 2009
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ASIAN TRAVELLER
over view
UNWTO Says Global Tourism Will Recover in 2010
Season of Hope Dawns T
he world tourism has started showing signs of recovery if the preliminary international tourism figures until August this year is anything to go buy. All signs are that the worst is over for global tourism but an imminent recovery is not yet assured. The United Nations World Tourism Organizations (UNWTO) says data shows some moderation in declining international arrivals by air for the first half of this year. It said conditions in the market were starting to indicate stronger prospects for a recovery in 2010. The organization said international arrivals declined by 4 per cent in July, a relative improvement when compared with a 10 per cent decrease in May and 7 per cent in June. These observations were made at a meeting of tourism leaders from 142 countries who met in Kazakhstan in early October to endorse a road map for recovery in a bid to boost global travel. The World Tourism Organizations' forum coincides with the worst slump in tourism history. The meeting called on world leaders to prioritise tourism in their economic agendas and use it as a vehicle to create and sustain jobs. "The message is that our sector can make a significant contribution to the international efforts to sustain and stimulate global recovery and ultimately to move to the green economy," said Jeffrey Littman, Assistant Secretary General of the UNWTO. UNWTO has presented a Roadmap for Recovery at its General Assembly, highlighting the contribution tourism can make to the ongoing global efforts to tackle the economic crisis, positioning tourism as a primary vehicle for job creation and economic recovery, and the transformation to the Green Economy. "Long- term prospects remain positive if the sector is able to address its challenges in a coordinated and effective manner," said Secretary-General Taleb Rifai. "Today, world leaders are working together in ways that would have been unimaginable at any time in the past, to coordinate and collaborate on economy, climate response and the development agenda. The tourism sector should do the same on the road to recovery and towards a more sustainable industry," he added. ASIAN TRAVELLER
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OCTOBER 2009
pata
Asia Pacific Tourism Shows Up Ward Trends igures released by the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) has shown that the numbers of international visitors to the Asia Pacific region fell by an estimated six percent in July 2009 compared to July 2008, an improvement over the months of May and June which recorded year-on-year reductions of 10 per cent and eight percent respectively. More importantly, international arrivals to
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South Asia showed a yearon-year increase of two percent in arrivals for July 2009, a result partly boosted by increased travel demand to Sri Lanka (+28 per cent) and Nepal (air only, +10 per cent). India, the dominant destination for foreign arrivals into South Asia, also reported its second straight month of improvement, albeit marginally. Similarly, arrivals to Southeast Asia appeared to also be on the mend as the year-on-year rate of decline slowed to less than minus three percent, due mainly to the much improved but still negative results from Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. International arrivals to Northeast Asia were down by about six percent in July,
depressed by the doubledigit declines for arrivals to Hong Kong SAR, Macau SAR and Japan. The overall rate of decline for Northeast Asia was mitigated by a smaller fall in travel demand for China (minus three percent) together with increased demand for Korea (ROK) and Chinese Taipei, where growth for the month was recorded at seven percent and 13 percent respectively. The Pacific recorded an aggregate international visitor number drop of five percent in July, a result driven in part by a steep fall in arrivals to Australia (-12.8 percent). According to John Koldowski, Director of PATA's
Strategic Intelligence Centre (SIC), “These latest results confirm that John Koldowski, Director the of PATA's Strategic prevailing Intelligence Centre depressed market conditions are still having an impact on international travel flows and, while the global economy appears to be showing signs of renewed activity in some areas, it is doing so at a sluggish pace. The reality is that there is no quick fix for the travel and tourism industry. We are still fighting to get back to ground zero.”
incredible india
Incredible India Campaign Gets UK Award
T
he Incredible India cam paign, showcasing India as a destination of choice for global tourists, has won a rare UK award for the most creative media campaign using ethnic imagery. The 'GG2 Campaign of the Year' award was presented to Jagdish Chander, Director, India tourist Of fice, UK and Ireland, by Cherie Blair, wife of former British Prime Minister Tony Blair. The incredible
OCTOBER 2009
India campaign launched in 2002 was aimed at drawing the discerning tourist to India. Since then the eye-catching imagery has won awards and helped boost tourist arrivals to the country, the citation said. "The worldwide campaign showcased India as a destination of choice for art aficionados, culture vultures, film buf fs and thrill seekers and Jagdish Chander, Director, Indiatourism, London receives the award from Cherie Blair, wife of Tony Blair, former British Prime Minister. spa lovers," it said.
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ASIAN TRAVELLER
pata
PATA's New Structure Reflects Drive for Change ATA has introduced a new organisation structure designed to streamline the Association's wide range of services to its global membership base.
activities previously undertaken by the Association's Events and Membership departments as well as the new PATA website now under development. The new website, scheduled to go live in Q1 2010, provides a trading portal for members and nonThe new Office of members as well as offering Strategy Management, a much-improved online headed by John Koldowski, purchasing system. The embraces all functions OMS also provides new performed within the PATA focus upon and improved Strategic Intelligence Centre, liaison with the network of such as market analysis and PATA Chapters worldwide. tourism forecasting, as well The Special Membership as a new 'Business Services' Services division gives new operation. focus to developing new The Office of Marketing opportunities for PATA Services, headed by Sheila growth, particularly amongst Leong, consolidates all younger members of the
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travel and tourism community as well as in specific business sectors such Greg Duffell as the newly PATA CEO created 'Hospitality' membership category. PATA Regional Directors sit within this new division. As part of the reorganisation John Koldowski and Sheila Leong become Deputy Chief Executives of the Pacific Asia Travel Association. The reorganisation dovetails with the launch of a threeyear business plan at the Association's recent Board of Directors meeting in
Hangzhou, China (PRC). PATA CEO Greg Duffell explains," John Koldowski, Director We're of PATA's Strategic determined Intelligence Centre to remain relevant to and engage with all our members. By creating a path of least resistance through the PATA matrix of members, boards and management, communication will now be improved significantly. This essential realignment also allows me to better leverage the enormous pool of talent, knowledge and experience that resides within the Association."
PATA Makes Strong Case for Sustainable Tourism ATA is creating a series of online forums where the travel and tourism industry may share knowledge about issues relating to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). The first forum deals with sustainable tourism. PATA has also developed a guide to Sustainable Tourism to support an initiative from the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ) and SNV Asia of the Netherlands. The guide features the work of 15 PATA members within the Asia-Pacific region that covers a variety of projects undertaken by hotels, dive sites and trekking operations. The case studies include
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OCTOBER 2009
details of why the companies concerned opted for a more responsible approach; work undertaken and the results that, in every case, produced tangible benefits for tourists, the industry and the environment. PATA is actively looking for more successful CSR case studies Launching the guide, PATA secretary and treasurer Anthony Wong said, "I thank GTZ and SNV (Asia) for their involvement in this initiative. I recommend everyone to join in the online forum that acts as an exchange of ideas on CSR and Best Practice matters. The guide underlines our joint commitment and demonstrates that CSR can
be both realistic and make good business sense." GTZ and SNV (Asia) identified the need to publish a best practice guide for hotels and operators in Asia Pacific in response to growing demand for information on issues of corporate governance, social and environmental sustainability, climate change, gender equality and empowerment. The launch follows PATA's recent restatement of its commitment to sustainable tourism and CSR with the adoption of a 'Charter of Sustainability and Social Responsibility'. PATA seeks to provide 'leadership towards the achievement of environmental and economic
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sustainability, cultural preservation and social responsibility by the tourism and travel industry in Asia Pacific'. The Charter also pledges to 'advance the role of tourism in poverty alleviation, social cohesion, cultural awareness and preservation of human dignity.' PATA is now seeking support for the charter from a broad range of travel and tourism organisations including national tourism organisations. The cooperation with GTZ and SNV Asia is the first of what PATA expects will be a series of partnerships to ensure effective implementation of social responsibility programmes. ASIAN TRAVELLER
world view
Increasing Confidence in 2010 Recover y for the Tourism Sector
T
he conditions of the tourism market are starting to indicate stronger prospects for a recovery in 2010. These include macroeconomic upward revisions from the IMF together with preliminary international tourism figures until August this year. This suggests some moderation in the declining results of the first half of this year. In addition, the UNWTO Panel of Experts Confidence Index reflects stronger confidence in market conditions. International arrivals declined by 4 per cent in July this year, a relative improvement when compared to decreases of 10 per cent in May and 7 per cent in June. Many destinations show a similar pattern of a gradual change for the better, particularly in Asia, Europe and the Middle East. The negative trend in international tourism that emerged during the second half of 2008 intensified in 2009 under the impact of the rapid deterioration of the world economy, combined in various destinations with the effects of the influenza A(H1N1)
OCTOBER 2009
outbreak this spring. Based on preliminary results from about 140 destination countries, international tourist arrivals worldwide are estimated to have declined by 7 per cent in the period January to July 2009, compared to the same period last year. In absolute terms, the number of international tourist arrivals worldwide reached 500 million in the first seven months of 2009,
down from 540 million in the same period of 2008. Arrivals in 2009 are currently between the levels of 2007 and 2006. The first seven months of the year generally account for roughly 57 per cent of the total annual number. Though much
uncertainty persists, there are signs indicating that the turning point may also have been reached in the tourism sector. Data for July show a relative improvement and for countries that already reported data for August, these two high season months have not in general been as depressed as the first six months of the year. Other industry indicators from air transport and accommodation sectors corroborate this upward trend. "As the latest economic data and prospects indicate that the world economy may be starting to emerge from its most severe recession of the post second world war period, in tourism too there are signs that confidence is returning and that demand is improving for both business and leisure travel" said Taleb Rifai, UNWTO SecretaryGeneral. The economic conditions, combined with the uncertainties brought about by the influenza A (H1N1), are expected to continue impacting tourism demand - at least in the short term. As
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decline rates are anticipated to ease during the remainder of 2009, international tourism is forecast to decrease within a range of -6 per cent and -4 per cent this year. And though many sub-regions might return to growth in the last months of 2009, this will not be enough to compensate for the losses felt so far. Growth for the full year is projected to be negative in all regions, except for Africa. These results reflect international tourist arrivals only, for which comprehensive data is currently available. Domestic markets, highly important for many destinations and actively stimulated by numerous governments during the crisis, are expected to have done comparatively better. Still, this will not compensate for the losses in international markets. As in previous crises, tourism earnings are expected to suffer somewhat more than arrivals as consumers tend to trade down, stay closer to home and travel for shorter periods of time.
ASIAN TRAVELLER
face to face
Our Vision Is To Make Assam
A World Class Tourist Destination Rockybul Hussain, Minister for Forest and Tourism, Assam spoke to Asian Traveller about the tourism sector in the state and various plans the government is having to make it a world class tourism destination. Excerpts:
The tourism sector in India has been af fected seriously by the recent economic meltdown. How has it affected Assam? How do you plan to over come this? Not withstanding the economic slow down, the numbers of domestic tourists to Assam went up to 36.17 lakh in 2008 in comparison to 34.36 lakh in 2007 and 32.68 lakh in 2006. Thus, there has been about 10 per cent grow th in 2008 over the year 2006. Likewise, the numbers of foreign tourist went up to 14,426 in 2008 as against 13,105 in 2007 and 11,151 in 2006. It is, however, a fact that private investment in tourism sector would have been higher if the sector would not have faced the economic melt down. The State Government have enhanced the budget allocation from Rs. 4.50 crore in 2002-03 to Rs. 14.73 crore in 2009-10. The Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, have also sanctioned Rs.56.58 crore during the three years period from 2006-07 to 200809 as against Rs. 49.62 crore in previous ten years from 1996-97 to 2005-06. The State Government has also introduced Assam Tourism Policy 2008 for the first time. The main thrust of the policy is to develop the sector through Public Private Partnership and provide various
OCTOBER 2009
incentives to the private stakeholders, which will certainly help Assam Tourism for its grow th and promotion. Moreover, the State Government has taken steps for development of roads, electricity and development of other infrastructure to overcome the problems. What exactly is the role of the state government in tourism development? The role of government is basically to develop tourism infrastructure and promotion of the sector through publicity and marketing. Over the years, development of tourism infrastructure has been taken up in all the important tourist hot spots in Assam. Publicity and marketing have been given a boost by participating in various tourism mar ts within and outside the country and also by organizing tourism fair and festivals to ' at tract the tourists. The Government role is that of a facilitator and to act as catalyst for grow th of the sector. Tourism is a very important sector for economic grow th of the State of Assam. It has huge tourism potential and Assam is more focused today as a popular tourist destination. Its wild life, pilgrims centers, heritage and culture, large bio-diversity, flora and fauna, handlooms and handicraf ts,
colour ful life style of its dif ferent tribes etc. are sources of immense tourism potential. This sector has provided direct and indirect employment to a large numbers of youths. Under the dynamic leadership of our Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, Assam Bikas Yojona has been launched on May 26, 2008 covering a number of impor tant development schemes under various sectors including tourism sector. For tourism sector, about 30crore would be provided to educated unemployed youths as margin money assistance for taking up tourism ventures like tourist transpor t, restaurant and dhabas, travel agencies, rural tourism etc. How important is tourism to the economy of the state? How much revenue do you earn from tourism? The revenue earning of the Assam Tourism Development Corporation, an agency of the State Government has gone up by about four times during last five years. Revenue from accommodation facilities under tourism department has also increased. What are the strengths your state in the tourism front? We have given thrust in religious tourism by developing pilgrimage facilities at Kamakhaya Temple, developing a Buddhuist
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Circuit (Covering eleven Buddhist Temples in the State) Poa Mecca at Hajo etc. We also propose to develop a Tea Tourism Circuit besides taking up infrastructure development in all the impor tant cultural spots. What are the main problems confronted by the tourism industry in your state? How do you tackle it? The main problems faced by tourism industry in Assam was earlier that of connectivity and a negative image. Today, Rail, Road and Air connectivity have vastly improved. Guwahati has emerged as a very important Railway Station and Airport in the entire country. It has become an important tourist hub and major center of trade and commerce. There has been considerable improvement in image correction because of the ef forts put by the present Government. Assam is as peaceful as any other state and the problem of negative publicity has been reduced to a large ex tent. Do you have (plan to have) any joint venture projects with neighbouring states? The ef fort of the Tourism depar tment is to establish Regional Tourist Circuits linking up the all the neighbouring states namely contd. on page 42
ASIAN TRAVELLER
wtm
Mayor of London to Open 30th World Travel Market oris Johnson, the Mayor of London will formally open the 30th World Travel Market at ExCeL London on November 9. The Mayor, who passionately promotes London across the world, will welcome nearly 50,000 UK and overseas visitors to the premier global event for the travel industry. "London has always been one of the world's major trading posts - for thousands of years, buyers and sellers have met here to strike deals and exchange goods, ideas and information. The city also welcomes more international visitors than any other on the planet, so it is entirely appropriate that the world's travel trade should continue to choose the capital for their annual gathering", said the Mayor. "Boris Johnson has become the face of London", said Fiona Jeffery, Chairman of World Travel Market. "He became known to millions on television when he invited the world in Beijing to come to London for the 2012 Olympics. "In the buildup to the next Olympics, the international travel industry is playing an important role in helping people from across the world to visit the UK for the world's greatest sporting event." Boris Johnson, London Mayor For nearly a year the Mayor has been backing a major tourism campaign to attract domestic and overseas visitors to London. The aim of the campaign is to provide a £60 million boost to the capital's economy by the end of 2009. The campaign focus is on London's unique experiences, sights and attractions. World Travel Market's opening ceremony with Boris Johnson takes place on November 9 at Platinum Suite 4, ExCeL - London.
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ASIAN TRAVELLER
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World Travel Market Chairman Fiona Jeffery and Exhibition Director Craig Moyes outside WTM’s home ExCeL - London.
OCTOBER 2009
wtm
Marketing Sustainable Tourism It can Help Improve Profits, Says World Travel Market
W
orld Travel Market is aiming to smash the myth that responsible tourism cannot contribute to the bot tom line. A groundbreaking one-day conference 'The Business Case for Responsible Tourism' will be held on November 12 at ExCeL London, bringing together some of the world's most respected and experienced responsible tourism specialists. The conference will be chaired by Prof. Harold Goodwin, the world's only responsible tourism professor, director of the International Centre for Responsible Tourism at Leeds Metropolitan University, UK and advisor to World Travel Market. "Many businesses are working towards incorporating sustainability into the core of their products. Quite of ten these products are the result of a well thought sustainability concept and
yet the entrepreneurs behind it fail to reach the marketplace, because they lack marketing expertise and knowledge of the tourism industry's distribution channels", said Harold Goodwin. "Tourism companies, par ticularly small firms from developing countries, suf fer from poor targeting, market segmentation and positioning, low consumer product knowledge, and consumer risk perception", he added. "However, I am pleased to say that many successful companies large and small are clearly demonstrating that responsible tourism can and is an impor tant part of a successful sales and marketing strategy" Justin Francis, Managing Director and co-founder of responsibletravel.com, Catherine Mack, a journalist who specializes on responsible tourism, George Hickton, Chief Executive, Tourism New Zealand Dr Xavier Font,
Director of Studies at the International Centre for Responsible Tourism, Leeds Metropolitan University UK and Andy Cooper,
past 16 years, said, "This conference tackles responsible tourism in quite a dif ferent manner. Its remit is par ticularly relevant in these
Prof. Harold Goodwin with Fiona Jeffery
Director of Government and Ex ternal Af fairs, Thomas Cook, will speak about various aspects of sustainable tourism. Fiona Jef fery, World Travel Market's Chairman and a pioneer of responsible tourism over the
challenging economic times.". The conference, which follows WTM World Responsible Tourism Day, encouraging universal responsible tourism action, is aimed at middle and senior management working in all sectors of the industry.
Roadmap for Recovery Sustainable Tourism in Challenging Times
M
ore than a hundred tourism ministers and senior government of ficials are to meet at this year's World Travel Market in London to address the most far-reaching and challenging global environment ever experienced by the travel and tourism industry.
The high-level third annual United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Ministers' Summit is on November 10 at ExCeL - London, hosted by World Travel Market. Delegates will be able to follow the talks on giant screens in the Central Boulevard. Crucially, the summit will
OCTOBER 2009
assess the ef fects of the economic crisis on the industry and examine new solutions to overcome serious long term issues such as climate change and pover ty. "UNWTO figures for 2009 indicate a continuation of the negative grow th already experienced in the second half of 2008", said Taleb Rifai, UNWTO's Secretary General Elect. "Destinations across the globe have suf fered from a decrease in demand in all major source markets. UNWTO is currently in the process of monitoring and evaluating response actions to counter the ef fects of the crisis on tourism. These actions include fiscal and monetary measures, increased marketing and promotion ef forts and international cooperation, as reflected in the
'Initial Assessment on Tourism and Economic Stimulus' report", he said. "A Taleb Rifai Roadmap for Secretary, UNWTO Recovery is also being developed by the UNWTO, a set of guidelines to help tourism stakeholders navigate through the crisis. With the right guidance the sector can not only recover but also play an impor tant role on a global level." "Governments, Ministers and the private sector have a mountain to climb in the nex t few years, realigning policies and business strategies that meet the demands of a very dif ferent world to the one we have known," said Fiona Jef fery, Chairman of World Travel
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Market. UNWTO and WTM will bring together ministers and leading tourism experts to determine the best course of action for the industry. The summit will have three output-oriented debate panels, dealing with key considerations and actively engaging public and private stakeholders. Tourism: Tracking the Global Economic Crisis - focus on the impact of national responses to the crisis. Positioning Travel & Tourism in the Global Agenda - focus on tourism in the G20 and in relation to sustainable development. The Way Forward, Future Challenges & the Transformation to a Green Economy - focus on the post-crisis industry, relevant structural changes and the need to pursue a green agenda.
ASIAN TRAVELLER
wtm
TUI Travel Chief to be in ‘Hot Seat’
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eter Long, Chief Executive of TUI Travel and the group's ex tensive sustainability programme, is under the spotlight at this year's World Travel Market. As boss of Europe's largest leisure travel company, Long will be put 'on the spot' by Stephen Sackur, presenter of BBC World's flagship news programme HARDtalk. Hot Seat, Peter Long one of the Chief Executive, TUI keynote attractions at WTM's World Responsible Tourism Day (WRTD), sponsored by BBC World News, on November 11 at London ExCeL, is an opportunity to hear one of the world's leading senior industry figures explain why they are so committed to a green agenda. Fiona Jef fery, Chairman of World Travel Market said she was delighted that Peter Long had
accepted an invitation to participate in WTM World Responsible Tourism Day. "Hot Seat is one of the undoubted highlights of WTM WRTD", she said. "In the past, responsible tourism was confined to smaller, specialist companies but now
leading mass market operators such as TUI Travel are demonstrating that sustainability and commercial success can and are going hand in hand. TUI Travel rightly recognise that the environment, communities and cultures in which it operates are vital to the success of the business." "Sustainable development is central to the way we run and manage TUI Travel", said Peter Long. "Sustainability is one of our four key drivers for growth, and the
Group Strategy team has taken into consideration sustainable development issues - with particular reference to climate change - when developing our business strategy." "We have recently issued our first Sustainable Development report which documents the progress our businesses have made towards providing holidays that cause minimal environmental impact, respect the culture and people of destinations and of fer real economic benefit to local
communities," added Peter Long. "We are determined to not only talk about our commitment to sustainable development but to embed and action this within our businesses. Our aspirations are to lead in sustainable development within the leisure travel industry and to
World Travel Market Improves Admission Policy World Travel Market, the premier global event for the travel industry, has improved its existing admission policy.
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aunched last year the new admission policy is designed to benefit both exhibitors and visitors. The policy gives exhibitors greater choice over who at tends on the first day of the event (November 9) and all WTM delegates more flexibility over when to at tend. In 2008 this policy led to an overall increase in visitor at tendance with almost 50,000 (49,963) participants attending across the four days - an increase of 4 per cent on 2007. On day-one WTM will be open to all exhibitors, exhibitor invitees, ministers, press and WTM invitees. Day-two which is a day of conference, seminar and event is open to all exhibitors, Meridian Club members, travel trade professionals, exhibitor invitees, ministers and press. On day-three exhibition and
OCTOBER 2009
conference, seminar and event programme are open to all exhibitors, Meridian Club members, travel trade professionals, exhibitor invitees, ministers, press and students (University and second year college students only). WTM remains a four day trade event with a comprehensive conference, seminar and events. Par ticipants to WTM are welcome to at tend these sessions and visitor numbers are expected to rise in accordance. World Travel Market's Exhibition Director Craig Moyes said, "Last year the new admission policy created more flexibility for
par ticipants over which days of World Travel Market to at tend. The policy underpins the value of WTM as a four-day trade-only business forum for the travel and tourism industry and reinforces the significance of delivering buyers to exhibitors, while also delivering a
comprehensive seminar conference and event programme to all WTM delegates."
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develop this in the wider marketplace. We still have a long way to go, but I believe that the steps we have taken in the last year have set us on course to make a real contribution to a more sustainable world." WTM World Responsible Tourism Day, in association with the UNWTO and supported by major industry associations such as WTTC and PATA, is the world's most ambitious responsible tourism day of action, illustrating to consumers worldwide that travel and tourism is listening to their demands for a caring, Stephen Sackur more sensitive BBC World approach from the industry. The day aims to educate and inspire the industry. A programme of debates, presentations, seminars and workshops ends with a net working event.
Free Travel Offers to WTM Visitors
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orld Travel Market is offering free travel to visitors at tending this year's event. WTM is giving away 5,000 of f-peak London Travelcards for the Thursday of the event (12 November). The free London Travelcards are available to the travel industry's senior buyers, who are all members of WTM's Meridian Club. The Travelcards of fer Meridian Club members free travel on London Underground, Docklands Light Railway and London train ser vices af ter 9.30am on Thursday 12 November. Meridian Club members can collect a free Thursday Travelcard at WTM on Tuesday 10 and Wednesday 11 November, on a first come first ser ve basis.
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WTM to Host Inaugural Future You Conference for Industr y's Students orld Travel Market 2009 will play host to the successor to the ASPIRE Conference for the industry's students Future You conference. The inaugural Future You, organised by the Institute for Travel Tourism and the Tourism Society, will take place at WTM 2009, giving undergraduates crucial expert industry advice on a range of issues from CV and interview tips, extra training and how to find the perfect job. The ITT launched ASPIRE in 2004, and was
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aimed at the industry's students and young professionals, with the event taking place at various locations around the UK until 2007. In a new collaboration to cater for both audiences WTM, ITT and the Tourism Society is now offering Future You for students and the Travel Agents' Day Programme, which includes three practical sessions, for the young professionals already working in the industry. Future You is free conference available to the
first 600 students who register. World Travel Market Head of Marketing and Communications Micaela Juarez said, "The current financial downturn means future graduates are facing the toughest jobs market in generations. World Travel Market, the ITT and the Tourism Society are pleased to be able to help students fulfil their potential and help them get their first break into one of the most dynamic and fast-paced industry's in the world."
Who Has Answers To The Gay Marketing Puzzle?
Free Hotel Coach Transfers for the First Time at WTM
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orld Travel Market is introducing free hotel coach transfers to and from the event for the first time this year. The free hotel coach transfers are one of a number of initiatives World Travel Market is introducing - on its own as well as in cooperation with Transport for London - to help mitigate the poor transport
Service is part of a comprehensive strategy to avoid transport problems of 2008
How About Gay and Lesbian Customers? orld Travel Market, the premier Ian Johnson, who is chairing the 90 minute global event for the travel masterclass, said, "The travel industry can industry, is to ask gay and lesbian struggle when it comes to marketing to the holidaymakers how they want the travel G&L community. The G&L market is industry to market to them. even more important to the travel industry The gay and lesbian customer panel than it ever was before as it has a more forms part of the Gay US research shows that resilient appetite for travel, Marketing Masterclass meaning the industry cannot while many heterosexual afford to get its G&L seminar, organised and hosted by G&L marketing travellers are planning marketing strategy wrong". consultancy Out Now, and is to cut back on their "Gay customers really are the first time the industry the greatest experts of all travel spend, more than when it comes to designing has sought the views of half of gay consumers G&L customers at a trade gay marketing strategies that event. The G&L market is work. That's why this year plan to spend as much growing in importance Out Now is bringing the on travel this year during the current worldwide opinions of gay travellers financial downturn, as it's more resilient themselves into the discussion at WTM," during these tough economic times than Johnson added. "In hearing their opinions, the heterosexual market. discovering relevant motivators and US research shows that while many unlocking the key travel concerns of gay heterosexual travellers are planning to cut and lesbians customers themselves during back on their travel spend, more than half this innovative seminar, those attending of gay consumers (55 per cent) plan to will discover a wealth of practical spend as much on travel this year as they information able to be profitably applied did in 2008, while 7 per cent are looking to to the development of their own lesbian spend more in 2009 than last year. and gay marketing strategies during 2010 Out Now Founder and Chief Executive and beyond."
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OCTOBER 2009
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experience of many visitors at last year's event. The 2008 transport issues were caused by a number of separate incidents on the London Underground and Docklands Light Railway. WTM is operating its free hotel coach transfer service from the following eight central London hotels throughout the four-day show. Millennium Gloucester, Millennium Mayfair, Quality Crown Hyde Park, Radisson Marlborough, Radisson Kenilworth, Thistle City Barbican, Mercure City Bankside and Quality Crown Kensington. The free hotel coach transfer service is only available to people staying in the eight selected hotels. ASIAN TRAVELLER
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30 World Travel Market Facts W
orld Travel Market, the premier global event for the travel industry, is this year celebrating its 30th event. World Travel Market first opened its doors back in 1980 when Margret Thatcher was Prime Minister and Blondie, Abba and David Bowie were all topping the music charts. More than 21 million UK and a massive 83 million US viewers tuned in to US TV soap Dallas to find out who shot JR. The news in 1980 was dominated by the election of former actor Ronald Reagan US President and the assassination
of Beatles legend John Lennon by Mark David Chapman. Also in 1980, the world's best selling toy the Rubik's Cube hit the international games shelves selling more than 390 million over the past 30 years. The Post-It Note became the must have office accessory, while the world discovered the identity of Luke Skywalker's father with the film release of The Empire Strikes Back. Below are 30 facts (some serious, some interesting and some quirky) you may or may not know about the 30 years of WTM.
WTM 30 Years 30 Facts
1
WTM almost did not take place at all. The critics told launch Exhibition Director Frank Boiteux WTM wouldn't work, which led Bryan Hope - the man behind the WTM concept - to question his own sanity. Bryan and Frank were determined to prove the doubters wrong.
2
Their determination and commitment to the WTM cause was almost defeated before the event launched by a contractors' strike days before the opening. Stage builders walked out over American exhibitors employing their own contractors.
3
World Travel Market has been hosted in three London venues, Olympia, Earl's Court and ExCeL - London. World Travel Market launched at Olympia in 1980 before moving to the larger Earl's Court in 1992. The premier global event for the travel industry
OCTOBER 2009
6
In 1985 security was increased with the opening ceremony a standing room only af fair as a record number of visitors watched Princess Diana open the event.
grew so popular it moved to London's largest exhibition centre ExCeL, London in 2002.
4
WTM has been opened by six royals, four British Government Ministers, seven industry figures, four explorers, an opera singer, t wo London Mayors and a Miss World.
5
The 1980 launch event was opened by both the Duke of Kent and Miss World, who was Kimberly Santos of Guam. A royal returned to WTM in 1989, with Princess Anne helping World Travel Market to celebrate its 10th anniversar y.
7
WTM has played host to a variety of animals over the past 29 years. Most famously, a West Indian exhibitor at tracted a lot of attention by bringing a parrot to its stand. The parrot slipped its chain and flew of f into the roof at Olympia. Despite elaborate at tempts to catch the bird it Kimberly Santos seemed an impossible task. The parrot finally returned later in the day of its own accord.
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8
A regular to WTM during the 80s was an armadillo, brought by the Texas delegation. The reptile lived in quarantine in London Zoo prior to its annual appearances at WTM. A crow, an elephant and a white horse are just some of the animals which have also at tended WTM over the past three decades.
9
One celebrity animal who nearly attended WTM was Grand National winning horse Red Rum, who was booked by an exhibitor in 1982. However, Red Rum the Hall Manager, a stickler for regulations, insisted an armed vet was on standby to shoot the national treasure in the case of a fire alarm!
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10
WTM has played host to an array of celebrities over the past three decades. Celebrit y WTM visitors have included film star Michael Douglas, entrepreneur Sir Michael Douglas Richard Branson, England football Manager Sven-Goran Eriksson, five-times Olympic gold medallist Sir Steve Redgrave and most recently Aussie soap star, singer and TV talent show judge Dannii Minogue.
11
Over the last 29 years WTM has held almost 11,000 (10,950) conference sessions. UK travel agents can collect Accredited Travel Professional (ATP) points for each WTM Travel Agents Programme session they attend.
12
Entertainment has always been at the forefront of WTM, bringing vibrancy and razzmatazz to the show floor. West End and Broadway composer Sir Andrew Lloyd Sir Andrew Webber Lloyd Webber tested a scene from one of his musicals at WTM, while River Dance has made several appearances.
13
The move to Earl's Court in 1992 saw the launch of the Meridian Club. The Meridian Club is for the industry's senior buyers, who use
Earl’s Court
WTM to negotiate deals with the exhibitors. Meridian Club launched with almost 7,000 (6,907) members, in 2008 it had almost 11,000 (10,981).
ASIAN TRAVELLER
14
Environmental Awareness Day, launched in 1994, was renamed World Responsible Tourism Day (WRTD) in 2004. WRTD, the only global day of action of its kind, is supported by the UNWTO and leading industry associations. The day is vital - for business, for profitability and for our planet. It means taking care of a world that we seek to promote, preserving our heritage and cultures and taking into account the views and needs of local communities.
15
The first WTM at Earl's Court saw the Boat Show's pool utilised as a Venice gondolier. Marilyn Monroe and Laurel and Hardy and other Hollywood lookalikes could all be spotted taking a leisurely ride on the water during World Travel Market.
16
During the last seven years of WTM more than 180,000 glasses of champagne have been toasted in celebration, 9,030 bot tles of house wine and 875,000 cups of cof fee have been drunk.
17
In 2008, more than 550 catering staf f worked at ExCeL London to keep WTM's exhibitors, visitors, international media and ministers refreshed with more than 37,000 canapés and more than 125,000 cups of cof fee.
18
WTM is run by a skilled exhibition event team comprising of more than 30 staf f working all year to deliver the premier global event for the travel industry.
19
The total combined exhibiting floor space over the past 29 years of WTM at Olympia, Earl's Court and ExCeL, London totals more than 1.3 million square
metres (1,311,290 m2). That's the equivalent of 325 football pitches!
20 21
A delegate visiting WTM for the four full days can expect to walk more than 100,000 steps. In 2008, one delegate walked an astounding 120,000 steps - that's a whooping 60 miles burning almost 1,600 calories.
22
World Travel Market has played host to almost half a million (493,000) exhibitors over the past 29 years, with 198 countries and regions represented.
23
Last year WTM smashed its participant record with almost 50,000 (49,963) exhibitors, visitors, international media attending the event - an increase of 4 per cent on 2007.
24
WTM has the largest reoccurring Press Centre in the UK. Beaten only by the largest one-of f press centre in the UK, which was the Commonwealth Games in Manchester 2002.
27
In 1998, Jef fery founded international water-aid charity Just A Drop. The charity raises desperately needed funds to build wells,
bore holes, hand pumps and run health and sanitation programmes throughout the world. Just a Drop has raised more than £1million and supported 900,000 people in 28 countries around the world.
28
WTM welcomes per formers from all corners of the globe to descend upon WTM to showcase their countries origins and traditions. Bizarre requests include t wo people dressing up as mosquitoes and a 'naked' Lady Godiva riding a white horse.
29
WTM has worked with the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) for the past three years to produce the In 2008, WTM Ministers' Summit at WTM. Last updated its admission policy to make year the top-level gathering brought together the largest the Monday of the event an inviteonly day for exhibitors' key contacts number of tourism Ministers and buyers, international media anywhere in the world. Fiona Jef fery, Chairman of WTM exand government tourist ministers. plains: "The outcome of these WTM stalwart and summit discussions will penetrate government thinking and policy for Chairman Fiona the tourism industry in years to Jef fery joined the event for the travel industry in come." 1986. Rising through the ranks to Almost one million (972,101) participants have passed through the doors of WTM over the past 29 years.
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Fiona Jeffery
Marketing Director in 1991, before becoming Exhibition Director in 1993, Managing Director in 2005 and Chairman in 2008.
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OCTOBER 2009
it&cma
IT&CMA Ends on a Positive Note he 17th edition of IT&CMA (Incentive Travel & Conventions, Meetings Asia) and 12th of CTW (Corporate Travel World) Asia-Pacific, a leading Doublebill event of the Asia-Pacific which was held recently in Bangkok was a success with growing participation and sound business. The exhibition space was sold out earlier. According to the organisers, the tradeshow driven by the theme 'Feast on Asia!' has maintained its foothold as the region's premier MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions, Exhibitions) and Corporate Travel event in the light of a recovering global economy, with steady increase in attendance by MICE and
will also be welcoming new buyer delegates from Qatar, Romania and Tunisa. With a strong pool of close to 350 buyers, sellers can be assured of a fruitful time at the event." The corporate travel
Asia-Pacific region for the first time. Participants from countries with established business travel markets, such as Germany, Switzerland and the US were present. Country and state pavilions, namely Thailand, Macau,
sqm show floor this year. Host country, Thailand, leads with the biggest booth space of 300 sqm and brings in 81 co-exhibitors, followed by Macau with 260 sqm. Seoul Tourism Organization, which was under the Korean pavilion in 2008 had their own 60 sqm pavilion. CTW exhibitors will benefit from the value-added services on top of their existing CTW exhibiting package this year, which includes an extra thirtyminute presentation at the CTW Technology Lounge (Booth E19), to engage with delegates. This initiative is in
corporate travel delegates. The buyers and exhibitors in key markets have maintained their support and even expanded in several areas. Darren Ng, Managing Director of TTG Asia Media, commented, "The implementation of strategic marketing and partnerships with industry partners has led to an increase in the number of MICE and corporate travel buyers from Australia, Belgium, China, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Korea, Mexico and Spain. The Doublebill event
managers/planners' segment has recorded a 25 per cent increase from last year as hosting privileges are extended to corporate travel professionals outside the
Korea, Malaysia, Japan, Singapore, The Philippines, India, Taiwan, Sabah, Brunei, Indonesia, Busan, Spain, Busan and Hawaii, have all returned in the 5,500
addition to the booth space and table-top in the dedicated one-hour CTW Networking Session with corporate travel managers/ planners.
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OCTOBER 2009
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ITB Asia Closes With Numbers Stable, Buyer Qualit y Up he second ITB Asia closed in Singapore with 6,149 attendees joining the three-day event, compared to 6,208 last year. Messe Berlin (Singapore) Director, Dr Martin Buck, said, "The result is solid considering the nature of 2009. The performance is a
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MPR Group in Germany, said, "ITB Asia was very helpful and it is as good as IT&CMA for MICE - but also better because it gives a good combination of leisure travel and MICE." Messe Berlin (Singapore) introduced one-day trade visitor passes this year for
overall trade visitor approval ratings for the 2009 show were 80.2 per cent. Some 85.6 per cent of trade visitors said they would recommend ITB Asia to colleagues and business partners. In the survey, 87.2 per cent said they would attend ITB Asia next year. Charlie De Lorme, Director Economic Development & Visitor Services, Utah Office & Tourism, said: "We have interest from Singapore, India, Korea, Russia, China and Australia. We are very pleased with the quality of the leads and contacts, especially from the MICE segment. In fact, we forwarded some inquiries to our suppliers in Utah and they are already in touch
one and 166 on day 2. Some 384 attendees joined Web In Travel for the first part of the conference 20 and 21 October. ITB Asia was supported by Singapore Tourism Board (STB). Melissa Ow, Assistant Chief Executive, Business Travel & MICE Group, STB, said, "We are heartened by the robust attendance and exhibitor representation which was achieved at this second edition of ITB Asia, reflecting the improving economic situation globally. Over 6,000 delegates attended Ribbon Cutting by Raimund Hosch, CEO, Messe Berlin and ITB Asia Guest of Honour Lim Hng Khiang Minister for Trade & Industry, Singapore this year strong base which promises the first time. Many trade and the real growth in 2010." visitors took advantage of it number of While the number of as it gave show floor access exhibitors exhibiting organizations for only US$50. Trade visitor exceeded increased to 679 compared attendance on the last day 650. to 651 last year, companies rose 52 per cent compared Bolstered by sent fewer representatives. to last year. this Invited buyers declined from A preliminary onsite trade performance, ITB Asia Burkhard Kieker, Berlin Tourism Marketing GmbH, David Ruetz, Senior has Manager, ITB Berlin and Astrid Ehring, Press Officer, ITB Asia solidified its with these contacts." status as one of the region's Frans Betgem, Cotop tourism trade shows, and Founder of Bangkok based has proven its strong appeal Khiri Travel, said,"We will be for travel trade providers, back next year. Singapore is professionals and experts a great destination for this from around the world. This show." testifies to the resilience of ITB Asia's partnership the travel and tourism with Web In Travel industry in Asia-Pacific, and technology, marketing and with Asia being poised to distribution conference lead a worldwide economy deepened. As a value added recovery that is now 812 last year to 553 because visitor survey conducted by offer to ITB Asia guests, the underway, we are confident Messe Berlin implemented Gelszus MesseWeb in Travel Ideas Lab on that ITB Asia is well-placed higher vetting standards. It Marktforschung, a market 22 and 23 October was free to fuel the continued growth was a policy that paid off. research company based in to ITB Asia delegates. There of the region's travel Stefan Luzar, CEO, Triple Germany, showed that were 280 attendees on day industry." OCTOBER 2009
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ASIAN TRAVELLER
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Buyers, Sellers Acknowledge ITB Asia Qualit y
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he sentiment on ITB Asia 2009 was that it was gener ally a successful event for buyers and exhibitors. Some attendees were pleasantly surprised at the general market turnaround and optimism. If leads become firm orders, they said, many destinations and suppliers will begin 2010 on a strong note. A strong turnout of buyers from India, the equally impressive demand from China and interest in emerging destinations and new products were noted by exhibitors. Many had business stagnate or decline and were ready to signs of an upturn. Buyers and trade visitors expressed appreciation of most sellers, especially those who were also to suggest creative solutions and ideas to enhance programmes, particularly for the
many participants would prefer an earlier start instead of 11 am, when the WIT Conference ends. Buyers think 10 am will be ideal so that there will be more time for discussions and to walk around to see non-scheduled booths. Some would also like to utilise the long lunch break, since any hosting is limited to only a small number of buyers or media. On the whole, however, participants were happy with the show organisation, quality of buyers and sellers, venue and Singapore. on the show floor was that Thailand was of fering the best deals -- either the lowest rates or throwing in ex tras, from more nights free of charge to other inducements. Indochina, however, was the "new kid" that several buyers said bore watching as Vietnam and Cambo-
Asian Traveller - ITB Asia Special Released in Singapore MICE market. They also said the pre-scheduled appointments system worked well - much better than last year in terms of requests being met and appointments kept. The consensus
dia could of fer exciting options for seasoned travellers as well as ex tension programmes from Singapore, Bangkok or Hong Kong. On areas for improvement,
Vinaya Gupta, CEO, VIA, unveals ITB Special Issue of Asian Traveller at ITB Asia Venue in Suntec, Singapore. Also seen are Amit Aggarwal, Co Founder and CTO, VIA, A G K Kumar, Vice President, VIA, G. Biju Krishnan, Editor and Publisher, Asian Traveller, Balagopal Valyathu, CEO, Goodtime Global and Prasanth M. Pillai, Eco Ventures
OCTOBER 2009
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ASIAN TRAVELLER
web in travel
Middleman Beware
Consumer Empowerment on the March
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he Internet has changed consumer habits by empow ering individuals and families to personalise their leisure trips. They are no longer bound by packaged tours, tour operators and travel management companies that may be slow to adapt to the
Brett Henry Vice President Marketing Abacus International
Adrian Currie, Chairman of Agoda, said: "In Asia we are seeing early success and aim to develop a sizeable business for Agoda both inside China and by building our Asian travel business outside China over the nex t decade. By meeting the needs of our existing
Timothy O'Neil-Dunne Managing Partner T2 Impact
changing needs of travellers. "The trend to empowerment, flexibility and net working will continue to develop in the travel industry," predicted Greg O'Neil President, Asia-Pacific Region, BCD Travel. He was addressing the audience during a session called "The Middle Kingdom: Changes in the Value Chain," that took place 22 October during Web in Travel at ITB Asia in Singapore. Consumer empowerment is a key driver. Travel trade intermediaries are under pressure. O'Neil pointed out that flights, hotels and car hire can all be booked online. Destinations, accommodation and dining can all be researched online. Visa requirements and medical advice are published online.
Gregory O’Neil President Asia Pacific BCD Travel
customers and increased levels of marketing spend, we expect Agoda to grow organically in China over the coming years." According to Currie, the current challenges in Asia include developing technology infrastructure, increasing Internet usage, broadening credit card usage and providing alternative payment mechanisms, and driving e-commerce adoption over the medium term. "The biggest draw for me continues to be just how big the market oppor tunity will be in Asia over the coming decade," said Currie. He noted that large global brands and international chains have begun to use technology to promote their hotels through their
own websites. The also work closely with websites such as Agoda, and distribute their content through online channels. "Independent hotels have been slower to adopt these trends but are increasing their use of the Internet as a marketing channel,"
customer controlled business. Social media is an impor tant source of information for us. We are looking into information from the point of view of consumers and analyzing how influential the opinion is." Vinay Gupta, Founder of Via, India, however, felt that the scope for expansion was vast and under utilized. "We have a team of 25 sof tware developers and it took about 15 months to develop our product. We are presently reaching out to about 16,000 tour operators across India but the potential number of suppliers is about 30,000-40,000," said Gupta. The Via portal site allows agents, hoteliers, tour operators, guides, cab operators, foreign Vinay Gupta Adrian Currie exchange and ticketing players to Founder, Via Chairman India Agoda connect with one another and to do business "with ease and he said. transparency", said Gupta. Laurent Kuenzle, Group "For the future, we believe that Managing Director of Asian Trails, knowledge service and product one of the leading inbound tour distribution has to be improved.
operators in Southeast Asia, said that simplicity was the key to success. "We have to recognize that we are migrating from a supplier controlled business to a
Presently, 30,000-40,000 airline seats are unsold daily. To have that many air seats unoccupied in a country as big as India is a crime," he added.
Travel Technology, Marketing and Distribution Trends Explored
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s last year, ITB Asia's partner event, Web In Travel (WIT) took place alongside ITB Asia at Suntec. Special price tickets have again been made available for travel professionals attending both shows. "Web In Travel is Asia's leading travel technology, distribution and marketing interactive forum," said Dr Martin Buck, Vice President of Messe Berlin. "We therefore took the strategic decision to entrust ITB's thought provoking 'convention' element to Web In Travel. WIT delivers a uniquely Asian perspective on travel technology mat ters. This fits well with our overall ITB Asia objectives," said Dr Buck. This year's Web In Travel has the theme "Tough Love". ITB Asia attendees who at tended WIT gained unique insights at sessions entitled, "Taming the Social Media Beast", "Is Content Really King or Is It All About Price?" and "Positioning Your Business for the Recovery," to name just some of the sessions.
OCTOBER 2009
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Fragmentation and Quirks as Asia's Huge Markets Emerge ravel industry exper ts in two huge new markets - China and India - and an emerging one, Vietnam, highlighted the quirks and practices prevalent in their markets and trends to be watched. They were addressing an
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adapted its marketing strategy due to the realisation that it was not just the younger generation but also middle-aged consumers who were buying travel online, said Anya Zhao, Marketing Director Ecommerce, Air China. About 80 per cent of the airline's
big issue in mobile commerce. "People prefer cash and agents will collect cash from anywhere. Credit card penetration is generally low," he said. David Tran Minh Phuong, CEO & Co-Founder of Chudu24, Vietnam, said that online shopping
about 300 are really active [online]," he said. He predicted that more low cost carriers are set to enter the market. In terms of online travel market grow th, Air China cited Singapore, which is only slightly behind USA in terms of volume booked. For Via
audience of travel industry professionals at Web In Travel, a distribution, marketing and technology conference that is took place as part of ITB Asia in Singapore. In a session entitled "Market Spotlight", Air China said it had
online bookings are from the Chinese domestic market. "It is not so big internationally. Our strategy is to expand globally," she said. India is a highly fragmented market, explained Vinay Gupta, Founder, Via, India. Payment is a
was new in Vietnam. Consumers are very concerned about price and prefer to pay in cash and also see someone face to face. Travel suppliers are fragmented too, said Tran. "There are about 3,000 hotels in Vietnam, but only
India, Gupta said as a travel distribution system, they would work with par tners anywhere, but he has seen strong interest from Southeast Asia - especially the Philippines, Indonesia and Singapore.
The Credibilit y Factor in
User-Generated Travel Sites
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he quality and fairness of user-generated content on some websites is of ten questionable. However, the travel industry has to deal with it cleverly, because blogging, subjective comment and citizen journalism will only expand further. Travel industry panellists squared up the new reality of social media during Web In Travel's "Is Content Really King?" panel discussion at ITB Asia in Singapore "Good reviews on the internet give many non-branded properties good oppor tunities to be noticed," said Maria Taylor, Vice-President, distribution, Accor Asia Pacific. "Social media is increasingly complementing search engines and taking on some of the aspects of their role, which is helping people find information and sites
ASIAN TRAVELLER
that are specifically of interest to them." Giles Longhurst, Head of Business Development, EMEA & APAC, Frommer's Unlimited, said it was essential that content on travel sites should be highly engaging." Make sure the booking path of your portal is lined with useful content, but be careful not to let it overtake the site," Longhurst warned. Frank Trampert, Executive Vice President, Revenue Generation, Asia Pacific, Carlson Hotels Worldwide, sounded a cautionary note, saying it was important to take the views expressed in social media sites with due care. "The best advice I can get is from a good friend," he said. "User generated content is a secondary path of consideration that I refer to.
I'm all for transparency, and hotels should not be afraid of online reviews." "Don't be afraid of the 800pound [social media] gorilla. What is important is how you choose to engage it," Trampert warned. However, the integrity of UGC was called into question when moderator Morris Sim, CEO of Circos.com quoted publisher Arthur Frommer, who wrote in his website, Arthur Frommer online, "Why wouldn't a hotel submit a flurry of positive comments penned by employees or friends? If you were a hotel owner, wouldn't you take steps to make sure that TripAdvisor contained numerous favourable write-ups of your property? Who would fail to do this? And because of such inescapable logic, doesn't Trip Advisor
• 31 •
contain within itself the germs of its own undoing?" Takanobu Yamamoto of TripAdvisor, Japan, responded that the travel site was prudent in accepting user generated reviews and ranking. While he was reluctant to reveal how many reviews were rejected by TripAdvisor, Yamamoto did let on that it was "more than you would expect". "We reject a number of negative comments, but more for harmful content, for example, when they at tack a personality," Yamamoto explained.
OCTOBER 2009
incredible india
India, Saudi Arabia to Increase Cooperation in Tourism Sector ministry level meeting between India and Saudi Arabia has discussed matters of bilateral cooperation in the tourism and hospitality sector and issues of mutual interest particularly with regard to ways and means of increasing tourism in both the countries. This meeting took place during Indian minister of state for Tourism Sultan Ahmed's 4-day visit to the Middle East Kingdom during the first week of October. The Indian Minister met Dr. Salah K. Al-Bukhyyet, Vice president for Investment, Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities at Riyadh. The bilateral cooperation envisages finalizing international executive programme for cooperation. Shri Sultan Ahmed offered India's vast expertise to
A
augment the hospitality sector in Saudi Arabia and to train and enrich the human resources in the sector; and exchange of key personnel to learn from both sides in managing and maintaining heritage sites. In the long run it was also proposed that the Indian side could set up full-fledged Management cum Training Institute for
The Vice president for Investment, Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities, Dr. Salah K. AlBukhyyet greets the Minister of State of Tourism, Sultan Ahmed, at Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
India Re-Elected to the Executive Council of the UNWTO
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ndia has been re-elected to the Executive Council of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) for another four year term at the Eighteenth Session of the General Assembly of UNWTO. The Executive Council is the governing body of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation, which is responsible for ensuring that the Organisation carries out the work and adheres to its budget. It meets twice a year and is composed of 31 member elected by the General Assembly in a ratio of one for every five full members. India is a member of the Executive council of UNWTO continuously for the last 19 years and during this period, India has been elected to the Chairmanship of the Executive Council twice.
OCTOBER 2009
training Saudi youth in the hospitality sector. Both sides agreed that these issues will also be discussed during the forthcoming Indo-Saudi Joint Commission meeting to be held in Riyadh on 31st October, 2009 The meeting was also attended by Deputy Chief of Mission Rajeev Shahare and Bani Roy, Under
Secretary, Ministry of Tourism. From the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities, Dr. Hamad Al-Ismail, Assistant Vice President for Investment Services, Dr. Fahd AlJarboa, Assistant Vice President for Marketing, Dr. Abdullah Alweshail, General Director, National Project for Tourism Human Resource Division and Eng. Ahmed Al-Eesa, General Director for Licensing and Quality Dept. were present in the meeting. The Government of India Tourist Office (GOITO) Dubai in collaboration with the Embassy of India, Riyadh, has organized the "India Tourism Road Show" in Riyadh during the visit of Shri Sultan Ahmed. There will be a special segment on medical tourism in the Road Show which is of immense interest for Saudis.
Important Milestones in Tourism Sector in India Statistics of Growth
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he foreign tourist arrivals (FTA) to India in 2008 witnessed an increase of 5.6 per cent over the arrivals for the same period in 2007, while the world tourist arrivals grew by less than 2 per cent in 2008. A total of 5.37 million tourists visited India in 2008. The important source countries were US, UK, Canada, France, Germany and Japan. The foreign exchange earnings (FEE) from the tourism sector in 2008 was Rs. 50730 crore, an increase of 14.4 per cent over 2007. The period January - September 2009 has seen an overall decline of 7.7 per cent in foreign tourist arrivals as compared to the corresponding period of the previous year.
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Whereas, the downward trend in foreign tourist arrivals to the country had shown improvement in the month of June 2009, which registered, for the first time in 8 months, an increase of 0.2 per cent in foreign tourist arrivals to the country as compared to the corresponding month of the previous year, followed by an increase of 0.6 per cent in the month of July, the month of August and September 2009 has once again seen a decline of 8.6 per cent and 4.1 per cent as compared corresponding months of previous year, possibly due to Swine Flu. The domestic tourist visits in India increased from 309 million in the year 2003 to 563 million in the year 2008.
ASIAN TRAVELLER
face to face
Innovating Online On Iviaworld.com
viaworld.com is the new product launched by via which is the only online travel market place in the world. The trend which the travel business has been conducted in every country till date is such that the large players in the travel business including the big tour operators and travel agents who make all the noise as well as a stream of unrecognised smaller players. Since the big players make all the hype, the others get unnoticed although they contribute more than 90 per cent of the total business generated. What makes it important? Being an unorganized industry in travel, the traditional way is to go to a large tour operator and buy form them. They don't recogonise the smaller tour operators who are present in every state and city who are doing the job and could offer better services in better prices. All they lack is a good representation and they don't have a platform to expose themselves to the rest of the country. So we stepped in to fill this gap and came with an online
products to the entire world. Since via is the biggest b2b travel network, with 16,000 agents, our clients become first hand customers to all of them. So they get a very high reach automatically. We also facilitate direct communication between the two parties. So if a travel agent wants to buy a package on a particular destination from a far off place, he may not know where to go and buy it. He would approach a local supplier for a particular rate. There would be people who offer better services for a lesser rate. We enable these people to buy directly from an agent or supplier from the destination itself. They can talk to each other, discuss the product, decide the price and complete the transaction. So we not only share the information but they are able to market their product and then the agent is also able to buy it and the settlement medium is Via, so the agent will do his payment through us which goes to the supplier. It is a fair deal as we are not hiding anything. The prices whatever are prevalent in the country will come to the top and the best prices for best products will show up. All we do is to facilitate the transaction as Via and not as an agent or a consolidator. What is its USP? This is something which platform called is not being done globally. iviaworld.com which allowed This is the first innovation the different sections of the of its kind which we are industry including the doing, which will take two hoteliers, suppliers, different countries because operators, cabs, visa and of the similar travel patterns passport operators, Forex in the global travel market. dealers etc. to represent So the advantage is on a themselves and sell their daily basis the inventory that
I
Amit Aggarwal Co Founder and CTO VIA
OCTOBER 2009
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is being lost in travel can be minimized. In the case of hotelier who wants to sell his vacant rooms in competent prices, we know people travelling destinations searching for cheaper rooms. So the hotelier can pitch in and dilute the inventory loss. This is not available with the standard reservation systems available today. We know the demand in the country and are giving the customer to the hotelier. All the hotelier needs is to fulfill it. In this platform the supplier will carry his brand. His name, logo etc will be visible to the agent, so the agent is able to indentify the seller and it is not Via. What we charge for this is a flat transaction fee which is 0.5 per cent of the total amount or Rs.100, whichever is lower. We don't want any barriers as far as the transactions are concerned. We want the people to come find the value there and make the most of it. It is open for all travel agents and right now we are not we are not facilitating b2c transactions. There are about 300,000 hotels in the country. The people serving rooms online claim to have business with four or five thousand hotels in the country which is nothing in a country like India. What are the first hand advantages for the travel agents? Our existing travel agents who are already there can immediately start doing business on the system. In the suppliers point of view we are enrolling them to trade fairs and exhibitions getting the best suppliers on ASIAN TRAVELLER
face to face board so that service is not compromised. We also want to ensure that when the customer travels he gets the best quality of service. So each and every supplier who wants sell their goods, we make sure that we select the suppliers properly after checking his credibility, experience and then we allow to sell his goods. That is the process which is undergoing. Describe the transformation of Flightraja to Via? Where do you place yourselves? Flight raja was restricted to its name Flight and Raja. But Via we offer every product in the travel bazaar from flights, rail, holidays etc. Via is becoming the most used word in travel. We are looking at two things. One is how to expand our b2b core business further and the
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other is iviaworld. We always want to be a transparent platform a place where people in India trust to buy the travel products irrespective of anything. It will help the country in boosting the tourism sector. Whether its is minimizing the losses or promoting the information to the end traveller because the whole thing we are doing we are taking it into multiple channels like information through mobile phones etc. so that people can access it anywhere anytime. Personal assistance with a human interface is also provided for the travellers. The idea is how we connect the traveller also to the Via agent back for any personalized travel assistance is also something we are looking forward. We are reaching a turnover of 1500 crores this year. Our focus is not merely
money but to create more and more value everyday whether it is an innovation perspective or travel. We have been fair to each and every partner whether it is our customer, share holder, investor or employees. Please tell us your background? Before we started three years back I used to work in a software company. So the background is always technology. I graduated from IIT Rourkee as topper and a President of India gold medalist. It was an interesting journey. I had a lot to learn from the people, the way which the industry landscape has changed. Travel is a domain that we operate in. But if we really look at our story, in an entrepreneur's
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perspective it is fascinating. We started from a garage and we clogged there for eight to ten months before we really found the right business model and when we started growing the challenges encroached. So it has been an overall learning and mentoring experience which is very interesting.
OCTOBER 2009
personality Sanjay Sharma is a veteran of hospitality industry with years of experience under his belt. After spending successful years at Le Meridien Kochi in Kerala now he is the Complex General Manager for The Westin New Delhi, Gurgaon and The Westin Sohna Resort & Spa Gurgaon. He shares his experiences and wisdom. Tell us about your hotel and its USPs. In my current role, I am the General Manager of two properties - The Westin Sohna Gurgaon Resort & Spa and The Westin New Delhi, Gurgaon which is scheduled to soft open in March 2010. The Westin Sohna Gurgaon Resort & Spa is the first Westin in India and is already setting benchmarks with its range of signature services including The Westin Heavenly Bed, Heavenly Spa by Westin, Westin Workout, Westin Kids Club, and The Westin Sensory Welcome. The Resort has 97 guest rooms and standalone suites set amidst lush landscaped gardens. The tranquil surroundings offer a restful, rejuvenating guest experience enhanced by superior recreational facilities, naturally-lit meeting space, an array of world-class cuisine and the full range of Westin's renowned signature amenities which makes it a refreshing venue for both business and leisure guests. The resort is just a 90 minute drive from the New Delhi International Airport and 60 minutes from Gurgaon which also makes it an ideal weekend getaway. The resort is also home to the first Heavenly Spa by Westin which is beautifully and peacefully nestled amidst lush green gardens. The rich natural surroundings, design and décor engages our guests and acts as an enhancement for inspiration for spiritual healing and sensory pleasure. The Westin New Delhi, Gurgaon will have 311 guest rooms with all Westin OCTOBER 2009
signature services and amenities. This business hotel is conveniently located in the Central Business District of Gurgaon. The hotel will offer state of the art meeting facilities and international food and beverage concepts. Our core values for both the hotels are Personal, instinctive and renewal and all our services revolve around these core values. How do you position the Hotel in the market? What is your marketing strategy? The Resort is positioned as a wellness retreat as well an ideal place for MICE due to its unique location as well as attributes. Our aim is to attract both international and domestic travellers. During the weekdays we cater to the MICE segment from Delhi and NCR and during the weekends it is primarily the leisure market. The Resort is located on the Golden Triangle circuit and we also cater to some tour series from European markets. Being a brand of Starwood Hotels we are a part of all Starwood marketing channels and Loyalty programs which we actively utilize. This gives us a huge edge over the competition and captures the market share. How important is a Hotel in developing a destination? What has your company done in this regard? The Westin Sohna Resort & Spa recently in December 2007 and has not even completed two full years of operations. However, we have been actively participating in national and International Trade shows to
showcase the property. We have also been organizing trade and media fams and have generated huge publicity for the resort in national as well as international media. Could you tell us about your background and how did you come to the industry? The hospitality industry to me was an opportunity to meet and interact with people from various culture and genre. This is one industry where a good idea is given a chance to evolve and nourish. The industry ensures not only career growth but also personality development. I have over 20 years of experience in the hospitality industry across the Globe. I started my career as a trainee steward at the Maurya Sheraton, New Delhi. Later I went abroad to work with Starwood Hotels & Resorts where I became Starwood's Area Marketing Director in the Middle East looking after the sales and marketing of 53 hotels within the region. My adventurous nature and interest in other cultures has egged me on to take over the assignment of Dy. General Manager of the Sheraton Hotel in Tanzania and the Director of Marketing for Africa. I then
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SANJAY SHARMA Complex General Manager The Westin New Delhi Gurgaon (pre-opening) & The Westin Sohna Gurgaon Resort & Spa, Gurgaon, India
ASIAN TRAVELLER
personality moved to Le Meridien Hotels & Resorts, West Asia as its Regional Director for Sales and Marketing in 1999. In 2002 I took over as General Manager at the Le Meridien in Cochin and made Kerala my home. I have been the recipient of many awards for outstanding contributions to the hotel industry including the Finest Hotelier Worldwide from the American Academy of Hospitality Sciences, Best Hotel Manager Award from the Kerala Government twice and PATWA Young Achiever Award from the Pacific Area Travel Writers Association. Tell us about your experience so far? Is there an unforgettable moment in your career which you can share with us? It has been a long journey with many hard decisions and strategic moves to
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establish Le Meridien, Cochin as the most sought after destination. I saw this quaint little town blossoming into a very busy business hub while remaining an interesting tourist destination. Now I am looking forward to another exciting and challenging tenure with the two Westins in Gurgaon. My most unforgettable moment is hosting the APICON 2008 - 53rd Annual Conference at the Le Meridien, Cochin - the Delegate strength of 12000 people a day, 18 conference hall requirement with auxiliary services of food, beverage, transportation, entertainment, security across five days - this was a feat beyond Kochi! Not only because the state did not have the infrastructure but also because of the unavailability of trained
manpower to cater to such a large need. After months of planning and hard work, the APICON was not only a success but went a long way in establishing Kerala and the Le Meridien as a truly global MICE destination. What plans - immediate and long term - do you have? My immediate plan would be to establish the Sohna Resort in International markets as well as successfully open the Gurgaon property and position it as the most sought after property for people visiting Delhi. Where would you like to see yourself, say, 10 years from now? As per the industry experts China will be the country to see the biggest hotel industry growth over the next 5 years, closely followed by India. In ten
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years I would like to see heading the region with at least 75 hotels in the portfolio. Tell us about your family. I am happily married to Daniela and blessed with a Son, Nicklas Sharma. Tell us about your hobbies and other interests. I play golf on weekends with family and friends. I am a handicap certificate holder and have memberships in various Golf Clubs including the Cochin Naval Golf Club. Apart from Golf, I love music, travelling and being with my new born. Which is your favorite destination? Venice is my favorite destination. It is a beautiful city with less pollution and connected to almost all the cities in the world. For me, it resembles my second home, Kerala.
OCTOBER 2009
personality Huzan Fraser who started her career as a Sales Executive, now heads a destination management company which handles top niche destinations. She talks about her journey to success, plans, hobbies etc.
Huzan Fraser Director Beautiful Planet
OCTOBER 2009
How did you become interested in hospitality business? Please tell us about the beginning of your career. I started my career with Oberoi hotels as a Sales Executive as part of the Sales and Marketing department. I actually just stumbled into the job I loved it so much that it became an integral part of me. I even tried to move out of the hospitality business into banking at an earlier stage of my life and found it so dry that I came running back into this business. What is your current role at your company? Please elaborate. Along with my business partner and long time friend Beena Menon we have established a destination marketing company 7 years ago. We have top end niche destinations which we market effectively in India such as Tourism Ireland, Tourism Victoria, Kumarakom Lake Resort, Royal Garden Hotel, London. Both of us are active Directors in the company. What plans - immediate and long term do you have? Our plans include to provide maximum satisfaction to our existing clients and grow our business slowly and surely. We would like to be a local player in the global market. • 38 •
As a travel industry professional what is your ambition? Where would you like to see yourself ten years from now? My ambition is to grow my company whereas at the same time achieve a work and personal life balance. 10 years from now I see myself heading a significantly larger company. Who or what has been the greatest influence in your professional life? Kindly elaborate. The greatest influence in my personal life has been my long standing stint with the Oberoi group. I began my career as a Sales Executive in Mumbai and left as a Director of Sales and Marketing of the largest hotels in India. I believe the Oberoi group has taught me the basics and the great things of life attention to detail, creating the right impressions, being honest and committed and delivering value are a few of the small lessons that have gone a long way for me. As woman, what were the challenges you had to face in your professional life? What is your advice to young girls who enter the sector? The challenges that I have faced are at times do a balance between my personal and professional life. My advise to young girls who enter this sector is always work for the best, strive for perfection and get there. What is the secret of your success? The secret of my success has been being true to myself and enjoy every minute of what I do. What is your proudest moment (till date) in your job? The proudest moment of my job has been when Beena and I finally took the plunge and started our own company. We left secure jobs at a great risk to enter the life of a professional business women. Tell us about your family. I have a husband and one son. My husband is from a services background and was part of the Indian navy. In his own right he has achieved great success and has received 4 awards from the President of India for bravery (Shaurya Chakra) and 3 sporting awards for his performance and coaching skills in yachting. My son is currently in school. What are your hobbies? My hobbies include sailing with my family and spend time alone with my son. ASIAN TRAVELLER
luxur y
It's World Luxury Hotel Awards Time
T
he 2009 World Luxury Hotel Awards Gala Dinner will take place at lebua at State Tower Hotel Bangkok, Thailand on November 27. Accepted as the pinnacle of achievement for Luxury Hotels worldwide, WLHA was established as a celebration of ultimate achievement in hoteliering. It is about congratulating hotels that have taken the extra step to make themselves "exceptional hotels". The World Luxury Hotel Awards accounts for all categories in the Luxury Hotel industry and the award winners set the benchmark for luxury hotels in achieving recognition for their world class facilities and service excellence. Each year the venue for Gala Dinner, which marks the denouement of that year's award ceremony, is selected in such a way to showcase the best in the luxury hotel business. lebua at State Tower Hotel - Bangkok, Thailand which is the venue for this year's Gala Dinner stands for sheer excellence, offering the very best in luxury accommodation in Bangkok and It offers the perfect, elegant retreat for any occasion. lebua at State Tower Hotel - Bangkok, Thailand the venue of the WLHA Gala Ceremony
OCTOBER 2009
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ASIAN TRAVELLER
luxur y
Recognising Those Who Put in an Extra Effort Marinique Truter, Executive Manager, World Luxury Hotel Awards spoke to Asian Traveller about the concept behind instituting the awards and the growth of the idea. On constituting World Luxury Hotels Awards The World Luxury Hotel Awards was established as a celebration of ultimate achievement in hoteliering. It is about congratulating hotels that have taken the extra step and such differentiated themselves from "good hotels" to "exceptional hotels" and recognizing that unbelievable dedication by world-class hoteliers. What makes an award winning hotel? Is it top levels of service, exceptional food, attention to detail, beautiful scenic environment or effective management? Our belief is that a combination of these factors in just the right way based upon facilities and overall service excellence, gives you the very rare 'legendary hotel'. "It's what you discover after you know it all that counts". The story so far The World Luxury
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Hotel Awards was launched in 2006. The belief was that the hotel industry, world-wide, had absolutely no benchmark award system for luxury hotels that have excelled. The World Luxury Hotel Awards proved themselves successful, in fact the global interest is continuously increasing. One of the reasons being that private lifestyles are moving globally towards relaxation, entertainment and escape from the normal, as of the stressed atmosphere of the present world, which creates a niche market for "luxury".
industry worldwide. The interest for participation in the World Luxury Hotel Awards is evident from e entries from across the globe continuing to grow at a fast pace. It has been overwhelming to date which indicates that there is indeed a tremendous need for an international award focused solely on the luxury hotel sector.
Marinique Truter Executive Manager World Luxury Hotel Awards
2009 edition of the event We are proud that the 2009 World Luxury Hotel Awards Gala Dinner will take place in Bangkok (at the world renowned lebua at State Tower Hotel) on Evaluating the growth of the 27th of November; one World Luxury Hotel of the most cosmopolitan, Awards contrasting and, above all, If I look at the caliber compelling of Asian cities. of hotels, lodges and This would be the first resorts that have been event taking place in this nominated to receive region and we expect it to recognition by create tourism awareness international travellers towards this part of the over the past years, it world and also underline becomes very clear that the fact that the Awards are these awards will without international on every level. doubt become the Thus, we are convinced benchmark for exceptional that Bangkok sets to be the achievement in the hotel perfect host!
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OCTOBER 2009
personality
face to face contd. from page 14
Our Vision Is To Make Assam...
Sajeev K. Pillai, Manager-Marketing Somatheeram Ayurvedic Health Resort
I
have been working in the health tourism segment for the last 12 years. It gives me more pleasure and contentment as a person. I would like to say Somatheeram Ayurvedic health resort is the first property in the world promoting Ayur veda - seriously, genuinely and authentically. And I glad to say that Ayurveda is the best solution as an alternative medicine for body, mind and soul. I like most to tell some healthy tips to the people, who are coming and interacting me during every meeting and conferences all over. We all at some point face a life challenge, such as illness, relationship/family issues, job loss, death, addiction or abuse, an experience that shat ters our world, transforms the way we live and our very self as we have known it, and may even throw us into what many call "the dark night of the soul". I like to spend my free time with my family by cooking and all other leisure activities. It is a small family with a loving wife, caring father and a baby daughter of six years. My father is a retired army man, and mother a house wife. Sadly my mother passed away eight years ago. My wife, a philosophy lecturer (at a Training College), is the real motivational spirit in my personal and professional life.
I have travelled to dif ferent parts of the world, but I like St. Petersburg (which was known as Lenin Grad during the Soviet Union days) in Russia the most. I like music and I rela x by listening to Pankaj Udas gazals. I also like Carnatic, Western and Light genre. My idea of dream holiday is in Kailash Manasarovar with my family. Travelling to new places, interacting with people and mix with dif ferent ethnicity are some genuine interests in my life. Cricket is my favourite sport, and Wasim Akarm is my favorite player. I did my graduation from Kerala University in English Literature and got my diploma in Travel and Tourism from UIM. I also did a business management course from Madurai Kamaraj University. My role model in professional life is Jaison- my immediate boss at Somatheeram. He has always been a source of inspiration ever since I met three years ago. Applying sales techniques, implementing marketing strategies, long insight towards the future etc are specifically his own strong points.
OCTOBER 2009
Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Tripura, Mizoram, Sikkim and Manipur as well as West Bengal. Though no joint venture project has been planned, our Government will welcome any joint venture with the neighbouring the states. For development of tourism, apar t from Kaziranga and Manas,
potential. All initiative in coordination with the State Forest Department has been taken for further conser vation and development of wildlife to enhance tourist at tractions in the state. Batadrawa, the birth place of Srimanta Sankar Deva , Majuli- the main center of Vaishnavite Heritage and Culture, Hajo which is known
we are developing other destinations like Majuli, Nameri and Bhalukpong Tezpur, Sibasagar, Dibru- Saikhuwa, Pobitora and Orang National Park, Barpeta and Hajo, Sualkuchi. Which are the main source markets you get the clients from? What is your marketing strategy in those markets and to the new ones? The main sources of domestic markets for Assam Tourism are the States like West Bengal, Gujrat, Rajasthan and other North Indian States. The foreign tourists are mainly from USA, England Canada, etc. We are trying to bring more tourists from countries like Thailand, Japan, Bangladesh etc. The marketing strategy is to participate in tourism events, road shows, and take help from print and electronic media. We have produced a documentary film with the help Mr. Richard Banks of USA and project by foreign consultancy firm for promoting in Assam Tourism in overseas market. Assam is known for its five National Parks of which Kaziranga and Manas are World Heritage Sites. These have immense tourism
for Hindu Temples , Poa Mecca and Buddhist Temples, Sivasagar - the capital town of Ahom Kingdom etc are main cultural centers. In all those places various developmental activities have been already taken for the grow th of tourism. What are the initiatives taken up by the government regarding the development of wildlife and cultural centres in the state? We will soon introduce a Luxury River Cruise Vessel on Brahmaputra linking initially
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Guwahati and Kaziranga, which will be one of the biggest luxury vessels in Asia. It will be an icon product for development of river tourism on Brahmaputra River. Our vision is to make Assam a world class tourist destination and focus Assam Tourism in the domestic and overseas market as an eco-friendly centre with active par ticipation of private sectors.
ASIAN TRAVELLER
profile
Luxur y Amid Paradise P
imalai is a tropical luxury beach resort located 1 hour away from Krabi mainland, an ideal getaway for the travelers and leisure seekers. Set in natural surroundings and excessive luxuries the place is also well fit for a honeymoon, diving experience or a wedding ceremony. The boutique beach resort occupies 100 acres of tropical vegetation with direct access to a 900 meters stretch of pristine sandy beach and of fers 121 accommodation units - Deluxe, Bay front Deluxe, Pavillion Suite, Beach Villa and Pool Villa - all very elegantly appointed. The dif ferent accommodations have plush bedrooms and the living spaces with polished teak wood floor, rich Thai cotton upholstery, rat tan curtains and Siamese artifacts blows up the ambience. All of them are spacious and unpretentious in their architectural designs. 8 restaurants and bars of fer an
OCTOBER 2009
Being a Thailand resort the focus is always on the spa. Pimalai Spa has seven old village style treatment huts equipped with double or single beds are mainly
ex tensive variety of cuisines to suit everyone's tastes. Each one gives you dif ferent ambience and views of the pool and/or the Andaman Sea. The traditional and tasty dishes of Thailand along with the best recipes of seafood and international cuisine, all prepared with ex tra fresh ingredients makes the visit and ideal stop for the gourmets. Baan Pimalai Restaurant, Spice 'N Rice Thai Restaurant, the Seven Seas Wine Bar & Restaurant, Rak Talay Beach Bar & Restaurant, The Banyan Tree Pool Side Café are the main attractions here. Hundreds of dif ferent labels from the old and the new worlds are available from the wine cellar, allowing patrons to complement great dining with great wines.
used for aromatherapy massages and body wraps or body scrub treatments. Thai traditional massage supplemented by outdoor Jacuzzi with an adjacent herbal
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sauna makes it an unforget table experience.Special spa menus and packages are provided here. Water Sports and Beach Activities, Islands Excursions, Squid Safari Sunset Cruise (November to April only), Thai Cooking Lessons, Elephant Trekking are the main activities provided here. Kayak & Canoe, Sailing, Tennis Court, Cycling, Pool Bar, Lobby Bar, Fitness Room, Library & Internet Room, Telecommunication Services including internet along with all standard facilities are availed for the guests. A small boutique PADI dive center is situated within the Pimalai Resort & Spa on the edge of a lush tropical rain forest on Ba Kantiang beach from where the best and most remote dive sites in Thailand is only a short trip away.
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column
End of an Era… Air India's Boeing 747 Retirement A Pran S. Dasan
My thoughts and those of thousands of Indians could be summed up in the words of a blogger: "Air India without the 747 is like Indian cuisine without curry... could work, but it would never be the same…" OCTOBER 2009
a new livery with the trademark Rajasthani jharokha window design, polished steel underside, "Your Palace in the Sky" etched at the rear of the fuselage and powered by the then one of the most advanced aircraf t engines the Prat t & Whitney JT9D. As the first Asian operator, (Japan Airlines - for long the worlds largest 747 operator got their's four days af ter AI), Air India had been one of the pioneering airlines to order the Boeing 747. At the very inception, AI opted for the improved B747-200B version. (Boeing's customer designator code for AI is '37' so all Boeing aircraf t produced for AI will carry these t wo digits af ter their series designator numeral. Thus Air India's Boeing 747-200Bs are B747-237B, Boeing 747-300s and 400s are -337 and -437s respecnot necessarily in that order. In a way the B747 tively. The customer designators stood for the very ethos of Air India appeared with the Boeing 707s and continue till date with all Boeing as envisioned by J.R.D. Tata. His commercial aircraf t) vision of AI as a paradigm of AI was to add 11 more Boeing excellence and global ambassador 747-200s to their fleet naming them of India's culture and hospitality af ter Indian Emperors. In 1979, the were reflected in all aspects of the Government directed AI to remove airline during his tenure, but never more than in his choice of the most the word "Emperor " from the names of the Boeing 747s besides advanced flying machines of the the lef t hand side of the tail having time for his airline - the Constellato reflect AI in Hindi as opposed to tions, the Boeing 707s and the both sides of the tail featuring 'Air Boeing 747s. India' in English. Not surprisingly therefore a lot Tragedy struck three of Air of Air Indians still consider April 18, India's Boeing 747-200s. Its first 1971 as the crowning moment of the airline when its first Boeing 747, B747, VT-EBD, Emperor Ashoka plunged into the Arabian Sea af ter 'Emperor Ashoka' registered VTEBD touched down at Bombay (as take of f from Bombay on New Year's day 1978 killing all 213 it was then called) - resplendent in I864 of October 20, 2009 operated by an Air India Boeing 747-400 from Hyderabad - Mumbai, was a very special flight. It was the last scheduled Boeing 747 ser vice by Air India. This low key event brought the cur tains down on 38 years of Boeing 747 operations by our national carrier af ter having flown millions of miles and millions of passengers most of whom deplaned much the richer for the experience. For Air India veterans, industry people and the average Indian - the most enduring images of Air India are the Maharajah (always spelt with an 'h' at the end), the Centaur and the Boeing 747 -
• 46 •
people on board. 7 years later, on June 23, 1985, a terrorist bomb destroyed Kanishka (VT-EFO) over the Atlantic, with the loss of all 329 souls on board. Fortunately for AI, a bomb that was supposed to have simultaneously gone of f on another AI Boeing 747 on the same day out of Tokyo, exploded on the ground thereby sparing AI the trauma of an unprecedented twin loss of t wo fully loaded Boeing 747s in a single day. The last AI 747 to have been writ ten of f in an accident was Vikramaditya (VT-EBO) which was judged damaged beyond economic repair af ter a heav y landing in Delhi in 1990 and scrapped. The only Air India B747-200 that was not named af ter a King was Himalaya (VT-ENQ), a B747-212 series aircraf t purchased from Singapore Airlines in 1987 to replace Kanishka. Interestingly this aircraf t was planned to be named 'Shivaji', but protests from the Shiv Sena about naming a second hand aircraf t af ter the Maratha hero changed the thinking. In 1988, AI added t wo more Boeing 747-337C to their fleet. These were the first combi (passenger and cargo on the main-deck) 747s in AI's fleet and uniquely powered by General Electric engines rather than the Pratt & Whitney which were standard on other AI B747s. These t wo aircraf t were named 'Shivaji' (VT-EPW) and 'Narasimhavarman' (VT-EPX). Recognizing the need to replace their aging B747-200s (by then termed 'classics') with more modern high capacity aircraf t, AI
ASIAN TRAVELLER
column took delivery of their first Boeing 747-400 (Konark, VT-ESM) in August 1993 flying it in as the first ever non-stop from New York to New Delhi. AI's subsequent B747400s were named af ter temples or places of tourist interest. With the B747-400s, AI reverted back to Pratt & Whitney as the engine supplier. AI's B747-400s were certified with lower maximum takeof f weights than standard versions as it was deemed suf ficient for the sectors these aircraf t were deployed on besides of course the
ASIAN TRAVELLER
airline having to pay lower landing fees. The B747-400s operated on all major routes into Europe and USA and to some of AI's Far East and Gulf destinations as well. AI progressively began retiring their B747-200s as more of the 400s came into the fleet. While a total of six Boeing 747-400s were made for AI under their direct order (three of these were subsequently sold and leased back), the airline at various times in the 1990s and 2000s operated eight other Boeing 747-400s leased from other carriers
or leasing companies including Korean Air, Singapore Airlines, Air Canada and J R D Tata Malaysia Airlines. With all the leased B747s having been returned to lessors some months ago and with the newer and much more fuel ef ficient B777-200LR and B777-300ERs joining the fleet, sadly, it was early stumps for AI's B747-400s which are by industry norms still relatively young. The onset of the economic downturn last year, actually spelt the beginning of the end for four engined aircraf t. Not only AI but several leading airlines including Singapore Airlines, Luf thansa, British Airways and others have stood down part of their B747 fleets. The fact that twin engined aircraf t like the B777 and A330 have far outsold similar four engined aircraf t are a strong
• 47 •
indicator of the trends to come. Pundits maybe quick to point out that the A380 and Boeing's own B747 derivative the B747-8, scheduled for its first flight nex t year are both four-engined aircraf t. Irrespective, I sincerely doubt if A380 would ever match the longevity of the B747 or if the B747-8 would ever come near the commercial success of its predecessors. So what's the big deal in an old airplane type being taken out of service? Sheer economics may dictate that the B747 has had its days… but the hear t still beats for the Boeing 747 in Air India's livery, for it symbolized the aspiration of an entire generation of Indians as a befit ting Maharani of the Maharajah. My thoughts and those of thousands of Indians could be summed up in the words of a blogger: "Air India without the 747 is like Indian cuisine without curry... could work, but it would never be the same…"
OCTOBER 2009
indian panorama
Orissa to Lure Chinese Tourists
T
he Orissa government is looking at Chinese entrepreneurs to invest in the hospitality sector by
opening hotels and restaurants in the state, in order to woo more Chinese
tourists to the state. The Buddhist link between Orissa and China dates back to the seventh century and the state had good tourism potential for Chinese visitors. Debi Prasad Mishra, Tourism Minister, Orissa, who participated at the PATA Convention held at Hanzhou in China told a news agency in Bhubaneswar that the Chinese entrepreneurs would be encouraged to open restaurants and hotels
close to Buddhist sites and tribal belts, in a bid to promote Ecotourism, Tribal Tourism and heritage among Chinese tourists. He added that three years back 500 Chinese had visited the state and now the number had increased to 1,500, a majority of them being business travellers. Mishra said that the Chinese showed interest to visit Orissa after they were informed about the Buddhist heritage link between Orissa and China right from the visit of traveller-cum-historian Heuen Tsang in 638 AD.
TTDC Introduces Waterfall Tour
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he Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation (TTDC) has launched 'Aruvigal Sut trula' - a unique three-day tour covering all major water falls in the state. The tour covers water falls at
J & K for More Private Investment in Tourism
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ammu and Kashmir government has favoured more private sector investment for developing tourism infrastructure in the state. At a seminar on tourism organised recently in Katra, Jammu, Nawang Rigzin Jora, Tourism Minister, Jammu and Kashmir said that the private sector could invest in
transport, construction of rest houses and even road networks. "For over 50 years the state government took on itself the burden to harness the tourism potential
and build it but now the responsibility should be shared as is the case in the developed countries," stated Jora, adding that, focus must be on developing the infrastructure in tourism circuits of state. The Minister said Katra has emerged as an example for others on how to promote Pilgrim Tourism but opined that the place needs to be further streamlined by advancing greater facilities.
Be Innovative and Creative to Beat Slowdown
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he tourism industry in Kerala should come up with innovative and creative ideas to keep the industry vibrant, opined experts. They were talking at a conference 'Strategies to beat slowdown in tourism sector' organized by the Times Group and Kerala Tourism. "It is high time that Kerala tourism start thinking about an image makeover", said PK Mohankumar, COO of Gateway Hotels, part of IHCL. "More focus should be given to specific destinations and sub-brands OCTOBER 2009
ought to be developed, each of them representing a specific experience", he added. Prem Subramaniam, advisor-CSR of Infrastructure Development Finance Company said Kerala should learn from destinations like New Zealand, China and Thailand. The industry had to develop fresh ideas instead of constantly complaining about the poor state of infrastructure. Devdutta Banerjee, Regional Director (India, Bangladesh and Maldives),
Starwood Hotels and Resorts said the traditional response of cutting tariffs was not the right way to deal with the current setback. "We are selling an experience and the industry needs to ask itself whether it was selling a cheap destination, when it cut tariffs", he said. A Jayathilak, Executive Director of Jalanidhi and Former Managing Director of Kerala Tourism Development Corporation, said a sustained effort from the part of the industry players to solve the problems the industry faces.
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Kumbakarai, Suruli, Kut tralam, Manimuthar, Papanasam and Triparappu in the southern districts of the state. The tour is priced at Rs 2,100 including accommodation and transpor t.
HP Turns to Ayurveda to Boost Tourism
H
imachal Pradesh is integrating tourism with Ayurveda treatment as par t of the ef forts to become a hub for Wellness Tourism in North India. The state has already introduced Ayurveda treatment packages at three of its hotels. They of fer rejuvenating Panchkarma therapy massage to tourists, besides treatment for aliments such as chronic conjunctivitis, corneal ulcer, dry eye syndrome, osteo and rheumatoid ar thritis and mental disorders. The Panchkarma therapies for these ailments will be provided under expert guidance of doctors and trained staf f of special ayur veda centres being set up in the hotels.
ASIAN TRAVELLER
vision
China and India to Lead
Hospitality Business he results released of the survey of hospitality industry revenue management professionals held in accordance with the IDeaS Client Summit 2009 says that China and India is the future of the hospitality business. The event conducted by IDeaS Revenue Optimization, the leading provider of pricing, forecasting and optimization solutions and services was held recently at the Maritim proArte Hotel in Berlin, Germany. Revenue management leaders from some of the world's most prestigious hotels attended the two day event, which was designed to bring IDeaS' clients together to share best practice and enhance their use of the IDeaS V5i Software as a Service (SaaS) Revenue Management solution.To achieve a deeper understanding of the organizational culture surrounding its clients, IDeaS conducted a special global revenue management forum, where delegates at the IDeaS Client Summit 2009 were joined online by qualified virtual attendees to
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give their opinions surrounding key industry and economic issues. More than 90 revenue management professionals from across the globe attended the global revenue management forum and provided a wealth of opinions. Key survey findings include: 51 percent believe that the clear signs of an end to the recession, for the global hotel industry, will begin to show towards the end of the second half of 2010. 81 percent believe that the Revenue Manager role in a hotel should report directly to the General Manager. 80 percent believe that as a revenue management professional in the hospitality industry, they have the skills to work in other vertical market sectors. 55 percent believe that China will be the country that will see the biggest hotel industry growth over the next 5 years, closely followed by India. 53 percent believe that online distribution channels will be the area of their business to focus on over the next 6 months; however, 65 percent believe that higher commissions to third party
distributors will NOT lead to increased profits from these channels. 51 percent currently manage 6 - 15 third party channels. 56 percent believe that heavy discounting during tough economic times was only ever an acceptable practice if those offers were limited and fenced as being fixed and non-refundable, as blanket discounting overall threatens a hotel brand's reputation. 48 percent believe that a distinct lack of in-house knowledge is the key reason for hotels to outsource their revenue management functions during the current economic climate. "Our clients drive the success and evolution of the
IDeaS V5i solution, and we are committed to maintaining a direct line to their input," said Linda Hatfield, vice president of product management, IDeaS. "Hosting the Client Summit was an opportunity for our valued clients not only to share their knowledge with one another, but also to communicate individual stories of how our technology and services positively impacts their business." IDeaS will be checking the opinions of Revenue Management professionals from across the globe again next year during the IDeaS Client Summit 2010, which will be held in New York City.
India Expects Tourism to Contribute 8500 Billion by 2020
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ccording to a study conducted by Research and Markets, The government of India expects travel and tourism to contribute Rs 8,500 Billion to its GDP by 2020 which is almost four times the value of 2005. The rising middle class is also becoming increasingly affluent, mobile, Internet savvy and more sophisticated in terms of
OCTOBER 2009
what is demanded in terms of tourism products and services, and more importantly the price they are willing to pay for it. The Travel and Tourism in India report offers a comprehensive guide to the size and shape of the market at a national level. It provides the latest market size data (2002-2007), allowing you to identify the
sectors driving growth. It identifies the leading companies and offers strategic analysis of key factors influencing the market - be it new legislative, technology or pricing issues. Background information on disposable income, annual leave and holiday taking habits is also included. Forecasts to 2012 illustrate how the market is set to
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change. Rural tourism and medical tourism for inbound tourists will also give rise to new products and services in the sector. Indian government is also increasing investment in the upgrading and modernisation of infrastructure which will translate into better facilities, amenities and access to the leading tourist attractions and sites. ASIAN TRAVELLER
thailand
Thailand's Last Secret Island
Koh Lipe tiny island in a National Marine Park in the Andaman Sea in the very south west corner of Thailand, is where you find this little paradise island. Located in Thailand's oldest National Marine park housing about 70 islands, and Koh Lipe (about 70km from mainland) is the only
Courtesy : Thailand Tourism Authority
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OCTOBER 2009
one that has been allowed private development. Getting there these days can't be easer, as there are now boats from all directions, allowing visitors accesses both directly from Thailand's west coast and it internal airport Hat Yai, or from the north from Phuket, Koh Phi Phi, Koh Lanta and Trang. Also there are now daily boat crossing the board from Malaysia and its famous Island destination Langkwai. There are three main beaches on Koh Lipe, all with different feeling and views. Pattaya beach being the busiest, this horseshoe shaped bay with views out in to the adman sea is full of bar's restaurant and resort's. Sunrise is still much quitter but with much better view's of smaller islands, it also has it's advantages as it receives a cool breeze most of the year. Sunrise also boasts the best snorkeling strait off the beach with kilo meters of reef and several small islands to explore.
Lipe turns at night in to the ultimate chill out scene with the restaurants and bars setting up chairs and bamboo mats right on the beach, lit by candle light, and Bob Marley tunes wafting down the beach. Some of the must see place at night include Phoo's Bar, in the centre of the
of Thailand, renowned for it's amazingly good visibility, huge hard and soft corals and numerous marine life species, thousands of colorful fish, moray eels, poisonous scorpion and lion fish, and even large 2m wide sting rays and it's passing visitors such as whale sharks. But even if you aren't a diver just drifting along with a mask and snorkel is an amassing experience, and just so much to chouse from. Reefs not to miss: the easily excisable reef off sunrise beach on Koh Lipe and the reef in front of the ranger station on Koh Ravi. Koh Lipe offers an impressive verity of accommodation,
island one of it's long standing institutions, Karma Bar well renowned on the back packer scene and the relatively new Castaway restaurant and bar with it raised decks and stunning views. Taurutau National Marine Park also has some of the best dive sites in all
ranging from the inexpensive back packer Bamboo Huts (Varin 2) to the chic and stunningly designed Castaway resort who has this year added some stunning beach view bungalows that are two stories with amazing views that will fulfill any travelers dream.
Tips for Travellers: • Arrive at Pak Bara before 11.30 if you are coming via Hat Yai. • Taking the boat straight from Langkawi is only slighter more money, but the time it saves and the hassle free immigration is wor th it. • There are no ATM's on the island so make sure you bring enough for the time you anticipate to stay, and then double it as you'll end up staying longer! • Varin 2 on Sunrise beach has the newest and cheapest bamboo bungalow's huts
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ASIAN TRAVELLER
thailand mari, Thailand's largest domestic hotel management company, with an inventory exceeding 3,000 rooms and employing over 3,000 staff today announced that it will be investing USD44.1 million in a corporate growth strategy. The group, which currently has 11 properties in key destinations across Thailand including Bangkok, Phuket, Koh Chang, Pattaya, Koh Samui, Chiang Mai and Krabi plans to operate 40 further properties in Asia Pacific by 2018. This announcement comes one year after the appointment of President and CEO, Peter Henley who has spent his tenure to date focused heavily on preparing for change, allocating
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Amari Announces Plans to add 40 Properties
investment to the enhancement of systems and processes, significant revitalisation of the Amari brand and corporate management restructuring which has included the appointment of a number strategic senior hires from hospitality giants including RitzCarlton, Hilton Hotels & Resorts, Six Senses and Shangri-La. The new management structure includes the addition of roles with specific skill sets in areas including development, technical services and revenue management. A key cornerstone of this growth plan is the revitalisation of the brand identity. Building on Amari's strong foundations of successfully managing a mixed portfolio of city-based hotels and resorts, the company is looking to strengthen and broaden its brand proposition. Planned developments will include: A new logo along with the tagline "Colours & Rhythms" which replaces "Hotels & Resorts" to reinforce the message that an Amari experience will be imbued with vibrancy, warmth and a sense of dynamism, positioning Amari ASIAN TRAVELLER
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as a well-established and resolutely modern Asian experience within the mid-upscale hotel sector and refurbishment of Amari Watergate Bangkok and Amari Peter Henley Coral Beach Phuket CEO, Amari Hotels commencing in 2010. These will be the first properties in the group to encapsulate the new brand. At the same time Amari is rolling out new service and product offerings to reflect the brand's spirit throughout its entire portfolio of hotels and resorts. In late 2010, the introduction of Amari Residences Bangkok, an exciting concept that will become the first Amaribranded serviced apartments for the group. Located adjacent to the Bangkok Hospital, the 128 room property will target short and long term visitors, especially those visiting the city for medical treatments. Amari Hua Hin, opening in late 2011. This will be the group's first new resort, located on 7.5 acres in the popular Thai seaside town, offering 223 rooms and suites as part of a mixed use development project that will also feature luxury condominiums. Chief Executive Officer Peter Henley commented: "Recognising the competitiveness in today's hospitality industry, we realised that to maintain and develop our position we needed to create a long-term plan to take the company forward." "The next few years will see many changes both at the brand and property levels, ensuring that we continue to set new standards in modern Asian hospitality." Amari is also allocating USD2 million to communicate these changes via consumer and travel trade marketing activity including the hiring of public relations agencies in key feeder markets including India, UK, Russia and Hong Kong. OCTOBER 2009
singapore
STB, Industry Leaders to Develop Tourism 2020 Roadmap
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he Singapore Tourism Board (STB) is developing a new tourism roadmap called Tourism Compass 2020 and wants to know your vision for Singapore in 2020. Tourism Compass 2020 will be an enhancement of Tourism 2015, a tourism blueprint launched in 2005 with a vision to become Asia's leading MICE city, leisure destination, and services centre. It targeted to achieve SD30 billion in tourism receipts and 17 million visitor arrivals to Singapore by 2015. Since then, the Singapore landscape has undergone a dynamic change in the last four years, and a dramatically different Singapore skyline will emerge over the nex t few years as tourism products such as the Integrated Resorts, the Gardens by the Bay project and the International Cruise Terminal come on stream. Global events such as one of the worst economic slowdowns seen in years, and health scares like the H1N1 pandemic and avian flu, have also had a significant impact on the tourism landscape. Against this backdrop, Aw Kah Peng STB believes that the Chief Executive STB development of this new
roadmap is timely. "Singapore as a destination has undergone a rapid transformation in the last few years. While the current environment may be challenging, we are upbeat about the long term prospects for grow th in tourism. This is why we are developing Tourism Compass 2020 - to identify and capitalise on emerging opportunities afforded by new travel trends, so that we can further tourism's contribution as a key driver of Singapore's economy," said Aw Kah Peng, STB's Chief Executive and co-chair of the Tourism Compass 2020 Steering Commit tee. STB has put together a Steering Committee that includes members of the Tourism Consultative Council (TCC), who are leaders in the business and tourism sector. The Tourism Compass 2020 Steering Committee will provide strategic direction for future tourism development in Singapore. Five Taskforces have also been set up to
map out tourism strategies specifically pertaining to the areas of Business, Enrichment, Lifestyle, Marketing, and Travel and Hospitality. Each Taskforce is led jointly by STB and Tourism Consultative Council (TCC) representatives, and is supported by members of various backgrounds from the private and public sectors who provide valuable insights and
OCTOBER 2009
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perspectives. Adding a further dimension to this broadbased approach is STB's call for ideas from members of the public, who may not be part of the industry but are equally passionate about shaping the future of Singapore tourism. They can contribute by sending in comments, suggestions, images and videos to the Tourism Compass 2020 website, www.tourismcompass2020.com, over the nex t four months. From October 2009 to January 2010, the public can vote for the most creative ideas submit ted via the Tourism Compass 2020 website. The top three contributors as voted by the public each month will go on to enjoy new and popular Singapore experiences at Resorts World Sentosa and Dempsey Hill. Their ideas may also be incorporated into the Tourism Compass 2020 roadmap.
ASIAN TRAVELLER
singapore
Singapore Tourism Launches
Campaign to Draw MICE Traffic 009 reasons to meet in Singapore", a MICE focused campaign, was launched as an integral part of attendance building efforts under the Singapore Tourism Board's "Building on Opportunities to Strengthen Tourism" or BOOST initiative. The campaign's key objective is to encourage business travellers to visit Singapore and enhance Singapore's proposition as a value-formoney destination. By leveraging on existing MICE events to drive business visitorship, the "2009 Reasons to meet in Singapore" campaign aims to fuel a robust pipeline of MICE events and keep MICE businesses buoyant in the midst of the global economic downturn, thus ensuring that the industry emerges in a stronger position when the market rebounds. Targeting business delegates, the "2009 Reasons to meet in Singapore" campaign features an attractive array of deals and promotions for accommodation, meetings, attractions and leisure offerings. Business delegates to Singapore have a selection of hotel deals and room packages with 25 participating hotels to choose from. The offers include a "Stay 3 nights and enjoy another night free" at The Regent Singapore, Conrad Centennial Singapore, Meritus Mandarin Singapore and the Millennium & Copthorne
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OCTOBER 2009
Group of Hotels. To double the pleasure, business delegates are also encouraged to tap the benefits of the "Bring Along a Partner" promotion which features special deals for their partners such as discounts for dining and spa treatments. The City Advantage, which is exclusive to business travellers and delegates attending MICE events that are taking place in Singapore until December 2009, is distributed through hotels and to delegates upon registration at MICE events. Designed for both form and functionality, the City Advantage tag is compact and lightweight to suit the needs of business travellers. In addition to complimentary breakfast and internet access at most of the participating hotels, business travellers can also enjoy discounted meeting and seminar packages extended exclusively to inhouse guests, such as Rendezvous Hotel's "Meeting/Seminar package for free" promotion. Through these specially discounted meeting and seminar packages, the "2009 Reasons to meet in Singapore" campaign also targets the local market by enticing local business events planners to hold their business meetings and incentive events in
Singapore, thus ramping up demand for MICE venues and facilities. Commenting on the expected response from the Indian Market, Ms. Jessica Sim, Area Director, Northern & Eastern India, Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh, Singapore Tourism Board said, "We expect the City Advantage Tag to further increase the MICE arrivals from India. With Singapore's proximity and the hassle free arrangements, the island nation is already a favourite MICE destination amongst Indian corporates. We are confident that with the added benefits of the City Advantage Tag, Indian corporates will choose Singapore for their off site needs." With the City Advantage tag, business travellers can tap on a wide array of privileges under the "2009 Reasons to meet in Singapore" marketing campaign, including special deals for dining, retail, attractions, healthcare and wellness. Complemented by the "2009 Reasons to enjoy Singapore" campaign which also falls
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under the BOOST campaign, these value-formoney promotions showcase Singapore as a vibrant and cosmopolitan destination that offers an exhilarating mix of business and leisure offerings, and quality healthcare and lifestyle services which provide memorable, enriching and holistic experiences for business visitors from around the world.
ASIAN TRAVELLER
column
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Hawaii
e all just know the phrase 'Aloha' is a way of greeting in Hawaii so much so Hawaii is nicknamed Aloha State. But the word has more significance than that. 'Aloha' is composed of 'alo' and 'ha' - 'alo' means 'to share' and 'ha' means 'breath'. Aloha means sharing one's breath and sharing one's life. The island nation encapsulates life in all its essence. The Polynesian wisdom is the panacea for all our illness as can be seen in its five fundamental principles:Ahonui - Patience Lokahi - Unity V DURAIKKANNAN Olu'olu - Agreeability Ha'aha'a - Humbleness Akahai - Kindness Aloha is a power ful combination of patience instead of urgency, connection with nature instead of at tempts to control it, collaboration in place of competition, humbleness instead of self-glorification, and gentle kindness instead of hostility. The quintessence of Aloha lies in the dictum that giving is get ting. The more you give the more will you get. The Red Sea and the Dead Sea are not very far away from each other. In fact there is a project called 'Red - Dead' canal (180 kms long) to connect the t wo. However they are so distinct from each other - the Red Sea is full of aquatic life and bountiful energy while the Dead Sea, as the name says it, is just dead and lifeless. For one thing, Red Sea flows into the Arabian Sea through the Gulf of Aden whereas the Dead Sea is just landlocked - neither letting in any river into it nor flowing out into another body of water. In fact, it is 1292 feet below sea level signif ying a lowly altitude and at titude! People are so much closed and indrawn that they have already lost
OCTOBER 2009
sight of the big universe that is in existence with all its wealth and munificence. They all just live to die. There is a beautiful story about the dif ference bet ween the hell and the heaven. A man dies and his spirit goes upwards. At the Pearly Gates, he is given the option to have a look into both the hell and the heaven and decide the one he wants for himself for he has done equally good and equally bad. To his utter intrigue, he finds both the hell and the heaven are exactly the same in the structure or
its abundance and in everything. He asks St Peter what the dif ference is bet ween the t wo. St Peter says 'Wait until the meal time and see for yourself!' The meal time comes. Both the places have the same exquisite dinnerware and the same elaborate cuisine. The only thing found odd there is that both the tables have only very long ladles instead of spoons to use. As one lif ts the food with the ladle, one is not able to bring it to one's mouth as the ladle is too long-handled. Everyone in the hell is making a lot of noise out of frustration and the increasing hunger despite having the best possible spread. Then he takes a peep into the heaven. To his pleasant surprise, he finds a spirit of joy and camaraderie ruling high in there. The ladles are the same here as well. But only that people here have chosen to lif t the food and ex tend it to the other man across the table and vice versa.
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Dead Sea
They are just rejoicing in feeding each other. The dif ference bet ween the hell and the heaven is just a mat ter of giving - are we giving to ourselves or others? Some people cannot just give even if it is a mat ter of saving their own life. They would rather die than give. There is a man drowning in the river. The guard who sights the drowning man Aloha Dancers rushes along the riverbank and calls out 'Give your hands‌!' towards dragging him out of the river but our man is not giving at all. The guard who is trying to save him is very anxious and running along the drif ting man shouting 'Give me your hands!' But he still does not. Another man who sees this and knows the nature of the drowning man tells the rescuer 'You don't know about him. Now you see what happens..!' And he throws his hands towards him and shouts: 'Take my hands! Take my hands!' and then, lo and behold, the drowning man grabs them! Certain people know only to take. While economics defines people into t wo categories like 'haves' and 'have-nots', there is another big category of people 'those who have not given any thing back for all that they have got or taken '! Just stop for a second and take a hard look at these t wo words and that will explain the deeper meaning of what life's joy and sorrow are all about: Wellness & Illness!
ASIAN TRAVELLER
mice
ITB Asia to Strengthen MICE Component in 2010 esse Berlin (Singapore), the organiser of ITB Asia will next year hold a two-day "Associations Programme @ ITB Asia 2010." As a first-ever in Asia, the initiative will work with international experts such as the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE), The Center for Association Leadership, and Suntec Singapore. With a high percentage of regional and international association representatives expected to attend, Associations Programme @ ITB Asia 2010 will attract exhibitors such as convention centres, resorts and hotels, professional conference organisers (PCOs), destination management companies
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(DMCs), solution providers and convention and visitor bureaus (CVBs) from the Asian region. The Associations Programme @ ITB Asia 2010 will be built on two key elements: pre-scheduled appointments between exhibitors and association representatives, and an exciting speaker line-up for the Associations Programme. "The MICE world is very large," said Dr Martin Buck, Director of Messe Berlin (Singapore). "Within it, our focus will be on expanding ITB Asia by introducing the growing associations
France Goes After MICE
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tout France, the government agency that promotes French tourism activities overseas, is upgrading France's meetings and incentives profile. A micro-site dedicated for the MICE industry has been developed at www.franceguide.com/sg to enable travel trade professionals to capture this particular market segment. On the leisure travel side, Atout France is currently running promotions in Singapore and Thailand called "Time For France! Romance & Shop in Style". The campaign focuses on aspects of France, ranging from the romantic lifestyle of the French to the French art of living. The campaign promotes events that are categorized under this theme and specific French products and places such as champagne from the Champagne-Ardenne region. 'Time For France!' was launched this year and is expected to run through 2010.
OCTOBER 2009
meeting sector. We will invite a compelling
association programme that will add an exciting new component to ITB Asia from 2010 onwards," he said. "Suntec Singapore is proud to play its part in international enhancing associations' group of speakers. They will know-how through this share their real-case programme," said Pieter experiences with the industry Idenburg, CEO of Suntec and it should greatly benefit Singapore. "As a venue that everyone joining the hosts an average of 1,500 programme," he said. events annually and with Dr Buck added, "Over the many of them association next couple of months, we driven, we are thrilled to be will put top-level able to contribute partnerships in place. The constructively to the objective is to have a strong industry," he said.
New Borneo Convention Centre Spurs Hotel Boom
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ith the opening of the Borneo Convention Centre in Kuching, the state of Sarawak in Malaysia expects to see more high-end hotels opening. Authorities say 1,686 four-star hotel rooms will be added in 2010. One of the new hotels under construction adjacent to the convention centre is the 33-storey Kuching Tower. A hotel will occupy the top 18 floors of the building, which is due to open in 2010. The Borneo Convention Centre is now the largest meeting venue in Kuching, with a total floor area of 36,500 square metres. The centre's pillar-free Great Hall has a capacity for 5,000 delegates. In Kuching City, the centrally located Novotel opened with 388 rooms this year. The property offers panoramic views of the city and Sarawak River. In addition, major refurbishments were completed at the Damai Puri Resort in Damai and the Hornbill Borneo Highlands Golf Resort, which are premium properties on the outskirts of Kuching.
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ASIAN TRAVELLER
deutschland
Munich Schack-Galerie
100 Glorious Years
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unich's famous SchackGalerie will revel in its centenary celebrations this November. 18 September 1909 was the day when the SchackGalerie opened in Prinzregentenstrasse, Munich. It was commissioned by Emperor Wilhelm II, who was also responsible for building the adjoining Prussian Embassy. Designed by Ma x Littmann, the architect of the Prinzregententheater in Munich, it was based on plans first drawn up by Adolf von Hildebrand. With its extensive holdings of works by Moritz von Schwind, Anselm Feuerbach and Arnold Böcklin, the Schack-Galerie houses one of the most important collections of German 19th-century paintings. The grand centenary celebrations will be held on November 17, 2009. The gallery was founded by Count Adolf Friedrich von Schack who, apart from Ludwig I, was the most significant collector of contemporary art at that time in Germany. Up until his death in 1894, he acquired some t wo hundred paintings by German artists and around eighty copies of works by Old Masters. Af ter Count Schack's death, the collection was
OCTOBER 2009
bequeathed to the German Emperor who got the present gallery erected in 1909. In 1939 its ownership was given to the State of Bavaria and has been under the management of the Bayerische Staatsgemäldesammlungen ever since. In the wake of the revelry, the gallery has been busy giving a makeover to the 100 year old space. While the ground floor of
Adolf von Hildebrand
the gallery was renovated last year, the rooms and small exhibition spaces, which previously had light walls, have now been painted in darker colours, providing a more ef fective backdrop for paintings of the Romantic period. Now, works by Schwind, Rot tmann, Preller and
Spitzweg can be seen against walls painted in a bold blue and red. At the same time, a new method of labelling was introduced with explanations of individual works. In an exemplary fashion, this underlines the correlation bet ween painting and literature, the artists and the collector and writer, Count Schack, as well as the pictures in his collection. Visitors are given a par ticularly profound insight into the artistic and intellectual world of 19thcentury Germany in the SchackGalerie in Munich, which is generally not found in other museums. Renovation work was continued this year on the first floor, which houses the key works in the collection including paintings by Arnold Böcklin and Anselm Feuerbach, as well as Franz von Lenbach's Young Shepherd. The largest room in the gallery, used for many years for meetings by the neighbouring State Chancellory since the end of World War II was also remodelled and turned into a new Copy Room. This is where twenty, mostly large-format copies of Venetian Renaissance painting are shown, which together form a focal point
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within the collection as a whole. Major works by representatives of the Venetian School, such as Giorgione's Pastoral Concert in the Louvre, Titian's Pesaro Madonna in the Frari Basilica in Venice and The Presentation of the Virgin Mary in the Accademia, as well as the Portrait of Emperor Karl V in the Prado, have been grouped together in the Copy Room. Artists who painted the copies include August Wolf and Ernst von Liphart, as well as Franz von Lenbach in par ticular. Lenbach's copies of Titian's works for Count Schack are considered among the best paintings of their kind executed in the 19th century in Germany. A key part of the collection has once again been given the attention it deserves and, at the same time, the museum landscape in Munich has gained a unique space. The remodelling and furnishing of the Copy Room has been made possible thanks to the generosity of private benefactors and is a highlight in its own right this anniversary year. The rooms renovated for the centenary and the new Copy Room will be open to the general public from November 18, 2009 onwards.
ASIAN TRAVELLER
deutschland and noise, laughter and crying, earth and air and involve the audience in their fantastic stories. The international theatre would happen nex t to the charming
Tollwood Winter Festival 2009
All the World's a Stage
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unich is once again gearing up to host the grand Tollwood Winter Festival for the 40th time at the Theresienwiese, in the heart of the city. To be held from November 25th to December 31st, the theatre festival dedicates itself to the contrast of "heaven and hell" and thus creates its own small Tollwood cosmos. This year, four theatre companies from Canada, Great Britain,
ASIAN TRAVELLER
Austria and Russia show will be showing a repertoire from opera (Mnozil Brass: Irmingard) to cabaret (The Tiger Lillies Freakshow) right up to clownery (Teatr Licedei: Semianyki) and circus (7 Fingers: La vie). These companies will celebrate the game with the antithesis of love and hate, silence
ambiance of the "market of ideas", a Christmas market with more than 200 stalls where people can buy
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handicraf t, taste organic food and much more. More than 75 percent of the shows, which range from theatre, per formances to environmental activities or kids enter tainment, are for free. For the third year in a row, Tollwood presents the "Weltsalon", a fascinating multimedia based venue featuring ecological and social issues. Thematically, everything revolves around the "adventure of life" around fascinating discoveries on the planet and also threats such as global warming. Politicians, scientists and ar tists would be guests on the stage of the Weltsalon including Indian women's rights activist and the alternative Nobel Prize winner Dr Ruth Manorama, GEO-expedition leader Lars Abromeit, former German federal minister Dr Heiner Geissler and many more.
OCTOBER 2009
disney magic hand-held laser cannons to blast enemy targets and amass points at Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters. And at Jungle River Cruise, the mysterious jungles of fer surprises to Guests around every bend in the river including an epic battle of fire and water. More thrilling experiences are in store for Guests at Space Mountain, a one-of-a-kind indoor roller-coaster that rockets at exhilarating speed through the inky blackness of space and past shooting stars, careening comets with synchronized music and sound ef fects. Guests can also star t an imaginative journey at it's a small world where they will enjoy scenes through dif ferent cultures far and wide. They can experience the joy and wonder of creatively costumed dolls, elaborate sets, and unforgettable music. For Indian visitors,
Experience the Magic of Disney Hong Kong Disneyland is the Perfect Family Holiday Destination
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he Hong Kong Disneyland Resort is a top vacation destination for the whole family and a landmark tourist attraction in Asia. The Park of fers a unique family vacation experience that features the trademark Disney fairytale and fun, quality dining, and rela xing resort environment at the t wo award-winning Disneythemed hotels to deliver a total immersive experience for you and your family. At Hong Kong Disneyland, Mickey and other Disney Characters look forward to welcoming Guests and their family and friends to the worlds of fantasy, adventure and imagination in four themed lands at the Park. At one of the most popular attractions among Indian visitors, Mickey's PhilharMagic, Guests will meet Disney princesses and beloved heroes up close in a hilarious 3-D movie and symphony of surprises. Disney stories and fairytales come to life in spectacular shows like The Golden Mickeys at Disney's
OCTOBER 2009
Storybook Theater, a boardwayst yle musical experience celebrating great Disney classics like Mulan, Disney-Pixar's Toy Story, Tarzan and Lilo and Stitch. High qualit y entertainment is an important part of every Guest's immersive experience at Hong Kong Disneyland. One of the highlights of the day will be watching Disney on Parade. Nearly 100 per formers with your beloved Disney characters are part of the color ful parade that is presented daily. For those who are devoted to music and dance, you will enjoy watching High School Musical: LIVE!, an ultra high energy interactive street party that invites young Guests to dance and sing like never before. Every family will have fun at exciting at tractions like Autopia which gives kids of all ages the chance to get behind the wheel and hit the road of tomorrow. Guests can team up with Buzz Light year and spin their Star Cruisers 360 degrees while firing
they can also find lovely Indian dolls with beautiful Sari singing in front of a miniature Taj Mahal at it's a small world! As Guests continue to discover many more fulfilling enter tainment activities throughout the Park, one should not miss the Disney in the Stars fireworks show at night as it fills the night sky over the Sleeping Beauty Castle. "As one of the best family holiday destination in Asia, Hong Kong Disneyland of fers a total resort experience with Disney's renowned quality world-class enter tainment of ferings and two hotels nearby the Park. The Park provides an immersive experience for Guests to leave the everyday world behind and have fun with their family. There is something for every member of the family at Hong Kong Disneyland, and we are delighted to see more and more Indians visiting our Park," said Ben Wong, Director of Marketing, Regional Business, Hong Kong Disneyland Resort.
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Hong Kong Disneyland of fers an exciting selection of shopping and dining options throughout the Park. To welcome Guests from India, a wide selection of Indian cuisine is served at the Park and hotels. As a mark of respect towards the Indian culture, the Park has specially enlisted the help of three Indian chefs to prepare authentic Indian food for Guests. Meanwhile, Guests looking for souvenirs for loved ones will be impressed by the seasonal new merchandise and exclusive Disney merchandise that can only be found in Hong Kong. The two award-winning Disneythemed hotels are per fect for Guests to rela x af ter a full day of fun at the Park. Guests will be surrounded by the charm and elegance of the Victorian era at the Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel. Disney's Hollywood Hotel pays tribute to Holly wood and will make Guests feel like a movie star as they immerse themselves in the history and glamour of motion pictures. They may also be pleasantly surprised by appearances of Disney Characters at the hotels at any time. "The Park has prepared so much fun and surprises for our Guests. The entire family will be surrounded by the magical stories and at tractions in the Park all day. To complete this unforgettable journey, Guests can stay at the Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel or Disney's Holly wood Hotel to enjoy an immersive resort experience and our first-class family vacation facilities and world-famous hospitality," Wong added. w w w.hongkongdisneyland.com
ASIAN TRAVELLER
hong kong
Great Hong Kong Outdoors Visitors Encouraged to Explore Hong Kong's Hiking and Dining Experiences
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o the surprise of many, who consider Hong Kong a concrete jungle, approximately 40 per cent of the city's land area is country park, which offers ideal locations for hiking and an urban retreat. To showcase the city's beautiful countryside, the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) launched a brand new "Great Outdoors Hong Kong!" promotion, bringing visitors to experience different sections of MacLehose Trail - Hong Kong's longest hiking trail. Rita Lau Ng Wai-lan, Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development; James Tien, Chairman of HKTB; and Alan Wong Chi-kong, Director of the Agriculture, Fisheries and
Conservation Department formally launched the programme. Riding on the hiking season that begins in October, we have launched the 'Great Outdoors Hong Kong!' to highlight our city's hiking trails and nature attractions," said James Tien. Every year, Oxfam Hong Kong organises the "Oxfam Trailwalker", a world-class hiking event that draws local and international participation from hiking enthusiasts. To offer visitors the opportunity of tackling the Trailwalker course, the HKTB is organising hiking tours based on the route of the "Oxfam Trailwalker". For five consecutive Saturdays starting from today, visitors can join these
tours guided by hiking experts to explore different sections of the MacLehose Trail. Promoting Hong Kong's natural ecology and landscape is part of the HKTB's long-term strategies for marketing Hong Kong as a travel destination. The HKTB will continue to collaborate with the travel trade.
Through such events as the "Great Outdoors Hong Kong!", the HKTB James Tien will Chairman, HKTB package Hong Kong's natural landscape into attractive new tourism products for visitors.
Hong Kong Food and Wine Year
Spotlight Events Just Around the Corner
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he Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) will stage the "Hong Kong Food and Wine Year Spotlight Events" from 30 October to 8 November 2009, presenting a tantalising experience of fine wine, cuisine and enter tainment for visitors and local residents. The anchor event will be a three-day "Hong Kong Wine and Dine Festival". Not only can participants taste approximately 300 brands of wines from 15 "old world" and "new world" countries, as well as over 150 local food items, but they can also enjoy Hong Kong's firstever, outdoor 3D multimedia show, a large-scale art installation by local artists, and an array of live per formances with different themes. James Tien, Chairman of the HKTB, said, "Hong Kong enjoys a longstanding reputation for its cuisine, which is indeed its core tourism appeal. Leveraging on the exemption of wine duty by the Government, the HKTB has designated 2009 as the Hong Kong Food and Wine Year. In organising this
OCTOBER 2009
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first-ever Hong Kong Food and Wine Year Spotlight Events, we aim to showcase to visitors our delectable of ferings, and reinforce our standing as a gourmet paradise. Through collaboration with our travel-trade partners in various source markets, especially in the short-haul and Mainland markets, we've put together a series of package tours and itineraries themed on the cuisine and wine in Hong Kong, which we hope will stimulate travellers' desire to visit Hong Kong, and in turn create greater business opportunities for our travel and related sectors." The Event will comprise of four key elements: The "Hong Kong Wine and Dine Festival", which is the first-ever, large-scale outdoor fine wine and gourmet event; street carnivals organised by two major food districts; a sparkling array of activities put together by the catering and tourism sectors; and a series of wining and dining offers.
ASIAN TRAVELLER
profile penthouses size ranging from 1000 to 1900 sq ft. Each suite contains latest provisions for home comfort and convenience. Wireless internet access is availed throughout the property. Guests can be provided with a phone that follows you upon check in using the new technology of mobile convergence. The other facilities are solely for the enjoyment of Lanson Place residents and their guests, giving a feeling of exclusivity
the private dining room themed with the grand chandelier is available for guests to organise private parties. All standard amenities including 24-hour Gymnasium, laundry facility, library; board room, business centre are offered. Each room is equipped with microwave, cooking utensils,
Experience Home More Than Home anson Place Hotel, a contemporary 26storey skyscraper rising from the classic 1900s inspired façade is located in the Causeway Bay, the heart of Hong Kong. One of the leading luxury hotels of the place, it was developed by WingTai Asia and is located in the Causeway Bay, the heart of Hong Kong. It provides the smart alternative and a smart choice for the design savvy and street wise traveler. Lanson Place is designed and inspired with the blending of classic and contemporary elements. Situated in Causeway Bay, the cosmopolitan centre of Hong Kong the place is one of the most vibrant, dynamic city centers in the world. The place is home to some of the big multinational firms and businesses. It is also a renowned place for shopping as well as to wine and dine. Chanel, Cartier, Gucci,
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OCTOBER 2009
Ralph Lauren, Prada, JP Todds, Jean Paul Gaultier have all chosen Causeway Bay as their place to be. The eateries and tea shops are round the corner. Lanson Place is placed on the fifth avenue at a quiet corner of sophistication in this city centre. It houses 188 accommodation units with sizes ranging from 380 to 600 sq ft and 6 serviced apartments on the
and personal touch. The 133 Lounge offers guests a private living area where cocktails and snacks are served. Continental breakfast is served daily at the Lounge. Live Jazz band will be performing on special evenings. The guests are encouraged sampling our martini collection with a book in our library or simply sitting and relaxing to our special Lanson Place music collection. Murano Room,
kitchenette & crockery, DVD player. The floor to ceiling windows and position of Lanson Place provide a totally different perspective of this busy city. Rarely do you find a place in Causeway Bay that allows mountain views, park views along city views, a serenity of sunrises and sunsets. Yet the hustle and bustle and the real flavour of Hong Kong are right outside the door step. Lanson Place is aims at the niche market targeting International Frequent Travellers, creating a sense of an exclusive hotel with privileges and unexpected surprises for our guests. The Hotel differentiates itself by setting out to create an environment whereby the business or leisure visitor, short or medium term can enjoy the spacious living and facilities and feel truly at home. w w w.lansonplace.com
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ASIAN TRAVELLER
profile
Dravidian Trails
Cultural Holidays D
ravidian Trails is a destina tion management com pany born out of the dream of passionate people hailing from South India, determined to transform holiday into experience. When S. Swami who had worked as Asst. Vice President - South with SITA decided to be on his own to fulfil his passion and ambition, Dravidian Trails was born. The USP is that we are Dravidians and part of South India culture and understand business better than anybody else in this part of our country. "We are fascinated by the idea of sharing our culture, tradition & beauty of magnificent South India through a journey more comprehensively to the discerning traveller", says Swami. Dravidian Trails comprises
ASIAN TRAVELLER
a team of dedicated professionals, who are committed to create value to our associates at all times. Quality oriented team will deliver based at Cochin with own people at Chennai, Bangalore along with representations at Trichy, Madurai and Mysore. "We only wanted to deal with trusted and respected friend from the first hour of our business. We believe that "Every great business is built on relationship", let our relation grow from strength to strength and your support will lead us to success", explains Swami. Dravidian Trails logo narrative The Rock: The triangular shaped, fine-flowing, smooth-
edged rock symbolises the celebrated Dravidian ethos the dedication for perfection, the devotion for the finest expression attitudes which align per fectly to deliver the ultimate customer satisfaction. Incidentally, the finest ever Dravidian expressions are in granite (rock), which are found in profusion across South India. The triangular shape also stands for a perfect relationship. So this symbol becomes the essence of South India. The rock also symbolises the solid nature of the company and its rock-solid commitment to deliver the best ever experience to its
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customers, career grow th and satisfaction for employees, growing value to stake holders, satisfaction to vendors and happiness to whoever coming into contact with the company. The Foot-print: The foot-print stands as a visual expression of the term 'trails'. It also expresses the company's dedication to leave a foot-mark - its stamp of excellence - in everything it does. It also visually expresses the spirit of travel - every journey begins with the first step forward. The font, the colour: The font used is 'Frutiger', which is modern, clean, crisp, The colour red stands for things essential for life. Today, travel becomes essential for the mindsoul-body well being of modern day, high-stressed society.
OCTOBER 2009
luxur y
A Jewel by the Lake
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he Leela Palace Kempinski Udaipur ideally located on the banks of Lake Pichola, with the old Aravali ranges on the backdrop and standing witness to the historic City Palace is one of the fast spreading names in Indian up-market hospitality industry. Situated in Rajasthan, a state with a rich cultural heritage of palaces, lakes, traditional arts and crafts, and distinctive architecture the Leela, captures all the romance and splendour of a royal era. The 72 Rooms including Heritage and Lake View Rooms and 8 Suites including Luxury Suite, Duplex Suite, The Royal Suite and the Maharaja Suite provides a variety of luxury accommodation to the visitors. Lake view room and Heritage
end luxury. The exclusive Royal Suite of fers a view unparalleled to none other, while the unique Maharaja Suite boasts of its own massage room.
Rajasthan. The Leela Palace Kempinski, Udaipur is a modern palace hotel designed by the world renowned architect, Bill Bensley and interior designer,
view rooms span an area of 54 sq. mts of spacious interiors with opulent views. The suites offer luxurious comfort and practical space. The four Luxury Suites and two Duplex Suites provide high-
The proper ty exhibits the finest sense of architecture which includes the rich and natural detailing of traditional Indian palaces along with artifacts and furnishings representing the handicraf ts of
Jeffery Wilkes. The quaint arches and grand domes along with the exquisite and contemporary interiors laud the grandeur
OCTOBER 2009
Capt. C.P. Krishnan Nair Chairman, Leela Group
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of the proper ty. The regally designed fabrics the dark wood furniture adds to it. The restaurants situated overlooking the heritage city offers a 24hr al-fresco dining area, lounges and fine dining Indian specialt y restaurant. A lakeside private table is also available. Contemporary and sophisticated, The Dining Room includes a walk-in cellar with a private sommelier and terrace, and of fer international cuisine prepared with fresh spices, herbs, fruits and vegetables from the palace organic gardens. Sheesh Mahal offers fine dining in Udaipur under the stars in an roof top restaurant with Indian cuisine from the royal kitchens of India. The Library Bar is a luxurious den with fireplaces, fine art, books and collectible artifacts for guests to enjoy refreshTamir Kobrin ments, General Manager champagnes, The Leela Palace time refined Kempinski Udaipur cognacs, single malts and vintage wines. The hotel has all other top end amenities inspirational surroundings, several meeting rooms, board room, business center and banquet halls. The gym is fit ted with the finest of equipment and personal trainers.
ASIAN TRAVELLER
face to face
SilkAir Eyes New Heights SilkAir (Singapore) Private Limited is based in Singapore and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Singapore Airlines and operates scheduled passenger services from Singapore to cities in Southeast Asia, South Asia and China. As the regional wing of Singapore Airlines, it serves many short-haul destinations in the Singapore Airlines Group network. SilkAir has been voted Asia-Pacific's 'Best Regional Airline' for the tenth time recently. The award honours the carrier offering the best in-flight service, network and schedules within the Asia-Pacific region. This win is the latest in a series of international awards that SilkAir has received this year. In September, SilkAir was voted in the Top 10 List of Best Airlines Worldwide for Cabin Service by Hong Kong-based online travel magazine, Smart Travel Asia. In June, SilkAir was voted 'Best Regional Airline (Southeast Asia)' in the 2009 Skytrax World Airline Awards. Ahmad Zuhri, Manager India, SilkAir spoke to Asian Traveller exclusively about the current aviation scene in general and SilkAir in particular. Excerpts: SilkAir has been voted AsiaPacific's 'Best Regional Airline' this year by a travel trade newspaper in Asia, for the tenth time. How do you assure sustaining quality service to the customers? SilkAir constantly keeps abreast of the latest developments in the aviation industry to understand the trends in air travel and what travellers want. At the same time, we also monitor our customers' feedback to see what further improvements can be made to enhance their travel experience. As a customer-focused airline, we are pleased that our ef forts have been recognized and it is a great encouragement for us to continue to improve on our product and service level. SilkAir has joined hands with Singapore Tourism Board to boost tourist arrivals to the country. Could you please elaborate on these activities? What other tourism promotional and tourism related activities Silk Air is doing at the moment? SilkAir has teamed up with the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) and Changi Airport Group (CAG) to carry out a series of regional marketing campaigns to boost visitor arrivals into and via Singapore. The marketing campaigns feature various promotions to
OCTOBER 2009
entice people to travel on SilkAir, such as discounted air fares and at tractively- priced holiday packages. The promotions will be launched in phases across 18 cities that SilkAir flies to, spanning China, Indonesia, India, Malaysia, Philippines and Thailand. How impor tant is India to Silk Air as a market? Do you have any special marketing or promotional plans for India? SilkAir views India as a very important and strategic market. Our Indian routes have always performed well and continue to see high passenger load factors. We currently fly to four Indian points - Coimbatore, Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum) and the latest, Hyderabad. Currently SilkAir has launched special SilkAir Hungama promotions to stimulate travel in the PanIndia market, with special promotional fares for travel to Singapore and beyond e.g. Australia, USA and Thailand. Recently Silk Air took over the Singapore - Penang route from SIA. Any plans to make similar moves? Do you have plans to fly in any new routes? For the moment SilkAir has no
fur ther plans to take over other SIA routes but we will continue to be on the lookout for oppor tunities, either independently or in cooperation with SIA. What are the challenges that need to be tackled in the aviation sector in the coming months? While the global economies have generally stabilized, sustained recovery is not apparent. Globally, airlines are expected to lose an estimated USD11 billion this year, and another US$3.8 billion nex t year. This poses a major challenge to airlines to rethink their business models and come up with more innovative ideas to stimulate demand for travel. While the airline industry is cyclical in nature, we at SilkAir are confident that demand will eventually pick up in the long term. According to a recent IATA report passenger demand has declined around three percent this year compared to the same time last year. How has it been for Silk Air? Like many other airlines around the world which are af fected by the global economic downturn, SilkAir too has seen sof ter demand in the first half of this year. In order to stimulate travel, we have intensified
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our marketing and promotional ef for ts. The response from customers has been encouraging so far and we are seeing some stability in our advanced booking numbers. We will continue to monitor the market demand and adjust our marketing ef forts accordingly. Silk Air is also involved in some charit y activities for street children in Asia. Could you please elaborate on that? In February this year, SilkAir announced its adoption of FriendsInternational, as part our ef forts to help some of the communities where we have flights to. FriendsInternational is an award-winning non-governmental organization (NGO) which focuses on reducing the number of street children in Asia and beyond. As part of our sponsorship of Friends-International, SilkAir will of fer two children from the NGO''s Phnom Penh headquarters SilkAir scholarships to study English at the Australian Centre for Education in the Cambodian capital. SilkAir is also of fering a range of other support, including heavily discounted tickets for FriendsInternational's staf f for work-related travel and free cargo allowance for transpor tation of Friends- International merchandise like cookbooks and accessories handmade by the children's families.
ASIAN TRAVELLER
profile
The Art of Hospitality lora Hospitality Group is one of the fast growing hospitality provides of a range of budget to luxury Dubai hotel rooms and apartments in Dubai. With all properties located close to strategical points of the city supplemented by the modern amenities and the warm Arabian hospitality, it has placed itself one among the
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preferred shelters for the travellers. The Flora Grand hotel Dubai, a 4 star deluxe property on the Al Rigga Street in Deira district of Dubai is located just 10 minutes from the Dubai International Airport. The place is always exiting as it the happening place all around the year. The best restaurants and leisure spots, shopping malls and bustling souks are in the vicinity. The hotel has offers 200 rooms to choose from, including standard rooms, deluxe suites for the holiday-maker and royal suites for uncompromising indulgence. The friendly and well trained staff pampers your stay. Standard King, Executive OCTOBER 2009
King, Executive Twin, Standard Twin, Executive Suite, Junior Suite, Royal Suite are the different types of accommodation provided here. All amenities including Ballroom are available at the property. The Monsoon Restaurant, Le Terrace and Al Nakheel Coffee shop offered different delicacies from Continental, seafood,
station in Deira Dubai is hardly 20 minutes drive from Dubai International Airport. It has 48 well-appointed rooms including 4 suite rooms. Florida Restaurant offers a choice ranging from Arabic Russian, Chinese, Authentic Indian & Continental Dishes while Majles Coffee Shop serves snacks. Florida Hotel Dubai located near to Florida
provides the right blend of luxury, warm service and seamless efficiency making it the ideal experience for the global corporate traveler. The Aparthotel offers 180 studios and apartments, each of which is beautifully decorated, modern and features a range of home Shebin Hassan comforts. It MD, Flora Park & Creek Hotel Apartments has a health centre with indoor swimming pool, gymnasium, spa and Jacuzzi. The Serenity Spa at Flora Creek offers a range of treatments and massages. Flora Creek is also equipped with high-tech meeting rooms. The Olive Tree, the all day dining restaurant serves international cuisine and coffee shop serves continental breakfast and Mediterranean, Arabic or International, near Sabka bus snacks. Flora Park Deluxe Asian cuisines. It is also an station in Deira Dubai, Hotel Apartments Dubai is ideal place for meets to take provides standard an exquisite luxury property place. Al Muraqqabat accommodation. in Deira district offering 118 Boardroom, Al Riqqa Flora Creek the latest fully furnished Dubai Boardroom and Al Umara addition to the Hospitality apartments. It has a Ballroom can accommodate Group is a classified deluxe swimming pool and a 24, 14 and 350 people Dubai hotel apartment health club with gym, sauna, respectively. overlooking the famous steam room and Jacuzzi. Hotel Florida Dubai creek. Located only 2 The Serenity Spa at Flora International, located exactly km away from the Dubai Park offers a range of opposite to Sabka bus international airport, it treatments.
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ASIAN TRAVELLER
fine ar ts
Learn to Enjoy Kathakali
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houryathrikam' is a visual effort by Hareesh N. Nampoothiri who tries to take the art of Kathakali to the common people. The traditional art form of Kerala which has evolved to be the ambassador or Kerala in many fronts is not that simple for a viewer to understand. Hareesh, a Kathakali enthusiast and an active blogger who has been Hareesh N. Nampoothiri trying the same thing through his blog has gone for the visual medium this time. The video is produced by Gokul Govind. 'Thouryathrikam' brings you a panoramic view of the characters of ten presented, their costumes, make-up and ornaments, percussion instruments,
ASIAN TRAVELLER
the ragas and other technical details. The documentary feature has been tailored in a comprehensive manner so that a spectator can understand the aesthetics of the art form 'Kathakali'. It's like learning a new language; beginning from alphabets which together make words and then sentences. 'Thouryathrikam' renders a similar approach, navigating the viewer through the twenty four basic 'Artha Mudras' whith with the story is told along with 9 bhavas. These Mudras combine to form words which are categorized into four 'Samyutham', 'Asamyutham', 'Misram' and 'Samanam'. A rich blend of 'Artha Mudras' with dance forms the 'Padams'; alike to sentences in a language. The artist perfects this ar t form with his embellishments and improvisations. 'Thouryathrikam' opens
before you a window to the intricacies of the elegant and graceful art form 'Kathakali'. Along with the presentation of the fundamentals of there is an attempt to trace some historythe past, present and future of the art form. The traditional structure of presentation of the
art form which begins with the 'Sandhyakkeli' or invitation, the lighting of the Kathakali lamp, the beating of the drum called 'Suddhamadhalam', 'Thodayam', 'Purappad' or invocation, 'Melappadam', story unfolding, to the end with singing the 'Dhanasi' is also demonstrated.
Form: Documentary Feature Genres: Educational, Dance, Fantasy, Culture, Art Language: English (Screening only) and Malayalam (VCD and Screening) Runtime: 78 mins Form: DVD-ROM, VCD Video Format: FLV Banner: Chazhikkunnathu Productions
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OCTOBER 2009
hospitality
Aitken Spence Launches Tamara in Coimbatore itken Spence Hotels and Resorts, a part of the Sri Lanka-based diversified conglomerate Aitken Spence PLC, which manages over 25 hotels in Sri Lanka, India, Maldives and Oman, has launched its fifth property in India. The property known as Tamara is located in Coimbatore Tamil Nadu. Tamara is an enterprise of Pricol Ltd, a business house in Coimbatore. Situated in the foothills of the Western Ghats, Tamara is nestled in a fairytale setting. The surroundings of the resort with the panoramic view of the mountains and the water front provide tranquility and spirituality to the guests. Tamara is equipped with
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eight air-conditioned luxury tents; each with two double beds and an attached bathroom. There are plans to set up 14 air-conditioned cottages. The resort offers holistic treatments based on traditional Ayurveda. Besides, the resort has facilities for kayaking, trekking and mountain climbing, angling and water sports. Lakshman Ekanayake, Chief Executive Officer, Aitken Spence Hotel Managements in India said, "With the launch of Tamara, we have further strengthened the presence of Aitken Spence Hotels in the region. With the expected revival of the Indian economy, we are optimistic about the future of the industry and are
looking for further expansion in India." Aitken Spence Hotels is an emerging player in the Indian hospitality industry already managing four other resorts in India: Heritance Madurai in
Pvt Ltd is a company incorporated for the purpose of development and management of hotels in South India. Aitken Spence Hotels is part of Aitken Spence PLC, a diversified conglomerate in Sri Lanka.
Madurai, Atithi in Puducherry, Poovar Island Resort on the backwaters of Kerala and Barefoot at Havelock in the Andaman Islands. Aitken Spence Hotel Managements (South India)
The group manages over 25 hotels in Sri Lanka, Maldives, India and Oman. Tamara is an enterprise of Pricol Limited a well established business house in Coimbatore, India.
Ritz-Carlton to Open Hotel in Hong Kong
Park Hotel Group to Enter Hotel Management Sector
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uxury hotel chain, RitzCarlton will open a hotel which will occupy the top 17 floors of Hong Kong's tallest building, the 484metre International Commerce Centre (ICC) in 2010. The top floor of the six-star hotel will be located on 118th floor. The hotel with 312 guest rooms will look over Hong Kong's Victoria Harbour from Kowloon, Hong Kong. OCTOBER 2009
Apart from being Hong Kong's tallest building, the ICC will be the third highest in the world in terms of the height of its roof. Currently, the world's tallest hotels are the 333metre, 72-floor Rose Hotel in Dubai, followed by the 330-metre, 105-floor Ryogyong Hotel in Pyongyang, North Korea and the 321-metre Burj Al Arab Hotel in Dubai.
he Park Hotel Group has announced at ITB Asia 2009 that it would parlay its experience as property owner-operators to enter into hotel management service contracts. The Park Hotel Group has added eight properties over the last four years. The group is further commit ted to a programme of expansion. It aims to open 10-12 new properties in the nex t five years. These are likely to include additional investments in Japan and China, as well as Southeast Asia. "Park Hotel Group views future prospects for tourism and businessrelated travel across the region in a most positive light," said Allen Law, Director of Park Hotel Group. Addressing, travel trade media he said, "In line with industry predictions, we see a period of rapid grow th and ever-increasing visitor numbers into the Asia-Pacific region."
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ASIAN TRAVELLER
news in pictures
Om Prakash Sahgal Felicitated
Indian Travel Congress in Dubai
Travel Agents Association of India's 58th Convention and Exhibition, The Indian Travel Congress, was held at the Dubai Convention Centre, Festival City, Dubai. The inaugural function took off in the presence of Venu Rajamony, Consul General of India for Dubai and Northern Emirates, Ibrahim Yaqoot, DTCM Executive Director for Corporate Support, Saleh Mohammed Al Geziry Director, Overseas Promotions, DTCM, Hamad Bin Mejren, Executive Director, Dubai Convention Bureau, and VK Duggal, IAS, Carl Vaz, Director India, DTCM, and Kulwant Singh, Director, Lama Group of Companies.
Om Prakash Sahgal, Director, Inorbit Tours and exChairman Travel Agents Association (WR) was felicitated by the stawarlets of "Exhibitions & Events Industry of India" at a special function held at National Exhibition Centre-Mumbai recently in presence of leading trade fairs organisers, who participated in "Eventuality 2009". Om Prakash Sahgal with the award
PATA Grand and Gold Gold Award Winners from India
The Bypass Hotel Launched
ivia WORLD in Goa
P J Joseph, PWD Minister, Kerala formally inaugurates "The Bypass", a hotel at the KIFRA park in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. Also seen is Chacko Paul, MD, Travancore Heritage
ASIAN TRAVELLER
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Jaya Prakash, Qatar Airways; Charles Bonefacio; AGK Kumar, VP, Via Group; Anil Kaul; Martin Joseph and Yogesh Mehta at the launch function in Goa.
OCTOBER 2009
hospitality
Sarovar to be a 50-Hotel Chain by 2012
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Plaza and Park Inn are operated in India under a franchise agreement with Carlson Hotels Worldwide. Sarovar Hotels & Resor ts started out by managing properties in Mumbai, Lucknow, Agra, Chennai and Dar-EsSalaam (Tanzania) in the first five years of its operations. The nex t five years saw Sarovar Hotels spreading to cities such as Goa, Kochi, Shirdi, Puducherry, Hyderabad, Thiruvananthapuram, Manali and many others. From then on, it's
arovar Hotels & Resorts, pioneers in the mid-market hotel segment plans to be a 50-hotel chain by 2012. Anil Madhok, Managing Director, Sarovar Hotels & Resorts, is upbeat about future grow th for the group and the hospitality industry in India. He says "The general hospitality trends mark the
aggressive pace of the hospitality market and it will continue in India for at least 2-3 years in spite of the talk of economic slow-down. The ma ximum grow th will continue to be from the budget segment across metros, non-metros and smaller cities. India will also see more and more of international chains coming and setting up shop here." Apar t from the existing port folio of 37 hotels, an additional 30 hotels are under various stages of development. By 2012, Sarovar targets to be a 50-hotel chain. The Group is also venturing into apartment hotels with Park Inn & Suites, Bengaluru (opening 2010)
and Sarovar Portico, Vaishali in Ghaziabad (opening 2010). Sarovar will also add an inventory of around 600 rooms to Delhi in view of the fast approaching Commonwealth Games. Sarovar Hotels & Resorts ventured into the Indian hospitality landscape 15 years ago in 1994. Over a shor t period of time Sarovar has not only been successful in meeting the demand in this segment, but is today the fastest growing hotel management company in India, with 37 hotels under the brands Sarovar Premiere, Sarovar Por tico, Hometel, Park Plaza and Park Inn.. Park
been a steady grow th path for Sarovar with hotels opening across India and overseas. Sarovar Hotels has a diverse por tfolio encompassing hotels, resorts, restaurants and corporate hospitality services. The properties may vary by
type, size and the market niche they serve, but all provide a consummate and unmatched international hospitality experience at competitive pricing. No wonder then that Sarovar dominates the economy segment market with its properties across India, including metros and mini-metros. Year 2009 saw the opening of Rennaissancce Sarovar Portico, Hosur, Park Inn, Jaipur, Peerless Sarovar Portico, Por t Blair and Park Inn, Gurgaon. The group expanded in Africa with its second property in the region, Ole Sereni in Nairobi. By December 2009, the group plans to launch Sarovar Portico, Ludhiana; Royal Sarovar Premiere, Siliguri; The Muse Sarovar Portico, New Delhi; Hometel Chandigarh and Optus Sarovar Premiere, Gurgaon. Lead by experienced hoteliers and an impressive net work of hospitality professionals, Sarovar Hotels deliver more profitable hotels than any other hotel management company in India.
asia pacific
TAT Named Best Foreign Tourist Office in India Tourism Authority of Thailand lauded at annual travel agents conference
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he Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has been selected for the Abacus-TAFI Award 2009 for Excellence in the Indian Travel Industry as Best International Tourism Board in India when the Travel Agents Federation of India (TAFI) held their International Travel Convention 2009 in the city of Chiang Mai in nor thern Thailand during. The Best International Tourism Board in India Award was pre-
OCTOBER 2009
sented at Le Meridien Chiang Mai Hotel on October 23 and was received on behalf of TAT by Chat tan Kunjara Na Ayudhya, Director of TAT New Delhi Of fice.
According to Chattan, "The Abacus-TAFI awards are among the foremost awards in the Indian travel trade industry, with the winners selected by their peers in the industry.
TAT is delighted to receive the Best International Tourism Board in India Award and will strive to further raise the bar with regards to overall service excellence among NTO's in India." TAT is expanding its presence in India and South Asia with the opening of TAT Mumbai Of fice on 1st November 2009. The of fice will be manned by Sethaphan Buddhani, Director, and Suladda Sarutilavan, Assistant Director. It will be responsible for Thailand's tourism marketing activities in Western and Southern India, as
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well as in Sri Lanka and the Maldives. This second of fice in India will allow TAT to provide faster and more comprehensive support to the travel industry and consumers by both TAT Mumbai and TAT New Delhi. Thailand expects to receive Chattan Kunjara Na up to 530,000 Ayudhya, tourist arrivals Director TAT India from India by the end of this year, marking yet another year of healthy grow th in tourist traf fic from the subcontinent.
ASIAN TRAVELLER
responsible tourism
Saving the Great Indian Bustard KALPANA PALKHIWALA
T With Responsible tourism being the prime motto, it is high time to make the travellers aware of the different aspects and the inhabitants of the destinations they travel to. Although it is all about tourists making environmentally friendly, sustainable, ethical and respectful choices when travelling and minimising the negative impact of tourism, the human element in lot makes the most of it. There are a lot of species nearing extinction in many part of the world due to the yester year travellers who gave more preference for hunting. One such being is the Indian bustards. OCTOBER 2009
he majestic bird is nowadays becoming a raririty. There are four species of Bustards in India are The Great Indian Bustard, Lesser Florican, Bengal Florican and Houbara Bustard. The Great Indian Bustard (Ardeotis nigriceps) also known as Maldhok is found in India and Eastern regions of Pakistan. It lives in arid and semi-arid grasslands, open country with thorns and tall grass interspersed with cultivation. Apar t from Rajasthan, they are also found in Karnataka, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh. Ghatigaon and Karera sanctuaries in Madhya Pradesh no longer appear to have any birds, whereas they used to have a sizeable population there in the past. Karera Wildlife Sanctuary
in Shivpuri district, Nannaj and Shrigonda in Maharashtra and Rollapadu Wildlife Sanctuary near Kurnool in Andhra Pradesh have still a few birds of this species. A large ground dwelling bird it has a long neck and long bare legs like that of an ostrich. It stands at about a metre high and is large, brown and white in colour. Male and female birds are similar in appearance. The male is deep sandy buf f coloured with a crown on the head which is black and crested. The female which is smaller than the male, has a head and neck not pure white and the breast band is either rudimentary or absent. It is omnivorous, feeding on seeds, small shrubs, insects, rats, grams, groundnuts or millets depending on the seasons. The
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male is polygamous. The female lays only single egg once in a year and incubates it for about 27 days. Their nests are situated in open ground and males take no part in incubation or care of the developing young. The fledglings tend to remain with their mother until the following breeding season. Males are solitary during the breeding season but may flock in the nonbreeding season. Lesser Florican The Lesser Florican (sypheotides indica) is the smallest bird in the bustard family having 46-51 cms average length. It has small body with longish bill and legs. The Lesser Florican breeds in Gujarat, South-East Rajasthan, Nor th-West Maharashtra and Western Madhya Pradesh. They are also seen in productive lowland
ASIAN TRAVELLER
responsible tourism (below 250 m) and dry grasslands, with scattered bushes and scrub. It has also been recorded in cotton and millet crops. During nonbreeding season some of them visit South-East India. It is a rare summer visitor to the Terai region of Nepal. Formerly widespread and common, its population has consistently declined since 1870s. In 1982-1989 nearly 60% decrease was recorded in the bird population which took a turn and increased by 32% to 2,206 birds by 1994. Besides loss and degradation of its grassland habitat, the population fluctuations are directly correlated with breeding season rainfall pat terns. It is susceptible to extinction in the event of severe, prolonged drought. The Lesser Florican male has speculate-tipped head plumes, black neck and under parts, white collar across upper mantle, and white wing-coveters whereas the female are sandy or cinnamonbuf f. In their breeding display, the male jumps into the air above the grass level. Lesser Florican is found in two sanctuaries in Sailana and Sardarpur, both in Madhya Pradesh. Bengal Florican The Bengal Florican or Bengal Bustard or Houbaropsis Bengalensis, is a very rare bustard species from tropical southern Asia. It is the only member of the genus Houbaropsis. Very few adult birds are alive today. It has two disjunct populations, one in the Indian subcontinent, another in South-East Asia. The former is found from Uttar Pradesh through the Terai region of Nepal to Assam, where it is called ulu mora, and Arunachal Pradesh. The South-East Asian population is found in Cambodia and adjacent southern Vietnam. The birds use grasslands near the lake to breed, and move away from the water in the wet season when the breeding grounds are flooded. Similarly, the Terai population seems to move towards warmer lowland location in winter. Migrations are not long-distance, however, and probably are restricted to a few dozen kilometres. Bengal Floricans live in open tall habitats with scattered
ASIAN TRAVELLER
bushes. The birds are usually seen in the early mornings and evenings and are most easily spotted in the breeding season of March to August, which is when most censuses of the population are conducted. Particular bet ween March and May, when they give their stunning courtship display, males are far more conspicuous than the cryptically-coloured females, which moreover prefer high grassland rich in sugarcane. Adult Bengal Florican measures 66-68 cm in length on average. The male has black plumage from the head and neck to underparts. Its
Their wing coverts are lighter then the remiges and covered in fine dark barring. They are normally silent but when disturbed utters a metallic chik-chik-chik call. Displaying males, croak and produce a strange deep humming. They have frog-like croaks during display and short whistle when flushed . Restricted to tiny fragments of grassland scattered across South and South-East Asia, the Bengal Florican is the world's rarest bustard. It is known to have become increasingly threatened by land conversion for intensive
head carries a long lankly crest, and the neck has elongated display plumes. The upper side is buf f with fine black vermiculations and black arrowhead markings, and there is a conspicuous large white patch from the wing coverts to the remiges. In flight, the male's wings appear entirely white except for the dark primary remiges. The feet and legs are yellow, the bill and irides and dark. Females are larger than the males and have buf f-brown colour similar to the males back, with a dark brown crown and narrow dark streaks down the side of the neck.
agriculture, particularly for dry season rice production. Poaching continues to be a problem in South-East Asia. The last few years have seen the decline in India coming to a halt and their numbers in Dibru-Saikhowa and Kaziranga National Park and Dudhwa Tiger Reserve are safe, though at very low levels. Still, its global status is precarious and it was consequently uplisted from Endangered to Critically Endangered in the 2007 IUCN Red List. Houbara Bustard Houbara bustard, the ultimate quarry of Arab falconers, is
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seriously threatened. Excessive hunting for falconry, heav y illegal trapping to supply birds for falcon training and a disturbing increase in hunting pressure in Central Asia over the last few years are among factors responsible for the diminishing Houbara numbers. The Houbara Bustard is 60 cm long with an 140 cm wingspan. It is brown above and white below, with a black stripe down the sides of its neck. In flight, the long wings show large areas of black and brown on the flight feathers. It is slightly smaller and darker than Macqueen's Bustard. The sexes are similar, but the female is smaller and greyer above. Like other Bustards, this species has a flamboyant display raising the white feathers of the head and throat and withdrawing the head. 2-4 eggs are laid on the ground. It is vocally almost silent. This species is omnivorous, eating seeds, insects and other small creatures. Population of Houbara Bustard has dropped as much as 40% since 2005. This shy deser t bird could be facing ex tinction within the nex t 15-25 years if unsustainable trade and hunting continue. As par t of the conservation measures Rajasthan declared a ban on hunting this species, ef fective for 10 years in 1993 and local people were employed in a scheme to prevent hunting in Madhya Pradesh. In 1994, a conser vation strategy was published, which proposed management recommendations for fodderproducing grasslands and increased protection for natural grasslands. In 1996, several sites in Rajasthan were identified for intensive conser vation action. Threats to the Houbara Bustard have mounted despite it being classified a protected species in most countries where it occurs. In addition, it is placed in CITES (Conservation on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) which means that commercial trade in live or dead animals and animal parts is totally forbidden. The author is Deput y Director, PIB, Delhi
OCTOBER 2009
wanderlust
A Piece of the UK in Spain Anke Stirner went to Gibraltar expecting nothing much. But a pleasant surprise was in store for her. Here is the account of her first experience. This is the first of a series of articles she will be writing for Asian Traveller from Gibraltor. efore I came to Gibraltar I had no idea where this little piece of world even exists. For me it was just a name I once heard about, too small even to notice it. Now that I am in Gibraltar I can confirm that it is the smallest country I have ever been to, but also very appealing with its facilities and an exciting mixture of Spain, Morocco and the UK. A short history The history of Spain and
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OCTOBER 2009
Gibraltar can be read like the story of Rome and Asterix. The whole of Spain seems to be ruled by one government, if…well, if there wasn't a small part of Spain which belongs to the UK and Northern Ireland called Gibraltar. Just seven sq km big with the huge, famous rock, it is a permanent contentious point between the UK and Spain. In the Second World War Gibraltar was an important military base for the English
soldiers. You can still visit the World War II tunnels. After the soldiers left the British stayed and still discussions go on between Spain and the British government about Gibraltar. Spain wants the region back, while the UK wants to keeps the territory e. The Strait of Gibraltar, the narrow strait that connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea which separates Spain from Morocco, is one of the most used waterways worldwide. So it's of course no wonder that the UK wants to keep it, the advantages are obvious. If you are a James Bond fan you might remember the movie "The Living Daylights" with Timothy Dalton playing the British Agent. The opening scenes of the movie take place in Gibraltar. There you get a short overview about the overseas territory with its features as the The barbary macaques, the rock, the mosque at Europa Point and Europa Point itself.
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On my first weekend I decided to walk to Europa Point since Anke Stirner it was only seven km. It turned out to be the "longest seven km" in the recent years due to the hot Spanish sun and the road which climbed upwards. But after I reached Europa Point I know it was worth every step and the sunburn I got. Gibraltar is also famous for its geographical proximity to Africa because it's the most southern part of whole Europe. Once you reached Europa Point you have a brilliant view of the Strait of Gibraltar with lots of tankers and ships from all around the world crossing the Strait. You can also see African Continent which rises majestically above the sea a few kilometers away. The view is absolutely breathtaking. And I couldn't help but think, that working ASIAN TRAVELLER
wanderlust for a German company on a British territory under the hot Spanish sun facing Africa is really an extraordinary experience. For me the best part concerning sightseeing is Europa point, it's absolutely stunning and makes you speechless. Another attraction here is the barbary macaques. As they are a tailless species, they are also known locally as Barbary Apes or Rock Apes, despite the fact that they are monkeys (macaca sylvanus). Very naughty and not afraid of tourists, you really have to take care of your personal belongings, otherwise you may have a rude surprise. The apes are
1942 (during World War II), after the population dwindled to just a handful of individuals (just seven monkeys), British Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill ordered that their numbers be replenished immediately from forest fragments in both Morocco and Algeria because of this traditional belief. I have never lived in a country which is so small that even a woman like me who has a big talent to get lost always finds her way home. Gibraltar is much too small to miss a street or get lost. I like it now, but I'm sure after a while it 'might be a problem'. Many people who work in Gibraltar live in Spain since it's much cheaper to stay there and you just don't get in claustrophobic circumstances. A problem is the rush hour in the morning, you always have to cross the border and the passports are controlled, but definitely it has also some advantages to stay in Spain. The direct neighborhood of Gibraltar always hungry and looking is Andalusia, one of the for food, they like to sit in most beautiful parts of cars with open windows and Spain, famous for olives, visit houses which are not Flamenco and lovely properly locked. beaches. Funny but sometimes too If you want to come to naughty they are an Gibraltar or go to Spain, you experience you shouldn't don't have to cross only the miss when you come to border - you even have to Gibraltar. The legend goes cross the Gibraltar Airport that when the last ape dies in with its airstrip. Yes, the Gibraltar the British will airstrip! I couldn't believe my leave, but recently they are eyes when I crossed it; the healthy, alive and cheeky. In cars get a red light when a ASIAN TRAVELLER
plane comes or goes and a green light when they can go. It's almost unbelievable and unique in the entire world to share a highway with an airstrip‌but awesome! When you take a closer look at this seven sq km there are so many things to discover and find out you never would have believed it could exist in such a small place. Gibraltar is also a melting pot of people from different countries. I call them 'The modern nomads' which also includes me. People from every part of the world that weren't that happy any more at home and came to Gibraltar for a job and a place to stay. The mixture is exciting, so many countries, so many stories - you can find everything here, the German with his Schnitzel, the Australian with his funny
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accent, the Indian with the temples, the Jewish with their synagogues, the Muslims with their beautiful mosque at Europa Point - all this and a lot more on seven sq km - awesome! Gibraltar has some outstanding laws which makes it to a very demanded county for gambling. Some of the biggest online poker rooms are located here which means money - a lot of money and employment. One third of the employees in Gibraltar work for gambling companies. I'm working here for a few weeks but I have not arrived yet. It's such a beautiful, strange, extraordinary place with some secrets, lots of tourists and naughty apes under the hot Spanish sun. Sometimes you don't need a huge country to discover extraordinary things.
OCTOBER 2009
aviation
Air India Official Carrier for CW Games
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ir India will serve as the of ficial carrier for Commonwealth Games to be held in Delhi in October 2010. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) regarding this was signed by Arvind Jadhav, CMD, Air India recently by the airlines of ficials and Suresh Kalmadi, Chairman, Organising Committee of the Commonwealth Games. Air India has thus became the first Indian and global sponsoring company for the Games.
AirAsia Announces 3 New Routes to India irAsia, one of the world's leading low cost airline has announced that it will commence its daily direct flights to Kolkata, Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in November 2009 respectively. Following a successful launch from the South
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October, 2009 for the travel period from 12th November 2009 to 31st July 2010 for Kochi, from 16th November 2009 to 31st July 2010 for Thiruvananthapuram and from 19th November 2009 to 31st July 2010 for Kolkata. Promotional seats are limited and available on firstcome, first-ser ved basis and made
Indian city of Trichy last year, AirAsia now of fers the people of Kolkata, Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram the pleasure of flying to Kuala Lumpur for an unbeatable all-inclusive fare from as low as INR 1499 (RM 129) all in fares one way respectively for the booking period from 15th to 20th
exclusively available online via w w w.airasia.com and mobile.airasia.com. It is now more convenient than ever to fly to Kuala Lumpur from Kolkata, located in the East Indian State of West Bengal and Kochi & Thiruvananthapuram, both located in the South Indian State of Kerala.
Taj Hotels Partners Etihad Guest
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tihad Guest, the awardwinning loyalty programme from Etihad Air ways, has announced Indian Hotels Company as its new hotel par tner to boost the ex tensive benefits already available to its 650,000-plus members. Etihad Guest members will earn 500 miles per stay at the group's Taj hotels and 250 miles per stay at Taj Exotica and Gateway Hotels. Peter Baumgartner, Etihad Airways' chief commercial of ficer, said: "With Etihad Guest, we seek to of fer our members the most exclusive of benefits when they join our award-winning loyalty programme. The Indian Hotels Company certainly meets these high standards and we are very pleased to have them on board."
Qatar Launches Amritsar Flights
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atar Airways has launched its flight ser vices to the holy city of Amritsar in the northern Indian state of Punjab recently in the onset of the Diwali celebrations. Flight number QR 298 from Doha to Amritsar, four-times-a-week nonstop from Qatar's capital city uses a t wo-class Airbus A320.
OCTOBER 2009
Moreover as compared to other budget carriers, the route net work of fered by this award-winning airline is the most ex tensive in the region. This will translate into a lowcost yet ef ficient travel experience for guests who would benefit from using the LCC Terminal in Kuala Lumpur to connect to other regional ASEAN cities or long haul sectors serviced by AirAsia X. To add value, under GoHoliday at goholiday.airasia.com, guests may choose their holiday lodgings from over 50,000 hotels across Asia, Europe, India, Australia, Sri Lanka and China including ground transfer options and fantastic tour packages. AirAsia Regional Head of Commercial, Kathleen Tan said, "Today, AirAsia is reiterating its commitment to the Indian market with the launch of three new routes- Kolkata, Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram, the first airline to launch 3 cities in India in one day. While most airlines are cutting back during these tough economic times, AirAsia is aggressively expanding its India route net work as we believe there is robust demand in low fare travel."
Government Approves Amendments in ASA Between India and Saudi Arabia
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overnment of India has recently given approval to the amendments in the Air Ser vices Agreement (ASA) bet ween India and Saudi Arabia. ASA bet ween India and Saudi Arabia was last signed on 26-Apr1973, following which bilateral air services talks bet ween the two countries were held from time to time to review air services matters. Both the countries are allowed to operate with multiple designations. For the designated Indian carriers, the points of call in Saudi Arabia are - Jeddah, Riyadh, Dammam and Medinah. For Saudia, the points of call are - Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Cochin, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Calicut and Lucknow.
The capacity entitlement is 75 services per week with any aircraf t subject to ma ximum capacity of 20,000 seats in each direction. Both sides have also agreed for the open sky with regard to all cargo services with full third and fourth freedom traf fic rights. The salient features of the MoU signed include; the provision of the incorporation of 'multiple designation clause' has been agreed and, therefore, each side can now designate any number of airlines as they wish. The capacity entitlement for the designated airline of each side has been enhanced from the existing 8,500 seats/week with frequencies not exceeding 31 services to 20,000 seats/week with
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frequencies not exceeding 75 services per week. Bangalore, Calicut and Lucknow were granted additional points of call for the Saudi designated carriers apar t from the existing Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Cochin and Hyderabad. Medinah has been granted as additional point of call for India designated carrier apar t from the existing Jeddah, Riyadh and Dammam. The capacity to be operated by the Indian designated carriers to/from Dammam for which an open sky policy has been declared by the Government of Saudi Arabia, shall not be counted against the capacity entitlements available to the Indian carriers.
ASIAN TRAVELLER
aviation
Lufthansa Builds its Asian Profile and Commits to FlyNet erman flag carrier, Lufthansa marked a significant milestone. It increased its passenger share from Asian markets to 50 per cent this year. For the first time, the number of passengers flying from Asia to Europe with Lufthansa has matched the number of passengers originating in Europe. Lufthansa is also marking the 50th anniversary of its first schedule flights from
consolidated its position as the largest European airline group in Asia Pacific. "Our strategy of sustainable growth in the successful Asian markets is paying off. Today, 50 per cent of our passengers on the Asian routes are from Asia," said Mueller. "We provide the network into Europe. We continue to be a reliable partner for our customers and industry partners by maintaining our capacity." Leveraging its Europe network, Lufthansa is Germany to Calcutta and offering seven new Bangkok. connections to Africa Uwe Mueller, Vice through code-sharing with President Asia Pacific for Brussels Airlines. With codeLufthansa German Airlines, shares Lufthansa now serves said the airline had 31 destinations in Africa. successfully managed to sell Lufthansa passengers now its Asian capacity and gained have a choice of four record numbers in Asian additional destinations and corporate and leisure seven new connections from customers. It had Brussels.
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Brussels Airlines flights as the main requirement for from Brussels to Abidjan unrestricted use of such (Ivory Coast), Banjul services as web surfing, (Gambia), Bujumbura email/file transfer including (Burundi), Douala und attachments and the Virtual Yaunde (both Cameroon), Private Network (VPN). Nairobi (Kenya) and With FlyNet, Lufthansa Monrovia (Liberia) can also be booked via Lufthansa. Moreover, Lufthansa passengers Uwe Mueller, can fly to Vice President Douala and Asia Pacific for Lufthansa Yaunde on a codeshare basis with SWISS passengers will be able to and to Nairobi with Swiss or have WLAN Internet access Ethiopian Airlines. and send SMS messages by Mueller also revealed that mobile phone and transfer the airline would relaunch data via smart phones such FlyNet, its on-board as PDA, iPhone or broadband Internet service, BlackBerry devices. made possible by an onLufthansa aims to equip a board hotspot installed by major part of its long-range Panasonic. Lufthansa is fleet with FlyNet starting focusing on high bandwidth next year.
Paramount Airways Bags Visionary Award of Excellence
Air India Official Carrier for C'Wealth Games 2010
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. Thiagarajan, Managing Director of Paramount Airways, has received the Lakshya Bhartee Foundation 'Visionary Award of Excellence - 2009' for his contribution in the field of "New Age Business" at a function in Delhi. The award was conferred in recognition of Paramount Airways contributions toward set ting the benchmark in the industry. On the Occasion, Minister of State Tourism Sultan Ahmed said, "The LBF Awards over the years has recognised people who have lef t an indelible mark.
ASIAN TRAVELLER
Paramount Airways has been a successful airline with a robust business model under the M. Thiagarajan guidance of MD, Paramount Airways a young visionary who has transformed air travel in the country". M. Thiagarajan, Managing Director, Paramount Airways said, "We are elated to receive this award. Paramount Airways is commit ted in enhancing the discerning flyers experience with its innovative product of ferings and customer engagement".
ir India has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Commonwealth Organising Commit tee for becoming the Of ficial Partner Airline for the Commonwealth Games, which will be held in Delhi in October 2010. The MoU was signed by Suresh Kalmadi, Chairman, Commonwealth Organising Committee and Ar vind Jadhav, Chairman and Managing Director, Air India at a function held in New Delhi. Air India thus earned the distinction of being the first Indian and global sponsoring company for the Commonwealth Games.
Airbus to Deliver only 13 A380 Aircraft this Year
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irbus has once again reduced the number of A380 superjumbos it intends to deliver this year. It will now be delivering only 13 A380 aircraf t orders this year and more than 20 orders nex t year. In May this year, Airbus cut the number of A380 superjumbos it intended to deliver from 18 to 14. Altogether, Airbus has 200 firm orders from 16 customers on its books for the Airbus A380.
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OCTOBER 2009
serendip
"We Have to Reposition Sri Lanka" ith peace returning to the island nation, Sri Lanka is all set to make a come back in all aspects of economy and tourism is a very important segment. Amith Sumanapala, General Manager, SriLankan Holidays and Mice Division, SriLankan Airlines talked to Asian Traveller about the present condition and development of tourism on the sidelines of ITB Asia 2009. He was very much excited about the new phase of SriLankan Airlines and its holiday division as the turmoil in the country is over. He was all about seeking different ways to revive the tourism industry. "We are very much
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excited and relived. In the business point of view we are heading for a fresh start. We have many opportunities in all directions and we don't know which way to run", said a visibly relieved and excited Amith Sumanapala. There has been a drop in the arrivals until May compared to the period last year. But after June, Sri Lanka saw a steady growth in arrivals. It was about eight per cent growth followed by a twenty per cent growth in August particularly in the Asian markets. For example, the growth in arrivals in India has gone up to forty per cent. The demand for the destinations is back again. "Earlier the operators had
New Look on the Web for Sri Lanka Tourism A Comprehensive Website for Sri Lanka Tourism 6th October 2009 ‌ The Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) has recently revamped their website in keeping with the latest trends in tourism development and the new, post-war image the country is geared in projecting on the World Wide Web. The website, giving current and
OCTOBER 2009
up to date information, caters primarily to industry stakeholders, potential investors, and the general public who requires information on tourism related matter. Essential information including Sri Lanka's history, geography, culture, events, sustainable tourism, tourism planning, development initiatives, business and investment support, maintenance of quality standards, promotions and publicity, domestic tourism, communit y relations including awareness building, code of ethics, sur veys, and
difficulties selling the destination and now they are giving all the support. There is aggression in the market and the forecasts are promising" he added. "Our first step is to reposition Sri Lanka back in the market. We are also trying to put in new infrastructural facilities in the areas which have been opened for tourists recently. The need of the hour is heavy investment in the tourism sector. There are also many foreign investors who have showed interest to invest in the country. The biggest challenge is infrastructure. We are trying to set up an airport in Hambantota in south of the country. We are about to
Amith Sumanapala General Manager, SriLankan Holidays and Mice Division, SriLankan Airlines
introduce a new tag line as the older one was not serving the purpose as intended and we are about to re-brand our product," said Amith Sumanapala.
Minister Invites Kuwaitis to Explore Sri Lanka tourism related research and statistics are made available on w w w.sltda.lk in a largely user friendly manner. Furthermore, the enormous volume of information that w w w.sltda.lk contains is categorised under 5 main sections as Industry Overview, Developing Enterprises, Developing Markets, Developing People, and Tourism Information. Other information such as services, projects, statistics and ELearning facilities are also accessible through the site. While detailing the activities of the SLTDA and of fering information about the tourism industry and its regulations, the SLTDA site also serves as a link to many other tourism related organizations including the Sri Lankan Government's Of ficial Web Portal, the Of ficial Government News Portal, Depar tment of Immigration and Emigration, and Board of Investment of Sri Lanka.
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S
ri Lanka's Tourism Promotions Minister Faiszer Musthapha, who was in Kuwait recently, appealed to Kuwaitis to visit Sri Lanka and enjoy its beauty and hospitality. This he said at a Sri Lanka promotional event organized by the Sri Lankan Embassy for the members of travel trade, media and wellwishers. The Sri Lankan Embassy as par t of its Faiszer Musthapha promotional Tourism Promotions campaigns to Minister at tract tourists from the Middle East has launched several initiatives to promote Sri Lanka as a tourism destination. It is significant that with the dawn of peace in the country there is a surge of tourist arrivals from Middle East including Kuwait from where a 30 per cent increased has been recorded.
ASIAN TRAVELLER
philippines
Discover the Treasure Islands
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hilippine Tourism has launched initiative to discover the magic of islands. The globe trot ter can spend a lifetime discovering the 7,107 islands of the Philippines. As the global tourist's fascination for
the island increases, the Department of Tourism (DOT) is consistently working towards popularising every special aspect of the country. The recent initiative on of fer from the DOT was titled Excite! Delight @ the Sights, a showcase of the Calabarzon Region at Intramuros, the History Town.
ASIAN TRAVELLER
Comprising of Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon provinces, the region has many attractions to entice the tourists. The initiative was led by DOT's Regional Director Louella Jurilla along with the governors, mayors and tourism business movers to package the elements of an enriching travel experience. The region is home to the country's outstanding resorts and natural attractions and has occupied the top slot in the domestic travel market for several decades. With unique travel packages that cater to a diverse market, the participants experienced the unique aspects of the Calabarzon region including wellness and spa sessions, cuisines, hot spring baths, beach and diving safaris, golf tournaments, pilgrimages, historic sites, arts, craf ts, Spanish colonial
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churches and homes. All these and more were featured under one roof at the Clamshell at Anda and St. Lucia Streets at Intramuros. The Clamshell housed the t wo-week travel and tourism exposition of the Calabarzon provinces and featured the cultural assets and the best products of the region.
OCTOBER 2009
tamilnadu traveller
Deepavali
Lighting up Lives Dr S BAKTHAVATCHALAM
eepavali or Diwali, the festival of lights is one of the most popular festivals in India. The young and old, rich and poor join the festivities with the same vim and vigour to bring light into their life. It
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OCTOBER 2009
also symbolizes unity. People of different religions celebrate this event with much enthusiasm although the way of celebrations differ according to different regions. The festival falls on October- November and as per the Hindu calendar, the five day festival of Deepavali is centered on the new moon day that ends the month of Ashwin and begins the month of Kartika. Diwali is also a significant festival in Jainism and Sikhism. The festival is celebrated in different parts of the world including the African countries and the US. The celebrations at the White House were given official status by US congress in 2007. The most common activity during Deepavali is the lighting of diyas (small clay pots filled with oil with wicks) along with bursting of crackers overnight, distributing sweets and gifts. It is to signify victory of good over the evil in the
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world as well as within an individual. The traditional Deepavali celebrations are spread over four days, which are; Vasu Baras the day on which cow and calf are worshipped, Naraka Chaturdashi, the day Narakasura was killed by god Krishna, Diwali, on which Lakshmi Puja is held according to the Hindu traditions, which is also the last day of the year. Govardhan Puja is celebrated after Diwali commemorating the Indra defeat by Krishna. Three Legends are associated with the festival. In North India, Diwali commemorates the return of Lord Ram along with Sita and Lakshman from his 14 years of exile after killing Ravana which also symbolizes the win of good over evil. It is believed that the people lit ghee lamps along the way to light their path in the darkness to Ayodhya in North India, the homeland of Ram. They had ASIAN TRAVELLER
tamilnadu traveller to pass through South India first so festival is celebrated a day earlier in South India. In Tamil Nadu and most of South India, Deepavali is celebrated remembering the killing of the demon Narakasura by Lord Krishna and his wife Satyabhama. According to the legend Naraka, son of Bhudevi, acquired immense power and a boon that he would face death only at the hands of his mother Bhudevi, given by Lord Brahma after serving a
severe penance. Later he unleashes terror on the world and Lord Krishna had to encounter him to save the world from his torture. Krishna asks his wife Satyabhama, the reincarnation of Bhudevi to accompany him, who later kills the demon. The slaying of Naraka also implies that parents should not hesitate to punish their children when they stray on to the wrong path. While Bali Paadyami commemorates the story of demon king Bali who was banished to Pathala (netherland) by Vamana, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Vamana asks for three feet of land from the demon king Bali for penance and he agrees. Vamana takes two strides and covers the earth and the skies. So the generous king surrenders his head as the third. ASIAN TRAVELLER
Lakshmi Puja is one of the most important day of Diwali celebrations. The second day is Amavasya when Lakshmi puja is performed. It is believed that on this day Goddess Lakshmi would be in her benevolent mood and fulfill the wishes of her devotees. One version says that it was on this day that Goddess Lakshmi emerged from Kshira Sagara (Ocean of Milk) when the Gods and demons were churning the
sagara (ocean) for nectar (Amrit). The legend of Govardhan Puja which is celebrated after Deepavali says the story of Krishna defeating Indra, the deity of thunder and rain. According to the legend Indra was then angered, and flooded the village after Krishna debated
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and convinces the villagers to concentrate on their agriculture and cattle farming than make huge offering to the gods. Krishna then lifted Mt Govardhan and held it up as protection to his people and cattle from the rain. Indra finally accepts defeat. Tamil Nadu is one of the places that have to be visited at the time of Deepavali as the state is full of festivities in full fervor. The native people returns to their home towns from different parts of the world for celebrating the festival. Deepavali is also the routine year break for the working class in Tamil Nadu. The traditional oil bath is the main ritual of the Tamils which they do well before sunrise around 3 o' clock. The entire household is cleaned and they get into their new festival attires. They use to invite their dear ones for the feastings. Sivakasi, one of the main producer of fireworks in India sells fireworks worth millions at the time of Deepavali. In south India the second day is the actual day of festivities. The Tamils draw elaborate 'kolams' in front of their homes and lights small lamps around the house. Special pujas are held for lord Krishna and after that children burst firecrackers heralding the defeat of the demon. OCTOBER 2009
tamilnadu traveller
TN Seeks Rs 200 cr for Tourism Projects amil Nadu government has sought Rs 200 crore from the Centre to promote tourism in the State said Tourism Minister K Suresh Rajan. The minister told media that the Centre has earmarked Rs 1,000 crore to be distributed among the States for their tourism development projects this
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year. Last year the Centre had sanctioned Rs 30 crore for tourism promotion in the State. Compared to other States, which saw a fall in the number of tourists after the Mumbai terror attack, Tamil Nadu received more tourists from other countries and States, said the Minister. "Last year, the state received
over 17 lakh foreign visitors and 6.5 crore domestic tourists. This year, there is a 22 per cent increase in the rate of arrival of tourists. The increase indicates the State government's thrust on tourism. Apart from improving all hotels coming under the Tamil Nadu Tourism Development
Corporation (TTDC), the department in the last three years has replaced all its 30 buses sanctioned during 19962001, he added.
K Suresh Rajan Minister for Tourism Tamil Nadu
TN to Promote Tirupur Plans 'Textile Tourism' Touristirupur, famous for its textile mills, is planning to Friendly Autos Trekking Tours Tdevelop 'Textile Tourism' to promote the knitwear industry. According to reports the plan includes showing amil Nadu Tourism in Tiruchi and T tourists glimpses of the total textile value chain - from Department (TTDC) plans to promote trekking in cotton to yarn to cloth. Visitors can also witness all stages Thanjavur of production starting with processing to final product a big way in the state. The newly constituted ecotourism wing of the department has decided to organise trekking expeditions in hilly terrain across the state.
manufacturing of knitwear products, all at one place. The Nethaji Apparel Park (NAP) on NH 47 will be showcasing the exclusivity of Tirupur. NAP has more than 50 companies manufacturing knitwear for exports.
Visit Tamil Nadu Virtually
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alk through world famous temples and take a round of tourist spots in Tamil Nadu without visiting the state, courtesy the virtual tour launched by the Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation (TTDC).A click on the mouse gets one all tourist spots live on screen, he said, adding that these tours can be viewed on the website In the first phase, three www.tamilnadutourism.org. trekking expeditions are "The aim of launching the virtual tour is an attempt to scheduled at Servarayan hills enable people at Yercaud, Tirusulam Hills have a real kind opposite the airport and Top of experience Slip in Coimbatore on about various different dates from October tourist spots in last week to mid November. Tamil Nadu", The trips to Yercaud and TTDC IT inTop Slip will last for three charge Justin days while trekking on Jose said. "If Tirusulam Hills will be someone has wound up in half a day. not visited This is the first time that Thanjavur to TTDC will be conducting see the famous trekking expeditions in an Brahadeeswarar organised way. Till now, temple, a tourism department's staff virtual visit to the site would enable them see it in all its or approved guides used to glory, including all the beautiful sculptures". guide trekking parties into "This website will also provide life to popular as well as the forest areas at lesser known spots in the state. Most of the times, visitors Tirunelveli, Ooty, Yercaud do not get proper information or guidance and are not able and other places. to visit the spots in its entirety", he added. OCTOBER 2009
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he Tamil Nadu Tourism Devel opment Corporation (TTDC) will launch tourist-friendly autorickshaw scheme in Tiruchi and Thanjavur soon. Twenty-six autorickshaws in Tiruchi and 16 in Thanjavur have been chosen to be introduced under the scheme, which seeks to ensure friendly and reliable service for tourists visiting the cities. The distinctly painted autorickshaws also carry pictographs of tourist at tractions painted on the back with the TTDC logo. They will be operated as per the fare meter and their services can be availed by tourists for pointto-point travel or engaged for halfa-day or a full day sightseeing trips at fixed rates. Selected auto drivers are issued photo identity cards af ter certification from the Home Depar tment. The auto drivers have already been provided orientation training on behavioural and language aspects so as to ensure friendly service. They will be provided booklets carrying tourism related information and city maps. A booklet containing the names and telephone numbers of the auto drivers will be provided to visiting tourists. Auto drivers who enroll under the scheme also stand to benefit by way of insurance cover and medical tests.
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rest of the world
California Tourism Targets Indian Travellers
I
n its continued efforts to increase the number of international visitors to California, the California Travel and Tourism Commission (CTTC) has contracted Sartha Marketing of New
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Delhi to help promote California as a unique tourism destination to travelers in India. Sartha Marketing Consultants will work closely with the CTTC in a limited representation capacity
that strengthens California's relationship with travel trade professionals in India and increases media exposure of California's diverse attractions. "India is an important international travel market that has shown significant growth to the U.S. in recent years," said Caroline Beteta, CTTC president and CEO and national chair of the US Travel Association. "As we continue to strengthen international awareness of the California brand, we look
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forward to working with Sartha Marketing to increase California's market share of Indian visitors to the U.S." Sartha Marketing will expand cooperative marketing opportunities with airlines and travel distributors, work with operators and retail travel agents in every market to increase visibility of California in tour packages and for special groups, and increase consumer awareness of the California lifestyle and attractions through the media.
OCTOBER 2009
heritage
Puttan Malika Palace
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he Puttan Malika Palace is situated immediately south east of Padmanabha Swamy temple, which gives Thiruvananthapuram City its name. Once seat of the Kings of Travancore (till the end of the 19th Century) it now houses some of Kerala's most prized historical artifacts. Located in the hear t of Thiruvananthapuram, the palace itself embodies true architectural beauty. Open to the public for the first time in over 200 years, the royal family hopes to raise much needed funds for major restoration and I was not be disappointed by my visit. With over 200 rooms lined with ceilings of meticulous carvings, oil paintings, as well as floors of quality black limestone, parts of
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this palace possesses the same splendour as the day it was built. Although much of the palace remains of f limits, the most impressive wings are open for public viewing. Constantly staining my neck in an at tempt to gain a closer look at the intricate ceilings, I spent a lot of time staring with intent at this architectural wonder. The 122 wooden sculptured smiling horses that line the outside walls of the palace are so true to life that I can almost imagine them coming to life. It is humbling to see craf tsmanship of such astounding qualit y. Walking along the pathway to the palace was an experience in itself, over flowing with banana plantations and lined throughout with delicately constructed coconut
For the first time in 200 years, the royal family of erstwhile Travancore Princely State has opened the Puttan Malika Palace to the public, primarily in order to generate and raise funds for the restoration of the Palace. Although presently most of the palace remains off-limits, visitors are allowed to wander around some of the Palace's most impressive wings, which have now been converted into a museum. Kerry Rodgers recounts her visit to the palace.
Kerry Rodgers
shell walls, I was taken aback to see such a level of commitment and passion into something as small as this wall. On entering the palace I was greeted by sculptures of the indigenous Keralites, spor ting traditional at tire. From the first moment I could tell this was to be a truly breath-taking experience. Surrounded by delicate wooden screens and verandas overlooking the lawns, under a sloping red-tiled roof, the museum is home to some of the finest Travancore ar tifacts, with royal memorabilia throughout, dating back to the early days of the palace. Weapons from historic bat tles find pride of place within many rooms, all in the most outstanding condition, including a gun from a battle in the early 1700s, not to mention the many items gif ted to
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the royal family from around the world. The highlight would have to be the crystal throne, gif ted to the King of Travancore by the Dutch. Safely stored in a glass cage it is well preserved. Another throne built from the ivory of 25 elephant tusks is equally magnificent. The grounds of the palace are now used for festivals such as the Swathi Sangeethotsavam, a week long music festival in January every year, keeping with the royal family's keen interest in the arts. The Put tan Malika is worth a visit, of fering a small, yet deep insight into the Keralan culture. I only wish my tour lasted longer.
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rest of the world
Vienna Tourist Board Targets MICE Sector in India
V
ienna Tourist Board is eyeing the Indian market as a source destination for MICE travel. With this aim VTB has held a meeting with the Indian travel trade in New Delhi recently. VTB is planning to promote MICE sector in India which
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congress in Vienna. Therefore, it is the best time to promote the same in India." Kettner also mentioned that apart from promoting the MICE sector, the tourist board is also looking at promoting Vienna as a leisure destination in tourist board will target the India. For the same, the growing middle class segment in India. "Our main aim is to provide high quality services and tourism products to tourists visiting Vienna, rather than offering Norbert Kettner, Managing Director, large number of products," Vienna Tourist Board said Kettner.
includes incentive vacations, business meetings, large congresses and conventions. Norbert Kettner, Managing Director, Vienna Tourist Board, who spoke on the occasion, said "These days we have been organising a series of international
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OCTOBER 2009
nature
Go Wild, Go Green ASHA CHANDRAN PERINCHERY
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he lasting pleasures of contact with the natural world are not reserved for scientists but are available to anyone who will place himself under the influence of earth, sea and sky and their amazing life" said Rachel Carson, whose book Silent Spring helped spark the environment movement in the 20th century. In today's urbane living, beleaguered by the pace of life and its enormous stress and strain, travel has always come to mankind's rescue. Travelling to mesmerising, yet unexplored locales, Asha Chandran Perinchery gurgling brooks, gushing streams, emerald forests, misty cobalt mountains, mysterious amber deserts, and brilliant aquamarine seas have helped people to unwind. While satisf ying the very human urge to discover new places, today's discerning travellers are not only keen at being environment friendly, but also seek to slake their craving for adventure. Welcome then to Ecoventures! As the name suggests, this
OCTOBER 2009
company of fers specialised tour packages to wild life sanctuaries spread around three Indian states Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu which house the Western Ghats, hallowed with a rich collection of flora and fauna, and is one of the eighteen bio-diversity hotspots of the world. With invaluable experience in the field for over eight years, Ecoventures has carved a niche for itself in the field of responsible tourism involving travel to areas of natural or ecological interest for the purpose of focusing on the wild life as well as promotion of understanding and conser vation of the environment. A photographer, Praveen Muraleedharan Pillai's passion is wildlife. He recently had an opportunity to travel to Borneo to photograph the rare Pygmy Elephants (Elephas ma ximus borneensis). He says, "Seeing the pygmy elephant in its natural habitat is a rare treat, with only as many as 1500 individuals lef t in fast-disappearing forest patches, according to a survey by W WF. I consider myself quite lucky in having seen up to twenty-two individuals in t wo herds altogether. I managed to get a glimpse of an elephant calf, and it truly appeared dwar fed: very distinctly smaller in size (an adult growing to around
t wo or 2.5 metres as compared to the average Indian elephant that grows to around three metres at the shoulder), larger ears, longer tails and more rounded foreheads." Praveen adds he was indeed fortunate to have with him Engle Bert, a researcher working with the Sabah Forest Department and the World Wildlife Fund, Malaysia and who has been one among the first to study the Bornean pygmy elephant in Sabah. A management graduate and marketing professional Suraj Khan dabbled with the corporate world only to get out feeling like a square peg in a round hole. Ardent about travel, nature and meeting people,
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he loves to be called a lifestyle photographer. He enthuses that he is addicted to life and wants to leave footprints in the sands of time. He avers that life becomes meaningful when we are able to give back to the society. To the general public, he prescribes the medicine of travel, for it brings about a complete change in perspectives and perceptions. Ecoventures came into existence when these t wo youngsters sharing the same passion and guided by the mot to of nurturing
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nature nature and wildlife came together. Today the venture they have floated brings myriad custom-made experiences like wildlife and photography tours, adventure and leisure holidays, camps and treks as well as educational tours. If your team of ten or more are fascinated about knowing the rich culture, cuisine, heritage and biodiversity of South India, you can have an interactive special interest tour arranged. In-house naturalists not only help in identif ying flora and fauna but also teach jungle etiquette. If you fancy, you can even stay at a tribal village and go back to a simple life, a luxury in today's complex world! Want to exchange the drab four walls of the boardroom for a scenic vista? The company can arrange something exotic like in the cool confines of a floating hotel or a house boat drif ting along the tranquil waterways and quaint inlets and creeks along the coast of
Kerala, which is sure to enchant you. Pre and post tour arrangements will enrich the quality of your meeting. Fancy an unconventional Indian wedding in Kerala? A perfect location to suit your taste can be identified and it sure would be a memorable one! Today's corporate teams can also opt for team outs which are catalysts towards creating a stable and productive corporate environment as well as building healthy relationships within the organization. On this platter are of fered highadrenaline activities like rock
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climbing, night safari, river crossing, bamboo raf ting and snorkelling. Bathe, feed Suraj Khan and ride an elephant; take a dip in a babbling stream, bask in houseboats called Kettuvallams and see the green countryside, the swaying palms and the verdant rice fields; hear the soothing ripple of water on your houseboat; angling a fish; walk into the aroma laden spice gardens and pick a spice or t wo; sip a local brew; participate in a tribal ritual; take a catamaran to the sea... all these and much more from the comforts of a luxury hotel, tree house, village home-stay or a jungle camp are of fered to adventure and leisure seeking lot. Campers and trekkers have invigorating activities, like a trip to the mountains exploring hidden
Will all these inroads into pristine, virgin habitats and indigenous cultures live up to conservation Prasanth M. Pillai ideals? Praveen Muralee says he ensures taking nothing but pictures, leaving nothing but footprints and killing nothing but time. Suraj Khan realizes that everything is connected to everything else and af firms that The International Ecotourism Society's (TIES) definition of eco-tourism "Responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and improves the well-being of local people" is the watchword by which Ecoventures operate. Praveen is quick to append that they believe in responsible tourism, respect local culture and are deeply committed to nature. Some of their guides were, once upon a time, poachers, and to see the metamorphosis in these people is hugely gratif ying, they say in unison. For those who are keen to set up their own hospitality projects, these enterprising youths provide ideas and ser vices to develop environment friendly
properties. Ecotourism does not just mean showcasing ecologically fragile locales and biodiversity hotspots; it also means conser ving such fascinating ecosystems, they asser t. Ecoventures has also been engaging itself in socially responsible and environment responsible activities regularly. They have been organizing "clean up" activities involving local communities, tourists, paramilitary forces, and concerned of ficials. Installing trash bins for responsible litter disposal and recycling the generated wastes through appropriate means is also on the anvil. Ecoventures also specifically targets youth and especially children because they realize the importance of "catching them young." This, they feel, will have a ripple ef fect, creating a nature and environment conscious generation. Yet another "give back" to society is by ex tending suppor t to local communities in and around nature areas by advising and providing alternative means of livelihood oriented towards protecting their surroundings and inhabitants, rather than destroying it. However, both Praveen Muralee and Suraj Khan recognize that lot more needs to be done - and their sentiments echo and are beautifully captured in Rober t Frost's immortal lines in Stopping by Woods on a Snow y Evening: The woods are lovely, dark, and deep But I have promises to keep, And miles to go before I sleep, And miles to go before I sleep. Website: w w w.ecoventures.in
silvery cascades as well as bird and butterfly watching, awaiting them. Overnight camps cater to those with the streak of adventure in them. While they are accompanied by cooks and guides, camping equipment and utensils are made available on request. Ecoventures provide a single stop solution to all your travel needs while holidaying with them. All you need is to be simply bitten by the travel bug, and you are sure to enjoy a memorable experience of a life time which is sure to leave you yearning for more!
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OCTOBER 2009
experience
Kerala
A Student's Paradise Kochi, you will be entering Kerala's biggest city. Yet, he state of Kerala has there are plenty of places to long been considered, escape to and relax if big both inside and out of city isn't your scene. High on most people's list is Fort India, a brilliant tourist destination. Yet, despite that Kochi, where for just Rs 50 one is able to take a guided elite reputation, it is still priced well within the realms tour around the whole complex, visiting sites such of most student travellers. as the spice market, Vasco da With hundreds of miles of Gama's fort and the Church golden beaches, cheap MICHAEL POPE
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transportation and accommodation, and a cosmopolitan, tolerant society, Kerala is the ideal place for students to come and explore a world unlike anything they would have seen within western society. It is this combination which makes this southern state a perfect destination for any budding traveller. On arrival at Thiruvananthapuram, the capital city, the importance of auto-rickshaws will become immediately apparent. Both quick and cheap, they are any student's best friend if to travel a short distance in and around urban, built-up areas. They are perfect for looking around the city's palaces, museums, art galleries and zoo, arguably the best in all of India. If you happen to arrive at OCTOBER 2009
Another must-see is the Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary near Kumily, on Kerala's border with Tamil Nadu. Elephants, leopards, liontailed macaques and even tigers are just some of the animals to be seen within these protected lands. And whilst the best time to set off is around six in the morning, the chance to see such exquisite creatures in the wild is an opportunity few get, and even less turn down. Finally, anyone who has made the trip to Kerala would be mad to miss out on what some could argue optimises the state, namely the beaches and backwaters of Kollam and Alappuzha. Once the centre of the
international spice and coir trade, these port towns are now mostly used as a gateway into the unbelievable world contained inland. They can be explored in different ways, but most choose to venture into them on a houseboat, enabling those on board to be in unrivalled comfort whilst experiencing one of India's most iconic sights. To conclude, Kerala offers students a glimpse of the Indian subcontinent, which is affordable, enjoyable and most importantly manageable. With its vast and efficient infrastructure, tolerant nature, perfect climate and most importantly affordability, there is little to
of St Francis. However, if you feel like experiencing the most built-up urban metropolis within the state, you are best advised to stay within Ernakulam town. It is the closest one will get to the West whilst out in Kerala; you can check email, watch a film and retire to affordable air-conditioned rooms. persuade anyone not to visit Kerala. As the state becomes steadily more aware of its potential to become more and more tourist friendly, Kerala is only going to improve in terms of becoming a more desirable place for people wanting to experience both the wildness of India and also its progression into one of the world's most important countries. • 96 •
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photo essay
Footloose in
Australia Florian Mayer spent 10 months working and travelling in Australia - from the barren outback of the Northern Territory to the green and touristic East Coast and the Great Barrier Reef in Queensland. From the cosmopolitan city of Sydney to the magnificent lonely beaches of the Cape Range National Park in Western Australia. From the hot and dusty dessert and Uluruh to the cool hills of Tasmania. Australia is so different. And magnificent. Here are some impressions. PHOTOS and TEXT Florian Mayer
Most easterly point of the Australian mainland, Byron Bay, Queensland: You go there early in the morning to watch whales. We got up very early. It was a beautiful morning with a awesome sunrise. Suddenly somebody screamed. And there they were - a family of whales passing by. Amazing.
Breakdown, near Karijini National Park, Western Australia: We were travelling down the west coast when our car did not want to take us any further anymore. It was simply too hot - more than 50 degrees. Our Ford was not made
OCTOBER 2009
for that kind of climate. The tar was melting. We were forced to wait in that lit tle shelter till the petrol has cooled down. We were dehydrating. The wind felt like a hairdryer. Due to that breakdown we had to cook our dinner later that day on the bonnet of the car.
Byron Bay
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photo essay
London Bridge, 12 Apostles
Great Ocean Road, Victoria: The weather was rainy and windy. Dark clouds were dashing above our heads. It was a mystic atmosphere.
Baobab tree
Kimberly, Kununurra, Western Australia: Rocks, the biggest trunks I have ever seen and a beautiful scenery.
Monkey Mia, Western Australia: We stayed at a nice resort - on the camping site of course. On the beautiful beach you can watch dolphins in the morning. An Aborigine gif ted us a kangaroo tail - "roadkill" they call it, an animal which was hit and killed by a car or truck. He told us if it is still warm you can eat it. It was an absolutely unique food experience.
Desser t trip - Devils Marbles, Kings Canyon, Uluruh, Northern Territory: A journey through the desert means Rocks, rocks, rocks. From the Devils Marbles to Kings Canyon and Uluruh. We drove hours and days through a dry and barren landscape. Af ter more than 2500km and two days we reached Uluruh. To see that huge rock in the middle of the dessert af ter that long ride in a hot car is unforgettable. Most fascinating is this rock during sunrise and sunset when it changes colours. This walking blue worm is my friend wrapped in his sleeping bag. It was quiet cold in the morning.
Aussie Football Flinders Street
Melbourne, Victoria: Af ter weeks in the dessert we reached Melbourne where we stayed at a friend's place. He took us to an Australian Rules Football Game. They call it "Aussie Rules" or just "Footy". Besides cricket it is one of the most popular sports in Australia.
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OCTOBER 2009
photo essay
Whitheaven Beach, Whitsunday Islands, Queensland: A paradise on earth, protected by baby sharks and jelly fishes.
Hobar t, Tasmania: Cool fresh air, walks through the hills and sand boarding down the dunes - that is Tasmania.
Noosa Everglades, Queensland: Does it not look beautiful? Those reflections! Unbelievable. Before we took of f the rangers told us, you can see a lot of animals in the park. This also includes sharks, bull sharks, the most dangerous one for humans at all. So we were paddling really carefully over that dark blue lake. In the end we have not seen any shark.
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hospitality
WelcomHeritage Adds 63rd Propert y, in Goa
elcomHeritage, India's largest chain of heritage hotels, has acquired its 63 properties in Goa. A completely operational property, WelcomHeritage Panjim Inn in Panaji is the perfect choice for a holiday in Goa. A heritage hotel, it consists of three different units - the Panjim Inn, the Panjim Pousada and the Panjim People's with a total of 37 rooms. WelcomHeritage Panjim Inn has been part of the Latin Quarter Pantheon for many years and was amongst the
unique and individual in character. With four poster beds, carved rosewood almirahs and period furniture, it creates nostalgia for the past. Modern amenities include mini- bars, televisions and electronic safes in all the rooms. With local and Continental cuisine on offer, the restaurant is on the first floor overlooking the street junction. Buffet meals are also served on the
WelcomHeritage Panjim People's is located just opposite to WelcomHeritage Panjim Inn. Until recently, this vintage building of the 1880's was home to the People's High School, Goa's foremost primary educational institution. Now
ground floor of the Hotel. WelcomHeritage Panjim Pousada, the second unit is located off a bye lane, just 50 metres from WelcomHeritage Panjim Inn. It consists of 9 rooms and is an oasis of tranquility. Not quite as old as the Panjim Inn, the Pousada was rebuilt in the 1930's.
a heritage hotel, it has 4 exclusive rooms furnished with antique furniture, original art works and lace curtains. The ground floor of WelcomHeritage Panjim People's houses the gallery Gitanjali, showcasing paintings by contemporary Indian and overseas artists.
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first big colonial mansions of Fontainhas. Built in the late 1800's by Francis Assis D'Silveira, the family brazao adorns the wrought iron railings and gilded pelmets. WelcomHeritage, has exclusive properties spread across 20 states in India. WelcomHeritage Panjim Inn offers 24 rooms, each
WelcomHeritage Directory Bags 'Best Directory of the Year 2009' Award
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L&T to Build ITC Sonar Hotel
t the recently held Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO) Convention at Bengaluru, the WelcomHeritage Directory was awarded the 'Best Directory of the Year 2009' for the second time in a row. The comprehensive WelcomHeritage Directory, introduces each state and includes information and photographs of each property under the brand. This directory ser ves as a guide for guests as they can choose preferred locations for family holidays and interesting conference venues for meetings and brain storming sessions.
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ngineering and construction major, Larsen and Toubro (L&T) has bagged the Rs 238-crore contract from the ITC Group for developing its ITC Sonar Hotel in Kolkata. This contract is among a number of other contracts L&T has bagged worth around Rs 1,513 crore during the second quarter this fiscal. Buildings and Factories Operating Co, par t of L&T's construction division, has secured Rs 621-crore contract from D B Hospitality Ltd for building a high-rise tower, India Tower, at Charni Road in South Mumbai. L&T has also secured Rs 367-crore hospital project for National Building Construction Corp (NBCC). It will build a hospital in Coimbatore and upgrade six in Haryana.
ADTOI Forms Trade Reform Committee
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ssociation of Domestic Tour Operators of India (ADTOI) has formed a Trade Reform Commit tee with an aim to have uniform guidelines for all kinds of domestic tour operations. Arun Varma (Allways Marketing and Travel Services), who is the Executive Council (EC) member and also the member of the Government Coordination Commit tee of ADTOI, will be the Chairman of the Commit tee. The Association has also hired a law yer to draf t an uniform contract agreement to be used by travel agents for deals with suppliers like hoteliers and transporters. ADTOI in association Sunil Sikka, Head - Marketing & Business Development, WelcomHeritage receives with the MoT is planning to formulate a registration policy which will the Award from Vijay Thakur, President, IATO and Arun Anand, Vice President, IATO make registration mandatory for all domestic tour operators in India.
OCTOBER 2009
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profile
Sparsa
A Refreshing Touch
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escribed as the land's end of India or the point where the three seas meet, enchanting Kanyakumari or Cape Comorin is one of the most popular tourist spots in the country. Kanyakumari is famous for its spectacular sunrises and sunsets, especially on a full moon day. The fact that it is located at the confluence of the Bay of Bengal, the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean makes Kanyakumari a unique location. Kanyakumari has been a great centre for art and religion for centuries. The SPARSA Hotel built on three acres of land is ideally situated over looking the merger of the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal into the Indian Ocean.
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SPARSA hotel consists of 46 Double bed rooms and two luxury suites, Auroma - Multi-cuisine restaurant, Lands End - a well equipped bar, conference facilities, Health club cum Massage centre, Indoor and outdoor games areas like Tennis cour t, Pool Table, Children's play area, In house Travel desk, Business center with Wi-Fi connectivity, swimming pools and wide spread lawns all located within the Hotel Complex. The rooms at Sparsa, KanyaKumari have been designed to of fer the guests a view of the Bay of Bengal from the eastern wing, the Arabian Sea from the western wing and a breathtaking view of the two seas flowing into the Indian Ocean from the southern Wing.
One of the unique features of the hotel is that all the rooms are laid with photo catalytic tiles coated with Titanium oxide which reduces airborne pollutants and organic material like bacteria by around 70 per cent depending on the atmospheric and light conditions. The hotel opened in Nov. 2008 has already established itself as the best hotel in KanyaKumari and played Host to several VIP guests including Amitabh Bachchan - Film star and U.N ambassador of India and many more dignitaries in the
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recent past. Promoted by Auromatrix Hotels, a company, which has a successful track record of advising, technical consultancy and implementation of more than 20 hotel projects in India Sparsa Hotels also, has an eco environ friendly resort functioning at Thiruvannamalai in Tamil Nadu.
OCTOBER 2009
nostalgia
Those Snow y Yellow Evenings Anoop Menon remembers the days (and evenings) he spent in Almaty, capital of Kazakhstan
OCTOBER 2009
eenat Aman is the first thing that journeys into my mind whenever I think of Kazakhstan. Kazakhstan and its capital Almaty are so inextricably entwined with the memory of my co-star, the yester-year dream girl that sometimes I tend to forget the manifest difference that one is a place and other is a woman. Philosophically though, both can be equated in their
Z
heroines' like Rekha, Hema Malini or Sharmila Tagore. The only one I had a chance to interact with was Jaya Bachan as she was the Chairperson of the International Children's Film Festival held in Thiruvananthapuram and I happened to be the prefect. On seeing Zeenat seated among countless economy class passengers, I felt sad. She was a badly battered photocopy of what she used
geographical and climatic possibilities. Zeenat Aman, myself and a nervous film crew started our journey together from the New Delhi airport on a warm April night to shoot a film titled Moksham (Salvation) to the freezing climes of a hitherto unknown land (to me) called Kazakhstan. The flight belonged to a group called Turkmenistan Airlines, the alienation of which added to the cynical fears of the accompanying crew. I had never seen Zeenat Aman before in flesh and for that matter none of the Bollywood 'flashback
to be on screen and some deep pangs of murky isolation seemed to betray the carefully concealed wrinkles and marks on her face. She sat still, sans any emotion, lost in some wayward thought that had crept in while she was busy evading the furtive glances of excited passengers trying to make out what rampages had time and age inflicted on this beauty queen. Three songs immortalized by this sultry siren that wafted into my mind as I looked at her from a distance were "chura liya hein", "panna ki thamanna" and
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"do laphzon ki". Zeenat Aman was a telling reminder to me of the ephemeral and fleeting nature of glory and stardom, the absolute meaninglessness of life as such. What was this delicate, fragile, old woman doing in a melancholic airport on a clammy stinking April evening waiting for a wobbling Russian aircraft which would take her to an even more demanding topography, acting in a language which was more than Greek and Latin to her. And where were all the others going. Did not know whether they were "coming or going". And what on earth was my pre-destined karma, as the saintly yogis and astrologers put it, standing near the reeking airport toilet passing judgments on the vagaries and in-congruencies of life and legends? Rajeevnath and
ASIAN TRAVELLER
nostalgia
Alagappan, the director and cinematographer of the film respectively, were expected to receive us at the Almaty airport after the five hour journey as they were already there fixing locations but not before the Turkmenistan flight gave us some frightening jolts. Zeenat seated near me gave me the shriek of her lifetime the first time an air pocket shook us out of our induced slumber, one of our camera assistants threw up on a fellow passenger as the aircraft took an unusual detour, an airhostess with a beak nose and saucer eyes spilled some Russian cocktailed juice over the neat Ritu Kumar salwar Zeenat had so meticulously maneuvered through the din of the Delhi airport. And the landing was the icing on the cake, It landed, jumped, did a caper, went for a tap dance before it screeched to a grinding halt. We were still alive. From the vindictive and smoldering Delhi April to the biting cold April of Almaty. There was snow, snow and more snow. Almaty, the capital of Kazakhstan was my poor man's Switzerland. Like love at first sight I was instantly enamored by the city. The black and grey buildings against the background of luminous snow seemed to have taken a cue out of a Martin Scorsese gangster ASIAN TRAVELLER
flick. The roads dampened by cleared snow held the marooned mystery of an Edgar Allan Poe climax. The city had no skyline. It was lost in mist. A magic mix of romance and melancholy. The people were stationed in extremes. Some were thin, athletic, healthy and agile; the others were thick and burly to the point of being obese. The taxis were either the Audis or Hondas and the luxury Sedans were the Jaguars, Ferraris, Lambos and invariably the Mercs. The food available in the eateries somehow drew a parallel to the diversity of the people around. You could empty your pockets in just one meal at the moderate looking five-star restaurant just around the corner or you could ration your resources and settle for the home cooked food at the wayside taverns. The difference in expense was so acute that you searched the menu card for a budgeted meal even before you settled your bum on the seat. Mostly the food was a bland, spiceless fare with an occasional chilli put in as consolation. Much to my dismay I saw many natives and foreigners as well, plunge into the far fromdelectable dishes with ravenous relish. Zeenat, I found out with a shadow of disbelief, was a strict vegetarian divergent to what her name and clan implied
and Almaty was a strict nonvegetarian terrain. My heart went out to her as she settled for Russian bread and mozzarella cheese for the rest of her stay. I was ensconced in a cosy apartment owned by the coproducer of the film Christopher schoffeild whom we lightheartedly christened as chrishna as he was half-Malayali and halfBritish. That apartment was just off the main road in a residential enclave reverberating with the cries of newborns for some unknown reason. The place was curiously titled Kurmanova Koormangazi and the street where Zeenat was lodged was a more subtle one called Satpiva. We had a tough time communicating with the natives as their tongues were trained for nothing but nasal-twanged original Kazhaki lingo. We resorted to all our repertoire of sign language and illustrations even for getting a bottle of water which was modestly referred as "vada" in their language. The sales boy at the shopping mall, the drivers of the production unit and the beer and shashlik bearers at the "dachas" on mountain joints all grappled to make head and tail of our sign atrocities. On remembering those days in Almaty what I preserve are those long walks we made on the solitary roads taking you way up to the mountain dachas (wooden houses) throwing our boots on the snow that adorns the side-walks like the embellishments on a Christmas costume looking at the leafless branches that nestled yellow lollipops of ice as the street lights shimmered beyond them. Zeenat and snow lies abandoned in the brooding forgetfulness of my selective memory.
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OCTOBER 2009
kerala traveller
Aanavilasam
Far From the
Madding Crowd
A
anavilasam Luxury Planta tion House is a new planta tion house on seven acres of private estate. Owned by the renowned photographer and publisher Salim Pushpanath the plantation is situated just eight km from Thekkady (Periyar wildlife sanctuary) and is surrounded by a pristine cardamom and pepper plantation.. As a vacation retreat, this property gives the sensation of an exotic far away destination without the hassle of traf fic or the expense of extensive travel. Luxuriously appointed yet casual and welcoming, this is a boutique accommodation suited for individuals, couples, or small families in search of a
personalized country retreat. The contemporary classic design includes two suites, both appointed with a luxurious bed and linens. Both suites are individually styled and have an elegant country-house feel where comfort is paramount. Natural fabrics, like Indian linens, cottons, wools and silks add to the feeling of understated luxury. A stylish fireplace
OCTOBER 2009
and book shelves in the main living room and the dining area connect the t wo suites. The spacious suites of fer 600 square feet of indoor space. French doors open onto an oversized private living room with views of the surrounding hillsides and cardamom plants. The suites feature a king bedroom and separate living room with a generous seating area, work desk, dining table, and pantry with refrigerator. Both suites feature a
veranda and spacious bathrooms with separate showers, double vanities, large garden bath with romantic touches such as bath oils and candles. Refreshingly cool, neutral walls provide a calming backdrop ror the eclectic mix of international styles that have been featured within the homestead. A general Plantation Theme is featured throughout the
estate, and is subtly echoed in the interior decor. The rooms open onto stunning wrap-around stone tiled verandas with sweeping views of the estate. Hospitality is generous and abundant, and our staf f is willing and able to be flexible in order to meet everyone's needs and desires. Aanavilasam Luxury Plantation House is ideal place for a plantation stay as well as to see how the
Periyar (Thekkady) Tiger Reserve. This is one of Salim Pushpanath the oldest and most well known sanctuaries in Kerala. Boating in the lake of fers a wonder ful opportunity to see wildlife at close quarters. In addition to the boat ride, several community based eco-tourism programs are also in place in the
spices are grown, har vested and processed. A small, friendly village, where one can see and visit typical Kerala-style homes, is within walking distance. Fif teen minutes away is the
reserve. Periyar is close to many local attractions including Elephant-riding Trails, Nature Walks (guided day treck), and Bamboo Raf ting, among other interesting outings. There are beautiful country drives to enjoy. Head up into charming towns of Cumbum and Lower Camp where you can enjoy Bullock car t safaris, or just enjoy the luscious landscape. Aanavilasam Luxury Plantation House is the ideal stepping of f point for a beautiful nature holiday retreat. The opportunities for rela xing or participating in all that the region has to of fer are endless.
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ASIAN TRAVELLER
kerala traveller
Scripting a Backwater Tale
O
f fering one of the best holiday experience for the modern day travellers, Lakes & Lagoons is the first & only ISO 9001 - 2000 certified Houseboat Tour Company in Kerala. Operating in Alleppey, also called the Venice of the East because of
a specialty of Lakes & lagoons. The highlights of the menu include steaming fresh cooked rice, curries with locally grown organic vegetables, the starchy Cassava (Tapioca) and fish curry etc. The fresh catch from the the large net work of inland canals, backwaters especially the Lakes & Lagoons is a professionally managed company with a large Karimeen (Pearlspot) and prawns is a real treat to the gourmets. fleet of luxury Houseboats. These houseboats, which The dishes served onboard are of the traditional Kerala cuisine and evolved from the traditional Kettuvalloms of the place which local specialties. The pure ethnic was used to transport of goods cuisine served in the houseboat is
ASIAN TRAVELLER
from the isolated interior villages to the towns has all modern amenities. Lakes & Lagoons has both airconditioned and non-air-conditioned Houseboats. The house boats have fully furnished single and double rooms with sundeck, private balcony with comfortable chairs, kitchen and western styled toilets. Traditional lanterns are used as lights. There are single bedroom houseboats for t wo people and two bedroom houseboats for four people. Each houseboat has a
• 107 •
well trained three member crew - a chef, driver & cabin assistant. There is also separate rest room for V. C. Zachariah the crew. Lakes Managing Partner & Lagoons also of fers The Lake Royale Houseboats which is a premium range of Lake Royale Houseboats to the discerning guests featuring include round the clock A/c, luxurious interiors, all modern amenities and a special menu. The innovative concept of hosting a range of events at the houseboats including weddings, meetings, cultural shows etc. is also a specialty of the company.
OCTOBER 2009
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OCTOBER 2009
FREE CONTACT : info@mediastepsindia.com Helpline: Hp +91 9745444177
• 108 •
ASIAN TRAVELLER
kerala traveller
Tourism Cricket Tournament OCTOBER 2009 India International Travel Exhibition, Pune, India
October 2 - 4
India Travel Mart-Vadodara, India
October 2 - 4
Travel Distribution Summit India 2009, Mumbai, India October, 6 - 7 IT&CMA 2009, Bangkok, Thailand
October 6 - 8
Locations, Mumbai, India
October 9 - 10
Holiday Expo, Visakhapatnam, India
October 9 - 11
Cosmo Travel Tourism & Build Fair Chattisgarh, India
October 9 -12
ITB Asia, Singapore,
October, 21 - 23
Holiday Expo, Nagpur, India
October 23 - 25
India Travel Mart-Goa, India,
October 30-November 1
NOVEMBER 2009 The Luxury Travel Fair, London, England
November 5 - 8
World Heritage Travel Expo, Macau, China
November 12 - 14
Hoteltech & Baketech Show-Hyderabad, India
November 13 - 15
CITM-China Int'l Travel Mart, Shanghai, China
November 19 - 22
International FoodService India, Mumbai, India
November 25 - 27
World Luxury Hotel Awards, Bangkok
Taj Residency, Trivandrum has won the 4th edition of Bodyline cricket event organized by Association of Professionals in Tourism at Trivandrum
November 27
The National Food & Hospitality Show, Gujarat, India
November 27- 29
India International Travel Mart, Pune, India
November 28 - 30
DECEMBER 2009 IITM, Hyderabad, India
December 4 - 6
HITEX Leisure Expo-2009, Hyderabad, India
December 11- 13
JANUARY 2010 Hoteltech & Baketech Show, Kochi, India
January 6-10
Mumbai International Tourism Expo, Mumbai, India
January 7- 9
Travel & Tourism Fair, Chennai, India
January 8 - 10
Travel & Tourism Fair, Bangalore, India
January 15 - 17
Hospitality World 2010, Mumbai, India
January 21 - 23
ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF), Brunei
January 21 - 28
FEBRUARY 2010 OTM, Mumbai, India
February 6 - 8
OTM, New Delhi, India
February 11 - 13
India Travel Mart, Chandigarh, India
February 19 - 21
India International Travel Mart, Cochin, India
February 19 - 21
India Travel Mart, New Delhi, India
February 13 - 15
ASIAN TRAVELLER
• 109 •
OCTOBER 2009
variety
Sanjay Sharma Appointed Complex General Manager
1.
Duke Berchtold founded this city in 1191 and named it af ter the animal he killed there, a bear. Which was Opel that? Rome's airport is named af ter Leonardo da Vinci but also called Fiumicino af ter the name of the commune it is therein. What does the name Fiumicino mean?
2.
3. 4. 5. Toyota
6. 7.
Sanjay Sharma has been appointed as the Complex General Manager for The Westin New Delhi, Gurgaon and The Westin Sohna Resort & Spa Gurgaon. In his new role, Sanjay Sharma will report to Don Elliot, Regional Vice President for Starwood Hotels -India, Bangladesh and Maldives. Westin is one of the luxurious Brand of Starwood Hotels Westin Delhi is expected to sof t open in March 2010 with 300 rooms.
An Opel car goes under what brand name in UK? Who coined the name Jessica? French language comic books are called BD. What does it stand for?
What is Pakistan's country code for international dialing? What is the literal meaning of the brand name Toyota?
White House
8.
A blue circle is the global symbol for which medical disorder? 9. Who was the only American President who had not lived in the White House at all? 10. Where is the Black Forest af ter which the Black Forest cake is named?
Black Forest
C. N. Shanmugham is appointed as Vice President-South India of Travel Tours Group based in Chennai, India. He will be responsible for Business Development and grow th of TTG’s B2C and B2B businesses in South India.
Aviareps-India a subsidiary company of Aviareps AG, has appointed Vinita Vasu as their Sales and Marketing Manager.
Om Prakash Sahgal will serve as the Consultant Editor for Asian Traveller. He is also the Director, Inorbit Tours and Ex-Chairman Travel Agents Association of India (Western Region).
Compiled by DEEKAY
Send in your answers to info@mediastepsindia.com with TYKC25 in the the subject line. Answers should reach us before the 30th of this month. Answers to TYKC 24 1. White Mountain, 2. Albrecht Discount, 3. Xerox, 4. Slave or ser vant ( short for saying ' I am your servant' as a mark of respect to the departing person), 5. The lit ter of plastic bags, papers, and cups etc, 6. A whitecollar worker in Japan, 7. 112 ( Emergency Number for a net work access), 8. Three, 9. Norman Mailer, 10. Montreal in Canada ATTOI Tourism Achiever of the Year Award 2009 presented to Baby Mathew, CMD, Somatheeram Group by M.A. Baby, Minister for Education and Culture, Kerala. E.M. Najeeb, CMD, ATE Group, Sreekumara Menon, President, ATTOI and Ghulam Samdani, Regional Director–Southern Region, Sarovar Hotels are also seen.
TYKC 24 - WINNER
Sona Kaur, M.T - Dabwali, Haryana, India
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 Méridien 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
OCTOBER 2009
Johny Abraham George, CMD, Intersight Tours & Travels, inaugurates You and Nature’s new house boat service. G. Biju Krishnan, Editor and Publisher, Asian Traveller is also seen.
• 110 •
ASIAN TRAVELLER
WANTED EXECUTIVE CHEF
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CONTACT : info@mediastepsindia.com Helpline: Hp +91 9745444177
• 111 •
OCTOBER 2009
itb asia album
ad info
List of Advertisers 1.
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OCTOBER 2009
Kuwait Airways
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97
Ruby Arena
109 44.
Sagara Palace & Resort
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71 45.
ASIAN TRAVELLER
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OCTOBER 2009