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MARGINAL NOTES In the latest edition of Gallivanter’s Guide, the Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbai, has been recognized as the ‘Hotel of the Year’ (Editor’s Choice) for its contribution to hospitality services across the globe.
Disha Direct Ventures Into Hospitality
Disha Direct, the real estate marketing company, announced their foray into the hospitality sector with a chain of resorts set up under the name Greenarth Leisure at various off-track locales ‘yet to be explored’. They recently launched the resort, Greenarth Lakeview at Vikramgad, Manor, off Mumbai Ahmedabad Highway. Spread over seven acres and situated besides a private lake, it is a two-hour drive from Mumbai. Greenarth riverside at Wada, Greenarth Orchid at Alibaug, Greenarth Bollywood Blues at Karjat, Greenarth Tierra at Roha and Greenarth Life will also open soon. Santosh Naik, Managing Director said, “In today’s urban lifestyle, people are constantly on the go and have very little time to spend with their family and friends. Weekends are usually spent either relaxing at home or visiting malls and multiplexes. We thus realised there is a gap in the leisure segment and given a chance, families would love to take off to close by weekend destinations as frequently as possible. A welcome break close to nature.” The company plans to invest `300 crores in their hospitality division.
AirAsia X to Stop Flights to India, Europe Malaysia’s AirAsia X, on its Facebook page, recently said that it will stop flying to Europe and India from its Kuala Lumpur base because of the taxes and the fuel prices involved. The date for the suspension of flights to Mumbai is January 31 and service to Delhi will be blocked from March 22. It will focus on the markets of Australia, China, Japan and Korea. Services to London and Paris will increase in March. Customers who hold bookings after the mentioned dates will be offered an alternative travel option and will not be charged extra for the same.
Taj Palace, New Delhi is the World’s Best Business Hotel in 2011
The Taj Palace in New Delhi has been recognised as the World’s Best Business Hotel in 2011 according to the Travel + Leisure Annual World’s Best Awards Survey-2011. The General Manager of the Taj Palace Hotel, Taljinder Singh said on this occasion, “We are very proud to be recipients of this prestigious award that recognise highest standards of service quality and excellence. We have worked hard at earning the repute of being a preferred hub for significant international and domestic events. Having endeavoured to innovate continuously to match the needs of the discerning global business traveller, to emerge a winner at this platform acknowledges our initiatives in offering the finest elements of a luxury business hotel experience.”
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FEBRUARY 2012 EXECUTIVE TRAVELLER
Mumbai’s Main Runway Will Close For Four Months
Owing to the construction of a rapid exit taxiway designed to reduce aircraft runway occupancy, the main runway at the Mumbai International airport will be shut for next four months till June 1, between 9 am and 5 pm. This is to help the flight operations in the long run. Flights operating on the secondary runway will face delays of up to forty minutes, as it cannot accommodate many flights.