Express Travelworld May, 2014 by Indian Express

CONTENTS Vol 9 No 4 MAY 2014 Pages 36

Chairman of the Board

Viveck Goenka Editor

Reema Lokesh* Chief of Product

Prabhas Jha Assistant Editor

POINTS OF DISTINCTION

Steena Joy Associate Editor

Sudipta Dev CONTENT TEAM Mumbai

Kahini Chakraborty Rituparna Chatterjee Kolkata

Joy Roy Choudhury DESIGN National Art Director

A NEW HIGH (14-17)

Bivash Barua Deputy Art Director

Surajit Patro Chief Designer

Pravin Temble Senior Graphic Designerr

MARKETS

EDGE

Rushikesh Konka Senior Artist

Ratilal Ladani, Kiran Parker

FIVE SADC COUNTRIES MAY SOON HEAD FOR COMMON VISA REGIME

SRILANKAN AIRLINES STRATEGISES FIVE-YEAR EXPANSION PLAN

SCHEDULING & COORDINATION Sr.Executive

Rohan Thakkar Photo Editor

Sandeep Patil MARKETING

CONSERVING, PRESERVING AND PROPAGATING MANIPUR ECOTOURISM CONCLAVE WITNESSED DISCUSSIONS ON AN ARRAY OF TOPICS AND PRODUCTS RELATED TO SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Regional Heads

Harit Mohanty - West Prabhas Jha - North Sanghamitra Kumar - East Dr. Raghu Pillai - South

GROWTH IN INDIAN TOURISTS TO ARGENTINA FOR ANTARCTICA CRUISES

Marketing Team

Sunil Dcosta Gunjan Chauhan Baljinder Singh Ajanta Sengupta CIRCULATION

Mohan Varadakar

MANAGEMENT

LIFE

PRODUCTION General Manager

B R Tipnis Manager

Bhadresh Valia Express TravelWorld Reg. No.-MH/MR/SOUTH156\2013-15 RNI Reg. No.MAHENG/2005/15993 Printed by The Indian Express Limited and published by Ms Vaidehi Thakar on behalf of The Indian Express Press, Plot No. EL-208, TTC Industrial Area, Mahape, Navi Mumbai - 400710 and Published from Express Towers, 2nd Floor, Nariman Point, Mumbai - 400021. (Editorial & Administra-tive Offices: Express Towers, 1st Floor, Nariman Point, Mumbai – 400021)

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TEEING OFF RYDER CUP LEGEND JOSÉ MARÍA OLAZÁBAL OPENS A GOLF ACADEMY IN MALDIVES – INVITING PLAYERS TO PRACTISE IN PARADISE

P04: EDITOR’S NOTE P30: APPOINTMENTS P33: WEEKEND

Copyright @ 2011 The Indian Express Ltd. All rights reserved throughout the world. Reproduction in any manner, electronic or otherwise, in whole or in part, without prior written permission is prohibited. *Responsible for selection of news under PRB Act

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EDITOR’S NOTE

Ready for more

he month of April did bring with it some interesting facets to the business of tourism, both on national and international scenes. The ATOAI conference that concluded in March, stood true to its definition and conducted its annual convention in a unique format — an active conference with rafting experiences and more. The team of adventure tourism stakeholders were forceful and committed to make their voices heard and were keen to set into place very stringent rules and guidelines in adventure tourism for the governments to strongly activate. From the rafting policy to other issues like the importance of carrying capacity of a destination, issues were put into perspective at the convention. Eco-Tourism Society's annual conference, which was held in Manipur for the first time, once again addressed serious environment concerns and strongly focused on the issue of carrying capacity of a destination and how it can go against the very essence of the place. On the international front, France tourism conducted its annual showcase RDVF in a unique volcano region and the event highlighted the changing mindset of the Indian outbound traveller who is asking for 'more' and for unique experiences and spots. The luxury traveller is

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May 2014

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looking for subtle and classy breaks and the tour operators were of the opinion that India is slowly moving towards demanding unexplored itineraries in the European region. My recent trip to the WTTC Global Summit in China, in the Sanya region highlighted the robust tourism potential of Chinese domestic travellers. Coming from varied demographies, they are out there travelling to regions within their vast landmass. India too needs to recognise its domestic tourism strength and promote and develop its domestic destinations urgently. The domestic traveller today is looking for new attractions and our cover story this issue highlights this potent business of the amusement park industry. Los Angeles, Hong Kong and Paris are known for being home to Disneyland. Universal Studios has a strong footing in Singapore, while LegoLand of Malaysia is spinning business into the region. India too is ready to craft its own amusement park story and this will surely be a new option for domestic tour operators to explore.

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MARKETS

Five SADC countries may soon head for common visa regime Reema Lokesh Hainan TRAVEL TO FIVE countries in the SADC (Southern African Development Community ) region may soon be a seamless journey. Angola, Namibia, Zambia, Botswana and Zimbabwe may soon have a common visa plan that will encourage tourism flow in the region and facilitate seamless travel within the region. This announcement was made by Walter Mzembi, minister for tourism and hospitality,

Zimbabwe at the WTTC Global Summit on April 25, 2014 in Hainan, China. The minister will be taking up this proposal strongly for clearance at the 56th Summit of Commission of

South Africa will actively support the initiative

Walter Mzembi

Thulani Nzima

Africa to be held in Angola in May 2014. The minister further added that he is very keen on working on a bilateral agreement with India to activate visa on arrival for Indians into Zimbabwe. South Africa will also be actively supporting the initiative. Thulani Nzima, chief executive officer, South African Tourism confirmed this at the event. He added that this will be an encouraging initiative to offer the best the region has in terms of tourism.

Uttarakhand rafting policy commitment made at ATOAI convention under scrutiny State to control tourism inflow Rituparna Chatterjee Mumbai IN THE RECENTLY concluded Adventure Tour Operators Association of India (ATOAI) convention held in Shivpuri, Uttarakhand, the tourism department of the state had made a commitment to roll out a comprehensive rafting policy, but this decision seems to now be under scrutiny. When asked about the state's progress on the same, Dr Umakant Panwar, IAS, secretary, department of tourism, Government of Uttarakhand stated, “Some people are resisting, and so we are on an interactive stage with them and soon we will be finalising the policy. Representatives from the rafting association have been included in the committee who are drafting the policy. We will put in place a statutory body, which will carry out the inspections. The rafting policy will be on a

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trial run this year.” Keeping in view the monsoon deluge that struck the state in June last year which claimed the lives of many, the state tourism department is regulating the tourist inflow this year to the Chardham Yatra which has begun from May 2. “ The carrying capacity regulation will be done at two levels. On the first level, you will have to register on our online portal which will give you the available dates for visiting a particular route to avoid crowding at that route. Then there is the second level of registration which is at the base camp.

For instance, at Rishikesh if the route is choked or if there is an adverse weather warning, then visitors will be held back either for few hours or one day or overnight, while making arrangements for their stay,” opined Panwar. The scheduled dates of yatras are the Yamnotri and Gangotri on May 2, followed by Kedarnath on May 4, Badrinath on May 5 and Hemkund Sahib on May 25. The state tourism department is also implementing stricter security norms this year which include - launching of a mobile application to sense

We are encouraging PPP for building hotel infrastructure. The government will be giving incentives to private players

Dr Umakant Panwar

the location of tourists, biometric registration for all pilgrims visiting the Chardham Yatra, starting more ropeways, private helicopter services, constructing helipads among some. To rebuild its infrastructure, the state government has received `1000 crore from the Centre out of the planned `3500 crore. “Our gross state

domestic product for the year 2012-2013 was `1,07,548 crore. Tourism contributes 25 to 30 per cent to the state economy and due to the disaster last year we suffered a revenue loss of `12000 crore. We are encouraging PPP for building hotel infrastructure. For the same, the government will be giving incentives to private players,” added Panwar. However, when asked about the incentives, he declined to comment. To promote Uttarakhand as a year-long destination, the tourism department will also be introducing new products this year which include – the winter Chardham Yatra, winter carnival and the Tehri mega project, a man-made lake consisting of a Tehri adventure centre, Tehri floating restaurant, Tehri floating long huts, among some. The Tehri adventure centre is expected to complete by end of this year.

MARKETS AVIATION

SriLankan Airlines strategises five-year expansion plan Kahini Chakraborty Colombo SRILANKAN AIRLINES, which became the newest member to join the oneworld alliance today, has devised a five-year expansion strategy focusing around modernisation of services and fleet expansion. For the same, the airline has received a capital infusion of US$ 500 million from the Sri Lankan government. The airline has received the first two tranches of the capital last year and is expecting to get the third tranche this year and the remaining tranches in the next couple of years. The airline is working towards attracting more number of tourists to the destination, in order to achieve the government's target of attracting 2.5 million travellers by 2015. Elaborating about its expansion plans in India, Kapila Chandrasena, director and CEO, SriLankan Airlines said, "As part of our five year strategy, India is an important market for us. We are looking at tapping Tier II cities Hyderabad, Calicut and south India markets. Apart from this, we are also considering to increase our frequencies on our current sectors, which would be either introducing double or three daily flights from our Delhi and Mumbai sectors." The subsidiary airline MihinLanka also serves destinations like Bodhgaya and Varanasi which depends on the seasonality of travellers. The signing ceremony between SriLanlan Airlines and oneworld took place at Hambantota's Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport. Nishantha Wickremasig, chairman, SriLanka Airlines said, "Joining oneworld is one of the most significant develop-

ments to date for SriLankan Airlines. The alliance will put Sri Lanka more firmly on the global aviation map and improve connectivity which is vital for trade and tourism. "Presently the airline flies from seven cities in India - Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Kochi, Mumbai, Thiruvanthapuram, Tiruchchirappalli. When asked about the reason behind choosing to join oneworld alliance and the growth expected, he added, "We currently have 72 flights a week from various destinations that we serve from India. We want to strengthen our routes and our strategy is

Joining oneworld is one of the most significant developments to date for SriLankan Airlines. The alliance will put Sri Lanka more firmly on the global aviation map and improve connectivity to leverage on the. oneworld alliance partnership. The alliance has given us the breadth for. expansion in not only India but also abroad. The oneworld al-

liance suited us and we studied that there was a vacuum in the Indian subcontinent, Maldives and Southeast Asia where we have strong networks, hence

this has worked for us." In 2012 the airline had 14 aircraft and now has 22 aircraft, a 30-40 percent increase in capacity growth. In terms of fleet expansion, the airline is set to receive orders for 13 aircraft. Out of this six, A330 will be inducted by October 2014. While seven A350-900 is expected to be delivered by the second quarter of 2015. "We enjoy a load factor of 80-85per cent from our India sector," he mentioned. The A330's and A350's will be given on lease operating model and the airline is also considering to explore other options. When asked about the revenue growth seen last year, Chandrasena said, "Revenue on pan India basis last year was five per cent deficient but expenses were kept as per the budget." The airline carried 4.7 million passengers last year between its Colombo base and 32 destination in 20 countries across Asia, Europe and the Middle East. It also has code share agreements with oneworld partner Malaysia Airlines and Finnair and S7.

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MARKETS

Growth in Indian tourists to Argentina for Antarctica cruises Sudipta Dev Mumbai IN LAST FIVE years, Argentina has emerged as a new destination for high-end Indian tourists. “Argentina is a new frontier for Indian tourists. The number of tourist visas issued by the consulate in Mumbai have been growing at a rate of 10 to 20 per cent. The most important development from the Indian market has been the increase in number of Indians going for Antarctica cruises from the south of Argentina. This development has happened in the last three years,” said Tomas Ferrari, consul general of Argentina in Mumbai. He

pointed out that in fact it is not only Argentina but most Indian tourists opt for a combined two-week package with Brazil or Peru. Indian tourists going to Argentina comprise the premium segment. "When they go for the tour it is at least for two weeks to 20 days. Then the Antarctica cruise is also a high-end product,” mentioned Ferrari. The cruises depart from Ushuaia, which is considered as the southern most city in the world. The duration of the cruise is normally one week. The consulate in Mumbai takes care of west and south India. Growth in tourism to Argentina, remarked Ferrari, is not just from Mumbai but

Tomas Ferrari

also from Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Goa. “For Antarctica cruises the growth has mainly been from Mumbai and Pune. There are many tour operators selling these

cruises from Pune. These cruises operate in our summer, mostly December to February,” stated Ferrari. People fly from Mumbai to Buenos Aires, then to the port where the cruise starts, which is three more hours of flight to south of Argentina. The other places of interest for Indian tourists in Argentina are - the capital city of Buenos Aires, the glaciers down south, the wine country of Mendoza, the northern region that comprise the mountains and places of Spanish heritage, and of course the Iguassu Falls in the north. Ferrari however remarked that as a destination there is more awareness regarding India in Argentina than about

Argentina in India. “Tourist arrivals from Argentina have also increased. Indians going to Argentina is the high-end segment, while those coming to India from Argentina are more diversified - highend, mid market as well as the regular backpackers,” added Ferrari. The consulate also engages with the travel trade community here. “As a consulate we promote trade, tourism and we have a representative of the tourism ministry of Argentina here. We organise seminars, meetings and workshops with travel agents. Mumbai is a big market in terms of travel agents and tour operators,” he stated.

Poland Tourism to launch specialist programme for India market Rituparna Chatterjee Mumbai POLISH TOURIST Organisation will be launching their Poland Specialist Programme for the India market on May 30, 2014. The programme will consist of five modules, each module being divided into different categories providing various information on the destination including - tourist attractions, cities, infrastructure, transportation, accommodation, convention centres, etc. Each module will be terminated with a certain number of questions. One needs to score a minimum of 60 per cent to become a Poland Specialist. Those who score a

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higher point will be given silver and gold certification accordingly. Apart from India, this programme with also be launched in China. Meanwhile, Polish Tourist Organisation is also promoting Bollywood tourism. For the same, the tourist organisation recently organised a film roadshow in India wherein they had

collaborated with the Film Commission Poland, and various film studios in Poland to meet Bollywood production houses. Speaking on the sidelines of their marketing and branding campaign, ‘Polska - Come And Find Your Story’ held in Mumbai, Emilia Kubik, 'I like Poland' project leader, department of marketing planning, Polish

Emilia Kubik

We have been meeting Mumbaibased film production houses and directors to convince them to shoot in Poland. We are hoping few projects to happen this year

Tourist Organisation stated, “We have been meeting Mumbai-based film production houses and directors to convince them to shoot in Poland. We are hoping for few projects to happen this year and in 2015.

The first Hindi film would be 'Kick' starring Indian actor Salman Khan, wherein a part of the movie has been shot at Warsaw. Next project is with Excel Entertainment, where the movie will be shot in Krakow.” Poland is also aggressively looking at tapping the MICE market from India. This year two new convention centres Ice Krakow and Expo Krakow – are opening in Poland. Ice Krakow is expected to open in October 16 and Expo Krakow soon. When asked about the number of arrivals from India to Poland, Kubik stated, “Poland recorded 35,000 overnights from India in 2013. For Poland, Mumbai is the largest source market followed by Delhi.”

MARKETS

Abu Dhabi witnesses increase in Indian travellers during IPL-7 Akshay Kumarx Mumbai AS THE FIRST LEG of the Indian Premier League (IPL) season seven is about to pack-up from the Middle East and shift to its original base - India, cricket aficionados experienced an action-packed opening to the tournament in the Middle East. Many cricket lovers this season also travelled across the border to get a glimpse of their favourite stars performing at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi. Thousands of travellers took this opportunity and visited the local attractions on the sidelines of the IPL matches. Speaking exclusively to Express TravelWorld, Sultan Al Dhaheri, acting executive director tourism, Abu Dhabi Tourism

Today, Abu Dhabi has become a key hub for sporting events and Culture Authority, said, “The hosting in Abu Dhabi of some of the IPL’s seventh season games has brought considerable destination exposure for the emirate within India with the screening of matches on prime time channels and visits by many of the players and teams to key destination attractions, including Ferrari World Abu Dhabi and the Yas Waterworld aqua park. Considerable social media engagement has resulted from the players also sharing their experiences. In addition, many cricket followers who have not been to this destination before have now had the chance to sample it and we hope will return as holidaymakers in the future.” Speaking about the Indian tourist arrivals Dhaheri added, “We do anticipate a surge in arrivals from Indian hotel guests in

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our April hotel performance report which will be out late May.” Today, Abu Dhabi has become a key hub for sporting events and also has built many international standard infra-

structure to support the same. All the sporting events which Abu Dhabi organises attracts a number of sports enthusiasts from around the globe, thus increasing tourism. Dhaheri said,

“Abu Dhabi does organise a number of world-class sporting events including the F1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in November, in December/January we are hosting the Volvo

Ocean Race fleet with in-port races and sailing regattas and in January, Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship. All these events attract a lot of visitors from across the world.”

MARKETS

North East to see investments in hospitality Babina Group, Alorie Hospitality to set up projects in Manipur Kahini Chakraborty Manipur THE HOSPITALITY scenario in the North East will soon be a beehive of activity. Leading the brigade is the Manipur-based Babina Group. The group which is into diagnostic services since 1983 diversified into the hospitality sector in 2007. Their first three-star property The Classic Hotel launched in Manipur in 2009 has 55 rooms. Due to the demand for more rooms, the group has now decided to launch a four-star category hotel in November 2014. Speaking exclusively to Express TravelWorld, Dr Th Dhabali Singh MD FAIMS, chairman and managing director, Babina Group, said, “The construction of the fourstar category hotel commenced last year. The hotel to be named Classic Grande will be a 172 room property. The hotel is being built with an approximate investment of `40 crore.” The group has also started managing the government property Hotel Imphal since January this year, and 55 rooms are being added. “With the new four-star hotel we will have a total inventory of 280 rooms,” he said. The Manipur government has also handed over the management of Sendra tourist home at Loktak Lake to Babina Group. “We have received the management on a long term lease basis wherein four villas will be developed to facilitate tourists visiting the destination,” he informed. Since the five-star property hotel segment in Manipur is limited, the group

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is also planning to build a resort -villa property of around 20-30 inventory in the heart of the city. This property will be on public private partnership model. “We also have our 12 room property called Classic Aradura Inn in Kohima, Nagaland which has been operational since last year. The group is also planning to build a budget hotel in Moreh, bordering Mynamar, which will have a 40 room inventory,” he added. Opining about the growth in the hospitality scenario in Manipur, he said, “The demand has been growing and presently the state witnesses about 300-400 rooms per night. But there is a demand for 500-600 rooms per night. In the coming five years, I expect the demand to double, say around 1000-1500 rooms. Soon the gap will be filled as there are a lot of local entrepreneurs who are investing in hospitality projects. One of the local entrepreneurs is collaborating with the ITC group for a four-star hotel project in the state,” he mentioned. Another venture, Alorie Hospitality Management, is also planning to set up its

first property in Manipur. The company plans to target eco-touristic destinations before going into four-star and five-star properties. With an aim to showcase Manipur's diverse offerings, the company is planning to set up a resort and spa called Alorie Cocoon. Andrew John, vice president projects, Alorie Hospitality India informed, “We intend to set up the resort, notwithstanding the time taken for government approvals, by hopefully early to mid 2016. The company intends to operate and own the hotel and would focus mainly on employment for the locals.” Although he refrained from divulging investment details of the project, he added, “To commence we would have between 30 - 40 rooms. All designed with locals elements put in and our focus would be in tune with our ideology in preserving nature by means of reusable sustainability. We would like to work on a four-star category however this depends on our feasibility study that we are conducting currently.”

Presently the state witnesses about 300-400 rooms per night. But there is a demand for 500-600 rooms per night. In the coming five years, the demand is expected to double

SIHRAbecomes supporting partner of FHW Bengaluru 2014 ETW Staff Mumbai SOUTH INDIA HOTELS & Restaurants Association (SIHRA) is the supporting partner of the upcoming Food Hospitality World, Bengaluru 2014, to be held from June 12-14 at KTPO, Whitefield. The 63 year old association of the hospitality industry in Southern India comprises of the states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka Kerala, Tamil Nadu and the Union Territory of Puducherry. SIHRA has over 1100 hotel and restaurant members covering the smallest stand-alone restaurants to the largest five-star deluxe hotels. SIHRA constitutes the southern region of the all India apex hospitality trade association, Federation of Ho-

tel & Restaurant Association s of India (FHRAI) which presently has a pan India membership of around 4000. The main objective of SIHRA is to encourage, promote and protect the interests of member establishments. It has been rendering professional advice and assistance from time to time to all its members on topics of vital importance. SIHRA takes up the causes of its members with the various state governments as well as with other bodies and acts as the official spokesperson for the hospitality industry. It also acts as advisory body to the state governments in South India towards formulating their respective tourism policies. SIHRA regularly conducts professional development programmes and workshops to further enhance the existing professional knowledge and productivity skills of staff of member establishments to enable them keep pace with the rapid developments in the hospitality industry. SIHRA’s executive committee consists of the president of honour, president, four vice presidents, honorary secretary, treasurer and 13 executive committee members. Except for the president of honour, all other office bearers are elected annually. One third of the members retire by rotation and are eligible for re-election.

MARKETS

India a priority market for Rhaetian Railway Sudipta Dev Mumbai THE RHAETIAN RAILWAY (RhB) that operates the largest private railway network in Switzerland considers India as a priority market. “All markets are important, but the Indian market has a great potential as Indian guests like nature, travelling by trains. We hope to get an increase of 10 per cent this year compared to 2013. This is an increase of 450 guests from India,” said Reto Rostetter, manager overseas market, Rhaetian Railway. The most popular routes frequented by Indian tourists is from Zermatt to Chur or St Moritz on the Glacier Express, mentioned Rostetter. He pointed out that while new routes are not foreseen, Davos Klosters and Engadin St Moritz as destinations are strengthening their promotion efforts in India.

Reto Rostetter

“We are sure, that our panorama trains will be an attraction for Indian guests. Together with the destinations Engadin St Moritz and Davos Klosters we are three strong partners in the market. We are aware that we still have a long way in front of us, as most Indian guests visit Interlaken, Lucerne or Mount Titlis first, but we count on repeaters who look for something new,” he said. Most Indians travel with

the Swiss Pass, which covers all train routes, post buses, lake boats and public transport in 40 Swiss cities. “Also included is free entry to 400 Swiss museums. Therefore, no special offerings are needed,” said Ros-

tetter. In 2012, Rhaetian Railway had introduced Indian food on Glacier Express. One of the lines, the Bernina Bahn, crosses the Bernina Pass to the Italian border and on to Tirano

in Italy. In 2008 the Rhaetian Railway in the Albula / Bernina area was added to the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Rhaetian Railway is represented in India by Aviareps.

TRAVEL INSURANCE

Outbound travel a strong market for ICICI Lombard Rituparna Chatterjee Mumbai OUTBOUND TRAVEL from India continues to be a strong market segment for ICICI Lombard General Insurance Company, a private sector general insurance company in India also specialising in travel insurance products. This market segment continues to be their strength because of the increasing foreign travel from India and its expected upward growth in future. “Travel insurance penetration in India is currently estimated at just around 20 per cent. Though the total number of Indians who travelled abroad were just one per cent of the total population last year, their

percentage is expected to increase six fold in the next 20 years,” stated Sanjay Datta, chief – underwriting and claims, ICICI Lombard General Insurance Company. He also asserted that the growth in outbound travel will be pronounced amongst business travellers and those visiting friends and relatives. In addition, with improved air connectivity, cheaper fares

and availability of a range of tourism products and holiday packages, there will be an expected increase in the demand for international holidays among Indians. Furthermore, currency fluctuation also plays a decisive role in determining the growth of overseas travel. Also, regulatory requirements with respect to mandating travel insurance Sanjay Datta

The general insurance company had launched the International Travel Insurance product to provide overseas medical insurance

for visa purpose will also create a larger sustainable pool, he stated. “We also hope that with India opening up inbound foreign travel with visa on arrival we will see a lot of tourist friendly countries reciprocating and hence increasing outbound

foreign travel,” opined Datta. To tap this growing demand for international travel in India, the general insurance company had launched the International Travel Insurance product to provide overseas medical insurance along with coverage for all trip related risks for international travellers and their family members. They had also introduced new covers such as political risk and catastrophe evacuation, compassionate visit, emergency hotel extension, Loss of baggage and personal effects (non checked-in baggage), return of minor children, etc; along with value added services which includes medical concierge services, automotive assistance and lifestyle services.

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MARKETS CAR RENTALS

'Over a third of the Avis revenue comes from high end luxury cars' In an exclusive, Sunil Gupta, CEO, Avis India speaks about the luxury car rental segment in India and how Avis uses technology and a growing fleet to stay ahead in the race. By Steena Joy Recently Avis introduced Mercedes luxury cars to its fleet in India. How do you see the luxury car rental space in the country? While a certain level of demand for luxury car rental has always been there, there has been an uptrend for the past four-five years due to the launch of new models of luxury cars in the market and increasing disposable incomes. Also since the concept of short vacations has picked up more and more young couples and families are ready to travel short distances, more often than not in a car larger than their own. Over a third of the Avis revenue comes from high end luxury cars. Apart from the current 20 cities, does Avis have any plans to expand its operations to other cities in India? Avis is growing at more than 25 per cent year on year.

We recently opened our office in Vadodara in Gujarat and before that we had expanded our services to Chandigarh and Ahmedabad. The 20 cities expansion is based on a natural growth process. Wherever we acquire new business and places we see potential growth, we will open our offices. Our fleet of cars too keeps increasing with the clients. What are your market development activities? We have initiated multiple tie ups with Jet, Etihad, or Visa, Amercian Express, Master Card, SBI cards along with joint promotion campaigns. We continue our consumer and corporate awareness campaigns along with offering incentives for new customers for trying our services. We have also tied up with Amercian Express and Master Card for offering 25 per cent discount each. With Axis NRI

we offer 20 per cent.

of car rentals.

What is the growth potential for luxury car rentals in Tier II and Tier III cities in India? Even though metropolitan cities have high demand the real growth for luxury cars in the country is coming from Tier II and III towns. With rising incomes and exposure to modern facilities this sector is fast learning the benefits of a luxury car rental. People utilise luxury cars for various reasons specifically when they want to make a statement. Almost all the customers who hire Avis cars for personal use take these cars out of their residential towns for vacations and other personal trips or for weddings, dates or when they need a larger car for family travel. This in particular has helped in increasing the demand further in these towns. To add to this, the MICE industry in India is a huge consumer

Car rentals vis a vis the fleet taxi segment in the future? Both segments cater to separate audiences. Avis is the only international player in India. We have been present in the country for nearly 16 years now. Our emphasis on blending global systems with an understanding of local needs has enabled us to achieve market leadership in India. Avis India’s investment in technology, processes and systems enables it to provide an unmatched international experience. We also have many firsts to our credit. Our technology coupled with our vast (India’s largest) network of offices helps us in ensuring a stress-free car rental experience by providing superior services that cater to our customer's individual needs. Avis India has a fleet of more than 1700 premium cars across the country, with a net-

Sunil Gupta

work extending across 45 conveniently-located rental stations in 20 cities Our chauffeurs are the highest paid in the country and entitled to perks like PPF, medical, leaves etc. This means that the guest can be assured of well trained, well spoken, courteous chauffeurs with knowledge of the local routes, so that the customer can have a relaxed trip. Is self drive a growing segment in India? While we do offer Self drive cars, the segments has still not seen growth. On the one hand cost of hiring a chauffeur in India is miniscule, driving through poor road conditions with minimalistic sign-ages makes a local chauffeur all that more important.

TAAI - Eastern Region to focus on increasing tourist arrivals to the region Joy Roy Choudhury Kolkata THE EASTERN Region of Travel Agents Association of India is looking at improving its relations with the airlines, allied members and other stakeholders to offer better services, apart from the traditional ticketing services. Devesh Kumar Agarwal, the new chairman of TAAI, Eastern Region said, “Today's travel business operates in a

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completely different environment. Technology has changed the entire dynamics of the business. The travel professionals are no longer mere ticketing agents but are required to offer value-added services to the customers. So, we have to involve all the stakeholders like the airlines, allied members, the government sector and other stakeholders to be suitably prepared to meet the varied demands of the new age traveller. In order to strengthen

our efforts, we plan to meet the TAAI members from Assam and other North Eastern states in Guwahati soon to chalk out our future course of action.” Agarwal said that besides taking up the regular issues like reduction in agent's commission by the airlines, parity with online transactions and other airlines and travel related issues, the regional members have decided to work closely with other stakeholders to promote inbound and

domestic tourism in this part of the country. “Our objective would be to increase Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) as well as inbound domestic tourists in this part of the country,” he said. “The Eastern and North Eastern states of the country need further support from the government and allied agencies to come up on the global tourism map. So our efforts would be to promote and market the tourist destinations of the East and the

North East, globally as well as in other parts of the country like Gujarat, Maharashtra and the south,” he said. “We welcome the Union Government's recent move to extend the Visa-On-Arrival programme to 180 countries and hope that such a move will help in bringing more foreign tourists into the East and the North East,” said Agarwal. He urged the state government to invite more foreign airlines to operate from Kolkata.

MARKETS

Electronic travel authorisation and tourism infoline to boost inbound tourism ETW Staff Mumbai TRAVELLING TO INDIA will be made easy once the electronic travel authorisation to visit India and tourism infoline in 12 languages becomes operational in about a year. This was disclosed by Parvez Dewan, secretary tourism, Government of India while inaugurating the first edition of the Incredible India Travel Bazaar (IITB), organised by FICCI in partnership with the Union Ministry of Tourism. Speaking on the visa regime, Dewan said that during the past year India had considerably relaxed its visa regime and expanded the Visa-on-Arrival (VoA) scheme. As a facilitative

measure to attract more foreign tourists to India, the government launched the VoA scheme in January 2010 for citizens of five countries, viz. Finland, Japan, Luxembourg, New Zealand and Singapore, visiting India for tourism purposes. The scheme was extended to the citizens of six more countries, namely Cambodia, Indonesia, Vietnam, the Philippines, Laos and Myanmar in January 2011. During the next 12 months, many of the travel facilitating decisions taken by the government will be implemented, added Dewan. He exhorted the foreign tour operators to stay back in India after the travel bazaar concluded to experience at first-hand, the diversity and the uniqueness of Indian tourism products. “

India is no longer a November to March destination; it is a round-the-year experience, its summer destinations are incredible, it is home to 73 per cent of the Himalayas and its modern hospitals provide second-to-none treatment at

10th of the cost in USA,” he stated. The inaugural function was also addressed by Girish Shankar, additional secretary, ministry of tourism, Government of India; Usha Sharma, additional director general, ministry of

A knowledge paper by FICCI and Roots Research on ‘India Inbound –The Kaleidoscopic Canvas’ was released. The knowledge paper highlights 10 key areas for policy intervention to promote foreign tourist arrivals (FTAs)

tourism, Government of India; and Dr Jyotsna Suri, senior vice president, FICCI and CMD, The Lalit Suri Hospitality Group. On the occasion, a Knowledge Paper by FICCI and Roots Research on ‘India Inbound –The Kaleidoscopic Canvas’ was released. The knowledge paper highlights 10 key areas for policy intervention to promote foreign tourist arrivals (FTAs). IITB, retained the exclusive focus on inbound travel, as its previous avatar, the Great Indian Travel Bazaar (GITB). This year’s event drew 247 foreign tour operators who engaged in B2B meetings with 246 Indian sellers in 9000 structured pre-fixed meetings over two days.

TUTC aims to offer 50 unique luxury mobile camps Kahini Chakraborty Mumbai THE ULTIMATE Travelling Camp (TUTC), offering luxury nomadic mobile camps, has envisioned to launch 50 campsites in unique unexplored regions in Orissa, Gujarat and Karnataka. Following this, the camp would go to locations beyond India. Targeting high-end traveller segment, the company is offering its camp product itineraries to unique locales which include Ladakh, Kohima in Nagaland, Kotwara in Awadh and Dudhwa in the Terai region. Speaking exclusively to Express TravelWorld, Dhun Cordo, founder, TUTC said, “Our products aim at providing the discerning traveller the opportunity

to camp in style in unique locales which provides the camps a complete 360 view of the picturesque environs, showcases the unexplored history and culture of the region, taps into the rich reservoir of traditions, customs and festivals.”

The company is looking at offering its next camping products to The Chamba Camp, Thiksey in Ladakh which would be operational from June 15 to end September. The highlight in 2014 for this campsite will be the hosting of the Kalachakra

Keeping the changing trends of travel where the traveller is in search of unique experiences in unexplored regions with no luxury accommodation, this new concept of camping has great opportunity to expand

Dhun Cordo

Festival by the Dalai Lama from July 1-14. When asked about how the company is focusing on promoting its products through B2B and B2C, she informed, “As the product is a new concept for the luxury segment, there is a focused thrust to promote the product through the B2B channel that has a wide reach

in domestic and international markets. Through select marketing channels there will be a focus to popularise the product to select B2C clients primarily corporate. We will also promote through social media, electronic media, publications, international travel marts, media and travel agent familiarisation trips.” On the growth potential of this niche segment of luxury tent camping, she replied, “Keeping the changing trends of travel and requirement in the high-end luxury segment in mind, where the traveller is in search of unique experiences in unexplored regions with no luxury accommodation, this new concept of camping has great opportunity to expand.”

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cover )

A new

high 14

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From large integrated projects in metros to small water parks in Tier II townships, the amusement park industry in India has witnessed a steady growth which will gather pace in the not so distant future, despite the many existing challenges BY SUDIPTA DEV

(

or an industry that has been growing at a double digit rate in India, the amusement park sector is still at a nascent stage in the country. A recent FICCI-Ernst & Young report has projected healthy growth potential for the sector. The industry is expected to nearly double in size by 2020 in terms of the number of parks with an enhanced portfolio of offerings. “The industry comprising of park operators and ride manufacturers have adapted to the challenges of the growing demand for technically advanced rides/facilities from its customers and have seen a steady growth of 15 per cent year on year in the past several years,” says Yogesh Dange, president, Indian Association of Amusement Parks and Industries (IAAPI). He avers that increasing urbanisation and changing customer preferences will have positive impact on the industry footfall. This trend shall pave way for more investments in the sector and large integrated projects like the Adlabs Imagica coming up. The existing amusement park players will upgrade their facilities and expand their operations in other cities as well. The last two decades have witnessed interesting evolution of the sector – from Appu Ghar that opened in New Delhi in 1984. This was followed by de-

velopment in major cities with EsselWorld in Mumbai and Nicco Park in Kolkata, while the early 2000s saw many parks coming up in small, medium and large cities. The decade also witnessed the emergence of water parks, which became quite popular. “Today there are 150 amusement parks in India, across tier I and tier II cities and smaller locations. Of these, 15 per cent are large parks, 20 to 25 per cent are medium sized and the balance are small parks in smaller towns. These parks are integral for social infrastructure development and also

One of the significant developments has been the increase in investment in tier II and tier III cities across the country in the amusement park industry

generate a lot of employment,” says Arijit Sengupta, industry expert and former MD & CEO, Nicco Parks & Resorts. One of the significant developments has been the increase in investment in tier II and tier III cities across the country in the amusement park industry in the last decade. “The potential from these cities has been encouraging. In the last 10 years at least 40 new parks with varied investments of ` five to `30 crore have been set up in cities other than the metros,” mentions Dange. There are of course many challenges that the sector faces, these range from variable entertainment tax rates in different states to price sensitivity of the Indian consumer to high real estate prices. There is also the issue of supporting infrastructure. “Due to large land requirements , most amusement parks are located on the outskirts of the cities. In such a scenario, supporting infrastructure such as roads, public transport facilities become critical to improve accessibility to customers,” states Dange.

Seeking government support IAAPI is looking at the government to encourage this sector by initiating newer channels for improved and easy funding. There is also a need to come up with a policy of single window

THE MAIN FOCUS

KEY CHALLENGES ■ VARIABLE ENTERTAINMENT TAX RATES: Ranging from zero per cent to 50 per cent, it is a state government subject and varies from state to state. ■ LOW PER CAPITA CONSUMER SPENDING ON ENTERTAINMENT SERVICES: Indian consumers are price sensitive. This is the reason for lower ticket charges for entertainment activities in India as compared to other international markets. ■ LACK OF SOCIAL AND SUPPORTING INFRASTRUCTURE: Most cities do not have any approved land for entertainment activities such as amusement and theme parks in their master plan ■ FUNDING: Availability of capital is very important because of the high initial costs and frequent upgrading required for the attractions. ■

Land: Location is an important factor, which

contributes majorly to the potential footfalls and hence the viability of the project. High real estate prices discourage park operators from setting up new parks at attractive locations.

(Source: Indian Association of Amusement Parks and Industries)

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cover ) clearances in order to avoid inordinate delays in implementation of projects and to cut down on costs. Dange asserts that the government should promote India as a manufacturing hub for amusement and water park rides by providing necessary incentives for manufacturers in designated areas. Foreign direct investment (FDI) should also be encouraged in this sector by way of incentives and rationalisation of taxes. “The government should have a comprehensive and sustained marketing plan to promote amusement parks as is been done by Singapore, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, etc,” he adds. Having just launched its first IPO, Arun K Chittilappilly, MD, Wonderla Holidays urges the government to give amusement/theme parks the industry status. “These parks must be viewed as social infrastructure for their entertainment value and because they are good for tourism. These parks are also very labour intensive as they employ a lot of people.” Wonderla’s two parks in Bengaluru and Kochi employ around 1700 people.

Regional focus Wonderla targets the demographic who have never travelled abroad and have never been exposed to

international theme parks. “We aim to be a regional player with a regional focus. We have a mix of simple rides as well as more complex and challenging ones using imported machinery. We strive to maintain high quality and hygiene in both our parks and this has reaped high footfalls,” says Chittilappilly. The company also has a resort within the Bengaluru theme park which attracts a lot of corporate MICE. Apart from Wonderla Kochi and Wonderla Bengaluru, Chittilappilly has plans to open two more theme parks – in Hyderabad (scheduled to open in two years' time) and Chennai (to open three and a half years from now). “It's been 14 years since we entered the amusement park industry in 2000 and there have been quite a few changes. From five lakh visitors a year, we have grown to 25 lakh visitors in 2012-13. In that same period revenues have jumped from `five crore to `140 crore. However, the industry is still in its nascent stage here, ” states Chittilappilly. Commenting on his target audience, he adds, “Our main aim is to make the experience as affordable as possible and to offer a broad spectrum of rides that will appeal to different

segments of people.” Nicco Park in Kolkata is among the first big amusement parks in India – a PPP with the government of West Bengal launched in October 1991. The park has a significant percentage of repeat visitors. The company has set up amusement parks and water parks for its clients, including one in Dhaka. It also manufactures rides and has supplied the same to Dubai, Japan and Europe.

Strategic innovation Constant innovation is key to the business strategy of all key amusement park players. When an amusement park starts its novelty is very high but it erodes after three-four years. “One has to be careful about the novelty factor to attract people again and again. It is necessary to be there in the mind of people,” points out Sengupta. As an organisation Pan India Paryatan (EsselWorld, Water Kingdom and EsselWorld Freeze Pune) believes in constant improvement and innovation. New attractions are added every year. “In the last few years we have added many new rides and several attractions at EsselWorld.

New rides have been launched at Water Kingdom too. We have always managed to keep our entertainment and thrill factor up. We plan to add many more unique attractions. These new additions will be a regular feature in the coming years for the property,” says Shirish Deshpande, CEO, Pan India Paryatan. The company ventured into the in-mall format with the launch of its first ever brand extension project- EsselWorld FREEZE, which was launched in 2012 in Pune. “We have made active entertainment fun and reachable with this new venture. The format of FREEZE has been conceptualised keeping in mind its adaptability to malls,” states Deshpande. Adventure Island in New Delhi was started in December, 2006 with eight rides and within six months 18 rides were made operational. “Every year we added one ride each and in year 2010 our water ride called H2O was added to make it a completed fun-filled destination, now we have in all 23 rides with

Yogesh Dange President, IAAPI

Arijit Sengupta Former MD & CEO Nicco Parks & Resorts

Arun K Chittilappilly MD, Wonderla Holidays

Shirish Deshpande CEO, Pan India Paryatan

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a right combination of dry and wet park," says Mohit Sawhney, general manager, Unitech Amusement Parks. Adventure Island started a live stunt show 'The King of Quick Guns' - a Bollywood fight, fire and sound show. “Looking at the response we thought to create another show which is on a lighter side with more fun for kids and MAD theatre was born - a show with an amalgamation of Magic, Acrobat and Dance,” mentions Sawhney. The company has also launched a project called Adventure Village, which has different physical activities for guests and is created in the theme of a village. These activities include rock climbing, Burma Bridge, commando net, zip line, etc. The opening of Adlabs Imagica has been the momentuous happening for the industry last year. “Our positioning is to make

THE MAIN FOCUS

tal investment on the integrated tourism project (theme park, water park and hotel) is `1650 crore, of which the theme park is itself an `1100 crore project. Understanding the fact that it is an industry that has vast tourism potential, the Maharashtra government has given Adlabs Imagica a mega tourism status. The initial focus is the domestic market, as Deora points out there is nothing of this scale in India.

Corporates and events Mohit Sawhney GM, Unitech Amusement Parks

the theme park an important destination for India, in fact an aspirational destination for

Pooja Shetty Deora Jt MD, Adlabs Imagica

every Indian family,” says Pooja Shetty Deora, joint managing director, Adlabs Imagica. The to-

The corporate and MICE sector forms an integral part of amusement/ theme park business worldwide. EsselWorld has many corporate tie ups. “We customise and create special packages for our corporate clients. Like in the recent past we have partnered with Mahindra & Mahindra and the Future

Group where we received a tremendous response,” mentions Deshpande. At Adlabs Imagica, in the pipeline is a 300 rooms hotel that is being built for large conferences and weddings. Acknowledging that the hotel industry is a very important aspect of any theme park in terms of financials, events including MICE and weddings are all taken into consideration. The emergence of family entertainment centre (FECs) is the next step in the evolution of the industry. Kidzania entered the India market last year with a 75,000 square feet indoor theme park for children in RCity Mall, Mumbai. Non-traditional FECs are also expected to come up in the non-so distant future. (With inputs by Steena Joy)

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EVENT ROUNDUP

A rendezvous with unexplored France The ninth edition of Rendez-vous en France Travel Market, which is Atout Franceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s highly intensive and extensive buyer seller meet, took place in a new region of France known as the Auvergne region in a place called Clermont-Ferrand, known for its volcano story. The event brought into fore the hidden and unexplored regions of France By Reema Lokesh

HINK FRANCE and the first image that makes a flash in most cases is the iconic Eiffel Tower. There is no doubt that Paris is a city of dreams for many but it is not what France is all about. Paris does overshadow the hidden and explored specialities of the French world, but the ninth edition of 'Rendezvous en France' did a perfect job to showcase France with its other tourism classics. From Carcassonne Castle to Sarlat, from special wine trails to the Zoo Parc de Beauval and Park Asterix, from luxury spas and resorts to quaint spots and boutique experiences, from unique products like Meeting the French to Paris and You Photo, there is so much more to this destination than that meets the eye. France has so much to offer that it can be easily promoted as a solo tourism product and the close to 24 tourism areas have their own unique offerings. If the Rhone-Alpes has natural splendours like Lake Annecy and Chamonix Mont-Blanc and ski resorts, the CentreVal De Loire has also classic

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and stately Chateaus on the offering. Every region takes pride in promoting its uniqueness and most of the tourism boards from Champagne-Ardennes to Normandie, from Bourgogne to Aquitaine, the Indian clientele is what they surely hope to greet and meet. Valerie Olivier of the Dijon Tourist Board was keen to work with the India market and spoke about the owl trails and other highlights at the event. Claude Micallef of Lido Champs-ElysĂŠes considered the India market crucial for business even though it is a highly well established product in market. In the same way, Cyprien Fabre of Musees Du Parfum Fragonard, also felt the Indian clientele as crucial, and hoped to strengthen his perfume tours product in the India market. From the established to the new, sellers in France were all set to tap and network with their Indian counterparts. The Indian buyers were also impressed with this year's event and felt it was a perfect platform to learn and explore more about France and its unique offerings. Sumathi Shankar Raman,

EVENT ROUNDUP

From the established to the new, sellers in France were all set to tap and network with their Indian counterparts. The Indian buyers were also impressed with this year's event and felt it was a perfect platform to explore France and its unique offerings CFO, Wings Travels, Mumbai, felt that her visit was an eye opener and a face-to-face meeting with the suppliers helped her understand a lot of practical aspects like getting the optimum routing and tour plans for her clientele. It was interesting to meet the DMCs in person, she felt. Interestingly she has also activated business for eight groups to the Lyon region from the event. Most of the tour operators also found the pre and post familiarisation trips as a great opportunity to explore new regions first hand. Shobita Louis, general manager (operations), The Wanderers, came back impressed with the Sarlat reigon. “It is worth selling and a perfect gateway with a fairytale touch and a medieval look,” she stated adding that it is perfect to explore regions of France on a bike or even through selfdrive vacations. Alface region known for its wine and Corsica, for an island experience are worth exploring. For Asmita Ramnani, partner, Indiana Travel Services, understanding the right combinations for selling was her take home from the event. She was also impressed with the arrangements and hospitality provided at the event. But Nagshree Prasad of Mercury Travels, who has been regularly attending the event, had always been looking forward to the experience. She added, “I look forward to the event for two reasons, one

France as a destination is becoming exceedingly popular and two, my clients are willing to look at the country as a mono destination thereby wanting to spend more time here in newer areas, doing new things. The Rendez-vous promises the latter since each year they try and organise the meetings in a new destination and this allows us as buyers to experience the same and go back home and promote what we saw. This year they did not disappoint me as there were several meetings that were very interesting, for example the Auvergne Tourism Board, Provence Tours, a yacht company in Nice, some bespoke cycling and walking tour companies, the Loire valley and the list goes on.” She further added, “The event also helps reconnect with friends from the regions thereby giving us an edge and also provides reassurance to the regions and attractions we are promoting. There is a two-way commitment that is cemented. The quality of the sellers was good and it’s great to see new attractions and experiences come up each year that helps us diversify our portfolio. I am looking forward to the event next year already.” Rendez-vous en France 2014 did match expectations and the strong tourism ties between the French suppliers and the Indian buyers is poised to only strengthen over time as the commitment toward business is strong at both ends.

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EVENT ROUNDUP

“France holds tremendous potential both as a luxury and wedding destination” Rendez-vous en France 2014, brought into focus new regions and products for the world to explore. Catherine Oden, director, Atout France India, tells Reema Lokesh that France is definitely gaining favour as a solo destination and shares with her the highlights of the event What according to you was the highlight of Rendez-vous en France 2014? This year, Rendezvous en France took place in a relatively unknown region – Auvergne home to natural landscapes, art and volcanoes. In addition to promoting the holistic French tourist offer to a gathering of 850 global buyers, this year’s workshop also provided visiting travel professionals many opportunities to discover Auvergne and its natural beauty. To further acquaint travel professionals with popular tourist venues, soirees were organised at popular tourist venues such as Vulcania and the Polydome. This was indeed the perfect opportunity to showcase a new region on a global travel platform of this stature. The format of the workshop also included familiarisation tours to other French regions in addition to Auvergne. For the visiting Indian delegation of 17 agents the familiarisation tours were also organised in Sarlat in the Perigord region, Rhone Alpes and Champagne- Ardenne. Besides Rhone-Alpes, the other regions were fairly new to the delegation. These tours organised to lesser known regions complemented perfectly Atout France in India’s objective to introduce newer destinations into the India market. From the Indian perspective, it is heartening to learn that agents were extremely pleased with their familiarisation trips and were quite enthused with the idea of promoting new regions in their itineraries.

20 EXPRESS TRAVELWORLD May 2014

France also creates the perfect environment for new sellers to introduce themselves on a global level. We would like to encourage our delegates who were part of the exhibition to augment and enhance their forthcoming itineraries of France with the inclusion of newer regions especially the ones they saw while as part of the workshop, introducing new products, travel ideas. Catherine Oden

Can you share your thoughts on Clermont-Ferrand as a tourism destination for the Indian traveller? We believe that Clermont Ferrand is a destination that would appeal more to a second or third time traveller coming to France for something offbeat, unusual. For the moment, the destination needs to be promoted in this market. The destination needs visibility and its various facets needs to be showcased to the discerning Indian traveller. We are fairly certain that this region would appeal to travellers who are interested in nature and the outdoors. Is there a certain take home you hope to achieve for this year's event? The objective of Rendezvous en France is to create an in-depth awareness about the diversity of the French tourist offer and create a perfect platform for French sellers and global buyers to interact and develop fruitful business relationships under one common roof. Rendezvous en

What is your primary focus for the India market for the next two years? In recent years, the Indian traveller has exhibited a keen willingness to include novel experiences as part of his travel agenda. Wanting to entice this genre of traveller, we had launched our communication campaign 'Be There! Do That!' last year which showcased France as an experiential destination. From activity-oriented holidays to destination reinventions, we had, through this campaign, acquainted the discerning Indian visitor with diverse and exciting travel ideas. We believe the trend of experiential travel is here to stay and through 'Be There! Do That!' we shall continue to present unique adventures possible in France, appealing to different segments of travellers such as families, honeymooners, friends on a holiday, DINKS, the single woman traveller, etc. We will also focus on showcasing France as a preferred MICE destination keen to welcome Indian corporate movements. The vast potential of this dynamic segment rests unchallenged and we are keen to aug-

ment our share of Indian groups and will make focused efforts to achieve this objective. In addition, we see great promise in the field of youth tourism and are also keen to make rapid in-roads in this domain. Today, organising educational trips to overseas destinations is not uncommon. We believe that France could be a destination of choice for such trips. We would be looking at developing common synergies with education institutions with the aim of finding avenues for joint collaborations and encouraging decision makers to plan an educational trip to France. Is the demand from the Indian buyers witnessed some change over time. Has there been an evolution in travel? There has definitely been an augmentation in FIT travel to France. Though we still welcome a majority of our Indian visitors as part of escorted tours, the number of FIT travellers is rapidly rising every year. The Indian visitor has come a long way from travelling on escorted tours to enquiring for a customised holiday crafted to suit his precise needs and requirements. The influence of the internet and social media has totally changed the outlook towards travel. Today’s potential holiday-maker does not mind conducting an extensive research on the destination he plans to visit and is completely aware of what he would like to include in his agenda. There is a gradual yet steady increase in the demands for wine trails, wellness holidays, self-drive

holidays, gourmet routes besides others. Do you think France is totally ready to go solo as a destination? France is definitely gaining favour as a solo destination, thanks to the evolution of the discerning Indian traveller. Over the last few years, we have observed that the discerning Indian traveller is ready to spend time in France discovering its regions. What's your perception of France as a luxury and wedding destination for India? France holds tremendous potential both as a luxury and wedding destination for its Indian guests. A versatile destination, France presents a plethora of experiences catering to both domains. To the luxury seeker, France presents the best of its elegant accommodation options including palace hotels, chic sea-side resorts, Alpine retreats, helicopter discoveries of Mediterranean islands and Alpine peaks, hot-air balloon rides over grandiose chateaux. and lush vineyards, indulgent shopping options at iconic luxury boutiques, wellness escapades, golf breaks and of course an exquisite selection of fine-dine Michelin starred restaurants to round off a perfect luxury experience. France serves as a perfect wedding destination with a choice of venues ranging from traditional churches to historic monuments to reception rooms in chateaux, iconic hotels, all of which could be privatised for a wedding.

EVENT ROUNDUP

Active and adventurous ATOAI’s 11th annual convention was unique in its style and appeal and it brought into fore pressing issues of the fraternity. Apart from offering Uttarakhand a platform to reposition their tourism portfolio, the Association strongly recommended a rafting policy at this year's convention By Reema Lokesh

HE RECENTLY concluded Adventure Tour Operators Association of India (ATOAI) convention at Shivpuri, Uttarakhand, highlighted and addressed a number of pressing and serious issues that affects the adventure tourism space in India. The convention was planned at the said destination with a clear purpose to announce that the state of Uttarakhand is ready and back to welcome its tourists and to also address issues of the industry at large. For the first time in ATOAI’s history, this was an 'adventurous' convention in its true sense, hosted on the banks of the River Ganga. The high point of the convention was the entire delegation rafting down from Devprayag to the Beas Ghat for an overnight camp. At the ghat, the local camping fraternity showcased their skills by setting up an expansive campsite for 250 guests. The firsts at this year’s convention were preconnect and media connect programmes wherein local adventure tourism stakeholders interacted and networked with the delegates and the media and showcased their work and specialities. Speaking at the conven-

tion, Akshay Kumar, president, ATOAI, said, “ATOAI will continue to support Uttarakhand. The people of Uttarakhand need their visitors to return soon. Over 85 per cent of the state is unaffected and safe to travel to. While we cannot erase memories, we hope to put forward the right perception. We are bringing together the best of the adventure travel industry, along with domestic and overseas buyers, policy makers, government officials, decision makers, allied industry and media. The sharing of thoughts and ideas will help the industry formulate strategy and help shape future policy.” According to Rajesh Ojha, convention chairman, “The 11th convention of ATOAI symbolises the change and continuity a thriving organisation should have. Our attempt is to bring to the local adventure travel community the benefits of the market. The theme of the convention 'Connect | Create | Catalyse | Conserve' are the four pillars within which the industry moves. We always try to find a balance between these four states. I hope when this convention ends we will find ourselves closer to that goal.”

Rafting rules The primary issue that was raised at the convention was with respect to India’s rafting policy. A strict rafting regulation was put in place by the association. They urged the state government to implement the same on priority. Safety and security is a major issue of concern with regards to adventure sports in India. The ATOAI body has meticulously laid down guidelines and best practices to be stringently followed. The members have appealed to the state government to make this as part of their policy and to also keep the guidelines in place before issuing the required permits and license. The speakers at the convention vociferously pressed upon the importance of training and safety rules apart from addressing the issue of carrying capacity and better infrastructure for the betterment of tourism in general. The head of Trip Advisor in India, Nikhil Ganju, shared with the audience a finding that India is not perceived as a safe adventure tourism hub to the which the ATOAI felt that though there are serious players in the market who are following all rules and norms, it is due to

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EVENT ROUNDUP few fly-by-night operators and no strict check by the government that the business is facing a challenging review and reaction. Mandip Singh Soin, founder and managing director, Ibex Expeditions, emphasised on the need to address the issue of carrying capacity after conducting a serious study on what is the optimum limit for tourists to visit a region during a specific time frame. The question here is clearly about sustainable and responsible tourism. Kumar also emphasised on the need for capacity building courses in adventure as they hope to work closely with every state tourism board to take this concept forward. The plan is to start-off with Darjeeling and move on to other regions. Tejbir Singh Anand, managing director, Holiday Moods Adventure, highlighted the need for the right infrastructure facilities, accessibility especially in the state of Uttarakhand, which is rich for adventure sports. The plan was to activate another train station. Building of airports namely in Chinyalisaur, Pithoragarh should be seriously considered. Trekking and camping policies along with angling policies need to be put into place. An appeal was also made to restart visits to the Nandadevi sanctuary for tourism but keeping the issue of carrying capacity in mind. The constant demand for single window clearance was readdressed at the convention. Recommendations ● Overcrowding of campsites

has to be checked and a minimum separation of 200 metres between camps is a must ● Immediate ban on loud music and parties in the Shivpuri Kaudiayala belt, an eco tourism zone ● Environment and safety audit of rafting activity to be done ● Long standing industry demand for a single window clearance of permissions for trekking /climbing / angling, etc ● Draconian Sarai Act to be done away with ● Transport : Volvos /long chassis buses to be allowed till Kaudiyala. This will not only reduce pollution by lesser vehicles on road but will also give a uniform, high-end delivery of transport services for the rafting industry ● Introduce a stop at Raiwala Station to decongest Haridwar Station especially during big bathing dates and local festivals ● Bilaspur to Haldwani highway needs urgent repairing ● Three air trips to be made operational on immediate basis Chinyalisaur, Gauchar and Pithoragarh ● Three-tier air connectivity system to be put in place. Big aircrafts till Pant Nagar and Jolly Grant, smaller 40 seater planes

till Chinyalisaur, Gauchar and Pithoragarh. Helicopters connecting these airports to Auli, Munsiari, Badrinathm, Kedarnath, etc ● Seven am flight arrival in Dehradun to ensure tourists can drive to far off locations in Uttarakhand ● Same trekking charge for all national parks ● Uttarakhand government is requested to initiate a dialogue to move towards controlled opening of the Nanda Devi Inner Sanctuary ● ATOAI to be made recommending body for licensing, safety and environmental guidelines ● Rafting policy to be circulated for comments from industry and ATOAI before implementing.

ATOAI commitments to Uttarakhand ATOAI made the following commitments to the state: ● Three year Clean Uttarakhand campaign (NIM - Devprayag belt) in collaboration with Waste Warriors ● Plan and implement a search and rescue system for trekkers and climbers ● Ensuring availability of Personal Locator Beacons ( PLBs) from ISRO or companies like Garmin, which will help in rescues ● The association will continue to hold one seminar and two guide training programmes every year in collaboration with UTDB ● The association will follow up with the state government on loan waivers and subsidy applications.

DELEGATE VOICE-OVER HIMANSHU DWIVEDI - CHOLAN TOURS – DELHI Business sessions, panel discussions were of great importance and each of those gave at least one new point worth noting. I understand that to hold the convention at such a place and to include activities was not an easy task and the ATOAI team has done a commendable job making it happen. ANIRUDH CHAOJI - PUGMARK ECO TOURS - PUNE Such events help bring the adventure fraternity together and there is so much to learn from each other's experiences.Without doubt, business also grows through networking. It was amazing to see great teamwork and bonding among people - who may be otherwise seen as competitors. BRIG S P SINGH – JUMPIN HEIGHTS - RISHIKESH The mega event was the first of it's kind wherein the format was typical to adventure.The effort put in and the coordination done involving so many agencies were indeed praiseworthy. SANJAY KAUSHIK – RAJPUTANA HOLIDAY MAKERS - JAIPUR The convention venue, the stay in most beautiful camps specially at Beas Ghat and two days rafting. I want to assure you that I would always like to come back to Uttarakhand and would recommend our family, friends and clients to go to Uttarakhand and enjoy this wonderful place. JONATHAN WALTER - FLYING FOX I was very impressed by ATOAI's ability to host a large convention to high conference venue standards in an adventure setting.The food was very good and the cultural shows were also a nice touch. RAJEEV K SAH - GENERAL MANAGER - ASIAN ADVENTURES I have no hesitation to say that there wasn't any negative aspect during the entire convention session. ANSHUL MENDIRATTA - VIRGIN TRAVEL SPOTS The venue was amazing and a special mention for Waste Warriors, all of them rocked. AJAY PURI – UTTARKASHI (HIMALAYA) - UTTARAKHAND Hotel Association Uttarkashi would like to extend their sincere thanks to ATOAI. It was our pleasure to represent Uttarkashi valley. We appreciate their mission and vision to arrange such a big conglomeration of adventure and tour operators of India. MOHAN TICKOO - KASH VENTURE TRAVELS Innovatively conceptualised, professionally managed, crisp and meaningful business sessions with motivating speakers, superb arrangements for outdoor activities involving local industry, this was a benchmark convention in its true sense. Involving Waste Warriors as partners in the convention has sent a very positive message across the board and helped the cause.The pre-convention interactive meetings with the Uttarakhand government have been quite useful in getting long pending issues to the fore for discussion.

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EVENT ROUNDUP

Thinking global The third edition of Goa International Travel Mart this year opened with a focus to position Goa as a premier leisure destination towards 2020 and address some of the pressing issues of the state. The event also highlighted a few of the upcoming projects of the state government By Rituparna Chatterjee

HIS YEAR'S GOA International Travel Mart (GITM) held from April 2-4 at Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Stadium at Taleigaon, created not only a diverse networking platform for the travel trade fraternity in India and abroad but also raised several issues concerning the state. The issue of security was highlighted during the inaugural ceremony, wherein R K Srivastava, principal secretary, Government of Goa, spoke on the need to reinvent the state and also focus on safety so as to retain its position as one of India’s most premium international destinations. Other requirements that were also touched upon included - exploring new and niche markets, promoting sustainability and restricting mass tourism. To position Goa as a yearlong destination across all market segments, Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC) focussed on promoting various aspects of the state. Apart from promoting its casinos, wildlife, folk dance, popular beaches, festivals to name a few, the corporation is looking at positioning Goa as a religious destination. For the same, GTDC will be introducing a new product, which is the decennial exposition of the sacred relics of St Francis Xavier at Old Goa from November this year. Adding to this product are other places of religious significance like the Mahadev Temple, Tambdi Surla; Safa Masjid, to name a few. As for the wedding market, GTDC

is developing the Tiracol fort into a wedding resort. “This is a private initiative, but the property will be owned by the government and will boast of seven rooms,” mentioned Nikhil U Desai, managing director, GTDC. In 2013, Goa recorded 3.11 million tourists arrivals, a 12 per cent growth from the previous year. Half a million were international visitors which included 160,000 from Europe and 144,000 from the UK. “The visits to the state are either at the

beginning or at the end of the year. 40 per cent arrivals are through chartered flights and 60 per cent are FITs,” stated Desai.

With growing tourism numbers, infrastructural developments have become a major requirement for the state. The corpora-

Apart from promoting its casinos, wildlife, folk dance, beaches, festivals, GTDC is looking at positioning Goa as a religious destination

tion has been allocated a tourism budget of `150 crore with a major focus on developing the state's infrastructure. Elaborating on the infrastructural projects, Desai stated, “Early May this year we will be starting night patrolling at the beaches. At present we have a dual system of life guarding and have deployed police personnel at the beaches. We will also employ an integrated scientific method of beach cleaning, which will be put in place very soon. We are also

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EVENT ROUNDUP

developing parking lots, lighting, working on road expansion through public funding. Work on projects for developing theme parks, convention centres, marinas through PPP model has already started. We are also coming up with eco toilets by October- November this year. The state government has also appointed a Spanish-based consulting firm to develop a master plan to help Goa grow holistically which will be ready in eight to 12 months.”

bringing around 1.3 lakh international tourists. This year around 1000 chartered flights are expected to arrive. This has put pressure on sustaining the ecology of the state.” She suggested several practices like setting up garbage disposal agencies, making rainwater harvesting mandatory, opening the hinterland to de-congest the city, developing waterways for transportation, going upmarket and changing the marketing strategies.

Effective marketing Suggesting alternatives The GITM concluded two panel discussions on different themes. The first panel discussion on 'Reinventing Goa as a premier investment and tourist destination in an ecologically aware world’ was moderated by Ajay Prakash, immediate past

This year around 1000 chartered flights are expected to arrive. This has put pressure on sustaining the ecology of the state president, Travel Agents Federation of India and chief executive, Nomad Travels. The panelists included Desai; Nandini Sahai, director, The International Centre Goa; KD Row, past president, Travel and Tourism Association of Goa; and Ralph de Sousa, group chairman, de Souza Group. The discussion started off with Prakash pointing out the need to regulate the carrying capacity of the state to sustain its natural resources. The carrying capacity could,

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however, be regulated by targeting niche clientèle, pointed out Row. “Knowledge and intellectual, content based activity can propel tourism in Goa. We need to position Goa as a true driver of change by hosting high-end events and conferences, inviting buyers and creating meaningful content for the participants,” mentioned Row. He also highlighted the need to actively engage the Goan community in tourism; focus on repeat customers; design and create alter-

native tourism initiatives; promote wellness, food, golf and water sports tourism; and transform the state into an aviation hub to attract leading airlines. The same was reiterated by de Sousa who spoke on targeting short and long-term, new but niche markets. He also came up with suggestions of transforming the Old Secretariat building in Panjim into an art centre, introducing a scheme to promote homestays. Desai informed the audience about the state govern-

ment clearing the proposal to have an Institute of Hotel Management in Goa and their interest in the South East Asian market and new countries in the US and Europe. Sharing a few statistical data was Sahai. She informed, “The number of tourists to Goa has increased from 7.7 lakh in 1985 to around 31.2 lakh in 2013. Last financial year, 987 chartered flights arrived from around nine international destinations wherein 742 were from Russia and 150 from the UK

The session held on the topic ‘Image building through out-ofthe-box marketing concepts for private and government sector’, was moderated by Carl Vaz, chairman and CEO, Charson Advisory Services. The panel members included Sachin Nene, area manager - India, Air Arabia; Kiran Yadav, chairman and managing director, Success Try Angles; and Kapil Kumar, director, School of Tourism Hospitality Service Management, Indira Gandhi National Open University, New Delhi. Vaz initiated the discussion by suggesting the need for adopting the PPP model to market Goa through social media campaigns and creating various engaging applications to bring in tourists. Giving an instance of this, Vaz stated, “Kerala Tourism made their tourism application accessible on both Android and iPhone. The application has a function called 'What's Near Me' which uses the GPS system to track restaurants nearby and direct you in that direction.” Nene pointed out the importance of tapping the MICE segment from Russia, CIS and the Middle East. He expressed his support to GTDC to organise and facilitate B2B events in Goa from these markets. Kumar spoke on engaging the locals while framing marketing strategies, while Yadav highlighted the significance of creating a specific, focused, targeted marketing and brand building exercise to cater to demanding customers.

DESTINATION OUTBOUND

STMORITZ: THE SUNSHINE VILLAGE St Moritz, which is the birth place of winter tourism in the Alps, is a destination that well epitomises its brand promise of 322 days of sunshine and offers wide ranging activities from skiing and snowboarding in winters to water sports in summers By Sudipta Dev

ESTLED IN the picturesque Engadin Valley, St Moritz (that is still called a village) is a great draw for skiing enthusiasts from all over the world who throng here during the winter months. In summers when the frozen lake thaws and the valley wears a complete different verdant look, it is no less scenic and activities like golf, water sports, mountain biking and hiking are popular among the swish international set who congregate there. Celebrating 150 years of white tourism in 2014-15, St Moritz has many interesting facts associated with its its long history of tourism - from installation of the first electric light in Switzerland in 1878 at the Kulm Hotel by hotel pioneer Johannes Badrutt to the first electric train in Switzerland to set-

REACHING ST MORITZ

■ Turkish Airlines flight via Istanbul reaches Zurich in the morning. ■ From Zurich main station, St Moritz is three and a half hours by train, including a change of train at Chur

ting up of the first tourist office in the country. In the ancient times it was believed that the waters in the area had medicinal properties and attracted pilgrims through the centuries.

The original official language of the region was Romansh, today people speak Italian and German. There is another factor that holds a place of pride for the citizens of St Moritz – it is the highest clean energy destination in Switzerland. A walk around St Moritz will reveal beautiful graffito art on many of its buildings, including heritage structures. There is also a Leaning Tower of St Moritz, which dates back to the 12th century, while Lord Norman Foster's futuristic Chesa Futura is a modern landmark. The destination is also a shopper's paradise for upscale travellers who can find stores of all top international brands within a short walking distance in Via Serlas. From Chanel to Gucci, Prada to Louis Vuitton, Ralph Lauren and Roberto Cavalli – the choice is endless.

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DESTINATION OUTBOUND

Diavolezza, Corvatsch and Corviglia are the three primary skiing locations. The aerial cable car will take you 3000 metres above sea level to the restaurant at the top of Diavolezza Interestingly, the locals themselves go to the nearby town of Chur to buy things for their everyday requirements as there are only designer stores in their area. The village itself has a population of 5200 people, while a few thousand more come here during the high season (December to March) to work in the hotels and establishments that are only open during the winters. Most of the hotels in the valley are closed in May and November. Only seven-eight hotels operate throughout the whole year, including the youth hostel. The five five-star properties are open during the winter months attracting the international jet setting crowd. Snow sport enthusiasts can buy a ski pass for just as little as CHF 25 per day/ per person if they book a hotel room for two nights or more. It also includes free travel on public transport in the Upper Engadin. There are also packages for cross-country skiers and those staying in holiday apartments.

Skiers' paradise Diavolezza, Corvatsch and Corviglia are the three primary locations for skiing and snow-

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boarding. The aerial cable car will take you 3000 metres above sea level to the restaurant at the top of Diavolezza. You can enjoy your lunch in the winter sunshine out on the terrace surrounded by breathtaking views of the Swiss Alps. There are options for vegetarians, along with an Indian thali menu, which is popular with most visitors. The Diavolezza mountain lodge can accommodate a few guests in its dormitories as well as two/four bedroom options. In summer months, visitors go hiking from Diavolezza summit station to Morteratsch Glaciers or walk from Diavolezza to Sass Queder to enjoy a gourmet meal at Europeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s highest barbecue site. The Corvatsch mountain top station is at an altitude of 3,303 metres and offers awe-inspiring vistas of the mountains. Snow Night on the Corvatsch is a special occasion every Friday for skiers and snowboaders who can have the time of their life partying till 2 am. The major annual events in St Moritz include White Turf St Moritz â&#x20AC;&#x201C; International Horse Races, Cricket on Ice and Audi FIS Alpine Ski World Cup.

The Engadin valley is dotted with many picturesque villages. Samedan, on the north east of St Moritz is the capital of Upper Engadin and has an airport, which of course caters to only chartered and private aircraft landings. There are also golf courses in Samedan. Zouz is undoubtedly the prettiest village in Upper Engadin, with its quaint houses and heritage buildings. It is also the location for an international IB school Lyceum Alpinum Zuoz, which has students from many countries, including Indians. This village has some of the last structures of traditional Engadin architecture, which gives an insight into the lifestyle of the farming community in the region. Chaplutta S Bastiaun and Chasa Pult are important landmarks of national significance in Zouz. The nearby Swiss National Park is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year, with a number of centenary day celebrations. The park is open throughout the whole year. Visitors can go on hiking trails and if they are lucky they can also sight some of the denizens of the forest.

SPOTLIGHT

Conserving, preserving and propagating 'Manipur EcoTourism Conclave' jointly organised by EcoTourism Society of India (ESOI) and the Government of Manipur witnessed discussions by industry veterans and tourism leaders on an array of topics and products related to sustainable development and engaging local communities By Kahini Chakraborty

HE FIRST ecotourism conclave organised jointly by EcoTourism Society of India (ESOI) and the Government of Manipur held on April 7-8, 2014 in Manipur witnessed serious deliberations on the need for proper assessment of a destination's carrying capacity and the need to encourage community development projects. The two-day conclave covered various tourism topics including adventure, heritage, MICE, golf, polo, medical, water-based tourism, sports, rural and cultural tourism. Showcasing some of the best eco-tourism practices in India and the world for the benefit of all stakeholders, the conclave also covered topics like destination development and marketing as well as saw industry veterans stress on the need to generate employment for the local communities and improve infrastructure. The event was attended by conservationists, forest department officials, tourism authorities, the travel trade and hoteliers. The 'Manipur EcoTourism Conclave' was inaugurated by VK Duggal, governor of Manipur along with PC Lawmkunga, chief secretary, Government of Manipur; Steve

Borgia, president, ESOI; Rakesh Mathur, secretary, ESOI; Shilabhadra Banerjee, IAS (retd), former secretary, tourism, Government of India; MP Bezbauruah, member - North Eastern Council; and Dr Rajesh Kumar, principal secretary (tourism), Government of Manipur. Addressing the gathering, Duggal informed that the state tourism department is working in a systematic and sustained way for harnessing tourism potential in Manipur. The foundation stone for the integrated cable car ropeway and lakeside development at Loktak lake was also laid recently, which will give a boost to the tourism industry. A comprehensive Tourism Policy is also being finalised by the state government. Lawmkunga gave an assurance that the government will make sure that their resources are well preserved and sustainable practices are adopted while developing infrastructure. Banerjee pointed out the growing interest in culture and heritage among travellers, and with India's huge diversity, this segment needs to be tapped in order to attract domestic and international tourists. “Ecotourism is a part of sustainable tourism and there is a possibility of doing much better. It is time now to think big and act as there are no second chances given to create a lasting impression in the first attempt itself,” opined Bezbaruah.

Focused approach Certain principles which need to be taken seriously while promoting eco-tourism and sustainable development include building environment and cultural awareness, providing direct financial benefit for conservation, practices should benefit the environment and local communities.”Every traveller wants a unique product during their travel experience. In order to grow in the tourism segment, it is imperative that the issue of access is sorted. The important ingredient needed here is sincere entrepreneurship to grow the business along with creating a brand identity and niche products which need to be highlighted,” mentioned Arjun Sharma, managing director, Le Passage to India Tours and Travels. Replying to this, Chitaranjan Bakshi, business head,

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SPOTLIGHT PASH India said, “Worldwide there are about 60 million golfers and this segment is approximately a US$ 60 billion industry which is seeing a growth of 10 per cent. With the biggest market being the US, other markets include France, UK, Spain, Morocco, Thailand, Mauritius, Turkey, Czechoslovakia, etc. And as far as India is concerned, even with 220 golf courses run by the army, utilisation of golf courses is only 25 per cent. We have the market to position this sport as a niche segment but one needs to be careful on how the packages are developed to provide unique experiences to travellers.” Vikram Sodhi, chairman, Anandpur Sahib Heritage Foundation also spoke about the evolution of modern polo which is considered as an elite sport and the initiatives that the company is taking to promote the sport. “Defining experiences what you need to give to domestic and international travellers is what needs to be focused upon. The back-end needs to be strengthened if you are dealing with adventure tourism,” pointed out Mandip Singh Soin, immediate past president, ESOI and founder and managing director of Ibex Expeditions. Soin further highlighted the cultural fabric of the Himalayan regions and stressed on the need to discover new routes for adventure tourism. “Winter tourism is another product which can be promoted with support of the state government, tour operators and local communities,” he mentioned. With a lot of emphasis been laid on cultural diversity, Sentila Yanger, culture, heritage and textile specialist too felt that cultural tourism is a subset to the local culture, history, art and architecture. And hence the movement of people to cultural experiences must be connected to community development.

Products and potential Delving upon the appropriate model for tourism in the north east, Jose Dominic, managing director, CGH Earth strongly opined that luxury is the experience and not the built opulence. “The indigenous nature is what Manipur needs to promote,” he said. Elaborating

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on this, Ameising Luikham, IAS, secretary, North East Council informed that the council has identified 33 circuits and have been put forward to the state government. “We have a livelihood mission and will adopt participatory planning. When it comes to developing certain areas for tourists we will have to engage villagers and make it more people friendly. We see a huge demand for homestays development to facilitate tourists to experience the destination,” added Luikham. Elaborating on the government initiative, Dr Kumar highlighted that the state tourism department is implementing two mega projects centering on the tourist destinations Sendra, Loktak lake, Takmu and Khongjom-KainaMarjing. Further the state tourism department is also looking at rural tourism projects. Development of rural tourism will be taken up in Ukhrul district in a planned manner. With this the department is hoping to achieve a good base for homestays and community tourism. The department has also got another mega project prioritised to develop major tourist attractions in and around Imphal such as Ima market, Govindaji Temple, the Assembly, the War Cemetry for upliftment and restoration of these places. The state tourism department is also working on developing a 18 hole golf course at Nongmaiching, Imphal East District under large revenue generating scheme of MoT wherein MoT will finance 25 per cent of the project cost. Besides this, the state is also moving towards capacity building and human resource development. It recently laid the foundation stone for the State Institute of Hotel Management, Catering and Applied Nutrition at Nongmaiching. The institute is scheduled to start by 2015. Raising a word of caution here, Seema Bhatt, vice president, ESOI opined that building awareness about adopting sustainable practices is what needs to be on top of the mind. According to her, there needs to be proper planning and community training for overall development. “You need to have certain stan-

It is imperative to educate tour operators about the nature and cultural habits of a destination. One needs to be innovative while thinking of adopting sustainable practices. As you cannot solve today's problems with yesterday's tools dards to ascertain who will be doing homestays projects and who will be doing other projects of eco-tourism,” she said. Talking from a hotelier's perspective, Niranjan Khatri, general manager, environment, ITC Welcome Group added that the ITC group has undertaken numerous sustainable livelihood projects as part of their CSR activities. “We need to take the initiative to do something for accounting principles. Hence it is imperative to educate tour operators about the nature and cultural habits of a destination, which they can educate travellers to adhere to. One needs to

be innovative while thinking of adopting sustainable practices. As you cannot solve today's problems with yesterday's tools,” he stated. Stressing on the need to preserve our resources and assets, Mathur said that there needs to be an environment code of conduct. The unorganised sector is larger than the organised sector. There needs to be supplementation of private assets with central heritage tourism promotion policy. Anil Sharma, proprietor, A Sharma Associates also made a presentation on the need to give importance to building fire safety emergency exits in hotels

during the architectural design stage itself. Through the two-day conclave's deliberations among members and panelists, ESOI decided to bring out a white paper on the points raised, which would be soon drafted and submitted to the state government for implementation of tourism projects. On a concluding note, Borgia said, “We feel this has been the right time for us to come to Manipur. We need to concentrate on developing the state into a developing destination and placedit on the world map.”

IN FOCUS

Teeing off Ryder Cup legend José María Olazábal opens a golf academy in Maldives – inviting players to practise in paradise

HE NEW VELAA Golf Academy by José María Olazábal on the exclusive Velaa Private Island features an idyllic ninehole par 3 course and high-tech swing studio.The challenging layout is specifically designed for golfers to practise the Spanish champion’s famously accurate short and mid-iron game – featuring six immaculate greens guarded by bunkers and a lake, with nine tees from a range of distances between 65 and 180 yards. Olazábal, who has achieved the highest accolades in the world of golf, was selected by Velaa Private Island's ownership as the designer of the unique deluxe academy that will take centre stage in the island’s array of recreational attractions. "Golfers can hit all the shots

imaginable, from mid-irons to wedges and short-game. In short, practise in paradise," Olazábal says. "I also want the experience to be appealing for both young and old, beginners and experts. I hope visitors to the island will be inspired by what we have created and the experience enhances their enjoyment of the game I’m so passionate about." The facility headlines an array of recreational attractions at the prestigious new private island resort of 45 private pool villas in the northern part of Noonu Atoll, just north of Malé. Velaa Private Island fulfills a dream by Jiri Smejc and his wife Radka to create “the most perfect beyond luxury place on earth”. “I’ve worked on some remarkable projects, but what

they have created here is simply awe-inspiring,” says Olazábal, on his visit to officially open the academy. Professional instruction is personalised with ‘one-on-one’ sessions at the indoor swing studio, which is fitted with all the latest gadgets for golfers to refine their game. State-of-the-art electronic equipment includes a Flightscope simulator and latest high-speed cameras. The course comprises six immaculately conditioned green complexes; all surrounded by uniquely shaped bunkering and eye-catching water features. Nine tee options give guests a range of hole choices at a variety of lengths, with the option for guests to book private tuition and reserve the academy for exclusive use at select times. “Olazábal’s distinct style and

passion for the game was part of the reason he was chosen as our designer. Velaa is one of the world’s most distinguished destinations and stands out from traditional resorts. We wanted to get the match between what the island stands for and the character of the golf course. Renowned for his crisp ball striking and fierce touch around the greens, the golf course personifies Olazábal and is befitting of Velaa,” commented Hans Cauchi, general manager and executive director, Velaa Private Island, Maldives. Regarded as one of the world’s most exclusive experiences, quintessentially Maldivian with uncompromised luxury, the paradise island has already made its mark on international high-end travellers. Operated by renowned interna-

tional golf management leaders, Troon Golf, Velaa Private Island is committed to delivering only the finest golf experience for its guests. “Velaa is without doubt one of the finest developments we have ever seen and represents the definition of luxury perfectly,” comments Bruce Glasco, senior VP and managing director, Troon International Operations. “We have all been impressed by Olazábal and his team’s unwavering attention to detail throughout the design phase and have no doubt that it has the potential to attract guests from far and wide. To have such an inspirational figure as the designer matches the unequivocal commitment shown by the ownership in delivering a resort destined for iconic status,” he adds.

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MOVEMENTS Mauritius Tourism Promotional Authority VIVEK ANAND has joined OM Tourism to head Mauritius Tourism Promotional Authority (MTPA) as country manager. He has over 30 years of experience in marketing, advertising, publishing and printing industry and has worked with companies such as Publicis, Ajanta and Express. He has managed brands such as Jack Daniels, Musim Mas, Finlandia, Monte Carlo, International Olive Council and the Mexican Ministry of Agriculture among many others. He is the winner of a Cannes Bronze for a social activation project ‘In Gandhi’s Shoes’ and a Cannes National Diploma for ‘Let Gandhi Talk’ campaigns. Anand will be heading the team promoting destination Mauritius in India to agents and consumers in addition to marketing and PR activities for MTPA.

Walt Disney Travel Company KENNETH SVENDSEN, a veteran of US and international hospitality and travel industries, has been named senior vice president of global sales, and president for Walt Disney Travel Company. Svendsen will be responsible for leisure and non-leisure sales channels within the domestic parks and resorts segment, such as travel agency sales, group and convention sales and services, special programme sales, Disney Vacation Club sales, consumer direct sales and travel operations. He will also lead the Walt Disney Travel Company. Additionally, his team will serve as a centre of expertise and support for the division’s international sales functions in key markets and regions in the Americas, Europe and Asia Pacific.This role represents a Disney encore for Svendsen, who had previously served in key executive roles at Walt Disney

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Parks and Resorts during 2006-2009.

Abacus International Abacus International has appointed JEREMY VAN DE KLUNDERT as managing director of subsidiary, Sabre Pacific to take forward the distribution strategy for Australia and New Zealand. Van de

Jeremy van de Klundert

Klundert has served in similar roles, including five years with global distribution systems in Europe, three with a major travel agency and more recently five heading global assistance company, International SOS in developing North Asia. New Zealand national and MBA graduate, van de Klundert will report to Henry who has been covering the territory in an interim role over recent months.

Royal Caribbean Cruises ADAM GOLDSTEIN has been named president and chief op-

Adam Goldstein

erating officer of Royal Caribbean Cruises. Goldstein, a 25-year company veteran, has spent the previous 12 years as president and CEO of the company's largest cruise line, Royal Caribbean International.

Emirates Emirates has appointed ANDREW BUNN as its new Country Manager for Singapore and Brunei, effective 21 April 2014. In this role, Bunn will be responsible for overseeing all aspects of the airline’s operations in Singapore and Brunei, including managing Emirates’ commercial strategy and strengthening its brand profile in these markets. Bunn succeeds Nick Rees who held this role since 2009, and has been promoted to regional manager - commercial operations, Far East and Australasia at Emirates’ headquarters in Dubai.

Etihad Airways Etihad Airways has made five senior appointments in operations, marketing and guest experience, as part of the progressive realignment of the business to the Etihad Aviation Group structure announced recently. Rick Allen joins Etihad Airways from Air Canada to become senior VP - operations, and will be responsible for flight operations, guest services, crew resources, operations logistics, and operations standards. Allen will assume responsibility as Flight Operations post holder this summer. Chris Youlten has been appointed to the new position of senior VP - airport and network operations, reporting to the Chief Operating Officer. Andrew Ward will be acting in the new position of senior VP marketing, following his role as VP - marketing, reporting to the COO, when appointed. Until then he will report to the chief commercial officer. Fiona Morrisson has been appointed VP - guest experience Midfield Terminal, having pre-

MCI South Africa MCI South Africa has appointed RASHID TOEFY as managing director. The appointment is effective 1st July 2014. As current CEO of Africa's leading convention centre, the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC), and Chapter Chairperson of the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) Africa, Toefy plays an instrumental role in championing the potential of Africa as a destination and commercial region and in helping African associ-

viously served as Etihad Airways VP - guest experience. In this new position, she will design and support delivery of the guest experience for the Midfield Terminal. Calum Laming has been appointed VP - guest experience. He returns to Etihad Airways having held the executive position of GM - customer experience in Air New Zealand since March 2013, reporting directly to the chief marketing and customer officer.

ations develop into more professional and strategic organisations.

succeeds Jonne Lehtioksa, who will return to HQ this summer. In Hong Kong, SEBASTIAN RISKU has been appointed as the new area sales manager Hong Kong, with responsibility China South, Taiwan and Philippines. Risku will relocate to Hong Kong.

ICC Sydney

Finnair has appointed LARS OLOFSSON as sales director Greater China. Olofsson has more than 25 years of experi-

BEVERLEY PARKER hass been appointed as director of business development for the International Convention Centre (ICC) Sydney. A senior executive with a proven track record in business events, the hotel and hospitality industries and strong credentials in the Sydney market, Parker has

Lars Olofsson

Beverley Parker

ence in the travel industry in Australia and most recently in China, where he spent the last five years. Based in Beijing, he

been the executive director of sales and marketing for the Dockside Group for the past 14 months.

Finnair

BUSINESS AVENUES

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C Paola Viesi

KANO

Serving Kano, our fourth landing point in Nigeria from May, 2014 Toll Free: 000 800 100 7947 www.ethiopianairlines.com

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BUSINESS AVENUES

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weekend

E V E N T S

WINE DIVERSITY Tomas Ferrari, Consul General of Argentina with Kanai Morarji, Knack Marketing â&#x20AC;&#x201C; India Representative for Argentina Tourism at the 'Malbec World Day' celebration at the Taj Mahal Palace

EXPANDING REACH A traditional lamp lighting ceremony was held to greet the disembarking passengers at Jaipur airport to celebrate Etihad Airways' newly launched service - Abu Dhabi to Jaipur

BEST IN SERVICE SITA received the 'Best Airport IT Service Provider' in the Emerging Markets Airports Awards (EMAA) held recently in Abu Dhabi

FLYING HIGH Cathay Pacific Airways and Tourism Queensland organised a joint familiarisation trip to Australia for travel agents from India

PROMOTE AND SELL Ravi Menon, vice president, Cox & Kings at the press conference in Kolkata held to announce the agreement with LFC E.L.I.T.E.S (Education and Learning Initiative Training Entrepreneurs in Sport), which is the global education and training partnership between Liverpool Football Club and London School of Business & Finance (LSBF)

LUXE OFFERING Tourism New Zealand along with Singapore Airlines recently co-hosted a group of seven travel industry directors from India as a part of an exclusive 'India Travel Trade Luxury Famil' that was held across the South Island in New Zealand

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weekend

E V E N T S

PERFECT LEARNING Cathay Pacific Airways and Dragonair conducted workSUPPORTING THE GAME South African Airways was the official airline partner for the recently concluded International Polo Cup 2014, hosted at the ARC Polo Ground, Mahalaxmi Race Course, Mumbai

shops for the travel trade in Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Delhi and Chennai to highlight the revise in flight timings from each of the South Indian cities and adjustment in the Delhi flight schedule to offer double daily non-stop flights from Delhi to Hong Kong

MUSICAL EXTRAVAGANZA The China Music Awards, with a theme 'Music My Heart, Dream the Future,' was hosted for the third consecutive year at The Venetian Macao

STRENGTHENING RELATIONS TIRUN Travel Marketing, the India Representative of Royal Caribbean International, held a ‘Royal Bash’, a cocktail and dinner evening for their trade partners at the ITC Maurya New Delhi and Tote on the Turf in Mumbai

SERIOUS BUSINESS

The 10th anniversary of the Hotel Investment Conference South Asia (HICSA) event hosted by HVS was held at the Grand Hyatt, Mumbai

34 EXPRESS TRAVELWORLD May 2014

REGD.WITH RNI UNDER MAHENG/15993/05, MH/MR/SOUTH-156/2013-15 PUBLISHED 11th OF EVERY MONTH AND POSTED ON 12, 13 & 14 OF EVERY MONTH POSTED AT MUMBAI PATRIKA CHANNEL SORTING OFFICE.