Express Travelworld (Vol.10, No.4) May, 2015

V0L 10 NO.4 PAGES 44

May 2015, `50

1 MILLION ON MEDICAL ASSISTANCE OR 1 MILLION REASONS TO SMILE? Don’t let this be a difficult choice for your customer… Ÿ

24x7 medical assistance

Ÿ

Emergency evacuation

Ÿ

Cashless hospitalisation

and much more...

For more information on TrawellTag Cover-More, contact:

Follow us on

+91 98739 09277 / 98209 85820

www.karvatgroup.in

Disclaimer: Karvat Cover-More Assist Pvt. Ltd., the Company, provides Global Assistance services and ancillary products such as TrawellTag and offers Travel Insurance as an add-on benefit. It is a corporate insurance agent providing policies underwritten by an IRDA authorized underwriter. Insurance is a subject matter of solicitation. For details on risk factors, terms and conditions, please read the policy terms and conditions carefully before concluding a purchase.

T&C apply

24X7 emergency medical assistance included

CONTENTS MANAGEMENT Vol 10 No 4 MAY 2015 Pages 44

31

Chairman of the Board

Viveck Goenka Editor

Reema Lokesh* Chief of Product

Prabhas Jha Assistant Editor

BALI SAYS NAMASTE INDIA THE 62ND CONVENTION OF TRAVEL AGENTS ASSOCIATION OF INDIA (TAAI) WAS RECENTLY HELD AT BALI INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION CENTRE (BICC), INDONESIA FROM MARCH 26-28, 2015

Steena Joy Sr. Associate Editor

Sudipta Dev CONTENT TEAM Mumbai

Kahini Chakraborty Rituparna Chatterjee New Delhi

Archana Sharma Kolkata

Joy Roy Choudhury

EDGE

DESIGN National Art Director

Bivash Barua Deputy Art Director

Surajit Patro Chief Designer

Pravin Temble Senior Graphic Designerr

Rushikesh Konka Senior Artist

Arabian Travel Market 2015

REDISCOVERING THE EMIRATES

32

MEETINGS AND MORE AT MAMA 2015 FROM THE HARRY POTTER MAGIC TO THE RAMBLERS MEANDERS, FROM THE AGATHA CHRISTIE FESTIVAL TO THE BOND STREET FASHION INSIGHT AND SCOTLAND’S BOLLYWOOD TOUCH, MAMA 2015 ORGANISED BY ETOA BROUGHT TO LIGHT NEW OPPORTUNITIES TO EXPLORE

Ratilal Ladani, Kiran Parker SCHEDULING & COORDINATION

Mitesh Manjrekar Photo Editor

Sandeep Patil MARKETING Regional Heads

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

The seven Emirates that make up the UAE have reinvented themselves to offer a mix of traditional and contemporary tourism products - from art festivals and falconry to light and sound shows, hot air ballooning and sailing.

(20-30)

Marketing Team

Sunil Dcosta Baljinder Singh Ajanta Sengupta

MARKETS

LIFE

CIRCULATION

Mohan Varadakar PRODUCTION

09

DUBAI LUXURY HOTELS TARGET INDIA MARKET

11

MEHAIR TO INVEST `100 CR TO INCREASE FLEETS AND EXPAND GEOGRAPHICALLY

10

MARASA HOSPITALITY TO OPEN PROPERTIES IN RELIGIOUS DESTINATIONS IN INDIA

12

RAIL EUROPE, INC. AND RAIL EUROPE 4A CONSOLIDATE INTO ONE BUSINESS UNIT

General Manager

B R Tipnis

35

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)

P06 : EDITOR’S NOTE P36 : APPOINTMENTS P39 : WEEKEND

ECO TOURISM IN THE WILD LOCAL COMMUNITIES IN DUDHWA TIGER RESERVE ARE BEING SUCCESSFULLY ENGAGED IN ECO TOURISM INITIATIVES – FROM ENCOURAGING GIRLS TO GET TRAINED AS NATURE GUIDES TO HELPING LOCAL PEOPLE MANAGE GOVERNMENT OWNED ACCOMMODATION WHERE TOURISTS CAN STAY

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

EDITOR’S NOTE

Out of the ordinary

T

he industry seems to be gaining back its momentum after a period of tardiness. Tour operators and specialists in the outbound space are looking upbeat as business seems to be encouraging, which interestingly is not restricted only to the metros and major cities. Operators in India’s Tier II cities are sharing the same sentiment. The suppliers too are working strategically to meet the demand and requirements of the lucrative India outbound segment. Countries which till few years ago did not feature India in their business vision, have totally redefined their moves.

Destinations like Greece and Portugal did not have India anywhere on their list but have clearly realised the power of the Indian outbound traveller and are working closely with outbound tourism associations and destination management companies to make inroads into the country. Newer regions like Zanzibar and some from South America are testing the waters and are trying to understand the business rather closely.

The old and the established are reinvesting in themselves and are preparing a new pitch and promotion plan. They are bringing to the fore their hidden secrets and exclusive routes and trails that are still unexplored by the discerning Indian traveller. Having said this, it is also the responsibility of tour specialists to understand and

HEAD OFFICE MUMBAI Express TravelWorld Sunil Dcosta The Indian Express Ltd Business Publication Division 2nd Floor, Express Tower, Nariman Point Mumbai- 400 021 Board line: 022- 67440000 Ext. 263 Mobile: +91 9821798612 Email Id: sunil.dcosta@expressindia.com Branch Offices NEW DELHI Baljinder Singh The Indian Express Ltd Business Publication Division Express Building, 9&10, Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, New Delhi- 110 002 Board line: 011-23702100 Ext. 568 Mobile: +91 9868848013 Fax: 011-23702141 Email id: baljinder.singh@expressindia.com CHENNAI The Indian Express Ltd

6

EXPRESS TRAVELWORLD

May 2015

Business Publication Division New No. 37/C (Old No. 16/C) 2nd Floor,Whites Road, Royapettah, Chennai- 600 014 BANGALORE The Indian Express Ltd Business Publication Division 502, 5th Floor, Devatha Plaza, Residency road, Bangalore- 560025 HYDERABAD The Indian Express Ltd Business Publication Division 6-3-885/7/B, Ground Floor, VV Mansion, Somaji Guda, Hyderabad – 500 082 KOLKATA Ajanta Sengupta The Indian Express Ltd Business Publication Division JL No. 29&30, NH-6, Mouza- Prasastha & Ankurhati, Vill & PO- Ankurhati P.S.- Domjur (Nr.Ankurhati Check Bus Stop), Dist. Howrah- 711 409

“ Today’s traveller is on Twitter and Facebook and to match that information one has to be a specialist to the core.The time has come to go beyond what appears on the brochure” Mobile: +91 9831182580 Email id: ajanta.sengupta@expressindia.com KOCHI The Indian Express Ltd Ground Floor, Sankoorikal Building, Kaloor – Kadavanthra Road Kaloor, Kochi – 682 017 COIMBATORE The Indian Express Ltd No. 205-B, 2nd Floor, Vivekanand Road, Opp. Rajarathinam Hospital Ram Nagar, Coimbatore- 641 009 AHMEDABAD Sunil Dcosta The Indian Express Ltd 3rd Floor, Sambhav House, Near Judges Bunglows, Bodakdev, Ahmedabad - 380 015 Mobile: +91 9821798612 Email Id: sunil.dcosta@expressindia.com

sell a product rather than take the easy route of selling a ‘copy paste’ itinerary. Today’s traveller is on Twitter and Facebook and to match that information one has to be a specialist to the core. The time has come to go beyond what appears on the brochure and understand the pulse of the place and supply your buyer with news and information which is beyond the internet and social media. Today destinations like the UAE are also going the niche way offering products that are out of the ordinary. The emirates including Dubai are rediscovering themselves, the highlights of which can be seen in our cover story.

Finally, back home, India has always been proud of her hidden jewels. Apart from the standard Golden Triangle and famous parks and sanctuaries, the Dudhwa National Park too has its unique story to share. Agri tourism is also finding its foot in the hidden field of rural Maharashtra.

At the end of the day travel is for discovering and rediscovering stories and routes that leave an impression. Every wanderlust can take his or her own journey towards finding something special.

REEMA LOKESH Editor editorial.etw@expressindia.com

BHOPAL Baljinder Singh The Indian Express Ltd F-102, Inner Court Apartment, 1st Floor, GTB Complex, Behind 45 Bungalows, Bhopal - 462 003 Mobile: +91 9868848013 Email id: baljinder.singh@expressindia.com JAIPUR Baljinder Singh The Indian Express Ltd S2,J-40, Shyam GHP Enclave, Krishna Marg, C-Scheme, Jaipur - 302 001 Mobile: +91 9868848013 Email id: baljinder.singh@expressindia.com

Important: Whilst care is taken prior to acceptance of advertising copy,it is not possible to verify its contents.The Indian Express Limited cannot be held responsible for such contents,nor for any loss or damages incurred as a result of transactions with companies,associations or individuals advertising in its newspapers or publications.We therefore recommend that readers make necessary inquiries before sending any monies or entering into any agreements with advertisers or otherwise acting on an advertisement in any manner whatsoever.

IN THE NEWS

Agri tourism enhances farmer incomes in Maharashtra by 33 per cent Sudipta Dev Mumbai FOUNDED IN 2005, Agri Tourism Development Company (ATDC) has moved beyond traditional approaches to tourism by introducing agriculture tourism to villagers in Maharashtra. Since its inception hundreds of farmers have been trained by ATDC and more than 200 farmers have been helped to start and operate agri tourism in their farms. There are currently 113 Agri Tourism Centers (ATC) operated by local farm entrepreneurs and employees. “Farmers engaged in agri tourism have experienced an income increase of

33 per cent. On an average, agri tourism goods and services are the source of one third of their overall income. These activities in rural communities also lead to a side income for community members who are not partners of agri tourism,” said Pandurang Taware, MD, ATDC, who is widely acknowledged as the father of agri-tourism in India.

There has also been significant visitor arrivals in these villages in the last half decade.

“Agri tourism goods and services offered by Maharashtra ATCs have attracted nearly 170,000 visitors from 2007 to 2012. The domestic urban areas are the key markets. Tourists

from the city of Pune represent a share of 70 per cent of all visitors,” stated Taware.

The tourists experience local agricultural practices (e.g., horticulture, harvesting, bee keeping, dairying), rural way of living and local culture (e.g., music, food, dances, arts and craft). “It is an opportunity for urban Indians to discover their roots through participatory activities with local communities. The programme attracts international visitors with agri tourism packages designed for independent and group travellers alike,” mentioned Taware, pointing out that ATDC has demonstrated that flexible approach of the farmer

and little tourism products knowledge can be profitable to low-income farmers groups. It also stems migration of villagers to urban areas as they get addi-

tional income opportunities in their locality. The next five years will see ATDC spearheading the movement by setting up ATCs in different states.

Kerala finalising master plans to develop three adventure tourism sites Steena Joy Mumbai THE KERALA Adventure Tourism Promotion Society (KATPS) set up by the Kerala government for promoting adventure tourism in the state is finalising the master plans for developing adventure tourism in three selected sites – Kappil, Muzhpippilangad and Vagamon.

Speaking exclusively to Express TravelWorld, G Kamala Vardhana Rao, secretary, Kerala Tourism, informed, “KATPS is in the process of preparing three different comprehensive master plans for the adventure tourism development of Kappil (Thiruvananthapuram dis-

trict), Vagamon (Idukki district) and Muzhappilangad (Kannur district). Mountain Bike (MTB), International River Rafting competition, and Vagamon Paragliding are some of the international competition held recently to attract adventure loving tourists.” For the preparation of the master plans, six agencies have been prequalified.

Rao mentioned that the state is also planning to promote village life tourism.

Commenting on the recently launched Visit Kerala initiative, Rao stated, “In 2014, we saw 9.23 lakh foreign arrivals and 116.95 domestic arrivals. With the launch of Visit Kerala campaign, we expect a growth of 12-15 per

cent in tourist arrivals this year.”

Regarding the much acclaimed Muziris project, Rao

said, “We have received good response for the project.

There has been great interest among the visitors as this project is of historical significance. Many tour operators have started putting Muziris project in their itineraries.

The formal inauguration of the project will be done soon.

We have great hopes in the Muziris project.” In order to revive the old Spice Route, Kerala Tourism has started the Spice Route project with the support and cooperation of the state and central government.

Rao added, “We have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural

Organisation (UNESCO) and received support from The World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO). We have had dialogues with many embassies and various other countries for their support and some countries have shown interest in developing the Spice Route project.”

Rao was also excited about the possibilities opened up by the extension of Visa On Arrival (VOA) scheme. “With the extension of the VOA facility, we expect a positive impact for the tourism sector as arriving in Kerala has become more hassle-free for many countries. This will see an increase in the number of foreign visitors to the state,” he said.

EXPRESS TRAVELWORLD

7

May 2015

IN THE NEWS

Marasa Hospitality to open properties across religious destinations in India Plans to open property in Zanzibar

CIDCO invites operator for Navi Mumbai exhibition centre Sudipta Dev Mumbai THE STATE-OF-THE-ART exhibition and convention centre established by City and Industrial Development Corporation of Maharashtra (CIDCO) in Vashi, is all set to put Navi Mumbai in the MICE map of India. The exhibition and convention centre was inaugurated about six months back, and CIDCO is in the process of appointing an operator for managing it.

“We will be giving it to those who are in the exhibition and conferencing industry. Two years ago we had floated a tender but did not get a good

response. Very soon we will be floating another tender for appointment of an operator.

We expect within six months for the operator to come in place and take charge of operating and running the property,” said Dr Mohan Ninawe, senior PR officer, CIDCO. Setup with a project cost of `256 crore, it is a green building that has been certified by the Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) and LEED. The plot covers 7.41 hectares, includes an exhibition centre of 24,288 sq m, a convention centre of 11,965 sq m, open exhibition area, a large food court, art gallery and cafetaria, etc. The

We expect within six months for the operator to come in place and take charge of operating and running the property

8

EXPRESS TRAVELWORLD

May 2015

convention centre includes four conference rooms, banquet hall with kitchen, and a large auditorium that can seat 700 delegates.

This convention centre is about 25 minutes drive from the upcoming Navi Mumbai International Airport. CIDCO is in the process of issuing RPF to the four bidders for the airport.

“They will submit their proposals after six months, which we will give to ICAO. After we get permission of ICAO we will finalise our partner, by year end.

Meantime we have started the pre development work. We are expecting that by 2019 the first aircraft will take off,” added Dr Ninawe.

Another location adjacent to the airport area will be leased out to the hospitality industry. According to Dr Ninawe, big hotel companies like The Taj Group and The Leela have shown interest in setting up properties near the airport.

Rituparna Chatterjee Mumbai MARASA HOSPITALITY, a part of East Africa based Madhvani Group, has plans to expand its footprint across popular religious destinations in India including Rishikesh, Bodh Gaya, Shirdi, Puri, Varanasi, Katra, among others. The brand entered the India market in 2008 by signing a joint venture (JV) with Sarovar Hotels & Resorts wherein the latter would be managing the first four properties of Marasa Hospitality. Speaking on the expansion, Yogesh Prajapati, director, finance, Marasa Hospitality stated, “In the next 10 years, we want to have eight-10 hotels under our brand in India. Presently, we have one operational property in Tirupati and another in Rajkot. We have purchased land in Rishikesh and Bodh Gaya and the necessary approvals have been taken for the same. We are also on the verge of signing a land deal in Shirdi and are exploring possibilities of acquiring land in Puri, Varanasi and Katra.” The development of the Rishikesh property is expected to begin this year and achieve completion in 1.5-two years.

Following this, work is expected to begin on the Shirdi property and later on the Bodh Gaya property.

We have purchased land in Rishikesh and Bodh Gaya and the necessary approvals have been taken for the same. We are also signing a land deal in Shirdi When asked about the investment earmarked for the expansion, Prajapati opined, “The hotel category will decide the amount of investment. For instance, a threestar category hotel will cost `50-55 lakh per key, while a five star property will cost `70-75 lakh per key. We have not finalised the designs of the hotels yet and once we do, we will accordingly decide the categories and the investments.”

Presently, Marasa Hospitality has four properties in Uganda and three in Kenya.

The brand is also planning to open a property in Zanzibar.

However, the plans for the same are still at a nascent stage.

HOTEL WATCH

Dubai luxury hotels target India market Akshay Kumar Mumbai

said, “After a successful roadshow last year, we have seen a 50 per cent increase in the

THE NIJHAWAN GROUP recently concluded its three city roadshow for The Address Hotels + Resorts Group Dubai, The Armani Hotel & Resorts - Dubai and Milan, Vida Hotels and Resorts Dubai and the Palace Hotel Dubai. The roadshow was held in Delhi, Bengaluru and Mumbai. General managers from across all the Dubai based properties, which are represented and marketed by Nijhawan Group, were present to tap the luxury segment in India.

Stefan Viard, general manager, Vida Hotels and Resorts said, “We received an excellent response from Delhi and Bengaluru. India is a nation with high income, so our main focus will be to target the leisure and the corporate segment in India. We have two properties in Dubai, Vida Downtown and the Manzil Downtown which are perfect for families and couples.”

Fabrice Ducry, general manager, The Palace Downtown Dubai said, “ We see a great potential in the India market. The Palace has already been a popular destination among Indian tourists.

We have a traditional building rather than an iconic one which is well appreciated by Indian travellers. FITs and incentive groups are our main focus. The Downtown area has a lot of activities which is good for incentive groups.”

Caroline- Jane Houston, general manager, The Address Downtown Dubai said, “We have a good proportion of Indian travellers coming to our property, due to the location of our hotel. We are looking majorly at the leisure segment as we have one of the best nightlife.”

Mark Kirby, hotel manager, Armani Hotel Dubai

EXPRESS TRAVELWORLD

9

May 2015

travellers coming from India to our property. We have observed that Indian travellers

are demanding more of luxury hotels and they want to stay in the best hotels. We are

connected to the Dubai Mall which is a USP of our property.”

IN THE NEWS

IHRA headed by Hungary to take forward Holocaust Remembrance events Reema Lokesh Mumbai ON THE 9TH OF MARCH 2015, Hungary took over the chairmanship of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA), which is rotated annually on voluntary basis. Dr Norbert RevaiBere, consul general of Hungary in Mumbai said, some members of his family were victims of the Holocaust. He also expressed gratitude to India as India did give refuge to people from Hungary. He further added that, as the country that chairs IHRA this year they plan to conduct a series of activities

to remember the Holocaust as an incident to remind the world to live in peace and harmony and to respect humanity above all.

It is that day in the year when Israel comes to a stand still as a siren goes out as a mark of respect and solidarity on the Holocaust Remembrance day. On this day, Holocaust memorial services take place across the world as a mark of respect for the victims of the Holocaust and Mumbai was no exception.

The Mumbai Jews, the Consul General of Israel along with the German, Hungarian, Polish and Turkish Consul Gen-

erals stood united to remember a time in history when hatred took over humanity. The occasion took place at the Keneseth Eliyahoo Synagogue a heritage structure in Mumbai.

It witnessed the presence of the Consulate Generals of Germany, Poland, Hungary, Turkey, Canada and Israel.

Solomon F Sopher, president of the Synagogue, gave a meaningful talk on humanity, peace and solidarity, “It is a time of sorrow for all of us in Germany and we feel though we look into the future we must always remember the past.” said K Bormann, consul, Federation of the Repub-

The occasion took place at the Keneseth Eliyahoo Synagogue a heritage structure in Mumbai.The Consulate Generals of Germany, Poland, Hungary,Turkey, Canada and Israel were present lic of Germany, in Mumbai.

Supporting his views Sumit Mullick, additional chief secretary and chief protocol officer, government of Maharashtra, felt that such occasions remind you of the wrongs that happened in the past and how

it should never be repeated anywhere in the world. Gul Kriplani, national president of the Federation of Indo- Israel Chambers of Commerce said it’s a solemn day and also a reminder of an unfortunate time in history.

Etravel to launch mobile app at Arabian Travel Market 2015 ETW Staff Mumbai ETRAVEL is all set to launch its new mobile application at Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2015. The app will be exclusively for the B2B space and will be integrated with XIBE in June. XIBE is an integrated booking engine which enables a travel company to have an online presence with real-time rates and availability. XIBE is pre loaded with Etravel inventories including 2,00,000 plus hotels, excursions and transfers globally.

Speaking about the new developments, Vivek Jain,

10

EXPRESS TRAVELWORLD

May 2015

chief operating officer, Etravel said, “As of now we are developing and testing the mobile application. We will launch the mobile application at Arabian Travel Market 2015. The

application is developed inhouse as we are a travel technology provider.”

The company already has a global presence with GSAs representing them in various

The company already has a global presence with GSAs representing them in various countries.

The company is currently in talks with a GSA to promote and market their brand XIBE in Latin America

countries. The company is currently in talks with a GSA to promote and market their brand XIBE in Latin America.

Speaking about the company's vision, Rajiv Gokani, managing director, Etravel said, “Etravel online, is a dynamic business to business power house and the best partner one can have. The company is experiencing extraordinary levels of growth and emerging as a leader in providing global travel services to the Indian travel trade. The insatiable demand for travel within an ever expanding Indian economy continues to grow. Etravel online

is the natural solution for providing travel operators within India and abroad access to an enormous inventory of best-priced hotel availability and product choice.

Despite industry consolidation, we would like to point out that while our client base now contains many of the Indian travel industry’s small and midsized travel operators, we shall not forget our company’s roots. We will continue giving the outstanding levels of service to all clients on which our reputation is based and which secures our future as the industry leader.”

AVIATION

MEHAIR to invest `100 cr to increase fleets and expand geographically Akshay Kumar Mumbai MARITIME ENERGY Heli Air Services (MEHAIR) is looking to invest '100 crores to increase its fleets and expand to new destinations. The company launched its seaplanes services in India in January 2011 and has operated seaplanes in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands for three and a half years before launching the service in Maharashtra in August 2014.

Speaking exclusively to Express TravelWorld, Siddharth Verma, director, MEHAIR said, “We have signed an agreement

with Goa Tourism to launch seaplane services there and the trials are likely to be completed within the current month. The Commercial services within Goa will be commenced shortly after. MEHAIR is also looking at Kerala and Andhra Pradesh as other possible destinations for seaplanes operations. We are looking to have a fleet of about five seaplanes within this financial year. The total investment in the project over the next 12 months is likely to be about `75- 100 cr.”

The company's operations ex-Maharashtra cover the tourist destinations of Lonavala (Pavna Dam), Aamby Val-

ley lake and the spiritual destinations of Meherabad, Shirdi and Shani Shinglapur in

Ahmednagar district. The company is enjoying a good response on all routes specifically

the Mumbai - Lonavala route which almost always remains booked, specially throughout the weekends.

Verma added, “Based on the initial response to the service, the company has been encouraged to increase the seaplane footprint even further across the state and has undertaken trial landings to (Mahabaleshwar) Dhom Dam, Ganpatipule (Jaigarh Port), Nasik (Gangapur Dam) and even the much anticipated Juhu - Girgaum Chowpatty sector. The company is poised to launch commercial operations to most of these new destinations by May, 2015.”

RAIL TOURISM

Rail Europe, Inc. and Rail Europe 4A consolidate into one business unit ETW Staff Mumbai RAIL EUROPE, Inc. and Rail Europe 4A have announced their consolidation into one business unit - Rail Europe. Effective immediately, Fabrice Morel, CEO of Rail Europe will lead the combined organisation. Under one business unit, Rail Europe, Inc. and Rail Europe 4A will continue to exist as two legal entities, with a goal to grow the business faster as one consolidated organisation.

This new approach will allow for an effective and efficient business model, with the ability to maximise respective

strengths and is supported by the shareholders of both entities, the Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) and VSC Group, the distribution subsidiary of the French National Railways (SNCF).

“We are excited about this consolidation, as it will allow us to best serve our partners and customers,” said Morel adding, “With a global staff, we will be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, covering the Americas, the Middle East, Africa, Oceania and Asia.” As one consolidated business unit, Rail Europe will operate globally serving travellers and the travel trade, with a staff of

Fabrice Morel

more than 300 employees and offices in White Plains (New York), Rosemont (Illinois), Paris, Mumbai and a worldwide network of representatives.

Both entities will continue to offer a range of services to their customers, from facilitating the preparation of the trip with useful information and innovative tools, to after-sales support. When booking with Rail Europe, travellers can receive service in their local language and pay for their tickets/passes in local currency, and e-ticketing options help to avoid long waiting times at stations once in Europe.

Rail Europe offers an extensive array of European rail products, from rail passes and train tickets, to reservations, sightseeing tours and travel packages. Rail Europe, Inc. is the largest distributor of European rail products in North America and a one-stop shop for travellers and travel agents to plan and book European rail travel by combining the maps, schedules and fares for more than 50 different train companies across Europe. Rail Europe 4A is the largest distributor of European train tickets and rail passes in Asia, Oceania, South America, Africa and the Middle East.

TOURISM BOARDS

Korea expects to welcome half a million Indian tourists within 10 years Rituparna Chatterjee Mumbai POSITIVE ABOUT the growing number of Indian visitors to Korea, Korea Tourism Organisation (KTO) is hopeful of welcoming half a million Indian tourists to the destination within 10 years. Last year around 144,000 Indians visited Korea recording more than 20 per cent growth compared to 2013. KTO is aiming for similar growth numbers this year and is tapping different traveller segments mainly MICE

and leisure. As part of its effort to draw more of these traveller segments, KTO recently organised its annual incentive roadshow for MICE travel in Mumbai to push Seoul, Busan and Jeju Island as ideal MICE destinations in the India market. Speaking on this, Byungsung Lee, director, Korea Tourism Organisation in India stated, “Korea is an emerging destination in India as people are slowly exploring newer regions apart from Hong Kong, Malaysia, Thailand.

Within 10 years, I expect half

Korea is an emerging destination in India as people are slowly exploring newer regions apart from Hong Kong, Malaysia, Thailand.

Within 10 years, I expect half a million Indians to visit Korea. Last year around 144,000 Indians visited Korea a million Indians to visit Korea.”

The annual incentive roadshow was attended by more than 250 MICE travel agents, event planners and

corporates. Amongst the exhibitors were two regional tourism boards namely Busan Tourism Organisation (BTO) and Jeju Convention & Visitors Bureau (Jeju CVB).

The DMC’s who participated in the road show were US Travel, Jane Tour & DMC, Kim’s Travel Service, Bosuk Tour, Hana Tour, JBT Korea, etc.

TOURISM BOARDS

Hong Kong records rise in Indian tourist footfall by 18.7 % Akshay Kumar Mumbai WITH AROUND 51,600 Indian travellers visiting Hong Kong in 2014, the nation has recorded a growth of 18.7 per cent last year.

Hong Kong is visa free for Indian travellers for two weeks, which is one of their major USP. With a strong focus on the family and youth segment, the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) has unveiled its new marketing campaign titled 'My Time For Hong Kong' in the India market.

Peter Hoslin, regional director, Europe and New markets, HKTB said, “Our focus is strongly on the family and youth segment. We have some of the best theme parks which are

quite popular amongst Indian tourists. We have opened a lot of new three and four star hotels last year with around 30,000 rooms. In India, we are very focused on the metro cities especially Delhi and Mumbai. We will also conduct a four city roadshow in Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata in August to further promote Hong Kong.”

Last year HKTB witnessed a strong growth in the cruising and MICE segment, which was again popular amongst Indian travellers. Hoslin added, “MICE is extremely important for us.

We finished the construction of a cruise terminal last year, on the top of the cruise harbour we have many MICE venues. We have got a range of Indian com-

dia became one of the best performing markets with a growth of 18.7 per cent. Last year was not an easy time for us due to the

challenges of global economy.

This year we are increasing our investments by 50 per cent in India. A lot of consumers these days are looking for experience rather than attractions.”

With India being one of the fastest growing e-commerce markets globally, HKTB has also integrated the campaign with a digital strategy encompassing three channels- which includes the consumer website, designated social media accounts, and tailor-made mobile apps. HKTB has also launched a cross-channel digital travel guide called '3in-1 My Hong Kong Guide', integrating web portals, mobile applications and social media along with android version of 'Hong Kong Insider’s Guide'.

TAFI signed an MoU to work towards promoting the destination in India.

Efforts are also being taken by the Zanzibar Commission for Tourism to improve air connectivity to the destination. Recently, the commission held discussions with government officials from the Centre and representatives from the Indian Merchants’ Chamber (IMC) for starting direct flights from Mumbai to Zanzibar. Presently, there are no direct flights from India to Zanzibar. Around six to seven international airlines such as Oman Air,

Ethiopian Airlines, etc, connect Zanzibar from Addis Ababa, Dubai among others. “Mumbai is a hub for corporate and MICE travellers and hence we have proposed for direct connectivity between Mumbai and Zanzibar.

We are also open to inviting airlines to visit Zanzibar and experience the destination themselves and are requesting for the deployment of charter flights as well,” opined Issa Mlingoti, deputy principal secretary, ministry of information, culture, tourism and sports, Government of Zanzibar.

L-R Peter Hoslin Regional Director Europe & New Markets HKTB,Dheeraj Dhoopar Nehalaxmi Iyer, Anthony Lau, Executive Director Hong Kong Tourism & Mr Sunil Puri, raising a toast

panies coming for MICE events in Hong Kong.”

Anthony Lau, executive director, HKTB said, “In 2014, In-

India a potential source market for Zanzibar Rituparna Chatterjee Mumbai THE INCREASE in disposal income and a surge in outbound travel, among others are now pushing Zanzibar Commission for Tourism to focus on India as a potential source market. Zanzibar, a semi-autonomous part of Tanzania in East Africa, receives a large number of international travellers from markets like Europe, Scandinavia, Russia and East Africa, and India presently contributes a small fraction to the numbers. Out of the 300,000

14

EXPRESS TRAVELWORLD

May 2015

international visitors Zanzibar receives on a yearly basis, Indians constitute around 30004000. To grow these numbers from India, the Zanzibar Commission for Tourism recently opened a Zanzibar Tourism Promotion Centre (ZTPC) in Mumbai to organise workshops and roadshows for creating awareness among the travel trade about the destination and its offerings. Zanzibar will be promoted among all segment of travellers such as leisure, MICE and corporates including as a Bollywood shooting destination.

Speaking on this, Said Ali Mbarouk, minister of information, culture, tourism and sports, Government of Zanzibar stated, “We need support from TAAI, TAFI, the Indian film fraternity, airlines and the Indian government to penetrate into this market. India is a potential source market for Zanzibar. We would like to strengthen our relation with India and would invite them to participate in the Zanzibar International Film Festival.” During the launch of ZTPC, government officials from Zanzibar and representatives of TAAI and

TOURISM BOARDS

Macau looks to attract Catalonia aims business and leisure for direct air tourists from India connectivity Archana Sharma New Delhi MACAU, one of the two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China, is focusing on promoting the city as a solo leisure as well as business tourism destination in India. For the same, they recently appointed a new representative in India, VFS Global, with an office in New Delhi and Mumbai. Commenting on this, Arzan Khambatta, head, India representative office, Macau Government Tourist Office (MGTO) stated, “We will be offering specialised packages in New Delhi and Mumbai followed by Bengaluru,

Chennai and Ahmedabad at a later stage, through the help of the Indian travel trade in accordance to the needs of the Indian travellers. We are also looking at various training programmes, not just for the management but also for the sales staff as they are one of the key players.” Khambatta also informed that they will be holding a Macau symposium in September 2015, tentatively in Goa, wherein they will be inviting major travel trade players.

Macau hosted over 1,67,000 Indian tourists in 2014 showing a 4.5 per cent year on year growth, among which 80.1 per cent of visitors stayed overnight in Macau, 3.1 per cent more in

comparison to the previous year.

Talking about the preferences of Indian travellers, Cecilia Tse Heng Sai, deputy director, MGTO, informed that Indian visitors stayed for an average of 2.69 nights in 2014, while on average it was 1.9 days over nights.

“Ideally one should stay for two nights in Macau as only then can one witness the unique fusion of Portuguese and Chinese cultures and cuisines,” she added.

MGTO is looking at organising promotional activities in India, including multi - destination promotions with Hong Kong and Zhuhai. MGTO is also planning to launch customised mobile applications for the India market.

Turkey urges tourism investments from India Akshay Kumar Mumbai GOVERNMENT of Turkey has positioned tourism as one of their priority sectors for the Indian capitalists to invest.

Turkey expects an inflow of 50 million tourists with a revenue of US$ 50 billion in this financial year. During the TurkeyIndia Business Forum held at the World Trade Centre, Mumbai, the delegation from Turkey prioritised sectors like pharma, test facilities, mining, education, energy, carbon fibre and high technology for investments from India, tourism in-

16

EXPRESS TRAVELWORLD

May 2015

Adnan YILDIRIM

frastructure topped the charts.

Speaking exclusively with Express TravelWorld, Adnan

YILDIRIM, deputy minister, Ministry of Economy, Republic of Turkey said, “In Turkey we welcome around 39.2 million tourists every year and the numbers are increasing. We need a lot of investments to build our tourism infrastructures for which we also provide incentives. India is a major target country for investments in our nation. We have a variety of tourist activities in our country including winter tourism, spring tourism, fall touristic activities. We also want Turkish Airlines to increase the number of flights and destinations in India.”

from India Archana Sharma New Delhi LOOKING TO BOOST Indian visitor arrivals into Catalonia, the Catalonia Tourism Board and the Government of Catalonia will soon announce direct connectivity between India and Spain.

Commenting on the same, Suprio Bose, trade commissioner, Government of Catalonia, elaborated on the official manifesto in accordance with the Catalonia President's visit to India in November 2013 resulting in a tripartite city charter. “The official announcement is still pending, however, the route will be Madrid-Barcelona to India. Air India would be serving from Delhi while Jet Airways will be connecting Mumbai with the other two cities,” he said. Bose expects the plans to be implemented by the end of 2015 and stated that there has been more than 40 per cent increase in seat capacities essentially by carriers like Qatar Airways and Emirates, through the Middle East to Barcelona and Madrid. The Catalonia Tourism Board will also be working closely with the Network of MICE Agents (NIMA) wherein they will be introducing new and innovative activities as well as venues to MICE groups and promoting Catalonia as a solo destination. According to

We plan to reach one lakh Indian visitors by the end of 2015, initially the traffic was about 50,000 tourists David Miro, Asia-Pacific director, Catalan Tourist Board, Government of Catalonia, “We have been focusing on the India market since 2012 and we plan to reach one lakh Indian visitors by the end of 2015, initially the traffic was about 50,000 tourists.”

Miro also informed that the tourism board will invite MICE agents from India for ‘Buy Catalonia’ international B2B workshop, which will take place in mid-June 2015 in Barcelona. He also talked about undertaking various promotional strategies to encourage tourism in Catalonia beyond Barcelona.

Gajesh Girdhar, patron, founder and national coordinator, NIMA, and Rakesh Arora, coordinator, membership and registrations, NIMA, talked about holding their first conference in Catalonia in 2016.

CRUISES

Mumbai Port Trust urges for better cruise infrastructure To develop Kanhoji Angre Lighthouse for tourism Akshay Kumar Mumbai MUMBAI PORT TRUST (MbPT) has shown a positive approach towards developing cruise infrastructure in Mumbai. MbPT already has one international terminal which welcomes around 30,000 to 40,000 foreign tourists per year.

Speaking exclusively to Express TravelWorld, Ravi Par-

mar, chairman, MbPT said, “There is a good potential and demand for cruise tourism in India. As of now we have an international terminal which receives around 50 to 60 vessels per year and we welcome thousands of international tourists. Presently, I think the structure is a major hindrance in developing cruise tourism, once the structure is in place we will surely think about developing this segment.”

The MbPT chairman has already expressed his pro-touristic visions by planning to develop the Kanhoji Angre Lighthouse for tourism and provide connectivity. Located 20 km into the sea from the Gateway of India, the lighthouse is situated on Kennery Island, which also houses a fort built by the Portuguese. MbPT has contributed `30 lakhs towards the development of Kan-

hoji Angre lighthouse as a natural heritage tourist destination under its CSR initiatives. Also, MbPT has recently developed the old clock tower and the Sassoon Dock entrance gatewhich is said to be the oldest and the first dock gates in the country- for tourism.

MbPT along with Maharashtra Maritime Board is spearheading a project to enhance water connectivity be-

tween Mumbai and Alibaug, which is one of the most popular weekend getaway from Mumbai. Parmar added, “We are planning to develop the water connectivity between Mumbai and Alibaug. We will introduce fast moving catamarans which is 55 metres long between Bhaucha Dhakka and Mandva. In a later stage we will also launch this service between Mumbai and Nerul.”

Royal Caribbean takes delivery of Anthem of the Seas ETW Staff Mumbai ROYAL CARIBBEAN International officially took delivery of its 23rd ship, Anthem of the Seas. Richard D Fain, chairman and CEO, Royal Caribbean Cruises received the new ship from Meyer Werft Yard’s managing partner Bernard Meyer in a signing ceremony held in Bremerhaven, Germany. Anthem of the Seas is one of the world’s most advanced cruise ships and reflects the best of Royal Caribbean’s history of innovating cruise ship design and cruise vacations. Anthem of the Seas spans 16 guest decks; encompasses 167,800 gross registered tons; carries 4,180 guests at double occupancy; and features 2,090 staterooms.

“I am happy to receive Anthem of the Seas from Meyer Werft Yards. We’ve always bro-

ken the mould with each successive ship we build, and Anthem of the Seas is no different. I would like to thank Bernard and the Meyer Werft team for their ongoing partnership in designing and building awe-inspiring ships with us,” said Fain.

“It’s wonderful to welcome Anthem of the Seas to the Royal Caribbean family of ships,” said Michael Bayley, president and CEO, Royal Caribbean International. “Just like every Royal Caribbean ship, Anthem of the Seas will deliver to guests its own distinctive set of adventures, whether sailing in the Mediterranean or the Caribbean,” he added.

Anthem of the Seas will now sail to Southampton, UK, where the ship will homeport through October and sail to the Mediterranean and Canary Islands. In November, New York Harbor will be Anthem of the Seas’ per-

manent home, where the ship will sail regularly from Cape Liberty Cruise Port on adventures to Bermuda, the Caribbean and Canada and New England.

“With the latest addition to its fleet, Royal Caribbean International further strengthens its leadership as one of the world’s most innovative and expansive cruise brands,” adds Ratna Chadha, chief executive, Tirun

Travel Marketing, exclusive India representative of Royal Caribbean International. “We are pleased to announce this news to our Indian customers and offer to them yet another stellar vessel that promises to surpass their expectations of an absolutely out-of-the-world cruise holiday.”

Guests will enjoy a wide range of Royal Caribbean’s un-

matched onboard innovations, such as the North Star aerial observatory, a glass capsule that takes guests more than 300 feet above the ocean for incomparable panoramic views, and the RipCord by iFLY skydiving and FlowRider surfing simulators. Guests will be dazzled with the ships’ transformative venues, such as the Two70 lounge, a great room by day and an immersive, multimedia entertainment spectacle at night.

SeaPlex changes throughout the day to offer bumper cars, disco roller skating, circus school, and basketball and other sports. Guests will also delight at the expansive array of fare in 18 distinctive onboard restaurants and enjoy Royal Caribbean Productions’ entertainment in Music Hall, the Royal Theater, and the Royal Esplanade.

EXPRESS TRAVELWORLD

17

May 2015

ASSOCIATIONS

31st IATO Convention focus is employment through tourism Archana Sharma New Delhi IN ORDER to highlight the significance of tourism for the growth of the Indian economy, the 31st Annual Convention of the Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO), aims to focus on job creation, leading to better economic growth, with the help of tourism in India.

According to Subhash Goyal, president, IATO, “With major tourism potential of India and IATO being one of the apex organisations of the country and since a major amount of the foreign earnings are done by our members, therefore, it is our responsibility to create more awareness and help market the Indian states and provide a platform for better interaction between the states and the tour operators.” The

convention will be held from August 20-23, 2015 at The Grand Bhagwati convention hall in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, with the inaugural ceremony taking place on August 20. Pronab Sarkar, secretary, IATO, will be the chairman of the convention, while Ravi Gosain, joint secretary, IATO and Sanjeev Joshi, executive committee member, IATO, will be the co-chairman.

Hoping to have over 1500 registrations, Goyal is optimistic about the ministerial attendees and informed that Dr Mahesh Sharma, minister of state for tourism & culture and civil aviation, Government of India; Shivraj Singh Chouhan, chief minister, Madhya Pradesh; Surendra Patwa, tourism minister, MP; Ashwani Lohani, MD, MP

Last year’s convention was held in Delhi

18

EXPRESS TRAVELWORLD

May 2015

Tourism along with several other Rajya Sabha members will be present at the convention. “The chief minister of Madhya Pradesh has assured us that he would personally invite the prime minister to the convention,” he added.

Talking about the issues faced by the tour operators, which will be highlighted during the convention, Goyal stated, “The tour operators should be at par with the physical exporters in terms of exemption from service tax and therefore one of the sessions will be about the implications of the taxation policy.”

He also informed that other sessions would focus on social media marketing and technological advancements beneficial to the tour operators.

‘Research in Rajasthan’ programme to attract tourism investments Archana Sharma New Delhi LOOKING at facilitating investments in tourism sector, Rajasthan government is organising a ‘Research in Rajasthan’ programme in midNovember, 2015. During her inaugural address at the 8th edition of the Great Indian Travel Bazaar (GITB) 2015, Vasundhara Raje, chief minister, Rajasthan Government, stated that the event will be focused on attracting investments in hospitality, improving the tourism circuits, etc. “The three day ‘Research in Rajasthan’ event will be inaugurated by prime minister Narendra Modi and will be bringing in many countries like Singapore, Japan and England to discuss the various investment opportunities. We will be working together for this investment programme,” she informed.

The ongoing two-day event of GITB, organised by the Department of Tourism, Rajasthan government, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India and the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) is witnessing participation from 277 foreign buyers from 45 countries and 199 exhibitors.

“With over 10,000 structured B2B meetings and support from 10 state gov-

Research in Rajasthan’ event will bring in many countries to discuss the various investment opportunites like Singapore, Japan, etc ernment and organisations like Indian Heritage Hotels Association (IHHA), Hotel and Restaurant Association of Rajasthan (HRAR), Rajasthan Tour operators (RATO) and other tourism organisations, this is the largest GITB organised so far, since its inception,” stated Dr A Didar Singh, secretary general, FICCI. Highlighting the state tourism statistics, Raje mentioned that the tourism sector in Rajasthan will see a major surge by 2018. “By 2018, we expect the foreign tourist arrivals to reach 2.5 million from the current 1.5 million and the domestic traffic to be around 50 million from the present 30 million.” she stated.

Toll Free no: 000 800 100 7947 www.ethiopianairlines.com

cover )

20 EXPRESS TRAVELWORLD May 2015

(

(

E MAIN FOCUS T H E TMH A IN FOCUS

Arabian Travel Market 2015

REDISCOVERING

THE EMIRATES

The seven Emirates that make up the UAE have reinvented themselves to offer a mix of traditional and contemporary tourism products - from art festivals and falconry to light and sound shows, hot air ballooning and sailing. These are just a few of the niche products that await the discerning traveller visiting the UAE

DUBAI I AJMAN I ABU DHABI I SHARJAH I FUJAIRAH RAS AL KHAIMAH I UMM AL QUWAIN

EXPRESS TRAVELWORLD

21

May 2015

cover )

DUBAI

D

ubai plays host to some of the most happening events in this part of the world, ranging from arts and sports, food and books to music and lights, heritage and fashion. Thanks to its strategic location between the east and the west, coupled with its infrastructural support and amenities, and the requirement to entertain a population drawn from 200 nationalities, the city has become the focal point of major events that attract the world’s best.

EVENTS CAPITAL Dubai is increasingly a top stop for A-list musicians and performers on their world tours. Bruno Mars, Eric Clapton, Justin Bieber, The Killers, Deep Purple and Alicia Keys are just a handful of acts to have played on Dubai’s stages in recent times, not to mention the dozens of Bollywood and Arabic superstars for whom the emirate is a second home.

As a city that attracts, nurtures and encourages talent, Dubai has become the regional hub for art, gastronomy, literature and film.

Each year the annual literary festival draws top-selling regional and international authors and commentators and under the umbrella of The Dubai Art Season numerous events showcase homegrown Emirati and Dubai-based artistic talent, turning the whole city into an eclectic gallery and providing a perfect

22 EXPRESS TRAVELWORLD May 2015

arabian travel market 2015

Dubai's many top line events, from musical extravaganzas to sporting spectacles, have established the city as the events’ capital of the Middle East, North Africa and Southeast Asia

platform for international designers to meet. The season culminates with the Gulf Film Festival, the baby sister to the annual Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF) that takes place each December.

In 2014 the Dubai Food Festival was launched. This monthlong gastronomic extravaganza saw restaurants set up on the beach; welcomed celebrity chefs who flew in to give master classes; invited the public to taste signature dishes from the city’s top restaurants; and served up cooking contests and family entertainment all in the name of food.

Also new to the calendar in 2014 was the Dubai Tour, a threeday event when the streets were cleared to make way for the world’s top cycling professionals.

Several weekend music festivals were launched too, including Classics, Blended and Redfest. These joined old favourites, such as the Emirates Airline Dubai Jazz Festival, which has been held each February since 2003. And with venues such as Nasimi Beach, where thousands gather on the beach at Atlantis, The Palm; Dubai Media City Amphitheatre, where the skyscrapers of Media City and Dubai Marina overlook a purpose-

built, 15,000 person arena; and Dubai Festival City, which stages world-class concerts on the shores of Dubai Creek; the combination of acts and environments make for memorable experiences.

Several events throughout the year depend on public participation, like the Dubai Marathon when over 22,000 runners pound the streets from Burj Khalifa all along the Beach Road; or the Spinney’s Dubai 92 Cycle Challenge when 2,000 amateur cyclists peddle around Dubai’s iconic landmarks for 92 km. Participants from across the globe unite at the start and meet again at the finish lines in these fun and lively events.

These events may be relatively new, but there are many festivals that have been going for so long that they are now ingrained in Dubai’s diary. The Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF) is a prime example. Celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2015, DSF is not only a shopping extravaganza, but also a huge family entertainment extravaganza when all visitors and residents in Dubai enjoy non-stop competitions – which come with jaw-dropping prizes – and a packed schedule of theatrical shows and entertainment.

Also long established are those events that capture the true spirit and culture of the emirates.

Each May you’ll see the spectacular sight of hundreds of traditional Arabian dhows with their billowing white sails grace the Arabian Gulf as they race along the Dubai coast in the Al Gaffal Traditional Dhow Sailing Race paying tribute to Dubai’s pearl-trading past. And of course, Ramadan is a time when the whole city comes to-

gether to celebrate, contemplate and rejoice. This is an awakening experience for everyone - including non-Muslims - and all are welcome to join in the celebratory feasts each evening and enjoy the Holy Month.

SPORTS LOVERS' PARADISE The city’s facilities are world-class and the venues have been purpose built for sporting events. Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy regularly appear on the first tee at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic each year at the Emirates Golf Club; Federer, Nadal, Djokovic, Murray and the Williams sisters are no strangers on the courts at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships; the Dubai International Cricket Stadium was the host of the Indian Premier League during

its 2014 season; and the city’s polo fields attract the kings of this regal sport at the annual Dubai Gold Cup. And each year the world’s leading jockeys and horses bid to be in the winner’s circle at the showpiece Dubai World Cup. For golfers Dubai is paradise.

Dubai has 11 outstanding courses, many designed by professionals such as Colin Montgomerie, Ernie Els and Nick Faldo. The most famous is the Majlis course at the Emirates Golf Club, the annual host to the renowned Omega Desert Classic where the likes of Tiger Woods and Rory Mcllroy have lifted the Classic trophy. The Jumeirah Golf Estates hosts the climax to the Race to Dubai.

Those travellers interested in mounting a horse should head to any of the equestrian centres,

such as Emirates Equestrian Centre or Club Joumana at the Jebel Ali Equestrian Club. For a truly Dubai equestrian experience they can go to the desert – The Al Sahra Desert Resort Equestrian Centre or Al Jiyad Stables are among the liveries that offer the remarkable desert experience.

For horse-riding with a twist, there’s nothing like polo to get the adrenaline pumping. Even complete novice riders can try out this ‘sport of kings’ at any of the city’s polo clubs, including the Dubai Polo Club at Desert Palm Retreat – home to the Cartier International Dubai Polo Challenge; and Dubai Polo and Equestrian Club at Arabian Ranches, host to the Dubai Polo Gold Cup. And of course there’s always camel polo for an Arabian twist on

arabian travel market 2015

(

THE MAIN FOCUS

this regal sport.

For adventure junkies sand boarding is an interesting option at Dubai’s Big Red dune – the emirate’s ultimate ‘black run’.

This mountain, just a 30-minute drive from Dubai towards Hatta, rises to 300 ft. Hot air balloon provides a magical opportunity to experience the beauty of the desert at sunset or sunrise. A high-rise experience above the desert – albeit of a slightly faster kind - is also offered by Skydive Dubai from its desert campus at Margham. Alternatively, opt for another equally unique view – that of Dubai’s Palm Jumeirah.

For those who prefer sticking to terra firma, then increasingly one of the popular ways to explore the city is on two wheels.

Dubai’s cycling scene has gathered some serious momentum over the past few years. Particularly popular are the The Nad Al Sheba Cycle Park, with its choice of eight, six and four km loops with the whole course lit by night, and the 68 km desert ‘Lollipop’ track through the desert – with a particularly welcome spot at the luxurious Bab al Shams desert resort.

For professional cyclists, Dubai laid down the challenge in February 2014 in the form of the four-day Dubai Tour. Hundreds of the world’s top cyclists – including the eventual winner Taylor Phinney - pelted around the city, in what opponent Marcel Kittel described as “the fastest sightseeing tour ever”.

EXPRESS TRAVELWORLD

23

May 2015

cover )

ABU DHABI

A

bu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi) is attracting Indian outbound travellers with multi-faceted attractions. India is currently Abu Dhabi’s leading overseas source market for hotel guests. Abu Dhabi welcomed 231,702 Indian hotel guests in 2014 at a growth rate of 32 per cent over 2013. There were 850,443 guest nights in 2014, at a growth rate of 23 per cent over 2013.

Abu Dhabi offers both traditional and modern attractions. The key segments are leisure, special interest, destination wedding and honeymoon, niche travellers and MICE. Bejan Dinshaw, country manager, India, TCA Abu Dhabi says, “We are attracting a large number of incentive and conferences business travellers with our Abu Dhabi Convention Bureau’s Advantage Abu Dhabi incentive programmes – where meeting planners can get help, financial and other, if they bring viable business events to the destination. Applications for Advantage Abu Dhabi can be made on the bureau’s website – www.abudhabi-cb.ae – and should be aligned to 12 specific economic engine sectors identified in Abu Dhabi’s 2030 economic vision.”

TOURISM PRODUCTS One of Abu Dhabi’s most iconic landmarks is the famous Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, named by TripAdvisor’s Travellers’ Choice

24 EXPRESS TRAVELWORLD May 2015

arabian travel market 2015

Offering both traditional and modern attractions, Abu Dhabi, has become a favourite destination for Indian travellers, resulting in the country becoming the number one source market for Abu Dhabi. Looking at the rising tourist numbers, the board is targeting to continue the current growth performance with a sustained rise

BEJAN DINSHAW awards as the world’s second most sought after landmark. Emirates Palace – one of the world’s most opulent hotels - is a must-visit property for its opulence and luxury quotient. With a vast range of attractions for the whole family, Abu Dhabi’s Yas Island is becoming increasingly popular among Indian

travellers as a complete entertainment destination. There are multiple attractions, including Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, the world’s only Ferrari-branded theme park with more than 20 rides and the world’s fastest rollercoaster, Formula Rossa, reaching speeds up to 240 kmph. F1 fans can have a thrilling experience with the state-of-the-art F1 track at Yas Marina Circuit, where petrol heads can drive a Formula Yas 3000 or Aston Martin GT4 around the same circuit as the pros. Yas Waterworld - featuring 43 rides, slides and attractions spanning a sprawling 15-hectares - is an award-winning water park and there’s Yas Links, a championshiplevel 18 holes Links course, which was voted among the world’s top 25 courses outside of the US. The long-awaited Yas Mall is now open. It has more than 370 stores and is only five minutes from Abu Dhabi International Airport and 15 minutes from downtown

Abu Dhabi. Abu Dhabi’s shopping is tax-free. Yas Mall also has a direct link to Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, thereby opening up a range of entertainment options.

Abu Dhabi is also attracting art and culture lovers with the fast developing Saadiyat Island Cultural District. With its sweeping beach, Saadiyat Beach Golf Club and stunning beachfront resorts, Saadiyat Island will soon be home to a series of world-class cultural institutions.

The Jean Nouvel-designed Louvre Abu Dhabi will open this year, followed by the Zayed National Museum next year and the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi in 2017.

FOCUS ON INDIAMARKET TCA Abu Dhabi capped off a very successful 2014 with a number of activities promoting the destination. Many travel trade workshops were held in Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Bengaluru and Ahmedabad.

“We have also conducted similar workshops in the beginning of 2015 in Chandigarh, Lucknow and Kolkata. We are continuing the endeavour for greater networking with the popular Evening with Abu Dhabi, which has taken place in Goa and Pune most recently,” he mentions.

The board also received a favourable response in the B2B fairs that they participated during 2014-15. “We are undertaking joint destination familiarisation trips and marketing initiatives with our national carrier Etihad Airways.

Our primary focus for all marketing activities is to project Abu Dhabi as a unique destination with attractions and opportunities to indulge in and enjoy with the whole family,” adds Dinshaw.

(

THE MAIN FOCUS

SHARJAH Sharjah, the Capital of Arab Tourism for 2015, is a destination that showcases with pride its cultural heritage and imposing edifices of modern Islamic architecture

J

Central Souk is another heritage precinct, where tourists can buy gold and souvenirs. It is a perfect place to strike a bargain.

The emirate also has many mosques – from the large Al Noor Mosque to many smaller ones, where the faithful congregate several times everyday. These mosques in many ways define the skyline of Sharjah – most are beautiful beige coloured structures with large domes and towering minarets. One of the most magnificent is the Al Noor Mosque. It has been inspired by the Blue Mosque in Istanbul.

ust half an hour drive from Dubai is the emirate of Sharjah, which has been selected as the Capital of Arab Tourism for 2015. Sharjah has a rich cultural legacy that is well presented in its 16 museums, along with a grand architectural heritage and many more attractions that could be a great draw for tourists from across the world.

EVENTS AND FESTIVALS

It is evident that Sharjah is a destination that takes great pride in its heritage and culture – the concept might be new, but the true essence of the land is beautifully interwoven in the thematic presentations. So whether it is the spectacular visuals of the Sharjah Light Festival on heritage buildings in the city or the Sharjah Aquarium and Maritime Museum, every tourism attraction presents a flow of continuity from the past to the present. Sharjah could in fact be called a city of museums. The aquarium acquaints visitors with the marine life found in the waters of the region – from the ocean to rock pools and lagoons.

It also highlights the life and times of the traditional fishing communities.

Located nearby is the Sharjah Maritime Museum that is an interesting showcase of the emirate’s maritime history. The grandest of all is the Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilisation,

which is housed in an impressive building that complements well the rich repository inside. A visit to the museum is a must and gives an interesting insight into Islam, history of its spread across the world, the art and science associated with it, and many lesser known significant facts that very few people are aware of. The other 14 museums include Sharjah Calligraphy Museum, Sharjah Heritage Museum, Sharjah Science Museum, Sharjah Archeology Museum, Sharjah Classic Cars Museum, Sharjah Discovery Centre, and others.

Heart of Sharjah is the oldest part of the city where homes built with corals brought from the

creek in olden times have been painstakingly restored to give the modern visitor a peep into the life in those times. Adjacent to it is the Souq Al Arsa, which is the oldest market in Sharjah, where you can buy interesting bric a bracs. The

arabian travel market 2015

CITYOFMUSEUMS

In the month of February, for nine days the Sharjah Light Festival transforms the historic buildings in the emirate into breathtaking platforms of visual display. The music and the ambience lend almost a magical touch to this unique festival.

The Sharjah International Show jumping championship is held in the month of January. It is a platform for UAE's best show jumping stars to showcase their skills and compete for the grand prize money. The participants come from many countries. Another important equestrian event is the Sharjah International Arabian Horse Festival that highlights the important position that these magnificent animals have in Arab culture and heritage.

Sharjah Heritage Days is an event that celebrates the culture of the land. While the Al Qasba Food Festival is a big draw for food lovers and the Ramadan & Summer Shopping Festival is 10 weeks of fun and entertainment.

EXPRESS TRAVELWORLD

25

May 2015

cover )

RAS AL KHAIMAH

With an aim to promote itself as an affordable luxury standalone tourism destination in the emirate, the Ral Al Khaimah (RAK) government has attracted investments from major international hotel brands

he Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah is one of the seven emirates which together comprise of the federation of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The federation was established on December 2, 1971, which included Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Qawain and Fujairah, where Ras Al Khaimah joined by February 1972.

The emirate’s unique combination of desert, mountains and natural coastline makes Ras Al Khaimah an ideal environment for outdoor activities and relaxation. Visitors to the emirate can enjoy various outdoor activities from swimming, fishing and golfing to exploring the desert by safari and experiencing a traditional Bedouin desert camp or enjoying the water slides at Iceland Water Park.

With an aim to promote itself as an affordable luxury standalone tourism destination in the emirate, the Ral Al Khaimah (RAK) government has attracted investments from major international hotel brands for its Al Marjan Island project. Said to be one of their biggest projects, the island has already witnessed the opening of major hotel brands namely- 650 keys Rixos Al Bahr Resort; the 301room Marjan Island Resort & Spa; the 484-key DoubleTree by Hilton Resort & Spa, Marjan Island and the 346 room Ras Al Khaimah Waldorf Astoria. In 2015, the island will

26 EXPRESS TRAVELWORLD May 2015

also witness the opening of the 265room Santorini Hotel, a part of The Bin Majid Group. Mohamed Khater, business development manager, Government of Ras Al Khaimah said, “Presently the destination has 5,200 room inventory, but the target is to reach 10,000 rooms by 2020. We are also looking at developing resort properties in the mountain areas and developing tourist attractions as well.”

INDIA FOCUS The Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Authority is targeting leisure, honeymoon and MICE travellers from the India market. The top five source markets of the destination include UAE, Germany, Russia, UK and India. As part of its tourism offerings, the department is promoting Al Hamra Golf Club, Tower

Links Golf Club, Ras Al Khaimah Country Club for golf lovers, water sports adventure activities at RAK Sailing Academy, adventure sports, catamaran yacht, and the desert safari. For leisure travellersIceland Water Park, Al Hamra Marina & Royal Yacht Club, Falcon Show, Jazirah Aviation Club and Pearl Excursions. Besides this, the department is also offering experiences at Bassata Desert Village, Bedouin Oasis Desert Camp, Prince of Sea, Seawings, National Museum of Ras Al Khaimah, Dhayah Fort and Jazirat Al Hamra.

When asked about the tourist arrivals to the destination, Khater informed, “In 2013, the destination witnessed a total guest nights of 1.2 million and in the future the department is looking at achieving two million guest nights.” In order

arabian travel market 2015

T

to achieve their targets, the department is looking at working closely with the travel trade in India. They will also organise seminars, workshops, FAM trips and will participate at important trade fairs.

In terms of direct flight connectivity, Khater mentioned that Air Arabia, the official carrier of Ras Al Khaimah and an LCC in the Middle East and North Africa, is also looking at starting four times a week direct flight from Calicut in the near future. Presently the airline offers connectivity to Ras Al Khaimah via Sharjah from 13 cities in India - Mumbai, Goa, Nagpur, Delhi, Ahmedabad, Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Thiruvanathapuram, Kochi, Kozikhode and Coimbatore.

cover )

FUJAIRAH

N

estled between the Hajar Mountains and the Indian Ocean, Fujairah, situated on the east coast of the United Arab Emirates, is a popular holiday destination, especially due to its location of being the only emirate to not have its coastline along the Arabian Gulf but being on the eastern side of the UAE, the beaches of Fujairah overlook the Gulf of Oman. The Hajar Mountains, standing proud on the west of Fujairah, is the highest mountain range in the eastern Arabian Peninsula and runs through both the UAE and Oman. Also, well known in the region are the Wadis, with activities like Wadi-bashing (four-wheel-driving or hiking through the wadis), being popular amongst tourists. The regions that can be explored are the areas of Wadi Ham, the longest valley; Wadi Al Tawain, for its mountainous track; Wadi al-Wuraya, the boulder-strewn wadi protected by EWS-WWF due to its unique flora and fauna; Wadi Siji, with the oldest dam in the UAE; Wadi Saham and Wadi Mai. Also located in the foothills of the Hajar Mountains, is the Ain al-Madhab Hot Springs. Another topography marvel, the Fujairah Corniche, stretching along the coast, this waterfront is usually bustling with people and activities during the cooler months.

HISTORICAL LEGACY The Fujairah Fort, one of the most

28 EXPRESS TRAVELWORLD May 2015

arabian travel market 2015

Being rich in archeological treasures, the Emirate of Fujairah highlights pristine natural heritage along with abundance of castles, forts, towers and mosques, some even dating back to about five centuries

important and largest forts of the Emirates, is characterised by its position on a high hill in the old Fujairah region. Built up to about 20 meters above sea level, it is three km away from the coast, with a design that differs completely from the usual engineering designs of the rest of the forts of the state.

The area surrounding the fort is now part of a Heritage Village set up by Fujairah's Department of Archaeology and Heritage.

One of the strongest fortresses, the Al Hail Fortress occupies an important strategic position and is considered a unity point for the road to Fujairah.

Built approximately 250 years ago, it has played an important role in the area's defence, used as a base for surveillance and patrolling. Another fort, Fortress of Awhlah, located in the village of Aouhlah 30 km from the city of Fujairah in mountainous rough,

was used to enable the guards to monitor any person coming either from the sea or the mountain roads. The Bithnah Fort, located outside of Fujairah city along the main highway, once stood watch over the strategic routes crossing the Hajar Mountains through Wadi Ham. Built in 1735, the fort was considered of vital importance to the defence of the UAE's eastern region.

One of the most important museums spread across the UAE, the Fujairah Museum which displays the occupations known in the region and the heritage including ancient weapons and utensils used by the people in the past. Another important museum, the Heritage Village Museum, established in 1996, houses models of traditional homes, tools and household instruments used in ancient times by the people of Fujairah. Adding to the historical heritage, Fujairah is

home to many ancient mosques as well. The Sheikh Zayed Mosque, ranks as the second biggest mosque in UAE and with its white facade is one of the city's major landmarks. Al-Bidyah Mosque, north of Fujairah city, is the oldest in UAE an the site surrounding the mosque has been excavated to reveal that it has been inhabited for 4,000 years.

FESTIVITIES With its varied culture heritage, Fujairah is also a hub for major festivities and international events. The ancient sport of bull butting, is still prevalent in Fujairah and takes place every Friday, providing extreme entertainment to visitors. Apart from this, the UAE celebrates the National Day, celebrated on the second of December every year, the World Heritage Day, an annual celebration of local heritage to revive and activate the authentic heritage.

Also the Maktoum Championship, one of Ramadan’s annual tournaments with different sports determined at the beginning of month of Ramadan, until the 15th of the same month; the Sword Championship, the Fujairah International Marathon and the International Taekwondo Championship held every year in Fujairah.

Fujairah will also witness the the Xcat World Series Powerboat Championship, the Formula Championship held each year in the city of Dibba, along with the traditional Emirates Rowing Boat Tournament, and the Fujairah Swimming Championship held in collaboration with the UAE Federation for swimming.

(

THE MAIN FOCUS

AJMAN

Essentially a port city for shopping and dining, Ajman elicits the charm and intimate feel due to its smaller size unlike the other larger and more bustling emirates

T TOPOGRAPHICAL ADVANTAGE

One of the best draws of Ajman is its vast shoreline with strips of white sand beaches and a variety of forts and museums, while the naturally formed creek diffuses the inland and remains a major focal point in the city. Masfout, an important agricultural area, noted for its marble and bordered by the Hajar mountains creates a picturesque backdrop, and is home to the Masfout Castle on top of the mountains on the northern borders of Masfout. The old castle was used as means of protecting the area from bandits heading to the Sultanate of Oman.

The Al-Murabbaa Watchtower, is also an important tourist

attraction located on the Corniche. The 16 km stretch of beach overlooking the Arabian Gulf boasts of a wide variety of shopping options including souks, markets and malls, traditional and fast food restaurants, cafes and shops. Also showcasing the natural diversity, the Al Zorah Nature Reserve, with a seven km waterfront displays lagoons, creeks and a natural mangrove forest with 58 bird species. Extending over two sq km of biologically and ecologically rich wetland, the mangrove area is also the first nursery of the coast. Another developing natural area, the Al Naseem Nature Reserve in Manama, is expected to showcase the beauty of the region's natural landscape while protecting its flora and fauna.

When completed, the nature reserve will feature a number of natural parks, a plant nursery and an education centre for students, biologists and those interested.

HISTORICAL LEGACY Ajman has a variety of historical

heritage with most of its old forts being restructured or renovated.

The Ajman Museum, firstly established as Ajman Fort, is one of the main historical attractions in the UAE, conveying the reality of life in different eras either as the stronghold of leadership, representing the political authority in the UAE or as a record of the exploits of ancestors and their immortal heritage. It features historical and cultural exhibits highlighting the traditional Bedouin lifestyle, while displaying models of antiquities and traditional industries and artifacts as well as images portraying the way of life in the past. The Al Manama Museum, earlier known as Al Mareer Fort, surrounded by palm trees irrigated by the old Al Manama Falaj (man-made water channels) that emanates from mountain tops relying on water supplied by rain fall, provides a range of historical knowledge as well.

Adding to this legacy, The Mowaihat archaeological site,

arabian travel market 2015

he smallest of the seven established emirates, Ajman, surrounded by Sharjah on three sides and the Gulf on the West, offers a variety of tourist attractions, ranging from the golden sandy beaches and the different natural topography lying between mountains and flat sand, to historical treasures of Ajman museum, dhow yard and forts. Ajman's proximity to Sharjah and Dubai gives it a central and unique position in the UAE. Comprising of the two jurisdictions of Masfout and Manama, most of the emirate population resides in Ajman.

located on the outskirts of Ajman city, was discovered in 1986, uncovering a circular Umm al-Nar type tomb which is currently undergoing a rescue excavation and in turn uncovering numerous examples of soft-stone and painted Umm al-Nar culture, amongst other artifacts and the remains of several dozen people. At the time of its discovery, the Mowaihat tomb was the first evidence of the Umm al-Nar occupation in the Northern Emirates.

Another legacy is the Hassa Buweid (White Stones) Castle, built on top of a gravel and stone hill with its main purpose being to provide protection. Adding to this is the Red Fort which in 1986 underwent a complete restoration and a third tower was added to the two older towers. Gravel and red plaster were used in the construction of the walls of the fort and hence it was named the Red Fort.

FESTIVE OFFERINGS Being proud of its equestrian heritage, the Ajman Equestrian Club, allows visitors to saddle up at the club where it houses more than 100 trained Arabian horses and offers a range of lessons and riding activities. Also located in the region is The Ajman Arabian Horse Stud Farm, owned by HH Sheikh Ammar bin Humaid Al Nuaimi, crown prince of Ajman, which is home to some of the finest Arabian horses in the world. And therefore, Ajman is also able to host the Ajmal Arabian Horse Show. Apart from this, Ajman also hosts the Ajmal Camel Festival as well many international conferences.

EXPRESS TRAVELWORLD

29

May 2015

cover )

UMM AL QUWAIN

A small and quaint emirate wrapped around a lagoon, Umm Al Quwain, is a sharp contrast to its glamourous counterpart in the south. Despite that, it is an emerging destination offering a combination of natural beauty, green agricultural oases, sand oases, dunes and ancient castles

mm Al Quwain is one among the seven emirates constituting the UAE. It is located on the Arabic Gulf coast and extends to about 24 km between Al Sharjah and Ras Al Khaimah with a total area of about 77 sq km.

Umm Al Quwain was formed in 1775 when Sheikh Majid Al Mualla established it as an independent sheikhdom. Umm Al Quwain is translated as 'Mother of Two Powers', referring to the tradition of seafaring among tribes in the emirate. The city has been built on a narrow peninsula called Khor Al Bidiyah and it contains about seven castles and a museum in one of these castles. Its strategic location, on the Gulf, has prompted the hospitality sector to expand and develop. The same has offered the emirate a tourist dimension due to the availability of natural beauty, green agricultural oases, sand oases, dunes and ancient castles. The emirate is marked by its diverse topography and is becoming a hot spot for extreme sports in the UAE. According to a 2007 report by Reed Travel Exhibitions titled ' The Future of Travel and Tourism in the Middle East - A Vision to 2020', Umm Al Quwain's development plan includes selected tourism growth and building an airport to receive all airlines operating in the region. One such ini-

30 EXPRESS TRAVELWORLD May 2015

tiative is the US$ 3.3 billion Umm Al Quwain Marina project expected to complete this year. The project will provide over 8000 homes, boutique hotels, retail and leisure facilities in a marinathemed environment. The freehold development will cover an area over 65 million sq ft and is being built on the shores of the Khor al-Beidah along Al Ittihad Road.

TOURISM ATTRACTIONS One of the most important areas of the Emirate of Umm Al Quwain is the Falaj Al Maala region. The name of Falaj Al Maala is derived from Al Falaj, an underground water channel in which the water flows from the springhead to the mouth due to the downward ground in order to irrigate the agricultural lands. Another significant region is Al Surah which is famous for hawk hunting. The wild mushrooms known locally as Al Faqaa or

Al-Zubaidi and plants such as Al Hammad, Al Sidaf and Aldaghabes can be seen during winter.

The Umm Al Quwain Fort once guarded the entrance to the old town by overseeing both the sea and the creek. The facade, with its two rounded towers, has been restored. The fort now houses the town museum. Inside, the exhibits focus mainly on local archaeological sites including finds from Al-Dur. There are also ethnographic exhibits introducing local life and traditional customs.

A short drive from Umm Al Quwain is the Seneyah Island, which is a nature sanctuary where Al Qaram trees grow (native to the UAE). Due to its close proximity to Dubai, the island is a favourite day trip for those interested in the Gulf's natural environment.

Al-Dur Archaeological Site contains the remains of a once-im-

arabian travel market 2015

U

portant town dating back 2,000 years. Some of the items uncovered at the site include tombs, stone houses, large storage jars, and glassware from Egypt and Syria. This sprawling site is scattered over a large area with many single-room dwellings as well as large, multi-room structures.

There are two public monuments at Al-Dur, a small square fort with round corner towers and a small square temple dedicated to the Semitic solar deity. An abundance of coins have also been uncovered here, including foreign coins and locally minted coins bearing the name of Abi'el.

The Dreamland Aqua Park is an entertainment complex with over 25 attractions. Among the many rides included here are aquatic themed rides, children wading pools, twisters, a crazy river and kamikaze ride, and a giant wave pool.

SPOTLIGHT

BALI SAYS NAMASTE INDIA The 62nd Convention of Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI) was recently held atBali International Convention Centre (BICC), Indonesia from March 26-28, 2015

T

he convention had three evening events – inaugural, Namaste India dinner and the gala dinner in addition to the business sessions, the India Travel Trade Expo (ITTE) and the pre-post tours. Speaking about this year's convention, Sunil Kumar, chairman of the 2015 TAAI Convention and acting president of TAAI, stated, “I have been closely associated with over 10 TAAI conventions either as the Convention chairman or Convention co-chairman or an office bearer or a member of the managing committee – but the Bali Convention was certainly very special and rich in content. Every event of the Convention was superbly crafted. The Convention witnessed plenty of activity, amazing ambience, incredible partnerships and importantly pleasant memories for our delegates to take home.”

The three day ITTE exhibition featured over 50 stalls, which were laid out in the foyer of BICC offering delegates opportunities to strengthen their network and establish new partnerships. ITTE was inaugurated by Amarjeet Singh Takhi, consul general of India for Bali. ITTE brought the delegates closer to various opportunities to support outbound from India to Indonesia. The exhibitors included tour operators, hotels, among others. India inbound was also well showcased.

Business sessions Rich content and a variety of speakers from seven nationalities, were some of the highlights of the business sessions

at the 2015 TAAI Convention.

Some of the speakers at the TAAI Convention included Ashwini Kakkar, past president – TAAI & executive vice chairman, Mercury Travels, Brad Edman, ex director of sales & marketing, SE Asia & GM – Courtyard Seminyak, Karan Anand, head, Cox & Kings,

Dhananjai Saliankar, regional director, South Asia, Starwood Hotels, Marius Dogeanu, Manager – NDC, IATA – Asia Pacific & Singapore, Sandeep Dwivedi, chief commercial officer, ITQ – Galileo, Rajiv Jakkula, vice president, Bird Group – Amadeus, among others. TAAI presented “The

KNIGHT of Knowledge” plaques to the speakers. The formal inaugural was followed by cultural performances and a gala dinner.

NAMASTE India With a firm belief that Indonesia’s large population must divert their attention to visit In-

dia, TAAI presented ‘Incredible India’ through an audio visual presentation. His Excellency Gurjit Singh addressed the Namaste India dinner and spoke about India and TAAI. The director general of Tourism from Indonesia, Esthy Reko Astuti also shared her impressions .

EXPRESS TRAVELWORLD

31

May 2015

EVENT ROUNDUP

MEETINGS AND MORE ATMAMA2015 From the Harry Potter magic to the Ramblers meanders, from the Agatha Christie festival to the Bond Street fashion insight and Scotland’s Bollywood touch, MAMA 2015 organised

by ETOA brought to light new opportunities to explore. By Reema Lokesh

M

ARCH Market Place 2015 (MAMA) organised by the European Tourism Association (ETOA) witnessed some serious networking over two days from March 16-17, 2015. The event brought to the fore a series of products and offerings across the UK and Ireland with some interestingly new attractions. ETOA invited Outbound Tour Operators Association of India (OTOAI) to be one of the partners for the event for a fruitful buyer-seller interaction. A 15 member team from OTOAI visited MAMA 2015 on a hosted buyer programme and they did come back with greater insights on destinations and places both old and new. Speaking at the event, Martine AinsworthWells, director of marketing and commerce, ETOA said, “I have seen the Indian market evolve and change with time, it’s a very important market for us.” She also expressed her pleasure to have partnered with OTOAI as events such as MAMA work as an ideal platform to network and understand each other better.

Though UK and Ireland have always been highly popular amongst Indian clientele, Guldeep Singh Sahni, president, OTOAI, did highlight visa related issues and grievances in a rather candid and clear way at the opening speech. Golden Tours (GT) which is Greyline in London, operate their own transport fleet and coach tours catering to a cross section of Indians especially the Gujarati /Marwari clientele. GT also offers Kidszania at Westfield Shepherd's Bush and Harry Potter Tours at Warner Bros for which it is the sole represen-

32

EXPRESS TRAVELWORLD

May 2015

tative globally. As a DMC it offers group tours and FIT options through its India offices in Delhi and Ahmedabad. Taj Tours has been well established in the India market for offering readymade fixed departure coach tours and Niki DMC too works closely with the India market.

Visit Scotland has gone ahead and designed a Bollywood highlight trail. Sara Gonzales, trade marketing executiveemerging markets, Visit Scotland, expressed her will to work closely with the India market and is glad that the awareness is increasing amongst the Indian clientele. Matt Jones, business development manager, Warner Bros Studio Tours with the Harry Potter experience is also keen to rope in the Indian clientele. Rebeccca Hill from the Royal Collection Trust also gave an insightful overview on what’s on offer, which will fit well with the discerning Indian traveller.

Another unique offering is from Ramblers Worldwide Holidays which organises walking and trekking tours in the region.

Visit England too showcased its unique offerings at MAMA 2015.

From Alice in Wonderland experience to the Agatha Christie Festival, this year there is more to London and England to learn and explore. Visit Wales too had its story to share. It offers you an experience to walk around the country, explore 641 castles, enjoy the 825 miles of coastline and get on the world’s fastest zip wire. Sinclair Global offers some luxury retail therapy, in their signature style. Shakespeare’s Globe too promises to take its guests on a special journey. The tour of Hamlet Globe to Globe, which opened at Shakespeare’s Globe on April 23, 2014, to celebrate the 450th anniversary of Shakespeare’s birth, plans performances in Mumbai and Delhi.

BUYER’S WORD The Indian buyers did come back with a better understanding and insight on the products.

Abdul Kareem, MD, Creative Tours & Travels ETOA/MAMA 2015 was an excellent platform to enhance products on the region with the credible DMCs and tourism promotion stakeholders. It was organised well, so the participants could explore well and took advantage for an effective networking with the suppliers and the co-participants as well.

Basher Ahmed, MD, Chennai Metro Travels MAMA 2015 was an interesting experience that provided excellent networking opportunities. The Tri Nations- British, Ireland and Scotland, got together to showcase their tourism, culture and specialties. All local vendors kept up their appointment with the foreign delegates and showcased their products very well. An important point that was brought to notice was that separate visas are not required for each county and under a new BIVS visa scheme it is common for all the three countries. It was a pleasure to visit Scotland besides England.

Krishna S Gupta. VP, Y Not Travel The Ramblers - walking tours was interesting. What I gathered from their meeting is that Indians as such don't want to take walking tours. They need to tap the niche market in India who would like to go on such walking tours.

Surinnder Kumar, MD, Travel Mate India MAMA 2015 was a well organised event with an excellent opportunity to meet a cross section of sellers encompassing all possible products from all three destinations. The setting was very comfortable for meetings and exchanges.

EVENT ROUNDUP

‘OUR MOU WITH ETOAWAS INTENDED TO EXPLORE NEWPRODUCTS IN THATAREA’ Guldeep Singh Sahni, president, OTOAI elucidates why it was worth entering into an MoU with ETOA for MAMA 2015 What was the driving force to partner with ETOA for MAMA 2015?

One of the intentions to work with ETOA was to bring our members on a common platform to enhance their quality and volume of business. The driving force was to bring together quality suppliers to our members who have fulfilled a stringent criteria to exhibit their potential as a tour operator.

What according to you is the potential of selling that part of the world to the Indian audience keeping in view the emergence of newer and up-

coming destinations?

UK and rest of Europe are and will always remain a choice for Indian travellers for various reasons. Be it because of Bollywood, culture, history, VFR, etc. Since there are lots of unexplored areas that can be offered to the traveller from India and Indian food is now available in abundance, there is huge potential of selling that part of the world to the Indian audience. Our MOU with ETOA was intended to explore new products in that area.

What is it that you wish from the overseas govern-

ment to improve their inbound business from India?

To woo Indian business, overseas governments need to rethink their strategy from our cultural and social norms. Indians prefer travelling with their families so visa cost adds up to their budgets. All the countries where either visa is gratis or cheaper are seeing the surge in numbers and that attracts Indians. Faster visa processes add to the numbers. Another factor that enhances business is investing in advertising in India and creating awareness about the destination as Indians have a

habit of travelling to a destination they keep hearing about.

What is the selection criteria of OTOAI for its members to be invited on such exclusive tourism missions?

OTOAI sends it's entire members' list with their profile to the organisation that is organising such events. It is totally their prerogative to invite whom they feel will benefit. It is not necessary that only those members are picked up who give business to their destination but even those who don't send clients to that country or region are

considered as potentials as their clients are always asking for newer destinations.

Is there a message you wish to convey regarding OTOAI’s work on building partnerships with new and established regions across the globe?

OTOAI is always looking out for meaningful alliances and partnerships which evolve into visible results. We do not want MOUs just to be signed and which do not have specific results. Return on investments, be it financial or time must show up.

EXPRESS TRAVELWORLD

33

May 2015

EVENT ROUNDUP

'INDIAHAS BROKEN THE ALL-TIME RECORD FOR MOSTNUMBER OFVISITORS TO THE UK IN 2013' Punam Singh, executive director, OTOAI (Outbound Tour Operators Association of India) shares her views on MAMA 2015 and the partnership between ETOA and OTOAI As an expert in the UK sector, how has the region performed over time?

India has shown steady growth virtually year-on-year for UK since the last decade.

While quoting numbers, I would like to remind you that London and Britain officially offer data from the International Passenger Survey - IPS, which is a sample survey and therefore, not following a landing card system, actual figures and data for London and Britain is likely to be significantly higher. India has broken the all-time record for most number of visitors to the UK in 2013.

For 2013 there was a 10 per cent annual growth compared to 2012, when visitor numbers were 339,000 and so this

34 EXPRESS TRAVELWORLD May 2015

means an additional 33,900 visitors in 2013. Total number of visitors in 2013 = 339,000 + 33,900 = 372,900 which is a new record. The highest so far was 371,000 back in 2010. The visitor spend till September 2013 stands at ÂŁ349 million and this is already higher than entire 2012, so when the spend figures are released for the entire year (January-December 2013), we would easily break the record of all time highest spend as well.

What is it that the travel agents in India need to consider before promoting UK and Ireland?

I think the main challenge is that UK visa usually takes a processing time of up to two weeks from the date of the bio-

metrics, and in peak travel time, this goes up in many cases; so a comfortable time margin for visa processing needs to be maintained rather than hitting the panic button at the last minute. The good news is that UK visas are all multiple entry visas and therefore travellers can go up and down frequently. The plethora of sightseeing options available, with 70 per cent of London's museums and galleries offering free entry, makes this destination attractive for die hard sightseeing fans. The food choices are also wide ranging.

Further, with atleast six iconic sports venues in London, performing arts and vibrant theatre scene, attractive shopping, iconic historical and cul-

tural spots makes the region attractive. Interestingly, from the MICE and events perspective, all museums, galleries, stately houses, sports stadia, historic ships, most palaces, are all event venues.

What were the main highlights of MAMA 2015?

ETOA is a premium travel trade association globally influencing over a billion dollars in spend which presents focused networking and business opportunities on the scale and variety on offer. An impeccable event format, an iconic venue and the seamless facilitation of the ETOA team were visible throughout MAMA 2015.

What made you spearhead

the partnership between ETOA and OTOAI? Seriously, this came about due to an old, efficient and respectworthy relationship and partnership between myself and Martine Ainsworth Wells, as we have been colleagues and co-conspirators so as to speak in promoting London in India from my VisitLondon days.

We have worked together since 2005, are passionate about London and therefore, prior to the last WTM, when we were wondering how our respective associations could work together for mutual benefit; we decided to sign an inter association MoU, specifically for MAMA 2015 and bring an Indian group of agents to up the London and Britain ante so as to speak.

CONSERVATION

Eco tourism in the wild Local communities in Dudhwa Tiger Reserve are being successfully engaged in eco tourism initiatives – from encouraging girls to get trained as nature guides to helping local people manage government owned accommodation where tourists can stay

By Sudipta Dev

T

HE FORESTS and grasslands of the Terai region in Uttar Pradesh is home to the Royal Bengal Tiger. Dudhwa Tiger Reserve comprises of three Protected Areas - Dudhwa National Park, Kishanpur Wildlife Sanctuary (both in Lakhimpur-Kheri district of Uttar Pradesh), and the Katerniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary. About 20 per cent of the core area of the Dudhwa National Park is open for eco tourism for the public. “We have identified certain routes. The number of persons going per day is decided as it is a very delicate ecological balance.

These are the preserves of wilderness and there has to be least intervention from man in places like Dudhwa,” says Sanjaya Singh, field director, Dudhwa Tiger Reserve, pointing out that the entry of number of vehicles per day is also fixed along with the limit in specific times for allowing the number of tourists. He acknowledges that at present there is large potential in terms of capacity, as there is not much awareness about Dudhwa among tourists. UP Forest Corporation is the nodal

agency for eco tourism initiatives in the state.

Though Dudhwa National Park comes under Project Tiger, the flagship species of the park is the swamp deer. It has the second highest number of swamp deer in Asia. It is also home to the one horned rhino which was introduced in the park in the mid 80s. “Other than Kaziranga National Park in Assam you can see the one horned rhino only in Dudhwa. We had started with seven rhinos in the eighties, now the numbers are more than 30,” mentions Singh.

The rhinos habitat is the big grasslands of the region. It is also a birdwatcher's paradise – more than 400 plus varieties of birds can be found in the area.

“Our USP for the rich luxurious forests of Katerniaghat is where rare is common. Gangetic dolphin, Gangetic crocodile, alligator, vultures - in one trip you can see all the four. This is apart from leopards, tigers, rhinos, and other animals,” adds Singh.

Community engagement No eco tourism initiative can be successful without engaging the local community. At Dudhwa Tiger Reserve, efforts have been made to encourage local girls to become nature guides. “Currently there are five women nature guides who are doing very well,” informs Singh.

The guides have been trained to spot the flora and fauna birds, reptiles, climbers, shrubs.

“We do not invite people for tiger safari, we tell them to come and feel the forest,” asserts Singh.

The new initiatives include photographic safari. An upcoming

No eco tourism initiative can be successful without engaging the local community. At Dudhwa Tiger Reserve, efforts have been made to encourage local girls to become nature guides project is bird safari with photography.

All the guides are sensitive about conservation and protection of environment. The Protected Areas, claims Singh, is free of polythene. The guides carry with themselves jute bags, if by chance a tourist has left litter on the road, they will stop the vehicle and collect the object. Incidentally, the speed limit for vehicles is 25 to 30 km in the area.

There are few hospitality projects near Dudhwa Tiger Reserve and the local communities are being encouraged to be involved in such projects. In Dudhwa National Park there are 14 huts other than rest houses, which are government owned.

These rest houses are heritage properties, more than 100 years old. The oldest was built in 1870.

With the state chief minister having given permission for

restoration, efforts are being made to rope in experts on heritage properties who can give advice on how to maintain these structures. In terms of modern accommodation there are plans for tented Swiss cottages in the vicinity.

In Katerniaghat there are eight huts along with dormitories. The local people have been trained to manage these properties.

EXPRESS TRAVELWORLD

35

May 2015

MOVEMENTS Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport, Kolkata A K SHARMA has taken over the charge of airport director at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport, Kolkata. Before this he was posted as regional executive director, western region -AAI, Mumbai. He has vast experience of around 29 years in the field of airport engineering,

A K Sharma

management and operations.

Sharma has undergone training in Paris on airport management by Airport-de-Paris and two weeks training by European Union and also one week training in Master Planning by Airport -de- Paris in NIAMAR, New Delhi. He did a certificate course on International Executive Diploma in Project Management from George Washington University, Washington, USA.

ness Aircraft sales for Eastern US and Canada. Most recently, Likoray held the position of vice president, Business Aircraft sales for North America.

Accelya Accelya has appointed JOHN JOHNSTON as group chief executive officer. His induction in Accelya’s leadership team is a part of the succession plan of Philippe Lesueur, president, Accelya Group, who will continue to remain on the Board of Accelya companies and serve as an advisor.

Johnston was until recently, chief executive officer of Champ Cargosystems and has been responsible for the creation and growth of Champ Cargosystems into one of the world’s largest dedicated IT providers to the aircargo industry. During his career, he has held senior executive positions in several countries and has provided senior management and consulting services to a number of global airlines.

Princess Cruises Princess Cruises has appointed BRIAN O’CONNOR to the role of vice president, public relations, effective June 1. He succeeds Julie Benson who will retire May 29, after 32 years of service. In this role, O’Connor will lead the team accountable for media

Bombardier Bombardier has appointed PETER LIKORAY as senior vice president of sales for Business Aircraft.

Likoray joined Bombardier's Amphibious Aircraft division in 1990 - first within the parts sales team and then as sales director. He has been selling business jets for Bombardier Business Aircraft since 2005.

In 2011, he was appointed regional vice president of Busi-

36

EXPRESS TRAVELWORLD

May 2015

Brian O’Connor

relations, publicity, social media, community relations, ship introductions and special events. He will drive messaging for product and program launches and be responsible for issues management and crisis communications. He will also oversee the collaboration among the international public relations teams in the United Kingdom, Australia and throughout Asia. O’Connor is a graduate of Michigan State University’s School of Communication Arts & Sciences.

Tourism Fiji Three new appointments have been made to the Tourism Fiji board. TRUMAN BRADLEY has been appointed as the new chairman. Also appointed were tourism industry veteran DIXON SEETO and HOWARD POLITINI (JNR).

They bring the number of directors to eight. The other members are Permanent Secretary for Industry, Trade and Tourism, Shaheen Ali, hoteliers Shane Cunning, Josephine Smith-Moffat and Geoffrey Shaw and marketing expert Lawrence Tikaram.

TIAC CHARLOTTE BELL has been appointed as president and CEO of the Tourism Industry Association of Canada (TIAC) effective April 9, 2015.

With more than 25 years of experience in regulatory, corporate and government affairs, Bell is a seasoned executive bringing a wealth of experience and proven track record of success leading regulatory change in the broadcast sector.

As an experienced advisor and advocate, Charlotte spearheaded regulatory and public affairs strategies leading to successful acquisitions of major media properties and was pivotal in obtaining policy and regulatory reform in the broadcast industry by building strategic partnerships and alliances. She also more recently led corporate affairs strategies for At-

ExecuJet ExecuJet Aviation Group has appointed RICHARD PORTER to the newly created position of business development and key account manager. Based in ExecuJet’s Singapore office, his responsibilities include continuing the expansion of ExecuJet’s aircraft management business, increasing the company’s client base and overseeing operational and service standards for all aircraft under management in the Asia region.

Porter has over 23 years of experience in business aviation, most recently as key account manager for flight operations with ExecuJet in Australia. He first joined ExecuJet in 2005 in the United Kingdom and has held various operational responsibilities within the group. Earlier in his career, Porter worked in operational and engineering roles for companies including Shell, Raytheon and Hawker Pacific in locations including Holland and Saudi Arabia.

lantic Lottery Corporation overseeing stakeholder and community relations as well as corporate reputation.

Wyndham Hotel Group Wyndham Hotel Group has appointed BARRY GOLDSTEIN as chief digital and distribution officer. In this position, Goldstein will be responsible for managing and optimising Wyndham Hotel Group’s digital assets and presence including its web and mobile sites, next generation mobile apps, online media, digital content, third party distribution and the company’s newly created hotel marketing services group that is focused on driving local property revenues and balanced distribution. In addition, he will lead the company’s sales technology strategy. He previously served as chief revenue officer at Dolce Hotels and Resorts, which was acquired by Wyndham Hotel Group in February 2015. Prior to joining Dolce Hotels and Resorts in November 2009, he served five years at Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide as vice president, global sales strategy, technology and operations.

Wyndham Wyndham has appointed NADEEN AYALA as senior vice president – communications. Ayala will oversee and align all internal and external communication functions for the company and for its lodging business, Wyndham Hotel Group. In this role, she will be responsible for setting strategic direction, planning and implementing global public relations, internal communications and franchisee communications, while articulating the hospitality giant’s mission to its key stakeholders, including media, consumers, franchisees and employees.

Daydream Island Resort & Spa Daydream Island Resort & Spa in the Whitsundays has appointed EMMA SCARROTT as regional sales manager. She will be responsible for driving regional sales for the resort and building relationships with key industry partners. Scarrott replaces previous regional sales manager Aimee Cameron who has been promoted to guest services manager at Daydream.

EXPRESS TRAVELWORLD

G IN

SI N C

30

E 1986

SERV

BUSINESS AVENUES

www.swagatamtours.com

E-mail : rameshbabu@swagatamtour.com

APPROVED BY DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM, GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

EXPRESS TRAVELWORLD

May 2015 37

EXPRESS TRAVELWORLD

38 May 2015

BUSINESS AVENUES

EXPRESS TRAVELWORLD

weekend

E V E N T S

GOLF GLORY KLM India recently organised the KLM Corporate Golf Tournament 2015 at the Golden Greens Golf Course, Gurgaon which witnessed participation from over 100 golfers

SHOWCASING INDIA The India showcase event, conceptualised, produced and directed by Wizcraft International Entertainment, was organised at the opening ceremony of HANNOVER MESSE 2015 held in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel

NEW CONNECTIONS L-R: Aditya Ghosh, president, IndiGo with T R Zeliang,

IMPARTING KNOWLEDGE MTPA India recently conducted a travel agents’ seminar in Mumbai

chief minister, Nagaland at the launch of IndiGo's maiden flight from Dimapur to Kolkata

JOINING HANDS Kuoni DVMS (Dubai Visa & Marhaba Services) store was recently launched in Colombo, Sri Lanka

WEDDING SEASON The Tourism Authority of Thailand’s offices in Mumbai and Delhi showcased a collection of beach resort destinations during a wedding planners' familiarisation trip for 30 key players from across the country’s top destination wedding markets

EXPRESS TRAVELWORLD

39

May 2015

weekend

E V E N T S

TRADE NEGOTIATIONS Magali Silva, minister of foreign trade and tourism,

EMERGING OUTBOUND GATEWAY Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority in

Peru recently announced further negotiations to India-Peru FTA

association with Etihad Airways and Jet Airways recently invited travel trade professionals in Pune over an evening of discovering the multi-faceted attractions of Abu Dhabi

EXPLORING OPPORTUNITIES Kerala Tourism’s Visit Kerala 2015, a new iniWELL CRAFTED (Centre) Madhavan Menon, managing director, Thomas Cook India at the launch of Thomas Cook India's coffee table book 'Art of Travelling' in collaboration with the Israel Ministry at JW Marriott Mumbai Sahar

tiative to promote the destination and its products, was recently inaugurated at The Ashok, New Delhi

DISCOVERING ARGENTINA

Tomas Ferrari, consul general, Argentina in Mumbai recently hosted the fifth edition of World Malbec Day to pay tribute to Argentina’s flagship grape variety – MALBEC at the Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbai Argentina Tourism recently concluded its four city interactive training seminars titled ‘Discover the Wonders of Argentina’ held in Pune, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad and Chennai

40 EXPRESS TRAVELWORLD May 2015

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.