EDITOR’S NOTE
April angst
T
he situation looks rather challenging especially for Indian tour operators working as inbound tourism consultants and experts. Though the PMO gives out positive messages with respect to tourism, the ground reality seems otherwise. Business has been damp and depressing and tour operators sound highly dejected with the situation. To further add to the woes, the government has taken a decision to increase monument fees for international tourists at both Category A and Category B ASI protected monuments. The team at IATO recently went through several and serious rounds of negotiations to revise the proposed monument fee hike which was issued by CAG. However, the meeting was successful in bringing down the entry fee to some extent. The meeting was concluded with decisions to increase entry fees for Category B monuments from `100 to `200 instead of the previously decided amount of `300. A premium ticket will be introduced at `300 with some value additions. Similarly, for Category A monuments, there will be increase from `250 to `500 instead of `750; a premium ticket
HEAD OFFICE MUMBAI EXPRESS TRAVELWORLD® Ashwin Kamble The Indian Express (P) Ltd. Business Publication Division 2nd Floor, Express Tower, Nariman Point Mumbai- 400 021 Board line: 022- 67440000 Ext. 527 Mobile: +91 9833666558 Email id: ashwin.kamble@expressindia.com Branch Offices NEW DELHI Baljinder Singh The Indian Express (P) Ltd. Business Publication Division Express Building, B-1/B Sector 10 Noida 201 301 Dist.Gautam Budh nagar (U.P.) India. Board line: 0120-6651500. Mobile: +91 9999070900 Fax: 0120-4367933 Email id: baljinder.singh@expressindia.com CHENNAI Mathen Mathew The Indian Express (P) Ltd.
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“The good news is that the government is promising to offer tourist facilities at these sites through the PPP model, which is the need of the hour” Vill & PO- Ankurhati P.S.- Domjur (Nr.Ankurhati Check Bus Stop), Dist. Howrah- 711 409 Mobile: +91 9831182580 Email id: ajanta.sengupta@expressindia.com KOCHI The Indian Express (P) Ltd. Ground Floor, Sankoorikal Building, Kaloor – Kadavanthra Road Kaloor, Kochi – 682 017 COIMBATORE The Indian Express (P) Ltd. No. 205-B, 2nd Floor, Vivekanand Road, Opp. Rajarathinam Hospital Ram Nagar, Coimbatore- 641 009 AHMEDABAD Nirav Mistry The Indian Express (P) Ltd. 3rd Floor, Sambhav House, Near Judges Bunglows, Bodakdev, Ahmedabad - 380 015 Mobile: +91 9586424033
will cost `750 with similar value additions. These new rates will be effective April 1, 2016. The good news is that the government is promising to offer tourist facilities at these sites through the PPP model, which is the need of the hour. We can only wait in the wings to see the dawn of what's promised, like improved toilet facilities, food counters, etc. Our cover story this month draws attention to the fact that our country is rich in splendid architectural marvels in form of the temple structures. These spots are not only places for pilgrim tourism but also attractive for the curious and discerning traveller who wants to observe and explore the intricacies in art and architecture. All we need is a little care and concern so that such tourism zones can be converted into quality experiences and not stressful visits. Looking ahead, we hope the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) to be held from April 25-28 in Dubai brings some cheer to the Indian travel trade. REEMA LOKESH Editor editorial.etw@expressindia.com
BHOPAL Ashwin Kamble The Indian Express (P) Ltd. Business Publication Division 2nd Floor, Express Tower, Nariman Point Mumbai- 400 021 Board line: 022- 67440000 Ext. 527 Mobile: +91 9833666558 Email id: ashwin.kamble@expressindia.com JAIPUR Baljinder Singh The Indian Express (P) Ltd. S2,J-40, Shyam GHP Enclave, Krishna Marg, C-Scheme, Jaipur - 302 001 Mobile: +91 9868848013 Email id: baljinder.singh@expressindia.com
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CONTENTS MANAGEMENT
TEM
IN
Vol 11 No 3 APRIL 2016 Pages 40 Chairman of the Board
Viveck Goenka Sr Vice President - BPD
Neil Viegas Editor
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The divers the nu sprea breadt whic
Reema Lokesh* Chief of Product
Prabhas Jha Assistant Editor
TAMPA BAY’S MULTI-CULTURAL LEGACY FROM ITS DIVERSE HISTORICAL LEGACY TO EXOTIC BEACHES TO BEING A BEER LOVER'S AND FOODIE'S PARADISE, TAMPA BAY AND ST PETERSBURG /CLEARWATER IN FLORIDA ARE EMERGING AS MAJOR TOURISM DESTINATIONS THAT HAVE AN EXCITING MIX OF OFFERINGS FOR VISITORS OF VARIED INTERESTS
Steena Joy Sr. Associate Editor
Sudipta Dev CONTENT TEAM Mumbai
Rituparna Chatterjee Kolkata
Joy Roy Choudhury New Delhi
Saloni Bhatia DESIGN National Design Editor
Bivash Barua Assistant Art Director
EDGE
Pravin Temble Senior Graphic Designerr
Rushikesh Konka
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Senior Artist
Ratilal Ladani, Kiran Parker SCHEDULING & COORDINATION
Ashish Anchan Photo Editor
TEMPLE TOWNS OF
Sandeep Patil MARKETING Regional Heads
Harit Mohanty - East & West Prabhas Jha - North Dr. Raghu Pillai - South Manager
Ashwin Kamble Marketing Team
Debnarayan Dutta Ajanta Sengupta Baljinder Singh Mathen Mathew Ravindra Pawar CIRCULATION
INDIA
AMAZING MOMENTS AT EXPLOREGB FROM LATEST ATTRACTIONS AND EVENTS TO THE LAUNCH OF A NEW CAMPAIGN, SEVERAL SIGNIFICANT ANNOUNCEMENTS WERE MADE AT THIS YEAR'S EXPLOREGB EVENT HELD AT LIVERPOOL
(16-21)
MARKETS
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TOUR OPERATORS MOOT FOR ETHICAL TOURISM TO END PRICE WARS ON HOTEL RATES
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ADTOI CONVENTION TO FOCUS ON PUTTING KHAJURAHO ON DOMESTIC TOURIST MAP
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JET AIRWAYS TO LAUNCH DAILY FLIGHTS FROM DELHI AND MUMBAI TO AMSTERDAM
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'SPONGE CAPITAL OF THE WORLD' LOOKS TO DRAW INDIAN TOURISTS
Mohan Varadakar PRODUCTION
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General Manager
B R Tipnis Manager
Bhadresh Valia Express TravelWorld® POSTAL REGD. NO. MCS/163/2016 – 18 RNI Reg. No.MAHENG/2005/15993 Printed by The Indian Express (P) Ltd. 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)
P03: EDITOR’S NOTE P35 : APPOINTMENTS P36 : WEEKEND
BUDGET IS THE BUZZWORD THE RECENTLY RELEASED GOOGLE TRAVEL TRENDS REPORT BY GOOGLE INDIA REVEALED THAT IN DOMESTIC HOTEL INDUSTRY, BRANDED BUDGET HOTEL CHAINS ARE DRIVING THE GROWTH OF HOTEL BOOKINGS ONLINE
Copyright © 2016 The Indian Express (P) 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
IN THE NEWS
Tour operators moot for ethical tourism to end price wars on hotel rates Saloni Bhatia New Delhi TOUR OPERATORS in India are looking at formulating ethical tourism principles which would benefit all industry partners. The proliferation of online travel portals which display prices at heavy discounts for hotel bookings has led to a price war among the online and offline channels. In conversation with Express TravelWorld, Rakesh Lamba, co-chairman, Association of Domestic Tour Operators of India (ADTOI), said, “Under the ethical tourism policy we are
requesting our principals, that is hoteliers, to allow discounted rates only to be displayed at B2B portals not on B2C portals. There has been a price war which is leading to confusion among travellers and losses for the industry. The B2C portals should have common rates set by the hotels and the discounted rates should only be visible on B2B portals. Service standards have also gone down drastically in the absence of respectable margins.” This policy would not only benefit the hotels and tour operators but create a standard for the industry. Lamba added,
We are not competing against technology but wish to adopt it in an ethical manner. This policy would be a win win situation
“Since in the B2C portals the clients would only see the selling price, they would book directly or via a tour operator. The portals would make profits in both the cases and would also get a loyal team of professional tour operators. This systems would create repetitive sales for everybody.” It aims at bringing the customers back to the agents as the latter would not have access to B2B portals. Lamba advocated, “We are not competing against technology but wish to adopt it in an ethical manner. The new online portals cannot compete with the the local operators in
terms of knowledge and consultancy. This policy would be a win win situation for everybody.” He mentioned that hotels will benefit from this as average room rate (ARR) will increase as discounted rates are not displayed, OTAs will be making better profits and will not squeeze hotels for lower rates. Furthermore, direct customers of the hotels will not have any complaints as display rates on these sites will be higher than net rates quoted to OTAs. This will result in gaining the confidence and enhancing the hotels' credibility amongst direct clients.
Unique aspects of Scandinavia increasingly attracting Indians Sudipta Dev Mumbai THE FACT that the new age Indian traveller is willing to explore unique experiences in new destinations is reaffirmed by the interest that all the three countries in Scandinavia have witnessed in recent years. Acknowledging that Sweden, Norway and Denmark have seen significant growth, Mohit Batra, Indian representative, Scandinavian Tourism Board revealed, “While Denmark has shown a growth of 30 per cent, Sweden has close to 20 per cent on a much higher base, Norway we do not account the numbers however the growth has been equally notable.” Unique tourism aspects of
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Mohit Batra
the region’sa highlights include the Fjords, the Northern lights, midnight sun, heritage, Nordic cuisine, sustainable living, UNESCO World Heritage Sites, Sami Culture and the Vikings. “The capitals of Scandinavia –
Copenhagen, Stockholm and Oslo have their own distinct experiences - attractions, museums, culture, architectures and design, and most importantly sustainable living,” added Batra. Day visits from these capi-
tal cities offer a wide range of exciting experiences, for instance from Copenhagen a trip to Odense the birthplace of Hans Christian Anderson, Roskilde one of the oldest cities of Denmark where tourists can go sailing like a
Viking. “We have observed that the Indian traveller today is seeking to travel to very small villages to admire nature and experience local cuisine. Another trend we have observed is that Indians are handpicking destination and combining them with locations which are not geographically neighbouring countries,” he mentioned. The main growth has come from markets like Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, and Bengaluru. “Our aim is to raise awareness of the Scandinavian region at large – but also raising awareness of what each individual countries of Denmark, Norway and Sweden have to offer,” averred Batra, pointing out that Scandinavia is as an ideal destination for group, family and solo vacations.
IN THE NEWS
ADTOI convention to focus on putting Khajuraho on domestic tourist map Saloni Bhatia New Delhi ASSOCIATION of Domestic Tour Operators of India (ADTOI) is set to host its seventh Annual Convention in Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh from April 8-11, 2016. Talking to Express TravelWorld about the theme of the convention ‘Domestic Tourism- Billion + Opportunities’, Jyoti Kapur, president, ADTOI, stated, “Estimated number of domestic tourists travelling across the country has crossed the billion mark. We
fits of the convention and involvement of the government, Kapur, stated, “Since there is participation and support from the state tourism boards and other stakeholders in the industry, there will be various tourism products at display. The benefits will be both at micro and macro level as we also plan to promote Khajuraho as a domestic destination. We plan to promote it extensively to our clients.” Aggarwal opined, “Madhya Pradesh has a lot to offer and caters to all segments of
Estimated number of domestic tourists travelling across the country has crossed the billion mark. Our nation is the biggest democracy with a population of 1.23 billion people. By channelising these big numbers in the right direction we can take domestic tourism to new heights feel that the progressive growth of domestic tourism has a multiplier effect in the economies of the country and would lead to employment generation and economic prosperity.” Sanjay Aggarwal, convention chairman, added, “Our nation is the biggest democracy with a population of 1.23 billion people. By channelising these big numbers in the right direction we can take domestic tourism to new heights.” Discussing about the bene-
domestic tourists. We plan to bring Khajuraho on the domestic tourism map through this convention. There would be more than 200 delegates and 50 plus special invites at this convention. There would be business sessions accompanied by some visionary speakers and delegates sharing their stories. The association looks forward to bringing together all the stakeholders who can promote domestic tourism in the country.”
'Khajuraho is a destination not only for heritage and wildlife but also for weddings' Hari Ranjan Rao, managing director, Madhya Pradesh State Tourism Development Corporation talks about his expectations from the seventh Association of Domestic Tour Operators of India (ADTOI) Annual Convention being held at Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh from April 8-11, 2016 By Rituparna Chatterjee Why was Khajuraho chosen for the ADTOI Annual Convention? The Khajuraho Group of Monuments is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is also home to the Panna National Park, which is a tiger reserve. It is the most talked about national park because in 2009 its tiger population became extinct which has now bounced back to a sizable number. This is one of the most remarkable success stories of tiger conservation in India. Khajuraho is one of the most important destinations in Madhya Pradesh to attract international tourists. But domestic tourists have also been visiting Khajuraho. There have been a couple of developments recently to boost domestic tourism. Khajuraho has direct air connectivity from Delhi. Recently, a new airport terminal building was inaugurated there. Moreover, Khajuraho recently got railway connectivity. The Khajuraho railway station is directly connected to Delhi and there is an overnight train from Delhi. We will also have direct trains from Mumbai and Kolkata to Khajuraho. Now Khajuraho is also at the criss-cross junction of three National Highways. Khajuraho will be well connected to Mahoba, Jhansi, Allahabad, Varanasi, Patna, etc. All these are good ingredients to boost domestic tourism into Khajuraho. This destination is a gateway to several national parks. From the Panna
Hari Ranjan Rao
National Park tourists can drive to Bandhavgarh National Park, Kanha National Park and Pench National Park. Madhya Pradesh looks forward to the seventh ADTOI Annual Convention because Khajuraho is a destination not only for heritage and wildlife but also for weddings. We are excited about this. What are your expectations from the ADTOI annual convention? We expect the ADTOI annual convention to give exposure to the domestic tour operators about the potential of Madhya Pradesh and Khajuraho in particular. Moreover, we also want to capitalise and take our relationship with ADTOI forward.
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IN THE NEWS
Northern Ireland Tourism Ireland bets big of Game of continues its Thrones experiences bullish run in India Reema Lokesh Mumbai
Sudipta Dev Mumbai THE NEW exciting tourism highlight for visitors to Northern Ireland is the Game of Thrones attractions. “Apart from activities there are coach tours to different locations where the seasons of the show were filmed. Hotels are coming up with Game of Thrones banquets which can be done for small groups. Of course if there is a large MICE group, a lot of businesses will be happy to accommodate them,” said Aubrey Irwin, head of Northern Ireland, Tourism Ireland. The highlights of the tours range from entry into Winterfell Castle Archery Range to
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'behind the scenes' gossip from tour guides. Visitors also have the option of trying of the costumes from the series. The tours cover well known locations like The Dark Hedges to Ballintoy Harbour. An essential aspect for most visitors is of course the World Heritage Site of Giant Causeway, which remains Northern Ireland's most recognised tourism landmark. Pointing out that Titanic Belfast has immediate recognition with tourists across the world, including India, Irwin mentioned that in fact it won Best Visitor Attraction at the 2015 European Group Travel Awards. Another interesting tourism product of Northern
Ireland are the houseboats. “The region is one and a half hours drive from Belfast. The lake region has been welcoming groups in languid, still quiet waterways and the main markets have been Switzerland and Germany. These houseboats are different from big cruises and can accommodate maximum eight people,” mentioned Irwin. He also believes that in Northern Ireland the bed & breakfast (B&B) product is a wonderful option for people who want to see other cultures. “These B&B are checked by the tourism authorities and given grades up to five stars. The five star B&B is very luxurious,” he remarked.
IRELAND as a destination has witnessed a positive upswing in tourist arrivals in 2015 from the global market including India. From visitor arrivals, to revenue spend the growth story has been rather bullish. India though an emerging market is a priority market in the Asian region. The growth story for Tourism Ireland receives further impetus due to the increase in flight connectivity through the Middle East carriers (28 flights per week from India) the British Irish Visa Scheme (BIVS) for the India market and the branding and focused promotions in the India market to reiterate Ireland's position as a niche tourism experience. Tourism Ireland, has a clear plan in place to focus on 3 market segments, 1)Culturally Curious, 2) Social Energisers and 3) Great Escapers. Niall Gibbons, chief executive, Tourism Ireland, on his recent visit to India, sounded bullish about the India market as well as its performance on a global platform. 2015 proved to be an encouraging year for the tourism board as both the revenue from tourism and visitor arrivals witnessed an upswing. Gibbons attributes the success to focused and targeted brand campaigns and promotions, the robust presence on social media, as it is Num-
From education connections, to trade, the Indo-Irish relationship in both tourism and trade is highly encouraging ber 3 on Facebook, No. 2 on You Tube and Twitter respectively. Speaking on the India market, Gibbons says, "India is a very important market for us. From education connections, to trade relations, the Indo-Irish relationship in both tourism and trade is highly encouraging.” He further added that the tourism board has also worked out attractive schemes and tax friendly policies for film producers to continue their faith in Ireland as a attractive film shooting destination. Their focus is continue to work with the Indian trade penetrating into newer markets and continue with their education and training programmes and sales missions as that works well for the destination.
IN THE NEWS
Jet Airways to launch daily flights from Delhi and Mumbai to Amsterdam Saloni Bhatia New Delhi JET AIRWAYS is expected to launch daily flights from Delhi and Mumbai to Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. Apart from raising Holland's profile on the Indian outbound market, this would also add another stopover option to people travelling to Toronto, Canada. The airline would use an Airbus A330- 300 for these routes, with 34 seats in premier class and 259 seats in economy class. A recent press conference was held in New Delhi to announce the launch. Aplhonsus Stoelinga, ambassador of Netherlands to India; Jos Vranken, managing director, NBTC; Wilco Sweijen., director aviation marketing, Amsterdam Airport Schiopol and Gaurang Shetty, director, Jet Airways were present at the event. Speaking to Express TravelWorld, Vranken, shared, “With these newly introduced direct flights from Jet Airways, we are confident Holland will
We are confident Holland will capitalise on the potential of the India market helping us achieve 16 million visitors by 2020 capitalise on the enormous potential of the India market helping us achieve 16 million global visitors by 2020. The projected 26 per cent growth rate would put India as a top destination for inbound travel. Currently two-third of the traffic is transit passengers, but we are focusing on promoting our country as the 'Holland City'. This will provide Indian visitors year around, easy to discover rea-
sons to travel be it shopping, culture, cycling or natural beauty.” Talking about the collaboration, Sweijan added, “India has always been a very important market for Netherlands. In terms of capacity and flights, this collaboration would bring us more passengers from the India market. This would not only help increase business traffic but will also give better opportunity for leisure travel. The airport is under one roof which provides smooth passage for transit travellers which contributes almost 40 per cent out of our 58 million passengers. We wish to connect Schiphol to the rest of the world and this brings us one step closer to our goal.” Shetty elaborated on the shift from Brussels airport to Schiphol in Amsterdam, he said, “Commercially Amsterdam is a better proposition and this route connecting India to North America and Canada would provide people with another option.”
Ethiopian Airlines announces double daily flights from New Delhi Saloni Bhatia New Delhi ETHIOPIAN AIRLINES completed 70 years of service since its inception in April 8, 1946 and 30 years of service to New Delhi. A press conference was held in New Delhi to celebrate this and also announce the commencement of double daily flights to Delhi. Tadesse Tilahun, regional director, India subcontinent, informed, “Ethiopian Airlines is the largest growing and most profitable airline of South America. We are already operating double daily flights out of Mumbai. Due to three per cent passenger growth and 70 per cent growth rate, we have Delhi joining the bandwagon. Now there would be double daily flights out of Delhi starting March end, so the capacity would increase by 100 per cent.” The airline connects New Delhi and Mumbai twice daily with more than 90 international destinations in
five continents. In addition it also creates a regular system of connection between the remaining 50 destinations in Africa. The airline operates from hubs like Addis Ababa, Lome and Lilongwe. Mahlet Kebede, manager traffic and sales manager, Ethiopian Airlines added, “These flights would help create business opportunities and convenient connectivity. We have offers like buy one get one free, discounted fares, frequent buyer, double bonus miles for our travellers till 31 May. The travel agents would get 30 per cent commission on flights. This is to promote the services and also tourism in the country.” Ethiopian Airlines is the largest operator of Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft which is operational in Mumbai. The airline also has bilateral clearance for 28 frequencies from the country and would soon add an additional point from Chennai or Bengaluru.
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IN THE NEWS
'Sponge capital of the world' looks to draw Indian tourists
Sudipta Dev Mumbai TARPON SPRINGS in Florida, US is a unique destination that is regarded as the 'sponge capital of the world', well known for its Mediterranean village like atmosphere and a distinctive Greek identity. A short distance from Orlando, the destination is yet to get many visitors from India, which the Tarpon Springs Chamber of Commerce would like to rectify. Talking about the uniqueness of the destination Maria Reza, president, Tarpon Springs Chamber of Commerce said, “In late 1800s, fishing and sponging industry grew in this
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area, and a lot of people from Greece came and settled here. That culture is still very rich in our city today. We have two visitor centres and there 50,000 visitors coming in annually. ” She added that the destination is famous for its lively sponge dock area with its quaint shops and restaurants, many of them are run by third and fourth generation Greek families. Not surprisingly, Tarpon Springs is famous for its Greek and Mediterranean food. The boats bring the sponges which are unloaded on the side walks which is an interesting site to see. “A lot of sponges were living organisms and there is a variety of sponges
which can be seen at the dock,” mentioned Reza. Visitors can also buy natural sponges harvested by local divers. The activities include sponge diving exhibitions, deep sea fishing and cruise excursions. The little town also has a vibrant art scene. “We are celebrating the 42nd annual fine arts festival. We select only the best artistes who come from all over the US,” stated Reza. The local museums are Safford House, Heritage Museum, Train Depot, Cultural Center, Center for Gulf Coast Folklife and Leepa-Rattner Museum of Art. Epiphany is another important ceremony, which includes young men diving in the water for a cross.
Europe Incoming opens first office in India Mohit Rathod Mumbai EUROPE INCOMING, a London-based destination management company (DMC) for Europe, has recently opened its first sales office in India. Based in Mumbai, the office is expected to facilitate seamless communication with the Indian travel trade community. The newly opened India office will join Europe Incoming’s network of offices spread across Europe; in London, Paris, Edinburgh, and Copenhagen/Malmö. Speaking to Express TravelWorld, Uma Somia, managing director of Europe Incoming, said, “We started dealing with the India market 20 years ago. Now we finally decided to open our first sales office in India. The factor that made us open a sales office in India is the volume of business that is coming from the India market. We feel this office will best serve our clients
based in India. It will also help us to understand client requirements more efficiently.” Mumbai contributes to around 60 per cent of the DMC’s business in the India market. However, the DMC is also planning to open offices in Coimbatore, Jaipur and Chandigarh to leverage upon the growing number of travellers from Tier II and Tier III cities due to increase in disposable incomes of people from these regions. Dylan Lall, executive director, Europe Incoming, suggested that the MICE segment is expected to perform better in 2016 than last year. Lall commented, “In 2015, leisure travel did well, but this year we believe that MICE will perform better. Leisure always had a steady growth rate, but MICE is now booming and showing incredible growth. However, we will balance our business on both, MICE and leisure.”
The factor that made us open a sales office in India is the volume of business that is coming from the India market. Mumbai contributes to around 60 per cent of the DMC’s business in the India market
IN THE NEWS
Adriatic DMC partners with Namaste Tourism in India Mohit Rathod Mumbai ADRIATIC DMC, a Croatia based destination management company, has partnered with India's Namaste Tourism as part of expanding its reach to the India market. As part of the partnership, effective from April 1, 2016, Namaste Tourism will represent Adriatic DMC in India, aiming at increasing outbound travel from India to Balkan regions such as Croatia, Slovenia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania, Serbia and Macedonia. Pave Zupan Ruskovic, senior advisor, Adriatic DMC, said, "Croatia is now one of the flourishing destinations in the Balkan regions. We have received a number of responses and
queries from the India market. Our partnership with Namaste Tourism will prove beneficial for Indian arrivals in the Balkan regions. MICE activities are also expected to grow." Subhash Motwani, founder director, Namaste Tourism, commented, "As Croatia and Slovenia are part of the European Union, there has been an increasing interest by Indians to visit these countries. Indians holding a valid multiple entry Schengen visa can visit most of these countries without obtaining individual visas. Turkish Airlines flies to all these countries via Istanbul and Air Arabia flies to Sarejevo as well. Turkish Airlines flies to Zagreb and will also be starting flights to Dubrovnik in the coming
months as well, which will definitely result in increase in footfalls." "MICE is definitely on the rise to these countries. Zagreb is having good connectivity with European carriers as well as Turkish Airlines. The infrastructure offered for MICE movements to Croatia and Slovenia is already there. The Adriatic and Balkan region will definitely have larger MICE movements from India. Now with flights to Dubrovnik offered by Turkish in the near future, MICE movements to Croatia and its surrounding regions will be encouraged more," added Motwani. Namaste Tourism plans to conduct training workshops for the travel trade as part of its marketing strategy to promote the destination.
Rajasthan to showcase its lesser known tourism offerings Mohit Rathod Jaipur RAJASTHAN Government's Tourism, Art and Culture department recently conducted the annual Rajasthan Festival to commemorate the 67th year of the state's foundation, aimed at highlighting the state's art, culture and heritage to attract tourism into the state. Rajasthan had launched an aggressive tourism promotion campaign in January 2016, along with which, the tourism department is also looking at other steps to boost
the sector due to its importance to state's economy. Tourism in fact contributes 14 per cent to the state's GDP. Shailendra Agarwal, principal secretary, Tourism, Art and Culture, Government of Rajasthan, said, "Rajasthan has been a prime tourist attraction for over 40 years now. The state has always had a huge number of local activities and fairs which were confined to the people of Rajasthan, but now we are marketing these activities and transforming them into tourist attractions. We want to break the traditional image of
The state has signed 156 MoUs in the tourism sector and an investment of `6,000 crore is expected to come this year
Rajasthan in the minds of tourists, which is limited to forts, palaces and deserts. We are highlighting Rajasthan's lesser known offerings by organising various large festivals." The state has signed 156 MoUs in the tourism sector and an investment of `6,000 crore is expected to come this year, revealed Agarwal. Furthermore, tourism in Rajasthan has been growing at an average five-six per cent annually. Agarwal also expressed that the public-private partnerships (PPP) are essential for the survival of
tourism today. Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation (RTDC) has plans to move some of their properties into PPPs, which is expected to bring more efficiency in operations and encourage tourism. Commenting on the significance of the MICE segment, Agarwal said, "MICE is an important area for tourism in the state. Jaipur has huge potential for serving MICE due to its proximity and connectivity to New Delhi. We already have one convention centre and another is underway."
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IN THE NEWS
Mumbai top India market for Taiwan Mohit Rathod Mumbai TAIWAN TOURISM Bureau (TTB) recently conducted a workshop and B2B session for travel trade in Mumbai, consisting of presentations by trade partners and B2B interactions. Arthur Hsieh, director of TTB Singapore Office, revealed that Mumbai is currently the top market in India contributing to tourism in Taiwan. Hsieh said, "Mumbai carries great potential for us. Most of the movements from the India market come from Mum-
bai, which is a reason behind organising this event. We want to create more awareness among the Indian travel trade. Before coming to Mumbai, we had done workhops in Kolkata and Bengaluru. However, Mumbai remains at the top." Mumbai is connected to Taiwan with Cathay Pacific's operations on Mumbai-Taipei, Mumbai-Kaohsiung and Mumbai-Taichung routes; which is considered an important factor. Cathay Pacific currently operates 10 weekly flights from Mumbai and 48 across India. In order to attract mosre tourism
As part of promoting Taiwan as a destination in the India market, our strategies will include workshops, increase in investment budget, and advertisements activities from India, the event stressed on easy visa process, incentives, connectivity and safety, along with tourism offerings. Overall, outbound travel from India to Taiwan is increasing
around 20 per cent annually. "MICE is growing and we have been receiving many queries from Indian travel agents. Taipei is a key destination visited by Indian travellers,
but they are also showing interest in explornig Southern Taiwan; cruises are also popular among them. The average stay of Indian travellers in Taiwan is five-six days. As part of promoting Taiwan as a destination in the India market, our strategies will include workshops, increase in investment budget, advertisements across various media platforms," Hsieh added. Globally, Hong Kong is currently the top contributor to tourism in Taiwan, with over 1.5 million arrivals annually; followed by Singapore with 400,000 arrivals.
Siliguri hosts maiden edition of Bengal Travel Mart Joy Roy Choudhury Kolkata THE BENGAL TRAVEL MART was recently held at Mainak Hotel Complex in Siliguri to showcase the state's tourism destinations to major tour operators and buyers from across the country and abroad. The event was jointly organised by North Bengal Development Department, West Bengal Tourism and Eastern Himalaya Travel & Tour Operators' Association (EHTTOA). Gautam Deb, North Bengal development minister and A R Bardhan, principal secretary, department of tourism, Government of West Bengal were present at the event along with other dignitaries. Speaking to Express TravelWorld, Partha Guha, general secretary, EHTTOA said, “We had invited noted tour operators and trade partners from outside Bengal to showcase to them the
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tourism products of our state. The objective was to educate and inform them about Bengal and about the different tour packages they can offer to their clients. We hope that post the successful business deliberations between the participating tour operators from outside and the tourism service providers from the state, there will be an increased interest about the tourist destinations in Bengal, which will help in increasing the tourist footfall into the state." He added, “Bengal Travel Mart was different from the tourism fairs that are generally organised in Kolkata and elsewhere in Bengal every year. The response to the first edition was overwhelming. We certainly plan to make it an annual event.” EHTTOA had roped in Association of Domestic Tour Operators of India (ADTOI) and Adventure Tour Operators Association of India (ATOAI) for the event.
Gautam Deb (third from right), North Bengal development minister and A R Bardhan (right), principal secretary, department of tourism, Government of West Bengal lighting the lamp to inaugurate the event
IN THE NEWS
Zinc Journey hotels to offer curated experiences in APAC Sudipta Dev Mumbai CG HOTELS & Resorts that had introduced the Zinc Journey brand to offer curated experiences in exotic locations across Asia Pacific, is adding new hotels across destinations. The company that has Zinc Journey hotels in Sri Lanka and China, is adding properties in Bhutan and is in serious discussions in India with owners and partners. “Since these are very unique products we want to be comfortable that all potential opportunities sit well with the brand proposition,” said Rahul Chaudhary, executive director, CG Hotels & Resorts. The parent company, CG Hotels & Resorts, is a global hospitality chain with 74 hotels. The group that had formed a JV with IHCL to start Taj Safaris a decade ago, entered into a strategic partnership with Concept Hospitality last year. In 2014, it formed a JV with promoters of Rohetgarh and
Rahul Chaudhary
Mihirgarh fort in Jodhpur for Zinc Journey. Pointing out that these independent boutique hotels are true cultural expressions of each distinctive destination, Chaudhary mentioned, “Zinc Journey is a brand created for the evolving and dynamic traveller who is seeking rare
and authentic experiences over the ordinary. The journeys are carefully built around the local customs, culture and heritage of the area, immersing guests in the ways of life of its people and their history while providing a completely different perspective from the norm.” From Tea
Horse trail in Shangrila and Lijiang in China to tea journey in Mandira, Sri Lanka the offerings of these properties are unique. According to Chaudhary the promotional strategy is as unique as the brand. “We feel word of mouth and social media channels are the most
credible channels of communication. Experience is everything. And that has been the intrinsic value in creating the brand,” he said, adding with confidence that Zinc Journey hotels will stand fairly differentiated and cater to guests who seek more than a hotel experience.
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BACKWATERS
Kerala Tourism Kindles a new interest First state tourism board to come out with Kindle version of destination books
ETW Staff Mumbai ONLINE READERS across the world will be able to get a close look at ‘God’s Own Country’ with Kerala Tourism taking to Kindle to provide a peep into its destinations. In a first of its kind by a state tourism board, five well illustrated and informed books on Kerala’s major tourism destinations are now available on Kindle, a favourite with ereaders with over a million
books to choose from. The five books, explaining Kerala’s rich tapestry of history and its natural swathe of enchanting green, are Kerala and the Spice Routes, Silent Valley National Park, Periyar Tiger Reserve, Eravikulam National Park and Park and Parambikulam Tiger Reserve. All the books are products of months of research and contain pictures taken by top professionals in nature and wild life photography. As a pio-
neer in using technology to provide information about Kerala and destinations, the state tourism department has taken a step further to appeal to the intellect and aesthetics of the discerning global traveller. The Kerala Tourism’s national and international award-winning website (www.keralatourism.org) is one of the leading tourism and travel websites in the world visited by millions of people. Kerala Tourism Facebook
All the books are products of months of research and contain pictures taken by top professionals in nature and wild life photography page, in English and German, is not only a medium for information about the state, but is also a popular interaction site among the fans of ‘God’s Own Country’.
Kerala Tourism is also the first tourism board in the country to webcast a classical dance performance of Theyyam live for the global audience.
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cover ) TEMPLE TOWNS OF
INDIA The cultural and religious diversity of India can be seen in the numerous ancient temples spread across the length and breadth of the country, many of which are also architectural marvels
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KHAJURAHO T
he Khajuraho Group of Monuments is a UNESCO World Heritage Site which is globally renowned for its erotic sculptures and Nagara-style architecture.The exquisite artwork of Khajuraho temples have mesmerised visitors since time immemorial. Interestingly, the origins are shrouded in regional folklore.The temples were built in the short span of a 100 years, from 9501050 AD in a truly inspired burst of creativity. Of the 85 original temples, 22 have survived till today to constitute one of the world's great artistic wonders. Khajuraho, the ancient Kharjjura-vahaka represents today a distinct pattern of art and temple architecture of its own reminding one of the rich and creative period it witnessed during the Chandela rule. It was the principal seat of authority of the Chandela rulers who have left a rich architectural legacy. But for Chausath-Yogini, Brahma and Mahadeva which are of
granite, all the other temples are of fine grained sandstone, buff, pink or pale yellow in colour. The architectural splendour testifies not only the craftsmen's artistry but also the extraordinary breadth of vision of the Chandela Rajputs under whose rule the temples were conceived and constructed.Yasovarman (AD 954) built the temple of Vishnu, now famous as Lakshmana temple, is an ornate and evolved example of its time proclaiming the prestige of the Chandelas.The Visvanatha, Parsvanatha and Vaidyanatha temples belong to the time of king Dhanga, the successor of Yasovarman.The Jagadambi, Chitragupta, are noteworthy among the western group of royal temples of Khajuraho. The largest and grandest temple of Khajuraho is the immortal Kandariya Mahadeva which is attributed to king Ganda (AD 1017-29). The temple is decorated with intri-
cate sculptures that are perfect examples of ancient Indian art.The other examples that followed viz., Vamana,Adinatha,Javari, Chaturbhuj and Duladeo, are smaller but elaborately designed. Accommodation options: The Lalit Temple View Khajuraho, Radisson Jass Hotel Khajuraho, Ramada Khajuraho, Hotel Clarks Khajuraho,Hotel Isabel Palace, etc.
Connectivity: Khajuraho is connected to Delhi and Agra with regular flights. Khajuraho has its own rail head. Apart from that, the other nearest railheads are: Mahoba (64 km), Harpalpur (94 km) and Jhansi (175 km). Khajuraho is connected by regular bus services with Gwalior (276 km) and Bhopal (340 km).
KANCHIPURAM
K
anchipuram, also known as the 'City of Thousand Temples', is one of India's seven sacred cities and is famous world over for its exquisite temples.Apart from Hindu temples, Kanchipuram is also home to few Jain temples, Buddhist monasteries and mosques.The city is divided into
two sectors – Vishnu Kanchi and Shiva Kanchi.While Lord Vishnu resides in the former division, Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati can be found in the latter.The Ekambareswarar, Kailasanathar,Thirumarugal,Varadharaja Perumal, Kamakshi Amman and Devarajaswami temples are
amongst the prominent ones. Dedicated to Lord Shiva, the Ekambareswarar Temple has been spoken about by Tamil poets of the second century.The temple is enormous and the doors are nearly 40 feet tall.The temple has a mango tree, which is 3,500 years old. Goddess Shakti is worshiped in three major cities out of which Kanchipuram ranks first in importance.The gold plated main tower and the golden chariot are the special features of the Kamakshi Amman Temple.This temple constructed on five acres of land, houses a gallery, which presents the life history of Adisankaracharya. Belonging to the eighth century, Kailasanathar Temple is amongst the oldest structures in the city and is dedicated to Lord Shiva.The con-
struction was commenced by Rajasimha Pallava, while his son Mahendra Varma Pallava completed it. The Devarajaswami Temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu and was constructed by the Vijayanagar kings. A 10-metre tall statue of Lord Vishnu lies immersed in a large tank, which is drained once every 40 years. It is that time when the statue can be viewed. Accommodation options: GRT Regency-Kanchipuram, Hotel Baboo Soorya, Shelter Beach Resort, among others. Connectivity: The closest airport to Kanchipuram is the Chennai Airport. Kanchipuram can also be reached via Chengalpattu Railway Station on the ChengalpattuArakkonam line. By road Kanchipuram is just 57 km from Chennai.
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HARIDWAR H
aridwar is renowned destination when it comes to temple towns of India, being the gateway to the four pilgrimages of Uttarakhand. Haridwar is also considered as the starting point among pilgrim tourists for their journey to the sacred sources of the rivers Ganga and the Yamuna.According to legend, Prince Bhagirath performed penance here to salvage the souls of his ancestors who had perished due to sage Kapil’s curse.The penance was answered and the river Ganga trickled forth from Lord Shiva's locks and its bountiful water revived the sons of King Sagara. In the tradition of Bhagirath, devout Hindus stand in the sacred waters here, praying for salvation of their ancestors. Hari Ki Pauri ghat, a major religious spot, was built by King Vikramaditya to commemorate the descending of Ganga after years of difficult prayers and fasting done by his ancestor Bhagirathi. It is believed
that Lord Vishnu had left his foot prints on a rock at this ghat. Everyday at twilight, the Har Ki Pauri ghat comes to life with singing prayers and lit up lamps along the Ganges where masses of people witness this ritual. It is believed that a bath at Har Ki Pauri provides salvation from sins and completely cleanses soul. Floral tributes and lit up lamps floating on the Ganges is an enchanting sight at this ghat. Standing atop the Neel Parvat, Chandi Devi is one of the prominent temples in Haridwar.The temple was built in 1929 A D by the king of Kashmir, Suchat Singh. It is believed that the main statue of goddess Chandi Devi, who killed the demon brothers Shumbh and Nishumbh, was laid here in the eighth century A D by Adi Shankracharya. Ropeway facility is also available to reach the temple. Bharat Mata Mandir is one of its kind in Haridwar and is dedicated to Mother India.The temple traces its
history from the times of Ramayana to present day.This eight-storied temple houses the pictures and idols of some of the great Indian men from ancient to present times and pictures of the various cities of India. Other renowned temples and places of tourists' interest include Mansa Devi temple, Sapt Rishi Ashram and Sapt Sarovar, Sati Kund and Rajaji National Park. Accommodation options: Radisson Blu Haridwar,Aalia On The
Ganges,The Haveli Hari Ganga,The Palms Resort, Ganga Lahari, Hotel Maharaja Deluxe, Rosewood Apartment Hotel, Hotel Ganga Exotica, Gardenia Hotel, Spa & Resort, Ambrosia Sarovar Portico and more. Connectivity: Jolly Grant Airport in Dehradun is the nearest airport, located about 30 km away. Haridwar is also well connected to all major cities and towns of India via rail and road.
DWARKA T
he temple town of Dwarka, also known as "the kingdom of Lord Krishna", is one of the most prominent pilgrim centres in India. Located at the western tip of the Saurashtra peninsula, this town enjoys remarkable importance in Hindu lore. It is the only place considered both, one of the four principal holy places (Char Dham), and as one of the seven ancient towns (Sapta Puris). Dwarka has witnessed millions of pilgrims and historical scholars over the centuries. It is believed that immediately after the death of Lord Krishna and the consequent demise of the Yadav dynasty, a massive flood swallowed Dwarka and submerged the city to the the ocean bed. Presently, Dwarka sits at the opening of the Gomti river on the Arabian Sea and
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is renowned for notable historical and religious sites. Dwarka is most known for Dwarkadhish Temple, also known as Jagat Mandir.The temple was built by Raja Jagat Singh Rathore; originally believed to be built by Vajranabh, the great grandson of Lord Krishna. Its exquisitely carved shikhar, reaching 43 m high and the huge flag made from 52 yards of cloth, can be seen from as far away as 10 km.The grandeur of the temple is enhanced by the flight of 56 steps leading to the rear side of the edifice on the side of the river Gomti.There are two gateways – Swarga Dwar, where pilgrims enter; and Moksha Dwar, where pilgrims exit.The lower section of the Dwarkadhish temple dates back to the 16th century and the soaring steeple with its numer-
ous clusters of small towers dates back to the 19th century.The Gomati Ghat Temples also carry huge significance among visitors to Dwarka.Visitors can also hire a boat and enjoy a panoramic view of Dwarka. Accommodation options: Manek The Ocean View, Goverdhan Greens, Dwarkadhish Lords Eco Inn, The Dwarika Hotel, Nova Narayan Inn, Hotel Damji and more. Connectivity: Jamnagar airport is the nearest domestic airport, located 137 km away from Dwarka. Flights to Mumbai are operated from this airport. Dwarka has its own railway station and connected to all major Indian cities via direct and connecting trains. State-run bus service is operated from various parts of Gujarat to Dwarka.
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MADURAI M
adurai, spreading along the banks of the river Vaigai in Tamil Nadu, has been a centre of learning and pilgrimage for centuries.There are several places of tourist attractions in Madurai, but among all Meenakshi Temple is the most popular.The Meenakshi Temple is the twin temple of Sundareswarar and Meenakshi.The construction process of the temple began 2000 years ago. Contributions from different rulers and especially from Thirmalai Naicker made this complex to extend drastically over an area of 65,000 sq m.The architectural excellence of this hall is that the pillars viewed from any angle will be on a straight line. Another noteworthy temple is the Koodal Azhagar, which is located in the heart of the city and is dedicated to Lord Vishnu. Koodal is another name for Madurai and Azhagar means the beautiful hence He is called Koodal Azhagar. Mari-
amman Teppakulam, also called Vandiyur Mariamman Teppakulam is two km from Meenakshi Temple in the town.Well laid out underground water channels connect Vandiyur Mariamman Teppakulam. It has 12 step ghats on all four sides of the 16 acre Teppakulam measuring almost 300 m by 300 m in size.The Float Festival at Vandiyur Mariamman Teppkulam is one of the most colourful temple festivals, held annually in the month of Thai (January-February) to mark the birth anniversary of King Thirumalai Nayak. Eight km from Madurai Junction is Thiruparankundram. One of the Six Special Abodes of Lord Murugan dedicated to Lord Subrahmanya is located here.The Sanctum Sanctorum is carved out of a single rock and the temple is believed to be in existence for many centuries.The Arulmigu Kallalagar Temple in Azhagar Kovil, located 21 km northwest of Madurai, is a Vishnu temple. Dur-
ing the Chitrai Festival in April/May, when the celestial marriage of Meenakshi to Sundareswarar is celebrated,Azhagar travels to Madurai. Palamudhirsolai, one of the six abodes of Lord Subramanya, is on the same hill, about four km above. Alagarkovil, a village situated very near Madurai at the foot of the range of hills called Alagarmalai, is famous for its ancient Vaishnavite temple.
Accommodation options: The Gateway Hotel Pasumalai Madurai, Hotel Kathir Palace, Hotel Padmam, TTDC Tamil Nadu II, Hotel Annamalai International, among others. Connectivity: Madurai is well connected to major cities of the country via regular flights.You can also avail trains and buses to Madurai from major cities.
PURI
P
uri in Odisha is among the most celebrated religious centres in India and home to the famous abode of Lord Jagannath.Traditionally, Puri was once a thickly wooded hill inhabited by the Sabaras, pre-Aryan and pre-Dravid-
ian tribes of the Austric linguistic family. Puri is most famous for its annual Rath Yatra festival, which commemorates Lord Jagannath's annual visit to Gundicha temple. The temple of Lord Jagannath, the most significant religious site in
Puri, attracts a large proportion of temple tourism activities. Built during the 12th century A D by Chodaganga Deva, the temple dominates the landscape. Standing 65 m high, the temple is also the tallest in Odisha and one of the most magnificent monuments of India.A 16sided, 11-metre-high monolithic pillar called Aruna Stambha stands in front of the main gate of the temple. The Gundicha temple, located about three km from the temple of Lord Jagannath, is located amidst a beautiful garden, and is also known as the "Garden House of Lord Jagannath".The temple was built during the reign of King Indradyumna and is named after his wife.The place where the Gundicha temple is situated is known as Sundarachala,
which is compared to Vrindavana, and Nilachala, where Jagannatha resides.The temple of Sakhigopal stands 60 feet high and has images of Shri Krishna and Radha.Anla Navamee is the biggest festival of the centre, which attracts a large crowd every year to witness Radha Pada. Accommodation options: The Hans Coco Palms,The Chariot Resort & Spa, Mayfair Heritage Puri, Mayfair Waves, Pramod Convention & Beach Resort,Toshali Sands, Ananya Resort, among more. Connectivity: Bhubhaneshwar Airport is the nearest airport, located about 60 km away from Puri. Puri has its own railway terminus, which is well connected to the domestic rail network.
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RAMESWARAM R
ameswaram, a small island town in Tamil Nadu, is a major pilgrim centre in the Gulf of Mannar. Rameswaram is popular for its numerous temples carrying deep religious significance and is connected to the mainland by the Pamban Bridge. It is believed that, on his return from Ceylon after Ravana Yudhdham in Sri Lanka, Lord Rama offered his repentance prayer to Lord Shiva to absolve his sins that he had committed by slaying Ravana. Rameswaram witnesses thousands of pilgrims from across the Indian subcontinent to get absolved of their sins and also perform rituals for their ancestors.This is at par with Varanasi in sanctity of the North India. Sri Ramanathaswamy Temple, located near the sea on the eastern side of the island, is well known for its architectural beauty of magnificent Prakaras – corridors with massive sculptured pillars on either side.
The 197 m corridor is believed to be the longest in the world.This temple has undergone various changes in the 12th century under the reign of different rulers.A special daily Puja is performed to the Spatikalingam installed by Adi Sankara in this temple.There are two lingams in the Sanctum Sanctorum. One of which is believed to be brought by Lord Hanuman from Kailash, called Vishwalingam; and other built by Sita, called Ramalingam. Another renowend temple is the Sugreevar Temple, situated on the way to Gandamadana Parvatham near the Doordarshan Kendra. Sugreeva is the younger brother of Vali of Ramayana.Whereas, the Satchi Hanuman Temple is three km away from the main temple, on the way to the Gandamadana Parvatham.This temple is the place where Hanuman delivered the good news of finding Sita with the Choodamani, a jewel that belonged to Sita as Satchi (evi-
dence) to Rama.The Panchamuga (five-faced) Hanuman Temple is located just two km away from the main temple.The deity of the Hanuman is drawn with senthooram (vermillion). Idol of Lord Ram, Sita and Hanuman brought from Danushkodi during the 1964 cyclone and the Floating Stone used to build the Setu Bandhanam, the bridge between India and Sri Lanka, too can be found in this temple. Accommodation options: Jiwan Residency, Hotel SS Grand, Daiwik
Hotels Rameswaram, Hotel Senthil Andavar, Hotel Pearl Residency, Hotel Queen Palace, Hotel Royal Park, and more. Connectivity: Madurai Airport is the nearest airport, located about 170 km.The Rameswaram railway station is connected to the rail network via direct and connecting trains. State-run buses are available regularly from Chennai, Kanyakumari, Madurai,Trichy and other cities, along with private services.
TIRUCHIRAPPALLI
S
ituated on the banks of the river Cauvery, Tiruchirappalli, also called Tiruchy or Trichy, is a city in Tamil Nadu and the administrative headquarters of Tiruchirappalli district. Tiruchirappalli is an ancient town with a recorded history that dates back
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to third century BC. A glimpse of this history can be witnessed at several temples that adorn this city. For instance, the Arulmigu Prasanna Venkatachalapathi Temple located three km away from Thuraiyur in Tiruchirappalli district is said to be constructed
by the grandson of Karikal Chozhan. The kings Karuppannar and Veeraswamy are worshiped here. The stone sculptures of 10 avatars of Lord Vishnu can be found here as well. The Koranganatha Temple on the banks of the river Cauvery at Srinivasanallur about 50 km from Tiruchy, has some of the finest early Chola stone sculptures and is declared as a monument by ASI. The Arulmigu Prasanna Venkatesa Perumal Temple lies 16 km from Tiruchirappalli at Gunaseelam. During the whole Dhanu month (December-January) Koodaravalli and Vaikunda Ekatasi festivals take place. Arulmigu Viswanathar Temple, also called Neelivaneswarar Temple, lies 20 km north-west of Tiruchirappalli and is worth a
visit. On the northern bank of Kollidam and on the south side of the main road, there is an ancient Chola temple of the period of Aditya I called Tiruk-Kadambatturai Udaiya Mahadevar (now named Matsyapurisvarar Temple). Nityasundareswaraswami Temple is at a village five km north of Thiruverumbur via Thuvakudi. This temple is included in the Kshertavenba of the Tamil saint, Ayyadigal Kadavarkon. Accommodation options: Hotel Rockfort View, Sangam Hotel, Hotel Royal Sathyam, Ramyas Hotel, among others. Connectivity: Tiruchirappalli has a Central Bus Station and the Trichy City Junction. You can take flights to Tiruchirappalli from all over India.
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TIRUPATI T
irupati, a city in the Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh, is considered to be one of the holiest Hindu pilgrimage sites because of the Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple besides other historical temples, and is often referred to as the 'Spiritual Capital of Andhra Pradesh'.The most famous temple with historical importance is Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple located on the seventh peak of Tirumala Hill.The massive temple covers an area of 2.2 acres. It is the second most frequented shrine all over the world, the first being Vatican. It is also the richest temple in the world. Srikalahasti Temple is an ancient temple of Lord Shiva situated on the banks of the river Swarnamukhi.The renowned devotee of Lord Shiva, Kannappa, attained salvation here.This temple is 38 km away from Tirupati and is connected by frequent buses.The tem-
ple of Sri Padmavati Devi Alayam is visited by every pilgrim who visits Tirupati. It is located four km south of Tirupati.The temples of Sri Krishna Swamy and Sri Sundararaja Swamy are also inside the complex. Sri Govindaraja Swamy Temple is in Tirupati and is quite near from the railway station.The highlight of the temple is its outer pinnacle which is visible from a distance. Apart from Sri Govindaraja Swamy, the temple complex also houses the shrines of Andal Ammavaru, Sri Krishna, Sri Ramanuja Thirumangai Alwar, Sri Vedanta Desika, Sri Lakshmi and Sri Manevala Mahamunlu. Sri Kodandarama Swamy Temple is also situated in Tirupati.This temple houses the shrines of Lord Rama, Sita and Lakshmana. Sri Kapileswara Swamy Temple is the only temple of Lord Shiva in Tirupati. Pilgrims proceed to Tirumala for darshan after taking a customary dip in the temple tank. Located
amidst beautiful foothills of Tirumala, the place is also known for its water falls. Sri Kalyana Venkateswara Swamy Temple is located at a place called Narayanavanam.According to legends, Lord Venkateswara is believed to have courted and married Goddess Padmavati Devi here. Accommodation options: Fortune Select Grand Ridge, Hotel Raj
Park Tirupati,Vihas Hotels,Athidhi Residency, among others. Connectivity: There are regular flights from major cities of the country to Tirupati. It is also well connected to major cities via regular trains.The railway stations are Renigunta Junction,Tirupati Main and Anantarajupet.You can easily get regular buses to Tirupati from major cities.
VARANASI
V
aranasi or Banaras has been India's ultimate temple town since time immemorial. Considered to be one of the oldest living cites in the world it has attracted travellers and pilgrims for thousands of years.The most famous temple here is that of Kashi Vishwanath, dedicated to Lord Shiva, the presiding deity of the city.Varanasi is said to be the point at which the
first 'jyotirlinga', the fiery pillar of light by which Shiva manifested his supremacy over others gods, broke through the earth’s crust and flared towards the heavens. More than the ghats and even the Ganga, the Shivalinga installed in the temple remains the devotional focus of Varanasi. Kedareshvara Temple is another important Shiva temple and the stone linga here is said to
have emerged on its own. The famous Durga Temple in the city was built in the 18th century by a queen from an estate in Bengal and is stained red with ochre.The Durga Temple is commonly known as the Monkey Temple due to the many frisky monkeys that have made it their home.The Chausath Yogini Temple is located just above the Chausath Yogini Ghat. It is devoted to goddess Kali. Devotees visit the Sankat Mochan Temple at Durga Kund Road to pray to Lord Hanuman. It is believed that Ram Charit Manas was written by Goswami Tulsidas at the site of Tulsi Manas Temple.The walls of this temple are adorned with verses from Ram Charit Manas.The temple is dedicated to Lord Rama.There is a museum in the premises which has a
rare collection of manuscripts of the Ramayan and other artefacts. Bharat Mata Temple situated in the Kashi Vidyapeeth campus and is one of its kind.This temple is not dedicated to any deity but to the human manifestation of India popularly called Mother India or Bharat Mata in Hindi. It does not house the statue or bust of Bharat Mata; instead it has a big relief map of India carved out of marble. Accommodation options: Taj Nadesar Palace, Hotel Varanasi Ashok, Hotel Clarks Varanasi, Radisson Hotel Varanasi, Hotel Hindustan International, Ramada Plaza JHV, etc. Connectivity: The city’s airport is connected by flights from major cities in India.Varanasi is also a major railway junction.
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DESTINATION OUTBOUND
Tampa Bay’s multicultural legacy From its diverse historical legacy to exotic beaches to being a beer lover's and foodie's paradise, Tampa Bay and St Petersburg/Clearwater in Florida are emerging as major tourism destinations that have an exciting mix of offerings for visitors of varied interests By Sudipta Dev
T
he Gulf Coast of Florida is famous for its picturesque beaches, beautiful resorts and many interesting tourism locales. Florida's premium travel trade event Florida Huddle organised in Tampa Bay earlier this year showcased well the many attractions of Tampa Bay and St Petersburg/Clearwater. For most tourists the highlight of visiting Tampa is to explore its fascinating Cuban heritage at Ybor City. The best option of visiting Ybor City is to take a 20 minute ride from downtown Tampa in a heritage street car. The ride is quite an experience in itself as some of the cars are from the 1920s.
Cuban heritage Tampa is also known as Cigar City because it was in Ybor that the world-famous cigar was first rolled here 130 years ago. Ybor City Museum State Park gives an insight into the fascinating history of the area, its economic growth and information about the Mutual Aid Societies of Ybor City, which were ethnic social clubs. It is believed that if cigar making was the heart of Tampa, the soul was these mutual aid societies. The cigar makers were known as artisans and were well paid. Near the museum, a
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few homes of cigar workers have been preserved to give an insight to visitors on the lifestyle of those times. One of the landmarks in Ybor City is the Jose Marti Park. The legendary Cuban national hero visited Tampa often and it was in his memory that the memorial was established. In fact this park happened to be the only land owned by the people of Cuba in the US, before the establishment of the Cuban Embassy in Washington DC. An interesting aspect for any visitor to Ybor City is the sight
of roosters everywhere - from the streets to parks and bus stops. These birds believed to be the descendents of the chicken bred by the cigar workers 130 years ago, are considered a part of the heritage and consequently given a protected status. No trip to Ybor City can be complete without taking a bite into the celebrated Cuban sandwich at Columbia. Founded in 1905, Columbia is Florida's oldest restaurant and interestingly the oldest Spanish restaurant in the world. Famous for its Cuban and Spanish cuisine, the vegetarians have the option of trying out a special salad which has a recipe dating back to 1905. The restaurant also organises flamenco dance shows in the evening, which is a crowd puller. Tampa Bay is also regarded as Florida's craft beer capital. Florida's first brewery was set up in Tampa in 1897. Beer was sent from Tampa to Cuba. Today, the region has a booming micro brewery scenario with a number of celebrated establishments that attract both locals and tourists.
Pirate invasion The best time to visit Tampa is undoubtedly during the Gasparilla festivities, in the month of January. The whole city of Tampa turns into a
DESTINATION OUTBOUND
pirate themed party location. The story traces its antecedents to the 18th century mythical Spanish pirate José Gaspar who had invaded the Florida coast. Since 1904, the city celebrates this mock-invasion with a flotilla of pirate ships invading Tampa city. The pirate ship of José Gasparilla, along with his crew docks at the Tampa Convention Center. They confront the mayor and demand keys to the city, following which they take him hostage. The colourful Parade of Pirates draws more than 300,000 people. It is supposed to be the third largest parade in the US. Apart from the grand spectacle that the parade presents, for the public the biggest takeaway are the colourful beads collected from the pirates.
Family getaway Tampa is a perfect family destination with attractions like Busch Gardens, The Florida Aquarium, Lowry Park Zoo, Museum of Science & Industry and of course Clearwater Marine Aquarium. The Tampa City Pass includes these tourism attractions. The Clearwater Marine Aquarium is a rescue centre and hospital for marine animals in Florida. It houses rescued dolphins, sea turtles, river otters, and sting rays. The most famous inhabitant is of course Winter, a dolphin without a tail, who has been the subject of the movie
The whole city of Tampa turns into a pirate themed party location. The story traces its antecedents to the 18th century mythical Spanish pirate José Gaspar who had invaded the Florida coast Dolphin Tale. The sequel Dolphin Tale 2 is the story of another famous inhabitant, the dolphin Hope. St Pete / Clearwater has in fact emerged as an important destination in Florida in recent times. Though the destination is yet to get many visitors from India, its varied attractions could be a great draw for Indian tourists. A ferry ride from the sandy beaches of Honeymoon Island State Park takes visitors to Caladesi Island State Park. Nestled among lush mangroves, Caladesi Island State Park is a secluded destination, ideal for those who want to discover the many plant and animal life found in the vicinity. One can opt to take the walking trail or just
listen quietly to the sound of waves crashing the shore. Visitors cannot take any live shells. There are no accommodation options here and visitors are not allowed to camp in the night. For those interested in spending a night or two at this picture perfect location have the option to hire a boat and stay onboard. Not too far away is Dunedin, which is a little piece of Scotland in Florida. The town with just one main street has quaint antique and curio shops with a distinct European influence. You can buy a souvenir at the Celtic Shop of Dunedin or visit the Dunedin Historical Museum located at a restored railroad station. Dunedin Brewery is another popular hangout. Visitors to
Dunedin get an interesting showcase of the town's Scottosh roots during the annual Highland Games festival. One of the recent highlights of Dali Museum in St Petersburg is the 'Dare to Dream' exhibition showcasing the collabo-
ration between Disney and Dali. The exhibition that opened in January will continue till the month June. Visitors get the exciting opportunity to enter the surrealistic world of Dali's paintings through Oculus technology virtual reality.
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England’s GREAT treasures Vibrant cities, heritage towns and stunning countryside, England offers a distinctive assortment of diverse tourism attractions to satiate one's wanderlust By Rituparna Chatterjee
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rom heritage cities like Bristol, Bath, to eco tourism locations such as Lake District, Peak District, to cities like Manchester and Liverpool housing some of the most popular football clubs in the world, England's rich history and culture, and bespoke tourism attractions has always made it one of the most popular destinations worldwide. And as the world centre of theatre, art, music, literature and culture, London, England's capital is the most visited city by international travellers in Great Britain. But England has more to offer than London's famed Houses of Parliament, Elizabeth Tower, Madame Tussauds London, The View from The Shard, among others. For England is also home to the stadium of the world renowned Manchester United football club in Manchester, Northern England. From touring the stadium of Manchester United to experiencing one of Great Britain’s most famous gay villages to rummaging through the shops of the bohemian Northern Quarter, the options are widely varying in the city of Manchester. For art lovers a visit to The Lowry, home to the world’s largest collection of works by LS Lowry, is a must. The Museum of Science and Industry is bound to keep any scientific mind interested. The city’s location in Northern England also makes it a great base for walking the Pennines – a
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rugged mountain range. Because of its convenient rail, road and air connectivity, Manchester is within easy reach of most parts of Great Britain. For instance, Manchester is just one hour away from London by flight. A UNESCO World Heritage Site with a rich collection of museums and art galleries, along with music and sporting heritage, Liverpool is another top destination to visit in Northern England. A guided tour is a great way to explore the city and the Mersey Ferries is one of the best
options. Board a Mersey ferry to get a panoramic view of the waterfront, which is accompanied by an informative commentary. Featuring a large collection of Grade I listed buildings, Albert Dock in Liverpool is situated in a World Heritage waterfront and houses several museums, galleries, bars, restaurants, hotels, souvenir shops, among others. For music lovers a visit to the Beatles Story, a permanent exhibition depicting the lives and times of The Beatles, is a must. Located at Albert Dock, The Beatles Story has beautifully
recreated some of the key locations from the band’s career including The Casbah Club, The Cavern Club and Abbey Road Studios. Here, the story of The Beatles gets unfolded through audio guides available in several languages. For a more detailed glimpse into the life of The Beatles, the Magical Mystery Tour bus takes you to all the places associated with John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr as they grew up, met and formed the band. Located at a few minutes walking distance from The Beatles Story
is Tate Liverpool, a gallery of modern and contemporary art. Spread across four floors, the gallery is housed inside one of Albert Dock’s former warehouses. Some other notable attractions at Albert Dock includes the International Slavery Museum and Merseyside Maritime Museum. A trip to Liverpool is incomplete without a visit to the famous Liverpool Football Club. Take a guided tour of its stadium to see the press room, player’s dressing rooms, among others. You can also opt for a Liverpool legend like Alan Kennedy
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to take you on a tour of the stadium. Liverpool also boasts of two cathedrals – the Liverpool Anglican Cathedral and the Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King (Catholic), both being vastly different in architecture yet majestic and beautiful.
Bristol, Bath & beyond Enveloped in the hills of Southwest England, Bristol has cre-
ated its own distinctive identity through its maritime history, and for the acres of parkland and sustainable approach that earned it the European Green Capital status. Walk the streets or cycle from the city to the outskirts to experience the heritage of the place. The city is steeped in history and there are several heritage sites to take you back into the past be it the Bristol
Cathedral or The Lord Mayor's Chapel. Bristol has a fascinating maritime history and some of the best preserved boats in the country can be found in the docks. For instance, Brunel's ss Great Britain, a former passenger steamship designed and built by Brunel, is a must visit attraction. Go below deck or limb the rigging like a sailor in the 1800s to explore this wonderfully restored vessel. Pick up a boat from Brunel's ss Great Britain for a harbour tour of Bristol. Not to be missed is the Clifton Suspension Bridge that spans the picturesque Avon Gorge. Combine a trip to the suspension bridge with atleast a three-four hour visit to the Bristol Zoo Gardens, the fifth oldest zoo in the world. If you are travelling with children, then do visit the At Bristol Science Centre, which is a hands-on, interactive playground with a planetarium and with Bristol Aquarium on the same site, a whole day can be easily spent there. Designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Bath is a unique destination where you can bathe in naturally hot spa water and original Roman style baths. As Bath is a small city, most of the main attractions are all within a short walk of each other. Head up to The Gainsborough Bath Spa, which was origi-
nally built in the 1800s and occupies two Grade II listed buildings with distinguished Georgian and Victorian facades. Named after the artist, Sir Thomas Gainsborough, the hotel is centred around Spa Village Bath and has access to natural thermal, mineral-rich water. Spend an hour at The Roman Baths, where the ancient ruins depict Bath’s spa culture 2,000 years ago when the Romans once bathed in the natural thermal spa water. Do explore the Royal Crescent, one of Bath’s most iconic attractions, and on your way back relax your body and mind at the Thermae Bath Spa, a day spa. Located at around two hours drive from Bath is Paultons Family Theme Park, which features rides and attractions like a roller coaster, log flume, water park, adventure
golf, 4D cinema, among others. Peppa Pig World, a theme park with seven rides and attractions, is located at Paultons Family Theme Park. Beaulieu, which is around a half hour drive from the theme park, is a family visitor attraction in the heart of New Forest. There are over 800 years of heritage to be seen on the Beaulieu estate, which has been in the ownership of the Montagu family for over four centuries. For car lovers, the Motor Museum inside this attraction is a must visit. The Osborne House, Queen Victoria's palatial holiday home on the Isle of Wight, is another noteworthy attraction. Visit Queen Victoria and Prince Albert's private apartments, their bathing beach and children's play-cottage to get a glimpse into the lives of this royal family.
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A destination with diversity Thailand with its 76 provinces is a collage of different shades that also comprise of the bustling modern Bangkok - its capital city, crowded with motorbikes and tuk tuks (auto rickshaws), skyscrapers, Buddhist shrines and ancient monuments, lush green landscapes and coastlines, mouth-watering Thai cuisine and a rich history of art and culture By Joy Roy Choudhury
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henever there is a reference to Thailand, the one name that comes to our mind is that of Bangkok, the bustling capital of the country. Bangkok, also known as 'Krung Thep' closely meaning the 'City of Angels', is a sprawling metropolis known for its ornate shrines, vibrant streets and nightlife. The city has rows of massive buildings, shopping malls and almost all the leading hotel brands. In the past, Bangkok was often referred to as the 'Venice of the East' because of its intricate system of natural and man-made canals or 'klongs' as they are called in Thai. The Chao Phraya river which meanders through the city feeds these network of canals. A sizable section of the population live on these canals or in little huts along the banks, transacting business on the waterways. Another feature of the city is that it still carefully preserves the rich traditional arts, architecture, religion and other aspects of the Thai culture. From the tranquil Lumphini Park in the heart of the city, to the majestic Royal Grand Palace and the sacred Emerald Buddha temple, to the Democracy Monument and Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall, to the captivating Siam Niramit show and the Art in Paradise 3D Museum, to the dinner cruise along river Chao Phraya and the famous night market, there are multitudinous attractions to be explored in Bangkok. Art in Paradise, an illusion and three-dimensional museum
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main course dishes and desserts, its gastronomic offering is worth experiencing. Another place to try out authentic Thai cuisine is the famous Nahm Restaurant at the high-end Metropolitan Hotel in the city's Sathorn Road.
A mix of history and nature
on the fourth floor of the Esplanade entertainment complex in Ratchadapisek Road in Bangkok, comprises of six permanent exhibition zones with different concepts. Spread over two floors covering over 2,500 square metres of space, this museum houses 150 paintings drawn by 15 professional artists over a period of two and a half months. A cruise along the city's Chao Phraya river especially at night is an experience to cherish for a lifetime. Check in at the River City Pier and book a place in any of the luxury cruise ships available. The Wonderful Pearl cruise, with a capacity to accommodate upto 500 pax, takes passengers upto the Rama VIII Bridge - the engineering marvel across the river. While guests wine and dine on the cruise,
brightly illuminated historic temples, the ornate Royal Grand Palace, swanky shopping malls, and skyscrapers slowly unfolds all around. This cruise is ideal for hosting private parties, wedding receptions, meetings and incentive groups. From Thai dishes served at roadside stalls to haute cuisine
at high-end restaurants, Bangkok has something to suit everyone's palate. Methavalai Sorndaeng, a classic fine dining restaurant set up in 1957, is one of the oldest in Bangkok's Ratchadamnoen Avenue overlooking the majestic Democracy Monument. From Thai appetisers, salads, curries, soups to
Kanchanaburi, the third largest province in Thailand, is known for its history and natural beauty. It is here where the Kwai Noi and Kwai Yai rivers converge into the Mae Klong river. The province is also famous for its natural attractions such as forests, mountains, caves, jungles and waterfalls. Here, tourists can hike through jungles to see elephants, explore temples and war museums, take a kayaking trip on the Mae Klong river or hike through national parks, caves and waterfalls. Kanchanaburi is popular for short excursions and various picturesque picnic spots like the Sai Yok Waterfalls and the Lava Cave. Bamboo rafting and elephant riding at Sai Yok Elephant Village are other leisure options. Then there are the floating markets to visit on river Kwai. The Wat Tham Seua Temple on the hill-top with a 18 metre tall statue of Buddha is another attraction that should not be missed. The floating hotels on the river Kwai provide excellent accommodation options along with various adventure sports and entertainment facilities. Some of the famous historical sites like the Bridge over the River Kwai and the Death Railway built during World War II by
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The Bridge over the River Kwai made famous by David Lean's film stands tall bearing testimony to the World War II the British, Dutch, Australian and Asian prisoners of war held hostage by the Japanese army are worth visiting. It is estimated that 100,000 oppressed labourers as well as 16,000 allied prisoners of war lost their lives due to torture, starvation, overwork and malaria while constructing the railroad. The Bridge over the River Kwai made famous by David Lean's film of the same name stands tall bearing testimony to the World War II. Its centre was destroyed by bombing of the allied forces in 1945 and nothing remains of the second wooden bridge the Japanese built downstream. Across the river, there is a beautiful temple
on the right, and the famous Khiri Tara restaurant is just a stone's throw from the bridge. Visitors can explore the popular train ride, which is one of Thailand's most scenic and popular train rides. The JEATH (Japan, England, Australia/America, Thailand and Holland – named after the warring countries of World War II) War Museum, Chong Kai War Cemetery at Don Rak (the resting place of nearly 7000 allied soldiers), Hellfire Pass Memorial Museum, and the Three Pagodas Border (near the border with Myanmar) are other famous tourist spots of the province. The JEATH War Museum is a unique museum which preserves correspondence and artwork from former prisoners of war that detail their inhuman living conditions, their personal
belongings and the relics of the war including the bomb dropped by the allied forces to destroy the bridge but which didn't explode. One of the main galleries of the museum is housed in a bamboo structure in the style of the shelters the prisoners of war used to live in. The War Cemetery maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission is right in the middle of the town. Of the 6981 soldiers buried at the cemetery, almost half were from Britain and the rest from Australia and The Netherlands. As one enters the cemetery, the right hand side has the graves of British army personnel, while the front left is for Australian army men and the Dutch soldiers were buried at the back. There is also a grave of the ashes of those unknown soldiers who were cremated.
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Jewels in the heart of India A glimpse into some of the virgin, lesser known and popular attractions of Madhya Pradesh epitomising the ethereal beauty of the state By Rituparna Chatterjee
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rom innumerable monuments, exquisitely carved temples, forts, stupas and palaces to spectacular mountain ranges, meandering rivers dotted with hills and lakes, and dense forests offering an exciting panorama of wildlife, 'The heart of Incredible India' is an extraordinaire destination steeped as much in history and culture as in scenic beauty. Be it wildlife, nature, heritage or pilgrimage, Madhya Pradesh has a diverse range of tourism offerings. For instance, the state boasts of three UNESCO World Heritage Sites - the Khajuraho group of monuments, the Buddhist monuments at Sanchi and the rock shelters of Bhimbetka. Madhya Pradesh also has several other architecturally significant sites like Amarkantak, Asirgarh, Bawangaja, Bhopal, Chanderi, Dhar, Gwalior, Indore just to name a few. It is also home to several national parks including Bandhavgarh National Park, Kanha National Park, Satpura National Park, Sanjay National Park, Madhav National Park, among others. This state also boasts of some of the largest and popular festivals in the country like the Khajuraho Dance Festival, Akhil Bhartiya Kalidasa Samaroha in Ujjain, Tansen Sangeet Samaroh in Gwalior, etc.
Adventure galore Though Madhya Pradesh has al-
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ways attracted tourists for its heritage and culture, it is also endowed with majestic terrains and pristine water bodies that serve as a gateway for adventure lovers to get an adrenaline rush.
From wildlife safaris at national parks to offbeat activities like hot air ballooning, parasailing, etc, there is something for everyone here. For instance, to celebrate the river Narmada, popu-
larly known as the lifeline of the state, Madhya Pradesh Tourism has initiated a mega annual event from this year called Jal Mahotsav. The primary objective of this event is to position Madhya Pradesh as one of the most sought after travel and leisure destinations in India. This year, Jal Mahotsav was held from February 12-21 at the virgin location of Hanuwantiya in the Khandwa District. The event enabled visitors to experience the customs and traditions of the tribes living on the banks of the river by showcasing the local art, craft, folk music, dance and cuisine. For adventure enthusiasts, several activities were organised including beach volleyball, cycling, trekking, cruise boating, banana rides, parasailing, island overnight camping, stargazing, hot air ballooning, among others. Madhya Pradesh Tourism is looking at positioning Hanuwantiya as a water and adventure tourism destination and a resort has been opened there. Apart from showcasing the adventure tourism potential of a new destination - Hanuwantiya, Madhya Pradesh also boasts of several popular adventure hotspots like the Flying Fox twin
racing zip lines over Kerwa Lake in Bhopal, the cable car ride over the marble rocks of Bhedaghat over river Narmada, river rafting at Orchha, rock climbing in Pachmarhi, boat ride in Upper Lake, jungle camping in Delawadi, water sports at Bargi Dam, wildlife safari at Kanha National Park, among others.
A confluence of religions Madhya Pradesh is famous for its historic Hindu and Buddhist temples, and mosques. For instance, the Omkareshwar Temple, located on Mandhata or Shivapuri island in the river Narmada, is considered to be a very holy Hindu site owing to the existence of a jyotirlinga, which is one of the 12 to be found in the country. The word Omkareshwar has been derived from the word Om, which is the holiest Hindu symbol. The lingam embodies Lord Shiva. An unique aspect of the Omkareshwar Temple is that it is built entirely out of a locally available soft stone. Located near Omkareshwar Temple is the Mamleshwar Jyotirlinga, also known as the Amreshwar Temple. It is a protected ancient monument with
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beautiful architectural stone work. The wall of the temple contains the inscription of Mahimna Stotra dating back to 1063 AD. Other notable temples include the Chaturbhuj Temple in Orchha, Chintaman Ganesh Temple in Ujjain, Devi Jagadambi Temple in Khajuraho, Gajanan Maharaj Temple in Indore, just to name a few. Apart from temples, the state houses several mosques like the Dhai Seedi Ki Masjid and Taj-ul-Masajid in Bhopal. One of the most notable mosques is the Taj-ul-Masajid which is famous for its Mughal architecture featuring three domes and two minarets and a pink facade. For those into Buddhism, the Buddhist temples of Dharmrajeshwar, Deur Kothar and Sanchi are a must visit.
Historical splendour The beautiful state of Madhya Pradesh known for its rich history, culture and tradition, owes much of this diversity to the reign of different dynasties over a long period of time. Perched along the Vindhya ranges at an altitude of 2,000 feet, Mandu, was originally the fort capital of the Parmar rulers of Malwa. Towards the end of the 13th century, it came under the power of
the Sultans of Malwa, the first of whom named it Shadiabad - 'city of joy'. Each of Mandu's historical structure is an architectural marvel. Some of these are Jami Masjid, Hoshang Shah's Tomb, etc. Considered the biggest fort in India, the Mandu Fort was founded as a fortress retreat by Raja Bhoj in the 10th century and contains the ruins of palaces, canals, baths, pavilions, etc. Closer to the Mandu Fort is the Jahaz Mahal or the Ship Palace. Standing lengthwise on a narrow strip of land between the waters of the Munja and Kapur tanks, this palace resembles a ship and was built by the pleasure-seeking Sultan GhiyathudDin for his large harem. Another historical site worth visiting at Mandu is Baz Bahadur's Palace. Built by Baz Bahadur in the early 16th century, the palace's unique features are its spacious courtyards surrounded by halls and high terraces which offer a picturesque view of the surrounding countryside. A visit to 'The heart of Incredible India' is incomplete without visiting Orchha, which is known for its chhatris (cenotaphs) designed in the memory of the late rulers and noblemen. Unlike other cenotaphs, which are in the form of tem-
ples, the ones in Orchha are an exception. There are 15 cenotaphs of the Bundela rulers and members of their family on the southern bank of the Betwa river. The chhatris rise on a square platform with the sanctum having a similar shape. The sanctum holds the ashes of the cremated princes and princesses. One can take a raft down the Betwa river to get a better view of the chhatris. Madhya Pradesh boasts of several museums to give a glimpse into the history and culture of the state. The ASI Museum in Khajuraho has some exquisite sculptures which are well displayed. In the foyer is the beautiful dancing Ganesh. There are also three stone images taken from the Chausath Yogini Temple of Khajuraho - Brahmani, Maheshwari and Mahishasuramardini. Chanderi, located 40 km from Lalitpur on the DelhiBhopal rail line, is a well-known medieval town. The Archeological Museum in Chanderi was opened for public on April 3, 1999 and is a notable attraction. Other museums worth a visit are ASI Museum in Mandu, Central Museum in Indore and Jiwaji Rao Scindia Museum in Gwalior.
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IN FOCUS
Amazing moments at ExploreGB From latest attractions and events to the launch of a new campaign, several significant announcements were made at this year's ExploreGB event held at Liverpool, which brought forth up to 320 hosted international travel buyers from 40 countries By Rituparna Chatterjee
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HE CITY of Liverpool was the venue this year for VisitBritain’s annual flagship event, ExploreGB. Held from March 3-4, 2016 at ACC Liverpool, the event served as a perfect platform for British and Irish tourism suppliers and destinations to network and transact business with up to 320 hosted international travel buyers from 40 countries. ExploreGB consisted of a twoday workshop with more than 30,000 pre-scheduled, one-toone appointments. Post that, the international delegates were taken on familiarisation trips around Great Britain to showcase the tourism potential of the destination. ExploreGB kicked-off with the inaugural ceremony wherein Joss Croft, Britain marketing director, VisitBritain; Joe Anderson, mayor of Liverpool; and Chris Brown, director of Marketing Liverpool shared certain highlights on Great Britain, especially Liverpool and the North of England. Besides, there was also a live performance by singer Marc Kenny. Speaking at the inauguration, Croft stated, “Tourism is one of our fastest growing export industries and also one of the most globally competitive, and ExploreGB is
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an extremely valuable business tool that helps us stay competitive. It allows British travel suppliers and local destinations to get their tourism products and services in front of international buyers, forge valuable global business connections and ultimately inspire more visitors to come and explore all of our nations and regions.” As for the expected footfall from oversees markets, Croft mentioned, “We are expecting 36.7 million visits in 2016 and a spend of almost £ 23 billion by overseas visitors, which will be up by 4.2 per cent on 2015. These figures show that we are on track to realise our ambition to grow international visits to
Britain by more than 20 per cent to 42 million visits by 2020, which could see an additional £ 4.5 billion in visitor spend.” This growth will be driven across all regions through various initiatives, Croft highlighted. For
instance, VisitBritain has launched its largest campaign for 2016, #OMGB GREAT Britain - Home of Amazing Moments, to promote memorable moments visitors can experience only on a trip to
Britain. Presently, the campaign is running across Brazil, France, Germany and the US and will be introduced in other markets as well. “This campaign shows people the experiences, culture and countryside available across Britain so as to inspire them to want to be a part of it and book a trip to come and discover their own amazing moments. It also invites people to share their amazing Britain moments using #OMGB,” explained Croft. Also speaking at the inauguration, Anderson pointed out the diverse tourism offerings of Liverpool. He stated, “We have a diverse range of experiences to offer here from cathedrals to football clubs to universities, among others. We are proud of our infrastructure and architecture.” Highlighting the need to open up the tourism potential of the North of England, Brown stated that the real strength of this region lies in its architectural, historical, cultural, etc diversity, offered within a very compact environment. Some of the attractions he mentioned include Lake District, Cumbria; Chester Rows, Cheshire; Blackpool, Lancashire; Alnwick Castle, Northumberland; Saltaire, West Yorkshire; Albert Dock, Liverpool; Leeds, Yorkshire, among others.
IN FOCUS 'We have to improve the story on the visa by investing in the visa process, working with the travel trade to clear their understanding of what we require'
CHRISTOPHER RODRIGUES CBE, CHAIRMAN,VISITBRITAIN What is your focus for the India market? India is an important market for us. The demographics of India, the growth of the middle class, the propensity of Indians to travel, the historic connection to the UK means that it is an important market for us. We would like to have half a million visits in two-three years and we are quite close to achieving that. In 2014, we received 390,000 visitors which was up by four per cent. 93 per cent of the people who apply for a visa from Mumbai get it within 15 days or less. There are other states where it is true that the reject rate is higher but the applications are weaker as well. However, we can still do better. The travel trade exaggerates the visa problem. But Christopher Rodrigues CBE we are also noticing that the best people in the trade understand the visa requirements and they don't let people who fail to meet the financial requirement apply. We have to improve the story on the visa by investing in the visa process, working with the travel trade to clear their understanding of what we require, among others. Our ambassador is keen to work with our home office to improve processing. What are the emerging markets for Britain? China is an important market for us and we hope to receive half a million Chinese visitors by 2020. Korea has grown quite significantly as a market since air coverage has improved. One of the great advantages of India is that Etihad Airways and Emirates are committed to this market and we are big partners with them. The Indian VFR market is more dispersed, which is great for us. Brazil was a very fast growing market but the Brazilian Real has put that on pressure. What new initiatives are being undertaken to promote Britain? We have launched the #OMGB campaign (digital and above the line) in countries like the US, Germany, Brazil and France. We are still awaiting the final news from the government on our budgets. We have good budgets to support the promotion of English destinations oversees. This campaign might not be launched in India anytime soon and also we need the right amazing moments to motivate each country.
Brighton would be the venue for ExploreGB 2017 to be held from March 2-3. This was revealed during this year's event.
India focus One of the highlights of this year's ExploreGB event was the pre-scheduled, one-to-one appointments held across both the days. During that, several British and Irish tourism suppliers and destinations expressed their interest in the India market. For instance, Abbey Scotland is a destination management company with offices in Edinburgh and Dublin. “We mainly cater to the leisure segment – groups (coach tourism) and individuals (small families, couples). Some of our major markets include Germany, France, Italy, Spain, North
America, Norway, Sweden, the Middle East, among others. India is one of the emerging markets and we are interested in looking into that. At the VisitScotland expo being held in Edinburgh this year, we are expecting Indian tour operators to participate,” stated David Cunningham, accommodation contracting manager, Abbey Scotland. Sharing a similar viewpoint, Robin Tjolle, chief executive, Cotswolds Tourism Partnership opined, “Cotswolds is one of the most peaceful areas of England for oversees visitors. We have been popular among oversees markets including India for quite sometime. We have products that suit families, young couples and anyone seeking a countryside, heritage break. India is a growing market and
we want to have a much bigger share of it. We are working with a lot of Indian tour operators so that we are present in their touring schedules.” DestinationBristol is also looking to focus on the India market. John Hirst, chief executive, DestinationBristol stated, “We are receiving a growing number of a lot of different nationalities. India is a big market and we are not working as much closely as we would like to. It is time to promote Bristol in the India market. The beauty of Bristol is that you get so many experiences here - from the beautiful buildings to the zoo, etc. Bristol can also be used as a gateway to visit other destinations like Wales, etc. So I would recommend a three day stay to experience everything within this city.”
UPCOMING EVENTS ■ England’s natural beauty is on display as Great Britain celebrates the ‘Year of the GREAT English Garden’ – timed to coincide with the 300th anniversary of renowned English landscape gardener, Lancelot (Capability) Brown ■ Wales’‘Year of Adventure’ is offering up adrenalin pumping activities as well as culinary and literary adventures ■ Northern Ireland is showcasing best of its cuisine with the ‘Year of Food and Drink’ ■ Scotland is putting spotlight on its past, present and future by celebrating its ‘Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design’ ■ London – punk – 40th year and the new Tate opens in June. Highly anticipated play ‘Harry Potter and the Cursed Child’ to debut on the West End in July ■ 400th anniversary of Shakespeare's death and the 100th anniversary of Roald Dahl’s birth ■ The Spice Girls' 20th anniversary.
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REPORT
Budget is the buzzword The recently released Google Travel Trends Report by Google India revealed that in domestic hotel industry, branded budget hotel chains are driving the growth of hotel bookings online
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ITH OVER 300 million Indians online and the number growing rapidly, hotel providers have been slow to catch on the digital bandwagon, with only 20 per cent of total hotel inventory available online, according to the latest Google Travel Trends Report released by Google India. Seizing this massive opportunity, several players including new and established players are focused on bringing quality budget accommodation online across the country. With the availability of this new inventory online, the report reveals that internet users in the country are lapping up the budget hotels online which is evident in the growth of Google search queries. Branded budget hotel queries in India are growing at 179 per cent YOY in comparison to just 36 per cent YOY growth in generic budget hotel queries. The overall queries for ‘Accommodations’ as a whole are growing at 37 per cent YOY. Speaking about the trends in the travel industry, Vikas Agnihotri, director sales, Google India, said, “Newer players in the segment have energised the travel vertical by unlocking a brand new inventory online. They have been quick to capitalise on the online demand with aggressive advertising spends in building their brands, which is leading to overall category growth for the industry. We expect this segment to contin-
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ue to see massive growth with leisure travel expected to pick up in the coming summer holiday season. As part of our own efforts to boost the sector, we’re sponsoring the Great Indian Travel Festival which is currently live - to provide users a central destination for all the great holiday deals that are available online for the upcoming holiday season.” Further analysis of the type of queries for the budget hotel category reveal strong preference for distinct brand queries i.e. users are going online looking for branded budget hotel chains. Budget hotel queries already account for 35 per cent of total accommodation queries and a large share of 47 per cent of search queries that are for the brands providing budget hotel inventory online. In terms of top destinations searched for accommodation during March to June
period of 2015, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Goa, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Kerala and Delhi-NCR are the most searched destinations. Majority of these states capture business or work related travellers, indicating that leisure destinations will be the next growth driver for the branded budget hotel category as today out of the top 50 domestic destination searched, only 30 per cent of destinations represent leisure travel. With the growing demand for branded budget hotel, players are investing in creating a distinct brand positioning as budget hotel providers are likely to see faster growth compared to generic travel aggregators. As per industry estimates, the inventory in the budget hotel space is expected to grow further with both new and existing players expected to bring upto 10,000 new rooms online this year.
In terms of outbound data (international) compiled basis Google search queries between January to September 2015: ● 25 per cent of search queries are for international air tickets growing at 43 per cent YOY ● 18 per cent of search queries are for international accommodation growing at 25 per cent YOY ● 22 per cent of search queries are for international holidays growing at 30 per cent YOY United Arab Emirates, United States and Thailand take the top positions for most searched international destinations with a healthy growth rate of over 35 per cent YOY. The top 10 most searched international countries in 2015 (Jan-September 2015) include: 1. UAE 2. United States 3. Thailand 4. United Kingdom 5. Singapore 6. France 7. Australia 8. Malaysia 9. Indonesia 10. Italy. Search queries also reveal that Indian travellers have taken a liking to niche travel destinations, the list of fastest growing destinations in top 50 searched international countries in 2015 (Jan-Sep’15) include: ● Seychelles - growing at 112 per cent YOY ● Hungary - growing at 88 per cent YOY ● Czech Republic - growing at 75 per cent YOY ● Russia - growing at 65
per cent YOY ● Greece - growing at 57 per cent YOY. ● Norway - growing at 57 per cent YOY ● Vietnam - growing at 56 per cent YOY ● Sri Lanka - growing at 53 per cent YOY ● Saudi Arabia - growing at 53 per cent YOY ● Austria - growing at 51 per cent YOY. Metros contribute 80 per cent of the top 10 Searched International Destination Packages traffic on Google Search: ● Delhi-NCR ● Chandigarh ● Kolkata ● Ahmedabad ● Mumbai ● Pune ● Hyderabad ● Bangalore ● Chennai. For holidays related search queries in the period between March to June 2015, the most searched international destinations include: ● Thailand ● United States ● UAE ● Singapore ● Maldives ● United Kingdom ● Mauritius ● Malaysia. Honeymoon and romantic packages are the fastest growing packages for holiday bookings growing at over 42 per cent YOY, followed by vacation packages growing at 35 per cent YOY. Adventure packages although a small category, is showing healthy growth with search queries growing over 22 per cent YOY.
EVENT ROUND UP
Outbound in Bali The recently held second Outbound Tour Operators Association of India (OTOAI) mega convention in Bali, was witness to major milestones including signing of an MoU with the Turkish Indian Tourism Council as well as knowledge sessions on the changing dynamics in the industry By Steena Joy
T
HE SCENIC and expansive Pan Pacific Nirwana Resort & Spa in Bali, Indonesia was the venue of the second annual convention of the Outbound Tour Operators Association of India (OTOAI) held from March 17-21, 2016. The theme of the convention was ‘India Outbound – the Game Changer.’ While the convention saw a series of deliberations and business sessions, there were also B2B Table Top sessions so that Indian buyers could meet with Indonesian suppliers directly. Guldeep Singh Sahni, president, OTOAI, said, “The intention has always been to show results to destinations which host conventions. There has been marked growth in terms of Indian visitors to the Philippines since the association held its first convention last year in Manila.” The convention chairman, Riaz Munshi added, “Bali, despite its immense strength as a tourism destination, hasn’t been able to lure Indian tourists in a big way so far. The convention will, therefore, open up opportunities for the destination.” Conference delegates were flown in by official airline partners Malindo, Malaysia Airlines and Singapore Airlines from Mumbai, Delhi and other Indian cities. Boosted by the free visa entry initiative for Indians by the Republic of Indonesia, the Indonesian ministry of tourism is looking to increase Indian tourist numbers. Speaking at the opening of the convention,
Taufik Nurhidayat, deputy director, ministry of tourism, Republic of Indonesia, said, “This year we are looking to increase the number of Indian visitors to Indonesia to 350,000 from the current 272,000. Already the India market has shown a 35 to 40 per cent growth year on year over the past three years. The visa free access and hopefully direct flight connectivity will boost these numbers. We are hoping Air India and our own national carrier, Garuda Indonesia, will start direct flights soon. Both airlines have the permissions but certain technicalities have to be worked out and probably in the next few months we will see some action.” Nearly 240 delegates attended the convention which also saw an MoU being signed between the Turkish Indian Tourism Council (TITC) and OTOAI. Supported by the ministry of tourism, Turkey, TITC is an organisation of tour operators, hoteliers and restaurant owners in Turkey committed to developing bilateral ties between Turkey and the India market. Commenting on the OTA vs tour operator challenge, Munshi said, “Traditional and digital will coexist as far as India market is concerned. I am not discounting online. Maybe online will take away from the travel agents, simple and point to point itineraries but online cannot take away from us adventure travel, luxury travel, special needs travel, etc because of our domain expertise. We have to be innovative with our products and we should know our product well.” Speaking about OTOAI membership criteria, Sahni in-
formed, “We refuse a lot of applications. We only have a 25 per cent acceptance rate because we are not into the numbers game. We have strict criteria even while choosing international DMCs as our members. We do checks on them before we take them on board OTOAI. We do a lot of workshops with PACTO, Lama Tours, etc. We plan to invite embassies to conduct training workshops for our members.”
Winds of change The first business session, Parivartan – India Outbound – The Gamechanger, was moderated by Sahni. Speakers were Emin Cakmak, chairman, TITC; Dhananjay Saliankar, regional director, sales & marketing and Starwood Sales Organisation, South Asia, Starwood Hotels & Resorts; Gilda Sagrado, promotions, Bali Tourism Promotion Board or locally known as Badan Promosi Pariwisata Daerah (BPPD) Bali; Alka Jha, area
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EVENT ROUND UP sales manager, Tiger Airways; Rayomand Choksi, regional director, Titlis Cableways – Hotels & Restaurants, Switzerland and Radhika Krishnan, head of sales & marketing, German National Tourist Office (GNTO), India. Cakmak stated that the profile of Indian tourists is completely different – their expectations and interests are different. “Many DMCs in Turkey have India market as their core business. Nearly 115,000 Indians visited the country last year. Similarities in our cultures is also a pull. Food was a problem earlier but we have now overcome that. We want to tap secondary markets like Chennai, Bengaluru, etc.” Sagrado informed that Bali alone saw a 35 per cent growth from the India market with 118,000 visitors. Sahni added, “I see a 25 to 30 per cent growth from India if we have direct flight connectivity between India and Indonesia.” Jha reiterated that India is a very important market for Tiger Airways. “The India market contributes 25 per cent to our entire network. We are also focusing on the Tier II cities, though keeping in mind that Malindo and Air Asia are also in those markets. But we have just added Lucknow and we have plans for Vizag as well. Our target segment is the middle income group. An interesting trend these days is that even HNI groups are looking at flying low cost airlines – spending less on travel and more on the destination.” Saliankar opined that it is personalisation and innovation that pushes growth. Sagrado shared the opinion. “It is all about the experience. Transform from travel – tourists have to feel transformed after their visit.” Krishnan believed that the sign of a developing market is that the growth moves from Tier I to Tier II cities. “This is happening in India now. Even NTOs are doing roadshows in Tier II and III cities. Many airlines are including even Jain meals onboard. Disposable incomes in India are rising and it is a maturing market now,” she affirmed. Choksi agreed, “We got 80,000 overnights from India. Many Swiss hotels have Indian chefs. Shops now close at 5 pm and re-
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open at 8 pm to accommodate Indian love for shopping. Indian tourists stay for longer duration as compared to Chinese tourists and spend an average of 350 euros a night.” Speaking about the love hate relationship between OTAs and brick and mortar models, Saliankar felt that the biggest hurdle is our mindset. “It should change. Travel agents should leverage on the opportunities and not think negative. I suggest that a fee should be charged for designing an itinerary. We need to adapt, change and seize opportunities.” Cakmak agreed, “The tour operator’s understanding of India needs to change. European DMCs share
their profits with mid size agents. Turkish Airlines carries more Indian passengers to worldwide destinations and not just to Turkey. We are more like India’s national carrier! Ironically, there are no Indian carriers flying to Turkey.” This session was followed by presentations from Travel Boutique Online (TBO), FXKart, Starwood and Travelport. The second business session was Badaltey Rishtey – Vendor – client – Agent changing dynamics. The moderator was OTOAI Western India chairman, Mahendra Vakharia. Speakers were Ankush Nijhawan, co-founder & CEO, TBO; Arjun Shroff, managing director, Shroff Travel,
Philippines; Sujit Nair, founder and group managing director, Akquasun; Himanshu Patil, director, Kesari Tours; Umberto Cadamuro, chief operating officer inbound, PACTO, a leading DMC in Indonesia and Kanwardeep Singh, director, Travel Bullz India. Cadamuro opined, “ We are selling expertise. So we have to bring up our product knowledge to give our customers a reason to buy from us. Change is inevitable.” Vakharia agreed, “We have to upscale our business models. And maybe we should have IPRs for creating our own exclusive itineraries.” Patil stated, “Our customer is more knowledeable than us these days. He knows where he
wants to go and what he wants. So we have to put our own house in order to garner his trust.” Nijhawan informed that today 350 million people are on their smartphones. Mobile apps are the buzzwords. “So what stops a Flipkart or PayTm from entering the travel space? Product content on your website is also very important. We have to go niche – in adventure, pilgrim tours, women tours, etc,” he elucidated. This was followed by Mann ki Baat, an open house interactive session, where the entire OTOAI executive committee, chairpersons and committee heads were on call, responding to questions, feedback, observations from the delegates.
MOVEMENTS Jet Airways Jet Airways’ chief financial officer (CFO), AMIT AGARWAL has taken the responsibility as acting chief executive officer (CEO). Agarwal will function as acting CEO in addition to his responsibilities as CFO of the company, until the appointment of a new CEO. Agarwal joined Jet Airways in December 2015 and has more than 24 years of experience having held positions in India, Europe and North America.
Tourism and Hospitality Skill Council ARUN NANDA has been appointed as chairman of Tourism and Hospitality Skill Council (THSC). Nanda was unanimously elected as the new chairman by the board at the recently held fourth general body meeting of THSC. In this role, Nanda will guide and lead the organisation in its aim to fulfill the skilled manpower requirements of the hospitality industry. Nanda is currently also the chairman of Mahindra Holidays & Resorts India and Mahindra Lifespace Developer, and the director of Holiday Club Resorts Oy, Finland. Apart from this, he holds leadership and advisory roles on the boards of several other companies.
Vistara Vistara has appointed SANJIV KAPOOR as chief strategy and
commercial officer. In his new role, Kapoor will be responsible for managing a portfolio of Vistara’s commercial and planning functions including strategy development, network planning, pricing and revenue management, sales and distribution, product development, branding, marketing and customer experience. He will also be responsible for in-flight services and ground operations. Prior to joining Vistara, Kapoor was the chief operating officer at SpiceJet. Kapoor has over 19 years of experience in the airline industry across various leadership and consulting roles.
Trafalgar ROHAN KULKARNI has been appointed as sales manager for Trafalgar in India. A commerce graduate from
Rohan Kulkarni
Mumbai, Kulkarni had done his MBA in Travel & Tourism from Kuoni Academy. He has previously worked with organisations like SOTC Kuoni and Thomas Cook India amongst others. With more than five years of experience, his new role will entail servicing and engaging the travel trade partners and growing the brand.
Lufthansa Group
Sanjiv Kapoor
DIETER VRANCKX has been appointed as vice president – sales for Lufthansa Group in Asia Pacific. In his new role, Vranckx will lead the airline group’s regional headquarter in Asia Pacific. Based in Singapore, he will be responsible for
Contki Holidays
Dieter Vranckx
managing and directing sales at all markets in this region. Prior to this position, Vranckx has held various positions in passenger sales and cargo within the Lufthansa Group.
Diethelm Travel Group Diethelm Travel Group has appointed a managing director, general manager Thailand and group sales director. JEAN FRANCOIS REDL has been promoted from country manager Vietnam to managing director, replacing Torsten Edens who is now group operating director. VICTOR MOGILEV has moved from his role as sales director emerging markets to general manager Thailand and will support Edens in Bangkok. LOUISE LITHGOW has been employed as group sales director of Diethelm Travel Group, responsible for managing the entire sales team and activities across the 12 countries Diethelm operates in. Lithgow joins the company with 14 years of experience working for STA Travel as well as various hospitality groups, such as Millennium Hotels.
JENSEN DSOUZA has been appointed as sales manager for the world leader in youth travel – Contiki Holidays. Post graduating in arts from Mumbai, Dsouza pursued post graduate degree in marketing from Welingkar’s Institute. He has previously worked with organisations like Global Buzz Makers and Thomas Cook India amongst others. With over 12 years of experience, his new role will entail servicing and
tions. He previously held the position of country manager for Yemen, initially for IATA in 2004 and later for Gulf Air in 2008.
Etihad Airways Etihad Airways has appointed SIMON HAWK as sponsorship manager – Australia. Hawk will be based in Sydney and will report to Briony Trevethan in the airline’s Abu Dhabi headquarters. In this newly created role, he will be responsible for managing the airline’s sponsorship portfolio in Australia and maximising its investment in these partnerships. His previous roles include senior manager, partnerships at Australia Rugby Union; senior account manager at MEC Access in UK; account manager at Havas Sports & Entertainment in UK; and business development manager for Your Golf Travel.
Gulf Air
FCM Travel Solutions
Gulf Air has appointed SHADI RAWEH as country manager for Turkey. With over 15 years’ experience and an in-depth, working knowledge of the aviation and travel industry, Raweh has covered several management roles both within Gulf Air and in other industry organisa-
FCM Travel Solutions has appointed CAROLINE KERR as general manager - Hong Kong, and JAMES ELLIS as director of sales - North East Asia. Kerr previously worked for Flight Centre Travel Group (1991 – 2006) across the Flight Centre, Corporate Traveller, Stage &
engaging the travel trade partners and growing the youth brand across the country.
Screen and FCM Travel brands both in Australia and Hong Kong. In her expanded role she will report to David Fraser, managing director of Flight Centre Travel Group in Greater China. Ellis will be responsible for increasing market share across the region. Ellis has been in the travel industry for 10 years both at a regional and national sales level. In his most recent position, Ellis managed the Sydney sales team at Egencia. Ellis will reprt to Kerr.
Delta Air Lines Delta Air Lines has appointed WONG HONG as president, Greater China. Hong will have overall responsibility for Delta in China, Hong Kong and Taiwan. He will oversee and manage Delta's strategic, competitive and financial position, as well as sales and marketing within the Greater China region. He will report to Vinay Dube, senior vice president - Asia Pacific. Hong joins Delta from SATS, where he served as executive vice president of Food Solutions. Hong holds a bachelor's degree (honours) in electrical engineering from the National University of Singapore. He is also a member of the Harvard Business School alumni, having completed the General Management Programme.
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weekend
E V E N T S
NEW ADDITION Turkish Airlines celebrated the delivery of its 300th aircraft, an Airbus A330-300, at Atat端rk International Airport in the new hangar of Turkish Technic Inc CULTURAL FEST Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation organised the 27th edition of Elephanta Festival at Gateway of India, Mumbai
NOTABLE MILESTONE The Thai tourism minister recently visited Mumbai to celebrate 1,000,000 Indian arrivals in 2015
FILLIP TO INNOVATION An engineering lab to develop advanced aviation IT solutions was declared open in Singapore by Ramco Systems with Air France Industries KLM Engineering & Maintenance as the first anchor partner
MEGA EVENT Enterprising Travel Agents Association recently held its second mega event at The Metropolitan Hotel, New Delhi
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ROAD TO BANGKOK The first group of 20 Indian travellers driving on AH 1 to Bangkok, received a welcome party at Millennium Hilton Bangkok
weekend
E V E N T S
CREATIVE PAVILION Madhya Pradesh state culture and tourism minister Surendra Patwa (centre) inaugurated the Indian Oil pavilion at Khajuraho
JOYFUL CELEBRATIONS The Macao Government Tourist Office organised a range of festive celebrations for visitors and residents to mark the arrival of the Chinese New Year in Macao
PROMOTING PROACTIVELY An award presentation cum knowledge session on SouthWest Germany was recently held at the Taj Lands End, Mumbai wherein six DMCs were felicitated for actively promoting SouthWest Germany
FELICITATION CEREMONY S M A Sheeraz, director, Sheeraz Tours, Lucknow (third from left) being felicitated by Dato Seri Mohamed Nazri Aziz (centre), Malaysia’s minister of tourism and culture in Malaysia
FIRST SHIPMENT Boeing and Bharat Forge Limited announced the first shipment of titanium flap-track forgings, made by the Indian supplier for Boeing’s Next-Generation 737, at Pune
AWARD CEREMONY Jatinder Paul Singh (right), senior VP and head-sales and distribution leisure travel, Thomas Cook receiving the Best Foreign Tour Operator award at the recently held Malaysia Tourism Awards in Kuala Lumpur
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REGD.WITH RNI NO. MAHENG/2005/15993,POSTAL REGD. NO. MCS/163/2016 – 18,PUBLISHED ON 11TH EVERY MONTH, POSTED ON 12TH,13TH,14TH OF EVERY MONTH, POSTED AT MUMBAI PATRIKA CHANNEL SORTING OFFICE,MUMBAI – 400001.