Express Travelworld (Vol.12, No.1) February, 2017

V0L 12 NO.1 PAGES 40

February, `50

EDITOR’S NOTE

Budget buzz

O

n February 1, 2017, from 11 am to almost 1 pm, the country's Finance Minister (FM) did what he does best.. building hopes and expectations and finally leaving it to the thought leaders and the common man of course to decipher what his two hour speech meant to both individuals and industries at large. Since our concern is related directly to the tourism, hospitality and the transport sectors in totality, the general consensus has been rather positive but also prudent in the same breath. For the industry thought leaders who would like the BJP government to be more proactive, there certainly has been some noticeable progress in terms of both intent and investment. This budget can be termed as the one that intends to be ‘on track' with the railways receiving some interesting advantages. This is the first instance of the Railway Budget being integrated into the Union Budget and this merger is tipped to provide a further impetus to the transport sector’s growth, as per the PM's opinion. Apart from the railways, the aviation and the road transport sectors also received reasonable mention.

The FM Arun Jaitley, has outlined several developments and plans for the tourism sector. Jaitley referred to tourism as a big employment generator and has announced that the government will set up five special tourism zones in co-ordination with state

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“Though the announcements have been made on the five circuits,it’s crucial to knowwhich are the identified five.

Experts also feel that they need more clarity on the taxing of services under GST”

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governments, alongside launching the Incredible India campaign on the international level. Selected airports in Tier II cities have been identified for taking up operations and development under the PPP model. However, the minister hasn't revealed the specific details on the same. The focus of railways for the 2017-2018 fiscal will be on passenger safety, capital works and cleanliness, among other issues such as infrastructure upgradation and provisions for passengers. The railways will also take steps for launching dedicated trains for tourism and pilgrimage purposes. In this direction, the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) had announced last month it will launch the first pilgrim train for the North East region on February 17, which will connect to destinations like the Jagannath and Konark temples.

Our industry experts have given their verdict (details in this issue). They feel that though the announcements have been made on the five circuits, it’s crucial to know which are the identified five. Experts also feel that they need more clarity on the taxing of services under GST, which is also vital. Finally, it would be interesting to watch what the new 2.0 campaign has in store for further boosting the image of Incredible India.

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February 2017

CONTENTS MANAGEMENT Vol 12 No 1 FEBRUARY 2017 Pages 40

24

Chairman of the Board

Viveck Goenka Sr Vice President - BPD

Neil Viegas Editor

Reema Lokesh* Assistant Editor

A NEW BIRD IS IN THE AIR GARUDA, NAMED AFTER THE MYTHICAL BIRD, AND THE NATIONAL AIRLINE OF INDONESIA, HAS RECENTLY LAUNCHED ITS MUMBAIJAKARTA SERVICE. THE THRICE WEEKLY SERVICE IS EXPECTED TO ATTRACT INDIAN TOURISTS WHO WISH TO EXPERIENCE THE ARCHIPELAGO'S VARIED TREASURES

Steena Joy Sr. Associate Editor

Sudipta Dev CONTENT TEAM New Delhi

Saloni Bhatia DESIGN National Design Editor

Bivash Barua Assistant Art Director

EDGE

Pravin Temble Senior Artists

Ratilal Ladani, Rajesh Jadhav

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SCHEDULING & COORDINATION

Ashish Anchan Photo Editor

Sandeep Patil MARKETING Regional Heads

Harit Mohanty - East & West Prabhas Jha - North Marketing Team

Debnarayan Dutta Ajanta Sengupta Mathen Mathew CIRCULATION

Mohan Varadakar

THE BIG FATINDIAN WEDDING JUSTGOTLEANER

#OMGB, IT'S IN PUNE! DESTINATION BRITAIN INDIA 2017, VISITBRITAIN’S LARGEST, FLAGSHIP EVENT IN INDIA WAS HELD FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A TIER II CITY – PUNE. THE EVENT SAW MORE THAN 75 BUYERS FROM PAN INDIA NETWORK WITH 25 BRITISH SUPPLIERS TO EMPOWER THEM TO BETTER SERVICE THE EVER POPULAR DESTINATION AMONG INDIAN TRAVELLERS

The party is still on, say industry players but Modi's move will see some leaner saat pheras in popular wedding destinations

(20-23)

PRODUCTION General Manager

MARKETS

B R Tipnis Manager

Bhadresh Valia Express TravelWorld® POSTAL REGD. NO. MCS/163/2016 – 18 RNI Reg. No.MAHENG/2005/15993

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LIFE

BUDGET 2017: INDUSTRY HIGHLIGHTS AND REACTIONS

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INTERVIEW WITH HITEN GHELANI, CEO, MAHINDRA MARINE

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Printed by The Indian Express (P) Ltd. and published by Ms Vaidehi Thakar on

INTERVIEW WITH SAMINDA PERERA, GENERAL MANAGER, MARKETING, SRILANKAN AIRLINES

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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.

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P05 : EDITOR’S NOTE P33 : APPOINTMENTS

A CSR DAY ITB BERLIN HIGHLIGHTS CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY IN TOURISM AGAIN

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IN THE NEWS

Budget 2017: Industry highlights and reactions Mohit Rathod Mumbai THE BUDGET 2017, announced by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, has outlined several developments and plans for the tourism sector. Jaitley referred to tourism as a big employment generator and has announced that the government will set up five special tourism zones in co-ordination with state governments, alongside launching the Incredible India campaign on international level.

This is the first instance of the Railway Budget being integrated into the Union Budget.

The merger of the Railway Budget with the general budget will give an impetus to the transport sector’s growth, opined PM Narendra Modi.

On tourism and related infrastructure front, the budget saw several announcements for railways, aviation, road and coastal connectivity.

Selected airports in Tier II cities have been identified for

taking up operations and development under PPP model.

However, the minister hasn't revealed specific details on the same. The focus of railways for the 2017-2018 fiscal will be on passenger safety, capital works and cleanliness, among other issues such as infrastructure upgradation and provisions for passengers. The railways will also take steps for launching dedicated trains for tourism and pilgrimage purposes.

In this direction, Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) had announced last month it will launch the first pilgrim train for the North East region on February 17, which will connect to destinations like Jagannath and Konark temples.

In another highlight of the budget, promoting the government's digital initiatives, service charge on e-tickets booked through IRCTC has been withdrawn. The government also removed all duties on devices used in the process of cashless transactions like point of sales ma-

Arun Jaitley

chines, finger print readers etc.

A total of `1.3 lakh crore has been allotted for solar powered and disabled-friendly railway stations. By 2019, all coaches of Indian Railways will be fitted with bio-toilets. Rail safety fund with a corpus of `100,000 crore will be created over a period of

five years. Jaitley has announced a total of `55,000 crore for railways in Budget 2017. Whereas, the transport sector in genaral has been allocated `2.41 lakh crore.

A new metro rail policy will be announced, which is expected to open up new jobs for

the youth. Additionally, railway-related state-run companies like IRCON and IRCTC will be listed on stock exchanges.

Budget allocation for highways has been stepped up to `64,000 crore in FY18 from `57,676 crore.

In another traveller-oriented move apart from tourism and pilgrimage trains, Head Post Offices will now be used as the front office for passport services, eliminating the need to travel long distances for obtaining a passport.

The government has also allocated `1,840.77 crore to the tourism ministry for the next fiscal, including `959.91 crore for the integrated development of tourist circuits.

National carrier Air India, which is surviving on `30,231crore bailout package extended by the previous UPA government, will receive `1,800 crore as equity infusion in 2017-2018 under the government's ongoing financial assistance.

Industry speak "One of the key wins of this budget has been the announcement to launch the Incredible India 2.0 campaign. We would eagerly await the formal plans and rollout of this much-awaited campaign. There is a huge market for cruises that India is missing out. The 2,000-km of coastal connectivity roads identified for construction and development in this budget will facilitate better connectivity. The intent to skill India with various government programmes will definitely help to reduce the skill shortage in the tourism Industry. The budget gives a big fillip to the Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS). It proposes no service tax on the amount of viability gap funding (VGF) payable to the airline operator for providing the services of transporting passengers from airports identified under the RCS Scheme for one year. But to our understanding, the demand and supply to these smaller destinations needs to mature over a period of time, there is a gestation period; a longer deferment of tax collection may have helped."

Sunder G Advani, vice chairman, World Travel & Tourism Council, India Initiative (WTTCII) and CMD, Advani Hotels & Resorts (India)

"Significant emphasis on augmenting transport infrastructure and railway safety and convenience would have positive impact.

However, these measures are incremental in nature, and are expected to provide only a moderate boost. Nonetheless, reduction in taxes levied on small and medium businesses is likely to provide some comfort factor to the sector, which is currently adversely affected by a relatively high taxation in comparison with other tourism-focused countries. Further, proposed relaxation in labour laws is also likely to provide relief to the labour-intensive sector. In conclusion, the tourism and hospitality sector would need greater support from the government to thrive in an increasingly competitive domestic as well as international markets."

Jaideep Ghosh, partner and head – tourism and hospitality, KPMG India

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February 2017

IN THE NEWS

Industry speak “This budget has very little to offer to the tourism industry, but with plans to launch Incredible India 2.0 as the next phase of growth for domestic tourism with respect to India, there is something to look forward to. India has a vast railway network and the recently announced Railway Budget acknowledges the strength of this. One of the biggest announcements is the withdrawal of service charge on rail tickets booked through IRCTC. This will not only lead to more bookings but will enable the consolidation of a digital economy. Another significant development is the emphasis on safety and sanitation, by introducing bio-toilets, which will increase passenger comfort."

Mahesh Iyer, COO, Thomas Cook India

"This budget would help to boost the rural infrastructure and industrial sectors. Series of initiatives on digital payment is expected to bring efficiency in the collection and is positive for the formal sector. The ban on cash transaction over `3 lakhs is a welcome move and it is expected to provide a level playing field. Focus on railway security and upgradation of services is expected to give boost to rail tourism."

Vishal Suri, MD, SOTC Travel

“Involvement of private sector in airports is likely to bring efficiency gains, making such airports more profitable. AAI too is likely to participate in the airport development, supported by funds raised by monetising its land bank. While private sector has been involved in airport infrastructure development under the PPP model, their interest has been restricted to major airports. This is on account of low revenue generation potential of other airports. The budget proposals look to encourage both the private players and AAI for airport development. It is noteworthy that the passenger traffic is poised to cross 250 million in FY2017, which makes continued investment in airport infrastructure a key imperative."

Harsh Jagnani, sector head and VP, corporate ratings, ICRA

"Services constitute 65 per cent of the GDP, but there's lack of clarity on the taxing of services under GST, which is crucial."

Ashwini Kakkar, executive vice-chairman, Mercury Travels

“Road and rail infrastructure are crucial in terms of boosting tourism as these are widely used mode of transport in India. In this context, stepping up the allocation for national highways to `64,000 crore, announcement to launch dedicated trains for pilgrimage and tourism and service charge withdrawal on booking of rail tickets are welcoming moves which will help to accelerate domestic and inbound travel. We are quite positive about the focus on rural infrastructure development as we see a scope to promote rural tourism even further, especially for inbound tourists. However, we need to know more about what all will be covered in five special tourism zones to be set up in partnership with states.”

Peter Kerkar, director, Cox and Kings

“The budget continued to build on the government’s transformational and reform-focused direction to energise the Indian economy. The sustained focus on infrastructure development and modernisation will be key to cater to the needs of this industry especially – both domestic as well as foreign tourists. Further, the five special tourism zones to be developed in partnership with states and better rural infrastructure could augment emerging trends like rural/experiential tourism."

Simon Fiquet, general manager, South East Asia and India, Expedia

"The tourism industry welcomes this budget. We see substancial increase in budget allocation for the travel and tourism industry. The finance minister also said that exports are not increasing. I would like to highlight that tourism can play a crucial role to improve this situation. Also, the budget allocation for commerce sector – which contributes to an important amount of our business – has been reduced, but we will hold discussions with the government in the future."

Sarabjeet Singh, vice chairman, Federation of Associations of Indian Tourism & Hospitality (FAITH)

"The government has already put in efforts on air connectivity in these cities.

This is a welcome move from the government. Today's announcement will give impetus to travel and tourism in these markets. This will also provide better airport infrastructure such as bigger parking spaces for aircraft, like in metro cities."

Harmandeep Singh Anand, managing director, Jagsons Travels

"The industry contributes close to 7.5 per cent of India’s GDP and has been a key contributor to the Indian economy. With an objective to clearly give a further impetus to both domestic and inbound tourism, we feel the strategic vision for the Incredible India 2.0 campaign is a positive step.

This kind of support from the government goes a long way in creating awareness and should further help India get a distinct competitive edge vis-à-vis other destinations."

Rakshit Desai, managing director, FCM Travel Solutions

“The budget brings multifarious opportunities for the tourism sector. Establishment of five special tourism zones in partnership with the states will attract more foreign travellers and grow the inbound travel. Also, the government's demonetisation drive has given a tremendous fillip to digitalisation in India. Focus on digital economy will be a significant factor for the development of visa outsourcing industry. It will help to maximise reach and increase the demand for inbound as well as outbound travel.”

Shikhar Aggarwal, joint MD, BLS International

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IN THE NEWS

'WE ARE SAILING IN THE RIGHTDIRECTION ATTHE RIGHTTIME' Mahindra Odyssea manufactures boats specially designed to navigate across coastal and inland waters in the country. Hiten Ghelani, CEO, Mahindra Marine talks about the company’s range of offerings for Indian boating enthusiasts

By Sudipta Dev What are your product offerings for the recreational / tourism and water sports segment?

Mahindra Odyssea, part of the Mahindra group, makes India’s finest luxury powerboats.

Built to exacting international standards, tailor-made for Indian waters, and custom-designed for individual tastes, our speedboats will inspire you to discover new adventures.

Mahindra Odyssea’s offerings span across the recreational, commercial and defense segments. While Odyssea’s recent foray in the yacht segment proves its capabilities in building fully customised yachts up to 24 metres, its presence is also established in the 35, 33, 22 and 17 feet models. The models also have unique add-ons catering to skiing, parasailing, and other water sports.

Your perception of the growth of luxury yacht/ boats market in India ?

The luxury yacht/boats market in India is quite

Hiten Ghelani

nascent due to a number of prevailing factors. Although we have seen encouraging levels of interest in the past year, given rising disposable income backed by key government announcements, the fact is that India currently stands at one per cent of the US market in value terms.

We, however, see this as a huge opportunity and consider the category at the cusp of growth. The government’s take on marinas, inland waterways and boat market regulations have been encourag-

ing and we are confident that we are sailing in the right direction at the right time!

Who is your target clientele?

Your focus on the export market?

In terms of Odyssea’s offerings in the recreational segment, our core target clientele consists of the adventurous and upwardly mobile HNI segment.

We would like to develop the culture of boating in India. The coast of Mumbai, the backwaters in Kerala and the sands of Goa all

have access to this adventurous and exciting market. We will pursue the export market in time at the opportune time. As of now, though, our focus is on the Indian market.

Are there any challenges preventing the market in India to realise its full potential?

There are regulatory and infrastructural impediments that need to be resolved on a war footing. We are, however, seeing the right moves being made by stakeholders to ad-

dress this and have no doubt on the potential of the segment that will unfurl in time to come.

What are the future plans for the company, particularly for the recreational segment?

The recreational segment is key to the overall brand equity that we envision to build.

Our focus is two-fold: to expand our product offerings and expertise to make world class yachts/ boats and to develop a “culture of boating” in India.

MTDC promotes Koyana as new destination Mohit Rathod Mumbai MAHARASHTRA Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis having announced 2017 as “Visit Maharashtra” year, as part of the efforts to strengthen the tourism economy, the state government’s tourism and hospitality arm, Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation has (MTDC) has introduced

Koyana as a new destination in New Mahabaleshwar. At an event held at Mumbai Press Club, MTDC unveiled its plan to boost tourism in Koyana through event-based promotions, which will be led by Gujarat-based real estate and hospitality company, Presidency Group.

MTDC and Presidency Hospitality recently organised an International Kite Festival in Koyana from

January 26-29, 2017. Presidency Hospitality had also launched its first eventbased initiative Koyana Darshan Maha Mahotsav in November last year, which featured art and cultural performances.

Dhananjay Kashyap, head – business development, Presidency Hospitality, said, “Koyana, as a destination, hasn’t enjoyed popularity and there is less tourist footfall. Observ-

ing the success of events and festival based initiatives in states such as Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh, we had launched the Koyana Darshan Maha Mahotsav.”

Debuted as a one-day programme, Koyana Darshan Maha Mahotsav will be extended to three days this year, and will include exhibition and seminars on eco-tourism, leisure and adventure tourism, and tourism and

hospitality-related topics.

“We have a lot of events and festivals lined up this year and we are going to put every possible effort to boost tourism in the state.

Through these events and festivals, we aim to highlight new destinations. There are many such destinations in the state and we are going to promote them this year,” added Swati Kale, general manager, MTDC.

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February 2017

IN THE NEWS

'INDIAWILLCONTINUE TO PLAYAPROMINENTROLE IN OUR FUTURE OPERATIONS' Highlighting the latest expansion in the India market, Saminda Perera, general manager, marketing, SriLankan Airlines talks about widening the airline's reach across the country

By Sudipta Dev How would you describe the growth story of SriLankan Airlines in India? Which factors have attributed to the growth ?

SriLankan Airlines has seen a steady growth in India over the years and this has been a result of our consistent expansion to cities that we see as potential markets. Last year, we added Kolkata, Madurai, Bodh Gaya and Varanasi to our route network. Apart from these cities, we currently operate out of Chennai, Trichy, Bengaluru, Kochi, Thiruvanathapuram, Mumbai and New Delhi. Our convenient connections to key cities in the Far East, South East Asia, Maldives and Middle-East via Colombo have made SriLankan a preferred choice among Indian passengers. On the other hand, Sri Lanka has been a much sought after destination among the Indian travellers. While the

island’s business and MICE options are becoming increasingly popular among the Indian corporate travellers, the legendary cultural ties between the two countries translate to a noticeable influx of pilgrims visiting to pay homage to a range of cultural and historic sites in both countries. Sri Lanka is also becoming a popular wedding destination among the Indian tourists, for the locations and the kind of hospitality options that are on offer.

A total of 278,017 Indians visited Sri Lanka in 2015, making India the largest tourism generating market to Sri Lanka. That number has increased by 14 per cent year on year in the first nine months of 2016 with 252,165 Indian visitors, according to statistics of the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority.

Do you believe that SriLankan is an airline of choice

come. Hence, India will continue to play a prominent role in our future operations.

Any new routes / increased frequency in the pipeline for India ?

As mentioned above, the latest expansion was the addition of Kolkata, Madurai, Bodh Gaya and Varanasi to our route network. We will continue to explore opportunities to widen our reach in India.

Saminda Perera

for Indians ?

As mentioned above, I am of the opinion that SriLankan has become an obvious choice of travel among Indian travellers.

How important is the India market in your overall strategic plans for the future ?

With our aim to reaffirm a sustainable business, Asia will be our prime focus in time to

For the India market, what is the greatest differentiating factor for SriLankan vis-a-vis other airlines that operate in the region as a hub ?

It is the inherent Sri Lankan warmth and hospitality that we portray through our on-board service, coupled with convenient connectivity. With the new network addition, we have become the fifth largest international airline to India and the

biggest carrier to Chennai. We always strive to deliver the best to our customers and this has been the reason for us to be the preferred choice of Airline in India, operating over 100 flights per week.

Any other significant factor?

As a member of the oneworld global airline alliance, SriLankan now connects the cities of Madurai, Bodh Gaya and Varanasi to oneworld’s worldwide network of more than 1,000 destinations in 160 countries. With SriLankan’s induction to the alliance in 2014, the airline added Tiruchirappalli to the oneworld route network. SriLankan Airlines is already part of the oneworld’s special fare programme- the Subcontinent Pass, which allows passengers to experience the vibrancy and excitement of South Asia, which includes the cities; Bengaluru and Mumbai.

Air Asia India adds Srinagar, Bagdogra to its sectors ETW Staff Mumbai LOW-COST CARRIER AIRASIA India has launched two new sectors and one new route in the country. Keeping in mind the Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS), AirAsia In-

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dia has added Srinagar and Bagdogra to its list of destinations while adding a new route connecting Pune and New Delhi.

As a part of expansion, AirAsia India will connect Delhi with Srinagar, Bagdogra and Pune on a daily basis. The flights on these

routes will be operational from February 19, 2017.

Amar Abrol, MD and CEO, AirAsia India, said, “AirAsia India is consistently growing and is on a rapid business expansion mode. We ended 2016 on a highly positive note and are delighted to continue the same

momentum in 2017 with the launch of two new sectors and an additional route. Bagdogra and Srinagar are key sectors for us and we look forward to continued support from the local state governments, central government and our valued guests in taking AirAsia to

greater heights in India.”

With this addition, AirAsia India will fly to 13 destinations with its hubs in Bengaluru and New Delhi, covering Chandigarh, Jaipur, Guwahati, Imphal, Goa, Pune, Vizag, Kochi, Hyderabad, Srinagar and Bagdogra.

AVIATION

'THE INDIAMARKETIS STEADILYGROWING WHICH IS VERYEXCITING' With 20 years of experience in group transportation, Pegasus boasts the largest fleet of 61 passenger motor coaches in Florida, providing groups of any size with a stress-free travel experience, using a blend of logistical planning, 24/7 live dispatch service, GPS tracking and experienced, professional drivers. Through investment in technology, Pegasus creates reliable, fast and flexible products, from transportation to accommodations. Claudia Menezes, vice president, Pegasus Transportation, speaks to Steena Joy on why Pegasus is more than just a transportation company What is the size of the Pegasus fleet?

Our fleet consists of 30 VanHool motorcoaches, each seating up to 61 passengers.

All of our coaches feature complimentary WiFi, reclining seats, panoramic windows, and GPS tracking. For smaller groups we also have a fleet of 14 passenger vans.

How does India figure as a source market for Pegasus?

Do you get a lot of MICE groups from India market?

The India market is steadily growing which is very exciting. We have begun to invest more in the market

and have seen a great return.

Florida is the perfect destination for MICE groups with countless hotels, large convention spaces, and entertainment venues. Pegasus has a dedicated groups department and a programme called W.I.N.G.S, that handles group bookings and can be accessed by the client anywhere in the world.

From transportation to meals, attraction tickets, events, concierge and logistics, Pegasus is prepared to service any kind of group in Florida.

How has Florida evolved as

a destination for FITs and groups?

Florida heavily invests in the tourism market as it is one of the most important sectors in our economy. Our airports and infrastructure make our cities very accessible which is appealing when planning a trip. It has rapidly evolved as a destination with over 105 million visitors in 2015 and is the first state to reach that record in the United States. Just in Orlando, we had over 66 million tourists and that number is expected to grow when the 2016 figures are released.

Claudia Menezes

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February 2017

IN THE NEWS

TAAI -TCAAbu Dhabi unveil 63rd convention memories in New Delhi Saloni Bhatia New Delhi AFTER CONCLUDING a successful convention in Abu Dhabi, the Travel Agents' Association of India (TAAI) team, along with Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi), hosted an event in New Delhi to celebrate the memories of the convention. The evening event was held at Shangri-La's Eros Hotel in New Delhi to thank everyone for their good wishes and support in making TAAI's 63rd convention a huge success.

The initiative of TAAI and TCA Abu Dhabi, to offer India a world class and most exquisite destination with abundant locations for MICE, tourism and special events, was strongly reflected in the manner the TAAI convention was held.

Majority of the stakeholders

of the tourism industry had gathered for the event. Addressing the gathering, Sunil Kumar, president, TAAI, stated, “We have partnered with Abu Dhabi because we feel there is huge potential in the country. We need to be genuine in our knowledge and appreciation to TCA and our members have committed to promote Abu Dhabi to the best of their ability. In the next one and a half year, Abu Dhabi must see a huge rise in Indian tourist arrivals, which will be an acknowledgment of Indian credibility. I would urge my colleagues and media to give prominence to the country because they truly deserve it.”

The audience enjoyed the 20minute video which depicted TAAI's efforts in bringing the industry together to promote the country. It gave an insight of the convention. The video captured

the major happenings spread across the three days of the convention.

Extending gratitude to the sponsors, Kumar mentioned that they overcame the challenge of keeping the convention in an expensive place like Abu Dhabi only due to the extensive support of their sponsors who believed in TAAI. He also mentioned about the media present in large number, covering the day-to-day happenings of the convention. “This evening is also dedicated to our very supportive media; over 50 media personnel were there at Abu Dhabi and they covered the convention.

The media had a huge impact on the convention. People from all over the world were able to get glimpses of the convention taking place in Abu Dhabi and importantly our sponsors,” he stated.

The evening also saw the unveiling of the fourth issue of NAMASTAAI, which was completely dedicated to the convention in Abu Dhabi. Ending his thoughts with forward approach, Kumar added, “We don't have to live on our past, we need to look into the future and perceive levels that would not only benefit our past capa-

bilities, but also come forward as our future legacies. As an industry, we should leave a mark so our successors are able to thank us for the contributions.”

The session was followed by a dinner where the industry gathered to relive the memories of the convention and share their experiences.

HDFC ERGO expects strong growth in retail travel business Sudipta Dev Mumbai HDFC ERGO General Insurance had observed a strong growth of 32 per cent in FY 20162017 in its retail travel business, and the company is optimistic about the potential in the coming year as well. Highlighting the company's engagement with the travel agent community and the OTAs, Anurag Rastogi, head retail underwriting & claims, HDFC ERGO General Insurance, said, “We engage with all the stakeholders who have a stake in safe travel for passen-

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February 2017

gers and have very healthy business relationship with them.”

There have been quite a few interesting trends in the last few years in terms of traveller profile / buying patterns. Rastogi mentioned that as a mandatory requirement by universities abroad for granting admission to Indian students, there is a significant increase in students opting for student travellers policy. Further, with cheaper air fares and increased air capacity, an increase has been observed in opting for travel insurance among customers within Asia. “There is an increase in customers opting

Anurag Rastogi

for travel insurance through the online platform. There is also a growing trends among travel agents, airlines and OTAs selling travel insurance as an attachment product,” he added.

Elaborating on the USP of HDFC ERGO travel insurance plans, Rastogi informed, “HDFC ERGO’s Travel Insurance plans cover various possibilities such as emergency medical expenses, medical evacuation, personal accident, loss of baggage and personal documents. With the range of plans, we always have a plan that will best suit different types of travellers’ protection concerns

at an affordable cost.” In addition, pointed out Rastogi, the products also provide customers with benefits, which are key differentiators in the market. For instance, no medicals up to the age of 70 years; tailor made plans to suit customers’ needs; online purchase option with immediate issuance of policy; optimum coverage at low costs. There is also in-house travel claims set up, with round the clock call center and claims processing, and cashless claims processing through wide global network of hospitals and international travel assistance partner.

IN THE NEWS

Visit Scotland India as the second biggest market for tourist arrivals Saloni Bhatia Mumbai VISIT SCOTLAND recently concluded a two-week road show across Mumbai, Delhi and Bengaluru. The event was held to attract more travellers from the India market through increasing business ties with new travel agents. This year's mission saw two-fold increase in the number of partners from Scotland. Known for its scenic routes, history, culture, castle and whiskey tours, the country welcomed an average of 29,000 visitors from India in between the year 2013 and 2015. The partners are also looking at India as a potential market in MICE segment.

Speaking to Express Trav-

elWorld, Kirsten Spence, marketing manager - India, Middle East and Australasia, said, “There have been significant queries for MICE destinations in Scotland and we are happy to showcase some distinguished offers from the country. We can see equal amount of interest from both sides as more partners have joined us this year.”

When asked about the special MICE destinations, Spence added, “Cities like Edinburgh, Glasgow, Abadeen offer some unique locations and activities that can be added to the itineraries.” She further informed that Scotland offers a total of 12,000 rooms, out of which 2000 are based in Glasgow which is the centre zone for nu-

merous activities like shopping, food etc.

However, Martina Majerova, assistant manager, emerging markets, Visit Scotland, stated that the country is also focused on the leisure segment. She informed, “Scotland received roughly 35,000 Indian

tourists last year, though the actual number is bound to be more. Many times the travellers who drive in from neighbouring countries are not recorded which leads to less numbers.”

She added, “Scotland is looking at China and India as

key markets for growth and has designated special teams to work on marketing strategies for the countries. Our partners have seen a positive growth from the market and see the numbers rising in the coming year.”

Some of the companies which participated in the mission were Cashel Travel (Edinburgh), Kandala Travel (Glasgow, London and Hyderabad), The Spires (luxury serviced apartments in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen), CHR Travel (Essex), Golden Tours (London), Go2 UK Travels (London), Worldwide DMC (London), Globus (London), Belmond (London, Edinburgh) and Nira Caledonia (Edinburgh based luxury hotel).

Shillong has not received the deserved tourism attention: Dr Jitendra Singh ETW Staff Mumbai THE UNION MINISTER of State for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), Dr Jitendra Singh discussed the tourism promotion plans for Shillong and the surrounding areas of North East with a group of professionals led by member of parliament from Tura, Meghalaya, Conrad K Sangma.

The minister was given a presentation about the roadmap conceived for placing Shillong as a tourist attraction on global platform and thereby also promoting the entire

region through a similar strategy. The presentation highlighted the various options and itineraries with focus on a three-day holiday capsule incorporating cultural activities, meditation centres, music workshops, experience of food cuisines and trekking options.

Singh said, “There is no second opinion about the fact that Shillong has not received the kind of tourism attention that it deserves. This is an irony considering the fact that Shillong is the original capital of North East, right from the days of British empire to the post-i ndependence era of undivided Assam state. However, the cen-

tral government has done its best to fast-track and make up for the undone initiatives of the past.”

He also disclosed that, with a view to make the Shillong Airport fully functional with wider utility, the ministry of DoNER has offered to fund the budget required for extension of the airstrip. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Civil Aviation has also been approached to extend the facility at the airport and increase the number of chopper / helicopter flights.

“Some of the music groups from Meghalaya can also be made part of the tourism bonanza capsule,” he said.

There is no second opinion about the fact that Shillong has not received the kind of tourism attention that it deserves. This is an irony considering the fact that Shillong is the original capital of North East, right from the days of British empire to the post-Independence era of undivided Assam state EXPRESS TRAVELWORLD

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February 2017

IN THE NEWS

TrawellTag Cover-More, GoAir announce travel assistance and insurance partnership ETW Staff Mumbai DEDICATED PROVIDER of global assistance and travel insurance, TrawellTag CoverMore has announced its partnership with GoAir, as part of which, TrawellTag CoverMore will provide specialised travel assistance services including insurance for GoAir passengers opting for domestic travel.

The association levarages Cover-More’s upgrade of its proprietary optimisation platform, Impulse, which works in

real-time to offer travel protection plans matched to the customer’s profile, based on the details provided while booking their tickets. CoverMore’s expertise in the domain of ancillary service optimisation for airlines, has enabled the organisation to serve clients like Malaysia Airlines, Air New Zealand and Virgin Atlantic.

This strategic alliance is in line with GoAir’s motto of 'Fly Smart', aimed at offering passengers a holistic, qualityassured, and time-efficient service through value for

Dev Karvat stressed that Indians are gradually realising the risks of travelling even within the country

money in fares and services.

This alliance suits the needs of the Indian traveller, particularly the new age traveller who prefers customised solutions.

Dev Karvat, MD and CEO, TrawellTag Cover-More, said, “We are delighted to partner with GoAir to provide our unique travel assistance and insurance services to GoAir’s customers throughout India.

Impulse is the key to our new strategic partnership as it not only equips travellers with holistic travel protection, but also enables our client to en-

hance ancillary revenue though an agile online technology.”

Karvat stressed that Indians are gradually realising the risks of travelling even within the country and service providers have taken up the onus of educating travellers and ensuring they travel smart and safe. He also mentioned that TrawellTag CoverMore has upgraded its team and infrastructure to provide dedicated support to GoAir in product innovation, claims management and emergency assistance.

Deccan Odyssey launches 2017 Companion Offer ETW Staff Mumbai DECCAN ODYSSEY, the luxury train operated by Cox & Kings, has launched an exclusive “Companion Offer” on select journeys. Travellers can book a twin-sharing cabin in Deccan Odyssey and avail flat 50 per cent discount for their companion.

The ongoing offer is applicable on bookings made till April 30, 2017. The exclusive scheme is open to all, including Indian citizens, foreign diplomats, expats residing in India and having work/resident permit.

The luxury train takes travellers through Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh,

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Goa and Delhi, depending on the choice of itinerary.

Guests onboard will be treated to experiences including wine tasting in Nashik, reliving history through the architecture of the Ajanta and Ellora Caves, visiting Goa, witnessing the boulders at Hampi among other experiences.

The Deccan Odyssey features 21 luxury coaches, out of which, 12 are guest cabins.

The train is also home to four Presidential Suites. It has been refurbished in keeping with the aspirations of the new-age traveller.

Differently abled guests can enjoy their journey with a specially equipped cabin.

The two gourmet restaurants on board offer local

specialities of state. The train also offers a conference car.

The select exclusive journeys under the special offer include: Maharashtra Splen-

dor, Jewels Of The Deccan, Hidden Treasures of Gujarat and Indian Sojourn.

IN THE NEWS

International Kite Festival draws over 100 global participants

ETW Staff Mumbai THE INTERNATIONAL Kite Festival-2017 recently concluded in Gujarat. Inaugurated by the governor Om Prakash Kohli, the event started with around 2000 students from the AMC-run schools doing Suryanamaskar at the Sabarmati Riverfront, Ahmedabad. Kohli, in his address, laid down the importance of this festival. He stated, “Each festival calls for a time to unite and strengthen the bonds of our culture and origin, thereby promoting our rich heritage and culture,” while adding that no other state in the country celebrated Makarsakranti in a larger than

life manner as in Gujarat.

Chief Minister Vijaybhai Rupani thanked PM Narendra Modi for laying down a strong base in his home state and mentioned that the state has now become the “growth engine” for the entire country.

Tourism Minister Ganpat Sinh Vasav thanked the support of the state government in giving the status of an ‘industry’ to the tourism sector which has led to an increase in the flow of tourists in the state by 18 per cent and that the kite industry alone gives employment to about one lakh people.

Various other dignitaries such as Pradeep Sinh Jadeja,

minister of law and justice, Civil Defense; minister of state Nirmalaben Wadhwani; Mayor Gautambhai Shah were also present at the event.

The event saw over 100 international participants from 32 countries such as Argentina, Australia, France, Brazil, Belgium, Cambodia, Canada, Estonia, Germany, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Korea, Macau, Malaysia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Russia, Singapore, Spain, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, the UK, the USA, Vietnam and many more, along with an approximate of 50 participants from 10 states of the country.

Chhattisgarh, Thrillophilia ink tourism MoU ETW Staff Mumbai CHHATTISGARH Tourism Board and Thrillophilia have recently signed an MoU and collaborated to promote tourism in the state. The objective is to digitalise the state’s travel experiences and promote them via digital channels. The company will make use of its technology framework to enable local tour operators and activity providers with inventory and booking management over mobile apps and free listings on platform to boost up bookings from travellers.

Under the collaboration, the focus areas will also be education and training for registered tours and activity providers with Chhattisgarh Tourism Board. The training will focus on online listings, content management, operations, and handling bookings.

Thrillophilia will provide them with personal web dashboards and mobile apps to manage their inventory and bookings. It will also lend expertise and assistance in areas of online payments and bookings, web software application and content management.

Abhishek Daga, cofounder, Thrillophilia, said, “We are extremely delighted and take sheer pride in collaborating with Chhattisgarh Tourism Board. The state has so much to offer to all travel lovers yet a lot of it remains untouched and unexplored. We firmly believe that the synergy between Chhattisgarh Tourism Board and Thrillophilia would result in a massive boost in tourism in the state.”

Thrillophilia’s services are presently spread across over 200 cities in India, and over 15 countries in Asia.

The objective is to digitalise the state’s travel experiences and promote them via digital channels.

The focus areas will also be education and training for registered tours and activity providers with Chhattisgarh Tourism Board

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IN THE NEWS

David Cameron to address World Travel & Tourism Council Global Summit 2017 ETW Staff Mumbai THE RT HON DAVID CAMERON, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2010 to 2016, will address the WTTC Global Summit in 2017.

The Global Summit in Bangkok, Thailand April 2627, 2017, will bring together global leaders from the travel and tourism private and public sectors to explore the theme of ‘Transforming our World’, and how the sector’s contribution to sustainable development can be maximised.

Cameron, will discuss some of the key geopolitical issues currently facing the world in which the sector operates. The youngest UK Prime Minister for almost 200 years, in 2012-2013, he cochaired a United Nations high-level panel in discussions which laid the groundwork for the 2015 agreement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

David Scowsill, president & CEO, WTTC said “I am de-

lighted that Cameron will join us at our Global Summit this year.

His international stature and first-hand experience of leadership on the world stage will bring extremely valuable insights to our members and delegates.

His views on the big issues currently facing an everchanging world will be eagerly anticipated.”

The 2017 Summit will see leaders in their field addressing a range of issues, including the future of travel and tourism as globalisation is called into question the impact of security threats and climate change on the right and ability of people to travel; the constraints to increased connectivity and infrastructure development in the ASEAN region; and the innovations which will enable travel and tourism growth in the coming decades.

Sessions will also include a discussion on digital borders, and how to balance security with travel facilitation; the growing internationalisation

David Cameron

of Chinese tourism, both in terms of acquisitions and outbound travellers; how the sector can balance projected growth with protecting destinations; and future trends in business and luxury travel.

WTTC’s Tourism for Tomorrow Awards will be presented during the Summit on April 27, showcasing the leaders in sustainable tourism in 2017.

Scowsill continued, “I am

extremely pleased to be announcing this year’s exciting and thought provoking programme, where we will dissect travel and tourism’s power to transform economies, places and lives. I am particularly delighted that these discussions will take place in Thailand, in the context of a country where travel and tourism has for many years played a vital role in economic development, and where many sustainability challenges have been overcome.”

“As the flagship private sector event of the UN International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development, the Summit is a unique opportunity for the leaders of our sector to engage with the wider development community,” Scowsill added.

The WTTC 2017 Global Summit is hosted by the Thai Ministry of Tourism and Sports and Tourism Authority Thailand (TAT) and is endorsed by the Royal Thai Government.

“Hosting the Global Summit reflects the Thai government’s commitment to growing travel and tourism in a sustainable manner and our country’s role as the sector’s leader in the ASEAN region. I am very much looking forward to receiving global travel and tourism’s most influential figures in Bangkok, to hear them discuss the future impacts of our sector, and have them enjoy the beauty of our country,” said H E Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul, minister of tourism and sports of Thailand.

Yuthasak Supasorn, governor of TAT, said, “I am excited to be welcoming WTTC delegates to Thailand, one of the world’s most popular tourist destinations and in particular to Bangkok, a hub of connectivity for the whole region. As well as hearing from the high calibre of speakers and networking with CEOs of the world’s leading tourism companies, we are also looking forward to showcasing the richness and warmth of Thai culture.”

Philippines to conduct multi-city training workshops in India ETW Staff Mumbai THE DEPARTMENT of Tourism (DoT), Philippines will be conducting training sessions in Ahmedabad and Delhi this February, in conjunction with its participation in OTM 2017 in

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Mumbai. The training sessions will be conducted by suppliers from the Philippines in Ahmedabad on February 24 at Hyatt Ahmedabad and on February 27 in Delhi at The Lalit New Delhi.

Representatives from DoT Philippines, along with a 14member delegation, will inter-

act with over 400 key travel agents and tour operators, MICE and up-market leisure operators.

SanJeet, tourism attaché, Philippines Tourism, said, “India being an important source market for Philippines tourism, such training sessions will pro-

vide an excellent platform to showcase the destination’s products and services. The Indian travellers’ palate has become experimental and therefore, through our numerous trade initiatives, we envisage the influencers of the Indian travel market to sell the desti-

nation more effectively to the end consumers.”

The programme for the workshop will include presentations by officials of DoT Philippines, DMCs and hotels from the Philippines in addition to Q and A, networking sessions among more.

IN THE NEWS

TTF 2017 series kick starts from Chennai and Bengaluru

Tokyo to attract two lakh Indian travellers by 2020 Saloni Bhatia New Delhi

ETW Staff Mumbai TRAVEL & TOURISM Fair (TTF), part of India’s oldest and largest travel show network, has kicked off 2017 with two travel trade shows – TTF Chennai at the Chennai Trade Centre and TTF Bengaluru at the Elaan Convention Centre.

Both events attracted a sizeable audience with Chennai drawing over 120 national and international participants, while Bengaluru attracted over 180 participants.

This year, the show has grown by 25 per cent for Chennai and 30 per cent for Bengaluru over last year, indicating that even post-demonetisation, the travel industry is anticipating growth and positive trends.

Participants from six countries and 20 Indian states and union territories attended TTF Chennai, while TTF Bengaluru played host to participants from five countries and 21 Indian states and UTs, which included state tourism boards, national tourist offices, hote-

liers, airlines, tour operators and travel agents, online travel companies, railways, cruises and other travel marketers.

Some of the partner states who participated in these events were Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Uttarakhand. Similarly, some of the feature states were Telangana, Jammu and Kashmir, Goa, Punjab, Jharkhand, Andaman and Nicobar among others.

SriLankan Airlines was one of the major participators at TTF Chennai as the partner airline. “With the most recent expansion into India, SriLankan Airlines now operates to 11 cities in India with a weekly frequency of 106 flights,” said S P Mohan, manager for Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, SriLankan Airlines.

The event also had participation from Haryana, Kerala, Maharashtra, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.

The partner country for TTF Bengaluru was Nepal, while GoAir was the partner

airline. Country representations at Bengaluru included operators from Singapore, Thailand and Russia. Other countries represented at Chennai included Malaysia, Singapore, Russia, Nepal and Sri Lanka. Besides states and countries, other exhibitors participating in the events included India B2B Solutions, Indian Railway Catering & Tourism Corporation, Southern Travels, India Tourism Development Corporation, Tamara Coorg, Itzcash, Sunrise Travel Port, Vythiri Resort, Blue Star Air Travel Services and more.

Sanjiv Agarwal, chairman and CEO, Fairfest Media, commented, “TTF Chennai and Bengaluru provides an important opportunity to be present in a hugely strategic market of South India. The trade show, now in its 28th year has resulted in creating a firm and strong network for the travel industry to explore the full potential and opportunities in domestic and outbound travel.”

AS THE CITY of Tokyo gears up for Olympics 2020, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government organised a tourism promotion event in New Delhi to tap on the Indian outbound market. It is being projected that Japan will receive 40 million tourists in 2020 out of which, 23 million will visit Tokyo. The event highlighted on the new developments and tourism initiatives taken by the government to receive travellers from across the world. Speaking at the occasion, Masahiko Sakamoto, senior director, tourism division, Tokyo Metropolitan Government said, “Tokyo has seen favourable growth from the India market as the number increased from 67,583 Indian tourist arrivals in 2007 to 123,000 in 2016. We see

India as a big growth market.”

Ken Katayama, deputy director general, Bureau of Industrial and Labor Affairs, Tokyo Metropolitan Government, mentioned, “With the relaxation of short-term visa requirements, the arrival of Indian tourists to Japan has shown steady growth, finally topping 100,000 in 2015.”

Sakamoto also informed that some new commercial facilities are coming up in Tokyo, namely Ginza Six and Shibuya Stream, which will feature facilities like shopping, dining and activity areas. For the Olympic Games, the city will be facilitated with multilingual call centres in three main languagesChinese, Korean and English. There will be interactive signages, Wi-Fi at major hubs and tourist centres selling travel tickets along with various other services.

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IN THE NEWS

SATTE 2017 to be held from February 15-17 in Delhi ETW Staff Mumbai UBM INDIA will be hosting the 24th edition of SATTE, South Asia's leading travel trade show, from February 1517, 2017 at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi. The trade show is represented by over 870 exhibitors and participants from over 40 countries and 28 Indian states, with several exhibitors marking their debut at the event. SATTE will provide a comprehensive platform to domestic and international buyers and professionals from across the travel, tourism and hospitality industry along with national and state tourism boards to congregate and conduct business, arrive at solution-driven innovations to counteract economic uncertainties, and promote inbound, outbound and domestic tourism in India. The event is also supported by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India.

SATTE continues to re-

ceive support of international organisations and Indian travel trade associations such as World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), Indian Convention Promotion Bureau (ICPB), Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), Society for Incentive Travel Excellence (SITE), SKAL International, United Federation of Travel Agents Associations (UFTAA), Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO), Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI), Federation of Hotel and Restaurant Associations of India (FHRAI), Travel Agents Federation of India (TAFI), Association of Domestic Tour Operators of India (ADTOI), Outbound Tour Operators Association of India (OTOAI) and IATA Agents Association of India (IAAI) among others. The three-day event will witness to several industry partnerships and announcements. The expo will feature a special pavilion of 12 start-ups and venture capital firms that will be onboard to

provide seed investments.

Tourism boards of the USA, Mexico, Peru, Czech Republic, Spain, Russia, Singapore, Malaysia, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Israel, Thailand, Indonesia, Macau, Fiji, Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, New Zealand, Reunion Island and Egypt amongst others have confirmed their participation.

Dubai, Sri Lanka and Thailand are partner countries for SATTE 2017.

SATTE 2017 will also witness participation from hospitality players such as Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, ITDC, Sterling Resorts, Dubai Parks & Resorts, Movenpick Hotel & Resorts, Minor Hotels, Melia Hotels International, ONYX Hospitality Group, Ramee Group of Hotels, Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts, Venetian Cotai amongst others. Airlines, cruiseliners, DMCs and OTAs will also join the event.

Pronab Sarkar, president, IATO, said, “SATTE has emerged as one of the pre-

mium platforms in the country, where one can find all the segments that make up the travel industry. This is the place where the entire tourism fraternity comes under one umbrella and a lot of actual business happens. Also through SATTE, newer and hitherto unknown destinations get a lot of focus and this is very important for tourism to grow.”

PP Khanna, president, ADTOI, commented, “SATTE is the biggest travel trade exhibition in South Asia. It brings international exhibitors and buyers who have travel business in India under one roof. Not only does it give fresh exposure to established players, it also offers a plethora of opportunities to new entrants. It is a great networking platform where participants get to generate a lot of business leads and transact business.”

Yogesh Mudras, MD, UBM India, said, “SATTE has now become an institution and has evolved as a truly global exhibition in this part of the world.

In spite of worldwide uncertainties this year, it stands taller than ever before. SATTE has an expected turnout of over 21,000 qualified travel professionals – each visiting the expo with a high expectancy from the event and its innovative, solution-driven features like the knowledge seminars, product launches and a grand awards night that is set to celebrate excellence and innovation within the industry.”

One of the key features of SATTE 2017 will be the conference programme scheduled for February 15 and 16 that will feature industry discussions and sharing of new insights pertaining to the sector and industry practices.

As a pre-cursor to the expo, UBM India will be hosting the SATTE Awards 2017 for the first time. Slated for the evening of February 14, the awards will recognise key players in the travel and tourism industry across various categories.

TripAdvisor launches enhanced features ETW Staff Mumbai TRIPADVISOR has announced additions to its subscription products, enabling accommodations and restaurants to attract, engage and influence customers.

Developed to reflect the specific needs of accommodation and restaurant businesses, these new products allow subscribers to access industry-leading tools to help them capitalise on all the ways TripAdvisor drives value

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for their business, as well as harnessing the network effect of working with the world's largest travel site. Accommodation businesses can now subscribe to Business Advantage, an enhanced set of features that empowers them to better market themselves, impact booking decisions, differentiate from competitors and measure and better build their online reputation.

Additionally, the newly-released TripAdvisor Premium for Restaurants subscription prod-

uct will give millions of restaurant businesses the opportunity to gain a competitive edge with exclusive access to powerful, subscriber-only features.

“Providing a business with the opportunity to improve its content and customise its presence on TripAdvisor helps partners better understand and engage with their customers.

Research shows that more proactive management of a business’s presence on TripAdvisor, combined with frequent interac-

tion with the data and insights we provide to our subscriber partners in the Management Center, deepens engagement and drives increased revenue for a business. We’ve designed these new subscription services to help our partners fully leverage the benefits that are possible when working with TripAdvisor,” said Robin Ingle, senior VP, global sales, TripAdvisor.

Recent studies indicated that accommodations and restaurants that engage with TripAd-

visor see stronger performance in their business metrics, including increased customer satisfaction and even stronger revenue growth – each of which can be attributed to the Network Effect.

Business Advantage and TripAdvisor Premium for Restaurants have been designed to help accommodations and restaurants attract, engage and influence their customers – effectively amplifying the virtuous circle and driving improved results.

IN THE NEWS

India poised to lead growth in business travel in APAC: FCM-KPMG report ETW Staff Mumbai FCM Travel Solutions, and KPMG have released a white paper titled, Business Travel in India – Merging Trends & Opportunities. With the evolution of business travel, and travel emerging as the secondlargest area of controllable business spend for corporates, the paper delivers a comprehensive look at where and how business travellers in India are spending. The report also details business travel spending in top 15 countries across multiple sectors over a period of five years. India is poised to lead this growth and accordingly by 2030, business travel spending in India will have trebled from the present levels.

Listed below are key insights from the paper including research findings.

India: The next big frontier for business travel India is now a US$ 30 billion business travel market and is expected to more than triple to US$ 93 billion by 2030. In 2015, India saw a 15 per cent increase in business travel spending, which will grow by a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12 per cent through 2020 to six per cent by 2030. This increase is expected to be greater than the increases in business travel growth in the next three largest countries combined, including South Korea, Italy and Brazil.

By 2030, India will likely be amongst the top five in business travel spending.

The mix of sectors contributing to this phenomenal growth is diverse, with IT and pharmaceuticals topping the list as two of the fastestgrowing sectors further complemented by natural resources, auto and construction sectors.

Technology: The major change driver and disruptor Mobile technology is having a profound impact on business travel in India as travellers now expect information to be at their fingertips. Business travellers in India have identified mobile and social media as a way to connect with colleagues, clients and other contacts. The data in the paper indicates 300 per cent growth in usage from `34 billion worth of transactions in 2009 to `109 billion worth of transactions in 2014. With nearly 25 per cent of mobile phone users in India owning a smartphone/tablet, the use of these devices to manage travel needs including destination research and booking management is expected to increase.

Greater autonomy to business travellers Corporates now wish to offer their employees more flexibility in managing their travel needs. As a result, employees can adopt mobile tools for research and booking and will no longer have to go to a fixed

internet location to manage their travel. On their part corporates will use data at their end to understand traveller behaviour and also encourage the use of user generated content to improve the overall experience.

Three distinct business traveller profiles The paper also presents three distinct business traveller profiles in the Indian context – hi-fliers, the compliant, budget travellers. These three personas transform data and numbers into real, relatable, and understandable characters, with varied business travel styles, needs, and expectations. Jaideep Ghosh, partner and head – transport, leisure and sports, KPMG India, said, “Despite some recent economic speedbumps, the business travel market remains incredibly robust and dynamic with a number of countries such as India, China, Germany and Canada, growing at a remarkable rate. The report predicts that India will emerge as a

leader in business travel spending over the next decade or so.

In fact when one looks at India, one sees one of the highest growth rates in business travel in the entire world. If India continues on that trend, in another 15-20 years, it will surpass the US as well and be second only to China. India is statistically where China was close to 15 years ago. It is clearly a story that no one is talking about yet, but it bears watching.”

Responding on the significance of the Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS), Rakshit Desai, managing director, Flight Centre Travel Group – India, added, “We are seeing demand in Tier II and Tier III cities stronger than the major metros. For the last 15-20 years, all of the demand was concentrated in the major metros, but now we are seeing quite a lot of activities in places like Madurai, Chennai, Vadodara, Jaipur, Indore and Raipur among others; so the scenario is changing substantially. The role RCS is absolutely critical for socio-economic develop-

ment of the people in Tier II and Tier III cities. We need a much better network of transport, as regions can be important markets in themselves.

Tier II and Tier III cities will definitely play a much bigger role than they play today. Manufacturing and export oriented activities ar now largely in these cities, but the services market – which contributes a big chunk of travel – still lies in major metros."

According to the paper, in 2015 India was ranked the 10th largest business travel market in the world. Moreover it is projected to be the most robust business travel market in Asia Pacific over the next five years and is estimated to grow at 12 per cent CAGR over that period.

Overall the white paper revealed that global business travel spending will hit US$ 1.3 trillion in 2017, with a five per cent growth over 2016. Growth is expected to remain strong through 2020, with business travel projected to grow at five per cent from 2016 to 2020.

The Asia Pacific region continues to be the largest business travel region in the world, comprising 37 per cent of global business travel. Business travel spending in Asia Pacific totalled US$ 458 billion in 2015, and is expected to grow at 7.8 per cent CAGR over the next five years; 6.5 per cent of this total spend came from India, while China, Japan and South Korea accounted for nearly 90 per cent of the remaining spends.

The methodology used by KPMG includes analysing business travel booking and expense reporting data from its database of more than 100 corporates and small businesses and 20 users, representing nearly five per cent of business travel spend in India.

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cover story)

THE BIG FAT INDIAN WEDDING JUSTGOT LEANER

20 EXPRESS TRAVELWORLD February 2017

( The party is still on, say industry players but Modi's move will see some leaner saat pheras in popular wedding destinations

BY SALONI BHATIA

A

THE MAIN FOCUS

Ken Research published in February, 2016 stated that the wedding industry in India was at its peak projected to grow at an incredible rate of 10 per cent in the coming five years. The report predicted that the market which grew at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 9.9 per cent during the financial year 2010- 2015, was anticipated to increase to `1.6 trillion by 2020. But this was before demonetisation hit the industry in November last year and changed the demographic of destination weddings, at least momentarily. Budgets were trimmed, functions cut short and many planners looked at cheaper destinations following the client’s commands.

Annushree Agarwal, director, Theme Weavers Designs, a wedding destination company based out of Gurgaon, shares that the firm has not suffered major downfall post demonetisation. She says, “As a company we have not faced any problem as our major dealings were through digital transactions but the industry surely suffered due to last minute cancellations or reduction in costs. Many clients were seen shifting to economical venues or reducing the food cost to make up for the lack of cash.”

In the last five years, the wedding segment had seen a major rise in destination weddings as more couples opted for luxurious weddings in exotic locations stretched over a period of five to ten days. Destinations like Thailand, Bali in Indonesia and Macao have been attracting a significant number of Indian weddings due to their scenic locations and travel time from India.

Arzan Khambatta, head India, Macao Government Tourist Office (MGTO), “Demonetisation has definitely impacted the destination wedding market significantly in the last few months, especially international destination weddings and the effect is expected to linger till atleast the third quarter of 2017. In fact, there was an Indian wedding planned in Macao in the month of December 2016, which had to be deferred because of the announcement. However, we are of the opinion that this segment will surely regain its attractiveness and will bounce back to its glory sooner than later.”

Kunal Rai, head, events and weddings, Tamarind Global, shares, “Royal weddings in Jaipur and Udaipur and beach weddings in Goa became all-time favourites for weddings away from home. In the past couple of years, Indians have explored further and chosen some Asian destinations like Bangkok, Phuket and Hua Hin in Thailand. Some Middle Eastern destinations like Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Oman and Ras Al Khaimah also

started trending and these are still popular.”

Tamarind Global, a professional event management company, offers special services as wedding hosts - from managing exquisite decor, multiple cuisines options, complete logistics to the final execution. Rai reiterates that the India inbound market has definitely seen some impact as foreign tour operators and tourists are raising doubts before booking their holidays to India but the outbound wedding market has not been adversely affected, despite the cautious approach.

Cautious approach A look into how international wedding destinations have been performing post demonetisation shows that there has not been a huge impact as anticipated, though people have become more cautious and are having less elaborate ceremonies and sometimes reduction in the number of guests. Speaking on behalf of Indonesia Tourism, Shelly Chandhok, country manager, VITO (Visit Indonesia Tourism Office) India states, “As destination weddings are planned well in advance, demonetisation did not affect the overseas wedding season in a big way to our destinations, and hopefully it will settle down by the time the 2017 wedding season begins. There are various exotic locations, high end hotels and resorts ready to host Indian weddings. As destination weddings are for the High Networth Individuals (HNI) segment, we present unique locales and ideas to them for a memorable event.”

Thailand has seen limited cancellations.

That a wedding celebration in Thailand can be tailor-made to suit every kind of budget that a family would have, could well be one of the reasons. “The country’s close proximity to India, value for money, world class hotels and resorts, beautiful beaches, availability of Indian food, exceptional service, availability of Pandit, Mehendi artist, and hospitality are some of the reasons which reconfirm the certainty that a dream wedding will turn to a reality in Thailand within a comfortable budget,” mentions Pinki Arora, marketing representative North & East India, Bangladesh & Nepal, Tourism Authority of Thailand. The choice for a wedding in Thailand ranges from pristine beaches of KhaoLak, Koh Samui, Phuket, Krabi, Pattaya and Hua Hin, to the lush green mountains of Chiang Mai and KhaoYai or a city and riverside wedding in Bangkok.

South Africa has seen a surge in inbound Indian tourist arrivals in the past years and features some unique destinations that can host grand Indian weddings. Hanneli Slabber, country manager India, South African Tourism, informs, “South Africa has piqued the interest of many because of the fall of African Rand vis-àvis Indian Rupee in recent times, thus boosting the spending power. While the industry as a whole has been hit post demonetisation, South Africa as a destination hasn’t seen any drastic

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cover story)

“The weddings will continue to happen in the luxury segment but people will be more cautious about their spending” Annushree Agarwal Director, Theme Weavers Designs

“Thailand. Some Middle Eastern destinations like Dubai,Abu Dhabi, Oman and Ras Al Khaimah also started trending” Kunal Rai Head, events and weddings, Tamarind Global

“The maximum impact could be on the size i.e. the number of guests” Shelly Chandhok Country manager, VITO India

22 EXPRESS TRAVELWORLD February 2017

impact. Primarily because demonetisation has adversely hit the businesses dealing with only cash transactions whereas outbound travel, and especially international destination weddings, witness mostly cashless transactions.”

Despite the recent anxiety in the destination wedding segment, both domestic and outbound, is expected to show a healthy growth in the future.

Led by the idea of perfect fairytale weddings, the young Indian HNIs are very clear on their exotic wedding destinations and unique demands. The demand has led more vendors to enter the market offering unique concepts and locations. Khambatta says, “There have been a few very glamorous, mega Indian weddings in Macao in the past, however, Macao has not been explored as an Indian wedding destination to its potential yet and there is still a lot of scope for growth in this segment. With its unique cultural mix, excellent infrastructure, easy and seamless connectivity from India, no

visa requirement and glamorous hotels, Macao can be a perfect destination for a grand Indian wedding.”

He adds, “We plan to invest time and energy in exploring this segment further. We would be networking closely with the key influencers like the wedding and event planners to increase awareness about the various aspects of Macao as a perfect wedding destination amongst them. To add to this, we would also be undertaking some consumer promotions to promote Macao as a wedding destination to the right target audience.”

Rai states, “Jaipur, Udaipur, Goa and Kerala are the usual favourites for customers. Tying the knot against the backdrop of historical sites and royal facades or a gorgeous beach, with a splash of Indian colour, cuisine and hospitality draws many couples to these stunning Indian destinations. Internationally, Bali, Kota Kinabalu, Dubai, Ras Al Khaimah, London, Valencia, Monte Carlo, Tuscany are doing great.”

Commenting on the current trend in South Africa, Slabber mentions, “We also see a lot of destination wedding parties opting for Cape Town and the Garden Route – this is especially the trend where one party is an NRI. Both Cape Town and locations along the Garden Route provide the perfect background with spectacular scenery and breathtaking natural beauty while at the same time offering incredible ease for planning

destination weddings.” South Africa also boasts of some distinctive locations and wedding ideas ranging from bush weddings in the forests, vineyards as the backdrop or city weddings with a Cape Town view.

Upcoming season “Weddings will continue to be an integral part of Indian culture and society, the maximum impact could be on the size i.e. the number of guests. We feel the budgets shall remain the

(

THE MAIN FOCUS

“A wedding celebration in Thailand can be tailor-made to suit every kind of budget” Pinki Arora Marketing representative North & East India, Bangladesh & Nepal, Tourism Authority of Thailand

same as it is a once in a lifetime occasion and the target segment of HNIs will always have budgets for a memorable wedding,” asserts Chandhok.

Agarwal says, “Domestic locations like Jodhpur cost as good as an exotic destination in Thailand. Therefore people will have equal options and the decision will be made on personal choice.” Currently busy planning another wedding in Jodhpur, he points out that weddings will continue to hap-

pen in the luxury segment but people will be more cautious about their spending.

Tamarind Global has already signed for three weddings in Ras Al Khaimah over a period of three months in the coming season and has many queries for locations in London. Commenting on how Indians are experimenting with new international destinations, Rai says, “Yes definitely, clients are continuously experimenting with destinations

that are exotic and unexplored. The destination wedding market continues to grow and progress and it is our priority to stay ahead in this evolving market.”

Looking at a positive year ahead, Arora states, “As far as Thailand is concerned, we are quite optimistic that Indian weddings in Thailand will continue to remain popular. Not only weddings but celebrations such as anniversaries, birthdays, family reunions and other celebrations are also being held. Thailand is also getting popular for bachelor and bachelorette parties.”

South Africa is increasingly gaining popularity for being an ideal wedding destination, offering a huge variety of stunning locations for not only one’s dream wedding but also an extraordinary honeymoon.

Slabber mentions, “We are looking forward to a spectacular year, especially for the destination wedding market as Indians are now more aspirational to have unique

weddings. Today, we find that most couples are looking for an elegant yet relaxed wedding celebration that allows them to enjoy not only each other’s company but also the company of family and friends. They are seeking settings that are exquisite and intimate to make their special day that much more memorable.”

Where international destinations like Ras Al Khaimah, Tuscany, Amalfi, Monte Carlo may see some exotic weddings in the future, conventional Indian destinations like Goa, Jaipur, Jodhpur remain in demand on the domestic front.

Some new offerings on the list are, Mandu and Panchmarhi in Madhya Pradesh; Alibaug and Lonavala near Mumbai, Kovalam and Alleppey in Kerala among others. Recently the Indian Railways also proposed leasing of platforms to hold wedding receptions or parties.

Though it seems like a far fetched thought, unique ways are being conceptualised to tap India’s wedding market.

“Demonetisation has impacted the market significantly which will continue till the third quarter of 2017” Arzan Khambatta Head India, Macao Government Tourist Office (MGTO)

“Indians are seeking settings that are exquisite and intimate to make their special day memorable” Hanneli Slabber Country manager India, South African Tourism

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DESTINATION OUTBOUND

A NEW BIRD IS IN THE AIR Garuda, named after the mythical bird, and the national airline of Indonesia, has recently launched its Mumbai-Jakarta service. The thrice weekly service is expected to attract Indian tourists who wish to experience the archipelago's varied treasures

By Steena Joy

24 EXPRESS TRAVELWORLD February 2017

T

he recent launch of Garuda Indonesia's Mumbai-Jakarta service is the first direct link between India and Indonesia. The flights were terminated in 1998 after Indonesia was hit by an economic crisis.

Speaking at the launch at the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport in Mumbai, M Arif Wibowo, president and CEO, Garuda Indonesia, said, “India is an important milestone in Garuda’s strategy to be present in this marketplace.

This flight will help us grow more in this market.”

Garuda sees India as growing market and India is among the 90 countries to which Indonesia has extended its visafree facility. He added, “India is a potential market so we want to strenghten our economic linkages by serving passengers for not just business, but also for tourism. We thank GVK for their support.” The GVK spokesperson said, “This is a truly memorable moment connecting two great countries, two great people. This will create a strong bond between Indonesia and GVK with GVK ‘s interest in the Bali International Airport. Wonderful Indonesia and Incredible India; this is a wonderful opportunity for both countries to work together.” With this flight into Jakarta, Indians can now get better connectivity to major Indonesian cities like Bandung, Bali and Yogyakarta and enjoy the destination using services of DMCs like Diorama Travel Management Company.

Bandung Situated on a higher elevation, Bandung, the capital of West Java is the plantation region with miles and miles of coffee, tea and cinchona plantations, fruit orchards and vegetable gardens that thrive in the cool climate. Bandung is also the center for textile production and offers trendy fashion wear at reasonable prices at its myriad factory outlets. A shopper's paradise, make sure to visit Bandung’s Jalan Cihampelas referred to as 'Jean Street' as it is lined with factory outlet stores selling a range of jeans, t-shirts

and clothing. For hi-end shopping, make a stop at the Rumah Mode, on Setiabudhi street.

Bandung also has a distinct art-deco architectural heritage that visitors can explore. The city has various accommodation options. Harris Hotel & Convention Ciumbuleuit Bandung is a trendy chic hotel with friendly young staff and contemporary rooms and convenient access to the shopping areas.

Bali Bali is a very popular destination with Indians, especially the honeymooners. Some unique experiential products include a visit to Balinese villages. Celuk village is known for its production of gold and silver jewellery, both as souvenirs and for exports. The artisans at Celuk village are very artistic and it is interesting to watch them craft intricate designs on metal. Another must visit is Mas village, located on the road from Denpasar to Ubud.

The village is known for its wood carvings of birds, animals, masks as well as furniture.

Mengwi village is the site of the former Royal Family temple, Taman Ayun (the name literally translates as ‘beautiful garden’) was built in 1634 by the Raja of Mengwi, I Gusti Agung Putu.

Another famous temple is the Tanah Lot temple. The temple claimed to be the work of 15th century priest named Nirartha is located on top of a rock formation.

Bali also has a lot to offer for water sports enthusiasts. At the Tanjung Benoa beach, take the glass-bottom boat to the Turtle Island and Conservation Center.

Or drive through the scenic countryside to Taro Village, the starting point of a two hour river rafting adventure on the spectacular Ayung River, navigating through 33 class II and III rapids set to a backdrop of dense rainforest, towering gorges and magnificent rice paddy terraces - a thrilling experience for the whole family that can be arranged by True Bali Experiences, a leading adventure activity company. For those who want quieter pursuits, elephant rides and making your own Balinese chocolates at the

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DESTINATION OUTBOUND Pod Chocolate Factory are interesting options that can be arranged by the company.

Located close to the Ubud Monkey Forest, Suarti Resort Ubud features traditional Joglostyle accommodation with a backdrop of rice paddy fields.

The property is owned by acclaimed Balinese dancer and jewellery designer, Desak Nyoman Suarti and is managed

by Alpha Hotel Management (AHM). For a bite of traditional home-style Indonesian cuisine stop at Pondok Tempo Doeloe Restaurant on Kuta’s Sunset Road. Pondok means a ‘small hut’ while tempo doeloe is a common Indonesian expression for ‘old times’. Food enthusiasts must try Nasi Goreng (literally means ‘Fried Rice’), one of the most popular dishes in Indonesia. It is a spicy fried rice preparation eaten with various add ons such as chicken, seafood,shrimp, beef, eggs or vegetables.

Yogyakarta Often called “Jogja”, this city is located at the foot of the active Merapi volcano. Two famous attractions are the Kraton or Sultan's Palace and Borobudur, a majestic Buddhist temple, which is the world's largest and also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The Kraton is a vast complex of buildings built in the 18th century. It is actually a walled city within the city in which the current Sultan still resides. While Borobudur is believed to be built 300 years before Angkor Wat in Cambodia.

The magnificent temple complex was abandoned and partially buried by the eruption of Mount Merapi and later rediscovered by Sir Stamford Raffles (the founder of Singapore) who was governor of Java in 1815. The temple was built to resemble a mandala - a wheel-shaped symbol of the cosmos. It has three tiers: a pyramidal base with five concentric square terraces, the trunk of a cone with three circular platforms and, at the top, a monumental stupa.

Around the circular platforms are 72 openwork stupas, each containing a statue of the Buddha. There is believed to be around 500 Buddha statues in Borobudur.

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Jakarta In the capital city, make time to visit the National Monument called Monas as well as Merdeka Square, the heritage site of Jakarta, to view the Merdeka Palace which houses the office of the President. Another must visit is the dual attractions of the Neo-Gothic style Church of Our Lady of Assumption also known as Jakarta Cathedral, and the Istiqlal (Independence)Mosque just across the road in front of it.

The cathedral has spires made from iron frame, while the roof is

made of teak wood, both not the typical Neo-Gothic architecture materials. Indonesia being earthquake prone, these materials were chosen because they are relatively lighter than stone.

Ironically, Jakarta still has the traditional autorickshawstyle transport made by Indian firm Bajaj Auto! Known locally as ‘Bajajs’! (Bajaj pronounced ‘Baa-j-aah’), this popular commute made an entry in the Indonesian market in the 1970s and is still used to get around the city.

CORPORATE FILE

Entrepreneurial substance with style Leading the Nijhawan Group's hotel representation business, Priyanka Nijhawan has been able to carve a niche for herself in the travel trade industry. As she completes five years in the representation business this year, she shares her insights on what helped her become a successful woman entrepreneur

By Saloni Bhatia

F

rom representing three hotels in 2011, the Nijhawan Group's representation business has now graduated to nine portfolios under the leadership of Priyanka Nijhawan. The company's portfolio now includes Vida Hotels, Dubai Parks & Resorts, Hong Kong’s Harbour Plaza Hotels & Ocean Park, Aitken Spence Hotels, Aitken Spence Travels, Nusa Dua Beach Hotel & Spa, Turyaa Chennai and Rove Hotels. The latest addition is Adaaran Resorts Maldives.

The company is now known for its niche clientele and adopting strategic marketing to promote these brands in the India market. The success story leads us to the woman on board who has led the way with her dedication and hard work.

Speaking about the start of her entrepreneurial journey, Nijhawan states, “I was very keen on taking up the new role as the representation concept was new in India. The support from the industry and my business relationships further helped me to understand the market. In terms of representation, it has been a very interesting vertical because we only deal in high-end products for niche clientele. Our teams don’t indulge in direct sales which keeps us apart from others on the competition front.” She emphasised on the fact that the company stays on the principle

One major change is the way marketing is done today.

The India market is a mixed audience which needs to be treated differently. So when we decide a marketing strategy, it is with a 360-degree approach.

The digital component has become an additional factor and plays an important role as we plan strategies Priyanka Nijhawan

of not bypassing the travel agent at any point which helps it stand out.

Not a fresher to the industry, Nijhawan knew the work was cut-out for her and she didn’t shy away from facing the challenges. Today the company's pan-India reach helps international hotel brands to hold a strong presence in the market. She says, “The competition has increased in the past five years. When I used to talk to a hotel abroad, I had to explain to them the potential of the representation business.

Now the whole concept has really caught on and people

from India have already approached them. Hotels overseas have understood that India is too huge a market to be controlled from the outside.

They need local representation and that too somebody who has pan-India presence. That is where we fit in.”

Talking about the major changes that are defining the industry today, she opines, “One major change is the way marketing is done today. The India market is a mixed audience which needs to be treated differently. So when we decide a marketing strategy, it is with a 360-degree approach.

Our approach has to be very holistic through our marketing campaigns, ads in newspapers, billboards, online, etc. The digital component has become an additional factor and plays an important role as we plan strategies.”

Completing merely five years in the industry, she is guided by integrity and passion. While she mentions about the competition, she asserts, “It is good to have competition since it keeps you on your toes, but as Nijhawan Group we are never scared of competition.”

As she shares her experiences, it is evident how well she man-

ages the teams, motivating them to succeed together as a group.

Working her way through a family reputation, she has carved a niche for herself in the industry today. She says, as a woman entrepreneur it is only the right balance of work and home that helps one make a difference on the professional front. She doesn’t forget to mention the immense support from her family and her husband Ankush Nijhawan, managing director, Nijhawan Group, which has played an important role in her career so far.

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SPOTLIGHT

Fashionably Conrad Yet to complete a year of operation, Conrad Pune has been acknowledged as one of the finest five-star properties to open in India in recent years. Amit Midha, general manager, Conrad Pune shares the aspects that make his property so unique

By Sudipta Dev

T

he opening of Conrad Pune early this year marked the entry of Hilton's upscale luxury brand in India. The 24th Conrad to open across the world, the property's ideal location at the edge of Koregaon Park, extensive F&B offerings and the large events spaces has established it as a hotel of choice for both corporate and leisure segments. It is not without reason that Amit Midha, general manager, Conrad Pune has much to be proud of. “This is by far one of the best products India has seen in the last few years. The feedback we get from our guests is that Conrad Pune is among the better newly opened five-star hotel in the country, not in Maharashtra alone,” he says.

It is an art deco hotel, the art pieces in the property have been sourced from throughout the country. The hotel is owned

by Sandeep Raheja of Palm Grove Beach Hotels (a subsidiary of K Raheja Construction Group). Raheja is the architect of the building and the interiors were done by a Hong Kong based company, apart from two F&B outlets. Midha reminds that Conrad was looking for a great partner as the brand was entering India for the first time, “Of course location, partner, product, everything had to be in sync. If we get more like-minded partners we are open to signing more properties around the country.

Mid next year the second Conrad will open in Bengaluru, again at a prime location.

About 280 keys. There is a good pipeline, expansion plan for India,” he says.

28 EXPRESS TRAVELWORLD February 2017

F&B focus For Midha it is his second hotel as the GM, after The Oberoi Gurgaon, and his seventh opening, having opened hotels at various levels and capacities for the Oberoi Group, Marriott and Hyatt. He acknowledges that the first Conrad in India had to be “a fantastic product”.

He believes that the location, the F&B and the handpicked team of the hotel have been the greatest strengths. “F&B is a huge operation in the hotel. We get great reviews for F&B,” says Midha. The hotel has six outlets – Pune Sugar Box, the delicatessen which is operated 24x7, popular with midnight guests specially over the weekends; Coriander Kitchen is the all day dining restaurant serving Indian, Asian and Mediterranean - the Sunday brunch at this restaurant is already much talked about for its offering and live kitchens; Zeera, the speciality Indian restaurant with a luxurious private dining room; Kabana, the exclusive poolside café; Koji, the Asian specialty restaurant, serves the best of Japanese, Chinese and Thai cuisine; and the Masu bar. The 13th and 14th floor are executive floors where the executive lounge is located serving breakfast, all day tea, coffee and evening cocktails.

“We have been quality conscious from day one and are known for it, that is why the most affluent in the city come to us,” states Midha. Koji and Masu were designed by Spin, a Japanese company known for designing very high end restaurants around the world. “In terms of F&B, our competition has no good Chinese restaurant

SPOTLIGHT

or Asian restaurant, in a fivestar hotel segment we are doing exceptionally well. As a guest enters Koji, he first sees the tea bar or the tea library, with different types of teas. It is a very authentic Japanese or Chinese restaurant operation, and they love their teas. We give you that experience. We have a huge brigade of expert chefs here, who are very skilled and handpicked from restaurants around the country,” mentions Midha, pointing out that the who's who of Pune are visible here. Koji does 80 per cent occupancy every week / month. The private dining room in Koji also has its own Teppan grill. If there is a group of 12, a dedicated chef can make Teppanyaki dishes and serve at the table.

Venue of choice Conrad Pune opened on March 10, 2016, and hosted a 600 guest wedding the next day itself.

“Ever since, there have rarely been days when we did not have an event, smaller or bigger. We have done an enormous number of weddings and have gone upto 1500 guests when it comes to the largest gatherings,” informs Midha.

The property has 20,000 sq feet of meeting space, out of which there is 8000 sq feet of ballroom which can be divided into three sections. Each section has is a drop down projector and screen, modern state-

of-the-art audio visuals, high clear ceiling. The crystal chandeliers have been imported from Czech Republic, and can change colours according to the theme. Along with the ballroom there are total nine meeting/board rooms and three big pre-function areas. “We have an expert team to guide how to do an event in an unparalleled way. There is a separate entrance to the banquet. We also have a dedicated vehicle elevator in the hotel, that is one of the USPs. You can drive the largest SUV into the elevator to the ballroom. If you have a car launch we are the apt location.

For that matter, for a wedding if the groom wants to come to the ballroom in a car, it can be organised,” states Midha.

The hotel has been attracting a discerning clientele from Mumbai on long weekends.

“The last few long weekends we had 260/280 rooms occu-

pied out of 310. The hotel caters to both business and leisure segments, including families with kids,” says Midha. There are 47 sets of inter-connecting rooms.

The second floor is the recreational/lifestyle floor with a salon, gym, a fitness centre, spa and pool. According to Midha, it is the only pool in the city that opens to the sky but is temperature controlled. The entire area is well landscaped, and it even won an award for best landscaped terrace in Pune city. “The Pune Municipal Corporation gave the award even before the propert opened. That area itself is like a resort, it does not give you a feel that you are in a city,” remarks Midha.

The property has many repeat and long staying guests.

“For a new hotel to have that kind of patronage makes us feel proud,” affirms Midha.

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SPOTLIGHT

#OMGB, IT'S IN PUNE! Destination Britain India 2017, VisitBritain’s largest, flagship event in India was held for the first time in a Tier 2 city – Pune. The event saw more than 75 buyers from pan India network with 25 British suppliers to empower them to better service the ever popular destination among Indian travellers

By Steena Joy

V

ISITBRITAIN hosted its flagship tourism event in India, Destination Britain India, for the first time in a Tier II city - at the Hyatt Regency in Pune.

That itself is indicative of the growth potential the NTO sees in India's secondary markets.

More than 25 suppliers from the UK including Visit Scotland, Tourism Ireland, UK Visa and Immigration, etc showcased Britain's tourism strengths to Indian buyers at the ‘Destination Britain India’ event. More than 75 buyers

30 EXPRESS TRAVELWORLD February 2017

from cities across India including Kolkata, Chandigarh, Bengaluru, etc saw the event as an opportunity to see the latest tourism products and services from one of India's favourite destinations.

Sumathi Ramanathan, director, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa (APMEA), VisitBritain, said, “Visit Britain works in 27 markets around the world and India is one of them. Today, India is one of the fastest growing markets with a 7.5 per cent average growth, so it is the right time for us to be here. And organising the event in Pune gives out a strong message to our suppliers that India is beyond just

Mumbai and Delhi.” She added that India is a vast country so there are both opportunities and challenges. “We are pilot testing some programmes to see the appetite. We want return on investment as the government budget is limited,” she stated.

Speaking exclusively to Express TravelWorld, Ramanathan informed that, “So far we have been focussing on the leisure segment but now we have been given a mandate by our government to invest in business events. As air connectivity between India and UK has increased, we can push MICE opportunities in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Manchester, etc.”

SPOTLIGHT She was definite that the way forward is digital. “A picture speaks a thousand words so videos and imagery are excellent communication tools. We are adopting an integrated strategy for all our communications via PR, Social Media and across all digital platforms. We would like to curate our content for Social Media and want to move to more video content rather than images,” she elaborated. Commenting on visa approval rates, she remarked, “Visa processing has improved tremendously.

There is a high visa approval rate - 88 per cent of visa applications are approved.”

The event also saw the new appointment of Vikas Sheth as VisitBritain's country manager for India, who will be based in Mumbai.

The India story A panel discussion on Tourism Trends had eminent travel industry professionals express their valuable insights on the market scenario - Ashwini Kakkar, executive vice chairman, Mercury Travels; Karan Anand, head – relationships & supplier management, Cox & Kings; Deepak Rawat, senior VP- international markets at MakeMyTrip.com; Siddharth Dabhade, head of travel business, Google India and S D Nandakumar, head - business development and special interest tours – Kuoni India.

Kakkar forecasted that Asia is going to become the crucible of world travel. “Domestic travellers are starting to transform into international travellers.

GITs are becoming FITs and once a traveller becomes an FIT, he cannot go back to a being a GIT.” He added that Indians are family oriented and food is an important part of travel. “Indian travel to UK is mostly London centric at present, so VisitBritain needs to make consumers aware. Great Britain has a lot to offer so this needs to be communicated and converted,” he informed. He also advised the NTO and the suppliers to create itineraries around sports like football and cricket, auctions and festivals, the Beatles and Liverpool and culinary experiences as more and more Indians

are showing interest in such products.

Anand pointed out that the outbound travel from India is only a two decade old market due to forex constraints. “Demonetisation is going to consolidate business in the organised segment. In India travel is usually centred around the school holidays. The group market will always exist due to three reasons: Security, language and food. Though this segment has evolved, it continues to be stable.

The devalued pound sterling vis a vis the Indian rupee means more Indian overnights in Great Britain,” he said.

Rawat opined, “Digital is the way forward. There will be 730 million internet users by 2020, fuelled by 3X growth in smartphone users.” Dabhade agreed, “India has become an internet media country. Time spent on internet and mobile today is even higher than time spent on watching TV. Nearly 55 per cent of searches on Google are for accommodations. Great Britain is one of the top three travel destinations most searched on Google. Lot of travel searches are being done on You Tube as videos are a good communication tool and also create a strong imagery for your brand.. Non English language websites are also a good medium to reach out to travellers in Tier II and III cities.”

Nandakumar said that for driving MICE to UK, visa facilitation is a very important factor.

Food is also crucial. He pointed out, “We Indians are a difficult demanding people. When in Rome, do what the Indians do!

So on SOTC tours, Indian food is a given. We research not just for Indian restaurants in a destination but also chefs who can prepare Indian cuisine.”

For British suppliers who attended, there were a lot of takeaways from the discussion.

Anand's tip was, “Don't try to reinvent the wheel. Terms and conditions must be specifically laid out.” Kakkar cautioned, “It is much easier to make relationships in India, but everyone must be ready to invest in the relationship. A combination of Emotional Quotient (EQ) and Intelligence Quotient (IQ) will

work.” He added, “Indians look for value for money (read unique experiences that give them bragging rights on Social Media), are family oriented and look for some vegetarian options available 24x7. London will always remain the shaft of the arrowhead for travel to Great Britain, but some products like the Scotch Whiskey trail is still the most undersold product in India, considering

that more Indians drink Scotch whiskey than the people in Scotland itself!” Speaking of conversions, Rawat added that content is very critical for suppliers. “Especially information that is Indianised. What works for south India may not work for north India,” he stated.

Anand said that conversions is a universal problem. So his advice was “Find the right partner and build a story.” Kakkar

reiterated, that the stakeholders need to tweak the products lightly for the Indian customer.

“Tweak the pricing and strengthen the lean or shoulder periods and distribute to all,” he explained. Anand agreed by saying, “Be an inclusion, not an optional.” Ramanathan welcomed the suggestions and said that, “VisitBritain would like to customise the destination for travel agencies in India.”

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CSR

A CSR Day ITB Berlin highlights corporate social responsibility in tourism again

C

orporate social responsibility in tourism will be a dominant theme at ITB Berlin this year – ITB CSR Day features the key topic ’Sustainable Food and Beverages in the Hotel Industry and at Tourism Destinations’ .

The United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) has declared 2017 the year of sustainable tourism. The focus is on the economic, ecological and social objectives pursued by the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. For many years, ITB Berlin, through numerous initiatives, has campaigned for greater social equality, protecting the environment and human rights. It makes use of its key role to promote a dialogue with companies in an effort to provide economically, socially and ecologically responsible tourism products and services.

In this context, the ITB CSR Day at the ITB Berlin Convention is a driving force. On March 10, leading people in politics, business and science will discuss innovative concepts, best practices and the economic potential of sustainable tourism. The main topic will be ’Sustainable Food and Beverages in the Hotel Industry and at Tourism Destinations’. Food and drink are vital to life, a part of people’s lifestyle and important in tourism. At an event moderated by Prof Dr Christine Demen Meier, the chair of food and beverages at Écolehôtelière de Lausanne EHL, Olaf Koch, CEO of Metro AG, and Prof Dr Carlos MartinRios, assistant professor at Ecolehôtelière de Lausanne, will discuss the future impact of ’Sustainable food and beverages’ and how hotel managers should address the issue and what obstacles need to be overcome.

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February 2017

Afterwards, a high-level panel discussion with sustainable tour operators, commercial airlines and experts from the German Travel Association (DRV) will debate ‘Climate – Customers – Communication: How Can Sustainable Travel be Marketed Successfully?’. The panel will discuss the best communication methods for marketing tourism, which tools are tried and tested and the best arguments for convincing customers to book sustainable tours.

Under the heading of ‘Sustainable Tourism Destinations – The Status Quo and Lessons Learned', one year after the practical guide to sustainable tourism destinations was launched with the Federal Ministry of the Environment (BMUB) and the Federal Nature Conservation Bureau (BfN) at ITB Berlin 2016, the German

Tourism Association (DTV) will be summarising developments so far. Panel members will include Jochen Flasbarth, permanent secretary at the Federal Ministry for Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety (BMUB), and Armin Dellnitz, vice-president of the DTV. The session ‘Luxury Tourism of Tomorrow: Gazing at the Stars at the door plate or under the Open Sky’ will be certain to spark debate. Eike Otto, a tourism and regional development adviser, will be asking Sybille Riedmiller, of Chumbe Island Coral Park, Zanzibar, how it is possible globally to reconcile luxury tourism with sustainability concepts and whether successful ideas such as the ‘longrun initiative’ can expand into the mass market.

A new ‘hot seat’ format will round off the ITB CSR Day. Two opponents will engage in a lively

debate on an up-to-the-minute topic: ‘Fanatical climate views versus total denial’.

Awards promote awareness For ITB Berlin, awards for social and ecological responsibility in tourism are also a key theme. The World Legacy Awards, will showcase the leading travel and tourism companies, organisations and destinations - ranging from entire countries to small islands and from urban hotels to jungle retreats - driving the sustainable tourism transformation of the global travel industry.

On March 8, 2017 at 4 p m, the winners will be announced onstage at the presentation of the World Legacy Awards in the Palais am Funkturm, the new awards venue of ITB Berlin. On Thursday, the finalists will have an opportunity to present their

innovative solutions to an international audience.

Also taking place on at 2 p m on the same day, will be ‘Celebrating Her – Global Awards for Empowered Women’, which will be held for the second time. Presented by the International Institute for Peace in Tourism (IIPT) India, the award is supported by ITB Berlin and since 2016 has been given to women who play an outstanding role in promoting sustainable tourism. The presentation ceremony will take place in the Palais am Funkturm on March 8, 2017.

On March 9, 2017, another festive event will take place in the Palais am Funkturm: the traditional presentation of the international TO DO! Awards of the Study Group for Tourism, a long-standing partner of ITB Berlin and outstanding pioneer of sustainable tourism.

MOVEMENTS Visit Florida Amadeus

Visit Florida has announced the appointment of KEN LAWSON as its new president and CEO. The announcement was made following an unanimous vote of the board of directors during a

Ken Lawson

meeting in Orlando. Lawson currently serves as the secretary of the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR). He is a native Floridian and former US Marine Corps Judge Advocate General and has spent 12 years serving in numerous regulatory positions, including his most recent work overseeing among other divisions – restaurants, hotels and vacation rentals with DBPR. During his six-year tenure with DBPR, Lawson managed a team of 1,600 employees charged with licensing and regulating more than one million businesses and professionals throughout the state.

SITA SITA has appointed ILYA GUTLIN as president of its Air Travel Solutions division.

Gutlin will lead a global team in the development and delivery of products and services to SITA’s 2800 airline, airport and government customers.

Part of this division includes hundreds of software developers located across the world who together design and support mission-critical systems for the world’s air transport industry. She previously held

Ilya Gutlin

Apple Woo

the role of SITA's president for Asia Pacific and drove growth and promoted innovation with SITA’s customers across the region. SITA has also appointed SUMESH PATEL as president for Asia Pacific. As a member of the senior leadership team reporting directly to SlTA’s

Celebrity Cruises’ recently appointed vice president and managing director, Asia.

Sabre Sabre has appointed FRANK TRAMPERT as managing director and chief commercial officer of its hospitality business in

Amadeus has appointed RAJIV RAJIAN as global head of business travel. Rajian has 20 years of travel industry expertise, with a strong track record in business travel, product marketing, strategy and mergers and acquisitions. In his most recent role, Rajian was responsible for all commercial activities for Sabre Travel Network, incorporating both global and corporate customers, as vice president, global sales and account management. Before that, Rajian spent time as vice president, product marketing, also at Sabre, with

worldwide responsibility for all points of sale and platform solutions.

day-to-day operations and performance of the company.

AccorHotels

Sumesh Patel

Frank Trampert

Judy Lum

CEO, Patel will be responsible for developing and driving the strategic direction for SITA in the region. Prior to this role, Patel was vice president of business management, Asia Pacific where he sustained revenues and grew SITA’s business in Asia Pacific.

Asia Pacific. In this role, Trampert will be responsible for the financial performance, customer engagement and overall growth of Sabre’s hospitality business across the region. Trampert has experience in both hospitality operations and technology in Asia Pacific including leadership positions with Wyndham Hotel Group in Hong Kong, Carlson Hotels across four continents, Brand Karma in Singapore, and most recently as the CEO for the Tune Hotel Group in Malaysia.

appointed YVONNE WONG as business consultant and JUDY LUM as general manager.

Lum began her career as a tour guide before moving to Holiday Tours & Travel where she worked in operations, as well as product and business development. Whereas, Wong first started working with Holiday Tours & Travel including roles in administration, ticketing and inbound. In the 1990s, she moved to Jakarta to manage the launch of a new Holiday Tours & Travel office, which she then headed for five years. She returned to Singapore in 2000 as the general manager of Tour East Singapore where she was responsible for the overall business activities,

Celebrity Cruises Celebrity Cruises has appointed APPLE WOO as the new head of sales and marketing for the Asia region. Woo has sales and marketing experience with luxury hospitality brands such as Jumeirah and Mandarin Oriental. She will report to Jo Rzymowska,

Diethelm Travel Singapore Diethelm Travel Singapore has

ROHIT CHOPRA has been appointed as regional director of sales for AccorHotels India. In his new role, Chopra will be responsible for expanding the proposed sales structure in the country by developing various global sales offices in India. He will also contribute to AccorHotels’ global sales network, goals and objectives and drive promotion of AccorHotels’ brands, sales and marketing programmes. Chopra's career as a hotelier spans over two decades, including experience in working with global hospitality leaders such as IHG, Marriott and Hyatt in leadership roles.

Rohit Chopra

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E V E N T S

WELLNESS AND TOURISM Govardhan Eco Village, an Iskcon project certified

by Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC), has announced the launch of Govardhan School of Yoga

YOUNG BRAVEHEARTS Selected for the National Bravery Award, 25 children from across the country were hosted to a sound and light show, run by India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC) at Purana Qila, New Delhi

EXPANDING REACH The Embassy of the Czech Republic and VFS Global have recently launched a Czech Republic visa application centre in Ahmedabad

34 EXPRESS TRAVELWORLD February 2017

LITERARY EXCHANGE Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi) recently participated in the New Delhi World Book Fair

EDUCATION FOR ALL As a part of efforts to provide education to the underprivileged kids, Cox & Kings Foundation, along with The Mamta Trust, has set up a new pre-primary school for underprivileged kids in Pune

INDUSTRY OUTLOOK PATA India Chapter recently held its fifth "Update and Outlook Meeting" with the Ministry of Tourism for its membership, at The Claridges, New Delhi

weekend

E V E N T S

BE A CHANGI MILLIONAIRE Jakarta-based Ade Iskandar Roni emerged as

COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS Amanpreet Bajaj, country manager, Airbnb India

the "Grand Draw" winner of the 2016 ‘Be a Changi Millionaire’ shopping promotion at Singapore Changi Airport’s Terminal 3

(second from left) and Chandrababu Naidu, CM of Andhra Pradesh (third from left) signed an MoU to promote artisanal Airbnbs in the state

TECHNOLOGY FOR TOMORROW Airbus BizLab has recently launched the second season of its start-up accelerator programme in Bengaluru

HOSPITALITY BOOST Tourism minister of Maharashtra, Jaykumar Jitendrasinh Rawal (centre), lighting the lamp during the inauguration of Maharashtra Institute of Hotel Management and Catering Technology in Solapur

ENTERING GOD'S OWN COUNTRY L-R: Jean-Michel Cassé, SVP – operations, AccorHotels India; Ajit Jose, GM, ibis Kochi City Centre; J B Singh, president and CEO, InterGlobe Hotels at the launch of ibis Kochi City Centre

MICE IN MAHARASHTRA The recently concluded FHW Mumbai 2017 witnessed an insightful panel discussion themed, ‘MICE in Maharashtra’ in which 12 GMs from hotels in Mumbai and Pune participated

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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.