Express Travelworld October, 2012 by Indian Express

VOL 7 | NO. 9 | PAGES 48

October 2012 ` 50

Fortnightly Insight for the Hospitality Trade

Contents October 2012

Vol 7 | No 9 | Pages 48

Chairman of the Board

Viveck Goenka Editor

Reema Lokesh*

Airline in South Africa

MARKET

ADTOI expects 350 delegates for this year's convention in Srinagar................. 6

Assistant Editor

'India can expect to generate even more business from WTM 2012'................ 8

Steena Joy

Costa Cruises looks at 10000 pax from India ..... .........................................10

Associate Editor

Meeting on MICE ....................................................................... ..............

Sudipta Dev

1 Time Airline

12 IATO convention 2012 round up ................................................................16

Fastest Growing Airline in South Africa

CONTENT TEAM Mumbai

Sayoni Bhaduri, Kahini Chakraborty New Delhi

Heena Mahajan Kolkata

For booking and ticket issuance

Joy Roy Choudhury Advisory Board

Ankur Bhatia, Vijay Chadda, Saroj Datta, Ashok Fenn, Subhash Goyal, Cyrus Guzder,

1 Time Airline

Zubin Karkaria, Ashwini Kakkar, Khursheed Lam,

Tel :- (022) 22840443 –

Tej Sahni, Alok Sawhney, Prem Subramaniam

MANAGEMENT

Fax:- (022) 22830461

MARKETING

E-mail:-

Deputy General Manager

Harit Mohanty

1timeairline@griffontravel.com

Chief Manager

Emmanuel Fernandes

GRIFFON, 4 Cusrow Baug, Colaba, Mumbai 400001.

Manager

Sunil D'costa Deputy Chief Manager

Zahid Ali Khan CIRCULATION

Mohan Varadakar PRODUCTION

Announcing

General Manager

B R Tipnis

Introductory Fares for INDIA

Production Manager

Bhadresh Valia Layout

Kerala Travel Mart 2012 special feature........................................ ................19

Ratilal Ladani, Kiran Parker

ADTOI convention 2012 special feature ........................................................29

Asst. Art Director

Miles to go..................................................................................................31

Surajit Patro Chief Designer

Domestic South Africa JNB – DUR

Rs.3200 onwards (including all taxes)

JNB – GRJ

Rs.3900 onwards (including all taxes)

JNB – PLZ

Rs.4950 onwards (including all taxes)

JNB – CPT

Rs.5150 onwards (including all taxes)

EDGE

Pravin Temble Senior Graphic Designer

A national movement ................................................................. ..............

Rushikesh Konka Photo Editor

Sandeep Patil

LIFE

Grooming leaders for tomorrow ....34 Express TravelWorld Reg. No.-MH/MR/SOUTH156\2010-12 RNI Reg. No. 15993/05

and many more....

Printed by The Indian Express Limited and published by Ms Vaidehi Thakar on behalf of The Indian Express Press, Plot No. EL-208,TTC Industrial Area, Mahape, Navi Mumbai - 400710 and Published from Express Towers, 2nd Floor, Nariman Point, Mumbai - 400021. (Editorial & Administra-tive Offices: Express Towers, 1st Floor, Nariman Point, Mumbai – 400021) Editor Reema Lokesh* Copyright @ 2011

International JNB – LVI

REGULARS

Editor’s Note ..........................................................................................4 Appointments........................................................................................35

Rs.7500 onwards (including all taxes)

and many more....

Weekend ..............................................................................................36 www.expresstravelworld.com

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EDITOR’S NOTE

Kerala to Kashmir o much has been spoken about domestic tourism but very little concrete action have been taken. Seminars and conferences galore have discussed, deliberated and debated about the robust potential of the sector and new road maps for the future charted. But the roadmap always seems to hit some roadblock and the vitality of the sector remains muffled in the confines of conference rooms. From taxation issues, infrastructure bottlenecks, to public-private synergy and offering a genuine quality tourism experience for the traveller, it all seems to be an echo from the past.

S “State tourism boards should look at developing specialist programmes similar to those of their international counterparts. Interstate tourism circuits should develop new potential zones”

Our publication has always maintained firmly that domestic tourism is what defines Indian tourism. Immediate action needs to be taken and promises need to be fulfilled. Those in the corridors of power need to give this sector the much required attention. Throwing numbers is not enough as one needs to work towards giving this number (tourists) an experience that is unmatched. State tourism boards should look at developing specialist programmes similar to those of their international counterparts. Further, interstate tourism circuits should look beyond the traditional golden triangle and also the well established circuits in the South and develop new potential zones. Thematic circuits can help bind different regions, namely the India’s freedom struggle trail to that of textile tourism. Interstate tourism can only succeed if the transport infrastructure is sound and seamless that includes, rail, road and air. Even though the railway network connects to the very heart of India, the demand is still more than the supply. The sudden hike in air travel is working against the domestic traveller and finally, the issues with respect to road transport have to be addressed. State borders within the country can be effectively connected with better highways that offer clean and hygienic amenities en route. There have been discussions of a PPP model to get this moving, and hopefully it will. On the subject of PPP, Kerala is one state which got the combination right. The well established biennial Kerala Travel Mart is a perfect example of public and private sector working in tandem for the betterment of tourism. From Kerala to Kashmir where ADTOI is scheduled to hold its convention, there is so much this country has to offer that it is impossible at times to docket it all. One can only hope that someone truly understands the seriousness of its potential and hits the highway with immediate effect.

Reema Lokesh Editor editorial.etw@expressindia.com

CHENNAI:

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October 2012

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T H E B U S I N E S S O F T R AV E L & TO U R I S M

LEAD STORY

ADTOI expects 350 delegates for this year's convention in Srinagar BY HEENA MAHAJAN - New Delhi

he Association of Domestic Tour Operators of India (ADTOI), for the first time will be organizing its annual convention outside Delhi. For its 6th annual convention this year, the association as chosen Srinagar. With the theme 'Domestic Tourism: Impetus to the National Growth' the convention will be held from October 12-13, 2012 at SKICC in Srinagar. Speaking exclusively to Express TravelWorld on choosing Srinagar as the convention destination, Subhash Verma, president, ADTOI said, “Nawang Rigzin Jora, minister for tourism and culture, Jammu & Kashmir and we dreamt of taking ADTOI to Jammu and Kashmir, and finally we have been able to do it. We are expecting 350 delegates from across the globe. We will not only be promoting Srinagar, but Jammu and Ladakh as well. Pre convention tours to Gulmarg and Pahalgam have already been organised from October 10-12, 2012.” The chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir has been requested to inaugurate the convention on the 12th. P P Khanna, vice president,

ADTOI is the chairman of the convention organising committee and Harjinder Singh, executive council member is the co-chairman. Rajat Sawhney, general secretary, ADTOI informed that the convention will surely act as a catalyst to boost tourism in the state and in return the growth of economy. With the current trends being witnessed in the tourism sector in Kashmir, the tourist inflow is expected to reach 20 million in the coming days. PP Khanna, vice president & convention chairman,

ADTOI informed that the convention is supported by Department of Tourism and Culture, Government of Jammu and Kashmir. Madhya Pradesh Tourism, Gujarat Tourism and Kerala Tourism have already confirmed their support. “We are also in talks with Kolkata and Mumbai,” informed Verma. RH Khwaja, secretary (Tourism) and Vipul Mittra, secretary tourism, Government of Gujarat and Ashwani Lohani, divisional railway manager, Northern Railways have confirmed their participation.

The convention will have two business sessions one with the government officials and other with stakeholders of the industry in Jammu and Kashmir. The first session will be on 'Opportunities and Challenges in J&K' and second session will focus on state tourism highlighting 'Shaping Domestic Insights'. There will be B2B meeting with sellers and state presentations as well. The hoteliers and tour operators from all across the state will get a chance to meet local stakeholders of Jammu and Kashmir.

Is Indian aviation in a turnaround phase? SUDIPTA DEV - Mumbai

he delivery of Air India's first Boeing 787 Dreamliner recently coincided with the release of Boeing's 2012 India Current Market Outlook. Despite the prevalent gloom in the sector, there is positive longterm growth forecasts for the Indian aviation industry. “India is looking at 1450 airplanes in the next 20 years at a cost of US$ 175 billion. Of these 1201 will be single aisle (83 per cent), followed by twin aisle (234 in number, 16 per cent),” stated Dinesh Keskar, senior vice president, sales Asia-Pacific and India, Boeing Commercial Airplanes. Interestingly, he did not predict any significant growth in the regional airline sector. The 20 year outlook for India rep-

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Dinesh Keskar

resents 4.3 per cent of the total world market. “The state of Indian aviation industry might not be the best but there has been a slight improvement. In Q1 FY13 Jet Airways and SpiceJet have shown profit. While the number of flights have gone down due to Kingfisher capacity cuts, the overall picture is positive. Airlines like IndiGo and SpiceJet have increased significant capacity. We think that the LCC seat share has stabilised,” stated Keskar adding that two-third of airline passengers in India will fly LCC and that data will not change for sometime. Worldwide airlines will need 34,000 new airplanes valued at US$ 4.5 trillion. “In the past the most dominant market was the US and Europe, now APAC is the future. In fact 35-38 per cent of these airplanes will go to APAC. Fortywww.expresstravelworld.com

nine per cent of the older and less efficient planes will be replaced by newer and more efficient ones,” remarked Keskar. By 2021 India will be the fifth largest economy in the world and by 2031 the fourth largest. “India's domestic air services have increased dramatically in terms of traffic – by almost 211 per cent. India's airlines have experienced rapid traffic and capacity growth since 2001. Traffic to and from South Asia is forecast to be the highest in the world, bigger than even the US and China,” he pointed out. Keskar also spoke about the induction of Dreamliner 787 and the next generation technology of the aircraft. He asserted that so far the new 787 innovations have worked well, and 19 aircraft have been delivered to four customers. October 2012

‘India can expect to generate even more business from WTM 2012’ Simon Press, exhibition director, World Travel Market talks about the increased presence of both public and private Indian participants in WTM 2012 that will also see for the very first time a dedicated space for the country. By Sudipta Dev

Simon Press

Are there any important milestones for WTM in 2012 ? WTM 2012 is a key milestone for our industry leading buyers club – the Meridian Club. At WTM 2012 Meridian Club will celebrate its 21st anniversary, having been launched in 1992 as the only club for the industry’s buyers. WTM 2011 generated £1,653 million deals for the industry and WTM 2012 is poised to facilitate even more. 2012 has also been a milestone year for the WTM Vision Conference series with events taking place in Shanghai, Moscow, Florence, Mumbai alongside established events in London and Dubai. Do you have a special focus on India this year ? India has been given its own region on the exhibition floor for the first time, in previous years it has been included as part of the Asia region. WTM 2011 generated £56 million deals for Indian exhibitors, with the country having its own dedicated region for the first time and increased involvement from both the private and public

sector India can expect to generate even more business from WTM 2012. How many exhibitors are expected to participate from India this time ? India has more than 1,000 square metres of space at this year’s event will include a number of established and new exhibitors from both private and public sectors. In total there will be more than 50 exhibitors at WTM 2012. What is your perception of the India market ? What kind of growth has it seen in terms of participation in WTM ? India is one of the most important global inbound and outbound markets. This is demonstrated by its increased participation at WTM over the past few years. WTM 2011 saw India Tourism expand its stand space by 16 per cent compared to WTM 2010, which was a massive 28 per cent more than at WTM 2009. WTM launched its first WTM Vision Conference event in India this year because of the country’s growing importance in the

global industry. What are the business expectations for India this year ? Independent research revealed WTM 2011 would lead to £1,653 million of travel industry deals between exhibitors and senior industry buyers from the WTM Meridian Club – a 16 per cent increase on the previous year. India on its own generated `4,900 lakh (£56 million). We are expecting this to increase this year not just down to the increase in numbers of companies exhibiting at the event but also through the increase in organised networking opportunities. This year we have continued with the extremely successful speed networking event that takes place prior to the event and have also introduced a further speed networking event later. This is free for exhibitors to attend and do business with pre selected global buyers from our Meridian Club. Please give some information about your promotional strategy. World Travel Market is

dedicated to facilitating business for its exhibitors and the industry at large. WTM’s promotional strategies are all about increasing the number of Meridian Club buyers attending the event so exhibitors have more companies to conduct business deals. We also target the many associations within the industry to make sure we are attracting high calibre of visitors. Social media is also important and WTM won the Association of Event Organisers’ award for Best Use of Social Media. Any other significant factor that you would like to mention ? At World Travel Market we want to take WTM to our audience so will continue to explore brand extensions all over the world. 2013 sees the launch of WTM Latin America in Sao Paulo, which will also host WTM Vision Conference – Sao Paulo. Will there be any special events or conferences ? For the Indian market we have a dedicated BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) session.

Spanish World Heritage Cities target Indian tourists SUDIPTA DEV - Mumbai

pain has the second highest number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites (43) in the world after Italy, including many heritage cities. A delegation of Spanish World Heritage Cities Group was in India recently to create awareness in this market. The association was founded in 1993 for preservation and tourist promotion, specially in the international market, along with Spain Tourism. “Our association comprises of 13 cities. These cities are not only about monuments or sites, but the whole historical quarter in each destination. India is an

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Marian Revuelta

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important emerging market for us. We are conducting workshops in Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru,” said Marian Revuelta, marketing coordinator, Spanish World Heritage Cities. Pointing out that some of the cities are more well known than the others in the Indian market, Revuelta mentioned that they have had interactions with Indian travel agents earlier in some activities organised by the Tourism Office of Spain in India, but this is the very first time they have come alone and not with other destinations. “In Asia, India is a strategic market for us along with China. Last year

the figures increased by almost 50 per cent from the Indian market,” she said. Revuelta informed that Spanish World Heritage Cities with the support of Spanish tour operator, Catai, have organised a special product to be commercialised in India. This product includes city breaks from Madrid and Barcelona. Tarragona is near Barcelona. Ibiza is an hour away by plane. Toledo and Salamanca are near Madrid. “Cordoba is two hours away from Madrid by high speed train. Nowadays fast train connections is enabling easy access to many of these heritage cities,” she stated. October 2012

Costa Cruises looks at 10,000 pax from India SAYONI BHADURI - Mumbai

osta Cruises is looking at developing its numbers from India. Alessandro Bottaro, head Sales and Marketing, Mediterranean new markets, India, Africa, Middle East, Costa Cruises said, “We aim to have at least 10000 passengers coming from India this year. It is quite a number but we feel positive that we will achieve it with the kind of itin-

eraries we have.” Earlier this year Costa Cruises made Mumbai-based Lotus Destination their GSA for India. Discussing this association and expectation Bottaro said that they wish to maintain relationships built over the years, and at the same time look out for new ones. India is a big potential market for Costa Cruises. “Previously, the business from India was not structured, but now we are looking at creating consistency. We

will be directly marketing our products and offerings here. This association will help us,” he said. The company has more than 78000 agents and more than 82 GSAs across the globe selling Costa Cruises. “For the company's growth we do not look at a particular market, it is a global strategy for growth,” he added. The travel trade is still a main tool to reach the consumer. Costa Cruises' most popular voy-

ages for India are the Dubai, Singapore and Mediterranean cruises. All the three, four and seven nights itineraries are popular with both MICE and individual travellers. Costa Cruises has in partnership with the Singapore Tourism Board launched two itineraries departing from Singapore which will enable guests to travel to Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam, onboard Costa Atlantica and Costa Victoria.

Star Cruises prepares against competition off the port of Singapore Finalising deployment in Shanghai KAHINI CHAKRABORTY - Mumbai

iming to maintain the numero uno position in the India market, Star Cruises has planned new sailing itineraries for Indian travellers for the summer and winter seasons for 2013. The cruises on offer include Super Star Virgo with its home port in Singapore and Super Star Libra from Penang. It must be noted that Costa Victoria of Costa Cruises will also be stationed out of Singapore and will be active from November

17, 2012 during Diwali festival in India. When asked about how is Star Cruises geared to face this competition, Michael Goh, senior vice president-sales Star Cruises Travel Services told Express TravelWorld, “Competition is always good. We too have our ship itineraries from Singapore, Penang, Hong Kong. With cruise liners coming in and promoting cruise travel, it creates awareness. But we are confident that the company will contin-

ue to be the market leader as we are aware of the needs of the Indian travellers and are geared to cater to them. To reiterate our commitment to the India market, we are also in talks of finalising our deployment in Shanghai as we understand that the destination is quite popular among Indian tourists.” Elaborating on the potential markets for the company and how has the business been from the India market, Goh added, “In India we

do not solely cater to leisure travellers. Our business partners have been introducing various concepts with innovative itineraries, hence we have been able to develop and strengthen our presence in India better. We are able to cater to MICE, educational programmes, religious groups and wedding groups. We have been strong in the Asia Pacific region and will continue to develop our business from these markets. At the same time, we also have business

coming in from America and European markets.” Apart from its Mumbai office and other parts of the country, the company recently opened its office in Ahmedabad. “Our business partners in India have been doing extremely well to promote and sell Star Cruises and have been continuously developing unique itineraries. We will continue to work closely with our PSA's in India and drive the business upwards,” added Goh.

Expectations from KTM 2012 Biji Eapen National President, IATA Agents Association of India (IAAI)

Jose Sebastian General Manager, Lulu ICC, Thrissur What are your expectations from KTM 2012? Over and above the normal standard expectations of meeting prospective clients, making your product more visible, etc, KTM is a chance to get to know about the new trends in the travel and hospitality industry, and the basic change in the psychology of the customers, especially considering the buyers and sellers are from all over the country, and even from abroad. New messages, new policies, and changes to expect in the industry will also be highlighted especially since Kerala Tourism Department also takes immense interest in KTM. The most expected part is to get quality time on one to one basis with the potential customers in a systematic way. Being one of India's most succesful travel trade marts, how do you think KTM has evolved over the years? That KTM is one of India's most successful travel mart in itself should tell you that all its movements has been upward from one KTM to the next. Over the years, the number of members have increased from what was initially a few people representing the industry, to the multitudes including the major and the minor players. To make a brand name that everyone wants to be associated with, is in itself a huge task, and that is what we have been seeing with each passing KTM. It is a prestige, it is a privilege and it is the ultimate meeting ground for the members of the travel, tourism and hospitality industry.

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What are your expectations from KTM 2012? Considering the ambitious tourism targets in the Kerala State tourism policy, there is an urgent need to undertake massive marketing activities in these countries in order to draw high yield tourists. Though Kerala is fully linked with the Gulf countries, the state also needs to push for direct air connectivity with the key European source markets. Fast tracked, Visa-on-arrival ( VoA ), in Kerala at all the three major airports – Kochi, Trivandrum and Calicut will definitely boost foreign tourist arrivals. Also, more countries should be added in VoA list, especially the countries that constitute most of the tourist arrivals to Kerala. Further, there is a need to look at taxation in air, road and hotel sector in order to make Kerala more competitive. As a developing state, it is an equally urgent need to ramp up airport and other tourism related infrastructure and add new products like theme parks, adventure tourism products and other innovative niche products like ‘highway tourism’ in the state. Being one of India's most succesful travel trade marts, how do you think KTM has evolved over the years? It brings together the business community and entrepreneurs behind the tourism products and services of Kerala. It is today, the largest gathering designed, planned and scheduled to facilitate meetings involving buyers and sellers, media, government agencies and others. Its strength is reflected in the increasing participation of sellers and buyers. KTM is also focusing on eco-friendly ways to explore Kerala without compromising on comfort and style.

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October 2012

Meeting on MICE The 7th Conventions India Conclave organised by the India Convention and Promotion Bureau focused on the strategies to develop India as an international MICE destination. A report by Express TravelWorld he India Convention and Promotion Bureau (ICPB) that has been the marketing body for promoting India as a convention destination had recently organised its 7th Conventions India Conclave in

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Greater Noida. “Next year ICPB is completing its 25 years. We have completed a Vision Document and have also planned education seminars for promoting and marketing India as a MICE destination,” said Chander Mansharamani, vice-chairman, ICPB. Usha Sharma, additional director general, ministry of tourism and chairperson, ICPB stressed on the fact that India has not fully realised the potential of MICE while globally the financial impact of the national and international meetings is close to US$ 300 billion. “Apart from this, it opens seamless employment opportunities, knowledge exchange, further globalisation and accelerates non-governmental diplomacy. During such events, people tend to spend 25 to 30 times more than the average traveller. Food and beverage, medical, pharma, media, infrastructure, automobile are some of the key sectors for MICE,” stated Sharma. The MICE industry in India has been growing at a rate of 20 per cent annually. Ministry of tourism extends `5 crore to every state government for opening one convention centre and also encourages the PPP model for the development of the sector. To give a fillip to MICE tourism in India, Sharma emphasised on the need to enhance the role of PPP model in the tourism industry and strategically

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branding India as a MICE destination. “We have 50 international airlines who fly into India, four new world-class airports, 12 domestic airlines with nearly 1,000 flights, comprehensive highways, strategically positioned on the EastWest air corridor, exotic culture, medical facilities at a very reasonable price and an uncluttered tourism product. We just need to reach out internationally and create a successful brand identity,” she concluded. Martin Sirk, CEO, International Congress & Convention Association (ICCA) spoke about understanding the true value of international association meetings. “Only six countries have conducted rigorous scientific analysis of the value of meetings. USA contributed to 43 per cent MICE tourism and created 1.7 million jobs alone in the year 2009. We need to stop thinking about those 1,000 people at the conference, rather the need to take each one of them for another event,” he stated. He stressed on the need for India to gear up with its infrastructure and the scope of knowledge creation through such events to be able to come up to the international level and promote India as a MICE destination. What India needs is convention cities and townships. Giving his views on the vision of new international conven-

tion centres and trends in exhibition space, Shyam Nagpal, honorary secretary, ICPB, pointed out that convention centres do not make profit. “It is a challenge to fill up the halls. Money is not made in buildings but in townships.”

Winning a bid A session on 'The Science and Art of Winning a BidWhatever it takes!' saw an interesting debate by panelists Monimita Sarkar, managing director, KW Conferences; Prof A Malhotra, HoD, Nuclear Medicine, AIIMS; Sanjay Rai, executive VP sales Oberoi Group; Jaideep Khanna, general manager, sales and marketing and distribution, Hyderabad International Convention Centre and Nagpal. Sarkar highlighted the fact that there are 6,600 associations all around the world, and India gets around 150 meetings a year, out of which 43 per cent cent goes to hotels. “We have all the infrastructure, but what is important is detailed research, an ambassador from the domestic to the global level, monitoring global trends and identifying knowledge base. Government support is a must,” she asserted. There is a growing and urgent need for the key stakeholders and the government to work under PPP model. Nagpal pointed out, “We are no longer competing the price; but on the art

October 2012

of bidding.” He mentioned Singapore as the key example to the PPP model, and the reason why it is considered to be the top ranked destination for MICE. Hotels and associations should work hand in hand to bring the maximum business into the country.

Long-term partnership Sponsorship programmes should be relationship based and long-term. “Events are booked 12 months in advance and so are sponsors. A great sponsor is there for the longterm. Sponsorship looks beyond the current event. A long-term relationship has long-term benefits,” said Sirk. Rakesh Kumar, executive director, Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts mentioned that there has to be a systematic plan for sponsorship so that both organisations should be promoted, and not just the event. “For every organisation, the goal has to be clear on how they can benefit from sponsorship,” added Kumar. According to Philip Logan, VP, Formule1 Hotels (Accor Group), the relationship is about getting likeminded partners together, “When you compare it yearon-year, you will get a much better result.”

Impact of technology Technology and social media are effective tools in the MICE segment. Rajiv Kohli, joint MD, Creative Travel, however felt that in India there is a lot of resistance to technology in the meetings industry despite its many benefits for the sector. An expert on social media, Miguel Neves, events and projects planner, IMEX Group pointed October 2012

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out that worldwide a lot of people are opting for non-traditional marketing. Social media is very effective for online marketing. Events planners majorly use social media platform in MICE space. Christopher Rost, director sales, C-Vent highlighted how technology plays a vital role in the MICE industry, for example mobile applications can help planners extend their brand even before the meeting starts. Cloud computing, SaaS (Software as a Service) based technologies are all making a

Chander Mansharamani difference.

ICPB – vision ahead The 7th Conventions India Conclave has been a major milestone for ICPB. One of the key factors, according to Mansharamani, is the collaboration agreement with TTG Asia, who have for the first time brought their event IT&CM to India. “We are also trying to ensure that ICPB is looked at as a business event like CeBIT in Hanover or IMEX in Frankfurt. We do not

want to do a regular association annual programme, but a buyer-seller meet. We have got many hosted buyers this year, including those from overseas,” he said. ICPB is coming out with a Vision Document - to make India the most preferred convention destination, and to train professionals for the industry. “We are starting a Young Professionals Forum, which is a full day course for post graduate students of hotel management institutes exclusively for MICE. There will be five-six sessions, we have invited professionals from different segments event management, hotels and venues, etc, they will interact with these students. If in the next five-six years India's convention industry has to grow to that level then we need not just infrastructure but also the software.” The Vision Document will tell the states and cities what is the economic impact of holding a convention in that city. It will convey the message to the state government with all the statistics. “We will make them understand what the convention industry is all about and then tell them about the economic impact. It is a process. No convention centre all over the world can go into profit if the city does not support them. Then they can sustain themself. That is what the Vision Document will talk about,” informed Mansharamani. Before releasing the Vision Document ICPB will be organising roadshows to which state governments will be invited. (With inputs from Sudipta Dev and Heena Mahajan) EXPRESS TRAVELWORLD

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T O U R I S M

LEISURE & BEACH TOURISM

Quaint charm Puducherry is a unique leisure and beach destination where the architectural heritage lends a quintessential charm to those who want to experience a holiday with a difference French game of petanque. Some mustsee sights i n c l u d e Arikanmedu, a famous historical site that was discovered by the Romans in 200 BC and is being excavated, Aayi Mandapam, a monument built during the reign of Napoleon III, Eglise De Sacre Coeur De Jesus or Church of Sacred Heart of Jesus, known for its Gothic architecture and the Mansion of A n a n d a Rangapillai, a fine specimen of Indo-French architecture that was built in 1773.

ALONG THE BEACH Beach promenade Pondicheriens and visitors take the air on the seaside Beach road, especially in the evening, and most particularly on weekends and holidays, when most of the kilometer long stretch is closed to nonpedestrian traffic. A perfect place to stroll, chat and snack, and to appreciate the charming Town Hall (once Hotel de Ville), the old Light House, the Old Customs House and Port Office (now Le Café), and – right in the middle – a statue of Gandhi surrounded by ancient columns. The beach Puducherry’s accessible and uncrowded beaches offer beach resorts, cottages, cafes and bars commanding excellent views of the sea. Perfect for putting your feet up and unwinding from the hectic worlds of work and travel. The Plage Paradiso beach at Chunnambar, 7 km away, has charming backwaters with

LEISURE GETAWAYS Things to see and do in Puducherry range from doing absolutely nothing and lazing on the beach to filling every moment of your stay with sights, sounds and experiences. You can spend your time wandering around the French Quarter, a typical French-style grid plan where the streets meet each other at right angles and the street names still carry French names like Rue Dumas. And you might even stumble on people playing the traditional

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Some other popular sites include the Serenity Beach, Paradise Beach at Chunnambar that has a quiet flowing creek and is known for boating and other recreational facilities, the famous Promenade at the French Quarter by the sea and Karaikal Beach with Arasalar River reaching into the sea.

beach huts and boating facilities. Moreover, it is flanked by a quiet following creek and offers tree houses for an overnight stay in the backwaters. Take a short, pleasant cruise into the sea and you may spot playful dolphins. It will be a memorable experience, especially weekend entertainment with one’s kith and kin.

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October 2012

Marking a milestone As Mumbai played host to the annual convention of the Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO) after twenty years, the state government announced a number of long awaited initiatives to give the much need boost to tourism in Maharashtra. A report by Sudipta Dev and Kahini Chakraborty

he 28th Annual Convention of the Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO) was a milestone in many ways – not only did it draw the highest number of delegates, it also brought the convention to Maharashtra after two decades. The convention witnessed major announcements made by the state chief minister that will go a long way in giving a fillip to tourism in the state. The inaugural session saw chief minister Prithviraj Chavan reveal some tourism focused key decisions. “We are now really focused on making Maharashtra a prime tourism destination, there is a world class experience that we can offer,” he said. One of the important decisions is the creation of a cruise terminal. “I am happy to announce that there will be an international quality cruise terminal to give a whole new dimension to tourism in Mumbai. We will also be able to give you a good news very soon regarding the issue of luxury tax and reduction of ATF cost,” said Chavan. The state is also focused on ensuring that the foreign tourists who come to Mumbai before heading to other destinations in India are made to stay for a longer duration in Maharashtra and explore its many attractions. One of the key projects to ensure this is leveraging the magic of Bollywood. “Plans are in an advanced stage to open a Bollywood Museum in Mumbai,” mentioned Chavan. To help the hotel and restaurant industry, the number of permissions required to open an eating outlet will be reduced. “We are also trying to sort out the issue regarding bars and nightclubs in Mumbai,” added

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Chavan. Convention tourism will be developed in Mumbai, Pune, Aurangabad and Nagpur. The CM had met the executive committee of IATO at a breakfast meet and had noted their concerns and suggestions. Pointing out that wherever the IATO convention has been held there has been no off-season for tourism, Subhash Goyal, president, IATO stated, “We ask the CM to give us the tools to enable that. We will start a tourism and economic revolution from Mumbai and Maharashtra. Bollywood is a huge asset that needs to be capitalised and shown to the world. ” Rajeev Kohli, chairman, 2012 Convention mentioned that IATO members control over 80 per cent of tourism related foreign exchange earnings in the country. “We believe, as a collective, we can take up any challenge thrown by global turbulence. This year we have the highest number of speakers, both international and domestic and the greatest content ever. We need to debate strategies for the future,” added Kohli.

Critical debate Debate on the current status of the tourism industry vis-a-vis government policies was one of the key highlights of the convention. The fact that the industry needs to think out-of-the box, become more tech savvy and look at new source markets was emphasised. The concerns ranged from the problem foreign tourists face in getting an Indian visa to high airfare and airport taxes. “We are outpricing ourself in the market. If the attitude of the finance ministry does not change, it will

remain a disadvantage,” asserted Goyal. He revealed that IATO is doing a comparative analysis of neighbouring countries and is coming out with a report that will have have comparisons with the taxation here. This will be ready in a month or two. E M Najeeb, chairman and MD, Air Travel Enterprises was of the view that most politicians have not understood the value of tourism as an industry. Very few states have tourism friendly taxation policies. He stressed on the need to form a consortium of the Indian tourism industry (like FICCI), which is able to make an impact on policy. Refuting the grievances of the industry, R H Khwaja, secretary of tourism, Government of India reminded them about the many tourismfriendly initiatives taken by the government – from increasing the number of countries who can now get visa on arrival to the inter ministerial coordination committee that has already had two meetings. “One vision, one mission approach is needed,” asserted Khwaja.

State tourism perspective Vipul Mittra, principal secretary, tourism, Government of Gujarat spoke about how following a successful tourism promotion campaign when people start visiting a state in large numbers, the state government has to create the right infrastructure for these tourists. He pointed out that Gujarat has also launched intra-state flights and has also made considerable investment in the digital space. Sunil Kumar Pinto, minister of tourism, Government of Bihar felt that in the current tough times instead of competing, the states should support each other. “In Bihar we are investing a lot in improving our tourism infrastructure as well as promoting our tourism products. We have witnessed an increase in tourism arrivals. In fact almost one-fifth of the foreign tourists who come to India, visit Bihar,” said Pinto. The neighbouring state of West

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Bengal is also making concerted efforts to market itself as a single product. “Government of India has sanctioned `50 crore for Dooars that has many wildlife sanctuaries and tea tourism. New circuits are also being formed,” stated Rachhpal Singh, minister of tourism, Government of West Bengal. Acknowledging that India is probably the only country in the world that has every attraction for tourists, Chhagan Bhujbal, minister of tourism, Government of Maharashtra rued, that unfortunately this great wealth has not been effectively utilised. “Tourism industry in Maharashtra has tremendous potential for growth but has been unexplored. One big advantage that we have is that all tourism centres are connected to big cities. MTDC is in the process of forming a committee with stakeholders for tourism development in Aurangabad,” he stated, adding that business tourism destinations like Mumbai have to be converted into leisure tourism.

Focus on Maharashtra The session on 'The Treasurers of Maharashtra' highlighted the state's varied tourism offerings and the efforts taken by the Maharashtra government. The session was moderated by Reema Lokesh, editor, Express TravelWorld and Express Hospitality and the panelists included Dr Jagdish Patil, managing director, MTDC; Laxmikant Deshmukh, managing director, Film City; Manjiri Bhalerao, heritage tourism expert; Sudhir Patil, director, Kesari Tours; N Vasudevan, chief conservator of Forests Mangrove Cell, Mumbai; Sarang Kulkarni, marine biologist and scuba diving expert and Yogesh Kardile, a freelance photojournalist. Elaborating on the state's multifaceted tourism offerings - from Bollywood to pilgrimage, MICE to wine tourism, beaches to wildlife Patil said, “Mumbai city in itself has a lot of potential and recently a committee has been set up to look into the various

October 2012

issues and work towards enhancing the tourism offerings of the state. On the infrastructure front, there is still a lot left to be completed and we also want to improve the marine features. At the famous Lonar crater we want to develop tourism facilities, set-up an astronomical observatory, a museum and a science park. We have acquired land for these projects. We are also focusing on beach tourism and will develop ecofriendly amenities.” Giving his views on heritage conservation, Bhalerao said, “As much as 80 per cent of rock cut caves in India are in the state. We need to work closely with the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and create awareness among travellers of the potential.” Talking about offerings for marine tourism, Kulkarni mentioned, “Tarkarli and Sindhudurg have water-sports activities, the state tourism department has taken the initiative to start snorkeling activity in Sindhudurg and will be launching its first scuba diving school in Tarkarli.” Shifting focus to Bollywood tourism, Deshmukh made a presentation on the future plans of

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Film City. He said, “We are looking at making Film City as a unique complex where tourists can spend more than one day. The complex will have entertainment rides, a Bollywood museum and a biodiversity park, along with budget, four- and five-star and hotels, as well as dormitories in the next five years. We aim at attracting 5,000 tourists per day.”

Bridging the gap One of the important sessions was a panel discussion on how tour operators and hoteliers can bridge the gap. It was moderated by Homa Mistry, chief executive officer, TrailBlazer Tours India. The panelists for the session were Hemany Mediratta, VP-Travel Trade, Oberoi Hotels & Resorts; Delna Jasoomoney, GM-Travel Industry Sales, Taj Hotels Resorts & Palaces; Pradeep Kalra, senior VP-sales and marketing, Sarovar Hotels and M Shilendran, VP sales, CGH Earth. Kickstarting the session with the hope to bridge the communication gap between tour operators and hoteliers, Mistry asked the panelists on whether the relationship was driven only by demand and supply in the market.

Responding to the question, Shilendran said that although the relation is driven by the demand and supply, it is the trust and understanding that the party needs to have for smooth operations. When asked about the reason behind price variations and different categories of rates offered by hotels to tour operators and end consumers, Kalra said, “The price point demand depends on the customers’ need and preferences. It is 8-9 per cent of sales that comes from tour operators. ” As sometimes there is a lot of overbooking, hoteliers urged the trade to maintain a discipline in bookings and not indulge in last minute cancellations. Mediratta said, “There should be more discipline on how rooms are booked by tour operators and we will make sure that there are no overbookings.” He also mentioned that for the off-season period The Oberoi has come up with the concept of special packages. After deliberating on adopting various policies and procedures in order to ensure smooth functioning between the two parties, the panelists agreed that there is a need to work together for a win-win situation.

October 2012

ocated on the southern tip of the Deccan plateau, Wayanad district in the northeast of Kerala is known for its rugged terrain of the Western Ghats, dense forest, jungles and deep valleys. This district was formed on November 1, 1980 as the 12th district by carving areas from Kozhikode and Kunnur. Kalpetta is the district headquarters and the only municipal town in the district. Earlier known as Mayakshetra, the district evolved into Mayanad and finally into Wayanad. Some of the tourists spots in the district include Chembra Peak which is the highest peak in Wayanad and trekking to the top almost takes a day. The Kuruva island is known for its rare species of birds, orchids

HOW TO REACH THERE BY AIR: Nearest airport is Kozhikode.

BY RAIL: Nearest railway station is Kozhikode.

BY ROAD: Well connected by roads from Kozhikode, Kannur, Ooty (175 km from Kalpetta) and Mysore (140 km from Kalpetta). WHERE TO STAY: Vythiri Resort, Blue Ginger Wayanad Resorts, Jungle Retreat Wayanad, Wayanad Silver Woods Resort, Rain Country Resort, etc.

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and herbs. Lakkidi is the gateway to Wayanad and travellers can get a bird's eye view of the deep valley of the south with its winding roads. Pakshipathalam in the Brahmagiri hills at Thirunelli, is a challenging tourist spot for any adventure seeking tourist. Pazhassi Tourist Resort at Mananthavady is a good picnic centre in north Wayanad. Boating facilities for tourists are available here. Nearby is Vythiri which is one of the beautiful hill stations of Kerala, located at about 100 km from Kozhikode about 1,300 metres above sea level. This place is famous for its lush green coffee plantations, tea, cardamon, pepper and rubber. The main attraction of Vythiri is its adventure

offerings like tree houses, sanctuaries, Edakkal caves, situated on Ambukuthi Hills about 10 km from Sultan Bathery. It was formed due to a large split in a huge rock, and the resulting landscape represents the world's richest pictographic gallery of its kind. For wildlife lovers, the destination has one of the best sanctuaries of Kerala, the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary. Rich in biodiversity, the sanctuary is an integral part of the bigger Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, created to conserve and protect the natural resources of the region. â&#x2013;

October 2012

he district of Kollam has many destinations that have created a niche on Kerala's tourism map. The small village of Thenmala that lies 72 km from Thiruvananthapuram is famous for being India's first planned eco tourism project. In Malayalam language 'Then' means honey and 'Mala' means hill, consequently Thenmala means the Honey Hill, aptly named as the area is known to produce excellent quality of honey. Thenmala EcoTourism is divided into different zones with its own range of activities and attractions. These zones are Culture Zone, Leisure Zone and Adventure Zone. The whole area is densely forested and draws both domestic and foreign tourists. The Shenduruney Wildlife Sanctuary is home

T HOW TO REACH THERE BY AIR: Nearest airport is Thiruvananthapuram. BY RAIL: Nearest railway station is Kollam

BY ROAD: The best way to reach Thenmala is by road from Thiruvananthapuram, by car or bus.

WHERE TO STAY: PWD Inspection Bungalow; KTDC motel at Aryankavu; private lodges at Kulathupuzha and Achankovil; Club Mahindra Backwater Retreat at Ashtamudi, etc. October 2012

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to many species of flora and fauna. There is an open air Musical Dancing Fountain that recreates the 'dance of nature'. The popular activities that tourists can indulge in are boating, trekking, mountain biking, rappelling, etc. One of the highlights is the Deer Rehabilitation Centre where you can see spotted deer, sambar deer and barking deer. Families can spend the day in tree top huts. There is also a children's eco park. Yet another attraction is the spectacular Palaruvi Falls that is about 16 km from Thenmala. Located near the Tamil Nadu border, the 300 feet waterfall means 'stream of milk' and is known to be the 40th highest waterfall in the country. One of the interesting activities at Palaruvi is the five km trek to the

top of the fall and back. You can explore the ancient caves and get a deeper understanding of the region's flora, along the way. Kollam is also the gateway city to one of the most important wetlands in India - Ashtamudi lake. It derives its name from its eight channels or arms. The 16km long Ashtamudi lake is the second largest in Kerala after the Vembanad lake. There are houseboat cruises that cover the various islands in the Ashtamudi backwaters. Another interesting place near Kollam is Varkala which has a pristine beach. The other places of tourist interest are the 2,000-year-old Vishnu Temple and the Ashramam - Sivagiri Mutt. â&#x2013;

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Photo credit: Renjith k s

n the district of Kasaragod in Kerala is the beach town of Bekal. The key to Bekal's growing popularity is its pristine beaches and the Bekal Fort. Said to have existed from the time of the Chirakkal ruler, the Bekal Fort today is one of the largest and best preserved in the region. The fort fell into the hands of Haider Ali in 1763; there are remains of a gallow from this time. Post this, Bekal fell into the occup a t i o n of the British East India Company. The beach with the fort has undergone beautification. These include installation of two sculptures of Theyyam created using laterite on the beach and a shed the walls are adorned with murals created by artisans from Nilambur. There is also a rock garden at the

I HOW TO REACH THERE BY AIR: Closest airports are Mangalore and Karipur International Airport, Kozhikode, BY RAIL: Kasaragod, on the KozhikodeMangalore-Mumbai route.

BY ROAD: Bekal is 65 km away from Mangalore. Bekal is about 200 km from Kozhikode. WHERE TO STAY: Vivanta by Taj Bekal, The LaLit Resort & Spa Bekal, Nirvana @ Bekal and Bekal Beach Camp, etc.

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parking area developed by Bekal Resorts Development Corporation (BRDC) of about 7,000 sq m. A walkway has been laid for visiting tourists. A park has been developed here for children below 14 years. In 1995, Government of India set up BRDC to promote the region exclusively for tourism. BRDC ensures that projects set up observe parameters on the carrying capacity of the region, sustainable limits, architectural guidelines, environmental safeguards and coastal regulations. Around 178 hectares are under BRDC, of which 24 hectares are set apart for resort centres and 75 hectares for housing sites. There is a fee charged from each visitor and a similar vehicle parking fees is also collected. The BRDC also aims to develop in future

another 11 acres of land at the beach for constructing water park, theme park, etc. Besides promoting the Bekal Project, BRDC acts as the premier resource and development agency for tourism in northern Kerala. The corporation's main objectives include, to organise scientific studies and surveys for the balanced and planned development of the destination, to facilitate tourism development of the area by setting up necessary infrastructure facilities like water and power supply, sanitation, solid waste disposal and roads, to develop and improve existing as well as new tourist attractions in and around the area and to impart technical and other guidance to all concerned, for tourism and related development in Bekal as well as northern Kerala. â&#x2013; October 2012

Photo credit: Binoy

lso known as the Golden Peak, Ponmudi in Thiruvananthapuram district of Kerala is located 61 km north-east of Thiruvananthapuram city at an altitude of 1,100 metres. Thiruvananthapuram serves as the base for trekking and hiking and with the climate being yearround pleasant travel to this place calls for a thrilling experience. Various other attractions near Ponmudi include Golden Valley and a number of rivulets and rapids. The lush forest area has tropical vegetation. A variety of wildlife inhabit the hills. The Golden Valley offers vistas of the hills and access to the Kallar River.

A HOW TO REACH THERE BY AIR: Nearest airport is Thiruvananthapuram International Airport. BY RAIL: Nearest railway station is Thiruvananthapuram Central. BY ROAD: Nearest bus stations are Nedumangad and Vithura. Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSTRC) runs buses to Ponmudi from either Thiruvananthapuram (Thampanoor) or Nedumangad. WHERE TO STAY: Hotel Golden Peak under Kerala Tourism Development Corporation(KTDC) is the only hotel in Ponmudi. While in Thiruvanthapuram there is Coconut Bay Resort, Palmleaves Beach Resort, etc. October 2012

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Agasthyarkoodam, one of the highest peaks in the Western Ghats is another attraction of the destination and it is famous for its wilderness and can be accessed only with the permission of the Forest Department's permission. Meenmutty Falls is another attraction in the area. T h i r u va n a n t h a p u ra m being home to various ancient and historic Hindu temples, ashrams and other religious places, is known as the land of Sree Ananthapadmanabhaswamy or Lord Vishnu. Some of the major places of religious significance in Thiruvananthapuram include the Sree Ananthapadmanabha Swamy Temple, Attukal Devi Temple, Neyyattinkara Temple of Lord Krishna,

and Vellayani Devi Temple are a few. Located in the middle of a lake in Kasargod district of Kerala, around four km from Kumbala, Ananthapura Lake Temple is the only lake temple in Kerala. This temple is believed to be the original seat of Ananthapadmanabha Swami. As per legend, it is the original site where Ananthapadmanabha settled down. The temple's lake is also home to a crocodile, which is supposed to be the guard of the temple. When one dies, another mysteriously takes its place. The temple lake or tank in which the sanctum is situated is a large structure measuring 302 feet square (about 2 acres). â&#x2013; EXPRESS TRAVELWORLD

Photo credit: Bibin C.Alex

ocated in KottayamIdukki border of Kerala, Vagamon is a perfect hill station for those who want to escape city life for a few days and luxuriate in the lap of nature - green hills, breathtaking meadows, waterfalls and pine forests. There are many plantations and tea gardens in the area that contribute in making Vagamon a unique getaway. The hill station has a chain of three hills Thangal Hill, Murugan Hill and Kurisumala. Vagamon was discovered by the British who were so enchanted by the place that they called it the 'Scotland of the East'. It attracted the Christian missionaries who made Kurisumala ‘mountain of the holy cross’ their home. The Kurisumala Hill has a lot of significance as a religious site for Christians.

HOW TO REACH THERE BY AIR: Kochi and Thiruvanathapuram airports. BY RAIL: The nearest railway station is Kottayam.

BY ROAD: Buses and private vehicles are available from Kochi, Thiruvanathapuram and other parts of Kerala. WHERE TO STAY: Green Meadows, Summer Sand Hill Resort & Ayurvedic Centre, Vagamon Heights, Ananya Hill Resorts, Vagamon Hide Out Resort, etc.

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The road to the church located atop the hill is lined with 14 crosses. Good Friday is the most important occasion and witnesses thousands of devotees carrying wooden crosses while making their way to the church. The nearby Murugan Hill with its rockcut temple of Lord Murugan, is a sacred site for Hindu pilgrims. The Thangal Hill is the place where the shrine of Sufi saint Sheikh Fariduddin is located and attracts people from all communities. Situated at a level of 1,100 metres above sea level, the gardens and meadows in Vagamon make it an ideal destination for family vacations. One of the interesting attractions of the aera is the dairy farm managed by the Kurisumala monks. It is also the location for the breeding centre

of Kerala Live Stock Board. A few of the highlights in Vagamon are - Suicide Point, Paragliding Point, Pine Valley and Moon Hill, Vagamon Tunnel and Kuttiyar Dam. Ulipooni Wildlife Sanctuary is about 10 km from Vagamon, you can also do boating there. For the adventure freaks there are options like trekking, paragliding and rock climbing. For those who seek softer adventures, fishing, horse riding and boating are the activities available. Tea garden visits are also popular in Vagamon. ■

October 2012

he word 'Kuttanad' is synonymous for its green vistas of paddy fields. Kuttanad region in Alappuzha district is one of the few in the world where cultivation is carried out below the sea level. The backwater paddy cultivation attributes in making Kuttanad the 'rice bowl of Kerala'. There are four important rivers that flow into the region - Pampa, Meenachil, Achankovil and Manimala. Kuttanad is also well known because of its historical significance from the times of the Pandavas who have supposedly crossed the region, to the Chera dynasty. One of the most popular options for tourists is to take the AlappuzhaChanganasserry road, which will give them a great insight into the daily

T HOW TO REACH THERE BY AIR: Kochi is the nearest airport.

BY RAIL: The nearest railway station is Alappuzha. BY ROAD: Kuttanad can be accessed from places on the National Highway- 47 from Harippad to Alappuzha town in Alappuzha, and from places like Thiruvalla and Changanasserry. WHERE TO STAY: Marari Beach Resort, Lake Palace Backwater Resort, Marari Beach Homes and others. There are also many homestay options nearby. October 2012

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lives of the primarily agrarian populace who inhabit the area. It is their simple lifestyle amidst the beautiful paddy fields where they work and stay, which is the greatest attraction of Kuttanad as a destination. What makes Kuttanad different is not only the sights but also the experiences. One of the highlights of the region are the innumerable canals that criss-cross the land. Tourists can hire motor boats or houseboats to traverse these canals. One can find vendors on boats selling their wares to the housewives who do their daily chores of washing clothes and utensils on the banks of the canals. A few of the places worth visiting in the area are Nedumudy, Kaavalam and Champakkulam. The region is also well known for its avian attractions -

you can find flocks of birds darting about in the paddy fields - from parrots to black blankets. Kuttanad is also famous for its backwater fish delicacies and tapioca. The best of the local cuisine is not surprisingly available at the wayside eateries that dot the area. â&#x2013;

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Photo credit: Arun

namudi or Elephant's forehead, is the highest peak not only in the Western Ghats but also the whole of South India. At a height of 2,695 metres, it was General Douglas Hamilton of Madras Army whose ascent was the first recorded in 1862. Situated in the midst of the Eravikulam National Park, Anamudi is a great location for trekkers and hikers. A protected area, the park itself is divided into three regions - the core area, the buffer area and the tourism area. Visitors are allowed only to the tourism area of Rajamalai. The park is also home to an extremely rare species of ibex – Nilgiri Tahr. Other renowned fauna of the park include Golden Jackal, Jungle Cat, Wild Dog,

A HOW TO REACH THERE BY AIR: Kochi International Airport is the closest airport. BY RAIL: Kottayam and Ernakulam are the closest stations.

BY ROAD: The distance between Kottayam and Anamudi is 149 km and between Ernakulam and Anamudi it is 137 km. The distance between Cochin and Anamudi is 136 km. WHERE TO STAY: Closest town to Anamudi, Munnar offers accommodation like Grand Plaza Munnar, Camp Noel, Blu Haze Resort and Spa, Elysium Garden Hill Resorts, Aranyaka Resort, etc.

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Nilgiri Langur, Stripenecked Mongoose, Indian Porcupine, etc. Around 132 species of birds have been sited and recorded as well as 101 varieties of butterflies and 19 species of amphibians. The Park charges entry fee of `15 per head per day for Indians and `200 per head per day for foreigners. Special fees are also charged for vehicles and film shooting. The park best visited in the non-monsoon months from September to May. Located in the same district as Anamudi – Idukki – are the popular destinations of Munnar and Thekkady. Munnar is located on the Kannan Devan Hills Village at the confluence of three mountain rivers – Muthirapuzha, Nallathanni and Kundala. The summer capital for the British in

South India, Munnar today has sprawling tea estates and is a very popular hill station. Thekkady is home to the Periyar National Park, spread across 777 sq km. Wild elephants are what people come out here for. A cruise across the artificial lake formed by the construction of the Mullaperiyar Dam is great way to catch a glimpse of the pachyderms. The park offers few watch towers, inside the tiger reserve which can be reserved at the Forest Information Centre. ■

October 2012

‘We want the government to help us with better air and rail connectivity’ Wayanad Tourism Organisation (WTO) is spearheading the tourism potential in this once lesser known district of Kerala. Steena Joy spoke to Jose Kynadi, president, WTO to learn more about the entity and why he feels that Wayanad is set to make a splash on Kerala's tourism map

Jose Kynadi

What was the aim and purpose behind setting up a separate identity for Wayanad tourism? Wayanad Tourism Organisation (WTO) was started as a club by nine members to promote Wayanad as a destination as we were quite unheard of in those days. The objective was a combined marketing effort which would benefit all tourism stakeholders in the region, by way of reducing expenses and at the same time showcasing the destination in the right way. Also those were days when the Malabar was still to wake up and Wayanad was a speck on the tourism map of Kerala. We realised that unless we have strength in numbers, we would not be successful. As the saying goes, unity is strength. WTO is a non-profit organisation, so how are the promotional activities of the organisation funded? We get annual subscriptions for our activities and marketing. Also special marketing expenses for attending marts/organising FAM trips, etc, are shared by all members. What are the promotional plans lined up for Wayanad this coming peak season? The year 2012 was a event filled year. The first half finished with a B2B meet along side Splash (The Monsoon Carnival organised by WTO which includes a Travel Mart) in July which witnessed around 500 agents experiencing the hospitality of Wayanad with various activities from rafting to a dollarx4 challenge. In the second half we are now into Kerala Travel Mart (KTM) preparations and promotions, to tap the buyers from both India and abroad. These would make sure that the

October 2012

2012 promotional budget is effectively utilised and the destination in general is promoted. Does Wayanad attract tourists all the year round? What is the mix of visitors viz leisure tourists and business (conferences/conventions/incentive groups)? Wayanad gets tourists all the year round with July to September being the lean season (not off season). Thanks to efforts like ‘Splash’ we have been able to convert June -September from 'off' to lean season. October-January and April-June 15 is generally the peak season for Wayanad. October- January sees the most foreign arrivals. Round the year, Wayanad enjoys a reasonably good occupancy. It is still 75 per cent domestic and 20-25 per cent inbound. We need to concentrate on the inbound traffic. Wayanad attracts around one to two per cent of the total inbound that India gets. Does WTO have any specific plans to develop Wayanad as a MICE destination? What are the conference/meetings/convention facilities available in the district? We are now focusing on MICE tourism as we now have a good convention centre with capacity to seat 1,800-2,000 pax with all modern conference facilities including inbulit audio/visual systems and one of the largest LED walls in India. Hopefully, we can tap this potential, provided the government can help us with better air and rail connectivity. We can now boast of around 1,000 quality rooms just amongst our members alone. These are varied from homestays to five-star catewww.expresstravelworld.com

gory , not to forget the budget and town/city hotels as well. The new convention centre of one of our members (a five-star deluxe property) is already ready with the first conference on September 21. With the ice broken, I hope things will start rolling from now. Has the Kerala Tourism policy allotted any funds for the promotion of tourism in the region? Whatever we are today, Kerala Tourism has played a great role in this growth and the DTPC too. We do get support in events like Splash, but we would be glad to get more support especially for international promos and for B2B meets that are Malabar centric, as we want to see Kerala grow beyond houseboats and beaches. How is WTO supporting the local communities/jungle tribes? What CSR initiatives are you promoting? WTO still retains its social character. Besides promotion and individual business it does its bit for the development of local communities like spearheading causes of waste management/plastic waste recycle and destination management. It is also part of the management committee of the local ITI to make students employable in the hospitality sector. We also try to bring in international NGOs to provide skill development training to the lower classes to make them employable in the hospitality sector. WTO also promotes sustainable tourism practices through promotion of local handicrafts /products /tribal food, etc. Your comments on the wildlife/tiger tourism ban pro-

posed by the Supreme Court? Do you think this will be a bad move for tiger conservation as many tourism stakeholders believe? Wildlife and tourism can coexist and can be synergistic as long as we all know and stay within our limits. Animals seldom cross their limits and most conflicts are as a result of man's greed. If we can stay within our limits, both man and wildlife stand to benefit and we can showcase our national parks and reserves like that of our African counterparts. We (the stakeholders and the government) need a lot of vision to blend this and to make it work. Do you think the ban will have bad repercussions on states like Madhya Pradesh (tigers) and Kerala (elephants) who thrive on wildlife tourism? Yes, the ban did have an effect on some destinations like Wayanad as we get wildlife enthusiasts from the adjoining areas like Bandipur/Mudumali which has greatly reduced. As for elephant tourism, it may go the tiger way if we don't draw the line and mend our ways. A lot of self restraint and discipline is needed to promote such exclusive tourism circuits. I hope we would do a better job of ourselves and co-exist in peace with nature, which forms the backbone of a destination like Wayanad. Success of WTO's initiative Splash? What other festivals are being planned? After a four- year struggle Splash has become an event but it still needs to succeed in terms of business conversions. So we would rather concentrate on this event and put this firmly on rails before we embark on anything else! EXPRESS TRAVELWORLD

'Kerala Travel Mart is more techsavvy this year' Kerala Travel Mart (KTM) has been by far the most successful travel business event held in India that brings together the business fraternity and entrepreneurs behind the tourism products and services of Kerala. As it gets set to roll out its seventh edition this month, Mathew Philip, CEO, KTM Society tells Steena Joy what is different about the event this year

Mathew Philip

What is special about KTM this year? Held every two years, KTM is different this year.This is the seventh edition to be held from September 27-30, 2012 at Le Meridien Kochi. KTM started registrations in March. Presently we have around 255 buyers registered with us. Based on past experience we are looking at participation of about 1,000 domestic buyers and about 312 sellers from Kerala. This year there will be around 296 modules, 108 tables and 12 houseboats. We started online registration for buyers two years ago. Now for the first time this year even seller registration is online. One can go online and block the space and within a week you have

to make the payment or you lose the space. The process is more streamlined now. Appointments are also being fixed online this year. Buyers and sellers will match their requirements and then fix the schedules. Each appointment will last for 15 minutes. How has the selection process been streamlined? The selection process is comprehensive. Buyers are selected after going through a strict scrutiny by the committee members. We want to see whether they are capable of selling Kerala in their country. We are spending resources and we want to see results. We have seen that some scrupulous sellers want to participate to sell their own tourism products.

Generally our scrutiny does work. Our aim is to tighten the quantity and better the quality of KTM. Anyone who has a good tourism product can participate. We do not encourage antique/handicraft shops as they are basically byproducts of tourism. They should be selling a destination in Kerala. Why not make KTM an annual trade event? Feedback says that Kerala is not that big a destination to warrant a KTM every year so we do it every two years. Buyers cannot come every year. But we are happy that KTM has been well accepted by the trade. What initiatives is the KTM society taking to promote new

destiantions in the state? Bekal is a promising new destination but it should decide how it can be promoted. KTM can only provide them a platform. There is nothing else we can do to promote a particular destination. Wayanad has it own tourism body (Wayanad Tourism Organisation) and its own event, Splash. As encouragement and to give delegates a glimpse of new tourism regions, post KTM tours are being arranged to Wayanad, Kovalam, Munnar and Thekkady. These tours can be used as networking opportunities. Though distances being too much in Kerala, one cannot cram too much of sightseeing in one trip. Most of these places do not have proper connectivity.

‘The idea was to develop Bekal as an international standard destination’ The Bekal Resorts Development Corporation (BRDC),was set up to attract investments to transform Bekal into an integrated tourist destination with comprehensive infrastructure and premium holiday resorts. Steena Joy spoke to I C Mahesh, managing director, BRDC, to learn how the corporation plans to promote the destination What was the aim and purpose behind setting up a separate identity for Bekal tourism? Government of India declared Bekal as a Special Tourism Area in 1992. In order to develop Bekal as a beach destination, Government of Kerala formed the Bekal Resorts Development Corporation (BRDC) in 1995 under the Companies Act, 1951. The idea was to develop Bekal as an international standard destination. I C Mahesh

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BRDC is a non-profit organisation, so how are the promotional activities of the organisation funded? BRDC is a public sector undertaking under the department of Tourism, Government of Kerala. BRDC generates its own funds by leasing out proper-

ties and consultancy work. The Government of Kerala is also supporting BRDC in promotional ventures through Department of Tourism. What are the promotional plans lined up for Bekal this coming peak season? BRDC will be participating in tourism trade fairs in the national and international levels jointly with department of Tourism, Government of Kerala. The department has already released advertisements focusing on Bekal and North Kerala. Does Bekal attract tourists all the year round? What is the mix of visitors? Bekal attracts tourists all round the year. The tourists are mainly leisure tourists. As Bekal is a new destinawww.expresstravelworld.com

tion, business tourists are limited. Does BRDC have any specific plans to develop Bekal as a MICE destination? What are the conference/meetings/convention facilities available in the district? All the resorts coming under BRDC have facilities for conference/conventions. The newly opened resorts in Bekal namely the Lalit Resort and Spa and Vivanta by Taj Bekal have conferencing facilities with a capacity of 100 and 200 pax respectively. Other hotels/ resorts in the district have mini conferencing halls. Has the Kerala Tourism policy allotted any funds for the promotion of tourism in the region? Department of Tourism

has been funding promotions of North Kerala including Bekal. Recently Bekal played host to the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC)'s India Initiative Retreat’. What did it mean for the destination? Bekal was privileged to host WTTC's India Initiative Retreat. The event helped showcase Bekal among tourism's stakeholders and entrepreneurs. What are your expectations from Kerala Travel amrt (KTM) this year? We are hoping that the Kerala Travel Mart will generate more enquiries for the properties in Bekal. We will get to showcase Bekal and our properties to the travel and tour operators fraternity. October 2012

Domestic designs Domestic tourism is most certainly India's tourism foundation. Primarily, it is crucial to keep the house in order as this will lead to a stable tourism structure. It is important to identify interesting circuits that can be explored apart from the well established zones. By Reema Lokesh he 6th Association of Domestic Tour Operators of India (ADTOI) annual convention and exhibition is scheduled to be held on October 12-13, 2012 at SKICC in Srinagar, which would provide impetus to the tourism position of the state. A lot has been written about the tourism potential of the domestic traveller and how it is a vital catchment that needs to be given its due. From spending capacity, reliability (which is international travel advisory proof) and the changing demography and mindset, the domestic traveller is raring to go and all they need is a well crafted and seamless travel experience within the country be it inter-state or even intra-state tourism.

Infrastructure needs Infrastructure development cannot be compromised, taxation woes need to be solved and PPP models need to walk the talk. Clean and hygienic highway rest rooms need to be constructed to enhance and improve the quality of travel. Women friendly, and child friendly travel is the need of the hour. Vivek Mathur, general manager, Madhya Pradesh Tourism, says, “Domestic tourists have always been on our priority list. In the last four years, there has been a significant increase in the number of tourists coming to Madhya Pradesh, which was 3,58,00,000 in the year 2011 including both national and international. To cater to the domestic market, we have introduced special packages from Hyderabad, Delhi, and other destinations. The connectivity and facilities to all these religious destinations have improved. We have opened up many regional offices in the country and been aggressively marketing. We recently released with a October 2012

book on unknown destinations in Madhya Pradesh which provides the information on the lesser known destinations around popular sites so that it gives people a chance to stay at least a day more.

Circuit tourism The domestic traveller is also looking for an experiential holiday and is ready to move around India to see unique sights and sounds. Each state and union territory has a special panorama to offer. One needs to highlight the niche and present and sell it well to the discerning traveller. 1)The Freedom Trail of India is an interesting itinerary that can be explored. The state governments along with the private sector can design a special freedom trail journey of India that can cover unique spots of the country. While sites like Mani Bhawan, Red Fort, Sabarmati Ashram, Jallianwala Bagh, Cellular Jail, etc, have always been in the limelight there are numerous others which have remained hidden, www.expresstravelworld.com

never acquiring the importance they deserve. 2) Textile tourism can also be an interesting option to choose from. India’s well defined sarees, fabrics, weaves have their own story to tell, From Chanderi and Maheshwari, to the Paithani, Banarasi and Kanchipuram, each has its own specialty. This can be clubbed with fashion experts who can provide the much needed inputs. 3) West coast/east coast tourism, wherein more than one states can be covered in the plan. 4) Coffee and Tea plantation tourism can be worth exploring. 5) India’s river tourism is untapped. This sector can be developed further and built as a circuit. Music, dance festivals, wildlife circuits, sports circuits etc can be made more structured. Subhash Goyal, president, IATO says, “India is a land of religions and religious destinations. There is no other country in the world that has four major religions — Hinduism, Sikhism, Jainism and

Christianity at one place. Even for, Islam, that originated in the Middle East, we have some of the holiest Sufi shrines that are visited by people from all over the world. There is a need to develop them into long haul destinations. A country like Saudi Arabia, after oil, gives due importance to developing religious tourism in the country. They have a separate ministry of Haj, which attracts that world's largest tourist traffic. It is high time that we have a separate ministry for religious affairs (tourism) so that we can tap the maximum out of it. Ravi Luthra, joint secretary, ADTOI says, “These days, religious tourism is on the verge of becoming more of a five-star culture, and it all depends on the state. I have seen a lot of private players coming up in the market who have realised the importance of developing them into business sites. For instance, Katra has been developed by private players and doing exponentially well. I do not see much role of the government in developing the infrastructure in EXPRESS TRAVELWORLD

and around these pilgrimage destinations, rather it is driven more by business needs. Next year, it will be interesting to know about the role and success of the government stepping into managing Kumbh Mela and catering to the millions of tourists there.â&#x20AC;?

Power of social media Social media is only gaining strength by the day and one cannot ignore its power. Tour operators need to use technology and social media to position, promote and place their product in the most effective fashion. Through social media net-

working, domestic tourism will get its share of publicity and the government machinery in the state can use this tool to effectively speak about their tourism USPs, special events and highlights once in a month and year. The mobile technology is evolving by the hour and travel discussions are slowly taking place through a click of the button.

Training of staff on destinations No doubt technology is getting stronger by the day, but one cannot take away the role of human interven-

tion especially if the itinerary is unique and customised. Here, it is extremely important to have a travel guide and consultant who knows the circuit and destination thoroughly. States need to start specialist programmes with tour operators with an aim towards knowledge of the product.

Working as partners The public and private sector needs to work in tandem, this will lead to definite developments which is long standing and stable. Apart from PPPs, the private sector within needs to work as partners, mainly hotels,

airlines and tour operators need to be complimenting each other and building the tourism product as a team. Domestic tourism is a reality and the more we ignore its potential the country stands to lose every passing day. Discussions at conventions definitely brings to fore interesting topics and issues, but it is crucial to take these discussions out of the convention halls and make them implementable realities - as too much analysis leads to paralysis. (With inputs from Heena Mahajan)

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;The need of the hour is to abolish multiple taxesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; There is an untapped potential that lies in the heart of pilgrimage tourism. Efforts need to be made to convert pilgrimage tourists into leisure, says Subhash Verma, President, ADTOI. By Heena Mahajan What is the current state of domesPradesh are the key states driving tic tourism in India? domestic tourists in the country. While Andhra Pradesh (24 per Lately, everyone has realised the cent), and Tamil Nadu (18 per importance of domestic tourism. cent) get the Tourism departments have started maximum percentage of domestic recording the movement and some tourists, they have been driving a states have gone for detailed tourist lot of pilgrimage traffic. They traffic surveys. One of the major conneed to convert them into leisure cerns for us is the exponential and then see the output. Kumbh increase in the domestic airfare. The Mela which takes place once in air fare, for instance, Delhi to Kochi twelve years witnesses more than is expensive than Delhi to Dubai. The double digit million tourists figairlines are not earning enough, and ures, making it the largest event on the other hand, the passenger is apart from Haj. All the above paying three times the price. There is Subhash Verma facts reinforce the fact that the an appeal to the state government domestic tourism is of immense that they should reduce the taxes, and make it convenient for the masses to contribute importance to India and domestic demand will grow year after year with growing business traffic to the domestic travel in the country. and disposable income. There is an immense potenWhat is the state of student travel within the tial in our pilgrimage tourists, but what we lack is the infrastructure and facilities around these descountry? A lot of private players have been involved in this tinations. segment. I have been in talks with the ministry of Tourism that they should collaborate with ministry Give an insight on how to convert pilgrims into of Education to make it mandatory for school and leisure travellers. colleges to take their students out on interstate It is a known fact that the emergence of a large trips. Student exchange programmes should be urban middle class coupled with better transport facilitated. They are the future of the nation, and and communication facilities has created a new since I have been talking about taking domestic class of holiday and leisure tourists. There is a tourism as the national movement, students cannot need to develop some entertainment options be taken out from this. They should be aware of not around most popular destinations like Vaishno just about their state, but also the rest of the coun- Devi, Tirupati, Golden Temple, Shirdi, Balaji, and try. many more so that people extend their stay and contribute to the local economy. A lot of new cirWhich are the states promoting domestic tourism? cuits have been opening up like Uttar Pradesh At the moment, Kerala, Rajasthan, and Madhya recently started Delhi-Agra-Lucknow-Varanasi,

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like the Golden Triangle and new circuits. Buddhist, Jainism, Sufi and Sikhism. We need to create a mass awareness and give people lot of options in and around.

What do you think about Delhi as a destination for domestic traffic? Delhi, at the moment has become a transit destination for domestic tourists. People do not stay in Delhi. Delhi Tourism needs to sustain the traffic for a day or two, and the HOHO bus service is doing well. They need to develop and create awareness in the market about Delhi as a tourist destination. We have all the facilities here, but there is a need to develop more theme parks, entertainment options other than being a lucrative market for business travellers. What do you think about the recent luxury tax levied on hotels charging `1000 and above? This news came to me and all the industry people as a shock. Hotels charging below `4,000 should not be categorised as luxury. You are in turn, hampering the numbers of backpackers travelling to India, and I am not only talking about the international travellers, but also domestic travellers in the country, mostly students. Tourism is the key driver of what the economy holds true as it is evident from the fact that it is the number one export earner in 60 countries. The world's biggest economy is negating the effect of economic recession through its tourism related initiatives. And, now when India has become one of the lucrative markets for the world in terms of tourism, it is the need of the hour is to abolish multiple taxes which are impediments in the growth of tourism, both domestic and inbound. October 2012

Miles to go Indian Tourist Transporters Association (ITTA)'s fourth convention, put across sector specific issues which are hampering the growth of tourism transport sector in the country and also highlighted its role as a sector that helps in poverty eradication. By Heena Mahajan t is a known fact that the tourist transport segment is one of the most important vertical within this multi-sectoral industry. Keeping in mind, the Indian Tourist Transporters Association (ITTA) organised its fourth convention themed 'Enhancing Capabilities: Meeting National Tourism Target' from September 7-8, 2012 in Delhi. The convention witnessed 80 exhibitors, 350 participants on the first day and 300 on the second. Subodh Kant Sahai, minister tourism, Government of India; Ramakant Goswami, minister of Transport, Government of Delhi; R H Khwaja, secretary, Ministry of Tourism; and Girish Shankar, additional secretary, Ministry of Tourism (MoT) inaugurated the event. The convention took off with the opening remarks by Krishan Yadav, secretary, ITTA who informed that the association is going to complete 25 years with 350 active and allied members. Rajesh Loomba, chairman convention committee's welcome address highlighted the fact that at a time when the economy is slowing down, the opportunities with road transport still lie unexplored. Loomba informed, “We need to further build our capacities according to tourism targets. 'Hunar Se Rozgar' and driver training programmes, and learning on the knowledge of the new norms in the sector are some of the key initiatives we are constantly focusing on.” He stressed on the fact that tourist transport is the point of contact for tourists to be able to reach destinations. “And, it becomes a matter of stress when we are not only levied multiple taxes under different names, resulting in the loss of not only budget conscious travellers but also high end tourists. Service tax and interstate taxes on tourists

October 2012

vehicles are points of major concern,” he added. Sarabjit Singh, president, ITTA stressed on the fact that there is a dire need to keep the rates competitive by rationalising the taxes, which otherwise makes India 25-30 per cent costlier than other destinations. “There is an urgent need to carry out a detailed tax competitiveness study and its impact on our economies,” he added. It is a well known fact and has been addressed a number of times that tourism sector is the largest employment generator and tourist transport forms a large part of this sector. Speaking about the current situation, Singh said, “We emphasise that the growth the government envisions cannot be achieved as long as the issues are related to different sectors, and especially the tourist transport sector, is not addressed.” “This is also evident from the feedback that we have received from tourists as well as foreign tour operators, who have time and again highlighted issues like long wait at the borders and poor condition of the roads in the country. The widespread impression is that it is easy to travel from one country to another in Europe than interstate travelling within India. If developed in the right manner and supported accordingly, tourist transport segment can create unprecedented economic activity and generate jobs in millions. We never forget to talk about the 7,000 km long coastline, but unfortunately tend to overlook the tens of thousands of km of road network, alongside which lives the true India, the rural India, that tourists come to experience. No segment of tourism can create that demand for the rural tourism clusters, as envisaged by MoT, better than we, the ITTA members can,” added Singh.

Shankar urged the audience to aim at doubling the FTAs and in return, the job opportunities. He stressed on the need to focus on skill development, safe and honourable tourism which even the government will be ready to lend a helping hand. Khwaja jotted down the breakthrough achievements — initiatives taken by the Uttar Pradesh government, golden triangle seamless travel, and much more. “The only concern is that developments are not happening at a faster pace. Insurance is the new issue that has come to our knowledge. Sahai proposed the idea of taking tourism as a business model. “In these times, when India is the current target for all the economies, there is a need that we develop our strategies and promote India as a long haul destination in every sector. For instance, target the Middle East market for wellness tourism,” he said. Acknowledging the fact that tourist transport is the only key to last mile connectivity, he also encouraged all the private players to double their business so that the national target can be achieved.

In a nutshell The second day of the business sessions clearly stated the fact that the sector does not have good infrastructure like quality roads, wayside facilities, anti-investment environment in tourist vehicles because of multiple taxation, interstate taxes and other related logjams. Anand Kumar, joint secretary, MoT, addressed the audience on the benefits that can be drawn by ITTA members from Hunar Se Rozgar and capacity building programme scheme. He stressed on the fact that the schemes can explore the opportunity to join hands with the government in providing training www.expresstravelworld.com

and to the transport workforce of India. Singh highlighted that ITTA anticipates a huge surge in demand for skilled manpower in the tourist transport segment, and there is tremendous scope. “Therefore, ITTA has already taken the lead and formulated the syllabus and submitted to the ministry for approval,” he said. The next course highlighted on the potential and road blocks in road tourism. There is no denying to the fact that there is an increase in the road infrastructure both in length and quality — the latest being Yamuna Expressway (extendable to eight-lanes) that has significantly benefitted the transport operators. They are able to now increase their offerings, do more round trips and increase cost efficiency. The discussion stressed on the fact that there is a need for state tourism boards to promote develop and market highway tourism, more development on the rural tourism front with better last mile connectivity, reduce harassment for permits, and easy import of economical vehicles. Loomba requested the ministry for a PPP model and different departments to come together to act on it so that it leads to more road

tourism, economic growth and job creation. Singh added, “Caravan tourism, self drive travel are products that not only will create unprecedented job opportunities but will also generate new demands such as those for hotels and motels along the highways, wayside facilities and host of new demands earlier unheard of that can be stimulated in its wake.” Insurance was one of the major issues that came into picture. There is a proposal to limit the third party insurance cover to `10 lakh that we see as a potential dampener to our effort of building a robust tourism economy in the country. “The move, if implemented, will seriously jeopardise the survival of thousands of operators. The proposed rule is highly partisan in nature and says that any claim in excess of `10 lakh owing to accident will be borne by the transporter and the vehicle will remain impounded for long as the money is not paid to the claimant. We sincerely request MoT to take up this issue with the department of Insurance, ministry of Finance, so that this step which will have adverse effect on tourism growth is averted,” said Singh. EXPRESS TRAVELWORLD

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T H E C U T T I N G E D G E I N T R AV E L T R A D E

EVENT ROUNDUP

A national movement With an appeal to take domestic tourism as a national movement, the Great Domestic Tourism Bazaar 2012 provided a platform for state tourism boards and travel associations to express the varied untapped opportunities. By Heena Mahajan

or the first time, the Great Domestic Tourism Bazaar (GDTB 2012) organised by Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) in New Delhi introduced the B2C element so that consumers could discuss and finalise their holiday packages, as well as state governments to showcase their domestic tourism product profile, facilitation offered and their circuits to the domestic tourists. The inaugural session took off with senior vice president, FICCI Naina Lal Kidwai’s address on the importance of domestic tourism in the country where even with an economic downturn, there has been an increase of 14 per cent last year. “We need to package these products better and make it encompassing,” she said. Kidwai informed that this year 3,000 buyers and sellers meetings have already been pre-scheduled. Jyotsna Suri, chairperson, FICCI Tourism Committee Council

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further revealed the numbers of attendees at GDTB — 225 buyers, 1,000 B2C meetings and also announced the next date for the Bazaar, which is December 2013. “We have 851 million people against 259 million foreign tourist arrivals and here GDTB will play a vital role,” she added. Subodh Kant Sahay, union minister for Tourism, Government of India released FICCI — Yes Bank Study on Domestic Tourism — Evolution, Trends and Growth. Tushar Pandey, president and country head, Siga, Yes Bank, presented some of the key pointers on the paper. Subhash Verma, president, ADTOI highlighted the fact that domestic tourism has been neglected and needs to be taken up as a national movement. There is a need to convert the domestic traffic into leisure, and incentivise these travellers rather than subsidising it. Domestic airfare has become a bottleneck in the growth of this sector and forcing consumers to pay unethical www.expresstravelworld.com

prices. R H Khwaja, secretary tourism, Government of India, elucidated on the availability of workable solutions within. “Pilgrimage tourists form a large percentage and there is a need to organise circuit tourism, appoint state level organisations, and generate employment opportunities in these destinations. Campaign Clean India should not be taken lightly as hygiene is the most important factor in deciding the popularity of the destination,” he said. He requested all stake holders to join the government in a partnership model particularly in the pilgrim circuits. He stressed on the fact that there needs to be a focus on the education at an early level of the benefits that accrue from developing sustainable tourism products. Sahay focused on the need to develop and conect pilgrim centres. “Today, four crore people travel to Shirdi, and if we link it to Aurangabad, it will lead to a better quality of both life and destination. My

own state Ranchi Jharkhand doesn’t have a single tour operator in the state. We need to go to these remote areas and create a set up keeping all the factors in mind.” “Kumbh Mela is round the corner and attracts 10 million visitors alone, but we still haven’t been able to leverage the benefits of such a large scale festival,” he added. There is a need to convert domestic tourism into a business model — budget hotels are a matter of real concern. “We do not have many budget hotels, PWD bungalows should be converted into budget hotels. Film tourism was another area of domestic branding, where single window clearance is the need of the hour. We need to recognise the potential — Middle East market needs to be tapped, aggressive marketing overseas, and FICCI should encourage the states and let them know the potential and growth opportunities,” he concluded.

Regional tourism The first session was conducted by Amitabh Kant, October 2012

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IAS, CEO and managing director, DMIC Development Corporation on 'Domestic Tourism — Its Due Share' with eminent panelist — Soman S Pathy, liaison and nodal officer, Gujarat Tourism; Rajat Kumar, commissioner of tourism, Government of Andhra Pradesh; Vivek Mathur, general manager, Madhya Pradesh Tourism; Gun Nidhi, general manager, Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation; R J Gajendra Kumar, tourist officer, Tamil Nadu Tourism; Jyoti Kapur, advisor, ADTOI; Tushar Pandey and Dipak Deva, cochairman, FICCI Tourism Committee. The discussion threw light on some of the positive initiatives being undertaken in the state and private players being the major driving force in promoting the destination. Deva stressed on the need to develop experiential travel. Speaking on the initiatives taken in Andhra Pradesh, Kumar said, “The state draws one of the largest number of domestic tourists in Tirupati alone; and the

numbers are only growing. The expectations are also growing, and we need to drive that with constant improvement. We are trying to promote Vizag beaches and Tirupati, delta of rivers Krishna and Godavari and backwater trail package has already been introduced.” He informed that the state is running its own brand of hotels called Harita and trying to improve the quality via PPP model. Madhya Pradesh is a great example of the fact that publicity, destination research, and hygiene are the key factors in driving the tourism potential of the state. Clustering states was seen as an important development. Gujarat was appreciated for its constant initiatives to promote Gujarat as a destination in the country and overseas. Kant highlighted the fact that Gujarat came into the tourism picture late, but their growth has been tremendous. “Political will has always given a boost to develop the tourism in the state,” he concluded. Tamil Nadu announced

Domestic need of the hour ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●

October 2012

Hygienic accommodations (youth hostels and dharamshalas) Group connectivity Repackaging products Interstate partnerships, especially North-East Capacity building Cost effectiveness Accessibility to remote areas Niche travel/youth incentives Educational trips Technology www.expresstravelworld.com

that the state funds are being used to promote 32 lesser known destinations. Kumar focused on the need to effectively leverage the policies and infrastructure, otherwise it becomes a linear profession. He highlighted the fact that interstate coordination is the need of the hour and accepted that there is no coordination between Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. According to Deva, “India is a long haul destination, 97.2 per cent of the people come by air and we earn more than what Singapore earns. It is important that we realise that tourism is always regional in character.” Kant, in his conclusion stressed on the need for Incredible India to be the mother brand and has to allow the energy to flourish. Each state should have a brand, and government needs to focus on the western as well as eastern corridor.

Strategies, models and products Dry selling does not work in the current competitive world. Rajat Sawhney, general secretary, ADTOI urged tour operators to come up with innovative packages. Tourists are well read and have explored quite a few places in India and abroad. Spa tourism, wedding tourism, cruise tourism and developing the biggest coastlines is in demand. Tejbir Singh Anand, president, ATOAI informed that 85 per cent of his invoicing is domestic market and there is a need to understand what to sell and to whom. “It's all

about reselling to the clients. Learning sessions are important and there is a need to collaborate different associations.” Mohit Gupta, chief business officer - holidays, MakeMyTrip stressed on the fact that there is a shortage of inventory in the popular places, 80 per cent of India still lies unexplored and limited technology becomes an issue. The session clearly stated that there is a need to go beyond our limits and develop the destination. The product requires a unique relationship based selling. Travelling counselors even for the overseas clients via Skype can be one of the effective ways of travelling. Group travelling should be done along with responsible and eco-tourism as people prefer who talk about such initiatives. Akhil Gupta, vice president – Ecommerce, Yatra Online gave a perspective that 75 per cent of the domestic market is led by offline. There is a need to develop on the ground of lounges and stores, and be interactive taking in consideration the demand and supply. “There is a need to study the consumer behaviour on an everyday basis. Product videos, queries, video links, regular e-mail campaign to increase the demand integrated approach, which will cost around `10,000-20,000 a month,” said Avijit Arya, founder and COO, Internet Mogul. He said that OTAs have taken the role of an enabler, but the demand is too big to handle, and trying out best to reach out to innovative suppliers. EXPRESS TRAVELWORLD

Travel

Life

TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT

Grooming leaders for tomorrow The Future Leaders Forum is a programme to encourage the best and brightest young talent from different countries to join the MICE industry. The global initiative was organised for the very first time in India recently. By Sudipta Dev

he Future Leaders Forum is an initiative of IMEX, MPI ( M e e t i n g Professionals International) and MCI to motivate bright young students from across the world to enter the meetings and incentive travel industry. The first forum was organised in 2003, in the last 11 years it has been held in 29 countries and attended by 5,600 students. India is the latest addition to this list. The Future Leaders Forum was held for the very first time in New Delhi recently. “We seek to bring together students for an informative, interactive and enjoyable day, to meet and talk with industry leaders from around the world and to be motivated and stimulated to join the industry. We

Miguel Neves

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always look for key locations to hold the forum where the industry is developing and where the potential for inspiring the future leaders is high,” says Miguel Neves, Knowledge and Social Media manager, IMEX Group. The forums are open to university level students who are about to take the step into professional life. “We work along with our partners with local institutions who we offer places to be distributed to their top students,” mentions Neves. While each forum is customised according to the destination, there is a core structure for all forums. “We focus on providing the students with opportunities that are not available in regular academic education, especially www.expresstravelworld.com

current industry perspectives from active meeting professionals. The forums also provide the students with knowledge and tools that will help them in their transition from academic education to professional life,” explains Neves. Some of the key topics that are included in the forums are: Global and multi-sector meetings industry overview; local or regional future outlook for the meetings industry; advice and training on networking, personal branding and business etiquette; guidance on opportunities for continuous education; inspirational career stories that students can easily relate to; opportunities for students to interact informally with industry professionals and students from different

regions and academic institutions; opportunities for students to showcase their skills and talent, etc. There are plans to organise 18 forums next year. According to Neves, the strategy for motivating the participating students is giving them an insider’s look into a potentially great career. “We ask expert professionals to share their experience and we actively encourage the students to network and find their dream job or niche role in the industry. Many of the professionals have inspirational stories that have a profound effect on the students. There are also great stories, such as my personal one, about forum attendees that are today taking on key roles in the industry,” he says. Neves believes that the Future Leaders Forum presented by ICPB and IT&CM India laid the groundwork for more and more generations of Indian leaders to take advantage of what the forum can offer. “The local MCI team did a fantastic job and the quality of the students was outstanding. We were very impressed and we hope to achieve even more next year as we establish the forum as a yearly activity. We aim to establish the forum as a regular event. Our new partnership, since January 2012, is enabling us to be more professional and take advantage of their great teams spread out globally to create better and better forums,” he states with optimism. He acknowledges that the IMEX-MPI-MCI Future Leaders Forum is an event that not only develops young talent, but also enables learning from the new generation. October 2012

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Tourism Australia Tourism Australia has appointed Karyn Kent as the new regional general manager – Southeast Asia to replace Maggie White. Kent will commence the Singapore based role in December. She joins Tourism Australia from the South Australian Tourism Commission (SATC) where she is director of sales, responsible for commercial partnerships and the state’s international marketing activities.

IAAI – Maharashtra

The newly formed Maharashtra State Committee of the IATA Agents Association of India (IAAI) has elected T U Shamsuddin as its president. Other members include Sanjay Khot (vice president) and Chetan Gandhi as secretary.

Etihad Airways

Emirates

Etihad Airways has appointed John Evans as its new general manager for the Philippines. Evans has more than 35 years of experience in airline operations including senior management roles at Swissair and Gulf Air in the UK and Thailand. He has transferred to the Manila-based position from Cyprus, where he was Etihad Airways’ general manager for the past year.

Emirates has appointed Jabr Al-Azeeby as area manager for Thailand and Indochina. He replaces Khalid Salim Saeed Salim Bardan who has spearheaded the airline’s growth in the area for the last three and a half years. Al-Azeeby brings to Thailand extensive experience in the aviation industry since beginning his career as Area Manager in Uganda with Emirates from 2008 to 2011.

October 2012

British Airways

British Airways has announced the formulation of a commercial team for India. Anjali Puri has been appointed as the commercial development manager – South Asia. Having been with BA for 12 years, Puri will now be responsible for all sales related activities for the region.

Singapore Airlines Singapore Airlines has appointed Hsieh Tsun-yan and Gautam Banerjee to its board as independent nonexecutive directors. Both will join the Board Audit Committee and Board Compensation & Industrial Relations Committee. A Canadian citizen and Singapore Permanent Resident, Hsieh has, since 2008, been chairman and lead counselor of leadership services firm LinHart Group. A Singapore citizen, Banerjee has been with professional services firm PricewaterhouseCoopers Singapore for 30 years.

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Nepali Gandhi has been appointed as the corporate sales manager for South Asia, British Airways. She will now be responsible for all sales activities related to the Corporate Channel in the region.

Carlson Wagonlit Travel Trudy Rautio, president and chief executive officer of Carlson, has been appointed chairman of the Carlson Wagonlit Travel (CWT) board of directors. Rautio has served as a member of the CWT board since August 2006. She succeeds Hubert Joly, who resigned from the CWT board on 17 August 2012.

Tarun Minocha has been appointed as British Airways’ trade sales manager for South Asia and will be responsible for development and implementation of trade sales strategy. He will be working closely with commercial and business development; revenue development and corporate sales teams to deliver the business plan initiatives.

Pegasus Financial Services Pegasus Solutions has appointed Jennifer Sampson as vice president, product management of Pegasus Financial Services. A 13year veteran of Pegasus, Sampson has served as operations manager, product manager, director and senior director of products, and implementations manager.

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French connection

WEEKEND E

Enhancing skills

Atout France recently organised familiarisation tour for travel trade to France in collaboration with Air France, Rhone Alpes Tourism and Paris Convention and Visitors Bureau. Travel agencies such as Abercrombie & Kent (New Delhi), Amazing Vacations (Mumbai), JTB Travels (Ahmedabad), Saltours International (Mumbai), Thomas Cook India (Mumbai) and TUI (New Delhi) participated in the trip

Homage to patriotism (L-R): Rajeev Wagle, MD, Kuoni India and Jeet Sawhney, MD, Abacus India announce their new partnership wherein Kuoni Academy became the strategic education partner for Abacus Training

Lending a helping hand

(L-R): Anjanna Kuthalia; Danish Ambassador, Sunanda Tharoor at the 2nd Taj Palace ‘Black Tie Charity Ball’ event held for ‘Unsung Heroes in uniform’ in partnership with Jaguar Land Rover in Mumbai

Sustainable growth Adventure Tour Operators Association of India contributed relief material for 125 families which comprised of 125 utensils sets of five units each, 125 tirpals for shelter and 250 blankets (two per family) in Uttarkashi

Success award Sita took up a Corporate Responsibility Initiative to build a Solar Bath for a Buddhist nunnery in Spiti

Connecting better

(L-R):Paras Shahdadpuri, chairman, Nikai Group of Companies; Prem Syal, MD, Hi Tours; Rajeev Kakar, CEO, Dunia Finance at the award function in Dubai wherein Hi-Tours was conferred 'Brand Appreciation' Award by PowerBrands Rising Star 201213

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PhoCusWright organised India's first Travel Massive, a global initiative to connect the travel industry locally in Mumbai. The event was sponsored by Blue Star Infotech

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October 2012