Travel and Hospitality (TnH) December 2015

Page 1

FROM THE EDITOR

The Experts Know Best

Publisher & Editor Srishti Rai Director Bharat S. Rai Managing Editor Prem Kumar General Manager - Marketing Prem Sagar premsagar@tnhindia.com (M) +91 99106 81111 Art Director Sunny Singh Correspondent (Kolkata) Swaati Chaudhury Accounts Chander Shakher Balodi Administration Executive Sarwat Jahan

For any query, write to us at: info@tnhindia.com

www.tnhindia.com Printed, published and owned by Srishti Rai. Printed at Somsons Printing Works, 1/7, Doctor’s Lane, Gole Market, New Delhi - 110001, and published at P- 23/90, Connaught Circus, New Delhi 110001; Editor: SRISHTI RAI

Another year is coming to an end and winter vacations are fast approaching. What plans are you making for the upcoming holiday season? I always find the planning of a forthcoming trip so exciting. Going by our year-end review on page no. 12, it seems others too have been enjoying planning their travels as much as me which would explain the surge in business in the Indian travel and tourism sector. With signs of recovery in the economy, the business sentiments in the industry are expected to improve further and I want our readers to make the most informed decision on where to go, how to get there and what to do there. To begin the tutoring I would suggest you have a look at some of our recommended holiday spots on page 38 and page 42. After consulting our guides don’t forget to take some advice from your trusted travel agent. I know even amongst my readers, who are all mostly important stakeholders in the tourism in-

dustry, the majority mistakenly seem to believe that there’s just no place for agents in today’s “connected” world. While it’s true that flights and hotels can be booked online, often at a slight discount, the difficulty can arise when the trip has stopovers or is a multi-leg journey. Moreover, travel agents spend a good deal of their time being updated on airline schedules, accommodation reviews and updates, visa information, security issues, etc. This makes them highly relevant even in this age of connectivity. Like, I always suggest take the stress out of your holiday plans and let your agent organize a hassle-free tailormade vacation for you. Our cover story (page no. 28) this issue is an exclusive Question and Answer section with Zubin Karkaria, arguably the most dynamic and revolutionary personality in the Indian tourism industry today. He is solely responsible for outsourcing and technologizing the visa processes system and has recently come to the helm of the top travel company in the world: Kuoni. You can read more about his legendary journey on page no. 6. Enjoy these features and much more in this issue. Just remember, wherever you venture this winter, make merry and be safe.

Srishti Rai Editor

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A N D

Travel Hospitality

CONTENTS

DECEMBER 2015 08 NEWS

Dr. Mahesh Sharma inaugurates Asia’s largest Visa Application Centre in Connaught Place

14 NEWS

TIRUN Travel Marketing collaborates with STB and Changi Airport Group for the 3rd consecutive year

20 SPECIAL FEATURE

Missing Link: Afro-India tourism ties

26 DESTINATION INDIA Top Destinations to Spend Winter Holidays in India

28 COVER STORY A stellar rise to the top

34 HOSPITALITY

St. Regis Hotels & Resorts debuts in Dubai with new world address in Al Habtoor city

28

36 HOSPITALITY

The Imperial introduces allergy-free ozone treated pillows in guest rooms

41 DESTINATION INTERNATIONAL

Experience the ultimate Luxury in a private game reserve in Kenya

42 DESTINATION INTERNATIONAL

Explore Monaco’s majestic beauty and Opulence

08

20

14

26

42

36

34

41

IN THE NEWS

Zubin Karkaria: new CEO of Kuoni Group Karkaria, ‘Pioneer of the Global Visa Services Industry’ has become the first Indian to head the Switzerland-headquartered travel services company. Zubin Karkaria, CEO of VFS Global, has

Zubin Karkaria, 47, founded VFS Global in

Division of Kuoni Group, Zubin Karkaria was

been appointed as the new CEO of Kuoni

2001 and expanded the company success-

appointed on the Executive Board of Kuoni

Group – VFS Global’s parent company and

fully as global leader in visa services for gov-

Group and November 5, 2015 he became CEO

one of the world’s leading travel services

ernments worldwide. Within the Kuoni Group

of Kuoni Group.

provider – effective November 5, 2015. He is

the VFS Global Division has shown the

the first Indian to be appointed as the head of

strongest growth and profitability. VFS Global

the 109-year old travel services company,

serves 35 client governments, with 328 visa

and will concurrently continue in his function

application centres across 19 cities in India.

as the CEO of VFS Global. He will continue to

The company has served the Government of

Zubin Karkaria: profile

be based in Dubai, UAE.

India since 2009, in 8 countries.

• ‘Pioneer of the Global Visa Services

Kuoni is in the midst of implementing a

In the words of Heinz Karrer, Chairman –

by TNH DESK

Industry’ who founded VFS Global in

strategic directional shift whereby it has ex-

Kuoni Group, “The Kuoni Group has been

2001 and make it global leader in visa

ited from its traditional tour operating busi-

transformed from a broad-based travel com-

services

ness and is increasing its focus on three core

pany pursuing a wide range of very different

activities – global travel distribution, destina-

activities into a focussed global service

tion services and visa services – in all of

provider for the professional travel industry

which it holds leading positions. After exit-

and governments. The Board of Directors has

ing the tour operating business, Kuoni is aim-

decided to accelerate the implementation of

ing to accelerate the implementation of its

this new strategic direction, and we have

new corporate strategy, and that will be one

great confidence in Zubin Karkaria, who has

of Mr. Karkaria’s key priorities in his new

so successfully developed VFS Global into a

role.

global leader, to lead the Kuoni Group forAfter graduating in commerce from Mumbai University and completing his Business Management studies from Mumbai, Mr. Karkaria joined the travel industry in 1989. He joined SOTC in 1991 and was with SOTC when it was acquired by Kuoni Group in 1996. He was appointed as the COO of the Kuoni India Tour Operating Division in 1999, and it was during this period that he founded VFS Global. He then moved on to become the Deputy CEO and Head Business Development for Kuoni India in 2003. In 2005 he was appointed as the CEO and Managing Director of Kuoni India and South Asia, responsible for all units of Kuoni India – Tour Operating, Destination Management, Business

University • Completed his Diploma in Business Management in Mumbai • Joined travel industry in 1989 & SOTC in 1991 • Was with SOTC when it was acquired • Appointed as the COO of the Kuoni India Tour Operating Division in 1999 • Become Deputy CEO & Head Business Development for Kuoni India in 2003 • Appointed CEO &MD of Kuoni India and South Asia in 2005 • Appointed CEO of VFS Global business in 2010. • The first Asian to be appointed on the Executive Board of Kuoni Group in 2013 • Became CEO of Kuoni Group on November 5, 2015 • Received Times Ascent HR Excellence Award as ‘CEO with HR Orientation’ in 2007 • Recognized as one of the ‘Top 25

Travel, and Kuoni Academy, while con-

Young Executives in India’ by Business

currently developing the VFS Global

Today in 2005.

business into a global leader in its field (as CEO from 2010 onwards). In March 2013, in line with the development of VFS Global as an important

TRAVEL AND HOSPITALITY | DECEMBER 2015

• Graduated in commerce from Mumbai

by Kuoni Group in 1996

ward.”

6

• First Indian to head Switzerlandheadquartered Kuoni Group

• ‘Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award’ by SATTE in 2004

NEWS

One World, One Currency Thomas Cook India Launches ‘One Currency’ Card India’s first prepaid travel card with Zero cross-currency conversion charges. In a bid to transform the payment-

India, brings Indian travellers a strong

this drives significant advantages in

have had a strong relationship over

solutions space, Thomas Cook

value proposition: zero currency con-

ensuring a comprehensive solution to

the past few years in providing prod-

(India) Ltd., India’s leading integrated

version charges in a digital currency

our customers.�

ucts to make travel easier & more

travel and travel related financial

ecosystem.�

“MasterCard & Thomas Cook India

services company, has launched the

He added, “We are delighted with

– two of the leading brands in the

‘Thomas Cook One Currency Card’

our partnership with MasterCard, and

travel and payment solutions area

convenient, via our focus on innovation excellence and technology. by T NH DESK

–India’s first prepaid travel card with zero cross currency conversion fees,

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in collaboration with MasterCard Worldwide. Thomas Cook India‘s internal customer research has revealed that though prepaid cards offer strong security benefits, for value conscious Indian travellers, the high cross currency conversion charges (typically between 3-4%) create a strong deterrent. The Thomas Cook One Currency Card hence offers better value to the customers with its USP of a single load currency (USD) and zero cross currency conversion charges, across the world. Added benefits of the Thomas Cook One Currency Card include embedded chip and PIN security, locking of funds (to avoid cross currency fluctuations), instant loading, emergency cash disbursement, encashment of the residual balance or use for future travel, free replacement

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card in case stolen or lost and 24Ă—7

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global emergency assistance available via toll free access in over 80 countries global access via 2.2 million ATM’s and 35.2million merchant establishments in over 275 countries change & Head – Visas, Thomas Cook India said, “With exponential growth in multi-national travel, the need of the hour was clearly a single

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Mahesh Iyer, COO - Foreign Ex-

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currency card, sans the downside of cross currency charges. As pioneers in the foreign exchange business, our innovative the Thomas Cook One

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Currency Card, the first of its kind in

TRAVEL AND HOSPITALITY | DECEMBER 2015

7

NEWS

Dr. Mahesh Sharma inaugurates Asia’s largest Visa Application Centre in Connaught Place VFS Global’s largest Visa Application Centre in Asia is located at Connaught Place, New Delhi. Spread across 67,000 sq. ft., the new centre serves 31 client governments including Canada, Australia, and UK. VFS Global inaugurated its new Visa Application Centre in New Delhi, India, on December 2, 2015. The centre was inaugurated by Union Minister of State for Tourism and Culture (Independent Charge) Dr. Mahesh Sharma and senior diplomats of various client governments. Spread across 67,000 sq. ft. at the Shivaji Stadium Metro Station, Baba Kharak Singh Marg, the centre is VFS Global’s largest Visa Application Centre in Asia, and is located in the capital’s prime commercial hub, Connaught Place. Applicants can apply for visas to 31

safety features, including inbuilt earth-

countries from this centre, including the UK, Australia, Canada, and the Schengen member states (for full list of governments served, see the box).

quake resistance (up to 7.5 Richter Scale), a fire refuge corridor running along the building, and multiple fire exits.

With a total of 153 counters, the centre is equipped to process in excess of

The Centre represents VFS Global’s commitment to the development of the

12,000 visa applications per day. Ensuring smooth movement, service, and

Indian travel and tourism industry, and a commitment to excellence in the service

monitoring of applications within a contiguous space, the centre sets a new

industry. VFS Global today handles the visa application service for 35 foreign

standard for visa application centres globally in service innovation, design, and security.

governments in India, with 328 visa application centres in 19 cities. A pioneer of the outsourced visa services industry,

Constructed according to International Building Code standards, the building

VFS Global was conceptualised and launched in India in 2001 before it ex-

housing the centre has comprehensive

panded operations globally. The com-

8

TRAVEL AND HOSPITALITY | DECEMBER 2015

pany today serves the Government of India in 9 countries. Speaking about the centre, Zubin Karkaria, CEO – Kuoni Group and CEO – VFS Global, said, “We are proud to launch services at our flagship centre, which is a representation of our efforts to provide best-in-class services to visa applicants

Information about the Centre Governments served 1. Australia 2. Austria 3. Belgium 4. Canada 5. Croatia 6. Cyprus 7. Czech Republic 8. Denmark 9. Estonia 10. Finland 11. France 12. Germany 13. Greece 14. Hungary 15. Iceland 16. India

17. Italy 18. Japan 19. Latvia 20. Luxembourg 21. Malta 22. The Netherlands 23. Norway 24. Portugal 25. Republic of Korea 26. Slovenia 27. South Africa 28. Spain 29. Sweden 30. Switzerland 31. United Kingdom

NEWS

in India and around the world. As we continue to witness a steady rise in travel to and from the country, we are confident of our ef-

Key services • 153 counters with capability to process over 12,000 applications per day

forts to ensure a seamless experience for travellers, by integrating technology and security into the visa application process.” Vinay Malhotra, COO – South Asia and DVPC, VFS Global said, “We are confident of this centre’s capability to handle high vol-

• Multiple biometric booths with plug-and-play capability for faster turnaround times

umes of applications, to host more governments, and above all, to be a one-stop-shop ‘experience centre’ for visa-related services. From incorporating the latest technology, to being mindful of applicants’ time and re-

• Extended operating hours during peak season

sources, our aim with this initiative is to add a new dimension to the travel experience.”VFS Global is the world's largest outsourcing and technology services specialist for governments and diplomatic missions

• Registration area with 22 counters and seating for over 200 people

worldwide. With over 1862 Application Centres, operations in 124 countries across five continents and over 111 million applications

• Regular CISF patrolling, and multi-layered security checks

processed as on 31 October 2015, VFS Global serves the interests of 48 client governments.

Address & timings

• Premium Lounges for personalised service • Single collection area for all passports • One-stop-shop for visa-related value added services such as printing, copying, photographs, Internet kiosks, etc. • Next to DLF multi-level car parking with over 1400 parking slots • Play area for children and food court

Key features • Contemporary design, excellent ambience • Separate entry and exit points, to ensure seamless flow of people even at peak times • Earthquake-resistant building (up to 7.5 Richter Scale) • Multiple fire exits and fire refuge corridor all along the building • Special provisions for differently-abled applicants, including ramps, washrooms and lifts • Well-connected by public and private modes of transport with ample parking

Shivaji Stadium Metro Station, Baba Kharak Singh Marg, Connaught Place, New Delhi –110001 Business hours: 0900hrs to 1700hrs (Monday to Friday)

TRAVEL AND HOSPITALITY | DECEMBER 2015

9

NEWS

Pullman and Novotel New Delhi Aerocity open for guests Joint hotel development expands Accor Hotels’ fast growing India network to 34 hotels and close to 7,000 rooms under management. Accor Hotels, the world’s largest and leading hotel operator, announced the opening of its upscale Pullman New Delhi Aerocity and the Novotel New Delhi Aerocity. The two hotels, with a combined 670 rooms, were inaugurated at New Delhi Aerocity, a 43-acre hospitality precinct at Delhi International Airport by the Union Minister for Civil Aviation, Ashok Gajapathi Raju Pusapati. Presiding over the opening were, His Excellency François Richier, French Ambassador to India; Sebastien Bazin, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Accor Hotels Kapil Bhatia, Executive Chairman, InterGlobe Enterprises Ltd; and Peter T. Meyer, Representative, APHV India Investco Pte Ltd. The Pullman New Delhi Aerocity and Novotel New Delhi Aerocity are developed as a part of a strategic and joint partnership between InterGlobe Enterprises Ltd, APHV India Investco Pte Ltd and AccorHotels.

by TNH DESK

Luxury and wellness on the lap of the Himalayas Lying in the vicinity of Haridwar, Godwin’s offers luxury facilities, one-of-a-kind cuisine and a world away from the hustle and bustle of city life. For those high-end spiritual tourists looking to get away for a while into a famed pilgrim resort steeped in stunning landscapes, there can be no better option than Godwin’s- a four-star luxury property around 6 km from Haridwar in the district of Dehradun. Run by

Constance Le Prince Maurice, Mauritius hosts the movie screening of ‘Calendar Girls’ for Indian travel trade Constance Hotels & Resorts represented by The Nijhawan Group organised a special screening of the movie “Calendar Girls” shot at Constance Le Prince Maurice Mauritius, directed by Madhur Bhandarkar, for the Indian travel trade and media in New Delhi last month.

Godwin Hospitality Private Limited of Meerut, Godwin’s is one of the few luxury hotels in and around Haridwar that prides in having a licensed bar. Opened for tourists in 2010, the hospitality set-up has 120 well-furnished rooms, coffee shop and a multi-cuisine restaurant sampling Continental and Garhwal delights. Sunil Kumar Sharma, General Manager, Godwin’s, informed, “It is the kind of amenities, comfort and food offered in our hotel that sets us apart from other luxury hotels in Haridwar. We are one of the few

The integral part of the movie, the making of the prestigious Calendar was shot entirely in Constance Le Prince Maurice. Bhandarkar shared that Constance Le Prince Maurice was the ideal place for this shoot as the film traces the journey of young women in chic and glamorous environment. The screening was very well attended by the Indian travel fraternity and media and offered a great platform to showcase the exotic locations in the hotel, where the by T NH DESK movie was filmed.

luxury hotels that offer Garhwal delights to tourists. We have two banquet facilities and our hotel has emerged as a popular wedding destination that can accommodate around 1,000 guests.” by TNH DESK

10

TRAVEL AND HOSPITALITY | DECEMBER 2015

YEAR-END REVIEW

2015: a better year for travel and hospitality industry 2015 has been comparatively a better year for India’s travel and hospitality industry. The year saw some improvement in business in terms of room occupancy.

v B PREM KUMAR Y

In the current global economic scenario

restaurant Sevilla and very recently our iconic restaurant Dhaba was re-launched with a

where many advanced as well as emerging

brand new look giving our guests all the more

economies are facing gloom, India is one of the

reason to stay and visit the Claridges, New

few bright spots in the world with its high rate

Delhi, thus making 2015 a profitable year for

of growth. The year 2015 has been better than

us,” said Lall. The Claridges has also been in

2014 in terms of economic growth. 2015 has

the news for the launch of Crayon Art Gallery;

also been a good year for the travel and hospi-

an art initiative at The Claridges seeks to cap-

tality industry of the country.

ture the essence of a history of art and cultures

“The tourism sector in 2014-15 held a prominent position in the Government’s proposed ac-

with some of India’s most celebrated artists. The leaders of the hospitality industry

tion plan. With the prime motive of making

broadly agree that 2015 has been a better year

India a world-class travel destination, in the

as compared to 2014. “The country’s hospitality

last one year, we could clearly see the visa sys-

sector experienced a fair upturn in 2015.

tem undergo a major revamp. The introduction

Though the ADR has not shown any major pos-

of visa-on-arrival has been a proactive and pro-

itive gains, the overall business has improved in

ductive step towards this development. Also,

terms of room occupancy across most of the

the increase in the number of foreign tourist ar-

destinations,” said Ajay Bakaya, Executive Di-

rivals by 8.1% in 2014-15 has been worthy of

rector, Sarovar Hotels & Resort, who added that

notice and the foreign exchange earnings

Sarovar Hotels has done much better as com-

through tourism also rose by 10%,” said Atul

pared to 2014. “We have consolidated on our

Lall - VP Operations & GM, The Claridges Hotels

performance both on the ADR and occupancy

& Resorts, who lauded the Government’s ef-

front. Development has been our focus this year

forts undertaken in 2014 and 2015 to promote

as well. We have added new properties in des-

tourism.

tinations like Vrindavan, Mashobara – Shimla,

According to Vijay Wanchoo- Sr. Executive VP

Thiruvananthapuram, Agra and Nairobi- Africa.

and GM, The Imperial New Delhi, the year 2015

S N Srivastava, President, Clarks Inn Group of

has been good for the travel and tourism indus-

Hotels feels that India continues to be a silver

try but last year was better due to lesser num-

lining in the current global economic environ-

ber of long weekends. Wanchoo said that

ment. “First America, then Europe and now

leisure travel saw a slight dip but corporate

China is beginning to feel the heat of a financial

travel increased. “For The Imperial 2015 has

slowdown. Aided by a weak oil price India’s

been better than 2014 and we have been

GDP growth has climbed to 7.4 per cent in the

ahead of the competition.”

quarter ending September, even beating market

As for the performance of his hotel in 2015,

expectation,” said Srivastava, adding, “All this

Lall said that it is only getting better with each

augur very well for the economy in 2016 and

year. The Claridges added newly renovated set

for the hotel industry. However the kind of turn-

of rooms overlooking the swimming pool to its

around that we had expected for the hotel in-

inventory called the Cabana wing. “We also

dustry in 2015 was partially met.” Clarks Inn

did a soft refurbishment of our Mediterranean

Group of Hotels added seven new operational

12

TRAVEL AND HOSPITALITY | DECEMBER 2015

Atul Lall VP Operations & GM, The Claridges Hotels & Resorts

Ajay Bakaya Executive Director, Sarovar Hotels & Resorts

Vijay Wanchoo Sr. Executive VP & GM, The Imperial New Delhi

YEAR-END REVIEW

properties in 2015 and a bigger number in sign-ups. “Our current portfolio has expanded to 65 hotel properties, including 34 under operation, across 16 states in India and Nepal,” said Srivastava. Regarding his expectation from the New Year, Lall said, “With all the upliftment and changes in 2015, we at The Claridges are only looking to enhance the experience of our guests while also making sure that the property becomes a destination pick for everyone coming into Delhi. We are very happy with how the hotel has done in terms of business and look forward to a Rishi Puri Vice President, Lords Hotels & Resorts

S N Srivastava President & Co-founder, Clarks Inn Group of Hotels

has been scheduled to be at Greater Noida. So

tively trying to bring in new reforms and pump

and for the new government tourism was a pri-

the season looks more or less the same.”

in the right kind of resources that can help take

ority. New initiatives like easier loans for Hotel

India’s travel and tourism industry to another

industry, e-visas have been taken. Some results

Year will see more improvement in business.

level. India is already fast becoming a favourite

of these are visible on the ground where as we

Ajay Bakaya believes that business sentiments

amongst the global traveller and it’s only about

will see more impact of these measures in times

will be positive in 2016. “We too are optimistic

time till we become the top tourist destination,

to come. Consolidation of room aggregators

and we will be adding 10 more hotels to our

worldwide. The government’s efforts here to

which came in big way also helped cause of in-

product portfolio. Destinations being covered in

improve logistics along with resourceful plan-

dustry though some operators felt differently.”

2016 include New Delhi, Amritsar, Bhavnagar,

ning will hopefully help boost the paradigm of

Dehradun, Jaisalmer, Jalandhar, Greater Noida,

the Indian Tourism industry.”

better year.” According to Wanchoo , “Next year looks similar with no major events. Defense Expo has been shifted to Goa and Auto Expo

Many in the industry expect that the New

Raipur, Rishikesh, Vandalur – Chennai. While

According to Bakaya, “Government has huge

Speaking about the performance of Lords Hotels in 2015, Puri said that 2015 has been much better year for Lords as compared to 2014 both

we are already perating three 3 hotels in Africa

task cut out for promoting tourism in the coun-

in terms of volume and the rate of growth. “We

–New Africa Hotel in Dar-es-Salaam; The Heron

try. There is a vision which needs to be trans-

not only consolidated our position but also grew

Portico in Nairobi, and The Zehneria Portico,

lated into specific executable plans. Domestic

over the past year. We established ourselves

Nairobi, our 4th hotel in Africa the 134 key 5

tourism has been the main stay this year and

with e-booking channels and grew majorly on

star property at Jomo Kenyatta International

has been largely contributing to the overall per-

these by almost 40% and also we stand com-

Airport, Nairobi is scheduled to open in 2016,”

formance of the tourism sector. Visa on arrival is

mitted to launch our new look and feel website

one of the major initiatives taken by the Gov-

in early 2015 which will further boost our book-

increases in taxes that negatively affects the

ernment and I am confident that this will have

ings from Brand Website. Lords added few

hotel industry. “Increasing various taxes every

far reaching consequences for the benefit of

properties –one in Nepal and the other in Jodh-

six months is harmful for the hotel industry. In-

tourism stake holders. Tax rationalization is one

pur, Rajasthan. The chain also signed new ho-

creasing luxury tax from 10% to 15% and then

gray area that must be addressed immediately

tels in other locations including a 120 rooms

Service Tax increased from 5.12% a year ago to

so as to make India a cost competitive destina-

very up-market hotel at South Goa which will

8.70% ,the burden on the guests is increasing

tion when compared with other destinations in

be commissioned by 2016 end of year.” On his

hence some guests do prefer to stay in Gurgaon

the sub-continent / South Asia. State tourism

expectation from the next year, Puri said that

due to the tax policy. Also with Defence Expo

departments an equal stake holder too need to

they have high hopes from 2016.”We have new

moving to Goa it will be a huge loss for the ho-

increase their support in promoting tourism sec-

properties coming up in Agra, Jammu, Goa and

tels in Delhi.”

tors in the domestic market and encourage

Jayanagar at Bengaluru which will significantly

stakeholders to invest in developing tourism in-

add to total number of properties under the

frastructure.”

Lords Hotels & Resorts umbrella,” said Puri.

Wanchoo expressed concerns over frequent

Commenting on the government’s efforts to promote tourism, Lall said, “We feel that although there is always scope for further growth

According to Rishi Puri, VP, Lords Hotels &

that can enhance our opportunities in the hos-

Resorts, 2015 was definitely a much better year.

pitality sector, the government has been ac-

“In the year 2014, new government took over

TRAVEL AND HOSPITALITY | DECEMBER 2015

13

NEWS

TIRUN Travel Marketing collaborates with STB and Changi Airport Group for the 3rd consecutive year

Cruise with TIRUN and enjoy 5 Sentosa attractions including the Trick Eye Museum, the Segway Fun Ride, a 4D Adventure Land show, the Cable Car “Sky Network” and Wings of Time show. TIRUN Travel Marketing, the exclusive India

Cruisers will have access to five of the is-

years. The results have been great as guests

Representative for Royal Caribbean Cruises

land’s most superlative attractions including

find great value in the added incentives we

Limited continues its association with the

the Trick Eye Museum, the Segway Fun Ride,

are able to bundle alongwith their cruise.

Singapore Tourism Boardand Changi Airport

one 4D Adventure Land Show of their choice,

Like every year, we aim to generate signifi-

Group to offer attractive incentives to cruisers.

the Cable Car “Sky Network” and a Wings of

cant excitement around the association

This year, guests who book a Royal

Time show.

through radio and digital promotions. The

Caribbean cruise onboard the largest ship in

Mrs. Ratna Chadha, Chief Executive, TIRUN

goal is to enable travellers to extract maxi-

South East Asia, Mariner of the Seas, get free

Travel Marketing said,“We have been part-

mum benefit when they cruise with Royal

passes to Singapore’s most exciting tourist

nering with the Singapore Tourism Board and

Caribbean International from Singapore.”

destination, Sentosa Island.

Singapore Changi Airport Group for the last 3

by TNH DESK

Experience the best of South East Asia with Celebrity Cruises’ first ever short sailing TIRUN Travel Marketing,

14

TRAVEL AND HOSPITALITY | DECEMBER 2015

takes you on an idyllic jour-

ing fusion of the East and

the exclusive India repre-

ney through Singapore,

West. One of Malaysia’s

sentative of Celebrity

Penang, Langkawi and

most stunning islands,

Cruises announces the

Phuket.

Penang delights with its

cruise lines first ever short

The cruise begins with

stunning beaches, exotic

sailings in South East Asia.

Singapore, a perfect medley

cuisine and cultural her-

On board Celebrity Millen-

of urban cosmopolitanism

itage. The next destination

nium, guests can revel in

and traditional culture and

on this carefully-curated

the best of South East Asia

flavours. From here,

itinerary is Langkawi, the

in just 5 nights. The

Celebrity Millennium takes

spectacular tropical para-

Malaysia Thailand Cruise

you to Penang, a fascinat-

dise.

by T NH DESK

AVIATION

Qatar Airways showcases latestgeneration aircrafts Qatar Airways displayed three of its latest-generation aircrafts and hosted more than 1,000 guests and media on tours at Dubai Airshow 2015. Qatar Airways concluded a successful week at the Dubai Airshow, showcasing three of its latest-generation aircraft, the Airbus A350, A380 and the airline’s 25th Boeing Dreamliner, the B787. His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, and Ruler of Dubai, toured the airline’s A380 during the Royal Tour on the first day. The tour was led by His Excellency Jassim Seif Ahmed Al Sulaiti, Minister of Transport for the State of Qatar, and Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Akbar Al Baker. Among the official delegation was also Abdullah bin Nasser Turki Al-Subaey, Chairman of the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority.

by TNH DESK

Thai Airways launches Dream Liner Thai Airways is giving its customers a whole new in-flight experience with cabin enhancements, more seating comfort and almost limitless entertainment options with B787-8 Dreamliner aircraft. Flying on international routes from Bangkok to Delhi, Chennai, Seoul, Nagoya, Hong Kong, Singapore, Perth, Brisbane, Denpasar & Kuala Lumpur. From 25th onwards fly from Delhi or Chennai to Bangkok on the Dreamliner and experience Thai’s unique and legendry service with a whole new inflight experience with cabin enhancements, more seating comfort and almost limitless entertainment options. by TNH DESK

Axis Bank, Vistara join hands to introduce cobranded credit card Designed for domestic travellers, card offers a slew of benefit and privileges under Club Vistara frequent flyer program. Axis Bank, India’s third largest private sector bank and Vistara, India’s fastest growing full service carrier, today announced a strategic partnership to launch a distinct travel credit card offering for domestic travellers. The card will be unveiled early next year. The Axis Bank Vistara co-branded credit card will provide preferred privileges and benefits for business and leisure travellers under the carrier's Club Vistara frequent flyer program.

16

TRAVEL AND HOSPITALITY | DECEMBER 2015

by T NH DESK

MD & CEO, Axis Bank, Shikha Sharma with CEO, Vistara, Phee Teik Yeoh

AVIATION

Emirates’ super jumbo message against illegal wildlife trade Two massive Emirates A380 jets take to the skies recently, wearing special livery in support of United for Wildlife.. United for Wildlife is a global collaboration that unites the efforts of the world’s leading wildlife charities in the fight against the illegal wildlife trade. The beautiful livery, featuring some of the planet’s wildlife threatened by poaching and the illegal wildlife trade, aims to raise awareness of the illegal wildlife trade and communicate the need for urgent action. by TNH DESK

British Airways joins hands with London & Partners to support India Emerging Twenty (IE20) 2016

Cathay Pacific unveils changes to its aircraft livery

An initiative that will enable 20 winners to

Cathay Pacific Airways has unveiled a

spread their wings globally. British Airways, in as-

new livery that will be progressively in-

sociation with London & Partners, is delighted to sup-

troduced onto all the aircraft in its fleet.

port the inaugural India Emerging 20 (IE20) programme, an

The livery was showcased on one of the

exciting initiative to identify and showcase India’s most promising global companies. The platform will give an opportunity to India’s most dynamic businesses to win recognition on the international stage in London and develop their global potential.

by T NH DESK

Air Arabia holds road shows in India Air Arabia recently organized a road show in Delhi and Mumbai in association with Georgian National Tourism Administration. The road show proved to be an excellent opportunity to explore the diverse aspects of Air Arabia as

airline’s Boeing 777-300ER aircraft at a

well as Georgia‘s tourism offerings.

special event held at Hong Kong Interna-

Air Arabia and Georgian National Tourism Adminis-

tional Airport.

tration hosted the road shows in Delhi on 29th October, 2015 (Thursday) and Mumbai on 30th October, 2015 (Friday) in order to foster and develop a closer

Addressing guests at the event, Cathay George Chogovadze, Head of the Georgian National Tourism Administration at the roadshow in ITC Grand Central, Mumbai

Pacific Chief Executive Ivan Chu said: “It represents the beginning of a new era for

working relationship with key members of the travel

Cathay Pacific. We are very happy and

industry. The purpose of the road show was to pro-

proud to unveil our new aircraft livery

mote both the airline and the destination's tourism of-

which represents our journey into the fu-

ferings.

ture and also celebrates the many great

Sachin Nene, Regional Manager - India, Air Arabia

things we have achieved over the past

and Mr. George Chogovadze, Head of the Georgian National Tourism Administration were present in the road show.

by T NH DESK

seven decades as the home carrier of Sachin Nene, Regional Manager - India, Air Arabia at the roadshow at ITC Grand Central,Mumbai

Hong Kong.” by TNH DESK

TRAVEL AND HOSPITALITY | DECEMBER 2015

17

AVIATION

Air India San Francisco non-stop flight to have gastronomical delight on board Passengers on board Air India’s non-stop flight to San Francisco from December 02, 2015 can look forward to a delightful onboard food experience. To bring in a new excitement and variety for guests on Air India’s longest flight, the airline has engaged the services of celebrated Chef, Rajan Loomba, Chief Executive Chef, The Ashok to design meals for this flight, both from Delhi and from

includes vegetarian and non-vegetarian Indian and Continental

San Francisco. A presentation of the new menu was made at the

options. First and Business class passengers will have, besides

Ambassador Sky Chef Flight kitchen for Mr Ashwani Lohani,

an exclusive array of food, a wide choice of the best wines and

CMD, Air India and senior officials. Chef Loomba took them

liquor to pair with the food. The inaugural flight will provide

through the details of the newly designed menu options, which

amenity kits with an Indian touch. The pouch and the products

will showcase the best of Indian cuisine. The emphasis is on

will be from Khadi. Thereafter, the kits will be extended to all

wholesome, light and delicious food to suit all palates. The menu

other international flights of Air India.

Emirates’ Operations in India: a US$848 million impact on GDP Emirates, the world’s largest international airline, and the National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER) in New Delhi, recently released the results of an economic impact study that measures Emirates’ contribution to the Indian economy.

by T NH DESK

sively grown our services to India by increasing capacity and opening new routes. Today we operate 183 weekly flights to nine points across India , offering our customers in India seamless connections to more than 140 destinations, and also facilitating inbound visitors from acrossour global network into India.” “The NCAER study underlines the importance of air transport and its role as an economic driver in India. Aviation facilitates trade and tourism, and creates employment in many different industries. Emirates’ annual operations alone support more than 86,000 jobs across India and contribute US$848 million to the economy. We are confident that with increased capacity, we can

NCAER estimates that Emirates’ operations have contributed

contribute even more to India’s economic growth and develop-

over US$848 million annually to India’s GDP, supporting over

ment by opening new conduits for trade and investment, through

86,000 Indian jobs and generating almost US$1.7 billion in For-

our growing worldwide network.”

eign Exchange Earnings. With India’s aim to become the third-largest aviation market by

by T NH DESK

2020 and the largest by 2030, the NCAER study emphasises the important contribution that Emirates makes to India’s economy and aviation sector. The report also forecasts the increased contribution that Emirates would be able to make if capacity entitlements were expanded. Adnan Kazim, Divisional Senior Vice President – Strategic Planning, Revenue Optimisation and Aero political Affairs, Emirates Airline said: “Emirates has been committed to India since we started operations in 1985.In the past 30 years, we have progres-

18

TRAVEL AND HOSPITALITY | DECEMBER 2015

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The long term vision of the chain encompasses full service hotels and resorts across the country, located in the places of strategic business and leisure destination.

Lords Hotels and Resorts is being recognised one of the fastest growing chain and is widely appreciated and applauded by the Indian Hospitality Industry. Lords warm hospitality and a multiple range of services are oriented towards the business and also the leisure traveler.

SPECIAL FEATURE

Missing Link: Afro-India tourism ties v B Shayan Mallick Y

What makes tourism a very attractive sector to tap into is not only the economic benefits

trillion and India’s over $2 trillion. About 18.33 million Indian travelled over-

that it brings to an economy but the manner

seas last year, a number that UNWTO esti-

in which it brings. Its socio-economic impact

mates will swell to 50 million by 2020.

is better than most other sectors. Its key com-

India’s macroeconomic indicators are doing

parative advantage over other sectors is the

fine and the economic growth rate, riding on

socio-economic impact that tourists’ spend

the weak oil price, has climbed from about 5

have across the tourism value chain right

per cent last year to 7.5 per cent in 2015. The

upto small-time carpenter to agriculturists to

now never ending story of economic crisis –

artisans’ skilful handicrafts. And if that is not

First America, then Europe and now the Chi-

all, its huge impact on conservation and

nese downturn, means that India remains the

preservation of wildlife, flora and fauna and

only market amongst big economies that is

dying arts and crafts are equally immense.

looking at a sustained growth in the coming

Women empowerment and potential to create

years.

peace in disturbed areas are some of its other

And therefore the Indian outbound travel is

deliverance. Of course tourism also needs to

expected to witness a spurt in growth that

be managed for its unwanted footprints.

has been little subdued since 2008 when

The recently concluded largest ever IndiaAfrica Summit in Delhi, aimed at creating trade and investment opportunities in Africa,

global economic recession began to ail economies worldwide. However, of the 18 million plus Indian who

also highlighted the shared history of the two

travelled overseas last year, the sub-region

the Seychelles, Reunion Islands

regions, the similarities, the common scourge

distribution across South East Asia, Europe,

have entered the India market. Few

of poverty, illiteracy and terrorism to immense

Middle East, North America were all strong

others have kept it limited to destination

opportunities. It is in these contexts that the

numbers but for Africa, the second largest

showcase at popular Indian trade fairs like

two regions need to look very closely at de-

continent in terms of both its size and popu-

SATTE.

veloping tourism ties that rivals those of the

lation, whose share is less than 5 per cent or

mature tourism markets of the Europe.

well under a million currently.

Tourism is a powerful vehicle of economic

Globally Morocco (10 million – Year 2013)

It is thanks to South Africa’s market development activities that the destination has been able to “double its number of Indian

growth and job creation that these two re-

and Egypt (9.2 million – Year 2013) represent

leisure travellers between 2009 and 2013,”

gions need most. The sector alone, directly or

Africa as top two tourist destinations but

informs Hanneli Slabber, Country Manager –

indirectly, is responsible for creating about 9

ranking distant 28th and 31st respectively

India, South Africa Tourism.

per cent of world’s jobs and 9.1 per cent of

and not a single representation from sub-Sa-

global GDP. According to a WTTC estimate the

hara Africa in the top 42 destinations by in-

reputed and probably the oldest destination

sector alone can create 3.8 million jobs in

ternational arrivals (Source: India Tourism

marketing company has represented Kenya in

sub-Sahara Africa over the next 10 years.

Statistics 2013).

India since 2009. According to Rajeev Nangia,

Of the 54 countries in Africa only Nigeria, India: Growing into one of the world’s biggest source markets Whereas Africa is a continent of more than

TRAC Representation, one of India’s most

TRAC COO, today India is the largest tourist

South Africa, Egypt, Kenya and Mauritius

source market for Kenya in Asia and one of

have seen any significant Indian arrivals. And

the top five markets globally.

Beyond South Africa, Egypt, Kenya and Mau-

South Africa and Kenya amply prove that

1.1 billion people across 54 nationalities,

ritius, it is difficult to point to any destination

Indians aren’t wary of travelling to Africa

India, a sort of continent in itself with its

from the continent making any noticeable ef-

given what Slabber says “lack of destination

multi-ethnic and landscape diversity, boasts

fort in marketing their destination in order to

familiarity” is addressed amongst Indian trade

of a population which is nearing 1.3 billion

woo the growing number of Indian travellers.

and travellers. “From destination familiarity

mark. Africa’s total GDP is worth over $2.8

More recently small island destination like

point of view there is definitely a problem in

20

TRAVEL AND HOSPITALITY | DECEMBER 2015

SPECIAL FEATURE

two destinations attract despite Africa being

– One in Nigeria, Africa’s most populous

closer and more competitive.

country, that can also cater to other West African countries and the other in African

Africa: The source market

Maghreb or North Africa. Ethiopia or Kenya

When it comes to tourism numbers, Africa

can be other Overseas India Tourism Office to

at the moment is taking more than it is

market India in East Africa.

giving to the rest of the world. Most of the African travel outside the continent

According to FAITH Vice Chairman and IATO Senior Vice President Sarab Jit Singh cur-

is limited to business and trading.

rently the Beijing and Johannesburg, virtually

However, according to Africa Eco-

two opposite ends of the world, with addi-

nomic Outlook Report, Africa’s GDP

tional charge of Africa is being looked after

growth is expected to strengthen to 4.5%

one person. “India has never been marketed

in 2015 and 5 % in 2016 after subdued

properly in that (Africa) part of the world”, he

growth in 2013 (3.5%) and 2014 (3.9%). The

said.

report also says that Africa may as well be at

We have suggested the government that till

the threshold of looking at the pre-economic

the time any of Overseas Tourism Office does

crisis level growth.

not have its head officials at Ministry of

According to an ADB (Africa Development

Tourism in Delhi should be given the respon-

Bank) 2013 Report, the African economy is

sibility to manage these offices, informs

growing faster than any other continent. And

Singh. He says that country one-tenth in size

therefore a growing middle class, rising in-

of India like Malaysia has 42 offices with

come and economic prosperity amongst the

more than 25 million tourist whereas India

African will increasingly make the continent

gets 7.7 million tourists.

an attractive source market.

There is a huge Tourism potential between

Africa has its share of challenges from

India and Africa. Indian diaspora is settled in

poverty, gender inequality and low literacy

various parts of Africa like Kenya, Tanzania,

rate to terrorism, but so does India that has

Mauritius, Seychelles and South Africa. More

virtually attracted all the leading National

than 50% population of Mauritius are people

spite South Africa being 4500 miles away

Tourism Boards who have set up their mar-

of Indian origin so has Durban in South

from Ebola outbreak and never witnessing

keting offices here. Africa is a growing conti-

Africa. The North Africa has been a lucrative

any Ebola case, there were people cancelling

nent with both its micro and macroeconomic

Medical Tourism market but that has hap-

South Africa because of Ebola. We saw the

indicators pointing to a wealthy and prosper-

pened without any government efforts. Be-

first effect within 24 hours! There is no un-

ing Africa. And therefore, now is the time,

sides leisure and FIT travel is also beginning

derstanding of the geography of Africa,” Slab-

and in line with country’s India-Africa Forum

to pick up from most of Africa, some of whom

ber argues and quite rightly so.

Summit vision, to start working on a source

are also coming to India but the country’s

market development strategy that closely

share at the moment is very small. ‘Student’

works with Africa.

segment is another target market many of

Indian looking at Africa as a continent. De-

She also pitches for a stable Africa in order to attract tourism. “Something happens in Nigeria or Kenya and it affects the whole of

In 2014 India received 7.68 million interna-

whom are already coming to India.

Africa,” she says underlining aspects of sta-

tional arrivals - its share of international

“It is surprising that despite these advan-

bility and peace for the development of

tourist arrivals being at a paltry 0.68 per

tages tourism from Africa to India is not in-

tourism in the region as well as better African

cent. Currently India ranks a sad 12th in

creasing the way it should. Ministry of

understanding and visibility in India.

tourist arrivals in the Asia-Pacific region and

Tourism need to aggressively market India

For so long as Africa is not beginning to

a distant 41st globally. Of the total 7.68 mil-

and also involve carriers like Air India,

look at India’s growing potential as a tourism

lion international arrivals, Africa contributes

Ethiopian Airlines, South African Airways and

source market and set their shops, the conti-

just about a meagre 3.95 per cent (275,271

Kenya Airways its marketing effort,” says

nent will continue to scratch at the surface.

arrivals: India Tourism Statistics 2013) share

IATO President Subhash Goyal.

Talk of Europe and majority of the countries

of total international arrivals into the country.

have their tourism offices or Representation

Currently India’s only overseas tourism of-

Connectivity

Office in India, which is not the case with

fice on the continent is in Johannesburg. We

African countries. And therefore the differ-

at least need two more immediately to repre-

between the two destination is key to in-

ence is telling in terms of numbers that these

sent India’s tourism interests on the continent

creasing tourist traffic. Although African desti-

Connectivity particularly direct air services

Continued on Next Page

TRAVEL AND HOSPITALITY | DECEMBER 2015

21

GOVERNMENT

Afro-India tourism ties nations are accessible by carriers like Turkish Airline, Emiartes, Etihad and Qatar there are fewer direct services. Since South African Airlines discontinued its direct Mumbai-Johannesburg flight earlier this year the destination has been losing Indian MICE groups and the numbers are 12 per cent (For the January-August period) less than last year. And therefore, its carriers like Ethiopian Airlines, Africa’s largest carrier, that will be primary driver of tourist traffic from India to Africa as the airlines not only flies from the two Indian cities of Delhi and Mumbai but also offers a comprehensive network of 52 cities in Africa. Besides, bilateral ties such as Ethiopian’s codeshare with Indian Airlines giving both the carries access to more cities on each others network will be key to creating an attracting network of air transport that can

ITDC pays Rs 18.88 crore dividend to the government Chairman & Managing Director of India Tourism Development Corporation

potentially woo increasing number of tourists. According to Tadesse Tilahun, Regional Director, India Sub-continent,

(ITDC) Umang Narula, on behalf of ITDC and Kumarakruppa frontier Hotels

Ethiopian, his carrier has been witnessing a steady increase in its

Pvt. Ltd., handed over two cheques amounting to Rs 18.88 crore to Union

tourist traffic and India tourist travellers are increasing travelling on its

Tourism Minister, Mahesh Sharma, towards dividend payment to the Gov-

network to Adis Ababa, Dar-es-Salam, Nairobi and destinations in South

ernment of India for the year 2014-15. Present on the occasion were Sec-

Africa.

retary – Ministry of Tourism –Vinod Zutshi, Joint Secretary, Suman Billa,

But there are fewer such connectivity options available right now to

Ministry of Tourism, V.P. (Finance), P K Aggarwal, ITDC alongwith other Sr.

right about, though Middle Eastern carriers such as Turkish not only

officials of MOT & ITDC. The ceremony took place at Minister’s office at

offer viable route network but also comprehensive network in Africa.

Transport Bhawan, New Delhi. The decision for the payment of Dividend was taken during ITDC 50th Annual General Meeting held at the Group’s flagship hotel, The Ashok, New Delhi.

by TNH DESK

Goa to host Vth Delphic Games in 2016 Nikhil Desai Managing Director, Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC)

22

Goa will form the venue for the country’s first Delphic Games and Goa Tourism is going great guns with its adventure tourism activities and MICE projects.

In a major initiative to wean away a large

(GTDC), “The forthcoming Delphic Games

Besides, Goa Tourism is into aggressive

chunk of domestic and global tourists and to

is expected to have around 7,000 partici-

promotion of E-Tourist Visa Facility (ETV) with

offer a boost to Goan art and culture, Goa

pants and entice over 125 countries. There

113 global countries included in it. Nearly

Tourism has drawn up grandiose plans to

will be six art categories and 70 sub-cate-

28,000-plus global visitors have made use of

host Vth Youth Delphic Games in the state

gories with a wide range of fun and artistic

ETV and Goa Tourism is working in close as-

sometime in October 2016. There are vari-

events for all. The major art categories will

sociation with Airports Authority of India to en-

ous facets of tourism in Goa and Goa

be musical art and sound, performing arts,

sure that global tourists are readily provided

Tourism is going the extra mile to kick-start

language arts, visual arts, social arts and

with ETVs on arrival at Goa Airport in

a host of its cherished projects in the ongo-

ecological arts and architecture. We intend

Dabolim.

ing period.

to offer a boost to the event across the globe.

Desai said, “It’s been past three years that

The Vth Youth Delphic Games that forms

Very soon, we would roll out an e-commerce

we have introduced white water rafting in river

the only global platform for art and culture

portal in order to facilitate an easy access of

Mhadei during monsoon. We have just kicked

will be held for the first time in the country.

info for tourists. The portal will have a multi-

off hot air balloon service and amphibious

According to Nikhil Desai, Managing Direc-

lingual website and round-the-clock call cen-

vessels will begin soon. Our sea plane project

tor, Goa Tourism Development Corporation

tre.”

will take off in December.

TRAVEL AND HOSPITALITY | DECEMBER 2015

by T NH DESK

TECHNOLOGY

Expedia Vacation Deprivation Report 2015:

Bird mobility expands personal mobility devices portfolio Pioneers in personal mobility devices create new benchmark in Green Personal transportation Bird Mobility is all set to raise the bar in Green Personal Transportation with addition of new products to its portfolio of personal mobility devices. The company will now get into the small electric vehicle segment and will be exclusive distributors of the Gocycle, Ninebot products, Bird Board Drifter scooter, Acton’s M scooter, Rocket skate and Blink (power skate board) in addition to the Segway Personal Transporter (PT). With an international perspective and based on global market, Bird Mobility has focused on leading the innovation and technology reform of the smart transportation products in India. Today, Bird Mobility products address the concerns of urban congestion and pollution and have successfully become the first personal smart transportation for families. “The growing concerns over traffic, rising pollution levels as well as increasing health awareness amongst people has resulted in a growing demand for personal mobility devices in India.

by TNH DESK

ixigo Launches ‘Super Value Hotels’ India’s First Meta-search for Curated Budget Hotels & Aggregators

great price. ixigo’s ‘super value hotels’ compares deals across branded budget hotel providers such as Oyo rooms, Wudstay, Zo Rooms, Vista Rooms as well as independent hotels in popular locations in all ma-

ixigo, India’s leading travel search marketplace, has announced the

jorcities of India. It also meta-searches the cheapest rates across 20+

launch of a new meta-search across curated budget hotels on its website.

hotel-booking websites for India including the brand’s own website for

Aptly named ‘Super Value Hotels’, ixigo’s curated collection of 2500

most of them, allowing travelers to find the best rates for ‘super value ho-

budget hotels across 80 cities in India has affordable room-rates ranging

tels’ across websites such as Booking.com, Makemytrip.com, Hotels.com,

from Rs. 599 to Rs. 2499. This standardized collection of hotels provides

Goibibo.com and Agoda.com. Travelers can also compare hotels in a tab-

super value for money by providing amenities such as clean beds, air-

ular manner across their prices, ratings, reviews and amenities.

conditioning, TV, a good location, room-service, breakfast and wi-fi at a

24

Expedia, one of the world's largest full service online travel sites, recently released the results of the 2015 Vacation Deprivation study, an annual study of vacation habits across multiple countries and continents. The survey highlights that India is the fourth most vacation deprived nation globally, with 65% of Indians saying they feel very or somewhat vacation deprived, and 20% saying they are very vacation deprived. “Vacations play a critical role in creating a worklife balance as it reenergizes people to be more focused at work (53% Indians agree). According to Expedia’s 2015 Vacation Deprivation Survey, 54% of Indians would prefer more vacation days over a pay rise, the highest globally. Sixty-one percent of Indians associate vacations a great deal with their overall happiness. In fact, 94% are ready to make sacrifices for just an extra day of vacation. The deprivation Indians are feeling may stem from the fact that 68% of Indians have cancelled or postponed their vacation due to work commitments.” said Manmeet Ahluwalia, Expedia India. “The interesting fact is that while Indians are receiving on average, 1 addition vacation day this year (from 20 days last year to 21 this year) and are more likely to say their bosses are supportive of them taking their vacation time than they were last year (from 64% to 70%), they continue to take fewer days than they receive (an average of 16 days this year and last year). This clearly shows that Indians are addicted to their work so much that they often choose to work even when they have earned by T NH DESK their time off”, he added.

TRAVEL AND HOSPITALITY | DECEMBER 2015

by TNH DESK

TECHNOLOGY

Travelport Rich Content and Branding reaches first anniversary

Amadeus to build and foster travel tech start-up community in Asia Pacific with Amadeus Next

More than 120 airlines now signed up to industry leading product.

• Amadeus officially launches Amadeus Next to mentor, nurture and partner with travel start-ups in Asia Pacific • Amadeus Next dubbed by Hubba Thailand as “something pivotal for the industry and to start-ups in the travel technology space”

Travelport, a leading Travel Commerce Platform, is celebrating the first anniversary of Travelport Rich Content

Global travel technology leader, Amadeus, has announced the launch of its

and Branding, the industry leading solution that allows

Amadeus Next start-up initiative at the Echelon Thailand 2015 conference, the

airlines to more effectively market and retail their offering

gateway to Asia’s burgeoning tech start-up community. Amadeus Next leverages Amadeus’ technology, expertise, reach and fund-

to travel agencies around the world. In the past year, over 120 network airlines and low cost

ing, to evolve new and original ideas in travel, empowering travel start-ups in

carriers, representing more than 50% of our total air seg-

Asia Pacific to shape the future of travel. It also serves as a driving force to

ment volumes, have signed up to Rich Content and

build an ecosystem of likeminded partners and organisations that are excited

Branding including Lufthansa, SWISS, easyJet, Ryanair,

about travel technology, and looking to challenge the status quo.

by TNH DESK

Delta, United, Singapore Airlines, Air Canada, Air China and Kenya Airways. 90 airlines are now live in the system, ready for travel agencies to search, sell and book, with more airlines making their additional branded content available each week.

by TNH DESK

Expedia India launches loyalty program: Expedia+ Expedia survey finds out that 32% Indians with travel loyalty programs redeem points once in six months. loyal users and also entice prospective cus-

abroad (34%), flexibility to redeem or gift

program, Expedia+. Members of Expedia+

tomers with an appealing value added

points (27% ) and flexible check-in and

can join the program for free and will earn

proposition.

check-out options (19%). Indian travelers

Expedia India has launched its loyalty

points on all of their hotel or holiday activi-

Expedia conducted a consumer survey on

not only use their personal account for of-

ties bookings. The loyalty program provides

loyalty program participation and discov-

fice travel bookings (61%), but also volun-

additional benefits such as exclusive mem-

ered that 44% of Indians would be open to

teer to book travel for their extended family

ber-only deals and bonus offers. Expedia+

enrolling into new travel loyalty programs

(73%) in order to earn reward points. While

has three tiers: +blue, +silver and +gold.

and desired benefits include - complimen-

29% of the travellers surveyed are still col-

With the launch of Expedia+, the brand

tary upgrade of hotel/room category (82%),

lecting reward points, 31% have already

gets to recognize and award its regular

free drinks & meals (77%), hotel nights

redeemed their points once.

by TNH DESK

TRAVEL AND HOSPITALITY | DECEMBER 2015

25

DESTINATION INDIA

Top Destinations to Spend Winter Holidays in India The year end is around the corner with beautiful winter season, which comes along with an amazing holiday season as well. That’s why, it is the best time to pack the bags and head for long winter vacation. Winter season in India is the most suitable time for tourists to enjoy sightseeing as they don’t get fatigue because of scorching heat or rain and humidity. To help you out, Travel and Hospitality magazine has listed some of the top destinations to spend winter holidays in India.

v B Archana Sharma Y

Rajasthan: Land of Maharajas The royal state of Rajasthan is listed on the top for being the best place to enjoy the winter vacations in India. This state enjoys cold climatic conditions during the winter months. In fact, winters are the best time to explore the royal galore of the wonderful state of Rajasthan. It has large number of forts, palaces and color-

26

TRAVEL AND HOSPITALITY | DECEMBER 2015

ful traditions and customs. Apart from that, there are the never ending sand dunes and extensive Thar Desert which is also known as the Great Indian Desert. Rajasthan is famous for its warm hospitality, scrumptious food and not to missed traditional folk dances. Some of the other worth exploring cities of this state includes Udaipur, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur,

Ranthambore, Mount Abu, Bikaner, Chittorgarh and Pushkar. Kerala: God's Own Country Kerala popularly quoted as ‘God's Own Country’ offer rich culture, traditions and heritage to its visitors. The mesmerizing waterfalls, delightful backwaters of Kerala, the calm atmosphere and the hill stations makes Kerala a preferred tourist

DESTINATION INDIA

destinations, particularly during the chilly winter season. Tourists coming to Kerala will get mesmerized by the lush greenery of this wonderful state along with rich heritage and history. For beach lovers, Kerala is heaven. The tea plantation of Munnar is just amazing; here you can indulge in tea tasting as well. Few of the must visit places in Kerala to spend memorable winter holidays can include Thekkady, Munnar, Wayanad, Athirapally Waterfalls, the Varkala Beach, Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple, Kumarakom, Periyar, Kovalam, Vembanad and Alapuzza etc. Don’t miss to go for a houseboat ride in the backwaters. Kashmir: Paradise on Earth Kashmir is famous as one of the most beautiful destination in India. Cuddled in the foothills of the Great range of Himalayas, Kashmir is a striking hill station,

located in the state of Jammu & Kashmir. Truly epitomizing for being the paradise of on the earth, this destination is blessed with natural landscapes, swiftly flowing rivers, lakes, charming valleys and sparkling springs. This wonderful land has the privilege to grow various fruits and dry-fruits like apple, peach, cherry, pear, loquat, plum, almond, walnut and pine nut. Moreover, the fine combination of snow-capped mountains and lush valleys in winter makes Kashmir as one of the topmost honeymoon as well as winter holiday destinations in India. If you are planning a trip to Kashmir, then do mark a visit in your itinerary Kashmir Valley, Srinagar, Gulmarg, Pahalgam, Dal Lake and Sonamarg. Goa: The Pearl of the Orient Goa, the smallest state of India and one of the most happening places for parties attracts a large number of tourists and party lovers from around the world. Though, Goa is vibrant all around the year, but if you wish to explore the true festive flavor of Goa, then winter season is just perfect. Here, the winter season starts from October and last till March. The Saturday Night Market, the much loved music festivals like Sunburn Festival and Supersonic are organized in December. The most popular attractions of the winter season in Goa are Christmas, New Year’s Celebrations and the Colorful Winter Carnival in the month of February annually. You can enjoy colorful evenings with vibrant nightlife at the beaches, cruises, silent churches or historic forts as well. Right from dolphin to crocodile

spotting to island trips are best for unique experiences. In short, Goa is a paradise for all kinds of holidaymakers. Jim Corbett: Lure of the Jungle Beautifully located at the foothills of the Himalayas in Nainital district of the state of Uttarakhand, the Jim Corbett National Park is one of the most-visited and popular wildlife reserves in India. Though, there is not any particular time to visit this national park, but the winter season is very special because of foggy mornings, a lean nip in the air and a greater possibility of spotting wild animals make the experience a whole lot better. The winter season starts here from the month of November to February. Thus, selecting Jim Corbett as holiday destination will be a great idea for winter vacations with family. The tourists can go for jeep safaris while kids can spot variety of flora and fauna like, tigers, leopards, elephants, Asiatic Black Bear, Sloth Bear, Barking Deer, otters and over 600 species of birds including great pied hornbill, Pallas fish eagle and white-backed vulture etc. So, make the most of your winter vacations by stepping out of your cozy bed and explore famous destinations of India. Set up a tent amidst sand dunes of Jaisalmer, or Indulge in the charismatic beauty of snow-laden beauty of Gulmarg in Kashmir, sip a steaming cup of tea in Munnar's expansive tea plantations, have fun at lively beaches of Goa or go for tiger spotting in jeep safari! You have many wintry options to choose from. So, what are you waiting for? Head for a joyful winter vacation!

TRAVEL AND HOSPITALITY | DECEMBER 2015

27

COVER STORY

A stellar

rise to the top

with Zubin Karkaria

CEO – Kuoni Group & CEO – VFS Global

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TRAVEL AND HOSPITALITY | DECEMBER 2015

COVER STORY

v B PREM KUMAR Y

rom joining travel firm SOTC as a young tour manager in 1991 to becoming the first Indian to head the 109-year-old Zurich-based Kuoni Group, as its Chief Executive Officer, early last month – it has been an action-packed rise to the top for 47year-old Zubin Karkaria, a native of Mumbai’s Dadar Parsi Colony. The turning point in Karkaria’s career came in 2001 when, as COO of Kuoni’s outbound tour business, he pitched the idea of offering visa processing services to the US consulate in Mumbai – an idea unheard of at the time, but one that touched a nerve, with embassies and consulates struggling to keep pace with the onslaught of visa applications. Today, visa process outsourcing is a foregone conclusion for most diplomatic missions worldwide. Along with the exponential increase in travel in the last decade, VFS Global has grown at breakneck pace. It is now a $276 million (FY14) company with operations in 122 countries, holds approxi-

F

“

I’ve been associated with the Kuoni Group for over 20 years now. I’m grateful for the opportunities I have been provided that have helped me grow. With a fully committed team behind me, I have no doubt we will be able to implement our plans, and expand and grow successfully.

“

mately 50 percent market share, and has become one of the Kuoni Group’s core businesses. It was certainly a sign of things to come when in 2013, the company’s success ensured Karkaria a place on the parent company’s executive board, and now he has been appointed CEO of the Kuoni Group on November 5, 2015.

In this interview with TnH, Karkaria talks about his journey, and the challenges that lie ahead. Congratulations on your new role. Having been in the company for two decades now, how does it feel to have reached this position? Thank you for the good wishes. It’s a privilege and honour for me to take on this role, and I am excited to embark on this new journey the group is undertaking. I’ve been associated with the Kuoni Group for over 20 years now, and I’m grateful for the opportunities I have been provided that have helped me grow. With a fully committed team behind me, I have no doubt that we will be able to implement our plans, and expand and grow successfully.

Q

You joined Kuoni very early in your career. What made you decide you wanted to stay on and grow here? Well, my affinity for this sector began while I was still in college, helping out a friend at his travel agency. At that time, the travel industry was a highly aspirational field to be in. The pure excitement of dealing with international travellers and the glamour associated with it had me hooked! When I joined SOTC (as the company was called then), the industry was at the start of a phenomenal growth phase and I was given a lot of responsibility. That period, with its sheer magnitude of challenges, put me on a steep learning curve and allowed me to bring a lot of value addition to my role. When Kuoni acquired SOTC in 1996, the company took a quantum leap and became India’s No. 1 travel company. This resulted in various opportunities and guaranteed resources to pursue them at a frenetic pace. One of the opportunities we pursued was, of course, VFS Global. VFS Global gave me a tremendous experience of building a truly

Q

Applicants queue up at the VFS Global Finland visa application centre in Petrozavodsk, Russia

global business from scratch, where we had to set the benchmarks and develop systems and processes for the entire industry. What will be your key priority as CEO of the Kuoni Group? Based on the accelerated implementation of the Group’s strategy, we will be focused on offering new products and services across our three divisions, faster and better. That will be my top priority – to make all three divisions more dynamic to compete in a digital environment. The idea is to reduce our corporate and support function costs, and make all three divisions almost completely autonomous and self-sufficient. With the group travel business (GTS), we are focusing on restructuring and rationalizing the cost-base of this division to enhance profitability. We see strong potential in this business as

Q

TRAVEL AND HOSPITALITY | DECEMBER 2015

29

COVER STORY

Applicants at the Australia visa application centre in Shanghai, China

You have been at the helm at VFS Global for 14 years. How do you plan to balance the additional (and larger) portfolio at the Kuoni Group? It’s early days yet, but we have been planning the transformation of the Group for some time now, so I’ve had time to immerse myself in the challenges we face at the group level, especially in my role as a member of the Executive Board since 2013. My main priority will be to ensure that the Group stays committed to its new growth trajectory and I am aided by a very able team to help us accomplish that. As far as VFS Global is concerned, while I will continue to remain responsible for this division, one of the key

Q

30

TRAVEL AND HOSPITALITY | DECEMBER 2015

tenets of our structure is empowerment of leaders at different levels, regionally and centrally. The top management at VFS Global is fully equipped to manage daily operations and drive new busi-

“

We will be focused on offering new products and services across our three divisions, faster and better. My top priority will be to make all three divisions more dynamic to compete in a digital environment. The idea is to reduce our corporate and support function costs, and make all three divisions almost completely autonomous and selfsufficient.

“

well as the global travel distribution business (GTD), which has grown consistently. I’m confident our implementation of the strategy defined earlier in 2015 will lead to stronger performances across the board.

nesses, and I have full confidence in their ability to run it successfully while I prioritise my time.

Having been a pioneer in the visa process outsourcing space, would you say your ability to walk the line between being a corporate professional and an entrepreneur is the main reason you were chosen to lead the restructured Kuoni Group? When we started VFS Global, our parent company Kuoni was already a market leader in the sector, but as pioneers in this new space, we had to think like entrepreneurs on how we could persuade our clients to think outside the box. Frankly speaking, our strong growth in 14 short years, would not have been possible without the complete empowerment and support offered by the Kuoni leadership, especially through the early years. That level of ‘entrepreneurial ideation’ is definitely one of the key strengths we will exploit even at the Group level, as we strive to innovate and infuse a fresh perspective into the business.

Q

COVER STORY

VFS Global runs a centre for Ghana’s Foreigner Identification Management System, a programme that issues national identity cards to foreign nationals in Ghana

Let’s talk a little about VFS Global – the idea that really catapulted you into the limelight. How did you come up with the idea of visa process outsourcing? Well, back in the Nineties, in a newly liberalized India, we were seeing an exponential growth in the travel sector. Being part of Kuoni, which was the leading travel company, we had firsthand knowledge of the difficulties travellers faced and the solutions we were pitching to client governments were unique at the time. Our model was based on handling all non-judgmental aspects of the visa process for client governments, including setting up application centres in multiple cities (at the time, applicants had to travel to either Delhi or Mumbai), air-conditioned facilities, and other conveniences, for applicants. Once this was conceptualized, we were able to build consensus for the idea within the company. It took some time to persuade potential clients – we

Q

conducted 6-month-long surveys of applicant needs, and faced long gestation periods (of up to 18 months) – before we were able to win our first contract with the US Consulate. What were the challenges you faced after setting up VFS? Serving a sovereign government is a serious and sensitive proposition. Visa process outsourcing as a concept was unheard of, it was unchartered territory. Getting that first contract was challenging – we had to convince the government not only of our competence in providing this service, but of the very need for such a service! Another challenge was our first global rollout for UK in 2007, when, from operating in 11 countries, we had to expand operations to 33 countries across seven regions, in a matter of months. But it was also a gamechanger for us. Once we rolled out successfully, it allowed us to showcase our capability worldwide, and in a sense,

Q

proving we were here to stay. How many countries use VFS Global services now and what other services does VFS offer? Today, VFS Global serves the interests of 48 client governments with operations in 122 countries across five continents. We have almost 1900 application centres and have processed over 110 million applications since inception. In addition to the visa processing services, we have ventured out into new verticals. Our Citizen Services vertical supports local and state government bodies with a range of in-country services. These include permit facilitation centres in South Africa and Ghana, citizen facilitation centres for the local municipal corporation in Mumbai, resource centres for overseas workers in Delhi, and processing of building plans for the Bhubaneswar Development Authority in Odisha. We also offer Identity Management

Q

TRAVEL AND HOSPITALITY | DECEMBER 2015

31

COVER STORY the process. So we certainly foresee visa processing to remain at the core of our business going forward, but as our IM & CS business grows at a faster pace, share of visa processing will naturally come down.

solutions, in which we have developed strong core competence in setting up and managing high-end biometric projects and in developing and integrating end-to-end biometric solutions. We will continue to build on these verticals. Both the travel and visa processing businesses have several big players worldwide. What is your game plan to stay ahead of the competition? In a healthy market, everyone is a competitor. Among our three businesses, VFS Global is in a comfortable position, having captured approximately 50 percent market share. But the company constantly pushes itself to offer new services, develop new technologies, and maintain its leadership position by diversification into allied services. For example, we are launching a mobile app for UAE visas soon, which is the first time anyone, anywhere in the world can apply for this visa through an app. We have also rolled out on-demand mobile biometrics for ‘doorstep biometric enrolment’ for UK visas in China, and we are looking at introducing this in India as well. We are also very proud of LIDProTM, which we developed for Finland’s Ministry for External Affairs. It is a solution that enables remote visa processing, and is considered a breakthrough innovation that has won us much recognition. For the other two businesses, the focus will be to introduce faster and better services and products. Speed and time-to-market are critical success factors. With intense competition, opportunities remain as opportunities for a very short time, so we need to keep our foot on the pedal with a strong focus on the APAC region as the biggest contributor of growth in this sector. Particularly in group travel businesses, which we are going to re-

What continues to be challenges for you with regard to visa processing? Given the sensitivity of data and information we deal with, ensuring quality control by our systems across people and geographies – 24x7, 365 days of the year – in an uncompromising manner, is one of our biggest focus areas.

Q

Q

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TRAVEL AND HOSPITALITY | DECEMBER 2015

What will you have to do different now that you are managing a much larger portfolio? In a dynamic industry as ours, it is imperative to come up with new ideas to stay ahead of change. Some fundamentals to establish a healthy business stay the same: establish trust with your core team, empower them to function as entrepreneurs, and encourage a culture of mentorship throughout the organization. These are the key factors that have shaped my own career and I strive to adhere to them in any project I have to accomplish.

Q

structure, we will reduce complexity and discontinue services that do not add value. On the other hand, better and more customer-focused offerings will be launched. What are your future plans for VFS? Will visa processing remain the core of the business or will its share come down? We see strong growth potential in our Identity Management and Citizen Services verticals and here too, innovation is a key business driver for us. With technology specialists like HP and Veridos (with whom we recently entered into a partnership to develop large-scale identification infrastructure), we will continue to develop advanced solutions that can expand our service offerings. That said, travel worldwide continues to grow – the sector contributes to almost 9.8 percent of the world GDP – and more governments today accept the benefit of the outsourced visa services model, for being cost-effective while maintaining the integrity of

Q

How do you unwind? Which is your favourite location for a holiday? It’s always a challenge to find time to relax when you’re constantly between time zones! Travel has been my career and the ability to explore virtually every corner of the globe is no doubt one of the better aspects of my job! But irrespective of the location, the time I really unwind is on short holidays with my wife and three kids – our busy schedules don’t leave us much quality time to spend together, and we look forward to these holidays!

Q

HOSPITALITY

St. Regis Hotels & Resorts debuts in Dubai with new world address in Al Habtoor city

to life with outstanding artwork throughout the hotel, including a vintage Bentley inspired mural

The St. Regis Dubai to Unveil the First Bentley Suite in the Middle East alongside its Signature Butler Service, Rooftop Gardens and Luxurious Leisure Facilities.

in the St. Regis Bar. The St. Regis Dubai features 234 guestrooms, including 52 suites, each offering a bright, airy ambience with impeccable details such as chandeliers, marble bathrooms and signature St. Regis beds. Spanning 913sqm, the three-bed-

St. Regis Hotels & Resorts, part of Starwood

sorts, Europe, Africa and Middle East. “The entry

room, two-story Royal Suite is located in the cen-

Hotels & Resorts, Inc., announced the debut of

of our ultra-luxury St. Regis brand in this impor-

tral dome of the building, featuring a rooftop

the St. Regis brand in Dubai with the opening of

tant market strengthens Starwood’s presence in

plunge pool, vast living room with an elegant din-

The St. Regis Dubai. Owned by Al Habtoor

the United Arab Emirates as we remain on track

ing room, study, lounge area and spacious ma-

Group, the hotel introduces uncompromising ex-

to double our portfolio in the region by 2019.”

jlis.

periences with its luxurious bespoke hospitality,

“The unveiling of The St. Regis Dubai marks

The hotel’s custom-designed one-bedroom

eight exceptional culinary venues, the first Irid-

an important milestone for the brand as we rap-

Bentley Suite, inspired by the bespoke crafts-

ium Spa in Dubai, a fleet of Bentleys as well as

idly grow our profile in the Middle East,” said Jim

manship of the Bentley Mulsanne, is the first of

the first Bentley Suite in the Middle East which

Petrus, Global Brand Leader for St. Regis Hotels

its kind in the Middle East. Offering the ultimate

will be unveiled in early 2016.

& Resorts. “This important debut represents our

expression of luxury, the leather finishes, colors,

The St. Regis Dubai is located within the highly

fourth property in the region since the opening

patterns and wood veneers combine the glam-

anticipated Al Habtoor City, the Emirate’s first

of The St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort in Abu

our of Bentley with the impeccable elegance of

fully-integrated urban resort. As the newest ad-

Dhabi almost four years ago, and with The St.

the St. Regis brand. All guests at The St. Regis

dress on Sheikh Zayed Road, Al Habtoor City

Regis Dubai, we are thrilled to be able to offer

Dubai will experience renowned hallmarks of the

will feature two other Starwood hotels under the

the renowned St. Regis experience to the re-

St. Regis brand, including signature St. Regis

distinct W Hotels and Westin brands, three resi-

gion’s luxury travelers.”

Butler Service, providing anticipatory service and

dential towers, and a spectacular water-themed show by Dragone, the world’s leading cultural

customization at each stay according to specific New World Address in the Heart of Dubai

guest tastes and preferences.

creation company, located along the upcoming

The French beaux-arts architecture and neo-

Khalaf Ahmad Al Habtoor, Chairman Al

Dubai Water Canal. The landmark development

classical interiors of The St. Regis Dubai pay

Habtoor Group, said, “We are delighted to part-

is minutes away from attractions such as Burj

homage The St. Regis New York, the brand’s

ner with Starwood Hotels & Resorts to open The

Khalifa and The Dubai Mall, a 20-minute drive to

original hotel which opened in 1904 at the best

St. Regis Dubai, the first hotel within Al Habtoor

Dubai International Airport and 40-minute drive

address in New York on the corner of 55th Street

City. It is the beginning of a new era on this his-

to Al Maktoum International Airport.

and Fifth Avenue.

toric site. The St. Regis name, renowned for its

“We are proud to partner with Al Habtoor

Guests entering The St. Regis Dubai are wel-

rich heritage and traditions, will undoubtedly

Group and to launch Starwood’s largest hospi-

comed by the dazzling sight of a chandelier com-

complement the traditions and modernity of

tality project in the region as we open the first of

prising 1,200 pieces of hand-cut crystals,

Dubai. We look forward to welcoming our first

three hotels in this prestigious development,” said

illuminating the majestic grand staircase. St.

guests, and seeing the city buzzing with activity.”

Michael Wale, President, Starwood Hotels & Re-

Regis’ commitment to art and design is brought

by TNH DESK

34

TRAVEL AND HOSPITALITY | DECEMBER 2015

HOSPITALITY

Pride Hotels launch its luxury hotel at Aerocity, New Delhi Pride Group of Hotels continues to

the hotel to take care of events, con-

grow its impressive Hotel Portfolio

ferences, get-together, celebrations,

with the recent launch of their flag-

product launches, seminars, or any

ship hotel - Pride Plaza Hotel, Aeroc-

kind of banqueting requirement.

ity, New Delhi. The 385 rooms

A well equipped business center

luxurious hotel is a blend of contem-

takes care of all the business needs

porary style, warmth and sophistica-

of corporate and leisure travelers.

tion. Speaking on the occasion, Satyen Jain, CEO, Pride Group of Hotels said “Pride Plaza Hotel is an exciting ad-

A delightful swimming pool along with its private deck area offers the ideal venue for unwinding. Ideally located close to The Inter-

dition to the Pride Group of Hotels

national and Domestic air terminals

portfolio. This property embodies the

and just 1 kilometer away from the

brands drive to enable its guests ex-

Aerocity Metro Station the Hotel has

perience unparalleled luxury”.

an easy access to the corporate and

The Pride Plaza Hotel boasts of 385 Designer Rooms and Suites, Oriental Spice - The Pan Asian Restau-

the commercial hubs of Delhi, Gurgaon and The NCR region. Pride Group of Hotels are currently

rant, Café Pride – Round The Clock

running hotels at Ahmedabad, Ban-

Cafe–, Angare - Pool Side Barbeque,

galore, Chennai, Delhi, Kolkata,

Stallion – Lounge Bar, Mr. Confec-

Pune, Nagpur, Vadodara and resorts

tioner – Deli Counter.

at Goa, Jaipur and Dharamshala. All

The hotel features a state-of-the-

Pride Hotels are equipped with

art wellness center equipped with

Tastefully Designed Banquet Halls,

the finest fitness equipments.

Spacious Meetings and Conference

The wellness center also features

Rooms, Modern and Luxurious Guest

an exclusive SPA to offer a unique

Rooms, Multi Cuisine Restaurant, All

SPA experience.

Day Dining, Punjabi Dhaba and Bar

Extensive Banqueting and Convention facilities have been provided at

along with other amenities like Gym, Spa, Swimming Pool etc.

by TNH DESK

TRAVEL AND HOSPITALITY | DECEMBER 2015

35

HOSPITALITY

The Imperial introduces allergy-free ozone treated pillows in guest rooms A pioneering initiative in hygiene and safety standards in the city The Imperial, New Delhi adds yet another feather in its cap by disinfecting and deodorizing guest room pillows and linen with OZONE TREATMENT, a cutting edge technology towards providing microbe free linen to their guests while they soak in its historic and iconic luxury. In most of the luxurious hotels, only changing of

In order to achieve high standards of Hygiene & Safety of linen in the guest rooms, a specially designed, equipment based on ozonation technology

OYO Rooms announces MoU with Tourism & Hospitality Skill Council (THSC) Plans to train nearly 3 lakh workers across 150 cities in the next three years. MoU will be signed at 4th National Conference on Skill Development 2015 being hosted by CII

pillowcases is done on a regular basis. The pillow

for disinfection has been brought in from Europe

with freshly laundered cover is used by subsequent

which disinfects with forced ventilation in an envi-

guests using the same room, leading to risk of in-

ronment saturated with the oxidizing gas “Ozone”.

fection and transmission of various kinds of virus,

O3 (ozone) which is a natural gas with a great dis-

bacteria, mould and fungi. In such a situation

infecting power that has a strong action on BACTE-

washing and chemical-sanification of ‘pillows’ are

RIA, VIRUS, MOULDS, FUNGUS , MITES and a

work of branded hotels announced

done very seldom. The Imperial has therefore initi-

deodorant action. This not only eliminates these mi-

that it has been selected by the

ated a revolutionary technology to provide its

croorganisms and deodorizes but also makes pil-

Tourism and Hospitality Skill Coun-

guests absolute safety from cross contamination

lows/duvets an extremely hostile environment for

cil (THSC) to train and certify hos-

and infection.

dust, mites and parasites.

pitality staff across the country. The

by T NH DESK

OYO Rooms, India’s largest net-

two partners will sign an MoU to this effect on November 26th at the National Conference on Skill Development, in the presence of Mr. Rajiv Pratap Rudy, Union Minister of State Skill Development and Entrepreneurship. THSC is a sectorspecific council under National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC). It operates under the aegis of Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), to ensure that people employed in unorganised segments can access growth opportunities through up-skilling /

Concept Hospitality expands footprint in Goa

re-skilling and Recognition of Prior

Opens The Fern Kadamba Hotel and Spa in Panjim

one of the 29 skill sectors identified

Learning. Tourism and hospitality is by the government of India as a pri-

Concept Hospitality under its brand The Fern Hotels & Resorts has announced the launch of The Fern Kadamba, Hotel and SPA, Goa. Located on Panjim - Old Goa bypass road on

36

ority area for skill development. Announcing this partnership,

Kadamba Plateau, Old Goa, and the hotel is in close proximity to major industrial and business

Ritesh Agarwal, Founder & CEO of

areas. This is the third Concept Hospitality property in the state.

OYO Rooms said, “It gives us im-

The Fern Kadamba, Hotel and SPA, Goa with 48 rooms reflects the unique and proud her-

mense pride to be selected by

itage of the Goa with strong, bright tones and art across the hotel. With two restaurants, a lavish

THSC as a training partner for

bar, four meeting venues and latest facilities and amenities, the hotel is ideally suited for busi-

mass skill deployment in Indian

ness and leisure travelers.

hospitality sector.

TRAVEL AND HOSPITALITY | DECEMBER 2015

by TNH DESK

by TNH DESK

DESTINATION INDIA

Discover Goa - Pearl of the Orient Beautifully located on the western coast of India, Goa is one of the most favorite tourist destinations in India. Enclosed by Arabian Sea in the west, Goa is blessed with amazing geographical features. With sparkling golden beaches to ancient monuments and picturesque landscapes to remarkable kaleidoscopic culture, it attracts a large number of tourists (both domestic & international) every year. Though, all seasons are good to enjoy this place’s beauty but the winter season which starts from mid-November and lasts till mid-March is the best time to discover the ecstatic picture of this lively place. With the start of peak season for travelers to Goa, Travel and Hospitality magazine would like to suggest some great ways to discover its beauty….

v B Archana Sharma Y

Party Hard – As Goa is Party Capital Internationally, Goa is best known as the "Party Capital of India" and many foreigners come here to enjoy the parties organized here. For instance, the 3 day Sunburn music festival is thronged by EDM lovers. In fact, it is Asia's largest electronic music festival, hosted on 27, 28 and 29 December every year. The next music festival is "Supersonic Festival", held at Candolim which promotes

38

TRAVEL AND HOSPITALITY | DECEMBER 2015

local and international talents. Another highlight of peak season is the Saturday Night Markets which starts from 6 pm and remains open till the wee hours of morning. Here, one can find amazing music, food, clothes and accessories, vintage items and live concerts (if you get lucky!). Rest of all, the New Year's Eve is the most exhilarating event of the year (in December). Then, in the month of February, 3-4 days celebration of Goa

Carnival is the event of merrymaking. This carnival adds spice to the party spirit of Goa. Enjoy Adventurous Water Sports at Popular Beaches Goa is known for its Sun and Sand combination at the beaches. But, apart from just enjoying water at beaches there is a lot you can do. Goa is an excellent destination for variety of adven-

DESTINATION INDIA

turous water sports that can be enjoyed at beaches. Some of popular adventurous water activities or sports you can take up include water skiing, Jet Skiing, Wind Surfing, Parasailing, Catamaran Sailing, Banana Boat / Bump & Ringo Rides, Speedboat rides, Scuba diving / Snorkeling etc. Some of the popular beaches to enjoy these water sports are Baga Beach, Vagator Beach, Calangute Beach, Benaulim Beach and Palolem Beach etc., while Miramar Beach, Colva Beach, Majorda Beach and Dona Paula Beach are few of the beaches to relax. Along with these activities, Dolphin cruise, Grand Island day trip and sunset / moonlight cruise on the Mandovi River can also be tried if you have extra time. Indulge in Nature’s Bliss Goa is blessed with almost all kind of wealth, be it golden beaches and its under-water animals, or wealthy fauna on land. In order to experience Goa's nature and wildlife, you must explore few attractions such as the Sahakari spice farm in Ponda, where you can enjoy regional and folk dances. Also, one can go for an overnight stay in the Bhagwan Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary to spot night animals. Later, you can opt

for Arvalem, Lamgau and Rivona caves which are an evidence of prehistoric existence. Journey into the Heritage Once a major Portuguese colony, Goa boasts of remarkable architecture and artifacts related to Indo-Portuguese time. However, the true feel of Goa’s rich heritage and culture can be felt at the Old Goa, which is about 20 minutes west of Panjim. In this ancient hub, you can explore beautiful churches, convents, art galleries, bungalows and bakeries which are living evidence of rich combination of Indian and Portuguese culture. Though, there is an array of monuments to see but the magnificent Basilica of Bom Jesus, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is something which is a must! Apart from that, you can revisit history at Se de Santa Catarina, the Archeological Museum of Old Goa, the Naval Aviation Museum and Institute Menezes Braganza and get transported back in time. Relish Gourmet Delights Often, it is said that any place's specialty lies in its food, and such is in the case of Goa! When you are in Goa, you

can’t miss the delicacies such as Goan prawn curry and rice, which is a staple but traditional dish of Goa. However, the Goan cuisine offers a fine combination of diverse food cultures including the Konkan, the Portuguese and the Bahamani Nawabi traditions. Some popular eating joints and restaurants where you can enjoy authentic and delicious Goan delicacies are Infantaria (at Calangute beach), Curly's (at Anjuna) and Souza Lobo (at Calangute). Rejuvenate Yourself Last but not the least, Goa is an ideal place to unwind and rejuvenate your senses. Apart from the water sports and sight-seeing, Goa has an array of Yoga / meditation, and reiki centres. The Ayurvedic treatment in the Keri village is a prime Ayurvedic centre in Goa. In short, you can go partying at the beach (especially during winter season like, Sunburn Festival, Goa Carnival etc.), enjoy water sports, try your bargaining skills in shopping at Ingo's Saturday Night Bazaar, Anjuna Flea Market, and market near Mangeshi temple.

TRAVEL AND HOSPITALITY | DECEMBER 2015

39

INTERNATIONAL

VisitBritain launches Bond is GREAT campaign to entice more international visitors to Britain Bond is back in SPECTRE and VisitBritain and the GREAT Britain campaign is once again utilizing 007’s iconic international profile to show the world what makes Britain GREAT.

Sir James Bevan British High Commissioner to India

Commemorating the release of SPECTRE in India, the British High Commission

sioner to India Sir James Bevan said, “The

launching a global Bond is GREAT Britain

Bond is GREAT campaign echoes much of

film tourism campaign in partnership with

what the British Government works towards

Sony Pictures Entertainment and Metro-

here in India: encouraging more Indians to

Goldwyn-Mayer Studios.

see the UK as a destination for tourism and

The Bond is GREAT campaign will kick

study, and a partner for trade and invest-

off across more than 60 countriesto en-

ment. We are delighted to showcase our

courage 007 fans to choose Britain – the

British style, our inspirational locations and

home of Bond – for their next holiday. The

our cutting-edge technology through this

campaign will include exclusive ‘behind the

campaign.”

scenes’ film footage from SPECTRE

(BHC) in New Delhi hosted an evening of

The evening gave attendees a flavor of

through its dedicated campaign page vis-

cocktails and festivities followed by an ex-

the Bond lifestyle and highlighted the inter-

itbritain.com/spectre. Three new Bond is

clusive premiere at screeningat DT Cine-

national success of Britain’s creative indus-

GREAT images will also be released fea-

mas, Vasant Kunj, New Delhi. The event

tries along with the rich culture & heritage

turing James Bond, an Aston Martin out-

was attended by some of the best known

that Britain is known for. Similar screenings

side Blenheim Palace as well as a scene

personalities of the country including Film

were also hosted by the British Deputy

from SPECTRE with James Bond in White-

celebrities, socialites, prominent faces from

High Commissions in Bangalore, Chennai

hall.

the business and political spheres including

and Kolkata.

It is the third time that VisitBritain, work-

Marc Runacres, India Adviser to the Con-

SPECTRE, the 24th James Bond adven-

federation of British Industry and Partner at

ture from Albert R. Broccoli’s EON Produc-

tertainment

Hearth Education Advisors, Alka Pande,

tions, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer-Studios, and

Studios, has partnered with the Bond fran-

Art Advisor and Curator at the Visual Arts

Sony Pictures Entertainment, launches in

chise to motivate and inspire even more in-

Gallery, IHC, Shivani Pasrich, Former Miss

cinemas worldwide from October 26 and in

ternational visitors to come to Britain.

India & a celebrated anchor, among others.

the US on November 6, 2015.To leverage

Inbound tourism is worth £26.2 billion a

Celebrating his final evening in India by

the global fascination with James Bond and

year to Britain and our culture and heritage

hosting friends and contacts for the SPEC-

the international exposure the film affords

is one of the main attractions for global vis-

TRE release, the British High Commis-

to potential visitors to Britain, VisitBritain is

itors. SPECTRE provides a great interna-

ing in partnership with Sony Pictures Enand

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

tional showcase for some of Britain’s iconic locations. The scope of Britain’s historical and cultural tourism offer along with its film expertise including its production talent and facilities, have been drawing film-makers to Britain for years.

40

TRAVEL AND HOSPITALITY | DECEMBER 2015

by TNH DESK

DESTINATION INTERNATIONAL

Experience the ultimate Luxury in a private game reserve in Kenya A luxury safari evokes many different images for different – superbly comfortable accommodation; five star service and world class cuisine; private vehicles and safari guides; exclusive game viewing. servancies of Kenya.

the foot hills of the Aberdares and the magnif-

Olare Motorogi Conservancy - The Olare

icent snow-capped Mount Kenya. Ol Pejeta

Motorogi Conservancy borders the Maasai

Conservancy, which is host to all the mem-

Mara National Reserve and is home to an

bers of the ‘Big Five' (elephant, rhino, lion,

abundance of animals including all the big

buffalo and leopard), has a higher wildlife-to-

cats for which the Mara is famous. It forms

area ratio than any Kenyan National Park and

part of a vital buffer zone between the Mara

is one of only four private game conservancies

Reserve and the wildlife dispersal areas sur-

to have been founded in Kenya. Porini Rhino

rounding it. Wildlife presence, population and

Camp is located within the Ol Pejeta Conser-

diversity have greatly increased since the es-

vancy, on a verdant plateau between the

tablishment of the conservancy. The conser-

foothills of the Aberdares Range and the

equipped to deliver a luxury safari in the most

vancy today offers pleasant and exclusive

stately snow-capped peak of Mount Kenya.

remote and far flung hideaways. Imagine fly-

viewing of game in a pristine environment,

Porini Luxury bush camp consisted of six guest

ing in to small exclusive lodges on huge pri-

with a rich and diverse wildlife population

tents capable of accommodating up to 12

vate wildlife reserves. Enjoying exciting

rarely found anywhere else on the African sa-

guests. The Camp has arge Safari tents with a

encounters with elephant, leopard and rhi-

vannah. The area encompassed within the

double and single bed, solar electric lights, en

noceros with your own expert guide. Doing

Olare Motorogi Conservancy is a strategic

suite bathrooms with flush lavatory and safari

everything at your pace, having everything

buffer zone for the Maasai Mara National Re-

shower. Porini Rhino Camp is hidden in a se-

organized around what interests your family.

serve and the wildlife migration corridors.

cluded valley and set amongst shady acacia

You can fly in a hot air balloon and even go

Balloon Safaris is a fantastic way to experi-

trees on the banks of a seasonal river.

walking through magnificent scenery and

ence the Maasai Mara. The ride usually starts

camp out under the stars as your Maasai

at sunrise and lasts one hour.

Many locations in Kenya are ideally

guides sing around the camp fire. Luxury and

Ol Pejeta Conservancy – a 90,000-acre pri-

Mara Naboisho Conservancy - Located adjacent to the Masai Mara National Reserve, this private conservancy is a ground breaking

holiday experience have been redefined in

vate wildlife conservancy – is situated on the

project of tourism benefiting conservation and

the sprawling private game reserves or con-

equator, in Kenya’s Laikipia District, between

community.

by T NH DESK

TRAVEL AND HOSPITALITY | DECEMBER 2015

41

DESTINATION INTERNATIONAL

Explore

Monaco’s

majestic beauty and Opulence

Nightlife & Casinos Monaco offers a varied night entertainment Whether you wish to enjoy utter luxury or

and prominent automobile race in the world.

menu for nightlife lovers and gamblers. The

spend holidays nearby the beauty of sea,

In addition, Monaco also hosts the Monte-

nightlife life majorly rotates around the glitter-

Monaco is a perfect place. Monaco, officially

Carlo Historic Grand Prix which is a "must-

ing night clubs and various casinos, where

the Principality of Monaco is a sovereign city-

see" amongst all the world's historic races. It

people come to try their luck and win for-

state and microstate located on the French

is the retrospective of the golden age of car

tunes. A famous keystone is the Casino de

Riviera in Western Europe. The Principality of

racing that takes place every other year on

Monte Carlo, overlooking the Mediterranean

Monaco is the second smallest (after the Vati-

the famous track of Monaco using the roads of

Sea and designed by Charles Garnier. Casino

can City) and the most densely populated

the Principality that haven´t changed since

La Rascasse is another famous spot for gamers

country in the world. Though, it is a small

the first race, which was organized on April

that have 85 slot machines and many exciting

country but its unparalleled beauty and cul-

14, 1929.

games that are truly interactive. Buddha bar is

tural heritage attract a large number of

an exotically decked lounge and restaurant

tourists from around the world. Travel and

Operas and Ballets at Opera House

serving Asian fusion food and advanced ambi-

Hospitality would like to introduce some of the

When in Monaco you can witness the mes-

ence complementing electronic music of

highlights of the principality that makes it a

merizing operas and ballets in the Opera

remarkable destination for tourists!

House, which is located in one of the most luxurious wings of the lavish Monte-Carlo

The Monaco Grand Prix

Casino. The opera performers are very engag-

If you are a sports enthusiast, especially for

ing and hail from countries across the world.

Formula 1 races, then you must witness the

The Opera House itself is an one of its

Monaco Grand Prix, which is the most de-

kind architectural wonder and is

manding and the most glamorous of all such

adorned with red and gold. It is also

races. The race is hosted during summer in

a stage for the “Monte Carlo Jazz

the month of May. It is run on the winding

Festival” from the past many

streets of the little country, up and down the

years. The Opera House truly

hills, through the shops, casinos, and a tunnel

symbolizes the rich history

along the sea, which is under one of the large

and culture of this amazing

hotels. It is unquestionably the most important

principality.

42

TRAVEL AND HOSPITALITY | DECEMBER 2015

venue’s Eastern theme.

DESTINATION INTERNATIONAL

Architectural Wonders

every hotel of Monaco. Some of the most pop-

Vistamar in Hermitage (1 star). Lately, few

Monaco boasts of various architectural won-

ular hotels to stay here include Hotel De Paris

other chic eating place have come up in the

ders including monuments and palaces. One

(which offer a fine combination of tradition

province some of which are the Maya Bay

of the most famous architectural wonders is

and modernity), Hotel Metropole and Hotel

Japanese or Thaï restaurants serving fine

the floating palaces at Port Hercule in La Con-

Hermitage, which is also a historical monu-

blend of sweet & savory delicacies.

damine. You can also enjoy the spectacular

ment of Monaco. Last but not the least, Hotel

views of the Rock of Monaco and the Prince’s

Fairmont with each 602 spacious rooms hav-

Palace, which is the home of the current

ing a private terrace and topmost comfort to

monarch. This place is the same where in the

offer you a lifetime staying experience in

year 2001; Prince Albert II married Princess

Monaco.

through the centuries right from Renaissance

dens Last but not the least; Monaco has incredible museums which will surely impress you in

Charlene Wittstock. Visiting through this royal palace is itself an experience of journey

Incredible Museums & Landscaped Gar-

every manner. The architecture of the Exploring Monaco through Different Modes

Oceanographic Museum has been impressing visitors for over a century. Visiting the mu-

to the Napoleonic Period. A must see event is

As a tourist, you can get beautiful glimpses

the ritual of changing of guards at the square

of Monaco through different modes. One of the

ence, which consists of aquariums, Shark

in front of the Palace every day at 11:55 am

most interesting and exhilarating way to catch

Lagoon, a Turtle’s island and collections of

which is a delightful experience to watch.

Monaco’s panoramic view is through a flight

Natural History. Princess Grace Rose Garden

seum gives a different kind of learning experi-

with Heli-Air Monaco. Otherwise, you can just

first opened in 1984 in the memory of

Luxurious & Unique Hotels

take a ride on the Azur Express Tourist Train

Princess Grace and later reopened in June

This princely country offers international

and explore the Monaco-Ville (the Old Town)

2014 with charming 8000 rose bushes of 300

level of luxurious stay in its hotels. You can

for more intimate view of this gorgeous coun-

different varieties. Here is also an Automobile

stay in dream-like luxury hotels which are re-

try.

Museum, where you can see Exhibition of HSH

lated with history, the most ultramodern edifices with all architectural styles and commendable décor that is associated under the same guiding lines of quality. You will find a kind of uniqueness in

the Prince of Monaco’s Vintage Car Collection. Tantalizing & Delicious Authentic Food

The cars are an alluring sight and the museum

You have a choice of tantalizing food options

is regarded as one of the most attractive

in this little but luxurious country. There are

tourist attractions of the country. Apart from

many French and Italian restaurants serving

these museums, you can explore other muse-

delectable cuisine with excellent service and

ums like the Museum of "Vieux Monaco", Mu-

great ambience. The Principality is packed

seum of Prehistoric Anthropology, The

with gastronomic talent as well as Michelin

Museum of Stamps and Coins etc.

stars! Monaco has not less than 7 star-rated restaurants, including Alain Ducasse’s prestigious Louis XV (3

Unarguably, Monaco is a unique, beautiful, fashionable and in-demand holiday destination in Europe for all kinds of tourists!

stars), Joël Robuchon MonteCarlo (2 stars) and Yoshi (1 star) and the

TRAVEL AND HOSPITALITY | DECEMBER 2015

43

INTERNATIONAL

New and improved UK Visa Application Centre opens in Connaught Place, Delhi British High Commissioner for India, Sir James Bevan KCMG, formally opened the UK & Ireland’s new Visa Application Centre (VAC) in Connaught Place, Delhi. The new VAC brings a number of benefits to customers in the capital. As well as a more central location, the new VAC is situated in the same premises as the Schengen VAC, allowing customers planning a European holiday or business trip the convenience of applying for both visas at the same time. Customers can simply apply for their UK visa, purchase the passport passback service in order to keep their passport while their UK application is processed, and then go across the hall to the Schengen VAC to apply for their Schengen visa. Sir James Bevan KCMG said, “Following Prime Minister Modi’s successful visit to the UK, we hope that more Indian visitors will be inspired to choose the UK for their next holiday. Not only do Indian visitors benefit our economy (last year they spent £444m in the UK) they take back to India good memories of the UK, which benefits the wider relationship between our two countries. “We are committed to improving the visa service we offer to Indian customers to make it as straightforward as possible to apply for a visa and the opening of this new Visa Application Centre is another example of the improvements we are making, he added. Gerry Kelly, Chargé d’Affaires, Embassy of Ireland said: “I’m very pleased to welcome the opening of the new Visa Application Centre which will provide an improved experience for Indian citizens travelling to Ireland. We have seen a large increase in the number of Indians travelling to Ireland in recent years and I’m sure this new facility will help the Embassy in providing a high quality service to our visa applicants,” adding, “the introduction of the British Irish Visa Scheme has made it more convenient and better value for Indian visitors to travel to

44

TRAVEL AND HOSPITALITY | DECEMBER 2015

both Ireland and Britain as they now require only one visa in order to visit both countries.” Other recent improvements to the visa service in India include the introduction of new services at selected VACs across India, provided by UKVI’s commercial

• The new UK & Ireland Visa Application Centre is located at: Shivaji Stadium Metro Station, Mezzanine Level Baba Kharak Singh Marg, Connaught Place New Delhi- 110001 • Business hours are Monday to Friday 0800 – 1600 hrs • For more info on passport passback & new user-pay services, go to www.vfsglobal.co.uk/india/user_pay _services.html

partner, VFS Global. Many of these services were initially suggested by travel agents and customers. The new services include: • Online Payment Assistance – allows

customers to pay for their visa by cash at the VAC, using VFS Global’s credit card to make the payment. • Certification – enables customers to keep hold of their original documents. Customers need to bring original documentation to the VAC to show VFS staff, who then photocopy the documents which then get sent to the decision hub along with the application. • Walk- in appointments - for customers short on time, or who can no longer make their booked appointment • Digital Assist - providing help to customers who do not have internet access, by filling in their application forms for them at the Visa Application Centre • Group appointments – allowing groups to book appointments at the same time in the same VAC, regardless of the size of the group. The new UK & Ireland Visa Application Centre replaced the one in Nehru Place, which was closed on 6th November and no longer accepts visa applications. by TNH DESK

EVENT WATCH

TRAVEL AND HOSPITALITY | DECEMBER 2015

45

EVENT WATCH

Hellenic Tours of Greece visits India Representatives of Hellenic Tours recently visited India in order to strengthen its relationship with the Indian travel trade and attract Indian tourists to Greece. Athens- based Hellenic Tours, one of the leading destination management companies in Greece, has always been in the forefront of the travel industry, and has always been committed to offering the best possible travel experience to their customers. A delegation of Hellenic Tours was recently in India. They made an elaborate presentation before a gathering of select representatives from the local travel trade at hotel The Claridges, New Delhi. Interacting with the trade representatives, the delegation highlighted potential of Greece as an attractive destination for Indian tourists. George Georgopoulos, MD of Hellenic Tours said, “We are very positive about the Indian market. I strongly believe that Indian market has huge potential for destination Greece.� Greece has recently seen an increase in tourist arrivals from India, but the number is still modest considering the historical heritage and cultural diversity of Greece and its beautiful natural landscapes. Both the countries have a lot of shared history and culture that also make Greece an attractive destination for Indian tourists.

46

TRAVEL AND HOSPITALITY | DECEMBER 2015

NEW APPOINTMENTS

Sanjiv Kapoor Chief Strategy and Commercial Officer, Vistara Sanjiv Kapoor has been appointed as its Chief Strategy & Commercial Officer by Vistara. He will be assuming the role from February, 2016. Earlier, he was working with SpiceJet and held the position of Chief Operating Officer. Now, Sanjiv will be succeeding Giam Ming Toh, Chief Commercial Officer, Vistara. Giam Ming will return to Singapore Airlines on completion of his deputation with Vistara. Sanjiv holds over 19 years of experience in the airline industry, having worked with airlines in Asia, Europe, and the US in leadership and advisory positions. He is a graduate from Dartmouth College, USA and with a MBA from Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Sanjiv joined SpiceJet in 2013 as COO.

Harpreet Vohra General Manager, Park Plaza Gurgaon Harpreet Vohra has been recently appointed as the General Manager at Park Plaza Gurgaon. Prior to this, Harpreet was working at Radisson Blu Agra. With an enriching experience of 17 years in the hospitality industry, he is confident of taking the success of Park Plaza Gurgaon to newer heights. Harpreet’s work experience includes his stints at Hyatt International, Taj Hotels, Golkonda Resorts and Angsana Spa, The Lalit New Delhi and Hyatt Regency in Mumbai. He has a bachelor’s degree in commerce from Bhopal University along with Hotel Management.

Amrendra Kumar Karn General Manager (GM) of Mirage Lords Inn, Kathmandu Amrendra Kumar Karn has recently joined Mirage Lords Inn, Kathmandu as “General Manager”. Known as F&B Service, Sales specialist, he carries with him more than 19 years of experience in the industry and has worked in properties in Nepal like Soaltee Crowne Plaza, Hyatt Regency, KGH Group of Hotels, Grand Hotel Tahachal, Park Village Hotel, etc. A graduate in B. Sc Honors in Chemistry from Lalit Narayan Mithila University, Darbhanga, he spent early part of his career with Marco Polo Business Hotel, Kathmandu as Assistant General Manager. Before joining Mirage Lords Inn, he was working with Howard Plaza, Agra in the capacity of General Manager.

Vikas Rana Chief Technical Officer (CTO), HolidayIQ Vikas Rana has been appointed as the Chief Technical Officer (CTO) at HolidayIQ, India's largest travel community and Holidays recommendation engine. Earlier, he was the Founder and CEO of the Must See India, which is one of the largest travel planning websites in India. At HolidayIQ, Vikas will strengthen the tech team, robustly scale infrastructure and lead technological innovation. Vikas is a computer science graduate from IIT Delhi and has a wealth of experience, which comes from a strong foundation in technology. He has worked for over 5 years in ‘Trilogy’ in enterprise software. His work on Trilogy, is known for ground breaking tech products and used to power technology at many Fortune 500 companies like Ford, MetLife and Sun Microsystems.

Shivankar Kodesia Food & Beverage Manager, Park Plaza Noida Sivankar Kodesia has recently joined Park Plaza Noida as Food and Beverage Manager. He comes with over 14 years of experience. At Park Plaza Noida, he would be responsible for directing all Food and Beverage efforts towards achieving the operational goal of the hotel. Prior to joining Park Plaza Noida, he was with Hilton Worldwide. He has also worked with DoubleTree By Hilton Gurgaon as a Food and Beverage Manager. Earlier, he has had stints with hotel companies like Imperial New Delhi, Shangri-La New Delhi, Thistle Group of Hotels (U.K Based Company), Jaypee & Intercontinental Hotels Shivankar’s Education Qualifications include 3-year diploma in Hotel Management from Institute of Hotel Management, Lucknow.

48

TRAVEL AND HOSPITALITY | DECEMBER 2015

NEW APPOINTMENTS

Ashok Vashist Chief Executive Officer (CEO), MiCar MiCar, the leading self-drive car rental company which was launched last year in July 2014 in New Delhi has appointed Ashok Vashist as the new CEO. Vashist’s long association with the car rental industry and his profound experience in working with reputed brands makes him the perfect fit to lead the growth curve at MiCar. His chief responsibilities at the company will involve Operations Management and Excellence, Marketing, Customer Experience and Overall Strategy. Vashist has been instrumental in the growth and expansion story of global car rental brands in India. He has been the brain behind innovative strategies that have now become a prototype for every new car rental company to follow.

Ankur Mehrotra Director Sales & Marketing, Park Plaza Noida Park Plaza Noida has appointed Ankur Mehrotra as the new Director Sales & Marketing. Before joining here, Ankur worked with Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group for three and a half years. With an enriching experience of 12 years behind him, Ankur aspires to direct all sales & marketing efforts towards achieving the operational goal of the hotel. His previous assignment was with Country Inn & Suites Sahibabad as Director of Sales. Other assignments in the past include hotel companies like The Claridges, Jaypee Hotels & Intercontinental.

Vikas Pant Executive Chef, Radisson Blu Hotel New Delhi, Paschim Vihar Chef Vikas Pant, an inherent innovator in the food industry, has been appointed as the Executive Chef for Radisson Blu Hotel New Delhi Paschim Vihar. With a strong flare for uniqueness in his food sense, Chef Vikas has an experience of nearly 17 years with leading hotel chains in the industry. He holds a strong background in Fine Dining Restaurants, banquet operations, food production management and guest relations. He embarked his journey by joining Café kitchen at Hyatt Regency, Delhi and also worked in various sub departments. He then underwent this training in Trainer certified by Hyatt International, USA and at the Hilton Worldwide University for Code of Conduct, Information Security and privacy training, Operation Audit, Behavior Base Interviewing, and Management Development Program.

Guhaneshwaran V Assistant Executive Housekeeper, Double tree by Hilton Pune-Chinchwad Double Tree by Hilton hotel - Pune has appointed Guhaneshwaran V as the Assistant Executive Housekeeper. Guhaneshwaran has a total work experience of above 10 years. He started his career with the Leela Palace Bangalore. Along with the Housekeeping operations, he was also taking care of up keep and maintaining the interiors related assignment of that property. After his stint with Leela palace Bangalore, he later moved on to the Oakwood Premier Bangalore. He was also rewarded the best Manager in cost controlling. Post Oakwood he then moved to The Fortune JP Palace Mysore .He has now been associated with DoubleTree by Hilton Pune-Chinchwad since May 2015. He believes that keep the staff happy by motivating and training and they will take care of the guest and the department in return. An avid reader Guhaneshwaran also loves exploring different cultures.

Nitin Luthra Executive Director, Cybiz BrightStar Restaurants Pvt. Ltd. Nitin Luthra has been appointed as Executive Director, Cybiz BrightStar Restaurants Private Limited. He comes with a rich experience of nearly 23 years in the hospitality industry. In his role as Executive Director, Luthra will be focusing his energies and experience to manage and maintain the group’s signature QSR brand from California, “Carl’s r.”, which is famous world over for its chargrilled burgers. At Cybiz, his main responsibilities include the growth plan to set up over 100 restaurants over the next 5-7 years, to establish systems, processes & procedures, to provide operational strategy, financial analysis and management. After completing his graduation in hospitality from IHM, Delhi, Luthra began his career with the Taj Group of Hotels. He also headed St. James Court, London and the Hilton, Manhattan, New York.

TRAVEL AND HOSPITALITY | DECEMBER 2015

49

DIALOGUE

‘Many positive developments this year in India’s travel and tourism industry ’ Shantha de Silva Head of South West Asia, IHG

Interview with Shantha de Silva, Head of South West Asia, IHG.

v B PREM KUMAR How will you assess year 2015 for Q travel and hospitality industry? Do you Y

in Chennai. This was followed by the opening of

series of hotel-led initiatives (cleaning drives

Holiday Inn® Chandigarh Panchkula - the tenth

and building of lavatories) this year.

Holiday Inn hotel in India. To further expand our

think 2015 has been better compared to

Holiday Inn portfolio in India, we announced the

2014?

opening of Holiday Inn® & Suites Bengaluru –

This year we've seen a number of positive de-

the first Holiday Inn hotel in the Silicon Valley of

Q

How do you look forward to the year ahead? What would be your plans for

the next year?

velopments in the travel and tourism industry in

India. 2015 was also a milestone year for our

India. These include government initiatives to

brand InterContinental. We opened our first In-

we've observed a rise in certain trends which

support the growth of the tourism industry, such

terContinental Resort in India in Chennai, Maha-

will have an impact on how we deliver guest

as implementation of the decision to extend

balipuram. The resort is located in a picturesque

experiences in years ahead. We have wit-

visa-on-arrival to tourists from 180 countries;

location overlooking the Bay of Bengal on East

nessed a significant increase in the number of

plans to develop new airports in smaller key

Coast Road, making it one of the most exclusive

domestic travellers in India in the last couple

cities and the building of world-class conven-

properties in the city. Additionally, we opened

of years – and we know from the in-depth re-

tion facilities. These developments are all wel-

the tenth Crowne Plaza in the country - Crowne

search we conducted amongst Indian con-

come news to the industry. As these changes

Plaza Jaipur Tonk Road.

sumers, that they are value-conscious and

take effect, we are very optimistic about what lies ahead for the industry in years to come. Recent media reports indicate that there was an increase of as much as 700% in tourist ar-

Being a leading player in the industry,

expect guest experiences that are locally releAre you satisfied with the govern-

vant. Industry projections also indicate that

ment’s efforts to promote tourism?

the Indian middle class is rising at an expo-

This year, we've sensed an increase in busi-

nential rate and could more than double by

Q

rivals using e-visa facility during mid of 2015.

ness confidence with a number of initiatives

2030. This group of travellers will be looking

Furthermore, demand for hotel rooms in India

by the government to help India grow as a

for quality midscale hotels when they travel in

grew by approximately 20% this year, the high-

preferred travel destination. It has been heart-

India. That is why we are focusing on devel-

est in five years. This is said to be driven by a

ening to see an increase in the government's

oping our midscale presence in the country.

significant increase in business-related travel.

recognition of the vital role hospitality plays

To cater to this growing group of travellers,

These numbers are testament to the positive

in generating integral foreign exchange dol-

we are focused on developing our midscale

outlook that hospitality sector in India is experi-

lars and creating significant employment op-

presence with our Holiday Inn and Holiday

ence.

portunities in India. Developments such as the

Inn Express brands, which currently comprise

expansion of India's visa-on-arrival pro-

more than 85% of our development pipeline

ness travel, our approach to growth in India is to

gramme and plans for new transport infra-

(by number of hotels) in India.

strategically expand our presence through all

structure to connect tier-2 and tier-3 cities are

categories in order to cater to guests across the

positive indicators for the industry, which we

business travel which has emerged as one of

spectrum. We are ready to achieve this through

are confident, will draw more investment in-

the significant segments of travel and tourism

our four brands present in India: InterContinen-

terest in the market in the coming years.

industry in India. According to figures from

Given an increase in leisure as well as busi-

tal, Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express

Q

Another initiative that we believe will help

Another trend we've observed is the rise of

the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA),

in enhancing India’s image as an attractive

India has moved from 24th spot in the world's

tourist destination is the ‘Swach Bharat Ab-

business travel market ranking in 2000 to

How has been IHG’s performance this

hiyan’ which is actively being rolled out

10th today, and this is expected to rise in the

year? How did your presence grow in

across the country. As one of the world’s

years ahead. There are certainly opportunities

leading hotel companies, we have extended

to cater to this trend, and as a trusted name

India in 2015? 2015 was an exciting year for us. We an-

our full hearted support towards the campaign

for business travellers worldwide, our answer

nounced the signing of 286-room Crowne Plaza

to achieve Prime Minister Narender Modi’s vi-

to meeting the rise in business travel in India

Chennai Adyar Park, the first Crowne Plaza hotel

sion of "Clean India" by 2019, by executing a

is our ‘Crowne Plaza’ brand.

50

TRAVEL AND HOSPITALITY | DECEMBER 2015

DL (ND)-11/6167/2014-15-16 | DATE OF POSTING: 6-11 OF MONTH | RNI NO.: DELENG/2010/33723 | DATE OF PUBLISHING: 4 th OF THE MONTH

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