Asian Traveller July 2017

Vol. 10

No. 10

Pages 36

` 100

US $10 (Overseas)

July 2017

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India | Thailand | Singapore | Malaysia | GCC | Sri Lanka | Maldives | Germany | UK | Australia | Switzerland | Canada | USA | African & Latin American Countries

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Highlights Vol. 10 I No.10 I July 2017

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Cover Story: Sri Lanka- the island beauty!

One of the most beautiful islands in the world, Sri Lanka is attracting tourists from all over the world with its rustic beauty

KERALA TOURISM: Tourism news that made headlines in Kerala

TTM+ 2017 Thailand Travel Mart Plus in Chiang Mai records 1.4 billion Baht in business transactions

15 16 Property Scan: Grand Plaza Munnar

The sea-food specialistThe Paragon

Sumesh Govind, MD, Paragon Hotel talks about the success story behind the good food

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FROM THE EDITOR'S DESK

CHEERFUL OUTLOOK FOR TOURISM

Editor & Publisher : Dr. G Biju Krishnan* Chief Mentor : Rajashekharan Nair

Group Vice President : Santhosh Kumaar K Editorial Team : R Parameshwaran

Smitha . R

Design : Kailasnath

Regional Head (Hyderabad) : Uma Ram

Director-Finance : K Harikrishnan

AGM-Operations : Krishna Nair

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nternational tourism arrivals in the first four months of the year increased by 6 per cent compared to the same period last year, says the latest UNWTO World Tourism Barometer. The January-April period usually represents some 28% of the yearly total and hence this is a positive development, considering the unfortunate incidents in different parts of the world, which always have an effect on the tourism sector.

According to the report, most of last year’s strong performers maintained momentum, while destinations that struggled in previous years continued to rebound in the first part of 2017. This is especially reflected in the better results of the Middle East (+10%), Africa (+8%) and Europe (+6%). It is heartening to note that Asia and the Pacific (6%) continued to enjoy robust growth, along with and the Americas (+4%).

“Destinations that were affected by negative events during 2016 are showing clear signs of recovery in a very short period of time, and this is very welcoming news for all, but particularly for those whose livelihoods depend on tourism in these destinations”, said UNWTO Secretary-General Taleb Rifai.

Financial Advisor : Sailendranadha Pillai K S

Legal Advisor : Adv. Raman Kartha

GM-Tamil Nadu : P Deenadayalu

USA UK UAE Qatar Kuwait Mumbai Kolkata Hyderabad Kochi Erode Madurai Trivandrum

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Jiju K Thomas Abdul Najeeb Santhosh Kumaar K Arun V S Mariam Titus Shikha Bhangadia Sobha Joshi Uma Ram Anurag Baby K L Rajeshhkumar P Deenadayalu Viji V Administration

Tel : 00281 709 5433 Tel : 0044 7769940391 Tel : 00971 556317912 Tel : 00974 55287956 Tel : 00965 6236120 Tel : +91 9867505490 Tel : +91 9477406768 Tel : +91 9160006321 Tel : +91 8589008071 Tel : +91 8973545190 Tel : +91 9843129535 Tel : +91 9645955000

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“As we celebrate 2017 as the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development, we welcome the continued development of tourism and recall that with growth comes increased responsibility to ensure tourism can contribute to sustainability in all its three pillars – economic, social and environmental. Growth is never the enemy and it is our responsibility to manage it in a sustainable manner,” he added.

New Delhi : Media Steps India, No.312, Vardhaman Sunder Plaza Plot No.12, Sector 12, Dwaraka,

The current strong momentum is also reflected in the UNWTO Panel of Tourism Experts confidence index, based on evaluations and prospects of worldwide experts surveyed every four months since 2003. Experts evaluated tourism performance in the first four months of 2017 with the highest score in 12 years, clearly exceeding their already positive expectations from the start of the period, says the report.

Hyderabad : Media Steps India, Flat G8, Block D1, Hemadurga Towers, Opp. Talkie Town, Miyapur, Telangana - 500 049, India. Tel: +91 40 40257231

So let us hope the trend will continue for the rest of the year.

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The news items and Advertisements published herein have been collected from various source, which are considered to be reliable. Readers are however requested to verif y the facts before making business decisions using the same. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without the writ ten permission from the Publisher.

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Cover Story Sri Lanka Tourism

Sri Lanka- the island beauty!

Hailed as the most beautiful island in the world by Marco Polo, the ancient adventurer traveller, Sri Lanka is truly an island paradise

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et in the Indian Ocean in South Asia, close to the southern side of India, the tropical island nation of Sri Lanka has a history dating back to ancient times. Sri Lanka, known to Indians as Ceylon, had strong ties to this island nation from the past itself. The era of civil war is long gone and now the island nation is all set to welcome tourists to marvel its nature’s beauty consisting of stunning landscapes, pristine beaches, UNESCO World Heritage Sites, wildlife and so. With the government focussing on improvising the infrastructure at tourist destinations and tourist friendly policies, Sri Lanka is spreading out the red carpet welcoming tourists.

Once known as Serendib, Taprobane and Ceylon, Sri Lanka is primarily a Buddhist nation with almost 70% following Buddhism.

Within a mere area of 65,610 km, Sri Lanka has got everything a traveller looks

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for, be it stunning tourist destinations, historical sites, adventure tourism, ancient religious sites, national parks, wildlife and hill stations. Sri Lanka is also fast turning into a destination for MICE tourism.

The relation of this Island nation to India dates

back from ancient times itself. Hindus believe that Sri Lanka was where demon king Ravana held Sita, wife of God Rama as captive after abducting her. The Hindu epic Ramayana written

by Hindu sage Valmiki in Sanskrit has got numerous references including Hanuman, an ardent devotee of Rama and being the son of wind-god Pawan crossing the ocean to reach Lanka from India and Rama building Ram Sethu, the bridge built by the army of Rama to enable the army to cross over to Lanka to save Sita. Geological evidence suggests that Adam’s Bridge is a former

land connection between India and Sri Lanka.

Travel destinations in Sri Lanka provide an array of holiday experience from sun kissed beach holidays to a marathon of wildlife watching, adrenaline pumping adventure sports and pilgrimage to some of the oldest cities in the world. The hospitality extended by Singhalese people is warm and always welcoming. The spicy food, exotic fruits and array of sweetmeats will make every food enthusiast happy in this island nation. With many cultures living together in harmony, the island nation puts forward many cultural attractions to the travellers.

Sri Lanka’s most dynamic sectors are food processing, textiles and apparel, food and beverages, ASIAN TRAVELLER | july 2017

Lanka.

port construction, telecommunications, insurance and banking.

Plantation crops make up only 15% of exports (90% in 1970), while textiles and garments accounts for more than 60%. It is estimated that about 800,000 Sri Lankans work abroad, 90% of them in the Middle East.

Stilt fishing is something which Sri Lanka contributed to the world.

A few meters offshore the fishermen will cast a vertical pole in the ocean and will sit on a cross bar called a petta tied to the pole.

From this high position, the fishermen release his fishing hook to catch the fish. Stilt fishing was tried by the natives primarily to escape the overcrowding fishing spots. However stilt fishing, unique to the island country of Sri Lanka is fast disappearing as many have turned into other lucrative jobs recently. The 30 km stretch of southern shore between the towns of Unawatuna and Weligama, Polhenna Beach are places where you can still find this dying tradition.

of this rock and decorated its sides with colourful frescoes in seven years. The gateway was in the form of an enormous lion which later collapsed and lost its head. Upon the death of the king, the capital and the royal palace were abandoned and used as a Buddhist monastery until the 14th century. Occupied for almost 18 years, it was deserted and left in the jungle for around 1300 years until a British Major Jonathan Forbes discovered it accidentally in 1831. It came to the attention of archaeologists and later revived with the Cultural Triangle Project, launched by the Government of Sri

Considered as the eighth wonder of the world, Sigiriya consists of an ancient citadel built by King Kasyapa during the 5th century. The site contains the ruins of an upper palace located on the flat top of the rock, a mid-level terrace that includes the Lion Gate and the mirror wall with its frescoes, the lower palaces located behind the lavish lower gardens, and moats and ramparts which protected the citadel.

The site was both a palace and a fortress. The upper palace on the top of the rock includes cisterns cut into the rock. The moats and walls that surround the lower palace are exquisitely beautiful. There is a water garden displaying some of the most futuristic elements of landscaping and some of the oldest murals recorded in the country.

The murals of Sigiriya is believed to have covered most of the western face of the rock an area covering approximately 140 m long

and 40 m high. However most have been lost forever.

The Mirror Wall which is also part of the fort was so highly polished that the king could see himself whilst he walked alongside it. The wall is now partially covered with verses scribbled by travellers.

There are three distinct but linked forms of gardens at Sigiriya- water gardens, cave and boulder gardens and terraced gardens.

Climbing Sigiriya Rock, on to the top promises you magnificent views.

Located near to the town of Dambulla in the Central Province of Sri Lanka, it takes almost 60-90 minutes to reach the top depending upon your physical condition. There is also a museum located near the main entrance will help you to get a good knowledge about the place.

Kandy Kandy is another city where tourists as well as devotees throng in Sri Lanka. Kandy was the last capital of the ancient Kings’ era of Sri Lanka and is one of the most scenic cities in Sri Lanka which lies in the midst of hills. It is known for the vast tea plantations.

However religious devotees throng Kandy as it is the

Sigiriya One of the best preserved examples of ancient urban planning, Sigiriya, the ancient rock fortress is believed to be the capital of King Kasyapa. He built the palace on the top july | ASIAN TRAVELLER

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Cover Story Sri Lanka Tourism paintings. In the inner sanctum is a colossal seated image of the Buddha.

Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage

home of the Temple of the Tooth Relic. A World Heritage site by UNESCO, the Temple of the Tooth is one of the most sacred places of worship in the Buddhist world.

Located in the royal palace complex of the former Kingdom of Kandy, Temple of the Sacred Tooth has rituals performed three times a day. On Wednesdays there is a symbolic bathing of the relic with an herbal preparation made from scented water and fragrant flowers. From ancient times, itself the relic has played an important role in kingdom as it is believed that whoever holds the relic holds the governance of the country.

According to beliefs, the tooth relic was smuggled to the island from Kalinga

by Princess Hememali

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and handed over to the Monarch of Sirimeghavanna of Anuradhapura.

Safeguard of the relic was the responsibility of the monarch and therefore over the years the custodianship of relic became to symbolise the right to rule.

The Lankatilaka Vihara or Temple is another attraction for devotees visiting Kandy. One of the ancient Buddhist Temples situated in Kandy, the temple was designed by a South Indian architect.

Archaeologists believe that he used Sinhalese architecture along with Dravidian and Indo Chinese architectural patterns.

Located on the top of a rock, the temple hall is richly decorated with beautiful floral designs.

The two side walls and the ceiling are decorated with

Pinnawala Elephan Orphanage (PEO) is one of the most visited tourist spot in Sri Lanka.

Established to care for injured elephants found in the jungle, PEO today remains one of the few elephant orphanages in Sri Lanka.

It is an orphanage, nursery and captive breeding ground for wild elephants located at Pinnawala,

Kegalle Town. You can see as many as 100’s of elephants at Pinnawala bathing in the river. The concept of elephant orphanage was actualised by the late Hon Minister Kalugalle in 1975.

The place had the advantage that it had lush coconut plantations and plenty of qualified mahouts. The availability of water as the river Ma oya running close by all made Pinnawala the exact location.

The advantage of watching elephants very close in the river, bottle feeding of elephant calves, feeding of all other elephants are the reason why domestic as well as foreign tourists flock here. Tourists also have the opportunity to feed them with bottled milk, vegetables and fruits here.

You can also get the chance to bath the elephants if you are interested. Also, if you are lucky you can see newborn elephant calf. PEO takes care to two elephants injured- Sama and Raja.

Sama lost its leg in a landmine blast and Raja lost his eyesight over a shot with spear gun.

Millennium Elephant Foundation is another

place you can try to watch elephants closer. It has also got a musuem which sheds some informations over elephants like- the pregnancy of elephant lasts from 18-22 months, in a single month an elephant eats over 6 tonnes of coconut leaves and creates 2.5 tonnes of dung, an elephant’s trunk has 100000 muscles and its brain weighs 5 kg. The musuem also houses a full-sized skeleton of elephant. Here tourists can also ride an elephant, if interested. There is also an Elephant Walk Experience which will enable you to walk alongside an elephant for half an hour through the jungle.

ASIAN TRAVELLER | july 2017

Kerala Tourism

Tourism news that made headlines in Kerala Homestays & Rural Tourism Travel Meet 2017

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erala Homestay and Tourism Society (Kerala HATS) is proud to announce the 2nd edition of Homestays and Rural Tourism Travel Meet 2017 will be organised on 15th September to 17th

September, 2017 at the Bolgatty Convention Centre, Kochi. Homestays & Rural Tourism Travel Meet 2017 aims to prepare the tourism industry to understand the value & importance of homestays, and serviced villas of Kerala. It aims to turn the focus on Rural Tourism, particularly in Kerala and seeks to provide a window of opportunity to the Homestay segment in Kerala by providing them with a platform to showcase themselves to the travel & tourism industry in India and abroad.

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KeralaHATS has been formed basically to serve as a consortium of Homestay providers and tourism promoters for the effective co-ordination of tourism activities in Kerala and also to ensure qualitative and competitive service.

KeralaHATS while striving to enhance the working conditions of Homestay providers and tourism providers would also join hands with conservation of natural resources and environment, upkeep of heritage structures and monuments.

Kerala Tourism’s Mobile app ‘Expressions’

Kerala Tourism’s Mobile app ‘Expressions’ presents various moods and actions similar to those used as smileys in smart phones. These are presented via the various classical art forms of Kerala like Mohini Attam, Kootiattam, Ottan Thullal, Chakiar Koothu,

Kumar and Mohini AttamSmitha Rajan.

Paddlers to battle it out at Malabar River Festival

The fifth edition of the Malabar River Festival, considered as Asia’s biggest Kayaking festival, will start off from July 20. This fourday event will see around 150 participants from across the world battle it out in the waters.

Seethankan Thullal, Kathakali. The name of the art form and the artist can be viewed at the end of the video. There is a provision for sharing these videos with social media apps like WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger.

The artistes appeared are Kootiattam- Kalamandalam Sivan Namboodiri, Ottan Thullal- Kalamandalam Geethanandan, Chakiar Koothu- Margi Sajeev, Seethankan Thullal- Kalamandalam Geethanandan, Kathakali Chuvanna Thadi- Kalamandalam Balakrishnan, Kathakali Vella Thadi- Kalamandalam Parthasarathy, Kathakali Kathi- Kottackal Ravi

Considered as the sole extreme adventure competition in southern India, the Malabar River Festival will have kayaking events held across the rapids of the rivers Chalipuzha, Iruvanjhipuza and Kuttiyadi in Malabar.

The competitions would be held in three categories namely beginners, intermediate kayakers and a separate category for the best paddlers from the Indian Sub-continent. The competition is organised on the behalf of Kerala Adventure Tourism Promotion Society by Kerala Kayak Academy and Madras Fun Tools.

Wayanad to Host Splash-Wayanad Monsoon Carnival Wayanad is all set to

ASIAN TRAVELLER | July 2017

host the eighth edition of Splash-Wayanad Monsoon Carnival. A host of outdoor sports events such as mud football, archery and so on will be held as part of this unique carnival.

A Business to Business meet (B2B) will also be held in the sidelines of Splash 2017 which will be a platform for the interaction of travel agents with property owners in Wayanad. Over 400 travel agents are expected to participate in the B2B event which is one of the key attractions of Splash.

It is an event to showcase the numerous tourist attractions and activities in Wayanad District. This is an eagerly awaited event - being second largest gathering in the Tourism Industry of Kerala. The Splash B2B Meet is an excellent opportunity for meeting and interaction of Buyers & Sellers. Hotels, Resorts, Homestays, Tour Operators, Medical Tourism, Ayurveda Resorts and Plantation Resorts will exhibit their properties and products.

This year, Resorts & Homestays from neighbouring areas like Coorg, Nilgiris, Mysore, Kannur, Kasargod & Bekal will also participate in the event.

Destination visit, Property visit, Outdoor activities, Adventure activities, Cultural programmes, Sponsored programmes are some of the july | ASIAN TRAVELLER

other major highlights of the event.

Selected Buyers are entitled to Complimentary Accommodation for 4 Nights/4 Days (July 6th, 7th, 8th & 9th) and transfers (Calicut to Calicut and in Wayanad). They will also be provided with transport for FAM Tours & will be our guests at the Cultural & other Sponsored Programmes.

A joint venture of Kerala Tourism, Government of Kerala and Wayanad Tourism Organisation (WTO), this three-day gala will be held in the scenic Kalpetta in Wayanad from July 7, 2017.

Kovalam to Host Literary Fest

Come November and Kovalam is all set to host a grand literary festival where leading writers and thinkers from India and abroad will meet and discuss books.

The ‘Books on the Beach’ fest supported by Kerala Tourism is organised by the non-profit India Book Foundation under the patronage of Shashi Tharoor MP. The first edition of this one-of-a-kind lit-fest will be held from November 10-12.

The event which will host book readings and recitals by writers, artists, environmentalists, academics, reporters, editors, and essayists will also see discourses on a wide range of topics.

The three-day event will be more of a cultural

fete where one gets to enjoy good literature, music, food and cultural programmes. Further, this literary festival will engage on contemporary issues, conduct discourses on environment, scientific progress and so on.

A ‘Books on the Beach Book Club’ which will organise writing workshops and reading sessions is also on the anvil. The fest will act as an annual platform to celebrate the best works in Indian and world literature.

This unique lit fest will provide a boost to tourism in the state and will help in its promotion as one of the major destinations for culture and tourism.

Kerala featured in ABTA’s 12 destinations to watch in 2017

Kerala has been pegged as a Destination to Watch in 2017 by one of UK’s largest and most influential body of travel agents and tour operators. God’s Own Country is the only Indian entry in the list of 12 tourist hotspots brought out by the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA). The list, featured in ABTA’s Travel Trends Report 2017, has Kerala in the eighth

spot, higher than premier destinations like the USA, South Africa and Vietnam. The rankings consist of locations that are expected to capture travellers’ imaginations over the next year. “Kerala is known around the world for its authentic tourism products, a commitment to sustainable and responsible tourism practices and for providing diverse experiences to travellers.

This latest recognition of Kerala’s stature as a must-visit destination is a matter of pride for us,” said Minister for Tourism Kadakampally Surendran. Among the not-to-miss experiences mentioned in the report is a journey through the placid backwaters in the traditional houseboat, “as the life of the local people, spice plantations and forests slowly unfold before you.”

“Making the list signifies an excellent start and will add momentum to our ongoing efforts to promote and showcase Kerala around the world. This is especially important in the UK, which is our primary source market for tourists,” Principal Secretary (Tourism) Venu V said.

Kerala received 1,66,792 tourists from the UK in 2015, which accounted for a 17.06 per cent share of the total foreign tourist arrivals to the state, an official release said.

Andalucia figures first in the list followed by The Azores, Bermuda, Chile, County Kerry, Croatia, Denmark, Sardinia, South Africa, USA-The Southern States and Vietnam.

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NEWSLINE

Spiceland Holidays launches Destination Hub at Kochi Spiceland Holidays, the global Destination Management Company with offices across all major cities in India and abroad has rebranded and launched Destination Hub at Kochi making it the largest tourism facilitation centre in South India. The hub was launched by Hon. Arundika Fernando, Deputy Minister of Tourism & Christian Religious Affairs – Sri Lanka and Hon. Ravindra Samaraweera, Minister of Labour& Trade Union Relations – Sri Lanka in a function held last week.

Destination Hub is a unique initiative with a focus on providing a platform for National and

International Tourism Boards to showcase their products and services.

Kochi is regarded as one of the largest spending market for outbound travel and Spiceland Holidays with its team of experts assures a quality service to its stakeholders.

Spiceland has a strong hold presence in India as well as Sri Lanka. Relationship between both these countries dates centuries before; India and Sri Lanka share a common legacy of intellectual, cultural, religious and linguistic interaction. In 21st Century Spiceland Holidays is one of the biggest Consolidator for India and Sri Lanka with corporate offices in both countries providing state of the art services to cater

customers from different walks of life Since its inception in 2004 into the Tourism and Hospitality sector in Kerala, Spiceland Holidays is committed to provide the best service to its clients.

With a motto to promote ‘India with a difference’ Spiceland Holidays have branches at Cochin, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Coimbatore, Ahmadabad, Bangalore, Chennai, New Delhi, Kolkata, Pune, Chandigarh, Surat and Vijayawada in India and to cater to international tourists (FIT & GROUPS) part from India Spiceland also ventured to global market with branches in USA, London, Russia, Germany, Sydney and Riyadh. Spiceland Holidays is recognised by India Tourism, Government of India, Government of Kerala and Government of Sri Lanka.

Langkawi to host PATA Travel Mart 2018 Langkawi is the venue for PATA Travel Mart 2018 (PTM 2018) with this signature Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) event being hosted by Tourism Malaysia and Langkawi Development Authority.

The announcement was made last month by the Association’s CEO Dr. Mario Hardy during the PATA Annual Summit in Negombo, Sri Lanka.

Dr. Hardy said, “Tourism Malaysia and Langkawi Development Authority have been a valuable PATA member and partner since 1959 and 2017 respectively and we look forward to the opportunity of showcasing the culture, heritage and beauty of Langkawi.

Delegates to PTM 2018 will experience one of Asia’s most remarkable and

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attractive destinations.”

Tourism Malaysia Director General, Datuk Seri Mirza Mohammad Taiyab said, “Malaysia is proud and honoured to be given the opportunity to host another PATA event again, this time in the beautiful island of Langkawi. We are pleased to be co-hosts of PATA Travel Mart 2018 with Langkawi Development Authority and look forward to welcoming all PATA members to Malaysia for a fruitful and memorable meeting and networking session.”

Langkawi, described as the ‘Isle of Legends’ and ‘Jewel of Kedah’, is one of the world’s great paradise island getaways.

A magnet for international eco-tourism, Langkawi was designated a Global

Geopark by UNESCO. It is home to numerous tourist attractions and luxury hotels, yet it also retains its ‘old Malaysia’ charm.

Langkawi is the main island in an archipelago of 99 islands in the Andaman Sea situated off the coast of Peninsular Malaysia.

Part of the Malaysian state of Kedah, it lies south of Thailand and east of Indonesian Sumatra.

PATA Travel Mart is AsiaPacific’s premier travel trade show featuring unparalleled networking and contracting opportunities to help travel and tourism organisations access decision makers,

meet new clients, expand their networks, establish new relationships and consolidate existing business partnerships.

Founded in 1951, PATA is a not-for-profit membership association that acts a catalyst for the responsible development of travel and tourism to, from and within the Asia Pacific region. PATA’s Head Office has been in Bangkok since 1998. The Association also has official offices or representation in Beijing, Sydney and London.

ASIAN TRAVELLER | July 2017

Interview

The sea-food specialist- The Paragon Paragon Hotel has grown into a brand now. Tell us about the beginning of Paragon story?

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t is said that the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. Good food always creates strong memories that wouldn’t fade away in time. That’s precisely the reason why people came to Kozhikode from different parts of Kerala just to savour the delicacies from Paragon Hotel situated under the CH Bridge at Kozhikode. The satisfied customer returns again to their favourite place The Paragon Hotel often while the strong word of mouth makes others to try the food there.

The Paragon Hotel initially offered a fusion of the Malabar region’s Moplah and Thiyya Cuisines and later introduced pan Indian dishes, Japanese, Mexican, Arabic, Chinese, Italian and Thai specialities.

Sumesh Govind, MD talks about the success story of The Paragon and how it became the hot hub for seafood specialities.

The story of Paragon begins with my grandfather Govindhan who came to Kozhikode from Kannur in 1939. In the same year he established the hotel in the same spot where The Paragon Kozhikode now stands. Within a short while the hotel rose to prominence with its delicious food items. A speciality called Ribbon cake was the top selling item back in the 40’s. Many artists and writers like film director G Aravindan, poets N V Krishna Warrier, Uroob, and writers S K Pottekkatt, Vaikom Muhammad Basheer, V K N used to visit our shop frequently. We are indeed proud to say that we have a rich history of around 78 years in this field.

Apart from Kozhikode, we have branches at Edapally Lulu Mall, Kakkanad Info Park, Dubai and Sharjah.

Also we have three brands under Paragon like Salkara, M-Grill and Brown Town.

After your grandfather passed away your father took away over the Paragon. The group ventured into some other areas during that period. Can you talk about it?

Yes, after grandfather my father Valsan took over the business. The hotel became more famous among people during that period and we had excellent business.

During that time my father became interested in film field and tried his luck in film distribution. As a result the hotel business suffered.

His untimely death also made situations difficult.

So, my mother Saraswathi took over the control of the hotel. She planned to put me in the managerial position of the hotel once I completed my studies.

How prepared you were to deal with the business?

To take The Paragon to today’s position, we worked a lot. We introduced new dishes in The Paragon.

Some of them were my mum’s preparation, dishes she used to serve me at home. We introduced them here and the response was overwhelming. It gave us the courage to introduce more dishes.

Also, we were very specific about maintaining hygiene inside the kitchen and the restaurant. The staffs were trained to well behave with the customers which helped us to gain repeated customers.

Besides, I have my food from the restaurant itself when the rush submerges not in a special area but in the same area where customers have their food.

It increases the reliability factor on us, a place for the families to eat.

Tell us about the awards and july | ASIAN TRAVELLER

achievements The Paragon has achieved?

In 2013 we won the award for the best coastal cuisine restaurant by Times Now. We were selected as the best budget restaurant three times by Time Out magazine which enabled us to secure the Time Out Restaurant Award. It is really a great achievement considering the fact that we competed with 4000 hotels for this award instituted by this American magazine.

We value most the customers’ satisfaction than anything else. Many prominent personalities especially from sociopolitical-cultural area have also tasted food from The Paragon like politicians Nitin Gadkari, Sitaram Yechury, Rahul Gandhi, actors like Mohanlal, Jayaram, Suresh Gopi, Shankar Mahadevan and writer M T Vasudevan Nair who were all highly impressed about the food at The Paragon.

What is your secret of success?

Hard work, constant innovation and our employees. You need to be very vigilant in this business. A slight mistake will earn you a bad reputation which will be hard to overcome. We are proud to have our staff which numbers around 1600 who do their job neatly at utmost sincerity. My wife Liju also supports me in leading the group.

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NEWSLINE

International Conference on Tourism Technology 2017 concludes Department of Tourism.

The second edition of India’s biggest tourism technology meet, International Conference on Tourism Technology (ICTT), which ran three days from June 8 to 10 at Le Meridien, Kochi concluded. The event inaugurated by Tourism Minister Kadakampally Surendran focused on the most pertinent aspects of building businesses on technology platforms.

This included topics such as managing online reputations; using WhatsApp, Snapchat, Facebook, Instagram and other such tools for product marketing; writing content for websites and blogs; making payment gateway more efficient; and video marketing on Facebook Live and YouTube.

During the inaugural speech Tourism Minister Kadakampally Surendran said that the new liquor policy by LDF government will upgrade Kerala’s status as a prominent tourist destination. “Kerala tourism has been exploring new media as a key platform and has witnessed the reach and response to it. ICTT is the gateway to improve our social media presence and it would eventually enhance the tourism sector,” he noted.

The inauguration function held at Hotel Le Meridien on June 8 had the presence of Hibi Eden MLA, Venu V, Principal Secretary, Department of Tourism, and Bala Kiran, Director,

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“Earlier, the online platform was termed as a big threat to the tourism trade. However the inception of ICTT explored different ways to convert this threat into an opportunity. Around 500 delegates, including tour operators, hoteliers, resort owners, home stays, SEO, social media marketing companies and bloggers, attended the conference,” said Association of Tourism Trade Organisation president Anish Kumar P K. Venu launched the twitter campaign #Kerala #IndiaForBeginners on the sidelines of the event.

“Tourists coming to India normally prefer to visit the ‘Golden Triangle (Delhi, Agra, Jaipur)’ as their first choice. The hashtag campaign aims to attract more domestic and international tourists to Kerala by showcasing the unique factors of the state,” Anish added.

Over 15 subject experts across the globe offered their insights on 24 different topics related to online promotion of the business.

“The excitement among the tour operators and property owners is very much visible at the ongoing international conference on tourism technology in Kochi,” said P Bala Kiran, Tourism Director.

The government has already sanctioned Rs 5.55 crore for the lean season campaign in the national markets for campaign through TV channel, cinema halls, radio, airport translites, OTT (over the top) channels, besides online platforms like

Facebook website click ads, Google display retargeting ads, video promotions, short videos, Facebook video campaign and YouTube video campaign. The project also includes development of high quality images for campaign at print, airport translites and digital.

The focus of the campaign is on families from cities of Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, West Bengal and south Indian cities of Bengaluru, Chennai and Hyderabad.

“We have started the campaign in popular Hindi and English TV channels and cinema halls, including PVR and UFO. Besides using the traditional media, the digital marketing is being done in a big way this time,” Bala Kiran said.

“The countries and states have been categorised into four or five sections as per the growth of tourist arrival from these source markets for a proportional spending on marketing,” the tourism director pointed out. The department has cancelled or decided not to attend all the trade fairs in Eastern Europe and similar markets which have not yielded any result despite earlier participations and promotions.

Storytelling, the new art!

Vijay Prabhat Kamalakara, founder of Chennai-based start-up `Storytrails’ and recipient of the `Young Creative Entrepreneur Award’ from the British Council spoke about the art of storytelling to promote destinations in Kerala.

“The key elements are engaging experiences, people with intriguing perspectives, and memorable events.

Storytelling for tourism destinations sounds

very much like a natural part of what marketing a destination means and what is involved in promoting travel experiences in a destination,” Kamalakara said.

“After all, memorable travel experiences are all about stories: stories of the local communities and their cultural traditions, stories told by the expert storytellers, and stories about the travellers themselves that become part of travel experiences.

This would help the travel agents to develop a new strategy to engage their guests,” said ATTOI President Anish Kumar P.K. Georgia-based tech speaker Lauren Cleland spoke on the art of video story-telling. She, during the session, introduced the Savannah’s tourism promotion strategies through video story-telling.

“If a photograph is worth thousand words, a video is worth million as videos are the live formats of photographs. The video gives more authenticity.

The live video feeds through the social media platforms are the best options for being genuine of what you market,” Cleland added.

The closing day’s sessions also addressed topics including Online Travel Agents websites, reviews, online reputations revenue management and even consumer behaviour.

There were also brainstorming sessions by experts in different fields related to technology and tourism. Andre Chow (Singapore), Billy Taylor (New Zealand), Christopher Tock (Malaysia), Donna Mortiz (Australia), Lauren Cleland (USA), Nicky Kriel (U.K.), and Pierre Marechal (Belgium) took sessions in ICTT 2017.

ASIAN TRAVELLER | July 2017

NEWSLINE

Thailand Travel Mart Plus in Chiang Mai records 1.4 billion Baht in business transactions Thailand’s main travel trade show, the Thailand Travel Mart Plus Amazing Gateway to the Greater Mekong Subregion (TTM+), made an estimated 1.441 billion Baht (US$41.2 million) worth of business transactions, according to surveys conducted by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT).

The three-day event held between 14-17 June in the northern capital of Chiang Mai recorded a total of 15,569 business appointments between 419 buyers from 56 countries and 358 sellers from Thailand and its neighbouring countries in the Greater Mekong Subregion (Myanmar, Lao PDR., Cambodia and Vietnam). Both buyers and sellers reported high levels of satisfaction with the overall event, with a majority expressing a desire to attend again in 2018.

As hotels and resorts comprised the largest component of sellers, they also recorded the highest value of business, an estimated 1.055 billion Baht (US$ 30.1 million) or 73.2 per cent of the total business value, as indicated by the TAT-commissioned surveys.

The total number of buyers was up 21 per cent over the TTM+ 2016, which was the highest turnout in six years, amongst both first-time buyers and non-hosted buyers.

First-time buyers totalled 199 (47.50 per cent) while the remaining 220 buyers (52.50 per cent) were repeat attendees.

Yuthasak Supasorn, TAT Governor said, “This year, we paid special attention to ensuring a high quality of buyers. All were carefully selected and July 2017 | ASIAN TRAVELLER

whetted in cooperation with representatives of the Thai travel agents and tour operators and other marketing experts in the source markets of each region. I am indeed happy that we enjoyed a good turnout and high levels of satisfaction amongst the buyers.”

Amongst the sellers, first-time participants totalled 104, accounting for 29 per cent of the total.

Each had an average of 35 appointments. The trade show reached a satisfactory level with many saying that the event helped them generate business. Most have expressed interest in attending the TTM+ 2018.

High satisfaction levels were also reported by the 445 delegates who attended the Tourism Trend Talk Forum on 14 June, 2017.

Led by H.E. Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul, Minister of Tourism and Sports who spoke on the topic “Community-based tourism”, the Forum featured world-renowned speakers Mason Florence, Chairman of the World’s 50 Best Restaurant Academy who offered new insights on “Global Trends in Gastronomy”, Professor Dr. David Beirman, Senior Lecturer from the University of New South Wales in Australia who spoke on “Tourism Crisis Management”, and Sarah Matthews, Head of Destination Marketing AsiaPacific from TripAdvisor who focussed on “Digital Age: E-Commerce Platform”.

The response forms collected indicated a satisfaction level of 87 per cent, with many commenting that the information provided will help them expand their

business and develop new sales and marketing strategies.

Most delegates expressed interest in attending next year’s Forum.

A panel discussion on “CLMVT: Moving towards Shared Prosperity” was also held on 15 June, 2017, to give opportunities and build tourism cooperation between the CLMVT countries (Cambodia, Lao PDR., Myanmar, Vietnam, and Thailand).

Underlined with the following topics: Living heritage; Atelier of creativity: Local experiences, Lively metropolis and Foodie experiences, Self-drive and overland experience, and Local luxury by cruise, speakers noted that the region was dotted with iconic tourist spots, popular cities, and scenic cruising destinations; such as, Bangkok, Angkor Wat, and Halong Bay, respectively.

Myanmar and Lao PDR., too, have rich heritage sites; namely, Bagan and Luang Prabang. Also, an increase in road connectivity will be a major facilitator of travel, especially for landlocked countries; such as, Lao PDR., which has eight overland border checkpoints with Thailand, including four via Friendship Bridges over the Mekong River. This is good Thailand travel news, as more tourists choose to visit more than one destination in one trip.

Jens Thraenhart, Executive Director, Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office, briefed participants on the outcomes of the

recent Mekong Tourism Forum (MTF) held in Luang Prabang. The next MTF is to be held in the Thai Northeastern province of Nakhon Phanom, which will open up another major destination in the region.

On 16 June, 2017, 598 delegates, including 64 community-based tourism businesses and hotels operators, and 534 instructors and students of tourism at Northern Thailand tourism faculties and training institutes attended a special Marketing Plus seminar designed to update them with global trends.

Featuring the speakers line-up of Thailand’s leading travel and tourism executives in various fields, representing both public and private sectors, the information-packed seminar proved to be a very useful informationgenerating platform for those who rarely get a chance to attend international travel events and conferences.

Delegates reported that the seminar gave them new insights, and also allowed the tourism instructors to also update their knowledge-base and discover Thailand Tourism news. Students also found it useful in helping them choose career paths.

Completing a successful two-year run in Chiang Mai, the TTM+ will now move to the resort city of Pattaya for the 2018 event.

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Property Scan

A blend of luxury and comfort of stay.

“Grand Plaza Munnar has 39 elegantly furnished spacious rooms.

Each room is individually designed in such a way Mr.Balaji A R Mr. Anish Kumar Y Genaral Manager Business Development Manager that it offers a breathtaking unnar view of the tea plantations is undoubtedly and the river. Guests can one of the most sought after tourist choose from four kinds of rooms at Grand Plazadestination in South Elegance, Ambience, India. This hill station was Eminence Suite and once the summer resort Eminence Royal,” says of the erstwhile British Balaji A R, GM, Grand Government which speaks Plaza Munnar. Elegance is a lot about the beauty and the basic rooms complete climate of the place. It with all the basic facilities is situated above 1600 m a traveller looks for. Yet the above mean sea level in stay is comfortable with the Western Ghats range all requirements- neatly of mountains. The word furnished, cable connection, Munnar is believed to cold / hot water, 24 hours denote the confluence of room service, direct three rivers- Mudrapuzha, dialling telephones etc.

Nallathanni and Kundala.

Ambience rooms offer a Sprawling tea little more cozy rooms with plantations, picturesque

M

towns, winding lanes and holiday facilities make Munnar a popular resort town. Munnar offers a variety of options to stay and enjoy nature’s beauty at its best. Among one such resort is Grand Plaza, Munnar. Located at MSA Road, Munnar, Grand Plaza offers you the wonderful stay that you had dreamed in this heavenly place.

Grand Plaza Munnar owned by EVM Group, one of Kerala’s leading business houses does not compromise on the quality 16

all amenities and promises breath-taking views of lush-green tea plantation hills surrounding the place.

Eminence Suite room is the next level of comfort.

This luxurious and spacious suite room comes with a separate suite room with a separate living room, dining space and dressing area.

Eminence Royal room is the utmost in comfort you can long for. Apart from all the amenities you get in Eminence Suite room, it has got sliding glass doors in the

bedroom which will enable you to watch the mountains and stream from your bed itself. To get the maximum of your stay, spend a night in Eminence Royal where you will feel like the King.

equipped board room can accommodate 150 pax with comfortable seating. It is the ideal setting for corporate houses and for training programs that perfectly blend in with nature.

For a hotel which provides such majestic accommodation should have equally competitive restaurant. Grand Spices is the multi-cuisine restaurant at Grand Plaza Munnar which offers food that will tempt the food enthusiast in every traveller. The majestic setting lends enchantment

“One thing Grand Plaza Munnar is really proud is that the good reviews put out by guests about the quality of service of the staff be it at the hotel or the restaurant. We are proud on the fact that we could constantly maintain good reviews in several online review portals. We were also

to a cozy meal. The hotel serves Indian, Chinese and Continental cuisine.

Excellent cuisine, quality service and discrete atmosphere! What more can you wish for?

the winner of Better Holiday Awards by HolidayIQ in 2017,” says Anish Kumar Y, Business Development Manager, Grand Plaza Munnar.

Grand Plaza Munnar is also ideal for small family functions and meetings.

Grand tee off, overlooking the golf course, the fully ASIAN TRAVELLER | July 2017

Woman of the month

Tete-a-tete with Sindhu Saikumar

Sindhu Saikumar, the Corporate General Manager of INDeco Leisure Hotels Pvt Ltd opens up her mind on how she fell in love with the hospitality industry and her experiences so far It seems you have, over the years, established yourself in the hospitality industry. What attracted you to this business segment and how has been the journey so far?

I converted my passion into a dream, made that dream my only desire. Over a period of time learned to manifest that desire.

You may think why I chose hospitality! But my belief is that if you are passionate about it, you can literally be God. Hospitality is a business that can be very country caring if you choose to. And I am one. I think now my mind is fixed it will be Hospitality and country till the very end. When I say country, I mean our culture, heritage, lifestyle and people at large. I continue the journey because it has been fascinating. Yes, the road is tough. And I know I have miles to go.

When I had to make a decision whether I should work with big companies or great people, I made a very strong decision.

I chose the latter. God has been very kind to me. I had the privilege of having work with stalwarts like Mr. Vijayakumar, Managing Trustee of Ramakrishna Trust, Coimbatore. Mr. Steve Borgia, Chairman and Managing Director of INDeco Leisure Hotels, Chennai.

What are your plans and changes you will implement in your organisation to attract tourists/customers?

Very soon in my career I have come to understand that India should look into Niche tourism and not Mass tourism. My focus is all going to be on Niche tourism. This is not only to bring in tourists but also to promote rural India. The rural per-capita income has to go up. And for this the hospitality industry is best suited. I wish to travel on this road until the very end whereby the rural and the urban inhabitants will have equal opportunity.

Brief us about your first assignment in the hospitality industry?

I’m not one of those that born with the golden spoon but certainly the good lord have provided me with golden opportunities. I

must have done something very good in my previous life. In my first assignment I was an Executive officer and my responsibility was to create a hotel at Annaikatti, Coimbatore and successfully market it. And now I’m the Corporate General Manager where I drive the business plan of the INDeco group of Hotels. You will be surprised how my desire has become my career. I could not ask for more.

Having been in the industry for quite some time, you will surely be having some great moments of glory. Do you mind sharing them?

True, I head a Corporate in the hospitality sector but I’m busy cleaning villages, restoring temples, protecting art and culture in rural pockets. My core function is to lead the vision of the group. Use the hospitality sector to take care of the villages. Today I find myself promoting what the villages know, have and do, ultimately finding the growth in their per-capita income. And that is my joy.

My only joy!

Being a woman, what were the hurdles you faced from the industry?

Yes, the usual ones that any woman faces. But my mentors thought me to focus on the vision 24/7 and ignore the rest. Truly I have learnt to handle them on day to day basis.

Actually, today while crossing 25 years, I expect more but experience less.

That’s probably because I have long term plans and avoid short term jumps for peanut gains. I know well that bullshit can take me to the top. But will not keep there long. Frankly speaking gender issues have become a passe’ in my life.

How do you rate your career success so far?

You must tell me that...

But I know I have miles to go before I sleep...

From the career point of view, isn’t a job in the tourism sector very challenging? Tell us from your experience how you have handled demanding situations with calm and dignity?

I always look for responsibility and not a career... I love challenges.

Self-respect and dignity are a part of my core.

Incidentally I have always sought challenges. Well, if I do not have one, that’s when I look for a change.

Who is the most influential person in your life?

The permanent influences of my life are - Mahatma Gandhi as a Master Schemer, and MGR as an influencer. Though negative, I admire Hitler the way he has achieved what he wanted. Mr. Rajalingam (late) Founder of Texcel International has also influenced me. But today I’m highly influenced by the vision of my boss Mr. Steve Borgia and wish to share that platform.

How special is the family for you? How important is it for you to spend some lighter moments with other members of your family?

Very special! Especially my mother and my kid brother. Because I know, apart from my emotions, I’m accountable to their well being.

Your future aspirations and plans

I told you they will be no shift in my vision or my desire. The journey is long and I have miles to go before I sleep. I learn and I achieve every moment of my life.

AIRLINE NEWS

Flydubai to roll out new uniform Dubai-based flydubai announces the roll out of a new uniform as it enters its ninth year of operation.

The new design will be worn by more than 2,500 uniformed staff across the flydubai network; including Pilots, Cabin Crew, Training, Engineering and Maintenance staff as well as members of staff at the airport and flydubai Travel Shops.

This is the carrier’s first uniform redesign since its first flight took to the sky on 01 June 2009. The roll out of this new look is scheduled to coincide with the introduction of the airline’s first Boeing 737 MAX 8, which will join the flydubai fleet later this year.

Commenting on the launch of the new uniform, Ghaith Al Ghaith, Chief Executive Officer at flydubai, said: “flydubai has evolved continuously since its inception; we’ve continued to push boundaries and change the way people travel around the region.”

“Our desire to meet the varying travel needs of our passengers with affordable, reliable travel services still lies at the heart of our proposition; however, we have come a long way from being a start-up airline and this maturity needs to be reflected through multiple touchpoints across the airline, undoubtedly the uniform is the most visible of all,” added Al Ghaith. flydubai has teamed up with A. Ronai LLC., a Dubai based hospitality supplier, to create the new look for the carrier: one that exudes the spirit of the brand but also meets the operational and practical demands of the roles of uniformed staff perform

18

every day.

“The line ‘Look good.

Feel better. Perform best.’ captures the essence of the new uniform”, said Jilly Sims, Senior Vice President of Inflight Service at flydubai, and continued: “The design takes into consideration the various working environments of the flydubai staff including varied climates, cultural and religious sensitivities, durability and practicality, versatility, cost-efficiency, as well as security, health and safety regulations.”

Commenting on the design elements of the new uniform, Laura Newman, Senior Manager Brand Strategy, who worked on the launch project, said: “flydubai staff, especially the customer-facing employees, are our ambassadors and the very embodiment of our brand and its values, and as such, they are an important point of brand engagement with our passengers on the ground and in the air. When we started working on the new uniform, we were clear that we are not only looking to make a fashion statement but to come up with a design that represents who we are as a company: Dynamic, Efficient, Reliable and Human.”

The carrier operates a fleet of 58 Next-Generation Boeing 737- 800 and created a network of 94 destinations in 44 countries, spanning from Prague

to Bangkok. flydubai is set to take delivery of 100 Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft ordered at the 2013 Dubai International Airshow by the end of 2023.

Dubai-based flydubai strives to remove barriers to travel and enhance connectivity between different cultures across its everexpanding network. Since launching its operations in 2009, flydubai has created a network of 94 destinations in 44 countries. It has also opened up 63 new routes that did not previously have direct air links to Dubai or were not served by a UAE national carrier from Dubai. In addition, flydubai’s agility and flexibility as a young airline has enhanced Dubai’s economic development, in line with the Government of Dubai’s vision, by creating trade and tourism flows in previously underserved markets.

ASIAN TRAVELLER | July 2017

AIRLINE NEWS

Jet Airways expands Codeshares to Europe with Air France, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, and Delta air lines Jet Airways, India’s full-service premier international airline, announced codeshare enhancements with Air France, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, and Delta Air Lines.

Under the expanded scope, the carriers will expand choice and connectivity options for guests flying between India and Europe. In the first instance, Air France and Delta are code-sharing on Jet Airways’ current service between Mumbai and Paris.

Additionally, Air France, together with KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and Delta Air Lines, also codeshare on Jet Airways’ newly announced flight between Chennai and Paris, scheduled to begin October 29, 2017.

KLM Royal Dutch

Airlines and Delta Air Lines will also codeshare on Jet Airways’ daily flight between Bengaluru and Amsterdam commencing October 29, 2017.

Additionally, Delta Air Lines will also codeshare on Jet Airways’ third frequency between Mumbai and London.

Athens, Barcelona, Bilbao, Budapest, Dublin, Krakow, Leeds, Lisbon, London Heathrow, Lyon, Nice and Warsaw will now be seamlessly connected on code-shared flights. Jet Airways also codeshares on Air France services connecting Mumbai and Paris as well as KLM’s newly-announced thricea-week service between Mumbai and Amsterdam, beginning October 29, 2017.

All these new flights are already open for sale.

The new codeshare additions enable the airline’s guests to enjoy convenient access to as many as 43 European destinations via Amsterdam and 27 via Paris as well as 34 in North America, together with the unmatched flexibility and choice of flying via multiple gateways and routes. Guests travelling from Europe or North America will gain easy access to 45 Indian cities on Jet Airways’ extensive domestic network via Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi and Mumbai.

Jayaraj Shanmugam, Chief Commercial Officer, Jet Airways, said, “The expanded cooperation

reaffirms our commitment to offer our guests choice and seamless connectivity.

In fact, our guests travelling to Europe and North America can benefit immensely from our multigateway connectivity to all destinations on Air France, KLM and Delta’s networks. The partnership significantly expands our reach in key markets and adds even more destinations to our already extensive international network, thereby reinforcing our position as India’s premier international airline.”

Hospitality news

New Executive Meeting Package at Imperial Villa, Intercontinental Bali Resort staff are on hand to cater to every aspect of your meeting requirements, with a comprehensive bespoke service including the full scope of state-of-the-art audio-visual technologies and PA equipment readily available.

InterContinental Bali Resort is taking traditional meetings to luxurious new heights by offering a new Executive Meeting Package that provides the perfect balance between business and leisure. Hidden away from the main resort, the meeting venue is the palatial, ocean-view Imperial Villa, selected to capture a genuine sense of place that will inspire participants and achieve

results. Complete with a private swimming pool, convivial relaxation spaces for breaks and cocktail receptions for up to 40 guests, dining areas for lunches and dinners, and a large meeting room, this icon of pure sophistication and extravagance blends contemporary Balinese residential style with Javanese accents.

The Executive Meeting Package at InterContinental Bali Resort’s Imperial Villa is valid for a minimum of 15 participants with a minimum stay of three nights at the Resort. The accommodation for this package is the newly renovated Singaraja room that embodies the finest attributes of contemporary Balinese design and ultimately anticipates the needs of all international travellers. Guests also have the option of upgrading their accommodation to Club InterContinental.

A specialised team of highly-trained, professional

The price of the Executive Meeting Package

starts from USD 14,000++ and includes a Balinese welcome ceremony and a 60-minute welcome cocktail party on the first night. This package is inclusive of daily lunch and dinner and two coffee breaks, all of which are served at the Imperial Villa, with additional valueadded benefits including a one-time dinner presented at an alternative indoor or outdoor dining venue at the Resort, plus the provision of a two-hour team building activity.

In addition, participants receive exceptional concierge services, gym, pool and leisure facilities, room service, 24-hour high speed Internet, and much more. Book the Executive Meeting Package directly through InterContinental Hotel Group’s Rewards Club and earn Double Points.

The rate is subject to 21% government tax and service charge.

St George’s Hotel introduces five brand new luxury rooftop bedrooms After a successful planning application in 2016 and an ambitious eightmonth building project starting in November last year, work is finally nearing completion for the St George’s Hotel, Wales UK roof development creating five brand new luxury balcony bedrooms that will proudly sit on the new top level of the hotel – The Rooftop.

The project saw the roof completely removed from the 163-year-old building and raised by two metres in order to accommodate the five exclusive new rooms.

Even though the façade of the historic seafront hotel was covered from ground to gable in scaffolding 20

the internal areas were unaffected and the hotel operated as normal, hosting weddings and events as normal.

Work even continued through one of the biggest gales to hit North Wales in years, typically at a crucial point in the project, a time the hotel was ‘roofless’.

Storm ‘Doris’ battered the hotel ripping all the waterproof sheeting off the scaffolding, causing water to

leak into the top floor of the building.

Situated on the promenade overlooking the Bay of Llandudno, the Seaview bedrooms are extremely sought after throughout the year. The five Rooftop bedrooms will be a very exciting addition to the existing 76 bedrooms and being positioned at the highest point of the hotel they will no doubt be extremely popular. The exclusive new Rooftop Rooms are available to book from the 11th June 2017.

The new rooms will capitalise on their elevated position and stunning Orme to Orme view by

having a large glass patio door leading out onto a panoramic seaview balcony.

The rooms will also benefit from having some of the latest in-room technology, stunning bathrooms with walk in shower plus ‘His and Hers’ sinks and guests will be able to enjoy a personal concierge service offering a range of tailored services.

Tony Burns, Director and General Manager of St George’s Hotel said, ‘We are extremely proud to have created something very special, a selection of rooms that will not only showcase the stunning beauty of the Llandudno seascape but also of the continuing commitment to quality of St George’s Hotel.’

ASIAN TRAVELLER | July 2017

Hospitality news

Outrigger Konotta Maldives Resort reveals scintillating new dining options The Outrigger Konotta Maldives Resort has unveiled three scintillating new Asian dining initiatives full of flavour, variety and fun. The sizzling new sensations include an Asian Street Food Market, the Konotta Hot Pot Experience, and the Indian Ocean Thali Taster Meal.

“Variety, informality and authentic flavours are at the heart of our new creations at the Outrigger in Konotta,” says Executive Chef, Chris Long. “Guests can now enjoy a full Asian culinary journey from our island paradise in the Maldives.”

Outrigger’s Asian Street

Food Market has a mostly outdoor set up with Chinese lanterns and live music. The best of Asian street food is present, including Japanese favourites such as Sushi, Nigiri Sushi, Makimono and Maguro Tataki (seared Maldivian tuna with ponzu sauce). There is Teppanyaki (including tenderloin beef) Laksa spicy noodle soup and Pho noodles. And look out for other classics from around Asia such as Stir Fried Chicken with Cashew Nuts (Thailand), Spring Rolls (Vietnam), Nasi Goreng Kambing from Malaysia, and tasty Batagor from Indonesia. The Asian Street Food Market will take place every week from August and throughout the high season.

The Konotta Hot Pot Experience takes inspiration from over 1000 years of culinary

history and was probably created by the Mongolians.

Embraced across Asia and known variously as Huoguo, ShabuShabu or Steamboat, the concept is basically a communal hot plate for cooking the meat surrounded by a pot of simmering soup.

“At Konotta, we have taken the best of hot pot culture and designed a hot pot that, we think, suits the palettes of all our guests,” says chef Long.

The Hot Pot Experience is available each day (with 24 hours notice for preparation) and served in the Rotunda.

The Indian Ocean Thali Taster Meal is based on the concept of presenting the six flavours of sweet, salty, bitter, sour, astringent and spicy in a single Thali

(tray) of Indian dishes.

The flavours come from all corners of the Indian subcontinent and are available each evening in the Blue Salt restaurant.

The three culinary innovations at the Outrigger are augmented by a new lunch and dinner menu with the emphasis on organic ingredients and health, a Teppanyaki Dinner Experience prepared by Teppan Chef Endar, and a variety of unique island dining options such as romantic beach tables, sand bank lunches, wedding and wow renewal celebrations.

Royal Orchid Hotels adds one more hotels to its portfolio Royal Orchid Hotels announced the opening of 1 more hotel under its brand “Regenta” in Deharadun, Uttarakhand slated to open

by June end expanding to 44th hotels.

Regenta LP Vilas is one of the luxurious and best hotels in Dehradun with spacious rooms and lush green lawns.

Spread over a lakh sq. ft. area with a capacity to cater 4000 people, this hotel is centrally located among other Dehradun hotels within the city and is situated very near to the famous business hub Selaqui, International airport and Railway Station.

The hotel comprises of 74 well furnished rooms overlooking a picturesque view of the forest welcoming every july | ASIAN TRAVELLER

guest to experience the tranquillity of nature and luxury put together. The rooms are thoughtfully designed ensuring comfort to the needs of every guest; while, providing the best modern amenities such as spacious bed, worktables and sofa, separate shower with the basic toiletries, etc. for a remarkable leisure experience. This hotel also features a multi cuisine restaurant and a bar. The hotel is also, first of its kind to offer luxurious and spacious venue to host any kind of event. With around eight different unique venues, guest can host conferences, meetings, and exhibitions to weddings, parties, shows, and much more. The efficient and trained staffs can facilitate a cost effective, stress free and memorable event for the

guests, right from various arrangements to menus for the occasion.

Chander K. Baljee, MD of the Royal Orchid Hotels said, “We are glad to bring our brand of hotels in this state every time. Uttarakhand has always been an important market for hoteliers in terms of both business and leisure segments. Whereas under Narendra Modi’s Government, tourism is going to witness a boost and we intend to tap this segment with our existing portfolio along with our newly launched property in Dehradun”.

Royal Orchid Hotels

is one of India’s fastest growing hotel chains. It primarily operates 5 and 4 star hotels, enabling it to target the discerning business and leisure traveller. It currently operates 44 hotels across India. Promoted by Chender K Baljee, Royal Orchid Hotels has become one of India’s most wellknown names in hospitality.

The brand ‘Regenta Hotels’ is an upscale arm of the Royal Orchid Hotel group.

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TAMIL NADU TRAVELLER

The ‘Niagara Falls of India’ This time S Bakthavatchalam, Additional Director, Tamil Nadu Tourism takes you through Dharmapuri which houses tourist attractions Hogenakkal Falls and Theerthamalai Dr. S. Bakthavatchalam Additional Director, Tamil Nadu Tourism

D

harmapuri district on the northwestern part of Tamil Nadu has got an attraction which makes the state of Tamil Nadu proud. Hogenakkal Falls is the most popular tourist attraction in Dharmapuri.

Theerthamalai is also quite popular as a leisure location in Dharmapuri. Dropping from an altitude of 750 ft, Hogenakkal Falls is a perfect visual treat to your eyes.

The word Hogenakkal is derived from two Kannada words ‘Hoge’ and ‘kal’ meaning smoke and rock.

The water breaking down on the rocks creates a

feeling like the smoke emanating from the top of rock earned Hogenakkal (smoking rocks) its name.

Hogenakkal Falls is even referred as the ‘Niagara Falls of India’.

The release of 4000 cusecs of water from Kabini and Krishnaraja Sagar dams in Karnataka earlier this week has again made Hogenakkal waterfalls active again. The waterfall had lost its glory as river Kaveri dried up due to the drought for the past four months.

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All the three waterfalls in Hogenakkal including the Cini-falls had gone dry.

After seeing water in the river, hundreds of tourists thronged Hogenakkal. Most tourists enjoyed taking bath in Cini-falls.

The beauty of Hogenakkal falls is when Kaveri flows out through rocky terrain as numerous waterfalls. Hogenakkal Falls is best experienced in all its glory soon after the monsoons. There are also many tourists who prefer to visit it during the offseason to skip the crowd.

However the boating in the coracles, another popular attraction at Hogenakkal Falls is allowed only during the dry season.

Coracle made of bamboo is the best way to spend time at Hogenakkal Falls. The coracle rider will sometimes amaze you with his skills like rotating the coracle in the water. Sometimes tourists are taken up to Iverbani river in coracles depending upon the strength of water flow. There is also facility to take bath safely in one of the falls. Near to the entrance there are many kitchens which will prepare fresh fish upon your order.

Theerthamalai (meaning Holy Water), located at north-east of Harur, Dharmapuri with Theerthagirishwarar Temple is a major place of pilgrim for Hindu devotees. It is believed to be built in the 7th century. Chola and Pandya Kings regularly visited this temple for prayers. The story behind the temple is that upon the return of Rama winning the war against Ravana, he wanted to perform Shiva Puja. Since Hanuman whom he had asked to fetch holy water from Ganga and flowers from Kasi couldn’t return on time, Rama shot an arrow on rock creating the Rama Theertha and

completed the puja. Even during the summer, there will be sweet water from Rama Theertha falling as tiny waterfall drops. There is also Hanuman Theertham, where Hanuman threw his pot containing holy water from Ganga 12 km away from Theerthamalai.

Devotees first take a dip in Hanuman Theertham followed by drinking Rama Theertha to get relief from their sins. There are also other theerthams namelyKumara Theertham, Gowri Theertham, Agasthya Theertham and Agni Theertham all which originates from different rock surfaces.

ASIAN TRAVELLER | July 2017

AIRLINE NEWS

Jet Airways honoured at HolidayIQ’s “Better Holiday Awards” Jet Airways, India’s full-service, premiere, international airline, has been honoured as ‘India’s Best Full Service Airline’, at HolidayIQ’s Better Holiday Awards – 2017. Selected by millions of community members who make up HolidayIQ, it reflects Jet Airways’ excellent record in satisfying the needs of its guests with tailor-made travel solutions.

HolidayIQ, India’s largest online travel community and holiday planning website, announced the best in Indian travel and tourism at the Better Holiday Awards - 2017 on last month. This annual tourism award celebrates the role an Indian traveller plays in driving Indian travel and tourism to greater heights. The award also acknowledges the role played by various stakeholders of the travel and tourism industry and diversity on offer in India.

The award ceremony was attended by a host of dignitaries including Dr.

Jitendra Singh, Hon’ble Union Minister of State (Independent Charge), Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region; Arun Nanda, Chairman & Founder, Mahindra Holidays & Resorts India Ltd.; Priyank Kharge, Hon’ble Minister of State (Independent Charge) Tourism and Information Technology, Government of Karnataka, and Umang Bedi, Managing Director, Facebook (India & South Asia).

to make guests experience the joy of flying by providing them with greater connectivity, choice, convenience and comfort. The honour holds a special value for us as it is based on the testimony of guests’ experience and feedback and validates our efforts to heighten our brand experience.”

Kavita Joshi – Head Sales (North), Jet Airways, received the award from a traveller Dr. Milo, an avid community member of HolidayIQ platform.

The HolidayIQ - ‘Better Holiday Awards’ have multiple categories that include the old and the new, an indication of changing travel trends. The Better Holiday Awards recognise the best Indian tourism services in airlines, airports, bus operators and railway stations making this the most comprehensive tourism awards for India.

The awards are critical at a time when India seeks its place on the global tourism map. Increased domestic tourism indicates a higher

Commenting on the occasion, Jayaraj Shanmugam, Chief Commercial Officer, Jet Airways, said, “We are delighted to have won “India’s Best Full Service Airline” award at HolidayIQ’s Better Holiday Awards for 2017. Jet Airways’ Guest First service philosophy endeavours

level of trust and acceptance of what Indian travel and tourism has to offer.

Flying directly to 45 destinations including 20 international ones, Jet Airways has consistently used its Guest First philosophy to reinvent itself for today’s traveller by creating a host of smart, guest-centric initiatives in the form of both product and service experiences such as ‘Seat Select’, ‘Fare Lock’, ‘JetAdvance’ and ‘Fare Choices’ that make travel increasingly technology friendly and convenient.

Jet Airways was also recently named “India’s Best Airline” at TripAdvisor’s first annual Travellers’ Choice awards.

Thailand Shopping & Dining Paradise 2017 receives supports from AirAsia

The Thailand Shopping and Dining Paradise 2017, formerly known as the Amazing Thailand Grand Sale, has received support from AirAsia which organised a ‘Top Shopper’s shopping challenge aimed at enhancing the kingdom’s awareness as a premier shopping and dining destination for global travellers. Yuthasak Supasorn, Governor of the Tourism Authority 24

of Thailand (TAT) said, “This shopping challenge serves as a highlight of our Thailand Shopping & Dining Paradise 2017 campaign and showcases to foreign visitors a variety of shopping options in Thailand. The campaign is purposely organised during the Green Season, from June to September, as it is a time which tourism product and service operators, including airlines, department stores and shopping complexes, restaurants and other

popular tourist attractions will be offering discounts and special privileges to shoppers.”

The ‘Top Shopper’ shopping challenge staged by AirAsia is set to strengthen Thailand’s image as a preferred destination for enticing cuisine, from local street food to fine-dining eateries, and also boost the kingdom’s recognition as one of Asia’s most enjoyable shopping locations, where visitors can enjoy unique Thai local experiences buying food and goods anywhere from premium department stores

to community markets.

AirAsia brought in social media influencers and bloggers from Vietnam, Singapore and Hong Kong to join Thai bloggers in a shopping challenge at six leading locations in Bangkok. Three teams, each comprising five members – two bloggers from the respective countries, two guests and one Thai blogger – were tasked on a competition to shop at four premium department stores: Siam Paragon, Central Embassy, Siam Center and EmQuartier, and two local markets.

ASIAN TRAVELLER | July 2017

NEWSLINE

Thailand Travel Mart 2017 ends successful two-year run in Chiang Mai, moves to Pattaya in 2018

Thailand’s main travel trade show, the Thailand Travel Mart Plus Amazing Gateway to the Greater Mekong Subregion (TTM+) has ended a successful twoyear run in the Northern capital of Chiang Mai, and will move to the resort city of Pattaya in 2018. The event has given extensive exposure to the rich culture, cuisine and heritage of the Northern Thailand and highlighted its overland cross-border proximity

to the emerging Mekong region destinations of Lao PDR and Myanmar.

The theme “Delivering Unique Experiences” was designed to be in line with the overall tourism marketing slogan. All the pre and post-tours were specially selected to include the spectacular range of Royal Projects, Northern Thai museums, restaurants, community-based products and heritage sites in line with that theme.

The event was attended by 423 buyers from 56 countries. Although the july | ASIAN TRAVELLER

main markets of China, India, Russia, Europe and the UK dominated the list, the focus on buyers from the eastern European countries, Latin America and South Africa. Moreover, first-time buyers comprised 47.8% of the total.

This year, the show was attended by 362 sellers from Thailand and the neighbouring Mekong countries, the vast majority of whom were small & medium sized hotels and boutique resorts emerging by the dozens all over the country. Giving exposure to these SMEs, most of whom cannot afford to attend the large global travel trade events, is a primary objective of the TTM+.

The event also fulfilled another one of its major objectives, viz., to act as a knowledge base to facilitate a better understanding some of the key issues and trends in the global market.

The first knowledgetransfer session was held on the first day, led by Minister Kobkarn on communitybased tourism. She was followed by speakers talking on crisis management, culinary tourism and the digital economy.

On the second day,

the media were briefed on thematic joint press conference ‘CLMVT: Moving towards Shared Prosperity’, especially the growing potential for overland tourism by representative from five countries including Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Vietnam, and Thailand as many new cross-border checkpoints make it easier for cars and vehicles to criss-cross the region.

On the third day, around 600 participants from travel & tourism training institutes and entrepreneurs in Chiang Mai benefitted from a daylong seminar series by TAT executives and some of Thailand’s leading private sector executives on market trends.

One of the key highlights of the event was a showcase of indigenous products reflecting the best of Northern Thai culture, arts and heritage. Superbly designed and elegantly crafted, the exhibits were accompanied in several instances by the artisans offering live demonstrations of their work.

Buyers looking for new venues for MICE events also had a chance to check out the Chiang Mai Exhibition and Convention Centre, which is perfect for small and mediumsized events and trade shows.

the event will be held in Pattaya, the well-known beach resort city, which is located on the Eastern Seaboard, bordering Cambodia. That will allow Thai tourism to highlight its transportation connectivity with its neighbour to the East.

Yuthasak Supasorn, Governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), commented, “I would like to thank all the buyers, sellers, media, the

local provincial officials and tourism industry of Chiang Mai, and all Ministry and TAT staff and team members for a highly successful event.

“The two years of being held in Chiang Mai have given a major boost to travel & tourism in Chiang Mai and will help us better diversify our visitors all around the country and the neighbouring regions. I also believe this has been a great preparatory step towards hosting the prestigious ASEAN Tourism Forum, also at the same venue in January 2018.”

Next year, 25

NEWSLINE

APT conducts Madhu Memorial Hospitality Cricket Tournament

The 3 day cricket event meant for the players of the hospitality industry of Kerala, Madhu Memorial Hospitality Cricket Tournament, organised

by APT (Association of Professionals in Kerala) was a runaway hit in terms of participation and enthusiasm.

The event was truly and engaging affair with as many as 26 teams from all over Kerala fighting it in the Knock Out format, out to win the most coveted Trophy and cash prize of Rs.35,000/-. Major Hotel

and resorts brands from all over Kerala including Calicut, Cochin, Thekkady, Kumarakom , Kovalam and Trivandrum featured in the tournament and the games were played with highest levels of competitive spirit.

In the first semi -final The Leela Raviz Kovalam sailed past Thomas Hotels & Resorts and it was Cochin Tourism Tuskers who emerged the second finalist edging past Somatheeram Ayurveda Group.

The grand final played on 21 May was no short of thrills and chills and finally it was the spirited Cochin Tourism Tuskers team, who were consistent with their performances throughout the tournament, who

registered a comfortable win against The Leela Raviz Kovalam to win the championship in grand style.

The prizes were given away at a grand valedictory function and high tea held at the Hilton Garden Inn Trivandrum by Dr. Venu V (Principal Secretary Tourism) in the presence of E M Najeeb (CMD-ATE Group), Chacko Paul (MDJoys Resort), Baby Mathew (CMD – Somatheeram Ayurveda Group), Anish Kumar (President- ATTOI), Raj Gopal Iyer (Corporate DirectorUDS ) and Chandrasenan (MD- Pankaj Hotel and Head Coach of Kerala CCL team).

ecstatic about the title win and was overwhelmed by the performance of his team throughout the tournament.

Joe Julian (Secretary – APT) thanked the gathering and also proposed that the event will be held in a bigger way including teams from all over South India in the coming year.

APT has been organising this event since 2009 as an off season recreational activity for the tourism trade of Kerala which has now found a permanent place in the hospitality events calendar of Kerala.

The captain of Cochin Tourism Tuskers Hari KC (Dakshin Routes) was all

QTA delegation heads to Oman to boost tourism relations In a bid to boost Qatar’s tourism relations with Oman, a delegation of senior representatives from Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA) headed to the Sultanate earlier this week to meet with their counterparts there.

The visit brought into action a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the two countries and comes as part of Qatar’s efforts to diversify its visitor

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source markets in the region.

The delegation was led

by Hassan Al Ibrahim, Chief Tourism Development Officer and included Nasser Al Maslamani, Director of Planning Quality, Omar AlJaber, Director of Shared Services and Ahmed Al Obaidly, Director of Exhibitions among others.

During their stay, the delegates met with the Her Excellency Maitha Bint Saif Al Mahrouqi, Undersecretary at the Ministry of Tourism of Oman and visited Oman Tourism Development Company (Omran), the Oman Convention

Bureau as well as the Oman Exhibition and Convention Center. The three-day visit wrapped up with a road show during which QTA’s private sector partners will showcase the country’s latest offerings to Omani tour operators.

Ibrahim, the strategy’s main pillar is diversification: of products, of services and of source markets to guarantee the tourism sector’s sustainability and its continued growth in spite of any changes in the world around us.

The Omani delegation shed light on the Omani Tourism Strategy 2040 and its components that promote the Sultanate’s authentic Omani identity and cultural aspects.

Similarly, the visit allowed the QTA delegation to share insights regarding its work towards launching the Next Chapter of the Qatar National Tourism Sector Strategy (QNTSS) 2030 which charts a pathway for developing a thriving hospitality and tourism sector in Qatar.

Hassan Al Ibrahim added, “Qatar and Oman enjoy a long history of collaboration, and the activation of the MoU is testament to our ongoing commitment to energising tourism in both our countries as we each embark on our journeys to 2030 and 2040 respectively.”

According to Hassan Al

Oman and Qatar have been able to build on existing successful collaborations such as the joint Oman-Qatar tourist visa, their participation in the Cruise Arabia Alliance through such projects.

ASIAN TRAVELLER | July 2017

NEWSLINE

Jordan uses its legacy to drive tourism; India continues to be an important source market... groups. These encouraging figures can be easily attributed to the fact that Jordan remains a safe and stable country despite the unrest in neighbouring countries.

The number of tourists to Jordan in the first five months of the year went up by 10.5 per cent compared with the same period last year, according to the minister of tourism.

In terms of figures, 2.6 million tourists had visited the country by the end of May this year, while in the same period last year 1,864 visitors had come to Jordan.

The overnight tourists for Jordan rose by 11.5 per cent and there was an impressive 55.6 per cent increase in the number of tourist

july | ASIAN TRAVELLER

“Jordan is working on utilising its existing assets, zoning in on its heritage, culture, gastronomy, adventure and infrastructure with tourism campaigns designed to attract tourists to Jordan.

The tourism sector in Jordan acts as the driver of sustainable economic development and is considered the second fastest growing sector in the Kingdom, and is the largest export sector and a major employer. Jordan witnessed several development projects in some of key tourist attractions, mainly in Aqaba and the Dead Sea, which contribute towards marketing Jordan as a tourist destination and raise its competitiveness within the region.

In the recent Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report, produced by the World Economic Forum, Jordan ranked 53rd out of 130 countries on the Travel and Tourism Competitive Index. Tourism in Jordan attracts tourists from around the world and is well known for its diverse tourist sites and activities. We are

a rich destination with a wide range of tourist attractions, developed tourism infrastructure with a plethora of luxury hotels, resorts and spas, advanced transport infrastructure, and a destination that plays host to many cultural and entertainment events that attract large audiences,” says Dr. Abed Al Razzaq Arabiyat, Managing Director, Jordan Tourism Board about the importance of tourism in Jordan.

has declined by 4.50%, which indicates that visitors are now spending more time in the country. We welcome Indian visitors, and are also offering free visa on arrival in Jordan which makes it easier for Indians to travel to the country.

India is firmly established as an important market for us and we hope to see it in the top five markets in the future in terms of tourist inflow. The country continues to focus on family

Adel Amin, Deputy Director & Director Marketing, Jordan Tourism Board comments on how India continues to be an important source market for Jordan: “India is an important market for Jordan as we are seeing a lot of traction from our efforts in the market in the past few years. The 2016 Indian arrival figures to Jordan have shown an unprecedented growth of 18.40%, and the same day visitor arrivals from India

tourism and honeymoon travel; and we are expecting many Bollywood films to also be shot there in the near future. The major factors attracting Indian tourists are Jordan’s food, culture, and visa on arrival facility. Major attractions in the country are its capital Amman, the desert landscape of Wadi Rum, Dead Sea, Petra – one of the New Seven Wonders of the world, and the historical ruins of the city of Jerash, Karak, Mount Nebo and Madaba.”

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NEWSLINE

Maldives nominated for Indian Ocean Best Spa Destination-2017 at 3rd annual World Spa Awards who they think is the very best of the best. Votes are submitted online at World Spa Awards website: www. worldspaawards. com/register The individual country level winner with the most overall votes will not only win the national award but also the world level award in the respective category.

The 3rd Annual World Spa Awards has announced the final nominees for its prestigious 2017 awards.

The Maldives has been nominated for Indian Ocean Best Spa Destination at 3rd Annual World Spa Awards-2017 in the Indian Ocean category. Maldives is competing with Mauritius and Seychelles Islands.

Voting is open now and closes on 13th October.

The nominees now face the all-important 16 week voting window. During this time, consumers and professionals working within the spa and wellness travel and tourism industry are requested to vote for

The winners and all nominees will be awarded on December 9, 2017 at the JW Marriott Phu Quoc Emerald Bay Resort & Spa, Vietnam.

Spa and wellness industry leaders from across the globe will enjoy a weekend of unrivalled networking as well as exclusive spa and wellness activities.

The highlight of the weekend will, of course, be the red carpet Gala Ceremony itself on the evening of December 9th when the World Spa Awards winners will be unveiled.

The World Spa Awards aims to drive up standards

within spa tourism by rewarding organisations that are the leaders in the field. World Spa Awards was established in response to overwhelming demand from the spa industry for a programme that was fair and transparent; a programme with a mission to serve as the definitive benchmark of excellence, and to help to foster a new era of growth in spa tourism.

World Spa Awards is a dynamic awards programme, launched in 2015 and designed to drive up standards within spa tourism by rewarding the organisations that are the leaders in the field.

Launched by the World Travel Awards, itself inaugurated in 1994, as a sister programme to the World Ski Awards and World Golf Awards, World Spa Awards is focused on the rapidly evolving spa and wellness sector.

The World Spa Awards programme has categories for the Best Hotel Spa, Best Resort Spa, Best Wellness Retreat, and Best Spa Destination, each awarded on a national level.

A number of categories exist on a world-level only,

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such as Best Airline Lounge Spa, Best Cruise Line Spa, Best Spa Brand, Best Medical Spa and Best Desert Spa. Voting methodology is simple; votes are cast by professionals working within the spa industry senior executives, travel buyers, tour operators, agents and media - and by the public.

World Spa Awards Managing Director, Rebecca Cohen, said: “Revealing the nominees for our annual awards programme is always an exciting time of year for the spa and wellness industry. Within the thriving luxury spa sector, we are seeing spectacular

spas emerge in every corner of the globe. “And in our fastpaced, modern lives it is encouraging to see the rapidly expanding wellness tourism market coming to the forefront for those seeking positive energy and new beginnings. As well as taking the time to vote for their favourites, we invite consumers and trade professionals alike to also discover new, inspirational and invigorating escapes awaiting them the world over!�

ASIAN TRAVELLER | July 2017

NEWSLINE

Sri Lanka promotes tourism in Kerala pointed out the advantages of promoting tourism jointly between the state and Sri Lanka. “We have high demand of tourists for ayurveda and meditation.

Many firms from Kerala have already set up such establishments in Sri Lanka,” added him.

Earlier this week, two ministers from Sri Lanka visited Kerala to promote tourism and investment.

Arundika Fernando, Deputy Minister for Tourism and Christian Religious Affairs and Ravindra Samaraweera, Minister for Labour and Trade Union Relations of Sri Lanka held a press meet held in Kochi. They said that Sri Lanka is looking to enter into an agreement with Kerala so that tourism ventures of both the places will get a boost.

pointed out the similarity with cuisine and scenic beauty of Sri Lanka with Kerala. He said that Kerala’s backwaters were already high in demand as a weekend tourism destination of travellers from Sri Lanka. The daily flights from Colombo to airports in Kerala helps tourists traverse easily. He

Talking to the press, Arundika Fernando

Sri Lanka plans to attract 4 million visitors by 2020.

The current number of visitors is 2 million. With this in mind, Sri Lanka is highly promoting- “Eight experiences in eight days” among tourists. A total of 45,000 hotel rooms are being built to enable tourists’ accommodation at different tourist destinations. The plan is to achieve $7 billion from tourism sector in 2020 from the present $3 billion.

Ravindra Samaraweera

on the other hand talked in length about his government’s emphasis on improving the infrastructure at various tourist destinations. He pointed out the rebuilding of highways to enable faster transportation. He said Government of Sri Lanka is studying on the possibilities of signing MoU’s with Kerala in fields of tourism, health and agriculture. He invited entrepreneurs to invest in BOT projects at Sri Lanka.

Ramayana trail and the beaches were the popular choices of Indian tourists visiting Sri Lanka. He welcomed adventure tourists to dive at the popular marine archaeological sites created by the numerous ship wrecks. Wildlife, rainforests and heritage sites are the next in demand from tourists.

Ironman Milind Soman joins Active Holiday Company’s Advisory Board Bangalore headquartered Active Holiday Company announced that actor, model, and fitness enthusiast Milind Soman has joined their Board of Advisors with immediate effect. Privately held Active Holiday Company has been offering travellers running, cycling, hiking and other activity based experiential tours around the world for three years now.

Milind Soman’s association with active living makes him a natural fit for the company, however Active Holiday Company will be relying on his sharp business acumen in his role as an advisor to the company.

‘We are very excited about having Milind july | ASIAN TRAVELLER

Soman as an advisor to our company. His personality, ethics and everything that he stands for makes him a perfect brand fit but he is also a smart entrepreneur’, said Gauri Jayaram, Founder of Active Holiday Company.

Having experienced Active Holiday Company trips himself in the past, Milind Soman is already familiar with the style of travel the company stands for. The association is further likely to enhance some of their travel styles such as their fund-raising trips, in addition to growing their portfolio of destinations and activities that will allow Indian travellers to explore the world actively.

Combining the new

love for active living with the interest in travel has given rise to a breed of Indian travellers who seek more than visits to popular sights on their holidays.

Active travel experiences give travellers the chance to explore the natural scenic beauty of a destination, or push their limits and also discover smaller, authentic locations that cannot be accessed by conventional tours.

‘Unlike any other style of travel, active travel can be life-changing as people challenge themselves to climb mountains, cycle long distances, run marathons and do many things for the first time in their lives.

Having been on their trips, I believe that Active

Holiday Company is doing a fabulous job delivering such travel experiences and I am proud to be associated with the company’ concluded Milind Soman.

An ultra athlete and icon of active living, Milind Soman founded Pinkathon, India’s biggest ‘women only’ running event and completed IronMan and Ultraman, ultra triathlon challenges.

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NEWSLINE

Rwanda welcomes the Indian Travel Trade and Media with open arms A group of 20 participants from India recently visited Rwanda, the beautiful East African country, and has returned with innumerable unforgettable memories.

Organised by Rwanda Development Board (RDB), High Commission of Rwanda, RwandAir, and Inspiration Unlimited, the Familiarisation Trip had an eclectic mix of participants from some of the biggest names in the travel trade and lifestyle and travel media in India.

The participants travelled on RwandAir, the flag carrier airline of

Rwanda, and landed on a beautiful morning in Kigali, the capital and largest city of Rwanda. RwandAir now flies from Mumbai four times a week. Through convenient connecting flights, travellers can now reach a number of destinations, including DarEs-Salaam, Johannesburg, Nairobi, Entebbe, and many other African destinations, only with RwandAir. The participants of the Familiarisation Trip to Rwanda enjoyed the warm and welcoming hospitality of the Rwandans. They were left spellbound with the abundance of nature and wildlife here. From being in the arms of the forest 30

The participants also visited the Kigali Genocide Memorial Centre that chronicles the tragic Rwanda genocide, King’s Palace and Museum, enjoyed some peaceful moments while on a boat ride on Lake Kivu, and absorbed the many wonders of Rwanda.

at the Canopy Walkway at Nyungwe Forest National Park, to enjoying the unique wildlife of Akagera National Park, the participants experienced it all.

The highlight of the trip was the Gorilla Safari at the Volcanoes National Park.

Rwanda is the only country, apart from Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, which proudly houses the majestic Mountain Gorillas. The participants were left speechless when they sighted the Mountain Gorilla families, and wished that they could spend more than just an

hour with these beautiful creatures.

Speaking about the Familiarisation Trip, Ernest Rwamucyo, High Commissioner of Rwanda to India, says, “We are very happy to have organised a five-day Familiarisation Trip of Indian Tour Operators and Media Executives to Rwanda. India is a major outbound travel market in the world. With our national career, RwandAir, directly connecting Mumbai to Kigali since April 2017, we saw this was an opportune moment to further promote Remarkable Rwanda to Incredible India. Since this Familiarisation Trip, we are pleased to notice an increased awareness on Rwanda as a new destination for Indian travellers.”

Kigali offers a variety of hotels, ranging from three-star to five-star properties, which are perfect for a comfortable stay, organising meetings, and having a memorable trip in the country. The Kigali Convention Centre, which is worth $300 million, is a state-of-the-art facility comprising a five-star hotel with 292 rooms, a conference hall that can host 5,500 people, a number of meeting rooms, along with an office park.

The travel trade and media participants at the Familiarisation Trip have returned to India with innumerable memories of Rwanda, which is aptly called ‘the land of a thousand Hills and a million smiles,’ and are now driven towards sharing their experience and motivating Indian tourists and travellers to visit this country very soon.

ASIAN TRAVELLER | July 2017

GULF NEWS

Healthy Sports opens in Hili Mall in Al Ain Healthy Sports is set to make its debut in Hili Mall, Al Ain City’s biggest community shopping centre. Healthy Sports brings to Al Ain brands like Mizuno, Adidas, Nike, Skechers, Speedo, Joma, Peak, Body Solid, Proteus, Ben Lee and many more.

Al Ain residents looking for sportswear will now have a wider choice at this leading sports outlet, according to Saeed Sultan Al Dhaheri, CEO, Hili Mall, Abu Dhabi, UAE. Healthy Sports offers a wide range of products for both genders and for different age groups.

The products include

sportswear, swimsuits, footballs, football gloves and fitness products such as treadmills.

“Not only will it be a unique shopping experience for Al Ain’s residents, but tourists who visit Al Ain from other Emirates and neighbouring countries such as Oman will benefit from this unique shopping experience,” added Al Dhaheri.

Healthy Sports offers footwear for kids, men and adults. It also offers products such as sports shirts and hoodies, shirts and shorts for running and playing basketball. For those who love swimming,

there are swimming t-shirts, caps and goggles available. In addition to all of that, it also has footballs, football gloves, knee caps and jerseys for teams such as Chelsea, Manchester United, FC Barcelona, Real Madrid, AC Milan, France National Team and Germany National Team.

Beside sportswear, it offers equipment for working out, such as elliptical bicycles,

treadmills, rowers, upright indoor bikes plus others.

“Having Healthy Sports in Hili Mall makes working out more convenient by encouraging people to buy sports goods and fitness equipment in a more accessible and organised manner,” concluded Al Dhaheri.

Cancer survivor conceives through In-Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) in UAE Nadia, a GCC national who was told she’d never conceive a child after undergoing cancer treatment has been reported pregnant.

Nadia, the 37-year old GCC national was diagnosed with Leukaemia.

She immediately underwent gruelling chemotherapy, radiotherapy and bone marrow transplant, and was placed on drugs that were expected to leave her infertile.

After her fight against cancer, her body shot through drugs and radiations, Nadia and her husband Wajid had lost hope to conceive, particularly when they were diagnosed with a case of secondary infertility.

However, a friend recommended them to visit IVI Fertility Middle East Clinic in 2015 to give it a last chance. At IVI Middle East Fertility Clinic, it was observed that Nadia suffered a significantly reduced ovarian reserve of an AMH of 0.15 ng/ july | ASIAN TRAVELLER

ml (normal value at her age should be 1.2 - 1.9 ng/ ml) which was the biggest challenge in her conception.

But fighting all odds, Prof. Dr. Human Fatemi, Subspecialist Reproductive Medicine & Reproductive Surgery, Medical Director, IVI Middle East Fertility Clinic designed a specialised treatment plan for Nadia which involved cycles of ovarian stimulation at IVI Middle East Fertility Clinic Abu Dhabi for oocyte (eggs) accumulation, where three mature oocytes (eggs) were cryo preserved. This technique is called Oocyte vitrification.

“The last few years have been a rollercoaster but I’m over the moon to have finally found such amazing happiness,” said Nadia when she was advised of her successful pregnancy.

“Being told that it’s unlikely you’ll have your own children was hard to hear. However when Prof.

Dr. Human Fatemi designed a special treatment plan, we saw some hope,” added

Nadia.

With the help of IVI Middle East Fertility Clinic, Nadia underwent repeat stimulation treatments to retrieve oocytes and the oocytes were cryopreserved.

Having 3 frozen oocytes, a Warmed Oocyte Embryo Transfer (WOET) cycle with a Hormonal Replacement Therapy (HRT) was performed. In addition, a Pre-implantation Genetic Screening (PGS) was carried out on the embryos, prior to an embryo transfer. The test was implemented to rule out any chromosomal abnormalities in the embryos being transferred and thereby enhancing the chances of a successful pregnancy.

“Cancer can be isolating, particularly when you learn that you might not be able to have a baby. At IVI Middle East Fertility Clinic we understand the psychosocial challenges attached with such illnesses.

As such, each treatment plan is customised to meet the patient’s specific needs.

Oocyte vitrification is an efficient option for elective fertility preservation. The results are far superior than the results that are obtained with slowfreezing techniques, and it is predicted that this is the method of female fertility preservation that will be widely used in the near future,” said Prof. Dr. Human Fatemi.

“Patients with cancer who can’t become parents suffer from a different level of mental trauma. At IVI Middle East Fertility Clinic we are committed to help patients experience successful pregnancies irrespective of their challenges. We aim to weave miracles into our patient’s lives, which is a constant reminder of what’s truly important in life,” concluded Prof. Dr. Human Fatemi.

IVI Fertility, headquartered in Spain, is the world leader in infertility treatments with 70 clinics worldwide.

NEWSLINE

Sustainable Travel- the next big trend!

With the United Nations proclaiming 2017 as the International Year of Sustainable Tourism, Mahindra Holidays takes a step forward in the right direction. Mahindra Holidays contribution to the environment through their in-house activities, and organising special natural off site tours not only helps in reducing carbon emulsion but also contributes and promotes sustainable Tourism in India.

During the year, the Mahindra Group’s Sustainability Apex Council set the following long term goals for sustainability: •

Carbon neutral by 2030

•

Water secure by 2030

•

Zero waste by 2030

•

EP 100 double energy productivity by 2030

•

RE 100 increase renewable energy by 100 per cent by 2030

Mahindra Holidays & Resorts India Ltd (MHRIL), with its 49 Resorts located in exotic locations across India is in a very special position to contribute to the economic and social well-being of the local communities. MHRIL is able to raise awareness and support for the overall conservation of the environment where our business footprint is felt.

Unlike most other sectors, the consumer of tourism/hospitality (the tourist) travels to the producer and the product.

And thus is able to get ‘a first-hand experience’ of the product. This leads to three important and unique aspects of the relationship between tourism/ hospitality and sustainable development that is considerable amount of interaction both direct and

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indirect, between guests, host communities and their local environment.

More consciousness of environmental issues. This can affect attitudes and concerns for sustainability issues not only while travelling but throughout people’s lives. As the Hospitality experience depends on intact and clean environments, attractive natural areas, authentic historic and cultural traditions, it becomes imperative to have these attributes in place.

To mitigate any negative impact of our presence, MHRIL has taken steps to conserve and manage natural and eco-friendly resources, especially those which are non-renewable and intangible. MHRIL has developed CSR policies and actions to minimize pollution of air, land and water so as to conserve biological diversity as well as the natural heritage.

Manali, Binsar, Varca, Kumbhalgarh and Munnar •

•

•

To address the impact of climate change, maintain and enhance biodiversity of rural and urban locations, it is imperative for MHRIL to be an environmentally and socially responsible Business Enterprise.

Actions taken in this regard by MHRIL:

35 villages have benefitted from this project. The efforts have been much appreciated by the Government bodies and local leaders. 7000 saplings were planted near the lake at Ashtamudi and Cherai Beach this year to safeguard marine life and biodiversity in the coastal regions The Company has also invested in an alternate and environment friendly method of curbing the usage of Plastics by providing Paper bag making machines at Munnar, Manali and Ashtamudi Cleaning drives have been undertaken regularly at all locations, however after the Swach Bharat Abhiyaan launched on 2nd of October the impetus increased. In Pondicherry in village Pilliyarkuppam after a cleaning drive 17 dustbins were placed in different parts of the village to arrest the growing litter in liasion with Municipal Corporation

through a combination of direct action, liaison, education and raising awareness. Community participation is encouraged to give people a sense of civic pride and respect for the areas they live and work in •

Awareness sessions are conducted to change behaviour and mindsets towards management of waste

•

The vision of the Waste Warrior Team and MHRIL is of a Clean Corbett, to introduce a system of waste management in an area (stretching over 100 villages per km) where no system currently exists

•

Since the work has begun in Corbett Landscape in October 2013, the team has managed to cover 10 villages in our area of work and collect waste from 270 homes, 100 shops, 7 schools & 6 hotels

Water Conservation

Hariyali Project:

Swach Bharat Project:

•

•

Waste Management Project was implemented in the month of October 2014 in liasion with NGO Waste Warriors in Corbett

Mahindra Holidays, continually strives to conserve water and improve the efficiency of water utilisation across their resorts by following 5 R principle (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Recharge and Rain wáter harvesting).

•

Waste Warriors is a voluntary organisation and a registered society with a mission to provide affordable and sustainable waste management solutions that improve environment, health and quality of life

Some of the water recycling initiatives by Mahnidra Holidays are initiatives towards water discharge: Maintain zero discharge of waste wáter polluants. Regular monitoring of waste water by internal as well as external agencies.

•

At MHRIL, Environment related World Days are celebrated by Staff, Guests and Community with great enthusiasm and fervour to create awareness Under the aegis of Haryali Project from the year 2010 to 2015, they have planted nearly 2,20,000 Trees.

The Company has in this regard spent in providing Solar Lights to villages in Thekkady,

ASIAN TRAVELLER | July 2017

TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE CONTEST - 110 1. Name the country which formerly known as Ellice Islands?

2. South Tarawa is the capital of which island nation?

3. Where is the famous Champagne Beach located?

Deveekaa Nijhawan

appointed as the Director of PR & Communications at Niyama Private Islands.

Kosta Kourotsidis

appointed as the General Manager at The Diplomat Radisson Blu Hotel Bahrain.

Doreen D’Souza

appointed as the Resort Manager at DoubleTree

by Hilton Seychelles – Allamanda Resort & Spa.

4. Name the Castle which was transformed into Hogwarts, the famous wizardry school from the Harry Potter films?

5. Which Indian city bears the nickname ‘City of Joy’?

6. The capital of European country Belarus?

7. Name the lake where the climax portions of Rajkumar Hirani’s film 3 Idiots shot?

8. Vilnius is the capital of which country?

9. What garners much attention to Ha Long Bay in Vietnam?

Stefan Thumiger

appointed as the Cluster General Manager for Ramada Plaza Jumeirah Beach and Ramada Hotel & Suites Sharjah.

Shafik Alaaeddine

appointed as the General Manager at Al Mouj, Muscat.

Krystel Irani

appointed as Director of Operations at Raffles Dubai.

10. Where is Chichen Itza, one of the new 7 wonders of the world located?

Send in your answers to editor@mediastepsindia.com with TYKC 110 in the subject line.

Answers should reach us before the 30th of this month.

Answers to TYKC - 109

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