Asian Traveller May 2018 by Mediasteps

Vol. 11

No. 08

Pages 36

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Highlights Vol. 11 I No.08 I May 2018

10 The Cheriz- A home away from home

Cover Story: Sri Lanka- The mesmerizing island nation

Whether it is a vacation to the beach or a quiet trip to a quaint, Sri Lanka has a destination that suits all travel itineraries.

The CheRiz is a small, luxury boutique hotel, in Nuwara Eliya, the picturesque tea capital of Sri Lanka

Spiceland; For Unforgettable Moments and Everlasting Memories Whether you are a leisure traveller, business traveller, travelling solo, with your family or as a couple, Spiceland Holidays have something for every traveller

20 14 Ballyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s casino- Experience the ultimate fun Ballyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Casino provides the maximum gaming experience; poker, blackjack, baccarat and much more with refreshing entertainment

A small beautiful park for all nature and wildlife enthusiasts Dr S Bakthavatchalam talks about the famous Guindy National Park, Chennai, one of the last strongholds of bio diversity providing peaceful pollution-free atmosphere to many

FROM THE EDITOR'S DESK

CHEERFUL OUTLOOK FOR TOURISM

ccording to the latest report by the United Nations World Tourism Organization, India is one of the key emerging outbound markets. Virtually all source markets reported higher tourism spending in 2017, reflecting continued strong demand for international tourism across all world regions, noted the report. Both emerging and advanced economies fuelled growth, says the report, led by the United States which spent USD 12 billion more on travel abroad. China spent US$ 8 billion more, consolidating its leadership as the biggest spender in the world. Strong tourism expenditure reflects enhanced connectivity, increased visa facilitation and a global economic upswing, pointed out the report. Reacting to the report UNWTO Secretary-General, Zurab Pololikashvili said the emerging economies play a key role in tourism development. “We are very pleased to see the rebound of the Russian Federation and Brazil, and the ongoing rise of India, as these key emerging outbound markets contribute to the growth and market diversification in many destinations”, said the Secretary-General. Meanwhile, the 44th meeting of the UNWTO Regional Commission for the Middle East, organized by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and the Ministry of Tourism of the Arab Republic of Egypt observed that “around 6 million jobs in the Middle East are related to tourism and the sector is expected to grow strongly in the coming years. Tourism is therefore ideally positioned as a general job provider, but especially as an entry point into the labour market for youth, and a source of economic empowerment of women through employment.” These factors point to the role and scope the industry has in the modern socio-economic scenario.

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Cover Story Sri lanka Tourism

Sri Lanka-

The mesmerizing island nation Beautiful landscapes, endless beaches, welcoming people, incredibly friendly locals, timeless ruins, rolling surf, cheap prices, fun trains, famous tea and flavourful food make Sri Lanka irresistible. Nature-lovers and adventure-lovers alike should travel to Sri Lanka for a taste of tropical paradise

ri Lanka is physically breathtaking, boasting countless picturesque beaches, tropical rainforests, wildlife and ancient ruins. It offers an array of breathtaking experiences and activities. Sri Lanka is often affectionately nicknamed ‘the teardrop of India’. Located between India and southeast Asia, this country is neither quite like India nor Asia, leaving it in somewhat of a curious middle ground as far as geography, features, culture, landscape, and customs. Locals usually speak in Tamil and Sinhala, though a huge chunk speaks in English as well. Different parts of the country can be visited at different times during the year, making it tourist friendly most of the time. Whether it is a vacation to the beach you are in the mood for, a quiet trip to a quaint, colonial hill station, or connecting with wildlife, Sri Lanka has a destination that suits all travel itineraries. Beach bums, adventure seekers, trekkers, and culture vultures all head to the country for their idea of a good time. Getting a Sri Lankan visa for Indian tourists requires you to apply for an online visa before travelling. An ETA, or an Electronic Travel Authorisation, allows Indian tourists to stay for up to 30 days. This time period can be extended for up to 6 months. Head to Sri Lanka between December

Like all tourist friendly destinations, Sri Lanka has accommodation and food options for all budgets – from the basic to the average, and all the way to the luxurious and March if you wish to visit the beaches on the western and southern coasts or spend some time perched in its hill stations. April to September is the best time to visit the eastern beaches. Like all tourist friendly destinations, Sri Lanka has accommodation and food options for all budgets – from the basic to the average, and all the way to the luxurious.

Sri Lankan dishes

Sri Lankan banquets are incredibly colourful, with curries that range from yellow to deep brown, the vibrant greens of the vegetables, and the bright colours of sambol. Sour fish curry is the most popular one, and is beloved as both a lowbrow and high-class dish. Made with coconut, chili powder, goraka (a tropical fruit that lends this dish its tangy flavor), and the firmest white-fleshed catch of the day, this spicy concoction is a quintessential Sri Lankan curry. It’s traditionally enjoyed with rice, a side dish or two, and perhaps a modest helping of yogurt salad to soothe the spicy burn. Eggplant moju (eggplant pickle) is another unique dish. Consisting of onions, chilies, sugar, mustard

seeds, and vinegar, this classic eggplant dish is made by deep-frying eggplant strips and mixing them with all the above mentioned ingredients. The result is a mouth watering sweet umami flavor that will encourage you to turn this side dish into a main. Dhal curry is a staple dish in Sri Lanka, and a quick dish to prepare. This delicious dhal recipe made with masoor dal is popularly served along with nonveg or any rice or roti. It uses coconut milk in lieu of dairy milk -- something that most starkly differentiates this cuisine from Indian. Kale Mallung is a simple, easy to make yet very flavorful curry from Sri Lanka. Kale is similar to the wild cabbage leaves found in Sri Lanka. The word mallung means “to mix up” and is a category of Sri Lankan dishes that feature shredded leafy vegetables, coconut, and spices, all cooked in a dry skillet or clay pot, and then finished with a couple of drops of lemon juice. Mallungs are one of the primary sources of vitamins for

Sri Lankan folks: One or two mallungs are served with every meal and are accompanied by rice and different condiments. Kothu is Sri Lanka’s favorite street food and your gateway Sri Lankan dish. It’s stir-fried with chopped roti, meat, egg, vegetables, and spices. The bread is described as similar to the type found in the south Indian kothu parotta and roti canai, with the former dish overall being very similar to the Koththu Rotti.

Top Attractions

Sri Lanka may be a small island in the Indian Ocean but that’s the only thing small about it. The country, formerly known as Ceylon, boasts an ancient civilization, golden sandy beaches with their swaying coconut palms, mountains, and rubber and tea plantations. These best places to visit in Sri Lanka will let you scour and explore the magnificent beauty of the tropical Island like a local. Colombo, the largest city and commercial capital of Sri Lanka, is the gateway to Sri Lanka for most travelers. Colombo is a vibrant city with a mixture of modern life , colonial buildings and ruins. Colombo houses a majority of the Sri Lanka’s corporate offices, restaurants and entertainment venues. Famous land marks in Colombo include the National Museum, World Trade Center , Vihara Maha Devi Park and the Galle Face Green. Colombo is the most populous city in Sri Lanka. Colombo’s climate is fairly temperate all throughout the year averaging around 31 degrees. Colombo is a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural city. The population of Colombo is a mix of numerous ethnic groups,

MaY 2018 | ASIAN TRAVELLER

mainly Sinhalese, Moors and Tamils. There are also small communities of people with Chinese, Portuguese, Dutch, Malay and Indian origins living in the city, as well as numerous European expatriates. Kandy is must for anyone’s itinerary when visiting Sri Lanka. It is considered one of the most beautiful places in Sri Lanka which at the same time show cases the Sri Lankan Culture at its highest level. It is the Capital

years old. Kandi is situated about 114 Kilometer from Colombo. Nilaveli (Open-land of the moonshine) is one of the most beautiful beaches in Sri Lanka renowned for its soft white sand and breath-taking bays. It is located north-west of the Island. Nilaveli is famous for recreational water sports such as scuba diving. This is a place where most people come to

Kandy is the second largest city in the country and is frequently visited by Buddhists especially of the Theravada School

of the Central Province. It is both an administrative and religious city. Kandy is the second largest city in the country and is frequently visited by Buddhists especially of the Theravada School. It is home to the sacred tooth relic of the Buddha (temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic; Dalada Maligawa ), The Botanical Gardens ( located in Peradeniya) and it always has a special place when it comes to festivities such as the Esala Perahara. The Temple of the Tooth relic is the place that houses the Relic of the tooth of the Buddha. Originally part of the Royal Palace complex of the Kandyan Kingdom, it is one of the holiest places of worship and pilgrimage for Buddhist around the world. The Royal Botanical Garden is the largest botanical garden in the whole island providing residence to over a large variety of plants, some even hundreds of

take a break from the hectic lives and rejuvenate. The beach is ideal to visit durin April and October. The Sun is at its most intense during this period so that you can work out on your tan. Watersports are also a huge feature in this beach, surfing and windsurfing are the major excursions undertaken here. Water sports such as wind surfing and diving are very famous among tourists and even locals. Sun bathing is also a really great option if you want to work out on your tan. Snorkelling is also done along the small rocky islands just abit further away from the coast. The hot water wells and pigeon islands are the major tourist attractions however an old fort from the colonial era is also present. Nilaveli is about

Cover Story Sri lanka Tourism

275 kilometers from Colombo. This is a must in everyones itinerary when visiting Sri Lanka. Ella, often described as ‘’lonely planet’’ and ‘’waterfall’’ is a congested town located in Sri Lanka. Ella is the perfect place to go to if one wants to refresh the brain. People from all around the world come to visit this place because of its natural beauty and its beautiful outlook. One of Ella’s wonders is the Ella Rock. Ella rock might be a long way up but it’s worth all the struggle. Every day, a large number of people go and climb the Ella Rock. This is because of the special view it provides to its climber. The view from the top of the Ella Rock is difficult to put in such simple words. The greenery, flowers, gardens all of them shape the beauty of Ella, a shape that is difficult to resist. The environment is fresh and clean. Another wonder of Ella is its waterfalls. Ravana falls is a very popular waterfall. It is one of the most popular sites in Sri Lanka. Ella is about 208 kilometers from Colombo. Kumana National Park, a favourite outing spot for the country’s residents is located at the south eastern corner of Sri Lanka. One of their most prominent features would be the bird sanctuary and their wide swamp lake, which gives it all the vibe of a safari park. It is home to some famous mammals the likes of elephants, leopards and deers etc. It’s said that some rare birds were spotted in the lake and tourists rushed to witness their existence at once. Animals are left untouched to wander in their natural habitats, to offer them security and safety. Kumana National Park is about 391 kilometers from Colombo. Adam’s Peak is the fourth highest mountain with the height of 2244m and is located 40km northeast of Ratnapura district of Sri Lanka. This mount is also named as the sacred mountain as the footprints of the Lord Buddha. Millions of people 8

came here every year to pay tribute to the lord Buddha arrival. Apart from the religious attraction for Mount Sri Pada(Adam’s Peak), a number of tourists visit it for its geographical position it took almost 5 hours to reach the top. A rich biodiversity exists near this mountain where a number of forests and hills await you. Sri Pada for Sri Lankans and some people called it the mountain of butterflies as there are a huge amount of them on the top (Sinhala) hill of the butterflies. There is no railway or Air service to the mountain but the highway of Hatton city where you might find a railway line to reach your destination. It is situated at a distance of 147 kilometers from Colombo. Kataragama is place of pilgrimage for a variety of religions such as Hinduism, Buddhism and Islam and is located in south-east corner of Sri Lanka. Therefore is a multi-religious sacred city. The deity at Kataragama is indigenous and long-celebrated in Sri Lankan lore and legend, and originally resides on the top of mountain called Waedahiti Kanda just outside of the Kataragama town. Kataragama is a holy shrine and a popular pilgrim center for Buddhists and Hindus. In fact Kataragama is one of the 16 principal places of Buddhist pilgrimage. The local river namely Manik Ganga has a similar function as that of the River Ganges in India as place of absolution where a bath taken from this river purifies and individual. Nuwara Eliya, meaning “city on the plain or “city of light”, is a town in the

central highlands of Sri Lanka. It is one of the major tea producing areas in the world. The tallest mountain in Sri Lanka “Pidurutalagala” oversees this beautiful city. It is the most visited hill country. Sri Lanka is produces a significant share of the world’s best tea and in the mean time is also one of the world’s largest exporters of tea. Since the introduction of tea to Sri Lanka in mid 19the century Nuwara Eliya has been the capital of the tea industry. Little England” is also home to some beautiful waterfalls such as Ramboda Falls, Devon Falls, and Laksapana Falls. Trekking and hiking expeditions usually evolve around these land marks. Tourists will find a variety of recreational activities to do in this beautiful city, Nuwara Eliya is known to have the best 18-hole golf course in Asia and that’s not all horse-riding, boating, bird-watching and hiking are few of the many fun things you can do. It’s said that Sri Lanka has more festivals than any other country in this planet, and there is never

Sri Lanka has more festivals than any other country in this planet, and there is never a month without a festival in Sri Lanka a month without a festival in Sri Lanka. These festivals offer visitors a wonderful chance to experience the diverse cultures and a rich tapestry of local lifestyle.Vesak is a religious and cultural festival in Sri Lanka, and the hollowest festival for Buddhists, which commemorates the birth, enlightenment, and death of Gautama Buddha (Sakyamuni), the founder of Buddhism. It is celebrated on the full moon day of the lunar month of Vesak which is usually in the Gregorian month of May, and continues for about a week. Streets, shops and the front of houses are decorated with myriad colorful lanterns called Vesak kuudu, which signify the light of the Buddha, Dharma and the Sangha. During the Vesak festival, the whole country mainly Colombo become a sparkling wonderland, richly decorated and lit with Vesak lanterns, thoranas, etc. everywhere. Poson Festival, also known as Poson Poya Day, is celebrated by Buddhists island-wide to commemorate the introduction of Buddhism in Sri Lanka in the third century BC, thus it is of great historical and religious significance. It is the second most important festival for Buddhists right after the Vesak. It is celeberated on the full moon day of June at Mihintale and Anuradhapura. ASIAN TRAVELLER | May 2018

Resort focus

The CheRiz-

A Home away from home The CheRiz is a small, luxury boutique hotel, in Nuwara Eliya, the picturesque tea capital of Sri Lanka

he CheRiz is the latest icon of small luxury resorts in the emerald Isle of Sri Lanka. The CheRiz in Nuwara Eliya comprising of eight rooms with luxury furnishings, gracious butler service and gourmet cuisine create an ambience that has made it the finest standard for luxury accommodation in Sri Lanka. Situated at an altitude of 1988 meters, at the highest elevation in Nuwara Eliya, the tea capital of Sri Lanka, the resort borders the protected forest reserve of Kikiliyamana and offers breathtaking panoramas of Piduruthalagala, the tallest mountain range in Sri Lanka and the lush green tea fields beneath it. The advantage of the elevation of The CheRiz, affords, its Guests, a cool and salubrious climate, pristine views of misty hills and green carpets of tea bushes, all year round, irrespective of the seasonality, of the destination. Nuwara Eliya ostensibly has a place in Sinhalese and Hindu legend through the Ramayana, the epic relating the story of Rama and Sita. When the beautiful Queen Sita, wife of King Rama whose kingdom was in India, was abducted by Ravana, the Demon King of Ceylon, she was held in captivity close to the town until she was rescued by Hanuman, the Monkey King. This

area is called Sita-Eliya after the beautiful Queen. Each type of room is unique and exudes its own exquisite ambience, with all modern luxuries, while offering guests a nonhotel, â&#x20AC;&#x153;home away from homeâ&#x20AC;?, boutique ambience that is the hallmark of The CheRiz experience. Take an excursion through panoramic lush tea gardens and tea factories, a visit to the Gregory lake, Horton planes, Moon planes, the Hakgala Botanical Gardens, Golf, Horse Ride, Bike, Hike or simply laze in one of our luxury deluxe rooms or Suites, watching the mist roll in, while warming up with a cup of the finest blends, of Sri Lankan tea, listening to your own selection of music, through the music system, provided, in the privacy of your room. The CheRiz in Nuwara Eliya offers you two exclusive lounge areas, a variety of Local and International, Breakfasts and dining options, including, BBQ and dining on the terrace, on request. The Hotel will be delighted to pick you up from, or

drop you to, the Airport, or any other destination, within the island.

Accommodation The Aberdeen is a luxury deluxe double room with king bed, thermostat controlled heating, mini bar stocked with non-alcoholic beverages and snacks, broad band television, home theatre music system, tea/coffee maker and Espresso coffee machine, free WiFi, in-room telephone and personal safe. Iron and iron board upon request. There is attached bathroom with hot and cold rain shower in shower cubicle, wash basin with hot and cold water and vanity, quality bath room linen, vanity mirror, Hair dryer, bath robes and slippers. Pristine views through Full size French windows. A third bed and/ or a Cot can be accommodated, upon request. The Bakers, The Dunsinane, The Delta also has the same facilities. The Gartmore is a luxury double room with two single beds, thermostat controlled heating, mini bar stocked with non-alcoholic beverages and snacks, broad band television, home theatre music system, tea /coffee maker and Espresso coffee machine, free Wi-Fi, In-room telephone and personal safe. Iron and iron board upon request. Attached bathroom with hot and cold rain shower in shower cubicle, wash basin with hot and cold water and vanity, quality bath room linen, special blend of soap, shower gel, shampoo, conditioner, body lotion and guest amenities, vanity mirror, Hair

ASIAN TRAVELLER | May 2018

dryer, bath robes and slippers are other facilities here. Pristine garden and forest views, through full size French windows are amazing. The Elgin and The St.Clair’s also has same facilities. Apart from these there are junior suites like The Devon and The Elgin, The Elgin & Devon, a senior suite, and a luxury executive floor called The Devon, Elgin and St. Clair. For dining you have Restaurant Dining, In-Suite Dining, High Tea and Terrace BBQ.

Nearby attractions Lake Gregory is a reservoir in the heart of Nuwara Eliya, Sri Lanka. Lake Gregory was constructed during the period of the British Governor, Sir William Gregory, in 1873 and is a destination for water sports, horse riding, helicopter rides, restaurants and snack bars. The Horton Plains plateau comes to a sudden end at the World’s End, a stunning escarpment that plunges 880m. The walk to the Worlds End is

4km, but the trail then, loops back to Baker’s Falls (2km) and continues back to the entrance (another 3.5km). Nestled 6,200 feet above mean sea level, Moon Plains, offers visitors a spectacular 360-degree unique picturesque view, of the plains and the surrounding mountain ranges.Hakgala Botanical Gardens, is the second largest botanical garden in Sri Lanka and is

MaY 2018 | ASIAN TRAVELLER

believed to be the highest set botanical garden in the world. Hakgala Gardens has a cool temperate climate, due to its high altitude of 5,400 feet, above sea level. Golfing in Nuwara Eliya will transport you back in time, a hundred years, back to Sri Lanka’s colonial days. Built by British servicemen in 1889, the Nuwara Eliya golf course, has an exceptionally beautiful landscape and is situated, at the base of Mount Piduruthalagala, in the heart of the tea country. Horse & Pony Rides are available at the Racecourse and on the banks of Lake Gregory. A 15-minute drive from The CheRiz – Nuwara Eliya. Book your excursion with your Guest Services Manager at The CheRiz. The terrain of Nuwara Eliya, offers many opportunities, for mountain biking and cycling. The cycling route from The CheRiz, along the road up to the town and beyond, will take you, through a landscape of breathtaking natural beauty. You will experience the feel of cycling through an English countryside. Hiking in Nuwara Eliya is in pristine nature and on precharted hiking paths. Nuwara Eliya offers some excellent opportunities to test your endurance over a varying selection of terrain. The Horton Plains National Park is a premium location for hiking. Rama Sita temple in the world”. The Sita temple, which is patterned on the lines of a modern south Indian temple, is set in an idyllic countryside, beside a stream of cascading crystal clear water. The 80-meter twin waterfall of St. Claire, cascades over three rock

outcrops, into a massive pool. This beautiful and most popular fall, located among tea gardens, carries a large volume of water, and is the widest waterfall in the country. The fall is situated further than 500 m. away from the road, and one would need to walk among tea bushes at a steep gradient, to reach it. The temple is on a stunning location, that looks out towards, the Kotmale valley. According to the legend of Ramayana, Hanuman, searched for Queen Sita in the jungles above, and behind, the temple. There is a stretch of barren land, known as the ‘Chariot Path’, on which King Ravana, is said to have taken, Queen Sita to Ashoka Vatika, to showcase the beauty of his kingdom. The Victoria Park in Nuwara Eliya, was named in commemoration of the 60th Jubilee Coronation of Queen Victoria, in the year 1897. Originally, the park was used, as the research field of the Hakgala Botanical Garden, located about 04 km away from the city centre. Piduruthalagala, is the tallest Mountain range in Sri Lanka. It is also a Forest Reserve, situated at the highest Elevation of the country, next to the heart of the township of Nuwara Eliya. Nuwara Eliya being a valley, consists of a plateau, shaped elliptically. The mountain ranges, rise to 2000 feet with sharp ridges. Previously known mostly as a wildlife sanctuary and then declared as a National Park in 2006, Galway’s Land National Park, is a later addition to the list of national parks in Sri Lanka. Though, it is one of the smallest parks, it is home to a significant number of animals and birds and is considered, an important bird watching site.

q&A

In future we will multiply the fleet with latest premium segment vehicles; Johny Johny PJ, Managing Partner of Greenland Travels, shares his views about the growth prospects of the transport sector and the services offered by Greenland Travels and its future plans Asian Traveller: You have been in the largest Premium car rental service sector for the past several years. Could you tell us about your early days? What made you enter in this sector? Established in 1979 and based at Cochin, we are one of the leading travel operators in South India. We are recognized by Government of India since 1993. The beginning was with a few numbers of lower segment vehicles, but later we understood that the demand for medium and premium segment vehicles is on an increase with the rapid growth of the tourism industry. Currently, all types of luxury tourist vehicles are available with us, driven by well-experienced Chauffeurs in white uniform and who can communicate very good English, Hindi, Tamil and Arabic languages.

What plans do you have for the company? Currently our firm owns a fleet of more than 112 vehicles with Volvo B 7 R coaches (41 & 46 seaters), Large Coaches Air-conditioned with Air Suspension 35 seaters, 26 and 22 seater Medium Coaches, 18 seater Mini Coaches, Micro coach 12 seater Mazda imported, Tempo Travellers 12, 15 & 17 seaters, Luxury SUVs, Multi utility vehicles like Toyota Innova, Mahindra Scorpio, Mahindra Xylo Chevrolet Tavera. Premium Luxury cars Includes imported Mercedez Benz S 500, Mercedez Benz S 350 CDI, Mercedes Benz E 350 CDI, 250 CDI, , BMW 5 Series and 7 Series, Audi A 4 & A 6, Jaguar XF, Honda Accord, Toyota Camry, Premium SUVs like Mercedez Benz 12

Australia, U A E, and U K. My younger son and his wife are working in Australia, and the work atmosphere is better when compared to that prevailing in our country.

GL 350 CDI, Benz GL 350 CDI, ML350, Audi Q 7, Q 5, Toyota Fortuner with Electronic Air suspension, Honda CRV and premium cars like Toyota Corolla Altis, Volkswagen Jetta, Vento, Honda Civic, City, mid segment cars are Toyota Etios Mahindra Verito, Maruti Swift, latest Range of Chevrolet Beat.

What are the services offered by Greenland Travels? Our office is open 24 hours a day and 365 days in a year. Also we have a network all over India and local network in Thekkady, Kumarakom, Trivandrum, Trichur, Calicut, Kovalam and Munnar. We are the first Company in Kerala to host conference of the largest number of people in 1999 onwards, for Doctors, held in Le Meridian Convention Centre which had volume of more than 600 Doctors only for Sun Pharmaceuticals and we had supplied more than 185 Vehicles on each day continuously for 6 days. And we are the pioneers in hosting conferences till now. We have our own mode of handling transport for events and conferences with advanced communication facilities and instruments like mobiles, wireless, online data update devices, round the clock call centre in our office, excellent team of man power and infrastructures. For the last five years we are providing vehicles for all the functions of Lulu Group like inaugurations, weddings etc.

Where would you like to see yourself, say, 10 years from now?

In addition to the tourist and corporate transport service, we do Airport Assistance service, Guide service, arrangement of Ayurvedic Treatments, Trekking Escorts, Hotel Reservations all over India, Cultural show arrangements, Martial arts show, Corporate Incentive Tour etc.

Would you please share with us the proudest and some of the unforgettable moments in your professional life? In February 2011, M. A. Yusuf Ali, Chairman and M D of Lulu Group inaugurated our three star hotel â&#x20AC;&#x153;Hotel Green Dreamsâ&#x20AC;? at Thevara, with 40 Luxurious and Spacious rooms under Club Suite, Deluxe, Executive and Standard categories. Completion and commissioning of the said property is the proudest and unforgettable experience in my professional life.

In your career, have you ever worked abroad? What according to you are the advantages of working overseas? I have not worked abroad, but have visited

Our plan for the next ten years is to multiply the fleet with latest premium segment vehicles and to open offices in Bangalore, Chennai, Mumbai and Delhi. And also, we are planning some investment in the real estate and transportation sectors in Australia.

How do you see the growth prospects this sector? The growth prospect of the tourist transport sector is good, and the reward for enthusiastic entrepreneurs will be the best.

About your Family? My family includes myself, my wife and two sons. The elder son and his wife are managing the operations in Kerala and the younger one and his wife are looking after the activities in Australia. I myself monitor all the activities and giving advices and guidelines.

Please tell us about your hobbies and other interests? Watching T V is my main hobby, and mostly news and events.

Which is your favourite destination? Why? Munnar and Vagamon are my favourite destinations; the main reason is the climate and the lush greenery, which always soothe my mind and body. ASIAN TRAVELLER | MaY 2018

March 2018 | ASIAN TRAVELLER

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ally’s Casino in Sri Lanka is located in the heart of the capital city, Colombo. The Casino is situated away from city’s hectic landmarks but is also near to major shopping malls in the city. It has become a trend in the past few years when popular destinations invite Bollywood celebrities on New Year’s Eve and organize big events, parties to celebrate the occasion. Bally’s Casino’s 100 Table Games offer something for everyone – all your favorites, including Blackjack, Baccarat, Asian Poker, and Roulette plus a host of specialty games, with a variety of side-bets and linked progressive jackpots. The games include Baccarat, Rapid Roulette, Roulette, Sic Bo, Blackjack, Asian Poker, Three Card Poker, Texas Hold’Em Bonus Poker, Casino War and Live Betting & Slot Machines. Ballys Casino offers those passionate about sports to experience the full thrill of live betting during their stay here. Praised and practiced

by hundreds of thousands, live betting offers you unmatched suspense and a totally new approach to sports events. Live betting is conducted in real time with all of the fans placing their bets on the current sports event. While football is the most famous sport used in live betting, players can also place their bets on cricket, tennis, basketball, Formula 1 and many more competitive sports. Players have complete access to any cutting information about the progress of the game that they have bet on: current rankings, score, time elapsed, time left and any additional details. Due to sports being unexpected, live betting is extremely thrilling and dynamic. The way the sports event takes course may be initially unfortunate for you, but then finish to your benefit. Live betting offers players wide choice when it comes to how they prefer to place their bets. Players can place either single or multiple bets or even devise a certain pattern according to the playing schedule. You can

Slot Machines are usually the easiest game to play in a casino: you just need to press a button or use a lever and the machine is ready to roll. However, they are also quite high level of chance due to the totally random element present there. There are different types of slot machine games. The most widely used are the 3-reel, single-line games and the 5-reel, 25-line ones. The machine will assign a totally random number or symbol (depending on the game) to each reel. After all reels have been assigned with a number

There are different types of slot machine games. The most widely used are the 3-reel, single-line games and the 5-reel, 25line ones

or a symbol, the machine will calculate the player score depending on whether or not a combination has been achieved. Every single day at Bally’s Colombo is a feast of enjoyment. The guests can take pleasure in numerous daily music performances taking place from 8:30 pm to 3 am. The acts range from the top of the top Sri Lankan local artists to skilled Djs or masterful foreign singers and bands ready to lighten up your mood. Bally’s Colombo turns into an exotic festival of dance events during the weekend. With high class dance shows and professional troupes on the scene, your amusement will be guaranteed throughout the day and night. Marvel at the secrets of alluring dance acts while simultaneously enjoying the exquisite of their bar and buffet. Unique to Ballys’ casino only, you can take pleasure in watching world class dance acts, entertainment shows and draws of elite prizes. You can also plan your anniversary celebration to commemorate the event in their exquisite environment. The wide list of special events includes Rain Dancing, Fashion Show, Pole Dancing, European Dancing, Belly ASIAN TRAVELLER | May 2018

Dancing, Traditional Srilankan Dancing, Theme Nights, Bodybuilding Shows, BMW Draw and Anniversary Celebrations. There are packages like bronze package, silver package, gold package, platinum package, diamond package and infinity package. Ballys Colombo membership card permits you to enter the club without any questions asked. All registered members will be entitled for the fortnightly draw which is held every second and every Saturday of the month, travel and accommodation expenses too may be considered by the Ballys Colombo depending on the status of your game. The Ballys Colombo membership card is non transferable and would remain the property of the Ballys Colombo. The management of Ballys Colombo will have the sole discretion to upgrade the membership from one level to another. Bally’s fully understands the importance of responsible gaming and promotes a sensible, careful behaviour amongst its clients. Their commitment is to a gaming that maintains a healthy atmosphere

both for the players and those around them. Each customer can take pleasure in a responsible gaming experience in a friendly and comfortable environment.

Responsible gaming means that the harmful potential of gambling is minimized and the players are in the condition of making sensible, rational choices – with the help of Bally’s expert staff.

Restaurants Bally’s Casino offers mouthwatering dishes. Their savory food ranges from Indian meals to Arabic dishes or Chinese specials, leaving you with a wide choice of cuisine to satisfy your appetite with. There is a special package at The Kingsbury Hotel. The Kingsbury Hotel; an iconic luxury among Colombo hotels, renowned for its

elegant accommodation, exceptional service and diverse culinary experience is ideally situated at the heart of Colombo offering quick and easy access to Colombo’s major attractions

MaY 2018 | ASIAN TRAVELLER

and business hubs. Dining at The Kingsbury is an event to look forward to in itself. The hotel’s numerous restaurants, bars and lounges provide an intimate dining experience in a truly special atmosphere.

Bally’s restaurant 24 hours open & Professional chefs are there for Chinese, Sri Lankan, Indian food. The hotel houses a plush spa with an array of treatments providing a total tune-up for the body and soul and offers the perfect experience for guests who wish to escape the stress and strains of dayto-day life. Harbour Court is the global cuisine restaurant at The Kingsbury. Or as they like to call it, food from the Universe, for the Universe. Here, you find out just how many more essences and aromas there are to experience. Featuring a lavish à la carte menu, interactive food stations & the longest buffet spread amongst restaurants in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Harbour Court boasts a new gastronomic adventure at every turn. Yue Chuan will redefine your characteristic impression of Chinese restaurants, with its chic exotic dining ambience and its exciting array of Cantonese & Szechuan specialities, as authentic as they come. At The Ocean Seafood restaurant you can relax, firm and define facial contours with relaxing

therapies that have been specially designed to smooth your skin and tone facial muscles, leaving your face with a soft golden glow. The Kings bar is interwoven stylishly with the grand lobby. The Kings lobby

bar will add a resplendent touch to the splendour of the lobby. With In-Room Dining you can experience fine dining within the comfort and convenience

Bally’s Casino offers mouthwatering dishes. Their savory food ranges from Indian meals to Arabic dishes or Chinese specials of your guest room or suite. With a beverage menu that comprises a fantastic selection of international and Sri Lankan brands and master mixologists who expertly whip up unique, signature cocktails, The Kings is undoubtedly one of the best pubs in Colombo. The Sky Lounge, Colombo’s hippest bar. Sitting atop the royal splendour of The Kingsbury with its stately grandeur, is an unexpected jewel in its crown. Its post-modern design only complements the eclectic entertainment that is an experience in itself. Great music, premium champagnes, signature cocktails, cigars and wonderfully creative comfort cuisine are just a few of the luxuries that await you here. 15

Kerala Tourism

TRAK to develop Kerala tourism

he state government, four months after unveiling the Tourism Policy, has set up the Tourism Regulatory Authority of Kerala (TRAK) with the mandate to get rid of all forms of exploitation in the tourism industry. The Authority was first mooted in the Tourism Policy unveiled in 2017. The Authority will function as the highest body that has the power to supervise all segments of the sector. It will have action teams in every major tourism destination to respond to complaints received by the TRAK. “Trak will be helpful to end all harmful practices

and can guarantee better intervention of Kerala Tourism through a scrutiny and licensing system,” said tourism minister Kadakampally Surendran. The authority has made a target of 100 per cent increase in arrival of foreign tourists and 50 per cent of domestic tourists in the next five years. “Besides safety and security, this regulatory committee will also keep an eye on licenses of hotels,” the minister said. He said that the fundamental thrust of the new policy was to improve the quality of tourism experience. The TRAK will be the tool to achieve this end. He said that the

composition of the TRAK would be decided after exhaustive consultations. The Policy grants sweeping powers to the Authority. Trak will have the power to strictly enforce the guidelines issued by the Tourism Department. The Authority will also function as a quasijudicial body, offering timely relief to victims of host high-handedness or misbehaviour. The Authority has been

given the blanket power to intervene wherever condemnable tourism practices are reported. Further, the Authority will have under its command special action teams that will be formed in each tourism destination to take on human trafficking, child abuse, and narcotics use.

Kerala witnesses 10.94% growth in tourist footfalls in 2017

erala witnessed 10.94 per cent increase in tourist arrivals in 2017, at 157.65 lakh visitors, both domestic and foreign, compared to the previous year. In 2016, the state had hosted 142.10 lakh travellers, Kerala Tourism said in a release issued here said. “The statistics show up encouraging trends in terms of increasing footfalls both

in the international as well as domestic segments. The domestic tourism circuit has shown laudable numbers, and it is heartening that 2017, recorded the highest number of domestic tourism arrivals in the past nine-year period,” Kerala Minister for Tourism, Cooperation and Devaswoms, Kadakampally Surendran said. The southern state saw an increase of 15 lakh new

domestic tourists in 2017, with footfalls going up to 146.73 lakh against 131.72 lakh in 2016. Kerala saw as many as 10.91 lakh foreign travellers arriving in the state compared to 10.38 lakh visitors in in 2016, according to statistics compiled by Kerala Tourism. Kerala Tourism Secretary Rani George said, “the trend in tourist arrivals over the past 5 years has shown a marked change in the pattern of tourist visits to different destinations. It is exciting that more destinations are being sought after by tourists, and that shows more destinations in Kerala are gaining in prominence in travellers’ minds. Kochi,

the commercial capital, was the most popular among both domestic as well as foreign tourists witnessing a total number of 23,05,627 footfalls. Meanwhile, the adjacent destinations such as Fort Kochi (2,02,535) and Maradu (98,047) also registered significant rise in domestic footfalls. The temple town of Guruvayur was second most popular after Kochi for domestic tourists, while Thiruvananthapuram came third. Munnar recorded a growth of 34.31 per cent in footfalls with 6.28 lakh travellers to the hill station compared to the previous year. When it came to foreign tourists, Kovalam was the second most popular destination in Kerala after Kochi followed by Varkala, Fort Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram, it added.

ASIAN TRAVELLER | MaY 2018

Kerala Tourism bags two Outlook Traveller Awards

erala Tourism brought home two prestigious Outlook Traveller (OLT) Awards 2018 conferred by Outlook Traveller Magazine for excellence in the Travel and Tourism sector. The State, celebrated for its age old Ayurvedic healing tradition, was awarded with The Readers’ Choice Award for Best Wellness and Spirituality Destination. Thattekad Bird Sanctuary, Kerala’s very first bird sanctuary known for its rich diversity, scored The Jury Award for Best Birding Destination. Thattekkad Bird Sanctuary, situated in Ernakulam district, is a much acclaimed bird sanctuary. It owes much of its fame to Dr. Salim Ali, the internationally renowned ornithologist. Thattekkad is famous for its plantations of teak, rosewood and mahogany. It has India’s

May 2018 | ASIAN TRAVELLER

of rural Kutch while providing a memorable experience. Rann Utsav is celebrated during winters in salt desert of Great Rann of Kutch, Gujarat. From cultural activities to adventure, the fun never ends here.

most Bird Sanctuary that offers amazing glimpse of birds and their landscapes. P.I Subair Kutty, Deputy Director of Tourism, Delhi received the awards on behalf of The Kerala Tourism Department in an event held in New Delhi. P K Suraj, Tourism Information Officer, was also present at the event. Ladakh, Jammu and

Kashmir bagged The Jury Award for Best Adventure Tourism Destination. Nagaland (Hornbill Festival) and Gujarat (Rann Utsav) shared the Reader’s Choice Award for Best Festival. Rann Utsav is one of the most vibrant and unique festivals in India. The Rann Utsav – Tent City is a specially built temporary city that captures the ethnic beauty

Kenya, New Zealand and Mauritius won Best Wedding Destination, Best International Adventure Destination and Best International Island destination awards respectively. The Awards was instituted by Outlook Traveller, one of India’s leading travel magazines in 2017. It honours representatives from the travel industry on the basis of consumer preferences. Consumers vote for their favourite travel destination, hotels, places and its services.

MP Tourism

Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board creates Land Bank to boost MP tourism Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board (MPTB) has reportedly created a land bank with the aim of giving a major boost to tourism in the state

adhya Pradesh is a state that reflects the true cultural heritage of the nation through the amalgamation of various communities, castes and ways of life has always been a major tourist attraction. It is one of the forerunners among the economically rising states of the country and is teeming with vast potential of investment in tourism sector. It is an attractive destination from investment point of view and the government has taken multiple initiatives to make the state an investment friendly destination. Madhya Pradesh as a state has good amount of land parcels and heritage properties for private investments which is been promoted by the state on various platforms in the recent past. The newly constituted Tourism Board has taken one such step for development of tourism and to attract private investors for effective implementation of Tourism Policy. The Tourism Board has procured above 849.077 hectare land for the Tourism Department at 144 places of 49 districts of the State and created a Land Bank for tourism projects in Madhya Pradesh. Besides this, at 71 points, additional 432 hectare land has been identified. Land procurement is in process and soon it will be transferred to the Tourism Department. Amidst land bank 60 hectare land allotted to 16 private investors which generated a premium of Rs 23.50 crore. Minister of State for Tourism (Independent Charge) Surendra Patwa informed that the State

been transferred in Bhopal, Sihore, Rajgarh, Vidisha, Raisen, Hoshangabad, Betul, Harda districts.

has been segregated in five tourism regions and potential of private investment has been identified. In Indore region, Indore, Dhar, Khanwa, Burhanpur, Khargone, Badwani, Alirajpur, Jhabua, Ujjain, Ratlam, Dewas, Agra Malwa, Mandsaur and Neemuch district in 43 areas around 233 hectare land has been transferred to Tourism Department by the Board. Besides this, in these districts additional 17 areas have been identified for procurement and are in process. In Jabalpur Region, land has been identified in Jabalpur, Katni, Narsinghpur, Chhindwara, Seoni, Mandla, Balaghat, Dindori, Shahdol, Umaria and Anuppur district at 28 areas around 82 hectare land has been transferred, while at 10 points 32 hectare additional land has been identified for land acquisition. Similarly, in Bhopal region at 33 points around 135 hectare land has

In these districts at 16 points, around 82 hectare additional land has been identified. In Gwalior region for development of tourism around 111 hectare land at 15 points has been transferred while in districts of Gwalior, Guna, Shivpuri, Ashok Nagar, Sheopur, Morena, Bhind and Teekamgarh around 32 additional land at 10 points have been identified by the Board. Similarly, in Rewa area at 25 area around 285 hectare land has been transferred by the Board for tourism development inviting private investment in districts of Rewa, Sidhi, Satna, Singrauli, Sagar, Chhatarpur, Panna

Madhya Pradesh as a state has good amount of land parcels and heritage properties for private investments which is been promoted by the state on various platforms in the recent past and Damoh. As additional 24 hectare land in 71 points have been identified. Through land bank private investors under land transfer policy under Tourism Project 94 hectare land in 19 land plots for Hotel, Resorts

and other establishments’ tenders have been invited. In this noted groups like Mahendra Holiday, Orange County, State Express, JahanumaPalce Hotel, Gen-X Hotel, Sristi Ventures have been included. Madhya Pradesh is known as the “Heart of India’ not only because of its location on the map, but also because of the lot many things it offers. It has been home to cultural and spiritual heritage of almost all the religions. Innumerable monuments, intricately carved temples, stupas, forts and palaces are dotted all over the State. The state is home to three UNESCO World Heritage Sites namely Sanchi, Bhimbetka and Khajuraho. Consisting largely of a plateau, the State has everything- mighty mountain ranges, meandering rivers and miles of verdant forests. But perhaps the best part about Madhya Pradesh is its accessibility. It is equally close to major tourist destinations from all over the country, being the ‘Heart of India’. Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board also referred to as the ‘MPTB’, established in 2017 with an objective to promote tourism in the state of Madhya Pradesh. Development of tourism with public, private partnership in sustainable manner, investor facilitation, skill- development, publicity/promotion of tourist destinations nationally & internationally, identification and development of tourism infrastructure are the core objective of the Board. ASIAN TRAVELLER | MaY 2018

Jharkhand Travel Mart

Jharkhand Travel Mart concludes on a high note With an aim to bring Jharkhand on global map through its scintillating beauty adorned with abundance forest wraps, heritage attractions and religious sites, Jharkhand Tourism organised the first ever ‘Jharkhand Travel Mart 2018’

he first Jharkhand Travel Mart concluded with over 3000 Business Appointments generated from a traveltrade delegation of 125 buyers from across India. The event was inaugurated by Honourable Minister Amar Kumar Bauri for Revenue & Land Reforms, Art, Culture, Tourism, Sports & Youth Affairs Govt. of Jharkhand on the 23rd March 2018 at Mega Sports Complex, Khelgaon, Ranchi. Jharkhand tourism minister Amar Kumar Bauri said, “Jharkhand is still unexplored by tourists and is a hidden jewel. Just 50 km from Ranchi there are several waterfalls. We wish to promote tourism without causing any dent to the way of life of tribals.” The event was supported by all major National travel – trade and hospitality association in India such as ‘Association of Domestic Tour Operators Association of India (ADTOI), Adventure Tour Operators Association of India (ATOAI), Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI) and Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO), Federation of Associations in Indian Tourism & Hospitality (FAITH), Enterprising Agents Association of India (ETAA), Hotel Association of Jharkhand, Travel Agents Association of Jharkhand, Federation of Jharkhand Chamber of Commerce and

Industries. Some of the feedback received from buyers and sellers at the event are as follows: “The three-day trade mart witnessed good interactions between diverse tourism segments” said Siddarth Bharadwaj, Managing Director, Darshanam, a Deoghar based travels and tours company said, “We interacted with more than 100 buyers and are hopeful and as well as excited to attract more tourists to Jharkhand.” he further added. Raj Brahmavar, Business Head, Goxingo, a travel technology provider says, “We are happy and have garnered enough leads.” Sindhu Shanmugham, CEO, Signature Breaks, said, “Jharkhand was not on my radar but after attending the travel mart. I would now be promoting Jharkhand as there is a lot of potential for eco-tourism apart from spiritual tours to Jain and Hindu temples.” The Business Session were a huge success with some of the brightest Industry leaders speaking on occasion. The sessions included Jharkhand Tourism - The Roadmap Ahead with speakers such as Debjit Dutta, Chairman, West Bengal, IATO, Rajat Sawhney, Vice President, ADTOI, Dr. Nishikant Kumar, Professor, Dept. of Hotel Management,

BIT Mesra and Mr. Rakesh Lamba, Former President, ADTOI. The second session evaluated the industry and market for Tribal and Cultural Tourism in Jharkhand in which the speakers included Justin Imam, Virasat Trust, Amitava Ghosh, Founder, Kalamandir, Dr. Abhinav Kumar Shandilya, HOD, Dept. of Hotel Management, BIT Birsa and Sanjeev Kumar Besra, IAS, Director Tourism, Govt. of Jharkhand. Sustainable tourism is our goal: Sudhir Tripathy, Chief Secretary, Govt. of Jharkhand The Govt of Jharkhand to set up exclusive stalls of tribal handicrafts and textiles at all tourist spots and hotels Tourism to uplift tribal communities through sustainable tourism The story of Jharkhand is that of unrealized potential but we now need to realize this in its 18th year of becoming a new state. In the past we had limitations of extremism but now we have overcome it and it is one of the biggest success stories being talked about said Sudhir Tripathy, Chief Secretary, Government of Jharkhand. As part of promoting Jharkhand tourism, the government has decided to set up stalls for the promotion of crafts of tribals in all tourist spots and hotels informed the chief secretary on the second day of the Jharkhand Travel Mart here

MaY 2018 | ASIAN TRAVELLER

in Ranchi. Tourism Minister Amar Kumar Bauri also added that “Jharkhand Silks and Dokra Arts would get a huge fillip through tourism”. A scintillating textile show was held showcasing the fabulous traditional hand-woven textiles of Jharkhand. The media personnel and buyers were taken on several trips in batches to hill stations, waterfalls and historical places on the final day.

Why Jharkhand? Jharkhand has been one of India’s emerging tourist attractions with its wide arena of attractions. The key segments such as Festivals of Jharkhand, Heritage Trails and Heritage Sites, Tribal Tourism, Wildlife Resorts and National Parks, Rock Art, Medical Tourism, Religious Tourism, Handicrafts, Cultural Vistas, etc, are unique and spellbinding for any discerning visitor. Jharkhand is rightfully called the “land of forests”. Age-old tribes are the main inhabit of this wonderful land, the state is also a hub of industry, commerce and education. A treasure-trove of minerals comprises 40 per cent of the mineral wealth of the country ranking first in the production of coal, mica and iron and helps in making Jharkhand one of the richest state of India in natural resources. 19

Spiceland Holidays/Sri Lanka

Whether you are a leisure traveller, business traveller, travelling solo, with your family or as a couple, Spiceland Holidays have something for every traveller

Spiceland; For Unforgettable Moments and Everlasting Memories

erendib, Ceylon, Taprobane, Paradise, The Pearl Of Indian Ocean were the tagline and now this beautiful island has been crowned as “wonder of Asia”, teardrops and “Mango”. The island is with breathtaking and fascinating beaches with Corals, largest mammals, white sands, brilliant blue waters, smooth waves, colourful, overwhelming and stunning turtles, fishes, snails, crabs and algae. Apart from the best beaches, the journey in Sri Lanka would amaze you with most scenic, emerald pearls and stupendous views of the hill stations, cultural triangle – a treasure trove of ancient monuments, royal cities and Buddhist temple and wild journey in mountain, lowland rain, dry monsoon and mangrove forests with variety of habitats, great herds of elephants, elusive leopards and wide variety of exotic birds. Spiceland Destinations Lanka Pvt. Ltd Srilanka, is a sister concern of Spiceland Holidays which is a global brand established as the largest B2B agent and Destination Management Company Headquartered in Cochin with 19 branches in India and sales offices in UK, Fiji, New Zealand, UAE,Saudi Arabia, Beijing, Shanghai and Inbound operations office in Dubai and Sri Lanka similar

to that of India to cater international tourists in this beautiful island. This is monitored under our Chairman Riyaz who is a visionary entrepreneur involved in business activities that contribute to making the society a better place to live in. Endowed with several years of experience, Riyaz has held several leadership positions and it is his integrity and strong business ethics that has won him several admirers among his peers. Spiceland Holidays are the specialists when it comes to creating customtailored packages for their clients. They provide quality services that can comfortably

Spiceland Holidays are the specialists when it comes to creating custom-tailored packages for their clients be accommodated well within your budget. Having close relations with different hotels, resorts and transportation companies they can align these services easily to accomplish your different travel needs. Team Spiceland Srilanka has set goals to promote offbeat and unexplored destinations that would create a unique and serene experience leaving everlasting memories in the minds of leisure travelers.

Vincent Renold who has been in hospitality trade in India for 12 years with International chain of Hotels like Fortune, Angsana ( Banyan Tree ), Zuri hotels & Resorts, Hampshire Hotels & Resorts, Best Western and Niraamya Retreats have now been to Srilanka to setforth International standards both in Tourism & Hospitality sector. The uniqueness of Spiceland Srilanka is that, they even have Indians, Chinese, Arabs and various nationalities working 24 / 7 to cater to various countries. The Senior Manager –Operations, has been associated with Companies like Jet Airways, Kesari Tours , Kuoni – SOTC with a vast knowledge of handling groups . Bird’s Eye View, Family Bonding, Photography Tour, Wild Life, Unique Experience, Lights in Nights, Heritage Voyage, Serene Romantic Package are their distinguished products. Further, their experts have done research in Ramayana and explored 55 sites which they are promoting to the pilgrims from India. Their escorts for the tour are well trained

with the vast knowledge and experience of this journey. MICE will be their next phase of development with full fledge in house team to focus on largest Corporate Off sights, Incentive Groups, Product Launches, Conferences , Training Programs , Award Ceremonies, Destination Weddings , Exhibitions, etc . Another key experience offered by Spiceland Destinations Sri Lanka Pvt Ltd is in welcoming guest at the airport in a very traditional way and from that point their Customer Service team, would be in constant touch to ensure that the journey is delightful. They also mediate and facilitate the Investors from India to connect with concerned authorities and government bodies to have an establishment in this beautiful Island. ASIAN TRAVELLER | MaY 2018

Entertainment

Casino Marina- Where excitement meets extravagance At casino Marina your experience unfolds like a story. Each attraction is a unique chapter of its own, from the state of the art private gaming lounge, specialty restaurants and bars with live entertainment and beyond

asino Marina Colombo is the largest entertainment hub in Sri Lanka with a spectacular view overlooking the Indian Ocean. In terms of hospitality and entertainment, the breathtaking elegance of the Casino will always remain in your memory as one of the most creative masterpieces that Sri Lanka has to offer. Since inception in 1994, they made a commitment to their patrons and their team members to create an operating style built around friendliness. In a highly competitive industry, their Marina style of hospitality has come to define them in the most unique way. The hospitality and generosity of the staff is distinct, from the exquisite food & beverage to the diligent service under the direction of the most food & beverage to the diligent service under the direction of the most respected names in the casino industry in Sri Lanka.

Marina is the home for over fifty internationally renowned gaming tables such as Baccarat, Black Jack, Roulette, and all poker games plus slot machines across four floors of gaming prepared to cater to your ultimate gaming desires. They stand out in the gaming industry in Sri Lanka as the ultimate entertainment hub that has brought the gaming industry to the next level of gaming in the country. At Casino Marina, every day is an amazing new experience. Featuring live performances every night,

Featuring live performances every night and celebrity performers from across the globe, there will never be a dull moment at Casino Marina and celebrity performers from across the globe, there will never be a dull moment at Casino Marina. Dedicated to providing the most secure gaming experience, Casino Marina invites all gaming

patrons of legal gambling age to come experience the excitement of 5 Star Gaming. Casino Marina is the home of prizes and surprises. With regular gaming tournaments, raffle draws and millions in cash giveaways, Casino Marina is the ultimate destination for thrills and excitement. The Roulette Monthly Tournament takes place on the 4th Thursday of every month at Casino Marina Colombo. Registration for the tournament starts at the 1st of each month, with a maximum of 54 entrants for each tournament. You can register and try your luck. The Baccarat Monthly Tournament takes place on the 2nd Thursday of every month at Casino Marina Colombo. Registration for the tournament starts at the 1st of each month, with a maximum of 54 entrants for each tournament. You can register and try your luck at walking home with the 1,000,000 LKR grand prize. Total prize pool of over 2,000,000 LKR. The Monthly Mega Draw takes place at midnight, on the last Friday of each month at Casino Marina Colombo. The night features live entertainment, including dancing acts and a live band, cocktails and five star dinner buffet. The Mega Draw has a grand prize of 3,500,000

MaY 2018 | ASIAN TRAVELLER

LKR, 2nd place prize of 500,000 LKR and 100,000 LKR in playing chips for the rest of the draw winners. Casino Marina provides a host of services to ensure a 5 Star experience. Casino Marina provides dedicated rooms for our VIP players. Complete with its own lounge, Satellite TV, Wifi, dining table, private bar and several private gaming tables, they welcome all high rollers to experience the excitement of 5 star gaming at Casino Marina Colombo.

Restaurants

Featuring world renowned chefs, Casino Marina serves 5 Star international cuisine at each of its resorts and casinos. Each casino features widespread buffets for each meal of the day. A la carte dishes are available on request â&#x20AC;&#x201C; with an overwhelming variety of dishes from around the world, including Chinese, Indian, Sri Lankan, Madagascan, Western and Mediterranean cuisine. The bar includes a large selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks; cocktails, wines, spirits, local & imported beer. Featuring world renowned chefs, Casino Marina Colombo features a 24 hour kitchen serving up a 5 star buffet for each meal of the day. 21

Aviation News

Discover Dubrovnik this summer flydubai launches first direct flights from Dubai and with its partnership with Emirates offers greater frequency and easier access to more than 200 global destinations

ubai-based flydubai’s first flight touched down in Dubrovnik (DBV) on April 10. On board the flight there was a delegation of representatives from the airline together with members of the media and social media. The delegation was met by the State Secretary of the Ministry of Tourism of Tonči Glavina, the Managing Director of Dubrovnik Airport, Frano Luetić, the airlines’ representative in Croatia, Predrag Popovic and the Country Manager, Austria and Croatia for Emirates Martin Gross. On arrival, the inaugural flight was met with a traditional water cannon salute. flydubai will operate Dubrovnik as a seasonal summer route, offering four flights a week between 10 April and 25 October 2018. With the launch of flights to Krakow in Poland on 08 April and the upcoming launch of flights in June to Catania in Italy and to Thessaloniki in Greece, flydubai’s route network in Europe will reach 26 points with 135 weekly flights. Jeyhun Efendi, Senior Vice President Commercial Operations (UAE, Middle East, Europe & CIS) at flydubai, said: “flydubai

is the first airline to offer passengers convenient, direct flights from Dubai to Dubrovnik. Our new service reflects flydubai’s commitment to open up 71 previously underserved markets on our network of more than 90 destinations. We offer affordable travel options in both Business and Economy Classes together with an enjoyable experience on board our young fleet of Boeing 737 aircraft.” Business Class passengers benefit from a dedicated 24-hour Business Team to assist with bookings and enquiries throughout the journey, as well as a priority check-in service,

The city of Dubrovnik, known for its Old Town, is included in the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites comfortable spacious seats and dining options. flydubai offers its Economy Class passengers a variety of features onboard including comfortable seating, a range of tasty snacks to purchase during the flights and the award-winning inflight entertainment system with more than 1,000 hours of films, television, music and an extensive range of Arabic,

English and Russian content. The airline’s latest offering includes WiFi connectivity and Live TV on selected flights. Emirates will codeshare on this route as part of the Emirates flydubai partnership announced in July 2017. For bookings under the codeshare, Emirates passengers will receive complimentary meals and the Emirates checked baggage allowance on flights operated by flydubai in Business and Economy classes. With the partnership, passengers from the hundreds of destinations spanning six continents in over 80 countries will have an opportunity to travel to Dubrovnik via Dubai. “Opening this new route is an exciting and significant development for Emirates, flydubai, Croatia and the UAE. Not only can travellers in this region can take a flight with flydubai from Dubrovnik and connect seamlessly in Dubai to an exciting range of Emirates’ destinations, but we will also bring in more tourists to Croatia from Dubai and beyond, boosting the economy and extending business relations,” said Martin Gross, Country Manager, Croatia and

Austria, Emirates. Dubrovnik is a city in southern Croatia located on the spectacular coastline of the Adriatic sea. The city of Dubrovnik, known for its Old Town, is included in the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites. Frano Luetić, Managing Director of Dubrovnik Airport, commented on the inaugural: “We welcome the launch of flydubai flights from Dubai to Dubrovnik. This is a significant milestone both for our airport and the entire Dubrovnik region. Connectivity is of paramount importance in today’s global world and this new route will make Dubrovnik more accessible for tourists from the Middle East, Asia and Australia and contribute to the further development of the region’s tourism sector.” Another hidden gem of the Adriatic coastline is Tivat in Montenegro and is under a two hour drive from Dubrovnik which provides an opportunity for a European touring holiday. flydubai operates flights to 26 destinations in Europe including Bosnia, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Greece, Italy, Macedonia (FYROM), Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Turkey, Ukraine.

Flight Details

flydubai flights FZ719/ FZ720 operate four times a week between Dubai International, Terminal 2 (DXB) and Dubrovnik Airport (DBV). Business Class return fares from Dubai to Dubrovnik start at AED 6,005 and are inclusive of all taxes and 40kg checked baggage. 22

ASIAN TRAVELLER | May 2018

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Responsible tourism

Responsible Tourism Mission; Redefining Tourism in Kerala Responsible Tourism (RT) is an innovative and far-reaching concept developed by Kerala Tourism to make the state one of the prime tourist destinations

erala has emerged as one of the major tourism destinations on the national and international map and is considered as the tourism trendsetter in the country. The availability of plenty of natural resources, skilled manpower, supportive entrepreneurial community, strong local-selfgovernments, civil society organizations, multitude of micro enterprises, streams of professionals and academicians, responsible media and responsive tourism industry, provide the state an ideal setting to implement and practice ‘Responsible Tourism.’ The initiative was first implemented at four destinations, including Kovalam, Kumarakom, Thekkady and Wayanad. Among these destinations Kumarakom was honored by Ministry of Tourism, Govt of India for the best Responsible Tourism initiative in Kerala and it also bagged the national award for rural tourism. Other significant destinations now pursuing this initiative include Kumbalangi in Ernakulam,

Vythiri and Ambalavayal in Wayanad and Bekal in Kasaragod. This will be extended to all districts with each district having an office and staff for Responsible Tourism. Responsible Tourism (RT) is mainly conceived with three kinds of responsibilities which are termed as the ‘triple bottom-line’ economic responsibility, social responsibility and environmental

responsibility. Though the concept of responsible tourism was there right from 1996, it was after the Cape Town Declaration of 2002 that a detailed picture of responsible tourism - including its aims, and factors evolved. RT encompasses all forms of tourism and seeks to minimize negative economic, environment and social impacts. It generates greater economic benefits to local people and enhances the wellbeing of local communities. It also makes positive contributions to the conservation of natural and cultural heritage, and maintenance of the world’s diversity. The government plans to create 1,50,000 employment opportunities in the tourism sector alone through the Responsible Tourism Mission, in a span of 5 years. The selected destinations for the Responsible Tourism plan are mostly areas that are covered by backwater, sea, wildlife, heritage and

diversity in areas comprising natural beauty. This project will take the responsibility of ensuring more ways of income to the local community by means of keeping traditional jobs, handicraft activities and

Under PEPPER, tourism spots will be identified and will be developed through people’s participation classical art forms as part of tourism. The next 4 years will focus on the formation of widespread workshops, tourism planning with popular participation and much more. Kerala Tourism has implemented the first phase of ‘PEPPER’ (People’s Participation for Planning and Empowerment through Responsible Tourism) project at Vaikom in order to promote unexplored destinations. Further, the Tourism Department would implement the project in other pristine destinations ASIAN TRAVELLER | May 2018

in phases. Under the project, unexplored and pristine spots will be identified and committees will decide about their maintenance without spoiling their tranquility. The project is expected to be completed in three years. Under PEPPER, tourism spots will be identified and will be developed through people’s participation. The local bodies and the people in the locality will be given freedom to decide about the activities in a tourism spot in the area. However, the project implementation will be through Government agencies. Kerala Tourism has also recently launched ‘Jalayanam’ project under RT Mission with the aim of boosting ‘Water Tourism’ in Kadalundi and Olavanna grama panchayats of Kozhikode district. Aimed at developing farm and aquatic tourism initiatives, the initiative will promote rural entrepreneurs and develop the villages as tourism destinations. Five packages are offered under this project. They are: ‘Know Kadalundi’ is a full-day package offering country boat rides, taking tourists closer to the mangrove forests, the traditional lake and marine resources. ‘Feel Mohabbath with Mambuzha’ offer tourists a day-long visit to centres where mats, earthen pots, brass iron box are manufactured. The ‘Chaliyar Triveni Gramayathra’ would take tourists on a ride across three rivers to watch fishing. A half-day package ‘Yesteryear Villages’ includes a boat ride, visit to a coirmanufacturing unit, coconut tree- climbing, live fishing, and traditional meals. The ‘Connecting Culture’ package offers trekking and MaY 2018 | ASIAN TRAVELLER

sightseeing of paddy fields, traditional weaving units and art centres. Kerala Tourism participated in the threeday WTM London 2017 highlighting success of the state’s ‘Responsible Tourism Mission.’ Tourism Minister Kadakampally Surendran led the state delegation which showcased Kerala’s best-selling products, including its award-winning Responsible Tourism initiatives, pristine beaches, hill stations, backwaters, houseboats and ayurveda therapies.

Toilet Mapping

To find a lasting solution to the major concern, RT Mission will be launching toilet mapping, a first-ofits-kind initiative in the

Resources directory of skilled workers and artisans in the rural villages will also be made as part of the mission. Village life experience package will be extended to more villages

The Responsible Tourism (RT) Mission is setting up a web portal enabling lovers of the arts to make online booking of performances for an event in the state. The CM will also announce 13 model RT villages on Friday. Giving priority for implementing the green protocol in various destinations, RT Mission has also identified 20 places to be declared garbage-free

work, their details of artists on the site. Artists interested in being part of the initiative have been asked to register at the mission’s district offices. “The unique initiative will offer a digital platform for artists to reach out to wider audiences. It will also make it easier for programme organisers to get their favourite artist without having to resort to middlemen,” said RT mission state coordinator K Roopesh. “Programme organisers are exploited by middlemen while booking artists. A main advantage of the initiative is the portal will end this exploitation. By availing the service of the portal, organisers will be able to book directly with the facility to make payments online,” he added.

Awards

state. The Mission will also recommend government subsidy for people who provide toilet facilities to tourists at their homes. The draft RT policy said that toilet mapping is an unavoidable step to ensure that tourist centres are strictly following RT guidelines. Currently, public toilets and washrooms across the state will be mapped initially, followed by destinations and places without such facilities. Under the RT mission, importance will be given to the classification of hotels and resorts. An online platform will be launched for the marketing of the village products. A Human

in the near future.They include Pallathuruthy, Alappuzha finishing point, Marari Beach, Muhamma, Kumarakom, Vaikom, Poovar, Fort Kochi, Munnar, Dharmadom, Bekal, Valiyaparamba, Thekkady, Kovalam, Olavanna, Athirappilly, Muzhappilangad, Vellinezhi, Vythiri and Ambalavayal.

Web portal for art lovers

The Responsible Tourism (RT) Mission is setting up a web portal enabling lovers of the arts to make online booking of performances for an event. The portal is aimed at promoting local art forms, including dance, music, via online marketing. Performers will put up their

Kerala’s responsible tourism project at the backwater destination of Kumarakom won the award. The project had earlier won several national and international honours, including the UNWTO Ulysses Prize, Pacific Asia Travel Association’s Grand and Gold awards and five national awards. UNWTO Ulysses Award, is the highest honour given by UN to government bodies for shaping global tourism policies through innovative initiatives and is the first time India is figuring on the list of UNWTO Award winners. The Kumarakom project has become successful because of the hard work by all its partners and with the support of esteemed travellers from around the world. The Mission also bagged the prestigious ‘Outstanding Achievement Award’ in the Indian Responsible Tourism Awards category at the Indian Responsible Tourism International Conference. The award is the top-most honour in the Indian Responsible Tourism sector and is the Indian award chapter of the World Travel Market. 25

Solo traveller

Solo biking expedition to Leh-Ladakh – a dream of every biker Cruise organizes for 350cc Royal Enfield for the riders, along with tour leader and tour guide to accompany them. First aid kit and oxygen cylinders are offered by cruise

ravelling to Leh Ladakh has been a dream of today’s generation and biking is Indian Millennial’s choice. For Gen Y, latest Gadget and Biking has become a craze. Mohan, an IT professional’s dream came true when he realized the truth of renting a bike to achieve his distant dream. His dream turned into reality when he finally hired a 350cc Royal Enfield bike from Cruise and began his expedition to Ladakh. Leh Ladakh was meant to be a land like no other with a superabundance of attractions to visit with fabulous landscapes and is truly a heaven on Earth and it is a dream for every passionate rider across the mountains on a bike. Traveling solo on a Royal Enfield to Leh-Ladakh felt like trance especially along the magnificent mountain terrain which mesmerized him. It was beautiful, dangerous and quiet. A scenic landscape covered with rugged roads, lush hilly mountains, and extreme climatic conditions is fascinating for any adventurer to go on a trip to

Ladakh. It’s a faraway trip for the young and adventurous hearted person seeking solace for the body, mind, and soul, which is proving to be an exhilarating and offbeat experience for many. “I decided to prep for an epic journey to conquest the two highest motorable peaks in the world, ensuring for the expedition received a list of itinerary required. As per our plan, I reached Delhi and then took a ride to Manali from where my trip to Ladakh began. On the way, I

Khardung La pass at an altitude of 5359 meters is one of the highest motorable peaks in the world got a glance of high altitudes with narrow roadways and overwhelming scenery. Upon my arrival in the morning, Cruise escorted us to a Himalayan hotel, which was surrounded by a high plateau and a beautiful view of the tall mountains covered with a little bit of silver lining by the clouds. Sarchu was one of our first destinations, followed by Taglang La pass, Tatsumori Lake, Pangong

lake and Khardung La pass. ” Said Mohan Kumar, an IT professional from Bangalore. Khardung La pass at an altitude of 5359 meters is one of the highest motorable peaks in the world. The journey to that height was epic and one of the most adventurous journeys ever. Cruise team along with Mohan rode towards, the beautiful Pangong Lake where they were welcomed with lush greenery in the middle of a hilly terrain. The huge glassed lake with clear transparent water was something anyone should not miss. He came across many military camps and trucks filled with army personals. This was because Pangong Lake extends from India to Tibet and sixty percent of the lake lies in China. Mohan’s next destination was Tatsumori Lake, which is about 160 km and is known for serving the ground for migratory birds. After they reached Manali, they went to the café where they assembled on day 1. They rested for a while

so that we let the engine can cool off, the journey was nearly to completion after traveling for 1,995 Km. Mohan celebrated the final moments of his journey with the Cruise team where they have arranged a small party with a huge cake and other things to mark the amazing journey. Mohan thanked the team for all the arrangement and his safe return back. Later in the evening, we boarded his flight back to Bangalore. “I am overwhelmed with the response we got from such solo travelers who chose Cruise for their dream destination. We are happy that we were able to provide an incredible experience, with perfect planning and impeccable hospitality. Besides making arrangements for food and stay, we also updated on the altitude and oxygen levels at the places the bikers explored. We try to support each rider with utmost care and hospitality. It was a pleasure for Cruise to host Mohan for his solo trip to the Himalayas”, said Mithu Nahak, Operation Coordinator, Cruise. Cruise is an experiential tour operator which ensures an adventurous journey healthy and safe. The concept initiated by Orca Sail Boats Private Limited in the year 2012, finally took shape in 2017. Cruise ensures smooth access to best for cars, bikes; cruises around India, their expert team will provide the perfect package for your individual needs with a motive of thrilling experience.

ASIAN TRAVELLER | May 2018

Safari

An exclusive equestrian safari in Botswana with Jodie Kidd Belmond Safaris partnered with Jodie Kidd to offer the ultimate equestrian safari in Botswana this September

elmond partners with British Equestrian Polo Player and International Fashion Model, Jodie Kidd to host exclusive 6-night Horseback safari in the breathtaking wilderness of Botswana from 25 September to 1 October 2018 at Belmond’s intimate lodges, Belmond Savute Lodge and Eagle Island Camp.

Equestrian Escapism

From the remote Savute region where large herds of elephants and mighty prides of lions abound, to the watery wonderland of the Okavango Delta; the horseback safari offers the opportunity to experience the rich wildlife and landscape from many angles. When not in the saddle, guests can take a birds-eye view in a helicopter safari with views across the vast expanse of wilderness or get close to the wildlife in open-vehicles. Jodie accompanies guests on wildlife adventures each day following a glorious sunrise breakfast at each lodge. A traditional Botswanan Boma dinner is served at Belmond Savute Elephant Lodge around the campfire one evening, where guests can settle around the campfire to exchange stories of the day. An evening sunset cruise along the majestic and glistening waters of the Delta is also offered for guests at Belmond Eagle Island Lodge.

Model Adventurer

With an international fashion career working for brands such as Chanel, Karl Largerfeld and Yves Saint Laurent as well as being British Show jumping and Polo Player, Jodie Kidd possesses a perfect blend of elegance and adventure. “Horses are incredible animals and being able to ride them through Botswana will be a truly breath-taking experience, not only for the riders but also for the horses’ comments Jodie.

Wild Luxury

Positioned on a secluded island, surrounded by river channels and floodplains, Belmond Eagle Island is Botswana’s ultimate water and experience-based safari lodge. Belmond Savute Elephant Lodge relaunches this summer as a ‘Modern Explorers’ retreat alongside the Savute MaY 2018 | ASIAN TRAVELLER

Channel with its own wildlife viewing hide overlooking the watering hole and relaxing spa. Both lodges feature twelve tented rooms with panoramic vistas. Open dining and bar spaces are at the heart of the lodge, leading onto an observation deck and pool relaxation area. Belmond lodges are positioned in unrivalled locations and combine the most spectacular views of wildlife and authentic local experiences. Truly genuine African adventures rooted in heritage and the natural world. The Jodie Kidd hosted horseback six-night safari starts from $13,850 per person, including accommodation, meals, drinks (excluding premium brands), internal flights and safari activities. Belmond is a global collection of exceptional hotel and luxury travel adventures in some of the world’s most inspiring and enriching destinations. Established almost 40 years ago with the acquisition of Belmond Hotel Cipriani in Venice, its unique and distinctive portfolio now embraces 47 hotel, rail and river cruise experiences, including one scheduled for a 2018 opening in London, in many of the world’s most celebrated destinations. From city landmarks to intimate resorts, the collection includes Belmond Grand Hotel Europe, St. Petersburg; Belmond Copacabana Palace, Rio de Janeiro; Belmond Maroma Resort & Spa, Riviera Maya; and Belmond El Encanto, Santa Barbara. Belmond also encompasses safaris, eight luxury tourist trains, including the Venice Simplon-OrientExpress, and three river cruises. Belmond also operates ‘21’ Club, one of New York’s most storied restaurants. Jodie grew up in Sussex, where she

was a keen showjumper & polo player, before being ‘spotted’ aged 15 and from there began a stellar modelling career which spanned the late 90s & 2000s, fronting global fashion campaigns for major brands such as Chanel, Yves Saint Laurent, Moschino, Chloe & Karl Largerfeld; walking catwalks around the world for designers including Donna Karen, Calvin Klein, Valentino and Fendi; and appearing on the cover of many magazines from Vogue to Tatler, enjoying a very successful & long modelling career. Away from the catwalk, Jodie has appeared on BBC1’s Who Do You Think You Are, BBC1’s Strictly Come Dancing & BBC1’s Celebrity Masterchef, where she finished as Runner Up after demonstrating serious skill in the kitchen. Combining her passions for horses & fashion, she has appeared as the fashion commentator for the BBC at Royal Ascot, and for Channel 4 Racing at Goodwood, as well as hosting the Red Bull Air Race, presenting Fashion Avenue (her own US show) as well as Channel 5’s The Classic Car Show alongside Quentin Willson. 27

TAMIL NADU TRAVELLER

A small beautiful park for all nature and wildlife enthusiasts Guindy National Park is one of the last strongholds of bio diversity providing peaceful pollution-free atmosphere to many

Dr S Bakthavatchalam

uindy National Park is a protected area of Tamil Nadu, located in Chennai and said to be the eighth smallest National Park of India and one of the very few national parks situated inside a city. Total area of the park is 2.82 Km2. Guindy National park consists of various vegetation zones mainly tropical dry evergreen flora with over 350 species of plants including trees, shrubs, climbers, herbs and grasses. There are 24 varieties of trees including Amona Squamosa, Atlanta Monoplylla, Feronia Limonia, Azadirachta Indica and many others are found in this park. Guindy National Park was established in the year of 1976. The park is an extension of the grounds surrounding Raj Bhavan, formerly known as the ‘Guindy Lodge’, the official residence of the Governor of Tamil Nadu. The park is home to spotted deer, black bucks, white bucks, river otter, hyena, bonnet monkey, civet cat, jackals, pangolin, hedgehog and common mongoose etc. Birds which can be seen here are the black winged kite, buzzard, Grey Partridge, olden Backed Woodpecker, Parakeets, Crow Pheasant, Yellow Wattled Lapwing, Blue

ponds, which usually dry up during summer. Entry into this protected reserve is restricted, and visitors can go into the core area only when escorted by a forest ranger from the Forests Department.

Faced Malkoha, Shrikes, Koels, pariah kite, Minivets, Munias, Barkets, Tailor Birds, Robins, Drongos, Quails, Flycatcher, Stone Curlew, Beak Paradise etc. The park is also a suitable habitat for many species of butterflies, spiders, and invertebrates like Grasshopper, Ants,

The Children’s Park and the Snake Park have separate entrances and independent entry fees Termites, Crabs, Snails, Slugs, Scorpions, Mites, Earthworm, and Millipedes etc. This park is extended up to the deeper parts of the estate of governor that consists of beautiful forests, scrub lands, lakes and streams. Guindy Snake Park, formerly the location of Madras Crocodile Bank Trust, is next to the Guindy National Park. The Snake Park in Chennai gained statutory recognition as a medium zoo from the Central Zoo Authority in 1995. One can see king cobra, pythons, vipers and other reptiles. About 22 acres of the Guindy National Park has been carved out into a park known as the Children’s Park and play area at the northeast corner of the national

park with a collection of animals and birds for ex-situ conservation. Animals in the Children’s Park include black buck, sambar, spotted deer, porcupine, jackal, python, grey pelican, night heron, cormorant, cockatiel, parrot, mongoose, common peafowl, crocodile, common otter, rhesus monkey, bonnet monkey and common langur. The Children’s Park also exhibits a fossilised tree specimen which is estimated to be about 20 million years old and a statue of a Tyrannosaurus at the entrance. The Children’s Park and the Snake Park have separate entrances and independent entry fees.

With the aim of spreading awareness, nature camps are conducted for school students taking inside the national park and told of the importance of the bio-diversity found therein. There is also a new interpretation center giving information about the bio diversity found inside the park.

How to Reach

By Air – Nearest airport is Chennai airport, about 08 Km from the Guindy

Initially, the process of extracting venom from snakes for pharmaceutical companies to prepare antivenom drugs was undertaken by the park. However, after the government imposed a ban on selling snake skins, this task has been given to the Irulas Co-operative Society at the Madras Crocodile Bank Trust.

National Park. Chennai airport is well connected by road network to Guindy National Park.

The park is protected by a perimeter wall for a length of 9.5 km. The park has two large tanks, namely, Kathan Kollai (KK Tank) and Appalam Kolam (AK Tank), in addition to two

By Road – Guindy National Park is well connected to Major Cities and Places by road network. There are a number of government and privately operated vehicles.

By Rail – Nearest railway station is Guindy railway station, about 01 Km from the Guindy National Park. Guindy railway station is well connected by road network to Guindy National Park.

ASIAN TRAVELLER | May 2018

NEWSLINE

A Centre of Excellence and Research in Yoga and Indian Traditional Medicine inaugurated in the presence of HRH The Prince of Wales KG, KT, GCB, OM and Shri Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India at Science Museum, London on Akshaya Tritiya 18th April 2018.

Wyndham Hotel Group Unites its Family of Hotel Brands under One Powerful Name

Twelve Wyndham Hotel Group brands – including iconic names such as Super 8, Days Inn and Ramada – are adding the powerful “by Wyndham” suffix to their names. Unveiled in front of thousands of its franchisees at the company’s Global Conference, the plan to unite its signature lodging brands under the Wyndham banner is one of the largest name changes in the industry’s history. Brands adding the “by 30

Wyndham” hallmark are Super 8, Days Inn, Howard Johnson, Travelodge, AmericInn, Baymont, Ramada, Ramada Encore, Dolce, Dazzler, Esplendor, and Trademark – representing 7,074 properties across the globe. The move not only unites the Company’s diverse hoteliers under a common mission and name, but is also expected to favorably impact guest trial and brand awareness throughout the Company’s portfolio.

“As the leader in midscale and economy lodging, the Wyndham name has become synonymous with making hotel travel possible for all,” said Barry Goldstein, Wyndham’s executive vice president and chief marketing officer. “This new designation for our brands is a celebration of the accomplishments we’ve made in our mission to make travel possible for everyone, revolutionizing Wyndham Rewards and elevating our brands through a laser focus on quality, technology, and sales and marketing.” Beginning April 16, the updated brand names and logos will appear across Wyndham’s digital placements from brand websites to mobile sites and third-party listings. Hotel owners in North America may immediately begin

placing orders for their new signs today. The updates will progress around the world with an expected completion date of December 2022. The “by Wyndham” cross-branding initiative represents a further evolution of the Company and its brand portfolio leading up to its spin-off as a pure-play hotel franchising and hotel management company (Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, Inc.), which is scheduled to occur later this quarter. Wyndham’s Wingate, Microtel, Hawthorn Suites and Tryp brands already incorporate “by Wyndham”, and all twenty of the Company’s hotel brands participate in its award-winning Wyndham Rewards loyalty program, which has more than 55 million members. ASIAN TRAVELLER | MaY 2018

NEWSLINE

The World’s Leading Travel Blogging Conference Coming to Ostrava, Czech Republic TBEX (The Travel Blog Exchange), the world’s largest gathering of travel bloggers, writers, content creators, and social media-savvy travel industry professionals, will be for the first time in its history holding an event in Central Europe. The 2018 TBEX Europe Conference will take place from 26th – 28th July, 2018 in the city of Ostrava in the eastern part of the Czech Republic. CzechTourism, the national tourism board of the Czech Republic, together with the Moravian-Silesian Region and thecity of Ostrava have won the bid to host the prestigious and influential travel media event after a year-long marathon of negotiations. The conference annually attracts more than 600 travel influencers from all over the world and with a reach of 300 million has potential to make the Czech Republic go viral next year. The Czech Republic is a destination in the very heart of Europe. Filled with inspiring stories, unusual travel experiences and both historical and natural beauties it is no wonder the country of 10 million attracts approximately the same number of international visitors every year. In the northeast corner of the country tucked between Poland and Slovakia and surrounded with romantic Beskydy Mountains and the high Jeseníky Mountains lies the 3rd largest Czech city of Ostrava. The city of Ostrava, often nicknamed as the black pearl of the Czech Republic, is one of the as-yet-undiscovered treasures of the Czech Republic, which could have come straight from a Jules Verne novel! “We look MaY 2018 | ASIAN TRAVELLER

20% of those in attendance also include Destination Management Organizations (DMO), Travel Brands, Hoteliers, Tour Operators, Public Relations and Marketing Agencies, Traditional Media Editors and Publishers.

forward to welcoming all the creative digital wizards and seeing their view of our city, which has undergone a major transformation over the past several years. A city that is proud of its mining-industrial past, but is now heading in the new direction; innovative (our Ostrava supercomputer ranks among the top 100 most powerful computers in the world), environmentalfriendly (a candidate for the European Green City 2020), inspiring (Lower Vítkovice Area, a UNESCO candidate) but also just a great place for living,” said Tomáš Macura, the city mayor of Ostrava. Next July, a week after the internationally acclaimed multi-genre music festival Colours of Ostrava more than 600 conference delegates from around the world will flock to the capital of Moravian-Silesian Region. The Region’s President Ivo Vondrák welcomes the conference as it will also drive tourism and economic development. “Connecting two world-class events that will celebrate diversity and bring together thousands of people from different parts of the world in the postindustrial setting of Ostrava is a great opportunity for the Moravian-Silesian Region

as a whole,” added Mr. Vondrák. The timing of the conference could not have been better as 2018 marks the 100th anniversary of the independent Czechoslovakia, a country that existed for 75 years, until 1993, when it peacefully split into two sovereign states: Czech Republic and Slovakia. “In the context of this anniversary, we will tell stories of architecture and design, stories of Czech lifestyle, new emerging culinary, coffee and craft beer scene, and stories of the formation of our country. If travel bloggers who will come for the conference help us share our stories and their experience, it could put not only the hosting city of Ostrava but the whole country on the map in a big way,” said Monika Palatková, general manager of CzechTourism. It is expected that TBEX Europe 2018 attendees will primarily come from North America and Europe but there will also be a sizeable contingent present from Asia and the rest of the world. Most TBEX delegates are content creators, producers of blogs, videos or podcasts but approximately

Anticipating next year’s event in the Czech Republic, Rick Calvert, CEO of TBEX said: “We have been keeping this secret for many months now and we cannot wait for next July! The TBEX community is going to love Ostrava, the Moravian Silesian Region and the entire Czech Republic. We expect excitement for this event to be through the roof”. TBEX is the largest conference and networking event for travel bloggers, online travel journalists, new media content creators, travel brands and industry professionals. Each year, TBEX partners with fantastic host destinations in North America, Europe and Asia Pacific to bring the travel industry’s most creative minds together to learn, network and do business. The first TBEX was held in 2009 after an email was sent to six friends. Since then, it has grown into the world’s largest travel community, with conferences held annually in North America, Europe, and Asia Pacific. Each TBEX conference attracts 600-800 delegates from around the world, making it the best opportunity for DMOs, travel brands, PR firms and their clients, to engage with the most influential travel bloggers and leading digital content creators.

NEWSLINE

Tourism Minister Kadakampally Surendran inaugurates GPS tracking device in Alappuzha Houseboat with District Collector of Alappuzha, T.V. Anupama IAS

Thomas Cook India launches Incredible India Week Thomas Cook (India) Ltd., India’s leading integrated travel and travel related financial services company, launched its “Incredible India Week”, to leverage the strong potential of Indian travellers keen on discovering India. Thomas Cook’s internal data has revealed a significant and growing demand of over 30% YoY from its domestic travel segment. Hence to capitalize on this yet underleveraged opportunity, the company created a unique property, the Incredible India Week, with a focussed intent to bring attractive and affordable India holidays to domestic travellers, thereby giving them further impetus to travel- within 32

the country. The Incredible India Week (April 4-11, 2018) is strategically timed post school exams to leverage the critical booking period for India’s peak domestic vacation season, with special pricing, lucrative deals and discounts of up to Rs. 7500 per booking; and an additional 5% cash-back on SBI debit and credit cards. Thomas Cook’s high

decibel media campaign extends across print and digital media- pan India. The Incredible India Week enables Indian travellers choose from an extensive portfolio of group and individual domestic packages to destinations including favorites like Himachal, Uttarakhand, Kashmir, Kerala, Ladakh, Andamans, Goa; trending destinations like North East; also religious based tours like Char Dham & Mansarovar. Abraham Alapatt, President & Group Head - Marketing, Service Quality,

Financial Services & Innovation, Thomas Cook India said, “A significant trend emerging from our consumer analytics is the Indian consumers’ interest in multiple domestic holidays a year- both during school vacations and shorter breaks throughout the year. With increase in accessconnectivity, government initiatives such as UDAN and improved tourism infrastructure on-ground, we saw opportunity to focus on the yet underleveraged domestic segment. Our Thomas Cook Incredible India Week hence intends to showcase our exhaustive range of India packages and catalyze demand via great offers. And within a short span, we’ve already seen a surge of 45% in bookings!” ASIAN TRAVELLER | MaY 2018

NEWSLINE

MEININGER to open a hotel in Glasgow, United Kingdom Cox & Kings owned MEININGER Hotels and investor LGIM Real Assets (Legal & General) have signed an agreement for a hotel in Glasgow. The hotel will be located on West George Street opposite Queen Street Train Station and will offer 160 rooms and 590 beds. The opening is scheduled for 2020. Due to its strategic location in the centre of Glasgow, opposite to Queen Street Train Station which is currently undergoing a major redevelopment, many of the city’s sights, museums and monuments are within walking distance from the hotel. Equally, there are numerous restaurants, pubs and venues nearby. The Gallery of Modern Art is just

a 3-minute walk from the hotel and the Royal Concert Hall just 9 minutes. Due to its proximity to the train station, the hotel is well connected to both local and long-distance destinations, with trains running to the north of Scotland and to Edinburgh, which can easily be reached within 40 minutes. The nearest underground station is also just 160 meters from

the hotel. The MEININGER Hotel will have 160 rooms and 590 beds, spread over 5 floors of the new building. The room types will range from classic double rooms through private multi-bed rooms to beds in a dorm room. The public areas such as reception, lobby, lounge, breakfast room and bar as well as a guest kitchen and game zone,

which are all typical features of a MEININGER, will be located on the first floor of the building. At basement, ground and mezzanine levels the scheme will also create around 1400 sqm of new retail space. The hotel in Glasgow will be the second hotel for the MEININGER Group in the UK. MEININGER already operates a hotel in London since 2006. Hannes Spanring, CEO of the MEININGER Hotels, is pleased about the new project: “Great Britain is a very important market for us and Glasgow as Scotland’s largest city is the perfect location for another MEININGER hotel in the UK. The Glasgow hotel is an excellent addition to our portfolio, due to its prime location in the heart of the city centre.”

Jet Airways signs up additional 75 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft Jet Airways, India’s premier international airline announces that it has signed a new order for 75 additional Boeing 737 MAX aircraft taking the total order to 150 aircraft. The Boeing 737 aircraft type is the backbone of Jet Airways’ fleet. The 150 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft will serve the Airline not only to replace its existing fleet but also to

equip it with modern and environmentally progressive airplanes thereby fueling the airline’s expansion strategy to support its network and growth aspirations in the world’s fastest growing aviation market. Vinay Dube, Chief Executive Officer, Jet Airways, said, “Our new order for the additional 75 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft will allow us to deliver a

differentiated and world class customer experience to our guests. This additional order reemphasizes our trust and confidence in Boeing and also reaffirms our commitment to operate extremely modern, reliable and fuel efficient aircraft as part of our fleet. Jet Airways’ partnership with Boeing goes back 25 years ever since the airline was conceived and took to the skies. This order underscores Jet Airways’ commitment to the growth and sustainability of the Indian aviation market”. “We are honored that Jet Airways has again placed its trust in Boeing with its order for 75 more Boeing 737

MaY 2018 | ASIAN TRAVELLER

MAXs”, said Dinesh Keskar, Senior Vice President, Asia Pacific & India Sales, Boeing Commercial Airplanes. “These additional Boeing 737 MAX airplanes will help Jet Airways continue to be an industry leader by combining a superior passenger experience with reliable and efficient operations”. Jet Airways is India’s premier international airline which operates flights to 65 destinations, including India and overseas. Jet Airways’ robust domestic India network spans the length and breadth of the country covering metro cities, state capitals and emerging destinations. Beyond India, Jet Airways operates flights to key international destinations in South East Asia, South Asia, Middle East, Europe and North America.

TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE CONTEST - 118 1. In which year of First World War Germany declared war on Russia and France? 2. How many Lok Sabha seats belong to Rajasthan? 3. With which sport is the Jules Rimet trophy associated? Jeff Wagoner

appointed as President and CEO at Outrigger Hotels and Resorts

Manish Sodhi

appointed as CEO at Hotel Sahara Star, Mumbai

Mehdi Morad

appointed as the new General Manager at Address Boulevard, Dubai

4. Where is ‘Ground Zero’? 5. Where is the Oldest working refinery? 6. What is called as the ‘roof’ of the world? 7. Who is the author of the book ;War and Diplomacy in Kashmir’? 8. Who is considered the father of Sahatara (Sitar)? 9. Where did the dance form ‘Mohini Attam’ develop?

Romil Pant

appointed as Senior Vice President for its Leisure Business, Thomas Cook India

James Berry

appointed as General Manager at Radisson Blu Hotel, Dubai Media City

Jayakrishna Bhaskaran appointed as Manager Key Accounts & OTAs - India, Oman Air

10. In which state the folk painting Madhubani is popular? Send in your answers to editor@mediastepsindia.com with TYKC 118 in the subject line. Answers should reach us before the 30th of this month.

Answers to TYKC - 117

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