AIR MILES

Business Traveller India talks to Ann D’Silva, best-selling Indian author. Currently living in Istanbul, she is a humanitarian and works for the empowerment of rural women in India with her initiative ‘India Heart’. From her books’ series — Sand and Sea, Footprints in the Sand is currently a bestseller. e second book titled Child of Two Worlds was released this year. She has also released a compilation of poems called Verses of A Risen Phoenix.

Tell us about your journey as an author

“I’m in love with journeys of maybe and could be.” Having been a traveller for two decades, when I chose to leave the corporate world and pursue my CSR journey and writing, I wanted to create a niche for myself as a travel writer.

As a travel writer, I write about the complete ethos and history of a country to give my audience an experience before they ever travel to that country.

What are some of your favourite destinations to visit I have many favourites particularly places with rich cultural, historic and archeological stories to tell, like Florence. Turkey with its ancient historical and archaeological stories and the romance of Paris also intrigue me.

What are some of the must-haves in your handbag

These days a mask and sanitiser is on everyone’s list without a mention. But a must have is a map of the city and a little research of do’s and don’ts culturally before travel. I keep copies of the passport and a journal to pen all the special moments too.

What kind of a travels do you enjoy - laid back and relaxed or busy and hectic

I always like laid back and never group travel packages. I like my time to explore a place at ease and enjoy its local flavour that my senses need to soak it in so I can tell the story of that city through a poem or prose.

Business Travel Expected To Fully Recover By 2025

THE GLOBAL BUSINESS TRAVEL

ASSOCIATION (GBTA) has released its annual BTI Outlook, which predicts that business travel will fully recover by 2025. e report projected a 21 per cent increase in business travel spending in 2021, with the majority of the gain expected to come at the end of the year due to the rollout of vaccinations and rise in consumer con dence. It also forecasts that there will be a signi cant pick-up in group meeting activity and international business travel in 2022. Annual business travel spending growth is expected to slow down in 2023 but remain above historical average rates of growth of 4.6 per cent. By the end of 2024, annual business travel spending is expected to reach approximately US$1.4 trillion, which nearly equates to the 2019 pre-pandemic revenue peak of US$1.43 trillion. gbta.org