Safari Plus - 2018 Sept Oct by Safari Plus

Edited & Published by Shailendra Kesari • For Online News visit: www.safariplus.co.in • Email: info@safariplus.co.in • Septembet - October 2018 • Vol: 20 Issue: 1

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Eastern Himalaya Travel & Tour Operator’s Association new team

MOT and Faith organising India Tourism Mart

The Ministry of Tourism, Government of India along with Federation of Associations of India Tourism & Hospitality (FAITH) is organizing the first India Tourism Mart (ITM) 2018 from 16 to 18 September 2018 at Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi. Mr. K.J. Alphons, Hon'ble Minister Tourism, Govt. of India, said, “Tourism plays a very important role for the development of Indian economy. India has potential to provide variety of tourism products in order to cater to the needs of different categories of tourists.

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Eastern Himalaya Travel & Tour Operator’s Association (EHTTOA) Biennial General Meeting (BGM) was held at Pine Tree Resort, Kalimpong on 18th August, 2018. And the newly formed EHTTOA Executive Committee 2018 was announced at the meeting. The New EHTTOA Committee for the term 2018 - 2020 President: Mr. Debasish Maitra Executive President: Mr Santosh Saha

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Keeping the above objective in mind, the Ministry of Tourism along with the Federation of Association of Indian Tourism and Hospitality (FAITH) is organizing this national level event, which shall provide a common platform for buyers as well as sellers to exchange ideas and to increase business opportunities. I am confident that the international delegates coming from different corners of the globe, shall be able to experience the rich culture, heritage, diversity and warm hospitality of India.”

Vice President: Mr Partha Guha and Mr Kalyan Deb General Secretary: Mr Sandipan Ghosh Joint Secretary: Mr Aditya Bothra Treasurer: Mr Susmit Dutta Coordinators: Mr Rajesh Saraf and Mr Sumanta Sarkar Executive Committee Members: Mr Santanu Chowdhury; Mr Nigam Chakraborty; Mr Tarun Dey; Mr Vivek Subba; Mr Tamal Bose; Mr Suresh Thakuri

2019

IndiaTourism, Mumbai shifted to AirIndia Building

Bengal Travel Mart 2019 Dates announced

Indiatourism, Mumbai Air India Building, Ground floor, Nariman Point, Mumbai, 400 021 Maharashtra Tel: 022 -2204 3144, 2202 3145, 2202 4334, 2204 4333 Fax: 022-22014496

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2019

IndiaTourism, Mumbai shifted to AirIndia Building

Bengal Travel Mart 2019 Dates announced

Indiatourism, Mumbai Air India Building, Ground floor, Nariman Point, Mumbai, 400 021 Maharashtra Tel: 022 -2204 3144, 2202 3145, 2202 4334, 2204 4333 Fax: 022-22014496

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EVENT

EVENT Rajasthan Domestic Travel Mart T h e D e p a r t m e n t o f To u r i s m , Government of Rajasthan with the Federation of Hospitality and Tourism of Rajasthan (FHTR) organized the ‘Rajasthan Domestic Travel Mart’ 2018. The event held from July 20-22 at the B.M. Birla Auditorium in Jaipur. The Department of Tourism was the host State partner for the event. The event was also supported by HRAR, IHHA, RATO and ADTOI. Rajasthan Domestic Travel Mart

exclusively focused on the domestic tourists within Rajasthan from various parts of I n d i a a n d established Rajasthan as one of the leading domestic tourist destinations in the Country.

‘Paryatan Parv’ nationwide from 16 to 27 September, 2018 Publisher: Shailendra Publication Editor & Publisher: Shailendra Kesari Assistant Editor: Parul Kesari Brand Ambassador: Vyom Kesari Advisory: Gour Kanjilal, Om Prakash Sehgal Marketing Team: Prashant, Dinesh Gupta Correspondent North: Manoj Babbar Correspondent West: Payal Gupta

The vision 2020 initiated by the CM had an objective of 5 crore tourist footfall in the state by the year 2020. But the state had already attained close to 5 crore tourists in the year 2017 itself. The Guest of

Honour, Additional Chief Secretary, Tourism, Shri. Subodh Agarwal said that this Mart is first of its kind in Rajasthan and second in India. The 15% of the total State GDP is through tourism. Tourism has won 45 awards over the past 4 years and 65% occupancy in hotels was recorded in the year 2017. The President, FHTR, Mr. Bhim Singh said the soul objective of the event is to increase Domestic tourism is Rajasthan. A numerous Promotional shows will be organized across the State/ Rajasthan.

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include Travel Agents & Tour Operators, DMC, Hotels & Resorts, National Tourist Organizations, Cruises, Airlines, Online Travel Portals etc. Speaking on the occasion, Mr Sanjay Hakhu, Director, Sphere TravelMedia said, “India in spite of the present business environment is fast emerging as one of the most interesting and productive countries for the travel trade industry both for leisure and business travel. A combination of factors is responsible for the growth and demand of travel trends from India. The visitor profile is on a B2B & B2C format like and will have over 15,000 buyers over three days”. !Highlights of the Event were: Sri Lanka was the ‘Partner Country’ this year.

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Some of the International participants who are participating this year include participants from Sri Lanka, Mauritius, Maldives, Nepal, Dubai, China, Malaysia, Indonesia, Japan, etc. Gujarat, Goa, Kerala, Odisha are the ‘Partner States’ while Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, West Bengal and Tamil Nadu will be the ‘Feature Destinations’ at the event. Mr Rohit Hangal, Director, Sphere Travelmedia added, "Domestic travel is the backbone’ of India’s tourism portfolio and with an estimated 561 million domestic tourist visits. This

big way to the country’s economy with generation of employment to youth, women and also for the rural livelihood. Therefore, the programmes should have a festive look and encourage maximum possible participation of the people, she added. The Paryatan Parv will start with the India Tourism Mart 2018 (16th – 18th September 2018), which will further ensure wide participation from outside the country. The Paryatan Parv shall conclude with the World Tourism Day celebrations on 27th September 2018. Partners in the events include the State Governments who will organize cultural and other tourism related events, workshops and seminars at the identified sites as well at other destinations and locations in their States. The States will also provide their broad activities plan for the Parv to the Ministry of Tourism by 30th August.

Mr. PP Khanna and along with his Team Progressive has been re-elected as ADTOI President for the second consecutive term 2018-20. President: Mr. P P Khanna Vice President: Mr. Rajesh Arya General Secretary: Mr. Chetan Gupta

Treasurer: Mr. Dalip Gupta Joint Secretary: Mr. Anil Kumar Rajput Executive Committee: Mr. Rajeev Sobti, Ms. Ekta Watts, Mr. Manoj Varshney, Mr. Neetish Gupta, Mr. Siddharth Jain, Mr. Ved Khanna, Mr. Ashish Chander Sehgal and Mr. Vishal Bhatia

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SKAL National Congress Kolkata 2018

IITM marks its successful editions in Bengaluru and Chennai Sphere Travelmedia & Exhibitions concluded its 106th edition of IITM in Bengaluru from 27- 29 July 2018. And 107th edition in Chennai from 03 – 05 August 2018. Bengaluru exhibition was inaugurated by Karnataka State’s Hon’ble Minister Sri Sa Ra Mahesh for Tourism & Sericulture, along with Mr T K Anil Kumar, IAS. Secretary – Tourism Govt. Of Karnataka and B Ramu, IAS, Director Tourism Department Govt. Of Karnataka. IITM showcased a variety of destinations from different spheres such as pilgrimages, adventures, culture & heritage, beaches, hills and much more. T h e eve nt w i l l h ave ove r 4 5 0 participants from over 15 countries and over 20 Indian states. The participants

The Ministry of Tourism, Government of India in collaboration with other Central Ministries, State Governments and Stakeholders is organizing a “Paryatan Parv” across the country from the 16th to 27th September 2018. The Parv is being organized with the objective of drawing focus on the benefits of tourism, showcasing the cultural diversity of the country and reinforcing the principle of “Tourism for All”. Paryatan Parv will have three main components as like last year, viz. Dekho Apna Desh, Tourism for All and Tourism & Governance. While stressing that this year also Paryatan Parv shall focus on domestic tourists especially to sensitize youth. The secretary therefore has asked the states to focus on prime tourist destinations to focus and promote such locations through this Paryatan Parv. Smt. Verma also added that the Tourism sector contributes in a

ADTOI’s New Office Bearers for 2018 - 2020

Skål International Kolkata hosted Skål National Congress from 17 to 19 August, 2018 in Kolkata. The event was a gala affair of the town, the Skalleages had a best time networking and sharing their thoughts, experiences & views with the travel associates & the local travel trade. The congress witnessed more than 300+ delegates. Mr. Sanjeev Mehra, Secretary, Skål India, said, “We are pleased to welcome the travel partners from around the world and making Skål National Congress sounds successfully event in Kolkata. Our aim is to thrive the travel industry to grows more strong and proactive in this sector by inviting Foreign Direct Investments. We are adapting to the changes to boost our travel sector and it is one step forward to make it happen. Our motive is to show the power of one under a single umbrella irrespective of our location.” segment is probably only second to China in terms of sheer size. With the rapid economic development taking place in the country and availability of greater disposable income combined with affordable holiday packages, tourism in India is increasing steadily and acts as a catalyst for the furthering the economic growth in view of its wide-ranging linkage effects and multiple impacts.”

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EVENT

exclusively focused on the domestic tourists within Rajasthan from various parts of I n d i a a n d established Rajasthan as one of the leading domestic tourist destinations in the Country.

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SKAL National Congress Kolkata 2018

ADTOI’s New Office Bearers for 2018 - 2020

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TOURISM UPDATES MOT to promote Adventure Tourism and Niche Tourism The Ministry of Tourism has recognised ‘Adventure Tourism’ as a ‘Niche Tourism’ product to promote India as a 365 days’ destination and attract tourists with specific interest. A Task Force on Adventure Tourism has been set up in October 2016 to act as a forum for resolving issues related to development and promotion of Adventure Tourism in the country. It has also been decided to promote 2018 as the ‘Year of Indian Adventure’. Apart from the above, Adventure Tourism is regularly highlighted for promotion as part of the Incredible India Campaign in the print, electronic, online and outdoor

media in India and abroad as well as at the various travel trade exhibitions overseas. Development and promotion of tourism is primarily the responsibility of the State Governments/UTs Administration. However, Ministry of Tourism provides Central Financial Assistance to State Governments/UT Administrations for development of tourism infrastructure which also include Adventure Tourism destinations in the country including Himalayan and Bundelkhand regions under the Swadesh Darshan scheme for Integrated Development of Tourism circuits.

India among one of the highest growing tourist economies of the world The Minister of State (I/C) for Tourism Shri K. J. Alphons informed that India is among one of the highest growing tourist economies in the world in 2017. While replying to a starred question, the Minister said that there was more than 14.0% growth in number of Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) in India in 2017 over 2016 along with a 19.2% increase (in US dollar terms) in the Foreign Exchange Earnings (FEEs) through tourism for the same period. The Minister also informed the Parliament that in 2017, Foreign Exchange Earnings (FEEs) through tourism was Rs. 1, 77, 874 crores. Shri Alphons also added that India ranks 26th in the world in arrivals of global tourists. Shri Alphons said that the Ministry of Tourism, as part of promotional activities has recently released 3 promotional videos through various Social Media platforms like Twitter,

Facebook and You Tube under the ‘Incredible India 2.0’ brand-line and these videos cumulatively received 67 million views till date. The Minister expressed his hope that people will see these theme based videos on Yoga, Wildlife and more tourists shall travel to India. The Minister also disclosed that the Ministry of Tourism under its schemes of Swadesh Darshan- Integrated development of theme based tourist circuits and PRASHAD- National Mission on Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual, Heritage Augmentation Drive provides central financial assistance to State Governments/UT Administrations/Central Agencies for development of tourism infrastructure in the country. Under PRASHAD Scheme, Ministry has identified 26 sites in 19 states for development and till date, 24 projects have been sanctioned for Rs.727.16 Crore under the scheme.

Kumbh Mela to be promoted 1, 62, 660 Cruise Passengers globally to attract Foreign Tourists visited India in 2017-18 Projects of Rs. 106.39 Cr sanctioned by M/o Tourism for development of cruise terminals in four States. A Task Force on Cruise Tourism has been formed jointly by the Ministry of Tourism and Ministry of Shipping with representatives of all major ports and stakeholders for coordinated efforts to create an enabling ecosystem for the development of Cruise Tourism in India. During the year 2017-18, a total of 1,62,660 cruise passengers and 139 Cruise ships visited India at six major ports namely Mumbai Port, Chennai Port, Cochin Port, Kolkata Port, New Mangalore Port and Mormugao Port. The Government has taken following steps to increase the flow of cruise tourists in the country: Immigration counters

have been set up at five major ports visited by cruise ships. The facility of Evisa has been extended to five sea ports namely Mumbai, Goa, New Mangalore, Cochin and Chennai. The port charges have been reduced and all major ports now charge a uniform single rate of $0.35 per Gross Registered Tonnage (GRT) for first 12 hours of stay w.e.f 3rd November, 2017 and will remain in force for a period of three years.

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Shri K. J. Alphons, Union Minister of State for Tourism updated the measures being taken by the Government to globally promote the ‘49 day Kumbh Mela’ which is to begin in January 2019, inorder to attract foreign tourists are as below: ! Launch of ‘Chalo Kumbh Chalo’ campaign across the country. ! Branding and marketing campaigns for Kumbh, 2019. ! Advertisements at major international airports of the country to attract foreign tourists. !Development of a designated area for

flag hoisting for 192 countries visiting Kumbh Mela. ! Organising the ‘Pravasi Bharatiya Divas’, 2019 in Varanasi to attract ‘Pravasi Bharatiya Delegates’ to visit Kumbh, 2019.

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flag hoisting for 192 countries visiting Kumbh Mela. ! Organising the ‘Pravasi Bharatiya Divas’, 2019 in Varanasi to attract ‘Pravasi Bharatiya Delegates’ to visit Kumbh, 2019.

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Exploring the Nomadic way in Ladakh

Hanle (14750 ft above sea level) located 260 kms from Leh city, a small village with around 300 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 400 people staying, one of the most spectacular, enchanting and peaceful places in the Changthang region of Ladakh is Hanle. Hanle is the home of the 17th century Hanle monastery which belongs to the Tibetan Drukpa Kagyu branch of Tibetan Buddhism and also to the Indian Astronomical Observatory, which is one of the world's highest astronomical observatories. As one nears Hanle the mighty mountains begin to reduce in size and eventually become not more than a cluster of hills. When it comes to reality, the place has extreme climatic conditions, especially during the winters. To add on, the lack of oxygen makes it difficult for a newcomer to survive, if not acclimatized to the high altitude. With its strategic location close to the IndoChina border, to visit the places one will need to take a special permit to land here and also to pay a visit to the observatory. There is not much to see around here apart from the Hanle monastery and the observatory. Hanle is a paradise for those who come

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seeking peace and a perfect location by all means away from the maddening crowds of any metropolitan city or major tourist places. Major Attractions Hanle Monastery Built in the 17th century, the monastery belongs to the Red Hat sect of Tibetan Buddhists. The monastery is also known as Analy Gompa apart from Hanle; the monastery is home to 10 monks and is visited by more than 40 others to offer prayers here. The monastery is approximately less than 20 km from the LAC or the Line of Actual Control between India and Tibet. As the monastery lies in close proximity to the Tibetan border, the entire region falls under the highly sensitive area. Owning to which prior permission is required from the government officials in Leh to visit hanle. Hanle also houses an Indian Astronomical Observatory which is the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s highest observatory in the world at a staggering height of 4500 Mtrs. The Hanle Observatory is operated by Indian Institute of Astrophysics, Bengaluru and currently the second highest optical observatory in the world, with an installed telescope of about 2.01 meters (6.5 feet) diameter.

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Exploring the Nomadic way in Ladakh

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Dig deeper to know some lesser-known places of Himachal Pradesh, the first thing appears in front of your eyes must be snow-covered mountains and thick forests. Your imagination is not wrong, but Himachal Pradesh has more than snowy-mountains. From different flavors of cuisine, rich culture, pachmina shawl, cultural dance forms to arts of carving, weaving and painting Himachal Pradesh has everything perfectly blended in. Even Bollywood romance swears of the charm of the state. You won't have a single boring moment in Himachali cities. The more you dig in, the more you'll be mesmerized with the beauty of Himachal Pradesh. We're listing some of the lesser-known yet incredibly beautiful places of Himachal Pradesh that will leave a long-lasting impression on your mind.

Himachal Pradesh

MALANA

BAROT Barot is situated in a small valley formed by the Uhl river and surrounded on both sides by parts of the Dhauladhar range of the Himalayas. In no time, Barot has become a day tourist destination. Barot is a prime point of the tunnel that diverts river water of Uhl river to Shanon Power house. Here you can enjoy fish farming, the taste of local life and some vivid memories of this tiny village that will linger in your mind for lifetime. Barot is adorned by natural beauty and has few fish farms, Nargu Wildlife Sanctuary and deep forests. To lost in this cozy village catch a bus from Mandi, Jogindernagar and Palampur. The closet railway station is at Jogindernagar.

KHEERGANGA

What about a hot bath in natural surrounding? Khreeganga is wellknown for its hot springs and holy River Ganges. Kheerganaga offers scenic views as it is situated in Kullu district of Himachal Pradesh. Kheerganga is the best place for trekking, camping, nature walking and spending time leisurely looking at mountains and landscapes. A miracle of nature where it remains snow-covered during winters and uncovered during summers. Kheerganga is a complete package of fun, flora and fauna. Catch any bus to Kullu and get down at Bhuntar circle. Since Bhuntar lies on Manali highway you will get enough buses on this route. From there you can catch any local transport to explore the road of Kheerganga.

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Every state, every city follows different culture, traditions and lifestyle though Malana stands different than other cities. Malana has its own lifestyle and social culture, and people are religious and strict in following their customs. Malana has an ancient history and several ancient temples such as Jamlu temple and Rukhmini temple. Malana's lifestyle and customs is observatory and one must visit to explore their ancient lifestyle and culture. The easiest way to reach Malana is from the village Jari connected to Kullu Valley. From there you may hire a cab to walk in to Malana.

PRASHAR LAKE

INSIGHT Trending trends of Indian Traveller Study by YouGov A new YouGov study reveals around a third of Indians take a vacation every year despite the bad exchange rates, people are still looking forward to a holiday. Married people travel more than singles with 39% of them taking a vacation at least once a year compared to singles who mostly travel less than once a year with a limited budget. The mountain vs. beach dispute is finally settled with 64% of the respondents saying they prefer hills & mountains over beaches. According to survey, almost 25% of the respondents prefer adventurous holidays, followed by spiritual trips, romantic breaks and wildlife safaris. Indians tend to be planned travellers with 80% preferring some kind of plan or itinerary though 40% like some flexibility in the schedule. 63% like to plan their holidays themselves with only 9% preferring the planned tours from global tour operators. And once there, Indians tend to be really active travellers with 79% seeking to explore all that the destination offers and only 20% wanting to use the holiday to relax or chill out. Men travel more than women in a year with 28% of them travelling twice a year.

Money is an important factor in deciding the location and length of the stay. A sizeable number of married people in this group chose popular tourist destinations over off-beat ones, but 42% singles prefer going for unconventional picks over the usual ones. Influences driving travel decisions Indians love entertainment and there is no surprise that 41% believe the influence of Films & TV and social media inspires them to go on a holiday. Europe is by far the most popular holiday destination closely followed by Asia. One in six Indian travellers voted Switzerland as their ultimate favourite European travel destination, followed by France (42%) and Italy. Singapore (46%) is a clear favourite Asian destination for travellers. Malaysia is also a popular choice with 31% holiday lovers wanting to visit the country. When it comes to the most preferred countries for holiday in North America, USA and Canada are the preferred choices. Although only 2% of travellers want to visit Oceania, most people within this would love to visit Australia.

World Tourism Day ‘Tourism and the Digital Transformation’ Tourism is one of the best positioned sectors to drive inclusive growth, create jobs, reduce poverty, and foster sustainable development and peace. Accounting for 10% of the world GDP, tourism has a significant impact on exports, job creation, investment, development of infrastructure, and the promotion of social inclusion. We celebrate World Tourism Day every year on 27 Septemeber. “Tourism and the Digital Transformation” is the theme of this year’s World Tourism Day. The importance of digital technologies in tourism, providing opportunities for innovation and preparing the sector for the future of work, is at the centre of World Tourism Day 2018, to be celebrated in Budapest, Hungary (27 September 2018). This year’s World Tourism Day (WTD) will help to put the opportunities provided to tourism, by technological advances including big data, artificial

intelligence and digital platforms, on the map of sustainable development. The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) sees digital advances and innovation as part of the solution to the challenge of marrying continued growth with a more sustainable and responsible tourism sector. “Harnessing innovation and digital advances provides tourism with opportunities to improve inclusiveness, local community empowerment and efficient resource management, amongst other objectives within the wider sustainable development agenda”, said UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili.

Lakes bring extreme serenity to the mind and hearts of many. This beautiful Prashar lake remains undiscovered. Your visit to Prashar lake is worth when you can discover the beauty of the lake, the local culture, the ancient history of it and perfect snow trek to enjoy. The place brings calmness, inner peace and religious feelings in you as the Sage Prashara temple is situated by the side of the lake. The nearest route to Prashar lake starts from Mandi which is 430 kms from Delhi en route to Kullu and Manali. Take a Manali bound bus and get down to Mandi. Fetch a private transport to Prashar lake to start your journey.

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Himachal Pradesh

MALANA

KHEERGANGA

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PRASHAR LAKE

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INSIGHT MAMALLAPURAM : Tamil Nadu Explore The World Heritage Site

Written Gour Kanjilal The seasideBy town of Tamil Nadu, Mamallapuram, is a beautiful beach spanning to 20 kms has some of the greatest specimens of the Pallava architecture and sculpture. Monolithic rock cut temples and modest sized mandapams, gigantic open air relief carved into the mammoth cropping of granite that cover this charming town. A World Heritage site this is a quiet unspoilt place which can be covered during a day's outing. But it needs full

two days to really enjoy the charming sculptures contained within the ten madapams (temples) and the gigantic sculptural panel on the rock and the shore temple against the backdrop of the lashing waves of the Bay of Bengal. These ground wealth of the pallavas are attributed to Narasimha Varman I (630680 AD) and Narasimha Varman II (700726 AD) - the former also known as 'Mamalla' or the great wrestler that lent the name of this port city as Mamallapuram. Among the master piece bas - relief the “Arjuna Penance” (9m high and 27m wide canvas) is the site to commence the city sightseeing. It shows Arjuna, the hero of the epic Mahabharta standing in penance to seek Lord Shiva's blessing and a weapon to make him invincible. The majestic pair of elephants with their young ones and many small shrines around unique sculpture on the rock

TripsAcademy launches World’s first Mobile Learning App TripsAcademy, India’s first interactive online and offline learning experts in T r a v e l & To u r i s m , announced the launch of their mobile learning app for travel professionals. This app is available for download in both Android and iOS. Through TripsAcademy’s app, travel professionals can now learn at any time, any place and at any pace convenient to them. All courses within learning programs are modular and highly engaging comprising of videos, quiz and various other interactive sections. Each interactive learning module takes no longer than 5 to 7 minutes to complete allowing learners to integrate learning

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face are very enchanting Mandapams depicts the stories of Lord Krishna, Vishnu, Mahisasuramardini (Durga), Trinity (of Shiva, Vishnu, and Brahma), Pandavas etc. These mandapams are located around this masterpiece of Pallava art. On the other end south side there are five chariots in stone called 'Rathas'. These are carved out of a single rocks, and are great artistic creations. These are devoted to Draupadi, Arjuna, Bhima, Dharmraja, Nakula and Shadeva. These are of great delight for lovers of art and pilgrimage for the sculptors. The impressive shore temple is one of the best example of the rock cut temples of

Pallava architecture. The wealth of sculptures is educative and reminds the great patronage the Pallavas had offered for the flourishment of art and artist at the time; how artist who made the stone pulsate with life passion. The fascinating carved friezes gracefully portraying different woods, grace, beauty and monuments. No, doubt, there is a great sanctity about its being declared as world heritage Monument. Mamallapuram is 45kms east of Chennai and easily approachable by car/coach, varied accommodation are available from the Gulf and major countries of the world.

Add: Thamel. Kathmandu, Nepal Phone: +977 1 4418649 Mobile: +977 98020 68573 Whatsapp: +977 98511 68573 Email: holiday@apoorvatours.com Web: www.apoorvatours.com

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into their busy work schedule. Best of all, the app and all learning programs on the app are free of charge for the learners. TripsAcademy envisions to democratize learning opportunities across tiers by enabling a goto platform allowing travel professionals to get access to high quality training. ‘Today’s global travel industry is highly knowledge driven. In order to excel, travel professionals must be equipped with high levels of product knowledge, selling and other allied skills’, said Ms. Anupama Kotur, Project Head, TripsAcademy. For more info- www.tripsacademy.com

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INSIGHT MAMALLAPURAM : Tamil Nadu Explore The World Heritage Site

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Add: Thamel. Kathmandu, Nepal Phone: +977 1 4418649 Mobile: +977 98020 68573 Whatsapp: +977 98511 68573 Email: holiday@apoorvatours.com Web: www.apoorvatours.com

Off. No -135, 1st Floor, Gokul Shopping Center, Opp. Pantaloons, S.V. Road, Borivali (W) Mumbai - 400092 E: jeetendraa@gosmarttourism.com | W: www.gosmarttourism.com

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GPS 2018 Series flies higher... a success story...

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India, Nepal, Bangladesh Tibet, Bhutan & Srilanka

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Leh - Ladakh Kinnaur Lahaul Spiti Valley Kashmir Assam Meghalaya Arunachal

Pure Hazel Kitchen Food, Jain - Non Jain Meals, Luxurious Hotels and Vehicles, Expert Tour Planning, Memorable Holidays

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India, Nepal, Bangladesh Tibet, Bhutan & Srilanka

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Leh - Ladakh Kinnaur Lahaul Spiti Valley Kashmir Assam Meghalaya Arunachal

Pure Hazel Kitchen Food, Jain - Non Jain Meals, Luxurious Hotels and Vehicles, Expert Tour Planning, Memorable Holidays

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HOSPITALITY Ginger signs a New VITS Luxury Hotels launches ‘VITS SHARANAM THANE’ Hotel in Bharuch, Gujarat

VITS Hotels, has launched 'VITS Sharanam Hotel, Thane', a luxury corporate hotel located at just a 10minute drive from the Thane Railway Station on Eastern Express Highway. A n n o u n c i n g t h e l a u n c h , M r. Chandrakant Shetty, CEO, VITS Hotels says, “This is our sixth property in Maharashtra and we are extremely upbeat on the exponential growth prospect in this region. We are pleased to welcome guests with refined elegance, finest services and contemporary amenities thereby setting new benchmark in hospitality services. VITS positioned as moderately priced full service luxury business hotels enjoys high occupancy rate at all our properties n at i o n a l l y. We b e l i eve V I TS Sharanam Thane will provide a wonderful amalgam of exquisite facilities for the guests to experience

the perfect stay in the city.” VITS Sharanam Hotel, Thane offers a stunning array of facilities that include resplendently crafted deluxe rooms & suites, multicuisine restaurant, travel desk, 24 hours room service, business center, conference room and banquet hall. Guests can indulge in a gastronomical adventure at ‘The Café’, offering an array of authentic delicious multi-cuisine. The hotel houses a pure vegetarian restaurant, ‘Kamats’, India’s largest pure vegetarian restaurant chain that serves mouth watering delicacies in South Indian, Punjabi and Mughalai. Celebrate your event in a grand and special way at the commodious banquet hall & Conference Room – Emerald and Sapphire. The banquet facility is apt for hosting marriage parties, kitty parties, conferences, birthday parties and other memorable occasions.

Ginger, a subsidiary of Indian Hotels Company Limited, announced the signing of a new hotel in Bharuch, a key city of Gujarat. The brand is present in 6 cities in the state namely Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara and Vapi with hotels under development in Surat and Sanand. With this new addition, Ginger will have 10 hotels with a combined inventory of close to 800 rooms in Gujarat. Bharuch is the oldest city of Gujarat which was a ship building centre and sea port in the ancient times. Ms. Deepika Rao, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Ginger said, “We are delighted to expand our presence in Gujarat and enter Bharuch by partnering Hotel Sethna Plaza Annexe. The modern day Bharuch is one of the biggest industrial areas in the state. The hotel will be ideally located to cater to the business guests.” With 55 comfortable rooms, an all-day diner, a banquet hall and a fitness centre; the new Ginger is

located just a few minutes from the railway station amidst a commercial hub catering to chemical, textile and pharmaceutical companies. The hotel is a management contract and is slated to commence operations in 2019. Ginger hotels with a pan India presence of 45 hotels across 32 cities with another 10 under development, energizes enterprising Indians in their journeys with a hospitality experience that provides comfort and convenience.

ARMENIA Armenia is a country of old legends and Biblical stories. It has served as a cross road of the East and West for 10 centuries as a bridge between Asia and Europe. Landlocked, Armenia is bordered by Turkey to the west, Georgia to the north, Iran to the south, Azerbaijan to the east, and Azerbaijan's Naxcivan exclave to the southwest. Ancient geographers called the Armenian Highlands the "Island of Mountains" or the "Rooftop of Asia Minor." Armenia has hundreds of unique Christian monuments, amazing sites, waterfalls, Skyscraping Mountains and wonderful people with rich heritage and warm hospitality. The blue Lake Sevan and a shining sun almost eight months of the year will be your friendly guide throughout Armenia. Lake Sevan is by far the largest body of water in Armenia, accounting for 5% of the country's land area. Even the fruits carry the spice and smell of the sun. Yerevan, the capital of Armenia, is marked by grand Soviet-era architecture. Life today in Yerevan is assimilated with the harmonious fusion of past and present. The people take great pride in their traditions, culture, religion, arts and crafts, delicious cuisine and sincere hospitality. From museums to theaters, an opera house, parks, restaurants, open cafes, casinos, discos, clubs, jazz restaurants, and other entertainment spots, Yerevan is alive, bustling and inviting. Most of all, the warmth and friendly manner of the people will make your visit unforgettable. One visit is never enough. Don't be surprised if you book your next visit to Armenia while you are still in Armenia.

Heritage of Armenia Armenian Cultural Heritage of Humanity complied by the UNESCO - The Echmiadzin Cathedral and the Archaeological Site of Zvartnots. Cathedral is considered to be one of the oldest Christian churches in the world. Since 2000 the oldest Echmiadzin Cathedral is a part of the UNESCO World Heritage List. Geghard Monastery complex, unique architectural construction. The name of the monastery complex comes from the Holy Spear that pierced the body of Jesus Christ on the cross and allegedly was brought to Armenia by Apostle Thaddeus, among many other relics. Now, the spear is in Echmiadzin Museum. Monasteries of Haghpat and Sanahin - The two monastic complexes represent the highest flowering of Armenian religious architecture, whose unique style developed from a blending of elements of Byzantine ecclesiastical architecture and the traditional vernacular architecture of the Caucasian region. Another pilgrimage site is Khor Virap Monastery, in the foothills of Mt. Ararat, just across the border with Turkey. To stand on the 'Silk Road' The 'Silk Road' of about 7000 km of length and of 500 km of width passes through Armenia. At the same time, with the export of an extensive list of local products to distant countries, the goods from outside were imported to Armenia. It is not by chance, that in the early medieval capital of the kingdom-in the Dvina, according to the written sources, took place one of the most famous trade fairs of Chinese silks in the region. Not less vivid evidence of imports to Armenia on the ''Silk Road'' is provided to us with archeology. Greek, Italian, Mesopotamian ceramics and Syrian glass, jewelry, sculpture, Chinese porcelain and examples of silk fabrics, Indian jewelry, hundreds and hundreds of coins, print stamps of outlandish merchants-clearly delineate the shopping communication of the kingdom along the entire length of the Great Roadfrom China to Western Europe since ancient times up to the late Middle Ages. Through the present territory of the Republic, along the Ararat valley, passes one of the 3 main branches of the road. It is not by chance, that 5 of the historical capitals of Armenia, including modern Ye r e v a n a r e loca ted on that particular path. And all of them, as well as Armenia itself are hospitably open to the guests. Armenian Hospitality The most important attraction in Armenia is the Armenian people. You will be surprised by the fact that these people may smile to you or want to treat you a cup of coffee or lunch, not knowing you. Such are

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the Armenianswith a big heart a n d f r i e n d l y, their doors are always open for guests. They are a l w a y s welcome, hospitality they have inherited from their ancestors. The phenomenon of g u e s t

reception was regarded as a crucial rite. Along with many other nations, among the armenians too, the guest was considered to be a sacred person, in every way he was supposed to bestow honours. Apricots of the Ararat Valley Apricot, a kind of plum tree. The most common version of the origin of the fruit says, that in the first century BC the Roman general Lucullus called apricots ''Armenian apple'' and took the fruit from Armenia to Rome. The fact that the apricot trees have been growing in Armenia for already 3000 years, confirm the apricot pits, found as a result of excavations in Shengavit and around Garni. Besides the divine taste, apricot is endowed with many useful properties that is why it is called ''the fruit of health''. Armenian ancient phycisians claimed that apricot cures twelve various diseases. The vitamin contained in the fruit magnesium, potassium, calcium, phosphorus and other useful elements are useful for heart disease, food truck, liver, kidney and vessels. Apricot helps to improve brain function and memory, that is why it is often advised to schoolchildren and students. Armenian Wine & Brandy According to the Bible after the Flood Noah's Ark landed on Mount Ararat. When the water retreated, Noah began to live in the valley with his sons, where they were busy with cultivation of grapes. Since those gray times up to the present days in the valley, at the foot of mount Ararat grow grapes and people make drinks. Local conditions are simply ideal for the cultivation of ''cognac'' grapes. The grapes grow on magnificent soils and the sun shines nearly 300 days in a year. It can be said that the local product is more a product of the sun rather than of the earth. Yerevan Brandy Factory was built in 1887 when the merchant Nikolai Tairov (Tairyan) built the first Brandy Factory in the Russian Emipire on the place of the Old Erivan Fortress. Later in 1899 Tairov sold his business to the Russian industrialist Nikolai Shustov. In 1900, Shustov presented it's first product at an Exhibition in Paris and received a Grand Pri. As a sign of respect for the quality of the product, Shustov was allowed to write on his bottles ''cognac'' and not ''brandy'', as it was accepted to call all drinks made from the grapes not growing in the region of Cognac. This was the beginning of a victorious campaign. But to the highest recognition Armenian production came in 1913, when the company ''Shustov and Sons'' was honoured to be in the 30 domestic and foreign businessman list to become a supplier of the court of His Empiral Majesty. In the list of Armenian cognac lovers were included many celebrities such as Sir Winston Churchill. Regular supply of Armenian Cognac ''Dvin'' to the British Prime Minister was personally controlled by Stalin. When the old-aged Churchill was asked what the secret of his longevity was, he answered without hesitation.''Never be late for dinner, smoke Hawaiian cigars and drink Armenian cognac!'' Yerevan Brandy Factory is a perfect place where you can learn about on-site production of cognac making technology and taste this legendary drink. Shopping Vernissage Market - every Saturday near Republic Square, there is an open market with great shopping for tourists and locals alike. You can buy everything from a 300 year-old carpet to a 1970s Soviet phone to Russian nesting dolls.

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HOSPITALITY Ginger signs a New VITS Luxury Hotels launches ‘VITS SHARANAM THANE’ Hotel in Bharuch, Gujarat

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SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER, 2018 19

OTOAI CONVENTION 2018

South Africa is always on the bucket list of the travel-bugs looking for the safari’s and adventure. But it is not just the birthplace of humankind, the country is the land of beautiful contrasts, it has abundance of activities for all age group from historical monuments to natural beauty; adventure sports to shopping; nightlife to wine n dine.

The capital city Cape Town, also known as ‘Mother City’ is a beautiful coastal city of South Africa that is full of life and energy. The city has a scenic backdrop of Table Mountain. Cape town is packed with galleries, restaurants, shops and museums. Some must do when in Cape Town are -

Table Mountain Table Mountain’s first name was “Mountain in the sea”. At over 3,500 feet above sea level, the views from Table Mountain are the best in the city. It is the iconic landscape and one of the most photogenic spots of Cape Town. Table Mountain had also bagged the crown as one of the world's New7Wonders of Nature in 2012. The best time to visit is during sunrise and sunset. You can reach on top by the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway, it has been ferrying passengers to the top of Table Mountain for almost 90 years. The cable care has 360 degree rotating floor with an epic views of the surroundings.

Penguins at Boulders Beach The beach is about an hours drive from cape town and is the home to thousands of African penguins also called as “jackass penguin”. The incredibly beautiful beach is the only place in the world where you get so close to the penguins. Beach holds a visitors centre where you can learn about the African penguin. Walking down the lanes one can experience the beautiful countryside of the Cape Town.

Wine and Dine in Stellenbosch Stellenbosch is South Africa’s renowned wine, food and adventure destination. It is 45 minute ride from Cape Town. The region has hundreds of privately owned vineyards in and around Stellenbosch. The Stellenbosch wine routes is the oldest wine route in Western Cape and is famous for the mountains and valley that are often blanketed in fog. For the nature lover there are a number of excellent hikes routes to cycle down. The Museum is situated behind the Stellenbosch Tourist Information Office. Stellenbosch offers an array of open-air restaurants, shopping areas and accommodations ranging from luxurious to bag-packers. You can opt the Vine Hopper, a hop-on, hop-off van with various vineyard routes.

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SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER, 2018

OTOAI CONVENTION 2018

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SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER, 2018

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

NEWS UPDATES

Ms. Cholada Siddhivarn joins as the New Director TAT, Mumbai

Pride Group of Hotels Tie Up With De Vivendi Resort, Manali Pride Group of Hotels has tied up with De Vivendi Resort, Manali in the Himalayas. The resort will now be called Pride De Vivendi Resort. Situated on the banks of River Beas, Pride De Vivendi Resort is surrounded by lush greenery, pine scented air and offers a spectacular view of the hills. Pride De Vivendi Resort, Manali offers 47 well furnished rooms including 12 cottages with high-speed internet connectivity, banquet hall, garden, Sprawling lawns, Restaurant, fitness centre, etc. The Rooms have a tea/coffee maker, LCD TV, gym and billiards room. The spacious Cottages with attached living room offer 340 Sq ft. The Premium

Rooms are spacious & tastefully done up and offer modern bathrooms with Jacuzzi. The Multi cuisine Restaurant offers a choice of Global Cuisines and a choice of buffet & and a-al-carte. The Elegantly designed Banquet Hall with an area of 2200 Sq Ft with a double height ceiling is equipped with LCD projector & screen and high-speed internet connectivity. It Is the ideal venue for Weddings, Banquets, Celebrations, Conferences, Seminars etc. The resort also features only one of its kinds DISCO in Manali. Be it a stay over, a business visit, a family vacation, a conference or a social gathering, Pride De Vivendi Resort offers is a must visit for a

truly invigorating experience. The Pride Group of Hotels has a Pan India presence in Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Chennai ,Delhi, Kolkata

,Nagpur, Pune, Indore, Goa, Jaipur, Vadodara , Dharamshala, Puri and Manali. Many more Hotels are also in the pipeline.

Go Smart Tourism promotes World’s 1st ANGRY BIRDS Vietnam and Cambodia theme park opens in Qatar Go Smart Tourism, a leading B2B travel company from Mumbai, has come-up with an exciting range of packages to promote Cambodia and Vietnam. With a significant increase of the Indian travelling overseas and the demand for the destination giving value to money, Vietnam and Cambodia are good options for your next holidays. Both the countries have various entertainment options for every age group. Even to cater the MICE buyers from India who are in search of MICE friendly destinations and experiential travel. Mr. Jeetendraa Wagh, Founder & Owner, Go Smart Tourism has two decades of experience in Dubai and Oman market and he very well knows the taste of Indian Market so, he is closely working to the Indian Trade Partners to promote these countries. Intalk with Safari Plus he said, “Vietnam and Cambodia are growing market and has tremendous potential. The

destination has everything the Indian traveler looking for, from historical sites to natural and scenic beauty; beaches to mountains; s h o p p i n g t o entertainment; theme parks to museums. Our objective is to bring the best destinations in the best price and to fulfill the dream holiday one looking for. For this we are committed to give our best services for the smart traveler of today. The packages are designed keeping in mind to targets family travellers and honeymooners. And also exclusive offers to cater the bigger segment of MICE which is picking it up in this region.” He added, “We are also doing two gems of Arabian Gulf - Dubai and Oman. There are many undiscovered places to see which we are promoting. In Oman there’s more than just sand, it has 3165 kms of coastline and Oman also homes to a Green tip Mountain which is very scenic. So, we have packages for the second time visitor to Dubai and Oman.”

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The world’s first ANGRY BIRDS WORLD™ entertainment park has o p e n e d i n Q a t a r, transforming the classic bird-flinging game into a cluster of high-octane attractions designed to entertain every member of the family. Located in Qatar’s largest fashion, dining and entertainment destination, Doha Festival City, the 17,000 sq.m park comprises an indoor space of 6,500 sq.m. Inspired by the popular digital game, the park offers its visitors a heart-pounding experience with many attractions such as the Blast Bomb – a drop and twist tower that features free-fall motion from a height of 11 metres, or Red Alert where visitors are hurled into an exhilarating 360-degree spin. One of the park’s uniquely impressive attractions is the Big Tree, which offers both children and adults a fun edutainment experience encompassing science, music and art. For adventure junkies, the tree also houses “Own the Sky”, a

106-metre zip line that allows participants to cut through the air at riproaring speeds. Visitors can also test their physical strength with “Fierce Flight” – an incredible ropes course challenge. Doha Festival City, the unique entertainment destination will be home to 1) SNOW DUNES™ – the country’s first indoor snow park set in an ancient Arabian village; 2) VIRTUOCiTY™ – the region’s first dedicated digital gaming and entertainment hub; and 3) JUNIVERSE™ – the world's first city in space that aims to inspire and entertain children.

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TCEB pushes Thailand as a hub for modern agriculture by playing host to Asia's leading Agricultural Trade Fairs

Ms Cholada Siddhivarn has been appointed as director of the Tourism Authority of Thailand in Mumbai. She and her team in Mumbai will cover western and southern India as well as Sri Lanka and the Maldives. Ms. Cholada Siddhivarn was previously the director of Europe, Africa, Middle East and the Americas Marketing Group at TAT head office. She has been working with TAT over 20 years now, since 1996. With such a vast experience Ms Cholada Siddhivarn will continue to enhance travel trade and media relations in order to promote newer destinations in Thailand and boosting arrivals from India to Thailand in the coming years. Thailand crossed the 1.2 million mark

for Indian tourist arrivals in 2017 and registered a total of 1,294,790 arrivals marking a year-on year growth of 20% per cent over the same period in 2016. Talking on the occasion Ms. Cholada Siddhivarn quoted “I am very excited to take up this new opportunity and starting a fresh in the city of dreams – Mumbai. India is a very important country for Thailand in terms of tourism as well as trade. I look forward to encouraging women travelers, showcasing local experiences at the destination and boosting arrivals from India”. She considers India to be one of the important markets for Thailand and hopes to showcase different aspects of Thailand to the Indian traveller.

Thailand hosted two major agricultural business events which feature smart technologies during 22-24 August 2018. Attracted by Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (Public Organization) or TCEB. These events attracted up to 20,000 international delegates coming to explore agricultural innovations displayed under one roof. Highlights of the smart-tech designed from Thailand such as an intelligent sugarcane cutting machine and a smart plant-nursery with an artificial lighting system will be showcased along with an agricultural drone technology from China. Mr. Chiruit Isarangkun Na Ayuthaya, President of TCEB provided support for two agricultural trade fairs hosted in Thailand namely Horti ASIA 2018 - a leading international trade show for horticulture and floricultural production and processing technology, and AGRITECHNICA ASIA 2018 - the world's largest trade fair for agricultural machinery and equipment. Both events took place in Bangkok during 22-24 August 2018 at the Bangkok International Trade and Exhibition Center or BITEC. It is estimated that the Horti ASIA 2018 and AGRITECHNICA ASIA 2018 generated more than 824 million baht in revenue to the country and attracted more than 17,000 delegates including 7,600 international delegates and 9,600 delegates from Thailand.

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INTERNATIONAL NEWS

NEWS UPDATES

Ms. Cholada Siddhivarn joins as the New Director TAT, Mumbai

truly invigorating experience. The Pride Group of Hotels has a Pan India presence in Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Chennai ,Delhi, Kolkata

,Nagpur, Pune, Indore, Goa, Jaipur, Vadodara , Dharamshala, Puri and Manali. Many more Hotels are also in the pipeline.

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TCEB pushes Thailand as a hub for modern agriculture by playing host to Asia's leading Agricultural Trade Fairs

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SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER, 2018 23

AVIATION

Weizmann Forex bags - Airport AirAsia launches new services Counters across 5 cities in India to Amritsar, Punjab

Jet Airways to commence services from Indore To Hyderabad And Chandigarh

Weizmann Forex Limited, a leading player in the foreign exchange and inward remittances space in the country, announced that it has been awarded licenses to operate foreign exchange counters across Hyderabad, Goa, Cochin, Chandigarh and Mumbai airports. Out of these five cities, the company has received exclusive rights for Goa and Hyderabad airports for six and five counters respectively. In these 5-cities the company has received mandates for 3years at three and 5-years at two airports respectively. With these additions, Weizmann Forex has significantly increased its presence in India’s most demand dense and fastest growing airports by now operating 18 airport forex counters across the country. Weizmann Forex’s first foray in the space of airport foreign exchange counters

started in 2012 at Mangalore, and it is now in a position to serve over 81 million passengers across these additional five airports. The company is committed to delivering best-in-class services and products at competitive rates. These counters will provide in-bound and outbound passengers with Weizmann Forex’s entire range of diversified offerings including Foreign Currency Notes, Prepaid Foreign Currency Cards and Travellers’ Cheques. Weizmann Forex has designed its airport counters to be technologically advanced and aesthetically pleasing, blending in with the architecture of the airport terminal buildings while also establishing distinct visibility for the Weizmann Forex brand.

AirAsia started new services to Amritsar, Punjab. Operated by AirAsia’s long-haul affiliate, AirAsia X, flight D7188 departed from Kuala Lumpur with AirAsia’s fun team dancing to Bhangra beats while guests and dignitaries onboard were treated to traditional Indian Laddu gifts amongst other entertainment inflight as part of the celebrations. Joining the inaugural festivities were AirAsia X Chairman Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz, AirAsia X CEO Benyamin Ismail and AirAsia X Group Head of Commercial

Barry Klipp who also held a special press conference in Amritsar together with Punjab Tourism and Cultural Affairs Minister Shri Navjot Singh Sidhu. The new evening flights D7188 and D7189, departing Kuala Lumpur and Amritsar brings the number of AirAsia Group services between Malaysia and India to 85 weekly. To celebrate the new service, AirAsia is offering promotional all-in-fares from Rm299*/ INR5490* one-way on standard seats runs from 16 August until 26 August 2018 for travel period between 16 August until 31 January 2019. The award winning Premium Flatbed is also available for booking at promotional all-in-fares from RM 699*/ INR 12,900 *. Web - www.airasia.com

ETHIOPIAN Airlines Launches Stopover Promotion

Ethiopian Airlines has launched a stopover promotion. Passengers traveling through Addis Ababa and continuing their journey to one of the destinations on Ethiopian’s network can now take advantage of special stopover packages from Ethiopian Holidays, the tour operator wing of Ethiopian Airlines. The packages range from sightseeing in Addis Ababa, the diplomatic capital of Africa, to visits to the pre-Christian era obelisks of Axum, the stunning medieval rock-hewn churches of Lalibela, the 9th century mosques of Harar, the castles of Gondar, the source of the Blue Nile, the Simien Mountains, the lake side resorts of Hawassa and Arba Minch, or the unique coffee farms of Kaffa, and much, much more. Group CEO of Ethiopian Airlines, Te w o l d e G e b r e m a r i a m , s a i d , “Ethiopian is working with all stakeholders in the tourism chain to make Ethiopia a tourism destination of choice. With its many riches, the world has yet to truly discover Ethiopia and tourism has the potential to become the main foreign currency generator for the country and a mass job creator for the youth. With the stopover packages, we aim to attract a significant portion of our transit customers in Addis as tourists and to considerably enhance the flow of tourism into the country.”

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Jet Airways introduced new flights effective August 01, 2018, on the Indore – Chandigarh – Indore – Hyderabad and Bengaluru – Guwahati routes, thus connecting guests from emerging cities to our metropolises. Jet Airways will commence services from Indore to Hyderabad and Chandigarh. Jet Airways flight 9W 955 will depart from Indore at 1245 hrs. arriving into Chandigarh at 1445 hrs. On its return journey, flight 9W 958 will depart from Chandigarh at 1515 hrs. and land at Indore at 1715 hrs. The flight will then depart for Hyderabad at 1800 hrs. arriving at its destination at 1925 hrs. This flight will be operated by Jet

Airways on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Similarly, starting 01 August, 2018, Jet Airways is set to offer enhanced connectivity to the North East from Bengaluru with daily direct services to Guwahati. Guests arriving at Guwahati can avail of excellent connectivity to beyond points to include Aizwal, Bagdogra, Jorhat, Imphal and Silchar. Jet Airways 9W 659 will depart from Bengaluru at 1015 hrs. and arrive into Guwahati at 1315 hrs. On the return leg, Jet Airways flight 9W 660 will take off from Guwahati at 1620 hrs. and arrive into Bengaluru at 1930 hrs. The flight will be a daily direct service between the cities of Bengaluru and Guwahati. Jet Airways’ guests from Hyderabad will be able to connect to Chandigarh via Indore, starting 01 August, 2018. From Chandigarh, those travelling on business or tourism can access the famous religious city of Amritsar & the hill stations of Kullu, Manali & Simla, all within a radius of 300 kilometers.

IndiGo launches Gorakhpur IndiGo has announced the launch of Gorakhpur as its 57th destination. IndiGo is introducing a daily non-stop flight between Delhi and Gorakhpur at INR 3199. This new service will start from September 01, 2018. From Uttar Pradesh, Gorakhpur will be the 3rdcity IndiGo will be connecting from, after Lucknow and Varanasi. The introduction of these flights will bring Gorakhpur closer to the other cities of India. Flight No. 6E -85 will depart from Delhi at 9:45 and reach Gorakhpur at 11: 20. And

on return leg Flight 6E -85 will depart from Gorakhpur at 11:50 and reach Delhi at 1:25 daily.

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The 777-300ER features 60 seats in business class in a 1-2-1 configuration with direct-aisle access from all seats. United Economy- Seats in United Economy offer two United Private Screening options – personal on-demand entertainment with high-definition seatback monitors and USB ports along with United's personal device entertainment, enabling customers to play thousands of hours of movies and television programs on their electronic devices. United Economy also offers complimentary food, soft drinks, juices, beer and wine, tea and coffee as well as in-seat power outlets and the opportunity to purchase satellite Wi-Fi. The aircraft features 102 seats in United Economy Plus in a 3-4-3 configuration with 34 inches of pitch, and 204 United Economy seats in a 3-4-3 configuration with 31 inches of pitch.

to increase flight frequency to 4 times a week

The new flights are designed to cater to business and leisure travellers who are constantly on the lookout for new and affordable flying options. Customers who wish to plan their travel can book tickets via our official website www.goindigo.in. The introduction of these flights will further strengthen the airline’s operations, and will provide connectivity between Surat and other key cities with all-inclusive fares starting from INR 1999.

IndiGo introduces 4 new routes adds 24 new flights across India IndiGo, further enhancing its customer experience with the launch of 24 new flights on its network. The country’s largest low-cost carrier has introduced four new routes and will operate its first flight between Ahmedabad and Bhubaneshwar, Ahmedabad and Varanasi, Hyderabad and Patna and Kolkata and Surat. All 24 new services will commence from September 2018. Mr. William Boulter, Chief Commercial Officer, IndiGo said, “We are very excited to add another four domestic routes for

United Airlines is to introduce its Boeing 777-300ER aircraft - the airline’s newest aircraft type featuring the all-new United Polaris business class seat - on its route between Mumbai and New York/Newark from October 28, 2018. The aircraft replaces a Boeing 777-200ER on the once daily service. “We are excited to introduce the 777300ER to our service between Mumbai and New York/Newark,” said Mr. Harvinder Singh, United’s Country Manager India. “I am confident our customers in India will appreciate the elevated inflight experience offered by our all-new United Polaris business class seats onboard this aircraft.” Business Class Seat - Each United Polaris suite-like pod features direct access to the aisle, a 180-degree flat-bed that measures 6'6'' and 23 inches wide with infinite seat recline options and onetouch lumbar support. 16-inch highdefinition entertainment screen, Additionally, a new marble-topped bar unit offers customers in business class a place to grab a mid-flight drink or snack.

Air India’s New Delhi-Tel Aviv

IndiGo launches Surat IndiGo has announced Surat as its 56th destination. The country’s largest lowcost airline, IndiGo will now operate new flights to and from Surat connecting Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, and Jaipur respectively. To provide more enhanced connectivity across India, IndiGo will operate three new routes, including Jaipur- Varanasi, Jaipur Guwahati, and MumbaiBagdogra. All new services start in August 2018.

United Airlines to Launch New Boeing 777-300ER on Mumbai - New York/Newark

Following an overwhelming response on Air India’s newly launched New Delhi-Tel Aviv flight services, the national carrier has announced an increase in frequency on this sector by adding a fourth flight a week starting 14th July. The airline will now fly on Saturday in addition to Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday every week on the 256-seater Boeing 787 Dreamliner. Speaking about the new development, Mr. Hassan Madah, Director, Israel Ministry of Tourism - India & Philippines said, “We are pleased with Air India’s move to increase weekly flight frequency in light of the significant rise in tourist arrivals from India. The outbound numbers to Israel have grown exponentially in the last few years and this introduction will help meet the growing demand from India. India is an important market for us

and I am delighted to say that it has been one of the best performing markets in Asia with a 31% growth last year over 2016 and 31% between January and May 2018 over 2017. The Ministry of Tourism has consistently worked towards increasing flights and seat capacity into Israel and we are happy to see our efforts yielding positive results”. The aircraft departs from New Delhi at 16.50 pm and arrives in Tel Aviv at 21.45 pm (local time). On its return leg, the flight departs from Tel Aviv at 23.15 pm and lands in New Delhi the next day at 8.20 am. With one way duration of 7 hours 10 minutes, Air India is currently the fastest nonstop flight between India and Israel . In addition to Air India, Arkia has also expressed interest to begin operations soon and introduce direct flights between Israel and India.

Indian customers, including two new services from Ahmedabad, as well as further strengthening our hubs at Hyderabad and Kolkata. IndiGo’s domestic strategy is all about adding routes which customers demand and increasing frequency to serve them b e t t e r. W e o f f e r t h e m o s t comprehensive network in the country and will continue to expand it for the benefit for our clients, whose loyalty and repeat business we appreciate very much.”

SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER, 2018

AVIATION

Weizmann Forex bags - Airport AirAsia launches new services Counters across 5 cities in India to Amritsar, Punjab

Jet Airways to commence services from Indore To Hyderabad And Chandigarh

ETHIOPIAN Airlines Launches Stopover Promotion

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on return leg Flight 6E -85 will depart from Gorakhpur at 11:50 and reach Delhi at 1:25 daily.

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to increase flight frequency to 4 times a week

Air India’s New Delhi-Tel Aviv

United Airlines to Launch New Boeing 777-300ER on Mumbai - New York/Newark

SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER, 2018

TRADE EVENT

FOCUS PHILIPPINES Penang International Travel Exchange (PITE) is all set to welcome the delegate to the 3 days event happening from 4th to 8th September, 2018 at Setia SPICE Convention Centre. The event is supported and owned by Penang Convention & Exhibition Bureau (PCEB) and organised by Apollo Conference. PCEB along with Global Panorama Showcase (GPS) will host around 150 travel agents from India who will participate in PITE as buyers and also the familiarisation tour to Penang. The aim is to make the agents understand the potential of Penang as a MICE destination and help them package it in many different ways to Indian groups. PITE aims to position Penang as the leading business events and leisure destination in Asia Pacific. Every year,

selected buyers from around the world are brought to Penang to e x p e r i e n c e P e n a n g ’s m a n y experiences unfiltered. Inclusive of B2B sessions, site inspections, education workshops and networking events. H ighlights of the show ! Socialise at the Networking sessions, dinner receptions, Travel Mart, late night sessions and during the complimentary pre or post-tours. ! Connect with buyers, face to face and sell your Products / Services. ! The show enables you to get the best event technology Tools that you need to make the event most productive for you like ‘Meetingart’ One to One Meeting Scheduler. & “REGLITE” Events Registration System.

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Department of Tourism (DOT), Philippines, conducted ‘Focus Philippines’, an interactive and inclusive event with the leading agents in India from July 25-28, 2018 at Golf & Spa Resort, Goa. More than120 travel operators from all across India shall mark their presence in Goa for this high profile event, which will be graced by the presence of her Excellency, MA Teresita C Daza, Ambassador of the Republic of the Philippines. Over 20 exhibitors from the Philippines are showcasing their products. Through Focus Philippines, travel operators will witness exclusive, oneon-one meetings and gain a better insight on the destination. This will enable them to further customise their product offerings, based on exhibitor inputs, thereby taking Indian arrivals to

the Philippines to the next level. Renowned Filipino dancers would enthrall the audience with the showcase of a vibrant Filipino cultural jig. The Philippines recorded a growth of 20.35% in visitor arrivals from India between January to April 2018, attaining a remarkable surge over the previous year. The Department of Tourism (DOT), Philippines, has confirmed recording 43,020 visitors from India until April, 2018. Over the last couple of years, DOT Philippines has been actively promoting the archipelago not only as a holiday destination but also for luxury, MiCE, weddings and small group travel. Destinations such as Manila, Cebu, Bohol, Palawan and Davao have been intensely promoted in recent years.

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Penang The Pearl of the Orient Hailed as the must-visit tourist destination, the Malaysian island of Penang, often called as the Pearl of the Orient. It is a perfect blend of the traditional and the modern, pristine scenic beauty and ancient heritage, beautiful beaches, and lush rainforests. George Town, the capital of Penang is a UNESCO heritage site status as it represents the most complete surviving multi-cultural city in the whole of Asia. This tropical paradise not just invites tourists to the best of Asian culture and heritage experience but also is well equipped with the best modern comforts you can aspire for. Let us explore some of the best things in Penang Penang Hill The first official hill station in Malaysia, Penang Hill with its cluster of hills, namely Western Hill, Bukit Laksamana, Tiger Hill, Flagstaff Hill and Government Hill is located about six kilometers from Georgetown and known as one of Penang's bestknown tourist attraction. The view from the hill is panoramic and on a clear day, one can see the mountains of Langkawi. Tourists love the cool fresh air and enjoy nature trails apart from the rich flora and fauna. Kek Lok Si Temple Kek Lok Si, or the Temple of Supreme Bliss' is the largest Buddhist temple complex in Malaysia and located close to the Penang Hill. The temple complex has three sections and houses temples, the pagoda and the Four Heavenly Kings pavilions. Build in 1960, the temple, regarded as a national icon is spread across ten acres of monasteries, prayer halls, landscaped gardens, and temples. The two main attractions are the pagoda of Rama VI and the seven-story tower that is acknowledged as the â&#x20AC;&#x153;faceâ&#x20AC;? of Kek Lok Si. Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion The famous indigoblue Chinese courtyard House built in the 1880s; Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion was the residence of Cheong Fatt Tze, a prominent Chinese figure in the 19th century. The mansion was built by master craftsmen especially brought in from China and has 38 rooms and 220 windows! It is a treat for architecture lovers with its Chinese timber carvings, Gothic louvre windows, russet brick walls, stained glass panels, and porcelain decorations. Escape Adventureland The USP of Escape Adventureland lies in a fun, entertainment and exciting rides and games in a natural environment. Away from the concrete jungle, it reintroduces play amidst nature. The wide range of games and entertainment is targeted to all age groups and energy levels. A 45-minute drive from George Town, the park is divided into two segments: Adventure Play and Water Park and tourists can pick their choice: if bungee jumping, zip lining, tree climbing are your thrill factors, then Adventure play is definitely for you! Escape Park, true to its name is definitely a place to escape from reality into the fun world.

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Tropical Spice Garden The beautiful Tropical Spice Garden located in Taluk Bahang is a lush tropical hotspot for Penang's flora and fauna. Once a rubber plantation, this garden is a hub of eco-tourism in Malaysia and a must visit place in Penang. Along with many types of indigenous plants and trees typically found in Malaysia, there are more than 500 varieties of plants, both medicinal and decorative in this 8-acre garden. A popular wedding destination, the Tropical Spice Garden is a great location for private events and corporate retreats also. Tourists can also book for cookery classes and also shop for beautiful mementos and aromatic spices from their gift shop. The Top at Komtar The tallest building in Penang and the sixth tallest in Malaysia, this 68-story high rise tower, that was revitalized recently, is a one-stop destination for a host of activities, shopping, and dining. The Top is the newest icon at Penang and it not just offers a panoramic view of Penang and its surrounding islands but also hosts Penang's first allin-one visitors attraction hub. A blend of both modern and local attraction, the Top has to offer unique experiences like Rainbows Skywalk, Tech Dome, Tongkat Ali Museum, 7D Discovery Motion Theatre and numerous restaurants with exotic cuisines and a breathtaking view from the top. Fort Cornwallis The largest standing fort in Malaysia, Fort Cornwallis located in George town was named after the Governor General Charles Cornwallis. The walls of the fort are laid out in a unique starshaped formation and the inner court hosts a chapel, prison cells, ammunition storage areas and harbor lights. You can stroll through the fort premises and get a glimpse of the fort's history. George Town Heritage Walk Another amazing experience for people who love history and culture is the George Town Heritage Walk. Led by Joann Khaw, a Penang native and heritage expert, who elaborates on the UNESCO listed architecture and local cuisines, this tour is a must do in your Penang itinerary. Penang is also gaining huge popularity among the tourism sector as a major Cruise Destination. All major players offer cruise services to this island town and the cruise timing is well planned in the drier months of January to March. Penang is also an awesome business MICE Destination. It is justifiable so because Penang is a bucket list destination for most travelers, apart from being the heritage and cultural capital of Malaysia with the prestigious UNESCO Heritage Site tag. Moreover, Penang has a host of extraordinary venues to host events, ranging from Chinese clan houses to beach resorts, convention centers to Peranakan mansions and you will never lack the perfect venue. It is the ultimate destination for food lovers and also a digital nomad's paradise with all modern conveniences. Penang is accessible too, being connected to all major cities of the world. So be it a leisurely vacation or an important business meet, Penang offers an infinite possibility to suit all palates. Text By: Aditi Bhattacharjee

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Edited & Published by Shailendra Kesari • For Online News visit: www.safariplus.co.in • Email: info@safariplus.co.in • Septembet - October 2018 • Vol: 20 Issue: 1

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