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WHY INDIA?

Edited & Published by Shailendra Kesari • For Online News visit: www.safariplus.co.in • Email: info@safariplus.co.in • Mar Apr 2013 • Vol: 14 Issue: 4

Why International Tourism Board eyes on India outbound? INDIA is one of the fastest-growing outbound travel markets in the world. International tourism departures from India h a v e r i s e n comparatively in the last few years. In 2010, approximately 12.99 million Indians travelled abroad. The outbound travel market in India has grown at an average of 10 to 15% in the last five years from 4.9 million travelers in 2002 to 12.99 million in 2010 according to the statistics data available with the Ministry of Tourism. Inspite of a controversial economic climate, India's consumer outlook emerges robust in the year 2013. With the growing desire to travel, sound economic stability (with double Income in each family) and emotional connect between travel and the urge to live a quality of life is the driving force behind travels internally and internationally. Global financial and economic crisis clearly has

not dampened people's desire to travel. Countless Indians travel and spend in foreign currency. The travel of an average Indian has risen by an average of 11% on an annual basis. In 2011 it crossed over 14 million, (although we don't have the official outbound figures for 2012 it is expected to cross 15 million after roughly surveying the trends.) India's current upward trend in the global travel industry is due to its economic growth. This is the paramount reason of growing travel as observed by the destination promotion offices. The emergence of a new and educated middleclass in India has showed undying interest in travelling overseas at any given point in time. Hence India gains prominence and recognition in global market of Travel & Tourism in a big way, the position by rank cannot be indicated. Consumers in India readily avail of the best technology to get information on destinations and agree on travel preferences. This information becomes more resourceful with the availability of instant personalized, on line services from overseas destinations. Based on available facility, an average Indian's outbound travel is flourishing. As an Indian Tourism Expert, I would expect from overseas destination Tourism offices/Agents for Indians to fulfill certain criteria if they want to

promote their respective destinations in India. The guideline for the same is mentioned below. • Relevant information and comprehensive data on visa facilitation, value for money packages, availability of Indian food and discounts on shopping made easily available online. • Indians hope to experience indigenous cultures i.e. local festivals, visit to local markets, Perfumery (in France), Silk Fabric Printing (in China/Japan/Thailand), Ikebana presentation and hands-on training (in Japan), Soccer match in UK, Edinburgh Tattoo etc. • Indian's travel for business and combines the same with MICE travel. They should lay emphasis on Corporates; including cost optimization, and innovative performance enhancement. This sector drives outbound travels from India as company's meets the major cost and lot of discounts are offered in the package by the Destination Country. • Indians are zestful foodies. F&B heads should focus on the needful with precision. Menus should also comprise of organic options for the health conscious. The concept of open kitchens and customized preparations gives a warm and welcoming feel. It further heightens a memorable experience. Cont’d. on pg 2

Represented in India by Ms. Alefiya Singh M: 98190 39026 E: alefiya@irisreps.in

COVER STORY Contd. from Page 1

• Indians appreciate more functional hotels rather than those loaded with extra facilities (which they may not require). Cost cut is the key word. Indians generally save up for shopping. Better information technology attracts more consumers. This will not only to look for information on travel but will also help them communicate with their kith and kin, in order to decide upon a destination for the entire family. New age Indian travelers prefer online transactions. Hence offers must be updated from time to time. • Indians will continue to travel to Europe and US. They are now o p e n t o t ra v e l l i n g t o n e w d e s t i n a t i o n s l i ke M ya n m a r. Provided travel access for the same makes decision making easier. • Family holidays will be the general rule for Indian outbound hence customized tour packages are essential. Women group travelers will also be a new t ravel c o m p o n e n t i n 2 0 1 3 . I n fa c t women will be the decision maker on selecting the destination. It would be ideal to use woman magazines for promotions, or even inviting women Editors or editors of women

WHY INDIA?

oriented magazines for Media Relations Programs. • Corporate houses / Realty majors, Pharmaceutical firms, Auto industry, Insurance Agency etc. give

2 SAFARI PLUS March - April, 2013

maximum business for outbound. • Well-heeled Indian travelers will look for high-end hotels and VIP treatments; Spa and beauty therapies, luxury brands and

comfortable transport for movements. This burgeoning segment will be in demand. They are from Banks, Insurance, IT i n d u s t r y, Re a l E s t a t e , Manufacturing of Textile, high profile Doctors, and consultants and look for the same. • I assume I have imparted with enough material thinking and field is open, how best the overseas destinations would like to attract them. The new globetrotting Indian may like to visit (as preference now) Finland, Brazil, China, Vietnam, South Korea, Japan, UK, France, Germany, Austria and Australia. This I can infer from the recent travel booking from my relatives, friends, and business partners. All these countries provide Red Carpet welcome to Indians. This is a general observation and suggestions from the Travel Industry expert Mr. Gour Kanjilal – “My views are purely personal and based on my experience. My opinions are general as specialist for Indian inbound/outbound operations as I see as consultant”

NEWS FLASH Visa On Arrival for Indian Travelling to JORDAN Now visiting Jordan is easy for the Indian traveler as they can avail of 'Visa on Arrival' if they are in a group of five persons or more, with confirmed return flight tickets. Other facilities offered include: ! Uniform visa fees for all nationalities ! Group Visas- Free of charge when arranged through DMC's or TO's MICE groups and FIT groups from India don't need to fill out any visa paperwork as they can avail of 'Visa on Arrival' when they land in Jordan's Queen Alia International Airport. The relationship between Republic of India and Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan goes back a long way and both the countries share extremely friendly relations which reflects in every aspect such as political, economic and cultural. The Jordanian government, thus, in a move to encourage tourism offers 'visa on arrival' to Jordan for the Indian tourist! Jordan offers modern infrastructure,

resorts, convention centers, 4 and 5-star hotels in all its important landmarks and cities to encourage the meetings and incentives sector. Jordan is also a very family-friendly destination for a holiday and is also rated as 1 of the top romantic countries which makes it an exotic honeymoon destination.

Chennai-Bangalore double-decker AC train South India's first AC Double Decker train successfully completed its trial run from Chennai to Bangalore on 24th February, 2013. A double-decker coach can carry 128 passengers in comparison to 78 in a Shatabdi chair car, increasing the capacity by about 70%t. With lower weight per commuter, the coaches are more energy efficient. Reducing travel time from Bangalore to Chennai by nearly three hours will be possible, as the double-decker express coaches are designed and built to run at 150 km per hour on

upgraded tracks with no stoppages. Once the service starts, the train will leave Chennai at 7.25 a.m. and reach Bangalore city at 1.20 p.m. It will leave Bangalore at 2.40 p.m. and reach Chennai at 8.40 p.m.

Caribbean Countires speculates over Schengen-style VISA The Caribbean countries received nearly 25 million tourists in 2012, a 5.4% increase from 2011, according to data released by the Caribbean Tourism Organization. To enhance the momentum of the growth this year Task Force has suggested that, travelers could soon be able to move between Caribbean countries on a single visa as in Schengen. Re p r e s e n t a t i v e s f ro m a i r l i n e s , regulatory bodies, policy makers and tourism professionals combine to form the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) Aviation Task Force have recommended the single visa as one of several initiatives to boost tourism to the islands. Its visa could take on the same model as one devised by Saint Lucia-based Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), a sub-region that is in the process of creating its own

economy and is expected to offer clearance at first entry for member states. If successful for OECS, the single visa could be implemented across the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) region. The force also put forward a standardized entry and exit card across the Caribbean, which would reduce airline costs and streamline customer service for this single visa. These proposals were part of a choice of initiatives put ahead with the aim to enhance tourism in Caribbean.

Tourism Minister Proposes Extension of Visa on Arrival Union Tourism Minister Shri K Chiranjeevi met the Union Home Minister Shri Sushilkumar Shinde and submitted a proposal to extend Visa-onarrivals to 16 more countries. The Ministry of Tourism strongly felt that the “Tourist Visa – on – Arrival (TVOA)” facility for those countries, which are potential source markets to India and where there have been no security related issues in the past or likely to be in future can be taken up under this scheme. The Ministry of Tourism had proposed extension of TVOA to the following

markets: Germany, France, Spain, Poland, Sweden, Norway, Russia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Brazil, South Africa, Thailand, Malaysia and Brunei. The “Visa on Arrival” (VOA) scheme of the government registered a growth of 24.4 % in January 2013 as compared to January 2012. A total number of 1,690 VOA's were issued last month as compared to 1,359 VOA's issued in January 2012. Japan (529), New Zealand (367), Philippines (209), Singapore (186), Indonesia (181), Finland (167), Cambodia (17), Vietnam (16), Luxembourg (11), Myanmar (6), and Laos (1).

Ministry of Tourism promotes India via films “Zero Dark Thirty” has made Mani Majra, a small town within the Union Territory of Chandigarh more than popular. Till last year, this place was known mostly for being a thriving suburb. Since the shoot took place for “Zero Dark Thirty,” Mani Majra has acquired the potential to attract international tourists keen to see where the Five Oscar nominated film was shot. The Ministry of Tourism (MOT) has launched an effort to popularize the town and inform prospective visitors

about how to get there. The Incredible India website has not only embedded a You Tube video that shows the majestic mediaeval Mani Majra Fort, but also

shows glimpses of the town and shows the exact locations where the film was shot. The website also has a detailed map that shows how to reach Mani Majra by air, rail and road from Chandigarh as well as from the four major international airports of India. Shri K. Chiranjeevi, Minister of Tourism has also taken to the film line to promote every part of India that has any potential to attract international tourists. It may be

recalled that the Ministry had recently launched a campaign to promote Pondicherry and Munnar (Kerala) where the International Film “Life of Pi” was shot and also hosted a major Tourism Mart at Guwahati last month to promote North-Eastern India for international tourism. The first success of the North-Eastern campaign has been the attention received in 14 international media outlets (print and electronic) by the h i t h e r t o l i t t l e - k n o w n Po b i to ra Rhinoceros sanctuary near Guwahati.

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GUJARAT TRAVEL MART 2013 31 March, 1 & 2 April, 2013 Gujarat Tourism announces the 3rd edition of Gujarat Travel Mart (GTM) 2013, a B2B travel event on 31 March, 1 & 2 April, 2013 and to be held in Mahatma Mandir Convention & Exhibition Centre, Gandhinagar, Gujarat. The state of Gujarat over the years has contributed towards being a large part of the India's ever growing tourism arrival figures, both to within India destinations and overseas. The state has been impressive with an achievement of an average annual growth rate of 10.4%

in the last five years. Gujarat also contributes to 16% of the industrial production of the country and has also mobilized the highest share (12.7%) of the investments in the country. In 2012, Gujarat Travel Mart set on a B2B platform with over 200 registered Buyers from over 30 countries exploring business opportunities for discerning travel and tourism products, making the event one of the most sought after travel events in the country. Highlight of GTM would be - Exclusive Gujarat Pavilion: The exclusive pavilion of Gujarat shall showcase the different facts of Gujarat such as festivals of

OTOAI's ongoing celebrations OTOAI celebrates its 'First Anniversary' in Delhi

Gujarat, its beaches, the land of the Mahatma: Mahatma Gandhi oriented tours, Heritage Hotels, Buddhist Trails in Gujarat, wildlife Resorts and National Parks, Medical Tourism, Destination Management Companies, Travel Agents and Tour Operators, Religious Tourism, Handicrafts, Cultural Vistas, etc The Buyer Program at the last year's edition of GTM had for the first time in the country a refundable caution deposit system for all buyers to enhance the seriousness of the event. The amount will be refundable on the successful completion of the mandatory seller appointments.

The Hosted buyers will be invited from the following countries: Netherlands, Kingdom of Bahrain, Australia, Canada, France, Greece, Israel, Japan, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, South Africa, Sri Lanka, UAE, UK, USA, South Africa, etc. The event is supported by major travel trade and hospitality associations in India such as 'Association of Domestic Tour Operators Association of India (ADTOI), Adventure Tour Operators Association of India (ATOAI) and Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO). The event is managed by Sphere Travel media & Exhibitions Pvt. Ltd. More on - www.gujarattravelmart.com

International Conference on Travel Technology India 2013 Kerala to lead in promoting tourism through Social Media

Since its inception in December 2011, OTOAI has emerged as the leading voice of outbound tourism industry in India. Recently the association celebrated its first anniversary at its 3rd Members' Meet in Mumbai. OTOAI is extending its anniversary celebrations in Delhi to appreciate the collective efforts of its members and acknowledge the support of key stakeholders including tourism boards and destination management companies; Embassies and Consulates; regulators and government agencies; travel media and partner associations. Talking of specific initiatives OTOAI is engaged with the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India to get recognition for Outbound Tour Operators in India and the association is proposing a National Award Category for Outbound Tour Operators in the country. OTOAI is also seeking the support of Ministry of Tourism to take up taxation and infrastructure related issues with the concerned ministries and is seeking setting up of Joint Working Committees with active participation of representatives from OTOAI. Recently, the Philippines Embassy, after meeting a team from OTOAI, agreed to register OTOAI members for submission of group visa applications to the Philippines Embassy. The embassy will also be listing quality and prominent suppliers from

Philippines, who in turn will confirm the group and the visa will be granted. The association is expanding its footprint across the country with its regional chapters and enrolling more members. It will appoint city coordinators to work with their regional chapter heads in order to expand and strengthen its regional presence. OTOAI is also in the process of setting up international chapters. “Now the time has come for us to announce our plans to hold our 1st Convention by September end or beginning of October 2013. Many countries have come forward with requests to host this event and we are currently deliberating on them. We will be announcing our verdict soon,” said Mr. Guldeep Sahni, President OTOAI. Going forward the key focus of OTOAI will be on knowledge management, stakeholder engagement, arbitration between its members, raising the entry barriers for the industry, engagement with regulators and administrators to clear the air on issues such as visas, foreign exchange permits and taxation issues etc and setting up a broad based administrative set up. The association currently has three regional chapters and 214 approved members, comprising of outbound tour operators, overseas members, tourism board, destination management companies and other key stakeholders from the travel industry.

To tap the online Tourism market A s s o c i a t i o n o f To u r i s m t r a d e O r g a n i z a t i o n s I n d i a ( AT T O I ) announces the International Conference On Travel Technology India 2013 to be held at The Leela Hotel , Kovalam, Kerala from 7th to 9th June 2013. ATTOI, tour operators association has taken a lead role in making the stake holders of the tourism industry to get equipped with the new marketing opportunities available in the internet. More than 50% of the tourism activities are now happening on the web space and the way forward is social media optimization. The conference will be attended by the eminent speakers with diverse backgrounds and will talks on various core topics in tourism will be held as part of it. The conference aims at preparing the travel and tourism partners in India and neighboring countries to use the resources available online to drive business, get inputs in adapting to the changing technology and acquiring skills to beat the competition. Selina Power, a social media specialist and social m e d i a commentator from Australia will speak on the topics 'How travellers use social media and how travel business need to respond?' and 'Social media's relevance and its impact on consumer behaviour.' Australian social media speaker Adam Franklin will speak on 'Inbound marketing - the cost-effective

way of marketing' and 'Blogging - an inexpensive medium to generate leads and add value to your websites.' On the topics 'Online reputation management - art of lis tening and responding' and 'Changing technology and marketing trends for the future in tourism,' Sheila Scarborough, writer and speaker f ro m t he US, will speak. Chad Wiebesick from the US will delve upon 'Social media - opportunities and challenges in tourism marketing' and 'Organic search or PPC or both - what's the way out?' Social networking entrepreneur Philip Calvert from the UK will deal with the topic 'How to l e v e r a g e y o u r n e t w o r k i n g on LinkedIn: Powerful a n d p ro v e n strategies for travel professionals.' 200 delegates mostly tour operators from different parts of India have already registered to attend the ICTT 2013. For more information visit: w w w. i c tt i n d i a . o rg

Charson Advisory to Represent Tourism Council of Bhutan in India Tourism Council of Bhutan has appointed Charson Advisory Services Pvt. Ltd. as their India representative office which will also witness Bhutan's first representation in India. Charson Advisory will be responsible for carrying out marketing initiatives, trade industry relations, media networking and public relations activities in India on behalf of Tourism Council of Bhutan. In the year 2011, Bhutan received 65, 756 high-end visitors with a growth of 56.65% over year 2010 and that did not include the 35,077 regional tourists

coming via land. Commenting on their heightened presence in India, Mr. ThujiDorjiNadik, Acting Managing Director for the Secretariat of the Tourism Council of Bhutan commented, “We have always felt close to India on account of our proximity to the country, its people and association through trade and tourism. Given the importance and potential of the Indian outbound market, we have entrusted Charson Advisory with the responsibility

Abu Dhabi opens Destination Promotion Office in India The Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority now has a destination representation office in New Delhi, India. Veteran Indian travel industry professional Bejan Dinshaw will lead the team as it looks to increase visitor numbers to Abu Dhabi, persuade those already travelling to stay longer and to win major corporate meetings business for the destination. With a full team, they serve the high potential Indian market as a whole country, including dedicated MICE & PR representations. India being less than three hours flying time and with 124 flights a week linking nine Indian destinations with Abu Dhabi International Airport, there was a 30% growth of Indian guests from January to the end of November 2012. On the ongoing process of the promotional activities to tap Indian Market, TCA Abu Dhabi, along with its trade partner Lama Tours, led a 12-strong industry delegation representing its attractions, hotels and airline sectors on a five-day, whistle-stop road show promotion across five cities in the country. The road show conducted in New Delhi, Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Bangalore & Chennai. Abu Dhabi's Indian road show delegation includes: the luxury Jumeirah at Etihad Towers; the stunning Yas Marina Circuit,

home to the annual F1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix; Ferrari World Abu Dhabi – the world's largest indoor theme park with the world's fastest roller coaster; Emirates Palace, which is one of the world's most opulent hotels; the five-star Hyatt Capital Gate which is housed in the iconic Capital Gate Tower, the world's furthest leaning tower; the Ritz Carlton Grand Canal Abu Dhabi; the Rotana Group; the iconic Yas Viceroy Abu Dhabi, the only hotel in the world to straddle an F1 race track; The Westin Abu Dhabi Golf Resort & Spa; the Anantara Group, which operates three properties in Abu Dhabi including the newly-opened Eastern Mangroves Hotel & Spa; The St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort, recently named the 'Ultimate Beach Destination' by Europe's EBookers online service and Etihad, which now flies from nine India destinations to Abu Dhabi International Airport. “Quite simply there is much more to see and do in Abu Dhabi than ever before and much that will entice the Indian traveler from a luxury perspective, for familyoriented vacations, for those wanting to engage with the local culture or looking to visit any one of the many world-class sporting and cultural events and headline concerts staged in the emirate throughout the year,” said Dinshaw.

of further strengthening Bhutan's relationship with Indian travel trade community, travelers and developing new niche market segments.” On being appointed as the representative office, Carl Vaz, Chairman & CEO of Charson Advisory, commented, “We are immensely proud to have been selected as Tourism Council of Bhutan's India representative office. Our aim will be to promote various strengths of Bhutan by focusing on the luxury market segment by highlighting the culture

and heritage, sports and well being aspects of the destination.Given the burgeoning outbound market in India, we are confident of increasing the number of quality Indian tourist arrivals into Bhutan through active cooperation of the Indian travel fraternity.” He further added, “Bhutan is a relatively unexplored and romantic destination for Indian honeymoon segment. With its unique blend of diverse ecology and culture, coupled with the increasing trend of Indians wanting to escape to international locales, Bhutan makes for the perfect choice.”

Lost your Wallet in Foreign land Oneassist has the solutions OneAssist Consumer Solution has partnered with MakeMyTrip to offer its 'assistance and protection' products to MakeMyTrip customers. OneAssist's EverydayAssist and TripAssist are particularly designed for travellers to secure their Wallet & Smartphone data against loss or theft and protect them from worries related with such incidents. MakeMyTrip is the first Indian travel company to offer this service in India, which include ! In the event of theft or loss of credit or debit card or smartphones, travellers can make a call from anywhere in the world and OneAssist will block the customers' lost credit/ debit/ prepaid/ travel - cards and Smartphone, protecting their phone data against misuse and Cards against financial loss from up to 7 days prior to loss report. In addition, OneAssist will also facilitate settling their hotels bills & arrange for a return ticket in case the customer is unable to do so. ! In case of lost passport while on travel, OneAssist will also help the customer with all necessary information and documentation besides providing for foreign language translation assistance should a customer need help while abroad. While EverydayAssist is an annual

membership plan, TripAssist is designed for customers who undertake short-duration journeys of up to 30 days. OneAssist has also created a Wallet Protection product called TripAssist Wallet especially for MakeMyTrip customers, which is also a 30 day product for short duration trips. All OneAssist customers also get the benefit of Docusafe – an e-locker where one can store important documents and access these anytime, anywhere. Documents ranging from personal to financial, identification or travel papers can be stored in DocuSafe. This is useful since one needs ID proof to enter most airports and avail e-tickets on Indian Railways. TripAssist priced at Rs.599 & Everyday Assist at Rs.2199. OneAssist also offers other annual subscriptions based products called Wa l l e t A s s ist & MobileAssist at extremely reasonable prices.

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Publisher: Shailendra Publication Advisory: Gour Kanjilal, OmPrakash Sehgal Chief Correspondent, Delhi: Manoj Babbar Editor & Publisher: Shailendra Kesari Editorial: Priyanshu Gupta, Sunayana Vaidya Chief Correspondent, Thane: Payal Gupta Assistant Editor: Parul Kesari Layout Designer: Trupti Kapadia Marketing: Prashant, Dinesh Gupta

Regd. Office: 155-B, Samudrik Building, Bhuleshwar Road, Mumbai - 400 002 | Email: info@safariplus.co.in Website: www.safariplus.co.in Corp. Office: B-11, Arun Chambers, Tardeo Main Road, Mumbai - 400 034 M: 98199 67576 / 97690 58991 Email: safariplus022@gmail.com Delhi Office: D-708, Chitranjan Park, New Delhi 110 009 M: 98712 61503 / 99115 56361 Email: safariplus011@yahoo.co.in

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OTOAI's ongoing celebrations OTOAI celebrates its 'First Anniversary' in Delhi

International Conference on Travel Technology India 2013 Kerala to lead in promoting tourism through Social Media

Tourism Council of Bhutan has appointed Charson Advisory Services Pvt. Ltd. as their India representative office which will also witness Bhutan's first representation in India. Charson Advisory will be responsible for carrying out marketing initiatives, trade industry relations, media networking and public relations activities in India on behalf of Tourism Council of Bhutan. In the year 2011, Bhutan received 65, 756 high-end visitors with a growth of 56.65% over year 2010 and that did not include the 35,077 regional tourists

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Lost cities of India For all you treasure hunters, there are many places that have been in existence longer than we can possibly visualize. Civilization, obviously, did not get established in the 21st century and India is an inexplicable country with places that are lost and found only to surprise us more and more. There are ancient ruins which represent our rich heritage and culture. Most of these stunning lost places can still be visited. India was all about bustling sea ports, prosperous centers of trade, and beautifully stru ctured houses o f

the height of the power of the Vijayanagar Empire. Vijayanagara was founded in 1336 by Sangama dynasty princes Harihara I and Bukka Raya I. Agricultural was the main occupation and brought riches and material wealth to the empire. But as with many powerful domains, in 1565, the empire's armies suffered a immense and catastrophic defeat and Vijayanagara was taken under the attack of Deccan sultans. The empire never recovered, and the city's ruins are now designated as a World Heritage Site, and surround modern Hampi in the southern Indian state of Karnataka.

PUHAR

Vijayanagara

rev erence a n d inspirational capital cities of great empires. Although these cities in due course fell to war or natural disaster, their legacies survive on in majestic temples and archeological left-outs preserved as World Heritage Sites or transformed into museums and galleries, sophisticated art pieces and modern day reliance o n t h e understandin g and

Ancient Puhar, known as Kaveripattinam (or P o o m p u h a r o r Kaveripumpattinam), was a flourishing port city capital of the early Chola kings in Tamilakkam - Tamil Nadu. The city served as a great trading centre, where large ships docked to bring lovely merchandise to citizens from lands far afiel

d as it was located near the mouth of the Kaveri River. This celebrated city was admired in song , poetry and heroic literary epics about the Chola kings, and is portrayed most fully in the epics Silapathikaram and Manimekalai. Scientists and historians believe that a tsunami probably caused by Krakatoa 416 AD washed the town away. Ancient pottery dating back to the 4th or 5th century AD has been discovered of this town.

Puhar

Kalibangan

age - o l d practices developed by the citizens of ancient cities in agricu lture, pottery, bead-making and metallurgy. The fate of these civilizations and its people are unknown as the cities were abandoned until they were found after many centuries.

VIJAYANAGARA EMPIRE Once known to be one of the largest cities in the world, this city flourished between the 14th century and 16th century, during

KALIBANGAN This ancient city of Indus valley civilization is located on the bank of the dry bed of the Ghaggar in the Hanumangarh district of Rajasthan state. Known for being the site of the earliest ploughed agricultural field (ca. 2800 BC), the regular, and grid pattern of furrows used in this ancient field is a practice that is still used today. Archeologists found two mounds representing two phases of settlement:

8 SAFARI PLUS March - April, 2013

the first between 3500 BC and 2500 BC and the second between 2500 BC and 1750 BC. Five streets in Kalibangan have been dug out and altars were found in an isolated structure, signifying that the place was probably used for religious intentions. Evidence points to an earthquake around 2600 BC that brought an end to the first settlement while the second settlement was believed to have been abandoned because of a dried up river.

LOTHAL Dating from 2400 BC, the lost city of Lothal is one of India's most important archaeological sites from the Indus Valley era can be found in the state of Gujarat. Recognized for being one of the world's earliest docks's it was an imperative and blooming trade centre in ancient times. Lothal did trade with West Asia and Africa of beads, gems and precious ornaments. The techniques and tools they pioneered for bead-making and in metallurgy have stood the test of time

Pattadakal

for o v e r 4000 years. The people of Lothal were highly intelligent and great planners and engineers. The citadel was separated with its own paved baths, and lower towns more humble residential quarters, copper-smiting workshops, sheds and bead factories and an in built system of an excellent sanitarydrainagelayout. In 1954, Lothal was discovered and further on, excavated between 1955 and 1960 by the Archeological Society of India (ASI).

period of 400 years beside a large river 750 m wide that flowed past the northeastern side of the site. The first period lasted from 2100 BC - 1950 BC; the second phase, from 1950 BC - 1800 BC, brought a new wave of people, marked by new types of pottery and instruments. This phase ended with a large fire, bringing in the final phase, from 1800 BC - 1700 BC. While most of the Indus Valley Civilization had died out by 1700 BC, Surkotada was still functioning as a m at u re , civilized city.

PATTADAKAL Located o n

Lothal

the banks of t h e Malaprabha River in northern Karnataka, Patadal has a group of 8th-century CE monuments includes majestic temples, a monolithic stone pillar and a Jain sanctuary displaying both, the Dravidian (Southern) and the Nagara (Northern, Indo-Aryan) styles of temple architecture. The monuments at Pattadaka l are

Surkotada

SURKOTADA The present days Kutch desert was the original site of Surkotada in Gujarat. The prehistoric mound is surrounded by sandstone hills covered with red laterite soil, giving the whole area a reddish brown color. Surkotada site contains horse remains dated to ca. 2000 BC, which is considered a significant observation with respect to Indus Valley Civilization. Surkodata was occupied for a constant

an archite cture buff's d r e a m , repr esenting various Hindu temple styles and created by ancient kings and queens over two centuries. King Vikramaditya II (734 - 745 AD) and his art loving queens Lokmahadevi & Trailkyamahadevi, brought sculptors from Kanchipuram to create fantasies in stone in Pattadakal. There are ten main temples which are a huge tourist attraction today. Text By: Sunayana

March - April, 2013 SAFARI PLUS 9

DESTINATION INSIGHT

Elevated beauties of Andhra Pradesh If you are looking for some peace of mind, away from the hustle bustle of everyday life, with nothing but greenery, clean air

climate, it is filled with attractive gardens with lush green scenery, valleys, waterfalls and streams. Beautiful, unpolluted, not crowded, good weather are the assets and reasons of the various attractions of Araku like the Tribal Museum, Padmapuram Gardens, Borra Caves, Katiki Falls, Chaaparai, coffee plantations and other such, contributing to the grandiose value of this region. For the adventurous ones, there are plenty of trekking and rock

various road options as well. There are various resorts that one can choose from to unwind the day.

Horsley Hills A journey to an area located at an altitude of 1265 meters, filled with thick abundance of diverse species of plants and wild animals is an exhilarating one to visit. The Horsley Hills, previously known as Eenugu Mallamma Konda are situated at a distance 144 km from Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh. Horsley Hills is very well known for its transparent plastic). The ambiance of the various hill resorts is enjoyable throughout the year, and is open for travelers anytime. One can reach the Horsley Hills by road, rail as well as air. Tirupati(160 kms) and Bangalore (165 km) house the airports that connect Horsley Hills by air to the rest of the

and a beautiful soothing view, then all you have to do is go to a higher location and find it all waiting just for you. Andhra Pradesh along with its variety of attractions including its beaches, hills, wildlife, forests and temples is also famous for its scenic beauty residing in various hills and valleys.

Araku Valley Araku is a pleasing hill station in Andhra Pradesh situated at a distance of 112 km from Visakhapatnam. At a height of 3200ft and blessed with revitalizing

rappelling adventure one can also try Zorbing (a recreational sport of rolling downhill in an orb, generally made of

climbing options as well. The natural beauty of this valley comes to life with the 19 aboriginal tribal cults who inhabit these areas and have up to this day kept their tradition and culture alive. The Dhimsa dance, an age-old folk dance performed during 'Itikala Pongal' is now very famous among tourists. The journey to Araku valley on the Eastern Ghats with thick forest on both sides is greatly appealing and pleasant. Vishakhapatnam is closest railway stations connecting Araku Valley with

10 SAFARI PLUS March - April, 2013

rich flora and fauna. A wide array of flowers as well as medicinal plants ranging from Reetha, Shikakai, Amla, Eucalyptus, Blue gum, Mahogany, Bamboo and many more are found here. The Sampangi flowers allure the Horsley Hills with their exquisite flavors. The variety of fauna in Horsley Hills includes various wild animals big and small. The Chenchu tribes also subsist in these regions; keep the Pungannur cows renowned for their high milk producing capacity. Along with Trekking, hiking, and

country. The Madanapalle Road Railway station is the nearest to Horsley Hills and one can always hire taxis which are available from Madanapalle and Tirupati.

March - April, 2013 SAFARI PLUS 11

PHILIPPINES

Q – Why India? India is a fast growing market and in the past ten years, there has been a big increase in the potential o f I n d i a n t r ave l e r s c o m i n g t o Philippines. Philippines as a whole has a lot to offer to the Indian travelers in terms of destinations, adventures, culture and heritage, food and much more. We would like to resolve all the challenges that will ease travel between the countries. Q – What is India's rank and status in the Philippine market? As of now, India is like a baby who is slowly and steadily growing in our market, we would like to have India in the top 3 slots soon and thus we are giving priority to solving the visa problems. Q - What all would you be offering in 2013 to the Indian travelers? We would like to introduce

12 SAFARI PLUS March - April, 2013

Mr. Romit Theophilus, Director Sales & Marketing, Germany National Tourist Office India

Philippines as a We d d i n g a n d Honeymoon destination in 2013. Also, as a family destination in the summer – winter holidays with a lot of

shopping options. Plus for the younger generation, we want them to explore the nightlife and have fun on all the 7100 islands of Philippines.

Philippines is famous for its local markets as well. We are well-known for our shells, pearls, handloom products, dried mango products, baskets, wood products etc. so, we want to introduce that to the world as well. Q – Your message to the travelers. We all hope to see you soon to our various islands. There is so much to see and explore and do that you have to come over and over again.

Ms. Medha Sampat India Representative Argentina Tourism

Q – Why India? India is a big and growing market and keeps growing day by day. We started our promotions in India since 2008 and have seen a lot of change and development taking place. Our private sectors have been promoting themselves since 2003

Mr. Carl Vaz Director - India Representative Office DTCM Government of Dubai

Q - Why India? Our Aim is to develop the interest in Argentina with the trade and consumers. As member of BRIC, every day India shows the world the soundness of its economy, and this evidently translates into the tourism industry. Around 15 million I n d i a n s t r ave l l e d a b r o a d , a n d Argentina intends to attract a percentage of this number. We see a lot of interest and potential in the Indian market. Indians are looking for a new destination and we are seeing g rowing interest in Argentina from India. Q - What is India's rank and status in the Argentina market? Argentina is just entering the Indian market and we are quite excited to see the interest. There are a number of inquiries for Argentina and we hope we can convert the same. Even though the presence in this market has just begun, we have noticed a growth as compared to that same period in 2011. Q - What all would you be offering in

and it was then too difficult to ignore this market and thus, we started p r o m o t i n g o u r s e l ve s i n I n d i a officially. Plus, India is growing economically as well. Q – What is India's rank and status in the Turkey market? As of now, it is still quite

Q – Why India? India is one of Asia – Pacific's fastest growing outbound Travel Market' and is fast becoming 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. ! India is a key market given its location and proximity to Dubai and growing outbound market of over 16 million travelers. Individuals and families also prefer visiting short haul destinations such as Dubai ! More than 200 million people can afford to travel abroad ! Expansion of industry such as Information Technology, Banking, Automobile and the fact that many large. ! European and American companies are out sourcing to the major metros of India. Increasing exposure through modern technology ! Introduction of new foreign locations in the largest film industry in the world. ! Generous Finance schemes both for

2013 to the Indian travelers? A new perspective will be offered to the Indian traveler. Argentina has a unique position in relation to other destinations. It cannot be compared to other destinations as it has its 'own' special character. As Argentina has a wide bandwidth of world class attractions the most appealing are the Iguassu Falls (recently named Seven Natural Wonders of the world), the Perito Moreno Glacier, of course, the metropolitan city of Buenos Aires and so much more. Argentina is exotic and will become the 'must visit' destination putting it on the map of the Indian. Q - Your message to the travellers. Argentina is a destination which offers ample opportunity to experience the stunning natural surroundings, participate in active a dve n t u r e s p o r t s, discover a culture that is rich in histor y, tradition and an appreciation of life's p l e a s u r e s. B u e n o s Aires is also the birthplace of Tango

low and India doesn't rank so well. We had a total of 31.8 million tourists entering Turkey from across the world in 2012 and out of those, there were only 94000 of Indians. But, that was a 25% growth since 2011. So, we are happy about the g rowth but would like to increase the number of Indian travelers into Turkey. Q - What all would you be offering in 2013 to the Indian travelers? From this year, we are going to introduce Turkey as a wedding and honeymoon destination as well as for its golf. We have a lot of history and culture to share with the world. 80% of our travelers come for leisure while the other 20% come for business purposes. We have opened a lot of malls for our tourists as well. Q – Your message to the travelers. Come and experiences the place where you can find whatever you are looking for. It is all here in Turkey.

Indian and International holiday traffic. In order to secure a larger share of the market in 2013, we plan to target the following niche and upmarket leisure segments such as golf, spa and premium attractions like ballooning, yachts, sky diving, aerial tours), weddings and honeymoon, school groups and sports (spectator and participation sports). Q – What is India's rank and status in the Dubai market? India today exhibits exponential growth for inward visitor traffic into Dubai. India represents the 2nd top source market (after Saudi Arabia) for inward visitor traffic into Dubai with the total number of Indian guests amounting to 763,986 in 2012 representing a 9% increase from 702,142 in 2011. A large segment of Indian visitors utilize hotels and hotel apartments in the Emirate making India the top source market every year. India is a vital source market for inward visitors not only during DSF (Dubai Shopping Festival) but also for weddings, honeymoons; school groups, luxury and adventure sectors.

and is like the dance itself it is elegant, exquisite, seductive and busting with excited energy. The picture perfect old neighbourhood is surrounded with romantic restaurants and a thumping nightlife. The Buenos Aires European heritage is evident in its architecture and Latin America's shopping capital offers the promise of premium retail therapy along its g rand, wide boulevards. Travellers will experience breathtaking scenery, stays in luxury accommodations, meals in gourmet restaurants, fine wines and enjoy Argentina's well-deserved reputation for hospitality. This destination truly has so much to offer making the holiday complete with numerous options to choose from... Once you visit it your stories will be endless!

Mr. Ozgur Ayturk Culture & Tourism Counselor Turkey

TURKEY

Ms. Susan J Del Mundo Marketing & Promotion Philippines

Q - What all would you be offering in 2013 to the Indian travelers? India is one of the most important source markets for Germany. Currently Germany ranks No. 2 in terms of visitor arrivals to Europe from India. There are lot of initiatives which have been taken in 2013. To start with we have set a marketing theme for which is “Germany – Open for Youth”. We plan to highlight this aspect of the destination in this year with our media and trade outreach programs. Germany has a lot to offer to the young in terms of adventure, learning, history and fun. With Indian youth's tremendous upward

mobility this is the right time to tap into this market. We will also focus on themes such as Fairytale land Germany, culinary and wine tours and self drive holidays. Also we are reaching to Tier II cities (since it has lot of potential) in form of Germany India Pool road shows inviting people from the field of Travel Trade and would facilitate interactions on latest updates, and attractions. We are also organising training sessions for the frontline staff of travel agents so that they are updated on the product. Q - Your message to the travelers. Germany is a standalone destination in itself offering something exciting for the entire family. You are spoilt for choice be it natural beauty, theme parks, adventure, history or cuisine. So have the time of your life with the friendly Germans. If you are traveling on a business trip then take some time out for soaking in the charms of Germany by keeping a day or two for leisure.

out of 46 in “Places to go in 2013” So our message to travellers is – You cannot find a more enlightened travel destination today. Perched high on the mighty Himalayan range, the Kingdom of Bhutan has defied globalization and chosen to remain a hidden paradise, accessible only to a fortunate few. Bhutan is an all season destination, providing a unique experience to visitors throughout the year. There is something for everyone in Bhutan.

germany

Q - Why India? India along with China are today among the fastest g r ow i n g e c o n o m i e s w i t h a dynamic business environment. The e c o n o m i c g r ow t h h a s obviously led to an emerging middle class with purchasing power and aspiration to a higher living standard. Moreover as you might be aware India has the f a s t e s t g r owth in terms of number of millionaire added every year. Any country ignoring the Indian market is definitely at a d i s a dva n t a ge. G N TO s t r o n g ly believes in the India growth story and is looking at a significant market share out of this potential 50 million outbound travelers coming out of India by 2020 (as per WTTO report). Our growth in terms of Indian arrivals over the past 5 years has been consistently good. Q - What is India's rank and status in the German market? Within Asia, India ranks in the top 5 for the German Market.

visitors generally c o m e f o r p e a c e, relaxation, wellness, pursuit of happiness, trekking, and culture. Therefore, we would work hard in promoting these areas and allowing our visitors to indulge in these activities as well. Our goal is to make our visitor go home feeling good about their visit to Bhutan, both spiritually and physically. Q- Your message to the travelers. 2013 started well for Bhutan. • National Geographic Traveller has Bhutan for “The 2013 Hot List” • The Sunday Times has Bhutan in “Places to see and to be seen in 2013” • Forbes has Bhutan ranked # 2 in “10 Bucket Trips for 2013” • Virtuoso Life Magazine has Bhutan in “25 Must-See Destinations for 2013” • The New Times has ranked Bhutan # 5

DUBAI

BHUTAN

Mr. Damcho Rinzin, International Travel, Trade PR, Marketing & Promotion Department, Tourism Council of Bhutan

Q - Why India? India is the top source market in terms of tourist arrival. India and Bhutan share good relationship and we have many thoughts in common culturally. It is also about the proximity and the air connectivity of Bhutan and India that make is easier for India visitors to visit Bhutan. India is an important source market for Bhutan because Indian visitors comprise of more than 40% of total arrivals to Bhutan. 2012 was yet another successful year with India leading in terms of tourist arrivals for Bhutan. Q- What is India's rank and status in the Bhutan market? India is the top source market in terms of tourist arrivals Q - What all would you be offering in 2013 to the Indian travelers? As a continuous effort we would like travelers to explore our eastern Bhutan and regions less explored by tourists are being promoted to Indian tourists. Bhutan is a destination where

ARGENTINA

WHY INDIA ?

Q - What all would you be offering in 2013 to the Indian travelers? Going ahead for the year, DTCM will be actively marketing the heritage and cultural aspects of Dubai by highlighting cultural tours and excursions, visits to museums, cultural centres and festivities during Ramadan and Eid. In 2013 we would also like to amplify our Dubai expert online training programme which has met with considerable success, currently having around 1300 travel agents and tour operators who are Dubai Expert certified. Q – Your message to the travelers. I wish Safari Plus, all the very best in its endeavours in promoting travel and tourism! I would encourage all your readers to visit Dubai during our summer promotional campaigns – 'Do More in Dubai' and 'Dubai Summer Surprises'. Visitors coming to Dubai during this period are able to enjoy various receive discounts and fun filled experiences for the entire family.

March - April, 2013 SAFARI PLUS 13

PHILIPPINES

12 SAFARI PLUS March - April, 2013

Mr. Romit Theophilus, Director Sales & Marketing, Germany National Tourist Office India

Philippines as a We d d i n g a n d Honeymoon destination in 2013. Also, as a family destination in the summer – winter holidays with a lot of

shopping options. Plus for the younger generation, we want them to explore the nightlife and have fun on all the 7100 islands of Philippines.

Ms. Medha Sampat India Representative Argentina Tourism

Mr. Carl Vaz Director - India Representative Office DTCM Government of Dubai

Mr. Ozgur Ayturk Culture & Tourism Counselor Turkey

TURKEY

Ms. Susan J Del Mundo Marketing & Promotion Philippines

germany

DUBAI

BHUTAN

Mr. Damcho Rinzin, International Travel, Trade PR, Marketing & Promotion Department, Tourism Council of Bhutan

ARGENTINA

WHY INDIA ?

March - April, 2013 SAFARI PLUS 13

canada

Q - Why India? India's outbound potential is growing steadily. It is expected that 18.7 million Indians will travel overseas; a vast market for the Canadian Tourism industry to tap into. India's exuberance for long-haul travel and its large population of long-haul travellers make this market one of the CTC's strongest in terms of future growth and investment returns. Q - What is India's rank and status in the Canadian market? India's is an impor tant emerging market for CTC. A total of 92% of Indian travellers consider longhaul travel “important.” The fact that 23% of these travellers say they are “very likely” to visit Canada in the next two years signals that there is more to come from this market. Total international travel to Canada in 2011 reached 16 million overnight arrivals, which was slightly below 2010 total (-0.8%). With 1,62,900 visitors India's growth story was pegged at 8.7% the same year. In 2012, CTC recorded a growth of 8 % (up till

14 SAFARI PLUS March - April, 2013

that has a lot to offer in terms of culture, beauty, activities and food. A visit to Oman is refreshing as it is free from tourist mayhem. The gorgeous beaches of Oman are second to none. So mesmerizing is the country that even Bollywood could not refuse to stay away from it for too long and 'Once Upon a time in Mumbai -2' was partially shot there. Travel to Oman to experience the pleasure of a sun kissed dip in the Wadis, the aromatic smells of frankincense, the hustle bustle of a souk and the mouth watering Omani food.

September). Q - What all would you be offering in 2013 to the Indian travelers? In 2013, we will shift our concentration to newer growth areas in two phases: Phase 1: Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Chandigarh Phase 2: Lucknow, Jaipur, Indore, Nagpur, Pune, Kochi, Trivandrum, Guwahati.

Ms.Lubaina Sheerazi, India Representative, Sultanate of Oman

We also plan on launching our Signature Experiences Collection (SEC) soon in the India market. SEC are once-in-alifetime travel experiences found in Canada. The Trade partners can market Canada better with these. Q - Your message to the travelers. Canada is a premier four season destination with countless unparallel experiences across the country. It has everything for everyone.

Mr Manoharan Periasamy Director Tourism Malaysia

Q – Why India? India has become a rising star in the past few years. It keeps growing as a market and is aiming to b e c o m e nu m b e r 1 i n outbound. Thailand has a big place in the maps of Indian travelers. For a short trip, Thailand proves to be more cost efficient for all travelers. Due to increase in I n d i a n t r ave l e r s t o Thailand, we are overwhelmed and would like to expand and focus more on newer cities and potential markets. Indians also love to travel and are big spenders. Q – What is India's rank and status in the Thailand market? In 2012, we had a total of 22 million visitors from all across the globe out of which, 1million 10 thousand and 631 were Indians and ranked at a chart of number 6 in the world. Thailand is becoming more and more famous for the Indian media and film industry.

Mr. Motonari Adachi Executive Director Japan National Tourism Organization

Q - Why India? A maturing Indian travel market is one more trend that is emerging. India's middle classes are moving into the 'cash rich/time poor' bracket and are starting to demand improved quality on their trips in terms of package deals offered by travel & tour operators. The Indian Outbound Travel Market is expected to increase at a compounded growth rate of over 25% over the period 2010 to 2015. With a population of more than 1.1 billion and GDP growth of more than 8% per annum, the country offers enormous potential for future growth in outbound travel. It reveals clear opportunities for market segmentation and niches, and the market has already shown signs of maturing in the past year alone. India is considered as one of the fastest growing outbound tourist markets and UNWTO predicts that it will account for 50 million outbound tourists by 2020. Worldwide, tourist destinations are eyeing for a piece of this pie. Q- What is India's rank and status in the Malaysian market? India is a top ten market for Malaysia, with a total of 690,849 tourists

More than 150 films were shot by Indian Production houses in 2012 making India number 2 for this sector in Thailand and Japan the first. India also ranks high in the wedding sector. We had over 100 couples from India exchanging their vows here. Q – What all would you be offering in 2013 to the Indian travelers? We would further like to expand the wedding sector in Thailand as

Q – Why India? India is one of the 15 focus markets for JNTO. JNTO is taking I n d i a n m a r k e t q u i t e s e r i o u s ly, witnessing a growth in the Indian outbound market and is looking forward to an increase in the number of Indian visitors to Japan. Last year (2012) was the landmark year for both Japan and India as various events were held on the occasion of 60th Anniversar y of Japan-India Diplomatic Relationship. The Indian market has been an important target market for us as the outbound market is rapidly expanding, which clearly represents a substantial growth in the travel industry. JNTO is quite hopeful about the Indian market and is looking forward to welcome more Indian visitors to Japan. Q - What is India's rank and status in the Japan market? In 2012, the total number of Indian visitor arrivals stood at 69,100 which is an impressive 16.4% growth compared to the same in the year 2011. Q - What all would you be offering in 2013 to the Indian travelers?

recorded in 2010. In 2011, the number of tourists increased to 693,056. In 2012, from the period of January to September, a total of 514,926 tourists from India have been recorded, showing a 2.6% growth compared to the same period last year (501,828). Q - What all would you be offering in 2013 to the Indian travelers? In the year ahead, Tourism Malaysia aims to promote high-end tourism like spas, eco tourism, golf, new and exotic destinations, among other experiences. We aim to tap new markets and reach a wider audience by going beyond Tier 1, to Tier 2 and Tier 3 markets. Some of the new tourism products in Malaysia are: ! Legoland Malaysia: Asia's first theme park, and the 6th worldwide. It offers 40 rides, shows and displays of the famous Lego bricks of Denmark. ! Sanrio Hello Kitty Town: opened in October 2012, located in Puteri ! Harbour Theme Park: first theme park outside Japan. ! Helicopter Tours: an exciting way to observe Malaysia's varied terrain, as well as provide an aerial perspective of Malaysia's well as a honeymoon destination. We also want to focus on the Film and media sector as well as the beauty and wellness sector promoting our spas and various skin care products. Apart from these, we are focusing on promoting different sectors like the biking tours and other adventure sectors, health tourism etc. We want to expand ourselves to the 2nd and 3rd tier cities in India. We are also increasing the number of flights from various cities in India to Thailand. Q – Your message to the travelers. Initially before Thailand was formed, it was a small part of India. So, we are the brothers and sisters of Indians and our origin is the same. We share the same roots. We share similar historic stories and cultures and educational patters. We are introducing more and more feature for you to come and explore and be a part of Thailand.

JNTO is quite upbeat about the Indian market and is looking forward to welcoming more Indian visitors to Japan especially leisure travelers. New Delhi and Mumbai are the important markets for both, business and leisure travelers for JNTO. We are also focusing on growing our market share for the leisure travelers from other key metro cities in India. The primary focus of JNTO in the Indian market follows new sightseeing destination such as Tokyo Sky Tree, which stands 634 meters high was inaugurated in 2012 n e a r A s a k u s a , o n e o f To k yo ' s famous spots. Another areas we are in favor to promote are local Japanese cuisine as Indians are getting more adventurous to try out new cuisines, shopping spots like Ginza is a desirable shopping destination with high end stores, boutiques and cafes, cityscapes such as Tokyo, Kyoto, Hokkaido, and Osaka are well connected through the most popular transportation system, the Shinkansen Bullet Train. Last but not the least the strong

skyscrapers and other manmade landmarks. The tours are available at major tourist destinations, namely in Kuala Lumpur, Langkawi and Sabah. ! Wedding and Honeymoons: Islands such as Tioman and the states of Sabah and Sarawak to add that exotic touch. ! A wealth of shopping options and spa and wellness facilities are other attractions. Q - Yo u r m e s s a g e t o t h e travelers . Malaysia sits at the heart of Asia, and the country enjoys multicultural diversity, a multitude of venue and accommodation options. Malaysia's is strongly perceived to be a real value for money destination in India and we will continue to be a favorite with the Indian Traveler. Choices for holidays and to hold functions or events are plentiful in Malaysia with a choice of environment whether in the city centre, up on a highland resort, beautiful scenic islands or beach resorts or even the quiet tranquility of a forest resort. Additionally the services of experienced and well qualified personnel will make the entire process relatively painless.

Mr. Sethaphan Buddhani Director TAT

THAILAND

Ms. Tina Singh Asst Vice President The Canadian Tourism Commission

Q - What all would you be offering in 2013 to the Indian travelers? 2013 is an important year for us. Oman has recently discounted tourism visa for Indian travelers. Single entr y Tourist Visas for up to 10 days cost OMR 5 while single entry stays of 10 days to a month are OMR 20. We want Indians to take as much advantage of this reduced visa fee as possible. Oman is already well connected to several cities in India through Oman Air, Indigo, Air India and Jet airways. Some new world class resorts and hotels will be opening in Oman by late 2013 i.e The Khasab Resort and the Alila Resort, Al Jabal Al Akhdar. Also, the Ministry of Tourism, Oman Air and Oman's resorts and hotels have launched a value-based stopover promotion – 1 free night* in Oman which is ideal for transit, first timers or business travelers from India. Q - Your message to the travelers. Oman is a virgin destination

tourists from India. We will leverage Macau's unique blend of cultural heritage, competitiveness and its cost effective offerings to encourage more visitors and organizations to choose Macau as a destination for Wedding Tourism. Q - Your message to the travelers. Macau has everything to offer everyone. Indians would love the opulence of Macau. It is one of the most fascinating destinations which has everything from shopping, historical tours, adventure sports, music and dance, festivals and international events to offer its tourists.

OMAN

Q - Why India? Oman is a popular destination in India primarily known for its business and job opportunities. Somehow, the tourism aspect of Oman hasn't been as popular in India as it has in other countries. We want to position Oman as a leisure destination in India. Indian's love to travel for holidays and Oman is the perfect destination for Indians to go as it is a short haul destination. Oman has a lot to offer from pristine beaches to golden deserts and a lot of adventure activities too. It is also one of the safest destinations to travel in the Middle East. Q - What is India's rank and status in Oman? India is among the top 5 source markets for Oman and a fast growing source market for tourists to Oman. For the year 2012, total arrivals from India to Oman was 7,23,632. Tourist arrivals from India to Oman are on the rise. According to IATA, there has been a rise of 8% in international arrivals at Muscat International Airport in 2012 over 2011. The awareness of Oman as a leisure destination in India is on the rise.

Kolkata and Lucknow for outbound travel. Q - What is India's rank and status in the Macau market? Macau posted about 1, 51,000 visitor arrivals from India during the year 2012. In 2013, we are expecting a growth of 10% from India arrivals to Macau. Q - What all would you be offering in 2013 to the Indian travelers? This year besides promoting our heritage sites and other attractions, we will continue to focus our efforts on business tourism initiatives. We have been expanding our tourism products to diversify our source market profile. We will leverage our recently launched Wedding Incentive Scheme and Student Excursion Incentive Scheme to boost visitor arrival figures. The Incentive Stimulation Plan offered by Macau Government Tourist Office (MGTO) helps agents and corporate look at Macau as a destination for business movement. Our endeavour is to enrich our tourism products to attract more and more

JAPAN

macau

Ms Navritu Rai, Account Manager Macau Government Tourist Office

Q - Why India? India is one of the fastestgrowing outbound travel markets in the world. With more than 1.2 billion inhabitants and GDP increasing by more than 5% every year, the country offers enormous potential for future growth in outbound travel. The UNWTO predicts that India will account for 50 million outbound tourists by 2020. With over 28 million passport holders in the country who are potential travelers, the source market for outbound travel is wide and complex because of its size and variety. According to Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), 40% of all outbound trips by Indians are for business purposes, while leisure, visiting friends and relatives (VFR) and other reasons each account for 20% of outbound trips from India. Macau Government Tourist Office (MGTO) is expanding its reach to newer growth areas in India. Besides Delhi and Mumbai we are actively engaged in promotional activities across cities like Hyderabad, Bangalore and Chennai. We will also target cities like Chandigarh,

Malaysia

WHY INDIA ?

cultural influence which has been carried forward for generations such as festivals, and the concept of tea ceremony, onsen and ryokan. Q - Your message to the travelers. A collection of four large islands and thousands of smaller ones, Japan is a diverse country that offers countless choices for meeting and incentive planners. From the natural beauty of its soaring mountains and sunny shores to the glistening sophistication of its modern cities, this Paciﬁc nation offers ideal settings for groups of every size. With a unique combination of professional support, traditional hospitality, world-leading transportation network, ultra-modern convention f a c i l i t y c o m p l exe s, a dva n c e d infrastructure, safe, clean cities, and a richly varied choice of venues, Japan is highly favored by travelers worldwide. As one of the main gateways to Asia, Japan has direct flights to most of the world's major cities. Japan can often feel closer than many nearer destinations, simply because it's so quick and easy to get here.

March - April, 2013 SAFARI PLUS 15

canada

14 SAFARI PLUS March - April, 2013

Ms.Lubaina Sheerazi, India Representative, Sultanate of Oman

Mr Manoharan Periasamy Director Tourism Malaysia

Mr. Motonari Adachi Executive Director Japan National Tourism Organization

Mr. Sethaphan Buddhani Director TAT

THAILAND

Ms. Tina Singh Asst Vice President The Canadian Tourism Commission

OMAN

JAPAN

macau

Ms Navritu Rai, Account Manager Macau Government Tourist Office

Malaysia

WHY INDIA ?

March - April, 2013 SAFARI PLUS 15

BRITISH COLUMBIA

WHY INDIA ?

Ms. Monica Leeck Market Development Manager Asia Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training British Columbia

AUSTRIA

Ms. Christina Mukherji, Austria

since 2010. The program budget has doubled since that time and will be maintained for 2013. We work with the travel media and travel trade to increase the awareness of BC as a preferred tourism destination and offer travel packages and itineraries that consumers can book. Our efforts are in conjunction with the Canadian Tourism Commission, DMOs and various tourism partners such as receptive tour operators and BC tourism suppliers. We were recently in India attending the Canadian Tourism Commission's marketplace, Focus Canada. In addition, we participated in destination training to 300 travel agents and conducted several marketing meetings to discuss the promotion of travel to BC for the 2013 season, and of course, the upcoming TOIFA event. Q - What all would you be offering in 2013 to the Indian travelers? The main travel season for Indians to BC and Canada is May to September. This coincides with the Vancouver/Alaska cruise season and the operation of Rocky Mountaineer. Vacation package itineraries usually include stays in Vancouver, Victoria and Whistler

aspects, namely, in the corporate sector, in the media sector and in the tour operators and airline sectors. We want to increase our budgets for these sectors. We have everything for all age groups. For the older generation, we have a lot of religious destinations to show. For the middle aged generation, we are promoting a lot of adventure sports, food, cruises and shopping and for the younger generation, adventure sports

again and honeymoon destinations. We would also like to press on the fact that we have taken a lot of measures to promote Egypt as a safe place to visit. Safety is our prime priority. Q – Your message to the travelers. Egypt is safe and we care about you and value your safety. We too like India share one of the wonders of the Earth so please come and see them and experience our history and culture.

Q - Why India? Today every destination is looking to have a slice of the Indian outbound market. Newer tourism boards are also making their presence felt in India. This is due to the substantial increase in the outbound travel from India. In cities, many Indian families are now looking at taking atleast one international holiday in a year. Indians spend a lot of money on their holidays, staying in premium properties and also a lot on shopping.According to recent reports, the outbound tourism is also one of the fastest growing industry in India. Q – What is India's rank and status in the Austria market? India stands at the 37th position in the number of tourist arrivals in Austria but unlike the rest, which are stagnant, it has grown over the years, every year we see a substantial increase in numbers of Indians travelling to Austria Q - What all would you be offering in 2013 to the Indian travelers Vi e n n a , S a l z b u r g a n d Innsbruck are the most popular destinations for the Indian traveler The

Schoenbrunn Palace in Vienna, the Sound of Music tour in Salzburg, The Swarovski Crystal Worlds in Wattens(close to Innsbruck) are some of the most popular visited sights.We are also promoting newer destination like Zell am See - Kaprun, The Lake district, Oetztal, Gastein valley and Ischgl in addition to our well visited cities of Vienna, Salzburg and Innsbruck. We now have a Madame Tussauds in Vienna as well as a Swarovski store there. The Austrian Rail network (OEBB) also has a representation in India now. Austrian airlines flies 7 times a week direct to Vienna from Delhi. A lot more airlines connect Vienna from Mumbai and Delhi with one stopover.? Q – Your message to the travelers. A stunning location makes any travel a memorable affair, be it in rustic country style at an alpine lodge at 3,000m altitude where you can party the night

16 SAFARI PLUS March - April, 2013

and a visit to the Canadian Rockies. BC tourism would like to build on this staple itinerary by promoting new products such as wine touring in the Okanagan, wildlife viewing (eg whales and grizzly bears) on Va n c o u ve r I s l a n d , h o n e y m o o n destinations such as luxury lodges on the Pacific coast, and outdoor soft adventure (think New Zealand but bigger). In addition, we will start introducing the concept of "winter fun in the snow". Enjoy winter like a Canadian: take a ski lesson, take the family dog sledding, snow tubing or snowshoeing; and combine this with the VIA Rail snow train to the Rockies, or Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights) viewing in the Yukon. Q – Your message to the travelers. The trend we are seeing in the Indian market to BC is an increase in FIT business, with travelers wishing to travel more independently. We are receiving requests for self-drive itineraries, which is great as Canada is a very easy destination to enjoy by driving oneself. The interest in MICE market to Canada is growing and we see potential to promote Vancouver, Victoria and Whistler as a compelling Incentive destination.

EGYPT

Q – Why India? India is one of the largest and most important markets of the future. India and Egypt in a large way share their culture, food, lifestyles and sub-traditions. The relations between India and Egypt run very deep and thus, we should support each other in various aspects. We would want all the Indians to come and be a part of our tradition. Q – What is India's rank and status in the Egyptian market? India is fairing very well in to tourism sector. Soon it will be in the top 5 for Egypt. In comparison, Indians are better travelers and more adventurous. They are very curious and want to know more about the history. Unfortunately, India dropped down by 24% in tourism in 2012 as compared to the status in 2010. 2010 was the peak season for Indian travelers into Egypt. Q – What all would you be offering in 2013 to the Indian travelers? In 2013, we are going to promote ourselves in three main

Q - Why India? India is an important emerging market for British Columbia (BC) and Canada. Since 2002, the visitor arrivals from India to Canada have grown 150%. India visitors to BC in the past have tended to be VFR, however there are now many Indian travel agents promoting travel packages to BC and Canada. This, coupled with the growing Indian economy and consumer desire to visit new places, results in an opportunity to attract the Indian long-haul traveler to BC and Canada. Q – What is India's rank and status in the British Columbia market? India is BC's 11th largest international visitor market. The US is the largest market followed by UK, Australia, China, Japan, South Korea, Germany, Hong Kong, Mexico, Philippines and then India. Total international arrivals in 2012 to BC were 4,219,669 visitors and to Canada they were 16,311,044. The forecast for visitor arrivals from India to BC in 2013 are +10%. The Tourism Division of BC's Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training ( MJST) has been involved in the Indian marketz

Dr. Adel El Masry Director Egyptian Tourism Office Egypt

away and enjoy a scrumptious breakfast at sunrise, be it in the romantic, medieval setting of an ancient castle hall! Austria's mountains, rivers, lakes, meadows and forests, scenic beauty, safety, mean that recreation, unique experiences, fun and adventure can be enjoyed both in summer and winter. Austria is of course also blessed with art and culture, tradition and modernity, great cuisine and hospitality. Come , arrive in Austria and experience a memorable holiday!

INTERNATIONAL PLUS

Thailand Tourist Arrivals surpass 22 Million in 2012 Thailand in 2012 broke all its records by crossing the 22 million mark of visitor arrivals for the first time. Figures tabulated by the Ministry of Tourism and Sports for January — D e c e m b e r 2 0 1 2 s how total arrivals by nationality, calculating to 22,303,065 and the increase of 15.98% over 2011. Commenting on the performance, Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Governor Mr. Suraphon Svetasreni said, “We are overjoyed to have achieved this result in the year the people of Thailand commemorated t h e 8 5 t h b i r t h d ay o f H i s M a j e st y t h e K i n g . I t i s a l s o a t r i b u te to t h e co o p e rat i o n a n d creativity of the entire Thai travel & tourism industry for the huge effort that

has been made to ensure that travel & tourism remains a leading industry for job creation, distribution of income nationwide and contribution to culture, heritage and environmental preservation.” The following performance analysis of visitors by market : East Asia - 12,502,194 (+20.84%) China - 2.7 million Malaysia -2.5 million Japan- 1.3 million Korea- (1.1 million) Europe - 5,617,817 (+10.12%) Russia- 1,317,387 (+24.97%) UK- 870,164 (+ 2.98%) Germany- 681,566 (+10.08%) The Americas- 1,080,148 (+13.40%)

I n 2 0 1 3 , t h e TAT i s co nf i d e nt t h at i f t h e g l o b a l , re g i o n a l a n d l o ca l s i t u at i o n re m a i n s sta b l e , this year will see Thailand receive 24.5 million arrivals, ge n e rat i n g a p ro j e c te d to u r i s m i n co m e o f 1 , 1 4 9 b i l l i o n b a ht .

Rail Europe's Birthday promotions

VIA Rail to enter the India Market Acknowledging the rising number of India's outbou n d travelers, VIA Rail, the National Passenger rail service of Canada has decided to extensively market itself in the India market in 2013. In the wake of the set up, VIA will be discussing its plans for the India market at a press briefing to be held on March 04, 2013 in Delhi. The event will also be followed by a 'thank you' lunch for the local trade partners in Delhi. Addressing the media, Pierre Santoni, S e n i o r D i re c to r, D o m e st i c a n d International Sales, Via Rail Canada will unfold the marketing strategies, the board plans on implementing for their latest venture. Realizing the importance of Indian tourism as an emerging sector, VIA plans to work on a consultative basis with India's travel trade to provide extensive product knowledge and destination information. The national passenger railway service has a marketing strategy focused on partnering with the Canadian Tourism Commission to promote activities and engage the industry with familiarization trips. VIA Rail carried a total of 4.1 million passengers in 2011 and also noticed

Canada - 12.18% Brazil- 22.18% South Asia- 1,289,641 (+11.36%) India - 1,015,865 (+ 11.03%) Sri Lanka - 73,338 (+36.73%) Oceania- 1,046,753 (+12.13%) Australia- 930,599 (12.14%) New Zealand- 113,509(+12%) Middle East - 604,659 (+0.58%) Israel- 129,184 (+3.27%) UAE - 113,174 (+4.20%) Kuwait 64,536 (+15.68%) Africa - 161,853 (+17.36%) South Africa- 75,496(10.22%) ASEAN countries- six million Cambodia (+59.74%) Vietnam (+24.36%) Indonesia (+21.02%) Myanmar (+17.40%) Laos (+6.63%)

a remarkable increase of 20% in the number of Indian passengers travelling on board VIA. As a part of the India market approach, VIA plans on working with top travel agents in the market while also training them with product knowledge by conducting regular educational workshops across Delhi & Mumbai. Addressing the concerns of vegetarian food and excess luggage faced by many Indian passengers, the company assures that their policies are well suited for Indians and such situations do not rise. Indian passengers can just sit back and enjoy the quality of the on-board service, the world-class mobile Wi-Fi and the comfort of rail travel. VIA Rail has up to 497 departures weekly, connects over 450 Canadian communities, transports 4.1 million passengers yearly and boast of 396 p a s s e n g e r c a rs a n d 7 8 a c t i v e locomotives.

Rail Europe celebrating its 18th birthday and sharing with its client, Rail Europe enables travellers to visit Europe's hot spots at bargain prices. Train Tickets ! Travel between London and Paris, Lille or Brussels for as little as 40€ in Standard Class or 99€ in Standard Premier with Eurostar, the high speed rail service linking the UK to the Continent ! Save time and money with City Night Line night trains. The berth only costs 46€ in a T6 compartment and 76€ in a Double Sleeper Economy compartment… on the special fare is offered on all City Night Line routes! ! Travel in style with Thalys, also known as the "red train"… and benefit from unbelievable prices in 1st Class: 58€ between Paris & Brussels, 38€ between Paris & Cologne and 78€ between Paris & Amsterdam. ! Between Paris and northern Italy, be whisked by the high speed comfort of the TGV France-Italy, and at a minimal price: 45€ in 2nd Class and 55€ in 1st Class between Paris and Milan or Torino! Rail Passes ! Get out of Paris and discover France's memorable countryside, vineyards and villages! The France Rail Pass is all you need and you'll benefit from prices lowered by 20% for travel up to 30th

June. ! Any stay in London would be

incomplete without the London Pass, the best way to enjoy all the iconic city has to offer… All types of London Passes are offered as part of the "Rail Europe Birthday Promotions", and benefit from a 10% discount. This is the 4th year in a row that Rail Europe offers its "Birthday promotions". The previous editions proved to be very successful and showed sustained interest among travel agents. Rail Europe therefore expects another record year of sales for this year's promotions.

Providing Travel Solutions Worldwide Aviation, Hotels, Tourism, Investment, Hospitality, Events

Y.S.Travel Worldwide air Travel Agent

Contact: Mr. Yusuf Seedat (+447973641810) For Representation or Marketing in the following countries United Kingdom, U.A.E., Saudi Arabia

Emirates Travel Center Ltd. salesemirates@hotmail.com | ystravel1@hotmail.com | Tel: +441274575757 | Fax: +441274502525

March - April, 2013 SAFARI PLUS 17

INTERNATIONAL NEWS Destination Germany showcase Largest Zip Wire Experience is set at Bengaluru & Mumbai to launch in WALES this March The Germany India Pool road show, which is part of their sales activity week 2013, was showcased at Mumbai. It has always had an excellent response from the travel trade for the India Pool Road shows & in addition to the existing India Pool members, some new members have also joined. Mr. Romit Theophilus, Director Sales & Marketing, The German National Tourist Office, India, said “India Pool since its establishment in 2008 has grown stronger each year with new members joining in. Promoting their respective product & services by pooling resources & campaigning together in this dynamic market has met with great success. The initiative will cover all the major metros in 2013. This year we welcome 2 new members joining in namely Lufthansa and Baden Baden taking our total number of partners to 18”. Germany continues to enjoy its strong image as an ideal leisure & MICE destination among

Schedule of Next Road shows: Chennai - 20th August, 2013 New Delhi - 22nd August , 2013

the Indian travelers and has retained its position as the top visited European destination by Indians second only to the UK. The road shows scheduled this year in Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai & Delhi facilitates interactions on latest updates, highlights & attractions for the Indian travelers between India Pool members & the Travel trade. The current partners include at these road shows were representatives from: Saxony Tourism, Bavarian Tourism, Black forest Highlands, Cologne Tourism, Frankfurt International Airport, Duetsche Bahn, Alpha Travel Consultants, Visit Berlin, Frankfurt, Dusseldorf, Stuttgart, Maritim, Mannheim, Munich Airport, The association of Magic Cities & The German National Tourist Office, Baden .

Zip World, an exhilarating and exciting new attraction in Bethesda, near Bangor, North Wales, is set to launch to tourists from all across the world on March 16th 2013. It will be the largest zip wire experience in the Northern Hemisphere and is set to see visitors fly through the skies for over a mile at speeds of up to 75mph. Located in the world's largest old slate quarry, Zip World is a first for the UK and will take visitors over 700ft through the air above a mountain lake with panoramic views out over Snowdonia, Wales to the Isle of Anglesey and even the Isle of Man on a clear day. The journey starts at ground level with guests being collected in ex-military vehicles and taken high up into the Welsh mountains on a 3 hour fully guided interactive exploration of the area with commentary. Adventurous visitors will then get the

chance to ride the mile long zip wire and fly through the air back to ground level. Guests will get chance to find their feet first with a short taster on the Little Zipper, before stepping up to the big wire. Participants will be supplied with a flying suit to wear that is wind and shower proof. Helmets and goggles will also be supplied. Prices start from £45 for adults and £36 for children & the website is live now, for more information log on to: www.zipworld.co.uk

KENYA eye on India’s Outbound Emerging Markets Kenya Tourism Board along with 13 private participants showcased their product line for Indian market. The stall was visited by over 300 travel agents, tour operators and wedding planners with diversified queries. Where some of them were looking for Educational Safari tours, some were

looking for high end vacation options. CNN Travel has recently named Watamu and Diani among the 25 Top Beach destinations in Africa. The pavilion had a great ambience and an attractive look keeping in sync with the product offerings. KTB three city road shows took place at Kolkata, Hyderabad and Chennai on 22nd,

Russian Tourism Seminar 2013 Dimaz Group, India presented the “Russian Tourism Seminar 2013” at the OTM, Mumbai on 8th Feb 2013. The presentation was to showcase the tourism potential in the Russian tourism industry. The seminar was well attended by Indian travel trade and media. The seminar also focused on the new Russian travel trends in the Indian market, products for Russia and international business. The seminar also consisted of presentations from the Russian Centre of Science & Culture, the Krasnodar tourism industry, leading Russian tour operators In tourist & Dimaz Group. The Dimaz Aviation stall at the OTM was inaugurated by the honourable Mrs. Alina Novikova, wife of Russian Consul General, Mumbai. A working meeting of the Russian delegation with representatives of Dimaz Group responsible for promoting Russian tourism in the Indian market was also held

during the course of the event. The seminar was attended by his Excellency Mr. Alexey A. Novikov, the Consul General of Russian Federation in Mumbai, Mrs. Alina Novikova, wife of Russian Consul General, Mr. Alexey M. Mzareulov, First Deputy to Consul General of Russia, Mr. Vladimir V. Dementiev Director, Russian Centre for Science & Culture and Consul, of Russian Consulate Mumbai, Mr. Evgeny Kudeliya, Minister of Tourism Krasnodar region, Mr. Aleksei Kuchinov from “World Without Borders”, Mr. Manish Synghal, Director, Dimaz Group, Ms. Nikhat Ali, Manager Marketing & Sales, Dimaz Group, Ms. Shivani Gandhi, Assistant Manager Reservations (Travel), Dimaz Group. Indians have a very strong interest in Russia, primarily, in the business and leisure tourism

Visitor Arrivals to Philippines reached 4.3 Million in 2012

KTB Launched 'Magical Kenya Expert' Kenya Tourism Board recently launched the online training program, 'Magical Kenya Expert', highlighting the entire Kenyan delegation and the travel trade of India in New Delhi. The training program was a great success and it received approximately 200 registrations. Mr. John Chirchir, Manager Marketing,

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

23rd and 24th January 2013 respectively along with 18 private Kenyan trade delegates.

The Department of Tourism, Philippines (DOT) announced that it has achieved a new milestone with the country recording 4,272,811 visitor arrivals and showing a 9.07% increase from the 3,917,454 tourist arrivals in 2011. It is for the first time that tourist arrivals to the country breached the 4 million mark. ·The Indian market generated 42,844 tourists and posted a growth of 8.29% over 2011 arrival figures. ·Korea accounted for 1,031,155 arrivals to the Philippines and contributed 24.13% share of the total visitor volume. ·Japan provided 412,474 visitors, which is 3.86% higher than its target of 397,141. ·Russia recorded a 40.05% increase from 20,185 in 2011 to 28,270 in 2012. ·Malaysia experienced high growth rate of 24.81% by producing 114,513 arrivals vis-a-vis its 2011 arrivals of 91,752.

· A u st ra l i a g r e w b y 1 1 . 9 6 % b y contributing 191,150 arrivals against its previous year's volume of 170,736. ·US market constituted 15.27% of the total inbound traffic by producing 652,626 visitors to the Philippines. This figure is up by 4.50% from 624,527 in 2011. · T h e C h i n e s e m a r ket p ro v i d e d 250,883 visitors or 5.87% of the total. Other markets with substantial contribution to the overall visitor arrivals include Singapore with 148,215 arrivals, Canada with 123,699 arrivals, Hong Kong with 118,666 arrivals, United Kingdom with 113,282 and Germany with 67,023 arrivals.

industry. The primary reason for this presentation on Russia was to generate awareness of a necessity for more specialized promotion of Russian tourism in India. Furthermore, Indian tourists are now more inclined to visit destinations beyond Moscow & St. Petersburg; there is a keen interest to explore the Lake Baikal region, the Golden Ring & the Trans Siberian Railway journey. Manish Synghal, Director, Dimaz Group strongly believes that regularity and consistency are most important in holding presentations on Russian tourism in India. A

single event may only arouse the interest for Russia, and stimulate and provoke the travel bug of the curious traveller to explore novelties unique to Russian tourism. To his opinion, such presentations should be held on the eve of the summer tourist season which is interesting for Indians. Today Many Russia regions have become more active in promoting their tourism opportunities & are keen to demonstrate ava i l a b l e t o u r i s t a tt ra c t i o n s & opportunities to attract Indian tourists.

Macau conducts FAM Tour for Indian travel agents

Macau Government Tourist office in association with Hong Kong Tourism Board organized a familiarization trip for 40 Indian Travel Agents from Delhi, Kolkatta, Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad & Chennai.

The trip was organized to showcase Hong Kong and Macua as a twinning destination with Cathay as airline partner. The trade partners visited Bubble Show at City of Dreams, A Ma Temple, Ruins of St. Pauls, Senado Square and theMacauTowerwhiletheywereinMacau.

www.penchresorts.co.in

18 SAFARI PLUS March - April, 2013

March - April, 2013 SAFARI PLUS 19

Schedule of Next Road shows: Chennai - 20th August, 2013 New Delhi - 22nd August , 2013

Visitor Arrivals to Philippines reached 4.3 Million in 2012

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

23rd and 24th January 2013 respectively along with 18 private Kenyan trade delegates.

Macau conducts FAM Tour for Indian travel agents

Macau Government Tourist office in association with Hong Kong Tourism Board organized a familiarization trip for 40 Indian Travel Agents from Delhi, Kolkatta, Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad & Chennai.

www.penchresorts.co.in

18 SAFARI PLUS March - April, 2013

March - April, 2013 SAFARI PLUS 19

HOSPITALITY PLUS

Heavens Portfolio partners with

Yas Viceroy, Abu Dhabi

Yas Viceroy, Abu Dhabi has appointed Heavens Portfolio as its Sales, Marketing and PR representative office in Asia, covering markets

including India, China and Hong Kong. Overlooking the Yas Marina Circuit, Yas Viceroy is home to 499 guest rooms, representing the pinnacle of luxury and opulent accommodation, expressed with a distinctive style and essence that has become a standard of the Viceroy brand. The generous guestrooms offer an experience of pure comfort, with plush amenities, the latest in

Barleyz

The Bangalore's memo Barleyz – The Brew House is the newest destination in Bangalore to discover culinary delights and enjoy drinks with a diversity. Located in the heart of hustling bustling Koramangala, it is spread over 30,000 sq. ft on two floors. Barleyz has a Beer Garden, Roof Top Buffet and Pub. It is soon to open its Fine Dining Contemporary Restaurant, Café and Microbrewery. The different sections at Barleyz will have exciting new menu to offer its guests. The menus will feature flavors and cuisines from different kitchens around the world. The micro-brewery will serve freshly brewed Porter, Ale, Weit, Blonde and Barleyz Special from its very own selection of brews. The Roof Top Lounge & Barbeque restaurant is a contemporary beautiful beer garden overlooking the jostling city life. The ambience of the beer garden is such that it is a world in its own. The music surprises you with soothing ballads to heavy rock, from

foot tapping rhythm and blues to melodious soft tunes. The breeze makes you flutter with delight and the lights enhance the whole experience. Live counters dish out delicious barbeques that tantalize your palates. Lip-smacking grills and barbeques paired with thirst quenching concoctions is the perfect way to sit back and relax. A delightful range of starters, main course and desserts feature on the menu at Barleyz – PaneerSaufianiTikka, BBQ Paprika Chicken, Vegetable Shashlik, Murgh DhaniyaTikka, Garlic Prawns, Sour and Pepper Chicken Ball Soup, MilauniTarkari, Penne in Spicy Tomato Sauce, Fish Florentine, KothmiriKodi; Chocolate Brownie, Saffron Phirnee, Chocolate Mousse and more. A grand buffet with 12 starters, soups, 14 mains and desserts is designed for those who like the extra spoon of culinary joy. F o r m o r e i n fo r m a t i o n , l o g n o http://www.barleyz.com

20 SAFARI PLUS March - April, 2013

technology, and a minimum of 581 square feet of space to relax and enjoy. Custom furnishings and modern conveniences highlight the guestrooms' innovative design, matching the hotel's striking architecture. Every element of the Viceroy experience is wrapped in a visionary blend of style and ultimate sophistication, offering an exemplary level of service that is unexpected. Yas Viceroy provides an eclectic array of dining ambiences and menu selections – f ro m l av i s h M e d i t e r r a n e a n favorites and home-made Italian pasta to Southeast Asian specialties, Japa n e s e Te p p a nya k i , re g i o n a l Indian delights, and light snacks at the rooftop infinity pool. With twelve

dining and lounge venues all within unique surroundings, Yas Viceroy provides a singular destination and venue for unparalleled events in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and throughout the UAE. Ya s I s l a n d i s s e r v i c e d b y t wo international airports; Abu Dhabi Airport (15 minute drive) or Dubai Airport (1 hour drive) both of which offer direct flights from around the world. As well as Yas Marina Circuit, the island features Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, Yas Links Abu Dhabi - an 18 hole Links Championship golf course, a VIP marina, Yas Marina & Yacht Club, a water park and Yas Mall, which due to open in 2014.

Hotel Sheravoys, Yercaud, joins RCI portfolio RCI, proclaimed an alliance with Hotel Shevaroys in Yercaud, nestled a m i d s t s e v e ra l acres of lush green coffee plantations on the Servaroyan Hills of Tamil Nadu. With the objective of meeting the demands of the modern traveler while providing a relaxing hillresortexperiencewithits uniquely designed and well-appointed cottages, Hotel Shevaroys was the first to start the trend of offering villa style accommodation in Yercaud. Most of its villas come with an attached car park, and a sit-out and private lawn, offering families much desired privacy. A unique feature of these accommodations is that the bedrooms open into a courtyard with a view of the dazzling coffee plantation. The separate living room comprises a pull-out sofa and

a dining area. With the intention of serving every palate, Hotel Shevaroys offers four food and beverage options, which include: The Red Dragon, a Chinese restaurant; The Silver Oak, featuring multiple cuisines; Malar, which serves pure vegetarian fare; and Bear's Cave, a well appointed bar. The hotel also boasts an on-site supermarket and a bakery, well known for its assortment of fresh specialty breads. Other amenities include a business center with internet facilities, a travel desk, indoor and outdoor recreation areas and a newly launched spa and salon. “RCI is pleased to welcome Hotel Shevaroys, Yercaud, into its portfolio of affiliated resorts in India,” said Radhika Shastry, managing director, RCI India.

Located in the heart of Grand Baie, on the sun-drenched northern coast of Mauritius, Le Mauricia is a 4-star Beachcomber Hotel, providing the traditional Mauritian hospitality and conviviality which is relaxed, simple and cozy. It is 75kms from the Airport, about 25kms from Mauritius capital cityPort Louis and 40 km from Curepipe, the shopping area. With a total of 237 rooms, it consists of 28 Apartments, 3 Honeymoon Suites, 2 Lofts and a Villa. The beauty of these rooms is that they are all sea facing and are fully facilitated with

everything that a travelers needs to unwind with. The hotel also consists of two fully e q u i p p e d c o n fe re n c e rooms so that one can hold meetings. The Hotel holds excellent Restaurants and Bars where, there is a dress code for the ladies and gentlemen that it serves. LES QUAIS is the Main restaurant which overlooks the swimming pool and has a seating of 500 guests. The Hotels very own BAY WATCH Bar also overlooks the swimming pool and is opened

throughout the day. The LE NAUTIC famous for its fresh seafood is a Restaurant designed on a split-level overlooking the sea. Le Mauricia also invites a Local band to play music 6 nights a week and has the La Rhumerie nightclub open for its guests. One can interest oneself in various activities that the hotel has to offer like Water Sports consisting of Waterskiing, Windsurfing, Sailing, Glassbottom boating, Pedal boating, Kayaking, and Scuba diving. Land Sports include Tennis, Table tennis, Dart boards, Volley-

ball, Mountain biking, Stretching and more. The hotel also holds a complete Wellness Centre with a f u l l y f l e d ged sauna, hammam, Relaxation pool and Massage Centre. Known as one of most popular family resorts in Mauritius, Le Mauricia also provides an optional package called the “Beachcomber All-Inclusive” package, to allow families to relax in total peace of mind during their stay in Mauritius. The property is represented in India by IRIS REPS and for further details you can contact Ms. Alefiya Singh, Director, Iris Reps | E: alefiya@irisreps.in

Re:gen:ta One, Hyderabad High on Style Re:gen:ta One is a five star contemporary hotel in the “City of Pearls”, amidst the commercial hub of Hyderabad. Designed by Hirsch Bedner Associates, Singapore and RSP Architects Planners & Engineers, Hyderabad, Re:gen:ta One is the perfect destination for a s e a s o n e d c o r p o ra t e traveler offering luxury, convenience & value. Being in an upscale arm of the Royal Orchid Hotels, Re:gen:ta One is in an economy where businesses continue to restructure, reorganize, reinvent, realign, and it redefines comfort, food & beverage concepts & the way you do business. It offers 158 well-equipped, elegant and spacious rooms offering panoramic views of the city. Re:gen:ta One's lobby is an oasis of calm. An 'Abstract Pin' installation by Swapna Ganju over a central water body leads you to the reception area. High Atrium ceiling, capsule lifts with jaali work façade and wooden rafters giving a peak into the dining areas lend the feeling of openness. Limelight the all-day dining can seat up to 124 guests. The elegantly done island buffet stations and an expansive live kitchen equipped with a Morello Forni wood fired oven bring out the best fare from the Limelight kitchens. The menu offers a wide variety of world cuisine

opens in Gurgaon Baani Square

from woodfired oven pizzas to authentic I n d i a n , Oriental & Western delicacies along with s o m e signature fusion recipes created by the chefs. Salsa, the bar lounge is the destination for people to unwind & relax. A compact bar tactful lightings and a play of colors give the space a warm & welcoming ambience. The skillfully planned seating ranging from private booths to Zee shaped couch makes it conducive for people to engage. The menu offers connoisseurs the best of Indian and imported spirits and the best DJs in town play a range of music. The hotel's banqueting spaces along with the large pre-function area can cater to multi scale events of up to 500 people. The facilities come with latest technology & equipment to make every event a grand success.

Hilton Worldwide announced the opening of Hilton Garden Inn Gurgaon Baani Square. Hilton Garden Inn is upscale mid-priced hotel brand that strives to ensure today's busy travellers have everything they need to be most productive on the road. Operated by Hilton Worldwide and owned by the Baani Group, Hilton Garden Inn Gurgaon Baani Square is strategically located near the prime corporate, commercial and residential districts, including Infocity, Unitech Cyber Park, Sohna Road and Nirvana. The hotel is a 10-minute drive (8 kilometres) from DLF Cyber City, the central business hub in Gurgaon. Shopping at the malls on M.G. Road and entertainment at the Kingdom of Dreams are nearby. With 201 guestrooms including six suites, at Hilton Garden Inn Gurgaon Baani Square features expansive city views, comfortable Serta beds, a spacious working desk with an ergonomic SAYL chair, a 32-inch LED television with CD / DVD player, two telephones with voicemail, electronic safe, mini refrigerator, tea and coffee making facility, and an iron and ironing board. Guests in residence can also avail 24-hour room service and around the clock laundry and dry cleaning services. Dining options include Glasshouse, the allday dining world-cuisine restaurant, which serves an a la carte menu in addition to an extensive buffet of Indian, Italian,

Continental and Pan Asian cuisines. Café O' Lait, the patisserie, offers a choice of gourmet sandwiches, breads, pastries, healthy fruit juices and freshly brewed tea and coffee for dine in or take away. Pose, the bar at the lobby level, presents a wide selection of fine wines, contemporary cocktails and mocktails and a range of innovative snacks. Guests can enjoy a live grill and exotic snacks, accompanied by a selection of premium alcoholic beverages, contemporary cocktails and mocktails, against the backdrop of panoramic city views at Hive, the rooftop bar. The 24-hour Business Centre at the hotel is equipped with state-of-the-art audio visual facilities and complimentary internet access. The four Meeting Rooms, each with extensive city views and an abundance of natural light, can accommodate from 20 to 150 people. The 18,000- square feet conference and banqueting facilities include lush green lawns and a courtyard, perfectly suited for al fresco business events, social gatherings, private receptions and weddings of up to 400 people. Recreational opportunities at the hotel include a rooftop swimming pool and 24-hour fitness centre by Precor.

March - April, 2013 SAFARI PLUS 21

HOSPITALITY PLUS

Heavens Portfolio partners with

Yas Viceroy, Abu Dhabi

Yas Viceroy, Abu Dhabi has appointed Heavens Portfolio as its Sales, Marketing and PR representative office in Asia, covering markets

Barleyz

20 SAFARI PLUS March - April, 2013

opens in Gurgaon Baani Square

March - April, 2013 SAFARI PLUS 21

AVIATION PLUS

Offers the Mega Airfare Sale As the holiday season approaches, Malaysia Airlines is back with its mega air fare sale for Indian travelers, looking for value deals and varied travel options across the globe like cover attractive fares to various destinations in Malaysia like Kuala Lumpur and beyond in Australia and New Zealand, Hong Kong, Kuala Lampur Langkawi Singapore Denpasar Bangkok Phuket Hong Kong Melbourne Sydney Auckland

Ex- Delhi 27,842 26,858 23,160 31,821 22,141 21,899 24,618 47,136 48,190 50,491

1st March and 30th September 2013. These are offered through www.malaysiaairlines.com, Malaysia Airlines ticket offices and appointed agents throughout India. Mr. Azahar Bin Hamid, Regional Senior Vice President, South Asia & Middle East, Malaysia Airlines said, “India is one Ex- Chennai of the most significant source market and this is the reason 9,849 Malaysia Airlines keeps on 19,915 introducing value added services 20,835 for avid Indian travelers. This 29,042 particular offer is designed 20,336 especially for the price conscious 20,336 Indian consumers looking for value 25,441 deals to great holiday destinations. 52,694 We want more and more Indian 53,748 passengers to experience our in42,884 flight services like elaborate Indian

Singapore and many more. So gear up, pack your bags and book your tickets if you have plans to travel between 1st March to 30th September 2013 from Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bangalore and Chennai on Malaysia Airlines. The deal is valid if you book up to 15th March 2013 and travel between

Ex-Mumbai Ex-Hyderabad Ex- Bengaluru 23,071 21,180 21,857 25,861 24,973 23,548 21,678 23,447 23,996 35,746 34,178 30,629 21,703 23,472 21,083 NA NA 20,741 28,866 24,282 24,929 45,811 46,092 46,390 46,865 27,584 44,315 48,750 32,311 48,774

Malaysia Airlines Offers Higher Checked Baggage Allowances Malaysia Airlines announced that effective from 14 February 2013; their passengers will enjoy an additional 10 kilograms free checked baggage allowance and reduced excess baggage charges for travel in all classes. The national carrier of Malaysia is introducing these benefits on all its flights involving the weight system concept for checked baggage, except for travel to and from Los Angeles where the charges are based on the piece system. Malaysia Airlines' Regional Senior Vice President for Middle East & South Asia Mr Azahar Hamid said, “The revised checked baggage policy improves our product proposition in the ever-changing competitive landscape of the commercial aviation industry. This is also in line with our Business Plan strategy of 'Winning Back Customers'.” Under the new baggage guidelines all adult and child passengers will enjoy 30, 40, and 50 kilograms free baggage allowance respectively for travel on economy, business and first class. Charges for checked baggage weights in excess of the new free allowance will be

calculated depending on zone of travel with a fixed rate applied for every 5 kilograms of excess baggage weight. The excess baggage rate for each block of 5 kilograms excess weight will be in the Indian Rupee equivalent of Malaysian Ringgit (RM) 30.00, 60.00 and 90.00 respectively depending on zone of travel. The INR equivalent of RM30 applies for each sector in the zone within Malaysia and the ASEAN countries of Singapore, Brunei, Indonesia, Philippines, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam & Cambodia. For sectors in the zone beyond Malaysia and ASEAN, the INR equivalent of RM60.00 applies covering destinations in India, China, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Hong Kong, China, Taiwan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Japan, Korea, New Zealand & Australia. The intercontinental rate of RM90 or its INR equivalent will be charged on all travel between Malaysia and the cities of Jeddah, London, Amsterdam, Paris, Frankfurt and Istanbul. For return travel from the international cities, the RM value of the applicable zone charge will be converted into the local currency of payment during check-in.

Malaysia Airlines enters Oneworld Malaysia Airlines is now officially a part of oneworld®, starting from its first flight on February 1, 2013 – MH386, from Kuala Lumpur to Shanghai Pudong. Another key focus flight for the airline was the first departure by the first of its aircraft featuring the full oneworld livery – an Airbus A330-300 operating flight MH 129 to Melbourne from Kuala Lumpur . 1. Customers benefit from expanded global network & increased competition: Malaysia Airlines connects 16 new destinations and one country – Brunei – to the oneworld map. Its addition expands to 842 destinations in 156 countries, served by some 9,000 departures a day operated by a combined fleet of some 2,500 aircraft, carrying nearly 340 million passengers a year, with annual revenues of US$ 110 billion. Add oneworld's other members elect – Qatar Airways & Sri Lankan Airlines – & the alliance network will reach 860 destinations in 159 countries. 2. New Visit Malaysia passes to encourage tourism throughout the country: The airline & alliance have launched their Visit Malaysia pass, offering attractive discounts o n regular published fares for domestic

Effective from 1 Jan, 2012

100

150

cuisines and quality onboard e n t e r t a i n m e n t l i ke t h e l a t e s t blockbusters, popular TV shows, multiplayer games and critically acclaimed album releases” Destinations like Phillip Island, Bali, Melbourne, Bangkok, Melbourne, Sydney and Auckland also give a diversified range of holiday options be it for shopping , water sports, adventure sports, heritage or wild life tourism. In additional being a part of oneworld Alliance, Enrich frequent flyer members will have their privileges extended to whenever they fly with any oneworld member airline worldwide. *Please note that the fares mentioned in the table are in INR and all inclusive of taxes.

f l i g h t s bought in conjunction with a flight on an oneworld carrier to the country. 3.Double miles' offer to frequent flyer members to celebrate: The 2 million members of Malaysia Airlines' Enrich loyalty program will now enjoy the full range of oneworld frequent flyer benefits when travelling with any oneworld member airline worldwide – airberlin, American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific Airways, Finnair, Iberia, Japan Airlines, LAN Airlines, Qantas, Royal Jordanian, S7 Airlines & around 30 affiliated airlines. An extra checked baggage allowance, above the standard limit for the cabin class in which they are traveling – either 1 additional item where the piece concept applies, or an extra 20 kg where the weight concept applies – when they fly on any oneworld member airline. Cardholders in its Enrich frequent flyer program have been sent new membership cards, bearing the oneworld logo & “gemstone” tier indicator.

New Renew

Valid Till 31 May, 2013

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22 SAFARI PLUS March - April, 2013

AVIATION PLUS

Jet Airways Deploys Airbus 330-300 Aircraft on Delhi-Toronto Sector Jet Airways has deployed a brand new state-of-the-art Airbus 330-300 aircraft on the Delhi-Toronto-Delhi route, via Brussels, in view of the enhanced demand from its guests with immediate effect. The brand new Airbus 330-300 aircraft was inducted into the fleet recently and will replace the Airbus 330-200 aircraft presently being operated on this sector. In line with its philosophy of offering products that meet the specific needs of their guests, Jet Airways has chosen to deploy this state-of-the-art new aircraft to give guests a significantly enhanced and comfortable in-flight experience. Furthermore, the new Airbus 330-330 is set to make travel in both the Economy and Première sections more comfortable. The new aircraft will now offer guests 259 seats in the Economy section, with significantly more leg room and an all new Première cabin which will feature 34 all new air

cushioned seats with contemporary 'Contour Vantage 2' seat control features. The increased capacity of an additional 73 seats (4 in Premiere and 69 in Economy), compared to the Airbus 330-200, is a result of the stretched fuselage of the aircraft, which, at an extra 17.7 ft, allows the aircraft to retain comfort levels while offering guests a significantly quieter cabin. The Première (business class) in the all new Airbus 330-300 comes with a 180 degree lie flat bed for maximum comfort and more personal space for guests. The configuration of the Première cabin allows guests to choose between 2 individual seats, adjacent to each other. The all new Vantage 2 suite controls incorporated into the new Airbus 330-300 are equipped with Passenger Control Units (PCU) to activate various features and help guests adjust to the most comfortable seating positions. Pumped air lumbar

support, w i t h a massage fe a t u r e further adds t o t h e comfort of passengers. The newly designed Premiere seats also boast individual stowage for guests, a cocktail table area on the side console, leather armrests, a robust table with simple deployment and individual in-flight entertainment through a 12.1” monitor. These seats are arranged such that the foot wells for each are under the console of the seat in front, resulting in enhanced space between each row of seats. The Première seats also feature a PC power socket and USB socket, both of which can charge various electrical items. The Airbus 330-300 aircraft incorporates Airbus' latest technology,

which includes • Its digital fly-by-wire flight controls and lightweight composite structures in its airframe. • lighter, brighter and more spacious cabin. • Smoother contours, new interior styling, state-of-the-art LED lighting and newly-designed air conditioning units • Onboard mood lighting and advanced safety features like an inbuilt airbag within the seat belt in both the Première and the Economy add to guest security and safety.

IndiGo brings Bangalore closer Virgin Atlantic Announces of to Guwahati & Agartala Domestic Flight Service -Little Red IndiGo, has announced the launch of 14 new flights on its domestic network and will operate its first new daily nonstop flight between Bangalore and Guwahati and between Bangalore and Agartala via Guwahati. Additionally, 6E will operate its seventh daily flight between Bangalore and Mumbai, sixth

north eastern destinations and other metros will now have the opportunity to experience the hassle-free, on-time performance that IndiGo is synonymous with. * All inclusive lowest one-way fare valid for booking made 30 days before travel date. Limited seats. IndiGo also recently launched fourth daily and d i re c t f l i g ht b et we e n Bengaluru and Kolkata, a new daily and direct flight between Bengaluru and

d a i l y n o n - st o p f l i g h t b e t w e e n Hyderabad and Bangalore, fourth daily non-stop flight between Ahmedabad and Mumbai. These services started from February 15th 2013, with 391 flights connecting 33 destinations across the nation. Both corporate and leisure customers travelling from

Goa and a new daily flight between Kolkata and Goa via Bengaluru. With effect from 01st March 2013, IndiGo will also fly new daily and direct flights connecting Chennai and Singapore, new daily & direct f l i g h t s c o n n e c t i n g Tr i va n d r u m with Dubai & its second daily & direct flight between Mumbai & Dubai.

attractive rates for

MALAYSIA THAILAND

Sir Richard Branson, Virgin Atlantic founder and president puts his head up as Virgin Atlantic announces launch of domestic Flight Service - Little Red. Little Red will launch on 31st March in Manchester, 5thApril in Edinburgh and 9th April in Aberdeen offering seamless connections from Delhi and Mumbai via London Heathrow. There will be 26 daily flights between London Heathrow and Manchester, Edinburgh and Aberdeen offering new choice to passengers who have faced monopoly prices on UK domestic flights from Heathrow Bringing a splash of red to the sky, Branson's Little Red service will offer four daily round-trips between London Heathrow and Manchester, six daily round-trips to Edinburgh and a further three daily round-trips to Aberdeen. An extra service was added to Manchester last week, offering four flights a day instead of the three originally planned, to give passengers even more flexibility and offer even better connections to

India and other destinations. Virgin Atlantic Little Red will be offering a taste of the customer service Virgin Atlantic is world-renowned for with free 23kg luggage check-ins, pre-assigned seats, complimentary snacks and drinks and even hot breakfasts on early morning flights. A series of exclusive brand partnerships have been lined up like - Tyrrells crisps – 'Plane crisps' made from miniature potatoes, a variety of exclusive miniature spirits from Bacardi Martini and Scotland's favourite drink, Irn Bru on the Scottish services and Krispy Kreme doughnuts. The schedule of the new flights is timed to maximise connections for passengers travelling onwards from London across Virgin Atlantic's global network. There will be early flights to serve business fliers reaching morning meetings in each city. The new schedule will suit Indian passengers as they can now continue to travel within the UK on their preferred airline within less than 3 hours of arriving at London Heathrow whilst benefitting from an equally convenient return journey.

G be tr tter Passionate about Traveling ! B-11, Arun Chamber, Tardeo, Mumbai - 400 034 Tel: +91-22-22917800 M: 981 996 7576 Email: globetrotter@asia.com indiaglobetrotter@gmail.com

March - April, 2013 SAFARI PLUS 23

DESTINATION INSIGHT

10 Things to do in ALBERTA

Canada

U nquestionably one of the most beautiful places on earth, as vast as it is varied in landscape and experiences, Alberta is an exceptional vacation destination you won't soon forget, filled with unique activities, urban charms and cultural jewels. Alberta is located in western Canada, bounded by the provinces of British Columbia to west and Saskatchewan to east, the Northwest Territories to north, and the US state of Montana to south. 1 Your trip to the land of Badlands is incomplete if you do not participate in one of the countless rodeos that take place throughout the province. The granddaddy of them all is the annual Calgary Stampede, the richest rodeo competition in the world with more than $2 million in prizes to be won in calf roping, steer wrestling, bronco and bull

riding, and barrel racing. 2 Jump back in time as many as 145 million years ago while you go on a dinosaur adventure. Stand in a spot surrounded by the eroded barren landscape of the badlands, where the only remaining traces of that long ago time in Alberta are the fossils and dinosaur bone beds that abound here. 3 Hunters flock to Alberta in the autumn for the chance at bagging big game, waterfowl and upland game birds. Set your sights on cougar, elk, moose, whitetail and mule deer, pronghorn antelope, black bear and bighorn sheep. And there's nothing quite as tasty as ring neck pheasant, partridge, grouse and wild duck. 4 For a true Alberta experience, try some horseback riding. Swap tales with your fellow trail blazers over a sizzling campfire meal before retiring to a cozy log cabin.

24 SAFARI PLUS March - April, 2013

5 Cut into Alberta's dining scene and treat your senses - Relish delectable local specialties like bison, elk and Alberta's famous cocktail, the Caesar. 6 If you would love to take a boat cruise but happen to be in Edmonton, you're in luck. Catch the river boat and cruise through the heart of the city. 7 An aerial tour is the next best thing , so take off into the wild blue yonder and see the Rockies like you never could from the g ro u n d . I t ' s a p h o t o g ra p h e r's fantasy â&#x20AC;&#x201C; everywhere you point your camera is a perfect shot. 8 Start your swan dive from the world's tallest indoor bungee jump â&#x20AC;&#x201C; from a height of a whopping 32.3 m (106 ft). Be sure to explore the historical parks where you'll find

yourself in an authentic wild-west town. 9 The capital city of Edmonton is so famous for festivals it's known across Canada as the Festival City - the Edmonton Folk Fest, the International Fringe Theater Festival, and the marvelously eclectic International Street Performers Festival. 10 Round up your trip with a shopping spree. Cutting-edge local designers, top international labels and sumptuous spaces make for prime shopping in Alberta.

DUBAI as

Destination With Indian outbound taking a quantum leap in the recent years, it is rather easy to figure why so many young and 'JUST MARRIED', Indians choose Dubai as their honeymoon destination. Almost a decade ago, Dubai was perceived as a major centre of trade. It still is a hub for trade, but has grown beyond the same. With local investors pumping huge sums of money into the leisure and lifestyle segment, Dubai is slowly and surely gaining foothold in the tourism sector as well. As a city, Dubai has a very cosmopolitan air. It has an age-old connection with Indians, which is precisely why a lot of Indian's choose Dubai be it business or leisure. With the availability of a hoard of brands it has becoming a hot-spot shopping arena. However with so many lifestyle elements added to the city, it is becoming a city for honeymooners too.

Encompassing Affair In a recent conversation with a friend who just got married, she said that they opted for Dubai as a Honeymoon destination for several reasons. The primary reason being that the couple wanted to visit a foreign locale to mark this important event in their lives. With the ease of geographical proximity of the location, Dubai had a lot in store to offer to my friend. To begin with they had the best deals on airlines. Some of the best hotel properties offered attractive packages for honeymooners, offering state of the art amenities and services. It also has eclectic mix of taxfree shopping (with attractive discounts), theme restaurants, spas (to rejuvenate) and adventure to offer. It is a destination ideal both for a man and a woman.

Foodies Delight Food is the most significant aspect for every Indian going outbound. They would always want to feel at home. The

best way to feel at home is through the stomach. Being a dynamically cosmopolitan city one can enjoy a Global platter in this city. However the locals and the foreigners visiting Dubai have a special affinity for Indian cuisine. Hence one can find anything from North Indian, to South Indian, Mughlai, to Indian Chaat and street food, and sweet meats of the choicest variety. One can also enjoy European, Lebanese and Asian cuisine. Don't forget to enjoy the best of Lebanese cuisines on the Desert Safari. This comes accompanied with the authentic belly dance. Bounce with your beloved at the whims of the waves in Dubai creek. Experience a starlit evening on the Dhow cruise with sumptuous seafood spread. One can also enjoy a hoard of vegetarian delights on this trip. Just incase the spices tantalize your senses don't forget to make a trip to the spice market (adjacent to the Gold Souk)

can transport you and your wife into an oceanic l e a g u e . Ta k e a certified diving course with your beloved. Perhaps you can even enjoy a whiff of air as you sky dive. T h e s e properties sure know how to make your honeymoon t h e most unf

Dubaiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Iconic Skyline Dubai offers an impressive skyline to its visitors. One can site the BurjKhalifa (the latest addition, that was open to public in 2011) in a few minutes after driving into the city from the airport. This is one of the tallest towers in the world. The Burj-Al-Arab and the Palm Jumeira just cannot be missed. The aerial view of the city atop the BurjKhalifa will give insight on some of the upcoming architectural marvels in the city too. The upcoming Dubai Towers gives the impression of flickering candle flames. There is a certain romance exuberating in the architecture of the city. The city pulsates with the vibes of the old days on one hand and also swings to the glorious ways of the west on the other hand. If you want to sweep your beloved off her feet, whisk away into cosy of the honeymoon suits at the Palm Atlantis, or the Burj-Al-Arab. The Lost chambers at the Palm Atlantis

org ettable one. The Al Maha Resort offers a romantic Arabian getaway with a complete privacy in your suite with endless views of the Arabian Desert from your private swimming pool.

Shopping This is the sure shot therapy and it keeps the women happy too. Dubai is the largest getaway for shopping. Since it is a tax-free destination, one can buy anything from the best of perfumes, clothes, jewellery and a lot

more. The Dubai Mall, Burjuman Centre, and the Mall of Emirates are some of the most fascinating malls that one can visit. Little trolleys set alongside shops h av e i n t e re s t i n g things to offer. For t h e b e s t i n electronics don't forget to visit Wafi centre. You want to soak in gold then the 'Gold Souk' is the place to be. Sight most stunning jewellery designed in gold and set in d i a m o n d s h e re. One can find anything from trendy Italian designed jewellery to typical Arabic bridal wear. It is believed that no one goes back form Dubai without buying any gold. Maybe you can begin the promise of life by gifting your loved one a drop of gold. As we wind up we can assure you many more than reasons for a honeymoon in Dubai. So soak up the sun and let it shine into your new life. Text By Heer Kothari

March - April, 2013 SAFARI PLUS 25

TRADE PLUS

Tourism Malaysia on the Sales Mission in India Tourism Malaysia organized their annual sales mission in Chennai, Mumbai, Kolkata & Delhi. Led by Director General, Tourism Malaysia, the delegation was attended by individuals and groups from across tour, travel associates, service and hospitality sector. With the aim of promoting Malaysia as a Asia, like never before. The objective of the sales mission is to strengthen Malaysia's standing as a dream travel destination and increase tourist arrivals from India. It also provided Malaysia's tourism industry players an opportunity to develop and strengthen co-operation with their Indian counterparts.

Reunion Island destination training program

Today though we are living in a high tech world and there are online training available Reunion Islands preferred the traditional medium of training whereby the agents can interact freely and have a one to one session with the trainer. Indian Travelers are evolving and are now ready to explore new destinations - Reunion Islands is represented by IRIS REPS in India and they conducted destination training program along with Kuoni Academy in Delhi and Mumbai for the front desk Mangers. This was well attended by around 100 agents in both the cities.

Argentine extravaganza keeps The Indian Travel Trade swinging with Tango! Argentina Tourism entered the Indian market showcasing their product in Delhi and Mumbai. The tourism board participated at the trade fair along with a delegation of 8 which were included Conextur, Eurotur, Helling's Travel, Esquina Carlos Gardel, Sundance Tours, Vivaterra, Tango Porteño and Scenery Travel Service. “The outbound market in India has been growing very rapidly and we are very happy to be a part of it. It is pleasure to showcase our country and welcome the Indian traveller” says Leonardo Boto, Chairman of INPROTUR, and The National Institute for the Promotion of Tourism of Argentina. The National Institute of Tourism Promotion of Argentine Republic presented in Mumbai a spectacular Argentinean Theme Evening which begun with magical Tango performances and left the crowd spellbound. To add on to that, audience was further captivated with the servings of Argentinean Wines. The Red Wines ,a full bodied Malbec of deep purple colour and the White Wines were much appreciated by all. His Excellency Tomas Ferrari Consul General of Argentina in Mumbai graced the occasion with his presence.

26 SAFARI PLUS March - April, 2013

If you are a golf and sports enthusiast then Thailand is the place to be. Check out some of the most exciting Golf destination in some of the famous and upcoming destinations in the country. Thailand warmly welcomes newbies to come and experience and learn every aspect of the game. Just incase you don't enjoy playing the game, one can come and witness a golf tournament too. Why THAILAND for Golf As a destination, Thailand is value for money. The country offers the best in accommodation. Also the climate is perfect all through the year. While the best season is from November to March, Golfing does not haul even during the summer months. The Thai tourism supports the game in every conceivable way. The government part takes in the regulation, infrastructure, and provides for excellent information for every traveling golfer too. The caddies form an integral part of the game. They greet you on arrival; they make all the necessary arrangements for an interesting game. They will guide you around the golf course. They will give you distances to the green, mark balls and give you the lines of your putts, and as an added plus, help keep you cool and refreshed. The world-class accommodation also adds to the advantage. There is also a lot to do and enjoy apart from the game as well.

Golf Destination There are a variety of accommodation facilities that are offered on rent. The system adopted for stay is the Villa system. Some of the well known destinations are as follows. Burapha Golf Course (Pattaya) – Situated in the North of Thailand is the Burapha Golf Couse. One can enjoy a scenic treat in the backdrop, while enjoying the game on a 36 hole

Golf Course (72/72par, and 6948 yards). The Course has been designed by Americans, and has hosted the prestigious Thailand Open, in 2010. One can also rent Golf equipment for nominal rates. The property offers a variety of other activities that include a swimming pool, tennis courts and a lot more. Pattaya is renowned for its scenic and sombre golf courses. LaemChabang (off Pattaya) – This is the international Golf Course designed by the celebrated Golfer Jack Nicklaus. The course comprises of 27 holes spread over a vast area of 7000 acres. Each hole on the course is differently located as per the environment. With just a thirtyminute drive from Pattaya this is an ideal getaway for Golf lovers. The property is open to both members and non-members. There are separate charges levied for day and night golf. There is also a training centre designed within the premises for amateur players. The Course is equipped with a Club House, and fairly modern rooms to entertain their guests. The restaurant here serves both Japanese and European cuisines. The restaurant can seat over 300 people comfortable. There is also a spa within the premises, just incase you want to unwind relax. Springfield Royal Golf and Country Club (Hua Hin)– This is again a Jack Nicklaus masterpiece. The landscapes are dramatic and lush. The property offers course by the Mountains and a course by the lake. The course appoints some of the best golf instructors from around the world. They have also designed a championship course with 5 sets of Tees to play from. The course was developed in 92 -93, and maintains international standards of the sport. It is also among one of the ten nest Golf Courses in all of Thailand. The Springfield Royal Golf and Country

Club, also offers a spa to its visitors. The fortunate can witness a visitation of over 100 species in the wild. Chaing Mai Highland Golf Course – Tucked away in the foothills of Chaing Mai, is this vast and Lush Golf property. The course opened to public in 2005, and has been awarded the number one course and Spa in all of Thailand. The course is designed by the Schmidt Curley design. As the Golf course matured it opened itself to having visitors staying on the property in the 19 villas that the course added. In due course of time the course also got Spa, equipped with 10 treatment rooms, overlooking the wilderness and the Golf Course. The rates offered are competitive, and hence it is named as one of the best Golf Courses in all of Thailand. Suwan Golf and Country Club (Nakornnchaisri) – This state of the art 18 hole golf course was inaugurated in 2005. The Suwan Golf and Country Club offers the of the sport and also to its guests. The accommodation is modern and comprises of every conceivable facility. The surroundings are a teat to every player, as the lush acts as a moderate distraction. The course offers three practice pitches to the amateurs. The country club is open both to guests and members. They do offer exciting packages for both. Santiburi Sumai Country Club (Koh Samui) – This is one of the top five Golf courses in all of Thailand. The 18-hole golf course has exciting packages to offer to its professional players and amateurs. They also provide for state of art accommodation. Their villas are fancily styled overlooking the lush greens and the sea. Tropical panoramic views heighten the beauty of this place. The SantiburiSumai Country Club has hosted many golf events of both

national and international stature. Rancho Charvee Resort and Country Club (Khao Yai) "Beautiful, challenging and entertaining" Rancho is the definition for professional Gatlinburg Resort & Country Club Golf resort style designed on the concept. And commitment to this course. Golf is for everyone in the family. With ozone exposure, Pure nature, and appreciate the beauty of Khao Yai National Park. That dominated the background surrounding the stadium is almost 360 degrees from Bangkok to Pak Chong, Nakhon Ratchasima gateway to the East, less than two hours on the way up there. Red Mountain (Phuket) – The property is a treat for all the travellers travelling to Phuket. It is the winner of the Platinum Golf Course, in 2012. This is one of the newest Golf courses in all of Asia. The dramatic landscapes add to the beauty of the course. Jon Morrow and co-designer Al Tikkanen, have created a highly strategic and challenging 6,900 yard lay out. A natural lake within the course adds to the beauty and charm of the property. Very recently the property has been revamped, after investing several million dollars, and has been upgrade. The staff is friendly and understands the needs of a golfer too. Blue Canyon Country Club -This club has two courses surrounded by lake and hills situated on the idyllic island of Phuket. The canyon course was the original 18 holes layout recognized as a world championship golf course and constantly ranks as one of Thailand's best golf courses. The holes routing makes good use of meandering creeks and water-filled canyon created by abandoned open cast tin mining with natural land flow left relatively unchanged from the original jungle contours. Text By Heer Kothari

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