TOURISM INDIA NOVEMBER 2019 by TOURISM INDIA

November 2019, Vol 22, No. 07

November 2019 Tourism India

Editorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Note

Effective mitigation measures is the need

he climate plays an important role in Tourism so as the climate change like F& B components and menus could be growing focus in Travel and tour operations. The GHG emissions from our life cycles and waste productions result in climate change. The environmental and Socio-economic changes make significant changes in the profitability of the Travel and Tourism Sector. Climate change leads to business interruptions as it may impact different regions of Tourism differently. The systemic interconnected impact of climate change is most noted as it holds across societal, environmental, and social facets like decreasing of coastlines and Increasing sea levels, Ocean acidification, Marine life depletion, Challenges to the food supply, Health problems, Increased poverty, Displacement of people, Geopolitical conflicts related to energy and natural resources. According to International Civil aviation Association 2% of global emission accounts to International and national aircraft and International aviation alone accounts for 13% ofglobal emissions and a set of goals were set to reduce the emissions and The Carbon offsetting and reduction scheme in International aviation, CORSIA will assist to achieve the carbon-neutral goal. CORSIA is based on air routes and it is designed to implement in different phases. To ensure the transparen-

cy ICAO has rules and regulations for monitoring and reporting verification systems. The share of Tourism transport in current global emissions is relatively small but to develop effective mitigation measures are the need considering its projected dynamic growth. It is not easy to solve the problem of climate change on its own and technological development is a key tool, In the mitigation efforts. In the World Economic Forum (WEF) Global Risks 2017 report, climate change risk accounts for three of the top five risks in terms of likelihood and impact: extreme weather events, major natural disasters, and failure of climate change mitigation and adaptation. Extreme weather events are considered the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s top risk in terms of perceived likelihood. Some hotel chains have even established climate funds where a small percentage of the profits generated in their hotels are transferred. Effective adaptation strategies for ecotourism and nature-based destinations should develop and design in natural areas since ecosystems can be highly vulnerable to climate change impacts. Implementation of a mix of measures, including technological improvements, regulatory and market-based measures, as well as behaviour changes. reduce energy use and apply renewable energy sources is the need of the hour. Rajani A Editor November 2019 Tourism India

Contents November 2019

VOL 22 NO. 07 MANAGING EDITOR Ravisankar K V EDITOR Rajani A CONSULTING EDITOR Bimal Shivaji EXECUTIVE EDITOR Raadia Mukadam RESIDENT EDITOR- NEW DELHI Anil D Menon ASSOCIATE EDITOR G. Ajithkumar ART EDITOR N Bhattathiri LAYOUT DESIGNER Vijayagopalan ONLINE EXECUTIVE Arshad Sulaiman PHOTOGRAPHERS Vivek R. Nair, Murukesh Iyer

BUSINESS & EDITORIAL ASSOCIATES USA Anand Sankar A +15083743215 UK T Haridas, London +44 7775833754 GERMANY Thomas Kunnenkeril, Berlin +4915124367982 NEW DELHI D Anilkumar +91 9868123311 MUMBAI K V Satyanath +91 9745598126 KOLKATA Jayasree Singh +91 943306033 BANGALURU Damodaran K Nair +91 8310955261 COIMBATORE Biju Thomas +91 9944562027 PONDICHERY Ramasubramanian +91 9894977161 EDITORIAL & CORPORATE OFFICE TOURISM INDIA PUBLICATIONS PVT. LTD SEKT 52, TOURISM HOUSE, THAMARAKULAM LANE SASTHAMANGALAM P.O., TRIVANDRUM KERALA, INDIA 695010 TEL: +91 471 2315256 MOB: 9947160531 CONTACT US Editorial Enquiries editor@tourismindiaonline.com Mob: +91 9847060531 Advertisement Enquiries marketing@tourismindiaonline.com Mob: +91 9745598126 Circulation & Subscription Enquiries circulation@tourismindiaonline.com Mob: +91 9947160531 Online Edition www.tourismindia.org www.tourismindiaonline.com Digital Edition: https://issue.com/tourismindia No part of this magazine may be reproduced without the written permission of TOURISM INDIA PUBLICATIONS PVT LTD. All rights reserved Copyright @2019 Printed and Published by Ravisankar K V on behalf of TOURISM INDIA PUBLICATIONS PVT LTD, SEKT 52, Tourism House, Thamarakulam Lane, Sasthamangalam P.O., Trivandrum 695010 at Orange Offset Printers Pvt. Ltd. Gandhari Ammankovil Road, Statue, Trivandrum- 695001 for Aarsha Offset Graphix, Mettukkada, Thycaud.P.O., Trivandrum- 695014 Editor: Rajani A

November 2019 Tourism India

Strong Growth in International arrivals into Asia Pacif ic

Yogendra Tripathi will lead PATA India Chapter

Telangana is all set to woo tourists

Kerala to attract Chinese travellers

GITM 2019 Concludes on a Grand Note!

Odisha Travel Bazaar 2019 culminated with Heritage Walk & B2B meetings

Odisha Travel Bazaar Delegates Join Ekamra Walks

Nagalandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Cultural splendour Hornbill Festival

Gujarat Tourism to hosts Rann Utsav

Explore the heart of Kutch

Contents 32

Explore the World of Wild Ass

Personality, Sudipkumar Maity, GM, Madhuban Resort & Spa

SriLankan Airlines in codeshare with Air India to serve Toronto

GoAir enhances connectivity with new flights from Bengaluru and Kolkata to Delhi

Qatar Airways and IndiGo Sign Codeshare Agreement

Oman Air Unveils Transformation Plan

Emirates announces commercial team changes

WTM Reveals The Latest Global Travel Research

Incredible India â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Find the Incredible Indiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; @ WTM London

Future Proofing Travel and Tourism

The Goat Village, India wins WTM World Responsible Tourism Gold Award 2019

International tourism continues to grow

KTM 2020 seeks quality buyers to boost tourism November 2019 Tourism India

NEWS / GLOBAL TRENDS

Strong Growth in International arrivals into Asia Pacific Asia had the strongest annual increase at 8.7%, followed by the Pacific at four percent and the Americas at 3.5%.

pdated data for foreign arrivals into 46 Asia Pacific destinations confirmed the overall continuation of solid growth in 2018, achieving a 73% annual increase compared to 2017 and reaching a new record high of nearly 708 million international visitor arrivals (IVAs). When adjusted for Guam and Hawaii â&#x20AC;&#x201C; which appear twice, once as individual destinations and again as inclusions in the USA figures â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the Asia Pacific aggregate performance still indicated an year-on-year increase of 7.3% in 2018 with a similar record high of close to 697 million IVAs. International Inbound Travel 2018 According to the Annual Travel Monitor 2019 Final Edition (ATM) released by the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) , over the five years between 2014 and 2018, the 46 Asia Pacific destinations covered in the report have collectively seen their IVAs increase by almost

November 2019 Tourism India

24%, adding more than 136 million additional arrivals to the collective foreign inbound count in the process. Asia had the strongest annual increase at 8.7%, followed by the Pacific at four percent and the Americas at 3.5%. By annual increase in the absolute volume of foreign arrivals between 2017 and 2018 however, these positions changed somewhat, with Asia receiving close to 41.6 million additional foreign arrivals, followed

24% of the 46 destinations covered in this report had annual growth rates in excess of 10% between 2017 and 2018, while 65% grew by five percent or more.

by the Americas with a gain of over 5.4 million and the Pacific with just over one million additional foreign arrivals received over that period. Within the Americas, North America showed the strongest incremental increase in foreign arrivals between 2017 and 2018, capturing more than 55% of the 5.446 million increase over that period, followed next by Central America.

November 2019 Tourism India

Across Asia it was Northeast Asia in particular that captured the largest proportion of additional foreign arrivals into the region between 2017 and 2018 (figure 2). All told, 24% of the 46 destinations covered in this report had annual growth rates in excess of 10%

November 2019 Tourism India

between 2017 and 2018, while 65% grew by five percent or more. For the absolute volume increase between 2017 and 2018, the strongest Asia Pacific performers were ranked as: Of the 46 destinations covered in the report, more than a quarter

(26%), had annual volume increases of more than one million IVAs each, while close to 37% had more than half a million apiece. Nevertheless, the strong collective performance of Asia Pacific destinations in 2018 appears to be changing into 2019. As PATA CEO Dr. Mario Hardy pointed out that, “Preliminary results for early 2019 show a slight softening in the collective annual increase in foreign arrivals into 37 Asia Pacific destinations, reducing to 6.2% year-to-date, year-on-year. Even so, this growth rate has added almost 17 million additional arrivals to the total inbound count during the first periods of 2019 relative to the same period of last year.” He concluded, “The impacts of various geo-political and natural changes appear to be affecting the global travel and tourism sector and we expect some significant changes in the Asia Pacific 2019 picture by the end of the year.” International Inbound Travel: Early 2019 Early 2019 data for foreign ar-

rivals into 37 Asia Pacific destinations shows a general softening of growth relative to the same periods of 2018, dropping from a 7.3% increase in early 2018, to 6.2% in early 2019. Despite this, close to 17 million additional IVAs have been received between early 2018 and early 2019, reaching another record high of almost 288 million arrivals. The strongest early performances are seen in a number of destinations including: Furthermore, 16% of these destinations had already posted volume increases of more than one million foreign arrivals in early 2019, relative to the same periods of 2018. Included amongst these are: As Dr. Hardy pointed out that, “In general terms, the volume of foreign arrivals into most Asia Pacific destinations is still growing and therefore needs proper management protocols to ensure the longterm viability of those destinations. He further added, “Broader, deeper and more timely performance metrics are now essential, in order to maintain both a competitive position and a proper management focus on the impacts of tourism. Such measures should include length of stay and yield as primary indicators, along with others that measure the health of the environment and society at all levels.” Dr. Hardy concluded that, “In the broader sense, tourism should be balanced so as to offer the visitor an unforgettable experience, while also ensuring an appropriate and equitable dispersion of the benefits of that tourism across the resident population and of course the preservation of the environmental landscape.”

Kamal Vardhana Rao appointed CMD, ITDC

r. G. Kamal Vardhana Rao IAS, a Kerala cadre officer of the 1990 batch, has been appointed as the Chairman and Managing Director of India Tourism Development Corpo-

rations Ltd. New Delhi by the Appointments Committee of Cabinet (ACC). Currently, Mr. Rao is the Principal Secretary, General Administration Department, Government of Kerala in Trivandrum. He had served as the Secretary of Kerala Tourism in 2014-15. Earlier, Mr. Rao had held the posts of Principal Secretary, Public Works Department and Food and Civil Supplies; Chairman of Indian Tobacco Board; Director, Department of Fisheries; Director, Department of Tourism and Culture, Government of Andhra Pradesh; Managing Director of SC /ST Corporation in Andhra Pradesh, Revenue Secretary of Kerala; and District Collector, Kollam, Kerala. November 2019 Tourism India

NEWS / ASSOCIATION

Yogendra Tripathi will lead PATA India Chapter GST rate for hotel rooms reduced after Tourism Ministersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Conclave resolution and industryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s continuous efforts

Mr. Yogendra Tripathi IAS Chairman, PATA India Chapter 14

November 2019 Tourism India

ATA India Chapter announced its Executive Committee, which was elected unopposed and Office Bearers for the term 2019-21 at 49th Annual General Meeting. . Mr. Yogendra Tripathi, Chairman PATA India Chapter & Secretary Tourism presided. Mr

Tripathi appreciated the role PATA and recognized its business development initiatives. Mr. Yogendra Tripathi, Secretary, Government of India, Ministry of Tourism, will lead PATA India Chapter as its Chairman.The association elected its Executive Committee for

Mr. Jatinder Taneja Vice Chairman, PATA India Chapter

Mr. Runeep Sangha Executive Director, PATA India Chapter

the term 2019-21.Mr. Yogendra Tripathi – Secretary Tourism, Government of India, Ministry of Tourism Dr. Suman Billa – Jt. Secretary Tourism, Government of India, Ministry of Tourism at the member in the category of Active Government. Mr. Piyush Tiwari – Chairperson & Managing Director, India Tourism Development Corporation Ltd. New Delhi Mr. Sunil Mathur (Additional Member – T&C), Ministry of Railways New Delhi Category : Associate Government Mr. Melvin D’Silva – General Manager – Commercial, Air India Ltd. New Delhi (Category : International Carrier). Mr. M P Mall – Chairman & Managing Director, Indian Railways Catering & Tourism Corpora-

tion Ltd. New Delhi (Category : Domestic Carrier) Mr. Jatinder Taneja – Managing Director, Travel Spirit International Pvt. Ltd. New Delhi,Mr. Vikram Madhok – Managing Director, Abercrombie & Kent (I) Pvt. Ltd. New Delhi, Mr. Anoop Kanuga – Director, Bathija Travels Pvt. Ltd. Mumbai, Mr. Sunirmol Ghosh – Director, Indo Asia Tours (P) Ltd. New Delhi represents Travel Agent & Tour Operator Mrs. Renu Basu – Vice President, Indian Hotels Co. Ltd. Mumbai, Mr. Arjun Sharma – Managing Director, Select Holiday Resorts Pvt. Ltd. New Delhi , Mr. Rohit Arora – General Manager, Apeejay Surendra Park Hotels, New Delhi represents Hotels.

Mr. SanJeet – Director, DDP Publications Pvt. Ltd. New Delhi as the member in Sustaining Category Mr J. K. Mohanty - Chairman & Managing Director, Swosti Group, Odisha Mr Riyaz U.C. Managing Director, Spiceland Holidays & Entertainment Private Limited, Kerala are Co-opted Members Mr. Jatinder Taneja, MD, Travel Spirit International has been elected as the association’s Vice Chairman along with the other Office bearers. Mr. Vikram Madhok, MD, Abercrombie & Kent, as Hon. Secretary, and, Mr. SanJeet, Director, DDP Publications as Hon. Treasurer. Mr. Runeep Sangha will continue as Executive Director, PATA India Chapter. November 2019 Tourism India

NEWS / DESTINATIONS

Telangana is all set to woo tourists I Explore Telangana’ mobile app offers a host of destinations for tourists

elangana the youngest state of India is a place, which boasts of rich culture and a plethora of eye-catching destinations that offer an enchanting experience to tourists. In the recently announced National Tourism Award, Telangana Tourism has bagged the coveted award for Best State for the innovative use of IT from Ministry of Tourism; Government of India for its outstand-

Mr. V. Srinivas Goud Minister for Tourism Govt of Telengana 16

November 2019 Tourism India

ing performance innovative use of IT-related and social media-based marketing initiatives to attract more tourist to the state. Telangana state tourism department has introduced a first-of-itskind mobile app, ‘I Explore Telangana’, which provides information on tourist destinations and access to a wide range of information. The app also integrates and improves services on destinations, public

transport, health, police stations, helpline numbers and currency conversions, among others. Providing information on a wide and varying range of services right from healthcare to amenities to transport, the application ‘i Explore Telangana’ is turning out to be a boon for tourists and first-time visitors to Hyderabad. Introduced by Telangana State Tourism Development Corporation (TSTDC), the applica-

tion offers a host of destinations for tourists to explore in the categories of heritage, nature, spiritual destinations and others. It enables tourists to explore distance and other important details related to each destination. According to Ms Sunita M.Bhagwat, IFS, Commissioner of Tourism, Government of Telangana, for the last five years the domestic tourist arrivals has witnessed steady growth and sum up by nearly two crores since 2014. Total domestic arrival to the Telengana destinations has increased to 9.20 crore by 2018 from 7.20 crore in 2014. Our pilgrimage centres, dams, lakes and majestic hills are the major tourist

Public utility contacts such as railways, child helpline, blood bank, electricity issue, water supply, guest houses, animal care, airlines, tourist enquires and TSRTC are made available in the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;i Explore Telanganaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; application for the convenience of tourists.

Mr. B.Venkatesham, IAS

November 2019 Tourism India

attractions of the state. The state has a beautiful natural landscape with an abundance of flora and fauna, wildlife sanctuaries, imposing monuments and breath-taking waterfalls attracted tourists all year round. Out of 9.20 crore tourists arrivals in the State last year, Greater Hyderabad, which includes Medchal-Malkajgiri, Rangareddy and Vikarabad, had a footfall of close to two crores.“A tour to Telangana promises cherishing experiences, religious destinations, majestic monuments and the aroma of cuisine. Tourists can book Telangana Tourism packages online on www. telanganatourism.gov.in,” added Ms Sunitha. For long, tourism has been prohibitively expensive for many. Today, it has become a way of life, especially for Millennial and Gen-

November 2019 Tourism India

Ms Sunita M.Bhagwat IFS Commissioner of Tourism, Government of Telangana eration X. The rising number of tourists visiting Telangana has increased by quite a bit over the past few years. According to travel agents and industry experts, a lot of this growth

can be attributed to women travellers Mr B Manohar, Managing Director, Telangana State Tourism Development Corporation said, “In the last few years, there has been a steady rise in the percentage of women tourists, travelling with their friends or going solo. In Telangana, we have seen an increase of 10-12 per cent. A lot of these women tourist groups come from countries such as Japan and Nepal to visit heritage sites in Hyderabad. Indian women groups also very keen to visit the city and explore the heritage and culture of the state” Telangana Tourism has welcomed more than 3.18 lakh foreign tourist arrivals in 2018, which is far ahead of its tally of just 75,171 in 2014, Out of this latest figure, Greater Hyderabad alone witnessed a footfall of 3.11 lakh.

NEWS / DESTINATIONS

erala will do a sustained China Ready campaign with definite partnerships at G2G, B2B and B2C levels,” Mr. Kadakampally Surendran, Minister for Tourism, said at the concluding ceremony of a workshop for travel and tourism trade as part of designing a marketing strategy to increase their footfall, on September 30. “In spite of deep historical, cultural and continental connect, Kerala is still not the most frequented tourist destinations of the Chinese, a scenario that is bound to change in the coming days,” said Marcus Lee, CEO, Welcome China, a government accredited initiative that works to help travel and tourism trade engage meaningfully with China. Speaking to the participants on the possibility of increasing the tourist footfall from China, Mr. Lee said, “By thinning the gap that keeps Chinese tourists from India, there are greater chances of India being one of the favourite exotic destinations of the Chinese people.” Inaugurating the workshop earlier, Ms. Rani George IAS, Tourism Secretary, said, “With China Ready programme, Kerala Tourism hopes to get an opportunity to open avenues for not only cultural exchanges but also mutual economic benefits.” Mr. P. Bala Kiran, IAS, Tourism Director, said, “Tapping the Chinese market is vital for Kerala since it will boost the state’s revenue from tourism substantially.” The workshop was attended by

Kerala to attract Chinese travellers Kerala should tap the strong China market which sends 150 million tourists across the world.

Mr. Kadakampally Surendran, Minister for Tourism, Kerala addressing the dlegates of China Ready workshop. Ms. Rani George IAS, Secretary, Kerala Tourism, Mr. Marcus Lee, CEO, Welcome China and Mr. P. Bala Kiran, IAS, Tourism Director are also seen

around 40 hoteliers and tour operators from across the state. China Ready programme, which has already been conducted in 48 countries, is exploring India for the first time with its association with Kerala Tourism. The workshop will be followed by a five-day trip by the Chinese delegation from 0ctober 1-5 to various tourist destinations in Kerala. The group will visit Trivandrum, Alappuzha, Thekkady, Munnar and Kochi and will provide the Chinese

perspective on what needs to be done for making these destinations more attractive to Chinese tourists. Recently, Beijing based Richard Matuzevich of the World Tourism Cities Federation told the International Conference on Tourism Technology at Kochi that China’s emerging class of young, educated and resource-rich travellers are passionate about visiting countries, especially in East and South Asia, but India is yet to figure in their list of top eight destinations. November 2019 Tourism India

NEWS / EVENTS

GITM 2019

CONCLUDES ON A GRAND NOTE! T

GITM aims to increase the overall size of the tourism sector in Goa

he Goa International Travel Mart (GITM) 2019, one of Indiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Biggest Hosted Buyer Travel-Event supported by the Ministry of Tourism, Govt. of India concluded on 25th October 2019 with Dr.Pramod Sawant, Chief Minister of Goa, assuring support

to investors in the tourism sector and further endorsing the move to develop Goa as a Medical Tourism Destination. Dr. Sawant who had inaugurated GITM 2019 at Arpora on 23rd October 2019, visited the GITM exhibition and interacted with several

of the tourism stakeholders who participated at the prestigious B2B event in Goa. During the two-day GITM 2019 exhibition held at the Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Stadium, several business sessions were held for participants namely by Mr. Chiraj Goel

Mr. Manohar Ajgaonkar, MInister for Tourism, Goa inaugurating the GITM Exhibition at Goa in the presence of Mr. Sanjiv M. Gadkar, Director, Goa Tourism, Mr. Nikhil U Desai, MD, GTDC 20

November 2019 Tourism India

of MakeMyTrip & Goibibo, whiskey and wine tasting sessions and a talk was held by medical tourism which was attended by the medical fraternity in Goa. GITM aims to increase the overall size of the tourism sector in Goa. The event will gather international professionals looking to find new ways to further Goa as an ideal destination and get a first-hand exposure to various tourism products of the destination helping adding more days to the itineraries. Major National and State level Trade and hospitality associations including the Association of Domestic Tour Operators Association of India (ADTOI), Adventure Tour Operators Association of India (ATOAI), India Association of Tour Operators (IATO), Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI), Enterprising Agents Association of India (ETAA), Travel and Tourism Association of Goa (TTAG), etc are among

the many supporting the event. The event has been a grand success for several of the Goan stake-holders and presented a unique opportunity to showcase some of the best hospitality products to travel agents and tour operators from around the world. This event will help create a networking eco-system to focus on developing business opportunities with the travel-trade from India and abroad. The event attracted participation from different parts of Goa, making it the biggest congregation of stake-holders from the state. The event presented opportunities for the State’s Hospitality and tourism industry to come together and showcase our diverse products to a global audience. The event generated interest for the state and had received commitments from Buyers to include more products of the state in their itineraries. The event was Organized as a

pure B2B event of 15 different tourism segments World Heritage Sites, Adventure & Wildlife, Business Travel and Hotels, Conference and Meetings, Pilgrimages, Festivals of Goa etc Over 100 Exhibitors representing various products of Goa such as Luxury Hospitality Products, Homestays, Casinos and Gaming destinations, Whiskey and Wine Trails, Destination Management Companies, Adventure products such as water sports and Scuba Diving, Festivals of Goa, etc. Deltin Group, Taj Hotels, Marriott, Le Meridien Goa – Calangute and Double Tree Hilton – Panaji were the Hospitality Partners for the Event. The entire event was managed by Alica Purple Advertising Pvt. Ltd who were selected by the Tourism Department. Sphere Travelmedia and Exhibitions Pvt. Ltd., was the ‘Strategic Partner’ for the event. November 2019 Tourism India

NEWS / EVENTS

ODISHA TRAVEL BAZAAR 2019 CULMINATED WITH HERITAGE WALK & B2B MEETINGS Third Odisha Travel Bazaar successfully conducted from October 14th to 20, 2019 at Bhubaneswar, Odisha.

r. Naveen Patnaik, Chief Minister of Odisha has inaugurated the third edition of the Odisha travel Bazaar organised by the Department of Tourism, Government of Odisha in partnership with FICCI culminated with Heritage Walk & B2B meetings of leading domestic and foreign tour operators with their Odis22

November 2019 Tourism India

ha counterparts. Mr. Naveen Patnaik on his inaugural speech said that, endowed with some of Indiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s finest eco-tourism hotspots such as Chilika lagoon, Similipal, Bhitarkanika, Satksoia and Debrigarh, the state has witnessed a 9 per cent growth in tourist arrival which is more than the global tourist growth of 4 per cent. This trend

is a positive sign for the state. He said Odisha Tourism has made convergence with Forest Department to promote eco-tourism as 37 per cent of stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s total geographical territory is forested. The Chief Minister also added that, to position Odisha Tourism in the global arena, the Department is going to organise a month-long mega

Mr. Naveen Patnaik, Chief Minister inaugurating the Odisha Travel Bazaar 2019 at Bhubhaneswar. Mr. Jyoti Prakash Panigrahi, Minister for Tourism, Odisha, Ms. Jyotsna Suri, Chair Person FICCI Tourism Committee, Mr. Vishal Kumar Dev IAS, Secretary of Odisha Tourism, Mr. J K Mohanty, Chairman of Swosti group and Co-chairman of FICCI’s national tourism committee and Mr. Sachin Ramachandra Jadhav IAS, Director of Odisha Tourism are also seen

event titled ‘The Konark Sun City Festival’ similar to the Rann of Kutch in Gujarat. The objective is to convert Konark from a day hopping destination to a destination for 2 to 3 days. Similarly, the Shamuka Special Tourism project, a flagship tourism project of Odisha Tourism, is expected to see development shortly, informed Patnaik. Considering the state’s rich Buddhist heritage, efforts are being taken to position Odisha among international Buddhist destinations. he added. Mr. Jyoti Prakash Panigrahi, Minister for Tourism, Odisha said, “We are trying hard to position Odisha as the preferred tourist destina-

tion of the country. To increase the visibility of tourism potential of the state, we participated in so many national, international events and roadshows.” Mr. Vishal Kumar Dev IAS, Secretary of Odisha Tourism said, “Odisha has one of the finest tourism policy of the country. We are receiving good responses from tour operators for our tourism products. We are reaching out and giving training to drivers and travel agencies on etiquettes and tourist sites.” Odisha Travel Bazaar 2019, a three days mega event has witnessed the participation 26 leading Foreign Tour Operators from across 16 countries, 60 leading Domestic

Tour Operators from across 19 cities in India, as well as international airline and travel writer were participated in the event. More than 50 tour operators and hoteliers from Odisha showcased their products as Sellers to market the tourism products of Odisha, along with Ministry of Tourism, Government of India and Odisha Tourism. Mr. J K Mohanty, Chairman of Swosti group and Co-chairman of FICCI’s national tourism committee said tour operators from Canada, China, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Thailand, Netherlands, USA, Ukraine and UK have participated in the event and showed their inNovember 2019 Tourism India

terest to promote Odisha in global market. He expected a good turnout of international and domestic tourists to the state in the future. The FAM tours which we conducted professionally as part of the event has enhanced the participantsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; destination experience and enabled them to develop and promote diverse tourism products and packages of Odisha in their respective markets. First bunch of International hosted buyers have covered Puri, Konark, Raghurajpur heritage village, Buddhist sites and Bhitarkanika National Park, while second group tour have visited the Golden Triangle of Odisha and Chilika lagoon which is the heart of the Stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tourism epicentre. Similarly, another batch have experienced the Odisha hospitality by covering eth-

nic tourism circuit which includes Chatikona tribal market, Onkadeli and Desia Eco Resort besides the visit of the landscapes of Koraput, Jeypore and Malkangiri. Mr. Mohanty added that there

was very good and positive outcomes from this initiative as for sure in some years with sustained campaign Odisha will no doubt be one of the premier tourist destinations in the country.

Sun Temple Complex, Konark, Odisha 24

November 2019 Tourism India

ODISHA TRAVEL BAZAAR DELEGATES JOIN EKAMRA WALKS

wenty leading domestic tour operators from across the country, who are all invited as hosted buyers as part of the third edition of Odisha Travel Bazaar (OTB) 2019 has joined the Old Town Circuit, others joined the Monks Caves and Kings at the Twin Hills of Khandagiri and Udayagiri as part of the city’s first guided heritage tour, i.e. Ekamra Walks. Meanwhile the Foreign Tour Operators were taken on a Heritage Trail on the last day of FAM trip to uncover the best kept secrets of Odisha that lies in the hidden walls of numerous temples in the old city of Bhubaneswar. Bhubaneswar, aptly called as the temple city of India, the FTOs just couldn’t simply believe that in a radius of about 2 kilometres each and every monument here tells a story and so much educative experience that it offers are simply outstanding. The walk started at Par-

suremeswar temple complex and terminated at Ekamra Van covering most noted temples of Mukteswar, Lingaraj. Mr. Sachin Ramachandra Jadhav IAS, Director of Odisha Tourism and other officials of Tourism Department and FICCI had attended the heritage walk. The objective of a Special Heritage Walk for the OTB 2019 delegates was to familiarise the group about the great heritage corridors of the Temple City of Bhubaneswar which was in olden days was known as Ekamra Kshetra. The walk for domestic operators has started from near 10th Century Mukteswar Temple with its unique arch and passed through the 7th Century Parasurameswar Temple and finished near the Ekamra Van, the heritage herbal garden with more than 200 rare medicinal plants on the Western Bank of Bindusagar lake. The OTB delegates

visited seven monuments led by Mr. Tapan Kumar Mishra, an experienced tour guide from the state. The Operators were spellbound to see the great architectural efflorescence and are keen to promote the State. “We will definitely promote Odisha’s best kept secrets in our tour plans and advisory when the customers will come to us and seek assistance and travel plans. We have also received splendid hospitality here which will take Odisha Tourism to new heights,’’ they added. Mishra narrated the group about the speciality of Kalingan architecture and temple building traditions and how in the past the same had also influenced temple structures in faraway South East Asian nations across the Indian Ocean as Kalinga, the ancient land was having a strong maritime link with these island nations.

November 2019 Tourism India

NEWS / FESTIVALS

NAGALAND’S CULTURAL SPLENDOUR

HORNBILL FESTIVAL December 1-10 at Naga Heritage Village, Kisama near Kohima

agaland Tourism is all set to host the 19th edition of the Hornbill Festival, one of the most important festivals of northeast India, from December 1st to 10th with much fanfare and celebration.

November 2019 Tourism India

Organized by the State Tourism, Art & Culture Departments, the Hornbill Festival showcases a mélange of cultural displays under one roof. The Hornbill Festival is held at Naga Heritage Village, Kisama which is about 12 km from Kohima and promises the splendour and amazement of every other Hornbill Festival in the past. The aim of the festival is to revive and protect the rich culture of Nagaland and display its extravaganza and traditions. The Hornbill festival is a traditional naga celebration involving seventeen N a g a tribes i n cludes A n gami, Ao,

Chakhesang, Chang, Dimasa Kachari, Garo, Khiamniungan, Konyak, Kuki, Lotha, Phom, Pochury, Rengma, Sangtam, Sumi, Yumchungru, and Zeliang. The Hornbill Festival provides a colourful mixture of dances, performances, crafts, parades, games, sports, food fairs and religious ceremonies. The festival both exposes the culture and tradition of tribal peoples, and reinforces Nagaland’s identity as a unique state in India’s federal union. A visit to the Nagaland to witness this once in a lifetime experience of the tribal festival means a closer understanding of the people and culture of Nagaland, and an opportunity to experience the food, songs, dances and customs of Nagaland. The festival will also display the mesmerizing rhythms of tribal musical instruments and synchronized movements of the tribal people and its gives a chance for every traveller to get a closer look into the Naga lifestyle, their different tribal huts, and their customs.

Hornbill Festival Nagaland Photo by Vikramjit Kakati

Festival highlights include the traditional Naga Morungs exhibition and the sale of arts and crafts, food stalls, herbal medicine stalls, flower shows and sales, cultural medley - songs and dances, fashion shows, the Miss Nagaland beauty contest, traditional archery, Naga wrestling, indigenous games, and musical concert. Experts have commented that A lot of older folk in the villages travel to Kohima to attend this festival and meet people from other villages from Nagaland because they havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t met before, hence leading to cultural assimilation. Traditional arts are also featured, with paintings, wood carvings, and sculptures by modern Naga artists on display. Naga troupes sing folk songs, perform traditional dances and play indigenous games and sports. In the evenings a pro-

The Green People has partnered with locales across the state and manage themFestival highlights include the traditional Naga Morungs exhibition and the sale of arts and crafts, food stalls, herbal medicine stalls, flower shows and sales, cultural medley - songs and dances, fashion shows, the Miss Nagaland beauty contest, traditional archery, Naga wrestling, indigenous games, and musical concert. to create basic lifestyle experiences for visitors. gramme of music concerts, catering for all tastes, ensures that the festive spirit continues through the night. One of the major highlights of this festival is the Hornbill International Rock Festival held at Indira Gandhi Stadium where local and international rock bands perform.

The festival that first started in the year 2000 is celebrated in the month of December every year. It starts on December 1, a day that is celebrated as Nagaland Statehood Day, and it goes on for ten days, ending on December 10. November 2019 Tourism India

NEWS / FESTIVALS

GUJARAT TOURISM TO HOSTS RANN UTSAV From October 28, 2019 and will ends on February 23, 2020.

he banks of the historical Hamisar Lake in Bhuj will welcome more than half a million tourists in the Great Rann of Kutch for the four months long Rann Mahotsav from October 28, 2019, and will ends on February 23, 2020. The cool winter breeze and soothing rays of the full-moon night will add colourful and exotic experience in Kutch at its best during the Rann Utsav. Kutch, one of the most ecologically and ethnically diverse district of Gujarat is a celebratory land of art, crafts, music, dance, people and nature. During the full moon night

November 2019 Tourism India

of the winters amid the awe-inspiring and contrasting landscape each year, a three-day festive extravaganza brimming with hospitality, vigour and traditional flavour of the area is hosted and known as Rannutsav. Gujarat Tourism has completed all the arrangement to host, Rann Utsav, which is also known as White Desert Festival at one of Indiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most colourful regions. During the festival, Tourism Corporation of Gujarat Limited has ar-

RANN UTSAV 2019-2020

Kutch is a celebratory land of art, crafts, music, dance, people and nature. ranged various tours with Transport, accommodations, food and guided sightseeing for discerning travellers to experience the vibrant culture of Gujarat and to take back a lifetime memory. Rann Utsav offers an opportunity for visitors to attend the folk dance and music concepts, to watch artisans at work, to Shop directly from NGOâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s craftspeople and village co-operatives, to see the great historical monuments in the state, and to visit places off the usual tourist trail. A plethora of varied hues, profusion of design, a superfluity of culture, a cornucopia of music and dance, all together in the arid lands of Kutch creates a mosaic of exquisiteness which reflects the identity and spirit of the region. The cultural programmes will be performed in the midst of the White Salt Desert spread over miles.

DATES 1ST DECEMBER 2019 TO 20TH FEBRUARY 2020 Nearby destinations Bhuj, Mandvi, Dholavira, Narayan Sarovar, Lakhpat

he dates of the festival differ every year but it takes place during the winter months, as the summer heat is unbearable. Best Time to Visit Rann Utsav While the festival is brimming with tourists all throughout the four months, the best time to go would be within the first month or two. Because of the constant tourists coming in, the white desert appeal can reduce over time due to the considerable pollution. And one of the most spectacular thing to experience in the white dessert is on the night of the full moon. Plan a trip around the full moon of the

Mr. Jenu Devan IAS Director, Gujarat Tourism & MD, Tourism Corporation of Gujarat Ltd.

month and experience the visual appeal of the rising moon on the backdrop of the white desert.

Event calendar for the next four years 1st November 2020 to 28th February 2021 1st November 2021 to 28th February 2022 1st November 2022 to 28th February 2023 1st November 2023 to 28th February 2024

November 2019 Tourism India

FEATURE / DESTINATION

EXPLORE THE HEART OF

KUTCH

Kutch regions in Gujarat provides a world of opportunity to witness the creative ingenuity of the artisans and craftspeople

utch or Rannutsav, a unique manifestation of varied cultural ethos of the region is known for the ethnic flavor and celebrative zest. This festival provides an exclusive opportunity to witness the creative ingenuity of the artisans and craftspeople, assorted array of folk music and performances, mixed representation of culture and communities, along with a vast diversity in ecology. All this and much more describe and define Kutch and the people. The people of Kutch regions are talented craftsperson and artists in all sense. Every traveler can find something interest to explore and experience the artistry skill of Kutch people, including handicrafts, embroidery, wood carving, mud wall painting, silver works etc. Handicrafts Kutch is considered to be a haven for numerous handicrafts, which

November 2019 Tourism India

are carried on from generation to generation. The traditional basis of its prosperity has been its foreign trude in various handicrafts. The artifacts of Kutch moved not only the length and breadth of the country but also in the overseas market. The main handicrafts of the district are embroidery of ethnic style, Patchwork, terracotta, pen knives and nut crackers. A brief description of the various crafts is as follows. Embroidery Inherited by the bequest of craft making the Kutchi people weave their dreams in different forms of embroidery. Kutch is world renowned for its mirrored embroideries. Most of these were traditionally stitched by village women, for themselves and their families, to create festivity, honor deities, or generate wealth. Embroideries contributed to

the substantial economic exchange required for marriage and fulfilled other social obligations which required gifts. Be it, thread work or leather every village has a different and a unique style of making embroidery. Hand Block Printing

Kutch is the homeland of a variety of hand printing textiles. Important among them are Ajrakh prints, Batik prints and Rogan painting. Wood Carving Wood carving is one of the best handicrafts of Kutch. The Harijan people living in Dumaro and Ludia

silver work, both of the design and engraving of jewellery. Pen - Knives and Nutcrackers

are master crafts persons of wood carving. They make various utensils like pastel roller, chapati disc, bottles, small table, glass etc. of the wood doing attractive carving. Generally, they use the teak wood and locally available `bahuv wood to prepare the fine artifacts Mudwall Painting

House in the Banni area are living museums of beautiful paintings Rabari and Harijan women folk are traditionally experts in depicting their dreams in painting. They turn houses into homes. The clay collected is mixed with camel dung and kept for a few days. Then it is kneaded to obtain sufficient plasticity and designs are worked on the mud wall using this clay mixture. Designs of mor (peacock) Popat (Parrot) anghadi (Fingers) Vinjno (Fan). Silver Work

Kutch is famous for its superior

Pen knives and nutcrackers of Kutch have travelled the length and breadth of the country. People of Kutch prefer to present penknives or nutcrackers to their relatives and friends living outside Kutch. The artisans, who made swords during the royal family`s patronage, are now producing the penknives and nutcrackers. The iron bars are reduced to workable small pieces. Then the pieces are worked by using a forging machine Iron Bell with Copper Coating

Without modern Communications the sound of bells helped shepherds and cowherds communities to locate their flocks from a distance. Waste iron sheets are bought from Bhuj market. Outlines are marked on the sheets using master patterns (there are about 13 patterns ranging from 3â&#x20AC;? X 12/ 8â&#x20AC;?. Following the mark the sheet is cut. Then it is converted

to the shape of bell with punching tools. Designs are worked out before shaping it. The handle is fixed. Later copper (tamba) brass (pital) and tankankar in the form of small bits and powder is sprinkeld on the bell immersed in mud water. Then clay is mixed with cotton which serves as a mould. Then the mould is placed on a coal fire with the bell and the temperature is increased to fuse the metal. Later near to its mouth the bell is beaten with hammer to obtain the desired sound. Bells have an unusual resonant sound due to the individual tuning of each bell. Finally a tongue made of wood is fixed from inside. Kutchi bells are moving very well in the foreign market as church bells. Seashell Toys

Seashell toys and dolls are made in Bhuj. Seashell is the outer case of soft bodied animals called molluscs. After the animals living inside have dried up, the shells are collected and graded according to colour and shape and used in decorative items. Birds, animals, plants, agarbati stand and figures of Gods & Goddesses are prepared by joining the appropriate coloured shells with an adhesive. Later eyes, nose, ears, garments etc are painted with oil paints. November 2019 Tourism India

FEATURE / DESTINATION

EXPLORE THE WORLD OF WILD ASS Indian Wild Ass sanctuary at Kutch is the last natural habitat of the Indian Wild Ass (Equus Hemionus Khur) in the world

safari through the Indian Wild Ass Sanctuary in the Little Rann of Kutch in northwest Gujarat is a unique experience. A safari through this region gives one a chance to come face to face with a wide variety of birds and other wildlife. LOCATION Situated in the region of the Little Rann of Kutch in Gujarat, the sanctuary is around 150 km off Ahmedabad. The sanctuary lies between the latitude 23.26Â° North and longitude 71.20Â° East. The region is well connected to other parts of the state through regular road transport. BEST TIME TO VISIT The climate of the region is extreme with May being the hottest month. The average temperature during this time is around 31Â°C. January is the coldest month with an average temperature of 11Â°C. During the monsoon, the whole region becomes flooded with rainwater.

November 2019 Tourism India

FLORA AND FAUNA The Rann of Kutch is full of dry thorny scrub and there are no large trees. The main vegetation in the region includes many species of grasses that are widely available

as the source of food for the wild Asses. The most famous wildlife of the region includes the Indian Wild Ass, as well as the chinkara, desert fox, jackal, desert cat, caracal, nilgai, wolf, blackbuck, and striped hyena. TOURISTS ATTRACTIONS The Little Rann of Kutch, which covers an area of roughly 5,000 square km, is primarily known as the Indian Wild Ass Sanctuary. The sanctuary was established in 1972 as the last natural habitat of the Indian Wild Ass (Equus Hemionus Khur). One of the three surviving species of the Wild Ass in the world-the other two being found in Central Asia and in and around Tibet-the Khur is high on the list of endangered species. Only 1,800 to 2,000 of the species survive today. Besides the Wild Ass, the sanctuary is home to a host of other animals and nearly 350 different

species of birds, including the common crane, pelican and the lesser flamingo. Apart from this, one can also get a rare insight into the lifestyles of the numerous ethnic groups and local tribes, which live in and around the Rann. The tribes living in the region are the Kolis, Rabaris, Bajanias, Kutchis, Gujjars and the Bharvads. Interestingly, the Little Rann gets a fair number of winged visitors in the winter months. Among these, the bluetailed bee-eater that comes all the way from Europe; the common crane and the demoiselle crane

from Siberia; the ceraneous vulture from Egypt and the houbara bustard from Iran and Iraq are the ones most commonly sighted. Zinjuwada, bang on the edge of the Rann, has an old, 11th century fort built during the Solanki era and houses one of the areaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest salt works. Zainabad, 150 km off Ahmedabad, is the ideal base for a trip into the sanctuary. Zainabad had been founded in the early part of this century. The ruling family of this place came here from Multan around the mid-13th century to settle down in Dasada. It was only around 1912 that the capital was shifted to a village called Karala, which was later renamed Zainabad. PLACES AROUND WILD ASS SANCTUARY Kutch is famous for its superior silver work, both of the design and engraving of jewellery. For Rann Utsav Tour booking, email us at info@ rannutsav.com November 2019 Tourism India

PERSONALITIES

Mr. Sudip Kumar Maity, General Manager Madhuban Resort & Spa, Gujarat

November 2019 Tourism India

By Raadia Mukadam

EVERY INTERACTION IS A MOMENT OF TRUTH TO ATTAIN SERVICE EXCELLENCE Mr. Sudip Kumar Maity, Genewral Manager, Madhuban Resort & Spa in Gujarat is a vibrant and experienced hospitality professional. Excerpts from an exclusive interview with Tourism India

eing the General Manager of the only luxury Resort and Spa in Gujarat is a daunting task, but not so much for Sudip Kumar Maity, who has over two decades of hospitality experience under his belt, with the last four being quite illustrious. In an Interview with Tourism India, He shares the best practices and initiatives that make Madhuban Resort & Spa the highest ARR and Rev PAR earner in Gujarat. With a vast experience in your portfolio, how do you ensure that you live up to expectations from your owners, peers and most importantly your customers? Madhuban Resort & Spa almost a decade old is the first and the only five-star deluxe resort of Gujarat. Being the General Manager for the last four years of this wonderful property has not only been chalNovember 2019 Tourism India

lenging but exciting too for me. Mr Prayasvin Patel the founder and his wife Ms.Taruna Patel, our CEO had a clear mission and vision of the service standard I had to take forward. I believe our real strength and asset are our team members. It’s not bricks and mortar and the buildings, if you don’t have good people, you cannot achieve success We believe in strong HR practices and every HOD has been trained to behave as HR Manager in their own department to nurture the software with them. They are also equally empowered to go to any extent for Guest Delight. We are committed to exceeding our guest expectations through our trained and motivated employees, always with a ‘Happy to Help’ attitude and thus create an imprint in the Industry of being the best in standards, integrity, ethics, warmth and hospitality, reflecting the true meaning of ‘AtithiDevoBhava’. With 20 years under your belt, tell us a bit about the other markets you worked in and how that compares to Gujarat? The other markets where I had worked before like NCR of Delhi, Kolkata, Goa and Dubai have already established markets in MICE and Leisure, but Gujarat marked its presence on the tourism map of India only a decade ago after the ‘Kuch din to gujariye Gujarat mein’ campaign by Amitabh Bachchan. From the first edition of the Vibrant Gujarat International Investment Summit in 2003, the hospitality industry has enjoyed constant support from the state government. The people of Gujarat are ardent travellers and form a major chunk 36

November 2019 Tourism India

of the NRI segment. So one has to constantly raise the benchmark and hospitality standards to attain service excellence and achieve guest delight through a dynamic approach. How would you define the USP of Madhuban Resort & Spa? Madhuban Resort & Spa is an oasis within the Industrial Belt of Charotar, covering 25 acres with modern amenities and luxurious accommodation and is a short drive from Vadodara and Ahmedabad, which are connected by short flights from Mumbai or New Delhi. Originally, the idea was to build a luxurious but small resort, to accommodate guests who visit for work trips. Instead of a spanking modern look and feel, Madhubhan reflects the feel of a village (Amba-vaadi), based on our architect Tony Joseph effort to style the resort just like that of Sardar Patel’s residential village. The entire resort has been strategically built around 1150 orchard trees while keeping in mind nature, the existing nests of birds and every inhabitant’s comfort zone. The most positive fact about Madhubhan remains to be that the resort is a Green Initiative and in-spite of it being built amidst an industrial estate, the place is full of pure and fresh air! Additionally, the founders also initiated tree plantations of over 65000 saplings and have made the property green and fresh one! Tell us more about your ‘Green Initiative’? Our resort is a green initiative and thus the founders and staff have been putting in their best effort to save energy in whatever way they

can. Madhuban consists of borewells that consume groundwater for the use of its premises. We practice rain-water harvesting along with an STP (Sewage Treatment Plant) which makes it full-proof and useful. Our resort produces over 500 kgs of organic waste and 1 lakh litres of water waste per day, all of which gets redirected to our Compost Machine and STP respectively. The STP treated water is used in the horticulture of the entire Resort. Our resort also houses solar panels thus generating hot water for the staff and driver rooms and six air turbines and is also a 100% LED resort with sensor lights and taps installed in all public areas. Our central air conditioning plant is CFC free and we are a ‘no cracker zone’. With the zero-dustbin policy, our resort is doing a remarkable job at zero wastage of food. A very interesting initiative wherein our resort is trying to make ‘Saving Resources’ a practice among its guests. For occupied rooms of travellers that do not ask for a towel and bed-sheet change, every day is those that get reimbursed with the amount of money that they helped the resort saved and thus it encourages one to save up on water energy, electricity, detergents and wastage on an individual basis. How do you define exceptional customer experience? Every interaction is a moment of truth to attain service excellence and achieve guest delight through a dynamic approach. We believe in ‘word of mouth’ marketing and always strive to improve on our last ‘best performance’. Madhuban hosts a wide variety of activities

that are set to engage different age-groups over their stay at the resort. There is a healthy mix of indoor and outdoor activities that are designed for all age-groups. Indoor activities consist of board games, karaoke, table tennis and an activity centre where one could book a spot for a certain activity per day. Outdoor activities include swimming, water-polo, nature walks, tennis, cricket, badminton, volleyball, yoga, amphi-theatre experiences and a kid’s zone. All these activities have supervisors and are definitely good space for kids to make new friends, learn new activities; for adults to take up baking classes, watch a movie or learn yoga. Tell us a little about your Spa Rejou? Guests can relax and refresh their body, mind and soul at ‘Rejou – The HealingSpa & Naturopathy’ in Madhubhan which integrates healing and wellness modalities from various streams to enrich the experience. Spread over 13,000 sq.ft.,

it is set amidst tranquil landscaped environs offering mindful, effective skincare and body therapies of the highest quality and are administered by a carefully selected team of experienced & dedicated professionals. Madhubhan’s own brand of Spa under the name of Rejou specializes in Naturopathy that not only offers the usual body massages but also have week-long sessions that induct you into living a healthy lifestyle. With experienced professionals from Bhutan who performs massages, the resort also houses a professional doctor who has in-depth knowledge about naturopathy and wellness. Are you planning any expansion or adding any new products to enhance the guest experience at Madhuban in the future? Yes indeed, because of increasing demand, we are planning for an addition of another 40 high-end rooms, a convention centre and more of outdoor and indoor activities for our guests in the near future.

This will address the augmenting need of our corporate guests who want to have more MICE events on our property as well as our leisure guests. And lastly, how has your resort contributed in enhancing the image and tourist footfall in Anand? Anand, being a tier three city, which the entire world knows as the Milk Capital of India, is on the hospitality map of the country due to Madhuban Resort & Spa. It is a complete holiday destination that promises a unique experience to families, NRIs, tourists and corporate alike. It is a beautiful location for destination weddings it’s MICE Centre Gulmohar and Conference hall magnolia are perfect for hosting meetings, conferences and business events and have been inviting both MICE and tourist footfall in Anand. We have been able to bag several prestigious awards within a short span of time and maintain the highest ARR and RevPAR in Gujarat.

ANIMESH BARAT APPOINTED AS GM AT HYATT REGENCY THRISSUR

yatt Regency has announced the appointment of Mr. Animesh Barat as the General Manager of the upcoming Hyaat Regency hotel at Trichur, the cultural capital of Kerala- God’s Own Country. Mr. Animesh is a seasoned hotelier with over two decades of experience in the hospitality industry. He has been associated with the Marriott International for more than 10 years, where he has worked with multiple hotels. In his new role, Animesh will be responsible for the entire operations and will spearhead the growth and development of the hotel. Animesh is a skilled food and beverage enthusiast, revenue analyst and market strategist; his core expertise lies in delivering successful outcomes by empowering the team and building efficient processes thereby generating maximum profit. Animesh’s past experience includes working with hotel brands like Marriot International and Starwood hotels and Resorts. His most recent position was as General Manager at the Westin Sohna Resort & Spa. November 2019 Tourism India

AIRLINE NEWS / AVIATION NEWS

SRILANKAN AIRLINES IN CODESHARE WITH AIR INDIA TO SERVE TORONTO

Seamless connectivity between Canada and Sri Lanka via Delhi has started from 7th November 2019 onwards.

riLankan Airlines is taking a firm step towards further increasing travel connectivity between Sri Lanka and Canada. SriLankan Airlines commences code shared non-stop services between Toronto and New Delhi with long-standing partner Air India, providing seamless connections to Colombo, from 7th November 2019 onwards. Mr. Vipula Gunatilleka, Chief Executive Officer of SriLankan Airlines said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Air India is a valued longtime 38

November 2019 Tourism India

Mr. Vipula Gunatilleka Chief Executive Officer SriLankan Airlines

partner and we are pleased to be teaming up with them to provide this service. SriLankan has been expanding our network through a combination of increasing our own destinations and frequencies; and expanding into new markets through codeshares with partner airlines. This is intended to facilitate travel for visitors to Sri Lanka, Sri Lankan residents overseas and Sri Lankans wishing to travel overseas.â&#x20AC;? Ms. Meenakshi Mallik, Director -

Travelers will now have the opportunity to book their entire journey in one go, which they were earlier unable to do. Commercial, Air India said: “Air India is continuously working towards providing convenience to travelers & with this enhanced cooperation with our long-standing partner Sri Lankan Airlines, travelers will now have seamless connections between Canada & Sri Lanka through Delhi Airport”. Travelers will now have the opportunity to book their entire journey in one go, which they were earlier unable to do. The non-stop flight from Toronto’s Lester B. Pearson International Airport to New Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport is supported by rapid connectivity to Colombo with connection times of just 4 hours for Colombo-Delhi-Toronto and 6 hours for Toron-

to-Delhi-Colombo. Flights operate on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays both to and from Toronto. The Delhi-Toronto flight AI187 will have the UL code UL3640; while the Toronto-Delhi flight AI188 will have the code UL3641. SriLankan and Air India has currently codeshare on each other’s flights to a large number of destinations in South Asia, the Far East, and the Indian Ocean region. SriLankan Airlines has a route network of 130 cities in 58 countries, including codeshare operations in partnership with the world’s finest airlines. SriLankan also connects travelers to over 1,000 cities in 160 countries through its oneworld partner airlines. November 2019 Tourism India

AIRLINE NEWS / AVIATION NEWS

GoAir

ENHANCES CONNECTIVITY WITH NEW FLIGHTS FROM BENGALURU AND KOLKATA TO DELHI Non-stop flights from Kolkata to Delhi & from Bengaluru to Delhi.

oAir has announced the introduction of additional frequencies on its Kolkata-Delhi and Bengaluru-Delhi sectors. This new service will also enable GoAir passengers to have better connectivity to and from Singapore from Kolkata and Bangalore. Effective from October, Go Air operates non-stop flights from Kolkata to Delhi thrice a week with fares starting from Rs. 5,882 for a return trip. The flight G8 115 from Kolkata will depart at 09:35 hrs on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday and will arrive in Delhi at 12:25 hrs. The return non-stop flight G8 114 will depart from Delhi at 15:10 hrs and will arrive in Kolkata at 17:40 hrs on

November 2019 Tourism India

New non-stop flight from & to Bengaluru â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Delhi, New flights to enhance connectivity to Singapore and adds non-stop flight from & to Kolkata - Delhi

Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Starting from October 28, 2019, the non-stop flights from Bengaluru to Delhi will operate four times a week, with fares starting from Rs. 5,335 for a return trip. The flight G8 117 from Bengaluru will depart at 05:45 hrs on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday and will

arrive in Delhi at 11:40. The return non-stop flight G8 112 will depart from Delhi at 14:20 hrs and will arrive in Bengaluru at 17:10 hrs on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. Commenting on the added frequency, Mr.Jeh Wadia, Managing Director, GoAir said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;The launch

of additional frequencies is in sync with our aggressive network expansion plans. Besides, these flights will play the dual role of providing enhanced connectivity for passengers travelling to and from Singapore to Bengaluru and Kolkata. GoAir operates its business on three basic principles of punctuality, affordability and convenience.” GoAir currently operates 330+ daily flights and carried around 13.27 lakh passengers in the month

of September 2019. GoAir flies to 25 domestic destinations including Ahmedabad, Aizawl, Bagdogra, Bengaluru, Bhubaneswar, Chandigarh, Chennai, Delhi, Goa, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Jammu, Kochi, Kolkata, Kannur, Leh, Lucknow, Mumbai, Nagpur, Patna, Port Blair, Pune, Ranchi and Srinagar. GoAir flies to 8 international destinations, including Phuket, Male, Muscat, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Bangkok, Kuwait and Singapore.

Flight Schedule Kolkata - Delhi - Kolkata effective from October 27, 2019 Flight No.

From

Departure

Arrival

Frequency

G8 115

Kolkata

09:35

Delhi

12:25

Sunday 5882

G8 114

Delhi

15:10

Kolkata

17:40

Tu, Th, Fr

Return Fares (in INR)

Flight Schedule Bengaluru - Delhi - Bengaluru effective from October 28, 2019 Flight No.

From

Departure

Arrival

Frequency

Return Fares (in INR)

G8 117

Bengaluru

08:45

Delhi

11:40

M, Tu, Th, Sa

5335

G8 112

Delhi

14:20

Bengaluru

17:10

M, We, Fr, Su

GOAIR SUCCESSFULLY TESTS TAXIBOT – PLANS AFOOT TO DEPLOY THEM ACROSS MAJOR AIRPORTS

oAir has successfully tested TaxiBot - a semi-robotic pilot-operated tow vehicle - at the Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi. Thus GoAir has joined the global league of airlines that are planning to use TaxiBots to reduce fuel combustion as well as noise pollution. Rather than the conventional system where the GoAir pilot switches on the engine to take

the plane from parking bay to the runway, in future, the pilots will use TaxiBots to transport GoAir aircraft to the runway without switching the engine on. Besides, TaxiBots will also ensure faster turnaround and result in better on-time-performance. Mr. Jeh Wadia, Managing Director, GoAir, said: “GoAir has always been at the forefront of using technology

for the benefit of passengers, environment and the airline’s business. In 2016, GoAir doubled its order for Airbus A320neo (new engine option) to 144 – these aircraft offer approximately 20% better fuel efficiency. Now, it is the time for TaxiBots – GoAir plans to deploy TaxiBots at all the major airports within the next few quarters.”

November 2019 Tourism India

AIRLINE NEWS / AVIATION NEWS

Qatar Airways and IndiGo SIGN CODESHARE AGREEMENT Qatar Airways will place its code on IndiGo flights between Doha and Delhi, Mumbai and Hyderabad

atar Airways has signed a codeshare agreement with IndiGo, India’s largest passenger airline and sales started from November 7, 2019 with the first codeshare flights to operate from 18 December 2019. This agreement will enable the Qatar Airways to place its code on

November 2019 Tourism India

IndiGo flights between Doha and Delhi, Mumbai and Hyderabad. Mr. Akbar Al Baker, Chief Executive, Qatar Airways Group said: “We are extremely proud to secure this strategic partnership with IndiGo, the largest airline in one of the world’s fastest growing aviation markets. We believe this agree-

ment will be just the first step in strengthening our relationship and we very much look forward to working together to harness our complementary strengths and resources to enhance the travel experience for our passengers around the world.” Mr. Ronojoy Dutta, Chief Exec-

Mr. Ronojoy Dutta, Chief Executive Officer IndiGo Airline and Mr. Akbar Al Baker, Chief Executive, Qatar Airways Group signing the MoU for Codeshare agreement

Agreement is the first step in strengthening cooperation between the ‘World’s Best Airline’ and the ‘Best Low-Cost Airline in India’ utive Officer, IndiGo said: “This is a momentous occasion for us, as we sign this codeshare agreement with one of the finest airlines in the world. This strategic alliance will not only strengthen our international operations, but also boost economic growth in India, by bringing in more traffic and heralding opportunities for trade and tourism through seamless mobility. We are confident of a successful partnership as we extend our signature

on-time, courteous and hassle-free service experience to the passengers of Qatar Airways. These are exciting times for the aviation industry and it is our commitment to remain focused in building one of the best air transportation systems in the world.” Qatar Airways currently operates 102 weekly flights between Doha and 13 destinations in India, including Ahmedabad, Amritsar, Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Goa, Hy-

Qatar Airways currently operates a modern fleet of more than 250 aircraft via its hub, Hamad International Airport (HIA), to more than 160 destinations worldwide. The world’s fastest-growing airline has added a number of exciting new destinations to its growing network this year, including Rabat, Morocco; Izmir, Turkey; Malta; Davao, Philippines; Lisbon, Portugal; Mogadishu, Somalia; and Langkawi, Malaysia. The airline will add Gaborone, Botswana, in 2019 to its extensive route network along with Luanda, Angola; and Osaka, Japan, in 2020. IndiGo is India’s largest passenger airline with a domestic market share of 47% as of August 2019 and is amongst the fastest growing carriers in the world. IndiGo has a simple philosophy: offer low fares and an on-time, courteous, hassle-free service. With its fleet of over 240 aircraft, the airline offers almost 1,500 daily flights and connects 60 domestic destinations and 23 international destinations. derabad, Kochi, Kolkata, Kozhikode, Mumbai, Nagpur and Thiruvananthapuram. The airline’s cargo division, Qatar Airways Cargo, currently operates a total of 28 weekly freighters to seven destinations in India. The top three cargo destinations in India are Mumbai, Chennai and Ahmedabad. November 2019 Tourism India

AIRLINE NEWS / AVIATION NEWS

Oman Air Unveils Transformation Plan Includes the fleet harmonization, organizational restructuring and increased digital transformation

man Air has unveiled its Transformation Plan, which calls on the airline’s workers across all levels to deliver operational improvements and work with an empowered focus to deliver continuous progress. In discussing the development with airline employees Oman Air CEO Abdulaziz Al Raisi said the plans, established over several months with company-wide input, are thoughtful and practical, and that Oman Air’s people must meet these challenges. “A transformation program is not an easy task,” he said at the meeting with hundreds of Oman Air employees, and stressed on the critical role of every individual in the program’s success. “All of us, we need to drive this program”. Al Raisi and oth44

November 2019 Tourism India

er company leaders recognized Oman Air’s improved performance in 2019, which has the national carrier ahead of its schedule for improvements in efficiency as it competes in an intensely competitive industry. To continue and enhance these strong steps, the Transformation Plan includes specific matters such as fleet harmonization, organizational restructuring and increased digital transformation, and calls

on employees to think about what can be improved and come forward with their suggestions. The Transformation Plan also extends to Oman Air’s leaders who are committed to steer the airline to reach the planned goals by 2023, said Al Raisi, who joined the company 35 years ago as an engineering trainee in the Engineering Division. Al Raisi emphasised that his vast experience within the airline leaves him confident that all of his colleagues will continue to build and maintain its on-going momentum. “Our Transformation Plan requires major changes, which can be disruptive, but we work in an industry of constant disruption and we must be proactive,” he said. “We have every reason to believe that all of our people will deliver the results we need”.

GoAir

announces Malé winter schedule from India

Bookings open for travel during December 2019 and January 2020: Voyages Maldives Ltd is the GSA for Republic of Maldives

oAir has announced the winter schedule for Malé, Maldives. Effective 1st December 2019, GoAir will operate direct flights to Malé five days a week from Mumbai, New Delhi and Bengaluru. Bookings are now open for travel, effective 1st December 2019 to 31st January 2019 and is timed ahead of the upcoming holiday and wedding season in India. For the winter schedule, GoAir is offering return fares as low as Rs 9,999 all inclusive. Mumbai – Malé – Mumbai: GoAir’s direct flight G8 23 will depart from Mumbai at 09:00 hours and arrive in Malé at 11:15 hours, every Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday. On its return journey, flight G8 24 will leave Malé every Wednesday and Sunday at 12:10 hours and on Thursday it will leave at 12:20 hours to arrive in Mumbai at 15:40 hours. Fares: Return flight for Mumbai-Malé-Mumbai sector are Rs 11,999/- all inclusive. Delhi – Malé – Delhi: Flight G8 33 will take off from Delhii at 10:35 hours and arrive in Malé at 14:15 hours, and flight G8 34 depart from

Connects Mumbai, Delhi and Bengaluru with direct flights 5 days a week for as low as Rs 9,999 return fares all inclusive Malé at 15:15 hours and arrive in Delhi at 19:45 hours on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday. Fares: Return flight for Delhi-Malé-Delhi sector are Rs 15,999/- all inclusive. Bengaluru – Malé – Bengaluru: Flight G8 will take off from Bengaluru at 13:10 hours and arrive in Malé at 14:40 hours, and on its return journey flight G8 44 will leave Malé at 15:45 hours and reach Bengaluru at 18:10 hours every Wednesday and Sunday. Fares: Return flight for Bengaluru-Malé-Bengaluru sector are Rs 9,999/- all inclusive. Flight tickets can be booked through the official website of

GoAir, www.goair.in or through the GoAir mobile app. The Maldivian capital known for its scenic white sandy beaches, azure sea waters and exotic, colorful coral reefs is a popular tourist destination. Malé is the throbbing, mercantile heart of Maldives. Yet its laid-back lifestyle on scenic beaches with fresh produce from the island is a hot favorite for honeymooners as well as families looking for a relaxing get-away destination. Ahead of the upcoming holiday season the new flights connecting Malé to Mumbai, New Delhi and Bengaluru will aid travelers to enjoy all that this beautiful tropical island has to offer.

November 2019 Tourism India

AIRLINE NEWS / AVIATION NEWS

Emirates announces commercial team changes

Jabr Al-Azeeby will lead the India Operation

mirates airline announced key appointments and rotations in its global commercial operations, positioning it to better serve customers across its global network, and respond with agility to dynamic market opportunities. Adnan Kazim, Emirates’ Chief Commercial Officer said: “The commercial organisation is responsible for delivering on our top-line results, which last year was close to AED 100 billion. It’s a testimony to the bench strength within the organisation that our key commercial roles are being filled by internal talent who bring with them deep expertise and diverse experience. I am confident that the team is well placed to deliver the best possible support to our customers, and to deliver on our business strategy, targets, and future growth.” Salem Obaidalla, currently Senior VP Aeropolitical & Industry Affairs, will take over as Senior VP Commercial Operations Americas. Adil Al Ghaith, Senior VP Commercial Operations Gulf, Middle East & Iran, will take on additional responsibility for UAE and Oman. Orhan Abbas, Senior VP Com46

November 2019 Tourism India

mercial Operations Africa, will take over as Senior VP Commercial Operations Far East. Badr Abbas, Senior VP Commercial Operations Far East, will take over as Senior VP Commercial Operations Africa. Thierry Aucoc, Senior VP Commercial Operations Europe & Russian Federation, will take on additional responsibility for Germany and UK. Ahmed Khoory, Senior VP Commercial Operations West Asia & Indian Ocean, retains his current portfolio. Essa Sulaiman Ahmad, VP India &

Mr. Jabr Al-Azeeby VP India & Nepal

Nepal, is promoted to Divisional VP USA & Canada, Andrew Bunn, currently Area Manager Singapore, Brunei & Malaysia, is promoted to VP Sales (USA) Jabr Al-Azeeby, currently VP Pakistan, will rotate to the position of VP India & Nepal, reporting to Ahmed Khoory. Mohammad Sarhan, currently Manager Thailand, Myanmar & Cambodia, is promoted to VP Pakistan, Other key changes within the Commercial and Revenue Optimisation teams include: Dina Al Herais, currently VP Member Experience (Skywards), will take over the role of VP Commercial Products (B2B Corporate & Leisure) Bob Kabli, currently Senior VP B2C Online Sales & Ancillaries, will take on the new title of Senior VP Online Sales Development. He will also take on responsibility for Emirates Holidays. Anand Lakshminarayanan, currently Senior VP Revenue Optimisation, will take on the new title of Senior VP Revenue Optimisation & Distribution, and continue reporting into Adnan Kazim. Amit Khandelwal, currently Di-

visional VP Inventory & Revenue Steering, will take on the new title of Divisional VP Inventory, Revenue Steering & Distribution. He will have additional responsibility for Distribution, MARS/RES systems and Integrity. Amit will continue to report to Anand Lakshminarayanan. Bill Cavendish, currently VP Revenue Optimisation Distribution Strategy, will take on the new title of VP Distribution Strategy and report to Amit Khandelwal. Mohit Soral, currently VP Market Operations Revenue Optimisation (West), is promoted to Divisional VP Market Operations Worldwide. He will report to Anand Lakshminarayanan. Hemanth Nallakandy, VP Market Operations RO (Centre), will rotate to VP Market Operations (East). He will report to Mohit Soral. Mohammed Al Hashimi, VP Commercial Products Dubai retains his portfolio, but will report directly into Adnan Kazim. Aside from the new appointments in Emirates’ Commercial Operations and Revenue Optimisation functions, Adnan Kazim continues to be supported by an experienced leadership team in other key commercial units comprising:

New appointments see career growth for UAE nationals with 42 Emiratis holding leadership roles in the airline’s commercial team Nabil Sultan, Divisional Senior VP, Emirates SkyCargo Dr. Nejib Ben Khedher, Divisional Senior VP Emirates Skywards Karen Bell-Wright, Senior VP Retail & Contact Centres Azhar Kapadwanjwala, Senior VP Planning – Network Schedules & Optimisation Trevor Chong, VP Route Planning & Economics Rogerio Leao, VP Fleet Planning & Research Syriac A Pathrose, Senior Manager Market Research Strong Emirat representation in leadership roles reflect airline’s successful talent development strategy With this latest announcement, Emirates’ Commercial team now has 42 UAE nationals in key leadership roles. More than 75% of them have been with the company for over 10 years, and most have gone through the Emirates Commercial Trainee programme for graduates and progressed their careers through vari-

ous roles in the company. Emirates has always worked to be an ‘Employer of Choice’ for Emiratis by building an enduring foundation for the successful recruitment, development, progression and retention of UAE Nationals. Its National Recruitment Strategy (Rehlaty), creates opportunities for UAE Nationals to grow professionally and build a well-structured and defined career path so that they can play pivotal roles within the organisation. Its efforts to retain and develop UAE Nationals include: Careers development programmes Programmes with key industry partners (Rolls-Royce, DHL, GE, Airbus) Mentoring programmes Scholarship programmes Internal programmes Government entities partnerships

November 2019 Tourism India

NEWS / EVENTS

WTM Reveals The Latest Global Travel Research World Travel Market (WTM) from November 04-06, 2019 in London.

he most current and thoughtprovoking research into global and regional travel trends will be revealed over all three days at WTM London 2019 (Monday 4 November to Wednesday 6 November).

Research sessions commence in the WTM International Media Centre with ForwardKeysâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; research into the UK outbound market. ForwardKeys, which analyse 17 million flights a day, will review the top 50 UK inbound flights, compar-

A view of Kerala Pavilion at WTL London 2019

November 2019 Tourism India

ing them to last year and five years prior. World Tourism Cities Federation (WTCF), will present a session looking at Chinaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s astonishing economic growth, which has created a brand new group of travellers. The

session entitled, Booming Chinese Outbound Market, will have a panel of experts looking to discuss the aims at better understanding the Chinese traveller by sharing experiences and expertise from different angles. A session entitled Megatrends Shaping the Future of Travel will be presented by Euromonitor International. Attendees will discover the latest developments for global travel and tourism performance. This session will give insights into upcoming trends in Europe, Asia, the Americas and the Middle East and Africa. The key focus is on major drivers, consumer behavior and attitudes that are affecting travel companies’ bottom line. The research will prepare participants with the important knowledge to navigate the year ahead. Euromonitor’s Head of Travel, Caroline Bremner will lead this session A session, which looks specifically at research around Sustainability in Tourism will be conducted by MMGY and Destination International. The research is from a comprehensive survey issued to the global travel industry which looks at gaining insight into what companies are doing responsibly, how they are measuring the impact and what they hope to do moving forward. This research ties in with World Responsible Tourism Day (WRTD), now the largest day of responsible tourism action in the world and focusing on responsible tourism

efforts in the travel industry. Attendees will discover the As part of WTM London’s drive to latest developments for global hone the relevance travel and tourism performance. of sessions, with a greater focus on the so attending these sessions to find regions represented at the show, area-specific topics out the latest research, trends and will be covered within the regional data is a great way to make sure they are not left behind. Inspiration Zones. “We have a mix of global research WTM London, WTM Portfolio Press & PR Lead, Julia Newbound, alongside dedicated country-fosaid: “Research is a crucial com- cused sessions in our regional Inponent of the WTM London semi- spiration Zones. These sessions nar experience, with past sessions will offer delegates even more consistently standing-room-only. ideas to implement in their busiCompanies big and small want to nesses, further demonstrating that ensure they are ahead of the game, Ideas Arrive at WTM London.” November 2019 Tourism India

NEWS / EVENTS

Incredible India Find the Incredible India’ @ WTM London

The theme of the Indian pavilion was ‘Incredible India – Find the Incredible India’

he theme for India Pavilion at WTM 2019 is ‘Incredible India – Find the Incredible India’ 150th Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi and Statue of Unity have been showcased prominently at the India Pavilion at WTM 2019 in London The Ministry of Tourism is participating in the three-daylong World Travel Market (WTM) from November 0406, 2019 in London, UK. The theme for India Pavilion at WTM 2019 is ‘Incredible India – Find the Incredible India’. A total of 32 stakeholders, in50

November 2019 Tourism India

cluding State Governments, Union Territory Administrations, Air India, IRCTC, Hotels, Wellness resorts and tour operators are participating as co-exhibitors in the India Pavilion. A number of activities including cultural programmes, a Yoga

demonstration, Henna Application, Indian Food tasting, Turban tying, Saree tying, etc. are being organised in the India Pavilion. Besides, showcasing India’s various tourism products, this year, the 150th Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi

and the Statue of Unity are also being promoted and publicized in the India Pavilion at WTM 2019. Secretary of Union Ministry of Tourism Mr Yogendra Tripathi is leading the official delegation at WTM 2019 which also includes Ad-

A Panel Discussion was organised on the theme ‘Incredible India – Find the Incredible You’ for showcasing India as an experiential destination and to make tourists realize the wider potential for experiences on offer in India ditional Director General (Tourism), Ms Rupinder Brar. India Pavilion at WTM 2019 was inaugurated on 04th November 2019 by the Secretary (Tourism) and High Commissioner of India to the UK Ms. Ruchi Ghanashyam. A Panel Discussion was organised on the theme ‘Incredible India – Find the Incredible You’ for showcasing India as an experiential destination and to make tourists realize the wider potential for experiences on offer in India. The Panel discussion was moderated by Ms. Nina Dos Santos, CNN Europe Editor. November 2019 Tourism India

NEWS / GLOBAL TRENDS

FUTURE PROOFING TRAVEL AND TOURISM Travel industry need to act, take responsibility, and reduce our emissions, at least 10% reductions / year from now and zero emissions by 2030

t the World Travel Market,

dustry. Carbon emissions from our

very existence. The boom in trav-

London this year the fo-

fossil-fuelled economies are caus-

el and tourism following the end of

cus on World Responsible

ing a form of pollution which is hard

WWII was facilitated by increasing

Tourism Day was on the challenge

to clean up and has a long-term

leisure and boosted by fossil-fu-

of the decarbonising Tourism in-

impact on the environment and our

elled aviation, coaches and cars.

November 2019 Tourism India

At the opening of World Responsible Tourism Day in 2015, Professor Kevin Anderson of the Tyndall Centre raised a question wheth-

Action is urgent, it is time to take responsibility and to address decarbonisation of our sector

er Tourism industry was likely to

and to adapt to a rapidly changing

behave like an ostrich or a phoe-

environment.

nix. This year Kevin was invited back to mark our card five years on. He pointed out that we have

about 8 inches since reliable re-

treme heatwaves are forecast to

not done well, and have behaved

cord-keeping began in 1880. It is

increase by as much as 80% and

more like the ostrich. This year he

projected to rise another 1 to 4 feet

the Global Commission on Adapta-

talked about Responsible Tourism

by 2100, Indonesia is already mov-

tion urges action now. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Adaptation

in a Climate emergency and that

ing its capital and several small is-

is not an alternative to a redoubled

since 1990 weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve not reduced total

land states will cease to exist. Read

effort to stop climate change, but

emissions at all.

around this more here.

an essential complement to it. Fail-

It is our current emissions which

The consequences of climate

ing to lead and act on adaptation

matter. We need to act, take re-

change are increasingly apparent

will result in a huge economic and

sponsibility, and reduce our emis-

and resilience is an increasing chal-

human toll, causing widespread

sions, at least 10% reductions per

lenge for our industry. We need to

increases in poverty and severely

year from now and zero emissions

address both the cause of climate

undermining long-term global eco-

by 2030. Kevin argued that off-set-

change and the consequences

nomic prospects.â&#x20AC;?

ting is a scam. The longer we leave

through adaptation and mitigation.

WTM London is the largest Re-

it, the harder it will be to adapt. Will

Action is urgent, it is time to take

sponsible Tourism event in the

the sector be locked into its current

responsibility and to address the

world with 21 RT events over three

model and decline? Or will it show

decarbonisation of our sector and

days, RT provides 20% of the con-

leadership and secure a prosperous

to adapt to a rapidly changing envi-

tent at the show and some attend

future?

ronment. The Responsible Tourism

only for this content. The Respon-

Change is rarely all bad, the frost-

programmes at WTM are focused

sible Tourism agenda remains

free growing season will continue

on solutions and taking responsi-

broad, with sessions covering a

to lengthen. But, climate change is

bility to implement them.

whole host of issues from decent

driving migration, there are more

Mark Carney, Governor of the

work and child protection, to the

droughts and heatwaves; hurri-

Bank of England, pointed out that

challenge of building sustainable

canes are becoming stronger and

the companies and industries that

hotels when ownership is separate

more intense; wildfires are com-

are not moving towards zero-car-

from an operation and the provi-

monplace and the tundra is thaw-

bon emissions will be punished

sion of adventures for people with

ing, global sea level has risen by

by investors and go bankrupt. Ex-

disabilities. November 2019 Tourism India

NEWS / GLOBAL AWARDS

THE GOAT VILLAGE WINS WTM WORLD RESPONSIBLE TOURISM GOLD AWARD 2019 The overall winner of the WTM World Responsible Tourism Awards is Feynan Ecolodge.

ver since these awards were first held back at WTM London in 2004 their purpose has been the same â&#x20AC;&#x201C; to encourage change in the industry, to single out for recognition those who are taking responsibility and can prove that they are having a positive impact. The overall winner of the WTM World Responsible Tourism Awards is Feynan Ecolodge. The lodge is well known for its positive social and economic impacts through employment and local sourcing, it conservation efforts and for the quality of the local Bedouin cultural experience it 54

November 2019 Tourism India

offers. The judges selected Feynan Lodge as the overall winner this year because of the efforts they have made to further reduce their carbon emissions and the quality of their reporting of their reduced impact. Benefitting Local Communities Gold winner: The Green People for the Goat Village, India Working in the Indian state of Uttarkhand, The Green People establish community run tourism projects to support the local economy in these Himalayan regions. The Green People have set up more than 100 farm retreats and community run home stays in the Goat

VIllages, giving visitors from around the world a privileged insight into the regionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s farming heritage. Silver award: Nikoi Island, Indonesia Reducing Carbon Gold award: Feynan Ecolodge, Jordan This remote desert ecolodge Feynan completely off the grid. It generates 100% of its electricity through a solar PV system, saving 72 tonnes of CO2 each year. Beyond the way the lodge operates provides a remarkable case study in how every aspect of a tourism business can be rethought to be as sustainable as possible.

Silver award: Les Villages Nature Paris, France and Soneva from the Maldives and Thailand. Transparent Reporting Gold award:TUI For many years TUI has reported its progress on sustainability. The company has been listed in FTSE4Good for 13 consecutive years and since 2015 have been ranked in the leaders band for Climate Change reporting by the Carbon Disclosure Project Climate Change. The company embeds its sustainability performance within its Annual Report & Accounts and was an early adopter of the EU CSR reporting legislation that came into force in 2018 in Germany. Silver award: &Beyond Wildlife & Nature Conservation Gold award: Six Senses Lamu, Maldives As well as being a luxury resort, Six Senses Lamu hosts the Maldives Underwater Initiative, with a staffed of marine biologists and local NGO scientists. Recently they have been campaigning to protect seagrass in the maldives, which many resorts clear away because it is considered unattractive. In partnership with the Blue Marine Foundation, Six Senses’s #ProtectMaldivesSeagrass has partnered with 34 resorts, representing 24% of resorts in the Maldives, and 22 organisations, including Greenpeace International. As a result resorts have pledge to protecting 655,000 m² of seagrass under pledged protection at resorts across the Maldives. Silver award: Batu Batu Resort & Tengah Island Conservation Coping with Success, dealing with Overtourism Gold award: Park Güell, Barcelo-

na, Spain Around 6 million people visit this park each year. Since 2014, visitors have had to buy an entry ticket to access the 1.7 hectares of the regulated tourist area. However access remains free for residents of the five surrounding neighbourhoods and schools. Residents have also been involved in developing the action plan to address overcrowding and to ensure they feel included and that they benefit from the park’s development. Reducing Plastic Waste Gold award: Iberostar, Spain In 2018, Iberostar became the first hotel chain in Spain to eliminate single-use plastics in the rooms of its 36 hotels in the country. In 2019, this commitment extends to the company’s portfolio of 120 hotels around the world and, by 2020, it will have completely removed single-use plastic from every area of its hotels. Silver award: Make Kilkee Plastic Free, and to Soneva. Judges Awards The Judges’ Awards are given to any of the World Responsible Tourism Awards where the business is recognised as outstanding. This year, two have been given: They are Grootbos and Ol Pejeta, ẃho both applied for the Benefiting Local People category Emerging Leaders Banyan Tree Vabbinfaru; Huilo Huilo; Ras Al Khor; Mashpi Lodge; Fred Olsen Cruise Lines; Water to Go; Sedona Chamber of Commerce & Tourism Bureau; Urban Adventures; Ministry of Environment for the Dominican Republic; Baraka Consulting; Inle Canoe Lady; Exploe; Hilton; Mejdi Tours

NISHANTH NAIR APPOINTEDAS DIRECTOR OF SALES AT HYATT REGENCY THRISSUR

r. Nishanth Nair has been appointed as the Director of Sales of Hyatt Regency Thrissur. Prior to joining Hyatt Regency Thrissur NIshanth worked with Grand Hyatt Kochi Bolgatty pre-opening team. In his new role, Nishanth will be responsible for the entire sales and marketing spearheading the growth and development of the hotel generating maximum revenue. Nishanth is a strong sales professional with a demonstrated history of working in the hospitality industry for last one and half decades. He has been associated with different hotels namely SKS Doha, Qatar, Radisson Blu, Kochi, Carnoustie Hotels & Resorts (A PGA Group Company, UK), Thomas Hotels & Resorts Pvt. Ltd, Trivandrum, Kadavu Resort, Calicut and Vythiri Village Luxury Resort Wayanad. Nishanth is an alumnus of the St. Joseph’s College, Devagiri and Mastered in Business Administration in International Business from Corllins University. He enjoys driving with his family in his spare time, playing cricket, officiating cricket & football matches and exploring different non-vegetarian cuisines. Mr. Nishanth talked to Kerala Tourism Magazine on joining Hyatt Regency Thrissur, Joining Hyatt Regency Thrissur as the Director of Sales gives me opportunity to utilize my year long experience in the hospitality industry and creatively launch my fourth pre-opening (second Hyatt pre-opening after Grand Hyatt Kochi Bolgatty) property in the South region. I look forward to culturally and locally make use of all possible resources to keep the business growing in homeland. November 2019 Tourism India

NEWS / GLOBAL TRENDS

INTERNATIONAL TOURISM CONTINUES TO GROW China, largest source market, showed upward trend with an above-average growth of 9% : Asia again recorded the highest growth in international travel

espite political and economic instability around the world, the data on travel intentions collected by IPK International points to a positive outlook for next year: For the global outbound travel market IPK forecasts for 2020 a plus of four per cent. Outbound trips by Asians are expected to record the highest growth with five per cent. For the European outbound trips a growth rate of three to four per cent will be expected and for the Americans of three per cent. As in previous years international tourism continues to grow in 2019, though not quite as strongly as before. During the first eight months of this year outbound trips increased worldwide by 3.9 per cent, one percentage point below 2018. This year, Asia again recorded the highest growth in international travel, while Latin America saw 56

November 2019 Tourism India

a decline. Overall, the first trend analyses of IPK’s World Travel Monitor® indicate outbound travel will continue to grow also in 2020. The World Travel Monitor® is based on the results of representative interviews with more than 500,000 people in over 60 countries worldwide. It has been compiled for more than 20 years and is recognized as the most widescale continuous survey of global travel trends. Outbound trips by Asians driving global growth China, by far the continent’s largest source market, showed upward trend with an above-average growth of nine per cent. During the first eight months foreign trips by North Americans rose slightly above average, at 4.5 per cent. Foreign travel by Europeans increased too, although at 2.5 per cent they ranked well behind Asia and North

America – and below last year’s figure. In contrast, during the first eight months foreign trips by Latin Americans reflected a negative trend with a year-on-year decline of three per cent. With a six per cent increase in visitors during the first eight months, Asia recorded higher growth and marked as a popular destination. The global visitor growth by 3.5 per cent, whereas trips to America only rose by two per cent. During the first eight months of 2019, holiday trips increased globally by four per cent, while business travel stagnated. However, this reflects two divergent trends. ”On the one hand we have the still-expanding MICE travel market, which during the first eight months grew by two per cent, and in contrast the traditional business travel, which shrank by four per cent over the

same period“, said Rolf Freitag, CEO of IPK International. After moderate increases last year, city breaks came back with strong growth with eight per cent during the first eight months of 2019. With a global market share of close to 30 per cent now, city breaks rank only slightly behind sun and beach holidays, which recorded a two per cent rise during the first eight months. As well as round trips, which increased by three per cent, the cruise market expanded too. Asked about the terror threat of

ITB Berlin and IPK International releases latest global trends of the World Travel Monitor individual destinations, the majority of global outbound travellers still rank destinations like Israel, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan and Tunisia as particularly unsafe. The possibility of terror in these countries is seen as very high. With regard to safety, the USA, Mexico, South Africa and France also have a poor image. In contrast, travel destinations like, Scandinavia, Switzerland, Austria,

Ireland, Portugal as well as Australia and Canada are perceived as safe, where the terror threat is seen as low, according to the latest findings from September of this year. These forecasts are based on the findings of the “World Travel Confidence Index” of IPK International, which as part of World Travel Monitor® polls people’s travel intentions for the next 12 months.

North Pole expedition travelers at Arctic . Photo by Ravisankar K.V./ Fovafotostock

November 2019 Tourism India

NEWS / ADVENTURE

Adventure Trekking Training course in Ladakh

To promote tourism activities and to develop basic skills of Trekking among the youth

Approximately 90 local youth being trained in three batches.

he Indian Institute of Skiing & Mountaineering (IISM) Gulmarg, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India in association with Indian Institute of Travel & Tourism Management (IITTM) an autonomous body under the Ministry of Tourism, has organised an Adventure Tourism Training Courses in Trekking. in Ladakh. The first of its kind in the region, this 10 days training course trains local youth in various aspects of mountain trekking and also gives them hands on experience. Over 58

November 2019 Tourism India

30 local youth enrolled in the first batch which started on 24th Sep-

tember 2019. Approximately 90 local youth will be trained in three batches. The trekking programme starts with a briefing and the participants cover places like Spithuk, Then, Zinchen, Rumbak, Stok la Base, Stock within 10 days and will return to Leh.This training program is aimed at developing the basic skills of Trekking in the youth who can later use these skills for becoming guides or entrepreneurs in future.

TM, India’s largest congregation of the tourism industry, seeks new ways to promote business. The 11th edition of the Kerala Travel Mart (KTM) will see an increased number of quality buyers from countries that have the potential to boost the state’s travel industry. Announcing the event, which will be held at Kochi in September 2020 Mr. Kadakampally Surendran, Minister for Tourism said KTM 2020 will aim at exploring new markets for Champions Boat League (CBL), adventure tourism and MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions) along with finding excellent global buyers. “KTM 2020 will be a four-day event starting on September 24, with two days packed with sessions involving international buyers, MICE operators and corporate houses. The remaining two days will be for domestic buyers,” Mr. Surendran said. The afternoon session on the final day will be open to the general public. The venue will be Sagara and Samudrika convention centres of Cochin Port Trust at Willingdon Island. The focus on finding major buyers from across the globe comes in the continued pursuit of new kind of tourists at the national and international levels. KTM 2020 will accord importance to the Kerala Tourism’s CBL modelled on IPL cricket. The threemonth event being held at different venues in six districts of the state is currently halfway through. The 12-round CBL, with its final slated for November 23, has already

KTM 2020 seeks quality buyers to boost tourism 4 days conclave at Kochi to focus on new products like Adventure, MICE & Champions Boat League wooed 10 lakh spectators. Adventure tourism will be another priority area of KTM 2020. Kerala aims to boost its new products in activities such as trekking, mountaineering, river rafting, paragliding and off-roading. Commenting on the tremendous support of the government to KTM, Mr Baby Mathew Somatheeram, President, KTM Society, said unlike in the past, the four-day schedule has been fixed for providing a platform for buyers and sellers to hold effective interactions.

Mr. Swaminathan S, Vice-President, KTM; Mr. Jose Pradeep, Secretary, KTM; Mr. Scaria Jose, Treasurer; former presidents of KTM Mr. E.M. Najeeb, Mr. Abraham George, and Mr. Riaz Ahamed; and managing committee members of KTM were also present. A third segment to be promoted will be MICE tourism. Kerala is becoming a major destination for international conclaves, which aid MICE. Recently, the India Conventions Promotion Bureau opened a Kerala chapter.

KTM, India’s largest congregation of tourism industry, seeks new ways to promote business.

Mr. Kadakampally Surendran, Minister for Tourism, speaking at a press conference organised by Kerala Travel Mart Society in Trivandrum on Thursday. Mr. Baby Mathew Somatheeram, President, KTM Society; Mr. Swaminathan S, Vice-President; Mr. Jose Pradeep, Secretary; Mr. Scaria Jose, Treasurer; Mr. E M Najeeb, Mr. Abraham George, and Mr Riaz Ahamed, former presidents of KTM , are also seen

November 2019 Tourism India

GLOBAL DESTINATIONS

From Boutiques to Souks,

Sharjah, a

Shoppers’ paradise Experience a diverse range of shopping outlets, dining options and entertainment facilities.

harjah’s modern malls, stylish shops and boutiques along with unique souks and bazaars make it a Shoppers’ Paradise. From apparel and electronics to jewellery and perfumes to dates and spices to gold – there is something for everyone. The city has several shopping areas with busy malls, large showrooms and department stores and centres, as well as exciting furniture warehouses full of artefacts and antiques, with fantastic promotions throughout the year. Whatever your budget is, Sharjah has got you covered, catering to both high-end to budget-friendly shopping. High-end Shopping The Sahara Centre: The Sahara Centre is one of the leading shopping destinations in the UAE and is strategically located on the 60

November 2019 Tourism India

Dubai-Sharjah Highway. Since it opened its doors in February 2002, the mall has become a landmark that is today bigger and better than ever before.

Experience a diverse range of shopping outlets, dining options and entertainment facilities offering some of the world’s leading brands in a convenient and easy to

access location. The Sahara Centre has recently expanded its offering with new upgraded facilities, restaurants and additional stores as part of a one million square feet extension that is now complete. There are entertainment options such as Novo Cinemas and the largest indoor entertainment park in the UAE – Adventureland. A sprawling dynamic theme park showcasing 21 thrilling rides & attractions, including the UAE’s first indoor roller coaster, an elevated train for kids, 2-level Go-Kart facility, the first moto coaster and one of the biggest 4-level soft play area for kids. Zero 6: Zero 6 is the emirate’s lifestyle destination. The go-to venue for families looking for unique entertainment, leisure, shopping and fitness activities closer to home

and under one roof. Zero 6 combines a sophisticated contemporary design with a diverse selection of dining, retail and leisure attractions. Strategically located in Al Juraina in close proximity to prominent city landmarks, such as Sharjah’s University City, Zero 6 celebrates Sharjah’s evolving identity through an inspiring lifestyle community experience, where trendsetters will constantly feel at home. Zero 6 has magnificent outdoor that gives access to a range of restaurants and cafes, through to indoor and outdoor seating areas. Mega Mall: Spanning four floors, Mega Mall is a great place to visit for

a day of family fun. There are more than 150 stores covering fashion, accessories, electronics and toys, as well as a food court and cafés. Additionally, Kids will love Antic’s Land, an indoor theme park with 30 rides, including a roller coaster and mini ferries, while the whole family can enjoy a film at Novo Cinemas. Rolla Gold Market: Rolla Gold Market is one of Sharjah’s top shopping destinations for jewellery lovers. It is home to a high concentration of retailers, including notable names such as Damas Jewellery, Malabar Gold & Diamonds and Kalyan Jewellers. Enjoy walking between stores and browsing the wide selection of gold, ranging from 18- to 24-carat, as well as precious gems, semi-precious stones, pearls and jewellery from India and Italy. November 2019 Tourism India

Sharjah has several shopping areas with busy malls, large showrooms and department stores furniture warehouses full of artifacts and antiques, with fantastic promotions throughout the year. Markets and Budget-friendly Shopping Central Souq: A comprehensive retail experience housed in beautiful architecture, Sharjah’s Central Souq offers hundreds of shops that range from gold, silver, traditional, ornaments, carpets and handicrafts. Souk Al Arsah: The oldest market place in the UAE used to be a meeting place for Bedouins and their camels in the olden times. Stepping into the souq seems like one is taking a journey back in history. Souk Al Arsah once attracted merchants from Persia and India, along with local Bedouin who traded charcoal for rice. It’s now a covered market with air-conditioned alleyways featuring solid wooden doors, beautiful coral brick walls and hanging lanterns. What we loved were the quaint stores that sell old-time treasures – from pearl chests and copper coffee pots to jewellery, perfume bottles and incense. We would suggest you review the day’s purchases over a cup of Arabic coffee at the café in the centre of the souq or go home and snack on the delicious sweets at the popular halwa shop. Textile Souq: From exclusive beaded material, heavy lace, the finest 62

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saris and silks to ‘designer’ fabrics, the city’s stores have a treasure trove of high-quality textiles from all over the world. It’s worth investigating fabric shops alongside the Creek in Al Shuwaiheen area and around Rolla Square Park, along with the stalls in the Central Souk, Souk Al Soor textile centre opposite King Faisal Mosque and Al Shaab Village. Date Souq: There are tonnes of fresh and dried dates on display

at this small souk, and traders encourage you to sample their wares as you browse. Dates can cost as little as Dhs10 per kilogram or as much as Dh150, depending on the variety and quality. Popular varieties to look out for include Medjool, Arwa, Bou Maan and Dabbas. Souq Al Shanasiyah: Built on the foundations of one of the oldest and most vibrant souks in the region, this beautifully renovated souk specializes in regional designers and unique wares. Each shop is divided in two, with the artisans busy at work on one side and their goods for sale on the other. Shop for stylish furniture and homewares, prayer beads, Arabian perfumes and oils, and high-quality clothing including bespoke pandoras and handcrafted abayas. Refuel at a speciality coffee house and enjoy delicious Emirati cuisine at Al Saroud Traditional Restaurant.

November 2019 Tourism India

NEWS / HOSPITALITY

HILTON SEYCHELLES PURSUES THE TREASURE TRAIL OF TASTE By Introducing the Spice Route with Star Chef from Conrad Bangalore.

fter successfully launching the “Treasure Trail of Taste” back in June, Hilton Seychelles continues to follow Pirate Olivier Levasseur’s path by introducing the second part of this unique culinary journey: The Spice Route, inspired by India. Hilton Seychelles Labriz and Hilton Seychelles Northolme will welcome award-winning star chef Akhilesh Pathak from the prestigious hotel Conrad Bangalore. The “Treasure Trail of

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Taste” is a series of gastronomic events inspired by the famous 17th-century pirate, Olivier Levasseur, who originally sailed under the British flag with a fellow pirate, Benjamin Hornigold. Hilton Seychelles has carefully selected notable chefs from along Levasseur’s sailing routes – from Britain to the Carribean and the Indian Ocean. The team will continue to host a series of unique gastronomic events, promising to take foodie guests on a culinary journey, in the heart of the Indian Ocean. The Spice Route will kick off at Hilton Labriz with a unique 5 course set menu dinner paired with champagne. Hilton Northolme will then

host this experience with a 5 course set menu dinner paired with exclusive wines on Friday, October 11th, to share the rich Indian culture and atmosphere with the guests and the local residents alike. Both resorts will also host a special guest cocktail with Indian inspired canapés respectively on October 7th at Hilton Labriz and October 9th at Hilton Northolme. Akhilesh Pathak comes from Kol-

“Best food award” while he worked in “EVVIVA” at the Courtyard Marriott, Pune and recently won the best Indian restaurant in town for Indian durbar in Conrad Bangalore. He believes that “A perfect meal is something simple and cooked home style with a lot of flavours. I prefer simple dishes made with potato, lentils and even chutneys. I am also a big fan of seafood.” As he hails from the city of joy. He is a chef who strongly believes in getting your basics right and also sharing his knowledge to the budding chefs in the industry. As keen supporters of the local

hospitality industry, Hilton Seychelles is partnering up once again with the Seychelles Tourism Academy (STA) to give young talent an opportunity to shadow and assist the chef during the dinners and cocktails preparations. Hilton Seychelles has also partnered with Levasseur Rum to offer the local, artisanal spirit throughout ‘A Treasure Trail of Taste’. The local distillery creates a unique and rare blended rum which is centred around everything that is bold: the achiever, the conqueror, the go-getter –– a fitting partnership for the pirate spirit of these events.

kata, the “City of Joy”, where he developed his passion for what he calls “Culinary Jewels on a plate”. He was appointed Chef de Cuisine at Conrad Bengaluru in 2017 during the pre-opening. Prior to this, Chef Pathak was the Indian master chef at Conrad Pune. 16 years of experience across several Indian cities and hotel brands have allowed him to be considered an expert in his field. He had the honour of winning the November 2019 Tourism India

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TOURISM INDIA

Vol 22, No. 07

November 2019

Rs 100/-

RNI No. KERBIL/1998/7642