April 2015 Voyager's World by Editor

Vol XII

Issue VI

Pages 48

April 2015

Rs 60

back to earth...

get sustainable and more...

Overseas travel..Novelty ‘matters’....

ummer has set in and so has the holiday atmosphere. With the trendy air and social esteem associated with international travel almost becoming an ordinary thing, it is the newness of the destination that matters to the discerning traveller and not so much the idea of going overseas. On these lines, there have been a series of roadshows held by different NTOs across the country trying to retain the spotlight on themselves in the market, yet, it is newbie Zanzibar Tourism Promotion Centre that is the next thing to look out for, particularly because Indians share a very long association with Zanzibar, given the history of us migrating there back after 632 CE. This month, we have looked into the pointers set by the tourism ministry for developing sustainable tourist destinations and also on the various attractions and projects launched by Middle East destinations, this being an Arabian Travel Market special issue.

Warm Regards

PRIYAMVADHA BALARAM priyamvadha@voyagersworld.in

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Industry Buzz

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Cover story Importance of sustainable tourism for local livelihood

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India Outbound Meeting the Jordan Queen and tourism representatives

Island Hopping

37 45

Pilgrimage Religious tourism projects in India

Top Appointments

India joins the waterfront brigade

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Industry Buzz

4>>

IATO 31st Convention to be held in August

Rail Europe 4A, Rail Europe, Inc. consolidated

he 31st Annual Convention of the Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO) will be held from 20 -23 August, 2015, the destination and venue for which will be announced shortly. The announcement was made at the association’s bimonthly meeting by the Executive Committee.

ail Europe, Inc., and Rail Europe 4A consolidated into one business unit: Rail Europe with immediate effect. Fabrice Morel, CEO, will lead the combined organization. Rail Europe offers an array of European rail products - from rail passes and train tickets, to reservations, sightseeing tours and travel packages. Under one unit, Rail Europe, Inc. and Rail Europe 4A will continue to exist as two legal entities, with an ultimate goal to grow the business faster.

Sarabjit Singh, Senior Vice President, IATO, stated that over 95 exhibitors and 140 foreign buyers had confirmed their participation and that a few more were expected to register for the Global Exhibition on Services (GES), which will take place from 23 - 25 April 2015 at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi. The Exhibition, which is being organised by the Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), and Services Export Promotion Council (SEPC), has the Federation of Associations in Indian Tourism & Hospitality (FAITH) as a partner, while IATO - which is a part of FAITH - is taking the lead in coordinating with the Union Ministry of Tourism for the event.

Bahrain issues 752 eVisas to Indians

52 Indian nationals received eVisas to the Kingdom of Bahrain from October 2014 to February 2015. From 1 April 2015, business visas have become valid for a month and are multiple-entry, while visitor visas are valid for three months and are multiple entry. Indians residents in the GCC will also be eligible to receive multiple-entry visas-onarrival or through online application.

OTOAI to hold Executive Committee election on 16 May SpiceJet to start Pune-Dubai direct daily from 15 April

piceJet will commence direct daily flights between Pune and Dubai from 15 April, 2015. This will replace the existing services on Pune-Sharjah sector which operates four days a week. The airline will accommodate all affected passengers who have booking on Pune-Sharjah and Sharjah-Pune flights on this new service to Dubai. The new flight will depart Pune daily at 8:15 pm and arrive Dubai at 9:45 pm local time. The return flight will depart Dubai at 11 pm and arrive Pune at 4 am the next morning. SpiceJet will connect Amritsar and Mangalore to Dubai in the near future.

he Outbound Tour Operators Association of India (OTOAI) will conduct elections for the appointment of its Executive Committee on May 16 this year. The venue for the elections is yet to be announced. Although the tenure of the present members of the Executive Committee finished yesterday; the 31 March, 2015, they will continue to discharge necessary duties until the formation of the new committee. The Association has appointed Runeep Sangha, Executive Director, PATA India, as the Election Officer, who will assume office effective 6 April, 2015.

VFS Global opens Thailand VAC in Kolkata

he Royal Thai Consulate-General, Kolkata launched a visa application service at a VFS Global centre in the city yesterday. For the first time, applicants in Kolkata will be able to submit their visa applications at a modern facility with five dedicated counters. Important changes to the Thai visa application process, other than location and facility are the opening time, which is being extended to 3 pm every weekday. Also with prior appointment, bulk applications will be handled by specially appointed staff. All these changes show the effort of the Consulate to cope with the increasing visa demand, especially during the peak seasons.

Cruise Arabia participates in Cruise Shipping Miami

ubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM), Oman Ministry of Tourism (Oman Tourism), Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi) and new-entrant Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA), and Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA), came together under the Cruise Arabia Alliance to represent the Arabian Gulf at the Cruise Shipping Miami, running from 16-19 March in Miami, USA. Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Oman attended their second year as Cruise Arabia with tourism authorities of Qatar and Sharjah for the first time to promote the Arabian Gulf as the cruise tourism hotspot. Promoting the cruise industry within the Arabian Gulf and internationally is a key mandate of the Cruise Arabia Alliance.

Voyager’s World > April 2015

TTBAD

Industry Buzz

6>> Global Destinations to represent Bhutan Journeys in India

RoomsTonite unveils travel companion service

oomsTonite launched ‘RoomsTonite Assist’,

a first-of-its-kind 24X7 assistance service to

hutan Journeys appointed Global Destinations as their Sales and Marketing Representative in India effective 1 April, 2015.

help travellers with enquiries and specific needs in all stages of travel - pre-stay, during hotel stay and post-stay. The service is designed to provide solutions to multiple travel requirements of its customers. It offers solutions from informing the hotel about an unexpected flight delay to purchasing movie tickets, sending couriers, co-coordinating with the hotel on any special room requests, locating the nearest restaurants and entertainment to booking a taxi among other value added services.

AI starts Vizag-Port Blair direct service

ir India introduced a direct flight to connect Visakhapatnam and Port Blair. This new flight will be in addition to AI’s existing flight viz. daily direct flights on the Kolkata - Port Blair sector; Chennai - Port Blair; between Delhi Visakhapatnam and another flight between Delhi and Port Blair via Bhubaneswar twice a week. The flight AI487/488 will operate with all-economy 168-seater A320. The flight will operate on Delhi - Visakhapatnam - Port Blair and back, two days a week on Mondays and Thursdays.

Pranav Kapadia, Founder, Global Destinations, says: “It feels incredible to be part of the whole changing travel experience where Indian travellers are waking up to new destinations and in turn, these beautiful, mysterious, exotic destinations are investing in the Indian market. We are very happy to be given the opportunity to promote Bhutan amongst the India trade fraternity and indirectly to the discerning Indian traveller.”

Virgin Atlantic reports profit with recovery in 2014

Indian restaurant featured in world's top 100

irgin Atlantic published its annual financial results, confirming the delivery of its two year recovery plan and a return to profit. For the year ended 31 December 2014, the group is reporting a profit before tax and exceptional items of £14.4m, representing an improvement of £65.4m on the previous year’s financial performance. It has taken tough decisions to transform the financial performance of our business and return to profitability in 2014 while ensuring that it continued to invest in areas that matter to customers.

daa at the Falaknuma Palace in Hyderabad became the first restaurant in India to be named in the world’s top 100 for the first time, as per the fourth annual poll of readers by private jet lifestyle publication Elite Traveler. Adaa, led by Head Chef Arun Sundararaj, was one of the 17 new entries on the countdown, ranking at No. 100 on this year’s list. Delhi-based restaurant Indian Accent also made the ‘ones to watch’ list – a list of five restaurants to watch out for in the 2016 awards.

Travel Designer Group launches Designer Indya brochure in Oman

Airports to be built in small cities

ravel Designer Group hosted its Annual Agent Appreciation event and launch of Designer Indya brochure in Mumtaz Mahal Restaurant, Muscat-Oman on 6 April, 2015, which was attended by leading travel agents and tour operators of Oman. The event was held to appreciate the never ending response from the local travel trade and also acted as a platform to showcase the Designer Indya brochure to the travel trade in Oman. At the event, the travel partners got a glimpse of the itineraries offered by Designer Indya. Designer Indya promotes luxury inbound Indian holidays to the international markets and to the needs of travel partners all across the globe.

Voyager’s World > April 2015

irports Authority of India (AAI) undertook the construction of small airports at five locations during 2014-2015 - Hubli and Belgaum in Karnataka, Kishangarh in Rajasthan, Jharsuguda in Odisha and Tezu in Arunachal Pradesh. The Minister of State for Civil Aviation, Dr. Mahesh Sharma said that a task force under the Chairmanship of Joint Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation had been constituted for identification of other locations based on certain broad criteria such as, minimum population of 10 lakhs, tourism potential, commercial viability, details of the flight movements in the past, social obligations etc. The Government of India is open to private participation in the process of providing regional and remote area connectivity to Tier-II and Tier-III cities through construction of small airports across the country.

Abhibus.com launches India Bus Awards

bhibus.com launched the ‘India Bus Awards’ in Hyderabad last week, in an attempt to honour the significant contribution of the bus industry to the country. The awards, which would be conferred among fleet operators, both private and state transport undertakings, would be given away across 14 categories and would revolve around operations, customer satisfaction, safety, employee satisfaction and environment. The ceremony would be held at Mumbai in June this year. Ernst & Young, LLP, are the official tabulators for the awards to validate the awards processes, bring in transparency and credibility.

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Cover Story

8>>

back to earth... get sustainable and more...

Sustainable tourism seeks to provide people with an exciting and educational holiday that is also of benefit to the people of the host country. PRIYAMVADHA BALARAM

he UNESCO says that tourism is one of the world’s fastest growing industries and is a major source of income for many countries. Being a people-oriented industry, tourism also provides many jobs which have helped revitalise local economies. The Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, long laid out certain pointers for destinations to qualify as sustainable tourist spots, as part of a study on the advantages of this segment. However, like other forms of development, tourism can also cause its share of problems, such as social dislocation, loss of cultural heritage, economic dependence and ecological degradation. Learning about the impacts of tourism has led many people to seek more responsible holidays. These include various forms of alternative or sustainable tourism such as: ‘nature-based tourism’, ‘ecotourism’ and ‘cultural tourism’. Sustainable tourism is becoming so popular that some say that what we presently call ‘alternative’ will be the ‘mainstream’ in a decade. All tourism activities of whatever motivation – holidays, business travel, confer-

Voyager’s World > April 2015

ences, adventure travel and ecotourism – need to be sustainable. Sustainable tourism is defined by the UNESCO as “tourism that respects both local people and the traveller, cultural heritage and the environment”. It seeks to provide people with an exciting and educational holiday that is also of benefit to the people of the host country. The tourism sector’s capability as a sustainable and inclusive development driver, especially for livelihoods, was renewed with the 10th Five Year Plan, the National Tourism Policy, the global Incredible !ndia campaign and the Millennium Development Goals. To supplement traditional farm-based income, many rural communities have moved towards livelihood diversification. Such attempts have included out-migration or provision of visitor services on tourism circuits in various states. Industrialisation and development trends worldwide have fostered urbancentric growth, often disconnected with the rural heartland. This trend of urbanization has also dented job opportunities and income levels in rural areas, apart

from an urbanization syndrome in the countryside. Conversely, the stresses of urban life have created a need for counter-urbanization, which could, for example, strengthen the bond between India and Bharat. Sustainable tourism can provide solutions to the issues of inclusive growth. Besides, the ‘return to roots’ focus, in tourism, is interlinked with increased access to information, enlarged interest in heritage and culture, improved accessibility and climate change concerns. India has taken a lead in this field. Tourism experiences across the country now provide quality time visits for participatory settings, where the takeaway includes the enduring way of life, art, culture and heritage that are community-owned, culturally expressive and environmentally sustainable. There is simultaneous benefit for local communities with the enriching connection between visitor and host. Attitudes and mindsets are transformed, imparting local pride and visitor appreciation. The visitor thus comes face to front with India’s vernacular traditions as they vibe with the present. The geographical spread and habitat diversity of India makes it a multiple-interest, all-season destination.

Sustainable visitor strategies based on art, craft, cultural & natural heritage and environment care can hence target larger tourism yields, which could contribute significantly to conservation and to the rural sector in particular. Tourism hence has the potential of being a non-polluting, sustainable, income provider. With the global emphasis on sustainability and combating climate change, this creates a major opportunity to position the Indian tourism experience as a unique visitor takeaway, in low-impact settings. Tourism is one economic sector in India that has the potential to grow at a high rate and ensure the development of infrastructure at the destinations. It has the capacity to capitalize on the country’s success in the services sector and provide sustainable models of growth. In India, the travel and tourism sector is estimated to create 78 jobs per million rupees of investment, compared to 45 jobs in the manufacturing sector for similar investment. Along with construction, it is one of the largest sectors of the service industry in India. Apart from providing employment to a wide spectrum of job seekers from the unskilled

Cover Story

9>> to the specialized, a higher proportion of tourism benefits (jobs, MSME trade opportunities), accrue to women. Moreover, emphasis would increasingly be given to organising more short-term courses for the unskilled workforce, as well as unemployed youth, on the pattern of ‘Hunar-se-Rozgar’ and ‘skill certification of service providers’. Besides, strategies followed during the 11th Plan may have to be suitably recalibrated to take care of the challenges from competing countries and to harness the full potential of Indian tourism. In India, the tourism sector is based on its unique endowments of biodiversity, forests, rivers, and its rich culture and heritage. The challenges in this sector lie in successfully preserving these in their original form, and making them accessible to domestic and international travelers, together with safeguarding the economic interest and heritage of local communities. The importance of Sustainable Tourism worldwide has increased significantly due to the impact of increased human activity on climate. Nevertheless, it is necessary that the negative impact of the Tourism industry is not enlarged unrealistically. Full advantage can then be drawn from the potential of tourism for inclusive growth, with livelihood support to the poor, most disadvantaged, women and youth. Sustainable tourism implies minimizing the negative and maximizing the positive effects of all forms and activities of tourism on environment, Local Communities, Heritage (cultural, natural, built, oral, intangible), Inclusive economic growth.

sources of India, Policy and planning, Operational guidelines for (i) government (ii) developers, operators and suppliers, (iii) visitors. (iv) destination population / host community, and (v) NGOs/scientific & research institutions and Environmental pledge. Last year in August, the comprehensive Sustainable Tourism Criteria for India (STCI) for accommodation, tour operators and beaches, backwaters, lakes and rivers sectors was launched. The government had ensured that strategies for development of tourism were not in conflict with the environment and had minimal negative impact. All the stakeholders in

Tourism is primarily driven by the private sector, with a multiplicity of stakeholders, whose sizes range from micro enterprises to large transnational corporations. The actions of these players, along with those of tourists and the local communities, determine the overall impact of tourism on the environment, whether positive or negative. Governments – Central, State and Local – have a critical role in determining the policies for sustainable tourism. Moreover, many policies and much of the legislation surrounding sustainable tourism falls in the area of governance, such as land use, labour laws, environmental regulations and waste disposal. One of the primary functions of the Government in enhancing Sustainable Tourism is, therefore, to create an environment that enables or influences the private sector to operate more sustainably, and influence patterns of visitor flows and behaviour to optimize the impact of tourism.

a more just and fair social order. Sustainable tourism should: 1) Make optimal use of environmental resources that constitute a key element in tourism development, maintaining essential ecological processes and helping to conserve natural heritage and biodiversity. 2) Respect the socio-cultural authenticity of host communities, conserve their built and living cultural heritage and traditional values, and contribute to inter-cultural understanding and tolerance. 3) Ensure viable, long-term economic

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Positive intervention by the Government, is thus necessary, going beyond providing an enabling environment. Recognizing its role in promoting Sustainable Tourism, the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, had, as far back as 1998, extensively deliberated with the industry and other stakeholders to formulate the wide-ranging “Ecotourism in India – Policy and Guidelines”, covering:

the tourism industry were urged not to exploit natural and other resources for short-term gains. The principles of sustainability include conservation of water, energy, culture, heritage, revival of ancient architecture, involvement of communities, protection of wildlife and non-exploitation of women, children and weaker sections. Stakeholders in the tourism industry are encouraged to be eco-sensitive and adopt the STCI and do business for long-term benefits with the objectives of creating employment, generating national income, preserving our cultural & natural heritage, enhancing the status of women and underprivileged and facilitating growth of

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Cover Story

operations, providing socio-economic benefits to all stakeholders that are fairly distributed, including stable employment and income-earning opportunities and social services to host communities, and contributing to poverty alleviation. The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) Criteria are the result of a worldwide effort to develop a common language about sustainability in tourism. Focusing on social and environmental responsibility, as well as the positive and negative economic and cultural impacts of tourism, the criteria are organized into four topics -sustainable management, Socioeconomic impacts, Cultural impacts and Environmental impacts (including consumption of resources, reducing pollution, and conserving biodiversity and landscapes) The GSTC Criteria have been built on decades of prior work and experience around the world, and they take into account the numerous guidelines and standards for sustainable tourism from every continent. During the process of development, they were widely consulted throughout the globe, in both developed and developing countries, in several languages. They reflect our goal in attaining

Voyagerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s World > April 2015

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a global consensus on sustainable tourism. The Criteria are the minimum, not the maximum, which businesses and destinations should achieve to approach social, environmental, cultural, and economic sustainability. Since tourism destinations each have their own culture, environment, customs, and laws, the Criteria are designed to be adapted to local conditions and supplemented by additional criteria for the specific location and activity. Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria for Destinations SECTION A: Demonstrate sustainable destination management A1 Sustainable destination strategy The destination has established and is implementing a multi-year destination strategy that is publicly available, is suited to its scale, that considers environmental, economic, social, cultural, quality, health, and safety, and aesthetic issues, and was developed with public participation. A2 Destination management organization

The destination has an effective organization, department, group, or committee responsible for a coordinated approach to sustainable tourism, with involvement by the private sector and public sector. This group is suited to the size and scale of the destination, and has defined responsibilities, oversight, and implementation capability for the management of environmental, economic, social, and cultural issues. This groupâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s activities are appropriately funded. A3 Monitoring The destination has a system to monitor, publicly report, and respond to environmental, economic, social, cultural, tourism, and human rights issues. The monitoring system is reviewed and evaluated periodically.

climate change. This system encourages climate change adaptation strategies for development, siting, design, and management of facilities. The system contributes to the sustainability and resilience of the destination and to public education on climate for both residents and tourists. A6 Inventory of tourism assets and attractions The destination has an up-to-date, publicly available inventory and assessment of its tourism assets and attractions, including natural and cultural sites.

A4 Tourism seasonality management The destination dedicates resources to mitigate seasonal variability of tourism where appropriate, working to balance the needs of the local economy, community, cultures and environment, to identify year-round tourism opportunities.

A7 Planning Regulations The destination has planning guidelines, regulations and/or policies that require environmental, economic, and social impact assessment and integrate sustainable land use, design, construction, and demolition. The guidelines, regulations and/or policies are designed to protect natural and cultural resources, were created with local inputs from the public and a thorough review process, are publicly communicated, and are enforced.

A5 Climate change adaptation The destination has a system to identify risks and opportunities associated with

A8 Access for all Where appropriate, sites and facilities, including those of natural and cultural

MC Mary Kom

Cover Story

importance, are accessible to all, including persons with disabilities and others who have specific access requirements. Where such sites and facilities are not immediately accessible, access is afforded through the design and implementation of solutions that take into account both the integrity of the site and such reasonable accommodations for persons with access requirements as can be achieved. A9 Property acquisitions Laws and regulations regarding property acquisitions exist, are enforced, comply with communal and indigenous rights, ensure public consultation, and do not authorize resettlement without prior informed consent and/or reasonable compensation. A10 Visitor satisfaction The destination has a system to monitor and publicly report visitor satisfaction, and, if necessary, to take action to improve visitor satisfaction. A11 Sustainability standards The destination has a system to promote sustainability standards for enterprises consistent with the GSTC Criteria. The destination makes publicly available a

Voyager’s World > April 2015

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list of sustainability certified or verified enterprises. A12 Safety and security The destination has a system to monitor, prevent, publicly report, and respond to crime, safety, and health hazards. A13 Crisis and emergency management The destination has a crisis and emergency response plan that is appropriate to the destination. Key elements are communicated to residents, visitors, and enterprises. The plan establishes procedures and provides resources and training for staff, visitors, and residents, and is updated on a regular basis. A14 Promotion Promotion is accurate with regard to the destination and its products, services, and sustainability claims. The promotional messages treat local communities and tourists authentically and respectfully. Maximize economic benefits to the host community and minimize negative impacts B1 Economic monitoring The direct and indirect economic contribution of tourism to the destination’s

economy is monitored and publicly reported at least annually. To the extent feasible, this should include visitor expenditure, revenue per available room, employment and investment data.

The destination provides regular programs to affected communities to enhance their understanding of the opportunities and challenges of tourism, and the importance of sustainability.

B2 Local career opportunities The destination’s enterprises provide equal employment, training opportunities, occupational safety, and fair wages for all.

B7 Preventing exploitation The destination has laws and established practices to prevent commercial, sexual, or any other form of exploitation and harassment of anyone, particularly of children, adolescents, women, and minorities. The laws and established practices are publicly communicated.

B3 Public participation The destination has a system that encourages public participation in destination planning and decision making on an ongoing basis. B4 Local community opinion Local communities’ aspirations, concerns, and satisfaction with destination management are regularly monitored, recorded and publicly reported in a timely manner. B5 Local access The destination monitors, protects, and when necessary rehabilitates or restores local community access to natural and cultural sites. B6 Tourism awareness and education

B8 Support for community The destination has a system to enable and encourage enterprises, visitors, and the public to contribute to community and sustainability initiatives. B9 Supporting local entrepreneurs and fair trade The destination has a system that supports local and small- and medium-sized enterprises, and promotes and develops local sustainable products and fair trade principles that are based on the area’s nature and culture. These may include food and beverages, crafts, performance arts, agricultural products, etc.

Cover Story

Maximize benefits to communities, visitors, and culture; minimize negative impacts C1 Attraction protection The destination has a policy and system to evaluate, rehabilitate, and conserve natural and cultural sites, including built heritage (historic and archaeological) and rural and urban scenic views. C2 Visitor management The destination has a visitor management system for attraction sites that includes measures to preserve, protect, and enhance natural and cultural assets. C3 Visitor behavior The destination has published and provided guidelines for proper visitor behavior at sensitive sites. C4 Cultural heritage protection The destination has laws governing the proper sale, trade, display, or gifting of historical and archaeological artifacts. C5 Site interpretation Accurate interpretive information is provided at natural and cultural sites. The information is culturally appropriate, developed with community collabora-

Voyagerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s World > April 2015

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tion, and communicated in languages pertinent to visitors. C6 Intellectual property The destination has a system to contribute to the protection and preservation of intellectual property rights of communities and individuals. SECTION D: Maximize benefits to the environment and minimize negative impacts D1 Environmental risks The destination has identified environmental risks and has a system in place to address them. D2 Protection of sensitive environments The destination has a system to monitor the environmental impact of tourism, conserve habitats, species, and ecosystems, and prevent the introduction of invasive species. D3 Wildlife protection The destination has a system to ensure compliance with local, national, and international laws and standards for the harvest or capture, display, and sale of wildlife (including plants and animals).

D4 Greenhouse gas emissions The destination has a system to encourage enterprises to measure, monitor, minimize, publicly report, and mitigate their greenhouse gas emissions from all aspects of their operation (including emissions from service providers). D5 Energy conservation The destination has a system to encourage enterprises to measure, monitor, reduce, and publicly report energy consumption, and reduce reliance on fossil fuels. D6 Water Management The destination has a system to encourage enterprises to measure, monitor, reduce, and publicly report water usage. D7 Water security The destination has a system to monitor its water resources to ensure that use by enterprises is compatible with the water requirements of the destination community. D8 Water quality The destination has a system to monitor drinking and recreational water quality using quality standards. The monitoring results are publicly available, and the destination has a system to respond in

a timely manner to water quality issues. D9 Wastewater The destination has clear and enforced guidelines in place for the siting, maintenance and testing of discharge from septic tanks and wastewater treatment systems, and ensures wastes are properly treated and reused or released safely with minimal adverse effects to the local population and the environment. D10 Solid waste reduction The destination has a system to encourage enterprises to reduce, reuse, and recycle solid waste. Any residual solid waste that is not reused or recycled is disposed of safely and sustainably. D11 Light and noise pollution The destination has guidelines and regulations to minimize light and noise pollution. The destination encourages enterprises to follow these guidelines and regulations. D12 Low-impact transportation The destination has a system to increase the use of low-impact transportation, including public transportation and active transportation (e.g., walking and cycling).

Middle East Tourism

15>>

family travel is spotlight theme of arabian travel mart 2015

This year, the spotlight theme is Family Travel. There will also be a focus on Travel Technology, Business Travel, Luxury and Wellness. VW BUREAU

Sharjah bullish on Indian market To focus on Family segment & MICE

n a move that would enhance the image of Sharjah as an exciting destination for the discerning, the ‘Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority’ is all set to unleash an increased marketing activity to woo the Indian outbound market. As part of the UAE - National Council of Tourism and Antiquities delegation on a Roadshow series in India, the destination hoped to create a renewed impact on the Indian travel-trade and media. On the sidelines of the event, H.E. Khalid Jasim Al Midfa, Director-General, Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority spoke exclusively to Voyager’s World on their effort to project Sharjah as a complete family destination. “Sharjah will focus on its Culture patronage and would like bring forth the destination’s unique attributes. Sharjah is home to over 20 museums which is the highest concentration of Museums in the region’. Speaking on the Indian market, he added that there has been consistently double digit growth from India with over 135,000 hotel guests, marking an increase of 15%’ and total arrivals touching a million.” He further added that an average stay of 1 - 2 nights for business visitors and 3 - 4 nights for families were recorded.

H.E. Khalid Jasim Al Midfa, Director-General, Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority

Sharjah is not far behind in trying to establish a market for MICE. “MICE is a growing segment for the destination and we have added several path-breaking events, that have created record interest in the destination, such as the Sharjah International Book Fair, which is the biggest in the Middle-East and overall fourth in the world”. Sharjah Tourism website further enumerates other important events such as the annual Sharjah Water Festival, which is now in its 12th year which incorporates the final grand prix of the F1 powerboat racing and attracts thousands of visitors to the Sharjah Corniche area every December. “India will soon have a representative office to market Sharjah as a complete and year round destination,” Midfa said.

rabian Travel Market (ATM) 2015 will take place from May 4 - 7, 2015 at the Dubai International Conference and Exhibition Centre (DICEC). For 21 years, ATM has provided a place to do face to face business with companies from around the globe. ATM 2015 promises to be bigger and better than ever before. This year, the spotlight theme is Family Travel. There will also be a focus on Travel Technology, Business Travel, Luxury and Wellness. ATM is the travel and tourism event un-

locking business potential within the Middle East for inbound and outbound tourism professionals. It is held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, Ruler of Dubai. The United Arab Emirates is in an exciting new marketing endeavour to promote a collection of delights in the form of its unique regions, for which it organised a three-city roadshow in New Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore last week. The seven

Emirates constituted by Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Dubai, Fujairah, Ras al-Khaimah, Sharjah and Umm al-Quwain, although having their own marketing bodies, have still taken an initiative to target holiday makers and business tourists from the world over to extend their stay in the Emirates and delve on some of its most unique destination products. Established in 2009, the UAE - National Council of Tourism and Antiquities was strategically created to collective market and present the Emirates in International inbound markets.

The participants included airline partners Etihad, Emirates and Air Arabia, apart from leading Destination Management Companies, hotels and resorts, etc. The event highlighted the theme ‘Seven Emirates… One Destination’ and focused on creating combo packages involving the different Emirates. Speaking exclusively to Voyager’s World, Abdulla Saleh Al Hammadi, Director, Marketing and Overseas Promotion, UAE - The National Council of Tourism & Antiquities said: “’The key strategy is to

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Middle East Tourism

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Abdulla Saleh Al Hammadi, Director, Marketing and Overseas Promotion, UAE - The National Council of Tourism & Antiquities The key strategy is to promote the region as a destination for families, MICE and Business. Our unique offerings, once you arrive into any of the Emirate, help you explore the region and indulge in its unique tourist attributes. promote the region as a destination for families, MICE and Business. Our unique offerings, once you arrive into any of the Emirate, help you explore the region and indulge in its unique tourist attributes. With most tourist sites being a mere drive away from each other, in terms of accessibility, it would easily help add an additional Night stay in the Emirates.” He added that India being one of the key inbound markets for the region, they would like to create an interest for some of the Emirate’s key tourism products and attractions among the Indian travel-trade. “We would be aggressively promoting the region on different digital platforms, continue with our Roadshows in India and engage the market.” The Dubai Visa Processing Centre now offers 30-day and 90-day multiple entry visa categories into the UAE. These visas can be availed by applicants who wish to travel to UAE for the purpose of business, seminars and exhibitions or a vacation and need to visit UAE (DXB) multiple times. The short term visit mul-

Voyager’s World > April 2015

tiple entry tourist visa (30 days) and long term multiple entry visit tourist visa (90 days) will also shortly be available on www.emirates.com. The DVPC’s service includes accepting documents, collecting the visa fee, issuing receipts and forwarding the applications to relevant authorities in UAE. It also provides valueadded options like the door-to-door and express visa service in select markets. Besides, DVPC service is available online to residents of over 180 countries globally via www.emirates.com. “Emirates has been proudly serving India since 1985, and during that time we have connected millions of business and leisure passengers from India to our home and hub in Dubai,” said Mr. Essa Sulaiman Ahmad, Vice President – India & Nepal, Emirates. “These new 30 and 90 day multiple entry visas will allow them an even more convenient way to conduct business meetings, attend conferences or visit friends and family in the UAE,” he added. Vinay Malhotra, COO – South Asia and

DVPC, VFS Global added: “DVPC is honoured to be associated with Emirates in facilitating the UAE visa application process for travellers to Dubai, globally. These new visa categories can be availed of at all our visa application centres across the globe., DVPC is privileged to be associated with Emirates since 2002 as a trusted partner, and in addition to the visa application centres, we also provide online services in over 180 countries via www.emirates.com.” The Muscat Festival started on January 15 as a biggest event of the year with cultural activities along with activities like Telly Match, Dinosaur village, Ice village, Heritage Village and Village Family. One can also witness fireworks show, sound, light and image shows and laser show, the festival has also sporting and beach events, concerts of Omani singers, international theatre shows for children, in addition to electronic games, trade show and entertainment shows. This heritage village concept has always been important part of the Muscat festival that gives you a feeling of what life was like in Mus-

cat hundreds of years ago. The traditional style music and folk dances are performed everyday and some of these crafts include pottery making, rope making, silversmith work and woodworking and ‘mandoos’ wooden chest making. The festival will conclude on February 14, 2015 followed by the Tour of Oman from February 17 to 21, 2015. The Muscat Festival is Oman’s one of the biggest cultural event. Since 1998, the inaugural year have been with more international tourists visiting the festival . The Muscat Festival is becoming recognized as one of the Arabian Peninsula’s top cultural events. The Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, is the first and only Ferrari-branded and largest indoor theme park in the world. It features high-adrenaline rides including the world’s fastest roller coaster, family friendly attractions, state-of-the-art simulators, live shows and racing memorabilia. The attractions also include two stores and a selection of restaurants that celebrate Italian culinary traditions.

Middle East Tourism

17>> The Yas Waterworld Abu Dhabi is an iconic Emirati-Themed waterpark and largest in the capital. It is built over 15 hectares and is Yas Waterworld the UAE’s first mega waterpark with exhilarating rides, slides and attractions that will thrill the whole family. Yas Waterworld Abu Dhabi offers 45 rides, slides and attractions; five one-of-a-kind rides that have never been seen before in a waterpark; unique pearl diving attraction that showcases traditional Emirati pearl diving; unique PearlMasters adventure, the very first treasure-hunt style interactive adventure game to make an appearance in a waterpark and souk, shopping, cafes, entertainment as well as tailor-made solutions to the MICE sector looking to organize events at a waterpark. The Qasr Al Hosn Festival was celebrated in Abu Dhabi in February this year with an innovative public programme dedicated in honouring the UAE’s rich culture and history.The festival was organized by Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority and celebrates the traditions and culture of Abu Dhabi. The aim behind the festival was to engage with the community and give the public rare access to the fort during its restoration and to collectively appreciate centuries of Emirati culture. Abu Dhabi is generating a high level of interest as a multi-faceted, unexplored and exotic destination for the upwardlymobile aspirational Indian traveller. Con-

tinuing the high focus and emphasis on India as the destination’s leading outbound source market for hotel guests, Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi) recently organized an evening with Abu Dhabi in Goa. TCA Abu Dhabi, along with Etihad Airways and Jet Airways, invited travel trade professionals in Goa over an evening of discovering the multi-faceted attractions of Abu Dhabi. The destination is now closer than ever for Indian travellers with Jet Airways commencing daily direct flights between Abu Dhabi - Goa. The event saw a great response with prominent travel trade professionals coming for networking with the TCA Abu Dhabi, Etihad Airways and Jet Airways teams. Abu Dhabi offers fresh and exotic attractions with a blend of both traditional and the modern. It is growing as a choice destination for leisure, special interest, destination weddings, honeymooners, niche travellers and also an increasing MICE movement. India is currently Abu Dhabi’s leading overseas source market. Abu Dhabi welcomed 231,702 Indian hotel guests in 2014 at a growth rate of 32% over 2013. There were 850,443 guest nights in 2014, at a growth rate of 23% over 2013. Reiterating the firm commitment to India market, Bejan Dinshaw, TCA Abu Dhabi Country Manager - India, said, “We are excited to market Abu Dhabi as a destination of choice for Goa. Abu Dhabi is closer than

ever to India and especially Goa now with the daily direct flight connectivity. Goa is well-known as the home of the funloving, who enjoy life to the fullest. Abu Dhabi with its entertainment options, iconic properties, culture and heritage is the complete destination for a fresh holiday experience. We are very positive with the growth potential of this market.” Abu Dhabi is also attracting arts and culture lovers with the fast developing Saadiyat Island Cultural District. With its sweeping beach, Saadiyat Beach Golf Club and stunning beachfront resorts, Saadiyat Island will soon be home to a series of world-class cultural institutions. The Jean Nouvel-designed Louvre Abu Dhabi will open this year, followed by the Zayed National Museum next year and the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi in 2017. The Oman Ministry of Tourism (Oman Tourism), Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi), Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) and newly joined Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA), and Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA), came together under the Cruise Arabia Alliance to represent the Arabian Gulf at the Cruise Shipping Miami, the cruise industry’s leading global event running from 16-19 March in Miami, USA. Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Oman attended their second year as Cruise

Arabia with tourism authorities of Qatar and Sharjah for the first time, to promote the Arabian Gulf as the cruise tourism hotspot. Promoting the cruise industry within the Arabian Gulf and internationally is a key mandate of the Cruise Arabia Alliance. Another destination that is making steady efforts to make its presence felt in India is Ras-al-Khaimah (RAK) which is just over a half-hour drive from Sharjah International Airport. As a threehour getaway from India, reaching RAK is possible within the duration of watching one Bollywood movie and is the top fifth market for RAK. Coming across as not just a city-break destination, the emirate has some stunning properties that are not too expensive like th Bin Majid Beach Hotel, Waldorf Astoria, Hilton Al Hamra Beach and Golf Resort, Banyan Tree Al Wadi and so on. The ‘Iceland’ Theme Park , has more than 50 attractions, private cabanas, etc. and ideal for corporate get-togethers. Other attractions in RAK include Jebel Jias Mountains which is the tallest peak there and an ideal place for a winter holiday; the Basata camp which is built in a Bedouin-style offering entertainment, music, shisha, belly dancing and dinner; the Dhayah Fort in Al Rams town on top of which one can get a view of the city as well as the Al Jazirah Aviation Club, among other attractions.

dubai locations play host to masterchef india challenge Atlantis The Palm, Global Village and Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club provided the locations for MasterChef India’s ‘Dubai Week Challenge’ VW BUREAU

ecently, locations around Dubai provided the settings for a series of culinary challenges as the fourth season of Star TV’s MasterChef India heats up and eight contestants take part in the ‘Dubai Week Challenge’. Airing from 16th March to 21st March, the show’s celebrity Indian chefs Vikas Khanna, Sanjeev Kapoor and Ranveer Barar were spotted around the Emirate while they set a series of tough challenges in locations including Atlantis, The Palm Hotel & Resort, Global Village, and Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club.

ances at the Dubai Food Festival, “The fine-dining scene in the Middle East is both dynamic and vibrant. As a city and a population, Dubai has been very open to cuisines from different cultures; and the openness to experimenting with food is clearly evidenced in the success and variation of Dubai’s wide offering of restaurants. This city has been my second home ever since I opened Khazana in 1998. Since then, I have developed a special bond with Dubai, which has led to the opening of three more of my restaurants here.”

Filmed shortly after the conclusion of the Dubai Food Festival, the ‘Dubai Week Challenge’ continued one of the festival’s themes of highlighting the fusion of food which exists in the emirate, with the contestants challenged to create a number of vegetarian dishes inspired by the flavours of the Middle East.

MasterChef India is the latest in a longline of Indian films and television shows to film in Dubai: a key part of an ongoing marketing strategy to continue to position the emirate as a destination of choice for Indian tourists. In 2014, Dubai welcomed more than 990,000 hotel guests from India, placing the sub-continent as the second top source market for the Emirate as per the figures released earlier this month by Dubai’s Depart-

MasterChef India host and judge Chef Sanjeev Kapoor, said during his appear-

ment of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM). Issam Kazim, CEO of the Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing, said, “MasterChef India provides us with the perfect platform to showcase Dubai and its diverse culinary offerings to potential Indian visitors. Each of the episodes will provide viewers in India with a glimpse of Dubai’s rich food offerings against the backdrop of some of the emirate’s most popular locations and demonstrate why Dubai is increasingly being recognised as the leading gastronomic destination in the region. Coming so soon after the successful second edition of the Dubai Food Festival, it provides another opportunity for us to portray Dubai’s cultural and culinary offering as one of the most diverse and colourful in the world.” “We were thrilled to partner with DTCM on the filming of MasterChef India at Atlantis, The Palm,” said Serge Zaalof,

President and Managing Director of Atlantis, The Palm. “India is a very important market for us, and we were extremely happy to have locations within our resort, including The Lost Chambers Aquarium, The Grand Lobby and Nasimi Beach, included within one of the episodes. Atlantis is a perfect venue for the show’s competition. We look forward to continuing to work with DTCM on future opportunities to highlight the best of Dubai to India and beyond.” “We were delighted to host the Masterchef India team at Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club for the filming of one of their upcoming episodes,” said Adele Cowgill, Head of Sales & Marketing of Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club. “The club is one of Dubai’s oldest and iconic landmarks and it is great for us to be working alongside such a well-loved television show to bring them to our venue. We are all looking forward to seeing the show when it airs shortly!”

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India Outbound

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Queen Rania meets international journalists in Amman IRENE SUSAN EAPEN

er Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah recently met a group of global journalists and social media representatives at the Royal Automobile Museum in Amman, visiting Jordan on a mega FAM trip hosted by the Ministry of Tourism in coordination with the Jordan Tourism Board (JTB). The event was attended by the Nayef Al Fayez, Minister of Tourism-Jordan, Dr. Abdul Razzaq Arabiyat, Director General of JTB, Raja Gargour, Director of the Royal Heritage Directorate and Mohammad

Abu Seir, Director of the Royal Automobile Museum. Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah says, “Jordan has so much to offer in terms of history, culture, the adventure, nature, health and wellness, religious tourism, In a nutshell there is something for everybody. One would have already experienced the Jordanian hospitality and the warmth of its people. In Jordan a tourist is a guest, you will meet many people offering you a cup of Chai and

sharing their views with you.” “At the end of the day when one visits a new country it is not just an opportunity to open your eyes to new places but also an opportunity to open your mind to new series,” Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah added. The Queen highlighted that the travellers were the best ambassadors for tolerance and that they can help challenge stereotypes of Arabs and Muslims, particularly

during current times. The travellers are also the best storytellers as Jordan is very much a safe destination, warm and welcoming country. It is really a great destination and a place of experience. One really needs to experience the country. Nayef Al Fayez, Minister of Tourism, Jordan also addressed the media at the event highlighting that the trip came in line with the ministry’s policy of promoting Jordan globally through various media outlets.

Jordan expects a huge growth from the Indian market IRENE SUSAN EAPEN

Nayef Al Fayez, Minister of Tourism, Jordan says the Indian market is one of the largest markets and is looking forward to see growing in numbers to Jordan. est natural spa offers a different kind of experience. We were excited to learn that Indians love to visit the port of Aqaba and explore the city of Aqaba. We have witnessed more Indians coming to Jordan as a part of cross cultural exchange and a lot of Jordanians have also been visiting India for their honeymoons and vacations.

Indian Market Jordan has a lot to offer in terms of history, culture, the adventure, nature, health and wellness and religious tourism. The diversity of Jordan in a small size gives one the flexibility to visit the country for different reasons. The Indian market has been part of the pilgrimage package of Jordan. We have noticed Indians like to explore a destination and are part of different categories . For other activities we are offering Indians the rich history, culture and wellness as Dead Sea the larg-

Voyager’s World > April 2015

When we opened our office in the Indian market we believed this could be one of the largest markets and will have a huge growth from this market. We have seen a huge growth unfortunately there has been an interruption due to the airlines .We are still seeing numbers coming from India and will be working on to have direct flights. Segments We have succeeded to shot few Bollywood movies in Jordan like a song from Krrish 3 and the Kajrare album of Himesh Reshammiya. Jordan has a huge potential for wedding tourism as the weddings are big and an important segment

where one would like to organize weddings at the lowest point of the earth mainly for an exotic wedding on Dead Sea. One of the other segments we are focusing on is MICE tourism where we can organize a meeting on an international level like business meetings with the King Hussein Bin Talal Convention Center located in Dead Sea offering the Philadelphia Hall which is pillar less that has a capacity of 5000 people. Promotions India is a very important market for Jordan, we will be working with the tour operators and will have activities planned through media and advertisements. We also have online platforms and joint promotions with travel agents. We are looking forward to see the Indian market growing in numbers to Jordan. Safe Destination Jordan has always been a peaceful country and always been as an oasis of peace

and stability for all travelers. Jordan has always been same through out its history.People have called Jordan the Switzerland of the Middle East because of its good relation and stability. Visa Friendly Destination Jordan is now visa friendly for the Indian nationals it has been visa on arrival for the past one year we are allowing group visas up on visa on arrival.According to the visa on arrival policy for Indians to Jordan tourists need to have any amount of money where the guarantee of the travel agent is sufficient for individuals/groups .For more than 5 passengers and plus travelling to Jordan through a Jordanian agent who are staying in Jordan for minimum 48 hrs can get free visa on arrival. We have seen an increase in the number of Indians in last few years and the Indian travelers are now coming in large numbers to Jordan.We have seen small numbers of Indians coming over in the past but today they are increasing in numbers.

India Outbound

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Canadian tourism commission organises B2B meet in three cities The B2B sessions were attended by Canadian travel partners who updated the travel agents on the unique travel products in Canada. These were followed by destination trainings by our provincial partners. VW BUREAU

he Canadian Tourism Commission (CTC) organized meetings and education program for travel agents in three cities. The business meetings with Canadian sellers as well as the education program sessions took place in Mumbai, Kolkata and Bangalore from March 2326, 2015. The B2B sessions were attended by Canadian travel partners who updated the travel agents on the unique travel products in Canada. These were followed by destination trainings by our provincial partners. The sessions were held at the Four Seasons Hotel in Mumbai, The Lalit Great Eastern in Kolkata and the Taj Vivanta in Bangalore. Some of the participating Canadian sellers are Air Canada, Banff Lake Louise Tourism, Fairmont Hotels and Resorts, Globus Family or Brands, Hornblower, Jasper Tourism, Ontario Tourism Marketing Partnership Corporation (OTMPC), Toronto Tourism, Tourism

Calgary, Tourism Jasper and VIA Rail. SanJeet, India Representative, Canadian Tourism Commission said “In 2015, CTC will be focusing on the newly added Canadian Signature Experiences (CSE). Besides Delhi and Mumbai, we would also be targeting Tier II and Tier III cities through education programs. CSE helps the travel agents package the products better and sell more confidently. Emphasis will also be on first-hand experience of the destination via trade FAM trips and attendance at Rendez-vous Canada (RVC). Joint co-ops are an integral part of our strategy moving forward to work together with our partners helping sell Canada better.” To emphasize and educate the trade partners, The Canada Specialist Program (CSP) will be aggressively promoted. The agents are a key channel in international travel purchase in India. The experiences

offered are unique to Canada and have been picked keeping in mind the Indian travellers. These are once-in-a-lifetime experiences offered by Canada. There are over 2,600 CSP-qualified agents and over 5,750 active CSP members in India. CTC would also focus on firsthand experi-

ence to the trade via year round FAM’s. Besides this, front line trainings for staff, regional meetings, participation in trade shows are among the many initiatives to help Canada make inroads into the Indian travel market. CTC also participated in the annual trade convention TAFI in Jerusalem.

Zanzibar Tourism enters India, eyes investment opportunities The ZTPC inked co-operation and joint effort MoUs with the Indian Merchants Chamber (IMC) on 1 April; with TAAI and TAFI both on 2 April. VW BUREAU

he Zanzibar Tourism Promotion Centre, India, hereafter known as the ZTPC -was set up on 17 February 2015 under an agreement between the Ministry of Information, Culture, Tourism & Sports, Zanzibar (MICTS) and Jhil Enterprises a part of the SRP Group. The ZTPC inked co-operation and joint effort MoUs with the Indian Merchants Chamber (IMC) on 1 April; with the Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI) and the Travel Agents Association of India (TAFI) both on 2 April. ZTPC India, which was inaugurated in Mumbai on 2 April by Said Ali Mbarouk - Zanzibar’s Minister for Information, Culture, Tourism & Sports, will assist the MICTS and the Zanzibar Commission for Tourism (ZCT) in promoting Zanzibar as a tourism and investment destination in India and strengthening its relationship with India by closely working with representative bodies in various spheres.

The Zanzibar delegation comprised Hon. Said Ali Mbarouk - Minister for Information, Culture, Tourism & Sports; Mohammed Hija - Deputy High Commissioner, Tanzania Embassy, New Delhi; Issa Mlingoti - Deputy Secretary, Ministry of Information, Culture, Tourism & Sports; Dr. Ahmada - Chairman, Zanzibar Commission for Tourism; Leluu Abdallah, Advisor Economic Affairs, Tanzania Embassy, New Delhi; Jilesh Babla - Zanzibar Tourism Promotion Centre, India; Jnyan Patel - Zanzibar Tourism Promotion Centre, India; Vasuki Sundaram - Associate, Zanzibar Tourism Promotion Centre, India. It will also assist the MICTS and ZCT in critical investment issues and providing consultation for capacity building, education, technology transfer, etc. ZTPC India will promote Zanzibar’s Tourism offerings in India; enhance awareness amongst the business and travel fraternity as well as the population at

large; strengthen the existing bond between India and Zanzibar. Zanzibar offers tremendous tourism opportunities for family and FITs; destination weddings and honeymooners; sports enthusiasts (water sports, golfing and football); corporate incentives and MICE tours; events and film shootings. There are seven international flight op-

tions between both the countries - Ethiopian Airlines, Kenya Airways & Oman Air (which land in Zanzibar) and Emirates, Qatar Airways, Etihad Air and Air Seychelles (which land in Dar-Es-Salaam). The journey from Dar-Es-Salaam to Zanzibar can be undertaken via a 15 minute flight or a 1 hour 15 minute luxury high speed ferry.

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India Outbound

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India JOINS WATERFRONT BRIGADE... The Indian market is going to be one of the most important markets with its growth and spending patterns in 2015.

Philippines Tourism

IRENE SUSAN EAPEN

Rose Marie Hoareau, Director of Marketing, Seychelles Tourism Board Seychelles islands witnesses an increase of 120% increase in tourist arrivals from India in the first quarter of 2015 compared to first quarter of 2014. Seychelles offers sailing, diving, snorkelling, fishing and Island hopping allows one to discover each island.

he Indian travelers are now looking out for authentic experiences and love to indulge in activities like Island hopping, diving, snorkelling and whitewater rafting. The outbound market of India is growing on a year on year basis in islands and expects a tremendous growth in 2015. Growth of Indian market Rose Marie Hoareau, Director of Marketing, Seychelles Tourism Board says that the Seychelles islands witnessed an increase of 120% increase in tourist arrivals from India in the first quarter of 2015 compared to the first quarter of 2014. In addition to all this, the launch of direct flights between the two nations, year-long tourist season and visa on arrival and gratis have been the other key factors that have boosted the tourist arrivals from India.

Voyager’s World > April 2015

SanJeet, Tourism Attache,Philippines Tourism Marketing Office – India said, “The Department of Philippines recorded a growth of 17.14 per cent in 2014 in arrivals of Indians over 2013. Over 61,000 Indians visited the Philippines in 2014 and expects that this number will rise to around 75,000 in 2015.India is the 13th largest source market for Philippines foreign tourist arrivals and the potential for growth is tremendous.” “India is expected to be one of the top 10 largest source markets by 2016 targeting 100,000 arrivals with the visa relaxation and new tourism promotion activities. Early this year the Department of Tourism, Philippines declared 2015 as “Visit the Philippines Year 2015 “wooing potential visitors with the tagline “It’s More Fun in the Philippines,” He added.

Loic Oliere, Deputy Marketing ManagerReunion Island Tourism says that, in 2013 the island of Reunion hosted by INSEE about 175 Indian tourists who reported to the local economy € 150,000 for an investment of € 80,000. Activities in beach tours Rose Marie Hoareau, Director of Marketing, Seychelles Tourism Board said that Seychelles is very unique destination as compared to other island destinations and travelling to Seychelles is very convenient because the visa is granted on arrival and is gratis. One can obtain immigration clearance by showing a passport valid on the date of entry and exit from Seychelles, return or onward ticket, proof of accommodation and sufficient funds for the duration of the stay.

ated with the most beautiful beaches on the planet and are at the top of the world’s list of romantic destinations. For the modern Indian traveler who wishes to do and see it all, Seychelles offers superb sailing, diving, snorkeling, and fishing. Seychelles also offers numerous opportunities to discover the islands unique ecosystems on mountain hikes and nature trails, all enjoyable in a climate which is almost perfect throughout the year. Island hopping is very easy with regular plane, boat or helicopter services which will allow one to discover each island’s individual character. We recommend that one should spend at least one week in Seychelles. On their first visit a tourist must cover at least the three main islands of Mahe, Praslin and La Digue,”She says.

“Seychelles islands have been associ-

“Mahe is the largest island of Seychelles

India Outbound

Philippines Tourism

Seychelles Tourism Board

Reunion Island Tourism

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Sanjeet, Tourism Attache, Philippines Tourism Marketing Office – India India is the 13th largest source market for foreign tourist arrivals and the potential for growth is tremendous. India is expected to be one of the top 10 largest source markets by 2016 targeting 100,000 arrivals with the visa relaxation and new tourism promotion activities. and home to the international airport and the capital, Victoria, the world’s smallest. Mahe has around 65 beautiful and uncrowded beaches offering the best of water activities. Hikes in Morne Seychellois National Park for the stunning scenery and exotic flora and fauna, guided tour of Takamaka Bay Rum Distillery tasting different rums and visits to the craft village and Victoria to experience the Creole culture also must be covered. Praslin Island is famous for the world’s most beautiful beach – Anse Lazio and the Vallee de Mai UNESCO World Heritage Site, where the legendary Coco de Mer grows wild in abundance.La Digue Island is almost car-free where the main forms of transport are still bicycles and oxcarts,”She says. One must visit the famous L’Union Estate, the friendly giant turtles and the

most photographed beach on the earthAnse Source d’Argent. From Mahe one can island hop to other islands like Silhouette, St. Anne Marine National Park and the outer islands. From Praslin one can hop to Chauve Souris, Curiese, Cousine, and the island bird reserves of Cousin and Aride. From La Digue one can visit the nearby islands of Grand Soeur and Petite Soeur, Felicite, Coco and Marianne,” She added. In the opinion of Sanjeet, Philippines provides a variety of backdrops right from beaches, to mountains and even urban centers for a spa experience to suit every taste. Philippines has number of activities that one can indulge in whether it is shopping, spa, adventure activities or night parties .You can visit volcanic Camiguin, or mystical Siquijor and experience the contrast of sandy shores and desert-

ed coastlines, private islands, isolated coves, and quiet bays. Philippines also a hub of music and entertainment where one can find a lot of Filipino musicians all around the world. “The beaches in Philippines are a perfect escape for one and one can visit as many beaches in a day.You can just rent a kayak to paddle around the islands with, or get a guided boat tour. For water sports you can indulge in activities like sailing in Subic Bay and Batangas, white-water rafting down Chico River, kitesurfing is popular by the day in Bicol, Boracay, Coron, Cuyo, and windswept Pagudpud Peninsula,”He added. Loic says on the segments below will be more interested on visiting the destiantion, development of individual tourists and mono- destination vacations sophis-

ticated individual customers and upscale prefer to travel in single- destination and favors longer stays of ten days on average. Leisure vacations GIT (Group Inclusive Tours) composed of families ( in the broadest sense : parents, children, aunts, uncles ... ).Business travel and MICE: good progress in recent years, including incentives (+ 13.5 % per year) 1,800,000 travelers MICE Indians in 2012 , 30% incentive.40% of companies organize 3-5 MICE trips per year, 26% hold 6 to 8, 90 % of business, business is generated by eight cities in India: Mumbai, New Delhi , Bangalore , Chennai , Pune , Hyderabad , Ahmedabad and Calcutta.The Honeymooners, 65,000 Indians in honeymoons go every year and travel abroad registered a 30% increase in 2012. The season honeymoons (November to March) is not necessarily conducive to European countries: Reunion

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Online Travel

22>> Loic Oliere, Deputy Marketing Manager-Reunion Island Tourism Reunion a French island in the Indian Ocean offer Indian travellers typical products like landscapes - sea, mountain, leisure activities in nature, whale watching, heritage and architectural sites. The average length of stay of lndian travellers is around 3/4 days on Reunion Island.

Island have a great opportunity on this segment. Interests of Indian travelers Neha Johri, Head Destination Sales, Representation World – India Marketing Partner Reunion Island Tourism says that, the Indian travelers especially from north look for beach destinations as north been land locked, honeymoon travelers always wants to explore new beach destination. The Following are some of the key factors of more Indians attract towards Reunion Island.NO VISA – Indian nationals no longer need a visa for stays of up to 15 days in Reunion Island.ADVENTURE TOURIST –Adventure tourism is also one of the key motivators to select the destination.Honeymoon & Family travelers- honeymoon & family travelers always wants to explore new destinations and Reunion island is the destination for one who is really looking for experiential holiday. Vineet Gopal, Partner, Representation

World – India Marketing Partner Reunion Island Tourism said that,our focus is to train and provide knowledge of destination to our Travel partners and with their support increasing Indian arrivals to Reunion Island.Reunion is a dream destination for nature and outdoor lovers. There’s also plenty to compel culture aficionados. Réunion has a fascinating Creole, African, Indian, Chinese and French heritage, with a wealth of architectural treasures and vibrant festivals that are a great occasion to immerse in local culture. Reunion Island is truely so much more to discover. Average length of stay Loic says that the Indian travellers use to do combined trips with Mauritius. The length of stay is around 3/4 days on our destination. It is important to defend a niche strategy , staying on a set of longhaul travelers profile ( already knowing Europe and the West ) , located in major cities Mumbai , Delhi, Bangalore , in search of destinations new and exclu-

sive.Reunion Island lends itself to small groups of 10 /12 people or individual travelers who make single destination, are 10 to 15 days on site. Spending patterns Rose states that the Indian tourists are spending a week in Seychelles on an average as there is a lot to do and explore. The Indian tourists are spending on various activities in Seychelles like Island hopping, adventure sports like diving and snorkeling, excursions to nature reserves, marine parks and interesting uninhabited islands, trying out local, international and fusion cuisines and the local favourites like Takamaka Bay Rum and SeyBrew beer. We have seen Indians staying at a range of accommodations right from luxury private islands resorts and 5 and 4 stars on the main islands to homestays and guesthouses. An Indian tourist who is well traveled, well educated, high-income earning tourist is now looking for new and authentic experiences.

Sanjeet says that as per the survey done by PATA, the spending pattern is approximately 3700 USD per pax. Difference of the Indian market to European market Loic says, “France is the second destination for Indian after England. Reunion, a French island in the Indian Ocean. In the research of new destinations to offer Indian travelers, professionals agree that Reunion is part of typical products to sell them. Landscapes: sea, mountain, Volcano / leisure activities in nature / climate and atmosphere unpolluted / whale watching, heritage and architectural sites are assets to put forward.” Sanjeet concludes that the Indian travelers indulge in fun activities like shopping and nightlife where as the European travelers prefer adventurous activities like beach sports, trekking and wildlife.

Mathematics to help book perfect flight: skyscanner PRIYAMVADHA BALARAM

kyscanner applied mathematics to help answer these questions and can now reveal its formula for the perfect flight after surveying over 2000 international travellers on flight preferences. Dr. Eugenia Cheng, Senior Lecturer of Pure Mathematics at the University of Sheffield, helped analyse the findings and create a mathematical formula. The formula focuses on the factors cited as most important when searching for a flight – time of day, punctuality and legroom – and when applied to flights, calculates a flight perfection scoring out of a possible 20 marks (15 in economy). The perfect flight is one in the morning, with legroom of 40” and a punctuality score close to 100. A worked example is given below. T= Time of day A massive 44% of travellers said the time of their flight was the most important factor when booking a flight and when asked which time of day they would prefer to fly more than half (52%) chose a morning flight, 27% would fly at night, while just over a fifth would opt for an afternoon flight. A scoring of 10 points for

Voyager’s World > April 2015

a morning flight, 5 for an evening flight and 3 for an afternoon flight has been applied, aiming to reflect the weighting of these preferences. L=Legroom Spacious seating is the feature that improves inflight happiness the most, with almost two thirds of our study participants (61%). The formula therefore penalises any flight offering a seat pitch that is less than 30” (a standard pitch in economy) and increases the score by one point for every additional inch offered, up to a maximum of 40”. 3. P=Punctuality Our study also reveals that an on time flight is the most important factor for 38% of travellers. Flightstats produces a report every year that highlights the best performing airlines in terms of airline arrival performance, and also provides a punctuality rating for all major airlines* split by month. This allows you to see the percentage of flights that were on time for the corresponding month last year to give an indication of the likelihood of your flight being on time.

Travel Events

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Rendez-vous France 2015 returns to Paris, sees new participants PRIYAMVADHA BALARAM

This year’s event saw 17 regions welcoming 420 tour operators and more than 750 exhibitors. Photographs: © Atout France/ Cédric Helsly

endez-vous en France 2015 returned to Paris this year at the Porte de Versailles on 31 March and 1 April. Organised by Atout France, the event concluded its 10th edition and saw more than 750 exhibitors and 920 international tour operators, buyers and journalists. This time, the participants resulted in over 23,000 business meetings between tour operators and exhibitor, making the fair a valuable platform for marketing French tourism. The tour operators, as per a geographical break up, were 54% from Europe, 26% from Asia and 20% from America. As pointed out, Christian Mantei; Managing Director of Atout France: “In a highly competitive context. This trade fair offers a unique opportunity for 750 French exhibiting companies to promote and sell

Voyager’s World > April 2015

their products to a panel of highly qualified international buyers.” This time, 17 régions have done their utmost to welcome 420 tour operators within the scope of 36 Fam trips proposed. The exhibitors consist of tourist sites, hotel facilities, service companies, promotional bodies, tourist offices, museums, monuments, chateaux, themebased sites, carriers, coach carriers, barging, event agencies and central booking offices, etc. The exhibitors from the North of France were from Nord-Pas de Calais, Paris Ile-de-France, Picardie; the eastern region was represented by Alsace, Bourgogne (Burgundy), Champagne-Ardenne, Lorraine, FrancheComte, Rhone-Alpes; the South region was represented by Aquitaine, Auvergne, Corsica, Languedoc-Roussillon Limousin, Midi-Pyrenees, Provence-Alpes-Cote

d’Azur and the exhibitors from the West included Brittany, Poitou-Charentes, Pays de la Loire Normandie and Centre-Val de Loire. Air France, SNCF/Rail Europe are the Partner carriers of the trade fair. Speaking at the occasion, Matthias Fekl, Secrétaire d’État chargé du Commerce extérieur, du Développement du tourisme et des Français de l’étranger, said: “It is the 10th anniversary of Rendez-vous en France and I congratulate Atout France and its partners. There is a strong will of the French government to sell France as a tourist destination. Laurent Fabius, the minister of Foreign Affairs and International Development for France, has been extremely active to promote our country in a very coherent manner. All the regions are making an

effort to present themselves in a coherent manner as tourism is an extremely important part of the economy.” Two million people are directly employed in French tourism and the sector forms more than 7% of the nation’s GDP. The Minister added: “Every year, France welcomes more than 85 million tourists from the world over. It makes us the first destination in the world. We have to ensure that we know the new trends and adapt our products to new trends.” The French Government is engaging itself to help the tourism industry ensure that hotels, products and all related tourism infrastructure are upgraded to a better level. Acknowleding the fierce competition in the market, the Minister said: “France is well known for many major sites, but we have to ensure we

Travel Events

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push other destinations in the country and promote products like ecotourism, rural tourism, etc. I thank all the French partners and Atout France and the trade stakeholders.”

taken to the Philharmonie of Paris for a press conference and a tour of its music museum, followed by a visit to the Exhibition centre at Porte de Versailles.

As part of the programme during Rendezvous en France, the international buyers were treated to an exclusive preview of the new lineup of the Lido de Paris on 30 March, at an invitation of the Regional Tourism Board of Paris Ile-de-France and the Convention Bureau of Paris.

In the evening, Atout France organised a France evening at the Centre Pompidou to showcase French heritage by way of its wine-making and fine food. There were vinters and award-winning artisans displaying their expertise in cheese, seafood, charcuterie, chocolate, etc. amidst music and dance.

On 31 March, the media delegates were

There was also a private viewing of the

Jeff Koons exhibition. On 1 April, after a shopping spree at the Galeries Lafayette department store in the evening, the Indian delegation was invited to a private dinner organised by the Deputy Mayor of Paris and the tourism partners of the Paris Tourism and Convention Bureau at Hotel de Lauzun. Each year, Atout France and the regional tourism committees do their utmost to enable foreign delegations to discover the great diversity and rich cultural heritage of France by way of familiarization trips. These short stays, organized up-

GUWAHATI VADODARA NAGPUR VISHAKAPATANAM COIMBATORE

: : : : :

stream the Rendez-vous en France Trade Fair, in small groups, offer a privileged encounter with regional partners, which highly complement business meetings. The different trips in the regions aim at offering diversity in the territories and local fare: ‘‘starred’’ restaurants and country inns, renowned resorts and sites, and facilities in terms of accommodation and host structures, activities and events, namely all the ingredients needed to give this event a blend of conviviality and professionalism.

12, 13, 14 June 2015 07, 08, 09 August 2015 09, 10, 11 October 2015 06, 07, 08, November 2015 22, 23, 24 January 2016

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Travel Events

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taai ANNUAL convention 2015.... A SUCCESS AGAIN

The event that was held in Bali, Indonesia from the 26 to 28 March 2015 was packed with plenty of gusto and thrilled the delegates with fervour like never before. ROHIT HANGAL

n exciting Bali as a destination backed by a huge variety of presentations at the TAAI Convention – won hearts and punctuated the best of image building for TAAI. Delegates were richly rewarded with plenty of freebies that turned out to be a great investment to have joined the Convention at Bali. Every aspect of the Convention was well designed and drawn from the best of resources. Be it the prized destination Bali or the Reception during Airport Arrivals – or the top quality convention hotels; or the superb convention center. BICC (Bali International Convention Centre); or the way the venues were decked with absolute splendor and luxury or be it the three magnificent evening events – Inaugural; Namaste India Dinner and the Gala Dinner; or be it the Business Sessions with an array of International Speakers and excellent content; or be it the India Travel Trade Expo; or be it the variety of cuisine that was offered; or be it the entertainment and fun that animated every evening or be it the complimentary pre-post stay’s in Bali in best of hotels or be it the Pre-Post Tours; or be it the way the local attractions that welcomed the Delegates with shows like the Devdan Show or the Bali Agung Show with Bali Safari or be it

Voyager’s World > April 2015

the reflection of highly committed roles played by the TAAI TEAM – one can go on and on, to describe the success of the 2015 TAAI Convention. “I have been closely associated with over TEN TAAI Conventions either as the Convention Chairman or Convention Co-Chairman or an Office Bearer or a Member of the Managing Committee” – but Bali Convention was certainly very special and rich in content. Every event of the Convention was superbly crafted. The Convention offered absolute quality of a very rare order with plenty of activity, amazing ambiance; incredible partnerships and importantly pleasant memories for our delegates to take home. Neither TAAI nor the Travel & Tourism Industry in BALI will ever forget to recall the grandeur and opulence of this Convention. I am delighted that our Convention Organizing TAAI TEAM scored big and proved loudly their commitment as we delivered this superb event,” Sunil Kumar, Chairman of the 2015 TAAI Convention & Acting President of TAAI. TAAI Managing Committee Lunch & Dinners hosted in Style The first review of the Convention & Din-

ner on the 24 March was hosted by the famous Ayodya Hotel in the most befitting manner. Wow! What lavishness and sumptuousness! It will be an evening to remember. The Meeting of TAAI Managing Committee & Chairpersons, held on 25th March 2015, was held amidst the most wonderful masterpiece full of delicate art – the Banquet Room of Nusa Dua Beach Hotel. The event was hosted in the best of luxury and a very special Lunch for all MC – Chairpersons and our Families. To top it all was the most exclusive SeaSide very special arrangement for Dinner on the 25th by the Grand Nikko. It was a GRAND evening of entertainment; fire dance and plenty of eats & drinks. Adding value to the Managing Committee, it was a magnanimous gesture by The Westin Nusa Dua Hotel & Resort to have hosted the stay of the Committee on the 25th. The stay on the 24th was co-hosted by Courtyard Nusa Dua & Nusa Dua Beach. Our grateful thanks to these hotels for their support to the Convention! Indian Media & PRESS CONFERENCE at Bali

It was wonderful to witness a large presence of the Indian Media, who travelled all the way to Bali. They were extremely well hosted by Ayodhya Resort and it was an outstanding opportunity for TAAI to have had them with us at Bali. The TAAI Convention Press Conference was again an excellent affair which was held in the presence of Media from Indonesia as well and ably hosted by Westin at the BICC on the 26th March. The Media came up with publications on a daily basis and certainly were extremely supportive to the success of the Convention. A media session was also a part of our Business Session and the speakers from India were Dr Yogesh Gondal and Mr Sheldon Satwan while Mr Jack Daniels, a publisher of a Tourism fortnightly in Bali was also a speaker. INDIA Travel Trade EXPO (ITTE) The three-day ITTE scored very well. The exhibition featuring over 50 stalls, were laid out in the Foyer of BICC offering delegates opportunities to strengthen their network and shake-hand new partnerships. ITTE was inaugurated on the 26th March by our Consul General Shri Amarjeet Singh Takhi and continued for 3 days.

Travel Events

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ITTE brought the delegates closer to various opportunities to support outbound from India to Indonesia. The exhibitors included Tour Operators; Hotels; Attractions and others. India Inbound was also well show-cased. Incredible India’s exhibition and Telangana Tourism had massive display in ITTE. 12 Delegates were honoured with cash prizes of US$ 100, each, by TAAI, for their excellent participation at the ITTE. Business Sessions at Bali – An important highlight of the Convention. Rich in Content; Excellent Presentations; comfortable seating; well spread-out arrangement; superlative audio-visual facility and a variety of speakers from seven nationalities of the world stole the show at the business sessions. The speakers at the TAAI Convention shared their rich experience and articulated the sessions very well. They included Ashwini Kakkar, Past President – TAAI & Executive Vice Chairman, Mercury Travels; Brad Edman, Ex Director of Sales & Marketing, SE Asia & GM – Courtyard Seminyak; Karan Anand, Head, Cox & Kings; Simon Ward, Founder & Managing Director, Bali Food Safari; Dhananjai

Saliankar, Regional Director, South Asia, Starwood Hotels; Vishal Dhupar, Managing Director, NVIDIA, South Asia; Niranjan Gupta, Founder & CEO, Trip 38; Marius Dogeanu, Manager – NDC, IATA – Asia Pacific & Singapore; Sandeep Dwivedi, Chief Commercial Officer, ITQ – Galileo; Rajiv Jakkula, Vice President, Bird Group – Amadeus; George Saunders, Asia CEO, Cover More Group; Naresh Rawal, Vice President Sales, Star Cruises; Carl Vaz, Chairman, Charson Advisory, India; Giamming Toh, Chief Commercial Officer, Vistara Airlines; Bipan Kapur, Managing Director, The Westin Hotel & Resort, Nusa Dua & BICC; Nischal Bhasin, General Manager, Sales – Jet Airways; Joe Oliver Borg, President, UFTAA; Dr. Yogesh C Gondal, Editor & Publisher, The World of Travel & Tourism; Sheldon Satwan, Editor & COO, Travel Biz Monitor; Jack Daniels, President, Bali Discovery & BALI MICE guide; Arun Raghu, Director, Fans on Stands and Ming, Director, World Sports Group. Inaugural of the 62nd Convention & Exhibition of TAAI: 26 March, 2015 This formal event witnessed delegates draped with pleasant attires that added plenty of colour to the most outstanding evening where the TAAI Convention

was inaugurated. Eminent guests from Jakarta & Bali graced the evening and addressed delegates while our very own Consul General Amarjeet Singh Takhi, welcomed the gathering. There were also Indonesian fusion dances, video presentations and music.

articulated with treasure worthy memories and offered lavishness in all that was presented. The setting was simply inspired and brilliant with the best of acoustics and shaded lighting that decorated the grandeur of the large Mangapura Hall.The

TAAI presents NAMASTE INDIA to Indonesian tour operators and convention delegates A new initiative from TAAI, it was a great presentation from TAAI to showcase India in Indonesia on 27 March. With a firm belief that Indonesia’s large population must divert their attention to visit India, TAAI presented ‘Incredible India’ through an audio visual presentation. This evening at Grand Nikko turned out to be a rich Indian evening with cuisine that reflected Bengali; Gujarati; Marathi; Punjabi; South Indian taste spread over 70 food options to choose from.

evening was packed with extensive spe-

The Gala Dinner – the best of all “Wow’s at TAAI Convention” The grand finale – as the tempo kept building up from one evening to another – is an evening that the world of TAAI and the delegates at the Convention would always recall. It was rich – stupendously

The evening crossed the calendar as the

cial effects and kept the enthusiasm of the delegates, very high. TAAI was very generous with its “Thanks Giving” at the Gala Dinner. Our Main Sponsors; Supportive partners; Convention Hotels; and all others were presented with THANK YOU plaques. Our F&B Partners, Queens Tandoor group; Our Logistics Partner – Golden Holidays Group; ITTE Partner – Raja Mice and the Angkasapura Airports GVK, Bali, who gave our delegates $ 25 cash value coupons were applauded by our delegates for their support.

Delegates went on swinging and singing all night till the wee . What a way to celebrate the success of the Convention! It was a fantastic sight and seen-hours of 29th March.

www.voyagersworld.in

Flight Talk

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new civil aviation policy to be unveiled in may 2015

According to an official, the Civil Aviation Ministry has already circulated the proposed norms for overseas operations by Indian airlines for inter-ministerial consultations. VW BUREAU

he government plans to put in place the much-awaited civil aviation policy by the middle of next month, Minister of State for Civil Aviation Mahesh Sharma said recently. According to an official, the Civil Aviation Ministry has already circulated the proposed norms for overseas operations by Indian airlines for inter-ministerial consultations. “The ministry has sent its proposed revised norms for the domestic carriers wishing to fly abroad for inter-ministerial consultations, before sending it to the Cabinet for approval,” the official said. Sharma, however, said since the policy deals with several important issues including new norms for international operations by domestic carriers and regional connectivity, widespread consultations with all stakeholders are necessary.

“We strive to put in place the new aviation policy before May 15,” Sharma told reporters on the sidelines of an event here.

and heavy taxation on it which pose a major roadblock for airlines and consequently, development of aviation hubs in various parts of the country.

The Centre had in November last unveiled the Draft Civil Aviation Policy and circulated it among all stakeholders.

“We propose to bring this policy only after we discuss with all the stakeholders because the policy has several issues like the ‘5/20 Rule’, the route dispersal guidelines and also the inter-connectivity,” Sharma said.

The draft policy proposes to enhance regional air connectivity, develop six major metro airports as international hubs, create more airports through PPP mode, rationalise jet fuel cost, promote air cargo, maintenance, repair and operations (MRO) and helicopter operations, and improve passenger facilitation. The policy may also come up with a review of the rule, which allows an Indian carrier to fly abroad only after five years of domestic operations and after it has a 20-aircraft fleet. The draft policy is likely to come up with suggestions regarding jet fuel prices

As part of the draft policy, the government plans to revise a rule which require local airlines to have at least five-year operational experience and a fleet of 20 aircraft (popularly known as ‘5/20 Rule’) to fly overseas to address the imbalance between domestic and foreign carriers. Pitching for a liberal policy on the issue, Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju had last week said that such rules

(5/20) need to be done away with. “I have not seen such rules anywhere in the world. Such rules are pushing back this sector as well as the economy. The centre government’s job is to promote Indian carriers. Thus, this rule has to go,” the minister had said. As per the proposed policy, an airline can apply for an international flying permit to destinations which are of more than six hours duration after it accrued 300 domestic flying credits (DFCs). Similarly, a domestic carrier can fly on routes which are less than six hours, only after it has accumulated 600 DFCs. These routes include lucrative airports like Dubai and Singapore. The credits would be calculated on the basis of revenue per passenger kilometre flown by an airline in a year.

Travel Trends

India Outbound travel expected to touch 50 million by 2020 VW BUREAU

he first-of its-kind tourism intelligence and marketing study, India Outbound Report 2014-15, conducted by Keralabased Stark Tourism Associates (STA) corroborates United Nations World Tourism Organisation’s (UNWTO) prediction that Outbound Tourism from India will touch 50 million by 2020. Countries like Singapore, Thailand, and Malaysia and forecast the rise of India, besides Australia, New Zealand, Turkey, Fiji, Spain, and South Africa have something strong to contend with soon. Unveiled at the India Forum session on the first day of ITB Berlin 2015 last month, the study was conducted by STA, the tourism intelligence and representation division of the communication and marketing firm, Stark Communications. B R Swarup, Founder Director, STA, while presenting the report, said, “The Indian traveller is increasingly seeking immersive holidays in exotic destinations that will help him tell new stories of people,

Voyager’s World > April 2015

cultures, and food.” Swarup was one of the three introductory presenters, the others being Dr Taleb Rifai, Secretary General, UNWTO, and Suman Billa, Joint Secretary - Tourism, Government of India. The focus of the India Forum was on the growth of tourism in India. “The number of Indians travelling to other countries is set to grow exponentially with the estimated one billion domestic travellers increasingly setting their eyes on international travel. This great movement to see the rest of the world will attain epic proportions in the coming years. This report is the first comprehensive and authoritative look at what is happening in India’s outbound leisure market, which offers clear insights into the future,” said Swarup, who is also the Founder Director of Stark Communications. The study, done across nine cities in India, gleaned data from in-depth inter-

views with 106 trade members and offers a wealth of data, insights and inferences. T K Harshan, Chairman, Stark Group, stated, “This report is an invaluable resource for the international as well as national tourism trade fraternity, tourism offices and destination management companies. There were several requests from our clients and associates overseas for a comprehensive picture on India and its outbound leisure market. This is why we commissioned a trilogy of studies -

India Outbound Tourism, India Inbound Tourism, and India Domestic Tourism. The Inbound and Domestic reports will be released later this year.” “We are working towards Stark Tourism Associates as a single point resource for tourism intelligence and marketing. We have periodically updated databases on India as well as the global leisure industry. Based on all this, we are expanding into consulting and tourist offices representations,” said Roy V Mathew, Managing Director of Stark Communications.

Ground Transport

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global lifestyle, mobility preferences drive car rentals

The importance given to apps for renting cars on holidays, car-pooling and self-drive options, is gaining significance in the Indian market given the flexible renting options and booking features. VW BUREAU

he Sixt Rent A Car App was recently included in the MasterCard ‘Mobile Top App Index’ and was rated first in the car rentals area. The credit card company uses its index to identify the best smartphone applications for mobile purchases in 36 European countries. These it judges by criteria such as functionality, design, payment methods, technology and ease of operation. The Sixt Rent a Car App ranked among the top 20 of all the rated applications in this unique European index. With its Rent a Car App, Sixt meets customers’ latest needs for mobility that’s available any time. The application is constantly being upgraded using the latest technologies. It is clearly structured and provides users with clear and easy features including flexible rentals on the vehicles of their choice, the management of bookings, and the benefits of bonus schemes at numerous hotels and airlines where they can collect points. The Sixt Rent a Car App has a contextsensitive design so it supplies users with important customised information for the situation they’re in. Its also incorporates barcode technologies to make it easy and quick to rent out a vehicle, and is available for the iPhone, iPad and Android smartphones in more than 100 Sixt countries worldwide. Stephan Hong, Director of Online Marketing e-Sixt: “We’re really delighted to have been rated so well by MasterCard’s Europe-wide App Index. It just goes to show how popular and technologically advanced the Sixt Rent a Car App is. We’re constantly developing this comprehensive and innovative application to adapt it to the changing mobility needs of our customers.” After the first nine months of the last year Sixt revenue and earnings are on a clear growth track. The international mobility service provider increased its consolidated operating revenue by 9.2% yearon-year to EUR 1.23 billion. Total Group revenue climbed 7.4% to EUR 1.34 billion. Consolidated earnings before taxes (EBT) for the period January to September increased 14.8% to EUR 131.1 million. The third quarter business performance exceeded even the Company’s own expectations. Both Business Units, Vehicle Rental and Leasing, contributed towards improved revenue and earnings. In view of the encouraging business performance the Managing Board now

projects consolidated operating revenue and Group EBT for the full year 2014 to be substantially above the corresponding figures of last year. Higher investments in the rental and leasing fleet Given good demand, Sixt carefully expanded its vehicle fleet over the course of the year. Over the first nine months the Group added around 132,200 vehicles to the rental and leasing fleet (9M 2013: 121,500 vehicles) with a total value of EUR 3.31 billion (9M 2013: EUR 3.04 billion). This equals 9% more in the number of vehicles as well as the volume of investments. Sixt continues to expect the volume of investments for the full-year 2014 to be higher than last year (EUR 3.87 billion). Continued strong equity basis Following the good development of the Group over the first nine months of the current year, Sixt upholds its expectations for business performance to continue positively. Nonetheless, the Managing Board expects further increases in fleet costs and other operating expenses in the Vehicle Rental Business Unit. As in the previous year, 2014 will see further costs being incurred for important strategic growth initiatives. Account must also be taken of the fact that the economic outlook for 2014 and 2015 has darkened lately for Sixt’s core countries of Western Europe, especially in Germany, given the numerous geopolitical crises such as the Ukraine conflict or the tensions in the Near and Middle East. Mercedes-Benz India, in association with Carzonrent in India last year launched India’s first luxury Self Drive concept under the brand ‘Myles’;. This unique concept will offer young Indian travellers a truly fascinating experience of self-driving a Mercedes-Benz with their friends, family and loved ones. This concept will revolutionize the onground personal mobility in the Self Drive category in India. The association will initially offer C-Class & E-Class models of Mercedes-Benz in major metro cities like New Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Chennai. Carzonrent and Mercedes-Benz will also look at introducing other exciting models of vehicles into the Luxury SelfDrive service such as the SLK and AMG versions.

Today’s generation believes in leading a global lifestyles and their mobility preferences reflect this status. MercedesBenz and Carzonrent understands this growing lifestyle well. Also, the organized self-drive market has been growing exponentially over the last couple of years with better roads, higher costs of chauffeurs and availability of navigation facility. Induction of Mercedes-Benz cars has been undertaken to not only reinstate the driving experience gauged from driving luxury cars but to also capture the huge potentially untapped market and facilitate today’s customers who believes in traveling in style and class. Tripda recently brought its carpool services to Chandigarh. The Union Territory

may have been one of the best-planned areas in the country but planning a shared ride here wasn’t always hasslefree. However, those who need a ride can now easily connect with those who have empty seats in the car. With all kinds of universities, be it big or small, public or private promoting the concept of carpooling, the top management of Tripda will foster partnerships with universities and corporates in the coming days. The objective is to facilitate students and working professionals to travel safely while spending less. Tripda will also be recruiting initial team members in the area to manage on-ground expansion efforts on a daily basis.

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Incredible India

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rural tourism can be key driver of sustainable development

Rural tourism can be a sustainable development driver especially for rural livelihood and if improved appropriately, can prove to be a niche segment in the industry. VW BUREAU

ny form of tourism that showcases the rural life, art, culture and heritage at rural locations, thereby benefiting the local community economically and socially as well as enabling interaction between the tourists and the locals for a more enriching tourism experience can be termed as rural tourism. With 70% of India’s land dedicated to agriculture, there lies in the vast fields a segment waiting to be explored. Be it the stretches of paddy fields, orchards and farm houses in Punjab or the coconut groves in Kerala or the sugarcane fields in Karnataka, tourism in the country side brings with it a fresh twist of culture, food, ecology and a way of life that is sure to be a hit among the urban travellers. Last year, Punjab Heritage and Tourism Promotion Board (PHTPB). won the ‘Most Progressive State in Tourism’ by Today’s Traveller Awards and the ‘Best Initiative in Rural Tourism for Farm Tourism’ at

The International Tourism Conclave and Travel Awards. Rural tourism in Punjab is seen as a sustainable development driver especially for rural livelihood. PHTPB has taken lead in identifying the Ropar Rural Tourism Cluster of four villages, based around the unique rural natural heritage of Satlej River in ropar wetlands ramsar site, duly endorsed by the two principal tourism industry associations, IATO and ADTOI. Farm tourism was another concept that we introduced in 2009 before the development schemes of rural tourism was introduced by the India tourism. Under the farm tourism scheme, the farmhouse owners act both as hosts and guides. Apart from the farm experience, the visitor would get exposure to local community life, which may mean attending a gram-panchayat meeting or a social

event in the village, along with an opportunity to experience local music, dances, cuisines, art, craft and culture. The farmer is thus expected to solicit and engage community involvement with his guests. this would result in community participation, generation of employment and additional income for villagers. National tourism award was also won besides being awarded for the best unique product at various trade exhibitions and fairs.

The scheme was conceptualized, successfully implemented through professional help and being regularly monitored. This type of segment, if given a lot of attention and nurtured well, will prove to be a boon for the rural people, as a supplementary source of income, while capitalizing on advantages like the remote locations, the simple life, food and the pure experience of being in a village.

Ministry consults states, Union territories for new tourism policy The representatives of State and UTs also put forward their suggestions and expressed their concerns related to their regions to the minister. PRESS INFORMATION BUREAU

he Union Ministry of Tourism held a meeting for formulating the New National Tourism Policy, 2015 with the representatives of Tourism departments of State Governments and Union Territories as a part of the consultation process with the stakeholders in New Delhi last week. Addressing the representatives, the Minister of State for Culture (Independent Charge), Tourism (Independent Charge) and Civil Aviation, Dr. Mahesh Sharma said that the New Tourism Policy should become the instrument for substantially increasing India’s share in global tourism beyond the current share of 0.64 percent. The new Tourism Policy should help to boost the growth of Tourism so that its contribution to the GDP of the economy also goes up from the present 6.8 percent, he added. Dr Mahesh Sharma said that the tourism potential of the country is yet unexploited and we must promote the rich cultural

Voyager’s World > April 2015

heritage of the country through the medium of tourism. The Minister explained that the Hon’ble Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has been promoting Brand India at all platforms of the world and it is due to his efforts that the practice of Yoga got recognition throughout the world. We should take up such similar initiatives, he added. The Tourism policy should be framed with the participation of all stake holders to ensure everyone delivers with responsibility, the Minister said. The Tourism Policy should contribute to economy, promote cultural heritage, generate employment, should be pro-poor and also include women empowerment, the Minister explained. The representatives of State and UTs also put forward their suggestions and expressed their concerns related to their regions.

They demanded tax incentives across the tourism related products and services, connectivity for remote areas, single window clearance and equitable treatment for the less developed regions of India. A demand was also raised for National Calendar of festivals throughout India and a request was made to the Ministry of Tourism to promote the local traditions of particular regions. Other issues related to tourist policies, preservation

of water bodies and skill development were also discussed during the meeting. The representatives of North-Eastern states stressed the need for connectivity, mobile network connectivity, roadside amenities, lifting of travel restrictions for foreigners , skill development among others. Secretary Tourism, Dr. Lalit Panwar, Joint Secretary Tourism, Suman Billa, Joint Secretary, Tourism, Usha Sharma and other officials were present.

Incredible India

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india’s travel economy set to grow 7.5% in 2015 : wttc

The World Travel and Tourism Council says that there will be a spurt in growth this year following the new visa reforms introduced for overseas travellers to India. VW BUREAU

he Indian travel and tourism industry is likely to see a spurt in growth this year on the back of new visa reforms, according to a report by the World Travel and Tourism Council. India’s travel and tourism economy is poised to grow 7.5% in 2015 over last year, exceeding the 6.9% growth that the global forum has predicted for the South Asian region. In 2014, the industry contributed Rs7.64 trillion and 36.7 million jobs to the Indian economy. By the end of 2015, the travel and tourism sector will contribute Rs8.22 trillion or 7% of India’s gross domestic product (GDP) and 37.4 million jobs—almost 9% of total employment, the report said. “India has an excellent opportunity to benefit from visa reforms and infrastructure improvements under the new

government,” David Scowsill, president and chief executive of WTTC, said, adding that India’s projected tourism growth was the highest for any major economy. “But the overall contribution of India’s travel and tourism sector to the overall economy is still relatively low (6.7% of GDP, against a global average of 9.8%).” In November, India expanded the visaon-arrival scheme to 43 nationalities from 12 countries earlier. It is in process of rolling out a similar facility for 150 countries. Investment in the sector is likely to rise by 9.3% in 2015 over 2014 when travel and tourism investments in the country accounted for Rs2.11 trillion, or 6.2% of total investments. “It should rise by 6.5% per annum over the next 10 years to Rs4,337.8 billion in 2025 or 6.9% of the total,” the report said, adding that the sector had the po-

tential to contribute 46 million jobs to the India economy by 2025. Worldwide, the contribution to GDP from travel and tourism will have grown by 3.7% by the end of this year and the sector will contribute 284 million jobs, directly and indirectly, or one in 11 of all jobs on the planet. The report cautioned that although recent improvements in the process of granting visas are welcome, visa liberalization still has a long way to go. The recent insistence upon biometric data for visitors from France and the UK will have far reaching impacts on travel to India from these countries, it said. India also needs to recast and relaunch its the Incredible India campaign to “maximize India’s new visa regime”, said the report. Security and safety of tourists remain the major concerns.

“Government strategy is required to offset the damaging impact on the country’s international reputation, from the negative perceptions of the treatment of women and women travellers in the country,” the report said. India is trying to raise the share of foreign travel arrivals to 1% of total global tourists over the next couple of years, from 0.64%. In 2014, foreign exchange earnings from tourist arrivals totalled $19.657 billion, compared with $18.445 billion in 2013. While it is possible for India to achieve 1% of global tourists by 2017, Scowsill said, it will need to act fast to achieve it. “The country has recently improved its visa processes but more needs to be done on the implementation side and to bring ever more countries into the visa waiver programme. This is fundamental,” he said.

ETA enabled visas-on-arrival grow by 1220% in March 2015 The visa-on-arrival scheme enabled by ETA registered a whopping 1220.3% growth in March 2015 as against the same period last year. PRESS INFORMATION BUREAU

uring the month of March 2015, a total of 25,851 tourist arrived by ETA enabled TVoA as compared to 1,958 TVoA during the month of March 2014, registering a growth of 1220.3%. (ii) During January- March 2015, a total of 75,859 tourist arrived by ETA enabled TVoA as compared to 5,841 TVoA during January- March 2014, registering a growth of 1198.7%. (iii) This high growth may be attributed to introduction of ETA enabled TVoA for 44 countries as against coverage of earlier TVoA scheme for 12 countries only. (iv) The percentage share of top 10 source countries for ETA enabled TVoA, in India during March 2015, were as follows: USA (33.25%), Germany (14.64%), Russian Federation (13.13%), Australia (8.37%), Republic of Korea (6.39%), Ukraine (4.21%), Mexico (2.93%), Japan (1.99%), New Zealand (1.91%) and Israel (1.68%) . (v) The percentage shares of different ports for ETA enabled TVoA, in India dur-

ing March 2015, were as follows: New Delhi (47.32%), Mumbai (18.55%), Goa (12.03%), Bengaluru (6.27%), Chennai (5.60%), Hyderabad (2.93%), Kolkata (2.78%), Kochi (2.68%) and Trivandrum (1.84%). Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs): FTAs during the Month of March 2015 were 7.30 lakh as compared to FTAs of 6.93 lakh during the month of March 2014 and 6.40 lakh in March 2013. There has been a growth of 5.3% in March 2015 over March 2014. • FTAs during the period January- March 2015 were 22.81 lakh with a growth of 3.2%, as compared to the FTAs of 22.10 lakh with a growth of 7.9% in JanuaryMarch 2014 over January- March 2013. • The Percentage share of Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) in India during March 2015 among the top 15 source countries was highest from UK (12.52%) fol-

lowed by EHE USA (12.35%), Bangladesh (12.28%), Sri Lanka (4.40%), Germany (4.28%), Canada (3.39%), Malaysia (3.26%), France (3.24%), Japan (2.71%), Australia (2.67%), Thailand (2.67%), China (2.55%), Russian Fed. (2.31%), Singapore (1.70%) and Afghanistan (1.58%). These top 15 countries accounts for 71.91% of total FTAs during March 2015. • The Percentage share of Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) in India during March 2015 among the top 15 ports was highest at Delhi Airport (32.4%) followed by Mumbai Airport (16.7%), Chennai Airport (7.8%), Haridaspur Land check post (6.7%), Bengaluru Airport (5.6%), Cochin Airport (4.0%), Kolkata Airport (3.8%),Goa Airport (3.3%), Sonauli Land Check post (3.2%),Hyderabad Airport (2.6%), Amritsar Airport (1.7%), Trivandrum Airport (1.5%),Ahmedabad Airport (1.4%),Gede Rail (1.4%) and Tiruchirapalli Airport (1.2%). These top 15 ports accounts for 93.3% of total FTAs during March 2015.

Foreign Exchange Earnings (FEEs) from Tourism in India in rupee terms FEEs during the month of March 2015 were Rs.10,451 crore as compared to Rs.10,152 crore in March 2014 and Rs. 9,545 crore in March 2013. The growth rate in FEEs in rupee terms during March 2015 over March 2014 was 2.9%. FEEs from tourism in rupee terms in January- March 2015 were Rs. 33,036 crore with a growth of 1.7% as compared to the FEE of Rs. 32,473 during JanuaryMarch 2014. FEEs in US$ terms during March 2015 were US$ 1.674 billion as compared to FEEs of US$ 1.662 billion during March 2014. The growth rate in FEEs in US$ terms in March 2015 over March 2014 was 0.7% compared to a decline of 5.3% in March 2014 over March 2013.

www.voyagersworld.in

Hospitality

32>>

hotels.com: swiss tourists are highest spenders in india

As per the latest report, travellers from Switzerland spent the most while staying in India in the whole of 2014. On an average they paid Rs 8,261 in this period. VW BUREAU

he Hotels.com™ Hotel Price Index™ (HPI®) is a regular report on hotel prices in major destinations across the world. Hotel Price Index is based on bookings made on Hotels.com sites around the world and tracks the actual prices paid per hotel room (rather than advertised rates). As per the latest report, travellers from Switzerland spent the most while staying in India in the whole of 2014. On an average they paid Rs 8,261 in this period which is 11% more than what they paid in 2013. The report revealed that travellers from 18 of the 25 countries spent more than they did 2014 on hotel rooms in India. This resulted in an overall 3% rise in average room rates across the country. Travellers from Hong Kong were the top spenders in India in 2013 but slipped be-

low the Swiss with an average spending of Rs. 7,753 per night for a hotel room. Not far behind are the British in 3rd position as they spent Rs 7,616 per night for a hotel room. Denmark and Malaysia were the highest risers in Asia with the former up 14% to Rs. 6,437 at position No. 17 and the latter up 12% to Rs. 5,956 at the bottom. In 2014, the French paid Rs 6,186 after an increase of 11% followed by the Taiwanese who paid Rs 6,094 after an increase of 10%. Among the key inbound markets that saw a rise were tourists from Spain who parted with an average of Rs 6,089 per room night with an increase of 8% from 2013 followed by Americans who spent Rs 7,473 after a 2% hike. While Norwegians and the Irish spent Rs 6,702 and Rs 6,873 respectively increasing their

spending by a negligible 1%. Of the few countries with declining rates, the sharpest spending fall was recorded by the Thais, down by 12% to Rs 6,052

followed by those from New Zealand who spent Rs 6,094 which is 6% less than what they did in 2013. Others dropped by 4% such as South Africa that fell to Rs 7,304 and China down to Rs 6,829.

Thinking about conversion channels for former hotel guests

A poll by Cheapflights showed that 85% of surveyed travelers will vacation to the same place more than once. COURTESY: TNOOZ

oteliers spend a lot of time and money marketing their properties to new visitors. But an often-overlooked way to gain future business is to communicate with and re-convert your former guests. NB: This is an analysis by Brandon Dennis, the vice president of marketing at Cloudbeds. Not only do you know that they like to travel but also that they have stayed at your property before. A poll by Cheapflights showed that 85% of surveyed travelers will vacation to the same place more than once. What does 85% of your property’s past guests look like to you? Here are five ideas you can use to “break the ice” with your past guests and warm them up to repeat future business. Real-world outreach: Your guests get dozens, even hundreds, of emails every day. While email is still a great marketing resource, your outreach might get better noticed if you do something unexpected. Send them a package. You already have all the information you need. You likely captured their mailing address when they booked a room.

Voyager’s World > June April 2015 2013

Send them a ‘thank you’ card for staying at your property. Send them a small gift that they will see every day to remind them of your property. Email: Email is still an excellent way to reach guests. There are an estimated 4.5 billion email accounts in the world. Your average guest checks his or her email 15 times a day. While it may be hard to get your voice heard on such a crowded platform, email is just too lucrative to ignore. You likely already have a list of your guests’ email addresses. Timely Reminders: Whether you use email or snail mail, remind them about your property when it’s vacation time. Your guests likely go on vacation around the same time every year. So, send them an email or a card about a month before their next trip. Offer them a discount, free meals, free tours, or some other perk. It’s rare for travelers to catch all the sights when they visit a new place. You’re in the perfect position to give your guests new ideas. With your travel reminder, include a booklet or blog post of ‘things you might have missed”. It

can include some lesser-known travel spots, restaurants, or events close to your property. Loyalty Programs: Big chain hotels have used loyalty programs for years, with great success. Give your “club members” or “card holders” discounts to local tour guides, restaurants, and venues. Present them thoughtful gift bags when they arrive. Give them complimentary upgrades, or meals. Find ways to give your loyalty program value, to encourage those 85% of repeat visitors to stay with you again. Social Media: Finding something in-

teresting to say a couple times a week can be even more tricky. But if you play it right, social media can be a powerful way to forge real relationships with your guests, which will lead to more repeat visits. Share beautiful photos of views from your property. stories of your ongoing remodel, or the new hot tub you’re getting installed. Share info about upcoming local events. Respond to guest comments to humanize yourself, and show that you’re interested in them. Of course hotels need to keep attracting new guests, but working on ways to keep in touch with former guests is a great way to secure a steady source of repeat business.

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FESTIVALS OF May 15, 2015

ome 500 people wearing splendid ancient costumes and traditional makeup parade through the main streets of Kyoto. This festival came to be called Aoi Matsuri because aoi (hollyhock) leaves are used as ornaments on the people’s costumes and even on cows and horses. This festival reproduces the procession of officials delivering the Emperor’s message and offerings to the two shrines of Shimogamo and Kamigamo. The most important position held in the parade is the messenger on horseback wearing a gold sword at his side, who is followed by a train of attendants. The highlight is the parade of women accompanying the proxy of the imperial princess serving the deities. The role of the heroine is selected among all unmarried women living in Kyoto.

Aoi Matsuri Festival, Kyoto, Japan

29-31 May, 2015

ave an unforgettable day of great entertainment & food. Catching the Country wave sweeping the U.S. music industry, the Temecula Valley Balloon & Wine Festival will feature two days of great Country Music. The Temecula Valley Balloon & Wine Festival is held at Lake Skinner Recreation area in the heart of Temecula Valley Wine Country. Located just north of San Diego County, the Festival has a successful history of celebrating Southern California Wine Country’s finest assets of clear skies dotted by hot air balloons, mild temperatures, and rolling vineyards.

Temecula Valley Balloon & Wine Festival, California

18 July, 2015

4 - 17 May, 2015

uring the days of the Festival, the residents of the old part of Cordoba proudly throw open their courtyards, specially decorated for the occasion with pots of geraniums, carnations and jasmine hanging on the whitewashed walls. You can visit them practically all day, and you’ll always be given a warm welcome by the hosts, as well as a chance to enjoy flamenco shows and to taste Cordoba’s delicious tapas and the Montilla-Moriles wine. The Festival lasts a week, and the most attractive courtyards are selected at the end. You can also visit every Friday, Saturday and Sunday from April to June. A couple of the houses even offer accommodation.

Cordoba Patios Festival/Competition, Spain Voyager’s World > April 2015

he most awaited festival of Rath Yatra or Car Festival Puri commences on the 18th July, Saturday and Return Car Festival or’ Bahuda Jatra’ falls on 26th July this year. The famous festival that is celebrated usually in the month of June or July commences when the chariots of Lord Jagannath accompanied by his elder brother Balabhadra and sister Devi Subhadra are brought out on to the Main Street of Puri known as Bada Danda. The three chariots that are the highlights of the entire Yatra are pulled by strings. The Chariots are then taken to the Shri Gundicha Temple to their aunt’s house where the deities enjoy a nine days stay and are served with sweet pancakes.

Rath Yatra, Puri, Odisha

35>>

THE WORLD 26 - 27 June

he most famous of all monastic festivals in June is the Hemis Festival that commemorates the birth of Guru Padmasambhava, the founder of Tantric Buddhism in Tibet. The sacred dance drama of the life and mission is performed wearing facial masks and colorful brocades robes. The monkey year festival is a special treat which comes at a cycle of 12 yrs. The four-storey Thangka of Guru Padmasambhava is displayed during the festival. The festival highlight is the gathering of the lamas around the central flagpole performing the mystic mask dances (Chams) and sacred plays.

Hemis Festival, Ladakh

May 15, 2015

lowers come out in May, but these aren’t the only things flaunted during the month. Down south in the town of Lucban, Quezon, there’s also the kiping - a colorful, translucent rice tortilla that is an edible ornament of sorts. One can see lots of these at the Pahiyas Festival, an annual celebration held to usher in a bountiful harvest. Originally observed as a way to revel bountiful harvests, the Pahiyas Festival now attracts local and international tourists alike with its array of beautifully adorned houses and festival dishes. Residents decorate homes with fruits, vegetables and dyed leaves called kipings. Locals also serve the Pancit habhab (rice noodles served in banana leaves), the longganisang Lucban (garlic-laden sausages) and other delicacies.

Pahiyas Festival, Lucban, Quezon, Philippines

May 2015 6 - 14 July, 2015

he city of Pamplona is world famous thanks to its San Fermín fiestas. Thousands of people come every year to experience the risk and excitement of the popular running of the bulls, immortalised by Ernest Hemingway in his novel Fiesta. For nine days, Pamplona residents and visitors alike, dressed typically in red and white, get carried away by the continuous festive spirit that invades the streets. San Fermín starts 6 July at midday. At that moment the chupinazo is launched from the balcony of the town hall. It is a rocket that marks the official start of the fiesta. The first running of the bulls is held the following day: at 8am sharp the doors of the Santo Domingo corral are opened, and hundreds of people run in front of the bulls on their route through the old town to the bullring.

emphis in May is a month-long festival with major events each weekend such as the Beale Street Music Festival, the BBQ Festival and the Sunset Symphony on the banks of the Mississippi River. For over 30 years, Memphis in May has meant great music, great BBQ, great fun! It kicks off with the Beale Street Music Festival featuring over 65 performers in rock & roll, blues, and soul. Every year, an international country and culture is celebrated with cuisine and wines, exhibits and commerce. In the World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest, hundreds of teams compete for prizes and supreme bragging rights with elaborate decoration and clever team names. The Sunset Symphony features the Memphis Symphony Orchestra with a fireworks finale.

Memphis in May, Tennessee, USA

San Fermin Festival, Pamplona, Spain www.voyagersworld.in

28, 29, 30 August 2015

03, 04, 05 September 2015

04, 05, 06 March 2016

Pilgrimage

37>>

BIGGER BUDGETS EXPECTED TO BOOST PILGRIMAGE CIRCUITS IN INDIA The ambitious HRIDAY scheme and the PRASAD project are expected to promote sustainable development of pilgrimage sites in the country, cashing in on the ‘spiritual’ demographics. VW BUREAU

ith a view to beautify and improve amenities and infrastructure at pilgrimage centres of all faiths, a National Mission on Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Augmentation Drive (PRASAD) was announced at a proposed budget of Rs. 100 crores announced in the Annual Budget 2014-’15. The Cyclopean Walls in Rajgir were an important tourist destination and were maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).

venating the rich cultural heritage, government launched the ambitious Rs 500 crore project for 12 cities including Varanasi, Mathura, Gaya, Dwarka and Puri across the country this January. Heritage Development and Augmentation Yojana

(HRIDAY) scheme selected 12 cities Ajmer, Amritsar, Amravati, Badami, Dwarka, Gaya, Warangal, Puri, Kanchipuram, Mathura, Varanasi and Vellankanni. HRIDAY seeks to promote an integrated,

inclusive and sustainable development of heritage sites, focusing not just on maintenance of monuments but on advancement of the entire ecosystem including its citizens, tourists and local businesses.

The Tourism Ministry, along with the Petroleum Ministry, promised to take several measures for the international branding and promotion of the Nabakalebar Rath Yatra which is taking place on 18 July, 2015. The 2015 Rath Yatra has been named Nabakalebar Rath Yatra as this comes after 19 years. The Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan held a review meeting with Tourism Minister Dr. Mahesh Sharma in which Secretaries of Ministry of Culture and Tourism were also present. It was decided that the Ministry of Culture would bring out coffee table book and a special documentary on the Rath Yatra. Coins and stamps will also be issued to commemorate the Yatra. Dharmendra informed that the tourism ministry had already sanctioned Rs. 50 crore and Central Government will also supplement budgetary support as per the requirements of the event. Lakhs of people would be visiting the Nabakalebar Rath Yatra. In last year’s Railway Budget 2014-15, a number of tourist trains offering package tours covering special pilgrim circuits like Devi Circuit, Jyotirling Circuit, Jain Circuit, Christian Circuit, Muslim/Sufi Circuit, Sikh Circuit, Buddhist Circuit, Famous Temple Circuit etc. were announced. Luxury tourist trains, Buddhist special train and Bharat Darshan trains also cover a number of religious and historic tourist places. Indrail Passes as well as Foreign Tourist Quota in some important trains are available to foreign tourists. In addition to this, the Indian Railways will run six more trains connecting Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra to various destinations in the near future. They are Kalka-Katra Express (bi-weekly) via Morinda; Bandra (T)-Katra Premium Express; Howrah-Katra Premium Express; Yesvantpur-Katra Premium Express; Ahmedabad-Katra Express (weekly) and Kamakhya-Katra Express (weekly).

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www.voyagersworld.in

Technology

38>>

NOW USE ‘PROTECTOUR’ APP FOR REAL-TIME EMERGENCY IN TRAVEL

The app features localized safety alerts, geo-fenced warnings, 24/7 emergency support, a ‘Panic’ button for extreme situations and information on embassies, hospitals, and police stations, all in one place. VW BUREAU

new travel safety app called ProtecTour is addressing travelers’ needs for real-time location-based information and emergency help in foreign countries. The app, developed by TATE Global, features localized safety alerts, geo-fenced warnings, 24/7 emergency support, a “Panic” button for extreme situations and information on important locations such as embassies, hospitals, and police stations, all in one place. The app also delivers traveler location updates so loved ones and family members back home can monitor their safety. The relevance of ProtecTour in today’s world is backed up by a study TATE Global recently commissioned. The study, a survey of 1,000 Americans aged 18 and over, found that respondents are more concerned with being safe (80 percent) than having fun (68 percent) during an international trip. Despite this, less than one-third of respondents (32 percent) said they would know what to do when

faced with an emergency abroad. “To put it bluntly, look at the news,” said Susan Young, managing director of TATE Global. “Whether somebody’s a newer traveler or a seasoned traveler, whether they’re traveling for business or pleasure, we watch the news every day and we see multiple different reports of things happening…You always want to take precautions and feel you have resources and tools available to you, so that’s what we’re trying to provide.” The “Panic” button is a key feature for the ProtecTour app. If travelers find themselves in a hostile situation, they can hit the button on the app and the TATE Global team will contact the proper local authorities, as well as try to contact the user. The Panic button, as well as the app itself, stemmed from respondents indicating that they needed “a way to communicate quickly and efficiently” when in the midst of an emergency, Young said. This is where real-time apps can be so

effective. Given their mobile nature, they can be much more convenient and timeeffective in terms of addressing problems for travelers. “People wanted something that could be right in their hands,” Young said. “We all know, these days, everybody has their phone tied to their hip. [To go mobile] was the best way to be able to have this information at the ready.” According to the survey, 89 percent of Americans would be interested in the ability to send an emergency alert on a smartphone to get help if they encountered an emergency situation abroad. Also, 87 percent of Americans find it important to pack a smartphone on an international journey, and 70 percent of smartphone users already have at least one travel app on their phone. And, of course, giving travelers more confidence to journey to foreign destinations naturally helps the travel industry.

Some notable statistics from the survey: 94 percent of Americans can name something that would prevent them from taking a trip abroad and more than one in 10 Americans report that they have opted out of an international travel opportunity because of safety concerns. Ninety-four percent of travelers said safety concerns would impact their trip plans in some way, including causing them to cancel activities (46 percent), spend more time at their hotel (37 percent) and go home early (34 percent). “As much as they want to have a great time, they are thinking about their wellbeing and their safety and their health when they are moving around in foreign countries,” Young said. TATE Global continually monitors locations around the world to provide upto-date travel safety information. The company also will add more information about locations based on user feedback.

criteo: 27% of travel digital sales come via mobile devices

According to Criteo, mobile e-commerce accounts for 29 percent of all U.S. digital transactions today, and 34 percent of digital transactions globally. VW BUREAU

ersonalized advertising company Criteo unveiled its “State of Mobile Commerce” report for the first quarter of 2015 in March 2015, showing just how important it is to be mobile-friendly in the travel industry and beyond.

Using its pool of online shopping data covering 1.4 billion transactions, Criteo detailed today’s mobile e-commerce sector, revealing some interesting trends in the digital shopping world. According to Criteo, mobile e-commerce accounts for 29 percent of all U.S. digital transactions today, and 34 percent of digital transactions globally. The travel industry, one of the early pioneers when it comes to digital marketing, sees 27 percent of its digital sales come via mobile devices, the third-highest mark among all sectors (behind Fashion

Voyager’s World > April 2015

& Luxury and Mass Merchants). Travellers now spend $36 on smartphones and $85 on tablets for every $100 spent on the desktop, per the report. However, more transactions are made via smartphones than tablets in the United States overall. Smartphones account for 53 percent of digital transactions across all U.S. sectors now, a greater share than the U.K., Germany, Russia, France and the Netherlands. So, while the purchase rate for smartphones is lower than the desktop (8 percent compared to 11 percent, respectively), the sheer number of smartphone transactions is balancing the scale. It’s also worth noting that in Asian countries (the Asian traveler is highly targeted right now in the travel industry) the share of mobile transactions and the purchase

rate across mobile devices is even more staggering. Nearly all of South Korea (99 percent) and Japan’s (90 percent) digital transactions came via the smartphone in the first quarter of 2015, according to Criteo. In Japan, shoppers not only view nearly three times more products on the smartphone than in the U.S., but the conversion rate is also at a whopping 18 percent. The report also broke down when purchases are made via the smartphone, tablet and desktop computer. On the smartphone, consumers tend to purchase more in the early morning (a 28 percent hike) and while on breaks at work, while tablet purchases jump 40 percent in the evening. Desktop purchases are generally made during work hours. Future of mobile e-commerce Well, you could have probably guessed

it’s only going to become a bigger focus area for the travel industry and beyond. According to Criteo, 33 percent of digital transactions in the U.S. will be done via a mobile device by the end of 2015. That number jumps to 40 percent globally, and 61 percent and 57 percent for Japan and South Korea, respectively. Smartphone purchases and conversion rates should also increase. The general transition to a larger screen size and the advancement of mobile payment systems will aid this trend, according to the report. The biggest challenge—and opportunity— for marketers in 2015 will be to understand cross-device behavior as consumers use multiple devices. Criteo also noted the differences between Apple and Android operating systems in the report.

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Leisure, MICE and Business Travel

WTM Latin America 2015 the biggest and best yet World Travel Market Latin America 2015 is poised to be the biggest and best yet thanks to a new venue and a range of new initiatives. The third WTM Latin America and 43rd Braztoa business event will take place at the Expo Centre Norte São Paulo from 22-24 April. The move from the Transamerica Expo Center to larger Expo Center Norte in 2015 allows WTM Latin America to expand and meet exhibitor demand. New exhibitors – including Traveltek, Delta Tours and Istanbul Chamber of Commerce – will take part in WTM Latin America alongside long-term exhibitors Chile, Israel, Mexico and Peru, which have all increased their presence for 2015 and will help it surpass last year’s $341 million of business deals facilitated by the event.

Furthermore, the more central location of Expo Center Norte in São Paulo will make the event more convenient for the city’s array of travel agents based downtown. The new venue also offers an improved location for international exhibitors, buyers and visitors as the Expo Center Norte is nearer São Paulo´s Guarulhos airport, which is the main aviation hub for Latin America. The massive amount of business that is expected to be generated can, in part, be accredited to the array of great networking opportunities that are available for delegates to take advantage of: • WTM Latin America Speed Networking - More than 100 buyers and 600 exhibitors will take part in the one and half hour long session on Thursday 23 April to negotiate and agree a number of business deals • WTM Latin America Hosted

Buyer Programme returns to the event with up to 100 senior level travel industry buyers attending the show as a VIP. Already confirmed for 2014 are buyers from leading travel providers Emirates, Thomas Cook and JAC Travel. • Braztoa’s Caravanas returns with Braztoa hosting 900 Brazilian travel agents, while the tour operator association will also host 70 product managers. • New for 2015 - Corporate Travel Area with ALAGEV (Latin American Association of Events and Corporate Travel Managers) as the official partner is being added to the exhibition floor to host global travel management companies (TMCs), airlines, hotels and technology suppliers. 100 Brazilian business travel buyers will be hosted to conclude deals with the business travel exhibitors.

WTM Latin America and the 43rd Braztoa Business Event

Means business

22 - 24 April 2015 / Expo Center Norte, São Paulo

WTM Latin America

and the 43rd Braztoa Business Event

Means business

22 - 24 April 2015 / Expo Center Norte, S達o Paulo Leisure, MICE and Business Travel

More than

1,300 exhibitors

representing over 60 countries

16,000 international industry professionals

Happenings

Qatar entrepreneur signs Indian-inspired hospitality brand

atar’s noted entrepreneur and Chairman of Qatari Business Association, Al Sawari Holding and Al Faisal Holdings, H.E. Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim Al Thani, signed an agreement with Amruda Nair, Joint Managing Director and CEO, Aiana Hotels & Resorts L.L.C., to create Aiana Hotels & Resorts, a global hotel management company with Indian service ethos at its heart. The new joint venture company Aiana Hotels & Resorts L.L.C. will embody a hospitality brand of upper upscale hotels with a service ethic based on traditional Indian hospitality values and will operate hotels, resorts and serviced apartments in the Middle East, Indian Sub-Continent and South East Asia.

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Indian travel trade experiences Macau fam

acau Government Tourist Office (MGTO) in India organised a familiarization trip from 11 - 14 March for 11 key Indian travel agents from India to experience Macau. Besides, a ‘Mini Mart’ was organized along with the local trade partners which consisted of DMCs, hotels and attractions based out of Macau to foster better business relationships between the trade in India and Macau. A day trip to the Chimelong Resort at Zhuhai, China was also included in the itinerary, where the agents visited the Ocean Kingdom and the famous Circus Show along with a site inspection of 3 prominent hotels. The objective of this trip was to showcase various family oriented and other varied activities that an Indian travel can indulge while in Macau.

Starwood's SPG Keyless debuts in India

BW Country Club Manesar honoured second time

Starwood Preferred Guest® (SPG®) introduced the SPG Keyless, hospitality industry’s first mobile, key-less entry system which allows guests to use their smartphones as a key. Rolling out to Aloft Bengaluru Cessna Business Park, SPG Keyless makes its official debut in India today.

SPG Keyless, powered by the SPG app, – enables guests to unlock their room with a simple tap of their smartphone. For the system to work, SPG Members must register their phone once through the SPG App and allow push notifications. After booking a reservation at a key-less hotel and approximately 24-hours before arrival, SPG members are invited to opt-in to SPG Keyless. Guests will receive a push notification that they are checked in and the SPG App will update with his/her room number and Bluetooth key when the room is ready.

Voyager’s World > April 2015

est Western International named the Best Western Resort Country Club in Manesar-Gurgaon as the Best Western International Quality & Service Award, making it the second time the property has won this honour. Conferring the award Gaurav Sarin, Associate Vice President, Best Western India said: “We are extremely proud to have our oldest member property from India, the BEST WESTERN Resort Country Club, ranking among the best properties for Best Western worldwide. With our impressive reach in over 100 countries and with 69 years of brand history behind us Best Western has consistently focused on its Vision to ‘Lead the industry in superior customer care’ and this International Quality & Service Award is recognition of our strenuous efforts in that direction.”

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Abu Dhabi Tourism meets Goa travel trade

bu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi) recently organized an evening in Goa, along with Etihad Airways and Jet Airways, inviting travel trade professionals to discover the multi-faceted attractions of Abu Dhabi. The destination is now closer than ever for Indian travellers with Jet Airways commencing daily direct flights between Abu Dhabi - Goa. The event saw a great response with prominent travel trade professionals coming for networking with the TCA Abu Dhabi, Etihad Airways and Jet Airways teams. There was a presentation followed by a lucky draw for the guests. India is currently Abu Dhabi’s leading overseas source market. Abu Dhabi welcomed 231,702 Indian hotel guests in 2014 at a growth rate of 32% over 2013. There were 850,443 guest nights in 2014, at a growth rate of 23% over 2013. Reiterating the firm commitment to India market, Bejan Dinshaw, TCA Abu Dhabi Country Manager - India, said: “We are excited to market Abu Dhabi as a destination of choice for Goa. Abu Dhabi is closer than ever to India and especially Goa now with the daily direct flight connectivity. Goa is well-known as the home of the fun-loving, who enjoy life to the fullest. Abu Dhabi with its entertainment options, iconic properties, culture and heritage is the complete destination for a fresh holiday experience. We are very positive with the growth potential of this market.”

Argentina tourism organized seminars in four cities

Kerala's Ayurveda garners high interest among Russians

Industry gathers at fun-filled networking evening

rgentina Tourism recently conducted a four city interactive training in Pune, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad and Chennai. The training module was labelled on ‘Discover the Wonders of Argentina’ that consisted of an in-depth understanding of the various cities, diverse landscapes, attractions, natural wonders, unique cruises, etc. These training seminars were in continuation of the promotional activities that began in January 2015 including the roadshows in Mumbai, Bangalore and Kolkata. The sessions started on 26 Feb 2015 in Pune till the 28 March 2015 in Hyderabad. Argentina is a very diverse country with some extraordinary attractions like the majestic Perito Moreno glacier, the Valdes Peninsula on the Patagonia coastline, Ushuaia – the end of the world, Buenos Aires, etc.

erala Tourism showcased its ancient healing system, Ayurveda, at the 22nd Moscow International Travel and Tourism Exhibition (MITT) held in Russia from 18 - 21 March. A major part of the enquiries was on Ayurveda, with local tourism professionals keen to cash in on the interest among Russian women, who are looking for alternative health care practices. India’s Ambassador to the Russian Federation, P S Raghavan said: “Ayurveda is becoming increasingly popular in key markets like Moscow, St Petersburg and Yekaterinburg (the fourth largest city in Russia), especially among the health conscious women audience.”

fun-filled networking evening was organised by Ankur Kalra of Wellcome tours; Ajay Chhabria of Intime Travels; Rohit Shorey of Destination Travel Services (P) Ltd. and Siddharth Jain of Click2Travel.in. The concept of networking with party, which began in 2014, had 500 agents convening at Club Paradise in New Delhi on 30 January, wherein all the agents paid for their entry. The pre-registration for the party started a month ago and the personalised passes were designed like boarding cards. The event partners were Nijhawan group: Constance Hotels: Fly dubai::Banyan tree hotels: Star Cruise-Guideline :Fiji Tourism. The event saw big names of the industry participating in it like Mr & Mrs Carl Vaz, Mr & Mrs Ankush Nijhawan, Mr Guldeep Sahni, Mr Rajan Sehgal, Mr & Mrs Kapil Barera, Mr RK Shorey, etc.

www.voyagersworld.in

MICE

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qNa international: indian outbound mice to gain momentum

QnA International, the organizer of the MICE India and Luxury Travel Congress, recently conducted extensive research with Indian corporate MICE planners in order to help identify the key trends VW BUREAU QnA International, the organizer of the MICE India and Luxury Travel Congress, recently conducted extensive research with Indian corporate MICE planners in order to help identify the key trends for the future of the outbound MICE industry from India. The top trends for the MICE market from India are outlined below: Outbound MICE to gain tremendous popularity: The outbound MICE market is growing by leaps and bounds in the years to come with numerous buyers highlighting plans for their organization to travel to multiple destinations as the flourishing Indian MICE market is seeing positive growth, currently and in the years to come. Exploring new destinations:

The planners were unanimous in identifying the trend to host MICE activities in new, unique destinations around the world. International travel to gain precedence over regional travel: Notwithstanding the tendency to be more of a negotiating market, there was an inclination toward selecting international destinations over regional travel as the perceived value is higher based on the consensus among different organizations in India. Direct liaison with travel & hospitality suppliers: Majority of the Indian corporate buyers preferred to directly deal with the international travel suppliers to build lasting re-

lationships with them for future business travel activities. Automated solutions for travel bookings: Multiple organizations stated the need to better understand how automated technological solutions could help streamline their entire business travel arrangements. As per the research, the most popular destinations for the previous year’s Incentives and Events for Indian MICE buyers were UK, Thailand, Thailand, Greece, Singapore, Italy, Australia, Canada, Malaysia, UAE, Amsterdam, Paris, Uzbekistan, Estonia, Oman, New Zealand, Austria, Hungary, Spain, Switzerland, Cyprus, China, Turkey, South Africa, Las Vegas, California, San Francisco, Chicago, Hawaii, Brazil, Argentina, Peru, Mexico and Germany.

Keeping these trends in mind, the third annual MICE India and Luxury Travel Congress, taking place on the 30 & 31 of July 2015 in Mumbai will see renowned international travel and hospitality suppliers come together to meet MICE planners from Indian corporations, agencies that plan luxury outbound travel, destination wedding planners and representatives from Indian film production houses through pre-scheduled one to one meetings. Every travel and hospitality supplier targeting the Indian corporate market can take advantage of this exclusive, boutique congress to conduct business with Indian corporates without having to deal with the challenges that accompany large scale, mainstream exhibitions.

ATPI Group enhances mobile app for business travel VW BUREAU Following the launch of the 2.0 version of its ‘On The Go’ mobile app in January this year, the ATPI Group today announces further enhancements ensuring the latest version is a must-have for today’s business traveller.

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Developed in direct response to customer feedback the new version has been redesigned to offer a more contemporary look and feel with improved mobile itinerary features. Clients will now be able to view flight itineraries, hotel, rail and car reservations in one overview. Flight information for iPhone or iPad users can now also be placed into a passbook en-

The enhancements will support existing features including a sophisticated mobile database which automatically loads itinerary details for all bookings, plus alerts and real-time updates about flight schedules relating to travellers’ specific itineraries and detailed local weather information.

implemented to meet the ever-changing demands of our clients, with a new design and an impressive functionality which truly meets the needs of the modern business traveller who expect next generation mobile technology. All of their travel data can be integrated to work alongside the range of mobile and digital tools they use in the course of their working day, to ensure all the information they need is in the palm of their hands.”

Peter Muller, Chief Operating Officer, Europe and USA, The ATPI Group, says: “These latest developments in the evolution of ATPI ‘On The Go’ have been

The app, which is free for download from the usual app stores, also includes tailored travel content as well as an impressive booking tool.

suring it is even easier to retrieve and archive travel data, including boarding passes.

1 Year, 12 Issues Rs. 800 (Inclusive of Rs. 200 for postage) 2 Year, 24 Issues Rs. 1,600 (Inclusive of Rs. 400 for postage) 3 Year, 36 Issues Rs. 2,400 (Inclusive of Rs. 600 for postage) Name Designation Company Name Address City Pin State Tel. Fax E mail

Voyager’s World > April 2015

Cheque/DD to be drawn in favour of Sphere Travel Media & Exhibitions Pvt. Ltd. Payment must accompany order with Enclosed herewith is my Cheque/DD Cheque/Draft No. Drawn on No 245 Amar Jyothi Layout, Domlur, Bangalore - 560071 Phone: 080- 4083 4100 editor@voyagersworld.in www.voyagersworld.in

Top Appointments

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Sandeep Verma

Fabrice Morel

Director Operations, The Claridges New Delhi

CEO, Rail Europe

abrice Morel will lead the consolidated organisation of Rail Europe as Chief Executive Officer. Rail Europe, Inc., and Rail Europe 4A that has been consolidated into Rail Europe, will have Fabrice spearheading Rail Europe, Inc. in White Plains and Rail Europe 4A in Paris. He has over 20 years of experience with SNCF-Voyages and the Railteam alliance of European high-speed rail operators.

andeep Verma has been appointed as the Director Operations of the Claridges, New Delhi. He has over 18 years of experience in hospitality in the Taj Hotels, Jet Airways (I) Ltd, IndiGo, the Park Hotels and most recently at SpiceJet Ltd. In his new role, Sandeep will be responsible for identifying key drivers in achieving business success.

Zal Tarapore

Anmol Pancholy

Director of Rooms, Shangri-La Hotel, Bangalore

Director of Sales, NHCC& HICC

ovotel Hyderabad Convention Centre (NHCC) and Hyderabad International Convention Centre (HICC) appointed Anmol Pancholy as the Director of Sales. Prior to joining Accor group, he was with Taj Hotels. In his new role, Anmol will lead the corporate sale and focus on increasing business for the property.

hangri-La Hotel, Bangalore, appointed Zal Tarapore as the Director of Rooms. In his new rold, Zal will utilise his 15 years of experience to develop the rooms division besides overseeing day-to-day room operations. He had previously worked with hotel groups like the Marriott, Taj, Rezidor and IHG.

Pranav Bharadwaj

Doris Goh

Director-Sales & Marketing, Best Western Hotels International

est Western Hotels International has appointed Pranav Bharadwaj as Director Sales & Marketing - India Operations. He has a career spanning over 17 years working with Marriott, IHG, Starwood, Leela Palaces and Resorts. In his new role he will be responsible for increasing market penetration pan-India for enhanced revenues for Best Western Hotels and launching new hotels in India.

Chief Marketing Officer, Alila Hotels & Resorts

oris Goh, who helmed hte sales and marketing role since the brand’s inception, has been promoted as the Chief Marketing Officer of Alila Hotels & Resorts. With a career spanning 20 years, she joined Alila Hotels after working with the Mandarin Oriental Group. In her new role, she will be tasked with driving the global marketing strategy.

Ranjan Kumar Das

Prakash Viswanathan

General Manager, VITS Luxury Business Hotels, Mumbai

Director - Business Development, Hilton Chennai

anjan Kumar Das has joined as the General Manager of VITS luxury business hotels, Mumbai. Ranjan has been associated with the hospitality industry for the last 16 years and has worked in various capacities. He started his career in the F&B service department and worked with various hotels of repute, before joining Sarovar Hotels in their properties in Shirdi, Lucknow and Delhi.

rakash Viswanathan has been appointed as the Director of Business Development for Hilton Chennai. With more than 10 years of industry experience, he has worked with Marriott International, Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces and Hyatt Hotels Corporation. In Most recently, he led the pre-opening and launch teams at JW Marriott Bangalore.

Amit Kumar

Nick Pilbeam

Director Operations, Courtyard by Marriott Pune City Centre

mit Kumar has been appointed as Director Operations at the Courtyard by Marriott Pune City Centre. Amit brings with him an experience of over 14 years in hospitality. In his new capacity, he will be responsible for all aspects of hotel operations. Amit worked at Grand Hyatt Delhi, JW Marriott Mumbai, Portsmouth Marriott Hotel, UK and Kingfisher Training Academy and Premier Inn Pune Kharadi.

Travel Divisional Director, Reed Exhibitions

eed Exhibitions appointed Nick Pilbeam to the position of Divisional Director – Travel. He will head up the travel division of Reed Exhibitions. He had spent the majority of his career at the British Airways group (now International Airlines Group) before moving to Avios, the air miles loyalty programme. More recently, Pilbeam spearheaded Avios’ expansion into South Africa.

www.voyagersworld.in

NETWORKING ISthe THE netWorking is ke KEY Y April

May

April 2015

June

July

August

14, 15, 16 IT&CM China 14-16 April Shangai, China

22, 23, 24 World Travel Market Latin America Sao Paulo, Brazil

23, 24 World Tourism Forum Lucerne Switzerland

26, 27, 28 German Travel Mart

May 2015

July 2015

4, 5, 6, 7

10, 11, 12

Arabian Travel Market Dubai

India International Travel Mart Bangalore

9, 10, 11

16, 17

INDABA Durban, South Africa

The Travel Industry Exhibition Sydney

17, 18, 19, 20

17, 18, 19

TRENZ New Zealand

India International Travel Mart Chennai

19, 20, 21 imex Frankfurt

June 2015

August 2015

1, 2, 3, 4

5, 6, 7

ILTM Asia Shangai, China

China Incentive Business travel & Meeting Exhibition Beijing, China

9, 10, 11

7, 8, 9

ibtm America Chicago, USA

Holiday Expo Vododara

12, 13, 14

18, 19, 20

Holiday Expo Guwahati

IT&CM India 2015 New Delhi

28, 29, 30 India International Travel Mart Mumbai

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Voyagerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s World > March 2015