Voyager's World December 2013

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Vol XI

Issue 2

Pages 52

December 2013

Rs 60

www.voyagersworld.in

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Editorial

Marketing & Circulation

Editor

General Manager

Firoz Fazil firoz@voyagersworld.in

Kaustuv Das Mobile +90-9916129116 Kaustuv@voyagersworld.in

Managing Editor

Operations Executive

Rohit Hangal rohit@voyagers world.in

Associate Editor Priyamvadha Balaram priyamvadha@voyagersworld.in

Assistant Editor Irene Susan Eapen irene@voyagersworld.in

Chief Designer Shyam Vishnot shyam@voyagersworld.in

Selvarajramaswamy operations@voyagersworld.in

Circulation Executive Shyam Vishaak Circulation@voyagersworld.in

Published By Surinder Hakhu sanjay@voyagersworld.in & Rohit Hangal rohit@voyagersworld.in

Graphic Designer Nanda Kumar M Nandu@voyagersworld.in

Web Developer Rohith Pinto info@voyagersworld.in

06Industry Buzz

s ’ r o t i Ed ote N ntos’ renewed focus

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t is a known fact that India is one of the leading feeder markets for National Tourism Organizations (NTOs). India figures prominently in the marketing scheme of things of all the prominent NTOs. And of late there has been a palpable shift in the way NTOs target the Indian market. Even while concentrating on their marketing activities on their core markets such as Mumbai and other major cities, these NTOs are giving added thrust to the Southern market.

This shift in focus has mainly to do with the changing trend in the behavioral patterns of the middle-income group from this part of the country. For them, travel is no more a luxury what with a plethora of destinations and improvement in air connectivity. And this renewed focus on southern market is evident from the slew of road shows and workshops for the trade being undertaken by various NTOs in the recent past.

NTOs such as Poland, Canada, Scotland, etc. are leaving no stone unturned when it comes to exploring and reaching out to the potential and lucrative south Indian markets.

This is a TAAI (Travel Agents Association of India) Convention special issue. In line with the convention theme - Connect-Cooperate Collaborate – our cover story explores the road ahead for travel agents given the impending weekly payment and commission policies, issues that are contentious and thus need an immediate solution in the larger interest of the travel agents fraternity in India. Other stories include OTAs take on the Google’s impending flight search offering and on wedding tourism.

10Cover Story

TAAI special focus

20Flight Search

Warm Regards

Analysing Google’s impending flight search versus OTAs and the road ahead editor@voyagersworld.in

25MICE Point

Examining recent trends in corporate travel, bookings, airlines and ground transport.

30Destination weddings

Wedding ideas in new, exotic venues and countries are the latest trends in the Indian wedding market.

49Top Appointments Voyager’s World > December 2013

# 245, Amar Jyothi Layout, Domlur, Bangalore - 560 071, India Ph: +91 - 80 - 4083 4103, Fax: + 91 - 80 - 4083 4101 info@spheretravelmedia.com, www.spheretravelmedia.com

All Rights Reserved, Copyright 2012.

No part of this magazine may be reproducted without the prior written permission from Voyagers’s World

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Industry Buzz

6>> STB introduces wildlife campaign

Hotel Formule1 opens in Pune

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ccor launched its budget brand Hotel Formule1 in Pune Hinjewadi. Strategically located amidst the business and IT hub of Pune in Hinjewadi Phase 1, the hotel featuring 104 rooms offers a great sleep and shower experience at best price. This is the fourth Hotel Formule1 in India, after Ahmedabad, Bengaluru and Greater Noida.

Philip Logan, Vice President Hotel Formule1, India says: “Pune is a key focus market and we are excited with the opening of our fourth Formule1 hotel. With great potential in the city, Hotel Formule1 Pune Hinjewadi will appeal to the customers with its added benefits, making it the perfect choice for them with a promise of ‘Rest Assured’ with best value”.

Canadian Signature Experiences get lift-off in India

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ingapore Tourism Board recently introduced the latest wildlife and marine-themed attractions with the third phase of marketing campaign for the Indian travelers “Singapore -The Holiday You Take Home With You”.

The campaign is focused on the theme of wildlife encounters and new offerings such as River Safari, Marine Life Park comprising of S.E.A. Aquarium™, Adventure Cove Waterpark™ and Dolphin Island™, which are sure to captivate the visitors with their impressive collections of wildlife, marine-life and experiences.

Trafalgar launches summer Itineraries for 2014

The Canadian Tourism Commission (CTC) has officially launched the Canadian Signature Experiences (CSE) collection in the giant South Asian market.The launch took place November 26, 2013 at a networking reception at Canada House, New Delhi for CTC’s key accounts and media from various Indian cities.

Siobhan Chretien, Regional Managing Director, Emerging Markets, was CTC’s torch bearer. The launch came on the same idea as news back in Canada of new members being added to the collection.

T

The CSE program is an ideal way for the travel trade to sell Canada, especially in India. Its rapidly expanding affluent middle-class population is expected to pass the 500-million mark by 2025. That segment will then hold 60% of the country’s purchasing power.

2014 Europe & Britain programme,

Goa to become a world class destination

rafalgar has launched its summer Itineraries for 2014. For Trafalgar

(www.trafalgar.com), part of the Travel Corporation, travelling to Europe is all about immersive experiences and as the Insider of guided holidays, it means seeing the continent from the inside in the heart of each destination and interacting with the cultures and local people.

For the launch of the company’s Trafalgar invites travellers to discover these 44 diverse regions with their choice of 104 enhanced itineraries.

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he new terminal at Goa International Airport, Dabolim is all set to march ahead towards becoming a world-class tourist destination. The state is also looking to upgrade infrastructure and other facilities to put Goa on par with top international spots.

Expo 2020 to boost Dubai tourism

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ubai has been announced as Host City for Expo 2020. It is first world expo to be held in the MENASA region and will attract 25 million visitors. Hosting Expo 2020 will have a significant impact on the tourism industry of Dubai and the UAE, and provide a unique platform on which to communicate the remarkable story of a young city and nation – according to the head of the body responsible for promoting Dubai around the world and attracting visitors to the Emirate.

His Excellency Helal Saeed Almarri, Director General, Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) and CEO of Dubai World Trade Centre said: “From the outset, Dubai’s Expo bid was part of the government’s long-term vision that ensures sustainable national development and a prosperous future for the UAE. Hosting Expo 2020 is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and one that will be maximised to accelerate the growth of the tourism industry in Dubai, the UAE and the wider GCC region.”

Voyager’s World > December 2013

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Industry Buzz

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Tennis champions serve it up on Argentina glacier

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rgentina Tourism Board hosted tennis champions Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic in a ‘Tennis on the Glacier’ exhibition match on the famous Perito Moreno Glacier in Argentina.

The exhibition was organised by the Argentine National Institute of Tourism Promotion (INPROTUR), on behalf of the Argentine Ministry of Tourism at the glacier, in Argentine Patagonia, on a ferry mounted with a tennis court.

The Argentine Minister of Tourism and president of INPROTUR, Enrique Meyer, said: “It is very important to do these kinds of activities which promote our country to the world. Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic are two icons of world sport, and this exhibition match puts Argentina on show before a global audience”.

“Our objective, through INPROTUR, is to promote our country around the world, showing the great diversity of landscapes and experiences on offer for the visitor. Recently we have launched the new promotional website of our country, www.argentina.travel, where anyone thinking of visiting Argentina can get information on the different destinations in our country and know which activities they can experience in each of these,” summarized the Minister.

AI boosts Indian arrivals to Aussie

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ourism Australia has seen a 26% rise in tourist arrivals during September 2013, driven by leisure arrivals which have increased by 31%.

For the year ending September 2013, total tourist arrivals increased by 11%, with leisure growing at 16%.

Air India’s direct flights to Australia had a positive impact on tourist traffic from India to Australia.

Enhanced air connectivity was noted as a crucial factor in achieving the 2020 potential, set under the India 2020 strategic plan launched

by Tourism Australia.

Contiki ties up with Thomas Cook India

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ontiki Holidays tied up with Thomas Cook (India) Ltd. as the new sales agent in India.

“We are extremely excited with the partnership and by working with Thomas Cook (India) Ltd., we hope to continue encouraging more youths to start travelling and see the world as we believe that we only have one life, one shot, so we have to make every moment count!” said Kevin Khor, Heard of Sales and Marketing in Contiki Asia. “We saw a huge growth in India this year and with Thomas Cook coming on board as a partner, we hope to grow India as one of the top market in Asian youth tourism.”

Royal Caribbean International named 'Favourite Cruise Line'

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oyal Caribbean International is named Favourite Cruise Line

by Condé Nast Traveller India’s Readers’ Travel Awards for the third year in a row.

Ratna Chadha, Chief Executive, TIRUN Travel Marketing-exclusive India representative of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. said, “It is indeed an honour to win this major title for three consecutive years. RCI has been consistently delivering the ‘Wow’ in terms of groundbreaking industry-first amenities and high service standards and value to thousands of Indian guests every year.”

Thailand gung-ho despite trouble

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hailand is welcoming large numbers of tourists during this 2013/2014 high season. Despite what travellers may have recently read or heard, they can be confident that Thailand is still a welcoming tourist destination even with the unstable political situation in a small quarter of Bangkok. Most tourist attractions in Bangkok as Phuket, Pattaya, Hua Hin, Ko Samui, and Chiang Mai are unaffected by the current political protests.

AirAsia marks five years in India

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irAsia is celebrating five years of operations in India by offering Rs 500 base fare. All-in-fares inclusive of taxes and fees start from as low as Rs 2259 from Kochi to Kuala Lumpur; Rs 2704 from Chennai to Bangkok / Kuala Lumpur; Rs 3269 from Bangalore to Kuala Lumpur; Rs 3228 from Kolkata to Kuala Lumpur.

The airline’s anticipated Free Seats campaign is back again, this time with three million promo seats available throughout AirAsia’s extensive route network throughout the region and beyond. With this campaign, guests will be able to travel from 5 May 2014 up to 31 January 2015. These promotional seats are available for booking at www.airasia.com from today until 1st Dec 2013. Free Seats are from 0 base fare, with applicable taxes and fees from Rs.500 one way.

Voyager’s World > December 2013

Cruise

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Oceania Cruises sends R-Class ships for $50 million refurbishment VW BUREAU

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ceania Cruises announced their R- class - Regatta, Insignia and Nautica will undergo a $50 million refurbishing starting early 2014 in a six-week timeframe that includes refurbishment of suites, staterooms and select public rooms, some in the colors and décor-style found on the line’s newest ships - Marina and Riviera.

The ships’ top accommodations, the Owner’s and Vista suites, will receive new bathrooms including the addition of oversized showers and new vanities. Original artwork, in-line with the celebrated collection on Marina and Riviera, will be commissioned for all suites and staterooms.

The Terrace Café, which offers casual gourmet dining, will also be completely refurbished including the addition of a state-of-the-art grill allowing for grilled dinner specialties such as lobster tails, steaks and lamb chops made famous onboard Marina and Riviera. The company is also adding to Regatta, Insignia and Nautica the popular Baristas coffee bar found on its newest ships.

Guests will enjoy complimentary gourmet and specialty illy™ coffees including espressos, cappuccinos and lattes as well as homemade croissants, biscotti and finger sandwiches throughout the day.

“This refurbishment program is an incredible undertaking but we are excited by the opportunity to bring some of the best features of our OClass ships to Regatta, Insignia and Nautica,” said Kunal S. Kamlani, president of Oceania Cruises.

Oceania Cruises’ flagship restaurant, the Grand Dining Room and Toscana, the line’s Italian restaurant will be expanded with more tables for two. Lastly, the ships’ show lounges will be refurbished, Martinis will be outfitted with new

ance and experience will still remain comfortably familiar. We have retained everything our guests adore about our ships and raised the bar ever higher ensuring a consistent experience across the fleet that we

know our guests will love and appreciate.”

For details, browse www.OceaniaCruisesIndia.com, call 02265656050/51 or see a professional travel agent.

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Horizons, the line’s observation lounge, will also be refurbished with a new color scheme and décor. In addition, the company will completely enclose the ships’ only indoor smoking area, located in Horizons, with glass and install a stateof-the-art air filtration system.

furniture and the Canyon Ranch SpaClub® will receive new steam and changing rooms. Ian Banerjee, Director (GAH, Representative Oceania Cruises) said: “With so many new additions, the onboard ambi-

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Cover Story

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61st convention sees taai fortifying industry ‘co’nnections The 61st Convention of the Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI) seeks to bring about a favourable work approach from henceforth, in tandem with all stakeholders of the travel industry.

PRIYAMVADHA BALARAM

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he Indian Travel Congress - 2013, 61st Convention & Exhibition of Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI) has come up with ‘Connect-Cooperate-Collaborate’ as the theme for this year’s convention, in line with the current climate of the travel fraternity and that of the global economic scenario.

The event, which is scheduled to be held in conjunction with India Travel

Trade Expo (ITTE) and TAAI Travel Awards, will be inaugurated in the presence of Karnataka Tourism on 13 December, 2013, followed by a three-day comprehensive convention agenda from 14-16 December, 2013 at the Vivanta by Taj, Yeshwantpur, Bangalore.

The constant advancement of technology in travel, mobile apps, social media, Google maps and Online

Travel Agents (OTAs) have come to create a tough competition for the travel agents, regardless of the bandwidth of their product offerings; so also the fast approaching weekly payment system by the airlines and the zero commission policies. In such a scenario, the theme of ‘connecting’ and going on to ‘co-operating’ and ‘collaborating’ with one another, holds a much deeper meaning than mere networking and on-the-surface

Iqbal Mulla- President, TAAI TAAI has chosen ‘Connect-CooperateCollaborate’ as the theme for this year’s convention as we felt it was the right time to change the business model for ourselves. The traditional model would not work any longer in the face of today’s competition.

Voyager’s World > December 2013

interactions. gainst this backdrop, here’s what veterans from the travel industry along with the office-bearers of TAAI forebode the road ahead for players in the industry.

Iqbal Mulla, President, TAAI says: “TAAI chose this theme for this year’s convention as we felt it was the right time to change the business model for ourselves. The traditional model would not work any longer in the face of today’s competition. First, we need to connect but the strategy does not end there. We have to give and take with each other and cooperate so that all are embraced and benefited.

As for collaborating, we cannot have short term collaboration. You need to think 10 times more, draft ideas on paper, make blueprint and work to bring about a system with proper planning, using the right people, strategies and connections.”

Taking a serious stand on the zero commission policy that is looming large, he said: “We are seeing how

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12>> Anil Kumar-TAAI Karnataka Chapter The convention this year is an energy boost for the travel agents of Karnataka. We are also pitching in Karnataka tourism; they are hosting the inaugural function. We have also made post convention tours to Mysore, Hassan, Coorg, Kabini, Bandipur and Hampi; some at a nominal cost and some free of cost. This is a opportunity for us to showcase the state to the country and the world. it would affect the travel agents.

Things are drastically changing and we need to counteract or adapt as the situation requires. The IATA’s payment cycle also needs to be observed. So, the convention will entail round table discussions and brainstorming with agents, airlines, IATA officials to see the dynamics of the weekly payment system just round the corner. There are so many issues revolving the industry like policies on the implementation of service tax that will affect inbound and outbound operators, the fluctuation of the US dollar and the Indian rupee, commission and the weekly payments. In the context of the present Indian economy, no corporate in India will settle weekly payments. If you do not cater to them, they might ask for advance payments. Yet, we have to tackle these concerns in order to retain agents and help the small agents survive.”

Assuring its stance on cooperating with all the stakeholders, the president says that association now wants to approach the situation through meaningful dialogue, a formula for both airlines and the association.

Anil Kumar, Chairman, Karnataka Chapter, TAAI believes the convention will open new doors for tourism in Karnataka, in addition to projecting Bangalore at a higher position in terms of an advantageous metro

in the southern part of the country.

“We are happy to host it after the last time it took place in the city way back in 1999. Many people who had not taken part then are participating this time. It is a good opportunity for the local travel agents, tour operators and hoteliers to meet and do good business, understand the ideas of leaders. It is an energy boost for the travel agents of Karnataka. We are also pitching in Karnataka tourism; they are hosting the inaugural function. We have also made post convention tours to Mysore, Hassan, Coorg, Kabini, Bandipur and Hampi; some at a nominal cost and some free of cost. This is a opportunity for us to showcase the state to the country and the world.”

He added that all the three factors of connection-cooperation-collaboration went together to ensure the success of TAAI and agents, despite the hurdles in the industry. “We must cooperate to fight out those who are not cooperating. Collaborating involves bringing in ideas from people from the travel industry, airlines, the government, the IATA, etc. to come up with an amicable solution to take it forward.”

Lokesh Bettaiah, Co-Opted Member Managing Committee, TAAI says: “The travel fraternity in India must understand that the next two years are going to be very crucial for them.

The issue of zero commission and the impending weekly payments system that will come into effect from January 2014 are likely to tighten the reins on us. One has to come together and cooperate. We do not have the same goals and do not subscribe to

the same visions- be it the TAAI, TAFI or the IATA. We have set aside differences and come forward. The need of the hour is to sit across and discuss everything, which includes principles of the three associations and face the problem.”

Lokesh stresses upon the underlying implication of ‘collaborating’ pointing out at the need to leave one’s ego at the doorstep- not just the travel agents but all the related stakeholders- in order to work towards making India a tourism-oriented country.

While the industry issues are intimi-

Lokesh Bettaiah- TAAI Managing Committee Today there are a lot of small towns where economic growth is happening at a rapid pace, places where Internet and credit card penetration are very low.

So, we must help agents in these cities to connect with their metro counterparts.

Voyager’s World > December 2013

dating any more to big travel agents and those in the metro cities, notwithstanding their access to technology and other modern business conveniences, the survival of smaller travel agents and those set up in Tier 2 and 3 cities remains a chal-

Karan Anand-Cox & Kings The convention will enable stakeholders to grow their business, help revive old contacts as the members from across the country will assemble at one location. lenge, with internet penetration and sound financial status are two key areas that can be solved based on this year’s theme.

Reassuring the protection of these small agents, Lokesh informs that there is going to be a new team formed in the association in their forthcoming Annual General Meeting (AGM). “The message today is that one should not focus on just the metros. There are a lot of small towns where economic growth is happening and that too at a rapid pace. In these places, it may be said that Internet and credit card penetration is very low. Hence, it is important to help the travel agents in Tier 2 and 3 cities to connect with their counterparts in the metros and finally succeed collectively.”

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14>> N.G. Shankar- TAAI Managing Committee The market is huge in India. Each stakeholder has his or her own space and with India being a huge country and undersized internet dispersion in rural areas and smaller cities, the role of the local agent cannot be ruled out completely.

OTAs cannot survive alone without access to an individual network and the end customers invariably depend on a single location agent.

Drawing reference to the Joint Bank Guarantee Scheme, he stated: “As far as India is concerned, it was only TAAI that has, over the decades, assured airlines of their interests in smaller agents. For small agents, we will pool funds and assure them whilst safeguarding their business. We try to make good for their default, if any, thus assuring the IATA or the member airlines that this is the best way to secure them.”

Iqbal too said that TAAI sought to protect the interests of its members and stakeholders. “It is the only association that has a strong net even in Tier 2 and 3 cities, be it Trichy or Pune or Chhattisgarh. We are present in 41 locations in the country, comprising small and medium people also.

Any agent who works here either as entrepreneurs or from home and churns a business of say Rs. 10 lakhs per annum falls under this bracket.

We are planning to get a joint insurance scheme to extend a guarantee to airlines on behalf of these agents, so also a credit card facility for them.

We are deliberating airlines to work with small agents without commission, based on the credit card facility. The joint bank guarantee and the credit card facility involve TAAI recommending to the banks a guarantee for small member agents when they have to avail tickets. We have discussed this with Jet Airways and Air India and seek to assure them of the

use of credit card to pay airlines by the agents by promising no default on the behalf of the small agents.”

N.G. Shankar, Hon. Treasurer, TAAI, says: “Unity and networking is what is required today, what with every business working on a consolidated model. Hence, the theme this year has been formulated to know and share each other’s strengths. Cooperation is also pertinent as always. The industrial set up in India is so fragmented with various stakeholders such as the burgeoning hotel industry and the rise in the number of budget airlines.

But there is no proper network. Every airline is having a problem of not reporting full occupancy and so do hotels. So, they must all collaborate to form a mega set of connections, meet people and work for an interlinked work approach. As for travel agents in Tier 2 and 3 cities, this kind of a theme helps us forge a connection with them for better business conversion. For instance, an agent in Kashmir might find it difficult to sell a product in Karnataka like a Hampi or a Coorg tour package. By employing this theme, we can ensure easy mutual flow of business.”

Diversification of products to counteract OTA threat Shankar said: “OTAs cannot survive alone without access to an individual network and the end customers invariably depend on a single location

agent. If one engages an OTA to make bookings in a metro like Bangalore, the local travel agent too becomes indispensable on arriving in the city when the customer wants to go to a remote corner of the place and wants a trustworthy car rental service. Also, the market is huge in India. Each stakeholder has his or her own space and with India being a huge country and undersized internet dispersion in rural areas and smaller cities, the role of the local agent cannot be ruled out completely. Every travel agent sells hotel rooms, insurance, group tours, overseas packages, SIM cards, car rentals and also specialises in niche segments. Then again, the key to sustenance lies in creating the ideal experience for the customer from the day one of travel.”

Lokesh, sharing a similar opinion as Shankar, says that these days travel agents are not just ticketing personnel anymore. They deal with various products like foreign exchange, car rentals, MICE, cruises, etc.; including home-based/freelance travel agents who have access to these products thanks to the internet. They have come to realise that ticketing alone is a non-productive business today and not the sole revenue-earner. Besides, there are some agents who have gone into niche segments like specialising in film tourism, rural tourism, health travel and the like. So, today, the agents are conscious of the need

Ratna Chadha-Tirun Travel Marketing By associating with reputable brands and educating their workforce on marketing cruise experiences, agents can definitely gain a competitive edge in the travel market. If travel agents are not up to speed their clients they will seek these experiences elsewhere.

Voyager’s World > December 2013

to branch out their offerings.”

Remaining optimistic about the interminable role of the travel agent, he said that the individual agent can never be ruled out completely. Referring to a recent study made in the USA on the ‘Return of the travel agents’ in 2012, he said that the human touch will always be there, at least as far as India is concerned. “If a corporate set up wanted to make bookings by itself via the Internet, the executives cannot go through the multiple sources and manifold options on the web all by themselves; because if they did, a substantial amount of the executives’ working time would be consumed in the booking process. This is where a travel consultant comes to play a vital role. With the availability of various devices like Android, social networking and the web, travel agents can make the best use of these and reach to individuals by adapting themselves to the changing times.”

Om Prakash, Director, Inorbit Tours Pvt. Ltd reminisced a time when airlines attributed 85% of their sales to agents. “However, today with the entry of OTAs and travel technology devices, only visa and other miscellany services remain as the services for agents and that will not be sufficient for them. So diversifying products is most important for our survival. We can consider including MICE and group tours as the new emerging business idea. Offering group packages from sizes ranging from 20-500 people will go a long way in helping agents maintain themselves.”

He advises that smaller travel agents in Tier 2 and 3 cities must be embraced as a large family. For those who are not having a high level approach, he suggested the counterparts in the metros could share products, thus paving way for a number of benefits down the line.” Instead of marking up prices completely, which will be uneconomical, we can share the mark-up prices with them. For in-

16>> Om Prakash- Inorbit Tours Pvt. Ltd. It has become a necessity for travel agents’ survival to add alternate products to add to their income, in the wake of 0% or negligible airline commission. Hence the travel agents in B & C tier can add some that they can have tie up with reputed tour operators, representatives of foreign agents in India, etc. such as group tours, FIT, religious tours, Conventions and exhibitions, multi-destination itineraries. stance, for a B2C client, one may be retaining a certain amount of mark up. For B2B clients in tier 2 and 3 areas, we can share from the same mark up with them so that they are treated fairly and the end customer can buy from them as well.”

Some worthwhile products that smaller agents can consider: •Tie ups with reputed tour operators, representatives of foreign agents in India, etc; •Travel packages for leisure to various destinations as FIT; •Group tours to various destinations.

•Group & FIT packages to visit trade exhibitions abroad for business clients.

•For FITs services abroad such as car hire, transportation, sight-seeing, hotel bookings, Events tickets etc.

•Planning of multi destination itineraries.

•Services for specific tours for Religious journey, Sports, Conferences, Conventions.

•Suggest business visitors to add pleasure in their tours.

Karan Anand, Head, Relationships, Cox & Kings, said: “Agents wherever they are located should come up with innovative ideas and provide excellent customer service in order to

thrive in this business. Even though customers are well informed they still come to the travel agent to book services such as hotel stays, packages, airline tickets etc., they do that as they feel that agents are in a better position to offer such services in a very cost effective manner. Agents should also charge a service fee for the services rendered.”

On all the stakeholders coming together to work out a strategy that is win-win for all, Kara said: “All segments of the industry must cooperate in order to survive. For smaller agents this is an opportunity to meet up with hoteliers, suppliers of niche tourism products who they can partner with in order to gain market share in their regions.” He believes that the convention is an excellent opportunity for all the stakeholders in the tourism industry to come together and share views and ideas that will enable them to grow their business. It will also help revive old contacts as the membership from different parts of the country will assemble at one location. For Karnataka tourism it will be the ideal platform to showcase various new products that they have to offer.

Ian Banerjee, Director, Global Anchor Cruises, is of the opinion that with the

online model becoming more prominent a lot of clients are at least partially booking their own travel requirements online. And if not booking then they do visit a travel agent but being well informed. This trend has put immense pressure on the small mom and pop travel agencies to survive.

However this development has also started to give great recognition to the ones who diversify and are able to customise and plan a customer trip / vacation from tip to toe.

Rather now that a customer understands the research involved in planning a complete trip and thanks to the online model which does not give you a face or personalization, the luxury clients who prefer service and peace of mind through confidence than saving 5-7% of their trip budget are gladly willing to pay a premium.

“This being said, some travel agencies abroad also charge a professional fee over the total expense just like any other professional would charge.

For instance all articles and clauses of the law are available online; however, one still avails the benefit of a Lawyer and pays a professional fee.

Even though this is still a growing concept, it is the future of the travel trade where one will not survive by being a master of one but have to evolve to

Ian Banerjee- Global Anchor Cruises Even in a digital driven world there is still a demand for travel agents that exists.

A human interaction is sought after.

Even with online capabilities to secure one’s travel plans, users need recommendations, direction, and an expert to navigate the choices.

Voyager’s World > December 2013

a Jack of all. Fulfilling this need is a continuous process of education and experience. However today many suppliers like ourselves have stood up to support travel partners with continuous training as well as trouble shooting any queries they would have to the extent of accompanying them on their visit with their clients when required or even a telephonic conversation for the same,” he added.

Ian says cruise vacations always require a professional to assist the client in their booking and for them to succeed the key is to connect with one’s key partners boosting them and equipping them to succeed in introducing and representing the cruise product to the market and working with them alongside for trouble shooting or remodelling to enhance your value of your product.

Ratna Chadha, Chief Executive, Tirun Travel Marketing, India representatives of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., says: “Cruise vacations is one such concept which every travel agent should consider to include in their bouquet of products. Owing to its novel form of travel and itineraries visiting multiple destinations, the immense value to guests as rates are inclusive of accommodation, meals and various on board amenities, as well as the choice that one has today, with sailings in every continent and around the year – there is immense potential in offering this experience to consumers today. By associating with reputable brands and educating their workforce on marketing cruise experiences, agents can definitely gain a competitive edge in the travel market.”

With emphasis on renewing our connections with one another on one hand and the oft-disussed relevance of new age booking tools and technology on the other, the speculation remains on whether the forthcoming talks would take shape into a concrete inter-linked network.

17>>

www.voyagersworld.in

18>>

THE YEAR OF HOMECOMING

A

land full of myths and legends, with an incredible history, unique culture, and breathtaking scenery, Scotland leaves a big impact on all kinds of travellers – whether it is the culture vulture, the history buff, the gourmand, the nature lover, the adventurer at heart, or the wildlife enthusiast. Scotland has something for everyone!

After the success of Homecoming Scotland 2009, Scotland welcomes the world for the Year of Homecoming Scotland 2014 A year-long programme of events running from December 2013 to 31 December 2014 will celebrate the very best of Scotland’s food and drink, its fantastic active and natural resources and its vibrant creativity, culture and ancestral heritage with a wide variety of music, drama, dance, art and cultural events across the country.

The Year of Homecoming 2014 is a fantastic way for your clients to experience all that’s great about Scotland.

From mouth-watering food and drink events to clan gatherings, there are plenty of inspiring activities to encourage your clients to discover the best of Scotland. Add new Homecoming events to your Scotland itineraries and give your clients the opportunity to take part in a year to remember. Homecoming events include: • Highland Games, from May - September, across Scotland. Scotland’s breathtaking scenery acts as a backdrop to our famous Highland games! From May to September, watch events such as tossing the caber and the tug-o-war, as well as Highland dancing and pipe band performances. Get your clients to mix with the locals, buy Scottish souvenirs or even take part in the visitor events!

• Whisky Month in May 2014, across Scotland. Starting with the popular Sprit of Speyside Festival, whisky month will take in hundreds of events that spread across the entire country. The diverse programme of events will include Edinburgh’s Whisky Stramash, international celebrations on World Whisky Day and will end in the blissful island surroundings at The Islay Music and Malt Festival.

• Edinburgh Military Tattoo, 1-23 August 2014, Edinburgh. Staged every year as part of the world-famous Edinburgh Festival, the Edinburgh Military Tattoo is a unique and memorable celebration of music, dance and military pageantry.

For more information and full calendar of events please visit: www.homecomingscotland.com Scotland will also play host to two worldclass events in 2014. From the 23th July to the 3rd August 2014, the eyes of the world will be on Glasgow as it hosts the XX Commonwealth Games. A modern city of culture and sport, forward-thinking and creative, Glasgow is one of the UK’s largest cities and has a lively heart and warm people. Your clients will experience its museums and galleries, architectural splendours, nightlife and shopping options first-hand as they watch sporting history unfold.

In September, for only the second time in the history of The Ryder Cup, Scotland will proudly play host to the greatest tournament in match play golf. Golfers and fans alike will descend on the magnificent Gleneagles Resort in Perthshire. Inspire your clients to come and experience the Home of Golf!

Voyager’s World > December 2013

To help our trade partners benefit from VisitScotland’s marketing campaigns, we have put together a Year of Homecoming toolkit. The toolkit contains: • Free images • Official logo • Itinerary ideas • Promotional wording Download the toolkit today on www.visitscotlandtraveltrade.com/useful-info/whats-on/HCS2014 SCOTSagent programme- Become a Scotland expert!

The SCOTS programme is a free online destination education programme that allows you to develop your product knowledge of Scotland and provide you with hints and tips to increase your Scotland sales. The programme consists of 6 educational seminars, each seminar providing key information that will assist with selling Scotland to your clients. In addition, one of the seminars is tailor-made for MICE organisers and showcases Scotland’s USPs as a preferred destination for meetings, incentives and conferences. Join today free of charge and start developing your Scotland knowledge!

Sign up today! www.visitscotlandtraveltrade.com/scotsagent

Highland Games

19>>

201 4

Edinburgh Hogmanay Fireworks

Useful Links • Glasgow Commonwealth Games 2014, tickets & packages glasgow2014@atpi.com • Ryder Cup 2014,tickets and packages http://www.rcts.co.uk/ticketinclusivepackages.php • SCOTSagent programme www.visitscotlandtraveltrade.com/scotsagent • Homecoming toolkit www.visitscotlandtraveltrade.com/useful-info/whats-on/HCS2014 • VisitScotland Travel trade website www.visitscotlandtraveltrade.com • Homecoming 2014 event list www.homecomingscotland.com

Eilean Donan Castle

www.voyagersworld.in

Flight Search

20>>

You too FIROZ FAZIL

Manish Raj – Via.com Sale happens for products which are packaged well and sold efficiently.

Indian customer still wants to know who they are dealing with and who they can call in case of emergency – not just a toll free number. They want value in what they buy – physically or online.

firms’ services and disturbing fair competition in the OTA space.

Growth challenges OTAs are already under pressure.

Travel agents, especially OTAs like Cleartrip or Yatra, got the shock of their life as the Supreme Court has prevented them from collecting transaction fee on airline tickets in the recent past. The court order does have a direct impact on the margins of online players.

What Google does is that it will let us-

Search engine giant Google is all set

will impact OTAs such as Yatra, Via.

In the past Google was sued by other

to launch its flight search option in

com, Makemytrip, Cleartrip etc.

Indian companies for unfair practices

India soon. And online travel agents

as it went on monopolising on their

(OTAs) are keeping their fingers

Google Flight Search and Hotel

dominance over the internet. It may

crossed.

finder are two very interesting prod-

be recalled that Bharatmatrimony

ucts to be watched for in the travel

had moved to Competition Commis-

It may be recalled that Google re-

domain. Only thing it will not be an

sion of India, citing discriminatory

cently launched product listing Ads in

overnight success, they may need to

trade practices related to its AdWords

India. And now it is going to target air

work with OTAs to start with, so it can

program by Google.

travelers next with its ‘Flight Search’.

be considered as a limited time op-

Flight Search was first launched in

portunity. A lot of airlines still use the

And in Europe, Google’s Flight Search

the US and then extended to parts of

obsolete technology and this may be

is already in trouble with OTAs like as

Europe. It lets users compare fares

deterrent for Google free flow func-

TripAdvisor and Expedia filling anti-

offered by airlines and book tickets

tioning. OTAs took advantage of the

trust complaints against the compa-

directly from airline’s websites. This

same earlier also.

ny with the EC for encouraging rival

Voyager’s World > December 2013

ers compare fares and book tickets directly from airline websites. OTAs feel this amounts to discrimination by Google when it comes to search results relating to online travel.

This can be a double whammy for big OTAs, faced as they are with growth challenges and smaller players low margins. In this context how Google’s impending flight search will affect OTAs in India?

Most of the leading Indian OTAs were reluctant to comment on Google’s entry into flight search.

Flight Search

22>> Albert Dias - Musafir.com With reference to the Indian OTA ecosystem, we expect Google’s new product to change customer acquisition strategies.

Several OTAs have already diversified their customer acquisition strategies away from flights and we too have a mid-term strategy in place to do this.

there will be some serious competition. With hotels, what Google has is search abilities. What we have is an understanding of Indian customers, relationships with hotels and the resources to provide deals at great prices. I see Google partnering with OTAs rather than challenging them as far as hotels are concerned. I think Google’s entry will only help the industry in terms researching the best flight/hotel online.”

What is OTAs doing?

Are there any efforts on the part of

Manish Raj, Vice President - Corpo-

have an impact, but definitely one

would not happen immediately, so

OTAs to stem the attempt by Google

rate Sales – Via.com, feels that in

can’t ignore its presence. “It will

there is some time to plan and re-

to launch flight search option? What

the current business scenario and

probably have a balancing effect

strategize for the Indian OTAs.”

are the steps taken by OTAs to protect

especially in the online space, it has

on the current OTA eco-system. The

become a case of creativity and hon-

weak players will perish, the stronger

He feels that Google Flight Search

nation by Google when it comes to

est intentions. OTAs with effective

will emerge more prepared and ef-

and Hotel finder are two very inter-

search results for queries relating to

business plan and right mix of direct

ficient. The business will become

esting products to be watched for in

online travel?

clients, B2B business and corporate/

more interesting and customer will

the travel domain. “Only thing it will

SME, will be able to look ahead. Its

emerge more well informed. Also the

not be a overnight success, they may

Says Manish: “What I get to hear is

business of volumes with choice, cost

Marketing budgets of big players are

need to work with OTA’s to start with,

that some of the major OTAs are look-

and convenience for its customers.

going to increase many fold bringing

so it can be considered as a limited

ing at complaining and raise the up-

“Google’s flight search will at best

in focus on ancillary products as well.

time opportunity also. Lot of airlines

coming issue with Competition Com-

work as a search engine giving flight

Content will be the king and relation-

still use the obsolete technology this

mission on grounds of discrimination.

fare comparisons across various

ships will be the key.”

may be deterrent for google free flow

I can only say that if Facebook had

functioning. OTA’s took advantage of

stopped its stride due to presence

sites; this doesn’t guarantees sales.

their interests as they claim discrimi-

Sale happens for products which are

Says Axis Rooms founder Anil Kumar

the same earlier also, I remember

of Orkut in social networking space,

packaged well and sold efficiently.

Prasanna: “flights have not been

Ebooker used to pre buy low cost in-

probably Orkut would have still been

Indian customer still wants to know

of great importance for OTAs today,

ventory, so pre buying will come into

dominating its presence.”

who they are dealing with and who

there are multiple problems it is as-

prominence for OTA’s very soon.”

they can call in case of emergency –

sociated with like low margins, airline

According to Findmystay.com Co-

He further explained: “I am not sure

not just a toll free number. They want

working towards direct business op-

Founder Simran Sial, Google’s entry

about others, but we are still continu-

value in what they buy – physically or

portunity etc,. Google Flight search

into this is a testimony of the poten-

ing with our business and will stick

online,” Manish added.

will be a greatest factor and will

tial OTAs have for growth. “Also, Goog-

to our basics and our core strength.

change the way we buy tickets, I am

le’s model for hotels is that of a meta-

We have strong team both in back-

Albert Dias, Co-founder, Marketing

still looking for the revenue strategy

search engine; I don’t see them going

end and frontend and together we

and Technology Director, Musafir.com,

they might use - age old PPC or OTA

and working with thousands of hotels

will continue facing the competition

says: “We expect Google’s upcoming

commission model. These changes

individually, but on the flight side

and developing new ways to move

launch of Flight Search in India to have a short-term impact on OTA traffic sources, but we do not expect it to have a long-term impact on OTA sales quality – especially for those that invest in their brand and product innovation to retain customers organically, just as we currently do.”

“With reference to the Indian OTA ecosystem, we expect Google’s new product to change customer acquisition strategies. Several OTAs have already diversified their customer acquisition strategies away from flights and we too have a mid-term strategy in place to do this.”

May change the dynamics Manish is unsure how much it will

Voyager’s World > December 2013

Simran Sial Findmystay.com With hotels, what Google has is search abilities. What we have is an understanding of Indian customers, relationships with hotels and the resources to provide deals at great prices. I see Google partnering with OTAs rather than challenging them as far as hotels are concerned. I think Google’s entry will only help the industry in terms researching the best flight/hotel online.

Flight Search

23>> Anil Kumar Prasanna - Axis Rooms Flights have not been of great importance for OTAs today, there are multiple problems it is associated with like low margins, airline working towards direct business opportunity etc,. Google Flight search will be a greatest factor and will change the way we buy tickets, I am still looking for the revenue strategy they might use - age old PPC or OTA commission model.

ating a alternate revenue, like Yatra acquiring TravelGuru (Hotel Business), MMT acquiring HotelTravel (Hotel business and Asia expansion) GoIbibo’s acquisition of RedBus (consolidating bus tickets business). Airline information on OTAs might remain as value added business but revenue will flow from alternate business products.”

He, however, is unable to predict the likely outcome of the Google’s new offering. It is too early to make any predictions. We still need to wait and watch how the competition commission in the US and the EU react to the same, and hopefully Indian competition commission has too many things to address. We will need to see which

ahead. In Online space, apart from basic operations and strong control

with changing dynamics, that’s why it’s exciting out here.”

on technology, rest everything keeps

wants to get their share of hotel busi-

will be their first move: will they ad-

ness, which is much more fragmented

dress airlines first, too may interna-

and with very high revenue. “Priceline

tional airlines monopolizing business

changing by the day. We can’t have

Anil says that there is still a enough

strategy of Booking.com / Agoda, Ex-

with key routes operations, prime tim-

the same strategy for every month;

opportunity and revenue to be made

pedia with Hotels.com, recent acqui-

ing etc,. One thing for sure is it would

one has to keeping reinventing itself

in OTA business, today every OTA

sitions by our desi OTAs are also cre-

not be a easy walk for Google also.”

Oasis of Luxury

Finest cuisine at sea

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Experience the World Contact Oceania Cruises India: at +91-22-65656050 / 51 | or mail us at sales@oceaniacruisesindia.com AFRICA

ALASKA

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Flight Talk

24>>

rising air travel in India offers scope for attendant services

Priya Mittal, Director of Fly Tagged, aims to acquaint fliers about making airport and flying experiences easier, a service that is budding in the Indian aviation market.

VW BUREAU

What was the inspiration behind Fly Tagged?

Fly Tagged was conceived to bring the magic back to flying. A large number of factors ranging from personal experiences to those of friends and family and the professional experience of Mr. Rishabh Beria, as part of the aviation industry brought forward the fact that there was a definite gap with regard to passenger assistance at the airport.

Air travel has grown significantly in India and passenger dynamics have also changed drastically; flying is no longer limited to the elite and wealthy few but rather, it has become an accessible and convenient mode of travel for the common man. This has put immense pressure on airlines and airports to provide good assistance service, hence creating a definite need within the industry with regard to passenger assistance.

While technological advancement and ever improving airport infrastructure do make the passenger experience far smoother and easier, there is still a significant number of those in need of special assistance. Besides, India is graced with a multilingual, and multi-ethnic society, bringing certain challenges in travel for Indians/expats/ foreigners to travel inter-state.

Thus, the need arises for a dedicated service for personal guidance, dedicated escorts and specialised services at the Airport that Fly Tagged aims to fulfil.

How did you overcome the initial

Voyager’s World > December 2013

hurdles?

Fly Tagged is a new service in India and awareness levels are low. Thus, challenges mainly lie in receiving airport approvals and educating people about such a service. But we have just started and in time, we are confident that we can iron out these challenges.

What is the current status of your business? Have you received funding?

We are at the initial stage of the business as we have just launched the services in June 2013, and our services are currently operational at Ahmedabad airport. Presently, we are self-funded but will look at raising funds for expansions into other airports.

What is your USP? What are your marketing strategies and promotional activities?

India being a price sensitive market, luxury service at an affordable price is our USP. Also, ours is a one-of-itkind service, launched for the first time in India.

We are using different marketing platforms. In fact, our approach on social media is witnessing success in alluring the right kind of audience to Fly Tagged. Recently, we conducted a Facebook contest which was a unique opportunity for people to nominate their loved ones or themselves to experience ‘Real Navratri’ in the comfort and care of Fly Tagged at Ahmedabad.

Besides, we have initiatives for direct marketing as well. We have a vast

network of affiliated travel agents, hotels, event management companies etc., who promote our services. The idea is to reach the passenger the moment they make their travel plans or book their tickets.

We have several innovative packages through tie-ups with various service providers. For example, we have tied up with Chartered Cabs in Ahmedabad to provide a Airport Pickup and Drop Taxi along with the Fly Tagged service at a flat rate. This is the first time passengers can avail such a facility in Ahmedabad.

We also have special rates for passengers at various partner hotels and retail outlets, tourism packages and so on. Additionally, we are planning to conduct a wide print and electronic media campaign to boost awareness.

What are your upcoming expansion plans and future offerings?

We have an aggressive expansion plan. Fly Tagged aspires to create a network of service excellence across the country and will provide an endto-end service at all the airports in the country within the next 12-18 months. We are in conversation with authorities from Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Delhi, Lucknow, Guwahati, Aurangabad airports for commencing operations.

Is the Indian market mature enough to accommodate for players as you?

We live in an experience economy.

The Indian traveller is widening his horizons and expecting more while the economic climate is forcing airlines to cut services to provide afford-

able travel. This trend will increase the need for support customer services at airports.

We are very affordably priced. We understand that India is a price sensitive market, and we believe that there is a huge need for a service like ours. At the price point that we have launched and the service excellence we aspire to deliver, we are confident the Indian market is well-suited to accommodate us.

What are the latest trends in the segment you have witnessed?

India is growing as a global trade partner and host of international events.

The need to provide tailor-made services at airports for the international and domestic travellers has become critical. Fly Tagged is aimed at filling this growing market demand.

With an annual movement of 60 million domestic passengers and 41 million international passengers, the industry is growing at 5%-7% per annum. We see a market size of Rs. 40 million in 2014 growing to Rs. 70 million in 2015. The market size would vary based on the expansion of our service across the country.

How has the response been so far by the travellers/customers?

It has been pretty good. We have already handled over 2000 satisfied guests since we began operations in June 2013.

Once people experience the Fly tagged service, they always seem to come back. We have several repeat customers and are looking forward to converting more.

26>>

Voyager’s World > December 2013

27>>

www.voyagersworld.in

MICE Point

28>>

Prudent spending policies are key to corporate travel Geetha Arekal, Officer, Regional Travel Head (APAC) - Corporate Services Group - TRAVEL, Northern Operating Services Pvt Ltd, tells Voyager’s World about the dynamics of booking processes for business travel purposes. price like $600 is selling at & 150200. Availability of finer facilities at lower prices has brought in the change. Airlines have to cut cost and operate economically in the steep increase of fuel, raw material and logistics price. Many promotional fares to fill the seats and working around add ons and also the cost being competitive. However, there are mentionable number of airlines today for whom survival has become a challenge due to restrictions on buyer’s spending.

Trace the demand-supply situation for corporate travel with regard to aviation and hotels domestically in the last two years, as far as the IT and investment banking sectors are concerned?

Looking at the travel industry tightening its belt, it drives market crazy.

Vendor needs to be reliable, quality service provider and economical. It has been a buyer’s market. So the competition has been narrow and tricky. From the hotel per se, Inventory has gone beyond consumption thus demand supply concept has lost the balance. Each property has worked towards maximum capacity hence, buyer has his say. Today hotels which were selling at exorbitant

Given the number of LCCs and increasing hotel inventory across the country, how do you choose the best vendor/seller for your company?

We have made policies in place to ensure globally we find uniform facility for all our employees when it comes to hotel. In India or abroad we sign up only with the 5 * facilities which ensures basic requirement like, gym, pool, spa, hygiene food and stay which are must. We restrict 1 or 2 facilities in each location to ensure there is a mutual benefit. We expect every vendor associated with us to grow. Our policies ensures this within the bandwidth we have. LCCs are used only when we know that there are no date changes and confirmed

dates of travel. Also budget plays a role. For Senior management whose travel are less in numbers, we avoid using these to ensure they have the necessary flexibility.

What are the popular requests that a corporate puts forth while making airline and hotel bookings? (For eg: Window seats, cancellation charges, business class/economy class, excess baggage, meals on board, room category, etc.)

For Hotels we negotiate on add ons like Breakfast, internet, airport transfer, laundry, discount on F&B etc.

Room wise we have a policy to use standard , non smoking room for all without any disparity. For airlines Zero Date change penalty, extra baggage, upgrade, cancellation charges are some of the common and famous.

What are the deals that a new corporate client and existing loyal clientele get from airlines and hotels?

Price negotiation, best services, availability Kindly provide figures of your corporate bookings in the last two years, Approx INR 60 m airline, globally we

have 50 k room nights booked How do you negotiate policies on corporate fare, round trip vs. one way booking, retail fare, Advance purchase, day trip, connecting flights and the like, so also room upgrades, complimentary breakfasts, meeting space, WiFi, etc.?

Cost, availability and quality to sum it up Which are your main destinations in India and abroad for which your employees regularly travel on work?

Domestic travel is very less, Internationally US / EMEA Negotiating with ground transport for visiting expatriates and outgoing employees, given the fuel costs.

Being employee oriented company, we are more concerned about safety, security and comfort levels of our employees commuting in traffic condition of Bangalore. Our partners do share taxi / cab while commuting.

Mobile apps and online booking tools for corporate travel The initiatives are on, we will take some time more to be fully in the hold; now we are in BB approval level.

Thailand’s tceb unveils ‘connect’ to lend fillip to mice business VW BUREAU

A

nnouncing its Marketing Strategy for 2014, The Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) highlighted the industry’s robust performance in 2013. The sector exceeded its targets both in terms of visitor numbers and industry earnings, with Europe representing the second largest market share, after the Asian region.

TCEB also disclosed its ambitious 2014 Strategic Plan, targeting key

Voyager’s World > December 2013

high-quality markets under the ‘Thailand New Growth Model’. The plan aims to boost the ‘Thailand Brand’ as Asia’s premier MICE destination and highlights three main pillars of Thailand’s MICE industry consisting of (1) Destination; (2) Business; and (3) People. Together with TCEB’s unique ‘3C’s’ approach - Companion, Customisation and Creativity, the bureau aims to boost 2014 revenues by 10% to 96.9 billion baht (Euros 2.3 billion).

Parichat Svetasreni, Director of Mar-

keting and Corporate Image department of TCEB, disclosed that “Our efforts to drive theMICE sector in collaboration with all other stakeholders from both the public and private sectors have borne fruit. Thailand’s MICEsector comprises three main industry categories: corporate meetings (25% market share), incentive travel (24%), international conventions (33%) and international exhibitions and trade fairs (18%).

“In all, this year we have welcomed

a total of 1,013,502 overseas MICE visitors, up 13.21% compared with 2012. In revenue terms, earnings were also up by 10.93% to Euros 2.05 billion, surpassing our annual targets for both numbers and industry earnings. Last year, Europe was our second largest source of MICE visitors, representing 10.06% of the market, after Asia, which naturally dominates our market, with a 75.25% share.

“The European market remains ro-

MICE Point

29>> bust, and this year has shown strong growth of 7.69% in terms of visitor numbers or 5.52% in terms of earnings, as compared with 2012. In all, MICE visitor numbers from Europe grew from 94,690 in 2012 to almost 102,000 this year, whilst earnings grew from Euro 210.8 million to Euro 222.5 million.

For 2014 fiscal year, TCEB drives the country’s MICE sector under the 2012-2016 MICE Industry Master Plan.

MICE Marketing Strategy 2014 We will no more focus on pricing competition to raise the highest benefits.

Business is a must to redefine and raise to create customer’s unique aspiration and long term equity together with build up the sustain growth of business. The model is match with TCEB core strategies that are focusing on strategically develop our destination, business and people to the new level of excellence. We develop our marketing model through the model of Marketing 3.0 by strongly commit to generate the following area: Good Commitment / Good Context and Good Connection.

With these goals in mind, TCEB’s 2014 Vision is to ‘Elevate Thailand’s MICE sector and moves towards high quality markets’. Emphasizing the three key pillars of Thailand’s MICE industry: (1) Diversity of destinations; (2) Unrivalled business opportunities; and (3) high-calibre personnel and legendary hospitality, TCEB has also incorporated the ‘3C’s’ approach -Companion, Customization and Creativity to differentiate Thailand’s MICE industry and drive competitiveness.

The plan identifies three main groups of destination markets, categorised

by Thailand’s competitive strengths: 1. TCEB aims to win more bids for Thailand, and attract more MICE events under its ‘WIN’ strategy, especially from the ASEAN+6 and Oceania markets.

2. TCEB will focus on maintaining and developing MICE markets in Europe, North America and the Middle East.

Key countries are the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Netherlands, Spain, USA and the United Arab Emirates.

3. TCEB aims to enter these new markets and build Thailand’s market share. Key markets include Africa, Eastern Europe and the BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India and China).

“Thailand Connect” marketing campaign TCEB’s latest global marketing campaign- the ‘Thailand CONNECT: Your

Global Business Events Connection’ aims to raise awareness of the diversity of choice and opportunities that Thailand has to offer. The campaign targets buyers from around the world, and incorporates a number of exciting market promotion packages. The initiative is based on three pillars of growth: Thailand’s diversity of destinations, its growing role as a regional business hub; and the country’s unrivalled reputation for world-class personnel and service standards.

Together with the Thailand CONNECT campaign, the bureau also launches exciting market promotion packages to support business success for international meetings and exhibitions, as

follows: 1) CONNECT Destinations: For Europe meetings and incentive travel groups, TCEB offers financial support of 3,300 U.S. dollars for events with more than 100 participants. Participants must stay at least 5 nights in Thailand, including an overnight stay in at least one other province apart from the main meeting location.

2) CONNECT People: For international conferences TCEB offers unique promotional support for events in the ASEAN+6 countries- Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Myanmar, Vietnam, Korea, Japan, New Zealand, Australia, India, Taiwan and China (including

Hong Kong and Macau).

3) CONNECT Business: For international exhibitions, bringing atleast 10 trade visitors or above, participate and convene at international trade shows in Thailand and achieve at least 30 business matching meetings in lump sum amount to receive USD 100 per one visitor. Each additional trade visitor must achieve at least 3 business matching meetings.

Total number of business matching meetings is calculated in lump sum amount to entitle for USD 100 per visitor. A group of visitors must commit to attend an international trade show in Thailand and must stay in Thailand for at least 3 days and 2 nights.

MUMBAI-KOLKATA-CHENNAI HYDERABAD-DELHI JANUARY 2014

MUMBAI-AHMEDABAD-DELHI FEBRUARY 2014

# 245, Amar Jyothi Layout, Domlur, Bangalore - 560 071, India Ph: +91 - 80 - 4083 4100, Fax: + 91 - 80 - 4083 4101, info@otrindia.com, www.otrindia.com Ahmedabad - Delhi - Hyderabad - Mumbai - Pune

www.voyagersworld.in

Destination Weddings

30>>

A knotty thing D

estination weddings are growing rapidly these days as people are looking for unique wedding experiences like underwater wedding and beach wedding. Like the underwater wedding ceremonies in a Trang, which is one of the popular choices for couples. National Tourism Organizations (NTOs) have witnessed a positive growth in the wedding segment.

The wedding segment will continue to grow as people love to celebrate weddings at unique destinations.

Size of the wedding market Sethaphan Buddhani, Director, Tourism Authority of Thailand, Mumbai Office, says: “The Indian wedding industry is estimated to be worth of Rs 100,000 to Rs 110,000 crore and is growing at a staggering rate of 25 per cent annually. Thailand has a long standing reputation of being a premium wedding destination for the high net worth individuals of India.”

© Philippines Tourism

“Over 100 couples from India celebrated their weddings in Thailand last year. The wedding market is worth approximately THB 550 mil-

Voyager’s World > December 2013

lion a year, with each Indian couple spending at least THB 10 million and staying for at least four to five days.

A single Indian wedding has a guest list of about 200-400 or even more where in a hotel is fully booked in that particular destination. The Indian market is of prime importance for us with such impressive figures,” he added.

Manoharan Periasamy, Director, Tourism Malaysia, states that each year around 2,000 high-end weddings take place in India. The market was pegged at $25 billion in 2012 and was growing at 25% annually.

Lubaina Sheerazi, Ministry of Tourism, Oman said, says Indian weddings are very extravagant and a once-in-a-lifetime event celebrated to the fullest. The Indian wedding industry is now worth more than $25 billion a year and the segment is growing at an estimated 20 percent a year.

Theme-based weddings Soma Bhattacharya, Destination Manager, Mauritius Tourism Promo-

Destination weddings is the in-thing now with Indian middle-class increasingly preferring exotic weddings abroad, be it on a beach or a mountain top.

Irene Susan Eapen has this story

Destination Weddings

© Tourism Malaysia

31>>

tion Authority explains: “Mauritius has fast emerged as the wedding destination for Indian travellers lately and with the growing disposable income, Indians want to go out and do something different on their big day.

Mauritius also offers customised packages for elaborate wedding ceremonies. A wedding in Mauritius is as unique as it can get and can turn out

lifetime experience to cherish forever and ever.”

“Mauritius offers a variety of options for weddings, on the beach, or temple or underwater wedding ceremonies. It is just not the paradise setting that leaves the couples enchanted but the simple procedure for wedding is playing a big role in the growth of

destinations. The hassle free process adds to the advantage of wedding in Mauritius and a Mauritian marriage certificate is recognized all over the world,” she added.

Sethaphan Buddhani states that the Indian travellers these days are evolved tourists and the change in behaviour reflects in the wedding

segment too. And more and more couples are planning their own weddings and prefer to explore new and unique experiences. The underwater wedding ceremonies in a Trang is one of the popular choices of many of the young Indians wanting to explore new options.

“The Private Villa weddings are also

Komal Seth Philippines Tourism The pristine beaches, the beautiful islands and the amazing landscapes make it a perfect backdrop for wedding.

www.voyagersworld.in

Destination Weddings fast catching up as a favourite venue for a quiet and private wedding ceremony. It is a trend to celebrate the various ceremonies of the traditional Indian wedding like Mehendi and Sangeet .The value for money wedding packages and special offers being offered by many hotels in Thailand, many wealthy families find it feasible to host a grand destination wedding in Thailand,” he added.

“At theme based weddings, everything is lavish and larger than life, the themes are decided, be it colour, concept. Malaysia is a perfect destination for any kind of theme weddings and makes the job of the wedding planner as well as the interested party easy when it comes to choosing a destination for the wedding,” says Manoharan.

© Philippines Tourism

Networking Sethaphan says that Thailand was one of the first NTOs in India to promote the country as an ideal wedding destination. The trend started about 10 years ago and it continues to grow very strongly. “We have been very enterprising in positioning our country as an attractive destination for Indian

Voyager’s World > December 2013

families. We offer many incentives to entice the Indian wedding segment and currently we also have a project called My Own Jet that allows customers to book a private jet to come to Thailand.”

“We regularly interact and update the wedding planners regarding the new upcoming destinations like Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Krabi, Koh Samui, Trang etc and also coordinate to design attractive packages and itineraries to create the perfect wedding.

Over the years we have established very strong relationship with travel trade, who are also passionate about promoting Thailand as an attractive wedding destination,” he said.

Manoharan states: “The wedding planners are big influencers in recommending destination weddings.

We had organized a FAM for wedding planners to familiarise with the offerings of the destination. Apart from this in our advertising campaign we had projected Malaysia as a perfect wedding destination and honeymoon destination. We are also working with a few travel agents who have diversified their business to organise desti-

32>> nation weddings.”

“We recently had organized a FAM for wedding planners from India with the objective of introducing Oman to the wedding segment. We conducted several hotel inspections, local sightseeing and meetings with local vendors like florists, hotel managers, event managers etc. We hope all

this will aid in our effort to popularize Oman as a wedding destination,” said Lubaina.

Komal Seth, General Manager, Philippines Tourism Marketing Office, India says: “Philippines is a perfect option for couples who prefer beach weddings. Philippines has some of the world’s best beaches and some

Lubaina Sheerazi, Ministry of Tourism,Oman Oman offers an unique blend of old world charm and a stunning destination with an amazing topography perfect for an Indian wedding.

Destination Weddings

33>>

© Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority

m

Marketing Soma says wedding tourism in India is becoming prevalent as more and more Indians are taking interest in the big fat destination Indian wedding. India is a culturally rich country abundant in customs and traditions.

The opulence and splendour of the destination, as well as the vibrant Indian customs, evoke a lot of interest among the tourists.

“Weddings are one of the most niche tourism markets and India with its lavish weddings is on top of target list to market the wedding segment and attract more number of couples. We also organise FAM trips for wedding planners so that they can have a firsthand experience of the destination.

Mauritius has all the ingredients to organize magnificent Indian weddings and the Indian wedding market is massive and these days couples do not want to compromise on planning

their wedding. Mauritius is a perfect destination that offers a world-class wedding experience and mostly couples club honeymoon and wedding together,” she added.

Sethaphan said: “Thailand is one of the first countries to start the trend of destination weddings and still attracts one of the highest number of Indian weddings every year, hence it is a very important segment and we employee various marketing strategies for the Indian market. Last year we had launched the Amazing Thailand Wedding Specialist loyalty programme for wedding planners based in central, southern and western regions of India. Currently, we have 20 shortlisted wedding planners for this programme and each planner is certified as an Amazing Thailand Wedding Specialist.”

“We had recently launched a book titled, Fall in love in India, Get married in Amazing Thailand, followed by the second edition, Wedding and Celebrations in Thailand exclusively for the Indian market, with all the information to plan a wedding or honeymoon in the destination. We had organized familiarization trips for wedding planners from across the country to create awareness regarding new and popular destinations like

© Tourism Malaysia

of the best wedding planners, who can plan a wedding based on the rich Philippines culture and tradition. The local travel agencies also receive requests from tourists all over the world for wedding ceremonies in Cebu. The foreign couples find weddings in the Philippines very pocket-friendly compared elsewhere.

www.voyagersworld.in

Destination Weddings

34>> Hua Hin, Chiang Mai, Phuket, Khao Lak and Koh Samui,” he added.

© Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority

Manoharan says: “Malaysia is emerging as one of the most happening wedding destinations of the world, as many destination weddings have taken place in Malaysia, on the beaches of Langkawi, in the city of Kuala Lumpur and the highlands of Cameroon. Malaysia has a gorgeous coastline that entails numerous islands and beach resorts. Malaysia can prove to be a perfect beach wedding destination.”

© Philippines Tourism

Manoharan, Tourism Malaysia, Malaysia is an ideal destination to plan memorable weddings on the beaches of Langkawi, in the city of Kuala Lumpur and the highlands of Cameroon.

Voyager’s World > December 2013

“We are positioning Malaysia as an ideal destination for value of money and to plan memorable weddings, with multicultural offerings, wedding coordinators, party venues, post wedding honeymoon requirement, and wedding destinations to suit every budget; be it luxury or otherwise, as accommodations, even at the best of five star hotels are available at rates 40% less than India and the options are many. For the Indians weddings are a huge family with lot of time and money spent in planning a memorable wedding. The current trend is of destination weddings, whether within India or out of India,” he added.

Lubaina said: “We have started to focus on specific segment of travellers like the honeymooners, wedding

planners, the adventure lovers and so on. The India wedding market is huge and couples these days do not want to compromise on planning their wedding or honeymoon. Oman is an excellent destination, Muscat is well developed and provides a perfect set up for weddings with several world class hotels situated in the city. Oman also has a very strong cultural affinity with India and is also geographically very close to India.”

“Excellent accessibility is another reason that Oman is a perfect travel destination from India. Oman also has a unique blend of old world charm and modernity, a stunning destination with an amazing topography which is perfect for an Indian wedding as one can have every event set against a different backdrop like beach, desert, gardens and ballroom.

Since Oman has a huge population of Indians residing in the country, it also provides good and easy understanding of Indian cultures, traditions, accessibility to Indian vendors and cuisine,” she says.

Komal said that Philippines offer the magic to make memories last for a lifetime. The pristine beaches, the beautiful islands and the amazing landscapes of Philippines make it a perfect backdrop for wedding.

The beaches are a perfect escape

Destination Weddings

35>>

Sethaphan says: Indians travel far more frequently for business, study and pleasure, with the average incoming on the rise, more and more Indians are splurging on the big fat Indian weddings. The most common trend in recent times has been theme based opulent weddings, with each family looking out to out-do the other. Themes like beach wedding, underwater wedding, hot air balloon

“Many of the Indian couples are increasingly combining their weddings, followed by honeymoon in any of the idyllic beach resorts of Thailand. Indians choose Thailand as a wedding destination because of the many options now available for a truly personalized marriage. Private villas are a popular choice as a wedding venue, with private chefs and customized catering options also high on the dream wedding wish list. The variety of locations available means couples can choose either beach or Cliffside properties, with a background of blue skies or lush jungle,” he added.

Manoharan says: “The Wedding segment is growing year on year; moving from weddings being a traditional affair to incorporating western culture.

More and more people are planning theme wedding in destinations outside their hometown, to make a wonderful memory of their wedding for the years to come. There is a transformation from the traditional man dap to a more classy ambience located at a perfect beach or a mountain top.

The average spending at weddings has gone up and people are willing spending heavy amounts to make their dream wedding come true.”

© Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority

Trends Indian weddings are known for its great pomp and shows have donned a new garb in the recent years. Right from engagement to wedding day and post wedding reception, everything has gone under a tectonic shift making this already stylish affair more interesting. Nowadays people seek tailored wedding rather than going for packages to plan their wedding in a unique style.

“Mauritius offers wide variety of options for the couples. Indian cinema has always influenced the society and especially India. More than 100 Bollywood films have been shot in Mauritius, making it one of the preferred wedding destinations for Indians,” Soma added.

wedding, wedding on elephant’s back, abseiling wedding are getting increasingly popular in Thailand.

© Tourism Malaysia

from those cold, icy, extra-long winters. Cebu, Boracay and Palawan are amongst the best wedding destinations in the Philippines.

www.voyagersworld.in

Destination Weddings “The latest trend that has caught the fancy of Indian couples to be and wedding planners alike is destination weddings, wherein the entire ceremony and celebrations are shifted to a vacation like setting at a fancy location to which the guests must travel and stay for a few days.

Beach weddings are much in vogue where a couple take their wedding vows with the mesmerizing sea as a witness. Malaysia has many beach destinations that are ideal for beach weddings, the most popular of them amongst the Indians are - Langkawi and Penang that offer long stretches of white sandy beaches and serrated mountains,” he added

© Ministry of Tourism, Oman

“Theme weddings are gaining immense popularity among couples.

People are looking at unique wedding venues and experiences for their big day. Very often, couples are looking for something more exotic, adventurous and different to a traditional home based wedding. They are also looking for destinations that can provide them the ‘Wow’ factor on their wedding day. Destinations that can provide a different backdrop for different themes/days of the wedding are also preferred,” added Lubaina

Voyager’s World > December 2013

“The popularity of destination weddings has risen globally, totally in keeping with the rise of travelling in general. The growth in the number of couples who wish to have a unique celebration of their union in some exotic destination has been rapidly increasing. These, along with the number of young Filipino professionals make destination weddings a blossoming aspect of the travel industry that the Philippines government takes seriously. A rise in professionalism in the Philippine wedding industry has also been noticed from events coordination to flower arranging, cake artistry to creative photo and video coverage, the stag-

36>> gering quantity of choices is insurance enough for quality services,” said Komal.

Growth & Expectations Soma said: “Mauritius is currently witnessing a remarkable growth in the number of tourists from India.

The tourism board aspires to expand the diverse product offering of the destination. In the year 2012, 55197 Indian tourists visited Mauritius with an increase over 2011, contributing significantly to the Tourism Receipts of the destination.”

The Indian wedding segment has

been one of the major growth segments, we hosted over 100 Indian weddings in Thailand last year. We have seen a growth rate of approximately 10 % in the last two years. In terms of size, in the last couple of years larger Indian weddings have seed families spend more than THB 10 million (about USD 340,000), with an extensive guest list of 300 or more,” says Sethaphan.

“In the last two years we have seen over 40 Indian weddings taking place in Malaysia and we expect to double the numbers this year,” added Manoharan.

Soma Bhattacharya, Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority Indian travellers are experimental and ready to pay for the comfort and luxury of a quality wedding and honeymoon

Destination Weddings

© Al Bustan Palace, Muscat

37>>

Drop in rupee Soma states that despite the fall in Indian rupee, Mauritius has registered growth in the month of August for being one of the popular and preferred destinations among the Indians. The Indian travellers have become more experimental and are ready to pay for the comfort and luxury of a quality wedding and honeymoon.

Thailand is a very popular with the Indians and is known as a value for money destination. As weddings are an integral part of Indian culture and tradition, most families opt for an opulent function for their daughters’ or sons’ weddings. Hence despite an economic slowdown, weddings will continue to remain an aspect wherein people are likely to

spend more.

“A destination wedding in Thailand works out to be much more economical than any other destination which is a huge encouragement for families. Additionally, we also offer incentives and various schemes to support planners and agents to host weddings in our country. Hence in spite of the rupee depreciation, we are very optimistic of attracting the Indian wedding segment to come to Thailand and create their picture perfect weddings,” says Sethaphan.

Manoharan said: “Weddings are recession proof, as weddings have to take place once dates are set and planned. The rich and famous who plan destination weddings will not stop to have the weddings overseas with a close set of really important guests which will be much less expensive than hosting the wedding in their hometown where the guest list will be never ending. Plus Malaysia has great value for money.”

“For Indian couples looking for something out of the ordinary with a dash of exotica, a Malaysia wedding may well be a classic recipe,

© The Chedi, Muscat

Komal said: “Philippines registered 3,180,903 visitor arrivals during the period Jan-Aug, 2013. The Department of Tourism (DOT), Philippines in a survey stated that the country achieved an increase of 11.28% above last year’s arrival figures for the same period. The country had recorded 2,858,348 arrivals in 2012 in these months.”

combining jaw dropping landscape and scenery, mist covered valleys and mountains, fantastic often totally secluded beaches and green lagoons. Weddings in Malaysia offer the chance to tie the knot in an enchanted land,” added Manoharan.

Komal says: “The Philippines government recently announced that Indian nationals with valid AJACSS UK visa are allowed to enter Philippines for a period of 14 days without

securing a Philippine visa. The VISA should be stamped by the Bureau of Immigration for the respective places travelled before under AJACCS UK visa to facilitate a person to travel to the Philippines with NO VISA.” “This segment has been witnessing a continuous steady growth and the Indian travellers are very keen now on experiencing new facilities and exploring various destinations,” concludes Komal.

www.voyagersworld.in

Hotel Pricing

38>>

Social media influences hotel pricing Social media and hotel pricing are correlated and savvy hoteliers and revenue managers can’t ignore this crucial aspect, says Sanjay Nagalia – COO for IDeaS. VW BUREAU of the hotel generated by the hotel

what channel and if they are flat rat-

ing paid to stay there. Conversely if a

themselves. These days, when a

ings or does it matter what the re-

property is consistently being talked

traveler goes to book a room in a lo-

viewer wrote? Identifying and making

about in positive terms online it may

cation that they may not be familiar

this correlation is where we will bring

be in a position to look at pricing it-

with, their selection process is much

value to the hospitality market.

self more aggressively in the future.

guests search for information on the

Awareness of one’s social media

Why would hoteliers not also con-

hotels in the area online and specifi-

standing when pricing hotel rooms?

sider their competitors’ reputation

cally look to third party review sites

Hoteliers need to be aware of their

in social media relative to theirs?

for impartial guest reviews to “aid”

own properties’ online reputation

There is not one sole contributing fac-

in the selection process. So, does

and what their social media standing

tor to optimal pricing, however each

social media sentiment impact a ho-

is because what is being said online

aspect plays a role and should be fac-

tel’s ability to attract guests (without

these days – whether it is construc-

tored into pricing. A good understand-

getting into the research)? The an-

tive criticism, much like the com-

ing of where a hotel stands in repu-

swer obviously is yes.

monly used suggestion cards from

tation with respect to its competitors

previous years - can help improve the

and where it stands in pricing with

The partnership between IDeaS,

actual operations of the hotel to im-

respect to its competitors are both

Brand Karma and ReviewPro is truly

prove upon future guest experiences.

significant factors at the time of pric-

innovative as it looks to quantifying

Also they are better placed to under-

ing hotel rooms and those who pay

the impact that social media senti-

stand the likelihood of demand – if a

attention to their competitors’ online

ment has on a hotel. The solutions

property is consistently being talked

reputations relative to their own will

we are using consider how many re-

about online as offering a poor guest

be able to make better informed pric-

views of the hotel are online, from

experience relative to the price be-

ing decisions in the future.

different. In many cases potential

Impact of a hotels’ social media sentiment on guest retention?

Both business and leisure travellers have changed the way in which they book hotels over recent years – in the past they may have been more reliant on travel agents or travel brochures to actually inform them of the best places to stay and relied more heavily on a traditional star rating process and descriptions

De-duplication solution aids in multiple supplier operations

Prakash Bang, Managing Director, roomsXML, talks about practical solutions employed by his company, in addition to facing competition and relationship with suppliers, in this interview with Voyager’s World.

VW BUREAU 2010 that some efforts were put in to market the product. The response has been more than encouraging. We have seen an average YOY of over 65% over the last few years. 2014 and beyond looks more promising as we reach newer markets and consolidate our position in the existing ones.

Trace your growth and forecast your business for 2014.

It took us over three years to build the product. And we are still working on it! We soft-launched the concept in the year 2007. It was only in the year

Voyager’s World > December 2013

Elaborate on the de-duplication solution applied in your operations. roomsXML is the only accommodation system with class leading technology to quote an “Unique” property count where each property is only counted once. Each distribution chain we buy from has significant overlap with others. So if you have four channels of suppliers, each with 50,000 properties, doesn’t mean a system will have 200,000 hotels.

When we say we have 76,965 properties, we mean 76,965. No more, no less. We are proud of the fact that there’s no other system on the planet that works with multiple suppliers to achieve this ‘unique’ breakthrough.

Working with hotel chains, contractors, destination specific suppliers.

The whole concept of roomsXML revolves around working with multiple supply channels and giving a single interface and service point to travel agents. When we combine inventory from our own direct contracting, dynamic connections with hotel chains, niche regional suppliers etc. it not only adds to our unique product offering and rate competitiveness but also helps us in getting availability during peak seasons.

Explain the Retina, Q push and local currency solutions.

Retina and Q-push were born with the idea of helping travel agents save interaction time with customers, thus allowing them to deal with more customers in the available time. With Retina, one can confidently flip the screen while sitting alongside their customers to show their branding and prices including the mark-ups.

Q-push helps travel agents to email property information and quotations directly from the roomsXML system.

To penetrate the local markets it is important to give local currency options.

Like in India we collect in Rupees, in UK we collect in Pounds, in Australia we collect in Australian Dollars, etc. It is integral to act local even for global organisations like roomsXML.

Hospitality Outbound

39>>

Sun Resorts expects positive growth for 2014

Medha Sampat, India Representative, Sun Resorts Mauritius, says Indian weddings have doubled year on year with the tremendous growth of destination weddings.

IRENE SUSAN EAPEN and lots of activities bundled with

of the wedding market is huge, Cur-

Indian market among other activities.

state of the art infrastructure.

rently we have some Indian weddings

We work closely with wedding plan-

lined up; so we are keen to achieve a

ners to promote our resorts.

Theme-based weddings

positive growth for 2014.

Theme-based weddings have gained

Networking for wedding segment

popularity. Since most of the time

Marketing

All our resorts are very large in terms

the theme is based on the Grand

Sun Resorts has gained popular-

of size and are fully equipped to han-

Indian Wedding and is understood

ity in India, especially our 5 star re-

dle a Big Fat Indian Wedding. We are

that it will be a destination wedding,

sorts Long Beach and Ambre that are

constantly in touch with event and

in most cases, the wedding planner

trendy resorts in Mauritius. Honey-

wedding planners to showcase our re-

is involved in choosing the correct

moons along with the ‘big fat’ Indian

sorts that are constantly evolving eve-

theme that the clients prefer. We rec-

Weddings have been a huge success

ryday to cater to the Indian Market.

Trends

ommend concepts that appeal to our

and the guests are thrilled with the

Many people are looking at out of

Indian clients and the entertainment

celebrations. The resorts are well-

Expectations for 2014

box itineraries where the power of

normally comes in from India.

known in the Indian market and we

The number of Indian weddings has

have been getting inquires for our

doubled year on year and we expect a

it comes to wedding, Indians are very

Size of the wedding market

properties. We also participate in

positive growth for 2014. Even at this

demanding; they want plenty of op-

The concept of destination weddings

trade fairs, conduct training sessions

stage, we do have some confirmed

tions, variety of cuisine including In-

is on an upswing and we are happy to

and provide various value additions,

bookings from our Indian clients for

dian specialities, large open spaces

be a part of that momentum. The size

incentives specially tailored for the

2013 and 2014.

choice plays an important role. When

Wind your weekends down at OKO’s Sunset Splendors PRIYAMVADHA BALARAM

T

he Oko at Hotel Lalit Ashok in Bangalore, wore a breezy and seasonal look at the launch of Sunset Splendors and High Afternoons on 08 November, 2013. The opening is a new addition brought about to heighten Oko’s ‘Weekend Twin Spin’, with Sunset Splendors lending a free and easy character to the ambience on the rooftop. Oko will have these lounge get-togethers on Saturday evenings.

Designed to offer casual seating with delightful views of the city, a wide array of cocktails, wines and beers coupled with music by a live DJ and crunchy snacks meet your idea of unwinding on a Saturday. The menu is the same as their present a-la-carte menu while there is an exclusive menu crafted for the beverages. The Oriental list offers tasty starters like Vietnamese style char grilled scal-

lops; Satay Kung; Thai marinated prawn skewer; John Dory with Malaysian spices; Satay Kai or marinated chicken with peanut sauce; Chicken Supreme in Dalat spices; pork chops; Malaysian grilled lamb chops; Ebi Tempura or prawn tempura and Kani Kara crab tempura.

The vegetarian lot comprises Jagamioyaki or Miso marinated grilled potato; Yaki Okura or char grilled okra in teriyaki sauce; grilled radish cake; char grilled mushrooms with Malaysian spices and Vietnamese style grilled broccoli; silken tofu and pineapple in Dalat spices; Indonesian Grilled Tofu; mixed vegetable tempura with radish and ginger soy dip; lotus stem tempura with radish and ginger soy dip.

like Scottish Salmon, Canadian scallops, Chilean Seabass, king prawns, lobster tail and tenderloin steak. Vegetarians too have a lot to choose from as grilled Okra, Miso Shiru Veg, silken tofu, garlic fried rice, flambé fruits with ice cream. For the main course, guests can choose from Gomoku Chahan rice with chicken or prawns, Yaki Udon Noodles and Yaki Soba noodles.

Having sampled the snacks to peppy numbers crooned by the DJ, I called it a day with Oko’s own customary dim sums, with yummy garlic fried rice and Thai green curry. The settings at Sunset Splendors matched by the charcoal-tinted skies will be the new place to wind down on weekends, while on Sundays, early birds can head down to Oko’s High Afternoons for a pan-Asian brunch.

The chef at the Teppanayaki station dishes out an incredible set of dishes

www.voyagersworld.in

Hospitality

40>>

managing loyalty programmes needs a one-stop site

Pete Van Dorn, Co-Founder of PointsHound, throws light on better ways and advantages of utilizing flyer miles and loyalty reward points while making hotel reservations.

VW BUREAU

What is unique about PointsHound in the online hotel booking segment?

PointsHound is unique in that we allow our users to earn frequent flyer miles and loyalty reward points when they book hotel reservations on our website. PointsHound users can choose to earn their preferred loyalty currencies in any of the 12 programmes we currently support.

Additionally, the sheer number of points and miles that users can earn on each hotel reservation is unprecedented. Just the other day, one of our users earned 37,500 American AAdvantage miles on a hotel stay in Bali.

What are the advantages of PointsHound over its peers?

In addition to the generous points earning opportunities we offer, other key features of our service are as follows: • Hotel Selection: PointsHound has access to over 150,000 hotels around the world in major cities and small towns on every continent. We work with big chains, small independent properties and vacation rentals across all price points, from to five-star luxury to more affordable accommodations for travellers on a budget.

• Localization: The platform was built from the ground up to serve users in multiple points-of-sale. We are adding new loyalty programme partners in Europe, South America and Asia and currently accept payment in over 20 different currencies.

Early next year, we will be rolling out

Voyager’s World > December 2013

the first multilingual versions of the service.

What are your latest offerings for the BRIC in general and Indian market in particular?

We are excited to partner with leading reward programmes in BRIC markets, including India’s JetPrivilege, Multiplus in Brasil and Baltic Miles in Eastern Europe.

Additionally, we have expanded our local currency acceptance which includes the addition of the Indian Rupee. Together with the thousands of hotels available in each of these regions, we have expanded to become a booking tool for global frequent flyers.

Discuss your new international loyalty programme partners.

Our newest loyalty programme partners are Multiplus in Brasil and JetPrivilege in India. Both of these programmes are dominant in their respective markets, which are pretty exciting from a travel standpoint.

According to eMarketer, Brasil’s travel market will grow at 18% CAGR from 2011-2016 and India 31% over same period.

Even more exciting, these travel sales are moving online faster than ever as consumers shift their travel spending to the web. That, combined with the recent increase in loyalty programme participation, means consumers in these markets are starting to recog-

nise the value of points and miles, which makes this a perfect time to introduce our service to these regions.

What are the latest trends in the loyalty programme segment?

In the USA, the loyalty programme segment is reaching a saturation point. According to a 2012 Colloquy report, there are three billion loyalty programme memberships in the USA and the average American household belongs to 22 programmes!

This suggests consumers are overwhelmed with all these programmes competing for their attention. As such, the latest trends are towards tools and technologies that simplify the task of participating in multiple programmes. Consumers are seeking aggregation tools and one-stop shopping so they can manage their accounts and reliably maximise their earning across their preferred programmes.

How do you evaluate India as a travel market?

India is one of the most sought-after travel markets due to its size and the incredible growth rates mentioned earlier. We feel PointsHound is wellpositioned to be a significant player in India given that we have already made progress localizing our service for the Indian consumer, in addition to the fact that we are partnered with one of the most trusted travel brands in the region, JetPrivileges, which has

over 10 million programme members and continues to grow.

We are currently running an Indiaspecific promotion where JetPrivilege members who sign up for PointsHound by the end of November receive an additional 500 JPMiles bonus when they complete their first hotel reservation on PointsHound.

How do you connect with the Indian travel trade market?

We are trying to spread awareness of our service working with JetPrivilege on promotional campaigns like the one running now. Additionally, we are connecting with the travel trade industry as they stand to gain the most from PointsHound, as frequent bookers earn at the highest rate - close to 20 points per dollar spent at certain hotels. Travel agents can use our service to book on behalf of their clients, and can easily rack up hundreds of thousands of points and miles over the course of a year.

What do you think are the fFuture trends (in the business model, etc.) in the BRIC travel segment I think we will see a proliferation of loyalty programmes and currencies in BRIC markets, similar to the trend we have seen in North America. This means new rewards programmes not just in travel, but also in financial services and retail, with more opportunities to earn points and miles across a wide variety of goods and services.

Hospitality

41>>

infrastructure remains a challenge in hill-side properties

Gaurav Jain, CEO, Aamod Resorts, talks to Voyager’s World about the brand’s competence, market scenario and challenges in ensuring consistent guest volumes. easy access. We ensure that the resort at each location is driven by experiences and turns into a destination by itself, be it spa or the activities rather than just sightseeing.

What is your USP? Our USP is that we choose out-oftown locations for establishing our resorts; locations that are outside and yet near the main destinations.

For example, our resort in Shoghi is close to Shimla while the one in Dalhousie is just outside the main hub of Dalhousie. We look at picturesque settings and away from the crowds, while trying to establish them within

Main feeder markets and clientele Our main feeder markets are Punjab and the NCR purely because our resorts are primarily in Himachal Pradesh. In January next year, we are opening another property in Uttaranchal, which we expect to cause the catchment to shift to Uttar Pradesh.

30% of our guests are from the rest of India. We expect the proportion to increase as we expand in other states in the future.

Share of business by corporate and leisure travellers Generally, 65% of our revenue is purely from family travellers and 35% from corporate clients. As for room nights, again families contribute to

55% of total room nights while 40% is accounted for by corporates. During the peak season, 70% is driven mainly by families.

Room occupancy levels during peak and off-season During our peak season, which is from April to the end of August and during Christmas, we run at about 90% occupancy. Most often than not, we find that we do not have enough capacity as our properties do not have too many rooms. The corporate groups are targeted during the off season. But, I personally recommend visiting during the off-season like March, September and October when guests can enjoy lower rates, lesser crowds and more scenic vistas.

Facing competition with touristfriendly accommodation facilities We do not have any big competition in Dalhousie as of today’s times. We

have a lot of in-house activities in our resorts in Dalhousie and Shoghi. Our resort in Manali is built as a small boutique villa in an orchard and we chose to build it that way in rural Manali as there are enough large properties already in that hill station.

Shoghi already has brands like Radisson and the Oberoi; we have built the Shoghi resort in the middle of the forest.

Challenges The initial hurdles that we faced were multiple permissions, taxes and the time to get established in the market.

Now many properties want to join us and we are getting good offers for partnerships. A major challenge is that of infrastructure on hilly terrains.

There is no airport, road connectivity and obtaining water supply and electricity on the location is difficult.

So, we try to build resorts in locations close to the national highways.

www.voyagersworld.in

Festival Watch

42>>

Festivals of

Bonden-sai Festival Akanuma, Akita City, Japan

17 January, 2014

B

onden-sai festival is a contest to become the first to reach the sacred mountain, carrying bonden for the gods to descend. A bonden is a sacred wand measuring almost 4m in length, serving as a marker for the gods descending down. They are often made by decorating a bamboo basket with colourful fabric. The bonden wands are carried by groups of children, townspeople and office-goers, with prayers for abundant harvest, good health and success Although this festival is held in all parts of Akita Prefecture, the festival at the shrine on Mt. Taiheizan, the symbol of Akita City, becomes particularly heated.

Sapporo Snow Festival Chuo-ku & Higashi-ku, Japan

R

07-14 February, 2014

ows of small and large snow statues are on display at three sites in Sapporo City during this festival, Odori Park which serves as the main venue is located in the city centre transforms into a snow museum. International Square, Odori) becomes the stage for the International Snow Statue Contest and every year more than 10 teams compete from all over the world. Members of the Self-Defense Forces had always played a vital role in the production of the gigantic snow statues and the transportation of snow, but since their dispatch to Iraq, festival preparations have mainly been conducted by citizen volunteers.

Voyager’s World > December 2013

The Philippine International Hot Air A weekend in February Balloon Fiesta

H

eld on a weekend of February in Clark, the annual festival features air-sporting events like hot-air balloon competition, aircraft maneuvers and precision flying, ultra lights, RC Demonstration Flying, sky diving, aircraft rally, rocketeering, flag jump, balloon bursting competition, kite flying, trade fair, carnival rides and nightly concerts.

The participation of international hot-air balloons from all over the world draws thousands of people to the site to witness the early morning balloon fly-out and late afternoon fly-in.

Mardi Gras New Orleans, Louisiana, USA

T

04 March, 2014

his is New Orleans’s exuberant feast before the famine, an intertwining of its centuries-old Caribbean and European cultural roots.

Arrive early to stake out a spot along the parade routes of St. Charles Avenue and Canal Street, amid a sea of ‘carnivalistas’ chanting “Throw me something, mister!”, demanding the plastic doubloons and cups, trinkets and coveted necklaces that are tossed by float-borne revellers. Of the many parades that begin in earnest two weeks prior to Fat Tuesday, the biggest and best, featuring the famous floats, take place day and night beginning the previous Thursday.

43>>

the World Winter Wonders 29 November 2013 to 05 January 2014 Brussels, Belgium

Rebel Salute Jamaica

T

R

he city celebrates the end of the year with a large European Christmas market (“Winterwonders”) that spreads through the cobbled streets and squares around the Grand-Place/Grote Markt. The 2-km Christmas concourse will get us dreaming this year again with its unique atmosphere, quality activities, varied culinary specialities, discoveries of other worlds, enchanting lights, etc. Downtown is transformed with fir trees, a Christmas crib, music, and special lighting.

To add to the festive mood, there will be a Ferris wheel and an ice skating rink.

Rann Utsav Kutch, Gujarat

R

14 December 2013-18 March, 2014

ann Utsav is a colourful carnival organised by Gujarat Tourism on the white salt desert expanses in Kutch every year in December.

During the moonlit nights, the salt flats of the Rann are bathed in silvery light and the desert comes to life with folk songs, dance and other festivities. Guests are housed in tents with modern facilities and treated to traditional Kutchi food while enjoying performances. The carnival showcases vernacular art and craft and is the best way to get closer to the varied and colourful life of the people living there. There are tours arranged to nearby sightseeing places like the beach and villages.

Festival Watch

17-18 January, 2014

ebel Salute is one of the major music festival on Jamaican’s calender held every year. The festival celebrates various Raggae style of music which is forgotten due to the growing divergence of today’s music. To preserve the music that assisted in nation building, Patrick George Anthony Barrett also called Tony Rebel has managed to capture the adoration of reggae lovers through the festival. The festival is strictly non- alcholic and serves only vegetarian food. This family event includes free entry to children below 12 years giving an opportunity to meet artists and listen to music that are no longer played elsewhere.

UAE Jet Ski Race Abu Dhabi

10 January, 2014

J

et ski racing on the Corniche breakwater is very popular, typically attracting more than 80 competitors of different nationalities. This race is hosted by Abu Dhabi International Marine Sports Club; it’s divided into different categories allowing competitors to compete at their own level and on different classes of boat.

The categories are: Ski Junior Stock, Novice Runabout Stock, Expert Ski Limited, Expert Runabout Stock, Pro Ski GP, Pro Runabout GP and Free Style.

www.voyagersworld.in

Events

44>>

GLIMPSES OF HOLIDAY EXPO 2013 Here is a snapshot of the recent Holiday Expo in Nagpur 04 - 06 October 2013

A snapshot of Holiday Expo in Vishakapatanam 08 - 10 November 2013

Voyager’s World > December 2013

India Outbound

45>>

215,000 Indians visited New York in 2012

Fred Dixon, Executive Vice President, Market Development, NYC & Company, looks forward to welcoming more Indian visitors to New York City in the near future, given its multi-faceted tourism personality and the encouraging holiday patterns among Indian travellers.

VW BUREAU Figures of Indian arrivals for the last three years and forecast for 2014.

Indian travel to NYC has grown in the last three years. It welcomed 215,000 Indian visitors in 2012, ending the year up 8% over the previous year and setting a new visitation record. NYC remains the most popular destination in the US for Indian travellers.

Where do you put India among all your source markets globally?

India is the 14th largest market for us and its rank is climbing on a consistent basis. We see a growth; however, we do not have numbers for 2013 yet.

Upcoming plans for tourists from India We are reaching out the consumer via various travel trade initiatives.

Earlier it was difficult for us as an individual city to market ourselves without any national tourism board.

However, now we are excited to work closely with Brand USA, which is also promoting travel to US. We recently participated in the Brand USA roadshow in Mumbai and Delhi with four

of our members- Broadway Collection, Empire State Building, Madame Tussauds and New York Water Taxi, besides having organised one-onone meetings with various travel trade partners in both cities. We work closely with our members to tap MICE and honeymoon segments.

New York is a one-of-a-kind destination for MICE and honeymooners, offering a versatile choice of unique venues, both indoors and outdoors along with world-class hotels and entertainment. For the honeymoon segment too, we have memorable experiences to offer, from a stay at one of our Signature Collection hotels to dinner cruise on the Hudson River with NYC’s breathtaking skyline as the backdrop.

Challenges in destination promotion in India India is a vast country and it is difficult to reach out to all corners. Plus, there is a misconception that it is very difficult to obtain a USA visa; we have recognised that and have made efforts to fix the problem. Here, the waiting time for a USA visa has already gone down. For renewal, in most cases one does not need to go for a personal interview; there are gradual steps being taken to make the process simpler. To refute the misconception that NYC is an expensive city, we have launched the Neighbourhood campaign, which promotes neighbourhoods besides Manhattan that are easily accessible and highly cost competitive.NYC is one of the safest large cities in USA.

www.voyagersworld.in

India Outbound

46>>

Live Your Puglia Experience!

Bianca Maria Tricarico, Puglia promozione Press Office Manager, says Apulia witnessed 1100 Indian tourists with 3,400 nights spent in Apulia IRENE SUSAN EAPEN

Figures of tourist arrivals Apulia is ranked second, following by Sicily and Tuscany, as per the latest statistics of the most important Italian travel destinations with an esteemed growth of 5% in foreign tourist arrivals in 2013. The total number of tourists travelling to Apulia is estimated around 3.2 millions, with a total of 13.3 millions nights spent, 578,000 out of 3.2 millions are foreign tourists, with 2.2 millions nights spent. We have witness 1100 tourists with 3,400 nights spent here from India.

Marketing and Promotional plans

Apulia allows living in unforgettable ex-

with its hidden treasures. It is charm-

We had organized Buy Puglia – Meet-

periences, the warmth of this friendly

ing to follow, from the Gargano to the

ing & Travel Experience, the Inter-

land is an essential aspect of the Pug-

Salento, the defensive system con-

national B2B Meeting where Apulia

lia brand, along with its authenticity to

ceived by Byzantines, Normans, Swa-

had the opportunity to introduce its

combine traditions and modernity, the

bians, Angevins with approximately

proposal to 150 foreign buyers com-

intact beauty of the sea, countryside

400 coastal towers and innumer-

ing from the main international mar-

and landscape, its archaeological,

able castles and fortified villages built

kets in October 2013.The Agency is

monumental and artistic heritage, cin-

through centuries. And the extraordi-

planning to hold the second edition

ema, music, theatre and extraordinary

nary number of churches and ancient

in 2014, Buy Puglia 2014 will be or-

food and wine. Luxury or exclusivity,

palaces, from the Romanesque to the

ganizing B2B meeting/seminars, the

adventure or fun and entertainment,

baroque age, along with important ar-

agenda will be scheduled ahead of

art and culture discovery or full im-

cheological sites.

time and will be based on the inter-

mersion in wine&food and authentic

ests expressed by buyers and sellers

traditions.

Trends

at the moment of validation.

Apulia has a landscape made of green

In 2011 we have observed an increase

rolling hills that showcases small his-

in the arrivals from India (+18,5% ar-

Pugliapromozione will be participat-

torical towns surrounded by lush green

rivals and +4% presences) with 1.467

ing in the most important interna-

olive groves and vineyards. Along the

arrivals and 4.348 presences. In

tional travel exhibitions and will hold

miles of coastline little harbours with

2012 there has been a decrease in

workshops in the main European and

fortresses and lighthouses alternate

the arrivals of about 20%. The Indian

international centers, introducing the

with white sandy beaches and crystal

travellers usually choose medium rate

Puglia Experience and launching prod-

clear water. The magical atmosphere

hotels (51,74%), followed by luxury ho-

ucts like the Arts weekends, as well as

of Apulia has inspired many interna-

tels (31,77%) and B&B (4,55%), while

Apulia for ceremony, honeymoon and

tional film producers. The visitors are

majority of Indian tourists come to

Apulia as a movie set.

astonished by the charm of the count-

Apulia between May and September.

less events and summer festivals unWe will be organizing a roadshow from

Apulia is the only Italian region in the

beginning of March which will show-

top ten wine travel destinations in the

der the starry Puglia’s sky.

Although India is not in the top ten of the international arrivals in Puglia,

case a piece of the authentic experi-

The prestigious and charming spa

however starting from 2009 Apulia

world in 2013 by Wine Enthusiast, the

ence of Apulia to the main European

and golf facilities offer a break of

has becoming a natural set to some

eminent American review of wine and

capital cities and by organizing events

pure relaxation, making it possible to

Indian movie productions, the movie

food tourism. Germany is presently

in the main squares. Pugliapromozi-

discover a region in which it is easier

“Housefull”, directed by Sajid Khan,

the first allocated foreign market with

one has already started their market-

to take the right time to pamper one-

was filmed between London, India and

(+15,7% of arrivals and +18,5% of

ing and promotional plans for 2014,

self. The corners left unexplored by

Apulia.

presences). There are other markets

which will be an innovative strategy

that are growing on these percentag-

of land promotion focused on the

es, as is the case of the Russian mar-

strengthening of the brand position-

ket with over 40% and some emergent

ing.

ones, like the Israeli market.

New products Apulia is working towards attracting

Pugliapromozione is promoting new

foreign tourists who search this land

products with the key idea of travel-

not only for the wonderful sea but

ling in Apulia for an experience, Live

for an authentic experience through

Your Puglia Experience! Going beyond

nature, culture, wine and food. Many

the traditional segmentation of travel

television troupes from Spain, Japan

market, we offer to the international

and United States come here to shoot

buyers and to travellers with travel

movies or episodes in the wonderful

itineraries such as Authentic &Exlu-

locations supported by Apulia Film

sive, Active, Spirituality, Art& Culture,

Commission. The American series

Entertainment &Fun, Food &Wine that

Beautiful and also the Bollywood mov-

makes Apulia the perfect place for

ie Housefull has been shot in Apulia.

travel experiences.

Voyager’s World > December 2013

the usual tours will become the ideal place for an exclusive stay for those

Air connectivity

who look for quality, discretion and

The connectivity between India and

charm. Due to its beautiful and var-

Apulia will be enhanced, the shortest

ied locations and luxury masserie,

way to fly from Bari to Indian airports is

Apulia is a perfect suggested location

now with Alitalia, with only one stopo-

for both romantic weddings and un-

ver in Rome and the other possibilities

forgettable honeymoons, one perfect

are with Lufthansa or Emirates.

example is the amazing wedding in Puglia of Justin Timberlake and Jes-

Segments like MICE, honeymooners

sica Biel. The leisure travellers are

Apulia have attracted a mediocre flow

just looking for things to remember, to

of Indian tourists of the rising mid-

photograph, to post, to talk of Apulia.

dle class till now. We have a count of

Pugliapromozione

differ-

300 millions of Indians and each year

Active, Art& Cul-

of 40 millions of potential travellers.

ture, Spirituality, Entertainment&Fun,

Apulia is very keen to increase the

Authentic&Exclusive.

tourist inflow from India, especially in

launches

ent itineraries like

segments like MICE, honeymooners Puglia is a region of art and culture,

and film production.

India Outbound

47>>

St. Moritz lures Indian travelers

Mirjam Bruder, Head of Markets and Business Development St. Moritz, Switzerland, talks about the breathtaking attractions of the scenic St. Moritz mountain peaks.

VW BUREAU at the beginning of next year where

and generated good results.

we’ll meet different tour operators.

tion. On You tube we also have our

in 2013 among the Indian tourists.

videos of St. Moritz and the entire

moon packages. Honeymoons during

St. Moritz promotes the four different

Engadin Valley.

winter are very popular, especially

mountain peaks namely Diavolezza,

since the main honeymoon/wedding

Corvatsch, Corviglia and Muottas

What are the challenges?

season in India is from October to

Muragl with comfortable cable cars

Our challenges are seasonality and

which offer spectacular views over

the fact that St. Moritz is further away

the mountains, the valley and the

from key Swiss cities. The journey to

likes. Like e.g. on the 3000 m high

St. Moritz is an integral part of the

Diavolezza, to touch snow and enjoy

experience. We have our own airport

breathtaking views over the Morter-

Samedan a 5-minute drive from St.

atsch Glacier and even get a taste

Moritz, where planes can land from

of home with an Indian menu, and of

all airports in Europe and overseas.

course traditional Swiss food.

For special food requirements. And

March that falls in our key winter season. St. Moritz hosts some and worldfamous events in winter as the St. Moritz Polo World Cup on Snow, the

your source markets globally?

Most travellers to Engadin St. Moritz come from Switzerland itself or Germany and Italy. The numbers of overnights from India are still small but we expect more overnights due to our strong relationship with Switzerland Tourism India and Indiva Marketing.

We also work closely on various initiatives to promote the scintillating St. Moritz in the inspiring Engadin valley as a destination to visit in the summer as well as in winter.

Did the depreciating rupee affect inbound arrivals from India?

High-end travel is on a rise with travellers looking for more exotic destinations; so they are not severely impacted by the depreciating rupee at present. Outbound travel to new destinations is still on a rise. World Travel Organization predicts that India will account for 50 million outbound tourists by 2020. Yet, we constantly have an eye on the development and the effects of the depreciating rupee.

The overnights of Indian guests are still small but we had an increase of Indian guests last summer.

Upcoming plans to lure tourists from India?

We work with travel trade partners across the county on various B2B and B2C initiatives. We also work closely with Switzerland Tourism and Indiva Marketing on various sales, marketing and media-related activities as for example a trade roadshow

events taking place in the destinaNew destinations being promoted

Most hotels and venues offer honey-

Where do you put India among all

Twitter pages with offers/deals and

White Turf International Horse Race since 1907 on the frozen St. Moritz lake – as well as cricket on Ice which are unique attractions. Since two of the most scenic train rides of Europe, the Bernina Line and Glacier Express, lead via St. Moritz, the journey is already a spectacular experience. With-

all employees in hotels and outdoor Using in using new-age tools?

venues are multi-lingual with knowl-

We actively update our Facebook and

edge of English.

in a small setting of only 57 km, MICE groups, and leisure travellers, have the possibility to reach four different mountain peaks with cable cars.

Additionally, St. Moritz and the Engadin valley have many traditional cottages and mountain huts e.g. the Acla Clavadatsch or the Alpine Cheese Diary. To enjoy the night out, St. Moritz has its own casino with free entry. And for those who want to go luxury shopping, the Via Serlas in St. Moritz offers a unique open-air shopping mall with international top fashion brands and provides their latest collections.

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Relationship with the travel trade We participated in OTR with Switzerland Tourism earlier this year. We also visited Mumbai and Delhi in November for Sales and Media Meetings accompanied by our agency in India - Indiva Marketing. Similarly for 2014 we will be participating in road shows

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and will continue with effective oneon-one sales and media meeting. Our agency in India Indiva Marketing is responsible for sales, marketing & media relations and conducts meetings with qualified agencies across the country throughout the year. Key tour

For Free Demo and Purchase Call: Pushkar - 09371021669 E mail: enquiry@travelsoft.in

operators have featured St. Moritz

www.voyagersworld.in

Happenings

48>>

Rotana Hotels' India mission

R

otana hotels held its first ever India Sales Mission in New Delhi and Mumbai with the aim to strengthen its position in the market. The General Managers of the above hotels presented at the sales mission to understand the India market and discuss business with travel agents and tour operators.

Andy Nightingale, Director of International Sales, Rotana Hotel Management Corporation PJCS said: “Since adding a sales presence in India 3 years ago we have seen a traffic growth of 40% from the region. India has been identified

by Rotana as one of our biggest growth regions and with our current portfolio of 85 hotels we see this continuing for years to come and we will be looking to our friends and partners in India to help grow the Rotana success story. Our Sales mission here this week is to further enhance and promote our brands and with the presence of our General Manager’s from our key properties it shows our commitment to the success of this region.”

GNTO India roadshow

T

he German National Tourist Office concluded its 3-city roadshow in New Delhi, Bangalore and Mumbai. There were over 10 German partners present at year-end roadshow.

Romit Theophilus, Director Sales & Marketing, said: “we are grateful to our partners for providing constant support throughout the year. This year we have few new partners on board and we look forward to have a long association with them in future as well. We plan to have one GNTO roadshow every year. With regards to the current economic scenario, although there has been economic uncertainty which has been prevailing and devaluation of the rupee, which has affected Indian outbound. Germany has still been receiving a fair amount of travelers. We have witnessed 402,440 overnights from January-August, 2013” The road shows facilitated interactions on latest updates, highlights and attractions for the Indian travelers between and the Travel trade.

European Quartret lure India

A

s a part of their marketing campaign, the Visegrad Cooperation consisting of four countries - Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia – also popularly known as the European Quartret or the V4 group, organized road shows in five metropolitan cities, in Mumbai, Pune, Bangalore, Chennai and New Delhi. Following current trends in global tourism each year, V4 group decides on new marketing plan of actions. Recent trends indicate that Indian travellers tend to visit couple of countries on one trip; hence the European Quartet provides the right platform to explore four exciting and enthralling European countries under one umbrella.

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The four distinct countries are linked by similar geography of Central Europe, culture and unique history, united by post-communist transformations and since 1st of May 2004, all the four countries are EU members.

With breathtaking tourist attractions such as Warsaw, Bratislava, Prague, Budapest and innumerable beauty and health spas, the Visegrad countries promise to offer Indian travellers a holistic travel experience.

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 > December 2013

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 circulation@voyagersworld.in www.voyagersworld.in

Top Appointments

49>>

Aseem Kapoor

Amit Kumar

Area Director – North West India, Hyatt

Hotel Manager, Formule 1 Ahmedabad

A

mit Kumar has been appointed as the Hotel Manager of Hotel Formule1 Ahmedabad.

He has 11 years of experience with leading hospitality chains in India in hotel operations and revenue management. In his new position, Amit will be responsible for hotel operations and maximizing revenue for the property.

A

seem Kapoor has been appointed as the Area Director- North West India for Hyatt effective 2014. He nearly 24 years of experience, he has worked with Holiday Inn Mumbai, Oberoi Mumbai, Hyatt Regency Mumbai, Park Hyatt Dubai and most recently as General Manager at Hyatt Regency Delhi.

Jai Kishan

Margaret Rice-Jones

GM-Operations, Novotel Hyderabad Convention Centre (NHCC) & HICC

Chairman, Skyscanner

S

kyscanner has appointed Margaret RiceJones as Chairman. With more than 25 years of experience in many technology companies, she has specialized in mobile technology and has held Directorships in many companies like QUMAS, Psion PLC and CommProve Ltd. In her new role, Margaret will oversee the company’s continued global expansion.

N

HCC and Hyderabad International Convention Centre appointed Jai Kishan as the General Manager-Operations. With 17 years experience at the Oberoi Grand, Kolkata, Taj Coromandel Chennai, Hyatt Regency New Delhi, Hilton Taipei, Grand Hyatt Melbourne. etc. In his new role, he will manage operations across the entire complex.

Aditya Shamsher Malla

Rizwan Shaikh

General Manager, Four Points by Sheraton Jaipur

General Manager, Fairmont Jaipur

F

airmont Hotels and Resorts appointed Rizwan Shaikh as the General Manager of Fairmont Jaipur. With over 17 years of experience, he has worked with Sterling Holiday Resorts, Ooty, Four Seasons Hotel Mumbai and Four Seasons Hotel Singapore. In his new role, Rizwan will manage the overall operations.

A

ditya Shamsher Malla has joined as General Manager for Four Points by Sheraton Jaipur. With 20 years expertise, he has held Excom roles as Director of Sales & Marketing of Westin Hyderabad Mindspace, besides being with Oberoi Grand, Kolkata and President of Skal International Kolkata chapter.

Sarat Valsraj

Somnath Mukherjee

General Manager, The Zuri Kumarakom, Kerala Resort & Spa

General Manager – The Taj West End, Bangalore

S

omnath Mukherjee has joined The Taj West End, Bangalore as its General Manager. He has been with The Taj Group of Hotels since 1992 and has 20 years of experience.

He has worked at Taj Bengal – Kolkata, Umaid Bhavan Palace, Nadesar Palace, the Gateway Hotel Ganges Varanasi and Rambagh Palace.

S

arat Valsraj is the new General Manager of the Zuri Kumarakom, Kerala Resort & Spa. With over 17 years of experience, he has with Leela Kempinski Mumbai, Sahara Star Mumbai, before joining the Zuri group in 2008. In his new role, Sarat will lend his expertise to manage the property’s operations.

Vivek Vinod

Sunjae Sharma

General Manager-Sales & Operations, The Tamara Coorg

Area Director- South India, Hyatt

S

unjae Sharma is the new Area Director – South India for Hyatt. With 24 years of expertise, he has been with Hyatt International for over a decade. In his new role, Sunjae will supervise Hyatt Bangalore, Park Hyatt Chennai, Hyatt Regency Chennai and Kolkata, Hyatt Place Hampi & Hyatt Regency Kathmandu.

T

he Tamara, Coorg has appointed Vivek Vinod as General Manager – Sales & Operations. He has 16 years of experience, with the Taj Residency, Bangalore, Metropolitan Palace Hotel in Dubai, Clarks Exotica Bangalore. In his new profile, Vivek will control the sales functions and oversee the operations of the resort.

www.voyagersworld.in

Events Calendar

50>>

networking is the key January 2014

April2014

16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23

3,4,5

22, 23, 24, 25, 26

23, 24, 25

ASEAN Tourism Forum Malaysia

Fitur Spain

Aitf Baku, Azerbaijan

World Travel Market Latin America Brazil

17, 18, 19

India International Travel Mart Kochi

24, 25, 26

India International Travel Mart Kolkata

May2014

February2014

5,6,7,8

7,8,9

2,3

The Boston Globe Travel Show Seaport World Trade Center

19,20,21,22 Cro Tour Croatia

28 Feb 1, 2 March Holiday Expo Coimbatore

Arabian Travel Market Dubai International Convention & Exhibition Centre

World Travel Market Africa Cape Town,South Africa

10,11,12

INDABA South Africa

27,28,29

Beijing International Tourism Expo China National Convention Center, Beijing

March2014

June2014

05, 06, 07, 08, 09

2,3,4,5

ITB, Berlin Germany

International Luxury Travel Market, Shanghai, China

19, 20, 21, 22

10,11,12

MITT Moscow

24, 25, 26

Gulf Incentive Business Travel & Meetings Exhibition Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre

26, 27, 28 UITT Ukraine

Voyager’s World > December 2013

aibtm America Orlando, USA

12,13,14,15

ITE&MICE Hong Kong Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre

22,23,24

Routes Africa Zimbabwe

52>>

Voyager’s World > December 2013