Voyager's World July 2018 by Editor

Voyager’s World | July 2018 | P1

Vol XV

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July 2018

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india tourism

poised for growth Voyager’s World

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India tourism scaling new heights

Our Team Managing Editor Rohit Hangal rohit@voyagersworld.in

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Caroline Diana caroline@voyagersworld.in

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Surinder Hakhu sanjay@voyagersworld.in Rohit Hangal rohit@voyagersworld.in

he board is set. The pieces are moving. Both in India and abroad, tourism players have unveiled a slew of initiatives guaranteed to rope in more travellers. Gone are the days when tourism meant resting on a beach or taking a stroll in an idyllic locale. The new-age tourists are smart, savvy, and demanding. They won’t settle for less. What they are seeking for is ‘experience’ rather than an eyecatchy destination. In view of this, tourism offices and tour operators in India and around the world are crafting thematic holiday packages that would satiate travel enthusiasts. Brands are innovating to put together a bunch of experiences that would earn them brownie points every step of the way. Small-time tour operators are not far behind. They have already started doling out thematic, tailor-made packages specifically designed for a group of friends or family. Even the Indian government, which earlier relied on traditional marketing practices to promote tourism, is now keyed up on digital and is offering customized, thematic packages targeting varied age group and demographics. On one hand, the tourism ministry is offering spiritual tourism packages for elderly tourists looking to go on a pilgrimage. On the other, they are catering to the youth segment by promoting adventure and marine travel. The Incredible India campaign, conceptualized in 2002, still remains

an all-time favorite. Even today, the campaign is stealing hearts on social media platforms, such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Overall, the future of tourism in India is looking bright. In the past few years, the Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) have also skyrocketed. As per the recent report released by the Ministry of Tourism, FTAs in March 2018 was 10.26 lakh as compared to 9.05 lakh in March 2017 registering a growth of 13.4%. The percentage share of Foreign Tourist Arrivals in India during March 2018 among the top 15 source countries was highest from Bangladesh, followed by United Kingdom, United States, Russia, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Canada, Germany, China, Australia, France, Japan, Thailand, Singapore, and Afghanistan. The Indian government is now

working to revive pilgrimage sites like Varanasi and Mathura. Plans are also on to boost cruise tourism in the country. On the jobs front, the tourism sector alone has created 14.62 million employment opportunities in the last four years. To promote the country abroad, the ministry also conducted several ‘Incredible India roadshows’ in the United States and Europe. A few more roadshows are being planned in China and Nordic countries. With these initiatives in place, tourism in India is poised for growth.

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Contents

COVER PHOTO: YOSHI TAKEKAWA

Kerala Tourism woos thrill-seekers

Pg30

Millenials root for foodie destinations Pg24

Pg37

India pushes for bilateral tourism

Cruise tourism to get a leg up in India

Pg38

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Voyagerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s World | July 2018 | P5

INDUSTRYBUZZ

The Leela among world’s top 10 hotels

Mango Festival steals the show in Delhi Delhi Tourism brought together thousands of mango lovers under one roof. The 30th Mango Festival was a refreshing delight which doled out more than 500 varieties of mangoes. The festival was inaugurated by Manish Sisodia, Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi. The main attraction of the exhibition was garnered by two variety of mangoes, namely ‘Kejri’ and ‘Sisodia’. The Mango Festival aimed to showcase the specialties of mangoes from different states of India. A total number of 13 farmers along with 9 government horticulture departments and agriculture institutes participated in the event. Bands like Rock n Raag, Tafri, Kitaab, Swarism, Urooj, Metrocity, Sohail Live, and Peprico enchanted the crowds with their soulful performances.

Carnival Miracle to set sail next December The Puerto Vallarta Tourism Board welcomes the return of Carnival Miracle’s first call to Puerto Vallarta in seven years. Connecting San Diego and Puerto Vallarta, the ship is scheduled to make its call on December 2019. It will join the winter season offering 10 voyages from the Port of San Diego. The schedule kicks off with a seven-day cruise to the Mexican Riviera featuring stops in Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan, and Cabo San Lucas. Carnival Miracle is a 963-foot long vessel with a 2,124 guest capacity. The ship has approximately 920 crew members and features 12 decks, several lounges, a variety of restaurants, waterslides and several other amenities. Other cruise lines that sail from the Port of San Diego include Holland America Line and Disney Cruise Line.

The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts has been voted No.7 among ‘Top 20 Hotel Brands in the World.’ According to a global readers’ survey conducted by Travel+Leisure, The Leela received top rankings on quality, location, service, restaurants, and value offered by its properties. The Leela has expanded its hotel portfolio to nine world-class luxury hotels spread across key destinations in India, with plans to increase its footprint within the country and overseas through management contracts. Upcoming projects include a resort in Jaipur, a palace hotel in Agra where every room will face the Taj Mahal, and business hotels in Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Gujarat.

Goibibo partners with PhonePe Goibibo has partnered with PhonePe which will provide a login and payments experience to over 100 million PhonePe users while making hotel bookings. Sanjay Bhasin, COO, Goibibo said, “This partnership will extend Goibibo’s extensive selection of 50,000+ domestic hotels and homestays, including Goibibo-certified goStays and half a million international hotels to PhonePe’s growing customer base.” Rahul Chari, Co-founder & CTO, PhonePe, said that with this partnership, the Indian travellers can now do hotel bookings with ease through the PhonePe app.

PT Expo China 2018 to focus on tourism PT Expo China 2018 (PTEXPO18) will return to China National Convention Center, Beijing from September 26-29, 2018. The event hosted by the Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology this year focuses on how technologies improve efficiency and make everyday life far more convenient and interesting. A series of cross-industry projects will be showcased like Tech+Tourism, Tech+Culture, Tech+Healthcare, and more. Among all of the advances, digitalization projects led by the tech giant Tencent and the Forbidden City have generated a great deal of interest: how ICTs blur the boundary between old and new and promote precious cultural heritage sites. Over 400 key players and innovative SMEs in the ecosystem convened last year at PTEXPO17, making the event one of biggest ICT festivals in Asia. Registration for the expo is now open.

Hotel Sahara Star sets up self-service kiosks

Ice Cream Showdown held at Texas hotel South Congress Hotel hosted its 2nd annual Ice Cream Showdown on July 14. The event featured some of the city’s best culinary talents going head to head to create the most delicious and creative flavors of the night. Amanda Rockman, New Waterloo’s corporate executive pastry chef, co-hosted the night alongside Joe Barlow, host of KXAN Studio512 and A Cup of Joe. Chefs participating included Sarah Prieto of Barley Swine, Tavel Bristol-Joseph of Emmer & Rye, Britt Castro of Holy Roller, Anthony Sobotik of Lick Ice Creams, Juliann Stoddart of Parkside, Natalie Gazaui of Ramen Tatsu-Ya, and Lindsey Flagg of South Congress Hotel. After the crowning of the new ice cream showdown champion, the movie, Clueless was screened. The night began at 6.30pm in the hotel’s courtyard.

Hotel Sahara Star has launched flight check-in kiosks at the hotel premises. The kiosk is a self-service platform which will enable passengers to check in and print the boarding pass. “Passengers can save a lot of time as we have installed self-checkin kiosks at the hotel. Being the first ones to launch this concept, we have received positive feedback,” said Salil Fadnis, Deputy General Manager,Hotel Sahara Star.

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Nijhawan Group to promote Uzbekistan in India Nijhawan Group has been appointed as the Advisor for the promotion of Uzbekistan Tourism. Farhod C Arziev, Ambassador of the Republic of Uzbekistan to India, said that they would be working closely with the Nijhawan Group to make Indian travelers aware of the tourism possibilities in Uzbekistan. Ankush Nijhawan, Managing Director, Nijhawan Group, said that their first agenda is to make the travel trade in India meet and start collaborating with the DMCs in Uzbekistan. Arziev added that the partnership will reap more benefits. He said that to promote leisure and MICE movement, Uzbekistan will launch the e-visas system starting from July 15 for the citizens of 101 countries, including India. “The consular fee for processing and issuing an e-visa is US$ 20. The visa relaxations are expected to help further development of people-to-people exchanges between Uzbekistan and India by enhancing convenience for Indian tourists and business persons as well as repeat visitors.”

CWT rolls out high-end cost-cutting technology Following a successful trial that delivered savings of up to 2% of total travel spend, Carlson Wagonlit Travel (CWT) is rolling out Price Tracking worldwide. The Price Tracking technology continually monitors prices for flights and hotel rooms, checking them against existing bookings. Whenever it identifies savings, CWT cancels and re-books for less, providing clients with the best possible deals and delivering significant savings. The service is the result of a partnership between CWT and Yapta, a provider of airfare and hotel price-tracking services. CWT’s initial trials in the US were successful, and the scope for savings across the rest of the world is even greater, given the fragmentation of offerings across Latin America, Europe and Asia Pacific. “Price tracking technology has ensured that customers always get the lowest cost and best value for their travel at no additional work to the travel manager – and with minimal impact on the traveler,” said Ben Scott, vice president of marketing at CWT. Currently, CWT counselors manually rebook approximately 1 in 20 itineraries with the same flight or hotel at a lower rate. Fully automating the process will further improve that rate. The company is planning to target thousands of clients globally the next 18 months.

Israel Tourism to host roadshow in India Israel Ministry of Tourism has announced a four-city roadshow in July and August in India to increase Indian arrivals to the country. The Ministry will begin with its maiden roadshow in Nashik on July 19, followed by Ahmedabad on August 27, Kolkata on August 29, and New Delhi on August 30. The Israeli delegation will be led by Hassan Madah, Director, Israel Ministry of Tourism, India & Philippines along with Judah Samuel, Director - Marketing, Israel Ministry of Tourism, India. 2017 was a record breaking year for Israel with close to 60,000 Indian tourists visiting Israel. “Besides the source markets, we are looking to focus on cities like Nashik. We recently conducted maiden roadshows in Guwahati and Lucknow as well. The plan is to organize 11 roadshows in different cities of India by end of 2018,” said Madah.

Novotel’s ‘MyRoom’ to create unique stories Novotel Bengaluru has launched ‘MyRoom,’a unique personalized stay initiative that is centered around guests and their experience at the hotel. The one-of-a-king concept, which was established with the intent to ‘create stories’ proposes guests to book, discover, and experience stay in rooms that have been customized by hotel employees through the expression of their own creativity and passion. Only five hotels per region and three rooms per hotel will be available for guests to experience this concept. Maverik Mukerji, General Manager Delegate, ibis & Novotel Bengaluru Techpark, said that ‘MyRoom’ aims to foster stronger employee engagements and increase customer experience.

Hong Kong introduces Specialist Club for agents The Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) has launched the Hong Kong Specialist Club, a new training program that will enable agents to become a Hong Kong specialist along with the chance to win a trip to the destination later this year. Travel agents who enroll onto the Hong Kong Specialist programme and complete the three training modules by August 31 will have a chance to win a fam trip in October. The tourism board also plans give away some exclusive prizes throughout the incentive period. The tourism board will be issuing a series of special trade offers, which would give agents the opportunity to enjoy a variety of industry deals should they like to take their own personal trip to Hong Kong. These special offers range from special hotel room rates and free entry to attractions to discounted local tours. Travel agents who complete the training will be able to download the Hong Kong Specialist logo to show clients that they’re an expert in selling the destination. They will also have an opportunity to participate in exclusive events held for the Hong Kong Specialist Club members.

Sarovar Hotels & Resorts opens new property in Jhansi Sarovar Hotels Pvt. Ltd., has announced the opening of Nataraj Sarovar Portico Jhansi, consolidating the group’s farther foray into Uttar Pradesh. The hotel was inaugurated in the presence of Sanjay Khanna, Managing Director, Nataraj Mobiles, and Ajay K. Bakaya, Managing Director, Sarovar Hotels & Resorts. The property features aesthetically curated rooms and suites with all modern amenities. It is nestled in the heart of the city, 2km from the railway station, and in the midst of palaces, forts and temples, IT hub, and shopping malls, making it the perfect destination to stay, whether on business or leisure. Owned by Nataraj Sai Hotels LLP., Nataraj Sarovar Portico is the city’s first contemporary hotel.

INDIAOUTBOUND

Panache to reinvent Indian luxury travel JEELANI MN With a savvy team of well-travelled consultants, Panache World is crafting unique customer experiences. Loveleen Multani Arun, Director, Panache World, shares her insights. Panache World is making great strides in the Indian market. Tell us about the company’s beginnings. Panache World was started about 17 years ago and has constantly reinvented itself to the changing market scenario in India and to the needs of the Indian traveller. It has grown from a small two-people company to a well-rounded ‘luxury travel studio.’ The company boasts a savvy team of personable and well-travelled consultants who can discuss in-depth itineraries for over 60 countries. What are your promotional plans? Are you trying out something new? Panache World is betting on digital for future growth. Although 90% of the company’s business comes from repeat clients or referrals, we are looking at digital campaigns to expand in

the market. Luxury travel is a lifestyle choice that is inspired by a lot of content that is absorbed through social media and online magazines. How do you ensure that you offer customers the best experience? Panache World customises holidays for discerning, luxury travellers. We believe in adding an unforgettable experience to every trip that is created, and this brings people back for the next trip. We are always very conscious of the enquiries, and constantly ask ourselves, “How do we enhance the client’s experience of a certain destination? What is it that we can cater differently that could not have been experienced on this trip, if they had booked the trip themselves?” How would you define today’s ‘Indian Traveller’? Today’s Indian traveller is well-informed and has singular taste in hotels, gastronomy, adventure and culture. Their sense of what they want to achieve from a particular trip is heightened and precise. You can no longer satisfy a client if

Luxury travel is a lifestyle choice that is inspired by a lot of content that is absorbed through social media and online magazines. LOVELEEN MULTANI ARUN Director, Panache World you are not well-travelled yourself. Everyone has access to unlimited knowledge of destinations from the internet and, therefore, only the soft understanding of a hotel or a destination sets you apart. It is a delightful market to be working in during these times as Indians are willing to try out new things and new places. They no longer want to tick-mark places on maps or gather

stamps on the passports. It is more about learning and becoming better people by travelling. That makes our jobs as travel advisors very important and critical. Have you noticed any interesting travel trends in the last few years? Due to the inherent way social media works, people tend to get categorized in certain groups such as “Oh! he is such a foodie, or he is into physical fitness or she is an animal lover, or a traveller or an artistic person and so on and so forth. More often than not, people want to take tours or travel to further enhance this persona that they feel they should live up to. So a foodie wants to do a cooking class in Tuscany or an artistic person wants to go explore art museums in Paris. Everybody wants to be different and, therefore, every destination needs to be treated differently for every personality type. Tourism and travel companies that understand this and invest in that direction are bound to do better than the others.

Designer Destinations: Crafting experiences JEELANI MN From solo trips to group rides, Designer Destinations is catering to the whims of every traveller and doling out the best of experiential journeys. KP Manjunath, CEO, Designer Destinations, sheds light on the trends. What differentiates Designer Destinations from other tour operators? What’s your success mantra? Designer Destinations are a tours company specializing in holiday packages. Started in 2005, the company has been witnessing a year-on-year exponential growth. Our success mantra: ‘Quality sans compromise.’ The company’s policy is to maintain a personal touch with our clients by treating them more like a family, rather than business associates. Our main USP is ensuring the retention of clientele. We have designed holidays according to the special needs of our clients to make our holidays more fulfilling. How has the growth been? What are your promotional plans for 2018? Our growth has been steady since 2005, and we have retained clients who have promoted us and given us a positive feedback. This has catapulted us in a league of the most-touted travel agency. We credit our success and growth to our clients who are our true ambassadors. We have already started promotional activities by taking part in some popular travel events and MICE-related shows. Our participation in travel and tourism fairs will help us gain more exposure in the

While one section of travellers is happy to increase the number of places in one trip, there is another section which is happy to explore one place thoroughly. KP MANJUNATH CEO, Designer Destinations travel market. We hope to design new destinations with exciting new offers and cater to something new and different the coming year. What unique features do you offer? We pride ourselves on providing personalised customer services with a 24/7 availability to clients. This availability helps us resolve unforeseen challenges that may crop up during their travel. Our group tours are carefully designed keeping in mind the background, culture, and habits of our clients. How do you cater to different customer requirements? At Designer Destinations, we have a team of energetic experts, who are well- trained and experienced in providing services that leave a lasting smile. These professionals take care

of clients’ travel arrangements and make them feel at home. Attention to detail is our objective. Even tiny detail is taken care of so that nothing goes amiss. We also reserve hotels for clients, according to their needs and demands. The company ensures that the service is prompt and makes sure that the clients enjoy a hassle-free trip. We also ensure that our staff members are equipped with latest modern facilities so they dole out the best of services to our clients. Has the tourist behaviour changed in the recent past? Over the years, due to awareness and interactions over in both physical and digital platforms such as Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram, holidays have become a must for family and friends. People are busy making bucket lists for exotic, unexplored places. While one section of travellers is happy to increase the number of places in one trip, there is another section which is happy to explore one place

thoroughly and gain satisfaction with their experience. Have you noticed any interesting travel trends? People like to travel solo and explore places at their own pace. Travelling alone helps them hit the ‘refresh’ button. With taglines highlighting concept tourism, such as, ‘Home away from home.’ Travellers are also looking at long-duration vacations that will help them disconnect from the technology-centric hustle bustle of daily life. These vacations emphasize on what is called ‘digital detox.’ Another interesting trend is the increasing number of tours planned around all-women groups and men-only groups. Self-drive tours are also catching up. People usually traverse across countries in small groups to explore the culture and heritage of the destination. Besides adventure and sports tourism, niche sectors like destination weddings, medical tourism, and pilgrimages are also making waves.

HOSPITALITY

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Indians mixing business with leisure IRENE SUSAN EAPEN Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group is the owner and operator of some of the luxurious hotels, resorts and residences located across the world. The group offers 31 hotels and eight residences in 21 countries and territories. The Group is seeing a surge in the number of tourists from India. With 18 hotels in its portfolio, the brand is looking at expansion. Chief marketing Officer, Michael Hobson shares the growth strategy. How profitable is the Indian market for your business? India is certainly a growing market for Mandarin Oriental. Some of the most popular properties with our Indian guests include London, New York, Paris, Milan, and Prague. From a development perspective, we are looking forward to expanding our

brand across the world and with a pipeline of 18 hotels. The Group has announced 11 projects in the last 12 months alone, and as we grow, our Asian market remains a priority. Some of the newly launched properties are in Muscat, Ho Chi Minh, Melbourne, and Grand Cayman. Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group has seen mostly business and leisure guests from India. Besides, we are also seeing growth from the family market across the globe that includes India as well. Many of the hotels are now adapting to have larger suites and inter-connected room configurations. What kind of properties do tourists prefer? Mandarin Oriental has seen a significant growth in branded residences in recent years. The current residence projects include Bangkok, Mayfair, Munich, and Melbourne. Wellness is

Many of the hotels are now adapting to have larger suites and inter-connected room configurations. MICHAEL HOBSON Chief Marketing Officer, Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group increasingly significant in all aspects of life. For instance, the Group introduced express treatments through our Spa Studios that allow guests to enjoy shorter versions of their preferred

Banyan Tree Samui is optimistic about India IRENE SUSAN EAPEN Nestled amidst the pristine Lamay Bay, Banyan Tree Samui is the perfect getaway destination for couples, families, and thrill-seekers. The luxury all-pool villa resort flaunts exquisite dining and spa experiences, water adventures, and fun activities for all age groups. Craig McMahon, Director of Sales & Marketing, Banyan Tree Samui, says the property is expecting a rise in Indian tourists this year. Can you shed some light on the Indian luxury market? The Indian luxury travel market was subdued in 2017 in terms of growth and remains as a highly potential market. However, this year, Banyan Tree Samui is expecting a good growth. The average Indian traveller is still a conservative spender when compared to travellers from other emerging markets, such as China, Brazil, etc. Priorities tend to be different across cultures and this is evident when one compares growth patterns from emerging markets over the last 5-7 years. What are the challenges of handling a luxury brand? Some challenges we have been facing are how to consistently manage expectations. When a guest is paying more than $1000 per night, they invariably expect perfection, which is almost impossible to achieve 100% of the time. The anticipation of customer needs is one thing but trying to manage each and every guest’s priorities 24/7 is an enduring challenge for every luxury hotel brand.

treatments as well as multiple treatments simultaneously. Last month, we launched a new global initiative called Mindful Meetings. This concept has been designed to enhance and energize meetings and conferences with creative solutions that are based on five key dimensions of wellness: Nourishment, movement, stillness, connections, and wellbeing. What are your key marketing strategies? We are focused on both leisure and corporate customers who we target via agents and marketing partners. Besides sales and marketing team sitting across the globe, we have market-specific experts for India. We maintain regular contact with the guests through Mandarin Oriental consumer engagement campaigns, PR opportunities, and tailored sales activity in both key and secondary Indian cities for all segments.

India a top market for New Zealand

ing demand for personalized experiences, which every player claims to provide. However, only a few are actually delivering experiences that involve self-discovery, mindfulness, and spiritual exploration and connecting with family through travel. Millenials are also having an impact on luxury travel. What unique experience do you offer? Some of the unique activities that have been offered to Indian clients are marine excursions, spa treatments like hydrothermal experiences, exotic nature tours that include activities like bird-watching, activities for kids, yoga classes, and interactive cooking classes. With the concept of luxury travel evolving every year, there is a change in the target audience and the preferences of the travellers are also changing. What do you think of this transformation? Yes, the landscape is changing but the fundamental requirements for today’s luxury traveller remain the same as they were 10 or 15 years ago, and is backed up by well-trained and motivated staff who are supported by cutting-edge technology to deliver consistently personalized service of a very high standard.

What are the demographics of the travellers that visit the property? Tourists visiting the property range from couples and honeymooners to families travelling for weddings, or groups of friends taking a trip to celebrate milestone occasions.

The average Indian traveller is still a conservative spender when compared to travellers from other emerging markets.

Have you spotted any interesting trends in luxury travel? The luxury travel industry has noticed a grow-

CRAIG MCMAHON Director, Sales & Marketing, Banyan Tree Samui

India continues to be a priority market for New Zealand, said Steven Dixon, Tourism New Zealand’s Regional Manager-South and South-East Asia. Dixon, who was present at Kiwi Link India, Tourism New Zealand’s annual travel trade event, said that Indian tourists are incredibly valuable to the industry. “Not only are more Indians visiting New Zealand than ever before, Indian travellers are also incredibly valuable to our industry as they stay in New Zealand for 13 days on average and enjoy approximately 20 tourism experiences during that time,” he added. He said that Indian travellers are also amongst the most adventurous of New Zealand’s international visitors with bucket list experiences like skydiving, jet boating and scenic flights. According to the findings of Tourism New Zealand, India is its 11th largest international tourism market. Tourism New Zealand’s key target segment in India is independent professionals –those aged 25-54 and who are prepared to spend Rs120,000 per person. Long haul travel planning and booking continues to be dominated by the travel agent in India (some 80% of transactions). According to the tourism department, New Zealand is a popular destination among Indian honeymooners and those seeking self-drive itineraries. Free Independent Travellers (FIT) currently make up around 60 percent of New Zealand’s Indian visitors, and this sector is increasing more rapidly than group travel. Tourism New Zealand also holds regular training sessions with Indian travel agents to ensure they can sell travel to New Zealand effectively during the shoulder seasons. This includes a focus on the 100% Pure New Zealand Specialist Programme, in-market trade training, and hosting Tourism New Zealand-led events, such as Kiwi Link India that helps connect the New Zealand industry with the Indian travel trade.

ASSOCIATIONS

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ATTOI lauded for conducting YAT2018 VW BUREAU

ith its abundance of pristine beauty and pure air, Kerala is a perfect destination to practice yoga. Realizing the potential of the destination, ATTOI (Association of Tourism Trade Organizations, India), in association with Ministry of AYUSH, Government of India, and Kerala Tourism, hosted Yoga Ambassadors Tour (YAT 2018) from June 14 to June 21. “Kerala has been long promoted as an Ayurveda and Wellness destination. However, the possibilities of yoga remain untapped. It is this context that ATTOI proposed the Yoga Ambassador’s Tour to promote Kerala as a global destination for yoga. With Ayurveda and Wellness centres and the lush green locales, Kerala is sure to be the perfect destination for a rejuvenating trip once yoga tourism also comes into picture,” said Anish Kumar PK, President, ATTOI. People from across the world, who love, practice, teach yoga gathered

With its tranquil retreats, rich heritage, pristine beauty and pure air, Kerala presents itself as one of the best places to rejuvenate mind, body, and soul. together in Kerala to present a yoga centre to the world. The Yoga Ambassadors were selected by a team of experts based on specific criteria and experience. Around 52 delegates from 23 different countries have arrived at the Trivandrum international airport on June 13 to participate in YAT 2018. The event was inaugurated by Shripad Yesso Naik, Minister for AYUSH, in the presence of Kerala Tourism Minister Kadakampally Surendran at the Leela Raviz hotel on June 14. The inaugural event was followed by an international conference on yoga wherein eminent speakers from South India have interacted with the delegates. YAT2018 commenced on June 14 from Thiruvananthapuram and concluded on June 21 on the International Yoga Day in Kochi. Kovalam got a new face-lift as the yoga capital of Kerala with accolades being showered by the yoga delegates for organizing the morning yoga at the Kovalam beach. “With the sea in the back and the sunlight coming from the trees in the front, it was altogether a different experience doing yoga on the Kovalam beach,” said Sandra Barnes, Yoga Practitioner from Argentina. “It was at a time when there was a negative propaganda being spread against the growth of growth of Kerala Tourism that ATTOI thought about conducting the tour. The aim of the tour was to give more awareness about the God’s own country and make it a Yoga Destination. We are happy that we could

successfully reach the aim with the Yoga Ambassadors Tour,” said V Sreekumara Menon, Secretary, ATTOI. On June 15, the yoga Ambassadors took part in an interactive session on yoga at Sivananda Ashram at Neyyar in Trivandrum. The team proceeded then to Kanyakumari and performed yoga at the Vivekananda Rock. The Yoga Ambassadors visited Amritapuri (the abode of Mata Amrithanandamayi) on June 16 and performed yoga on the houseboats at the backwaters of Alappuzha. The tour reached Thekkady on June 17 and had a hands-on experience in Kalaripayattu, the traditional martial artform of Kerala. After having an extensive yoga session on the banks of Periyar lake at the majestic Lake Palace hotel, which was once the summer palace of the Travancore king, the team headed to Munnar. The mist-clad mountains and the depths of dolmens, have witnessed some yoga postures and demonstrations on day 7 of the tour. The dolmens which belong to the Megalithic age were once again active with the chanting of OM by yogis from 23 different countries. The tour reached its destination on January 20, in Kochi, the Queen of Arabian sea. Mass drill On World Yoga Day on June 21, the team participated in Mass Drill Yoga early morning at the Kochi Marriott in Edappally and visited the Mattancherry Dutch Palace, Jewish Synagogue and Fort Kochi. ATTOI has arranged a meeting of the yoga ambassadors with the tourism stakeholders during a networking dinner. The tour concluded following a cultural event led by south Indian actress and dancer Navya Nair. “We have been treated like kings and queens. We have come here to get a taste of Kerala, but this was more than that,” said Sandra Barnes from Buenos Aires, Argentina. “We may have a Kerala Yoga Festival in the coming future with all the delegates,” she added. For Jeremy Andt from Michigan, the experience was exhilarating. “We have been shown a part of India we have never seen before. This was the most amazing trip of my life and I am sure that I’m not going to experience anything like this”, said Andt. For others like Anant Ankur, who travelled all the way from Singapore, Kerala felt like home. “I love Kerala and I am going to come back,” he said.

A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE: Yoga enthusiasts from 23 countries took part in YAT 2018 that was held from June 14 to June 21.

festivals of the WORLD

Colombo Music Festival 2018 Great Muslim Food Festival August 12, Missouri The St. Louis’ 2nd Annual Great Muslim Food Festival will be held at the World’s Fair Pavilion in Forest Park. The festival is an opportunity for people of all faith, ethnicity, and political leanings to come together and “break naan” with their Muslim neighbors. Besides authentic Muslim food, the guests will also be treated to henna art, live entertainment, and other interactive activities.

August 18, Sri Lanka Cinnamon Life will host Colombo Music Festival 2018 on August 18. The oneday musical celebration will take place at the Havelock Sports Club Grounds in Sri Lanka. Guests will be treated to the most spectacular night of entertainment in a Caribbean Night theme setup. The event will feature the legends of reggae-fusion and dancehall artists, such as Diana King, Shaggy, Maxi Priest, and Big Mountain. These stars will deliver power-packed performances, blending old favorites and fresh new sounds. Dancers, choreographers, local musicians, an array of pop-up events and unique experiences will add vibrancy so audiences get to experience another dimension to the festival. The evening will also offer an international ambiance with paint balling, zorb balls, and soap football. Ample food stations will ensure that all festival-goers will have access to food, snacks, and drinks throughout the night..

Thai & Multi-Cultural Food Festival July 28, 29, Bristol Thai Festival is back in the city with a new name: Bristol Thai & Multi-Cultural Food Festival. The event will be held at Bristol’s Millennium Square BS1 5DB on July 28 and 29. The weekend fest will present a varied mix of cultural entertainment that the whole family can enjoy. The entertainment includes costume parade, culture dances, beauty pageant (Miss Thailand UK & Miss International UK), catwalk and fashion show. Visitors will also be treated to Thai cuisine as well as delicacies around the world.The event will also feature cooking demonstrations, Thai Boxing, live music and activities for children. Admission prices are £4 for adults £1 for children aged five to 13. The entry is free for children below five years.

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Club Soda Mindful Drinking Festival July 28, London Club Soda, the mindful drinking movement, is hosting the world’s only festival for the sober curious this summer. Seven million people in the UK are sober curious and sales of low and no-alcohol drinks are at an all-time high. This festival will give people an opportunity to taste the new wave of alcohol-free drinks hitting the market, including seven new alcohol-free spirits and beers, and a host of drinks invented by radical alchemists – kombuchas, shrubs and elixirs. The Mindful Drinking Festival, in association with Heineken 0.0, will feature over 40 brands looking to make a big hit with their alcohol-free drinks. The event is expected to attract over 10,000 fans, from the sober curious and parents-to-be, to foodies and fitness fanatics. The festival meets a growing curiosity for healthier low and no-alcohol drinks. The festival is great for those going sugar-free, on a fitness regime, drinking more mindfully, or going alcohol-free. The Club Soda Mindful Drinking Festival is hosted by Spitalfields Market on July 28 from 11am to 6pm.

Copenhagen Cooking & Food Fest August 24 to September 2, Denmark Copenhagen Cooking & Food Festival 2018 is all set to celebrate the culinary culture of Denmark. From Danish rye bread sandwiches, smorrebrod, topped with herrings and salt beef, the food fest is designed to showcase the best of the country’s dining scene. The event will play host to a range of stalls and culinary experiences. The festival’s theme, “Breaking the New” focuses on the trends in food and cooking. More than 80,000 guests are expected to attend. The festival runs from August 24 to September 2, with events across the city celebrating its world-class reputation for food.

International Youth Dance Festival August 3, 4, Toronto The 2018 Toronto International Youth Dance Festival will be held on August 3 & 4 at Nathan Phillips Square in the heart of downtown Toronto. Entry to the event is free. The festival will celebrate cultural diversity through the art of dance. The event will focus on youth dancers, with participation ranging from local to international dance schools. The opening ceremony will begin on August 3 at 5 pm. The festival will continue the next day when the main competitions will be held. The event will conclude with a closing ceremony on August 4. The two-day weekend fest will be a perfect opportunity for families to spend time together. The festival is in partnership with SickKids Foundation.

Stockholm Street Fest July 14-July18, Sweden Get set for the Stockholm Street Festival. This international fest, which will be held from July 14-August 4, will see participation from street performers, jugglers, clowns, illusionists, acrobats, magicians, comedians and many other types of virtuosos. The fest will be held in Bagarmossen Square, Skarholmen Square, Medborgarplatsen, Gavle, Trollhättan, Skara, Hjo, Växjö, Värnamo, Halmstad, and Helsingör. This year’s street performers include Fermin from Argentina, Toni Smith from New Zeeland, DynaMike from Canada plus the living statue The Golden Fairy from Denmark.Stockholm Street Festival On Tour is being held for the seventh year in a row. The event is hosted in collaboration with Halmstad International Street Theatre Festival and Passage - Helsingör International Street Theatre Festival.

FLIGHTTALK

TOURISM INVESTMENT

ON THE RISE VW BUREAU

sha Padhee, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation, said that the tourism and civil aviation ministries are engaging continuously to identify solutions and to implement them for the growth of both the sectors. “The way forward is a focused approach for evolving tourist places under the aviation connectivity scheme and expanding existing routes under UDAN scheme including helicopter routes in hilly and north-eastern regions. This will provide good infrastructural support to the tourism sector,” said Padhee. She added that the ministry of civil aviation is working to remove bottlenecks in remote and regional areas by providing proper navigation means, technology, better security and safety. Jyotsna Suri, Past President, FICCI & Chair, FICCI Tourism Committee and CMD, Lalit Suri Hospitality Group, in her address said that increasing connectivity will boost tourism, adding that ‘one flight per day to Khajuraho will build the demand eventually’.

Dipak Deva, Co-Chair, FICCI Tourism Committee and MD, SITA, TCI & Distant Frontiers also presented his view on the growth of tourism in the country. According to a report by FICCI-Yes Bank titled, ‘Tourism Infrastructure Investments- Leveraging Partnerships for Exponential Growth,’ tourism offers opportunities for both skilled and unskilled segments of the labor force. With rising demand for tourism products, many new destinations have emerged that are competing to garner larger footfalls, and many businesses within destinations are also competing. Infrastructure development is a prerequisite to gain higher tourist numbers and requires the combined effort of the host community, tourists and private and public sectors. The following measures are suggested in the knowledge paper that can accelerate the growth of tourism infrastructure in the country. 1. Tourism Specific Ease of Doing Business (EoDB) Rankings: ‘EoDB Tourism State Rankings’ can be introduced with comprehensive parameters for assessment of state initiatives. A

uniform format can be introduced for collection and publishing of tourism data and statistics across states and districts to facilitate easier decision making by investors and also measure impact of initiatives of various states and other stakeholders. 2. Private Sector Participation for O&M of Existing Government Infrastructure: There is a large inventory of tourism infrastructure owned by state tourism departments as well as interconnected sectors like forest bungalows, many of which boast of exquisite locations that are lying idle or have further potential to upscale and attract more visitors. The private sector can be roped in to operate, improve or refurbish such properties and thus also boosting the room inventory. 3. Promote Smart and Frugal Infrastructure: As we expect tourism models to uplift communities, the creation of modern infrastructure will be pivotal towards attracting tourists, even more so in remote and offbeat locations. Currently, the minimum project cost for tourism projects to qualify for infrastructure status is INR 200 Cr, which is under consideration to be lowered to Rs50 crore. However, if this entry barrier can be further lowered, or a separate incentive scheme can be carved out for smaller projects, it will encourage private players to participate in small infra. 4. Promote MICE Sector: While MICE sector has experienced growth in the Indian sector in the past decade, India still has less than 0.5% share of the world meetings and conventions market. Developing more world-class exhibition centers can enable India to attract global conventions and meet-

ings in tourism as well as other sectors. 5. Incentivize Private Sector Participation: Government/(s) should incentivize private players to invest in unserved/ under-served tourism projects. The incentive pattern can be friendlier for attracting more innovative tourism projects vis-a-vis run-of-the-mill projects. For instance, interest subvention scheme can be introduced for small tourism projects like community homestays, RO-RO and boat operators. Additional incentives, like additional interest subvention post COD, can be provided to projects (incl. new Hotels and resorts) at tourist destinations with limited tourist facilities and connectivity.

The ministry of civil aviation aims to remove bottlenecks in remote areas by providing proper navigation. 6. Online Repository of Land Banks: Availability of suitable land is one of the main concerns for investing in tourism projects, especially when it comes to sustainable tourism infrastructure in fragile areas. The states need to develop a land bank outlining the land parcels available for tourism projects, which are made accessible over an interactive web platform with the support of Ministry of Tourism. This will enable investors to assess the preliminary viability of their projects basis the nature of land parcel/ select the appropriate land parcel suitable to

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the proposed project. 7. Medical and Wellness Tourism: India holds a competitive advantage in offering these products and services, and is also one of the most competitive destinations offering specialized treatments at low costs. The need of the hour now is to attract investments to create a supporting infrastructure that can help reap dividends of this global movement led by India, as well as further consolidate offerings in allopathic healthcare and advanced medical procedures. 8. Coastal Area Development: Blessed with almost 7,500 km of coastline, beaches/ Coastal tourism forms one of the top tourism themes in India and is also a preferred theme for foreign tourists visiting India. To leverage on this coastal advantage of India, priority can be accorded for identifying a minimum of 100 coastal destinations/ beaches and develop the basic tourism infrastructure in addition to ensuring cleanliness at these locations. 9. Leveraging MSME funds: India’s immense cultural and natural heritage is managed and conserved by local communities and small entrepreneurs whose business models now require scale-up through capital infusion, capacity building, and skill building support. Convergence of Government Schemes with organizations like NABARD, SIDBI among others can be channelized into developing tourism infrastructure in rural areas. 10. Technology for Infrastructure Assessment and Management: Today’s technologies give us clear insights and easy to use tools to advance sustainable and inclusive growth, and go far beyond cashless transactions

TRUJET CONNECTS 14 DESTINATIONS Trujet, India’s first scheduled commuter airline, has made a notable place in the aviation space by pioneering the UDAN project, thereby making Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision a reality. Trujet now connects fourteen major destinations in south India including Cuddapah, Nanded, Bellary, Mysore, and Salem in the regional connectivity scheme. Trujet has carried 1.2 million passengers in the three years since it started flying. Trujet has been further awarded with 20 new routes in the Western & Eastern states and will connect Kandla, Porbandar, Keshod, Jaisalmer, Jalgaon & Nasik from Ahmedabad & Burnpur, Cooch Behar, Tezu, and Rupsi from Guwahati. “We have 14 destinations at present. We are adding close to 20 more destinations in coming months. At present we are operating five ATRs. We are looking to add five to seven more ATRs in the coming months,” said Vishok Mansingh, CEO, Truejet airline. He further revealed that, to meet this new destination’s demand the company is planning to acquire 5 - 7 ATR Jets this financial year with the financial support of internal accruals. He further added, “TruJet is currently operating at close to 85 percent occupancy levels. This ushers the second phase of our UDAN effort, where Trujet connects Bharat with India and promotes the air connectivity of unserved/underserved cities to the metros. Trujet is planning organic and inorganic expansion to support its future demand.”

and reservations. Data analytics can provide insights into consumer spending and movement trends which can further facilitate municipalities on crowd management and urban planning. Enabling a cashless ecosystem for tourists, introducing value-added products like Incredible India Travel Card, application of GIS and emerg-

Trujet is the first airline to successfully fly all routes as part of its first bid under UDAN and the Ministry of Civil Aviation has issued a Citation to Trujet for the same. Trujet has been awarded the ‘Most Promising Airline’ for the year 2018 from India Travel Awards -South 2018. On the occasion of its third anniversary, Trujet would like to thank all stakeholders including MoCA, DGCA, BCAS, AAI, Airport operator, fuel companies, Lessors and Vendors for their continuous support in achieving this milestone. As a responsible corporate citizen, Trujet is also taking concrete steps to be a responsible member of the community by taking 300 underprivileged children on the first flight of their life so that they may aspire to build a better life for themselves. This is part of a year-long programme where Trujet will work with NGO’s who are championing this cause. “On the occasion of its 3rd anniversary, Trujet is offering fares starting at Rs. 603 all-inclusive to make air travel affordable for the common man,” said Vishok Mansingh, CEO of the Airline Replying to a query, the airline CFO, KG Vishwanath said that presently they are nearly achieving the operational break-even and will become profitable by next 2-3 years. He further added, “For the last three years, some of the earlier routes which we have started are breaking even at an operational level. For an overall perspective, we are a more stabilized carrier and we are close to operational break-even at this point in time.”

ing technologies, like Artificial Intelligence (AI) are some possible areas of intervention. According to the report, travel and tourism investment is expected to rise by 6.7% per annum over the next ten years to INR 5,546.3 billion in 2028. Rana Kapoor, MD & CEO, YES BANK and Chairman, YES Global

Institute said that unlocking the true economic potential of the tourism sector will require sustained efforts to augment and modernize tourism infrastructure in the country and will need to be driven by a partnership-led approach between the Government and the private sector through innovative PPP models.

FLIGHTTALK

Emirates goes digital, flaunts VR tech VW BUREAU

assengers planning to fly Emirates can now get a taste of their inflight experience even without boarding the plane. The airline has adopted Virtual Reality (VR) technology to offer flyers an opportunity to explore flight seats and cabins at the comfort of their homes. The VR technology offers a 3D 360 degree view of the flight surroundings. This immersive experience is available in Emirates A380 and the Emirates Boeing 777 aircraft. The new feature, which can be accessed on www.emirates.com, allows users to navigate through the Economy, Business and First Class cabins, as well as the iconic Onboard Lounge and Shower Spa on the Emirates A380 using navigational hotspots. Users can enjoy hands-free cabin navigation and seat selection by using any VR headset like Google Cardboard. This technology is compatible with all devices without the need for external applications or plugins. The 3D seat models were created in partnership

with Renacen, which was awarded the Crystal Cabin for the best visionary concept for this project at the recent Crystal Cabin Awards.

A VR headset like Google Cardboard can be used to take a sneak peek at the aircraft interiors. Customers accessing the website via their mobile devices or the Emirates app for iOS and Android will also be able to explore their seats before checking in online with the 3D seat map. The tool allows customers to navigate from one seat to another, and even allows would-be customers to book their preferred seats from within the 3D environment. In addition to the new 3D cabin models, new product videos are available on the website, which illustrate the end-to-end travel experience across all cabins. The videos serve as a guide, giving

IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCE: Emirates becomes the world’s first airline to introduce virtual reality experience. new customers a clear idea of all the unique features of the Emirates travel experience Alex Knigge, Emirates’ Senior VP, Corporate Communications, Marketing and Brand (Digital), said that the

digital initiative is an effort to offer customers an immersive experience both onboard and on the ground. “We are pleased to be the world’s first airline to introduce this cutting edge web VR technology,” he said.

Jet Airways inducts first Boeing 737 MAX VW BUREAU

IndiGo to operate new flights from Surat

fter a successful launch of seven domestic and two international destinations since January, IndiGo has announced Surat as its 56th destination. The country’s largest low-cost airline, IndiGo will now operate new flights to and from Surat connecting Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, and Jaipur respectively. To provide more connectivity across India, IndiGo will operate three new routes, including Jaipur-Varanasi, Jaipur-Guwahati, and Mumbai-Bagdogra. The new services will start in August. The introduction of these flights will further strengthen the airline’s operations, and will provide connectivity between Surat and other key cities with all-inclusive fares starting from Rs 1,999. William Boulter, Chief Strategy Officer of IndiGo, said that Surat holds immense potential for IndiGo, and launching operations to and from the diamond city is in line with the company’s growth strategy for the India market. IndiGo is also looking at introducing new flights connecting Surat with Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, and Jaipur.

Air Arabia takes delivery of two new aircraft

ir Arabia has taken two new Airbus A320 aircraft deliveries bringing its total operating fleet to 53 aircraft. The new A320 aircraft have gone straight into service across Air Arabia’s over 150 destination network served from the main carrier hubs in the UAE, Morocco and Egypt.The latest Airbus A320 arrived on schedule from the Airbus facility in Toulouse, France, marking the completion of all deliveries this year.

n an effort to offer passengers an unparalleled flying experience, Jet Airways has announced the induction of its very first Boeing 737 MAX in its fleet. The 737 MAX, which represents Boeing’s latest upgrade to its single aisle 737, has been specially designed to deliver exceptional performance and reliability with a fuel efficiency of up to 15% percent that translates into a lower seat per mile cost as well as an extended range. This remarkable output is delivered by a unique combination of structural enhancements that comprise several aerodynamic improvements including, revolutionary Advanced Technology (AT) Winglets that smoothen airflow, helping reduce drag and increasing efficiency by nearly 2%. Guests stepping onboard the new MAX are greeted by the customizable and eye-catching Boeing Sky Interior that features new, modern-sculpted sidewalls, anti-glare LED lighting and other appealing improvements to both form and function. New features The Sky Interior offers up to 9 different lighting scenarios for different stages of a flight.

Discount for international travel Jet Airways is offering guests attractive discounts of up to 30% on their international travel using the airline’s vast network, with immediate effect. Guests travelling to Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Bangkok, Dammam, Dhaka, Doha, Dubai, Hong Kong, Jeddah, Kathmandu, Kuwait, London, Manchester**, Muscat, Riyadh, Sharjah and Singapore can enjoy substantial discounts on their Premiere and Economy class bookings. On select domestic routes, the airline will also offer Economy guests discount of up to 25% applicable on tickets booked within the sale period until 30 June, 2018. Tickets booked as part of the sale will be valid for travel from 11 July, 2018 onwards. A fifteen day advance purchase is necessary for travel on this offer. This five-day fare sale will be applicable for guests booking both one-way and/or return journeys. For bookings and information guests may visit jetairways.com, the airline’s Mobile App, or call the airline’s contact centre (city code) 39893333. Passengers can also go through travel agents to avail this offer.

The new 737 MAX 8 will offer a standard two-class configuration comprising 12 Première and 162 seats in Economy, complete with JetScreen - the airline’s inflight entertainment system that offers over 330 hours of the latest entertainment on personal devices. Guests can relax and enjoy their favorite programming from among Hollywood, Bollywood and regional movies, TV shows, games and music. Vinay Dube, CEO of Jet Airways, said, “Arrival of the 737 MAX is a proud moment that

marks the start of an exciting new chapter for Jet Airways and Indian aviation. The 737 MAX is a critical part of our strategy and is equipped to offer our guests the hospitality and travel experience they deserve. The induction of the fuel-efficient 737 MAX will also enable the airline to meet its strategic ambitions of growth, enhance its operational reliability and reduce costs. Jet Airways’ 737 MAX took its first flight from Mumbai to Hyderabad on July 1.

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Indian airline fleet to double in 10 years VW BUREAU

espite economic and structural barriers, India offers an attractive long-term growth market with opportunities in the region significantly outweighing the challenges. “Access to domestic and international air travel has never been greater for Indian travellers and an expanding middle class is increasingly taking advantage of the extensive network of domestic routes,” said Dick Forsberg, Avolon’s Head of Strategy who authored the paper, India, a 21st Century Powerhouse.’ The international aviation sector in India, however, has been under-developed and, to achieve its full potential to support long-term economic growth, trade, and tourism, it is im-

22.8 million international passengers were carried by Indian airlines in 2017, an increase of 14% on the previous year. perative that it receives renewed focus and investment, he said. According to the findings by Avolon, about 22.8 million international passengers were carried by Indian airlines in 2017, an increase of 14% on the previous year. Almost 117 million domestic passengers were carried in 2017, a 17.4% increase on 2016. Annual domestic passenger growth has averaged 15% since 2012. Domestic passenger demand is forecast to grow at an average annual rate of 9.6% over

CHALLENGES: Despite significant state and private investments, airport capacity will remain a constraint on growth. the coming decade, while an 8.3% growth rate is forecast for international passengers. India’s airports handled 295 million passengers in 2017, with the five busiest airports all approaching - or already exceeding - their terminal capacities. Despite significant state and private investment being committed, airport capacity will likely remain a constraint on growth. Low-cost airlines carry 65% of domestic passengers and their dominance is set to be maintained into the future, with load factors amongst the

APAC airlines saw traffic rise by 8.0% VW BUREAU

he International Air Transport Association (IATA) has announced global passenger traffic results for May 2018, showing that demand (measured in revenue passenger kilometers, or RPKs) rose 6.1% compared to the same month in 2017, which was a slight pickup from 6.0% year-over-year growth for April 2018. Capacity climbed 5.9% and load factor rose 0.1 percentage point to 80.1%. “May was another solid month in terms of demand growth. As had been expected, we saw some moderation, as rising airline costs are reducing the stimulus from lower airfares. In particular, jet fuel prices are expected to be up nearly 26% this year compared to 2017. Nevertheless, the record load factor for the month signifies that demand for air connectivity is strong,” said Alexandre de Juniac, IATA’s Director General and CEO.

International passenger traffic demand rose 5.8%, which was up from 4.6% growth in April. All regions recorded growth, led by Asia-Pacific airlines. Total capacity climbed 5.4%, with load factor rising 0.3 percentage point to 78.7%. Asia-Pacific airlines saw their traffic rise 8.0% in May compared to the year-ago period, slightly down on an 8.1% increase in April. Capacity increased 7.6%, and load factor edged up 0.3 percentages point to 77.9%. Passenger traffic has continued to trend strongly upwards in seasonally-adjusted terms, buoyed by a combination of robust regional economic growth and increases in the number of route options for travelers. European carriers’ May demand climbed 6.2% over May 2017, well above the 3.4% year-over-year growth recorded in April. Capacity rose 5.1% and load factor was up 0.8 percentage point to 83.5%, which was the highest among regions.

highest in the world. India’s share of the international aviation market has steadily declined to below 40%, reflecting years of under-investment at Air India. Onerous requirements for potential buyers to assume $5bn of debt and guarantee all full-time jobs contributed to no offers being received for Air India in its recent flotation bid; Airline profitability has been improving, but the sector remains vulnerable to fuel prices, interest rates, and exchange rate movement. Urgent changes to aviation fuel pricing and

taxation are needed. Avolon forecasts that India’s current passenger fleet will double to almost 1,100 aircraft by 2027 – with the total value of aircraft to be delivered over the coming ten years, at current list prices, projected to be $60 billion. After taking account of existing orders, there is a shortfall of 300 aircraft, with a current value of $20 billion, for India’s airline fleet development over the next ten years. This includes requirements for 125 narrowbody jets, 125 widebody jets, and 50 large regional aircraft.

Saudigulf Airlines Launches New Mobile App To offer passengers a secure, feature-rich app that would make travel easier, SaudiGulf Airlines is partnering with CellPoint Mobile’s Voyage booking engine. The app – which provides search and book capabilities, seat selection, and integrated payment options, as well as the flexibility to add new features as they are developed – enables SaudiGulf to open up additional streams of revenue and selling opportunities in the mobile channel, helping the airline to grow in the dynamic Middle Eastern aviation market. The app is built for the Android and iOS native platforms, which represent 99.6% of all new smartphones globally. CellPoint Mobile has been working with SaudiGulf since the airline launched service to develop an app that would reflect its unique brand while meeting the mobile

expectations of travelers. “Not only are we providing SaudiGulf with its first mobile booking engine, we’re enabling the airline to scale up and add new capabilities and alternative payment methods (APMs) as it grows domestically, regionally and internationally,” said Noel Connolly, SVP, Head of Global Sales, Airline, and Hospitality CellPoint Mobile. SaudiGulf Airlines will be working with CellPoint Mobile to enhance the app over time with additional features such as ancillary purchasing of food and beverage and inflight connectivity. Other features that build affinity with SaudiGulf’s boutique brand include a compass that directs the traveler to the nearest prayer room, the ability to book a chauffeur for airport pickup or drop-off, and integration with the SaudiGulf Club frequent flyer program.

MEDICALTOURISM

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THE INDIA WELLNESS HUB IN THE MAKING VW BUREAU

he medical tourism industry is evolving at a fast pace. The growth is triggered by increasing healthcare costs, limitations on the availability of treatment options, and ease of travel. According to a recent report by Zion Market Research, emerging market economies with medical expertise and medical facilities at low cost, coupled with attractive tourism sites, are expected to drive medical tourism market over the forecast period.

The APAC dominated the medical tourism market in 2017 with significant revenue share. India is one of the most sought-after destinations for medical tourism. Wellness Tourism in the country has already become an Rs490 billion Industry and by, 2020, Medical Value Tourism is estimated to be an Rs500 billion industry. The number of medical tourists has increased substantially from 350,000 Westerners in 2003 to 750,000 Amer-

INDIA, MALAYSIA ON THE LEAD According to Allied Market Research, India and Malaysia have become a favored “medical tourist destination” due to the recent technological advancements in healthcare sector and intensive care facilities offered by the hospitals. The residents from the U.S. are now ready to visit Indian hospital for various treatments including heart bypass, hip or/and knee replacement, and the cosmetic surgeries. Moreover, the cost per treatment is considerably low in India than many other countries. Chennai emerged as a cheap medical tourist hub. With more than 10 government and 70 private hospitals, Chennai provides a strong medical infrastructure, which includes quality intensive care units, rare surgeries, and pre- and post-operational care facilities at an affordable price. Moreover, government has been promoting several policies to support the private sector to generate more revenue from medical tourism. Along with India, Malaysia has aimed for becoming a medical tourist hub by engaging the clients from China. Affordability, availability, and accessibility of good quality

icans by 2007. In India, medical tourism increased between USD 50 billion and USD 69 billion. Medical tourism in Asia grew to USD 4.4 billion by 2012. The medical tourism industry is also dynamic and volatile due to vari-

healthcare services with healthy support and assistance from tourism departments & local governments boost the market growth. In addition, increase in incidence of cancer and other serious ailments is anticipated to drive the demand for healthcare services, which in turn is expected to drive the medical tourism market. Limited coverage and lengthy partial reimbursement offered by insurance companies along with difficulties associated with cross border travel, such as language barriers, connectivity, documentation, and VISA approval issues, are projected to impede market growth. By geography, the market was dominated by North America and Asia-Pacific, and collectively accounted for 63.6% of the overall medical tourism market in 2016. The growth of these regions is attributed to the availability of affordable medical treatments for several disease conditions, in countries such as Mexico, Thailand, Malaysia, India, and Singapore. However, Asia-Pacific is the fastest growing region followed by LAMEA, owing to the increase in treatment success rates and the affordable price range.

ous factors such as economic climate, travel restrictions, geopolitical shifts, domestic policy changes, political instability, advertising practices and innovative and new treatment options contribute towards a shift in the pat-

tern of consumption and production of health services in a domestic and overseas market. The Asia Pacific dominated the medical tourism market in 2017 with significant revenue share. Public health

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care reforms are rapidly expanding private sector in the region which is expected to drive medical tourism market growth. Private hospitals generate major revenue from foreign patients. In most of the associations of Southeast Asian Nations, medical tourism represents one third or more revenue from a private hospital. In India, medical tourism accounts for 25% of revenue, and in the Taiwan, Philippines and South Korea, it accounts for approximately 10-15% of revenue. Market segments The medical tourism market is segmented on the basis of treatment type into cancer treatment, orthopedic treatment, fertility treatment, cardiovascular treatment, neurological treatment, and others. Orthopedic and cardiovascular treatment segment is expected to grow at significant growth rate. Orthopedic is the medical condition associated with muscles and bones. It consists of a surgical procedure for the correction of the musculoskeletal system. Cardiovascular diseases are one of the leading causes of death across the world. The high cost associated with the treatment of these diseases may influence patients to seek treatments abroad.

MAHARASHTRA THE NEXT WELLNESS HUB? Addressing the Health & Wellness Tourism Stakeholder’s meet hosted by Maharashtra Health & Wellness Tourism Conference (MHWTC) at Taj Land’s End, Bandra, Mumbai, Jaykumar Rawal, Minister of Tourism, announced that the government has identified two 100 acre plots near Igatpuri that would be built as medical tourism hubs and invited participation from industry experts. The event organized by Pandoza Solutions facilitated professional opportunities for marketing, business development & networking along with a scope to interact with domain experts from the field of medical, dental, AYUSH, hospitality and tourism industry for the state of Maharashtra. Padmabhushan Dr. Ramakanta Panda, opined, “Nearly fifty thousand people are visiting Maharashtra annually for various other countries, for Medical Treatment and wellness. This essentially means fifty thousand brand ambassadors for promoting medical tourism in Maharashtra and there by other great opportunity for

one and all connected to this industry. Further if one takes into accounts their immediate Family and Friends, the number of brand ambassadors is even larger. Sambhaji Diliprao Patil – Nilangekar, Minister For Skill Development & Labour, expressed confidence that under the able leadership of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis , medical tourism would touch new heights in Maharashtra . He also assured the au-

dience that all requisite skill development and infrastructure development would match pace with the demands of the industry. Dr. Anil Bankar, PhD Medical Tourism, Assistant Professor, Gulf Medical University, UAE, pointed out that medical tourism education will support to develop ‘Brand Maharashtra’ if all stakeholders come together to position Maharashtra as a leading in Medical and Wellness Tourism destination.

EVENTS

ICCA Congress to kick off in November VW BUREAU

ubai Business Events, the city’s official convention bureau, and its partners on the Local Host Committee, have unveiled an exciting line-up of social activities accompanying the 57th International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) Congress, which will be held in Dubai from November 11-14 under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Executive Council of Dubai. On November 11, a welcome reception will be hosted at the Armani Pavilion, with al fresco dining and entertainment right next to the mesmerizing Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building at 830 metres and an iconic location in Dubai. Delegates can expect an enchanting and entertaining introduction to the city at one of the most exclusive venues in Dubai, with spectacular views of Dubai Fountain, making for a truly memorable occasion. The annual CAT Night returns on November 12, with award-winning food and beverage options at the Jumeirah Beach Hotel situated on the coast of the Arabian Gulf, adjacent to Burj Al Arab. On November 13, delegates will travel to the Al Lisaili Desert Camp for the ultimate Arabian experience, where a farewell dinner will be hosted. Al Lisaili is custom-built to resemble a traditional Arabian fort, complete with traditional Arabic entertainment, music and cuisine. Registered delegates will be able to enjoy sunset camel rides, local henna skin art, and other traditional Bedouin activities. The farewell dinner will be sponsored by Dubai Association Centre.

Issam Kazim, CEO of Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing, said, “The 57th ICCA Congress comes at an opportune time and is set to highlight some of the many factors driving interest in the business events sector in Dubai. The ICCA Congress is one of the most essential calendar events for the global business events community, and preparations for welcoming industry professionals to the Congress later this year are well underway. As a first-time host to the Congress, Dubai has a lot to offer delegates, and we have developed a strong social program to accompany the event that incorporates some of our most iconic landmarks and experiences.” The 57th ICCA Congress in Dubai is set to be a crucial platform that will offer a combination of education,

As a firsttime host to the Congress, Dubai has a lot to offer delegates, and we have developed a strong social program to accompany the event that incorporates some of our most iconic landmarks and experiences. ISSAM KAZIM CEO, Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing

ICONIC SPOT: The ICCA Congress incorporates Dubai’s iconic destinations like Burj Khalifa. knowledge-sharing and business exchange opportunities, proving to be a must-attend networking event for meetings industry professionals. Dennis Speet, Acting CEO of ICCA, said: “ICCA is renowned as the most effective global networking platform in the meetings industry, bringing together leaders from a multitude of different countries, business cultures, and sectors, who all enjoy the advantages of ICCA’s warm and friendly yet business-focused culture. Our Congress evening networking events are even more famous as uniquely creative occasions where genuine friendships are forged, barriers are

dissolved, and anything is possible.” The Local Organising Committee is also coordinating with ICCA to ensure that the Congress once again has a strong corporate social responsibility (CSR) element. To aid UAEbased Noor Dubai Foundation, which focuses on eyesight, delegates are being encouraged to bring old pairs of glasses and sunglasses and donate them to the charity. The second-ever ICCA Charity Run ‘N’ Walk will also take place on November 12 at the Dubai beachfront to support the foundation. Industry professionals can now register to attend the 57th ICCA Congress in Dubai.

Angry Birds World opens in Qatar VW BUREAU

he world’s first Angry Birds World entertainment park has opened its doors to residents and visitors to Qatar, transforming the classic bird-flinging game into a cluster of high-octane attractions designed to entertain every member of the family. Located in Qatar’s largest fashion, dining and entertainment destination, Doha Festival City, the 17,000 sq.m park comprises an indoor space of 6,500 sqm. Inspired by the popular digital game, the park offers its visitors a heart-pounding experience with many attractions, such as the Blast Bomb – a drop and twist tower that features free-fall motion from a height of 11m, or Red Alert where visitors are hurled into an exhilarating 360-degree spin. One of the park’s uniquely impressive attractions is the Big Tree, which

offers both children and adults a fun edutainment experience encompassing science, music and art. For adventure junkies, the tree also houses “Own the Sky”, a 106m zip line that allows participants to cut through the air at rip-roaring speeds.

Visitors can also test their physical strength with “Fierce Flight” – an incredible ropes course challenge. Angry Birds World is a new addition to Qatar’s expanding urban and family entertainment offering, which tourism officials have marked as a priority in a five-year strategy designed to diversify visitor source markets. Qatar’s entertainment portfolio includes a range of exciting festivals, celebrating everything from food and shopping to music and comedy. The country’s longest nation-wide festival – Qatar Summer Festival – kicks off this June in tandem with the Russia FIFA World Cup 2018, with fan zones in venues and hotels across the country designed to give a taste of what is to come in 2022 when Qatar hosts the FIFA World Cup. Simo Hämäläinen, Senior Vice President, Brand Licensing at Rovio Entertainment, said, “Our new

world-class attraction based in Qatar is another clear demonstration of the global appeal of the Angry Birds brand. Rovio’s current licensing roadmap is strongest to date, bringing great new ways for our fans to enjoy Angry Birds. The brand’s future looks bright and is being spearheaded with the theatrical release of The Angry Birds Movie 2 in September.” Angry Birds World constitutes one of the four major entertainment parks that are introduced by Trimoo and set to open at Doha Festival City, located along Al Shamal Road. Upon completion, the unique entertainment destination will be home to Snow Dunes, the country’s first indoor snow park set in an ancient Arabian village;, VIRTUOCiTY, the region’s first dedicated digital gaming and entertainment hub, and JUNIVERSE, the world’s first city in space that aims to inspire and entertain children.

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IITM plays host to global tourism firms VW BUREAU Sphere Travelmedia & Exhibitions will host the 2018-19 Calendar of India International Travel Mart (IITM). The events will be conducted in eight major markets, which comprise Bangalore, Chennai, Mumbai, Kolkata, New Delhi, Kochi, Pune, and Hyderabad. This year, IITM will showcase several new products in the hospitality and travel segments. The travel mart will showcase a variety of destinations from different spheres, such as pilgrimages, adventures, culture & heritage, beaches. The multi-city event will have over 600 participants from over 30 coun-

Bhopal to host AdventureNEXT The Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA) has chosen Bhopal as a destination for its first AdventureNEXT event in Asia. The international event focuses on adventure tourism by combining marketplace meetings, networking opportunities, inspirational speakers and educational sessions. ATTA also unites countries and destinations in a region with a singular objective, increasing awareness about the abundance of adventure travel opportunities. After successfully hosting events in countries such as Macedonia, Mexico and Jordan, AdventureNEXT selects Bhopal, the city of lakes in Madhya Pradesh, to host the three-day event scheduled from December 3-5. AdventureNEXT events travel the globe introducing adventure destinations to international buyers and media while incorporating educational workshops and sessions covering regional topics. Embodying the event’s theme, ‘Pulse of Tomorrow,’ delegates will tune into their professional calling and explore future-driven business opportunities from Madhya Pradesh, the heart of India. Hari Ranjan Rao (IAS), Principal Secretary Tourism and Managing director, Madhya Pradesh Tourism Development Board said, “AdventureNEXT is one of the most significant events of ATTA. This is the association’s first event to be hosted in Asia, and Madhya Pradesh is privileged to have the opportunity to host this event in India in December. We will be showcasing various adventure tourism opportunities across the state by conducting pre and post familiarization trips to various destinations. Undoubtedly, it is an honorable opportunity to present India’s beautiful heritage, and especially MP’s wildlife, handicrafts, pilgrimage and various hidden treasures worth exploring by an international platform such as ATTA. We believe that the tour will captivate the hearts and imagination of every traveler and immerse their senses in the heart of Incredible India.” ATTA also plans to introduce more tours which are adventure-driven panning across the unexplored exploratory destinations of India.

tries and over 25 Indian states. The participants include travel agents, tour operators, destination marketing companies, hotels, resorts, national

The multi-city event will have over 600 participants from over 30 countries and over 25 Indian states. tourism offices, online travel portals, adventure tour operators, ecotourism companies, etc. The three-day event, which also welcomes travel enthusiasts, will allow tour operators and

travel agencies to network. Rohit Hangal, Director, Sphere Travelmedia, said, “With the present ongoing slowdown in International arrivals into India, ‘India International Travel Mart’ provides the right impetus to woo the Indian domestic tourism industry. With a base of over 200 million discerning domestic travel seekers, it is a yearlong market, no hospitality and travel organization can ignore.” The multi-city event has always been a hit with the Indian globe trotters. Sanjay Hakhu, Director, Sphere Travelmedia, said, “In spite of the present business environment, India is fast emerging as one of the most interesting and productive countries for the trav-

el trade industry, both for leisure and business travel. A combination of factors is responsible for the growth and demand of travel trends from India.” Tourism studies and trends indicate that 2018-19 will see more than 22 million tourists embarking on overseas travel. With the advent of lowcost international airfares and holiday packages that are available on monthly instalments payable over a period of time, international travel is no longer a luxury. The IITM provides an ideal ‘marketing opportunity’ and ‘excellent backdrop’ to enhance the participant’s ‘brand-equity’ in the eyes of the discerning end consumer and the travel-trade.

CRUIsEmarketing

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Cruise tourism to get a leg up in India VW BUREAU

o boost cruise tourism in India, Union Minister for Shipping, Road Transport and Highways, Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Nitin Gadkari and Union Minister of State for Tourism (I/C), K J Alphons spoke to the stakeholders of the travel and tourism industry. The ministers and the industry leaders discussed various issues concerned with cruise tourism. The deliberations were held as part of the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) Annual Awards event in June. Addressing the gathering, the Union Minister Gadkari said that the government is focusing on sea route and inland waterways. He said that the government must take steps to promote domestic tourist destinations. He suggested building jetties along the coastal belt of Maharashtra. He also added that, under Sagarmala, the government will give Rs500 crore to Shipping Corporation of India to lease out cruises to promote cruise tourism. He said that the government is promoting use of methanol and ethanol fuels to be used in cruise so as to bring down fuel cost. Gadkari said that it will be a good idea for tourism companies to bring cruises from abroad and refurbish them in India, as this would be cost-effective. He said that the government is ready to co-operate with the industry and work on innovative ideas. Minister Alphons said that tourism has done extremely well last year and now the government is looking towards doubling the foreign tourist arrivals

TAX CUTS: Tourism minister K J Alphons says no GST may be applied for the first five years. (FTAs) in three years. Proposing a long-term cost-saving strategy, the minister said that to give cruise tourism a leg up in India, no GST may be applied for the first five years. “While the government will lose money in the short run, it will give handsome returns in the long term,” he said.

The government will give Rs500 crore to Shipping Corporation of India to lease out cruises. Citing the various steps taken by the government to promote cruise tourism such as upgradation of cruise terminals and enabling freer flow of passengers, the Ministry of Tourism has

invested Rs100 crore for cruise terminals in various parts of the country. Earlier, the minister gave away the JNPT Annual Awards as well as the Indian Port Rail Corporation (IPRCL) Awards. He also unveiled the Special JNPT Annual Edition Issue brought out by Exim Bank and awarded a Letter of Approval for SEZ. A panel discussion on ‘JNPT: India’s No 1 Container Port to becoming a global port” was also held. Development of cruise tourism in India is identified as a thrust area by the Indian government. A task force has accordingly been constituted under the headship of Secretary (Shipping) and Secretary (Tourism). World-renowned consultants M/s. Bermelo & Ajamil and Ernst and Young were appointed to prepare a roadmap for development of cruise tourism in India.

Royal Caribbean to acquire a stake in Silversea Cruises

NEW DEAL: Richard D Fain, RCL’s chairman & CEO with Manfredi Lefebvre, chairman, Silversea. VW BUREAU

oyal Caribbean Cruises and Manfredi Lefebvre D’Ovidio have announced an agreement for RCL to acquire a stake in the privately owned Silversea Cruises. Under the agreement, Royal Caribbean will acquire a 66.7% equity stake in Silversea Cruises based on an enterprise value of approximately $2 billion. The purchase price of the equity being acquired is approximately $1 billion. RCL plans to finance the purchase through debt. In addition, Lefebvre will qualify for an estimated contingent consideration of approximately 472,000 RCL shares, payable upon achievement of certain 2019-2020 performance metrics.

“Silversea is a crown jewel, and the acknowledged leader in luxury and expedition cruising, two key markets that are poised for growth. Uniting our two companies presents an extraordinary opportunity to expand vacation options for guests and create revenue in strategic growth areas,” said Richard D. Fain, Chairman and CEO of Royal Caribbean Cruises. Manfredi will remain the Executive Chairman of Silversea, continuing to lead its strategy long term. “This partnership will bolster the growth of this exceptional brand founded by my father. I have always been kindred spirits with Richard and we share a vision of offering excellence and leadership to our guests. This new partnership gives Silversea the opportunity to accelerate the growth of the most successful luxury and expedition cruising brand in the world,” he added. This partnership looks at driving long-term capacity growth in the burgeoning luxury and expedition markets at a much larger scale than what Silversea would achieve independently. The partnership will also focus on diversifying Royal Caribbean’s portfolio and increasing its expedition offerings by adding a premiere ultra-luxury brand. The tie-up aims to leveraging the global footprint of both companies to generate demand and increase vacation and destination options for the guests of both companies.

As per the report of the consultants, there is a tremendous growth potential in this sector. As against 2 lakh cruise passengers presently visiting India, 4 million passengers are expected to be visiting in coming 25 years. Almost 80% of this, i.e 3.2 million are expected to take cruises from Mumbai Port and 70% of the projected passengers are likely to be Indian citizens. Many measures have hence been taken to improve the infrastructure, processes, ease of doing business and reduction in tariff. This has resulted in an increase in arrivals of cruise ships to India by 24% and of cruise passengers by 52%. An International Cruise ship was home-ported in Mumbai Port in year 2016-‘17 with 7 voyages from Mumbai Port. This year the home-porting ship is expected to do 9 voyages in the coming cruise season 2017-18.

Cruise360 conference to be held in Florida

ruise Lines International Association (CLIA) has opened registration for its annual Cruise360 conference taking place in Florida from April 1 to April 8, 2019, at the Greater Fort Lauderdale/Broward County Convention Center. Cruise360 provides highly rated professional development, multiple networking events, ship inspections and an in-depth view of current cruise and travel industry trends. As the largest and official conference of the cruise industry, Cruise360 brings together travel professionals, cruise line representatives, ports and destinations, industry suppliers and CLIA partners for a truly panoramic view of the cruise industry. “Next year marks 15 years of Cruise360 and it promises to be our most impressive event to date. We look forward to working with our partners in Fort Lauderdale to continue the success and excitement Cruise360 brings to the city and the cruise industry each year. Travel professionals can expect a week packed with the professional development, ship inspections, general sessions and networking that have made Cruise360 the must-attend industry event for the past 15 years,” said Cindy D’Aoust, president and CEO, CLIA.

INDIAN THE TRAVEL INDUSTRY logs on to

TRADE-FAIR BANDWAGON ROHIT HANGAL When the global exhibition and tradeshow sector is a $65 billion industry with over 31,000 major events taking place and the Indian space is estimated to be worth at Rs65,000 crore with over 700 shows, how can the Indian travel industry be far behind? According to the Indian Convention Promotion Bureau, of a total of 8,294 events tracked, India has a market share of 1.1% (Asia & Middle East has 19.5% share) with an estimated size of the MICE industry in India around

in maintaining business relationships. Exhibitions have helped the industry create new markets for their products across the country, devise right market entry strategies, and gain immediate feedback. The exhibitor activity has changed drastically over the years. Now, the marketing activity of exhibitors includes major initiatives such as market research, market-entry showcasing and serious efforts to engage the travel - trade. Organizations and companies have been off late using high-end technology to enhance their

window agency as procedures are getting more tedious than ever before. Being part of the Travel Event industry is quite mandatory for us to be at various events across the world. The quality of the event infrastructure is a point of envy. Most International travel events across the world also enjoy tremendous patronage from the National Tourist Organization and Government bodies, which they see as a booster to their economy. With the Indian travel event industry still at a nascent stage, there is always room for improvement in terms of event operations and marketing. Good Event

The exhibitor activity has changed drastically over the years. Now, the marketing activity of exhibitors includes major initiatives such as market research, market-entry showcasing and serious efforts to engage the travel trade. Rs4,000crore-Rs5,500 crore. Still a very minusculepart of a global market space of over USD 65 Billion! Trade shows have made a remarkable comeback as a preferred marketing medium for the Indian hospitality and travel industry with over 10,000 exhibitors participating in over 50 travel events in the country. India still has a very young travel and tourism industry with stakeholders still finding ways to enhance reach. Indians as a business community still would like to establish relationships and this is where travel marts have truly helped. The Indian travel industry has greatly benefited as exhibitions is probably the most cost-effective mode of acquiring a customer and plays a big part

presentation during the event. One of the most successful marketing models in creating a destination by way of use of Travel events is Kerala. The private sector exclusively uses exhibitions as a single most effective mode of marketing over the last fifteen years, and the results are everybody to see. Venue is a major challenge in India. With the absence of proper convention and exhibition facilities in the country is a major drawback. Even cities like Mumbai and Delhi have no world-class event facilities. Making do with present Event infrastructure and current permissions and licenses required to organize trade-fairs is time-consuming and a sure dampener. The industry should demand a single

practises and final product delivery in India still needs more fine-tuning and is something we can learn from the events abroad. One of the most positive trends I have seen over the years is that the Visiting trade doing their homework on the type of exhibitors they wish to meet and taking time to get in touch with the exhibitors, fix appointments and explore synergies. There are more structured meetings nowadays than ad-hoc time spent at the event. With more travel events in India than ever before on different platforms, whether it is on a B2B or a B2C platform and successful events being promoted by Tourism departments of Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Kerala and recently Jharkhand joining the band-

wagon. The way forward for travel trade shows is to establish their right niche and focus. India is a big country and we will see different events catering to different demographical zones, focussed segments as MICE, weddings, Adventure, Outbound, Domestic and inbound, technology etc. We will also more events in Tier 2 & 3 segments adding to the travel event portfolio in the country. With marketing expense on a tighter leash, use of Exhibitions offers the most cost-effective ways to reach out to your consumer. Infrastructure challenges are currently paramount to the success of this rainbow industry here in India. China has 92 purpose-built exhibition sites spread over three million square meters. India has just 12 exhibition venues that occupy barely 2.6 lakhs square meter of space. India is 40% of China in terms of the size of the economy, but in the exhibitions infrastructure sphere, we are only 9 percent of what China does. Germany on the other extreme has over three million square meters of exhibition space, which considering India’s exhibition industry, is on a different planet altogether! With longer gestation periods, no Convention Centres make money on the quick run. It is the City Municipal Corporation, to ensure, we create world-class convention facilities. With increased footfalls, increased tax revenues and adding a new employment engine, the city eventually benefits more! The Indian industry, irrespective of their sectors, and verticals need quality meeting infrastructure. The current ‘Make in India’ mania is useless if we do not have avenues to display and exhibit to a global audience. The advent of International Exhibition companies in India has got the industry tremendous respect and enhanced its professionalism. With the marked increase in the number of stakeholders using the exhibition medium, the industry is only poised to grow.

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SKAL to provide platform for youth JEELANI MN SKAL hopes to gain more ground In Bangalore and proposes to raise awareness among the young. Manoj Mathew, President, SKAL International Club-Bangalore, shares his views. You were recently elected as the SKAL President for SKAL International Club Bangalore. What new plans do you have for SKAL? We are keen on making SKAL International Bangalore a platform for tourism professionals in Bangalore to exchange ideas, generate business, and network with likeminded people. SKAL International Bangalore is on a membership drive, and we plan to open another club in Whitefield as commute becomes a constraint. We want to promote ‘Young SKAL’ so that the youth in our industry get a platform for exposure to the tourism industry. Tell us more about the SKAL International Asia Congress 2019.

Among the regional areas of SKAL International, the SKAL Asian Area commands the largest area, stretching for more than 10,000 km from Guam in the Pacific region to Mauritius in the Indian Ocean. Asia is the only area in the world where SKAL International is experiencing strong growth. In the Asian region, we achieved an increase of 14.7% in the number of members, compared to one year ago. Currently, there are about 2,400 members in 41 clubs in Asia. The newest Club No 726, Trivandrum, from India is also a part of the Asian chapter. SKAL International Asia Congress 2019 in Bengaluru is a prestigious annual event. We are expecting over 150 international delegates from the Asian region plus Indian Skalleagues to be part of this conference. A three- day event will be held in which we will showcase Karnataka Tourism, and, in many ways, the exciting part of Incredible India. We have partnered with Karnataka Tourism Department who have supported us in promoting our

The convention will be held at Taj MG Road and Taj Group of Hotels.

We have partnered with Karnataka Tourism Department who have supported us in promoting our cause in Macau in the recently held Asia Congress. MANOJ MATHEW SKAL President, SKAL International, Club Bangalore cause in Macau in the recently held Asia Congress. Cox & Kings will be our preferred Travel Partner and they will help in making the registration of delegates seamless and offer exciting pre-post tours to the visiting delegates.

ACTE: A think tank in the works JEELANI MN By helping corporates spend responsibly and developing high-level platforms, ACTE has come a long way. Jyothi Varma, Regional Manager, Southeast Asia Association Corporate Travel Executives, explains how ACTE is assisting new developments. What is ACTE’s vision in India? The vision of ACTE in India is to increase the number of memberships and create a quality-driven knowledgeable think tank. ACTE assists in promoting the development of innovative, sustainable and universally recognized travel practices, with the aim of contributing to individual member cost-savings development, understanding of national and international practices and policies impacting the industry, and developing high-level travel management techniques, providing a valuable platform for suppliers and a knowledgeable platform for buyers and other members. How is the Indian travel corporate segment doing? It is in consolidation mode. The growth predicted by most of the leading private consultancy in India will show a growth of 10% to 12%. Today, the corporate segment is looking at a single window for all their travel-related services, and the balance and importance have been brought

The vision of ACTE in India is to increase the number of memberships and create a quality-driven knowledgeable think tank. JYOTHI VARMA Regional Manager, Southeast Asia Association, Corporate Travel Executives on the cost and travellers experience. How does ACTE help the corporate sector? The membership at ACTE affiliates the responsibilities of a company in travel purchasing, meeting management, or other aspects of business travel, and offers educational and networking resources that you cannot get elsewhere. How is India performing in comparison to other countries? Other countries are showing a stronger growth pattern and have a lot more to offer; for both outbound and inbound travellers in terms of knowledge, talent, location, experience, logistics, Bleisure experiences etc.

Any new events planned for the Indian market? We are targeting September 27 for an Education Forum in Bangalore, and a CSR activity on August 10. Have you noticed interesting trends in the corporate sector? The markets are growing and being incompetent is not an option. We have to work with the changing times. The corporate sector has changed its outlook and has been firmly adding different aspects every day. New developments in the National Development Council (NDC) are paving a way for making decisions and deliberations on development matters. The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is controlling a lot of business decisions today, and the hotel inventory management is highlighted as the spend increases. With shared experience and economy on the rise, more and more payment platforms are moving from offline to online, with artificial intelligence (AI) and digitization taking the travel data management to the next level. How is technology changing the dynamics of ACTE? ACTE is able to reach to more countries and embrace more clientele because of cutting-edge technology. Our conferences are using a lot of technical support in the form of mobile apps to provide timely updates.

What are the latest developments at SKAL? During the Macau Congress, an MOU was signed between PATA and SKAL International. How is India progressing in comparison to other countries? India is gaining prominence in the region. Delhi is the largest club in Asia and the region is fast gaining importance. Therefore, the SKAL Asia region next year will be an important one. Technology is changing many sectors. Will SKAL also be looking forward to enhancing technically? Technology is a game changer and SKAL is very much in the forefront and is revamping its site by adding more features and is making it more interactive. Business amongst friends will become faster and easier.

Beijing to host annual MICE expo China’s premier annual MICE expo for the meetings, incentives, conferences and events industry, IBTM China, returns to Beijing on September 12 and 13 at the China National Convention Center (CNCC) Against the backdrop of the dynamic growth of China’s MICE market, this year’s edition of the expo formerly known as CIBTM is expected to attract 4,000 industry visitors – 33% more than last year. One of Asia’s premier MICE industry expos features a stellar line-up of trade exhibitors, industry experts discussing latest trends and innovations, networking events and matchmaking to bring trade visitors and exhibitors together for two days packed full of pre-scheduled business meetings. Exhibitors from tourism and convention boards to leading hotel groups, airlines and other industry players include world-renowned tourism destinations such as New Zealand, South Korea, Sri Lanka, New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco – along with the Russian Convention and Exhibition Bureau leveraging Russia as a hot new destination as home to the 2018 FIFA World Cup. Among trade visitors are a record 400 high-profile, corporate hosted buyers from 49 international destinations on a ‘Hosted Buyer Programme’ sponsoring key MICE industry decision makers. Over 60% of Hosted Buyers including representatives from Infinitus, DiDi Chuxing and HelmsBriscoe allocate control annual budgets of more than $1 million, said IBTM China Project Manager Nicole Ci. As China’s MICE industry and outbound MICE tourism have grown rapidly with global economic integration and the phenomenal rise of China’s economy, the event is designed to build a bridge between the world and China, promoting connection, cooperation and innovation, while boosting the development of Chinese MICE market.

Riverview Retreat to focus on MICE VW BUREAU

he Riverview Retreat in Corbett Park is emerging to be a perfect MICE destination. The property, owned by Leisure Hotels Group, is spread across nine acres and situated along the banks of River Kosi. The luxury property now offers 90well-appointed rooms and private villas of two, three, four bedrooms or independent and duplex rooms. Almost every room in the resort has a breathtaking view of the hills and the surrounding greenery. The property boasts an elegant architecture with sloping tiled roofs and classic stone floors decorated with rugs. The block wood furniture creates a wild natural ambience. The rooms are tastefull decorated and allows plenty of sunlight to seep through. The resort also offers an intimate ambience with private sit-outs and gardens, making it the perfect get-together destination. Vibhas Prasad, Director, Leisure Hotels Group, emphasized that the property has all the key elements of a MICE destination. “Corbett is well connected with many major North Indian cities,” he said, adding that connectivity is what makes Riverview Retreat the preferred choice for corporates. The luxury resort is the perfect venue to mix business with leisure, as it has all the amenities for different demographics. The Riverview Retreat is also the ideal locale for thematic occasions, such as green weddings. These events focus on incorporating ecologically and

THE PERFECT SPOT: Riverview Retreat now offers offers 90 well-appointed rooms and private villa.

The luxury resort is the perfect venue to mix business with leisure, as it has all the amenities for different demographics. socially responsible products and services in all aspects of the planning and festivities. As there are several sister properties in the same vicinity, the location as a whole makes it perfect for big weddings, at which families gathering for the special occasions can be

hosted. As many as 700 guests can be hosted at the locale. The property offers the largest riverfront lawns along the banks of the Kosi River . It is surrounded by massive hills and forests, and can accommodate as many as 700 guests. The resort also offers spa facilities for those who want to rejuvenate and relax. The luxury resort includes one of the best restaurants in the expanse: The ‘Gurney House,’ which exceed the expectations of a true gourmet. It has an Al-Fresco of a guest-seating capacity of over 120. Grill House Restaurant at the poolside is a perfect spot to make work look fun and inspirational. The

Riverview Retreat is amongst the very few properties to offer round-theclock in-room dining. “Conferencing facilities are equally taken care of to meet your business agendas,” said Prasad. The property also offers other activities like entertainment nights with live performance, cocktails, bonfires, bird watching, fishing, safaris, nature walks, treks, hikes, and more. The parent company, Leisure Hotels Group, has presence in over 26 locations across Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, and Goa. These cities are currently the most sought-after MICE destinations.

CALENDAR 2018 July 2018

September 2018

Asia Business Meet 23 - 26 Singapore

IBTM Americas 5 - 6 Mexico City - Mexico

Intl Conference on Marketing Tourism & Hospitality 13 - 15 Zurich - Switzerland

CIBTM – China 12 - 13 Beijing – China

August 2018

October 2018

Caribbean Meeting & Incentive Travel Exchange 6 - 9 Quintana Roo - Mexico

Meeting & Incentive Forums Europe Abu Dhabi 7-11

IncentiveWorks 14 - 15 Toronto - Canada

11-13 MICE Industry St. Petersburg - Russia

globaltrends

Voyager’s World | July 2018 | P29

Brits cut back on overall holiday spend VW BUREAU

new study has revealed that the high upfront cost of travel is forcing anxious Brits to cut back on holiday spend overall. An in-depth research conducted by payments provider Klarna has found that the need to pay for holidays upfront is causing widespread frustration among online shoppers, as 1 in 6 (16%) admit to spending their holiday budget before they travel. The research of over 1, 000 UK consumers shows that the steep upfront costs of buying travel online is having a negative impact on people’s holi-

More than 18% of the travellers say they’re being forced to scrimp and save when they arrive at their destination. day experience. Nearly 1 in 5 (18%) travellers said they’re being forced to scrimp and save when they arrive at their destination, as well as having to settle for a lower standard of trip – with over 1 in 10 (12%) saying they’d prefer to upgrade, but can’t afford the upfront cost. It’s not only trip quality people are sacrificing; a quarter of respondents reported missing out on

holidays with family and friends as a result of not everyone in the group being able to afford the lump payment. Holidaymakers aren’t the only ones losing out; with nearly 1 in 5 (16%) consumers choosing to book smaller breaks to avoid big upfront payments, and 1 in 10 (12%) having decided not to buy a holiday at all over the worry about putting it on their credit card, travel vendors are missing out on sales over steep single charges. The research highlighted how unexpected costs throughout the online purchase journey are a big source of frustration for shoppers; with hidden airline charges (31%), additional costs at checkout (27%) and credit card fees (20%) coming out as top stress-triggers. A lack of flexible payment options (17%) is also an issue, with 1 in 10 reporting feeling annoyed about having to pay before they travel. Flexible payment options significantly improve consumer confidence, spend and loyalty. The option to pay for travel over time in installments would encourage shoppers to go ahead and book as it would alleviate the stress of upfront payments. Interestingly, over 1 in 5 (22%) said they’d feel more excited to book if they could pay over time, as well as less guilty about making such a large purchase (20%). With staggered payments easing the financial burden of booking a holiday,

NEGATIVE IMPACT: Hidden airline charges and additional costs at checkout are the top stress-triggers. the research revealed almost a third (31%) of consumers would be more likely to buy travel if they had the option to spread the cost over time, with over a quarter (26%) being more likely to repeat buy – and 18% saying they’d spend more on their holiday overall. This presents a significant opportunity for travel retailers who don’t already offer flexible payment options, who stand to benefit from higher first time, repeat and add-on sales of travel products by affording customers the comfort and security of spreading the cost of their trip.

Luke Griffiths, Managing Director at Klarna UK, said: “The holiday countdown begins at the moment of booking, so browsing for and buying travel should be as exciting as packing for your trip or heading to the airport. Sadly, our research shows this isn’t the reality for many UK holidaymakers. It’s clear that travel providers need to do more to make shopping for travel online more accessible and enjoyable for consumers, from providing quality customer support throughout the purchase journey to offering deferred payment options at checkout.”

New Zealand woos China with tailor-made packages VW BUREAU

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ourism New Zealand hosted the first ‘New Zealand Tailor-Made’ event in China, promoting the emerging trend of tailor-made travel to New Zealand. China is New Zealand’s second largest tourism market with around 340,000 holiday visitors each year, contributing almost $1.3B to New Zealand’s economy. Tourism New Zealand’s General Manager - Asia, Gregg Wafelbakker pointed out that the growing trend for tailor-made travel from China will be valuable to the tourism industry and well-aligned with New Zealand’s tourism aspirations. Tailor-made travel is a significant shift from the large group tours traditionally seen from the China market. Tour groups now make up just 34% of Chinese visitors, down from 41% in 2017. Free and Independent Travellers (FIT) now make up 40% of Chinese visitors, up from 31% in 2017. “Tailor-made travel is an emerging trend in China due to an increasing demand for in-depth travel by consumers who don’t have the time to plan their own itinerary but are willing to pay for a quality experience,” said Wafelbakker.

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“Clients can now create a wish list for their holiday and travel agents will design a comprehensive, bespoke itinerary for that trip – from flights right through to accommodation, activities and on-the-ground travel,” he added. Wafelbakker opined that tailor-made travel gives Chinese visitors the structure of an organized tour with the freedom to experience more of what New Zealand has to offer. “With the expert guidance of travel agents, visitors can easily and confidently experience more of New Zealand’s regions with every aspect of the travel arranged for them in advance.” Tourism New Zealand is the first national tourism organization to host an event introducing tailor-made packages and resources to the industry in China. The events attracted 160 travel agents specializing in tailor-made travel across Beijing and Shanghai.

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globaltrends

Voyager’s World | July 2018 | P30

IMAGE CREDIT: CARL WARNER VIA INSTAGRAM

MILLENIALS root for

FOODIE

DESTINATIONS

VW BUREAU

new report reveals that Paris, Tokyo, and Rome are the most sought-after destinations for food lovers. According to Tasty Travels report commissioned by Hotels.Com, these three cities grabbed the top, with 27% food lovers preferring Paris, followed closely by Tokyo (23%) and Rome(22%). The Tasty Travels survey was conducted by One Poll in March, and 9,000 respondents across 29 countries were interviewed. Nearly two-thirds of American millennials (60%) admitted a destination’s cuisine is the biggest deciding factor when picking where to travel, with beautiful beaches (43%), the shopping

IMAGE CREDIT: CARL WARNER VIA INSTAGRAM

scene (20%) and special offers (9%) being less appetizing. The younger generation in the U.S. is now even more focused on munching delicious local delicacies on vacation (65%) than visiting landmarks (49%) and exploring the outdoors (34%). The Tasty Travels research also revealed that it’s no longer about the five-star dining experience that costs the same as a house deposit; Millennials worldwide now prefer street food (20%) to Michelin star restaurants (19%). Eating experiences are in fact now so high on the millennial travel tick-list, 76% of travelers said foodie experiences stand out the most in their vacation memories. This topped spending time with their travel buddy (22%), and even an exciting adrenaline

activity (11%). Johan Svanstrom, president of Hotels.Com, said, “The love amongst millennial travelers for what we at Hotels.com have dubbed #TastyTravels, stems from food being one of the most connective and rewarding currencies there is. Experiences are the new wealth and food provides one of life’s most pleasurable experiences, where there’s always something new to try when you travel. So, it’s understandable that younger generations of travelers are defining their holiday by what they can eat, how they eat it, and

IMAGE CREDIT: CARL WARNER VIA INSTAGRAM

how good the ‘Grams’ will be while they’re away.” Food over friends About 78% of millennial U.S. travelers admit they prefer to snap their food instead of their friends’ faces (36%) for Instagram #sorrynotsorry. The research also found a gut-busting rise in food photography on social media, revealing that during a weeklong vacation, U.S. millennial travelers snap on average 128 photos, of which 15% are of food.

EDIBLE EXPERIENCE: To celebrate the mouth-watering combination of food and travel, food artist Carl Warner created a unique collection of artworks bringing top foodie destinations Paris, Rome and Toyo to life. Each city scene, captured in HD photography, is deliciously constructed with famous foods from each location. Parisian markets and the Eiffel Tower are built with decadent chocolate and blue cheese, while the Pantheon and a cobbled back street in Rome are brought to life with pasta, Parma ham and Parmesan cheese.

GLOBALTRENDS

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Europe tourism sees 7% growth in FTAs VW BUREAU

Ireland unveils new campaign

ith European destinations have paved the way for an encouraging summer season with a third of reporting destinations enjoying double-digit expansion to date. Europe remains the leading destination worldwide despite increased competition and current forecast for 2018 suggests a moderate expansion trending around 3-4%. According to the European Travel Commission’s latest report, “European Tourism - Trends & Prospects 2018,” growth in visitor arrivals has been recorded by all 33 reporting destinations, with 1 in 3 enjoying increases in excess of 10%. Europe saw a 7% growth in international tourist arrivals the second quarter of 2018 over the same period last year and accounts for 50% of the share of tourist arrivals worldwide. Despite signals of a slowing global economy and increased fuel prices expected to turn into higher air fares, appetite for travel to Europe remains and is encouraged by increased air routes between the region and key long-haul source markets and destination’s efforts to sustain year-round tourism growth. Travellers are returning to Turkey (+33%) owing to improved perceptions. The rebound in visitor numbers is boosted by a range of source mar-

INCLUSIVE GROWTH: ETC IS encouraging European destinations to work collaboratively with tourism stakeholders and policy makers.

Despite signals of a slowing global economy and increased fuel prices, appetite for travel to Europe remains and is encouraged by increased air routes. kets including China alongside the Turkey Year of Tourism in China. Growth in Balkan destinations such as Croatia (+27%) and Montenegro (+22%), was supported by increased air connectivity whereas Mediterranean islands, like Malta (+18%) and Cyprus (+15%), appear to have benefited from spurring cruise line traffic. Bulgaria (+12%) saw stand out growth due to its appeal and affordability during the shoulder season while Iceland (+6%) experienced a significant slowdown from previous years.

Established hotspots such as Spain (+2%) and Portugal (+4%), registered moderate increases and saw falls from some of their largest European source markets (e.g. UK and Germany). In the US, increased wages and private consumption are expected to underpin European travel demand. Growth from the US remains strong for many European destinations despite an environment of increased protectionism and a weaker dollar rendering travel to Europe less affordable.

Tourism Ireland has teamed up with TripAdvisor to promote Ireland’s Ancient East to holidaymakers in France, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, Denmark and Sweden. The campaign will run until late July and is targeting people planning a short break or holiday, including those considering competitor destinations. The promotion features banner ads on the TripAdvisor site, driving people to a special Ireland’s Ancient East webpage on TripAdvisor, featuring travel deals, a video and inspirational ideas. Finola O’Mahony, Tourism Ireland’s Head of Europe, said, “Our campaign aims to enthuse our ‘culturally curious’ audience about the many things to see and do in Ireland’s Ancient East, encouraging them to book now.” In 2017, around 3.4 million visitors from Mainland Europe visited Ireland, generating revenue of almost €2 billion. “Tourism Ireland has an extensive program of promotions under way across Mainland Europe, to ensure that success continues,” added O’Mahony.

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GLOBALTRENDS

Voyager’s World | July 2018 | P32

UAE among Top 10 Powerful Passports VW BUREAU

Bilateral visa waiver agreement with Russia propels UAE within the world’s most powerful passports.

ussia and the UAE have signed a bilateral visa waiver agreement, which helped boost UAE’s visa-free score to 155, placing it within the Top 10 Most Powerful Passports in the world. Currently the 10th place is shared with Cyprus, as indicated by Passport Index’ real-time global ranking of the world’s passports. Russia, currently at 115, won’t see a change in its visa-free score from this agreement, as the UAE had already issued a visa-on-arrival for Russian passport holders. The two power nations foresaw a positive impact from the agreement, including favorable conditions for the development of business mobility and increased tourism between both countries. Over 750,000 Russians visited the UAE last year, contributing a total of $2.3 billion to the UAE economy. In light of the FIFA World Cup Russia 2018, it seems Russia is equally seeing exponential growth in tourism within their nation.

In 2017, the UAE announced a daring goal with the UAE Passport Force Initiative - position the country’s passport on the list of the five most powerful passports in the world by 2021. At the time of the announcement, the UAE passport held a Visa-Free Score of 132, holding the rank as the GCC’s most powerful passport. By the end of

May 2017, the UAE joined the list of the world’s Top 20 powerful passports with a Visa-free Score of 147. Only two years away from their self-imposed deadline, they have joined the Top 10 and have not lost focus on the target. Over the last decade, the UAE has seen immense growth in multiple sectors, including technology, education, finance, and infrastructure. Having gained the trust and respect of over 35 countries, the UAE’s passport power has also mirrored that growth. The UAE Passport Force Initiative projected the VFS to reach 137 in 2018, and have clearly exceeded their expectations.

Abu Dhabi tourism ties up with Emaar Properties

he Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) has signed an agreement with Dubai-based Emaar Properties to support the ‘Promoting Culture’ initiative. The initiative aims to enrich the reading community in the UAE and the Arab region as a whole, through financing the local translation and publishing industry and developing its printing and distribution mechanisms. The agreement was signed by Saood Al Hosani, Acting Executive Director, Business Support Sector at DCT Abu Dhabi, and Ahmad Al Matrooshi, Managing Director of Emaar Properties, attended by Saeed Al Tunaiji, Director of the Publishing Department at DCT Abu Dhabi, and Ibrahim Al Hashmi, Executive Director of Corporate Services at Emaar Properties. Saood Al Hosani, Acting Executive Director, Business Support Sector at DCT Abu Dhabi, said that the launch gives great impetus to the idea of the initiative, which aims to explore new horizons in the fields of publishing and cultural development.

Swiss-Belhotel on an expansion spree VW BUREAU Strengthening its presence in the region, Swiss-Belhotel International will be opening 10 hotels in key destinations across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and Africa by 2019. Laurent A Voivenel, Senior Vice President, Operations and Development for the Middle East, Africa and India for Swiss-Belhotel International, said, “The hospitality landscape is developing at a rapid pace and we are keen to take advantage of this massive opportunity. Our aim is to position Swiss-Belhotel

HOTEL DESTINATIONS • • • • • • • • • •

Grand Swiss-Belresort Seef, Bahrain Swiss-Belresidences Juffair, Bahrain Swiss-Belhotel Al Aziziyah Makkah, KSA Swiss-Belboutique Tahlia, Riyadh, KSA Swiss-Belhotel Riyadh, KSA Swiss-Belinn Airport Muscat, Oman Swiss-Belresidences Al Sharq, Kuwait Swiss-Belboutique Bneid Al Gar, Kuwait Swiss-Belresort Battersea, North Coast, Egypt Swiss-Belhotel and Suites Asmarat, Cairo, Egypt

International as the best alternative to blue chip companies offering superior returns, unbeatable value, and unforgettable experiences.” He added that these prop-

erties, besides adding to their portfolio, will allow the brand to penetrate new destinations, such as Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait and Egypt while growing our

presence in existing territories. “In addition, it marks the debut of some of our brands that will be available in the region for the first time ranging from luxury 5-star to mid-market segments,” added Voivenel. Tourism performance in the main cities across the Middle East is expected to remain strong with the fruition of major infrastructure projects such as airport expansions, increased global connectivity, and growth of low-cost carriers, new leisure attractions, enhanced business facilities and a year-long calendar of regional and international events.

Hospitality Excellence Awards 2018 After receiving over 550 entries from top hospitality companies and professionals in Middle East and Africa, Nominations for this year’s much-awaited Middle East Hospitality Excellence Awards is now closed. Online Voting will start on 15th July 2018. “The voting will be in two phases. Hozpitality Group has over 1 million registered hospitality professionals from over 186 countries. They will all be asked to vote online for these award nominations. We would also be sending the voting link to all the hotels who could hand them over to their guests/ staff for voting,” said Raj Bhatt, CEO, Hozpitality Group. “The list of candidates will be floated online among all hospitality members and social media for online voting and the top 7 finalists per category will be chosen by end of Aug who would further continue to collect votes. The final result will be based on results of the online voting and Judges votes and Gold and Silver Winners will be awarded at the Award ceremony on November 26.” added Bhatt.

Dubai Tourism introduces new program Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing has developed a new interactive training program led by prominent industry experts at InsightsOut. The experts will help ensure Dubai’s resilient hospitality sector continues to maintain global price competitiveness, while improving the emirate’s overall occupancy levels, RevPAR and ADR. The Revenue Management Workshop program will bring together hotel revenue managers, reservation managers, sales and marketing managers for a hands-on and practical session, to share fundamental best practices in yield management and forecasting, in addition to monitoring applications and tools. The comprehensive program spread across 24 workshop sessions, facilitated in partnership with InsightsOut, specializes in both research and revenue management across the hospitality and service industry.

Voyager’s World | July 2018 | P33

EXECUTIVE HIRES Sandeep Sahdev

Gagandeep Singh Hanjra

Director of Sales & Marketing The Den Bengaluru he Den Bengaluru has appointed Sandeep Sahdev as the Director of Sales and Marketing. With over 15 years of experience in the hospitality sector, Sandeep will be overseeing operations pertaining to sales and brand revenue. He will also be actively involved in the strategizing and planning of marketing initiatives. Prior to joining The Den Bengaluru, Sandeep worked for properties such as Starwood, IHG, and The Oberoi, where he was responsible for revenue generation and supervising market intelligence and projections in line with budgeted numbers.

Director of Revenue Novotel Hotels & Resorts, Goa

Varun Sharma

Director of operations Clarks Exotica Convention Resort & Spa

larks Exotica Convention Resort & Spa has promoted Varun Sharma as its Director of Operations. Sharma, who was formerly the Director of Food & Beverages at Clarks Exotica, has over 13 years of experience in the F&B and hospitality sector. He joined Clarks Exotica as an Executive Chef in 2014 and has been responsible for improving F&B production and service standards since then.

Shibil Malik

General Manager Sheraton Grand Chennai Resort & Spa

hibil Malik has been appointed as the General Manager of Sheraton Grand Chennai Resort & Spa. He will be responsible for launching the new resort and positioning it as a destination in itself. He has previously held various positions in the company and has been associated with Marriott’s premium distinct and classic brands – The Westin & Sheraton. Prior to this, he was the General Manager of Sheraton, Hyderabad.

Karanbir Singh Gulati Director-Food & Beverage Renaissance Mumbai Convention Centre Hotel & Lakeside Chalet

aranbir Singh Gulati has been appointed as the Director Food and Beverage for Renaissance Mumbai Convention Centre Hotel and Lakeside Chalet – Marriott Executive Apartments. In his new role, he will be heading a team of culinary professionals and crafting a new direction to create unique experience in all the Food & Beverage outlets. Karanbir comes with more than 10 years of experience at some of the finest luxury, business & leisure hotels and restaurant chains. He earlier worked at Starwood’s Luxury Collection properties and managed internationally awarded restaurants like Bukhara and Dumpukht.

agandeep Singh Hanjra has taken charge as the new Director of Revenue for Novotel Hotels & Resorts, Goa. In his role, Gagandeep will be supervising the revenue management and distribution strategy of the hotel along with managing day-to-day field operations. Gagandeep has been in the Hospitality industry for over 8 years. Prior to joining Novotel Hotels & Resorts, Goa, he was the Director of Revenue at Novotel Hyderabad Convention Centre. He has also worked with leading hotel chains like Vivanta by Taj-Goa, The Lalit Hotels, and The Leela Palaces and hotels.

Apoorva Maheshwari Director of Marketing AccorHotels India

Rahul Maini

General Manager The Westin Kolkata Rajarhat

he Westin Kolkata Rajarhat has appointed Rahul Maini as the General Manager. He brings with him an experience of over 20 years. In his current role, he will focus on improving personalization and guest recognition, besides improving the competitive edge and re-strengthening the brand presence. He will also be formulating, administering, directing and coordinating all department activities to develop and implement long-term goals to meet business and profitability growth objectives.

Bhavani Arun

Senior Sales Manager The Travel Corporation

havani Arun has been appointed as the Senior Sales Manager of The Travel Corporation. She will be responsible for all the luxury brands, such as Insight Vacations, Luxury Gold, Uniworld Boutique River Cruises and U by Uniworld. She brings with her an experience of more than a decade and has mostly worked with premium, luxury holiday experience.

poorva Maheshwari has taken charge as the Director of Marketing of AccorHotels India. She will be responsible for handling all marketing and promtional activities across India. Apoorva holds close to a decade of rich and diverse consumer and brand marketing experience across industries, including FMCG and E-Commerce. She has also managed several brands in India, such as Procter & Gamble, Lodha Group, and Zivame. Her knowledge around both conventional and unconventional ways of brand building has contributed to some of the most disruptive and fastest growing brands in the country.

HAPPENINGS

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Sri Lanka Tourism hosts roadshow in India The Sri Lanka Tourism roadshow in Chandigarh, organized by Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB), has concluded on a high note with attendance of approximately 150 guests and dignitaries. The roadshow in Chandigarh is a part of Sri Lanka Tourism’s seven-city roadshow in India. The event was attended by Upekkha Samaratunga, Minister (Commercial) Sri Lanka High Commission in New Delhi, Viranga Bandara, Assistant Director of Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau, Chinthaka Weerasinghe, Manager- Northern India, Sri Lankan Airlines and other dignitaries. This roadshow aims at strengthening the tourism relations between travel partners of both the countries and are part of SLTPB strategic efforts to promote Sri Lanka as the most preferred short-haul holiday destinations for Indian travelers. Sutheash Balasubramaniam, Managing Director, Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau, said, “We are organizing these events to explore the unique island of hospitable people to woo travel agents and increase the flow of Indians from Chandigarh. The roadshow would enhance the visibility among the travel, trade, and consumers to position Sri Lanka as the preferred destination in Asia. We are confident that in 2019 a lot of more Indians will choose Sri Lanka as their preferred holiday destination.”

Sofitel Hosts World Music Day On June 21, Sofitel Mumbai BKC hosted the World Music Day at its premises. Also known as Fête de la Musique, the event showcased the genius of aspiring artists like Pradyumna Singh, Abhinav Khokhar, and Saurav Ghosh. The all-day dining outlet Pondichéry Café came alive with the tunes of Clarry playing Hollywood retro during lunch and Anand playing the saxophone over dinner. Meanwhile, Tuskers - Vegetarian Dining & Bar, saw the rich rendition of Rajasthani folk music over dinner. Biswajit Chakraborty, General Manager, Sofitel Mumbai BKC, said, “Every year we bring to our guests and visitors a distinct experience to cherish and commemorate Fête de la Musique. We had artists performing different genres of music including Hollywood retro, Rajasthani folk, Sufi and Jazz & Blues. The audiences were allured with the euphonious tunes and a musical medley that resonated with the rhythm at each of the outlets.” The five-star property has been known to encourage culture and the arts as a part of its brand pillars.

Yas Experiences ties up with VFS Yas Experiences, the recently launched trade arm of Yas Island, has appointed VFS Global, as its representative in the Indian market. The appointment will see the new partner work closely with the Yas Experiences’ business development team in Abu Dhabi to promote the leisure and entertainment destination and provide package solutions for trade partners across India. As part of the agreement, VFS Global will set up three sales offices in Mumbai, Delhi, and Bengaluru to cater to travel partners in Central, North and South India, respectively. The sales rep office headquartered in Mumbai will support Yas Experience’s sales & marketing efforts to promote Yas Island to Indian travelers. Marina Cipriano, General Manager, Yas Experiences, said, “Our partnership with VFS Global will allow us to further secure Yas Island’s positioning as a one-of-a-kind holiday destination in Abu Dhabi, and tailor packages with partners that allow travellers to experience more of what we have to offer, especially as we get ready to introduce new attractions in 2018 – such as the soon-to-open Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi.”

IE Biz School, UNWTO joins hands The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and IE Business School will join hands to promote innovation and entrepreneurship in the tourism sector. Both will promote the role of academia in tourism innovation. The educational institution will give UNWTO strategic support to execute projects, expand and disseminate knowledge about innovation and entrepreneurship in tourism. “We are delighted to be able to count on the reputation and international experience of IE Business School going forward. With their academics, experts, international networks and extensive teaching and research experience, they will be actively participating in our specialized forums, as well as in the development of knowledge in the framework of innovation and entrepreneurship in tourism,” said UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili. The agreement between both institutions has a renewable annual duration. “As the UN-specialized agency for the promotion of sustainable development through tourism, UNWTO is the ideal partner to develop mentoring and acceleration programs for tourism startups and develop educational and training programs in technology and innovation, conferences, and seminars, among many more options,” he said.

Voyager’s World | July 2018 | P35

Cathay Dragon doles out freebies Cathay Dragon recently celebrated 10 years of passenger flight operations between Bengaluru and Hong Kong. Since the launch of these flights in 2008, more than 800,000 passengers had traveled from Bengaluru, and approximately 32,000 tons of cargo have been carried. In celebration of the 10th anniversary, the airline’s check-in counters wore a festive look and passengers traveling from Bengaluru were given commemorative gifts. The airline has also launched a special offer – a 10% discount on fares from Bengaluru to destinations such as San Francisco, Los Angeles, Vancouver, Toronto, Seoul, Narita, Taipei and Hong Kong. This discount is applicable on tickets booked on the airline’s website for travel until the end of the year. Rajesh Menon, Regional Sales, and Marketing Manager – South Asia, Cathay Pacific, said, “Karnataka’s GDP growth at 7% is in line with the national average. From South India, the highest traffic to countries like North America, Japan, and Australia comes from Bengaluru. At Cathay Dragon, we are perfectly positioned to cater to this traffic with excellent connections to these key destinations with our differentiated product and service.”

Workshops held to promote Mauritius Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority India, in collaboration with Air Mauritius and other stakeholders, conducted a multi-city training workshop for travel agents at Lucknow and New Delhi. More workshops are being planned in other cities. Sanjay Sondhi, CEO OM Tourism, said that not only had the travel agents played a vital role in promoting tourism but were also a part of the initiative taken by MTPA to attract more tourists to Mauritius. Vivek Anand, Country Manager, MTPA India, said that more such workshops would be organized in metros, and tier 2 and 3 cities for travel agents so they can facilitate and enhance the experience of the Indian tourists planning to visit the island. These workshops are aimed at training travel agents and to enable them to guide, help and provide valuable information to the potential tourists to improve the quality of their holiday to this idyllic island. These also provide an opportunity for travel agents to interact with various Mauritian hotels and destination management companies.

Vietnam focuses on heritage sites The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MOCST) and the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) co-organized international conference on world heritages and sustainable development on July 9 and 10. Vietnam has eight UNESCO-recognized heritage sites, including five cultural, two natural and one mixed one. Over the past years, Vietnam’s government has paid due attention to protecting and restoring global values as well as managing, protecting and promoting the values of heritage,” said MOCST Deputy Minister Dang Thi Bich Lien. Michael Croft, UNESCO Chief Representative in Vietnam, said that the conference serves as a forum to find out a sustainable solution that both meets development requirements and preserves the values of world heritage properties. The two-day conference focused on topics such as the strengthening of a legal framework to protect heritage and boost sustainable development, the cohesion of local communities, and public-private partnership at world heritage sites. Addressing the conference, Vice Chairwoman of Quang Ninh People’s Community Vu Thi Thu Thuy, said that Quang Ninh Province has collaborated with international organizations to implement projects to promote green development, technology cooperation in Ha Long Bay environment protection, thus promoting the value of heritage, spreading the benefit for community, contributing significantly to the socio-economic development of province.

Amadeus trains tourism students To increase students’ career prospects in the field of tourism, Amadeus India conducted a special training at the University of Kashmir. The weeklong training was held in collaboration with Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI). Rakesh Bansal, CEO, Amadeus India, said, “Kashmir is one of the most prefverred tourist destinations with thousands of travelers visiting throughout the year. It is only natural that this place should have more trained professionals in the field of tourism who have hands-on experience in terms of latest technology and knowhow. With this aim, we reached out to the university and were pleased to see students’ response to our training. We are trying to impart job training to the students which will prepare them well and open up a lot of avenues for them when they step into the market.” Sunil Kumar, President, TAAI said that the weeklong program trained about 90 students and covered topics such as reservation and ticketing process. “The training was a huge success. The students are now inspired to actively connect with the growing travel and tourism industry which calls for specialized training to meet the ever-increasing demands of the industry. We are delighted to join hands with Amadeus India who has played a valuable role in organizing this training for the students of Jammu and Kashmir,” he added.

INCREDIBLEINDIA

Kashi: The smart spiritual destination VW BUREAU

rime Minister Narendra Modi on July 14 inaugurated projects worth over Rs900 crore in Varanasi. Among the projects inaugurated are the Varanasi City Gas Distribution Project and the Varanasi-Ballia MEMU train. The foundation stone was laid for the Panchkoshi Parikrama Marg and several projects under the Smart City Mission and Namaami Gange. Modi also laid the Foundation Stone for an International Convention Centre in Varanasi. The Prime Minister said that for the last four years, efforts are being made to develop the city of Kashi in accordance with the requirements of the 21st century, keeping its ancient identity intact. He said a New Banaras - a blend of spirituality and modernity is being developed for a New India. He said significant investment has been made in Varanasi over the last four years and projects worth nearly Rs1000 crore were inaugurated. The Prime Minister elaborated upon his vision of transformation through transportation and said the Foundation Stone of the Poorvanchal Expressway at Azamgarh was part of the same exercise.

IN PROGRESS: Efforts are on to clean the Ganga and make Varanasi the most preferred spiritual destination. Modi also spoke of the initiatives taken for better connectivity in Varanasi and the region. He said Kashi is emerging as an important international tourist destination. He appreciated the initiatives taken by the people and the State Government of Uttar Pradesh for tourism, and under the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan. Citing the poor condition of roads and other infrastructure in Varanasi, four years ago, he said the waste of the city was going unchecked into the River Ganga. He added that efforts are

Prime Minister Narendra Modi says a New Banaras is being developed for a New India. underway to clean the Ganga. He asserted that preparations in full swing for an Integrated Command and Control Centre that would make Varanasi

a Smart City. He said the Smart City Initiative is not just a mission to improve infrastructure in cities, but also a mission to give India a new identity. The Prime Minister recalled how the city of Varanasi had welcomed Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, and French President Emmanuel Macron. He said another occasion for Varanasi to showcase its hospitality was coming soon, with the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas in January.

Govardhan Teerth to undergo makeover

PILGRIMAGE PROJECT: The government will add tourism amenities at Kusum Sarovar, Mansi Gate, and Chandra Sarovar. VW BUREAU

ovardhan Teerth of Mathura needs to be made into a worldclass destination, said tourism minister KJ Alphons. Govardhan Maharaj Utsav will be organized in October every year. The minister, after a site inspection in Mathura to assess the requirements for development of facilities at a meeting with the officials of state government, said that plans are on to make the fest a grand success. He added that it has also been decided, in-principal, to include tourism amenities at Kusum Sarovar, Mansi Gate,

To make the site secure, CCTVs, PA systems, Wi-Fi and system signages will be installed. Chandra Sarovar for development of facilities for pilgrimage in the project. In addition, provision for installation of CCTV, PA system, Wi-Fi system signages will also be included. The Uttar Pradesh government will be submitting a Detailed Project Report in this regard.

Earlier, the UP government had submitted a proposal for the development of infrastructure facilities at Govardhan Teerth in Mathura. During the visit, the minister has announced Rs50 crore for the development of Govardhan Parikrama. Till date, projects worth Rs118.23 crore have been approved by the Ministry of Tourism under PRASHAD Scheme during the last four years, which are under various stages of implementation in Mathura and Varanasi. The ‘National Mission on Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual, Augmentation Drive’ (PRASAD) was launched by the Ministry of Tourism

in 2014-15 with the objective of holistic development of identified pilgrimage and heritage destinations. After discontinuation of HRIDAY scheme of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development and for inclusion of projects for development of Heritage destinations in PRASAD Scheme, the scheme guidelines have been modified and the nomenclature of the scheme has also been changed from PRASAD to “National Mission on Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual, Heritage Augmentation Drive (PRASHAD)” in October 2017. The total number of sites identified for development under the scheme at present is 24. They are Amaravati and Srisailam (Andhra Pradesh), Kamakhya (Assam), Patna and Gaya (Bihar), Dwarka and Somnath (Gujarat), Hazratbal and Katra (Jammu & Kashmir), Deogarh (Jharkhand), Guruvayoor (Kerala), Maa Chintpurni, Una (Himachal Pradesh, Omkareshwar (Madhya Pradesh), Trimbakeshwar (Maharashtra) Puri (Odisha), Amritsar (Punjab), Ajmer (Rajasthan), Kanchipuram and Vellankani (Tamil Nadu), Varanasi, and Mathura (Uttar Pradesh), Badrinath and Kedarnath (Uttarakhand) and Belur (West Bengal). Till date total 24 projects have been approved with an estimated expenditure of Rs727.16 crore and a total amount of Rs267.44 crores has been released for these project during the years 2014-15, 2015-16, 2016-17, 2017-18 and the current financial year.

Voyager’s World | July 2018 | P37

Kerala Tourism woos thrill-seekers VW BUREAU

ozhikode will host the 6th edition of Malabar River Festival in which Olympians, world champions, and top athletes of the Indian kayaking community will display their dexterous paddling expertise to vie for top honors and cash prizes. Billed as the largest white water kayaking in Asia, this year’s event, which will also have the distinction of being the first World Kayaking Championship, is to be held at Thusharagiri in Kozhikode from July 18 to 22. A total of 25 teams from around the world will participate. With Rs 15 lakh as sweepstake, the high-octane event is being organized by the District Tourism Promotion Council (DTPC) Kozhikode under the aegis of Tourism Department of Kerala. “The main idea behind this event is to showcase the beauty and the potential for thrilling and adventurous water sports activities in Kerala,” said Tourism Minister Kadakampally Surendran. He explained that the objective was to make kayaking and other water-based adventures mainstream popular sporting activities to woo the growing breed of outdoor enthusiasts and also advertise to the world the wonderful white water potential that exists in the region. The Malabar River Festival, which made its debut in 2013, is one of the biggest adventure sporting events in India. Tourism Secretary Rani George said, “Over the last five years, it has become a truly spectacular eyeball-grabbing event for the adventure tourists not only in India but also abroad. We need to leverage its potential for Malabar tourism and monsoon tourism in Kozhikode.” This year’s championship in some of

COASTAL ADVENTURE: Kozhikode will host the Malabar River Festival from July 18 to 22. the most scenic rivers of Kerala will feature events for beginners and intermediate kayakers and a special category of prizes for the best paddlers of the Indian subcontinent. P Bala Kiran, Director, Kerala Tourism, is confident that the event will be a success. He said that the upcoming event will be bigger, better, and harder in view of the fact that it has evolved into the first World Kayaking Championship. Kiran said water-based adventure sports would spur tourism in the state by wooing the younger generation who are thrill-seekers. “We want to re-brand Kerala as ‘The Land of Adventure’ by offering adventure activities and water-based tourism. In particular, we would like Kozhikode to be recognized as a major kayaking destination,” he added. Athletes from around 20 countries,

PLANS ON TO DOUBLE TOURIST COUNT

he Kerala government is looking for doubling the number of domestic tourists and 50 percent increase in foreign arrivals by 2021. Tourism Minister Kadakampally Surendran said that digital platforms are the key to achieving that goal. “Year after year, we see a constant growth in the number of tourists we host. Hence the industry needs to evolve in accordance with the changes in global market. Kerala Tourism has been exploring new media as a key platform and has witnessed the reach and response to it,” the minister said. Venu V, Principal Secretary, Department of Tourism, recently launched the Twitter campaign #Kerala #IndiaForBeginners. He pointed out that Kerala Tourism has always been in the forefront. “We were the first tourist destination to start a website. Later, we spread our presence to other social media platforms. The technology platforms are gently stronger. Hence we need to redesign and reengineer to cater the demands of guests,” said Venu.

such as Germany, Italy, France, Spain, England, Scotland, Indonesia, New Zealand, Australia, Norway, Nepal,

Malaysia, Singapore, Czech Republic, Austria, the Netherlands, USA, and Canada will participate.

Tour ‘real’ India with Economads IRENE SUSAN EAPEN

Tour with Economads has a unique brand strategy. Besides offering experiential tour packages, the company is also empowering local communities. Sahil Shrivastava, Founder-Director, Tour with Economads, talks about the company’s roadmap. ‘Tour with Economads’ is a unique brand name. Tell us about the vision behind the brand. ‘Tour with Economads’ is a concept that makes travel an experiential journey. Our tours, besides being eco-friendly and offering value for money, focus on empowering the local communities. Some of the destinations showcased are mostly home to remote communities or are less familiar to the urban population. What has been the company’s

growth strategy? Our company witnessed an exponetial growth in 2017. With more travel enthusiasts planning their trips via smartphone, the company’s social media strategies have been a game changer in reaching out to the target audience. We have been catering to tourists, both from India and abroad. Most of them are discerning travellers who love to experience the ‘real’ India.’ What are your marketing plans? Tour with Economads is focused primarily on a digital approach. However, with the right audience, traditional marketing could also help reach out to the market. With the ever-increasing focus on digital and social media, young Indian travellers want to book their trips entirely through digital and social media. For a long time, the Indian market has

For a long time, the Indian market has been promoting traditional tourism and it is high time such trips be promoted through experiences. SAHIL SHRIVASTAVA Founder-Director, Tour With Economads been promoting traditional tourism, and it’s high time such trips be promoted through experiences. The mil-

lennial traveller now wants to spend on experiences rather than other aspects of a trip. However, the travel industry needs to look into the demands of the traveller seeking an experiential journey. Some of the states are still not part this concept but are keen on exploring the opportunity so they get good footfall. States like Madhya Pradesh and the whole of North East are enthusiastic about the idea of eco-tourism. How different are your tour experiences? Our trips focus on deep interaction with local communities. Dinners hosted by locals and cultural programmes are a major part of our tours. Apart from that, the company offers outdoor lunches that are served on biodegradable plates and bowls. Guests are discouraged to purchase mineral water bottles and are asked to carry their own water bottles.

INCREDIBLEINDIA

India pushes for bilateral tourism VW BUREAU In an effort to promote bilateral tourism between India and other foreign countries, the Minister of State (I/C) for Tourism KJ Alphons met with ambassadors and diplomats of fifteen nations, including Austria, Argentina, Bhutan, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Greece, Philippines, Brazil, Malaysia, Germany, Indonesia, Finland, Russia, New Zealand and Oman. The minister said that the Indian culture can contribute a lot to the world community. “The Indian culture and philosophy talk about bringing happiness and joy to all. We want to promote and spread this message to the world,” he said. Alphons also outlined the overall growth trajectory of the Indian Tourism Industry, He pointed out that, in 2017, the Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) crossed the 10 million mark for the first time and, with the inclusion of NRIs, the international tourist arrival stood at 15.54 million. The minister also presented various proactive steps taken by the government for tourism infrastructure development, ease of travel, safety, and security of the tourists and integrated global marketing campaign. The participants highlighted the importance of improving connectivity to promote tourism and a few countries requested for direct flights of Air India connecting the capital cities of various countries to India. They also offered to give incentives to Bollywood producers/directors for shooting films at beautiful locations in their countries. As part of the interaction, a presentation on the tourism trends, India’s strong outbound travel potential, and a few promotional videos were shared

The government is taking steps to develop tourism infrastructure and improve ease of travel. with the invitees. Alphons said that the ministry wants to promote India through the message of ‘Transformational Experience’ as highlighted in its recent promotional films such as, ‘Yogi of the Racetrack’ which already had record-breaking 25 million

views. These videos are being translated into nine foreign languages. He said that India is looking at China as an emerging market for FTAs and the Tourism Ministry has already set up its office in Beijing. The promotional videos are also being translated into Chinese, he explained. Alphons said that the government is working to tap the potential of Buddhist tourism. Tourist facilities at Sarnath are being upgraded tremendously along with road connectivity and wayside amenities and the same is likely to be completed by yearend, he said.

FOCUS ON BUDDHIST CIRCUIT

he ministry is also keen on promoting Buddhist circuit. Minister Alphons inaugurated a workshop on development, branding, and promotion of Buddhist circuit and participated in the discussions on the development of Sarnath under the Swadesh Darshan Scheme of the Ministry of Tourism. This workshop was conducted in partnership with the World Bank group. The representatives of the State governments of Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Orissa, Andhra Pradesh, Archaeological Survey of India, and Varanasi Development Authority participated in the workshop.

14.62 million jobs created

he tourism sector has created 14.62 million job opportunities in India in the last four years. At a press conference in New Delhi on July 17, the Minister of State (I/C) for Tourism KJ Alphons said that the sector provides opportunities to skilled as well as unskilled job seekers, thereby providing employment to all sections of the society. The Tourism Ministry is now focusing on promotional activities to bring the attention of the tourists about the unexplored areas of North Eastern states of India, like the largest cave network in Meghalaya. Refuting the recent reports in the media on ‘Safety of women in India’, the minister ascertained that India is safe for tourists and added that the ministry also has taken various initiatives to ensure safety and security of tourists. He said that the guidelines on ‘Safety and Security of Tourists’ have been issued to states/UTs and 14 states already have ‘Tourist Police’ in one form or other. To promote India abroad, the ministry has conducted several ‘Incredible India roadshows’ in the US, Europe and few upcoming ones in China and Nordic countries. He further added that three theme-based 60 seconds Incredible India videos have been released to date, and it has received huge viewership in social media platforms.

events CALENDAR JULY-OCT 2018 JULY

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3, 4, 5 India International Travel Mart Chennai

13, 14, 15 International Conference on Marketing, Tourism & Hospitality Zurich - Switzerland

17,18,19 Holiday Expo Vadodara

27, 28, 29 India International Travel Mart Bangalore

31 July, 1 August MICE India Travel Congress Delhi

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OCTOBER

25,26,27,28 Int’l French Travel Market Paris, France

1, 2, 3, 4, 5 Outbound Travel Roadshow Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, Singapore (Optional)

28, 29, 30 India International Travel Mart Mumbai

04, 05, 06 India International Travel Mart Delhi

31 Aug-2 September Philippines Travel Mart Pasay Philippines

12, 13, 14 Holiday Expo, Nagpur 26, 27, 28 Holiday Expo, Visakhapatnam

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