Voyager's World October 2014

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05-08 Nov 2012

From The Desk

Editorial

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On the road to recovery...

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Published By

06 10

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Industry Buzz

his festive season has witnessed a host of packages, special fares and benefits for the end-consumer in the travel and tourism space. The Tourism Ministry has been steadily announcing its new initiatives across the country to regulate tourist safety, special bed-and-breakfast schemes and newer tourist attraction ideas to increase the inflow of tourists throughout the year. This has also been a good time for the fraternity with many prominent names sweeping travel awards and accolades as a recognition of their services.

On the other side, as Kashmir is slowly limping back to normalcy after the floods, the coastal city of Visakhapatnam was capsized completely by the recent cyclone. Even as measures are being made to aid the sector, setbacks as these have distinctly impacted the tourism inflow in these places and it will be a while before they recover.

Talking about recovery, we have medical tourism as the cover and special feature in this WTM London 2014 special edition. India prides itself on many leading healthcare service providers with a lot of benefits that are sure to encourage international patients to come down here for a speedy recovery. Hotels and hospitals talk about their efforts to tap this growing segment. Apart from that, we have stories on tourism attractions in Oman and Ras-Al-Khaimah and initiatives by NTOs in the Indian market.

Happy reading...

Cover Story

Warm Regards

Medical tourism in India

PRIYAMVADHA BALARAM

16 Destination

priyamvadha@voyagersworld.in

Oman and its beaches, heritage and vibrant culture

26MICE Point

TCEB’s initiatives to promote MICE and IT&CMA Asia 2014

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Industry Buzz

6>>

TAAI backs new industry-oriented course

T

he Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI) signed a MOU with the HR College of Commerce & Economics in Mumbai on 9 October, to introduce a degree course, Bachelor of Vocation (B. VOC) in Tourism & Hospitality Management. Mumbai University approved a three-year degree course (12+3) which shall be conducted by HR College. The MOU was signed during the Orientation ceremony at the college by Jay Bhatia, Tourism Council Chairman who shall also be an Advisory Board Member with college & Dr. Indu Shahani, Principal, HR College. TAAI has suggested that the course be more trade/industry-oriented so that it can generate trade skills and competence in the learners.

BA to start Chennai-London direct

B

ritish Airways announced a Chennai-London daily direct from 27 October, 2014 on its Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft. The city will see an increase in service to daily direct flights between Chennai and London from six weekly flights, as per the current schedule.

From 27 October 2014, British Airways will start its daily service between Chennai and London to cater to the growing customer demand from the market and provide more convenient options to business and leisure travellers from the city.

VIA Rail Canada particpates at VKonect Luxury

V

IA Rail Canada participated in VKonect Luxury from 4-6 October 2014 at The Oberoi, New Delhi.

At the event, VIA Rail showcased its luxury offerings, recreating the great era of train travel across the Canada. It will cater to affluent, outbound travelers from India who seek experiential offerings in exotic settings and destinations, thus presenting business opportunities in the India outbound luxury space.

Air India and Air Canada starts code share

PHILINDEX 2014 sees good response

T

he Department of Tourism Philippines recently organized PHILINDEX – Philippine India Exchange, 2014 in Manila from 22-28 September. PHILINDEX is a B2B event where Indian buyers and sellers from Philippines came together for a focused exchange of business. The buyers met the suppliers and local tour operators on a one-on-one basis ensuring good interaction, relevant information on the destination and signing of deals.

UK inks pact with Ireland for joint visa

A

ir India has signed a code-share agreement with Air Canada. The code-share pact covers Air India’s domestic flights and Air Canada flights to Canada from London, Paris, Hong Kong and Shanghai.

T

ravellers from outside the European Union (EU) will now be able to move freely between the two jurisdictions on a single permit. The British Irish Visa Scheme will first be available to nationals of India and China. The agreement was signed yesterday at the Irish Embassy in London by Theresa May, Home Secretary of the UK, and Frances Fitzgerald, Ireland’s Minister for Justice and Equality, Government of Ireland.

Voyager’s World > October 2014

Industry Buzz

8>>

Aviareps India to represent Xiamen Airlines

X

iamen Airlines appointed AVIAREPS as its General Sales and Service Agent (GSSA) in India. The AVIAREPS India office headquartered in Mumbai will act as its extended office and be responsible for maximizing exposure, penetrating new markets and promoting Xiamen Airlines as a favorable airline for Indian travelers.

Joseph Fernandes, General Manager AVIAREPS India, said: “Given the agent friendly policies of the airline and the fantastic award winning services, Fleet, and strong network level of service that Xiamen Airlines offers we expect a very positive response for Xiamen Airlines from the Indian market.”

GHE accomplishes mission at Sumda Chenmo

G

lobal Himalayan Expedition (GHE), after setting up the 3rd PoleEducation Base (E-Base)during its maiden expedition last year, went a step further this year by setting up three (3) Solar Microgrids at ‘Sumda Chenmo’, a 11th century ancient village nestled at 14000ft in the Zanskar valley.

The journey commenced in Leh with workshops at the E-Base andheritage walks, building momentum for the Tri-adventure activities that were to follow, including cycling bythe Magnetic Hills, River Rafting via the confluence of Indus and Zanskar rivers, and the grit testing trek through the hidden Ripchar Valley scaling the Konzke La Pass at 16000 ft.

Florida Guide app launched for tablets

Now book hotels from your wrist!

H

otels.com launched an Android app, compatible with wearable technology, to enable travelers using smart watch devices access hotel booking details on their writs.

Travellers using smart watch devices (Android wear) will now have the luxury of accessing accommodation booking details direct on their wrist as well as on their phone!

Keys Hotel Marigold opens in Jaipur

T

he Keys Hotels launched its 16th property Keys Hotels Marigold at Jaipur with Berggruen Hotels that operates in India under the brand name of Keys Hotels and Keys Resorts.

V

ISIT FLORIDA launched a free official Florida Guide app for tablets with information on beaches, theme parks and shopping.

The content also caters specifically to each audience with videos, photography and stories translated and curated according to their special interests.

There are seven apps in all English-language versions for the UK for generations one of Florida’s strongest overseas markets; and India, an emerging travel market with substantial micro-communities of family and friends throughout Florida.

Voyager’s World > October 2014

The hotel offers 70 rooms and five suites, equipped with modern amenities to suit the needs of contemporary travellers. It has three fully equipped meeting rooms along with Wi-Fi, fitness centre, an Unlock Bar and the Keys Café.

Kerala Travel Mart 2014 concludes

T

he eighth edition of Kerala Travel Mart concluded with 861 domestic buyers and 241 international buyers taking part in the event. The sellers included Adventure Tour Operators, Ayurveda Centres, Ayurvedic Resorts, Hotels, Homestays, Amusement Park, Convention Centres, Hotel Management Consultants, Houseboats, Resorts, speciality Hospitals, Museums, Travel & Tour Operators and more. The Travel Mart witnessed hectic schedules comprising of seminars, discussions and brain storming among the tourism industry fraternity of Kerala and from around the globe.

Cover Story

10>>

Medical tourism in India : stands In the pink of health

The convenience of world-class healthcare facilities in India at one-tenth of the original expenditure in the West is rapidly positioning the country at a preferred and prominent spot on the global medical tourism map.

PRIYAMVADHA BALARAM

S

ome of the top treatments undertaken by international patients in India include cosmetic surgery, facelift, nose surgery, eye care, cardiac treatment, cataract surgery, glaucoma surgery, knee replacement and Ayurveda treatments.

gery here is lesser by at least 60-80% as against countries like the USA or the UK. Plus, the waiting time is quite long in those countries as they are covered under public health schemes and obtaining a treatment requires a long time.

Karnataka, Maharashtra, Kerala and Tamil Nadu are fast emerging as preferred places with, interestingly, cosmetic treatments being highly sought after; namely, tummy tucks, Botox, dental care like teeth whitening, dental implants and facelifts.

Scores of medical care seekers visit India every year for treatment and metros like New Delhi, Bangalore, Mumbai and Chennai have long been treating international patients.

In fact, there have been few children patients, whose stories of successful heart transplants, cleft lip corrections and eye surgeries have endeared our own citizens. While this trend has been prevalent for a long time now, it is only now that the awareness about facilities is being extensively generated on a larger scale, by hospitals as well as travel agents alike.

A significant indigenous medical facility that we boast of is, undoubtedly, Ayurveda, in addition to several native healing therapies, Naturopathy, Yoga and so on. The Indian medical tourism industry is worth more than USD 108 billion and the number of foreign patients visiting us is expected to cross 32 lakhs by 2015, as per findings by the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham). In 2011, 200,000 people came down to seek medical intervention for various ailments.

The huge difference in the treatment costs and the savings is what lures them, especially for those who are uninsured or underinsured.

A heart bypass operation that may be estimated around USD 130,000 can be performed at about USD 10,000 in India. Likewise, a smile correction which may be priced at USD 10,000 outside can be done at USD 1500 here. This attracts a lot of patients from the Gulf, Africa and the West.

These are imported from the West normally, particularly from countries like Germany, Japan and the USA. The Indian physician education history boasts of doctors having travelled overseas to pursue higher medical education abroad over the years.

A lot of doctors often go abroad to upgrade their knowledge, present papers and to gain more exposure

So what makes India a gainful destination for overseas patients?

The top-most benefit of coming to our country for a treatment is the cost savings advantage, along with a high standard of treatment and facilities especially for ailments pertaining to heart, lungs as well as orthopedics.

The cost of a knee replacement sur-

Voyager’s World > October 2014

The findings revealed that New Delhi,

As mentioned before, waiting time in our hospitals is not applicable and a number of procedures can be completed in a span of eight-10 days of the first correspondence with the doctors. Indian hospitals are employing the latest, state-of-the-art surgical technology and diagnostic equipment.

in the West on the latest medical advancements and new approaches to patients and patient-related requirements.

In fact, countries like Iraq and Oman are often in direct contact with Indian hospitals. Once the treatment is performed, the patients undertake a brief holiday and stay back to recuperate from it and often show interest in going to retreats and spas that offer rejuvenating wellness therapies.

Hence, retreats that offer facilities like meditation, Yoga, spa, etc. stand to benefit indirectly and directly from medical tourism.

Popular hospitals that are sought after by international patients include Fortis, Columbia Asia Hospitals, Manipal Hospital Bangalore, the Apollo Hospitals, Devasya Superspeciality Kidney Hospital & Research CentreAhmedabad, Max Healthcare Hospital – New Delhi, Narayana Hrudayalaya in Bangalore, Seven Hills Hospital in Mumbai, to name a few.

Of late, the hospitals have stepped up their marketing plans abroad to draw medical tourists. They tie up with travel agents and operators to assist them in marketing.

Cover Story

11>> Some of them frequently organize promotional campaigns overseas like Outpatient Departments (OPDs).

They often attend exchange programmes, conferences and symposiums and also organize Continuing Medical Education (CMEs) and clinics abroad and send their international marketing teams to potential and emerging markets to sign tie-ups.

Many of them partner with medical tourism companies, physicians and travel agents.

Hospitals in India are progressively adopting initiatives through regular market visits, advertisements and information centres abroad. A noteworthy development is that of the engaging of tele-medicines to connect with the patients abroad.

ily of the patient.

Popular treatments Some of the major treatment areas that have considerably sustained the preferences of overseas health care seekers include knee replacement surgery, total hip joint surgery, angioplasty, IVF, cancer care, bone & spine surgery, etc.

For those who want to take the course of nature, an increasing number of arthritis patients opt for Ayurveda. Depending on the condition of

the ailment and the age of the person, there are different treatments being offered for the bones and the joints. Apart from popular therapies like Abhyangana and Shirodhara, the Panchakarma therapy is also sought after. Many of them also include a detoxification and rejuvenation package with special diet plans from time time and Panchakarma is quite ideal for this.

Patients from the Gulf – Iraq, Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait; from Africa – Nigeria, Kenya, Ethiopia and Uganda are

often seen in large numbers in Indian hospitals. Closer home, it is commonplace to see people from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka coming down for treatments.

Challenges Some of the challenges that overseas patients may face include: - Language is a barrier for patients coming from Middle East, Afghanistan and CIS countries, - For patients from Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Iraq, it is taxing to obtain medical visa to India as it

A major pro on which hospitals can leverage upon to lure them is the availability of infrastructure and skilled medical manpower. There are a number of hospitals that offer treatments on par with international standards; hospitals with NABH and JCI accreditation are often chosen by patients.

Some of the hospitals have deputed Health Care Facilitators (HCF) in many countries to assist the patients in travelling to India, besides having tied up with overseas insurance companies like BUPA.

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According to healthcare policy guidelines, however, it is important the hotels recommend patients to get treated only in top grade hospitals.

This is important for the country as a whole in showcasing its medical care services image on the global front. It is to be noted that patients do not get treatments from hospitals that are not in par with global standards in terms of facilities, hygiene standards and treatments. This is necessary to ensure satisfaction level and quality of treatment.

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A number of Indian hospitals are now corporatizing themselves with the latest Information Systems for speedier completion of formalities and paperwork. Hence, for those patients who are required to undergo repetitive/ returning visits to the hospitals over a period of time, can benefit as the hospital keeps track of their medical history and it also helps them plan their trips well in advance. As a step further, Apollo Hospitals, partnered with Emirates Airlines recently to help connect patients faster to the hospitals. The carrier offers special fares and savings on bookings on select trips for customers of the hospital and this is extended to even the fam-

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Cover Story

may take anywhere from 15-20 days for patients to get a visa.

- Improved connectivity and long-haul distance from Africa and USA can discourage patients to travel to India - Hindrances in pursuing promotional activities and conducting OPDs and clinics in troubled places like Afghanistan and Iraq - Poor diagnostic facility in the home country of the patients can often compel the hospital to change the treatment plan and that might not comply with the patient’s budget estimates.

- FRRO registration for patients needs to be improved.

Measures like quicker visa procedures, special flight fares for patients and family members and policy implementation to mandate patients to obtain treatment in Grade A and B hospitals only, can ensure increased medical tourism inflow in the country.

India can fare much better with a revamped image of its health care services and intense marketing. We need to reassure them of sound facilitation, efficient staff, competent patient management and English speaking skills so as to drive away the uncertainty in the minds of international clients.

Quite often, the country’s image is associated with issues of poor hygiene and safety and this is precisely what needs to be worked upon so as to encourage insurance companies from USA or the UK to cover medical treatment in India.

Voyager’s World > October 2014

12>>

Spas and wellness The Indian wellness sector has huge potential and its proliferation across different tiers of the country from metros to Tier 2 and 3 cities render it a prospective segment especially for those patients who have a high disposable income, apart from their treatment and travel budgets.

Policies, standards Although the country boasts of several private players dominating the medical tourism scene, it is felt that the government support is needed to lend a boost to the field of international medical tourism. Medical visa procedures must be given top priority.

There has been a lot of support from the government on Foreigners Regional Registration Offices (FRROs), but there is further scope for ease of formalities.

The International Society for Quality in healthcare (ISQua) has accredited ‘Standards for the Hospitals’ developed by the National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers (NABH). The endorsement

by ISQua validates that the NABH standards are in agreement with international levels set by ISQua. Presently, India, Ireland, Japan, Egypt, South Africa, Canada, Australia, UK, Hong Kong and Jordan are some of the members of ISQua. Future Policies and directives pertaining to visa, accreditation standards, promotional strategies, tax structure and investments are being emphasized so

According to a study by research firm RNCOS – ‘Booming Medical Tourism in India’, published in July 2011, the Indian medical tourism sector was worth USD1.5 Billion in 2010 with around 800,000 tourists visiting the country for various treatments.

have proven welcoming for international tourists.

Parveen Holidays and Chennaibased dental care hospital Dentistree launched a website last year exclusively for dental tourism, called Smiling tourism, to help plan dental treatments, visa assistance and ease of travel to well-utilize the holiday schedule.

With adequate backing from the government, the revenue per tourist will significantly contribute to the overall market. The study had estimated that by the end of this year (2014), nearly 1.6 million international patients are expected to contribute up to USD3.9 billion.

The Ministry of Tourism boosted the Medical Tourism sector with the help of its Market Development Assistance scheme. The Government of India is encouraging medical tourism in the country by offering tax breaks and export incentives to participating hospitals and companies.

Above and beyond the cost savings factor and the waiting time and international quality infrastructure, the knowledge of English adds to the advantages of India gaining more fervor among foreigners.

The government is working towards prioritizing medical visas. Steady initiatives are being undertaken to combine medical treatment with travel packages. Patients visiting India for selected treatments can choose such packages which will include discounts on flights, international insurance, registration at the hospitals, airport transfers, hotel stays, treatment and often a post-operative vacation. The Indian government is taking steps to upgrade foundation issues that hold back progress in this field.

as to ensure better turnover of medical tourists.

While our medical services delivery system grows steadily in its performance, there is more market share expected to be captured. Many hospitals have been accredited by the Joint Commission International (JCI).

Accreditation and amenability with quality service are key to reassure tourists of safe treatment and recuperation. Plus, encouraging more Public Private Partnership (PPP) model services would encourage foreigners to opt for our country’s hospitals.

In South India, Chennai is a popular hub for treatments and the availability of excellent medical professionals

With hospitals taking to corporatization more and more, the complete arrangement of methodical care is likely to woo overseas people here. Once the treatment is completed, there are enough opportunities for patients to extend their recuperation time to enjoy a holiday and see places before returning to their home countries.

Corporate Travel

14>>

ACTE: Mobile necessary to help travellers in self-booking process

The forum which saw some crucial travel points being deliberated upon stressed on the need for collaboration among key industry stakeholders.

VW BUREAU

T

he Association of Corporate Travel Executives (ACTE) organized an education forum in Bangalore in September 2014 focusing on key trends like mobile technology, aviation industry in India and general global economic outlook.

The keynote speaker was Todd Arthur, Vice President of Sales, Asia, BCD Travel. He gave a featured presentation on global economic outlook. This was followed by a discussion on ‘Mobile technology : Future trends in the palm of your travellers’. The speaker was Michael Thorburn, Head of Strategic Sales & Market Development, Serko; Amarnath Lal Das, General Manager, India Travel, Accenture, was the facilitator and the panelists consisted of Ethirajan Devarajan, Global Travel Technology Manager- Unilever; Saurabh Narain, Director, UNIGLOBE Air Travel Bureau; Krishnamoorthy

Voyager’s World > October 2014

Balasubramaniam, Associate Director, Global Procurement Cognizant Technology Solutions.

The next session was on the future of aviation industry in India. Some points talked about were the survival of the new airlines that have entered the market and if India needed to revisit open sky policy of the government and to allow operations to more cities and help overseas players entering the market. The speaker was Girish Nair, Founder of TravelSpends / Ex Chief Commercial Officer of GoAir. Suraj Nair, Founder of TravelSpends was the facilitator and the panelists included Ingrid Picard, Account Director Asia Pacific, Sabre Travel Network; Sanjiv Chawla, Station Manager & Implementation Project Manager, Air France/KLM Bangalore; Geetha Arekal, Vice President, APAC Travel Manager, Northern Trust.

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Destination

16>>

Oman: Region of serenity and stunning beaches!

IRENE SUSAN EAPEN

© Finns Beach, Oman

The turquoise waters, the Wadis, pristine beaches, rugged mountains, deserts recount Oman as god’s wonderful creation all through my journey.

T

he Oman Tourism recently organized the largest ever familiarization trip for 60 travel agents, tour operators and media delegates from 14th Sept- 20th Sept 2014 as part of the Discover Oman specialist training programme. The group travelled on Oman Air and was handled by 6 leading DMC’s like Oman World Tourism, Zahara Tours, Tour Oman, Elite Travel and Tours, Gulf Ventures and Bahwan Travels.

With the highlight of the trip to Nizwa, Muscat, Sur, Sharqiyah Sands, Quriyat, Ras Al Jinz followed by site inspections at Golden Tulip Nizma Hotel, Al Falaj Hotel, Shangri La’s Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa, Hormuz Grand Hotel , Alila Jabal Akhdar, Al Bustan Palace- A Ritz Carlton Hotel, Al Nahda Resort and Ramee Guestline.

As I stepped into the city I witnessed a terrain of Rocky Mountains all around the country. The Sultanate of Oman has lots to offer one especially with the lovely landscapes, Wadis, Sharqiyah Sands and of course the pristine beaches. Oman is one of the most beautiful countries in Middle East as there is so much to explore and experience, one needs to spend more time to discover god’s own creation that is so wonderful for a short haul or a long haul vacation.

Our expedition started heading to the Ras Al Hadd with the guidance of Bahwan Tours a well known travel agency in Oman throughout the trip.

The Ras Al Hadd is a village in Ash

Voyager’s World > October 2014

Sharqiyah district of Oman. Oman has about 4 million populations including the expats and believes in showcasing their natural beauty with houses constructed in white and light colours of the same height that merge well with the surroundings.

People in Oman generally commute by taxis and cars, while the bus service is only for a short distance and no train service. The roads in Oman are very good and each road has a radar to check the over speeding of cars on the roads and there are no skyscrapers in Oman.

As we halt over in Quriyat town for a spectacular vista of the Wadi Dayqah Dam. The Wadi Dayqah Dam is one of the biggest dams in Oman with lush green lawns and rugged mountains around the dam. The small hut shaped buildings in this area offers one a perfect place for picnics and also a beautiful place to organize small MICE events. After that we headed for an excellent off road drive to the Masirah Village, a small village with palm, mango and banana plantation.

The trip gets exciting as we enter into the Bimah Sinkhole with its lovely gardens around. The Bimah Sinkhole is located between Muscat and Sur, it was a cave originally that collapsed creating a sinkhole with turquoise water. The panoramic view of the Bimah Sinkhole is fabulous and one will be tempted to climb down the staircase, feel the chill of the turquoise water over ones feet and also

a lovely place for a swim. This natural pool tempted me to dip my tired feet into the turquoise water and to my surprise I could see some tiny fishes in this crystal clear salt water.

I felt as though I had a fish spa at the Bimah Sinkhole and an amazing feeling with a splash of this refreshing turquoise water over my feet. The most exciting place of my life as if I was in love with the Bimah Sinkhole and overjoyed after visiting this sight.

After a long walk around the Bimah Sinkhole we got to taste the authentic Kahwa coffee made of rosewater, cardamom and saffron that relished all our taste buds. We then head to the most famous the Wadi Shab and Wadi Tiwi located on the South side of the Bimah Sinkhole surrounded by the narrow mountains, ravines and a lovely place to relax.

After that we enter into the most beautiful place the Finns beach or the white sandy beach with rocky cliffs across the crystal clear blue waters. An amazing place to while away from the hustle and bustle of one’s life and one can also sit back over the beach for chitchat with family or friends. It is awesome to spend some time in the serenity of the Finns Beach by walking into the blue waters and picking up the different shaped sea shells.

The Ras Al Jinz located on the Eastern shores of the Arabian Peninsula and also a well known center for the nestling of endangered green turtles.

The Ras Al Jinz Scientific Visitors Cen-

tre or Ras Al Jinz Turtle Reserve is a very exciting place where one can get to watch the nestling process of the green turtles. The centre offers 19 carapace rooms and 12 luxury eco tents, a gift shop and a meeting room with a capacity of 30, plus a museum showcasing on the lives of the turtles with some historical facts. We stayed over at the Carapace rooms of the Ras Al Jinz Scientific and Visitors center followed by a delicious dinner at the Sea Grant Restaurant. We then got into a van to drive to the Ras Al Jinz beach with only the headlights of the car on for an exciting session of turtle watching which is all about observing these beautiful creatures without any disturbance as we walked into the beach we could see the big pits of the turtles and noticed a turtle ends up putting sand over its body when it is disturbed through a vibration. Our tour guide Khamis Abdullah Al Amri guided us along the stroll over the beach to watch some of the turtles laying eggs and the little ones heading to the beach.

We were advised not to make noise even through a conversation or use the mobile phones and cannot take photographs in the night while in the morning we can use cameras. The turtle watching shows are considered to be the best in the night around 8.30pm and early morning 4.00am where you can get a better view and good photographs of the turtles. The green turtles come ashore late night to lay eggs during summer season from June to September and the season for little turtles are in October.

Destination

© 1000 Nights Camp, Oman

© Al Jain Bridge, Sur, Oman

18>>

A turtle matures at the age of 20 to 25 years and lays 100 eggs at a time with only 3 eggs surviving. A turtle comes over to the beach where they are actually born to lay their eggs thrice in a year. The eggs remain over the beach for two months and hatch into little ones. It is surprising to know that the sex of a turtle is determined by the temperature of the beach sands and the mother does not connect with her children at all. A turtle generally leaves the beach after laying its eggs for 2 to 3 years and the little ones either head to the beach or to the wrong direction where they die or get eaten up by the crabs or foxes.

Although I thought the turtles were very small to my surprise they are huge, it is an amazing feeling to see the turtles lay their eggs. One has to spend hours to actually witness the turtle nestling process in Ras Al Jinz.

Our voyage next day commences in exploring the Sur town, the oldest town in the North East of Oman, the Al Jain Bridge in Sur town is a huge bridge across the white buildings with blue waters underneath. One can take a stroll along this town and get some outstanding photographs as the scenery at Sur is startling for all. On our way to the Shariqya Sands we pass through Al Amajid restaurant gave us a chance to have a cup of Kadak Chai and we got to taste Lakmaye Tilkadi the local Arabic sweet made out of flour and honey and also served during Ramzan. During our long drive we enjoyed the Arabic pop tracks like Lafetha Belad,Al Leila of Amar Diab and got to know that most of the Arabic tracks are romantic songs .With many more excitement in the trip we start off for an amazing and adventurous ride over the desert in a 4x4 high speed after deflating the tyres of the vehicle as to avoid the tyres from busting or getting punc-

Voyager’s World > October 2014

tured, while descending a sand dune it is difficult than ascending a sand dune, a drive of about two or three hours on the desert. The dune bashing ride is generally done before sunset. Dune bashing gives one amazing visuals of the desert trees and the camels lazing around an eye catching experience for one in the realm of silence.

Besides all this, there is some lovely desert camps offering excellent accommodation plus one can do activities like climbing dunes on foot, sand skiing and dune bashing hurtling up and down dunes in a 4x4 high speed. We walked into the beautiful desert camp the 1000 Nights Camp offers 4 sand houses, 5 Amer tents, 42 Sheikh tents. The 1000 Nights Camp has a stunning swimming pool and a restaurant. The trip gets more exciting in exploring the luxurious the Desert Nights Camp, the accommodation in the Desert Nights Camp are Arabian styled tents that include 2 deluxe family tented suites and 24 deluxe tented suites.The dining options in the Desert Nights Camp are the two dunes restaurant and the Oasis Bar. The Desert Nights Camp is an ideal venue for small conferences and incentive groups. After that we enter into the beautiful property of Golden Tulip Nizma Hotel of traditional Omani style architecture offering 120 rooms targeting the business and leisure travellers with an array of restaurants like the Birkat Al Mawzan, the Al Wasit Bar and the poolside café.

We then head for a lovely drive into the wilderness of Jabal Akhdar meaning the green mountain in Arabic, one of the most breathtaking areas in Oman. We stayed over in the marvelous property of Alila Jabal Akhdar

located in Al Hajar Mountains that offers 78 suites and villas with all its decors showcasing the Omani history of the destination. The resort features the rose lounge a place to relax over drinks and snacks, the all day dining Juniper Restaurant. The library is a wonderful place for one to sit back and read books or journals. The hotel is divided into individual clusters or buildings of four to six suites. The interiors of each room is done with a earthly touch of wood and stone, with leaves of the Juniper tree hand painted in each room. The suites are categorized as mountain view suite has a balcony and views over the pool and down into the gorge, the horizontal view suite has an outdoor terrace, The ridge view suite offers a balcony for vistas of the gorge, the Jabal terrace has a living room and a terrace, the loft suite has a living room, a shower down stairs and a bedroom with attached bathroom and a mountain view, the 2 Jabal villas while each villa has two bedrooms with attached bathrooms, large living room, dining room, kitchen, private terrace and pool. The villa also has a master bathroom housing a steam room, shower cubicle, bath tub and Jacuzzi. The Spa Alila offers local and Asian Spa therapies with seven treatment rooms. The other facilities in the hotel include two boardrooms with a capacity of 12 which can also be connected into a large room for a bigger event, the outdoor pool, the indoor pool and the gym. The hotel offers one with splendid vistas of Al Hajar Mountains and also overlooks the gorge. The Alila Jabal Akhdar has stylishly constructed not only its exteriors but also the interiors with the natural beauty of the region, the property is very artistically done as the interiors include the copper ornaments, handmade pottery from Bahla, fort like

doors and a fireplace at the lobby.

Alila Jabal Akhdar is a perfect haven for one to fall in love with nature especially with the rugged landscapes and aspire one to visit this property again and again for endless holidays in Jabal Akhdar.

Our next sojourn started with a visit to Nizma the former capital of Oman where we got to visit the Nizma Fort and Nizma Souq. The Nizma Fort is divided into two parts fort and castle with 30 rooms and an exhibition center. The Nizma fort is the most famous national monument with a style of Omani Architecture. One can see two canons at the entrance of the fort and on the top floor there are four canons. The fort also has narrow staircase and corridors. On the top of the fort one can get a vista of the oasis of Oman, sunrise of Oman and sunset of Oman. The Nizma Souq is the oldest Souq where one can for a lovely stroll and shop Omani Halwa, crafts, jewellery and spices.

With lots of memories of the North East of Oman, we head to the capital of Oman, Muscat an attractive city nestled between the turquoise blue waters of the gulf of Oman and the rugged mountains of Al Hajar for our much awaited excitement of the trip .We then visited the beautiful property of Al Nahda Resort & Spa amidst the gardens and mango trees offers well appointed 109 rooms categorized as 60 Executive Suites, 41 premium suites and 8 Suite Royale. The restaurants in the hotel are Khalab the a la carte, Samar the open air Lebanese restaurant, Nozha an open air restaurant, Waha Bar and pool bar. The hotel provides 6 meeting rooms with a capacity of 3000 people. The Eram Spa offers 25 treatment rooms offering wellness treatments. The Al Nah-

SILKAIR: SOARING ASPIRATIONS IN THE INDIAN AVIATION SPACE Jagdish Bhojwani General Manager India SilkAir

SilkAir has been inducted into the TTG Asia Travel Hall of Fame following its 10th Regional Airline in the 2009 TTG Asia Travel Awards.

SilkAir is awarded the Regional Airline of the Year 2011 by CAPA, the Center for Aviation, and Regional Airline of the Year

by Air Transport news (ATN) 2013 Awards.

India operations SilkAir currently operates seven times weekly flights between Singapore to Kochi and Hyderabad each, and four times weekly flights between Singapore to Thiruvananthapuram and Coimbatore each, as well as thrice weekly flights from Visakhapatnam.

We have parallel / joint operations with Singapore Airlines (SIA) in Bangalore and Chennai with four weekly flights and thrice weekly Kolkata flights. With over 40 flights weekly from eight cities, we are one of the busiest and fastest growing airlines in India.

Defining markets and tying into SIA group’s broader strategy Offering seamless connections to over 90 destinations in the world via the Singapore hub, SilkAir and Singapore Airlines are committed to provide the best connectivity to people in India and abroad.

Operating model and fleet size of SilkAir We are a full service carrier with two cabin classes i.e. Business and Economy. We have 25 aircrafts in our fleet comprising 13 Airbus 320, six Airbus 319 and six Boeing 737-800 aircraft. We took delivery of the first of our 54 Boeing 737-800 aircraft in February this year, the largest order in SilkAir’s history.

The new aircraft promises a more comfortable experience and has our latest wireless inflight entertainment offering, SilkAir Studio, which enables

seamless wireless streaming of movies, music and games to travellers’ laptops and personal handheld devices. Guests can access emails on board, with uninterrupted in-seat power supply.

Myanmar and Hangzhou in China. We will continue to focus on expanding our networks, especially to destinations in key markets such as India, China, Indonesia and Philippines.

Competing with budget carriers SilkAir has always been resilient towards the challenges posed by LCCs. SilkAir, along with SIA offers shared benefits to customers and sets itself apart from its competitors. India is a big market and aviation space is expanding fast. Both India and Singapore have bilateral agreements to fly unlimited between Singapore and 18 Indian cities, which are mostly Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities. Visakhapatnam is one of the cities where we started our online operations in October 2012. Other potential cities will be in our focus and depending on the market demand and commercial viability, we will grow in the Indian aviation space.

USP of SilkAir SilkAir and SIA’s joint network to over 90 cities in the world makes us different from other carriers.

From Singapore, with over 120 flights weekly to Australia and Indonesia; over 100 flights weekly to China, India, Thailand, and Malaysia; with more than 50 flights weekly to Japan, and over 20 flights weekly to USA and New Zealand, puts us in the forefront of all the airlines providing the international connectivity to Indian passengers which is possible with the help of our parent airline.

Changing customer demographics in Asia Customers in Asia are becoming increasingly welltravelled, looking for new and exotic locations to explore in peace and comfort. We have always looked to cater to these changing travel patterns, offering access to new destinations across Asia. Last year, we added Semarang, Makassar, Yogyakarta in Indonesia to our network and this year, we started operations to Kalibo in Philippines, Mandalay in

Our passengers can enrol in ‘Kris Flyer’ frequent flyer programme that is common for both SIA and SilkAir. SIA is a member of Star Alliance network hence passengers can avail the benefit of Star Alliance privileges also. SIA operates A380 aircrafts to some of the destinations which are popular among Indian passengers such as Sydney, Melbourne, Narita, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Los Angeles, New York, London, Frankfurt, Paris, and Zurich. Indian passengers can connect to A380 flights from Singapore to these destinations.

- An Advertorial

Destination

© Bimah Sinkhole, Oman

© Royal Opera House, Muscat

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da Resort & Spa is a lovely property with excellent interiors and specially designed night lamps in each room that gives one a relaxed feeling and feel at home factor which is just an hour drive from Muscat.

We enter into the most stunning oasis of luxury the Shangri La’s Barr Al Jissah Resort& Spa along the turquoise blue waters of the Sea of Oman and the majestic mountains behind the resort. The Shangri La’s Barr Al Jissah Resort& Spa offers three hotels, the Al Waha, Al Bandar and Al Husan.

Al Waha is a family oriented hotel offering 262 rooms and the number of swimming pools. Al Waha has architecture of traditional Dhofari, the southern region of Oman. The Al Bandar is a five-star property offers 198 rooms with an influence of old Muscat and has seven restaurants and 11 meeting rooms. The Al Husn Hotel a luxurious hotel for discerning travellers offering 180 rooms and suites with a décor influenced by royal Arabian palaces. The dining options at Shangri-La’s Barr Al Jissah Resort and Spa, Al Waha hotel serves International flavours in Samba, the Al Bandar hotel serves Capri Court the Italian restaurant and Tapas & Sablah for an outdoor dining experience, Al Tanoor offers an Arabian atmosphere with open culinary stations, the Al Husn hotel offers the Sultanah a restaurant with a luxury cruise theme and Shahrazad serves authentic Moroccan restaurant in Muscat. During our welcome dinner at the Shangri-La’s Barr Al Jissah Resort and Spa we got to witness the Ali Din Dani the traditional Arabic dance by men and women it was awesome and Jlset the Arabic music where men played instruments and sang different Arabic songs.

The next day we venture to visit the Al Bustan Palace- A Ritz Carlton Hotel between the rugged Al Hajar moun-

Voyager’s World > October 2014

tain range and the Sea of Oman offers 250 guest rooms and suites with private balconies for magnificent mountain, sea or garden views on the stretch of private beach, five outdoor swimming pools and the Majan Ballroom offers perfect meeting space for large MICE events.

The interesting part of our trip is the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque the famous mosque in Oman that has the world’s second largest hand woven carpet from Iran and the largest chandelier from Austria. The mosque has two prayer halls one for men and women. The main prayer hall is in square with a central dome and an open air coutyard.The tourists are supposed to walkover the blue carpet and not supposed to touch the books in blue and red. The women have to be completely covered while entering to the mosque and have to cover their head properly. The Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque is the most beautiful mosque in Muscat known for the serenity and opulence around the mosque. The Muttrah Souq is a very old Souq where one can purchase souvenirs that range from the Khanjar the curved dagger, the silver jewellery, frankincense and spices.

After that we get to visit the newly opened hotel the Hormuz Grand Hotel a luxury hotel that offers 231 spacious rooms and 25 sleek suites in Muscat, with the interiors of modern architecture. The highlight of the hotel is the courtyard and the beautiful water body with the fire bowls.

For a lovely dinner at The Straits we got to taste the authentic Shuwa the lamb biryani generally cooked for hours and wrapped in dry leaves and served during festive seasons a global multi-cuisine restaurant where one can enjoy a meal facing the water body in the courtyard, the other two restaurants include an Indian Restaurant and the Seafood Market. The

Hormuz Grand Hotel offers multiple board rooms, the spacious ballrooms with an open air party area with a capacity of 120 to 350 people. The Hormuz Grand spa managed by ISpa from Thailand has eight treatment rooms. The Hormuz Grand Hotel is an amazing property amidst the city that caters to business travellers. During our visit at Hormuz Grand Hotel we got to listen to the harpist play the harp a wonderful experience for one to cherish.

We then head for an interesting show of Macbeth by Giuseppe Verdi at the Royal Opera House Muscat located in Shati Al-Qurm district of Muscat.

The Royal Opera House Muscat is a renowned venue for musical arts and culture in Muscat. The three hour show impressed the audience with their fully fledged team of actor, actresses and of course the admirable orchestra. The Royal Opera House also has other shows like opera ballet, symphonic music, arabesque, folklore act and world music. The season of the show starts from September to December every year. The royal opera house comprises of the great Maidan a large open square adjacent to the Opera House and outdoor performance space. The Maidan has build in provision for sound and light settings for a wide range of events from drama to musical bands. The opera house is of eight floors, three below and five above ground with a main auditorium that can accommodate 1100 people.We then ventured into the Jungle a tropical rain forest themed restaurant in Muscat where one can get to experience rain thunder and lightning and the animal noises that serves delicacies across the globe with a capacity of 100. The Bahja hall in the restaurant is a well decorated a multipurpose hall for conferences that can accommodate up to 400 people. We got to visit the new lounge On the Rocks to experi-

ence the nightlife of Oman.

The last day journey added an exciting day especially with dolphin watching

by Sidab Tours where we got to see the spinner and bottleneck dolphin dancing when the music was turned on with a sense of joy we all aspire to come back again for an another round of Dolphin watching in Muscat .We also had some of our site visits to the Al Falaj Hotel offering 140 rooms inclusive of 5 suite and the Ramee Guest line Hotel Qurum has 90 well appointed rooms. Some of the famous restaurants in Muscat include Mumtaz Mahal the well known Indian restaurant that serves authentic Indian cuisine with an ambience of Mughal Palace. The Kargeen Caffe means an old Omani wooden cottage offers one with a lovely Omani ambiance, a lovely place for a candle light dinner and a perfect place for Shisha with different flavours like strawberry and apple. The Kargeen Caffe served a lovely local Omani dinner that includes Kuboos the Arabic pita bread dipped with Hummus made of chickpeas and Mutable made of eggplant and delicious Arabic grills.

Oman is known for their hospitality for welcoming guests with a cup of Kahwa coffee and dates. Maqbuos is a rice dish flavoured with saffron and cooked over spicy meat and the local drink includes Laban the salty buttermilk.

Nothing can beat the thrill of walking through the pristine beaches of Oman and you will be mesmerized by rugged mountains across the country. Oman is sure to excite one, little did I know that this country in Middle East would have so much to offer in terms of history, culture and its natural beauty. I still feel I am in a trance of the attractions in Oman so you will definitely enjoy Oman and get ready to explore god’s wonderful creation for a lovely experience.

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Destination

www.voyagersworld.in

Incredible India

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Madhya Pradesh: Exploring the wide-ranging wildlife

Bandhavgarh National Park,

Kanha National Park

B

K

Pench National Park

Panna National Park

andhavgarh National park, best known for the highest tiger population in India, teems with a variety of wildlife- langurs, rhesus macaque, Asiatic jackal, sloth bear, ratel, striped hyena, jungle cat, leopard, wild pig, sambar, chausingha, nilgai, chinkara, the small Indian civet and palm squirrel, little grebe egret, lesser adjutant, sarus crane, black kite, crested serpent eagle, Egyptian Vulture, etc.

By Air-Jabalpur(190 km). From Khajuraho (237 km), Road/Rail- Jabalpur, Katna, Satna, Umaria Best Season- Mid October to June. The park is closed from 1 July to 15 October due to rains.

Your Host-White Tiger Forest Lodge ( MPT), Ph: (07627) 265406

P

ench Tiger Reserve comprises the Indira Priyadarshini Pench National Park and the Mowgli Pench Sanctuary. It sheltes gaur (Indian Bison), cheetal, sambhar, nilgai, tiger, leopard, chousingha, chinkara, barking deer, palm civet, small Indian civet, Malabar pied hornbill, Indian pitta, osprey, grey- headed fishing eagle, brahmini duck, pochards, bar headed geese and coots.

By Air- Nagpur (92 km) and Jabalpur airport is 200 km from Pench.

By Rail/Road- Nagpur, Jabalpur, Khawasa, Chhindwara, Seoni Best Time- Summer. Park is open from 16th Oct to 30th June.

Your Host- Kipling’s Court (07695) 232830 (MPT)

anha National Park forms the core of the Kanha Tiger Reserve.

Animals spotted here are striped palm squirrel, common langur, jackal, chital, barasingha, black buck, Indian hare, dhole, chausingha, cattle egret, pond heron, black ibis, crested serpent, racket-tailed drongo, red wattled lapwing, woodpecker, parakeet, babbler, etc.

By Air-Jabalpur(190 km). From Khajuraho (237 km),

By Rail- Jabalpur & Bilaspur.

By Road-Buses from Jabalpur, Bilaspur, Raipur Best Season- Mid October-June. ( Park closed from 1 July- 15 Oct) Your Host-Baghira Log Huts,Kisli (07649) 277227, Tourist Hostel,Kisli (07649) 277310), Kanha Safari Lodge,Mukki (07636) 290715(MPT)

P

anna National Park consists of areas from the former Gangau Wildlife Sanctuary created in 1975. Tigers roam freely here with leopard, wild dog, wolf, hyena, sloth bear, nilgai, sambar, chital, chowsingha, chinkara, nilgai, varieties of snakes, migratory birds like Bar headed goose, Honey Buzzard, King vulture, Paradise Flycatcher, Slaty Headed Scimitar Babbler.

By Air- Nearest airport is Khajuraho.

By Rail- Nearest railhead is Khajuraho(46 km)and Satna(74 km).

By Road- Khajuraho to Madla, Satna to Madla, Panna to Madla Your Host- Jungle Camp, Madla (Panna) Ph : (07732) 275275 An Advertorial

Voyager’s World > October 2014

Destination

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Ras-Al-Khaimah: A short haul escape with something for one and all The rising Emirate offers a wide variety of experiences including deserts and safaris, says the reporter who was on a familiarization trip on an invitation by Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority along with Air Arabia.

PRIYADHARSHINI S

Perhaps the only hilltop fort still standing in the UAE, Dhayah Fort is located to the north of the Al Rams town. We spent the entire evening at the fort. We climbed to the top of the fort to view the city lights from atop the fort and the sight proved spectacular regardless of hot days or cool evenings.

R

as-Al-Khaimah (RAK) is a beautiful Emirate waiting to be discovered fully. RAK, as it is known locally, is just over a half hour’s drive from Sharjah International Airport, by taking the E311 road that carves a straight line throughout the tranquil desert dunes. Despite having only driven from the airport, I had fallen in love with RAK, a three-hour getaway from India. As I stepped out from the airport, 40 degrees Centigrade hit me and it was only 8 am.

We made it to the Bin Majid Beach Hotel by 9 am. Taken aback by the tranquil desserts throughout the drive, the long and slim coastline of the hotel was quite a surprise. Couple

Voyager’s World > October 2014

of hours later, we joined together at the conference hall for a meeting with the Tourism Authority of RAK. Following lunch at the hotel, we headed to the Al Jazirah aviation club. We saw these small aircrafts in red, green, white and yellow, which I misidentified to be gliders at first. These two seaters were so light that the instructor could pull an aircraft by himself.

Apparently these aircrafts are Micro light aircrafts weighing around 260 Kgs and Gyrocopters that are ideal for flying and training. The club also has Powered Parachutes & Para motors. One could get a bird’s-eye view of the rugged mountains, desserts and the coast flying in a micro flight aircraft that can last up to an hour.

On our second day, our first stop was at the national museum of RAK. The Emirate is famous for the preservation of its native values, heritage and culture, giving visitors a unique look into the region’s oldest traditions and lifestyle. A fine old mansion laid-out museum devoted to the 5000-year history of RAK. Using remains, models and artefacts, it covers everything from early archaeology.

From the museum we drove to ICELAND theme park. Spread over an area of 11,000 square meters, the water park is extensively themed as a penguin home. Aggregating over 50 attractions, the park has a lot to offer like cabanas with private sun lounges, mini bar, private dining, etc. and Gazebo in the midst of date palm plantations that are suitable for small lunch outings by families of four to six

members. The park could also be a unique venue for corporate get together and product launches too. It was quite depressing that the itinerary did not dedicate few hours to experience the rides.

The Emirate has attracted major regional and international brands of luxury hotels. The Hilton Al Hamra Beach and Golf Resort is a magnificent property surrounded by beautiful landscaped gardens. Food lovers will be spoilt for choice at this Al Hamra resort. We had one such lunch here before we headed to the Al Hamra Golf Club which is at a stone’s throw from the resort. Al Hamra is an 18hole championship golf course and has a 500-meter private beach onsite.

In the evening we toured Waldorf Astoria, a vast palatial edifice with acres of marble, plush carpets and bejeweled chandeliers. We had an early dinner at Ramada and spent long hours smoking shisha and relaxing on one of the huge rocking sofas.

On the third day, we toured Rixos Bab Al Bahr, located on the sandy white beaches of Al Marjan. The new Rixos Bab Al Bahr’s distinctive pyramids offer travellers the perfect escape from

Destination

25>> the city’s hustle and bustle. After the lunch at Waldorf Astoria, we were in for a pleasant surprise when we got into a spa at the Banyan Tree Alwadi.

Soon after, we quickly hopped onto a buggy for a safari in the reserve. The reserve is at the heart of its appeal what with its inmates. We spotted a group of oryx and some migration birds as we passed by, swiftly glancing through the Falcon reserve and the horse stable.

Just a little away from Banyan Tree Al Wadi, is the Basata camp where one can stop to enjoy a drink and dance in a licensed facility. This Bedouinstyle camp offered entertainment shows, belly dancing, DJ music, open bar, shisha and dinner.

RAK Facts

P

eople in Ras Al Khaimah are modern and liberal. There are no rules or regulations on the dress code to be followed by tourists. However, modest and ethical dressing is expected from guests as a matter of respect

to the local citizens and their culture. The best time to visit Ras Al Khaimah is during winter and mid-season months. The weather is excellent, warm, sunny and generally pleasant. It enjoys a moderate, cool and refreshing climate for 8 months of the year between October and May. Alcohol is mainly sold in hotel bars or hotel restaurants, golf clubs or within other touristic areas. Public restaurants don’t serve any alcohol. It is advisable to carry a pair of sunglasses, sun block and cotton clothes for adequate protection during the day and a light shrug or jacket in the evenings when it is cooler.

Air Arabia flies to Bangalore, Chennai, Coimbatore, Delhi, Ahmedabad, Goa and Mumbai, Calicut, Kochi, Hyderabad, Nagpur and Trivandrum.

As our trip continued, I realized that RAK is more than just a city-break destination. On the last day of our trip, we went on a drive to the Jebel Jias Mountains. The mountain road and the thrill associated with it exuded a feeling of newness. The stretch was enormous as we snaked our way up 1930 meters above the sea level. Being the tallest peak, even in summer the weather is great up there and in winter it dips to as low as -3 degree Centigrade with snowfall. Understandably, there is a commercial aspect to it as the spot is fast growing to be a massive winter holiday resort with adventure sports activities.

I picked Iceland over shopping as I did not want to regret missing all the fun. A complete two hours of fun with thrilling water rides was the last programme of the day. In the evening, we gathered at our hotel to fly back home.

RAK throws in a lot of surprises to discover by the discerning tourist. If you are looking at an unusual experience, then Ras-Al-Khaimah it is; the Emirate being an absolute contrast from neighbouring Dubai and its skyscrapers. RAK is slowly etching its way into the spotlight with more number of tourist arrivals in the recent years and India stands as No.5 market for the Emirate.

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Later, we headed to the Italian restaurant Pesto which offers a plethora of Italian dishes including bruschetta, pizza, ravioli and pasta. We were acquainted about the herbs, spices and cheese alongside the Head Chef while he prepared some fresh cheese and salad. After the heavy lunch, some of us drove to the Iceland Water Park while the rest of the group went to the local souks and malls.

Fe bru ar y

2015

www.voyagersworld.in

MICE Point

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TCEB showcases Thailand as the key MICE destination!

TCEB expects the total number of MICE travellers to Thailand this year to be 888,210, earning to the Thai economy approximately US$2.90 billion.

KARAN PATIL

T

he Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau recently organized the Thailand Connect 2014- Isan indulgence media familiarization trip to Bangkok and Khon Kaen from 7-11 September 2014. The FAM highlighted Khon Kaen and Bangkok as the MICE destinations of Thailand. The ISAN Indulgence programme included new and upcoming developments across Bangkok and Khon Kaen MICE Cities, with a focus on accommodation, infrastructure, venues and attractions.

Khon Kaen a beautiful destination in north-eastern region of Thailand known for hand-woven Mudmee silk and the number of historical sites.

The Khon Kaen the gateway to Indochina and South China offers rich culture and good connectivity across the country. Khon Kaen is the centre for meetings and seminars both public, private sector and international conventions.

Some of the attractions of Khon Karn are the Singha Park Khon Kaen Golf Club par 72 course a perfect place for relaxing post event. The Singha Park hosts the Asian Tour’s Kings Cup every year. The Khon Kaen National Museum features the historical artefacts includes geography, history, archaeology, culture and ethnology.

The Khon Kaen destination attracts both the business and leisure travellers with innumerable accommodation options that include the Centara Hotel & Convention Centre Khon Kaen a four-star hotel with a traditional Isan influence and excellent meeting facilities and the Pullman Khon Kaen Raja Orchid offers meeting areas, high-speed Internet connections and meeting spaces ranging from the Grand Orchid Ballroom with a capacity of 1800 people in theatre style seating.

Bangkok the capital of Thailand is one of the leading MICE destinations of Thailand that has a record of hosting international MICE events, and has recently won bids to host an array of prestigious occasions including One Young World Summit 2015, Harmony World Puppet Carnival Bangkok

Voyager’s World > October 2014

2014, and incentive travel events such as the Unicity Global Convention, international conventions such as the 74th FIP World Congress of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences 2014, the 10th International Mycological Congress (IMC).

Bangkok offers accomodation right from the international chains to the boutique brands. According to statistics from the Thai Hotels Association, Bangkok has a total of 299 hotels and 59,824 rooms in the city centre alone. The Bangkok Riverside Hotel Partnership showcasing eight of the finest riverside MICE hotels right from the Anantara Bangkok Riverside Resort & Spa which was formerly known as Marriott Riverside and Chatrium Hotel Riverside Bangkok. The EDITION Hotels Bangkok is planning to open in Bangkok in 2016 as part of the landmark Mahanakorn development.

According to an overview of the MICE industry in Khon Kaen surveyed by TCEB in 2013, the industry generated revenues of USD33.92 million baht from a total 692,292 MICE visitors, of which US$14.31 million was from 4,292 international MICE visitors and US$19.61 million from 688,000domestic visitors.

The Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau showcases Thailand’s leadership position as the world’s top MICE destination, following the smooth political transition, and businesses return to operate as normal, with the availability of state-of-theart infrastructure, modern facilities, world-class accommodation, and perfect combination of pre- and posttour programme.

SekWannamethee, Director-General, Department of Information, and Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs says, “ The situation in Thailand is now peaceful and secure, as reflected in the satisfaction of both ordinary citizens and the business community. It is the perfect time to showcase Thailand’s strong fundamentals and resilient economy, as the key government poli-

cies are being expedited, including important infrastructure projects to enhance Thailand’s natural advantage as Southeast Asia’s logistics hub, foreign investors are attracted to opportunities in Thailand, which is a gateway to ASEAN, a market with population of more than 600million.

Thailand remains a regional hub, a vibrant, multicultural society with friendly people, a world-class tourist destination, and a strategic location for profitable businesses in ASEAN. Nopparat Maythaveekulchai, President of TCEB revealed that, “TCEB, in association with the Tourism Authority of Thailand, Thai Airways and the Ratchaprasong Square Trade Association hosted the Thailand CONNECT 2014 – ISAN Indulgence Media Familiarisation Trip to experience the vibrancy of two of Thailand’s foremost MICE destinations the endlessly inspiring Capital of Connection, Bangkok, and the thriving commercial centre of Khon Kaen, Gateway to Indochina and south of China.”

SugreeSithivanich, Deputy Governor for Marketing Communications, Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) said, “TAT plays an active supportive role especially in terms of promoting the positive image and readiness of MICE sector in Thailand as well as draws the potential MICE tourists into the country. Khon Kaen emerges as a potential city to cater for the MICE venues according to its location in the heart of the Northeast region, conveniences of transportation, facilities and capability of various convention centres and hotels, attractiveness of the tourist attractions, and connectivity to neighbouring provinces and

gateway to other countries.”

Charles Pamonmontri, Director Thailand Sales Services Department, Thai Airways International Public Company Limited stated that, “MICE businesses continue to flourish because of the confidence both entrepreneurs and buyers have in such destinations.

Thai Airways can see great synergy among partners in reasserting confidence and reinvigorating Thailand’s image as a premiere MICE destination. Thai Airways is committed to leveraging the success of the campaign by offering support with promotions, roadshows and complementary or specially-priced air tickets on routes that the airline flies.”

Chai Srivikorn, President of Ratchaprasong Square Trade Association (RSTA) says that “Ratchaprasong is considered The Heart of Bangkok combining bustling businesses, transcendent tourism and unbeatable lifestyle attractions. In addition, the district is also a centre for MICE activities, with ample venues and facilities of up to 420,000 sqm. The seven luxurious hotels including the Centara Grand at CentralWorld, the Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok, The Grand Hyatt Erawan Bangkok, the InterContinental Bangkok, the Novotel Bangkok Platinum Pratunam, the Renaissance Bangkok Ratchaprasong Hotel, and the St Regis Bangkok, equipped with a combined total of 3,648 luxurious appointed rooms. Ratchaprasong is also known for its Thai brands to international labels, and from restaurants to relaxing spas, catered especially for discerning businesspeople and travellers alike,”

MICE Point

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IT&CMA and CTW Asia-Pacific 2014 VW BUREAU

I

T&CMA and CTW Asia-Pacific 2014 took place from 30 September to 2 October in Bangkok with over 800 exhibiting delegates comprising returning exhibitors and new destinations such as Cambodia and Switzerland present at the event. The Thai pavilion remained the biggest at the show, with over 30 new local co-exhibitors on board. Returning exhibitors also participated with a significant increase of 18% in booth space. This year also saw one of the show’s largest and much-anticipated line-up of sponsors who were hosting the delegates to networking luncheons, dinners and coffee breaks, as well as reaching out to engage the industry in new ways.

More than 10,000 business appointments took place over the two-day exhibition, with over 80 business, education and networking sessions scheduled. “While IT&CMA and CTW Asia-Pacific continues to add value by consistently delivering valuable industry segments of MICE, Association, Luxury Travel and Corporate Travel, year after year, the immense interest and robust support in this year’s event is undoubtedly a reflection of trust and confidence the international MICE and Corporate Travel industry has pledged to Bangkok, and

to Thailand as a top Business Events destination,” commented Darren Ng, Managing Director of TTG Asia Media.

“We value the strategic potential of IT&CMA and CTW Asia-Pacific as a springboard for the whole industry.

The outstanding success of the event proves this to be the case. 2013 saw the value of leads generated for Thai MICE suppliers at 1,000 million THB, with an expected 5% increase in visitor numbers expected in 2014,” concurred Supawan Teerarat, VicePresident, Strategic and Business Development of Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB).

CTW Asia-Pacific delegates saw a notable speaker line-up and a comprehensive educational agenda that covered topics ranging from data management, best practices and benchmarking, managing travellers across generations to industry updates and outlooks, offered by an advisory panel of experienced regional travel managers, together with Association of Corporate Travel Executives (ACTE). The expanded two-day Association Days @ IT&CMA, from 1 to 2 October included curated education forums, destination presentations, business appointments, and networking sessions. It was further strengthened by new partnerships

with MPI International and World PCO Alliance. Site also joined IT&CM Events’ supporting association lineup, and is developing and delivering customised content for the Corporate Performance educational forums.

During the event, the Thailand Incentive & Convention Association (TICA) celebrated its 30th year anniversary. The core focuses of TICA are to promote and market Thailand as a leading business events destination in the world, through aligning business strategies and working closely with public organizations like Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) and Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) as well as to ensure that the business events industry and TICA members increase in economic impacts through teamwork.

“TCEB and Thailand Incentive and Convention Association share a common goal of elevating Thailand’s MICE industry to a global standard and our strong collaboration has spanned numerous industry-leading projects, from developing a comprehensive MICE database to facilitating joint roadshows for private sector players. TICA has played an outstanding role in helping to establish the MICE Academy programme, AEC Op-

erational manual for SMEs, as well as competency standard for key operational positions. They also have taken the initial step to enforce sustainability concepts into practice, and provided exceptional input and work in harmony with the MICE Capabilities Development Department to drive MICE sector in Thailand and more.

Our close partnership will continue to drive the development of the industry in 2015 and beyond,” said Nopparat Maythaveekulchai, President of TCEB. TICA places strong emphasis on quality education for the industry. As the board and committee membes are operating businesses in the industry, TICA is on the pulse of business needs on a daily basis. TICA’s noted ‘Train the Trainers’ programme for 18 industry veterans has led them to creating their own courses.

The focus on developing sustainable future talent motivated the association to create the TICA career advisory roadshows, where university students can learn more about the industry and enjoy placement opportunities. Recently TICA commissioned Rangsit University to do large-scale research for a 500-page training manual and guide for businesses that employ event coordinators.

www.voyagersworld.in

WTM

28>>

World Travel Leaders at WTM to track future

W

orld Travel Market 2014 is marking its 35th event by celebrating the industry’s achievements since 1980 and looking forward to future success with a new sessions and awards ceremony.

World Travel Leaders at WTM will take place on the WTM Global Stage on Wednesday 5 November from 4pm and will celebrate the industry’s achievements during the event’s lifetime and predict how holidaymakers will travel in the future.

World Travel Market launched in 1980 and has grown to be THE event where the industry conducts its business deals. WTM 2013 saw more than 50,000 senior industry executives attend signing business deals worth more than £2.2 billion. A highlevel panel of industry leading executives including British Airways, Chief Commercial Officer, Drew Crawley; TUI, Deputy Chief Executive, Johan Lundgren; Hilton Worldwide, Senior

Vice President and Global Head of Digital, Geraldine Calpin and Carlson Wagonlit, Senior Director, Solutions Group EMEA, Travel, Geraldine Valenti.

The panel will debate how the industry will evolve and improve over the next 35 years, with a particular focus on the European inbound and outbound markets.

The panel will then be followed by the World Travel Leaders Awards (formerly the WTM Global Awards) to recognise those individuals and organisations that have contributed the most to the global travel and tourism industry over the lifetime of WTM. The 12 awards are shortlisted by WTM’s leading media partners, with the winners chosen by an elite judging panel comprising of senior industry leaders. To continue with the celebrations of WTM’s 35th event, WTM 2014 will stay open for an extra two hours to 8pm on the Wednesday evening,

giving exhibitors the opportunity to showcase the culture and vibrancy of their destinations at the WTM Festivals. Exhibitors already signed up to showcase their destinations on the Wednesday evening include VISITFLANDERS - WTM’s Premier Partner – as they will be commemorating the 100th Anniversary of the Great War and The Caribbean Tourism Organisation with their Caribbean themed street party.

World Travel Market, Senior Director, Simon Press said: “The industry has evolved and changed almost beyond recognition over the past three and

half decades, with the advent of the internet, self-packaging and no-frills carriers among the many changes taking place.

“The next 35 years I’m sure will see an even greater pace of change. The World Travel Leaders at WTM will showcase the successes of the past 35 years through the awards, while also predicting the next three and half decades with a lively, high-level and thought-provoking panel session.”

World Travel Leaders at WTM is organised by Gisby East.

Understanding the Youth Traveller of Today at WTM 2014 W orld Travel Market is launching a new Youth Tourism programme looking at trends in the sector. Youth travel has become an increasingly important part of the global tourism industry, with youth, student and educational travel accounting for more than 20% (207 million) of all international arrivals in 2012 with expected continual growth. The sector is also estimated to have huge economic potential with a predicated market value of £193 billion by the year 2020.

The WTM Youth Tourism sessions, organised by the World Youth & Student Educational (WYSE) Travel Confederation - a global community serving 30 million young travellers worldwide each year, will take place across Tuesday 4 and Wednesday 5 November – with some of the leading executives and experts from the

Voyager’s World > October 2014

youth travel sector sharing their experience and insights.

The Tuesday 4 November session, moderated by Director of Starboard Hotels and Chair of STAYWYSE Philip Houghton, will feature a panel of industry experts discussing the emergence of brands within the Hostel sector and how new players are entering the market and challenging established operators.

Speakers include Generator Hostels Executive Chairman Carl Michel, Hostelling International Head of Sales and Marketing Stephen Lane and MENINGER Hotels Managing Director Eric van Dijk. The Wednesday 5 November session looks to explore the wants and needs of the Millennial Traveller. Four different players from the youth travelspace, including Generator Hostels’s

Michel, WYSE Director General David Chapman will discuss how to create a dialogue with youth consumers via research, social media, loyalty programmes or CRM. World Travel Market, Senior Director, Simon Press said: “Youth travel has long been one of the industry’s fastest growing sectors and I’m delighted that we have a dedicated programme for it at WTM, for the first time this year.”

“WTM have teamed up with WYSE as they look to promote and develop the multi-billion pound industry by encouraging governments to actively support and develop youth tourism products and services, I believe WTM is the ideal platform to reach out to these segments. The programme will bring a new audience to World Travel Market, while also offering existing participants vital information to help grow their businesses.”

Pune

: 21, 22, 23 November 2014

Hyderabad : 28, 29, 30 November 2014 Kochi

: 16, 17, 18 January 2015

Kolkata

: 20, 21,22 February 2015

A spectacular showcase to stimulate the domestic and International travel industry.

More customers, business improvement strategies, star status, wide audience and extra mileage.

Everything to lead your business to non-stop activity - only at IITM. Discover a great new potential and reap greater profits.

Real excitement, as you’ve always desired!

Hospitality

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RCI celebrates 40 years of operation in Goa with 200 leading players IRENE SUSAN EAPEN

R

CI India recently organized a timeshare conference along with their celebration of 40 years of operations at Holiday Inn, Cavelossim, Goa. The event witnessed a presence of over 200 leading players from the travel & tourism industry.

The RCI focused on the theme Imagine Possibilities for the conference and discussions about the growing affluent consumer base in the Indian middle class, setting up of a strong regulatory body, where the rights of consumers are protected and adhered to by all the industry players and the increasing supply to fulfill demand of consumers who take shorter breaks throughout the year and how the fluctuation in airfares is triggering a trend of drive to holidays.

Followed by the signing of an agreement with The Rangers Reserve at Jim Corbett National Park & RCI India at the RCI Timeshare Conference in Goa in the presence of Pali S. Badwal, Managing Director, RCI India Pvt. Ltd, Gregg Anderson, Global Vice President, The Registry Collection, Sean Lowe - Managing Director RCI Europe, Middle East, Africa, Atul Sharma, CMD, Club Group of Hotels.

RCI has over 135 resorts in India and over 4500 resorts in more than 100 countries as the travel trends of

Indians has changed in the past few years hence the need for newer destinations is on the rise in the Indian sub continent.

Drive into your Destination is the new trend in India where one can drive to their destination of their choice with last minute confirmed hotel bookings. Some of the new emerging destinations are Kanha, Bandhavgarh, North-East region, Karwar and Ganpatipule where travelers are ready to explore new destinations.

Pali S. Badwal, Managing Director, RCI India Pvt. Ltd said, “The booming travel & tourism industry in India offers many opportunities not only for the traveler, but also for travel organizers. RCI is committed to enhancing the growing requirement of this timeshare industry. The future is bright for India as the Indian consumers understand the benefits of victory and with the impact of social media. We are keen in bringing destinations to consumers who want to experience a lot of things in a short period.

Sean Lowe, Managing Director RCI Europe, Middle East, Africa and India says, “RCI happened very quickly in India and has over 100,000 members in India. The travel market over last year witnessed strong domestic products and has been successful

in India. Some of the main factors in India include the budget airlines, new networks, modern credit system, urbanization and legislation in comparison with India’s high inflation and population, RCI is over 100 countries with 3.7 million members.

“India is the third highest market for timeshare and the potential market for timeshare,”says, Raju Shahani, Christel House Learning Centre.

Gregg Anderson, Global Vice President, The Registry Collection, said, “The registry collection is a unique group for members that are highly educated and wealthy.”

Some of the eminent speakers shared their vision on the vacation industry in India, timeshare regulations around the world, investments in the industry and future development of resorts in the 21st Century. The prominent panelists at the sessions included Sean Lowe - Managing Director RCI Europe, Middle East, Africa and India; Gregg Anderson, Global Vice President, The Registry Collection, Dimitris Manikis, VP Business Development RCI Europe, Middle East & Africa; Arun K. Nanda, Chairman, Mahindra Holidays and Resorts India Ltd. & Mahindra Life space Developers Ltd; Ramesh Ramanathan, Managing Director, Sterling Holiday Resorts India Ltd.

Hilton Honors ties up with AirAsia BIG VW BUREAU

H

ilton HHonorsTM loyalty programme entered into an agreement with AirAsia BIG to allow members of both the former and the latter to earn BIG Points and HHonors Points when they stay at any of the over 4,200 hotels and timeshare properties within the Hilton Portfolio around the globe.

“The low-cost carrier sector, particularly in Asia, is experiencing strong growth with massive demand driven by fast-growing economies and rising intra-regional travel,” said Mark Weinstein, Vice President, Commercial Services Strategy, Loyalty Programs & Partnerships, Hilton Worldwide. “We continue to build upon our pioneer-

Voyager’s World > October 2014

ing spirit in being the first global hospitality company to form a strategic alliance with a key regional carrier’s loyalty programme which rewards our Hilton HHonors members with twice the number of BIG Points.”

With this partnership, members of both programmes can earn 10 HHonors Base Points plus two BIG Points for every US dollar spent during their stay at any hotel in the Hilton Portfolio.

Members staying at Hampton by Hilton are eligible to earn up to 200 BIG Points.

“TAirAsia BIG has landed in India, serving Indian travellers an alternative way

to fly for free. At the same time, we have partnered with Hilton Worldwide.

AirAsia BIG members or BIG shots can earn BIG Points from stays at the Hilton Portfolio, also AirAsia flight purchases, AirAsia flight ancillaries’ purchases and more. BIG shots can then use BIG Points to redeem free AirAsia flights to over 100 destinations,” said

Loh Wai Meng, Chief Operating Officer, AirAsia BIG. “In conjunction with the arrival of BIG in India, AirAsia BIG is offering a flight promotion from Bangalore to Chennai, Jaipur, Chandigarh and more from as low as 500 BIG Points, redemption period from now till 5 October for travel period of 13 October 2014 to 31 March 2015.”

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Odisha

ODISHA: LAYING CLAIM TO a glorious history AND RICH HERITAGE

Odisha is home to several historical monuments and heritage sites that have stood tall against the test of time.

VW BUREAU

Bhubaneswar Bhubaneswar, the capital of Orissa, is also popularly known as the “Temple City of India”. Being the seat of Tribhubaneswar or ‘Lord Lingaraj’, Bhubaneswar is an important Hindu pilgrimage centre. Hundreds of temples dot the landscape of the Old Town, which once boasted of more than 2000 temples.

Bhubaneswar is the place where temple building activities of Orissan style flowered from its very inception to its fullest culmination extending over a period of over one thousand years.

The new Bhubaneswar with its modern buildings and extensive infrastructure perfectly complements its historic surroundings. With facilities to cater to every type of visitor, Bhubaneswar makes an ideal tourist destination.

Chilka Queen of natural beauty, Chilka, the largest brackish water lake in Asia covering an area of over 1,100 sq. km is a great attraction for the tourists for fishing, bird watching and boating. In winter Chilka flutters with thousands of indigenous and migratory birds of many varieties from far and near - even from the distant Siberia. The fabulous beauty of Chilka which has inspired poets to sing its glory and which can be best enjoyed from Balugaon, Barkul, Rambha and Satpada must be seen to be believed. One can also have a glimpse of the lake from the moving trains and vehicles on the road near these places. The atmosphere is just serene and undisturbed amidst the blue expanse of water on one side and an evergreen range of hills on the other. Dotted with a host of islands with romantic names, a cruise in Chilka will be a life-long memory.

Konark The magnificent Sun Temple at Konark is the culmination of Odishan temple architecture, and one of the most stunning monuments of religious architecture in the world. The poet Rabindranath Tagore said of Konark that ‘here the language of stone surpasses the language of man’, and it is true that the experience of Konark is impossible to translate into words.

The massive structure, now in ruins, sits in solitary splendour surrounded by drifting sand. Today it is located two kilometers from the sea, but originally the ocean came almost up to its base. Until fairly recent times, in fact, the temple was close enough to the shore to be used as a navigational point by European sailors, who referred to it as the ‘Black Pagoda’.

Puri Jagannath The temple of Lord Jagannath (‘Lord of the Universe’) at Puri is one of the most sacred pilgrimage spots in India, one of the four abodes (dhamas) of the divine that lie on the four directions of the compass. The present temple structure was built in the 12t century by the Ganga king, Chodagangadeva, replacing an earlier structure which probably dated to the tenth century.

Long before one reaches Puri, the 214 feet (65 meters) spire of the temple can be seen towering over the countryside. This visual dominance is symbolic of the influence which the temple commands over almost every aspect of life in Puri.

With 6000 direct temple servitors, a temple kitchen which feeds 10,000 people daily and a central deity who has become the focus of religious life throughout Odisha, the Jagannath temple is truly an institution unique in the world.

www.voyagersworld.in

IITM

glimpses of india international travel mart (iitm) gurgaon 2014

glimpses of iitm Mumbai 2014

Voyager’s World > October 2014

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MP TRAVEL MART

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‘Madhya Pradesh Travel Mart 2014’ concludes with resounding success ROHIT HANGAL

Here is what some of the International Hosted Buyers, Domestic buyers and Sellers from Madhya had to say: RAS INTERNATIONAL TOURS – MEXICO Reuvel Saghi • Good level of suppliers / good information. Getting to know new destinations and properties.

T

he ‘Madhya Pradesh Travel Mart’ spread over three days, from 17 – 19 October at the Palash Residency, Bhopal, showcased the tourism attractions of the state that would lead to an enhanced brand image as a destination. ‘Destination Madhya Pradesh’ got together all stakeholders of the tourism industry in the state such as hoteliers, travel agents & tour operators, adventure tour operators, tourism districts, handicrafts and handlooms, cuisine, etc It was the biggest travel event in Central India and it being the inaugural edition had over 115 Buyers and Media from over 10 countries. There were over 2000 B2B appointments with tour operators from USA, UK, Australia, Russia, Ukraine, Germany, Hungary, Mexico, Poland, Singapore, Sri Lanka, India etc.

The travel mart saw the participation from sectors of Wildlife Resorts & Camps, Buddhist destinations, Hotels and resorts, Adventure Tour operators, Luxury Hotels, etc. Domestic Tour Operators came from all over India, with buyers from major markets

such as Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Kolkata, Nagpur and emerging markets such as Bangalore, Hyderabad, Pune, etc. Post event familiarization tours were organized to major Tourist attractions such as Kanha, Bandhavgarh, Sanchi, Bembetka, Ujjain, Mandu, etc.

Over 800 applicants for Domestic Hosted Buyers and over 280 applicants for International Hosted Buyer segments. This indicates the growing interest in the Madhya Pradesh from the travel-trade. Nearly 400 Trade – Buyers registered online and on-site, making it the most visited trade event in Central India.

Networking being one of the key part of business these days, MP Travel Mart provided four social networking opportunities for stake holders from Madhya Pradesh to interact and do business with Tour Operators from India and abroad.

Local Cuisine showcased, winning appreciation from travel partners from across the world.

AVION HOLIDAYS – UK Roger Moniz • A well planned and excellent event! I was able to meet with number of exhibitors and I believe I can have a long-term relationship with them. Almost all were good.

NEW EXCLUSIVE DESTINATION PTE LTD., MUCHHALA RAHIB – SINGAPORE • Very well organized. Keep up the good work you have started.

YASHODA TOURS & TRAVELS - AURANGABAD Sunil Agarwal • The event was very good. Under one roof, we could interact with the whole Madhya Pradesh.

CENIN TRAVELS – NAGPUR Bhusan Paul • Experience was good. Fully satisfied, though it was organized for the first time. Organized very well. Interacted with Exhibitors for more information.

PARSHAWANATH TRAVELS – AHMEDABAD Urmil Shah • Suppliers and sellers from Bandhavgarh, Kanha, Bhopal, Indore, Pench were very prominent and helpful. Every part of the exhibition were very useful.

AMAR MAHAL • Everything is perfect. This is a good step taken by MP Tourism and it is definitely going to strengthen tourism in the MP State. B2B is also good. The time and the space given were very useful. Will come back again next year, if it is organized in the same manner.

www.voyagersworld.in

Medical Tourism

34>>

Travel agents to be facilitators in medical tourism IN INDIA Travel agents play an important role in medical tourism.

Š Columbia Asia Hospitals

IRENE SUSAN EAPEN

I Vinay KauL Vice President Sales and Marketing Columbia Asia Hospital

The international medical tourists contributes 10-12% of revenue andin-house team assists the patient through all formalities and services.

Voyager’s World > October 2014

ndia is one of the medical tourism destinations in Asia with cost effective quality treatments, the number of specialists for various treatments that includes Ayurveda and Yoga. According to the FICCI-KPMG Report 2014 on Medical Value Travel, the Indian medical tourism market is expected to expand at a CAGR of 27 per cent to reach USD3.9 billion in 2014, from USD1.9 billion in 2011 with inflow of medical tourists expected to cross 320 million by 2015 compared to 85 million in 2012.

The percentage of occupancy of medical tourists in hospitals and hotels have been increasing especially in large hospitals like Apollo, Fortis, Columbia Asia Hospital and, Manipal Health Enterprises, India. The average stays of the medical tourists are generally on the treatments one has to undergo for 2-3 weeks while the stay can be extended to months. Although the travel agents are well connected and are an important part of medical tourism. The travel agents specializing in medical tourism are sometimes medical facilitators and

also work closely with hospitals and hotels.

Hospitals Percentage of Medical tourists Vinay Kaul, VP. Sales and Marketing, Columbia Asia Hospital says the international patient business contributes 10-12% of revenue at Columbia Asia Hospitals.

Benny Charles Daniel Head, International Business, Manipal Health Enterprises, India states that people travelling from other countries with the primary purpose of medical tourism are considered to be 1%. The medical tourists and people travelling from other countries with primary purpose of medical treatment are 2022%.

Average Stay Vinay explains that the average length of the patients stay depends on the cases and also on the severity of the medical problem. However, the average length of stay is 10 days that includes post-discharge stay. We have many patients for renal and liver

Medical Tourism

© Manipal Hospitals

35>>

Renu Varghese, General Manage Ramada Encore Bangalore Domlur Singapore and Bangalore offers the best quality of hospitals and the success rate in medical tourism is very high. transplantations, for such cases the approximate stay are 8 weeks at our hospitals.

Benny says that an average duration of stay is 9 days and the number of persons per family per room while staying for treatments are Africa – 2, Middle East – 3, South East Asia – 2 and Oceania – 2.

Vinay said that we work with medical tourism companies who may recommend their clients for medical treatment at our hospitals. We have an in-house team that assists the patient and their companion through all formalities and services. The services include the pick-up of the patient from the airport, treatment, post discharge arrangements, visa extensions, FRRO formalities and departure etc.

“Manipal Hospitals is tied up with various accommodation options like luxury hotels, service apartments, guest houses, etc at preferential rates that we share with the patients for their convenience, we assist the patients in bookings as well as per their require-

ments,” added Benny.

Top five countries Vinay said: We receive patients from Africa, Middle East, SAARC region and have also treated many patients from the US, UK and Australia.

In the opinion of Benny the top five countries in medical tourism are Iraq, Nigeria, Rwanda, Tanzania and Oman Special fares at Hospitals Vinay says that we have created special packages at our hospitals for various treatment options like the special privileges for our International patients that include complimentary airport transfers and facilitation services, preference booking for hospitals rooms and guest house, in-room WIFI/ Internet access, hassle-free in-room in-patient registration to avoid waiting at the time of admission, frequent medical updates and video calls to family and friends back home, on patient’s written consent and request, language interpretation services, made to order cuisine, the cashless insurance facility with all the

leading international insurance companies like BUPA International, Vanbreda, BCBS, Aetna, Axa Assistance, Cigna, etc. The convenient payment gateways, special discounted rates for pre-admission and post discharge stay at hospitals designated for guest house/hotel as per preference and budget.

Benny explains the special fares towards accommodation options are food & beverage and translators, complementary services and for pre arrival. The Manipal Hospital International Patient Care center can assist one with cost approximations, information about out hospital, doctor’s opinion on treatment plan and the proposed duration of stay for any medical conditions. For visa assistance the Manipal International Patient care can assist the medical tourists with required documents from the hospital end to apply for the medical visa. The case coordinator can assist the medical tourists to schedule appointment with doctor in Manipal Hospital, prior to their arrival.

“The Manipal International Patient Care has a series of hotels/ serviced apartments / guest houses / 5 star hotels on their preferred network to ensure that the patients and their relatives have a pleasant experience. The Manipal International Patient Care can arrange for the airport pickup facility (Either an ambulance / ICU Ambulance or a private vehicle) based on the patient’s medical condition as per the date of arrival. The Manipal International Patient Care has over 40 International insurance companies that can facilitate the International patient team with insurance so as to facilitate cash less treatment and offers language assistance services for over 30 languages,” he added.

Hotels Occupancy of Medical Tourists Vineet Arora, Executive Vice President – Marketing & Sales ,Treehouse Hotels states that the Treehouse Queens Pearl, Business Hotel is located a very good proximity to hospitals in Gurgaon which is 2 Kms from the world renowned Medanta Medicity and 6 kms from Artemis Hospital with

www.voyagersworld.in

Medical Tourism

© Royal Orchid Hotels

36>>

C.K.Baljee, M.D Royal Orchid Hotels The average percntage of medical tourism is 5% to 8% and the average duration of stay spans a week to 15 days.

about 15-17% of average occupancy from the medical tourism sector.

C.K.Baljee, Managing Director, Royal Orchid Hotels says the average occupancy is between 5% to 8% of medical tourists.

In the opinion of Vinesh Gupta, General Manager, Moevenpick Hotel and Spa Bangalore, India is one amongst 3 leading destinations for medical

tourism in Asia. We have approximately 2-3% of our total occupancy from medical tourism with Bangalore emerging as one of the preferred cities for medical care in the country.

Renu Varghese, General Manager, Ramada Encore Bangalore Domlur stated that we have 10% of our occupancy from Manipal and HCG hospitals.

Arya Srini Rao, General Manager, Sterlings Mac Hotel says we have currently occupancy of around 15% of the guests while accompanying partners, relatives or friends who stay in the property.

Duration of stay Vineet says that the minimum stay of guests taking treatments from Hospitals in Gurgaon stay one week with 2 to 3 members of the family who generally stay in each room.

Arya Srini Rao,General Manager,The Sterling Mac Hotel The occupancy of medical tourism is around 15%, the average stay a week and a double occupancy per family.

Voyager’s World > October 2014

The average duration of stay spans between a week to 15 days or more,” added C.K.Baljee In the opinion of Vinesh the average length of stay is 5 nights and above, however this varies as per nature of treatment.

Arya said: The average stay of the guests are for a week and generally on double occupancy per family and

Medical Tourism

© Columbia Asia Hospitals

37>>

Vineet Arora, Executive Vice President – Marketing & Sales, Treehouse Hotels The Treehouse Queens Pearl, Business Hotel offers good proximity to hospitals in Gurgaon with about 15-17% of average occupancy from the medical tourism sector.

depends on the treatment.

Renu states that Ramada Encore Bangalore is extremely hygienic and known for cleanliness. We also have special services for medical tourists specified by the hospitals. We have had tourists coming from HCG Hospital for surgery and Manipal hospitals for aliments like cancer. The medical tourists are from Middle East and South Africa, the family stays for 3 to 4 months.

“We get the bookings directly from the representatives from the hospitals and not sourced bookings from travel agents specializing in Medical Tourism, although we are definitely open in exploring this option,” added Vineet. Baljee says that we work very closely with hospitals.

Travel Agents role in Medical Tourism Vinesh explains that we recognise the

role of travel agents and travel desk implants play in ensuring tourists who travel for treatment have a fruitful trip and a seamless experience. We have extended special long staying guest packages designed specifically for this purpose which extends value add benefits such as lowest available rate for room, airport transfers etc. We believe the travel partners work with hotels to extend a seamless experience and genuine care of tourists, hence

the primary focus remains value pricing that provides personalized care and efficient service.

Arya says that we have tied up with a couple of agents who deal with medical tourism to get these clients and pay commission for the bookings.

Renu said that we have been working with a couple of travel agents in Dubai and are also in direct contact with the

Vinesh Gupta, General Manager, Moevenpick Hotel and Spa Bangalore India is one amongst 3 leading destinations for Medical tourism in Asia, Bangalore emerges as one of the preferred cities for medical care in the country. The role of travel agents and travel desk ensures medical tourists a fruitful trip and a seamless experience. www.voyagersworld.in

Medical Tourism

38>>

Benny Charles Daniel Head International Business,Manipal Health Enterprises, India People travelling from other countries with the primary purpose of tourism are considered to be 1%. The medical tourists travelling from other countries with primary purpose of medical treatment are 20-22%.

PRO’s of hospitals as per the proximity and the quality of the hotel.

Top five countries Our tourists who take treatments at hospitals in Gurgaon are majorly from Afghanistan, Nigeria, Uzbekistan & Kenya, said Vineet.

We have medical tourists coming from Africa, Dubai, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Pakistan, added Baljee.

Vinesh says that we have noticed a trend that majority of travellers come from Middle East and United Kingdom.

Arya states that the Middle East is the major clientele for our hotel(Dubai, Qatar, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Saudi Arabia etc and at times we have some guests from European Union.

Renu explains that Singapore and Bangalore has the best quality of hospitals. The success rate in medical tourism is very high.

Special fares or benefits Vineet says, we have a special rate plan for Medical tourisms and also offer complimentary pickup & drop from and to the hospital. Our chefs are also trained to serve special food according to their need or preferences.

We have special care of guests for medical treatment with diet menu recommended by doctor and also have rooms for the special people, “added Baljee.

Vinesh said that we customize stay requirements taking into account specific dietary requirements, special rates for local transfers, extended checkout timings, special bed arrangements, planning housekeeping services as per guest’s routine etc.

Arya states that we offer special packages to the accompanying family and relatives such as the meal plan will breakfast & dinner, half day sightseeing packages, special offer on Salon and Spa facilities etc.

Renu explains that Ramada offers special diets for medical tourists and user friendly rooms, special assistance, single diet for all services. We have a 24 hr car in standby mode in case of any emergency throughout the year. Medical tourism doesn’t have a season as there is no Sunday and Saturday scenario.

Occupancy of tourists According to the FICCI-KPMG Report 2014 on Medical Value Travel, the Global Medical Value Tourism (‘MVT’) is a USD 10.5 billion industry, rising at a CAGR of 17.9% and estimated to grow to USD 32.5 billion over the next 5 years. However, in-spite of inherent comparative and competitive strengths, India attracts less than 3 percent of medical tourism traffic.

“The travel agents coordinate with various hospitals for the treatment and with various hotels for a comfortable and affordable stay of the medical tourists for post-operative care in any country. The travel agents are engaged in seamlessly managing the medical travelers’ treatment experience in hospitals and additionally offering sight-seeing and local travel arrangements for the patient, apart from the flight arrangements. The role could further extend to arranging doctor consultations, surgery appointments, and securely transferring medical reports like X-rays, MRIs, etc. to the foreign affiliates,” she said.

Shobha Mishra Ghosh, Senior Director, FICCI, states that the hospitals in India are focusing strategically on increasing the percentage of occupancy by medical tourists, approximately 30-35 percent occupancy is estimated in large hospitals like Apollo, Fortis, etc, the localized hospitals such as Medanta Medicity in Gurgaon, Ruby Hall in Pune, Lilawati in Mumbai report an occupancy in the range of 15-20 percent.

“The hotels and travel agents closely work in tandem with the hospitals since these hospitals have special foreign patients wing. The hospitals tie up with these travel agents, hotels and airlines to give a single window service to the medical travelers. It has also been observed that as a trend, hospitals and hotels also offer their agents a commission for bringing in business. Most well established hospitals and hotels have alliances with travel agents. This not only helps enhance the medical travelers’ experience by making it hassle free, but also helps hospitals and hotels gain business,” she added.

“The average duration of stay for treatments in India depends on the type of treatment that the patient is availing, India’s strength in cardiology the treatment procedure includes 2-3 weeks as an optimal range. For treatment of diseases that need extensive therapy, the stay may extend to months, “she added.

Travel Agents Facilitators Shobha says the travel agents specializing in niche medical tourism area is closely associated with both hospitals and hotels and also at times act as medical facilitators. The travel agents form an important part of the medical tourism industry and acts as the link between medical travelers and hospitals, hotels and airlines. The travel agents are globally well connected and also recognized by various countries’ tourism boards as valid travel agents.

Voyager’s World > October 2014

Expected growth of Medical Tourism in India According to the FICCI-KPMG Report 2014 on Medical Value Travel, the Indian medical tourism market is expected to expand at a CAGR of 27 per cent to reach USD3.9 billion in 2014, from USD1.9 billion in 2011 with inflow of medical tourists expected to cross 320 million by 2015 compared to 85 million in 2012. India has a high value proposition in terms of cost effective quality healthcare, pool of specialists, no language problems and availability of alternate treatment options such as Ayurveda and Yoga.

Top 10 countries in Medical Tourism The top 10 countries in medical tourism are Thailand, Mexico, USA, Singapore, India, Malaysia, Brazil, Turkey, Taiwan and Costa Rica.

Festival Watch

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Festivals of 07 - 09 October 2014

Through 30 November, 2014

Nagasaki Kunchi Festival Suwa Shrine, Nagasaki City

Harvest display Las Vegas

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17 October to 9 November, 2014

30 October to 2 November 2014

Sun Moon Lake Festival Taiwan

Hong Kong Wine & Dine Festival Hong Kongs

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his autumn festival is held annually as per the solar calendar, drawing large numbers of tourists from inside and outside Nagasaki Prefecture. The highlight is the Hono-Odori in which the towns in charge called Odori-cho, take turns every year to perform dances.

Each Odori-cho takes charge once every seven years. Attractions prepared by the Odori-cho include dazzling floats shaped like river barges or Chinese boats on wheels. When the decorations arrive at the head of the parade, spectators call out “Come quickly, we’re waiting!,” etc.

he Sun Moon Lake International Music & Fireworks Festival is one of Taiwan’s most celebrated annual events. Co-hosted by North Face, Taiwan Mobile and Sun Moon Lake National Scenic Area Administration, the festivities will begin from 17 October to 9 November. Six lakeshore concerts will include a diverse range of performances by Taiwanese singers, large symphony orchestras and native Taiwanese opera troupes. The performances will be followed by a sizzling fireworks display.

Voyager’s World > October 2014

ellagio’s Conservatory & Botanical Gardens welcomes the arrival of fall with scenery, scents and sounds that celebrate the crisp season. On display through November 30, the harvest show features fall favorites including pumpkins of all shapes and sizes, oversized orange-yellow leaves as well as more than 51,000 seasonal flowers. Two live 45-minute musical performances take place daily from 4:30 - 5:15 p.m. and 5:45 - 6:30 p.m., filling Bellagio’s Conservatory with sounds of violins, harps and flutes.

resented by the Hong Kong Tourism Board, the festival will be held at the New Central Harbourfront, offering the perfect backdrop of Victoria Harbour in the heart of the city.

There you can graze among around 300 booths, sampling international dishes and wine from over 15 countries. Exciting elements include the “Tasting Room”, in which exclusive wine talks will be held and delicacies created by top chefs will be served.

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Festival Watch

the World 24 - 27 October, 2014

28 November, 2014

Bram Stoker Festival Dublin

6ABC Dunkin' Donuts Thanksgiving Day Parade Philadelphia

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22 - 24 November, 2014

4 - 13 December, 2014

Jazzercise Live Hiroshima 2014 Japan

2014 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo Las Vegas, NV

Jazzercise Japan is hosting Jazzercise Live Hiroshima 2014, an international fitness celebration. Up to 10,000 Jazzercise enthusiasts from 10 countries are expected to gather in Hiroshima (the “International City of Peace and Culture”) for this event, commemorating Jazzercise Japan’s 30th anniversary and Jazzercise Inc.’s 45th anniversary. Attendees will experience the joy of dancing and exercising to music with fellow enthusiasts. This is the first time that a Jazzercise Live event will be held in Japan.

The National Finals Rodeo, organized by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA), is the premier championship rodeo event in the United States. Sponsored by Wrangler Jeans, this 10-day event showcases the talents the top 15 contestants in bareback riding, steer wrestling, team roping, saddle bronc riding, tie-down roping, barrel racing and bull riding as they compete for the world title. Thousands of rodeo enthusiasts decked out in Wrangler jeans, Justin boots and cowboy hats fill hotels, casinos, restaurants, etc.

othic ghouls, marauding vampires and dancing zombies are just some of the creatures that will prowl the streets of Dublin , Ireland during the Bram Stoker Festival. Inspired by the Dublin-born horror novelist and his creation – Count Dracula – the festival returns this year with the aim of awakening the city’s gothic heart. This festival will encompass indoor and outdoor events, from spectacles to intimate performances in unusual spaces, film and literary presentations, concerts, cooker, etc.

hiladelphia’s Thanksgiving Parade is the oldest in the country and a true Philadelphia tradition that takes place in the Benjamin Franklin Park. The city streets make way for massive floats and giant balloons, plus local performers from choirs, dance groups, marching bands and more. And Santa himself arrives in grand fashion, ushering Philadelphia into the holiday season. Now in its 95th year, the annual Thanksgiving Day parade promises another visual as well as celebratory feast.

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UAE

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Dubai records 16% growth in Indian arrivals, reveals new projects in the pipeline.

The Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM), Dubai led a delegation of representatives from the Emirate’s tourism industry to key metro cities across India, to enlighten the travel trade on its initiatives.

VW BUREAU Bonton Tours & Travels, Atlantis - The Palm, Discovery Travel and Tourism, Joher Travels and Tourism, Kempinski Hotel Mall of the Emirates, Lama Desert Tourism, Ramada Plaza - Jumeirah Beach, Royal Arabian Tours, Travco Travel, Warwick Hotel Dubai, White Sands Tours & Travel & Yoko Tourism.

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he 17-member Dubai delegation comprised hotels, resorts, hotel apartments, attractions and destination management companies. The delegation at the roadshows included Emirates Airlines, Sofitel - The Palm,

The programme for the workshops included presentations by officials of Dubai Tourism, Emirates Airlines, Sofitel The Palm, Bonton Tours & Travels in addition to detailed networking sessions between the Dubai delegation and leaders of the Indian travel trade community.

Hoor Mohammad Noor Al Khaja, Head of Region at Dubai Tourism, said: “We are excited about conducting our multi-city B2B roadshows in

India. India is a very lucrative market and we are aware of the potential it holds in terms of inbound visitor traffic into Dubai. We are thus happy to be tapping this important market through our unique B2B workshop.

Our delegation comprising 17 organizations is supported by our co-sponsors such as Emirates Airlines, Sofitel The Palm, Dubai and Bonton Tours & Travels.”

Carl Vaz, Director - DTCM India said: “Our key market segments this year are leisure group series departures and the family segment in addition to niche segments comprising weddings / honeymoon, school groups, adventure / sport and luxury seekers and single women travellers who will be heading for the Dubai Shopping Festival 2015. More-so with the re-

cent announcement of multiple entry visas, we have opened a new avenue for travellers to take in regional cruise options.”

From 2012 to 2013, India showed a growth of 16% with the arrivals standing at 888,835 last year. In the first half of 2014, the figures stand at 491161, which is a 3% growth over H1 of 2013 (478398). These figures are made up of only tourists and not the VFR segment. New events that will be packaged for customers include Dubai Motor Fest, Food Fest, music events, IPL, Dubai Festival of Lights and so on. Carl said that DTCM was workign with industry partners to identify tourist needs. “There is a new legislation for licensed holiday homes, e-permit and ticketing system, etc.”

123,000 Indian arrivals into Sharjah The figures showed a growth of 41% over the previous year, says HE Khalid Jasim Al Midfa, Director General, Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority, while reiterating on why one must visit the Emirate.

PRIYAMVADHA BALARAM Bangalore. The delegation included Golden Tulip and Hotel Copthorne which held presentations for media and tourism industry besides individual interactions and meetings with industry players. Sachin Nene, Area Manager- India, Air Arabia also participated in the event.

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harjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority recently organized a roadshow in India from 15 – 22 September, 2014. Hosted in association with Air Arabia, the campaign saw Sharjah being showcased as the Islamic Culture Capital for Year 2014, promoting the Emirate in Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Chennai and

Voyager’s World > October 2014

Speaking on the occasion, HE Khalid Jasim Al Midfa, Director General, Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority, said that India was one of the most crucial and promising tourism markets for Sharjah and the emirate annually attracts thousands of tourists from the country.

Sharjah received more than 123,010 visitors from India last year, recording a growth of 41% over the previous year. This includes business, VFR s and tourists.

Speaking about the India roadshow,

Al Midfa said that the promotional campaign being held in five major metros of the country is special as it was held at a time when the Emirate was celebrated as the Islamic Culture Capital for 2014 by the OIC member states and the Emirate was preparing for celebrations as the Arab Tourism Capital next year.

The Emirate boasts of 19 museums, art and culture events, family and tourism festivals, luxurious hotels and beach resorts, landscapes and other attractions. Sharjah has a thriving manufacturing sector and worldclass MICE facilities.

What to do in Sharjah Al Midfa said that for someone who is visiting Sharjah for the first time should spend at least a week as there is a calendar full of events to keep one engaged. “We have a lot of events throughout the year and often try to ensure they do not overlap. We

will soon launch a new portal and a mobile application to help plan one’s day. The app will give information on what tourists can do based on his or her interests and options will be generated accordingly.”

The app will have GPS, locationbased information, recommendations and estimated costs; in short, it is your day planner.

USP With the theme of Sharjah being ‘Share the culture’, Al Midfa revealed that His Highness seeks to promote the Emirate in terms of its culture and make sure that every visitor learns something from them during their trip. “Our culture is reflected in our day-to-day life, in our infrastructure, architecture, traditions and what not.” Apart from that, Sharjah has a lot of beaches on the West and the East coast, safaris, old souks, museums and malls.

India Outbound

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Oman Tourism organizes Discover Oman ProgramME

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man Tourism recently organized a FAM trip for 60 Indian travel agents and tour operators as part of the Discover Oman Programme from 14 – 20 September from Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Pune and Hyderabad.

The Discover Oman specialist training programme was launched in 2011; it offered the agents online and offline trainings and continues to be active through product trainings and webinars. The success and feedback over the years encouraged the Ministry of Tourism to extend it.

The group travelled on Oman Air and was handled by Oman World Tourism, Zahara Tours, Tour Oman, Elite Travel & Tours, Gulf Ventures and Bahwan Travels. The trip highlighted on Muscat, Nizwa, Sharqiyah Sands, Sur and Ras Al Jinz to discover the culture, landscape, monuments and cuisine of Oman.The 5N/6D itinerary offered the travel agents with all the information and experiences required to be a true Oman specialist and promote the destination effectively to leisure and MICE groups, site inspections at properties as Shangri-La’s Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa, Hormuz Grand

Hotel, Al Falaj Hotel, Al Bustan Palace - A Ritz Carlton Hotel, Al Nahda Resort, Wadi Shab Resort, Sur Plaza Hotel, Sahab Hotel, The Jungle Restaurant, On the Rocks lounge and dolphin watching with Sidab Tours.

There was a B2B session, followed by networking with travel & tourism representatives in Oman, hotels, attractions and DMCs. Her Excellency Maitha Al Mahrouqi, Undersecretary, Ministry of Tourism, Oman said: “The Indian market represents a great potential for Oman. The passenger numbers have been on a

steady increase since the launch of Oman Tourism representative office in 2010. Visitors from India enjoy beach resorts, mountains and deserts, as well scuba dive along the coastline.”

Lubaina Sheerazi, India Representative, Ministry of Tourism, Oman said, “A thorough knowledge of Oman and all that it has to offer are of fundamental importance in promoting the destination to the appropriate tourists/clients. We decided to organize this mega FAM for the travel agents to give a brief understanding about the diversity of the destination.”

TAT PROMOTES Luxury TRAVEL in Bangalore & Ahmedabad Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT)inspires the luxury travellers of Bangalore and Ahmedabad VW BUREAU

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AT Mumbai organized the second edition of A Luxury Showcase on 15 October at the YMCA Ahmedabad and on 17 October at The Leela Bangalore offering travel planners with key partnerships across accommodation and local attractions.

Soraya Homchuen, Director, TAT Mumbai said “ Thailand offers accommodation from luxury services across 5-star international and Thai brands, boutique properties, private beach resorts and sky villas to suit every luxury-seeker’s tastes, as the luxury travellers are well-travelled and seeks out authentic local experiences, culture, and heritage and often wants to touch, see and feel something that their peers have not ,Thailand’s rich cultural heritage and the country’s vastness and variety leave much of it ripe for exploration.”

“Golfers are keen on taking a swing on Thailand’s greens, gourmets want to sample and learn the intricacies of Thai cuisine while the diving enthusiasts want to explore Thailand’s lesser-known dive sites.

The nature lovers want to become one with Mother Nature at National Parks and Private Island. This event has geared travel agents to service the needs of a luxury tourist who wants to see a very different Thailand than the budget tourist,” she added.

Over a dozen suppliers across hotels, attractions and local tour partners networked with the local trade.

TAT’s annual roadshow updates the key markets across target segments also visited this high yielding market in February this year.

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India Outbound

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Tourism authority of thailand expects 1 million visitors by 2014 end!

Soraya Homchuen, Director, Tourism Authority of Thailand, Mumbai says Thailand is a destination with good hospitality and a place for everyone in experiencing sports activities, wellness and Spa. IRENE SUSAN EAPEN marketing with travel agents in tier 2 and tier 3 cities.

Growth in Indian Market We have witnessed 6, 80935 visitors from India between January to September 2014 and are expecting a growth of 1 million by the year end.

Segments We are focusing on the high end Indian tourists to spend their holidays

in terms of wellness, spa and beauty care. We are also offering new experiences like learning Thai and cooking classes. One can indulge in some of the soft adventures like self drive, diving and big bike tours plus golf tourism as we have a number of golf courses in Thailand. Hua Hin is well known for destination weddings and

Pattaya is also targeting on the segment. Some of the leisure travellers can organize parties and special occasions in Thailand.

Promotional Plans Tourism Authority of Thailand promotions are more on e marketing through the social media and joint

New Destinations Some of our new destinations include Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai while the beach destinations are Koh Samet Island in Rayong province which is one hour from Pattaya, Koi Samui in the East coast, Krabi in the South and Phang Nga in North of Puket, Khao Lak in South of Thailand. We are expecting more tourists in Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai .The Sukhothai and Ayutthaya kingdom are the former capital cities of Thailand that showcases heritage sites and main attractions of Thailand. The Sukhothai will be organizing the candle night festival Loi Krathong on 6th November 2014 on a full moon night and the Songkran festival the New Year celebration of Thailand in April.

Online Travel

Tripaang.com: Redefining authentic holiday planning

We offer offbeat getaways in South India, while striving to ensure that expectations are met and exceeded as implied at the time of booking, says its Co-Founder, Madhuri Aragam.

PRIYAMVADHA BALARAM How does Tripaang help transform travel experiences?

Tripaang believes that a holiday is a priceless experience. We understand the cluster of thoughts and set a journey suited to the needs of a traveller, so that they experience the best travel destinations in South India without having to do the ground work themselves. With us, a traveller has nothing to worry about except about how best to regale the story of his great vacation to friends and family.

We provide a complete and honest breakdown of the pricing of the niche segmented resorts, homestays, boutique hotels that South India has to offer. With every booking through Tri-

Voyager’s World > October 2014

paang, our customers avail a definite discount and simple online transactions to confirm the stay. We’re also flexible with changes in travel itineraries.

Being a part of the travel industry we cater to resorts/homestays/plantation stays needs in terms of photography, visual tour and review of the place. This helps us to connect personally with them.

There is no self-planning involved.

We listen to the travellers, their idea of scenic beauty, their ideal holiday location, who and how many people they are travelling with, their budget and what kind of an adventure they

are looking for. We collect all the possible data and then work out a travel plan which will turn into a dream vacation for them.

Top places opted by your customers Currently there has been an urge for the travellers to visit some places, which are surreal; namely Jungle Hut, Masinagudi; Red Earth, Kabini; Agani Homestay, Sakleshpur; Sunrise Valley, Wayanad; Jungle Lodges, Karnataka and Dunes, Pondicherry.

Target clientele We hope to send families, all kinds of passionate travellers, busy working professionals on great vacations to de-stress.

Travel Award

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Exclusivity must for recognizing award beneficiaries

Khalil El-Mouelhy, Chairman, President & Founder, Seven Star Global Luxury Awards, Seven Star Magazine, draws attention to why recognizing luxury hospitality impacts the brand image.

VW BUREAU awarding brand is diluted the award carries no real weight as numerous other properties will carry the same award. Some choose to label properties with categories, others with numbers. Personally I disagree with all. I am of the belief that in order to be of true value, excellence should be rewarded as a whole and for that to be of true value to a hotelier, exclusivity is a must.”

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he luxury hospitality industry is thriving, in the face of so many new five-star properties coming up the world over. But one must ask oneself, says Khalil, about what truly differentiates these properties from one another.

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Many will say it is their level of service, some will say other things.

Brands have invested so much in creating their own signature of luxury.

Companies such as Four Seasons, St Regis, Ritz Carlton, Waldorf Astoria are doing very well; however, when viewed from a consumer’s point of view, things become a little cloudier.”

The web is the window to the world regardless of what industry you are in and when viewing hotels on the web, one always sees the same things, amazing rooms, beautiful restaurants, opulent décor, etc.

With all these similarities, hoteliers find themselves having a limited arsenal at their disposal in terms of what can and cannot be said. This is where awards come in by way of trying to differentiate one property or one group from another. When an international body with the correct backing and credibility places their seal on a particular property or group, it allows for a victor to emerge and provides the winning property with something unique that no one in the vicinity has.

Of course, Khalil informs, that there are different factors to consider, the main being that of benefit. “With benefit I mean exclusivity..In my opinion, a lot of awards today are diluted with far too many winners. When the

Another factor to consider is that there is no point in winning an award and nobody knowing about it. It is vital that the awarding company has the means to showcase its winners on multiple platforms and at the lowest possible cost.

Seven Star Global Luxury Awards Seven Star Global Luxury Awards is a very targeted award. We only work in the luxury segment of the industry and therefore do not wish to be known by everyone. We are an award for the few that truly represent luxury at its best. This means that we are not active in every single country of the world and that our nominations consist of only the very best. We do this because we believe that it is the only way to truly separate the exceptional from the rest.

The luxury panel of the Seven Star Global Luxury Awards consists of affluent, high profile, very well travelled individuals with a great, in-depth, knowledge of the luxury hospitality and lifestyle industry.

We are not a travel or travel related award nor do we aim to be in any way.

We are a luxury Hospitality and lifestyle award, and, as mentioned previously, we do not involve ourselves with categories or numbers and the amount of possible winners is capped, thus ensuring that our brand does not become diluted and at the same time ensures true exclusivity and maximum benefit to our winners.

How does a nominee win an award?

There are two different ways to be nominated. The first is by direct selection of the Luxury panel. The second is via self nomination which is then

brought to the panels attention and subject to their approval. Once selected/approved, the nominees are placed online and the voting is activated. We accept votes from both the trade as well as the public as both are of key interest to hoteliers. Each Nominee receives a notification email which contains the ‘Silver Seven Star Crest’.

This is a symbol of their nomination and it is license free for all nominees, they may use this to showcase that they have been nominated and also to gather votes via their own means be it social media, advertising website etc.

The more Votes come in the more of a testament it is of the properties re-

lationship with its partners and clientele therefore, this is a very healthy process as it allows for interaction between the separate parties.

The Luxury Panel is also able to bestow awards directly if they believe that a particular product is of a high enough calibre. These awards are our special awards. Once the voting period has ended, the winners are sent a winners email containing their Gold Seven Star Crest and an invitation to attend the Gala Ceremony where they will be presented with their Winners Plaque, the SIGNUM VIRTUTIS* (the seal of excellence) on stage by a member of the Luxury Panel.

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Travel Events

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IBTM India: Keeping the pulse of the market high

Following the second edition of the Incentive, Business Travel and Meetings (IBTM) Expo India that took place in Chennai at the ITC Grand Chola in September, Shinu Pillai, Exhibition Manager, IBTM India, IBTM Africa shared his views on the event.

VW BUREAU Also these buyers are not hosted in any of our events. We have a good following of 60% the exhibitors coming along with us every year. Apparently it is quite important that we deliver new buyers to them. For the first time we have published a research report on India’s MICE and Incentive Market and lastly the destination itself is new for this edition.

What’s new with this edition?

The biggest highlight would be the new set of hosted buyers that we have brought in this year. Our aim is to bring new hosted buyers every year into the event so that our exhibitors could meet new buyers every time.

Future challenges We are not immune to the global economy, any sort of issues or challenges both in economic and travel trend is affecting the global scenario will have its effects on us as well. At this stage, the greatest challenge would be bringing the market together, bringing the players and creating a platform for them in a huge market

like India and that is what we plan to achieve. India being a growth market, a lot of development is expected to happen within and we try to be a catalyst in that.

Objective for future We are targeting more exhibitors to come along and utilize the platform for IBTM India to help business development, make connections, networking and educate them. IBTM India has established itself as an inbound and outbound and domestic business and that would be something we would like to improve on every year.

What sets IBTM apart It’s definitely the unique proposition we offer, right from the table top format to the opportunities we provide

to our exhibitors and off course its a 365 day activity or a connection we accord with the buyer or supplier community. And our reach globally gives us a pole position in the market. I would summarize it as the Best return on investment and quality time spent with people who matter to their business.

The hosted buyers have been happy and pleased with their appointments and how we ensure that our buyers achieve return on investment is that throughout the hosted buyer programme and through the mutual match making programme an exhibitor can choose which buyer they want to meet with and vice versa. Apparently wherever there is a 100% match it works with an appointment.

Sanctuary TOFTigers Wildlife Tourism Awards announced VW BUREAU

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inners were announced on 19 September at a glittering ceremony at the British High Commissioner’s residential lawns in New Delhi for the Sanctuary TOFTigers Wildlife Tourism Awards. The event was attended by the great and the good of the nature tourism industry including the Secretary of Tourism and the Deputy Chief of Bodoland Territorial Council besides others.

Amongst the winners are Orange County, Kabini and Kipling Camp, joint winners of the Most Inspirational Lodge of the Year, both rated Outstanding by TOFTigers’ pioneering PUG eco-rating system, which is modelled on the Global Sustainable Tourism Council’s criteria, now being encouraged by the Ministry of Tourism. Pugdundee Safaris, also won Wildlife Promotion Operator of the Year and Satpura Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh, the Visitor Friendly Destination of the

Voyager’s World > October 2014

Year award. Speaking on the occasion, Julian Matthews, Chairman of sustainable tourism action charity TOFTigers said: “We are happy to announce the winners of the awards. With the new Government’s focus on the tourism industry and the Ministry of Tourism’s recently released guidelines to sustainable tourism, it’s time to celebrate the best of the best in nature tourism in India today.

Extraordinary individuals, companies, parks and organisations that are helping to keep our forests safe, and travellers to become nature’s greatest advocates. Nature tourism has come of age. It’s no longer a niche industry but a large and critical component for conservation funding and support, for poverty alleviation and of the ‘Tiger brand’ that is quintessentially India.

“Sanctuary and TOFTigers have one

common objective and that is to turn the booming wildlife tourism sector into a responsible conservation tool capable of fuelling both habitat protection and local community participation, with a dignified share in tourism revenues,” said the well-known environmentalist Bittu Sahgal, Editor of Sanctuary Magazine.

Today, well over 2.5 million visitors enter a tiger reserve each year, and spend well over INR 56 crores in park fees alone, with a possible ten to twenty times multiplier spent on guiding, vehicles, services and accommodation outside the parks, creating tens of thousands of jobs, new livelihoods and local enterprises where few opportunities used to exist.

In 2010, TOFTigers estimated that a single tigress in Ranthambhore had generated well over US$100 million in revenue for parks, communities

and local enterprises over her ten year reign in the park.

“Living tigers are an extraordinarily good investment. Park fees from tourism in the well-known tiger reserve of Bandhavgarh in Madhya Pradesh are now INR 7 crores in 2013/14, and the funding from central government’s Project Tiger is only INR 2.4 crores this year, so visitors are paying over three times as much money to help protect the park and support communities.

With the launch of the Ministry of Tourism’s Sustainable Tourism guidelines in August, tourism has the road map to sustainability that we need it to have, but it will require further vision, better Government planning and monitoring and far more of the dedication of individuals, parks and businesses that the best in nature tourism have delivered here tonight,” added Julian Matthews.

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Happenings 2015 to be Visit Philippines Year

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he Department of Tourism, Philippines (DOT) declared 2015 as the ‘Visit Philippines Year’ for promotion of tourism of the country. The announcement was made recently by Tourism Secretary Ramon R. Jimenez Jr. Visit Philippines Year 2015 is an invitation to all to partake the enduring promise of MORE FUN in the Philippines. It will feature a calendar of events and activities that are an exciting mix of all the outstanding work of the Filipino people in painting, graphic arts, cinema and performance art to include music, dance and theater arts, as well as the unveiling of many more historic treasures, natural wonders and unforgettable adventures.

Punjab lauded for farm tourism

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unjab Tourism recently won the Best Rural Tourism Initiative Award for Farm Tourism at the International Tourism Conclave & Travel Awards (ITCTA) on the occasion of World Tourism Day in Shimla.

PHTPB’s marketing efforts to reach out to travel trade has been successful and travel industry has well appreciated the product- Farm Tourism. To facilitate the farm owners PHTPB organized workshops through industry professionals and further created a platform for them to promote through interaction with tour operators at various travel exhibitions and travel industry forums.

Raj Hospitality wins BIZZ 2014

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aj Hospitality won the World Confederation of Businesses (WORLDCOB) with ‘BIZZ 2014’ at a ceremony in Abu Dhabi in September. With this, Raj Hospitality Management becomes a member of WORLDCOB next to big And Successful Corporations Like Al Watania Poultry (Saudi Arabia); Asas Pan Gulf Real Estate Investment Company (Saudi Arabia); Oman Uae Exchange (Sultanate Of Oman); Al Jazeera International Catering LLC (UAE); Middle East University (Jordan); Xavier Institute Of Management Bhubaneswar (Ximb), etc.

IndiGo signs MoU to increase fleet

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ndiGo and its co-founders, Rakesh Gangwal and Rahul Bhatia, Group Managing Director of InterGlobe, signed a MoU for 250 firm A320neo Family aircrafts. The agreement will become Airbus’ single largest order by number of aircraft.

Aditya Ghosh, President of IndiGo said, “The additional aircraft will enable us to continue to bring our low fares and courteous, hassle free service to more customers and markets and will create more job opportunities and growth. The IndiGo team is energised and excited to herald this new phase of our growth.”

IndiGo has previously placed orders for 280 Airbus aircraft (100 A320ceo and 180 A320neo).

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Happenings

48>> Singapore enhances INSPIRE programme for India

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he In Singapore Incentives & Rewards (INSPIRE) programme was updated with brand new activities such as customised food menus and VIP access to popular attractions.

The programme aims to provide unique and value-added leisure programmes in Singapore to Indian incentive travel groups, and offers an array of specially-curated offerings that give Indian business travellers a chance to experience Singapore beyond the typical tourist attractions.

Star Cruises named 'Asia's Leading Cruise Line'

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tar Cruises was voted the ‘Asia’s Leading Cruise Line’ at the World Travel Awards 2014 held in New Delhi recently.

Michael Goh, Senior Vice President, Sales, Star Cruises, said: “As the leading cruise line in Asia-Pacific, Star Cruises best understands Asian cruisers and their diverse cultures, providing freestyle cruising with unrivalled Asian hospitality for our international guests. We will continue to make every journey a voyage of discovery and surprise for our passengers.”

Angsana to open in Xi'an Lintong Travel veteran organises charity exhibition

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he new Angsana Xi’an Lintong will open in November 2014 with 403 rooms ranging from Deluxe, Executive and Premier Rooms to one, two and three-bedroom suites.

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rakash Bang, the founder of roomsXML, organized a charity exhibition in August 2014 in aid of Shrivatsa, an orphanage managed by the Society of Friends of Sassoon Hospitals. On display were 52 exclusive and unpublished pictures, duly mounted, framed and signed

by Prakash.

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“There was logic in displaying 52 images. My request was a donation of Rs 21,000 per image. The amount would take care of meals of 65 orphans and destitute children for a week at Shrivatsa. If am able to find 52 donors; I would have taken care of the less fortunate for a year!” said Prakash.

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

Voyager’s World > October 2014

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

Top Appointments

49>> Jai Kishan

Jagdish Bhojwani

General Manager, Novotel Kolkata Hotel and Residences

General Manager India, SilkAir (Singapore) Pte Ltd

Jai Kishan has joined as the General Manager for Novotel Kolkata Hotel and Residences (NKHR). Bringing in over 17 years of experience he was associated with the Oberoi Grand, Hilton Taipei Ritz-Carlton Millennia Singapore, Grand Hyatt Taipei, and most recently at Novotel Hyderabad Convention Centre & Hyderabad International Convention Centre.

Vishal Kumar

Chandrashekhar Joshi

Group Head - Sales & Marketing, Sayaji Group of Hotels

General Manager, JW Marriott Mussoorie Walnut Grove Resort and Spa

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ishal Kumar has been appointed as Group Head Sales & Marketing for Sayaji Group of Hotels. He brings with him almost 14 years of experience in hospitality, having worked with the Grand New Delhi, Intercontinental The Grand, Eaton Smart Transit Hotel New Delhi Airport. In his new role, he would plan and strategise marketing plans for the hotel.

Chandrashekhar Joshi was appointed as the General Manager of the JW Marriott Mussoorie Walnut Grove Resort and Spa that is slated to open this October. With an experience of 14 years, his association with Marriott began in 2004 at Renaissance Mumbai Hotel & Convention Centre. In his new role, he would oversee the overall operations of the property.

Gaurav Shiva

Swati Dhir

General Manager, Grand Mercure Bangalore

General Manager, DoubleTree by Hilton Goa-Arpora-Baga

Grand Mercure Bangalore appointed Gaurav Shiva as the General Manager. He has over 17 years of experience in the hotel industry and was associated with a wide gamut of departments within the hospitality space, having worked in Europe, America and Asia. He has been associated with the pre-opening of the Grand Mercure hotels in Goa and Bangalore.

S

wati Dhir has been appointed General Manager of DoubleTree by Hilton Goa-Arpora-Baga.

With nearly 20 years of experience in sales, marketing and revenue management in hospitality industry in India and Maldives, she wasmost recently the Director of Business Development at Hilton Chennai.

Riyaz Cherukaramekathil

Shantha de Silva

Member, PATA Industry Council (IC)

Head of South West Asia , IHG

R

iyaz Cherukaramekathil, Spiceland Holidays and Entertainments Pvt Ltd was nominated to the PATA Industry Council for 20142016 to serve as a member. The term will end at the meeting prior to the Annual Conference in April 2016, with the aim of the position to assist with driving and shaping the association’s strategic direction.

Rishu Roshan General Manager, Marasa Sarovar Premiere, Tirupati

S

Jagdish Bhojwani is the General Manager India for SilkAir (Singapore) Pte Ltd at their Kochi office. He has been associated with the parent company Singapore Airlines for the past 14 years. He joined SilkAir in 2011 in Coimbatore and later heading SilkAir for Andhra Pradesh in 2012. In his new role, he will now be in charge of entire operations for Silkair in India.

arovar Hotels appointed Rishu Roshan as General Manager of Marasa Sarovar Premiere, Tirupati which is set to open in October 2014. Rishu has to his credit over 14 years of experience in operations, F& B operations personnel management and has worked with Holiday Inn, UK, Oxford Thames Four Pillars, the Park New Delhi.

InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) appointed Shantha de Silva as the Head of South West Asia, overseeing India, Bangladesh, Nepal & Sri Lanka. Shantha is responsible for driving strategic growth and the operational performance of 21 hotels ins InterContinental, Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express. He is based in Gurgaon, India.

Mona Cheriyan COO & Head - Human Resources, Thomas Cook (India) Ltd Thomas Cook (India) Ltd. appointed Mona Cheriyan as Chief Operating Officer & Head – Human Resources. With a career spanning almost 30 years, she worked with NIIT, the ESSAR Group, Oracle Financial Services Software Ltd and at ASK Investment Managers Pvt. Ltd. In her role, Mona will give strategic direction to the Human Resources portfolio.

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Events Calendar

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networking is the key October2014

January2015

27, 28, 29, 30

16, 17, 18

International Golf Travel Mart Villa Erba, Lake Como, Italy

India International Travel Mart Kochi

29, 30, 31

23, 24, 25

ITB Asia Singapore

November2014 3, 4, 5, 6

World Travel Market London

Holiday Expo Coimbatore

12 - 20

Outbound Travel Roadshow Mumbai, Kolkata, Bangalore Ahmedabad & Delhi

29, 30, 31

SATTE New Delhi, India

7, 8, 9

Holiday Expo Vishaakapatanam

21, 22, 23

India International Travel Mart Pune

28, 29, 30

India International Travel Mart Hyderabad

18, 19, 20

February2015 Jan 28, 29 Feb 1 FITUR Madrid, Spain

12, 13, 22

eibtm Barcelona, Spain

BIT Milan, Italy

18

20, 21, 22

FHC 2014 West China Chengdu Chengdu, China

India International Travel Mart Kolkata

December2014

March 2015

1, 2, 3, 4

4, 5, 6, 7, 8

4, 5, 6, 7

18, 19, 20, 21

9, 10, 11

26, 27, 28, 21

ILTM-International Luxury Travel Market Cannes, France

Travel Turkey Izmer 2014 Izmer, Turkey

Luxury Travel Expo Las Vegas,USA

Voyager’s World > October 2014

ITB Berlin Berlin, Germany

MITT Moscow, Russia

TUR, Gothenburg Sweden