August 2016

RNI No.: DELENG/2014/59308

www.whereabouts.in

Volume II Issue XI August 2016

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In Conversation

Vinod Zutshi Secretary Tourism Govt of India

IAS

Whereabouts

Fly Over the Mysterious Nazca Lines in Peru Need to Know

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Maharashtra ASSOCIATION

STATE

AVIATION

NTO

HOSPITALITY

CONTENTS Editor Rajesh Tiwari rajesh@whereabots.in +91 9818525672

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REGULAR NEWS IN BRIEF 6 AVIATION 8 TRAVEL BUSINESS 14 MoT 15 STATE 16 HERITAGE 17 NTO 26 HOSPITALITY 30 TECHNOLOGY 36 FACT & FIGURES 37 APPOINTMENT & EVENTS 38

IN CONVERSATION 12

Vinod Zutshi IAS Secretary Tourism Govt of India

Production Manager Subhash Distribution Executive Anoop Singh

Accounts CA Rishabh Rana

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NEED TO KNOW 18-21

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WHEREABOUTS 22-24

Fly Over the Mysterious Nazca Lines in Peru

EDITOR’S NOTE EXCLUSIVE 34

Speaker, Lok Sabha Presented ‘National Tourism Awards 2014-15’

Dear Readers, Its indeed a pleasure sharing with you that I had an opportunity to interact with our Secretary Tourism Mr Vinod Zutshi just a few days back. As always, we journalist try to figure out the latest activity or development this time too I was very curious to know, what would be next topic to talk about? Well a lot is happening at the ministry level, whether it’s India’s participation at World Travel Market 2016 as the Premier Partner or hosting the first ever Incredible India Investors’ Summit, there is a long list of events poised to boost India’s growth to the next level.

The ministry is planning to conduct the Incredible India Investors’ Summit in New Delhi. The idea of conducting the aforesaid summit deserves praise, and reflects the commitment of our minister, secretary and the entire team at the ministry of tourism, to create an environment where tourism can be flourished. I personally don’t expect signing of MoUs during these three days however the summit will certainly open a dialogue between the investor and the state tourism authorities.

Another interesting initiative is participation at WTM London as the Premier Partner of the event. I am sure India will grab the attention of tourism stakeholders up to a vast extent, and boost their confidence to invest in tourism products of the country or sending more travellers to India.

Thanks and regards,

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NEWS IN BRIEF ASSOCIATION

Explore new frontiers with PATA in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh

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he Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) will stage the PATA New Tourism Frontiers Forum 2016 (NTFF 2016) in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh on November 23-25. The event is being hosted generously by the Bangladesh Tourism Board under the supervision of the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism, the People’s Republic of Bangladesh.

NTFF 2016 gathers the top minds in destination travel for inspiring and insightful discussions on some of the major issues in marketing and managing tourism growth to lesser-known destinations. Under the theme of ‘Designing a Sustainable Tourism Brand - an integrative approach to building a responsible coastal destination’, the event will tackle the topics of fair trade, living heritage communities, coastal and marine tourism, heritage trails and domestic/regional tourism markets - including a session on brand building and marketing for emerging destinations.

Confirmed speakers for the event include Yasmin Choudhury, British social entrepreneur; Damian Cook, founder and Managing Director, E-Tourism Frontiers; Rob Holmes, founder and Chief Strategist,

ASSOCIATION

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Shine Bright at SITE Nite North America 2016

his year attendees will Shine Bright during the event, taking place Monday, October 17. For the second year in a row, SITE Nite will be held at the amazing Omnia Nightclub at Caesars Palace– one of Las Vegas’ hottest nightlife attractions. Registration opened August 3rd and will sell out fast!

Every year SITE Nite North America brings together more than 1200 of the travel and hospitality industry’s most influential leaders making it the must-attend party to kick-off IMEX America in Las Vegas.

“The Omnia was a huge hit last year with two floors of inside nightclub space, as well as a large outside terrace facing Las Vegas Blvd. Due to popular demand, the party has been extended from two hours to three hours with drinks included for the first two hours and a cash bar for the third hour,” shared Ron Warner, SITE Nite Chair and regional director of sales, Melia Hotels International.

“In line with the Shine Bright theme, we are asking attendees to wear bright-colored clothing. Prizes will be awarded for the brightest of the bright. We are also developing a mobile app and will request that guests post profile pictures to allow suppliers and customers to easily identify each other at the event. To encourage networking, we will be running a contest asking attendees to post selfies of customers and suppliers who are meeting for the first time. The person who submits the most selfies will win a prize.”

During SITE Nite attendees will be invited to bid on unique travel experiences to rival the best the incentive travel industry has to offer - everything from urban explorations and relaxing beach vacations to exotic adventures and action-packed cruises across the globe.

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GLP Films; Sarah Mathews, Head of Destination Marketing APAC, TripAdvisor; Tania Miorin, Country Representative Myanmar for Istituto Oikos, and Maeve Nightingale, Mangroves for the Future (MFF) Programme Manager, IUCN. “The PATA New Tourism Frontiers Forum will provide all industry stakeholders valuable insights on how to overcome these challenges through thoughtful discussions and hands-on experience during the Technical Tour and Tourism Marketing Treasure Hunt,” said Dr. Mario Hardy, CEO, PATA. Taleb Rifai, Secretary-General, World Tourism Organziation (UNWTO) said, “PATA’s New Frontiers Forum is one of the most innovative and effective ways of building a strong image and brand for emerging destinations. We commend Bangladesh for hosting such important event, particularly as the country celebrates the ‘Visit Bangladesh 2016 Year, and trust this will be a relevant step forward in building as stronger image of Bangladesh as a tourism destination.”

STATE

Jaykumar Rawal takes over as Tourism Minister of Maharashtra

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umbai July 8, 2016: In a recent development, the Government of Maharashtra has appointed Jaykumar Rawal as the Tourism Minister of the state. Rawal holds a degree in Bachelors of Commerce from Symbiosis University, Pune and degree in Business Management from Cardiff University, England.

Speaking on his appointment Jaykumar Rawal said, “It gives me immense pleasure to accept my new role in the Ministry.

Tourism is one of the key industries which contribute significantly to the economic growth of a nation. Therefore, my key focus would be to advance the current tourism scenario in Maharashtra through implementation of new policies aimed towards tourism growth and skill development.”

NEWS IN BRIEF ASSOCIATION

GST Bill approved in both Houses of Parliament

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n a historic move by the India political parties, the most awaited tax reform since Independence, the GST Bill (Goods and Services Tax) was approved by the both Houses of Parliament (Rajya Sabha & Lok Sabha) to replace a raft of different state and local taxes with a single unified value added tax system to turn the country into world’s largest single market. The GST is likely to come into effect from the next financial year (April 1, 2017), making it possibly the single-most important economic reform since liberalisation.

The 32nd IATO Annual Convention to take place in Chennai

he 32nd Annual Convention of IATO will be held in Chennai from 18 -21 September 2016. The venue of the convention is ITC Grand Chola Chennai. While announcing the decision of the Executive Committee Pronab Sarkar, President, Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO) said “We were planning to have our convention in Chennai for last couple of years as IATO never had its annual convention in Tamil Nadu earlier. However, this year, it is going to become a dream come true. From the very beginning, we focused to have our convention in Chennai only”.

The Bill has incorporated some of the amendments demanded by political parties. These include dropping of one percent additional tax and giving legal backing to compensation that states would get for revenue loss up to five years. Another major amendment proposed was that the adjudication of dispute, if any, between the states would be dealt with by a mechanism proposed by the GST Council.

The states’ share of Integrated GST (IGST) would not form part of the Consolidated Fund of India; and the term IGST would be replaced with ‘goods and services tax levied on supplies in the course of inter-state trade or commerce’.

The GST is a single indirect tax for the whole nation, which will make India one unified common market. It is a single tax on the supply of goods and services, right from the manufacturer to the consumer.

Credits of input taxes paid at each stage will be available in the subsequent stage of value addition, which makes GST essentially a tax only on value addition at each stage. The final consumer will thus bear only the GST charged by the last dealer in the supply chain, with set-off benefits at all the previous stages.

New Director for Karnataka Tourism

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r. N. Manjula, IAS has joined as The Director, Department of Tourism, Government of Karnataka. Dr. N. Manjula, an IAS officer from Batch 2002 had earlier held the posts of Director, Municipal Administration; District Collector, Chikkaballapur; CEO, Zilla Panchayath, Mysuru.

Pronab Sarkar President IATO

Rajeev Kohli Chairman IATO Convention

Pronab Sarkar also mentioned “The Stupendous Success of the pervious convention has raised the expectations of the members and sponsors. More than 1200 delegates are expected for 3 day event and the IATO convention is eagerly awaited by all. Members look for an enchanting destination. Here Chennai fits in very well as this will be first IATO Convention in Chennai”.

Rajeev Kohli, Senior Vice President, and the Chairman of the Convention was very much enthusiastic in holding IATO Convention in Chennai as Chennai is the Gateway to Southern India. He mentioned that industry is going through a very bad time and our main focus would be to have deliberations as to how we can change this scenario and bring back tourism on track for which interesting business sessions are being planned.

Rajiv Mehra, Vice President and Co-Chairman of the convention mentioned that Tamil Nadu offers A to Z of tourism be it beaches, pilgrimage, hill station, wildlife, shopping, ayurvenda and medical tourism and these are our main consideration to have our convention in Tamil Nadu and see the products. Even as per our policy we always try to have convention in different state and try to boost tourism to the state basing our venue of the Convention.

Concurrently with our convention, there will be Indian Travel Mart.

It is an opportunity for exhibitors to showcase exciting and diverse range of destinations, conference and Incentive venues. This will facilitate discerning buyers from the travel trade and corporate world to reinforce their choice for business travel, incentives etc., said Lally Mathews, Hony. Secretary, IATO Amaresh Tiwari, Hony. Treasurer, IATO is looking to have good participation in IATO Run for Responsible Tourism to create awareness about IATO and tourism in general.

August 2016 7

AVIATION

Etihad Airways enhances travel experience for senior citizens flying from India to USA Etihad Airways has introduced a first-of-its-kind senior citizens’ package offering enhanced privileges for the over 60s travelling from India to the United States of America.

WH Desk

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enior citizens flying from any of Etihad Airways’ 11 Indian gateway cities can benefit from added value services, including a 24/7 helpline number, pre-flight travel and medical checklist support and special assistance at check-in counters.

Senior citizens are also assured of Indian meals and Indian cabin crew on all flights from India, as well as a large selection of latest and classic Indian movies on all flights from India to the USA. Also on offer are fare reductions of up to 10 percent in Business Class and 5 percent in Economy until 31st August 2016, for travel by 31st December 2016, together with 60

percent bonus Etihad Guest loyalty miles on every senior citizen ticket booking. The special package is applicable to guests aged over 60 flying in Business and Economy Class on Etihad Airways.

Commenting on the initiative, Neerja Bhatia, Vice President Indian Subcontinent, Etihad Airways said, “The profile of our flights from India to the United States of America via Abu Dhabi shows a high percentage of elderly travellers, hence the importance of catering to their needs in the best possible way.”

“Reinforcing our commitment to India and keeping in mind the profile of senior citizens of our country, their needs and special requirements, we have created this special package to make sure that they are well looked after right from the moment they book with us until they reach their destination. We hope our senior travellers can make the most of these privileges and experience our fine hospitality,” she added.

WH Desk

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urkish Airlines has been chosen as Europe’s Best Airline for the sixth consecutive years* in the 2016 Skytrax World Airlines Awards. Skytrax is the most respected global airline passenger survey organisation in the industry, its World Airline Awards described as “the Oscars of the aviation industry.” Six years running is a real accolade and demonstrates Turkish Airlines’ continued commitment to the passenger satisfaction and development within the industry.

Turkish Airlines has picked up four awards this year which include ‘Best Airline in

8 August 2016

For those who book the special package, Etihad Airways will contact guests prior to travel to go through any special requirements, assuring them of additional support.

To take advantage of the special offer,

Turkish chosen as the Best Airline in Europe for the sixth consecutive years

The independent survey evaluates traveller experiences across a wide range of airport services and then evaluates key performance indicators - from check-in, arrivals, transfers, shopping,security and immigration right through to departure at the gate. This year’s awards were based on over a million questionnaires completed by nationalities worldwide. The survey covered 550 airports worldwide and consequently unveiling an unrivalled perception of the airline industry across the globe.

guests have several choices to make a booking. Enter the Senior Citizens Package section online at www.etihad. com; book through any Etihad Airways’ reservation office; contact the Etihad Airways call centre on 1800 209 0808/1800 22 3901 which prompts a connection to the Senior Citizens Package hotline; or book the special package through a local travel agent.

SWISS launches new Made of Switzerland brand identity

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wiss International Air Lines (SWISS) is launching a new brand identity with a new Made of Switzerland claim and a new the little big differences creative concept. The new identity, which will be launched with an extensive Switzerlandwide advertising campaign, features a new design concept which, among other things, focuses on SWISS guests on their travels, and an appealing TV ad (which can be viewed here) that highlights typically Swiss characteristics in a warm and charming way.

Europe’, Best Airline in Southern Europe’, ‘Best Business Class Dining Lounge’and ‘Best Business Class On-Board Catering’.

M. İlkerAycı, Turkish Airlines’ Chairman of the Board and the Executive Committee said “The Skytrax World Airline Awards are the result of the largest airline passenger satisfaction survey in the world. Every year it delights us that millions of travellers again recognise Turkish Airlines as the “Best Airline in Europe.”

“With our new brand identity we’re putting the spotlight not only on our typical SWISSness, but also above all on our customers and their wishes and needs. We aim to appeal to our customers even more directly and emotionally than we have in the past,” said SWISS Head of Marketing, Bernhard Christen. “ Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) is Switzerland’s national airline, serving 102 destinations in 46 countries from Zurich and Geneva and carrying more than 16 million passengers a year with its 95-aircraft fleet.

AVIATION

Air India to connect Ahmedabad with Newark via London Flag Carrier Air India announces the launch of its flight between Ahmedabad and Newark via London from August 15, 2016.

WH Desk

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I 171 will operate from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport at 0530 hrs on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Special discounted introductory fares have been offered for passengers travelling till 10 th September, 2016. The introduction of this flight will bridge the demand of 6 lakh Indians in Ahmedabad, who have been looking for seamless connections for work and leisure purpose to Newark and London.

The flight will operate thrice a week with B-787 Dreamliner aircraft and will take

off from Ahmedabad at 0530 hrs and will arrive in London at 1015 hrs. For its onward journey to Newark, the flight will depart from London at 1230 hrs and land in Newark at 1500 hrs. On the return leg flight AI-172 will depart from Newark at 2230 hrs, arrive at London at 1015 hrs (+1) and depart from London at 1230 hrs to land at Ahmedabad at 0200 hrs (+2).

recline, 35cm personal LCD screen, one touch technology that converts a seat into 180 degree flat-bed in business class, comfortable mood lighting and in-seat massage function.

Air India, with its state-of-the-art Dreamliner aircraft, will offer a host of features to passengers such as large overhead bins, cleaner and healthier air for fatigue-free travel, 60% larger windows, exclusive in-flight entertainment experience and specially designed gourmet cuisine to passengers. The Boeing 787 comes with several luxury features like electronically dimmable windows, more seat pitch and

Air India opens its Flight Information cum Ticketing Counter cum Excess Baggage issuance Counter, each at DMRC operated Airport Express Metro Stations, i.e. New Delhi & Shivaji Stadium Stations.

Air India introduces city check in at New Delhi and Shivaji Stadium metro stations.

With the above initiatives, Air India Passengers would be able to avail the following facilities at Airport Express Metro Stations i.e. New Delhi & Shivaji Stadium Stations.

Lufthansa Technik to provide SpiceJet launches India’s first comprehensive Component Smart mobile Check-in Support for Ethiopian Airlines WH Desk

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thiopian Airlines has contracted Lufthansa Technik to provide comprehensive component support for the airline’s future Airbus A350 fleet. The corresponding Total Component Support TCS® agreement will run for a period of ten years and includes 14 aircraft. The contract comprises component maintenance, repair and overhaul as well as access to a pool of spares.

The contract underscores Lufthansa Technik’s many years of collaboration with Ethiopian Airlines as MRO in a number of different areas. These include an extensive Total Component Support for the carrier’s Boeing 787 fleet as well as material support for Ethiopian Airlines’ Bombardier Q400 regional aircraft fleet.

Mesfin Tasew, COO Ethiopian Airlines, said: “We are delighted that we were able to extend our long-term Boeing 787 component support with Lufthansa Technik to our newest A350 fleet. Our partnership with Lufthansa Technik, which goes back to the 1990s, thus finds a successful continuation into the future. We are convinced that we will receive the same professional and reliable support for our brand-new fleet.”

Harald Gloy, Senior Vice President Component Services at Lufthansa Technik said: “We deeply appreciate the trust Ethiopian Airlines is expressing towards Lufthansa Technik by giving the A350 component support in our hands. This fosters our long-term partnership and we see in Ethiopian Airlines a strong and successful partner in Africa and beyond.”

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piceJet raised the bar of customer comfort and convenience with the effective integration of technology into its services.

Ashok Gajapathi Raju, Minister for Civil Aviation, Government of India inaugurated the smart Check-in facility at GMR Hyderabad International Airport Ltd. (GHIAL).

In a first-of-its-kind initiative by any airline in the country, the carrier announced the launch of Smart Check-in facility using BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) and NFC (Near Field Communication) technologies.

This feature is available for all SpiceJet customers who have booked their tickets through the SpiceJet mobile app. An interesting feature about this application is that the customer does not require to carry the itinerary printouts nor has to Key-in the PNR number to initiate Check-in. The service has been initially introduced at Hyderabad Airport in close coordination with GHIAL and will soon be available in all airports supporting e-boarding facility.

NFC enables passengers to receive their boarding pass on their smartphone when they check-in through NFC-enabled smartphones with SpiceJet’s mobile app. Customers who have booked their tickets using the mobile app will have to simply open the app and touch the mobile device on the NFC Check-in Poster available at the airport to retrieve their mobile boarding pass on their smartphones.

Ajay Singh, CMD, SpiceJet, said, “Customer convenience is of utmost importance to us and we have always strived to enhance customer experience with the integration of the latest technology.

Indian market being fixated on price and schedule, the mobile first approach, with more service centric features has revolutionised the customer experience on ground and SpiceJet is committed to avail the latest the industry has to offer, nurturing the travel experience of our end customers.”

August 2016 9

AVIATION

WH Desk

IndiGo unveils 6E Explorer programme; Celebrates its 10th year in the Indian skies

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o celebrate its 10 successful years in the domestic skies, IndiGo is going all out to thank its customers and partners in the aviation fraternity who have made this journey possible. India’s largest low cost carrier, IndiGo has launched a unique programme called - The 6E Explorer, to make travel more memorable and personalised for leisure and corporate travellers.

The 6E Explorer Programme will go live on August 5, 2016 by 7pm with the announcement of the call-for-entries across India to get passionate travellers on board as “6E Explorer.” Shortlisted candidates will be interviewed by the IndiGo leadership and external jury based on their passion for travel. The shortlisted Explorers will need to travel to a specific IndiGo destination and create fresh content in the form blogs, images & videos with their perspective of that city.

This primary curated content will comprise not so popular, seen or heard of places to eat, see, party, things to do; advise for family traveller, backpackers and much more. IndiGo will appoint one Explorer per state for an initial period of 1 year and each Explorer will be required to travel to at least 4-6 destinations within or outside his state.

The Explorer will share his personalized travel experience on IndiGo website under the IndiGo destinations section. These personalized travel experiences will be populated on the website as “Travel advisory” for IndiGo passengers to view travel trends of the destinations the airline flies to. With the launch of this programme, IndiGo passengers are encouraged to refer to these travel advisories which is intended to enhance their travel experience.

Expressing his delight over IndiGo’s growth journey, Aditya Ghosh, President, IndiGo said, “On behalf of our 14,000 employees, I thank all our customers, partners and members of the aviation fraternity who have partnered with us to make IndiGo, country’s largest low cost carrier. Having flown over 134 million passengers till date, IndiGo has achieved immense success in the Indian skies, and continues to show steady growth. The launch of 6E Aditya Ghosh Explorer Programme is yet President IndiGo another proof of the low-cost carrier’s commitment to customer experience.”

Speaking on the launch, Stephen Tame, Chief Advisor IT, IndiGo said, “We whole-heartedly thank our customers that are the driving force behind our success. It has been our consistent endeavour to make travel a hassle-free and high quality experience for our customers, while keeping our promise of providing affordable fares. The new 6E Explorer programme is refreshing and unique and reinforces IndiGo’s commitment of providing all our fliers with enhanced travel experience.”

Dr. Guruprasad Mohapatra, IAS, takes over as Chairman, Airports Authority of India WH Desk

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r. Guruprasad Mohapatra, IAS Officer of Gujarat Cadre, (1986 Batch) in the rank of Additional Secretary to the Government of India, took over as Chairman, Airports Authority of India.

He has worked extensively in the power sector, urban development and industry, where he was involved in comprehensive reforms in the power sector and restructuring of the erstwhile Gujarat Electricity Board into several commercial entities. He has rich and varied experience in the chemicals & fertilizers sector, as he has worked as the Managing Director of Gujarat Alkalies and Chemicals Ltd. (GACL) and Managing Director of Gujarat Narmada Valley Fertilizers Company Limited (GNFC).

He worked as a Municipal Commissioner in Surat from 1999 to 2002, during which he was actively involved in the process of converting

10 August 2016

Surat into one of the models of urban governance with its thrust on Solid Waste Management, quality infrastructure and sound financial management.

He also worked as a Municipal Commissioner in Ahmedabad for more than 3 years, during which he was instrumental in developing such iconic projects such as Sabarmati Riverfront, BRTS, Kankaria Lakefront and Heritage Promotion. Prior to joining AAI, he worked as a Joint Secretary in the Department of Commerce in Government of India.

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IN CONVERSATION

Incredible India is poised to register unprecedented growth to the next tally: Whether it’s India’s participation at World Travel Market 2016 as the Premier Partner or hosting the first ever Incredible India Investors’ Summit followed by BRICS Summit at Khajuraho, International Buddhist Conclave at Sarnath and International Roadshows, there is a long list of events poised to boost India’s growth to the next level. In an exclusive conversation with Whereabouts, Vinod Zutshi, IAS, Secretary Tourism, Government of India unfolds the plan of action for the year 2016. Here are the excerpts.

Rajesh Tiwari

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n an endeavour to increase India’s share from world across the Ministry of Tourism, in the dynamic leadership of the Secretary Tourism, is all set to launch giant initiatives that will help Incredible India to fetch an unprecedented growth for the next tally. Whether it’s India’s participation at WTM 2016 as the Premier Partner or hosting the first ever Incredible India Investors’ Summit followed by BRICS Summit at Khajuraho, International Buddhist Conclave at Sarnath and International Roadshows, there is a long list of events poised to boost India’s growth to the next level.

India Becomes ‘Premier Partner’ at World Travel Market 2016 India’s presence at World Travel Market 2016 as the Premier Partner for the world acclaimed travel event comes like a fresh breeze; especially for those think India is lacking in promotional and branding activities. It throws a lot of expectations among the travel companies to attract the attention of travel professionals, and enhance the business opportunities from world across. WTM London is the premier event of this industry where the tourism and hospitality professionals conduct their business deals.

Elaborating on this utmost important development, Vinod Zutshi, IAS, Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India says, “Our presence as the Premier Partner of WTM London will definitely give an edge to Incredible India over other countries as India would be the Talking Point during the event. It will grab the attention of tourism stakeholders up to a vast extent, and boost their confidence to invest in tourism products of the country or sending more travellers to India.”

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Vinod Zutshi

The Ministry of Tourism along with the various states present at WTM will have an interaction with WTM Buyers’ Club members from its key source markets of the USA, UK, China, Australia, France, Germany, Canada and Spain as well as the growing markets of South East Asia, the Middle East and Russia.

According to the organizer of the event, buyers from the WTM Buyers’ Club have a combined purchasing responsibility of £22.6 billion (£15.8bn) and sign deals at the event worth $3.6 billion (£2.5bn). So as the Premier Partner India Tourism will have an opportunity to promote the diverse tourism products the country offers.

“There is an ever-increasing amount of new and exciting products to educate the world’s leading buyers. WTM London is an event where the Indian tourism stakeholders get to meet the world’s buyers and sign business agreements. The Ministry of Tourism and the Indian exhibitors look forward to a very successful WTM London 2016,” expressed Zutshi.

According to him, the Indian Government has in the last 18 months invested more than $300m on developing its tourism infrastructure around the country as it aims for more than 13 million visitors a year by 2020. “India is experiencing a 10 percent annual growth in foreign tourist arrivals this year taking visitor numbers to a projected nine million in 2016,” he added.

While elaborating on various initiatives in development pipeline, he informed that apart from various schemes started by Ministry of Tourism, a special focus is being put on coastal and beach tourism, cruise and eco-tourism. World class cruise passenger terminals are being developed to make India a central hub of the global cruise industry. “We are developing world class infrastructure in its pristine beaches on the West Coast of the country between Mumbai and Kerala and alongside East Coast from Rameshwaram to Visakhapatnam,” added Zutshi.

The key to India’s strategy is also to focus on a variety of products including heritage, cultural, rural, wellness, medical, adventure, and golf. India boasts 32 World Heritage sites including Islamic, Christian, Buddhist and Hindu religious sites, which it will continue to promote alongside its most popular destinations; The Golden Triangle (Delhi, Agra and Jaipur), Rajasthan, Goa, Kerala, Kashmir and North East.

North East India – Assam, Meghalaya, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Tripura and Mizoram – is receiving a dedicated focus as part of its eco-tourism push. The North East of the country is described as “Paradise Unexplored” with the Government investing huge money in developing tourism infrastructure along with improved connectivity. An airport in Sikkim shall be operational shortly.

IN CONVERSATION The Summit, being organised in association with Tourism Finance Corporation of India (TFCI) and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), is an endeavor towards matchmaking and creating useful partnerships in tourism sector. The Invest India, KPMG, Yas Bank are the knowledge partners for the event. The Summit will have dedicated space for seminars, business to business meetings and roundtables around focus themes. There will be participation from major stakeholders including State Governments, Union Territory Administrations, PSUs and the Private Sector.

According to Zutshi, the objective of the Summit is to position the Indian tourism sector for attracting large investments and presenting to the investors tangible investment-ready projects in the various States of India. “The Summit will provide an ideal platform to investors interested in tourism products, wherein Indian States/ Union Territories shall present their respective investmentready products encompassing hospitality, wellness, roadways, infrastructure, airports, luxury and lifestyle, cruises and civic amenities amongst others,” he added.

“We have identified 150 investable projects from all states across the country. We have appointed knowledge partners (KPMG, Invest India, Yas Bank, TFCI) amongst the States, and the process of identifying the investable projects have started a couple of months ago. The whole information about these projects shall be circulated among the investors just to make it convenient for them to opt the project of their choice.”

In order to make it an annual event the Ministry of Tourism is creating an Investment Desk with the help of Invest India and DIPP. This ID will work with the ministry to facilitate the investors even after the summit. This desk has initially been proposed to have three years.

“We have identified 150 investable projects from all states across the country. We have appointed knowledge partners amongst the States, and the process of identifying the investable projects have started a couple of months ago.”

Incredible India Investors’ Summit The tourism sector in India faces a lot of challenges when it comes to facilitating world class infrastructure and last mile connectivity.

Since a lot has to be done in tourism sector, India presents a plethora of investment opportunities of infrastructure development, both from India and overseas. In an attempt to address these challenges, on the lines of Make in India campaign the Ministry of Tourism has planned to host the first ever Incredible India Investors’ Summit at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi from September 21st to 23rd, 2016.

The Secretary Tourism has big expectations from the upcoming summit as he is getting positive response from the investors.

“During ASEAN Sumit our ADG has met a group of Investors.

Eighteen key investors have shown their interest in summit while eight of them have already given their consent to attend the meeting.

The idea behind this summit is to start a communication between the investors and the states.

Promotion of summit and India Tourism roadshow The Ministry of Tourism is conducting a series of meetings across the world to create awareness among the foreign investors for the upcoming Incredible India Investors’ Summit. Along with these meetings the Incredible India Roadshows will be organised for promotion of tourism products of the country. Most of the meetings are scheduled for the month of August.

The Secretary Tourism Vinod Zutshi will attend the meeting in Shanghai and Hong Kong from August 22nd to 26th. He will interact with the investors to promote the Incredible India Investors Summit, and conducting roadshows the with the tourism stakeholders.

The Additional Secretary, Udai Pratap Singh will lead a delegation to San Francisco and Los Angeles. He will be travelling to Oman, Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha in Middle East as well. Additional Director General, Meenakshi Sharma will lead the team to Japan and Singapore in mid August for the same purpose. The Joint Secretary, Suman Billa became part of the team travelled to New York and Washington in the first week of August.

August 2016 13

TRAVEL BUSINESS

TrawellTag Cover-More conducts ‘Travel Agents Engagement Programme’ in Punjab WH Desk

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rawellTag Cover-More conducted its signature Travel Agents Engagement Programme (TAEP) in the cities of Jalandhar and Chandigarh last month exclusively for the members of the Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI) and the Punjab Travel Agents Association (PTAA). Held at Radisson in Jalandhar and Hyatt Regency in Chandigarh, both TAEP sessions were aimed at enhancing the product knowledge, up sell skills and updating the travel agents about the recent market trends.

Speaking on the occasion, Dev Karvat, Managing Director, TrawellTag Cover-More, said, “Not only the travel agencies are finding the need for such programmes, but associations like TAAI and PTAA have also shown keen interest in empowering their members though trusted partners like us.“ “Through this developmental programme, TrawellTag Cover-More creates a platform to educate the travel agents on beneficial skills for business growth and such initiatives should be promoted to achieve better and higher quality of travel ancillary sales,” he further added.

As a result of this programme, we have seen the awareness levels change in the cities where this has been conducted and so we are optimistic that there is a positive scope for such initiatives across India,” said Karvat while elaborating on the outcome of the event.

Baljit Shergill, President, TAAI Chandigarh Chapter commented “Initiatives like these provide scope for industry transformation and taking a productive step to achieve business enhancement. Kuljeet Singh, President, PTAA-Jalandhar Region said “Growth cannot be achieved in isolation. TAEP is a platform for the Travel Agents Association to foster learning and business acumen for growth of the travel agent’s business.”

This successful programme has already been held at several major cities in India like Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Nagpur, Indore, Vizag, Pune, Hyderabad and Bengaluru.

Avis launches partner program for travel agents in India WH Desk

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vis India has introduced a partner program for travel agents and travel management companies (TMCs).

With this program travel agents and travel management companies can now offer self-drive car rentals in over 168 countries worldwide to their customers travelling for business or leisure, from India.

This serves as a great business opportunity for travel agents, tour operators and TMCs who can now sell self-drive car rentals to their customers.

Avis India has rolled out many initiatives exclusively targeting prospective travel agency, tour operator and TMC partners.

The key ones include a dedicated sales team for enlisting and supporting our travel trade partners, a dedicated Travel Agent Helpdesk at the Avis Contact Centre for all their queries and requirements regarding global self-drive, technology solutions like microsites to facilitate bookings, support for GDS reservations and regular and timely MIS of business generated by the partner.

Avis India has also set an Avis Training Academy that provides a specialized training program leading to certification for staff at its travel trade partner locations.

14 August 2016

Sunil Gupta, Managing Director & CEO of Avis India said “We are already selling global self-drive through our existing corporate relationships and travel partners. There is a rapidly growing desire for Indians to use self- drive cars while travelling abroad and so we plan to engage with travel agents, tour operator and travel management companies who have a strong focus on outbound travel.

Incremental revenues and commission earnings for our travel trade partners and increase in self- drive business from India for Avis countries worldwide will prove to be a win-win situation for all.

Avis is the most diversified and recognised self-drive brand in the world with a network across 6 continents, 168 countries and more than 5200 locations. Avis is the first company in India to offer global self-drive.

It has many firsts to its credit and its emphasis on blending global systems with an understanding of local needs has enabled it to achieve market leadership in mobility.

To create awareness, Avis India is networking with travel partners through various industry recognized trade shows and exhibitions.

redBus expands into Latin America

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biboGroup, India’s largest online travel company that owns properties such as Goibibo.com, redBus.in, Yourbus and ibibo Ryde has executed a binding agreement to acquire a majority stake in Peru-based bus ticketing platform Busportal (Empresa Digital Peruana S.A.C.) for an undisclosed amount. Ibibo’s portfolio company redBus, is India’s largest bus ticketing platform. Besides Latin America, redBus has also launched operations in Malaysia and Singapore.

This investment in Busportal.pe will give redBus an entry into large and under penetrated online bus ticketing markets in Latin America, such as Peru, Colombia and Chile. In addition to its local market expertise, Busportal.pe will leverage the redBus technology, product and brand name to launch and grow these markets. The co-founders of Busportal, Hassan Bourgi & Carol Riboud, will continue to drive the operations in Peru and further expand into Colombia & Chile.

MoT

Rejuvenation of Ayodhya and Mathura WH Desk

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he Ministry of Tourism has launched a scheme Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Augmentation Drive (PRASAD) for development and beautification of important pilgrimage sites of the country in 2014-15. Under the scheme 13 sites have been identified so far for development, namely Ajmer, Amritsar, Amaravati, Dwarka, Gaya, Kedarnath, Kamakhya, Kanchipuram, Mathura, Patna, Puri, Varanasi and Velankanni.

The Ministry of Tourism has also launched another scheme, Swadesh Darshan for integrated development of theme based tourist circuits in the country in 2014-15. Ramayana and Krishna Circuits are among the thirteen thematic circuits identified for development under the scheme.

The destinations initially identified for development under the Ramayana, Krishna Circuits in the country are as under:

Ramayana Circuit: Ayodhya, Nandigram, Shringverpur & Chitrakoot (Uttar Pradesh); Sitamarhi, Buxar & Darbhanga (Bihar); Chitrakoot (Madhya Pradesh); Mahendragiri (Odisha); Jagdalpur (Chattisgarh); Nashik & Nagpur (Maharashtra) Bhadrachalam (Telangana); Hampi (Karnataka) and Rameshwaram (Tamil Nadu).

Krishna Circuit: Dwarka (Gujarat); Nathdwara, Jaipur & Sikar (Rajasthan); Kurukshetra (Haryana), Mathura, Vrindavan, Gokul, Barsana, Nandgaon & Govardhan (Uttar Pradesh) and Puri (Odisha).

In the current financial year, the budget allocation for the PRASAD scheme is Rs.100 crore while that for the Swadesh Darshan scheme is Rs.706.35 crore. Suitable projects relating to the identified sites/ circuits are eligible for sanction subject to adherence to scheme guidelines, availability of resources and submission of previous utilization certificates.

Details of the funds sanctioned for the projects of Mathura under PRASAD Scheme are as under:(Rs. in crore) Sl. No.

State

Name of the project

Sanctioned Amount

Year- 2014-15 1.

Uttar Pradesh Development of MathuraVrindavan as Mega Tourist Circuit (Ph-II)

14.93

2.

Uttar Pradesh Construction of Tourist Facilitation Centre at Vrindavan, Distt. Mathura

9.35

Assam launches draft tourism policy

Setting Up of New Tourism Colleges

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STATE

WH Desk

he state is set to take a big leap into the money-spinning world of tourism. It has come up with a draft tourism policy which includes ‘Awesome Assam’, a campaign to boost tourism in all sectors wildlife, spirituality, tea, golf, adventure, leisure, monsoon, film, and so on.

The policy proposes the creation of a framework to transform tourism into a major economic sector of the state and increase tourist inflow two to three folds in the next five years. In 2014, around 4,50,000 domestic and 20,000 foreign tourists visited the state.

With an eye on the vast market in Southeast Asia, the draft proposes full utilization of the opportunities for tourism expansion opened up by the Trans-Asian Highway, via Myanmar and Thailand, to Singapore, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam. This will ‘open the floodgates for tourists from these countries’. As per the proposed policy ‘a direct flight on the Tokyo-Seoul-BeijingGuwahati route will bring loads of tourists from Japan, South Korea and China.

To promote film tourism, the draft proposes financial grants for Bollywood directors to the tune of Rs one crore per film if more than 50 percent of it is shot in the state. If the film is based on Assam’s culture, with tourism and heritage as its central themes, an additional Rs 25 lakh will be given. Another Rs 10 lakh will be granted if the post-production work is also done in the state.

WH Desk

he Ministry of Tourism (MoT) has so far sanctioned 12 Institutes of Hospitality Management in the North Eastern States, list of these Institutes are at Annexure. Out of these Central Institute of Hotel Management, Guwahati, Central Institute of Hotel Management, Shillong, State Institute of Hotel Management, Gangtok and Food Craft Institute, Nawgaon are operational.

The State Government/Union Territory Administrations have been advised by the MoT to set up Hospitality Development Boards if the same do not exist in their respective States/Union Territories. The State Government of Maharashtra has reportedly setup Hospitality Development and Promotion Board.

List of Institutes in North Eastern States for which Central Financial Assistance has been granted by MoT. ÂÂCentral Institute of Hotel Management, Guwahati , Assam ÂÂState Institute of Hotel Management, Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh ÂÂState Institute of Hotel Management, Imphal, Manipur ÂÂCentral Institute of Hotel Management, Shillong, Meghlaya ÂÂState Institute of Hotel Management, Aizawl, Mizoram ÂÂState Institute of Hotel Management, Dimapur, Nagaland ÂÂState Institute of Hotel Management, Gangtok, Sikkim ÂÂState Institute of Hotel Management, Agartala, Tripura ÂÂState Institute of Hotel Management, Jorhat, Assam ÂÂFood Craft Institute, Nawgaon, Assam ÂÂFood Craft Institute, Tura, Meghlaya ÂÂFood Craft Institute, Namchi, Sikkim

August 2016 15

STATE

Kerala focuses on new initiatives for tourism The Government of Kerala has rolled out several initiatives with the aim to further boost the State’s tourism equity said Nandakumar K P, Deputy Director, Kerala Tourism. He was speaking at the outset of Tradeshow organised for travel agents and tour operators in New Delhi recently.

Jai Kishan Kaparwan

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oreign tourist arrivals in Kerala during the year 2015 was 9, 77,479 an increase of 5.86 percent over the previous year’s figure of 9, 23,366. Domestic tourist footfalls during the same period was 1, 24, 65,571 recorded an increase of 6.59 percent over the previous year’s figure 1, 16, 95,411. Foreign exchange earnings for the year 2015 were Rs. 6,949.88 Crores, registering an increase of 8.61 percent over the previous year. Total tourism revenue (direct and indirect) during 2015 was Rs. 26,689.63 Crores, showing an increase of 7.25 percent over the previous year’s figure.

Kerala Tourism is focusing on the new initiatives taken by the department for more growth. Here are some of the recent (and planned) initiatives. Deputy Director of Kerala Tourism Nandakumar K P elaborated more on this.

Project Muziris: This was rolled out last year in order to enhance the travel experience and add to Kerala’s array of attractions.

The project is intentioned to reinstate the historical and cultural significance of the legendary port of Muziris, situated in central Kerala. “Project Muziris constitutes a series of 27 museums spread across the heritage region, between them showcasing maritime trade, lifestyle, barter system and handicrafts. Some of these museums are interactive in nature,” added Nandakumar.

Spice Route: Another amazing initiative in the offing is the Spice Route Revival Project. The historic Spice Route linked the south western coast of India with Europe. Kerala’s initiative to revive and promote the two-millennia-old spice route through tourism has received a boost with the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) pledging support to the venture.

Muziris Biennale: Kochi-Muziris Biennale is an international exhibition of contemporary art held in Kochi. Indian and international artists exhibit their work across a variety of mediums including film, installation, painting, sculpture, new media and performance art. Through the celebration of contemporary art from around the world, The Kochi-Muziris Biennale seeks to invoke the historic cosmopolitan legacy of the modern metropolis of Kochi and its glorious predecessor, the ancient port of Muziris. This year’s exhibition begins on December 12, 2016 and continues until March 29, 2017.

ECO-Adventure: Kerala Tourism will be launching a unique nature-based adventure holidays programme ECO-Adventure.

The objective is to use key tourism genres – Wildlife, Hill Stations, Beaches, Backwaters, etc. and leverage the adventure activity possibilities they offer. The ‘activities’ canvas would extend to Trekking, Camping, Rock Climbing, Jungle/ Wildlife Safaris, Bird Watching, Cycling, Kayaking, Canoeing and Paragliding.

New Brand Campaign: With tourists always looking for something new, a sound strategy going forward is to promote the State’s lesser-explored and virgin destinations. Accordingly, a new brand campaign has been developed and will soon be launched under the aegis of Kerala Tourism. Promoting the unseen experience of God’s Own Country, the trans-media campaign primarily targets high-potential markets such as Europe, Asia, Middle East, North and North East of India.

IRCTC signs MoU with Manipur Government to enhance services WH Desk

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ndian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) and the Manipur Government signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) which seeks to provide improved hospitality and tourism services to their customers by making ‘joint use of their capabilities and facilities’. The MoU, signed late last week, was initiated by Dr. A K Manocha, CMD, IRCTC and Nidhi Mani Tripathi, Secretary, Tourism, Government of Manipur.

The MoU entails upon both the parties to identify areas of cooperation and draw up detailed plans for development of joint tourism products and opening and managing various catering and hospitality outlets, budget hotels and handicrafts shops at railway as well as non-railway locations. The areas where the two signatories

16 August 2016

would leverage their joint strength also include involvement of Self Help Groups (SHGs), setting up of water vending machines, use of Rail Neer (IRCTC’s packaged water) and development of lounges and greeting services for tourists.

In addition, the signatories would strive to market each other’s products and services through both physical outlets and websites, thus improving the range of services to their own customers.

According to the MoU, “Both parties are desirous of working together to provide improved hospitality and tourism services to their customers by making joint use of their capabilities and facilities,” which also envisages “development and promotion of any other products and services.”

HERITAGE

Archaeological site of Nalanda Mahavihara gets inscribed in World Heritage list

The nomination dossier for ‘Excavated Remains of Nalanda Mahavihara’ was prepared by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and submitted in January 2015 to the World Heritage Committee for the purpose of its inscription in the year 2016 and on 15 July 2016 it has got inscribed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Jai Kishan Kaparwan

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he ‘Excavated Remains of Nalanda Mahavihara’ the great monastic-cum-scholastic establishment are located around 88 km away from Patna, state capital of Bihar in India. It presents a key archaeological evidence of a truly international centre for organised learning. Nalanda Mahavihara was founded by Kumargupta I of the Gupta dynasty in 5th century CE. It was patronised by various rulers including King Harshavardhana of Kannauj (7th century CE) and the Pala rulers (8th – 12th century CE) as well as various scholars.

evident in art of Nalanda. While Nalanda stucco influenced practices in Thailand, its metal art influenced art of the Malayan archipelago, Nepal, Myanmar and Tibet travelling out through scholars.

Later, number of factors spread over centuries caused the decline of this famed institution. The same region, later, saw emergence of a number of reputed educational institutions like Vikramshila and Odantpuri but the eminence of Nalanda remains unrivalled. About six centuries after Nalanda’s decline, the site was first discovered and reported by Sir Francis Buchanan. The site was systematically excavated and consolidated by Archaeological Survey of India from 1915 to 1937 and again from 1974 to 1982.

Earning the title of ‘Medieval School of Discussion and Logic’, Nalanda`s scholars mastered the art and science of debate developing it into a critical tool for higher learning. Today, the continuity of its systems is also evident in contemporary monasteries in Sri Lanka, Tibet and Nepal. In fact, the term Nalanda has become synonymous with aspired standard of education as evidenced in several 21st century namesake institutions all over the world.

Nalanda is a rare combination of outstanding achievements in institution-building, site-planning, art and architecture. Nalanda symbolised the multiplicity of knowledge production, the innovative processes of the organised transmission of ideas through education, and a shared heritage of people living in multiple regions of Asia.

All surviving remains of Nalanda Mahavihara in the proposed property area demonstrate amply the attributes of the property such as its planning and layout, its architectural manifestation and extant building materials and applied ornamental embellishments.

Preserved in-situ is structural remains of Viharas (residential-cumscholastic structure) and Chaityas (temple-like structure) whose layers of construction show evolution of the respective forms. The site also retains a corpus of moveable and immoveable artefacts and artistic embellishment that shows iconographic development reflecting changes in Buddhist belief system. While stucco and engraved art are conserved in-situ, metal and stone objects are exhibited today at the adjoining Site Museum.

Built ensembles in Nalanda are physical manifestation of influence of ancient Indian pedagogy where planning, architecture and artistic traditions of Indian sub-continent and beyond developed into subsequent architectural and artistic prototypes. Nalanda distinguished itself as the earliest planned university of the Indian subcontinent. Thematic and iconographic assimilation of features from major art-centres of the sub-continent with local practices is

Nalanda attracted scholars from the Indian subcontinent and beyond and received patronage of local rulers and foreign kings for unbroken period of 800 years. Students were admitted after rigorous evaluation only. Apart from teaching of topics related to Buddhism, contemporary texts and philosophies, logic, grammar, science, and medicine were also part of the knowledge imparted at Nalanda.

August 2016 17

Get Refreshed at Hill Stations of Maharashtra The Western Ghats, blessed by the altitude of the Sahyadri Ranges, envelop little sleepy hollows. These petite hill-stations, popularised by the British Raj to beat the Indian heat, are jewels in the hills.

In the mornings, sunbeams play hide-and-seek through the rolling dawn mist. By afternoon, they are still cool thanks to their height. As evening falls, they bundle up in blankets of fog, toasty aromas wafting from local pots. This edition of Whereabouts explores the beauty of Mahabaleshwar, Panchgani, Matheran and Amboli.

18 August 2016

NEED TO KNOW

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rom north to south, the Western Ghats rise steep. Some ranges dip straight into the Arabian Sea, while others meander around, jumping over waterfalls and lakes. Each of the major cities in Maharashtra has the bounty of a hillstation within a few hours’ driving distance. So rich and varied is the state’s topography that each of these homes in the hills is unique.

MAHABALESHWAR Winding roads, a cool breeze at all times, vantage points offering breathtaking views of hills and valleys, plenty of strawberries to gorge on and a main street full of shops offering all kinds of curios and snacks. Doesn’t it sound exciting? Well, that’s Mahabaleshwar which along with Panchgani makes for a wonderful holiday or even just a weekend getaway.

Located about 120 kms southwest of Pune and 285 kms from Mumbai, Mahabaleshwar is a vast plateau measuring 150 kms, bound by valleys on all sides. It reaches a height of 1,439 meters at its highest peak above sea level, known as Wilson or Sunrise Point.

Mahabaleshwar comprises three villages; Malcolm Peth, Old ‘Kshetra’ Mahabaleshwar and part of a village called Shindola.

The hill station is the source of the Krishna River that flows across Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. The legendary source of the river is a spout from the mouth of a statue of a cow in the ancient temple of Mahadev in Old Mahabaleshwar.

Kate’s Point gives visitors a view of the Dhom and Balakwadi dams. Close to it is the Needle Hole Point where there is a natural hole in between its rock formation. Wilson Point, which is the highest point of the hill station is a favourite with tourists for splendid views of sunrise and sunset. The second-highest peak in Mahabaleshwar is Connaught Peak and gets its name from the Duke of Connaught. Some of the other points that you must visit are Monkey Point, Carnac Point, Falkland Point, Helen’s Point, Elphinstone Point, Mumbai Point, Marjorie Point and Babbington Point etc.

For boating you must head to the Venna Lake. During the monsoon, waterfalls such as Lingmala Falls and Dhobi Falls come alive, adding to the scenic splendour of the place. You can also spend your evenings loitering in the main bazaar and enjoy strawberryflavoured ice-cream or fresh strawberries with whipped cream.

Top Attractions

Pratapgad: Out of the 360 forts that bear testimony to the glory of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s, the Pratapgad Fort holds the most significant place in Maratha rule because it is from here that the history of this legendary emperor took a decisive course after he scored a victory against the mighty Afzal Khan, commander of the Bijapur Adilshahi forces. Also, the fort commands a spectacular view of the surroundings.

Kaas Pathar: If ever you have wished to be surrounded by a bounty of colourful flowers and nothing else for quite a distance, the Kaas Plateau is where you should be. Just 25 kms from the bustling city lies this pristine and wonderfully unique ecosystem nestled in the Sahyadri Mountains. The metamorphosis that takes place here during the monsoon season is like witnessing Mother Nature unfolding a miracle for the world to be astounded with.

Kaas: If ever you have wished to be surrounded by a bounty of colourful flowers and nothing else for quite a distance, the Kaas Plateau is where you should be. Just 25 kms from the bustling city lies this pristine and wonderfully unique ecosystem nestled in the Sahyadri Mountains. The metamorphosis that takes place here during the monsoon season is like witnessing Mother Nature unfolding a miracle for the world to be astounded with.

August 2016 19

NEED TO KNOW Things To Do

Try Horse Riding: While you can visit the various points in Mahabaleshwar either on foot or by car, another option is to hire a horse and add to the fun. For first-timers this may be a bit of a wobble, but it sure beats getting around in a motored vehicle.

Go Boating in Tapola Lake: Enjoy the scenic beauty of the Tapola Lake on a long boat ride. This lake in fact is the back water of the Koyana dam. A boat ride through the clean blue waters and along the lush green foliage is very soothing to the eyes and mind.

Reaching Here

Air: The nearest airport is at Pune about 120 kms from Mahabaleshwar.

Rail: Nearest railroad is Satara, around 55 kms away. Nearest major railway junction is at Pune, 120 kms. Road: From Mumbai, it takes about 4 to 5 hours by car taking a route via Panvel through Mahad and Poladpur. There are frequent ST buses from Dadar and Mumbai CST. PANCHGANI If it hadn’t been for the constant search of the British for scenic hill stations with invigorating climate, Panchgani probably wouldn’t have been discovered. It was developed as a retirement place but soon became one of the most popular hill stations in Maharashtra. Its beauty is enhanced by a flat piece of land which is called the ‘Table Top’.

The credit for discovering Panchgani must go to a British superintendent named John Chesson who was placed in charge of the hill station in the 1860s. Fond of gardening, he planted many species from the western world in Panchgani, including silver oak and poinsettia, which have flourished since then. To develop the infrastructure, Chesson encouraged various professionals - tailors, dhobis, butchers, vegetable vendors,

20 August 2016

building contractors, etc. to also settle in Panchgani. The area below the bazaar was allotted to them, and is known as the Gaothan.

Panchgani is nestled in the middle of five hills in the Sahyadri Mountain ranges and amidst five villages known as Dandeghar, Khingar, Godwali, Amral and Taighat. Located 285 kms from Mumbai and 100 kms from Pune, it is the pleasant climate of Panchgani that attracts tourists, not to forget the scenic views one gets from its points.

The five hills surrounding Panchgani are topped by a volcanic plateau, which is the second highest in Asia after the Tibetan Plateau. This plateau, alternatively known as ‘Table Land’, is a part of the Deccan Plateau. Some of the points that you must visit are Sydney Point from where you can see the waters of the Dhom Dam, Parsi Point that overlooks the Krishna valley and Devil’s Kitchen which has a mythological legend associated with it. It is believed that the Pandavas of the Mahabharat epic had stayed here for a while.

Reaching Here

Air: The nearest airport is at Pune about 100 kms from Panchagani.

Rail: Nearest railroad is Satara, around 45 kms away. Nearest major railway junction is at Pune, about 100 kms away.

Road: From Mumbai, it takes about 4 to 5 hours by car taking a route via Panvel through Mahad and Poladpur. There are frequent ST buses from Dadar and Mumbai CST. MATHERAN At a time when even some of the most remote tourist places have begun to suffer from pollution, primarily due to the increase in vehicles, can there be a hill station which can lay claim to being totally free of such

ill-effects? Surprisingly, there is one, and it remains free of noxious pollutants mainly because no motorised vehicles are allowed on its tiny roads or the pathways that lead into deep woods. This is Matheran, Asia’s tiniest hill station but with lots to offer by way of scenic view points, long treks through forested areas, and a quaintness of its own.

The best part about going to Matheran, the starting point for which is the railway station of Neral on the Mumbai-Pune route, is that you can buy a ride on the tiny train that traverses the narrow gauge track to the top, offering you on the way breathtaking sights even as it negotiates the bends and the curves. The train makes its way around the verdant slopes and through thick forest cover, passing on its way a ‘one kiss tunnel’ to take brief halts at Jumma Patti, Water Pipe and Aman.

Known as the ‘pedestrian’ hill station because all vehicles have to per force stop at Dasturi and tourists have to either walk or hitch a horse ride into Matheran, it is perched at 803 meters above the sea level.

The hill station in itself is an undulating hilltop cloaked in shady trees and ringed by walking trails leading to several vantage points from where you can have stunning views. It is also marked by its market place ‘a single street’ which houses restaurants and shops. Spread across Matheran is a mix of homes and hotels some still retaining their old-world charm of spacious bungalows while the others offering the most modern conveniences.

Things To Do

Try Delicious Food: A ‘must try’ is the delicious fudge as also fresh honey. You can indulge in street cuisine here, sip cups of piping hot masala tea or try out the snacks in small eateries or the bakeries.

Go Shopping: Curio shopping is an indulgence that Matheran offers on its M G

NEED TO KNOW

Road where you can buy the hill station’s famous chikki, leather footwear, bags and other knick-knacks. The street is also lined with provision stores and souvenir stalls selling walking sticks, riding whips and other paraphernalia.

Explore Scenic View Points: Leisurely walks and horse rides under the umbrella of trees are the best way to explore the many designated lookout points spread across three different ranges and each point has a peculiar charm and interest of its own. For example, Porcupine Point is from where you can get a fantastic view of the sunset while Echo Point is where you will hear a lot of shouting because of the echoes that the hills throw back at you. Elsewhere, the Hart Point offers a view of the nightlights of Mumbai. From Rambagh Point, Khandala and Karjat can be spotted, and Alexander Point provides views of Chauk Valley. From Panorama Point you can get a bird’s eye view of Neral town and on a clear day, even as far as Mumbai in the west.

Relax by Charlotte Lake: Another picturesque spot is the Charlotte Lake, fringed by a forest, with a dam at one end.

The best time is post monsoon when the lake is brimming to its full and one can see beautiful waterfalls cascading down the hill slopes. If you are lucky, you could also catch a glimpse of some migratory birds.

Reaching Here

Air: Nearest airport is at Mumbai, 110 kms away.

Road: From Neral, a taxi can be hired. The distance is 8 kms.

Rail: Mini Trains 21 kms from Neral (two hours). Check the train services time schedules as they are suspended during the monsoon.

AMBOLI HILL STATION The beautiful hill-station of Amboli is rightly called the Queen of Maharashtra; such is its natural splendour. Famous among environmentalists as a precious ecological

hotspot, it is cool, calm, serene and enriched with all the treasures that the world of flora and fauna can bestow upon it. Located in the princely state of Sawantwadi, Amboli is located on the ridge of the Western Ghats and is particularly majestic during the monsoon when impromptu waterfalls gush down the hilly terrain.

Amboli is situated at an altitude of 690 meters above the sea level and its amazing topography comprises dense forest area with a large number of waterfalls which increase in number during the rains. In fact, it is the heavy rainfall of an average of 750 centimeters per year which results in such thick growth of trees and plants along the hillsides.

The hill-station was a favourite with the British rulers and it is said that Colonel Westrop was the one who took special efforts in developing this place. Winter is actually the perfect season to visit Amboli and some of the points that are a ‘must see’ include the Nangartas Waterfall, Hiranyakeshi, Sea View Point, and Mahadevgad. Kavlesaad Point is another interesting point from where you can get a view of the Sahyadri ranges.

However, for those who would like to add a little more mysticism to their visit, choose to go during the monsoon season. The entire region gets covered with a dense fog during several times a day. It is then that you can actually experience the power of silence and how nature makes it own music.

Meanwhile, don’t forget to stop by at the Hiranyakeshi Mandir. It is from here that the river Hiranyakeshi originates. The approach road is rough but the destination provides a wonderful experience. You would in fact want to spend hours at this calm and peaceful spot. The river ultimately flows through Karnataka where it is known as Ghataprabha. There’s also a small temple dedicated to Parvati.

For lodging MTDC offers a perfect rest house with a facility for meals. There are of course

other hotels and restaurants too at Amboli which has emerged as a popular tourist destination over the years. What makes this place special is that it is very rich in flora and fauna and you will in all probability be able to spot wild boars, antelopes, deer, monkeys and bison and maybe a leopard too in case you happen to be at the right spot at the right time.

Amboli is also a draw with enthusiastic birdwatchers who come here to glimpse and photograph various species like the Hornbill, Paradise Flycatcher, Drongo, Yellow-Browed Bulbul, Red-Whiskered Bulbul, CrimsonBacked Sunbird, Orange-Headed Ground Thrush, Indian Schimitar Babbler, and a lot more. A huge number of butterflies, frogs and reptiles make the forest their home too.

Some of the trees and plants found here include Hirda, Ain, Anjan, Shikekai, Mango, Fern, etc.

Reaching Here

Air: The nearest airport is Dabolim in Goa. Rail: The nearest railway station is Sawantwadi Road on Konkan railway.

Road: Amboli is well connected by road from Sawantwadi, Belgaum and Kolhapur. Number of buses ply from Pune and Mumbai to Amboli.

Top Attractions ÂÂKolhapur Town Hall ÂÂRadhanagri (Dajipur) ÂÂVengurla ÂÂTarkarli ÂÂMultifaceted Kolhapur

August 2016 21

WHEREABOUTS

An Experience to Cherish Forever!

Fly Over the Mysterious Nazca Lines in Peru

Declared a World Heritage Site in 1994, Nazca Lines is amongst the top 10 places to visit in Peru.

These images on the ground are so big in size that the best way to get a full view of them is overflying them. Whereabouts brings more on this fascinating destination; find out how you can make the most out of this experience.

Compiled by WH Desk

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eru offers a wide spectrum of opportunities for the travellers, right from sight-seeing to gastronomy, everything is magnificent and enticing. It is a country blessed with rich culture, mesmerizing beauty and breathtaking adventure sites. Machu Picchu is one of the major highlights of the trip of South America but there is much more to explore in Peru beyond this place.

Nazca Lines were drawn on the surface between the period of 550 – 600 AD. These are the greatest known archaeology’s enigma owing to its size, continuity, nature and quality. Geographers have depicted them to be the living creatures, imaginary beings, stylized plants and long geometric figures. These lines are associated with some astronomical functions. These images on the ground are so big in size that the best way to get a full view of them is overflying them.

Flying over Nazca Lines leave all the tourists spellbound as they glare at the perfect shapes of a Spider, a Lizard, different kinds of birds like Humming Birds, Sea Birds, a Monkey, a Whale and even spot the design of powerful Andean Condor. The planes that are used to take tourists fly over Nazca are of the optimum standard. All the airplanes can accommodate 4-12 passengers + 1 pilot + 1 copilot.

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The tour departs from the Maria Reiche Airport that is located in Nazca itself. All year round, the flights are scheduled daily, although they are subjected to weather conditions. Nazca Lines are surely one of the most impressive and prevailing mysteries of the Peruvian history and it would be surely an experience to cherish for your lifetime if given a chance to fly over them.

Reaching Here You can reach Nazca by bus from Pisco and Lima. The bus journey from Pisco takes about 3.30 hours and from Lima it takes about 6 hours to reach Nazca. You can even take regular daily flights via LC Perú Lima - Pisco – Lima and continue with your journey. During the peak season starting from June to September the tour must be booked two weeks prior to the travel date to get confirmed seats.

Must-Visit, See and Do in Peru Tourists can enjoy a boat ride in Lake Titicaca, the highest navigable lake in the world; enjoy a fancy picnic in the middle of the dessert in Paracas, under the spectacular star-filled sky; exploring the mysteries of the Nazca Lines, tracings of mysteriously preserved drawings in the desert sand; visit the Colca and Cotahuasi Canyons, the deepest canyons in the world; fishing piranhas in the Amazon River, the mightiest river in the world; or experience the modern lifestyle sightseeing in the streets of Lima, the only capital in South America facing the Pacific Ocean. The uniqueness in the landscape, the people and the rich experience here makes Peru one of the most extra-ordinary destinations to visit.

Peru’s Geography and Climate Location: Peru is located in the west of South America, and has borders with Ecuador, Colombia, Brazil, Bolivia and Chile. It has sovereignty over 1,285,215 km2 of land and 200 nautical miles of the Pacific Ocean, as well as 60 million hectares of the Antarctic.

It is the third largest country in South America and one of the 20 largest countries in the world. Its sovereignty extends over 200 nautical miles. Having been a consultative party to the Antarctic Treaty it has a Scientific Station called Machu Picchu on that continent.

Geography: Peru is an extremely diverse country, with 11 ecological regions and 84 of the world’s 117 different types of ‘Life Zone’. It has a huge variety of scenery thanks to its geography, which also provides it with a wide range of natural resources. The country has 3 main regions according to the traditional method of dividing the country by altitude: coast, mountains and jungle.

Entry Peru is basically a country of open doors. The entry into Peru for Citizens of most American and Western European countries does not require a tourist visa. The maximum period of stay granted by the authorities is 183 days (cannot be extended). For longer periods of time for other purposes (business, study, work, etc.) it is necessary to apply for the corresponding visa at a Peruvian consulate.

In order to enter Peru it is indispensible to carry a valid passport.

Citizens of Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, Ecuador, Colombia, Bolivia, Venezuela and Chile may enter with their valid national identification document.

Reaching Here

Access by Air: Peru enjoys a privileged location in the heart of South America, turning International Airport Jorge Chavez (in Lima) into an international hub for tourism and several airlines that reach many destinations in South America. There are direct and stop-over flights to Lima from the main capitals of the world.

Image courtesy: PROMPERU

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The Haven of Gastronomy

eruvian cuisine is creating international buzz across the globe.

The foodies bent on the famous restaurants in Peru are driving them to explore the country. Slowly Peru is becoming the gastronomic capital of the world. All the three restaurants namely Central, Maido and Astrid & Gastón have brought pride to the Peruvian Cuisine by making to the list of 50 Best Restaurants in the World, produced by British magazine Restaurant. The distinct qualities of these restaurants have helped them to secure their position on the global map.

Central Restaurant

Central Restaurant located in Lima holds 4th position in the list of 50 Best Restaurants of the World. The restaurant is owned by a Peruvian Chef Virgilio Martinez, who also has a restaurant in London called Lima London, which holds a Michelin Star.

The main essence of the restaurant lies in the ingredients as they are handpicked by the team of Martínez. This takes one on a culinary expedition right from Amazon till the Pacific Coast. It is rightly known as the gastronomic expedition of altitude and ecosystem of Peru. This is the reason why Central has been able to maintain the top

position for two consecutive years. The signature dish of Central is Tallos Extremos that has been inspired by wild oca and Andean yams during Martínez’s trip to Aija in the Andes.

Magali Silva, the Minister of Foreign Trade and Tourism expressed her happiness by stating “Central highlights the diversity of Peruvian ecosystems with its proposal called Mater Initiative with which Martinez travels the country in search of ingredients below sea level and up to 4,100 meters of altitude, on the Andes”.

Maido From position 44, the Maido restaurant has jumped to 13 this year at the World’s 50 Best Restaurants all efforts credited to Chef Mitsuharu Tsumura. The restaurant is a perfect blend of Japanese and Peruvian cuisine. The Nikkei menu has a unique Peruvian vision and distinct Japanese flavours. The unique cooking styles and rare ingredients used at Maido have helped it to be the one of the best foodie hotspot in Latin America.

A combination of impeccable Japanese detail with the flora and fauna of Peru is celebrated at Maido. The sushi at Maido includes flavors usually associated with ceviche – such as lime and aji peppers – to create dishes that combine spicy, savory and sweet. The best culinary experience is the 17-course tasting menu which is served at the restaurant.

On obtaining such a high jump, Magali Silva, the Minister of Foreign Trade and Tourism expressed that, “Maido on the other hand emphasizes the convergence between Peru and Japan, with more than 100 years of history, to which the nikkei chef Mitsuharu Sumura adds a protagonical rol to Amazonian ingredients”.

Astrid & Gastón Astrid & Gastón is owned by Peru’s celebrity chef Gastón Acurio, creator of a burgeoning empire of fine-dining restaurants not only in Lima, but also other cities in both North and South America. The best restaurant in Latin America promises you nothing less than a grand treat expressed perfectly through the 16 courses embellished by aesthetic décor, soothing music, fashion and traditional tableware.

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Treat your palate with Tiradito and Cebiche from the Andes at the Restaurant.

Specialties include spicy roasted ribs or the excellent noble robado fish served in miso sauce with crunchy oysters.

Magali Silva, the Minister of Foreign Trade and Tourism has rightly said,” The election of our restaurants among the best in the world confirms the good moment that Peruvian cuisine is going through. We agree with the organizers, who mentioned it is a pride for South America to have five restaurants”.

Peruvian Cuisine is a culmination of Peru’s rich history, tradition and culture, founded on the country’s geography, a Pre-Hispanic culture that knew how to manage crops that the ‘Pachamama’ (Quechua for Mother Earth) provided and the continuous contribution of groups of immigrants from Europe, Africa and Asia fully integrated to the Peruvian society.

Besides the election of its restaurants, the country itself has won in four opportunities (2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015) the title of World’s Leading Culinary Destination in the World Travel Awards (WTA), which serves to acknowledge, reward and celebrate excellence across all sectors of the global travel and tourism industry.

For further queries please contact Ms. Chandrani Chakraborty pr@omtourism.com Handphone +91 9310585052

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South Korea stands at two in UIA’s Global Meetings Ranking Korea has been ranked the world’s top second destination for global congresses hosted in 2015, according to the latest International Meetings Statistics Report, released recently by the Union of International Associations (UIA).

increase over the 249 meetings hosted in 2014. Meanwhile, Busan, Korea’s secondlargest city, attained a global city ranking of 11 with 150 meetings, while renowned UNESCO World Heritage resort island Jeju accounted for 112 of the year’s meetings, achieving a global city ranking of 19.

WH Desk

Elaborating on this achievement, Byungsun Lee, Director Korea Tourism Organization said “We will of course continue to work actively to make Korea a highly-competitive MICE destination. South Korea is a country with a wealth of destinations all featuring their own unique attractions and venues for the MICE visitors. With our strength in infrastructure, we are positive to list our position amongst the top and most preferred MICE destinations of India as well. ”

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he findings show Korea achieving second place behind the USA with 891 meetings a 40 percent increase over the previous year. This also places it first in Asia and accounts for 7.5 percent of all meetings held worldwide across the same period. The results reflect continued strong interest in Korea, helped by the rise of its diverse regional Korean meeting destinations.

Seoul, the nation’s capital, also notably improved its long-standing top-five UIA city ranking, moving from 5th to 3rd place with 494 meetings held in 2015; a 98.4 percent

Korea’s annual convention profile regularly includes various international congresses, each of which benefit from a wide range of support programs specifically catering to

CityPASS launches New York C3 WH Desk

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ityPASS, the company that specialises in packaging discounted admission to the most iconic attractions in 12 North American destinations, recently announced the debut of New York C3, a mobile pass concept that allows a more customised approach to vacation planning.

CityPASS booklets typically contain a set number of attraction admission tickets that visitors can use over a period of nine consecutive days (14 days for Southern CaliforniaCityPASS admission cards). The New York C3 mobile pass puts a slightly different spin on this popular concept.

“As always, we have handpicked the very best attractions to showcase on the pass,” explained Megan Allen, President and CEO, CityPASS. “C3 is ideal for shorter-stay visitors who don’t have time to squeeze in all of New York City’s top spots, as well as repeat visitors who have experienced New York before and have a shorter list of must-see attractions and travelers who want a customised vacation experience.”

Unlike the original New York CityPASS ticket booklet, New York C3 isn’t a booklet at all. Available for purchase only through citypass. com, it’s a mobile pass that travellers carry on their smartphones.

(Those without smartphones can opt to print out a voucher containing the barcode for their C3 purchase.)The visitor then uses that barcode to visit three top Big Apple attractions. The selected sight can be visited in any order and do not need to be identified at the time the pass is purchased.

The New York C3 mobile pass costs $71 for adults and $51 for children, age 4-12. Visitors using the pass save up to 25 percent off the cost of purchasing individual admission tickets. Each pass is valid for nine consecutive days, starting with the first day of use.

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large-scale meetings from the Korea MICE Bureau (KMB) division of the Korea Tourism Organization. This includes complimentary city tours for delegates, airport welcome messages, customized event banners and souvenirs, on-site cultural experience booths, and many other enhancements.

Recent major events that have utilized KMB assistance include 2015’s ICN Conference & CNR, 7th World Water Forum, and 25thWorld Road Congress Seoul, and last month’s Rotary International Convention, attended by 50,000 participants, 21,000 of which came from overseas.

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Australia records highest arrivals from India in May 2016 The Tourism Forecasting Committee (TFC) has estimated 245,000 visitors from India for Jul 2015 - Jun 2016, a 12 percent increase over 2014-15. Arrivals from India are expected to perform well with an average annual financial year growth rate of 7.2 percent through to the financial year 2021-22.

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umbai July 11, 2016: Tourism Australia’s arrival statistics for May 2016 revealed the highest ever visitation in any given month from India to Australia. 27,400 tourists from India visited Australia during the peak school holiday period, an increase of 18 percent vis-à-vis May 2015, signifying Australia’s rising popularity as a leisure holiday destination amongst outbound Indian travellers.

Total arrivals for the year ended (YE) May 2016 were recorded at 238,000, an increase of 8 percent relative to the same period last year, making India the 9th largest inbound market for arrivals to Australia. For the year ended March 2016, Indian tourists spent A$ 1.14 billion on their Australian sojourn, that saw an increase of 19 percent over the previous year.

A majority of Indian tourists (67 percent) visited Australia for the purpose of leisure. The average spends for Indian visitors increased by 10 percent to A$ 5,215. In addition, the average length of stay for all visitors from India was recorded at 65 nights, with a 47 per cent repeat visitation.

Nishant Kashikar, Country Manager, India & Gulf, Tourism Australia, said, “It is a significant and momentous occasion for

Tourism Australia to see such a great response from the Indian market. Our marketing activities in collaboration with our key distribution and airline partners, with an increased thrust on digital initiatives, improved air connectivity between the two countries, stability of the Australian dollar, introduction of the pilot electronic lodgement of visa applications program, have been key factors in boosting travel to Australia. By 2025, we expect India to be among the top five markets for Tourism Australia.”

Tourism Australia frequently collaborates with its key distribution and airline partners for promotional campaigns across the print and digital space. Indian travel enthusiasts can visit www.australia.com/ offers to check out some exciting itineraries to explore Australia with trusted travel advisors such as Cox & Kings, Kesari Tours, Kulin Kumar Holidays, Makemytrip.com, Mercury Travels, SOTC, Thomas Cook, TUI, Vacations Exotica, Veena World and Yatra.com.

Bollywood takes over Yas Island for a sensational season of summer shows WH Desk

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elebrate Indian Independence this year on Yas Island with the most coveted line-up of Indian artists. On Friday, August 12th Farhan Akhtar and Vishal & Shekhar will take to the du Forum stage with never-seen-before performances. They return to the UAE after many years with fresh, new songs along with their roster of past favourites. Farhan Akhtar is poised for a blockbuster 2016 with movies like ‘Raees’, ‘Wazir’ and ‘Rock On 2’ releasing soon. Vishal & Shekhar riding high on their latest ‘Fan’ movie soundtrack being a hit, are expected to play songs from their upcoming releases which includes: ‘Befikre’, ‘Akira’, ‘Banjo’ and ‘Sultan’.

Headlining on Saturday, August 13th the legendary trio of Shankar, Ehsaan and Loy will have fans dancing at the du Forum as they also make their Abu Dhabi debut with new material from their latest hit Bollywood movie soundtracks: ‘Dostana 2’, ‘Agra KaDabra’, ‘Mirziya’.

Event: Bollywood in the Capital – Farhan Akhtar and Vishal & Shekhar du Forum, Abu Dhabi, Friday, August 12th & Bollywood in the Capital – Shankar, Ehsaan, Loy du Forum, Abu Dhabi, Saturday, August 13th.

Category Price Reserved Seating AED 200 General Admission AED 150

For more information visit: www.thinkflash.ae

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Zambia Tourism conducts FAM trip for Indian travel agents WH Desk

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ambia Tourism Board in association with Ethiopian Airlines recently hosted prominent tour operators from India on a familiarization trip. The 11 days tour to Zambia showcased the wonderful wildlife, culture and lodges of Zambia along with Ethiopian Airlines excellent services and connectivity in Africa.

The agents were also present for the Zambia Travel Expo (ZATEX), 2016 held at Mulungushi International Conference Centre (MICC) in Lusaka. During the 3-day expo, the Indian agents got the opportunity to network with industry players in the region as well as meet some of the global tourism partners.

The familiarization trip consisted of agents from Global Connections, Travel n Living, Earthwalk and Footprint Holidays along with Dency Mathew - Marketing and PR Manager, Blue Square Consultants. The group visited Lusaka, South Luangwa, Lower Zambezi and Livingstone. The group enjoyed activities like canoeing in the Zambezi River amongst hippos and crocodiles; day and night game drives in South Luangwa and Lower Zambezi National Park; microlight flight over Victoria Falls and a cruise on the African Queen in Livingstone.

Some of the partners who provided support to the FAM include Taj Pamodzi, Intercontinental, Sanctuary Retreats, Chinzombo Camp, Chongwe Safari, Sausage Tree Camp, Avani Victoria Falls Resort, Protea Hotel and the airline Proflight Zambia.

Zambia Tourism Board hopes to capitalize on the growing outbound market from India and increase tourist arrivals to Zambia. Felix Chaila, Managing Director, Zambia Tourism Board said, “India is an emerging source market for us and we want to see a positive growth from this market. This FAM was conducted so that Indian travel trade can get firsthand experience of the wonders of Zambia and can promote the destination further in their own country.”

“Zambia is the new face of Africa and is a safe and secure destination. We feel Indians are looking at exploring new and exciting destinations and Zambia is a product they will love.

Moving forward, we plan to conduct more familiarization trips, focused network events for trade, branding activities and one-on-one sales meetings in India with the help of our India representative Blue Square Consultants,” he added.

NYC Restaurant Week kicks off WH Desk

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YC & Company, New York City’s official destination marketing organization, encourages visitors and New Yorkers to dine out for NYC Restaurant Week Summer 2016 at one of the programme’s record-setting 388 participating restaurants.

The campaign started on July 25, will end on August 19. In its 24th year, the event offers three-course prix-fixe lunches for $29 and three-course prix-fixe dinners for $42 (excluding beverages, gratuities and taxes) Mondays through Fridays, with Saturdays excluded and Sundays optional. Diners can enter the #NYCRestaurantWeek photo contest on Instagram for a chance to win a $50 gift card to select NYC restaurants. For menus, photos and reservations, visit nycgo.com/restaurantweek.

Diners who snap a photo of their NYC Restaurant Week experience and tag the picture with #NYCRestaurantWeek on Instagram will be automatically entered into the contest.

Official judges will choose winners every day of the program for four weeks to receive a $50 gift card to select NYC Restaurant Week participants.

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HOSPITALITY

Singing Chef at The Westin Mumbai Garden City WH Desk

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rego, the fun dining Italian restaurant at The Westin Mumbai Garden City introduces to its diners, Chef Antonello Cancedda. Heading the culinary team of Prego as Chef de cuisine, Antonello brings with him over two decades of experience in authentic Italian fare.

Hailing from the renowned city of Genoa, the historical port city of Northern Italy, steeped in culture and famed for delicious Italian cuisine, Antonello has over the years spent time heading Italian restaurants in leading hotel chains in India.

A graduate of Scuola Alberghiera Restaurant and Hotel School of Genoa and an alumnus of Hotel and Restaurant school of Alassio, Italy, he has worked extensively in Europe, United States and Canada before venturing into Asia. Antonello drew his inspiration of becoming a chef from his father who loved exotic ingredients and flavors and introduced Antonello to the world of food at an early age. Antonello’s love for food and his need to be creative led to him formalizing his profession in the culinary world.

During his time in India, Antonello developed a keen understanding of the Indian palette and developed his style of authentic Italian

cuisine for the discerning Indian audience. At Prego, Antonello introduces his specialties like pasta with the famous Genoan Pesto sauce (Vegetarian), Lasagna Portofino (Vegetarian), Torta Pasqualina (Vegetarian), Tenderloin Carpaccio with Aragula and Parmesan (Non-Vegetarian) and Asparagus Scaloppine (Non-Vegetarian) among many more.

A little known fact about Antonello is his passion for strumming the guitar and belting out well known Bollywood songs for his diners.

Again, inspired by his father who was Tenor, Antonello’s love for India has translated into the pursuit of his hobby of music with well-knownBollywood songs. He is a familiar sight in his restaurant, tossing up delectable Italian cuisine and regaling guests with his singing prowess.

Wyndham Hotel Group’s Deepika Arora bags Leadership Award

Aquaventure takes the TripAdvisor crown

Wyndham Hotel Group’s Regional Vice President, Eurasia, Deepika Arora has been named as ‘Indian Affairs Innovative Woman CEO of the year 2016’ at the India Leadership Conclave Power Brand Awards 2016 held in Mumbai recently.

quaventure Waterpark at Atlantis, The Palm has taken the title as the Third Best Waterpark in the World and Best Waterpark in Dubai and the Middle East.

Crowned by the eighth annual TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice Awards, the top waterparks are chosen by travellers across the world, with the final selection based on millions of reviews and opinions left on the site.

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he was felicitated for her outstanding work and efforts in expanding the Wyndham Hotel Group’s footprint in the region with the Wyndham, Ramada, Days Inn and Howard Johnson brands. Under her leadership, the Group has also transitioned the regional business offering from a pure franchise model and is preparing to introduce hotel management services to owners across Eurasia.

Receiving the award, Deepika Arora said “It is inspiring to be acknowledged for one’s efforts and humbling to share this recognition with other women achievers from the industry. I am happy to receive the award on behalf of Wyndham Hotel Group and would like to thank my team who has been instrumental in bringing our company to where it is today.” She has grown her team significantly in the last two years to respond to the increasing opportunity in the market. “Supporting our franchisees and providing them with tools to attract and retain customers is at the top of our list”, she added.

India Leadership Conclave 2016 is the largest gathering of Asia’s most influential leaders on one single platform. The event is organized by Network 7 Media Group and is in its 7th edition this year.

The Conclave is complemented by India Leadership Conclave Power Brand Awards that acknowledges exemplary work.

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In comparison to 2015, Aquaventure Waterpark has climbed an impressive two spots, overtaking Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Waterpark in Florida and Beach Park in Brazil to claim the title as Third Best in the World, after Siam Park, Adeje and Waterbom, Bali.

The 17 hectare beachfront waterpark also beat competitors in the region, securing the title as Best Waterpark in Dubai and the Middle East.

Situated on the apex of the Palm in Dubai, the award winning waterpark is a firm favourite with celebrities, sports men and women and tourists from all over the world. With thousands of ‘excellent’ reviews and images shared by guests on Trip Advisor, travellers love Aquaventure for its appeal to families and guests of any age. From thrilling rapids and diving with sharks, to taking on a mass of terrifying and record breaking slides, one reviewer describes it as ‘A must in Dubai for the entire family’.

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Melia Hotels eyes India as a prime market; conducts tri-city roadshow Meliá Hotels International concluded its three cities roadshow in Mumbai, Bengaluru and New Delhi from 11th to 15th July, 2016. The Roadshows were organised with an objective to strengthen Meliá’s brand awareness as well as build up relationships with the travel trade.

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ed by, Ruben Casas, Senior Director Sales and Marketing, Asia Pacific, and hotel representatives, from different Melia properties, Patricia Andrino (Account Manager Meetings & Events Central Spain), Daniella Baldelli (Director Commercial Italia Melia Hotels International), Eduardo Perera (General Manager at Melia Bali) and Tonia Sehan (Director of Sales, India, Meliá Hotels International) hosted the Roadshows in India. Over 150 business partners from the travel trade and media attended the events.

The guests were invited to participate in a

lucky draw to win several stay vouchers at various Melia Hotels worldwide.

Ruben Casas, Senior Director Sales and Marketing, Asia Pacific, overwhelmed at the success of the event said, “Melia Hotels International holds the Indian outbound travel market as one of its foremost strategic business sources. We are keen on tapping all segments of travellers family, luxury, honeymooners, wedding, business and leisure, as Melia Hotels International counts with more than 370 hotels in 40 countries and 7 brands targeting each of those segments.”

Vasudha Sondhi, Managing Director, Outbound Marketing, elaborated on the exciting offerings for the travel agencies, especially the ones who register for MeliaPro - Travel Agent Portal.

Founded in 1956 in Palma de Mallorca (Spain), Meliá Hotels International is one

Hard Rock Hotel Goa affiliates with RCI WH Desk

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CI the global leader in holiday exchange and part of the Wyndham Worldwide family of brands, along with Convention Hotels India Pvt. Ltd (CHI), have announced an agreement to affiliate Legends Club at the Hard Rock Hotel Goa, to the RCI network. Located near the vibrant and famous Calangute beach in North Goa, the 135-room Legends Club at the Hard Rock Hotel Goa is the first music memorabilia themed resort of its kind in India.

“We are delighted to welcome on board the first ever Legends Club in India through our affiliation with Legends Club at the Hard Rock Hotel Goa,” said Pali Badwal, Managing Director, RCI India. “This is the first ever music-inspired hotel in India.

This affiliation opens doors to our members across the world, providing them with the opportunity to experience the ‘complete entertainment’ resort.”

With its beaches and unique culture, Goa continues to be one of the most sought after holiday destinations for travelers across the world.

“Legends Club is India’s most exclusive and premier Vacation Club that offers a unique

stay experience at the Hard Rock Hotel Goa,” said Prataap Wadhwa, Director, CHI. Furthermore, Priyakant Amin, Director, CHI stated, “With music as a common thread that binds all generations, the Hard Rock Hotel Goa offers a stay experience that is extremely relevant to the Goa culture.

We are delighted to have Legends Club at Hard Rock Hotel Goa, affiliated with RCI as it offers our members exchanges to exotic locations beyond Goa and the opportunity for global RCI Members to experience the unique stay experience at the Hard Rock Hotel Goa.” RCI is the worldwide leader in vacation exchange with approximately 4,300 affiliated resorts in more than 100 countries. RCI pioneered the concept of vacation exchange in 1974, offering members increased flexibility and versatility with their vacation ownership experience.

With venues in 69 countries, including 164 cafes, 23 hotels and 11 casinos, Hard Rock International (HRI) is one of the most globally recognized companies. Beginning with an Eric Clapton guitar, Hard Rock owns the world’s greatest collection of music memorabilia, which is displayed at its locations around the globe.

of the largest hotel companies worldwide as well as the absolute leader within the Spanish market, with more than 370 hotels (current portfolio and pipeline) across more than 40 countries and 4 continents, under the brands; Gran Meliá, Meliá Hotels & Resorts, Paradisus Resorts, ME by Meliá, Innside by Meliá, Tryp by Wyndham and Sol Hoteles.

The strategic focus on international growth has allowed Meliá Hotels International to be the first Spanish hotel company with presence in key markets such as China, the Arabian Gulf and the US, as well as maintaining its leadership in traditional markets such as Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean.

Radisson Udaipur Offers special packages

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adisson Udaipur the upscale hotel of the city, continuously works towards delighting its guests with various exciting activities. This time around the hotel gives even more reasons to rejoice by offering an attractive stay packages of two nights stay and a 1 night stay.

The 2 nights stay at the Superior room is priced @ Rs. 8999/-and there is more, on paying for 2 nights you get to stay the third night for free. The package includes Welcome drinks on arrival, stay in Superior Room., Buffet Breakfast and Dinner at Seasons Café. Guests also get a 20% Discount on Food and Soft Beverage and 15% Discount on Liquor.

The second stay package is of one night stay at the Superior room @ 5999/- for two adults and a kid. The package includes welcome drinks, Buffet breakfast and dinner, Movie at INOX for the 3, special kids menu, entry to the game zone and local sightseeing.

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HOSPITALITY

Novotel Hyderabad Convention Centre presents the fifth season of ‘Colours of Novotel’ WH Desk

sessions on Lippan work, Tanjore art, bamboo art and bangle making crafts kept guests involved with the overall theme of the evening.

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ovotel Hyderabad Convention Centre and HICC unveiled its fifth season of ‘Colours of Novotel’ recently at the hotel premises. Supporting a community of immense talent - the signature event series focuses on bringing together artists under one roof and presenting them a platform to showcase some of their best works.

This edition is curated by a renowned connoisseur of the field and an artist herself, Rangoli Garg, and showcases over 30 paintings. Neil Paterson, General Manager, Novotel Hyderabad Convention Centre and HICC hosted the inauguration ceremony of this edition at the Ballroom.

Featuring a collection of exquisite illustrations, the paintings made from acrylic, oil pastels and watercolours that are inspired from nature, love, culture as well as

mythology are being presented this season.

This edition features works from renowned artists like Bala Bhakta Raju, Vasanthula Ramakrishna, Rangoli Garg, Agacharya and Satheesh Khanna that will be available for sale till the 31st October 2016.

The inaugural ceremony saw guests interacting with the artists and their works in the company of wines, snacks and live ethnic-Indian tunes. Live interactive

Plan your next off-site at One&Only Cape Town WH Desk

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n the heart of the picturesque Victoria & Alfred Waterfront with captivating views of Table Mountain, One&Only Cape Town is the ideal location to host a tailor-made incentive or leisure programme.

Offering personalised welcome letters, room drops, daily itineraries and meet-and- greet services for all groups on arrival, the resort is the perfect choice for the discerning event organiser.

Book 10 rooms or more for a minimum of 3 nights and receive the following complimentary additional value: ÂÂ10 rooms or more themed welcome drinks

ÂÂ40 rooms or more Entertainment, local act or choir appearance For your extra special guests: ÂÂPrivate wine tasting for 12 VIP group members with Head Sommelier Luvo Ntezo when booking 20 rooms or more For yourself or share with a colleague: ÂÂSpa treatment voucher for Group Organiser post main event; one treatment voucher per organiser for 20 rooms All accommodation includes the following: ÂÂFresh fruit in each room or suite on arrival ÂÂBreakfast in Reuben’s daily

ÂÂ20 rooms or more Bottle of South African wine in each room on arrival

ÂÂComplementary limited Wi-Fi Internet access to the entire group for the duration of their stay

ÂÂ30 rooms or more One hour cocktail reception including snacks and local beverages

ÂÂBottle of One&Only still water in each room on arrival, replenished daily at turndown ÂÂDedicated Groups Coordinator throughout the booking process as well as during the groups stay Offer valid to travel from 1 June till 22 September 2016 and subject to availability.

Group room rates will be quoted as per individual group booking.

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Speaking on the occasion Neil Paterson, General Manager, Novotel Hyderabad Convention Centre and HICC said, “Colours of Novotel, a signature series from the hotel dedicated to recognizing arts and artists from across regions, has provided a platform for over 25 artists over the last year, and has entered its fifth edition now.”

“The response to the innovative presentation of this edition is very encouraging, and the artists are pleased for having their works showcased on such a platform. An event such as this highlights our dedication towards this country’s diverse culture, while also contributing to the increase in interest towards Indian contemporary art,” he added.

M O New York introduces the M O Panda Club for younger fans WH Desk

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oung travellers are invited to tailor their own adventure and explore the Big Apple with Mandarin Oriental, New York’s MO Panda Club. Launched on July 1, 2016, this exclusive kids programme features Pocket Panda, a whimsical paper cutout character inspired by Mini MO the Panda. Younger fans ages four to 16 can embark on a sightseeing and photography quest alongside Pocket Panda, and enjoy a selection of welcome amenities, immersive on-property experiences as well as access to some of the city’s top attractions.

The offer includes the followings: Discover the Big Apple with Pocket Panda Exclusive Experiences for Younger Fans Whimsical Welcome Treats and In-Room Amenities A Tailored Experience with New York City Adventures Special Children’s Menus and FamilyFriendly Swim Hours Mini Manhattan Family Package

August 2016 33

EXCLUSIVE

Speaker, Lok Sabha Presented ‘National Tourism Awards 2014-15’ WH Desk

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ational Tourism Awards for the year 2014-15 to various segments of the travel, tourism and hospitality industry were presented by the Speaker, Lok Sabha Sumitra Mahajan at a function organised by Ministry of Tourism recently. Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Tourism & Culture Mahesh Sharma, presided over the function. Tourism Ministers of many States, Central and State Government Officials, Members from the Travel and Hospitality Industries, including leading Hoteliers, Travel Agents/ Tour Operators and Travel Media attended the function.

Sumitra Mahajan opined that the Tourists are the Brand Ambassadors of their respective countries and Tourism is a mode of improving the image of their countries abroad. She quoted the Prime Minster Shri Narendra Modi describing the African nationals, who studied in India, as the ‘Alumini of India’. It is a unique gesture. She also said that Tourist Guides play a pivotal role in Tourism industry as they play an important role in promoting tourism. She called for positive news reporting about our country so that good image of our country can be portrayed abroad.

Dr. Mahesh Sharma in his address, lauded the roles played by various segments of the travel, tourism and hospitality industry in our country and said that our focus is to encourage the tourism industry to deliver positive and unforgettable travel experience to all visitors and countrymen by embracing the highest standards of service excellence.”

Vinod Zutshi, Secretary, M/o Tourism in his welcome address said that the Tourism sector has now been accorded very high priority world over. Our GDP has grown with the development of Tourism.

Foreign Tourists Arrival has now touched a new height and our Domestic Tourism is also booming. Many new initiatives of Ministry of Tourism in past two years are remarkable.

Surendra Patwa, Minister for Tourism, Govt. of Madhya Pradesh receiving the award for Madhya Pradesh Tourism

34 August 2016

The Speaker, Lok Sabha, Smt. Sumitra Mahajan lighting the lamp at the presentation of the National Tourism Awards 2014-15, organised by the Ministry of Tourism, in New Delhi on July 30, 2016.

Ministry of Tourism annually presents National Tourism Awards to various segments of the travel, tourism and hospitality industry.

These awards are being given since the early 1990s and are presented to State Governments / Union Territories, classified hotels, heritage hotels, approved travel agents, tour operators and tourist transport operators, individuals and other private organizations in recognition of their performance in their respective fields and also to encourage healthy competition with an aim to promote tourism. The National Tourism Awards have over the years emerged as a prestigious recognition of achievements in the travel, tourism and hospitality sectors.

Dr Venu V IAS, Principal Secretary (right)and U V Jose, IAS, Director (left) receiving the award for Kerala Tourism

EXCLUSIVE

S J Haider IAS, Principal Secretary Tourism (right) and Nityanand Srivastava IFS, Commissioner & Managing Director (left) receiving the award for Gujarat Tourism

B Venkateshan, Principal Secretary Tourism & Culture (right)and Dr Christina Z Chongthu, Managing Director (left) receiving the award for Telangana Tourism

Priyank Kharge, Minister for IT & BT and Tourism (left) and Dr N Manjula, Director (right) receiving the award for Karnataka Tourism

U.V. Jose IAS, Director, Kerala Tourism (right) and Dr Rajashree Ajith, Director KITTS receiving the award for Responsible Tourism

Team Ashok with Umang Narula, C& MD, ITDC (extreme left) receiving the award for The Ashok Hotel

Chef M U Kasture, Executive Chef at The Ashok receiving the award under the category of Best Chef-4 to 5 Star Deluxe, Heritage Grand & Classic Hotels

Sarab Jit Singh, Managing Director, Travelite ( India) receiving the award

Rohit Kohli, Jt Managing Director, Creative Travel (center) receiving the award for Creative Travel

August 2016 35

TECHNOLOGY

Travelport and OYO announce new hotel content deal WH Desk

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ravelport a leading travel commerce platform, and OYO, India’s largest network of hotels, have announced a new agreement whereby 6,000 hotel properties offered by OYO will be made available through Travelport’s Travel Commerce Platform to its travel agency users both in India and around the world.

OYO currently operates in over 180 Indian cities including Delhi, Jaipur, Mumbai, Bangalore and Goa. The agreement with OYO is the latest example of Travelport responding to the needs of its agents to add the hotel content they need in their local regions. It also responds to the needs of hoteliers by giving them access to the international travel booking industry. Once on Travelport’s Travel Commerce Platform, travel agents globally have access to the hotel content through their normal workflow, eliminating the time-consuming and inefficiency of booking across different channels.

Travelport’s Travel Commerce Platform connects hotel providers and independent properties to its 68,000 connected agencies worldwide; in turn, offering travelers more hotel choices as Travelport now offers 650,000 unique hotel properties.

Kavikrut, Chief Growth Officer, at OYO said, “We are pleased to partner with Travelport and take our offerings to a wider audience. Both OYO and Travelport are recognised for leveraging innovative technology capabilities. We are confident in utilising this synergy to unlock new growth areas for both partners.”

Niklas Andreen, SVP of Hospitality at Travelport, said: “This is an exciting partnership and one that forms part of our ongoing strategy to extend our hotel offering.

Our industry-leading connectivity enables us to directly acquire specific hotel content, as well as requested local hotel chains and individual properties, and we are looking forward to continuing to expand our offering in this area throughout the year.”

Sandeep Dwivedi, Chief Commercial Officer, InterGlobe Technology Quotient,

Sandeep Dwivedi Chief Commercial Officer ITQ

added, “ Today’s customer wants more, and with OYO onboard, we will have a wide range of options handy for the travelers ensuring better service delivery in the future.”

Amadeus all set to launch B2B Wallet Solution The Amadeus B2B Wallet Solution will be gradually rolled out in select Asia Pacific markets in 2017 to bring travel agencies a virtual payments product with the option of either earning or saving cash when paying travel providers.

WH Desk

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ravel agencies can unlock these benefits and more as Amadeus partners with two pioneers in Fintech innovation to bring its recently announced B2B Wallet Prepaid product to market. To this end Amadeus is partnering with MasterCard to offer travel agencies payment acceptance and security around the globe, as well as better protection against supplier default when using B2B Wallet. Amadeus’ solution will build on MasterCard’s vast global network to expand virtual B2B payments in travel.

Amadeus is also partnering with Ixaris to drive efficient virtual card management on B2B Wallet. With its innovative payments technology, Ixaris allows travel agents to easily create and add funds to their virtual payment cards. Ixaris, having won the Cards International’s Prepaid Innovation Award two years in a row, has

36 August 2016

been a pioneer in payments ever since it launched the first virtual prepaid card in Europe in 2003.

“Virtual card technology is the ideal application of Fintech innovation for the travel industry” remarked Celia Pereiro, Head of Travel Payments. “By combining the strengths of Amadeus, MasterCard and Ixaris, we bring flexibility, efficiency and confidence to travel agent B2B payments. Since we launched the product in some markets in February we have seen overwhelming demand for it and today have customers in 10 European countries.”

Hany Fam, MasterCard Enterprise Partnerships: “With our global acceptance, advanced security and automatic consolidation, Amadeus B2B Wallet gives travel agencies a host of reasons to leave cash, checks and other payment mechanisms behind, saving time and money. We look forward to further evolving our partnership with Amadeus – to shape the future of travel by enabling safe, simple and smart end-to-end experiences for businesses and consumers alike.”

Alex Mifsud, CEO of Ixaris Group, commented, “This development is a strong endorsement of our strategy to develop B2B payments that suit specific industries, and as is the case with Amadeus - supplying the payment capability to innovative and disruptive companies. Travel, and in particular, online travel, is an industry with huge potential to benefit from the changes in the way we pay, receive and send money.”

FACT & FIGURES

USA continues to occupy top slot followed

by UK and China amongst countries availing e-tourist visa facility during June 2016 WH Desk

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total of 36,982 tourists arrived in June 2016 on e-Tourist Visa as compared to 15,557 during the month of June 2015 registering a growth of 137.7%. Commencing from 27th November 2014 e-Tourist Visa facility was available until 25th February 2016 for citizens of 113 countries arriving at 16 airports in India. The Government of India has extended this scheme for citizens of 37 more countries w.e.f 26th February 2016 taking the tally to 150 countries. Status of achievements in respect of e-Tourist Visa availed by International tourists visiting India last year in 2015 has been surpassed in the first 06 months of the current calendar year 2016.

The following are the important highlights of e-Tourist Visa during June, 2016: During the month of June, 2016 a total of 36,982 tourist arrived on e-Tourist Visa as compared to 15,557 during the month of June, 2015 registering a growth of 137.7%.

During January- June 2016, a total of 4,71,909 tourist arrived on e-Tourist Visa as compared to 1,26,214 during January-June 2015, registering a growth of 273.9%.

This high growth may be attributed to introduction of e-Tourist Visa for 150 countries as against the earlier coverage of 76 countries.

The percentage shares of top 10 source countries availing e-Tourist Visa facilities during May, 2016 were as follows: USA (23.22%), UK (14.16%), China (6.91%), Australia (5.59%), France (4.10%), Germany

(4.03%), Canada (4.02%), Singapore (2.62%), Malaysia (2.53%) and Spain (2.40%).

The percentage shares of top 10 ports in tourist arrivals on e-Tourist Visa during June, 2016 were as follows: New Delhi Airport (42.15%), Mumbai Airport (22.94%), Bengaluru Airport (9.95%), Chennai Airport (9.80%), Hyderabad Airport (3.76%), Kochi Airport (3.52%), Kolkata Airport (2.72%), Ahmadabad Airport (1.16%), Tiruchirapalli Airport (1.15%) and Trivandrum Airport (1.08%).

Yatra launches cutting edge technology WH Desk

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atra.com strengthened their travel booking offering by launching a series of exciting new features. These innovative technological solutions cater to different touch points in their business and further ease the booking process. The features launched - a Facebook chat to enable booking tickets, a self serve platform to address customer queries, and a market place chat platform to enable travellers to chat in real time with the sellers are leading edge technology features that are a first for the Indian travel Industry.

Yatra had earlier launched a holidays marketplace, as it enabled a wide range of packages and the best prices as buyers and sellers could directly interact and complete the transaction with no intermediaries. The marketplace chat platform that has just been launched serves as a direct connect between the customer and the re-seller. It has been built with the ability to have text based chats or direct voice calls. Customers can also share attachments via the

TECHNOLOGY

chat. Discreetness is given due importance with customer privacy being completed maintained.

Yatra has also introduced a self serve platform that can answer customer queries as it works like an automated FAQ machine, where responses to generic queries are pre-fed. In addition, based on the kind of queries posted by customers, the base of responses can be enhanced making the tool all the more powerful and efficacious.

Sharat Dhall, President, Yatra.com says, “It has been our constant endeavour to stay in touch with the pulse of the traveller and up-grade our products accordingly. Today we are excited to unveil the chat bot for Facebook Messenger, a first in the Industry and a convenient way for travelers to quickly see travel options and make bookings. Facebook has a wide user base, and this chat option will enable travellers to experience Yatra in a seamless fashion without moving out of Facebook. Also the self serve and market place chat tools help ease the booking process and improve the overall customer experience.”

August 2016 37

APPOINTMENT & EVENTS DOMESTIC BRICS Summit Aug 31st to Sep 1st , 2016 Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh 32nd Annual Convntion, IATO September 18-21, 2016 Chennai, Tamil Nadu Incredible India Investors’ Summit September 21-23, 2016 New Delhi Kerala Travel Mart KTM September 27 - 30, 2016 Kochi, Kerala Sheetal Iyer Executive Assistant Manager Sheraton Grand Bangalore Hotel

Having been associated with Sheraton Grand Bangalore Hotel since its inception as Director of Sales and Marketing, Sheetal Iyer will now be donning a senior role as Executive Assistant Manager at the hotel. With over a decade of experience in the hospitality industry, Sheetal Iyer has a clear mind, ambitious goals and is ready to take on whatever challenge comes her way. In the past, Sheetal has been associated with The Westin, Gurgaon as Operations as the Director of Rooms and more hotels like Zuri, Le Meridien and the Oberoi’s.

Caroline Alexander Director of Sales & Marketing The Westin Pune Koregaon Park

Westin Pune Koregaon Park recently announced the appointment of Caroline Alexander as the Director of Sales & Marketing at The Westin Pune Koregaon Park. With over 14 years of experience, Caroline is a performance-driven professional and has an outstanding record of achievements. Caroline’s interest lies in traveling. She has worked across various projects including hotel pre-opening and launch, revenue management, strategic planning, digital and social network marketing, performance improvement, change management among others.

Shul Ambwani Director of Rooms Hyatt Pune

Travel & Tourism Fair September 16 - 18, 2016 Mumbai, India

Hyatt Pune appoints Shul Ambwani as Director of Rooms.

With a rich experience of over a decade by his side, Ambwani will continue to shape the hotel with his rich insights. His forte has always been maintaining excellent guest relations in some of the best hotels in India. He started his career in 2005 with Taj Banjara, Hyderabad and this was followed by his association with brands including Park Hyatt Goa Resort & Spa, and Novotel Hyderabad Convention Centre where he advanced as Front Office Manager.

INTERNATIONAL PATA Travel Mart September 7 – 9, 2016 Jakarta, Indonesia JATA Tourism EXPO September 22 – 25, 2016 Tokyo, Japan HICAP October 19 – 21, 2016 Hong Kong World Travel Market November 7 – 9, 2016 London, England ILTM December 5 – 8, 2016 Cannes, France

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