Whereabouts by whereabouts

RNI No.: DELENG/2014/59308

Volume IV Issue X July 2018

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Dunhuang festival

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

Correspondents Jai Kishan Kaparwan Nisha Awasthi whereabouts.in@gmail.com

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TOP NEWS

High Court directs Uttarakhand to frame policy for adventure activities WH Desk

n an order dated June 18, the High Court directed the state government of Uttarakhand to prepare a transparent policy – to regulate adventure activities, within a period of two weeks. The HC also took note of deaths occuring every year due to capsizing of rafts. In an order which is likely to have far-reaching implications for Uttarakhand’s adventure tourism sector, the high court has banned all water sports, paragliding and white river rafting in the state until a policy is framed to regulate these activities. The Court remarked that sports for pleasure cannot be permitted to end in disaster while adding that the state government could not permit the use of rivers without fixing reasonable charges and inviting bids in a transparent procedure. Tourism must be promoted but it is required to be regulated, the court said.

beds. The raw sewage/sewerage is permitted to directly flow into the river. The state government till date has not enacted any law to regulate white river rafting, paragliding or water sports. Paragliding is equally dangerous if not regulated. The water sports in big lakes like Tehri Dam can prove fatal. These are required to be regulated.

According to the Court, the sanctity of the river Ganga is not maintained by the respondent-state by permitting the lease of river

The HC said that river rafting, paragliding are permitted even without fixing the minimum rates and display of the same by organizers. “The state government has not pointed out precisely what is the yardstick, guidelines and parameters to sanction the lease in favour of private parties on the river beds including for boating/rafting, paragliding and other water sports,” observed the bench.

ADTOI to conduct office bearer’s election on Aug 11

Air India to increase New Delhi-Tel Aviv flight frequency four times a week

WH Desk

he Association of Domestic Tour Operators (ADTOI) is set to conduct its elections on August 11, 2018 at the Metropolitan Hotel, New Delhi. The Returning Officer (RO) for the election would be Harbans Singh, Retd Secretary, Election Commission. This was announced at the General House meeting of the association recently. The current team will be completing its two-year term on August 16, 2018

Tourism & Civil Aviation ministries engaging for growth WH Desk

sha Padhee, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation, Government of India said that the tourism and civil aviation ministries are engaging continuously to identify solutions and to implement them for the growth of both the sectors. “The way forward is a focused approach for evolving tourist places under the aviation connectivity scheme and expanding existing routes under UDAN scheme including helicopter routes in hilly and north-eastern regions. This will provide good infrastructural support to the tourism sector,” said Padhee. She also added that the ministry of civil aviation is working to remove bottlenecks in remote and regional areas by providing proper navigation means, technology, better security and safety.

6 July 2018

ollowing an overwhelming response on Air India’s newly launched New Delhi-Tel Aviv flight services, the national carrier has announced an increase in frequency on this sector, adding a fourth flight a week starting 14th July. The airline will now fly on Saturday in addition to Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday every week on the 256-seater Boeing 787 Dreamliner. Speaking about the new development, Hassan Madah, Director, Israel Ministry of Tourism - India & Philippines said, “The outbound numbers to Israel have grown exponentially in the last few years and this introduction will help meet the growing demand from India. India is an important market for us and I am delighted to say that it has been one of the best performing markets in Asia with a 31% growth last year over 2016 and 31% between January and May 2018 over 2017.” “The Ministry of Tourism has consistently worked towards increasing flights and seat capacity into Israel and we are happy to see our efforts yielding positive results,” he added. Air India began its historic direct flight operations from New Delhi to Tel Aviv on 22nd March, 2018. The maiden flight was welcomed by Israeli Tourism Minister, Yariv Levin at Ben Gurion Airport while Air India Chairman Pradeep Singh Kharola and the Director of Israel Ministry of Tourism, Hassan Madah began this new chapter by cutting a cake at the inauguration ceremony. The aircraft departs from New Delhi at 16.50 pm and arrives in Tel Aviv at 21.45 pm (local time). On its return leg, the flight departs from Tel Aviv at 23.15 pm and lands in New Delhi the next day at 8.20 am. With one way duration of 7 hours and 10 minutes, Air India is currently the fastest nonstop flight between India and Israel taking a straight route between the two countries.

TRADE

Fourth OTOAI Convention to concentrate on ‘Digitalisation – The Way Forward’ Rajesh Tiwari

he Outbound Tour Operators Association of India (OTOAI) is all set to organise its fourth Annual Convention in the beautiful city of Cape Town in South Africa from August 11-14, 2018. ‘Digitalisation – The Way Forward’ has been opted as the theme of the convention.

While formally announcing the convention dates in New Delhi, Mahendra Vakharia, President, OTOAI said: “We are very excited to explore the beautiful destinations and hotels of South Africa to have a firsthand experience.” “Through our convention, we are endevouring to bring value on the table for our members, country and the host destination. The three conventions that OTOAI has conducted so far had excellent feedback not only from the members but from the tourism boards as well,” he added.

While the big travel companies are adopting various digital and technical methods, the small travel agents are still in manual mode. “We wish that all our members must explore this beautiful destination and participate in a large number,” added Patil. He is expecting 200+ delegates to participate at the upcoming convention. Alpa Jani, Manager – Trade Relations, South African Tourism said: “Those OTOAI members who have successfully completed the South Africa Specialist programme will be participating at the convention. We are all set to extend the support required to make this convention a great success.” According to her, this is the best time to visit South Africa as July 2018 marks the centenary of the birth of Nelson Mandela, which has a yearlong plan to celebrate in all across the country.

According to the figures given by him, the host countries of past conventions, Manila – Philippines, Bali – Indonesia and Ras al-Khaimah – UAE has achieved a growth of 28%, 65% and 27% respectively after OTOAI convention.

Commenting on the importance of the convention Bunny Bhoola, Director, African Link Travel said: “The convention will give an opportunity to develop partnership with local suppliers because there is an exhibition component that is going to be added to the convention.”

The Vice President & Chairman Convention Himanshu Patil said that during the convention there would be an in-depth discussion on ‘Digitalisation – The Way Forward’. While elaborating on the theme opted for the convention, he further said that digital tools are playing an important role in enhancement of business today.

“South Africa has been well known for Cricket, because between India and South Africa it has been so strong. However, the underline aspect is, economies of both of the countries needs to grow, and it’s going to be happen through partnerships in tourism that can gain benefits to all the people,” she added.

Vineet Gopal, Riaz Munshi, Alpa Jani,Bunny Bhoola, Himanshu Patil, Gurdeep Gujral and Guldeep Sahni at the conference in New Delhi According to Guldeep Singh Sahni, Immediate Past President, OTOAI, there are so many things that the convention is bringing for the tour operators to know. “As you know the whole world is looking for Indian travellers; most of the countries we have not heard of are opening their offices in India. So, we are going to educate our members, how being a tour operator we can support the culture and social norms of a particular country by creating awareness among our travellers.” There would be a three day pre and post FAM trips for the delegates which will be organised from 8-11 and 14-17 August. The trip includes Garden Route, Sun City, Kruger National Park and Johannesburg to have a firsthand experience. The cost of the registration for members will be INR 77,000 ex-Delhi and INR 69,000 ex-Mumbai.

ICPB to conduct ‘Conventions India Conclave’ in Kolkata from August 29 The conclave will mark the opening of ICPB’s first State Chapter in Kolkata on August 30th WH Desk

ndia Convention Promotion Bureau (ICPB), a body sponsored by Ministry of Tourism, Government of India has announced its flagship event ‘Conventions India Conclave’ in Kolkata from August 29 – 31, 2018 at Biswa Bangla Convention Centre. As the Theme of the event is ‘Scaling New Height – Building for the Future’, the

focus area during the Conclave will be on how ICPB can enhance their activities and compete in the International Market. Elaborating on the theme Chander Mansharamani, Vice Chairman, ICPB said: “We are already moving in this direction – as you are aware of our first ever International Road Show being held in Europe at the end of June 2018. The other focus area will be to create opportunity of Bidding for an International Conference.” “Apart from Bidding for future International Conference, the 11th Conclave is very significant for us as ICPB will be opening their first State Chapter in Kolkata during

the Conclave on 30 August 2018,”said Mansharamani. “There would be panel discussions on various topics such as Public Private Partnership for Destination Marketing, Social Media Marketing – Changing Scenario - Impact on Industry and Way Forward and A Winning Formula for Bidding for International Conferences,” he added. Ministry of Tourism, West Bengal Govt. is the Platinum Sponsor of the Event as State Partner and Biswa Bangla Convention Centre is the Venue Partner for our forthcoming 11th CIC.

July 2018 7

TRADE

Direct connectivity to South Africa – need of the hour Rajesh Tiwari

espite the fact that there has been a constant increase in the number of tourist travelling to South Africa; if you look at the whole number of travellers the country is receiving at the moment, there is a huge scope from India. Despite having a huge potential of tourism the country is still looking to achieve its deserving number of share from this part of the world. As per the industry

Guldeep Singh Sahni Immediate Past President OTOAI

stakeholder’s feedback, if there is a direct connectivity to South Africa the number can go up many folds. “Direct flight from India to South Africa is need of the hour, and I am sure if it happens,

board itself. Apart from metro, there is a huge growth in tier two cities where South Africa needs to strengthen its presence and attract the travellers to visit the country. The country needs to strengthen its partnership with travel agents and have good quality applications for their visa.

will make a huge difference. If you look at the trends that we have seen so far, where there is a direct connectivity from source to final destination the tourism increases rapidly,” says Guldeep Singh Sahni, Immediate Past President of OTOAI. While explaining, Sahni further said that there are some countries which may not have much tourism potential but the numbers are still growing. Quite possible, the country may not have looked at tourism as one of the product, but the tourist definitely looks at that country as a tourist destination because of the direct flight. Speaking on the same lines, Vineet Gopal, Director, Representation World said that if South Africa wants to see the good numbers coming from India, definitely they need a direct flight. “As a tour company I can say that South Africa has huge demand, there was lot of queries from the travellers. However, non-availability of direct flights is a challenge as one has to go to other option which makes fare too high. And sometime people shift the destination because of the higher cost.” South Africa needs to have connectivity from all regions of

Vineet Gopal Director Representation World

India because the number of travellers is increasing across the country. “There was a time when a travel agent/tour operator from tier two city used to go metro to buy its products, which is not happening any more. Rather than operators who have been selling in metro cities are going to tier two cities itself. So if the connectivity happens directly they need to transit just one domestic flight to reach the destination which will see a huge growth itself,” added Sahni. In long haul sector, if you look at the demand and supply South Africa can take huge numbers if certain corrective measures are done both by the tour operators and the tourism

While highlighting another important area Gopal said that issuance of Visa was taking a lot of the time. Though they have addressed the issue very impactful and done a huge work in Delhi. The north India is very comfortable with the Visa at the moment while western and southern part is still under process. As Sahni suggested, Honeymoon and Family are two segments that the country needs to focus upon as these two can add a remarkable number of tourist to the country. The itinerary has to be designed in a way where Indian can get food of their choice. “I think the tourist is also growing to an extent, they don’t want Indian food everywhere but after a day or two every nationality wants their food. Also, they need more promotions across the country,” concludes Sahni.

Textron Aviation appoints Bird ExecuJet as an authorised service facility

n keeping with its vision of providing a one stop shop for all aviation needs, Bird ExecuJet Airport Services Private Limited, a joint venture between Bird Group and ExecuJet Aviation Group, has been appointed an authorised service facility in India for multinational company, Textron Aviation Inc. Bird ExecuJet has entered into an agreement with Textron

8 July 2018

Aviation to offer service and support for Citation XLS and Hawker 750/800/850/900-series business jets and King Air 90-series turboprops. Anurag Srivastava, Chief Executive Officer – Bird ExecuJet Airport Services, said “We consistently strive to perform the best service and support and this new appointment will go a long way in achieving Bird Group’s

long-term goal and vision of becoming a preferred choice of our customers.” “Until now, there haven’t been any authorized facilities in New Delhi following the Delhi International Airport selected the FBO and MRO concessionaire at Indira Gandhi International airport. With this appointment, we will offer a truly versatile and comprehensive business

and general aviation product portfolio,” he added. Bird ExecuJet is developing a world class FBO and MRO facilities at Indira Gandhi International Airport and currently offers maintenance services from two exclusive hangars. The existing facility offers excellent logistics and operational readiness for its clients within India and supports international clients.

TRADE

AdventureNEXT to position Madhya Paradesh on global map for adventure enthusiast An initiative of Adventure Travel Trade Association the global event – AdventureNEXT has come to Asia for the first time. ‘Pulse of Tomorrow’ has been opted as theme of the event. Rajesh Tiwari

n an attempt to promote the adventure segment of tourism Madhya Pradesh is all set to host the AdventureNEXT in Bhopal from 3rd to 5th December, 2018. An initiative of Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA) the event works towards putting emerging adventure destinations on the global map. In the august presence of Chairman of Madhya Pradesh State Tourism Development Corporation Tapan Bhowmik, Hari Ranjan Rao, Principle Secretary Tourism, Government of Madhya Pradesh, Ilayaraja T. Managing Director, MPSTDC, Bhawana Walimbe, AMD, MP Tourism Board, Capt Swadesh Kumar, President, ATOAI and a large number of stakeholders, ATTA conducted the curtainraiser of the event in New Delhi. While speaking at the event Bhowmik said: “We are delighted to host the global event AdventureNext in our state of Madhya Pradesh. I feel proud to know that India is the first Asian country to host this event, which is expected to put our destination on the global map for adventure lovers.” “I extend my warm invitation to the stakeholders of this industry to participate at the event in a large number and make it a successful venture,” he added. While addressing the media Hari Ranjan Rao, Principle Secretary Tourism, Government of Madhya Pradesh said: “Despite the fact that we are hosting, AdventureNEXT is a country event. This path breaking initiative will make the way for other prominent events (i. e. Adventure Travel World Summit) to come to India.” “It is a well known fact that Madhya Pradesh has so much to offer but the state does not ring the adventure bell. Perhaps, we need to understand that how to sell it in a manner which is acceptable to the world. This is

what we are expecting from the event,” he added. At AdventureNEXT, local suppliers are given opportunities to interact with international buyers and media. The event also hosts a wide variety of speakers and workshops for delegates who want to expand and professionalise their product offerings. Elaborating more on this, Jake Finifrock, Regional Director – Asia, ATTA said: “The goal is to help our partners in India to develop this industry of adventure travel that brings together the idea of nature, culture and activities in a way that is sustainable, and brings maximum benefits to the local community.” “The event will allow participants to develop connections, learn together and discuss important issues that might be facing by the adventure travel industry in the World and also specifically in India,” he added. According to him, the host destination will benefit the most. “The broader they cast their net to connect with the adventure tour providers and be able to network with them prior to the event; there would be maximum benefit for the destination as well as the participant.” In an attempt to find the right buyers, ATTA will see the average profile of the

tourist coming to Madhya Pradesh, and the countries where the state would like to increase its presence. There would be buyers from 15 to 20 countries mainly from Asia, North America, Latin America, Europe and the Middle East. The number of delegates is expected to be in between 300 to 350. “Many buyers will apply but only 60 -70 are hosted so we will work with the local destination to choose the buyers that can really bring the most benefit to the destination. We will select the buyers who are professional, ethical and reputed in international community,” informed Finifrock. According to Gergana Nikolova, Regional Manager – Europe, ATTA the most important components of the event are networking – among the hosted buyers and local suppliers, and exposure – to the destination. The event is aimed at focusing on real and authentic experiences. “If there is a four days event, there should be one highlight/activity for the day and then focus on this throughout the day versus doing many short activities. Because when you get the deep involvement you get the real experience,” she added.

July 2018 9

TRADE

EaseMyTrip connects with more than 450 NRIs WH Desk

one stop platform for their all travel needs,” he added.

According to him the company is not expecting huge growth in number of customers through this initiative but it will definitely turn our users into our potential consumers and help us in growing as potential brand of future.

n an attempt to win the confidence of its customers EaseMyTrip has tied up with more than 450 NRIs across all major cities of the world. The company will offer all possible medical aids and help in custom formalities through this extended network of NRIs at various tourist destinations. According to the company officials this is one of the most valuable initiatives by a travel agency to facilitate its customers with personalized services. “We strongly believe that instead on spending frantically on over hyped marketing campaigns, one should focus on earning loyalty of the customers through careful efforts and flawless services. We are trying to strengthen our network and bond with costumers,” said Nishant Pitti, CEO, EaseMyTrip. “Connecting with NRIs for helping the customers is really a unique idea for any travel company. EaseMyTrip has already established itself in the Indian travel market due to its affordable travel solutions and great services. The company is in consistent profit without any external financial support. This is all because of the trust that it has earned through empowering the travellers with a

EaseMyTrip.com is an online travel company based in India. It offers travel services like flight tickets, tour packages, Nishant Pitti CEO hotel reservations, car rental EaseMyTrip and bus tickets. The travel agency consists of 42,000 travel agents, 1800 corporate, 1200 franchise outlets, 1600 distributors and 640 white-label solutions. In financial year 2016-17 company did Rs.1,800 Crores plus sales. The company also has its overseas branches in Bangkok, Maldives, Dubai and Singapore.

Thomas Cook India Skyway wins best inbound introduces UAE Dirham to operator award Borderless Prepaid Card WH Desk

WH Desk

homas Cook (India) Ltd. has introduced the United Arab Emirates Dirham (AED) as a key currency to its multicurrency Borderless Prepaid Card, thereby offering customers the convenience and flexibility of loading 9 global currencies on a single card. Based on strong demand and growing traffic from India to the United Arab Emirates (an approximately 14% YoY increase in 2017), Thomas Cook India’s inclusion of the Dirham to its multi-currency Borderless Prepaid Card portfolio, reiterates its strategic intent to harness this growth momentum. The new prepaid card will now create a seamless payment experience for its customer base of over 500,000, offering convenience, ease and security in spending while travelling across the UAE. Speaking at the launch, Kailash Gupta, Senior Vice President & Head of Payment Solutions, Thomas Cook (India) Ltd., said, “The UAE is a top destination for Indian travellers; its convenience both as a short haul and stop-over holiday, coupled with extensive air access, new attractions (Dubai Parks & Resorts, Louvre Abu Dhabi, Warner Bros-Yas Island, La Perle, etc.) are proving to be strong growth drivers for repeat visits.” “Data reveals that Dubai witnessed a noteworthy 15% YoY increase in 2017 with 2.1 Mn. visitors; India retaining the top spot as its largest source market. In addition, India is equally a leading source market for Abu Dhabi with an 11.4% YoY increase in 2017. The introduction of the AED to multi-currency Borderless Prepaid Card portfolio intends to capitalise on this growth momentum and offer our UAE bound travellers a simple, smooth and secure payment solution,” he added.

10 July 2018

kyway International Travels has received FKCCI Karnataka Tourism Award 2018’s Best Inbound Tour Operator award. The award was given away by the Minister for Tourism & Sericulture, S.R. Mahesh at Sir M.V. Auditorium, Federation House, Bangalore on June 27,

2018. The Award function was organised by Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FKCCI) for the second edition of FKCCI Tourism Award 2018. The award was received by Venugopalan Nambiar, Sr. Manager and Manjunatha S., Manager from Skyway International Travels.

July 2018 11

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2018 Asian Games will take place in Jakarta and Palembang, Indonesia WH Desk

ll eyes of sport fans throughout Asia and the world will turn to Indonesia when the largest and most prestigious sporting event in Asia, the 18th Asian Games will be held from 18th August to 2nd September 2018. For the first time ever, Asian Games will be hosted in two Indonesian cities: in Jakarta, the country’s capital city, and Palembang, capital of South Sumatra Province. Additionally, events will also be spread out to venues surrounding the two cities including sites in Bandung and other cities in the adjacent provinces of West Java and Banten. This year’s Asian Games carries the theme ‘Energy of Asia’ as represented in the logo which depicts the Bung Karno

Grand National Stadium in Jakarta with the sun in the center being the symbol of the Asian Games. The logo illustrates three main aspects, which are: Asia, Sport, and Indonesia. The soul of Energy of Asia itself is embedded in the diversity of cultures, languages, and history which are fused together creating a powerful energy boosting the spirit of camaraderie and sportsmanship. Asian Games 2018 also introduces three mascots featuring Indonesia’s most famous endemic animals: Bhin Bhin, Atung and Kaka. All 45 country members affiliated to the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) have confirmed participating in the games. There will be 462 events in 40 sports to be competed in the games. Preparations for this important event are well underway both in Jakarta and

Palembang. In the capital city, the Bung Karno National Stadium in the heart of Jakarta has been completely refurbished while other Sports arenas continue to be rebuilt and improved, made ready for the many exciting races and competitions. The Athletes Village in Kemayoran area is near completion as are also all sports facilities in Palembang. Access roads to all sports venues from the athlete village will be cleared and special buses made available for speedy and comfortable commuting for athletes.

World Cup fans visiting Qatar will never miss a moment of the excitement

Macao Tourism launches new mascot ‘Mak Mak’

WH Desk

acao Tourism Mascot Mak Mak, designed by Tou Chon Wai, winner of Design Contest, is a black-faced spoonbill. The hues of red, yellow and blue on Mak Mak bring out a European aroma and its design is inspired by the Guia Lighthouse.

ndian visitors to Qatar will never have to miss a moment of the World Cup. With a host of immersive and interactive fan zones across the country, the host for the 2022 tournament is showing off its passion for the sport while giving all a peek of what to expect at the 22nd edition of the most-watched sporting event. Starting from their arrival at the airport and throughout their stay, the country’s variety of fan zones promise visitors an immersive football experience at different venues across Qatar. Official 2018 FIFA World Cup memorabilia will also be on sale at QDF’s stores throughout the airport and shoppers will have the opportunity to take selfies alongside the 2018 FIFA World Cup mascot. To celebrate the world’s biggest sporting event, Hamad International Airport (HIA), Khalifa International Stadium, Ali Bin Hamad Al Attiyah Arena, Katara Cultural Village, as well as malls and hotels have been transformed into fan zones to transfer the atmosphere of the tournament in Russia to people in Qatar.

12 July 2018

Right up to the final day of the FIFA World Cup™, Qatar will be abuzz with Rashed AlQuerese activities to Chief Mktg & Promotion Officer Qatar Tourism Authority accompany the live screenings such as football freestylers, football jugglers and impromptu football matches. For a more interactive take on the football frenzy, dies hard fans can take a shot at Robot Goalie, foosball games, virtual football and much more. Rashed AlQuerese, Chief Marketing & Promotion Officer at Qatar Tourism Authority, commented: “We are very pleased to have so many organisations across Qatar host fan zones for this tournament; it is truly an example of the cross-sector collaboration required for delivering impactful tourism products and events.”

In the role of a pathfinder, Mak Mak guides travellers to explore Macao, a city of Chinese and European cultures woven together in harmony, while searching for its own meaning on the journey and bringing back all valuable experiences to its beloved home – Macao. MGTO collected outstanding entries of tourism mascot designs at the Design Contest with an aim to find a mascot that uniquely represents Macao. The Tourism Mascot will take up the important role of promoting the destination, while guiding visitors from around the world to explore hidden gems in different districts and parishes of Macao. Mak Mak will now be used for promoting the destination and will be the face on various promotional materials.

NTO

Israel Ministry of Tourism to conduct four city roadshow in India WH Desk

srael Ministry of Tourism has announced a four city roadshow in the months of July and August in India in alignment with its plan to increase Indian arrivals to the country. The Ministry will begin with its maiden roadshow in Nashik on July 19th followed by Ahmedabad on August 27th, Kolkata on August 29th and concluding in New Delhi on August 30th. With an aim to enhance commercial ties with the Indian travel fraternity and strengthen media relations, the events will start off with a destination presentation leading to an interactive workshop followed by a press conference with the IMOT team. The Israeli delegation will be led by Hassan Madah, Director,

Israel Ministry of Tourism, India & Philippines along with Judah Samuel, Director - Marketing, Israel Ministry of Tourism, India and will include representative partners from the tourism industry of Israel. Speaking about the roadshows, Hassan Madah, Director, Israel Ministry of Tourism – India & Philippines said, “Israel is an emerging destination for the Indian traveller and tourist arrivals have been growing progressively over the last couple of years. 2017 was a record breaking year for us with close to 60,000 Indian tourists visiting Israel, and we are constantly striving to increase destination awareness among consumers, Indian travel trade and MICE agents.” “Besides the source markets, we are looking to focus on cities like Nashik that has immense

potential and recently conducted maiden roadshows in Guwahati and Lucknow as well. The plan is to organize 11 roadshows in different cities of India by end of 2018 and successfully introduce and reinforce the varied tourism offerings of Israel,” he added. Air India recently announced an increase in weekly flight frequency on the New Delhi-Tel Aviv direct route to fly four times a week starting 14th July, 2018. Furthermore, the country has reduced its visa fee as well to INR 1,100 from its previous INR 1,700 charge for Indian citizens to encourage Indian travellers to visit Israel. “Israel is becoming a popular destination among leisure and MICE travellers. Beautiful landscapes, historic attractions, availability of Indian food, increased flight connectivity, simplified visa process make

Hassan Madah Director Israel Ministry of Tourism

Israel a great place for MICE and incentive travellers”, added Madah. Israel offers a plethora of things to do and see to cater to the discerning traveller. From the historical city of Jerusalem to the beach city of Tel Aviv; from the Dead Sea, the lowest point on earth, to the marvellous underwater marine life of Red Sea in Eilat, Israel is truly a dynamic destination.

Tourism New Zealand to expand ‘Kiwi Link India’ WH Desk

otal visitor arrivals from India to New Zealand have doubled (from 33,000 to 66,000) in the past four years, with more Indians visiting the country than ever before. In recognition of this incredible

growth and increased interest in the Indian market from New Zealand tourism operators, Tourism New Zealand is expanding its annual travel trade event, Kiwi Link India, this year. The new format will see the organisation and partners hosting key buyers from around India in Mumbai from 9th – 10th July, followed by frontline training in Bengaluru and New Delhi on 12th – 13th July respectively. Kiwi Link serves as a platform for Indian travel agents, product managers and planners to interact with New Zealand operators and understand the new developments and market insights in the tourism sector.

Steven Dixon Manager-South & South-East Asia New Zealand’s Tourism Regional

Kiwi Link 2018 will see participation from record 40 New Zealand operators, along with three airlines - Air

New Zealand, Singapore Airlines and Thai Airways, Immigration New Zealand and 72 Indian delegates from 49 travel companies. More than 50 Indian participants are expected to attend the frontline training programme which will be conducted in the Bengaluru and New Delhi markets. Elaborating on this, Steven Dixon, Tourism New Zealand’s Regional Manager-South and South-East Asia, said: “This year we have a record number of New Zealand operators visiting India to participate in Kiwi Link, which is a real reflection on the value we place on the market. The New Zealand industry has had a strong interest in India for some time and this has been further heightened by very robust current arrival growth (21% year on year) and on future potential.”

“Kiwi Link India is one of Tourism New Zealand’s premier trade training events and continues to facilitate the bilateral relations between the two countries. This event provides an opportunity for both new and experienced tourism operators to develop an alliance with vital travel decision makers, thus enabling them to drive sales out of India.” Through the course of this week-long event, Tourism New Zealand aims to connect New Zealand operators with Indian travel agents to strengthen trade relations. The event helps travel partners highlight the destination’s unique range of offerings along with showcasing new products and services that are available for the selected travel trade sellers in the Indian market.

July 2018 13

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Taipei City wins Global Traveller award for Best Leisure Destination in Asia Taipei finished first in the Best Leisure Destination in Asia category, beating the Thai Island of Phuket into second place and Singapore into third. WH Desk

aipei City has won the leisure lifestyle awards for the Best Leisure Destination in Asia, at the recent sixth annual Leisure Lifestyle Awards organized by Global Traveller Magazine, USA, the only monthly publication for business and leisure luxury travellers. In the 2018 survey, Taipei finished first in the category Best Leisure Destination in Asia, beating the Thai island of Phuket into second place and Singapore into third.

Taipei is Taiwan’s capital city and is choca-bloc with cafes, restaurants, historical museums such as the National Palace Museum, stunning skyscrapers, especially the Taipei 101, posh mega malls, and

winding cycling paths; it has something for everyone. Whether you choose to gaze at the city from the top of one of the world’s tallest skyscrapers Taipei 101 or explore it by wandering around its buzzing night markets – Taipei will leave you asking for more! A multiple choices lies in the hands of tourists who want to make the most of the ultimate Taipei experience. To begin with, visit the iconic landmark - Taipei 101, a 101 floor high skyscraper which a reflection of the capitalist China. Next on the destination lies the premier shopping destination of Taipei 101 Mall featuring the best of luxury goods, fine dining and fashion. The Taipei 101 Mall joins the ranks of world class shopping districts along with distinguished names such as New York’s Fifth Avenue, Paris Champs - Elysees, and Rome’s Via Condotti where an array of choices lies in the hands of consumers to pick and choose the best products.

Taipei is the city that never sleeps. At night, the night markets offer fresh Taiwanese snacks, shopping places and fun accessories to tourists to soak in the nightlife of Taipei. Night markets feature individual stalls selling a mixture of food, clothing and consumer goods. The vibrant city of Taipei is fills your spirit with exuberance taking travellers to a journey of understanding the true essence of leisure.

Nijhawan Group appointed as Advisor for Tourism Promotion of Uzbekistan

Ilios Restaurant Bar & Lounge settles for the summer at Le Méridien Beach Plaza

WH Desk

ijhawan Group, one of the fastest growing travel & hospitality groups in India, has been appointed as the Advisor on tourism promotion of Uzbekistan Tourism in India. The primary objective of this partnership is to increase the number of arrivals to Uzbekistan and to strengthen the image of the destination. Talking about the new partnership, Ankush Nijhawan, Managing Director, Nijhawan Group said, “We are excited about the new partnership. We aim to generate wide awareness and publicity on Uzbekistan as a preferred leisure and business destination and boost the country’s tourist arrivals.”

I Ankush Nijhawan, MD, Nijhawan Group and His Excellency Farhod ARZIEV, Ambassador of the Republic of Uzbekistan to the Republic of India

“With this partnership, we are confident to unravel the full potential of India’s growth story. With the Indian outbound at a record high, we are confident of strong numbers coming in from the region,” he added.

“To promote tourism flow, in particular from India, Uzbekistan will launch the e-visas system starting from 15 July 2018 for the citizens of 101 countries including India. The consular fee for processing and issuing an e-visa is US$ 20.Besides for transit passengers going through Uzbekistan 5 day visa-free entry will apply from July 15, 2018 for citizens of 51 countries including India,” he added.

Commenting on the new partnership, Farhod Arziev, Ambassador of the Republic of Uzbekistan to the Republic of India, said that Uzbekistan is excited to partner with the leading travel & hospitality Group, Nijhawan Group.

“The relaxations are expected to help further development of people-to-people exchanges between Uzbekistan and India by enhancing convenience for Indian tourists and business persons as well as repeat visitors,” concludes Farhod Arziev.

14 July 2018

lios Restaurant Bar & Lounge is the new must visit Monacan summer terrace. You can enjoy lunch in the shade of the pine trees, revel in an afternoon of relaxation, savour delicious cocktails while admiring the amazing evening sunset, feast on a candlelit dinner, or enjoy the chic party ambience until the early hours. Ilios is the only restaurant/bar and lounge in Monaco open from midday to 7am, making it the perfect destination any time of the day or night. Beneath the shelter of the surrounding pine trees and a large, light-wood pergola, Ilios is a cool oasis boasting wonderful views of the Mediterranean Sea. The understated decor designed by the talented Samy Chams features pastel colours alongside a variety of succulents which grow on the French Riviera. The food is as sunny as the climate, with creative and delicate dishes prepared by chef Mattia Bonnisoli using seasonal produce with Mediterranean flavours.

NTO

Dunhuang Silk Road International Tourism Festival kicks off in Gansu, China Festival is part of China’s Belt and Road Initiative and seeks to develop tourism co-operation among countries, provinces and cities along the ancient Silk Road Shayan Mallick

he 8th Dunhuang Silk Road International Tourism Festival started off in Jiyauguan city, in the North Western province of Gansu in China last month. The month long festival kicked off at the historic Jiyauguan Pass, the westernmost end of the Great Wall of China and an important stop on the ancient Silk Road. The theme of the festival this year is, “A Symphony Along the Silk Road, a Great Tour Across Gansu” signifying innovation, coordination, green, open and inclusive development. Kyrgyzstan was the festival’s ‘Guest State of Honour” this year. The tourism festival is part of China’s Belt and Road Initiative and seeks to develop tourism co-operation among countries, provinces and cities along the ancient Silk Road, and is a showcase window for both its domestic offerings as well as other countries along the Silk Road. Besides, putting the spotlight on the various provincial Silk Road sites and tourism attractions all along Gansu and boosting its destination profile in the outbound travel market, the festival, as part of China’s Belt and Road Initiative, also promotes peaceful co-operation, opening-up and inclusiveness, mutual learning and mutual benefits along the ancient Silk Road by forging closer tourism ties.

festival raised the profile of this whole province as an important Silk Road destination, it is a display of history and modernity, the display of China and its important place in the world. This route also presents some of the best tourism resources and tourism potential in the world. China is a key part of UNWTO’s Silk Road tourism initiative and has made great contribution to the route’s transformation into an internationally known tourism brand.” Furthermore he also pointed that President Xi Jinping’s Belt and Road Initiative, which is destined to become world’s largest platform of economic co-operation, has decisively strengthened the Silk Road strategy.”

Presiding over the inaugural ceremony, Song Liang, Member of the Standing Committee of Gansu Provincial CPC Committee and Executive Vice Governor of Gansu Province, informed that the event was attended by over 2600 guests and spectators from 52 countries and regions representing tourism representative of some 20 Chinese cities and provinces and countries on the Silk Road, investors, domestic and international tour operators from across Asia and Europe, members of press,

PATA Foundation Chairman Peter Albert Semone, while sharing his insight on the development of ancient Silk route and travel and trade that took place along this route, said, “Today, the Silk Road – much like tourism - is about connecting cultures and communities, enriching economies and improving the standard of living of people. I have no doubt that tourism along the Silk Road will play an integral role in establishing peace, harmony and understanding among peoples from diverse backgrounds, cultures and religions.”

UNWTO’s Director of Communication Marcelo Rios, said, “Not only has this

The event was also addressed by Lin Duo, Secretary of the Gansu Provincial Party

Committee and Director of the Standing Committee of the Provincial People’s Congress; Tang Renjian, Deputy Secretary of the Gansu Provincial Party Committee and Governor of Gansu Province; Du Jiang, Head of Party Group of the Ministry of Culture & Tourism and Abdumazhit Insurov, Special Representative of the Government of Kyrgyzstan and Chairman of the Tourism Committee of the National Parliament. Dignitaries in the audience also included Massimo D’Alema, the former Prime Minister of Italy; Du Jiang, member of the Party Group of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the People’s Republic of China; Liu Shijun, Secretary-General of the World Tourism Alliance; Pooya Mahmoudian, Vice President of Iran Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts, Tourism Organization; Selim Belortaja, Ambassador of Albania to China; Anwar Alabdulla, Ambassador of Bahrain to China; Rudy Kiryl, Ambassador of Belarus to China; Anton Rill, Ambassador of Bosnia and Herzegovina to China; Faisal Mohamed, Ambassador of the Maldives to China, among others. The Dunhuang festival is co-sponsored by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of China and the People’s Government of Gansu Province. The event was supported by UNWTO, PATA and World Tourism Alliance.

July 2018 15

IN CONVERSATION

Dunhuang festival showcase window to introduce tourism resources along the Silk Road, Xin Hailed as one the biggest tourism product of the 21st century, SILK Road encompasses scores of country on the world tourism map, from South East Asia, Far East and China to South and Central Asia, Middle East and Europe, with China not only hosting the largest part of the route but also as one of its biggest advocate. Tian Xin, Director, CNTO India speaks on the 2018 Dunhuang Silk Road International Tourism Festival, named after the city of Dunhuang, a major stop on the ancient Silk route, as well as NTOs plan to boost China’s Silk Road tourism products profile in India and the ancient Silk Road as a means to promote transnational tourism. Shayan Mallick Q: How does Dunhuang Silk Road International Tourism festival 2018 plan to put the potential Silk Road Tourism Festival in the increasing tourism spotlight in India? A: Lying in the Northwest China, Gansu Province boasts both a prime location along the Silk Road and the oldest region open to the outside world. The renowned route traverses the land more than 1,600 kilometres covering almost a quarter of the road. It has since become a passage of historical importance connecting the West and the East and promoting mutual transactions. We believe that the long history, splendid culture, and magical natural landscape in Gansu province are very attractive to India. Dunhuang Silk Road International Tourism festival 2018 will be a showcase window to introduce tourism resources along the Silk Road to India. Q: The UNWTO ran a session designed to empower Silk Road tour operators to better understand, engage and work with

16 July 2018

the international travel trade on the sidelines of ITB Berlin earlier this year. Being one of the biggest proponent of this initiative, what role CNTO is playing in overseas markets like India, in facilitating enhanced co-operation and engagement between tour operators of the two countries? A: The 8th UNWTO Silk Road Ministers’ Meeting was held on the sidelines of ITB Berlin. Adopting the theme “2025 Silk Road Tourism Agenda”, the Ministers and Heads of national tourist offices shared their ideas and strategies, which bring together 34 countries. CNTO plays a role to strengthen bilateral exchanges between tour operators of the two countries. CNTO has invited more than 70 Indian tour operators to participate in the 9th Central China Tourism Expo, Xi’an Silk Road International Tourism Expo, the 7th Dunhuang Tour on Silk Road International Tourism Festival, China International Travel Mart and FAM trips to China in 2017. Meanwhile, we have invited Chinese tour operators to participate in OTM, SATTE, TTF etc. in India.

Q: How does CNTO view India as a tourism source market? And how does Silk Road Tourism programme fits in the destination marketingpromotion scheme of things for CNTO in India, especially with a view to capture a larger slice of fast growing outbound travel from India? A: CNTO takes India as a very important and potential tourism source market. Historical cultural heritages and natural tourist attractions scatter along the Silk Road Tourism route enabling the place to be the first item on the list of China’s Top Ten Tourism Routes designated by Ministry of Culture and Tourism of China. Due to its rich history and natural scenery, the place has thus become a world tourist attraction with great potentialities.With the rapid rise of outbound tourism in India in recent years, CNTO is going to focus on the promotion of China’s Top Ten Tourism Routes including the Silk Road Tourism programme to the tour operators and public in India. Chinese President Xi Jinping held an informal meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on April 27-28 in Wuhan,

IN CONVERSATION capital of central China’s Hubei Province. The two-day meeting was of historic significance to maintain strategic common interest and deepen mutual trust, opened a new chapter in bilateral relations, which shows the outside world the two neighbours are determined to strengthen their win-win partnership. The summit will have a huge impact on the tourism exchanges between the two countries in the future. Q: What are the key Silk Road sites, cities and routes in the Ghansu Province of China? A: Key destinations on the Silk Road route in Gansu Province of China include the cities of Lanzhou, Zhangye, Jiayu Pass, Dunhuang, etc. Zhangye Danxia National Geological Park is one of the best examples of Danxia landform with the most diverse topography in China and boasts nearly a thousand cliffs which appear bright red and reddish brown especially under strong sunlight, with the uniquely-shaped hills lighting up like an imposing kaleidoscopic. Jiayu Pass is the first pass at the west end of the Ming Dynasty Great Wall, and a key waypoint along the ancient Silk Road. First built during the Ming Dynasty, it is the most spectacular section of the Great Wall of China. Now a tourist attraction, it holds performances recreating the frontier garrison drills of the past, acrobatics at the drill ground on the gate tower, and shadow puppetry inside the pass. The Mogao Caves, also known as the Thousand Buddha Grottoes is hailed as the most valuable cultural discovery of the 20th century and the “Oriental Louvre”. With

exquisite murals and statues, the caves have witnessed the golden days of the Silk Road and boast a large number of cultural relics related to this famous trade route. The site is comprised of the Mogao Caves Digital Display Center and the Mogao Caves themselves, with 735 caves, 45,000-square meters of murals and 2,415 painted clay statues, making it one of the largest and most colourful treasure troves of Buddhist art. It was listed in World Culture Heritage by UNESCO in 1987. Q: Can you share some innovative ideas and proposals in increasing transnational cooperation for the development of Silk Road Tourism? A: The Silk Road is a thoroughfare linking east-west trade and cultural exchanges which was named after the lucrative trade in silk carried out along its length. It is also a well-known World Heritage site. The Silk Road is the road of business and trade, and also the road of culture and tourism. It has become an important channel for tourism exchanges, cultural exchanges, mutual recognition, and mutual development of transnational people. In order to increase transnational cooperation for the development of Silk Road Tourism, we advocate that the countries and regions along the road to strengthen tourism cooperation, deepen consensus, expand exchanges, actively engage with tourism development strategies, improve the level of tourism development in countries and regions; to strengthen policy communication, enhance the level of tourism facilitation, and continue to take measures in terms of visa, customs clearance, transportation, etc.; to create a

Tian Xin Director CNTO India

tourism cooperation mechanism to enhance the quality of tourism exchanges through multi-level and diverse channels; to promote joint tourism promotion to create the Silk Road specialty tourism brands and related product routes; and to improve the early warning mechanism for tourism security risks, improve tourism risk handling capacity and safeguard the rights of tourism security. Q: Can you suggest some attractive Silk Route specific Chinese as well as transnational tour programme or packages encompassing several countries? A: The Chinese section of the route covers Shaanxi, Gansu, Ningxia, Qinghai and Xinjiang provinces as well as provinciallevel autonomous regions. It has born witness to the journeys of Zhang Qian, Xuanzang, Marco Polo and other cultural figures, while leaving behind the glorious legacies of Qin Shi Huang’s Terracotta Army, Jiayu Pass, Mogao Caves and other ancient cultural relics as well as boasting dramatic natural wonders including Zhangye Danxia National Geological Park, Qinghai Lake and the Tianshan Tianchi, meaning that it has everything to suit a diverse palate of tastes. On 22 June 2014, UNESCO designated a 5,000 km stretch of the Silk Road network from Central China to the Zhetsyu Region of Central Asia as a World Heritage Site. The corridor spans China, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan and includes 33 new sites and several previously designated heritage sites. The key sites should be put into the transnational tour programmes or packages.

July 2018 17

NTO

Swami Ramdev’s figure to join other icons at Madame Tussauds Delhi WH Desk

oga guru and the tycoon of Indian Ayurveda industry, Baba Ramdev is set to be immortalized with his very own Figure at Madame Tussauds Delhi. The incredibly detailed figure will be displayed among other iconic celebrities in a fun and interactive zone for audiences to take selfies, strike a pose with the Yoga guru. As a co-founder of the Patanjali Ayurved Ltd., one of the biggest brands in India, Swami Ramdev has played a phenomenal role in establishing Ayurveda in accordance with the latest technology and ancient wisdom. He has been an inspiration to many for advocating healthy living through practicing yoga and without depending on medicines.

Besides, he has also been selected for a Padma Vibhushan amongst many others. With significant faith drawn from his followers and customers, Ramdev will remain a motivation for millions in future. The team of Madame Tussauds expert artists met Baba Ramdev in London for the sitting for his figure, where they took over 200 specific measurements, photographs to create an authentic likeness. Commenting on this Baba Ramdev said: “The team is supremely talented; they were dedicated throughout the sitting experience. I am very much looking forward to seeing the finished figure.” Anshul Jain, General Manager, and Director, Merlin Entertainments India Pvt. Ltd. said, “He has immensely contributed to the society by promoting yoga, introducing

the culture of Ayurveda and developing enthusiasm among all for a healthy living. It will be thrilling to watch his fans pose and interact around his incredible figure at the attraction.” Madame Tussauds Delhi is world’s most famous wax attraction that opened in the outer circle of Connaught Place, New Delhi.

Oman Visa on Arrival simplified; big industry players hail strategic initiative WH Desk

man has relaxed its visa rules to attract more tourists by granting Visa on Arrival (unsponsored tourist visa) for the citizens of India who reside in or who hold an entry visa to one of these countries – United States of America, Canada, Australia, United Kingdom, Japan and Schengen States to enter the Sultanate of Oman. Oman visa on arrival can also be availed by the spouse (husband/wife) and children of the visa holder of any of these 6 mentioned countries as long as they are accompanying him/her, even if they do not hold a visa from these countries. Commenting on the initiatives Rajeev Kale, President & Country Head - Holidays, MICE, Visa & Passport Services, Thomas Cook (India) says, “We are confident that this move will help further boost tourism.” “Oman has always been a popular destination with our customers, across all segments and business verticals, at Thomas Cook India. The new age Indian traveller is charmed by the diversity of attractions offered by this fast-paced metropolis, its rich natural beauty, warm people and hospitality, souks, cuisine, and spa-wellness, we have witnessed growth in

18 July 2018

demand for holiday bookings to Oman,” he added. Daniel D’souza, Head of Sales, India & NRI Markets & E-Commerce, SOTC says, “This strategic initiative is perfectly timed given Oman’s strong growth in demand from the Indian market. We are positive that this move will further help enhance tourism within this stunning country.” “With Oman being a city of culture and development, relaxed visa rules for Indians travelling to Oman who reside in or hold an entry visa to any one of these countries — US, Canada, Australia, UK, Japan and Schengen States will surely accentuate tourism in the state. Places like Muscat, Salasah, Khasbah of the Middle East region offer shopping, heritage, culture and hospitality,” he further added.

Terms and conditions to apply for Visa on Arrival in Oman a) The applicant shall hold a passport valid for not less than six months from the date of expiry b) The applicant shall have a return ticket and a confirmed hotel reservation in order to be granted the visa c) The applicant for the Omani Tourist visa shall be a resident in or holding an entry

visa to one of the following countries (Unites States of America, Canada, Australia, Japan, United Kingdom and Schengen States) provided that his/her residence or visa in these countries is valid upon filling the visa document d) The visa shall be granted for a period of one month against a fee amounting to OMR 20 e) The competent authority may prohibit the citizens of these countries who meet the terms and conditions for obtaining a visa from entering the Sultanate if the public interest so requires f) Any person who avails of such a visa facilitation and breached the regulations will be blacklisted and prohibited from entering the Sultanate of Oman and will be compelled to pay fines in accordance with the terms and provisions for the Foreigner’s Residence Law and the Executive Regulations thereof

NTO

Abu Dhabi records 4.9% growth in hotel guests during the first five months of 2018 WH Desk

ccording to statistics from the Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), 162 hotels, resorts and hotel apartments offering 31,236 rooms across the emirate welcomed 2,073,586 guests during January to May. Occupancy rate has averaged 75% during the same period (January to May), with a 1.4% increase, while the average length of stay was 2.7 nights, an increase of 2.4% compared to the same period in 2017, with China topping the number of visitors, recording 192,500 visitors, an increase of 19.9% . India came in second with 166,700 guests and a 22.2% increase, followed by the UK with 119,900 amounting to a 12.7% increase, the United States with 82,300 guests and a 25.7% increase, and Germany with 71,300 guests at a 20% increase. Abu Dhabi continued its outstanding performance across most of its target markets in May 2018, compared to the same month of last year, with a 7% growth in the number of visitors from India, followed by

the UK at 7.9%, the United States at 42% and Germany at 35%. Domestic tourism rose by 7.9% during the first five months of 2018 with 1,489,154 hotel guests received, compared to 1,371,327 during the same period in 2017. Growth indicators included the three regions of the emirate, with an 8.6% increase in Al Dhafra at a total of 63,471 guests, 5.3% in Abu Dhabi with 1,833,348 guests received and 1% in Al Ain with 176,767 guests. Saif Saeed Ghobash, Undersecretary of DCT Abu Dhabi, said: “These results are very encouraging, and demonstrate steady growth. They also prove Abu Dhabi’s ability to realise its strategic goals of positioning the emirate as a leading global destination, through forward-looking marketing and promotional campaigns that seek to sustain growth.” “We continue to promote awareness of Abu Dhabi’s tourism and leisure attractions and authentic cultural heritage, as well as its highly-developed business and convention infrastructure.” DCT Abu Dhabi also works in cooperation with local and international entities from Abu Dhabi’s tourism sector to participate

in the most prominent conferences and exhibitions held throughout the year. “We expect to see significant momentum across the tourism sector in the forthcoming months with Abu Dhabi Summer season having begun in June, the opening of new leisure establishments and resorts such as Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi on Yas Island from July 25, and Jumeirah’s luxurious Saadiyat Island Resort in November”. Ghobash added. While the Abu Dhabi Summer Season will run until 18 August, the second half of 2018 will witness prominent events such as the Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and Abu Dhabi Art in November, and the Abu Dhabi Food Festival in December.

World’s first ‘Angry Birds World’ entertainment park opens in Qatar WH Desk

he world’s first Angry Birds World entertainment park has opened its doors to residents and visitors to Qatar, transforming the classic birdflinging game into a cluster of high-octane attractions designed to entertain every member of the family. Located in Qatar’s largest fashion, dining and entertainment destination, Doha Festival City, the 17,000 sq.m park comprises an indoor space of 6,500 sq.m. Angry Birds World is a new addition to Qatar’s expanding urban and family entertainment offering, which tourism officials have marked as a priority in a fiveyear strategy designed to diversify visitor source markets. Inspired by the popular digital game, the park offers its visitors a heart-pounding experience with many attractions such as the Blast Bomb – a drop and twist tower that features free-fall motion from a height of

11 metres, or Red Alert where visitors are hurled into an exhilarating 360-degree spin. One of the park’s uniquely impressive attractions is the Big Tree, which offers both children and adults a fun edutainment experience encompassing science, music and art. For adventure junkies, the tree also houses Own the Sky, a 106-metre zip line that allows participants to cut through the air at rip-roaring speeds. Visitors can also test their physical strength with Fierce Flight – an incredible ropes course challenge. Simo Hamalainen, Senior Vice President, Brand Licensing at Rovio Entertainment, commented: “Our new world-class attraction based in Qatar is another clear demonstration of the global appeal of the Angry Birds brand. Rovio’s current licensing roadmap is strongest to date, bringing great new ways for our fans to enjoy Angry Birds. The brand’s future looks bright and is being spearheaded with the theatrical release of The Angry Birds Movie 2 in September 2019.”

Angry Birds World constitutes one of the four major entertainment parks that are introduced by Trimoo and set to open at Doha Festival City, located along Al Shamal Road. Upon completion, the unique entertainment destination will be home to Snow Dunes – the country’s first indoor snow park set in an ancient Arabian village; Virtuocity – the region’s first dedicated digital gaming and entertainment hub; and Juniverse – the world’s first city in space that aims to inspire and entertain children.

July 2018 19

GOVERNMENT

Kerala to lure more domestic travellers; announces phase-I of trade meets WH Desk

potential of pristine Northern Kerala. Through domestic B2B meets, we are hopeful to showcase the rich cultural heritage of the state across the country.”

he Department of Tourism, Government of Kerala, is all set to kick start its five-month long promotional campaign in the high-potential domestic markets. Kerala Tourism has plans to conduct 15 B2B meets across domestic markets in order to attract the maximum number of domestic travellers to its various destinations.

The phase I of the ambitious promotional campaign 20182019 would commence with the Travel & Tourism Fair in Kolkata from July 6-8, followed by the tourism partnership meets in Bhubaneshwar (Odisha) and Vijayawada (Andhra Pradesh) on July 10 and 12, respectively. Kerala Tourism would tap the Karnataka market with IITM Bengaluru (July 27-29) and Gujarat with three partnership meets in Ahmedabad (July 31), Vadodara (August 1) and Surat (August 3) each. Further, it would organize partnership meets in Lucknow (August 14)

Rani George, IAS Secretary, Tourism & Culture, Govt of Kerala

and Indore (August 17), followed by trade fair - TTF Ahmedabad (September 7-9). Kadakampally Surendran, Minister for Cooperation, Tourism and Devaswoms, Government of Kerala, stated, “Following the ambitious promotional campaign, the Tourism Department aims to promote the state’s tourism across potential domestic markets.” “Simultaneously, Kerala Tourism would continue to keep focusing on exploring the tourism

Additionally, Kerala Tourism has plans to promote its tourism potential in Maharashtra through conducting partnership meets in Nagpur (October 3), TTF Mumbai from October 5-7 along with partnership meets in Pune (October 9) and Mumbai (October 12). The first phase of the domestic B2B meets would culminate with IITM Hyderabad (November 23-25), tapping the Telangana market. Highlighting the growth of domestic tourist arrivals, Rani George, IAS, Secretary, Tourism & Culture, Government of Kerala stated, “The Tourism Department has set an ambitious target of increasing domestic tourist arrivals by 50% by year 2021 and through this promotional campaign, it is our endeavor to encourage domestic tourist arrivals during monsoon.”

P. Bala Kiran, IAS, Director, Kerala Tourism, said, “Through road shows and travel fairs, we aim to establish new trade connections across the potential markets. Such partnership meets provide an opportunity for the tourism Trade in the respective markets to interact and develop business relationship with tourism industry players from Kerala.” Districts like Alappuzha, Idukki, Wayanad, Thiruvananthapuram and Ernakulam had attracted the maximum number of domestic tourists in 2017. The state had hosted a significant number of travellers from southern states - Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Karnataka stood at the second position 9.33 lakh tourists, while Maharashtra stood at third slot with 5.47 lakh tourists. There had also been a significant increase in tourist arrivals from Delhi (18.67% increase) and Gujarat (24.48% increase) with 2, 40,672 and 2,39,228 travellers.

India gets 37th UNESCO World Heritage Site Victorian Gothic and Art Deco Ensemble of Mumbai declared as a World Heritage Property by UNESCO WH Desk

ndia’s nomination of the Victorian and Art Deco Ensembles of Mumbai has been inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage list. The decision was taken at the 42nd session of the World Heritage Committee of UNESCO at Manama in Bahrain. As recommended by the World Heritage Committee, India accepted the renaming of the ensemble as Victorian Gothic and Art Deco Ensembles of Mumbai.

20 July 2018

This makes Mumbai city the second city in India after Ahmedabad to be inscribed on the World Heritage List. In the past 5 years alone, India has managed to get inscribed seven of its properties/sites on the World Heritage List of UNESCO. India now has overall 37 World Heritage Inscriptions with 29 Cultural, 07 Natural and 01 Mixed sites. While India stands second largest in number after China in terms of number of World Heritage properties in ASPAC (Asia and Pacific) region, it is overall sixth in the world. In his statement, the Union Minister of State for Culture (I/C) Dr. Mahesh Sharma said that the international

recognition to the heritage precinct of the city of Mumbai is a matter of great pride to the nation and it will boost the local economy in a number of ways. He also added that this achievement is expected to give a tremendous fillip to domestic and international tourism leading to increased employment generation, creation of world-class infrastructure and augmentation of sale of local handicrafts, handlooms and heritage memorabilia. The Ensemble comprises of two architectural styles, the 19th century collection of Victorian structures and the 20th century Art Deco buildings along the

sea, conjoined by means of the historical open space of the Oval Maidan. Together, this architectural ensemble represents the most remarkable collection of Victorian and Art Deco buildings in the world which forms the unique character of this urban setting, unparalleled in the world. The Ensemble consists of 94 buildings primarily of 19th century Victorian Gothic revival and early 20thcentury Art Deco style of architecture with the Oval Maidan in the centre. The 19th century Victorian buildings form part of the larger Fort precinct situated to the east of the Oval Maidan.

GOVERNMENT

India Tourism Mart will help increase tourist footfalls into the country: K. J. Alphons WH Desk

he Minister of State (I/C) for Tourism, K. J. Alphons announced that the Tourism Ministry in partnership with the Federation of Associations in Indian Tourism and Hospitality (FAITH) and with the support of State /UT Governments will organize the first ever India Tourism Mart (ITM) from 16th to 18th September, 2018 at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi. The objective of the event is to create an annual Global Tourism Mart for India in line with major international travel marts being held in countries across the world. ITM will provide a platform for all stakeholders in the tourism and hospitality industries to interact and transact business opportunities. Addressing the media in New Delhi, the Tourism Minister K. J. Alphons said: “India with its great potential in tourism and hospitality sector needs to dramatically increase the foreign tourist footfall and reap the benefits. Ministry of Tourism has been conducting foreign road shows, releasing theme based promotional videos and thus, the ITM 2018 will be a big step which will get buyers from all over the world.” The Minister also hoped that through ITM 2018, India can showcase its hidden destinations to the world, especially to emerging tourism markets like China, Latin America, and Japan etc. The Minister also hoped that with this event, the Government’s aim of bringing the Tourist footfall to double in next three years shall be fulfilled. Speaking at the event, the Tourism Secretary, Rashmi Verma said that ITM will be the best platform for the States to showcase their products to international buyers, opinion makers and bloggers and attract more tourists to their respective states. “Till now only few states like Kerala, Rajasthan were conducting the Tourism Marts and only a few states have participated in International Marts. Therefore, ITM 2018 will be a great opportunity for other states who neither have their own Marts nor ever participated in any International Marts to showcase themselves in front of the International buyers,” she added.

She also conveyed that the Overseas Tourism Offices will make the list of

buyers which shall be verified and finalized by a Committee which has all the Tourism/ Hospitality associations so that only genuine buyers take part in the Mart.

Latin America, CIS Countries etc. Approximately, 300+ international buyers, influencers, bloggers etc. are expected to attend the event.

The Chairman of the organizing committee and FAITH Secretary, Subhash Goyal said that it has been for the first time that the tourism industry stakeholders are coming together for such a large scale event and with Ministry’s support and quick decision the ITM 2018 has now been realized.

Approximately 175-200 stalls will be provided to the sellers to enable them to interact with the buyers. These will include pavilion for States & Union Territories to showcase their unique tourism destinations and products.

India Convention Promotion Board (ICPB) shall coordinate the whole event. A dedicated website shall be there for the event http://www.indiatourismmart.com/ Buyer delegates for ITM 2018 are being invited from important and potential source markets such as North America, West Europe, East Asia,

The event will be formally inaugurated on 17th September, 2018 and B2B meetings between buyer and seller delegates will be held on 17th and 18th September, 2018. FAITH and State Governments will offer pre and post event FAM trips (Familiarization trips) for the buyer delegates from overseas.

Tourism Ministry to lend support to Rs 300 crore project at Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple WH Desk

he last year’s table topper dropped to the third position in ASICS 2017. The city registered a massive drop in capex per capita in the assessment year for the fifth installment of the survey.

The Union Minister of State Tourism Alphons Kannanthanam has said that his ministry is ready to bear the complete cost of building an underground museum near the Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram to keep its treasure, according to a report in The New Indian Express. The treasure is believed to be worth Rs 1 lakh crore, while the cost of building the museum is estimated to be around Rs. 300-crore. The central government, in its latest announcement, has expressed its desire to build a high-security underground museum for securing the temple’s treasure.

Kannanthanam, who recently met Travancore royal family member Pooyam Thirunal Gowri Parvathi Bayi and Avittom Thirunal Aditya Varma regarding the proposal said that the temple will have “typical Kerala archetectural style” and that the temple will have a security system “better than that of the Reserve Bank of India.” “I’ve discussed the proposal with the royal family and we’re only in the initial stage of discussion,” Kannanthanam told the paper. He also said that the government doesn’t want to hurt anyone’s sentiments. Hence they are in talks with the royal family to get their consent. The report also states that Kannanthanam has already had a conversation with Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan regarding the issue.

July 2018 21

DESTINATION

COORG

Hills Scenic Unforgettable WH Desk

oorg is an aristocrat, through and through. The stronghold of the Kodava community, who are believed to be descendants of the Aryans, Coorg keeps its traditions as warm as your reception might be, you are reminded constantly that you are a guest and certain decorum is expected out of you. The green, hilly capital of the Kodagu region has remnants of its past like the Madikeri Fort – the Raja’s seat, where you can catch a sunset just like the rajas once did. Visit the acres of coffee estates and the Raja’s Tomb where the Kodagu King Veerarajendra and his family sleep their eternal sleep. About 9km away from Madikeri’s giddy heights are the Abbey Falls, which falls daintily in steps, looking like a pretty curtain of the finest lace. The Talacauvery where the Cauvery originates is the hotbed of a phenomenon every year on the 17th of October, at a predetermined moment, the water gushes up at the fountainhead from a spring. Bylekuppe, about 40 km away from Madikeri, opens doors to an entirely different world. The Buddhist Colony here is a piece of

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DESTINATION Tibet in itself, and the ubiquitous maroon and yellow robes will have you double-checking if you are still in South India or not. Along with Buddhist monks, Coorg also has some really big cats for neighbours.

Things to Do Coorg is synonymous with epicurean. Live the life of the Kodavas to the hilt, perhaps at a plantation/homestay. Excellent coffee, rich food (pork curry and steamed rice dumplings, for sure), indulgent desserts and wines, maybe a game of golf at a natural golf course, idyllic walks, bird watching are all part of the programme.

Kodava Culture Experience the true Kodava Culture with a visit to an ancestral home or explore Coorg’s astounding biodiversity with an organic eco-tour. Do visit Coorg’s many tribal settlements. If you happen to be visiting somewhere between April-May, be sure to enquire about the Bode Namma festival where the men dress up as women and get happy and high with excessive drinking. Witness the teray, a ritual performance that’s similar to the theyyams of Kerala during the Choundi Teray (festival of Chamundi’s spirit) which falls between the 21st and the 24th of March.

Pilgrim Circuit Take the Pilgrim’s Circuit with Bhagamandala, home to the Bhagandeshwara Temple, dedicated to the Hindu Trinity and Talacauvery, where on the 17th of October, the fountainhead of a spring gushes with a sudden spurt of water at a predetermined moment. Or head for Bylekuppe, one of India’s largest Tibetan settlements, complete with its own Buddhist monasteries, prayer flags, etc.

Bio-Diversity Hotspots Coorg is one among the world’s 38 richest Bio-Diversity Hotspots. Go revel in nature from trekking to bird watching, a wildlife safari in Nagarahole, where you can keep your fingers crossed and eyes peeled for a tiger or leopard or elephant to make an appearance, to visiting a Devarakadu or a sacred grove, which Coorg abounds in.

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DESTINATION

Adventure Activities During the monsoons, be sure to try out Coorg’s Whitewater Rafting facilities at Upper Barapole River. Get in touch with Coorg’s Adventure Club at Gonikoppal for more adventure sports. Trek up Thandiyendamol, the highest peak in Coorg and the second highest in Karnataka, which on a clear day gives you a glimpse of the coast.

Waterfalls Coorg has its share of resplendent Waterfalls. The Abbey Falls lies 9 km from Madikeri and is a 70-foot visual treat. The Chelavara Falls at Kabbe and the Irpu Falls, the rather enchanting prelude to the majesty of the Brahmagiri hills are two others.

Wildlife Visit the Dubare Elephant Training Camp, where you can get up, close and personal with the elephants. You can also try your hand at angling at Valnoor and make a bid for the Mahseer – the largest freshwater game fish. Nagarahole or the Rajiv Gandhi National Park has some impressive residents – tigers, leopards, elephants, bison, crocodiles, pythons cab be seen easily.

Reaching Here Reaching Coorg is hassle-free since the destination enjoys good road connectivity with other major cities nearby. It does not have an airport or a railway station. Nearest Airport: Mangalore (160 kms) and Bangalore (260 kms) are the nearest airports to Coorg. They have flights to all major Indian cities like Delhi, Bangalore, Mumbai and Chennai as well as many gulf countries. Nearest Railway Station: Coorg does not have a railway station. Mysore (140 kms) is the nearest railway station to Coorg

24 July 2018

and a number of trains connect them. Other close railways stations are Mangalore and Hassan in Karnataka, and Thalassery and Kannur in Kerala. Depending on the distance and condition of roads, the journey could take anywhere between 4-6 hours. The KSRTC buses have very limited or no stops. Most buses start late in the evening making it easier for you to check in to your resorts or hotels in Coorg and utilize your day to visit tourist attractions. Road Trips: A road trip to Coorg is very popular as the serene air and cool mountains provide you a refreshing experience. There are two popular road routes from Bangalore to Coorg. The first one is via Mysore and the second one is via Channarayapatna on the NH 48 towards Hassan from Bangalore, which is a bit longer. Coorg is about 140 km from Mangalore and takes about 3 hours to reach by car. One can take the NH48 or Bangalore-Mangalore highway from Mangalore.

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HOSPITALITY

Disha Patani appointed as newest Westin Well-Being Brand Advocate WH Desk

estin Hotels & Resorts introduced Bollywood actress Disha Patani as the newest Westin Well-Being Brand Advocate in Asia Pacific. As part of her new role, Disha will create a 3-part video series, helping guests envision an enhanced concept of wellness especially when on the move. The video series will be available on the YouTube page of Westin Hotels & Resorts and Marriott International Asia Pacific. This announcement follows on the heels of Westin’s Let’s Rise global campaign, which addresses the distractions and unpredictability of travel - empowering people to regain control of their well-being

routine when they need it the most, ie while traveling. Commenting on the same, Mike Fulkerson, Vice President, Brand and Marketing, Marriott International Asia Pacific said: “Wellness is in the Westin brand’s DNA, and as more people integrate wellness into their lifestyle, we are also continuously innovating to ensure wellness touches every aspect of our guests’ travel journey. Our appointment of Disha seeks to do exactly that.” Disha’s video series will embody the Westin concept of ‘Let’s Rise’ and share insights on her idea of holistic wellness, combining fitness, nutrition and working out in style. Specifically, her video will focus on three of

the Westin brand’s pillars of well-being – namely Eat Well, Sleep Well & Move Well. “I’m delighted to collaborate with the Westin brand; I have always believed in maintaining a calculated balance: from what I eat, to my workout sessions, to giving equal time to my professional and personal life,” said Disha Patani.

Leisure Hotels adds 30 Choice Hotels announced the additional rooms at Riverview opening of new property Retreat in Jim Corbett in Varanasi National Park WH Desk WH Desk

he Riverview Retreat – a wildlife resort situated along with the banks of River Kosi, spread over 9 acres, now offers 90 well-appointed rooms and private villas of two, three, four bedrooms or independent and duplex rooms. The addition of 30 more rooms at the property makes it the largest capacity resort in the Corbett Park and Ramnagar Area. With the banquet facilities that can accommodate up to 400 guests the property becomes the largest MICE facilitator in the Corbett National Park.

Emphasizing that The Riverview Retreat, makes for a key MICE destination, Vibhas Prasad, Director, Leisure Hotels Group said, “Corbett is well connected with many major North Indian cities, which enables convenient travelling. It could be thrilling for corporate employees to mix business with pleasure by lazing around, meditating and playing etc., in luxury accommodations such as this.” “While we understand certain protocol for weddings, we also have our sister properties adjacent to us, should arise to allot separate accommodations for the bride’s and the groom’s family and friends, so groups are housed separately while being next to each other,” elaborated Prasad. The Riverview Retreat also offers an ideal exciting destination away from the hustle and bustle of cities for green weddings, incorporating ecologically and socially responsible products and services into all aspects of the planning and festivities. The property offers the largest River Front Lawns along the banks of the Kosi River surrounded by rolling hills and the Forest, to accommodate as many as up to 700 guests.

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omfort Inn Banaras is built in contemporary style and offers modern amenities to ensure pleasant stay for travellers. The hotel has a modern architectural structure with banqueting facilities to cater for meetings, conferences and social gatherings. Vilas Pawar, CEO, Choice Hotels India, said, “We are committed to offer international experience with world class services at best value proposition. The warmth of international hospitality at Comfort Inn Benaras will help redefining the service standards offered to the traveller.”

The Food and Beverage options include The City Spoon – serving multicuisine restaurant with a choice of Oriental, Vilas Pawar Northwest Frontier, South Indian, CEO Choice Hotels India Chinese & Tandoor delicacies to tickle the best of foodie’s taste buds; The Café Hashtag – a rooftop restaurant having an amazing view of entire city from top with an open kitchen serving barbeque, Continental with unmatchable innovative mocktails & beverages. The Café by Corridor – a 24x7 coffee shop offers variety of tea, coffee with snacks. Choice Hotels India is part of Choice Hotels International, one of the largest and most successful lodging companies in the world. Choice Hospitality India Pvt. Ltd is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Choice Hotels International one of the largest and most widespread lodging franchisors of the world with over 6000 hotels across the globe. . With Comfort Inn Benaras, Choice Hotels India has expanded its footprint of over 30 hotels in India. The brands of Choice Hotels in India are Quality, Comfort, Sleep Inn, Clarion and Cambria Suites.

HOSPITALITY

Far East Hospitality Singapore conducts agents briefing sessions in four cities of India WH Desk

ndia Sales Associates, the regional sales office in India for the Singapore based Far East Hospitality & Management (S) PTE Ltd (FEHMS) along with the key personnel from the corporate office in Singapore, conducted a brainstorming and agents briefing sessions at New Delhi, Mumbai, Amritsar and Ludhiana for a select group of key partners. The meeting and discussion was centered at the three new upcoming hotels in Sentosa Island, Singapore. These key partners were given the first look of the properties and were updated on the defining concepts, location advantages, facilities and amenities

that make these three new hotels an attractive proposition for the Indian guests. Three new hotels scheduled to open in April 2019 in the centre of Sentosa Island are Village Hotel Sentosa, The Outpost Sentosa and The Barracks Hotel. Village Hotel Sentosa with 606 keys positioned in the 4-Star segment, will provide an experiential stay for the families, leisure and meeting groups, providing opportunities to discover the rich culture and heritage of its surroundings. Situated on an elevated ground, The Outpost Hotel with 193 keys positioned in the 5-Star segment, will cater to travellers looking for upscale accommodation. It aims to attract couples who want a trendy island getaway. The Outpost harks back to the golden age of travel. It is an interchange of ideas, leading to new experiences. Housed in a conserved colonial buildings The Barracks Hotel with 40 keys positioned in the 5-Star luxury segment is an exclusive heritage hideaway, rich in history. It transports guests to a cherished time of romance and charm, offering attention to detail, exquisite service, and an overall timeless experience.

Alila Fort Bishangarh completes one year of operation WH Desk

lila Fort Bishangarh, the only known warrior fort in India to have been converted into a heritage hotel, celebrates its first anniversary on July 15, 2018. Over the course of the past one year, Alila Fort Bishangarh has bagged multiple awards and recognition across various categories from national and international entities of repute. It is named Best New Hotels in India by Condé Nast Traveler Hot List 2018 and most recently Best Restoration Projects by Hospitality Design Awards USA 2018. Situated on the edge of the Aravalli Hills, overlooking the quaint village of Bishangarh, the property boasts of 59 majestic rooms, each aesthetically different from the other, along with an array of indoor and outdoor specialty restaurants such as Amarsar, Nazaara and Haveli.

Alila Fort Bishangarh is all set to welcome its anniversary with a host of celebratory activities on its anniversary’s eve, like live local performance (Kacchi Ghori), Bishangarh Mela at Haveli Courtyard, flute performance among other events. Speaking on this occasion, Binny Sebastian, General Manager, Alila Fort Bishangarh expressed, “It is truly heartwarming to be able to celebrate this occasion with our indispensable workforce and loyal guests who have been the reason of our successful journey over the past year. We would like to thank everyone in the Alila Fort Bishangarh family for their support and look forward to creating more success stories as we move ahead on our growth trajectory.”

IHCL empowers women weavers WH Desk

he Indian Hotels Company Limited’s (IHCL) iconic brand Taj has spearheaded a women weavers’ training programme to facilitate selfemployment and income generation. In line with its ethos of preserving indigenous crafts and culture and building sustainable livelihoods, the initiative is breaking the mould in what is considered a maledominated handloom industry. Taj has been committed to reviving the ancient skill of handloom weaving as a relevant source of employment for over a decade. The women trained by Master weavers are awarded professional certification on completion of the course.

Since 2008, IHCL has engaged with the weavers to skill and support the community. Through its Livelihood Support Programme, Taj develops and sources silk sarees which are worn as uniforms by front line associates at its hotels. Furthering the commitment, the company recently initiated a training programme exclusively for women in partnership with Human Welfare Association. The move not only promotes the century’s old, traditional art of weaving but also increases entrepreneurship opportunities for women, functioning as a tool against gender discrimination in the village communities. Over the last decade, the company has supported identified weaver communities with quality raw material, designs and training and allied welfare measures to enable a larger circle of opportunities. IHCL also supports many such handlooms and handicrafts and retails them through its inhouse lifestyle store, Taj Khazana. IHCL has two hotels in Varanasi – Taj Nadesar Palace and The Gateway Hotel Ganges.

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HOSPITALITY

The Setai Tel Aviv opens in Israel WH Desk

he Setai brand of hotels has recently opened its latest property The Setai Tel Aviv, located on the Mediterranean Sea at the entrance to the ancient city of Jaffa. The 120 guest room and suite urban resort is the second Setai property in Israel following the 2017 opening of The Setai-Sea of Galilee and is the fourth property in Israel to be designated as a member of the Leading Hotels of the World organization (together with the Mamilla, American Colony and King David hotels). The property was initially constructed as a fortress during the Crusader Kingdom’s rule over Jaffa in the 12th-century. The Setai Tel Aviv’s five-building complex, referred to locally as the “Kishle,” or “jailhouse” in Turkish, is amongst the most important properties in Israel from a historical, cultural and architectural perspective. The building was part of a complex that was conquered and then inhabited by the most dominant empires in history beginning with the Crusader period and through the Roman, Byzantine, Napoleonic, Turkish-Ottoman and British rule over Jaffa. Following the fall of the Ottoman Empire and Israel’s War of Independence in 1947, the complex was

used as a police station until 2005, at which point it underwent a monolithic restoration process that transformed the building into The Setai Tel Aviv. The original buildings and stone corridors that wrap around an inner courtyard have been meticulously restored over the span of a 25-year preservation process, which was spearheaded by the Israel Antiquities Authority, Israel Preservation Society, Feigin Architects & preservation architect Eyal Ziv. As part of the renovation effort, architects demolished several buildings, restored the original structure, added three floors and dug out a basement level. The latter spurred a series of extensive archeological digs throughout the property, unearthing artifacts that date back to the 12th century, all of which will be on display in the The Setai Tel Aviv for guests’ enjoyment. The Setai Tel Aviv accommodations from the hotel’s guest rooms and suites to public spaces and outdoor courtyards feature rich walnut furnishings, white sea-stone from the building’s original structure, custom brass fixtures and Middle Eastern fabrics. The Setai Tel Aviv’s interiors evoke a seamless blend of classic and contemporary design that reflects its Jaffa location.

The Setai Tel Aviv features JAYA, a new restaurant concept which celebrates the best of Israeli food culture, while also honoring the culinary heritage of Jaffa and the property’s Turkish roots. Here, guests are treated to the best in seasonal and local fare, while across the courtyard; The Setai Tel Aviv Bar serves handcrafted cocktails, fine wines and a traditional British high tea service. JAYA restaurant is centered on a dazzling Brazilian blue marble bar. The Setai Tel Aviv also offers a fullservice spa with seven treatment rooms, a traditional Turkish Hammam and a fully equipped gym, as well as four meeting and banquet spaces.

OYO Hotels strengthen its international presence; ventures into China WH Desk

YO Hotels announced its foray into China with a strong focus on strengthening its hotel chain in the country. With this launch, OYO Hotels is all set to substantiate its leadership in the market while working towards its mission of bringing great living spaces in the country in the form of well-designed small hotels while introducing best-in-class training and education in the sector. Its current chain comprises of over 11,000 exclusive - franchised or manchised - rooms in 26 cities including Hangzhou, Xian, Nanjing, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Shenzhen, Xiamen and Kunming among others. Commenting on the development, Ritesh Agarwal, Founder & CEO, OYO said: “After our successful overseas expansion and operations in Malaysia and Nepal, we are

28 July 2018

thrilled to offer OYO hotels hassle-free and standardized stay experience to guests in China.” “The country’s tourism industry is on the cusp of booming and flourishing wherein it enjoys a strong influx of both domestic and international tourists; also the market is as fragmented as the Indian hotel market. With our expertise in managing chain of hotels backed by technological innovations, we will further continue to strengthen our footprint while empowering neighbourhood hotels to emerge in the same league as the big boys of hospitality,” he added. China is the third overseas market for OYO, after its successful venture into Malaysia and Nepal where it has grown multifold. The company will be working towards transforming the region’s hospitality industry by introducing its strong hotel brand and operating solutions for ensuring

a seamless experience for both guests and asset partners while generating lucrative job opportunities for locals in smaller tier provinces. “We’ve been at the forefront of the small and budget hotels revolution in India, Malaysia and Nepal. Building the category of small-unique hotels grounds-up, we have employed design and operational acumen to deliver delight to our customers and unparalleled benefits to assets ensuring high yield,” added Ritesh Agarwal.

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AVIATION

Etihad announces new structure, leadership team WH Desk

tihad Aviation Group has announced a new organisational structure and operating model, effective immediately. The reorganisation is aimed at ensuring its next phase of growth and to prosper as a people-focused business driven by innovation, safety and sustainability and supporting Abu Dhabi’s vision for the future. Under the new structure, the group will be reorganised into seven business divisions – Operations, Commercial, Maintenance, Repair & Overhaul (MRO), Human Resources, Finance, Support Services and Transformation, led by a new executive leadership team reporting to Group Chief Executive Officer (Group CEO), Tony Douglas, who also assumes responsibility for Etihad Airways. Mohamed Mubarak Fadhel Al Mazrouei, Chairman of Etihad Aviation Group, said: “As we approach our 15year anniversary, the reorganisation and restructure of the group and leadership team will help us lay the foundations for Etihad to optimise its value as a world-

leading group, streamline operations, and capitalise on opportunities, allowing the business to focus on improving its core operating performance. Peter Baumgartner, after leading Etihad Airways as CEO since 2016, will now serve as the Senior Strategic Advisor to Tony Douglas as part of the executive leadership team. Mohammad Al Bulooki, Etihad Airways Executive Vice President Commercial, has been promoted to Chief Operating Officer, and will be responsible for core areas including network operations, flight and technical operations, among others. Robin Kamark has been appointed Chief Commercial Officer and will spearhead the overall commercial strategy of the airline, including cargo, sales and marketing, revenue management, customer service, network planning, and alliances. Ibrahim Nassir has been appointed Chief Human Resources & Organisational Development Officer, and is responsible for a wide range of support functions including, among others, learning, organisational

Ethiopian starts flights to Barcelona WH Desk

thiopian Airlines, the largest Aviation Group in Africa and SKYTRAX certified Four Star Global Airline, has launched a new flight services to Barcelona, Spain as of July 01, 2018, deploying the ultra-modern B787– 800 Dreamliner. Barcelona, the capital and largest city of Catalonia and the second most populous municipality of Spain, is also the second largest trade fair and exhibition Centre in Europe.

Tewolde GebreMariam CEO Ethiopian Airlines Group

Ethiopian Airlines Group CEO Tewolde GebreMariam, said, “We are very happy to spread our wings to Barcelona, which will be our second destination in Spain, after Madrid, and the 13th city in our European network.”

“The start of this new flight to Barcelona is part of our global route network expansion plan in line with our strategic roadmap, Vision 2025. The new flight to Barcelona will provide seamless connectivity options for business people as well as tourists from Barcelona to our extensive African network of 58 destinations via our main hub in Addis Ababa,” he added. Ethiopian commands the lion’s share of the pan-African passenger and cargo network operating the youngest and most modern fleet to more than 110 international passenger and cargo destinations across five continents.

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development, medical services, talent acquisition, rewards, people services, and immigration. Mr. Nassir will also lead the group’s Emiratisation programme. Tony Douglas, Group CEO, Etihad Aviation Group, said: “We are now well equipped to deliver our plans as a reinvigorated innovator brand, with an optimised and profitable network, technologically advanced fleet, and a strengthened position as the global airline of choice, run by a seasoned team of talented professionals. The fact that almost half of our leadership team are UAE nationals reflects our strong succession planning efforts and commitment to developing Emirati talent.

Tony Douglas Group CEO Etihad Aviation Group

Virgin celebrates 18 years of Delhi-London operation Introduces special birthday fare to London WH Desk

irgin Atlantic celebrates 18 years this July since it launched its first flight from India on 5 July 2000 on board an Airbus A340 from New Delhi to London, serving over three million customers on board during the period. Today customers travelling with Virgin Atlantic enjoy a daily service to London Heathrow on-board a state of the art Boeing 787-9 with Wi-Fi in all its cabins making it the only airline on the Delhi-London route to offer Wi-Fi connectivity to all its customers. To commemorate the special day, the airline introduced a special birthday fare offers. The airline also commemorated its 18 years of Indian operation hosting trade’s who’s who along with trade partner awards amidst a fabulous party. David Hodges, Country Manager at Virgin Atlantic, India said says, “This is a momentous time for Virgin Atlantic in India. The Delhi route is as popular as ever among Indian customers who love the great Indian food, the latest Bollywood films, interacting with our Indian crew and using our inflight Wi-Fi to stay connected with their families as they travel. It’s also a time of tremendous growth for Virgin Atlantic in India. You can now connect to Virgin services from all over India through our partnership with Jet Airways, and reach destinations all over the UK and USA connecting with Flybe and Delta Air Lines.”

AVIATION

Etihad Airways to introduce Boeing 787 on Cairo route WH Desk

tihad Airways will introduce a 299seat next-generation Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner on its daily mid-morning EY653/EY654 schedule from Abu Dhabi to Cairo. Etihad Airways will operate four daily services, the most frequent number of flights operated by any UAE airline to the Egyptian capital, offering greater choice and optimised timings to benefit business and leisure customers travelling point-to-point between the two cities. The convenient schedules also provide seamless East-bound connections through Abu Dhabi onto the airline’s network to the Gulf, Indian Subcontinent, North and Southeast Asia and Australia. Mohammad Al Bulooki, Etihad Airways Executive Vice President Commercial, said: “Etihad Airways has been serving

Cairo since 2004 and today it is one of the largest point-to-point markets on our global network, bolstered by the hugely important historic, economic, and cultural ties existing between the UAE and Egypt, and by the large Egyptian community in the emirates, which numbers over 750,000.” “In 2017 Etihad carried almost half a million guests on our multiple daily flights to and from Cairo. The introduction of the stateof-the-art 787 Dreamliner on the popular morning service from Abu Dhabi will provide guests with the latest innovation and technology, award-winning cabins, genuine hospitality and greater choice.” In April 2018, Etihad Airways and EGYPTAIR expanded their codeshare partnership from Abu Dhabi and Cairo to include several African destinations served by the Egyptian flag-carrier from its Cairo hub, including Ndjamena in Chad, Khartoum in Sudan, Entebbe in Uganda, and

Dar es Salaam in Tanzania, and subject to government approvals, Abuja and Kano in Nigeria, and Asmara in Eritrea EGYPTAIR places its ‘MS’ code on Etihad Airways flights from Abu Dhabi to Seoul, Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney, and subject to government approvals, on flights to China.

SWISS launches new inflight Air Arabia takes delivery of two menu on India - Zurich routes new Airbus A320 aircraft WH Desk

WH Desk

wiss International Air Lines (SWISS) announced the launch of a new inflight menu for its India - Zurich routes. Starting June 07, 2018, a range of authentic Indian dishes curated by Oberoi Flight Services along with a selected variety of international meals will be available for First, Business and Economy Class passengers flying from India to Zurich. The new menu on board SWISS is inspired by traditional and gourmet recipes made with fresh ingredients available in the respective Indian regions. It caters for the distinctive Indian and global palette and is introduced in all travel classes on board as of June 07, 2018. “India is a key market for SWISS and over the years we have constantly innovated to elevate the experience of our passengers to and from India. We are committed to deepening our connection with the customers by extending the best of Swiss warmth and hospitality onboard”, said Wolfgang Will, Senior Director, South Asia, Lufthansa Group.

“Indian cuisine is known for having a unique blend. We have created distinctive meals that reflect the cultures and history from different regions and are proud to offer our customers a dining experience on board.” In all classes, there will be a selected variety of international meals as well. Furthermore, SWISS distinguishes between day and night flights.

ir Arabia, the Middle East and North Africa’s first and largest low-cost carrier (LCC), announced that it has taken two new Airbus A320 aircraft deliveries bringing its total operating fleet to 53 aircraft. The latest Airbus A320 arrived on schedule from the Airbus facility in Toulouse, France, marking the completion of all deliveries this year. Adel Al Ali, Group Chief Executive Officer, Air Arabia, said: “The delivery of our last two aircraft for 2018 marks a significant step in the development of our fleet expansion strategy especially as we added 12 new routes this year. We are proud to have created one of the industry’s most modern fleet through exceptional organic growth which helped us offer customers a wider range of destinations at great value.” The new A320 aircraft have gone straight into service across Air Arabia’s over 150 destination network served from the main carrier hubs in the UAE, Morocco and Egypt. The airline added 12 new routes from its hubs in the UAE, Morocco and Egypt in the first half of 2018. The A320 family is the world’s best-selling and most modern singleaisle aircraft family. All Air Arabia aircraft cabin interiors are fitted with a world-class comfort seats offering one of the highest seat pitch of any economy cabin across the globe and therefore, offering passengers extra leg room to sit back and relax during their flight. The next delivery will be Air Arabia’s first A321neo LR to join the fleet early next year.

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AVIATION

Jet Airways commences second Chhatrapati service between New Delhi and Dhaka Shivaji International WH Desk Within India, the new flight will offer easy onward connections to Bengaluru, Airport initiates Coimbatore, Chennai, Hyderabad, et Airways has commenced an Jaipur, Lucknow and Pune. check-in from additional flight between Delhi and Bangladesh capital Dhaka with effect Gaurang Shetty, Whole-time Director, anywhere in from today. The planned expansion Jet Airways, said, “There was a need and including a four-day-a-week operation potential to develop the operations between Mumbai on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and the capitals of India and Bangladesh. The

Saturdays, is in line with the airline’s Think India, Think Jet Airways policy. This new service, which commenced operations today will complement the existing daily operations between the two cities, providing guests more flight choices between Bangladesh and India. It makes Jet Airways the airline operating the most number of flights between the two countries. This additional flight will prove to be a boon for corporate travellers between Delhi and Dhaka, enhancing economic ties between India and Bangladesh. Guests from Bangladesh will also have more convenient travel options to international destinations such as Doha, Dammam, Muscat and Dubai in the Gulf, to the ASEAN region, and to Europe, North America on direct and aligned flights via Jet Airways’ hub at Delhi.

new service also presents an opportunity for businesses and leisure travellers to explore the potential of our neighboring country.” Shetty further added that guests from Dhaka can benefit from the connectivity options provided by Jet Airways’ extensive network across India and across the world through its hubs in New Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru. Commenting on the launch, Rajkumar Bhattacharya, Country Manager– Bangladesh, Jet Airways, said: “With Bangladesh emerging as a trading centre and business hub in the SAARC region, it is also important to continue to provide a high degree of air connectivity both in terms of passenger and cargo.”

Vistara receives 21st aircraft; eligible to start international operations WH Desk

istara received its 21st aircraft, an Airbus A320neo powered by CFM engines. The new aircraft landed at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport recently. With this addition to its fleet, Vistara becomes eligible to start international operations. The new aircraft will be deployed to further strengthen the airline’s domestic network.

Leslie Thng CEO Vistara

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Leslie Thng, CEO, Vistara said: “There’s great excitement amongst all of us at Vistara, as we prepare ourselves for taking the next leap in our journey to fly international. The arrival of our 21st aircraft makes

this phase even more special. It enables us to strengthen our network further, which gives us the opportunity to offer more choices in terms of frequencies to our evergrowing base of loyal customers.” Vistara’s A320neo aircraft comes in its unique cabin configuration of 158 seats (8 Business Class, 24 Premium Economy and 126 Economy Class) as well as other industry-first features, for which the airline calls it #NotJustAnotherNeo.

Celebrates its 10 Millionth Customer The airline flew its 10 millionth customer on June 18, 2018, successfully crossing yet another milestone in its journey. To mark the landmark achievement, the airline identified Shuchi Maheshwari as the special customer at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport, and surprised her with flowers, a memento and a complimentary Business Class upgrade on her flight UK 983 to Mumbai.

WH Desk

VK Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL), the company that administers the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (CSIA) has introduced another initiative to enhance passenger experience at the airport premises. Passengers can now use extended checkin facility that will be available at the hotels in Mumbai. This facility is presently introduced at hotels like Sahara Star, Hyatt Regency, Taj Santacruz, ITC Maratha, Hilton Mumbai International Airport and The LaLiT so far. This facility can be used by anyone who has the access to these hotels. By the use of this facility, passengers will be able to save on time and have a stress free experience at the airport. GVK Mumbai Airport also has equipped Terminals with various self-service check-in facilities. CSIA is the pioneer, to introduce facilities like check-in kiosks, generating boarding pass through CUSS, generating Baggage tag through CUSS, and use of self bag drop facility for a faster check-in experience. All the airlines operating out of Terminal 1 of CSIA are now on SBD (selfbag drop facility) making Terminal 1, the only terminal in the country to have a fully automated check in system. The integration of new technology allows the processing of a significant number of passengers to be decentralized from the airport and allows for better use of airport resources. Passengers using the CUSS facility highly appreciate such time-saving measures undertaken by CSIA .Self-service facility at airport has drastically reduced the waiting time and queues at check in counter

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TECHNOLOGY

Amadeus undertakes tourism training at University Of Kashmir WH Desk

ith an aim to augment the career prospects of students in the field of tourism, Amadeus India – leading provider of IT solutions in travel technology, recently conducted a special training for students at the University of Kashmir. The training was undertaken in collaboration with Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI) to introduce and prepare tomorrow’s budding professionals for the job market. Commenting on the initiative, Rakesh Bansal, CEO, Amadeus India, said: “Kashmir

is one of the most preferred tourist destinations with hordes of people thronging the place throughout the year. It is only natural that this place should have more trained professionals in the field of tourism who have hands on experience in terms of latest technology and knowhow.” “With this aim we reached out to the university and were pleased to see students’ response to our training. We are trying to impart job training to the students which will prepare them well and open up a lot of avenues for them when they step into the market for jobs eventually,” he added.

Sunil Kumar, President, TAAI said: “This weeklong programme of Amadeus to train about 90 students on reservation and ticketing process has been a huge success. The students are now inspired to get actively connected with the growing travel & tourism industry that requires specialised training to meet the ever-increasing demands of the industry.” “We are delighted to join hands with Amedeus India who have played a valuable role in organizing this training for the students of J&K,” he added. The training being a part of company’s CSR program,

focused on imparting the right skills, aptitude, knowledge and approach by showcasing different models and case scenarios. Amadeus conducts such trainings across India periodically to boost the job opportunities for students after college.

Hurtigruten celebrates 125 years of exploration; bans plastic WH Desk

he original expedition cruise company is the world’s largest, and marked the anniversary by banning single use plastic and throwing the world’s longest plastic free birthday party.

July 2nd in Norway marked 125 years since Hurtigruten founder Richard With brought the steamer MS Vesteraalen into service along the coast of Norway, establishing a regular sea link for locals and tourists and founding what today is the world’s largest expedition cruise company. To celebrate the anniversary, Hurtigruten hosted a birthday party extending over 11,000 nautical miles, from Seattle in the west and Hong Kong in the east, to Svalbard in the High North, and along the Norwegian coast. The birthday was celebrated in Hurtigruten ports, destinations, ships and offices, without use of any single use plastic items. As Hurtigruten marks 125 years of global exploration in 2018, the cruise company will take guests to more than 200 destinations in 30 countries from pole to pole – in the waters of Antarctica, South America and the Caribbean, the Northwest Passage, Greenland, Iceland, Svalbard and the spectacular Norwegian Coast. Hurtigruten has banned all unnecessary single-use plastics across their global fleet of expedition ships – from the Arctic to Antarctica. From straws to drinking cups and plastic bags, everything will be replaced by paper, biodegradable material and other sustainable alternatives. “The initiative taken by Hurtigruten to ban ‘Single Use Plastic’ needs to be applauded as this signifies that there are businesses which

34 July 2018

are conscious of their surroundings and would do all possible to minimize the damage to the environment,” said Nishith Saxena, Director, Cruise Professionals – the sole GSA for Hurtigruten in India. “Very recently, we have heard that Maharashtra is the first state in India to ban single use plastic – if similar initiatives could also be taken in other cities as well then our cities would not choke on plastic and be more liveable,” he added. With the introduction of the world’s first battery hybrid powered expedition ships – along with the conversion of up to nine existing ships to hybrid LNG-battery powered hybrid ships – Hurtigruten also sets a new standard for the future of adventure travel.

HOSPITALITY

Travelport Smartpoint 8.1 A Smarter Way to The Top Travelport Smartpoint, the pioneer in travel commerce has offered content from 400+ Airlines, 650,000 unique hotel properties and 36,000 car rental locations. WH Desk

ill now it the Travelport Smartpoint 8.1 has increased its user’s productivity and improved the customer experience. Its Handy GUI has helped users to deliver best customisation options. This new version follows closely the launch of 8.0 version and add-on to make the interface better. It combines point-and-click and graphical screens with the ability to use cryptic commands allowing users to choose how they want to work. The new Flex Windows theme provides up to eight active windows plus a PNR Viewer to support user’s need to do more in less time. It puts the world’s travel content at your fingertip that allows you to create the perfect personalised service to your customers. And with enhancements to TripQuote, sending your customer travel options has never been faster. Travelport Smartpoint release 8.1 is PCI DSS compliant. The upgraded version is an ultimate solution for numerous customisation possibilities that helps user to achieve10/10 service to their customers with new brilliant features.

Adding to Travelport Smartpoint 8.0 features, 8.1 embodies: Flex windows: Whether you are experienced and new to the industry, you can now create the number of windows that works best for you, expand or collapse the windows and also change the colours of the windows according to your preference. Also added in the new features is a side panel. Trip quote enhancements: Unlike the 7.3 version which introduced the OB Fees management, with the new version you can choose the content and include it in the quote. The content can be added to a basket – build up the different options as you search for them by adding to a basket before you are ready to finalise the quote with no limitations on how many options you include. Improving the quality of the information within a quote help customers decide on

which quote to book. This provides the ability to include a service fee and mark up to ensure the price quoted can include all applicable fees and charges up front. Improved post-book seat map performance and display: The new version has improved the post-booking seat map performance. Seat maps in the PostBook work flow will now display as each seat map becomes available. This provides quicker response times and improve your effectiveness. Assisting with PCI DSS compliance: Travelport Smartpoint 7.5.2 version 8.1 will also be an auto-upgrade and contains all the necessary components which comply with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) obligations. It will automatically validate your Operating system Windows 7+Service Pack 1 (SP1) or higher; upgrade you to .NET 4.6.2 Microsoft Framework (or higher); Perform an automated check to confirm if Galileo SSL is installed, and if so will upgrade you to Galileo SSL 3.0.0; and Run the ‘Am I Ready’Checker. Add the configuration plug in to global travelport smartpoint set as active: At the time of sign-on, Travelport Smartpoint will go to Travelport Marketplace to retrieve the Hide Galileo Desktop setting, if it exists and hide or display Galileo Desktop (GD) as appropriate. With this enhancement, agency owners can easily ensure their entire office uses Travelport Smartpoint. Filter upper cabin in shop results: We have added a new feature to the Flight Shopping Search named ‘Cabin’ dropdown in Travelport Smartpoint. This gives an option to search for both business and first class fares. Hotel sell options – credit card guarantee: The drop-down fields are now clearly identified when the Hotel Sell Options are pre-populated to reflect either ‘Credit Card - Hotel Guarantee’ - if the PNR contains a hotel credit card, ‘Credit Card – FOP’ - if the credit card added to the FOP in the booking field, or Credit Card - if the PNR

contains neither a Hotel CC nor a booking file field in FOP. Also 8.1 offers integration of the Hotel Retail shopping and booking tool into Travelport Smartpoint, wherever available. Update to branded fares and ancillaries functionality/usability: Previously, you were using the branded fares and ancillaries screen from the FS rebook workflow to upsell to a different fare were unable to do so due to a limitation with the cancel/rebook and the stored fare process. But now you can Cancel and rebook segments accurately from the branded fares and ancillaries FS rebook workflow; Fare store accurately upon choosing a branded fare; Display fare details (fare basis code, ticket designator information) upon hover over the class of service; remove duplicates from fare shop rebook response and do T:V entry and the HB: entry, retain the fare modifiers as stored with the original fare quote. The shopping request cryptic command for rail: We have revolutionised rail booking and this is just another step in the revolution.Agents booking rail segments have been provided a quick way to perform searches by departure time, journey time or price. The update provides new modifiers for departure time, journey time or price. In addition to the above, the new version has improved ordering of the brand attributes associated with a fare &the ability to display only the associated or unassociated remarks in the PNR viewer There’s much more to Travelport Smartpoint than meets the eye. With its extensive features, you can experience its true capabilities like customizable workspaces, color-coded interactive screens, to a choice of cryptic or graphical user-interface, hover-over displays, improved PNR history and queue management and many more. We are growing and we believe that there will always be a whole world of opportunities to explore and grow further.

July 2018 35

FACT & FIGURES

Travel and Tourism investment India Heritage expected to rise by 6.7% per annum Tourism Conclave Travel and Tourism investment expected to rise by 6.7% per annum over the next 10 years to INR 5,546.3 billion in 2028: FICCI-YES Bank Report WH Desk

s a global growth engine, tourism offers opportunities for both skilled and unskilled segments of the labour force. With rising demand for tourism products, many new destinations have emerged that are competing to garner larger footfalls, and many businesses within destinations are also competing. Infrastructure development is a prerequisite to gain higher tourist numbers and requires the combined effort of the host community, tourists and private and public sectors. The following measures are suggested in the knowledge paper that can accelerate growth of tourism infrastructure in the country. Tourism Specific Ease of Doing Business (EoDB) Rankings: ‘EoDB Tourism State Rankings’ can be introduced with comprehensive parameters for assessment of State initiatives. A uniform format can be introduced for collection and publishing of tourism data and statistics across states and districts to facilitate easier decision making by investors and also measure impact of initiatives of various states and other stakeholders. Private Sector Participation for O&M of Existing Government Infrastructure: There is a large inventory of tourism infrastructure owned by state tourism departments as well as interconnected sectors like forest bungalows, many of which boast of exquisite locations that are lying idle or have further potential to upscale and attract more visitors. The private sector can be roped in to operate, improve or refurbish such properties and thus also boosting the room inventory. Promote Smart and Frugal Infrastructure: As we expect tourism models to uplift communities, creation of modern infrastructure will be pivotal towards attracting tourists, even more so in remote and offbeat locations. Currently, the minimum project cost for tourism projects to qualify for infrastructure status is INR 200 Cr, which is under consideration to be lowered to INR 50 Cr. However, if this entry

36 July 2018

barrier can be further lowered, or a separate incentive scheme can be carved out for smaller projects, it will encourage private players to participate in small infra. Promote MICE Sector: While MICE sector has experienced growth in the Indian sector in the past decade, India still has less than 0.5% share of the world meetings and conventions market. Developing more worldclass exhibition centres can enable India to attract global conventions and meetings in tourism as well as other sectors. Incentivize Private Sector Participation: Government/(s) should incentivize private players to invest in unserved/ under-served tourism projects. The incentive pattern can be friendlier for attracting more innovative tourism projects vis-a-vis run-of-the-mill projects. For instance, interest subvention scheme can be introduced for small tourism projects like community homestays, RO-RO and boat operators. Additional incentives, like additional interest subvention post COD, can be provided to projects (incl. new Hotels and resorts) at tourist destinations with limited tourist facilities and connectivity. Online Repository of Land Banks: Availability of suitable land is one of the main concerns for investing in tourism projects, especially when it comes to sustainable tourism infrastructure in fragile areas. The states need to develop land bank outlining the land parcels available for tourism projects, which are made accessible over an interactive web platform with the support of Ministry of Tourism. This will enable investors to assess the preliminary viability of their projects basis the nature of land parcel/ select the appropriate land parcel suitable to the proposed project. Medical and Wellness Tourism: India holds a competitive advantage in offering these products and services, and is also one of the most competitive destinations offering specialized treatments at low costs. Need of the hour now is to attract investments to create supporting infrastructure that can help reap dividends of this global movement led by India, as well as further consolidate offerings in allopathic healthcare and advanced medical procedures. Coastal Area Development: Blessed with almost 7,500 km of coastline, beaches/ Coastal tourism forms one of the top tourism themes in India and is also a preferred

theme for foreign tourists visiting India. To leverage on this coastal advantage of India, priority can be accorded for identifying a minimum of 100 coastal destinations/ beaches and develop the basic tourism infrastructure in addition to ensuring cleanliness at these locations. Leveraging MSME funds: India’s immense cultural and natural heritage is managed and conserved by local communities and small entrepreneurs whose business models now require scale-up through capital infusion, capacity building and skill building support. Convergence of Government Schemes with organizations like NABARD, SIDBI among others can be channelized into developing tourism infrastructure in rural and hinterland areas. Technology for Infrastructure Assessment and Management: Today’s technologies give us clear insights and easy to use tools to advance sustainable and inclusive growth, and go far beyond cashless transactions and reservations. Data analytics can provide insights into consumer spending and movement trends which can further facilitate municipalities on crowd management and urban planning. Enabling a cashless ecosystem for tourists, introducing value added products like Incredible India Travel Card, application of GIS and emerging technologies, like Artificial Intelligence (AI) are some possible areas of intervention. According to the report, travel and tourism investment is expected to rise by 6.7% per annum over the next ten years to INR 5,546.3 billion in 2028. Rana Kapoor, MD & CEO, YES BANK and Chairman, YES Global Institute said that unlocking the true economic potential of the tourism sector will require sustained efforts to augment and modernize tourism infrastructure in the country and will need to be driven by a partnership-led approach between the Government and the private sector through innovative PPP models.

July 2018 37

APPOINTMENT

Samrat Datta General Manager Taj Palace, New Delhi

Shibil Malik General Manager Sheraton Grand Chennai Resort & Spa

Rahul Malik General Manager – Operations Clarks Inn

Samrat brings more than 20 years of hotel experience to Taj Palace, New Delhi. In his new role, Samrat will be responsible for the continued success of the hotel, overseeing the day-to-day operations and providing exceptional guest service at one of India’s most lovedhotels’ in the Nation’s Capital city.

With a broad spectrum of hospitality experience over the years, he has played a crucial role in strategizing, re-positioning and assisting in brand augmentation of many prestigious hotels in the country. He brings a wealth of experience of a total of 18 years to the position, complemented by highly respected sales excellence. He will be responsible for launching the new resort and positioning it as a destination in itself for unique experiences like no other. Shibil has previously held various positions in the company and has been associated with Marriott’s premium distinct and classic brands – The Westin & Sheraton.

Rahul Malik has been appointed as the GM - Operations at Clarks Inn Group of Hotels, A hospitality professional and a visionary with expertise in business, strategic maximization of revenues and overall profitability with the utilization of available resources, Malik’s experience spanning over 18 years, encompasses Sales & Marketing, Rooms Division, Guest Relationship Management and PreOpening assignments.

Samrat is a company veteran having spent over 20 years at Indian Hotels Company Limited. He moved to this role from Taj Bengal, Kolkata. Prior to that he was the General Manager at Taj Jai Mahal Palace Jaipur. He has also worked in global markets with some renowned international brands.

He has worked as Head Sales & Marketing at Golden Tulip Hotels as well as other prominent brand like Pride Hotels, ITC Fortune Hotel, Radisson Hotel Group with Park Plaza, Park Inn and Country Inn & Suites Gurugram.

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Tourism Authority of Thailand

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Volume IV Issue X July 2018

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Dunhuang festival

ON THE COVER : THE MOGAO CAVES, CHINA

showcase window to introduce tourism resources along the Silk Road

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Hills Scenic Unforgettable TOP NEWS

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