RNI No.: DELENG/2014/59308
Volume III Issue IX June 2017
Annual Subscription ` 660
In Focus
IATO Exhibition
GST Era The Beginning of
An ultimate platform to exhibit An exclusive conversation with Amaresh Tiwari, Hony. Tresurer, IATO P-11
P-20
GST; A Damp Squib for the Hospitality Industry P-22 NEWS IN BRIEF
AVIATION
NTO
HOSPITALITY
DESTINATION
CONTENTS Editor Rajesh Tiwari rajesh@whereabouts.in +91 9818525672
Correspondents
6
NEWS IN BRIEF
9
BUSINESS
12 NTO
Jai Kishan Kaparwan Nisha whereabouts.in@gmail.com
14 HOSPITALITY
Art Director
26 STATE
Mithlesh Gupta
Advertising Commercial Director Dheeraj Anand +91 9560444678 dheeraj@whereabouts.in Advertising Manager (North-West) Solomon Saxeana +91 9999810390 solomon@whereabouts.in Advertising Manager (South-East) Santosh K Mishra +91 8447786636 marketing@whereabouts.in Marketing & Events Manager Lakshman Vashisth +91 9911907050
Principal Advisor Anil Prakash
Legal Advisor Advocate Brijesh Tiwari
18 AVIATION 34 WORLD 35
CHECK IN
The Meydan Hotel ‘A Meeting Place’
36
EATING OUT
38 APPOINTMENT
IN FOCUS
IATO Exhibition: An ultimate platform to exhibit Amaresh Tiwari Hony. Tresurer, IATO
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Production & Distribution Production Manager Subhash Distribution Executive Anoop Singh
Accounts CA Rishabh Rana
Technical & Web Support Amit Agrahari
All information in Whereabouts is derived from sources, which we consider reliable and a sincere effort is made to report accurate and up to date information. All contents of this publication are reserved worldwide. Reproduction in any manner without prior written permission is prohibited. All disputes are subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of component courts and forums in Delhi only. Whereabouts is own, printed & published by Rajesh Tiwari. Whereabouts is printed at Pritika Printers, A-21/27, Naraina Industrial Area, Phase-II, New Delhi 110028 and published from E-8/401, Nehru Vihar, Delhi 110094. Editor Rajesh Tiwari
GM SPEAK
Sameer Singh General Manager Trident Bhubneswar
17 COVER STORY
The Beginning of
GST Era 20
GST; A Damp Squib for the Hospitality Industry 22
EDITOR’S NOTE
DESTINATION
Similipal A Dreamland of Nature in the Wilderness
28 Dear Readers, This issue of Whereabouts comes with a very special coverage on the Goods and Service Tax as the much awaited and biggest tax reform is all set to come in force from July 1st 2017. Since India is at the threshold of entering into the GST era, we thought to highlight the salient features of the new law, and an analysis from travel and hospitality industry’s perspective. There is a lot of excitement among the industry stakeholders for ‘One
Ultimate Destination’s of Japan for MICE
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Nation One Tax’ with a little uncertainty about the business scenario in coming months. The tour operators seem quite happy with the proposed GST rate of 5%, whereas the proposed GST rates on hotels – highest being the 28%, makes it just a damp squib for the hospitality industry. The stakeholders fear of an
KO SAMUI
irrecoverable damage to India’s hospitality and tourism prospects with the current GST rates. Whereabouts brings industry stalwarts comment on the matter. In this edition of our magazine you will have a chance to know more about the biggest taxation reform of the country and its impact on tourism and hospitality industry in
The Premier Island Destination in the Gulf of Thailand
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details. Look forward for your valuable feedback at rajesh@whereabouts.in
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NEWS IN BRIEF
ADTOI organised self defence workshop
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ssociation of Domestic Tour Operators of India (ADTOI) has organised a Self Defence Workshop along with Pranic Self Healing Medication for its members, spouses, daughters and female staff in New Delhi recently. The event was well attended by members with spouses participated in good number. The programme was organised by ADTOI and well coordinated by Reena Chopra, Executive Council Member and Chairperson, Women Empowerment & General House Cultivation Committee for ADTOI. Self Defence
relief. Participants were also given tips on meditation and gave some demonstration which was shared by all present. Members and their families were quite excited about the knowledge they gained through this interesting event and are looking forward for many such events by the Women Empowerment and other committees of ADTOI as well.
Elects new Treasurer and Joint Secretary
Veena Gupta, who is bestowed with the title of ‘Lady Bodyguard’, conducted the Self-Defence workshop for members especially for ladies present. She demonstrated with the help of male and female participants how to tackle each problem when confronted with on different situations. The workshop conducted was very useful to participants as they got some basic training through demonstration. P P Khanna, President thanked Gupta for conducting the workshop which has benefited all those who were present. Pranic Healing Pranic Healing Session & Twin Heart Meditation by Certified Trainer and Associate Pranic Healer Rubina Batra along with Alka Suneja was invited to present the programme of self healing session and meditation. Batra explained the benefits of Pranic Self Healing & Twin Heart Meditation to get rid of the present day stress leading to health problems. An audio visual session was held for the audience and she explained the nuances of the course which gives multiple benefits for the body and soul. Batra also applied the Pranic healing method on a female participant who had complained about persistent knee pain and went back with
I
TAAI conducts session on GST across India
n an attempt to educate its members on GST – set to come in force from July 1st 2017, the Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI) is conducting education session across four regions and six chapters in India. All chapters and regions will be covered before June 30th. CA Manish Gadia of GMJ & Company made a presentation on the topic in front of TAAI members who attended the sessions at Ahmedabad and Lucknow. As informed by Jay Bhatia, Honorary Treasurer and Tourism Council Chairman, TAAI, after the roll out of GST, when the return filing process begins, the association may organise detailed presentations across India with CA Manish Gadia. Further elaborating on the GST Bhatia said that the new tax structure seems a challenge however there would be more clarity once after the roll out of GST.
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Rajesh Arya Treasurer
Dalip Gupta Joint Secretary
Association of Domestic Tour Operators of India (ADTOI), during the bye-elections held recently has elected Rajesh Arya as Treasurer and Dalip Gupta as Joint Secretary for the current term. Both have been the Executive Council member (for the current term) of the association earlier and elected unopposed for the new job. Due to the resignation of elected members these posts were lying vacant and it was necessitate for the association to conduct the bye-election.
FHRAI demands uniform GST at 12% for Hospitality Industry
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he Federation of Hotels Restaurants Association of India (FHRAI) India’s apex body for Hotels & Restaurants presented a representation to Union Finance Ministry Officials highlighting that the proposal of 28% GST slab will adversely impact the hospitality and tourism industry. The association requested the Government to relook at the present proposal and advocated a uniform Hospitality GST at 12% across the country. The delegation which represented the association further requested the Government to relook at the Luxury Tax limit of Rs. 5000/- and enhance it suitably as is followed in most of the countries The World-over since, Rs. 5,000/- (USD 75) cannot be considered Luxury today. The service tax proposal under the new GST regime has been set at 28 per cent for Hotel tariffs above Rs. 5,000/-.
The delegation was led by K. Syama Raju, President along with Garish Oberoi, Vice President, Dilip Datwani, Vice President, T.S. Walia, Vice President, Surendra Kumar Jaiswal, Jt. Hony. Secretary, T. Nataraajan, Executive Committee Member and Amitabh Devendra, Secretary General met Senior Finance Officials of the Government of India, who were gracious enough to meet the delegation on 31st May, 2017.
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June 2017 7
NEWS IN BRIEF
Lemon Tree Hotels forays into the upscale serviced suites space; launches Sandal Suites WH Desk
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he launch of Sandal Suites, operated by Lemon Tree Hotels, marked the opening of Noida’s first upscale serviced suites. These serviced apartments, situated just off the Noida-Greater Noida Expressway, are located within Assotech Business Cresterra, the LEED Gold Certified office complex in the IT hub of Sector 135, Noida. Best suited for extended stays, Sandal Suites features 195 well-appointed suites, extensive banqueting facilities, numerous dining options, and an array of recreational facilities, in a contemporary setting.
Speaking at the launch Rattan Keswani, Deputy Managing Director, Lemon Tree Hotels and Director, Carnation Hotels Pvt. Ltd., said, “This occasion marks a few ‘firsts’ for Lemon Tree Hotels – it is the first property Lemon Tree Hotels (through our management arm, Carnation Hotels) will be operating in Noida, and our first foray into the upscale serviced suites space. This is also our first partnership with Sandal Suites Pvt. Ltd., one that we hope to see grow in strength in the coming years.” “The launch of Sandal Suites is in response to the growing demand for comfortable and convenient extended stay accommodation options for business and IT professionals in our vicinity. It is the only upscale accommodation available within an 8 km catchment and is the perfect address for those
looking for a “home away from home” – be it business travellers, project teams or relocating families”, he continued. The property is well connected to Delhi NCR via the Noida Expressway. Botanical Garden Noida Metro Station, the closest metro station to Sandal Suites is at a distance of 13 km. NOIDA’s commercial hub and the Sector Rattan Keswani 18 market is only 14 km away and Deputy MD the India Expo Mart in Greater Lemon Tree Hotels Noida is also a 14 km drive on the Expressway. The distance from Indira Gandhi International Airport is 42 km, whereas the Domestic Airport is at 37 km. New Delhi Railway Station is at a distance of 28 km and Nizamuddin Railway Station is at 21 km. Each of the elegantly designed and furnished Studio, Standard and Deluxe suites, ranging from 225 sq. ft. to 515 sq. ft., feature an independent balcony, a separate living area, a well-appointed workstation, and a kitchenette featuring a tea/ coffee maker, a microwave and a mini-bar. Deluxe Suites, designed with a focus on extended stays, include a separate dining area, a kitchen equipped with a hob and chimney and a large refrigerator, and washrooms with a separate bathtub and shower area. In addition to this, smoking, non-smoking and interconnecting suites are available in order to provide convenient accommodation solutions.
ITQ to conduct road shows on booking IndiGo (6E) through Travelport WH Desk
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ndiGo, India’s largest domestic airline and one of the world’s fastest growing low cost carriers, and Travelport, a leading Travel Commerce Platform, have partnered to distribute IndiGo’s fares and ancillary products to Travelport-connected customers worldwide.
This is the first time that IndiGo has struck a deal with a global GDS by choosing Travelport as its distribution partner, reflects the value the airline sees in Travelport’s travel commerce offerings. The platform offers fully integrated, industry leading merchandising capabilities and is used extensively by travel agencies in India as well as other key target markets for IndiGo. This Sandeep Dwivedi CEO distribution capability enables the ITQ airline to provide its content via an API connection, rather than the more traditional fare filing methods often favoured by network carriers, and still have
8 June 2017
their fares and ancillaries displayed, compared and booked in exactly the same way. InterGlobe Technology Quotient (ITQ) is conducting a series of road shows in various cities across India to infuse this idea of ease-of-booking on Travelport GDS. The Road shows are meant to inform and update the travel agents community on the feasibility of booking India’s largest LCC, where, they can now search and access full information including visuals on the airline’s branded fares and ancillaries, empowering them to sell more effectively to their customers and increase revenues. Sandeep Dwivedi, Chief Commercial Officer of ITQ commented that, “With the integration of 6E’s branded fares including corporate, sale, family return - together with popular ancillaries such as seats, excess baggage, meals, lounge access and many more – we are offering our customers a world of travel choice with Travelport. Populating the idea of such a technological ease and adoption of the same by travel agencies across the country, is the idea behind launching these road show marathon and we are confident that our travel partners would be delighted to learn more about booking IndiGo on Travelport.”
BUSINESS
State Express adds new mean machines to its fleet
Jaguar F-Pace, Jaguar XF, Audi A-8, Land Rover Discovery Sports, Range Rover Evoque and a refurbished Toyota Hiace Commuter new additions
My Way A candid conversation with Rajat Sawhney, Managing Director, Rave Tour & Travels.
Shayan Mallick
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tate Express, a leading travel agency and tour operator in India, has added a range of uber new luxury vehicles to its fleet to provide travellers more option of travelling in luxury sedans and other such vehicles of their choice. In operation since 1980, the Delhi based company is a leading inbound tour operator and also boasts of significant presence in tourist transport operation.
With the current fleet size of over 200 vehicles, the latest addition of new luxury cars were unveiled at the function at Delhi’s Essex Farms that witnessed the industry’s who’s who in attendance from various travel trade associations and their members. Speaking on the occasion Sanjeev Chandra informed the latest addition will help inbound sector and travel industry at large meet the demand of high-end luxury vehicles with well-trained quality drivers. He also informed that there are impressive financial incentives and payouts if the travel industry books these luxury cars for their discerning tourist travellers and corporate customers. New additions include super luxury saloons, vans, and SUV’s like Jaguar F-Pace - the latest model launched by the British car maker, Jaguar XF, Audi A-8, Land Rover Discovery Sports; the sturdy SUV that can take you through any kind of terrain in great comfort and style and Range Rover Evoque. Toyota Hiace Commuter; one of the most popular vans in the world was also on display with refurbished new luxury seats, LED and various other features. A well-known name in travel trade and winner of numerous awards, State Express boasts of an impressive fleet of luxury vehicles comprising of Mercedes, Volkswagen, Audi, Jaguars besides all major global brands of varying capacity with its clientele including Embassies, UN and other International Organizations, Multinational companies and corporates and event companies, among others.
Q. Which is your favourite holiday destination and why? A. My favourite destination is Phuket in Thailand. I love Phuket because of its pristine beaches and amazing Thai food.
Q. What do you do during your free time? A. Usually I watch movies or meet my friends during free time.
Q. What would you recommend to travellers who have 24 hours in Delhi? A. If you are in Delhi don’t miss a chance to see the historical places like Qutub Minar, Humayun Tomb, India Gate and Rashtrapati Bhavan etc., walk around Inner Circle of Connaught Place and visit Khan Market for shopping. And off course, one can enjoy the varied cuisine of Delhi.
Q. Where in Delhi do you take your guest for local food? A. Delhi is a paradise for food lovers. There is a lot to relish your taste buds. I will take my guest to Karims or Al Jawahars at Jama Masjid for Mughlai Cuisine, to Salims or Khan Chacha for Kababs, to Chandni Chowk for Chat and Dahi Bhalla at Natraj and Jalebis at Dariba. I will have Chole Bhature at Bengali Market or Sita Ram Dewan at Paharganj and Milk Shake at Kaventers in Connought Place.
Q. How do you manage your time between family and business? A. Weekdays are usually very busy with the work; however I spend my weekend with family; mostly we go out for movies or having a dinner. Aviation
SWISS posts higher May passenger volumes
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wiss International Air Lines (SWISS)1 transported 1,434,678 passengers in May, a 0.4% increase on the same month last year. A total of 12,201 flights were operated for the period, 4.7% fewer than in May 2016. Total May capacity, measured in available passenger-kilometres (APKs), was up 3.8% on its prior-year level. Total traffic volume, measured in revenue passenger-kilometres (RPKs), was raised 5.0%. Systemwide seat load factor for the month improved accordingly, rising 0.8 percentage points to 80.8%.
June 2017 9
BUSINESS
NIMA explores Vizag’s MICE offerings Launches its first chapter in Andhra Pradesh. Shayan Mallick
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etwork of Indian MICE Agents (NIMA), an association representing the fast growing incentives and meetings travel segments from India, recently led a 40 member MICE travel professionals’ delegation on a four-day Vizag Destination Showcase “Namaste Vizag”, an education cum familiarisation tour to the coastal city of Vizag in Andhra Pradesh. The study tour was supported by local trade bodies Hotel & Restaurant Association of Andhra Pradesh (HRAAP) and Tours & Travels Association of Andhra (TTAA). The four night/ five days travel programme was primarily aimed at showcasing Vizag’s various MICE offerings including leading hotels and resorts in the city along with convention centres and some key tourist landmarks like marine museum among others. Speaking on the occasion Sree Ramulu Naidu, Executive Director, APTDC, informed about the various facets and destinations of Andhra and new development that
Thomas Cook announces strong consolidated results WH Desk
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is taking place in the state. O Naresh Kumar, Vice President of Vizag Development Council, spoke at length about the Vizag’s growing economic stature and various infrastructure development like roads and airport. He also highlighted city’s standing in safety, security and cleanliness and tourism offerings in cultural, historical, watersports activities and resorts and wellness arena in and around Vizag. Addressing a gathering of industry stakeholders at an interactive meet, NIMA National Cordinator, Gajesh Girdhar, said, “Vishakhapatnam has a lot to offer to MICE movements in the city. It has a lot of potential. The only thing is that the destination needs to be pushed a bit to be developed as a MICE destination. The opportunity is knocking at your door and we must encash it. It has almost everything to offer and the only thing required is a concentrated effort. Let’s all together make a push to put Vishakhapatnam as a MICE destination. The effort that we will put in today will bear fruitful results in the next few years for Vishakhapatnam.” The three-year old NIMA also announced the launch of a NIMA Andhra Chapter, the association’s first chapter in the country that will be headed by K. Vijay Mohan, Managing Director of Vizag based Holiday World and President of TTAA. The chapter currently has about 10 odd members and is expected to be the voice of the MICE industry in the state.
Abhibus introduces ‘Movies on Board’ for bus travellers WH Desk
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he Thomas Cook India Group declared its consolidated Financial Results for the year ended March 31, 2017. The Group has announced an increase in Total Income from Rs. 61.6 Bn. during the year ended March 31, 2016 to Rs. 86.8 Bn. for the year ended March 31, 2017. Consolidated PBT (before exceptional items) increased from Rs. 947.7 Mn. for the year ended March 31, 2016 to Rs. 1,913.7 Mn. for the year ended March 31, 2017 – a growth of 101.9%. On an annual basis, the consolidated travel businesses of the group saw a revenue growth of 79.7% from Rs. 21.7 Bn. to Rs. 39.1 Bn.
bhibus.com, India’s fastest growing online bus ticketing company, has launched a new product that offers onboard entertainment service to bus travellers. A unique feature of Movies on Board product, ‘Abhimovies,’ is that bus travellers can watch movies of their choice without internet.
The Company’s announcement of its consolidated Financial Results for the year ended March 31, 2017 is in line with the new accounting standards (Ind-AS - Indian Accounting Standards) which is required to be followed for both standalone financials and consolidated financial statements.
“We felt passengers get limited onboard entertainment choice. Abhimovies will fill this gap. What is most exciting feature is that travellers don’t need to spend their internet data pack to watch these movies,” said Sudhakar Reddy, CEO and Founder, Abhibus.
Quess Corp saw Gross revenue up 21% from Rs. 34. 3 Bn. during the 12 month period ended March 31, 2016 to Rs. 41.4 Bn. for the 12 month period ended March 31, 2017. Commenting on the Results, Madhavan Menon, Chairman & Managing Director, Thomas Cook (India) Ltd. said, “Despite numerous geo-political and related challenges for our core Travel and Forex businesses, the Group’s strong performance for the year, gives us further conviction that our strategy of organic and inorganic growth backed by the twin enablers of technology and innovation are working well. The synergistic advantages we had foreseen from our acquisition of SOTC, Sita and Kuoni Hong Kong in 2015 are also well on track to deliver.”
10 June 2017
‘Abhimovies’ brings a new innovative feature which allows every passenger to watch movie of their choice on any device. Technology uses own WI-FI network without any data charges incurred by any customer watching onboard a bus. Movie content is pre-loaded on the app and updated frequently.
“Our pilot launch shows Abhimovies has become quite popular among bus travellers across our network, especially among people choosing long-journey,” he added. “At present, Abhibus has the maximum inventory of 14 lakh seats, that includes private and public sector bus operators, to choose from on any given day. We have also introduced travel now and pay later option that allows travellers to pay Abhibus after they have availed the service,” Reddy informed. Bus operator can offer this product via Abhibus EDGE, the cloudbased software for operators to manage inventory, bus tracking facility and detailed reports to take greater over business control.
IN FOCUS
IATO Exhibition: An ultimate platform to exhibit
In an exclusive conversation with Whereabouts Amaresh Tiwari, Hony. Treasurer, Indian Association of Tour Operators elaborates on the importance of IATO Exhibition and his preparedness for the destination next – Bhubaneswar. The association is expecting the largest participation from the host state. Excerpt. Rajesh Tiwari
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ATO Exhibition being organised at the sidelines of the Annual Convention of the association, is an integral part of the conference and business sessions. It’s a platform that provides unique exposure to various components of tourism and hospitality business. While showcasing any product or destination to the delegates – most of which are active and allied members of IATO, the exhibitor has an opportunity to attend the quality conferences and networking with tourism professionals under one roof. “The whole idea behind this exhibition is to create awareness of a new product be it tourism circuit/segment, hotel and resort or any service that is useful to our members,” says Amaresh Tiwari, Hony. Treasurer, Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO). The exhibition is getting outstanding response and becoming popular among the participants. “Initially IATO exhibition started showcasing state tourism products but later on we thought to include the latest development happening in tourism and hospitality industry,” he added. According to him, instead of making money unlike other trade shows, IATO exhibition is an initiative to facilitate the state tourism boards and tour companies that offer a unique product or service. “We have kept a moderate participation cost so that there would be affordability even for smaller states and companies,” says Amaresh Tiwari. The participation cost –along with the exhibition area, includes complimentary registration for a member to attend the business sessions and networking. While elaborating on the size of exhibition he informed that it depends on the space availability at the convention venue which generally allows 70-75 booths at an average. “Since the exhibition is an integral part of the conference we never thought to set up the exhibition away from the conference,” says Tiwari.
DESTINATION ODISHA Odisha is the host state for 33rd Annual Convention of the Association which is scheduled to be organised from September 7 to 10 at Bhubaneswar. Talking about his preparedness for the exhibition Amaresh says, “The association is putting all efforts to encourage and sensitize the private stakeholders of the state to come forward and present their products or services before leading inbound tour companies. This
The association is putting all efforts to encourage and sensitize the private stakeholders of the state to come forward and present their products or services before leading inbound tour companies.
Amaresh Tiwari Hony. Tresurer IATO
is the ultimate opportunity to showcase what Odisha has to offer, and we expect the largest participation from the state stakeholders.” The layouts and design of the exhibition will be finalised by first week of July.
Being a national body of tour operators we aim to reach each and every state of the country and encourage them to participate in IATO Convention. Our quality conferences would be an opportunity to understand the market behavior and new trends.
He opines that many states located in Northern, Southern and Western parts of the country are very proactive in promotion of tourism. They actively participate in IATO exhibition as well. However, this is very unfortunate that despite having a huge potential of tourism the Eastern part could not get that much exposure, even Odisha is very little known product in international market. The kind of traffic the state is receiving doesn’t justify the vast tourism potential of the state.
Undoubtly Odisha is a hidden treasure but we can’t ignore beyond Bhubaneswar and Buddhism, tour operators are not well aware of the destinations and varied segments of tourism. He feels that there is an eagerness among tour operators to promote Odisha at domestic and international markets. “While working on post tour the association has come up with a very exciting programme to promote tribal tourism, rural tourism, textile tour along with ethnic culture and art of Odisha, he informed.
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NTO
Cable car tourism project to the Western Wall approved in festive cabinet meeting WH Desk
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n a festive cabinet meeting held at the Western Wall in honor of the 50th anniversary of Jerusalem’s reunification, the government approved the recommendation of Tourism Minister Yariv Levin to construct a cable car tourism project to the Western Wall. The government approved the first phase of the project that is being led by the Tourism Ministry and Jerusalem Development Authority. The initial budget of NIS 15 million will come from the ministry, and the total estimated cost of the project will stand at about NIS 200 million. With the approval of his recommendation, Tourism Minister Yariv Levin said that the future cable car will change the face of Jerusalem, allow easy and convenient access for tourists and visitors to the Western Wall and will serve as an exceptional tourist attraction. There is no more appropriate and exciting time than this - 50 years since the reunification of Jerusalem – to launch this revolutionary project. The cable car, which will run from the First Station, via the Mount of Olives to the Dung Gate, will offer a solution to problems related to the inaccessibility of the Western Wall. Access is currently via narrow, winding and very crowded routes. The cable car will provide easy, quick and convenient access to the approximately 130,000 tourists and visitors who converge on the site every week. The route of the cable car will be about 1.4 kilometers, carrying up to 40 cars with up to 10 passengers in each. The cable car can serve about 3000 visitors an hour in each direction and will travel at speeds of up to 21 kilometers an hour. According to professional estimates, the cable car will begin operating during 2021.
Brand USA conducts Discover America educational seminars
News in One Minute
Macao Tourism Office celebrates
1 The Vibrancy Of Macao
Macao Government Tourism Office celebrated the vibrancy of Macao, its fascinating history, glorious sights, and fiery festivals at the National Geographic Traveller Culture Meet up for Macao. The evening kick-started with a gorgeous traditional dragon dance performance, followed by unveiling of the National Geographic Traveller Magazine Cover. The cover displayed the picture of a Macao Latin festival taken during the festival held in Macao last December. A treat for all photography and travel enthusiasts, the evening witnessed the unveiling of a specially curated photo exhibition by the versatile talents in the field of photography as they captured the magnificent essence of this Asian Paradise in Their Own Style. The celebrations included a panel discussion amongst prominent speakers such as Arzan Khambatta, Head of Macao Government Tourism Office in India, Famous Photographer, Ashima Narain, Writer and foodie, Diya Kohli, and Travel Writer, Neha Dara as the moderator. A selfie corner was created at the venue and evening the ended with a networking session.
MTPA Hosts FAM trip for top 2 Indian Wedding Planners The Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority (MTPA) in collaboration with Air Mauritius hosted a FAM trip for 10 top wedding planners from Western India. The aim was to showcase Mauritius as a wedding destination and a step beyond – from inception to conception. They visited several hotels, other venues suitable for holding Big Fat Indian Weddings and interacted with service providers, including local tour operators, from this sector. A second group of ten planners from North & East India was in Mauritius in May. “Last year, the country attracted no fewer than six ‘Big Fat Indian Weddings’. For 2017, five marriages are already planned, with many more in the pipeline,” said Vivek Anand, Country Manager-India for the MTPA.
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attractions that are available for leisure and MICE visitors. The travel agent training programme also serves as a platform for one on one interaction and to renew ongoing relationships, whilst simultaneously establishing new ones.
rand USA successfully completed a string of educational seminars across 10 major cities in India. Held between November 2016 to April 2017 the Brand USA ‘DiscoverAmerica’ Educational Seminars had over 1000 travel agents and tour operators from New Delhi, Chandigarh, Mumbai, Pune, Ahmedabad, Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Lucknow, in attendance.
The ‘DiscoverAmerica’ Educational Seminars also focused on the USA Discovery Program – an innovative and interactive online training course that provides tour operators with the knowledge and skills needed to enhance their products and sell trips to the USA more effectively. Currently, over 2,500 travel agents across India have registered on the USA Discovery Program and are now ‘USA Specialists’.
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With the aim to inspire travellers to explore the United States of America’s boundless possibilities, these seminars provide in-depth knowledge on products and
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Sheema Vohra, Managing Director, Brand USA India, commented, “The Brand USA ‘DiscoverAmerica’ Educational Seminars provide a great platform for the travel industry to learn about diverse facets of the destination. These presentations give them an insight on new products and regions, plus updates on those that they are already selling to their clients. We are very pleased at the tremendous interest and support for destination USA, fromour Indian travel trade partners.”
NTO
India continues to be an important source market: Dr. Arabiyat WH Desk
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ordan is working on utilising its existing assets, zoning in on its heritage, culture, gastronomy, adventure and infrastructure with tourism campaigns designed to attract tourists to Jordan. The tourism sector in Jordan acts as the driver of sustainable economic development and is considered the second fastest growing sector in the Kingdom, and is the largest export sector and a major employer. Jordan witnessed several development projects in some of key tourist attractions, mainly in Aqaba and the Dead Sea, which contribute towards marketing Jordan as a tourist destination and raise its competitiveness within the region.
Dr. Abed A R Arabiyat Managing Director Jordan Tourism Board
In the recent Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report, produced by the World Economic Forum, Jordan ranked 53rd out of 130 countries on the Travel and Tourism Competitive Index. Tourism in Jordan attracts tourists from around the world and is well known for its diverse tourist sites and activities.
“We are a rich destination with a wide range of tourist attractions, developed tourism infrastructure with a plethora of luxury hotels, resorts and spas, advanced transport infrastructure, and a destination that plays host to many cultural and entertainment events that attract large audiences,” Dr. Abed Al Razzaq Arabiyat, Managing Director, Jordan Tourism Board, talks about the importance of tourism in Jordan. India is an important market for Jordan as we are seeing a lot of traction from our efforts in the market in the past few years. The 2016 Indian arrival figures to Jordan have shown an unprecedented growth of 18.40%, and the same day visitor arrivals from India has declined by 4.50%, which indicates that visitors are now spending more time in the country. “We welcome Indian visitors, and are also offering free visa on arrival in Jordan which makes it easier for Indians to travel to the country. India is firmly established as an important market for us and we hope to see it in the top five markets in the future in terms of tourist inflow. The country continues to focus on family tourism and honeymoon travel; and we are expecting many Bollywood films to also be shot there in the near future,” said Adel Amin, Deputy Director & Director Marketing, Jordan Tourism Board. According to him, the major factors attracting Indian tourists are Jordan’s food, culture, and visa on arrival facility. Major attractions in the country are its capital Amman, the desert landscape of Wadi Rum, Dead Sea, Petra – one of the New Seven Wonders of the world, and the historical ruins of the city of Jerash, Karak, Mount Nebo and Madaba.
TTM+ 2017 seminar to strengthen Thai tourism industry competitiveness
Abu Dhabi records 1.6 million hotel guest arrivals in first four months of 2017
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he Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is arranging a one-day tourism seminar, to be held concurrently with the Thailand Travel Mart Plus (TTM+) 2017 which will take place from 14-16 June in Chiang Mai. The forum, scheduled on 16 June, is being organised with the objective of strengthening the competitiveness of the Thai tourism industry. Thailand Travel Mart Plus 2017 seminar to strengthen Thai tourism industry competitiveness Yuthasak Supasorn, TAT Governor said, “This seminar forms part of the TAT Academy’s mission to help enhance Thai tourism personnel and market competitiveness as well as to attract a new workforce for this growing industry. Sessions are carefully planned to ensure useful learning and knowledge sharing opportunities from senior tourism officials and experienced hospitality professionals. At the end of this one-day event, we hope participants will learn new perspectives in the field of tourism and travel in the digital era within the Royal Thai Government’s Thailand 4.0 smart-economy framework.” The seminar will take place at the same venue at the TTM+ 2017, which is at the Chiang Mai International Exhibition and Convention Centre (CMECC), from 08.00-16.30 Hrs. It is expected to attract at least 500 participants comprising three groups – tourism and hospitality personnel, academic professionals, and college and university students from Northern Thailand.
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ew figures from Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi) show that Abu Dhabi welcomed 1.6 million guest arrivals year to end of April, a 7% growth compared to the same period in 2016, As a single month, April has continued to build on the strong performance of the opening quarter of the year, posting a year-on-year increase of 15% in hotel guest arrivals. Each of the six international tier-one markets of China, India, UK, USA, Germany and Saudi Arabia showed growth. Domestic hotel guest numbers in April also grew impressively - numbering 130,000, with each of the emirate’s three districts; Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and Al Dhafra regions all experiencing an upturn in arrivals. HE Saif Saeed Ghobash, Director General, TCA Abu Dhabi, said: “Efforts to stimulate interest in our destination continue unabated and we are encouraged by our latest hotel guest arrival results which continue to show strong progress. As we expand our yearround programme of events and develop new cultural and family attractions, we expect even greater traction in enticing more people to explore the emirate”. “Our inaugural Culture Summit in April brought together leaders of the world’s art, media and cultural policy communities from 80 countries, while Abu Dhabi International Book Fair attracted more than 300,000 visitors. Both these events contributed to highlighting our vision of developing the emirate into a thriving cultural hub and a global cultural destination.”
June 2017 13
HOSPITALITY
Marriott International on track forbreakthrough year in Asia Pacific Marriott International set to further expand with targeted 80 new properties and two new brands in Asia Pacific. WH Desk
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arriott International announced that 2017 is on track for a progressive year in Asia Pacific with nearly 80 hotels targeted to open, bringing 19,000 new rooms to the region. Additionally, the company will debut two brands in Asia Pacific offering guests a total of 23 desirable brands that will cater to every occasion and traveller; forging ahead and growing its leadership position as a luxury, premium and select service hotel operator.
Craig S. Smith President and MD Marriott International AP
Craig S. Smith, President and Managing Director for Marriott International Asia Pacific, said: “We are looking at nearly80 new properties slated to open their doors this year, which means an average of two hotels a week from now till the end of the year. With our larger portfolio of individually distinctive brands across destinations, we now provide guests greater access unprecedented choices and unparalleled benefits on their travels whether for business or leisure.”
Marriott International continues to strengthen its position as India’s leading hospitality chain with sustained impetus, with close to 10 new properties set to open this year, across markets like Jaipur, Goa, Vishakapatnam, Indore, Coimbatore, Jodhpur and Srinagar to name a few, bringing Marriott’s total portfolio to a 100 hotels by 2018. Currently Marriott has 84 hotels in India across 15 brands, including Ritz-Carlton, JW Marriott, Renaissance Hotels, Marriott Hotels, Courtyard, Marriott Executive Apartments, Fairfield, St. Regis, Luxury Collection Hotels, Le Meridien, Westin, Sheraton, Aloft and Four Points by Sheraton. Recharge and explore with more than 20 brands across even more Marriott resorts and destinations by end of 2017. With over 550 operating hotels and more than 170,000 rooms, growth momentum in Marriott’s Asia Pacific business remains strong. Debuting in the region this year is MOXY Hotels, Marriott’s Next Gen boutique-hotel brand for the ‘always on’ and digitally savvy. The brand will mark its entry with the anticipated opening of MOXY Tokyo before end 2017. Furthermore, Delta Hotels, a premium brand distinguished by its rich Canadian heritage, is set to debut with Delta Hotels by Marriott Shanghai Baoshan slated for this summer in suburban Shanghai, China. The recently launched the Fairfield by Marriott Kathmandu, marks Marriott International’s entry into Nepal and further expands the company’s footprint in South Asia. This will be followed by Sri Lanka, with two key hotel openings slated for this year.
14 June 2017
News in One Minute
Six Senses Qing Cheng Mountain
1 launches Presidential Villa
Six Senses Qing Cheng Mountain is situated near the UNESCO World Heritage & Natural Cultural site of Dujiangyan, also known as the homeland of the Giant Pandas. At the heart of the resort, the Presidential Villa is in close proximity to the main dining and entertainment areas, while surrounded by unobstructed views of the mystical mountains. Featuring 9095.5 square feet of peaceful comfort and responsible luxury; the twostory villa houses four individual suites as well as one valet room to accommodate large groups or several groups traveling together.
Treebo Hotels makes its mark at 2 Google I/O 2017 Treebo Hotels, India’s largest tech-enabled budget hotel chain, was amongst the select few Indian companies to be showcased this year at the world’s most prestigious and coveted technology conference, Google I/O. Google I/O is Google’s annual developer conference which brings together developers from around the globe for an immersive experience focused on exploring the next generation of tech. It is one of the most awaited events in the technology world where Google shares foreseeable technology trends and showcases companies using its products to build high impact products. The theme for Google I/O 2017 was Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning.
Summer escapes offer at the 3 Palazzo Versace Dubai Immerse yourself this summer with a luxury escape to Palazzo Versace Dubai. Book your stay before 30 September 2017 and enjoy our summer deal which includes great savings of up to 35% off your room or suite. If you are keen to save up this summer, but still indulge in a luxury getaway to Dubai’s most fashionable urban resort, this is an offer you’d take advantage of.
Validity: Offer begins on 23 April and ends on 30 September 2017
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MO Hong Kong launches ‘Stay Fit & Groomed’ package The Landmark Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong has created a package to help globetrotters feel and look good. The hotel’s Stay Fit and Groomed luxury accommodation offer is ideal for busy guests with 48 hours or less to spare in Hong Kong, and can be personalised to their needs. The Stay Fit and Groomed package is priced from HK$4,700 per night.
HOSPITALITY
ITDC posts Rs. 12.05cr profit for another consecutive year
Royal Orchid Hotels Ltd Consolidated Net profit up 290%
WH Desk
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ndia Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC), the public sector undertaking under the aegis of the Ministry of Tourism, posted a robust performance for the financial year 2016-17. Total turnover stood at Rs 495.14 cr as compared to Rs. 465.69 cr in last financial year clocking a growth of 6.32%. Revenue from operations stood at Rs. 473.15 cr as compared to Rs. 437.13 cr in the last fiscal. Corporation posted profit before tax (PBT) of Rs.17.52 cr and profit after tax (PAT) of Rs.12.05 cr in 2016-17 against Rs. 32.42 cr and Rs. 22.55 cr respectively in the previous year.
Piyush Tiwari Officiating Chairman & MD & Director Marketing ITDC Ltd.
Speaking on the occasion Piyush Tiwari, Officiating Chairman & Managing Director and Director (Commercial & Marketing), India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC) Ltd. said “FY 2016-17 has been a motivating year for ITDC as it was the golden jubilee year for the organisation. The profit is result of several proactive initiatives taken by the organization to improve productivity and efficiency at the beginning of the year.”
“Besides posting continuous profit year after year, ITDC has maintained its status of Mini Ratna and its commitment towards the shareholders through announcing consistent dividends for last four consecutive years.” Tiwari further added. Hotel The Ashok, Ashok International Trade division and Ashok events division of ITDC were other contributors to the profit for FY 2016-17. The Ashok hotel posted a highest ever turnover amounting to Rs. 152.91 cr.
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oyal Orchid Hotels Limited, a fast emerging hotel chain operating 5 and 4 star hotels for business and leisure travellers, reported its fourth quarter and full year financial results for the period ended 31st March 2017. The company has registered a consolidated net profit up 290% at Rs 2.47 crore in FY 2017.
Chander Baljee Chairman & Md Royal Orchid Hotels Ltd
Commenting on the results Chander Baljee, Chairman & Managing Director, Royal Orchid Hotels Ltd said: “It’s a remarkable year for Royal Orchid as we reported profits after a gap of three years and also paid dividend. We see a robust outlook for the hospitality industry and for Royal Orchid in the current financial year mainly due to limited supply of new properties and various initiatives undertaken by the government to promote tourism especially in tier-II and tier-III cities”.
“Our strategy of assets light model is in the right direction with addition of 8 properties and 532 rooms in FY 17. We will continue to remain focused on this strategy and plans to add 10 properties in the current financial year,” he added. With sales offices at 11 locations across India like Bengaluru, Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Jaipur, Goa, Pune, Mysuru, Ahemdabad, Kolkata and Hyderabad, Royal Orchid is pertaining deep into the market for a better market share and following an aggressive feet-on-the-street approach to meet all potential clients in the corporate sector and travel agents.
Burj Al Arab voted ‘Best Hotel in the World’
WH Desk
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urj Al Arab, the world’s most luxurious hotel, won two esteemed Ultimate Luxury Travel Related Awards (ULTRAs) in the ‘Best Hotel in the World’ and ‘Best Hotel in the Middle East’ categories at the ULTRA Award Ceremony held at The Dorchester hotel in London recently. The ULTRAs reflect the combined opinions of the readers of Ultratravel - the Daily Telegraph’s luxury travel magazine. The awards recognise the best luxury hotels, airlines, cruise companies, spas and destinations from all over the world. This year, the organisers have expanded the number of entry categories and added ‘Best Hotel in the World’ classification, crowning Burj Al Arab with the title. “We are honoured to be named the Best Hotel in the World and delighted to be recognised and voted again the Best Hotel in the Middle East by Ultratravel readers,” said Heinrich Morio, Burj Al Arab’s general manager. “This kind of feedback serves as a source of inspiration and shows that - despite the steep competition - we are still the preferred choice and a must-visit destination for discerning travellers worldwide.”
June 2017 15
16 June 2017
GM SPEAK
As a part of every strategy it is very important to have the right balance of being patient and agile: Sameer Singh I think when you are in a property leadership role, that is when your true leadership potential gets measured in all its facets, says Sameer Singh General Manager Trident Bhubaneswar. Excerpts.
busy periods etc. and contribute by doing things yourself rather than just giving directions. As human beings our ability to doubt ourselves is galore, therefore it is important to remove the self-doubts by reminding people at time of their previous achievements.
Rajesh Tiwari
Q. How do you keep reinventing yourself in your current profile? A. The only way to reinvent yourself is by gaining knowledge and one of the best ways to do that is by reading a lot, because that is the only way you can keep yourself nimble and abreast with what is happening around.
Q. Give us a short background of your journey in this industry? A. It all started in 1998 when I went to Calcutta to do hotel management. I was no exception and therefore always dreamt of being a part of the Oberoi Group, which happened when I got selected for OCLD in 2001 and since then there has been no looking back.
Q. What revenue-enhancing strategies have you adopted at the property?
Q. What are some important lessons that you learnt from your experience? A. Two very important lessons have been that first of all we need to appreciate people more for what they do. Once I was told by one of my subordinates indeed that appreciation is fuel for everyone in life and this has just stuck to me since then. Secondly, always add value to people around you because when you do that the returns are exponential and there can be no reward that can be extrinsic reward that can be compared to value addition.
Q. What changes did you initiate after taking charge as the GM? A. Well actually for the first few months I actually made no changes at all. One has to give due credit to a certain extent for the way things exist because there is a reason for everything happening around you. So it was very important that I noted everything down, which I felt needed a change and just observed for a few months to understand in detail and then decided whether a change was necessary.
in the past, but since now you do not have a choice the role takes you out of your comfort zone. And when you deliver outside your comfort zone that is when you really grow as a professional. So being a general manager gives you those opportunities.
Q. How do you keep the morale of your team running high especially during high pressure moments? A. Always reassure people that we will get the job done, stand by them at every area,
A. As a part of every strategy it is very important to have the right balance of being patient and agile. It is important not to panic and alter the strategy in the light of things not working out. For e.g. we increased the ARR of the hotel for 3 months average period by Rs 300; this increase for a Rs 7000 – Rs 7200 ARR hotel is quite significant. We did this by forecasting things right and sticking to the right price which the hotel product should get.
Q. What are your some of memorable experience as GM of this property? A. Well this one is yet to come when things get busier, bigger and better.
Q. What is the best part of being a general manager? A. I think when you are in a property leadership role that is when your true leadership potential get measured in all its facets. Because all facets are equally important it pushes you to do things that you have not been very comfortable with
June 2017 17
AVIATION
Vinay Dube takes over as CEO of Jet Airways WH Desk
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et Airways India Ltd named Vinay Dube, an aviation veteran with close to three decades of experience, as its Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Dube is currently senior vice president, Asia Pacific with Delta Air Lines Inc., one of the world’s largest and most profitable airlines. During his decade-long career at Delta, Dube helped the airline profitably expand its Asia-Pacific business. As CEO of Jet Airways, Dube will be responsible for strengthening the airline’s overall business performance and its position in the domestic and international markets. He will also head the airline’s executive management team that has been tasked by the board of directors to drive the company’s growth and future strategy by leveraging its partnership with equity partner Etihad Airways. I am delighted that Vinay Dube will be joining Jet Airways as its chief executive officer. An Indian American, Vinay brings an enviable combination of smart and sharp mindset with global exposure to industry best practices. I am sure Jet Airways will gain substantially from his wealth of experience and industry insight. I personally look forward to Vinay providing leadership to the entire Jet Airways team,” said Naresh Goyal, Chairman, Jet Airways
VIinay Dube CEO Jet Aiirways
The top job at the airline has been vacant for more than two years, since Cramer Ball resigned as CEO with effect from February 2016. The Mumbai-based firm appointed Gaurang Shetty as the acting CEO in 2016. Subsequently he was replaced by Amit Agarwal, the company’s chief financial officer, as the acting CEO.
Turkish launches direct flights from ME & Germany to key destinations in Turkey WH Desk
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he national flag carrier will launch direct flights between some of the most attractive cities of Turkey such as Bodrum, Antalya and Trabzon and the Middle East, beginning from June 2017. Turkish Airlines will continue to offer alternative routes to cater to the permanently increasing passenger traffic in this region as it launches direct flights between Kuwait, Riyadh, Dammam, Al Qassim, Baghdad, Erbil, Sulaymaniyah, Amman and some domestic destinations of Turkey. In this context, Turkish Airlines will be providing a total of 16 weekly flights between Jeddah, Kuwait, Riyadh, Al Qassim, Yanbu, Medina and Trabzon. Furthermore, the global carrier will also be providing 13 weekly flights between Jeddah, Baghdad, Erbil, Riyadh, Amman, Kuwait, Sulaymaniyah and Antalya during this summer. Munich, Hamburg, Berlin, Stuttgart are other cities benefitting from the new direct flights, connecting travellers from Germany to Izmir. Additionally, passengers from Kuwait will also be able to travel directly to Izmir.
18 June 2017
News in One Minute
Lufthansa provides cabin staff
1 with iPads
The issuing of 20,000 cabin mobile devices is a major step in Lufthansa’s year of digitisation. A finger swipes the surface and navigates to a yellow app. With the ‘Lufthansa CrewFlight’ apps, the seating plan is quickly opened, providing the cabin crew with a plenty of information on the guests of their next flight. As of this week, Lufthansa has been providing its 20,000 flight attendants with iPad Minis. The so-called cabin mobile device (CMD) will be successively issued to the entire cabin crew over the next few weeks. This is a major and – above all – visible step in the year of digitisation at Lufthansa. The so-called Electronic Flight Bag has already been in operation in the cockpit since the beginning of 2015 and is used by 4,300 pilots for flight planning and operations. At the same time, cabin crew managers also received a tablet, and this is now to be extended to include all cabin crew as a result of the positive experience. The CMD will allow cabin crew members to access all the data they need to work on board, to access important service manuals and service schedules, and easily view any changes in plans.
Finnair becomes PATA’s newest
2 aviation member
Finnair, the flag carrier for Finland and a member of the oneworld alliance, has joined the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA). The carrier, headquartered in Helsinki, is majority owned by the Government of Finland and listed on the Helsinki Stock Exchange. PATA CEO Dr. Mario Hardy said, “We are extremely pleased to welcome Finnair to the PATA family as our newest aviation member and the first Nordic airline to join in recent years. The airline is not only a leader in sustainable practices but also in pioneering new technologies such as testing face recognition technology for use by travellers when checking in for flights departing from Helsinki airport.” Serving 18 Asian destinations non-stop from Helsinki, offering one of the fastest and most seamless connections between Europe and Asia, it is a natural step for us to join this leading association. We want to further develop our business and intensify the ties between us and important local tourism authorities, associations and regional/local companies,” states Juha Jarvinen, Chief Commercial Officer and Executive Board Member at Finnair.
Air Canada announces promotional fares 3 for Mumbai-Toronto flight Air Canada have announced special promotional fares for their new Mumbai-Toronto-Mumbai service starting on July 2, 2017. These fares are valid for travel between July and December 2017. On this new route the airline would also be deploying the new Boeing 787 – Dreamliner with a three cabin configuration of international business class, premium economy and economy. The four times a week service will arrival in to Mumbai from Toronto at 2130 hours and depart from Mumbai to Toronto at 2330 hours.
June 2017 19
COVER STORY
The Beginning of
GST Era
India is at the threshold of entering into the Goods and Service Tax (GST) era as the much awaited and biggest tax reform is all set to come in force from July 1st 2017.There is a lot of excitement among the industry stakeholders for ‘One Nation One Tax’ with a little uncertainty about the business scenario in coming months. Whereabouts interacted with the industry stalwarts to know their opinion on the GST. Excerpt. By Rajesh Tiwari
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he 14th Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council Meeting, chaired by the Union Minister of Finance Arun Jaitley was held at Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir a couple of weeks ago. The fitments of rates of goods were discussed during the Council meeting. The Council has broadly approved the GST rates for goods at nil rate, 5%, 12%, 18% and 28% to be levied on certain goods. The Council has also broadly approved the rates of GST Compensation Cess to be levied on certain goods. According to the proposed slabs, the 5% rate of GST will be levied on transport of passengers by rail (other than sleeper class); transport of passengers by air in economy class; transport of passengers with or without accompanied belongings, by air, embarking from or terminating in a Regional Connectivity Scheme Airport; as well as supply of tour operators’ services. There is 12% GST rate levied on transport of passengers by air in other than economy class.
20 June 2017
“GST Council levies 5% rate on tours and that is what we were demanding as we have been put under the lowest GST slab, however the GST on hotels should not be more than 18%,” says Pronab Sarkar, President, Indian Association of Tour Operators. “Applying of CENVAT credit with 9% service tax was unwieldy and we were demanding the government to reduce the taxes on tourism industry,” he further informed. Elaborating on the major changes after the GST roll-out Subhash Goyal, Chairman, Stic Travel Group says, “GST will pave the way for unification of fragmented state markets and it will unify all States & UTs into one national market without border restrictions which exists today. This is similar to the process of European unification of 1992 which had a similar positive economic impact.” Explaining over the same lines Sandeep Dwivedi, Chief Commercial Officer, Interglobe Technology Quotient says that the implementation of the unified tax structure is a huge step towards preparing the nation that is expected to grow at US$ 160.2 billion by 2026. “Although, the industry presently has mixed reactions towards the introduction, going forward, this step would attract more industry growth as the GST has been planned according to the taxpayer’s capability,” he added. For example, GST Council reduced service tax on economy class from 6 to 5 percent while increasing business class to 12
GST Council levies 5% rate on tours and that is what we were demanding as we have been put under the lowest GST slab, however the GST on hotels should not be more than 18%.
Pronab Sarkar President, IATO
percent from the current 9 percent informed Dwivedi. GST AN OVERVIEW The new tax structure is expected to bring benefits to all the stakeholders of industry, government and the consumer. It will lower the cost of goods and
COVER STORY services, give a boost to the economy and make the products and services globally competitive. As per the government, the GST aims to make India a common market with common tax rates and procedures and remove the economic barriers thus paving the way for an integrated economy at the national level. By subsuming most of the Central and State taxes into a single tax and by allowing a set-off of prior-stage taxes for the transactions across the entire value chain, it would mitigate the ill effects of cascading, improve competitiveness and improve liquidity of the businesses. GST is a destination based tax. It follows a multi-stage collection mechanism. In this, tax is collected at every stage and the credit of tax paid at the previous stage is available as a set off at the next stage of transaction. This shifts the tax
INPUT TAX CREDIT (ITC) Taxpayer is allowed to take credit of taxes paid on inputs (input tax credit), as self-assessed, in his return. Taxpayer can take credit of taxes paid on all goods and services, other than a few items in the negative list, and utilize the same for payment of output tax. Credit of taxes paid on inputs can be taken where the inputs are used for business purposes or for making taxable supplies. Full input tax credit shall be allowed on capital goods on its receipt as against the current Central Government and many State Government practice of staggering the credit in more than one installment. Unutilized input tax credit can be carried forward. The facility of distribution of input tax credit for services amongst group companies has been provided for through the mechanism of Input Service Distributor (ISD). REFUND
Commencement of GST will pave the way for unification of fragmented state markets and it will unify all States & UTs into one national market without border restrictions which exists today.
Subhash Goyal Chairman Stic Travel Group
incidence near to the consumer and benefits the industry through better cash flows and better working capital management.
Time limit for claiming online refund has been increased from one year to two years. Refund shall be granted within 60 days from the date of receipt of complete application. Interest is payable if refund is not sanctioned within the stipulated period of 60 days. If the refund claim is less than Rs. 2 lakhs, there is no need for the claimant to furnish any documentary evidence to prove that he has not passed on the incidence of tax to any other person. Only a self-certification to this effect would suffice. Refund of input tax credit shall be allowed in case of exports or where the credit accumulation is on account of inverted duty structure (i.e. where the tax rate on output is higher than that on inputs). DEMANDS A new concept of sunset clause for tax disputes has been introduced. It provides that Adjudication Order shall be issued within 3 years of filing of annual return in normal cases and the time limit is 5 years (from the date of filing of annual return) in fraud/suppression cases. SCN will have to be issued at least 3 months prior to the time limit prescribed for issue of adjudication order in normal cases and at least 6 months prior to the time limit prescribed for issue of adjudication order in cases involving fraud/suppression etc. Penalty is Nil or minimal if the tax short paid / non-paid is deposited along with interest at the stage of audit/investigation.
This step would attract more industry growth as the GST has been planned according to the taxpayer’s capability. Sandeep Dwivedi, Chief Commercial Officer ITQ GST AWARENESS CAMPAIGN In order to ensure complete preparedness for GST implementation from 1st of July 2017, Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC) has launched a portal www.gstawareness.cbec.gov. in for disseminating information about GST awareness events organised by CBEC. This portal can be used to view information regarding GST awareness events such as training workshops, seminars, town hall meetings, trade interactions etc. The calendar for such events can be viewed by taxpayers and other stakeholders and they can plan their participation accordingly. Once such events have been conducted, the relevant material such as documents and photographs can be uploaded by authorised officers in the concerned CBEC field formation. Total Workshops Conducted: 4092 (till June 5th, 2017) North: 916, South: 766, Central: 633, East: 911 West: 866 Workshops will be conducted till June 30th 2017.
June 2017 21
COVER STORY
GST; A Damp Squib for the Hospitality Industry By Rajesh Tiwari
With the proposed GST rates on hotels – highest being the 28%, the implementation of Goods and Service Tax is just a damp squib for the hospitality industry. The stakeholders fear of an irrecoverable damage to India’s hospitality and tourism prospects with the current GST rates. Whereabouts brings industry stalwarts comment on the matter. Excerpt…
Thailand has a consolidated indirect hotel tax rate of 7% and 17.7% on restaurants. Singapore has a hotel VAT of 7% and 7% on restaurants. Malaysia has a hotel VAT of 6% and a 6% on restaurants. China’s hotels and restaurants have a VAT of 6%, for USA it is 15% and 7% respectively, for France it’s 10% across both the categories and for Spain it is 7%. 22 June 2017
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nlike the industry’s expectation and demand of 18% tax on hospitality business, the GST Council has approved three tax slabs 12%, 18% and 28% (0% for the hotels below Rs 1000/tariff) to be levied on hotel business. Hospitality industry is a big contributor to the country’s economic growth –through employment, Foreign Exchange (FE) and Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). The industry which is on high growth trajectory at present, and looking for a promising future is expected to hit hard with the high tax structure, and it will have adverse impact on travel and tourism business too. According to Aashish Gupta, Consulting CEO, Federation of Associations in Indian Tourism & Hospitality (FAITH), “The proposed slab will make ‘India hugely uncompetitive’ as compare to our neighboring countries. In order to save the tourism and hospitality industry we need to bring it down to a rational 18%.” India will not be able to compete with Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore in luring tourists as well as meetings and conferences with this high tax structure. “We have approached Finance Minister of India and requested for the review of GST rates of 28% proposed on hotels and other accommodation units of INR 5000 and above and on restaurants at 5-star hotels,” he informed. While commenting on the GST rates, Ankur Bhatia, Executive Director, Bird
Group says, “The industry has already been severely impacted by the Supreme Court’s liquor ban and the much awaited Goods and Services Tax (GST) rates has come as another shocker.” He further explained that these high and
The proposed slab will make ‘India hugely uncompetitive’ as compare to our neighboring countries. In order to save the tourism and hospitality industry we need to bring it down to a rational 18%.
Aashish Gupta Consulting CEO FAITH
COVER STORY shall pass on cost benefit to the end user and this will help to lower the cost of consumption due to cascading effects of various taxes,” he added.
The industry has already been severely impacted by the Supreme Court’s liquor ban and the much awaited Goods and Services Tax (GST) rates has come as another shocker.
Ankur Bhatia Executive Director Bird Group
complex GST rates will create further impediments to the industry’s growth which is still maturing. At the same time the new tax structure will also position India poorly as a destination vis-a-vis our competitors in the international market that have much lower taxation,” he added. The industry strongly feels that switch to GST will lead different tax slabs (12%, 18% and 28%) and hurt the industry instead of making things simpler. S N Srivastava, Founder & President, Clarks Inn opines that there should be one tax rate in GST regime which should not be more than 18%. Hotels having room rent above Rs. 5000 shall charge GST @ 28%. “Since hotel industry sells rooms based on dynamic pricing unlike airlines and also hotel room rent is composite one which includes foods, pick up and drop, sightseeing etc. Government should make in it more and more simple having less scope of any ambiguity,” explains Srivastava. Further adding to his comment Srivastava says that industry needs clarity on not only multiple tax rates for hospitality industry but also its compliances so that legal burden shall be minimal. “GST is a long term strategy and the positive impact shall be seen in the long run. In GST regime industry
“Considering the various costs that go into ensuring safety, efficient service, hygiene and basic amenities, it is safe to say that Rs 5000 is not luxury. However, post this proposal, many branded hotels will be hit as they will lose out on pricesensitive customers,” says Raj Rana, Chief Executive Officer-South Asia, Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group. Further, food and beverage, which continues to hold a significant share of the hotel business, will also suffer with 28% tax chargeable for dining in restaurants in 5-star properties. Adding to this Rana says, “The hospitality industry, which had started crawling back on the growth trajectory after a relatively slow period, has already been impacted with liquor ban this year and GST will further intensify pressure.” The high GST rates will hit the MICE and incentive business to the large extent. As compare to the hotel located in metro cities, the new tax structure will be affecting more adversely the smaller cities with fewer infrastructures, says Chander Manshramani, Managing Director, Alpcord Network. “We will lose heavily for two reasons; first – we don’t have enough convention centres and conference venues and secondly – we are having a tax structure which is much higher than the international market. So it’s not only foreign conferences but India might lose its domestic meetings too,” says Manshramani. As it explained by Aashish Gupta, Consulting CEO, FAITH, Thailand has a consolidated indirect hotel tax rate of 7% and 17.7% on restaurants. Singapore has a hotel VAT of 7% and 7% on restaurants. Malaysia has a hotel VAT of 6% and a 6% on restaurants. A 3-day stay by a foreign tourist at a daily rate of USD 150 (assuming hotel and food & beverage) will be taxed per night in India at USD 42 (not including cesses), USD 18 in Thailand (weighted average), USD 10.5 in Singapore and USD 9 in Malaysia. That implies on a total stay of 3 nights, for one person, India now becomes expensive by USD 72 against Thailand, by USD 95 against Singapore and by USD 100 against Malaysia.
In GST regime industry shall pass on cost benefit to the end user and this will help to lower the cost of consumption due to cascading effects of various taxes.
S N Srivastava Founder & President Clarks Inn
A 3-day stay by a foreign tourist at a daily rate of USD 150 (assuming hotel and food & beverage) will be taxed per night in India at USD 42 (not including cesses), USD 18 in Thailand (weighted average), USD 10.5 in Singapore and USD 9 in Malaysia. That implies on a total stay of 3 nights, for one person, India now becomes expensive by USD 72 against Thailand, by USD 95 against Singapore and by USD 100 against Malaysia.
The Federation of Hotels Restaurants Association of India (FHRAI) India’s apex body for Hotels & Restaurants
June 2017 23
COVER STORY The delegation which represented the association further requested the Government to relook at the Luxury Tax limit of Rs. 5000/- and enhance it suitably as is followed in most of the countries The World-over since, Rs. 5,000/- (USD 75) cannot be considered Luxury today. The service tax proposal under the new GST regime has been set at 28 per cent for Hotel tariffs above Rs. 5,000/-.
Post this proposal, many branded hotels will be hit as they will lose out on price-sensitive customers.
Raj Rana CEO-South Asia Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group
presented a representation to Union Finance Ministry Officials highlighting that the proposal of 28% GST slab will adversely impact the hospitality and tourism industry. The association requested the Government to relook at the present proposal and advocated a uniform Hospitality GST at 12% across the country.
This difference will get compounded, when Indian companies, bid for global conferences and events and large tour groups which come to India. Assuming the above simple economics, for a visiting conference of 100 people, India now becomes USD 7,200 more expensive than Thailand, USD 9,500 than Singapore and USD 10,000 than Malaysia. This difference will further get compounded as most of the groups normally stay post conferences for 7-10 days and travel around the country. These travellers are now most likely to give India a miss, the letter points out. While benchmarking India to other countries, FAITH highlighted that China is estimated to get 55 mn foreign tourists and USD 50 bn in foreign exchange, USA 70 mn foreign tourists and USD 170 bn in foreign exchange, Spain 60 mn foreign tourists and USD 61 bn foreign exchange and France 85 mn foreign tourists and USD 57 bn in foreign exchange. Their indirect rates are highly competitive.
We are having a tax structure which is much higher than the international market. So it’s not only foreign conferences but India might lose its domestic meetings too.
Chander Manshramani Managing Director Alpcord Network
China’s hotels and restaurants have a VAT of 6%, for USA it is 15% and 7% respectively, for France it’s 10% across both the categories and for Spain it is 7%. Clearly India is at a disadvantage.
SALIENT FEATURES OF GST The GST would be applicable on the supply of goods or services as against the present concept of tax on the manufacture or sale of goods or provision of services. It would be a destination based consumption tax. This means that tax would accrue to the State or the Union Territory where the consumption takes place. It would be a dual GST with the Centre and States simultaneously levying tax on a common tax base. The GST to be levied by the Centre on intra-State supply of goods or services would be called the Central tax (CGST) and that to be levied by the States including Union territories with legislature/Union Territories without legislature would be called the State tax (SGST)/ Union territory tax (UTGST) respectively. The GST would apply to all goods other than alcoholic liquor for human
24 June 2017
consumption and five petroleum products, viz. petroleum crude, motor spirit (petrol), high speed diesel, natural gas and aviation turbine fuel. It would apply to all services barring a few to be specified. The GST would replace the following taxes currently levied and collected by the Centre: Central Excise Duty Duties of Excise (Medicinal and Toilet Preparations) Additional Duties of Excise (Goods of Special Importance) Additional Duties of Excise (Textiles and Textile Products) Additional Duties of Customs (commonly known as CVD) Special Additional Duty of Customs Service Tax Central Surcharges and Cesses so far as they relate to supply of goods and services
State taxes that would be subsumed under the GST are: State VAT Central Sales Tax Luxury Tax Entry Tax (all forms) Entertainment and Amusement Tax (except when levied by the local bodies) Taxes on advertisements Purchase Tax Taxes on lotteries, betting and gambling State Surcharges and Cesses so far as they relate to supply of goods and services The list of exempted goods and services would be common for the Centre and the States.
June 2017 25
STATE
Rajasthan to add more destinations in wedding segment Beyond Jaipur, Jodhpur and Udaipur – Rajasthan Tourism is gearing up to promote Pushkar, Jaiselmer, Neemrana and Mandava among the wedding planners. Jai Kishan Kaparwan
R
ajasthan – one of the best places in India for wedding tourism, gears up to leverage the potential of this segment by adding more destinations in the list of wedding planners. According to Ajay Sharma, Deputy Director, Rajasthan Tourism, “Jaipur, Jodhpur and Udaipur are the top three destinations getting a huge chunk of business from Wedding segment. Going beyond these cities – which attract 90% wedding events of the state, we are promoting Pushkar, Jaiselmer, Neemrana and Mandava among the wedding planners – that gives more options and reasons to increase the number of wedding events in our state.” He was speaking at the sidelines of a ‘FICCI Wedding Tourism’ organised in New Delhi recently. He informed that Rajasthan Tourism gives priority to wedding segment which has included in the tourism policy of the state.
L to R: Rahul Chakravarty, Consultant Tourism FICCI, Jyotsna Suri, Past President FICCI and Ajay Sharma, Deputy Director, Rajasthan Tourism at the event.
Almost 1200 foreign couples – at an average, come to Rajasthan for getting married every year. There are more than 400 wedding planners across the state. Heritage and Royal Hospitality are the biggest attraction and contributor to the wedding segment of Rajasthan. Palace on Wheels and Royal Rajasthan on Wheels can engage the traveller to showcase the other attractions of the state. Having the advantage of direct connectivity to Dubai, Thailand, Muscat and Singapore Rajasthan is very aggressively promoting itself in such markets. The tourism department will be participating in trade events to promote wedding segment across the world.
Kerala conducts International Conference on Tourism Technology WH Desk
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he Department of Tourism, Government of Kerala in association with Association of Tourism Trade Organizations, India (ATTOI) hosted the country’s biggest tourism technology conference in Kochi to address the challenges related with technology faced by Indian tourism and hospitality industry. The three-day long event started on June 8th was formally inaugurated by Tourism Minister Kadakampally Surendran on 9th June. Dr. Venu launched the twitter campaign #Kerala #IndiaForBeginners and Bala Kiran launched the Facebook campaign during the inaugural ceremony.
The objective of this conference was to prepare the travel and tourism industry in India P Bala Kiran IAS Director and neighboring countries to Kerala Tourism understand the importance of web marketing, how to use the resources available online to drive business, get inputs in adapting to the changing technology and acquiring skills to beat competition. “Kerala Tourism has always been a pioneer in taking significant steps to promote state tourism and support the growth of the tourism industry. This conference on tourism technology is yet another initiative undertaken in association with ATTOI. Keeping pace with the technological advancements also helps in reaching out to international tourists by being easily accessible
26 June 2017
through social media platforms,” said Minister for Tourism, Kadakampally Surendran. “Kerala Tourism, with its new tourism policy, is preparing for a big leap in promoting responsible tourism that benefits the visitor as well as local communities. The government is confident that the progress of the state through tourism is unfinished without the idea of inclusion in terms of increased participation of the community in general,” he added. “Kerala Tourism has always stood a step forward in utilizing the most modern ways of communication and social media platforms in promoting tourism destinations of the state. Adopting emerging technology will further boost the travel and hospitality sector of Kerala, and enable us to reach out to a larger audience,” said Dr. Venu V, IAS, Principal Secretary Tourism, Govt of Kerala. Talking about the conference, P Bala Kiran IAS, Director, Kerala Tourism said, “The tourism industry is adopting another ‘T’: Travel, Tourism and Technology. In this era, technology caters to the needs of consumers, companies and destinations. Therefore, it is indispensable to incorporate technology in management of tourism related businesses.” Being the patron of small and medium enterprises who are contributing to the industry, The Kerala government is planning to use its own live streaming technology to tap tourists’ experiential accounts of the destinations they visit. Considering its potential for tourism promotion in India, a group of young professionals from Kerala, with the support of state Tourism Department, is all set to explore live streaming as a major campaign tool for the upcoming second edition of International Conference on Tourism Technology (ICTT).
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DESTINATION
Similipal A Dreamland of Nature in the Wilderness
An epitome of fascinating beauties, Similipal beckons you for a sojourn of its mind boggling interiors. It will fill your lungs with cool and clean air, your nose with fresh and free fragrance, your eyes with soothing sights, your ears with sonorous sounds and your heart with a hypnotic throb. After trip, your body is sure to feel rejuvenated. WH Desk
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hick and green forests, extensive grassy lands and meadows, cloud kissing peaks, precipitous and sparkling waterfalls, meandering rivers, roaring tigers and trumpeting tuskers, fleeing deer and flying squirrels, talking myna and dancing peacocks et al make Similipal a dreamland of nature in the wilderness and an irresistible destination. Covering a vast area of 2750 sq. km out of which 303 sq. km from the core area, thick biosphere reserve is a sanctuary and one of the Tiger Projects and National Parks of India. With wide range of rain falls and edaphic variations, range from dry deciduous to moist green forests, it is suitable to different species of flora and fauna. About 1076 species of mammals, 29 types of reptiles and 231 species of birds are the proud possession of this plateau.
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Average mean elevation of Similipal is 900 meters. Tall and luxuriant Sal Trees in large numbers stand like sentries. The handsome peaks of Khairiburu (1178 meters), Meghasani (1158 meters) and others welcome like smiling receptionists from the emerald heights. Sweet scented Champak flowers freshen the air. The richly hued orchids on the green foliage are soothing to the eyes. In the midst of the dense forests, the summer stands humbled and the sun gets lost. Several rivers like Budhabalanga, Khairi, Salandi, Palpala, etc. originate from the hills and meander through the forest like veins and arteries in the body. Many of them have formed cascading rapids and foaming falls before leaving for the plains. The panoramic view of the waterfalls at Barehipani (400 meters) and Joranda (150 meters) are simply enchanting of fish, is found in abundance in most of the rivers. The silence of Similipal is occasionally broken by the chirping of the birds to an avian delight. The dense forest and riverine system serve as an excellent home to some of the most beautiful creatures of the world. To stay with them, even for a while, is a thrilling experience. Herds of elephants majestically
DESTINATION walking across the roads and rivulets could be a regular sight. While you are moving on the hilly tracts, predators like tiger and leopards might be obliviously lulling under the shade with their own thoughts. If lucky, you could spot them there, or else see them around the saltlicks at places like Chahala. The crocodile rearing centre at Ramtirtha near Jashipur is an additional attraction.
Nearby Attractions Similipal in itself offers a complete package. But if you like, visit a few more places around Similipal. Khiching 149 km from Baripada and 55 km from Jashipur, is famous for the shrine of Kichakeswari and Stone Crafts made of different colour stones. There is a Panthasala here. Chandipur (60 km from Baripada and 16 km from Balasore) is unique Beach Resort with a vanishing sea. The sea water recedes to a distance of about 5 km twice a day. It is a marvel of Nature, rarely found anywhere. Along with private hotels OTDC provides two hotels Panthanivas and Yatrinivas for comfortable stay. Panchalingeswar (85 km from Baripada and 30 km from Balasore) is a panoramic place on the lap of Nilagiri hills with a perennial stream flowing over five Lingams. There is a Panthasala of Orissa Tourism Department here. Remuna (60 km from Baripada and 10 km from Balasore) is famous for the shrine of Khirachora Gopinath, visited by Sri Chaitanya.
Expert’s Comment
Simlipal has its own charm and being the National Park and the home to a number of unique ethnic communities it’s a very potential destination in Odisha. Aggressive marketing showing the destination USP is the only way to promote. Sanghamitra Jena MD Eastern Treasure India Tours
Baripada). Entry permits can be obtained from the Range Officer, Pithabata check gate or the Assistant Conservator of prescribed fees.
Deokund (65 km frim Baripada and 110 km from Balasore) is an enchanting place with a series of waterfalls and a Shakti shrine set against the outer periphery of Similipal.
Day visitors can enter between 6 AM & 12 Noon and visitors with reservation between 6 AM & 2 PM.
Best Time to Visit
ÂÂAranyanivas at Lulung (3 km from Pithabata) of the OTDC has 8 Double Rooms and 2 Dormitories (total 40 beds).
Similipal is usually open for visitors from 1st November to 15th June only.
Accommodation: Orissa Tourism Units
Entry Points, Permits and Timings
ÂÂPanthasala at Bangiriposi (35 km from Baripada on way to Jashipur) has 4 Double Rooms (8 beds).
You can enter into Similipal through Pithabata (22 km from
Reach Here Air: Nearest airports are Bhubaneswar (270 kms) and Kolkata (240 km) Rail: Nearest railhead is Balasore (60 km from Baripada), served by major trains running on the South-Eastern sector. Road: Baripada, the district headquarter of Mayurbhanj, on the junction of NH 5 and 6, is 170 km from Bhubaneswar, 240 from Kolkata and 60 km from Balasore and 22 km from Pithabata, which is an entry point. The other entry point Jashipur is 94 km from Baripada on N.H. 6. Both the places are well connected by regular bus services. Taxis and Jeeps are available.
June 2017 29
DESTINATION
Ultimate Destination’s of Japan for MICE Aside from cutting edge facilities, there are one-of-a-kind Japanese venues, where you can plan holding international meetings and MICE (Meeting Incentive Conference and Exhibition) events at. Below listed are a few of them. WH Desk
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apan is the ideal location for international conferences and incentive tours with its highly-developed infrastructure, world-class venues and excellent facilities, wide variety of accommodations, wealth of tourist attractions and superb level of hospitality, safety, cleanliness and above all, professionalism. Japan offers a wide variety of venues and activities for the MICE traveller. From high-quality hotel venues to unique ones like MICE venues at the Tokyo National Museum, Nijo Castle in Kyoto, Atake-Maru Tokyo Bay Cruise & Entertainment, the Osaka Aquarium to name a few. The most popular cities for MICE amongst Indians are Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, Yokohama and Mount Fuji. Nijo-Jo Castle – Kyoto A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Nijo-jo Castle is a venue apt for events where one can take full advantage of its historic value and the great national treasures held there. A delightful experince is guaranteed for guests as they experience the incredible history and special atmosphere of this very special unique venue.
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Moerenuma Park, Hokkaido Isamu Noguchi, a world-famous artist, developed the conceptual design of this park. There are 15 buildings on the premises which include the 32m-high Glass Pyramid, the symbol of the park. The beauty of the pyramid changes with time, during the day it is full of sunlight and in the evenings the building is illuminated. There are meeting rooms available equipped with audiovisual devices, and exhibition and workshop spaces. Glover Garden, Nagasaki A famous sightseeing spot nationwide, Glover Garden can be rented out after closing where one can host social gatherings. If the weather gods play havoc, one need not worry as the venue can be changed to either a traditional art gallery within the park or a hotel in the city. Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium Holding a gala dinner or reception in front of the gigantic Kuroshio Sea tank at Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium will make any group feel like they are in the middle of the sea. The magnificent sea life will leave you amazed. This world-class aquarium is proud of its brilliance, mystery and beauty. For an exhilarating experience host your next meeting at this breathtaking venue.
DESTINATION
KO SAMUI The Premier Island Destination in the Gulf of Thailand
Ko Samui is the premier island destination in the Gulf of Thailand. Samui is easily accessible, features beautiful beaches and a variety of activities, and caters to visitors on any budget. WH Desk
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o Samui, Thailand’s second most popular island destination, is located in the Gulf of Thailand roughly 700 km. south of Bangkok and 80 km. from Thailand’s southern coast. Samui is the third largest island in Thailand and the largest in an archipelago of more than 80 islands that includes the Ang Thong National Marine Park, a kayaking paradise and day trip from Ko Samui. While Samui is small enough to be circumnavigated in just a couple of hours by motorbike or car, the island features such a variety of beaches and activities that it would be impossible to experience everything in a single visit.
Where to Go The beaches of Chaweng and Lamai are bustling beach towns with fabulous beach resorts, internationally acclaimed restaurants, and world-class nightclubs. Activities around Ko Samui include cooking courses, yoga instruction, Muay Thai training, scuba diving, and even golf. While there are a few quieter beaches that are ideal for relaxation, particularly those that feature some of the finest 5-star resorts in the world, and some that exude old world charm, such as Bo Phut, which features converted, old Chinese shop houses, Samui is a lively, exciting place than it was a few decades ago. Ko Samui has developed into its own style of island paradise, retaining much of its natural beauty while offering nearly every imaginable activity or service for the ultimate beach holiday.
As the second most popular Thai island, Koh Samui is easy to get to via land, boat, or air. There are numerous boats from Surat Thani province on the Thai mainland as well as from neighboring islands Koh Phangan and Koh Tao. The Koh Samui international airport is served primarily by Bangkok airways, which flies to and from Koh Samui and seven domestic and international destinations. Once on the island there are many ways of getting around Koh Samui. Rental bicycles, motorbikes, and cars, both with and without drivers, are easily available, as are songtaews and taxis for getting around and between beaches.
Things to Do As one of the premier tourist destinations in Thailand, Koh Samui has innumerable activities for visitors to participate in, ensuring that visitors with any interest will find something to keep them entertained on their Koh Samui holiday. The following are some of the most popular activities on Koh Samui: Food & Drink: Most restaurants on Koh Samui serve a variety of cuisines, including Thai and international foods. Most guesthouse and resorts have restaurants that serve both, while the more popular beaches, such as Chaweng Beach, feature restaurants specialising in Thai or various international cuisines, such as Italian or German. Beachside, seafood barbeque restaurants are also common on all beaches. As on most islands, the food on Koh Samui is generally higher priced than on the mainland as there is mark-up on supplies shipped to the island. Where dining options are more limited prices are even more expensive. Shopping: Shopping in Koh Samui is centered on three major areas, Nathon Market, Chaweng Market, and Lamai Market. More accurately perhaps, other than restaurants and bars in Chaweng ‘town’, which flanks both sides of the road running parallel to the entire length of the beach, Chaweng is an enormous outdoor shopping mall with street stalls selling knick-knacks and knock-offs in front of boutique shops selling authentic beachwear and other international products.
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Action-packed Month for ADTOI
Members of Association of Domestic Tour Operators of India (ADTOI) met the Honbl’e Minister of Tourism Dr Mahesh Sharma and newly appointed Secretary Tourism Rashmi Verma recently in New Delhi.
Self Defence Workshop Association of Domestic Tour Operators of India (ADTOI) has organised aSelf Defence Workshop along with Pranic Self Healing Medication for its members, spouses, daughters and female staff in New Delhi recently
32 June 2017
June 2017 33
WORLD
ITB Berlin launches marketing alliance with world’s largest Halal tourism trade show WH Desk
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TB Berlin has announced a marketing alliance with International Travel Week Abu Dhabi (ITW), securing its involvement in the United Arab Emirates. The event is the fastest-growing travel trade show in the Middle East. Following its debut in 2015 it is due to take place for the second time at the ADNEC Exhibition Centre. On 25 and 26 November 2017, the event will be open to both trade and public visitors. ITB Berlin’s involvement includes numerous marketing and promotional activities.
ITW Abu Dhabi is the world’s only trade show to specialise in the needs of the Muslim travel market. The show features a total of five tourism segments and conferences, each targeting a specific audience. They include Halal Tourism, as well as Medical, Shopping, Sports and Family Friendly Tourism. Wonderful Indonesia, the Indonesian Tourist Board, will be the main David Ruetz sponsor in the second year of the Head of ITB Berlin event. The Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority and Convention Bureau, are the event’s host destination partners. ITW Abu Dhabi will also feature a comprehensive Hosted Buyer programme. According to David Ruetz, Head of ITB Berlin, “With its rapid growth and by specialising in Halal tourism, an increasingly important segment, ITW Abu Dhabi is certain to become a major
player in the global travel market. We greatly look forward to assisting our colleagues in the Emirates with their marketing and promotional activities.” “The partnership with the world’s most recognised travel trade show is a huge boost to the ambitions and potential of the event in Abu Dhabi“, Andy Buchanan, spokesman for ITW Abu Dhabi, added. “The main sponsors and other organisations supporting International Travel Week Abu Dhabi are delighted with this news.” The Muslim tourism market continues to be one of the fastestgrowing segments in the global travel industry. According to the MasterCard Crescent Rating Global Muslim Travel Index 2016, in 2015 the market registered 117 million travellers from this religious group. Experts even forecast that by 2020 the market will reach 168 million, with overall spending by Muslim travellers in the region of 200 billion US dollars.
PATA elects new executive board WH Desk
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he Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) announced the election of Sarah Mathews, Head of Destination Marketing Asia Pacific – TripAdvisor based in Hong Kong SAR as Chairperson of the Association’s Executive Board. She replaces Andrew Jones who was elected Chairman in May 2016 and who remains a member of the Executive Board as Immediate Past Chairman.
Sarah has been an active PATA member since TripAdvisor joined the Association in 2012, attending nearly all PATA events as either a speaker or delegate. She first joined the PATA
34 June 2017
Executive Board when she was elected the Industry Council Chairperson in 2014 and was elected Vice Chairperson in May 2016. Sarah uses her travels across the Asia Pacific region to encourage new destinations and other industry businesses to join the Association. During the PATA Annual Summit 2017 in Negombo, Sri Lanka, PATA also elected a five new members to its Executive Board including Dr. Chris Bottrill, Dean at the Faculty of Global and Community Studies, School of Tourism Management – Capilano University, Canada; Hiran Cooray, Chairman – Jetwing Hotels Sri Lanka; Jon Nathan Denight, President and CEO – Guam Visitors Bureau, USA; Mohamed Sallauddin H.j. Mat Sah, General Manager Marketing - Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd, Malaysia, and Peter Semone, Senior Advisor - Lao National Institute of Tourism and Hospitality (LANITH), Lao PDR. Other Executive Board members include Stephen Pearce, Vice President – Marketing at Tourism Vancouver; Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, Director – Macao Government Tourism Office, Macao SAR; Pilar Laguaña, Chairperson, PATA Micronesia Chapter, Guam, and Ben Montgomery, Director of Business Relations Management, Centara Hotels & Resorts, Thailand.
CHECK IN
The Meydan Hotel ‘A Meeting Place’ Dubai’s world class physical infrastructure has already established it as a major player in terms of trade, tourism and as the leading conference and exhibition venue. WH Desk
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eydan is the visionary concept of Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and ruler of Dubai. It is a culmination of his vision to position Dubai at the centre of the competitive global business. The Meydan Hotel is an important link in the achievement of the Sheikh’s vision. A destination in itself –spectacular architecture, a groundbreaking racecourse and an electric atmosphere – make it an exciting place to be throughout the year. It combines luxury and sophistication establishing itself as a lifestyle and travel destination unlike any other. Home to the Dubai World Cup, it has the capacity and experience to host events on a grand and global scale to emerge as one of the most coveted destination hotels in the Middle East. It is a short 12 minutes drive to BurjKhalifa and Downtown Dubai, and a 15 minutes drive to the Dubai International Airport. Whether it is the meeting of minds at a business forum or the coming together of hearts at a wedding reception, Meydan Hotels have a host of excellent facilities and venues that make every moment a memorable experience. It not only personifies the warm, authentic, yet modern Arabic hospitality, but also represents the best in luxury, elegance, style, dynamism and serenity. Meeting Space
The Sky Bubble holds the top three levels of the Grandstand and offers 360 degree views of Dubai. The Meydan Theatre seats up to 500 people. The Gallery is perfect for award
ceremonies; with 3,600m2 it can accommodate 1,100 delegates in a theatre setup, making this venue ideal for conferences, meetings, product launches or exhibitions. Apron Views features a super-sized outdoor screen on the Racecourse, this trackside location is ideal for large functions such as festivals, concerts, brand showcases and car launches. The Meydan Ballroom is located on the ground floor of the hotel with 432 m2 of flexible space which can be divided into 4 smaller sections. Its high-ceiling foyer and stunning terrace can be discretely divided by blackout drapes from the main ballroom. It offers stunningly luxurious settings for any types of events overlooking the Dubai Racecourse. The space and privacy of the Turf Lounge, situated on level 4 of the Grandstand, is ideal to host over 350 guests, enjoying panoramic views of the Meydan Racecourse and Downtown Dubai on both sides. Teeing off at Meydan The Track, Meydan Golf has partnered with a leading golf management company, Troon to launch Dubai’s first pay and play golf course, making golf accessible with no membership fees. The course is 7416 yards with five different tee positions to cater for every standard of golfer. Enjoy breathtaking city skyline views from among its strategically placed bunkers and natural lakes. After the game, unwind at QUBE, Dubai’s hottest new sports bar with international sports programming on its giant cube projection screens throughout this action packed summer. Dining & Lounges Offering some of the richest cuisines of the World and enhanced by unparalleled views of the main racing track, dining at The Meydan Hotel is a destination experience. The property houses seven outlets i.e. Millenium Lounge, Farriers, Terrace, Farriers Foyer, Shiba, Shiba Bar, Shiba Terrace, Shiba Courtyard and Prime Lounge, from fine dining to a casual Club House restaurant.
June 2017 35
EATING OUT
ZEGA at Sheraton Hyderabad Hotel WH Desk
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he new hang out destination of the city, ZEGA will be the perfect place to unwind over lunch or in the evening with music getting more upbeat as the sun sets. ZEGA – an Asian inspired, modern and easy living social space opened its doors for guest recently. The restaurant reflects and depicts an inspiration from Asian cuisine elements, with an arrangement including multisensory experiences through palatable Asian food, distinct beverage selections and active ambience. Located on tenth floor of Sheraton Hyderabad Hotel overlooking the city’s beautiful landscape, ZEGA will be an upscale, Asian specialty restaurant with elegant decor that is perfect for socialising over a dining or evening cocktail experience. To accolade the leisurely spree or for an evening confluence, ZEGA will be the next choice to socialise amidst a dynamic space that exudes acoustic fusion.
ZEGA’s relaxed feel offers an easy break after a long day at work alongside a fun dining experience. Synonymous with unwind and enliven, ZEGA is designed to elevate the spirits and will leave you asking for more. Complementing its inimitable menu will be an extensive selection of signature mocktails, head-turner cocktails, varieties of tea with cold infusions, fresh herbal beverages and heart-healthy steamed food. Ranging from traditional to innovative, these concoctions will have interesting stories and concepts to tell. On this occasion, Shibil Malik, General Manager, Sheraton Hyderabad Hotel said, “Drinks and conversation in a beautiful
setting is an unbeatable combination, and we are delighted to introduce the same to Hyderabad through ZEGA. The restaurant is aimed at providing a relaxed ambience and serving best in its range specials with a specially curated menu by our team of expert chefs. We understand the need for an easy on pocket and rich in experience kind of a venue for our guests, and look forward to creating space in their hearts through the zeal at ZEGA.” Timings: The restaurant will be available to the guests for lunch, pre-dinner and postdinner from 12.30 hrs to 15.00 hrs for lunch and from 18.00 hrs onwards for dinner.
CRUISE
CKGS opens Algeria Visa P&O Launches ‘Always On’ Flagship Fares for Travel Agents Application Centre at six locations in India
WH Desk
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&O Cruises has made it even easier for the trade to enjoy a cruise holiday with the launch of a special new Flagship Fare for travel agents, offering a permanent 20 per cent discount on P&O Cruises’ ‘Go’ fares.The ‘Always On’ Flagship Fare will enable agents to book a variety of cruises across the fleet year-round, whether they are planning a break with friends or family or looking to book a last-minute deal. Guests travelling in the same room as the agent will also receive the 20 per cent discount. P&O Cruises Director of Sales Ryan Taibel said: “The Flagship Fares offered travel agents more choice and freedom to plan holidays with friends and family in advance rather than waiting for last-minute availability.” “The new ‘always on’ Flagship Fare will allow our partners to book their cruise when they want to travel, opening up a larger range of holiday options throughout the year,” Taibel said. The special industry rate can only be booked via Live Chat by logging on to the Flagship website – flagship. pocruises.com.au. To complete the booking, agents need to click the ‘Live Chat’ button and be connected to a customer service representative who will take the preferred cruise number.
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OTA
WH Desk
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ox & Kings Global Services (CKGS) announced the opening of Algeria Visa Application and Information Centres (AVAIC) at six different locations including Mumbai. The main centre in Mumbai is located at Dalamal Towers, A Wing, 4th Floor, Unit No: 410 - 412, Free Press Journal Marg, Nariman Point. The other AVAICs are based in Pune, Ahmedabad, Goa, Indore and Chennai respectively. The Mumbai VAC was inaugurated by His Excellency Hamza Yahia-Cherif, the Ambassador of Algeria to India in presence of the senior CKGS officials. The Centres will cater to all categories of Visa such as tourist, business, work, family, cultural and press, accepting applications from states like Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Maharashtra, Goa, Gujarat, Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh. With this move, CKGS will become the main service provider for Algeria Visa in West and South India. The visa application form can be filled online but the applicants would have to visit the AVAIC to submit printout of the duly signed application form along with other required documents and collect them once the visa has been issued. Applicant can also opt for passport return at doorstep through courier service. The applicants have an option to submit the applications at the AVAICs in Mumbai, Pune, Goa, Ahmedabad, Indore and Chennai or send across to Mumbai AVAIC through courier service.
June 2017 37
APPOINTMENT
Ramandeep Marwah General Manager JW Marriott Mussoorie
Ram Shetty Director of Rooms Sheraton Hyderabad Hotel
Russell Loughland Director of Sales & Marketing Palazzo Versace Dubai
Ramandeep Marwah has been appointed as the General Manager of the 115 key JW Marriott Mussoorie Walnut Grove Resort and Spa, Marriott India’s first JW Marriott resort. He takes over his latest mandate effective May 2017 as a progression from being a Director of Operations at the JW Marriott Pune.
Sheraton Hyderabad Hotel, Gachibowli, recently announced the appointment of Ram Shetty as Director of Rooms. He comes with a broad spectrum of knowledge and an experience of 13 years in the hospitality industry. Prior to his current role, Ram was Director of Rooms at Novotel Kolkata Hotel & Residences. Ram holds a Bachelor’s degree in Hotel Management and Catering Technology from Regency College, Osmania University Hyderabad. He has previously been associated with prestigious hotel brands like Novotel, Marriott Hotels & Resorts, The Westin and The Taj in his career.
Palazzo Versace Dubai appointed Russell Loughland as Director of Sales and Marketing. He will be directly responsible for overseeing the implementation of the sales and marketing strategy in line with driving growth regionally and internationally. With more than 25 years of experience in the hospitality industry, Russell has held executive positions at a number of luxury brands including Shangri-La, Fairmont, Banyan Tree and Rosewood as well as leading independent properties including the Yas Hotel in Abu Dhabi and the Regency Kuwait.
A maven at managing luxury hotels, Ramandeep has worked across India’s leading hospitality groups, Taj Hotels, Resorts and Palaces; The Leela Palaces, Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts, to name a few.
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In Focus
IATO Exhibition
GST Era The Beginning of
An ultimate platform to exhibit An exclusive conversation with Amaresh Tiwari, Hony. Tresurer, IATO P-11
P-20
GST; A Damp Squib for the Hospitality Industry P-22 NEWS IN BRIEF
AVIATION
NTO
HOSPITALITY
DESTINATION