Whereabouts by whereabouts

RNI No.: DELENG/2014/59308

Volume V Issue IX June 2019

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Tourism Under

Modi

Govt 2.0

Darjeeling The Queen of Hill Stations TOP NEWS

AVIATION

NTO

HOSPITALITY

DESTINATION

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

Consulting Editor Shayan Mallick

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

Art Director 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

NEWS IN BRIEF P 6 - 7 PATA announces Board Members, Industry Council and Government Committee from India Prahlad Singh Patel takes over as Minister of State for Tourism (I/C) Hardeep Singh Puri takes charge as Civil Aviation Minister (I/C)

GOVERNMENT P 10 - 11 YSRCPâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Jaganmohan Reddy sworn-in as Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh Tourist arrivals in Kerala up 6.82% in Jan-Mar 2019

Principal Advisor

Orchha selected in the list of UNESCO World Heritage sites

Anil Prakash

Legal Advisor Advocate Brijesh Tiwari

Production & Distribution Production Manager Subhash Solanki 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, PhaseII, New Delhi 110028 and published from E-8/401, Nehru Vihar, Delhi 110094. Editor Rajesh Tiwari

NTO P 12 Sri Lanka will once again be the top destination to visit Macao witnesses 12% rise in Indian tourist arrivals in 2019

TECHNOLOGY P 16 What makes Travelport Smartpoint 8.2.1 a smart choice for travel agencies?

EDITOR’S NOTE

VIEWPOINT

Tourism Under Modi Govt 2.0 Read about the industry concerns that Modi Government 2.0 should look at for the unprecedented growth of this sector. Dear Reader, As expected, after 2019 General Elections it is clear now that the country will have the leadership of Narendra Modi led NDA who has been re-elected as the Prime Minister of India for the second term as well. In the 2019 General Election, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bhartiya Janta Party has scored a victory bigger than in 2014.The Party has crossed 300 mark and emerged as the single largest party with strong majority to form the Government at the Center. Like 2014, the second term of Prime Minister Narendra Modi comes with a huge expectation from travel and hospitality sector. In an attempt to present a brief note in front of the new government Whereabouts interacted with the industry veterans and highlighted the key challenges that hindering the growth of tourism and hospitality sector. There are a lot of industry concerns – be it high taxation on hotels & tourism products, safety & security of travellers, fresh marketing ideas, good understanding between various state departments and officials of the Ministry of Tourism etc. should be addressed by Modi Government 2.0 for unprecedented growth of the tourism and hospitality sector.

18 HOSPITALITY P 28

Rohit Bajpai Patience is a virtue – in service industry says Rohit Bajpai, General Manager, Courtyard by Marriott Siliguri.

AVIATION P 32 DESTINATION

Darjeeling The Queen of Hill Stations

Read the complete write-up in this issue of Whereabouts.

Darjeeling beckons thousands today for a leisurely respite from the bustle of the madding crowd.

Share your feedback at rajesh@whereabouts.in Have a happy reading.

34 APPOINTMENT P 38

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NEWS IN BRIEF

PATA announces Board Members, Industry Council and Government Committee from India News Desk

t the recently concluded PATA Annual Summit & Board Meeting held at Cebu, Philippines, Tourism Secretary Government of India, Yogendra Tripathi, Chairman & Managing Director, ITDC Ravneet Kaur, Jatinder Taneja Managing Director Travel Spirit International Pvt Ltd. were appointed to the PATA Board. Vikram Madhok is already been a member of the Board since 2018. Thomas Thottathil, Vice President Cox & Kings India Ltd and SanJeet, Director DDP Publication Pvt Limited are members of the board as Industry Council Proxy. Yogendra Tripathi is an alumni of IIT Delhi where he did his B.Tech. in Electrical Engineering and Post Graduate Diploma in Behavioural Sciences. An officer of 1985 Batch of the

Indian Administrative Service of the Karnataka Cadre, he has worked in different capacities in Government of Karnataka like Commissioner of the Departments of Mines, State Excise, Commercial Taxes and Bangalore Metropolitan Regional Development Authority. He was also the Deputy Commissioner of three Districts - Bidar, Gulbarga and undivided Dharwad. Keeping Operations in Kosovo Mission. H e worked in the Ministries of Urban Development and Human Resource Development in the Government. He held the position of CMD, Food Corporation of India prior to assuming charge as Secretary, Tourism. Ravneet Kaur, holds the distinction of being the first woman to be appointed full time C&MD of ITDC. She belongs to the Indian Administrative

Yogendra Tripathi Secretary Tourism, Govt of India

Ravneet Kaur Chairman & Managing Director, ITDC

Service and has held important portfolios in various Ministries and Departments of Govt. of India including Commerce, Finance, Economic Affairs and Disinvestment. In a span of 30 years, Kaur served multiple corporate positions some of which include Vice Chairperson and Managing Director of Punjab Communications Limited., Chairperson and Managing

Director of Exim Bank and of India Infrastructure Finance Company Ltd., Additional MD of Markfed; M D, PSIDC (Punjab State Industrial Development Corporation) and M D, Punsup (Punjab Civil Supplies Corporation) Yogendra Tripathi & Ravneet Kaur have also been appointed to the Government/Destination Committee of PATA.

TAAI to organize Knowledge Conclaves News Desk

ravel Agents Association of India (TAAI) has announced the launch of its Knowledge Conclaves. The Managing Committee & Chairpersons on TAAI have come up with this most unique event that will be held in five different locations across India, during June / July 2019. On the most interesting and exciting moments for learning to happen is through Knowledge Conclaves where members can share information and learn from the recent trends and updates. These conclaves are based on geographical location, and members of respective TAAI Regions and Chapters are invited to attend the conclaves

6 June 2019

to prepare themselves for a fast changing tomorrow. Why TAAI Knowledge Conclaves The growing need for executive education has never been more urgent. Once again, TAAI pledges to address the most needed cause – inspire transformation in these fast changing times and evolving market place. TAAI’s mission is to ‘Push Learning’ to its members. These Knowledge Conclaves are designed to enable mind mapping. The new market place is volatile, complex and ambiguous. There’s newer competition; never before complexities but abundant opportunities and massive growth potential.

TAAI offers its members a unique opportunity to interpret today’s environment and inspire newer approaches. The industry must get ready to encounter the onslaught of the rapid changes confronting, its stakeholders to pro-actively evolve and progress. Knowledge Conclave Venue and Dates

Venue City: New Delhi (25-26 June, 2019) Hotel Novotel, Aero City, Near IGI Airport, New Delhi. Members invited from Northern Region: Punjab and Haryana: Chandigarh; Rajasthan, UP and Uttarakhand and J&K.

Venue City: Mumbai (July 2019) Members invited from Western Region, Pune, Gujarat, South

Gujarat, Saurashtra and Goa.

Venue City: Chennai (July 2019) Members invited from Southern Region, South Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh & Telangana State, Karnataka and Kerala.

Venue City: Kolkata (July 2019) Members invited from Eastern Region, Predominantly West Bengal, Odisha, Bihar & Jharkhand and Northeast States.

Venue: Central India (July 2019) Members invited from Nagpur, MP and Chhattisgarh. Members from all over India who could not attend their respective region’s conclave are invited here. (Dates and venues to be announced soon for Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata and Central India (July 2019)

NEWS IN BRIEF

Prahlad Singh Patel takes over as Asia Pacific: Minister of State for Tourism (I/C) 700 million

International Arrivals in 2018 and Growing

News Desk

rahlad Singh Patel assumed charge as the Minister of State (Independent Charge) of Ministry of Tourism, Government of India in New Delhi on 4th June, 2019. The five-time MP, Patel represents Damoh Lok Sabha Constituency in Madhya Pradesh. He has previously been member of several Parliamentary Committees in the 16th Lok Sabha. The 59 year old Minister takes interest in a wide range of social and cultural activities including preservation of Indian culture, development of rural areas, farmers’ welfare and promotion of sports. Addressing media persons, soon after taking charge, the Minister said that the Ministry will work to fulfill the Prime Minister’s vision of ‘New India’ by simultaneously investing in strengthening our cultural roots and promoting the Tourism sector. The Minister

News Desk

also added that “India is a large country and its cultural might is no less”. This vast cultural diversity of the country itself is main cause of attraction for tourists. Further, the Minister said that the works which were done in the last five years shall be taken forward at a much greater pace and in time bound manner. Being a highly employment generating sector, the proper branding/promotion of the country’s culture and tourism is required and for this the Minister sought support from all stakeholders.

Hardeep Singh Puri takes charge as Civil Aviation Minister (I/C) News Desk

With Jet Airways suspending its operations due to lack of funds, the new minister would have to take care of higher airfares, which resulted due to "low capacity-high demand" scenario. Ahead of the national polls, BJP in its manifesto had said that while it has

This report is the latest in a series that dates back to 1951 and, in this edition, covers 47 destinations across the Asia Pacific region. The data contained within this publication provides useful, practical data on traveller structure and movements and is an essential input into strategic, development and marketing plans for all suppliers to this significant contributor to the tourism economies of the Asia Pacific region. Rising from an arrivals volume of just almost 562 million in 2014, the annual growth of visitors into and across the Asia Pacific region has increased consistently each year, peaking in 2018 at 699.6 million international arrivals.

ardeep Singh Puri, the new Civil Aviation Minister, took charge of office on May 31, 2019. After taking charge, Puri, a former Indian Foreign Service officer, held a meeting with senior officials who prepped him about the promises made in the sector and the challenges ahead. As Civil Aviation Minister, Puri would be looking to deal with the challenges related to Air India's divestment, which the Centre tried last year but failed. The government is also moving towards selling a few subsidiaries of the state-owned carrier, which have been in profit in the last few years.

sia Pacific destinations collectively received almost 700 million international visitor arrivals (IVAs) in 2018, an increase of 7.7% over the 2017 figure, according to PATA’s Annual Tourism Monitor 2019 Early Edition released recently.

operationalised 36 airports over the last five years, it plans to commission 100 airports in the coming years. Puri, who lost the Lok Sabha polls from the Amritsar seat and is currently a Rajya Sabha lawmaker, has also been made a junior minister in the Commerce and Industry Ministry in which Piyush Goyal is the Cabinet minister. In the first tenure of Prime Minister Narendra Modi''s government, Puri held the Housing and Urban Affairs portfolio, which he has retained this time as well.

The distribution of these arrivals has been relatively constant over the past five years, although marginally favouring Asia, largely at the expense of the Americas. PATA CEO Dr. Mario Hardy pointed out that, “across Asia Pacific, calendar year 2018 continued to demonstrate volatility in markets and destinations, some caused by external factors, including politics, but others by changes in consumer wants, needs and basic preferences.” “While growth out of many traditional markets begins to waver or stagnate, at least into some destinations, newly emerging markets appear and offer opportunities for those agile enough to not only recognise them but also to be able to change their marketing and promotional efforts at a moment’s notice and capture those fleeting”, he added.

June 2019 7

GOVERNMENT

YSRCP’s Jaganmohan Reddy sworn-in as Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh News Desk

SR Congress Party’s Yeduguri Sandinti Jaganmohan Reddy (46) has been elected as the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh. He took the oath of office of the Chief Minister on May 30th, 2019. In the 2019 National and State Election held in April-May, YSRCP won 151 of the total 175 assembly seats and 22 Lok Sabha seats out of 25. The YSR Congress decimated the TDP headed by N Chandrababu Naidu, who became the first chief minister of the state after it was bifurcated to carve out Telangana five years ago. The son of the former Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy, Jagan Reddy is the founder of YSR Congress Party. He was Leader of Opposition in Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly since 16th May 2014 until May 2019. He started his political career by campaigning for INC in 2004 elections in Kadapa district. In the 2009 elections he was elected as Member of Parliament from Kadapa constituency as a member of the Indian National Congress.

Founding YSR Congress Party On 29th November 2010, he resigned, after a fallout with the Indian National Congress high command. On 7th December 2010 at Pulivendula, he announced to form a new political party within 45 days. In March 2011, he announced his party name at Jaggampeta of East Godavari district. Later, his party went to by-polls in YSR Kadapa district and won almost all the seats with a huge majority.

2011 by-election Success

Jagan, as the president of YSR Congress, faced by-election from the Kadapa constituency and won by a large margin of 545,043 votes.

2014 Election Defeat In 2014, the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP), was a pre-poll favourite among most analysts and psephologists. But, the YSRCP lost the 2014 elections, winning only 67 of 175 seats in the state assembly, with 45% of vote share. In the 2014 election, the Telugu Desam Party vote share went up to 47% and the 2% gap led to the defeat of YSRCP.

Opposition to the Formation of Telangana While in jail (disproportionate assets case), Reddy started a hunger strike opposing the United Progressive Alliance's decision to endorse the creation of a separate Telangana state. After 125 hours of indefinite hunger strike, his sugar levels and blood pressure were down. He was moved to Osmania General Hospital for treatment. His mother, MLA Vijayamma, was also on hunger strike protesting the formation of Telangana out of Andhra Pradesh. After his release, Reddy called for a 72-hour bandh protesting the formation of Telangana. Both Jagan and his mother resigned from their legislatures opposing the Telangana decision.

Praja Sankalpa Yatra The YSRC chief launched his ‘Praja Sankalpa Padayatra’ a 3,000-km-long walkathon, at RK Valley in his native Kadapa

district after paying homage at the grave of his father.YSR Congress party coined a slogan ‘Raavali Jagan, Kaavali Jagan’ (Jagan should come. We want Jagan) for the foot march that took to him across 125 Assembly segments in 13 districts of the state in 430 days. This Yatra was started on November 6, 2017 and ended on January 9, 2019.

Personal Life Jaganmohan Reddy was born on 21 December 1972 in Pulivendula village of Kadapa District, Andhra Pradesh. He received his early education from Pulivendula and Hyderabad Public School. Reddy is an adherent of Christianity much like his father and his grandfather (Y. S. Raja Reddy) and is a communicant member of the Church of South India (Diocese of Rayalaseema) and attends the CSI-Town Church, Pulivendula. He has a younger sister, Y. S. Sharmila, who is also a politician.

ADTOI organizes first ever B2B showbizz for the members News Desk

t the outset of General House Meeting, Association of Domestic Tour Operators of India (ADTOI) has organized first ever B2B Showbiz for its members from North East and West Bengal to interact with their business partners in Delhi and NCR, on May 18, 2019 at The Leela Ambience New Delhi. ADTOI B2B Show Bizz on North East & Bengal was a great opportunity for domestic tour operators to exchange business among them. More than 50 tour operators interacted with the representative of 22 travel companies from North East and

8 June 2019

Bengal. The Showbizz was attended by approximately 110 participants including the ADTOI office bearers and media. Arijit Purkayastha, Chairman of ADTOI North East Chapter made a very informative presentation on North East region and highlighted important tourist places in the Valley of Seven Sisters. Conceptualized by Ashish Sehgal, Chairman, Trade Shows & Road Shows and Travel Marts, Events Committee, the B2B meet was aimed at generating business among the members. The event ended with a cultural programme presenting authentic Bihu Dance specially arranged for the occasion.

Next ADTOI Convention goes to Ahmedabad While addressing the gathering, PP Khanna President of ADTOI announced that the next ADTOI Convention will be organized in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. The tentative dates of the convention are August 16-18, 2019. Apart from this, the president gave a brief account of recent activities undertaken by the Association including the launch of North East Chapter.

GOVERNMENT

Orchha selected in the list of UNESCO World Heritage sites

One of the preserved archaeological heritages of Madhya Pradesh, Orcha depicts the peculiar style of the Bundela dynasty. News Desk

adhya Pradesh Tourism announced that the historical town – Orcha situated in Madhya Pradesh has been included in UNESCO’s tentative list of world heritage sites followed a proposal sent by The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to the UN body. Madhya Pradesh has emerged as a prime tourism destination on the national and international map and is considered as the tourism trendsetter in the country. Orchha near Jhansi is one of the biggest tourist attractions in Madhya Pradesh and home to some unique architecture and buildings. Nestled on the banks of river Betwa, it was founded in the 16th century by the Bundela Rajput Chief, Rudra Pratap. The ancient town is also famous for its two elevated minarets called Saavan and Bhadon and its four palaces – Jahangir Palace, Raj Mahal, Sheesh Mahal and Rai Praveen Mahal, and for its concept of open bungalows, stonework windows, and animal statues depicting the culture of Bundelkhand. It is the only place in India where Lord Ram is worshipped as a king with a dedicated temple in his name called Sri Ram Raja Mandir. Orchha is more than the historic monuments and ancient temples it houses. It has offerings for visitors of all kinds — be it nature lovers or adventure junkies, or history buffs alike. While Orchha tourist places primarily comprise the historic monuments built in the erstwhile era, the place is also blessed with a scenic natural landscape. The majestic River Betwa flows through the town of Orchha, enchanting visitors with a picturesque sunset view while they explore the ruined settlement. The town is also home to a wide range

of fauna as the Orchha Wildlife Sanctuary houses exotic creatures, giving wildlife enthusiasts a nice experience. The Responsible Tourism initiatives taken by the state’s several private and government organizations such as Pench Tree Lodge in Pench, Salban - the Kanha Homestay, Flame of the Forest & Kipling Camp in Kanha, Denwa Backwater Escape in Satpura, Art Ichol in Maihar has resulted in outstanding results and the state has emerged as a model destination in implementation of responsible tourism. Madhya Pradesh tourism has always taken new initiatives to promote the heritage of Madhya Pradesh keeping in mind the responsibility of protecting them. As one of the initiatives for 2019-2020, the board plans to work forwards responsible tourism by maintaining essential ecological processes and conserving natural heritage and biodiversity of Madhya Pradesh for future generations.

June 2019 9

GOVERNMENT

Tourist arrivals in Kerala up 6.82% in Jan-Mar 2019 News Desk

of 2018.

The districts of Idukki, Alappuzha, Kannur and Kozhikode also registered decent growth during the period. The number of domestic tourists was 3,43,938 (2,48,052 in 2018) in Idukki, 1,80,562 (1,32,442) in Alappuzha, 2,10,247 (1,84,389) in Kannur and 3,20,795 (2,76,188) in Kozhikode.

iving strong indications that Kerala had swiftly overcame the ordeal of last year’s devastating floods, tourist arrivals in the state shot up by an impressive 6.82 per cent in the first quarter of 2019 as compared to the figures of corresponding period in the previous year. During January-March 2019, the total number of tourist arrivals (both domestic and foreign) was 46, 12,937 as compared to 43,18,406 during the same period in 2018. The number of domestic tourists arriving in the state was 41, 90, 468 as against the figures of 38, 77, 712 during the corresponding period in 2018, registering an increase of 8.07 per cent. However, the arrival of foreign tourists suffered a dip of 4.14 per cent. The increase in domestic tourist footfalls, especially in Ernakulam, Alappuzha and Idukki — the districts that suffered the brunt of floods that ravaged large swathes of Kerala in August-September last year — is a pointer that the state’s tourism has recovered completely from January 2019 onwards. In fact, Ernakulam, with an increase of 108,169 domestic tourists, registered the highest growth among the 14 districts of the state. The total number of domestic tourist arrivals in this district was pegged at 9,96,091 during January-March this year as against 8,87,922 in the corresponding period

Kollam, Kottayam, Malappuram, Wayanad and Palakkad were among the other districts that registered an uptick in domestic tourist arrivals. Thrissur and Thiruvananthapuram districts showed negative trends in domestic arrivals, which was possibly due to the downtrend in the arrival of pilgrim-tourists to the temples of Guruvayur and Sree Padmanabhaswamy. As for the foreign tourist arrivals during January-March, the total number stood at 4,22,469 as against the figures of 4,40,694 in the corresponding period of the previous year, registering a decline of 4.14 per cent. Thiruvananthapuram (including Kovalam and Varkala) witnessed the highest downfall with a decrease of 27,760 tourists. The total number of footfalls of foreign visitors in the district was 1,08,787 as against 1,36,547 in the corresponding period of 2018. Ernakulam district registered a downfall of 22,667 tourists, but the districts of Idukki, Alappuzha and Kottayam (Kumarakom) marked a decent growth with an increase of 8,976, 8,541 and 9,593 tourists over the corresponding period of 2018.

The other districts that registered an uptick in foreign tourist arrivals were Kannur, Kasaragod, Kollam, Kozhikode, Pathanamthitta and Thrissur. Tourism Secretary Rani George said the growth in domestic tourist arrivals in the first quarter of 2019 is a strong reflection of the state government’s efforts to repair the damage in double-quick time. “It sent out a message to tourists that things were fast becoming normal in the flood-ravaged Kerala. Our efforts have now handsomely paid off with a steady growth in tourist arrivals, and it has reflected in the first quarter of the current year,” she added. Tourism Director P. Bala Kiran said the appreciable growth in domestic tourist arrivals in the face of one of the worst natural calamities brought to the fore not only the concerted efforts of the government but also the resilience of the people and the entire stakeholders of tourism industry to revive the sector, which is a major pillar of the state’s economy. “This May, we launched the ‘Dream Season’ campaign to woo travellers during the monsoon by combining the magic of rains, wellness tourism, especially Ayurveda treatments, and backwaters. Its impact will be seen in the second quarter of 2019,” he added.

FICCI to organize first edition of 'Travel & Tourism Excellence Awards 2019’ News Desk

he Indian Travel and Tourism sector is one of the key growth drivers for the Indian economy. The sector not only generates one of the highest foreign exchange but is also one of the largest employment generators in the country. In continuation to this, FICCI is organizing its ‘First Edition of Travel and Tourism Excellence Awards 2019’ on August 23, 2019 at The Lalit Hotel, New Delhi. The Awards have been conceptualized with an aim to

10 June 2019

recognize various states, organizations and individuals for their contributions towards the overall growth of the Travel & Tourism industry. This will also encourage Innovation & Entrepreneurship in the space of Travel & Tourism. FICCI Travel and Tourism Excellence Awards 2019 will comprise of 46 award categories (http://www. ficcitraveltourismawards.com). Ernst & Young LLP is the knowledge partner for the awards. The winners will be selected by a panel of jury comprising key stakeholders from the Travel and Tourism sector.

Jury Members: Pronab Sarkar, President, IATO Vinod Zutshi, Ex-Secretary, MoT, GoI Kapil Kaul, CEO, South Asia, CAPA Savi Munjal & Vidit Taneja, Travel Bloggers Mandeep S Soin, Founder, ETSI Capt. Swadesh Kumar, President, ATOAI Sunil Gupta, Former CEO, ITC Welcome Heritage Hotels Dilip Chenoy - Secretary General, FICCI Dr. Bhanwar Lal, Director , Rajasthan Tourism

June 2019 11

NTO

Sri Lanka will once again be the top destination to visit As Sri Lanka returns to normalcy after the tragic events of Easter Sunday, the Sri Lanka Tourism is illustrating what Sri Lankans are best at - moving forward. News Desk

500,000 individuals depend on it. From the fishermen, to the farmer to the tuk tuk driver to the king coconut seller on the roadside, they all benefit from the tourism industry. On the flip side, thousands of people are directly employed in the hospitality sector,” said John Amaratunga, Minister of Tourism, Wildlife and Christian Religious Affairs.

ith authorities strategic operations carried out to contain the situation and the arrest of those responsible Sri Lanka is rapidly returning to normalcy and the industry is readying itself for what was to have been a record mid-season in what would have been a record year of growth for the tourism industry.

“Therefore, many Sri Lankans from various walks of life are stakeholders of the tourism industry. We have seen darker days but have always bounced back, better and stronger. Our resilience as a nation is unrivalled. This is our strength and we will show the world that Sri Lanka will once again be the top destination to visit," he added.

Ensuring security and safety for everyone in Sri Lanka has been the single focus of the government. In the immediate wake of the attack the full force of Sri Lanka's highly experienced Tri forces were deployed across the island and it is confirmed that all the suspects of this small but deadly cell have been identified and apprehended.

In 2019, 34 roadshows have been planned out of which 4 already completed. Sri Lanka Tourism will as custodians of the industry move forward with the other 30 as planned. In addition to the roadshows, Sri Lanka Tourism will lead the destination marketing efforts in 62 travel fairs around the world. It has already successfully positioned Sri Lanka as the world’s premier holiday destination in 38 fairs to date and will continue to do so with renewed vigor at the balance 24 fairs scheduled in the months ahead.

As all Sri Lankans are reassured by the expert skills of our military forces in keeping the island safe from any future threat, so will Sri Lanka Tourism re-inspire confidence in what is Lonely Planet's destination of the year 2019. 'This is a journey governed by focus, clarity, maturity, experience and expertise' asserts Kishu Gomes, Chairman Sri Lanka Tourism. "Tourism is a strategically critical sector in Sri Lanka's ever-expanding economy. It's now the third highest revenue generator for the country and it is estimated that

The country has developed a number of ways in which to help the global tourism community, industry stakeholders and global travellers alike understand that the vast majority of the island was unaffected by the attacks of Easter Sunday. One such initiative was a special program aimed at foreign travel journalists; five

journalists from reputable media houses in Ukraine, Malaysia and Italy visited Kandy, Colombo and the Southern Part of Sri Lanka. Similarly, Sri Lanka Tourism has moved rapidly to ensure that Sri Lanka’s ground situation is readily accessible to those planning their itinerary, as current portals may not always carry specific information that tourists may be looking for, given the surplus of incident-specific news in the last few days. In this regard, apart from the planned portal, Sri Lanka Tourism is currently hosting a number of international travel bloggers in the island with reach in over 15 countries around the globe & a combined following of over 1.5 million. In addition to bloggers coming into the island, Sri Lanka is set to participate at the international blogger conference in Italy in early June. The platform will provide maximum exposure to illustrate the Island's experience and plans, as well as garner support to strengthen the island's travel campaign for the coming months. It is expected that over 400 bloggers predominantly from the UK and other European countries would attend.

Taiwan Tourism Bureau conducts three-city roadshow Trade partners from Delhi, Kolkata and Hyderabad learned about Taiwan’s offering as leisure and MICE destination. News Desk

aiwan Tourism Bureau (TTB) hosted its trade colleagues at a series of well received roadshows held in New Delhi, Kolkata and Hyderabad on May 16th, 20th and 22nd respectively. TTB plans to hold more roadshows in Mumbai, Bengaluru and Chennai in August and October this year.

12 June 2019

During the roadshows TTB’s India representatives Reem Khokhar and Ritushri Dhanker shared with guests what Taiwan has to offer as a destination. Meanwhile, Lion Air, China Airlines and Cathay Pacific shared with guest details on air travel connectivity and itineraries to take in Taiwan. Guest were also given the opportunity to network with TTB officials, including Dr Trust Lin, Mavis Lin and Ruden Dias as well as other partners. The participants at the roadshows witnessed the unveiling of TTB’s new marketing collateral designs, which highlighted the key themes of Taiwan for Business, leisure and

cruises and as a romantic getaway. Certificate of appreciations were awarded to the top performing agencies in Delhi, Kolkata and Hyderabad with the most airline sales to Taiwan. Cox and Kings India was also recognized for its extensive work in promoting Taiwan as a MICE destination. TTB appreciated the trade colleagues in the three cities for their enthusiastic participation in the roadshows. Special thanks extended to TTB’s partners, including Lion DMC and airline partners, China Airlines and Cathay Pacific, for their generous contribution to the event.

NTO

Macao witnesses 12% rise in Indian tourist arrivals in 2019 The destination also welcomed the arrival of nearly 14 million tourists from around the world in the first four months of 2019. News Desk

nown as one of the most fascinating and luxurious destinations in Asia, Macao has recorded a 12% increase in Indian tourist arrivals from January to April 2019 compared to the same period in 2018.The destination also welcomed the arrival of nearly 14 million tourists from around the world in the first four months of 2019. Elaborating more on the growth recorded, Arzan Khambatta, Head, Macao Government Tourism Office said: “The growth in the tourist arrivals can be attributed to a blend of well-thought-out strategic marketing and trade campaigns conducted during last quarter

and this year. Last year, Macao was designated as ‘Creative City of Gastronomy’ by UNESCO, which gave us an opportunity to promote Macanese cuisine.” “We also conducted highly successful consumer engagement event called ‘Experience Macao Festival’ in Mumbai and Delhi. The festival aimed at introducing various attractions and events, cultural and gastronomical aspects of Macao on an experiential level to consumers including showcasing the destination through VR. We plan to continue to explore innovative campaigns and working closely with trade to help continue this momentum of growth in Indian arrivals,” he further informed. To increase tourism receipts in 2019 from India, MGTO will also focus on organizing various activities like influencer campaigns; promotions of festive events such as the Macao Arts Festival, Macao International

Fireworks Display Contest, Macao Food Festival, Macao Grand Prix, Macao Light Festival to name a few. Additionally, MGTO has also announced organizing ‘Art Macao’ this year from June – October which a series of largescale international arts events emphasizing upon Macao’s culturally rich spectrum. This event is aimed to attract art lovers from across the world to Macao. MICE and business travel continue to increase arrivals to Macao as well because of the massive infrastructure to conduct events and exhibitions and large room inventory. Macao is also a visa free destination for Indians which makes it convenient for corporates to conduct events, team building and incentive trips. Macao’s infrastructure and hospitality landscape has seen a lot of development in the last

Arzan Khambatta Head Macao Government Tourism Office

few years. In 2018, MGM Cotai, Morpheus Hotel and The 13 opened its doors to tourists. Early this year, The Londener Macao project has been announced by The Sands group which will be helmed by football star David Beckham. Some of the other projects that are underway include Grand Lisboa Palace, Palazzo Versace Macau and Karl Lagerfeld Hotel. This year is an important year for Macao as it marks the celebration of the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the Macao SAR.

Seychelles conducts trade workshop in Chandigarh This was the third workshop in the year 2019 after Pune and Bengaluru earlier this year. The country plans to conduct similar trainings in tier two cities like Raipur and Nagpur in days to come. News Desk

n an attempt to train potential travel trade partners and equip them with detailed information about various offerings in the country, Seychelles Tourism Board has conducted a workshop in Chandigarh recently. The Board has organized two more workshops in Pune (Feb 19) and Bengaluru (March 19) earlier this year. The country plans

to conduct similar trainings in tier two cities like Raipur and Nagpur in days to come. This exercise enabled Seychelles to meet many potential travel agents in the three cities and lay the groundwork for future sales visits with potential operators. These workshops included a destination presentation, question and answer round followed by networking session that was attended by around 45 – 50 tour operators in each of the three cities. Lubaina Sheerazi, COO, Blue Square Consultants, Seychelles Tourist Office India said: “Conducting workshops and trainings have helped us

to create awareness about Seychelles, build relationships with travel agents in new regions, understand real challenges of travelers from different cities and offer customized solutions. Looking at the great response we received from these cities, we plan to conduct similar trainings in tier two cities like Raipur and Nagpur as well.” “Seychelles has so much to offer beyond its beautiful beaches and has gained immense popularity among Indians in the past couple of years. Our focus has been to widen our outreach beyond the metro cities as we see a lot of potential travelers in tier two cities,” she added.

Lubaina Sheerazi COO, Blue Square Consultants Seychelles Tourist Office India

Visa on arrival, direct flight connectivity along with scenic views, uncrowded beaches, tropical weather throughout the year and many exotic experiences makes Seychelles an ideal destination for Indians.

June 2019 13

NTO

NZ tourism industry increases focus on sustainable growth Sustainability of communities, environment, economy and visitors has been placed firmly at the heart of the New Zealand tourism industry’s updated growth framework, released at TRENZ 2019. News Desk

eleasing it to an audience of international and New Zealand media at TRENZ, New Zealand’s largest annual tourism trade event, Tourism Industry Aotearoa Chief Executive Chris Roberts said Tourism 2025 & Beyond addresses current issues but also looks beyond 2025 to focus on building an industry that continues to make a positive contribution to Aotearoa and New Zealanders in the long term. “This Sustainable Growth Framework keeps our focus as an industry firmly on growing our value to individuals, communities, the environment, the economy and our visitors,” Roberts says. “The key change is that sustainability is now at the centre of Tourism 2025, providing a clear pathway towards a sustainable tourism industry for New Zealand. We have added Visitor, Community

and Environmental goals and pushed our Economic ambition out to $50 billion a year in annual tourism revenue by 2025.” “We have already started on this journey with the release 18 months ago of the New Zealand Tourism Sustainability Commitment, which more than 1000 tourism businesses have now signed up to. Then in November 2018, TIA and six other New Zealand organisations launched Tiaki – Care for New Zealand, an initiative that actively encourages international and domestic travellers to act as guardians of Aotearoa.” “We have identified 10 priority action areas, from a long list of 68 actions for the tourism industry, central and local government to work on over the next three years to keep us on track to reach our Tourism 2025 & Beyond goals.” “We will succeed and maximise the huge benefits of tourism, while avoiding adverse impacts, by working together and having alignment of purpose. I fully anticipate this alignment to be reflected in the Government’s soon to be released Tourism Strategy.” TRENZ brings together about 300 New Zealand tourism operators (sellers) with

targeted international travel and tourism buyers and media from New Zealand’s key established and emerging tourism markets. The event directly helps to grow New Zealand’s $39.1 billion tourism industry. Hosted in Rotorua, TRENZ 2019 was organised at Energy Events Centre, Rotorua, 13-16 May. Tourism Industry Aotearoa (TIA) manages TRENZ on behalf of the Tourism Industry New Zealand Trust. TRENZ is supported by Tourism New Zealand, Air New Zealand, Destination Rotorua, Auckland Airport, Accor Hotels, Millennium Hotels and Resorts, QT/Rydges New Zealand, Sudima Hotels and Resorts, Christchurch International Airport, The Great Journeys of New Zealand, and Tranzit Group.

Abu Dhabi's summer cruise season to feature new itineraries from India Jalesh Cruises' summer itineraries from India to the UAE will involve 16 calls to Abu Dhabi News Desk

he Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi has announced that the upcoming Abu Dhabi cruise season will be bolstered by new itineraries from India's Jalesh Cruises, who are operating the region for the very first time. Jalesh Cruises' ship Karnika will make a total of 16 calls to Abu Dhabi Cruise Terminal over the course of the summer, part of several new three- to six-night itineraries from Mumbai to the UAE. Other ports of call on the itineraries include Sir Bani Yas Island, Dubai and Muscat in Oman. The influx of tourists from these new cruises are projected to increase visitor numbers by

14 June 2019

an impressive 5%, greatly helping towards DCT Abu Dhabi hitting its yearly target of 420,000 cruise visitors. Saeed Al Dhahri, Director of Tourism, Special Interest, DCT Abu Dhabi said, "India is one of our key target markets for tourism, and these new itineraries are set to bring a significant number of travellers from the country to our shores throughout the summer. We look forward to welcoming Jalesh Cruises to our emirate for the first time, and hope that this will be just the start of a long and fruitful partnership." Served by the state-of-the-art Abu Dhabi Cruise Terminal, Abu Dhabi welcomes leading international cruise lines which offer itineraries originating from Abu Dhabi or visiting the destination as a port-of-call. Abu Dhabi also boasts the region's only dedicated cruise stopover beach on Sir Bani

Yas Island, the first of its kind in the Arabian Gulf. Jalesh Cruises is India's first multidestination cruise line, with itineraries designed and customised for the Indian audience as well as foreigners visiting India to experience the flavour of Indian culture, food and hospitality.

NTO

Oman strengthens outreach in India with three-city roadshow News Desk

he Ministry of Tourism, Oman conducted roadshows in Bangalore, Pune and Mumbai on 27th, 29th and 31st May 2019 respectively, to strengthen its outreach among the travel trade fraternity in India. In an effort to retain the growth momentum of Indian arrivals into Oman, the Ministry along with destination management companies, hotels, attraction operators and Oman Air, the national carrier connected with over 200 notable travel & tour companies. Commenting on the roadshow, Lubaina Sheerazi, India Representative, Ministry of Tourism, Oman said, “Tourism is on the rise and inbound arrivals from India has significantly increased in the last few years. India represents a substantial and vast market for Oman, given the high percentage of travellers willing to travel abroad and experience new destinations. “We have been observing a steady year-onyear increase in tourist arrivals to Oman from India and are extremely pleased with the consistent growth. While Mumbai is one of our primary source markets, Bangalore and Pune have shown immense potential as we see a rise in the number of outbound travellers from these cities.

They are constantly on the lookout for unique destinations and Oman fits the bill perfectly,” she added. In 2018, Oman recorded 12.37% growth in Indian tourist arrivals with 357,147 travellers visiting the country vis-à-vis 317,844 in 2017 ranking India as the second highest source market for Oman. Keeping up with this growth trajectory, Oman has already witnessed a 17% increase in the period of January to April 2019 with 130,011 Indian visitors to Oman in comparison to 111,123 during the same period in 2018. Several initiatives have contributed to this growth, such as the introduction of shortterm visa and electronic visa, direct flight connectivity from various cities in India, newly launched 5 Star properties, opening of the new passenger terminal at Muscat International Airport and more. In alignment with the 2040 strategy, the Ministry has taken steps to develop and promote a broader variety of distinctive experiences, with the goal of encouraging extended visits and greater engagement with the country’s culture and natural sites. “The first quarter of 2019 has seen some prominent developments with the inaugural of luxury boutique hotel W Muscat, launch of Middle East’s largest aquarium in the Mall of

Muscat and opening of the House of Musical Arts in the Royal Opera House Muscat,” added Sheerazi. With authentic Arabian experiences coupled with genuine hospitality, scenic beauty, rich culture, historic monuments and a beautiful coastline, Oman is seeing a surge in MICE travel. Being under 3 hours away from India and having excellent air connectivity also makes Oman a preferable wedding destination for Indians. Oman Air, the national carrier is connected via direct flights with major Indian cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai, Lucknow, Kozhikode, Kochi, Goa, Jaipur and Thiruvananthapuram. Besides, Air India, SpiceJet and IndiGo are also well connected to Oman from various cities of India.

MTPA organises Mauritius Tourism Invitational Golf Tournaments The events in all three cities Bangalore, Mumbai & Delhi NCR were well attended by players, corporate, businessmen and senior persons from travel industry and golf enthusiasts.

there were lucky draw winners who walked away with half board couple stay vouchers by The LUX Collective, Heritage Resorts, Beachcomber Hotels and Sun Resorts.

MTPA India hosted the top three winners from each city for the finals in Mauritius at Heritage Golf Club on 31st May. The winner of Mauritius-India Golf Cup 2019 was Arjun Mallik and he was felicitated and awarded at the World Travel Award held in Mauritius on 1st June 2019.

The tournament had prizes in two handicap categories and one for the Best Gross Player. In addition to the nine main prize winners,

While speaking to the media, Vivek Anand, Country Manager, Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority was overwhelmed at the success of the initiative and said, “Mauritius, besides being an ideal round the year destination for the entire family, also boasts ten 18 hole golf courses, each offering a unique golfing experience. He added, “MTPA plans to do more such events to

News Desk o promote Mauritius as a golfing destination, MTPA organised Mauritius Tourism Invitational Golf Tournaments in collaboration with IGTA, MGTA & Air Mauritius in three metro cities of India, Bangalore, Mumbai and Delhi NCR. The events in all three cities were well attended by players, corporate, businessmen, and senior persons from the travel industry and golf enthusiasts.

attract more Indian golfers to the island.” Situated in the warm azure water of the Indian Ocean lies the beautiful tropical island of Mauritius; famous for its vast stretches of pristine white-beaches and pleasant weather all year round which are perfect for a great golf holiday. Today golf is one of the top sports in Mauritius and one of the main attractions for visitors to the island. With perfect golfing weather year-round, superb accommodation and the world-renowned Mauritian hospitality, we firmly believe that Mauritius is all set to rival the world’s best golf destinations.

June 2019 15

TECHNOLOGY

What makes Travelport Smartpoint 8.2.1 a smart choice for travel agencies? News Desk

lobal Distribution System (GDS) is a travel agency’s foremost choice for booking airline tickets and ancillaries. In fact, GDS can be attributed for the growth of travel industry and internet-based travel services in the present scenario. The systems provide aggregate rate and availability data to OTAs and travel agents. Travel agencies are the basic ingredients of tourism industry, therefore, it is said that tourism revolves around travel agencies and tour operators. Travellers, today, have plethora of options for transportation, accommodation and other travel related services. In such a scenario, they depend on travel agencies to guide them correctly; in turn travel agencies depend on a robust system that keeps them up-to-date and gives them access to a wide range of bookable travel content. For Travel agencies, it is imperative to have access to a large amount of data in order to meet the demands of travellers. And, Travelport Smartpoint is the rightmost travel technology that aggregates content from thousands of sources and provide information to you in a user-friendly way.

Packed with brand new and excellent features, Travelport Smartpoint 8.2.1 helps you to adapt in the new age of technology and be a step ahead in the travel market. Some of the salient features of updated version are: Improved Smartscreen for increased flexibility, which means you can keep the cursor anywhere on the screen for start of the message, users are not limited to position cursor in the white box. Similar to host view, there is no need to switch Enhanced branded fares that promotes upselling more easily. Now fare families can be sorted by brand tier to promote up-selling and the brand details are now available from the ticket record and stored fare displays Improved fare results as users can select up to 5 carriers on the Air Availability and Flight Shop Search forms Improved hotel results as you can select up to 8 multi-level rate codes on the Hotel Availability Search form More relevant results with a new end-toend pricing modifier for branded fares

mandatory CVV code for UA paid seats With new Special Service Request (SSR) codes, rest assured for improved efficiency.Travel agents can select DPNA from SSR drop-down menu on Travelport Smartpoint and tab to input additional details manually. These codes are used in the airline industry to assist people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Travelport has even launched a global campaign to raise awareness and use of SSR codes among travel agents. Besides these, Travelport Smartpoint 8.2.1 is bundled with a host of smart features such as customizable workspaces, improved PNR history, color-coded interactive smartscreens that will make your selling experience faster and easier than ever before!

Save time with the removal of the

Iconic Jodi Motu Patlu’s figure at Madame Tussauds Delhi News Desk

adame Tussauds unveiled the wax figures of Motu Patlu, India’s most loved cartoon characters, at the Delhi attraction. The first cartoon characters from India to feature in Madame Tussauds were unveiled on June 4th, 2019, at the attraction located in the iconic Regal building in Connaught Place. Motu Patlu join a long list of stars from sports, entertainment and other iconic personalities already present at the Madame Tussauds Delhi. The event also marked the launch of a new Motu Patlu comic book series by Lotpot Group, which had created these amazing characters. The comic characters are noted for getting into hilarious situations from

16 June 2019

which they manage to extricate themselves only through luck. Known for his love for samosas, Motu brings the laughter element in the stories. Felicitated with various awards such as the ‘Best Animated Character at BAF Awards’, Best Animated Character for three consecutive years at the Kids’ Choice awards and the Best Animated Characters at the Delhi CG awards; the iconic characters also have a successful series on television and are loved by children across the nation. Anshul Jain, General Manager, and Director, Merlin Entertainments India Pvt. Ltd. said, “Our endeavour has always been to give a complete and memorable experience to all our visitors. Motu Patlu are the most loved cartoon characters in India at the moment. Their presence at Madame

Tussauds along with the other celebrity figures will further enrich the experience of Visiting families to the attraction. P.K Bajaj, Editor and Founder, Lotpot Group, said: “It is a great moment for us, as our most popular creation is being recognised in an internationally acclaimed attraction. We are elated and look forward to kids’ reaction while meeting their favourite stars. We are happy to launch a new Motu Patlu comic book today for children.”

June 2019 17

VIEWPOINT

Tourism Under Modi Govt 2.0 Like 2014, the second term of Prime Minister Narendra Modi comes with a huge expectation from travel and hospitality sector. Read about the industry concerns that Modi Government 2.0 should look at for the unprecedented growth of this sector.

Rajesh Tiwari

n the 2019 General Election, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) has scored a victory bigger than in 2014.The Party has crossed 300 mark and emerged as the single largest party with strong majority to form the Government at the Center. Like 2014, the second term of Prime Minister Narendra Modi comes with a huge expectation from travel and hospitality sector. Five years ago when NaMo led BJP came in power with ‘Tourism’ as one of the important components of its agenda, the stakeholders of this industry got very excited and offered humungous support to the party. There has been a strong expectation that this industry will achieve unprecedented growth as ‘Tourism’ was the priority for a government at the centre. Also, looking

18 June 2019

at the achievements of tourism in Gujarat under his leadership, the stakeholders were very optimistic to have a Prime Minister who understands the importance of the tourism and hospitality sector. Well, after having an eventful tenure, same trend continues in 2019 as well. However, there are a lot of industry concerns – be it high taxation on hotels & tourism products, safety & security of travellers, fresh marketing ideas, good understanding between various state departments and officials of the Ministry of Tourism etc. should be addressed by Modi Government 2.0 for unprecedented growth of the tourism and hospitality sector. “We do believe that there are certain dysfunction at the departmental level and bureaucratic red-tape and delays that inevitably slows down the pace of

development and growth. This needs to change. Deadlines and targets have never been a concern to us. That needs to change. I am sure that the government is already working in this direction and we will see better days ahead,” says S N Srivastava, Founder & President, Clarks Inn Group of Hotels. “I see the 28% GST on hotels as an absolute disaster for the industry and am very disappointed that while the Finance Ministry has reviewed GST slabs for all sectors, this one has been left out till now. It is unheard of globally to have such a high tax bracket,” says Himmat Anand, Founder, Tree of Life. Speaking on the same lines, Pronab Sarkar, President, Indian Association of Tour Operators says that GST on tourism products in India is the highest in the world and all tourists find India as an expensive destination. Also, fee for E-Visa have been increased, whereas our neighbouring countries offering free visa for tourism. “Visa fee should be removed during summer months (April to September), and reduce normal fee at par with our neighbouring countries to attract more foreign tourist to India,” suggests IATO President. Industry feels that the arrival figures into the country have grown, but the real revenue generating arrivals in the organised tourism segment have not shown any significant movement. It showing the growth

in low yield markets that do not benefit the country and are hurting travel companies significantly. “It is time to start from the beginning and create a whole new game plan for Indian tourism. The government needs to be bold and speak to the industry at large, not to a few association heads who do not hold the trust of their own stakeholders. It’s time to think out of the box. To be bold and to act differently, says, Rajeev Kohli, Jt. Managing Director, Creative Travel. “Government should understand the nuances of the Tourism Industry and support it fully. Policies should be tourism friendly, taxation should be supportive of tourism. A deliberate effort has to be taken to project India as an appealing destination. Government should be constantly in touch with the private sector tourism industry to know the pulse. Also let us project to the world that India is a youthful country that offers vibrant attractions to all,” says E M Najeeb, Sr Vice President, IATO.

President of Association of Domestic Tour Operators of India, PP Khanna says, “Government keeps applying balms for the tourism industry but not taking concrete steps to boost tourism in the country. Simply showcasing India’s tourism potential without providing comforts to tourists visiting destinations will not bring more tourists to the country as they opt to travel to other countries to spend their holiday which are cost effective and value for money destination.” “Centre Government should work with State Government as facilitator in implementing various schemes related to tourism to provide the required infrastructure i. e. good roads, clean and hygiene tourist places, safety and security to the visiting tourists etc.,” he added. Despite all this there are many impediments that have stood in the way of tourism development. The country has somehow lost the image of a peaceful destination due to incidents of violence, atrocities over women

and communal tensions, which the global markets have been watching over. More than harmony there are tensions prevailing at critical areas. And probably this is the great concern for the stakeholders of this industry which should be addressed properly by Modi Government 2.0.

KEY POINTS HIGH GST RATES ON HOSPITALITY & TOURISM PRODUCTS NEED FREASH MARKETING IDEAS, TAP NEW EMERGING MARKETS TWO POINT AGENDA FOR TOURISM AND HOSPITALITY SECTOR (YEARLY) WOMEN SAFETY/COMMUNAL ISSUE/ POLLUTION NEED TO COUNTER ADVISORIES AGAINST TRAVEL TO INDIA, ADVERSE PUBLICITY BY FOREIGN MEDIA HIKE IN E-VISA FEE

June 2019 19

VIEWPOINT

. How do you analysis the overall growth of tourism including hospitality sector in last five years?

Ans: This is a broad canvas. On the inbound front, we have been more or less static, despite claims of 10% year on year growth of the Government. I do believe that we still continue to be short of our full potential in this segment and still have a long way to go. What driving tourism in the country is our domestic market and the weddings segment. They are the star performers. As far as hospitality goes, I think the interest in India continues to be high. All major international brands established their presence in India in the last five years as they take a long term perspective on a destination. Even our home grown brands showed optimism, much as ARRs were at more or less the same levels. OYO was a trend setter and defied all logic, coming out as a game changer.

Q. What were the major events, have positive/negative impact on tourism and hospitality business? Ans: The last huge spark was some 15 years ago with the Incredible India campaign, followed by introduction of the e-visas a few years ago. Other than that, nothing much has happened. I see the 28% GST on hotels as an absolute disaster for the industry and am very disappointed that while the Finance Ministry has reviewed GST slabs for all sectors, this one has been left out till now.

It is unheard of globally to have such a high tax bracket.

Q. With the current trends how do you look at the future of tourism industry/professionals? Ans: We have lived in hope for three decades and will continue to do so for the future too. I believe there are opportunities for us to tap in tourism and we must get our focus right. What I have been advocating for years is that India is too large to want to do everything. We must have a Two Point Agenda every year and work only on achieving those. The States must also get more proactive in pushing Tourism as a priority – this is happening in limited areas.

Q. Any suggestion, you believe the government should look at? Ans: Much as the intentions are there, I do not think that Tourism will ever be a priority for any Government – they have too many other issues of greater importance and we in the industry must learn to live with this fact. Yes, we generate huge direct and indirect employment, we generate foreign exchange – but we are still no where as an industry. More than the Government doing anything for us, I think our associations should get more proactive and push for their rightful status in industry – we seem to lack that connect with the Government, which other industries have.

DEMONETISATION

E-VISA

n 8 November 2016, the Government of India announced the demonetisation of all Rs. 500 and Rs. 1,000 banknotes of the Mahatma Gandhi series. It also announced the issuance of new Rs. 500 and Rs. 2,000 banknotes in exchange for the demonetised banknotes. The government claimed that the action was to curtail the shadow economy and reduce the use of illicit and counterfeit cash to fund illegal activity and terrorism. The announcement of demonetisation was followed by prolonged cash shortages in the weeks that followed, which created significant disruption throughout the economy. People seeking to exchange their banknotes had to stand in lengthy queues, and several deaths were linked to the rush to exchange cash.

20 June 2019

Himmat Anand Founder Tree of Life Resorts

DONE MAJOR INTERNATIONAL BRANDS ARE ESTABLISHING PRESENCE IN INDIA LAUNCH OF E-VISA NOT DONE HIGH TAXES ON HOTELS TWO POINT AGENDA (YEARLY) TRAVEL & TOURISM ASSOCIATIONS NEED TO BE MORE PROACTIVE

Key Initiative

he Government of India introduced online e-Tourist Visa for 43 countries on November 27, 2014. Under the liberalization and simplification of Visa regime in India, e-Visa scheme for Tourist, Business and Medical purposes was implemented on April 01, 2014. As per the industry stakeholders, the launch of e-Tourist Visa was the biggest achievement for which the industry had been fighting for more than 20 years. At present the e-visa is available to more than 166 countries, and more than one million people had taken advantage of this facility.

VIEWPOINT

. How do you analysis the overall growth of tourism including hospitality sector in last five years?

Ans. Tourism was never a government priority in the past. But that has changed. The industry never had the support of political backing, and that is changing too. However, the government needs more time for its various initiatives to result in clear and visible growth. Domestic tourism has continued to grow, corporate and business travel are at an all-time high, inbound probably is not in that zone with many key tourism source markets showing small gains but that has been offset by the emergence of Bangladesh as India’s top tourism source market in the last five years. But what we also envisage is that with the slew of initiatives that have been undertaken by the government over the last five years, we expect that more source markets will emerge on the inbound front and the domestic sector will continue to show stellar growth as well. The infra push, GST roll-out, improving bureaucratic efficiency, among others, are all able to create the much needed environment conducive for the growth of tourism and hospitality sector.

Q. What were the major events, have positive/negative impact on tourism and hospitality business? Ans. The launch of GST has vastly simplified taxation and made life easier for hotel chain like us. Earlier we were paying taxes like luxury tax, service tax, excise and others that have all been combined into one GST. Banqueting attracted a staggering 28 per cent in taxation which is now down to 18 per cent. Besides taxes on room tariffs have also been rationalized for the market space that we operate in. Going forward we expect the taxation to be further simplified and rationalized. I think not only the government has been pro-active on every front, but has also delivered on its commitment and have acted with good intention. Look at any of the railway station and the kind the mess

Key Initiative

they were in. Today that has vastly changed and railway stations all over the country, including those in the hinterland and far off places, are cleaner, vibrant and happening places. Safety and security and cleanliness have been the two biggest issues that have deterred the growth of tourism in India and both of these are being addressed like never before. The Swachch Bharat Abhiyan has redefined cleanliness and it has become part of grater public consciousness. Public conveniences are more visible on the highways and everywhere than before and common people are also more responsible. All these small little things are joining forces in facilitating the groundwork needed to be done to promote tourism.

Q. With the current trends how do you look at the future of tourism industry/professionals? Ans. As mentioned earlier, the government has taken a number of initiatives over the last five years that will have tremendous impact on tourism and hospitality business in the coming years. Development of road infrastructure, increased connectivity, high speed trains, GST roll-out, greater ease in doing business, increased transparency, reduced paper-work and unnecessary bureaucratic processes, the cleanliness campaign and greater confidence in safety and security, will only strengthen tourism growth and investment in the sector. I am hopeful of the dawn of a new era for India tourism.

Q. Any suggestion, you believe the government should look at? Ans. We do believe that there are certain dysfunctions at the departmental level and bureaucratic red-tape and delays that inevitably slows down the pace of development and growth. This needs to change. Deadlines and targets have never been a concern to us. That needs to change. I am sure that the government is already working in this direction and we will see better days ahead.

SN Srivastava Co-founder & President Clarks Inn Group of Hotels

DONE GST (BIGGEST TAX REFORM) SAFETY, SECURITY AND CLEANLINESS NOT DONE BUREAUCRATIC RED-TAPE AND DELAYS DEADLINES AND TARGETS EMPLOYMENT CREATION And last but not the least, tourism is an industry that is essentially guided by the private sector. However the industry desperately needs to be believed in for its socio-economic potential and employment creation. For some reason, the industry has not earned that faith despite sufficient and credible studies and examples from all across the globe. And therefore, for once, it needs to be driven by ‘political will.’ And if that happens, it will be the game changer.

GST

he Goods and Service Tax popularly known as GST – a much awaited and biggest tax reform in India was introduced on July 01, 2017. There was a lot of excitement among the industry stakeholders for ‘One Nation One Tax’ with a little uncertainty about the business scenario in coming months. The fitments of rates of goods were discussed during the 14th GST Council meeting and broadly approved the GST rates for goods at Nil, 5%, 12%, 18% and 28%. The Council has also broadly approved the rates of GST Compensation Cess to be levied on certain goods.

June 2019 21

VIEWPOINT

. How do you analysis the growth of tourism in last five years?

Ans: With the vision of the Hon’ble Prime Minister having Tourism and one of the T for growth, the inbound tourism to India has grown at an average of 10% compared to the global average of around 4%. The Domestic Tourism in India has also seen a rapid progress. Total contribution by travel and tourism sector to India’s GDP is expected to increase from Rs 15.24 trillion (US$ 234.03 billion) in 2017 to Rs 32.05 trillion (US$ 492.21 billion) in 2028. India was ranked 7th among 184 countries in terms of travel & tourism’s total contribution to GDP in 2017. Travel and tourism is the third largest foreign exchange earner for India. During 2018, FEEs from tourism increased 4.70 per cent year-on-year to US$ 28.59 billion. Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) increased 5.20 per cent year-on-year to 10.56 million in the same period. Foreign tourist arrivals for medical purpose increased from 427,014 in 2016 to 495,056 in 2017(P). During 2018, arrivals through e-tourist visa increased 39.60 per cent yearon-year to 2.37 million. During January 2019, arrivals through e-tourist visa increased by 21.10 per cent year-on-year to 0.29 million. As of 2017-18, 81.1 million people are employed in the tourism sector in India which was 12.38 per cent of total employment in the country. The Government of India has set a target of 20 million foreign tourist arrivals (FTAs) by 2022 and double the foreign exchange earnings as well.

Q. What were the major events have positive/negative impact on tourism? Ans: The launch of several branding and marketing initiatives by the Government of India such as ‘Incredible India!’ and ‘Athiti Devo Bhava’ has provided a focused impetus to growth. The Indian government has also released a fresh category of visa - the medical visa or M visa, to encourage medical tourism in the country. Incredible India 2.0 campaign was launched in September 2017. In September 2018, the Indian government launched the ‘Incredible India Mobile App’ to assist the traveller to India and showcase major experiences for travelling. The Government of India is working to achieve one per cent share in world's international tourist arrivals by 2020 and two per cent share by 2025. In October 2018, Statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, also known as ‘Statue of Unity’, was inaugurated as a tourist attraction. It is the tallest statue in the

22 June 2019

World standing at a height of 182 metre. It is expected to boost the tourism sector in the country and put India on the world tourism map. In February 2019, the visiting hours has been increased by two more hours and has been equipped with e-bike tours. The Government has also been making serious efforts to boost investments in tourism sector. In the hotel and tourism sector, 100 per cent FDI is allowed through the automatic route. A five-year tax holiday has been offered for 2, 3 and 4 star category hotels located around UNESCO World Heritage sites (except Delhi and Mumbai). Total FDI received by Indian hotel & tourism sector was US$ 12 billion between April 2000 and December 2018. India is a large market for travel and tourism. It offers a diverse portfolio of niche tourism products - cruises, adventure, medical, wellness, sports, MICE, eco-tourism, film, rural and religious tourism. Only two negative impact we see, firstly – GST on Tourism products in India is the highest in the world and all tourists find India as an expensive destination. Secondly – Visa fee for E-visa on foreign tourist have been increased as against our neighbouring countries offering free visa for tourism.

Q. With the current trends how do you look at the future of tourism industry/professionals? Ans: Tourism has changed from being a service industry offering a flight, a room and food. Travel is now more about rejuvenation, adventure, fulfilment, experiential tourism in nature, culinary and rural tourism, learning new skills and ‘being more of who you are’ than just ticking off places and things and flopping in the sun. This represents a big challenge for legacy tour operators offering flight and hotel packages and all-inclusive resorts. The family who was satisfied with this 10 years ago now wants to go mountain biking, Cuisine Tours and seeking an evening life of entertainment.

Pronab Sarkar President IATO

DONE AVERAGE GROWTH OF 10 PERCENT AS COMPARE TO 4 PERCENT OF GLOBAL TOURISM GROWTH RELEASE OF FRESH CATEGORY OF VISA - M VISA (THE MEDICAL VISA) LAUNCH OF 2.0 MEDIA CAMPAIGN AND INCREDIBLE INDIA MOBILE APP NOT DONE HIGH TAXATION (GST RATES) HIKE IN E-VISA FEE DESTINATION MARKETING IN EMERGING MARKETS ADVERSE PUBLICITY, ESPECIALLY BY FOREIGN MEDIA

Online travel companies and internet booking facilities have created a challenge to the regular tour operators for survival and trying their best to survive in competition.

VISA fee should be removed during summer months April to September, and reduce normal fee at par with our neighbouring countries.

Q. Any suggestion, you believe the government should look at?

GST should be brought down at par with neighbouring countries.

Ans: My suggestions are listed as below:

Media to be more responsible and restrain about negative publicity.

Investment in Tourism Infrastructure

Destination marketing in new emerging markets to create awareness.

Connectivity air and rail. Facilitations to Tourists E visa with more number of counters as each airports.

VIEWPOINT

. How do you analysis the growth of tourism in last five years?

Ans: The arrival figures into the country have grown. How? First, the government changed its measurement and calculation methodology mid-stream which bumped up numbers significantly. Second, certain segments have grown. But, the real revenue generating arrivals in the organised tourism segment have not shown any significant movement. We are showing growth in low yield markets that do not benefit the country and are hurting travel companies significantly. But its easy to state numbers and statistics. But it takes a lot more courage to analyse what the absolute numbers hide. If you look at the trends for the past few years, its very alarming. We are losing share in high value markets and nothing is being done about that.

Q. What were the major events have positive/negative impact on tourism? Ans: We are unsafe for women. We are at war with Pakistan. We have communal problems, we have extreme pollution levels. Our airlines are going bankrupt. Our taxation is inconsistent. The list goes on and on. We as Indian stakeholder scan scream and shout what the reality is, but perception is always stronger. That is the fundamental of communication. We as a country have done nothing to negate the negative publicity we have received

globally, have done nothing to put forth positive stories. We have no fresh marketing positioning of ideas. We are very boring and high risk in the eyes of the travel world. And our competition is working extra hard to capture numbers. So it is but natural for us to falter.

Q. With the current trends how do you look at the future of tourism industry/professionals? Ans: We will continue to chug along like we have for the past many years. We will get people to visit us, but numbers will not excite us. We as the private sector will continue to struggle to survey and be happy with the small bones the government throws at us. We will live a sad boring life. That is the fate of tourism in India.

Q. Any suggestion, you believe the government should look at? Ans: I have said this before and will say it again. It is time to start from the beginning and create a whole new game plan for Indian tourism. The government needs to be bold and speak to the industry at large, not to a few association heads who do not hold the trust of their own stakeholders. Its time to think out of the box. To be bold. To act different. I don’t expect this top happen though. Too many people too vested in status quo. Alas.

NOT DONE ORGANISED TOURISM SECTORS DO NOT SHOW ANY SIGNIFICANT MOVEMENT LOOSING SHARES IN HIGH VALUE MARKETS NEGATIVE PUBLICITY WOMEN SAFETY/COMMUNAL ISSUE/ POLLUTION ETC. LACK OF FRESH MARKETING IDEAS

Key Initiative

SWADESH DARSHAN wadesh Darshan scheme was launched by the Ministry of Tourism for the development of theme based tourist circuits to cater to both mass and niche tourism. The aim of this scheme was to develop world class infrastructure to promote cultural and heritage value of the country and enhance the tourist attractiveness. 77 projects for Rs. 6164.62.

Rajeev Kohli Jt Managing Director Creative Travel

crore have been sanctioned since its launch in January 2015. Year

Total Project

Total Amount Sanctioned (INR Crores)

2014-15

69.82

2015-16

1520.92

2016-17

3114.86

2017-18

824.8

2018-19

633.51

India’s rich cultural, historical, religious and natural heritage provides a huge potential for development of tourism and job creation in the country. There is a great scope and need to develop tourist circuits on specific themes to attract the tourists having special interest in visiting such places. This can be achieved only through an integrated

approach by providing engaging experiences for distinct categories of tourists i.e. Domestic and International. Various themes which are unique and specific to the area can include beaches, culture, heritage, wildlife etc. Such theme based tourist circuits should be developed in a manner that supports communities, provides employment and fosters social integration without comprising upon the environmental concerns and provides unique experiences to the tourists. In due recognition to this the Government of India, Ministry of Tourism (MoT) launched the Swadesh Darshan Scheme (Central Sector Scheme)– for integrated development of theme based tourist circuits in the country in 2014-15.

June 2019 23

VIEWPOINT

. How do you analysis the growth of tourism in last five years?

Ans: Tourism in India, of course has been growing. It has a tremendous potential to develop in a multi-fold manner. All had been happy that the Government was aiming at reviving ‘Brand India’, riding on the strengths of the 5 T’s, of which Tourism was one. The Government was taking initiatives to focus on Tourism development in different ways. A dynamic Tourism Minister with independent charge was appointed who was very earnestly executing development projects and interacting with the tourism industry. Foreign tourist arrivals during 2018 was over 10.5 million. About 20,61,511 tourists arrived on e-Tourist Visa registering a growth of 41.5% over the previous year. Foreign Exchange Earnings registered a growth of 11.9% over the previous year. During 2017 the domestic tourist visits were 1652.5 million showing a growth of 2.3%. Attention was given to development of Tourism Infrastructure to provide better tourism experience to the tourists. Theme based circuits were being developed under the ‘Swadesh Darshan Scheme’ spanning the entire country. 9 projects under the Swadesh Darshan Scheme were inaugurated in 2018, in the states of Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Nagaland, Chhattisgarh, and Madhya Pradesh. Integrated development of pilgrimage destinations were undertaken under the ‘National Mission on Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual, Heritage Augmentation Drive’ (PRASHAD) scheme. Ministry of Tourism released Global Media Campaigns in overseas markets covering leading, as well as potential source markets for Indian tourists. Government also initiated cleanliness drive at tourism sites across the country, with active participation from local community, and stakeholders under the name ‘Swachhtha Hi Sewa’. Despite all this efforts we are yet to see the tourist arrival figures increasing as we wanted. There are many impediments that have stood in the way of tourism development. We have somehow lost the image of a peaceful destination due to incidents of violence, atrocities over women and communal tensions, which the global markets have been watching over. More than harmony there are tensions prevailing at critical areas. The unexpected demonetization was a severe blow on the economy and tourism also got affected. Introduction of higher GST

24 June 2019

rates for luxury hotel rooms outpriced India compared to the neighbouring destinations. A few Domestic airlines have been weakened and grounded. Domestic tourism has also has not taken off, as expected, possibly due to poor cash flow. Looking at things critically and impartially, I don’t see a satisfactory growth in tourism during the recent past.

Q. What were the major events have positive/negative impact on tourism? Ans: I would say that the new developmental schemes like ‘Swadesh Darshan Scheme’, etc were more oriented on the domestic tourism development. Strategic measures and support towards attracting foreign tourist arrivals have been minimal. No efforts were found taken to project an appealing image of India, to the various tourism generating markets. International media have been carrying negative reports on India because of various negative incidents taking place in the country. At the same time, the industry within the country was disrupted by the enactment of demonetisation and GST. We have seen at different times some countries issuing advisories to their nationals to avoid India for visits. No measures were taken to clarify against such advisories. I have not seen any planned and organized visits of Travel Writer’s or Familiarization Tours of Tour Operators etc.

Q. With the current trends how do you look at the future of tourism industry/professionals? Ans: Indian Tourism has tremendous potential. We have to target the tourism inflow as 1.0 to 1.5% of the global tourist arrivals. It is expected that the international arrivals to India would reach 30.5 million by 2028. Medical Tourism is expected to touch USD 9 billion by 2020. India’s niche tourism products like Cruises, MICE, Sports & Games events, Medical & Wellness Tourism, Religious Tours, etc can play vital roles in the development. The selected 13 thematic circuits in the country under the Swadesh Darshan Scheme will also contribute to the growth. The policies should be supportive to the Tourism industry, and the good favourable time for Tourism should return for a brighter future.

Q. Any suggestion, you believe the government should look at? Ans: Government should understand the nuances of the Tourism Industry and support it fully. Policies should be tourism friendly, taxation should be supportive of tourism. A deliberate effort has to be taken

E M Najeeb Sr Vice President IATO

DONE DEVELOPMENT OF TOURISM INFRASTRUCTURE UNDER SWADESH DARSHAN SCHEME GLOBAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN (GREAT FOCUS ON DIGITAL & SOCIAL MEDIA) NOT DONE LOOSING THE IMAGE OF PEACEFUL DESTINATION HIGH TAXATION DEMONETISATION NOT COUNTERING ADVISORIES AGAINST TRAVEL TO INDIA to project India as an appealing destination. Instead of turning inwards within, and using even local languages for schemes and projects, let us communicate to the world in a language which they understand. Bring in Tourism Writers to experience things here so that they will return and project us. Embark on a PR campaign to develop the goodwill for India as part of the promotional campaigns. Continue strongly with promotion of Cruise Tourism and Coastal Tourism. Develop infrastructure for larger tourist arrivals like MICE Tourism, Sports & Games events, etc at different locations in India. Government should be constantly in touch with the private sector tourism industry to know the pulse. Also let us project to the world that India is a youthful country that offers vibrant attractions to all.

VIEWPOINT

. How do you analysis the growth of tourism in last five years?

Ans: Last five years were very good for the Tourism industry because of the positive attitude of the present government. (a) The biggest achievement was E-Visa for which we had been fighting for more than 20 years. Now E-visa is available to more than 166 countries and more than one million people had taken advantage of this facility. (b) We are also grateful to the government for having considered double entry visas, E-Visas, E-medical visas and also for considering E-visas at major sea ports to encourage Cruise Tourism. (c) During this term, the Inbound Tourism has crossed 10 million mark, which is a very important milestone for the growth of Tourism in the country. (d) This government that has put a very ambitious target of increasing tourism by more than 100% in three years i.e. from 10 million to 20 million. There are lots of challenges in achieving this and I hope that if the industry and the government works together, this target is also achievable. (e) As a first step in the achievement of our target FAITH (Federation of Associations in Indian Tourism & Hospitality) formed by the 10 associations: TAAI, TAFI, IATO, ADTOI, FHRAI, HAI, ATOAI, ICPB, IHHA & ITTA jointly with the Ministry of Tourism organized the ‘India Tourism Mart’ and I was very fortunate to be elected as the Hony. Secretary of FAITH and by virtue of that was also elected as Chairman of the Organizing Committee of India Tourism Mart. The Mart was a grand success, from more than 66 countries & about 244 delegates attended.

Q. What were the major events have positive/negative impact on tourism?

Ans: The major event which is going to negatively impact the growth of Tourism in India is the grounding of Jet Airways, which has made both Domestic & International fares to sky rocket. This decline in the air capacity is definitely going to have a very adverse negative effect on the growth of Tourism Industry. The shortage of pilots and grounding of 737 Max has also resulted in the shortage of air seats in the country making it difficult and many a times impossible to work out various itineraries.

Q. With the current trends how do you look at the future of tourism industry/professionals? Ans: The industry has been surviving a lot of challenges. The biggest is that because of high Taxation, India has outpriced itself from the neighbouring destinations like Thailand, Malaysia, Sri Lanka and Dubai.

Q. Any suggestion, you believe the government should look at? Ans: My recommendation is that Tourism should not be taxed by more than 5% including GST. This will make India an affordable destination. The second biggest challenge is to change the perception of law & order because of adverse publicity. My recommendation here is that India should appoint a PR Agency in all the Tourism producing source market like China, Japan, USA, UK, France, Germany, Spain and South America. The third biggest challenge is Cleanliness in our cities and tourist destinations. In spite of the Swatch Bharat Abhiyan, we have a long way to go in keeping our cities and destinations clean.

Subhash Goyal Chairman - STIC Travel Group and Hony. Secretary- (FAITH)

DONE E- VISA CROSSING 10 MILLION MARK AMBITIOUS TARGET OF 20 MILLION TOURIST NOT DONE HIGH TAXATION LAW & ORDER (ADVERSE PUBLICITY BY FOREIGN MEDIA) CLEANLINES My recommendation is hygiene and public health should be made a compulsory subject in all primary and secondary schools of India and all school children should be asked to plant at least one tree each every weekend.

Key Initiative INDIA TOURISM MART 2018

he first edition of the India Tourism Mart 2018 was organized by the Federation of Associations in Indian Tourism and Hospitality (FAITH) with the support of the Ministry of Tourism and State Governments/Union Territory Administrations from 16th to 18th September, 2018 at Hotel Ashok, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi. India Tourism Mart provided a platform to different tourism stakeholders for interacting and conducting business with foreign buyers.

June 2019 25

VIEWPOINT

. How do you analysis the overall growth of tourism including hospitality sector in last five years?

has not taken seriously recommendations – especially reducing taxes, made by industry for inclusion in the Union Budget.

Ans: The period we witnessed had a mixed growth in the sense that Domestic tourism kept growing year after year like in the past. However, some measures announced by the Government had side effect on the growth of tourism on account of demonetization and introduction of GST. Higher tax rate for hospitality sector had adverse effect on the growth of hospitality sector.

Q. With the current trends how do you look at the future of tourism industry/professionals?

Since the Government had taken some measures to reduce tax rates on certain items including hospitality sector, we look forward to more such initiatives from the Government for tourism and hospitality to grow progressively.

Q. What were the major events, have positive/negative impact on tourism and hospitality business? Ans: Initiatives such as E-Visas has given boost to inbound tourism. However, as stated above Demonetization and GST had negative impact on tourism. Government

Ans: Government keeps applying balms for the tourism industry but not taking concrete steps to boost tourism in the country. Simply showcasing India’s tourism potential without providing comforts to tourists visiting destinations will not bring more tourists to the country as they opt to travel to other countries to spend their holiday which are cost effective and value for money destination.

Q. Any suggestion, you believe the government should look at? Ans: Centre Government should work with State Government as facilitator in implementing various schemes related to tourism to provide the required infrastructure i. e. good roads, clean and hygiene tourist places, safety and security to the visiting tourists etc.

PP Khanna President ADTOI

NOT DONE DEMONETISATION HIGH RATES OF GST ON HOTELS AND TOURISM PRODUCTS

Key Initiative INCREDIBLE INDIA WEBSITE

ONLINE LEARNING INCREDIBLE INDIA MOBILE APP MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

inistry of Tourism launched the new Incredible India website on 14th June 2018. The website showcases India as a holistic destination, revolving around major experiences, such as, spirituality, heritage, adventure, culture, yoga, wellness and more. The website follows the trends and technologies of international standards with an aim to project India as a “must-visit” destination. The website has many useful features to make it more interactive and to provide a deeper engagement to the travellers visiting the website.

26 June 2019

inistry of Tourism launched an Online Learning Management System for creating skilled manpower to work as tourist facilitators. The initiative will enable the youth living in remotest part of the country to skill themselves and facilitate tourists on Pan India basis. The Online Learning Programme will also lead to creation of jobs and providing facilitators to tourists at reasonable cost. Incredible India Tourist Facilitator Certification currently has 3800+ enrolment across country.

inistry of Tourism launched Incredible India Mobile App on 27th September, 2018. The Incredible India Mobile App showcases India as a holistic destination, revolving around major experiences, such as spirituality, heritage, adventure, culture, yoga, wellness and more. The mobile app has been designed keeping in mind the preferences of the modern traveler and follows the trends and technologies of international standards. The app has been equipped with features to assist the traveller in each phase of their journey to India.

June 2019 27

GM SPEAK

Rohit Bajpai Patience is a virtue – in service industry patience is the key, for anything that needs to be done effectively and efficiently; we all need to be patient, says Rohit Bajpai, General Manager, Courtyard by Marriott Siliguri. Jai Kishan Kaparwan Q. Give us a short background of your journey in this industry? A. I was an alumnus of IHM Mumbai, being true to my name ‘Rohit’, I have a reservoir of inspired wisdom combined with inherited analytical ability which is thoroughly rewarding through expressions of spiritual leadership, business analysis, innovative marketing, artistic visions and scientific research based solutions. I bring two decades of experience in hotel management and operations. I am competent and result-driven hotelier carrying over 20 years of functional managerial experience with a strong F&B backed career. Through outgoing leadership, innovative staff management, honest handling in the development of friendly and respectful relationships, effective sales force administration, sales closing with vivid customer types, negotiation skills with a lot of initiative were used to solve problems efficiently and achieve the goals set at ITC Hotels in Mumbai, Bangalore & Hyderabad respectively; Shangri-La in New Delhi and Hilton and Radisson hotels in Goa and New Delhi. My roles included pre-opening and brand conversion of hotels, opening of 3 hotels in a variety of roles. Pre-Opening General Manager, Pre-Opening Hotel Manager & Pre- Opening Restaurant Manager. Q. What are some important lessons that you learnt from your experience? A. Patience is a virtue: In service industry patience is the key, for anything that needs to be done effectively and efficiently; we all need to be patient. It is said that many problems or unforeseen events can be resolved if a person is patient. In fact, patience is important almost in all the aspects of life and at the same time patience evolves your behavior at the professional level.

28 June 2019

Communication: Communication is a key in hospitality or service industry as it is a very fast- paced environment where one has to deal with multiple situation at a given point of time or frequently on a daily basis, hence it is always important for an individual to pass the accurate and relevant information to the concerned department or to the guest efficiently. Never give up: Life is ever so fascinating, which gives wonderful opportunities and challenging situations at the same time. Hence, may it be an opportunity or the difficult of situations, one should seek perfection from its experience to execute or handle the situation diligently. Q. What changes did you initiate after taking charge of Courtyard by Marriott Siliguri as GM of the property? A. Encourage or socialize the ideas: I listed to the people and appreciated the small ideas coming from the employees at different levels.

Engage with the people: I always prefer to interact with each and every colleague working at the hotel; this provides more confidence to the individual or the team as a whole which enables to express his/her or the team’s caliber on a consistent basis. Regular meetings: Briefing is an integral part of team management where each one of us contributes to analyze the team’s progress and add values to overall growth of individual’s performance. Q. How do you keep the morale of your team running high especially during high pressure moments? A. Sometimes it is very difficult to talk to every team member personally, but I try to have maximum interaction individually, which motivates and inspire the team to take on any high pressure moments. Q. What revenue-enhancing strategies have you adopted at the property?

A. There are a number of strategies that we have adopted.

Hotel direct booking strategy and social media marketing: The aim of direct booking strategy is to maximize online direct booking as much as possible, as these booking provide direct revenue to the hotel which doesn’t involve any commission. In addition to that, we have our focus more on the social media marketing as people are spending larger amount of their time on social media, hence higher engagement on social media leading to higher business opportunities. Revenue management strategy: We have highly motivated and experienced revenue team, working on innovative sales strategies to entice different business segments, which results in driving maximum revenue to the hotel. Cross promotional strategy: We assess and participate in various events, business conferences and expeditions, which takes place in the local market or at the national/ international level leveraging our global presence. Such opportunities result in maximum brand visibility, lead generation, influx of bookings and brand awareness. Q. Have you noticed any latest trend in your state? Kindly throw some light on your plans for the year ahead, any special package or discount for B2B partners? A. West Bengal is a land known for its vivid culture, festivals and cuisines. This opens enough doors for us to explore various needbased packages revolving around multiple festivals, the famous ‘Poila Boisakh’ and ‘Durgo Pujo’ to name a few.

HOSPITALITY

Atlantis Aquaventure set to introduce 12 thrilling new rides News Desk

tlantis Aquaventure is set to become one of the biggest waterparks in the world with the exciting addition of a third action-packed tower, set to open in summer 2020. The region’s number one waterpark will break records with the 34-metre tall ‘Trident Tower’, which will introduce 12 incredible new slides to the Atlantis Aquaventure offering and entertain everyone from the little daredevils to the waterpark veterans. Tim Kelly, Executive Vice President and Managing Director, Atlantis The Palm and The Royal Atlantis, said: “We have carefully curated each attraction to ensure that we deliver first-of-its-kind ride technology for children, families and thrill-seekers alike. Trident Tower and its record-breaking slides will be a thrilling addition to the Atlantis experience, and we look forward to the unveiling in summer 2020.” Aquaventure has long been the Middle East’s favourite waterpark, with more than 20 amazing rides and rivers spread across 17 hectares of thrills and spills at

Palm Island. Now thrill-seekers will be treated to a whole new world of fun with the addition of Trident Tower which will feature signature world-class ProSlide® rides including the world’s longest all-new ProSlide® MammothBLAST™, a 449-metre family adventure water coaster that delivers uncompromising force at unprecedented speeds. Rafts rocket through winding channels, experiencing a breathtaking series of back-to-back curves, drops and uphill climbs powered by patented BLAST™ water propulsion technology. Guests can also test their nerve on the Middle East’s first-ever ProSlide® Dueling PIPElineBLAST®/FlyingSAUCER™ 20 hybrid ride. Driven by patented sequential jets, this high-speed ride rockets duelling guests through gravity-defying turns and around wide-open saucer features at maximum velocity. Competitive sliders will want to battle their friends in the revolutionary ProSlide® RallyRACER™ 32 – equipped with an adrenaline-inducing cross-back feature that

builds anticipation and suspense. If that was not enough, Aquaventure fans who have already tackled the iconic Leap of Faith slide will love Trident Tower’s updated version, comprised of two fearsome slides rather than one – each dropping the guest more than 34 metres at stomach-churning speeds. A thrilling new kids’ area will also complement the existing Splasher’s Island family zone, with highlights including four mini versions of classic ProSlide® adult rides, including a mega fun competitive mat racer featuring two lanes of head-first downhill fun. Children can team up and take on an exhilarating serpentine adventure built for young guests – while the braver ones can traverse the KIDZ TORNADO™ 24 funnel, which delivers the same thrills and excitement as the iconic ride but scaled down for size.

IHCL signs a Taj hotel in Agra The Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL), has announce aTaj branded hotel in Agra. This hotel is owned by Sincere Developers Pvt Ltd. under a management contract by Taj. News Desk

he hotel is strategically located within walking distance from the Taj Mahal, one of the Seven Wonders of the World and one of the three UNESCO World Heritage sites in Agra.The hotel comprises 239 spacious rooms as well as an alldaydiner, an Indian specialty restaurant and a rooftop lounge overlooking the Taj Mahal. The hotel also has the largest banqueting space in the city.

Puneet Chhatwal, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, IHCL said: “This signing further strengthens our leadership in the leisure portfolio, as aligned to Aspiration 2022. Agra is one of the key cities in the famed Golden Triangle circuit. With this established hotel migrating to the Taj brand, the company will offer a multiple choice of hotels in all the three cities of

Delhi, Agra and Jaipur. We are delighted to continue our growth in the fee based business model.”

Gulab Ladhani, Chairman and Managing Director, Sincere Developers said: “We are proud to partner with The Indian Hotels Company Limited for its iconic Taj brand. Tourists to the city will now be able to get a taste of the legendary Taj hospitality.” Agra is a city on the banks of the river Yamuna in the state of Uttar Pradesh. It is a major tourist destination because of its many Mughal-era buildings, most notably the Taj Mahal, Agra Fort and Fatehpur Sikri all of which are UNESCO World Heritage sites. Agra is included on the Golden Triangle tourist circuit, along with Delhi and Jaipur. With this addition, IHCL will have two hotels, one under the Taj and one under the SeleQtions brand in the city of Agra. Sincere Developers Pvt. Ltd. is a Private company incorporated on 13 September 1993. It is classified as a non-government company and is registered at Registrar of

Companies, Delhi with an authorized paid up share capital of INR 7.91 Cr. It is involved in real estate activities with owned or leased properties. The company started operating in the hospitality industry in the year 2011. Gulab Ladhani is the Chairman and Managing Director of Sincere Developers. Paritosh Ladhani is Joint Managing Director. Other Executive Directors of Sincere Developers Pvt. Ltd. are Ekansh Ladhani, Kaushalya Devi, Alka Ladhani and Lata Ladhani.

June 2019 29

HOSPITALITY

Sarovar Hotels’ Hometel brand enters in Jalandhar News Desk

arovar Hotels has announced the signing of a new hotel in Jalandhar, Punjab, consolidating the group’s strong presence in its Punjab bastion. This property will be Sarovar’s second hotel in the city of Jalandhar after Sarovar Portico. Jalandhar, a fast- growing city, is an interesting mix of rich cultural heritage and a rapidly expanding manufacturing industry. Hometel Jalandhar, a contemporary and modern hotel will offer all-day dining restaurant, bar, fully equipped fitness center, swimming pool and a spacious banquet hall. The hotel upon completion by 2022 will allow guests a convenient and comfortable stay through signature Sarovar service standards. Commenting on the development, Anil Madhok, Executive Chairman, Sarovar Hotels & Resorts, said, “Punjab is a growing market and an important geographical area for Sarovar. This development allows us to establish ourselves in the state more strongly. We look forward to welcoming

guests to the Hometel Jalandhar and treating them to our signature Sarovar hospitality.”

Sarovar Hotels & Resorts is a leading hotel management company and one of the fastest growing chains of hotels in India. Headed by a team of industry veterans, the Company manages 80 operational hotels in 50 destinations in India and overseas, under Sarovar Premiere, Sarovar Portico, Hometel brands. The brands cover three, four and five star spectrum. Sarovar Hotels also operates Corporate Hospitality Services division with the management of services at various prestigious Business Schools. Geoffrey's, the popular English Pub brand operates at multiple destinations across India. With 12 regional sales and reservations offices located across India, Sarovar Hotels & Resorts is one of the largest and most diverse hotel management companies in the country today. Sarovar Hotels is part of Louvre Hotels Group, a major player in the global

hospitality industry, with a portfolio that now includes 2,500 hotels in 52 countries. It has a full hotel offering, spanning 1 star to 5 stars, with the Louvre Hotels Group’s historic brands (Première Classe, Kyriad, Campanile, Tulip Inn, Golden Tulip, Royal Tulip), the 5 brands of the Sarovar network in India, and 4 Chinese brands (Metropolo, Jin Jian Inn, Bestay, Goldmet Inn). Louvre Hotels Group is a subsidiary of Jin Jiang International Holdings Co., Ltd., the 2nd largest hospitality group in the world.

Swosti Group restored operations after Fani Cyclone News Desk

he Swosti Group of Hotels in Odisha has restored its operations at all the properties after the devastating attack by the Cyclone Fani hit the state in the month of April. “The management and staff of Swosti Group of Hotels have been working round the clock on war footing and have restored normal operation of all the four hotels (Swosti Grand, Swosti

Premium, Gopalpur Palm Resort and Swosti Chilika Resort), informed J K Mohanty, CMD, Swosti Group.

In April 2019 the devastating attack by the Cyclone FANI has completely shattered Odisha. The entire greenery has been destroyed, buildings are damaged and people are suffering a great deal with the disruption of power and water supply. More than a million people has been shifted to safer areas as extremely severe cyclone Fani hit the Odisha coast in Puri with a wind speed or around 175 kmph. Guests can make reservations online through group’s website (www.swostihotels. com) or through direct phone calls.

30 June 2019

Donated to Chief Minister’s Relief Fund On behalf of Swosti Group, Priyanath Behera, Vice President, Swosti Group hands over the cheque of Rs.10.00 lakh to Chief Minister’s Relief Fund towards relief of victims affected by cyclone FANI.

HOSPITALITY

Pride Hotels launches Pride Terrace Valley Resort Gangtok This is group’s first property in North East India. News Desk

he luxury resort is prominently located at National Highway 10, Ranipool, Gangtok, 18 km from Pakyong Airport and is well connected by road, rail and air. With major tourist attractions namely Nathu La Pass, MG Road, Rumtek Monastery, Tsongmo Lake, Ganesh Tok in close proximity, the resort boasts of elegantly furnished rooms and suites that will appeal to both leisure and business tourists.

Satyen Jain, CEO, Pride Group of Hotels says: “This is our 16th hotel and we have further expansion plan to add about 500 rooms at Goa, Nagpur and Pune and planning to have total 20 hotels and resorts by 2022.” “Currently Pride Hotels Ltd is operating four brands Pride Plaza which is upper upscale luxury hotels, Pride Hotels which is upscale hotels, Pride Resorts the 3 star upscale resorts and Pride Biznotel, a midmarket hotel. Pride Group has a presence in all most all regions of the country offering world class hospitality standards, combined with excellent ambience and quality service,” he informed. Binay Thakur, Associate Vice President, Pride Hotels stated that Pride Terrace Valley Resort offers 45 well-appointed rooms and suites replete with all modern elements. Guests can choose deluxe and superior rooms facing the pool or mountains. The superior rooms feature sleek wooden floors, large work desks with ergonomic chairs and contemporary bathrooms with rain showers.

Announcing the launch, S.P. Jain, Managing Director, Pride Hotels Limited says, “This is our first property in North East India and 16th property nationally. Sikkim with its spectacular natural beauties, amazing lakes, mystic valleys and snow-peak Mountains attracts a huge slice of leisure tourists from across the world. We are delighted to tap the growing potential of tourist inflow by presenting a host of contemporary amenities, refined elegance and exceptional services for our esteemed patrons”.

Guests can relish a magnificent culinary experience at the Bailey, a Multi Cuisine fine dining restaurant that serves outlandish snacks, Indian, Continental & Chinese A’la Carte Dishes with International spread buffet for Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner. Lashkush bar at the Pride Terrace Valley Resort serves refreshing beverages, frozen drinks and savory snacks. Once the sun goes down, patrons can make their way to the Bar to watch a game with a cold beer. Pride Terrace Valley Spa is the perfect retreat to indulge in relaxation and pampering.

TK Murthy takes over as Director Operations at Clarks Inn In his previous role Murthy was at Sangam Group of Hotels as their Group General Manager based at Tiruchirapalli (Trichy) in Tamil Nadu. News Desk

K Murthy has been appointed as the Director - Operations at Clarks Inn Group of Hotels. A certified hotel administrator and a Fellow Member of the Institute of Hospitality -UK, Murthy brings in an overall experience of over three decades with leading hotels in India and the Middle East. Based out of Clarks Inn’s corporate office in Noida, Murthy in his new role will provide operational excellence, and will be responsible for steering the management team in order to bring in increased efficiency in hotel operations as well as oversee the growth of the company. One of the biggest hotel companies in India, Clarks Inn has emerged as one of the fastest growing hotel companies in the country today. Clarks Inn boasts of an overall portfolio of more than 90 hotels, including over 50 properties currently in operation, spread across 19 states in India and Nepal.

Ginger opens new hotel in Dwarka With the opening of this hotel,The Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL) will have 15 hotels across its brands in the state of Gujarat. News Desk

inger strengthens its presence in Western India, with the opening of a new hotel in Dwarka, Gujarat. With the addition of this hotel, Ginger will have seven hotels across cities in the state. Located off the Porbander – Dwarka (NH

51) highway, Ginger Dwarka houses 98 beautiful, well-appointed rooms in superior and suite category; Makhan, an all-day diner which has an option of alfresco seating; a meeting room; a banqueting lawn and a fitness centre offering a truly seamless stay experience to its guests. The hotel is just five minutes from the famous Dwarkadeesh temple and the Dwarka Beach. Deepika Rao, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Ginger said, “This is a proud moment for Ginger. The hotel complements Ginger's growth strategy

of building presence in key religious destinations in India.”

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AVIATION

We are united in our vision, purpose and direction

here have been various press reports about potential disagreements between the two promoters of IndiGo, Rahul Bhatia and Rakesh Gangwal. These reports have in turn fueled further speculation as to what those areas of disagreements could be including future direction of the company, management changes, control issues and the like. I would like to forcefully address these baseless speculations as they are not in the best interests of our shareholders, our employees and the travelling public. THE HIRING OF LAW FIRMS It is true that the IGE group is represented by the law firm of JSA and the RG Group is represented by the law firm of Khaitan & Company. These prestigious law firms have been on retainer by the founders since at least the time of the IPO of the Company in 2015 and they continue to represent the promoters on various ongoing matters as it relates to their shareholding in IndiGo. Thus, the 4 year old ongoing retainer history of the law firms should not be presented or seen as a new revelation. MANAGEMENT CHANGES It is true that IndiGo has gone through a number of changes in a continuum that stretches from Aditya Ghosh, to Greg Taylor to a team of highly skilled expatriates to me. I can state unequivocally that every one of these senior leaders contributed a great deal to IndiGo and we are truly grateful for their contributions. But all great companies go through periods of transition as they evolve from one phase of their growth to another and a little bit of turbulence during thesetransition phases is neither unusual nor unwelcome. Most importantly, the promoters and the Board have worked as a team in making these

32 June 2019

management changes. We would urge the press not to confuse every management change as a sign of dissonance at the top. CONTROL ISSUES There has been some speculation that perhaps some disagreement centers round the RG Group seeking to acquire more control of the management and the Board. I am authorized by Mr. Rakesh Gangwal to make the following statement on his behalf, “I am categorically and clearly stating that there is no interest or desire whatsoever on the part of the RG Group to take control of the company. Also, to put to rest the messaging on the fact that the RG Group is attempting to renegotiate the Shareholders Agreement, I am placing on record that the RG Group stands by the current SHA which, in any case, expires this October”. I don’t think Mr. Gangwal could have been more clear and explicit on his intentions and I thank him for authorizing me to make this statement on his behalf. ISSUES OF RAPID GROWTH AND INTERNATIONAL EXPANSION Let’s be clear on one fact - IndiGo is an exceptionally successful company and one of the pillars that made it so successful is that it dared to have a bold vision regarding the future of aviation in India. Some in the press are now suggesting that perhaps IndiGo is having second thoughts on the very strategy that made it so spectacularly successful. I am now speaking to our employees who have been such a critical part of IndiGo’s success when I say, please do not believe these baseless speculations, we remain committed to our path of a rapid build-up of airline connectivity within India and to international destinations.

About the Author Ronojoy Dutta, CEO, IndiGo is a graduate from the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur and has completed his Master’s in Business Administration from the Harvard Business School. An aviation veteran, he was with United Airlines for nearly twenty years, holding a broad spectrum of leadership positions in Planning, Maintenance, Finance and Information Technology. wealth of Board experience on governance issues, as the new Chairman of the Board. He is fully supported by the members of the Board and the management team.

Reiterating this, the full Board wants to clearly state that “IndiGo’s strategy in terms of growth and cost leadership remain unchanged, we remain committed to being an institution which benchmarks itself against the best-in-class organizations across the world”.

We all know, that in any strong and wellmanaged company there will always be differences. And, yes, there may be differences currently on certain matters but the Company has a great track record of resolving issues and coming out ahead. If the current differences were to not get resolved, you shall certainly hear about it; however, it serves no purpose speculating about it.

The full Board also wants me to place on record that they wish to ensure the highest level of Corporate Governance to the Board and to the management functions at IndiGo. Towards this, more recently, the IGE Group nominated Mr. Damodaran, who has a

I deeply resent and wish to dispel all attempts to portray us as a fractured team at IndiGo. The truth is that we are all very much united in vision, purpose and direction as we move forward to build a world class airline.

June 2019 33

DESTINATION

Darjeeling beckons thousands today for a leisurely respite from the bustle of the madding crowd. The traveller – whether a tourist or a trekker, an ornithologist or a photographer, a botanist or an artist – will find in Darjeeling an experience which will remain etched in one's memory – forever.

Darjeeling The Queen of Hill Stations

News Desk

arjeeling conjures visions of snow peaks, serenity of vibrant green hills steeped in splendour, a land of breathtaking beauty crowned by the majestic Himalayas. Darjeeling is one of the most magnificent hill resorts in the world. This heavenly retreat is bathed in hues of every shade. Flaming red rhododendrons, sparkling white magnolias, miles of undulating hillsides covered with emerald green tea bushes, the exotic forests of silver fir - all under the blanket of a brilliant azure sky dappled with specks of clouds, compellingly confounds Darjeeling as the queen of hill stations. The crest of Kanchenjunga shining in the first dawn light truly supports the title.

Happy Valley Tea Estate Walking through a tea garden on the gentle hill slopes of Darjeeling and seeing the tea processing is always a special experience. And a great way to experience this is by visiting the Happy Valley Tea Estate which is located about 3 kms away from Chowk Bazaar area. The approach is through a narrow winding downhill road which is quite steep. There are some points on the way from where the mountain vistas are simply spectacular. And tourists will pass by local homes and cottages.

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The estate and the factory is open from 8am to 4pm from Tuesday to Saturday. While there is no entree fee, you will need to take a guide for which there is a small fee. The factory usually remains closed from November to February because tea plucking does not take place during winter. You can however see the tea gardens from outside. Happy Valley Tea Estate is located around 3 km from Chowk Bazaar which is the main market area of Darjeeling town.

Tiger Hill Situated at an altitude of 2590 meters and 13 km from the town, this spot has earned international fame for the magnificent view of the sunrise over Kanchenjunga and the great Eastern Himalayan

DESTINATION

Mountains. Even Mount Everest, the world's highest peak, is also visible from here. Tiger Hill is 11 kms (6.8 miles) away from Darjeeling Town and above Ghoom area. After the Ghoom station, you will need to take the narrow uphill Senchal road on the right. It takes about 40 minutes from Darjeeling town to reach to the summit by car.

The nearby airport of Kalimpong is Bagdogra in the vicinity of Siliguri. It is placed at a distance of around 79 km from the town. The bordering rail is New Jalpaiguri, which is almost 77 km away from Kalimpong. This is an important railway station in the northern Bengal and also serves as a gateway to the remote northeastern India. This is well linked with Sikkim and other major cities of India.

Visitor can either book own car or take a shared jeep that leaves from the Club Side Taxi stand at the base of Nehru Road and below the Mall. There are shared jeeps and taxis leaving from Chowk Bazaar area as well.

Kurseong

Kalimpong Kalimpong is a sleepy little town that is situated at an altitude of 1,200 m and at a distance of 50-odd km to the east of Darjeeling. It was once the hub of the trans â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Himalayan trade between India and Tibet-merchants used to ferry goods by mule caravans over the Jelep La Pass on the Sikkim-Tibet border. The name of this town has historic significance. Kalimpong was once the headquarters of a Bhutanese Governor. River rafting at the Teesta River can be done. Drive time is apprx. 1 hr. 10 mins. From the retreat. Crockety, Kalimpong is one of the colonial bungalows of the British Raj during their rule of India. It has excellent architecture and is majestic looking. Wool traders of Britain in the 18th century built it.

It is a hill station situated in Darjeeling District of West Bengal, India located at an altitude of 1458 meters (4864 ft), and just 30 km from Darjeeling. It has a pleasant climate throughout the year and the winters are not as severe as Darjeeling's. The Land of the White Orchids nearest major railway station is New Jalpaiguri (NJP) railway station, which is about 53 km from Kurseong. The town is based mainly on schools and tourism. The best times to visit Kurseong are between March end and May and between the end of August and October. The Chogyal (Monarch) of Sikkim ceded Kurseong to the British Empire in 1835. Kurseong is about 47 km from Siliguri and is connected to the city by road and the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway. The nearest airport is at Bagdogra.

Loleygaon Loleygaon is a beautiful Lepcha village of scenic spledour. It is situated in an extreme end of a Himalayan Ridge and located at

June 2019 35

DESTINATION a distance of 24 km from Lava lying at an altitude of 1,675 mtr. It comes under the Kalimpong I block in the Darjeeling District of West Bengal. Loleygaon is locally known as Kaffer. Loleygaon stands along a lovely forest drive. It has a heritage forest and an observation point called Jhandi Dara, for viewing the snow peaks of the Singalila Range. According to some, it offers an even better view of the sunrise than Tiger Hill. Loleygaon can be reached from Siliguri with a 4-hour drive covering 124 km via Kalimpong and Lava. Kalimpong, the nearest town, is 55 km from Loleygaon. Loleygaon can be reached from Siliguri with a 4 hrs drive covering 124 km via Kalimpong and Lava.

Tenzing Rock And Gombu Rock Tenzing Rock, a gigantic natural rock in Darjeeling is named after Tenzing Norgay, the man who created history by climbing the Everest first time along with Edmund Hillary in 1953. Opposite to this is the Gombu Rock named after Nawang Gombu, nephew of Tenzing who was the first person to climb the Everest twice, once in 1963 and then in 1965. He took over as the Director of Field Training at Himalayan Mountaineering Institute after Tenzing retired in 1976. Both these rocks are used for rock climbing training by HMI. There is a board right on top of the Tenzing Rock that says HMI Rock Climbing Training Area. While facing the Tenzing Rock, the left side or the left face of the rock is used by the professional rock climbers and the trainees. Most tourists make a mistake of going over to the right side where the approach to the top of another parallel rock is quite shorter. Actually the right face of the rock can be used by amateur climbers or even tourists for climbing. However one needs to take help of guides and pay some nominal fee. The gradient of the right face is gentle and surface is easier for climbing.

for trekking begins in October and concludes in November, with trekkers enjoying the aftermath of heavy monsoon and the beginning of harsh winters. Trekking in Darjeeling is one experience that no thrill-seeker would want to miss out on. The panoramic view of the Mt. Everest and Mt. Kanchenjunga is what makes trekking in Darjeeling an unforgettable experience. One of the major treks in North Bengal is Sandakphu. The trail of Sandakphu abounds in rhododendrons, primulas, magnolias, orchids and a variety of ferns. There are also about 600 species of birds inhabiting on the slopes of the mountains. Thus the trail provides great opportunity for birding along with enthralling trekking experience. Along with the breathtaking view of Kanchenjunga and Everest, trekkers get an opportunity to catch a glimpse of aweinspiring 8 thousanders like Mt. Makalu and Mt. Lhotse.

Water Rafting The White Water Rafting on the river Teesta and Rangeet (Triveni), the scenic beauty of the banks, surrounding hills, its flora and fauna and sighting of several varieties of fishes is simply enchanting. A river trip is often an adventure. An amateur with a little sense of adventure can equally enjoy it. White water rafting is relatively new in Darjeeling but it's certainly as fun-filled as any other destination. River Teesta and Rangeet gush down the mountains of Darjeeling and create foaming white water that are excellent for rafting. While rafting down, you will get a pretty view of dense forests.

Hayden Hall Hayden Hall is a private non-profit making organisation in Darjeeling that works towards development of under privileged women in the area and help them become self reliant. The building is located on Laden La road with an outlet called Hayden Hall Shop on the ground floor facing the road. The shop sells items which are all handcrafted by the poor women from the local community. Hayden Hall offers both a shop with plenty of handmade items at reasonable prices and a charitable society to explore. Hayden Hall Shop has a stand outside with small metal boards which very nicely summarize the stock it keeps. The main items here include carpets, shawls, sweaters, scarves, socks, bed covers, table mats, cloth bags, purses, caps etc.

Trekking There are two major seasons for trekking holiday in Darjeeling, one beginning in March and closing in the first week of June. During this season, adventure on the trekking routes in Darjeeling is combined with occasional showers and a splendid flora show. Another season

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Toy Train Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR), popularly known as the 'Toy Train' is one of the main attractions of the region. The track on which the train runs is only 600 millimeters wide. The size of the train is commensurate giving it the name 'Toy Train'. Narrow gauge trains are used in parts of India to travel to hill stations. The most magnificent train journeys through the narrow gauge are the gorgeous terrain. UNESCO has declared the DHR as a World Heritage Site.

Passenger Cable Car Darjeeling-Rangit Valley Passenger Cable Car is popularly known as the ropeway. It is about 3 km north of the town and situated at what is known as the North Point. The Ropeway is India's oldest passenger ropeway and connects Darjeeling with Singla Bazaar at the bottom of the valley. The present ropeway has been extensively modernized and visitors can now safely travel over the clouds to witness the aerial view of the lush green tea gardens below. Darjeeling Ropeway or cable car station is located at Singamari which is 3 km away from the Chowk Bazaar.

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Culture The culture of Darjeeling is quite diverse. Apart from the major religious festivals like Diwali, Christmas, Dussera, Holi, Ram Navami etc., the diverse ethnic populace of the town also celebrates several local festivals. The Tibetan ethnic groups like the Lepchas, Bhutias, Gurungs and Tamangs celebrate New Year, also called Losar, in January/February. Other festivals like Maghe Sankranti, Chotrul Duchen, Buddha Jayanti, and Tendong Lho Rumfaat, to name a few, provide the ‘regional distinctness’ of Darjeeling's local culture from the rest of India. Darjeeling Carnival, initiated by a civil society movement known as ‘The Darjeeling Initiative’, is a ten-day carnival held every year during winter that especially portrays the rich musical and cultural heritage of Darjeeling Hills as its central theme. Traditional dances in Darjeeling include the Jhaure dance, Chutkay dance, Maruni dance and Tamang Selo, which find their origins in Nepal. Other forms of dance include the Tibetan Cham performed

with elaborate costumes and masks during the eve of Losar, the Tibetan New Year.

Food Undeniably, the most popular food of Darjeeling is the Momo. Momos are steamed dumplings stuffed with either pork, beef or vegetables and served with a spicy chilli and tomato paste along with soup. Another popular dish is the Thukpa, which is a noodle dish with meat and/or vegetables in soup. Apart from these dishes, the restaurants in Darjeeling offer a wide variety of traditional Indian, continental and Chinese cuisines to cater to different palates.

Reaching Here: Air: Fly down to the nearest airport Bagdogra which is 94 kms from Darjeeling town and take a private taxi. It takes little over 3 hours to reach Darjeeling from Bagdogra airport. Rail: Take a train up to NJP (New Jalpaiguri). Darjeeling is only 88kms from here. You will get ample taxis and shared jeeps from NJP to reach Darjeeling in about 3 hours. Road: There are regular buses including Rocket and Volvo services between Kolkata (Calcutta) and Siliguri Main Bus Terminal (known as Tenzing Norgay Bus Terminus located on Hill Cart Road). From Siliguri main bus terminal area, you will get buses, shared Jeeps and private taxis for Darjeeling. Distance between Siliguri and Darjeeling is 80kms.

June 2019 37

APPOINTMENT

Anurudh Khanna Executive Chef Westin Gurgaon, New Delhi & Sohna Resort

Mohammed Shoeb Vice President Pride Plaza Hotel Aerocity

Prashant Uttamrao Suryawanshi Executive Chef, Courtyard by Marriott Siliguri

As Multi Property Executive Chef, Anurudh Khanna will spearhead both hotels’ diverse dining venues, as well as oversee the hotels’ in-room dining and banquet operations, ranging from intimate gatherings and weddings to corporate events. With an illustrious career spanning over 21 years of working with renowned luxury hotels like The Shangri-La Bangalore, Hyatt Regency Delhi, The Taj Mahal Hotel New Delhi, The Park New Delhi and The Westin Pune, he brings with him vast knowledge and understanding of the evolving hospitality industry and food trends.

A PG Diploma holder in Tourism & Hotel Management, Mohammed Shoeb brings with him over 30 years of hospitality experience, having held senior management positions in premium hotel brands across the country. He is a hotel opening specialist and has opened four hotels from 2005 till 2015 in the southern part of India. In the past, he has worked with Radisson Hotel, Accor Hotels, Intercontinental Hotels Group and ITC Welcome Group. He is responsible for providing strategic guidance in operating the hotel in line with International brand standards; whilst meeting employee, guest and owners expectations.

Leading the kitchen management team visà-vis daily operations, he is also responsible for ensuring quality standards in compliance to food and beverage policies, plan and price menus, managing controllable expenses (such as supplies, food cost and uniforms), maintenance of departmental equipment, supervising food presentation, working in tandem with the catering department and reviewing staffing levels to bolster guest services. Interacting with guests to obtain their feedback, reviewing comment cards in addition to using his effective interpersonal skills to mentor and appraise his team also fall under the dynamics of his work.

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