March 2016 by whereabouts

RNI No.: DELENG/2014/59308

www.whereabouts.in

Volume II Issue VI March 2016

Annual Subscription ` 660

In Conversation

Nikhil Desai Managing Director GTDC

Analysis

Despite Growing FTAs, ‘Organised Tourism’ Records Drastic Decline ASSOCIATION

TRAVEL BUSINESS

AVIATION

NTO

HOSPITALITY

CONTENTS REGULAR

TRADE

ANALYSIS 10-12 Travelport's Student of the

ASSOCIATION 6 TRAVEL BUSINESS 8 COVER STORY

STATE 14

AVIATION 22

INTERNATIONAL DAY OF YOGA

ENCOURAGES INDIA TOURISM TO CONCENTRATE NTO 28 ON THIS IMPORTANT HOSPITALITY 30COMPONENT OF TOURISM

FACTS & FIGURES 34

WHEREABOUTS

OMAN SUNDARBANS

NEED TO KNOW 19-21

The Leading MICE Destination MANGROVES NTO

ASSOCIATION

TECHNOLOGY 35 OTOAI elects EC members GUEST COULMNfor37the term 2015-17

APPOINTMENT & EVENTS 38 Nothing Official About Itâ&#x20AC;Ś

Jordan to promote diversity of the country through various platforms

NTO

GNTO embarks upon tier II cities

HOSPITALITY

EXCLUSIVE

Rajasthan gears up to attract IN CONVERSATION 16 & 2.5 million 50 million domestic Nikhil Desai foreign tourists by 2018 Managing Director AVIATION GTDC Qatar Airways announces first A350 XWB route to USA

Year brings talented Despite growing FTAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, candidates to the industry â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Organised Tourismâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; records drastic decline

We are not after the top-line; rather we are keener in building the business the sustainable way: Prakash Bang

ON THE COVER

AVIATION

Airbus unites businesses in India under single company

IN-CONVERSATION WHEREABOUTS 26-27

My each assignment has

given me a new insight in to SAN FRANCISCO

various aspects of hospitality business & industry nuances: Sudhir Sinha

NEED TO KNOW

NALANDA Ancient Seat of Learning

team@whereabouts

INTERNATIONAL YOGA DAY

Editor & Publisher

Principal Advisor

Rajesh Tiwari

Anil Prakash

rajesh@whereabouts.in

Design

Editorial

Mithlesh Kr Gupta

Jai Kishan Kaparwan Alvin

Accounts

Sales & Marketing Solomon Sexena Country Head solomon@whereabouts.in

Marketing Executives Dheeraj Anand Regional Head-North &West

Prem Prakash Mishra

Legal Advisor Brijesh Tiwari

EDITOR’S NOTE

WHO SAID WHAT Two percent connectivity fund levy is going to add a huge burden of cost to the industry in India. It’s already very expensive place to operate, by putting this regional connectivity fund levy on it’s going to add something like $350 million a year further to additional costs for airlines in India. (On National Civil Aviation Policy of India) Tony Tyler Director General IATA

Dear Readers, This edition of our magazine brings an investigating article on Inbound Tourism. Before I write about the article would like to remind you once again that the Ministry of Tourism has acted very aggressively in recent past and launched a lot of initiatives. However, there is something wrong with our policies and implementation as these initiatives does not reflect the growth as expected at least as of now. We did analysis of the performance of Inbound Tourism in 2015 and the feedback from the industry stakeholders is not so good. Despite a remarkable growth in number of Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTA’s) the industry has reported a drastic decline (almost 30 percent) in the ‘Organised Tourism’ sector. The large portion of growing FTA’s belongs to the VFR (Visiting Friends and Relatives) category, which generally stay with relatives and does not interact with tourism and hospitality professionals for their services, and almost no business is being generated by them. Therefore we can say the growing FTA’s does not reflect the growth of industry stakeholders.

INFOTAINMENT TWITTER @DublinAirport and @CorkAirport make "critical contribution" to Ireland's economy with 100,000 jobs and 4% of GDP #CAPASummit

Apart from this, you will have an opportunity to read about the plan of action of some of our states such as Goa, West Bengal and Sikkim. I hope it will be an interesting reading for you.

Keep reading

Keep Visiting, Keep updating J ust one click & ent er into the world of information. All the lat est from Tr avel Business be it T ourism, A viation, Hotels, T echnology, Cruise, OT A, Visa & much mor e... Follow us in:

Wher eabouts_in

www.fac ebook.com/ pages/whereabouts

ASSOCIATION

Delhi Govt to rationalise taxes in the tourism sector: Kapil Mishra

Addressing the gathering at the HRANI Conclave on February 27, 2016 at Le Meridien, New Delhi, the Tourism Minister of Delhi Kapil Mishra, said that the Government is keen to work closely with the Tourism and Hospitality industry to resolve industry concerns. WH Desk

hile addressing the gathering the Tourism Minister of Delhi Kapil Mishra revealed that there will be some major announcements for taxation in the upcoming budget as the government is planning to rationalise taxes in the tourism and hospitality sector. Elaborating on the major initiatives under development pipeline Mishra said, “The Government is working on a major Delhi Festival, a 15 day long cultural event in Delhi to be held in the month of November on the lines of Dubai Festival. The Delhi Government will start major destination branding activity this year as well.” K B Kachru, Chairman, South Asia, Carlson & Rezidor Hotel Group, highlighted the issues and aspirations of tourism and hospitality sector in Delhi. He pointed out the potential of Delhi and the ways to make Delhi a preferred tourism destination in comparison to international capital cities like Paris, Amsterdam, Rome etc. He also urged the government to join hands with the industry to tap this potential. Luv Malhotra, President HRANI briefed the issues like- high luxury tax levied on declared tariff instead of actual, high consent fee by DPCC, multiple licenses etc; plaguing the sector in a time-bound manner. “We need to convert this latent natural and economic advantage to competitive

Kapil Mishra with Luv Malhotra lighting the lamp

K B Kachru, Tourism Minister of Delhi Kapil Mishra and Luv Malhotra at the conclave

advantage. States and union territories have to play a pro-active role in realising this potential by initiating breakthrough ideas and bringing them to a logical conclusion. It is high time, we portray Delhi as a tourist destination and work to enhance brand Delhi,” said Malhotra.

Online - dominance or disruption?. The sessions comprised of in-depth discussions on the subjects and amplified the heart of matters revolving around the bigger picture of promotions & developments of hospitality and tourism in the state.

“Delhi has seen influx of hotel rooms and guest houses and because of it today the Hotels are struggling with their ARR and occupancy percentage.” He also pointed out Delhi’s non-competitiveness not only with the world class cities but also with other National Capital Regions of Gurgaon and Noida,” said S.M. Shervani, Hony. Secretary, FAITH. The Conclave included four plenary sessions titled - Ease of doing business and the way forward, Green Hospitality - Striving towards zero effect on environment, Food Safety & standard (FSS) Act – from compliance to conscience and The Art of

The event was graced with the presence of various luminaries and eminent speakers from the Government and hospitality industry. G.P Singh, Secretary, Delhi Tourism Minister, S.S. Ghonkrokta (IAS), Special Secretary (Tourism), Govt. of NCT of Delhi, Sanjeev Ahuja, Managing Director, DSIIDC, Govt. of NCT of Delhi, Kulanand Joshi, Special Secretary (Env) & Member Secretary, Govt. of NCT of Delhi, S.S. Sohi, Former Vice President- Technical, Le Meridien, New Delhi, Dr. A Madhavan, Former Asst. Director(Enforcement) FSSAI, Dr. P.K. Vats, Former Designated Officer, Department of Food Safety, Govt. of NCT of Delhi, were among the panellists.

NEWS IN BRIEF

India announces Visa on Arrival for Japanese nationals

s announced by the Prime Minister, the Visa on Arrival for Japanese nationals is being launched from March 1, 2016. This facility will be available at six airports viz. Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bangalore and Hyderabad. This facility can be availed for the purposes of business, tourism, conference and medical. Validity of this visa after entry will be for a period of 30 days. About 1.80 lakh Japanese nationals visit India every year on various kinds of visas. Business and Tourist Visas constitute around 78 percent of these. On an average 600 Japanese nationals arrive at Delhi Airport daily. It is expected that extension of this facility to Japanese nationals will further strengthen the business and tourism ties between the two countries.

6 March 2016

MoR creates NHSRC to implement bullet train project

inistry of Railways has formed a new Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) named National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited to implement the project of Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Bullet Train. The State Governments of Maharashtra and Gujarat have been requested to participate in the equity of the SPV which will implement the project. The Ministry of Railways contributes 50 percent equity, and balance will be contributed by State Governments of Maharashtra and Gujarat. Government of Japan has agreed to provide loan covering approximately 81 percent of total project cost at 0.1 percent per annum interest for 50 years with 15 years moratorium.

ASSOCIATION

Seventh Annual Convention at Khajuraho

Domestic Tourism - Billion + Opportunities WH Desk

he Association of Domestic Tour Operators of India (ADTOI) has announced that the 7th Annual Convention cum Exhibition will be organised at Khajuraho in Madhya Pradesh from April 8 to 11, 2016. The inauguration and business sessions will be held at Hotel Ramada. The opted theme of the convention is ‘Domestic Tourism - Billion + Opportunities’. Sanjay Aggarwal has been appointed as the Chairman Convention while Subhash Verma, Immediate Past President ADTOI and Dalip Gupta, Executive Member ADTOI will be acting as the Co Chairman Convention. Around 300 delegates including ADTOI members are expected to participate at the convention. Elaborating on the theme opted for the convention Jyoti Kapur, President ADTOI said “Domestic Segment is the backbone of tourism therefore it has a ‘Billion +Opportunities’ and this convention is an attempt to explore those opportunities.” Further elaborating on his plans for the association Kapur said, “We are in the process of rebuilding, reinventing and creating visibility in the trade fraternity on Pan India Basis. This is the age of cultivating the culture of innovation, entrepreneurship and communication, and we should adapt the change, in order to take forward our businesses to the next level.” Sanjay Aggarwal, Chairman Convention said, “Through this convention that will be for three nights for the first time, we want to present our delegates a unique experience at Khajuraho. We have designed the itinerary in a way that completely showcases the beauty of Khajuraho including exploration of nearby destinations that has not been discovered yet.” “There will be eminent speakers to discuss on the ways and means to expedite the growth of domestic segments and its stakeholders. We are planning to have a special session on challenges on online innovation and technology,” informed Aggarwal while elaborating

L to R: Jyoti Kapur, Subhash Verma and Dalip Gupta welcoming OV Coudhary, Executive Director, MP Tourism

on the sessions scheduled to be organised during the convention.

are value additions to the destination,” added O V Choudhary.

Elaborating on Khajuraho O V Coudhary, Executive Director, Madhya Pradesh Tourism, said the destination needs to be promoted from a different angle (beyond temples) to domestic tourist. Apart from the beautiful temples, Khajuraho has a very long history that needs to be popularised among the travellers. “The wildlife lovers will be amazed to see the tigers at Panna National Park which is just 40 kms away from Khajuraho. At the other hand, the light and sound shows, Khajuraho Dance festival etc.

The members will be taken by Shatabdi Express ex-Delhi upto Jhansi and will be transported to Khajuraho by coaches enroute visiting historical places. There will be Business session on two days after the inauguration on 9th April and the evening on both days will be utilised for showcasing the rich cultural heritage of the area, sound and light show at the temples. Also there will be activity based programme for the delegates like visit to national park and escorted tour of temples in the early hours of 10th & 11th April.

NEWS IN BRIEF

Indian Railways plans to run special Foreign arrivals into Asia Pacific to trains for Simhastha Kumbh Mela continue with record high to 2020

o cater to the expected influx of pilgrims during Simhastha Kumbh Mela at Ujjain, in Madhya Pradesh Indian Railways has planned to run special trains including DEMU/MEMU, augmentation of load of existing trains and, also, providing of temporary stoppage on Mail/Express trains to the extent justified and feasible.In view of the importance and based upon the anticipated volume and pattern of rail traffic during the forthcoming Kumbh Mela in 2016, the host of passenger amenities at Ujjain Railway Station and adjoining satellite stations such as Nagda, Vikramnagar, Shipra Bridge, Fatehabad, Nalkhri, Chintaman Ganesh, Pingleshwar, Indore, etc.

reliminary data for 36 Asia Pacific destinations indicate a strong performance in 2015 with foreign arrivals growing by around 5.2 percent to reach a combined inbound total of more than 455 million. The Pacific led the way with annual growth of over seven percent to reach almost 27 million foreign arrivals. This was followed by the Americas* (excluding the USA) with growth of nine percent to reach almost more than 54 million arrivals. Asia in total grew by 4.5 percent year-on-year but there were large variations within the region. Northeast Asia reported 3.5 percent growth; there was 6.7 percent growth in arrivals for Southeast Asia, and a high of 8.2 percent for South Asia.

March 2016 7

TRAVEL BUSINESS

UNION BUDGET 2016-17 Agriculture, Infrastructure and Make in India gets the centre stage; tourism gets nothing In our previous issue we have writen about the expectations of the travel and hospitality industry from the Union Budget 2016-17. The industry stakeholders were expecting some major announcements for much awaited nationwide rollout of GST with new incentives and tax benefits to their business. However, agriculture, infrastructure development, education and health got the centre stage in the Budget for 2016-17 but tourism got nothing. The Finance Minister has laid emphasis on rail and road infrastructure developments, new startups and Make in India campaign; nevertheless tourism industry is very positive and expecting some benefits sooner or later. Here are the reactions to the budget… WH Desk

e had looked forward to this year’s Budget 2016/17 with lot of expectations for tourism sector getting due recognition with new incentives and tax benefits based on the foreign exchange earnings by the tour operators. Nationwide rollout of GST was giving us lot of positive feelings and we hoped GST regime shall help us set off service tax giving a significant boost to the tourism industry. Nothing about exemption of service tax, extending benefit of exporters of goods to the tourism industry and GST was announced in the Union Budget 2016-17. Growth momentum which was visible in the first month of January 2016 in terms of international tourist arrivals will lose the momentum.

Subhash Goyal President-IATO

ur request for introduction of Multi Entry Visa with e-Tourist visa and increased days of validity did not get any consideration. Announcement about increased baggage allowance with riders will not be of any use for International passengers if burden of taxes goes on mounting year after year. Also it is essential to increase baggage allowance for domestic airlines/ sectors which can bring real benefit to tourists. Otherwise it will not make any positive impact. Infrastructure cess, of 1% on small petrol, LPG, CNG cars, 2.5% on diesel cars of certain capacity and 4% on other higher engine capacity vehicles and SUVs will further surmount the pressure on the tour operators who provide tourist vehicles for the tourism industry.

Rajeev Kohli Vice President-IATO

8 March 2016

ction Plan for revival of 160 underserved airports to be drawn up in partnership with state governments will take longtime to materialise. However, this will be a good beginning for better regional connectivity and opening up new sectors for tourism activities, once implemented.

Pronab Sarkar Hony. Secretary-IATO

he budget for 2016-17 is for heartland of India, which is overall focused on agriculture, infrastructure development, education and health. The Finance Minister this year has laid emphasis on rail and road infrastructure developments as well as on new startups and Make in India campaign, which are good measures. We welcome, Cabinet’s decision of reviving underserved airports by allocating a budget of 50 to 100 crores each, developing 10 out of 25 non-functional airstrips in partnerships with state governments, which I believe will definitely accelerate the development of regional aviation sector and will also give a well deserving boost to the overall aviation sector. Although levying of additional cess in hospitality, could have been avoided as the industry is already burdened with taxes. We do hope that the cess levied on combustion will be used for a betterment and development of green vehicles and infrastructure.

Ankur Bhatia Member CII National Committee on Civil Aviation

TRAVEL BUSINESS

Two percent connectivity fund levy is going to add a huge burden of cost to the industry in India - Tony Tyler Tony Tyler, Director General, International Air Transport Association (IATA) talks about his views on the draft National Civil Aviation Policy (NCAP) and future prospects for India. Here are the excerpts… WH Desk

What are your views on the draft National Civil Aviation Policy (NCAP)? I am very excited about the prospects of Indian aviation. IATA forecasts that India is going to be the third largest aviation market in the world within 10 years. So clearly it’s a good thing that the government has put together an aviation plan that will help make this happen. Certainly having an aviation plan like this is a step in the right direction but I do have to say that I am concerned about some aspects of it. Particularly where it’s going to ride cost to the industry or in some cases deviate from what are well accepted, tried and tested global principles. I have written to Ashok Gajapati Raju, Minister of Civil Aviation and Choubey, Civil Aviation Secretary about these issues in the last week.

What are the concerns about NCAP? I have three main concerns. The first one concerns the proposed 2 percent regional connectivity fund levy. Then there is an issue about the proposed auctioning of traffic rights. And finally, I am very concerned about the proposal to use dual or multiple till when we are looking at how India’s charges should be regulated.

What are you concerned about the 2% regional connectivity fund? The 2 percent connectivity fund levy is going to add a huge burden of cost to the industry in India. It’s already very expensive place to operate, by putting this regional connectivity fund levy on it’s going to add something like $350 million a year further to additional costs for airlines in India. And rest assured, in the end it’s the airlines who are going to pay because of the competitive market, fares are set in the market, the amount the passenger pays is set in the market. So it’s going to be a real drain and a financial strain on the airlines in India

Why is the auctioning of traffic rights a concern? I have never heard of the auctioning for traffic rights before. This is something that no country does. They don’t do it for very good reasons. If you auction traffic rights the consequences will be very hard to predict. One of them I feel would be the concentrating of the market in a few powerful hands. After all the only people who will be able to afford to buy traffic rights will be the ones who are making lots of money already. So I think it could be a very anti-competitive move and it’s something that is really unprecedented in world aviation.

Why is IATA concerned about the hybrid till approach? The civil aviation policy is a one place to determine the hybrid till approach. Airport regulation is a very complicated issue which it involves a lot of different factors like the rate of return, the sort of till you want to use, the amount of investment required, so on and so forth. There are a lot of different elements in there and its wrong just to take one of them and regulate it mustbe a hybrid till. The AERA (Airports Economic Regulatory Authority of India) is who should determine what sort of till should be used. Putting it into law and regulation through the civil aviation policy is the wrong approach. The AERA and the Ministry of Finance itself both support a single till approach which is certainly the one that IATA believes is the correct way to move forward in this area.

Tony Tyler Director General IATA

So what should India do? India should develop its aviation policy to try to realise the huge potential of this market. Indian aviation will support 19 million jobs and $170 billion in GDP. We see the potential for 350 million passengers by 2034, we see an enormous potential for the airlines and of course for aviation to play a vital role that it can do in connecting the Indian economy within India and also to the world. But to do that the government needs to move forward with the right policy approaches and those policy approaches are the ones that embrace the idea of partnership with the industry and deep consultation with industry because we all want the same in the end. If the government will consult the industry, talk to the experts, we can do this together. NEWS IN BRIEF

Registration Opens for SITE Nite Europe at the Historic Kameha Suite in Frankfurt

egistration is open for SITE Nite Europe on 18 April, the night before the start of IMEX Frankfurt. Hosted by the SITE Foundation the event brings together SITE members, industry colleagues and IMEX hosted buyers for an evening of networking and business exchanges. Following many years at the wonderful Intercontinental Hotel Frankfurt, this year SITE Nite moves to the Kameha Suite. Built in 1898, the elegant edifice with its artistic mosaics and marble columns provides the perfect ambience for the event. “A key aspect of incentive travel design is providing programme qualifiers with

privileged access to assets and experiences that are part of a destination’s unique story. Originally built to host Allianz, now a global insurance and financial services enterprise, Kameha Suite is a part of Frankfurt’s story as a hub for financial services and allows SITE to emphasize the importance of history and heritage in the design of great incentive programmes. It’s convenient location, period setting, elite access and award-winning gastronomy provide a quality incentive experience and made Kameha Suite the obvious choice for SITE Nite,” shared Padraic Gilligan, SITE Foundation Trustee and Co-Chair of SITE Nite Europe.

March 2016 9

ANALYSIS

Despite growing FTAs, ‘Organised Tourism’ records drastic decline Rajesh Tiwari

Despite a remarkable growth in number of Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTA’s) the industry has reported a double digit decline in the Organised Tourism sector. The large portion of growing FTA’s belongs to the VFR (Visiting Friends and Relatives) category, which generally stay with relatives and does not interact with tourism and hospitality professionals for their services, and almost no business is being generated. Therefore we can say the growing FTA’s does not reflect the growth of industry stakeholders. Since the year 2015 has not been up to the mark, the industry stakeholders are very disappointed with the downturn in Inbound tourism of the country. According to them this is the wake up call to be more aggressive in branding and marketing of the Incredible India across the globe. If we look at the figures revealed by UNWTO World Tourism Barometer around 50 million more tourists travelled to international destinations, whereas the Asia & Pacific has received 13 million travellers of this. However, the industry stake holders reveal that our neighbouring countries got the benefit whereas India has not been able to tackle this opportunity and registered a drop in business. According to Sarab Jit Singh, Vice Chairman FAITH, “If you look at it closely, the reasons for the short STRENGTH: The country’s natural resources are vast and diverse, and its cultural resources include a unique intangible heritage, sports events and large entertainment resources. India’s relevance as a business travel destination is increasing along with its economic growth, it remains a price-competitive destination and recent changes in its visa regime have the potential to boost international arrivals.

10 March 2016

fall cannot be attributed to one or two factors. It is a collection of so many factors. Over the years, hardly any issue has been addressed by the Government, therefore these are piling-up with the result that today we have this humungous problem.” Speaking on the same lines Rajeev Kohli, Vice President, Indian Association of Tour Operators said, “We have faced a humungous image problem. We have been beaten up pretty badly over the past few years and as we have had no damage control or PR by the government, the decline has been steep.” Along with the new tourism and aviation policies which are in development pipeline the government has taken a number of initiatives including e-Tourist Visa, Clean India Campaign etc. However, there are certain issues that need to be addressed. The feedback from the industry reveals that due to the restriction of single entry and 30 days limitations the e-Tourist visa cannot work effectively as it was supposed to do. “Foreign tourists would like to cover the neighbouring countries like Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Maldives etc which was not possible with single entry visa. So many opted for other destinations where visa friendly policy was in operation, informed Subhash Goyal, President, Indian Association of Tour Operators.

MAJOR CHALLENGES: The longstanding infrastructure gaps especially in tourism-specific infrastructure and the quality of roads remains a major challenge in growth of tourism. Despite some uneven progress, India also lags on health and hygiene and ICT readiness. The safety and security situation is unsettling, with a perceived increase in the impact of crime and violence.

STATISTIC

Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Index Ranking 2015 of the Asia-Pacific Countries Country

Asia Pacific Rank

Global Rank

Australia

Japan

Singapore

Hong Kong

New Zealand

China

Malaysia

Korea Rep

Taiwan

Thailand

Indonesia

India

Sri Lanka

Philippines

Vietnam

Bhutan

Lao PDR

Mongolia

Nepal

102

Cambodia

105

Pakistan

125

Bangladesh

127

Myanmar

134 Source: UNWTO

LESS MARKETING OVERSEAS: As compare to our neighbouring countries such as China, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, the branding of our country has not been up to the mark. The countries like Indonesia has increased its tourism budget ten times to promote itself more aggressively in India and other parts of the world. IMAGE: The perception of foreign travellers that India is not a safe country to travel has been the major drawback in terms of tourist arrival. And above than all our inability in restoring people’s confident and rebranding the country’s image has been pathetic which is taking tourism in India downward.

Subhash Goyal President IATO According to you, how has been the performance of Inbound Tourism in 2015? Inbound tourism remained stagnated and the growth was mainly for VFR segment. But as new initiatives are being taken by the government to streamline e-tourist visa with Multiple Entry, 90 days advance application for visa, improved payment gateway, more countries are being added. We are optimistic that we will reach double digit figure. Even airlines are increasing their seat capacity towards India and more Cruise liners have added India as Port of Call.

Which have been the critical points in success or failure of tourism in India particularly in the year 2015? The critical points were in good numbers especially e-tourist visa which was introduced with so much fanfare but could not give the desired result. The issues which really put this not very effective included this was made valid for single entry only, where as foreign tourists would like to cover the neighbouring countries like Nepal, Srilanka, Bhutan, Maldives etc . Also e-tourist is valid for foreign stay 30 days where as tourists, once they visit India like to have a larger stay with visits to neighbouring countries for a week or two and then continue with India holiday part. Similarly one needs to apply 30 days before. But tourists would like to apply minimum 60 days/80 days in advance as they would like to buy tickets, get hotel reservations etc.

The year 2015 was celebrated as the Visit India Year in China; what is your comment on the efforts made by Ministry of Tourism including travel companies? It is a very positive decision. We had been pleading to the government for extending e-visa to China from the very beginning when this was introduced as early in November 2014. China is one of the most growing market for India and over 250,000 Chinese tourists visited India in 2013/14 and same positive growth continued for 2014-15 (though we don’t have the figure readily available with us.) We have not utilized our full potential of ties and business options. This will be followed by China Year in India and that will give continued boosting of effort for China market in 2016 to gain in bound tourists arrivals to India.

Did you participate in any roadshow under Ministry of Tourism or organised independently? We had participated in over 15 Road Shows organised by Ministry of Tourism, Government of India in 2015 and IATO members participated in number. More emphasis was to reach new markets like Eastern Europe, Gulf and S.E Asian countries.

March 2016 11

ANALYSIS

Sarab Jit Singh Vice Chairman FAITH According to you, how has been the performance of Inbound Tourism in 2015? Inbound tourism during 2015 was at a low key, due to various factors that not only include high rate of taxes on tourism products in India, but also, the economy slowdown in various source markets, coupled with very less publicity and promotions by the Indian tourism across the globe. Though, the figures may still suggest small percentage increase, but travel through organised sectors had double digit decline.

Which have been the critical points in success or failure of tourism in India particularly in the year 2015? If you look at it closely, the reasons for the short fall cannot be attributed to one or two factors. It is a collection of so many factors. Over the years, hardly any issue has been addressed by the Government, therefore these are piling-up with the result that today, we have this humungous problem. The Government policies framed 3-4 decades ago, needs to be completely overhauled in the changed scenario to get desired results, but that looks to be far-cry. One is really concerned the level we are in today, as 10 of the 14 overseas tourist offices are without the senior officers for almost two years. The year 2015 was celebrated as the Visit India Year in China; what is your comment on the efforts made by Ministry of Tourism including travel companies? Yes, 2015 was ‘Visit India Year in China’, but there was hardly anything done by India to promote tourism. There was no officer posted in Beijing office and hardly any publicity and marketing efforts were made, resulting into almost no benefits for India. Contrary to that, ‘Visit China Year’ 2016 in India has taken-off quite well, as Chinese tourism departments came fully prepared and their promotions are going-on. Moreover, they have added several flights between India and China, which will definitely benefit China as they will be able to carry more Indians to China.

Did you participate in any roadshow under Ministry of Tourism or organised independently? I attended one event in November 2015 along with Ministry of Tourism, but that was also not planned properly that would give positive results.

12 March 2016

Rajeev Kohli Vice President IATO According to you, how has been the performance of Inbound Tourism in 2015? It has been very lacklustre. Our members at IATO have been stating lower sales and confirmations across the board. Hotels have also stated lower occupancies by pure leisure travellers. Overall the 2015-2016 will not be the best for most of the industry stakeholders. The decline is indeed alarming and we need to collectively take stock of the reasons.

Which have been the critical points in success or failure of tourism in India particularly in the year 2015? We have faced a humungous image problem. We have been beaten up pretty badly over the past few years and as we have had no damage control or PR by the government, the decline has been steep. We also have had no credible marketing of the destination which hasn’t helped given our competition has been aggressive in capturing a greater share of the pie. The much flaunted e-Visa system is buggy and is turning off visitors. To add, our cost of the product at the destination is spiralling out of hand due to an irrational taxation regime. So it isn’t one reason but a combination of reasons that have affected numbers of arrivals in the organised tourism sector.

The year 2015 was celebrated as the Visit India Year in China; what is your comment on the efforts made by Ministry of Tourism including travel companies? This is actually still going on. The Chinese have been very very active with their activities and interventions in India with the trade. On the other hand, we don’t seem to have done much in China to attract numbers. We could have done a lot more, but that didn’t seem to happen. Even our tourist office in China is headless and has been for some time. Besides, really not worth it as we cannot handle volumes of Chinese. We don’t have enough guides and unless we fix the basics, there is no point making an investment. Disappointing our visitors should not be an objective.

Did you participate in any roadshow under Ministry of Tourism or organised independently? No we don’t. Road shows don’t fit our marketing mix.

March 2016 13

STATE

Airport at Pakyong reinforces the development of tourism across the state The Department of Tourism, Govt of Sikkim is gearing up to tap the potential of tourism by utilising the direct connectivity to the state. The upcoming airport at Pakyong is expected to start operation by 2017. Jai Kishan Kaparwan

he upcoming airport at Pakyong encourages government of Sikkim to develop new tourism products for travellers that is expected to visit the state in near future. Very well know for the adventure products of the state, Sikkim has started promotion of Village Tourism with Homestays and Organic Tour to engage the traveller visiting the state. “The upcoming airport at Pakyong will boost the growth of tourism many folds. To utilise this opportunity we

have planned a number of projects to develop with the due course of time. Since the airport is coming up in Pakyong it is becoming a destination itself. The latest would be the promotion of Yaakten Village that has introduced the Old silk Route,” said Madan Kumar Pradhan, Joint Director, Tourism & Civil Aviation, Sikkim. “Along with state tourism professionals, we are marketing our destination in India and abroad. Last year we had organised a roadshow in Singapore and getting good response. UK and Germany are other prominent markets for us. We have planned to participate in WTM, ITB Berlin including domestic tourism fairs in the year ahead, said Pradhan.

Homestays getting popular in Sikkim According to him homestays is an opportunity to experience the local hospitality and delicious cuisine of the state. So far Sikkim has established around 120 homestays across the state, more will be developed in next couple of years. Activities such as Jungle safari, Bird watching and organic tour can be done during homestays. Further elaborating on this Pradhan said, “The homestays is gaining popularity and good response from national and international fronts. Though this is a very new initiative but the people of Sikkim are very proactive about it. With the support of government of Sikkim, the Department of Tourism is encouraging people to come up with homestays.

Madan Kumar Pradhan Joint Director Tourism & Civil Aviation, Sikkim In every village we have 12-15 rooms with all basic amenities and facilities.” Sikkim Tourism conducts a training and skill development programme for tourism stakeholders of the state. The department supports them in attending tourism fairs takes place in various states of the country.

Odisha interacts with tourism MoT launches ‘Swachh Paryatan professionals in Mumbai Mobile App’

disha Tourism has organised a roadshow in Mumbai to showcase the state’s scenic beauty and attract more tourists. “Odisha has emphasised on promotion of tourism through sincere efforts of hoteliers, tour operators and other stakeholders,” said Ashok Chandra Panda, Minister of Tourism and Culture, Odishha. “This is another initiative to attract domestic tourists from an important source state and commercial capital of the country,” Panda added. The department of tourism is also organising a number of tourism events like Konark Festival, International Sand Art Festival, Parab Tribal Festival,

14 March 2016

wachh Parayatan Mobile App was launched by Dr. Mahesh Sharma, the Minister of State (I/C) for Tourism & Culture and Minister of State for Civil Aviation at a function in New Delhi recently. This project is being implemented by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India through DEGS and NIC.

clean, the Ministry of Tourism has decided to facilitate the general public to communicate their complaints about any unclean area/garbage piles in and around tourist destinations. Hence as a part thereof, the Ministry of Tourism is launching this Mobile App. He opined that till all stakeholders don’t contribute, such project will not succeed.

This Mobile App is available on Google Search Engine as ‘Swachh Paryatan’ and initially it is available on Android Phones and very soon it will be available on Apple and Microsoft also. This mobile app shall be monitored by the Project Monitoring Unit of Swachh Bharat Mission in Ministry of Tourism.

Vinod Zutshi, Secretary, M/o Tourism in his address said that year 2016 has begun with good news in Tourism sector. A Mega Tourism Summit is expected in July-August this year which will boost the Tourism Sector. He said that M/o Tourism and M/o Culture will work together to make this Mobile App a successful one.

Addressing on the occasion, Dr. Sharma said that since the general public and the tourists are the largest stakeholders in keeping the monuments

To start with, 25 Adarsh Smarak Monuments protected by Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) have been identified for inclusion in the app.

WH Desk

Dhanu Yatra Festival, Rajarani Music Festival and Mukteswar Dance Festival to attract more domestic and international tourists. A progressive and investmentfriendly tourism policy has been in place since 2013. As per the policy, a state-level Single Window Committee has been created for speedy implementation of the projects.

STATE

West Bengal all set to develop new tourism products & re-branding The government of West Bengal is gearing up to tap the potential of tourism like never before. The prime focus is being given to develop new tourism products i.e. homestays, cruise, MICE , and launch of new media campaigns that will showcase Shah Rukh Khan as the Brand Ambassador of West Bengal Tourism. Rajesh Tiwari

ooking at the growing demands and potential of homestay the government is keen to set up more such facilities across the state. “We are planning to further develop this segment and supporting the private players through various incentives including cash to develop all basic facilities at their place, said Surajit Bose, Joint Director, West Bengal Tourism. “We are planning to decongest the Darjeeling (core area) as it already has become very crowded. We have identified several areas around Darjeeling Hills to develop homestays,” informed Bose. Apart from this, MICE facilities are being developed in a big way. An Eco Park with 400 acres of land and 100 acres of water body has been established near Kolkata. The park is gaining popularity among the travellers visiting the city. Two more destinations are being developed in northern and southern part of the state. Teesta Barrage a 400 acres land in the vicinity of Dooars in northern part of the state is being developed on PPP mode. The bidding has been done and the authorised company is planning to build a hotel over there. “We are developing a tourist destination called Jharkhali around Sunderbans in southern part of the

state. The government is giving land and infrastructure to private players to build resources, the project will be completed in two to three years,” informed Bose. The authorities feel that despite having the great source of water the river Ganges, West Bengal has not been able to develop the Cruise Tourism segment. That is why a major focus is being given to develop this segment as well. “Since a number of companies have shown their interest, we are keen to set up more facilities to promote Cruise Tourism in a big way. This segment can attract a large number of traveller for leisure and MICE activities in the state. To ensure smooth running of cruises we are working in this area,” he added. Shah Rukh Khan appointed Brand Ambassador for West Bengal Tourism In an attempt to compete the leading tourist destinations of the country the state is all set to re brand itself as a prominent tourist destination. Renowned Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan has been appointed as the Brand Ambassador for West Bengal Tourism. The re designed logo and creative in print forms, hording, kiosk and radio jingles are expected to hit the market by April this year. “We are confident that the footfall will rise once after the new campaign gets start that showcases Shah Rukh Khan as the brand ambassador for tourism. Campaigns at New Delhi and Mumbai airport have already been started and other important airports will be covered soon.” Aims to strengthen presence in tier II cities for domestic travellers West Bengal tourism is focusing on tier two cities to attract more travellers to the

Surajit Bose Joint Director West Bengal Tourism

state. The department is planning to hold roadshows to create more awareness about the tourism products of the state. “Cities like Pune, Ahmedabad, Raipur, Chandigarh, Surat, Badodara and Nagpur are potential markets for domestic tourism. “We have learnt that the travellers from these cities are showing their interest in West Bengal. The scheduled roadshows will consolidate our presence in these markets and help them to plan their vacations in our state,” shared Bose. Gears up to leverage the potential of China market So far Bangladesh and the US have been the biggest source markets in international tourist arrival. Its proximity to China one of the world’s fastest growing outbound market is the biggest advantage. In order to create awareness about the tourism products the state had organised a FAM trip for Chinese travel agents last year. “To gete attract our deserving share from this market, we need to trained more tourist guides to facilitate Chinese travellers. We aim to make a pool of 25-30 Chinese tourist guides within the shortest possible time. We will conduct a government sponsored skill development programme for guides of the state. We have launched a drive to identify the guides to train them,” concludes Bose.

March 2016 15

IN CONVERSATION

In Conversation with

Nikhil Desai

Managing Director, GTDC

Nikhil Desai, Managing Director, Goa Tourism Development Corporation has been instrumental in taking tourism to the world in a new avatar. Under his dynamic leadership the state is all set to achieve an unprecedented growth in the year ahead. The soon to be launched â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Tourism Master Planâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; along with all new interactive website and App will be a catalyst in setting up a new milestone in the history of Goa Tourism. During his stint with GTDC, he has worked extensively with a team of engineers and architects to build durable tourism infrastructure in Goa such as multilevel car parks, upgraded jetty, public amenities for travellers, improvement of infrastructure at the beaches etc. He has been a great source of encouragement in introduction of host of new tourism services in Goa such as Seaplanes, Amphibious Vessels, Hop-On Hop-Off services, Motorised Para Gliders, Hot Air Balloons, Heritage Boat Cruises, Floating Water Theme Parks etc. which will position Goa as a premier tourism destination in the years to come. Rajesh Tiwari

What are the major initiatives and developments that you would like to share with us? There are a lot of initiatives being undertaken by GTDC and the Dept. of Tourism. Along with the launch of Hot air balloons, amphibious vessels and the sea planes, we would be soon launching bungee jumping, hop-on hop-off services and many more. In addition to providing tourism attractions we are working round the clock to provide good infrastructure facilities like toilets, changing rooms, locker facilities on the

16 March 2016

The Tourism Master Plan will set a framework for deciding which tourism products to focus on and recommendation of location to set them up...

IN CONVERSATION beaches. Proper parking facilities, better illumination of tourism locations, beautification of tourist spots are some of the areas where work is in progress. Our new multi level car parking facility and cruise boat jetty will be commissioned shortly. We are also conscious of the fact that cleanliness and hygiene is a must if tourism as an industry in Goa has to succeed. We have therefore concentrated on beach cleaning and during the last one year, agencies appointed and tasked to keep Goa’s beaches free of garbage are doing an excellent job. One big highlight is going to be the launch of the new interactive website. This is conceptualised by the GTDC and will have an all new App and Call centre that will help tourists from any part of the globe to log in to for information, bookings and so on. This will give tourists an opportunity to plan their itineraries based on their budgets, duration of stay and so on. We expect this to be a big hit with young travellers. Goa Tourism is also promoting all its other facets namely Wedding and Honeymoon tourism, MICE tourism, Adventure tourism, Cuisine, Photography, Fashion and Sports Tourism. Goa is also presently in festive mood. We took several steps to improve the standards of our annual festival Carnaval, and Shigmo which commences in March will also get good support from the government.

Reportedly the Goa Tourism is planning to launch ‘Tourism Master Plan’ kindly elaborate on the followings: a) Major points of the plan? An important initial activity is to develop a vision for tourism in Goa over the shortterm (5-year), medium-term (15-year) and long-term (25-year) basis. This includes setting clear goals on elements such as number of tourists, average days spent and expenditure per tourist, contribution to Goa’ economy, job creation and entrepreneurship opportunities for Goans, and increasing environmentally sustainable tourism. The Tourism Master Plan will suggest changes to each element of the tourist value chain. This includes direct tourist products/ activities such as hotels, events, car rental etc. and indirect tourist products/activities such as food suppliers, furniture, handicraft suppliers etc. The tourist value chain is critically dependent on infrastructure enablers such as water, power, waste, communication,

health and safety and specific recommendations on each element will be made. In order to select suitable tourism products/activities, prioritized criteria such as quantity of land required, seasonality, appeal of product, potential to attract new tourists, economic impact, job creation potential and compatibility with surrounding social fabric and environment will be used. The tourism product/activities will be planned at a taluka level and an anchor product and multiple similarly themed products/activities will be conceptualised. Special emphasis will be placed on cultural, heritage, eco-tourism, hinterland, wellness, MICE, wedding and adventure tourism. The tourism policy and institutional framework will also be developed. The tourism policy will include a resource allocation framework, framework for investment in identified products and associated incentives, initiatives to ensure product quality through standards, guidelines and accreditation framework, and policies to encourage development of enabling infrastructure. While suggesting an institutional framework, the core policy, promotion, governance and oversight related activities will be identified and an analysis of functioning of the key agencies performing these roles will be performed.

b) The importance of this plan? The Master Plan will set a framework for deciding which tourism products to focus on and recommendation of location to set them up. A key aim is to identify the kind of tourist for Goa and develop a strategy to attract such tourists while ensuring sustainability.

c) How will it expedite the growth of tourism? All the interventions are focused towards ensuring sustainable and broad-based tourism growth.

d) The time frame to launch this plan? The master plan is expected to be finalised in the next six months.

What are your plans to promote Goa Tourism at international front? Which are the markets being targeted in the year 2016? It is important to have varied tourism products so that tourists have variety to choose from. Year after year, Goa Tourism participates in leading global events for the travel industry. We showcase new facets which make an impression to global visitors from far and wide. Goa makes a point to put up an

outstanding show and this year too Goa Tourism is all set to participate in some key events. Our focus will be the ETV facility, new tourism initiatives, Avi- Tourism, highlights on cleanliness, safety and security of tourists and niche tourism facets. GTDC is tapping countries which include Russia, UK, Germany, France, Middle East and South East Asia. Goa Tourism is very optimistic that foreign tourists will take advantage of this ETV facility which will give easy access to Goa and help them fly straight to Goa.

Since you are planning to start the sea plane service in Goa what impact do you see on tourism? This will give a big boost to the tourism industry. This is a special initiative and will definitely boost tourism in the state. With this service, we are optimistic about attracting high-end tourists who travel to enjoy unique experiences. A seaplane operation anywhere always creates excitement and has a tendency to attract tourists by tapping into their curiosity and thrill seeking instincts. It is a novel concept in India which provides convenience of travel with the excitement of takeoffs and landings in water. There is no investment by the Government for this service, it is all being owned and operated by Mehair. We are providing the necessary support to them to facilitate smooth operations.

The central government has initiated Make in India campaign; what are your plans to get more from this campaign? Are you planning to woo the investors through this campaign? This campaign will help to create jobs for many. We aim to give high quality standards and minimize the impact on the environment. This hopes to attract capital and technological investment in India. It will also attract businesses from around the world to invest and manufacture in Goa which will in turn give a global recognition to the state.

Are you planning to participate at ITB Berlin? Which are the products that you would like to showcase at the fair? This year too Goa Tourism is happy to be participating at ITB Berlin 2016 proudly showcasing an all new portfolio of facets which will impress global visitors from far and wide. We will showcase adventure tourism, wedding tourism, ETV facility, Safety and Security of tourists, Cuisine tourism, hinterland and heritage tourism and so on.

March 2016 17

18 March 2016

Sundarbans Mangroves The Sunderbans are a part of the world’s largest delta, formed by the mighty rivers Ganga, Brahmaputra and Meghna. Situated on the lower end of Gangetic West Bengal, the Sunderbans is crisscrossed by hundreds of creeks and tributaries. It is one of the most attractive and alluring places remaining on earth, a truly undiscovered paradise. WH Desk

he Sunderbans is the largest single block of tidal, halophytic mangrove forests in the world. The Sunderbans is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is spans a vast area covering 4.264 sq. km in India alone. It is the largest Tiger Reserve and National Park in India.

WILDLIFE OF SUNDERBANS

only on Haliday Island in the Sunderbans.

The Sunderbans forest is home to more than 250 tigers. The Royal Bengal Tigers have adapted themselves very well to the saline and aqua environs and are extremely good swimmers. As you enter the adventurous wild land of the Sunderbans, you will be thrilled to see the chital deer and rhesus monkey. The aqua fauna of Sunderbans include a variety of fish, red fiddler crabs, and hermit crabs. There are crocodiles, which can be often seen along the mud banks. Sunderbans National Park is also noted for its conservation of the Ridley Sea Turtle. An incredible variety of reptiles is also found in Sunderbans – these include king cobra, the rock python and the water monitor. The endangered river terrapin, Batagur baska, is found on the Mechua Beach, while barking deer are found

ACCOMODATION Sajnekhali Tourist Lodge, run by West Bengal Tourism Development Corporation and forest rest houses available at Sajnekhali are best places to stay. There are some private lodges also. WBTDC also has exciting Tour Packages to the Sunderbans starting from Kolkata. For details log on to www.westbengaltourism.gov.in MANGROVE: Mangroves are woody plants and shrub that inhabit the upper intertidal zones of saltwater (30 to 90ppt) areas, primarily in tropical and subtropical coastal regions within 30° of the equator and form low diversity forests with complex food webs and unique ecosystem dynamics. Mangroves form a characteristic saline woodland or shrub land habitat, called mangrove swamp, mangrove forest, mangrove or

mangal, in coastal depositional environments where fine sediments often with high organic content collect in areas protected from high energy wave action. REACHING HERE The Sunderbans is only accessible by waterways. The nearest railhead is Port Canning, from where organised group trips start. There are several other entry points, but Port Canning is most popular. The other route is through Basanti that is connected by bus service to Kolkata. From here, one can take boats to Sajnekhali. One can also come via Port Canning and Gosaba or from Sonakhali to Sajnekhali. From Kolkata, there are Sunderban trains to Canning and buses to Namkhana, Raidighi, Sonakhali, and Najat, from where motor launch services are available for Sunderbans.

March 2016 19

NEED TO KNOW

The life of a Goan is depicted in folk performances by local men and women who dance tirelessly in huge processions along with the float parade which depicts the themes from ancient Hindu scriptures. The grand five-day festival of colours, is also considered as the spring festival of Goa. The festival honours the homecoming of warriors who had left their homes and families at the end of Dusshera to fight the invaders. ITDC

WH Desk

higmo is one of the major festivals of the Hindu community celebrated by Konkani diaspora and Indian festival of Holi is part of it. It is a unique festival filled with colours, music, dance and float parade. Shigmo parade is a street festival where vibrant colours and irresistible celebrations lift the spirits of the entire state. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an experience you cannot afford to miss. This religious Hindu festival is filled with colours, music, dance and floats. In true meaning, it depicts the life of a Goan in traditional folk dances like Ghode Modni and Fugdi are performed on the streets in massive troupes along the procession, showcasing the tradition of Goa. The streets of Goa during Shigmotsav are lit up with attractive dĂŠcor, lively parades,

20 March 2016

SHIGMO

Spring Festival of Goa delicious Goan delicacies, and music and dance performances. The state government has supported public Shigmo parades consisting of traditional folk and street dancers and elaborately built floats depicting scenes from regional mythology and religious scenes. Meanwhile, Shigmo festivals also continue in various rural parts of Goa, spanning over a fortnight, with different days earmarked for celebrations in different areas. This festival

is celebrated around March each year. It is linked to the Hindu lunar calendar; hence its date according to the Gregorian calendar varies. It is also celebrated by Konkani diaspora and Indian festival of Holi is part of it. Traditionally it was celebrated as springâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s biggest festival which honoured the homecoming of the warriors who had left their homes and families at the end of Dusshera to fight the invaders. Traditional

NEED TO KNOW folk dances and performing of mythological scenes is the major highlight of this parade. The parade begins with a bang when the people of Goa dress up in colourful outfits, holding multi coloured flags and playing large musical instruments like the Dhol Tasha and flutes in processions across the cities. The mesmerising larger-than-life celebration brings fantasy and folk to form a fusion in the floats that parade through the streets. Dhakto Shigmo begins some five days before the full-moon day of the Indian lunar month of Phalguna and ends on the full-moon day in the Old Conquests areas of Goa. On the other hand, Vhadlo Shigmo is mostly celebrated in the new conquests areas, beginning on the full-moon day of Phalguna and continuing for five days. Naman are songs sung in chorus during the festival, when villagers assemble at a fixed place. Dances include Talgadi, Hanpet, Lamp Dance and Gopha. Dhol and Taso are drums, some of which can be huge, which people carry from door to door, dancing to their sound. On the last day of the festival, it is believed that a spirit known as the Gade padap enters the dancers. Mand davarap refers to a collective bath taken after the festival comes to an end. Shigmo is a social festival with a religious core. Puja is performed of the stems of the teflam fruits or betel nut, struck on the ground before the temple and a little grass put at their feet is then burnt. WHAT: Shigmo, Goaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s answer to Holi and a unique spring festival, will be celebrated in the state by Konkani diaspora. The festival is filled with colors, music, dance and float parade. The grand five-day festival of colours, is also considered as the spring festival of Goa.

WHEN: March 25-April 7, 2016 WHERE: All over Goa Visit www.goa-tourism.com for more details and bookings

NEED TO KNOW

ACCOMODATION

Major Rivers: Tiracol, Chapora, Mandovi, Zuari, Sal and Talpon

Budget Hotels: From simple bare rooms in regular guesthouses to cosy well-furnished rooms in family run guesthouses, these are ideal for backpackers. Budget hotels are more expensive in the city and popular coastal belt areas and cheaper off the beaten track in rural areas. Mid-range Hotels: These can be found all over Goa and forms the largest category of accommodations. They have proper reception areas, well-appointed rooms, room service and usually a restaurant. Getting Here By Air: All flights national and international to and from Goa, operates from the Goa airport at Dabolim near the port town of Vasco da Gama. Major airline operators such as Air India, Jet Airways, Spice Jet, Indiago etc have flights carrying passenger in and out of Goa. International airlines also connect Goa with Kuwait with Sarjah. Direct charter flights operate from UK, Germany, Switzerland, Finland and other countries. By Train: The Konkan railway makes Goa easily accessible by rail from other cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Rajkot, Mangalore, Ernakulam, Thiruvananthapuram. Goa is also linked to Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad and Pune via Londa.

Capital: Panjim

Popular Beaches: Arambol, Mandrem, Vagator, Anjuna, Baga, Calangute, Sinquerim, Marmar in the North and Majorda, Betalbatim, Colva, Benaulim, Varca, Cavelossim and Palolem the South Wildlife Sanctuaries: The Bondla, Catigao, Molleem Sanctuaries in the eastern forested hilly area. Language: Konkani is the official language of Goa. English is widely spoken in all major towns of Goa. The other prominent Goan languages are Marathi and Hindi. For More Information Goa Tourism Development Corporation Ltd. Paryatan Bhavan, 2nd Floor, Patto Plaza, Panaji-Goa, India 403001 T: 832 2437132 / 2437728 / 2438515 / 2438866 E: reservations@goa-tourism.com W.www.goa-tourism.com

March 2016 21

AVIATION

Qatar Airways’ A350 to take centre stage at India Aviation 2016 WH Desk

atar Airways will exhibit its Airbus A350 newgeneration jetliner at India Aviation 2016 in Hyderabad from 16 to 20 March. The A350 will make its debut at India’s largest civil aviation and aerospace show. The theme of this edition of the biennial international exhibition and conference at Begumpet Airport is ‘India’s Civil Aviation Sector: Potential as Global Manufacturing & MRO Hub’. The event is expected to bring together 250 exhibitors and up to 50,000 visitors from around the world. Organised by India’s Ministry of Civil Aviation and the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry, the event will be inaugurated by the Honourable President of India, Pranab Mukherjee, and

Effective April 1, 2016, THAI Airways will operate additional daylight flight TG324-TG323, increasing frequency to 19 flights a week WH Desk

T will feature static displays, demonstration flights and aerobatic shows. Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, Akbar Al Baker, said, “We are proud to showcase our A350 for the first time in the Indian market, giving prospective clients and visitors a glimpse of what to expect when they fly on board. We recently celebrated the first anniversary of our A350 operations which demonstrates

our technologically-advanced and fast-growing young fleet.” “India, as one of the world’s largest aviation markets, continues to command respect. The focus this year on growing the manufacturing and maintenance, repair and overhaul businesses in India is commendable, and will benefit the aviation industry as a whole.”

Vistara reduces seats in premium classes to meet increasing demand in Economy Class WH Desk

istara will reconfigure its aircraft to make its unique product and service offering available in more markets and expand its customer base. Starting April 2016, Vistara will reconfigure its current fleet of 9 aircraft to the new seating configuration of 8 business class seats, 24 premium economy seats and 126 economy seats. This change will raise the total number of seats on Vistara’s aircraft from 148 to 158, which is better aligned with market demand and customer needs. Vistara is refining its route network strategy to take advantage of the unprecedented growth in travellers on many emerging routes. While there continues to be a good demand for Vistara’s unique Business

22 March 2016

THAI Airways increases frequency from Delhi to Bangkok

and Premium Economy cabins on key routes such as between Delhi and Mumbai, the change in configuration will allow the airline to serve other emerging routes through better alignment of capacity to demand whilst satisfying the route dispersal guidelines. To maintain operational flexibility, all aircraft in the Vistara fleet will be retrofitted to the new seating configuration. This will also help the airline to maintain its market leading position in on-time performance. Commenting on the airline’s new configuration, Vistara CEO, Phee Teik Yeoh said, “The change in our cabin configuration is a result of extensive research of the changing market environment and customer expectations. Being a young and nimble

airline, we were able to adjust quickly to meet the evolving needs of the market and our customers. We remain committed to our pioneering three class product offering and will continue to provide a personalized and differentiated flying experience to all our customers.” The reconfiguration exercise will be completed in two phases in April and July 2016. The first retrofitted aircraft will be deployed between Delhi and Hyderabad from April 2016, followed by other routes which will be announced in due course. All nine aircraft are expected to be reconfigured by 15 July 2016. Future new aircraft deliveries, the first of which is expected in Q2 of CY2016, will be also have the revised seating configuration.

he additional day flight will offer greater options to passengers travelling to Australia and Auckland. THAI is currently operating from 6 cities in India i.e. Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Chennai and Banglaore offering 52 flights a week. The airline operates seasonal flights from Gaya and Varanasi between OctoberMarch. “It is our endeavor to ensure that our passengers enjoy a comfortable and happy journey on THAI, we are constantly working to improve our service as per changing demands and customer’s expectations, from upgrading aircrafts to world class ground services at Suvarnbhumi airport, changing F&B options as per service route requirements, entertainment and shopping on board; convenience of web purchase and online services, THAI is dedicated to customer satisfaction,” said Viset Sontichai, Director Thai Airways, India Subcontinent. Flying at three different time slots, Thai offers convenience and flexibility to passengers. The late night flight, TG316 will operate with aircraft type 773 offering capacity of 34 seats in Business and 330 seats in economy, early morning flight TG332 will operate with aircraft type 787 offering capacity of 24 seats in business and 240 seats in Economy and day light flight TG 324 will operate with 777-200 offering capacity of 30 seats in business and 279 seats in Economy. Total capacity per week will be 5941 seats from Delhi.

AVIATION

Fourth edition of Turkish Airlines World Golf Cup 2016 WH Desk

urkish Airlines brings the fourth edition of World Golf Cup-the largest and most exciting amateur tournaments of golf, at Classic Golf & Country Club, in New Delhi. The seventh of 100 qualifiers for the global event, which has gone from strength to strength since the inaugural tournament in 2013, featured 100 players, all personally-invited guests of Turkish Airlines. Ravi Burman, Director ,Urgent Care Hospital won the individual competition with 45 points and progresses to the Grand Final in Antalya, Turkey, this October and November. Dr Ranjeet Mehta, Director, PHD Chamber of Commerce & Industry was runner-up, Siddharth Sangwan, Market Leader - Global Technology Markets, Futurestep was third and Rajiv Thapar, Chairman,FFV Services Pvt. Ltd and Meeta Makhan, Director, IDFC Bank won the nearest-the-pin prizes. N.K. Lenka, MD, Nutrikraft India won the Best Gross Score.

The first qualifiers took place in Dar Es Salaam, Mumbai and Doha in February and the 2016 series takes place across the globe, in destinations including Hong Kong, Great Britain, South Korea, Japan, China, Spain, the United States, Portugal, Italy, France, Greece, Argentina, Brazil and Turkey. The overall winners of the Grand Final progress to play in the 2016 Turkish Airlines Open pro-am, while all finalists are to enjoy a seven-night stay in an all-inclusive hotel. The event is backed by Global Sponsors Porsche and the Financial Times, with Conte of Florence Official Clothing and Fashion Partner. “We would like to congratulate everyone who took part in the Turkish Airlines World Golf Cup qualifier in Delhi,” said Ozer Guler, General Manager for Turkish Airlines, North and East, India. “It was a brilliant day and well done to our winner, Ravi Burman, we look forward to seeing you in Antalya in November,” he added.

Ozer Guler, General Manager for Turkish Airlines, North & East, India with participants of Fourth edition of Turkish Airlines World Golf Cup 2016

March 2016 23

AVIATION

Air India announces direct flight from Delhi to Vienna WH Desk

he national carrier of India, Air India has announced to start a direct flight service from New Delhi to Vienna, Austria from April 6 onwards. The flight will be operated three times a week to the Austrian capital. The new route service would be introduced by a 256 seater Dreamliner, Boeing 787-800 aircraft that consist of 18 business class seats and rest in the economy class.

Austrian Airlines used to fly on the Delhi-Vienna route and will pull out from April 4. As per the reports Austrian Airlines has sold thousands of tickets for this route till December, 2016. Air India will get those bookings. Air ndia’s flyers to Vienna will be offered connections to several European cities from there based on an agreement with Austrian. The national carrier has 58 weekly flights to Europe where it flies to London, Birmingham, Frankfurt, Paris, Rome, Milan and Moscow.

Indian boy to make Lufthansa’s first in-flight ‘announcement by a kid’ WH Desk India’s Yashas Dassani, a spontaneous eight-year-old boy from Mumbai has outclassed 14 shortlisted children from several other countries to win Lufthansa’s global ‘Your Announcement Contest’. This first–of-its kind global competition by Lufthansa Passenger Airlines gives Yashas a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to step into the shoes of the airline’s cabin crew and make a live onboard announcement on the way to Frankfurt in the presence of all passengers. Yashas has also won flight tickets to a European Lufthansa destination of his choice for himself and two accompanying adults.

response with 22,000 visits till date. A jury comprising of Lufthansa experts shortlisted the 15 of the most imaginative onboard announcements from the videos received. The winning clip was determined through an online public poll.

As a part of an ongoing effort to engage with young passengers, Lufthansa launched an exciting online competition ‘Your Announcement Contest’ in early 2016 for children who enjoy flying. With 250-plus registrations from children aged between six to ten years, from nine countries across the world, the contest drew an enthusiastic

“Children are fascinated by flying, and to them, the opportunity to make a live inflight announcement is probably the next best thing to flying an airplane! Congratulations to Yashas on winning this contest and realizing his dream,” said Wolfgang Will, Director, South Asia, Lufthansa Passenger Airlines.

24 March 2016

Airbus to land at India Aviation 2016 WH Desk

irbus will make its presence felt at India Aviation 2016 being organised in Hyderabad from 16-20 March. Visitors to its stand (# 9) in Hall A will find scale models of the A380 (the world’s most spacious and quiet passenger aircraft), the A350 XWB (the latest generation airliner available on the market today) and the A320neo (the world’s best-selling and most fuel efficient single aisle aircraft) on display besides detailed information on Airbus’ entire product portfolio. Airbus is India’s aircraft of choice with over 70 percent market share in the country. It is at the forefront of the ‘Make in India’ initiative and is fostering long term partnerships with India’s civil aviation sector. This means plugging India in its global procurement and engineering value chain. In 2015, Airbus’ annual procurement from India exceeded US$500 million from over 45 suppliers, together

employing more than 6,000 people. As a result, every Airbus aircraft being produced today is partly made-in-India. It has now set its sights on exceeding US$2 billion in cumulative sourcing over the next 5 years up to 2020. Around 400 engineers are working for Airbus in India in core areas such as structural analysis, digital mock-up, avionics software design & testing and computational fluid dynamics. A specialised team of engineers and researchers is engaged in developing futuristic aviation technologies. Several hundred more are employed at the two dedicated design centres, operated by partners, in Bengaluru. Besides making several press announcements during the week, such as the launch of the latest Indian Global Market Forecast, informal A350 XWB and A380 product briefings will also take place at the Airbus stand, where executives will be available for interviews. CAR RENTAL

Yashas Dassani with Wolfgang Will, Director, South Asia, Lufthansa Passenger Airlines

ECO Rent a Car tops up its limo service WH Desk

ire a Limo for 24 hours and enjoy nothing less than a free night stay in a 5-star hotel. ECO Rent a Car, a leading car rental and ground Transportation Company is bestowing a lavish offer on its patrons renting a Limousine. Hiring a limousine can add a dash of luxury, grandeur and panache to any occasion, be it a wedding, a weekend getaway or an official drive. Now one doesn’t have to be a millionaire to afford it. ECO Rent a Car became the first company to

initiate mobility concepts in India with iconic and luxury cars like Chrysler limousines, Audi R8, BMW 7 series and Mercedes S class on chauffeur drive and self drive basis. Aditya Loomba, MD of ECO Rent a Car said, “We have been witnessing a rising demand for luxury cars in India nowadays. In fact, the domestic market is expected to grow at a rate of 15 percent per annum in 2015-2018. But with ECO Rent a Car, one doesn’t have to own a luxury car to experience its plush extravagance.

March 2016 25

WHEREABOUTS

SAN FRANCISCO San Francisco is a city of beaches. The Bay area has no shortage of beaches and this makes it an ideal cruise destination. The city can be best seen by taking a Bay tour. Whatever the occasion, you will enjoy gentle breezes, glittering waves and the dramatic San Francisco skyline. Visitors have ample options to choose their water journey through the San Francisco Bay. Some of them are mentioned below. Whereabouts brings a special coverage Compiled by WH Desk

The Land of Cruise Alcatraz Cruises

San Francisco Sailing Adventure

Alcatraz Cruises is the National Park Service Concessioner serving visitors to Alcatraz Island. It is a place to experience for locals and visitors alike. You can see the first lighthouse on the West Coast, explore the natural side of the Rock with beautiful gardens, bird colonies, and breathtaking views. The Night Tour includes roundtrip ferry, a live narration as the boat cruises around the north side of the island before docking, a ranger-guided tour from the dock to the cellhouse, the cellhouse audio tour, and a variety of special presentations only offered at night.

A sailing adventure in comfort and informal elegance, Sensei offers a luxurious setting as a private sailing tour. Gourmet dining inspired by fresh seasonal ingredients is the highlight. Guest participation is welcome, or sit back, relax and enjoy the sea breeze, fabulous views and gourmet dining. Enjoy a delicious meal in a tranquil cove, then see the majesty of the Golden Gate.

SF Bay Boat Cruises, Wine Tasting On The Bay Enjoy a voyage aboard San Franciscoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first and only floating wine tasting room. This is a memorable wine country style bay voyage without ever leaving the city. This cruise will leave you with an experience of the beautiful bay with some of the best wine. For More Information Contact : Poonam Makhija Sartha Marketing Tel: +91 1 49210004 Email: poonam.makhija@sarthaindia.com Website: www.sanfrancisco.travel

26 March 2016

NTO

SPA CENVAREE

Healing Celebrations for Songkran As the country approach the traditional Thai New Year in April, Songkran, it is important to start this New Year feeling calm and balanced. A distinct part of Songkran is the use of water to wash away misfortunate and to represent a fresh start for the New Year. The special SPA Cenvaree package for Songkran is representative of those rituals observed. Compiled by WH Desk

et spa therapist start by performing their Floral Foot Ritual, where guestâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s feet are washed with water infused with Neem Tea, Neem and citrus salt and flower petals. This ritual helps to wash away any negative energy and calm the mind.

Next, guests have the option between a Siam Body Scrub or Siam Clay Body Wrap. The Body Scrub, which is gentle in texture, is a combination of tamarind, lemongrass, lime, turmeric powder, yogurt, honey and olive oil. The exfoliation benefits are powerful and the circular massage assists to improve skin texture and promote healthier, glowing skin. The Clay Body Wrap also assists in improving skin with a combination of Thai clay, turmeric, Aloe Vera gel, milk, yogurt, honey and olive oil. This mixture replenishes moisture in the skin, prevents sun damage and helps to retain skinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s natural glow while brighten and tightening the skin complexion. After the scrub or mask, guests can rinse off in their private in-room shower.

Through traditional recipes and attention to the finest details, spa therapists freshly prepare the body scrub and body wrap clay mixtures before each treatment. The fresh ingredients hold more healing and soothing powers than pre-made mixtures as well as allow the therapists to infuse their nurturing touch for further enhancements. This special package is finished with a Muscle Melter Massage with Herbal Compress. This treatment begins with the guest taking three deep breathes of the aromatic scent from the muscle ache relief body oil that helps to begin the relaxation process. With rosemary, grapefruit, lemon, basil and May Chang the oil helps to engage all senses. The therapist will then use their elbows and hands to carefully massage sore muscles and help release muscle tension. Mixed with the massage is the use of the herbal compress, which are heated to further assist to relax strained and sore muscles. The herbal compresses are gently rolled back and forth over the skin. It is vital that the spa guests are made to feel comfortable and nurtured from the reception desk to the final ginger tea after treatment. The spa therapist communicate with guests throughout the treatment to ensure appropriate pressure during massage, room temperature is suitable as well as heat of the herbal compress is comfortable. All of these details assist in creating the peaceful and rejuvenating environment needed to balance mind, body and soul. Enjoy the Songkran Thai Sabai package at any of our SPA Cenvaree locations in Thailand as well as at select Cense by SPA Cenvaree locations from March to April 2016.

March 2016 27

NTO

Bhutan strengthens marketing initiatives to drive traffic from Gujarat The Tourism Council of Bhutan will soon launch an online permit system for the Indian traveller. This facility will make travel convenient and easier to the country. A recent introduction of the Helicopter services will enable the visitor to a panoramic tour of the vibrant Bhutan natural and verdant landscape. WH Desk

s part of its India agenda, Tourism Council of Bhutan has focused on Gujarat as one of the key source markets to enhance it’s Indian footprint in the year 2016, through a roadshow targeted at key travel agents in Ahmedabad. This would be the first of many initiatives to tap the Gujarat market. Damcho Rinzin, Head, Marketing and Promotion

Division, Tourism Council of Bhutan, said “As a leading international tourism destination, Bhutan is seeking to diversify its source markets and attract new visitors.” He further said, “Countries like India are emerging more and more in the world outbound tourism sector, and Bhutan believes it could offer a special proposition to visitors from here.” PLANS TO LAUNCH AN ONLINE PERMIT SYSTEM FOR INDIAN TRAVELLER The Tourism Council of Bhutan will soon launch an online permit system for the Indian traveller, wherein if they come through a Bhutanese tour operator or hoteliers, they can process the permits online in advance. This process will make travel convenient and easier Unlike visitors from other

Florida receives record 105 million visitors in 2015 WH Desk

lorida has set another record in tourism by receiving 105 million visitors in 2015. This is the fifth consecutive record year for visitation to Florida, exceeding the previous high of 98.5 million in 2014 by 6.6 percent. The average number of direct travelrelated jobs in 2015 was also a record high, with 1,199,200 Floridians employed in the tourism industry – up 53,400 or 4.7 percent over the same period last year.

Governor Rick Scott said, “The number of travel-related jobs also reached a record high, with 1.2 million Floridians employed in the tourism industry. Tourism plays an important role in supporting our economy, and we will continue to make strategic investments in the tourism industry to keep Florida on track to becoming first for jobs. With

28 March 2016

five consecutive record years for tourism, it is time to set our goal even higher, and I look forward to welcoming 115 million visitors to the Sunshine State this year.” Visit Florida estimates that a record 89.8 million domestic visitors travelled to Florida in 2015, reflecting an 8.0 percent increase over 2014. Estimates also show that 11.2 million overseas visitors and 4.0 million Canadians came to the Sunshine State last year. Five years of record-setting visitation does not happen by accident. It’s the direct result of a global marketing strategy focused on maximizing the economic impact of Florida tourism. This announcement shows tourism marketing works and we have Governor Scott and the Florida Legislature to thank for their unparalleled leadership and support that has the Sunshine State on track to become the No. 1 travel destination in the world.

Team Bhutan visit Gujarat

countries, Indian visitors don’t require visa to visit Bhutan.. India continues to be its # 1 source market. With the latest regional arrivals touching 1,09,052 demonstrating an impressive growth of 57 percent over last year, India remains as the biggest market for both regional and overall arrivals. Tourism Council of Bhutan has been effectively promoting Bhutan – ‘Celebrate Happiness’

theme in key source markets, wherein India and South East Asia form a critical component. The marketing initiatives deployed globally are a combination of on ground promotions that include participation at key B2B / B2C exhibitions and roadshows in addition to working with Bhutan’s key stakeholders through activities that involve engagements with travel trade and international media.

Austria records 40% increase in 2015 WH Desk

he Austrian Tourist Office has recently completed its website relaunch to offer the perfect platform to promote the varied and colorful aspects of a vacation in Austria. This week the Tourist Office launches its new marketing campaign “Journeys Through Austria” offering expertly curated itineraries. Insider tips combined with practical information provide a travel planning tool for the visitor from INDIA to experience Austria at its fullest.

Christine Mukharji, Director of the Austrian National Tourist Office in India said, “We will continue our focus to promote the unique symbiosis of culture and nature. A visit to Austria is not “just another vacation on the bucket list” but a rewarding experience and immersion in Austrian culture and lifestyle. It is easy for Indian guests to feel at home, they quickly feel part of an authentic lifestyle that is rewarding and enriches their lives even back at home.”

NTO

South Australia witnesses 17% increase in tourist arrivals India is now among the top 10 markets for South Australia in terms of international tourist arrivals for the year ending December 2015. WH Desk

he number of Indian visitors jumped 17 percent compared to the last year, owing to the continuous efforts by the South Australian Tourism Commission (SATC) to promote the state among Indian tourists. Dana Urmonas, Regional Director, Southeast Asia & India, SATC said, “The South Australian Tourism Commission recognises that India is a key growth market for us. What makes the Indian market special is the diversity and quality of tourists, who are now changing the way they travel and spend on their holidays. South Australia offers something exclusive to every Indian

traveller and we will continue to build efforts to increase Indian visitor numbers.” To attract more Indian tourists the SATC will promote three key destinations in the State, which include the wildlife sanctuary of Kangaroo Island, famous wine region the Barossa, and capital city Adelaide. The focus will be on attracting group travellers, honeymooners, and families. A significant focus will also be given to special interest groups, especially women travellers and those interested in food and wine trails, wildlife experiences and adventure activities. The SATC has committed to spend AUD 1 million during 2016-2017. The SATC will be working closely with tour operators such as Mercury Travels, Kesari Travels, Thomas Cook and Ottila to strengthen penetration from the Indian market.

Blue Square to represent Phillip Island Nature Parks WH Desk

lue Square Consultants has been appointed as the sales, marketing and PR representative in India for Phillip Island Nature Parks, located on Phillip Island, Victoria, Australia. The Nature Parks manages many exciting attractions such as the worldfamous Penguin Parade, the brand new Antarctic Journey at the Nobbies Ocean Discovery Centre, Wild Ocean Ecoboat Tours, Koala Conservation Centre and Churchill Island Heritage Farm. The Nature Parks also includes many conservation reserves and recreation areas such as Pyramid Rock, Rhyll Inlet, Swan Lake, Oswin Roberts Reserve, Cape Woolamai and The Nobbies Centre which overlooks

Australia’s largest population of fur seals. Lubaina Sheerazi, COO, Blue Square Consultants, commented, “We are confident that our association will help to increase the popularity of the other attractions as well. Indians are now looking at experiential holidays and Phillip Island Nature Parks’ offerings will definitely delight Indian travelers visiting Australia.” Stephen Peppard, International Sales and Marketing Representative, Phillip Island Nature Parks, says, “We are excited about working with Blue Square Consultants as our partner in India. I’m confident that through this association we will witness a positive growth in the number of Indian visitors at all of our attractions.

Spain presents tourist guide apps 2016 WH Desk

he tourist apps guide includes 224 innovative applications which is a result of a selection of the most representative related services and products that a tourist may use during their trip. This guide has been divided into seven categories: transportation, accommodation, entertainment and dining, adventure tourism, destination guide and utilities and applications ‘smartwatch’. The guide has been developed for the third year jointly by the Ministry of Industry, Energy and Tourism, through the State Society for the Management of Innovation and Tourism Technologies (SEGITTUR) and the Chamber of Commerce, under the umbrella of the Center Knowledge, Intelligence and Innovation (Intelitur).

This year it incorporates a selection of applications for ´smartwatch´ with 29 apps including applications that are related to flight bookings, accommodation and knowing a destination. The new tourist is digital, hyper connected and has multi-channel access, and uses all sorts of applications for organising the trip. The Indian tourist has evolved as a consumer and each day more and more tourists plan their own trip using all digital mediums and resources available.

Cruise tourism picks up in Kenya WH Desk

ruise tourism in Kenya seems to be on recovery after another luxury cruise ships were docked at the port of Mombasa. Foreign visitors are expected to flock to the country’s shores this coming summer as some of the world’s leading cruise ships follow migratory birds heading south, away from Europe’s winter. The noticeable improvement of security in the Indian Ocean waters has been singled out as a major encouragement for the tour operators selling cruise tourism to convince more cruise visitors to Kenya. Kenya received 3,196 cruise tourists in the country last year. Kenya Port Authority (KPA) has been voted for the second time in a row by the World Travel Awards (WTA) as Africa’s leading port and this

has reinforced the confidence of cruises on the facility. The Kenya government together with the industry players is also working on strategic tourism marketing and demand driven tourism development programmes to maximize on all the tourism niches. Majority of the tourists docking at the port of Mombasa are from the US, UK, Germany, Australia, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, Canada, France, Ireland, Spain, Brazil, New Zealand, Ukraine, Mexico, Russia, Denmark, Netherlands, Norway,, Italy, Belgium, Portugal among others. While in Mombasa, cruise tourists are treated to a full day excursions within the city and its environs. The excursions are undertaken in Bombolulu, Haller Park, Amboseli (by air), Shimba Hills, Mwalughanje and other city tours.

March 2016 29

HOSPITALITY

Appointments at Hyatt Regency Chandigarh

Hyatt Regency Chandigarh has appointed Puneet Baijal as General Manager and Meena Rewari as Director Sales & Marketing. WH Desk

determined yet considerate leader, Baijal sees his new role as an opportunity to be able to serve his fellow team members and local community. As a hotel general manager, he is looking to develop future hospitality talent and, whilst in Chandigarh, contribute to the growth of the Hyatt Brand. To Baijal, leadership is action, not position. With a hospitality career spanning more than 17 years, Baijal is respected for his expansive knowledge of the hotel industry, and brings with him to Chandigarh a broad experience of working with a number of Hyatt brands. In his last position at Doha, Qatar, Baijal planned and executed, large scale

restaurants, high-profile awards event for a global magazine brand, and in earlier assignment was part of a select task force dispatched to Grand Hyatt Berlin to oversee event operations for Incredible India and catering for Fraport airport services. Before joining Hyatt, Baijal worked in India with both Taj and Leela, two of the country’s most prestigious hotel chains. Born and raised in Gwalior, Baijalgraduated in hotel management at IHM Hyderabad. He holds a master’s degree in hotel sales,marketing and finance, is anaccredited wine specialist from Italy, and a certified social media and hospitality management professional courtesy of eCornell. Meena Rewari, a Post Graduate in English literature, hails from Panipat, the City of Weavers. Her career in Hospitality Sales spans almost two decades

Puneet Baijal General Manager Hyatt Regency Chandigarh

across association with brands like The Park Hotels, The Oberoi Group and Hyatt Hotel Corporation. Her knowledge, experience, impeccable knack for customer engagement and determination to achieve growth make her the best suited choice for this position. Meena’s wanderlust makes

Meena Rewari Director Sales & Marketing Hyatt Regency Chandigarh

her want to explore many destinations within and outside the country. She is a voracious reader, a good orator, an avid yoga student, loves watching sports like Tennis, Basketball, Cricket and enjoys cycling and brisk walking. Meena is a very fond and indulgent aunt to five teenaged nephews and a niece.

DISCOUNT & OFFERS

IHG opens First InterContinental Escape with a luxury room & spa Resort in Pattaya package at Atlantis WH Desk

mmerse yourself in an atmosphere of tranquility, and discover the heights of relaxation and indulgence. With the ShuiQi Spa Luxury Escape room package, you will literally feel your troubles drift away in a moment of true harmony. During your stay, you and your partner will be treated to an hour-long Full Body Massage from a choice of five signature styles, including

WH Desk

Swedish, Balinese, Herbal Fusion, Detoxifying, and Jet Lag Recovery. You can also stimulate and refresh your body with unlimited use of ShuiQi’s Jacuzzi, Sauna and Steam Room. Or if you are looking to get the blood pumping and the energy flowing, the ShuiQi Fitness Centre is available to you. You will also receive a complimentary Atlantis Hot Bean Bag, and be able to save an additional AED 100 on any facial treatment at the spa during your stay. Booking Dates: Now - 31 December 2016 Staying Dates: Now - 31 December 2016

30 March 2016

nterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) has signed a management agreement with Amburaya Resort Company to rebrand the Sheraton Pattaya Resort. The Resort will be operating under the InterContinental brand in April 2016. The 156-room beachfront resort located five-minute walk from the Pattaya Exhibition and Convention Center, will offer a selection of superior, premium rooms and villas, in a lush, exotic locale, coupled with unparalleled service. Clarence Tan, Senior Vice President, Development, AMEA, IHG said, “As one of Thailand’s

top beach destinations, Pattaya attracts both international visitors and locals from other Thai cities looking for an idyllic weekend getaway.”

“Phratamnak Hill is a prime location and one of the most exclusive areas along the coastline, which is perfect for the first InterContinental resort to cater to guests who want a luxurious experience. We have had a great partnership with Amburaya Resort Company Limited who we launched our Holiday Inn Express brand in Bangkok with, and we are delighted to work with them again to provide guests with exceptional experiences in Pattaya,” he added.

HOSPITALITY

Carlson Rezidor targets 170 properties by 2020

Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group is looking at tier II and III cities for expansion in India and is targeting 170 properties in the country by 2020. WH Desk

are expecting open eight hotels. We are also looking to sign 14 properties. Most of these are in tier II and III cities,” said Raj Rana, CEO, South Asia, Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group.

he global hospitality group is looking at cities where there are no international brands, especially in industrial towns, tourist destinations and economic zones. The properties will be mainly under ‘Country Inns and Suites By Carlson’ and ‘Park Inn by Radisson’ brands. The company is looking to expand these brands as they can be set up faster with low cost of construction and have higher margins of profit.

The company is also planning to expand in the National Capital Region (NCR), Bengaluru, state capitals, eastern region and the north east. “We have set up a property in Guwahati and have signed up one property in Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh. We are keen on locations in Manipur and Meghalaya. We are looking to add more properties in Nepal as well. We also want to strengthen our presence in the NCR and Bengaluru is definitely in our map,” he said.

“Our target of 170 hotels by 2020 is well on track. We have 45 hotels in pipeline across the country. This year, the momentum is strong and we

Carlson Rezidor, which has six brands in India, is also looking at bringing its luxury brand Quorvus Collection to select locations in the country. “We

EATING OUT

Daawat-E-Biryani at The Oudh

fter treating its customers with some spectacular variety of authentic Awadhi cuisine, The Oudh is back with DaawatE-Biryani. Now savour the traditional flavours of Biryani from the era of Nawabs, available in a choice of veg and non-veg. The month long festival offers the likes of Kathal Biryani, Tamatar Pudina Biryani and Shahi Biryani; while the non-veg

offerings include Jhinga Biryani, Murgh Lazeez Biryani and Dum Ki Gosht Biryani, accompanied with traditional sides of Salan and Raita, with a glass of select beverage* on the house. WHEN: March 1-31, 2016 WHERE: The Oudh, The Ashok PRICE: Veg Rs. 649 plus taxes, Non Veg Rs. 849 plus taxes TIMINGS: Dinner Hours

are exploring opportunities to introduce our luxury brand Quorvus Collection in India. However, it will be only for select destinations for very high end properties or palace hotels,” he said. Carlson Rezidor’s other global brands include Radisson Blu, Radisson, Radisson RED, Park Plaza and Carlson Wagonlit Travel. The hospitality major has 1,400 hotels across the world.

Raj Rana CEO, South Asia Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group

Sabudana & Fruit Parfait

CHEF CORNER

Recipe by Chef Bhakti Arora

Corporate Executive Chef at Sattviko INGREDIENTS (SERVES 4) ÂÂ500 gms Curd ÂÂ100 ml Black Grapes Juice ÂÂ2 Kiwi ÂÂ250 gms Black Grapes ÂÂ250 gms Strawberries ÂÂ100 gms Dried Apricots ÂÂ1/2 cup Sabudana ÂÂ1/4 tsp cinnamon powder ÂÂ2 tbsp + 1 tsp fine dermerara sugar. ÂÂ1 tbsp cream, optional PREPARATION ÂÂHang the curd tied in a cotton muslin cloth for 4-5 hrs.or overnight. or until the curd is thick and all the whey is drained out ÂÂSoak Sabudana pearls in water for 10 minutes, and then cook in boiling water until soft. After the sabudana pearls are cooked, run them under cold water to avoid from sticking together and keep aside to drain

ÂÂBlend the hung curd with 2 tbsp sugar, 100 ml grape juice and the cream until it is smooth and absolutely creamy. You can adjust the sugar as per your taste ÂÂDice the fruits, cut grapes into halved and dice kiwi, apricot and strawberries into the same size pieces. Save two strawberries for final garnish. ÂÂNow stir in 1 tsp sugar and 1/4 tsp cinnamon into the boiled sabudana kept aside ÂÂIn 4 mason jars or Parfait glasses layer sabudana, then layer cut fruits one after the other in alternate layers ÂÂNow pour the creamy yogurt over the fruit layer, cut the two strawberries into half and arrange on the top with 1-2 slice of kiwi as garnish ÂÂKeep in the fridge for a couple of hours before indulging into the healthy deliciousness this Navratri.

March 2016 31

TRAVEL BUSINESS

More Indians want to rent a car to work Responses from auto enthusiasts and experts reinforce the belief that self-drives could well be the new way to buy cars this was revealed in survey done by Myles. WH Desk

hy buy, when you can rent it – this seems to be the mind-set that the Indian consumers follow these days, at least as far as cars are concerned. This aspect is gaining prominence in the Self-Drive category for daily use, which was dominated by usage only for outstation holiday travel till last year. This growing preference was established by a survey conducted by Myles, one of India’s leading self-drive mobility services companies at the recently concluded Auto Expo 2016.

The survey revealed that more than 39 percent of the respondents opted for selfdriven vehicles for their Business travel and Daily commute requirements. This marks a strong preferential shift in favour of the ‘Self Drives for Daily Use’ when compared to the survey that was conducted last year, when only 2 percent of the respondents had shown interest in self-drives for daily travel needs. The results were based on the responses of auto enthusiasts and experts across profiles who had participated in the survey. Speaking on the reasons why the trend for self-drives was picking up, Sakshi Vij, Founder & CEO, Myles, said,“As there is a general progression towards developing Smart Cities with a strong push from the Government to improve

infrastructure and modern amenities etc., options of transportation concepts like self-drive is steadily gaining much prominence in the country owing to the convenience and flexibility that it offers to the consumer.” According to the Myles survey, a majority of the Indian consumers were aware of the concept and were already actively using it. Nearly 88 percent of the respondents had used self-drive service at least once. The survey also indicated the vital role social media and online platforms have been playing in spreading the concept of self-drives in the country. Nearly 81 percent of the respondents were introduced to the concept of self-drives through an online resource, with recommendations from friends and family coming in a close

ibibo attracts US$250m investment from Naspers

bibo Group, the Indian online travel venture backed by global internet and media company Naspers as well as China’s leading internet firm Tencent announced that Naspers will be investing another US$250m in the group. The investment will be focused on extending ibibo’s leadership position in the Indian hotels category and on additional technology innovations. Ibibo processed more than 6.5m transactions for the period October to December (Q3) 2015. It is the largest online travel company in India, generating more than 2.5x the transaction volumes of its nearest competitor. The group owns integrated online travel properties such as Goibibo.com and redBus.in. In a recent research report by Morgan Stanley, Goibibo was

32 March 2016

“Our objective is to solve problems for the transportation and accommodation providers and to connect them to the travellers. The commitment from both Naspers and Tencent to ibibo is testimony to the strength of our platforms and the opportunities ahead,” said Ibibo Group Founder & CEO, Ashish Kashyap.

Pricing also played a very important part in the selection of self-drives; more than 50 percent of the surveyed audience chose pricing as a vital consideration when it came to choosing self-drives. This was driven by an increasing awareness about the overhead costs that one incurs on owning a car – fuel, insurance, routine servicing, depreciation charges etc. –when the resale value ends up as a small fraction of the actual cost and other expenses. Myles was often the first selfdrive service opted for by the users, according to the survey, underlining its position as a key market player.

MakeMyTrip to conduct second edition of App-Only travel sale

WH Desk rated No.1 by hoteliers across a number of parameters, including booking volumes, confirmed bookings, last minute bookings, backend and IT support, as well as Insights and market intelligence. Goibibo hotel bookings surpassed 1.6m room nights during Q3, up 400% YOY, making it the largest hotels booking platform in India. Mobile contributed to 71% of the bookings in the month of December 2015, up from 42% a year ago.

second.

Ashish Kashyap Group Founder & CEO Ibibo

“The Indian ecommerce market, and the online travel segment in particular, offers exciting growth prospects for us as a group. With a talented, proven management team and exceptional technology, ibibo is well positioned to benefit from an increasing number of people using online travel services going forward,” informed Naspers Group CEO, Bob van Dijk.

akeMyTrip announces the launch of the second edition of its flagship app-only travel sale, The Great Indian Getaway (TGIG). The first edition of the appfest was held from October 27th to November 2nd 2015. TGIG received phenomenal response from customers across the country with close to a million downloads of the MakeMyTrip app completed during the event. During TGIG, average visitor traffic was almost twice the average traffic prior to the event with peak hour traffic surging by almost five times. Mobile apps drove almost 90 percent of the company’s hotel booking business and more than 50 percent of its flight bookings business during the week-long promotional event.

They being the accommodation specialist, we get the very best. - Travelguru.com | India

In case of a heart attack, who will you trust more? The general physician or the cardiologist? It’s only natural to depend more on the expertise of a specialist. The chances of the expert knowing more about the heart is pretty high.

15 036/quiksel.com

This fact holds true with wholesalers in the travel industry too. By offering every travel product under the sun, a wholesaler has to divide its resources across the board, leading to compromises. Thankfully, there are specialists in the travel trade too. roomsXML for instance. It does nothing else but accommodation. By focusing in just one area, we have no other option but to do things more efficiently – robust technology, de-duplicated inventory, dependable 24x7 global support and of course, competitive rates. roomsXML – the accommodation specialist.

March 2016 33

FACT & FIGURES

How destinations can capitalise on the boom in outbound travel from Asia The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) has released a new consumer research report titled ‘Stepping Out of the Crowd: Where the Next Generation of Young Asian Travellers is Heading, and How to Win a Place on Their Travel Itinerary’. WH Desk

he report, supported by global payment technology corporation Visa Inc., is the second in a series of reports that examines the travel trends of young Asian consumers and explains how secondary destinations and attractions can benefit from the rise in outbound travel from Asian source markets. The research comes at a time when many of the world’s most popular cities are looking to relieve pressure on crowded attractions and spread visitor spending more evenly around the destination. The findings show that young people are motivated to leave the crowds in popular cities to get out and

discover the food culture and lifestyles of local people. With neighbourhoods from Bangkok to Barcelona filling up with tourists eager to tick off attractions from their ‘bucket list’ and snap a ‘selfie’ in front of iconic tourist attractions, city and regional governments around the world are keen to find ways to encourage travellers to beat the crowds and visit lesser-known districts or leave the city and discover quiet rural and coastal areas. This is not just a challenge for city authorities. Small island states such as the Republic of Palau and the Maldives have experienced unprecedented surges in international visitor arrivals in recent years and are now struggling to cater for crowds of new visitors, especially from rapidly emerging outbound markets in Asia. Fortunately, Millennials – the young generation of travellers aged 16-35 are proving to be tech-savvy and more independent than previous generations and can be a receptive audience for

destinations looking to improve their tourist dispersal. A study for this report asked over 1,000 Millennials from 13 outbound markets around Asia about their attitude towards discovering cities when travelling abroad, and what experiences might tempt them out of the city to try something new. “One of the smartest ways in which destinations can respond to the challenges of overcrowding is by encouraging tourists to disperse over a wider area and give them reasons to visit outside of peak season,” said PATA CEO Mario Hardy. “Fortunately, Asia’s highlyconnected, globally-aware youth are demonstrating their interest and ability to seek authentic experiences that take them away from the crowds, and we are delighted to present consumer research in this report that reflects this”. HIGHLIGHTED RESULTS INCLUDE: ÂÂMore than a third of Asian Millennial travellers would be attracted to leave a big city and have the opportunity to

see beautiful landscapes, try unique foods, visit cultural sites and experience the lifestyle of local people ÂÂForty three percent of respondents had to stay in their city destination because they didn’t have enough time to visit elsewhere. The largest share of those who left took a 2-3 night break away from the city ÂÂEighty five percent of respondents said they love to visit a food market when in a foreign city, and 72 percent said they liked to visit a supermarket ÂÂWhen on a city visit, 85 percent of respondents said they like to ‘live like a local’ and discover cool activities that local youth do ÂÂOver 80 percent of young Asian travellers want to discover local traditions, shop in small stores, visit a local food market or attend an event when visiting a foreign city for the first time.

Over 72% Indians prefer visiting an International destination for Honeymoon WH Desk

ravelTriangle carried out the online survey from February 15th to 25th, 2016 with a total of 2000 respondents (TravelTriangle website visitors). The research revealed that there are ‘Seven types of Honeymoon couples’, who are defined by their preference for a honeymoon destination.

want their honeymoon to be as distinct as possible and prefer an International destination over an Indian one. They do not want a package deal with overbooked hotels, staid meals and jam packed itineraries. Instead they expect their trip to be absolutely memorable and something which is customised exclusively for them with unique experiences and itineraries.

The aspiration and disposable income of consumers in India is on the rise. This has led to a growing interest for International destinations among Indian travellers. The survey revealed that couples

“The survey highlighted interesting findings on the seven type of couples one can easily notice. There are Nature Lovers; Crazy Adventure Junkie; Hopeless Romantics; Luxurious and Exotic; White

34 March 2016

Mountain; Beachy Babies; and lastly the couples who prefer fairy tale destinations,” said Sanchit Garg, Co-Founder, TravelTriangle. “This clearly indicates the shift in travelling preferences of the new age Indian couple. We have also created a video tribute to these 7 types of honeymooners which, I am sure just like us everyone else will also co-relate to,” he added. For majority of Indians, honeymoon is a momentous occasion when they plan for their first International trip. They see it as ‘once in a lifetime experience’ which

they will cherish for eternity! “We carried out this survey with our Tier I and Tier II customers to find out what kind of places Indians prefer visiting when planning a honeymoon. We found a whopping 72% of Indians favored going to an international destination for their honeymoon,” informed Garg.

TECHNOLOGY

I Serve: ITQ & CAP Foundation launch skill development initiative WH Desk

nterGlobe Technology Quotient, a strategic business unit of InterGlobe Enterprises which is a leader in aviation, hospitality and travel related services and the official distributor of Travelport in India & Sri Lanka and in five markets across the Asia Pacific region, and CAP Foundation, a registered trust and an innovative workforce development initiative demonstrating end-to-end solutions to link learning and livelihood for disadvantaged young people, launched a skill development initiative. Under this program, 300 students across 5 locations across India, would be trained by professionals and be made ready for the travel industry of today. This initiative was taken in order to empower the underprivileged children of the society with the gift of knowledge and skill set so that

Travix partners with Amadeus to offer ‘Fare Families’ to travellers

hen you’re six feet tall and travelling with two small children, booking the cheapest flight with no extra legroom, no baggage, and an overnight layover is probably not the best option. Recognising that true value means providing travellers with personalised offers according to their needs, online travel agency Travix recently started offering Amadeus Fare Families on their websites. ‘For us, Fare Families are not just a feature we are adding, this is at the heart of our strategy. An OTA’s role in the travel ecosystem is to highlight all of the efforts the airlines are making to improve and personalise the travel experience, and we are excited to be working with Amadeus to be at the forefront of this. We believe that Fare Families open new relationship opportunities with our airlines partners, and this will benefit our customers,’ said John Mangelaars, the CEO of Travix. “Last year, we saw an incredible growth in the amount of OTAs interested in Fare Families, and we’re seeing more and more airlines interested in creating and sharing this kind of content. We think 2016 will be the year where personalised flight booking becomes mainstream,” said Sébastien Gibergues, Head of Leisure Online and Travel Media at Amadeus.

they can become competent professionals in the years to come by. This strategically planned skill development initiative would track the development of the young students and expose them to the best suited professional training for them. InterGlobe Technology Quotient will create opportunities for them after the completion of their training program- which would be a three months in-house program and threemonths on the job session. Anil Parashar, President and CEO, InterGlobe Technology Quotient, said, “The program is just a stepping stone towards what we can do for the society. It is our responsibility as eminent professionals to look into the opportunities we have in order to nurture and bring about the best in the society. The children we are going to train have a bright future ahead if they continue to demonstrate their hard work and

endeavor in towards making the best of the opportunity given to them.” Juhi Mishra, VP Human Resources, InterGlobe Technology Quotient, said, “The skill development initiative is a thoughtful program launched in order to change lives and give opportunity to 300 underprivileged individuals. This program has been strategically designed to maneuver the potential of these students and bring out their abilities in the lime light. It is also important for us to create opportunities for them so that they can realise their dreams and become able professionals in the future.”

ixigo launches app for travel bookings WH Desk

xigo has announced the launch of ixibook which will allow travellers to make bookings for flights and hotels within its app without being redirected to a third-party app or website. ixigo has collaborated with Cleartrip and OYO Rooms as its launch partners for flights and hotels respectively. Currently available on ixigo’s android app, ixibook allows a user to book a flight or hotel in just one tap. The idea behind the product is not only to enable direct in-app booking but also to save a traveller’s time by shortening the conversion funnel. ixibook also stores traveller information, thereby considerably reducing booking time for all subsequent transactions. Post-booking customer support is handled directly by the respective partner, ixibook will be launching on iOS & web platforms in the coming weeks. “This is a first of its kind innovation in the Indian travel market, and we have chosen to

work with the industry’s best for our initial launch. With ixibook, we will deliver a much smoother customer experience for ixigoers and enhance conversions for our partners by allowing users to book with them natively within our app,” said Aloke Bajpai, ixigo Co-founder & CEO. “We expect to move over 30% of our flight and hotel bookings to ixibook within the next few months, as well as add more partners to ixibook later this year,” he added. “We’re excited to partner with ixigo on this first-ofits-kind paradigm where an online travel agency and meta-search collaborate closely to create a better user experience, something that we both value immensely,” commented Stuart Crighton, CEO, Cleartrip. “ixigo possesses deep insights into travellerbehaviour and a rich content focus. Through this collaboration, their audience will find value in our offerings and we will be able to expand our reach to engage leisure travel enthusiasts,” shared Ritesh Agarwal, CEO, OYO Rooms.

March 2016 35

36 March 2016

GUEST COLUMN

A bullish 2016 for Indian tourism India is poised to benefit from the surge in foreign tourist inflow through e-tourist visa and better infrastructureâ&#x20AC;Ś By Gour Kanjilal

he year 2016 is showing a good beginning and there is a positive growth trend in the international tourist arrivals. As per the international tourist arrival JanuaryDecember figures circulated by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India in 2015 (Market Research Division) over 8 Million international tourists came to India. There is a growth of 3.2 percent with international tourist arrivals as compared to the foreign tourist arrivals of 7 Million over the corresponding period of 2014. Even the global growth is around 3 to 4 percent as per WTO indication. But with e-tourist visa, 2016 may see a landmark difference in Indiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s international tourist arrivals. Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s) have risen by 6.8 percent in January this year (2016) with 8.44 lakh international visitors as compared to 7.91 percent during the same month last year. It is due to series of initiatives including online visa by Ministry of Tourism, government of India. Even Foreign Exchange Earnings (FEEs) from tourism have also shown healthy increase of 13 percent from Rs 12, 100 crore in January 2015 to Rs 13, 699 crore this year. The US had the highest percentage share of foreign tourists in India (15.29 percent) followed by UK (11.23 percent) Canada (4.87 percent), Australia (3.97 percent), Russian

federation (3.71 percent), Germany (3.27 percent), France (2.98 percent), China (2.74 percent), Japan (2.38 percent), Neighboring countries like Bangladesh had (11.99 percent), Sri Lanka (2.97 percent), Malaysia (2.59 percent) and this trend is expected to continue when online visa is revisited as per recommendation of IATO. Undoubtedly the positive trend in international arrivals is mainly due to the aggressive initiatives by the tourism government of India along with all the stakeholders in the industry since 2013. These timely actions helped to contain the negative impact of the global economic slowdown. Tour operators did their bit to regain the lost ground by holding road shows, workshops, seminars and enhanced participation in international travel exhibitions, which helped send the message that India means business and tour operators are ready to develop long terms business relations. Most of the tour operators and other stakeholders have strengthened their manpower by having special training programmes and educational tours within the country to launch new packages taking advantage of the lean period. Tourist Visa-on-Arrival facilities now extended to 113 countries. The visa relaxation coupled with better air connectivity also have ensured steady inflow and this

trend will continue all through 2016. With better infrastructure in place India is now perceived as the right holiday destination. There has also been a surge in cruise tourism as well since last year with improved cruise terminal facilities in Mumbai, Kochi, Goa and Visakhapatnam. Many leading cruise liners have included India as Port of Call in their global cruise packages. There have been sincere efforts from the tourism ministry to project India as an important MICE destination. With new convention centers in Hyderabad, Bangalore, Pune, Chennai etc, better international air connectivity improved support services, hotels, rail services, etc. India started attracting big convention, Positively, Indian Convention and Promotion Bureau (ICPB) has taken the lead in MICE operations in a very professional manner. It is estimated that about 25 percent of the overall traffic to India could be for MICE purpose. Adventure tourism is also gaining momentum with its season beginning in August. Tremendous growth can be expected in this sector with a series of new trekking routs in Sikkim, Uttarakhand and Himachal, Pradesh attracting youngsters interested in ecofriendly tourism. Overall, India is being projected beyond the cultural monuments

The writer is the Executive Director, Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO) and Former, Dy. Director General, Ministry of Tourism, Govt. of India. He is a Freelance Journalist and Life Member, Bangiya Samaj Member Board of Trustee. to more activity-oriented tourism as per the global trends to attract the youth. Sports Tourism potential in India has been well publicized specially golfing holidays. Focus has also shifted to rural tourism, spiritual tourism, medical health and wellness tourism. Our internationally recognised hospitals coupled with various Ayurvedic treatments available in Kerala, Goa, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu are added advantages. As the recovery pick up in major traffic generating countries, holiday spending will also be up in these countries and India is ready to take its due share. We can look forward to a good season in 2016 (unless no untoward events take place.) We mean business and we are ready to welcome guests.

March 2016 37

APPOINTMENT & EVENTS DOMESTIC ADTOI 7th Annual Convention March 08-11, 2016 Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh

INTERNATIONAL ITB Berlin March 09 - 13, 2016 Berlin, Germany Ace of M.I.C.E. Exhibition March 16 - 18, 2016 Istanbul, Turkey Indraneel Benadikar Director of Sales and Marketing, Marriott Properties, Pune

Indraneel Benadikar has been appointed as the Market Director of Sales and Marketing for the Marriott properties in Pune. In his new role, he will oversee Sales and Marketing activities with a focus on developing and implementing multi-hotel strategies for all participating properties. He joined Marriott as a part of the opening team at the JW Marriott Juhu in 2001 and since then has held several positions in Sales, Marketing and Revenue Management disciplines; both in India and across South East Asia.

Govind Singh Gaira Senior Sous Chef, Golden Tulip Chattarpur

Govind Singh Gaira has been appointed as Senior Sous Chef, Golden Tulip Chattarpur. Widely experienced, he will oversee all culinary operations of the hotel, including menu creation for multi cuisine restaurant. He will also oversee dining for banqueting, special events and guest cooking programs. With more than 9 years of experience, Chef Govind has been associated with some of the renowned hotels such as the Park Plaza Ludhiana, followed by stints at The Landmark Hotel, ITC Classic Golf Resort & Sheraton, Park Premier Hotel, etc.

Alejandro J. Leo Cupulis Director of Spa & Recreation Grand Hyatt Goa

Alejandro J Leo Cupul has been appointed as the Director of Spa and Recreation at Grand Hyatt Goa.

British Tourism & Travel Show March 16 - 17, 2016 Birmingham, United Kingdom Arabian Travel Market April 25 - 28, 2016 Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Alejandro comes to Grand Hyatt Goa with over 16 years of diverse experience in the spa industry. Prior to joining Grand Hyatt Goa, Alejandro held the responsibility as Corporate Spa Director at Hard Rock Hotels and Casinos in Mexico and Dominican Republic. He has also been an expert council for various spa conventions and trade shows in Morocco, US, Spain and Mexico.

SUBSCRIBE NOW 12 Months ` 660 24 Months ` 1250 36 Months ` 1800

Name Address City Postal Code Phone Email Cheque / DD No.

Dated

Made Payble to Whereabouts Media For ` E-8/401, Nehru Vihar, Delhi -110094

38 March 2016

RNI No.: DELENG/2014/59308

www.whereabouts.in

Volume II Issue VI March 2016

Annual Subscription ` 660

In Conversation

Nikhil Desai Managing Director GTDC

Analysis

Despite Growing FTAs, ‘Organised Tourism’ Records Drastic Decline ASSOCIATION

TRAVEL BUSINESS

AVIATION

NTO

HOSPITALITY