October 2017 by whereabouts

RNI No.: DELENG/2014/59308

VOLUME IV ISSUE I OCTOBER 2017

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IN FOCUS

‘Share radical ideas to transform India Tourism’ says newly appointed Minister for Tourism P-07

On the Cover : Rameshwar Temple

Odisha demands E-Visa facility at Biju Patnaik International Airport P-20

Kazakhstan Land of Wonders P-30

Rameshwaram The Corridor of Faith NEWS IN BRIEF

AVIATION

NTO

HOSPITALITY

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

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

Art Director

NEWS IN BRIEF

ASSOCIATION

TRAVEL BUSINESS

12 NTO 16 HOSPITALITY

Mithlesh Gupta

22 AVIATION

Advertising

24 STATE

Commercial Director Dheeraj Anand +91 9560444678 dheeraj@whereabouts.in Advertising Manager (North-West) Solomon Saxeana +91 9999810390 solomon@whereabouts.in Advertising Manager (South-East) Santosh K Mishra +91 8447786636 marketing@whereabouts.in Marketing & Events Manager Lakshman Vashisth +91 9911907050

36 WORLD 37

FACT & FIGURES

38 APPOINTMENT

IN FOCUS

‘Share radical ideas to transform India Tourism’ says newly appointed Minister for Tourism

Principal Advisor Anil Prakash

Legal Advisor Advocate Brijesh Tiwari

Production & Distribution Production Manager Subhash Solanki Distribution Executive Anoop Singh

Accounts CA Rishabh Rana

Technical & Web Support Amit Agrahari

All information in Whereabouts is derived from sources, which we consider reliable and a sincere effort is made to report accurate and up to date information. All contents of this publication are reserved worldwide. Reproduction in any manner without prior written permission is prohibited. All disputes are subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of component courts and forums in Delhi only. Whereabouts is own, printed & published by Rajesh Tiwari. Whereabouts is printed at Pritika Printers, A-21/27, Naraina Industrial Area, Phase-II, New Delhi 110028 and published from E-8/401, Nehru Vihar, Delhi 110094. Editor Rajesh Tiwari

Odisha demands E-Visa facility at Biju Patnaik International Airport

33rd Annual Convention: IATO’s recommendations for Odisha Tourism

EDITOR’S NOTE

DESTINATION

Rameshwaram The Corridor of Faith

Dear Readers, I would like to share with you that I had an opportunity to listen our newly appointed Hon’ble Minister of State for Tourism (I/C) K J Alphons recently; which was his first official interaction with the tourism professionals after taking the charge of Ministry of Tourism. His address – to the tourism professional was much reinvigorated as the minister has shown his willingness to work for a better India. He urged to the State Governments and industry stakeholders to ‘Work Together’ and share radical ideas to make India a better place for world travellers. As we all know that tourism is a state’s subject, hence a better understanding is required between the State and Central Government for remarkable growth in tourism sector. The Hon’ble Minister feels that despite being an amazing country with greatest civilization and history; India is not getting its deserving share from tourism sector. He strongly believes that India can take over the world as it is a 5,000-year-old civilization.

Kazakhstan Land of Wonders

EVENT

33rd IATO Annual Convention September 07-10 2017

Bhubaneswar

He is well known for his strong anti-corruption stance and eventful tenure as one of the most competent officers in the history of the civil service. As this sector has recorded a sluggish growth in last couple of years; the industry stakeholders are expecting a big push under his dynamic leadership.

National Tourism Award 2015-16

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NEWS IN BRIEF

Ninety-one President of India launches ‘Incredible India 2.0 Campaign’ years old Rama

he President of India H.E. Ram Nath Kovind launched the ‘Incredible India 2.0 Campaign’ ‘Adopt A Heritage’ project and new Incredible India website design on the sidelines of National Tourism Awards 2015-16 held at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi on September 27.

Incredible India 2.0 Campaign marks a shift from the present generic promotions being undertaken across the world to market specific promotional plans

and product specific creatives with greater focus on digital presence and social media. ‘Adopt A Heritage’ project plans to entrust heritage sites to the public sector and private sector companies and individuals for the development of tourist amenities. They will become ‘Monument Mitras’ and adopt the sites. The new Incredible India Website is an advanced version of the website with more useful features. Speaking on the occasion H. E. Ram Nath Kovind said that ‘Adopt a Heritage’ project which was launched with the efforts of the Tourism Ministry, Culture Ministry and Archaeological Survey of India, has great potential to make our rich and diverse heritage monuments, touristfriendly.” He expressed hope that this project will help in the maintenance of our heritage with a partnership of the public and private sectors.

Khandwala honoured with Best Tourist Guide Award

ama Khandwala honoured with the Best Tourist Guide Award (Special Award). The prestigious National Tourism Awards 2015-16 were presented on September 27 by Hon’ble President of India, Ram Nath Kovind at a glittering function at Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi. The award ceremony was presided over by Hon’ble Minister of State (Independent charge) for Tourism, Alphons Kannanthanam along with the Secretary Tourism Rashmi Verma.

Karan Anand awarded Gold Medal in Tourism by French Government

aran Anand, Head - Relationships and Supplier Management, Cox & Kings Ltd, was conferred the prestigious Gold Medal for Tourism (Médaille d’Or du Tourisme) by the French government during a special ceremony hosted at the French Consulate in Mumbai. This is the first ever Gold Medal given by the French government to an Indian in the tourism industry. Anand was awarded the highly coveted gold medal by Yves Perrin, Consul General of France in Mumbai, for his pioneering contribution in promoting France in India. On presenting the medal, Yves Perrin, Consul General of France in Mumbai

said, “We are pleased to give the gold medal to Mr Karan Anand for his efforts in strengthening touristic ties between our two countries. As the Consul General of France, I would like thank him for his distinguished work towards the promotion of France as a prime tourist destination.” France has always been an aspirational destination for the savvy Indian traveller and Cox & Kings has been the pioneers in opening up attractions and destinations to suit the Indian traveller. Among the notable achievements, the leading travel group has been the first ones to serve Indian cuisine at the Lido, facilitate exclusive tie-up with the Grevin Wax Museum, introduce Parc Asterix---the amusement park, opened Bordeaux for wine tours and successfully open the Charmonix Mont Blanc region to the Indian market. The Gold Medal for Tourism (Médaille d’Or du Tourisme) recognizes individuals, whether French or non-French, who have contributed effectively to the development of tourism and related activities through their voluntary contribution or professional value and in strengthening bilateral relations.

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Rama Khandwala one of the senior most guides from Mumbai, has served the tourism industry for over 50 years and is still active at the age of 91 years. She has contributed immensely to the tourism industry and acted as a cultural ambassador of India by interacting with international tourists in the last 50 years. She is fluent in Japanese language and has contributed in building cultural relations and promotion of the Buddhist sites in Maharashtra and other parts of the country. She is still a popular and active guide who is willing to take assignments. She has also served as a Second Lieutenant in the Rani Jhanshi Regiment of the Azad Hind Fauj in Rangoon, Burma under Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose’s struggle for freedom. Her courage and never say die attitude is still visible even today in her sincere and professional way of handling guide assignments. After World war II Khandawala and her family settled down in Mumbai. She has written her memories in a book about her days as a freedom fighter titled jai Hind.

IN FOCUS

‘Share radical ideas to transform India Tourism’ says newly appointed Minister for Tourism India can take over the world as it is a 5,000-year-old civilization. We want to create that India where we love ourselves, love a clean India and its history. Then we tell the world, come and see us.

Rajesh Tiwari

hile speaking at the outset of 33rd Annual Convention of Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO) at Bhubaneswar in his very first official event as the Minister for Tourism K J Alphons called upon the leaders of travel and tourism industry to share their vision and innovative ideas on tourism, so as to translate the grand vision of the Prime Minister in transforming India’s tourism sector. He has shown his willingness to work on radical ideas (shared by industry stakeholders) that can bring change and prosperity for the stakeholders of this industry. ‘Let’s work together’ – the minister urged the State Governments and industry stakeholders to work with the Ministry of Tourism for transforming India into one of the most preferred destination around the world. Since tourism is a state’s subject; a better understanding and co-operation is required between Centre and State Governments for massive growth of tourism. The minister says that despite being an amazing country with greatest civilization and history; India is not getting its deserving share in tourism. “India can take over the world as it is a 5,000-year-old civilization. We want to create that India where we love ourselves, love a clean India and its history. Then we tell the world, come and see us.” While taking the charge on September 4 he said the new assignment was a big

responsibility. “There is a lot of potential in our tourism sector but first we will have to love ourselves and love India then we can attract tourists from other countries,” he said. The new minister is known for his strong anti-corruption stance. Kannanthanam, a Kerala cadre officer, first shot to limelight during his tenure with the Delhi Development Authority in the 90s and earned the sobriquet ‘demolition man’ after he got scores of illegal constructions demolished. He served as the district collector of Kottayam in 1988 and helped make Kottayam town the first 100% literate town in India the following year. Alphon’s life is nothing short of a miracle. Having passed his high school with 42% from a non electrified village Malayalam medium school, he became one of the

toppers of the 1979 batch of the IAS. He was rated to be one of the most competent officers in the history of the civil service. He is an inspirational orator and has spoken to over three million people, mostly students, in the past 35 years. He was in Time Magazine’s list of 100 Young Global Leaders. He pioneered the literacy movement in India by making Kottayam the first 100% literate town in India in 1989. In 2006, he quit IAS, contested as an independent from Kanjirappally constituency and got elected as an MLA with huge majority, spending less than Rs. 10 lakh. He decided that he wanted to be different kind of an MLA. He drove his own car and lived in a tiny room in the rest house and got allocated Rs. 350 crores for the constituency and won the best MLA award..

Mansharamani re-elected as Vice Chairman, ICPB WH Desk

hander Mansharamani has been re-elected as Vice Chairman of India Convention Promotion Bureau (ICPB) for another twoyear term. Amaresh Tiwari and Girish Kwatra will also continue on their respective posts of Hon. Secretary and Hon. Treasurer. This was declared during Association’s 30th Annual General Meeting and Elections for the Governing Board held at The Ashok in New Delhi which was also attended by Suman Billa, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India and Chairman, ICPB.

appointments in the hotel category were Hemant Mediratta and Saurabh Bhargava and Abinash Manghani (due to a tie for the second post). Gunjan Suri and Naveen Chibber took up the two new posts in the travel agency category while Ajay Vinayak and Anuj Wadhwa took the two posts in tour operator category. The post for the Congress / Convention Centres went to Sudeep Sarcar.

Chander Mansharamani, Vice Chairman, ICPB, said, Chander Mansharamani “The government has been looking at us as the frontal Vice Chairman organisation for marketing India as a convention ICPB destination. Keeping that in mind, we are completely New appointments were made in the Hotel, Tour Operator invested to take things to the next level.” and Congress / Convention Centres categories. The two new

October 2017 7

ASSOCIATON

Kerala aims to re-brand as ‘the land of adventure’ WH Desk

hile speaking at the outset of 13th Annual Convention of Adventure Tour Operators Association of India (ATOAI) Kadakampally Surendran, Minister of Tourism, Government of Kerala said, “Over the years, the tourism industry has been changed rapidly, with tourists preferring to go beyond the historic temples, monuments and modern sights. Interestingly, tourists these days prefer to explore hills, waterfalls and forests through indulging in adventurous activities. Henceforth, Kerala aims to be re-branded as ‘the land of adventure’ to woo the younger generation by offering activity and water-based tourism.”

Kadakampally Surendran, Minister of Tourism, Government of Kerala (Right) innugrating the ATOAI Convetion. Capt Swadesh Kumar, President ATOAI (2nd from right) and Dr. Venu V, Principal Secretary Tourism Kerala (extreme left) can be seen in the picture

“As part of developing the adventure tourism infrastructure, the tourism board plans to develop water and adventure parks for various action and water-based activities. Moreover, Kerala Tourism has planned to develop river circuit connecting eight rivers in Kannur and Kasaragod districts with an estimated cost of Rs. 325 crore”, he further added. The tourism industry is one of the major revenue generating sectors in Kerala, contributing a total revenue of Rs. 38,000 crore. Around 10. 3 lakh foreign tourists and 1. 32 crore domestic tourists visited Kerala in 2016. Speaking about the development plans, P. Balakiran, IAS, Director, Department

8 October 2017

of Tourism, Government of Kerala stated, “The tourism department has been following a robust development plan to promote the adventure tourism as it can substantially contribute to the overall growth of the tourism sector. Moreover, the interest of travellers is increasingly gravitating towards adventure tourism offerings, including expanded worldview, nature and discovery, physical health, fun & thrills, unique and meaningful experiences. The activity-oriented tourism would help the state to achieve the target of doubling the foreign tourist arrivals and increasing domestic tourist arrivals by 50% by 2021.” From trekking the hills to wildlife sanctuaries, India offers a plethora of adventurous activities to attract adventurous enthusiasts. India- an incredible tourist destination has high tourism potential to be explored by adventure seekers. Kerala is indeed India’s most happening destination offering an array of adventure packed destinations, including gushing rivers, high-altitude mountains, dense forests and vast stretches of the sea. The state is blessed with a wide range of natural and scenic beauty, which supports diversified adventure activities such as trekking, surfing, wildlife safaris, paragliding. Speaking about the safety guidelines, Dr. Venu V, IAS, Principal Secretary, Department of Tourism, Government of Kerala mentioned, “Northern Kerala has a lot of unexplored adventure tourism potential, which offers adventure enthusiasts a wide range of opportunities to unleash their adventurous spirit. However, Responsible Tourism will remain the guiding spirit of all developmental and promotional activities.” With the aim to promote adventure tourism and increase the tourist footfall in the state, Kerala Tourism has inculcated several stringent safety guidelines for adventure tour operators. These guidelines have been developed in tune with international standards post discussion with various departments.

ATOAI proposed MoT to declare 2018 as Year of Adventure Tourism WH Desk

ith the aim to position India as the adventure capital of the world, at the outset of 13th Annual Convention – ATOAI has proposed Ministry of Tourism to declare 2018 as the Year of Adventure Tourism in India. Kadakampally Surendran, Minister of Tourism, Government of Kerala inaugurated the Convention organised on the theme of ‘Emerging Pathways’ in the presence of Satyajeet Rajan, Director General Tourism, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India and Dr. V. Venu, IAS, Principal Secretary Tourism, Government of Kerala. Over 300 delegates from all over India have come together for the annual convention. Speaking about the event, Capt. Swadesh Kumar, President, ATOAI said, “Every country has some adventure to offer, but India is a country that offers almost every adventure and active holiday experience that one can seek. Even as the definition of adventure has expanded, India has upped its game to offer all this.” “From mostly a mountain and wildlife destination, the country now offers much more; skiing, water rafting, treks, road trips, off-road adventure, biking, cycling, scuba diving, river cruising, angling, bungee jumping, ballooning, caving, birding, adventure parks, nature retreats, culture, food, mountaineering and more,” he added. The convention included sessions on how to achieve these goals, networking amongst delegates, exhibits by state tourism boards and industry players, and FAM trips and a day of adventure to showcase Kerala as a unique tourist destination. The event was attended by all stakeholders, including government, tourism boards, industry and experts for their contribution with the sole aim to develop India as the adventure capital of the world.

ASSOCIATON

8th ADTOI Convention

Domestic Tourism: Explore India One Country, Many Worlds

The 8th Annual Convention of Association of Domestic Tour Operators of India (ADTOI) is scheduled to be organised in Vishakapatnam (also known as Vizag) on November 17th-18th, 2017 at Novotel Hotel. Domestic Tourism: Explore India – One Country, Many Worlds has been chosen as theme of the Convention. WH Desk

hile elaborating on the Convention PP Khanna President ADTOI said that around 300 delegates are expected to participate in the Convention. “I cordially invite all members to take time and participate in the Convention to make it as one of the memorable Conventions in the History of ADTOI,” said Khanna. “Apart from their own participation I seek members support to get sponsorships, selling stalls, getting advertisements and also participation in the Convention from their very near and close friends/associates,” added ADTOI President. “Vizag is popularly referred to as the Goa of the East Coast and the city of destiny. As per the Swachha Bharat

As per the programme (tentative) the inauguration is scheduled in the evening on 17th and Business Sessions, State Tourism Presentations and B2B meeting with sellers will take place on 18th. Pre & post-Convention FAM tours have been arranged with nominal cost on first come first serve basis. PP Khanna President ADTOI

Rajat Sawhney Vice President ADTOI

rankings of 2017, it is the third cleanest city in India said Rajat Sawhney, Vice President & Chairman Convention while elaborating on the Convention venue. “Located along the shores of Bay of Bengal Vizag has a rich and vibrant culture and heritage,” he added. Explaining over the theme (Domestic Tourism: Explore India - One Country, Many Worlds) opted for the Convention Sawhney further said, “From breath taking wildlife to spectacular beaches, snow capped mountains to soothing backwaters, India has it all. Therefore ADTOI aims targeting the related key concerns and highlighting the solutions. This year’s ADTOI Convention aims to encourage our members to promote India (or Domestic Tourism) like never before.”

Visakhapatnam, which is popularly referred to as Vizag, is named after God Vaishaka and is one of the most enchanting cities of Andhra Pradesh. Today, Vizag embraces it’s past and present seamlessly, making it an interesting and attractive city to spend holidays. Vizag is blessed with natural beauty, with hill ranges, pristine beaches along its coastline and lush, natural valleys. The city is surrounded by three hills, Sri Venkateswara Konda, Ross Hill and Dargah Konda. Each hill is home to a shrine, dedicated to three different religions. Vizag has some very interesting destination of tourist interest like Araku Valley, Borra Caves ,Kailasagiri Hill, RamaKrishna Beach, Submarine Museum and Dolphin’s Nose and the Port to name a few.

Ras Al Khaimah largely unexplored by Indian outbound market WH Desk

he Outbound Tour Operators Association of India (OTOAI) organised its third Annual Conference from September 13-16, 2017 at the Hilton Al Hamra, Convention Centre, Ras Al Khaimah. Around 170 travel partners from India participated in the event. Speaking at the event the president of OTOAI Guldeep Singh Sahni said, “The theme of the convention was changing times - creating opportunities and we have lined up all the sessions to fulfill the same. Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority has put their best foot forward to showcase the products to our members.”

While speaking on the importance of this conference Haitham Mattar, CEO of Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority said, “India is currently our fourth largest international source market with year-on-year growth of 22 per cent in the first half of 2017. It will be an important contributor to our vision and Destination 2019 tourism strategy. We have seen a growing trend from Indian inbound tourism for short leisure stays, MICE, and weddings. “Our aim is to promote the full breadth of unique activities and events that can be enjoyed in the emirate, with a view to encourage Indian travellers to lengthen their stay in the destination. We are

optimistic that through focused efforts and participation in various MICE and trade events, tourism from India will continue to develop in the coming years,” he added.

October 2017 9

TRAVEL BUSINESS

WH Desk

RateGain announces strategic alliance with roomsXML

ateGain Technologies, a leading hospitality and travel technology solutions company, has made a key announcement of its recent integration with roomsXML, one of the largest online accommodation distribution systems designed for travel companies. The partnership would enable roomsXML to fully automate the process of providing realPrakash Bang Founder and EC time access roomsXML to rooms, by

making their offering more efficient and relevant to their customers including travel agent partners.

Commenting on the association, Sameer Sinha, Sales Head, RateGain, said, “At RateGain we believe in continuous improvement and offering the best-inclass technology to the global hospitality and travel space, which strongly equips it with speed and efficiency. roomsXML is a market leader in wholesale accommodation distribution across a large part of the globe. Partnering with them is a glad moment and we look forward to offer our premier solutions to them that would fuel their productivity and drive more and more revenues.” With this integration of the two technology companies, more & more hotels would be able to seamlessly push their rate and inventory in the online B2B space.

MakeMyTrip launches new campaign with Ranveer-Alia WH Desk

akeMyTrip has announced the launch of its new TV campaign with its brand ambassadors – Ranveer Singh and Alia Bhatt. In line with its aggressive push to drive consumers to shift from offline to online hotel bookings, MakeMyTrip is providing yet another compelling reason for customers to make the switch by offering first night free on hotels booked by first times users. The first night free offer on online hotel bookings is valid across 44,000 domestic hotels and is now Live for booking on the MakeMyTrip app and website.

10 October 2017

Speaking at the launch, Rajesh Magow, Co-Founder and CEO-India, MakeMyTrip, said, “The hotel market in India is highly fragmented, under-penetrated and presents significant headroom for growth. As we see the increase in smartphone penetration and usage of digital payment mediums, we want to unlock the huge opportunity provided by the e-commerce ready users to drive online hotel penetration. Our new campaign reflects our larger business strategy of rapidly growing our hotels business and will help us step on the gas to bring new customers into the online hotel category.” Commenting on the new TVC and offering, Saujanya Shrivastava, Group CMO, MakeMyTrip said, “Over the last few years, MMT has been focusing on category expansion in the Online Hotels space by bringing down the entry barrier for travellers. This new campaign is in sync with our objective to catalyse the switch by nudging the fence sitters and offline hotel bookers to experience the convenience of online travel.”

According to Prakash Bang, Founder and Executive Chairman, roomsXML, “Our alliance with RateGain is another step towards providing our wide set of customers with an immaculate and unified booking experience, and also help us enhance and multiply our reach with hoteliers.I am confident that this will further improve our leadership position in the space and mark the beginning of a long and fruitful journey for us.” roomsXML is an online accommodation wholesaler serving travel agents and tour operators with offices in Australia, India, UAE, UK and USA. roomsXML is winner of numerous industry awards and accolades, including ‘MSE 2’ high credit worthiness certificate from CRISIL - an S&P Global company..

BLS signs another contract with Islamic Republic of Afghanistan for Saudi Arabia WH Desk

LS International Services signs another contract with Embassy of Afghanistan for Saudi Arabia. This is the second contract signed recently. Under this partnership, BLS International will be providing consular services through registration of Afghan citizens in Saudi Arabia. As per the contract, BLS international will open Registration Centers in Saudi Arabia for The Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. This contract has been signed to provide efficient and wellorganized services to Afghan citizens who are living in Saudi Arabia. The company will be processing about 200,000 applications through mobile centre for registration apart from registration centres in the region. While signing the contract, Afghanistan Ambassador in Saudi Arabia, H.E Sayed Jalal Karim said, “We are looking forward to benefit from the experience and expertise of BLS to give the best service to our citizens in Saudi Arabia and finish the registration process in the shortest time as per the contract.”

October 2017 11

NTO

Sidharth Malhotra recounts his New Zealand escapades to the people of Pune During his visit to Pune, Bollywood actor and Tourism New Zealand Brand Ambassador, Sidharth Malhotra shared memories from his second New Zealand journey. WH Desk

rom thrilling Harley bike rides with cricketers Stephen Fleming and Brendon McCullum and time spent at Te Puia and Mitai Maori Village to adrenaline-pumping activities like the Auckland bridge climb, luge riding, jet boating and zip lining; Sidharth showcased his escapades through a video encapsulating his 10-day visit to the country. The video highlighted the actor’s journey through diverse experiences spanning Auckland, Rotorua, Hamilton Waikato and Christchurch & Canterbury regions. Speaking at the event, Steven Dixon, Tourism New Zealand Regional Manager, South and South East Asia said, “India is a priority source market for Tourism New Zealand; we have witnessed steady growth from the market as Indian travellers are drawn to the beauty of our landscapes, the authenticity of our experiences and the warmth of our people. Sidharth Malhotra’s

efforts as Tourism New Zealand’s Brand Ambassador has not only helped raise the profile of New Zealand as a travel destination to millions of Indians, but also showcased our wonderful offerings to potential visitors.”

Sidharth Malhotra Brand Ambassador for Tourism New

Zealand along with Steven Dixon, Regional Manager Reminiscing about his last visit, Sidharth Tourism New Zealand interacting with the travel agents. said, “I have been to the country twice now and every time I go, I have the opportunity to takes a long term approach to growing the really admire nature in all its glory at their value of international visitors. stunningly beautiful locales. Though known As an effort to support and encourage trade for adventure sports and activities, there partners in India, Tourism New Zealand is so much more to it than that. From my introduced the new and improved version recent trip, visiting the Hobbiton Movie Set of 100% Pure New Zealand Specialist and spending time at the Mitai Maori Village Programme in July at Kiwi Link India were some of my best memories. With the 2017. The new programme introduced a innumerable experiences that New Zealand Gold, Silver and Bronze tier structure, has to offer, I’d really encourage my fellow which includes a range of benefits and Indians to visit this ideal destination and incentives for members of each tier. It aims experience it for themselves.” at enhancing travel sellers’ knowledge of In July this year, Tourism New Zealand New Zealand through online and in-person commenced its new four year marketing training; and presents an opportunity strategy. It focuses on attracting visitors to potentially increase their sales and to new regions, encouraging them to referrals. experience new and different activities, and Five key travel agents representing Kulin working with the industry and government Kumar Holidays, SOTC, Coz & Kings Ltd, to improve the tourism experience for Thomas Cook India (Ltd) and Makemytrip. visitors and New Zealanders. The strategy com attended the media event.

Thailand wins four PATA Gold Awards 2017 WH Desk

he Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) and two Thai tourism operators are the proud winners of the PATA Gold Awards 2017, bringing to the kingdom four prestigious international accolades. TAT’s ‘Village to the World’ corporate social responsibility project has won a Gold Award in the CSR category, while the ‘Blue Paradise Thailand’ guidebook

has won another Gold Award in the Travel Journalism – Travel Guidebook category. The other two PATA Gold Awards 2017 for Thailand went to the Elephant Hills Luxury Tented Camps in the Environmental – Ecotourism Project category, and the Thai Show 2013’s Muay Thai Live Bangkok in the Heritage and Culture – Culture category. Yuthasak Supasorn, TAT Governor said, “We would like to express our thanks to the PATA Gold Awards 2017 judging panel for these recognitions. These awards are another testament to our success in the development of Thailand’s tourism to sustainability. It will certainly inspire us to strive to do better to make sure that the kingdom’s tourism resources continue to develop in a sustainable manner.” In addition to this, Cox & Kings India won the prestigious Pacific Asia Travel Association Gold Award for its ‘Forever

12 October 2017

Young’ campaign for Thailand in the Marketing Social Media category. Cox & King’s winning entry featured a promotion selling solo women travel to Thailand from India Market. Speaking about the award, Soraya Homchuen, Director, Tourism Authority of Thailand, Mumbai, commented, “I would like to congratulate Cox & Kings on winning such a prestigious award for the joint campaign with us at TAT Mumbai. The objective of this campaign was to reach out to luxury women travelers and educate them about the wellness services that Thailand has to offer. Through this campaign we have successfully reached out to the target audience and have promoted women centric itineraries. We look forward to more such joint promotions in future which will help women to consider Thailand as a preferred destination not just for a vacation but also for rejuvenation.”

NTO

Parineeti Chopra appointed brand Ambassador for Friends of Australia The vivacious actress will be embarking on a magical trip to experience why there’s truly nothing like Australia. WH Desk

ourism Australia has appointed the stunning Bollywood actress – Parineeti Chopra as the first Indian woman ambassador to be a part of the ‘Friend of Australia’ (FOA) advocacy panel. The Friend of Australia recognition was presented to Parineeti by Australian Consul General, HE Tony Huber, for her contribution to promote Australia. This appointment will help to further cement the close ties between both the countries – Australia and India. The Friends of Australia programme has been devised as a way for Tourism Australia to foster mutually beneficial and long-term ‘friendships’ with those they regard as unique, positive and influential story-tellers. Parineeti Chopra joins fellow Indian Friends of Australia – Chef Sanjeev Kapoor and renowned Cricket Commentator Harsha Bhogle, who have been great advocates for Australia, encouraging Indians to visit Australia. Parineeti is all set to explore Australia’s aquatic and coastal experiences, rugged

outback, unique wildlife and its incredible variety of world-class food and wine offering. Being a lover of nature and adventure, Parineeti’s trip to Brisbane, Gold Coast and Ayers Rock will see her venturing into exotic and adventurous activities such as whale watching cruise, meet the dolphins, surfing, Sky point adventure climb, helicopter flight over the Ayers Rock (Uluru), Harley Davidson ride, aboriginal experiences, and witness the spectacular ‘Field of Light’ installation in the Red Centre of Australia, among many others. On the appointment of Parineeti Chopra as ‘Friend of Australia’, Nishant Kashikar, Country Manager – India, said, “Advocacy has been the cornerstone of Tourism Australia’s destination marketing and hence we are extremely proud to have Parineeti Chopra on board as our Friend of Australia. She is one of the young Bollywood actress who have contributed significantly to promote Australia as a holiday destination. Through her holidays in Australia, she will be showcasing the best of tourism attractions and experiences thereby encouraging Indians to visit Australia” Commenting on her appointment as ‘Friend of Australia’, Parineeti Chopra said, “The country has much more to offer and I’m

fascinated by its warm and welcoming people, spectacular nature, unique wildlife, world-class food and wine options and smorgasbord of adventure activities. I’m all excited for my next trip to Australia, visiting Brisbane, Gold Coast and Ayers Rock, and would recommend everyone to experience the country once in their lifetime as there’s truly nothing like Australia.” Developed in 2010, Tourism Australia’s Friends of Australia programme is a platform for Australian and international personalities to become advocates for Australia by sharing their experiences of the country through their own networks and Tourism Australia’s channels. Their stories then help inspire others to come and visit Australia. The program has more than 180 friends spread across the world, including Sir Richard Branson, Baz Luhrmann, Brett Lee, Adam Gilchrist, Glenn McGrath, Matt Moran, Michael Clarke, Steve Smith, amongst others.

Oman Tourism launches global advertising campaign WH Desk Oman Tourism has announced the launch of its global advertising campaign for the upcoming season which is going live on television and other digital platforms. The campaign captures the essence of Oman at different levels and highlights diverse aspects of the destination. The film is conceptualised and developed by the Ministry of Tourism’s teams working in Oman and India; and is directed by Bapi Bit of Motherboard Films. There is an alluring international mix of models that have been featured in the film and its overall look is contemporary which resonates well with Indians as well as international audiences. Speaking about this recent development, Salim Adi Al Mamari, Director General of Tourism Promotion, from the Ministry of

Tourism in Oman said, “We are successfully promoting Oman in the Indian market and in countries around the world, and felt there was a strong need for a customized film that highlights the Omani culture, landscape and history, while also depicting the outdoor adventure and wedding aspects of our country. We believe that our new film has put together an interesting mélange of all these facets and are certain that the film will appeal to audiences; while helping boost footfalls in the coming months.” He further added, “The idea of the film was to go beyond HNIs and premium travellers; and attract younger audiences, women travellers, etc. as these are some of the emerging travel segments that India and the rest of the world are witnessing in the last couple of years. Also, since ‘weddings’ are an important part of Indian culture, we

are constantly striving to promote Oman for destination weddings.” The film features picturesque locations of glistening Muscat city, rustic town of Sur, historic city of Nizwa, well nurtured turtle reserve at Ras Al Jinz, breezy-mountainous regions of Jabal Akdhar, and pristine Damaniyat Islands. The master 5 minute film will be used for B2B platforms such as events, roadshows, etc. The 4 minute version will be used by international markets, and the 2 minute video will be used on digital platforms. The 30 seconds version of the commercial will be aired on television.

October 2017 13

NTO

Visit California brings largest delegation to the Brand USA India Mission 2017 WH Desk

isit California and 12 California tourism businesses participated in the sixth annual Brand USA India Mission from 10-15 September, 2017, marking the sixth successive year of attendance. The annual mission is an opportunity for the California delegation to meet a large cross section of the Indian travel trade in addition to some select media and corporate executives. This year the visiting delegation travelled to Mumbai, Chennai and New Delhi to engage in a full day of buyer-seller meetings and VIP networking dinners, followed by a media event in Delhi. The India mission builds on existing relationships and creates new collaborations with the Indian travel industry. The California delegation was a mix of the Golden State’s iconic destinations and attractions, including Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board, San Francisco Travel Association, San Francisco International Airport, Universal Studios Hollywood, Visit San Jose, Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority, Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood, SeaWorld San Diego, Explore Marketing LLC, Roaring Camp Railroads, Hornblower Cruises & Events, and Red and White Fleet. Immediately after the Brand USA India Mission, select travel agents from targeted tier II and tier III cities will join the California delegation for the ‘Visit California India Sales Day’, now in its second year, in Gurgaon. This is one of Visit California’s initiatives to educate and network with tour operators from growing secondary Indian markets. “India is a priority market for us, and we foresee continued growth in visitation to California in the years ahead,” said Caroline Beteta, Visit California president and CEO. “The India Mission is a great platform for us to engage with our travel trade partners share new and immersive experiences for Indian visitors like outdoor adventures, family fun activities, culinary bounty and luxury offerings.” In 2016, 319,000 travellers visited California from India. Indian travellers stayed an average of 19.6 days on their trip spending $2,527 each, making them a valuable target market. By 2021, visitation from India is projected to reach 465,000, a growth of 45.8 percent.

NEWS IN ONE MINUTE

MMPRC presents Adventures of Maldives (Dhivehi Aahitha) 2017

MMPRC in association with Six Senses Laamu luxury resorts brings you the exciting video competition, ‘Adventures of Maldives (Dhivehi Aahitha)’ showcase your creative side and stand a chance to win over $6500. The competition is a great opportunity, where you can roll out personally shot videos of locals and tourists while engaging in wide-range of activities such as scuba diving, island excursions, surfing and snorkeling in Destination Maldives, which is known as the hub for water sports in the world. All you have to do is get ready, capture and share your moments with MMPRC. Adventures of Maldives is defined as both conventional and unconventional adventure activities that can be undertaken or learned to be undertaken, by the tourists and locals. The competition winner is set to receive over $6500, whereas the top ten entries will be featured on the official YouTube channel and other popular online media channels of MMPRC (Visit Maldives) as well as International Travel and Trade Fairs. The voting period for the competition, will take place from the 22nd of October 2017 till the 5th of November 2017 and the results will be disclosed during the second week of December 2017.

Israeli Opera offers varied program of opera, dance & music in 2017-2018 season

Since its inauguration, the Israel Opera has aimed to develop its identity as an Israeli Opera, nurturing Israeli artists and soloists, commissioning and performing original operas by Israeli composers and encouraging the next generation of Israeli opera singers with the Young Artists Program (the Opera Studio) and the promotion of young Israeli singers, who launched their career at the Israeli Opera and have since performed worldwide. In order to cultivate the future generation of the Israeli Opera singers, the Israeli Opera has established the Opera Studio program for young artists. Many opera singers have taken part in this program since its inception. All these singers, among them Ira Bertman, Svetlana Sandler, Anastasia Klevan and others, have appeared in different Israeli Opera productions in leading and supporting roles.

14 October 2017

October 2017 15

HOSPITALITY

Renaissance Lucknow Hotel’s Radisson Blu Agra to launch new luxury wing 2nd Anniversary celebrations WH Desk

WH Desk

s part of its 2nd Anniversary celebrations, the first Marriott property in the city, Renaissance Lucknow Hotel organized a number of grand activities for its guests. The celebrations were kicked-off with a cake-cutting event for the esteemed corporates of the city and also a party for them at the hotel’s Grand Ballroom. For the patrons, Renaissance organized a food festival ‘Best of Marriott around the world’, where the guest enjoyed delectable delicacies from different destined Marriott properties.

gra’s 5-star deluxe property, the Radisson Blu, Agra, is all set to establish a new benchmark for luxury in the city with the launch of its new luxury wing in October. The brand new luxury wing has been designed with an aim to turn the city known for one of the 7 wonders of the world into a two day wedding and tourist destination. The Luxe Collection wing promises unparalleled elegance and exemplary hospitality for its guests. Situated in the heart of the city, near the magnificent TajMahal, the luxury wing has been built keeping in mind the city’s traditional aesthetics with a touch of opulence and avantgarde. The luxury wing has everything under one roof that has the ability to transport the guests to the Mughal era while bathing in luxury. What sets it apart is the exclusive privilege of being the only hotel in Agra to have an Infiniti pool facing the TajMahal. The upcoming facilities offers exquisitely detailed Luxury Rooms that are tastefully decorated and lavishly furnished spread across three floors. Each floor has a historic story to tell through its wall paintings that will be seen throughout. A pulsating coffee shop, tranquil poolside bar, splendid roof top party space for the guests to unwind their senses and a majestic banquet hall titled, “Mansion” that is equipped to host the most extensive weddings and versatile events with over 27,000 sq. feet banquet space square to accommodate over1500 guests, moreover, it is intended to appeal to large conferences and events as well.

The celebrations were culminated with a dinner organized at Sepia, an Authentic Awadhi restaurant. An exciting ensemble of food items have been chosen as part of this set-menu dinner especially for this event. Patrons also enjoyed live Sufi music while enjoying the dinner. “Like last year, we celebrated our anniversary with pomp and grandeur and a little bit of nostalgia as well. We look forward to host the guests every year with special food festivals and festive celebrations.” says Pankaj Gupta, General Manager, Renaissance Lucknow Hotel. The guests of the city of nawabs let their hair down and grooved to some pulsating and heart throbbing music for DJ Night with DJ Cheshta and DJ Moni at the Sky Bar. Special arrangements were made for the event and a large dance floor, already in place for the guests.

Hyatt Regency Lucknow opens in Northern India WH Desk

yatt announced the opening of Hyatt Regency Lucknow, the first Hyattbranded hotel in Lucknow, capital of the northern state of Uttar Pradesh in India. Hyatt Regency Lucknow is the 27th Hyattbranded hotel in India and further expands the company’s brand presence in South Asia by offering enriching, authentic and diversified brand experiences for guests. “The opening of Hyatt Regency Lucknow marks a significant milestone for the Hyatt Regency brand as it continues to expand its footprint throughout India,” said Kurt Straub, Vice President, Operations for India at Hyatt. “Not only is the hotel strategically located for business travelers visiting Lucknow, it is also well positioned for leisure guests who are interested in enjoying a journey through the Uttar Pradesh Heritage Arc of Lucknow, Agra and Varanasi.”

16 October 2017

“Chartered Hotels Private Limited remains focused on developing full service hotels across tier one and tier two cities in India for the ever growing business and leisure traveler,” said Varun Saraf, Managing Director, Chartered Hotels Private Limited. “The hotel’s strategic location along with the food and beverage offerings and large stateof-the-art meeting and banqueting facilities will provide guests with an unforgettable experience which Lucknow has not yet seen.” Conveniently located in the corporate hub of Vibhuti Khand, Hyatt Regency Lucknow is designed to connect business and leisure travellers to all Lucknow has to offer. The hotel is in close proximity to the city’s High Court and multiple public sector head offices, and the Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport is less than 16 miles (25 kilometers) away. Additionally, landmarks and tourist attractions include

Bara Imambara, La Martiniere College and Hazratganj Market. “Our passionate, caring and well-trained team is ready to welcome guests to our contemporary and stylish hotel. At Hyatt Regency Lucknow, we set the stage for dynamic interactions – from a quick coffee meeting to shared culinary experiences, our guests can come together to socialize, collaborate or celebrate,” said Kumar Shobhan, General Manager of the hotel. With 206 guestrooms, including 19 suites, Hyatt Regency Lucknow offers elegantly decorated, bright and spacious accommodations. Guests staying in the Regency Club guestrooms and suites can enjoy access to the Regency Club that serves complimentary breakfast, evening cocktails and hors d’oeuvres. Other Regency Club benefits include private check-in and checkout and airport transfers.

HOSPITALITY

ITDC join hands with CISF to build #Skilled India Rajesh Tiwari

ndia Tourism Development Corporation Ltd. (ITDC) hospitality major under the aegis of the Ministry of Tourism, Govt of India has joined hands with Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) to train the wards of CISF personnel under ‘Hunar se Rozgar Scheme’ (A Skill Development Programme sponsored by Ministry of Tourism) through The Ashok Institute of Hospitality and Tourism Management (AIH&TM), one of the premier PSU Hospitality Training Institutes of the country under ITDC.

NEWS IN ONE MINUTE

1 Palazzo Versace Dubai wins Best

Luxury Hotel of the Year award

Palazzo Versace Dubai won the Best Luxury Hotel of the Year award at the annual Middle East Hospitality (MEHA) Awards Gala Ceremony that took place in Dubai. The awards acknowledged excellence across the region’s diverse hospitality sector by rewarding hotels, resorts and restaurants that have demonstrated exceptional performance, innovation and visitor relations in the last year. “Palazzo Versace Dubai is the most beautiful hotel, known best for its excellence in service. This achievement is not possible without the dedication and commitment of the team on the ground. Their intuitive service mantra is what defines the level of the hospitality at Palazzo Versace Dubai,” said Raza Jafar, CEO of Enshaa and Chairman of Palazzo Versace Dubai.

2 Celebrate the festival of lights at

One&Only Royal Mirage, Dubai

The first training batch on ‘Food Production’ for 31 wards of CISF Personnel was inaugurated by O.P. Singh, IPS, Director General, CISF and Piyush Tiwari, Director (Commercial & Marketing), ITDC along with Sudha Chandra, Principal AIHTM and General Manager, HRD ITDC and Neelam Singh, President, Sanrakshika at Samrat Hotel, New Delhi on 6th September 2017. Other senior officials from ITDC and CISF were also present during the function. Speaking on inauguration function held at Hotel Samrat, Piyush Tiwari, Director (Commercial and Marketing) ITDC, said, “ITDC is grateful to CISF for their faith in ITDC’s expertise in hospitality training and management.” While elaborating more on this he said, “Our talented team at AIH&TM has trained more than 15,000 candidates under Hunar Se Rozgar scheme through its Hotels and industry partners. The students are well placed in Hospitality Sector. We are sure that this collaboration of ITDC and CISF is going to impart employable skills to these young wards of CISF personnel who are aspiring to join the relevant sector soon. Our faculty at AIHTM will make sure that they have best of the training in the best suited atmosphere.” “We are going to plan more programs in the coming quarters for enforcing strength and leadership quality in other organisations as well,” Tiwari added.

Overlooking Palm Island Bay, One&Only Royal Mirage is a wondrous place of intricate arches, domes and towers, interspersed by courtyards, rich green lawns and immaculate flower beds. With world- class chefs preparing classic cuisines and a wide variety of luxury accommodation to cater to the individual preferences of all guests, the resort is an ideal family getaway during the festive occasion of Diwali. Celebrate the Festival of Lights at One&Only Royal Mirage as Dubai sparkles with vibrantly. Starting at AED 2,030 (INR 36,540), the Diwali Festival offer includes: Discount of 15% on best available rate Complimentary breakfast for two One complimentary ticket per person per stay to Dubai Parks & Resorts, the Region’s largest integrated theme park One complimentary day pass per person per stay to Aquaventure Waterpark at the nearby Atlantis The Palm with complimentary shuttle service Offer is valid for stays from now until October 27, 2017

October 2017 17

HOSPITALITY

Carlson Rezidor appoints Katerina Giannouka as President of Asia Pacific

INNSIDE by Melia debuts in China with INNSIDE Zhengzhou

WH Desk

arlson Rezidor Hotel Group, one of the world’s largest and most dynamic hotel groups, announced the appointment of Katerina Giannouka as president, Asia Pacific. She will report directly to John Kidd, Chief Executive Officer and Chief Operating Officer, Carlson Hotels Inc. Katerina will be a member of Carlson Hotels’ Executive Leadership Committee where she will work in tandem with the global and Asia Pacific leadership teams to drive success and growth for Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group. In her role, she will be responsible in leading the Asia Pacific executive committee and its corporate offices in Singapore, Shanghai and Delhi.

NNSIDE by Meliá, the upscale urban lifestyle brand of Meliá Hotels International, Spain’s leading hotel group, announced the opening of Innside by Meliá Zhengzhou, a brand new hotel located in the Zhengdong New District of Zhengzhou, China. The newly built property, located a three-minute walk from the Zhengzhou East Railway Station, blends seamlessly into the urban landscape. Keeping in step with the modern aesthetic of the upscale Innside by Meliá brand, all 335 rooms are bathed in light by floor-to-ceiling windows and designed in a monochromatic palette.

“Asia Pacific is a key growth engine for Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group as we expand our presence and develop our successes,” said John Katerina Giannouka Kidd. “Katerina’s dynamic and president energetic leadership experience, Asia Pacific complemented with business intelligence and a tenacious work ethic, are testament to her accomplishments in Asia Pacific and EMEA. I am confident that she will propel our Asia Pacific business to greater heights.” Before joining Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, Katerina was the head of development for Asia Pacific and China for Rosewood Hotel Group. Based in Hong Kong, she spearheaded the region’s development activities for Rosewood Hotels & Resorts, New World Hotels & Resorts and Pentahotels. Prior to that, she held roles with Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide and HVS. Katerina graduated from Oxford Brookes University with a Bachelor’s of Science with First Class Honoursin Hotel and Restaurant Management. She is fluent in English and Greek, basic French and elementary Mandarin.

Marriott Organises Charity Marathon

arriott International is back with its famed ‘Run to Give’ charity marathon in Lucknow on 24th September. The marathon started from Renaissance Lucknow Hotel, continuing till Janeshwar Mishra Park and culminating back at the beginning point, covering a distance of 8 kilometers. The marathon was held in 206 locations across Asia Pacific on the same date wherever there is a Marriott Hotel. Started in 2014, ‘Run to Give’ is an annual event organized by Marriott Group. ‘Run to Give’ is a part of the ‘Take Care’ movement by Marriott, which aims to encourage hotel associates to promote physical, emotional and spiritual well-being of the underprivileged, along with creating strong team synergy while reinforcing the company’s core values of “We Serve Our World”.

18 October 2017

An open-plan lobby design is complemented by Syndeo, the hotel’s all-day dining restaurant. Meaning ‘connect’ in Greek, Syndeo is ideal for work and relaxation, offering a wide variety of local specialties and exquisite international dishes. After work, Syndeo is transformed into a bar, where guests can savor signature cocktails while enjoying magnificent city views. Meliá Hotels International will maintain its robust momentum in Asia Pacific, launching six hotels per year in the region. There are 18 hotels currently in operation and the group is expected to have over 40 hotels by 2022. “Opening INNSIDE by Meliá Zhengzhou puts us in the very heart of a dynamic city and extends the momentum of Meliá Hotels International in China,” said Bernardo Cabot Estarellas, Senior Vice President of Meliá Hotels International Asia Pacific. “We’re very proud because INNSIDE by Meliá Zhengzhou is the fruition of a longstanding partnership with Greenland, who has been instrumental to Meliá’s success and growth in China.” Designed to meet the demands of modern day business travellers, Cabot added, “Our vision is an exciting one: To create a more authentic experience for today’s business/leisure travellers, or Work Trippers. For them, they’ve broken away from the strictly utilitarian business travel of old, transitioning between business and leisure seamlessly; we’re confident the INNSIDE by Meliá brand in China will enrich the experience for next-gen business travellers.”

October 2017 19

IN FOCUS

Odisha demands E-Visa facility at Biju Patnaik International Airport AirAsia has started a direct flight from Bhubaneswar to Kuala Lumpur from Biju Patnaik International Airport a few months ago. The flight is getting good response and the number of travellers is expected to go up manifolds in near future. Rajesh Tiwari

o cater the foreign travellers coming to Odisha we require an E-Visa facility at Biju Patnayak International Airport, says Chief Minister of Odisha Naveen Patnaik while speaking at the outset of 33rd Annual Convention of Indian Association of Tour Operators. “We have started a direct flight from Bhubaneswar to Kuala Lumpur operated by AirAsia. There has been an extremely good response to this international connectivity and the number of foreign travellers is picking up day-by-day.” “We are planning to have direct connectivity between Odisha to Middle East, Sri Lanka, and Indonesia in near future. Therefore the facility like E-Visa

There has been an extremely good response to this international connectivity and the number of foreign travellers is picking up day-by-day. Naveen Patnaik Chief Minister Govt of Odisha 20 October 2017

has become a necessity to cater the travellers coming to this airport” said Patnaik. The Chief Minister informed that Bhubaneswar – the City of Temples is ready to take-off as a smart city to host international meetings and events. The city has successfully hosted the 22nd Athletic Championship in July this year. Some mega sporting events such as the ‘Hocky League’ and ‘World Cup Hockey’ are scheduled to take place in coming months. “Also in an attempt to promote our Buddhist heritage we have been organising Buddhist International Conclave for the last four years,” he added. As explained by Ashok Chandra Panda, Minister for Tourism, Government of Odisha, with the recent developments in various sectors i.e. international connectivity, roads and infrastructure the state is capable to cater all kind of travellers, and ready to get its deserving share from tourism sector. “Under the dynamic leadership of our Chief Minister we have been capable in establishing direct air connectivity by making a provision for Viability Gap Funding (VGF); which is a remarkable initiative for airlines to start a direct international flight from Bhubaneswar. As a result, we are now connected to many international destinations through Bhubaneswar-Kuala Lumpur sector started recently. This would not have been in place without this provision,” says Panda.

Under the dynamic leadership of our Chief Minister we have been capable in establishing direct air connectivity by making a provision for Viability Gap Funding (VGF) Ashok Chandra Panda Minister for Tourism Govt of Odisha According to him, the latest tourism policy which was launched last year is one of the most lucrative and investment friendly policy in tourism sector of India. “We hope this will go a long way in bridging the gap in infrastructure in our state,” says Panda.

IN FOCUS

33rd Annual Convention: IATO’s recommendations for Odisha Tourism After having intense discussion and brainstorming sessions during three days Annual Convention the Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO) made recommendations to the Government of Odisha to act upon for the betterment of tourism sector in the state. Rajesh Tiwari

hile speaking at the valedictory session of the 33rd Annual Convention of IATO, President of the Association Pronab Sarkar said that high taxes on tourism have put the industry stakeholders in a difficult situation in running their business. He informed that the IATO is working closely with the Ministry of Finance, Government of India to apply lower rate of GST on tourism sector. “If we can bring down the taxes 6-8 percent we shall be able to compete with our neighbouring countries and grow our business. Due to high taxes we are losing business and it is going to our neighbouring countries,” said Sarkar. “We would therefore request to the Government of Odisha to support the industry (by joining hands with other State Governments) in taking up this issue with the GST Council for lower taxes on tourism sector,” added Sarkar. On behalf of IATO President Pronab Sarkar made some recommendations to the Government of Odisha and said, “Odisha is one of the most beautiful states in eastern India. It has everything to attract a huge number of travellers therefore we need to give importance to some of the point which needs to be

addressed with the immediate effect.” A. Bigger international airport is required to increase the passenger capacity. A big body aircraft landing facility to attract more international airlines to land in Bhubaneswar is need of the hour. This will help in having higher number of tourist footfalls. B. We would suggest; having a government policy based on PPP model of investment for developing an International Airport like Kocchi in Kerala, Bengaluru in Karnataka and Hyderabad in Telangana.

F. Odisha has multiple sites for ancient monuments; there is a need for better parking place for vehicles, toilet facilities and road signages etc. G. Odisha has one of the best State Tourism Policy which should be promote to attract more investment which ultimately will help in attracting a lot of investment and creating job opportunities in the tourism sector. H. Pilgrimage tourism is the main attraction of Odisha which needs better facility especially during most renowned festival like Rath Yatra.

C. There are many untapped tourist sites such as water sports, adventure trails, wildlife parks, fishing and bird watching etc., these needs to be explored and better infrastructure is required.

I. Odisha has successfully organised several mega sporting events; therefore the state should focus on sports tourism and develop more facilities to get more from this segment.

D. Odisha is the land of festivals; to attract tourist we should organise these festivals on fix dates which may include cultural dance, etc. Bird watching festival and Annual Boat Race at Chilika will be added attractions to the state’s vast tourism potential.

J. Geographically Bhubaneswar is not very far from Southeast Asian countries; since best medical hospital and facilities are available in the state Medical Tourism can be promoted for betterment of state’s economy.

E. Marketing of Odisha Tourism is very important to increase the awareness among future travellers within India and abroad. Creating FAM tours and attending tourism exhibitions with in India and abroad is required. Apart from electronic and social media promotions the roadshows must go along. Odisha also needs to be included in the FAM tour of Government of India under hospitality scheme.

J K Mohanty, CMD, Swosti Group receiving the Hall of Fame Award

K. MICE Tourism can bring a large number of tourists; there is a dire need of International level convention centre to organise meetings and events. Government can consider PPP model for creating the convention centre. While addressing the gathering Rajiv Mehra, Chairman Convention said that the Convention was an opportunity for IATO members to meet the senior officials from the state. “We had almost one thousand delegates from across the country including press and media. During these three days we had deliberation of emerging issues and the bottleneck areas based on the discussions and outcome. Lally Mathews, Co-chairman Convention delivered the vote of thanks note and said, “Odisha has been very supportive in organizing this mega event. Without their extra ordinary support it would not be possible to organize the event at this large scale.”

October 2017 21

AVIATION

AirAsia launches new direct route to Macao from Johor Bahru WH Desk

irAsia, the world’s best low-cost airline launched a new direct route to Macao from Johor Bahru to further expand the southern hub starting 28 November 2017. The new Johor Bahru-Macao route with daily direct flights will be the airline’s 16th route from Johor Bahru and seventh international destinations from the hub. To celebrate the new route announcement, AirAsia is offering promotional allin-fares from RM129* one way on airasia. com from now to 1 October 2017 for the travel period between 28 November 2017

and 21 November 2018. The promotion is also available on AirAsia’s mobile app for iPhone and Android devices, as well as the mobile site mobile.airasia.com. Spencer Lee, AirAsia Head of Commercial said, “We are pleased to introduce Johor Bahru-Macao route as part of our long term plan to further expand Johor Bahru hub as a key regional hub and a gateway for business travellers and investors from China into the southern state. Besides Macao, we have introduced several new routes from Johor Bahru this year such as Johor Bahru-Kuala Terengganu, Johor BahruLangkawi, and recently Johor BahruKolkata which solidified our commitment towards the hub. This is only the beginning as we have more exciting plan in the pipeline for our southern hub in the future.”

Thai Airways adds Vienna to its network from November WH Desk

hai Airways shall branch out its European network to Vienna in order to cater to the increasing demand from India to destinations beyond Thailand. The airline will start operations from November 16, 2017. The flight is already online for sales and aims to optimise connectivity at Bangkok for passengers from Southeast Asia and Australia, revealed Bryan Ernest Banston, Vice President-Sales, Thai Airways International. He said, “With regards to the India market, it remains an important market for us. The Thai Smile programme that we have, covers Tier-II cities like Jaipur. We also see a lot of traffic from India going beyond Thailand to Australia and New Zealand. We especially see growing traffic going to China from India’s secondary cities

Ethiopian goes fully digital Bird Execujet accredited WH Desk

lying even more greener; Ethiopian Airlines Group, the largest airline in Africa announced that it has fully digitalized all its business processes like aircraft maintenance and Flight Operations, Commercial Operations, Finance, HRM, Customer Services, Procurement and supply Chain Management, Online learning, management approvals and authorizations etc by removing paper from the entire system from September 28, 2017. Group CEO Ethiopian Airlines, Tewolde GebreMariam, said; “Although we started the digitization project in the last few years, today marks an important milestone in our history as we are removing paper from our entire business processes. Leading in the Digital Revolution and leveraging on the latest advancement in the Information and Communication technology of the global airline industry, Ethiopian will scale up its operational Excellence, Customer intimacy and cost leadership strategies. ICT will enable us to deliver customized global standard customer services as per the preferences of each and every customer. “We are living in the fourth industrial Revolution which is fundamentally different from the previous industrial revolutions specially in the speed of change and disruptions and our continued success depends on our strategic response and our abilities to adapt to the velocity, breadth and depth and scale of the quantum changes coming our way,” he said.

22 October 2017

by Is-Bah for fixed based operations in New Delhi

ird ExecuJet Airport Services, a joint venture between Bird Group and ExecuJet Aviation Group has recently received Level – I accreditation by the International Standard for Business Aircraft Handling (IS-BAH) for its Fixed Based Operation (FBO) in New Delhi. With this accreditation, Bird ExecuJet Airport Services becomes India’s first FBO to hold this Industry Leading Certification. IS-BAH is a joint programme between the International Business Aviation Council (IBAC) and the National Air Transportation Association (NATA) and offers voluntary global code of best practices for business aviation ground handlers. It follows a longestablished structure of International Standard for Business Aircraft Operators Programme and sets best practices for FBOs globally. Bird ExecuJet is developing a world class FBO/MRO at Indira Gandhi International Airport and currently offers maintenance services from 2 exclusive hangars. The existing facility offers excellent logistics and operational readiness for its clients within India and also supports international clients and clients from neighbouring countries. The company has been felicitated with ‘Most Popular Service Provider of the Year award for 2016’ by Business Aircraft Operators Association (BAOA) as well as ‘Best Turnaround Turk of the Year (Private Sector)’ by PHD Chambers of Commerce.

AVIATION

Tony Douglas takes over as Group CEO of Etihad Aviation WH Desk

he Chairman of Etihad Aviation Group, His Excellency Mohamed Mubarak Fadhel Al Mazrouei, confirmed the appointment of Tony Douglas as Group Chief Executive Officer, who will join the company in January 2018.

Douglas joins Etihad from the United Kingdom’s Ministry of Defence, where he has served as CEO of the Defence Tony Douglas Equipment Group CEO and Support Etihad department, responsible for procuring and supporting all the equipment and services for the British Armed Forces. In the UK, he held senior positions with airport operator BAA, and as Chief Operating Officer and Group Chief Executive designate of Laing O’Rourke. His roles under airport operator BAA included Managing Director of the Heathrow Terminal 5 project, Group Supply Chain Director, Group Technical Director, and CEO of Heathrow Airport.

Previously, Douglas held senior positions in the UAE, most notably as CEO of Abu Dhabi Airports Company and as CEO of Abu Dhabi Ports Company. H.E. Al Mazrouei, Chairman of the Board of Etihad Aviation Group, commented: “We are delighted to have Tony return to Abu Dhabi to lead Etihad. He has guided the transformation of large organisations in the UAE and the UK, and he understands the UAE and the region. He is also deeply knowledgeable about commercial aviation and keenly familiar with Etihad’s challenges and opportunities in a rapidly changing industry.” As Group CEO, Douglas will work with the Board and leadership team to expand and implement a range of strategic initiatives to position Etihad for sustained success in an increasingly competitive regional and global aviation market. Douglas commented: “Etihad is a force in global aviation that must continue to adapt and evolve on its own and with industry partners. It is an economic and employment engine for the UAE and the region. With new infrastructure and attractions like the expanded airport, Louvre Abu Dhabi, and Abu Dhabi Global Market, Etihad has a central role in supporting the UAE’s position as a global hub of transportation, tourism, commerce, and culture.”

flydubai doubles its capacity to Russia for the winter season WH Desk

ubai-based flydubai will double its operations to Russia for the winter season in response to growing passenger demand. The airline presented its seasonal offering at the Leisure 2017 Exhibition that opened today in Moscow where it is participating for the third time in partnership with Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM). From the end of October, flydubai will operate 40 weekly flights to 10 points in Russia. This year the airline will add Makhachkala, Voronezh and Ufa to its existing network in the country that includes Kazan, Krasnodar, Mineralnye Vody, Moscow, Rostovon-Don, Samara and Yekaterinburg. Jeyhun Efendi, Senior Vice President Commercial (UAE, EU, ME, CIS) at flydubai, said: “We are pleased to increase our services to Russia as Dubai increases in popularity among Russian travellers. Since 2010, flydubai has been committed to connecting previously underserved points in Russia with Dubai. With three more routes and our additional flights, we look forward to offering tourists from Russia more choice and flexibility when travelling to Dubai.”

JetBoutique - Jet Airways inflight shopping goes online WH Desk

et Airways, premier international airline has announced that it has redefined ‘JetBoutique’ - its classical, on-board shopping experience, by taking it online. Guests of the airline will now be able to enjoy the luxury of shopping online for their favourite international, lifestyle brands from partner duty free stores at their convenience for having their purchases delivered on-board during their travel. In fact, guests with confirmed bookings on select international flights, can pre-book their orders of inflight duty free products at the airline’s website (www.jetairways. com) for delivery onboard their flights. With the launch of the pre-order facility, Jet Airways becomes the first

Indian airline to offer this service, in its endeavour to consistently offer exceptional value to its guests. Preordering will also help guests save time at the airport, aside from the convenience of online shopping. As part of the online launch celebration, Jet Airways’ guests shopping at ‘JetBoutique’ on jetairways.com can take advantage of an introductory 10% discount while placing orders, after browsing the online catalogue. Jayaraj Shanmugam, Chief Commercial Officer, Jet Airways, said, “JetBoutique enjoys a strong appeal among our international guests. We are confident that its digital version will also resonate equally well with our guests, especially the new-age millennial

travellers, many of whom are keen to savour experiences and explore more while travelling with us. It is another example of the many ways in which we use technology to create and enhance our guest experience for added convenience. We are certain that this service will lead to numerous delighted guests.”

October 2017 23

STATE

Kerala bags 6 National Tourism Awards WH Desk

adakampally Surendran, Minister for Tourism, Government of Kerala received six National Tourism Awards 2015-16 from The President H. E. Ram Nath Kovind, at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi. The Department of Tourism, Government of Kerala has been lauded with Hall of fame award for the ‘Most Innovative Use of Information Technology - Social Media / Mobile App’ for the ninth consecutive year. Out of these six awards, Kerala

Tourism bagged two awards in the marketing category, including ‘Best Tourism Promotion Publicity Material’ for a film tourism brochure- ‘Your Next Blockbuster Destination’ and ‘Excellence in Publishing

in Foreign language other than English’ for a Spanish Brochure titled ‘Reanimar – Enel PropioPais de Dios’, conceived and developed by Stark Communications. The film tourism brochure highlights the picturesque beaches, exotic wildlife, hill stations and unexplored backwaters that are amongst just a few of the prime locations that can be used to shoot any form of media. The Spanish brochure encapsulates the key attractions of the state, highlighting why Kerala is considered to be the most sought-after destination across the world.

The state tourism also bagged an award for the Best Responsible Tourism Initiative for ‘Kumarakom’. The spirit of Kerala’s Responsible Tourism is based on the availability of plenty of natural resources, skilled manpower, supportive entrepreneurial community, strong local-self-governments, civilsociety organizations, multitude of micro enterprises, streams of professionals and academicians, responsible media and responsive tourism industry. All of these initiatives provide the state an ideal setting to implement and practice it. Speaking about the significance of the responsible tourism initiative, Kadakampally Surendran, Minister for Tourism, Government of Kerala stated, “It give us immense pleasure to be lauded

with the prestigious National Tourism Awards in six different categories. Kerala Tourism has been focused on promoting the concept of ‘Responsible Tourism’ for protecting environment and conserving cultural heritage. And, receiving award for this significant initiative of the state emboldens the tourism department to keep up the positive momentum.” Moreover, the state was lauded with 3 National Awards in private sector. Lotus Destinations Pvt. Ltd., Cochin bagged award for Best Tour Operator Promoting Niche segments other than MICE and adventure and Vivanta by Taj, Kumarakom received award for Best hotel – 4 Star Category and Somatheeram Research Institute & Ayurveda Hospital Pvt. Ltd bagged award for Best Wellness Centre. The category for other awards include Best State for ‘Comprehensive Development of Tourism’ and Best Civic Management of a Tourist Destination Category ‘C’ for ‘Sarovaram Bio Park’. SarovaramBiopark is the only ecofriendly biopark in Kerala promoting the conservation of mangrove forests and wetlands. The biopark is located right at the heart of the city. The canal walkway, boating facilities, Otter Park, Butterfly Park, bird sanctuary, aquarium, floating rafts, board-walk, park/ musical fountain, open air theatre are popular attractions here.

Andhra Pradesh bags award for Best State for Comprehensive Development of Tourism WH Desk

ndhra Pradesh Tourism bags award for Best State for Comprehensive Development of Tourism. The state has surpassed Rajasthan (Second Prize) and Goa & Kerala (Joint Winners Third Prize) in the same category. The prestigious National Tourism Awards were presented by Hon’ble President of India, Ram Nath Kovind at a glittering function at Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi. The award ceremony was presided over by Hon’ble Minister of State (Independent charge) for Tourism, Alphons Kannanthanam. Mukesh Kumar Meena IAS, Secretary Tourism, Government of Andhra Pradesh received the award.

24 October 2017

The Sunrise state of Andhra Pradesh holds the unmatched tourism potential to investors and tourists, having second longest coastline state in India with 974 kms along Bay of Bengal. The state is gifted with a wide variety of ecology, flora and fauna. Key natural assets include Eastern Ghats, Nallamala Forests, Coastal plains and delta regions formed by two major rivers – Krishna and Godavari. Even after bifurcation of

the state into two, that is Andhra Pradesh and Telangana in 2014, Andhra Pradesh still holds 3rd place in the Country with regard to the number of domestic tourist visits.

STATE

Madhya Pradesh conferred with 10 national awards WH Desk

adhya Pradesh outshines with a total 10 awards in various categories at National Tourism Awards 2015-16 at a ceremony held at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi. The President of India H. E. Ram Nath Kovind presented the trophies to the winners in the presence of Minister of State for Tourism (I/C) K J Alphons and Rashmi Verma Secretary, Ministry of Tourism. Minister of State for Tourism, Government of Madhya Pradesh Surendra Patwa received the ‘Hall of Fame Award’ from President of India. The state bagged the Most Innovative Tourist Product award for ‘Hanuwantia Jal Mahotsav’ and Best State for Adventure Tourism. While Chanderi was adjudged as the Best Heritage City, the Best TouristFriendly Railway Station award was

given to Ujjain Railway Station. The Best Civic Management of a Tourist Destination of India award was given to Khargone. An English coffee-table book published by MP Tourism Board, won the national award for Excellence in Publishing. Madhya Pradesh also received a national award for Film Promotion Policy in the category of Best Film Promotion Friendly State/Union Territory. The Hindi brochure published by Madhya Pradesh Tourism in Simhastha-2016 also won the national award for Excellence in Publishing in Hindi. Best Wildlife Guide national award was bagged by Saib Khan of Pachmarhi. Expressing happiness over the awards, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan congratulated MP’s tourism team through a tweet. “Heartiest congratulations to MP Tourism for incredible feat of being conferred with 10 national awards on

occasion of world tourism day,” he said in the tweet. Madhya Pradesh ‘The Heart of Incredible India’ located in the central part of India, is endowed with delightful forests, rich world heritage sites, and varied art, crafts and culture. To give a glimpse of these nuggets, a Coffee Table Book was designed. Utilising the backwaters created at the Indira Sagar Dam and the Omkareshwar Dam, the Government of Madhya Pradesh has developed a backwater tourism hub in the form of Hanuwantia.

Telangana outshines with four National Tourism Awards WH Desk

he State of Telangana honoured with four National Tourism Awards for ‘Swachhta Award’, ‘Best Heritage City - Warangal’ ‘Best Maintained and Disabled Friendly Monument – Chowmahalla ’ and ‘Best Civic Management of a Tourist Destination – GHMC ’ for the year 2015-16. The prestigious National Tourism Awards were presented by Hon’ble President of India, Ram Nath Kovind at a glittering function at Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi. The award ceremony was presided over by Hon’ble Minister of State (Independent charge) for Tourism, Alphons Kannanthanam. B Venkatesham IAS, Secretary to Government, Youth Advancement Tourism & Culture and Dr Christina Z Chonhthu, Managing Director Telangana Tourism Development Corporation received the award from President of India. The Government of Telangana has chosen the historic city of Warangal

for the Swachhta Award. Warangal is a cluster of three towns – Warangal, Hanamkonda and Kazipet. The state of Telangana was carved out as separate state from the erstwhile unified state of Andhra Pradesh in 2014. Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) awarded Best Civic Management of a Tourist Destination. Hyderabad’s approach towards civic management has been a unique and innovative one, an inspirational example for other civic bodies to follow. In recent years, the GHMC has undertaken a number of initiatives such as MyGHCM application for citizen grievance redressal, human behavioural innovations like Pariichayam, SHE toilets in 359 locations and another 583 toilets pooled from collective private resources etc. Best Maintained and Disabled Friendly Monument – Chowmahalla the 12 acre complex, has two court yards with elegant places, the grand Khilwat (the Durbar Hall), fountains with lush green lawns and gardens. It is one of the much sought after tourist destination of

Hyderabad. All the facilities required for differently abled visitors are provided like wheel chairs, drinking water facilities, signage and guides, staff for handling enquiries and assistance. Best Heritage City-Warangal is the second largest city of Telangana State and located 145 kms from the capital city, Hyderabad. The Municipality od Warangal has been in existence since 1899. Warangal served as the capital of Kakatiya dynasty established in 1163 till its decline in 1323 AD. The monuments left by the Kakatiyas include fortresses, lakes, temples and towns.

October 2017 25

STATE

Goa Tourism powers ahead with two honours at National Tourism Awards WH Desk

oa Tourism carved itself a milestone this World Tourism Day. For the first time in its history, the State has bagged two prestigious National Awards for 2015-16– Most Innovative use of Information Technology: Social Media/Mobile App by Goa Tourism Development Corporation and Best State/UT Comprehensive Development of Tourism (Rest of India)(Third Prize – Joint Winner). The two prestigious National Tourism Awards were presented to Goa by the Hon’ble President of India, Ram Nath Kovind at a glittering function at Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi. The award ceremony was presided over by the Hon’ble Minister of State (Independent charge) for Tourism, Alphons Kannanthanam. The awards were received by the Chairman of Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC), Nilesh Cabral and Managing Director of Goa Tourism Development Corporation, Nikhil Desai. During the last five years, Goa Tourism has powered several campaigns on Goa as an Ideal Wedding Tourism Destination,

Goa as a Monsoon Destination, Goa as an Adventure tourism destination etc. Most Innovative Use of Information Technology- Social Media/Mobile App Award was given for the campaign run for the tourists and by the tourists ‘Tourism by Tourists’ which was aimed at building the longest running digital testimonial campaign for a travel brand. The goal of the campaign was to raise credibility for the State through travellers’ opinions and online publishers (bloggers/ photographers/magazines etc). Best State/UT ‘Comprehensive Development of Tourism (Rest of India) (Third Prize Joint Winner) Award recognizes Goa as a dream tourist destination for all tourists visiting this State. It highlights Goa as a beach tourism destination along with other tourism facets namely bird watching, waterfalls, religious tourism, eco -tourism etc. The Hon’ble Minister for Tourism, Manohar Ajgaonkar said, “I congratulate Chairman of GTDC, Nilesh Cabral and his dedicated team for adopting various initiatives one of which

has brought this a huge laurel in the category of Innovative Use of Information Technology. I wish Goa Tourism many more awards and laurels.” Nilesh Cabral, Chairman of Goa Tourism Development Corporation said, “ I am extremely honoured to receive such a huge recognition from the President of India for the Corporation’s innovative initiative. During the last five years, under my chairmanship, the GTDC has worked in the right direction and has given a new face to Goa Tourism. I take this opportunity to congratulate the entire team at GTDC and Dept. of Tourism for working wholeheartedly in this endeavour and seek continued support from everyone in the future.”

Rajasthan Tourism wins Best Tourism Film Award WH Desk

.E. Ram Nath Kovind, Hon’ble President of India, has awarded the highly popular Jaane Kya Dikh Jaaye television ad campaign of Rajasthan Tourism with National Tourism Award under the category of ‘Best Tourism Film’ at National Tourism Awards 2015-16 held at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi. The award was received by Krishnendra Kaur (Deepa), Hon’ble Minister of State for Tourism, Government of Rajasthan. Rajasthan state was also conferred another prestigious National Tourism Award under ‘Best State – Comprehensive Development of Tourism’ for standing runner-up in the category. The award was presented by KJ Alphons, Minister of State (IC) for Tourism to Nihal Chand Goel, Additional Chief Secretary, Department of Tourism, Rajasthan. “National Tourism Award in two different categories is a recognition of our on-going efforts under the dynamic leadership of our Hon’ble Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje to make Rajasthan one of the most favoured destinations of

26 October 2017

choice for tourists around the world and these awards are also a testimony to Rajasthan’s tourism friendly policy initiatives,” said Krishnendra Kaur (Deepa), Hon’ble Minister of State for Tourism, Government of Rajasthan. Hailed as one of the highest honours in the tourism industryNational Tourism Awards 2015-16 felicitated the Indian tourism and travel industry and the State Governments and Union Territory Administrations for their outstanding contribution in the field of tourism for the period April 2015 to March 2016.

October 2017 27

DESTINATION

Rameshwaram The Corridor of Faith WH Desk

ameshwaram – a small island is known to be the holiest pilgrimage destination in the Gulf of Mannar in Tamil Nadu. Beautiful beaches at Olaikuda, Danushkodi and Corridor Pamban are must see attractions apart from the religious point of view. Scuba diving and migratory birds watching during winter are also a part of the entertainment schedule. Commercial deep sea fishing, sea cucumber, lobster and conch collection are the main economic activities of Rameswaram. Located at 570kms from state capital Chennai the island is connected to the mainland by Pamban Bridge.

Sri Ramanathaswamy Temple Sri Ramanatha Swamy and Parvathavarthini temple is located near the sea shore on the eastern side of the island. It is well known for its architectural beauty of magnificent Prakaras or corridors with massive sculptured pillars on either side. This temple has undergone sea of changes from 12th century onwards, under the reign of different rulers. Internationally famous Third Corridor/Court is almost 23ft high, running East-West 690 feet; North-South 435 feet and the inner wing - running East-West 649 feet and North –South -395 feet. There are 1212 Pillars in these corridors. This gives an exotic, massive, elegant and palatial corridor view which stumps the tourists awestruck. This is the hall mark of the Unique Indian Temple Architecture of the yester years. The North and the South Gopurams (Towers) were raised with the blessings and assistance of Jagadguru Pujyasri Singeri Peetathipathy and Jagadguru Pujyasri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetathipathy Sankaracharya Swamijis. As instructed by Lord Rama, it is the Vishwalingam which gets First Pooja attention every day till date. Mahasivarathri, Thirukkalyanam, Navarathri Festival - Dasera (Vijayadasami Day -Sep - Oct), Skanda Sashti (Oct - Nov), Aarudhra (Dec - Jan) are some of the important festivals of

28 October 2017

the temple. The 22 Theertham (wells) found inside the temple and 22 Theerthams outside the temple, named and called in the names of Hindu Gods are the special religious feature of the town. People from all corners of the sub- continent visit and bathe in water from these wells to get absolved of their sins and also to get relieved of the individual ill fates.

Agni Theertham Sri Ramanathasamy temple faces the Theertham on the eastern side. The shore is only about 100mtrs from the temple. The sea is very calm and peaceful. Since it is considered sacred it is called Agni Theertham. Poojas and rituals are performed to please the ancestors at Agni Theertham. Devotees of Lord Siva take a dip in the Agni Theertham to wash away their sins.

Gandamadana Parvatham: It is a hillock situated 3kms away and it is the highest point in the island. One can see the imprint of Lord Rama’s feet on a chakra here. The entire island of Rameswaram is visible from this point.

Sugreevar Temple/Theertham: It is situated on the way to Gandamadana Parvatham near the Doordarshan Kendra. Sugreeva is the younger brother of Vali, a mythical character in the Ramayanam.

Badrakaliamman Temple: This is a temple for Devi Durga, around 2kms from the main temple on the way to Gandamadana Parvatham.

Nambu Nayagiamman Temple: This temple is greatly venerated by the people of Ramnad district. It is situated 8kms from the main temple in Rameswaram on the way to Dhanushkodi.

Kothandaramaswamy Temple: This temple is located at 12kms from Ramewswaram. According to a popular belief, it is at this place, Vibhhishanan (brother of Ravanan) surrendered before Rama.

Villoondi Theertham: This Theertham is 7kms from the main temple on the way to Pamban.

DESTINATION

Satchi Hanuman Temple It is 3kms from the main temple, on the way to the Gandamadana Parvatham. This temple is the place where hanuman delivered the good news of finding Sita to Rama with evidence the Choodamani â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a jewel that belonged to Sita. Hence this temple is called by this name.

The Panchamuga Hanuman Temple It is located just 2kms from the main temple, the deity of the hanuman is drawn with Senthooram (Vermillion). Idol of Lord Ram, Sita and Hanuman brought from Danushkodi during the 1964 cyclone are placed there. The floating stone used to build the Sethu Bandhanam or the bridge between India and Lanka too can be found in this temple.

Jada Theertham It is located 3.5kms from Rameswaram. It is believed that Rama on his return from Lanka after Ravana Vadham, washed his Jada (hair) in this Theertham to purify him before proceeding to worship Ramalingeswarar. Hence this holy water body is called Jada Theertham.

Annai Indira Gandhi Road Bridge This is also called as the Pamban Bridge that connects the Rameswaram island with the main land. It is the longest sea bridge in India and its length is nearly 2.2kms and stands as a fine example for Indian architecture. The bridge was

constructed with sufficient elevation. This bridge with a clearance of 45 mtrs, is being supported by 79 pillars out of which 64 pillars are erected in the sea. The nearby Islands and the parallel Pamban Rail Scissors Bridge can be viewed from this bridge.

Pamban Rail Scissors Bridge This connects the mainland to the Rameswarm Island. This 2.06 Km long rail bridge was built with stones from a distance of 320km and sand from 160 kms. The bridge was constructed on 145 stone pillars. A portion of the bridge opens up like a pair of scissors to let the ships pass under it. Hence it is also called as Scissors Bridge. On December 22, 1964 the devastating cyclone brought down the entire bridge and the Indian Engineers rebuilt the same precisely in just 45 days and made it operational once again. This proved the superiority of Indian Engineers.

Festivals Festivals are celebrated in the Ramanathaswamy temple during the Thai Amavasai in January, Maasi Sivarathri in February-March, Adi Thirukalyanam in July-August, Ramalingam Prathishtai in May, Mahalaya Amavasai in September, and the Navarathri Festival in SeptemberOctober.

Cuisine Tamil Nadu cuisine comprises of pre-dominantly rice oriented dishes. Locally available grains, lentils, vegetables and variety of aromatic spices add flavor, taste and aroma to the recipes of the land. The food pattern of the Tamil Nadu is segmented as tiffin/breakfast, lunch and dinner. The breakfast includes steamed idlies, rice pan cakes, vada, pongal, semolina upma with sambar, varieties of chutneys and chilli powder as popular side dishes.

Reaching Here Located in Tamil Nadu â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Rameshwaram is accessible by air, railways and roadways. It is well connected by rail with cities like Chennai, Coimbatore, Thanjavur and Trichy. The nearest airport is in Madurai, 163 km from here. If you are traveling from some distant location then taking a flight will be the best decision.

October 2017 29

DESTINATION Kazakhstan is world’s ninth biggest and the largest landlocked country. It is located in Central Asia and borders five countries; Russia, China, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. Kazakhstan is a country that descends from the nomadic tribes of horsemen. WH Desk

azakhstan is a unique region in the world because of its history, geographical position, and size. Being the world’s 9th largest country and located in the centre of Eurasia, it is also the largest landlocked country in the world. These factors have resulted in the country’s particular climate and nature, which seem to absorb the brightest examples of the landscape of both continents. These peculiarities have created an opportunity to develop diverse offers in Kazakhstan’s travel and tourism industry, to include authentic cultural tourism; naturebased activities, including ecotourism and bird watching in national parks and protected areas; skiing or trekking in the mountains; water sports, sunbathing, and swimming in the many lakes and rivers of Kazakhstan; and many others. Find below some interesting places to visit.

Astana Astana is the new capital of Kazakhstan, a modern city developing at a fast pace and a major political and cultural centre. Present day Astana boasts of new modern government and business offices, hotels with International standards, modern roads, beautiful squares, boulevards and river promenade on both banks of river Ishim.

Almaty Almaty (Alma-ata) is largest city in Kazakhstan; approx 9% of the country’s population is located in Almaty. Almaty is a hustling and bustling city and the place to be. It was a former capital of the country and moved to Astana in the year 1997. Almaty is a modern city with green parks, boulevards, excellent museums, markets and restaurants, café’s bars and clubs. The

Kazakhstan

Land of Wonders city offers various options for mountain lovers with different hiking routs and skiing in winters around the city.

Borovoye Borovoye is a unique place in north of Kazakhstan popularly known as ‘Pearl of Kazakhstan’. There are 14 lakes, forests and Kokshetau Mountain (Blue Mountain). This is a rare spot as one can find nature in its original condition in this area. This Pearl of Kazakhstan is a fantastic mountain land harbouring mysterious wonders. Gorgeous pine forests, cliffs formed of neat gigantic natural ricks and fantastic shapes of peaks resembling Egyptian pointed pyramids are separated by Egyptian lakes.

The best time to travel to Kazakhstan is from March to November, as winters can get fairly cold.

Reaching Here All major cities of Kazakhstan have airports; however international flights are conducted mainly in Astana and Almaty, and a few other cities such as Karaganda, Atyrau, Shymkent, etc. International flights are conducted by Air Astana and Scat airlines, as well as by 23 foreign airline companies.

Turkistan

Travel around Kazakhstan

Turkistan is a city in South region, one of the historic cities. In the late 14th BC. Turkestan acquired a unique structure - a large complex centered on the Mausoleum of Khodja Akhmed Yassaui, built by the Great Timurlane. In the Muslim World, Khodja Akhmed Yassaui Mausoleum is considered to be a ‘Second Mecca’.

Plane: Every regional centre of Kazakhstan and big towns have airports, where republican as well as regional air companies operate.

Balkhash Lake The Balkhash Lake is a large inland of water after the Caspian and Aral seas. The lake - 614 km, width - from 3.5 to 44 km, maximum depth is 26m. The phenomenon of Balkhash is different mineralization on its western and eastern parts connected by a narrow strait. Western basin that receives water from the previously abundant in the Ili River - fresh, eastern part of lake is salty.

30 October 2017

Nature of Balkhash is amazing and full of contrasts. The lake is located in three regions of Kazakhstan: Almaty, Zhambyl and Karaganda.

Train: Since Kazakhstan has a vast territory, a trip from one region to another might take up to 10-20 hours, which is a little inconvenience of using trains in a travel around Kazakhstan. Bus: Bus is also a popular transport to travel around Kazakhstan, using which one can reach any point of the country. Car: Travel on a car is probably the most flexible and convenient transport to explore Kazakhstan. Special intercity and interregional taxi can be ordered or travellers might choose to use their own vehicles.

October 2017 31

33rd IATO Annual Convention September 07-10 2017

Bhubaneswar

32 October 2017

Event

October 2017 33

EVENT

National Tourism Award 2015-16 The President of India, H. E. Ram Nath Kovind lighting the lamp at the presentation of the National Tourism Awards 2015-16. The Minister of State for Tourism (I/C) and Electronics & Information Technology, Alphons Kannanthanam and the Secretary, Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Rashmi Verma are also seen.

B Venkatesham IAS, Secretary to Government, Youth Advancement Tourism & Culture, Govt of Telangana (2nd from right) receiving the ‘Swachhta Award’.

Mukesh Kumar Meena IAS Secretary Tourism, Government of Andhra Pradesh receiving the award.

Minister for Tourism Govt of Madhya Pradesh Surendra Patwa receiving the award from President of India.

Gujarat Tourism Minister Ganpatsinh Vasava along with S J Haider, IAS Principal Secretary Tourism receiving the ‘Hall of Fame ‘award.

Nikhil Desai, MD GTDC along with Chairman GTDC along with Nilesh Cabral Chairman GTDC receiving the award.

Minister for Tourism, Govt of Kerala Kadakampally Surendran receiving the award for ‘Best Responsible Tourism Initiative’.

Ravneet Kaur, Chairperson & Managing Director of ITDC receiving the award from President of India.

Minister of State for Tourism Art & Culture- Krishnendra Kaur along with NC Goel- Additional Chief Secretary Tourism, receiving the award.

34 October 2017

October 2017 35

WORLD

22nd UNWTO General Assembly approves key documents; appoints Pololikashvili as Secretary-General for 2018-2021 WH Desk

he approval of the Chengdu Declaration on Tourism and the Sustainable Development Goals, the adoption of the Framework Convention on Tourism Ethics and the appointment by consensus of Zurab Pololikashvili as Secretary-General for 2018-2021 were only some of the achievements of the 22nd session of the General Assembly of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), held in Chengdu, China recently.

An intense week of meetings, decisions and agreements marked the 22nd session of the UNWTO General Assembly in Chengdu, China on 13-16 September. The biennial event convened more than 1300 participants from Member States and Affiliate Members of UNWTO representing over 130 countries. “Chengdu will always remain in UNWTO history as host of the Assembly that approved the Organization’s first international convention – the Framework Convention on Tourism Ethics,” said UNWTO Secretary-General Taleb Rifai. “In an interconnected world where the business volume of tourism equals or even surpasses that of oil exports, “food products or automobiles, it is important to set out a legal framework to ensure

“This is an historic moment for UNWTO”, said Rifai. “The approval of the Convention is a strong legacy of the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development that we celebrate this year. It is also a strong sign that countries are committed to make tourism a force for a better future for all. It reinforces UNWTO’s institutional outreach in the UN system,” he added. A UNITED TOURISM COMMUNITY Unity and cohesion were expressed throughout the 22nd UNWTO General Assembly. One of the largest displays of these sentiments was in a special meeting organized to discuss how to support those destinations affected by Hurricane Irma and the earthquake in the southern coast of Mexico. The meeting identified three lines of action: ÂÂSupporting the recovery of the affected destinations through the private sector and aid agencies, with special attention given to SMEs due to their lack of means to rebuild and recover; ÂÂSharing experiences on resilience and crisis management and ÂÂDeveloping strong and coordinated communication. The group of countries attending the special meeting also agreed to propose that the General Assembly adopt a special resolution expressing solidarity and support to the affected destinations and calling for the support of the international community. The General Assembly also appointed the Secretary-General for the period 2018-2022. Zurab Pololikashvili, current Ambassador of Georgia to Spain, Morocco, Algeria and Andorra, was proposed by the UNWTO Executive Council last May and appointed by consensus by all Member States convened at the 22nd General Assembly.

SITE Foundation Auction 2.0 Offers One-of-a-Kind Experiences

here in the world do you want to go? Whether you’ve been longing for a relaxing escape at a luxury resort or dreamed about exploring the world, SITE Foundation Auction 2.0 features nearly 75 exclusive travel experiences to destinations around the globe. Packages include trips to stunning beaches in Hawaii, Mexico and the Caribbean, romantic holidays in Italy, Ireland and the UK, extraordinary adventures in Singapore, Beijing, Phuket and Dubai and even airline tickets for two to Australia. Wherever in the world you want to go, Auction 2.0 can take you there! Held in association with the SITE Foundation’s premier events, SITE Classic and SITE Nite North America, this is the third year the Foundation is hosting an online auction to raise funds for investment in critical research and educational program support for incentive travel professionals. Over the past three years the Foundation

36 October 2017

that growth is dealt with responsibly and that it can be sustained over time. Tourism is a power that must be harnessed for the benefit of all,” said Chairman of the World Committee on Tourism Ethics (WCTE) Pascal Lamy.

has invested $500,000 in research to strengthen the business case for incentive travel, $325,000 to support the development of competency-based, incentive travel training and certification programs and $90,000 in education grants to SITE chapters. “People can view our beautiful, interactive digital portfolio to shop by region, destination or experience and imagine their exciting journey. The online auction will be open for over five weeks to enable potential bidders time to explore the amazing travel packages and share the opportunity with friends and family,” said Lynn Pavony, CIS, SITE Foundation vice-president fundraising and events and director of incentive sales, Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts. “We hope everyone will participate in the auction, pass it on and even consider giving a friend, family member, or much deserving co-worker the gift of travel.”

FACT & FIGURES

11.0% growth in Foreign Tourist Arrivals in August, 2017 over August, 2016 WH Desk

inistry of Tourism compiles monthly estimates of Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) & FTAs on e-Tourist Visa on the basis of Nationality-wise, Port-wise data received from Bureau of Immigration (BOI). The following are the important highlights regarding FTAs and FTAs on e-Tourist Visa from tourism during the month of August, 2017:

Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs): The number of FTAs in August, 2017 was 7.24 lakh as compared to FTAs of 6.52 lakh in August, 2016 and 5.99 lakh in August, 2015. The growth rate in FTAs in August, 2017 over August, 2016 is 11.0% compared to 8.8% in August, 2016 over August, 2015. FTAs during the period January- August 2017 were 63.98 lakh with a growth of 15.2% over same period of previous year, as compared to the FTAs of 55.54 lakh with a growth of 9.5% in January- August 2016 over January- August 2015. The percentage share of Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) in India during August 2017 among the top 15 source countries was highest from Bangladesh (21.26%) followed by USA (11.60%), UK (9.46%), Sri Lanka (6.41%), Malaysia (3.71%), Japan (2.74%), Canada (2.57%), France (2.46%), Germany (2.39%), Australia (2.37%), Nepal (2.11%), Singapore (1.96%), China (1.94%), Oman (1.76%) and UAE (1.57%). The percentage share of Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) in India during August 2017 among the top 15 ports was highest at Delhi Airport (26.99%) followed by Mumbai Airport (15.49%), Haridaspur Land Check Post (12.06%), Chennai Airport (9.37%),

Bengaluru Airport (6.36%), Cochin Airport (5.01%), Kolkata Airport (4.42),Hyderabad Airport (3.50%), Gede Rail Land Check Post (2.74%), Tiruchirapalli Airport (1.94%),Trivandrum Airport (1.67%), Ghojadanga Land Check Post (1.46%), Ahmadabad Airport (1.36%), Sonauli Land Check post (1.35%) and Amritsar Airport (0.89%).

Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) on e-Tourist Visa: During the month of August, 2017 total of 1.13 lakh tourist arrived on e-Tourist Visa as compared to 0.66 lakh during the month of August 2016 registering a growth of 71.3%. During January-August 2017, a total of 9.49 lakh tourist arrived on e-Tourist Visa as compared to 6.06 lakh during January-August 2016, registering a growth of 56.5%. The percentage shares of top 15 source countries availing eTourist Visa facilities during August, 2017 were as follows: UK (12.6%), USA (9.6%), UAE (6.7%), Spain (6.3%), France (5.9%), Oman (5.6%), Italy (4.9%), China (4.1%), Germany (4.0%), Australia (3.4%), Canada (3.3%), Korea (Rep.of) (3.1%), Singapore (2.9%), Israel (2.3%) and Malaysia (2.0%). The percentage shares of top 15 ports in tourist arrivals on e-Tourist Visa during August, 2017 were as follows: New Delhi Airport (44.1%), Mumbai Airport (19.5%), Chennai Airport (8.9%), Kochi Airport (7.2%), Bengaluru Airport (7.0%), Hyderabad Airport (3.8%), Kolkata Airport (1.9%), Trivandrum Airport (1.5%), Amritsar Airport (1.4%), Tirchy Airport (1.2%), Calicut Airport (1.0%), Ahmadabad Airport (0.9%), Dabolim (Goa) Airport (0.4%), Jaipur Airport (0.4%) and Pune Airport(0.3%).

Foreign Exchange Earnings through tourism in India in August 2017 WH Desk

inistry of Tourism estimates monthly Foreign Exchange Earnings (FEEs) through tourism in India, both in rupee and dollar terms based on the credit data of Travel Head from Balance of Payments of RBI. The highlights of the estimates of FEEs from tourism in India for August 2017 and Jan-August 2017 are as below: Foreign Exchange Earnings (FEEs) through Tourism (in Rs. terms)

FEEs during the month of August 2017 were Rs. 13,922 crore as compared to Rs.12,553 crore in August 2016 and Rs. 11,411 crore in August 2015. The growth rate in FEEs in rupee terms in August 2017 over August 2016 was 10.9% compared to growth of 10.0% in August 2016 over August 2015. FEEs during the period January- August 2017 were Rs. 1,16,004 crore registering a growth of 16.5% over same period of previous year. The FEEs during January-August 2016 were Rs. 99,587 and registered a growth of 13.9% over January- August, 2015.

Foreign Exchange Earnings (FEEs) through Tourism (in US $ terms) FEEs in US$ terms during the month of August 2017 were US$ 2.176 billion as compared to FEEs of US$ 1.875 billion during the month of August 2016 and US$ 1.752 billion in August 2015. The growth rate in FEEs in US$ terms in August 2017 over August 2016 was 16.1% compared to the growth of 7.0% in August 2016 over August 2015. FEEs during the period January-August 2017 were US$ 17.731 billion registering a growth of 19.7% over same period of previous year. The FEEs during January-August 2016 were US$ 14.818 billion and registered a growth of 7.1% over January- August 2015. Note: Estimates of FEEs are based on following factors: Per capita FEEs during July-September 2016= RBI’s credit figure for travel (July-Sep 16)/FTAs (July-Sep 16) FTAs for August 2017. Inflation factor based on CPI (U) for August 2017.

October 2017 37

APPOINTMENT

Manvinder Singh Head Chef Hyatt Regency Lucknow

Ian John Thomason Iron Chef Banyan Tree Phuke

Mana Mohamed Saeed Al Mulla Chief Group SSO Etihad Aviation Group

Manvinder Singh has been appointed as Head Chef at Hyatt Regency Lucknow. He brings with him a rich and valuable culinary expertise that promises to set the Hotel’s dining experience apart in the City.

Banyan Tree Phuket announced the appointment of Chef Ian John Thomason as its new executive chef. The winner of TV show ‘Iron Chef Thailand’ brings in innovation and culinary expertise to the resort’s dining outlets. Chef Ian is no stranger to Laguna Phuket as he plied his trade at the erstwhile Sheraton Grand Laguna Luxury Collection Phuket managing as Executive Sous Chef. He started his journey in the capital, Bangkok at Pullman Bangkok King Power Hotel as an executive Sous Chef back in 2008. His penultimate stop before the Banyan Tree was as Executive Chef at Luxury Collection, Naka Island, Phuket for over five years.

Etihad Aviation Group (EAG) announced the appointment of Mana Mohamed Saeed Al Mulla as Chief Group Support Services Officer, responsible for a range of support functions, including IT Services, Procurement and Supply Management, and Property and Facilities Management.

With over a decade-long experience at a series of hospitality establishments, Manvinder Singh holds sound subject matter expertise in cost control, menu terminology, HACCP implementation and orientation, personnel administration, and training and development. Manvinder Singh’s extensive experience in culinary operations over the years helped him acquire the position of Head Chef at Hyatt Ahmedabad in 2016.

Al Mulla joins Etihad Aviation Group from Khalifa Industrial Zone (KIZAD) where he served as Chief Executive Officer from 2015. Prior to that, he was Vice President – Corporate Support of Abu Dhabi Ports, and Managing Director of Dubai Refreshments Company PJSC.

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IN FOCUS

‘Share radical ideas to transform India Tourism’ says newly appointed Minister for Tourism P-07

On the Cover : Rameshwar Temple

Odisha demands E-Visa facility at Biju Patnaik International Airport P-20

Kazakhstan Land of Wonders P-30

Rameshwaram The Corridor of Faith NEWS IN BRIEF

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