Whereabouts October 2018 by whereabouts

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Volume V Issue I October 2018

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Kerala

Things to Do in Auckland P-36

Tourism implements 12 point action plan says Secretary Rani George P-9

On The Cover : Fort Kochi, Kerala

FORT KOCHI

Heart of The Town TOP NEWS

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HOSPITALITY

DESTINATION

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

Consulting Editor Shayan Mallick

Correspondents

NEW & BRIEF

08 GOVERNMENT 14 TRADE 18 HOSPITALITY

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

20 NTO

Art Director

32 TECHNOLOGY

Mithlesh Gupta

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

24 AVIATION 38 APPOINTMENT

PICTURE & GALLERY 34th Annual Convention of IATO September 6th to 9th 2018 Vishakhapatnam,Andhra Pradesh

Principal Advisor Anil Prakash

Legal Advisor Advocate Brijesh Tiwari

Nima organises networking evening for members

Production & Distribution Production Manager Subhash Solanki Distribution Executive Anoop Singh

Accounts CA Rishabh Rana

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

10th Edition of KTM September 27th to 30th 2018 Kochi, Kerala

EDITOR’S NOTE

DESTINATION

Fort Kochi

Heart of The Town

Dear Reader, It’s a great pleasure to share with you that our one of the most prominent states in tourism – Kerala is back to business after the heavy rains and floods that devastated the state. During my recent trip to the state, I landed in Kochi on September 22nd, a key tourism hotspot of the state, interacted with some of the key tourism industry stakeholders and further travelled to Thekkady, Kumarakom and Marari over the next few days before I am came back to Kochi in time for KTM on 27th, I have seen a Kerala that is as ready to welcome tourists from across the country and globe as it was on any of my previous visits. I saw an industry that is even more resolute than ever before. And the tenth edition of KTM was not just strongest ever, but far bigger in attendance than any previous editions, be it the buyers or the exhibitors.

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KTM was not just alive and kicking, but hosted close to 600 international buyers from over 66 countries, far more than the 350 odd international buyers who attended the show in the previous edition. Its contingent of international media was the largest ever, and together with members of press from across India, were taken to almost every corner of the state to visit and see the various tourism hotspots strewn all across Kerala and the state’s tourism preparedness that is as good as ever, or even better as some of the stakeholders said whom I interacted during my trip. The people of Kerala came together across sectors, public and private, institutions, individuals, businesses to surmount an unprecedented effort of rehabilitation and rebuilding, although still ongoing, that shows a Kerala, in less than three weeks of a devastating flood, as it was, alluring, enchanting, welcoming, God’s own country.

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NEWS IN BRIEF

Tourism industry in the country should lay emphasis on improving hospitality services: K J Alphons WH Desk

he Union Minister for Tourism (IC), K.J. Alphons, presented the National Tourism Awards 2016-17) on the World Tourism Day, in New Delhi, recently. The Minister also launched the ‘Incredible India Mobile App’ and the ‘Incredible India Tourist Facilitators Certification’ programme. Speaking on the occasion, the Tourism Minister said that India has taken great strides forward in the field of tourism during the last four years of the Government and added that tourism, today, is the cornerstone of the Indian economy, as it is a major source of employment and foreign exchange, and in order to tap the full potential of this sector, industry has to join hands. Congratulating the awardees, Alphons also shared the concern that the tourism sector needs to improve its hospitality services since it is the hospitality offered which is the distinguishing feature of India and gives it an edge over other countries. He also added that it is the responsibility of every citizen to build the image of the country as safe for anyone to travel. The Minister also announced that, India will be the host country for official World Tourism Day celebrations for the UNWTO, in 2019. The theme for the World Tourism Day 2018 being “Tourism & Digital Transformation”, the Minister recounted the various digital initiatives taken by

the Ministry in harnessing technology for tourism promotion, which include, launch of a new Incredible India website; 24 X7 Chat bot interface on this website; launch of a new website on Buddhism in India and many more initiatives.. The Minister also said that the Ministry of Tourism has formulated a voluntary scheme for Approval of Operational Motels, with effect from 25th September 2018 with an aim of recognizing the Motel segment as a component of the overall tourism product, and set standards of facilities and services of Motels. Alphons also informed the industry that the flood-stricken Kerala is now ready to receive tourists since the hotels and tourist sites are now operational. He also added that the state is rapidly recovering from the disaster and it is now the time for the tourism industry to support the state’s tourism sector.

The Certification programme launched today, is the only one-of-its-kind of online learning, aims to brand the country in a positive light, through these facilitators, by building capacity of the key touch points for tourists, desiring that each interaction result in superior experience for the visitors. This online learning platform has been developed by Wipro Limited. The Incredible India Mobile App, showcases India as a holistic destination, revolving around major experiences, such as spirituality, heritage, adventure, culture, yoga, wellness and more. The mobile app has been designed keeping in mind the preferences of the modern traveler and follows the trends and technologies of international standards. The app has been equipped with features to assist the traveller in each phase of their journey to India. The app has been developed by Tech Mahindra.

225 international buyers take part in maiden edition of ITM

he first edition of India Tourism Mart (ITM), organized by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, in partnership with the Federation of Associations in Indian Tourism and Hospitality (FAITH), organised from 16th to 18th September 2018 concluded today. The Union Minister for Railways and Coal, Piyush Goyal inaugurated the event in the presence of Union Tourism Minister, K J Alphons, Tourism Minister of Morocco, Mohamed Sajid, Tourism Secretary of Government of India and other senior officials of Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, various State Tourism Departments and members of FAITH and various other associations in travel, tourism and hospitality

6 October 2018

as well as delegates from India and across the world on September 17th at Hotel Ashok. Speaking at the event, the Tourism Minister announced that ITM will be an annual event hereafter in line with other International Tourism Marts and it will be held in the month of September. Organised in the B2B format, the mart provides a platform for all stakeholders in the tourism and hospitality industries from across the country to interact and transact business opportunities. The ITM 2018 had a participation of around 225 hosted international buyers and Media personnel from across the world such as North America, West Europe, East Asia, Latin America, CIS countries etc. The buyer

delegates were also provided post event familiarisation tour across various part of the country to experience the destination first hand. Around 225 stalls were provided to the sellers to enable them to interact with the buyers. These include pavilion for States & Union Territories.

NEWS IN BRIEF

65th annual convention of TAAI heads to Kunming, China The scheduled dates for the convention are 27-30 November 2018 Rajesh Tiwari

t a time when whole country is looking at China to attract its deserving number of outbound traveller, Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI) has decided to bring the travel agent’s community of both countries together through its annual convention. The association is all set to organize its 65th Convention & Exhibition of TAAI popularly known as Indian Travel Congress at Kunming in Yunan province of China from 27-30, November 2018. TAAI and Yunan Provincial Tourism Development Commission have signed an MoU in this regard. A delegation from YPTDC lead by Shilin, Vice Director General of YPTDC along with Fang Limin, Vice Director of International Marketing Department of YPTDC, Liu Huibo, Vice Director of International Marketing Department of YPTDC and TianXin, Director, China National Tourist Office, New Delhi was present at a press meet in New Delhi recently. The delegation extended their support to TAAI Convention in Kunming. According to TAAI President Sunil Kumar R, “TAAI has been working towards a stronger connect with China. The country has a huge potential of tourism. Outbound from India to China is quite high. There are parts of China that are not widely known and not experienced by the Indian travellers. TAAI eagerly awaits to organize its first convention in China. Both of the organizations are in discussion to offer an opportunity to the industry that will beneficial for tourism between these two destinations.” While addressing the media, Shilin, Vice Director General of YPTDC made a detailed presentation on the tourist attractions of Yunan. “Although the number of Indian tourist to Yunan has increased nearly ten folds in last one decade but compare to the population size of these two countries, the potential and space for ‘Tourism Corporation’ is enormous. In this context, I believe that the upcoming convention and a host of consecutive efforts are being made by Yunan and India will continue to add new programmes in the field of tourism and deliver more fruitful results in near future,” she added.

Sanjay Narula, Vice President, TAAI said: “China is sending 140 million outbound tourists every year and India gets a very low share of this large number, so we have chosen this destination for our travel professionals to go there and participate in our TAAI Exhibition and interact with the stakeholders of China, strengthen their relationship and grow the momentum between these two countries.” He further said that TAAI conventions are hallmark when it comes to create new products and services and this convention is no different from other conventions of TAAI. According to him, what is wonderful and unusual to find a destination so close to home; Kunming a very modern, beautiful with great view of mountains, lakes, good infrastructure and rich heritage is just four hour away from Delhi. It’s a great destination for MICE, conferences and weddings.

The convention destination Kunming is the most beautiful and green city in the Yunan Province of China which is only about 2.5 hours flying from Kolkata and about 3.5 hours flying from Delhi on a direct connectivity. It is well connected with Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur as well. Elaborating on the importance of TAAI conventions, Kumar said that TAAI has always utilized the opportunity of its Conventions & Exhibitions held overseas to also attract inbound into India. The association has launched Namaste India evenings at conventions. With the success of 64th TAAI Convention to boast of TAAI continues to earnestly work towards greater opportunities to be explored and the task of tourism development to continue. TAAI Conventions have been held in a number of countries very successfully.

India – Morocco Tourism Bilateral meeting held in New Delhi

bilateral meeting on Tourism Cooperation between India and Morocco led by the Minister of Tourism, Air Transport, Handicraft and Social Economy, Kingdom of Morocco, Mohamed Sajid and the Minister of State for Tourism (IC), Government of India, K. J. Alphons, held in New Delhi recently. During this meeting both the Ministers agreed to enhance the tourism cooperation

between India and Morocco and to work towards increasing tourist arrivals between both countries. This meeting was followed by signing of an agreement of cooperation between the India Tourism Development Corporation and La Societe Marocaine D’Ingenierie Touristique, also known as Moroccan Agency for Tourism development (SMIT).

October 2018 7

GOVERNMENT

Preserve the ecology of prime destinations and promote responsible tourism says CM Pinarayi Vijayan Formally inaugurated the 10th edition of Kerala Travel Mart – a three-day travel business event where 1600 buyers interacted with 350 sellers from Kerala Rajesh Tiwari

he recent calamity that hit the state of Kerala in August reminds us the need to protect the nature, especially for the growth of tourism in a state where the beauty of nature is the prime attraction, said Chief Minister of Kerala Pinarayi Vijayan while inaugurating the 10th edition of Kerala Travel Mart in the august presence of Union Minister for Tourism (I/C) K J Alphons, Member of Parliament K V Thomas, Tourism Minister of Kerala Kadakampally Surendran, Tourism Secretary Rani George, Tourism Director P Balakiran and a large number of KTM delegates. Chairman and Managing Director of LuLu Group International Padma Shri M A Yusuf Ali was the Guest of Honour. “It is our responsibility to preserve the nature, therefore we should conserve the ecology of prime tourist destinations and promote responsible tourism in a big way,” said Chief Minister. He emphasized that entrepreneurs and the local community should join hands and come together to create an atmosphere where Responsible Tourism can grow. While addressing the delegates, K J Alphons said: “Just last month Kerala was completely shattered with the floods, 12 out of 14 districts of the state were under water, and the economy was completely destroyed.

However, in just one month the state has overcome and I proudly announce that the state is ready to receive the tourist.” He said that the number of foreign tourist coming to India is not acceptable therefore we should focus on bigger markets like China which sends the largest number of outbound travellers anywhere in the world. Almost 144 million people from China travel across the world in a year and only 240 thousand travellers came to India last year. Kadakampalli Surendran said: “After the floods that hit Kerala this year’s KTM has a unique significance for the tourism business of the state. For delegates, KTM is the only platform where they can discover all the avenues of state tourism at one place. This event symbolises the spirit of harmony and togetherness of the people of Kerala.” “This edition of the KTM is unique one as after the calamity that hit the state, Kerala is ready to offer the world renowned hospitality to the travellers visiting the state. In the year 2000 the first edition of KTM was commenced with 92 sellers and 170 registered buyers. And today it has become the largest B2B mart of the country, operated by trade for the trade,” said Baby Mathew, President, Kerala Travel Mart Society. As informed by him, this edition has the largest number of buyers and sellers. 593 international and 1080 domestic buyers interacted with 350 sellers from Kerala during the mart. The inaugural ceremony began with a colourful cultural evening. The theme of this year’s mart was ‘Malabar Tourism’. A brief presentation on the latest initiatives taken by the Department of Tourism was made by the Secretary Rani Gerorge. Director Tourism P Balakiran delivered the vote of thanks. The B2B Meetings and Seminars took place at Samudrika & Sagara Convention Centre, Willingdon Island. Entry to the venue on 28th & 29th September was permitted to only the Buyers and Sellers (Exhibitors) who’ve been registered prior to the Mart.

8 October 2018

Chief Minister of Kerala inaugurating the tenth edition of Kerala Travel Mart

Just last month Kerala was completely shattered with the floods, 12 out of 14 districts of the state were under water, and the economy was completely destroyed. However, in just one month the state has overcome and I proudly announce that the state is ready to receive the tourist. K J Alphons

GOVERNMENT

Kerala Tourism implements 12 point action plan The department of tourism is all set to come up with market specific campaigns, promoting Yoga and strengthening presence in newer markets like Australia, Japan and China Rajesh Tiwari

he heavy rains and floods which hit the state last month left the tourism industry in a state of discrete and shocked which happens to be a major contributor to the economy of Kerala and a significant source of Foreign Exchange Earnings (FEE). Due to the booking cancellations, the private sector had recorded a loss of Rs. 500cr and Rs. 1000 in the months of August and September respectively. However, with the restoration work going on in full swing (most of the tourist places are operational now) the Department of Tourism with the support of Government of Kerala has come up with a ‘12 Points Action Plan’ to further expedite the growth of tourism through new campaigns and road shows to be organised across the globe. According to Rani George, Secretary Tourism, Government of Kerala, the Department of Tourism has conducted a ‘Tourism Readiness Survey’ to know the current situation of the road connectivity and hotel operations. Information received from all the districts shows that the restoration work has been done at most of the tourist places and 90 percent regions of the state are back to business and ready to receive the guest. Out of remaining 10 percent 8 will be done in a month time and rest 2 may take a

longer time. Elaborating more on the ‘12 Points Action Plan’ initiative, Rani George said: “We required an action plan to overcome what happened in Kerala due to the heavy rain and floods. We wanted the tourism stakeholders of the state should start getting tourist from the season (starting this month) as they were getting before. So what we decided to keep readies our Kerala Tourism; first and foremost was restoring the connectivity to the various destinations. With the support of Public Works Department it was done at all the tourist places in a time bound manner.” “We need to have an aggressive marketing campaign to bring back Kerala Tourism to the world tourism map. The department is coming up with market specific campaigns and doing separate branding in its source markets. We will be doing our social and digital media campaigns in a different manner especially after the floods. The message that ‘Kerala Is Safe’ has to go across the world that is one major thing for us. We will be doing our print campaigns in different cities of the country as well,” she informed. “We will be doing a big social media campaign along with the print and electronic mediums. Apart from this, we have planned to conduct ‘Responsible Tourism’ to benefit the community in the flood affected areas. Also, improving the infrastructure in these destinations is a part of this action plan,” she further informed. Apart from the campaigns, press meets is another way to getting across the public. Delhi and Ahmedabad have already covered while Mumbai, Hyderabad, Chennai and Kolkata will be done in coming months. A

Rani George Secretary Tourism Govt of Kerala

We required an action plan to overcome what happened in Kerala due to the heavy rain and floods. We wanted the tourism stakeholders of the state should start getting tourist from the season (starting this month) as they were getting before. presentation for inbound tour operator was conducted in Visakhapatnam in first half of this month. Kerala Tourism will be participating at all the international and national tourism fairs with its private stakeholders. “We will make our presence felt in a big way at World Travel Market London. We are planning to organise a press conference at WTM to announce to the world that ‘Kerala is Back’,” adds Rani George. Along with the Ayurveda, Kerala Tourism has started promoting Yoga as well and prepared the packages. Apart from its important source markets – Europe, USA, Middle East and East Asia the state is extending its presence in Australia and Japan as well. “One major market we have not been able to do much more is China which has a huge potential of outbound tourism. We need to promote our state in this market for which we are doing a proper planning to get our deserving number of share from China,” concludes Rani George.

October 2018 9

GOVERNMENT

Air connectivity between Malaysia and Bhubaneswar to give a fillip to tourist arrivals in Odisha, says Naveen Patnaik WH Desk

he Chief Minister of Odisha, Naveen Patnaik, has expressed optimism that the development of the multi-faceted Odisha tourism product will receive a major fillip following the establishment of the air connection by Air Asia between Malaysia and Bhubaneswar. In addition, the development of the commercial airport at Jharsuguda will serve as a major connection with the western part of the State. Inaugurating the second edition of the Odisha Travel Bazaar (OTB) 2018, organized by Odisha Tourism and the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), Patnaik said the Jharsuguda airport will boost tribal tourism and develop travel and tourism facilities in western Odisha. The Chief Minister said that the State was all set to host the 14th edition of the Hockey World Cup in November 2018 in which 16 world teams will be participating. This was bound to have a cascading effect of travel and tourism, he added. He said Odisha Tourism is intensifying its strategy to

Naveen Patnaik Chief Minister Govt of Orisha

promote its destinations by inviting more tour operators, travel agents, travel writers, TV team, through its hospitality programmes. To add value to its products, the Department has started Light & Sound Show at Dhauli. Similar Light & Sound Show has started at Konark, followed by KhandagiriUdayagiri. Ashok Chandra Panda, Hon’ble Minister for Tourism, Odia Language Literature and Culture, Government of Odisha, said that tourism was a priority sector of the State “Our constant drive is to position Odisha as one of the preferred destinations in the country”, he said and added that the State’s Tourism Policy of 2016 was one of the progressive and investor friendly tourism policy in the country.

He said the highlight of this year’s OTB is that there has been an increase of participation of number of Foreign Tour Operators from last year 45 to this year 60. OTB, he said, was a unique and highly focused event for the promotion of Odisha, connecting, domestic tour operators, foreign tour operators, hoteliers, travel writers, Investors and tourism fraternity. Archana Patnaik, Director and Additional Secretary, Department of Tourism, Government of Odisha, said that OTB 2018 showcases the true potential of Odisha as a tourist destination. This unique and highly-focused event for the promotion of Odisha, connects inbound bound tour operators, domestic tour operators, foreign tour operators, hoteliers, travel

writers and tourism fraternity of the state of Odisha. This year’s OTB has witnessed the participation of 60 FTOs from 23 countries like Australia, Austria, Bulgaria, China, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Indonesia, Italy, Malaysia, Philippines, Poland, Romania, Russia, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Thailand, Netherlands, the UK, USA and 16 leading DTOs from Ahmedabad, Chennai, Coimbatore, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Pune, Raipur, Rajkot, Ranchi, Varanasi and Visakhapatnam. The FTOs will interact and engage themselves over two days with 56 sellers comprising of travel agencies and hoteliers to showcase and sell the Odisha travel product internationally and within the country.

Uttarakhand Travel Mart to be held in Dehradun from October 24-26 WH Desk

ttarakhand Travel Mart (UTM), a B2B buyerseller meet and travel and tourism exhibition, is set to be held in Dehradun from October 24-26, 2018. The event will be a strong platform for exhibitors to network with buyers and invited delegates. Satpal Maharaj, Minister of Tourism, Uttarakhand, released the

10 October 2018

Uttarakhand Travel Mart (UTM) brochure in New Delhi to boost tourism and promote the mart. Nestled in the lap of the Himalayas, Uttarakhand is one of the most beautiful northern states of India that enthralls everyone with its spectacularly scenic landscapes. Charming hill stations juxtaposed against snow-capped peaks, quaint villages along winding mountain

roads, serpentine rivers carving their way through hills, world renowned conservation parks like ‘Jim Corbett Tiger National Park’ and ‘Asan Wetland Conservation Reserve’, world heritage sites like ‘Valley of Flowers’ and ‘Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve’, waterfalls hurtling down slopes and serene lakes shimmering amidst beautiful towns- that’s Uttarakhand for you.

GOVERNMENT

Fifth edition of MPTM records 200 international and national buyers More than 75 sellers from the state had B2B scheduled meetings with buyers at three daylong event organised from October 5th to 7th 2018 in Bhopal. Rajesh Tiwari

he fifth edition of Madhya Pradesh Travel Mart (MPTM) organized by Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board

registered 75 international buyers from 28 countries like Europe, Southeast Asia, Middle East, the US, Australia, South Africa, Malaysia, China and France etc, and 125 domestic buyers from across the country. There were 75 sellers from the state of Madhya Pradesh who interacted with the buyers to promote their products as well as the destination. In the august presence of Hari Ranjan Rao IAS, MD – Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board & Principal Secretary Tourism, Dr. Ilayaraja IAS, Managing Director – Madhya Pradesh State Tourism Development Corporation and Bhawana Walimbe, Additional Managing Director – Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board, Capt Swadesh Kumar, President – Adventure Tour Operators Association of India, PP Khanna, President Association of Domestic Tour Operators of India, and the large number of buyers and sellers, Hon’ble Minister for Tourism Government t of Bihar Pramod Kumar inaugurated the fifth edition of the Mart. While addressing the delegates the Tourism Minister of Bihar said that the tourism in Madhya Pradesh has achieved a remarkable growth and created its own space at the world tourism map. “We are closely following the

PP Khanna, President ADTOI, Capt Swadesh Kumar, President ATOAI, Tourism Minister of Bihar Pramod Kumar, Hari Ranjan Rao, Principle Secretary M P Tourism and Anil Rajput of ADTOI best practices of MP Tourism and planning to implement some of them in our state to expedite the growth of tourism. Since there is a huge potential, I hope the officials of both sides will exchange their ideas and make a way to boost tourism between these two states,” said Pramod Kumar.

further growth in the field of tourism. The state is aggressively focusing on promotion in international markets and planned many roadshows in coming months. A ‘City Walk’ has been started by the department of tourism to promote the heritage sites of the state.

According to Hari Ranjan Rao (IAS) Managing Director, Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board & Principal Secretary Tourism, said: “In last four years, the Mart has created a platform that offers perfect environment for the like-minded people to interact and do business together. The show promises to provide an opportunity to tap into this market by bringing a forum of exceptional one-to-one business meetings.”

According to him, the state is focusing on adventure segment in a big way. The upcoming event ‘AdventureNEXT’ in Bhopal from 3rd to 5th December is a huge opportunity for local suppliers to interact with international buyers.

He further informed that MP Tourism is coming up with host of initiatives to achieve

Apart from the B2B meetings scheduled between buyers and sellers, the Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board organised a postdestinations tour to Mandu, Sanchi, Kanha and Pench to offer a first-hand experience to the delegates.

Maha gov’t to host Switzerland’s Landwehr Orchestra WH Desk

n order to become a desirable destination hosting international events, the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation will host Switzerland’s Landwehr Orchestra here on October 22. Landwehr is the certified concert and marching band of the canton and city of Fribourg, and, since starting in 1804, has performed across the globe including Japan, China, Iran, USA, Argentina, Australia and Canada, a release issued here said.

This will be the first time that they will be playing in India to celebrate 70 years of Indo-Swiss friendship. By hosting the wellknown performance, Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) aims to become an epicentre on the global map for hosting international events. “We have consistently tried to leverage the immense reach of music in conjunction with the culturally heavy musical forms that we are blessed with.

and we will continue to support the growth of tourism through music. I am certain that this event will make the state an emerging destination for hosting global events,” Maharashtra Tourism Minister Jaykumar Rawal said. The state has many more initiatives and activities in the pipeline to boost tourism, he added.

“I am happy to perceive that Landwehr Orchestra showcases the power of music

October 2018 11

IN FOCUS

Kerala is back, and some say, will be better too!

Kerala Travel Mart 2018 redefined Kerala Tourism and its stakeholders Rajesh Tiwari

he vintage Kerala is almost back to its pristine glory with little or no trace of floods or its resulting disruptions to tourism movement or destination experience visible anywhere. If the recent floods across Kerala was catastrophic and most severe in the last 100 years with estimates of damages varying across a staggering 20,000 to 30,000 crores, then the state of Kerala also came together across sectors, public and private, institutions, individuals, businesses to surmount an unprecedented effort of rehabilitation and rebuilding, although still ongoing, that shows a Kerala, in less than three weeks of a devastating flood, as it was, alluring, enchanting, welcoming, God’s own country. If tourism is Kerala’s economic mainstay, KTM is ‘The’ event that has showcased the state most effectively to trade buyers from across the country and globe in order to make that happen. A deferred or cancelled KTM would have sent out messages to industry buyers from all over the world to the detriment of tourism in Kerala. And only three weeks ago, virtually the entire

12 October 2018

tourism and hospitality industry was writing off KTM 2018 as an event either cancelled or postponed in the aftermath of the devastating flood.

However landed in Kochi on September 22nd, a key tourism hotspot of the state, and interacted with some of the key tourism industry stakeholders over the course of the day and further travelled to Thekkady, Kumarakom and Marari over the next few days before I am came back to Kochi in time for KTM on 27th, I have seen a Kerala that is as ready to welcome tourists from across the country and globe as it was on any of my previous visits. I saw an industry that is even more resolute than ever before. And the tenth edition of KTM was not just strongest ever, but far bigger in attendance than any previous editions, be it the buyers or the exhibitors. KTM was not just alive and kicking, but hosted close to 600 international buyers from over 66 countries, far more than the 350 odd international buyers who attended the show in the previous edition. Its contingent of international media was the largest ever, and together with members of press from across India, were taken to almost every corner of the state to visit and see the various tourism hotspots strewn all across Kerala and the state’s tourism preparedness that is as good as ever, or even better as some of the

stakeholders said whom I interacted during my trip. I have been a regular at KTMs in the last decade, but have restricted myself to attending and covering the mart and business meetings. Five days of leisure travel or familiarisation tour is a luxury, and for a month like September with a busy calendar like recently concluded IATO Convention, the first edition of International Travel Mart in Delhi, the annual FHRAI Convention in Lucknow, KTM in Kochi and the TAFI Convention that was organised at the same time in Abu Dhabi; this familiarisation tour would have been unthinkable. But this year was different, besides the organisers insisted that I experience the destination first hand, clearly an effective statement about the state’s tourism readiness or as some were calling as a ‘New Kerala’ or ‘Second Version of Kerala’. In a press meet organised in New Delhi on September 17th Tourism Minister Kadakampally Surendran said that one of the sectors was deeply affected by the floods was tourism – a major contributor to the Kerala’s economy and a significant source of Foreign Exchange Earnings (FEE). The floods left the tourism industry in a state of despair and shock, “but only for a while.” With the untiring efforts of the state and its people things are back to normal. Restoration

IN FOCUS of connectivity, accommodation and availability of basic facilities Kerala Tourism conducted a ‘tourism readiness survey’. The information received from all the districts shows that almost 90 percent regions of Kerala are ready to host the guest.

Baby Mathew President KTM Society

EM Najeeb Past President KTM

and rehabilitation is going in full swing, road connectivity is established and hotels & resorts are operating as usual. Kerala is back on track and God’s Own country is ready to welcome the guest.

flood. Kerala Tourism Secretary Rani George informs that the department chalked out a 12 point action-plan immediately after the floods. The priority was given to restoring the connectivity and with the support of Public Works Department. It was done in a time bound manner. In an attempt to know the current grass route situation

The state tourism department’s crisis management worked overtime to overcome any hurdles in the aftermath of

While at the same time industry stakeholders from public and private sector galvanised resources to create KTM that not only boasted a record participation but also of a staggering growth over the previous edition. KTM Society President, Baby Mathew, informs that the number of Foreign Buyers has gone up to 590 from 66 countries and domestic buyers has gone up to a total of 1090. There were 350 sellers from Kerala participating at the Mart. The demands were very high from the sellers so the KTM society has added 80 more stalls which made the total tally of 385 stalls.

KTM’s Founding President and Sr. Vice President of IATO, EM Najeeb says that the tourism industry of Kerala worked together as one team for the cause of tourism for the last 30 years. He is confident, the flood havocs notwithstanding, that the private sector will stand shoulder to shoulder with the state department of tourism in achieving the ambitious target of doubling the international and domestic tourism arrivals in next three years. Looking at the way the industry has responded to the unprecedented flood challenge, the flood devastation might as well be a boon in disguise for the state and it’s tourism sector as it moves forward with plans and policies that doesn’t just work for tourism numbers but also towards sensitivity for its tourism resources and environmental sensitivities.

Hosting TAFI Convention is testament to Abu Dhabi’s growing reputation as world-class events destination, Ghobash WH Desk

he 12th edition of the TAFI (Travel Agents Federation of India) convention recently concluded at Abu Dhabi’s iconic Emirates Palace from September 25th to 27th. The event, hosted by the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), gathered together key decision-makers from the Indian travel and tourism industry to exchange knowledge and help members navigate this ever-evolving travel business environment. DCT’S Undersecretary, Saif Saeed Ghobash, Executive Director Sultan Al Mutawa Al Dhaheri and Navdeep Singh Suri, Ambassador of India to the UAE were amongst those present at the inaugural function. Themed “Innovation – Transform – Disrupt – Redefining the Offline Travel World”, the event brought together industry professionals from across the globe to discuss the changing travel business, new innovations and the impact of digital technology on the travel and tourism sectors. The successful completion of the three-day event not only reinforced

Abu Dhabi’s growing reputation as a hub of international business events but also brought in focus its expanding reputation as a place for tourism and related leisure activities. According to Ghobash, “Hosting an event of this calibre is testament to Abu Dhabi’s growing reputation as a world-class destination for high-profile conventions and meetings.” Furthermore, he said, “As the UAE continues to further boost its knowledgebased economy, tourism is singled out as one of the leading sectors that guide our vision and strategy for the future. Against this backdrop, we recognize India as one of Abu Dhabi’s top overseas source markets for guests, as it has recorded a remarkable upward trend over the last few years. As such, we are proud to host this prestigious event.” The conference was followed by sightseeing tours around Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and Al Dhafra regions. Some 480 odd TAFI delegates had a chance to experience Abu Dhabi’s growing tourism offerings first-hand. The tour covered iconic landmarks such as Louvre Abu Dhabi,

Sheikh Zayed Palace Museum, Al Ain Oasis, Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi, and Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque amongst others.

October 2018 13

TRADE

The 34th Annual IATO Convention Themed ‘Mission 20 Million’ tourists by 2020, the 34th annual convention of Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO), concluded last month debating and discussing a number of industry issues and concerns. Around 900 delegates attended the three day event organised at the coastal city of Vishakhapatnam in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh. WH Desk

IATO Convention: Day 1

hemed ‘Mission 20 Million’ tourists by 2020, the 34th annual convention of Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO), concluded last month debating and discussing a number of industry issues and concerns. Around 900 delegates attended the three day event organised at the coastal city of Vishakhapatnam in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh. Being the host the AP Tourism made a tremendous impact showcasing Andhra’s diverse tourism opportunities to India’s leading inbound trade at the three-day convention. Attending the event were Minister of State (I/C) for Tourism KJ Alphons; Minister of Tourism, Government of Andhra Pradesh, Bhuma Akhila Priya; Minister of Tourism, Government of Kerala, Kadakampally Surendran; Mukesh Kumar Meena, Secretary, Tourism, Andhra Pradesh and Himanshu Shukla, CEO, Andhra Pradesh Tourism Authority, along with a number of senior government officials of AP and various other state as well as centre. Speaking at the event, Rashmi Verma, Secretary, Tourism, Government of India, said, “In 2017, we had a growth of 15 per cent in foreign tourist arrivals. We also saw a 20 per cent in foreign exchange earnings. We have set ourselves a very tough target by our tourism minister – that of achieving 20 million tourists by 2020. Last year, for the first time, we crossed the 10 million mark. This is no easy task. I am sure that the new target we have set for ourselves will also be achieved if we all join hands.” Speaking on the occasion, Alphons paid tribute to his home state of Kerala and asked the audience to give a standing ovation to the people of India who had come in aid of the

14 October 2018

state in the time of trouble. He stressed that Kerala is ready for business in the aftermath of the devastating flood. Kerala Tourism Minister Kadakampally Surendran extended invitation to the association to hold their next convention in his state.

Another strategy that the panellists agreed on was for India to focus on the neighbouring countries such as China, Russia and Japan and make India a short-haul destination while continuing to market in the traditional markets of the US and Europe.

IATO Convention: Day 2

The second session brought together members of key hotel companies face to face with tour operators to discuss what both industries can do to help the other since it is getting harder to do business, whether it is the hotels or the travel trade. Homa Mistry, CEO, Trail Blazer, who was moderating the session, pointed, “Change, change, change is what we need. We also need to promote India in the summer season so that the hotels can fill their rooms during off season.” He indicated that in turn the hotels could continue to include the tour operators instead of going direct to customers.

The Day 2 of the convention witnessed some intense discussions of topics, especially on the theme of ‘Mission 20 Million’ tourists and how the ambitious target can be achieved and how the trade can come together to make it possible. Earlier, the day started with the conventional IATO Run for Responsible Tourism in the early hours of the morning. The Run took place along the scenic RK Beach. The first session of the day was the flagship session of this convention and it aimed to highlight the challenges of touching the ambitious milestone of 20 million foreign tourist arrivals within the next two years. The panellists also touched upon the ways in which this can be achieved. Rashmi Verma, Secretary Tourism, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, who was part of the session, said, “The 20 million is definitely achievable – there are no doubts about that. Of course, there are challenges but we have set certain things in place such as the interministerial group that we have created which has been very successful in resolving issues which cannot be sorted by the Ministry of Tourism alone.”

The following session had an all women panel who spoke about their personal experiences that are evidence that India is a safe country. However, they did present ways in which the safety of women travellers could improve. The final panel discussion, moderated by Mr Rajesh Mudgill, Secretary, IATO, and MD of Planet India Travels, deliberated on how to change ones business to adapt to the changing mindsets of today’s travellers. Several states like Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Kerala, Odisha and Rajasthan made destination presentation in order to inform and educate the inbound trade of tourism attractions and new tourism

TRADE

related developments in their respective states. FAITH Chairman Nakul Anand, conducted an interesting and informative session.

IATO Convention: Day 3 The last day of the 34th annual convention of the Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO) saw its attending delegates leave Visakhapatnam completely motivated with a clear direction in mind after two days of intense deliberations, clarifications and practical to-dos that they need to follow going forward. The first session of the day was moderated by Subhash Goyal, former president of IATO, and Chairman, Stic Travel, focussing on the government scheme of UDAN (Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik) and how the airlines and the tour operators can symbiotically work together to benefit from each other. The two

participating airlines on this panel included the two low-cost carriers Indigo and SpiceJet. While both the airlines have introduced multiple routes under the UDAN scheme and continue to do so, the session pointed at the need to look at newer routes that have tourism potential, as well as to destinations that sees a lot of tourists traffic already or has huge potential. G. K. Chaukiyal, Executive Director, Regional Connectivity Scheme, Airport Authority of India (AAI) gave a detailed presentation on the work that AAI has done. He also highlighted that AAI is currently focusing on readying new airports under the UDAN Scheme. Suman Billa, Joint Secretary – Tourism, Government of India, made a presentation on the various steps that the ministry has undertaken and its plans for the near future. He also made the session interactive by taking many questions from the audience

and noting down suggestions that the stakeholders made to him. One of the most pertinent issues that was brought up by the members was of the guides and escorts and the lack of skilled guides available for their foreign tourist clients. An interesting session that IATO included this year was on the SEIS (Service Export from India Scheme) presented by Sangeeta Godbole, Director General, SEPC. The valedictory session made an apt conclusion to an exciting day. On the panel were experts in the field of tourism: Satyajeet Rajan, Director General – Tourism, Government of India; E. M. Najeeb, Sr. Vice President of IATO and Founder and Chairman, ATE Group of Companies; IATO President Pronab Sarkar; Vasant Kumar, Vice Chairman, Visakhapatnam Urban Development Authority (VUDA); P. S. Naidu, Director, Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation and some members of IATO Executive Committee. The evening, before the Convention came to its end, witnessed awards and recognition that was given away to the winners of the IATO Run for Responsible Tourism and others who had supported the Convention including hotels, airlines, states, among others. Several states like West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Jammu & Kashmir, Uttar Pradesh and Punjab made destination presentation in order to inform and educate the inbound trade of tourism attractions and new tourism related developments in their respective states. The day concluded on an inspirational note with a special motivational session by Swami Gopal Das Gaur who spoke on ‘Transforming Negativity’ and how individuals can multiply their success multi-fold by following simple and basic rules of life and redefining ‘success’.

October 2018 15

TRADE

Cox and Kings announces first ever brand ambassador, appoints Anushka Sharma The versatile Bollywood actress will be promoting the brand across print, television and digital platforms WH Desk

ollywood youth icon and avid traveller Anushka Sharma has been appointed the first ever brand ambassador of Cox & Kings. She will be promoting the brand across print, television and digital platforms. This is the first ever association of the company with a Bollywood superstar. With this announcement, Cox & Kings will introduce Europe Summer 2019 packages starting at Rs. 69,750 and winter departures to Far East, Australia, New Zealand and exotic destinations starting at Rs 58,980 only. Elaborating on the development, Karan Anand, Head, Relationships, Cox & Kings said: “Anushka is known for her versatility, experimentation and unusual personality. She perfectly represents a generation that is energetic, unapologetic and fun loving which makes her the right fit to showcase Cox & Kings’ innovative holiday offerings.” Speaking about her experience Anushka Sharma said, “I am glad to be associated

with the world’s oldest travel company Cox & Kings. I love to travel and personally think that travelling opens us up to new incredible experiences and changes the way we look at the world. Whether you are travelling solo, with your partner or friends, Cox & Kings has a holiday experience for every type of traveller.” Cox & Kings is the largest players offering a range of specialist options. The company has also powered a few new initiatives recently with the launch of Enable

Travel – India’s first accessible holiday specialist with customised itineraries for people with disabilities, Trip 360º offers exciting experiences in cycling, diving, biking, trekking and cruise within India and abroad, Getaway Goddess – a unique and interesting collection of Women’s Holidays designed by women for women, and SelfDrive 365 – a self-drive holiday specialist in India that brings impeccable road journeys for enthusiasts from around the world.

Thomas Cook India opens new office in Faridabad The expansion augments company’s distribution and reach in Delhi NCR to 16 consumer access centres, 6 owned branches and 10 Gold Circle Partner (franchise) outlets WH Desk

homas Cook (India) strengthened its presence in Faridabad with the inauguration of a new branch at SCF 51, First Floor, Sector 15, Faridabad, Haryana 121007,inaugurated by Romil Pant, Sr. Vice President and Jatin Sharma, Associate Vice President, Thomas Cook (India) Ltd. Company’s internal data had highlighted Faridabad/Delhi NCR as a high potential source market for its holiday business. Hence, in an initiative to harness this opportunity, the Company has identified Faridabad to set up its new Gold Circle Partner franchise outlet.

16 October 2018

The new Gold Circle Partner outlet in Faridabad offers consumers end-to-end travel solutions with a bouquet of travel and travel related financial services, including International & Domestic Holidays (Group Tours, Personalised holidays, Cruises, etc.), Value Added Services like Travel Insurance; Visa Services, etc. The Thomas Cook Gold Circle Partner programme is an exclusive franchise partner initiative that increases the brand’s presencereach across the country, giving consumers access to the company’s products & services in metros/mini-metros and strongly emerging Tier 2 & 3 markets. The Gold Circle Partner benefits via brand association with the leading travel company in India, along with knowledge sharing/ training and expertise to manage a travel business. In addition, a Gold Circle Partner is equipped with sales & marketing support

to further business development acquisition of a wider customer base.

and

Rajeev Kale, President & Country Head Leisure Travel & M.I.C.E, Thomas Cook (India) Limited said, “The North market has been identified as a prime growth driver and continues to deliver strong growth of 32% YoY for our Leisure Travel business. Delhi NCR offers us significant potential and we have selected one of Faridabad’s prime localities for our new branch.” Gold Circle Partner Mamta Arora, a resident of Faridabad is an industry veteran. Her domain expertise and relationships/ contacts will assist Thomas Cook in establishing and growing the market.

October 2018 17

HOSPITALITY

Sarovar Hotels and Resorts signs a new project in Ethiopia – a 222 keys luxury hotel Yeha Hotel (Sarovar Premiere) would be a luxury property in Axum, Ethiopia WH Desk

arovar Hotels & Resorts – a leading hotel management company and one of the fastest growing chains of hotels in India is focused on strategic expansion throughout India and Africa. As the latest development Sarovar Hotels has announced the signing of its latest project in Africa, Yeha Hotel (Sarovar Premiere) – a luxury property in Axum, Ethiopia. This move signifies Sarovar’s focus on Africa and the latest addition to its existing portfolio of properties in Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania and Zambia. Some of the openings

this year include hotels in Jaisalmer, Gorakhpur, Dehradun, Katra, Lusaka and Dar Es Salaam. Elaborating on the initiative, Ajay K. Bakaya, Managing Director, Sarovar Hotels Pvt. Ltd, said: “We are excited to have signed a hotel in Axum – a city of strong religious significance to millions of traveller. It is an important addition to our rapidly growing footprint in Africa and reflects the strong traction the brand is gaining in the region. We see great growth potential in this market with high demand and this development makes a momentous step in our growth and expansion strategy in the overseas market.” Yeha Hotel will be a modern, luxurious development with

a revolving restaurant and bar. It will also have the latest amenities in conferencing and meeting, a swimming pool, water amusement park and a kid’s playground. In the first phase it will launch with 78 keys in October 2019, with plan to expand to 222 keys by 2021. Once the residing city of Queen of Sheba; Axum is now a tourist town and religious centre best known for its obelisks which are more than 2000 years old and many ancient churches. Nestled in the foothills of the historical Adwa Mountains, Axum is a city steeped in history and antiquities. Travellers would love to visit the ancient city of Axum, a UNESCO heritage site, where it is believed the true Arc of the Covenant is hidden.

Ajay K. Bakaya Managing Director Sarovar Hotels Pvt. Ltd

Sarovar Hotels is part of Louvre Hotels Group, a major player in the global hospitality industry, with a portfolio that now includes 2,500 hotels in 52 countries. Louvre Hotels Group is a subsidiary of Jin Jiang International Holdings Co., Ltd., the 5th largest hospitality group in the world.

Radisson announces key appointments to further its 2022 China vision Its current China portfolio consist of 35 properties in operation and under development across 21 cities WH Desk

adisson Hotel Group has announced three key appointments for the development team in China that is aimed at accelerating its expansion plans in China. Radisson’s growth strategy in China is a key initiative in Destination 2022, the Group’s five-year strategic operating plan. With 35 properties in operation

18 October 2018

and under development across 21 cities in China, the Group plans to triple its portfolio of hotels by 2022. Eric Cheng, Senior Director, Development, China, recently joined the company from the UAE’s Emaar Hospitality Group. Knight Kang has come onboard as Senior Director, Development, China. He was earlier with Accor Hotels, China, where he served as Senior Director, Development, Greater China. Kevin Cai, Director, Development, China, joins Radisson from Centara Hotels & Resorts, where he was

previously Director of Business Development, Greater China. Eric and Knight will report to Ramzy Fenianos, Chief Development Officer, Asia Pacific, while Kevin reports to Eric. They will work alongside Chloe Fei, Director, Development, China, to drive the growth of Radisson Hotel Group’s portfolio throughout the country. Ramzy Fenianos added; “We are putting together a highly-skilled development team in Asia Pacific as we bid to successfully execute our ambitious five-year plan. The addition of Eric, Knight and

Kevin to our China team will enhance our ability to secure a variety of key projects, setting a firm foundation for our future growth.” Radisson has secured a series of signings in China, including Radisson Ningbo Beilun, Radisson Wuhan Optics Valley, Radisson Blu Wuhan ETD Zone, and Radisson Blu Haikou. The company is also preparing to launch later this year, Radisson Ningbo Beilun, Radisson Suzhou and Radisson Blu Zhengzhou Huiji on track to open their doors in the fourth quarter of 2018.

HOSPITALITY

Artificial Intelligence and automation to increase hotel revenues by 10% and cut costs by 15% WH Desk

ccording to the latest research conducted by Colliers International, personalisation Artificial Intelligence (AI) could increase hotel revenues by over 10 percent and reduce costs by more than 15 percent – with hotel operators expecting technology such as voice and facial recognition, virtual reality and biometrics to be mainstream by 2025. Further to this, the research estimates 73 percent of manual activities in the hospitality industry have the technical potential for automation, with many global hotel operators including Marriott, Hilton, and Accor already investing in automating elements of their human resources. Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director ME, Arabian Travel Market, said: “It is important to highlight that the GCC is one of the fastest growing regional hospitality markets on

a global scale and an innovative technology-reliant industry. “Its impact on hotels and travel and tourism is multi-dimensional, ranging from voice and facial recognition, chatbots and beacon technology to virtual reality, blockchain and robot concierge,” she said. While automation is forecast to replace a large number of jobs, between 39 and 73 million in the US alone, according to a study by McKinsey Global Institute, the report also states that innovative technology will not be a purely negative disrupter. New jobs will be created; existing roles will be redefined; and workers will have the opportunity to further their career with additional training. The challenge, therefore will be preparing for and managing the transition between now and 2030. Curtis said: “With technologies like AI and automation quickly maturing, the hospitality and travel and tourism industry must

prepare for a wave of disruption in order to reap the overall benefits of these technologies. “Equipping workers with the necessary skills and training and creating new tech-augmented jobs that can assist with this innovative technology will be key to making this transition a success.” Looking to the future, the use of robots within the hospitality industry is becoming more commonplace with Colliers predicting the global sale of guest relation robots to reach 66,000 units by 2020. Deployed to improve guests’ overall experience in a hotel, these robots offer a range of uses from artificially intelligent chatbots designed to assist with the customer service process, through to robot concierge and butlers which have the ability to deliver luggage, handle checkin and check-outs and deliver meals 24/7 to guests efficiently. In 2015 the world’s first robotrun hotel opened in Japan.

Danielle Curtis Exhibition Director ME Arabian Travel Market

Henn-na Hotel features a multilingual animatronic dinosaur at reception that helps with checkin and check-out as well as robot porters and a giant mechanical arm that stores luggage in individual drawers. “Hoteliers have been cautious of technology taking away the human touch from the guest service and experience. However, by giving guests the power to choose every part of their hotel experience, hoteliers can learn the right balance between staff interaction and AI-powered, automated customer service,” Curtis said.

Kamat Group of Hotels appoints Varun Sahani as Vice President Operations WH Desk

amat Group of Hotels has announced the appointment of Varun Sahani as Vice President Operations for the group. A seasoned professional, Varun Sahani has over two decades of pivotal experience in the realm of hospitality operations and sales. An IHM graduate, he has excellent track record of pre opening and establishing operations. Varun Sahani joined The Orchid Mumbai, Asia’s first five-star Ecotel hotel in 2015 as General Manager. Prior to that, he held

senior level management and operations position with The Lalit, Clarks Inn and Jaypee Greens Golf & Spa Resort. In his new role Sahani will spearhead the operations, marketing & sales, revenue management and strategic growth initiatives of the award winning 372- room The Orchid Mumbai property. Commenting on his new position, Varun Sahani said: “The Orchid Mumbai has always been in the forefront of eco friendly practices and outstanding customer service. I have had a wonderful stint and share a special attachment with this incredible property. I look

forward to working with this excellent team to deliver best in class experiences that our guests expect.” The Orchid Mumbai enjoys distinction of being the first five star hotels in Asia to win the Ecotel certification. Till date it has received over 97 national and International awards reiterating the efforts of The Orchid of being a pioneer amongst environment friendly hotels. The Orchid Ecotel Hotel in Mumbai remains one of only six hotels worldwide to maintain this certification. The hotel boasts about having one of the best 5 star hotel restaurants in Mumbai offering

Varun Sahani Vice President Operation Kamat Group some of the most diverse gastronomic options and delectable dining experiences. The Orchid Mumbai is the only five-star hotel in India to have a museum on site.

October 2018 19

NTO

Record 660,000 room nights for Holland, 31% in visitor growth First five months arrivals, from January to May, recorded at 67,000 Indian visits Shayan Mallick

he Netherlands, or Holland as we popularly know it, recorded a strong 31 per cent growth in Indian arrival in 2017 over the previous year, thanks in part to NBTC’s (Netherlands Board of Tourism & Conventions) marketing and promotion initiatives in India as well as Jet Airways shifting its European hub from Brussels to Amsterdam in 2016. Holland has received over 67,000 Indian visitors in for the January-May period in 2018.

According to NBTC’s Global Travel Trade Manager, Carola Muller – van Rijn, Indian arrivals to Holland have gone up from about 127,000 visitors in 2016 to over 165,000 visitors in 2017 with an average stay of four nights. A record year in growth and arrivals, the overall room nights converts to an impressive 660,000 through Indian arrivals in 2017. “Some people might stay a little bit longer, others might stay for may be two days, but the average is about four nights,” she said. Commenting on the remarkable growth, Muller informed that the NTO undertook a 360 degree approach that encompassed

trade as well as the consumers. “We did a combination of activities here in India. I call it a 360 degree approach. We did travel trade activities. We did consumer direct impress activities that helped,” she said. She also pointed that Jet Airways making Amsterdam its European hub also contributed to that growth. “In 2016 Jet Airways changed their hub from Brussels to Amsterdam so there was a natural growth as you see,” she added. NBTC recently concluded a three-day B2B India sales mission in Delhi, Bengaluru, and Mumbai meeting over three hundred trade buyers. The

Carola Muller – van Rijn Global Travel Trade Manager NBTC

event was attended by leading Dutch suppliers including Lovers Canal Cruise, Efteling Theme Park, Henri Willig Cheese Farm, Madurodam Theme Park, and ITO Tours, as well as KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and Jet Airways.

JNTO announces photo and video contest for MICE The contest to run from September 18, 2018 to January 7, 2019 and the winners will be announced in February 2019.

headquarters and research centres that possess cuttingedge technology. Japan has a unique culture that combines sophisticated and ancient traditional culture with innovative practices, which are complemented by a background of rich regional diversity.

WH Desk

he Japan Convention Bureau, a section of Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) is endeavoring to promote Japan as an innovative and exciting destination to host international meetings, incentive tours, conventions and events. Taking a step forward in this direction, to attract travellers more from this segment – JNTO has announced a photo and video contest for MICE and inviting submissions of photo and video content that will inspire viewers to hold their business events in the country. The contest offers a great opportunity for the professional of meetings industry who has attended meetings, conventions, incentives or trade shows in Japan, to share some of their Wow moments that they captured on film while in Japan.

20 October 2018

Winners of Grand Prize, Innovative Japan Award, Unique Japan Award, Hospitable Japan Award and New Idea Video Award will be invited to an Award Ceremony to be held during International MICE Expo (IME) at Tokyo International Forum on February 28, 2019. Also, the slogan; ‘Japan Meetings & Events – New Ideas Start Here’ captures the essence of why organizations take their meetings to Japan. This is how participants are empowered to gain inspiration and flashes of insight that enables future business growth. Japan is known for being one of the safest countries in the

world with pristine public spaces so both business event organizers and participants can feel completely at ease whether they are master travellers or it’s their first time abroad. With many years of experience and a spirit of hospitality, high-quality conferences and events are put on with great success here. Japan is a treasure trove of world-leading scientific and industrial knowledge and talent. These forces come together to create dynamic and vibrant industries across all fields. The country has produced numerous Nobel Prize winners, and it also has large numbers of corporate

Share photos and videos which you think show that Japan is a destination meeting planners can’t do without! For further details log onto: https://www. japanmeetings.org/contest Prizes Grand Prize (1 Person) Innovative Japan Award (1 Person) Unique Japan Award (1 Person) Hospitable Japan Award (1 Person) New Idea Video Award (1 Person) Finalists (80 Persons)

NTO

Hangzhou makes a tourism pitch in India Recognised by UNWTO as the ‘best tourism city in China,’ Hangzhou welcomed about 35,000 Indian visitors in 2017 making, India its 6th largest source market in Asia Shayan Mallick

angzhou Municipal Government recently organised a tourism promotion workshop in Delhi in order to educated leading travel industry buyers and stakeholders from the city. The workshop was aimed at kindling interest of the fast growing Indian outbound travellers in Hangzhou’s touristic appeal and to help develop the Indian market to boost tourism from India to Hangzhou. The tourism promotion delegation was led by Xu Liyi, Mayor of Hangzhou Municipal People’s Government. Hangzhou Tourism Commission’s Director General, Zhang Hongbin, was also part of the delegation. Representatives of Federation of Associations in Indian Tourism & Hospitality (FAITH), Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI), Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO), among others, attended the workshop. Drawing attention to Hangzhou’s antiquity and heritage, Mayor Liyi, said, “Hangzhou is a renowned historical and cultural city in China. The city has two UNESCO World Heritage Sites, the West Lake and the Grand Canal. In addition, we boast of the famous ‘Liangzhu culture’ which can date back to about 5,000 years. It is called the ‘Dawn of Human Civilisation.’ The establishment of Hangzhou city can be traced back to 2200 years ago. In the 13th century, famous Italian traveller Marco Polo recognised Hangzhou as the most magnificent city in the world. For thousands of years, Hangzhou’s long history and culture has been fascinating for people.”

Furthermore the Mayor said, “Today’s Hangzhou, with a city area of 16,600 square kilometres and a population of 9.4 million, is the central city on the southern wing of Yangtze River Delta and an international tourism and leisure centre, presenting to the whole world the unique charm of history and modernity. It is a quality city for international tourism. Its green hills and clear lakes and rivers delight the eye on sunny days and present a special view on rainy days. Hangzhou is imbued with a charm unique to the south of the Yangtze River that has been fostered over many generations.” Citing a popular Chinese saying that says, “Up above there is heaven; down below there are Suzhou and Hangzhou”, Zhu Xiaohong, Counsellor of Chinese Embassy in India, on the occasion, said, “If you would love to know how heaven looks like, you are welcome to visit Hangzhou and find your answer by yourself there.” Stressing that both India and China share profound cultural and historical linkages, the Counsellor, added, “China-India relation is so important that our two countries could not afford to isolate one from the other. Amity between the people holds the key to sound state-to-state relations. And tourism plays an important role in promoting mutual understanding between our two peoples and enhancing the bilateral relations between China and India. This year President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Modi decided to establish the High Level People to People Exchange Mechanism during the Wuhan Informal Summit. We are working on it and making every effort for its success.” Holding the Indo-China relationship special in “many ways” because of “historical and civilizational links” and China being India’s

biggest trading partner today, Anil Oraw, Regional Director, India Tourism Delhi, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, pointed, “There are many similarities between the Indian and Chinese tourism products, which could help in promoting greater cooperation between the two countries in the field of tourism. Both are fascinating destinations and share glorious ancient heritage and civilization as old as mankind. Travelling distances are short and hence package tours could be more economical. Both the countries have cultural diversities and historically warm relations.” Oraw also drew attention to the agreement on tourism cooperation that was signed in 2015 between the Ministry of Tourism and the National Tourism Administration of the People’s Republic of China. 2015 was declared “Visit India Year in China” and subsequently 2016 was declared “Visit China Year in India.” Capital of Zhejiang province, Hangzhou surpassed the 4 million mark in international arrival last year, including about 35,000 Indians visitors. Indian arrivals grew by almost 10 per cent and ranks 6th largest visitor source market from amongst the Asian countries. One of the most developed cities of China and home to internet retail giant Alibaba, Hangzhou has lately witnessed tremendous recognition that’s transforming its tourism fortunes. Venue of the G20 Summit in 2016, the event greatly lifted the international profile and reputation of Hangzhou. Furthermore, the UNWTO and China National Tourism Commission have recognised Hangzhou as the best tourism city in China. Last year UNWTO included Hangzhou in the list of prestigious ‘Global Top 15 Sample Cities for Tourism.’

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NTO

Turkey’s immense diversity makes it extremely popular with Indians, Ambassador Turkey working on increasing air connectivity and changes in visa policy to ensure better tourism engagement between the two countries WH Desk

iding high on near 100 per cent growth in Indian tourists arrivals to Turkey, the Turkish Ambassador H.E. Şakir Özkan Torunlar recently hosted members of media at his residence in New Delhi to apprise them on Turkey’s diverse tourism attractiveness for Indian tourist, latest tourism trends, among others. He spoke about the need to grow bilateral tourism between the two countries, bound together by history, heritage and cultural connects. Apart from tourism, the Turkish ambassador also interacted with media on Turkish culture, cuisine and his country’s growing attractiveness for destination weddings for Indians. The interactive meet was also addressed by Aysun ERGEZER, First Commercial Counsellor and Deniz ERSÖZ, Culture & Tourism Counsellor of the Turkish Embassy in India as well as Arjun Kapoor, Regional Sales Manager – Northern & Eastern India, Turkish Airlines. Deputy Chief of Mission of Turkish Embassy in India Umit Alpaslan KILIC was also present on the occasion.

“Turkey and India enjoy warm relations and also share a close historical relationship with strong cultural links. The relationship between Turkey and India has steadily grown year by year in both scope and depth and spans many different areas of cooperation. Turkey enjoys immense geographical, cultural & social diversity, which is why it is extremely popular with Indians. We are working towards tourism related verticals like increasing air connectivity and changes in visa policy so as to ensure better engagement between both countries,” Torunlar said. The media interaction comes back on a staggering near 100 per cent growth that Turkey has witnessed this year. “In 2017, Turkey hosted more than 32 million international tourists while from India the number was 87,000. This year, from January to July, we recorded 25 per cent increase in the number of overall tourists. That means we will be hosting 40 million international tourists by the end of 2018. When we look at figures from India, we see 95 per cent increase for the sameperiod. If this trend continues we will be hosting almost 2 lakhs Indian tourists by the year end”, informed ERSÖZ. Mr Ersöz further added, “Istanbul, Antalya, Cappadocia, Troy and Izmir are extremely popular with Indian travellers. However, Bodrum and Marmaris have also emerged

H.E. Şakir Özkan Torunlar, Turkish Ambassador to India as major tourist attractions in recent past. In addition to that, Konya where Celaleddin Rumi spent his last 45 years, the sacred site where he was buried is also among the popular destinations for Indians. When we talk about food, Turkish cuisine is amongst the richest cuisines in the world with influences of Middle Eastern, Mediterranean and Balkan cuisines. Wellness is another area where Turkish hammams are well famous. There are some particular regions that focus on holistic wellness. And the traditional hammams of Turkey have visitors from all over the world. With world-class hotels, restaurants, pristine beaches, mountains, adventure sports, nightlife etc, there is plenty to see and explore in Turkey for everyone.”

Tanzania’s first tourism road show in India in 10 years 1.3 million International tourists visit the country in 2017 WH Desk

anzania Tourist Board (TTB), the national tourism organization of Tanzania, is currently visiting India on a three-city road show (Delhi, Mumbai and Ahmedabad) along with a number leading Tanzanian suppliers to showcase the country’s diverse tourism offerings in the Indian market after a gap of ten years. It concluded its Delhi road show today, organized at Delhi Aerocity’s Roseate House hotel. The delegation is led by TTB Managing Director, Devota K. Mdachi. Tanzania hosted its last tourism road show in India more than 10 years ago, although it has participated in tourism fairs in India in recent years.

22 October 2018

The road show is aimed at educating the Indian trade buyers about Tanzania’s tourist attractions, it’s rich wildlife tourism offerings, flora & fauna and its wealth of heritage in order to capture a larger share of the fast growing outbound travel from India. Tanzania was awarded “The Best Safari Country in Africa” for two consecutive years in 2014 and 2015. “Tanzania offers a complete package of adventure, exploration and relaxation to the tourists. This has significantly increased the number of travelers each year. From seven lakh travelers in 2007, it has crossed 13 lakhs in 2017. We expect this number to reach to over 2 million tourists by 2020” said Mdachi. Tanzania is endowed with some of Africa’s world class tourism assets that encompass natural, cultural, historical and archaeological sites, which are in high demand by international tourism markets.

The state of Tanzania is home to more than 20 per cent of the African continent’s large mammals. The country is home to 16 National Parks, 31 Game Reserves, 44 Game Controlled Areas, 4 Ramsar Sites and 33 Wildlife Management Areas. Besides, the country boasts of impressive ruins of 14th to 16th century tombs, mosques and palaces and not to forget seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The diverse cultures, traditions and customs can be experienced through traditional dances, handcrafts, rock paintings and archaeological sites.

October 2018 23

AVIATION

Fiji Airways appoints Bird Travels as GSA in India WH Desk

iji Airways (formerly known as Air Pacific), the flag carrier airline of Fiji has appointed Bird Travels Private Ltd, the Airline Management Services arm of Bird Group as its local representative in India. The association marks the airline’s latest step in developing its sales distribution network within the Indian market. The appointment of Bird Travels is part of the intensive preparations undertaken by Fiji Airlines to realize its presence and quality enhancement within the Indian market starting September 1, 2018. Reinforcing the airline’s commitment and growing confidence in the market, Bird Travels will now be responsible for all the airline’s sales, marketing and ticketing activities in India.

Announcing the association, Gaurav Bhatia, Executive Director, Bird Group said: “Our association with Fiji Airlines will go a

long way in improving the carrier’s business in India as we are committed to promote its routes and overall presence in the country. We have devised a mechanism with a team of experts and latest technology that will sure enhance their operations, at the same time giving a fillip to their sales and marketing pursuits in the country. We are delighted and look forward to a long-term partnership with Fiji Airlines.” Sajid Khan, Country Manager India, Fiji Airways said, “With increasing number of international travellers in India every year, Fiji Airways has also witnessed a growth in Indian passengers. This is expected to grow due to a steady flow of leisure and MICE travellers flying between the country and 13 other countries of Fiji Airways’ operation. Therefore, India becomes one of our prime markets and our association with Bird Travels will hopefully help us to tap into their distribution network effectively.

IndiGo announces Kuwait and Abu Dhabi as new destinations WH Desk

ndiGo is further enhancing its customer experience with the launch of Kuwait and Abu Dhabi as its new destinations. As part of the international expansion, Kuwait will be the 57th and Abu Dhabi will be the 58th destination on its network. Both new services will commence from October 2018. To provide more enhanced connectivity across India, IndiGo has added 24 new flights to its network. IndiGo became the first domestic airline to introduce services connecting Port Blair with Hyderabad and Vadodara from September 2018. In addition, 6E will operate its first daily return flight between Surat and Chennai, daily non-stop return service between Delhi and Imphal, direct flights to Vijayawada from Delhi. The airline will also add two international new routes connecting Doha with Ahmedabad and Trivandrum. These new services will be effective October, 2018. The new flights are designed to cater to business and leisure travellers from these cities, who are constantly on the lookout for new and affordable flying options. Customers who would like to plan their travel can book tickets through our official website www. goindigo.in William Boulter, Chief Commercial Officer, IndiGo said, “We are pleased to announce Kuwait and Abu Dhabi as our 10th and 11th international destinations effective October 2018. We will operate first flight between Kuwait and Chennai and Calicut and Abu Dhabi starting October this year. It also gives us immense pleasure to add 24 additional flights to 6E network.

24 October 2018

Fiji Airways operates international services to 13 countries and 23 cities including Fiji, Australia, New Zealand, Samoa, Tonga, Tuvalu, Kiribati, Vanuatu and Solomon Islands (Oceania), the United States, Hong Kong and Singapore. It has an extended network of 108 international destinations through its codeshare partners. The airline resumed direct flights to Narita, Tokyo on 3 July 2018. The Fiji Airways Group brings in 64 percent of all visitors who fly to Fiji, employs over 1000 employees, and earns revenues of over FJD$815 million (USD $390m).

SWISS launches “Stopover Switzerland” tour packages

WH Desk

witzerland’s national carrier SWISS, Switzerland Tourism (ST) and Switzerland Travel Centre (STC) have launched a joint initiative, “Stopover Switzerland” for passengers travelling onboard SWISS with a stopover in Switzerland. The packages offer travellers eight tour packages ranging from one to four days covering various iconic sites and cities like Zurich, Interlaken or Lucerne, in Switzerland that they can avail before resuming their onward journey. Both leisure and business travellers can extend their stopover in Switzerland by one to four nights by adding a customizable travel package under the new “Stopover Switzerland” offer, which SWISS has launched in close collaboration with Switzerland Tourism (ST) and Switzerland Travel Centre (STC). India, Singapore and the United States are the first SWISS markets to introduce the new stopover programme. The programme promises “so much in so little time” through the eight customized single or multi-destination travel packages that include accommodation in a three or four-star hotels, transport, tips on possible local trips and activities and Swiss Travel Pass for 1st or 2nd class travel. These packages can be booked in connection with a flight or even independently of any flight arrangements. The range of these stopover packages will be expanded, too.

AVIATION

2018 significant for Turkish future with the opening of new Istanbul airport, Ayci Ayci was at the ‘Turkish Airlines Corporate Club Conference’ that brought together over 900 global business travel professionals from 71 countries Shayan Mallick

he Istanbul New Airport – a stateof-the-art facility, which will open on October 29, 2018, will be the largest airport in the world by 2023. The muchanticipated opening of the new airport will position Istanbul as the ‘Hub of the World’, and will see 200 million passengers per year on final completion. Turkish Airlines’ expansion has increased demand for this world-class facility, which will help the national flag carrier’s goals of 120 million passengers and a fleet of 500 aircraft by 2023. Turkish has emerged as the largest network carrier in the world by the number of countries it is flying to, spanning

over 304 destinations worldwide, including 255 international and 49 domestic, in 122 countries today. According to the Chairman of the Board and the Executive Committee of Turkish Airlines, M. İlker Aycı, “Building on the recent economic success of our airline, 2018 is a highly significant year for the future of Turkish Airlines with the opening of Istanbul New Airport in October. As the new home of Turkish Airlines, this will allow us for greater capacity and increased network, allowing corporate travelers a streamlined and innovative services and state-of-the-art Lounge facilities meaning an even better travel experience for Business Travellers.” Ayci was speaking at the Turkish Airlines Corporate Club Conference organized on September 17-18 in Istanbul, in partnership with the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA). The conference is an annual international event where industry leaders

come together and discuss the future of business travel. This year’s event saw 900 participants attend from 71 countries across the widest international flight network that Turkish Airlines operates. The theme of the conference, “Building for the Future”, featured Aycı with the BBC’s Aaron Heslehurst moderating.

Air Arabia launches new route to Prague in Czech Republic WH Desk

he Middle East and North Africa’s first and largest low-cost carrier (LCC), has announced the introduction of its new European destination, Prague in Czech Republic, direct from Sharjah, UAE. Air Arabia’s inaugural flight to the city will commence on 11th December 2018. Flights to Prague will operate 5 times a week from 13 destinations in India including Jaipur, Kochi, Nagpur, Coimbatore, Thiruvananthapuram, Goa, Kozhikode,

Hyderabad, New Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Ahmedabad, and Chennai, connecting via Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. Adel Al Ali, Group Chief Executive Officer of Air Arabia, said: “With the continued development of residents in the region and international tourists looking for value-formoney services, Air Arabia is focused on the continued expansion of its international routes. With the launch of the Sharjah to Prague route, we aim to offer our passengers the chance to discover the colorful and historic capital city, our newest destination in Europe to be available direct from the UAE.” Speaking on the development, Arzan Khambatta, Head Czech Tourist Authority, Czech Tourism India said: “The popularity of Czech Republic as a Tourist Destination is exponentially increasing in India. Growing number of discerning Indian travelers are wanting to explore this wonderful destination. Air Arabia will now connect Prague with13

cities accross India making Czech Republic even more accessible to Indian travellers. We wholeheartedly welcome this positive move by Air Arabia.” A historic city famed for its Old Town Square and elaborately constructed Baroque buildings, Prague is the capital and largest city in the Czech Republic and one of the most popular touristic destinations in Europe. Air Arabia, currently operates flights to more than 150 routes across the globe from four hubs located in the Middle East and North Africa.

October 2018 25

AVIATION

WOW air appoints Kiran Jain as the Managing Director for its India Operations WH Desk

iran Jain, a dynamic professional with over 25 years of experience in the commercial aviation business covering both airports and airlines, will be joining WOW air as the Managing Director for India. Her experience ranges from airlines and airports in the United States and India where she has led the marketing, sales, communication and government relations functions, thereby bringing a diverse aviation management experience to the company. Most recently, Kiran was the Director for Commercial and

Government Relations with AirAsia India. She was also the Head of Airline Marketing at Delhi International Airport (P) Ltd in an earlier role. Speaking on the recent appointment, Skúli Mogensen, CEO and Founder, WOW air said, “It is our pleasure to welcome Kiran to our team and have her lead our operations in India. Kiran has great versatile work experience in the Indian market which I am sure will benefit and strengthen our presence in India. WOW air is committed to provide the best possible prices & services to its Indian customers. We welcome Kiran aboard

and wish hergreat success at WOW air”. Upon her appointment with WOW air, MD Kiran Jain said, “WOW air is known to create disruption with its highly competitive prices and strategy and has already set its mark in the international aviation market. I am very excited to be a part of WOW air’s growth and I am honoured to represent WOW air in India.” WOW air, Iceland’s low-fare transatlantic airline, announced the launch of its operations in India, earlier this year. The flights will commence operations from New Delhi on December

Kiran Jain Managing Director WOW air

7th, 2018 with five flights a week, directly to Keflavik airport in Iceland that will connect to multiple destinations in North America and Europe.

Etihad cargo embraces digital world; migrates to new icargo technology platform WH Desk

tihad Cargo, the cargo and logistics arm of Etihad Airways, celebrated a significant moment in its relatively short 14-year history, fullymigrating to SPRINT, an IBS iCargo fully integrated technology platform offering the digital answer to its evolving cargo management needs. Etihad Cargo joins a growing number of global carriers migrating their traditionally telephone and paper-based services online, through its new-look and revamped etihadcargo.com website, as well as digitalizing processes across all critical business functions, offering Etihad Cargo’s customers a platform to seamlessly manage all air cargo needs. Abdulla Mohamed Shadid, Etihad Airways Managing Director Cargo and Logistics Services, said: “We are extremely pleased that the 12-month implementation process has been concluded successfully, and even more excited at the prospects that this

26 October 2018

milestone brings. It represents a giant leap forward forour customer value proposition and allows us to embrace a whole new realm of digital services to further differentiate ourselves. Customers will feel the impact instantly, and it comes at a welltimed period when we have started deploying capacity in key markets for the fourth quarter.” V K Mathews, Executive Chairman, IBS Group, said: “Etihad Cargo has commissioned the most up-to-date technology solution in the domain, iCargo, and the seamless system cutover within time and budget reiterates IBS’ capability and domain expertise to deliver outstanding value to the business requirements of some of the iconic names in the airline industry. “iCargo has indeed captured the imagination of the cargo carriers and is now the undisputed market leader and the right IT platform to provide airlines with a competitive edge to lead in a digital world. It is my pleasure to welcome Etihad Cargo to

the growing list of iCargo users and we are committed to be a transformational partner in their quest to achieve increased operational efficiencies, cost optimization and growth.” Services that are now available at the customer’s fingertipsspan online bookings across all Etihad’s product portfolio, including general cargo as well as its signature TempCheck (pharmaceutical), SafeGuard (valuables), FreshForward (perishables), FlightValet (automotive) and FlyCulture (arts and music), among others. Customers will also be able to access Etihad Cargo’s Loyalty Program, which offersthem a wide range of benefits now

accessible online, and they will also be able search flights and track shipments in real-time. “Our employees worked tirelessly during the past year to bring us to this significant milestone and should be proud of their achievement,” added Shadid. “Seldom do complex programs like this finish on time and within budget. We are certainly proud of them. However, this only marks the beginning of our digitalization journey. Etihad Cargo is hungry for more, and we will be working with our technology partners to deploy new technologies that will continue to differentiate us and help push our customer value proposition to the next level”.

October 2018 27

PICTURE GALLERY

34th Annual IATO Convention Themed â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Mission 20 Millionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; tourists by 2020, the 34th annual convention of Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO), concluded las month debating and discussing a number of industry issues and concerns. Around 900 delegates attended the three day event organised at the coastal city of Vishakhapatnam in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh.

28 October 2018

PICTURE GALLERY

October 2018 29

PICTURE GALLERY

NIMA organises networking evening for members NIMA (Network of India MICE Agents) recently organised a ‘Networking Evenning’ for its members at Pullman Aerocity. Florida’s Kissimmee was the event partner and showcased its offerings such as theme parks and nature, a unique MICE venue and place for family. Fxkart that deals in forex transactions, South Asia’s biggest travel exhibition SATTE, also showcased their offerings to NIMA members.

30 October 2018

PICTURE GALLERY Kerala Travel Mart 2018 At KTM 2018 the number of Foreign Buyers has gone up to 590 from 66 countries and domestic buyers have gone up to a total 1090. There were 350 sellers from Kerala participating at the Mart. The demands were very high from the sellers so the KTM society has added 80 more stalls which made the total tally of 385 stalls.

October 2018 31

TECHNOLOGY

Travelport to offer Rich Content & Branding to Air India, becomes sole distribution supplier Starting from November 2018 it will be fully implemented by the end of 2019 WH Desk

ravelport – the technology company which makes the experience of buying and managing travel continually better is all set to offer its services to Air India – county’s flag air carrier. The company has won a competitive tender process undertaken by Air India for the sole provision of distribution of its domestic flight content in the airline’s home market. The contract awarded to Travelport came after a comprehensive bidding process. It will begin to come into effect from November 2018 and be fully implemented by the end of 2019. The agreement confirms Air India’s continued deployment of Travelport Rich Content and Branding, now used by over 270 airlines. This displays airlines’ graphical content, their fares families and a full range of ancillary products. It means that Travelport will provide the same content as Air India’s own direct-selling channels.

Air India is the country’s flag air carrier with a leading position in international and domestic operations. Along with Air India Express, it has 43% share of the international traffic to and from India among Indian carriers and a 17% share, including global airlines, as of Q3 CY17. It is a member of the Star Alliance and is a pioneer of India’s civil aviation sector, being the first scheduled airline in India, enjoying a rich heritage of over 85 years. Travelport has seen a rapid expansion in India in recent years following the acquisition of business from the largest online travel agencies such as MakeMyTrip, Ibibo, Yatra, EaseMyTrip and ClearTrip as well as working with the major corporate travel agencies and new entrants to the travel sector such as PayTM. In addition to industry-leading airline content, Travelport has also expanded its footprint and capabilities with leading hotel groups and aggregators in India such as Oberoi, Taj, Treebo and Trident. Pradeep Singh Kharola, Chairman and Managing Director of Air India, said: “Air India is pleased to award this important contract to Travelport. In written submissions and

in discussion with their team the company demonstrated a clear understanding of our needs and displayed impressive technological and financial capability. As we make the switch to Travelport, we hope to be able to deliver even better value for money and a superior distribution to our customers in India and abroad.” Gordon Wilson, Travelport’s President and CEO, commented “Travelport is delighted to have been selected by Air India to provide these services. It is another welcome endorsement of our technology and our services in India. It was a tough process. We faced stiff competition from our rivals and rigorous examination by the airline’s team. We look forward to implementing the agreement and delivering a world-class service to the airline.”

New range of products & solutions by Amadeus to improve productivity and efficiency for travel agencies WH Desk

he travel industry is moving towards increased personalization, as merchandizing techniques drive new revenues, business opportunities and as travelers expect brands to know them and adapt offers accordingly. It was against this backdrop that Amadeus announced the creation of a dedicated program to drive the industrialisation of NDC and ensure its success for all travel players. New Distribution Capability (NDC), is a new XML-based interface that enables travel companies – from airlines to travel agencies – to evolve travel distribution and merchandising. With this in mind the Amadeus NDC-X program brings together experts from Amadeus’ businesses and focuses on practical use cases of the standard, adopting a test and learn approach to deliver improved capabilities for the industry. The NDC-X program is a continuation of Amadeus’ previous work towards the digitalisation of

32 October 2018

the industry and the creation of commercial possibilities to build on NDC. Amadeus held an event in Roseate House New Delhi that began with a session on ‘the Impact of NDC On Air Content Distribution’ by Champa Magesh, Vice President, AsiaPacific, Retail Travel Channels. Ms. Magesh shared “At Amadeus, we recognize that we have a responsibility to make NDC work for all travel players, and that’s what we will be doing through our NDC-X program. The NDC-X program is a strategic priority for Amadeus. Our aim is to create better journeys for travelers through the best use of technology, and this transversal program will work with our travel seller and airline customers to deliver just that”. She also shared that the shifting nature of business travel requires corporations and TMCs to adapt to a world which is more dynamic and agile which has inspired the evolution of Amadeus from being a global distribution system to becoming an open, dynamic and connected live travel space.

A comprehensive range of Amadeus products and solutions within the travel technology space, designed to meet the unique needs of the Indian market were also showcased at the event. Commenting on NDC and the product portfolio showcased, Rakesh Bansal, Chief Executive Officer, Amadeus Indian Subcontinent said: “To keep up with the dynamically evolving industry and its multifarious demands, it is essential to constantly innovate and evolve, become more agile and connected. We have to embrace change and ensure that technology and solutions work well for all stakeholders.” “That is exactly what Amadeus NDC-X aspires to do. Amadeus also creates diverse solutions for different subscribers. Being the leading Global Distribution Services provider in Asia Pacific, our portfolio of products & solutions introduced for the market today offers effective and efficient variety of solutions that help in generating additional revenue and improving productivity and efficiency for travel agencies thus reducing costs.

October 2018 33

DESTINATION

Fort Kochi Heart of The Town

Take a walk and let the old buildings remind you of tales from when the area was a colony under a plethora of foreign rulers. They all left their marks, but Fort Kochi never lost its own soul. It imbibed the best of everything that each legacy that passed through it had to offer, while always staying true to its roots. Whereabouts brings more on this fascinating destination. WH Desk

nce known as the Queen of the Arabian Sea, this port city â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Kochi has held an important place on the Indian Peninsula for a long time. From cinema halls, shopping malls, and skyscrapers to beautiful monuments and a variety of linguistic and ethnic communities including Jews, Konkinis and Gujaratis, Kochi greets all its visitors with a multitude of colours and hues. The amalgamation of cultures is what makes Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Own Country special, and nowhere is it more obvious than Fort Kochi. Take a walk and let the old buildings remind you of tales from when the area was a colony under a plethora of foreign rulers. They all left their marks, but Fort Kochi never lost its own soul. It imbibed the best of everything that each legacy that passed through it had to offer, while always staying true to its roots.

34 October 2018

Legend has it that the famous Chinese explorer, Zheng He, introduced the Chinese Fishing Nets to the fishermen in Kochi over 500 years ago. Even though he would leave, these would become staple sights in these parts. The Chinese fishing nets, or Cheenvala for the locals, have attracted visitors in the Fort Kochi area for centuries. Most tour guides swear that the Vasco da Gama Square is the best spot to get the perfect view of these massive structures. Dawn and dusk is when one can see the Cheenvala in action. Over four fishermen

operate one of these nets which are constructed of bamboo and teak poles. Their design is unique, enabling only one person pulling at the main plank to be able to drag it into the sea. Certain teak poles have lights on them that are supposed to attract fish. Watching these majestic nets being suspended in mid-air, row upon row, is a truly spellbinding experience. The St. Francis Church, well-known for its beautiful structural design and ambience, has an important place in history. It is here that the famous explorer, Vasco-da-Gama,

DESTINATION was originally buried. His remains would be taken back 14 years later but to this day, the exact spot is clearly marked. The place is known for its deep Dutch and Portuguese influences and is an architectural marvel in itself. The credit for its construction goes to the Portuguese Franciscan Friars in 1503. Originally made with mud and wood, it went under a lot of work with the Portuguese, Dutch and the British leaving their imprints on the place. Eventually it would come under the control of the Church of South India in 1949. Visitors are especially charmed by its gabled timber framed roof. The interiors have two stepped pinnacles crowning the top of the chancel roof. The entire experience is the epitome of old school charm; from the pulpit made of wood decorated to the confessional to the baptism platform. History has left its imprint here, which is evident to this day. Cochin Club, the early 19th century witnessed the sprouting of many elite clubs in Fort Kochi. The Cochin Club is one of the prominent clubs. Situated opposite the St Francis Church and within a beautiful garden, the club was earlier known as English Club. At that time, the membership was restricted to the British and Indian men and reflected the life of the Britons in Kochi. Records say that Cochin Club was a venue for large gatherings of the British and that its members were the elite of Kochi. Wednesdays and Saturdays were the club days. Many who featured in the commercial history of Kochi such as the highly placed officials of companies like Pierce Leslie and Aspinwall were members. The club still maintains records of its old British members and photographs of them attending club parties in formal evening attire. Post Independence, the British members of the club used to observe Independence Day by hoisting the Indian flag and singing the national anthem at the club.

The United Club was one of the elite clubs of the young Kochi. Presently, the premises of the club, that has lost its past glory, is used by the St. Francis primary school during the day. In the evening, it is a card room for its members. During the early decades of the 20th century, the club was used as the office of the Fort Kochi municipality.

differentiate the beach from the other beaches of Kerala. The presence of the Chinese fishing nets is probably the most easily identifiable one. The trees and the greenery on the walkway to the beach add to the serene atmosphere there. It is on these beaches that the famous Cochin Carvinal is conducted on New Year’s Eve.

The Dutch Cemetery, down the road from St Francis Church, that runs parallel to the beach, stands the Dutch Cemetery. The cemetery, which was consecrated in 1724, is believed to be the oldest in the country. The cemetery, built in the style of the Dutch architecture of the time, is surrounded by walls and the year 1724 is engraved on the entrance pillar. The epitaphs and tombs, numbering 104, carry the authentic records of hundreds of people of Dutch and British nationality.

The sea food, the Vasco da Gama Square adjacent to the beach, a light house and a granite walkway are the other main attractions. The beach also gives you a breathtaking view of the sunset. If you are lucky, you may glimpse cargo ships passing through the sea. The remains of the Fort Immanuel can also be seen here. A section of the beach is not accessible to visitors as it is under the control of the Indian Navy.

The Fort Kochi beach, with its clean premises and tranquil atmosphere, is frequented by tourists as well as the local people. There are many factors that

Princess Street is one of the oldest streets in Fort Kochi. The bungalows built in the European style and the other buildings of colonial architecture lining both sides of the street make it pretty as a picture. The buildings here, with bronze stucco walls and peeling plaster, house antique stores, cigar shops, provisional stores, curio shops, kiosks, cafes, restaurants, art galleries and so on. Some are being used as homestays for tourists. For the best view of the street, head for the Loafer’s Corner, a popular meeting place at the confluence of Princess Street, Peter Celli Street and Bastion Street. Getting Here

Nearest Railway Station: Ernakulam, about 1½ km from the main boat jetty Nearest Airport: Cochin International Airport, about 30 km from Ernakulam

October 2018 35

Th i n g s t o D o i n

Auckland

Auckland’s dramatic coastal scenery is only the beginning of the contrasting landscapes found within short distance of the city’s downtown business centre. Make sure you stop and enjoy the shopping, dining and natural wonders Auckland has to offer. Whereabouts brings more on this fascinating destination. WH Desk

Matakana Coast

North Shore

Kawau Island was home to New Zealand’s first governor general. His historic property, known as Mansion House, was extensively restored to its former appearance in 1977–80 after many years of varied ownership and neglect. Mansion House is open to visitors September through May. Kawau Kat cruises run daily trips to the island, including the Royal mail run cruise, the largest mail run by water in the Southern Hemisphere.

uckland is New Zealand’s largest city and main transport hub. The region is home to some 1.5 million people and is also the largest Polynesian city in the world. Imagine an urban environment where everyone lives within half an hour of beautiful beaches, hiking trails and a dozen enchanting holiday islands. Add a sunny climate, a background rhythm of Polynesian culture and a passion for outstanding food, wine and shopping, and you’re beginning to get the picture of Auckland, New Zealand. Auckland’s North Shore is a quick drive over the harbour bridge, or a short ferry trip across the water from downtown Auckland. Known as ‘lifestyle city’, North Shore City has more than 20 pohutukawa-lined sandy beaches with views of volcanic Rangitoto Island. The beaches stretch north along the east coast from the historic seaside village of Devonport which looks back on the city. The mix of parks, reserves and native bush alongside boutique shops, markets, cafes and galleries contribute to the North Shore’s laidback lifestyle, while the many restaurants, bars and venues such as the Bruce Mason Centre always offer something to do.

36 October 2018

Further north, the sprawling cityscape evolves into the rural green countryside of Rodney District and Matakana Coast wine country, which lie between the twin coasts. The Matakana region has developed into a food and wine mecca, with a lively Saturday farmers’ market showcasing the locally-grown produce and delicacies. Goat Island Marine Reserve, the first marine reserve established in New Zealand, offers the chance to experience the region’s abundant marine life.

West

Auckland

Auckland’s west is famous for its lush rainforests, rugged black sand beaches and rolling green rural landscapes. The Waitakere Ranges rainforest covers 16,000ha and has more than 240km of walking trails through native trees to waterfalls and

DESTINATION

beaches. A warm coastal climate provides ideal wine growing conditions for some of New Zealand’s oldest wineries, including Kumeu River, Soljans Estate and Nobilo. Muriwai - a vast black sand beach - has one of New Zealand’s largest onshore gannet colonies. Piha, south of Muriwai, is a popular surf beach and community.

Hauraki Gulf Islands The Hauraki Gulf’s more than 50 islands are accessible by boat, plane or helicopter. Iconic Rangitoto Island - the youngest of Auckland’s volcanoes and the dominating landmark in Auckland’s harbour - has fascinating geology and one of the world’s largest pohutukawa forests. The island can be explored by foot, on a guided 4WD journey or by helicopter. North of Rangitoto, sits the world-class conservation park of Tiritiri Matangi Island - home to more than three million native trees and many endangered birds.

Waiheke Island Waiheke Island offers a picturesque blend of farmland, forest, beaches, vineyards and olive groves. Waiheke’s hot, dry summers and stony soils provide ideal wine growing conditions. Some of New Zealand’s best red wines come from Waiheke, including the Stonyridge Larose - in the world’s top 20 cabernet blends. The island has a resident

community, including many artists, and guided food, wine and art tours are available. Visitor accommodation choices range from simple seaside cottages to five-star luxury accommodation such as Delamore Lodge or the Boatshed.

Great Barrier Island Further north, Great Barrier Island has a spectacular, untouched beauty that appeals to adventurers and eco-tourists. Over 70 percent of Great Barrier island is under the Department of Conservation (DOC). Glenfern Sanctuary offers native wildlife tours and Earthsong Lodge offers a luxurious eco- retreat in native forest surrounded by panoramic ocean views.

Manukau City Manukau City - south of Auckland city is surrounded by a varied rural landscape of forests, lakes, gently rolling farmland and 300km of picturesque coastline. Manukau has a rich cultural heritage and is one of the most diverse population centres in the country, with more than 165 ethnic groups. The city’s colourful multi-cultural traditions come together on Saturday’s at Otara Markets with authentic music, food, and original arts and crafts. Cultural and natural historic treasures include Mangere Mountain and Otuataua Stonefields Historic Reserve.

Created by volcanic eruptions 20,000 years ago, the reserve is an insight into how people once lived and worked on Auckland’s volcanic landscape. Wine lovers can sample some of New Zealand’s award-winning wines at Villa Maria Estate, or head to Clevedon’s boutique wineries and farmers’ market. Need

to Know

Visa Procedure: One may forward their application to the TT office in Mumbai or Delhi, which will then be directed to Immigration New Zealand. A visitor visa for New Zealand is processed within 15 working days. www.immigration.govt.nz

Reaching Here Airline Connections: Connecting flights to New Zealand are available on Singapore Airlines/Air New Zealand, Thai Airways, Cathay Pacific and Malaysia Airlines with stop-overs in their respective hubs. New Zealand’s international gateways are Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Queenstown. Domestic Services: Travellers can fly between all New Zealand cities and most major towns using domestic air services. Air New Zealand and Jetstar are the main providers. Their services are complemented by regional airlines, charter companies and scenic flight operators.

October 2018 37

APPOINTMENT

Ashwani Kumar Goela General Manager Radisson Blu Plaza Delhi Airport

Deepak Kolhekar General Manager Marasa Sarovar Portico Rajkot

Chef Anil Chandra Nilamani Hotels Bali

Ashwani brings with him 19 years of experience in hospitality. His extensive experience in the hospitality sector including his ability to drive performance, turn around assets and building great team will be very valuable for the hotel as it looks to strengthen and expand its position in the market. He will oversee the complete operations of the hotel. He will play a key role in meeting the hotel’s aggressive growth goals as well as building a name in the global market.

At his last assignment he was working with The Park, Navi Mumbai as an Associate Director Food & Beverage. His achievements include winning the ‘Visionary Director Food & Beverage as well as nominated in Top 100 Future Leader in Hospitality Magazine. He holds a degree in Hotel Management and has more than 15 years’ experience in chain hotels like The Park Hotels, Radisson Hotels and Taj Hotels. Sarovar Hotels & Resorts is a leading hotel management company in India

Hailing from New Delhi, he has always fascinated by his homemade cooking by his mother and inspired becoming a chef during his training time at a hotel while pursuing his degree in Hospitality Management from a reputable hotel school in New Delhi. As a young chef, Anil determinates to spread his passion of Indian cuisine to the world and make his fellow Indian traveller feels at home with his cooking. His authentic cooking technique combine with a dash modern touch delivers the most original Indian taste wherever he goes.

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38 October 2018

DISCOVER SERENITY

Swosti Chilka Resort The Destination for Meetings & Pleasure at Chilika Lake, the Largest Lagoon in Northern Hemisphere

• • • • • • •

Seminars Sales Meet Corporate Training Brain Storming Sessions Senior Managers Conclave Team Outing Perfest Wedding Destination

SWOSTI CHILIKA RESORT Odia Alapur, Gorapali, Ganjam – 761029, Odisha India Website: www.swostihotels.com, corpsales@swosti.com Ph: 8594999002, 9838766465, 7008990802, 7978378916

Toll Free No. : 1800 1231 414

RNI No.: DELENG/2014/59308

Volume V Issue I October 2018

Price ` 660 Annual

Kerala

Things to Do in Auckland P-36

Tourism implements 12 point action plan says Secretary Rani George P-9

On The Cover : Fort Kochi, Kerala

FORT KOCHI

Heart of The Town TOP NEWS

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