March Issue 2020 - TravelScapes

TravelScapes

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IS INDIA YET TO PLAY VETA 2020A REMARKABLE TRIUMPH ITS SMART MOVE??

MARCH 2020, PAGES 60, `100

w w w . t r a v e l s c a p e s o n l i n e . c o m

VOL. 8, ISSUE. 3

PUBLISHER’S NOTE

Dear Readers,

‘Smart Tourism’ is the new it thing that is being followed worldwide by the majority of tourist destinations wherein the emphasis is on sustainability, digitalisation and shifting traveller demands. The slogan of ITB Berlin Convention 2020 is ’Smart Tourism for Future’. Cutting-edge changes lie in store for the global tourism industry wherein themes such as sustainability, digitalisation, shifting customer demands and luxury travel will be the focus of discussions, lectures and sessions at ITB Berlin 2020. India and its various states are actively taking up initiatives in the direction of smart tourism. On the sidelines of the ‘ITB Berlin Special’ issue, we have aimed at ascertaining the major trends and relatively untapped

areas that would aid India as a country to evolve into ‘smart tourist’ destination through the opinions of representatives of state tourism boards as well as travel agents.

The recently announced Union Budget of India 2020–2021 of India included several initiatives and measures to boost the hospitality and tourism sector such as an increase in infrastructural spending, steps have been taken to create iconic destinations, proposal to set up 100 new airports and more Tejas type trains to connect major tourism destinations and more. Around INR 2,500 crore has been allocated for Tourism Ministry this year. We hereby gather mixed reactions from the tourism experts!

Furthermore, we bring to our readers the less-explored destinations of Assam. The state is renowned for its abundant wildlife, exotic culture and traditions and River Island, all that makes Assam a traveller’s delight.

This issue brings news and reports about trade, hospitality, aviation and the latest in tourism worldwide.

We value your feedback and suggestions so please do write us on [email protected].

Happy reading!

Sustainably smart future for India tourism ahead

Varun MalhotraPublisher & CEO

PUBLISHER & CEO Varun Malhotra [email protected]

DIRECTOR Pranav Khullar [email protected]

ASSOCIATE EDITOR Gagneet Kaur

ASST. EDITOR Sayanti Halder

REPORTER Kritika Dua

REPORTER & MARKETING ANALYST Lokesh Tuli

BUSINESS HEAD Shilpi Sharma

AGM SALES & MARKETING (MUMBAI) Aarti Rajkhewa

BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP MANAGER Nitika Bisht

CONSULTANT Anindya Malhotra, Jitin Mann

DESIGNER Shiv Nath

ACCOUNTS Chandan Jha

ADMIN HEAD Sneha Gaur

EXECUTIVE-CIRCULATION Hari Puri, Raja Rari

Editorial & Marketing Office: Versatile Media: 207, Satya Mansion, Commercial Complex, Ranjeet Nagar, New Delhi-110008Contact: 011 - 45530380/83 • [email protected] information in TravelScapes is derived from sources we consider reliable. It is passed on to our readers without any responsibility on our part. Opinions/views expressed by third parties in abstract or interviews are not necessarily shared by us. Material appearing in the magazine cannot be reproduced in whole or in part(s) without prior permission. The publisher reserves the right to refuse, withdraw or otherwise deal with all advertisements without explanation. All advertisements must comply with the Indian Advertisement Code. The publisher will not be liable for any loss caused by any delay in publication, error or failure of advertisement to appear.Owned and published by: Varun Malhotra, Editor & Publisher, EB-63, Maya Enclave, Hari Nagar, New Delhi - 110064 and printed at in-house facility.

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6 travelscapesonline.com MARCH 2020

CONTENT

SPECIAL FOCUS

8 .........................................................................................................................................................................................MoT20 ................................................................................................................................................................................... Trade26 .........................................................................................................................................................................Hospitality50 ...........................................................................................................................................................................Outbound54 ...............................................................................................................................................................................Aviation58 ..................................................................................................................................................................... On the Move

REGULAR UPDATES

pg-12

MARCH 2020 VOL. 8, ISSUE. 3

VETA SPECIAL

14 IS INDIA YET TO PLAY ITS SMART MOVE?

PHOTO FEATURE

PAGE NUMBER 46 With the Government of India paying a lot of attention to showcasing the incredible picture of the country to the world at large through various campaigns, the tourism sector has acquired unprecedented significance within the last few years. At the same time, technological innovations are playing an important role to bring transformation in the tourism sector, especially in the age of ‘Smart Cities’ and ‘Digital India’ mission. Necessary for survival in the longer run, the states in India need to adopt the smart strategies that not just provide new improved services to the tourists but also extend the facilities of better liveability, workability and sustainability of the cities. Increasing numbers alone and growing figures on the graph will not help the destination; what will rather help is the smart move by the government and stakeholders working in tandem to make India a better place to live and a must-explore destination. Claiming that sedentary travel is passé and sustainable travel is a game to look out for, the tourism experts share their outlook on how removing the basic roadblocks and efficient use of smart platforms are essential tools to ensure that India continues to generate income from tourism as well as chug forward sustainably on the growth graph

A REMARKABLE TRIUMPHUpholding the ‘Swag Tag’, Versatile Excellence Travel Awards concluded its third edition with an amplified level of gusto and glam

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SPURS THE TRAVEL AND TOURISM SECTOR OF INDIA

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30 TRANSITING TOURISM TO THE MILLENNIAL MARKET5TH ANNUAL CONVENTION OF OTOAI TO INTENSIFY EFFORTS FOR THE BUDDING SEGMENTAs the millennials continue to innovate old travelling norms, going beyond the realm of traditional travel experiences, it has, therefore, become imperative for the travel companies to create the right marketing focus not just to successfully cater their needs but also establish a bridge between the evolving demographics of millennials and the travel agents catering to this segment

48 ASSAMTHE VIBRANT CANVAS OF ATTRACTIONSBlessed with the scenic natural beauty of the wild, quaint villages and lush bright-green tea gardens, Assam is an artistic jewel in the crown of North East India. Be it the historical monuments in Sivasagar and Shiva Temples, the vibrant festivities and dance forms of Bihu, Bagarumba, Ali-Ai-Ligang and Jhumur Nach or the panoramic views of the rice fields, Assam’s cherished possessions are endless. Additionally, its distinctive culture and delectable cuisine has also lured the travellers to explore this gem

MARCH 2020 travelscapesonline.com 7


TravelScapesUPDATE MoT

Minister of State for Tourism and Culture (IC) Prahlad Singh Patel

and Chief Minister of Gujarat Vijay Rupani recently inaugurated the two-day event/meeting on destination management and community participation in Gujarat. The event was organised by the Ministries of Tourism and Culture in cooperation with the Government of Gujarat at Rann of Kutch in Gujarat. Patel said that Kutch has emerged as a unique tourist destination in Gujarat. Destination development not only develops the tourism industry but also promotes local culture, traditions and community. It was also stated that tourism development is about change in perception and policy and not only capital investment. He indicated that the Government of India is giving major importance to developing Dholavera as one of the iconic destinations.

Rupani welcomed all dignitaries and referred to the 2001 earthquake wherein Kutch region was devastated. However, with the vision of Prime Minister, the region of Kutch (White Rann), with its unique geography, culture and heritage, has been transformed into a major tourist attraction. Rupani said that this would be an ideal case study for destination management. He expressed his immense pleasure that Dholavera and Somnath have been selected for development under the Iconic destination development scheme of Government of India. He also highlighted that the Statue of Unity was developed in a record time which is serving as a good example of

promoting Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat vision of Prime Minister. Jawahar Chavda, Tourism Minister, Government of Gujarat mentioned about various tourist attractions in the state such as wildlife, spirituality, nature, places associated with Gandhi’s life and Statue of Unity.

During the inaugural event, a MoU was signed between Government of Gujarat and ITDC for providing consultancy towards innovative and decorative lightings and illumination at various monuments and Sound and Light show at various locations in Gujarat. The meeting aided in understanding the concepts and frameworks, approaches, challenges faced in implementation and impact generated by such initiatives on the society and the overall economy. One of the major objectives was to understand the synergy between culture and tourism and how both can collaborate at policy, design and implementation levels to develop both tangible and intangible assets to achieve overall tourism growth in the country. The event highlighted benefits to local communities by way of imparting skill sets necessary for the prudent hospitality industry and cross-cultural learning exchanges to improve the employability of the local people. Socio-economic benefits for the community could be enabled by making them lead the development initiatives. Challenges and issues related to destination management such as comprehensive planning, community participation, carrying capacity. were discussed during the meeting.

Rajasthan has only exploited around 20 per cent of its

tourism potential, said State Tourism Minister Vishvendra Singh. The Minister was speaking during a session on ''Sustainable and Responsible Tourism'' at the Jaipur Literature Festival. "There is a need to focus on ethical and sustainable tourism by way of which we leave minimal impact on the places we visit," Singh said. The Minister said Rajasthan had the maximum number of heritage hotels in the country. Special concessions are being extended by the state to heritage properties that have contributed to tourism. Smaller interventions can take us a long way towards practising responsible

tourism, he added. "Without losing money and

making heavy-duty investments, we can make a conscious effort to source food locally, employ locals and involve the global community. By recycling waste, valuing our water and electricity, reducing the plastic waste we can keep culture and environment at the heart of our businesses," Singh said. The minister said the government of Rajasthan was in the process of formulating a ''New Tourism Policy'', taking initiatives to maximise, socialise and economise benefits to the local communities, conserve natural resources, protect heritage and begin awareness campaigns.

Tourism Minister and Gujarat CM inaugurate meet on destination management at Rann of Kutch

Need to focus on ethical and sustainable tourism: Rajasthan Minister

The state tourism department has signed an agreement with the

Kerala Shipping and Inland Navigation Corporation (KSINC) for developing water-based tourism in Odisha. Besides housing Asia’s largest brackish water lagoon Chilika lake, the state boasts of a 482-kilometre coastline and eight major reservoirs, apart from several other pristine water bodies where surveys

have ascertained the feasibility of setting up water sports and other tourism ventures, officials said as per a news report. The tourism department had in July last year organised familiarisation trips for houseboat and water sports operators, and investors from across the country at prominent destinations such as Chilika and Tampara lakes, Bhitarkanika and Gopalpur sea beaches.

Since then, the state received several proposals, and five water sports projects have been operationalised at Tampara, Gopalpur, Barkul, Chandrabhaga and Naraj (Cuttack). The department has also floated tenders for the operation and management of floating restaurants at select locations in Chilika lake, said Tourism Minister JP Panigrahi. "Odisha has always accorded priority to

collaboration over competition, and our partnership with Kerala will help boost water tourism in the state," he said. The state government has decided to introduce Houseboats in Chilika lake, Bhitarkanika backwaters and Hirakud reservoir, said tourism secretary Vishal Dev. "Kerala having achieved a position of leadership in this segment, was an obvious potential partner in our quest," he said.

Odisha partners with Kerala to develop water tourism

A 117-year-old steam engine in the Himalayan region is

attracting scores of foreign tourists on the Kalka-Shimla heritage line, boosting the tourism and revenue of Northern Railways. "Tourists come from many countries, including England, to ride this steam engine train. It helps the promotion of the heritage culture of the country and helps in the earning of the Indian Railways as well," said a railway official as per a news report. The northern railway is offering the steam engine travel on booking to the tourists on 12 to 20 miles (20 km to 32 km) on the Kalka-Shimla heritage line. "The steam engine trains are wonderful and

their heritage is very authentic. I will take a message back home that everybody should try and come here at least once, "said Vivienne Edward, a tourist from the UK. The railway department has kept the train running for its historical importance. The Kalka-Shimla railway line was declared the UNESCO's world heritage line in 2008. It has been attracting tourist in the area ever since.

117-year-old steam engine on Kalka heritage line a boost for tourism

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Our urban resort-style hotel situates you along breathtaking Keelung River, a short distance from Neihu Technology Park, Nangang Software Park and Taipei World Trade Center Nangang Exhibition Hall.

For leisure travellers to Taiwan, our hotel is close to both the National Palace Museum and National Revolutionary Martyrs’ Shrine. Additional amenities for your visit to Taiwan include four restaurants, a vibrant bar, 50,000 square feet of venue space for business and social events, a tranquil spa, a fitness center and a sparkling rooftop pool. For travellers wanting to indulge in Indian cousine, their experienced chef will deliver the delicacies during your stay.

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MoT

Arunachal Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein

emphasised on the reopening of the historic Stilwell Road, insisting that it will act as a catalyst for promoting trade and spiritual tourism between India and South East Asian countries. Participating at the Oriah festival of the Wancho community, he said the state government will form a committee for the development of the road which connects India with northern Myanmar and China's Yunnan province via Pangsau Pass in eastern Arunachal Pradesh. "We will appeal to the Centre for prioritising the restoration work of the road as it will be mutually beneficial for both India and Myanmar," he said as per a news report. Terming North-East region as

the gateway to the ASEAN countries, the Deputy Chief Minister said the reopening of the Stilwell Road or Ledo Road will reduce travel distance and act as a "catalyst for cross border trade."

Mein said that country's Act East Policy aims at increasing trade ties, promoting tourism and developing the economic scenario of the South East Asian region through outreach initiatives. He also raised the issue relating to creating infrastructure and development of the border areas in the state. "There is every possibility for Arunachal Pradesh to become the fruit bowl of the country and the state has also the potential to become one of the tourist hotspots. But the need of the hour is how to utilise these natural

resources to draw more tourists," he said. Mein said the state government is providing every possible support for the protection and promotion of the indigenous tribal cultures. He said that

the government had provided some funds to the research department last year to make documentation of the traditional healing system of Idu-Mishmi.

‘Stilwell Road to act as a catalyst for promoting spiritual tourism between India and SE Asian countries’

In a bid to spread awareness about the Jammu and Kashmir

Global Investors' Summit 2020, several officers of the region have been asked to participate in the pre-event activities. Around 54 officials have been deputed to various cities such as Bengaluru, Kolkata, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Chennai and Ahmedabad for participating in the roadshows and for interacting with the potential investors to make the

event a success. International roadshows are also being planned to attract foreign investment. The aim of the upcoming Global Investors' Summit 2020 is to exhibit investment opportunities available in the newly formed Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir in different sectors including tourism, film tourism, horticulture and post-harvest management.

J&K officials to conduct roadshows across the country ahead of Global Investors' Summit

To provide an impetus to tourism, the Ministry of Tourism has sanctioned

seven projects worth INR 594 crore in Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh under the Swadesh Darshan and PRASHAD scheme for development of tourism infrastructure. The schemes provide financial assistance to state governments / UT administrations. With a total sanction of INR 594 crore, six projects are for Swadesh Darshan scheme for the development of the Himalayan circuit while one project worth INR 42.02 crore for development of Hazratbal is for the PRASAD scheme.

The allocation under Swadesh scheme is for the integrated development of Jammu, Kashmir, Pahalgam, Kargil, Leh under Himalayan Circuit worth INR 82.07 crore, integrated development of Tourist

Facilities at Jammu-Rajouri-Shopian-Pulwama under Himalayan Circuit worth INR 96 .38 crore, integrated development of Tourist Facilities under the Construction of Assets in lieu of those destroyed in floods in 2014 under PM Development Package for J&K under Himalayan Circuit worth INR 90.96 crore, integrated Development of Tourist facilities at Mantalai- Sudhmahadev- Patnitop under Himalayan Circuit worth INR 97.82 crore, integrated Development of Tourist Facilities at Anantnag- Kishtwar- Pahalgam – Daksum – Ranjit Sagar Dam under Himalayan Circuit worth INR 87.44 crore and integrated Development of Tourist Facilities at Gulmarg-Baramulla-Kupwara-Leh under Himalayan Circuit worth INR 96.93 crore

Seven projects worth INR 594 crores sanctioned for J&K and Ladakh under Swadesh Darshan and PRASHAD Schemes

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Taipei Marriott Hotel provides an urban-style retreat with shopping, dining, an arcade and a state-of-the-art convention center. Boasting a prime location in the center of the city’s Dazhi district, our modern guest rooms and suites showcase panoramic views of Taipei City and our picturesque botanical gardens.

Our urban resort-style hotel situates you along breathtaking Keelung River, a short distance from Neihu Technology Park, Nangang Software Park and Taipei World Trade Center Nangang Exhibition Hall.

For leisure travellers to Taiwan, our hotel is close to both the National Palace Museum and National Revolutionary Martyrs’ Shrine. Additional amenities for your visit to Taiwan include four restaurants, a vibrant bar, 50,000 square feet of venue space for business and social events, a tranquil spa, a fitness center and a sparkling rooftop pool. For travellers wanting to indulge in Indian cousine, their experienced chef will deliver the delicacies during your stay.

*TERMS & CONDITIONS APPLY

Combining business with pleasure at Taipei Marriott Hotel Make time for Taiwan!

TTB-IN-TS.indd 3 14/2/20 11:57 AM

Upholding the ‘Swag Tag’, Versatile Excellence Travel Awards (VETA) concluded its third edition with an amplified level of gusto and glam. Rising beyond the temperatures, the evening of VETA, hosted on the night of January 7 at The Imperial, New Delhi and co-hosted by Taiwan Tourism

Bureau, witnessed the presence from various Bollywood celebs including Neha Dhupia Bedi who was present at the ceremony with her dashing hubby Angad Bedi and the renowned TV Actor Rohit Roy. The evening was hosted by the spectacular diva Sophie Choudry and the star attraction

of the show Sunil Grover who also made everyone laugh out loud with his rib-tickling performances. Overall, 26 awards were given away to the various industry influencers and passion-driven veterans from across the sectors and fields of travel and tourism industry.

VETA 2020: A REMARKABLE TRIUMPH

TravelScapes


TravelScapes



TravelScapesFOCUSSPECIAL

IS INDIA YET TO PLAY

ITS SMART MOVE?Tourism is one of the major components of economic growth for the communities, worldwide and in the fast-moving world, the new form ‘smart tourism’ has become more popular and therefore, India’s tourism sector is seen as no exception. With the Government of India paying a lot of attention to showcasing the incredible picture of the country to the world at large through various campaigns, the tourism sector has acquired unprecedented significance within the last few years. At the same time, technological innovations are playing an important role to bring transformation in the tourism sector, especially in the age of ‘Smart Cities’ and ‘Digital India’ mission. Necessary for survival in the longer run, the states in India need to adopt the smart strategies that not just provide new improved services to the tourists but also extend the facilities of better liveability, workability and sustainability of the cities. Increasing numbers alone and growing figures on the graph will not help the destination; what will rather help is the smart move by the government and stakeholders working in tandem to make India a better place to live and a must-explore destination. Claiming that sedentary travel is passé and sustainable travel is a game to look out for, the tourism experts share their outlook on how removing the basic roadblocks and efficient use of smart platforms are essential tools to ensure that India continues to generate income from tourism as well as chug forward sustainably on the growth graph

We are working with various stakeholders and trying to combine various aspects of our tourism products, like historical and cultural heritage promotions, with innovative ideas to make our tourism products appealing and attractive to the younger generations of today. In future, we aim to integrate our cultural values with up-to-date concepts and develop tourism in the state by showcasing our Unique Selling Propositions (USPs). This, in turn, will help attract good numbers of tourists to the state. It will help generate jobs while enabling us to give interesting offers to incoming

tourists as well as our locals. Our efforts have helped us attract an increasing number of tourists to the state so far. The tourist arrival figures of Manipur in the year 2016-17 was 1,45,685 Domestic Tourist Arrivals (DTAs) and 3,036 Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs). In the year 2018-19, the state received 1, 66, 032 DTAs and 9,794 FTAs. These figures show approximately 14 per cent increase in DTA and a 22 per cent increase in the number of FTAs, within a span of three years. This shows that our efforts in promoting this state, in a smart way, have been fruitful.The Ministry of Tourism,

Government of India has been right at the forefront in promoting tourism in the state of Manipur. The state has developed many infrastructure projects with financial assistance from the Ministry of Tourism. Development of North East Circuit: Imphal & Khongjom Project, under the Swadesh Darshan Scheme, has been completed with assistance from the Ministry. The project started in the year 2015 with funding from the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India. The completion of this project is yet another major milestone for the tourism department of Manipur.

W. IBOHAL SINGH, DIRECTOR (TOURISM), GOVERNMENT

OF MANIPUR

Ts Gagneet Kaur & Sayanti Halder

Infrastructure is a crucial deficit in developing Manipur as a preferred

tourist destination and we are working to address infrastructural development-

related concerns. It’s acting as a hindrance to transform Manipur as

a major tourist destination. We have abundant resources but lack exposure.

Considering the budget restraint as we are a small state, support from

the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India is vital to promote tourism,

domestically as well as internationally

RISING RECOMMENDATION:

Infrastructure is a crucial deficit in developing Manipur as a preferred tourist destination

and we are working to address infrastructural development-related concerns. It’s acting

as a hindrance to transform Manipur as a major tourist destination. We have abundant resources but lack exposure.

Considering the budget restraint as we are a small state, support from the Ministry

of Tourism, Government of India is vital to promote tourism, domestically as well as

internationally

W. IBOHAL SINGH, DIRECTOR (TOURISM), GOVERNMENT OF MANIPUR


TravelScapes FOCUSSPECIAL

Madhya Pradesh Tourism is working vigorously on smart tourism initiatives to attract more tourists. State tourism is working closely with all the smart cities of Madhya Pradesh to find out the ways to incorporate tourism information and facilities in these smart cities, also many workshops have been organised to discuss how tourism can be an integral part of city planning and traffic management, to name a few. MP Tourism is developing new tools and updating the existing tools to enable interaction between tourists, stakeholders and government agencies, in order to provide better experiences at the destination. We are working on the applications to provide information, which will help tourists in making informed choices such as making reservations, translating services along with audio, direction and GPS guidance. It should also allow real-time communication between stakeholders and guests.The Ministry is very much involved in bringing new tourism policies for promoting tourism in Madhya Pradesh various new initiatives have been taken such as drafting new film tourism policy, investment policy and promotion of heritage, culture, arts and craft, wildlife of the state. Rural tourism is also an

important initiative. New theme-based circuits such as the Buddhist, Jain, Sufi, Wildlife and Heritage circuit are being developed to promote tourism products of the state. MP Tourism signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ecotourism Society of India (ESOI) to take its commitments to responsible and sustainable tourism to the next level. This MoU will certainly help tourism in developing Madhya Pradesh as a world recognised

sustainable tourism destination and in exchange assist MP Tourism to become STCI Compliant and to be known as one of the pioneer states to adopt sustainable tourism practices in its hotels.

Kerala Tourism has shifted from pictures to videos because the bandwidth of most of the mobile networks is very high and its accessibility has thus increased tremendously. We have also started using more video-based content and that is helping our social media handles to become more popular. As a strategy, we have been concentrating on the videos of short duration, say a minute or so. Kerala Tourism has moved away from creating direct content that plainly says ‘Come to Kerala’. Instead, we are creating stories within Kerala, called ‘Kerala Tales’. It has become extremely popular among all kinds

of tourists. We have also moved heavily from website to mobile application, which has all the features of a website, available both on IOS and Android. An interesting feature of this mobile app is that it helps very well with location-based services.Our latest brand campaign and video ‘Human by Nature’ is a new model of aggressive marketing of the touristy appeal of Kerala that showcases not only the state’s enchanting landscape but also its people, culture and the heritage. Kerala Tourism has always been at the forefront of introducing more innovative and smart measures to attract droves of

tourists to the state. We have been using both technology and unconventional methods to increase tourist footfalls from all across the world. Earlier, we had only a nominal presence in the social media handles but now, we are trying to leverage them in a concerted manner. It gives us tremendous satisfaction to note that Kerala Tourism has become number one in using social media not only in India or South Asia or South East Asia but also in entire East Asia. The only tourism board which is ahead of us in Asia is Dubai while at the world level, we rank the fourth.

P BALA KIRAN, IAS, DIRECTOR, KERALA TOURISM


The state tourism boards need the support of a big umbrella like ‘Incredible India’ and ‘India Tourism’ to come up with various kinds of marketing initiatives and promote India as a whole. It will also help the states to reap benefits. If India Tourism, with its bigger brand and mandate, can do promotion in more than 50 to 60 countries and multiple times in major source markets such as USA, China, Japan, South-East Asia and the Middle Asia, ensuring more B2C promotion, it will definitely benefit India as a whole


The state government is committed to creating better infrastructure for facilitating

tourists from visiting beautiful destinations in MP. Tourism has adopted a Code of Conduct

for safe tourism, which contains a set of guidelines to encourage tourism activities to

be undertaken with respect to basic rights like dignity, safety and freedom from exploitation

of both tourists and local residents, in particular women, children & solo travellers

FAIZ AHMED KIDWAI, MANAGING DIRECTOR, MADHYA PRADESH TOURISM BOARD



Smart Tourism initiatives are primarily that of the destination rather than the industry’s stakeholders. To make India a ‘smart tourism’ destination the government has to embark on a very effective plan of action for the same and the players and stakeholders in the tourism industry should partake playing their own roles. As we all know tourism is a major component of the economic growth for any destination. A smart tourism-driven destination should have

the technology and infrastructure needed and the necessary collaborations, innovations and leadership. It needs upgrading of the human capital and smart decisions based on the application of technology and infrastructure. Its tools are the combination of mobile hardware, software and networks enabling interaction between tourists and stakeholders. The communication should enable personalised services and real-time information for making smart

decisions. Ultimately, a smart tourism destination enhances the visitor experience by providing the right information. Stakeholders such as tour operators, hoteliers, transporters and various other infrastructures should equip themselves to be part of the informational effort, creating a smart tourism destination. Correspondingly, being in the industry we too need to partake in these smart tourism initiatives.

India is a very diverse country which is its main strength. The only smart initiatives that we as Indian tourism stakeholders need to showcase is that India is the most vibrant and dynamic country full of experiences, cultures and adventures. There are hundreds and thousands of stories to be told and that is what we as storytellers need to do to make India the smartest place for tourism in the world. Smart tourism means experiential tourism, which can engage a traveller and give memories for a lifetime, which will be the smartest tourism move that the industry can offer. To top it, all experiences need to be sustainable in nature so that a responsible traveller is attracted to India as a destination. Active and Experiential Travel has a deeper connection for the responsible traveller to the places they want to visit. Memories are created by using all senses of colourful visions, exotic smells,

unfamiliar sounds, exciting cuisines and hands-on native experiences.

India has a lot more to offer for adventure travel. Looking at the changing worldwide outlook towards adventure travel, it has now become an important part of mainline travel programs for corporate, incentive movements, training-off sites, soft adventure, family adventures and multi-activity trips. Looking towards the future, adventure tourism holds many opportunities. Today, trekking still commands the major share of the pie but new adventure travel trends and activities are emerging. The opportunities and changing trends see a shift in the mindset of the clients. Our task as tour operators is to empower ourselves with new learning so as to strengthen local economies while promoting conservation of arts and culture.

EM NAJEEB, SR. VICE PRESIDENT, INDIAN ASSOCIATION OF TOUR

OPERATORS (IATO)



The Ministry can make a ‘Master Plan’ for this at the macro- and micro-level of the industry. It can create technology embedded environments and responsive processes at different levels. It should plan end-user

devices and make stakeholders use smart platforms. Apart from a national initiative, the state tourism bodies also should be made stakeholders in the initiative

To position India as a 12-month destination is the smartest move that the government can do. The best part is that India is perhaps one of the few countries that can boast of this. There is a destination to come to every month of the year with an experience waiting for the traveller. We have outlived our image of Taj Mahal, Kerala, Rajasthan and Goa beaches. It is the time to position ourselves as the ‘Incredible Indian Himalayas’

TEJBIR SINGH ANAND, VICE PRESIDENT, ADVENTURE TOUR OPERATORS ASSOCIATION

OF INDIA (ATOAI)



Nowadays, with the fast-moving development of technological advancement, ‘Smart Tourism’ has become more popular, globally. The concept of smart tourism is growing rapidly in developed countries as well as in the developed smart cities. The temple city of ‘Bhubaneswar’ has achieved the number one rank in the smart city project initiated by Govt. of India, also the fastest growing city on the eastern coast of India. Swosti Group is also promoted in various social media through advanced technology to promote smart tourism such as booking through online portals, marketing through social media, promoting our services through search engine optimisation, introducing cashless transactions, video conferencing, inviting foreign bloggers to witness our products and services, which will enable them to promote our products.

Over the years, I have witnessed a sea change in almost every sphere. Technology has changed not just the way tourism is delivered but also the way the traveller engages with the destination. However, we continue to calculate tourism growth by the number of tourist visas issued and the foreign exchange earned. Our Ministry and a large part of the trade, is constantly looking at increasing the numbers. Despite the fact that the growth has been slow and tourist numbers low compared to comparable and competing destinations, we continue to chase the numbers. A more meaningful measure of tourism growth would be how sustainable it is.

Furthermore, only if there is substantial revenue from tourism, will job be created and local communities develop. This will have a positive multiplier effect and only then can our tourism be sustainable. Smart

tourism initiatives also include replenishing the earth and saving the environment. If the tourism stakeholders don’t help by following sustainable practices, the pressure on the environment will be devastating. The government has started a program for developing Smart Cities. This is an excellent initiative, as it develops the local infrastructure, cleans and beautifies roads, focuses on solar energy and introduces technology in various areas. This will have an immediate impact by creating more appealing locations while preserving local heritage and culture. Archaeological sites which are adapted for tourists with mobility issues, quality audio guides and well-curated museums are also part of this holistic development, which will attract more discerning and high-value tourists. Herein lies the future of Indian tourism.

In our viewpoint, many novel concepts are gaining grounds like rural tourism, eco-tourism and responsible tourism and the concerned departments are making concrete attempts to achieve the underlying objectives but the exercise of engaging the locals fully has not been realised yet. The diversions, distractions, manipulations and compromises under such concepts are turning into challenges. Additionally, there should be proper, effective and seamless coordination between the central and states tourism departments in order to develop and nurture various tourist destinations. What is better required is the preservation and conservation of the elements related to cultures,

heritage and environment of various tourist destinations to attract more tourists. Subsequently, the development of proper infrastructure is essentially required to meet the current and anticipated future needs of tourists.Standardisation in tourism is diminishing fast and customisation is seeping in and we are leading players in this space. With growing awareness among the tourists and more tourists turning into travellers, bespoke solutions are the best way and we provide it during all the times. Terra Tales is a great votary of sustainability and all our hotel partners have also adopted sustainable practices at their establishments in some way or the other.

J K MOHANTY, CHAIRMAN, HOTEL & RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION OF ODISHA (HRAO) & IATO EASTERN REGION

GITA CHAUDHRY, FOUNDER & OWNER, TERRA TALES

Infrastructure is a crucial deficit in developing Manipur as a preferred

tourist destination and we are working to address infrastructural development-

related concerns. It’s acting as a hindrance to transform Manipur as

a major tourist destination. We have abundant resources but lack exposure.

Considering the budget restraint as we are a small state, support from

the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India is vital to promote tourism,

domestically as well as internationally




The government should come up with more progressive tourism policies providing various

schemes/incentives, which will attract investment opportunities as well as generate employment in the tourism sector. Also, the website of the Ministry of Tourism should

have links to all hotels’ website approved by the Ministry

Tourists need to be educated to ensure that their visit is a win-win for both the tourist as well as the local population. India must also be smart in ensuring that we promote high-yield tourists who add to the tourism revenue, while not damaging the cultural heritage of the destination and its fragile nature

The concerned authorities should take stringent measures to keep a tab on a lesser number of guests in different regions to keep the natural beauty of the places intact. The ethos of these concepts should be maintained during all the occasions and measures must be taken to enhance sensitivity amongst various stakeholders towards the deteriorating environment and ecosystem. Also, there should be operational overseas offices in order to promote India as a preferred tourist destination

ANUP NAIR, MANAGING DIRECTOR, INSPIRATION INDIA AND PAST PRESIDENT, SITE INDIA CHAPTER


TravelScapesUPDATE TRADE

India temporarily suspends e-visa facility for Chinese citizens, foreigners in china

The Bombay Exhibition Centre witnessed the grandest-ever

edition of OTM in the show’s history. Known for its focus on Indian outbound travel market, the show registered nearly 50 per cent growth in its international segment further establishing its lead in the India and APAC travel tradeshow landscape. Azerbaijan was the latest addition to OTM’s diverse portfolio of exhibitors alongside returning favourites Turkey and Greece. The show was inaugurated in the august presence of H.E. Harris Theocharis, Minister of Tourism, Greece who commented, “OTM is very vibrant. It has a lot of pavilions, tourism boards, countries as well as private enterprises. This is indeed the place to be.” He was joined by Satpal Maharaj, Minister of Tourism, Uttarakhand and Dr Trust Lin, Director, Taiwan Tourism Promotion Bureau.

A range of hand-selected travel trade and corporate travel buyers from within India were hosted as VIP guests in OTM’s Hosted Buyer

Program. Around 500+ top travel trade buyers comprising India’s biggest travel agents and tour operators alongside 50+ corporate decision-makers from ICICI, Ericsson, Reliance, Adani, Sharekhan, Mahindra, Raymond, Network 18 and others interacted with 1,100+ exhibitors on the very busy show floor. Around 200+ travel trade buyers and 100+ corporate buyers who are based in Mumbai attended OTM as pre-registered partially hosted buyers. 50+ MICE and wedding planners from Cineyug, ANR Weddings, Bariza Events, Tamarind Global attended OTM while 50+ top Wedding Planners based in Mumbai were also a part of WeddingSutra Engage, a special segment dedicated to the booming destination weddings market in India. Breaking all previous records, 30,000+ travel trade visitors also interacted with the exhibitors at the show.

Southeast and East Asia had a large presence, with gorgeous pavilions from Taiwan, Thailand, Fiji, Korea

and Japan.

nAnother India’s leading trade show on Business, MICE & Leisure

travel, Business Luxury Travel Mart (BLTM) Delhi 2020, scheduled from January 31 to February 1, 2020, was hosted within the city-centre of New Delhi. Organised at the Leela Ambience Convention Hotel, it was an exclusive two-day travel mart where the Guest of Honor was the Minister Commercial of the Sri Lanka High Commission, Uppekha Samaratunga.

Taiwan, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Maldives and Mauritius have joined

the BLTM 2020 bandwagon along with over 100 other prime exhibitors. Around 100 hand-picked corporate buyers, global admin heads, VP & Country admin heads, Global Travel Category Managers and Travel Procurement Heads attended this year’s BLTM. Alongside, world-class panel discussions on key corporate travel issues, a special track on destination weddings; a unique conference programme on the trends and challenges of the Indian wedding industry were highlighted together with an exclusive Wedding Zone.

Dubai Corporation of Tourism & Commerce Marketing (DTCM) recently

hosted an evening of “Destination Dubai Product Training Program” in collaboration with Travel Agents Federation of India (TAFI) for the Western India chapter. Dubai Training Programme has brought a golden opportunity for the Indian travel trade to grow in business and optimise opportunities by learning about the various experiences and new product offerings the destination continually innovates. The joint-product presentation workshop was well attended by over 100 travel agents from West India. Airline partners such as Indigo, Emirates, SpiceJet, Vistara also participated in the training event. DTCM launched a special training course for TAFI - “Dubai Expert” to educate the travel trade on the various important updates

on the destination. The session was also concluded by giving out Dubai training certificates to the attendees. Priyanka Nijhawan, Director- India Office, DTCM said, “We are extremely excited to work with TAFI and promote Dubai as a year-round destination for leisure, MICE, weddings, special celebrations and long weekend travel. We look forward to organising more of workshops across India.”

TAFI is represented by Jitul Mehta, Western India Chapter Chairman and Pradip Lulla, Acting President. “We are aiming at providing the Indian travel agents and tour operators, optimum and detailed knowledge about Dubai in order to enable them to come up with innovative and unique itineraries and packages that will suit all travel segments,” said Mehta.

India has temporarily suspended e-visa facility for Chinese travellers

and foreigners residing in China because of the virulent coronavirus that has killed more than 300 people, infected 14,562 others and spread to 25 countries, including India, the US, and the UK.

"Due to certain current developments, travel to India on e-visas stands temporarily suspended with immediate effect," the Indian Embassy announced in Beijing.

"This applies to holders of Chinese passports and applicants of other nationalities residing in the People's Republic of China. Holders of already issued e-visas may note that these are no longer valid," the announcement said. "All those who have a compelling reason to visit India may contact the Embassy of India in Beijing or the Indian consulates in Shanghai or Guangzhou, as well as the Indian Visa Application Centres in these cities," it said.

OTM Mumbai and BLTM 2020 culminate on a vibrant note

DTCM organises product training with TAFI Western India


Here is an all-inclusive 24 hour guide for best food, cultural and experiences in Macao

START YOUR DAY WITH DELICIOUS EGG TARTS -A famous Portuguese specialty in Macao, ‘Pastéis de Nata’ - or little egg tarts - are sold at many cafes and bakeries in the city and are best when eaten hot direct from the oven!

VISIT THE RUINS OF ST. PAUL - Macao’s most iconic monument, the Ruins of Saint Paul's are the ruins of a 17th-century Catholic religious complex. Listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage site in 2005, the baroque design of the granite façade is unique, and carries some sculptured western and oriental motifs.

EXPLORE SENADO SQUARE – Senado Square has been Macao's urban centre for centuries, and is surrounded by pastel coloured neo-classical buildings, creating a consistent and harmonious Mediterranean atmosphere.

GET BLESSED AT A MA TEMPLE -This temple dedicated to the Sea Goddess Mazu was built in 1488 and is the oldest and most famous temple in Macao. Situated in the southeast of the Macao Peninsula, it is believed to be the temple from where Macao’s name is derived.

VISIT MACAU TOWER FOLLOWED BY LUNCH AT 360° REVOLVING RESTAURANT -Boost your adrenaline by bungee jumping at Macau Tower which is the highest commercial building. After the jump, treat yourself with some delicious food and stunning views from Macau’s highest and only 360° revolving restaurant.

EXPERIENCE PANDA PAVILION -The Macao Giant Panda Pavilion is a place for animal lovers. Nestled against a hill in Coloane at Seac Pai Van Park there are two rare giant Pandas Kai Kai and Xin Xin.

ENJOY THE HOUSE OF DANCING WATER SHOW - Created and directed by Franco Dragone, the USD250 million production 'The House of Dancing Water' is a breathtaking water-based show that brilliantly expresses the Asian culture on stage..

HAVE LUXURIOUS EXPERIENCE AT COTAI STRIP –Fancy a luxurious experience after a full day’s of fun and sightseeing? Surrounded by the glamour and buzz, there are many ritzy hotel resorts in Macao at the Cotai Strip to experience some extravagance. These hotels are a haven of elegant accommodations, Michelin-star dining and innumerable opportunities for relaxation.

Macao is visa free destination for Indians.

TravelScapes

FROM LUXE HOTELS TO BEAUTIFUL WORLD HERITAGE SITES, MACAO HAS SOMETHING FOR EVERYBODY, MAKING IT THE PERFECT VACATION SPOT. TAKE A STROLL AMONGST THE EUROPEAN AND ASIAN LANDSCAPE AND YOU’LL BE AMAZED AT THE VIBRANCY OF LOCAL CULTURE AND ARTS.

Top things to experience in 24 hours when visiting Macao



UPDATE TravelScapesTRADE

After the successful completion of the first phase of its domestic

marketing campaigns, Kerala Tourism kicked-off the second phase in all earnestness, with a string of Partnership Meets being organised in ten Indian cities, participating in some of the significant tourism trade fairs across India and showcasing a combination of the state’s traditional art forms and its attractive products of touristy appeal. The second phase of the National Partnership Meets commenced in January 2020 and will go on till March 2020. With remarkable participation in Hyderabad, Visakhapatnam, Kolkata and Guwahati during January and in Amritsar and Chandigarh during early February, Kerala Tourism officials look forward to the partnership

meets being held later on at Jaipur (February 20), Bengaluru (March 3) and Chennai (March 5, 2020).

Tourism Minister Kadakampally

Surendran said that the meets, coinciding with the upcoming festival season, would provide opportunities for the tourism trade

in these cities to interact with tourism industry players from Kerala. Domestic tourist arrivals in Kerala in 2019 saw an overall increase as against last year’s figures. The Minister also announced that the 11th edition of Kerala Travel Mart (KTM) will commence on September 24, 2020. The event will be held from 25th to 27th at Sagara and Samudrika convention centres of Cochin Port Trust in Willingdon Island. “Experiencing a rise of 16 per cent of domestic travellers to Kerala in the first three quarters of the year 2019, we have now realised the importance of the North India market,” added Sooraj PK, Tourist Information Officer of Kerala Tourism, who was present at the event in New Delhi.

Tamil Nadu remains as one of the top 10 states receiving

domestic tourists in the country. Recently, the Association of Domestic Tour Operators of India’s (ADTOI) members on PAN India basis have been promoting the state since long. To bring more tourist traffic to the state, ADTOI with the support of its members in the state launched its eleventh state chapter in Tamil Nadu at Hotel Ambassador Pallava, Chennai on February 13, 2020, in the presence of Chief Guest K. Pandia Rajan, Minister of Tamil Development, Culture, Archaeology, Govt. of Tamil Nadu and Guest of Honour, V. Krishnamoorthy, Deputy High Commissioner of Sri Lanka, Saravanan Karathihayan, Consulate General of Malaysia, Dr V Irai Anbu IAS, Addl

Chief Secretary, Director – Anna Institute of Management, Government of Tamil Nadu, Officials from Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, officials from national Associations of TAAI & TAFI, invitees from local Travel, Tourism & Hospitality fraternity including ADTOI members. ADTOI delegation of 11 Managing Committee members led by P P Khanna, President from Delhi participated in the launching ceremony. During the launch of the chapter, Kalaimamani V.K.T. Balan of Madura Travel Service Pvt.Ltd., Chennai, ADTOI member has been nominated as the Chairman of ADTOI Tamil Nadu Chapter supported by P. Ashok Kumar, Secretary, Vishnu Vasanth Kumar, Treasurer and R. Saraswathi as Lady Entrepreneur Officer (LEO) of the chapter.

Arabian Travel Market 2020

(ATM) has appointed Nijhawan Group to assist with the process of identifying premium quality hosted buyers from India and the Middle East region. With over 40 years’ experience in India as a leading travel conglomerate, Nijhawan Group has been sourcing hosted buyers since 2017. ATM 2020 will also work with Nijhawan Group to create content on the outbound travel trends emerging from the Indian market ahead of the launch of a new series of buyer forums and networking events at this year’s showcase which will focus on India, as well as Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman and UAE.

Commenting on the partnership, Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Direct ME, Arabian Travel Market said, “With extensive experience of the

Indian and Middle Eastern travel markets, Nijhawan Group is the perfect representative to assist with this year’s hosted buyer programme and to help ensure the recruitment of key, quality players from top source markets such as India. Ankush Nijhawan, Managing Director, Nijhawan Group added, “We are delighted to partner with ATM for the upcoming travel showcase in Dubai. Over the coming months, we are committed to ensuring a high standard of quality buyers who will benefit from meeting with sellers in a focused and organised environment.”

Kerala Tourism to hold tourism trade meets in ten Indian cities

ADTOI launches its Tamil Nadu Chapter

ATM appoints Nijhawan Group as the rep for hosted buyer programme

By Team TS

UPDATE TravelScapesTRADE

The most-awaited and much hyped parties of the year were hosted by TBO Group recently in Mumbai and Delhi. Gathering the key

business partners from the travel trade fraternity in the entertainment capital of India, TBO organised the gala evening in association with NCL Cruises on February 4 at The Barrel Mansion, Mumbai. With an eclectic mix of cocktails travel conversations and amazing music, this glittery evening was graced by the presence of over 900 guests from the Western India market including several trade stalwarts, key operators/travel agents/airlines/

hoteliers/media and who’s who of the West India travel fraternity. The gathering commenced with an award ceremony where top 53 performers of West India were awarded and acknowledged for their contribution for the year 2019. The evening concluded with much gusto and fervor.

TBO raised the bar yet again as it hosted another biggest bash of the year for its trade partners on February 15, 2020 at Nijhawan Farms in Delhi. Moving a notch up from last year’s gathering, the party was thronging with more than 2400 trade partners present from the travel trade

fraternity. This one of its kind ‘Sundowner Party’ created waves from late afternoon until midnight. The celebrations began on a cheerful note preceded by an Awards Ceremony that aimed at felicitating the productive partnerships for top performers. Addressing the gathering, Ankush Nijhawan, Co-Founder, TBO Group and Managing Director, Nijhawan Group whole-heartedly thanked the travel fraternity for their continued support and contribution. The evening concluded with pulsating music, lavishly spread food palate and cocktails.

TBO GROUP ROCKS THE INDIA TRAVEL FRATERNITY; HOSTS TOP-NOTCH GATHERINGS IN MUMBAI AND DELHI

PHOTO TravelScapesSTORY


PHOTO TravelScapes STORY



TravelScapesTravelScapes

ACCOR, a global leader in augmented hospitality has introduced its new

loyalty programme campaign “ALL Meeting Planner – Double Your Points”. This programme is in line with Accor’s recently announced ALL- Accor Live Limitless, which represents the three essentials of everyday life – live, work and play. ALL Meeting Planner is an offer under Accor Live Limitless programme designed especially for corporate or business event’s organisers.

In this campaign, ALL Meeting Planner members will get an opportunity

to double the reward points for every event they organise and pay before July 31, 2020. The campaign allows MICE travellers to book, hold and pay events in 2500 participating hotels worldwide. From board meetings and conferences to in-house conventions, the programme will reward all the hard work members put into planning and organising each event. Members can use their points to enjoy many different perks, including unique experiences designed especially with their guests in mind and a wide range of partner benefits.

Novotel Goa Dona Sylvia Resort introduces a new convention centerNovotel Goa Dona Sylvia Resort

has recently introduced a new convention center called Salao De Cavelossim Convention Center. Featuring 181 rooms spread over 20 acres of lush gardens and swaying palm trees Novotel Goa Dona Sylvia Resort boasts Mediterranean-theme-styled villas reflecting Goan Portuguese architecture, exuding a laid-back and peaceful setting. The hotel has recently introduced a brand new, swanky convention center, giving this particular property a winning edge over others. Salao De Cavelossim Convention Center is one of a kind event space under the state-of-the-art German tent. Spreading across 5400 sq.ft, the new setup can

host up to six hundred and fifty people, making it an ideal place for a plethora of events like large scale corporate conferences, product launches, fashion events, intimate cocktail parties and even wedding receptions. It is the largest convention space in South Goa. It can accommodate 650 guests in theatre style, 400 guests in cluster style and 1200 people in freestyle. To top it off, the hotel also offers a variety of mouthwatering flavours, at the in-house specialised, distinguished restaurants: Seagull, Mama Mia and Kebabs&Kurries. The hotel also features famed bars, a sports corner, pool area and a supervised kids club with activities.

Lemon Tree signs new hotel in Nepal

Lemon Tree Hotels Limited announced its latest signing –

Bhangeri Durbar Resort, operated by Lemon Tree Hotels, at Nagarkot in Nepal. The resort will be operated through its subsidiary and management arm, Carnation Hotels Pvt. Ltd. The hotel project, owned by Bhangeri Durbar Resort Pvt. Ltd., is expected to open by early 2021. Rattan Keswani, Deputy Managing Director, Lemon Tree Hotels and Director, Carnation Hotels said, “We are delighted to expand our reach in Nepal with this stunning resort. It is our second signing for a hotel in the country, which we feel holds immense business and tourism potential. Nepal is a preferred destination for Indian travellers and with our widespread reach and exciting loyalty programme, we feel that this hotel will add value to our customers and vice versa. It will also add to our repertoire of hotels internationally, which include our existing hotel in

Dubai and upcoming international launches in Thimphu, Bhutan and Kathmandu, Nepal.” The resort is spread over four acres of beautifully landscaped terrain. It features 51 well-appointed rooms and lavish suites, a multi-cuisine restaurant, a thriving bar, well-equipped banquet spaces, a heated swimming pool, a rejuvenating spa and a terrace deck. Set in the lap of a dense forest area, rich in mountain medicinal herbs and other flora and fauna, the resort also offers a spectacular view of the Himalayas, including the five highest mountain peaks of Nepal, viz. Mount Everest, Kanchenjunga, Lhotse, Mt. Makalu and Cho Oyu as well as panoramic views of the stunning Kathmandu valley. The property falls within the famous Panoramic Hiking Trail of about 15 km from Nagarkot to Dhulikhel and is named after the historic Bhangeri Durbar Palace, which was built by King Chandra Samsher over a century ago and is located just 1.5 km from the resort.

UPDATE HOSPITALITY

Accor announces 'ALL Meeting Planner – Double Your Points' campaign


TravelScapesUPDATE HOSPITALITY

Roseate Hotels and Resorts under Bird Group has a collection of

uber-luxury hotels consisting of six niche hotels across India and UK with more under development. Roseate House is a contemporary narrative, creating a new age revolution in the hospitality space. It is a progressive yet relaxed urban hotel that brings a new flavour to the city. The hotel tells a story that knits through every room and floor. With cutting edge facilities and state-of-the-art technology, the Roseate House offers an international fragrance. Roseate House prides itself on creating stellar guest experiences that drive guest loyalty and occupancy. About 24 per cent of Roseate House’s guests are repeat visitors and the resort stays at about more than 90 per cent occupancy. In order to do this, the hotel has partnered with Xperium by RepUp to manage their guest experiences. Roseate House is able to access a 360-degree view of their guests with Xperium. Deep insights through data allow them to create personalized experiences at every stage of the guest journey, exceed guest expectations and ramp up guest satisfaction.

Kush Kapoor, CEO of Roseate Hotels and Resorts said, “In the few months that we've been working

with RepUp, we've been able to boost our upsell revenue and better our guest engagement through personalized upselling and automated marketing. The Xperium platform has been instrumental in helping us track important trends in guest behaviour through reports and analytics that assist in identifying revenue opportunities." A lot of Roseate House’s success is centred around their deep commitment to creating personalized guest experiences. They believe that guest experiences and communications should be personalized, convenient and empower a seamless and overall well-connected experience. “Xperium was built primarily to help hotels and resorts gain insights about their guests through deep analytics, and then automate personalization through machine learning and AI models. We’re more than honoured to partner with Roseate House and Bird Group to deliver personalized guest experiences and create new benchmarks for the hospitality industry,” Pranjal Prashar, Founder and CEO, RepUp.

Sayaji Hotel, Kolhapur has launched Sky Greens, a helipad

converted into an all-new premium event space for social and corporate events. With the total capacity of up to 120 guests, it is spread over 3000 square feet and also houses a climate-controlled glass gazebo overlooking the horizon of the magnificent Kolhapur. Located in the heart of the city, Sky Greens by Sayaji Hotel, Kolhapur brings a rare combination of high-quality designer banqueting experience which makes it a perfect destination for any wedding this season. It promises to provide grandeur for all customized services that will redefine the standards of celebration for everyone. Adding to it, the custom-designed food and

beverages with live preparations is guaranteed to make the culinary experience a memorable one. Every event here is created in a unique way by the dedicated team of expert chefs and the service team. Sky Greens makes one fall into tranquillity.

Roseate House partners with RepUp to create stellar guest experiences

Sayaji Hotels Kolhapur introduces Sky Greens

The Fern Hotels and Resorts has launched Veeksar The Fern,

Kolhapur in Maharashtra. This is the 13th hotel which the company is managing in Maharashtra. Overall with the opening of Kolhapur property, the company’s count has extended to 72 hotels across the country and Nepal. Suhail Kannampilly, CEO, The Fern Hotels and Resorts said, “The Fern brand is very strong in Western India. We are very happy to extend Fern's trademark environmentally friendly and efficient services to the city. Guests visiting Kolhapur can expect the best

hospitality from us." Veeksar The Fern, Kolhapur is an upscale 97 room hotel offering a finely designed coffee shop, a multi-cuisine restaurant, rooftop resto-bar, swimming pool and state-of-art banquet halls. The hotel is situated in the heart of the city, with easy access to the major sightseeing attractions in town and to public transport. The hotel offers rooms in five different categories namely Winter Green, Winter Green Premium, Fern Club, Hazel Suite and Fern Club Suite. All the rooms are equipped with the best modern facilities.

The Fern Hotels and Resorts launches Veeksar The Fern, Kolhapur

Hilton launches 'Namaste' for guests travelling from India to the Middle East and AfricaHilton hotel group recently

launched a programme focusing on Indian guests travelling from India to the Middle East & Africa, named as ‘Namaste’. The programme caters to three major segments—destination weddings, meetings and incentives and film shoots giving guests the confidence, that Hilton will meet all their needs and expectations every time, no matter the occasion or destination. The aim is to offer designed to deliver a tailored experience for guests travelling from India to the Middle East and Africa, offering services for Destination Weddings, Bollywood shoots and Meetings. The motto behind his campaign is to provide the guests with exceptional quality, impeccable service.

A statement issued by the hotel group mentioned the reason behind

choosing Middle East & Africa for the project is, Dubai and a few more cities in the UAE, besides Europe, the US and the UK, are among the top destinations for Indian tourists, according to tourism industry officials. “Despite the slowdown due to rupee fluctuations, the Indian outbound numbers have been growing at an average annual growth rate of 10 to 12 per cent over the last seven years. The market for travel and tourism in India is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of around 7.23 per cent during 2016-2021,” UNWTO said in a recent report. Apart from the Middle East, South Africa is also targeting Indian tourists after relaxing its Visa rules. The Number of Indian travellers arriving in South Africa has been on the rise over the years, with a surge of 21.7 per cent recorded during the previous years. The demographics too have displayed a noticeable curve, with more and more young persons below 30 years of age opting for South Africa as the destination for adventure tourism, replacing the earlier market of family vacations. “To suit the needs of Indian visitors, the country has attractive packages and products suitable for any type of visit. Direct flights to Johannesburg and visa on arrival have further improved the arrivals and the tourism industry in Africa, and we have already seen strong demand from India as a result,” said Jan Van Der Putten, Vice President Operations, Africa and the Indian Ocean, Hilton.


TravelScapesOTOAIUPDATE

TRANSITING TOURISM TO THE MILLENNIAL MARKET

Since more destinations are improvising their experiential offerings, traditional attractions and conventional experiences do not suffice any longer, especially for the millennial travellers, who hold the potential to influence a majority of consumer preferences, across the globe. As the millennials continue to innovate old travelling norms, going beyond the realm of traditional travel experiences, it has, therefore, become imperative for the travel companies to create the right marketing focus not just to successfully cater to their needs but also establish a bridge between the evolving demographics of millennial market and the tour operators who want to generate revenue out of this lucrative opportunity. Seeing this new wave of travellers as a profitable opportunity and further invoke the travel agents to significantly invest in their travel behaviours to create synergised travel aspirations, Outbound Tour Operators Association of India (OTOAI) through its upcoming annual convention scheduled in Antalya, Turkey in March has created a platform to understand why it is of utmost importance for the travel companies to innovate, reinvent and stay relevant to best suit the millennial way of exploring

There’s a 360-degree change in how people used to travel earlier and now. Millennials often take small and long breaks to travel and are well-informed and the travel professionals therefore, need to be updated and have an in-depth knowledge about the destination to garner business from them. They should understand the requirement of the client and accordingly prepare an itinerary to suggest them. We are actively aiming at connecting with other international tourism

boards, have done a few successful training and are going to continue the same in the future. Our aim is to educate the front liners so that they are confident about the product to sell and upsell it. I believe that we have to build trust among the millennials since they think that online is very transparent whereas offline has hidden costs involved. Therefore, they are at times hesitant to approach the travel agents or offline tour operators. Although in India all online

transactions become offline as far as holidays are concerned as I haven’t seen any website selling online holidays. They provide the information from backend and the moment that happens it becomes offline. The travel agents should also go transparent and be upfront with the charges and explain the service charges and markup. I believe we have to be more transparent in dealing with the clients.

The travel trade can help open up new markets, especially in this age of social media apps where the millennials nowadays are making travel a priority. Also, they are very responsible while planning their trips; they are using technology for enhancing their experience and are making sure that they experience a mix

of leisure, adventure, activities and offbeat excursions and that is evident how a millennial today wants to explore more and experience is what they are constantly looking for, whether they travel solo or with friends or family! A millennial today wants to be a part of different cultures, wants to stay active, is influenced

by the world and intrigued by something new and that is the positive outlook that we, at OTOAI, have observed and see how millennials with a synergised travel alternative automatically can help push the revenue upwards.

RIAZ MUNSHI, PRESIDENT, OTOAI

HIMANSHU PATIL, VICE-PRESIDENT, OTOAI

By Gagneet Kaur

5TH ANNUAL CONVENTION OF OTOAI TO INTENSIFY EFFORTS FOR THE BUDDING SEGMENT


UPDATE OTOAI

Millennials are the ones who are value-conscious. They need a complete mix of technology and physical planning to create a product that is full of experiences, adventure as well as value for money. Travellers

today want to do what the locals do or want to eat what the locals eat and experience it the same way. Adventure, nature, art, architecture or culture and gourmet tours are all essentials for them. A tour operator

must be updated with the latest updates and technology and should look at creating out of the box itineraries from time to time to give a newer and a fresher product to the clients.

Millennial is a very important and exciting segment of the new age traveller that is exploding on the outbound travel scene. The Millennial traveller is seeking greater and wider experiences while travelling and not stick to the traditional and tested touristy things…so this creates a great

opportunity for tour operators and travel advisors dealing with this segment of the market to create very exciting, immersive, transformative programmes and offer to the Millenial thereby pushing the revenue upwards. What is more interesting in this revenue generation, is that the Travel Advisor and Tour Operator

will also require to be up there with his/her knowledge of the destination, different experiences, unique activities and more, additionally, it will be great fun for the Travel Advisor / Tour Operator to create such varied and exciting travel holiday options for the millennial.

Millennials are this new generation of travellers who are constantly seeking new and unique experiences. With their increased propensity to spend in comparison to an average traveller today, there is a great opportunity for tour operators

to penetrate this new evolving community of travellers. Hence, it is imperative for tour operators to constantly curate and innovate supported by in-depth destination knowledge to cater to their desires to increase the scope of earning higher

revenues. Measures such as creating theme-based premium itineraries packaged with unique and enriching experiences or exploring new destinations will definitely excite the millennials and can potentially help push the revenue upwards.

The ideology of selling travel as a product needs to change completely. Travellers today are technologically savvy with a major focus on experiential or aspirational travel. Operators need to evolve themselves and technologically upgrade their craft by using artificial intelligence and building itineraries which can be experienced virtually, in order to entice the millennials. Mobile

is in! User-friendly websites with exhaustive information and details are the way forward as all decisions are made in the palm at the click of a finger! Travel is no longer about just taking a few pictures and sticking a magnet on the fridge; it’s more about tasting the local cuisines and living the experiences like a local. The revenues will be generated by

selling less trodden journeys, using conceptual properties, offering local or farm-fresh foods enabled with technology. Through this convention, we aim to empower the stakeholders with deep knowledgeable sessions dwelling on such travel synergies.

SHRAVAN BHALLA, GENERAL SECRETARY, OTOAI

MAHENDRA VAKHARIA, FORMER PRESIDENT, OTOAI & MD, PATHFINDERS HOLIDAYS PVT. LTD.

SIDDHARTH KHANNA, TREASURER, OTOAI

ARSHDEEP ANAND, CEO, HMA SPECTRUM & MEMBER- EC,

OTOAI

CENTRE STAGE TravelScapes

UNION BUDGET 2020EVOKES MIXED REACTIONS FROM THE TRAVEL AND TOURISM SECTOR OF INDIAIn the Union Budget 2020-2021, the government has taken several significant steps for the progression of tourism, thereby both directly and indirectly bolstering it. The budget has hit the right note and the industry praises the increase in allocation of budget for tourism, impetus on infrastructure and heritage sites but on the other hand, raises concerns over some of the key challenges that still remain unaddressed. TravelScapes gathers mixed opinions shared by the tourism and hospitality veterans


The Union Budget for 2020-2021 was a mixed bag for the Indian tourism industry. While the budget would impact the Indian tourism industry indirectly and would prove beneficial with the overall focus on infrastructure spending by the government but the budget failed to address many long-pending demands and lacked any new direction for the industry. The country is currently facing economic slowdown and tourism could have been the catalyst for India’s foreign tourist arrival, domestic travel and revenue growth. The budget has seen encouraging focus intended to give impetus to the travel and tourism sector with the allocation of INR 2500 crore, equally critical allocation of INR 1.7

lakh crore towards transportation infrastructure in 2020-21; setting up of 100 additional airports by 2024 and doubling of aircraft as part of the unique UDAN scheme to further boost regional connectivity and ensure affordability; 2000 km of strategic highways and Tejas equivalent trains to connect iconic tourist destinations. Though all the above initiatives are for the growth of infrastructure, heritage sights and more but it is very imperative that the travel and tourism industry gets more focus and immediate reliefs. The travel, tourism and hospitality industry was also expecting a full-blown infrastructure status for the sector and further rationalisation of GST. Infrastructure status for

the tourism industry can alleviate funding woes. It needs a structured path for an unstructured industry -implementation of budgets, direction to the industry and ease of doing business. We need to concentrate on policies, direct/indirect taxes and customs to boost tourism. The budget should be sanctioned with inputs from the stakeholders to make it a robust industry. We as an association feel our static numbers of incoming will only grow if we are treated as partners and then made responsible for results. Not by bits and pieces but a drawn 2-3 years plan. Aviation, tourism and hospitality needs to be looked into a broader prospect under one wider umbrella as each is interdependable.

To view budget for 2020 with the optimistic perspective is akin to remaining hopeful the entire year. As we look at the upside, our perspective remains justified, considering an increase of 14.2 per cent in budget allocation from last year. It remains to be seen how the allocation transforms the industry at the end of this financial year; though we must remember every impressive progress takes time - for instance,

India attaining 34th rank in 2019 on Travel and Tourism Competitive Index of World Economic Forum when compared to 65 in 2014. In this year's budget our Finance Minister has set the pace achievable with inclusions such as increasing the air fleet twofold by 2024. Further, our vast cultural heritage has been taken notice of and it is good to see expected expansion in not only airport infrastructure but also

tourist (iconic) destinations. This strategy shall certainly help arouse intrigue amongst both domestic and international tourists and will further accentuate domestic and inbound travel and tourism; more so with last mile connectivity to tourist destinations from major metros. This year seems the year of infrastructure expansion and our curiosities are peeked at the expected positive impact of the same in the near future.

JYOTI MAYAL, PRESIDENT, TRAVEL AGENTS

ASSOCIATION OF INDIA

ANIL PARASHAR, PRESIDENT AND CEO,

INTERGLOBE TECHNOLOGY QUOTIENT

By Team TS


CENTRE STAGE

Construction of new airports and connecting them to key cities through scheduled and regular flights goes a long way in boosting the tourism and economic potential of cities. The government’s approach to further attract tourists to existing and iconic tourist locations by providing connectivity through Tejas trains is another step in the right direction. The union budget however, still leaves a lot to be desired.

With travel and tourism contributing nearly 10 per cent to the GDP we believe that the government should be treating travel and tourism as a primary growth driver. Our demographics, cultural and geographical diversity create the perfect platform to drive national pride and economic growth on the back of this Industry. This vehicle of growth needs multi-fold attention in the short, medium and the long term. Despite a big growth over last year, committed investment in the sector at INR 2,500 crore is still not enough to put in place an overall improvement in tourism

infrastructure that is lacking today. As the Finance Minister pointed out in her speech, the states need to do their bit as well. Creation and preservation of tourist destinations will contribute significantly to the overall GDP of the state and also provide employment opportunities to the youth. Moreover, some of the perennial challenges that are being faced particularly by the hospitality industry also remain unaddressed. These include infrastructure status to hotels, parking and development norms and input credit on GST on immovable properties, to name a few.

It is a holistic budget which caters to all segments of the economy primarily education, health & women welfare, infrastructure and agriculture. What is heartening to see is that the government has put a lot of emphasis to boost the tourism sector. Announcement such as development of archaeological sites and world class museums at

five identified sites and allocation of INR 2,500 crore for tourism promotion will not only further enhance the country’s ranking on the Tourism Competitive Index but will also generate huge employment opportunities and give a big boost to the spread of our rich culture and heritage all across the world. Also, the development of 100 more airports under UDAN scheme by 2024 and

construction of 12 more highways will further boost connectivity and provide significant boost to the tourism and hospitality sector. There is also a clear focus on enhancing the spending on infrastructure and agriculture sector which is aimed at accelerating economic activities, boast rural consumption and generate employment opportunities.

The Union Budget has seen encouraging focus intended to give impetus to the travel and tourism sector with the allocation of INR 2500 crore, equally critical allocation of INR 1.7 lakh crore towards transportation infrastructure in 2020-21, setting up of 100 additional airports by 2024 and doubling of aircraft as part of the unique UDAN scheme to further boost regional connectivity and ensure affordability, 2000

km of strategic highways and Tejas equivalent trains to connect iconic tourist destinations. Significant focus of the Budget towards cultural tourism was manifest in the INR 3,150 crore allocation for the ministry of culture and announcements including developing five archaeological sites at iconic sites with on-site museums at Rakhigadi (Haryana), Hastinapur (UP), ShivSagar (Assam), Dholaveera (Gujarat)

and Adichanallur (TN); setting up of a Tribal Museum in Ranchi and a Maritime Museum at Lothal. A far-reaching and long term initiative that I truly welcome is the Finance Minister’s announcement that an Indian Institute of Heritage and Conservation will be set up with the status of a deemed university.

The Union Budget has seen encouraging focus intended to give a shot in arm to the travel and tourism sector with the allocation of INR 2,500 crore, setting up of 100 additional airports by 2024 and doubling of aircraft as part of the unique UDAN scheme to further boost regional connectivity and ensure affordability and Tejas equivalent trains to connect iconic

tourist destinations. A long term initiative is the thought behind Finance Minister’s announcement that Indian Institute of Heritage and Conservation will be initiated and carry the status of a deemed university. This is a very significant step towards skill development of our sector. Allocation of this fund would be majorly used for infrastructural development at

iconic destinations and domestic tourist locations. As an industry we look forward to further tweaking of GST in larger interest of industry to remain competitive in the ever growing MICE market internationally.

JB SINGH, PRESIDENT AND CEO, INTERGLOBE HOTELS

SONICA MALHOTRA, JOINT MANAGING DIRECTOR, MBD GROUP

MADHAVAN MENON, CHAIRMAN AND MANAGING DIRECTOR, THOMAS COOK (INDIA) LTD.

RISHI PURI, SR. VICE PRESIDENT, LORDS HOTELS

AND RESORTS

TravelScapes


CENTRE STAGE

The Union Budget 2020-21 presented by the Finance Minister has emphasised on the growth of the tourism sector. Initiatives such as adding 100 more airports by 2024 under the UDAN scheme will aid in further improving connectivity across the country and manage to cater the significant growth in the number of flyers thus giving impetus to the burgeoning domestic travel.

We have always supported the developments that can benefit the cultural heritage of India and by allocating INR 3,100 crore to Cultural Ministry, we expect more promotion of India’s rich culture and heritage. The government is also looking to develop five archaeological sites as iconic sites with on-site museums in Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Assam and Tamil Nadu, which is a good move, which will attract the tourists across the world. The budget also promises to enhance the road

connectivity by constructing 2500 access control highways, 9000 km eco-development corridors, 200 coastal and port roads, 2000 km strategic highways along with the Delhi-Mumbai expressway and two other corridors, which are to be completed by 2023. It will also make travel accessible and affordable for the travellers, thus encouraging the growth in this sector. Overall the budget is very satisfactory and the measures of boosting transport infrastructure will positively impact the growth of travel and tourism sector.

Continued emphasis on investments in transport infrastructure, education and digital areas would boost tourism and hospitality sector, which currently faces challenging economic situation. Grants to states

for specified tourism initiatives, development of heritage sites and museums are welcome steps. I would expect the investments proposed in tourism, however, to be upped in the coming years.

The announcement of 100 new airports by 2024 under the UDAN scheme is a welcome move and is great news for India’s aviation sector. The news is especially encouraging for Collinson, the operator of the airport lounge programme, Priority Pass, as it further cements our July announcement to triple our investment in India to redefine the

airport experience. With more people travelling than ever and more state-of-the-art airports coming into the fold, we will ensure our lounge portfolio growth is unrivalled, and that we continue to deliver the best experiences through the airport for our millions of customers. With this budget announcement it is crucial to not only focus on the airport

infrastructure itself, but also to understand that it is the different components of the customer’s journey through the airport that drives not only the customer’s spend but also their overall satisfaction with their journey.

The Union Budget has given the Indian hospitality sector the requisite boost by its initiative of developing museums in five archaeological sites. This would aid in creating the much-needed social infrastructure around these locations and boost employment opportunities as well. New

properties and resorts will come up in these locations and cater to these travellers. Also, the allocation of INR 2,500 crore for tourism promotion in this fiscal would abet in attracting domestic and international travellers to various locations in India. These initiatives would surely give the much-needed

push to the Indian hospitality and tourism sector.

SANJEEV K NAYAR, GENERAL MANAGER, WELCOMHERITAGE

JAIDEEP, GHOSH, PARTNER- TRAVEL, HOSPITALITY AND LEISURE,

KPMG IN INDIA

PRIYANKA LAKHANI, REGIONAL COMMERCIAL

DIRECTOR, COLLINSON INDIA

PREETY ARORA, HEAD- BUSINESS STRATEGY,

AMATRA HOTELS & RESORTS

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THE ASSORTMENT OF GASTRONOMY:The hotel offers a tantalising selection of bars and restaurants including The Blacksmith Smokehouse which offers authentic South American smoked

meats, while the Italian restaurant Alloro serves up traditional Italian favorites in an ambient setting. Hello Café is the perfect option for grabbing a coffee on the go and Chillz Bar is a rooftop pool bar the offers light bites and refreshing beverages.

BRACE YOURSELF FOR BLESIURE:If you need to plan a successful meeting or event look no further than Wyndham Dubai Marina. Renowned for its catering and event management, the upscale property can host events and celebrations of all descriptions. When there’s time for leisure, guests can enjoy a pampering session at the Dreamworks Spa, unwind at the sauna and steam room or enjoy a dip in the rooftop pool.

Experience accessible luxury at Wyndham Dubai Marina with stays in their 495 well-appointed rooms and suites. From the moment you step into the spectacular marble lobby, you’ll know you’ve chosen somewhere special. Situated in the heart of Dubai Marina, one of the city’s most vibrant locations, the hotel offers guests the perfect opportunity to explore land and water.

COMFORT PERFECTEDWYNDHAM DUBAI MARINA


Taiwan Tourism Bureau (TTB) brought the wonders of Taiwan to India during a

cultural evening at the Hyatt Regency in Delhi that showcased the fun side of this East Asian nation. Among the tourism trade-focused workshops, travel presentations and a thrilling mixology showcase, the evening hosted senior members from travel management, hospitality, airlines and related industries.

A welcome speech by Ambassador Chung Kwang Tien, Representative of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Center in India, was followed by an informative round of introductions by Dr Trust H J Lin Director of India, New Zealand, Australia, Singapore and the Middle East markets for Taiwan Tourism Bureau. The audience broke

into applause as Dr Lin began his speech in fluent Hindi, introducing himself and his work. Colourful insights into Taiwan’s many attractions were part of this roadshow-cum-cultural evening that began with a series of informative video screenings. This was followed by B2B workshops organised for the guests.

The evening concluded with a dazzling aboriginal dance performance and a lucky draw that saw digital blogger Shilpa Arora win a trip to Taiwan. Vincent Huang from the acclaimed Bar Mood Taipei ranked third place in the annual Taiwan World Class Bartender of the year competition, treated guests to a

thrilling display of acrobatic mixology featuring delicious Taiwanese whiskey. A real evening to savour!

“Visitors from India have been increasing year by year,” says Dr Lin. “In terms of what’s in store for this year, 2020 is the year of Mountain Tourism in Taiwan. With 268 mountain peaks higher than 3,000 metres, we want more international visitors – we’ve had lots of YouTubers explore our mountains. Moreover, the upcoming Lantern Festival has been held in Taiwan for more than three decades. Our goal is to end with 20 per cent growth in tourism from India, with more growth in tier two cities, and we are working with airlines as strategic partners for seasonal discounts.”

TTB SHOWCASES TAIWAN INCLUDING A SPECIAL CONTINGENT OF 22 PEOPLEAims to deepen ties and tourism with the India market

PHOTO TravelScapesSTORY TravelScapes



One of the leaders of tours and travels agencies in Delhi, that serves across the world with its high-end yet affordable services, LeEnticing Global LLP has become the fastest-growing DMCs of the current times. Sambhav Kumar, Managing Partner of LeEnticing Global LLP speaks about the company’s future growth and expansion plans while it accelerates in the rat race of travel business, simultaneously proving how ‘luxury just got economical’

“We are currently focusing on overtaking the tour and travel industry”

TravelScapes

Establishing a 360-degree business sphere comprising corporate and leisure travel

along with travel-related insurance and visa services, LeEnticing Global LLP is now a fast-evolving company that has speedily become a premium Destination Management Company, dealing with B2B travel agencies. “Having extensive experience and expertise in our kitty has led us to be considered as one of the fastest-growing DMCs of the present times,” adds Kumar who continues informing, “We offer exclusive tours and travels services to our travel partners so that they can serve their customers with the best packages. It is about a few years since we came into this business.”Moving in tandem with the speed and size that LeEnticing Global is currently positioned with in the market, Kumar informs that he is targeting for further expansion of the company’s presence across the globe. Focusing just on the on-going DMC brand, Kumar begins by sharing, “We are currently eyeing on overtaking the tour and travel industry as there are already lots of competitors emerging, every day. Alongside, we aim

to move ahead for growth and deliver the most-competitive and effective tour solutions to our B2B clients.” he states his plan of action while sharing what the market might expect to see from the company shortly. “We are working on lots of fun and existing strategies for the development of the company. Nowadays, we are establishing our branches in different countries to reach out to our clients in a better and larger manner besides serving them the best from what the market has to offer. Yes, we are adding on some more destinations while looking out to expand our reach,” he further boasts.Moving ahead, LeEnticing Global aims to deliver first-hand knowledge and personal service to its clients consisting of a team of experienced travel consultants who will help the clientele in every aspect of the journey. Kumar shares how he and his organisation are easily accessible and never compromise with the quality of the company’s services. “We never hesitate to walk an extra mile to offer our clients, delivering the best in the market. The price range of our services is very competitive and reasonable as per the market on-going

price range. We always look after our client's working procedures and also help them to design tailor-made tour packages for their customers”. With a pre-emptive ethos towards serving substantial services alongside garnering a sky-reaching revenue while making a steady mark in the market as well as the industry, LeEnticing Global LLP, under the meticulous supervision of Kumar, is proving with every passing day that its services are here to stay and shine. “Frankly telling, there are lots of ups and downs that we have experienced. But we never compromise with the quality of service that we offer to our B2B travel clients. With the help of our professional team, we cater to every tour and travel hurdle. We are continuously growing due to our hard work and dedication,” asserts the proud Kumar.

SAMBHAV KUMAR

By Sayanti Halder

IN CONVERSATION

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ADTOI’s forthcoming convention will be held in Madhya Pradesh for the second

time. It first took place in Khajuraho in 2016 and will be held in Minto Hall, Bhopal from April 10 to 12, 2020 with the theme ‘Dekho Apna Desh’. The theme resonates with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision that the citizens should first explore the country and then travel abroad. Madhya Pradesh is the host state

which is renowned for its vivid culture, historical places, national parks, hill stations and rich wildlife experiences. At a recent pre-convention curtain raiser several significant details were revealed that include the tentative topics of the business sessions which would be Opportunities of Tourism Growth in Madhya Pradesh under PPP Model, Tourism and Skill Development (tourism and jobs, a better future for all to ensure proper delivery of services

and products), Travel Trends, Digital Age beyond 2020 and steps to take domestic tourism forward under the umbrella of ADTOI (Panelists would be ADTOI Managing Committee, State Chapter Chairman/ Secretary). The panelists for the various business sessions will be the representatives from Ministry, State Tourism Boards, tourism institutes as well as hoteliers, tour operators and more. Chetan Gupta, General Secretary

is the Convention Chairman and for the first time there will be three Co-chairmen Rajesh Arya, Rajeev Sobti and Ved Khanna. This time, ADTOI is organising pre-convention tours instead of the post-convention tours and will cover major tourist destinations of MP such as Pachmarhi, Sanchi, Bhimbetka, Bhojpur, Indore, Bhopal, Omkareshwar, Maheshwar, Mandu and Ujjain.

Aiming at enhancing Madhya Pradesh’s awareness as a preferred tourism destination among the travellers and grounding its 10th Annual Convention-cum-Exhibition on the theme “Dekho Apna Desh”, Association of Domestic Tour Operators of India (ADTOI) is hopeful of yet another successful show in the state of MP. Revealing some significant details at the recent pre-convention curtain raiser, the Managing Committee of the association has lay forth immense hopes and expectations from the state tourism board and its participating members

ADTOI EYEING TO BOOST TOURIST TRAFFIC TO 'HEART OF INDIA'

UPDATE ADTOI TravelScapes


PP Khanna President

ADTOI We, with the support of Madhya Pradesh

Tourism, who has come on board as Host State, will be organising a “Three day ADTOI 10th

Annual Convention-cum-Exhibition ''ns[kks viuk

ns'k'' 2020 with theme: in Bhopal on April 10, 11 and 12, 2020. Our team has started working on it and is expected to put up a grand show. There will be around three to four Business /Knowledge Sessions during the Convention.

The subject will be revolving around the Government, Stakeholders, tourism promotion,

trade practices and more. We expect about 400-450 delegates as buyers and 30-40 exhibitors to

participate in the Convention

Chetan Gupta Hony. General

Secretary, ADTOIOur aim with this convention is that more

tourists flock to MP to explore the 'Heart of India'. ADTOI and MP Tourism will work in

tandem and support each other to achieve our common goal to boost tourist traffic to the state.

Business sessions are not confirmed yet but we are planning sessions on PPP model, Skill

Development and Digital World, to name a few. Madhya Pradesh tourism has always been very proactive in promoting tourist destinations in

the state among the domestic tourists. The tentative number of guests we are expecting is 400+ including PAN India member presence

along with speakers

Rajesh Arya Vice President

ADTOIAt the previous convention of ADTOI held in

Ahmedabad, around 400 members attended the event. For this year, we are expecting over 500 members from PAN India and around 25 to 30

exhibitors will be present

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The industry veteran who has worked as the major workforce and a strengthening pillar of the Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO) for over 24 years, Rajiv Mehra, the humble Vice President of IATO & Director of Uday Tours and Travels never compromised on his vision of working towards the benefits of members and overall progress of the association. His tireless efforts and brazen steps to ensure that inbound tourism is an endless game of catch-up and a relevant subject to deliberate on, Mehra, putting his best foot forward, consistently endeavored for evolution among the members, making sure that their interests are taken care of. While reminiscing about trade, advancement of IATO and his active involvement in the association, Mehra enlightens us further on how tourism being the best source of employment should be capitalised through better understanding and strenuous hard work

STRIVING FOR CONSISTENT PROGRESSIONMehra articulates about the accelerated march of India's tourism

UPDATE IATO TravelScapes


What motivated and influenced you the most in your early days to join the travel and tourism sector?After doing my graduation in Economics Honours from Hans Raj College, Delhi University, my intention was to join Indian Administrative Service (IAS) and appeared twice for it. But then I saw an advertisement in the newspaper regarding Management Trainee with SITA Travels, which attracted me and I changed my mind. This is how I joined SITA Travels as Airport Representative in 1977 and within three years, I was shifted to the Tours Department handling files from the USA.

Having been in the tourism sector for around four decades, how have you seen this fraternity evolve?The trade used to be very small when I joined and not even within the company but within the trade, everyone used to be very cooperative and helpful. With the trade being very large now that aspect has vanished. The dedication of staff what used to be there or even today with the staff who have been there with the companies for two decades or more is no more there. Hotel reservation or air or train reservation have eased than what it used to be before. Now all status are available almost immediately.

Standing at the threshold of IATO elections, how would you like to take the association and its members forward? Under the leadership of Pronab Sarkar for the last four years, IATO has grown and has gained respect not only in the Ministry of Tourism but also with other Ministries and State Governments. Definitely, we have to take this forward and try our best that in case our members are facing any problems, we are able to solve the same for them and to make their work easy as far

as possible. Every day there is a new challenge in the organisation as far as the work is concerned and if we keep the external challenges away then it will be very easy for our members to work.

Being associated with IATO for over 20 years, how would you look back at your contribution to the association?Initially, for 15 years I was basically associated with IATO for the IATO Annual Convention for which I used to start my work at least 45 days before the date of the convention. Many new ideas were brought in and the situation today is very smooth as far as the conventions are concerned. Since 2011, when I joined the Executive Committee of IATO I along with the EC team have taken up several issues at various levels and according to me, we have been able to solve many of them. We want to continue the same in the coming years.

Having visited several countries, which all ideas/policies would you want India to adapt and implement?

Whether it is Europe or Far East foreign tourists are respected in that country by the local authorities or by the police. We also want the same to happen in this country. In all these destinations the tourist vehicles in these cities are provided parking space and the driver

of the tourist coach or car is respected by the authorities including police which does not happen in our country. The day the administration including the police starts respecting a car/coach driver of tourist vehicle and the tourists sitting in that vehicle it will go a big

way in boosting tourism in India. I strongly believe that tourism is the best source of employment and everyone needs to understand the same.

Any advice that you would like to give to people who are entering the tourism sector?To the youngsters who are joining the tourism sector, they need to work quite hard to ensure that the tourists who come to India to enjoy their trip return with good memories and are our Ambassador in future. In the tourism sector, there is no time to go back home or during the season there is no Sunday or holidays or any festivals. Whoever is prepared to take this challenge should only join the tourism sector.

Rajiv Mehra

I strongly believe that tourism is the best

source of employment and everyone needs to understand the same

By Gagneet Kaur


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Recording the growth trends from Thailand and further eyeing on boosting collaborations with the India market, TravelBullz, the pioneers in destination management space, recently hosted “The Great India Road Show” for the travel partners in Mumbai and Delhi. The event brought over 36 exhibitors from Thailand and was well-attended in both the cities where the Mumbai and Delhi edition observed presence of over 200 agents for the event. The interactive roadshows in both the cities allowed the trade partners and agents to network and learn more about the diverse product offerings and newer experiences that Thailand has to offer in the season ahead. The event also saw the unveiling of the company’s latest online booking engine- Phoenix, with its enhanced user interface, along with the dynamic packaging module which will revolutionise the way packages are booked in the B2B domain. Additionally, as TravelBullz reminisced over its nine superbly successful years in business, K. D Singh, Founder & President, TravelBullz proudly shared that the company experienced a rise of 750 per cent of passengers in the last few years, receiving approximately 1331 groups last year while aiming to further expand to 1700, this year. “TravelBullz takes the pride of changing trends in every place that we do business with and if I talk about the journey of nine years, it has been incredible just like a dream, along with certain inescapable ups and downs. The trade in India has been remarkable and we have continuously received a lot of support from the trade fraternity. We have crossed 1, 56,000 passengers last year on our network with a turnover worth of INR 162 crores on the sales side. We continue to look forward to this remarkable and prosperous market of India.” Regarding the recent launch of Destination Dubai, Singh shared, “Dubai has always been on our cards and we have gone bigger with the launch of fancier experiences

in the city. We launched the Destination Dubai with a motive of understanding what different can we do when with a familiar yet high-in-demand destination that Dubai is. With our new package, we want to place Dubai in a different light to the India market and upgrade the positioning of the destination, exactly what we do with Thailand very well. Also, anyone who books through the TravelBullz Dubai Package gets an hour’s ride in a stretched limousine followed by a drop at the Dubai Mall.” Further speaking of the company’s newest business of XML and API vertical, Singh informed that there has been a rise of over 1600 per cent over four years, touching USD 12 million by the end of 2020. “Looking forward, 2020 is the table-turning year. The very name that TravelBullz is synonymous with is technology and we just launched a new project that is going to change the way travel and travel business is done in India. The first-ever module has already been launched and would be available to bookers by February, itself. Our own offices have been using it to ensure a smooth and seamless operation of the same and this is surely slated to bring a big change in travel technology, this year,” he boasts. Also present at the event was the newly-appointed Director of Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), New Delhi, Vachirachai Sirisumpan who stressed upon TAT’s commitment to having a bridge of communication and trust from the vital market of India. “The India market is growing significantly, especially due to the growth of its networks, secondary cities and diverse demands. The number of Indian tourists coming to Thailand has grown up in the last five years and continues to do so. Last year, a total of 1,995,516 Indian travellers visited Thailand with a rise of around 24.75 per cent bringing a revenue growth of 27.45 per cent. We have our domestic offices in every state to communicate and further bring a stronger relationship between the two markets. Our various promotional

and marketing activities around several locations in the country have already brought in a lot of difference,” Sirisumpan shared. On behalf of TAT, he further restated that Thailand is now completely safe from the havoc of Coronavirus. “Thailand has effective health surveillance system for disease control and the Thai public and private bodies, across the nation, have stepped up for hygiene measures along with thorough pest control activities,” he added. Singh also reiterated about the safety of travelling to Thailand, which is completely Coronavirus-free with the lifestyle and tourism remaining the equivalent like earlier days. Speaking on the sidelines of the event, the representative and Senior Sales Manager from Sindhorn Midtown, Pornkamon Naennar said, “Since we are a local brand, joining the TravelBullz network and attaining more business is one of the crucial steps for our brand establishment in the India market. Being an affordable five-star property located close to some of the major city attractions and having a varied selection of Indian dining options, we are an ideal choice for Indian travellers. We, therefore, look forward to closely working with TravelBullz to tap completely into the India market.”

Adding to that, Pisarak Silanurak, Director of Business Development, AKSARA Collection said, “We have already got good communication with Indian travel trade partners and the response has been noteworthy since most of our hotels are already sold out. Since the summer season is ahead, we are hoping to get more bookings from the Indian agents and strengthen our outreach among the travellers from India.”

The gathering of the 36 exhibitors included ONYX Hospitality Group, Sindhorn Midtown, Centara Hotels and Resorts, Banyan Tree Phuket, Avani Atrium Bangkok Hotel and Pattaya Resort (respectively), Compass

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By Gagneet Kaur & Sayanti Halder

PHOTO TravelScapes FEATURE


Hospitality Pattaya, Lancaster Bangkok, Pavilion Samui, Furama Hotels International, The Galleria 12 Hotel Bangkok and The Galleria 10 Hotel Bangkok (respectively), Citrus Grande Hotel Pattaya by Compass Hospitality, The Landmark Bangkok, Dinso Resort (Phuket), Kata Sea Breeze Resort, My Beach Resort, Krabi Resort Thailand, Apple a day DMC, Sunbeam Hotel Pattaya, Savoy Hotel, Hampton by Hilton Hotels, Muang Samui SPA Resort, Madame Tussauds Museum BANGKOK, Sealife Bangkok and Chao Phraya Princess, to name a few. The event concluded with a generous lucky draw for the participants and attendees, giving away gift vouchers of stays at the exhibitors’ properties in Thailand.

“I thank the travel trade in both Mumbai and New Delhi for such big support. We are glad to see travel agents gather from Ludhiana, Amritsar, Chandigarh, Lucknow and Jaipur along with the huge turnout from the Delhi NCR market. I express my gratitude towards all the partners, delegates and exhibitors who have come from Thailand to showcase the best of their products and packages as well. Also, I would like to thank the trade fraternity of the north and west markets for making this year’s roadshow even bigger success. A special mention to the Director of TAT for all the supplementary support, TravelBullz wouldn’t have asked for,” Singh concluded on an optimistic note.


TravelScapesINDIA

AGNIGARH FORT:The big fortress on a hilltop, Agnigarh Fort is renowned for the mythological romance associated to it. Agni means fire and Garh means fort in Assamese so, the literal meaning of Agnigarh Fort is the fortress of fire which is situated in Tezpur. According to Hindu mythology, the grandson of Lord Krishna Aniruddha and the daughter of Demon King Banasura Usha had fallen in love but Banasura did not approve of their relationship. He imprisoned Aniruddha in another place and kept his daughter Usha in seclusion in Agnigarh. It was believed that this place had a boundary of fire, which no one could cross without the permission of Banasura, and thus, it was called, Agnigarh. This travel destination in Assam attracts tourists all round the year and you can choose any suitable time to plan a visit here.

Blessed with the scenic natural beauty of the wild, quaint villages and lush bright-green tea gardens, Assam is an artistic jewel in the crown of North East India. Be it the historical monuments in Sivasagar and Shiva Temples, the vibrant festivities and dance forms of Bihu, Bagarumba, Ali-Ai-Ligang and Jhumur Nach or the panoramic views of the rice fields, Assam’s cherished possessions are endless. Additionally, its distinctive culture and delectable cuisine has also lured the travellers to explore this gem By Team TS

EXOTIC

ASSAMTHE VIBRANT CANVAS OF ATTRACTIONS


INDIAEXOTICTravelScapes

NAMERI NATIONAL PARK:If you are seeking a dose of adventure and thrill, then you should head to Nameri National Park in Assam. The Jia Bhorali River passing through this sanctuary makes it a delightful destination for adventure sports such as river rafting and Golden Mahsheer fishing. The rafting usually starts 13 km upstream and takes about three hours to complete without halt wherein adventure enthusiasts can spot birds such as Ibisbill and Long-billed Plover on the way. Additionally, nature trails through dense jungle and dry riverbeds (organised by forest authorities and accompanied by forest guard) wherein visitors can enjoy bird watching. There are around 400 species of birds in this national park including White-winged Ducks, White-cheeked Partridge, Great, Wreathed, Rufous-necked Hornbills, Ruddy, Blue-eared and Oriental Dwarf.

HAJO:Standing on the banks of Brahmaputra, the ancient pilgrim town of Hajo is only around 24km from Guwahati and is celebrated for being the religious centre of three religious beliefs (Hindus, Muslims and Buddhism). The religious sites of three major different beliefs coexist here. Hayagriva Madhava Temple is the seat of the man-lion incarnation of Lord Vishnu and also considered holy by the Buddhists as it is believed to be the site where Buddha attained Nirvana. The Poa Mecca is a sacred place for Muslims. Kedareswara Temple and Madan Kamdev Temple are the other religious attractions of Hajo.

SIVASAGAR:The historical town of Sivasagar is around 360km north-east of Guwahati. Sivasagar was the capital of Ahom Kingdom, who ruled Assam for over 600 years before the advent of the British. The site is dotted with some of the famous temples of Assam such as Shivadol, Devidol, Vishnudol and Joy Dole. The Talatal Ghar or the Rangpur Palace is an impressive example of Tai Ahom architecture. It is a testament to the vibrant Assamese culture and its rich history and is also the largest of all Ahom monuments in the entire world. Ahom Museum is on the banks of Sivasagar Lake and displays artefacts such as royal armoury, clothes, manuscripts and more which belonged to the rulers of the Ahom dynasty. Charaideo was the capital of Ahom dynasty and is located 28 km away from Sivasagar. This was built by Sukhapa, the founder of the Ahom dynasty. The main attraction of Charaideo is its burial vaults (or maidans) of the king and members of the Ahom dynasty. Shivadol is a famous Shiva Temple that was built in 1734 by Bar Raja Ambika, queen of Ahom King Swargadeo Siba Singha. It is the tallest Shiva temple in India. Some of the other attractions that can be found in Sivasagar are Rang Ghar, Kareng Ghar, Joysagar Tank and Gaurisagar Tank.


TravelScapesUPDATE OUTBOUND

SACKA and OTOAI sign an MoU at Slovakia's Destination Showcase Nestling in a wild and

romantic mountain valley of Switzerland, Mount (Mt.) Titlis is set to embrace more incoming Indians during this year’s summer with its vast range of summer activities. The next question that would surface in any traveller’s mind would be ‘what to expect once you have reached the Titlis?’ Mt. Titlis offers a surplus of year-round activities including an ascent by the world’s first revolving cable car, the Rotair or a chair lift ride over the glacier crevasses named the Ice-Flyer. The Glacier Park, a unique area ear-marked for snow toys is located at the summit in winter near the Lake of Truebsee. Furthermore, Europe’s highest suspension bridge, the Titlis Cliff Walk offers a 100-metre adrenaline walk while the Glacier Cave delivers an experience 20 metres below the surface of the ice where the temperature is always sub-zero. Additionally, the nostalgic photo studio where visitors can dress up in traditional Swiss outfits allows them to take a souvenir photo back home.

Rayomand Choksi, Regional Director-India, Korea, Japan,

Australia and GCC, Titlis – Cableways, Hotels & Restaurants further informs that this holiday destination with a heart isn’t just a destination for winter wonders as it offers a plethora of summer activities as well that also includes an opportunity to try ‘Curling’, a winter sport in summer that involves glacier hikes from one to two hours, airbag jump tower from where one may leap of faith

from platforms of three, four and six metres high, respectively, in addition to the six-metre-long slack line to test one’s balance, concentration and coordination. The Alpine flower trail along the shores of the Alpine Lake of Truebsee, oar-boats on it or mountain biking over trails from two to thirty-two kms, Mt. Titlis is the answer for the pure thrill seekers. Trotti-bike, a standing bike on which one may balance and speed down a tarred road or possibly, hurtle down the mountain on the devil’s bike for the true adrenaline junkie or the newest attraction of all, a zip-line of 700 meters for all ages, Titlis has beyond one’s imagination.

“With snow and ice, summer and winter, Mt. Titlis also

possess breathtaking views and unforgettable sensations all year round,” points out Choksi. In conjunction with Titlis, the historic resort of Engelberg lies at the foot of the Titlis. Encircled by imposing peaks and eternal ice, the monastery village is a haven of excitement and relaxation for individual visitors as well as families. As a snow sports Mecca in the winter and a hiking and excursion paradise in the summer, Engelberg is the perfect destination for lovers of the great outdoors. One may take the boat from Lucerne to Hergiswil and savour the views of the mountains (boats leave from just outside Lucerne railway station). Changing at Hergiswil and taking the train to Stans for a train to Engelberg.

Mount Titlis aims for more Indians this summer

Embassy of Slovak Republic in New Delhi in association with

Representation World recently organised a Destination Showcase ‘1 Lakh reasons to visit Slovakia’ to promote Slovakia as a touristic destination amongst the travel agents, tour operators and media at the Embassy on February 5. Among the main highlights of the event was the signing of an MoU between Riaz Munshi, President, Outbound Tour Operators Association of India (OTOAI) and Roman Berkeš, President, Slovak Association of Tour Operators and Travel Agents (SACKA) and in the presence of H.E. Ivan Lančarič, Ambassador of Slovak Republic in New Delhi.

Munshi said, “India is one of the fastest-growing outbound markets in the world and Slovakia has a huge potential to leverage from the India market. We need to change the perception that it’s not a one-day destination and to promote it as a two to four night destination. Ambassador Lančarič knows that the neighbouring countries are welcoming a huge number of travellers from India and I am confident that after this event, Slovakia will also attract good number of travellers from India. With this MoU, we would like to closely work with SACKA to grow the numbers from India to Slovakia. Slovakia will appeal to honeymooners, families, corporates and MICE travellers.” He added that OTOAI will try and enhance awareness about Slovakia in India, look at organising FAM trips for travel trade and media and explore the possibilities of joint promotions. Berkeš, during the presentation highlighted that Slovakia is at a driving distance from Austria, Hungary, Poland and the Czech Republic.

The Ambassador informed that Slovakia started tourism promotions in India in last March. He added, “We have witnessed visible results of our efforts. We hope that after this event the Indian travel agents will find new destinations in Slovakia to promote as well as the Slovakian travel agents will find new partners from the India market and together we can promote tourism from India to Slovakia and vice-versa. Between March and August 2019 there has been a growth of 65 per cent in Indian visitations to Slovakia.” The top officials of Bratislava Airport will meet representatives of the leading Indian carriers to discuss direct connectivity between the two countries, said Radek Zábranský, Director – Aviation & Strategic Marketing, Bratislava Airport (representing Bratislava Tourist Board as well).

Slovak Visa centres are operational in Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru in partnership with VFS Global. The Ambassador emphasises that the foreign department of the Slovak government has been quite supportive to process the visa applications smoothly and quickly. He said, “Slovakia is part of the Schengen Region. The processing time for Slovak visas is less than four days.” Talking about the tourism offerings of Slovakia, the Ambassador said that their advantage is that the country is relatively less-explored by the Indian tourists and it offers summer outdoor activities, urban entertainment, spa, wellness, agro-tourism several heritage sites, fine wines and beers in addition to lush green forests, castles and chateaux and scenic mountains. Slovakia will attract the interest of young travellers seeking adventure.

Soon to be released Bollywood movie Chehre was shot in the picturesque High Tatras Mountains in Slovakia. The Line Producer of Chehre, Sameer M Upadhyay said that they were able to smoothly finish their project as permissions were easy to get in Slovakia, case in point, they were able to shoot in the National Park with single permission whereas in India they require 55 different licences. Additionally, Slovakia offers attractive incentives for film producers. The government reimburses 33 per cent of the production cost, Upadhyay informed.

The Ambassador further said that in the near future, there’s a possibility that the Film Commission of Slovakia will arrive in India to engage with Bollywood producers.


TravelScapes

The Turkish Culture and Tourism office in India revealed that between January

to December 2019, Turkey has registered a 57 per cent increase in the number of Indian tourist arrivals in comparison to the same period last year, hosting 230,000 Indian visitors. In 2018, Turkey hosted 147,000 Indian visitors while the numbers started to increase drastically from 2019.

With such positive growth rate recorded, Turkey Tourism is expecting a growth of approximately 35 per cent in the Indian tourist arrivals by the end of 2020. The latest official statistics also revealed that 51.9 million foreign tourists visited Turkey from January to December 2019, indicating 13.7 per cent increase from the previous year.

Indian tourist arrivals in Turkey marks 57 per cent growth in 2019

Jamaica unveils the new brand positioning campaign

The Jamaica Tourist Board unveiled 'JAMAICA, Heartbeat of the

World' the new destination brand positioning, recognising Jamaica's outsized influence on the world. Strengthening the island's position as a global culturally relevant brand, Heartbeat of the World extends beyond tourism and encompasses all elements of Jamaica's rich and vibrant culture including music, cuisine, sports, adventure, nature and wellness. "We

are excited to launch 'Heartbeat of the World,' which reinforces our position as a global leader among travel destinations and establishes Jamaica as the single destination every traveller must experience," said Donovan White, Jamaica's Director of Tourism. "On the map, Jamaica may seem like a small dot in the Caribbean Sea. But her influence on the world culture is the size of a continent. We are a cultural giant and we continue to have an indelible

impact on the world's food, music, sport and literature while offering larger-than-life bucket list experiences with extraordinary, talented people." Jamaica's creative agency Beautiful Destinations after extensive research developed the international marketing strategy that positions the destination as the 'Heartbeat of the World' - the beat that makes the world move. A new TV advertisement will launch internationally

UPDATE OUTBOUND

Big Bus Tours partners with East West Marketing

Big Bus Tours, the largest operator of open top

sightseeing bus tours in the world, recently announced that Los Angeles-based East West Marketing (East/West) will serve as its partner in India. East West will oversee business-to-business development and serve as the in-market sales agency for Big Bus product training and solutions. In recent years, Big Bus Tours implemented industry-leading technology advancements, including its Partner Booking Platform (PBP) to connect with a global trade network and deliver a seamless customer experience. Additionally, free onboard Wi-Fi access, real-time bus tracking, live guides on select routes and the free Big Bus Tours app accommodate the evolving digital needs of travellers on the go. The hop-on, hop-off

concept gives customers the freedom to explore each city at their own pace, choosing where to hop-off and discover something new. “The India market is of major importance to us, and we’re excited to leverage East West Marketing’s vast trade network to expand our presence in India,” said Omid Golshan, EVP Global Growth at Big Bus Tours.

“The Big Bus digital transformation has allowed its trade partners to integrate faster,” said Rati Dhodapkar, CEO, East West Marketing India. “With these new tools and efficiencies, will be able to bring the Big Bus brand to new partners in India and introduce more customers to the great cities of the world through its iconic hop-on, hop-off sightseeing tours. It is invigorating to launch this new partnership in India.”

The PATA Adventure Travel Conference and Mart 2020 that began on 12 February

in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia attracted around 368 delegates from 33 destinations in attendance for the three-day niche event with international delegates comprising 40 per cent of the total. Encompassing a one-day-travel mart and one-day conference, the B2B trade mart on February 14 welcomed around 51 seller organisations from nine destinations and approximately 45 buyer organisations from 21 source markets. The event, which is organised by the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) and hosted by Tourism Malaysia and supported by Sabah Tourism and Malaysia Airlines, brought together international experts at the forefront of the adventure travel industry to explore the nuances, trends

and dynamics of one of the fastest-growing tourism sectors. YB Datuk Mohamaddin bin Ketapi, Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture in Malaysia said, “We are very pleased to be given the honour to host PATA this year, whose theme ‘Authenticity and Sustainability in Adventure’ is in line with our aspirations to highlight Malaysia’s outdoor and adventure attractions to cater to the growing adventure tourism market while adhering to responsible travel initiatives.” “I would like to sincerely thank all our delegates and speakers for joining us in Malaysia to discuss, analyse and share their various ideas in planning, building and promoting a responsible travel and tourism industry, particularly during the current coronavirus crises,” said Dr. Mario Hardy, CEO of PATA.

The PATA Adventure Travel Conference and Mart 2020 attracts 368 delegates from 33 destinations


TravelScapesUPDATE AVIATION

Dimapur Airport to be developed in two phases

Rajiv Bansal takes over charge as CMD of Air India

A meeting of Nagaland Governor RN Ravi and senior officials of

the Airport Authority of India (AAI) from Delhi in Kohima decided to develop Dimapur Airport in two phases.

The meeting also decided to further improve the air connectivity in the state, Raj Bhavan said in a statement.

In the phase-I of improvement, it was decided to ensure required extensions of the runway of the airport to enable Airbus and other modern aircraft to operate from Dimapur

Airport and also cater to the required security and safety needs besides increased passenger amenities.

The Alliance Air, which is operating on the Guwahati-Dimapur-Imphal route thrice a week, is considering increasing its services and making it daily.

Indigo Air under Regional Connectivity has also assured to introduce its air service from the first week of March by connecting Dimapur with Guwahati, Imphal, and Dibrugarh, it said.

Senior IAS officer Rajiv Bansal has taken over as the Chairman

and Managing Director of Air India. He assumed charges today at Air India’s Headquarters in New Delhi. Prior to this, Bansal was serving as the Additional Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Government of India. Bansal had held additional charge of CMD, Air India earlier in 2017.

Rajiv Bansal, an IAS officer of Nagaland cadre, is a Civil Engineer by profession, having graduated from IIT, Delhi in 1986 and also has a Diploma in Finance from ICFAI, Hyderabad as well as an Executive Masters in International Business from IIFT, New Delhi.

In his long and distinguished career, he has served as Secretary, Central Electricity Regulatory

Commission; Joint Secretary in the Department of Heavy Industries and as Director in Aviation Ministry. He has earlier been on the boards of BHEL (Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited), National Aviation Company of India Ltd (NACIL) – earlier name of Air India, and Alliance Air, amongst other organisations.

GoAir appoints aviation veteran Vinay Dube as CEO

GoAir’s Board of Directors has approved the appointment of

aviation veteran Vinay Dube as Chie Executive Officer (CEO). As the CEO, Dube will report to the Chairman, Managing Director and the Board. He will be responsible for the management of the airline and also for meeting the goals and long term growth objectives of the company.

The former Jet Airways Chief Executive Officer has a Master’s in Operations Research from the University of North Carolina, USA and Bachelor’s in Economics and

Mathematics from Knox College, USA with a career spanning over three decades in global businesses. He has an established track record of corporate transformations and business development of large, multifaceted international organizations across three continents.

Commenting on his appointment, Jeh Wadia, Managing Director, GoAir, said, “I welcome Vinay to the GoAir family. His proficiency in leading enterprises with more than 20,000 employees and consistently

delivering margin expansion, revenue growth and operational excellence while developing platforms of world class customer service and employee engagement is something that GoAir will benefit from.”

In his earlier assignments, Vinay has held the position of Senior Vice President-Asia Pacific at Delta Air Lines, Inc., Chief Executive Officer at Delta Technology LLC, Vice President-Consulting & Marketing Solutions at Sabre Airline Solutions and Manager-Network Forecasting Systems at American Airlines, Inc.

Uttarakhand’s first Heli Services under UDAN flagged offMinistry of Civil Aviation (MoCA)

operationalised the first ever helicopter services from Dehradun’s Sahastradhara helipad to Gauchar, and Chinyalisaur under the Regional Connectivity Scheme – Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik (RCS-UDAN) of Government of India. Trivendra Singh Rawat, Chief Minister of Uttrakhand and Pradeep Singh Kharola, Secretary, MoCA. The inauguration of the heli routes in the Uttrakhand region is in line with the objective of the Ministry of Civil Aviation to enhance the aerial connectivity of the hilly areas in the country.

MoCA awarded the Sahastradhara-Gauchar-Chinyalisaur route to Heritage Aviation under the UDAN 2 bidding process. Heritage Aviation will operate helicopter services from Sahastradhara to Gauchar and Chinyalisaur twice daily. For the Heli services, Viability Gap Funding (VGF) is provided under UDAN to keep the fares affordable for the common people. The State Government of Uttrakhand is also providing additional incentives to make the scheme more attractive.

The helicopter services from the Sahastradhara helipad to Gauchar

and Chinyalisaur had been the long pending demand of the people residing in the hilly areas. The services on this route will boost the tourism sector in the Uttrakhand region and will also assist the Chaar Dhaam Yatra pilgrims as Gauchar is en route to Badrinath and Chinyalisaur is en route to Gangotri in the Uttarkashi district. Heli services under UDAN are currently being operationalised between Chandigarh to Shimla, Shimla to Dharamshala & Shimla to Kullu.

With the commencement of the Sahastradhara-Gauchar-Chinyalisaur route, the Ministry of Civil Aviation has operationalised 260 routes under UDAN. Furthermore, Pawan Hans Limited (PHL) is also going to commence the operations under UDAN from Jolly Grant Airport, Dehradun to New Tehri, Srinagar (Chamoli, UK) & Gauchar. With an aim to efficiently connect high priority regions (NER, Hilly States, J&K, Ladakh, and Islands) for the masses, MoCA recently invited the 4th round of bidding under UDAN which is under progress.

Senior officials of MoCA and State Government were also present at the inauguration of the route.

Rajiv Bansal

Vinay Dube


TravelScapesON THE MOVE

PROMOTED AT: Renaissance Ahmedabad TO: General Manager

Renaissance Ahmedabad has appointed Vivek Sharma as its General Manager. Sharma brings to the table his vast repertoire of running and managing highly successful hotels and has an extensive experience of over 20 years in the hospitality industry. He is committed to providing strategic leadership expertise that ensures effective and efficient overall management at the hotel.

VIVEK SHARMA

PROMOTED AT: ITC Kohenur Hyderabad TO: General Manager

ITC Kohenur Hyderabad has appointed Prashant Chadha as its General Manager. With a career spanning almost two decades, Chadha is widely known as the ‘feet on wheels’ for his able guest handling skills. He has 18 years of progressively challenging and successful experience in hotel operations. At ITC Kohenur, his key responsibilities will include overseeing the hotel operations.

PRASHANT CHADHA

PROMOTED AT: Vivanta New Delhi, Dwarka TO: General Manager

Vivanta New Delhi, Dwarka appoints Surinder Singh as its General Manager. Following a distinguished career in hospitality with over 30 years of experience, Singh has held leadership positions and has worked with renowned properties of The Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL). In his new role, he will be responsible for the continued success of Vivanta New Delhi, Dwarka through his strategic

SURINDER SINGH

PROMOTED AT: The St Regis Mumbai TO: General Manager

The St Regis Mumbai appoints Nicholas Dumbell as its General Manager. Dumbell is a multi-cultural global citizen with 25 years of experience in the hospitality industry. Having started his career in London with leading International hospitality chains, he soon became a part of Marriott International’s myriad brands spanning the last two decades.

PROMOTED AT: Sarovar HotelsTO: Vice President – Sales

Sarovar Hotels appoints Akshay Thusoo as Vice President – Sales at its corporate office in Delhi. An industry adept professional, Thusoo brings with him almost a decade of experience in hospitality, media and automobile industry. In his new role, he will be responsible for conceptualising and implementing sales strategies at both corporate and regional level.

PROMOTED AT: Absolute Hotel Services India TO: Resort Manager Absolute Hotel Services India appoints Rajendra Joshi as Resort Manager of U Tropicana Alibaug. Joshi brings to the fore over a decade of proven track record, with experiences amid global brands, inclusive of overseas assignments. He was earlier part of the regional office at Absolute Hotel Services India as Operations Manager and was responsible for the support and oversight of operations.

PROMOTED AT: Banyan Tree Phuket TO: Director of Sales and Marketing

Banyan Tree Phuket appoints Michelle Lee as its Director of Sales and Marketing. With over 20 years of experience in Sales and Marketing across Asia, Lee brings a seasoned know how to the 220 pool villas resort. She has has played key role in rebranding and opening projects in resort and city hotel.

MICHELLE LEE

NICHOLAS DUMBELL

AKSHAY THUSOORAJENDRA JOSHI

PROMOTED AT: The Westin Chennai VelacheryTO: Marketing and Communications

ManagerThe Westin Chennai Velachery has appointed Aully Banerjee as its Marketing and Communications Manager. Banerjee will be responsible to carry out diverse marketing, communications, media relations, social media and digital marketing activities. Her role engages her to enhance brand visibility of the hotel along with positioning and marketing of Food & Beverage.

AULLY BANERJEE

PROMOTED AT: Holiday Inn Mumbai TO: Executive Assistant ManagerHoliday Inn

Mumbai has announced the appointment of Mukta Khanna as its Executive Assistant Manager. Khanna comes with an illustrious 17 years of experience in the hospitality industry. Prior to joining Holiday Inn Mumbai, she has worked with reputed hospitality brands such as Crowne Plaza New Delhi, Radisson Blu Hotel New Delhi, Svelte Personal Suites, Intercontinental The Grand, Uppal's Orchid- An Ecotel Hotel and Intercontinental Park Royal.

MUKTA KHANNA

Something magical happens when you find the place you truly belong, where you’re welcomed like family no matter where you go and cared for sincerely with a gracious Thai touch.

This is the essence of Centara Hotels & Resorts. Whether your clients are planning a family beach holiday or an urban getaway, you can rest assured that clients will be well taken care of, with activities and facilities families love, and a Kids’ Club supervised by caring staff, so children are well looked after and parents can enjoy some alone time too.

THAILAND • MALDIVES • OMAN • QATAR • SRI LANKA • VIETNAM

Visit our dedicated trade website centarahotelsresorts.com/b2b

THE PLACE TO BE

PATTAYA, THAILAND

26540_CHR_Ads_FP_TTR-Weekly_B2B_Re01.indd 2 23/1/2563 BE 17:45

RNI No. - DELENG/2013/48401 • Licence No. : F.2(T-3) 2013 • Posting Dt. 9-10/03/2020 Place of Posting: NIEHOND 110028 • Reg. No. - DL(W)10/2208/2019-2021 • Date of publication 3-4/03/2020

March Issue 2020 - TravelScapes

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