Safari Plus 2015 March April by Safari Plus

Edited & Published by Shailendra Kesari • For Online News visit: www.safariplus.co.in • Email: info@safariplus.co.in • Mar - Apr 2015 • Vol: 16 Issue: 4

Ladakh

` 20

The Most Beautiful Place in India

Ladakh is literally translated as “Land of High Passes” in Tibet. It piece of broken moon land- a perfect place to witness the unmatched beauty of nature. It is a region encircled by two of the world's mightiest mountain ranges, the Great Himalaya to the south and the Karakoram to the north. Being the highest inhabited region in India, it’s culture and history is closely related to that of Tibet. It's the highest plateau of state of Kashmir with much of it being over 3,000 meters above the sea level. Contd on pg 10

Approved by Ministry of Tourism, Govt of India.

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NEWS FLASH

GURU MANTRA New Initiatives By Mot To Boost International Tourist Arrivals

By Gour Kanjilal Ministry of Tourism (MoT) has drawn out a set of new initiatives under the guidance of new energetic Tourism Ministry to boost and revamp tourism. Primarily these areas include. Visa Facilitation: Visa remained a great concern and deterrent on persistent for tourists to choose India. The government of India launched the Tourist Visa on Arrival (TVoA) enabled with ETA Scheme on 27th November, 2014. This scheme in the first phase was extended to nationals of 43 countries. The positive trend due to such visa relaxation process is also visible in international tourist arrivals. The foreign tourist arrivals got barely 7.46 million tourists with growth of 7.1% as compared to the FTA of 69.98 lakh in 2013. Foreign Exchange earnings from tourism in terms of US$ during 2014 were US$ 19.657 billion with a growth of 6.6% as compared to US$ 18.445 billion with a growth of 4.0% during January – December 2013 over the corresponding period of 2012. Till February end it is expected to reach double digit growth. The government is determined to reach 10 million International arrival figure by 2017 at least 1% of global tourist arrivals (which is now 0.6%) For boosting international tourist arrivals, on recommendation of IATO, PATA, FAITH Ministry of Tourism has requested MHA to include France, UK, Spain, Italy and China in TVoA enabled by ETA which is now in urgently active consideration by MHA. Hon’ble Finance Minister’s announcement that Visa-onArrival (VoA) would be offered to upto 150 countries up from 44 countries. Tourist Safety and Security Measures launched: Safety concerns have been raised by international and domestic tourists and Tour operators overseas in view of series of rapes, molestations, road rage etc which got headlines in overseas media reports. In this respect, MoT has launched Incredible India Helpline – 1363. The MoT, on a pilot basis, has set up the Incredible India Help Line to address and guide the tourists during any emergencies which may include medical, crime natural calamities or on being stranded. This service will be available as toll free on telephone 1800111363 or on a short code 1363 and is accessible 24×7 and 365 to provide an authentic information to tourists and also guide them during emergencies once they are in India. ‘Public order’ and ‘police are state subjects as per the seventh schedule of the constitution of India. As such, the

March - April, 2015

prevention of crime, including crimes against tourists, is the primary responsibility of State Governments/ Union Territories. In order to ensure safety and security of tourists, including foreign tourists, Ministry of Tourism has advised all the State G o v e r n m e n t s / U n i o n Te r r i t o r y Administrations to deploy Tourist Police in the States /Union Territories. Skill Development/ Human Resource development programme- Revamped The Sector Skill Council (SSC) to regulate and promote hospitality and tourism related education and skill development in the country has been registered Consulting Agreement with Lausanne Hospitality Consultancy : NCHMCT (an autonomous body under the ministry of tourism) has entered into a CONSULTING AGREEMENT with Lausanne hospitality consultancy (LHC). As per this agreement, LHC will help the council review and revise the curriculum and train the faculty members for improved delivery of contents. Foundation stone laid for setting up Indian Culinary Institute:The MoT is setting up an Indian Culinary Institute at Tirupati, AP with objective (i) to ensure the preservation of heritage Indian cuisine, (ii) to establish research, documentation, museum and resource center of Culinary Arts (iii) to impart specialized training in culinary skils. The Indian Culinary Institute will serve as a resource center in its subject domain, conforming to international benchmarks. The foundation stone of the said Institute was laid on 2nd September, 2014 at Tirupati. Foundation stone of campus buildings of National Indian Culinary Institute North India Chapter was in Noida on 31 January, 2015. New Initiatives for Sustainable development of (i) theme based circuits (Swadesh Darshan) and (ii) National Mission on Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Augmentation Drive (PRASAD) under implementation in compliance with the Budget announcements in 2014/15. India’s rich cultural, historical, religious and natural heritage provides a huge potential for development of tourism and job creation. In due recognition of this potential, the Union Govt., in the Budget Speech 2014-15, decided to create tourist circuits around specific themes with a provision of Rs. 500 crore for the current year. The Scheme aims to provide complete tourism experience by enhancing tourist attractiveness in a sustainable manner by developing world class infrastructure in varied thematic circuits and make full use of the national potentials and advantages development of theme based circuits. The circuits identified are Coastal circuit, Krishna circuit, Buddha circuit, North East circuit, and Himalayan circuit and details are being worked out with all stake holders. National Mission on Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual

Augmentation (PRASAD). The Pilgrim Destinations to be developed under PRASAD Scheme are: Varanasi, Amritsar, Ajmer, Gaya, Mathura, Kanchipiuram, Vellankani, Kedarnath, Kamakya, Dwaraka, Puri, Amaravati. 50 new circuits identified for development : MoT has identified 50 circuits/destinations for development of tourism. These circuits/destinations cover major and relevant tourist places and attractions and have a judicious mix of culture, heritage, spiritualism and ecotourism to give tourists a holistic perspective of the country. Upgradation of Railway Stations of touristic importance undertaken on cost sharing basis (50:50) with Ministry of Tourism Railways at a total cost of Rs. 240 crores. Tourism becomes an integral part of “Swachh Bharat” campaign Swachh Paryatan, SwachhSmarak, SwachhPakwan etc. Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has identified 25 monuments in the first phase to be included under Model Monuments from among the 3680 monuments & sites of national importance under is protection. These monuments would be provided necessary tourist facilities including wifi, security, signages, encroachment free area, interpretation centers showing short films about the importance of monuments and signboards of Swachh Bharat Abhiyanmentioning the slogan ‘SwachhSmarak’ Swachh Bharat’. Swa c h h B h a rat Swa c h h Pa k wa n (HunarZaika): The street food vendors constitute a significant percentage of the hospitality service providers, are part of the Indian milieu through the ages and have a pan India presence. This program is aimed at upgrading the skills and hygiene standards of Street Food Vendors, so that they become a distinctive aspect of the Indian tourism. New Budget: 2015/16 - Hon’ble Finance Minister in the Budget 2015 has demonstrated the government’s strong re s o l ve fo r c l e a n e r, S afe r a n d rejuvenated India with the medical facilities and better transparency. All these are essential to build a positive image of our country. Also Hon’ble Minister promised restoration of 25 cultural Heritage sites. Here also air c o n n e c t i v i t y, c l e a n l i n e s s , s t ay arrangements transportation system, security etc needed to be sorted out first before giving wide publicity so that tourists can get a real “Incredible India” experience. At least, select 10 Heritage monuments first which have air connectivity from main gateway cities. That is very positive announcement. But we need Indian Airports be developed first to

ensure these are ready to cope with clearing visa on arrival facilities. Delays have been reported by overseas tour operators when they tried to get feedback from the groups returned after India holidays. This may impact negatively in the growth of tourists. Ministry of Civil Aviation, Government of India announce plans to develop 200 low cost airports in Tier 2 and 3 cities. Airport Authority of India drawn up a low cost model to create these. But building airport is not enough. Already cities like Jaipur and Bhopal have good airports but airlines are not interested in operating flights to some of these towns. Specially passengers end up paying a ridiculous fare to these places. Air connectivity to some of these tours in 2 tier/3 tier cities is pretty woeful experience. So this must also get priority attention. According to UNWTO India ranks 41 in international tourism arrivals and 16th in world tourism receipts. Though tourism is one of the biggest contributors to country’s GDP. A 2014 report by the World Travel and Trade council (WTTC) that every $ 1 million internal and tourism spending in India generates $ 1.3 million in GDP. This high contribution of tourism Ministry of Tourism allocation for 2015/16 has also been increased from Rs 1182.99 crore in the last fiscal to Rs 1573.07 crore and that also shows how tourism got priority in central Budget this year. Tourism promotions are a bit disturbed that the government has increased the Service Tax rate from 12.36% to 14% which will make tourism packages costlier and may dampen the spirits of holidayers. Infact, Indian Tourism operators were pleading since last decade with the government that tourism service export be treated on par with physical exports and tourism be extended all benefits that are being given to the physical exporters, including exemption of Service Tax based on their foreign exchange earnings. This Budget is drawing a road map for the next four years with the objective of providing basic infrastructure enhancing investment and giving benefits to all. As GST rollout in 2016, tax regime will be regulated. All these benefit tourism also indirectly. By Gour Kanjilal, Executive Director, IATO and Former, Dy. Director General, Ministry of Tourism, Govt. of India and Freelance Journalist.

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Andaman & Nicobar Islands Showing Trend During The Last 5 Years The number of Domestic Tourist Visits (DTVs) and Foreign Tourist Visits (FTVs) to A n d a m a n & N i co b a r Islands have shown an increasing trend during the last 5 years. The numbers of Domestic Tourist Visits (DTVs) and Foreign Tourist Visits (FTVs) to Andaman and Nicobar Islands during 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014 are as follows: Year DTVs FTVs 2010 180781 14615 2011 202221 15814 2012 238699 17538 2013 243703 14742

2014 285146 17235 Some of the factors responsible for tourist inflow to the destination are connectivity to the destination, availability of reasonably priced hotel accommodation, good tourism infrastructure, carrying capacity of the destination, environment condition etc.

TAAI Convention in Indonesia Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI) announces the 62nd Exhibition and Convention at Bali, Indonesia, from the 26th to 28th March 2015. Popularly known as the Indian Travel Congress, TAAI Conventions have created an enormous impact wherever they are held. TAAI Convention in Bali focuses on the theme“Reflections, Redefining and Relevance!” Its focus is to encourage industry players to evolve in a changing environment that offers growing opportunities. Sustaining Success in today's vibrant market place is a huge challenge and one must be ready to reflect in order to initiate change and remain relevant.

DGCA Sets Up Unit To Monitor Airfare 50 Circuits Have Been Identified Across Directorate General Civil Aviation (DGCA) has set up a Tariff Monitoring Unit to monitor airfares on certain routes selected on random basis to ensure that the airlines do not charge airfares outside the range declared by them. An analysis has shown that the airfares remained well within the fare bucket uploaded by the airlines on their respective websites. Air fares are not regulated by the government. Under the provision of Sub Rule (1) of Rule 135, Aircraft Rules 1937, airlines are free to fix reasonable tariff having regard to all relevant factors, including the cost of operation, characteristics of services, reasonable

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India For The Development Of Tourism

profit and the generally prevailing tariff. Air fare fixed by the airlines is published on their respective website under the provision of of Sub Rule (2) of Rule 135, Aircraft Rules 1937. Airlines remain compliant to the regulatory provision of Rule -135 as long as the fare charged by them does not exceed the fare established and displayed on their website.

The Ministry of Tourism has identified 50 circuits for development of tourism. These circuits/destinations cover major and relevant tourist places and attractions and have a judicious mix of culture, heritage, spiritualism and ecotourism to give tourists a holistic perspective of the country. Port BlairNeil Havelock-Little Andaman (Andaman and Nicobar), Kashmir Circuit (Jammu and Kashmir), Desert circuit (Rajasthan), Nature Tourism Circuit (West Bengal), Braj-Agra Circuit (Uttar Pradesh), Gangtok (Sikkim) are the circuits identified. The Ministry has formulated a plan

scheme SWADESH DARSHAN for integrated development of tourist circuits around specific themes. The five circuits indentified under this scheme are: Buddhist Circuit, Himalayan Circuit, Coastal Circuit, Krishna Circuit and North-East Circuit. In 2012-13, a total of 136 projects were sanctioned to the states and an amount of Rs 929 crores was sanctioned to them for these projects. In 2013-14, the number of projects sanctioned to the states was 261 and an amount of Rs 1801 crores was sanctioned to them. In 201415 (till December, 2014) a total of 53 projects were sanctioned to the states and a sum of Rs 333 crores was sanctioned to them for these projects.

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NEWS FLASH

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EVENTS IT&CM China 2015 will be held from April 14 to 16 at Shanghai Exhibition & Convention Center of International Sourcing China's leading MICE, business, education and networking event “Promoting China to the World and the World to China” Bringing together Chinese and International MICE exhibitors and buyers in one dynamic marketplace, IT&CM China is the platform for international and leading Chinese players in the MICE industry to explore business opportunities on all fronts – inbound, outbound and domestic. 2015 UPDATES IT&CM China 2015 Unveils Brand New Venue - IT&CM China 2015 show gears up to open at a brand new venue this year. Deemed the Pearl on the River, Shanghai Convention & Exhibition Center of International Sourcing (SHCEC) is the perfect combination of convention and exhibition. The international multifunctional complex houses facilities for conventions, exhibitions, activities and catering. Located in the center of Shanghai Changfeng Ecological Business District, surrounded by Suzhou River and adjacent to Hongqiao business area, SHCEC has a total area of 9,000sqm of conference rooms, 16,000sqm of exhibition area, 5,000sqm of catering area and 800 underground parking lots.

In addition, three properties from the Marriott Group have partnered with IT&CM China as Official Hotels for over 400 hosted delegates – JW Marriott Shanghai Changfeng Park, Renaissance Shanghai Yangtze Hotel and Shanghai Marriott Hotel Parkview. Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) Establishes Larger Presence - Expect to see a 25% increase in MICE suppliers and showcase at Thailand's 60sqm pavilion, fronted by Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) at the upcoming IT&CM China 2015. Vichaya Soonthornsaratoon, Director of Meetings, Incentives and Conventions Department of TCEB revealed what delegates can expect from TCEB. “We will continue our mega-event campaign to attract large-scale projects from China that bring in at least 1,000 delegates to Thailand. We will provide support to ensure their meetings and trips to Thailand run smoothly and successfully.” Participating for the first time with the Thai Pavilion is TICA, Thailand Incentive

and Convention Association. General Manager, Prapahan Sungmuang commented on the motivation behind their attendance at IT&CM China 2015, “China's economy and meeting industry is growing rapidly, and Thailand remains the favorite destination for MICE events for this market. We believe attending this show will benefit the Association and its members. IT& CM China will be a good platform for us to meet with the international and leading Chinese players in the MICE industry, and gain more business leads.” Berlin Debuts As IT&CM China 2015 Exhibitor - Berlin pavilion as the city debuts as the show's first European MICE destination this year. Delegates can hear from Berlin Convention Office representatives on the extensive information available about the multifaceted congress and convention destination. Destination Grenada Confirms Presence At IT&CM China 2015 Grenada – fondly known as The Spice of the Caribbean. The island country best known for its resort landscape, pure

unspoilt natural beauty and a beckoning haven for adventure seekers to culture enthusiasts, has confirmed its presence at IT&CM China 2015. Grenada is one of the Caribbean's most exclusive destinations, and popular with the western tourists with 600,000 visitors per year. With gorgeous beaches, restaurants ranging from fine dining to foodie snacks and several firstclass spas; it offers visitors a distinctly Caribbean experience away from the tourist hordes. Delegates who visit the Grenada booth can expect to get a glimpse of the splendid scenery and relaxed lifestyle of the Caribbean. Interest sites include the Grenada Underwater Sculpture Park and Pure Grenada, a world-class integrated resort representing the distinctive features of Grenada. In the 2014 event, over 600 international and Chinese buyers were in attendance, with close to 490 coming from the various regions of China. This surged the ratio of Chinese buyers to an all-time high of 70% of the buyer delegation.

UP Travel Mart 2015 Shows Uttar Pradesh In New Light

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mr Akhilesh Yadav on 22 Feb, 2015 inaugurated the Uttar Pradesh Travel Mart 2015 (a joint initiative of FICCI and UP Tourism). The Mart had brought more than 79 foreign tour operators and 23 domestic tour operators to capital city Lucknow. Commenting on Mr Akhilesh Yadav, said, “Such an event was long overdue

a n d hoped that it would go a long way in highlighti ng the unlimited potential of tourism in the state. The government is committed to provide the best of facilities to tourists coming to the state and also to strengthening the infrastructure. And we are committed to brand the unlimited opportunities the state offered to the tourism sector.” Minister of Tourism Mr Om Prakash Singh in his address, said that while

many governments spoke of dreams, the present state government was delivering on promises. The state government under the leadership of Mr Akhilesh Yadav, he pointed out, was charting out new contours of development and achievement every other day. Complimenting officials of the Tourism department, the minister said the organizing of the UP Travel Mart was a very unique initiative which would go a long way in garnering more tourist footfalls in the state. The chief secretary Mr Alok Ranjan and Director General Tourism Mr Amrit

Abhijaat made a presentation on tourism potential of the state and assured the FTO's that the feedback provided by them after the FAM tours would be taken in the right earnest and the state government would act further on suggestions offered by the tourism industry. Earlier, a cultural extravaganza opened the evening as a Kathak performance, a 'Phoolon wali Holi' and a Sufi rendition regaled the crowd. A new look website of the state tourism was also inaugurated by the chief minister. This was followed by a fireworks show which dazzled the venue.

EVENTS Canadian Tourism Commission To Conduct B2b Meet And Education Program In 3 Cities The Canadian Tourism Commission (CTC) will organize meetings and education program for travel agents in Mumbai, Kolkata and Bangalore from March 23-26, 2015. The B2B sessions will be attended by Canadian travel partners who will update the travel agents on the unique travel products in Canada. These will be followed by destination trainings by our provincial partners. Some of the participating Canadian sellers are Air Canada, Banff Lake Louise Tourism, Cal Tours, Fairmont, Hornblower, Jasper Tourism, Ontario Tourism Marketing Partnership Corporation (OTMPC), Tourism Calgary,

Mumbai, we would also be targeting Tier II and Tier III cities through education programs. CSE helps the travel agents package the products better and sell more confidently. Emphasis will also be on first-hand experience of the destination via trade FAM trips and attendance at Rendezvous Canada (RVC). Joint co-ops are an integral part of our strategy VIA Rail. Mr. SanJeet, India Representative, CTC said, “In 2015, CTC will be focusing on the newly added Canadian Signature Experiences (CSE). Besides Delhi and

m o v i n g forward to w o r k together with our partners

City Mumbai Kolkata Bangalore

helping sell Canada better.” To emphasize and educate the trade partners, The Canada Specialist Program (CSP) will be aggressively promoted. The agents are a key channel in international travel purchase in India. There are over 2,600 CSP-qualified agents and over 5,750 active CSP members in India. CTC would also focus on firsthand experience to the trade via year round FAM’s. Besides this, front line trainings for staff, regional meetings, participation in trade shows are among the many initiatives to help Canada make inroads into the Indian travel market.

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Dates 23 March, 2015 24 March, 2015 26 March, 2015

Malaysia - Endless Celebrations Tourism Malaysia To Promote 'race Your Way To Sepang’ The Formula 1 Petronas Malaysia Grand Prix™ is scheduled for 27-29 March 2015 at the Sepang Interantional Circuit (SIC). With India riding high on the racing popularity wave, Tourism Malaysia and the Sepang International Circuit is holding the 'Race your way to Sepang' challenge among corporates to promote the Malaysian leg of the F1 craze. “We have been promoting the Petronas Formula 1 event for a few years now and the response has been quite encouraging. For this year's promotions we have planned 2 corporate events in Mumbai and Bangalore where the participants will compete in Go Karting racing Challenges. The fastest team stands a chance to win an all expense paid trip to Malaysia to watch the race

live,” said Mr Manoharan Periasamy, Director, Tourism Malaysia. “The Sepang Interantional Circuit (SIC) is not just about the Formula 1 race, but also the state of the-art facilities. Situated 85 kms from the Kuala Lumpur city centre, the track features 15 corners and 8 straights including two high-speed stretches. The high standard facilities are an ideal place for world-class international events and corporate to commercial programmes”, said Ms. Sharmila Nadarajah – Chief commercial Officer of SIC. The race this year is dubbed as the F1 carnival, the 2015 Formula 1 PETRONAS Malaysia Grand Prix™ will have something for everyone. From gokarting at the Xtrack or just chilling at the Cool Zone complete with a water-course

while waiting for the excitement to begin on track. And of course, what better way to end the exciting day than by enjoying a fantastic performance at the After Race Concert once the dust has settled on the track says Ms. Sharmila Nadarajah. This year Malaysia celebrates Malaysia Year of Festivals (MyFEST) 2015. Themed "Endless Celebrations", the year-long calendar is packed with festivities of every genre; for instance cultural festivals, shopping extravaganzas, international acclaimed events, eco-tourism events, arts, music

showcases, food promotion and other themed events. Continuing the momentum and efforts to promote the destination, MyFEST 2015 is set to make Malaysia the top-of-the-mind tourist destination, encouraging tourists to stay longer in order to enjoy the festival offerings nationwide added Mr. Manoharan Periasamy.

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UP Travel Mart 2015 Shows Uttar Pradesh In New Light

m o v i n g forward to w o r k together with our partners

City Mumbai Kolkata Bangalore

Hotel The Four Seasons Hotel The Lalit Great Eastern Taj Vivanta

Dates 23 March, 2015 24 March, 2015 26 March, 2015

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Global Panorama Showcase 2015

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Taps the Growing Tourism Business in Vidarbha, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh GPS 2015 successfully concluded from 8th – 10th February, at Hotel Centre Point, Ramdaspeth, Nagpur. The event was opened with the lighting of the auspicious lamp by Mr. Gulshan Pal Singh, Mr. Jasbeer Singh Anand of Jagsons Travels along with Travel trade dignitaries namely, Mr. Anil Parashar – CFO Indigo Airlines, Mr. Rajeev Duggal – CEO, Lavasa Smart Cities, Mr. Sanjeet – Managing Director – Trav Talk, Mr. Dhananjay Saliankar – Regional Director, Starwood Group of Hotels and Mr. Sunil Kumar – President of Travel

Agents Association of India. The show which is a premier event of Central India is aimed at growing the Tourism Business from Vidarbha, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh and for Exhibitors to understand the Tourism Potential the region has to offer. Mr. Harmandeep Singh said, “This year it was 2nd Edition of GPS and it is bigger than the previous. Over 100 products, including Tourism Boards, Hotels chains, Tr a v e l P r o d u c t s , D e s t i n a t i o n Management Companies are exhibiting.

100 buyers are being hosted from various cities such as Indore, Bhopal, Raipur and other parts of India. Exhibitors and Buyers can look forward to 2 days of networking and Knowledge sharing on 9th& 10th Feb.” Tourism Malaysia is the Country Partner for the 2nd year in a row and for the first time we have Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation participating as State Partner. Other Participants this year are Indonesia, Philippines, Bulgaria, Germany, Swiss Tourism, Spain Tourism Board, Canada, New Zealand, Fiji,

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International hotel Chain such as Starwood, The Residence, Rotana, Accor, Sun International, and many Destination Management Companies will be seen participating. GPS felicitated 20 local talent of Nagpur who have made a name for themselves and have found a place for themselves in the Guinness Book of Record and Limca Book of records. Adventure Bike Tours also did a presentation to the Harley Davidson Club Members on adventure bike tours.

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INSIGHT The Unlimited Family Fun At

ADLABS IMAGICA us more about it? With the addition of the new hotel, A d l a b s w i l l p re s e nt a co m p l e te entertainment destination. The soon to open hotel will be located in the same vicinity as the theme park (Imagica) and the water park (Aquamagica). This hotel will have an inventory of 287 rooms with specialty restaurants and varied recreation options. In addition, the hotel w i l l a l s o h ave m e et i n g c e nte rs , conference rooms and banquet halls. Q3) With this how will you tap the travelers from outside Mumbai? Regions in Maharashtra and Gujarat are matured markets for us as we receive a high percentage of visitors from the region to the theme park and water park. Apart from these cities, we are targeting other metro and mini metros across India with our multi city marketing and sales campaigns to attract more tourists to the park. With our hotel launching soon, we will be providing everyone in India a wholesome entertainment destination, which will prove to be a very exciting, fun and memorable getaway for all. We also aim to market our facilities as a suitable venue for hosting wedding receptions, parties, conferences, meetings and other corporate events. Q4) What travel trade associations does Adlabs have when it comes to

promoting the destination? In an effort to maximize outreach among the target consumers, Adlabs has continuously entered into partnerships with trade and travel bodies to reach out to holiday seekers across India. Our tie up with bus service providers helps make the destination more accessible to people from other regions as well as from other areas in Maharashtra. Tie up with travel and tour operators helps us sell exciting packages to end consumers. While the engagement with the travel ecosystem will be a long term one, Adlabs Imagica aims to focus sales and marketing initiatives in major cities like Delhi NCR, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Jaipur, to attract tourists visiting the Mumbai – Pune regionWe work with travel agents, ticket resellers, logistics service providers and travel agencies, as well as maintain an online presence to

The Grand Venice Magic, Mystery, Romance…

The Grand Venice, a major tourist destination, emerges as a pageant display of the original city of Venice in Italy. Targeting around 3 to 5 million international and domestic tourists, The G ra n d Ve n i c e i s a m e ga to u r i st destination located in Greater Noida, providing an authentic experience of Venice. This is a mall cum entertainment hub designed and created on the basis of Roman architecture and sculpture in the city of Venice. The hub is built across 3 million sq. feet, in a strategic location within a two minute drive distance from Pari Chowk in Greater Noida. This hub is located opposite to The Festival City, which is a large mega mall spread across 25 acres of land. The Grand Venice is a c o n c e p t b r i n g i n g h o s p i t a l i t y, entertainment and luxury under the

March - April, 2015

common realm. The Grand Venice is developed by the Bhasin Group. Since its inception in 1969, the group has been able to develop a number of milestones contributing to real estate infrastructure of the nation. With inspiring creation such as this, the group has made concrete marks in Indian Real Estate industry. Being the lively recreation of the City of Venice, The Grand Venice is endowed with replicas of every structural and architectural marvel of the city. The Bell tower of the St. Mark Basilica is being recreated at its best. The Gondola Rides is one of the most enthralling experiences in here. This is a ride on Gondola boats similar to those in Venice through actual water running between

high raised towers designed to replicate the buildings of the city. The fountain of wishes is recreated with every detailed s c u l p t u re a n d a r t works. The Statue of Julius Ceasar, the Leaning Tower of Pisa and other marvels are being recreated to deliver the original charm of Roman arts to visitors. The first modern day Aquaria of India spread over an area of 100,000 square feet is built within this entertainment hub. Underwater sea walk, Ocean life experience, Mermaid Shows and other

promote advanced sales and provide guest convenience and ease of entry. Moving forward, continuous endeavors will be undertaken to ensure that we are enhancing our travel liaisons with the trade fraternity in order to provide the customer with a wholesome experience. Q5) Looking at the upcoming holiday season what are your offerings and marketing plans? Since the beginning of the year, we have had various offers and activities to suit all age groups such as the Happy Tuesday offer where a visitor can enter the park on a Tuesday at Rs. 999, or the Gujarati Kathiawadi Food Festival that celebrated the taste of Gujarat during the festival of Makar Sakranti. In the coming months, we will have exciting deals for upcoming long weekends to invite more footfalls to the theme park and water park. captivating amusements are being developed with international collaboration. The Magic Sky is another attraction of The Grand Venice. It is the first digital sky with 3D effect in India. Collaborating with shopping giants such as Big Bazaar, Central, e Zone and Hometown Grand Venice provide enhanced experience of shopping and entertainment. The Mall within, is spread across 3.2 million square feet. Cinepolis provides an upscale entertainment zone with a five screen multiplex. Fine dining and multi ethnic cuisines are available in restaurants and eat outs. The Sheraton Hotels is providing luxury accommodation in here. There 270 luxury suites, Concept bars, Luxurious Spa, World Class Gymnasiums, Classy restaurants and

Madhya Pradesh State Tourism Development Corporation Ltd. Mumbai: 45, World Trade Centre, Cuffe Parade, Mumbai - 400 005 Tel: +91-22-2218 7603/ 2218 0654 Telefax: +91-22-2216 0614 luxury shops within the premises. The Grand Venice is a new generation entertainment concept that is developed to provide entertainment and surreal experience at the same time. For more visit: www.veniceindia.com.

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Email: mumbai@mptourism.com / Website: www.mptourism.com

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Safari Plus, InTalk with Mr. Harjeet Chhabra, Chief Marketing Officer, Adlabs Entertainment about Adlabs Imagica which is buzz of the town. Adlabs Imagica is an amusement park located near the city of Khopoli on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, owned and operated by Adlabs Entertainment Limited. Q1) After being tagged as 'Most Promising Destination', what all measures are you taking to keep it for long term? Adlabs Imagica has always ensured that visitors are provided with the best in class entertainment offering fun, action, entertainment, dining and shopping; all at a single location. Adlabs Imagica begun in 2013, followed by the launch of Aquamagica in 2014. This year with the launch of the hotel, Adlabs will offer a onestop international standard entertainment destination for Indians without having the need to travel overseas. It is our vision to be a part of every travel enthusiast and tourist's itinerary. In order to sustain our growth, Adlabs will focus on promoting the destination across varied cities in India with substantial marketing budgets and bespoke campaigns to reach out to the consumer segments. Q2) We got to know that a hotel is coming within the premises of Imagica, can you tell

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DESTINATION INSIGHT

Ladakh

The Most Beautiful Place in India From the Snow-draped peaks losing their heights in the clouds, also below them to the cold and arid high altitude, vast glaciers, dusty valleys, it has all. Not only the landscapes, but also the climate in Ladakh is unique. Ladakhi food has much in common with Tibetan food. Not only Cuisine but Architecture & Music and Dance are influenced by the Tibetans culture. Ladakh is greatly influenced by the Tibet and also is known as Little Tibet. One is spoiled with the choices as there are so many places to visit Ladakh. Few are as follows:Leh: Leh is the ca p i ta l a n d t h e la rgest tow n o f Ladakh. It has many historical places and monasteries. Connected with Srinagar and Manali by road and air, it has become a tourist hub. Kargil: Known for its old world charm, Kargil is the second largest town in Ladakh. Pangong Lake: Is one of the most beautiful high altitude lakes in the world. Relatively unknown before it got popularized by the blockbuster film 3 Idiots. Now it seemed to be the favourite destination for many tourists. Lamayuru Village and Monastery: Is the centre of Buddhism and one of the most revered Buddhist monasteries in

Ladakh. Not to be missed is the Moonscape near the village. Tsomoriri Lake: Another high altitude but less frequented than Pangong. This lake is pristine and exotic.

Sand Dunes at Hunder: Beautiful village Hunder, is known for its mysterious sand dunes and Nubra Valley. Khartungla Pass: Located at an altitude of 5,360 meters, it is among the highest motorable roads around the world. Gompas and Stupas: These religious monuments are an integral part of the land. They are as old as their civilization and have experience the test of time.

Zanskar: Sub-district of Kargil and one of the most remote parts of Ladakh. Is the least visited place in Ladakh. Adventure Sports and Outdoor Activities: With such diversity of landscape, Ladakh & Zanskar offer a range of adventure activities such as trekking, mountaineering, mountain biking and river rafting (on the Indus & Zanskar rivers). Jeep safaris to the lakes of Tso Kar, Tso Moriri and Pangong Tso are popular as is the jeep safari to Nubra Valley along the old caravan trade route to Central Asia. Once you get to Nubra,

delightful with their colourful traditional wares. Further away are the palaces at Stok and Shey and the World Heritage Site Alchi Monastery, famous for its frescoes. Festivals: In Ladakh every occasion, marriage or birth, harvesting or commemoration of the head Lamas founding of the monastery, New year and flowering is celebrated by feasting, dancing and singing of the folk songs that forms a part of its living heritage. Few among them are Hemis, Thiksey, Karsha and Spituk, Dosmochey, Matho Nagrang, Stok Guru Ts e c h u , P hya n g Ts e d u p , Yu r u Kabgyat, Losar Celebration, Sindhu Darshan, etc. Most famous is L a d a k h fe s t i v a l takes place in September 1-15 every year in Leh and villages. The inauguration c erem o ny ta kes place in Leh on large Pic Courtesy: Ravine Trek s c a l e w i t h t h e procession of various cultural troupes from different part of Ladakh. It passes through Leh Market dancing, singing with traditional music, in colorful traditional Ladakhi dresses, and finishes at Polo ground after performing their best dances and songs. The festival last for 15 days with regular program in different villages. The program includes Archery, Polo, and Mask Dances from the monasteries, traditional dances by cultural troupes from try a camel safari on a Bactrian camel. Villages. There are series of musical Other Attractions: Leh is dotted with concert and dance program in Leh town. historical edifices such as the Leh Palace, The best time to visit Ladakh is from June a 17th-century structure that looms until September, the region's summer over the main bazaar, the hilltop Shanti season. At this time, it's an unparallel Stupa sponsored by Japanese Buddhists paradise, with stunning views, clear, in the 1980s and the fort-monastery warm and sunny weather. It is often said complex of Namgyal Tsemo on a hill that Ladakh is perhaps the only place above town. Leh's bustling markets –the where you can get both sunburn and Main Bazaar and Old Town – are frostbite at the same time. Text By: Avleen Mehra

March - April, 2015

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DOMESTIC NEWS West Bengal a “Complete Destination” The West Bengal Tourism announced its plans to engage and reach out to travel trade and consumers throughout the country so as to promote the “Complete Destination”. West Bengal has a very important geo strategic location. The state capital is the commercial hub of the entire region. The state shares its borders with three major SAARC nations namely Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh. Not only is the state rich in culture, art and heritage, it is at the same time blessed with natural bounties ranging from Sundrabans in the south to the Himalayas in the north. It has enormous potential to emerge as a “Complete Destination” for tourists of all segments, interests and financial means, both domestic and global. Above all the state truly reflects “Unity in Diversity” and harmony of nature and mankind. During the last couple of years, the flow of tourist traffic in West Bengal has been steadily increasing. According to India Tourism Statistics published in 2013, West Bengal stands at 9th position among the states in respect of domestic

tourist footfall, where as in case of international tourists the position of the state is 6th in terms of tourist traffic flow, accounting for almost 6% of the national tourist inflow. While speaking on the occasion, Mr. Umapada Chatterjee, Director of Tourism, Gov. of West Bengal, said, “The present government has taken several initiatives to boost tourism in West Bengal. Going by the current trends, tourism is a fast growing and thus an impactful sector for the state economy. Keeping this in mind, we shall be actively participating in all major Travel - Tourism Festivals spanning across India, coupled with Road Shows and consumer campaigns in print, TV, Radio and digital platforms. Our aim is to invite as many domestic an international tourist to West Bengal and enjoy the complete destination.” Keeping in line with the growth chart, West Bengal Tourism will further expand its reach to tier 2 markets as well by participating in travel festivals even markets like Lucknow, Chandigarh, Nagpur, Vizag, Coimbatore to reach out

Kerala Tourism’s future plans and new initiatives

Kerala Tourism organized a press meet and roadshow for travel trades of Mumbai on 3 Feb, 2015. The trade associates from kerala was led by Mrs. Anupama T.V, IAS, Additional Director General, Kerala Tourism. Commenting on the occasion, Mrs. Anupama said, "Foreign tourist arrivals went up from 7,94,696 in 2012 to 8,58,143 during the 12-month period from January 2013 registering an increase of 8.12 percent. The domestic tourist arrivals also registered a 7.75 percent variation with the arrivals going up from 1,00,76,854 in 2012 to 1,08,57,811 last year”. She also adds, "The total revenue, both direct and indirect, from the tourism sector touched Rs. 22, 926.55 crore compared to Rs. 21,125 crore in 2012. The 12.22 percent increase shows the contribution of tourism to the State. Foreign exchange earnings received by the tourism industry in the State went up from Rs. 4,571.69 crore in 2012 to Rs. 5.560.77 crore in 2013. The 21.63 percentage increase reflects how well the travel trade in the State has done in the International market”.

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Initiatives in God’s Own Country… Government of Kerala has rolled out a lot of initiatives till date, ‘Seaplane Project’ and ‘Project Muziris’. For the Seaplane Project, the immediate plan is to provide service initially in the priority circuit, consisting of the three airports of Trivandrum, Cochin & Calicut and the prime destinations viz. Astamudi, Punnamada, Kumarakom, Bolgatty and Bekal in the state. The Marketing Initiatives for the year 2015 are aimed at Value of Money off season packages targeting some important cities of the country namely; Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Kolkata, Surat. Hop On Hop Off Boats - The service was started in the year 2014. The Hop-on Hopoff boat service and Water Taxis, for the first time in India, in the backwaters of Kochi and in the Spice Route project of Muziris. On the trail of the Spice RouteAnother amazing initiative in the offering is the Spice Route Revival Project. Kerala's initiative to revive and promote the two millennia-old spice route, that links the south western coast of India up to Europe, through tourism has received a boost, with the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) pledging support to the venture. NATVENTURE - Kerala Natventure activities include Trekking, Camping, Rock Climbing, Jungle, Wildlife Safaris, Bird Watching, Cycling, Kayaking, Canoeing and Paragliding.Home of Ayurveda was also launched to promote Ayurveda through all media. ‘Bakel’ has been introduced as a new destination in North Kerala.

to the target audience in a result oriented way. The road shows being organized simultaneously with the major fairs are expected to be the right forum for capitalizing opportunities to ensure substantial increase of tourist inflow in West Bengal by involving all these enthused Tour Operators whose enterprising initiatives will help to reach the goal targeted by West Bengal Tourism Department. With perceptible increase of budgetary allocation particularly in publicity

account, West Bengal Tourism is making its presence felt in the print media (both domestic and international), digital media(both domestic and international ), bill boards, hoarding, FM Radio, TV Channels, railway tickets, electricity bills, taxi tops etc. to reach out to the masses to depict the bounties of nature and the rich cultural tradition of West Bengal. With an all round effort West Bengal is destined to become the most preferred tourism destination of the country within a very short time. For more info- www.wbtourism.gov.in

Andhra Pradesh Tourism to open budget hotel at Srikakulam soon

A n d h r a P r a d e s h To u r i s m Department is likely to open its budget hotel for commercial operations very soon as the works of the prestigious project are nearing completion. The Department planned to open it before January 26 on the occasion of Ratha Saptami when thousands of devotees will visit Srikakulam to have darsan of Lord Sri Suryanarayana Swamy in Arasavilli temple. The budget hotel which was taken up near Indira Vignan Bhavan will have 22 rooms, one dormitory, banquet hall and restaurant. The Department is going to promote nearby tourist spots Kalingapatnam, Srikurmam, Srimukhalingam, Salihundam, Ravivalasa and other places. Many tourists can stay at the hotel and complete the visits in other tourist spots. The Endowments Department allocated 1.48 acres of land for construction of the hotel and 1.2 acres for the Kalyana Mandapam. N Narayana Rao, Tourism Officer, Srikakulam District, said that the

hotel would sure to attract more number of tourists since it would offer star hotel facilities at affordable rates. In the absence of a proper accommodation around Arasavilli temple, pilgrims faced hardships all these days. Besides taking care of their accommodation, the hotel is also expected to boost tourism in the district with the Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (APTDC) gearing up to operate buses from the place. Andhra Pradesh has a high potential for tourism development and the state government is taking all efforts to develop tourism spots and attract tourists. The state is in possession of historical temples which attracts pilgrims from all over the nation. Promotion of temple tourism along with eco-tourism and beach resorts is on. The state is also being identified as 'Buddhist Heritage Trails’ - The circuit identified in Andhra Pradesh include Amravati, Nagarjunkonda and Borra caves.

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DESTINATION INSIGHT

Ladakh

Ladakh. Not to be missed is the Moonscape near the village. Tsomoriri Lake: Another high altitude but less frequented than Pangong. This lake is pristine and exotic.

March - April, 2015

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Kerala Tourism’s future plans and new initiatives

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Andhra Pradesh Tourism to open budget hotel at Srikakulam soon

March - April, 2015 11

DOMESTIC NEWS

‘Agra beyond Taj' Agra Taj Car Rally 2015

Smt. Dimple Yadav, MP, Kannauj flagged off the Agra Taj Car Rally 2015 from the Lion Safari, Etawah on 31st January, 2015. In the presence of Shri Om Prakash, Hon'ble Tourism Minister U.P. Govt., Shri Amrit Abhijat, Secretary Tourism, Uttar Pradesh, Shri Arvind Balan, eminent Rally Driver, Mr. Hemant Jain, Motor Sports Club of Agra and other eminent dignitaries, The two days rally was a unique opportunity for professionals, amateurs and adventure travellers to explore the diverse hinterland in a challenging Time, Speed & Distance format. Commenting on the event Smt. Dimple Yadav said, “Uttar Pradesh is the home of Taj Mahal, but our aim is to highlight Uttar Pradesh beyond Taj. By promoting 'Agra beyond Taj' we seek to create awareness around the historical landmarks in and around Agra as well. Thus to promote Uttar Pradesh's tourism potential we have earmarked some very ambitious and future-looking projects which will enable us to establish Uttar Pradesh as the most 'Tourist Friendly State in the Country'.” Shri Om Prakash, said, “The rally aims to reach out to youngsters who are avid drivers & adventure travellers, and we are inviting them to explore the rustic hinterland of Uttar Pradesh. Uttar Pradesh has a lot to offer in terms of adventure tourism with a variety of landscapes like rugged terrains,

imposing topography, unrelenting water bodies and much more that pose huge challenges to adrenaline seeking adventure enthusiasts that makes the state a top adventure destination in the country”. At the flagging-off c e r e m o n y, S h r i A k h i l e s h Ya d a v introduced Uttar Pradesh as one of the most tourist friendly states in the country. He said, “Uttar Pradesh has through the ages nurtured human thoughts and human endeavour in equal measures that have remained a testament to time. With rich mythological origins, the centuries gone by have shaped the land defining 'The Heritage Arc' that runs across the heart of Uttar Pradesh, covering three very distinct regions - Agra, Lucknow, Varanasi.” Introducing the various tourism initiatives of the state government, Shri Yadav announced the development of an 'Inner Ring Road' that will welcome more tourists to enjoy the marvels that the 'City of Taj' has to offer. The Inner Ring Road is a 5 km route from Kuberpur to Fatehabad Road that will connect the Yamuna Expressway to the Taj and will cut the travel time drastically letting tourists reach the Taj directly without any hassles. He also announced a Rs. 167 Crore Project for the development of Tajganj which has been started with the help of the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India. Other key projects announced include a Theme Park being developed right next to the Expressway by Uttar Pradesh State Industrial Development Corporation Limited (UPSIDC), Mughal Museum developed by UP Tourism with the aid of World Bank in Agra showcasing the glorious Mughal past, along with a Centre for Living Tradition in Agra.

(KIFF) - Khajurahu International Film Festival

From this year onwards, Prayaas P ro d u c t i o n , M u m b a i , a m e d i a production house promoted by actor/director/producer/ Mr. Raja R. Bundela, is launching an international film festival at Khajuraho in Madhya Pradesh. The festival will go by the name of Khajurahu International Film Festival (KIFF). It will be of four days and will be held very soon. And will be inaugurated by Shri Shivraj Singh Chauhan, the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh. KIFF is a non-competitive film festival. It'll be the second international film festival in India, after the Kolkata International Film Festival, to be a noncompetitive film festival. The ideology behind KIFF is to celebrate cinema and culture will be one of the festival's uniqueness. It is being organized in

Khajuraho which aims at making the cultural capital of Madhya Pradesh. The internationally renowned temples of Khajuraho built for the celebration of erotic arts will add value to our objective, as much as the other folk, classical and popular cultures of the state. In the year of its inception, KIFF plans to screen films which have a Madhya Pradesh connect. Either the films have been shot in the state, or involve people with a MP connect who were important members of the film's cast or crew, or the films were produced by the various government departments of the state. Using its platform, KIFF plans to pioneer and spearhead the independent cinema movement in India, and encourage the production of meaningful cinema having international standing.

Taj In Moonlight To make the Taj Mahal more accessible to tourists, he Archaeological Survey of India has initiated 'Online Ticketing' from 27th December, 2014 and soon the current manual ticketing for viewing the Taj Mahal on Full Moon Nights will be converted to online ticketing. The Tajmahal by moonlight shall be open on Full moon day and 2 days before and 2 days after the full moon. On every Friday, it shall remain closed. (Even for moonlight visit it shall remain closed on every Friday).The full moon dates are attached. The entrance tickets presently are - Adult: Foreigners - Rs 750/Indians - Rs 510/- and Children: 3 to 15 yrs

March - April, 2015

: Foreigners - Rs 500/ Indians - Rs 500/The tickets are issued ONLY ONE DAY in advance from ASI, Agra office. There is NO same day issue of tickets. The timings for ticket purchase are 1000 to 1700 hours one day before. The tickets are computer printed individually with full details of the guests and are nontransferable. ASI needs following details in advance on the application form for ALL guests Foreigners - SCAN Passport copy with Name, Gender, Passport Number, Age, Nationality Indians - Full names with gender, age and scan copy of any ID with photo for all.

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March - April, 2015 13

DOMESTIC NEWS

‘Agra beyond Taj' Agra Taj Car Rally 2015

(KIFF) - Khajurahu International Film Festival

March - April, 2015

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March - April, 2015 13

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HOSPITALITY PLUS

INTERNATIONAL Arrivals To Bhutan Demonstrate Strong Increase As part of its growing popularity as an international destination, the Kingdom of Bhutan has positioned itself as a destination that thrives on making Happiness its key denominator. In sync with the Tourism Council of Bhutan's thrust towards international source markets tourist arrivals for 2014 grew to 133,480 tourist arrivals demonstrating an impressive growth of 14.85% percent over the corresponding year. Whilst international

travelers grew to 68,081; India continued to be it's top source market with an additional 62,129 arrivals. Recently, the tourism council of Bhutan also unveiled the 'Visit Bhutan 2015' -

dedicated to His Majesty Jigme Singye Wangchuck, who has been the pioneer of tourism in Bhutan. Tourism Council of Bhutan has been effectively promoting Bhutan – 'Celebrate Happiness' theme in key source markets, wherein India and South East Asia form a critical component. The marketing initiatives deployed globally are a combination of on ground promotions that include participation at key B2B / B2C exhibitions & roadshows in addition to working with Bhutan's key stakholders

through activities that involve engagements with travel trade and international media. Mr. Damcho Rinzim, Head, Marketing and Promotion Division, Tourism Council of Bhutan “We believe in a sustainable approach to growth and development of the tourism industry in Bhutan. International travelers to Bhutan are lured by the myriad of offerrings that include heritage, culture, natural beauty and a range of quality world class hospitality and tourism industry.”

Visitbritain Appoints Saif Ali Khan To Promote 'bollywood Britain' Campaign The 'Bollywood Britain' campaign is the latest evolution of the Bollywood themed campaigns that the tourism board has undertaken in India over the past years. Aimed at honeymooners and couples seeking a romantic getaway, the campaign highlights different movie locations featuring some of the most popular Bollywood blockbusters. According to VisitBritain's Regional Manager for Asia Pacific & Middle East, Sumathi Ramanathan, in 2013, Britain welcomed over 375,000 visitors from India (a 10% increase from the previous

March - April, 2015

year) making India the biggest source market for visitor numbers from the BRIC markets. Therefore the need to create bespoke campaigns that appeal to the Indian visitors is a priority for VisitBritain. Speaking on the occasion Mr. Khan said, “My family and I have a deep connection with Britain that spans everything from cricket to culture and education. A number of family holidays across Britain, watching my father and grandfather play cricket at famous cricketing grounds like the Lords, and of course studying there,

has created a bond for me with the place that is unlike my relationship with any other country. I think there is so much that Britain has to offer a visitor – from breathtaking countryside, to shared history; the finest in culture that's so interwoven with our own in many ways, food to thrill any gourmet, theatre, museums, music, festivals and more. This is why Bollywood has so favored Britain as a destination and the itinerary that takes visitors on a route of Bollywood's location favorites is sure to delight.” The 'Bollywood Britain' campaign teaser

was launched in mid-February with a digital contest where 2 lucky couples will be selected to visit the film locations and experience the romance that Britain has to offer.

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RoomsTonite Offers Flat Discount On Hotels

RoomsTonite, India’s first mobile-only last-minute hotel booking app, has announced flat discount of Rs. 999 on hotel booking offering a steal deal to save money and travel smarter. To avail the offer a customer has to just enter the promo code RT999 while booking hotel through RoomsTonite app. This one time offer is valid till 31st March, 2015 and comes as an addition to the already discounted hotel rates of up to 70% available on the app. Both existing and new users of RoomsTonite can avail this offer for their first transaction during the current month. RoomsTonite app is available on all major platforms and offers handpicked hotel choices with rates ranging from

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Rs. 900 to Rs. 18,000 per night. Currently, the app allows a u s e r to b o o k a maximum of threenights in a hotel during a last minute hotel booking. Launched in June 2014, RoomsTonite is expanding fast and it has now presence in over 175 cities with more than 1,000 handpicked hotels. This is second promotional offer by the company. It has received overwhelming response for RT400 promotion where it provided customers with Rs. 400 off on hotel bookings using its app. “Our customers have loved staying at premium hotels with a steal of a price. And we love indulging our customers. For the month of March we plan to raise the bar even higher. We are now offering a flat discount of Rs.999 when a customer books a hotel room using RoomsTonite app. This is on top of already discounted hotel rates,” said Mr Suresh John, Founder and CEO, RoomsTonite.

Mahindra Holidays Expands Its Footprint

Mahindra Holidays & Resorts India Ltd. (“MHRIL” or “Mahindra Holidays”), India's leading player in the leisure hospitality industry, announced the launch of its new property, Club Mahindra Kanha in Madhya Pradesh. Mr. Kavinder Singh, Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer (MD & CEO) of Mahindra Holidays announced the launch of the resort. “Club Mahindra Kanha is our fifth wildlife resort and the first in the state of Madhya Pradesh. The Madhya Pradesh government is observing 2015 as 'Tourism Year' and we are excited to partner them in this drive. Our new resort, located on the outskirts of Kanha National Park, is a wildlife lover's delight and we aim to provide our members with diverse and differentiated experiences while they vacation with

us,” said Mr. Singh. Club Mahindra Kanha is a green field project and is spread across 15 acres of land. It has 50 rooms for members which includes 32 Studio rooms and 18 one bedroom apartments. It also has a Spa, an Activity Centre, a Fun Zone, a Swimming Pool and a dedicated Kids' Area. The resort offers all the facilities and comforts of modern living along with the thrill of wildlife to Club Mahindra members. Club Mahindra Kanha is the perfect option for wildlife enthusiasts looking for a tryst with majestic tigers, sloth bears and leopards. In addition to Club Mahindra Kanha, Mahindra Holidays' resort presence in the wildlife category includes Club Mahindra Corbett, Club Mahindra Gir, Club Mahindra Thekkady and Club Mahindra Masinagudi.

March - April, 2015 17

HOSPITALITY PLUS

travelers grew to 68,081; India continued to be it's top source market with an additional 62,129 arrivals. Recently, the tourism council of Bhutan also unveiled the 'Visit Bhutan 2015' -

March - April, 2015

was launched in mid-February with a digital contest where 2 lucky couples will be selected to visit the film locations and experience the romance that Britain has to offer.

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RoomsTonite Offers Flat Discount On Hotels

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Mahindra Holidays Expands Its Footprint

March - April, 2015 17

INTERNATIONAL NEWS Dubai Visa Processing Centre (DVPC) Introduces 90 Day Tourist Visa To UAE DVPC (Dubai Visa Processing Centre) is an exclusive facility of VFS Global for Emirates for processing UAE visas. Travelling to the UAE is now even more convenient when you fly Emirates to Dubai and avail of visa services from DVPC. This new visa is valid for stay of 90days in UAE & can be availed by visa applicants who wish to travel to UAE for the purpose of business, seminars & exhibitions, or a vacation. DVPC operates 13 UAE visa application centres in all the major cities of India. The Dubai visa application service extended includes accepting documents, collecting the visa fee & issuing receipts to customers & then forwarding their application to relevant authorities in UAE. DVPC also provides value added options like the door-todoor and express visa service.

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Focus On Fiji

Tourism Fiji successfully conducted a series of multi-city workshops from 2 - 6 February, covering 4 cities, Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai and Chennai. The delegation was led by Mr. Faiyaz Koya, Minister for Industry, Trade & Tourism, Ms. Lorna Eden, Assistant Minister for Industry, Trade & Tourism along with industry partners, Ahura Resorts, Fiji Airways, Captain Cook Cruises, Namale Resort & Spa, Rosie Holidays, Royal Davui Island Resort, The Pearl South Pacific and Tour Managers. T h e To u r i s m F i j i I n d i a m a r ke t representatives, Ms. Sally Cooper, Director of Events and Ms. Kathy Koyamaibole, ASIA Marketing Manager attended the roadshow. The strong presence from the Ministry of Tourism, Tourism Fiji and industry partners further reiterates our commitment

March - April, 2015

towards developing the Indian market and its importance. The workshop format consisted of fullday, one-on-one meetings in all four cities enabling the Fijian delegates to present their respective products and interact with Indian travel fraternity. The response to the roadshow was fantastic with about 450 travel agents and tour operators attending the roadshow. Fiji has carved its niche in the Indian outbound market and is becoming increasingly popular not only amongst high-end honeymooners but even small groups of families, friends and corporates. While the main focus is on honeymooners and couples, Tourism Fiji is also enthusiastically investing in the development ofthefamilyandsmall,platinumlevelincentive groupsegmentsaswell. Visitor arrivals to Fiji from India have been growing steadily year-on-year. Fiji witnessed an 8% growth in Indian visitors arrivals from January to December 2014 compared to the same period in 2013. Tourism Fiji acknowledges the support from all the Travel Trade partners in India, for their support in the development of India's outbound travel market to Fiji and look forward to sharing more of why Fiji really is where happiness finds you.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS Dubai's Cruise Tourism Business Hits New High

Dubai Cruise Tourism announced that Dubai's cruise season saw its busiest month so far in January 2015. The cruise terminals in Mina Rashid welcomed over 30 ship calls, bringing over 150,000 cruise tourists to the emirate in just one month, including 26 hub ship calls from four cruise lines. Mina Rashid also accommodated five cruise ships at the same time on two occasions in January – a first in the terminal's history – as well as welcoming Cunard's Queen Mary 2, the largest cruise ship to call in the GCC. January 2015 saw major cruise lines visit Dubai, including Costa, Aida, TUI, MSC, Cunard, Phoenix Reisen, Fred Olsen and Holland America. Hamad Bin Mejren, Executive Director,

Dubai Tourism, said, “January was a busy month for Dubai's cruise industry and we've reached some real milestones and made significant progress towards our targets. In 2014, Dubai received 358,000 passengers from 94 cruise ship calls, and the forecast for 2015 stands at 425,000 cruise tourists from 115 ship calls. With the total figure for January 2015 alone at 150,000 visitors, we're confident that our 2015 target is achievable.” Dubai's cruise offering features regular sailings out of the emirate, including five-, seven- and 14-night itineraries in the Gulf, while international cruise itineraries also set off from Dubai. Cruise travellers are able to enjoy a wide range of luxurious facilities onboard, including a choice of restaurants, a wide range of sports as well as entertainment and activities for all the family. Cruises from Dubai can be booked via the cruise line websites or through numerous leading travel agents in UAE.

'Visit Japan Trade Seminar' In New Delhi And Mumbai

Japan National Tourism Organization along with a strong delegation from Japan comprising of Participating Partners successfully concluded 'Visit Japan Trade Seminar' in Delhi and Mumbai. The trade seminars had participation of delegates from trade members comprising airlines, hotels, and popular attractions, such as Home of Mt. FujiShizuoka, Nagano Prefecture, Tour Quality Japan, Fujikyu Group, Hokkaido To u r i s m O r g a n i s a t i o n , O s a k a Government Tourism Bureau, Hyatt Regency Osaka, Air India Osaka Office, Ayabex Inc, Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways. The delegation held business sessions with the Indian trade partners in addition to interacting with the media thereby creating a strong platform of

information exchange. The delegation met more than 200 trade partners during the course of the seminars in the two cities. The objective was to update the travel trade community and the media organisations about the latest developments and product offering in Japan. 'Visit Japan Trade Seminar' also had presentations by Mr. Hideki Manabe, Executive Director, Japan National Tourism Organization and Mr.Toshi hiko Yamahoshi, Councillor, Embassy of Japan and from partners like, Mr. Michikoo Nakamori of Hokkaido Tourism Organisation; Mr. Hiroyuki Ashizawa of Home of Mt. Fuji-Shizuoka; Mr. Hideki Kasahara of Tour Quality Japan and Mr. Harunobu Ota of Clair Singapore who showcased their destinations and services to the Indian partners and the media. Last year Japan welcomed 11,009,000 tourists, a growth of about 27% compared to the corresponding period in the previous year. During this period 73,600 Indians visited Japan – a growth of more than 15% over the last year. Japan as one of the preferred destinations has seen positive growth trends over the years owing to endless opportunities for various categories of travelers seeking to explore the Country's art & culture, music, literature, architecture, cuisine, biodiversity, unique blend of modern and well preserved historical aspects.

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New Mekong Tourism Marketing Strategy Announced

Advanced preparation of a new tourism marketing strategy and action plan for the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) was announced on 27 February at a workshop supported by the Asian Development Bank and the Thailand Ministry of Tourism and Sports. Consultations on the strategy and action plan took place 2627 February with the participation of tourism leaders from Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Viet Nam. The plan covers the period 2015 to 2020 and has the aim of increasing tourism arrival numbers and boosting the competitiveness of the GMS as measured by the World Economic Forum's Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Index. The Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office Executive Director, Jens Thraenhart, told the workshop in Bangkok that over the last few years the GMS has been the fastest growing subregion in Asia and the Pacific with increases in arrivals of around 17% per annum. Such rates of growth were significantly higher than ASEAN's 11% average increase. He said that since 2002 international tourist arrivals in the GMS had grown at an average annual rate of about 12%. A strategic objective of the plan is to promote secondary destinations and encourage multi-country itineraries, especially those with themes such as ecotourism, local cuisine, and cultural appreciation. "We encourage tourists to spread their spending beyond established locations such as Angkor Wat, the Grand Palace in Bangkok, and Yangon in Myanmar," said Thraenhart. The new plan includes collaborative marketing tools such as the MekongTourism.org digital platform, which will host a freely accessible online knowledge center and GMS tourism e-library. Thraenhart said he was optimistic that the marketing plan would help further raise the profile of the GMS as a worldclass destination, which is increasingly defined by improved air, land, and water connectivity, diverse tourism activities, increasingly convenient tourist visa policies, rapid advances in information technology, robust private investment, and a shift in source markets that is strongly influenced by increasing affluence in Asia. He added: "The plan has the additional goals of marketing tourism products and services that help fight poverty and empower women."

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ASEAN Strategic Tourism Vision 2016 – 2025 Conveyed ASEAN's current Strategic Tourism Plan (ATSP) from 2011 to 2015 is ending this year. Hence, ASEAN NTOs and the ASEAN Secretariat supported by tourism experts led by Mr. Ludwig Rieder, are working closely together to develop the new ATSP, a clear evidence of the strong collaboration among ASEAN Member States in developing Tourism in the region. The first step towards the ATSP was the formulation of a concise vision of Southeast Asia's Tourism Development for the next ten years (2016 – 2025). Through various sessions, meetings and workshops, in which senior officials of ASEAN, NTOs participated extensively, a vision statement has been adopted: “By 2025, ASEAN will be a quality tourism destination offering a unique, diverse ASEAN experience, and will be committed to responsible, sustainable and inclusive tourism development, so as to contribute significantly to the socio-economic well-being of ASEAN people”

During 2015, the first implementation period will be laid down for the new ATSP, for which the NTOs have set up a Task Force. Key responsibilities of this task force include developing the Strategic Direction, Strategic Actions, Measures, Outcomes and Timeline of ASEAN Tourism for the years 2016 – 2020, based on several focus areas derived from the vision. These include, inter alia, Quality Tourism, Sustainable Growth & Development, Connectivity & Travel Facilitation, Manpower and Skills Competence Development, Safety and Security, Tourism Investment, Infrastructure and Climate Change, of which some are under the purview of the NTOs, and others beyond, which require coordination with related ASEAN Committees. In addition, the Task Force will evaluate and validate appropriate strategies and recommendations thereupon. The new ASEAN Tourism Strategic Plan is due to be launched at the 2016 ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF), to be held in the Philippines.

March - April, 2015 19

! ! ! !

Focus On Fiji

March - April, 2015

INTERNATIONAL NEWS Dubai's Cruise Tourism Business Hits New High

'Visit Japan Trade Seminar' In New Delhi And Mumbai

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New Mekong Tourism Marketing Strategy Announced

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March - April, 2015 19

AVIATION PLUS

AVIATION PLUS Vistara Launches Flights Emirates To Commence Daily Service Dubai - Bali Delhi - Hyderabad

Ethiopian To Increase Flights To Mumbai To Double Daily Ethiopian Airlines, announced to start double daily flights to Mumbai Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport starting March 2015. Ethiopian has been providing reliable air service to Mumbai for over 43 years with the launch of its first flight in December 1971. The airline currently has daily flights to Mumbai and New Delhi. Both daily flights to Mumbai will be operated with the ultra-modern B787 Dreamliner aircraft, which offers passengers unparalleled on-board comfort with the largest windows in the sky, higher level of cabin air humidity

greatly reducing fatigue, high ceiling, the latest in- flight entertainment system and much reduced noise. With the double daily flights to Mumbai, Ethiopian aims to provide optimal connectivity options for passengers traveling between India and its 49 destinations in Africa. CEO of Ethiopian Airlines Group, Tewolde Gebremariam, said, "We are very bullish on the prospects of AfricaIndia market. By increasing our frequency to double daily to Mumbai and expanding our codeshare agreement with Air India, fellow Star Alliance partner with the inclusion of

domestic points in India and major destinations in Africa, we aim to become the airline of choice for travel between Africa and India by offering seamless and convenient connections thru our main hub in Addis. Going forward, we plan to increase our current frequency to New Delhi and start operations to additional destinations in southern India."

Mr. Tewolde Gebremariam

TATA SIA Airlines Limited, known by the brand name Vistara, took its first flight from Hyderabad to New Delhi on 1st March, 2015. Having started its operations on Jan 9th, 2015 with 68 frequencies weekly, Vistara has scaled up and now operates 164 frequencies a week. With Goa as its recent addition on 20th Feb, Vistara is now introducing double daily return flights between Delhi and Hyderabad in response to the customer demand who want to experience the brand promise Vistara delivers. Mr Phee Teik Yeoh, CEO, Vistara said, “We are pleased to extend our services

on the Delhi-Hyderabad route which is immensely promising in terms of the passenger traffic it caters to. We believe that our customers will enjoy our enhanced connectivity and the world class travel experience we seek to provide to them.” Vistara has increased its flying capacity and offers multiple choices of departure and arrival timing to its customers in a timespan of more than just a month. With five aircrafts currently and Delhi as its operational hub, Vistara will have a fleet size of six by April and will soon announce the addition of more destinations.

Appointments Tourism Malaysia appoints Mr. Azman Bin Samsudin

JW Marriott appoints Director of Sales & Marketing

JW Marriott appoints Director of Human Resources

JW Marriott appoints General Manager

With a career span of 16 years in the Hospitality industry, Ayesha Bhalla has recently assumed the position of the Director of S a l e s & Marketing at the JW Marriott Hotel Mumbai Sahar. Ayesha began her career with Holiday Inn Worldwide as a Sales Executive assigned handling a vast portfolio of accounts to help generate rooms revenue and to improve performance in the marketplace. She later went on to join Oberoi Hotels and Resorts and has worked across positions, responsible for property reactive sales, proactive account sales and segment sales, local and social catering sales, business travel sales, reservation sales. Ayesha’s in her last role was the Director of Sales and Marketing at The Oberoi, Bangalore.

N e e s h a Mohapatra has been newly appointed as the Director of Human Resources for the newest edition to the Marriott Mumbai portfolio – JW Marriott Hotel Mumbai Sahar. Prior to joining the JW Marriott Hotel Mumbai Sahar, Neesha was the Director of Human Resources at Renaissance Mumbai Convention Centre Hotel and Lakeside Chalet Marriott Executive Apartments. Neesha brings to the table, a vast amount of experience that enabled her to manage the Human resource function at various prestigious hotels right from training and nurturing the right talent, formulating HR and administrative policies and developing strategies in alignment to the organization's goals and targets.

Saeid Heidari has recently b e e n appointed as t h e G e n e ra l Manager for the newest edition to the Marrio tt M u m b a i portfolio – JW Marriott Hotel Mumbai Sahar (a 585 room property) starting from June 1st, 2014. Saeid, a German national, brings with him 25 years of hospitality experience with Marriott hotels across Middle East and Europe and then his move to India as the General Manager for Renaissance Mumbai. Saeid holds a graduate degree in Chemical Engineering and Law. His first position in the hospitality industry was that of a Security Manager post which he changed his field of expertise to FnB. Saeid has been associated with Marriott right since 1992 across Middle East, Europe and India.

as Director of Tourism Malaysia, Chennai

T o u r i s m M a l a y s i a announces the n e w appointment of Mr. Azman Bin Samsudin as Director for T o u r i s m Malaysia, Chennai. With a wealth of experience in Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board, Mr. Noor Azman Bin Samsudin has an accomplished career spanning 20 years having worked at Kota Kinabalu- Sabah, Putrajaya, and later in Indonesia overseeing the operations at Tourism Malaysia, Medan. In his new role, Mr. Azman's primary responsibilities include promoting Malaysia as a destination of choice among South Indians travelling abroad through innovative marketing campaigns and strategic tie-ups to increase footfalls from the region to Malaysia.

Jet Airways Updates Via Twitter

Jet Airways has unveiled #JetInstant, a f i rst - o f - i t s - k i n d online feature that enables guests to access information on fares and flight status in real time through Twitter. The customercentric initiative is part of the airline's strategy to simplify travel experience and engage with guests on a real-time basis, according to a release. The initiative is developed in collaboration with Twitter and technology partner, TravelSpends. Guests will first need to follow the official Jet Airways Twitter account @jetairways to avail of the facility. To get the flight status, guests can Tweet '@jetairways fltstatus <Flight No> <Departure Date in DDMM format>'. Within seconds, the update will be sent as a Direct Message (DM) to their Twitter account.

March - April, 2015

For LoFares details, guests need to Tweet '@jetairways lofares <Origin> <Destination> <Departure Date in DDMM format> <Return Date in DDMM format>'. For example, to search for the lowest fare for a flight from Mumbai to Delhi on March 4, with a return trip the next day, users can Tweet '@jetairways lofares BOM DEL 0403 0503'. The #JetInstant service sends the lowest fare available as a DM with a direct link to complete the booking process on jetairways.com. Also, Twitter users can tweet @jetairways #JetInstant for any assistance with regard to the service.

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Oman Air To Launch Services To Goa, Singapore And Dhaka

Oman Air will launch services to three exciting destinations this spring. The national carrier of the Sultanate of Oman will fly from Muscat to Singapore and Goa from the 29th of March and to Dhaka from August, 2015. The Chief Executive of Oman Air, Paul Gregorowitsch announced the new routes, said, “We are delighted to be opening up new routes to Singapore, Goa and Dhaka, and to be offering our customers even more choice within Oman Air's continually expanding network. We know there is strong demand for flights to each of these destinations. We are therefore very confident that the new services will prove extremely popular and I would encourage customers to book as early as possible. The launch of these new services continues our ambitious programme of expansion and follows the highly successful December 2014 introduction to our network of services

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to Manila and Jakarta. We look forward to giving many thousands more air travellers the opportunity to fly with Oman Air aboard our outstanding new aircraft." Overlooking the Arabian Sea on the western coast of India, Goa's unspoiled beaches, temples, mosques and wildlife sanctuaries, together with its Portugese-influenced Indian culture entwine to offer travellers a unique experience. Oman Air's new service operated using spacious and comfortable Boeing 737 aircraft, will offer four flights per week between Muscat International Airport and Goa International Airport. Oman Air will also commence on MuscatDhaka and Muscat Singapore route using new Airbus A330 on both the routes. Airlines will offer four flights per week between Muscat International Airport and Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, Dhaka and will fly daily to Muscat to Singapore.

Emirates Airlines will launch a new daily service to the Island of Bali in Indonesia, from 3rd June 2015. Airlines' new service will add to Bali's global connectivity, further stimulating the islands economic and tourism growth. The non-stop service between Dubai and Bali will be operated by a Boeing 777-300ER aircraft in a two-class configuration. Emirates' new daily flight to Bali will depart Dubai as EK398 at 0820hrs* and arrive at Bali's Denpasar International Airport at 2140hrs* the same day. The return flight, EK399, will depart at

2340hrs* and arrive at Dubai International Airport at 0500* the next day. Throughout all cabin classes, passengers can enjoy more than 2,000 channels of e nte r ta i n m e nt o n demand on ice, the airline's awardwinning in-flight entertainment system. Passengers on all Emirates flights also have the added bonus of generous baggage allowance with 30 kilogrammes for those travelling in Economy Class and 40 kilogrammes for Business Class. Emirates commenced services to Indonesia in 1992 with three flights per week via Singapore and Colombo, and since March 2013, the airline has been operating three non-stop flights daily from Jakarta to Dubai with a Boeing 777 aircraft. *Flight times are local and per summer scheduling.

Dragonair Increases Frequency From Kolkata To Hong Kong

Dragonair announced that it will operate an additional service between Kolkata and Hong Kong from 12 May, 2015. This additional service will bring the total number of flights between the two cities from five to six flights per week, giving passengers greater flexibility for travel to Hong Kong and onward to other destinations through the extensive global network of Dragonair and its sister airline, Cathay Pacific. Flights from Kolkata to Hong Kong were launched in November 2012 with four departures a week. The fifth departure was added in October 2013. Dragonair and Cathay Pacific will now operate a total of 48 passenger flights per week between Hong Kong and six major

gateways in India that include Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad. General Manager South Asia, Middle East and Africa, Charlie Stewart-Cox said: “We are thrilled to increase the frequency of our flights from Kolkata, the City of Joy. Kolkata is a growing market with huge potential for travel and the addition of this flight will benefit travelers from the corporate sector along with leisure travellers, traders, students, exporters and travellers from the Buddhist community. This service will offer more options and greater convenience when travelling to Hong Kong and enable them to connect seamlessly with flights to more than 203 destinations in the Dragonair and Cathay Pacific network.”

The Kolkata flight schedule effective May 2015 will be as follows (all times are local): Flight No. From-To Departure/Arrival Days of operation KA168 Ka169

HKG-CCU 2235/0020+1 CCU-HKG

0010/0600

Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun Mon, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun

March - April, 2015

AVIATION PLUS

AVIATION PLUS Vistara Launches Flights Emirates To Commence Daily Service Dubai - Bali Delhi - Hyderabad

Mr. Tewolde Gebremariam

Appointments Tourism Malaysia appoints Mr. Azman Bin Samsudin

JW Marriott appoints Director of Sales & Marketing

JW Marriott appoints Director of Human Resources

JW Marriott appoints General Manager

as Director of Tourism Malaysia, Chennai

Jet Airways Updates Via Twitter

March - April, 2015

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Oman Air To Launch Services To Goa, Singapore And Dhaka

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Dragonair Increases Frequency From Kolkata To Hong Kong

The Kolkata flight schedule effective May 2015 will be as follows (all times are local): Flight No. From-To Departure/Arrival Days of operation KA168 Ka169

HKG-CCU 2235/0020+1 CCU-HKG

0010/0600

Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun Mon, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun

March - April, 2015

INTERNATIONAL PLUS Thai Tourism Minister Makes Maiden Visit To India Her Excellency Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul, Minister for Tourism & Sports, Thailand visited Mumbai to promote tourism and trade between countries India is one of Thailand most significant markets, standing at rank 1 in South Asia and rank 6 globally. Her Excellency Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul, Minister for Tourism & Sports, Thailand was in India to engage travel agents, trade leaders and media in dialogue. Organised by the Thai Ministry of Commerce, in collaboration with the Tourism Authority of Thailand – Mumbai Office and the Royal Thai Consulate-General in Mumbai, her visit, titled the Thai Trade Investment and Tourism Roadshow took place on 25 February, 2015. Excellency Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul, Minister for Tourism & Sports, Thailand said, “India has remained Thailand's most loyal market through the years. Our stakeholders say that January and February's numbers are already looking strong and higher than last year. I think we are on track to achieve over a million arrivals by the end of the year.” The Minister also officially launched the Discover Thainess campaign in India. 2015 has been earmarked The Year of Thainess by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) in January this year and promotions are underway. The Minister's visit to India is aimed at lending wings to the new tagline and corresponding strategy in the highpotential/ high-delivery Indian market. H.E. added, “It is my pleasure to expand our global marketing campaign to India and officially launch it here. I urge you to discover the 12 hidden gems or unknown regions of Thailand, to participate in the festivals and events charted out for each month of the year and to indulge in all the experiences that form the pillars of Thainess ie Thai Food, Thai Arts, Thai Way of Life, Thai Wellness, Thai Festivals, Thai Wisdom and Thai Fun.”

Ms Soraya Homchuen, Director, Tourism Authority of Thailand – Mumbai Office says, “I am sure that the Minister's official stamp to the Discover Thainess campaign will add steam to our efforts to promote authentic Thai experiences in India through creative means that we will employ in the months ahead.” H.E. also shared that Thailand is upgrading its tourist infrastructure. Tourist Police have now been deployed at most popular tourist locations in Thailand. Additionally few new products are to hit the market are: The Cartoon Network Amazone in Pattaya is already a big hit. Families should also visit the brand new Scenical World near Khao Yai. Development of an attraction by Safari World is underway in Phuket and should be completed next year. The Minister revealed that 2015's target is 1,050,000 arrivals. “India is among Thailand's top markets alongside China, Malaysia, Russia, Japan and Korea all of which contribute a million arrivals to Thailand's incoming tourist numbers annually. We received 946,269 Indians last year.”

Underlining the significance of the Thainess campaign, Minister Wattanavrangkul said, “Thainess has appeal across segments. For example, history of wellness and wealth of meditation sanctuaries have potential for leisure travellers as well as those specifically seeking rejuvenation. Muay Thai is popular among youth and is also becoming trendy among women as a fitness regimen. Our gastronomy is world-renowned and goes beyond the street food that most are familiar with. Some more adventurous couples looking for a different style of wedding might want to opt for a Lanna style wedding.” The '12 hidden Gems' of the Thainess campaign include serene Lampang; Phetchabun with its mist-shrouded mountains of flowers, Nan; the most romantic province in Thailand, Buriram where ancient Khmer and modern Thai civilisations meet; Loei to revel in the mountains; Samut Songkhram to witness the glory of mighty rivers; arts capital Ratchaburi; the islands of dreams, Trat; the fruit capital,

Chanthaburi; all things exotic (even underwater weddings!) in Trang; untouched emerald isles in Chumphon and unspoiled nature combined with distinct religiousness in Nakhon Si Thammarat. Indian visitors know Thailand as a hospitable and a year-round tourism destination with a high quality of valuefor-money products and services. Also Indians get visa-on-arrival facilities at Thailand’s international checkpoints, and there is no shortage of airline capacity with 140 weekly flights with more than 30,000 seats by Thai Airways, Air India, Jet Airways, Bangkok Airways, Indigo Airlines, Spice Jet, Druk Air, and Tashi Air (Bhutan Airline) (as of 8 February 2015). Mr. Thawatchai Arunyik, TAT Governor said, “We are working with prominent Indian personalities; such as, boxer Mary Kom and golfer Gaganjeet Bhullar to increase brand awareness in the Indian market. Both have visited Thailand. Mary Kom has visited many of the Muay Thai boxing stadiums while Gaganjeet Bhullar has played at some of our golf courses. We are also maintaining a solid presence at many travel trade shows throughout the country. During our last Thailand Travel Mart+ annual trade show held in June 2014, Indians were one of the largest contingents of buyers. We are determined to ensure that Indian travel agents and tour operators are familiar with our products and services. This is essential to ensuring a steady of flow of both first time and repeat visitors. We are also penetrating our marketing efforts into secondary Indian cities; such as, Ahmedabad, Pune and Bangalore.”

Summer Shine in Munich Munich, with its air of polished prosperity, is quintessential Germany. The old and the new co-exist here with cherished traditions like Oktoberfest, the world's largest beer festival, rubbing shoulders with designer shopping, sleek cars and high-powered industry. Indeed Munich today is the flavour of the year. The Bavarian capital on the Isar river has strong roots in the past. Its Baroque and Rococo architecture, lush parks, museums and historic venues such as Schloss Nymphenburg, the summer palace of the rulers of Bavaria, are the favoured haunts of tourists and

locals alike. This gracious German city is just an hour's drive from the snow-crusted Alps that frame it so beautifully and lend it an air of enchantment. The best ideas on how to enjoy summer in Munich – from beer gardens, and open air markets, to lakes and parks, here’s how to make the most out of your summer vacation in Munich.

Viktualienmarkt

traditional beer gardens and just enjoy!

River Isar

Munich’s oldest open-air farmers

the world, which seats 8000 people.

Rollerblade Night

Coming from the Alps, river Isar flows through the center of Munich and draws people from all walks of life in summer. Tourists love to sunbathe, picnic, barbecue, and fish here. It’s a perfect spot to relax after a day of market dating back to 1807 is a landmark in the heart of the city. Wonder at booths decorated with garlands of sausages, mountains of fresh vegetables, and hopscotch of f r u i t s . T h e m a r ke t h a s everything from meat, and cheese, to bread, pastries, and fresh squeezed juices. Buy some treats for the whole family and enjoy them right then and there, at the beer garden in the center of the market.

Englischer Garten Bigger and larger than Central Park, Munich’s park “Englischer Garten” is a green parcel of land and magnificent place to explore. Rent a paddle boat, ramble along the wooded paths, take a horse-drawn carriage, visit one of its

sightseeing.

Munich's Beer gardens

Blade Night, Europe’s largest roller-blading night event, is Munich’s most important place to be. Every Monday evening in summer, more than 10,000 attendees will usually skate through Munich along one of four routes. Large parts of the inner city will be shut down for traffic and rollerblades and skaters speed through Munich – a unique way to experience the city and its sights.

There is no better end to a summer's day than to sit with friends at long wooden tables shaded by century-old chestnut trees, enjoying a big stein of Bavarian beer fresh from the brewery. Munich is home to almost 200 beer gardens, among them the largest beer garden in

Switzerland Tourism Celebrates Summer 2015 With Grand Tour Switzerland Tourism is offering Grand Tour of Switzerland- a journey of Switzerland spanning more than 1600 kms. The Grand Tour of Switzerland combines the highlights of Switzerland in one single journey. This tour provides a concentrated insight into Switzerland, with exquisite scenic views and cultural jewels. Mr. Urs Eberhard, Executive Vice President, International Markets & MICE, Switzerland Tourism, said, “The recent study by ITB World Travel Trends Report 2013 indicated increase in road touring to 27% from 2009 to 2013. With the introduction of Grand Tour we are looking forward to a great 2015. Since Indian's also are one of the largest users of the Swiss Travel Pass and absolutely love the travel system, a “Grand Train Tour” can also be undertaken using public transport. Swiss Travel System has developed a train tour based on a similar route - Grand Train Tour of Switzerland. These connect all of Switzerland's most scenic routes such as the famous Glacier Express and Golden Pass to take you across the country and visit it's most

22 March - April, 2015

famous spots.” Interestingly, Switzerland is also celebrating 150 years of its Winter tourism this season. The foundation was laid in St. Moritz in Graubünden with a bet between hotelier Johannes Badrutt and British tarvellers, and since then the Swiss winter has been regarded as original throughout the world. Switzerland Tourism will continue to focus on MICE and its specialised MICE division – SCIB (Switzerland Convention and Incentive Bureau) has now started a 100% position in India to look after this growing segment. Other Partners present at the event Geneva - most preferred honeymoon destination, hosted some high profile Indian weddings this year offering tie the knot in the land of crystal clear lakes and snow covered mountain peaks. PILATUS-BAHNEN is investing 18 million Swiss francs in a new aerial cableway 'Dragon Ride' (Fräkmüntegg – Pilatus Kulm). The centrepiece consists of two modern cabins which give passengers

the impression of flying. It will be open for public by April 2015. Davos Klosters Card for every night they spend in Davos, meaning that they can travel to all six mountains in the resort absolutely free of charge, Inclusive gives you free travel on all lifts and cable cars plus public transport too. The brand new Splash & SPA Tamaro water park, has opened doors for public in Rivera which is at short distance from the city of Lugano in Ticino. Lake Lucerne Dinner Cruise: Combine a cruise on Lake Lucerne with an Indian dinner and enjoy the unique landscape of Central Switzerland. Lake Geneva Region: Glacier 3000 is enhancing its offer. From November 2014, vertigo-free visitors can go on the «Peak Walk». The completely new suspension bridge, the second highest in Europe, is the first worldwide to link two peaks. It is 107 meters long and situated at an altitude of 3000 meters! Victoria-Jungfrau Grand Hotel & Spa, Interlaken: The property has undergone

repeated modernization to meet the ever-changing demands. Street View Rhaetian Railways: A world first for the UNESCO listed Albula/Bernina lines of the Rhaetian Railways. St. Moritz is home to top events of international standing. Zurich's Elephants Get a New Home: The Kaeng Krachan Elephant Park at Zurich Zoo will open on June 7, 2014. Covering an area of 12,000 square yards, the elephant house offers a habitat that is more appropriate to the species. Visitors can view the entire area from the lodge, or else observe the ten resident elephants at close quarters by following the footpath through the outdoor complex, which includes a subterranean view into one of the water basins.

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March - April, 2015

Viktualienmarkt

traditional beer gardens and just enjoy!

River Isar

Munich’s oldest open-air farmers

the world, which seats 8000 people.

Rollerblade Night

sightseeing.

Munich's Beer gardens

22 March - April, 2015

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March - April, 2015

INTERNATIONAL NEWS Austrian Roadshow in India The Austrian National Tourist Office held its annual roadshow from the 3 -5 February, 2015. Delegates from local tourist boards, incoming agencies, attractions, hotels and travel partners were part of the roadshow to showcase Austria as a destination for summer 2015. The roadshow was held in 3 cities; Mumbai, Chennai and Delhi and was a huge success, with close to 400 agents attending collectively. Press events were held in Mumbai and Delhi. They have also launched a new innovative game App, “Austria Snapshot Adventure” which will soon be available to download on the “App store” as well as “Google Play”. They will also be giving away dream holidays for Four over the next 3 months though the app.

Participants at the roadshow were: • Vienna Tourist Board • Austria Trend Hotel•Pegasus Incoming •Tourist Board Salzburg C i t y • Pa n o ra m a To u rs Incoming• Tourist Board Zell am See-Kaprun • Tirol Tourist Board•Innsbruck Tourist Board•Swarovski Crystal Worlds•Austrian Railways•Mozart Orchestra V i e n n a • Vo r d e r e g g e r Trave l s • N o rd kette n b a h n e n •Eurotours• Aaron Hotels• Austrian Airlines

In addition Tirol Tourist Board held a destination presentation in Ahmedabad for the first time on the 31 January, 2015 which was attended in large numbers by the Ahmedabad Outbound agents. Commenting on Ms. Christine Mukharji,

Market Manager, ANTO India, said, “Keeping in mind the growing importance of Ahmedabad as an outbound market, we look to fortify this further with a roadshow in Ahmedabad during our next workshop series.”

Argentina Takes Steady Steps To Tap India Market Argentina has plenty of beautiful attractions to experience its stunning natural surroundings, adventure options, rich culture and history. Indian travelers are always looking for an offbeat destination to enjoy their holiday so, Argentina can be your next destination to explore a land with offers so much more. Within a short span of time A rg e nt i n a h a s m a d e a positive mark and shown strong sign of increase in Indian tourist arrivals. In 2014, Argentina welcomed more than 6000 Indian tourists. It saw a steady growth of over 10%. “Argentina is a still a new destination and it is imperative that we promote this destination more to put it on every travellers list. Various strategies have

been implemented based on the needs, wants and expectations of potential tourists. Our current aim is B2B promotions to penetrate the Indian market. This year the focus is more on joint promotions, to enter regional markets, focus on E-Marketing and have our own Roadshows in metro cities as well as in tier 2 cities. There has been fantastic response from travel trade as

CKGS opens Vietnam Visa Application

Centre in Kolkata

Cox & Kings Global Services (CKGS), has announced the opening of Vietnam Visa Application Centre (VAC), in Kolkata. The Embassy of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam in India has authorized CKGS to accept visa applications at their centre with effect from February 1st 2015. The Center was inaugurated by His Excellency Mr. Ton Sinh Thanh,the Ambassador in India for the Socialist Republic of Vietnam in the presence of Mr. Arup Sen, Director, CKGS and other senior officials. CKGS is the only authorized visa service

March - April, 2015

provider for Vietnam in West Bengal. Speaking on the occasion, His Excellency Mr. Ton Sinh Thanh, said, “Facilitation of visa service is one of the priorities of the E m b a s sy. T h ro u g h t h e V i s a Application Center in Kolkata, I strongly believe that Indian travelers from West Bengal will find a faster and reliable way to obtain visa to visit our beautiful and friendly country.” The VAC will process tourist visa applications for residents of West Bengal and applicants would have to visit the centre to submit their applications and collect them once the visa has been issued. The whole process will take approximately five working days. The details of the office 6, Little Russel Street, Kankaria Estate, G r o u n d F l o o r, K o l k a t a - 7 0 0 0 7 1 Submission Time - 8:30 am -1.30 pm Collection Time - 2.30 pm- 5:00 pm

well as Indian traveler in the year 2014. We have also seen MICE groups travelling to Argentina, which has been very impressive," said, Roberto Palais, Executive Secretary INPROTUR. Mr. Tomas Ferrari, The Consul General of Argentina in Mumbai informed, "We have seen a great interest among Indian tourist to visit Argentina. And to assure them, we are trying to facilitate that people get their visa within 48 hours if all the paper work are in order. The Argentina visa is free of charge, and they are given a multiple entry visa.” Argentina is also looking to tap the Indian Film Industry as they are offering some good incentives to promote shooting in the country. There has been

a good interest from the Indian Film industry as well. Ms. Medha Sampat, Director Knack – India Representative for Argentina Tourism added “To target the travel trade Argentina is regularly participating in Trade fairs and organizing roadshows in various cities. The Indian traveller is looking for fresh and bold experiences and Argentina offers exactly that! It is a top notch destination which allows the Indian traveller to discover many jewels in one trip. With such a good assortment of products bundled in one big goodie bag, packaged with mind-blowing landscapes, the idea to create superb itineraries can be left to your imagination. Your mind, your body and your courage will take you to far off places. Be bold, be innovative and you will be able to create an electrifying experience that will make your heart beat faster much faster! ”

VIA RAIL Announces Amazing Offers VIA Rail Canada, the national passenger service carrier of Canada, is celebrating the dropping winter temperatures by dropping their rates with new Economy fares on its legendary route between Toronto and Vancouver, the Canadian. Tr a v e l l e r s c a n n o w t a k e a d v a n t a g e o f V I A R a i l ’s comfortable Economy class service at even lower Escape fares, every day. With these unbeatable rates, there is no excuse not to visit friends, family, or discover the beauty of Canada in an affordable way. No matter which segment of the journey you experience, travellers will enjoy the continually changing landscapes of Canada – through the Prairies, majestic Rocky Mountains, and National Parks in the Pacific Coast. A selection of Escape fares in Economy class routes on the Canadian, starting at:

• Toronto-Sudbury Jct. : $48 • Sudbury Jct.-Winnipeg: $143 • Winnipeg-Saskatoon: $82 • Saskatoon-Edmonton: $58 • Edmonton-Jasper: $79 • Jasper-Vancouver: $121 • Toronto-Vancouver: $364 Space is limited on select routes. For more information, please visit www.viarail.ca

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DESTINATION INSIGHT Experience the Colours of

Hokkaido, Japan

The upcoming destination Hokkaido is the second largest island of Japan. Situated in the north most part of Japan's prefectures, where 5.5 million people reside. It is located to the west from India, 6,251 km away on a straight line. Hokkaido shares about 25% of Japan area. It is known for its cool climate and natural beauty. Throughout the year, changes of the four seasons are quite distinct, one can feel the change in the atmosphere. During Spring (April-May) Shin Hidaka Town and Takinoue Town are the places not to be missed, covered with the purple orchid trees giving cheerful springtime bonanza of cherry blossoms. Summer (June-August) is known for the festivals like Fireworks

festivals, Rice Planting festival, Horse R i d i n g fe st i va l s , D a n c e fe st i va l , Bellybutton festival and Giant Lantern festival. In Autumn (SeptemberNovember) autumn colours and the season for feasting are the specialty. Visit Hokkaido Governor's Official Residence to see an orange carpet. Hokkaido is the Japan's leading producer in milk and beef. You get high quality seafood and agricultural products grown on its wide farmlands. Winter (December-March) the city is covered with the snow. January and February are the coldest months and snow remains until early May in some of the places. The Sapporo Snow Festival which is held every year in February in downtown Sapporo's Odori Park is now known worldwide. Between January and February there are other famous and exciting winter events held around Hokkaido such as the Chitose and Lake Shikotsu Ice Festival, the Asahikawa winter Festival, Sounkyo Hyobaku Ice Festival and the Lake

Shikaribetsu Kotan Festival. Sapporo, the city of 1.9 million is the major spot for sightseeing in Hokkaido. Everything from gigantic shopping malls to museums, parks, art museums and restaurants, historical facilities exist for fun sightseeing. It has many night clubs, pubs and bars. You can enjoy your night by good food, drinks and killer music to dance all night with good atmosphere. During winter enjoy the Ice Waterfall Festival from evening till 10 at night. Fireworks one can't miss the beautiful view of running light in the sky.

Indians food is easily available but in Hokkaido you not only have Indian restaurants but also Grocery Stores too. Indian|Pakistani|Desi Food and Grocery Stores in Hokkaido offers Indian Standard cooking needs such as dals, rice, spice, fresh vegetables, meat, fish and many more. From India there is no direct flight to Hokkaido, but you get many choices. You get connecting flights from Mumbai or Delhi to Tokyo or Hong Kong and Osaka, after it domestic lines to reach the destination.

Philipplines Has Big Plans Kenya Re-Assures An Experience To Attract Indian Tourist Of Lifetime To Indian Travellers Safari Plus In Talk with Mr. Raymund Glen A. Agustin, Chief Tourism Operations Officer, Market Development Group - Russia, India & the Middle EastPhilippine Department of Tourism. Q 1) Being present in India Market from past few years, how do you see the growth rate in number of Indian arrivals? Ans: The Philippines recorded a growth of 17.14% in 2014 over 2013. Philippines recorded a double digit growth almost 50% in Indian tourist arrivals in August 2014 over the same month last year. The Indian market has continued to be one of the important contributors of international visitors to the Philippines. We have Visa Free entry for Indians who have the AJACSSUK visa, namely, US, Japan, Australia, Canada, Singapore, Schengen, UK visa. Those people can avail 14days Visa Free entry to Manila's Ninoy Aquino International Airport and Clark International Airport. Q2) What are your marketing strategy to attract Indian tourist? Ans: Philipplines has big plans to attract Indian tourist, we have already started this year in a big way as 2015 is declared as "Visit Philippines Year". It features a calendar of events and activities that are an exciting mix of parades, concerts,

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feasts and sport tournaments. The announcement was made r e c e n t l y b y To u r i s m Secretary Ramon R. Jimenez Jr in Delhi. We have n e w w e b s i t e v i s i t . p h 2 0 1 5 . c o m . To attract more visitors we are coming up with various programs like Kids Go Free. A special consumer promotion activity has been launched with taxis and Hoho buses branded with pictures of the Philippines. We are also targeting the tier2 and tier3 cities across India with our participation in various travel trade show, workshops and sales mission. We are also planning a mall promotion activity. Q 3) This year promotional plans of Philippines tourism? Ans: After promoting destination like Manila, Boracay, Cebu, Bohol in Indian Market, we now look forward to introduce new destination like Palawan, Clark and Davao among Indian travelers. We are also looking to promote Philippines as a family destination with lots of activities for a family to do - like sea diving, snorkeling, safari ride and many more. Philippines is recognized as a destination for Weddings so, we will take a further step to provide a high quality service, good vegetarian food, and one stop facilities to tap this segment in India.

Kenya Tourism Board 2014 and we hope to re-assures the Indian close the last quarter on travellers that travelling a high. Going forward to the country is safe Kenya will host a number fo llow in g co n c er n s of events in 2015 like over safety and Ebola in S K A L Congress, U N the past. The Kenyan W o r l d T r a d e government is taking Organization, Magical a d e q u a t e K e n y a Tr a v e l E x p o Mr. Muriithi Ndegwa (MKTE).” precautionary measures and there is Kenya has a wealth of no restriction to travel to Kenya's magnificent locations from the highlands of popular tourist destinations like the Mt. Kenya, to the Rift Valley, the sun kissed Maasai Mara, Amboseli, Lake Nakuru, Savanna and the luxurious coast which Tsavo, Samburu, Laikipia and Mount offer incomparable holiday experiences. Kenya, for safaris, or Lamu Island, Diani Here are few relevant facts: and Malindi at the Coast among other. • The continent of Africa is larger than 42,910 Indian tourists travelled to the U.S., China, India, Europe and Japan Kenya in the first nine months of the combined. year 2014. This is slight drop from the • Africa is not one country but 54 previous comparative period having independent nations with strict customs mainly been caused by the Ebola scare controls. Most have restricted entry to which affected travel to all of Africa. travelers that visited affected West Mr. Muriithi Ndegwa OGW, KTB African countries. Managing Director said, “India is a very • Kenya remains Ebola free and no single important source market for Kenya. KTB case of Ebola has been recorded in the is geared together with the private country. sector towards increasing the positive • Kenya Airways flights to Liberia and image of the country. KTB has also Sierra Leone remain suspended as a launched various plans and strategies to measure to prevent the spread of Ebola. g row t h e m a r ket . B e s i d e s t h e • Restrictions on entry into Kenya for government has taken adequate those who have passed through Sierra measures to improve security and is also Leone, Guinea and Liberia are still in place. taking several other initiatives to improve the infrastructure leading to • Visitors to Kenya are not at any risk of rapid economic growth.” contracting Ebola and there is no reason for visitors to cancel or postpone their Kenya has seen an increase in tourism travel plans. enquires in the later part of the year

March - April, 2015

CKGS opens Vietnam Visa Application

Centre in Kolkata

March - April, 2015

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DESTINATION INSIGHT Experience the Colours of

Hokkaido, Japan

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March - April, 2015

INTERNATIONAL

Mauritius

Oman To Showcase US$ 3.3 Billion Worth Of Projects At ATM 2015 The annual Arabian Travel Market roadshow series kicks off its 2015 calendar with the team heading to The Chedi Muscat on 19th February to meet with key industry players and to discuss how to optimise Oman's tourism development showcase at this year's ATM. Oman Ministry of Tourism, which is participating with a 280-square metre stand and Oman Air taking more than 82 square metres of space in ATM 2015. With more than US$ 3.3 billion worth of high profile tourism projects currently under development in the Sultanate, the country is rapidly expanding its existing tourism offering with luxury brand leaders set to make their hospitality debut and a number of important tourism and cultural projects also nearing completion. Of the top 10 projects currently under development in the country, which have a total investment value of just over US$3.3 billion, luxury hospitality is a major focus with Westin, St Regis and W all taking shape, as well as the new US$200 million Ritz-Carlton – The Muscat Reserve, and the high-end mixed-use Saraya Bandar Jissah Resort (managed by Jumeirah Group), valued at US$840 million. Supporting infrastructure development

Mauritius as a MICE Destination

projects include the long awaited Oman convention & Exhibition Centre, built at a cost of US$560 million, and the Al Futtaim Group's US$468 million Mall of Oman. BMI forecasts 1.14 million tourist arrivals to Oman thus year, up by 3% on 2014 with tourism receipts reaching US$2.24 billion, up by 5% year-on-year; and with the delivery of high profile projects such as the Oman Convention Centre and Saraya Bandar Jissah Resort pegged for 2016 and 2017 respectively, the country's key tourism players are shaping a unique premium destination in the region. In its Oman Tourism Report Q2 2015, BMI also highlights Asia as the largest

market for inbound travel with strong potential for future growth with arrivals set to increase by 37.3% between 2014 and 2018. According to official data issued by the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI), Oman's four and fivestar hotels saw a pick-up in guest room nights and revenues in 2014 with the Sultanate recording 26.1% growth in the guest numbers in December against the previous year and total year-on-year revenue growth of 10.3% rising from OMR 150,486 million to OMR 165,970 million. The ATM seminars return covering travel technology and other key industry issues such as luxury travel trends, business travel, and aviation, Expo 2020, CSR and

mid-scale hotels. Also returning are the visitor trails, helping visitors identify the specific travel sectors on the show floor including: shopping, career, budget, health and wellness, air and water travel. The 2015 event will also build on the success of last year's edition with the announcement of an additional hall adding an additional 2,000 square metres of floor space as Reed Travel Exhibitions looks to add to its recordbreaking achievements in 2014. Last year ATM saw total attendance increase by 12% with 33,000 participants, from more than 131 countries and business deals signed worth more than US$ 2.1 billion over the four days.

Mauritius serves as a perfect MICE d e st i n at i o n . B e s i d e s i t s n at u ra l splendour, the island has all the key facilities required for organising successful meetings, conferences and events. The island offers a wide choice of accommodation, with a strong emphasis on luxury properties and a wide range of reputed international luxury hotel brands and boutique hotels. Mauritius has the infrastructure and superstructure to cater to MICE groups all year round. It has an advantage over other MICE destinations in the Indian Ocean as it has the region’s largest and most modern convention centre: the Swami Vivekananda Conference Centre in Pailles. This centre provides all the facilities needed for large international conferences – which can accommodate up to 5,000 people at any one time. Many Mauritian hotels also offer

conferencin g facilities and can cater to upto 800 people at a time. The Island boasts a wide variety of recreational activities that can be specifically geared around MICE groups – ranging from golf on lush green courses with the spectacularly turquoise sea as backdrop, to adventure sports such as quad-biking, trekking, mountain biking, zip-lining, catamaran cruises and exploring the ocean belly in a specially designed submarine. Groups can take up activities like walking with the Lions or visit the Casela Park or enjoy swimming with dolphins or marvel at the sight of the mighty whales.

Mauritius as a Honeymoon destination To mark a unique beginning to your wedded life in a special place, your honeymoon destination should be Mauritius. More than 100 hotels and resorts on the island provide a range of packages catering to guest who are just married. In addition to discounts on room rent, they throw in a host of romantic value add-ons such as free spa or beauty treatments, fruit baskets,

March - April, 2015

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champagne, or private candle-lit dinners on the beach. There are endless options in Mauritius for the romantically inclined. Couples can go dolphin and whale watching, have lunch or dinner on a private island, cruise on a private catamaran or yatch, hire an underwater sub-scooter or chill out at a couple's spa and Jacuzzi. The newly-weds will definitely enjoy the fantastic climate and a plethora of outdoor activities along with the serenity and beauty of the Island. Mauritius has been awarded the Indian Ocean’s Leading Honeymoon Destination at the World Travel Awards 2013.

Mauritius as a Wedding destination Gorgeous white sand beaches, cobalt blue lagoons, rugged volcanic highlands and unique bio diversity make the island of Mauritius an ideal destination wedding spot for the couple looking to tie the knot in a far off and enticing location. Situated in the Indian Ocean, Mauritius’ n a t u r a l b e a u t y,

combined with its distinctive cultural diversity and luxurious hotel accommodations create a truly wedding experience. Mauritius boasts over 150 miles of pristine beaches, the third largest coral reef in the world, and several uninhabited islands that serve as natural preserves for the areas rare species of flora and fauna. A Mauritius wedding is perfect for the couple looking to create a memorable occasion that will live on long after the ceremony is over. Most hotels offer extensive wedding and honeymoon packages and have their own experienced wedding coordinator who will organise every last detail according to your wishes. MTPA gives incentives to groups of over 100 people travelling to Mauritius for events and staying for a minimum of two nights. These are in the form of cash-back and various other facilities including free excess baggage, special immigration counters at the airport, security for VIPs etc.

Mauritius as a Family Destination

The island’s safe beaches and gentle seas make the destination a great place for a family holiday. Activities include a fantastic zoological day out – tigers, monkeys, giant tortoises and 140 species of birds. Take a unique ‘walk with the lions’, try your hand in a fishing competition, whale and dolphin watching or enjoy the thrill of a mini quad-bike tour. The recently introduced new zip-line course is an addition to the burgeoning collection of child-friendly activities. There are lots and lots of thrilling and exhilarating activities in Mauritius for you at every turn like kite-surfing, deep-sea fishing, trekking, ATV rides, paragliding, scuba diving, sky diving, riding cruiser bikes, helicopter and seaplane trips. Last, but not least, is to experience a unique and spectacular way

of diving – without ever getting wet – on-board a real submarine! Mauritius is the ideal destination for a family trip because parents as well as children do not have to sacrifice quality time for convenience here. Most hotels provide a kid’s club where children can pop in and out throughout the day. Teen clubs are becoming increasingly available, enabling slightly older kids of the same age group to hang out together, learn new skills such as waterskiing, or join in team-games or enjoy making sand castles on the beach. Shopping experiences in Mauritius are astounding: ranging from shopping in a relaxed atmosphere in shopping centers, doing duty-free shopping or shopping in craft markets or even buying artisanal objects from hawkers on the beach or streets. M a u r i t i a n c u i s i n e i s , l i ke i t s population, colourful and crossbred. Once tasted, you cannot do without it. Mauritians are just as happy to

experiment with recipes from Chinese, Indian or Muslim cuisines as they are with tempting Creole or European dishes. Mauritius is a place with an easy availability of Indian vegetarian food as well.

Mauritius as a Luxury Destination Mauritius is an award-winning spa destination and regularly tops the polls of the best spa experiences in the world. While the island itself is a tranquil idyll, the spa experience takes people to a new level of peace and relaxation. The tropical surroundings complement the fact that some of the leading practitioners and experts in the spa and we l l b e i n g i n d u st r y a re b a s e d i n Mauritius. And this expertise translates into high standards and innovative techniques and treatments throughout the island's spa facilities. Visitors can choose from a range of Asian Ayurvedic massages, ocean-inspired treatments or ancient African and Creole remedies

made from local herbs and flowers. Clients leave feeling rejuvenated with a better understanding of their own health goals and nutritional requirements. Mauritius is also positioning itself as a prime golf destination, as it has eight 18-hole golf courses and five 9-hole golf courses. Golfers who choose to visit Mauritius for their sporting holiday are set to enjoy much more than golf alone. They will experience, at first hand, the Mauritian people’s innate hospitality, friendliness and commitment to quality of service. They will have the opportunity to stay in excellent hotels, each offering a wide range of additional services, including wonderful spas and worldclass cuisine. Do not miss sailing in a Catamaran while watching a spectacular sunset. Treat yourself and your loved ones with a 3 hour evening cruise along the clear waters of the Mauritius. Watch the ocean all around you and feast on a Mauritian luxurious fine dining dinner. This will be a memorable night on board a unique luxurious motor-boat yacht.

March - April, 2015

INTERNATIONAL

Mauritius

Mauritius as a MICE Destination

March - April, 2015

www.safariplus.co.in

Mauritius as a Family Destination

experiment with recipes from Chinese, Indian or Muslim cuisines as they are with tempting Creole or European dishes. Mauritius is a place with an easy availability of Indian vegetarian food as well.

March - April, 2015