Express Travel World September, 2014

V0L 9 NO.8 PAGES 44

September 2014, `50

Markets New liquor policy creates furore in God's Own Country Edge Interview: Darren Waite, director, CWT Solutions Group, Asia Pacific

CONTENTS Vol 9 No 8 SEPTEMBER 2014 Pages 44

Chairman of the Board

Viveck Goenka Editor

Reema Lokesh* Chief of Product

Prabhas Jha Assistant Editor

Steena Joy Sr. Associate Editor

Sudipta Dev CONTENT TEAM Mumbai

Kahini Chakraborty Rituparna Chatterjee Kolkata

Joy Roy Choudhury DESIGN National Art Director

Bivash Barua Deputy Art Director

REDEFINING LUXURY IN GOD'S OWN COUNTRY (20-28)

Surajit Patro Chief Designer

Pravin Temble Senior Graphic Designerr

MARKETS

EDGE

Rushikesh Konka Senior Artist

Ratilal Ladani, Kiran Parker

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SCHEDULING & COORDINATION Sr.Executive

Rohan Thakkar Photo Editor

Sandeep Patil

CHABAD HOUSE TO GIVE MUMBAI A MUSEUM AND MEMORIAL DEDICATED TO 26/11 MARTYRS

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ABU DHABI GETS BOOST IN MICE TRAVEL FROM INDIA

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ETHIOPIAN AIRLINES EYES INDIA EXPANSION

MARKETING

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Regional Heads

Harit Mohanty - West Prabhas Jha - North Sanghamitra Kumar - East Dr. Raghu Pillai - South

INTERVIEW WITH JAY WEATHERILL, PREMIER OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA

Marketing Team

Sunil Dcosta Gunjan Chauhan Baljinder Singh Ajanta Sengupta CIRCULATION

Mohan Varadakar

MANAGEMENT

LIFE

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PRODUCTION General Manager

B R Tipnis Manager

Bhadresh Valia Express TravelWorld Reg. No.-MH/MR/SOUTH156\2013-15 RNI Reg. No.MAHENG/2005/15993 Printed by The Indian Express Limited and published by Ms Vaidehi Thakar on behalf of The Indian Express Press, Plot No. EL-208, TTC Industrial Area, Mahape, Navi Mumbai - 400710 and Published from Express Towers, 2nd Floor, Nariman Point, Mumbai - 400021.

(Editorial & Administra-tive Offices: Express Towers, 1st Floor, Nariman Point, Mumbai – 400021)

KTM 2014 PROMISES TO REACH OUT TO MORE NEW BUYERS

IN THE COCKPIT

P06: EDITOR’S NOTE P34 : APPOINTMENTS P39 : WEEKEND

Copyright @ 2011 The Indian Express Ltd. All rights reserved throughout the world. Reproduction in any manner, electronic or otherwise, in whole or in part, without prior written permission is prohibited. *Responsible for selection of news under PRB Act

EDITOR’S NOTE

Brand Kerala

I

f there is one state in India that stands out distinctly as a true and well defined example of successfully implementing the pop model rather effectively and efficiently, it is the state of Kerala that wins hands down. The state got the formula right and today it stands tall as a leader in terms of branding in the tourism space. However Kerala was created not by chance or by default. It has been the result of years of commitment and dedicated work put in by visionaries in the state who realised the potential of tourism as a serious business.

With the recent upheaval following the new liquor policy, the industry stakeholders in tourism and hospitality have once again voiced their opinions loud and clear to rethink on a policy that can have considerable impact on the tourism business. Steena Joy and Akshay Kumar received some first hand industry feedback on the situation which has been covered in this issue. Interestingly so, the state will also play host to KTM which grew and matured over time as it is today consid-

HEAD OFFICE MUMBAI: Express TravelWorld Sunil Dcosta The Indian Express Ltd Business Publication Division 2nd Floor, Express Tower, Nariman Point Mumbai- 400 021 Board line: 022- 67440000 Ext. 263 Mobile: +91 9821798612 Email Id: sunil.dcosta@expressindia.com Branch Offices : NEW DELHI: Baljinder Singh The Indian Express Ltd Business Publication Division Express Building, 9&10, Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, New Delhi- 110 002 Board line: 011-23702100 Ext. 568 Mobile: +91 9868848013 Fax: 011-23702141 Email id: baljinder.singh@expressindia.com CHENNAI: Gunjan Chauhan The Indian Express Ltd Business Publication Division

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New No. 37/C (Old No. 16/C) 2nd Floor,Whites Road, Royapettah, Chennai- 600 014 Mobile: +91 9620601306 Email id: gunjan.chauhan@expressindia.com BANGALORE: Gunjan Chauhan The Indian Express Ltd Business Publication Division 502, 5th Floor, Devatha Plaza, Residency road, Bangalore- 560025 Mobile: +91 9620601306 Email id: gunjan.chauhan@expressindia.com HYDERABAD: Gunjan Chauhan The Indian Express Ltd Business Publication Division 6-3-885/7/B, Ground Floor, VV Mansion, Somaji Guda, Hyderabad – 500 082 Mobile: +91 9620601306 Email id: gunjan.chauhan@expressindia.com KOLKATA: Ajanta Sengupta

“Kerala was created not by chance or by default.It has been the result of years of commitment and dedicated work put in by visionaries in the state who realised the potential of tourism” The Indian Express Ltd Business Publication Division JL No. 29&30, NH-6, Mouza- Prasastha & Ankurhati, Vill & PO- Ankurhati P.S.- Domjur (Nr.Ankurhati Check Bus Stop), Dist. Howrah- 711 409 Mobile: +91 9831182580 Email id: ajanta.sengupta@expressindia.com KOCHI: Gunjan Chauhan The Indian Express Ltd Ground Floor, Sankoorikal Building, Kaloor – Kadavanthra Road Kaloor, Kochi – 682 017 Mobile: +91 9620601306 Email id: gunjan.chauhan@expressindia.com COIMBATORE: Gunjan Chauhan The Indian Express Ltd No. 205-B, 2nd Floor, Vivekanand Road, Opp. Rajarathinam Hospital Ram Nagar, Coimbatore- 641 009 Mobile: +91 9620601306 Email id: gunjan.chauhan@expressindia.com

ered as a 'must visit' event in the tourism space. KTM is a classic example of teamwork and the power of having a common vision and working toward the benefit of the industry and tourism in general. Our cover story takes a unique look at the state and takes you into a world of luxury Kerala, which is subtle and sensitive.

The recently concluded 30th IATO convention in New Delhi once again addresses old issues but with a new approach. The emphasis was on rethinking on how to promote brand India, from re-energising the roadshow format, identifying unique circuits of development to working together for a common good.

FAITH interestingly highlighted the work that the sector is doing to strengthen their voice in the corridors of power. The ministry of tourism did urge the private sector to come forward with suggestions and formulas to rethink the position of brand India for tourism.

REEMA LOKESH Editor editorial.etw@expressindia.com AHMEDABAD: Sunil Dcosta The Indian Express Ltd 3rd Floor, Sambhav House, Near Judges Bunglows, Bodakdev, Ahmedabad - 380 015 Mobile: +91 9821798612 Email Id: sunil.dcosta@expressindia.com BHOPAL: Baljinder Singh The Indian Express Ltd F-102, Inner Court Apartment, 1st Floor, GTB Complex, Behind 45 Bungalows, Bhopal - 462 003 Mobile: +91 9868848013 Email id: baljinder.singh@expressindia.com JAIPUR: Baljinder Singh The Indian Express Ltd S2,J-40, Shyam GHP Enclave, Krishna Marg, C-Scheme, Jaipur - 302 001 Mobile: +91 9868848013 Email id: baljinder.singh@expressindia.com

Important: Whilst care is taken prior to acceptance of advertising copy,it is not possible to verify its contents.The Indian Express Limited cannot be held responsible for such contents,nor for any loss or damages incurred as a result of transactions with companies,associations or individuals advertising in its newspapers or publications.We therefore recommend that readers make necessary inquiries before sending any monies or entering into any agreements with advertisers or otherwise acting on an advertisement in any manner whatsoever.

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Gujarat tourism to open convention centre in Vadodara Rituparna Chatterjee Mumbai WITH A VIEW to tap the booming MICE segment in India, Tourism Corporation of Gujarat, will be opening a convention centre in Vadodara by October-November this year.

Speaking about this project, Sanjay Kaul, managing director, Tourism Corporation of Gujarat on the sidelines of the recently held Gujarat Tourism roadshow in Mumbai informed, “We are coming up with a convention centre in Vadodara for which tenders will be floated.

The location has been earmarked and the model is being worked out.” Presently, Gujarat has a large convention centre located in Gandhinagar – the Mahatma Mandir which can

host up to 15,000 people.

Through this new convention centre, the tourism corporation is optimistic about attracting larger number of corporates and MICE groups.

Moreover, the corporation also has plans to build public infrastructure across all tourist destinations in Gujarat. “Our new focus is on infrastructure development, essentially hotel infrastructure and we have identified 39 projects for the same. These developments will be across different tourism segments like temples, beaches, eco-tourism, to name a few. This year the state government has allocated a budget of `550 crore for tourism development and our expenditure has been close to 100 per cent over the years.” The corporation is

also focusing on promoting homestays through standardisation, skill upgradation and effective marketing. Gujarat Tourism Opportunity Limited (GUJTOP) will be promoting these investments by inviting

tenders from the private sector. GUJTOP is a special purpose joint venture company formed between Tourism Corporation of Gujarat and Infrastructure Leasing & Finance Services (IL&FS) to facilitate

tourism infrastructure projects across Gujarat on PPP basis.

“This year, we are aiming to reach a growth of 17 to 18 per cent in tourist arrivals against 14 per cent last year,” mentioned Kaul.

MoTlaunches sustainable tourism criteria for India Archana Sharma New Delhi IN AN ATTEMPT to minimise environmental impact and promote sustainable tourism, the Ministry of Tourism (MoT) has launched the Comprehensive Sustainable Tourism Criteria for India (STCI) in the Ecotourism and Environment handbook, compiled by the Ecotourism Society of India, at Hotel Ashok in New Delhi. The criteria has been specifically laid down for the accommodation, tour operators, beaches, backwaters, lakes and rivers sectors. The launch of STCI was followed by a sensitisation workshop for stakeholders of

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STCI, wherein the panel discussed the Indian perspective on sustainable tourism and its implementation across various sectors. Speaking at the launch, Shripad Naik, minister, tourism and culture, MoT stated, "We are developing tourism in India based on sustainability principles. In order to minimise the carbon footprint and ensure ecological balance, the ministry has launched STCI to have minimal impact on our environment.” Adding to the same, Girish Shankar, additional secretary, MoT, opined, “There is a need for fostering sustainable tourism keeping in mind the carrying capacity, policy, regu-

Responsible tourism needs sustainable environmental plans in compliance with laws latory issues, environment, cultural and economic growth of the country.”

Mandeep Singh Soin, editor-in-chief of the handbook, founder president, Ecotourism Society of India and founder and MD, Ibex Expeditions, emphasised upon the need for legal compliance. He said, “There is a need for sensitisation workshops which include creating awareness about the environmental laws since people claim ignorance.”

“Tourism is the largest service industry and for responsible tourism we need sustainable environmental plans in compliance to environmental laws for conserving biodiversity and natural resources,” mentioned Anand Kumar, joint secretary, MoT.

Elaborating on this, Kumar provided his suggestions to the members of MoT. “Sensitisation workshops should be organised and training about sustainable practices should be provided to the industry and a committee should be formed to discuss the problems and progress for the implementation of STCI,” he said. Also promoting the 'Responsible Tourism Classification Committee' put in place

by Dr Suman Billa, secretary, Kerala Tourism for his state, Kumar stated, “Such a certification programme should be taken forward in order to create an ecosystem around tourism.”

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Chabad House to give Mumbai a museum and memorial dedicated to 26/11 martyrs Reema Lokesh Mumbai ONE OF THE targets of the 26/11 Mumbai terrorist attacks the Chabad House centre reopened in Mumbai with a promise to wipe terror through love, respect and culture and give visitors to Mumbai another must see site on their itineraries. The Centre, committed to the service of Jews both national and international will also house a dedicated museum in respect of the Late Rabbi Gavriel and his late wife Rivka Holtzberg who were targets of the terror attack on November 28, 2008. Apart from the museum the Chabad international team is working on installing a full fledged memorial

in remembrance of all those innocent lives that were lost during the terror attacks.

According to Nick Appelbaum, of Ralph Appelbaum Associates, New York who is working on the museum and memorial project, “The memorial will be the first of its kind in Mumbai and India, wherein the names of every individual who perished in the attacks will be inscribed on the 26/11 memorial.” The memorial is scheduled to be built on the terrace of the Chabad house as a symbol of tolerance, solidarity and peace.

The Museum which will be on two dedicated floors in the house, will be a state of the art set up but keeping the history and authenticity of the place in-

Nick Appelbaum

Rabbi Moshe Gourarie

tact. Appelbaum added that, “We do not want to white wash history and keep certain parts the way the terrorists had left it, but our aims to provide the world a perspective that there is hope in darkness and a can-

dle can light up a dark room.

We intend to narrate positive stories on universal moral principles through the museum and take a comment for visitors to make a commitment toward a better world.” The museum ex-

perience is going to be a visual experience of both sight and sound, from despair to hope.

Rabbi Moshe Gourarie, who is also working on the museum and memorial project, said, “The museum is for one and all. It will provide an insight into Jewish life, culture and living. The experience will be educational and fun with interesting glimpses of life and living.” The fifth floor of the museum will be recreated as the house of the late Rabbi and will be a walk-in experience on the culture and tradition on a race and religion. Chabad international is responsible for the fund raising of both the museum and memorial which is said to be approximately US$2.5 million.

Tourism and Community Development choosen as theme of World Tourism Day 2014 ETW Staff Mumbai ‘TOURISM AND COMMUNITY Development’ is the theme of this year’s World Tourism Day (WTD). The theme underscores the potential of tourism to promote opportunities for communities around the world, as well as the role that community engagement has in advancing sustainable tourism development. The official celebrations will be hosted by Mexico in the city of Guadalajara on September 27, 2014.

This year’s theme is timed to contribute to the debate on tourism’s contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the UN development blueprint after 2015,

places a high priority on local participation.

“Each time we travel, use local transport at a destination or buy products from a local market, we are contributing to

a long value chain that creates jobs, provides livelihoods, empowers local communities, and ultimately brings in new opportunities for a better future,” says Taleb Rifai, secretary-gen-

eral, UNWTO. “Tourism can only prosper if it engages the local population by contributing to social values such as participation, education and enhanced local governance. At

the same time, there can be no real tourism development if such development damages in any way the values and culture of host communities or if the socio-economic benefits generated by the tourism sector do not trickle down to the community level,” he added.

The official celebrations to be held in Guadalajara, Mexico, include a high-level Think Tank bringing together Ministers, development experts and key tourism representatives to address the relevance of a community based tourism approach as conducive to sustainable development. The Think Tank will be moderated by news anchor Gabriela Frías of CNN International, the WTD 2014 global media partner.

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New liquor policy creates furore in God's Own Country Kerala tourism industry wants govt to relax prohibition in tourist destinations Akshay Kumar & Steena Joy Mumbai THE NEW LIQUOR policy recently announced by the Kerala government will adversely affect the tourism sector, according to the hospitality and tourism industry in the state.

Kerala has always been a high performing state in the tourism space and 9.5 per cent of the states GDP is contributed by this sector. One fourth of the state's population (24.5 per cent) is employed into the tourism sector.

Speaking exclusively to Express TravelWorld on the collateral damage to the tourism sector, Jose Dominic, CEO, CGH Earth Group, said, “The

tourism and hospitality industry in Kerala is facing a complete collapse. Initially there were some occasions which were declared as a dry day, but now all the Sundays have been declared. All the MICE tourism groups which earlier used to consider Kerala as one of the best destinations, will now seek alternative destinations like Sri Lanka or Malaysia. This new liquor policy will only result in increase of bootleggers, drugs, criminals and mafia in the state.”

Speaking about the contradiction in the state tourism model, Dominic added, “By only allowing five star hotels to serve alcohol, the Kerala government is completely contradicting its own model of

MICE tourism groups which earlier used to consider Kerala will now seek alternative destinations like Sri Lanka tourism which promotes experiential tourism by adopting the Kerala lifestyle, architecture and stays across rural Kerala. This model has brought Kerala, national as well as global fame.”

The tourism and hospitality industry of Kerala has chalked out an alternative solution to save the tourism industry i.e a proposal to the state government to issue tourism licenses to hotels in key tourism

destinations.

Speaking about the issue, Abraham George, president, Kerala Travel Mart Society (KTM), said, “The new liquor policy will definitely have a negative impact on tourism especially in the leisure holiday segment. As tourists on holiday, especially foreign tourists who flock to Kerala, usually end their day with a relaxing glass of wine or beer. We plan to create awareness and convince the

government to rethink on this issue. We hoteliers plan to meet the chief minister and we hope something positive will come out of the meeting. One solution to the problem could be that the government should issue special tourism licenses to the hotels in key tourist destinations so that they can atleast serve beer and wine to their guests.”

Dominic agrees, “The tourism industry wants the government to allow lesser alcohol content beverages such as beer and wine, so that tourism in the state can survive atleast in some form. The government should consider this appeal so that native job seekers need not go out of the state for a livelihood.”

Philippines Tourism introduces Philippines Specialist Programme ETW Staff Mumbai CONSIDERING INDIA’S POTENTIAL as one of the most important emerging markets, the Philippines Tourism marketing office has launched the Philippines Specialist Programme (PSP).

The Philippines Specialist Programme builds on the theme of 'Its More Fun in the Philippines' to help travel agents understand and therefore sell Philippines as an ideal tourist destination. The course offers information in a visually appealing format that gives a glimpse of Philippines as a country and as a tourist attraction too.

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Talking on the occasion, SanJeet, tourism attache, Philippines Tourism Marketing Office, India, said, “This certified programme provides travel professionals the perfect opportunity to familiarise and enhance their product knowledge on the destination, thereby becoming specialists and ambassadors of the Philippines. As specialists, they will be able to work closely and promote Philippines to clients.”

With eight modules in level one, providing general information on the Philippines, to visas, attraction, shopping, nightlife, hotels and food to cities like Manila, Cebu, Boracay, Palawan and Bohol, travel agents will be motivated to encourage their

The course offers information in a visually appealing format clients to experience Philippines via one of a kind itinerary. Thus the programme will provide with all the relevant information that can be used to educate customers and sell the Philippines as a tourist destination better.

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Digitalisation and mobile user growth to surge further: IAMAI Archana Sharma New Delhi THE INTERNET AND Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) organised the fifth Travel and Tourism Summit at Shangri-La’s Eros Hotel, New Delhi. The summit focussed on digitalisation and growth of mobile users and their online consumption, while also detailing solutions that online space could provide for better experience.

Emphasising on the need for curation and personalisation of content for customers, Sharat Dhall, president, Yatra Online, stated, “With over eight million mobile devices presently, there has been a 2025 per cent growth in the travel bookings via mobile. Therefore travel companies should step up customer offerings and cus-

tomise the content in order to provide the same experiences with all the different devices available along with history and recovery.”

Delving further on the subject, Rajesh Magow, co-founder and CEO, MakeMyTrip.com, talked about the changing peak time. “By 2016, there will be about 330 million mobile internet users. Presently, on an average, an individual spends around 72 minutes online.

About 13 per cent of the transactions are done through mobile phones these days and therefore the travel service providers should take advantage of these trends and build a programme to reach more travellers, making up for the time that India has missed on the internet revolution, technology and infrastructure development.”

Travel companies should step up customer offerings and customise the content in order to provide the same experiences with all different devices Vishwadeep Bajaj, CEO, ValueFirst Digital Media, said that travel and tourism applications are the seventh most downloaded applications by smartphone users, as nearly 52 per cent of consumers research extensively before committing to a booking.

“Today travellers are intelligent and know very well what to see and what to ignore. They are quick to understand and therefore travel companies

need to approach customers with relevant and engaging content,” stated Hanneli Slabber, country head, India, South Africa Tourism while discussing the approach of social media to customer service.

The summit also explored the advantages of going digital for the hotel industry and ways to tactically outsmart the competitor. Arif Patel, regional director- sales and marketing, Starwood Hotels and Resorts

talked about the pilot programme of smart check-in of Starwood Hotels in the US, while Abraaham Alapatt, chief innovation officer and head marketing and customer service, Thomas Cook mentioned about the ‘Silver Brakes’ programmes for affluent senior citizens.

Prasanjeet Dutta Baruah, head-marketing, The Oberoi Group, further elaborated on this by saying, “There is no split between leisure and business traveller online but the content and strategy should be such that the brand is being is promoted as well as the customer achieves his desired results.” While all the delegates agreed on the changing trend of increased online presence, they also maintained that a balance has to be created with the offline services.

'We should stop concentrating on mass volumes in tourism',says Arun Jaitley Rituparna Chatterjee Mumbai ARUN JAITLEY, UNION minister of finance and defence, Government of India during the recently held Indian Express Adda at The Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbai touched upon two significant industries that have been ignored – tourism and hospitality highlighting that the actual figures of foreign tourists visiting India is low and there is a need to concentrate on quality tourists rather than quantity. “When we say that the Indian tourism industry gets eight million

tourists, that includes all the NRIs coming back to the country. So when we look at the actual number of real tourists, we need to filter that figure out,” opined Jaitley adding, “But can India compete with some of the most important tourism centric countries in the world? The answer is no. The room rates and taxes are high, there is double taxation. That's an area where the government needs to looks into. India needs to take a decision - do we concentrate on volumes or on high-paying travellers. We should stop concentrating on mass volumes in tourism.”

Arun Jaitley

During the event he informed the audience about the government's capacity building strategy for transport aircraft.

“With regard to our transport aircraft, in our last meeting we took a decision that only Indian governments can apply for the supply of a large number of transport aircraft and we didn't allow the public sector to participate. So the idea is that people will enter into joint ventures and some private sector capacity building will take place in areas where our capacity is very low,” he mentioned.

He also touched upon the urgent need to improve hotel

and tourism infrastructure.

“Our tourism is at a very low rate. Therefore, one of the steps we have announced is evisa and visa-on-arrival and the infrastructure for this has been set up at various airports in the country. But I think the approach will have to change. People come and visit our beaches, pilgrim centres, mountain resorts, heritage cities, monuments. We need to improve our infrastructure and most of these places may need to be improved upon. Fortunately, a number of them have improved in the last few years.”

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Amid allegations of rigged process,Jyoti Kapur still wins presidential position of ADTOI Archana Sharma New Delhi THE ELECTIONS FOR the executive committee of Association of Domestic Tour Operators of India (ADTOI) held on July 12, 2014, brought forth some discerning facts about power struggle. Rajesh Mudgill, Ravi Luthra, Neeraj Rastogi, Capt Sunil Solankey, Manoj Varshney, Chander Wadhwani, Manoj Mitta, Rajiv Sobti and Arun Sharma, alleged that the whole process was rigged and manipulated to achieve an earlier decided outcome. During a press conference held in New Delhi, they demanded a recount and an investigation of the election process. In the elections, Jyoti Kapur was

elected as president; Sanjay Aggarwal as vice president; Anurag Aggarwal as general secretary and Rajesh Arya as treasurer.

While explaining the reasons behind the accusations, Mudgill stated, “The total count of votes was 2139, as announced by Praveen Chugh, returning officer (RO), while it should have been 2088. The difference of 51 votes has been left unexplained and all our requests to provide documentation were denied, till a legal notice was served.” They also claim that three outstation ballot papers were received by the secretariat but weren't included in the voting process.

During the press conference, a mail written by Dinesh

Veer Singh, one of the independent observers, was provided, consisting of his observation of the election process, stating the manipulation of the process.

“The power given to the independent observers was also restricted and they were unable to check the combined total of the votes,” stated Luthra.

Initially, a recount was set to take place on July 28, 2014 but was postponed to August 9, 2014. “Mukesh Jagga, interim chairman handed over power to the new team, despite the allegations. Also, before the recount could take place, the RO resigned without any explanations, upholding the election results,” stated Mudgill.

Talking about his role in the elections, Jagga believes, “ The

interim chairman has no power after the election process is complete. The RO is in-charge of the operations and on the day of elections, no one had come forward with any kind of allegations against anyone.” Stating the election process to be fair, Chugh said, “The whole process took place in front of the contestants. The ballot boxes were sealed and I don't believe that any totaling mistake had taken place. Currently, the ballot boxes are with the ADTOI Secretariat and can be checked by anyone. “The results were declared in the presence of everyone. The people who have lost should accept their defeat with dignity.”

However, as all claims called for verification, in order to

break the ice on stalemate going on in the association on the recounting of votes, a General House meeting with the agenda of recounting of votes was convened September 3, 2014 at Ashoka Hotel, New Delhi.Chugh and Krishen Seth, observer, ADTOI elections who conducted the election in a fair, free and transparent manner were present and Kapur after calling the meeting to order invited both of them to chair the meeting and start the proceedings. Chugh explained in detail the procedure adopted for conducting the elections and asked the House whether they are ready for the recounting of votes which was not allowed to be conducted by the contestants, who had asked for the recount.

IATO's 30th convention looks forward towards new tourism initiatives Archana Sharma New Delhi THE 30TH ANNUAL convention of Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO), held at the Kempinski Ambience Hotel, New Delhi, witnessed deliberations on the expectations of members on government's focus on tourism. Promoting the theme of the convention 'New beginnings, Fresh Ideas, Vibrant Future' Subhash Goyal, president, IATO stated, “The tourism industry is the largest employment generator in the world. By promoting tourism, we are promoting creation of employment opportunities and thus helping in eradicating poverty.”

Elaborating on the agenda, Rajeev Kohli, chairman- conven-

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tion and vice president, IATO, said, “In the last three years we have changed the format of the convention. We are moving away from generic sessions of policies towards specific issues concerning operations of the travel trade.” He added, “The mandate of IATO is to showcase new products and destinations, and with this comes the challenge of deciding the venue and location, as the convention has grown and crossed 1200 members this year for the convention.” Adding to this point, Goyal stated, “The tourism industry is not limited to Central Delhi and Kempinski is the biggest convention hotel here.”

Promoting skilled development as IATO's new mantra, Pronab Sarkar, honourary sec-

retary, IATO, stated, “The tourism industry is growing in the country but our aim to ensure that the growth rate is doubled, with rural and village tourism also being focused.”

While talking about the ex-

pectations of IATO from the new government, Goyal stated, “We hope that the government will launch the e-visa facility by October this year and increase the luggage weight to 20kgs for international travellers. I also

request the government to stop discriminating against tour operators and domestic carriers.”

During the conference, Goyal also requested the Kerala government to withdraw the prohibition policy. “This is not only a state issue but also a national one as the business from Kerala will move to Sri Lanka, their biggest competitor for travel and tourism trade, thus leading to a tremendous loss to the nation.”

Razit Bhandari, senior marketing manager, Punjab Heritage and Tourism Promotion Board and Om Vijay Chaudhary, chief general manager, operations and marketing, Madhya Pradesh Tourism, were also present at the conference.

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Daman & Diu and Dadra & Nagar Haveli tourism chalks out Vision 2020 plan Kahini Chakraborty Mumbai THE UNION TERRITORIES of Daman & Diu and Dadra & Nagar Haveli have chalked out Vision2020 plan to re-introduce their tourism offerings and place themselves on the Incredible India map. With an aim to support this goal, the budget outlay for the union territories has been increased from `660 crore in 2012-13 to ` 1360 crore in the current financial year.

Some of the plans to enhance tourism in the region include upgradation of tourist spots, beaches, garden, churches, restoration and conservation of monuments, restoration of Moti Daman fort, heritage walkway at Diu, setting up of a National Oceanarium at Diu and Bird Park at Daman and adding

some new tourist attractions to the existing ones.

Bhupinder S Bhalla, administrator, Union Territories of Daman & Diu and Dadra & Nagar Haveli said the projects planned include: waterfront development, tourism promotion, improving connectivity, tourist recreation, hospitality education and basic infrastructure.

He informed that ` 80-90 crore has already been invested for the Daman Ganga river front project's first phase development. The Pipariya riverfront development which was planned two years ago has received a sanction of `30 crore in the first phase of development.

Dudhni Lakefront project cost is `1.10 crore for the first phase.

The tourism department is also developing infrastructure at Nagoa beach and Chakratirth

Beach in Diu. Besides this, the tourism department is also developing a floating musical fountain which will be installed at Dadra Lake and the project cost is `9.90 crore. For the Van Garden upgradation the department is developing a pedestrian cable stayed bridge and the total project cost is `11.01crore. The Nakshatra garden in Silvassa is to create awareness about religious plants which have significance in astrology. The total project cost for the same is `3.65 crore.

Apart from this, Bhalla also highlighted that the department is looking at launching high speed catamaran from Mumbai to Diu. For the same, it plans to sign an MoU with Shipping Corporation of India.

The 150 seater catamaran is expected to start operations by

September 2015. Depending on the success and demand, the department will consider increasing the service. They have also identified land for heliport as there is huge demand from Silvassa to Mumbai.

When asked about the tourist arrivals to the destination, Bhalla said that the destination has received 26 lakh tourists upto last year. And with the many tourism development projects the department is looking at offering travellers added activities to increase their length of stay to three to four nights.

“Our emphasis presently is on attracting domestic tourists and we will begin our promotional campaigns as well as work closely with travel agents. The destination has 6000 room inventory in both the union territories and with the rapid

Bhupinder S Bhalla

development taking place there have been a lot of hospitality investors who have shown keen interest in developing properties in the destination. We have earmarked land for the projects and are open to adopting a PPP model for infrastructure development,” he added.

Odisha Tourism to introduce Island hopping & SUP in Chilika lake ETW Staff Mumbai THE DEPARTMENT OF tourism (DoT), Government of Odisha has drawn up plan to introduce stand up paddle (SUP) boarding, a water sport and island hopping in Chilika lake to further attract domestic as well as international tourists.

While speaking at the Odisha Tourism road show in Pune, Ashok Chandra Panda, minister for state for tourism and culture, Government of Odisha, said, “ Stand up paddle boarding, which is referred as SUP and has become one of the most popular water sport across the world, origi-

nated in Hawaii as off shoot of surfing, will be arriving in Chilika lake. Sea and sun lovers all over the world will be able to jump the proverbial bandwagon, which is surfboard soon and enjoy the Chilka lagoon with its tranquil bearing and wide diversity of wildlife including the famous Irrawaddy dolphins, thousands of species of migratory birds and abundance of marine life.”

“Chilika lake can emerge as the most preferred exotic location for international SUP enthusiasts. A recent study undertaken by a leading SUP promotion and training organisation of UK, and Surfing Yogis organisation of Odisha has, in

fact, found the lake safer than river Thames, sans any significant current or obstructions where paddlers could potentially be pinned. The lake's average depth of about five feet in most parts with exceptions of some locations where the depth is up to 15 feet. The water is mostly calm and flat, particularly in the morning, which is ideal for relaxed paddling and for teaching beginners,” said Panda.

“Chilika provides a similar experience to open ocean paddling but with significantly lower risks. The Eastern Ghats lend a dramatic backdrop for paddling and lake is dotted by scenic islands and historical

landmarks like the 19th century British Tax Collection point building. Keeping in mind various islands in Chilika lake, the Government also plans to add island hopping as part of promoting tourism in the state,” added Panda.

MR Patnaik, director and additional secretary , tourism, Odisha government, said, “Odisha tourism also plans to add two new tourism circuits in Odhisha on the lines of Bhubaneswar- Puri- Konark golden triangle. These two new tourism circuits are KuldihaSimilipal- Bhitarkanika- Panchlingeswar-Chandipur- Talsari circuit and Malkangiri- Jeypore- Nabarangpur- Koraput-

Rayagada- Daringibadi- Chandragiri- Taptapani circuit.”

“Construction of wayside amenities, budget accommodations, public toilets, drinking water and tourist information centres at locations under the two circuits shall be undertaken under the project in PPP mode,” added Patnaik.

To attract domestic tourists from various parts of the country Odisha Tourism is holding road shows in different cities starting from Pune. The next road show will be held in Bhopal in September. It has already organised five roadshows last year and has planned to organise eight road shows this year.

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Abu Dhabi gets VisitBritain promotes new destinations through boost in MICE GREATTourism Week travel from India Rituparna Chatterjee Mumbai VisitBritain through its recently held first mini-roadshow, GREAT Tourism Week (GTW) in India, is promoting new destinations beyond London mainly Scotland, Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham, Lake District, Peak District and Wales. The roadshow held across nine cities - Kolkata, Chandigarh, Delhi, Pune, Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Chennai from July to August aimed at targeting groups, families and millennials. Speaking about the roadshow, Shivali Suri, country manager – India, VisitBritain stated, “According to our statistics, 70 per cent of Indians travelling to UK would stay in London. This number has presently gone down to 65 per cent. So there is an additional five per cent who are travelling beyond London. We are hoping to increase that number.”

The mini-roadshow format has

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Shivali Suri

been launched this year in place of their annual sales mission.

Around 19 sellers consisting of airlines, DMCs, regional tourism boards, luxury hotels were present at the roadshow.

As for the major source markets for Britain from India, Suri opined, “Bengaluru and Kolkata are the major source markets. However, we have seen growth coming in from Tier II and Tier III cities like Nagpur and Surat as well. At this mo-

ment we want to concentrate on the highest growth cities, probably two years down the line we might conduct this roadshow in smaller cities depending on the budget and the response we get.” Apart from GTW, VisitBritain will be continuing with their B2C marketing campaign. This pan India digital campaign slated to start in October will aim at promoting Bollywood tourism and will enable people to choose a destination where they want the next Bollywood movie to be shot in.

In 2013, 15,75,000 Indians visited UK, which is a 10 per cent growth in arrivals from 2012. The annual spend in 2013 was 441 million pounds, an increase of over 32 per cent from 2012. “We are hoping to continue with the same percentage of growth this year. For UK, India is the number one BRIC market since we are a natural market for them and share the same colonial history,” mentioned Suri.

Looks to launch online training programme Rituparna Chatterjee Mumbai ABU DHABI HAS witnessed a growing number of MICE tourists from India.

From January to June, 2014 Abu Dhabi welcomed more than 2500 MICE travellers, a substantial growth from two to three small MICE groups that it received in 2013. Speaking about the growing MICE segment, Bejan Dinshaw, country manager – India, Abu Dhabi Tourism & Cultural Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi) stated, “Though majority of Indian tourists for Abu Dhabi are FITs, there has also been a growing number of MICE tourists from this market.

The main reason for this is ease of connectivity and Abu Dhabi growing as a destination of distinction. Leveraging on this we want to attract more MICE groups and corporates and we would be participating in a MICE exhibition to be held in Chennai this year.” TCA Abu Dhabi also has plans to launch an online specialist training programme for the Indian travel trade fraternity next year.

TCA Abu Dhabi, which recently kick-started its five city roadshow to be held across Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Bengaluru and Ahmedabad will be promoting the capital as a year round destination targeting high-end travellers from India.

Around 15 suppliers consisting of DMCs, hotels, event management companies are expected to participate at

Bejan Dinshaw

Abu Dhabi was a day return trip clubbed with Dubai. This trend has changed the roadshow. Next year, they plan to take the roadshow to Tier II and Tier III cities.

India is the leading source market for Abu Dhabi. Around 107,999 Indians visited the capital from January to June clocking a growth of 35 per cent over the same period last year.

This year the tourism authority is expecting a growth between 35 to 40 per cent.

“Earlier Abu Dhabi was a day return trip clubbed with Dubai. Now this trend has changed and the average night stay is four nights,” he mentioned.

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Germany develops as solo destination Archana Sharma New Delhi THE GERMAN NATIONAL Tourist Office (GNTO) recently conducted the Germany India Pool roadshow at the Taj Mahal Hotel, New Delhi, as part of a seven city roadshow. According to Romit Theophilus, director, marketing and sales, GNTO, India, “Despite the Euro being 40 per cent higher in the first half, we saw a 5.4 per cent growth in the tourism sector with over six lakh overnights from India in 2013. Even for the first half of this year, Germany has witnessed over two lakh visitors overnight from India.” Planning to launch more online and radio campaigns, he further stated, “We are hoping to see at least 10-

12 per cent growth from the tourism sector as people have started looking at Germany as a solo destination rather than part of the whole Europe based experience.”

“Germany has a lot of attractive locations and now people are learning more about it than just the common place Frankfurt and Berlin as known to tourists earlier,” stated Anika Tandon, assistant manager, trade relations, GNTO India.

“Europe's largest theme park, Europa-Park, located in Rust, the south western Germany, is also the second most popular amusement park after Disneyland. Also the Black Forest region famous for cakes and bakery items is in Germany. This region is also known worldwide

as the manufacturer of Cuckoo clocks,” she added.

“Munich is known for the Oktoberfest and for the beer gardens but not many people know that Stuttgart also has some of the best and most fabu-

lous wine regions. Beginning a week later than the Oktoberfest, the Canstatter Volksfest is an annual three week fest, an autumnal fair, though sometimes referred to as a beer festival by foreigners. Home to the Mer-

cedes-Benz Museum and the Porche Museum, Stuttgart, recently hosted the 11th Indian Film Festival,” stated Hans-Jorg Hadbawnik, regional director, Russia and India, Stuttgart Marketing.

Kiwi Link India gets bigger this year Sudipta Dev Mumbai KIWI LINK INDIA 2014, the annual travel trade mission of Tourism New Zealand was organised in Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad and Chennai recently.

The event this year attracted 500 delegates. “Kiwi Link this year is bigger and we hope it is better. The feedback has been really positive. We are spreading out of the big metro centres that we focused on before, with Chennai and Hyderabad there has been a geographical expansion. There are 33 New Zealand suppliers, which is a step up from last year,” said David Craig, general manager Asia, Tourism New Zealand.

Tourism New Zealand has aggressive growth expectations from the Indian market.

“We have increased our investment and have a team in place here. The visitor number has increased by 13 per cent, it is now 34,000. The last quarter the growth rate was somewhere between 20 to 30 per

David Craig

cent so I expect high double digit growth in the next few years,” mentioned Craig.

There are currently 76 certified 100 per cent Pure New Zealand specialists in India.

Pointing out that face to face contact and building relationships with the trade is critical to selling, Craig stated, “We organise Kiwi Link worldwide and recognise the importance of relationship in travel business. The market is changing

so it is important to check and understand the demands, and for the Indian trade to understand the new products and itineraries.”

A major segment from the Indian market are young adventurers who are under 30 and unencumbered by responsibilities, the family groups are also growing. “One of the most interesting things for us has been the transformation from spectators to participants, particularly in the

adventure space. I do not think five or 10 years ago, any of these operators would have associated the Indian market with adventure. Today this market is an important group for them,” said Craig.

Some of the popular activities are - sky diving, wine exploration/trails, self drives particularly among honeymooners and young adventurers. The Hobbiton movie set is being promoted in India.

In terms of luxury hospitality, Tourism New Zealand works with Luxury Lodges.

“They have a lot of properties around the country. We have a lot of travel agents who have educated themselves on that front. These lodges are high end. There are also many quaint lodges that are popular,” stated Craig. He also sees a lot of potential in the MICE segment. There are new projects coming up in next two to three years which can accommodate large MICE groups.

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Ethiopian Airlines eyes India expansion Rituparna Chatterjee Mumbai WITH A VIEW to penetrate further into the India market, Ethiopian Airlines, has a two fold-expansion plan – to increase capacity of its existing points and expand operations preferably to Chennai and Ahmedabad. Presently, the airline operates daily flights from Mumbai and Delhi to Addis Ababa (capital of Ethiopia).

Mumbai is operated by Boeing 787 and 777 and Delhi is operated by Boeing 757 and 737.

The plan is to increase capacity to Delhi by upgrading to Boeing 767 and 787 from Boeing 757 by end of this year. The airline has been witnessing 80 per cent plus load factor from Mumbai and 85 per cent plus load factor from Delhi.

Speaking about this expansion, Tadesse Tilahun, regional director, India sub-continent, Ethiopian Airlines stated, “Ini-

tially, we used to operate small aircraft in Mumbai, and in Delhi we used to operate in combination with China. Now we have upgraded to almost twice capacity aircraft to Mumbai and Delhi is being operated as an independent operation. This shows that the market is growing. Hence, we are looking at expansion. Cities like Chennai and Ahmedabad have good potential from Africa.” He added, “Currently expansion studies are going on and once completed, we will expand. It is a short term plan and it's not decided when this might take place.” Ethiopian Airlines has been expanding in Europe and Asia. In early 2014 the airline introduced connections to Vienna and Madrid via Addis Ababa. “Every season we are introducing two to three new destinations to Africa or Europe. Next expansion would be in October. The destinations haven't been decided as of yet,”

Tadesse Tilahun

Cities like Chennai and Ahmedabad have good potential from Africa. Currently expansion studies are going on and once completed we will expand he mentioned.

On being asked about the company's growth over the years in the India market, Tilahun opined, “We are im-

proving our product and service and evaluating and revising our prices and incentives as per the market. We have been experiencing a double digit

growth year-on-year and we hope to have a good performance this year as well.

Ethiopian Airlines in the last seven years has grown seven fold worldwide. With Air India joining Star Alliance, we have already signed and expanded our codeshare cooperation with Air India. We are optimistic that through this business and leisure traffic will increase.”

Air Seychelles to reintroduce direct flights to India Akshay Kumar Mumbai AIR SEYCHELLES IS going to reintroduce direct flights to the India market. The airline will be launching three weekly direct flights between the Island of Mahe and Mumbai effective December 1, 2014. The minister of tourism and culture, government of India and his counterpart from the Government of Seychelles had a meeting on August 4, 2014 to discuss about the direct flight connectivity. In the coming weeks, the ministry of civil aviation of both the countries will be meeting to finalise and sign a bilateral agreement. Speaking on the new development, Alain St Ange, minister of tourism and culture, Government of Seychelles said, “India is one of the

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India is one of the biggest potential markets for Seychelles Seychelles and India tourism ministers meet at PATWA The recently held Pacific Area Travel Writers Association (PATWA) event in New Delhi witnessed the presence of Shripad Naik, minister of tourism, Government of India and Alain St Agne, minister of tourism and culture, Seychelles. At the event, Naik informed that the ministry is planning to invest `2.45 crore for providing employment opportunities. India saw a growth of 5.9 per cent growth in tourism sector with 6.97 million tourists in 2013. The government is also keen on developing the culinary sector, with the Indian Culinary Institute in Tirupati, more regional institutes are expected to open soon.

Reacting to the news, Agne said, “India and Seychelles share a joint vision because the trade, tourism, tradition and talent points of the 5-T approach correspond to the letter to the Seychelles approach where culture, and the people of the islands, are placed at the centre of the Seychelles tourism agenda.”

biggest potential markets for Seychelles. The total number of Indian tourist arrival in 2013 was 2381 and with the introduction of the direct flight this number could increase gradually. Another major reason behind the introduction is that India provides a huge workforce in the construction segment to Seychelles.” Travellers can acquire visa-on-arrival which can be renewed for another month.

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Mytaxiindia.com aims to service 12.5 million customers To expand 'taxi and hotel' booking service Kahini Chakraborty Mumbai NEW DELHI-BASED CAR rental company mytaxiindia.com aims to have its own taxi outlets at all airports and more than 300 railway stations in India in the next five years. Targeting to reach 12.5 million customers worldwide, the company plans to start operations in the European market. Presently the company operates with a fleet of more than 7700 car inventory across India. The company is targeting B2B clients and providing them

a platform where they can book taxis in more than 100 cities without making calls to multiple taxi operators. Speaking to Express TravelWorld, Anshuman Mihir, CEO and founder, Mytaxiindia.com informed, “Our plan includes reaching and meeting the challenges posed by the toughest travel destinations in any remote place in India. Our aim is to reach every corner of India as IRCTC does. In the future the company will open its own taxi outlets in all cities and deliver high quality services to passenger which they get in metro cities. We want to bring

Our aim is to reach every corner of India. In the future we will open taxi outlets in all cities and deliver high quality services mytaxiindia.com to a global platform. Passengers around the globe do not need to spend time on different platforms to book taxi even if they are travelling out of their own country. Time is money and we save it for our

customers.”

In 2011 the company recieved a seed fund and in this current fiscal it is looking at reaching a turnover of `40 crore. “We prefer to not invest our money in purchasing cars.

We have invested in technology to meet the demand with supply,” he added.

The company has also started 'taxi and hotel' booking in 25 cities and has received encouraging response. By the end of this year this service is expected to be available in 100 cities. When asked about the business revenue growth, he said, “Last two quarters the growth rate has been around 22 per cent. At the end of this year we will add more than 15 cities in our network. Also, we will be confirming on funds raised in the coming months.”

India CityWalks aims to be present in 21 cities by Q1 of 2015 Focuses on strengthening B2B channels Kahini Chakraborty Mumbai INDIA CITY WALKS aims to establish its presence in 21 cities by the first quarter of 2015 and then across India in the near future. The company organises many specialty-walking tours such as Heritage Walks, Spiritual Walks, Gourmet Walks, Nightlife Walks, Bazaar Walks, and Photography Walks. Presently the company offers tours across India and is operating in DelhiNCR, Jaipur, Agra, Amritsar, Aurangabad and Chandigarh.

Arranging experiential walks, the company caters to both domestic and international travellers, corporate groups, diplomats and dignitaries, expats, school children, single men and women and couples.

Speaking to Express TravelWorld, Sachin Bansal,

chief explorer, India City Walks said, “Our vision is to have our presence in every city of India as we intend to showcase the diverse culture and history of each place of our country.

What sets us apart is that we go beyond giving the run-ofthe-mill information and give our clients privy to information that is an intrinsic part of the locality being explored.”

Presently most of their international clientele come through word of mouth and social media. “We cater to many international clients and through their referrals we receive more requests. Besides conducting marketing activities internationally, we are focusing on strengthening our B2B channels to draw attention of both international and domestic travellers. Our focus on creating unique and customised packages designed specifically for each of our clients is what

As the demand for domestic travel is rapidly increasing, there is a need for our visitors to be sensitised to the local heritage and be made aware of local cultures and monuments Sachin Bansal

attracts most people and we will continue to do the same in future as well to expand our client base,” he added.

On the potential of the city walking tours Bansal opined, “As the demand for domestic travel is rapidly increasing, there

is a need for our visitors to be sensitised to the local heritage and be made aware of local cultures and monuments in order to protect the same. These tours are also being arranged with an aim to bring the younger generation closer to the history and heritage of our country by giving them a local feel and an opportunity to absorb and conserve the culture.”

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Andaman & Nicobar promotes itself as year-round destination Archana Sharma New Delhi AN INTERACTIVE MEET to promote Andaman & NicobarTourism was organised in New Delhi recently, with the active involvement of the Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO) and Andaman Chambers of Commerce & Industries (ACCI). AK Singh, Lt governor, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, chief guest for the event, urged the participants to promote Andaman as a year-round destination for nature tourism given

its rich and diverse natural heritage. “The need of the hour is to promote Andaman as a unique and high-end destination for international travellers either for business and leisure,” he stated.

During the meet, Singh clarified that Andaman & Nicobar Administration would take all possible steps to promote tourism, underlining the importance being given to safety related issues. He also extended an invitation to IATO requesting their next annual convention to be held

at Andaman.

Rakesh Bali, secretary, Tourism, Andaman & Nicobar, stated, “Out of the 30 million divers in the world, at least 7000-8000 travel to Andaman frequently.” he stated. Bishnu Pada Ray, MP, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, highlighted the uniqueness from a tourism point of view and invited everyone to experience the communal harmony that is inherent to these islands. He urged private entrepreneurs to invest in the development of infrastructure.

GBTAorganises Global Travel Professional certification Akshay Kumar Mumbai GBTA FOUNDATION, THE education and research arm of Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) recently organised a Global Travel Professional (GTP) certification at Vivanta by Taj, Gurgaon on August 29, 2014. This programme enables the travel executives to get a globally recognised certification. The GTP certification is designed to raise industry standards, enhance work performance, and recognise individuals who demonstrate core competencies essential to the business travel management discipline.

Welf J Ebeling, vice president - operations, Asia Pacific, GBTA, stated, “India is an important market for us.

The new government shows positive signs towards devel-

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opment in the tourism segment. This forecast is a positive sign for business travel growth in India in the years to come. We want to give a platform to all travel executives in India, which gives them a global certification. As of now we are organising this certification in Gurgaon, but soon we want to bring the certification to Mumbai, Bengaluru and other major cities.”

The examination consists of 125 multiple choice questions, written by industry subject matter experts, to be taken over three hours. If the pass level is achieved, the GTP designation can be displayed after one's name, providing credibility and recognition. The course is suitable for business travel professionals who have a minimum of three years industry experience.

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MoTorganises National Conference to discuss opportunities Archana Sharma New Delhi WITH AN OBJECTIVE of initiating high level discussions about issues like safety of domestic and international tourists and opportunities pertaining to the Indian tourism sector, The National Conference of Tourism Ministers, chaired by Shripad Naik, minister of tourism, Government of India with chief guest Arun Jaitley, union minister for finance and defence, was held at ITC Maurya, New Delhi. Organised as part of the 100 days action plan of the government, Naik stated, “India has seen a growth in the international sector by nine per cent in June and 12.9 per cent in July 2014.”

Apart from raising the is-

sues of simplification of hotel classification and rationalising of tax structure, Naik announced that the e-visa scheme will be rolled out by October 2014. According to the plan, the e-visa facility will be extended to all countries except 10 nations including Pakistan, Sudan, Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Nigeria, Sri Lanka and Somalia, in a phased manner for different countries.

Emphasising on the cleanliness of prominent places with tourism significance, Naik announced a new category to be added in its National Tourism Awards. “From 2016, awards will be given to three cleanest destinations and three cleanest cities excelling in maintenance of the tourism sites, based on a cleanliness index

From 2016, awards will be given to three cleanest destinations and three cleanest cities excelling in maintenance of the tourism sites, based on a cleanliness index evolved by the ministry.”

Talking about the creation of tourist police force for safety of tourists, Parvez Diwan, secretary, Ministry of Tourism (MoT), stated, “So far 12 states have created exclusive tourist police. Uttar Pradesh has also announced that they will begin with Agra, Banaras, Lucknow and expand it further.”

The government also plans to develop skills of the hospi-

tality sector. Earlier this month, the government entered into a partnership with Lausanne Hospitality Consultancy (LHC), a subsidiary of Switzerland-based Ecole Hoteliere de Lausanne.

Talking about the future plans, Naik said, “In the budget, it was announced that about 50 mega circuits have been allotted for this year.”

With an aim to ensuring safety

of tourists, the government will set up a 24x7 tourist information line and contact centre to help provide knowledge about India.

At the conference, the state and UT departments of tourism adopted a set of resolution which include safety of tourists, especially women travellers, capacity assessment of various tourism destinations, especially religious destinations, on the basis of the principles of environmental sustainability, increasing bed and breakfast scheme to augment budget accommodation and focus on imparting knowledge of foreign languages to officials. Naik also announced that from next year, the conference will be a two day affair.

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Pullmantur Cruises focuses on Bollywood to attract Indian travellers ETW Staff Mumbai PULLMANTUR CRUISES, a Spanish cruise company operating cruises in Europe and the Caribbean, is focusing on educating Indian travellers through Bollywood that a cruise is a complete holiday destination and one of the best things a family can do together. Dil Dhadakne Do, a Bollywood movie directed

by Zoya Akhtar and to be released in 2015, has been shot on Pullmantur Cruises and is aimed at creating this awareness among Indian travellers.

To educate the traveller, the

movie showcases various areas of the ship like restaurants and bars, huge lobby areas with glass lifts, auditoriums where one can see different shows/

plays, swimming pools and open decks. The movie also shows the hospital facilities available on the ship in case of any emergency. To make things more in-

teresting, the movie also shows restricted areas such as the bridge from where the captain controls the ship.

Cruise tourism in India is

developing rapidly. An average Indian traveller does not know what to except from a cruise liner. In his view it is still a mode of travel and not a holiday option. On Pullmantur Cruises, a tourist can enjoy the facilities of a five star hotel at nominal cost. The cruise ship stops at several ports and the tourist can visit many countries without the hassle of packing, repacking and waiting at the airports.

Pullmantur Cruises in India is represented by Griffon in Mumbai. Griffon has been in the cruising business since over 15 years.

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LUXURY The quintessential experiences that Kerala offers as a destination has redefined the concept of luxury tourism in India. Kerala has shown how the greatest attraction for the new age traveller are the authentic, local aspects that cannot be replicated anywhere else

BY SUDIPTA DEV

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erala entered the holiday travel market from mid 1990s and witnessed a steep growth trajectory to emerge as a front performing state. Before that, the key destination in India was the Golden Triangle which offered the quintessential India. Then came Goa, followed by Kerala which emerged as a tourism hotspot in a unique way - it connected with the changing perception of the traveller, who wanted to experience a destination in its totality – from cuisine to culture to wellness and Ayurveda. It was also the time that saw the emergence of the alert independent traveller who was aware of the impact of travel, both social and ecological.

The important factor, believes Jose Dominic, CMD, CGH Earth, is the fact that the tourism industry in Kerala was not created by outside investors, but local entrepreneurs. It was completely local and coincided with the changing perception of travel, with the travellers seeking local experiences. According to Dominic, Kerala as a destination redefined luxury – it is experience based and meant for those travellers for whom it is not enough to do sightseeing but a much stronger experience and this destination fitted the bill. “The experience is transformational, for instance wellness and Ayurveda,” says Dominic. He asserts that Kerala is a proof that luxury and sustainability can coexist.

This, of course, requires social inclusion. In India this direction gave an impetus to segments like rural tourism, plantation tourism, and others.

“You do not have to be in a city and party but experience the uniqueness and flavours of the destination – local, fresh, sus-

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tainable. According to me the more luxurious you are the more sustainable you are. We are completely in this segment, our core value is of ecological sensibility, inclusion of the local community. At CGH Earth we offer experiential holidays. We believe that luxury a customer can achieve is when the consumer is not above planet and earth. The focus is now on local community and environment. CGH Earth is conscious of this and say we should belong where we are. Only then shall we have a sense of luxury,” states Dominic.

The evolution of Kerala as leading luxury travel destination has been focused on the unique experiences that the destination offers. “In our opinion luxury today relates to authenticity and the meaningful experiences we create,” states Joerg Drechsel, creative director, Malabar Escapes, which focuses on connecting its guests with the art, traditions, customs, cuisine and people of Kerala. He points out that Kerala has a lot of authentic experiences to offer - the hills with its spice plantations, the unique backwaters, Ayurveda, yoga, cuisine and all the wealth of a composite culture in a rich tropical setting.

“Together it offers a combination of exceptional unique experiences,” adds Drechsel.

Luxury getaway For a destination that has been for almost two decades on the Indian luxury travellers’ bucket list, Kerala's natural beauty - palm fringed beaches, green hills and tranquil backwaters offers travellers a plethora of opportunities for luxury getaways. “The HNI-UHNI traveller of our luxury ‘Indian Indulgence’ product team has reported strong demand for engaging experiences and interest based itineraries. Kerala, as a

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cover ) “You do not have to be in a city and party, but experience the uniqueness and flavours of the destination” Jose Dominic, CMD, CGH Earth

“In our opinion luxury today relates to authenticity and the meaningful experiences we create” Joerg Drechsel, Creative director, Malabar Escapes

“We design bespoke packages based on guest requirements” Vipul Bhargava, GM – The Lalit Resort & Spa Bekal

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luxury destination, offers great scope for experiential travel right from wildlife safaris to Ayurvedic rejuvenation spa therapies,” says Rajeev Kale, COO – MICE, Domestic & Sports Holidays, Thomas Cook (India). The company's domestic product teams have also created unique itineraries including experiences in Kerala like Malabar cuisine private classes with chefs at Wayanad and the martial art of Kalaripayattu at Munnar. Kerala also offers a number of high-end hotels to cater to the discerning luxury segment including Vivanta By Taj, Casino Group of Hotels, The Lalit, The Leela, Ramada, Le Meridian, Kumarakom Lake Resort and also, independent boutique brands like Vythiri Resort, Rainforest Resort, Neeleshwar, Kadavu and Welcomehotel Raviz.

South Kerala is already a well established destination for both domestic and international tourists. Now efforts are on to put northern Kerala on the tourist map. “Bekal is the first such initiative. The Lalit Suri Hospitality Group was the first resort to come up in this part,” mentions Vipul Bhargava, general manager – The Lalit Resort & Spa Bekal.

Whilst the natural beauty and the backwaters of Kerala are unmatched, the state still needs to work towards being a luxury destination by developing infrastructure at par with international standards which will help the state maintain a competitive edge. Points out NC Somaiah, general manager, The Leela Kovalam, “To cater to the luxury travel segment, it is absolutely necessary that the destination in itself exhibits luxury. The airport, roads, transportation, hotels and beaches must match up to a global travelers expectations.

Simply focusing on standalone luxury hotels is not enough; the entire experience, from the time the traveller lands at the destination till he leaves, must be luxurious.”

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THE NUMBER OF LUXURY STAY OPTIONS NOW AVAILABLE AND THE SPECIAL EMPHASIS ON AYURVEDA REJUVENATION IN KERALA HAVE TRIGGERED THIS DEMAND AMONG LUXURY TRAVELLERS WHO HIGHLY REGARD KERALA AS AN EXTRAVAGANT HOLIDAY DESTINATION TO INDULGE IN An interesting development has been the growth of domestic market over the years. “Over the last few years, there has been a growth of almost 10–12 per cent in the domestic tourist segment,” remarks Samir Khanna, general manager, Vivanta by Taj – Bekal, adding that there has also been a growth in inbound travel with increased clientele mainly from USA, UK and other European nations with an addition of NRIs from the African nations. The concept of monsoon tourism has been hugely popular amongst guests, mainly from the Middle East. The property has been witnessing a quantum increase of occupancy during the otherwise lean monsoon period.

Bespoke experiences Kerala has especially been gaining interest from inbound luxury travellers, considering it is a 12-month destination.

The number of luxury stay options now available and the special emphasis on Ayurveda rejuvenation in Kerala have triggered this demand among luxury travellers who highly regard Kerala as an extravagant holiday destination to indulge in. “Our internal research and customer analytics have pointed towards a demand for authentic experiences with exclusive bespoke programmes- the genesis, our Luxury Portfolio, 'Pure India – Luxurious Es-

capes' was conceptualised as the ultimate in luxury travel experience catering to the discerning traveller, featuring the finest properties and experiences across the subcontinent,” says Prashant Narayan, COO and Head Leisure Travel Inbound Business, Thomas Cook India and TCI. Indian Indulgence aims to provide travellers with a taste of the local culture through performances and activities like bamboo rafting experience which is popular with inbound travellers.

Surrounded by river Nombili on three sides, The Lalit Resort & Spa Bekal is located in serene environs. The resort not only offers Ayurvedic, aroma, herbal, international and beauty therapies, but rejuvenation, detox and weight management programme using fresh natural products.

“We design bespoke packages on wellness, detoxification, rejuvenation, aging, romance and adventure based on a guest’s requirement. A Holiday Host assigned with each guest takes care of all the needs of the guest. We create personalised dining experiences be it under the star, on a Kettuvallom or in the garden with the chef designing the menu based on the guests’ preferences. A simple thing like bath is made into something magical by our trained Bath Butlers. Cultural evening can be put together showcasing the rich culture of Kerala

on request,” informs Bhargava.

Malabar House in Fort Cochin is member of Relais & Chateaux, an exclusive collection of 500 of the finest hotels and gourmet restaurants in 60 countries. Malabar Escapes forms a perfect circuit. While the hotels showcase the best of contemporary and traditional South Indian art, culture and heritage, the restaurants offer gourmet cuisine, a culinary dialogue between Mediterranean fine dining and traditional food of Kerala. “Our service is highly personalised and friendly, yet discreet,·we craft genuine hospitality,” mentions Drechsel. Elaborating on the bespoke experiences being offered to guests, Drechsel says, “We are extremely design conscious and create a unique ambience by using traditional craft techniques to create a contemporary design vocabulary and ambience. Site specific artworks of contemporary artist enter in a dialogue with traditional arts and crafts to create a treasure drove of of a visualised cultural dialogue.”

CHG Earth offering is the experience that is local, for example the Spice Village in Thekkady – a tribal village in a spice garden with structures like that of the local community. The food is what people have every day. The staff wear dresses that are common among villagers. According to Dominic this has brought the

“To cater to the luxury travel segment, it is necessary that the destination in itself exhibits luxury” N C Somaiah, GM, The Leela Kovalam

“Over the last few years, there has been a growth of almost 10–12 per cent in the domestic tourist segment” Samir Khanna, GM, Vivanta by Taj – Bekal

“Our internal research has pointed towards a demand for authentic experiences” Prashant Narayan, COO and Head Leisure Travel Inbound Business, Thomas Cook India and TCI

EXPRESS TRAVELWORLD

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September 2014

ADVERTORIAL

VEDIC VILLAGE: KOLKATA'S IDEAL WEDDING DESTINATION Y

ou watched her play, lose her first tooth, graduate from high school and live on her own for the first time. Now your little girl isn't so little anymore and she's getting married. You're reliving the memorable moments in her life with fondness and looking forward to the days ahead as your daughter becomes a wife.

As you think about all you need to do, to prepare for her wedding day, you may wish you had started planning sooner.

There are a lot of items on your 'to-do' list before your daughter ties the knot. One of them being choosing an ideal location to make the wedding a 'memorable' event in her life.

Today, 'Destination Weddings' have become an aspiration for the burgeoning Indian 'high net-worth' individuals.

From exotic domestic and international locations, choicest of continental and Indian cuisines, Bollywood style designer sets, entertainment and leisure activities, spectacular fireworks, et al – Indian weddings are literally going places.

Vedic Village Spa Resort, located on the outer fringes of Kolkata, is one such exotic locations, which has caught the imagination of the local high networth individuals (HNI) by successfully hosting many such 'theme weddings' in the recent past. Over the years it has become a much sought-after destination for high-end weddings and MICE events.

The Spa Resort, spread over an area of 150 acres is situated at Bagu-Rajarhat is near to the Kolkata International Airport and only 50 minutes drive from the centre of the city.

The state-of-the-art ban-

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September 2014

quets with adjoining lawns and 'Cerebrum', the internationally styled 70,000 sq ft, convention centre is ideal to host these 'theme weddings' and other MICE events.

The property has different luxury accommodation options for the guests and offers 225 luxury rooms in the form of a Zamindari Suite, 18 deluxe villas, 10 earth villas, two-bedroom suites, Aqua Home Rooms, Standard suites, Deluxe Resort Bungalow rooms and studio rooms.

Added to this, then there is 'V Den' -the leisure and entertainment centre for the youth to host their 'Bachelor's Party'. It has a four-lane international standard bowling alley, which is an added attraction for guests.

'Sanjeeva', the international class medical spa offers both ayurvedic and naturopathybased treatments to customers.

Today, Vedic Village has created a niche as a wedding destination for high net-worth individuals and has lured wedding clientele not just from Kolkata but also from neighbouring states and countries.

“We market ourselves as an exclusive wedding destination.

Today we offer the complete wedding experience from prewedding events like 'Sangeet', the main wedding event and other support services,” says Biswajit Syam, director – sales and marketing, Vedic Village Spa Resort.

Syam explained, “The design, décor and ambiance of the property and the standard of services we offer at Vedic Village along with our expertise in organising innovative events offer a one-of-a-kind experience to the wedding clientele, who has been returning to our

fold time and again.”

Explaining on how Vedic Village is positioned differently from any other conventional MICE or wedding locations in this part of the country, he elaborates, '”Guests mainly prefer to be away from their work during a family wedding but at the same time they would also like to be in close proximity to their work place in case of any emergency. Vedic Village with a Kolkata address ideally suits this requirement.” The resort has successfully conducted nearly 50-odd high-profile weddings over the last two wedding seasons with guests coming from across India and even abroad. The target is to take the number to 100 weddings soon.

Syam points out that the families have to just come, relax and enjoy. “Our team of experts will conceptualise and design the main event, chalk out the event flow, entertainment and leisure activities and decide on the cuisine from different international and national options according to client requirements. Our event management department and logistics team, can handle them easily”.

There are expert chefs who help in designing and executing the menu as per the requirements of the guests.

“Weddings have become an integral part of revenue generation in Vedic Village Spa Resort.

Aggressive marketing through various marketing tools and mediums is our strategy, so that we are visible in the client's mind through at least nine months in a financial year. We also participate in various national and major international travel trade expositions like ITB – Berlin or WTM – London and at major wedding fairs,” says Syam.

Now, 'wedding anniversaries' too are becoming important amongst a family's event calendar. Nuclear families get together to celebrate 'wedding

anniversaries'. Vedic Village is also providing an ideal setting and specialised customised services to celebrate 'wedding anniversaries',” he adds.

cover ) global traveller to Thekkady.

The 60-room property runs of solar energy. In fact, he points out, all the properties are venturing into some area of minimising energy requirements.

2014 has been declared by the UN as the Year of the Kitchen Garden, in Marari Beach resort there is a restaurant called Farm to Fork, where guests can learn how to grow and cook vegetables. “Hotels also have a role to preserve something of the community.

For example, at Coconut Lagoon we have taken up the responsibility of preserving the Vechur cow, which is a rare, almost extinct breed. The guest is fascinated and sees a social purpose in this experience,” states Dominic.

The Leela Kovalam is positioned as a five star luxury beach resort property catering to high net worth individuals and the discerning international traveller. “The new age global traveller seeks for a quiet, rejuvenating holiday within the hotel, where he is able to experience international cuisines and services along with spending quality time with his family. The Leela Holiday Concierge is always available to assist guests with holiday options and create a personalised itinerary. With a touch of local flavour, The Leela Kovalam fits perfectly in all these aspects,” says Somaiah.

To cater to the demands of travellers who are today evolved and open to experiencing new and offbeat offerings, all Vivanta by Taj properties offer unique Vivanta motifs which region specific experiences that represent an imaginative take on the destination and its culture. The motifs at Vivanta by Taj – Bekal are very popular among the guests and have been carefully curated to let guests experience all the key elements that are synonyms to Kerala.

Khanna gives the details, “We have an extensive client base that includes families, couples and also single lady travellers.

28 EXPRESS TRAVELWORLD September 2014

KTM 2 014 In the future

Bekal, known for its scenic location and diverse culture attracts numerous national and international tourists. Our hotel is known for the different activities that families can enroll for to experience the essence of Kerala. Guests can take a trip to the Bekal Fort or enjoy the scenic Kettuvallam cruise. Families can also visit banana and rubber plantations and visit a traditional house or chat with the residents to experience the life in a village. Guests can also savour a delicious homecooked vegetarian meal served on a banana leaf or enroll themselves to go on a fish trail with the Chef Ashok Pillai.”

Kumarakom Lake Resort is a luxury heritage resort that offers an authentic and traditional Kerala experience to its

“Understanding the needs of the new age traveller we have several packages tailor-made to suit various expectations” Shelley Thayil, Director operations, The Paul Resorts & Hotels

guests with its villas styled from traditional homesteads, it's authentic Kerala cuisine, the natural scenery surrounding the resort and its fleet of houseboats. Shelley Thayil, director operations, The Paul Resorts & Hotels, states, “Understanding the needs of the new age traveller we have several packages tailor-made to suit various requirements and expectations. Our rejuvenation package offers various options for travellers seeking a holistic or relaxing holiday.

Our honeymoon package is tailor made to suit the needs of couples travelling on holiday.

We also have a series of holiday packages under the brand Luxury Hideaways where we offer travellers the opportunity to experience not just our resort but other properties and destinations as well.”

A strategic business plan with a long term vision is necessary for Kerala to graduate into a luxury travel segment. Somaiah avers that systematic investment in infrastructure, cleaner beaches and backwaters and relaxation on CRZ regulations with an investor friendly approach is necessary. Designated locations must be identified and developed specifically for global luxury travellers. Drechsel believes that while Kerala has the right products for growth, a good mix of re-creative activities and rich discoveries. It has to solve issues like litter and garbage, which distract the visitor from the social achievements of the Keralian society.

Further, the long expected online visa / visa on arrival will give a boost to the growth.

A lot of effort is being made

by Kerala Tourism Board to promote and encourage luxury travel segment in the state.

North Kerala is the new focus promoting back water, pristine clear beaches, unexplored natural resources etc. “With improving facilities and connectivity from north to south Kerala there will be no turning back,” says Bhargava. He points out that the upcoming international airport in Kannur and upgradation of Mangalore Airport allowing flights for night landing in any weather, will have more international and domestic flights connectivity resulting in more tourist inflow. While there is tremendous growth potential in the luxury segment in Kerala, Thayil mentions this growth would be even more accelerated if infrastructure is developed on a large scale and if and accessibility from destination to destination is made more comfortable and easier, thus giving visitors an opportunity to enjoy new and exotic experiences.

Kerala has adopted responsible tourism and going by the example of its success others are following the model. “In India this is the directional strategy to give competitive advantage,” concludes Dominic with great optimism.

KTM 2 014

EXPRESS EXCLUSIVE

'The support of the Kerala Government towards cruise tourism will be a major contributing factor' In an exclusive interview with Express TravelWorld, Suman Billa, tourism secretary, Government of Kerala, tells us why the newly constructed cruise facility Samudrika (which will be inaugurated for KTM 2014 this September) in Kochi will turn the tide for Kerala's cruising potential

By Steena Joy

How is the new facility expected to boost Kerala's image as a cruise destination?

There has been a substantial increase in cruise ship arrivals at Cochin port, adding to a significant rise in tourist arrivals. The major cruise shipping lines that operated through the Cochin Port last year were Cunard Lines, RCCL, Aida Cruises, Sebourn, Azamara Club Cruises, Phoenix Reise, Costa Cruises, Crystal, HAL and Regent Seven Seas.

In fact, the Cochin Port has set the benchmark in providing high quality professional service to cruise calls, which other ports can look to emulate in the future. The efforts to promote cruise tourism include creation of a dedicated Cruise Cell comprising officials of the port, customs, immigration and Central Industrial Security Force on the one hand and of the tourism ministry and tour operators, on the other. We are also facilitating this sector through a single window system. It has led Cochin to emerge as one of the preferred cruise destinations in India.

During 2012-13, a total of 40

cruise ships arrived at the Cochin port and the number of passengers and crew stood at 62,940. During the current financial year, which is halfway through, the arrivals have been steady and satisfactory.

So far, 36 ships (46,464 passengers and crew members) have arrived at the Cochin port. This has given a major fillip to the growth of Kerala’s tourism and economy.

Has the state received any interest from international cruising companies to bring their ships in?

The state has always extended a warm welcome to international cruise companies.

These companies, which crave for new experiences, have shown interest in expanding their market to India, espe-

cially Kerala. Even though cruise tourism is at its infancy in Kerala, the potential of Kochi to emerge as a major cruise hub and the support of the Kerala Government towards cruise tourism will be a major contributing factor for international companies to enter Kerala.

Do you think there is potential in Kerala and Sri Lanka working together to offer a combined cruise experience?

There is tremendous potential for cruise tourism in the region, which could benefit both Kerala and Sri Lanka as both are top tourism destinations in the world. It will not only benefit both the destinations in a big way, but also help promote tourism in the South

Asia region. Such a scenario will certainly establish South Asia as a cruise destination similar to the Caribbean and the Mediterranean.

As Samudrika also has convention facilities, will it help drive Meetings, Incentives, Conferencing, Exhibitions (MICE) business into Kerala?

Kerala Tourism is slowly picking up in the MICE sector.

The state government has shown its commitment in this sector by slashing taxes on luxury hotels and convention centres. There is no doubt that Kerala is poised to become a popular MICE destination in the future. Kerala, being a leisure destination, already has venues in the backwaters, houseboat, beaches and hill stations suited for MICE business.

The state has always extended a warm welcome to international cruise companies. These companies, which crave for new experiences, have shown interest in expanding their market to India, especially Kerala

Samudrika will definitely be an added advantage for promoting MICE business in Kerala.

To tap the MICE potential in the state, is the government planning to build any more convention centres?

Kerala can surely boast of convention centres of international standards. The Lulu Convention Center in Thrissur, The Le Meridien Convention Center in Kochi and The Rajeev Gandhi Convention Center at the Leela Hotels, in Kovalam, are few among them.

The government’s initiative in this year’s budget in cutting luxury taxes on convention centres above Rs 20,000 from 20 per cent to 10 per cent, will act as a catalyst for the private sector to enter the MICE business on an even bigger scale.

This initiative is taken to strengthen the efforts of the Tourism Department for transforming Kerala into a much sought after destination for national and international-level seminars and conventions.This concessional rate will be applicable only to the seminars and conventions approved by the tourism department.

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KTM 2 014

SPECIAL FOCUS

KTM 2014 promises to reach out to more new buyers God’s Own Country to be projected as an ideal destination for weddings and honeymoon and conferences and exhibitions

T

HE EIGHTH EDITION of Kerala Travel Mart (KTM) is scheduled to take place from September 18-20, 2014 at Samudrika Convention Centre, Cochin Port Trust, Willingdon Island, Kochi. The department of tourism, government of Kerala has partnered with the Kerala Travel Mart Society in hosting this event which brings together business entrepreneurs behind the tourism products and services of Kerala on a single platform. Held once in two years during September, KTM is one of the largest gathering

in the tourism industry of Kerala that facilitates the meeting and interaction of buyers and sellers. Tour operators, hotels, resorts, homestays, houseboats, Ayurveda resorts, cultural art centres and many others will showcase their products at the mart. This year, KTM promises to reach out to buyers from new markets like Australia, Austria, Brazil, Chile, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Israel, Japan, Norway, Poland, South Africa, Sweden and USA. Over the last 13 years since the first mart, KTM has attracted over 1,000 international

buyers, who have established business partnerships among various sections in the tourism industry of Kerala. The previous edition, KTM 2012, was attended by more than 1,250 buyers. This year the mart will highlight innovative tourism products like village life experience, culture tours and destination wedding themes.

A big turnout of MICE operators, wellness and adventure tour operators is expected at KTM 2014. In a move aimed at promoting MICE tourism, the Kerala Government had cut luxury tax on convention centres and auditoriums with a daily rent exceeding `20,000 to 10 per cent

from 20 per cent in the state budget announced in January this year. The Hosted Buyer Programme is a unique component

of the show and it provides buyers an opportunity to meet exhibitors of their choice for oneon-one sessions.

‘The theme of KTM this year is to promote village experiences,weddings and MICE’ Abraham George, president, Kerala Travel Mart (KTM) Society elucidates on the upcoming KTM 2014 in Kochi and how it has evolved over the years

By Steena Joy How has KTM contributed to the growth of tourism in Kerala?

KTM was started exclusively to market Kerala as a brand. Participants include small tour operators to big travel companies as well as hotels. It is a total convergence of tourism partners and stakeholders and entrepreneurs. We have grown from 90 members in the initial years to 700 members today.

30 EXPRESS TRAVELWORLD September 2014

The aim of the Travel Mart is to sell Kerala and the tourism products of our members. We have around 300 international buyers this year who have been pre-selected and pre-registered. Of these, 50 per cent are new buyers, participating in KTM for the first time.

phisticated niche products like MICE and Adventure tourism?

Yes. Though the leisure segment is still strong, we are focusing on MICE and niche products. In fact, the theme of KTM this year is to promote village experiences, weddings and MICE.

Has Kerala grown beyond traditional tourism products like leisure to more so-

How has Kerala Tourism supported KTM in the past and what more is expected

Abraham George

of the state government to drive tourism revenues in the state?

KTM is a PPP between the tourism department and the KTM Society. The tourism department has been actively involved in KTM since the beginning and gives the Mart all the support required to promote our joint aim of marketing this incredible tourism destination in India.

SPOTLIGHT

‘We have to create awareness of brand South Australia in India’ India is one of the fastest growing markets for South Australia. In Jaipur recently for the India Travel Mission (ITM) organised by Tourism Australia, Jay Weatherill, premier of South Australia talks about the strategy to create awareness of South Australia in the Indian market through the India-Pak ICC Cricket World Cup match to be held at Adelaide Oval next year Jay Weatherill

BY SUDIPTA DEV You have launched an India Strategy -2020. Is this a part of Tourism Australia's strategic plan?

This is our own initiative.

The India Strategy -2020 outlines the tourism response required from South Australia to boost economic contribution from this inbound market.

The India market sees the second largest visitor nights, outside China. Though the number of tourists are not much, they stay longer. It is also partly because they are visiting families or students. We want to get people into the tourism experience. We want to maximise the numbers.

Kangaroo Island is well known but they don't know about the attractions in South Australia.

What are your plans to showcase South Australia in this market by leveraging the ICC World Cup in 2015?

We have to create awareness of brand South Australia in India. Next year we will be hosting the World Cup. The match between India and Pakistan is going to be played at the Adelaide Oval on February 15, 2015. We are trying to use that to attract the attention of Indian tourists to South Australia. We understand that 7000 Indians have booked tick-

ets. We have still reserved 5000 tickets which can be made available. It is a very sought after event to be watched by millions in India. We see this match as an introduction of South Australia to India.

Please tell us something about Adelaide Oval.

The newly renovated Adelaide Oval is in central city and linked to the shopping district.

It is one of the most beautiful stadiums in the world. The Oval also has the museum of Sir Donald Bradman Collection.

The actual Oval itself overlooks a park land. It is so much like a convention centre than a stadium. Soon there will be a new restaurant in the Oval.

What would be key factors

that would attract Indian visitors to South Australia?

There is not much awareness of South Australia in India though the destination has so much to offer. Indian tourists are looking for new experience and South Australia has many interesting offerings.

The weather is fantastic. Adelaide is among the 30 safest cities in Australia. We also have a sizable Indian populace.

It also has a first class food and wine culture. We would like to invite people from India to South Australia and experience themselves, specially at the time of the World Cup. What are the major highlights of Adelaide as a destination?

The Indian tourist likes a

combination of city life and natural beauty. If you base yourself in Adelaide then you can enjoy the city experiences and also the natural attractions nearby. Half an hour away from the city is Adelaide Hills which is a beautiful wine growing district with vineyards and hills. The coastline is also half an hour drive from the city, where you can swim with the dolphins. There are many things to experience in close proximity to Adelaide city which is itself an elegant, cosmopolitan destination with European style architecture.

It also has a vibrant nightlife with bars, cafes and music.

The city has many park lands.

The iconic experience in the centre of the city is the Adelaide Central Market, which is well known for its premium fruits and vegetables. There are also vineyards in the south, an hour's drive away.

Barossa Valley lies in the north which is very famous for its red wine. All these places have first class accommodation. Half an hour off the coast, by plane or ferry ride is the Kangaroo Island. That itself is a place of extraordinary natural beauty with natural rock structures. It is also teeming with wildlife, primarily kangaroos and koalas.

What are the interesting activities for adventure lovers?

Among the interesting experiences is the shark cage diving. It is an incredible experience, and perfectly safe.

Port Lincoln is the only place in the world where you can do this experience whole year round. In South Africa and off the coast of California and Mexico they do it in much shorter season. Port Lincoln is only half an hour flight from Adelaide where you can also also swim with the sea lions.

So it can be like a complete sea safari.

You can go on a catamaran and hang off the back on a rope and the dolphins come and interact with you. South Australia is the only place where you have a combination of all these experiences.

Are you doing something about increasing the flight frequency between India and South Australia?

The connection is mainly through Singapore. Emirates flies in from Dubai, Cathay from Hong Kong and Malaysian Airlines from Kuala Lumpur. Also, once you are in Australia there are many internal flights connecting Adelaide.

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September 2014

IN FOCUS

‘2015 is when many airlines would try to come back to profitability’ Carlson Wagonlit Travel recently released a new joint 2015 Global Travel Price Outlook report with Global Business Travel Association Foundation. Darren Waite, director, CWT Solutions Group, Asia Pacific, Carlson Wagonlit Travel talks about key trends and how the report is a useful guide for the travel trade to plan their budget for 2015

BY SUDIPTA DEV

In which segment do you foresee the most notable price hike / change in the India market?

Indian aviation has always been price sensitive and thus the boundaries between Full Service Airlines (FSCs) and Low Cost Carriers (LCCs) have always been blurred. Airlines such as TATA SIA and Jet Airways are trying to create a niche for themselves and are looking to target the upper middle class through their superior FSC product. This change could be great for business travellers as it will give them different price points; but also poses a risk that the Average Ticket Prices (ATPs) might increase if the travellers chose to take the superior FSC product instead of the LCC product.

This change could be massive for the travel industry because Indian aviation has always been dominated by the LCC model with over 60 per cent of the domestic capacity currently on LCCs. In the hotel market, we expect the price hike to be more in the upscale segment rather than mid-scale. This is in line with the higher need of the upscale/luxury segment to address profitability concerns and with being more price sensitive than the mid-scale.

Is the changing dynamics of the airline sector in India reflective in your report?

Yes, changes such as the Foreign Direct Investment

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(FDI) policy relaxation, general policy outlook due to change of leadership in the country as well as positioning of new entrants such as TATA SIA and Air Asia have been duly considered while making our assessment. 2014 was not a great year for the Indian airlines who were constantly marred by setbacks such as Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) downgrade as well as regular price wars. This was good for business travellers who could enjoy highly competitive market fares on domestic as well as continental travel.

2015 is the year when many airlines would try to come back to profitability by improving their bottom lines. Indian aviation industry as we know is very dynamic and recent changes such as disbanding of JetLite and JetKonnect could not be considered.

This change, however, is directionally similar to our assessment of moderate inflation in the market.

Which factors will lead to increase in hotel room rates in the country?

Increased business confidence following the election results and an expectation of more inbound and domestic demand are factors expected to cause an upsurge in the room rates. Relaxation in FDI policies, and the government initiatives to attract more in-

Darren Waite

vestors are usually followed by an increased business travel to Indian destinations and within.

At the same time, the prices have been quite suppressed in the past two years because of new openings and over-supply.

Hotels would perceive 2015 as a period of recovery in line with economic changes.

Any interesting MICE industry trends - outbound from India / inbound / domestic?

We have observed that in the MICE industry in India, the overall volume of events had reduced in the first half of the year. The clients have become more price conscious with regards to incentive travel. The current practice is to call for multiple providers to submit bids for a single incentive group and the lowest bidder wins.

However, post the elections and with the new government in place, we believe that this

will change. The market is opening up and there should be an increase in the number of events per client. They will also start looking at ideas and new and offbeat destinations to explore in contrast to the usual destinations like Singapore, Thailand or Europe.

How can your report benefit the Indian travel trade community (from big tour operators to small town travel agents)?

The report is focused on the travel managers and procurement managers who are looking to better understand the risks and opportunities as they begin to budget for 2015.

While the report is focused on corporate travel market, it

might be a useful guide for trade players and travel agents involved in pricing, revenue management, forecasting and budgeting functions.

Your views / any other significant factor.

There is an increased focus on tourism in the new government policies. In his recent speech on 15th August Independence Day, the Indian PM specifically mentioned the need for tourism focus and keeping the country clean.

This is because increased tourism provides employment to a lot of people. The demand from tourists can also fulfill some of the inventory in key cities and help improve the occupancy rates.

TRAINING

In the cockpit Boeing has launched a pilot development programme to train pilots 'from street to right seat' to accommodate increased demand for manpower as global fleet expands

B

OEING HAS recently announced a comprehensive global training solution that provides all the training a pilot needs, from basic theory through qualification as a commercial jet first officer, the 'right seat' in the flight deck.

Leveraging the proven experience of Boeing and Jeppesen, the Boeing Pilot Development Programme is designed to provide the essential training an airline needs to help meet the rising demand for qualified pilots. The programme takes cadet pilots through initial screening, ab initio (basic classroom and flight instruction), jet bridge and type rating training at Boeing training facilities around the world to ensure an efficient, consistent and effective pipeline for airlines to secure qualified first officers.

“Approximately 5,33,000 new commercial airline pilots are needed to support the global fleet over the next 20 years,” says David Wright, director, Boeing Pilot Development Programme. “Boeing has been talking about this demand for years - the Pilot Development Programme is our answer, and an investment in the future of aviation personnel,” he mentions.

Boeing subsidiary Jeppesen provides initial screening and ab initio training through its robust training network, including a competence evaluation in Aviation English, foundational aviation knowledge and migration from practical ground and flight training to an Airline

Transport Pilot License (ATPL). Boeing and Jeppesen developed a jet-bridge course, providing high-performance jet theory, with fixed- and full-motion simulation - all from an airline operations perspective.

“The Boeing Pilot Development Programme brings the experience and knowledge associated with two leaders in aviation, Boeing and Jeppesen, to provide a comprehensive programme designed to train operationally ready pilots,” says Wright. “But no single company can close the gap in demand. This is an industry issue, and can only be solved by innovative, industry-wide solutions,” he adds.

The sky is the limit Boeing is forecasting con-

tinued strong growth in demand for commercial aviation pilots and maintenance technicians as the global fleet expands over the next 20 years.

Boeing's 2014 Pilot and Technician Outlook projects that between 2014 and 2033, the world's aviation system will require 533,000 new commercial airline pilots and 584,000 new commercial airline maintenance technicians.

"The challenge of meeting the global demand for airline professionals cannot be solved by one company or in one region of the world," says Sherry Carbary, vice president, Boeing Flight Services. "This is a global issue that can only be solved by all of the parties involved - airlines, aircraft and

training equipment manufacturers, training delivery organizations, regulatory agencies and educational institutions around the world," says Carbary. The 2014 outlook projects continued increases in pilot demand, which is up approximately seven per cent compared to 2013 and in maintenance training, which increased just over five per cent.

Pilot demand in the Asia Pacific region now comprises 41 per cent of the world's need, and the Middle East region saw significant growth since last year's outlook due to increased airline capacity and orders for wide-body models which require more crew members.

Overall, the global demand is driven by steadily increasing

airplane deliveries, particularly wide-body airplanes, and represents a global requirement for about 27,000 new pilots and 29,000 new technicians annually.

Projected demand for new pilots and technicians by global region: ● Asia Pacific – 216,000 pilots and 224,000 technicians; ● Europe – 94,000 pilots and 102,000 technicians; ● North America – 88,000 pilots and 109,000 technicians; ● Latin America – 45,000 pilots and 44,000 technicians; ● Middle East – 55,000 pilots and 62,000 technicians; ● Africa – 17,000 pilots and 19,000 technicians; and ● Russia and CIS – 18,000 pilots and 24,000 technicians.

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September 2014

MOVEMENTS Tourism Authority of Thailand SORAYA HOMCHUEN has been appointed as director of Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) in Mumbai. Her jurisdiction will cover western and southern India where her efforts will complement those in TAT New Delhi as well as Sri Lanka and the Maldives.

lor at the Tourism Office of Spain in Mumbai, India. Previous positions of Ducasse include Turespaña offices in Tokyo, Los Angeles and Toronto. His roles and responsibilities will remain the same as the previous director.

ARTURO ORTIZ ARDUÁN, after having completed a tenure of three years as the tourism counsellor and director at Tourism Office of Spain in Mumbai, will be moving to new responsibilities at Turespaña headquarters in Madrid.

Air Canada

Soraya Homchuen

Her most recent post was as a marketing officer, ASEAN, South Asia and South Pacific department, TAT. Assignments preceding these saw her at helm of TAT’s R&D activities as chief of academic section at TAT’s market research division.

BENJAMIN SMITH, Air Canada's executive vice president and chief commercial officer, has been appointed to the new role of president, passenger airlines. In addition to his current responsibilities, Smith will now have cost as well as revenue oversight for passenger airline activities, with a view to optimising the operating profitability of Air Canada, consistent with organisational structures at other large US and European airlines. Smith will continue to report to Calin Rovinescu, president and chief executive officer of Air Canada, in this role.

Tourism Office of Spain & Turespaña Volga Dnepr Group IGNACIO DUCASSE who is the assistant director general of knowledge and tourism studies at Instituto de Turismo de España (Turespaña) has been appointed as the new director and tourism counsel-

Ignacio Ducasse

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ANTON KHODAKOVSKY has been appointed as Volga Dnepr Group’s vice president, Japan and South Korea.

Khodakovsky started work in the freight industry over 15 years ago and has accumulated an understanding of the air cargo business. In 2004, after holding various positions in the freight sector, he joined Volga-Dnepr Group. In the new position, Khodakovsky will be responsible for developing the group’s cargo supermarket strategy in Japan and South Korea as well as the group’s overall interests in the region, including establishing cooperation with trade authorities and deepening Volga-Dnepr’s strategic partnerships.

IATA RODOLFO QUEVEDO has been appointed as director of safety at IATA. Quevedo will join IATA’s safety and flight operations team and will be based in Montreal. He will be responsible for cabin safety, Safety Management Systems (SMS) and Global Aviation Data Management (GADM).

Quevedo joins IATA from the Flight Safety Foundation (FSF) where he served as director, global programmes, managing FSF’s technical and global initiatives in collaboration with the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).

Insitu RYAN HARTMAN has been appointed as president and CEO of Insitu, a Boeing subsidiary.

Hartman most recently served as senior vice president, Insitu Programs.

He succeeds CEO Steve Morrow, who is retiring. As Insitu president and CEO, Hartman will be responsible for executing the Insitu business plan and building on its extensive portfolio, which today includes the ScanEagle and Integrator unmanned aircraft. In his previous position, Hartman led the company’s Integrator, ScanEagle, advanced programmes and business development programmes offices.

TripAdvisor LILY CHENG has been appointed as president, APAC

Tourism Finance Corporation of India S K SANGAR has been appointed as managing director of Tourism Finance Corporation of India with the approval of the Board of Directors. Satpal Arora has resigned as director / managing director.

of TripAdvisor. Cheng will be responsible for driving TripAdvisor's growth in the Asia Pacific region through both organic growth and strategic partnerships, with a focus on China, Japan, and India.

Based in Beijing, she will report to Stephen Kaufer, president and CEO, TripAdvisor. In addition to Cheng’s current responsibilities, she will oversee the growth of Kuxun, working closely with Ivan Zhang, CEO, Kuxun.

ANGIE VAUX has been appointed as commercial director, APAC, TripAdvisor for Business. Vaux will play a key role in growing TripAdvisor for Business’ presence in the Asia-Pacific region, overseeing its regional sales team and delivering on the company’s commitment to help hotels and B&Bs attract more travellers and succeed in the online marketplace. Prior to joining TripAdvisor, Vaux held various sales and marketing leadership positions in the technology industry. She will be based in TripAdvisor’s Asia Pacific headquarters in Singapore.

Oman Air

Lily Cheng

PAUL GREGOROWITSCH has been appointed as CEO of Oman Air. Gregorowitsch joins Oman Air from Air Berlin, where, having joined the company in 2011, he sat on its management board with responsibility for the carrier’s commercial activities. Prior to joining Air Berlin, he was, from 2007 to 2011, president

Paul Gregorowitsch

and CEO of Amsterdambased passenger and cargo airline Martinair Holland NV, where he implemented successful restructuring measures to bring the company back into profit in record time.

AirAsia X CHEW ENG LOKE has been appointed as CFO of AirAsia X. As CFO, Loke will be responsible for corporate finance and treasury matters, financial planning and analysis, external reporting and investor relations. He reports directly to Azran OsmanRani, CEO, AirAsia X Berhad.

Loke carries with him acrossthe-board experience as the CFO of Ogawa World Berhad, a previously public-listed company until its recent takeover, with multiple operations across Asia including China, as well as general management and operational turn-around experience.

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E V E N T S

Discussing opportunities

L-R: Union minister for finance and defence Arun Jaitley was welcomed by Nakul Anand, chairman FAITH at the 2nd National Conference of Tourism Ministers held in New Delhi under the aegis of the Ministry of Tourism

L-R: RV Deshpande, tourism minister, Karnataka; Nakul Anand, chairman, FAITH; Shripad Naik, union MoS for Tourism; Subhash Goyal, president, IATO; Parvez Dewan, secretary tourism, Government of India and Sarabjit Singh, vicechairman, FAITH

BRINGING SMILES Thailand hosted the biggest BFF Get Together consisting

WHOLESOME EXPERIENCE Tourism Authority of Thailand’s Mumbai Office,

of a Mega Fam Trip & Happiness Street Festival at the end of July 2014 which witnessed the presence of more than 900 travel media, bloggers, celebrities and travel industry executives from 47 countries

together with the Thai Consulate in Mumbai organised a B2B showcase of Chiang Mai’s products, attractions, hotels and resorts at the Four Seasons Hotel Mumbai

BOOSTING RELATIONS Côte d'Ivoire, a country located in West Africa

OUTSTANDING WORK Hanneli Slabber, country manager, South African Tourism received the 'Best Professional Marketing' award by Alain St. Ange, minister of tourism, Seychelles at Safari India National Tourism Awards 2014 during the Pacific Area Travel Writers Association (PATWA) International Seminar held in New Delhi

celebrated its Independence Day recently amid fanfare at the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel in Mumbai

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DISCOVERING DESTINATIONS Indian travel agents were recently taken on a trade FAM trip to Ontario, Canada wherein they explored Niagara, Toronto and Ottawa

TURNAROUND STRATEGY L-R: Cramer Ball, CEO designate, Jet Airways; Naresh Goyal, chairman, Jet Airways and James Hogan, president and CEO, Etihad Airways at the announcement of their long-term commitment to the growth of India’s economy and aviation industry including a major new turnaround strategy for Jet Airways to return to profitability in three years at an event held in New Delhi

CONSERVATION PARTNERSHIP AAT Kings and TreadRight Foundation have collaborated with Australia Zoo Wildlife Warriors to support the koala rehabilitation project at Australia Zoo’s Wildlife Hospital. Australia Zoo Wildlife Warriors will receive a significant donation of US$ 48,000 over two years

HARNESSING TALENT InterGlobe Technology Quotient recently organised a ‘Student of the Year’ contest with an aim to test the travel quotient of students, strive for excellence and create a talent pool for the industry. The final round of the contest was held at the Pullman Hotel in Gurgaon

INTENSE COMPETITION L-R: Dr Denis Napthine, Premier of Victoria and Cadel Evans, World champion and tour de France winner unveiled plans for a new cycling event - the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race to be held in Australia in 2015

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DIVERSIFIED CULTURE Rocky S, Indian fashion designer, recently visited Hong Kong to experience the diversified environment and culture of the city

REGD.WITH RNI UNDER MAHENG/15993/05, MH/MR/SOUTH-156/2013-15 PUBLISHED 11th OF EVERY MONTH AND POSTED ON 12, 13 & 14 OF EVERY MONTH POSTED AT MUMBAI PATRIKA CHANNEL SORTING OFFICE.