Express Travel World October, 2014

SPECIAL V0L 9 NO.9 PAGES 56

October 2014, `50

Edge Interview: Sarab Jit Singh (vice chairman) and Subhash Verma (hon secretary) FAITH

CONTENTS SPECIAL

Vol 9 No 9 OCTOBER 2014 Pages 56

Chairman of the Board

Viveck Goenka Editor

Reema Lokesh*

MANAGEMENT

Chief of Product

Prabhas Jha Assistant Editor

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Steena Joy Sr. Associate Editor

Sudipta Dev CONTENT TEAM Mumbai

Kahini Chakraborty Rituparna Chatterjee Kolkata

Joy Roy Choudhury FOR A BRIGHTER FUTURE THE 30TH IATO ANNUAL CONVENTION WITNESSED A WAVE OF OPTIMISM AMONGST TRAVEL TRADE MEMBERS WHILE DISCUSSING STRATEGIES TO MAXIMISE THE POTENTIAL OF INDIA'S TOURISM

DESIGN National Art Director

Bivash Barua Deputy Art Director

Surajit Patro Chief Designer

Pravin Temble Senior Graphic Designerr

Rushikesh Konka

EDGE

Senior Artist

Ratilal Ladani, Kiran Parker SCHEDULING & COORDINATION

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Sr.Executive

Rohan Thakkar Photo Editor

Sandeep Patil MARKETING Regional Heads

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

Sunil Dcosta Gunjan Chauhan Baljinder Singh Ajanta Sengupta

(22-32) MARKETS

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MOT STARTS WORK FOR 'VISIT INDIA YEAR' 2015 IN CHINA

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BANGKOK AIRWAYS EYES DELHI, AHMEDABAD, CHENNAI FOR EXPANSION

RAS AL KHAIMAH ATTRACTS HOTEL INVESTMENTS FOR AL MARJAN ISLAND PROJECT

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KEY SPORTING EVENTS TO GIVE FILLIP TO SPORTS TOURISM IN INDIA

CIRCULATION

ITM 2014: CELEBRATING GROWTH THE 12TH EDITION OF INDIA TRAVEL MISSION (ITM) 2014 HELD IN JAIPUR RECENTLY GAVE TOURISM AUSTRALIA MUCH REASON TO CELEBRATE

Mohan Varadakar

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PRODUCTION General Manager

B R Tipnis Manager

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EDITOR’S NOTE

Modifying India tourism

L

ights, camera, action- the PM of India took centrestage at the Madison Square Garden addressing an audience who were primarily and presumably ‘Desh Premees’, a part of the fabric that makes up the Indian diaspora in Uncle Sam’s land. From rejection to reverence, PM Modi has surely come a long way to make an impact in America, which was rather unique. Apart from the US, the PM's recent visits to countries such as Japan and Nepal with a clear objective to strengthen economic and diplomatic ties and bilateral trade relations did mean a lot for the tourism sector. In his inspirational speech in the US, Modi highlighted a few tourism friendly initiatives, namely the easing of travel and visa norms, offering lifetime visas for Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs) and also the visa-on-arrival scheme for tourists from the US. These announcements have given the Indian travel and tourism fraternity, especially those in the domestic and inbound space, some reason to cheer as the business in this space was rather down in recent times.

Though the visa-on-arrival scheme was clearly spelt out in the Union Budget 2014, the fraternity seemed glad to learn that USA has also been in-

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cluded in the scheme.

The dialogue between Modi and China's president Xi Jinping also sparked off new hopes for the tourism industry of the country. The ministry of tourism (MoT), Government of India, is upbeat about the Indo China relationship with the announcement of the 'Visit India Year' 2015 in China. According to the MoT, India is looking at China to be the leading source market over the next five years. For the same, the tourism ministry will be focusing on training guides and will also be opening a website in Chinese.

All these notwithstanding, the most vital part of Modi's plans is to simultaneously get our house in order. I have always been vocal about the need for effective hygiene and sanitation facilities with an aim to aid a better tourism experience and this basic requirement has finally been taken up at the highest level for implementation. India’s tourism growth story can be a real success only if our infrastructure at home is solid and ready to receive the world with respect and dignity.

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Rajasthan looks at non-maintream tourism segments Sudipta Dev Jaipur AT THE 49TH annual convention of the Federation of Hotel & Restaurant Associations of India, held in Jaipur recently, the chief guest of the inaugural function, Vasundhara Raje, chief minister, Government of Rajasthan, spoke about the new focus areas for tourism in her state. “Rajasthan and tourism are synonymous words. It is a land of sunshine, happiness and colour. Tourism is right at the centre of our policy. This sector needs to continuously evolve and we have to be ahead of our times,” said Raje, adding that the time has come to look at segments that are not mainstream tourism, for example, birders, curated travelling exhibitions, spiritual tourism, evening access to monuments and other such initiatives. She informed that the state has nine tourism projects this year going over a hundred crores.

“We have to think of new ideas and events like Rajasthan Divas celebrations,” mentioned

Vasundhara Raje

Raje.

Rajasthan Tourism is planning to create living experiences. “Amer is going to be our own big experience with a living monument and we should be able to role it out in the next two years,” she said. The state is also looking at long term sustainability and focusing on heritage conservation in Bharatpur, Bikaner and recently Udaipur.

Rajasthan has announced an ambitious scheme for roads, which is a PPP programme.

“Nothing can happen unless we have the right infrastructure,” asserted Raje, She also informed that GITB is returning to Jaipur next year. One of the priorities, according to Raje, is employment generation in the state through

tourism. She acknowledged that all states should take initiatives to set up more hospitality education institutes.

“There is also a huge scope here for fine dining restaurants. There are many beautiful areas which could be given

to private players. The hospitality industry can help us in a lot of areas,” she added. Addressing the gathering of hospitality industry and tourism association leaders, she said, “We are receptive to ideas that you might bring to us.”

Steena Joy, assistant editor, Express TravelWorld; Jose Dominic, CMD, CGH Earth; Suman Billa, secretary, Kerala Tourism; P I Sheik Pareeth, director, Kerala Tourism and Anupama T V, additional director (general), Kerala Tourism releasing Express Escapes, a publication from The Indian Express Group at KTM 2014 in Kochi

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MoT starts work for 'Visit India Year' 2015 in China Reema Lokesh Mumbai CHINA'S PRESIDENT Xi Jinping's visit to India has sparked new hopes for the tourism industry of the country. The ministry of tourism (MoT), Government of India is upbeat about India-China relationship with the announcement of the 'Visit India Year' 2015 in China made by the Chinese president during his visit to the country. To initiate this process, the MoT has taken certain policy deci-

sions, revealed a senior official from the tourism ministry while speaking exclusively to Express TravelWorld. The official opined that India is looking at China to be the leading source market over the next five years. For the same, the tourism ministry will be focusing on training guides as presently a Chinese guide charges US$ 400 a day.

There are also plans to organise cultural shows in open spaces and city squares in place of

small halls. The MoT will also be opening a website in Chinese.

Welcoming this decision, Rajeev Kohli, vice president, Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO) stated, “IATO welcomes this initiative and hopes to focus on high spending Chinese travellers. Although sentiments are positive, today the ground reality is different.

We are hoping to improve the same and would like to focus on high spending Chinese travellers.”

Indian tour operators upbeat on visa on arrival for US nationals Reema Lokesh Mumbai LIGHTS, CAMERA, action - is what appeared to have unfolded in rather full force at the Madison Square Garden on September 28, 2014 with the Prime Minister of India taking centrestage.

From economic growth to sociocultural development there was a plethora of plans and proposals being announced. Amongst the crucial pointers, the decision to grant visa on arrival for US nationals was received well by the Indian travel and tourism fraternity that includes both the tour operators and travel agents.

Though the US has been a promising source market for inbound business into India, the fraternity feels this move will further give impetus to business. Rajeev Kohli, vice presi-

dent, Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO), stated, “Long term tourist visa was always in place, namely for five years, but was seldom given.

The visa on arrival proposal was already declared in the Union Budget 2014, but we are glad as a fraternity that America is also going to be a part of this decision. Every effort to bring in the tourists is always welcome and we are upbeat about this new change that will come in after such tourism friendly announcements being made by the PM of India.” Apart from the tour operators fraternity, travel agents associations have also expressed their delight at the announcement.

Harmandeep Singh Anand, honorary secretary general, Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI), said, “This move will provide a boost to both the inbound and domes-

tic tourism business of India, which will in turn benefit most service providers in the tourism chain.”

Girija Chandran, director, Hammock Leisure Holidays in Bengaluru, “This has been a promising announcement. The domestic sector has been on the back foot in the recent times and such decisions do bring in renewed hope. But on the same lines, it is also crucial for the American government to respond in kind to this announcement and give out the right signals to encourage people to travel into India.”

Apart from the visa on arrival plan, the PM of India also touched upon the importance of hygiene and sanitation facilities, which is also of direct relevance to the tourism business as it is related to infrastructure development for tourism.

Department of Tourism Philippines announces 'Visit Philippines Year 2015' Pope Francis to visit Philippines in January 2015 Akshay Kumar Manila THE DEPARTMENT of Tourism (DOT) Philippines has announced 2015 as 'Visit Philippines Year' (VPY 2015). With numerous major events lined up in 2015, Philippines includes India as one of its key markets. As a part of the promotion, the DOT has launched a new microsite itsmorefuninthePhilippines.com.

Speaking about VPY 2015, Maria Corazon G Jorda-Apo, officer-incharge, market development group, DOT, said, “We see India as a potential market, as the population is huge. We are promoting luxury tourism and shopping tours for the Indian market as the number of HNIs in India is very large.

2015 is a big year for us as it is Visit Philippines Year. We have many major events happening in our country.

In January 2015, Pope Francis will be visiting Philippines. We will be hosting the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) ministerial meetings and leaders’ summit in November, which is one of the biggest MICE events in our list.”

The DOT Philippines has witnessed a positive trend in Indian tourist arrivals, with nine per cent growth in July 2014. Speaking about the Indian mar-

We have recently launched the Philippines Specialist Programme, as Indian travel agents have shown interest ket, Jorda-Apo, commented, “We have seen a strong interest amongst the Indian travellers. We have recently launched the Philippines Specialist Programme, as the Indian travel agents have shown interest to know more about our nation. We are expecting a lot of Indian tourist in 2015. Also the Indian travellers love to explore different cuisines.

Next year we are hosting the biggest culinary event in the world, the Madrid Fusion Manila in April.”

The DOT has unveiled fresh campaign banners focusing on five themes, namely: business meetings; history and culture; lifestyle and entertainment; music and the arts; sports, adventure, and ecotourism.

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Sharjah turns focus to India market Kahini Chakraborty Mumbai THE SHARJAH Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA) has turned its focus to the India market and is organising its first ever roadshow this month in Mumbai, New Delhi, Hyderabad, Chennai and Bengaluru. The authority is focusing on promoting its culture and heritage tourism offerings, targeting the families and leisure segment. The authority will be launching an interactive portal elaborating about the destination and its tourism offerings by the end of this year, and this will be followed by the launch of a mobile application providing one-stop-shop solution to travellers.

Speaking to Express TravelWorld, HE Khalid

Jasim Al Midfa, director general, SCTDA said, “India is one of the most important and promising markets for Sharjah and the emirate every year attracts more number of tourists every year. Last year, Sharjah received more than 123,010 visitors from India, registering a 41 per cent increase over the previous year.

These numbers are expected to grow further and we want to maintain those tourism number increase in the future as well.” This first ever roadshow is being organised in cooperation with Air Arabia, the flagship carrier of the emirate, as well as leading hotels from Sharjah such as Golden Tulip and Hotel Copthorne.

This year the promotional campaign will witness Sharjah celebrating itself as the Islamic Culture Capital for the

Last year, Sharjah received more than 123,010 visitors from India, registering a 41 per cent increase over the previous year. These numbers are expected to grow further HE Khalid Jasim Al Midfa

year 2014. While for the year 2015, the authority will be introducing new events, festivals, conferences, seminars etc, the information for which Midfa said would be announced at this year's World Travel Market (WTM).

To cater to the growing demand of the MICE segment,

the destination has the famous Expo Centre and India Trade and Exhibition Centre for hosting events. “A 200-keys four-star hotel will be developed which will be attached to the convention,” he informed.

Furthermore, there is a huge demand for hospitality development for 3,000 keys over

the next five years.

With regards to air connectivity, Midfa added that the region's airline Air Arabia flies to 13 cities in India- Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Goa, Jaipur, Ahmedabad, Coimbatore, Kochi, Kozhikode, Thiruvanathapuram and Nagpur.

Ras Al Khaimah attracts hotel investments for Al Marjan Island project Kahini Chakraborty Ras Al Khaimah WITH AN AIM to promote itself as an affordable luxury standalone tourism destination in the emirate, Ral Al Khaimah (RAK) government has attracted investments from major international hotel brands for its Al Marjan Island project. Said to be one of their biggest project, the island has already witnessed the opening of major hotel brands namely- 650 keys Rixos Al Bahr Resort; the 301room Marjan Island Resort & Spa; the 484-key DoubleTree

by Hilton Resort & Spa, Marjan Island and the 346 room

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Ras Al Khaimah Waldorf Astoria. In 2015, the island will also witness the opening of the 265-room Santorini Hotel, a part of The Bin Majid Group. Speaking to Express TravelWorld, Mohamed Khater, business development manager, Government of Ras Al Khaimah said, “Presently the destination has 5,200 room inventory, but the target is to reach 10,000 rooms by 2020. We are also looking at developing resort properties in the mountain areas and developing tourist attractions as well.” However, when asked about the investments for the projects, Khater refrained from divulging information.

The Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Authority is targeting leisure, honeymoon and MICE travellers from the India market.

The top five source markets of the destination include UAE, Germany, Russia, UK and India.

As part of its tourism offerings, the department is promoting Al Hamra Golf Club, Tower Links Golf Club, Ras Al Khaimah Country Club for golf lovers, water sports adventure activities at RAK Sailing Academy, adventure sports, catamaran yacht, and the desert safari.

For leisure travellers- Iceland Water Park, Al Hamra Marina & Royal Yacht Club, Fal-

con Show, Jazirah Aviation Club and Pearl Excursions.

Besides this, the department is also offering experiences at Bassata Desert Village, Bedouin Oasis Desert Camp, Prince of Sea, Seawings, National Museum of Ras Al Khaimah, Dhayah Fort and Jazirat Al Hamra.

When asked about the tourist arrivals to the destination, Khater informed, “Last year the destination witnessed a total guest nights of 1.2 million and in the future the department is looking at achieving two million guest nights.”

In order to achieve their targets, the department is looking at working closely with the

travel trade in India. They will also organise seminars, workshops, FAM trips and be present at important trade fairs.

In terms of direct flight connectivity, Khater added that Air Arabia, the official carrier of Ras Al Khaimah and an LCC in the Middle East and North Africa, is also looking at starting four times a week direct flight from Calicut in the near future. Presently the airline offers connectivity to Ras Al Khaimah via Sharjah from 13 cities in India- Mumbai, Goa, Nagpur, Delhi, Ahmedabad, Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Thiruvanathapuram, Kochi, Kozikhode and Coimbatore.

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Bangkok Airways eyes Delhi, Ahmedabad, Chennai for expansion Rituparna Chatterjee Mumbai BANGKOK AIRWAYS has plans to expand its operations to Delhi, Ahmedabad, Chennai with direct daily flights from these locations to Bangkok. The connection to Delhi is expected to launch after a year, while the other two markets are still being studied. Presently, the airline company has one direct, daily flight from Mumbai to Bangkok. “We had also launched a direct daily flight from Bengaluru to Bangkok in 2012 but discontinued it within 10 days since it was difficult for us to handle two con-

nections at the same time. After two years of its discontinuation, we are looking for new destinations like Delhi, Ahmedabad, Chennai. Operating into smaller cities like Ahmedabad might be more advantageous since there is less competition and these markets are growing. While Chennai is one of the largest cities down South,” stated Varong Israsena, sales director, Bangkok Airways.

There are also plans to add a new connection to Myeik in Myanmar. Presently, the airline operates into three destinations in Myanmar Yangon, Naypyidaw, Mandalay, and Myeik would be the

There is a religious pilgrimage movement from Thailand to Lucknow, Varanasi during the winter season. We have plans to start charter flights to cater to this segment probably from this year forth destination. Furthermore, there are plans to start charter flights from Thailand to different religious destinations in India. “There is a re-

ligious pilgrimage movement from Thailand to Lucknow, Varanasi during the winter season. We have plans to start charter flights to cater

to this segment probably from this year. We have done five-six trips on demand in the past two years,” added Israsena.

The airline company witnessed an eight to 10 per cent year-on-year growth in the India market and recorded a load factor of around 80 per cent in the first seven months of 2014. When asked about the challenges faced in the India market, Israsena opined, “The India market is tough. But if you know how to serve the market it is not that difficult.

In these three years we have gained the experience and confidence that allow us to grow in this market.”

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'We have always enjoyed strong support from India exhibitors' ITB Asia in Singapore attracted almost 9,100 visitors from 110 countries last year.

This year, Nino Gruettke, executive director, ITB Asia expects a very successful event, both in terms of intellectual insights and commercial business leads

By Sudipta Dev Your perception of how ITB Asia has evolved as an important travel trade show in Asia in the last few years.

Seven years ago, we set out to establish ITB Asia as ‘The Trade Show of the Asian Travel Market’ and each year since, we’ve reinforced that positioning by continuously improving and growing the show to meet the evolving needs of the Asian travel market. As a leading platform that facilitates the exchange of quality travel products and services, we’re been constantly upgrading our programme with new initiatives based on feedback and the latest industry trends so it’s never the same experience for visitors. With such an international portfolio of exhibitors, a quality group of hosted buyers and an exciting line-up of conferences and panels, visitors attending ITB Asia can ‘meet the world’ easily in just three days. The show has gained a great international dimension and has become a must-attend event for companies looking to establish a strong presence in the Asian travel market.

What, according to you, have been the most significant milestones?

As a key trade show for the Asian travel market, we continually contribute to the lively discussions to shape the future of tourism in Asia.

Over the years, our confer-

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ence programme has developed a reputation as a key knowledge platform that provides delegates with the most relevant and insightful trade secrets. Each new conference partnership we forge is a key milestone for us. This year, we are delighted to work in collaboration with leading travel industry experts from Robb Report Singapore, TTG Asia, American Express, Global Business Travel Association (GBTA), NATAS, MPI and KIT Group delivering over 30 conference sessions.

Is ITB Asia 2014 bigger and better than the previous editions?

The seventh installment of ITB Asia has seen tremendous growth in terms of exhibitors, quality buyers and conference partners and we are expecting this year’s event to be the biggest, most exciting edition yet.

Will there be any major focus areas of the conferences being organised this time?

Delegates at this year’s conference can expect informative and tailored sessions that will shed insights into the future of travel covering topics such as identifying opportunities amid uncertainties, distinguishing upcoming trends, managing the growth of travel events in Asia and dealing with the challenges of an increasingly digital world. Through our

Nino Gruettke

partnership with leading conference management company, KIT Group, this year’s conference programme will see two back to back educational sessions on the growth and outlook of international association events in Asia.

The association meeting business is becoming a major sector within the region as this industry is relatively resilient and such events take place regardless of global economic conditions.

One other new session that visitors can also look forward to gaining valuable insights is the Business Travel Day. Held in partnership with Global Business Travel Association (GBTA), the day session will offer attendees engaging and useful content on the latest economic forecasts of business travel spend in the region, as well as offer new insights to support professionals looking to expand in the Asian travel market.

In addition, delegates can expect informative and tailored sessions across a wide range of travel topics. Robb Report Singapore will be hosting its inaugural session giving delegates access to indepth analysis on the latest luxury travel trends. Interactive forum sessions on hot topics such as responsible tourism will be held by ITB Asia’s corporate social responsibility partner, Wild Asia. Not forgetting our partner event Web in Travel (WIT) Conference, an essential platform for all players in the digital travel space.

Any interesting trends in terms of exhibitor participation?

As the region’s key travel trade event, visitors can expect a full spectrum of the tourism industry represented at all levels, including the hospitality and aviation sectors, tour operators and travel agencies, National Tourism Organisations, travel technology firms, MICE (meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions) and corporate travel representatives. On that front, we are welcoming back several exhibitors as well as a number of new participants. Exhibitor demand from Asia, Europe, and North America has been particularly strong as the tourism industries continue to focus their attention on the Asia travel market.

Are there more exhibitors participating from India this year? Which are the important new additions?

We have always enjoyed strong support from India exhibitors at ITB Asia and this year is no exception. India tourism is one of the fastest growing travel markets and we expect this trend to continue.

This year, we’ve attracted a number of new exhibitors and organisations, such as Punjab Heritage and Tourism Promotion Board and Uttarakhand Tourism Development Board.

Apart from bringing in new exhibitors, we are also welcoming returning organisations who have supported us in previous ITB Asia such as Go India Journeys, West Bengal Tourism, Blue Yonder Holidays, Karnataka Tourism for example.

What kind of growth do you expect from the India market in the near future for both buyer and supplier segments ?

According to industry research authority PhoCusWright, Asia Pacific has become the world’s largest travel market and India, an emerging economic powerhouse, which have significantly contributed to this growth. With these trends, we expect an even stronger representation from the India market to our show.

There is no better platform than ITB Asia to showcase the country’s travel industry to the global market.

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Flight Shop to expand aggressively pan India Rituparna Chatterjee Mumbai WITH A VIEW to penetrate further into the India market, Flight Shop, part of Flight Centre Travel Group, has aggressive plans to expand pan India by opening 30 to 40 stores by 2017. Phase I of their expansion plan will be in Bengaluru, Chennai and Kolkata.

Phase II would include Ahmedabad, Chandigarh, Jaipur. Presently, the company has 12 stores in three cities – Delhi NCR (six stores), Mumbai (four stores) and Pune (two stores). Speaking more on the expansion, Vicki Parris, national brand leader, Flight Shop stated, “We are looking to scale-up rapidly by

increasing our geographical spread through 30-40 new stores in three years’ time. At the same time, we will aim to increase the density of Flight Shop stores in cities where we are already present. We’ve earmarked an investment of `70 crore for growth, of which we have already spent `50 crore.” She revealed that the company is bringing a new retail concept to its stores. “The new model will have a customer driven strategy focused on an interactive consumer experience as opposed to a conventional travel agency.

We have opened two flagship Flight Shop stores in Delhi and Mumbai based on the new concept,” she opined. Moreover, the company is also ex-

Vicki Parris

ploring various initiatives in the segment of lifestyle holidays like yachting, luxury camping, sand dune and secluded hideaway holidays.

The company is also exploring various initiatives in the segment of lifestyle holidays like yachting As for their growth in the India market, Parris revealed, “We are currently about a `100 crore business. We are planning to triple our store strength in the next three

years. In tandem with that, we are aiming to triple our net worth as well. We are in the early stages in India. We’re already number two in India in the corporate space with Fcm. Travel retail is a young business and our market share is reflective of the youth of the industry. We believe India is an evolving market and the traveller is getting younger.

The consumption patterns are also changing. The impetus is changing from what you want to see when you travel, to how you feel about it. The customer is looking to craft memories now rather than just tick off a list of places to see and therefore it changes the basket of what we offer.”

Luxury self-drives come of age in India Sudipta Dev Mumbai COUGAR MOTORSPORT provides end-to-end luxury self-drive experiences to its select clientele of top executives and businessmen. Ashish Gupta, founder and director, Cougar Motorsport believes that with the increase in indulgence of people in luxe products and services, the concept of luxury in India has changed dramatically over the years, and this holds true for luxury self-drives as well. “The trend of road travel has picked up over the last few years among Indian travellers owing to the improving road infrastructure and growth in the sales of SUVs. While there are numerous platforms which offer selfdriving experiences to people, what was lacking was the ‘luxury’ element in road travel.

This is where we decided to

launch Cougar Motorsport with an aim to cater to the needs of the luxury segment in road travel,” said Gupta, pointing out that his company offers a platform to corporate honchos for indulging in their dream of testing their expensive cars to the best of their ability.

The bespoke driving experiences offered to the HNI segment include arranging the participants’ stay in the best and most luxurious accommodations en route to offering service support as well as providing medical back up. Leh and the Thar Desert are alltime favorite destinations for driving enthusiasts. “ManaliLeh stretch, apart from being picturesque, boasts of one of the highest motorable roads in the world and thus draws a large number of people annually,” said Gupta, adding that people have also started tak-

ing an interest in tiger reserves in central India as well as the beautiful coastal roads in the Western Ghats. The signature events of the company – The Desert Dash, The Himalayan Dash, The Coastal

Dash and The Sanctuary Dash - are also built around these routes.

For a company that has so far only conducted luxury selfdrive experiences, Cougar Motorsport has just finished the

launch edition of the Force Gurkha Rainforest Challenge, India’s first international offroad motorsport event. This extreme motorsport event is successfully conducted in seven countries.

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Key sporting events to give fillip to sports tourism in India Sudipta Dev Mumbai WITH AN estimated growth rate of 10-20 per cent per annum, sports tourism in India is a new segment with great potential for the future. “Throughout the world, sports tourism is a multi-billion dollar industry and with India's demonstrated capability of hosting major events, such as the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, as well as substantial efforts in ramping up the country’s infrastructure footprint, it makes sense that sports tourism can be pushed as a feasible path towards attaining tourism goals,” said Anna Singh, assistant managing director, ATPI India. ATP Event Experts, part of the ATPI Group is a leading global provider of innovative package arrangements to diverse sporting events worldwide.

Anna Singh

The key events that are expected to give a boost to sports tourism in the country include sports ranging from cricket, kabaddi and football to polo and golf. Pointing out that there is added emphasis by the Government of India to promote golf tourism in the country, Singh mentioned, “It is suggested that 70-78 per cent golfers would be prepared to visit a new golfing

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destination in the country and this community represents the wealthiest 50 per cent of all golfers.” Polo is regarded as the 'heritage sports' of India, Ministry of Tourism (MoT) has sanctioned funds with the Government of Manipur for organising the sixth International Polo Festival, coinciding with the Sangai festival. “As far as cricket is concerned IPL is expected to be a driving factor for growing sports tourism in India, in the years to come. In football, the highly anticipated Indian Super League, in partnership with the English Premier League, will commence shortly in October this year,” added Singh. Events like the recently concluded Pro Kabaddi League (PKL), International Premier Tennis League to launch later this year, the second season of the Indian Badminton League in January–February 2015 and the proposed IPL-style Indian Wrestling League, will all contribute to the growth of tourism.

Singh believes that important trends that will guide this growth in the near future will include growing participation from women, globalisation, funding and high-tech revolutions.

There will also be emergence of themed events. “Groups having sports tourism experience are acknowledging the prospects for formulating their own events, aimed at filling spaces in a calendar or from a precise opportunity,” she stated. While sports tourism holds vast potential to expand in India, Singh however feels that in order to match with the growing number of entrepreneurs eager to make an investment in this category of tourism, a comprehensive and holistic renovation of infrastructure management, safety matters and planning needs to covered.

Buddhist Conclave focuses on safety of tourists Archana Sharma New Delhi THE FOURTH International Buddhist Conclave, took place, for the first time in Bodh Gaya, Bihar from September 26- 28, 2014. The event witnessed participation from 21 nations and over 132 delegates were present. Inaugurated by Shripad Naik, minister of state for tourism, Government of India, Dr Javed Ikbal Ansari, minister of tourism, Bihar and Jitan Ram Manjhi, chief minister, Bihar, the conclave focused on showcasing the development that has taken place in Bodh Gaya, after the series of bombings which happened over a year ago. Commenting on the safety concerns of the delegates and people worldwide, Deepak Prasad, principal secretary, department of tourism, Government of Bihar, stated, “The whole programme was planned in such a way so that maximum exposure is given to the tourists so that they understand Bodh Gaya and even the places in the vicinity as it is safe

to visit.” The delegates were taken to visit the Mahabodhi temple, which is considered to be the holiest Buddhist shrine, and the 80-feet-tall Buddha statue, places that were targeted on July 7, 2013 during the blasts.

While welcoming the delegates, Professor Shivkant Ojha, minister for technical education, Government of Uttar Pradesh, also talked about the future endeavours of the government. “We are undertaking the creation of a 212 feet Bud-

We have submitted a B2B proposal to the government to promote our Buddhist circuit

dha statue, the first of its kind.

We will be able to provide employment and empowerment opportunities to the youth of India with the help of our `1800 crore project of developing the Sarnath to Kushinagar area, as a Buddhist circuit.” Talking about promoting the Buddhist circuit further by organising familiarisation trips, Ansari said, “We have submitted a B2B proposal to the government to promote our Buddhist circuit so that its importance and significance can be understood better.”

The International Buddhist Conclave happens every two years and has been previously organised at Varanasi, Nalanda and New Delhi. The event also provided a B2B platform for delegates and tour operators to interact and promote packages and pilgrimage itineraries about the Buddhist sites to international visitors. The delegates were also taken to Nalanda, Rajgir and Varanasi, notable Buddhist heritage sites, during the conclave.

MARKETS

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Abad Hotels to add two resorts in Fort Cochin,Wayanad Planning first resorts outside Kerala in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu Steena Joy Kochi ABAD HOTELS & Resorts, the Kochi-based hospitality chain is ready to add two more resorts to its current portfolio of 12 properties. Speaking exclusively to Express TravelWorld, Riaz Ahmed, managing director, Abad Hotels & Resorts, informed, “The property planned in Fort Cochin will be a 100 year old heritage property which used to be an ancient family home or tharavadu. We plan to do some modifications and restore some parts of the original structure

which has fallen to ruins. For this we have applied for permissions from the concerned heritage authorities for starting work on the project. This heritage resort will have 25 rooms.”

He added, “The other resort is coming up in Wayanad in the north of Kerala. This property will have 35 to 40 rooms. Both resorts are expected to be completed by end of 2015. The estimated investment is around `40 crore.”

Abad Hotels & Resorts is also looking at resorts outside Kerala. Commenting on the locations, Ahmed informed

The property planned in Fort Cochin will be a 100 year old heritage property which used to be an ancient family home or tharavadu Riaz Ahmed

“Things are still in the planning stage but we are looking at Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, two states in close proximity to Kerala.”

Tha Abad group currently

has properties all over Kerala, a mix of business hotels and resorts. Seven hotels are located in Kochi (Ernakulam) including one at Cochin International Airport and the re-

sorts are located at Munnar, Kumarakom, Thekkady, Marari Beach and Kovalam.

The proposed heritage resort will be the group's first resort in Fort Cochin.

MARKETS

SPECIAL

'Las Vegas is the world’s premier meetings destination' Michael Goldsmith, vice president of International Marketing for the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority talks about the attractions of Las Vegas as a MICE destination and the growth of the India market.

By Sudipta Dev

You have had a focus on India for some time now, what kind of growth have you seen from this market in the last couple of years?

India is a market that we believe has great potential for increased visitation to Las Vegas.

Las Vegas considers international tourism to be the future growth market, and this is why we are targeting 30 per cent international visitation in the next decade. We have seen international visitation numbers climb year over year, and we know that Indian travellers make up a promising portion of that total.

What are the key attractions of Las Vegas as a conference destination for Indian com-

panies?

With 10.8 million square feet of meeting and exhibit space, 150,000 hotel rooms, and expertise in hosting groups of all sizes and descriptions, Las Vegas is the world’s premier meetings destination.

Events held in Las Vegas regularly enjoy increased attendance, due in part to the availability of unparalleled dining and entertainment.

What is your promotional strategy for this market in the near future? How are you engaging the travel trade / conference organisers in India?

We have been an active participant in previous India missions organised by Brand

Michael Goldsmith

USA and have witnessed a great response from our Indian travel trade partners.

Like in previous years, we plan to participate in the Brand USA India Mission this year as well.

Your growth expectations for the near future?

The Las Vegas meetings and convention industry reached a five-year high in 2013 with 5.1 million delegates attending a convention, trade show, or meeting, reflecting a 3.3 percent increase over 2012’s total. The business community still has long-term confidence in Las Vegas as evident by the US$ nine billion worth of projects announced or under construction in the next several years.

Any interesting new product / tourism offering in Las Vegas which could be of interest to both MICE and leisure travellers from India ?

We’ve unveiled plans for a transformational project that will fundamentally alter the landscape of Las Vegas and cement our position as a global business centre. The Las Vegas Global Business District will reinvent the Las Vegas Convention Center as a state-of-the-art facility, create a centre of business and innovation and include a comprehensive multi-modal transportation experience throughout the destination.

Las Vegas is a constantly evolving destination and has achieved the number one ranking for US trade show destinations 20 years in a row due to its diversity of offerings for both the business and leisure traveller.

AxisRooms showcase HEXmobile app to ADTOI members Archana Sharma New Delhi AXISROOMS, an online distribution and channel management solutions company in coordination with the Association of Domestic Tour Operators of India (ADTOI), recently organised the 'Travel Partners Meet' for ADTOI members. The event held in New Delhi, brought together over 100 members of ADTOI providing AxisRooms the

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platform to showcase their new product, HEX, Hotel Exchange, a mobile app. Speaking about the new product, Ravi Taneja, COO and cofounder AxisRooms, stated, “This platform will enable buyers and sellers to interact and transact at a single platform. It is a pure GDS model where agents can arrange booking with hotels and diversify their reach.”

Currently they have a database of over 800 odd

three and four star hotels.

Commenting on the growing importance of technology, Hemant Medirata, VP sales travel trade, Oberoi Group, said, “The internet and online services are expanding the size of the market and therefore we should leverage on the power of the database.”

According to Jyoti Kapur, president, ADTOI, domestic tourism has got the potential and is the backbone of the industry. “With ADTOI back at

the helm, we will come up with more such events in the future,” she said.

Talking about opening further chapters in India, Kapur said, “We already have chapters in Kashmir, Kerala, Gujarat and Mumbai and now we are planning to open in the north east Jaipur and maybe Madhya Pradesh, Bhubhneshwar, with the support of the government.”

As for the ADTOI convention that is to be held early next

year, Kapur informed there are plans to take the convention to either Guwahati, Chandigarh, Jaipur or Bhubhneshwar by February or March next year.

“This decision is in line with the aim of the Indian government to promote eastern India domestically,” he added.

Kapur also talked about sporting events being organised in October this yearand emphasised on the need to promote inter-state tourism.

MARKETS

SPECIAL

WBTDC launches 'Puja Parikrama' package tours Joy Roy Choudhury Kolkata

Oman Tourism conducts mega FAM for Indian agents Reema Lokesh Muscat THE INDIAN outbound business has always been a promising source market for international tourism boards across continents. There has been a major shift in preference toward the Indian market even from countries that did not have India in their top 10 list till recent times. Oman is one destination that has realised the potential of India during the last decade and finally set foot in India in 2010 to promote Oman as a premium leisure and MICE spot in the Middle East.

Since its inception, the ministry of tourism, Sultanate of Oman’s focus has been to cater to the niche, experiential and high-quality seeking travellers in India and promote itself as a leisure, adventure, MICE and wedding destination. To achieve this objective, the ministry with the support of its India office led

by Lubaina Sheerazi, India representative, MoT, Oman, conducted its first mega FAM to the region recently, with 60 Indian travel agents on board from Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Pune and Hyderabad. The hosted group travelled to Muscat, Nizwa, Sharqiyah Sands, Sur and Ras

Al Jinz to discover the culture, landscape, monuments and cuisine of Oman. The aim was to offer the trade partners a comprehensive view of the destination in both the MICE and the leisure space. The group was handled by six DMCs from Oman - Oman World Tourism, Zahara Tours, Tour Oman, Elite Travel & Tours, Gulf Ventures and Bahwan Travels.

The travel agents did site inspections at various properties including Shangri-La's Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa, Hormuz Grand Hotel, Al Falaj Hotel, Al Bustan Palace - A Ritz Carlton Hotel, Al Nahda Resort, Ramee Guestline, Wadi Shab Resort, Sur Plaza Hotel, Sahab Hotel, The Jungle Restaurant, On the Rocks lounge and also went dolphin watching with Sidab Tours.

The agents also attended B2B sessions and got an opportunity to network with a wide selection of travel and tourism representatives in Oman - hotels, attractions and DMCs. Speaking at the B2B session, HE Maitha Al Mahrouqi, under secretary, MoT, Oman who met the travel agents said, that she was very keen to receive Indian tourists and provide the Indian trade the support they need. “We have a very special product in this region and are confident we will

meet the expectations of the discerning Indian traveller.

Tourism from India has witnessed a steady rise and we can only improve the numbers with time,” she said.

Launched in 2011, the Discover Oman specialist training programme has offered agents online and offline trainings in the past and continues to be active through product trainings and webinars. The success and feedback received over the years encouraged the MoT to extend the training programme to Oman.

According to Sunila Patil, director, VeenaWorld, “We have recently conducted a tour to the region with around 165 people on board. This destination has a lot to offer for the well travelled who are looking for an exclusive experience in this part of the world, as Oman has its unique, culture, history, nature and experiences to offer.” Sheerazi mentioned that the aim was clearly to provide trade partners with a brief understanding of what the destination has to offer in all its facets. “We are glad we could take our first step toward building knowledge on the destination and we will continue to conduct training programmes in the future as well,” she said.

WEST BENGAL Tourism Development Corporation (WBTDC), the tourism arm of the West Bengal Government has launched 'Puja Parikrama' package tours to attract domestic and foreign tourists. Mamata Banerjee, the state chief minister has given importance on hardselling Durga Puja, the biggest festival of the state, among domestic and international tourists.

Elaborating on the packages, Rajat Basu, managing director, WBTDC told Express TravelWorld, “This year the entire 'Puja Parikrama' has been divided into two segments, the first set of packages will take the revellers round the major community and family pujas in the city and the other would take the tourists to the districts.” WBTDC has arranged about seven tour packages in Kolkata and five packages in the districts, he added. The duration of these packages will be about five to eight hours, while some packages with extended duration and even night-stay are also on offer.

The packages unveiled by the WBTDC, include visits to major community puja pandals in the north and southern part of Kolkata and those of the century-old pujas organised by renowned families in the city. Elaborating on the packages, a senior WBTDC official said, “The 'Sanatani' package tour will take the

tourists to traditional Durga Pujas at Khelat Ghosh Bari, Chhatubabu and Latubabu's house, Chandra Bari, Rani Rashmoni's house, Thantania Dutta Bari and Sovabazar Rajbari.”

The 'Uttara' tour will cover major community Durga Pujas in North Kolkata at Md Ali Park, College Square, Bagbazar Sarbojanin, Kumartuli Park, Ahiritola, Pathuriaghata, Pancher Pally, Kasi Bose Lane, Telengabagan, Maniktala Chalta Bagan and Rammohan Smriti Sangha all through the three days.

The 'Dakshini' package will take revellers to Durga Pujas at Maddox Square, Adi Ballyganj, Ekdalia Evergreen, Singhi Park, Hindustan Park, Deshapriya Park, Mudiali, Shib Mandir, Badamtala Ashar Sangha, 66 Palli, Chetla Agrani, Suruchi Sangha and other puja pandals.

A special one night and two days package to tour the Durga Pujas of Kolkata has also been arranged. The night stay will be at WBTDC's tourist lodge at Salt Lake. Another package, which includes visit to Durga Pujas in the districts, will cover the neighbouring districts of Hooghly, Burdwan and Murshidabad districts.

The Bijoya package is a twoday and three-night tour from Kolkata to Bishnupur.

A river cruise on the river Hooghly to watch the spectacular immersion ceremony of the huge idols of Goddess Durga will also be organised.

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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-

20 EXPRESS TRAVELWORLD October 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.

T

here are many factors that contribute in making Singapore the leading MICE destination of Asia. As a business city it is the location of the country that gives it proximity to several markets in Asia. This apart, more than 100 different airlines fly into Changi International Airport. The accessibility and catchment to major cities in the world makes it easy for business travellers to travel to Singapore. There are more than 7000 MNCs who have offices in Singapore and close to 150 international organisations that help in bringing different business events to Singapore.

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The city has excellent infrastructure for the MICE industry and convention facilities. The popular MICE venues include Changi Exhibition Centre, Sands Expo and Convention Centre, Singapore Expo, Suntec Singapore, Resorts World Sentosa, Raffles City Convention Centre. Also, being a knowledge hub, the city attracts business travellers to network and gain new knowledge. Singapore Tourism works very closely with event organisers and relevant associations to ensure that the content for the events that are held here are of high quality.

Marina Bay Sands' integrated resort concept has strengthened

Singapore’s position as a MICE destination. The Sands Expo and Convention Centre is one of the largest MICE locations in Asia. It offers up to five floors of exhibition and convention space, up to 2,000 exhibition booths and 250 meeting rooms and can accommodate up to 45,000 delegates.

The centre also has the largest pillar less ballroom in Asia, at over 8000 sq m. The ballroom can accommodate up to 6,600 diners for a banquet or 11,000 delegates for a theater style convention. Additionally, the ballroom can be configured into 16 rooms to hold smaller groups of a few hundred people. The largest hotel in Singa-

Singapore

cover )

pore has also been focusing on developing its green initiatives to meet the evolving needs of MICE guests.

Singapore Marriott Hotel, Four Seasons Hotel Singapore, Pan Pacific Singapore, The Fullerton Hotel, The Ritz-Carlton Millenia Singapore, Shangri-La Hotel, are some of the leading properties that provide state-of-the art conference facilities in the city.

Resorts World Sentosa in Singapore is one of the most unique MICE destinations in Asia that can cater to as many as 35,000 delegates at one time, and more so because of the interesting MICE options that are nowhere else

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available in this part of the world. For instance, a column-free ballroom that can seat 6,500 delegates, 37 function rooms and 20 varied event venues, Southeast Asia’s only Universal Studios theme park, and the oceanarium.

The location of the resort allows business guests to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city, yet remain a stone’s throw away from it, making other attractions and facilities easily

RESORTS WORLD SENTOSA IN SINGAPORE IS ONE OF THE MOST UNIQUE MICE DESTINATIONS IN ASIA THAT CAN CATER TO AS MANY AS 35,000 DELEGATES

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accessible from the resort. The other unusual MICE venues in Singapore include NParks - HortPark, Singapore Zoo, Jurong Bird Park, Chinese and Japanese Garden, Asian Civilisations Museum and Gardens by The Bay.

Places of interest The top tourism attractions in Singapore include the Universal Studios, Sentosa Island with Underwater World and Dolphin Lagoon, Singapore Flyer, the Night Safari, Chinatown, Katong / Joo Chiat Food Walk, and others. A slightly different activity is The Raffles Hotel Singapore Tour which traces the colonial heritage of Singapore. One can also enjoy an afternoon tea in the hotel's famous Tiffin Room.

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cover )

ne of the most dynamic business and cultural centres of Thailand, Bangkok, is a major tourist attraction due to its friendly, lively atmosphere and for the businessmen, it provides numerous opportunities for expanding trade.

Bangkok provides international business-event planners with opportunities for memorable MICE functions that combine Thailand’s unbeatable value and flexibility with its distinctive culture and hospitality, resulting in unique and inspiring experiences. From October 2012 to August 2013, Thailand witnessed 993,072 MICE travellers, with revenues of over 86,280 billion baht (US$ 2.87 billion).

The regional centre for business, finance and communications, Bangkok, is also one of the best shopping destinations in Asia. The Thai capital has an enormous range of products for every shopaholic, like the weekend markets, the night markets along Silom and Sukhumvit roads, boutiques in Siam Square or the malls of Siam Paragon and CentralWorld.

The Queen Sirikit National Convention Center is Thailand’s first purpose-built convention center and is home to the Plenary Hall, a theatre style hall, which has a capacity to host up to 6000 people and is considered one of the best venues for meetings, conventions and exhibitions held in Thailand.

Bangkok International Trade & Exhibition Centre (BITEC), regarded as one of the best exhibition venues in Asia, offers world-class MICE services and facilities that can accommodate events of huge numbers with total usable space of 50,400 sq m.

Located in the heart of Bangkok’s business district at CentralWorld, Bangkok Convention Centre (BCC), is a fully integrated venue for international conventions, conferences, and exhibitions.

24 EXPRESS TRAVELWORLD October 2014

Bangkok

O

It has 5,250 sq m of pillar-free space with the main hall having a capacity to host 5,000 delegates.

The Royal Paragon Hall (RPH) is one of Asia’s most modern halls and strategically located at the Siam Paragon Shopping Center in the heart of Bangkok. With a total combined space of 12,000 sq m, its three impressive and ultramodern multi-purpose halls are fully furnished and equipped with cutting edge technology.

Royal Thai Navy Convention Hall has a unique location on the west side of the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok, offering a view of both the Chao Phraya River and the Grand Palace, two of the most visited tourist locations in Bangkok.

The United Nation Conference Centre (UNCC) occupies approximately 18,600 sq m of space and is in close proximity to many government offices and old quarters of Bangkok. UNCC is one of the three UN buildings and has three storeys.

From large-scale exhibitions

ROYAL THAI NAVY CONVENTION HALL HAS A UNIQUE LOCATION ON THE CHAO PHRAYA RIVER, OFFERING A VIEW OF THE GRAND PALACE

Places of interest

and conventions, to intimate meetings and incentive groups, Bangkok has the venue, accommodation, and creative support needed to make MICE events successful. Home to many shopping hubs and spa retreats, Bangkok provides many luxurious leisure activities.

There are also various hotels and convention halls like Centara Grand at Central Plaza Ladprao, the Conrad Bangkok Hotel, Dusit Thani, Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit, Shangri-La Hotel, JW Marriott, The Peninsula, etc for the MICE travellers to do their business.

Bangkok may bustle with business, but there are plenty of activities for those who want to enjoy what the city has to offer. A luxurious spa or a foot massage in a roadside shop, Bangkok is also home to some exotic Thai cuisine. For the more energetic traveller, there are Thai boxing courses in the city’s gyms, Tai Chi and aerobic dancing in Lumpini Park, or a round of golf at one of Bangkok’s golfing layouts.

For a real feel of old Bangkok, a boat ride along the River of Kings takes visitors past many Bangkok landmarks, such as the spires of the Temple of Dawn. On the opposite bank, ancient Wat Po is home to both the Reclining Buddha and its famed school of massage. Both temples pay homage to their illustrious neighbour, the Grand Palace and the Emerald Buddha Temple with their architecture and history.

Other arttactions in old Bangkok include temples, a golden teak palace, the National Museum, and the streets of Chinatown.

Other MICE cities in Thailand

Chiang Mai Pattaya Phuket Khon Kaen

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H

SPREAD ACROSS AN AREA OF 15 ACRES, THE HICC COMPLEX IS LOCATED IN THE HEART OF THE IT HUB OF HYDERABAD

Hyderabad

yderabad combines an old world charm with the bustle and atmosphere of a business city. The development of the IT sector in Hyderabad has significantly attributed in making the city a popular business and MICE destination. Besides the IT sector, there is also a booming healthcare and medical sector creating business demand. The international airport at Hyderabad has contributed in no small measures in making the city a well-connected MICE city.

The Hyderabad International Convention Centre (HICC) is the biggest conventional centre in the country and the focused approach of the state government in developing the city as India’s foremost MICE hub is an example for many other states to take learnings from. Promoted as India's premier MICE destination, Novotel Hyderbad Convention Centre and HICC does not only attract conference guests, but also a large percentage of business clients. The flagship property of Accor Hotels in India, Novotel Hyderabad Convention Centre is attached to the Hyderabad International Convention Centre, that is also managed by the Accor group. Spread across an area of 15 acres, the complex is located in the heart of the IT hub of Hyderabad. The locational advantage of the property for MICE events is wide ranging - easy accessibility to a world class airport (a short 35 to 45 minutes drive), a convention centre for 6,000 people and also an exhibition centre next to it.

Hyderabad is also home to Ramoji Film City that is not just a major tourist attraction but also a unique MICE location. Almost 300 corporate events are organised there every year. The many attractions and ambience of the

campus, along with the focused expertise of organising innovative thematic events offer a one-of-akind experience, to corporate clientele who return again and again. P&G's annual meet has been held here for many years, hosting 5,000-6,000 people.

Ramoji Film City has also hosted 14,000 people on a single day for Dr Reddy's. There is no convention centre but the gardens form the perfect convention venue.

Food is served in the gardens and different events are also organised in the tourist area called Ramoji Movie Magic. Realising the necessity to tap different market segments for MICE, Ramoji Film City has established regional offices.

Markets like western India, Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru besides Hyderabad have dedicated teams to promote Ramoji Film City as an ideal MICE destination.

Leonia International Centre for Exhibitions & Conventions (LICEC) of Leonia Holistic Destination, has many meetings and conference venues, including six

outdoor venues.

Leading hotels with conference facilities in the city include Taj Krishna, Taj Deccan, Taj Banjara, The Radisson Blu Plaza, Park Hyatt Hyderabad, Hyderabad Marriott Hotel & Convention Centre, The Westin Hyderabad Mindspace, ITC Kakatiya Hyderabad, Marigold By Green Park.

Places of interest Hyderabad has a lot to offer visiting tourist in terms of heritage and culture. Right from the

city’s icon - Charminar to the ageold Golconda Fort. A must-see is the light and sound show at the fort. Then there is the Salarjung Museum and the Qutub Shahi Tombs. The collection at the Andhra Pradesh State Archaeological Museum is a great attraction for art lovers. Laad Baazar is the old city's well known shopping area and the perfect place for finding traditional wear and accessories. If visitors just want to stroll around, there are gardens aplenty or they can take a short cruise around the Hussain Sagar lake in the evening. For nature lovers there are locations like Mahavir Harina Vanasthali National Park (about 15 km from Hyderabad), Mrugavani National Park (at a distance of 25 km in Chilkur) and KBR National Park which is within the city itself. Osmansagar Lake and Shamirpet are excellent picnic spots.

Other MICE cities in India

New Delhi Mumbai Bengaluru Goa Chennai Kochi

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cover ) tel, Langham Place Hotel. By the end of 2014 Hong Kong is expected to have 249 hotels with about 73,385 rooms.

Places of interest

ocated at the heart of the world's fastest growing economy, Hong Kong, has been known as Asia's premier business and MICE destination. Officially the special administrative region of the People's Republic of China, Hong Kong is one of the most densely populated areas of the world. But the close proximity to Mainland China helps in attracting business professionals and international organisations.

In 2013, Hong Kong exceeded 54 million international tourists, displaying a growth of 11.7 per cent. And in the first half of 2013, there were around 7,20,000 overnight MICE visitor arrivals to Hong Kong.

Hong Kong is also one of the top shopping destinations of Asia Pacific. This shoppers' paradise has premier spots like the Causeway Bay, Admiralty, Central and SoHo District and Sheung Wan on the Hong Kong Island.

In the heart of Hong Kong lies the Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre (HKCEC). Opened in 1988, it presently provides

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66,000 sq m of purpose-built exhibition space, 20,000 sq m of multifunctional venues and 5,500 sq m of event support space.

Asia’s only column-free, ground level exhibition, convention and events venue, the AsiaWorld-Expo (AWE) has a 13,500seat arena and a 5,000-seat Asia World-Summit theatre, to accom-

modate virtually any event.

The Kowloonbay International Trade and Exhibition Centre (KITEC), not only has an exhibition centre, but also a shopping mall and Star Hall, a performance venue. The auditorium has 702 tiered seats and a conference centre with 17 meeting rooms while the Star Hall can accommodate 3,600 people.

Hong Kong is home to some of the world's biggest trade fairs, offering access to suppliers in Mainland China and Asia's busiest manufacturing hubs, as well as showcasing the latest international technology and know-how to the Asian markets.

One of Hong Kong's advantages for being a major convention destination is having a wide selection of venues and hotels. L’hotel Nina et Convention Centre, the biggest hotel of Hong Kong, boasts of 1,608 deluxe rooms with an average size of 36 sq m. Apart from this there are over 200 hotels in Hong Kong like the Regal Airport Hotel, Disney's Hollywood Hotel, Hong Kong SkyCity Marriott Ho-

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THE CLOSE PROXIMITY TO MAINLAND CHINA HELPS IN ATTRACTING BUSINESS. IN THE FIRST HALF OF 2013, THERE WERE AROUND 7,20,000 OVERNIGHT MICE VISITOR ARRIVALS TO HONG KONG

Hong Kong has accomplished to become one the most adventurous and tourism friendly cities for an international traveller.

Ocean Park, a marine-themed park featuring more than 80 attractions, is the first-ever Asian attraction to be recognised as the best park in the world. The Hong Kong Disneyland (HKD), with the opening of three new themed areas – ‘Toy Story Land’, ‘Grizzly Gulch’ and ‘Mystic Point’ between 2011 and 2013, has added more than 30 new attractions, entertainment and interactive experiences, bringing the total number of attractions in HKD to over 100.

The Hong Kong Wetland Park, a conservation, education and tourism facility, consists of a 60hectare outdoor wetland reserve and a 10,000 sq m of visitor centre with three exhibition galleries.

The Ngong Ping 360, a crystal cabin cable car ride comprising a 5.7 km cable way ride lasting about 25 minutes, and a Buddhist themed village, offers panoramic views of the beautiful landscape of Lantau Island. Visitors can also see the new Pai Lau, Bodhi Path, Di Tan and the Chinese landscaped garden in the 1.5-hectare Ngong Ping Piazza as well as the tourist attractions nearby, such as the Po Lin Monastery, Giant Buddha, and Wisdom Path. In addition, visitors can either watch an opera or explore other parts of Lantau, including Tai O Fish Village and the beaches on Southern Lantau.

Other MICE cities in China

Beijing Hainan Guangzhou Shenzhen Xi'an Guilin

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nown as the City of Lights, the Asian cyber city of Kuala Lumpur is the federal capital of Malaysia and also its most populous city. Developing over 130 years of being a small settlement to a high end MICE destination, Kuala Lumpur provides world class facilities to events ranging from small meetings to grand international conventions.

Popular for MICE events, due to the various facilities available like convenient modes of transportation and communication infrastructure, Malaysia received 25.72 million visitors in 2013, showing a 2.7 per cent growth.

Kuala Lumpur is also a worldclass shopping destination attracting millions to indulge in retail therapy. The Global Shoppers Index voted it as the second best shopping destination in Asia Pacific in 2012. This city creates a pathway to discover the fusion of culture, food, lifestyles and arts, blending business with pleasure.

The Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC) is considered to be one the best convention centres in Asia. This ‘city within the city’ is purposefully built for international, local and regional conventions and events and is the city’s most technologically advanced place with world class facilities. It is 75 km from the Kuala Lumpur International Airport.

Located at the base of MATRADE’s 24-storey architectural icon, the MATRADE Exhibition & Convention Centre (MECC) houses MATRADE Hall, three ex-

KUALA LUMPUR PROVIDES WORLD CLASS FACILITIES TO EVENTS - FROM SMALL MEETINGS TO GRAND INTERNATIONAL CONVENTIONS

hibition halls, nine function rooms, a theatrette and an amphitheatre. Covering more than 100,000 sq m, MECC is equipped with technologically advanced facilities with emphasis on tradecentric events.

Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC), located in the heart of Kuala Lumpur, is Malaysia’s pre-

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mier centre of business and commercial activities, sprawling over 1.7 million square feet with 253,000 sq ft of exhibition space.

It is the ideal venue to hold international events, exhibitions and trade fairs.

From adventure sports to shopping arenas, Kuala Lumpur provides a variety of activities and locations for the business traveller to explore. It has one of the most cost effective venues to hold MICE events, at the same time offering several retail and dining experiences.

Seri Pacific Hotel is a prime choice for the organisers because of its convenient and strategic location, adjacent to PWTC. There are other MICE oriented hotels like Berjaya Times Square Hotel, Concorde Hotel, Dorsett Regency Hotel.

Places of interest Kuala Lumpur also has a rich cultural heritage and various attractions that can be explored for leisure and relaxation. One of the

Kuala Lumpur

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most popular markets is Chinatown with rows of stalls selling all types of merchandise from food to clothing at bargainable prices.

Located at the heart of Kuala Lumpur, China Town, is an area that never sleeps and is based in Petaling Street, also known as 'Chee Cheong Kai' (Starch Factory Street). It is one of the most popular tourist spots in Malaysia.

Central Market is also one of the most familiar landmarks and a popular tourist attraction.

The Petronas Twin Towers were once the tallest buildings in the world and now are the world’s tallest twin structures with both towers joined at the 41st and 42nd floors, by a double-decker sky bridge. Along with them, Menara KL Tower stands at 421 m and trumps the Petronas Twin Towers with the highest and most spectacular views of the city. This tower’s spindle-like apex is visible from almost anywhere in Kuala Lumpur. A copper-domed Sultan Abdul Samad Building on Merdeka Square in the heart of the city is probably Kuala Lumpur's most recognisable landmark. Together with its neighbouring heritage buildings this is also one of the capital's top tourist attractions.

Aquaria KLCC, located on the concourse level of the KLCC, is a 5000 sq ft structure which is said to be the largest aquarium in the world. Home to over 150 species of marine life, its star attractions include tiger sharks, sea snakes, blue rays, coral fishes, seahorses and more.

Other MICE cities in Malaysia

Penang Langkawi Sabah Sarawak

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ne of the most modern cities of Asia and the capital of Japan, Tokyo is also one of the most populous cities. This constantly evolving global metropolis has established itself as an ideal MICE destination. Having its own distinctive charm, Tokyo focuses on everything from politics to business and from economy to cultural heritage, thus ascertaining itself as a world traveller’s spot. According to Japan National Tourism Organisation (JNTO), the number of international visitors to Japan in June 2014 was over 10 lakh, the largest number in its history so far.

The excellent high-speed transportation network of the metropolitan area allows conventions to be planned using any combination of international conference centres, exhibition halls and accommodation facilities throughout the adjacent areas of Yokohama, Chiba, Saitama and Tsukuba.

Tokyo’s market import produce from all over Japan and the world, and the city’s huge variety of dining choices ranges from traditional Japanese food to authentic cuisines from many lands. Its numerous and diverse shopping areas include Akihabara, Ginza, Omotesando, Marunouchi and Odaiba. Entertainment options range from traditional attractions such as sumo, kabuki and bunraku to latest musicals and shows.

Tokyo Big Sight boasts of Japan’s largest exhibition area with the East and West Exhibition Hall, which have a total floor space of 80,660 sq m. They are engineered to support a broad range of exhibitions and events.

Tokyo International Forum (TIF), the largest international conference center in central Tokyo, is located between the Marunouchi business district and the popular Ginza shopping/dining area.

Hikarie Hall, offering convenience with direct access by eight

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train lines at Shibuya Station, includes the Yamanote loop that circles Central Tokyo, and can accommodate a myriad of events, from trade fairs, exhibitions and seminars, to fashion shows and other live presentations.

Roppongi Academy Hills, a conference center in the high-rise Roppongi Hills complex, is one of Tokyo’s landmarks, conveniently connected directly to Roppongi subway station in central Tokyo with facilities including accommodation.

Tokyo Fashion Town (TFT) Hall is conveniently located adjacent to Tokyo Big Sight in the capital city’s waterfront district, and is a venue suitable for an extensive range of events. Tokyo Midtown is in the heart of central Tokyo, located near Tokyo Tower and the Roppongi/Akasaka entertainment district, and is considered a premium venue exclusively devoted to MICE events. JP Tower Hall & Conference is in a prime location, at the very heart of Japan’s capital, and conveniently connected to Tokyo Station by an underground walkway – just one minute from the nearest station exit.

Tokyo presents a blend of history and modern trends. In addition, each major district of the city offers a unique entertainment experience, with museums, concert halls, art galleries, major department outlets, and more. Unique ex-

UNIQUE EXCURSION IDEAS INCLUDE ACTIVITIES SUCH AS THE TEA CEREMONY, FLOWER ARRANGEMENT & KIMONO WEARING cursion ideas include hands-on activities such as the traditional tea ceremony, flower arrangement and kimono wearing.

Hotel venues in Tokyo include Ginza's largest hotels, the 931-room Imperial Hotel and the 314-room Peninsula Tokyo. Other meeting properties include the Takanawa and Shinagawa Prince Hotels, Mandarin Oriental, Capitol Hotel and The Palace Hotel. The landmark

Tokyo Station Hotel, a Gothic Renaissance-style brick building constructed in 1914, re-opened in 2012 has three meeting spaces, the largest of which is 288 sq m.

Places of interest Since Tokyo is located on the southeast coast of Honshu, the largest of Japan's four main islands, MICE venues in Tokyo also include floating venues like Symphony Tokyo Bay Cruise Ship (with five banquet rooms that can be chartered for exclusive use by up to 600 guests), Waterline Floating Lounge, and five yakabune (traditional pleasure boats) operated by Yakatabune Harumiya. There is also Meguro Gajoen, with 25 meeting rooms, a Japanese garden and Maiogi ballroom with a capacity of 1,200 pax. For pre- and post-meeting activities, executives can explore Japanese style management through factory tours; and families can visit Tokyo Disneyland or Noboribetsu Date Jidai-Mura, a samurai theme park also known as Edo Wonderland.

Other MICE cities in Japan

Osaka Kyoto Fukuoka Kobe Yokohama

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AS A NORTHEAST ASIAN BUSINESS HUB, SEOUL HAS WHAT IT TAKES FOR BUSINESS SUCCESS, STARTING WITH THE WORLD’S FOURTH LARGEST AIRPORT

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K Hotel Seoul, Lotte Hotel Seoul, InterContinental Seoul COEX, Seoul Palace Hotel, to name a few.

Places of interest

ences, various company events and conventions. The Grand Ballroom holds up to 2,000 guests.

Seoul has increasingly been seen as an attractive destination for corporate and incentive travel in recent years. Seoul is home to many historic sites like Gyeongbokgung and Changdeokgung Palaces, and places of traditional culture like Bukchon Hanok Village, Insa-dong, and Namdaemun Market.

36 of Seoul’s five, four and three star hotels serve as convention venues for international conferences and corporate meetings, and are fully equipped with services and facilities like Sheraton Grande Walkerhill and W Seoul Walkerhill, The-

From the bustling all night markets with goods of every imaginable type to the charming traditional tea houses where customers nibble sweet rice pastries and sip tea, the city has something to satisfy all expectations. In the day, one can go sight-seeing at palaces, visit one of the many museums, drop by N Seoul Tower for a glimpse of the city, or cafe-hop in areas like Garosu-gil, and Samcheong-dong.

At night, Hongdae, known for its urban arts and Indie music culture, clubs and entertainment, comes alive for the traveller.

Other MICE cities in South Korea

Busan JejuIncheon Gyeonggi-do Daejon Daegu Gwangju Changwon

Seoul

he capital of North Korea, Seoul is the heart of the cultural, political, economic and educational centre of the country. As a northeast Asian business hub, Seoul has what it takes for business success, starting with the world’s fourth largest airport, serviced by 56 airlines. Seoul ranked fourth worldwide as a convention destination in the 2013 International Meetings Statistics Report by the Union of International Associations (UIA). Since 2010, the city has remained in the UIA world top five for three consecutive years.

According to the report’s findings, Seoul’s ranking moved up a place, with the city shown to have hosted a total of 242 international congresses held in 2013 as determined

by UIA criteria, accounting for 2.3 per cent of the global total. Seoul also played a major part in South Korea’s ranking, which rose to third place with 635 meetings, up from fifth place with 563 meetings in 2012, reflecting a 12.8 per cent increase.

The shopping and entertainment districts of Myeongdong and Apgujeong, and Asia's largest underground shopping center Coex Mall also draw large number of tourists every year. The Hangang River, which runs through the center of the city, is also a distinctive landscape of Seoul that offers myriad of resting areas.

Coex Convention & Exhibition Centre in Seoul is Korea’s venue of choice. Established in 1979, Coex provides more than 20 years of experience and know-how of the local MICE industry. The center is conveniently located in the heart of Gangnam, Seoul’s business district, and hosts a yearly average of 200 exhibitions and over 2,000 separate meetings and events.

SETEC, a cradle from which businesses can launch into the global market, consists of three exhibition halls and four meeting

rooms with a floor space of 15,630 sq m; inside the building, it covers 34,600 sq m of space. The space can be organised in many different ways to accommodate demands for various functions, including specialty exhibitions, expos, international meetings, events, and performances. This exhibition and convention center is fully equipped with a wide range of annex and support facilities.

AW Convention Centre features a conference hall which can host large events such as international conferences and receptions, business seminars and small conferences. In particular, the Grand Ball Room which has a capacity to host 3,000 guests at a time offers customised banquet services with latest sound and lighting systems and modern assistance facilities.

The 63 Convention Centre is another ideal venue for special confer-

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reating history by having Asia's first full fledged convention centre, Manila, the capital of Philippines, has emerged as the forerunner of the MICE industry in Southeast Asia. Philippines witnessed over 24 lakh visitors just from January to June 2014 and Manila, home to some major cultural and historical landmarks has its share of World Heritage Sites. A growing hub for business travellers, Manila boasts of world-class MICE facilities, amenities, efficient services at affordable cost, making it an ideal MICE destination.

As one of the fastest growing cities, Manila is in close proximity to the financial centre of Philippines, the city of Makati, thus making it an ideal location for all business travellers. It is also the main shopping hub of Philippines, one of the most attractive city for American travellers by the Global Shopping Index in the Asia Pacific region. Some of the shopping

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AS ONE OF THE FASTEST GROWING CITIES, MANILA IS IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THE FINANCIAL CENTRE OF PHILIPPINES, THE CITY OF MAKATI, THUS MAKING IT AN IDEAL LOCATION FOR ALL BUSINESS TRAVELLERS

destinations include Greenhills in Makati, Newport Mall in Pasay, Power Plant Mall in Rockwell, and Bonifacio High Street at Bonifacio Global City.

The Philippine International Convention Centre (PICC) was unveiled in 1976 and has the capacity

to hold 4000 people with a massive banquet hall, over a dozen meeting rooms and a press centre. It offers facilities for meetings, conventions, exhibitions and special events like a Plenary Hall that can seat more than 3,500 people along with a Reception Hall, exhibit areas and other meeting rooms.

The country's newest and largest privately-run exhibition and convention center, the SMX Convention Centre, is a world-class venue for international exhibitions, large-scale local trade events, major medical and other industry conventions and corporate functions. It is also an integral part of the Mall of Asia Complex, a business and leisure park that integrates business with recreation, shopping and entertainment.

The World Trade Centre Metro Manila (WTCMM) was inaugurated on November 1996. The first of two exhibition halls cover a total floor space of 8,300 sq m.

Places of interest Intramuros, a spacious borough of wide streets, plazas and colonial houses, is an old walled city which was the centrepiece of Spanish Manila.

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From sight seeing at heritage districts like Rizal Park and Intramuros to nightlife kick starters like Opus Lounge or Republiq, Manila has lots to offer. The region is growing as a hub for MICE events.

It hosted PHITEX and Philindex in September, 2014. The easy air accessibility from Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in Manila only adds to the advantage of the city. All hotels in Metro Manila are within an hour and a half drive from NAIA. It is also home to various casinos and is becoming a major gaming destination in the region. A gaming and entertainment complex called Entertainment City, home to four integrated casino resorts, attracts tourists and rival other major gaming destinations in Asia such as Macau and Singapore.

Also 'A City of Dream Manila' project, like the 'City of Dreams Macau', is in the pipeline.

A number of hotels and casinos can be found around Metro Manila.

Philippines’ first hotel, the Manila Hotel, established in 1912 is also here. Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila Hotel Convention offers facilities which include the pillar-less Grand Plaza Ballroom, Harbour Garden and Sunset Pavilion for hosting varied events and meeting options for up to 2000 guests.

Function rooms utilise the latest equipment and technology including wireless connectivity. Hyatt Regency and Casino Manila, Peninsula Manila, Makati Shangri-La, Manila Hotel and Westin Phillipine Plaza also offer comprehensive arrangements for MICE events.

Other MICE cities in Philippines

Cebu Davao Subic Clark Boracay

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eijing, the busiest technopolis in China, is one of the most preferred MICE destinations for international and domestic event organisers. With more infrastructural developments taking place, the city has adapted itself to host much bigger events.

The Nanyuan Airport and Beijing Capital International Airport are some of the ambitious steps that have helped the city attract large MICE groups and corporates. The city is also a host to 196 major multinational corporations.

Beijing boasts of several large convention centres. For instance, the China National Convention Centre (CNCC) located adjacent to the 'Bird’s Nest' and 'Water Cube', came into prominence when it partly hosted the fencing preliminaries and pistol shooting competition during the 2008 Beijing Olympics. It has also been the venue of the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA). Presently, it is considered to be the leading MICE venue in Beijing since its formal opening in 2009. CNCC is close to the airport and the railway station which makes it easily accessible. The Centre is a 398 m long, eight floor congress, convention, exhibition venue complete with a dedicated shopping mall.

Since its inception in 1985, China World Trade Centre (CWTC) has been hosting several large MICE events. The entire 17 hectare plus property including its Phase I and II projects is one of the

most sought after MICE venues in the world. CWTC is a joint conglomerate of China Shi Mao Investment Co and Kerry Industrial Co and hosts the world’s luxurious offices, hotels, malls, exhibition centres and more in its premises.

Beijing International Convention Centre (BICC), opened in 1990, has been the main hub of conferences in the heart of the Asian Games Village. Situated next to the 'Bird’s Nest', BICC has hosted more than 1000 conferences till date. The

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close proximity to the Beijing Capital International Airport and the city centre makes it easily accessible for delegates coming for international meetings and conferences.

Located in the business district of Chaoyang, China International Exhibition Centre (CIEC) is a joint venture of China Chamber of International Commerce (CCOIC) and China’s international trade promoting body. With over 27 years of experience in arranging exhibitions for both the overseas and domestic arena, CIEC has grown to become one of the most sought after MICE conventions in Beijing.

Though Beijing has a number of convention centres, there are also notable hotels that cater to conventions of varying sizes. For instance, Renaissance Beijing Wangfujing Hotel, overlooking the famous Forbidden City on Wangfujing Street, offers Renaissance Hotel’s signature REN Meetings programme.

The hotel is equipped with 10,006 sq ft of ballroom space and five additional meeting rooms. Park Hyatt Beijing, located in the heart of CBD,

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is one of the city’s most popular business hotels. The hotel offers 12 flexible event venues for any occasion, from top-level meetings to private events. Other notable business hotels include - JW Marriott Hotel Beijing Central, Pentahotel Beijing, New World Beijing Hotel, Crowne Plaza, Waldorf Astoria Beijing, Hilton Beijing Wangfujing to name a few.

Places of interest

Beijing

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Beijing has been the political, economic and cultural centre of China for over 800 years since the Yuan Dynasty. Presently, it stands to be one of the most preferred choices for travellers visiting China. Forbidden City, an imperial palace for over 500 years, is the largest and the best-preserved imperial palace complex in the world.

It has 9,999 rooms with just a single room short of the number that ancient Chinese belief represents 'Divine Perfection'. The Great Wall of China is one of the 'Eight Wonders of the World' and is enlisted in the World Heritage Directory. This wall was built to keep out invaders as well as to retain the inhabitants.

It spans five provinces from Shanhaiguan Pass in the east to Jiayuguan Pass in the west. In the downtown area, visitors can climb the Badaling Great Wall.

The Tiananmen Square is the largest central city square in the world. Visitors to this courtyard can witness a variety of significant edifices such as the Tiananmen Tower, Great Hall of the People, Mao Zedong Memorial Hall, Monument to the People's Heroes and National Museum.

Other MICE cities in China

Hong Kong Shanghai Hangzhou

THE NANYUAN AIRPORT AND BEIJING CAPITAL INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT HAVE HELPED THE CITY ATTRACT LARGE MICE GROUPS AND CORPORATES

Chengdu Qingdao Nanjing Guiyang Xi’an Sanya

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ubai, a cosmopolitan city strategically located between Europe and Asia, offers one of the world’s best infrastructure for MICE. With more than 100 different airlines flying into Dubai and close to 60 million passengers passing through its airports in 2012, Dubai is internationally recognised as a major player in connecting the world.

This is also apparent for the business traveller. Dubai is expected to almost double the number of business visitors entering its borders by the end of the decade; four million a year are anticipated by 2020.

When it comes to diversity of venues, Dubai has something for every occasion at various locations throughout the city, making the emirate a leading MICE destination. At the heart of this is the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), which is MENASA region’s largest MICE venue. In 2012 alone, DWTC’s calendar of events generated in excess of AED eight billion (US$ 2.22 billion) – a 25 per cent increase on the AED 6.5 billion (US$ 1.78 billion) contributed in 2011. The venue recorded 1.85 million visitors in 2012 out of which 1.5 million attended largescale MICE events and 38 per cent of these were international travellers.

Another significant venue is the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre (DICEC), which lies at the heart of the Dubai World Trade Centre complex. DICEC can accommodate all manner of events for up to 12,000 delegates and has a spacious, multi-purpose hall seating up to 6,000 persons. The Centre made its global appearance in the UAE exhibition industry by hosting the 2003 IMF Annual General Meeting. DICEC is a multifaceted convention venue designed and equipped with latest technological

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equipments and state-of-the-art facilities. Part of DWTC, the center is conveniently located to fit the requirements of the MICE segment.

Some of the other prime spots for meetings include the Mall of the Emirates where Kempinski Hotel is located; BurJuman Arjaan

by Rotana - Dubai which has seven multi-functional rooms holding up to 160 delegates; and Raffles Dubai in Wafi City which offers nine meeting rooms and a Grand Ballroom. Moreover, Dubai also offers a number of floating venues for meetings and events like Bateaux Dubai and Al Mansour Dhow.

Bateaux Dubai, operated by JA Resorts and Hotels, boasts of flexible seating arrangements for up to 200 people for sit-down dinners or 300 guests for cocktail receptions.

The Radisson Blu Hotel Dubai Deira Creek’s Al Mansour Dhow is another floating venue that can cater up to 120 delegates. For meetings with a cultural spin, Dubai Community Theatre & Arts Centre (DUCTAC) at Mall of the Emirates enable planners to hire various rooms including the 14 studios at the Arts Centre, which are suitable for exhibitions and workshops, product launches, seminars or conference breakout rooms.

Home to the world’s horse racing

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elite, Meydan Grandstand and Racecourse has a wealth of venues for meeting planners. One of the most popular choices among corporate bookers is the 4,500 capacity Rooftop Sky Bubble.

Places of interest Dubai is one of the most modern and well kept cities in the world attracting both international business travellers and laid-

DUBAI IS EXPECTED TO ALMOST DOUBLE THE NUMBER OF BUSINESS VISITORS ENTERING ITS BORDERS BY THE END OF THE DECADE

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back tourists. The Creek is a historic focal point in Dubai. It is a natural sea-water inlet which cuts through the centre of the city. An attractive way to view the Creek and the dhows is from an abra, a small water taxi which crisscrosses the Creek from the souks of Deira to those on the Bur Dubai side.

The old Bastakiya district with its narrow lanes and tall wind-towers offers a glimpse of old Dubai.

To the east of Al Fahidi Fort is the largest concentration of traditional courtyard houses with wind towers. In the past, the city was famous for a mass of wind towers which lined the Creek on either side. The Dubai Museum, situated in Al Fahidi Fort, is another popular structure. Wonderland is a family fun park featuring a wide range of water attractions. Capable of accommodating up to 8,000 visitors at a time, Wonderland water rides include speed slides, surf hills, twister, wave runners and a Caribbean cruise.

Other MICE cities in the United Arab Emirates

Abu Dhabi Sharjah

IATO CONVENTION 2014

FOR ABRIGHTER FUTURE The 30th IATO annual convention this year witnessed a wave of optimism amongst the travel trade members while discussing strategies to maximise the potential of India's tourism industry

By Archana Sharma

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HE INDIAN Association of Tour Operators (IATO), established in 1982, has been holding its annual convention since 1983 in various cities across India to develop strategies and help in the implementation of programmes of the tourism ministry. This year, the 30th IATO annual convention, held at Kempinski Ambience Hotel, New Delhi, saw participation from over 1400 members and around 13 state tourism boards. Welcoming the guests, Rajeev Kohli, convention chairman, IATO

said, “The convention has been structured to provide highest quality and mature content in its sessions and great networking opportunities to the delegates and members. This time the highest number of state boards are supporting the efforts of IATO, thus making it a success right from the beginning.”

Talking about the theme, 'New Beginnings, Fresh Ideas, Vibrant Future', Kohli opined, “For the first time in Indian history, tourism has been placed at the helm and given major focus, leading to a new

start. It is time for our younger generation to enter the market and put forth ideas, with innovative thinking and create a niche for Indian tourism in the global marketplace.” Commenting on the same, Subhash Goyal, president, IATO, mentioned, “The new government has brought new hope by prioritising the tourism industry and voicing the concerns faced by us,' adding that, “Due to mechanisation of agriculture, the toll of providing employment and job opportunities is now on the tourism sector.” Meanwhile,

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IATO CONVENTION 2014 Goyal also appealed for the withdrawal of prohibition on serving liquor in hotels and resorts below five star category in Kerala as this policy will have a negative impact on tourism. “After investing millions in marketing Kerala as God's Own Country, the government has now introduced prohibition with the new liquor policy. Unless the prohibition is withdrawn uncontrollable damage will be done to Kerala's tourism sector, with most of the business moving to Sri Lanka,” he asserted.

Requesting more focus on the railways, Goyal said, “After public-private partnerships for airports, the same should be done for the railways, at least for those which are on tourist circuits.” He also requested special tourist zones and hotspots to be created and land be made available for lease to three star hotels.

“Also, 77 per cent of the Himalayas are located in India and can provide opportunities for summer business in hotels as well as for adventure tourism,” he added. Goyal also appealed that the GST be implemented at a discount and service tax exemption be provided.

Development opportunities Complimenting the endeavors of IATO, Ashok Chandra Panda, minister of tourism, Odisha, stated, “The convention suggests ways of taking the national tourism forward by integrating the historical and cultural aspects. Tour operators should take the initiative and come forward with key developments.” He also proposed that the government should instate a ‘Look East’

policy for the entire eastern region of the country and requested IATO to promote tourism in Odisha.

Parvez Dewan, secretary, ministry of tourism, Government of India emphasised on the international arrivals and growth of foreign exchange.

“There was a nine per cent growth in tourism arrivals in June 2014 and in July even that was surpassed with 12.9 per cent. Last year the growth rate was 5.9 per cent, which is higher than the world average and even the foreign exchange saw an almost 10 per cent growth despite issues like the rupee plummeting.” He added, “We are well ahead, with 20 per cent growth seen so far.”

Referring to the seven million target in international arrivals, Dewan said, “We should be able to see 7.35 to 7.5 million international tourists this year. Though there has been a drop in the segmented markets, especially from Western Europe, the Russian market has jumped to 33.40 per cent, Pakistan to 88 per cent, with China growing steadily.” Focusing on the main international market segments, Dewan stated, “Germany is the biggest source market and stands third in the global sphere for international travel. Though Russia is already present in India, we should look for more opportunities.” Talking about promoting inbound tourism from China, Dewan elaborated, “The ministry has plans to train guides in Chinese. The Indian Institute of Tourism and Travel Management in Noida is preparing courses and curriculum for the same.

Also we should have the authentic Chinese food and not

Though there has been a drop in the segmented markets, especially from Western Europe, the Russian market has jumped to 33.40 per cent

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the Indian version of it.”

In order to bring the Indian heritage forward, the tourism ministry is planning to develop five tourism circuits, for which funds have already been allocated in the 2014 Budget.

“From Kashmir to Himachal Pradesh, the area would come under the Himalayan Circuit.

For furthering this cause, we have even developed a 15 by three feet map of the whole Himalayan region, including the area lying in Nepal, Bhutan and the illegal occupancy by Pakistan,” revealed Dewan.

Talking about the development of the Buddhist Circuit, Dewan stated, “A daily air-conditioned train will be launched within a year, tackling issues like bad roads, toilets, etc. The food part will be looked after with major cuisines available on the train like Indian, continental, Thai, etc. Also, we are provisioning it in such a way that guests can bring their own chefs for other cuisines.”

Addressing the tour operators and travel industry to take the initiative, Dewan said, “The government can only provide funds and leadership to carry out the developments but ideas and initiatives have to be pushed by the industry.”

During the keynote address, Subramaniam Swamy, BJP leader, talked about bringing back the cultural traditions. “India has 0.64 per cent of the world’s population and has a variety of attractions for foreign tourists due to our rich culture and heritage. Tourism packages should be developed based on the uniqueness of India, like creating one package for the the 12 Jyotirlingas.” He also said, “The new tourism policy should be created focusing on promotional objectives, prioritising and resource planning.”

The inaugural session was followed by the Hall of Fame award ceremony, the winner being Rajvir Singh Dundlod from Rajasthan. The IATO Newsletter and Manual were also released and the India Travel Mart was also inaugrated.

IATO CONVENTION 2014 A platform to share Talking about enhancing air connectivity, Ashok Gajapathi Raju, minister of civil aviation and chief guest for the event said, “We are living in an inflation age with varied structures and incomes. The problem with the aviation industry is that disposable income is rising and we need to harness this to contribute to the tourism industry as well as the Indian economy.” Also acknowledging the suggestions put forth by Goyal about the affordability of air tickets and luggage weight limit, Raju said, “The civil aviation industry is an unregulated sector and the government is currently trying to regulate it in efforts to reach its maximum potential. India has many destinations that are well connected and yet large groups are travelling abroad, bringing forward the need to package India for domestic travellers.”

Usha Sharma, ADG, ministry of tourism, discussed the changing marketing paradigms of brand India. “The Incredible India campaign is well positioned and PR agencies in foreign markets have been hired to promote the same. Also the brand website will be revamped within six months and applications that have been launched so far will be available on Apple platforms in order to promote and market India globally,” she said.

Ashish Gupta, Consulting CEO, FAITH, talked about the necessity of industry partnerships and global branding.

“There has been about 4.5 per cent reduction in current account deficit and moving forward the partnership will continue to have huge

implications on the industry.

Broad based employment will be created for the skilled and unskilled labour through direct and indirect methods,” he stated.

Talking about India's potential as a tourism destination and the new government, Girish Shankar, additional secretary, ministry of tourism, Government of India, said, “India has the potential to reach 19 million tourists and with the new government, not only the central and inter ministerial boards but also the state governments are realising the potential of the tourism sector.

We now have to remove redtapism for licenses and create more awareness regarding the safety and security of travellers by engaging PR agencies in major source markets.”

Emphasising on the new directions planned, Lalit K Pawar, secretary, ministry of minority affairs, talked about the need for coordination of all ministries to undertake responsibilities. “Civil aviation sector has to arrange connectivity to Tier II cities with air taxis, charter flights and in flight promotion of aviation.

Also with the Clean India Campaign, the upkeep of monuments should be prioritised.

More sound and light shows should be arranged at top world monuments like the Taj Mahal,” he said. Also, he requested IRCTC to come up with an economy version of 'Palace on Wheels', with the same itinerary and create transit accommodation.

Looking ahead Providing insight into the incentive part of MICE tourism, Anup Nair, MD, Incentive Destinations, explained the impor-

There is a growing need to see India with new eyes. Our heritage, ecology and responsibility has to become part of the travellers' itinerary

tance of providing incentives.

“The traveller is provided with exceptional experience in order to motivate him to strive for excellence. This is the market for the corporations to spend serious money and increase their ROIs.” He also highlighted the measures taken by the Society for Incentive Travel Excellence (SITE) to promote business and incentive tourism and urged people to join the global conference happening in Rotterdam, Netherlands from November 14-17, 2014.

Talking about ideation, innovation and implementation, Steve Borgia, CMD, INDeco Leisure Hotels, stated, “There is a growing need to see India with new eyes, as our ecology is being destroyed in the name of development. Our heritage, ecology and responsibility has to become part of the travellers' itinerary.”

Furthering the discussions on developing the tourism industry, Anand Kumar, joint secretary, ministry of tourism, Government of India stated, “The ministry is working towards removing unnecessary certificates and licenses and overcoming seasonality of the trade and focusing on developing niche tourism. We are also looking to lift the ban on use of satellite phone for adventure tourism, to lessen connectivity issues and with the help of the home ministry this change should be announced within a month. Also we are looking at expedited use of remote air strips for adventure tourism.”

The ministry is also looking to develop cruise tourism in India. Kumar also hinted that the textile ministry is looking at a partnership with the tourism ministry to promote handicrafts.

The convention ended with the IATO awards ceremony hosted by Amaresh Tiwari, convention co-chairman, IATO. A few of the winners included Odisha winning the best booth in terms of innovation and Tamil Nadu, a first time participant, for the best poster and Madhya Pradesh for best Video CD award.

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KTM 2014

SUSTAINABLE IS THE WAYTO GO The eighth edition of Kerala Travel Mart recently concluded in Kochi with tourism stakeholders, both national and international, taking back with them business as well as some thoughts on how God's Own Country is taking the sustainability route to reinvent itself

By Steena Joy

I

NDIA'S BIGGEST B2B travel meet, Kerala Travel Mart (KTM) held every two years, chose to open its eighth edition at the newly built Samudrika, Cochin Port Trust's cruise facilitation centre at Willingdon Island, Kochi for the first time. The mart was inaugurated

by Oommen Chandy, chief minister of Kerala at Le Meridien Convention Centre, Kochi. The three-day long mart hosted a total of 861 domestic buyers and 241 international buyers.

Though the mart was being held amidst the furore caused by the new liquor policy in the state (which will revoke liquor licences of hotels below the five-star cate-

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gory), Abraham George, president KTM Society was happy with the figures."There were an expected 30,000 buyer seller appointments lined up for the mart, but the figures crossed forty thousand business sittings between the potential buyers and sellers," he said.

KTM witnessed serious concerns on the new excise policy announced by the government and urged the policy makers to adopt positive steps in evolving a tourism friendly liquor policy in the state. The tourism fraternity expressed sincere hope at the assurance given by the chief minister during his inaugural speech at the mart, considering

the concerns of the tourism industry regarding the excise policy.

Sellers at KTM included adventure tour operators, Ayurveda centres, Ayurveda resorts, hotels, homestays, amusement parks, convention centres, hotel management consultants, houseboats, resorts, speciality hospitals, museums, travel and tour operators, etc. While UK, Germany, France, Malaysia, and USA topped the buyer arrival countries, newer markets like Singapore, Poland, Romania, Czech Republic, and Brazil had their buyers for the meet. All together, 45 countries participated at KTM this year.

Oommen Chandy, chief minister of Kerala

KTM 2014

A P Anilkumar, tourism minister, Kerala

P I Sheik Pareeth, director, Kerala Tourism

Suman Billa, secretary, Kerala Tourism

Anupama T V, additional director, Kerala Tourism

Abraham George, president, KTM Society

Dr Rajashree Ajith, director, KITTS

Village tourism was positioned as a prime focus product at KTM this time and evoked huge response from the buyers.

The venue incorporated a village scene with local artists and artisans demonstrating activities like weaving, archery, pottery, etc. The idea was to create the feel of a real village and share lifestyle experiences. KTM 2014 also showcased Kerala as a wedding destination and an ideal venue for international MICE.

Muziris project Kerala Tourism's Muziris Heritage Project was the focus of a seminar on the first day of KTM 2014. Anupama T V, additional director, Kerala Tourism gave a presentation on the project and updated that four more museums, the hop on hop off boat service and the Kodungallur Visitor Centre are ready to open to the public. Also on the panel was Benny Kuriakose, the chief consultant for the project who said, "There are more than 200 his-

toric sites in this area. 19 government agencies are working on the Muziris project which will have 14 tourism circuits. The project already has opened four museums. Four more museums that is the Sahodaran Ayyappan Museum, Kesari Balakrishna Museum, Abdul Rahman Museum and the Kerala Isalmic History Museum are ready to open to the public. Apart from these, the Visitor Centre at Kodungallur is also ready. Near Kodungallur, a convention centre with capacity to seat 1500 people is also ready. The air-conditioned hop on hop off boat service with a capacity of 24 pax per trip will

start from this Visitor Centre and will cover 25 km and touch the four museums and excavation site."

The Kottapuram fort site is almost ready too. Eight boat jetties (with food outlets) have been completed. More than ` three crore have been spent on the signages itself to help people find their way around easily. “The project has been conceived with the involvement of local panchayats and communities, without disturbing the local ethos and balance. There will be performance centres where local crafts and artisans will get a platform to showcase their tal-

Muziris will do for Kerala what Angkor Vat did for Cambodia. It will be the complete game changer for Kerala Tourism

ents,� added Kuriakose.

Suman Billa, secretary tourism, Government of Kerala added that the tourism department was awaiting the availability of the Prime Minister for inaugurating the same. There are also plans to start a hop on hop off bus service in Kochi. Kuriakose said, "The state cannot survive only on the backwaters or the beaches; we have to have a new portfolio and Muziris will spearhead this." Jose Dominic, CMD, CGH Earth and chairman, KTM 2014 agreed, "Muziris will do for Kerala what Angkor Vat did for Cambodia. It will be the complete game changer for Kerala Tourism." Another deliberation on the opening day centred on the way ahead for Kerala tourism. E M Najeeb, chairman, ATE Group, described how the state government has always supported the private sector in tourism, giving the boost needed to establish Kerala as an independent tourism product that employs 14 lakh persons directly

and 10 lakh people indirectly.

The panel listed cruise tourism as a potential revenue earner and suggested setting up excellent cruise infrastructure to take this forward. The discussion also suggested that Kerala should focus on eco tourism and show the world the local traditions. It was imperative to adopt an adventure tourism policy and address the quality of guided tours as language speaking for guides still remains a challenge.

Environmental concerns were also discussed. The panel felt that places like Munnar should not go the Manali (Himachal Pradesh) way due to over commercialisation.

Ayurveda's ills The second day of the mart witnessed a panel discussion on Ayurveda as a product in the changing market. Speaking at the panel discussion, Dr G G Gangadharan, medical director, Institute of Ayurveda and Integrative Medicine (I-AIM)

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KTM 2014

Healthcare Centre and chairman, National Steering Committee for Global Ayurveda Festival, (a biennial get together of the Ayurveda fraternity not only from Kerala but from the world over), said, “The global wellness market is worth some five trillion US$. India earns `9,000 crore from Ayurveda services alone and we have not even seen the tip of the iceberg as far as this science is concerned. But this success story is in danger. Now even other countries like Switzerland, Mauritius, and our neighbours Nepal and Sri Lanka are offering Ayurveda. We have to make our visa procedures simpler and we have to document and up our research on this science. As Ayurveda is not officially recognised by many countries, it is difficult for patients travelling to India for Ayurveda to get medical insurance.” The panel also stressed that there was no research infrastructure or protocols for this segment.

Students studying Ayurveda

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have no clinical experience.

Dr Gangadharan added, “What is even more alarming is on the production front. On the one hand, mass production of Ayurvedic medicines is diluting the science. On the other, a shortage of herbs required to produce these medicines is looming. When the demand for Ayurveda increases, how will the treatment centres get the plants and herbs needed for production? ” He felt that a strong backward integration model needs to be adopted. “We have urged the government to implement a nursery technology programme to step up cultivation. Here

again, some plants need to be cultivated 'in situ' in their original environment or they will lose their medicinal value. Some herbs like gugulu which is the most used in Ayurveda are difficult to cultivate. So the government has to subsidise farmers and have a buyback arrangement.”

Baby Mathew, chairman and managing director, Somatheeram Ayurveda Group, opined, “Because of the good climate and soil, and also the availability of herbs and plants, Kerala is the ideal place for practising Ayurveda. It is good that the government has implemented GMP

When the demand for Ayurveda increases, how will the treatment centres get the plants and herbs needed for production?

in Ayurvedic medicine manufacturing. But sadly, there are no high standard research facilities for Ayurveda like the IITs for technology or IHMs for hotel management. The government has finally given approval for setting up an Ayurveda University, so at least the tourism department and the health department are on the right track. But, we also need to give our Ayurveda treatment centres the ambience of a resort unlike our old Ayurvedic clinics that had a hospital like atmosphere. This will help in giving a genuineness to the treatment.” Apart from the suggestion to train local youth in Ayurveda to cater to the growing demand for quality therapists, the panel also voiced concern over the problem of security especially as a panelist pointed out that nearly 80 per cent of wellness tourists are single female travellers.

The seminar on Responsible Tourism (RT) was moderated by Dr Rajashree Ajith, director,

KITTS. Dominic emphasised, “Kerala has shown how the ordinary became the extraordinary.

It is not the Las Vegas kind of development we need. Our target customer is the Alert Independent Traveller (AIT). RT is not a destination, it is an attitude. In RT, the customer is not the king!

The king is the land and the environment, followed by the community. Kerala is not a five star model; it is local. We have to retain this model.”

The seminar stressed the need for promoting responsible tourism models with assured participation from the local community. Billa outlined the need for drafting a road map for empowering the relevant community towards their social and economic fulfillment. Anish Kumar, secretary, KTM Society. summed up, “What makes Kerala different is not just the backwaters, houseboats, etc, but it is the people. Money from tourism should reach the local community.”

DESTINATION OUTBOUND

The other side of Ontario is not just about the Niagara.

From stunning cultural museums to natural wonders and the great outdoors, this Canadian province has an eclectic mix of cultural and contemporary delights just waiting to be discovered

By Steena Joy

T

HE NIAGARA Falls.

Been there, done that. For many world travellers, the Falls has been the single most touristic reason for visiting Ontario. But Canada's most populous province (accounting for nearly 40 per cent of all Canadians), is much more than just the Falls – it is in fact a cauldron of culture, heritage and new age experiences.

For starters, get to the Table Rock Welcome Centre in Niagara to go on a Journey Behind the Falls. Observatory points in the tunnels behind the Falls give you a glimpse of the roaring wall of water and the walls tell you the history of the Falls and the Rainbow

40 EXPRESS TRAVELWORLD October 2014

Bridge (site of the earlier Honeymoon Bridge, which collapsed on January 27, 1938, due to an ice jam in the river) that connects Ontario to New York. You can work up an appetite for lunch at the Elements on the Falls restaurant which gives you an up close view of the Horseshoe Falls.

Later for that adrenaline rush, Niagara Helicopters offers helicopter rides over the Falls to get priceless views of this water wonder from up above.

To end the day, take the Hornblower Cruises boat tour to watch fireworks with the floodlit Falls in the backdrop.

Experiential discoveries Clifton Hill, the entertainment

hub of the Niagara Falls district and Niagara on the Lake are two must see elements. A ride on the Skywheel offers views of both the Canadian Horseshoe Falls and the American Falls. Half an hour away, meander in the bylanes of picturesque Niagara on the Lake, a quaint town with centuries old houses, charming restaurants, historic sites like Fort George and The Royal George theatre named after George Bernard Shaw which even today stages plays. It is the only theatre in the world dedicated to the works of the Irish playwright and his contemporaries. Visitors can hire horse carriages to go around the town. The town has weekend markets where the residents sell local produce like seasonal fruits, jams, pickles, etc, with live music and street entertainment to create the bonhomie.

Niagara on the Lake is also the heart of the Niagara wine region.

The region enjoys a unique micro climate ideal for cultivating wine grapes. Founded

Ontario

by Donald Ziraldo and Karl Kaiser, Inniskillin was the first winery to be granted a licence in Ontario. Taste the winery's famous ice wines (wines made from frosted grapes picked in winter) and have lunch in the winery's Riedel Room named after the Austrian stemware maker.

Moving to Toronto, take the heritage walk of Bloor Street, a vibrant corridor with more than a dozen permanent world-class arts organisations presenting professional arts and culture events in destination venues - all in almost exactly one mile (1.6 km) - between Bathurst and Bay Streets. Starting at the Bloor Hot Docs Cinema, you can easily take in three, four, or more top-quality arts and culture experiences, eat, and shop, all in a day on the Bloor St. Culture Corridor. An interesting stop is the Bata Shoe Museum - built by the Bata family - where an impressive collection of shoes from different countries are on display including an Indian chappal collection and a pair of shoes worn by Marilyn Monroe. The Gardiner Museum, Native Canadian Centre of Toronto and Royal Ontario Museum

(ROM) are also worth a few hours.

Capital connections Taking the VIA rail to Ottawa, the capital of Canada, is a scenic option instead of flying.

Watching the Changing of the Guard in front of the Peace Tower on Parliament Hill is reminiscent of a similar ceremony at Buckingham Palace in London. A little away from the Parliament complex is the Commisariat Bytown Museum, a UNESCO Heritage site. This is the city’s oldest stone building which was commissioned by the British military in 1827 as a supply storehouse during the construction of the Rideau Canal.

Bytown was the original name of Ottawa. Outside the museum, one can watch boats go in and out of the Ottawa Locks on the Rideau Canal, the world's oldest waterway and also a World Heritage Site. There are several cruises on the Rideau Canal which becomes a ice skating rink during the winter.

A visit to the Royal Canadian Mint is another interesting stop for visitors to the city.

Built in the Tudor Gothic architectural style, the Mint

produces Canada's circulation coins and collector coins: gold, silver, palladium and platinum bullion coins. Interestingly, it has also manufactured circulation coins on behalf of other nations, 73 of them including India.

To take in the sights of the city, hop on hop off tours are the best bet. Do get off at ByWard market, one of Canada's oldest and largest public markets. The legendary builder of the Rideau Canal, Lt-Col. John By himself laid out the street plan of the Market in 1826, designating George Street and York Street to be extra wide to accommodate the creation of a public market and gathering place.

Within the four blocks square, you'll find museums, cafés, specialty food shops, boutiques, galleries, restaurants and pubs.

ByWard Market is also the place where you can pick up a BeaverTail, fried dough pastries, individually hand stretched to resemble a beaver’s tail. On his visit to Ottawa in 2009, US president Barack Obama stopped at the ByWard Market on his way to the airport specifically to buy a BeaverTail.

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IN FOCUS

ITM 2014: Celebrating growth With India now included among the top 10 markets for Australia, the 12th edition of India Travel Mission (ITM) 2014 held in Jaipur recently gave Tourism Australia much reasons to celebrate with a double digit percentage increase in Indian visitor arrivals this year

By Sudipta Dev

I

TM WAS BIGGER and better this year, with more delegates including for the first time some key agents from the Gulf region as well.

“This is the 12th edition of the India Travel Mission (ITM) and we are trying to test whether it works for the Gulf market as well. There is no mission for the Gulf region at this stage,” said Nishant Kashikar, Tourism Australia country manager, India and Gulf.

The 55 seller delegates from Australia met some of the top, hand-picked Indian travel agents. There were four airlines this year - Singapore Airlines, Malaysian Airlines, Virgin Australia, with Etihad joining for the first time.

"These airlines are interested in building their network on this route," added Kashikar.

Other important first-time participants included Adelaide Oval and Adelaide Convention Centre. India is one of the fastest growing markets for South Australia. The ICC

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Cricket World Cup match between India and Pakistan is going to be played at the Adelaide Oval on February 15, 2015.

South Australia is trying to use that to attract the attention of Indian tourists. The presence of Jay Weatherill, premier of South Australia at ITM 2014 reinforced the significance of the Indian market. Based on estimates by ICC travel agents, Tourism Australia expects at least 5,000 to 6,000 people to travel to Australia during the World Cup period. These will be a combination of both MICE and leisure.

Pointing out that ITM is the perfect platform to develop tourism relations between Australia and India, Kashikar mentioned that there are two reasons to celebrate - total arrivals from India in the first six months this year saw an increase of 15 per cent, while the June arrivals saw an increase of 19.3 per cent over the previous year. Total arrivals for the year ended June 2014 were 184,720. “The growth story of the Indian market in

Australia is one of the fastest in the APAC region. India is now among the top 10 markets for Australia,” said Michael Newcombe, general manager, South/South East Asia and Gulf Countries. Streamlined Australian visa facilities, label free visa and increasing bilateral relationship between India and Australia have all contributed in increasing the number of Indian visitor arrivals.

New destinations and products Tourism Australia has brought out a document to make the industry India-ready. Apart from the traditional favourite destinations of Indian visitors in Australia, that is New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland, there have been growth in new destinations like Tasmania, Canberra and Western Australia. Philip Island which is a 90 minutes drive from Melbourne has been witnessing increasing arrivals from India. The greatest attraction in the island are its famous inhabitants – the little penguins. “A

Philip Island which is a 90 minutes drive from Melbourne has been witnessing increasing arrivals from India favourite activity of Indians and other visitors is go carting on the racing tracks, particularly for incentive groups and also families.

The Chocolate Factory provides Indian buffet meal which is quite popular,” said Kim Storey, general manager, Phillip Island Regional Tourism Board, adding that they are trying to create awareness among the local travel trade about the India market.

The product development strategy of Tourism Victoria is focused on self drives, niche segments (Restaurant Australia and gourmet trails), lifestyle (fashion and culinary capital),

etc. Tourism Victoria is also looking at leveraging the ICC Cricket World Cup, with the finals being held at MCG on March 29, 2015. “Indian travellers are looking for new experiences,” said Celia Ho, regional manager, South and South East Asia, Tourism Victoria, adding that options like bike tours, coffee tours, chocolate walking tours, are segments to be looked at.

ITM 2014 saw the launch of the Restaurant Australia campaign to position Australia as a culinary capital of the world.

The campaign is being launched in three phases.

SPOTLIGHT

'All ministries should understand their responsibility' The Federation of Associations in Indian Tourism and Hospitality (FAITH) has been taking its collective issues to different ministries. Sarab Jit Singh, vice chairman, FAITH and Subhash Verma, hon. secretary, FAITH talk about why it is important for the prime minister’s office to give direction to these ministries for greater impact

By Sudipta Dev

How is FAITH different from various industry associations in terms of your mission and focus of operation ?

Singh: Faith is not an association but a federation of associations. We are not doing what the associations are doing. We are taking the issues collectively to the state and central governments. Till the time we came together we never knew what we were losing out. Earlier when we went and met the government our agenda used to be very small, just one vertical and hardly anything got done.

After coming together getting appointments with the senior officials in the ministries has become easier. Also, the agenda has become so important and so powerful now, because it is collectively done, the ministries are listening.

The numerous ministries which have an important role to play in the development of tourism in the country, how are you engaging them ?

Verma: Tourism is conncted to many ministries, we were limiting our interactions to one ministry only (MoT), now there is a change. FAITH has been taking one voice of the industry, which the ministries appreciated and things have

been happening much faster than before.

Singh: There are 15 central ministries who have to do things to ensure growth of tourism, and because there has been no interaction between them and the tourism ministry, things have not been taken forward. We have been interacting with the ministry of commerce, ministry of finance, ministry of environment, ministry of civil aviation, ministry of transport, shipping (cruises are passing

by India and not stopping), and even ministry of railways - all are important. While they might have little role to play, but that little role is helping in overall growth of tourism.

Your views on the implementation of e-visa initiative?

Singh: I will clearly say that e-visa that is going to come soon is only possible because we came together under one roof. It was actually FAITH's document on which the whole thing started off. Yes, it was supported by the ministry of tourism and all others concerned. This will be a game changer for India's tourism.

However, it alone cannot give us the resuts that we are aiming for, there are small things to be done by all the ministries and if

we have a common meeting of all the minsitries talking about the issues. For good impact the prime minister of India must call all the ministries and have a day long conference. He has to give them direction. The MoT might not be in a position to take a lead role today.

Have you approached the PMO with your request?

Singh: We have requested the PM, giving the complete details of what we think and how it should be done. We know what the potential is of the industry in India. Now the time is to reap the benefits. The moment the PM gives authority to MoT, things will start falling in place. We can double up our inbound tourism in three years time. We have a single point agenda for this - that all ministries should understand their responsibility towards the growth of tourism, it is not just tourism but economy of the country. We have requested that the PM should have this meeting within the next month because the earliest the better as we are losing by the day. And the country needs foreign exchange.

What have been the important issues that you are tak-

Subhash Verma

Sarab Jit Singh

ing up with different ministries ?

Singh: We are trying to engage the ministry of external affairs. The Indian embassies and consulates all over the world have to extend the arm of the tourism sector. We have lost so much of ground. This could have been 20 million arrivals last year. We have met every person from the ministry of finance and are hopeful of positive outcome in the next few months. So much investment has been made by the hotel and transport operators - minimum of 50 hotels in India and more than 200 transport operators are unable to service their loans and financial commitment.

Then there is the ministry of commerce that has budgets for tourism activities which have never been utilised. The ministry of commerce is coming with new foreign trade policy and we are hopeful of good benefits. One of this could be the service tax.

want to bring in international tourists to India every segment has to pool in. We are inviting foreign tour operator associations to have their conventions in India. We are working on a British travel operators convention in India next year, Germany a year later. We are trying several other countries as well.

What are the important areas that need to be highlighted in aviation?

Verma: Every airline that is bringing business to India or taking business from India should be part of our tourism, which is not happening. If we

What about your plans for organising a global travel mart?

Singh: We are very hopeful that next year we will have an India international travel mart.

It will be under MoT, being taken care of by FAITH. A professional body will be operating it. This will be a B2B event.

You have been engaging the various state governments also ?

Verma: Most of the tourism elements are state related so FAITH has approached different state governments. We have a meeting with 20-30 stake holders from the state, analyse the key issues and collect the data. In the evening we go to the government of that state, the tourism secretary, and others.

We have done this in Maharahtra, Rajasthan, Karnataka, this model has been working very successfully.

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CAMPUS NOTES

Training with an edge Established as a training platform for different stakeholders in the travel industry, Indian Institute of Tourism and Travel Management has now evolved as a guiding force for young minds to help them build a career in the travel and tourism sector while simultaneously undertaking research projects for the government

By Archana Sharma

E

STABLISHED in 1983, when the growth potential of the tourism sector in India wasn't much talked about, the Indian Institute of Tourism and Travel Management (IITTM) was set up by the Government of India, to create a platform for young aspirants willing to enter the travel and tourism space. Initially created as a training platform for different stakeholders of the travel and tourism industry, like government officers and facilitators of tourism boards, etc, the institute has now evolved into a full-fledged management college. “The decision to turn this training centre into a government institution was taken in 1993 when the need for professionals who can provide quality products and services in sustainable management of tourism, travel and other allied sectors was felt,” states Dr Nimit Chowdhary, professor, IITTM, Noida. The main centre was in New Delhi which was later shifted to Gwalior. IITTM presently has five centres across India – Gwalior, Noida, Bhubhneshwar, Nellore and National School of Water Sports, Goa. “The idea was to have IITTM institutes in all five parts of India

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and except for the north-east, we have been able to achieve the same,” opines Dr Chowdhary.

Diversified approach Initially IITTM started by designing curriculum of various government universities. At present IITTM offers seven post graduate management diploma courses from their five centres tour and travel, international tour, and business and services sector programmes from Gwalior; travel and leisure from Noida; international business and tourism and travel from Bhubhneshwar; and tourism and cargo from Nellore.

“We still conduct training sessions but the reach of IITTM has grown massively. The main reason for IITTM presently being considered the best choice for various stakeholders of the travel industry is not only due to our affiliation to the government but because our faculty is directly in touch with the industry.

This is possible due to the various training sessions we conduct and therefore we are able to impart practical knowledge rather than just bookish facts. In just one year the Noida IITTM has completed 54 training programmes all over India,” boasts

Dr Nimit Chowdhary

Dr Chowdhary. Moreover, IITTM in collaboration with Thomas Cook also organises a trip with a learning objective wherein everything is designed to ensure maximum learning.

Also different state boards come to give presentations, showcasing and explaining the importance of their products.

IITTM also provides training to tourist guides, one of the biggest sections of state tourism.

“The state gets funding from the central government to train guides at the regional level and in order to become a licensed guide, one has to undergo a sixmonth training programme with us. Two refresher courses of 12 days after three years are also mandatory,” adds Dr

Chowdhary.

Presently, IITTM has received requests to train undergraduates and graduates as heritage volunteers for ‘Virsasathi’, meaning ‘Virasat ke Saathi’ (heritage companion), not just for monuments but for cuisine walks, gardens, etc. “The main purpose of these walks is to showcase Delhi in all its glory.

But this requires skill, as the volunteers need to take tourists and show them areas which even the people living here find hard to visit like Old Delhi areas,” believes Dr Chowdhary.

IITTM is not just an educational institution but also does research and consultancy projects for the government. “We had worked on the initial visa on arrival scheme, researching about how many tourists will arrive in India once it is implemented. We have conducted research projects on medical tourism and how visitors prioritise their visits to India, like Kashmir and Leh, etc,” reveals Dr Chowdhary.

Emphasising the need for a proper strategy to be implemented, Dr Chowdhary states, “Promoting Incredible India has been great so far but now there is a need to promote each state

independently. People come here to experience the culture and heritage of India. Every country has a different feel like wellness, religious and spiritualism and that is what we can promote, because to catch up with the upkeep of monuments of other nations is going to be hard.”

Talking about the future trends, Dr Chowdhary believes, “Since the government is positively looking at the growth potential of tourism, it is bound to grow as it is one of the major contributors to GDP. Tourism is a great distributor and that is one of the main reasons why every government is promoting tourism. We can promote rural tourism like a rural bed and breakfast where one can stay and experience the rural lifestyle.” He even went on to highlighted the growth of outbound tourism in the country in present times. “For a long time, inbound tourism was considered the main business but times are changing, with 6.8 million inbound and around 11 million outbound tourists. This is why we are working on another programme, where students will work on selling outbound tourism products,” concludes Dr Chowdhary.

MOVEMENTS Thomas Cook India MONA CHERIYAN has been appointed as chief operating officer and head, human resources of Thomas Cook (India) w.e.f. August 25, 2014.

With a career spanning almost 30 years, Cheriyan started her career as associate professor at Sophia College before moving on to NIIT as a senior systems executive.

At Thomas Cook India, Cheriyan’s mandate is to give strategic direction to the human resources portfolio of the company as also its education and training vertical Centre of Learning.

strategic planning and government relations within the Asia Pacific region for both Gulfstream and the Aerospace business group of General Dynamics, Gulfstream’s parent company. Prior to joining General Dynamics, Chong served in the US Navy, retiring in the rank of commander.

TripAdvisor HELENA EGAN has been appointed as director of industry relations at TripAdvisor. In this role, Egan will lead industry relations’ efforts within TripAdvisor for business.

Egan will act as a liaison for

board director. He also served this past year as president of the Malta Hotel & Restaurant Association.

Tourism Australia ADELE LABINE-ROMAIN has been confirmed to the position of executive general manager of strategy and research at Tourism Australia.

Romain replaces Nell Anderson who recently announced her intention to resign from Tourism Australia. Romain is currently executive director with the Tourism & Transport Forum (TTF), where she has worked for more than five

Tourism New Zealand STEVEN DIXON, Tourism New Zealand's existing business events manager North America, has been appointed to the role of regional manager - South and South East Asia, effective from November.

Steven Dixon

Prior to joining Tourism New Zealand, Dixon worked in hotel management and development roles in Dunedin and Christchurch for five years including the highly successful launch of Hotel So in Christchurch.

Gulfstream LEDA CHONG has been appointed as SVP - Asia Pacific of Gulfstream. In her new position, Chong will be responsible for business development,

Helena Egan

Adele Labine-Romain

hospitality trade associations and government organisations, building awareness about the benefits, resources, policies, products and services of TripAdvisor. Egan joined TripAdvisor in 2008 as the first dedicated destination marketing specialist in Europe, covering Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Egan will be based in TripAdvisor’s London office.

years leading the forum’s research and strategy team.

Labine-Romain will commence her new position at the end of October.

RoanokeBlacksburg Regional Airport TIM BRADSHAW has been appointed as executive direc-

Malta Tourism Authority PAUL BUGEJA has been appointed as chief executive officer of Malta Tourism Authority (MTA), replacing the outgoing CEO, Josef Formosa Gauci. Prior to his appointment as CEO, Bugeja held several senior posts at Corinthia Hotels, most recently, as CFO for the hotels' operating divisions and as group monitoring

Oman Air Oman Air has appointed MAHFOOD ALI SALEEM AL HARTHY to the new position of chief officer, sales. Based at Oman Air’s headquarters in Muscat, Al Harthy will report to COO, Abdulrahman Al Busaidy.

Al Harthy, an Omani citizen, joins Oman Air from Etihad Airways, where he held the position of general manager - Oman.

tor at Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional Airport (ROA) in Roanoke, Virginia. Bradshaw has served in airport management positions for 25 years, and in his new role, he will be responsible for the strategic direction, management and administration of ROA. He will also plan, direct and coordinate the work of staff personnel and administer the policies and directives of the Roanoke Regional Airport Commission Board.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide

Seychelles Tourism Board In accordance with Section 4 of the Seychelles Tourism Board (Amendment) Act 2008, the president has appointed a new board of directors of the Seychelles Tourism Board for a period of three years. Wendy Pierre has been appointed as chairperson while Patrick Payet, Captain David Savy, Freddy Karkaria, Christophe Gangster, Paul Hodoul and John Stravens have been appointed as members.

MoCST Vietnam

Tim Bradshaw

was previously director of Tourism Information Technology Centre (under Vietnam National Administration of Tourism).

Vietnam Cultural Centre in France, an agency of the MoCST, was established in 2008 under the approval of the Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and the Government of the French Republic.

The ministry of culture, sports and tourism of Vietnam (MoCST) has announced the appointment of Nguyen Thanh Vuong as director of Vietnam Cultural Centre in France from September 1, 2014. Thanh Vuong

Thomas B Mangas

THOMAS B MANGAS has been appointed as executive vice president and chief financial officer of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide effective September 29, 2014. Mangas will be a member of Starwood’s senior leadership team and will report to president and chief executive officer Frits van Paasschen.

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E V E N T S

HONOURING CEREMONY Cathay Pacific Airways hosted a cocktail dinner at Hyatt Regency Chennai, The Leela Ambience Gurgaon Hotel & Residences and Hyatt Regency Mumbai to honour its cargo agents for their revenue contribution in 2013

DESTINATION SHOWCASE Tourism Bulgaria in partnership with Turkish Airlines and FIVE Directions DMC recently hosted a familiarisation trip for Indian travel agents. The participating travel agents were Thomas Cook, Cox & Kings, Ambe World Travel, Club 7 Holidays, Travel Boutique Online, Make My Trip and TUI India

A CLEAN GOA Manohar Parrikar (centre), chief minister of Goa launched the APPRECIATIONS GALORE The Uttarakhand Tourism Development Board

‘Clean Goa Beautiful Goa’ campaign initiated by Goa Tourism on Miramar beach

organised a closing ceremony on the successful completion of the Nanda Devi Raj Jat Yatra 2014 in Dehradun. Harish Rawat, chief minister of Uttarakhand, presided over as the chief guest for the event

IMPACT TOURISM Global Himalayan Expedition (GHE), as part of their impact tourism initiative, recently installed three solar microgrids at Sumda Chenmo in Zanskar valley with the help of impact tourists from over seven nations including India, Denmark, USA, UAE, Hong Kong and Sri Lanka, among others

ACTIVE SUPPORT Mittu Chandilya (centre), CEO, AirAsia India, the official back of the shirt sponsor of Champions Leagues T20 2014 unveiled the official jersey along with Kings XI Punjab players

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MISSION FOCUSED Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) recently concluded its travel mission to India which had participants from more than 30 trade members comprising Hong Kong land operators, hoteliers, popular family attractions, including Ocean Park, Hong Kong Disneyland, Madame Tussauds Hong Kong, Ngong Ping 360, The Peak, among others

CONNECTING IN IRELAND Tourism Ireland hosted a familiarisation trip for five Indian travel agents to the island of Ireland

BOOSTING NUMBERS Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM), led a delegation of representatives from the emirate’s tourism industry on a B2B roadshow of five key metro cities across India, with the aim of further increasing the number of visitors to Dubai from India

FOR A GOOD CAUSE Centre L-R: Varsha Sharma, DCP, Delhi Police, Radha Bhatia, chairperson, Bird Group and Chanin Donavanik, CEO Dusit International at the 10 day self-defence training workshop organised by Bird Group in collaboration with Delhi Police for their women employees at the Dusit Devarana New Delhi premises

50 EXPRESS TRAVELWORLD October 2014

PUBLIC INTEREST Anil Mehta (right), COO, Alliance Air and V B Pathak (left), joint secretary, DoNER exchanged portfolios after signing the MoU for flight operations in the North East under Viability Gap Funding (VGF). Also present in the picture are Ashok Gajapathi, Raju Pusapati, minister for civil aviation, Gen VK Singh (retd), minister for DoNER and Rohit Nandan, CMD, Air India

NOBLE INITIATIVE BIAL employees welcomed travellers at the Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru, with a traditional display of heritage dolls to usher in the Dussehra season

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.