Express Travel World November, 2014

WTM 2014 SPECIAL

V0L 9 NO.10 PAGES 48

November 2014, `50

Edge Interview with Vinod Pisharoti, head of Travel, Transportation and Logistics vertical, NIIT Technologies

CONTENTS WTM 2014 SPECIAL

Vol 9 No10 NOVEMBER 2014 Pages 48 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

MP: THE HEART OF INCREDIBLE INDIA THE VERY FIRST MADHYA PRADESH TRAVEL MART, ORGANISED RECENTLY WAS A REITERATION OF THE COMMITMENT TO MAKE MP THE FOREMOST TOURISM STATE IN THE COUNTRY

Joy Roy Choudhury DESIGN National Art Director

Bivash Barua

ELEMENTS OF

Deputy Art Director

Surajit Patro Chief Designer

Pravin Temble Senior Graphic Designerr

Rushikesh Konka Senior Artist

Ratilal Ladani, Kiran Parker SCHEDULING & COORDINATION 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

INDIA

From beaches and hills to forts and festivals, this vast diverse country offers a mix of natural and manmade tourism products that attract the world traveller (18-26)

EDGE

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MARKETS

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TOURISM SCENARIO IN J&K REVIVES POST FLOODS

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INDIA IDENTIFIED AS TOP MARKET IN BUSINESS TRAVEL SPACE AT ITB ASIA

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ECUADOR TURNS FOCUS ON INDIA MARKET

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MOT FOCUSES ON PROMOTING BUDDHIST TOURISM

ESTABLISHING NEW TIES PHILINDEX 2014, HAS OPENED UP NEW AVENUES FOR TOUR OPERATORS FROM TIER II AND III CITIES IN INDIA, ESPECIALLY WITH VISIT PHILIPPINES YEAR2015 JUST AROUND THE CORNER

CIRCULATION

Mohan Varadakar PRODUCTION General Manager

B R Tipnis Manager

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

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

LIFE

P08: EDITOR’S NOTE P35 : APPOINTMENTS P42 : WEEKEND

VINOD PISHAROTI - HEAD OF TRAVEL, TRANSPORTATION AND LOGISTICS VERTICAL, NIIT TECHNOLOGIES, TALKS ABOUT STRATEGIC GLOBAL PARTNERSHIPS

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

EDITOR’S NOTE

The Asian edge

T

he Asian continent is always referred to and recognised as being big but when it comes to business it is more than just big. While penning this edit I was in the thick of all the action and articulation at ITB Asia in Singapore, where the power of the Asian giant was felt rather strongly in the travel and tourism space. The event witnessed some high power debates and discussions ranging from topics that were intense to inspiring. From the tech touch v/s human touch debate to the online-offline story questioning the survival of brick and mortar set-ups to refreshing pointers on brand positioning, some of the sessions were thought provoking. Sensitive issues of survival and profits, inspiring success stories to emulate, best practices and formulas to be applied in business, using technology to one's advantage, there was a lot to both learn and unlearn. Knowledge seminars on technology and trade, human resource and responsible tourism ran parallel across the three days with some sessions going off track, however giving the audience an opportunity to both filter and factor in the best practices and solutions that can be applied to businesses for better efficiency and ROI. Further, this event also brought to fore an observation which seems rather ironic. Reasonable

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

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

“India's change at the government level is also being widely discussed as a positive development in providing a healthier business environment for investment” The Indian Express Ltd Business Publication Division JL No. 29&30, NH-6, Mouza- Prasastha & Ankurhati, Vill & PO- Ankurhati P.S.- Domjur (Nr.Ankurhati Check Bus Stop), Dist. Howrah- 711 409 Mobile: +91 9831182580 Email id: ajanta.sengupta@expressindia.com KOCHI: Gunjan Chauhan The Indian Express Ltd Ground Floor, Sankoorikal Building, Kaloor – Kadavanthra Road Kaloor, Kochi – 682 017 Mobile: +91 9620601306 Email id: gunjan.chauhan@expressindia.com COIMBATORE: Gunjan Chauhan The Indian Express Ltd No. 205-B, 2nd Floor, Vivekanand Road, Opp. Rajarathinam Hospital Ram Nagar, Coimbatore- 641 009 Mobile: +91 9620601306 Email id: gunjan.chauhan@expressindia.com

number of traditional and long standing SMEs in the space have expressed their concern on dwindling profit margins while on the other hand there are non traditional players who are making their debut in this space.

Another interesting finding was highlighted by the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA), which clearly stated that Asia Pacific will account for 40 per cent of global business travel spend in 2014 which is expected to reach a record US$ 1.18 trillion by 2014. Though the BRIC countries are actively being discussed, within them the faith in the India market has risen manifold. WTTC along with GBTA has recognised India as a major player in the tourism space in the coming years. India's change at the government level is also being widely discussed as a positive development in providing a healthier business environment for investment.

Lastly, India - The Land of Buddha, an exclusive coffee table book published by Express TravelWorld was launched at ITB Asia. From ITB Asia to the forthcoming WTM in London, the world travel and tourism sector seems to be jetsetting across continents.

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

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

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Tourism scenario in J&K revives post floods Rituparna Chatterjee Mumbai THE TOURISM SCENARIO in Jammu & Kashmir seems to be picking up post the recent devastating floods affecting the state, particularly Srinagar.

The impact of the floods, the worst to have hit the state in the past 60 years, was markedly felt by the tourism sector since it was the onset of the peak season for the destination. According to Nazir A Bakshi, managing director, Shiraz Travels and ex-president, Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Srinagar - India, the state witnessed around 90 per cent drop in ar-

Nazir A Bakshi

rivals, in both national and international tourists due to the floods. “However, the tourist numbers are picking up now.

We currently have a group of 400 tourists coming from Gujarat, around 20 people from Maharashtra and 16 people from Kolkata,” opined Talat Parvez, director tourism, Kashmir adding that, they are presently planning to launch a marketing campaign to promote the destination and have made recommendations to the Centre to extend support to private players in the travel and hospitality sector who have been impacted by the floods.

“The Centre recently announced an amount of `100 crore for rebuilding and reviving the tourism sector. The details for this need to be submitted to the Government of India

for sanction. As for extending support to the private players, recommendations have gone to the prime minister's relief fund,” said Parvez.

The tourism ministry is also upbeat about the numbers picking up with the upcoming winter season. “Last year, we received 12.5 lakh tourists and we had targeted around 14 lakh tourists this year. But because of the floods, we are expecting to touch 12 lakh tourists,” opined Parvez. The destination witnessed more than 10 lakh arrivals from January to August in 2014. Last year, during the autumn season (from September to November) the state witnessed an average of 70,000

tourist arrivals per month.

“With the recent floods, there might have been an impact on these numbers for this period,” said Parvez. “However, J&K continues to be an attractive destination and by December we hope the tourism sector will recoup,” opined Bakshi.

The hospitality sector is also seen recovering with many hotels restarting their booking process. “The losses suffered in terms of business loss and infrastructure damage has been immense and it would be beneficial if the government offers zero interest loans to the hospitality sector to help revive it,” stated Riyaz Shahdad, managing director, Welcome Hotel.

Express TravelWorld launches 'The Land of Buddha' at ITB Asia ETW Staff Mumbai EXPRESS TRAVELWORLD, India's foremost travel business publication from The Indian Express Group launched a coffee table book titled, 'The Land of Buddha' at ITB Asia 2014, recently held in Singapore from October 29-31, 2014.

This coffee table book gives an insight into Buddhist heritage across 13 different states of India, including Maharashtra, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Sikkim, Andhra Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, West Bengal and Arunachal Pradesh.

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Neeta Lachmandas, assistant chief executive,Singapore Tourism Board

Nino Gruettke, executive director, ITB Asia

MARKETS

WTM 2014 SPECIAL

Ecuador turns focus on India market Garners interest from TATA group for hospitality projects Kahini Chakraborty Mumbai PRO ECUADOR, the Institute for the Promotion of Trade and Investment of the country, has turned its focus on the India market and is attracting high-end luxury traveller segment and trade investment opportunities. Pro Ecuador introduced the destination and launched its maiden marketing campaign 'Like nowwhere else. All in one place. So close' in Mumbai to travel agents, media and corporates. Speaking exclusively to Express TravelWorld on the sidelines of the event about the destination's growth story in hospitality investments, Hector Cueva Jacome, consul general, trade commisioner, Pro Ecuador said, “We see a huge tourism and trade relations potential from the India market and therefore we are trying to attract investments from all sectors. On the hospitality front, we recently had certain officials from the TATA group visit Ecuador as they are planning to invest in one or two hotels in Quito and Galapagos Islands. Vivanta by Taj is interested in buying a hotel in Ecuador and building an ecolodge in Galapagos Island, which could be worth a US$ 50-100 million investment.

Adi Godrej also visited Galapagos Island recently.”

When asked about whether any other Indiabased hospitality company has shown interest in setting up properties in Ecuador, Jacome replied, “Not at the moment. It is like an agreement between the Ecuador govern-

Hector Cueva Jacome

ment and Vivanta by Taj. If later, Taj group is not interested, I think a lot of other hospitality companies could be interested in developing properties in Galapagos Island as it is a hotspot destination among travellers.” Elaborating on the tourism marketing strategies planned for the India market, he added, “We are targeting seasoned and high-end luxury segment travellers from India as the time taken to reach Ecuador is long and expensive. And since India is a huge potential market, we are planning to offer packages between Ecuador, Peru, Argentina and Brazil. With these packages, we are offering

travellers the chance to have a memorable experience in one South America trip. We want Ecuador to be the gateway for Indians to visit Latin American countries. We are looking at promoting Ecuador as a year-round destination.”

Priscila Moscoso Meiller, trade officer, Pro Ecuador added, “The priority objective of Pro Ecuador presently is to work closely with specific travel agencies that market Latin American destinations.

At the moment we are not looking at entering into partnerships to promote the destination, but later as we progress on our promotional strategies, this is an aspect that we can look at. We need to figure out how to work closely with travel agents in India and educate the market about Ecuador as a new destination. Presently our focus is on the Mumbai market and later we will enter New Delhi.

In 2013, Ecuador received less than 4,000 travellers from India and we are looking at selling Ecuador with different elements of the place, for e.g: Ecuadorian chocolates. This is the beginning of our tourism endeavours and we will systematically plan our marketing initiatives.”

Vivanta by Taj is interested in buying a hotel in Ecuador and building an eco-lodge in Galapagos Island, which could be worth a US$ 50-100 million investment

Brand USAlaunches online training programme for India Looks to organise travel trade mission in Chennai next year Archana Sharma New Delhi BRAND USA launched its online training programme, 'USA Discovery Programme' www.usadiscoveryprogram.in for the Indian travel trade at the recently concluded third annual travel trade mission held across Mumbai, Bengaluru and New Delhi. The programme offers the option of getting certification for specific US states, as per the choice of the travel agent.

Commenting on the same, Jay Gray, vice president, global partnership development, Brand USA said, “The programme was launched in various markets across the world with different, customised modules for different countries, depending on the specific industry preferences.” Brand USA also unveiled its Culinary Guide, 'Discover America: Great American Food Stories'.

On the annual travel trade mission, Gray said, “Like earlier years, the India Travel Mission has been a great success and has been enthusiastically received by the Indian travel trade. The Culinary Guide will encourage gourmet enthusiasts to explore the destinations and taste all that US has to offer.” The mission saw participation from 30 US companies, with 41 representatives. This was also the first time that Brand USA mission was conducted in Bengaluru.

USA received 8,59,000

Our goal is to surpass the one million mark and expect a growth rate of 54 per cent by 2018 visitors from India in 2013 and saw a 18.5 per cent growth. Gray said, “Our goal is to surpass the one million mark and expect a growth rate of 54 per cent by 2018.”

Promoting Nevada as a honeymooners and family vacation spot apart from being a casino hotspot, Larry Friedman, deputy director tourism, Nevada Commission of Tourism, said, “The state is going to celebrate its 150th anniversary soon and though we are comparatively new born in terms of history, over six lakh Indians visited California in 2013.” Sheema Vohra, account director, Sartha Marketing said, “We received a great response for the trade show this year, and we have entered a new market this time, Bengaluru. We are also looking at Chennai for the next year.”

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WTM 2014 SPECIAL

India identified as top market in business travel space at ITB Asia Reema Lokesh Singapore THE BRIC countries are a focal point of discussion at most international trade events especially in the tourism space.

Within them the I and C of the BRIC were vibrantly discussed at the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) seminar at ITB Asia, which recently concluded in Singapore. GBTA’s Business Travel Index (BTI) study also forecasts China to overtake the US as the world’s number one business travel market by 2016 and other Asia

Pacific countries such as India and Indonesia to grow between 11-14 per cent annually over the next five years. According to Welf Ebeling, vice president, operations, Asia, GBTA, “Over the last 15 years, India has worked its way up the rankings of major global business travel markets from number 24 in 2000 to the world’s 10th ranked market in 2013. GBTA expects India to become the ninth largest business travel market within the next five years. He further added, “In Asia Pacific, there are a number of countries showing high growth in terms of business

travel spend. These markets include Vietnam, the Philippines, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. We forecast an average growth rate of 7.5-10 per cent annually in these markets.”

ITB Asia 2014, a three day travel trade event was held at the Sands Expo and Convention Centre, Marina Bay Sands, Singapore. 76 countries and regions took part in the event.

This year also saw the strongest buyer participation to-date, with 14 per cent more buyers compared to 2013, informed Christian Göke, CEO, Messe Berlin, organiser of ITB

Asia. He further added, “The MICE sector in particular is growing exceptionally, accounting for over half of the total business travel market. It is a resilient segment that is outpacing traditional corporate travel.”

“The dramatic progress of Asia’s travel and tourism markets, fuelled by the rising BRIC economies, testifies once again to the region’s immense potential for growth. Now, more so than ever, we need to encourage greater strategic collaboration among leaders of the industry. Over the years, ITB

Asia has been incredibly valuable in delivering comprehensive market insights and important networking opportunities. We are confident that STB’s partnership with Messe Berlin will continue to boost the success of ITB Asia and anchor TravelRave’s status as the region’s premier travel and tourism week for the trade,” said Neeta Lachmandas, assistant chief executive, Singapore Tourism Board.

This year’s ITB Asia also witnessed a sizeable number of players in the technology space.

‘Istanbul is a colossal destination for Indian youth interested in music’ H E Dr Burak Akçapar, ambassador of the Republic of Turkey talks about the growing interest in Turkey among Indian travellers, the need for increasing connectivity to India and potential of Istanbul as a tourist destination

By Archana Sharma How is Turkey emerging as a global destination and how has the demand been from the India market?

Turkey is one of the leading countries in tourism globally and we receive more than 30 million tourists every year.

The number of tourists from India to Turkey have been increasing at about 20 per cent year-on-year for the past three years. The number of visa applications have increased by 50 per cent indicating the growing interest of Turkey as a tourism destination. We are looking at increasing the number of flights to Turkey.

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Presently, there are only single daily flights from Delhi and Mumbai and they are running in almost full capacity. These flights are no longer enough with the current traffic. Hence we have requested for opening new routes to important cities like Hyderabad, Chennai, Amritsar, Ahmadabad, Kolkata, etc.

How can Turkey be positioned as a destination for a diverse segment of travellers?

It is a bridge, an amalgamation point of not just the East and West but also the North

even divide itself further for culture and heritage. We are planning to bring a cultural troupe from Northern Turkey for the national day celebrations in order to create more awareness of their folklore and cultural offerings.

Dr Burak Akçapar

and South. Turkey can promote itself as a destination for weddings, MICE, leisure and

What potential tourism products does Istanbul have to offer to the Indian traveller?

Istanbul is a colossal destination for any Indian youth interested in pop, rock, jazz or contemporary music. Also, it is a cradle for a number of civilisations over the ages, as

it is a cultural and heritage hub for generations and centuries. Every civilisation leaves something behind, like the Roman or Byzantine empires and Turks have preserved them over the ages.

There are other cities in Turkey that are gaining popularity amongst Indians as a heritage spot. Cappadocia being the most popular at present. I have also invited Narendra Modi, prime minister of India, to visit Turkey to observe the entire spectrum of economic and commercial relations between the two countries.

MARKETS

WTM 2014 SPECIAL

MoT focuses on promoting Buddhist tourism Archana Sharma New Delhi WITH A VIEW to discuss and develop the potential of Buddhist tourism in India, the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) recently organised the International Buddhist Meet at ITC Maurya, New Delhi.

Speaking at the occasion, Shripad Naik, Union minister of state for tourism and culture (independent charge), stated, “The Buddhist heritage in India is a unique tourism product with destinations like Bodh Gaya, Khushinagar, Sarnath, etc. The ministry of tourism is actively

working towards the strategic promotion of Buddhist tourism with plans to organise roadshows at Buddhist-dominated markets, and develop infrastructure including hotels and other amenities at these destinations.

We are providing financial support to state governments for developing Buddhist sites as it is the need of the hour to develop these sites in terms of infrastructure, sanitation, maintenance, connectivity, safety and security.”

Naik also informed that his ministry has advocated the promotion of bilateral tourism ties with Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Myan-

We are providing financial support to state governments for developing Buddhist sites mar, Singapore, Japan, Korea and other countries of sizeable Buddhist population to exchange greater volume of

tourists. He also released the knowledge report 'Towards Sustainable Spiritualism; Buddhist Tourism - Linking Cultures, Creating Livelihoods and Yes Bank Buddhist Tourist Map’ at the meet.

Emphasising upon the importance of the Buddhist circuit further, Rana Kapoor, president, ASSOCHAM and managing director and CEO, YES Bank, stated, “Today, Buddhism is the fourth largest religion in the world. Apart from the 450 million Buddhist followers in the world, the Buddhist circuit is an important destination for the vast number of other travellers interested in history, culture or

religion. The development of Sarnath-Bodh Gaya patch alone, into a world-class tourism centre is expected to fuel a sizeable 15 per cent annual growth in the tourism industry.”

Ashok Chandra Panda, minister of tourism and culture, Government of Odisha, pitched for the inclusion of Odisha in the proposed Buddhist circuit and requested the Indian Railways to resume services to Buddhist destinations in Odisha, which were stopped recently. He also urged Air India to extend its flights to Phuket from Bhubaneshwar as it is an emerging source market for Buddhist tourism for Odisha.

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TripFactory.com to invest in technological upgradation Kahini Chakraborty Mumbai

Fillip to Sikh pilgrim circuit India's largest hospitality project to come up in Amritsar Sudipta Dev Mumbai AT A DISTANCE of nine km from the Golden Temple, the largest hospitality project in the country will come up in Amritsar, targeting in particular the NRI segment. It will be a mixed use property with 1,113 rooms, with 75 per cent of the rooms marketed as timeshare.

Due to the large inventory of rooms a part of the focused initiatives would be developing the Sikh pilgrim circuit in and around Amritsar. Attracting more visitors than even the Taj Mahal, the Golden Temple is the most popular destination for the NRI populace. “A lot of people come down to Amritsar once, twice or sometimes thrice a year. There are a many gurdwaras in Punjab that people want to visit, as they stay abroad and want to connect to their faith. Then, there is the Virasat-e-Khalsa ( Khalsa Heritage Memorial Complex) in

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Vikas Anand

Anandpur Sahib,” said Vikas Anand, executive director, DJB Infrastructures and Developers India, the company which is developing the property.

Punjab gets only a small per cent of the total inbound tourist arrivals, if the religious circuit gets developed, the state should be able to garner a larger pie.

DJB Infrastructures and Developers India is an FDI company with many construction activi-

ties in Singapore, Australia and New Zealand. The first phase will be operational by 2017 end and will include 370 odd rooms.

The project will include a two lakh sq feet club called Club Ambarsar, which will have the best amenities that a world class club can offer, for instance, a bowling alley, infinity edge swimming pool, 27,000 sq ft indoor banquet space, squash court, badminton court, tennis court, and high-end restaurants.

The Punjab government had in 2013 approved the `250 crore Sikh Circuit Tourism Development plan. The circuit covers the three Sikh Takhts in Punjab, that is the Akal Takht, Keshgarh Sahib and Damdama Sahib. The plan envisages development of important destinations of Sikh heritage including Amritsar, Sri Anandpur Sahib, Fatehgarh Sahib, Sultanpur Lodhi and other places.

The plan also includes setting up of interpretation centres, art and culture centres.

LAUNCHED IN 2013, TripFactory.com plans to invest in its technology tools over the next few years. The company coheadquarted in India and in the US, has partnerships with Air Costa, SpiceJet and GoAir to power their holiday products. The company is in the process of integrating with four other airlines which is expected to go live this fiscal. Speaking exclusively to Express TravelWorld, on the company's growth plans, Vinay Gupta, founder and CEO, TripFactory.com said, “We have the widest range of packages. Our platform offers over 5,00,000 travel products and we aim to become the largest online travel store globally. TripFactory.com started its journey with a seed capital of US$ two million to launch the business. We have been growing fast and hope to maintain the pace.”

When asked about the recent travel booking trends seen in the market, Gupta opined, “Holiday packages market in India is slowly showing signs of maturity and customers are increasingly booking their packages online, which was predominantly an offline business earlier.

In some travel companies, mobile has already crossed

Vinay Gupta

Our platform offers over 5,00,000 travel products and we aim to become the largest online travel store globally about 40 per cent of total traffic and bookings. With smartphones and mobile data plans becoming cheaper in India, mobile is set to become the number one channel in terms of traffic and bookings in the near future.”

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WTM 2014 SPECIAL

Travelport launches Universal API with ITQ

flydubai to operate 29 weekly flights to India

by March 2015 Keen to provide services to north east region of India Kahini Chakraborty Mumbai FLYDUBAI is looking at operating 29 weekly flights to India

by March 2015. This will be done either by introducing four flights on new routes or by increasing frequencies on the same routes.

The airline recently launched its five weekly flights between Mumbai and Dubai. Speaking to Express TravelWorld on the company's plans for the India market, Ghaith Al Gaith, chief executive officer, flydubai said, “We will fully deploy our flying entitlements as per the bilateral agreement by March 2015. The airline presently offers 25 weekly flights to India, and we are looking at introducing four new flights to operate a total of 29 weekly flights to India by March 2015. This could be done either by an addition to the existing routes or new cities in India. The launch of our Mumbai route is a clear indication of the enduring relationship between India and the UAE.” When asked whether in future the airline would look

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Ghaith Al Gaith

at investing into an Indian carrier for expansion, Gaith replied, “Our current focus is on providing the best quality services on our existing routes and expansion of our services to underserved destinations. However, even though there is a huge growth opportunity in the Indian aviation sector, we do not have the mandate as an airline company to invest into airlines out of Dubai.”

The airline commenced its India operations in 2010 and has connections to cities such as Ahmedabad, Delhi, Hyderabad,

Kochi, Lucknow, Mumbai and Thiruvananthapuram. Sudhir Sreedharan, senior vice-president, commercial operations (Indian sub-continent/GCC/Africa), flydubai informed, “flydubai has a network of 86 destinations, of which 54 were previously underserved. About 70 per cent of our business is point to point services. We are working with the aviation ministry authorities to start flights from second and tertiary markets in India. flydubai is keen to provide air services to the under-served destination including the north east region of India, but we are unable to do so due to capacity constraints.”

Sreedharan added, “The airline has a fleet of 41 new generation Boeing 737-800 aircraft and by next year the airline will have 50 aircraft fleet size. Further, the airline will take delivery of more than 100 aircraft by the end of 2023. flydubai operates more than 1,100 flights a week across the Middle East, GCC, Africa, Caucasus, Central Asia, Europe and the Indian sub-continent.

Archana Sharma New Delhi TRAVELPORT has announced the launch of Travelport Universal API (Application Programming Interface), in association with InterGlobe Technology Quotient (ITQ) to developers in India. According to Anil Parashar, president and CEO, ITQ, “Travelport Universal API is a larger platform that provides userfriendly services beyond GDS offerings in India, and also serves as a common platform between tourism suppliers, B2B agents and end consumers.”

Travelport Universal API aggregates content from Global Distribution System (GDS) for air ticketing, renta-car services, hotel reservations and other ancillary services through a single connection. The interface is already available in 90 countries. ITQ is in talks with 12 online travel agencies (OTAs) in India to integrate this technology into their businesses. “This new application provides the benefit of expanding offerings and capabilities while entering new channels and markets at a faster pace,” stated Parashar.

He added that Travelport Universal API offers wider choices in lesser time and it is a one-stop shop application, with which users need not download other applications for different travel and tourism products.” Travelport Universal API enables developers to access multiple

Travelport Universal API is a larger platform that provides user-friendly services beyond GDS offerings content sources by writing code for only one solution, decreasing the time required to launch new travel applications.

Rabih Saab, president and managing director Africa, Middle East and South Asia, Travelport, said, “The Travelport Universal API launch in India will help in further growth as developers in the region see the value in this unique technology, which helps them develop innovative new travel apps quickly and efficiently.”

“We will target all key markets for potential travel and tourism companies, including MNCs and OTAs because it is more useful for big companies, although it is available for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) as well,” Parashar added.

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WTM 2014 SPECIAL

Ethiopian to start flights to Dublin and Los Angeles First service linking the two cities with Africa ETW Staff Mumbai ETHIOPIAN AIRLINES has announced its decision to start flights to Dublin and Los Angeles from June 2015 onwards.

Ethiopian flights to Dublin and Los Angeles will be operated three times a week with Boeing 787 Dreamliner. The flights will be the only direct service connecting Africa with Ireland and the West Coast of the United States. Travellers from Los Angeles and Ireland will be able to enjoy seamless and convenient connectivity options with the airline's extensive network in Africa covering 49 destinations.

“Our new flights connecting Addis Ababa, Dublin and Los Angeles will play a critical role in the expansion of trade, tourism

investment between the fast growing continent of Africa, and the United States and Ireland.

As these flights will be the first and only direct air route linking Africa with Ireland and the West Coast of the United States, they will bring these two seemingly far away cities much closer to Africa and will facilitate mobility and connectivity for businesses and the large African diaspora community living in the West Coast of the United States. In line with our Vision 2025 strategic road map, we are expanding our network and deploying the most technologically advanced aircraft as part of our commitment to our customers to provide them with the best possible travel experience and connectivity options. Our flights to Dublin and Los Angeles will be operated

with the B787 Dreamliner,” said Tewolde Gebremariam, CEO of Ethiopian Airlines Group.

With the addition of Dublin, the airline’s 11th European city

and Los Angeles, its forth point in the Americas, Ethiopian's international network will cover 85 destinations across five continents with over 200 daily de-

partures. Ethiopian is a panAfrican global carrier voted by passengers as the best in Africa for two years in a row by Passenger Choice Awards.

Ola Cabs ties up with black and yellow cabs in Mumbai Akshay Kumar Mumbai OLA CABS, mobile application for cab bookings, has partnered with the famous black and yellow cabs in Mumbai. With the new partnership Ola has included black and yellow cab bookings on their mobile application.

Presently, Ola has tied up with a fleet of 2,000 cabs and will operate between Bandra west and Colaba in Mumbai.

Speaking about the new initiative, Anand Subramanian, director- marketing com-

munications, Ola Cabs, said, “ Ola has always focused to make transportation convenient for users and efficient for drivers by leveraging the power of technology. Black and yellow cabs are iconic and

is the lifeline of Mumbai city.

We are delighted to have them on our platform. Currently we have partnered with 2,000 cabs, but down the line we have plans to increase the fleet to 20,000 within the next

Ola Cabs has provided smartphones with the Ola app to 2,000 drivers without any charge.

The app has been uniquely designed to book these cabs

six to seven months.”

For inclusion of the black and yellow cabs in their application, Ola Cabs has provided smartphone devices to 2,000 drivers without any charge.

Each smartphone contains the Ola app which has been uniquely designed to book these cabs. By using the cab, a customer can see all the partnered cabs around him, by entering the location and confirming the request the drivers in the vicinity will be alerted though the smartphone. Customers have a option of selecting the normal black and yel-

low cab or a cool cab. The pricing for these cabs will be the regular charges set by the government.

When asked about the efficiency of the application, Subramaniam said, “We have already tested this app in the last three weeks. The regular driver who used to search for customers, can now fix his schedule by accepting customers through this app. Also we have seen a 40 per cent increase in their revenue.”

The Ola application is available on the Windows, IOS and the Android platform.

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cover )

Elements I

ndia, with a vast coastline of 7,517 km bounded by the Arabian Sea, Indian Ocean and Bay of Bengal, is widely known as a popular tourism destination boasting of some of the most incredible and unexplored beach destinations. Soaking up in the sun, sand and sea experience to cele-

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A SEA CHANGE Apart from engaging in adventure activities, India’s picturesque beaches provide the much needed peace and tranquility to travellers

brate and relax, the quintessential choice of beaches of Goa and Kerala have been the most counted places among travellers. These beaches of the Indian coastline offers one of the best tourist attractions along with adventure water sports including canoeing, catamaran, scuba diving and snorkel-

ing. Apart from the activities, they are also known as honeymoon destinations in India. Calangute Beach located in north Goa is the largest one among all.

Calangute and Baga beaches are two close beaches and visited by thousands of international and domestic tourists.

Ocean water sports like parasailing,

snake boats, sailing and windsurfing are one of the best way to enjoy at Calangute Beach. Beaches of Goa are well famous for its nightlife and cuisines. Other most popular beaches in Goa are Anjuna Beach, Palolem Beach, Candolim Beach and Sinquerim Beach. From a state tourism

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T H E M A I N FO C US WTM 2014 SPECIAL

s of India From beaches and hills to forts and festivals, this vast diverse country offers a mix of natural and manmade marvels that attract the world traveller

board perspective, Jagdish Patil, former managing director, Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) highlights, “There has been a shift from the rather normal jet skiing or para-sailing to more adventurous watersports like diving off platforms both man-made and natural, white water rafting, kayaking, canoeing and windsurfing. Scuba diving and snorkeling too have seen a huge response across th e country.” Agreeing to the same, Nikhil Desai, director tourism, Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC) added, “These activities are now gaining popularity in India.

Until now people would choose to indulge in them abroad but slowly people are becoming more open to the idea of trying their hand at these sports in India as well. Safety and availability of qualified instructors and equipment

THE GOVERNMENT HAS GIVEN A NOD FOR 13 BEACHES WHICH WILL BE DEVELOPED AS PER INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS AND INFRASTRUCTURE

are the prime concerns among enthusiasts.”

Diveagar Beach, located in the coastal region of Konkan, is approximately 170 km from Mumbai and 200 km from Pune on the Mumbai-Goa Highway. Diveagar Beach, which is famous among the three beaches, is situated along with nearby towns of Shrivardhan and Harihareshwar and is densely covered with belu trees. The Konkan region of Maharashtra is known for its long coastline with few of the finest white-sand beaches and palm trees like Kashid Beach, Murud Janjira, Ganpatipule and beaches of Mumbai. The Konkan region of Maharashtra is also looking at beautifying its beaches to increase tourism. The Maharashtra government is working with Kokan Bhumi Prastishthan (KBP), an umbrella organsiation of hoteliers, tour operators and tourism with an aim to develop the region's tourism and promote it globally. The government has given a nod for 13 beaches which will be developed as per international standards and infrastructure. Nandgaon Beach, Arnala Beach, Kashid Beach, Diveagar Beach,

Murud Beach, Ladghar Beach, Karde Beach, Hadi Island, Kunkeshwar Beach and Ubhadanda Beach are some of the beaches where the beautification project will commence shortly.

Sanjay Yadavrao, chief executive, Global Kokan, said, “Konkan has more than 100 beaches and every beach has its own speciality. We have now begun work on the beautification projects for 13 beaches with the government's help.

These beaches will be developed with international infrastructure and standards that even foreign tourists will appreciate.” He added, “10 years ago tourism to Konkan was almost zero but now approximately one crore tourists visit Konkan annually. Along with promoting tourism, we will not only build five-star hotels and resorts but also definitely retain our culture and tradition. Sustainable development is what we are pledging for.” The tourism in Konkan is set to receive a big boost as the fifth edition of the Global Konkan Festival in 2015 will be hosted in London.

Down south, Kerala - 'God's Own Country' has a long coastline that offers many opportunities for those who

seek beauty and tranquility. Known as the paradise of the south, the most beautiful beach of Kerala, Kovalam is located in Thiruvananthapuram. Kovalam has 17 km of the Arabian Sea coastline and has three excellent beaches known as Lighthouse Beach, Hawah Beach and Samudra Beach.

Lighthouse Beach of Kovalam is the major tourist attraction. Alappuzha Beach and Muzhappilangad Beach are two more famous beaches of Kerala, Muzhappilangad Beach is the only drive-in beach in Asia. Stretching over 1000 km along the southern coastline, beaches in Andhra Pradesh are known for being unspoilt and pure holiday destinations. Some of the famous beaches include Ramakrishna Beach, Manginapudi Beach, Bheemunipatam Beach, Mypad Beach, Vodarevu Beach. While Odisha has the famous beaches such as Aryapalli Beach,Balaramgadi Beach, Balighai Beach, Chandipur Beach, Gopalur Beach, Paradeep Beach, Puri Beach.

The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are a group of 572 Islands consisting of exotic and unexplored beaches. The tropical climate prevails

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cover ) culture, even globally recognised sports like surfing are slowly gaining popularity in the country. But the biggest challenge for surfing in the subcontinent is the geographical structure. For an ideal surfing destination, the beaches should have a sudden depression, which helps the waves to swell, which is quite not the case for India. Still a selected few locations are popular for this sport and enthusiasts are exploring various locations to promote this sport on a large scale.

As per their customer analysis, an emerging trend that was highlighted was that almost 45 per cent of its individual holiday travellers are youth and the segment is poised to grow at a rate of 25-30 per cent.

The product team of Rock-On Holidays has designed itineraries to destinations for young travellers starting from `35,000.

all year round, offering a comfortable holiday experience.

Tapping the niche

20 EXPRESS TRAVELWORLD November 2014

Evolution stage Giving a perspective on the evolution of the segment so far, Vaibhav Kala, founder and director, Aquaterra states, “In the early 90’s the industry was small and there were few operators. Even though equipments were unavailable clients were well aware of what they were signing up for. The mushrooming came in the mid 2000s,

Beaches

With the segment growing rapidly, Major S K Yadav, managing director, Wanderlust Travels points out that apart from leisure, corporate clients are also opting for adventure activities as part of incentive travel which they use for team building exercises. “The segment saw a growth of 22 per cent in 2011 and has been growing since then. India receives nearly 1.5 million inbound tourists for adventure activities,” he mentioned.

To cater to the demands of discerning travellers, the market has a number of operators who deliver products and services for the niche segment. Mumbai based Karina Tourism & Adventures launched Infiniti, India’s first scuba diving live-aboard in the waters of Andaman Islands. The project is a labour of love for Sunil Bakshi, cofounder and director, Karina Tourism & Adventures, who had been diving for 17 years all over the world and always wanted to showcase India as a premier diving destination. The Infiniti Live-aboard offers yacht-based holidays and provides adventure activities such as - scuba diving (main specialisation), surfing (seasonal), angling, snorkeling or general cruising and island excursions. “I have visited many such live-aboards in other parts of the world and wanted to build something like this for India. I believe that diving in India is at par if not better - in Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep,” says Bakshi. He believes that in many ways Andaman is the last frontier for diving. “All the other diving areas have been explored by diving enthusiasts who are now looking for new destinations and we can offer them that in India. We offer diving at remote islands in the Andamans such as Barren Island or Narcondam Island - these are the spots with the best diving in the Andamans, in terms of underwater landscape, corals, marine life (Manta Rays), visibility etc,” he adds.

With the influx of the western

when safety equipment became accessible, the internet finally arrived, and the customer base grew.

As the number of outfits grew, the customer base mushroomed and the industry size, supply and demand rose dramatically.”

On the other hand, Dr Sarang Kulkarni, a marine biologist and scuba diving expert, states that earlier adventure activities like scuba diving and snorkeling were popular only amongst the elite class, but now the trend is changing and everyone wants to try these activities. Everyone wants to learn something new and exploring the marine life is the emerging trend for Indians. “Tarkarli and Sindhudurg have water-sports activities, the state tourism department has taken the initiative to start snorkeling activity in Sindhudurg and launched its first scuba diving school in Tarkarli,” adds Kulkarni.

Adding to the same, Patil says, “The coast around Sindhudurg and Ratnagri has warm clear wa-

WHETHER YOU ARE A FIRST TIME DIVER OR A CERTIFIED DIVER, TARKARLI AND RATNAGIRI ARE IDEAL LOCATIONS FOR THIS ACTIVITY

ters, and interesting and varied diving and snorkeling sites and MTDC guarantees some of the best scuba and snorkeling activities. Whether you are a first time diver or a certified diver, Tarkarli and Ratnagiri are ideal locations for this activity with the assistance of our experienced PADI instructors. We have planned guided snorkeling trips, pro snorkeling trips, and the Discover Scuba programme where anybody above the age of 10 can participate. Also we have planned training courses in diving which starts at the basic level and one can graduate to become a dive master.”

Lakshadweep Islands is a high growth water sport destination. A M Hussain, assistant director, department of tourism development, Administration of UT of Lakshadweep informs, “We are promoting these islands as a unique water sports destination among the domestic and foreign tourists and expect a 20 per cent increase in tourists inflow this year. Nearly, 5500 domestic and foreign tourists visited the islands last year.” A scuba diving academy has been established in Lakshadweep with dive centres at Kavaratti, Kadamat and Minicoy certified scuba dive courses.

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A FORTIFYING EXPERIENCE

Strewn with innumerable forts throughout her length and breadth, India presents a fascinating spirit of the country's royalty through these masterpieces of defense to travellers across the globe

I

ndia's long history is riddled with wars and conquests and the innumerable forts strewn across the country is a constant reminder of this magnificent past.

Not only do these forts present a peep into the past but also narrate the tales of the royal kingdoms of India. There are three different types of ancient Indian forts - Jal Durg, Giri Durg and Vana Durg.

While Rajasthan has always been regarded as a treasure trove of ancient forts, coastal states like Maharashtra has also been bestowed with innumerable defense masterpieces dotting the coastline. While old Delhi is home to some strategic fortifications, the rest of the country has its fair share of forts as well.

The forts in Rajasthan are a perfect example of the architectural heritage of this princely state.

Some of the major forts of this state include the Amber Fort in Jaipur, Chittorgarh Fort in Chittorgarh, Junagarh Fort in Bikaner, Mehrangarh Fort in Jodhpur, Sonar Kila in Jaislamer, and many more. Recently six of Rajasthan's forts were recognised by UNESCO as World Heritage Sites in the 37th session of the World Heritage Committee (WHC) held in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. The six forts consist of the ones in Chittorgarh, Kumbhalgarh, Jaisalmer, Ranthambhore (Sawai Madhopur), Gagaron (Jhalawar) and Amber (Jaipur).

Crowning the crest of a hill, Amber Fort is an important monu-

Forts

Rajasthan royalty

ment in Rajasthan. The citadel was established in 1592 by Man Singh I on the remains of an old 11th century fort, but the various buildings added by Jain Singh I are what constitute its centerpiece. The fort offers a panoramic view of Maota Lake and the historic old town at the base. Several havelis, step wells, and temples can be seen below the fort. Another fort of significance is the Chittorgarh Fort. Situated on the left bank of the Berach River, the Chittorgarh Fort is also called the Water Fort. The fort had 84 water bodies inside, out of which only about 22 exist today. This fort also hosts the biggest Rajput festival called the Jauhar Mela. The most valuable monuments in the Chittorgarh Fort are Gaumukh reservoir, Vijay Stambha and Rana Kumbha Palace.

Playing sentinel to the old capital of Amber, the Jaigarh Fort or the Victory Fort strategically dominates the Cheel ka Teela. The fort

has many basic constructions of feudal India, which are appealing to travellers. It has quite a few imperial strongholds, a warehouse, wellthought-out gun foundry, numerous great shrines and a high turret.

Situated on the sands of the Thar Desert, the Jaisalmer Fort was built in 1156 by Maharawal Jaisal, and added to by his successors. This citadel stands on the peak of the 80 m high Trikuta Hill. Royal palaces, a cluster of Jain temples, mansions and shops are all contained within its walls.

Rising out of a 125 m high rock, Mehrangarh is one of the most majestic of Rajasthan’s forts. Founded

by Rao Jodha in 1459, the fort was added to by later rulers, mostly between the mid 17th and mid 19th centuries. The royal apartments within the fort now form part of a museum. Constructed between 1587 and 1593 by the third ruler of Bikaner, Rai Singh, Junagarh Fort is protected by a 986 m long sand-

stone wall with 37 bastions, a moat and, most effectively of all, by the forbidding expanse of the Thar Desert.

Majestic Maharashtra Standing as silent sentinels to history are the 350 forts of Maharashtra. Most of the forts in Maharashtra are associated with Shivaji, the Maratha warrior. There are a number of forts famous for trekking such as Purandhar Fort, Bahadurgad Fort, Ahmednagar Fort and Ratnagarh Fort. One of the largest and most important forts in Maharashtra, the Panhala Fort, overlooks a pass in the Sahyadri mountain range near Kolhapur. Roughly triangular in shape, the hill fort stands at a height of about 850 m and has a circumference of approximately 7.25 km.

Devagiri in Aurangabad, is famous for its formidable hill fort.

The noteworthy features of the fort are the moat, the scarp and the

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sub-terranean passage, all hewn of solid rock. Situated on a rock of oval shape near the port town of Murud, is Janjira which is one of the strongest marine forts of India.

The fort has 19 rounded bastions, still intact. Raigarh was Shivaji’s capital, the hill fort where he was crowned and where he died. Sindhudurg Fort stands on a rocky island, known as Kurte, barely a km from Malvan. Built in 1664-67 AD

by Shivaji, the 48 acre fort has a four km long zigzag line of nine metres high and three metres wide rampart with 42 bastions.

The Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) recently announced its plan to revive the Sewri Fort in Mumbai as a pilot project and the success of which could be replicated in all other forts. A cost of `11 crore has been mooted by MTDC to revive this fort. This initiative is a significant development because of the total 350 forts, only about 19 have been notified by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) while another 50 have been notified by the state

OF THE 350 FORTS, ONLY ABOUT 19 HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED BY THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF INDIA, WHILE ANOTHER 50 HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED BY THE STATE DIRECTORATE

22 EXPRESS TRAVELWORLD November 2014

directorate. Dr Jagdish Patil, former managing director, MTDC, opines, “Many of the forts across the state are in poor condition and have been encroached on, and many remain inaccessible or unknown to the public. We just want to bring this rich heritage to the public through the fort circuit." A museum, mini-theatre, souvenir shop and an open deck restaurant are being proposed under the scheme. “Tourists can take their own time, sip a cup of coffee and track the migratory bird from the comfort of an open deck restaurant which will be constructed outside the fortification wall,” adds Dr Patil.

Maharashtra has over half of the total forts in the country located mainly along the Sahyadri range, and Sewri is just one of the many forts which the state corporation is developing as part of its fort circuit.

Worli and Bandra forts are the other monuments in Mumbai, which the MTDC has planned to adopt.

Other masterpieces Though Rajasthan and Maharashtra are famous for their magnificent collection of forts, there are many other states that continue to showcase some beautiful defense masterpieces. For instance, the Lal Quila or The Red Fort is one of the most important historical buildings in India, located in Delhi. Built by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan,

the fort is made up of thick red sandstone. Some important buildings and other structures inside the fort are Moti Masjid, Diwan-i-Aam, an archaeological museum, an Indian war memorial museum to name a few. Gwalior Fort is another beautiful historical monument. Located in Madhya Pradesh, this fort was built by Rana Man Singh Tomar. The major attractions are Sas-Bahu temple, Gujari Mahal which is now a museum and The Man Mandir. The famous Golconda Fort in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh is known for its rich history and majestic grand structure.

Golconda Fort is touted as the Seven Wonders of Hyderabad.

Agra Fort, also known as the Red fort of Agra, is among the best tourist places in Uttar Pradesh.

Jhansi Fort, another architectural marvel of Uttar Pradesh, was the residence of Rani Laxmibai of Jhansi. The famous Kangra Fort built by the royal family of Kangra, and situated in the Kangra valley of Himachal Pradesh is considered to be the largest fort in the Himalayas and one of the oldest forts in India.

The most valuable monuments in the Kangra Fort is the Vajreshwari temple. Srirangapatnam Fort and Belgaum Fort are some famous forts situated in Karnataka.

Heritage hotels Apart from touring these magnificent forts, today travellers can

Forts

cover ) also experience a royal stay at forts which have been converted into heritage hotels. For instance, the Mukundgarh Fort in Rajasthan has been converted into a heritage hotel by Cross Country Hotels. The group has retained the ambience of this 250 year old fort with its charming, painted interiors that include the typical Shekhawati fresco. The Mukundgarh Fort has 48 rooms, a multi-cuisine restaurant, bar, and swimming pool, and a profusion of overhanging balconies, jharokhas and courtyards.

Likewise, a 17th century Dundlod Fort in Rajasthan is infused with immense nostalgia of the Shekhawats - the warrior Rajputs.

Presently, a heritage hotel, it offers 22 rooms and a roof top restaurant.

Guests can indulge in horse riding and camping at the Risala Camp.

Fort JadhavGADH, a unique property in Maharashtra, is a fort heritage hotel that offers the quintessential experience of royal Maratha legacy. Guests can experience the three centuries old lifestyle with the comfort of modern amenities in luxurious surroundings. Focusing on what distinguishes the property from other heritage hotels in western India, Biswajit Biswas, general manager, Fort JadhavGADH says, “This unique project, a brainchild of Dr Vithal Kamat, focuses on a Gadh heritage experience in the Maratha culture. Unlike other heritage hotels which are more stereotyped by Rajasthani themes, Fort JadhavGADH has its roots firmly in its Maratha heritage. From the moment you enter the fort's impressive gate to the sounds of beating drums and the Marathi Tutari, one immediately gets the feeling of having entered the pages of history.

Wherever possible, we have definitely managed to retain the look and ambiance.” The highlights of the property are its rooms called ‘Kholis’, restaurants like The Payatha Restaurant, Chhajja along with a diverse range of activities like bullock cart rides, hill treks, to name a few.

Other notable fort heritage hotels in India include Fort Chanwa Luni, Fort Dhariyawad, Jagram Durg, Neemrana Fort-Palace, etc.

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A CULTURAL KALEIDOSCOPE The fairs and festivals of India are a kaleidoscope of her diverse socio-cultural legacy. Celebrated with great fervour across the country, these events are a draw for not just domestic tourists across all spectrum, but are also promoted among foreign tourists to give them an immersive experience of the land manner, particularly the darshan at Lalbaug Raja, Andhericha Raja, Mumbaicha Raja and other few famous mandals.

A

Special packages West Bengal Tourism Develop-

ment Corporation (WBTDC), the tourism arm of the West Bengal Government recently launched many 'Puja Parikrama' package tours to lure domestic and foreign tourists to the state. Durga Pujas, the biggest festival in this part of the country is a four-day melange of fun and devotion bringing everything else in the entire state to a standstill. Mamata Banerjee, the state chief minister has given much importance on hardselling Durga Pujas, the biggest festival of the state among domestic and international tourists. Rajat Basu, managing director, WBTDC, says, “This year the entire 'Puja Parikrama' was divided into two segments, the first set of packages took the revellers round the major community and family Pujas in the city and the other took the tourists to the districts. WBTDC had organised seven tour pack-

ages in Kolkata and five packages in the districts.” The packages included visits to major community Puja pandals in the north and southern part of the city and those of the century-old pujas organised by renowned families of Kolkata.

Another package, covered the neighbouring districts of Hooghly, Burdwan and Murshidabad districts.

For the first time this year, Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) introduced special Mumbai Ganeshotsav Darshan package tour, an initiative in association with the Ganesh Pandals to increase tourist footfalls in Maharashtra during the period.

According to Dr Jagdish Patil, former managing director, MTDC they had designed these packages in a manner that a tourist can enjoy Mumbai’s festival spirit at an affordable cost and in a hassle free

Festivals

lmost all Indian states and their official tourism board websites have an extensive list of fairs, festivals, cultural events for attracting tourists - from Pongal, Onam, Diwali, Ganesh Chaturthi, Durga Puja and Holi to Kumbh Mela and Pushkar Fair, all occupy an important position in the tourism itinerary. Even a state like Nagaland has been successful in promoting the Hornbill Festival for attracting international visitors, while the Hemis Festival in Ladakh has also effectively positioned itself on the tourist map.

The ministry of tourism also extends financial assistance to the state governments and Union Territory administrations for organising fairs, festivals and other tourism related events which have the potential of promoting tourism to and within the country.

The states on their part have become proactive. Surajkund Crafts Fair, Elephanta Music Festival, Khajuraho Festival, Konark Festival, Mamallapuram Festival are just some of the examples of state tourism boards creating fests which make a perfect blend of events and culture as a showcase.

While Gujarat promotes its Kites Festival and Rann Utsav, Rajasthan has been promoting Pushkar Fair and the Desert Festival as big draws for foreign arrivals since the past decade or so.

Focused efforts Madhya Pradesh will be celebrating 2016 as the Year of Tourism in the state, to coincide with the Kumbh Mela, which is being held in Ujjain. At the recently held Madhya Pradesh Travel Mart, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, chief minister of the state pointed out that more than five crore people will visit Ujjain during the Kumbh Mela and the state government is focused on attracting a larger number of pilgrims and visitors.

To boost religious tourism in the state, Assam Government has recently taken up a major scheme and it has already received overwhelming response from the visitors. This is the result of Ambubachi Mela in the famous Shaktipeeth (shrine) of Kamakhya Temple in 2013 and in June 2014, as well as other religious festivals held during the last two years. “Assam is witnessing a rise in tourist footfalls, both domestic and foreign, as the state is gearing up to promote the tourism sector in a planned way,” says Dhruba Hazarika, secretary, Tourism Department, Government of Assam.

While most fairs and festivals have a religious, spiritual and cultural connotation, the Department of Tourism in Rajasthan normally joins hands with the local municipal corporation to organise these festivities. These are in form of folk cultural performances, sports competitions, processions, ethnic cuisines, arts and crafts display, ‘deepdans’, among others. On many occasions these fairs and festivals coincide with the animal and cattle fairs. The

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cover ) Department of Tourism, Rajasthan has earmarked funds for organising fairs and festivals as well as the tribal area development. Vikram Singh, director tourism, Government of Rajasthan, says, “The state is well known for its fairs and festivals and the Department of Tourism organises them for foreign and domestic tourists as well as the local populace. We are further streamlining the organisation of such festivals to make them even more alluring for tourism.”

Doing their bit are the tour operators in India with customised packages. “Many tourists plan vacations to India during these festivals, as the vivaciouness and colourful cheer of the festivities, not only adds to the experience, but also gives them a sneak peek into the Indian lifestyle. Very often we create special programmes around all of the major potential festivals of the country,” says Arjun Sharma, MD, TUI India/Le Passage to India.

LAKHS OF DEVOTEES FROM ALL OVER INDIA AND ABROAD GATHER ON THAT DAY AT PURI TO PULL THE SACRED CHARIOTS

Goa has a unique blend of socio-religious culture and the Goan calendar is marked with several feasts and festivals. The tourism department of Goa has focused on quite a few local feasts and festivals turning them into tourist attractions. Goa Carnival, is a three day event celebrated two days after Easter throughout the state and is peppered with parades, performances, etc. Other feasts and festivals are the Feast of Three Kings at Reis Magos, Cuelim; the Feast of St Francis Xavier in December, Sao Joao Festival, feast of St John the Baptist celebrated throughout the state, the Goan version of Holi celebration in month of February/March and several others.

Apart from this, the Kala Academy (Academy of Indian Culture and Performing Art) celebrates various fairs and festivals.

Odisha is not only an ideal choice for waterfalls and scenic beauty but also for its colourful fairs and festivals. Tribal traditions and religious fervour of cultural performances mix together

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Festivals

Diverse range

to create a visual feast for visitors.

The festivals are as numerous as the days in a year, each with an individuality of its own, culminating in the grand Car Festival of Puri.

Ratha Yatra, known as the Car Festival is the grandest of all festivals held in Odisha. It is the sacred journey of Lord Jagannath with brother Balabhadra and sister Subhadra from the main Jagannath Temple to another shrine called 'Gundicha Mandir' for nine days. Lakhs of devotees from all over India and abroad gather on that day at Puri to pull the sacred chariots. The best time, probably, to visit Odisha is between November to February. Not only for the weather but also because of the number of festivals that are organised during this period like Gotipua Dance Festival and Konark Dance Festival. For beach lovers, there is the International Sand Art Festival and the Interna-

tional Surf Festival.

For tourists, the best time to visit Himachal Pradesh is at the time of the many festivals. Some of the important ones include Halda festival in the month of January in Lahaul region. The Tibetan New Year is celebrated in February and March as Losar Festival. Along with music, dancing and processions, the highlight is discourses by the Dalai Lama at Dharamshala. The months of June /July see the Ki Cham festival with monks performing the cham dance wearing exotic costumes, including masks. In August, a trade fair is organised in Kaza called La Darcha, which also witnesses Buddhist sports and dances along with organisation of the rural marketing fair. Mask dances are the highlight of Gokur festival held in Dhankar monastery in November. The last month of the year is the time for the three-day International Himalayan Festival in Mcleod Ganj.

It is marked by dance and music performances to promote peace and harmony.

In Sikkim, Rumtek is the hub of many festivities. While every month religious rituals are per-

formed here, the biggest celebration falls during Losar. Ritual dances are the highlight of the celebrations and the monks perform rituals in honour of Mahakal.

Hemis monastery in Ladakh is the site of the two-day annual Hemis Festival, which in the recent years has emerged as an important event for attracting tourists. The Hemis Festival held in June/July every year is the most important annual event in Ladakh. One of the highlights of the festival are the dances performed by monks wearing masks swaying to the rhythm of cymbals.

The festival becomes a much bigger event every 12th year when its most priceless possession - a Thangka of Padmasambhava is unfurled for the public. During the tourist season, visitors are allowed to stay at the monastery and participate in the Hemis Spiritual Retreat run by the monks.

It has to be noted that most popular festivals amongst tourists are those which have been popularised over a period of time. Like any other product and services in the tourism industry, it will take time for a festival to become popular too.

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WTM 2014 SPECIAL

THE CALL OF THE HILLS From the Himalayas in the north to the Nilgiris in the south, quaint hill stations nestled in these mountains offer travellers unique, experential havens

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Tourism offerings Starting from the Indian Himalayas for the adventure travellers to various pilgrim centres and Himalayan temples for pilgrims, India offers many popular travel destinations. According to Goyal, “Domestic tourists like soft trekkings around Chail, Kasauli, in Himachal Pradesh, Badri-Kedar-

Hills

he Indian topography is wide and varied, with high mountains, extensive plateaus, and wide plains traversed by mighty rivers. The hill stations of the country, bounded by the Himalayas in the north, and other prominent mountains like the Aravallis, Vindhyachals, Satpuras, Eastern and the Western Ghats, remain popular summertime destinations.

Some were originally summer retreats of Indian provinces or princedoms while others served as summer headquarters for the British government. Today these destinations are not just popular in the summer time but people flock to them even in winters.

Indian hill stations offer some of the most spectacular landscapes in the world. From the misty valley of Coorg in Karnataka to the adventure-packed Manali of Himachal Pradesh, from the romantic hills of Nainital to the scenic beauty found in Ooty of Tamil Nadu, tourists have unlimited choices. Elaborating on this further, Subhash Goyal, president, Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO), says, “Jammu & Kashmir, Sikkim, Garhwal, Kumaon, other hills of Uttarakhand, Darjeeling Hills of West Bengal, DalhousieChamba of Himachal are most popular, mainly, because a lot of adventure sports and trekking opportunities are available there. One can also participate in mountaineering, river sports, angling, spotting Himalayan wildlife and golfing at Gulmarg, wihch is one of the highest golf courses in Jammu & Kashmir. The scenic beauty, fairs

and festivals, cuisine experiences, experiential niche tourism preferences, including connectivity and affordability, can easily explain the growing popularity.”

INDIAN HILL STATIONS OFFER SOME OF THE MOST SPECTACULAR LANDSCAPES IN THE WORLD. SOME WERE ORIGINALLY SUMMER RETREATS OF INDIAN PROVINCES

nath-Gangotri-Yamunotri, Chamoli-Almora and DarjeelingKalimpong Sikkim-Pemayangtse regions, to name a few.”

In Himachal Pradesh, mountain adventures beckon from all directions. Manali offers adventure tourists with trekking, paragliding, rafting and skiing opportunities.

About 53 km away is the famous Rohtang Pass which offers breathtaking sights of glaciers, peaks and valleys. Also, Mcleod Ganj, the home of Dalai Lama is the destination for many travellers visiting Dharamshala. The activities range from heritage walks to spiritual retreats. Shimla, the present capital of Himachal Pradesh, was earlier the summer capital of India during the British Raj. Here, the hills blend with structures from the colonial era.

Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir has attracted people since time

immemorial. Famous for its houseboats, historic gardens and a mild summer climate, Srinagar rests in the Kashmir Valley along and around the banks of the Jhelum River. According to Showket Pakhtoon, MD, Elizabeth Tours and Travels, and MC member, Travel Agents Society of Kashmir (TASK), “ The most popular hill stations are Gulmarg, Pahalgam and Sonamarg offering activities like cable car tours, horse riding, skiing, golfing, water rafting, etc.”

Leh, the capital of Ladakh, is the new emerging hill station and is one of the most beautiful tourist destinations of India. Ladakh tours are becoming popular. Tourists from not only India, but also worldwide visit this destination to enjoy activities like polo, trekking, mountaineering, cycling, river crafting, archery, jeep and camel safaris.

The hill station of Nainital, in

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cover ) Khasi Hills. One can enjoy activities like river canoeing, kayaking, trekking and caving, golfing, scuba diving, rappelling, and zip lining here. Spread out on the Western Ghats, Coorg in Karnataka is a major centre for spice and coffee production.

Ooty and Kodaikanal in Tamil Nadu are the most famous hill stations of southern India. Also, established as a summer retreat by the British and nicknamed ‘Snooty Ooty', Ooty is a visual delight filled with cottages, fenced flower gardens, thatched-roof churches and terraced botanical gardens. Kodaikanal, nestled 120 kilometers from Madurai in the Palani Hills of Tamil Nadu, meaning 'Gift of the Forest', is home to exquisite flora and fauna. Smaller and quieter than its neighbour Ooty, Coonoor is nestled in the Nilgiri Mountains and is surrounded by rolling hills and tea and coffee plantations. The ride on the Nilgiri Mountain Railway’s toy train, from Coonoor to Ooty, covers the region’s several scenic spots including the cantonment area of Wellington.

Munnar in Kerala is another favourite destination among travellers. Wayanad’s landscape encompasses a part of the forest reserves and is home to a variety of animals, including tigers, elephants and

sloth bears.

Forests, foot trails and lookouts define Maharashtra’s hill-station, Matheran. Motor vehicles are banned within Matheran and hence travellers can arrive on a narrowgauge toy train that chugs along a 21 km scenic route, or trek up the scenic path that makes its way through train tracks and hillsides.

Located in the Aravalli range of Rajasthan, Mount Abu is the most visited hill station of north west India. It is surrounded by lakes, Aravalli forest hills, ancient forts, hidden picnic spots, resorts and accommodations, different religion temples and heritage architecture.

Another popular attraction here is the Mount Abu Wildlife Sanctuary.

Infrastructure Having some of the highest mountain ranges, India is gradually becoming one of the most sought after destinations and the ministry of tourism is also seen aggresively promoting the Himalayan range.

Talking about various activities which require infrastructural development, Goyal believes that since many people visit these locations for adventure activities, infrastructure should be further developed. “An average of 30 to 35 per cent of domestic tourists visit hill stations combining leisure, pleas-

Hills

the Kumaon region of Uttarakhand, is one of the top visited, highest rated hill stations in north India. It features the Naini Lake, water sports and rides, hill resorts and adventure activities like yachting, kayaking, parasailing, horse riding, and wildlife safari tour in Jim Corbett National Park. Offering views of the Doon Valley and the Himalayan peaks, Mussoorie, located 34 km from Dehradun, is popularly known as the ‘Queen of the Hills’.

One can walk up and down the famous Mall road, or enjoy the mistcovered hills from Mussoorie’s highest point called Lal Tibba.

Sikkim, one of the most preferred hill stations across India, is the second smallest and low populous state of India. It boasts of beautiful and unexplored hill stations.

Dotted with Buddhist monasteries and a war memorial, Tawang is one of the least discovered towns in Arunachal Pradesh.

Darjeeling in West Bengal, perched at an elevation of 2,134 m above sea level, attracts many tourists. A journey on the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway also known as the ‘Toy Train’ is a great way to explore the surroundings of this hill station.

Known as the ‘Scotland of North-East’, Shillong, the capital city of Meghalaya, sits amidst the

ure and pilgrimage. International tourists are mainly interested in adventure tourism activities in J&K, Garhwal Hills, Manali, Sikkim, etc and they form about 10 to 12 per cent of the total crowd.

There is also an interest for high altitude mountaineering expedition though the number is very limited due to regulatory conditions.”

Given a different persperctive, Jyoti Kapur, president, Association of Domestic Tour Operators of India (ADTOI) states, “Nature has already endowed us with maximum potential and great destinations.

The development of infrastructure is a lengthy process but even in that case a lot of the hill stations have world class facilities and more are being developed gradually.

Most of these have been the legacy of the British but our government has also undertaken many initiatives like the Himalayan Expressway.” Talking about it further, Goyal states, “Infrastructure development is a continuous process and since last one decade there is sea change in accommodation scene as also in air, road and rail connectivity. Rishikesh has one of the best infrastructures and Ananda Resorts is much better than any western resorts. Similarly resorts in Jammu & Kashmir, Shimla, Kullu, Manali, Matheran, Ootacamund, Kodaikanal, Munnar hills have better infrastructure when compared to many foreign locations.”

Marketing strategies Earlier in 2013, the Ministry of Tourism had launched the ‘777 days of the Indian Himalayas’ campaign to publicise the tourism potential of the Himalayas and promote this incredible tourist product internationally. Kapur believes, “Smaller hill stations like Dalhousie, Palampur, Bhimtal near Nainital, etc need to be marketed more as they are promoting tourism in the smaller run since the bigger and well known hill stations already have the monuments, etc to promote themselves better.

Activities like tenting and camping, white water rafting, etc are cheaper here and therefore can be more of interest to travellers.”

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EVENT ROUNDUP

MP: THE HEARTOFINCREDIBLE INDIA W

ITH ITS NINE national parks, 25 wildlife sanctuaries, three UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and many other diverse tourism attractions, Madhya Pradesh has always taken a place of pride for its focused commitment to tourism. The Government of Madhya Pradesh had recently launched its new tourism policy, which it claims to be the most 'progressive' one in the country. Organisation of the very first Madhya Pradesh Travel Mart is a big leap in terms of positioning the state among the leading destinations in the country.

Welcoming the delegates from across the country and overseas Hari Ranjan Rao, secretary tourism, Government of Madhya Pradesh, said, “We welcome you to the heart of Incredible India. This is a state bestowed with everything except the Himalayas and the sea.

It is full of diversity. We have rich wildlife and forests, and great wealth of heritage.” He reminded that in terms of religious tourism the state has two Jyotirlingas, devotees can also do parikrama of Narmada river. Then there are destinations with breathtaking landscapes like Panchmarhi, where tourists can enjoy a laidback vacation in its many colonial bungalows. There are also dams / waterbodies which have recently emerged as ideal spots for developing tourism projects, for instance the Indira Sagar Dam. “We encourage private investors to take our land near these waterbodies and do interesting activities,” he said.

In 2006, the number of tourist arrivals in Madhya Pradesh was one crore, while the current figure exceeds six crore visitors. This has necessitated creation of improved facilities

The very first Madhya Pradesh Travel Mart, organised recently at Palash residency, Bhopal, was a reiteration of the commitment made by the state government to make Madhya Pradesh the foremost tourism state in the country

By Sudipta Dev

and better connectivity. “The Global Investment Summit here will lead to focus on tourism and consequently people will get more jobs.” said Surendra Patwa, tourism minister, Government of Madhya Pradesh.

Aggressive tourism promotion In his address, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, chief minister of Madhya Pradesh, stressed on the concept of 'Atithi Devo Bhavah', which means 'the guest is God'. “Madhya Pradesh is witnessing a double digit growth rate. We will aggressively promote tourism.

We have started a Buddhist university near Sanchi, which will attract people from different countries.” He disclosed that there are plans to open a golf course near Sanchi, which will have a great attraction for high-end tourists like the Japanese, who now instead of staying for a couple of nights in the state can extend their visit for five to six days. There is also a strong focus on developing new tourist circuits. “Asia's biggest waterbody, the Indira Sagar reservoir is a perfect location for developing resorts. If you visit our nine national parks, you will positively see a tiger. In terms of wildlife tourism, Madhya Pradesh has the possibility to be the world's leading destination,” reminded the chief minister.

The Maha Kumbh will be organised in Ujjain in 2016. To coincide with the world's biggest religious gathering, the state government has declared 2016 as the Year of Tourism.

“We want people from all over the world and India, to visit us during the Maha Kumbh, and look forward to your suggestion to promote the event,” stated Chouhan.

The chief minister believes

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EVENT ROUNDUP that while a lot has happened in the state in terms of improving the infrastructure, what is lacking is developing the hospitality sector. “While we are number six in tourism, we want to be number one. MP Travel Mart will be our annual event.

Our tourism policy is a forward thinking policy. We want to invite people to establish hotels and resorts here,” he added, stressing on the need for creation of better facilities for the projected tourism growth.

“Everyone wants to travel, irrespective of social status so the facilities should be for all sectors,” added Chouhan. In the hospitality sector, presently there are 7500 rooms in the state in different categories adding up to 15,000 beds. The plan is to double the number in the next five years. The next five years will also see the implementation of other tourism projects as per the vision strategy.

According to Chouhan, the state government has proactively tried to maintain that the single window system, is 'single' in the true sense without having multiple hidden doors behind. The state is also committed to developing the right human resources for the tourism sector – from training of guides to other personnel, and the chief minister sought the help and suggestions from the industry to enable this.

Congratulating the state government on their focused initiatives, Subhash Verma, honorary secretary, Federation of Associations in Indian Tourism and Hospitality (FAITH) stated,

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There are also plans for a film city near Bhopal. The state is ideal for film shootings as we have all the facilities.

“Madhya Pradesh is doing a great job in terms of tourism.

On behalf of FAITH we extend full support to MP Tourism.

FAITH is an umbrella organisation, one voice of the industry.”

Pointing out that MP Tourism has come a long way from a loss making body to a profitable institution, Sarab Jit Singh, vice chairman, FAITH, added that now it is time for the state to take big steps for attracting both international and domestic tourists. “It is a most opportune time for Madhya Pradesh,” asserted Singh, remarking that connectivity to the state should be improved.

Attracting international visitors The year 2013 saw arrival of 2,80,000 international tourists in the state, along with 15 per cent to 20 per cent increase in domestic tourist arrivals. “We have plans to participate in international tourism in a big way, we are trying to hold more number of international roadshows. We also participate in India Tourism roadshows overseas,” said Raghwendra Kumar Singh, MD, MP Tourism. The state government has signed an MoU with Emirates and Air

Arabia for international air connectivity to Bhopal and Indore. “We want to have more international flights and also improve intra state air connectivity. We have gone for an air taxi service,” informed Singh.

The tourism policy includes land banks that are ready to be offered to private investors, including hoteliers. The tourism department has land banks in Bhopal, Jabalpur, Indore, Khajuraho and other places, which have been earmarked for hotels, resorts, golf course, water sports and adventure tourism related activities and convention centre. “There are also plans for a film city near Bhopal. The state is ideal for film shootings as we have all the facilities. Prakash Jha shot four films here, which earned the state `200 crore. In Madhya Pradesh almost 50 per cent of tourists come for wildlife tourism. We also have plans for rural tourism, a farm tourism project is coming up 50 km from Bhopal,” informed Rajesh Gupta, director, Tourism Promotion Unit, MP Tourism.

MICE tourism, has been identified as a key area. A hotel with convention centre is coming up in Indore.

EVENT ROUNDUP

Showcasing the Buddhist Circuit The Fourth International Buddhist Conclave held recently discussed strategies for promoting the Buddhist Circuit in Bodh Gaya and showcasing it as a safe and secure destination

By Archana Sharma

A

S PART of promoting tourism in India for both international and domestic travellers, the ministry of tourism (MoT) initiated the development of the Buddhist Circuit, amongst other endeavours, earlier this year. To promote and further discuss strategies regarding this, the Fourth International Buddhist Conclave was held in Bodh Gaya, Bihar, from September 26-28, 2014. While talking about the importance of Bodh Gaya as a Buddhist destination, Shripad Naik, minister of state (independent charge), tourism and culture, MoT said, “The major USP of Bodh Gaya, at present, is the cultural heritage and the Buddhist customs present here.

Since Buddhism is one of the major tourism products we will be promoting Sarnath, Kushinagar, etc, places which are significant for Buddhist culture, where world class facilities are being developed.

Major initiatives are being undertaken and this Buddhist Conclave is possibly one of the best undertakings so far with buddhist delegates and scholars from all over the world present here.”

The event witnessed participation from over 21 nations and more than 132 delegates were present. Inaugurated by Naik, Dr Javed Ikbal Ansari, tourism minister, Bihar and Jitan Ram Manjhi, chief minister, Bihar, the conclave focused on showcasing the development that had taken place in Bodh Gaya along with most of Bihar. “This is the

and empowerment opportunities to the youth of India, since this `1800 crore project of developing the Buddhist Circuit will take precedence.” He also emphasised on international safety and accommodation of tourists while mentioning the 24 hour helplines that have been set up by the ministry.

Promoting Bihar

The major USP of Bodh Gaya is the cultural heritage and the Buddhist customs present here. We will be promoting Sarnath, Kushinagar, etc, places which are significant for Buddhist culture, where world class facilities are being developed first time that such a massive event has taken place in Bodh Gaya. We have also suggested proposals to the tourism ministry for further developing B2B relationships and arranging for FAM trips to help in understanding the impor-

tance and significance of the Buddhist Circuit,” stated Dr Ansari.

While welcoming the delegates, Professor Shivkant Ojha, minister for technical education, Government of Uttar Pradesh, talked about the

future undertakings of the government. He said, “We are looking at creating a 212 feet Buddha statue, the first of its kind, amongst the infrastructural facilities. With the help of this initiative, we will be able to provide employment

After the bombings that took place over a year ago, the fourth International Buddhist Conclave 2014 came across as the perfect opportunity and platform to refute the concerns over safety of tourists.

According to Dr Deepak Prasad, principal secretary, tourism department, Government of Bihar, the main purpose of the conclave for them was to showcase to the world the recovery of Bodh Gaya as a safe and secure destination.

“We had initially organised presentations, exhibitions, etc and then through tours of the various sites, we ensured that everyone was exposed to the development and infrastructural recovery. We not only took our guests to Bodh Gaya Maha Bodhi temple, Sujata Garh but also to sites that are in the near vicinity like, Nalanda, Gridhkut, Pragbodhi where Budhdha meditated,” he said.

Currently, the Bihar administration is prioritising the Buddhist Circuit, its heritage and culture. Elaborating on this, Umashankar Prasad, director, Bihar administrative service, said, “At present we are only promoting the Buddhist Circuit, but Bihar is

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EVENT ROUNDUP

home to many other circuits like Jain, Sufi, Ramayana, Eco Tourism in Ghora Katora, etc.

We are now looking at developing adventure tourism here like Goa and Kerala. We do have our heritage and cultural assets but we need to project them better and ensure that people are aware of the lesser known destinations also, which might lead to longer visits.”

Planning to add Pragbodhi and developing it to international standards, Sanjay Kumar Agrawal, district magistrate and collector, Gaya, Bihar said, “At present we are planning to develop the infrastructure in and around Pragbodhi. A lot of people want to visit it since Buddha stayed there for six years and therefore it is a very significant site for Buddhists. We are planning a new road there and

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constructing wayside facilities so that tourists can have restrooms and other amenities.

The state government is also coming out with a bridge on the Niranjana river which will shorten the distance between Pragbodhi and Maha Bodhi, to only eight km from Bodh Gaya, from the present 25 km.”

Also, aiming to attract tourists for longer stays, Agrawal stated, “We are putting up more sites in Bodh Gaya like Mundeshwari, Prag bodhi, Sujata Garh, etc. since earlier only the Maha Bodhi site was showcased. We are also developing new meditation sites apart from the already existing five meditation institutes where people can stay for a week.” They are also planning to add amusement parks and musical fountains for children.

The state government is also coming out with a bridge on the Niranjana river which will shorten the distance between Pragbodhi and Maha Bodhi, to only eight km from Bodh Gaya, from the present 25 km

EVENT ROUNDUP Market demand Being an international conclave, the international market was given major focus.

However, there are quite a few other attractions in Bihar for domestic travellers as well.

“This Buddhist conclave has been organised mainly to cover the international crowd interested in the Buddhist heritage especially people from South Asian countries.

For the domestic market we have different events like the Pitrapakha mela where people from south come in and we witness a footfall of around 20 lakh people, whereas in Soni mela, people from Nepal are in majority. Our focus will be to include people with other itineraries, travelling to Sufi and Sikh circuits,” stated Dr

Prasad.

The Bihar government is also ensuring that tourists have access to the region and that Bihar becomes well connected via air, rail or road.

Elaborating on this Dr Prasad, said, “Generally by

connectivity one means via air but we are planning the infrastructural development in such a way that the tourists can also enjoy rural tourism without any hindrances.” To further this, heritage walks are also being organised

which will be launched in December 2014.

“We have also requested the tourism ministry to look into the seasonality of flights, starting from October month and arrange air connectivity all round the year,” added Dr

Prasad. To further promote tourism in the lean season, the Bihar ministry is planning to arrange different religious festivals with the help of different monasteries. Adding to this, Manjhi said, “In recent years, the Bihar government has undertaken many projects for developing this state and this can be seen when travelling via roads as many tourist spots and restrooms have been created along the way.

We are also requesting better air connectivity from Gaya, Sarnath, Vaishali, etc as well as initiating better rail facilities.”

The conclave ended with the delegates being flown to Varanasi to observe the development of the Buddhist Circuit there.

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SPOTLIGHT

Establishing new ties PHILINDEX 2014, has opened up new avenues for tour operators from Tier II and III cities in India. With Visit Philippines Year-2015 just around the corner, this event will boost the inflow of travellers from the Indian subcontinent

By Akshay Kumar

F

OR LONG, PHILIPPINES has been a destination which had not yet tapped the entire Indian market. Manila and Cebu have emerged as a MICE destination, but the rest of the unexplored destinations like Boracay, Davao city, Palawan are still not much popular amongst the Indian trade fraternity. The tour operators from the Tier II and III cities were not confident of selling the products. Mayank Maheshwari, director, Rainbow Vacations, a travel solution from Jaipur says, “In a market like Jaipur, people visit destinations which have been popular through

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Glen Agustin

Maria Corazon G Jorda-Apo

word of mouth. Philippines is still not a destination which people are aware of in the leisure segment.”

Department of Tourism

(DOT) Philippines, recently hosted the fourth edition of Philippine India Exchange, 2014 (PHILINDEX 2014) to strengthen travel trade ties be-

tween both the nations. The event was hosted in Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila on September 23, 2014 and also included a post fam tour for better understanding of the destination. The event witnessed participation from around 19 Indian buyers and 40 sellers from Philippines who came together for a focused one-on-one business prospects. The event witnessed buyers from all different parts of India, which also includes the Tier II and III cities like Amritsar, Jaipur, Nagpur, Thane, etc. Sandiip Srivastav, director, Youdian Business Solutions from Thane, said, “In my opinion, Philippines has the po-

tential to give destinations like Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand a run for their money. The country has little bit of everything for everyone, and the quality is excellent.”

“This is my first PHILINDEX, I feel it has been very informative. The tourism department has carefully selected the sellers. I am looking into the luxury market, especially in Manila and the other islands. We cater to FIT's, HNI's and the high-end travellers. The destination seems to be very interesting and high on its quality. We will love to promote this destination,” says Pankti B Trivedi, general manager, Sunday Pure Holidays.

SPOTLIGHT

JT Ramnani from Vensimal World Travel Agents, commented, “It was a unique experience well organised by Philippines Tourism. Our group was given an opportunity to visit Boracay Islands to get an onsite knowledge of the island along with visits to attractions, hotels and Indian restaurants and water activities.”

WHATTHEY SAID Buyers Povelraj K, manager-sales, Vactions Exotica, said, “We are looking at all possiblities to promote this beautiful destination. Earlier we were not much aware about most of the destinations in Philippines, now I feel we have more clarity.

We are looking for a travel agent who can offer all the products under one roof.”

Visit Philippines 2015 DOT, Philippines has also announced 2015 as 'Visit Philippines Year' (VPY 2015). Philippines has witnessed a positive trend in Indian tourist arrivals, with nine per cent growth in July 2014. The Indian market generated 29,981 tourists during January-June this year as against 28,124 during the same period in 2013, thus recording a growth of 6.60 per cent. With numerous major events lined up in 2015, Philippines includes India as one of its key markets.

Glen Agustin, chief tourism operations officer- market development group, DOT, Phillipines stated, “This is the fourth edition of Philippines India travel exchange, a very special edition for us. The event has come as an opportunity a,s next year we are celebrating the 'Visit Philippines Year- 2015'. Our event has a unique format, where buyers are seated and sellers have their scheduled appointments. With this format every buyer gets to meet each seller and have an effective meetings. PHILINDEX

Ashwini Kumar, managing partner, Dove Travels, said, “This is my first visit to PHILINDEX and I have learned a lot. This country is also affordable for the budget Indian traveller. I will recommend this destination for the luxury and the honeymoon segment as well and request the Philippines tourism board, India representatives to host a roadshow in my hometown Punjab.”

Mayank Maheshwari, director, Rainbow Vacations, said, “PHILINDEX 2014 has been a good experience for me. The destination has a lot for everyone right from family, honeymooners, young travellers, etc. Rajasthan is a desert state and tourists from this state look for beach destinations, so it will be easy for me to promote.”

2014 has more number of participants than the previous editions. We have also arranged a technical tour to the Pagsanjan waterfalls and also a post fam tour to Cebu, Boracay and Davao City for tour operators to understand the destination. We will surely see a major increase in the Indian tourist footfall in the coming year.”

Speaking about VPY 2015, Maria Corazon G Jorda-Apo, officer-in-charge, market development group, DOT, says, “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.”

Rishiraj Singh Anand, jt. managing director, Jagsons Travel , said, “We have been selling this destination from the last 15- 20 years, the demand has been growing. This country is also well equipped for MICE.”

Sellers Christine Shroff, marketing director, Shroff International Travel Care, said, “We are attending this event since the past four years. We get 60 per cent of our business from the India market. We have seen a 30 per cent increase in Indian travellers coming to Philippines and it is increasing.”

Jagmohan Tamber, general manager, Tamber Travel and Tours, said, “We promote India as a tourist destination in Philippines. The hosted buyers were selected carefully, we had effective meetings with all the buyers.”

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SPOTLIGHT

‘WE ARE WORKING ON DEVELOPING AUNIQUE DIGITALSTRATEGY’ For global IT solutions company, NIIT Technologies, the Travel and Transportation vertical contributes almost 37 per cent of revenues. Vinod Pisharoti - head of Travel, Transportation and Logistics vertical, NIIT Technologies talks about their strategic partnership with customers, including 50 airlines globally

By Sudipta Dev A brief backgrounder of your Travel & Transportation vertical and how it has grown over the years.

NIIT Technologies has built a strong presence through years of experience, deep focus and expertise in the travel and transportation domain across airline, travel distribution, surface transport, airports and logistics sectors. Customers today no longer need vendors who can deliver as per pre-defined contracts. They are seeking strategic partners who can align to their business and at the same time demonstrate functional and technical expertise with flexibility and agility to tackle the dynamic market. The long standing relationships that NIIT Technologies holds today with its customers (over a decade for several customers) is a testimony for its ability to be that technology partner. We chose to focus on select verticals and build capabilities in the travel and transportation domain by building a conducive ecosystem that includes customers, industry bodies, partners and people, both in our organisation and our customer organisations.

This ecosystem keeps us connected to the existing business pain points and emerging trends in the industry based on which the organisation makes investments to come up with industry based solutions.

We are working in partnership with IATA and some key airlines to drive major initia-

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tives like STB, AGM, eCargo, Passenger Standards, SIS, QOSMOS and New Distribution Capability. Over the years, we have grown significantly.

Key highlights and achievements of the company in the domain include an excellent track record of system integration and as a support partner for various large and complex engagements for government programmes; number one ranking in the Datamonitor Black Book of Outsourcing Travel Industry survey, for three years consecutively; over 100 travel industry customers including more than 50 airlines globally.

What is your engagement with the global airline industry?

Airline is one of the strongest sub- vertical at NIIT Technologies with over 50 plus active customers.

What have been your key implementations in airports both in India and overseas?

Implementation of Airport Operations Control Centre (AOCC): NIIT Technologies has signed a multi-year contract with the Airports Authority of India (AAI) for implementation of AOCC. This is the first

jing, Indonesia, Delhi, GRU Brazil, Bengaluru and Mumbai.

Vinod Pisharoti

multi airport project in Asia which will benefit AAI, its customer airlines, and its other stakeholders across 10 cities.

COSYS implementation at GRU Aeroporto Internacional de São Paulo (Sao Paulo International Airport): We have signed a contract to implement a cargo handling system at Sao Paulo International Airport in Brazil, single-platform system that will cater to all performance and operational needs of the cargo terminal at the largest international airport in Latin America. COSYS product has been developed in strategic partnership with SATS. The product is currently active in a number of airports around the globe including Singapore, Taiwan, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Bei-

How do you cater to the needs of the surface transportation sector?

We cater to the needs of the surface transportation sector with point solutions such as: fleet management; train delay monitoring; duty rostering; production planning; ERP implementation. In addition to this we offer our technology services such as managing the IT infrastructure, application development and maintenance, testing, BPO and in emerging areas such as SMAC. What products and services do you offer to the travel distribution industry?

NIIT Technologies has significant expertise in providing innovative IT solutions and services to travel distribution enterprises, online travel companies and travel management companies across the globe. We enable and support a large share of the travel industry’s transactions and have developed and implemented a suite of custom applications like point of sales, mid and back office, and advisory services for varied needs. In the travel dis-

NIIT Technologies has signed a multi-year contract with the Airports Authority of India (AAI) for implementation of AOCC

tribution domain these business functions are addressed: E-commerce, distribution, dynamic packaging, back and mid office systems, customer relationship management, corporate booking.

Your focus on innovation in the travel, transportation and logistics vertical.

We continuously keep innovating through new ideas which add more value to our existing and potential customers. Currently we are working on developing a unique digital strategy which is a multi-dimensional consulting service that is used as a framework to assess the current maturity of the enterprise, identify the gaps, and help it plan and implement the required capabilities in a staged manner. The areas which we are currently looking at are: channel maturity, merchandising, personalised interaction, social media and gamification, channel compatibility, distribution and analytics.

What are your future plans?

Currently the travel segment accounts for 37 per cent of our total revenue and we would continue to drive this growth from the front in the future. Our key focus is to continue growing our customer base and growing within existing accounts. In order to focus and differentiate we continue to strengthen our offerings that will enable our customers deliver measurable business impact.

MOVEMENTS Cathay Pacific Airways

2010 he was appointed area sales manager – northern India.

NAVEED AHMED KHAN has been appointed as area sales manager – western India for Cathay Pacific Airways. Khan will be based out of Mumbai.

He has been with Cathay Pacific Airways since July 2008,

SANDHYA SURAJ KANKANADY has been appointed as Cathay Pacific Airways’ assistant regional corporate sales manager - South Asia. Kankanady will oversee corporate sales for Cathay Pa-

Naveed Ahmed Khan

Sandhya Suraj Kankanady

and has previously done stints in marketing and cargo based in Mumbai. Prior to joining Cathay Pacific Airways, Khan was employed with Etihad Airways and Jet Airways. His total work experience is 14 years.

cific Airways for South Asia based in Bengaluru.

Kankanady joined Cathay Pacific in 1998 through a GSA representation and continued till 2006 as a customer sales officer. She later got an opportunity with Emirates and Etihad, to look after trade sales in Bengaluru. In 2010, she rejoined Cathay Pacific as an account manager Karnataka, overseeing both trade and corporate sales.

ABHIJIT ABHYANKAR has been appointed as Cathay Pacific Airways’ regional marketing communications manager – South Asia. In his new portfolio, Abhyankar will be responsible for the development and execution of all marketing communications’ activities for Cathay Pacific Airways and sister airline Dragonair, in South Asia based in Mumbai. He joined Cathay Pacific Airways in November 2009 as corporate sales manager and in October

Abhijit Abhyankar

RAJESH MENON has been appointed as Cathay Pacific Airways' regional sales and marketing manager - South Asia. Menon will be responsible for overseeing the sales and marketing for Cathay Pacific Airways in the South Asia re-

Rajesh Menon

gion and will be based in Mumbai. Menon has been working with Cathay Pacific since 2005.

Menon will replace Rakesh Raicar who has taken up his new role as country manager, South Africa and Indian Ocean based in Johannesburg.

Etihad Airways Etihad Airways has appointed DIMITRIOS KARAGKIOULES as general manager for Thailand.

Karagkioules, who has more than 20 years of airline experience, takes up the Bangkokbased role after five years in Athens as Etihad Airways general manager for Greece.

Prior to joining Etihad Airways, Karagkioules held a number of Athens-based sales and marketing management roles at Continental Airlines and Delta Airlines.

Wego MAMOUN HMEDAN has been appointed as general manager, Middle East and North Africa (MENA) of Wego. He will lead the regional team based in the Dubai Internet City and also the launch of a TV advertising campaign targeting Arabic speaking markets across the region. Hmedan first joined Wego in 2013 in the role of manager, media sales MENA. He was pivotal in establishing Wego’s media business in the region and also in the setup of Wego’s private advertising marketplace.

TAT The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has appointed CHATTAN KUNJARA NA AYUDHYA as executive director of the advertising and public relations department.

Chattan became the director of the international public relations division in 2012, and was promoted to executive director of the monitoring and risk management department in 2013. He graduated with a degree in Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Chulalongkorn University. He also

San Francisco Travel Association ANTONETTE ECKERT has been appointed to the position of director, international tourism-Asia/Pacific of San Francisco Travel Association. In her new role, Eckert will manage ongoing tourism sales programmes in the Asia/Pacific region, including China, Japan, Korea, Australia, New Zealand, India and Southeast Asia. Eckert comes to San Francisco Travel Association from Visit California where she was director of Asia marketing and previously advertising and co-op marketing manager.

has a Master of Arts in International Relations from Boston University.

L’Hotel du Collectionneur, Paris

ICC Sydney

FRANÇOIS GAGNAIRE has been appointed as executive chef at L’Hotel du Collectionneur – Paris. In 2001, he opened a gourmet restaurant in Puy-en-Velay. In 2006, he earned a Michelin star and in 2009 he was awarded a French National Order of Merit medal.

AEG Ogden has appointed MATHEW PAINE as the HR director of the International Convention Centre Sydney (ICC Sydney). A senior practitioner with more than 14 years of experience in human resource management, Paine joins ICC Sydney’s leadership team after four years as the director of HR with Sofitel Luxury Hotels and Resorts and leadership roles at YWCA NSW, Mindworx UK and Hilton Worldwide.

Paresa, Phuket DAWID KOEGELENBERG has been appointed as general manager of Paresa, a luxury resort in Phuket. A graduate of the Cape Town Hotel School and formerly resort manager at Six Senses Koh Samui, Koegelenberg brings over two decades of experience. He was a chef and later general manager of some of London’s best known restaurants. Koegelenberg relocated to Thailand in 2010 as resort manager of Sarojin Resort in Khaolak, Phuket, and managed Six Senses Koh Samui for two years before his move to Paresa.

FRHI Hotels & Resorts MARTIN KANDRAC has been appointed as executive vice president, real estate and development of FRHI Hotels & Resorts. Based in Zurich, Kandrac will be responsible for all aspects of FRHI’s real estate and development activity worldwide, including regional offices in the Americas, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. As part of this role, Kandrac will also have oversight of FRHI's residential and design and construction teams. He joins FRHI from his most recent position as managing director, real estate in the London office of Mount Kellett Capital Management.

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E V E N T S

BETTER CONNECTIVITY dnata and Qantas recently announced an expansion of their long-term GSA relationship to include dnata’s travel operations in India

WINNING ACCOLADES Kuoni India recently bagged the 2014 Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Gold Award under two categories, Marketing – Industry and Marketing Media - Travel Advertisement Broadcast Media for the entry - Making Holidays a Priority for Indians

SUSTAINABLE FUTURE L-R: Masterchef Saransh Goila and socialite Aarti Surendranath at the World Tourism Day 2014 celebrations held at Meluha The Fern Ecotel in Mumbai

STRATEGIC TIE UP Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing and Dubai Culture & Arts Authority recently signed an MoU to further unite their efforts in promoting Dubai’s cultural and heritage tourism offerings and implement the emirate’s vision and strategy

A GOOD CAUSE Finnair, UNICEF and Amadeus recently formed a partnership to enable travellers to make donations towards the Schools for Asia initiative

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WOMEN FOCUS (Left) Manohar Parrikar, chief minister, Goa addressing the audience at the recently launched women taxi service in the state by Goa Tourism

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.