Express Travelworld (Vol.10, No.9) October, 2015

CONTENTS MANAGEMENT Vol 10 No 9 OCTOBER 2015 Pages 40

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Chairman of the Board

Viveck Goenka Sr Vice President - BPD

Neil Viegas Editor

Reema Lokesh*

ANCIENT LAND, MODERN NATION A COUNTRY OF ANCIENT CHURCHES AND MONASTERIES, ARMENIA IS ALSO A DESTINATION THAT OFFERS MULTIFARIOUS ATTRACTIONS FOR PEOPLE OF ALL AGE GROUPS

Chief of Product

Prabhas Jha Assistant Editor

Steena Joy Sr. Associate Editor

Sudipta Dev CONTENT TEAM Mumbai

Kahini Chakraborty Rituparna Chatterjee

EDGE

Kolkata

Joy Roy Choudhury

THE WAVE FORWARD

DESIGN National Art Director

Bivash Barua

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Strategicallypositioned in South Asia and with a coastline of more than 7,500 km,India's potential to emerge as a global cruise destination is indubitable.

However,easing port taxes and improving port infrastructure,developing river cruising and cruise circuits,among others is the need of the hour (18-21)

Deputy Art Director

Surajit Patro Chief Designer

Pravin Temble Senior Graphic Designerr

Rushikesh Konka Senior Artist

Ratilal Ladani, Kiran Parker SCHEDULING & COORDINATION

Mitesh Manjrekar Photo Editor

A MILESTONE YEAR FOR TOURISM AUSTRALIA THE 13TH EDITION OF TOURISM AUSTRALIA’S BIGGEST TRADE ENGAGEMENT INITIATIVE, INDIA TRAVEL MISSION (ITM) 2015 WHICH WAS HELD IN BENGALURU THIS YEAR DREW OVER 62 AUSTRALIAN SELLERS OFFERING VARIED AUSTRALIAN PRODUCTS

Sandeep Patil MARKETING Regional Heads

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

MARKETS

Marketing Team

Baljinder Singh Ajanta Sengupta Mathen Mathew Ravindra Pawar

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BARRIER-FREE TOURISM GETS A FILLIP IN ACCESSIBLE INDIA CAMPAIGN

INDIA TO SPONSOR WTM BUYERS’ CLUB THIS YEAR

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AIR INDIA TO DEVELOP MUMBAI AS ITS SECONDARY HUB

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SWITZERLAND LAUNCHES WINTER TOURISM FOR INDIAN TRAVELLERS

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SUNIL KUMAR ELECTED AS PRESIDENT OF TAAI

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BOEING PARTNERS WITH IIT MUMBAI FOR SUMMIT ON AEROSPACE INNOVATION

LIFE

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CIRCULATION

Mohan Varadakar PRODUCTION General Manager

B R Tipnis Manager

Bhadresh Valia Cover image courtesy Royal Caribbean International

Express TravelWorld® Reg. No.-MH/MR/SOUTH156\2013-15 RNI Reg. No.MAHENG/2005/15993 Printed by The Indian Express (P) Ltd. 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)

P04: EDITOR’S NOTE P34 : APPOINTMENTS P36 : WEEKEND

Copyright © 2015 The Indian Express (P) 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

A RIVER’S JOURNEY ONE OF INDIA’S FOREMOST AUTHORITIES ON INLAND WATERWAYS AND PIONEER OF RIVER CRUISING, M V NATH, CHAIRMAN AND MANAGING DIRECTOR, VIVADA INLAND WATERWAYS, IS OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THE GREAT OPPORTUNITIES AHEAD

EDITOR’S NOTE

Seeing oceanic opportunities

P

rime Minister Narendra Modi's stand and position on the vitality of the tourism sector was declared loud and clear at the recently held townhall tete-a-tete with the Facebook head honcho. Modi also made another interesting point, when he spoke about adding the fourth D which is 'Deregulation' that leads to efficient governance. The government should not be in the business of running businesses and this is said more specifically with respect to the hospitality sector. Private players who are experts in the field should come ahead and do what they are best at - running enterprises which work as profitable ventures. Truly so. The service industry has its peculiarities and require a certain skill set to achieve results. Apart from processes there are certain intangible elements that have to be incorporated as it is one sector that is highly people oriented.

Within this sector, apart from hospitality experiences on land and in the air, hospitality on sea is a segment though well established internationally is yet to set sail in full force in India. The case in question is of the untapped niche tourism potential of the cruising sector. There have been several sporadic efforts by industry organisations and also cruise companies to make some headway but they have failed to gain the right winds to set sail. There is an ocean of opportunity out there, all one has to do is get serious to clear the bottlenecks and breaks for a smooth voyage. India with its

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“There have been several sporadic efforts by industry organisations and cruise companies to make some headway but they have failed to gain the right winds to set sail”

more than 7,500 km of coastline dotted with places of interest along with 12 major ports and 184 minor ports imparts a natural advantage to the country to attract international cruise liners.

However, there are laws that need to change to make the cruise experience conducive for Indian passengers, similar to other nationalities. According to experts, the infrastructure currently does not help tap this potential and there are challenges on multiple fronts whether in the form of local transportation options, safeguards against overcharging or even the immigration process itself. In fact, the Cochin port has set the benchmark in providing high quality professional service to cruise calls, which other ports can look to emulate in the future. The efforts to promote cruise tourism include creation of a dedicated cruise cell comprising officials of the port, customs, immigration and Central Industrial Security Force on the one hand and tourism ministry and tour operators, on the other. Our cover story this issue takes a holistic view of this untapped but highly buoyant tourism business vertical.

All we need is potential will and private sector vision to get it going across seas.

REEMA LOKESH Editor editorial.etw@expressindia.com

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IN THE NEWS

Barrier-free tourism gets a fillip in Accessible India campaign Sudipta Dev Mumbai THE ACCESSIBLE India campaign initiated by Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD), Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MSJE) includes a separate vertical in the campaign called Accessible Tourism, which is one of the priorities for the department. In an exclusive interaction with Express TravelWorld, Mukesh Jain, joint secretary, DEPwD, MSJE disclosed that his department is coordinating with the Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Tourism and Archaeological Survey of India, to make the places which are of

tourist interest accessible.

“We all need to have many meetings in detail about the phase wise development of this initiative. These places are a part of built environment. The transport also needs to be accessiblefriendly to get to these locations. We are also working on public transport systems, airports, railways stations, bus depots, etc,” said Jain.

By July 2016, 25 per cent of domestic airports and all international airports will become accessible friendly. “We are working with the Ministry of Civil Aviation to enable this.

It is a huge task. We need the support of everyone,” stated Jain. Accessibility of 75 A1 category railway stations in

Mukesh Jain

the country will also get completed by July 2016.

The Accessible India campaign has different verticals the built environment includes

making all buildings accessible - from hospitals to schools to tourist landmarks. Interestingly, the department is not selecting those places, it is the state governments, NGOs, and people at large who have been entrusted with the responsibility of identifying 100 buildings in 48 locations across the country. “These buildings will undergo access audits. The state governments will be asked to carry out retro fittings of those buildings, if they do not have the money then it will be provided by the central government. We would collect a list of the most important buildings in the city which would have the largest impact on people with disability,” said Jain, pointing out that while in

some cities like Agra or Nashik it may be a building attracting tourists but in other cities it might be a college or a hospital.

The department is also launching an app to collect database of places in the country that are not accessible friendly. “If you are standing in front of a building which if you feel is not accessible friendly, then you can take a photograph or click a video and upload that. This information goes to two places - the concerned state ministry and also our department,” said Jain adding that it will help the department to get people's preferences in terms of the most important places for them.

Bihar Tourism to develop Sikh circuit Akshay Kumar Mumbai BIHAR TOURISM is all set to celebrate the 350th birth anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh on January 5, 2017.

Guru Gobind Singh, the 10th Guru of the Sikhs, was born in Patna on December 22, 1666.

He was the pioneer in formalisation and unification of the followers of Guru Nanak. Bihar Tourism plans to gain impetus from this event and increase tourist inflow to the state and develop the Sikh tourism circuit.

Speaking exclusively to Express TravelWorld, Harjot Kaur Bamhrah, secretary, Department of Tourism, Bi-

har said, “Bihar Tourism has been very active in the last few years. We will be celebrating the 350th birth anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh in 2017. This event alone will attract around one crore tourists to the state. Bihar is one of the most important states for religious tourism, we are well known for our Buddhist circuit. Expanding on our forte, we will now focus on other religious circuits like Sikh circuit, Jain circuit and the Hindu Shiva circuit.”

At the birthplace of Guru Gobind Singh there is a Gurdwara in Patna famously known as Takht Sri Patna Sahib. This Gurudwara is as one of the Panch Takhts.

There are other Gurdwaras which commemorate some events of Guru Gobind’s life.

These Gurdwaras are not only

sacred pilgrimages for the Sikhs but are important to be visited by any traveller.

Bamhrah added, “2017

will be a great year for tourism in Bihar. We will also be organising the centenary celebration of the Champaran Satyagraha, which will be initiated by the Bihar Tourism Board. As Champaran Satyagraha is a well known event in the Indian history, we expect a large tourist inflow for this event.”

Presently, Bihar ranks seventh in the country for foreign tourist inflow. On an average, the state receives around 2.5 to three crore tourists each year, out of which majority are foreign tourists. The main source markets are South East Asia, South Korea, China, Japan, Sri Lanka and lately Vietnam.

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IN THE NEWS

Food HospitalityWorld debuts in Goa ETW Staff Panaji IN A NEW milestone, Food Hospitality World (FHW) opened its doors for the first time in Goa. The 26th edition of FHW exhibition was held at Dayanand B Bandodkar Ground, Campal, Panaji from September 29-October 1, 2015.

The three day exhibition was inaugurated by Chef Hemant Oberoi, consultant, Indian Hotels Company (IHCL). Speaking about the exhibition, Chef Oberoi said, “This exhibition is a good platform for the hospitality industry. I met a lot of suppliers, some of whom I al-

ready know. Exhibitions like Food Hospitality World exposes a market like Goa to various business opportunities.”

The event also witnessed the launch of an exclusive coffee table book titled ‘Famous Flavours of Goa’ featuring Goan recipes by well known chefs in the industry.

Dignitaries present during the book launch were Chef Sunit Sharma, Cidade de Goa; Chef Manjit Singh, executive chef, Holiday Inn Resort Goa; Chef Surajit Sarkar, senior sous chef, The O Resort & Spa, Goa; Chef K S Mahesh, executive chef,

Radisson Blu Resort Goa Cavelossim Beach; Chef Edia Cotta, Goan specialty chef at Spice Studio, Alila Diwa Goa; and Chef Farooq Baig, executive chef, The Zuri White Sands, Goa Resort & Casino.

Spread across 3200 sq mtrs of space, the three-day show witnessed many panel discussions like the Power of Purchase on day one. The discussion was based on the ‘Changing face of hospitality procurement’. On the second day, Hospitality Think Tank themed ‘Evolution of Goa as a MICE Destination’ witnessed one of the key general managers, Pooja Patti, gen-

eral manager, Country Inn & Suites by Carlson, Goa Candolim speaking about how MICE is the way forward for all the hotels in Goa. The Hospitality Knowledge Exchange, held on the concluding day, had general managers of leading resorts and villa owners of Goa discussing ‘Goa as a Resort Destination: The Business of Hoteliering’. The Culinary Challenge of Goa, co-hosted by the Culinary Forum of Goa, was held across all the three days.

The FHW trade show has exhibitors from different segments of the food and hospi-

Air India to develop Mumbai as its secondary hub Akshay Kumar Mumbai AIR INDIA has shifted its operations to CSIA's Terminal 2 in Mumbai. With this new development, the airline will fly a total of 63 flights including 11 international and 52 domestic flights from Terminal 2.

Speaking about the new development, Ashwani Lohani, chairman and managing director, Air India said, “It is a great milestone for Air India. We have integrated both our domestic and international flights from one terminal. This will help in reducing the connecting time for passengers. This also gives us an opportunity to develop Mumbai as our secondary hub after

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Delhi.”

This new integration will also help Star Alliance for seamless connections. A total of 11 international carriers under Star Alliance fly out of Mumbai.

Mark F Schwab, chief executive officer, Star Alliance said, “This shift of operation to Terminal 2 was an extremely important move. This will help in decreasing the connecting time between flights. This will also allow us to give a better service to our passengers.”

Presently, Air India caters to 5000 passengers per day at its primary hub, Delhi. In a couple of years it expects to cater to around 3000 passengers per day in Mumbai.

tality industry like F&B, interiors, kitchen equipment, housekeeping, bakery and others, and aims at providing solutions to various industry-related problems. Some of the exhibitors included: Nestle India, Pelican Farm and Dairy LLP, Dhanvantri Agro Foods, Blue Ocean Beverages, Beepee Enterprise, Charnock Equipments, Global Access Hospitality, Apex India and many more.

The FHW trade show is organised by Global Fairs & Media – a joint venture between Hannover Milano Fairs India and The Indian Express.

IN THE NEWS

ETAAto expand footprint in east India Akshay Kumar Mumbai

Sunil Kumar elected as president of TAAI Akshay Kumar Mumbai SUNIL KUMAR, former acting president of Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI) has been elected as the president for a tenure of two years (2015-17). TAAI recently concluded its 64th annual general meeting and elections. A total of 745 votes were casted out of which Kumar bagged 284 votes.

The other presidential candidates, Harmandeep Singh Anand and Rajji Rai got 239 and 219 votes respectively.

Other office bearers who were elected include: Marzban Antia as the vice president; Lokesh Bettaiah as secretary general and Jay Bhatia as

treasurer. While the managing committee members are Anil Kumar, Jyoti Mayal, Shreeram Patel, Imtiaz Qureshi, Bhagwan Ramnani, Devaki Thiagarajan, R Venkatachalam.

Kumar said, “It is a great feeling to win the election. I thank the members of TAAI for showing confidence in our team. The turnout has been fantastic this year. Our immediate agenda will be to form committees and assign responsiblities. We would like to have a stronger connect with the government. We want to evolve this association to make it relevant for today’s time. Our focus will be on training and upgrading our members.”

Enterprising Travel Agents Association (ETAA) is all set to expand footprint in eastern India with a new chapter in Kolkata.

During the 17th annual general meeting, ETAA constituted two new committees namely tourism and hotel committee. ETAA is also planning to introduce an airline committee which is still under pipeline. Carl Vaz, chairman, Charson Advisory will be heading the tourism committee, while Geoff Magee, vice president- operations, The Ambassador Group will be heading the hotels division.

Speaking about the new development, Jagat Mehta, president,

We have formed these committees to simplify our structure and this will help our members

ETAA said, “We have formed these committees to simplify our structure and this will help our members in the long term. The committee heads are industry stalwarts who can take us a long way. The main focus of ETAA is educating our members. In the past we have done various educational programmes for our members which has turned out to be fruitful.”

Recently, ETAA organised several knowledge sessions addressing issues like service tax, cyber crime and also product knowledge sessions in association with Trawelltag, etc. “Earlier, we conducted four sessions with Trawelltag and also many other sessions in all our chapters. Our goal is to educate our members.

On October 24, 2015 we will be hosting a corporate training programme on employee engagement. We will ensure that we organise such sessions quarterly in each of our chapters,” explained Mehta.

Speaking about challenges, Mehta added, “As of today, the only challenge which we see is competition with the online players. We have created ETAA as a platform to address these challenges and find out the way forward.”

IN THE NEWS

India to sponsor WTM Buyers’Club this year ETW Staff Mumbai WORLD TRAVEL Market (WTM) London 2015 has announced that India Tourism will be the sponsor of its WTM Buyers’ Club as it looks to promote India to the global travel industry as a safe and year-round luxury destination. In 2014, 7.7 million tourists visited India, a growth of more than 10 per cent from just under seven million (6.97m) in 2013. In the first six months of 2015, the country welcomed 3.85 million tourists, up 3.4 per cent on the same six months in 2014.

Dr Lalit Panwar, ex-secretary (tourism), Government of India said, “India is happy to be sponsoring the WTM Buyers’

Club for WTM London 2015.

The objective of the ministry of tourism is to promote India as a year round luxury destination through its vibrant destinations and tourism products and to increase tourist traffic to the country. There is an ever-increasing amount of new and exciting products to educate the world’s leading buyers about. WTM London is an event where the Indian tourism stakeholders get to meet the world’s buyers and sign business agreements. The ministry of tourism and the Indian exhibitors are looking forward to a very successful WTM London 2015.”

India is looking to increase its tourism numbers further by enticing tour operators from global source markets to pro-

mote the country as a year round luxury destination. The key to India’s strategy is to focus on a variety of niche products including- rural, wellness, medical, adventure, golf, MICE and cruise tourism –to overcome the aspect of ‘seasonality’ by promoting India as a 365 days destination, and expanding out from its most popular period of October to March.

India’s most popular destinations are Delhi, Agra and Jaipur, popularly known as the Golden Triangle, Rajasthan, Goa, Kerala and Kashmir. However, a greater focus is being put on North East India - Assam, Meghalaya, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Tripura and Mizoram. Furthermore, India has an array of new

India is looking to increase its tourism numbers further by attracting global tour operators products to promote to the world’s leading buyers at WTM London 2015; including the development of its cruise industry, which will see Royal Caribbean include Indian ports in its itineraries from October. Other lead-

ing global cruise companies operating from India include Oceania Cruises and AIDA Cruises. A string of luxury global hotel chains including Rotana, Meininger, Jumeirah and Six Senses are scheduled to open a number of hotels in the next two years, further enhancing India’s position as a luxury destination.

Simon Press, senior director, WTM London said, “WTM London 2015 will host more than 9,000 of the world’s most important buyers through the WTM Buyers’ Club. These buyers will sign deals worth more than £2.5 million with exhibitors. India is in prime position to promote its exciting range of tourism products to these buyers through its sponsorship of the WTM Buyers’ Club.”

Thailand promotes luxury travel for Indian travellers Akshay Kumar Mumbai TOURISM AUTHORITY of Thailand (TAT) is promoting luxury experiences to Indian travellers by hosting the third luxury roadshow in India.

This three-city roadshow in Mumbai, Delhi and Ludhiana, witnessed some of the niche products that Thailand has to offer. With this move, Thailand is now more focused in quality tourism strategy.

Presently, seven to 10 per cent of the total Indian arrivals are luxury travellers.

Kittipong Prapattong, director ASEAN, South Asia and South Pacific market division, TAT said, “Thailand is now moving to a more qual-

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ity- focussed tourism strategy. We want travellers who are looking for a higher quality of experience in Thailand.

This doesn’t mean we are only targeting the niche HNI segment, but also the middle class qualifies as our target audience, if they are looking to spend a little extra on having an extraordinary experience in Thailand that he might not be able to afford in many other parts of the world. The Indian market has a lot of potential and it is one of the top spenders in our nation. We want to create experiences where Indians can increase their length of stay.”

In 2014, The Kingdom of Thailand had marked a drop of six to nine per cent in

tourist footfall. Thailand had received around 0.94 million tourists from India as compared to 1.02 million in 2013.

One of the major reasons for the decrease in tourism was the coup d’état in the Kingdom from May 2014. But this

The India market has a lot of potential and it is one of the top spenders in Thailand

year Thailand has already witnessed a considerable growth in tourist inflow from India.

Speaking about the growth, Soraya Homchuen, director, TAT Mumbai office said, “From January- August 2015, we have received around seven lakh tourists from India. We want to keep a track and reach our target of one million mark again this year end.”

Proving a good year for tourism, in 2015 once again there was a downfall after the bombing which took place on August 17 inside the Erawan Shrine at the Ratchaprasong intersection. This incidence again impacted tourism in Thailand, but still the num-

bers from India was not impacted.

Prapattong added, “Yes, there was a knee-jerk reaction globally due to the bombing incident, though I know India didn’t react very much.

Globally, we saw 300,000 cancellations instantly. But within a few days, numbers were back and people were booking again. The Hong Kong market which is one of our biggest source markets began to travel to Thailand again in a few days following the blasts. Their social media posts and their confidence was contagious and I think they helped most of our travellers return. They helped change global perception and rebuild confidence.”

IN THE NEWS

Switzerland launches winter tourism for Indian travellers Rituparna Chatterjee Mumbai SWITZERLAND TOURISM recently launched the 'In Love with Switzerland' campaign in India to celebrate 150 years of winter tourism and to promote tourism to Switzerland from India during the winter season, apart from the summer season.

The campaign highlights some new and popular regions like Davos, St Moritz, Ticino and a range of new winter activities and events like sledging, cricket on ice, Snow Polo World Cup St Moritz, and several other mountain experiences. Elaborating on this, Claudio Zemp, director –

India, Switzerland Tourism stated, “Through this campaign we are looking at promoting the winter season, and new experiences, attracting more FITs and increasing overnights outside the peak season, which is from May to June. We expect to see a rise of 15-20 per cent overnights in the winter months and expect this growth to come in from the metro cities as the product is more for the evolved traveller.”

Meanwhile, Switzerland Tourism is also promoting the 'Grand Tour of Switzerland', launched this year, in the India market. The grand tour is a 1600 km road trip that combines all of the destination's

popular natural and touristic highlights in one journey. This tour can be done from different gateways like Geneva, Zurich, Basel, etc and can be split into any number of journeys.

After a stagnant growth over the last three years, 2015 witnessed a 26.7 per cent growth in Indian tourists during January-June this year from India, with June recording over 40 per cent growth over 2014. Sharing his views on the India market, Zemp stated, “We have good growth coming in from China, India, GCC and the US. It will be great if we can maintain the 20 per cent growth year-on-year.”

Switzerland Tourism is promoting the 'Grand Tour of Switzerland', launched this year, in the India market.

The grand tour is a 1600 km road trip Claudio Zemp

Malindo Air introduces direct flights from Trichy to Penang ETW Staff Mumbai TOURISM MALAYSIA and Malindo Air have announced the launch of the first direct flight from Trichy to Penang.

Trichy Airport has become the first international airport to have direct flight services to Penang, Malaysia which is in addition to the 10 flight operations of Malindo Air to Kuala Lumpur from Trichy.

Malindo Air will operate two services a week on Tuesdays and Saturdays. The flight will depart from Penang airport at 8.30 pm and arrive at

Trichy airport at 9.40 pm. In the return direction, it will depart from Trichy at 10.30 pm and reach Penang at 4.45 am,

the following day. Malindo Air’s network carrier allows passengers from Trichy to Penang in connecting other domestic des-

We foresee an encouraging passenger growth from South India, particularly Trichy, a huge market for Malaysia as a large portion of Malaysia’s Indian population is from this region of India

tinations in Malaysia as well.

Speaking at the launch Noor Azman Samsudin, director, Tourism Malaysia, Chennai said, “The decision by Malindo Air to start this new route emphasises the value and importance of tourism, trade and business links between India and Malaysia. In fact, India is the sixth largest contributor to the tourism sector in Malaysia. We hope that this new air link will contribute to boost tourism in support of MYFEST 2015, encouraging Indian tourists to come more often and stay longer in order to enjoy the

festival offerings nationwide.”

Chandran Rama Muthy, chief executive officer, Malindo Air said, “We are excited to announce the news of our expansion in the cities of India. We foresee an encouraging passenger growth from South India, particularly Trichy, a huge market for Malaysia as a large portion of Malaysia’s Indian population is from this region of India.”

The Boeing 737-900ER series aircraft will operate in this sector, with a seating capacity of 180 which includes 168 economy and 12 business class seats.

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IN THE NEWS FUTURE NEXT / NEIL PATIL FOUNDER & DIRECTOR, VEENA WORLD MY SUCCESS MANTRA

MY STRESS BUSTER

‘Just be yourself, trust your instinct’. Be it at Veena World or during my stint in Australia, I have always followed my instinct and more often than not, it has helped me.You have to trust yourself and go after your goals.

I practise crossfit most days of the week. On the days I can't, there's football in the evenings. I also have a fascination for cooking and will be often found in the kitchen. It's the best stress buster after a long day.

MY FIRST MILESTONE

MY FAVOURITE MANAGEMENT BOOK

Having the guts to ask my mother to leave everything behind and set up a new travel company from scratch.

MY INSPIRATION IN LIFE I have always admired the Richard Branson style of business. Practically out of nothing, he has been able to build an empire.At my desk, I have Bill Gates’ famous line ‘Business at the speed of thought’written in bold, that acts as a constant reminder to never get complacent or overconfident.

BIGGEST CAREER LEARNING ‘Without your team, you are nothing’. The line ‘We are in it together’completely embodies the Veena World culture.There is nothing called ‘one-man show’in business.

You have to keep up with the times and internet is the best library. I do like reading the Harvard Business Review with its ever so interesting research topics and industry case studies.

USP OFVEENAWORLD TEAM The Veena World team has grown from a mere 35 of us to 550 in a span of two and a half years. Being a travel company, our organisational culture is one that is all about fun and excitement.The team is filled with positive energy and has always been forward looking.

MY DREAM DESTINATION Having been to Antarctica in 2011, I would one day like to visit the North Pole. One can only

imagine how thrilling the expedition would be on board the world's most powerful nuclear icebreaker '50 years of Victory'.

The aim is to get this done before I turn 30.

VISION FOR THE COMPANY At Veena World, we promote affordable tourism. For a while now, travel has been projected as a luxury that only a few can enjoy.We want to change that.

We feel that even a streetfood vendor should be able to travel the world.When you travel, you meet people from different cultures and you are able to look at the world in a different way. For this, we want to get every Indian to travel both within India and across the world.

MYADVICE TO THE GEN-NEXT India has a very competitive business environment, but also one that promotes ideas and has been the case recently, one that is encouraging startups. So if you have an idea, work on it, bring it to the market, and you will find the right people and resources to help you with it.At the

Neil Patil

same time, take note that hurdles will keep showing up and challenge your rules and principles. Its your ability to tackle them head on and emerge out of them with your head held high that will define you as a good leader in the long run. Finally, remember to work hard, but don’t let your social life take a hit, party harder.

(As told to Akshay Kumar)

Boeing partners with IITMumbai for summit on aerospace innovation ETW Staff Mumbai BOEING and the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay are to convene a summit on aerospace innovation in New Delhi on October 16, 2015. Bringing together thought leaders and stakeholders from government, industry, academia and research institutions, the summit will focus on India’s role in the second

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century of aerospace by exploring ideas that are redefining the future of aerospace and examining the transformative nature of new technologies in space and aviation.

The event is part of a special series of forums and celebrations Boeing is organising around the world as it approaches its centennial in 2016.

The Boeing story began in 1916 after Bill Boeing flew in a barn-

stormer’s floatplane over Lake Washington, later remarking, “I think we can build a better one”.

Jim McNerney, chairman, Boeing said, “As we look to our second century in business, it is clear that India has the talent, technology and entrepreneurial resources to play a pivotal role in the evolution of the aerospace industry. Boeing is working with local companies to help strengthen all aspects of the In-

dian aerospace industry, including manufacturing, sourcing, engineering, and research and development.”

Pratyush Kumar, president, Boeing India said, “With India’s aerospace sector ready to take off, New Delhi provides the perfect place to exchange ideas such as India’s disruptive technological innovation; how to create an aerospace environment to realise the full potential of “Make

in India”; how space exploration will continue to change life on Earth; and, finally, what it takes to create a highly skilled aerospace manufacturing workforce.

We are thrilled to convene this summit in India to accelerate the development of the aerospace sector, which is critical for meeting objectives of the ‘Make in India’ programme and harnessing India’s full potential for aerospace and defense.”

IN THE NEWS

India to rank 9th in top 20 source markets for tourism to the US by 2021 Rituparna Chatterjee Mumbai THE US has witnessed a steady increase in Indian tourists. According to the US Department of Commerce, in 2014, India ranked 11th amongst the top 20 tourist generating countries for the US with 961,790 arrivals, an increase of 11.9 per cent over the previous year. By 2021, India is projected to jump up to the ninth position and is ex-

pected to constitute a larger portion of all arrivals to the US, averred Carroll Rheem, vice president – research and analytics, Brand USA on the sidelines of Brand USA's recently concluded fourth annual India Mission organised for the Indian travel trade across Chennai, Mumbai and New Delhi. She added, “We are excited to see India become the head of the pack in terms of GDP growth, which is a strong economic indicator

and that is why expect a strong growth rate in terms of arrivals. The GDP growth forecast from The World Bank places India at around eight per cent in the years to come.”

Despite the rupee slumping below `66/dollar, Brand USA hopes that there won't be any significant impact on the arrivals. Elaborating on this, Rheem stated, “Historically speaking, for roughly every 10 per cent increase in the value of the dollar against any currency

there is an approximate two per cent negative impact on arrivals.

Generally most travellers do not make changes to their travel plans until it reaches about 10 per cent and above. Recently, the dollar strengthened a bit compared to 2013 by a little over 10 per cent. We might start to see some impact and if we do it will be very slight. However, until now we do not think there has been any significant impact on arrivals."

The US has witnessed a

strong growth in the VFR segment. “We do a survey every year on Indian long haul travellers travelling for leisure outside of Asia. One of the things that we ask is if they have friends or families living in the US and about 80 per cent of them reply in the affirmative,” she opined, adding that, Houston, Miami, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, are quite popular among the Indians, while Hawaii in recent times has seen to be gaining ground.

Czech Republic witnesses 20% growth in tourist footfall from India Akshay Kumar Mumbai CZECH REPUBLIC, a nation located in central Europe, recently witnessed a 20 per cent increase in tourist footfall from India. In 2014, the destination received around 9,000 visa applications which is a 20 per cent growth as compared to 2013. In a new development, VFS Global has launched two VFS Visa Application centres for Czech Republic in Mumbai and New Delhi.

Milan Hovorka, ambassador designate, Czech Republic in India said, “India is a vast market, it has a lot of potential. As of now, we are focusing on Mumbai and Delhi market, but apart from these we would love to strengthen our ties with other parts of the country. In recent

The nation is keen on tapping the student segment for which they have launched a 'Study in Prague' programme Milan Hovorka

years, many Indians are willing to travel to Czech Republic, we have seen a lot of people applying for visas. In 2014, we received around 9000 applications, which is a growth of 20 per cent as compared to 2013. We already

have witnessed an excellent growth in the first half of 2015.

We have received 7500 applications till now.”

Prague, the capital of Czech Republic has been a popular destination for the In-

dian travellers and also Bollywood. Many films have been shot in Prague in recent years, which has given a boost to tourism in this European nation.

Speaking about the destination, Hovorka said, “Prague is the most popular destination amongst Indian travellers. There are many other places which are still to be explored and we are seeing a steady growth. Also, our nation has certain niche products to offer like the golf tourism and spa and wellness. We have world-class spa therapies and also thermal spas in Czech Republic.

Also, we have over 80 golf courses in the country which is again a segment we are exploring.”

The Government of Czech

Republic also provides incentives for filmmakers from all over the globe. Film tourism has not only increased tourism, but has also opened avenues for employment generation. Also, the nation is keen on tapping the students segment for which they have launched a programme called, 'Study in Prague'.

Speaking about the new VFS Visa Appication centres, Hovorka said, “Already we provide a high quality visa service in India. But with the official opening of VFS Visa Application centres in Mumbai and New Delhi our services will be much better. The new visa facilities demonstrate continuous commitment of the Czech authorities to improve quality of service for visa applicants.”

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IN THE NEWS

Belmond eyes India for hotel expansion Rituparna Chatterjee Mumbai BELMOND, a hotel and leisure company operating high-end hotels, trains and river cruises around the world, is eyeing India for expanding its hotel portfolio in Asia and is exploring Mumbai, Delhi and Goa for the same. Speaking on the sidelines of the recently held Belmond Media Champagne HighTea in Mumbai, Andrea Filippi, executive director, Worldwide

Sales, Belmond stated, “For the time being we will be exploring Mumbai, Delhi and Goa and will be expanding through ownership and management contracts with a preference for the latter. In today's times, in management contracts you need to be an investor along with the owner and this would be our preferred way to break into the market.”

Sharing the reason for selecting India for the brand's expansion, Filippi added, “We

have a diversified customer base with some of the strongest markets being North America, UK and Europe. India's centralised location makes it ideal for attracting our existing customers from the US, Europe.”

Presently, Belmond has a presence in Asia with properties in Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand.

Apart from India, Belmond is also exploring other new markets like Vietnam and Mainland China. “In the past four-

five years we started developing the Asian market and we are seeing that Asia is growing at a much faster pace than other markets. We have been developing Japan for 20 years, but India is a new market and interestingly there is a much higher level of brand awareness in this country considering this is the first time we are doing an official event and have not been advertising as well,” mentioned Filippi.

Belmond has been receiving

an increasing number of Indian travellers to its properties worldwide. Officially, the company entered the India market last year through Heavens Portfolio, which offers representation services to unique travel experiences throughout the world. “My main mission is to grow the number of outbound Indian travellers. While my colleague will be developing the product portfolio and talking to potential investors,” he mentioned.

Udaipur hotels most searched by Chinese travellers to India Sudipta Dev Mumbai THE CHINESE travellers are a formidable force in global travel and the tourism sector.

Forecasts predict outbound Chinese travellers could number around 174 million in four years’ time spending US$ 264 billion annually. A significant segment of outbound Chinese travellers, as per the recent Hotel.com CITM Report 2015, comprises of ‘millennial’ travellers. “Interestingly, Udaipur is at the top of the list of Indian destinations searched by Chinese travellers on Hotels.com during the first six months of 2015,” said Amit Agarwal, senior marketing manager, Hotels.com. Other destinations in India, most searched by Chinese travellers (in terms of ranking) are - New Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Gurgaon, Jaipur, Kolkata, Agra and Hyderabad.

In India, the average daily spending on hotel by Chinese travellers is 949 RMB (`9,815).

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Amit Agarwal

“Hoteliers confirm that the growth in Chinese guest numbers observed previously is continuing. Almost two-thirds experienced an increase in Chinese guests at their properties over the past year,” stated Agarwal.

While India does not figure in the list of the top 10 destinations for Chinese travellers (Australia, Japan, France, Hong Kong, South Korea, USA, Maldives, Ger-

many, Thailand, Taiwan), but with prime minister Narendra Modi announcing e-visas for Chinese tourists, it will give a fillip to inbound arrivals from China which became the 77th country to get the facility. “Issuing visa on arrival to Chinese tourists

will help the Indian tourism industry immensely,” mentioned Agarwal, pointing out that Chinese travellers visit India for recreation, sightseeing, or casual visits to friends/relatives. Short-duration medical treatment or casual business visits are also

covered. The report also stated that travel bookings via mobile phones are soaring as half of all Chinese outbound travellers used their mobile phones to plan and book trips, compared with just 17 per cent the previous year.

IN THE NEWS

Monaco partners with LFW 2015 to promote the destination for weddings ETW Staff Mumbai MONACO Government Tourist Bureau recently associated itself with Lakme Fashion Week Winter/Festive 2015 where celebrity designer Narendra Kumar showcased his collection inspired by the fashion character and style of Monaco. The collection was titled as 'Monaco Diaries' by the designer, whose clothing line was about destination wedding and the journey. The collection was inspired by Audrey Hepburn wherein Kumar did an amalgamation of the old-world charm and yet kept it for the new-age Indians.

Rajeev Nangia, director, Monaco Government Tourist Bureau said, "We are targeting the young and new-age Indians who have taste for the best. The Lakme Fashion Week gave us the perfect platform to showcase the destination through Kumar's designs.

He has blended his collection with the Indian taste but has not compromised on elegance, glamour and opulence which Monaco is known for. We wanted to showcase Monaco to the discerning audience who are inclined towards travelling in style. Destination weddings have become a recent trend among Indians.

Monaco has hosted a few Indian weddings in the past and we want to reach out to the consumers who are looking for newer and luxurious destinations."

The fashion week was witnessed by various people from across the industry and by many renowned fashion designers and celebrities. Speaking on this occasion, Kumar said, "Monaco encompasses heritage, luxury and elegance – it's an appropriate collaboration as these characteristics reflect in my own sensibilities interpreted through modern silhouettes combined with tra-

L-R: Celebrity designer Narendra Kumar being presented with a voucher for a stay at Hotel Fairmont, Monaco by Rajeev Nangia, director, Monaco Government Tourist Bureau during the Lakme Fashion Week Winter/Festive 2015 show

ditional craftsmanship and sharp tailoring."

British model and former footballer, Stephen James

walked the ramp. The principality of Monaco has been long associated with fashion, glamour and luxurious

lifestyle. It is synonymous with beautiful people, glamour, casinos and its famous Grand Prix.

Bhubaneswar celebrates World Tourism Day Joy Roy Choudhury Bhubaneswar A MEGA CARNIVAL of floats on different tourism themes was organised in Bhubaneswar, by Odisha Tourism Department in association with the Federation of Hotel & Restaurant Associations of India (FHRAI), to commemorate 'World Tourism Day' coinciding with the Golden Jubilee Convention of FHRAI being held in the city. The event was kickstarted by SC Jamir, gover-

nor, Odisha in presence of Ashok Chandra Panda, state tourism minister; LN Gupta, principal secretary, department of tourism, Government of Odisha and other im-

portant dignitaries.

The carnival was a show of a variety of tourism products with a dozen tableaux depicting Buddhist heritage of Odisha, wildlife, tribal art and

The World Tourism Day carnival was planned to showcase the rich culture and heritage as well as popular tourist destinations of the state

ancient Buddhist treasures of Dhauli, dancing troupes of Odisha, West Bengal, Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, Assam, etc. and vintage cars, motorcycles, college and school children carrying placards of the World Tourism Day theme '1 Billion Tourists - 1 Million Opportunities'.

Adding colour to the procession were folk artists and classical dancers from different regions of Odisha. The carnival provided a platform to folk art forms like Jodi Sankha, Ghata Badya, Dulduli

and dances like Ranapa, Ghoda Nacha, Mask Dance besides Odissi and tribal dances. Artists from Odisha also performed the famous Naga Medha, Durga Medha and Ravana Medha making the event a visual treat for the audience.

A senior official of the state's tourism department said, “The World Tourism Day carnival was planned to showcase the rich culture and heritage as well as popular tourist destinations of the state.”

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IN THE NEWS

India a priority emerging market for Armenia Sudipta Dev Yerevan INDIA AND ARMENIA have cultural and historic ties that go a long time back, but in terms of tourism for Indian visitors Armenia is still a little known destination. “India is a priority emerging market for us. We have a lot of things in common.

The people of our country feel comfortable in India and vice versa,” said Sergey Avetisyan, deputy minister, Republic of Armenia Ministry of Economy. In Armenia the Ministry of Economy includes tourism as a segment of the economy. There is a department of tourism within the ministry which deals with policies of tourism, laws, regulations. The Armenian Development Foundation is the implementing arm of the policies.

Pointing out that countries like Armenia and Ukraine are obviously interested in attracting tourists from India, Avetisyan stated, “You have a

huge population and we are obviously interested in Indian tourists in terms of the numbers.

But besides the numbers our historic and other linkages connect us. And that is why we have good potential for developing tourism.”

Avetisyan however acknowledged that Armenia will never be a mass tourism destination.

“Our country is primarily a cultural tourism destination. We have our phenomenal history, deep roots into pagan culture, and into Christianity, being the first Christian nation. In terms of tourism our first position is cultural and historic tourism.

Following which are nature based experiences like hiking, eco tourism, etc. People normally come here because of culture and heritage. The Armenian diaspora is huge, we have Armenians spread all across the world, who are our natural ambassadors telling about our country to their friends. There are Armenian societies,

Sergey Avetisyan

churches in many countries,” he mentioned.

The ministry is in talks with the travel trade community in Armenia to understand their interests and channel the resources through them. “Next year we will give the money from our budget to the travel trade industry. We will help them.

Tourism is about the private sector,” stated Avetisyan.

It is not just India, Avetisyan remarked that other Asian countries like Philippines are interested in Armenia. “The whole tourism sector is about history,

stories and fairy tales, and people need that kind of thing. You always welcome someone who is packaging that and giving it to you,” he said.

TrawellTag Cover-More opens regional office in Delhi-NCR ETW Staff Mumbai TRAWELLTAG Cover-More has opened its regional office at Rajendra Place, DelhiNCR. The opening of the new office in Delhi is the most recent expansion of TrawellTag Cover-More’s presence in Northern

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region. The inauguration ceremony was graced by George Saunders, Asia CEO, Cover-More and his spouse Elizabeth Saunders.

Speaking on the occasion, Dev Karvat, managing director, TrawellTag Cover-More said, “The opening of new office in Delhi marks a new

Dev Karvat

milestone for TrawellTag Cover-More representing our continued and sustained efforts to keep abreast with global trends. With the new location and upgrade in infrastructure, we aim to better assist our clients and customers and enhance their overall experience.”

Saunders said, “It was a great pleasure to officiate the opening of TTCM’s regional office in Delhi. We are pleased to have taken this step in our India expansion, the new office with state-ofart amenities will only further enrich our Indian operations towards sustainable business growth.”

IN THE NEWS

NYC & Co focuses on new neighbourhood spotlights Sudipta Dev Mumbai INDIA IS ONE of the most important emerging markets for New York City. Last year saw more than 263,000 visitors from India and the numbers are expected to grow beyond the forecast of 278,000. The growth is expected in both business as well as leisure travel segment. "We have been in the market for a period of time and we have a well developed strategy to do this.

Initially when we came into the market several years ago we were focused on the main iconic tourists attractions in New York City. The focus now is making the Indian visitor understand the diverse offerings of the city we want to show them the five

boroughs,” said Christopher Heywood, senior vice president of global communications, NYC & Company, pointing out that New York is not just Manhattan but also the other four boroughs - Brooklyn, Queens, Bronx, and Staten Island.

There is a focus on new neighbourhood spotlights.

Corona, Queens is the next neigbourhood featured in the Insider Guide which was unveiled in India recently as part of NYC & Company’s global ‘new’ New York tour. “We are trying to put a lot of spotlight on Queens.

Brooklyn had got a lot of attention as the coolest borough, but now everyone is looking at Queens. We have been doing a lot of work to promote what the borough has to offer,” stated

Heywood, adding that, there is a diverse array of experiences across all neighbourhoods and the message is to go below the

surface and cultivate and find those authentic New York City experiences.

One of the other focus areas

this year is the message about 'new' New York. This includes all the unprecedented attractions and developments, hotel supply coming into the market. In terms of new attractions leading the list is the recently opened One World Observatory which is the tallest building in United States. The Whitney Museum of American Art and the Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration are the other major new attractions.

“This year 10,000 hotels rooms will be added to the rooms inventory in New York which will increase from 103,000 hotel rooms to 113,000 hotel rooms. The next couple of years will see the numbers increase to 124,000 hotel rooms,” mentioned Heywood.

WNS introduces technology suite for travel industry ETW Staff Mumbai WNS, one of the leading provider of global Business Process Management (BPM) services, has launched a nextgeneration technology solution suite for the global travel and leisure industry. This new set of offerings leverages highend embedded analytics, automation and web-based 'ondemand' infrastructure to address real-life business challenges such as travel disruption, revenue recovery, inter-

line fare audit and queue management. These solutions cut across multiple sectors of the travel and leisure vertical, including airlines, online travel agencies (OTA), travel management companies (TMC), hotels, cruise lines and car rental companies.

Keshav R Murugesh, group CEO, WNS said, “The travel industry needs bold new ways of addressing operational pain points and staying ahead of the curve. WNS is delighted to announce the launch of a new suite of technology and analytics-enabled solutions for the

travel and leisure industry. We believe that this solution suite born out of domain expertise and experience with leading travel industry players will enable growth strategies for businesses.”

The technology solution suite includes: RePAX- An automated, ondemand, passenger experience solution, which helps airlines and OTAs transform travel disruption handling. It is an end-to-end customer experience solution that rebooks passengers in case of delayed or cancelled flights,

and automatically makes corresponding changes in their hotel booking, calculates refunds, sends out instant status alerts to passengers and airline companies during flight disruptions.

Q-Bay- A fully automated, hosted queue management platform for multi-location, account and GDS environments.

This platform enables a single centralised view to the entire operations spread across multiple geographies with realtime distribution of work across centers dynamically to manage high-transaction vol-

ume periods.

SmartPro– The first-of-itskind fully-automated, web-enabled proration engine that helps airlines make better revenue management decisions.

Verifare PlusSM- A comprehensive fare audit platform with inbuilt high-end analytics that will significantly transform the revenue recovery strategy for airline companies.

It offers end-to-end audit services across the ticket lifecycle for all types of fares sold world-wide, through any type of distribution channel.

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HOSPITALITY

Climbing the hospitality ladder ETW Staff Mumbai PASSIONATE about the hospitality industry, Monica Suri commenced her journey as a hotel management trainee with Taj Hotels and Resorts in the food and beverage service department, one of the most challenging departments for women to work in. While with the company she was appointed to supervise operations at the bar and Chinese restaurant in the capacity of assistant manager.

Suri wanted to harness a perfect balance between her professional and personal life and hence took a sabbatical to enrich her family. She joined back few years later as a trainer. It was during her stint as a trainer that she realised her passion lied in development of associates by

setting benchmarks.

She later worked with Le Meridien Ahmedabad for a year before relocating to Tanzania-East Africa with her family and taking on the role of a corporate trainer for a set of six hotels. She reinitiated her professional journey as the training manager with Le Meridien Ahmedabad, a 64 room property where she successfully transformed the training department in a short span of time.

From her success it was evident that she would be given more responsibility of a larger property - The Westin Hyderabad Mindspace, a 428 room property during preopening and then rising to complex director of HR and training at The Westin Sohna Resort and Spa and The Westin Gurgaon New Delhi.

After writing many success stories, she became the

Monica Suri

first lady hotel manager at Westin Sohna Resort and Spa. The property turned around quickly with 20 per cent hike in RevPar, leading the hotel with consistent

achievements on RevPAR, marketing, energy conservations, thus resulting in one of the highest GOP contributions.

While continuing her successful stint she was appointed as the general manager of Le Meridien Kochi as task force to assist with the operations due to tough business environment. During her short span of two months, she brought organisational cultural transformation, new outlook on business and focused vision which contributed further to the development of the associates and the company’s performance.

This impressive turnaround was not an easy feat and Starwood immediately appointed her as the general manager at one of the largest MICE Starwood properties – the first home grown lady general manager in the whole

MoTlaunches special cleaning campaign at Assi Ghat in Varanasi ETW Staff Mumbai THE UNION minister of state for culture and tourism and civil aviation, Dr. Mahesh Sharma has launched a special cleaning campaign at the recently renovated historic Assi Ghat in Varanasi. Launching a cleaning drive at the excavated and restored historic Assi Ghat, the union minister inaugurated a world class Sulabh public toilet on the occasion. Dr Sharma while lauding the effort of Sulabh called upon other organisations to come forward to adopt

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and clean other ghats. He said a plan is being drafted to clean garbage by using boats as garbage disposal is a major problem in the historic city due to narrow lanes. Now boats will ferry garbage to dump at certain points.

Dr Sharma said, “A comprehensive plan for the all round development and beautification of the ghats of Varanasi and cleaning of River Ganga is underway to fulfill the wishes of Prime Minister, Narendra Modi.” There are also plans which have been finalised to hold light and sound shows at Assi Ghat soon.”

of South Asia in Starwood and first one ever in Kochi.

Suri holds vast expeirence of more than a decade in luxury brands of hospitality but still enjoys daily challenges of developing people and raising the quality bar at every opportunity. She is a highly enthusiastic person with high business acumen and loves travelling for wellness and exploring difficult terrains outdoors. Her particular strengths in business development, project management and team leadership with a passion for driving continuous improvements in operating standards and quality have helped her in climbing the corporate ladder to reach the apex. She believes that leadership is about making others better as a result of your presence and making sure that impact lasts in your absence.

cover story)

THE WAVE

I

Initially considered to be the privilege of the elite, the only option for the aged and an obvious choice for the honeymooners, the cruise tourism market has over the years broken away from this stereotypical image to appeal to a much larger traveller base. Today, cruise tourism is becoming an increasingly popular leisure choice worldwide thereby gaining greater significance in the global tourism pie and creating a niche for itself. Recognising cruise tourism as a thrust area, the

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government of India has been wanting to promote the cruise tourism industry and position India as a global cruise destination. The possibilities for achieving this goal are immense. For instance, firstly, India with its more than 7,500 km of coastline dotted with places of interest along with 12 major ports and 184 minor ports imparts a natural advantage to the country to attract international cruise liners. Secondly, India's reputation as an exotic, historic and beautiful destination can be used to position the country as an international cruise destination and

move into this market. Thirdly, India’s positioning in South Asia and its proximity to popular cruise destinations also opens up the prospect of creating strong cruise circuits over a period of time. And lastly, India's robust domestic tourism sector can also be tapped to develop a strong domestic cruise sector that can complement the growth and support viability.

“India has always been a preferred tourist destination for passengers worldwide. With the introduction of e-visa to 113 nationalities worldwide, inbound traffic to India has been on the

rise consistently. By possessing a coastline of around 7500 km covering beautiful tourist destinations, India can definitely become a popular cruise destination in the future,” opines Kunal Sampat, general manager – India, MSC Cruises.

Despite these advantages, factors that have been prohibiting the positioning of India as a cruise tourism destination are the lack of basic cruise-related infrastructure at ports, a complex tax regime coupled with tedious immigration processes, among others. Adding to this is the laws of the land which pro-

hibits passengers on board cruise ships doing stopover at Indian ports from cruising between the country's ports.

“These laws need to change to make the cruise experience conducive for Indian passengers, similar to other nationalities.

The infrastructure currently does not help tap this potential either and there are challenges on multiple fronts whether in the form of local transportation options, safeguards against overcharging or even the immigration process itself,” states Ratna Chadha, chief executive, Tirun Travel Marketing, the ex-

(

THE MAIN FOCUS

Strategically positioned in South Asia and with a coastline of more than 7,500 km, India's potential to emerge as a global cruise destination is indubitable. However, easing port taxes and improving port infrastructure, developing river cruising and cruise circuits, among others is the need of the hour

BY RITUPARNA CHATTERJEE

clusive India representatives of Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises and Azamara Club Cruises. Though many international cruise companies are lobbying with the Indian government to address these challenges, any action in this respect are yet to be seen.

Rising potential Interestingly, although India lacks the basic cruise-related infrastructure, Indian ports have been able to attract a substantial number of cruise vessels and tourists in recent years. For example, MSC Orchestra was

the first ship of MSC Cruises to sail through Indian waters in February this year, en-route its grand voyage starting from Dubai to Australia. “The overwhelming response received from the India market for Dubai to India as well as for India to Singapore sailings has given us the confidence that India can be a great cruise destination and we are definitely looking forward to having more such sailings in the future,” believes Sampat. As for Royal Caribbean International, its cruises have been doing call at Indian ports en route to/from Europe to Asia

and vice versa.

In the Tourism 2020 Vision document, WTO forecasts that India has the potential to reach nearly 8.9 million international arrivals by 2020. A WTO study indicates that averages of 1.4 per cent of all international arrivals across the world are cruise tourists. Considering that, once cruise facilities are developed in India, the same per cent would be applicable, thereby arriving at a potential market for cruise tourism. However, India should not restrict itself into tapping only foreign tourists comprising international arrivals in India

but also focus on attracting other distinct tourism segments such as Indian tourists comprising outbound travellers, Indian tourists who are domestic travellers and cruise tourist arrivals in India.

Cruise circuit According to a 2015 report titled 'Market Potential for Cruise Tourism In India' brought out

by International Research Journal of Business and Management, India ranks as the ninth most popular tourist destination in the world and is today considered as a preferred cruise desti-

nation. The government of India, as part of its cruise tourism development initiatives, has identified six Indian ports to be developed as ‘world class cruise terminals’ and to be promoted as ‘integrated Indian cruise circuit.' These ports include Mumbai, Goa, Cochin, New Mangalore, Tuticorin, and Chennai. It is to be noted that these cruise ports selected for development are also strong tourism states, especially Kerala, Goa and Chennai thereby providing a ready platform for cruise tourism to takeoff.

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cover story)

“The infrastructure currently does not help tap this potential either and there are challenges on multiple fronts” Ratna Chadha Chief Executive, Tirun Travel Marketing

“The overwhelming response received from the India market for India to Dubai and India to Singapore sailings has given us the confidence” Kunal Sampat GM – India, MSC Cruises

“The government has constituted a study team under the chairmanship of D G Shipping” Ravi Parmar Chairman, Mumbai Port Trust

20 EXPRESS TRAVELWORLD October 2015

Moreover, India's positioning in South Asia and its proximity to already popular cruise destinations also enables the creation of strong cruise circuits over a period of time. The 2015 report goes on to suggest the development of several possible cruise circuits like - a rejuvenation cruise: Goa-Mangalore-Cochin (Kerala Backwaters)-Male; a discover India cruise: Mumbai-GoaCochin-Tuticorin, Cochin–GoaMumbai-Porbander; a shopper’s bonanza cruise: Mumbai-Porbander-Dubai, Cochin-Mumbai-Dubai; a heritage cruise: Mumbai-GoaCochin-Colombo, MumbaiMangalore-Cochin-Colombo; a sunshine cruise to beaches: Cochin-Goa-LakshadweepMale, Chennai-Colombo-Andaman–Chennai, ChennaiColombo–Male–Cochin-Dubai, Cochin-Lakshadweep-Mangalore-Dubai, Chennai-Andamans-VishakapatnamParadip, Vishakapatnam-Kolkata-Andamans; a nature lover’s cruise: Mumbai–Goa-Mangalore-Lakshadweep-Mumbai, MumbaiVizag-Paradeep-Kolkata; a High Seas' cruise or a cruise to nowhere: Chennai–AndamanHigh Seas, Cochin-Lakshadweep-High Seas, Vishakapatnam-Paradip-Andamans-High Seas; and an eco cruise across High Seas: Mumbai-CochinColombo-Maldives-Mumbai, Kolkata-Paradeep-ChennaiColombo.

Apart from developing these cruise circuits, focus should also be on improving port infrastructure and easing port taxes to further increase cruise ship arrivals. “The government has constituted a study team under the chairmanship of D G Shipping whose report on improving infrastructure and easing taxes, etc, is being examined by the government,” mentions Ravi Parmar, chairman, Mumbai Port Trust (MbPT) adding, “Cruise tourism promotion is an important thrust area and therefore it has been our endeavour to upgrade the facilities so as to provide maximum comfort to

INDIA FACT SHEET

7,500

Kilometre coastline

12 184 Major ports

Minor ports

8.9 million India’s potential for international arrivals by 2020 as forecasted by WTO

>3,000

Tourist arrivals being catered to by Mumbai port

`55 cr Mumbai port has approved for developments like sky bridge, conveyor belts,A/C upgradation, escalators, separate halls for arrival and departure operations, etc

tourists, and ease of operation to cruise ships. Towards this objective, a plan is approved at the cost of approximate `55 crore for developments like sky bridge, conveyor belts, A/C upgradation, escalators, separate halls for arrival and departure operations, etc. A tender for the appointment of a consultant has been issued to advise on this matter,” reveals Parmar.

The Mumbai port, with the potential to become an international cruise terminal, has been receiving ships up to 90,000 GRT catering to over 3,000 tourists. In 2014-15 cruise season, 47 ships had called in at the port. In 2015-16 cruise season, 38 ships have already confirmed their arrival plans.

“With upgradation of facilities at our cruise terminal, more and more ship calls are expected. Besides this, efforts are afoot to develop the domestic cruises/ferry terminals, Ro-Pax terminals, etc,” reveals Gautam Dey, senior deputy traffic manager, business development cell, MbPT. Like the Mumbai port, the Cochin port has also witnessed a substantial increase in cruise ship arrivals adding to a significant rise in tourist arrivals. The major cruise shipping lines that

operated through the Cochin port in 2013 were Cunard Lines, RCCL, Aida Cruises, Sebourn, Azamara Club Cruises, Phoenix Reise, Costa Cruises, Crystal, HAL and Regent Seven Seas. “In fact, the Cochin port has set the benchmark in providing high quality professional service to cruise calls, which other ports can look to emulate in the future. The efforts to promote cruise tourism include creation of a dedicated Cruise Cell comprising officials of the port, customs, immigration and Central Industrial Security Force on the one hand and the tourism ministry and tour operators, on the other. We are also facilitating this sector through a single window system. This has led Cochin to emerge as one of the most preferred cruise destinations in India,” avers Suman Billa, joint secretary, ministry of tourism, Government of India and former tourism secretary, Government of Kerala.

During 2012-13, a total of 40 cruise ships arrived at the Cochin port and the number of passengers and crew stood at 62,940. During 2013-14, the arrivals remained steady and satisfactory which has given a major fillip to the growth of Kerala’s tourism and economy.

( “Even though cruise tourism is at its infancy in Kerala, the potential of Cochin to emerge as a major cruise hub and the support of the Kerala government towards cruise tourism will be a major contributing factor for international companies to enter Kerala,” explains Billa.

Moreover, there is also a tremendous potential for Kerala and Sri Lanka to work together to offer a combined cruise experience. For it will not only benefit both the destinations in a big way, but will also help promote tourism in the South Asia region. “Such a scenario will certainly establish South Asia as a cruise destination similar to the Caribbean and the Mediterranean,” believes Billa.

Cruising through rivers Over the past decade in India, river cruise tourism has increased significantly as is evident from the launching of new cruises by various domestic as well as foreign river cruise operators in India. However, this industry is still at a nascent stage with the potential to be developed further. “The time is ripe for the government agencies to understand that river cruise tourism is a distinctly different segment and should devise/create policies that will facilitate smoother operations.

We expect the government of India to take up the project of ensuring year around navigability of the Ganges from Haldia in West Bengal up to Allahabad in UP as it is the declared policy of the present central government,” states Ashish Phookan, MD, Assam Bengal Navigation, which has pioneered long distance luxury river cruises in India on the Brahmaputra River.

The opening of the IndoBangladesh cruise route can also provide the much needed impetus to this segment. “We hope that the Indo-Bangladesh cruise route will open soon. As per our estimation it will take another three months. Talks are currently in the final stage to discuss the protocol terms on which both countries could

THE MAIN FOCUS

SINGAPORE'S SUCCESS STORY Q&A with Chang Chee Pey, executive director (South Asia, Middle East and Africa), Singapore Tourism Board

destination). Other ports offer such services only to domestic passengers.This service is available at SCC for Star Cruises' passengers, and at MBCCS, for Royal Caribbean International's passengers. It provides a seamless experience of checking-in with baggage at Changi Airport prior to cruise departure, allowing greater flexibility in planning travel itineraries.

What favourable factors has helped Singapore to develop itself into a cruise tourism hub?

Key factors that stand out in Singapore’s development into a cruise tourism hub include infrastructure, location and destination appeal. Singapore is located strategically in Southeast Asia, which positions the country as an ideal cruise hub for itineraries in this region.The air connectivity of direct services to the rest of Asia Pacific – where cruise opportunities are abound – from Singapore also makes it easy to travel in or out of the country. For the record, Singapore connects travellers to more than 300 cities on 106 scheduled airlines operating more than 1000 daily flights.

In May 2012, we opened the Marina Bay Cruise Centre Singapore (MBCCS), doubling our berth capacity while also enabling us to welcome some of the world’s largest ships like the Quantum-class vessels.A month later, the existing Singapore Cruise Centre (SCC) completed its US$ 14 million rejuvenation programme that enhanced the overall experience for cruisers, with upgrades like the optimisation of the operational space and a revamp of its commercial and retail spaces. In fact, Singapore is the only port in the world to offer cruise-fly services for international passengers, in terms of a seamless service (i.e. bags checked in all the way to a final

agree. An MoU has been signed by both the prime ministers on the long standing inland waterways protocol for five years.

There is also an agreement on the Sunderbans between both the countries. We have been pursuing both the governments to do this protocol on river cruises as both countries would benefit from this,” reveals M V

How has MBCCS helped in further enhancing Singapore's cruise tourism offerings?

Singapore’s infrastructure now allows more and larger cruise ships to berth there. More cruise ships are also doing seasonal/year-round turnaround and/or homeporting out of Singapore.There are also more diverse brands, categories (contemporary, premium and luxury) and sizes of ships now available to consumers.With the unveiling of the MBCCS, Singapore has since seen various major cruise liners like Royal Caribbean International, Princess Cruises, Costa Cruises and Celebrity Cruises do seasonal homeporting out of Singapore, while Star Cruises continue to homeport year-round.The infrastructure also allows us to support a greater variety of ships, doing longer seasons in the region.The two terminals’ close proximity to leisure offerings – MBCCS is close to Singapore’s new downtown at Marina Bay, while SCC is minutes away from Sentosa, Singapore’s attraction hotspot – in Singapore play a part in maximising a cruiser’s vacation here as well.The concentration of the breadth and depth of rich experiences, all packed into a small, compact space means that cruisers can get the most out of their holiday before or after their cruise. Cruise passengers usually only have a short window of time to spend before and after their cruise sailings.Thus, accessibility to tourism products is key to enhancing the overall passenger experience.

Nath, chairman and MD, Vivada Inland Waterways, which has now developed specific products for day cruises apart from parties and events. It has three distinct routes for overnight cruises - from Kolkata to Sunderbans (three nights), from Kolkata to Farakka (five nights) on the Ganges heritage cruise, and

from Malda to Patna for the heritage trail.

In conclusion, to develop river cruise tourism in India, both state and central governments must ensure and encourage smooth operation by adopting policies that will help and encourage the industry. India tourism promotional events, advertisements and roadshows must prominently feature river cruises in India to generate interest and educate prospective visitors to India about the possibilities of river cruises in the country.

“However, this still nascent industry must remember that the path to growth can only be sustainable by showing respect to the fragile environment and eco-system,” advocates Phookan.

(With inputs from Sudipta Dev and Steena Joy)

“The Cochin port has set the benchmark in providing high quality professional service to cruise calls” Suman Billa joint secretary, ministry of tourism, Government of India and former tourism secretary, Government of Kerala

“The time is ripe for the government agencies to understand that river cruise tourism is a distinctly different segment” Ashish Phookan MD, Assam Bengal Navigation

“We hope that the Indo-Bangladesh cruise route will open soon. As per our estimation it will take another three months” M V Nath CMD, Vivada Inland Waterways

EXPRESS TRAVELWORLD

21

October 2015

DESTINATION OUTBOUND

ANCIENTLAND,MODERN NATION A country of ancient churches and monasteries, Armenia is also a destination that offers multifarious attractions for people of all age groups and interests - from an eclectic display of contemporary art and a vibrant nightlife to a ski resort destination that is perfect for families.

By Sudipta Dev

people go to take the holy water that comes from a natural source. This monastery is only a short drive away from Garni Temple, the only pre-Christian legacy of Hellenistic architecture in the country.

Exploring Yerevan

A

rmenia is an ancient country that has a modern heart, it treasures its traditions but has great expectations from the future. Despite deep rooted scars of a strife-ridden history, it is a land whose people hold peace close to their heart. Every visitor to Armenia would know that it is not just a destination of ancient churches and beautiful landscapes, but also a journey that makes him discover an unknown facet of his soul. Irrespective of the religion of the traveller, it remains a spiritual journey to the world's first Christian nation.

22 EXPRESS TRAVELWORLD October 2015

The size of Armenia is about 30,000 sq km, a small landlocked country almost the size of Belgium. It is a nation of mountain chains, and not surprisingly almost 76 per cent of the country is mountainous. Armenians have a great reverence for the Biblical Mount Ararat (currently in Turkey). It is believed that Noah's Ark came to rest in Mount Ararat. For Armenians, the mountain is a symbol of their national identity and culture.

The best views of mount Ararat can be seen from Armenia, in particular from the Khor Virab monastery in the outskirts of Yerevan. The mountains domi-

nate the horizon across the Turkish border and form a magnificent backdrop to the monastery, which is an important place of pilgrimage on account of the fact that it houses the prison of St Gregory, the Illuminator. It was he who had introduced Christianity in Armenia in 301 AD – the first country in the world which adopted Christianity as a state religion.

Armenia is a land of churches and monasteries, many dating back to the early Christian era. The most important is the Echmiadzin Cathedral, which is the Mother Church of Christianity in Arme-

nia. The cathedral, that it currently undergoing restoration, was established by St Gregory. It also houses a museum that is an important repository of religious artefacts. Echmiadzin and Sevan monasteries have seminaries and visitors can see young seminarians coming out of the church after prayers or walking around in the precinct. The Sevan monastery with its beautiful black tuff churches presents a scenic backdrop against the backdrop of the picturesque blue Sevan Lake. A short distance from Yerevan is the Geghard monastery which has been carved into the mountain, where

Yerevan itself is one of the oldest functioning cities in the world, dating back to eighth century BC. At present the city is 2797 years. Great festivities are planned for 2018, when the city will celebrate 3000 years of existence. The country had 12

AIR CONNECTIVITY Air Arabia has direct flights from 13 Indian cities to Sharjah, including double dailies from Mumbai, New Delhi, Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram.There are two flights every week from Sharjah to Yerevan, on Tuesday and Friday.

DESTINATION OUTBOUND capitals before Yerevan. Its four year old Zvartnots International Airport is one of the best airports among the CIS countries. At the centrestage in the city is the Republic Square, which is known to be one of the most most beautiful squares in the world. The square is surrounded by many important buildings like the Government House, History Museum and National Gallery, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Transport and Communications, Ministry of Finance and Marriott Hotel.

Art is at the heart of Armenia's cultural ethos. This is evident from the 120 statues of important people (including statesmen, revolutionaries, artists) to the display of fascinating cross stones found everywhere. The cross stone (Khachkar), in fact, symbolises the medieval Armenian culture. The country is known to have 24,000 cross stones, including many ancient ones of historic and religious significance. In contrast, one of the most interesting displays of modern eclectic art is at The Cascade. The giant stairway of Cascade is an innovative showcase of contemporary art and sculpture - from open air displays in the terraced gardens to the galleries of the Cafesjian Center for the Arts. The statue of architect Alexander Tamanian, who is legendary for his work in the city of Yerevan marks the entrance to the Cascade.

The most imposing statue is, however, that of Mother Armenia that towers over the city in Victory Park enroute to the viewpoint. From the viewpoint, Yerevan, visitors can see the city laid out before them – from

the Cascade and culture part to medical area (where 1000 Indian students study) to the sports section (including the football stadium) to the industrial part (where 90 per cent of factories are closed). The obelisk at the viewpoint is a reminder of the Soviet era.

The genocide museum is a painful reminder of the sad history of the nation that has seen the death of 1.5 million people and till today carry the grief in their heart. The photographs of the orphans of the genocide, women and children sent to Syrian desert without food and water, heart-rendering videos, methods of mass killing depicted, are tragic reminders of the darkest hours for the Armenians. All photographs were taken by eye witnesses who saw the genocide. Today as many as 25 countries recognise the genocide, which for Armenians was not only the death of its people but also a cultural genocide.

Safe destination One of the interesting aspects of Yerevan is its nightlife. The fact that it is a safe country where families or group of friends can enjoy the sights and sounds of a city that never sleeps. Every night locals and tourists alike throng the Republic Square for the colourful display of the dancing fountains. It is a city of countless cafes where you can linger on after a late meal and walk back safely to your hotel without any fear. The best shopping option in Yerevan, particularly for touristy souvenirs and bric-abrac is the Vernissage flea market. From leather craft to curios to glass work and wood work, Vernissage is a veritable treasure trove for those seeking some

VISA FOR ARMENIA Only Armenian Embassy in New Delhi provides consular services in India.Visa processing time takes up to 10 working days.The documents submission days are Monday,Tuesday,Thursday and Friday. Passports can be collected on the same days of the week.

You may apply to the Embassy by yourself or through a travel agent, providing him/her a relevant authorisation letter.

interesting bargains.

About 50 km from Yerevan is Tsaghkador, which was a popular ski resort during the Soviet era. The popularity of the ski resort destination still remains, even in summer months, with people from Yerevan and other places coming here to enjoy the cooler climate and the green forests and mountains. The ski lift in summer months take tourists up to the mountains to enjoy breathtaking views of the surroundings. Golden Palace Hotel is popular with Indian travellers in Tsaghkador.

Armenians have deep connect with music, there are many musical instruments that are typical to the country. A folk dance and culture show is must as a part of the visit to Armenia.

So is a visit to the visitor centre at Ararat brandy / cognac, which is almost synonymous with the name of the country. A cognac tasting session is a necessary inclusion in the itinerary of every visitor. It was only 15 years ago that the Armenian government started focusing on tourism.

Currently the country attracts one million tourists annually.

Any guide will tell you that the first tourist who visited Armenia was Noah. He saw land and shouted 'Yerevan', meaning "I see land".

(The visit to Armenia was organised by the Embassy of Armenia in India, Mystique Mantras Holidays India and Air Arabia. Special thanks to Armen Martirosyan, ambassador of Armenia to India)

EXPRESS TRAVELWORLD

23

October 2015

EVENT ROUNDUP

ITE HCMC 2015: A show of regional solidarity Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) was the host city for this year's ITE, Vietnam's biggest travel trade show. Held at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Centre, ITE HCMC showcased a joint tourism marketing effort by the five countries that make the ASEAN region – Vietnam, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar.

By Steena Joy The theme of the 11th International Travel Expo (ITE) at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Centre (SECC) ‘Five Countries One Destination’ showcased the five countries in the Greater Mekong Sub region (GMS) as one destination. At the ITE HCMC 2015, the five countries that make up the GMS and linked by the Mekong river Vietnam, Thailand, Laos, Myanmar and Cambodia – made a joint effort to develop and promote tourism in the region in a mutually beneficial way. ITE is the region’s largest travel trade show. This effort towards regional solidarity offers many opportunities for information exchange and establishment of long-term cooperation and partnerships to tap the tourism potential of the GMS. In particular, the bilateral ministerial meetings between Vietnam and ASEAN tourism ministers, organised within ITE were meaningful not only as a new model of cooperation among regional countries through exchanges and connectivity, but also as a precursor to the launch of the ASEAN Economic Community by the end of this year. The Vietnam ministry of culture, sports and tourism has signed a bilateral tourism cooperation agreement with Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar, laying the foundation to implement specific cooperation activities.

The documents focus on exchanging sources of visitors; fa-

24 EXPRESS TRAVELWORLD October 2015

cilitating their travel, regularly exchanging information on tourism policies and products; supporting one another to join and organise international tourism events; training and upgrading human resources for the tourism sector; setting up Work Groups to effectively carry out common promotion and advertising activities. This signing of the cooperation programmes reflect the commitment of mutual support and effort of these nations in integrating into the ASEAN Economic Community.

The opening ceremony of ITE HCMC 2015 held at the GEM Centre in the historical District 1 of HCMC, was at-

This is a good opportunity for international travel agencies to get in touch with Vietnamese travel businesses to understand local tourism

tended by the tourism ministers of all the five countries as well as over 200 international travel agencies and 13 international media agencies. In her opening remarks, Madam Van Thi Bach Tuyet , director of DOT, HCMC and chairwoman of ITE HCMC 2015 Organising committee said, “ITE 2015 aims to promote each country’s tourism potential and strength, establish connection between tourism products and create a common image for the tourism of the five countries Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand and Myanmar. This is also a good opportunity for international travel agencies to get in touch with Vietnamese travel businesses in order to understand the local tourism market and build long-term partnerships for the sake of mutual benefits and common growth of tourism in Vietnam and the region.” She added, “Travel agencies play an important role in the development of tourism in every country as well as in the diversification of tourism products and improvement of tourist services, which is aimed at attracting an increasing number of visitors. Because of that, the presence of international travel agencies at ITE in HCMC provides a great occasion for Vietnamese travel agencies and their international partners to seek opportunities for cooperation in accessing each other’s markets, promoting each other’s products and increasing inbound and outbound travel.”

EVENT ROUNDUP

In her welcome address, Nguyen Thi Hong, chairwoman, HCMC People's Committee, said, “HCMC has increasingly consolidated its position and role as a special metropolis of Vietnam and is an important international gateway to the region and the world at large.”

The evening also witnessed the seventh Mekong Tourism Alliance Awards which celebrated the brightest tourism stars in the GMS among inbound and outbound tour operators, five star hotels, airlines, resorts and most attractive tangible heritage of the year.

Vietnam is rolling out a tourism strategy based on the theme of Timeless Charm which will focus on four key product lines: cultural tourism, coastal tourism, eco based tourism and city breaks. Supplementary products being developed include weddings and honeymoons, MICE, cruising, spa and wellness, golf and adventure.

The opening of Terminal 2 of the Noi Bai Airport and the express-

way between Hanoi–Lao Cai is expected to boost tourist numbers. The Government of Vietnam has issued visa exemption for residents from a total of 22 countries and visa on arrival for a host of other nations. At ITE HCMC 2015, Mary McKeon, team leader, of the EU-funded Environmentally and Socially Responsible Tourism (ESRT) Capacity Development Project Vietnam made a presentation on Vietnam’s tourism vision. She said, “The overall target to 2020 is to develop tourism to be a key economic industry with high professionalism, modern and fairly synchronously-developed tourist infrastructure; and high quality, competitive and diversified tourist products imprinted with unique traditional cultural characteristics.” The project is being implemented by the ministry of culture, sports and tourism as the executing authority, and the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) is the implementing agency. It aims to build capacities and strengthen the foundation of the Vietnamese tourism sector for socially and environmentally responsible growth.

The three-day event hosted over 200 international and regional buyers and attracted over 23,000 visitors. More than 250 exhibitors from 19 countries and territories, including Brunei, Cambodia, Germany, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Republic of Korea, Myanmar, Poland, Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, UAE, UK, as well as 27 Vietnam provinces participated in the event, cementing its status as one of the fastest growing international tourism trade events in the region.

India as strong source market India had a strong representation at the show with travel agents from even Tier II cities like Chandigarh, Pune, Ahmedabad and Visakhapatnam attending. Vietnam has plans to focus on India as it sees strong potential in tourist arrivals from the country. Speaking at the press conference held during the ongoing ITE HCMC 2015 in HCMC, Dr Ha Van Sieu, vice chairman, ministry of culture, sports and tourism, VNAT, said, “In 2014, Vietnam received

The Indian delegation at ITE HCMC 2015

around 60,000 visitors from India. We want to increase this number to between 100,000 to 200,000 in 2015. India is a very important target market for us.”

Better air connectivity is expected to help push numbers.

Jet Airways already flies directly to the Vietnamese capital and Vietnam Airlines may soon be starting flights from Mumbai and later Delhi.

Commenting on the need to use social media and e-marketing for promoting tourism, Dr Sieu said, “We know the importance of e-marketing and social media in promoting tourism and we want to learn from the experiences of countries like India who

has used it to great advantage.”

According to Jayesh Ashar, managing director, Pearl Travels, Pune, “The visit, my first to Vietnam was indeed an eye opener. I found many similarities between India and Vietnam.

However, I found the city and the countryside substantially cleaner. I am sure other destinations in Vietnam would be worth a visit – Hanoi, Halong Bay, Nha Trang, etc. The surprise of the trip was the quality of Indian food available in the local restaurants. It was indeed very good.

As for ITE HCMC, the Vietnam sellers were worth the visit as talking to them was extremely informative.”

EXPRESS TRAVELWORLD

25

October 2015

STRATEGY

HOME AWAYFROM HOME Homestays, a new wing of eco-tourism promoting the concept of shared economy and conservation of resources, is emerging as a source of livelihood and at the same time resulting in cross-cultural education

By Kahini Chakraborty

I

N A DEVELOPING country like India, initially, the concept of formal and structured stays were nonexistent as people used to stay either in homes or verandahs of villages and towns that came along the way. Structured

26 EXPRESS TRAVELWORLD October 2015

stays were only opted by a particular class of people with deep pockets. But now, overtime the concept of structured stays has become common and has been dominating the space for the past two-three decades.

Ironically, today eco-tourism is

being defined as conservation resorts or forest lodges that create stay facilities amidst natural surroundings and create various activities such as bird watching and nature walks in a package to attract tourists/travellers.

These

Structured stays were only opted by a particular class of people with deep pockets. But now, the concept of structured stays has become common

STRATEGY places, depending on the level of services and facilities, offer warding away insects in stay areas without compromising on the natural feel, quality of food and location of course, charging various premiums.

And today, traveller’s are willing to spend on eco-tourism but only as a one-off experience.

But will eco-tourism in developing nations like India have a brighter future than locations in developed countries? Vasudha Sondhi, managing director, Outbound Travels opines, “Eco-tourism is about preserving the environment and natural heritage. In India, we have just scratched the 'tip of the iceberg' for domestic and inbound tourism. Our potential remains to grow this number exponentially. The question cannot be about 'will it have a bright future?' but is has to be 'what will our tourism future be if we do not quickly adopt and adapt ways to preserve our environment whilst still enjoying all that our great country has to offer?'.

Most of the developed countries do have strong tourism policies in place. For example, farm tourism started in Europe and was then adopted by other countries almost 30-35 years ago. We started it in India roughly eight-10 years ago and yet have not reached any optimum level of awareness or promotions.”

Further providing her suggestions on the subject matter, Sondhi states that at one level there can be encouragement of school children to utilise one Saturday or Sunday in a month to do something with nature, either in the maintenance of forests/green cover, or setting of rodent traps/ observing insects (which are fast disappearing). At another level, let our tourism policies quickly look at how they can get some guidelines set for homestays and projects that are made keeping environment in mind. There may be guidelines, but they are still quite rigid. She adds,“For instance, if a residential property has been purchased through a personal home loan and after a

According to Sondhi, almost all hill stations in India have homestays springing up.

“In some instances, Indians who have second or third homes at either a beach or hill resort are converting the same to a homestay. It allows them to maintain their homes. I have experienced homestays in Uttarakhand, Coorg, Kodai, Mussourie, Bengaluru and Pondicherry,” she says.

Spending more time

The North-East states of India hold potential along with Chhattisgarh, Orissa. Any destination yet to be impacted by mass tourism in India is a potential place where long term eco-tourism models can be initiated few years the owner wishes to convert the residence to a homestay, the process is quite complicated. I am a big advocate of homestays. Although I have been associated with top hotel brands that I have launched and sold in India, I feel that there is a growing segment who want experiences that only a homestay can provide. The numbers will never shrink for large hotels, there will be enough people who will want to experience the glamour of a five-star hotel but homestays will be for the more discerning traveller and/or the 'stressed and noised out' Indian traveller.”

Prospective growth “Tourism creates jobs, but it does not necessarily lead to development,” feels Ashish Phookan, managing director, Jungle Travels India. He elaborates, “Eco-tourism creates jobs and provides a growing and sustainable industry relative to farming, hunting, or mining in countries with growing populations and shrinking wild lands. In terms of possibilities and growth, the NorthEast states of India hold potential along with Chhattisgarh, Orissa. Any destination yet to be impacted by mass tourism in India is a potential place where long term eco-tourism

models can be initiated.”

On the regions in India that could see a growth in ecotourism, Yogendra Vasupal, CEO and founder, Stayzilla highlights that until sometime back places like Coorg, Kodaikanal, Bandhipur National Park, Kerala, Valley of Flowers Park, Uttarakhand, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Gir in Gujarat, Rishikesh in Uttarakhand were popular eco-tourism places. But now as more places are opening up, the homes will become popular tourist spots (eco-tourist spots) e.g. Coorg, Kerala, North-East are waiting to be discovered as the next hotspots.

Phookan says, “When a tourist chooses to be a part of the up market niche tourism and avoid partaking in mass tourism, he or she will choose experiences of a more engaging nature. When preservation is in mind, he would surely choose a destination with eco–friendly experiences. For example, the Diphlu River Lodge in Kaziranga National Park, Assam.

Although with an inventory of just 12 well appointed cottages built in 'close to nature' fashion, it attracts clients who seek more than just a couple of jeep and elephant rides inside the national park. It’s a perfect example of how a tourist can immerse and engage with nature.”

“Homestay places have few rooms, generally not more than 10-15,” states Sondhi, further highlighting, “I find that homestays are quite reasonable in India. In my opinion they should be priced at least 20 per cent more as you have so many advantages-extremely personalised service, usually the chef will always check what you would like to eat and make it fresh and it could also be produced from the garden, sometimes having the whole place to yourself, quiet and no stress of being with people all the time.

The unfortunate fact about some of our tourists is also that once they pay for a room, they feel they can do anything in the room and there have been instances of some rooms virtually having to be refurbished again. In order to be attractive to a particular segment the rates have to maintained at a level to be unattractive to some segments.”

EXPRESS TRAVELWORLD

27

October 2015

RESEARCH

CWT Meetings & Events report predicts industry growth in 2016 Caution raised to meeting and event planners about stricter booking conditions

C

WT MEETINGS & Events has released its 2016 Meetings and Events Forecast which predicts positive growth for the industry in the coming 12 months. While the news of overall growth is positive, the report also sounds a note of caution. As attrition and cancellation terms are becoming stricter, supplier negotiations will be more important than ever to meeting planners. The fourth annual edition of forecast provides event planners with comprehensive regional data, including average attendee cost per day and average group size, so they can plan and budget for the coming year.

David Moran, executive vice president, Carlson Wagonlit Travel, said, “Our forecast is about providing clients with valuable insight for the coming year, so they armed with the most relevant information for their upcoming budgeting and negotiations. Whether they are focused on meetings, events or the widespread global adoption of strategic meetings management, it’s a vital tool in preparing for the year ahead.”

Key findings from different regions around the world include: ● The unpredictable economy in Asia Pacific could cause challenges in the region, although stronger demand from China and India could drive up group size and prices. ● High demand for meetings and events venues in North America is exceeding supply, resulting in a sellers’ market. Careful planning is therefore very important. ● Meanwhile, in Europe, buyers are gaining greater nego-

28 EXPRESS TRAVELWORLD October 2015

2016 BRINGS INCREASED HOTEL PRICES

ASIA PACIFIC

EASTERN EUROPE

MIDDLE EAST & AFRICA

WESTERN EUROPE

LATIN AMERICA & THE CARIBBEAN

NORTH AMERICA

GLOBAL

Source: 2016 Global Travel Price Outlook, July 2015.

tiating power as the region sees slow but steady growth. ● Pockets of high demand will be created around the Rio 2016 Olympics; and Paralympic Games next summer, resulting in a potential shortage of meeting space.

This year’s report also offers a range of practical tips for those planning meetings and events in 2016. Tips include: ● Plan ahead – be aware that some hotels in high-demand markets no longer hold space when responding to availability requests. Make internal decision makers aware, and decide if you can be flexible on dates. ● Fuel your budget as well as your attendees - food and beverage (F&B) continues to be a significant driver of per-attendee costs. Adjust F&B patterns to manage budgets while promoting the healthy alternatives that remain popular with attendees. ● Tick tock - lead time for

registration and venue contracts continues to shrink. However, by increasing the lead time for larger events, event and meeting planners can increase their negotiation power.

M&E outlook Hotel prices up globally in 2016 Globally, the M&E price outlook will be varied. Demand in North America, both transient and group, continues to grow at a rate that exceeds new supply, and the result is a seller’s market causing challenges for meeting owners. Europe is seeing slow but steady growth with buyers gaining greater leverage. In Asia and Latin America, economic challenges are causing uncertainty.

For meeting owners who seek to hold a meeting in a highdemand market where suppliers hold the control, there are a number of trends. Hotels are omitting or reducing flexibility

in key clauses related to cancellation and attrition in both rooms and F&B, and they’ve limited rebooking for future dates or the ability to resell unneeded rooms.

Attrition clauses are under significant pressure in compressed tier one markets. In these mega cities with large airport hubs, there are upfront offers in the 10-15 per cent range, compared to a traditional 20-25 per cent.

In addition, planners need to be aware that hotels in high-demand markets are beginning to stop holding space when responding to availability requests.

Meeting owners should alert internal decision makers of this market shift, as the risk of lost space will increase and date flexibility will be crucial as events are sourced.

Asia Pacific China and India dominate spend for the region The unpredictable economy and health-related scares

threaten to limit overall growth for the region. However, strong demand from China and India will drive prices and group size up, which should mitigate the challenges in the rest of Asia Pacific. Increased governance and focus on compliance is being driven by the pharmaceutical industry, prompting these companies to look for ways to gain the best control of their overall M&E programmes. As of June, there are 2,363 hotels offering 554,532 rooms under contract in the region, representing a 6.7 per cent increase compared to June 2014, and a 0.6 per cent year-over-year increase in rooms under construction. Indonesia and China are constructing a strong pipeline of hotels, with large global chains expanding even further into China. Overall, supply is growing in the region, which is helping to moderate the cost increases driven by growing demand.

CORPORATE FILE

A'CREATIVE' TRAVELEXPERIENCE One of India's leading destination management companies, Creative Travel, has always been committed to offering international standards of destination management in the Indian subcontinent - creatively. It is this USP that has led the company to achieve numerous milestones including winning more than 49 international awards in a span of over 38 years

By Rituparna Chatterjee

T

IMES have changed, and so have the means of travel and discovery all over the world. For the travel industry, that is precisely where the real challenge lies – to be able to match the splendour of the past with the comforts of the new century. Creative Travel, one of India's leading destination management companies, has been successful in achieving this goal by building relationships of trust, based on an understanding of the needs of the agents and clients alike, and the ability to support it by delivering on promises.

Brought into existence in 1977 by late Ram Kohli, former chairman and managing director, Creative Travel has been successful in showcasing this part of the world globally for over 38 years. The company has now grown to cover all of Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and Tibet apart from India.

What started out as a small dream, has now become one of the most prominent independently owned destination management companies in South Asia. Being proud to be a part of this family legacy, Rajeev Kohli, joint managing director, Creative Travel shares the story behind the company's inception. “My father was working in the US for a leading Indian travel company and had the desire to return to India to raise his children with Indian values.

In 1977, he went onto start

Creative Travel. At that time India was a regressive economy with inconsistent rules and policies and there was also a declining interest in India as a travel product. Despite all these odds, my father started the company and today it is one of the largest family owned companies in its space,” states Kohli. The fundamentals of the company has always been to showcase the most engaging, authentic and experiential experiences in India. “This is what we started with and what we will continue doing,” he asserts.

Extending wings Over the years, Creative Travel has witnessed a growth in staff, an increase in the number of markets it covers and the type of services it offers. “We don't look at challenges, we look at opportunities. We have been getting several opportunities and we try to avail as many as we can,” avers Kohli. One of these opportunities was creating a specific team 10-11 years back to handle con-

gresses and conventions, which has been doing exceptionally well. The company also went onto enter the incentive space, in which today, it is one of the market leaders.

Recently, the company ventured into the outbound travel space as well. “We have been consistent in the ways we have dealt with things. We have managed our whole process effectively and have done only what we have desired for. Our action has always been directed towards being a market leader,” asserts Kohli.

The company is also one of the most awarded inbound operators in the country having won more than 49 international awards in a span of over 38 years. Some of them include - 2015, 2014 World Travel Awards for Ïndia's Leading Luxury Travel Agency; 2015, 2014, 2013 and 2012 World Travel Awards for Asia's Leading Destination Management Company; 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012 and 2011 World Travel Awards for India's Leading Destination

We have a strong focus on developing manpower, health and happiness of our employees, and the luxury and experiential end of the travelling market

Management Company; 2013 Today's Traveller Award for Best Luxury Inbound Tour Operator; 14 National Tourism Awards presented by the Government of India; Five Time SITE Crystal Award Winner; PATA Gold Award Winner; among others.

The company is also growth focused. “We have a strong focus on developing manpower, health and happiness of our employees, and the luxury and experiential end of the travelling market.

These are the core focus areas where all our actions will be directed towards in 2016. I find a lot of companies getting into businesses because others are getting into it. People have been asking us why we aren't getting into the wedding or charter business. But that isn't our strategy. We will get into what we can do well and where we can become a market leader,” strongly advocates Kohli. With a growth of around eight-12 per cent yearon-year, Creative Travel hopes to reach a revenue target of `350 crore by 2020 in this specific domain.

2015 SITE Global Conference Another significant milestone for the company has been Kohli joining the host committee of the 2015 SITE (Society for Incentive Travel Excellence) Global Conference to be held in New Delhi from October 23-26, 2015. Founded

Rajeev Kohli

in 1973, SITE comprises 2000 members in 90 countries. Its 29 chapters span the globe and provide local connectivity for members. This year India has won the bid to host the 2015 conference. “We are getting top 250 global decision makers in the incentive industry. We as a chapter had bid for this conference for this is our opportunity to change perception, influence decision making and get people to look at India and that is why the ministry of tourism has come aboard as a full partner and we also have Taj, Oberoi, Leela, ITC coming in,” he mentions, adding, “The benefits of this are immense to India. Firstly, globally everyone in this segment are talking about India; secondly, this will bring a world-class institution into the country; thirdly, it will allow Indian players to network with global influencers, among others.”

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October 2015

IN FOCUS

A milestone year for Tourism Australia The 13th edition of Tourism Australia’s biggest trade engagement initiative, India Travel Mission (ITM) 2015 which was held in Bengaluru this year drew over 62 Australian sellers offering varied Australian products and experiences to over 90 Indian travel companies spread across its key markets

By Steena Joy

B

UOYED BY A cricket crazy India market’s overwhelming response to the ICC World Cup, held in Australia-New Zealand in February this year, Tourism Australia is all set to push further into this growing source market to tap the huge potential that is still waiting in the wings. According to tourism forecasts, visitor numbers from India to Australia have the potential to reach up to 300,000 by 2020.

Speaking on the sidelines of ITM 2015, Nishant Kashikar, country manager, India and Gulf, Tourism Australia, said, “India has been identified as one of the fastest growing markets. The dream for us is to take this market to AU$ 1.9 billion in spend by 2020. This has been one of the best years for us in India. In fact a record year for us, in terms of spend as well as arrivals with the ICC World Cup. Last year saw several milestones. The first significant milestone was recording

30 EXPRESS TRAVELWORLD October 2015

Nishant Kashikar

Michael Newcombe

220,000 total arrivals for the year ending June 2015, an increase of 19 per cent relative to the same period previous year.

Second is in spend - Indian visitors contributed AU$ 960 million to the Australian economy, an increase of 35 per cent over the previous year. It is interesting to note here that spend has grown faster than arrivals. And third but most important, India has improved her ranking in terms of inbound market for arrivals from 11 last year to number eight, overtaking Germany.”

Michael Newcombe, regional general manager, S/SEA and Gulf, Tourism Australia said, “Events such as the ITM augment our efforts in educating the trade about Australia’s diverse tourism offerings and to aid them in promoting it as a must visit leisure destination among their customers. We are optimistic about India’s continued sustained growth as one of Australia’s top inbound markets.”

Kashikar agreed, “Over the years, the ITM has proved to be a great platform for us to fortify our travel trade engagement in

IN FOCUS

the country. With a record increase in tourist arrivals from India, Tourism Australia aims to further build on strong trade relationships and training programmes for the trade fraternity. Tourism Australia has recently launched an integrated brand campaign with key distribution partners across media mix to reinforce top-of the mind recall.”

are on holiday (56,200) or visiting friends and relatives (91,600). And with the Australian dollar considerably more stable than the US dollar, the average length of stay has also gone up. The average length of stay for all visitors from India was 59 nights with leisure visitors staying an average of 49 nights. The findings of the target customer research and Consumer Demand Project (CDP) have revealed that the top five Aussie attractions that appeal to Indian travellers are the Australian beaches, iconic landmarks, wildlife, food and wine, and the Great Barrier Reef (GBR). The research also shows that Indian travellers rated Australia’s Food and Wine as the best in the world.

There is a diversity of available cuisines in Australia, in-

Longer stays Another significant achievement is that the leisure segment is driving the overall growth in numbers with visitation almost two third. In the year ending June 2015, a high proportion of Indian visitors visited Australia for leisure (147,800). Other visitors visited for business (26,600), education (13,400) and other purposes (32,400). Leisure visitors

cluding vegetarian options. A varied set of Australian tourism products made their debut in the India market through the event this year.

Representatives of Mt Buller Alpine Snow Resort, Oz Jet Boating Sydney, Sealink and Captain Cook Cruises, Skydive Australia, Sunlover Reef Cruises, Taronga Zoo, Tjapukai Aboriginal Cultural Park, among others were first time participants at this year’s event.

As for India, several buyers from Tier II and Tier III cities participated at this year's ITM across Bhubaneswar, Pune and Nagpur. Tourism Australia’s target markets will continue to be the primary cities of Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru with Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Ahmedabad being the secondary markets.

FORECAST OFARRIVALS FROM INDIA INTO AUSTRALIA Year

Visitors

% Change

Year

(000)

Visitors

% Change

(000)

2014-15

190

6.6

2018-19

244

5.8

2015-16

203

7.2

2019-20

257

5.5

2016-17

217

6.7

2020-21

271

5.4

2017-18

230

6.3

2021-22

284

5.0

(Source: Tourism Forecasts - Autumn 2014, Tourism Research Australia, Canberra)

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October 2015

THE TORCHBEARERS

A river’s journey One of India’s foremost authorities on inland waterways and pioneer of river cruising, M V Nath, chairman and managing director, Vivada Inland Waterways, is optimistic about the great opportunities ahead for utilising the country’s inland waterways.

By Sudipta Dev

M

V Nath, CMD, Vivada Inland Waterways started his business about 50 years ago in 1969, which was primarily a barge business transporting petroleum products. Today he has 20 vessels out of which 12 carry petroleum products.

The cruise business was established in 2000 with day cruising in Kolkata and in 2007 he started the day and night cruises to Sunderbans, Murshidabad and Patna. He recognised the opportunity that a segment of the high society in Kolkata were very keen to go to Sunderbans in a “nice ship”. “The business started initially mainly as oil transportation and bunkering of international vessels. That is our core business. River cruising is a branch of that core business,” says Nath. He is happy that presently the government of India is taking a lot of interest in inland waterways. “They are also coming up with plans to introduce more vessels and better utilise inland waterways,” he adds.

Talking about when the rivers of India will be great channels for cruising, considering that now only Nath and a couple of more operators are the only ones who have recognised the potential and are operating cruises, Nath states with optimism, “We have been getting a lot of enquiries from river cruising

companies from abroad to start cruising here, as well as a big company from Mumbai which wants to bring some vessels and collaborate with us. ISKCON is also introducing a river cruise from Kolkata to Mayapur and we will partner in that. All round development will take place.”

Nath is hopeful that the Indo Bangaladesh cruise route will get open. “As per our estimation it will take another three months, it is in the last leg of the finalisation of the protocol terms on which both countries could agree.

An MoU has been signed by both prime ministers on the long standing inland waterways protocol for five years.

There is an agreement on the Sunderbans also between both countries. We have been pursuing both governments to do this protocol on river cruises as both countries will benefit from this,” he points out.

Foreseeing a great potential in both day cruising and

M V Nath

overnight cruises, Nath aims to remodel the concept of day cruises into a lifestyle product, not just in Kolkata but also in Patna and Varanasi.

“As far as overnight cruises are concerned we are looking at more investment, about `75 crore to `100 crore in this seg-

ment in the next five years,” he reveals.

Nath’s aim is to take the cruising industry in India to a higher level where the country can be compared to any international cruising destination. “We would like to exhibit to the foreigners the scenic beauty of the land as well as the old Dutch colonies; we have a lot of things to show to the international tourists,” he states, adding that many foreign tourists are interested in these cruises. For overnight cruises the company has three distinct routes - from Kolkata to Sunderbans (three nights), Kolkata to Farakka (five nights) on the Ganges heritage cruise, and again from Malda and Patna for the heritage trail.

The company has two distinct businesses, one is the MICE segment (mostly comprising of Indians), and the other is the leisure segment (international clients). “Today if you see there are only five cruise boats on a river

Nath is hopeful that the Indo Bangaladesh cruise route will get open. It will take another three months, it is in the last leg of the finalisation of the protocol terms on which both countries could agree

which is about a 1000 km stretch; in the next five years there might be about 20 boats. That would be an investment of `300 to `400 crores. Not just from our company but also from other river cruise operators. We have done our bit to position it. We get a lot of enquiries from companies who want to enter the cruising business.

We welcome everyone so that the business develops in India. There is a lot of scope in this segment, we always tell them,” he asserts.

Vivada has a full fledged hospitality department. Nath is proud of the fact that the attrition rate in his company is almost zero. “In cruise business, hospitality is very crucial and we really require staff who are well trained. For navigation we have a crew of about 200 people, whom we rotate,” he states, pointing out that during excursions there are cruise managers and professional guides. “We also involve the locals, especially in Sunderbans,” informs Nath.

The chefs are well trained.

There is also a bakery on board. “When we are cruising, every 50 km the cuisine changes - from potato to fish, everything is cooked in a different manner,” he adds.

Nath has three daughters who are not involved in the business, but according to him any time they may join his company.

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October 2015

MOVEMENTS Etihad Airways Etihad Airways has announced the appointment of three UAE nationals to executive positions within the airline. HAREB AL MUHAIRY becomes senior vice president corporate and international affairs; MOHAMMED AL BULOOKI joins Etihad Airways from Abu Dhabi Airports Company to become vice president UAE commercial; and HAITHAM AL

Hareb Al Muhairy

Mohammed Al Bulooki

Haitham Al Subaihi

34 EXPRESS TRAVELWORLD October 2015

SUBAIHI becomes vice president UAE sales. Reporting to James Hogan, Al Muhairy will be responsible for external and internal corporate communications, international corporate affairs, media relations, and corporate social responsibility. He will also take a lead role in strengthening relations with key governmental and regulatory bodies worldwide through the work of the international and public affairs team. In his new role, Al Bulooki will be responsible for UAE Sales, Hala Travel Management (HTM), the destination management company Hala Abu Dhabi, Etihad’s retail operations, Etihad Holidays as well as the airline’s Tourism Research and Partnerships function. Al Subaihi began his career with Etihad Airways in 2007 as a graduate management trainee.

In 2009, he served as business development manager for North America, based in New York, before returning to the UAE to take the role of manager sales – government.

NEERJA BHATIA has been appointed to the position of vice president India and Indian Sub-Continent (ISC).

She joined Etihad Airways in 2004 as sales manager Western India, shortly after the airline launched its flights to Mumbai, its first Indian destination. She then progressed to become manager for Western and Southern India, before being appointed as general manager, India in 2007.

Neerja Bhatia

SriLankan Airlines SriLankan Airlines has appointed CAPT. SUREN RATWATTE as the airline’s new chief executive officer, with effect from October 2015. He is an airline pilot with over 30 years of experience in the field whose first appointment was with SriLankan’s predecessor, Air Lanka in 1984. Thereafter, he joined Emirates in 1989, where he held several positions in the company. With over 18,000 flying hours in a number of different types of aircraft, including the Boeing B-777 and Airbus A380, he has been deeply immersed in airline operations for many years. He is a holder of Bachelor’s and Master’s degree from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society and the author of several published works.

Yatra.com Yatra.com has appointed CHAKRAPANI GOLLAPALI as chief business officer, Holidays. A former Microsoft India executive, he will be responsible for the strategic direction, operational execution and the overall business results for the Holidays unit of Yatra. This charter will enable Yatra.com to deliver an integrated organisational approach for product innovation and customer delight across domestic, international and exotic destinations spanning across all its channels - online, contact centres, retail and direct sales.

Trinidad and Tobago

tive of the Division of Finance and Enterprise Development at the THA.

The Honourable SHAMFA CUDJOE has been appointed as Trinidad and Tobago’s new minister of tourism.

Minister Cudjoe first entered the Parliament of Trinidad and Tobago as an opposition senator at the start of the 10th Republican Parliament in June 2010. One of Tobago’s leading professionals in the field of International Affairs and Foreign Trade Policy, she has also served as a trade analyst in the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) and represented the island at various consultations and negotiations on regional integration and international trade matters. Her professional experience also includes working as an international trade consultant with the Organisation of the American States (OAS) and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) in Washington DC, USA. Prior to her appointment to the Cabinet, Minister Cudjoe was employed as the assistant director of the Youth Energised for Success Programme, an initia-

Tourism Toronto Tourism Toronto has appointed JOHANNE BÉLANGER as president and CEO, effective September 1, 2015.

Bélanger was president of Freeman Audio Visual Canada for the past 10 years and, throughout her career, has been a globally recognised leader in exhibitions and events. She also served as chair of Tourism Toronto’s board of directors from 2012 to 2014 and has been a member of the board since 2009. In 2014 she was inducted into the meetings and incentive travel hall of fame and has also served as president of the board of directors for InfoComm International, the trade association representing the professional audio visual and information communications industries worldwide. In 2014, Bélanger received the International Association of Exhibitions and Events (IAEE) Outstanding Achievement in Industry Leadership Award.

Bombardier Bombardier has appointed MICHEL OUELLETTE as senior vice president - Global 7000 and Global 8000 Programme. Ouellette began his career at Bombardier in 1990 and spent the earlier part of his career in Experimental Engineering and Testing. In 2004, he joined the Challenger aircraft team, where he held increasingly senior roles, including vice president and general manager, Challenger aircraft programmes.

In April 2013, Ouellette served as vice president and general manager, Global Aircraft Programmes and thereafter led the customer services and specialised and amphibious aircraft division.

Bombardier has also appointed NICO BUCHHOLZ as senior vice president and chief procurement officer (CPO). In this new position, Buchholz will lead the Bombardier’s supply chain activities and closely manage relations with suppliers across the global value chain. Buchholz will report directly to Alain Bellemare, president and chief executive officer.

BUSINESS AVENUES

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weekend

E V E N T S

GLOBAL CONFERENCE Assocom India and GFMT UK recently organised a global grain milling conference titled 'Maximising Quality Production through Milling Technology' at Hotel Taj Deccan, Hyderabad

NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENT Michael Dominic (centre), director, CGH Earth receiving the National Tourism Award from Pranab Mukherjee, (left) president of India, for Coconut Lagoon, Kumarakom in the category of Best Heritage Classic Hotel, and Subramaniam P (right), GM, Marari Beach, receiving the award for Marari Beach in the category of Best 3 Star Hotel in India at a function held in New Delhi

ROYAL WELCOME Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi (left) and Sushma Swaraj (centre), minister of external affairs of India was welcomed by Maharaj Jai Singh of Jaipur (right) at Rambagh Palace by Taj during their official visit to the city

MAXIMISING REVENUE The Hotel and Restaurant Association of Western India (HRAWI) recently organised a seminar on revenue management for hotels at The Trident, Mumbai

INNOVATIVE MEETINGS Radisson Blu Hotel New Delhi Paschim Vihar has announced a meetings and events programme specifically developed as a means to improve the effectiveness of meetings

NEW OPENING Religious leader and kathakaar, Shri Morari Bapu inaugurated the Fern Residency Somnath

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weekend

E V E N T S

VITAL PILLAR HE Uhuru Kenyatta (right), president of Kenya, officially launched the 'Make it Kenya' international brand campaign to promote the scale and variety of tourist and investment opportunities in the country

SCALING HEIGHTS Double gold medalist alpine skier Ted Ligety recently launched the 2015 Audi Quattro Winter Games with the #Nzdronie

TALES FROM THE ROAD The August 2015 Rickshaw Run teams finished in Kochi after completing the 4,500 km journey from Shillong

WONDERFUL INDONESIA Visit Indonesia Tourism Office, India in association with PACTO and Marriott Hotels hosted the 'Singapore Airlines Award Function' at the Ritz Carlton Pacific Place followed by a familiarisation trip to Jakarta

AN IMPRESSIVE STUNT To mark the arrival of Sony Pictures’ The Walk to Melbourne in October, professional high-wire artist, Kane Petersen, walked from one point of the North Western side of Eureka Tower to the other

FIRM COMMITMENT TCA Abu Dhabi recently concluded a series of travel trade workshops at Pune, Hyderabad and Kochi with a presence of stakeholders representing Abu Dhabi’s DMCs, hotels and attractions

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October 2015

weekend

E V E N T S

CAPITALISING ON GROWTH Zambia Tourism Board in association with Kenya Airways recently organised a familiarisation trip to Zambia for prominent tour operators from India

EXPANDING TRAVEL OPPORTUNITIES Royal Jordanian and Turkish Airlines have signed a codeshare agreement on routes between Jordan and Turkey at Royal Jordanian’s headquarters in Amman

GLOBAL GROWTH Ethiopian Airlines received the Certificate of Global Growth Company of 2015 from the World Economic Forum in Dalian, People’s Republic of China

DAILY SERVICE To mark Emirates' recent launch of its 10th destination in the US with the start of a daily nonstop passenger service to Orlando International Airport, a VIP delegation and a contingent of international media were aboard the inaugural flight, which carried passengers from 29 different countries to Orlando

DOUBLE-GOLD

Sugree Sithivanich (centre), deputy governor, Tourism Authority of Thailand accepting the PATA Gold Award for Marketing in the Social Media at the Pacific Asia Travel Association’s annual PATA Gold Awards ceremony held at the PATA Travel Mart 2015 in Bengaluru

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Tourism Malaysia received the PATA Gold Award for Marketing Media – Travel Poster at the Pacific Asia Travel Association’s annual PATA Gold Awards ceremony held at the PATA Travel Mart 2015 in Bengaluru

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.