Express Travelworld (Vol.10, No.10) November, 2015

CONTENTS MANAGEMENT Vol 10 No 10 NOVEMBER 2015 Pages 40

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Chairman of the Board

Viveck Goenka Sr Vice President - BPD

Neil Viegas Editor

Reema Lokesh* GOING THAT EXTRA MILE HOSTED BY TOURISM PENTICTON AND DESTINATION CANADA, WITH SUPPORT FROM DESTINATION BRITISH COLUMBIA, GOMEDIA CANADA 2015 HIGHLIGHTED THAT INDIA STILL REMAINS A SOURCE MARKET FOR ONLY THE WELL-KNOWN DESTINATIONS IN CANADA

Chief of Product

Prabhas Jha Assistant Editor

Steena Joy Sr. Associate Editor

Sudipta Dev CONTENT TEAM Mumbai

Kahini Chakraborty Rituparna Chatterjee Kolkata

Joy Roy Choudhury DESIGN National Art Director

Bivash Barua Deputy Art Director

Surajit Patro Chief Designer

Pravin Temble Senior Graphic Designerr

Rushikesh Konka Senior Artist

Ratilal Ladani, Kiran Parker SCHEDULING & COORDINATION

Ashish Anchan

BEST ON THE BEACH Express TravelWorld checks out unique accommodations located on India's scenic beaches which can be packaged as niche products for both leisure and MICE segments

Photo Editor

EDGE

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HINDUSTAN KA DIL: A SEA OF OPPORTUNITIES THE RECENTLY CONCLUDED SECOND EDITION OF MADHYA PRADESH TRAVEL MART IN BHOPAL HIGHLIGHTED THE VARIOUS AVENUES THAT CAN ENHANCE THE TOURISM POTENTIAL OF THIS HEART OF 'INCREDIBLE INDIA'

(16-23)

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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KEY POSITIONS VACANT IN 10 INDIAN OVERSEAS TOURIST OFFICES

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DRAFT AVIATION POLICY: BOOST TO REGIONAL AIR CONNECTIVITY

CIRCULATION

LIFE

Mohan Varadakar PRODUCTION General Manager

06

FORT AMLA PROMOTES AGRITOURISM IN MADHYA PRADESH

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PRANAAM: REDEFINING AIRPORT HOSPITALITY

B R Tipnis Manager

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FICCI TEES OFF SECOND GOLF TOURISM SUMMIT

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Bhadresh Valia Cover image courtesy: The Leela Kovalam 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)

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TURKISH AIRLINES TO ADD SIX NEW GATEWAYS IN INDIA

P04: EDITOR’S NOTE P34 : APPOINTMENTS P35 : WEEKEND

A BANKABLE TRAVELLER STARTING HIS CAREER AS A BANKER, PRADIP MADHAVJI WITNESSED A 360° CHANGE WHEN HE DECIDED TO ENTER THE TRAVEL SPACE. OVER THE LAST FOUR DECADES HE HAS ESTABLISHED HIMSELF AS ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR TOURISM INDUSTRY VETERANS

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

EDITOR’S NOTE

Winds of change

C

ome November and Excel London suddenly gains prominence and be it so as travel professionals all over the world arrive primarily into Heathrow to connect, reconnect, learn and unlearn about what their business has in store for them in the coming years. From Peru to Poland from Japan to Jamaica tourism boards and DMCs from across the globe meet to further their business opportunities. India has its own dedicated space at the event and most of the inbound tour operators who are at Excel London are hoping for some revival as the inbound business has witnessed a dip in the recent times. FAITH as an organisation is only being hopeful that some serious action be taken by the government in tandem with the private players to bring India back on the map for inbound tourism. FAITH has also shared with us that they are only hoping that the tourism offices get their designated leaders in strategic international markets to spread the word of India Tourism effectively.

However, amidst the sombre feeling the ministry of civil aviation has proposed an upfront subsidy to airlines by levying a two per cent fee on all domestic and international commercial flights in

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“The ministry of civil aviation has proposed an upfront subsidy to airlines by levying a two per cent fee on all domestic and international commercial flights in order to bring down cost of air travel on non metro routes ” Vill & PO- Ankurhati P.S.- Domjur (Nr.Ankurhati Check Bus Stop), Dist. Howrah- 711 409 Mobile: +91 9831182580 Email id: ajanta.sengupta@expressindia.com KOCHI The Indian Express (P) Ltd. Ground Floor, Sankoorikal Building, Kaloor – Kadavanthra Road Kaloor, Kochi – 682 017 COIMBATORE The Indian Express (P) Ltd. No. 205-B, 2nd Floor, Vivekanand Road, Opp. Rajarathinam Hospital Ram Nagar, Coimbatore- 641 009 AHMEDABAD Nirav Mistry The Indian Express (P) Ltd. 3rd Floor, Sambhav House, Near Judges Bunglows, Bodakdev, Ahmedabad - 380 015 Mobile: +91 9586424033

order to bring down the cost of air travel on non metro routes. The ministry said that it is also looking at liberalising the bilateral regime by permitting open skies between India and the SAARC nations. Once again all these developments goes on to further reiterate the fact that domestic tourism and tourism to our neighbouring countries is our strength and we need to give it the much needed attention it deserves.

The recent acquisition of Nature Trails by Sterling Resorts is proof enough that companies are looking at strengthening their domestic presence in the adventure tourism space, (which includes a series of activities both on land, sea and in air) - a niche business in domestic tourism that is slated to grow further. Finally our cover story this issue celebrates peninsular India's blessed coastal chain. Experience quality tourism at some of the best beach accommodation facilities. You can meet industry torchbearer Pradip Madhavji in this issue and can also gain some interesting business lessons from GMJ Thampy on embracing change without fear.

REEMA LOKESH Editor editorial.etw@expressindia.com

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IN THE NEWS

Key positions vacant in 10 Indian overseas tourist offices FAITH awaits MoT's nod for GET India 2016 Reema Lokesh New Delhi THE GENERAL MOOD seems to be rather sombre amidst India's inbound tour operators as business has witnessed a dip in recent times, according to the Federation of Associations in Indian Tourism & Hospitality (FAITH). The association disclosed that key positions in as many as 10 Indian overseas tourist offices have been vacant since a couple of years, out of 14 offices worldwide.

The list shared by FAITH reveals that vital offices like Tokyo, Japan; Sydney, Australia; New York, USA; Dubai

wait for the post of regional director to be filled in, while, London, UK; Beijing, China; Los Angeles, USA; Paris, Singapore and Amsterdam have the post of director lying vacant. Speaking strongly on this matter, Sarab Jit Singh, vice chairman of FAITH said, “This is rather unfortunate.

Practically, India is not visible and is out of the market place in several countries. The tour operators have had bad experiences, while dealing with tourist offices or Indian embassies. Moreover, selling India is a cumbersome process for any tour operator in comparison to selling other destinations. Ministry of Tourism

Sarab Jit Singh

(MoT) needs to urgently look into this and use the budget allocated for overseas tourism promotion effectively.”

Singh has been persistent in his request to get the MoT support to successfully conduct the second edition of Global Exhibition on Tourism (GET) India, a mega buyer seller meet, an initiative which has already received support from the ministry of commerce, Government of India.

The team has submitted a detailed plan to Vinod Zutshi, secretary-tourism, Government of India on how the event will strengthen the inbound tourism business of India, which is witnessing a visible dip in terms of international tourist arrivals for 2015. In his letter to MoT, Singh stated, “For tourism to grow it is vital

for crucial departments in the Government of India to work in co-operation. Apart from the required support from MoT and the ministry of commerce we hope that other departments partner with FAITH to make GET India 2016 a noteworthy tourism buyer-seller meet.” There are 14 more ministries that FAITH is looking to partner with including ministry of external affairs, ministry of home affairs, ministry of civil aviation, and others.

Express TravelWorld made efforts to contact MoT to get their views on this matter, but did not get a response till the time of going to press.

Promoting ecotourism in North East interiors Sudipta Dev Mumbai ECOTOURISM SOCIETY of North East is focused on creating awareness about developing sustainable tourism in the north eastern states. The society has brought together many local NGOs who are working in the field of ecotourism, along with committed individuals in this field across the world. “Some of our members are in the US, UK, Australia and South East Asia.

Initially we started our initiatives in Assam, and have now covered Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya. In 2016 we will be looking at establishing our presence in Nagaland, where like at other destinations we will coordinate with local NGOs and

skilled people from the tourism industry,” said Guwahati-based Gautam Dutta, president, Ecotourism Society of North East.

Future plans include entering the interior parts of the North East. “We want to highlight those destinations, specially rural tourism potential in North East India. We want tourists to come and explore our rural tourism destinations,” said Dutta, adding that they are in touch with Ecotourism Society of India, tour operator associations of India and few hospitality majors.

The society engages with the local communities and gives free training to people in the villages, along with promoting individual local accommodation providers through its website. Acknowledging that they do not work like

a typical travel agent, Dutta stated, “Whenever any tourist communicates with us we connect them with the local people so that the latter can guide the tourist, and be the direct benefi-

ciary. We do this to encourage them to remain in the industry.

We go to Kaziranga, Manas, and give them training to be tourist guides, including knowledge of foreign languages.” Every year in

the month of July, 10th pass students in Kaziranga are provided training for one month and learn about birdwatching, guiding tourists, checking and replying to emails, etc.

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IN THE NEWS

Fort Amla promotes agritourism in Madhya Pradesh Rituparna Chatterjee Mumbai LOCATED AROUND 120 km from Indore is Fort Amla, established by the descendents of Bappa Rawal, one of the most powerful and famous rulers of the Mewar Dynasty. Fort Amla which is presently a fort cum heritage hotel having a 300 acre farm near Ujjain has been promoting agritourism by conducting farm visits for its leisure guests and agriculturalists to help them explore the farming techniques of a variety of crops like soybean, wheat, green peas, tomatoes, green chilies, pomegranate, mango, guava, among

others. Elaborating on this, Raghavendra Singh, owner, Fort Amla stated, “While for leisure guests it is more of an experience, for agriculturalists it is about scientific technological interactions. A month and a half back we had a group of 40 Brazilian farmers coming in to study soybean. They had interacted with scientists, research scholars, agricultural colleges, farmers here about specific fertiliser applications. Now we have an enquiry coming in for rice and we also have a group of farmers coming in January 2016 from France for grapes.

Here we are merging the benefits of tourism with agriculture.”

The state is the largest producer of soybean in the country and its next competitor is Mexico.

Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu have already been promoting agritourism

Apart from agriculturalists, leisure guests can also experience the farm life. For instance, during winter season guests can go to the fields to pluck their own vegetables, bring them back to the hotel and have them served in the evening.

They can also sit on a tractor and experience sowing.

The duration of each farm visit is on an average of three to five days for one crop. The visit can also prolong depending upon the requirement of the guests. “With agritourism gaining interest, we take visitors to either the same farms or newer farms which are doing well. Post their visits, we remain in touch

with them via email,” explained Singh.

When asked about the need for developing agritourism in the state, he opined, “Madhya Pradesh is an agro-climatic region. The state is the largest producer of soybean in the country and its next competitor is Mexico. Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu have already been promoting agritourism and we have recently started doing the same.

Such initiatives not only bring in tourists but also enable farmers to exchange ideas. However, there has to be a concerted effort between private players and the state government to promote this segment of tourism.”

Fillip to scenic cycle tours in India Sudipta Dev Mumbai ONE OF THE MOST scenic cycling tours in this part of the world, the Tour of Nilgiris covers more than 800 km across South India. The eighth edition to be organised from Dec 16-23, 2015 covering the states of Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu will see the riders pass through wildlife sanctuaries of Bandipur, Wayanad and Mudumalai. “Tour of Nilgiris has eight continuous days of amazing scenes, routes, etc. The beauty of the tour is that it takes you closer to the wilderness. We are now coming up with a shorter three day tour format covering some of the amazing and exotic locations of India including tea / coffee plantations. Five destinations have already been finalised for 12 shorter routes that will be

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Sridhar Pabbisetty

launched next year,” said Sridhar Pabbisetty, co founder of Tour of Nilgiris and Breakaway Sports which organises these cycling tours.

Five destinations have been finalised and two trails identified. “We are building infrastructure around the trails. It takes us about half a year to set that up,”

he added. The new tours will also include some extreme category events that will test the riders' mountain biking skills.

Pabbisetty believes that eco tourism will evolve in the country when cycling tours are encouraged and becomes mainstream. “We would like to see 50 such tours happening across In-

dia and ensure the growth of this ecotourism segment. For this to happen we encourage people to do cycling tours in different forms and places. We have groomed people to help them put together tours suitable for their own setting. One such tour that we have mentored is the 'Tour of Kumaon',” he said,

adding that they have been been supporting riders from the state.

Most of the riders are amateurs who have trained for over a period of time. Almost 15 per cent of those participating in the Tour of Nilgiris are from overseas. According to Pabbisetty, while Karnataka Tourism has positively responded there has not been much headway with other tourism departments in terms of support over the years.

“Those who have made a difference are small food vendors and hotels where the cyclists stay.

The food habits of a cyclist are very different from that of a regular tourist. These hotels have gone out of their way to accommodate the dietary needs of the riders,” he said. The launch of new scenic cycle tours is an interesting new opportunity that the Indian travel trade industry should explore.

IN THE NEWS

Pranaam: Redefining airport hospitality Sudipta Dev Mumbai PRANAAM is a first-of-itskind airport service in India that was launched with the inauguration of T2, Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (CSIA) last year. In the last one and half years it has witnessed a business growth of 15-20 per cent month on month, with a high frequency of repeat clientele, almost 62 per cent. More than 85 per cent of those availing the service are international travellers, majorly from the US, UK and Singapore. “We have tried to redefine hospitality and bring it into the airport.

The concierge that you have in hotels and the hospitality sector, we are bringing that service inside T2. Pranaam is for enhancing and elevating customer experience,” said Rekha Nair, head airport services, GVK. Passengers are taken care of from arrival, departure to transiting through Mumbai, including check-in, assistance through security and lounge access.

Pointing out that Pranaam is a niche product, not catering to the masses, Nair stated, “There is a set of clientele who need this service, and of course the VVIP clientele who want

Rekha Nair

exclusivity and need to be taken care of while travelling.

We also bundle up services - for instance limo service drop to the hotel, a bouquet or a cake on arrival, etc. We work as an extended arm of the hotel.

While they get true Indian hospitality when they reach the hotel, we provide them the same the moment they get off the aircraft.”

There is no exclusive immigration counter for Pranaam guests however. “The product has not been positioned as

fast tracked as it cannot be possible in India. We are providing assistance at all points,” clarifies Nair. The staff has been trained to identify the profile of the traveller.

They comprise of business travellers, leisure as well as first time travellers. “The services are predominantly used by corporates as Mumbai is a financial capital. We also do suggested selling, for instance, what are the best thing they can do in the city.

The whole idea is also to posi-

tion Mumbai as a destination,” mentioned Nair.

The target is 500-600 passengers per day. Last FY 9000 passengers availed of this service. “This FY, already 7000 passengers have been catered to.

We are focusing majorly on the digital front for promotion,” stated Nair. There are different categories of services Pranaam Platinum Plus, Pranaam Platinum, Pranaam Gold, Pranaam Gold, Pranaam Group Gold, Pranaam Lounge, and others.

Pranaam is also enhancing the value proposition for passengers, for instance extra porters for large families, sleeping pods in lounge, etc. More services will be added in the future, along with a loyalty and club membership. “We are open to launching the service at other airports also,” added Nair.

The service is available for domestic travel also where most people need mostly check-in assistance. Air India and Vistara passengers are using this regularly.

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IN THE NEWS

Dubai Parks and Resorts to open in October 2016 Akshay Kumar Mumbai DUBAI PARKS and Resorts, a multi-themed leisure and entertainment destination is all set to open in October 2016.

The park will comprise of three theme parks - Motiongate Dubai, Bollywood Parks Dubai and Legoland Dubai, along with Legoland Water Park.

Nevil D'Souza, head – sales, Dubai Parks and Resorts said, “ Globally, we see a tremendous growth in the theme park segment. For Dubai, tourism is one

of the key pillars for GDP. A theme park was very necessary for Dubai to attract more visitors. Currently, Indians travel to meet their friends, families, for shopping and other attractions. Introduction of a theme park will increase the number of repeat travellers. We are working closely with Dubai Tourism; in future many itineraries will be built around the theme park.”

Speaking about the competition with theme parks in nearby Emirates, D'Souza said, “We do not see any com-

The destination will also include Riverland Dubai, a themed retail, dining, and entertainment experience, along with Lapita Hotel

petition with the other theme parks. Our parks are designed very uniquely as we have three theme parks in one destination. We will be able to tap all segments and age groups as we have a variety of attractions. India has been the largest source market for Dubai with over one million tourist visits. So we will surely tap all the Tier I, II and III cities in India.”

In India, Nijhawan Group is the marketing representative of Dubai Parks and Resorts. D'Souza said, “We met

the Nijhawan Group for the first time in the Arabian Travel Market. Nijhawan is one of the most experienced companies in India and it will effectively help in promoting our theme park.”

The destination will also include Riverland Dubai, a themed retail, dining, and entertainment experience, along with the Lapita Hotel, a Polynesian-themed family resort.

There are further plans in the next phase to introduce more hotels under different categories.

Draft aviation policy: Boost to regional air connectivity ETW Staff Mumbai THE MINISTRY of civil aviation has proposed an upfront subsidy to airlines by levying a two per cent fee on all domestic and international commercial flights in order to bring down the cost of air travel on non-metro routes. The proposed move, which could result in an increase in flight costs on trunk domestic air routes such as those connecting major metros as well as international routes, is aimed at bringing down the cost of air travel on non-metro routes to about `2,500 per flying hour under a freshly conceived Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) that was unveiled recently in the revised draft civil aviation policy.

The subsidy will be funded through a two per cent levy on airfares for both domestic flights on trunk routes and on international commercial flights and is expected to gen-

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erate `1,500 crore per annum.

R N Choubey, secretary, Civil Aviation, said, “The mandate from the prime minister was to bring out a policy which will make it possible for the masses to fly. That is the message which we set out to work with.”

The policy will be put up for public consultations for a period of three weeks. A draft cabinet note would be framed thereafter and sent for interministerial consultations. In another significant initiative in the draft policy, the ministry said that it is looking at liberalising the bilateral regime by permitting open skies between India and SAARC nations and countries beyond 5,000 km radius of Delhi. Post-April 2020, open skies arrangement with countries within 5,000 km radius will be considered along with a proposal to allow FDI in Indian carriers over the current 49 per cent. The draft policy proposes to abolish service

tax on MRO (maintenance, repair, overhaul) services provided in India and allows increase in tax-free period for storage of spares imported by MROs. As per the draft policy, the government will provide viability gap funding (VGF) to airlines flying to underserved and unserved destinations to keep airfares at about `2,500 per flying hour on regional routes.

The VGF will be indexed to aviation turbine fuel (ATF) prices and to inflation. While the Centre would provide 80 per cent of the resources to bridge losses incurred by airlines by flying to these routes, the remaining amount would have to be pitched in by the states.

There will be no service tax on tickets on regional flights.

The proposed subsidies for enhancing air connectivity would, however, be only offered in states which reduce VAT on ATF to one per cent or less at

The policy will be put up for public consultations for a period of three weeks. A draft cabinet note would be framed thereafter and sent for inter-ministerial consultations.

The ministry said that it is looking at liberalising the bilateral regime by permitting open skies between India and SAARC nations RCS airports. “States are currently not collecting any tax at RCS airports because there are no flights to these destinations.

If they reduce VAT on ATF at these airports, they would be earning to the extent connectivity improves to that location,” said Choubey. The policy proposes to develop no-frills airports at around 400 unused air strips across the country at

estimated cost of around `50 crore each for supporting flights to unconnected destinations. The push for air travel proposed under the regional connectivity scheme is expected to boost domestic air traffic to 300 million by 2022 from 70 million now. Domestic air ticketing is expected to go up further to 500 million by 2027.

IN THE NEWS

FICCI tees off second golf tourism summit ETW Staff Mumbai THE FICCI Golf Tourism Summit held at ITC Grand Bharat in New Delhi witnessed a gathering of around 18 foreign golf tour operators from 16 countries to explore what golf in India has to offer, as a sport and as a golfing destination. About 176 structured, pre-scheduled B2B meetings between buyers and sellers were conducted over the twoday summit (October 26-27, 2016). The delegates were taken for a post event FAM trip to golf courses in the Delhi & NCR region, which was conducted by the Indian Golf Tourism Association (IGTA) under the leadership

of its president Rajan Sehgal. A special round of golf was also conducted at ITC Grand Bharat as part of the event.

Addressing the event, Dr Mahesh Sharma, union minister of state (independent charge) of tourism and culture, Government of India informed, “The ministry of tourism (MoT) is creating a comprehensive and coordinated framework for promoting golf tourism in India, capitalising on the existing work that is being carried out, and building upon the strength of India’s position as the fastest growing free market economy. MoT has revised guidelines to develop and promote India as a preferred golf tourism destination.

The objective is to promote India as a multiple tourism attraction destination offering varied niche tourism products to make India a 365-day destination.”

The inaugural session of the summit was also addressed by Dipak Haksar, chief operating officer, ITC Grand Bharat; Padamjit Sandhu, director, Pro-

fessional Golf Tour of India (PGTI) and Dr A Didar Singh, secretary general, FICCI. Vinod Zutshi, secretary, MoT, Government of India, who was also present at the event, stated, “India is becoming a niche player in golf tourism with 22 functional golf courses, 30 of them suitable for professional

golfers and 15 signature golf courses.” Dr Jyotsna Suri, president, FICCI, chairperson, FICCI Tourism Committee and CMD, The Lalit Suri Hospitality Group, said, “India has 220 golf courses across the country which includes 25 signature golf courses from Jammu & Kashmir in the north to south of India.”

Speaking on the intiative, Dr Deepankur Mittal, director, Security Instruments, said, “I was highly impressed with the summit as it brought the world to India. It is a great intiative to bring the world to India. Such connections through the sport should be encouraged as it further strengthens our relationships with countries on a global level.”

FUTURE NEXT / ZAHEER ELLIAS NAJEEB EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, AIRTRAVEL ENTERPRISES (ATE GROUP) MY SUCCESS MANTRA

MY INSPIRATION IN LIFE

Be nice to other people, they outnumber you six billion to one.

Every tough decision I have to make, I always think of my parents.What would they do? What would they think? Ever since high school they have been my inspiration.

MY BIGGEST LEARNING I believe that one of my biggest strengths is my ability to learn.

And one of my biggest learnings is that anything can be learned.

MY FIRST MILESTONE One of my proudest moments was recording and releasing my album titled 'Walk with Me' in 2003. Having first picked up a guitar in 1998, I started recording during my college vacations in 2001.A more recent milestone has been a pet project of mine.

I've always loved a good burger and last year, I started '1976' as a personal project, with creative recipes and an inspiring space.

The response it has been receiving has made it the best burger joint here.

To Great' by Jim Collins. It is my all time favourite. I still refer it from time to time.

MY DREAM DESTINATION The moon. I just hope I am not too old to go by the time it becomes a tourist attraction.

MY STRESS-BUSTER Every evening as I reach home, my one year old daughter's face lights up, as she raises her arms, signaling me, while my five year old daughter pounces on me. It may sound cliched, but everything else seems irrelevant at that point.

I also take time out for my creative outlets (music, photography, etc).They always give me a surge of positive energy.

MY FAVOURITE MANAGEMENT BOOK One of the first management books that I have read was 'Good

USP OFATE GROUP ATE has been very fortunate to have people who are committed to the organisation, who consider this as their family and who have stayed with us through thick and thin.

VISION FOR MY COMPANY

Zaheer Ellias Najeeb

My vision for the organisation is to make it one of the best places to work, by being on top of the industry and fostering growth, creativity and innovation.

MYADVICE TO GEN-NEXT You don't have to bring people to their knees, just to their senses.

(As told to Rituparna Chatterjee)

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AIRLINES

Turkish Airlines to add six new gateways in India To operate double daily flights into Delhi and Mumbai Rituparna Chatterjee Mumbai TO DIVERSIFY and strengthen its presence in the India market, Turkish Airlines, is looking at adding minimum six new gateways in India which includes Chennai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, Kolkata and Amritsar. Moreover, the airline which is presently operating a daily flight into Delhi and Mumbai, is planning to increase this to double daily.

For both expansions, the company is in talks with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, Government of India and the Ministry of Civil Aviation, Government of India. Elaborating more on this expansion, Mehmet Akay, general manager, western and southern India, Turkish Airlines, stated, “According to the bilateral agreement between India and Turkey there can be up to two gateways and 14 flights and we are currently utilising the same. This

limitation is not allowing us to showcase our real potential in India and hence we have approached the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, Government of India and the Ministry of Civil Aviation, Government of India and things are moving in a positive direction. We are just awaiting permission.” He is positive that prime minister Narendra Modi's visit to Turkey in November will help strengthen the bilateral ties between both the countries.

Presently, Turkish Airlines is deploying Boeing 777300 ER to Mumbai and Airbus A330-300 to Delhi. It is looking at deploying Boeing 777-300 ER to Delhi. “Both the gateways are approaching 90 per cent load factor and so we need to put in more capacity,” states Akay, adding that, “As for the six gateways, depending upon the season, we will either deploy Boeing 777300 or Airbus 330-300. The six gateways can be rolled out in phases.”

Mehmet Akay

Air China introduces direct flights from Mumbai to Beijing Kahini Chakraborty Mumbai WITH AN AIM to further strengthen its position in the India market, Air China has launched its first direct flight service from Mumbai to Beijing. The new direct flight will be operational four times a week. To service the route, the airline has introduced Airbus A330-300 with a total seating capacity of 305 seats, having 30 business class fully flat beds, 16 premium economy and 259 economy seats.

STIC Travel Group is the India GSA for Air China.

Speaking to Express TravelWorld, Garuda Sun, general manager - Delhi office, Air China said, “Last

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year about 1.7 lakh Chinese travellers visited India, while seven lakh Indians visited China. We see a huge tourism growth potential for the two countries and believe that the direct service will attract more numbers. In the first half of this year China received 3.5 lakh Indian visitors which is a 4.7 per cent increase compared to last year.

We have started with this four weekly direct flights, and the future plan is to make them daily.”

While Xia Baohui, general manager, Air China added, “We saw a growing demand from the Mumbai market.

And hence have launched our direct Mumbai-Beijing flight.

We already have four flights

We are expecting a 20-25 per cent increase in tourism in the next one year. We are planning to look at Bengaluru and Hyderabad for the expansion. In the first half of this year China received 3.5 lakh Indian visitors, a 4.7 per cent increase over last year from New Delhi, and this could also be made daily in the future.”

Speaking on the tourism growth potential, Subhash Goyal, chairman, STIC Travel

Group, opined, “We are expecting a 20-25 per cent increase in tourism in the next one year. We are planning to look at cities like Bengaluru and Hyderabad for the expan-

sion. After prime minister Narendra Modi's visit to China and before that the head of the state of China's visit to India the relations between the two countries have improved. Both the heads of the country have decided to have a Visit China Year in India and Visit India Year in China. So under the Visit India Year in China, the Chinese government is aggressive and Air China has started more flights.”

He added, “With Modi's announcement of e-visa facility in China, we are hopeful that the tourism between both the countries will increase, especially Chinese travelling to India should increase by 15-20 per cent.”

OUTBOUND TOURISM

Denmark sees marked growth in Indian arrivals Sudipta Dev Mumbai DENMARK, ALONG with other Scandinavian countries (Norway and Sweden) have been focused on attracting Indian travellers in the recent years. The efforts seem to have paid off with Denmark witnessing a growth of 31 per cent from the India market this year when compared to 2014. In an exclusive interaction with Express TravelWorld, Flemming Bruhn, director, VisitDenmark said, “For next year our growth expectations is at least 20 per cent. We have different kinds of strength in Scandinavian countries, for example Norway we

have fantastic nature, in Denmark it is culture and shopping.”

Pointing out that there is much more to Denmark than the city of Copenhagen, he mentioned, “Denmark has 600 castles across the country.

Quite a few are converted into heritage hotels.” Copenhagen is a world famous MICE destination, and according to Bruhn it will be particularly suitable for the India market. There are 15 Michelin starred restaurants in Copenhagen itself. The large Indian populace in the country has ensured that there are also many Indian restaurants.

The third largest city in Denmark is Odense, which is

the birthplace of Hans Christian Andersen. Visitors can experience the world of fairy tales, go for a city walk 'On the Footsteps of Hans Christian Andersen' with a map in hand, and see where he lived, his school and workplace, and other landmarks. There is also the world's first Legoland.

Lego being a Danish brand the original Legoland Park is in Billund. Another interesting aspect for visitors in Denmark is discovering the Viking heritage. “There are festivals going on throughout the year, particularly during summer time. You can live like a Viking, see how they fought against each other. One of the best

Viking ships in the world is just outside Copenhagen,” added Bruhn.

All the three Scandinavian countries are being promoted together in India. “We have done good education in the last few years for the travel trade in India, there were trips for the travel trade and media,” he said. These countries have also

become active on social media for the India market.

Most of the visitors have been from the metro cities in India. “We hope to see many more Indians coming. All Scandinavians speak English, so Indians will feel welcomed in our country,” Bruhn concluded.

Thailand promotes luxury experiences 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 mov-

ing to a more quality - 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.

The Indian market has a lot of potential and is one of the top spenders

But this 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

numbers from India were 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.”

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INBOUND TOURISM

Heritage in the heart of Puducherry Sudipta Dev Mumbai THE UNIQUE architectural and spiritual legacy of the Union Territory of Puducherry continues to attract both international and domestic tourists, though there has been a reversal in their percentage in recent times.

“Currently there are 60 per cent Indians and 40 per cent foreigners. Before the economic slowdown in Europe it was 60 per cent overseas tourists and 40 per cent domestic visitors,” said K Gopalkrishnan, proprietor, Shree Saara Tourism, a leading local tour operator in Puducherry. The company operates pondicherrytours.com, pondicherrytaxiservice.com, pondicherrytaxi.com. “We have seven more websites for south India and specially for Puducherry,” mentioned Gopalkrishnan.

Heritage tourism continues to be the mainstay for

Puducherry. Pointing out that tourists from across the world visit Puducherry, Gopalkrishnan stated, “For the inbound crowd it is the French Colony that continues to be the key at-

traction. There is going to be a major renovation of heritage buildings by the French government and the local French people. There is also a strong effort to preserve the handi-

craft traditions.”

The domestic tourists flock to Auroville, the French Colony, beaches and Paradise Island.

“Paradise Island is a natural island that has been developed for

tourism. People can engage in different activities and return by boat in the evening,” he mentioned.

The Dutch churches that were built near the beach attract both segments. They also enjoy the culinary heritage which is a mix of authentic French, Italian and South Indian cuisines. The most interesting accommodation options in the Union Territory are the quaint heritage properties run by individual owners – guest houses, boutique hotels and homestays. “Old houses are constantly being renovated so that they can be converted into heritage hotels. The accommodation here is cheaper compared to other cities in India,” remarked Gopalkrishnan.

Most of the packages are for two nights and three days. “The focus of our packages is heritage tourism. We give personal attention to our guests according to their interest,” stated Gopalkrishnan.

Rajasthan Tourism introduces night tourism in Jaipur Akshay Kumar Mumbai THE RAJASTHAN Tourism Development Corporation (RTDC) has introduced the concept of night tourism. Jaipur is the first city where this tour has been launched. Also, a new hop-on hop-off coach has been introduced exclusively for night tourism. The tour includes major attractions like Amar Jawan Jyoti, Vidhan Sabha Bhavan, Birla Mandir, Albert Hall, Hawa Mahal, Jal Mahal, Amber Fort and concludes with dinner at Durg cafetaria Nahargarh Fort.

GS Gangwal, joint director,

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department of tourism, Government of Rajasthan said, “The night tourism concept was introduced during this summer.

Due to the heat during the day, tourists do not prefer to visit the attractions. This is when we came up with the concept of night tourism, where travellers can visit the major attractions in the evenings from 6 pm till 10 pm. This new tour is slowly becoming popular amongst travellers. Initially, we started this tour to Amber Fort, Albert Hall and the City Palace, and soon we will be adding more attractions.”

Recently, the department

of tourism, Government of Rajasthan along with the Federation of Hospitality and Tourism of Rajasthan organised a Visit Rajasthan roadshow at the Nehru Centre in Mumbai on October 26-27, 2015. The roadshow witnessed key hotel owners, tour operators, adventure tourism operators from Rajasthan showcasing their products to key buyers.

Bhim Singh, president, Federation of Hospitality and Tourism of Rajasthan, said, “This is the first roadshow organised by Rajasthan in Mumbai. We want our key stakehold-

The roadshow witnessed key hotel owners, tour operators, adventure tourism operators from Rajasthan showcasing their products

ers to meet potential buyers in other states and try to increase footfalls in our state. Currently, Rajasthan is growing rapidly in the MICE and weddings segment apart from leisure. There are many new developments in the state and we have also identified some new destinations.”

The Visit Rajasthan roadshow is a 10 city show which includes, New Delhi, Chandigarh, Mumbai, Pune, Chennai, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Guwahati, Hyderabad and Ahmedabad. The roadshow started on September 25, 2015 and will conclude on February 12, 2016.

IN THE NEWS

Thomas Cook targets Maharashtrian markets with new products Marathi language brochures to be uploaded online Akshay Kumar Mumbai THOMAS COOK (India) has introduced new Maharashtrian Regional tours to tap the Marathi speaking travellers. To promote the same, Thomas Cook partnered with the new Marathi movie Rajwade & Sons; and organised a three city promotional tour to Kolhapur, Pune and Thane. The new Marathi exclusive packages titled Avismarniya and Apratim Tours consists of a mix of domestic and international packages.

Speaking to Express Trav-

elWorld, Shibani Phadkar, senior vice president and head leisure travel outbound, products, contracting, operations and tour management, Thomas Cook (India) said, “The Maharashtra market is growing by 2025 per cent year-on-year. This is one of the reasons we want to explore this market further. We have partnered with the movie Rajwade & Sons as one of the characters in the movie is an aspirant traveller and this will help us to connect with the market.

Our new packages will take care of every needs of a Maharashtrian traveller, we have Marathi speaking guides, Maharashtrian

We have partnered with the movie Rajwade & Sons as one of the characters in the movie is an aspirant traveller and this will help us to connect with the market cuisine will be arranged during the tours, etc.”

Europe is one of the most favourable destinations for Maharashtrian travellers. Destinations like Scandinavia, China, Australia are also popular.

Speaking about the trends

Phadkar said, “Maharashtrian travellers not only visit attractions and places, but also wants to understand the culture and history of a destination. Some of the European destinations have a lot of history to be explored, hence is amongst the top

favourites. Over 20 per cent of the total business for Thomas Cook is from Maharashtra, hence this is a very potential market for us. Also, for this campaign, we are tapping the smaller cities as we have to make our brand accessible to these places. As of now we have started our campaign with three cities, but later on we will add cities like Nagpur, Nashik, Sangli and many other cities in the interiors of Maharashtra.”

To further tap this market, Thomas Cook also plans to introduce Marathi language brochures and e-brochures online.

Sterling gets an adrenaline rush with Nature Trails acquisition Reema Lokesh Mumbai WITH A FOCUS to expand its customer base and venture into new segments of growth, the recent acquisition of Nature Trails Resorts by Thomas Cook's subsidiary Sterling Holiday Resorts, is part of the plan to achieve this goal. Sterling Holiday Resorts is clearly aiming to increase its product portfolio and venture into the domestic adventure tourism space. From a pure time share concept to the now work with a dual strategy of both time share and general vacationing, the company aims to offer its

existing clientele newer products to explore. In an exclusive with Express TravelWorld, Ramesh Ramanathan, MD, Sterling Holiday Resorts stated that the domestic tourism market in India is untapped and has tremendous potential.

“People are travelling and spending more, and short holidays and breaks are gaining popularity. Since I took over around four years ago, I felt that it is important to bring in variety in terms of holiday products. We were restricted to be a certain customer segment and it is important to connect to the young and a larger segment who are taking

these short holidays. We hope to catch our customers early and with this new takeover we

Ramesh Ramanathan

are confident to reach out to a new segment of travellers.”

In the days ahead, the company will work with the original leadership at Nature Trails and

With this new takeover we are confident to reach out to a new segment of travellers

its founding member Chinmay Divekar, will continue to contribute to its growth as COO. Ramanathan, added, “We aim to leverage from each other’s strengths. This will help us reach our goal of connecting with a new segment of travellers and also strengthen our foothold in the adventure tourism space.” Speaking about the further plans, Ramanathan added, “Sterling will also look at expanding its operations probably around 2017, however as of now the focus is India.” The company is soon to strengthen its presence in Dharamsala in Himachal Pradesh.

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LUXURY TRAVEL

India gets its first InterContinental resort in Chennai ETW Staff Mumbai INTERCONTINENTAL Hotels Group (IHG) has announced the opening of InterContinental Chennai Mahabalipuram Resort in India. The resort will join InterContinental Mumbai Marine Drive to be the second hotel under the company’s luxury portfolio in India. Located 30 km from Chennai International Airport, InterContinental Chennai Mahabalipuram is a 105 room resort offering a full range of facilities and amenities to guests, in-

cluding an outdoor swimming pool, a fully-equipped health club and a spa.

Shantha de Silva, headSouth West Asia, IHG said, “The opening of InterContinental Chennai Mahabalipuram

Resort marks an important milestone in IHG’s journey in India. Chennai is a city that boasts of the perfect mix of diversity and culture with a glossy layer of cosmopolitan glamour. Whether for a leisure

break, an intimate wedding or a romantic getaway, our newest property in Chennai will offer unrivalled facilities and access to many cultural opportunities of one of the country’s biggest cities.”

The hotel offers three gourmet dining options which includes; The Melting Pot with three live kitchens that serves the best in European, South Asian and Peninsular Indian cuisine, a Chinese Specialty Restaurant, Tao Of Peng & Lounge Bar,The resorts expansive and versatile indoor and outdoor

venues are ideal for conferences, meetings, and special occasions such as wedding celebrations.

Vijai Singh, general manager, InterContinental Chennai Mahabalipuram Resort said, “The InterContinental brand is trusted around the world for its superior service which guests have come to know and appreciate. InterContinental Chennai Mahabalipuram Resort will be one of the first five star beach resorts on the east coast of India and is sure to offer unforgettable memories to guests visiting the city.”

Greg Norman launches The Eastern Golf Club,Yarra Valley ETW Staff Mumbai GREG NORMAN officially launched The Eastern Golf Club’s new course in Yering, located within Melbourne’s famous Yarra Valley, on October 16, 2015. In selecting the setting of the Yering Gorge, where bushland intersects with the Yarra River against the backdrop of the Christmas Hills and Dividing Ranges, Eastern Golf Club’s vision was to establish a country estate within the Yarra Valley, whilst respecting the informal character and rich traditions of the Club that date back to 1896.

Ben Telley, general manager, The Eastern Golf Club, said, “The opening of The Eastern Golf Club in Yering represents a US$70 million tourism and sports infrastructure invest-

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ment into the Yarra Valley and the Club believes that its relocation to Yering will further establish the Yarra Valley region as a premier golf destination.”

With a philosophy to create an environment that would be in harmony with the broader landscape, The Eastern Golf Club commissioned Greg Norman Golf Course Design (GNGCD) to design the 27 hole championship standard course plus a nine hole, par three course. Recognised as an industry leader in promoting the compatibility of golf courses with the environment, Norman’s ‘least-disturbance approach’ design philosophy has created a course that is complementary to the existing topography whilst ensuring that the natural features and dramatic views are maximised to enrich the playing experience.

Greg Norman, Greg Norman Golf Course Design said, “My responsibility when designing a golf course is to ensure it complements the natural surrounds, and at Eastern, to showcase the native flora and fauna that Australia is renowned for.

Yarra Valley’s Eastern Golf Club is a place where members can

enjoy teeing off with kangaroos while taking in the views of the surrounding Christmas Hills and Dividing Ranges. This course delivers a natural golf experience and I am proud to be a part of it.”

The remaining nine, of the planned 27 holes together with a nine hole par three course are

currently under construction and scheduled for completion in April / May, 2016.

Designed by leading architects, Perrott Lyon Mathieson, the new Club House reflects an environment of understated elegance whilst engaging with the surrounds through the choice of building materials; subdued colour selection and a design focus that creates seamless transitions between interior spaces and the natural environment.

The surrounding landscape has seen the reintroduction of native plants and the use of rock forms and water to emulate the uniquely Australian landscape.

As part of the day’s events, Norman will conduct a coaching clinic for returned servicemen and women, from the Greg Norman Foundation’s charity partner for the opening, Soldier On.

HOSPITALITY

People's World, Bhopal to expand hotel room inventory Rituparna Chatterjee Bhopal PEOPLE'S WORLD, an entertainment park located in Bhanpur, Bhopal and a part of People's Group, an educational, healthcare, media, entertainment and real estate provider in Madhya Pradesh, is expanding its hotel room inventory. People's World, spread over 164 acres, boasts of a mall, housing complex, water park, amusement park, 4D cinema, among others. The park also offers different categories of accommodation to its visitors including a budget hotel with 64 rooms, a Naturopathy

centre with six cottages and 29 rooms, eight rooftop cottages and four hanging cottages. In addition, a cruise ship replica offers 20 deck cabins and The Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbai replica offers 45 rooms. Apart from these two replicas, People's World has also replicated famous historical structures which can host conferences, weddings, events, film shootings, etc. Elaborating on this, Sanjesh Kaushik, general manager - marketing, People's World stated, “The chairman of the group had a concept of providing a full destination at one place, so he developed People's World

Sanjesh Kaushik

one and a half years ago as a special tourist zone in Bhopal. Now we will be ex-

panding our hotel room inventory by opening a 100-key five star hotel by April-May, 2016 and by adding eight deluxe cottages beside the Statue of Liberty replica by end of 2015” When asked about investment for the same, Kaushik opined, “The total project cost of People's World is `232 crore.”

The replicas have the capacity to host 50,000 guests (both indoors and outdoors) making it an ideal venue to host large events stated Kaushik. “We offer these venues at wholesale prices. If clients want they can arrange for the decoration and catering themselves or

we can organise the same,” he mentioned.

People's World has been attracting both domestic and international tourists mainly from UAE, Americas, Gujarat, Mumbai and the North East. To increase brand awareness, the company is now focusing on B2B marketing and recently participated at the Madhya Pradesh Travel Mart in Bhopal this year. He added, “Previously, we were engaged in B2C marketing and have recently entered the B2B space. We are talking to various travel associations and travel agents to promote People's World.”

Heralding the era of social hostels Sudipta Dev Mumbai IN DEVELOPED countries across the world, quality hostels are an excellent accommodation option for backpackers and other travellers. While India is yet to see the segment emerge, pioneering efforts are being made by Blanket Hospitality Ventures (BHV), under its brand Vedanta Wake up! to provide quality budget accommodation and more.

“Dorm beds are a very acceptable way of accommodation in the West – there is a lot of socialising, meeting people and making friends, sharing experiences and ideas. We realised that this kind of accommodation does not exist in India, there are the dharamshalas and YMCAs but are at a low end of the spectrum.

It is not for discerning travellers,” said Rishabh Gupta, founder, BHV. The product, primarily modelled on social hostel concept was introduced to India in 2011. While the dorm bed sells for `500, double beds range from `1500 to `2500. “We do not call ourselves hostels or hotels. We tell people that when you stay with us you will discover friends.

We talk of the experiences,” clarified Gupta. These experiences include movie nights, Kathakali shows, live band performances, early morning walking tours of the city and yoga sessions – all for free.

The domestic market is the main focus, primarily as Gupta pointed out, because of the critical mass. Clients range from individual travellers to corporates (with whom the company has

tied up) to families. “From retired people to old age homes the properties are being promoted everywhere,” added Gupta.

Currently there are 12 properties. The company initially started in Kerala but now has a presence in other southern states. “We are growing in clusters. We have almost completed the Kerala cluster, and are now developing the Tamil Nadu and Karnataka clusters,” stated Gupta. These are all brownfield projects. The properties have between 30 to 50 rooms, as the entire operation has been ideated with this room inventory in mind.

“There are plenty of hotel owners who have these rooms inventory and are looking for good operators,” stated Gupta.

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BEST ON THE BEACH Express TravelWorld checks out unique accommodations located on India's scenic beaches which can be packaged as niche products for both, leisure and MICE segments

WEST BENGAL K

nown for its rich architectural and cultural diversity, West Bengal is also a state abound with many beautiful beaches ranging from the popular beaches of Digha and Mandarmani to the virgin beach locations of Tajpur, Shankarpur and Bakkhali. All of these beaches boast of excellent, luxurious resorts and hotels. A favourite among the Bengalis, the Digha beach is one of the most visited and crowded beaches in Bengal. Digha has two sections - Old Digha and New Digha. While Old Digha is crowded, New Digha is rather quiet and has many resorts ideal for honeymooners. The

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Palm Resort Digha is a picturesque retreat in this location. Guests can either laze on its beautiful lawn or relax in the swimming pool or curl up in a hammock sipping cocktail from the resort bar. Another property is the Ownland Resort - Digha, which is situated within five minutes walking distance from the Old Digha Beach.

A newly developed tourist spot, Mandarmani is popular for water sports and is comparatively less crowded than Digha. The hotels here are beautiful and visitors can avail a seafacing room or suite throughout the year. The

Sana Beach is a chic and sophisticated resort set amidst coastal trees. The Sana Beach has both rooms and cottages, whose architectural characteristics are inspired by Hawa Mahal.

Very close to Digha is Shankarpur, a beautiful sea beach. Again, its beauty comes from it being a rather virgin and nascent location. Hotel Nest in Shankarpur is a leisure hotel with beautiful interiors and luxurious suites. A five to seven minutes walk from the hotel leads guests to the sea beach.

Bakkhali is one of the most unexplored beaches in West Bengal. The resorts here are

WTM 2015 Special

beautiful and some have the look and feel of farm houses with green trees and bushes.

Located 300 metres from the Bakkhali sea beach is Hotel Amarabati, which opened in 1997 and is one of the best hotels at this location.

The Tajpur Beach is located in the east of Midnapore or Purba Medinipur. A quiet and beautiful beach, Tajpur is slowly being discovered by tourists and adventurers. The Tajpur Nature Camp is a stylish beach front hotel boasting of lush greenery and eco-friendly accommodations.

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DAMAN AND DIU T

he beaches of Daman and Diu form an integral part of its tourism industry. Nagoa, Devka and Jampore are some of the famous beaches of Daman and Diu attracting tourists from different parts of the world.The Nagoa Beach is one of the most beautiful beaches of the country and is situated about 20 minutes from Diu, while Devka Beach is another beautiful tourist spot situated in the north of Daman. Besides, tourists can also unwind themselves at Jampore Beach which is situated near Gujarat in the southern fringe of the union territory.Tourists willing to explore more can also visit the Chakratirth, Gomatimala, Kevdi and Ghoghla beaches in Daman and Diu. Travellers looking to explore the beautiful beaches of Daman and Diu can choose from a diverse range of accommodations. For instance, spread across 10,000 sq feet of landscaped gardens,The Deltin, Daman has 176 rooms and offers views of greenery and the meandering pool.While The Gold Beach Resort sits on a serene beachfront overlooking the Arabian Sea. Spread across two acres of the Devka Beach in Daman, this resort is a fourstar property replete with world-class rooms and suites along with other modern amenities like themed restaurants, swimming pool, boardroom

and more. Nestled in the serene surrounds of Daman is the Sandy Resort. Guests here can stay in airconditioned, deluxe rooms with a sea view or can arrange important meetings, discuss future ventures, and organise conferences, seminars or get togethers at its well-furnished conference hall or have a memorable wedding ceremony at its lavish banquet hall.

Situated in the picturesque seaside town of

Diu, Radhika Beach Resort offers rooms which have been tastefully done up.All rooms are spacious with a great view, either pool side or garden.

Guests can either dine at the in-house multi-cuisine restaurant ‘Rivera’which offers a variety of cuisines - Indian, Chinese or Continental - or relax at its tavern.

Another property, Hotel Palms is located on the peaceful, quiet, picturesque Khodidhar Beach in Nagoa area.

KERALA T

he beaches of Kerala are amongst the best in India.While some of the beaches are extremely popular pulling in crowds from various parts of the country, others remain relatively deserted. Located not far from Alleppey, Marari Beach makes it convenient for those who would like to spend some time at the beach while going on a houseboat trip along the backwaters.A big attraction there is the Marari Beach resort of CGH Earth set on a sprawling property filled with coconut groves and lotus ponds.The resort offers

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three types of accommodations - Garden Villas, Garden Pool Villas and Deluxe Pool Villas - along with Ayurveda treatments and yoga classes which are conducted on the beach.

The small town of Kannur in northern Kerala is known for its secluded beaches.There are some laid back beach houses in the Thottada beach area.While Kannur Beach House offers optimal views of the breathtaking Malabar coast, the

Chera Rock Beach House offers a relaxing stay in the ambiance of a traditional Kerala home. Bekal Beach in north Kerala is famous for its old fort considered to be one of the largest in Kerala.The most popular resort here is the Vivanta by Taj – Bekal. It has 71 laterite lined villas and rooms inspired by the design of Kettuvallam houseboats and reflect Chitra Pothi art on the walls. Surrounded by river Nombili on three sides in the lap of the Arabian Sea,The Lalit Resort & Spa Bekal is a serene heaven in God’s Own Country. Kovalam, a beach town by the Arabian Sea in Thiruvananthapuram, is another famous tourist spot and the Leela Kovalam is a popular hotel with a clifftop setting .The resort is known for its world class dining, seamless service, and palatial accommodations.The 10 km long Cherai Beach on Vypeen Island, makes an appealing side trip from Kochi.

Travellers to this beach can stay at Les 3 Elephants, a boutique eco resort facing the backwaters, built with local materials.

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KARNATAKA W

ith a 320 km long coastline, Karnataka is one of the most popular beach destinations in India. The picturesque beauty and charm of Karnataka's beaches make them must-visit destinations of the state. Some of the popular beaches include Gokarna Beach whose main attraction is the Mahabaleshwar temple; while the Kaup Beach is known for its 100 ft high light house and a ruined fort. Other major beaches include - Karwar Beach, Kudle Beach, Malpe Beach, Maravanthe Beach, Murudeshwar Beach, Netrani Island, St Mary’s Islands, Ullal Beach.

Paradise Isle Beach Resort is one of the first luxury beach resorts in coastal Karnataka and is located right on Malpe Beach.The property has 70 rooms and 10 cottages most of which offer spectacular views of the sea. Located on the famous Ullal-Someshwar Beach, the Summer Sands Beach Resort, is spread across 15 acres and has two and three bedroom villas, a multi-cuisine restaurant with an alfresco ambiance, and a 1000 foot beach front. Conferencing facility, live music on the weekends by the beach and cultural entertainment make it a popular conferencing venue as well.

Located at the scenic Trasi Maravanthe area of

Karnataka,Turtlebay on Sea,Trasi - A jüSTa Resort offers guests the luxury of lounging on pristine golden sands, amidst coconut palms and the sea.

The scenic beauty of the Arabian Sea, the calm backwaters of River Sowparnika, breathtaking nature walks, treks along the scenic coast, peace and quiet, clean water for snorkeling, scuba diving and swimming, and delicious coastal cuisine sums up the experience at Turtlebay.

The Om Beach that traces the shape of the Hindu symbol 'Om' is the most popular of Gokarna’s beaches and lends its name to the Om Beach Resort perched on the slopes of a hillock overlooking a verdant valley. The Om Beach Resort has Konkan style cottages, all of

ODISHA O

disha is famous for its languid beaches of the Bay of Bengal that is popular in the domestic tourism market, particularly among tourists from eastern states.The beach destinations of Odisha range from famous names like Puri, Gopalpur, Paradeep, Chandipur to little known but equally beautiful Baliharchandani, Balighai,Aryapalli and Balaramgadi.

The accommodation options at these beach destinations are varied – from deluxe luxury resorts to many beach facing budget hotels.

Gopalpur-on Sea is a perfect location for sailing and surfing.The Mayfair Palm Beach Resort Gopalpur-on-Sea is one of the most prestigious beach properties in Odisha with an interesting history. It is a heritage property built in 1914 by an Italian Signor Maglioni. Believed to be the first hotel in Odisha it was a part of the Oberoi Group till 2003.

At a distance of two hours drive from Bhubaneswar, the property is a popular getaway for families and conferencing crowd and of course

which are air conditioned and have spacious bedrooms and bathrooms. The rustic cottages are spread across the entire landscape of the resort. Another beautiful property is Leisure Vacations Tarang Resort which is set amidst the spectacular setting of Karwar. The resort offers 12 rooms which include four deluxe cottages and eight superior rooms, fully equipped with all modern facilities for a comfortable stay.

a sought after venue for weddings.Another picturesque resort located at the historic seaport of Gopalpur is Swosti Palm Resort. Toshali Sands Puri is a 25 acres property near Balighai beach.

The extensive property has categories including executive villas, cottages and deluxe rooms. Puri Golden Sands,A Sterling Holidays Resort is located at the scenic spot where Bhargavi river meets the sea. Situated next to Brahma Kumari Ashram, the resort is perfect for those seeking a spiritual retreat in the temple town. One of the most fascinating aspects of Chandipur Beach in Odisha is the sight of the receding sea during low tide till five km and return of the water. Located not too far from the unique beach is Arpita Beach Resort which is the best hotel in Chandipur.About two km from Chandipur is the beautiful beach of Balaramgadi, which is at the confluence of the Budhabalanga river with the Bay of Bengal.The port town of Paradeep mostly attracts business visitors and not surprisingly, one of the best hotels here is Empires - Paradip , a business hotel approximately 500 metres from the beach. Commemorating the legendary spirit of the Kalinga dynasty, the hotel recreates an ambience reflecting Konark art.The hotel also offers conferencing facilities.

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PUDUCHERRY W

ith a vast coastline of 45 km the union territory of Puducherry consists of four small unconnected districtsPuducherry, Karaikal and Yanam on the Bay of Bengal and Mahe on the Arabian Sea. Puducherry and Karaikal have the largest areas and population.The beaches are gifted with many backwater lagoons and estuaries and vast stretch of palm trees.The other beaches in Puducherry are Mahe Beach, Paradise Beach,The Auroville Beach, Serenity Beach. Chunnambar has established itself on the tourist map of India as the ultimate destination for numerous adventure sports like kayaking, canoeing, boating, and sailing.

Veerampattinam Festival and Masi Magam are some of the festivals celebrated by people on the beaches.Among the four regions of Puducherry, Karaikal Beach occupies a place of prominence as a tourist destination. Le Pondy, is a premium leisure resort lounged at an estuary between Chunnambar River and the Bay of Bengal.

The Promenade Beach is also one of the popular and most frequented by the local people and tourists. It lies over a stretch of 1.5 kilometre or 1500 metres. On the southern end of the Promenade lies the statue of the most popular French

Governor of the region, Monsieur Dupleix. Beyond the statue of the governor is the new pier that stretches along 284 metres.The Promenade-A Hidesign Hotel is a luxury boutique hotel on the ocean front of one of India's most beautiful and romantic towns.

The ancient fishermen hamlet of Pudukkupam established during the Chola period (IX-XII century) is located 10 km south of Puducherry city, in the Coromandel coast of the Bay of Bengal. Being near to the estuary of the Chunnambar river and the Indian Ocean it has a privileged ecological position, not far from the Roman ruins of Arikkamedu, a port established in the first century of the era. It is between this hamlet and Pooranankuppam, the rice bowl of this region, that Kailash Beach Resort came up as the first establishment of this class in Puducherry. Kailash Beach Resort is a three-star

TAMIL NADU B

oasting of a vast coastline of 1076 km and known as the second largest coastline from Chennai on the Coromandel Coast,

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Tamil Nadu's beaches have elaborate water sports activities and others are alligned with exotic attractions like monuments, forts, popu-

hotel with 38 air-conditioned rooms, each provided with a balcony.

The Dune Eco Village & Spa, Puducherry is an eco-friendly beach hotel on 35 acres, offering 55 uniquely designed bungalows fusing traditional and modern architecture. Set in picturesque ChinnaVeerampattinam, the Windflower Pondicherry is perched between backwaters and bright blue ocean. Le Royal Park One is one of the elite hotels in Puducherry. The hotel is located close to all major tourist attractions within one kilometre.

lar temples and churches. The Marina Beach is the second longest beach in the world. It is a 13 km stretch beach from Fort St George to the north of Besant Nagar. The Covelong Beach also known as Kovalam beach along the Coromandel Coast now called as East Coast Road was originally a fisherman’s village located around 40 km from Chennai city. The other significant beaches are Mamallapuram Beach, Kanyakumari Beach and Poompuhar Beach.

Vivanta by Taj - Fisherman's Cove, Chennai, built on the ramparts of an old Dutch fort, is now riding on a fresh new wave. Yet it remains the charming beach resort that's almost one with the Bay of Bengal. While the Radisson BLU Resort Temple Bay located along the shores of Bay of Bengal at Mamallapuram is a 65 km drive from Chennai. This seaside town is an acclaimed World Heritage Centre with centuries old historic monuments and temples.

Radisson BLU Resort Temple Bay, easily the most visited luxury resort, provides accommodations on the beach front. Another luxury property in the state is the MGM Beach Resorts, which has 30 acres of lush, sprawling lawns, dotted with over 88 cottages, rooms and suites.

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LAKSHWADWEEP T

he word Lakshwadweep is derived from the Sanskrit word ‘Lakshadweepa’, which means ‘one hundred thousand islands’. The archipelago has thirty-nine islands and islets.The pristine beaches and coral reef make the Union Territory a haven for water sports activities. International and domestic tourists come here for activities like scuba diving, wind surfing, snorkelling, surfing, kayaking, canoeing, water skiing, sportfishing and yachting. Bangaram and Kadmat islands are major destinations for tourists.

Agatti is the gateway to Lakshwadeep and the only island with an airport.Agatti Island Beach Resort is located in the most serene spot of the island.The resort has a beach and lagoon.The lagoon is expansive and shallow, and consequently a perfect place for swimming.Additional beauty is added by the numerous coconut trees surrounding the resort. It has nine beach huts and 10 detached beach bungalows.They are at a distance of about 50 yards from the sandy bay.There are standard and deluxe category cottages.All cottages are eco-friendly and overlook the beach and lagoon.Also popular is Seashells Beach Resort in Agatti, located in a pristine 2.5 acres of beach surrounded by two lagoons. It offers air conditioned

and non-airconditioned beach villas in tranquil surroundings. Kadmat Island Beach Resort at the isolated south tip of the island, offers rooms with views of the lagoons. Guests get the opportunity to see dolphins frolicking in the surrounding waters.

Minicoy Island Beach Resort offers many packages to visitors interested in scuba diving, snorkelling and other water sports activities or just lazing around in the sun.

Lakshwadeep has many privately owned guest houses that are popular accommodation

options, among both domestic and foreign tourists.

Among the well known is Island Holiday Home in Agatti, which is located 3.5 km from the airport. Kasim's Homestay in Agatti has beach villas, single and double occupancy rooms. It also organises diving courses with certification. Other interesting activities are turtle watch, day/night lagoon fishing, deep sea fishing and un-inhabited island excursions.

ANDHRA PRADESH B

oasting of few exotic beaches along its 970 km coastline,Andhra Pradesh can offer visitors plenty of sun, sand and sea. Beach tourism in the state is people-centric while ensuring that the biodiversity and socio-economic needs of the community are maintained.The well known ones are Mypadu Beach, unique for its vast stretch of greenery and clear waters has the Haritha Hotel in Mypadu Nellore which offers economical tariff and prompt service to ensure that guests have a memorable stay. The Vodarevu Beach is about six km from Chirala.The exquisite natural beauty of Rama Krishna Beach has to be experienced to understand why visitors flock to it.

Located just eight km from the port city of Visakahapatnam, RushiKonda Beach is known as the Jewel of the East Coast. The Haritha Beach Resort Visakahapatnam located on Bhimli road, RushiKonda, has a presidential suite, 10 luxury rooms, air-conditioned executive and deluxe rooms and standard air-conditioned rooms.

Located just nine km from Bapatla in Guntur district, Suryalanka is the perfect weekend getaway beach destination. Located in Bapatla Mandal in Guntur district, Suryalanka Beach Resort allows visitors to enjoy the pristine beach and crystal clear waters in a tranquil and serene ambience.

The resort has air-conditioned rooms for weekdays as well as weekend, and also offers two dormitories.

Novotel Visakhapatnam Varun Beach, is the first and only five-star deluxe hotel in the city and the entire state of Andhra Pradesh.The hotel holds the credential of having the largest pillarless banquet hall by any hotel in the state, called the V-Convention, which can accommodate up to 1250 guests.The roof-top Infinity bar and kitchen placed 150 ft above the sea level serves multi-cuisine food.A panoramic aerial-like view of the Bay of Bengal is its USP.The in-house guests are lodged in a vast abode of 225 rooms, all with a sea-facing view.

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ANDAMAN & NICOBAR T

he pristine exotic beaches and many options for adventure water sports have made the Andaman & Nicobar Islands a major tourism destination. Havelock is a picturesque natural paradise with white sandy beaches fringed with green canopy of the rain-fed forests.The sandy beaches of Neil Island are connected by boat from Port Blair. Long Island has a beautiful beach called Lalaji Bay and Baratang Island is known for its mangrove creeks, mud volcanes and limestone caves. Great Nicobar is open only for Indian tourists and so is Campbell Bay which is a part of Great Nicobar island. Diglipur is an ideal location for eco-friendly tourists while Little Andaman offers an exciting mix of white sandy beaches, boating through the creeks and other activities.Adventure water sports, game fishing, beach camping, mangrove creek safari, snorkelling, scuba diving and sea walk are the activities that attract tourists to these islands.

The islands have good accommodation options across all categories. Fortune Resort Bay Island, Port Blair overlooks the waters of Bay of Bengal. Designed by Charles Correa, the architectural style of the hotel reflects the native life of the Is-

lands. Most of the resort is built of the native ‘Padouk’ wood, the red timber that is found only here. In Port Blair, the Peerless Sarovar Portico is in Corbyn's Cove that has 12 acres of lush lawns for organising MICE events and banquets. Sinclairs Bayview's 46 rooms and suites almost open out to the crystal blue waters of the Indian Ocean.

The Barefoot at Havelock, located on Beach No. 7 has 25 elegantly designed thatched tents,

cottages and villas constructed mainly out of bamboo, wood and palm leaves. SilverSand Beach Resort in the heart of Havelock Island, has 39 luxurious rooms in different categories.The Scubaworld Dive-Centre at SilverSand offers exciting day trips for certified divers and Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) diving courses.

Another unique property is Ixzire, "The Minimalistic Nature Resort", which is about 30 minutes from Port Blair and has spacious individual wooden cottages.

GUJARAT

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ith a coastline of 1,600 km, Gujarat has one of the most unexplored beaches in the country. Most of the coastline lies on the Kathiawar peninsula.The most famous beaches in Gujarat are Ahmedpur Mandvi Beach, Chorwad Beach, Somnath Beach, Gopnath Beach, Dwarka Beach, Kutch Mandvi Beach,

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Nagoa Beach, Ghoghla Beach and Gomtimata Beach.

Kutch Mandvi Beach is one of the finest beaches situated along the Gujarat coastline.The port of Mandvi was an important sea trading point between the near east and

the far east which brought prosperity to the royal family. Next to the beach are the docks where wooden ships are built.

Set up on a sprawling 50 acres of prime beach property, Serena Beach Resort in Mandvi, Kutch offers 26 fully air conditioned tents decorated with distinct architecture sourced from all over India and four sea view villas with their own private plunge pool.The Beach at Mandvi Palace is a deluxe camp, comprising, ten handcrafted tents.

Each tent has its own verandah, and the interior of the tents are decorated to resemble the colonialperiod camps of erstwhile royalty with carved furniture. HV Beach Hotel is another popular hotel in Mandvi town of Kutch district.

The holy city of Dwarka is not only a major pilgrimage site but also a famous spot for a beach holiday. Located in one of the four most holy pilgrimage places (chardham) of India, Dwarkadhish Lords' Eco Inn Dwarka is a budget hotel with 36 rooms.

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MAHARASHTRA B

ordered with the Arabian Sea on its west, Maharashtra has a total coastline of 720 km.This destination is known for some of the most picturesque beaches in the country. Be it the blue-green waters of Shreevardhan or the virgin beaches on the Konkan belt, every beach has a different experience. Some of the beaches which are known as a perfect weekend getaways are Vasai, Dahanu and Bordi. For adventure aficionados beaches like Tarkarli, Kihim offers adventure activities like water-scooter and snorkelling. One can take a de-stressing languid stroll amongst dense coconut trees on Vengurla’s fine white sands with cashew, jackfruit and mango orchards. For those who find spirituality near the ocean, Maharashtra offers pilgrim-centric beaches like Ganapatipule and Shreevardhan. Finally a trip to Maharashtra is incomplete without visiting Juhu Beach and Marine Drive.

Overlooking Juhu Beach is the JW Marriott Mumbai Juhu which is a 356 room property including 29 suites.The hotel boasts of three outdoor pools, the award-winning Quan Spa and eight dining options including a bakery. Guestrooms are luxurious and offer breathtaking views of the Arabian Sea.Another iconic hotel located across

Mumbai's harbour is The Taj Mahal Palace. Overlooking the Gateway of India, every one of the 560 rooms including 44 suites have a perfect blend of rich history and modern convenience. Known as one of the ideal weekend getaway resorts,The Retreat Hotel & Convention Center is located at Madh Island in Mumbai.Apart from leisure travellers, this pristine beach front hotel is well known for its MICE facilities.

Moving towards the Konkan belt, the MTDC resort at Ganapatipule overlooks the beautiful Gan-

patipule Beach and the Lord Ganesha Temple.

This 120 room resort is further categorised into cottages, rooms and Konkani houses. Facing the serene waters of the Arabian Sea,The Sagar Sparsh - The Sea Touch, is a budget hotel located close to the Sindhudurg Fort near Malvan city.This place is known as one of the best diving sites in India.The resort has three sea facing rooms on Tarkarli Beach.

GOA A

rguably one of the best beach destinations in India, Goa is visited by many international and domestic tourists each year for its beaches. Goa's beaches cover about 125 km of its coastline. These beaches are located either in North or South Goa. North Goa is more commercial with an abundance of low and medium budget tourist accommodations; whereas South Goa is where most of the high-end hotels and private beaches are located. A notable exception in South Goa is Palolem Beach which features basic accommodation and is one of the most visited beaches in Goa. Some of the more popular beaches are Colva, Calangute, Baga, Anjuna, Arambol, Cavelossim, Candolim, Vagator, Agonda and Majorda.

Nestled on the soft white sands of Cavelossim Beach, Dona Sylvia Beach Resort offers 181 rooms with all modern amenities in Mediterranean style villas with verandahs and roof-top

terraces. This hotel also features five dining options. The Zuri White Sands in Goa sits on one of the most scenic, picturesque white-sands beach, Varca. This resort boasts of a spectacular view of the sea from their Goan-style luxury rooms. This hotel is known for destination weddings on its private beach.

Nestled on the shores of Bogmalo Beach, the Bogmalo Beach Resort is a 145 keys property. Compared to the other North Goan beaches, this beach is not very crowded and the water is quite safe for swimming. The property also houses a casino and traditional Indian spa. The Holiday Inn Resort, Goa located at Mobor Beach, Cavelossim, is a huge property with a captivating style that combines traditional Goan architecture with contemporary design and luxurious finishing. The resort offers accommodation in a beachfront setting with the option of a garden view, pool view or sea view with attached balconies.

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EVENT ROUNDUP

GOING THATEXTRAMILE Hosted by Tourism Penticton and Destination Canada, with support from Destination British Columbia, GoMedia Canada 2015 highlighted that India still remains a source market for only the well-known destinations in Canada. The smaller regions now need to hike their promotional budgets in the India market to attract more numbers

By Kahini Chakraborty

O

NE OF British Columbia's most appealing destinations, Penticton has for long been known as a family-friendly summer beach getaway, and now has evolved with lush green orchards and vineyards as well as outdoor adventure activities.

GoMedia Canada 2015, Canadian Tourism Commission's (CTC) biggest annual consumer media show, chose Penticton & Wine Country as its host for this year. GoMedia Canada 2015, held from September 27-October 1, 2015 at the Penticton Trade and Convention Centre, witnessed participation of over 120 media from Canada, the United States and CTC's 10 international markets. The event witnessed a total number of 314 registrants, and a total of 3,575 appointments.

Along with face-to-face meetings and non-stop networking opportunities, delegates also got a chance to explore the region, province and country through media tours. Today, having a population of 42,000, Penticton, has become a significant wineproducing region and continues to be a major fruit grower.

The two-days of intensive back-to-back pre-scheduled meetings, held from September 29- 30, 2015, highlighted some of the interesting travel trends globally, wherein the India market was placed in the sixth position among key source markets for Canada.

A bullish growth sentiment for the India market was seen from the well-known destinations of Canada frequented by Indian travellers who mainly comprise of VFR traffic Toronto, Ontario, Vancouver,

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Ottawa. While destinations like Quebec, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia, Island of Newfoundland and more, do not have India on their radar as a potential tourism country. Reasons being, budget constraints for promotions and collaborative marketing along with Destination Canada, and lack of travellers from the India market.

As more and more travellers are becoming aware of healthy eating, 'Farm to Fork' concept has been emerging in the Canada market. With experiential niche travel becoming a huge demand among travellers, the focus is now towards attracting the 'millennial' traveller segment who will be the trendsetter.

Destinations like the US, UK, Germany, France, and the domestic market continue to dominate as key source markets for Canada.

Difference of opinion Matt Mosteller, senior VP, marketing and resort experience, Resorts of the Canadian Rockies Ski Resorts pointed out that majority of Indian travellers visiting different regions of Canada belong to the VFR segment. “Soft adventure along with cultural experiences are picking up.

There are few Indians who want to go on a ski vacation. Package trips comprising of a minimum of four-five days covering differ-

ent regions of Canada continues to remain as a travel trend.” The experiential free spirited traveller segment has been the focus of Tourism Saskatchewan.

While for Heritage Park Historical Village, which is Canada's largest living history museum, the focus is on offering an immersive experience for a multi generational traveller segment.

“Besides getting travellers from countries like Brazil, China, Japan, UK, Korea, the US, we

could also look at focusing now on the India market that is seen to be demanding more of experiential tourism offerings,” said Barb Munro, communications specialists, Heritage Park Historical Village.

“Old Quebec highlighting its 400 year old history through architecture could be seen as a major drawer for the high-end traveller segment from India with the start of direct Air India flights Delhi-Toronto,” opined Michel Carmichael, account executive, Quebec City Tourism, adding that, “Canadians across the country will celebrate Canada's 150th anniversary in 2017. Travel agencies in India could be tapped to promote the destination. The idea is to promote trendsetters. Ontario and Quebec could be done as a combined trip for India travellers.”

In New Brunswick, natural wonders reign supreme. But when asked about the potential of the India market for this new destination, Margie Mackenzie, manager, media, Tourism New Brunswick pointed out, “India is not a key market for us, and we do not see any travellers from this market. We are not even in China and Brazil. For us, we see a lot of domestic traffic and travellers from the US. If we had a huge promotional budget we could consider looking at the India market.”

While for Nova Scotia where fresh local food isn't a fad, but a way of life, Licia Elder, media relations, Tourism Nova Scotia pointed out that India is not on the radar for the destination.

“UK, Germany, US remain our source markets. We have not seen Indian travellers' interest in

EVENT ROUNDUP Nova Scotia, maybe due to the lack of direct flights or it being a long haul destination. We have limited promotional budgets.

Lobster and seafood experiences are trending the gastronomical experiences among travellers.” Tourism Vernon is looking at tapping the India market. “Soft adventure and wellness travel is the trend that we are seeing. Besides our core markets being the US, UK, Australia and Germany, China has been an emerging market for us.

FIT travellers number have shot up,” mentioned Ange Chew, tourism manager, Tourism Vernon/ The City of Vernon.

Canada's capital, Ottawa has been witnessing a lot of Indian travellers mainly the VFR segment from Toronto. “Package travel among Indians is what we see growing among the VFR traffic coming to Toronto. But as a standalone destination, we still do not see a demand from the India market due to it being a long haul destination. Multi generational traveller trends is what we are seeing. Trip planning time has reduced and last minute bookings have increased. For us traffic is huge from the domestic market as well as from our source markets. China and Mexico have been emerging destinations for us,” informed Jantine Van Kregten, director of communications, Ottawa Tourism.

Michele Simpson, media relations manager, overseas, Tourism Toronto highlighted that India is a reactive market.

“India is the sixth largest source market for us, apart from the US, UK, Germany, Japan and China being the key markets. It is an emerging market for us.

Generally Indians do Toronto and Niagara Falls as a package, or a round trip to other regions as well. We are seeing soft adventure activities trending among travellers.”

While Jo Charnock, marketing and communications coordinator, Tourism Penticton, the hosting destination, informed that Indians are looking for exclusive travel experiences.

“Farm to table concept is emerging as customers are well-informed. People want to know the history of the source of the local products. 'Glamping', which is

glamorous camping, as a concept has been growing. India is a growing market for us. Most of our orchards and wineries in Pentiction are owned by Indian families.”

For Tourism Winnipeg, India and China are seen to be emerging markets. Karen Goossen, director-market development, Tourism Winnipeg also informed that since the destination is small and has many multicultural facets they could look at promoting the destination in India. Journey to Churchill could be a standalone destination among travellers from the domestic and neighbouring markets.

“We do not draw visitors from the India market and it is not on our radar as well. Our source markets remain US, UK, Germany and Japan. In order to provide niche experiences, we are working on developing innovative tour packages that we could cater to our emerging markets,” opined Alison Macdougall, editorial and marketing officer, Tourism Prince Edward Island.

Laywah Ang, media coordinator Asia, Ontario Tourism Marketing Partnership Corporation mentioned that Ontario has now India and Korea in its emerging market list. Family, FIT travellers segment are showing interest from the India market. Besides this, the world famous 1000 Island in Ontario is now a year round destination.

Kathrine Christensen, executive director, 1000 Islands Accommodation Partners highlighted, “We have a year round sightseeing operation that offers tours of the world famous Boldt Castle and the 1000 Islands, apart from ice fishing by a helicopter. We see lots of Indian groups to Toronto and other regions. The middle class family segment from India is our target segment. We have great flexibility to enter the market and we do not cater only to luxury. UK and Germany are our key markets and China and India are our emerging markets.”

Hospitality views Canada's largest hotel, the Chelsea Hotel, Toronto is managed by Langham Hospitality

Group as a signature independent hotel property as part of its international portfolio of hotels and resorts. Tracy Ford, director of public relations, Chelsea Hotel, Toronto said that the hotel has 25,000 sq ft of meeting space which could accommodate 400 guests. “Most of our MICE business is due to domestic markets. Toronto has a lot to offer for conventions. We did get a few pharmaceutical companies from India for our MICE business. India is a potential market for us,” added Ford.

Sparkling Hill Resort, which opened in 2010, is internationally acclaimed for its architectural magnificence and is the only resort in the world to incorporate Swarovski crystal elements into every aspect of the resort's design. This 149 room European inspired wellness hotel has a 40,000 sq ft KurSpa with more than 100 treatments.

Cheryl Mackinnon, media consultant, Sparkling Hill Resort said, “The resort does highend luxury Indian weddings.

Our resort could be a luxury stopover destination. We focus on the upper middle class segment and luxury segment. Since we work in collaboration with Destination British Columbia and Destination Canada, they help us in attracting potential travellers from new markets.

North America is a key market for us, and we have also seen travellers from China showing interest in the destination.”

Exploring the region The second day of GoMedia 2015 had eight media tours of half day and full day. The sixth tour 'Farm to Table' Okanagan Style was about the owners of Matheson Creek Farm, Dave and Arlene Matheson, who are third generation farmers having strong commitment to the agricultural industry.

During the farm tour, Arlene Matheson stressed upon the history of the family business stating that, “Our farm goes back to 1948 when Dave Matheson's parents and grandfather immigrated from Scotland.

They cleared the land and planted fruit trees. In order to keep the farm viable, Dave Matheson's mother practiced

medicine in Pentiction. Her income helped to sustain the farm.

In 1978, we took over the property in order to help them out.

We both continued to work off the farm. This allowed us to replant newer varieties and high density trellising systems. We updated the irrigation system for better water management and conservation. All of our apples were being sold through a

cooperative packing house.”

In 2000, they decided to sell direct from their farm. Today, they grow 20 varieties of apples, including Honeycrisp, Ambrosia, Aurora Golden Gala, Nicola and Salish. “We strive to produce the best produce using safe, responsible and environmentally friendly farming methods,” pointed out Dave Matheson.

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MICE & BUSINESS TRAVEL

Meetings @Korea A rich cultural diversity and seamless infrastructural connectivity coupled with modern conferencing facilities have enhanced Korea’s appeal as an ideal MICE destination for Indian corporates looking to confer in out-of-the-ordinary locations

By Steena Joy

he Seoul Incheon International Airport, the gateway to the Republic of Korea, is reflective of modern Korea - it has a golf course, spa, private sleeping rooms, ice skating rink, a casino, indoor gardens and a Museum of Korean Culture. An amalgam of traditional and contemporary, Korea, which incidentally was referred to as the ‘Lamp of the East’ by Rabindranath Tagore, is drawing interest as an emerging hotspot for MICE business from Indian corporates across sectors like pharma, healthcare, banking and insurance.

T

colours. There is also the Rainbow Fountain, the world’s longest fountain.

Every evening, the double decker Banpo bridge covered with 10,000 LED lights is transformed into a spectacular light show venue as plumes of water, lit lilac and blue, shoot six metres into the river. Appearances in the upcoming Hollywood blockbuster, The Avengers: Age of Ultron and the US reality program America’s Next Top Model have drawn considerable public attention on Some Sevit which has become Seoul’s newest culture and leisure hotspot.

Floating venues

Top agenda

Seoul, the melting pot of Korean culture, has some unique meeting facilities that are nestled along the Hangang or Han River which meanders through the city. With twenty-seven bridges spanning the river and a 40 km cycling track hugging it, Hangang offers many picturesque options for conferencing.

Located near the southernmost part of Banpo Bridge, is the nation’s first-ever artificial island, Some Sevit (meaning Three Shining Islands). The Floating Island is comprised of three flower-themed islets with different functional areas and interconnected by walkways.

The largest of the islands, Gavit, houses the Floating Island Convention Centre (FIC), a branch of the CNN Café (with CNN on the television all the time), an Italian eatery and Vista Pub with views of the Hangang River. On the roof of the island is an observation

For the more 'elevated' meetings, Mount Namsan which can be seen from all over the city has the N Tower (236 m) which houses an observatory for night views of the city. The letter ‘N’ probably stands for the tower’s ‘new’ look which resulted from a 15 billion Korean won remodeling in 2005 to install a new lighting system and change the tower’s overall colour scheme. This means that event managers can now decorate the tower for their event in the colours of choice.

Hancook, the Korean restaurant in the N Tower offers a unique location for networking dinners, offering both vegetarian and non vegetarian options.

Mount Namsan is accessible both by road and cable car.

An important business district around Teheranno or Tehran Street is where the COEX Convention & Exhibition Center-Korean World Trade

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deck. FIC's dome-style main banquet hall is able to accommodate up to 500 persons and features a panorama video display which is projected onto the dome-shaped ceiling, as well as a car elevator for motor shows. The best part is that the FIC has Indian cuisine options on the menu. Dining services can also be provided by the medieval-inspired European restaurant, Villa de Noche, which offers a private balcony for more intimate social events such as small parties or even pre- or post-event gatherings.

The second largest island, Chavit, is a round building with a first-floor observation deck and Chavit Cuisine, a smartly designed high-end buffet restaurant where you can enjoy over 160 dishes, prepared right in front of you,

while taking in the views.

The last of the islands, Solvit, expected to open soon will feature retail shops and food and beverage facilities.

Also included in the complex is Yevit, a media art gallery with a giant LED screen and floating

stage and an open air amphitheatre.

Around the Floating Island are LED lights that feature a night view under the theme of ‘Gleaming Light in the Mist' giving the three islets a luminous look as they change

MICE & BUSINESS TRAVEL Centre complex is located.

Seoul's elite new neighbourhood, Gangnam District is a popular shopping and entertainment hub. Visiting Indians would be able to connect to the 2012 K-pop song 'Gangnam Style' by the Korean entertainer Psy, who was inspired by this district. The song and video's popularity increased international awareness of the district. Several subway stations in Gangnam and nearby areas were also used as filming locations for the 2012 Hollywood film The Bourne Legacy.

For an authentic Korean experience, Samcheonggak is a traditional cultural center comprising five outbuildings and the main building of Ilhwadang.

The hanok (traditional Korean house) buildings are used as performance venues and banquets and can be used for seminars and workshops. Samcheonggak also offers traditional culture experience programmes, including Korean fine dining and a traditional Korean costume experience.

Most hanoks serve hanjeongsik or Korean table d’hote, the royal court cuisine.

En route on the Freedom Highway (the highway which leads to the Imjin River Demilitarised Zone is so called, because South Koreans believe that one day when North Korea is liberated, the freed populace will use it to crossover) to the Suwon Archery range for MICE activities, a brief stopover at the Haengjusanseong Mountain Fortress in Goyang is a must. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the fortress was the site of a major Korean victory against the Japanese invasion 400 years ago. Women also participated in the dramatic battle, carrying stones in their aprons (haengju in Korean). Inside the fortress is Chungjangsa, a shrine pay-

ing tribute to General Gwon Yul who won the battle.

At Yeonmudae (Dongjangdae) in Suwon, MICE groups can experience 'gukgung', Korea's traditional form of archery, different from regular archery because the thumb is used to pull the string. A basic lesson is given in gukgung before visitors try shooting on their own. A great team building exercise.

Shopping and entertainment Seoul's most cosmopolitan nightlife spot, Itaewon's claim to fame is that US troops stationed at nearby Garrison Yongsan during the Korean War, used it as an R&R playground. Visitors should visit the Itaewon Antique Furniture Street which was formed in the 1960s when US soldiers stationed in Yongsan sold their furniture before returning back to their country. Over the years, the area has grown into a major shopping street. For more premium shopping, there is the Myeong-dong area which is home to the Lotte and Shinsegae department stores.

The city also has many royal palaces of which the Gyeongbokgung Palace was

the first built by the Joseon dynasty – it is even older than the Forbidden City Palace in Beijing. Though now there is no royal family living inside, the palace still conducts the Changing of the Royal Guards Ceremony three times a day in front of the main gate and MICE organisers should include this in the itinerary, not just for its visual appeal but simply for a walk back into the past.

For a more diverse experience of Korea's performing arts, non verbal performances like the world famous percussion show, Nanta, is a great way of relaxing after a hard day of conferencing, which can be followed by a ferry cruise on the Han river, with live shows and an international buffet. There are eight different docks from which to board, each with a different theme.

Jeju Island Jeju Island, a short flight away from Gimpo Domestic Airport in Seoul, is another interesting MICE destination. Very popular among international tourists, especially because a visa is not required, Jeju offers many accommodation and conferencing facilities and tourist attractions like Love Land and the UNESCO World Heritage Site - Seonsang Ilchulbong Peak or Sunrise Peak. No visit to Jeju is complete without a hike up this peak which was formed by volcanic eruptions a thousand years ago.

For that unique conferencing venue, there are super luxury yachts which offer fine dining facilities clubbed with activities like fishing, dolphin spotting, etc. For some high drama, MICE organisers can also include a submarine tour operated by Seogwipo Submarine on board ‘Jiah’ with a 67 pax capacity.

Non verbal performances like the world famous percussion show, Nanta, is a great way of relaxing after a hard day of conferencing, which can be followed by a ferry cruise on the Han river EXPRESS TRAVELWORLD

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CORPORATE FILE

A thumping success With value oriented services as their core objective, The Riya Travel Group Enterprise has emerged as one of the leading travel organisations in India.

GMJ Thampy, chairman and managing director, Riya Travel & Tours talks about his journey in establishing this billion dollar company and the market dynamics

By Kahini Chakraborty

S

tarting with an initial investment of `1000 for a 100 sq ft of rental space with a small table and chair in 1981, GMJ Thampy's Riya Travel & Tours today has grown to become a billion dollar company. In the last 32 years the company has established its name amongst corporates, agents and multiple vendors. Reminiscing about the earlier days of his business, Thampy modestly states, “My thought process when I started my career in the travel industry was a 'big zero'. Survival was my main motto after I left my hometown Pathanamthitta village in Kerala in 1976 in search of opportunities in Mumbai at the age of 20. I had prior work experience before starting my own company at the age of 25. At the rented place I needed another chair and a table and typewriter for which I took a loan from someone with a commitment to pay it off within three months.

The only money that I had with me at that time was the deposit amount of `1000 for two years which I paid to the landlord for starting my establishment. My asset from then to now has been the confidence of my customers.” Making a beginning with three staff, today Riya Travel & Tours has about 2600 staff members. He has been the mentor behind multiple acquisitions, new ventures and various other successful initiatives.

As the chairman and managing director of the company, Thampy believes in investing in his manpower. “Any businessman who is looking at growing his venture has to overcome

challenges. The biggest asset that I have today are my faithful, hardworking employees. We invest in our employees which I believe is very important for a company. Last year the business turnover was `8500 crore and this year we are expecting to do more than `10,000 crore,” he asserts. From the initial days of establishing the company, Thampy states that he has been upgrading himself along with his team to overcome challenges. “Even today we look at the necessary prerequisites needed to bring a change in our style of work, attitude as well as add new verticals to cover up for the competition in the market,” he informs.

threat. On the contrary we learn what they are doing and guide them on how to associate with us where they can get some benefit and which will automatically benefit us as well.” According to Samuel, “Weekend break product has become huge not just domestically but internationally as well. However, the weekend break product is affecting the long stay leisure business. Earlier travellers would take one or two long breaks but now they are taking short six to seven breaks. We are the only company today having a team with quality control. We audit every ticket issued.”

Future view

Business talks For the last two years, the company's main focus has been on the corporate vertical which has been seeing a 15 per cent yearon-year growth. “This year also we will grow in the same pace,” confidently states Thampy, adding that, “We re-branded our corporate vertical as Riya Business Travel last year. Our parent company is Riya Travel & Tours which is our overseas manpower consultancy vertical started in 1984. In 1994 we entered into the ticketing line and thereafter subsequently from 2007 onwards launched Riya Holidays, Riya Corporate, Riya Connect, Riya Education and Riya Academy to cater to the changing needs and demands of the market. We ensure that any new vertical launched is managed by the specific professional team.”

The company does not just work on a brick and mortar model but follows a hybrid

model. Manoj Samuel, director, Riya Travel & Tours points out, “We would be the few traditional companies who are on the ERP systems for our back-end operations. We believe in automation.” Talking about the need for quality manpower, Samuel opines, “There is talent crunch in the market. Largely students connect this course with an MBA and expect to get a decent job in the travel industry right after their education. There is a need to expose the reality of the industry to the students at the

institutional level itself so that there is no room for wrong expectations among students. This industry prefers people with experience.” The company has approximately 55 offices pan India and 13 offices abroad- nine office in the US, three in Canada and one in Dubai.

When asked about how does the company deal with competition in the market, Thampy stresses, “All the online companies at some point associate with us. We have now 23,000 partners. We never see anybody as a

Thampy is open to doing B2C business as well in the future.

“In the next five years the corporate and holiday segment will be growing,” he opines.

The way the ticketing business is conducted has changed over the years. “Today, travellers are hooked on to their smartphones and can book their tickets through apps. On a lighter note, I think after 10 years everybody will have a chip in their hands and things will be completely automated,” he says. Thampy strongly feels that the travel business is here to stay as travel consultants have their own value. “Even though the market will see changes in the travel and demand patterns among travellers, travel consultants will still be the path to guide customers on how to travel. Competition is going to drive you to move ahead,” he opines.

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IN FOCUS

Showcasing Maharashtra With a vision to increase tourist footfalls and showcase the unexplored wealth of the state, Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation recently organised the first Maharashtra International Travel Mart

By Akshay Kumar

M

AHARASHTRA Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) recently organised the first edition of Maharashtra International Travel Mart (MITM). The three day exhibition was held from September 28-30, 2015 at Bombay Convention & Exhibition Centre, Goregaon in Mumbai. The exhibition was inaugurated by Devendra Fadnavis, chief minister of Maharashtra.

Other eminent dignitaries present during the inauguration were Prof. Ram Shinde, minister of state for tourism, home (rural), public health and marketing, Maharashtra State; Subhash Desai, minister of industries, Maharashtra State; Vidya Thakur, minister of state for women and child development, Maharashtra State; Gajanan Kirtikar, member of parliament; Swadhin Kshatriya, IAS, chief secretary, Maharashtra State; Valsa Singh Nair, IAS, principal secretary, department of tourism and culture, Maharashtra State; and Paraag Jaiin Nainuttia, IAS, managing director, MTDC. Speaking at the inauguration, Singh stated, “MITM will act as a launch pad for the tourism industry in our state.

This event will surely give a boost to the tourism segment and will generate more interest amongst foreign tourists. With vast tourism assets at disposal, it is an opportune time for the state to win a prominent position in a global tourism league.

This is possible only when we build and expand a strong tourism buyer and seller net-

30 EXPRESS TRAVELWORLD November 2015

tions, wildlife, national parks, social and study tourism, and few others.

Unlimited opportunities

work within the state, within the country and on a global level. MITM is an endeavour to bring in the maximum number of tourism buyers and sellers on a single platform and empower them to explore economic growth opportunities in Maharashtra’s tourism sector.

We are sure to see a number of

partnerships taking place among tour operators, hoteliers, travel agents. It will also pave the way to attract foreign investments in this sector.”

A three-day event, MITM is a flagship global tourism promotion platform conceived by the department of tourism, Maharashtra State to attract

buyers and sellers of the tourism industry from all across the globe to explore common growth opportunities.

MITM showcased to buyers and sellers, economic opportunities in Maharashtra’s tourism destinations, cultural festivals, beaches, UNESCO World Heritage sites, pilgrimage destina-

A strategic promotional forum of MITM has a special significance; particularly when Maharashtra Tourism is going through a phase with ever increasing footfalls from global and domestic tourists crossing the 4.5 million and 8.4 million mark respectively in the recent past. It also bears a great significance when the state tourism department and its flagship agency MTDC have been strategically building and promoting the unexplored tourism wealth of Maharashtra besides boosting conventional tourism assets on Indian and global circuits.

Nainuttia added, “MITM will help our dedicated campaign of ‘Unlimited Maharashtra’ to reach the next level on a global platform, as more buyers and sellers can witness the state’s tourism prospects.

When the state is striving hard to ensure a fast-track growth in the tourism sector, MITM will open up an array of economic opportunities for buyers and sellers that will strengthen the eco-system of the state’s tourism.”

The first day of the event witnessed over 2,000 footfalls and the numbers saw a rise in the next two days. Among various stakeholders, were many tour companies from the US, UK, South Africa, France, Greece, Japan and Australia.

SPOTLIGHT

Hindustan Ka Dil: A sea of opportunities The recently concluded second edition of Madhya Pradesh Travel Mart in Bhopal highlighted the various avenues that can enhance the tourism potential of this heart of 'Incredible India'

By Rituparna Chatterjee

M

ADHYA Pradesh, India's second largest state by area with over 75 million inhabitants and located in the geographical heartland of India, is home to some of the country's biggest tourist attractions.

From three UNESCO World Heritage sites and cultural pursuits to the land of The Jungle Book, Madhya Pradesh offers discerning tourists a fascinating range of touristic experiences. Highlighting this beauty and diverse tourism potential was the second edition of

Madhya Pradesh Travel Mart (MPTM) held recently at Hotel Lake View Ashok, Bhopal from October 16-18, 2015. The mart was inaugurated by Shivraj Singh Chouhan, chief minister, Madhya Pradesh in the presence of Surendra Patwa, culture and tourism minister, Government of Madhya Pradesh. Other dignitaries present during the inauguration included Hari Ranjan Rao, IAS, managing director, Madhya Pradesh State Tourism Development Corporation (MPSTDC); Akshay Kumar, president, Adventure Tour Operators Association of India (ATOAI);

Jyoti Kapur, president, Association of Domestic Tour Operators of India (ADTOI); Veera Rana, principal secretary, department of tourism, Government of Madhya Pradesh; Subhash Goyal, president, Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO); Sarabjit Singh, vice chairman, Federation of Associations in Indian Tourism & Hospitality (FAITH); Capt Swadesh Kumar, vice chairman, India Convention Promotion Bureau (ICPB); Jyoti Mayal, managing committee member, chairperson - Airline Council and cochairperson – Allied Services Council, Travel Agents

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SPOTLIGHT

Association Of India (TAAI); and Tanvi Sundriyal, additional managing director, MPSTDC.

Going forward With 2015-2016 being the Visit Madhya Pradesh Tourism Year, the state government has initiated several projects to increase visitors to the state.

Elaborating on these initiatives, the chief minister stated, "Simhastha, taking place from April 22 to May 21, 2016 will witness one of the biggest gatherings of pilgrims in the country and we would like to invite travel agents to promote this event.

Travel agents can also leverage on the recently concluded Navratri festival to promote the state. We are planning to organise a fair on the banks of River Narmada similar to the one in Rajasthan. We will also train guides in different languages to cater to a diverse range of international tourists. We are creating a tracking system for tourists so that we can be aware of the kind of problems they are facing and can address them accordingly.” He then proceeded to highlight the need for improving air connectivity and expressed the hope of receiving assistance from Air India.

While Patwa went on to mention the steady growth in footfall. Sharing the figures he said,

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“In 2005 we received around 60-75 lakh visitors. Last year we received 6,40,00,000 visitors.

We have been careful about two aspects – safety and security and facilities for tourists.” He also shared with the audience the state's plan to organise light and sound shows in RajwadaIndore, Ujjain, Sachi, etc.

Madhya Pradesh has four major gateways - Gwalior, Jabalpur, Bhopal and Indore – and each of them are known for different touristic offerings.

Gwalior for its heritage, Jabalpur for wildlife, Bhopal for leisure and Indore for textile and food. Moreover, Madhya Pradesh is predominantly an agricultural state. Rao stated, “The annual growth rate of agriculture for the past three years has been almost 20 per cent. The rivers of this state like Narmada, Tapti, Chambal, etc are driving this agricultural growth and have also created beautiful dams such as Indirasagar, Bansagar, Gandhi Sagar, etc and currently we are trying to introduce several water and leisure activities there.”

Rao also highlighted other tourism aspects of the state. He opined, “We have nine national parks and 25 wildlife sanctuaries and we are known as the tiger state of the country. We

have three UNESCO World Heritage sights - Sanchi, Khajuraho and Bhimbetka. We have forts and palaces and we are organising the Simhastha where a congregation of five crore people are expected. We also have tribal festivals. And also beautiful roads where 248 wayside amenities will be developed in the next two-three years.”

Further highlighting the state's tourism potential and advising on how travel agents can leverage the same, Goyal said, “You have three advantages – one, you can give your customers a new destination, second, you can make money as you are able to give your customers value for money for the packages you have sold and third, it is the centre of India and you can make Bhopal/Indore as your base.

You can promote it as a MICE destination and businessmen who are visiting the state can refer it to others for investment since it has fast project clearances and investors can have 100 per cent ownership.”

Grand scale The second edition of MPTM witnessed 200 registered buyers and media delegates from over 20 countries. The event had buyers coming from Australia, South Africa, UK, USA, Canada, Germany, France, Italy, Bulgaria, UAE, Sri Lanka, Latvia, Greece, Ireland, Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Poland, Slovakia, Czech Republic, among others.

The event also enlisted the support of major travel trade and hospitality associations in India such as ADTOI, ATOAI, IATO, TAAI, Travel Agents Federation of India (TAFI), FHRAI, among others.

MPTM showcased over 100 different products of Madhya Pradesh such as pilgrimage, heritage, adventure, corporate hotels, wildlife resorts, handicrafts, among others. While the Madhya Pradesh pavilion showcased different facets of the state such as the UNESCO World Heritage sites, festivals, heritage hotels, Buddhist trails, etc.

THE TORCHBEARERS

A bankable traveller

Starting his career as a banker, Pradip Madhavji witnessed a 360° change when he decided to enter the travel space. Over the last four decades he established himself as one of the most popular tourism industry veterans

By Akshay Kumar

“A

traveller is the one who crosses borders, soldiers seldom do”, says Pradip Madhavji who has seen his life change from a successful banker to a tourism veteran.

With close to four decades of experience, Madhavji has played different roles in the tourism industry. Today, the honorary consul general of Columbia and the chairman of the travel, tourism and hospitality committee of the Indian Merchants Chamber (IMC), Madhavji started his career in 1959 as a banker with a nine to five job at Dena Bank. After working there for about 17 years, it was only in 1977 he crossed paths with the tourism industry; this was the time when he quit Dena Bank as the in-charge of the bank's entire foreign exchange operations.

Madhavji remembers, “In 1977, one fine day I saw a job advertisement for the post of commercial manager at Thomas Cook Overseas. This was the first time I thought maybe I should get into this industry, and I applied. Very soon I cleared my first round of interview and was told that my final interview will be in London. That was the moment when I was excited and also nervous at the same time as it was the first time I would be travelling abroad. From that day till now, my entire life took a different direction. I got a chance to visit many countries, some of them being

I don't think this current generation would have even heard about a traveller’s cheque. That was one product which made huge profits for us in those days

very exotic destinations like Monaco, Bora Bora, French Polynesia, Yemen, etc.”

After starting his career as a commercial manager in 1977, Madhavji played an instrumental role in 1982 during the Indianisation of the company as required under the then Foreign Exchange Regulations Act [FERA]. One of

the products which he introduced in Thomas Cook was the traveller’s cheque, which was one of the most successful products then. Madhavji explains with a smile, “I don't think this current generation would have even heard about a traveller’s cheque. That was one product which made huge profits for us in those days.

But yes with time many new products have evolved, today it is the plastic money which is in fashion.”

Madavji retired from Thomas Cook India after a service of 25 years, as the executive chairman of the board. During his period at Thomas Cook, Madhavji played another role as the elected president of the Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI) for the tenure 1998-99 and 1999-2000. Madhavji states, “TAAI was the best association then as it used to represent the entire travel and hospitality industry effectively. As a president of TAAI, I was present during the execution of the bond of friendship between our association and the UNWTO. “

Achievements Madhavji is the recipient of the Pacific Area Travel Writers Association (PATWA) international award in recognition of his lifetime contribution to promotion of tourism in India. He is also the recipient of the 'Kutch Ratna', the highest honour be-

stowed by his community for leadership qualities and contribution to the tourism industry. Earlier this year he was bestowed with the Life Time Achievement Award by TAAI.

70 plus and young Today, the 70 plus year old Madhavji is still actively promoting tourism. He is also promoting Columbia as its hon. consul general based in Mumbai. He says, “Columbia is one of the most beautiful destinations. Currently a lot of Indian travellers are not travelling to Columbia, but in future we will surely see an increase in footfall.” Apart from this he is also the chairman of the Indian Oceans Tourism Organisation (IOTO) which is headquartered in the Sultanate of Oman. In IOTO with the assistance of Grant Thornton he has compiled a paper for the Mauritius based Indian Ocean Regional Association on the feasibility study of tourism promotion to the 20 countries of the Indian Ocean Rim.

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MOVEMENTS United Airlines United Continental Holdings board of directors have named BRETT J HART, currently the airline's executive vice president and general counsel, as acting CEO. The appointment is effective immediately. In addition to serving as United Airlines general counsel, Hart has been responsible for government and regulatory affairs, corporate real estate, customer experience, corporate security, community affairs, contact centers and food services. Prior to joining the company in 2010, Hart served as executive vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary at Sara Lee, partner at Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal, and special assistant to the general counsel at the US Department of Treasury.

for Princess Cruises. In addition to his continued leadership for the line’s Asia operations, he will now oversee the business in Australia, United Kingdom and Europe. In his previous role as senior vice president of Asia operations, Kaufman has been accountable for multiple sales and marketing teams throughout Asia that are focused on growing the Princess Cruises brand throughout the region and supporting the brand’s itineraries in China, Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Korea and Singapore. In addition, he developed Princess Cruises’ strong relationships with government authorities, industry associations and business partners in the region. He also facilitated coordination with the many operating departments that support Princess Cruises’ growing Asia deployment.

Tourism Authority Hertz Equipment of Thailand Rental The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has made the Corporation following executive promotions.

SUJITRA JONGCHANSITTO, executive director for the Northern Region, has become deputy governor for domestic marketing, while VISANU JAROENSILP, executive director at the office of the governor, has been named the deputy governor for tourism products and business.

SRISUDA WANAPINYOSAK, TAT’s executive director for the East Asia region, has been promoted to the position of deputy governor for international marketing (Asia and South Pacific). In addition, CHARUN OHNMEE, executive director for planning department has become advisor 10.

Princess Cruises ANTHONY KAUFMAN has been promoted to the position of executive vice president international operations

34 EXPRESS TRAVELWORLD November 2015

CHARLES L MILLER has joined Hertz Equipment Rental Corporation (HERC) as vice president, operations, reporting to Bruce Dressel, chief operating officer. Miller will lead all aspects of sales support, service, customer satisfaction, and new market/product categories for HERC, as well as marketing and strategic technology initiatives across the branch network to drive superior customer service, new market development, fleet readiness, revenue growth, operational efficiency and overall branch performance. Miller joins HERC with over 30 years of experience in the equipment rental market, including more than 20 years of service with Sunbelt Rentals.

Avis Avis Budget Group has appointed MARK J SERVODIDIO as president – inter-

national. In his new capacity Servodidio will be responsible for leading the international region, which includes Europe, the Middle East, Africa (EMEA), Asia, Australia and New Zealand. Servodidio, previously managing director, Europe, for Avis Budget Group, has held a number of positions of increasing responsibility within the region since being named executive vice president (EVP) for franchise and corporate services in EMEA in 2013, advancing to managing director of the company's operations in northern Europe in May 2014, before being named head of Europe.

Prior to joining Avis Budget EMEA senior leadership team, Servodidio served as EVP and chief administrative officer for Avis Budget Group, responsible for worldwide human resources and properties and facilities, airport concession agreements, environmental compliance and supplier diversity. Prior to joining Avis Budget Group in 2001, Servodidio held leadership positions at Kraft Foods and PepsiCo.

Inmarsat Inmarsat has appointed FREDERIK VAN ESSEN as vice president of aviation strategy and communications, based in Nyon, Geneva.

He will oversee long-term business planning and strategic projects, marketing communications and market analysis for Inmarsat’s fastgrowing aviation division.

Essen has joined Inmarsat from Air France-KLM, where he worked for almost a decade in a number of senior management roles, including director of corporate strategy and director of communications and database marketing. He also held a variety of marketing, ICT and business development roles at KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and served in the management team of the award-winning Flying Blue frequent flyer programme.

TravelTriangle TravelTriangle has appointed ABHINNA SURESH KHARE as AVP – marketing. The move will see Khare take over the brand and marketing verticals in the organisation and put to use his in-depth experience and brand building skills in order to consolidate TravelTriangle’s presence in the Indian holiday solutions segment.

He comes to TravelTriangle with over eight years of experience in building brands and new business extension opportunities.

IATA IATA has appointed GILBERTO LOPEZ MEYER as senior vice president for safety and flight operations, and NICK CAREEN as senior vice president for airport, passenger, cargo and security.

Meyer will be based in Montreal and succeeds Kevin Hiatt who left IATA in July. He joins IATA from the Mexican Civil Aviation Authority which he has led twice as its director general (2003-2008 and from 2014 to the present). He started his aviation career as a pilot with Mexicana Airlines (1986-2003) and also has strong experience in airports having twice served as the director general of Aeropuertos y Servicios Auxiliares (20082012 and 2013-2014) as well as the director general of Mexico City International Airport (2012-2013).

Careen will take up his role as senior vice president for APCS. He succeeds Tom Windmuller who retired from IATA in August after nearly a quarter century of serving the industry. The APCS role, which was created in a 2013 re-organisation, is being shifted from the executive office in Geneva

to IATA’s Montreal headquarters. Careen will oversee a team with a significant presence in both Montreal and Geneva. Prior to IATA, Careen built his career in Air Canada and its subsidiary Jazz where his last role was as Air Canada vice president for airport, call centres and customer relations, a position he held from 2013 to 2014.

Kochi Marriott Hotels REJIN THOMAS has been appointed as multi property director of sales and marketing for Marriott hotels in Kochi: Kochi Marriott Hotel and Courtyard by Marriott Kochi Airport Hotel. In his capacity, Thomas would lead in developing and implementing sales and marketing strategies for both hotels in Kochi. Prior to joining Kochi Marriott hotels, he was director sales and marketing of the Hyderabad Marriott Hotel & Convention Centre and Courtyard by Marriott, Hyderabad. Thomas has been with Marriott since June 2012. Previously, he had been working with The Leela Palaces, Hotels & Resorts.

weekend

E V E N T S

GOLDEN JUBILEE The 50th annual convention of FHRAI was held at the Mayfair Lagoon in Bhubaneswar

MARKETING MANDATE Percept Sports & Entertainment, which bagged the marketing and promotions mandate for Maharashtra Tourism, took the mandate forward by conceptualising and executing a three day roadshow in Japan

TAKING OFF L-R: Paraag Jaiin Nainuttia, MD, Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) and Satish Soni, joint MD, MTDC at the launch of Heli Tourism in Mumbai

TRAVEL TECHNOLOGY MTDC in association with The International Institute for Peace through Tourism awarded Neelu Singh (left), director and CEO, Ezeego1.com for her contribution in promoting technology in tourism during an event held at JW Marriott, Mumbai

CULTURAL EXTRAVAGANZA Kerala Tourism recently organised a series of traditional music, dance and martial arts performances at Trafalgar Square, London

PROMOTIONAL PLATFORM Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority recently organised a tour operators' familiarisation trip from Delhi and Mumbai

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E V E N T S

AUGMENTING GROWTH The Commercial Office of Peru in India recently organised a seminar in Mumbai to augment its promotional initiatives by imparting destination knowledge and increasing destination visibility

UNIQUE EXHIBITION Macau Government Tourist Office and LEGO HK has col-

STRENTHENING NETWORK Ezeego1.com recently organised a B2B roadshow

INCREASE APPEAL Global travel distributor, GTA, recently launched a campaign to help maintain Thailand’s popularity as a tourist destination in partnership with the Tourism Authority of Thailand at Siam Kempinski Hotel Bangkok

in association with Seychelles Tourism at Hilton Mumbai International Airport

laborated to create a Macau x LEGO Exhibition, which will be showcased at the Ritz Building in Senado Square and Macau Science Centre

GRAND CELEBRATIONS

A sand sculpture was made by Indian sand sculptor Sudarsan Pattnaik from Orissa in Victoria, the capital of Seychelles, during the opening of the Seychelles-India Day Celebrations 2015

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Indian composer, singer, songwriter, music producer, musician and philanthropist Allah Rakha Rahman was named as the cultural ambassador for Seychelles in India during his recent visit to Seychelles to take part in the Seychelles-India Day Celebrations 2015

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E V E N T S

CELEBRITY QUOTIENT Indian actor, Kabir Bedi was recently in Trinidad &

PAINTING THE TOWN Dragonair hosted its annual Paintball Championship

Tobago to attend the world premiere of his latest film Bazodee, which took place at MovieTowne, Port of Spain during the Trinidad & Tobago Film Festival

for the travel trade in Bengaluru

GLOBAL RECOGNITION SriLankan Airlines was awarded the Superior Achievement in Passenger Experience - Asia Pacific Region at the APEX Awards 2015 held in Oregon, USA

INVESTMENT AVENUES The Ambassador of Ecuador to India, HE Mentor Villagomez met Rita Teotia, commerce secretary, Government of India in New Delhi to discuss measures to enhance bilateral ties

AMAZING THAILAND

Soraya Homchuen, director, Tourism Authority of Thailand, Mumbai addressed wedding planners at the Thailand edition of the Wedding Sutra Masterclass held in Mumbai

Tourism Authority of Thailand, Mumbai recently tied up with Thailand’s exclusive standalone and chain hotels for the Amazing Thailand Luxurious Pleasure Roadshow held in Mumbai

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E V E N T S

EXEMPLARY PERFORMANCE Eco Rent a Car achieved the first position at AFFORDABLE TRAVEL Singapore Airlines recently showcased its newly launched Premium Economy seats at Palladium, Mumbai and at DLF Promenade, Delhi

the National Tourism Award, for its outstanding performance as a Tourist Transport Operator in Category I (Rs 1.50 crore and above) at a function organised at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi

AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE L-R: Aditya Ghosh, president, IndiGo was conferred with the CAPA Global Low Cost Carrier of the Year award at the 2015 CAPA Aviation Awards for Excellence by Peter Harbison, executive chairman CAPA - Centre for Aviation, during a gala dinner hosted by Travelport in Helsinki

WARM WELCOME Narendra Modi (left), prime minister of India was received by the health minister of Ireland, Leo Varadkar (right), upon his arrival at Dublin airport, Ireland

LEADERSHIP SUMMIT L-R: Bruno Matheu, COO equity partners, Etihad Airways; Roy Kinnear, CEO, Air Seychelles; Stefan Pichler, CEO, airberlin; James Hogan, president and CEO, Etihad Airways; Luca Cordero di Montezemolo, chairman, Alitalia; Maurizio Merlo, CEO, Etihad Regional; Cramer Ball, CEO, Jet Airways; and Dane Kondic, CEO, Air Serbia gathered in Rome to attend a leadership summit

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WOMEN EMPOWERMENT To commemorate the fourth International Day of the Girl Child, members of the Harley Owners Group across the country rode with their daughters to participate in a Father-Daughter Ride, held in partnership with The Bindi Project, a non-profit organisation

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.