Express Travelworld (Vol.12, No.9) October, 2017

EDITOR’S NOTE

The convention agenda

T

he travel and tourism industry witnessed some august gatherings in the month of September. Though the micro goal or convention agenda was focused on improving revenue opportunities for their respective members, the macro message underlined was that of holistic growth for the future of tourism, both inbound and outbound. The IATO Convention spoke about Plan India and how it's time we look beyond just culture and heritage. The highlight of the convention was the presence of the minister of tourism, K J Alphons, who assured the trade that with him comes a new form of interactive leadership.

The ICPB Convention which was held during the last two days of August, highlighted the importance and the possibility of India being a potent MICE hotspot.

The adventure tour operators united in Kochi to voice their point of strengthening India's image as a worthy adventure tourism destination. The members of IAAI launched their new tech initiative, i-Top. The role of technology in tourism, as we stand today, cannot be spoken in isolation. Our cover story this issue provides our readers with a comprehensive insight into the changing face of travel, which has been triggered by technology. Our expert thought leaders and industry B2B trade professionals who have embraced technology wholeheartedly, see it as a vital force for business and brand building and

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Mobile: +91 9899707440 BANGALORE Mathen Mathew The Indian Express (P) Ltd. Business Publication Division 502, 5th Floor, Devatha Plaza, Residency road, Bangalore- 560025 Mobile: +91 9840826366

“Though the micro goal was focused on improving revenue opportunities for their respective members,the macro message was that of holistic growth for the future of tourism”

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primarliy for the customer connect. The story is about Big Data, Artificial Intelligence (AI), robotics and more. Drone tourism, vertical reality is more than just a reality today. These tech innovations are being incorporated internationally to enhance the tourism experience both at the research as well as the final customer levels. From education to heritage conversation, tech has a role to play in most aspects of tourism. Closer home, interestingly, state tourism boards are also speaking the tech language. At the second edition of the International Conference on Tourism Technology (ICTT), held in Kochi in June this year, Kerala Tourism team met industry stakeholders from across the country to understand and apply technology tools to enhance tourism experiences.

Finally, we also noticed a plethora of tourism activities, which were held in keeping with the United Nations World Tourism Organisation's (UNWTO) theme for 2017 – Sustainable Tourism for Development. Though there is a strengthened move towards sustainable tourism, the industry has to contribute far more to achieve the desired results. Grassroots mobilisation is the basis of sustainable tourism. It's beyond just a fashionable word.

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REEMA LOKESH Editor editorial.etw@expressindia.com

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EXPRESS TRAVELWORLD

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October 2017

CONTENTS MANAGEMENT Vol 12 No 9 October 2017 Pages 40

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Chairman of the Board

Viveck Goenka Sr Vice President - BPD

Neil Viegas Editor

Reema Lokesh* Assistant Editor

THINKING AHEAD OF TIMES By understanding smaller nuances of travel trade and constantly changing with the times, Travstarz Global Group has established itself as one of the top businesses in the industry

Steena Joy Sr. Associate Editor

Sudipta Dev CONTENT TEAM New Delhi

Saloni Bhatia DESIGN National Design Editor

EDGE

Bivash Barua Assistant Art Director

Pravin Temble

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Chief Designer

Prasad Tate Senior Artists

Ratilal Ladani, Rajesh Jadhav SCHEDULING & COORDINATION

Ashish Anchan Photo Editor

Sandeep Patil MARKETING Regional Heads

Harit Mohanty - East & West Prabhas Jha - North Marketing Team

Debnarayan Dutta Ajanta Sengupta

TRAVELTECHNOLOGY: THE NEWFRONTIERS Technology is helping travel businesses reach new heights and has provided them with a powerful tool to redefine their businesses and deliver real-time solutions

(18-22)

CIRCULATION

Mohan Varadakar

B R Tipnis

MARKETS

Manager

Bhadresh Valia Express TravelWorld® POSTAL REGD. NO. MCS/163/2016 – 18 RNI Reg. No.MAHENG/2005/15993

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LIFE

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PRODUCTION General Manager

ANANTARA IN THE EMERALD ISLE The newly opened Anantara Kalutara Resort and Anantara Peace Haven Tangalle Resort in Sri Lanka are perfectly positioned for Indian weddings and the MICE segment

ALLEPPEY, KOLLAM AND COCHIN CAN BE THREE MAJOR PORT HUBS IN KERALA: N UNNI

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PHASE 1 OF NAVI MUMBAI AIRPORT TO COMMENCE BY 2019 END: DEVENDRA FADNAVIS

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MAURITIUS EYES 100,000 INDIAN TOURISTS IN 2018

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P03 : EDITOR’S NOTE P35 : MOVEMENTS

(Editorial & Administrative Offices: Express Towers, 1st Floor, Nariman

P36 : WEEKEND

WAR ON PLASTIC Aimed at reducing the menace caused by plastic, Trip 360°'s recent campaign collected plastic bottles from people through all its franchisees and stores in Mumbai-Thane region

Point, Mumbai – 400021)

Copyright © 2017 The Indian Express (P) Limited. 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

IN THE NEWS

Alleppey,Kollam and Cochin can be three major port hubs in Kerala: N Unni Saloni Bhatia New Delhi WHILE THE MAIN mandate of Indian Waterways Authority of India is to develop inland waterways for purpose of cargo transportation, it also makes way for cruise tourism and other water activities. At a recent convention in Kerala, N Unni, chief engineer, Inland Waterways Authority of India, informed that the authority is continuously maintaining the water-

ways for easy movement, be it for cargo or tourists.

Speaking about the backwaters of Kerala, Unni stated, “There is about 465 km of waterways identified in Kerala, majority of which can be used for water movement.

Some are just narrow; not suitable for transportation.

We as the waterway authority try our best to improve depths, provide navigational points, make it safer for travel which is further used for tourist movement.”

He further mentioned, “Already more than 1000 houseboats are using the backwaters to attract tourists. It is now upto the private players to add more facilities and for the government to develop better port facilities to make it more convenient. Alleppey, Kollam and Cochin can be the three major port hubs in Kerala.”

These waterways have certain restrictions where the big boats cannot go and the waterways authority works to remove these re-

strictions. It demolishes old bridges and reconstructs them, improves depth, and builds the overall channel for safe transport of vehicles.

Now it’s up to the private sector to come in and use it for commercial purpose be it excursions or houseboat stays.

Speaking about other areas of work, he mentioned, “We also support cruise tourism in a big way on Ganga and Brahmaputra.

There are already cruise boats on these rivers, which

are doing good business.

There we facilitate them in such a way that wherever they have doubts regarding their path, we provide them with navigational support, we also have the DGPS system which is linked through a satellite which helps in navigation.”

He urged the private players to identify new places where ports are required, so the government can do necessary development in the area.

On World Tourism Day,IMC urges industry to join forces to facilitate tourism Mohit Rathod Mumbai COMMEMORATING World Tourism Day, IMC Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IMC) has expressed that stakeholders of travel, tourism and hospitality industry must join forces to facilitate tourism promotion in the country. At an event in Mumbai, Farhat Jamal, chairman – travel, tourism and hospitality committee, IMC, said, "One of the important efforts is that we have to make end-to-end experience better for tourists visiting India.

In the recent years, we have made significant progress in terms of tourism infrastructure and products. We have enormous potential and tourism can transform the global positioning of our country. When all the stakeholders in the industry come together, tourism can go to the next level."

In line with United Nations World Tourism Organisation's (UNWTO) theme for 2017 – Sustainable Tourism for Development – Vijay Wagmare, managing director, Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC), stressed on the need to encourage sustainable tourism across the country. He said, "I appeal to the industry and travellers to reduce carbon footprints during travel and tours. I would like to highlight the four 'R's of sustainable tourism – refuse, reduce, recycle and re-use."

In his address, IMC president Lalit Kanodia highlighted the need to create more jobs in the country. He said, "Tourism and skill development in tourism and hospitality industry can help to bring a solution.

We have immense potential to boost tourism in the country, thereby benefitting India's

economic growth."

Speaking specifically about MTDC's efforts and in a reply to Kanodia, Waghmare commented, "Maharashtra has a lot of potential in the

tourism sector. The state tourism department has also initiated various skill development activities. The tourism department has planned to skill 5,000 people in this sec-

tor in the coming times. However, MTDC alone can't make a difference. We have to promote tourism in the state in collaboration with all stakeholders of the industry."

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IN THE NEWS

Phase 1 of Navi Mumbai airport to commence by 2019 end: Devendra Fadnavis ETW Staff Mumbai STATING that the first phase of the much-delayed Navi Mumbai airport project will commence

by December 2019, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has said his government would issue a letter of intent (LoI) as awarding the contract is a “matter of time” now. He also said the pre-developmental works for the project will be completed by May next year.

The CM’s statement assumes significance as award of the LoI is considered as an important step in taking the project forward, which has been dogged by inordinate delays since its conception in 1997. Infrastructure major GVK group had bagged the financial bid to build and operate the second international airport in the Mumbai metropolitan region at an investment of INR 16,000 crore earlier this year, beating rival GMR group.

However, the project couldn’t make any progress as the state government has not yet approved and finalised the finance deal won by the GVK. Once the government gives its nod, a letter of award will be given to the contractor, after which a special purpose vehicle (SPV) can be set up to execute the project. “There are two phases of of Navi Mumbai airport. One phase is the preworks in which you have to level the land, cut a hill and you have to change the course of the river.

So these are the predevelopment works which we have awarded the contract and they have already started the work.

So possibly the site with the pre-

development works will be ready

by May next year. The concessionaire for (the airport) is also nearly shortlisted. It is a matter of time that we will award the contract. We will issue the letter of intent to the concessionaire and what is intended is that the first phase of the Navi Mumbai airport should commence by December 2019,” Fadnavis said.

The project has faced inordinate delays over the issues of environment and land acquisition since the state government approved it in 2007. The project will be carried out on a publicprivate partnership (PPP) model and City and Industry Development Corporation (CIDCO), a government authority for city planning, will incur pre-development work costs, which it will be later recovered from GVK. A CAPA Global Strategy Report for July-August, 2017, had

recently stated that the airport is unlikely to commence operations before March 2024, as significant earthworks need to be performed at the site, located in Raigad district adjoining Mumbai. Meanwhile, replying to a query, Fadnavis said his government had requested the Centre to differentiate between smaller and bigger states in allotting the “ease of doing business” ranking.

“What we have requested the DIPP (Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion) is to slightly differentiate between the large states and the small states.

Having said that, we will aim that we should be a leading state (in the ranking). That we will achieve this year,” the CM said.

He said the new GST regime could have some hiccups initially, but his government is capable of achieving the targets.

(PTI)

Gujarat plans to create MICE locations and adventure travel circuits Saloni Bhatia New Delhi GUJARAT TOURISM plans to identify MICE destinations and adventure circuits to attract the corporate groups and young travellers. Speaking to Express TravelWorld at a recent event in Bhubaneswar, Jenu Devon, managing director and commissioner, Gujarat Tourism, informed, “We are currently offering the Saurashtra circuit, but soon we will also come up with shorter ones for travellers who wish to spend one or two days in Gujarat.

We will ensure that when we are trying to come up with new circuits, they have sufficient accommodation facilities. For MICE groups, we will be pushing Ahmedabad, Surat and Baroda. While Ahmedabad has sufficient hotels and convention centres, our tourism policy provides lucrative investment opportunities in other two locations.”

Commenting on building other tourism circuits, Devon mentioned, “Even the central government has sponsored places under the Swadesh Darshan Scheme. We will be promoting the Gandhi Circuit and are in the process of building the infrastructure of the area. We will also be looking at promoting some parts of northern Gujarat. In future we may also work on Buddhist circuits, Jain circuits, or tribal tourism in other unique locations.”

Marketing initiatives have been a major part of

branding Gujarat and Devon discussed the importance of promotions. He stated, “The major role of the state tourism boards is to set up the infrastructure and market the products. Tour operators and travel agents may not have sufficient funds to invest in such promotional activities for a particular state.

They may be able to showcase our products, but it is our responsibility to market the destination in both domestic as well as international markets. Now almost every state is active and is competing with each other to sell its products. They have realised that tourism has real potential in terms of investment and employment opportunities. Everybody has become active in promotions through various kinds of modes.”

He added, “But there are challenges as most of the states are only able to attract domestic tourists.

The silver lining is that the numbers are growing. Our focus now lies on the foreign tourists. the share of foreign tourist arrivals needs to increase in order to have actual growth. We are looking at the budding spots that have showcased potential to attract large number of people. After doing indepth research and seeing other states, we are looking at developing more experiential travel products. We are now coming up with a strategy to market activities like bird watching, unique beaches, adventure tourism, national parks, unique areas, hills etc.”

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IN THE NEWS

Mauritius eyes 100,000 Indian tourists in 2018 Mohit Rathod Mumbai MAURITIUS TOURISM Promotion Authority (MTPA) is looking at attracting 100,000 Indian tourist arrivals in 2018, following a slight slowdown this year caused by demonetisation and GST implementation. In 2016, the destination witnessed around 83,000 Indian tourist arrivals, marking a growth of 15 per cent over the previous year.

Kevin Ramkaloon, director, Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority, said, "For us, as tourism board, India is an important market, among the top 10. Over the years, we have recorded significant growth in Indian tourist arrivals. Demonetisation and GST have hit the footfall a little this year.

Our aim this year is to increase visibility of the destination. Mauritius completely suits Indian travellers."

As part of its annual travel trade interactions, MTPA re-

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Kevin Ramkaloon

cently organised a Tier I city road show in Mumbai, which featured 20 private companies including hotels, DMCs and attractions. The tourism authority organises Tier II city road show in April.

“We are promoting Mauritius as an experiential holiday destination in Tier I markets.

We have seen a very good response,” Ramkaloon said. Focusing on Tier II markets in India, he commented, "Trav-

ellers from Tier II cities in India are mainly interested in the wedding component, so we try to bring more attention on this segment during our road shows in Tier II markets.

MICE tourism also has huge potential for us; we have large offerings for the MICE segment."

Next year, in addition to the existing offerings, Mauritius will highlight 50 years of its independence as a major tourism event. The destination will be celebrating the occasion from March 2018 to December 2018. "We also have over 40 event-based activities throughout the year. Mauritius also celebrates all key Indian festivals, which will further draw larger tourist footfall from India. As we move forward, we are also promoting cultural tourism," Ramkaloon said, adding that Mauritius remains a luxury destination, but for the dynamic and modern Indian traveller, it is certainly an affordable destination.

India forms 5.1% of international traffic to SFO Mohit Rathod Mumbai INDIAN PASSENGER traffic has accounted for a healthy proportion of San Francisco International Airport's (SFO) overall growth in passenger numbers. Last year SFO witnessed a significant growth as it recorded 54 million passengers, much of which comprised of international passengers. India currently makes up 5.1 per cent of international traffic to SFO. Melissa Andretta, director – international marketing and aviation development, SFO, said, "This year too has been strong for us. There has been an increase in international travel from India.

A big reason behind the growth is the large Indian population in San Francisco, and presence of the IT sector."

A large part of growth from India is also attributed to Air India's New Delhi - San Francisco flight launched in December 2015. Andretta has further expressed hope to see a non-stop flight from Mumbai in the near future.

Speaking about SFO's strategy for 2018, she said, "Our focus in 2018 will be on working with the existing carriers and growing the existing routes. We will continue to leverage upon non-stop services. We are also in talks with three airlines in Europe and Asia to establish connections."

SFO enjoys a significant share of premium travellers, consisting 14.9 per cent of total passengers. It

Melissa Andretta

also has a focus on making airport processes easier for passengers through numerous technologies and facilities. SFO works closely with Uber – it is teh first airport in the US to collaborate with the cab service provider. "We work closely with San Francisco Travel Association, which does a lot of promotions and works with its partners," Andretta commented.

The upcoming Terminal 1 will add more capacity at SFO, which will also be one of the most ecofriendly terminals in the world. The terminal will be fully operational in 2022, whereas parts of it will be functional by 2019. Additionally, a 350-room Grand Hyatt property is also slated to open in 2019.

"What makes us unique is that we have dedicated yoga rooms inside the airport. Some of the other airport attractions at SFO include Wag Brigade, sleep/shower rooms and SFO Museum," she added.

IN THE NEWS

Czech Tourism marks market presence in India through VFS Global Mohit Rathod Mumbai CZECH TOURISM Board, as part of its efforts to boost visibility in the India market, has appointed VFS Global as its country representative. Milan Hovorka, ambassador, Embassy of the Czech Republic in New Delhi, while inaugurating Czech Tourism's office in Mumbai said, "We wanted to open our office in India and our collaboration with VFS Global has made it possible. VFS Global will represent Czech Tourism's India office. We want to promote bilateral trade, travel and tourism. Tourism is an important vehicle for us, which generates synergies in many areas."

During the last two years, Czech Republic and VFS Global have opened 16 visa ap-

plication centres across India, including Tier II cities. In the last five years, the volume of Indian tourist arrivals to Czech Republic has shown three-fold growth. The destination recorded 66,500 Indian tourist arrivals in 2016.

Whereas, the average stay of Indian tourists – currently 3.5 days – has also been growing at a similar pace. In the first half of 2017, there has been a growth of 40 per cent in Indian tourist footfall.

Monica Palatkova, managing director, Czech Tourism Board said, "Indian travel partners are interested in our destination, and they are curious about new products. We recently completed our road show across Delhi, Bengaluru and Mumbai. We plan to expand our activities in India.

Our goal is to achieve 100,000

Indian tourist arrivals by 2019. Physical presence in the market is crucial to achieve this goal, hence our partnership with VFS Global is significant."

By 2021, the number of Indians travelling to Central and Eastern Europe is expected to increase by 60 per cent, and Czech Tourism is planning to

leverage upon this.

"Online training programmes is one of the tools we would like to use in the future, alongside our ongoing social media efforts. We also hope for direct connectivity in the future. MICE is a promising market, alongside young travellers, couples, families and senior citizens," added Palatkova.

The toursim board is also planning to introduce new locations in the India market in 2018. Next year, Czech Tourism will organise trade activities in Ahmedabad and Kolkata, whereas in 2019, it will add Chennai and Hyderabad. Czech Republic will also mark 100 years of its independence in 2018.

Holland looks at growth from India with new Jet Airways daily flight from Bengaluru Saloni Bhatia New Delhi FOLLOWING HOLLAND’S growth of over 19 per cent in Indian arrivals from January to March this year, Netherlands Board of Tourism & Conventions (NBTC) hosted an India sales mission in collaboration with Amsterdam Airport Schipol, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and Jet Airways. The three-city sales mission was held to meet over 300 travel trade partners and expand their knowledge about Netherland’s tourism offerings. Some new partners were seen at the

road show including Blue Boat Company, Efteling, Henri Willig, ITO Tours and Madurodam.

Speaking at the event in New Delhi, Carola Muller, global travel trade manager, NBTC, stated, “India is a growing market and very important for Holland’s tourism industry.

We have met with the agents to understand their demand in the MICE and wedding segments apart from leisure trips. Currently we are promoting Holland by dividing it in the form of districts or storylines which combine destinations. The Dutch Golden Age, The Water Trail, the Van Gogh Art, Flow-

ers of Holland among many others are being promoted under the same concept.”

Seeing the growth of Indian travellers to Netherlands, Jet Airways announced its third daily service to Amsterdam from Bengaluru.

Ragini Chopra, vice president, corporate affairs and public relations, Jet Airways, informed, “Starting October 29, 2017, Jet Airways will be launching its third daily service connecting Amsterdam to Bengaluru. Being the IT hub of the country, Bengaluru has the third busiest airport in the country. This connection will further boost

the growing popularity of Holland as a business and leisure destination.”

This sales mission brought forward some new leisure and MICE products that could cater to India’s growing outbound market. Bjorn van Gelder, sales manager, Blue Boat Company, informed, “We have 15 boats for canal cruising, each can host upto 80 people. It gives a unique outlook of the city and is best way to explore Amsterdam.”

Similarly, Efteling is a fantasy themed amusement park near Amsterdam which can be a unique day destination. Jack van de Vliert, head, sales

leisure, Efteling stated, “The park is the most visited attraction in Holland which was visited by five million people last year. Open 365 days a year, it offers some unique interactive experiences for families. The restaurants also serve some vegetarian dishes which shall suit Indian visitors.”

Holland targets to achieve 16 million global visitors by 2020.

Seeing India’s 19 per cent growth From January to March this year in comparison with last year, NBTC is keen on increasing these numbers by offering new products and targetting specific segments.

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October 2017

IN THE NEWS

Singapore records 14% increase in Indian arrivals during first half of 2017 Saloni Bhatia New Delhi SINGAPORE TOURISM Board recently launched its new marketing campaign 'Passion made possible' in global markets. In association with Singapore Economic Development Board, the campaign aims to promote local experiences to tempt international travellers seeking new experiences. Just a month old, it is yet to completely penetrate the India market. According to Chang Chee Pey, assistant chief executive –

International Group, Singapore Tourism Board, Singapore has already recorded 14 per cent growth from India in the first half of 2017. He said, “Singapore received more than one million tourists from India. This year, we have already recorded 7.5 lakh tourist arrivals from India between January to June, showcasing growth of 14 per cent in comparison to last year.

This is due to the number of developments and also increase in flights from Jaipur, Bengaluru, Madurai and other cities. We are completely bullish about the

India market as it is our third largest source, rising another position from fourth last year.”

Speaking about its recent tie-up with Tirun Travel Marketing, the India representative of Royal Caribbean Cruises, in offering a unique Fly-Cruise Programme in partnership with Singapore Airlines, Yuemin Li-Misra, area director, India, International Group, informed, “Cruise tourism is one of the key areas of growth for us. India is our top source market for cruises and we have been

doing a lot of partnerships with our travel associates here in India to promote the segment. We will also be hosting a special training programme in association with Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) in the first week of October in Ahemadabad, Mumbai and Delhi. We will be promoting a three to four day itinerary tagged with the cruise trip. This will further help to raise more awareness about enjoying the cruise, but more importantly seeing Singapore.”

G B Srithar, regional director, South Asia, Middle East and Africa, Singapore Tourism Board, mentioned, “The key step for us is raising awareness about Singapore as a hub. Genting Dream's entry in Singapore will have a huge impact in holiday plans for travellers. We are looking at promoting pre and post tours in Singapore. With our new marketing initiative, we will also be targeting Tier II and Tier III cities. We will be hosting a multi-city road show next year in February to connect with local travel players.”

Incredible India campaign launched in Cairo ETW Staff Mumbai INDIA has launched a campaign to woo Egyptian travellers and make them aware of holiday options in the country. The month-long Incredible India campaign has been organised by the Embassy of India in Cairo, in coordination with the India Tourism Office in Dubai, the Cairo Governorate, and the Cairo Public Transport Authority. It was flagged off jointly by India’s ambassador to Egypt Sanjay Bhattacharyya, Governor of Cairo Governorate Eng Atef Abdel Hamid and officials from Cairo Transport Authority.

As a part of the campaign, 12 buses of transport authority will showcase various tourist destinations in India, including culture, festivals, monuments, landscape, wildlife, people and food. Each bus is uniquely exhibiting two tourist themes of India. The

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campaign will run on five routes in East, Middle, North, South and Giza parts of Cairo Metropolitan area. “We invite more and more Egyptian tourists to visit India, even as we support the growth in Indian tourists to Egypt. India has variety of experiences ranging from historical sites to natural beauty, beaches to mountains, adventure to cultural events, yoga to medical tourism, wedding destinations to Bollywood tours, and many more,” Bhattacharyya said while inaugurated the event at Cairo citadel.

This campaign also aims to connect tour operators of both the countries. “We have launched this campaign so that people around the city can see different part of India and its tourist’s delight. We are very keen to have greater tourism exchanges between India and Egypt,” Bhattacharyya told said. The Indian Embassy, in association with India Tourism Office in

Dubai, is also organising Incredible India Road Show at Hotel Semiramis InterContinental. Tour operators from India and Egypt, officials from Egyptian Tourism

department will attend the event.

The Embassy of India had previously launched Incredible India and Make in India campaigns at the metro in

April where posters showing glimpses of India culture were displayed on the metro. Earlier in April, a two-month-long campaign was launched in Cairo metro.

IN THE NEWS

TAFI to organise two-city convention in Turkey in October ETW Staff Mumbai TRAVEL AGENTS Federation of India (TAFI) has announced its upcoming convention at two cities in Turkey. For the first time, TAFI’s convention will be a split-stay and will encompass Dalaman and Antalya. The con-

vention will be held from October 27 to 31, 2017. For the first two nights, delegates will be staying at Hotel Hilton Dalaman Sarigerme Resort & Spa, Dalaman and the next two nights at Hotel Rixos Premium Belek, Antalya.

The convention will offer business sessions with speakers

from around the world. There is a total of four different departure dates, and the itineraries with each departure are different.

The convention will be for four nights, with a pre-post tour of three nights.

The registrations for the TAFI Convention is now open.

'MORE AND MORE GLOBETROTTING INDIANS ARE TURNING EXPERIMENTAL' Clinton Lerm, owner, South African Forest Adventures, speaks about the shift of Indian travellers’ preferences from regular holidays to niche and specialised holidays

By Mohit Rathod How has been the response generated to The Cape Adventure Day tour since its launch?

We are extremely happy with the response received for The Cape Adventure Day package. This package was created for our Indian travellers who love to do a lot of activities in just one day. The eight-hour tour offers adventure activities such as tree top zipline, sandboarding, quad biking along the mountains and vineyards, visit to the African Jackass Penguins’ at Stony Point and the coastal town of Hermanus. The highlight of this one-day tour, is the ‘Clarence Drive’, one of the most scenic roads in the world.

This beautiful, coastal drive over 22 km, embraces the wild turquoise Cape coastline all the way. The viewing points

along this road also provide the opportunity to spot whales and dolphins. The package also includes lunch at a sea side restaurant and a pick drop from your hotel in Cape Town too.

How has been business from Indian travellers?

India is our core market after domestic. We have achieved an incremental number of visitors from India since our commitment to the market in the last six years. Our figures annually at all of our adventure sites are just below 9,000 visitors.

We opened our dedicated India office earlier this year in Mumbai which gives our Indian travel partners the flexibility to check on availability and book instantly. Our Indian agents also have the option of paying in Indian currency.

What are the promotional strategies for 2018?

For 2018, our sales and marketing efforts will continue to concentrate on the keys cities of Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai, Kolkata, Gujarat, Pune and Ahmedabad. This year, we will also be targeting the Tier III cities of India. We are exploring the opportunity of brochure participation with key tour operators as well as participation in trade shows, which definitely includes SA Tourism annual roadshow.

Apart from this we will continue to disseminate regular product updates to the Indian travel trade.

Any new products planned for the future?

Very Soon, we will also be opening one of the world’s longest zipline in Knysna, which

will be approximately five km.

This will help us cover the garden route. We are sure it will be a good product for our Indian experiential travellers. Our white water rafting season has also started which is operational until the next three months. We also have a huge array of adventure activities that you could choose from such as quad biking, zip lining in Cape Town as well as Hermanus, sandboarding, river rafting and more. With its close proximity from Cape Town, all of these activities are a surreal for those visiting on a tight schedule.

What's your observation on the changing Indian traveller preferences?

There has been a visible shift in Indian travellers’ preferences from regular holidays to niche and specialised holidays.

More and more globetrotting Indians are turning experimental, looking to customise trips and are opting for adventure and newer experiences. Travel agents have also been working round the clock to give the outbound Indian traveller unique experiences within a fixed number of days as well as the right budget. New travel groups that have evolved over the years such as solo travellers, women groups, senior citizens and young travellers are seeking adventure too in their travel itineraries. The Indian outbound traveller is now moving beyond city experiences and venturing into the surrounds, which offer a variety of experiences including winery visits, nature and water-based activities, amongst others. South African Forest Adventures is definitely benefiting from this trend.

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IN THE NEWS

Cleartrip and SpiceJet announce partnership for Google Flights ETW Staff Mumbai CLEARTRIP AND SPICEJET have announced a partnership with Google Flights to make it simpler for consumers to view flight schedules and fares right within the Google Flight search page. This integration is said to reduce the time for consumers to access information and book tickets.

Launched in India in 2015, Google Flights offers Indian travellers the ability to quickly and easily explore destinations and find the best flights at affordable prices. Google relies on airlines, online travel agents and third party data providers who chose to provide their data for inclusion into Google Flights.

People can access Flight Search by clicking on “Flights” on the navigation bar on Google’s search results page.

Balu Ramachandran, head – air and distribution, Cleartrip,

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said, “Customers love Cleartrip for its products, and we have been working hard for the last few years to dramatically alter the reach, as we are confident that the product will take care of conversion and retention. We are excited about this partnership to bring Cleartrip in front of contextual travel customers, furthering our objectives of reach and efficiency.”

Ajay Singh, CMD, SpiceJet, commented, “Google Flights is an innovative offering that makes travel planning fun and intuitive. At SpiceJet, our endeavour has always been to provide the highest value to our customers, and this partnership enables us to to provide more options to India’s rapidly growing air travellers.”

Once users are on Google Flights, they can quickly and easily conduct searches for different flight routings, using an interactive map to explore possible destinations and view live

ticket prices. After selecting the flights, users can click the “Book” button to proceed to the Cleartrip or SpiceJet websites to purchase their tickets without having to fill in their flight choices again.

Vikas Agnihotri, industry director, Google India, stated, “India’s online travel sector is incredibly vibrant and has seen extensive growth and innovation.

According to a report by Boston Consulting Group (BCG), the Indian travel market is projected to grow to US$ 48 billion by 2020 with the biggest contributor, air travel expected to grow at 15 per cent to US$ 30 billion.

For Google, a new entrant in the highly competitive online travel sector in India, this partnership with Cleartrip and SpiceJet is important as it helps expand our offering, and provides consumers with another way to conveniently plan and book their travel.”

India and Japan sign open sky agreement

ETW Staff Mumbai INDIA AND JAPAN have signed an agreement that will allow their airlines to operate unlimited number of flights between the two countries. The pact followed Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe holding strategic discussions on a wide range of issues. An official release said India and Japan exchanged RoD (record of discussions) on civil aviation cooperation with respect to open sky.

“It opens skies between India and Japan – Indian and Japanese carriers can mount now unlimited number of flights to the selected cities of each other’s countries,” the release said.

The National Civil Aviation Policy, 2016 allows the government to enter into an open sky air services agreement on a reciprocal basis with SAARC nations as well as countries beyond a 5,000-km radius from New Delhi.

Currently, Japanese

carriers – All Nippon Airways and Japan Airlines – fly into India while Air India and Jet Airways operate services to Japan. Last year India signed open sky agreements with Greece, Jamaica, Guyana, Czech Republic, Finland, Spain and Sri Lanka. India also has open sky agreement with the US, among other countries.

Last week, full service carrier Vistara had announced plans to enter into a code share partnership with Japan Airlines by next year. Vistara is also likely to unveil plans for international operations soon and Japan is on the radar, it had said.

The open sky agreement between India and Japan is also expected to bring down airfares, according to travel portal Yatra.com. “The agreement will not only encourage connectivity and passenger travel between the two countries, but will also result in reduction in airfares on these routes,” said Sharat Dhall, COO, Yatra.com.

IN THE NEWS

Airline and airport CIOs embrace AI ETW Staff Mumbai AIRLINES and airports are embracing new technologies and turning to artificial intelligence (AI) to support their customer service. Over the next three years 52 per cent of airlines plan major AI programmes or R&D and 45 per cent of airports will invest in R&D in the next five years, according to the SITA 2017 Air Transport IT Trends Insights.

Airlines are looking at how technology can help minimise the impact of disruption on the passenger experience and their business. Over the next three years, 80 per cent of them plan to invest in major programmes or R&D into prediction and warning systems, which rely heavily on AI. Another technology that is catching the attention of the industry is chatbots. Currently,

14 per cent of airlines and nine per cent of airports already use chatbots. The report showed however, that there is significant appetite among air transport CIOs to embrace this technology over the next three years. By 2020, 68 per cent of airlines and 42 per cent of airports plan to adopt AI-driven chatbot services.

SITA’s report also showed that mobile app development is a top priority among airlines and airports. Over the next three years, 94 per cent of airlines and 82 per cent of airports plan major mobile programmes or R&D. The main area of focus is in the commercialisation of their mobile services with airlines looking to boost both direct and ancillary sales via their apps. Airlines expect sales via their mobile apps to double by 2020 and reach 17 per cent of their total sales. Streamlining services into one single app to

deliver a seamless experience is a priority for almost every airline (94 per cent) and a high priority for more than half (58 per cent).

Jim Peters, chief technology officer, SITA, speaking at the Future Travel Experience conference in Las Vegas, said, “We know that passengers

prefer to use technology and when it is well designed it can really improve the passenger experience. Airlines and airports are investing in AI and mobile programmes to make services even better for the passenger, supporting sales and providing customer support, particularly during

times of disruption. The industry is using a healthy mix of in-house and outsourced development which will combine expert and industry-specific knowledge with emerging approaches to tech offerings.” Nearly three quarters of airlines use in-house developers for their passenger apps, but 42 per cent also use bespoke developers or large tech companies. In contrast, 46 per cent of airports develop their passenger apps inhouse and the same proportion use external developers.

Airports plan to use chatbots for services such as notifications and airport guides.

They are also looking to beacons and sensors to help provide context and locationaware services.

SITA’s research showed that 40 per cent consider this area a high priority for app development and a further 43 per cent consider it a priority.

GMR looks at airport projects in Asia and Eastern Europe ETW Staff Mumbai GMR GROUP, which operates three airports in India and abroad, is eyeing projects in South East Asia, Middle East and Eastern European countries besides looking for operations and maintenance of Jaipur and Ahmedabad aerodromes. “Airport business, going forward, can be a significant growth engine for the group. In line with our growth strategy, the group is actively pursuing suitable airport opportunities in India as well as globally,” GMR said in its latest annual report. “Domestically, the Group is exploring up-

coming opportunities for the development of Nagpur Airport and O&M opportunity of Jaipur and Ahmedabad Airports. On the global front, it has pre-qualified for development and operation of Nikola Tesla airport in Belgrade, Serbia, Norman Manley airport in Jamaica. Apart from the aforementioned opportunities, the Group is selectively exploring new opportunities in South East Asia, Middle East and Eastern Europe,” the company said.

Currently GMR’s airport business comprises of three operating airports – Delhi and Hyderabad International Airports in India and Mactan Cebu Inter-

national Airport in Philippines.

It has also bagged contract for the greenfield airport at Mopa in Goa. GMR Airports, subsidiary of the company, along with local partner GEK TERNA, has been selected as preferred bidder to develop the new greenfield airport at Kastelli, Crete in Greece.

The company said that its Hyderabad International Airport is in the process of expanding the terminal capacity and adopting the new technology solutions to meet the future traffic demands and further improve the operational efficiency. In this regard, GHIAL (GMR Hyderabad International Airport) has al-

ready completed the outline of its development plan and is likely to get approval from AERA by this year, on the extent of capital expenditure that GHIAL will be incurring on the expansion work, it said.

An expert appraisal committee under the Ministry of Envi-

ronment, Forest and Climate Change has recently accorded permission for GMR Group’s proposal for the `2,629 crore expansion plans of the Hyderabad airport and `16,000 crore New Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA).

(PTI)

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IN THE NEWS

USTDA signs grant with AAI to expand operations at Kolkata, Lucknow ETW Staff Mumbai THE US TRADE and Development Agency has signed a grant with the Airports Authority of India (AAI), supporting a 20-year master plan to sustainably expand the operational capacities of the Kolkata and Lucknow airports. AAI has selected Cincinnati-based Landrum & Brown (L&B) to conduct the master planning, which will incorporate sustainable and environmental best practices, to accommodate the anticipated increase in demand at two of the fastest growing airports in AAI’s network.

“We are pleased to support this important project that will support India’s rapid aviation growth, while connecting US businesses with new export opportunities,” said Thomas R Hardy, acting director, USTDA. “L&B is very happy to have been selected to support the

USTDA and the Airports Authority of India with this important project that will continue to expand on the great relationship the United States and India share in the aviation industry. We look forward to the

opportunity to assist AAI in developing their long-term modernisation plans for Kolkata and Lucknow International Airports bringing the best in class ideas and technologies to solve complex issues at these

vital transportation hubs,” said Mark A Perryman, CEO, L&B. Under the US-India Aviation Cooperation Programme, USTDA has supported a number of similar activities supporting the country’s growing avia-

tion market. As the world’s ninth largest aviation market, India’s civil aviation sector is on a high growth trajectory, poised to be the third largest national market by 2020 and, potentially, the largest by 2030.

Thomas Cook India board gives nod to acquisition of Tata Capital's forex,travel companies ETW Staff Mumbai THOMAS COOK INDIA has announced that its board has approved the signing of a definitive agreement with Tata Capital to acquire its wholly-owned subsidiaries, Tata Capital Forex and TC Travel and Services. The network of the two acquired entities includes 24 locations pan India. The transaction remains subject to regulatory approvals.

Madhavan Menon, chairman and managing director, Thomas

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Cook India, said, “Our acquisition of Tata Capital’s Forex and travel companies serves to further strengthen the Thomas Cook India Group’s leadership position in the travel and foreign exchange sector in the country.

This also gives us the opportunity to continue to serve the strong corporate portfolio of both Tata Capital Forex and TC Travel Services – large corporate houses including flagship Tata Group companies; as also a set of new retail customers.”

He added, “The acquisition

creates clear opportunities, including a significant increase in scale and network reach, volume/ buying advantages as well as technology gains, all resulting in stronger customer service and stakeholder value.”

Praveen Kadle, managing director and CEO, Tata Capital, said, “Travel and forex services are perfectly poised for rapid and high growth. We are confident that Thomas Cook would take this business forward and help it reach its potential.”

IN THE NEWS

Kerala and Rajasthan win big at National Tourism Awards ETW Staff Mumbai KERALA TOURISM and Rajasthan Tourism bagged multiple accolades at the National Tourism Awards from from President Ram Nath Kovind, at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi. Kadakampally Surendran, minister for tourism, Government of Kerala received six National Tourism Awards 2015-16. The department of tourism, Government of Kerala has been lauded with Hall of Fame award for the ‘Most Innovative Use of Information Technology - Social Media / Mobile App’ for the ninth consecutive year. Out of the six awards, Kerala Tourism bagged two awards in the marketing category, including ‘Best Tourism Promotion Publicity Material’ for a film tourism brochure - ‘Your Next Blockbuster Destination’ and ‘Excellence in Publishing in Foreign language other than English’ for a Spanish Brochure titled “Reanimar – Enel Propio Pais de Dios.”

The film tourism brochure highlights the beaches, wildlife, hill stations and unexplored backwaters that are amongst a few of the prime locations that can be used to shoot any form of media. The Spanish brochure encapsulates the key attractions of the state, highlighting why Kerala is considered to be the most sought-after destination across the world.

The state tourism also bagged an award for the Best Responsible Tourism Initiative for Kumarakom.

Rajasthan Tourism bagged laurels for 'Jaane Kya Dikh Jaaye' TVC campaign under Best Tourism Film Award and for being among top two states for Comprehensive Development of Tourism Award. President

Kovind has recognised the TVC with National Tourism Award under the category of “Best Tourism Film”. The award was received by Krishnendra Kaur (Deepa), minister of state for tourism, Government of Rajasthan.

Rajasthan was also conferred another award under “Best State – Comprehensive

Development of Tourism” for standing runner-up in the category. The award was presented by K J Alphons, minister of state for tourism, Government of India to Nihal Chand Goel, additional chief secretary, department of tourism, Rajasthan.

“National Tourism Award in two different categories is a

recognition of our on-going efforts under the dynamic leadership of our Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje to make Rajasthan one of the most favoured destinations of choice for tourists around the world and these awards are also a testimony to Rajasthan’s tourism friendly policy initiatives,” said Kaur.

Hailed as one of the highest honours in the tourism industry, National Tourism Awards 2015-16 felicitated the Indian tourism and travel industry and the state governments and union territory administrations for their outstanding contribution in the field of tourism for the period April 2015 to March 2016.

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Embracing airline digital transformation: Amadeus report ETW Staff Mumbai A NEW REPORT published by Amadeus, ‘Embracing airline digital transformation: a spotlight on what travellers value’, sheds light on what travellers value when shopping for a flight.

According to the report, today retailers from a multitude of sectors have reinvented the customer experience. However, the challenge often lies in working out what customers truly value when they make that all-important purchase. Looking specifically at the airline industry, this report explores new methods to aggregate customer data, accompanied by behavioural economic approaches, artificial intelligence and ‘contextual commerce’, in order to better answer this question. These developments can offer significant opportunities for those airlines that embrace this change, the report asserted.

The report discusses a model of product vs service vs convenience, in order for airlines to be able to market intuitively each upsell opportunity, but this isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach. For each traveller, the balance between these three elements will shift, affecting the overall price that they are willing to pay for a flight. In a survey conducted for the report, 56 per cent of travellers said that the total package was most important to them, while only 24 per cent valued the lowest price the most. For instance, a new mother travelling with a baby is likely to be focused on the service experience. However, the same mother travelling alone for business or leisure will have different priorities.

Commissioned by Amadeus and Connections, a global networking and events organiser, the study is based on interviews with airlines, travel agency and technology experts. In addition,

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the report contains an independent survey of travellers focused on what they most value when booking a flight.

The report charted out a range of changes taking place as digital is becoming a driving force in the airline industry: ● Economy class is evolving: Competition has changed economy class travel. Airlines are responding by using data to better upsell products with the base fare. American Airlines recently introduced its ‘basic economy fare’ and British Airways moved to Marks & Spencer food on short routes ● The promise of AI: Chatbots powered by artificial intelligence will drastically change the industry. AI advice will deliver more personalised experiences for travellers when they request it

The report discusses a model of product vs service vs convenience, in order for airlines to be able to market intuitively, but this isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach. For each traveller, the balance between these three elements will shift, affecting the overall price that they are willing to pay ●

Reinventing loyalty: An increase in digital offers is challenging brand loyalty. The industry is now securing loyalty with spend-based schemes, retail partnerships and pooling of loyalty points. Travellers can now redeem loyalty points more easily as a result “Identifying upsell oppor-

tunities has long been the holy grail of the airline industry. Now there are new approaches to truly understand and define what people actually value when they travel.

The ability of new technologies to aggregate customer data, combined with the application of behavioural eco-

nomics, will help airlines to present their offer in a way that secures revenue and loyalty. In the digital age, it’s more important than ever for airlines to make an emotional connection with their travellers,” said Elena Avila, head of airlines strategy, Amadeus IT Group.

IN THE NEWS

Taj Hotels to sustain growth from India sales missions Mohit Rathod Mumbai TAJ HOTELS PALACES RESORTS SAFARIS, which recent debuted its sales mission in the India, has announced that the company will organise it every year in key markets of New Delhi and Mumbai. Taj Hotels Palaces Resorts Safaris has been organising sales missions in the Middle East, in adition to small-scale roadshows in the US and UK. Renu Basu, global vice president – sales,Taj Hotels Palaces Resorts Safaris, said, “This is the first time we have organised it in this format in India. We do it more in the international markets, due to large geographical nature.

We decided to establish it in India as well, as the number of our hotels has grown. This serves as a nice platform for

the industry to meet us, understand our products, enhance business opportunities and build relationships,” adding that the company received good response. The Delhi event witnessed around 700 visitors and over 300 in Mumbai. The sales mission was held In Delhi at Taj Diplomatic Enclave, New Delhi and Taj Lands End in Mumbai.

The sales mission saw particapation of 39 hotels, including international properties in Bhutan and Dubai. “Next year we expect more hotel participation, especially from Kerala, Maldives and Sri Lanka. Such sales missions work very well for outbound business; we facilitate a lot of discussions, and it also helps to enhance destination awareness. There has been senior level participation too; we had many hotel general managers participating in the

event. Apart from the sales mission, our efforts include Royal Escapes, Taj Holidays among others,” added Basu.

Numerous meetings were

been planned keeping in mind the business requirements and needs of the brand’s customers and hotels. Commenting on the MICE business,

Basu said, “MICE is growing, we encourage balance among all the stakeholders, and support our partners to bring business in the B2B segment.”

RCI enters into partnership with Palm Greens Club,Ahmedabad ETW Staff Mumbai RCI has announced an agreement to affiliate Palm Greens Club in Ahmedabad, situated on the outskirts of the world heritage city. “Our endeavour is to expand our presence across India and Ahmedabad is a part of this journey.

Through this association, we look to consolidate our presence in the west. The affiliation of Palm Greens Club fits right into our overall plans for the West region. With all the

amenities like spa, gym and swimming pool, the Palm Greens Club is the perfect location for a weekend getaway from the hustle and bustle of the city,”said Sabina Chopra, managing director, RCI India.

The Palm Greens Club, a one lakh square yard property comprising of a water themed park, artificial lake for boating and also a satellite movie theatre is positioned as a place for entertainment seeking vacationers. It also comprises of lawns and banquet halls which can comfortably

accommodate close to 3,000 people.

Daxesh Shah, MD, Palm Greens Club, Ahmedabad, commented, “Palm Greens Club, an already established city’s biggest entertainment club, feels proud and privileged to be RCI affiliated club now. The existing 2,500 members and the forthcoming new members shall be really excited about this affiliation.

Thus, Palm Greens Club will target the new tagline of biggest vacation club of the city as well.”

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THE MAIN FOCUS

“Digital technology is the most under-rated component of travel” Rakshit Desai MD, FCM Travel Solutions

TRAVEL TECHNOLOGY: THE NEW FRONTIERS

“Big Data is very useful in creating an apt productservice fit as well as accelerating the travel ecosystem” Amit Madhan President and group head – technology and shared services, Thomas Cook India

Technology is helping travel businesses reach new heights and has provided them with a powerful tool to redefine their businesses and deliver real-time solutions

BY MOHIT RATHOD “Technology is opening doors for people to experience the joy of travelling” Subramanya Sharma CMO and head of products, Cleartrip

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“Virtual reality mediums are critical to products that are niche and non-tangible at the same time” Ratna Chadha chief executive, TIRUN

“Social media has proven very useful in terms of audience engagement” Vijay Waghmare MD, MTDC

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takeholders across the travel and tourism industry have embraced technology as a vital, unavoidable component for their businesses. Utilisation of latest technology has remarkably benefitted the industry, be it tourism boards, offline or online travel companies. Most recently FCM Travel Solutions, the Indian subsidiary of Flight Centre Travel Group (FCTG) Australia, has introduced the essential artificial intelligence (AI) tools for Indian business travellers to manage their business travel, thereby reiterating the fact that technology and social media are not just essential for the B2C segment, but also the B2B market. The online self-booking tool by FCM, Phoenix, has been launched for its corporate clientele and claims to be the industry's most compehensive and innovative online corporate travel booking tool. The AI based chatbot called 'SAM (Smart Assistant for Mobile)' will be FCM's 24-hour travel assistant designed to simplify life for corporate travellers by blending AI with the expertise of FCM travel consultants.

For Amit Madhan, presi-

dent and group head – technology and shared services, Thomas Cook India, standardisation is history. Today’s protagonist traveller demands unique and personalised programmes – all being made increasingly possible courtesy Big Data. He says, "From our customers' preferences in selecting and booking destinations, types of accommodation to the experiences that delight them on-ground; Big Data is very useful in creating an apt product-service fit as well as accelerating the travel ecosystem. The travel industry has witnessed a phenomenal digital shift in the last few years owing to smart phone penetration, mobile internet access/speed and strong social media influence. This digital data provides a significant amount of information for analysis."

Tech for agents Offering technology to travel agents provides high degree of flexibility in travel bookings and enables them to discover various holiday options along with their availability.

"Better technology means greater ease while searching or booking for vacations, checking for itineraries and allowing customers to get multiple quotations and make multiple bookings with different dates, all in

one go," explains Ratna Chadha, chief executive, TIRUN (exclusive India representative of Royal Caribbean Cruises).

Big Data Analytics has helped Thomas Cook India understand its customers better and personalise its offerings.

Big Data has not only helped the company facilitate better pricing strategies, easier bookings and enhanced customer experiences, but has also been proved as a powerful tool for fine-tuning and maximising strategic brand decisions.

Madhan shares, "The future lies in personalisation; the one who does it well will clearly emerge as the winner.

Technology with the help of AI has helped aid the business.

Personalised marketing and targeted product designs are extremely powerful opportunities. Embracing new age disrupting technology concepts like Big Data Analytics helps us increase our business efficiency, deliver real-time, personalised and targeted travel experience and transform customer experience into a true delight."

Shedding light from the online travel agent's (OTA) perspective, Subramanya Sharma, CMO and head of products, Cleartrip believes that availability of content is the most fundamental problem. Having depth and breadth

of content – be it flights, hotels or activities – is critical to run a successful business.

Rakshit Desai, managing director, FCM Travel Solutions, elaborates, "Digital technology is the most under-rated component of travel. While AIbased travel is still at the inception stage; given its potential for time and cost savings, user data analysis and standard customisation, self booking tools + AI can be a disruptive tool for corporate travel management. With the ever-growing business travel, the millennial workforce wants to take charge of not just their leisure trips but work-related as well. With blurring lines between work and leisure, inducing Bleisure, we at FCM, want to bring in the bliss of hasslefree travel, irrespective of one travelling or at the workplace."

It is not the just the big players, but adoption of technology can also be observed in Tier II markets of India. Jagsons Travels, the pioneer in organising Tier II and Tier III city trade shows in India, has been utilising digital promotions to grow its flagship Global Panorama Showcase (GPS) shows across India. Using mobile technology for direct connect, GPS has been actively reaching out to industry partners through WhatsApp. Interestingly, WhatsApp has

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“A large part of travel and hotel bookings are now done online” P Bala Kiran Director, department of tourism, Government of Kerala

recently announced plans to launch a corporate version of the app to tap business houses.

Consumer utility The new age traveller is well-heeled, well-read and well-travelled. Many travel enthusiasts today lay a high premium on the activity. Holidaying in style now forms a central part of many in urban life. In such a scenario, travellers expect to be 'wowed' every time they embark on a vacation. Chadha informs, "Many of the new-age travellers have seen it all. From private infinity pools that open onto white-sand beaches, indulgent resorts atop high mountains, lake-view palaces, underwater restaurants and bars…the list goes on. The regular splendours of high waters and deep seas don’t really cut it anymore when these seasoned vacationers need to be impressed. This is why modern cruise ships, that promise the best of premium and a vacation that astounds with its finesse, need to offer the most cutting-edge, never-experienced-before technology on board."

Smart technology onboard cruise ships begin the process of making an impact from the moment guests embark on the vessel. Touchscreen way finders, for instance, help them navigate their way throughout the ship and set a precedent for what

they can expect on the voyage.

Superlative technological standards are today visible in every aspect of on-board experiences. Skydiving simulators, surf simulators, solarium pools and whirlpools, bionic bars, robots as mixologists and virtual balconies are some of the elements infused in modern cruise ships that befit the expectations of the seasoned globetrotter.

At the basic level, technology enables OTAs such as Cleartrip to automate tasks for travellers such e-ticket, mobile boarding pass, flight delays and cancellation alerts and more. This is a big area that remains to be resolved satisfactorily. Sharma highlights, "For travellers, staying updated on what’s happening at their destination, ability to book activities last minute, recommendations on what are the best experiences they can indulge in, are some things where technology can help travellers while they are at their destination. This of course excludes consumer tech – mobile, etc – that helps everyone whether they are travelling or not. Advanced technologies such as Big Data enable OTAs to provide advisory and recommendations such as when to book and when to fly thereby helping travellers save money."

At Thomas Cook India, marketing automation is being implemented to personalise of-

ferings for website customers.

All customer promotions are based on their previous searches and interest on the website. Mobile/website notifications for deals and distress inventory offers to users have been introduced for its customers. Madhan adds, "An innovative technology that has proved to have an increasing operational efficiency or customer service is the launch of Voyager – dynamic customised package creator for holidays.

This tool will empower all retail and call centre staff to respond to clients in real time for complex, customised itinerary plans. The feedback received from customers on social media helps us in integrating the same with marketing campaigns for content such as user generated blogs and equally helps us leverage social media feedback of trips and helping customers with their buying decisions." A total of 40 per cent of thomascook.in traffic is generated from mobile assets which highlights the importance of mobile channel for holiday seekers. The company expects the next line of growth from vernacular consumers as the increasing rate of mobile data penetration in India has helped grow the smart phone users exponentially, thus making vernacular content important.

Tourism boards On the domestic front, Kerala Tourism is known for exten-

sive use of new innovations.

The state tourism board is strong in leveraging upon social media and technology for promotions. At the second edition of International Conference on Tourism Technology (ICTT), held in Kochi in June this year, Kerala Tourism team met industry stakeholders from across the country. P Bala Kiran, director, department of tourism, Government of Kerala, states, "A large part of travel and hotel bookings are now done online. We want to leverage internet and social media for tourism promotion. We have a huge presence on social media and we have been using techonology for a long time."

Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) has recently collaborated with Ola to promote responsible tourism and offbeat travel in the state. This year, MTDC is expecting the state tourism levels to grow at 14 per cent in terms of domestic tourist arrivals as compared to nine per cent last year. A large number of tourists visit popular destinations such as Panchgani, Lonavla, Ajanta and Ellora, and Mahabaleshwar. However, Maharashtra offers numerous other such destinations that are left unexplored due to accessibility issues and lack of awareness. With this campaign, MTDC is leveraging upon Ola's technological expertise to channel tourists inflow to the unexplored destinations.

“TAT launches numerous consumer campaigns from time to time” Soraya Homchuen Director, TAT Mumbai

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Vijay Waghmare, managing director, MTDC, explains, "Technology is very useful for state tourism boards. Alongside our website and mobile app, we are also collaborating with different companies that specialise in technology, such as Airbnb. Whoever approaches us with their technology, we take them to our platform and work with them.

Social media has proven very useful in terms of audience engagement. Social media helps us provide quick support to customers. Social media is also an important platform to update tourists and our partners about the latest developments of MTDC." On the international front, Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is bullish on social media campaigns and promotions.

More B2C in nature, TAT's campaigns are aimed at engagement with travellers through contests and user-generated content. "Social media is helping us in a huge way. We are betting big on Facebook, Twitter and blogs, and we leverage these platforms for seamless communication with travellers. TAT launches nu-

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merous consumer campaigns from time to time, which helps in engaging with travellers; for instance we have done a photo contest through Facebook this year. Our 'Women's Journey' app has also garnered good response. Family Fun Thailand is another app that offers special discounts and freebies for families. We also encourage our travel partners to promote our campaigns," shares Soraya Homchuen, director, TAT Mumbai, adding that consumer generated content is more in demand among travellers, such as original reviews. The trend of mobile technology and social media is booming in India, and TAT is more focused on these digital medium.

Emerging avenues Virtual reality has the potential to help travellers visit a place before they are actually there. This may help travellers plan their destinations better than reading about the place or just seeing images. However, as Sharma points out, there are a lot of challenges here, specifically around creating the content and the need of additional hardware. He adds, "Aug-

mented reality (AR) possibly has a huge potential, both pretravel and in-destination. Pretravel AR can help users visit the place virtually without the need of an additional device.

Apple’s AR Kit and Google’s AR Core both allow for this. Plus, AR is a more social experience as multiple people can look at the same details together. Indestination AR can enable travellers to explore places to see and things to do in their environment. It can also potentially enable travellers to visualise an experience before they actually do it. Something VR can only do with additional hardware."

Chadha highlights, "Advancements in the CRM tools help businesses build in efficiencies, and increase ROI. The advancements are around marketing automation, predictive analytics and risk management. Virtual reality mediums are critical to products that are niche and non-tangible at the same time. To give the user a glimpse of the product, brands are adopting technologies like virtual reality, AR to simulate a life-like experience. The flexibility of the mediums enable content build up in the inspira-

tion and planning phase, and allow interaction with a 'human touch' programmatically (chatbots) in the planning and booking phase. These tools make the entire journey seamless, and make the process of discovering the content around the product very easy for the consumer."

The road ahead In 2018, TAT will continue to work on digital platforms, develop and update apps. In the near future it is also planning to use virtual reality.

Cleartrip will be using chat services on both desktop and mobile devices to help customers find the best flight, hotel or local activity thereby saving their time and money.

TIRUN is working on revamping its website. The change will encapsulate the entire look and feel of the website. The new website is being designed keeping in mind a digital user who is new to cruising. Chadha informs, "An entire sub-domain of inspirational content (blogs, videos, reviews) to excite and educate users on cruising is also in process. Users can share reviews and testimonials,

participate in forums and seek information, comment and share information and much more on Justcruise.tirun.com."

There are many sites and monuments where guides are not available. Hence, in 2018, MTDC is planning to have a QR-code based feature on its app to help tourists with information about the site.

Advances on interactive voice responses (IVR) already helps Cleartrip to identify callers using caller ID and present their travel details to the agent without having to ask basic trip details again. A significant 75 per cent of customers are recognised by IVR and 70 per cent of total callers find required information or reach customer service executive in the first attempt. Sharma comments, "People love to travel, but the multiple touch points associated with it (airports, hotels, pricing, booking experience, planning) can lead to uncertainty and anxiety.

Technology is opening doors for people to experience the joy of travelling by making these touch points involved in planning and booking simple and accessible."

CORPORATE PORTFOLIO

Thinking ahead of times By understanding smaller nuances of travel trade and constantly changing with the times, Travstarz Global Group has established itself as one of the top businesses in the industry.

Pankaj Nagpal and Sucheta Nagpal share how thinking ahead helps a business leap forward. By Saloni Bhatia

N

ot originally from the travel trade industry, Pankaj Nagpal, managing director, Travstarz Global Group, was led by the ideas of his wife, Sucheta Nagpal, director and CEO, Travstarz Global Group to enter the tourism segment. Sucheta Nagpal, who wanted to follow her passion for the travel industry, now runs the overall operations of the group with over nine years of experience.

The global group works as a wholesaler as well as a consolidator for the travel industry. There are two different verticals, travelrezonline and DMCConnect, which stand apart as business products connecting the industry worldwide. Speaking about the start of his company, Pankaj Nagpal, shares, “We started the company in 2008, transforming into a B2B focused company in the year 2009. We never thought of entering the B2C segment and invested all our resources in cultivating our own brand.”

With a humble beginning by selling just Maldives and Mauritius, the company moved to Hong Kong and has now grown to having Destination Management Company (DMC) offices in Thailand, Mauritius, Hong Kong, Seychelles and an upcoming one in UAE. The company is also the official wholesalers of all major luxury brands in the world like Starwood, Constance, Avani, Minor, Anantara etc. He opines, “There was not a connecting link between international tourism boards and the India

market when we entered the segment. There has been phenomenal growth in the past seven years as the outbound market is growing at a very fast rate. Therefore there is a significant increase in demand and people prefer dealing with an Indian tour operator, especially in the Tier II and Tier III cities.

There is no language barrier and you can rely on your connection.”

Travstarz was one of the very few companies to leverage through its online portal, travelrezonline.com. Commenting on the importance of technology in business expansion, Pankaj Nagpal adds, “Our online portal has become another tool to scale up the business. We have 11 integrations in the system which supports more than 5,000 hotels worldwide through live inventory. We are also growing our own inventory now since we have contracts with more than 500 hotels which will also go online. Therefore online surely proves to be the right business motivator.”

However he does feel that online and offline will co-exist in the India market. “Offline segment has been performing equally well in India, but one cannot simply restrict to offline business as its growth will be limited. Online presence gives you the scale that is required with immediate penetration around the country,” he reiterates.

The company holds a reputed position in the industry by selling to tour operators, travel agents, MICE organisers and corporate companies.

When asked about the major

milestones of the business, Sucheta Nagpal shares, “With just two destinations in South East Asia to holding a strong presence in the same segment was a big move for the company in its initial years. Soon people started recognising us as a reliable brand to work with due to our standard of services. Later the launch of our online portal made a huge difference to the brand and helped us reach out to more people in the market.” She attributes the success of the business to knowing each other’s strengths, which works to the company’s benefit.

Revealing the plans ahead, Pankaj Nagpal informs, “We are working on a new version of the portal which will be

Pankaj Nagpal

Sucheta Nagpal

launched early next year. We are focusing on creating a different product which is backed up by technology and eases functions.”

Concentrating on a strong technology backup for its on-

line portal and building on offline relationships has led the company to be the brand it is today. The new version of the portal is bound to enhance user experience and change the dynamics of operations.

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October 2017

IN FOCUS

ICONic model September 2017 will be remembered for the launch of a revolutionary revenue model called i-Top by the IATA Agents Association of India (IAAI) at the association's national convention, ICON 2017 in Kerala recently. i-Top, a long nurtured dream of Biji Eapen, president, IAAI is expected to not only safeguard the interests of IAAI members but will also help streamline their businesses in the long term

By Steena Joy

C

herai Beach Resort & Spa on the picturesque Cherai Beach near Kochi in Kerala was the venue of ICON 2017 – the national convention of the IATA Agents Association of India (IAAI). The theme for the convention was – “Travel Agents by 2030 – Protocols Redefined”.

The event was inaugurated by K J Alphons, minister of state for tourism, electronics and IT, Government of India. Public Accounts Committee (Parliament) chairman K V Thomas MP; Sanjay Shreevats, regional director, India Tourism and former minister for fisheries S Sarma MLA were also present.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Alphons said, “You agents are my foot soldiers. This talk of the divide between agents and the ministry must end. We are our own biggest enemies. If we rubbish India, nobody is going to come here. We are one and we must bring in the tourists. The key word here is 'experience India', so that the tourists take it back with them to their countries.”

He admitted that there are challenges like lack of basic infrastructure and cleanliness. He lamented that there are no public lavatories on the national highways of Kerala.“But we do not have to reinvent the wheel.

Let us just concentrate on say ten destinations in every state in the country and then develop the infrastructure there. India is an incredible country and we must believe in it,” he said.

Former minister, K V Thomas stated, “In my

24 EXPRESS TRAVELWORLD October 2017

constituency Kumbalangi, every home has been given two bags for garbage separation and has a biogas unit. It is a 'clean' village and this role

model has to be applied to other places in Kerala like Cherai. Recently we transported 30 trucks of recycled plastic from Kumbalangi to

Karnataka.” He also suggested that the nine beaches in Vypin including Cherai where ICON was being held, should make up a tourism corridor. Cherai was

an important trading town in ancient India. “We have already submitted a project proposal to the ministry regarding the same,” he said.

IN FOCUS

Biji Eapen, president, IAAI, said, “Rules are in place but no implementation. All the states are fighting to establish their own identities. I suggest the MoT should divide the country into four tourism regions or corridors so that tour operators in these regions can make a complete package covering all the states in that region.”

The highlight of the event was the launch of i-Top (Indian Travel-Agents Own Portal), a new revenue model Elaborating on i-Top, Eapen, said, “i-Top is like an Alladdin's lamp. Today, in this ‘zero’ commission scenario, i-Top will provide users a guaranteed opportunity to earn substantial commission for the sale of NDC airline tickets and also significant remuneration for other services like cancellation, refund, rerouting, date change etc, for which airlines used to charge penalties without giving a share to travel agents. The direct connectivity to airlines will also result in a substantial reduction in Agent Debit Memos (ADMs), since in an NDC environment, the airline makes the offer directly to travel agents.” i-Top can be integrated with IATA functionalities, BSP billing and payment systems or interlining with the NDC and the XML models. IAAI has recently signed an exclusive contract with Verteil Technologies for access and distribution of NDC listed airline products through its direct connect platform, “VDC” (Verteil Direct Connect) which is integrated with i-Top. The convention also saw a number of panel discussions on Emerging Challenges and Opportunities in Aviation and Travel industry, Agent Airline Relationship among others.

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October 2017

IN FOCUS

Creating opportunities in changing times Continuing its streak to unravel new destinations for India's outbound market, Outbound Tour Operators Association of India (OTOAI) hosted its third convention in Ras Al Khaimah to expand its potential as a destination By Saloni Bhatia

T

he third Outbound Tour Operators Association of India (OTOAI) convention was held from September 13 to 16 in Ras Al Khaimah. The idea was to raise awareness about the emirate which is primarily known as a wedding destination in the India market. The threeday convention brought together 130 delegates who gained more knowledge about various offerings in Ras Al Khaimah, which boasts of the highest mountain peak in the UAE. The inaugural dinner was hosted at the Peacock Alley in Waldorf Astoria in the presence of Shaji Thomas, director – destination, tourism development, Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA). Addressing the audience, Riaz Munshi, convention chairman and vice president, OTOAI, stated, “Ras Al Khaimah is a hidden gem and more than just a family destination. A short distance away from Dubai, it holds great potential as a wedding and event destination for the Indian outbound market. Through this convention, we aimed to gain more knowledge about its upcoming offerings and reflect it in tourism numbers in the coming time.” Elaborating on the theme of the convention 'Changing times - Creating opportunities', he added, “As tour operators, we have to build on our strengths and carefully evaluate ourselves with the changing times.”

Commenting on the importance of the India market,

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Thomas said, “India is our fourth largest market after Germany, the UK and Russia. We have been able to attract many boutique weddings, but not many leisure tourists. However, things have picked up in the past as now Indians spend an average of 2.5 nights here improving from the earlier 1.9 nights. The emirate has a lot more to offer than just beaches and this convention is another way to showcase it to the India market. The upcoming year will see new developments like the longest zip line in the world, observation deck at 1,300m, along with an activity centre and many more adventure

thrills. Ras Al Khaimah will offer more experiential travel and become more than just a day excursion from Dubai.”

The inauguration was followed by a networking dinner where delegates learned more about the destination from the team of RAKTDA. The second day began with an edifying session on how to create better opportunities with panelists Nikhil Dhodadapkar, CEO, TUI India; Ankush Nijhawan, CEO, Travel Boutique Online; Himanshu Patil, director, Kesari Tours; Sumanth Kapoor, head of corporate strategy and business head – MENA, Identity and Citizen

services division of VFS Global, Dubai; and Jaal Shah, managing director, Rezlive. The panel was moderated by Guldeep Singh Sahni, president, OTOAI who mentioned that the aim was to find a direction rather than a solution for the industry. The panel brought forward some valid points – how one needs to take risks and do considerable investments in technology to succeed in such a competitive market.

This was followed by a highly informative session by Ashish Kumar, managing partner, Agnitio Consulting and Avijit Arya, chief mogul, Internet Moguls, on

IN FOCUS how technology can assist operations. They emphasised on how one needs to connect with the customer at every level and engage in every aspect of their journeys. They concluded that content is the king and one needs to learn how to convert thoughts into practical and durable products through technology. The event also witnessed the curtain raiser of a knowledge paper featuring a study on Indian outbound market, which will be released by the end of the year. Commenting on the study, Kumar mentioned, “We are looking at studying the potential of new destinations for India's outbound market. We have also requested the tour operators to participate in the study and submit their inputs.”

The B2B meetings included participation of over 20 local stakeholders. This was followed by a presentation by Senthil Geovindan, CEO, Datawrkz, who elaborated on how to use digital marketing as an effective tool in improving business. He touched upon SMEs and engaged the audience with statistical data and success stories.

All the committee members including Sahni; Munshi; Shravan Bhalla, general secretary, OTOAI and Gurdeep Gujral, joint secretary, OTOAI took the stage to discuss the issues of the outbound travel industry and interacted with the delegates. It was a productive discussion as many gave their insights on the destination and shared examples of improvement from their experiences.

In his valedictory address, Sahni said, “We as tour operators need to look beyond conventional ideas in order to grow with the changing times.

Similarly, we also need to look at new products. Ras Al Khaimah has great potential to be a leisure as well as wedding destination and we look forward to promote it in the India market.”

On the third day, delegates were able to explore the local malls, markets and Ice Land Water Park. It added to their knowledge of the destination.

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October 2017

SPOTLIGHT

Emerging pathways of adventure travel Going beyond the conventional idea of adventure which restricts one to the northern part of India, The Adventure Tour Operators Association of India(ATOAI) hosted its annual convention in Kerala to showcase its numerous offerings as the land of adventure

By Saloni Bhatia

T

he 13th Adventure Tour Operators Association of India (ATOAI) convention was held in the Komarkom area known for its backwaters. The four-day event kicked off on the September 18 at Backwater Ripples Resort as delegates arrived to explore a new side of adventure tourism. The organising team had arranged numerous activities like kayaking in the backwaters, cycling through the local streets or cruising across the backwaters as some soft adventure activities that can be promoted in the region.

The inaugural session was held on the second day in the presence of Kadakampally Surendran, minister of tourism, Government of Kerala; Dr Venu, secretary tourism, Government of Kerala; Satyajeet Rajan, director general, tourism, Government of India and Jose Dominic, managing director and CEO, CGH Earth. Speaking on the adventure travel industry, Rajesh Ojha, convention chairman, said, “The theme 'Emerging Pathways' stands relevant in today's time as more travellers seek new experiences in our country. India is unique with its demographic and opening up of destinations like Nubra, Ladakh, Neil Islands, Kerala, Hanuwantiya among many others. Adventure travel which is majorly dominated

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by small business is now seeing improved growth. It will soon become a movement of change and economic development in the country.”

Addressing the gathering, Surendran, informed, “The state has rebranded itself as the 'land of adventure' to lure the younger generation by offering more activities and water based tourism. Considering the safety and security in adventure travel, Kerala Tourism plans to release strict safety guidelines to be followed for such activities.

We have also introduced responsible tourism activities where we shall work with the local communities to promote tourism offerings. The state tourism department has also invested `325 crore for cruise tourism in improvement of waterways. In addition, the state government is trying to build adventure ponds and has invested heavily in infrastructural developments. We will be promoting the northern part of Kerala in our campaigns to give Kerala a new outlook as adventure state.”

Adding to this, Dr Venu, stated, “Adventure and activity will be the key mantra for Kerala Tourism for next few years. Through this convention we look forward to partner with tour operators and promote our new products in this field. Responsible tourism being the basic philosophy behind every new activity, we shall continue to include the

local communities to develop adventure tourism. Kerala gives you a fertile ground of opportunities; one requires an innovative mind and passion to do business in Kerala.”

Stating the importance of adventure tourism, Rajan emphasised on the training and development of skilled per-

sonnel who can be part of the growth phase. He suggested the association to draft a clear guideline for adventure tour operators which can be implied across the country. In his keynote address to the audience, Dominic elaborated how one can include reponsible tourism pratices. This was

followed by a networking dinner where delegates connected with some local players.

Following, some presitigious awards were also given out special members for their outstanding work in the industry. Akshay Kumar, CEO, Mercury Himalayan Explorations and Tejbir Singh

SPOTLIGHT

Anand, managing director, Holiday Moods Adventures were presented with Hall of Fame Awards.

The second day was packed with informative sessions and presentations. The first session higlighted Kerala as a adventure destination. Commander Sam T Samuel, managing director, Kalypso Adventures, stated, “Adventure need not always mean climbing rugged mountains or rafting on mystic rivers, it can also be walking along local villages, meeting locals, eating regional cuisine and experiencing something completely different than what you are used to. Kerala truly has the potential to take adventure to the next level by offering such activities of soft adventure.”

Furthermore, Pradeep Murthy, founder director, Muddy Boots, opined, “Kerala can work on four levels by adding more locations, building new products, focused promotional campaigns and increasing operational personnel to become the next big destination in adventure travel.”

Some more sessions on changing trends in travel industry, creative partnerships, risk management gave a deeper insight on adventure travel and how to grow business. The sessions included speakers such as Mahesh Murthy, managing director, Pinstorm; Soum Paul, founder, Homescreen Network; Manish Adlakha, senior manager – category, GoIbibo; Zulfikhar Khan, sales head, Eros Now; Adnan Adeep, co-founder and MD,

Volano among many others.

An insightiful GST session moderated by Ashish Gupta, consulting CEO, Federation of Associations of Indian Tourism and Hospitality (FAITH) was highly interactive with many members raising clearing their queries.

The three days also witnessed an exhibiton with many regional and domestic participants. While Kerala Tourism promoted Wayanad products other tourism boards brought forward their new offerings. Some new exhibitors like Viktorianz (biking tours); Adventure Sports Insurance; Kosha (travel wear) also showcased their products.

The valedictory session was attended by P Bala Kiran, director, Department of Tourism, Government of Kerala. He said, “Kerala is on a critical stage of re-branding itself. We will be increasing our portfolio of products to attract the young population and also become the land of adventure. Adventure need not be hard core adventure but also soft components like kayaking, walking, swimming etc. We will be formalising the safety guidelines and also draft a roadmap for the adventure tourism in the state.”

Overall the convention proved to present a new outlook to the adventure tour operators to look beyond conventional ideas and create new products. While the sessions gave them expansive information, the activities showcased what the destination had to offer.

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October 2017

SPOTLIGHT

Reinventing India’s tourism potential The 33rd Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO) Convention was organised in Bhubaneswar from September 7 to 10 at the Mayfair Convention Centre. Apart from showcasing Odisha's tourism potential as a state, the convention also proved to be a platform of knowledge exchange and interactive discussions. By Saloni Bhatia

M

oving past the challenges of the industry, IATO decided to plan ahead, following the theme – 'India tourism - Time to reinvent ourselves'. The three-day event featured many sessions to discover new ways of growth. The convention was inaugurated by K J Alphons, minister of tourism, electronics and IT, Government of India; Naveen Patnaik, chief minister, Government of Odisha; Rashmi Verma, secretary, ministry of tourism, Government of India; Ashok Chandra Panda, minister of tourism and culture, Government of Odisha among other government officials.

Patnaik said, "This convention is a global platform for exchange of ideas and Odisha is ready to take the big leap in tourism. Odisha has a lot to offer with its pristine beaches and exquisite cuisine among numerous other things. The new international connections have increased tourist arrivals and we are also looking at hosting more sports events to showcase Odisha as a destination."

This was Alphons’ first official event after taking charge as the minister of tourism. He stated, "As one of the great civilisations of this world, we need to make a difference through our tourism products. It is up to tour operators to work along with the government to reflect their love for the country in growth and

30 EXPRESS TRAVELWORLD October 2017

development. I am not looking forward to timed ideas, but radical ones that can change the face of tourism in India. I request everyone here to feel free to come up with something new and interactive that you believe can promote India for its true potential."

Commenting further, Verma stated, "Odisha is a great venue picked by IATO which has immense potential as a destination. The three days bring forward innovative ideas and concrete discussions contributing to tourism growth in the state.”

Panda stated, “A lot has changed in the state over the years and our latest tourism policy gives more investment opportunities to private players. The problem of international connectivity has been solved with Air Asia starting its weekly service to Kuala Lumpur which will soon turn into a daily flight. SpiceJet has also shown interest in starting a weekly service connecting Bhubaneswar to Sharjah which will add to our international connections. Odisha has also been sanctioned `80 crore in the Swadesh Darshan Scheme

SPOTLIGHT which shall trigger further developments.”

Lally Mathews, honorary secretary, IATO, mentioned that there had been tremendous efforts from the Government of Odisha to bring the convention to the state. Mathews added, “It feels great to see such active support from the government. It shows that the government understands the importance of tourism and is deeply involved in the development process.”

J K Mohanty, CMD, Swosti Group, was recognised with 'Lifetime Achievement Award' for his exceptional work in the field of hospitality in Bhubaneswar.

The second day of the convention concluded on a power-packed note with backto-back discussions unfolding the makings of an exciting tourism destination, while focusing on new ideas and creative branding. The sessions were highly interactive with participation from the audience which contributed to relevant proposals being brought forward. The day began with 'IATO Run for Responsible Tourism' which came as a great opportunity for members to participate in an activity for a cause.

The first panel detailed on the future aspects that could diversify India's global branding and make a significant difference to tourist footfall. The session concluded on a note that India needs to create a specific target segment-oriented marketing strategy, followed by delivery of the promised product. The second session of the day highlighted the tourism offerings of the host state, Odisha. Dr Mona Sharma, principal secretary – tourism, Government of Odisha, expressed, "We are ready to host any kind of tourists with our special product offerings. A dedicated team can work with agents to manage big groups in showcasing various tourism products that Odisha has to offer such as art, culture, heritage, tribal and eco-tourism."

Some other important sessions of the day discussed how

to leverage on new airline policies to bring in more international tourists and opportunities for the next generation of tour operators. Another session highlighted how India needs to move beyond conventional itineraries and create new strategies to compete with international markets.

The third day’s highlights included a power-packed session on Goods and Services Tax (GST) and a marketing presentation by representatives of Facebook. With Face-

book reaching out to 70 million people every day, it surely poses as an interesting growth opportunity to be looked into by tour operators and tourism boards.

The valedictory session saw the august presence of chief guest H E governor of Odisha, Dr S C Jamir. Congratulating the IATO team for the hard work behind setting up a great convention, he said, “I have seen that this annual event has been immensely productive and helping to raise the

tourism bar for several states and I see a great opportunity unfold for Odisha. The state possesses a unique identity through its various tourism offerings and I am sure the IATO members have witnessed its true potential. More international connections, e-visa facility at airports and infrastructure facilities can further boost tourism in Odisha. Our government’s dedication, along with IATO team’s efforts, will surely work to the state’s benefit.”

In his concluding address,

Pronab Sarkar, president IATO, informed, “Odisha has tremendous potential to attract more tourists and we hope that this convention proves a turning point for the state’s tourism growth.” The event also saw state presentations by Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Manipur, Gujarat, Jammu & Kashmir, Kerala, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand with representatives showcasing the lucrative new offerings of their respective states.

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October 2017

STRATEGY

ANANTARA

in the Emerald Isle The newly opened Anantara Kalutara Resort and Anantara Peace Haven Tangalle Resort in Sri Lanka are perfectly positioned for Indian weddings and the MICE segment, offering celebrated brand luxury in beautiful natural environment

By Sudipta Dev

M

inor Hotels Group, which is well known in the India market because of its popular Anantara brand of hotels in Thailand and the Middle East, in the last one year opened two properties in Sri Lanka.

Anantara Kalutara Resort and Anantara Peace Haven Tangalle Resort are ideal destinations for Indian weddings and the MICE segment. Anantara Peace Haven Tangalle Resort was opened in December 2016, while Anantara Kalutara was opened in the end of last year but completed in the mid of 2017 - the property has been fully operational from June 2017. Adjacent to it

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is Avani Kalutara which is a five year old property. Anantara Kalutara Resort is a tranquil retreat located in Kalutara town about an hour and a half drive from Colombo airport. “It is a beach getaway resort and because of its proximity to Colombo, it is very easy for locals to come for weekends. The new ballroom can accommodate about 350 to 400 people for dinner. We are pushing hard after the MICE market. We have already done a number of events from India here, which have been very successful. India is a key market for us, in terms of weddings, MICE and social events,” says Giles Selves, area general manager,

Anantara Kalutara Resort, Anantara Peace Haven Tangalle Resort and Avani Kalutara Resort.

Anantara Kalutara Resort has been designed by Sri Lanka’s most famous architect – Geoffrey Bawa, and celebrates his unique ouevre for open spaces encompassing the beauty of nature, with the country's craft heritage. The property has 141 rooms, and for Indian weddings it is a perfect size to buyout the whole resort, accommodating 300 guests. “We see many people inquiring for 300-350 people.

We have 24 hour full board buyout right from US$ 60,000. It is a good value proposition for socio party,

wedding market,” mentions Selves. There are 105 rooms in Avani Kalutara Resort and the inventories of both properties can be combined.

“Avani is a four star brand, Anantara is a five star brand, so you can combine the two.

What we have seen some people do is have all the guests in Anantara and put some of the entertainment that they fly in, at Avani. It works well from that perspective,” states Selves, pointing out that an Indian client has booked both hotels for a party next year.

The expansive Anantara Spa at the resort is a highlight for guests and a buyout package includes spa treatment for wedding / MICE clients.

Focus on India market Regarding promotion of the properties in the Indian market Selves says that their director sales and marketing is an Indian and spends a considerable amount of time in focusing on the market. The hotel group also has a GSA office in India who focus on the outbound business for the whole company. While India is still exploring Sri Lanka in luxury FIT, in the luxury space, it is predominantly group driven. Taking into consideration the fact that Anantara is a much respected brand in India it will work to the advantage of Sri Lanka properties. “We are already getting good enquiries and the signs are positive. Word of mouth will

STRATEGY

start to spread,” says Selves, informing that the executive chef in the property is from India, along with another chef. “When it comes to weddings, it is important for the chef to understand the nuances of the culture. He gets it from the start, the planning process is much easier and faster, and the execution is more seamless. From the couple of events that we have done, it has given a great level of comfort to the families involved because of this factor,” acknowledges the area GM. The restaurants in the property are - Olu, Spice Traders, Acquolina, along with the picturesque Upper Deck Pool Bar and Dining by Design (exclusive private dining).

For the MICE segment, there is a lot that the property can offer. The newly opened state-of-the-art ball room opens up to the beauty of the natural surroundings. “We have enough culture, scenery and experiences, from MICE perspective that adds value. We can do things on the beach, use the river, go out to the communities, water sports activities,” says Selves. The experiences are varied and interesting there is a fishing guru, in traditional Sri Lankan way, deep sea fishing, kayaking, canoeing, a coconut guru who teaches how to climb a tree. The Spice Spoons culinary school is another highlight where you get the opportunity to go and buy

fresh produce from the market, back at the resort cook Sri Lankan delicacies under the expert guidance of the chef and savour it while enjoying the scenic environs. A must visit is Geoffrey Bawa's country home, which is located not too far from the property and so is the tea factory. Geoffrey Bawa also designed Avani Bentota Resort & Spa. The property is already popular among Indians. From Bentota, they can explore the attractions of Galle, a heritage town with many interesting tourism highlights.

Intimate wedding destination Anantara Peace Haven Tangalle Resort is located on the is-

land’s southern coastline and offers its guests a unique resort experience. The resort is set on a secluded stretch of beach amidst a 21-acre coconut plantation. There are 120 guest rooms and 32 private pool villas. Located on a rocky outcrop, the property is an ideal destination for beach weddings with a difference. It is in fact a perfect location for intimate wedding celebrations. “In Tangalle there is no ballroom, but in August an Indian family bought the resort out and put a marquee up in the grounds for the party,” states Selves.

The restaurants include Journeys, Verele, Il Mare, El Vino, along with Pool Bar, Lobby Lounge and Dining by

Design. While Verele showcases the skills of Chef Asanka Sampath in Teppanyaki-inspired dining, Il Mare the Italian restaurant is located on the edge of a cliff and offers astoundingly stunning views of the waves crashing against the rocks. There is also a surf school in Tangalle, about 10 minutes drive from the property where guests can take classes.

Another must-do activity from the resort is Udawalawe National Park Safari, where you can have close encounters with its most famous denizen – the elephant, along with many avian friends like peacock, painted stork, Sri Lankan grey hornbill, and others.

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October 2017

CONSERVATION

War on plastic Aimed at reducing the menace caused by plastic, Trip 360°'s recent campaign collected plastic bottles from people through all its franchisees and stores in Mumbai-Thane region

P

lastic is indeed the most toxic problem in the modern world that is set to have far-reaching effects on us and our nature. To preserve the environment and create awareness among people, Trip 360°, the adventure specialist of India recently held its second sustainability campaign – Drop the Bottle – with an ambitious target of collecting 10,000 plastic bottles across the MumbaiThane region. The campaign has been held through the different franchisees and stores of Cox & Kings at 12 locations which were designated as dropping centres.

The process of plastic penetration in our eco-system has accelerated at an alarming rate. The nonbiodegradable product stays in the environment for more

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than 700 years. Our oceans are not spared either from plastic pollution that has witnessed irreversible damages to many endangered species.

Instances of turtles eating plastic by mistaking it to be a jellyfish and seabirds consuming plastic considering it to be fish eggs are on the rise.

According to a recent study, billions of people worldwide are drinking water contaminated by micro-plastic.

To eliminate further plastic pollution that has also caused city floods, Trip 360° has been collecting plastic bottles from people through all its franchisees and stores in Mumbai-Thane region. The collected plastic bottles will be put to good use with the help of many NGOs. Besides the bottles being used for watering plants to make a barren land into a forest, the collec-

The collected plastic bottles will be put to good use with the help of many NGOs. Besides the bottles being used for watering plants to make a barren land into a forest, the collection will also be used to convert plastic into poly fuel tion will also be used to convert plastic into poly fuel through an eco-friendly process. In its first phase, it is only the bottles being collected whereas it also plans to include other plastic product collection in the near future.

Rohan Prakash, head, Trip 360° says,"It is not only the tourist hotspots and the newly discovered places that are witnessing growing

plastic pollution but also our cities. Through different campaigns of Nurturing Nature, we wish to create awareness about preserving our locality as well as the pristine world for the future generation. Every Trip 360° journey curated consciously integrates various sustainable practices."

With an aim to make India as a global adventure destination, Trip 360° besides de-

signing some of the most enthralling adventure itineraries, has been consciously carrying out its sustainability programmes and reiterating its seriousness in the sphere of responsible tourism. All its sustainability campaigns are being worked upon under its umbrella initiative called 'Nurturing Nature' based on the 17 Sustainable Development Goals laid by the United Nations.

MOVEMENTS Cathay Pacific Group Cathay Pacific Group has appointed MARK SUTCH as the new regional general manager for South Asia, Middle East and Africa (SAMEA). Sutch, a permanent resident of Hong Kong and also a citizen of United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland,

Travel (CWT) has announced BINDU BHATIA as the managing director – Asia Pacific.

Bhatia has been with the company for more than 20 years in a number of key roles, most recently serving as senior vice president – global programme management, wherein she has looked after CWT’s biggest global clients. She has extensive leadership experience in strategic client management, operations, people management, and business development. Reporting to Kelly Kuhn, chief customer officer, Bhatia will soon will be relocating to CWT’s Asia Pacific headquarters in Singapore, where she will have responsibility for approximately 3,000 people across nine countries.

Air Canada ROB FYFE, former CEO of Air New Zealand has recently joined Air Canada's board. Fyfe is credited with driving an historic turnaround in Air New Zealand's strategy and culture and maintaining profitability during economic downturns. He also served as chair of the Star Alliance chief executive board and as a member of the board of governors of the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

Boeing

Destination Asia

Destination Asia has appointed JAMES REED as executive chairman and MONIQUE ARNOUX as CEO. Reed, formerly CEO and one of the founders of the Destination Asia Group in 1996, was instrumental in expanding the company, initially with a footprint in just two countries and 18 staff in 1996 to its current 11 country pan-Asia network with over

Etihad Aviation Group (EAG) has announced the appointment of MANA MOHAMED SAEED AL MULLA as chief group support services officer, responsible for a range of support functions, including IT

Boeing has appointed MAURITA SUTEDJA as vice president of investor relations.

Sutedja, who will succeed Troy Lahr, who has been appointed chief financial officer of Boeing's autonomous systems business, will oversee Boeing's interactions with the investor community. Since joining Boeing in 2010, Sutedja has held leadership roles in the company's treasury, financing and enterprise services groups, including chief financial officer of Boeing Capital Corporation and vice president of Enterprise Finance Services.

of Hotel Uberai Anand, Uberoi Anand and Associates and Amber Restaurant, Bareilly. He is the honorary treasurer of Hotel

Global travel management company Carlson Wagonlit

Mana Mohamed Saeed Al Mulla

Maurita Sutedja

Garish Oberoi

Bindu Bhatia

services, procurement and supply management, and property and facilities management. He will report directly to the group chief executive officer. Al Mulla joins Etihad Aviation Group from Khalifa Industrial Zone (KIZAD) where he served as chief executive officer from 2015. Prior to that, he was vice president – corporate support of Abu Dhabi Ports, and managing director of Dubai Refreshments Company PJSC.

Mark Sutch

has been a dedicated employee with Cathay Pacific Airways for the past two decades. Previously the general manager of cargo sales and marketing for Cathay Pacific, Sutch was responsible for commercial aspects of Cathay Pacific's global cargo business. Previous roles held with Cathay Pacific include the positions of country manager in France, Philippines and Sri Lanka as well an operational role within the flight operations department.

Etihad Aviation Group

Carlson Wagonlit Travel

FHRAI The Federation of Hotel and Restaurant Associations of India (FHRAI) at its 61st annual general meeting, has appointed GARISH OBEROI as president for 2017-18. A well-known personality in Uttar Pradesh’s business community and social circle, Oberoi has been in the hospitality business for the past two decades and is the partner

& Restaurant Association of Northern India and has held various positions in FHRAI and HRANI as president, vice president and honorary secretary.

In the past, he has held the position of director of Chandigarh Industrial and Tourism Corporation (CITCO). Oberoi is also the executive member of Rohilkhand Productivity Council and of central UP Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

600 skilled staff and 29 operating offices.

From 1991 to 1996, Reed was the group managing director of Tour East, based in Bangkok, and prior to that (1988 - 1991) he was the director of sales and marketing at the Island Shangri-La Hotel in Hong Kong. Arnoux has held a variety of senior management roles in the travel industry.

Le Méridien, Goa NORTON PEREIRA has been appointed as the general manager of Le Méridien Goa, Calangute. Prior to joining Le Méridien Goa, Calangute he was the general manager at Le Méridien, Mahabaleshwar. In his new role, Pereira will be responsible for overall hotel performance, managing operating efficiencies, business growth and driving overall guest satisfaction. He has also worked with various properties like Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces, Park Hyatt Goa Resort and Spa, Westin Mumbai and Sheraton.

Norton Pereira

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E V E N T S

MEMORABLE EXPERIENCES In an initiative to promote the Philippines as a destination for tourists, the department of tourism, Philippines, organised a trade familiarisation trip for Indian travel agents and wedding planners

MEETING OF SKILLS Tourism & Hospitality Skill Council (THSC) recently held its annual Training Partners Meet 2017 in Delhi and also celebrated World Tourism Day

RUNWAY TO RAMPWAY Etihad Airways and renowned British designer

50TH ANNIVERSARY Air France recently celebrated the 50th anniversary of

Julien Macdonald OBE, officially launched a promotional fashion film 'Runway to Runway'

its Paris-Mumbai route

RESPONSIBLE TOURISM Kerala Tourism Minister Kadakampalli Surendran

CULTURAL CONNECT Monaco Tourism brought the collection by designer Amit Aggarwal at Lakmé Fashion Week Winter/Festive 2017

(centre) inaugurating ‘Responsible Tourism Mission’ project aimed at the development of local communities and growth of tourism in the state

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E V E N T S

MEETING OF MINDS His Holiness Dalai Lama addressing the audience at 'World Peace and Harmony Conclave' recently in Mumbai

HELPING COMMUNITIES Holiday Inn Mumbai International Airport

IMPROVED PERFORMANCE L-R: S S Mukherji, executive vice chairman, EIH,

SHAADI BY MARRIOTT Marriott International recently presented its collaboration with designer duo Abu Jani & Sandeep Khosla for 'Shaadi by Marriott'

P R S Oberoi, executive chairman, EIH, and Vikram Oberoi, managing director and CEO, EIH addressing 67th AGM in Kolkata

SWISS EXCELLENCE For the 11th year in a row, watch manufacturer Carl F Bucherer and GaultMillau Switzerland awarded the title of Hotel of the Year to Kulm Hotel St Moritz

inaugurated IHG Foundation Week with blood donation camp

HOT-SPORT Dome@NSCI recently hosted the second season of Premier Futsal League

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IN THE NEWS

‘WE ARE PARTOFAREVOLUTION THATIS CHANGING THE WAYPEOPLE PERCEIVE SCUBADIVING’ An engineer by profession, Pawan Shourie, founder and CEO, West Coast Adventures, started the company in 2012 in a bid to organise an otherwise unorganised scuba diving industry in India. He shares his passion for the underwater world and his plans for the future.

By Steena Joy What was the inspiration behind West Coast Adventures?

At West Coast Adventures, we are a passionate bunch of people who love the beauty and wonders of the underwater world. We believe, we are part of a revolution that is changing the way people perceive scuba diving. The Indian industry is picking up and we are hoping to see great traction from enthusiasts and first timers. At West Coast Adventures we want to make scuba diving accessible and safe for all our patrons.

Why did you choose Murudeshwar as the first scuba dive centre?

The waters around Murudeshwar offer some of the best conditions for scuba diving in India. At Murudeshwar, we dive around an island called Netrani. The waters here offer great visibility and an abundance of marine life. Netrani is considered have the best dive sites accessible from mainland India.

India is traditionally not a water sports driven country?

Do you see growth potential in Indians taking to scuba diving and surfing perhaps?

Absolutely, the country is poised for an almost 40 per cent YoY increase in figures. The Western coast of India offers some of the best water sport related activities. With the onset of Facebook, Instagram and other platforms that showcase the aspirational qualities of scuba diving, we are seeing more individuals willing to experience scuba diving. At West Coast Adventures, we provide enthusiasts with some of the

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most passionate instructors in the business while keeping safety as our top most priority.

Which are your major target markets in India and which segment of people form your main customers?

Our centres in Goa, Murudeshwar and Malpe (commencing operations by mid October) are full service dive centres where we go out to sea for dives. Goa being a tourist destination we have guests coming from all parts of the country and abroad. At Murdeshwar majority of our guests come from Bengaluru and Hyderabad. Our Mumbai centre is considered to be an inland dive centre which means we don’t go out to sea, but conduct sessions in the swimming pool. Here we conduct try dives for the uninitiated and also theory and pool training section of the certification courses and our guests are from Mumbai itself. Even though there are no age limitations for scuba diving the majority of our guests are in their 20’s. That being said the oldest person to dive with us was 71 years old.

Scuba diving can be a great team building activity. Have you approached any corporates for building the Meetings and Incentives segment?

Yes, we have just begun approaching corporates to offer scuba diving as incentives to their staff and also for team building activities. Since there are limitations on the number of people that can simultaneously participate in scuba diving activities it cannot replace conventional team

Pawan Shourie

building programmes catering to larger numbers. We are therefore offering team building activities for smaller groups i.e. 10-15 pax. As of now we are still creating awareness and educating our customer on the potential of scuba diving related activities and are confident that we will receive a great response.

What has been the response to the Goa dive center? And Mumbai?

We have received a great response in Goa, as more and more people become aware that scuba diving is available in Goa and can be experienced even by non-swimmers, we have seen the number of enthusiasts grow. But in Goa we also have an additional responsibility of educating the customer about the safety aspects that need to be considered while choosing a dive centre as there are some non-certified fly-bynight operators popping up. We just commenced operations in Mumbai a few months ago and

have received a good response.

Since the majority of our guests are from Mumbai we are attempting to create a community of like minded divers to share their views and experiences.

Plans for any more dive centres or inland dive centres?

We have just bagged the tender for scuba diving from Kapu beach in Udupi, Karnataka and would be commencing operations by mid-

October. We are always on the look-out for opportunities for both full service and inland dive centers and target opening at least one new centre every season.

How are you promoting your product in overseas markets?

We are primarily targeting the Indian audience and our objective is to make scuba diving accessible to everybody, exposing them to the wonders of the underwater world.

REGD.WITH RNI NO. MAHENG/2005/15993,POSTAL REGD. NO. MCS/163/2016 – 18,PUBLISHED ON 11TH EVERY MONTH, POSTED ON 12TH,13TH,14TH OF EVERY MONTH, POSTED AT MUMBAI PATRIKA CHANNEL SORTING OFFICE,MUMBAI – 400001.