THE EXPLORER 2014

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Foreword I am glad to learn that the Global Panorama Showcase is growing with strength and its second edition has received an encouraging response. The event initiated by Jagsons Travels has come in at an opportune time as the Indian travel and tourism segment is going through an interesting transformation. New towns and cities are emerging on the map as potential business zones as today the demand for travel is not restricted to the traditional and established markets.

I firmly believe that the January 2014

P MANOHARAN, Director, Tourism Malaysia

desire and willingness to travel from India's Tier II and Tier III cities will only get stronger with time and it is vital to educate and train the travel managers and consultants in new growth areas about what's on offer in the market. The coffee table book titled The Explorer brought to you by Express TravelWorld (The Indian Express) and powered by TrawellTag will surely provide its readers insightful highlights of interesting segments in the travel space that is worth exploring. We at Tourism

Malaysia have a bouquet of products to offer that can suit most of the well defined and niche segments in the travel space. Tourism Malaysia has always been committed to the Indian market and we have been one of the first boards who have believed in investing in India's emerging towns and cities.

I wish this event and project all success now and in the future.

Best Wishes P Manoharan THE EXPLORER | 3

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Editor’s Note The year 2014, has brought with it a new wave of change across the political circuit of India and this change definitely impacted the economic and socio-cultural fabric of the country. Apart from the general elections due this year, there are a few interesting developments on the investment front as well, which has its impact, directly or indirectly on the tourism sector.

The sudden power shift to the 'common man' in the capital have brought in reasonable consciousness amongst our leaders to deliver what's promised. The change in mindset from cynicism to hope, from turmoils to transformations from doom to development is a welcome proposition. Today our leaders are speaking the 4 | THE EXPLORER

REEMA LOKESH Editor

language of development rather cautiously than carelessly and talks to develop India's emerging towns and cities is an encouraging move.

India's Tier II and Tier III cities have an interesting story of growth to be told and they are waiting in the wings to prove their potential. Tourism in these regions have also shown robust growth and the time has come to focus on this untapped buoyant market that is looking for information and education on what the world has to offer.

We at the Indian Express have always believed in providing our readers with editorials that are pathbreaking, and content that is brought to you devoid of fear and favour. 'The Explorer' is yet another quality offering that

aims to put forth knowledge and trends related to the tourism and hospitality segments, especially for partners who are tourism forerunners based in India's Tier II and Tier III cities.

This book voices the ethos of what the Global Panorama Showcase (organised by Jagsons) stands for - to educate India's emerging tourism markets on trends, products and concepts that are dynamic and well defined. From luxury travel to medical tourism, adventure to special needs tourism, the market has so much more to explore and experiment. So, walk around incredible India and the world, well insured, carefully and responsibly.

Keep exploring.

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A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY

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WALK ON THE WILD SIDE

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Contents

January 2014

THE HEALING TOUCH

IN THE DRIVER’S SEAT

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TRAVEL ENABLED

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INTRODUCTION

Beyond boundaries All human beings, from the greatest minds to the common man on this planet, are explorers. What makes people curious? Why do individuals explore the unknown? Humans are driven to explore the unknown and push the boundaries because it helps them discover new worlds and new experiences. And India is right in the forefront of this travel phenomenon

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W

elcome aboard, as India seems to be riding on a brand new wave of change which is moving away cautiously from cynicism to hope.

This whiff of freshness and awakening in the political arena does have its definite impact on the private sector. From leading corporate head honchos, to the opinion leaders to the 'aam admi' everyone takes pride in mentioning the interesting tagline made popular in a recent blockbuster ‘that never underestimate the power of a common man'. Patience, perseverance and power (used and not abused) is what we all need to keep intact so that the very famous tagline does not lose its essence and impact. The beginning has been made and it is important to give change a chance as well. Our tourism

January 2014

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industry too is a direct recipient of this change due to the very nature of this industry. It is a ministry which is technically on no list (centre, state or concurrent) but is affected by the slightest change be it natural or manmade, political or apolitical.

When analysed rather closely, development is taking place across India and emerging cities and towns are gaining prominence on the corporate map of India as potential business zones. This buoyancy in non-metros have resulted in bringing about changes in the socio-cultural fabric of the place. The tier two and tier three cities of India are no longer the sleepy, traditional towns of the past.

There is a certain energy that is emerging across demography in these regions.

The young are ready to spend and explore, the middle aged generation and the senior citizens too have changed their mindsets giving rise to a 8 | THE EXPLORER

“ The tier II and tier III cities of India are no longer the sleepy, traditional towns of the past. There is a certain energy that is emerging across demography in these regions. The young are ready to spend and explore, the middle aged generation too�

steady and healthy demand for travel. The demand for travel coupled with the aspiration, ability and willingness to travel is a result of some interesting changes being witnessed on the socio-cultural scene of the country. Hence, today the demand for travel has gone beyond the traditional and established markets to markets that are new,

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unexplored and ready to set out and set sail. The demand for quality, luxury holidays are also witnessing a rise. Niche tourism segments are getting further defined. This book clearly demarcates five such segments amongst others that are gaining popularity across ages. It’s not surprising anymore that a traveller from Akola, Satara, Kolhapur, or from Raipur, Nagpur or Vizag, would be requesting for highend soft adventure centric holidays, be it bungee jumping in New Zealand or taking a diving lesson in the Maldives.

It is not healthy to work with preconceived notions about any sector or clientele. Never underestimate the customer as the one who is unassuming as he may surprise you with the holiday that he may demand.

From cruising to self drives, the desire to experience and experiment is here to stay. On the luxury front, luxury experiences need not be only on international soil. India is probably one of the best

tourism products in the world.

Luxury surely comes with a price but it is interesting to note that luxury heritage options are opening up doors to a new segment of travellers, who are getting to experience a form of tourism that was initially unexplored due to both price and accessibility.

Luxury heritage hotels are redefining themselves which will go a long way in nurturing tourism in a refined manner.

The Global Panorama Showcase (GPS) that is being held in one of India’s strongly emerging tier two city aims to offer its delegates a thorough insight into what is there on offer to explore and experiment. The aim is to clearly educate buyers from central India bringing them closer to products and services which they have not been exposed to. For the sellers, the aim is to connect them to a market that is waiting to use their services and offer a market that is dynamic and vibrant.

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Global Panorama Showcase Empowering Central India Harmandeep Singh Anand, MD and Rishiraj Singh Anand, joint MD of Jagsons Travels, share their vision on Global Panorama Showcase and the industry

On the vision and motivation behind setting up Global Panorama Showcase (GPS) Last year we launched the event on a smaller scale and were expecting only about 10 suppliers that our company was working with to participate, but to our surprise we had almost 28 suppliers with 60 products at the event which was christened as 'Showcase Jagsons'. We had a participation of almost 180 buyers at the event over two days.

Following the success in 2013, we felt that there is a definite need in the market especially in tier two and tier three cites to meet and experience products that are worth in terms of their tourism potential. Most tour operators and agents in these regions have 10 | THE EXPLORER

Harmandeep Singh Anand

Rishiraj Singh Anand

felt left out though there is immense potential in these regions due to higher net disposable income.

The vision of GPS was

conceived with the intention of educating the buyers from central India who normally are left behind and do not get the much needed information. With

the project we are trying to bring global players to participate in the heart of India and explore the potential by showcasing and educating the agents and consultants in this market as also updating the consumer at large with the varied choices of products and services. As well travelled individuals we felt there is a gap in terms of product knowledge from suppliers to the buyers. Our main motivation was to equip and educate the players locally so that they are at par with their counterparts from metros and other major cities.

On focus areas of the GPS 2014 The main focus areas are particularly the destinations that January 2014

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are keen to capture the potential of central India. All travel related services and products which are essential for a traveller while travelling domestic or overseas, be it insurance, visa support, global phone cards and other related services will be part of the showcase event.

On the challenges faced while implementing GPS The project was conceptualised by both of us in early 2007. It actually took us almost six years to bring it to life.

One of the major challenges was to convince suppliers to be a part of this event and the exposure and benefit they will gain as delegates. Through our good relations within the travel fraternity and our network we were able to overcome these challenges and convince people to participate with the help of few of our close associates and industry friends.

On challenges of the travel industry at large As per our view, there is a dearth of well trained and qualified professionals in the travel industry. This is definitely one of the major challenges and January 2014

Gulshanpal Singh Anand

Late Jagat Singh Anand

the retention level in the industry is very poor. We envisage to train and equip as many people as possible and try and make them thorough professionals so as to enable them to cater to the needs of the clientele at large particularly in central India.

Diminishing margins in terms of air ticketing is one of the other major concerns as most of our colleagues and counterparts in the industry have always considered it to be their bread and butter.

Cross selling and up selling of products and services is definitely the need of the hour.

Nurturing professionals and making the new generation more receptive so that the end consumer feels the need to utilise the services of these consultants / professionals and equally remunerate them for their time and efforts like other professionals and professions.

The need of the hour is for professionals to keep themselves updated with the happenings in the industry, get first hand experience of the products, services and destinations.

Nowadays there are so many

On suggestive corrective actions for the benefit of the industry

online destination and other related certification courses available that individuals can take advantage of without having any financial obligation and at the same time gain knowledge at their own pace and time. This on the whole will definitely improve the industry for its own benefit.

With this endeavour of GPS we would like to educate the agents and their frontline in central India and make them confident enough so as to enable them to compete with their counterparts from metros. We are trying to bring the global suppliers to those who currently do not have such exposure as also the finances. Training and education of the frontline with varied services and products and creating awareness has been the primary areas of concern which we will try and address at GPS now and also in the future.

On Nagpur as a potential tourism hub Tourism potential of Nagpur has not yet been explored to its core. Being in the centre of India, the zero mile of India starts from Nagpur. Rudyard Kipling had conceived the story of Jungle Book in the backyard of Nagpur, THE EXPLORER | 11

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The Pench Tiger reserve is just about 90km or about 90minutes drive from Nagpur. There are several other national parks like Kanha, Tadoba, Bandhavgarh which are within a 300 km radius of Nagpur. Nagpur is the tiger capital ofIndia with extensive flora and fauna and within easy reach and driving distance from Nagpur's Dr Baba Saheb Ambedkar International airport,which currently has Air Arabia as the only international airline connecting several countries to Nagpur via Sharjah.

Nagpur is well connected to most major metros not only by flights but many trains cut across Nagpur. All major highways are getting upgraded to four and eight lanes and only in a matter of time we will have some of the best infrastructure in the country.

Chain hotels are coming up in Nagpur, Pride, Radisson, Sun & Sand, Taj in national parks to name a few in addition to several family managed local hotel chains like Center Point and Tuli group, which have presence in the national parks as well. As Nagpur has several medical and engineering colleges, it is also a good educational hub. There are several specialised hospitals and 12 | THE EXPLORER

medical tourism too seems to be gradually picking up as it is comparatively cheaper though the medical services and facilities offered by these hospitals in the industry are world class.

On India's tourism potential India and China are amongst the two largest tourism markets both outbound and inbound not only because of the population but also because of the exponential growth in terms of the disposable income in hand and also the urge to travel and explore newer destinations. India and central India in particular seems to have one of the largest potentials for both outbound and inbound as most of it is industrial belt and families, individuals, VFR and also the wedding and MICE business has seen growth in the last ten years. We are holding the event in Nagpur, which is also known as the heart of India, I would like to call on my colleagues from the industry to come and explore its potential and have the first mover advantage. Consultants in the central India have the power and vision to convert and convince their clients to utilise a particular service and opt for a particular January 2014

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destination. So would request the industry participants to update buyers through our project GPS with what they have to offer and gain their trust and enhance their knowledge about your products and destinations.

On the way forward Educating the fraternity in central India and equipping them with as much information and tools to cater to the needs of the clientele is definitely the way forward. Our future vision is to grow this event to a much larger event which the industry on the whole would look forward to be a part of year after year. We would try to be different by engaging not only the owners and managers but also the frontline and students pursuing courses in the field of tourism in central India.

In future we are looking at participation not only from domestic suppliers but also from overseas suppliers and products, which do not have representation in India but feel central India is a possible source market for them.

Acknowledging the patriarch and team Jagsons Travels Our founder chairman, late January 2014

Jagat Singh Anand after whom the company is named 'Jagsons Travels' (which stands for Jagat and Sons) was a visionary and one of the main forces behind our company which has been in existence since 1978. the company started as a car rental company to support our hotel business which came into existence the same year.

Our chairman Gulshanpal Singh Anand has been the major guiding force, always encouraging us to try and achieve new goals and reach higher. Our executive director Anuradha Lohakare, Jatinder Kaur Gulshanpal Singh Anand, Gurleen Kaur Harmandeep Singh Anand and Gunjan Kaur Rishiraj Singh Anand are a few people who have also been great support; our general manager Sunil Kashikar who completed 25 years of service with us during the first edition of the event; Geeta Naidu our sales manager who has been with us for 20 years and also our other directors who supported us to make this project a reality, in addition to the team at Jagsons Travels.

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'We have witnessed an increase in demand for luxury products from India's growth cities' Luxury travel is no longer restricted to niche travel but has percolated to the tier two and three cities of India as well. Satyeash Pai, director, Neotrav talks about this growing trend and the need to offer these travellers products that they wish to explore in the luxury space

What according to you is the potential of India's tier two and tier three cities ?

As per my knowledge we have segmented the market and differentiated between the metros and rural/urban India. If there are more companies such as Jagsons in Nagpur, a tier two city which has a promising clientele that demands a luxury holiday, then the potential is immense. We have witnessed an increase in demand for luxury products from India's growth cities. It is time to offer this growing clientele products that they wish to explore in the luxury space. Our resorts in Maldives which the parent company Eon Resorts has 14 | THE EXPLORER

Satyeash Pai

developed (Jumeirah Vittaveli, Jumeirah Dhevanafushi, Viceroy Maldives, Constance Halaveli, Centara Grand, Island Hideaway Dhonakulhi to name a few) cater to the Indian

market and we have the market in top 10 international markets.

Having said this I would also highlight that be it in Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh or Southern states we have witnessed a major inflow of Indian tourists recently from Tier II and III cities with minimum 6.5 room nights stay. This has been possible only due to partners like Jagsons, Sand Destinations, catering largely to those segments which have the ability and understanding to select their style of luxury products and destinations.

According to you is India ready to explore niche

experiences in these growth areas?

Yes definitely, as long as India is divided into five provinces (North, South, East, West and Central) by the outbound DMCs and tourism board with proper reach, accessibility, education and drive is willing to develop each and every part of the five provinces, the country has the potential to grow.

We have a loyal client from Satara, Maharashtra and stays in one of our resorts for 30 days (May to June his typical months to arrive) every year with his family in a suite. This VIP initially didn't have an idea about what was Maldives and an island resort, but now he is a January 2014

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regular since five years and has connected us to niche clients which surprisingly are from Kolhapur, Satara, Solhapur, Pune, Konkan. In a nutshell, Indians are leaders not followers like other Asian countries, we have the potential to make our own luxurious statements.

You mentioned your January 2014

product is in the luxury space but interestingly affordable.

How would you define affordable luxury?

Atmosphere is the management brand of EON Resorts which we have opened with Kanifushi Resort last year on December 15, 2013 which is the only resort in Maldives that gives five star experience in 100 sq mts basic room category

(some of the leading resorts in Maldives who call themselves five star luxury have their three highest category touching 100 sq mts room size) with butler service. In every destination or tourism driven place there are a lot of packages with hidden costs which can be a disappointment. The USP of our resort would be Platinum Plan Plus meal plan which we

call it A Worry Free Holiday Plan. For a three night experience we have kept US$ 3000 net including scenic seaplane transfers for a couple along with a host of special offers. Further, first of its kind restaurant in Maldives in any resort 'Just Veg' is also included in the package.Live.Dream.

Experience.

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(Tag)ging along A decade ago, it was almost impossible to locate your lost luggage. Trawell Tag has been successful in solving this problem. A simple piece of metallic tag has evolved into a multimillion dollar business

I

ndia is a potential market which is still untapped in the travel assistance product segment. Many travel assistance products which have significant importance in the global market are still considered as add-ons in the Indian market. One of the main reasons for this is lack of innovative products and professional training and knowledge of the seller.

Commenting on the demand for travel assistance products in India, Dev Karvat, managing director, Trawell Tag states, “On an average, 80 per cent of the people purchase travel 16 | THE EXPLORER

insurance and travel assistance products abroad, but in India it is still less than 20 per cent which is way below the average.

This situation has risen due to limited knowledge of the seller, as he is not confident of selling the products.�

The travel assistance products available in India are medical assistance, concierge assistance, travel insurance, global sim-card and luggage tracker. The luggage tracker, an innovative product offering by Trawell Tag, is a small metallic tag which has a unique code. In case of a luggage misplacement this tag acts as a life saviour.

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This product was initially viewed as an add-on, but now travellers feel more secure because of this product.

TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENTS

Trawell tag's breakthrough product, luggage tracker works on a unique code system, wherein a metallic piece consisting of a code is tagged to the luggage and in case of a baggage misplacement, this unique code comes into play.

Trawell Tag has several tie-ups with airlines and airports, which helps in updating the found luggages' code online. The status of the luggage can be seen online and the bag can be easily recovered. Elaborating on the same, Karvat states, “The luggage tag which we are providing today is a unique product which nobody else in the market is offering. With our direct tie-up with airlines and airports we can easily track the luggage. Also, the pricing of the product goes easy on the pocket, anyone can easily afford this product. The price of the product is usually less than one per cent of the total travelling cost of the customer.”

January 2014

Dev Karvat

The luggage tracker has been 60 – 70 per cent efficient in returning the customers luggage. With the advancement of technology, the efficiency of this product can be increased by making it radio frequency identification (RFID) enabled.

But the industry is facing many challenges, due to which this furtherance cannot be easily achieved. Karvat explains, “We already have a RFID or GPRS system in place, but the issue is that most of the airports in the world are not RFID enabled, so even if we have GPRS on the tag they cannot be tracked. There

are only two airports in the world which are RFID enabled, Hong Kong and Miami. So at the moment we will continue selling the same product.”

To capture any market, a company has to use each and every resource available in an effective way. Technology has become a key game changer in every segment. The technology in the travel assistance product segment has evolved everywhere in the world expect in India.

Trawell Tag is making an effort to bring advancement in the ecommerce section, which if used effectively can broaden the market penetration scope.

Speaking about the advancement of technology, Karvat said, “e-commerce is still underdeveloped in India. As a market leader, we take it as a responsibility to develop this segment. This would help the market to grow in a very efficient manner. We also invest a lot in technology, research and development so as to improve our existing products and bring more innovative products.”

GLOBAL EXPANSION

Trawell Tag's recent collaboration with Cover More,

a medical insurance company from Australia, has now given the Indian market many new innovative products. Cover More is a minority stakeholder and has expertise in customer handling and has more than 5060 products which includes some advanced products like adventure sports insurance; car rental access coverage; trip cancellation coverage, which is a highly innovative product where non- refundable tickets becomes refundable.

“The strategy behind partnering with Cover More is their global presence factor.

This collaboration will also help in exchanging client support.

The Indian market is just beginning to grow and travellers are now getting exposed to better products available worldwide. Cover More is a perfect fit for us which will help to add all that is missing in our business and help us to take our business to the next level,”highlights Karvat. Trawell Tag also has plans to launch its luggage tracker in Australia in the coming quarter along with expansion plans in Middle-east and Sri Lanka which is still at the nascent stage.

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CRUISES

A voyage of discovery Though still a small segment of the outbound travel market, cruise tourism has been growing steadily over the years. The profile of the Indian cruise traveller has also evolved as he now opts for vacations in exotic far flung locations across the globe

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If it hadn’t been for Vasco Da Gama and his voyage, India would have remained undiscovered for a few more centuries. Gama and his crew’s seafaring abilities were the reason why he landed in India. Today, the basic philosophy of discovery remains the same but in a complete new form. “As a cruising market India has moved up and is continuously growing. The industry is growing now as people have understood the advantages of going on a cruise,” says Naresh Rawal, AVP sales – India and South Asia, Star Cruises. He adds that north India has grown the most over the years giving them good business, followed by the east and south regions.

“West has always been a strong market.

In terms of percentage growth the west has not been so substantial but the numbers have gone up. The north has grown the most, eg from Punjab, there are a lot of FIT travellers and honeymooners; Rajasthan has also grown; from central India it has been Chhattisgarh and Uttar Pradesh,” adds Rawal, revealing some interesting

January 2014

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CRUISES AS A BUSINESS HAS PICKED UP TREMENDOUSLY GLOBALLY, AND LUXURY CRUISES HAVE FURTHER MADE A NICHE FOR THEMSELVES. COMPANIES LIKE CUNARD, SILVERSEA, CRYSTAL AND OCEANIA OFFER SERVICES THAT MIGHT MAKE FIVE-STAR HOTELS GREEN WITH ENVY market growth patterns.

Cruises as a business has picked up tremendously globally, and luxury cruises have further made a niche for themselves.

Companies like Cunard, Silversea, Crystal and Oceania offer services that might make five-star hotels green with envy.

For instance, Silversea was introduced in 1994 specifically targeting the ultra-luxury cruising industry. Its six cruise liners offering elegance and sophistication, all-inclusive fares and highly personalised service, has quickly set the benchmark in high-end cruising.

Melvyn Yap, regional director for Asia, Silversea Cruises says, “To date, Silversea has one of the 20 | THE EXPLORER

highest space-to-guest ratio in cruising, and nearly one to one staff-to-guest ratio. Silversea changes with the times, while retaining its old world elegance.

Apart from having your very own butler to attend to your every need, the suites are also customisable – from the size of the bed (twin or queen), the type of mattress (soft or firm), the kind of pillow (there are nine varieties available onboard), bathroom amenities (Bvlgari or Ferragamo, or hypoallergenic products), to the Pratesi bed linen, the cruise is the epitome of luxury.”

The need to stay ahead and offer something new is the reason for Silversea to announce Galapagos as a new destination.

“We have also announced the 2014 World Cruise 2014, an incomparable 113-day odyssey from Los Angeles to Barcelona aboard Silver Whisper, from January 6 to April 30, 2014,” adds Yap. Also noteworthy for 2014 are Silver Explorer's first-ever expedition cruises through the legendary Northwest Passage, the Russian Far East, Japan, South Pacific and French Polynesia. The company’s cruises are quite popular in India especially to Alaska, Mediterranean and Polar regions, Yap is confident of the services to his Indian clients.

“The only obstacle we face in this market is that they book very late, and usually those regions that

they favour, and the suite categories that they request would be sold out by the time they commit,” he informs.

Another luxury cruise company, Prestige Cruise Holdings and its Oceania Cruises in 2012 launched the Riviera, which features Bon Appétit Culinary Center, a Canyon Ranch SpaClub, suites by Dakota Jackson, Ralph Lauren homefurnished owner’s suites, and a grand Lalique staircase lit from above by a custom-made chandelier. Her distinguishing features include a museumworthy collection of fine art focusing on the works of some of Latin America’s most accomplished and admired January 2014

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contemporary artists and an Artist Loft with hands-on instruction. Riviera’s 10-day maiden voyage took her from Venice to Athens. From May 16 through November 29, 2012, she offered a total of 20 Mediterranean voyages, calling at ports in France, Italy, Greece, Spain, Portugal and Turkey as well as Israel, Croatia, Cyprus, Montenegro, Morocco and Monaco, with maiden calls in Cephalonia (Argostoli), Motril (Granada) and the Canary Islands. Oceania Cruises offers more than 330 ports on its

itineraries across Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Asia, and the Americas aboard the 684-guest Regatta, Insignia and Nautica. Their latest additions have been the 1,250-guest Marina and Riviera.

Indians have taken to cruising like fish to water. Amit Mathur, country head, MSC Cruises says, “Luxury segment in India is growing at a compounded rate of 20 per cent and is currently estimated to be approximately US$ 5.8 billion. Studies published have estimated India to have 1,53,000 HNIs with a liquid asset

base in excess of US$ one million.

An aspiring middle class with rising disposable incomes coupled with FDI retail investment and government keen on reforms will help in overall growth of the segment. With an international trip high on the To Do list, cruising offers a unique experience to these travellers.”

He further adds that the cruise industry is the fastest growing sector within travel and is set for a compounded 15 – 20 per cent growth annually in India. “With time, more and more people are getting aware of cruises, the

interest in an only cruise holiday is growing, this is evident from the growing FIT numbers.

Having said that, cruising is still nascent in India and an Indian traveller prefers clubbing a few nights of cruising in his over-all holiday package. In the coming years cruising will gain more popularity, we will have to keep innovating and maintaining high standards of service to delight our customers,” he says.

MSC Yacht Club is a private club ambience and signature butler service. MSC Yacht Club guests live in a world without

INDIANS HAVE TAKEN TO CRUISING LIKE FISH TO WATER. WITH AN INTERNATIONAL TRIP HIGH ON THE TO DO LIST, CRUISING OFFERS A UNIQUE EXPERIENCE TO THESE TRAVELLERS. THE CRUISE INDUSTRY IS THE FASTEST GROWING SECTOR WITHIN TRAVEL AND IS SET FOR A COMPOUNDED 15 – 20 PER CENT GROWTH ANNUALLY IN INDIA January 2014

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compromise, pampered in their own lavishly appointed Top Sail Lounge and The One Sun Deck and Pool Complex, a panoramic private restaurant and designer suites boasting wood panelling, marble bathrooms and a host of exclusive services and facilities.

A few year ago RCI launched its Cruise Exchange Programme in India to offer timeshare owners dream holidays on the high seas.

This programme will take members to some of the most fascinating parts of the world.

With more than a thousand cruise itineraries to choose from globally, the RCI Cruise Exchange Programme gives RCI members a plethora of options. RCI members can exchange their timeshare week for a discount on the price of a cruise on up to four cabins per exchange booking. Alternately, if a member has already used their deposited week, they can still save on their cruise holiday with RCI’s special members-only rates. To tap the Indian market further local companies and GSAs are going all out. Vivek Jain, director, Griffon Travels who is a GSA for 24 | THE EXPLORER

Louis Cruises in India says, “We have built a very extensive website of all the various cruises of different categories we represent. In this website you can see ocean cruises options, ferry cruises, river cruises, etc of different standards. We are constantly promoting and educating the trade and travellers about it. In addition to this we do email broadcasting, brochure mailings, trade show.”

These are signs of the evolution in the Indian market, but very few projects have taken off in India and international cruise companies are skeptical of Indian cities as ports. Michael Haidar Ali, Micato Tours, whose guests sail on Royal Caribbean Cruises, Azamara Club Cruises, Silversea Cruises, Crystal Cruises, Cunard Cruise Line and Carnival Cruise Lines says, “There are a lot of ships calling in India, but there is too much bureaucracy and it dissuades them from coming back. For example, a 3000 passenger capacity ship has to provide four to five passport copies of each January 2014

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“AS A CRUISING MARKET INDIA HAS MOVED UP AND IS CONTINUOUSLY GROWING. THE INDUSTRY IS GROWING NOW AS PEOPLE HAVE UNDERSTOOD THE ADVANTAGES OF GOING ON A CRUISE. NORTH INDIA HAS GROWN THE MOST OVER THE YEARS” Naresh Rawal, AVP sales – India and South Asia, Star Cruises

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THERE ARE A LOT OF SHIPS CALLING IN INDIA, BUT THERE IS TOO MUCH BUREAUCRACY AND IT DISSUADES THEM FROM COMING BACK. FOR EXAMPLE A 3000 PASSENGER CAPACITY SHIP HAS TO PROVIDE FOUR TO FIVE PASSPORT COPIES OF EACH PASSENGER AT EACH PORT

passenger at each port.” Louis Cruises which ventured into the Indian market in 2010 with sailings from Kochi eventually stalled operations. According to representatives of the company, the charges for a single call at Kochi port were US$ 25,000.

Compare this with the fee at Maldives - US$ 2,500 for 24 hours or Colombo - US$ 4,000.

In comparison Indian river cruises have had a better luck but a lot more needs to be done. IndoBritish joint venture Assam Bengal Navigation, that had started its operations in 2003

January 2014

offering long-distance cruises on Brahmaputra in Assam, initiated its river cruises on the river Hooghly in 2007, extending it to the Ganges in 2010. “Experience counts for everything here, and our expertise in the field of river cruising on both waterways is unrivalled,” states Ashish Phookan, managing director, Assam Bengal Navigation, adding that majority of the company's clients are from Europe. In recent times Assam Bengal Navigation has had an increasing share of clients from Australia, North America and Japan as well. The

company currently has offices in Guwahati and the UK. Vivada Inland Waterways is one of the largest inland waterways companies in India headquartered in Kolkata, which is the main hub for inland water transport in National Waterway 1 and National Waterway 2. Vivada offers cruises throughout the year ex Kolkata. M V Nath, chairman and managing director, Vivada Inland Waterways says that India has a vast river length and coastline which has great potential. Four important cities are on the river cruise maps –

Kolkata, Varanasi, Guwahati and Kochi. Seven major state capitals can get connected with coastline Kolkata, Port Blair, Chennai, Lakshwadeep island, Kochi, Goa and Mumbai. “Further, waterways through Bangladesh offer an excellent cruise opportunity to the Sunderbans area and to the remote areas of the north east. If the protocol of trade and cargo is extended for tourism by cruises also both countries will stand to benefit and strengthen IndoBangladesh relationship,” states Nath.

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W BARCELONA Where Miró meets the Mediterranean and medieval quarters showcase modernist masterpieces, W Barcelona is an avant-garde icon created by the worldfamous Ricardo Bofill, rising above the spectacular beachfront in one of Europe's most stylish cities. Inspired by the city’s artistry and exuberance, revel in our world-class restaurants, sleek Eclipse rooftop bar, vibrant W Living Room, cool WET pool and sun-soaked terrace, decadent Bliss Spa and state-of-the-art FIT gym with sea views. Curl up in the signature W bed in 473 guest rooms— including 67 suites—with endless sea and city views, where fully wired technology, fabulous entertainment system, delightful munchie box and Whatever/Whenever service to fulfill all wishes are the stuff of sweet dreams.

30 | THE EXPLORER

W SINGAPORE – SENTOSA COVE Workout at FIT or splash at WET, our outdoor pool, then recharge at AWAY Spa. Hang out on the Great Room terrace with marina views. And sample innovative sips at WOOBAR or creative tastes at the kitchen table restaurant.

Discover extraordinary amenities at W Singapore – Sentosa Cove. Pull up to our private docking berths, and then relax with soothing treatments at AWAY Spa. Energise in our fully equipped FIT gym or with a splash at WET, our outdoor pool. Or there’s the laidback Garden Terrace - for pre-function events or general relaxation - and WOOBAR, which offers a relaxing space by day and innovative cocktails and a live DJ by night. Escape to jungle-inspired 204 Wonderful Rooms, where innovative lighting welcomes you.

W RETREAT KOH SAMUI Yin dee tawn rap or welcome to the tropical island of Koh Samui, where the azure waters of the Gulf of Thailand meet palm tree groves boasting more species of coconuts than anywhere on the planet.

Wake on the north shore’s Maenam Beach, home to W Retreat Koh Samui, and explore stunning beaches or join villagers at a vibrant local festival, dancing and singing as they celebrate with lanterns, balloons, fireworks, parades, beauty contests and more. Shop for handicrafts created using locally cultivated pearls. Recharge on the 73 king-size signature W pillow top beds with 350-thread-count Egyptian cotton sheets, a goose-down comforter and plush pillows. Refresh in the bathroom, where an oversized bathtub mingles with a separate rainforest shower.

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ADVENTURE & WILDLIFE

Walk on the wild side Adventure and wildlife tourism segments have been growing rapidly, attracting both inbound and domestic travellers. With more states opening up to adventure activities and diversified range of products offered by operators, the growth potential is immense in the future

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I

ndia, a country as vast and varied in its geographic offerings offers itself as a perfect adventure destination to test a traveller's mental and physical endurance to its extreme limit. The urge to indulge in this activity based tourism is gaining prominence worldwide, and increasingly travellers are deciding what activities they want to do and choosing their destinations accordingly. The 'push' (personal motivation) factor is getting stronger than the 'pull' (destination attraction) factor. Adventure travel or tourism, a major part of activity-based tourism globally has been segmented into extreme adventure and soft adventure activities. Seeing the interest growing among travellers for this segment, many adventure tour operators in India and abroad are offering a wide range of activities like white water river rafting, trekking and mountaineering, desert safari, skiing,

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NORTHERN STATES HAVE BEEN ACTIVE IN MARKETING ADVENTURE TOURISM. HIMACHAL PRADESH IS SYNONYMOUS WITH ADVENTURE TOURISM IN THE COUNTRY. THE HIMALAYAN RANGE CUTTING THROUGH THE STATE OFFERS NUMEROUS TREKKING TRAILS OF VARIOUS GRADES AND PEAKS FOR MOUNTAINEERING ENTHUSIASTS hot air ballooning, paragliding, scuba diving, etc. Adventure tourism is a profitable option for these tour operators as clients are willing to live under the most basic conditions but end up paying top dollar for tour operator's expertise and the activity.

Mandip Singh Soin, founder and managing director, Ibex Expeditions opines, “The adventure tourism segment has been being growing at 1015 per cent year-on-year combining both inbound and domestic travellers. The northeastern frontier is a potential state for this segment and we are looking forward to 34 | THE EXPLORER

the government's support for the same.”

Agreeing to the same, Major SK Yadav, managing director, Wanderlust Travels opines, “The segment has been growing rapidly. Apart from leisure, corporate clients are also opting for adventure activities as part of incentive travel which they use for team building exercises.

In the Asian region, Nepal has been attracting a lot of adventure travellers. The segment also saw a growth of 22 per cent in 2011 and has been growing since then. India receives nearly 1.5 million inbound tourists for adventure activities.”

EMERGING STATES

Seeing this potential a number of northern states like Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarakhand have been active in marketing adventure tourism. These states have managed to carve a market share with destinations offering adventure activities. Himachal Pradesh has emerged as a destination synonymous with adventure tourism in the country. Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (HPTDC) organises the pre-World Cup for paragliding at the Bir and Billing area in Kangra district.

The Himalayan range cutting

through the state offers numerous trekking trails of various grades and peaks for mountaineering enthusiasts.

The renowned Western Himalayan Mountaineering and Allied Sports Institute, located in Manali, works under the direct guidance and supervision of the Department of Tourism and Sports. HPTDC also promotes white water rafting, trekking, horse riding, and water sports at the Maharana Ranjit Sagar Dam and the Pong Dam. The department also supports motor sports as well as the event 'Raid de Himalaya.'

Apart from this it has set up and promotes biking trails along the January 2014

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state. Religious tourism and adventure tourism is the mainstay of Uttarakhand and Jammu and Kashmir.

Similarly states like Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and even Goa (adventure water sports) are focusing on this segment. Madhya Pradesh has been focusing on promoting wildlife tourism for over a decade now and recently adventure water sports in the state. Northeastern states and Jharkhand also offer great potential for adventure tourism.

Rajasthan is also tapping into the niche wildlife and adventure tourism segment to add to its product portfolio and is promoting wildlife sanctuaries, desert camel and jeep safaris, hot air ballooning, etc.

Rajasthan has taken various adventure tourism initiatives to further consolidate its position as the leading state for tourism.

Rajasthan has been the destination of choice for both foreign and domestic tourists and offers them more choices on how to spend their getaways.

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Adventure tourism is not new to Rajasthan as the state already has facilities existing for various activities like camel safaris, jeep safaris, horse and elephant polo, etc. But now the state is looking at establishing itself as a hub for hot air ballooning. The state has received many enquiries from various quarters and people have shown a keen interest in promoting desert sports and water sports in various places across the state.

Bikaner and Churu has been proposed to be hubs for desert sports while the lakes in Bundi and Udaipur would be used for water sports. The state has also been actively considering the idea of promoting river cruises and water sports in Chambal.

Along the Himalayas, Kashmir is still a popular destination for adventure, followed by Ladakh, Manali, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. But due to certain restrictions from the state governments- Uttarakhand and Sikkim, the potential is not fully explored. In the future, January 2014

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Arunachal Pradesh and northeastern states which have huge potential for adventure activities would also become popular.”

Traditionally a leisure and pilgrim destination for Indian visitors, there is a fast emerging segment of young Indian travellers, who are opting for Nepal as a destination for adventure tourism. “We see an increasing number of university and college going Indians going for adventure activities like trekking. That is a big opportunity for Nepal.

Adventure tourism is a new trend seen amongst Indians. I found some NRIs flying in from United States and go directly to trek in Nepal,” recollects Sunil Sharma, manager – Research, Planning & Monitoring, Nepal Tourism Board, pointing out, that the Indian Army personnel are interested in mountaineering. They come often to summit Mount Everest.

One of the new products that Nepal is offering is The Great Himalayan Trail.

January 2014

Nepal witnesses the highest number of tourist arrivals from India. One of the important factors for the same has been an increasing number of airlines from India flying into Kathmandu. “Due to close proximity and close culture our main market is India. India is already the biggest market for us but there is still potential for more, which we have to tap.

Every year we make a plan on the markets and devise our strategy based on the demands of the private sector as they are doing the business,” asserts Sharma.

DIFFERENT EXPLORATIONS

These activities also give tourists an opportunity to explore lesser known or visited places. There is a growing set of tourists who wish to visit secluded places to add to the 'unique list' in their vacation diaries. For example, ballooning over the dunes is proving as a good product. Short distances can be travelled, provided good sailing weather prevails, which THE EXPLORER | 37

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mostly happen over popular fairs like Pushkar, Beneshwar or Nagaur.

There is also a great opportunity for para-sailing.

Gliding would also attract upscale travellers. This has not been tried yet and prior civil aviation obligations need to be met. Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Alwar, Udaipur, Bikaner and Kota are apt for these kinds of adventure sports opportunities. Makeshift camps are being offered by hotels during high tourist seasons at Pushkar, Chetoli, Manvar, Ranthambhor, Dausa, Kheechan, Samode, etc.

Cycling is an interesting option during the winters. Visit to a city in Rajasthan could be done by cycling around with a well designed route map pinpointing resting spots, places for dining and refreshments.

Security has to be vigilant if such a route is devised.

If certain sports are waiting to be explored, others have made their debut last year. Like rappelling at Mehrangarh Fort followed by zip tours. After 38 | THE EXPLORER

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GLIDING WOULD ALSO ATTRACT UPSCALE TRAVELLERS. THIS HAS NOT BEEN TRIED YET AND PRIOR CIVIL AVIATION OBLIGATIONS NEED TO BE MET. JAISALMER, JODHPUR, ALWAR, UDAIPUR, BIKANER AND KOTA ARE APT FOR THESE KINDS OF ADVENTURE SPORTS OPPORTUNITIES. MAKESHIFT CAMPS ARE BEING OFFERED BY HOTELS January 2014

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Neemrana, Jodhpur has developed its share of adventure products through Flying Fox and Mehrangarh Museum Trust which launched a brand new Flying Fox zip tour at Mehrangarh Fort, Jodhpur in February 2010. Flying Fox also created India’s first zip tour at Neemrana Fort Palace in January 2009. Here, one is attached by safety harness and pulley that takes one off on an aerial journey between hill forts and ridge tops, during which one flies down a series of ultrastrong cables or 'zip lines'. This

offers a great opportunity as it can be replicated on any area providing two cliffs are joined by cables.

Not many presume Rajasthan to offer opportunities for trekking and mountain sports.

However, the entire Mewar belt is supposed to offer good trekking options. The stretch of Alwar-Sariska-Deeg-BharatpurKarauli-Ranthambore add to the wild expectations whereas the Mewar Circuit comprising Udaipur-KhumbalgarhNathdwara-Chittaurgarh has its own charm.

NEW TRAVEL PRODUCTS

If state tourism boards have been busy promoting this segment, the travel agents have also not been late in developing new products for discerning travellers. To capitalise on the youth segment, Thomas Cook (India) recently launched a youth-centric travel product range - ‘Rock-On Holidays’. As per their customer analysis, an emerging trend that was highlighted was that almost 45 per cent of its individual holiday travellers are youth and the segment is poised to grow at a

rate of 25-30 per cent. The analysis also revealed that for a young traveller travel is a voyage of discovering new places, and importantly different, exciting nontraditional experiences. The product team of Rock-On Holidays has designed itineraries to destinations for young travellers starting from `35,000. This includes bike tours in Spain, scuba diving at Ko Samet, elephant trekking and rafting in Bali, Queenstown’s high adventure activities, mountain biking,

AN EMERGING TREND THAT WAS HIGHLIGHTED WAS THAT ALMOST 45 PER CENT OF ITS INDIVIDUAL HOLIDAY TRAVELLERS ARE YOUTH AND THE SEGMENT IS POISED TO GROW AT A RATE OF 25-30 PER CENT. THE ANALYSIS ALSO REVEALED THAT FOR A YOUNG TRAVELLER TRAVEL IS A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERING NEW PLACES 40 | THE EXPLORER

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para gliding and alpine trekking in Switzerland, Orlando’s Clearwater beach tripping, Kilimanjaro climb in Tanzania, Iceland’s Northern Lights tour, horse trails in South Africa, etc.

Rock-On Holidays also offers activities like I-fly, fissure snorkelling, ice-climbing, kayaking, zip-trekking, snowmobiling, glacier hiking and touring via horseback, Segway or bicycling.

While Indians are slowly taking to adventure activities, the segment has a huge potential in inbound travel too.

Though seasonal and not high volume, it is a segment with high yield.

Another example of a tour operator cashing in on offering mountain biking is O-Six Travel & Hospitality Group, through its niche brand 360 Degree Himalaya. Apart from this, they also have LeapFrog Holidays, AQ Active Travel and Back Country Caravan Safaris. The brands are designed to cater to the specific needs of guests.

Each brand has been 42 | THE EXPLORER

established keeping in mind the different types of travellers, because there is a huge gap when it comes to classifying guests, whether domestic or outbound. Keeping this diverse target group satisfied is what the company aims to achieve by setting up the different, well carved brands offering customised services for each sub group. The group departure products include the basic land package, air fare, taxes, sightseeing, meals, etc.

GOVERNMENT INITIATIVES

As per the policy for the diversification of tourism product of India, special attention is being given for the development of adventure tourism in the country. The ministry of tourism (MoT) has issued Guidelines for Approval of Adventure Tour Operators, which is a voluntary scheme, open to all bonafide adventure tour operators. The MoT has also formulated a set guideline of safety and quality norms for adventure tourism as basic January 2014

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THE MINISTRY OF TOURISM (MOT) HAS ISSUED GUIDELINES FOR APPROVAL OF ADVENTURE TOUR OPERATORS, WHICH IS A VOLUNTARY SCHEME, OPEN TO ALL BONAFIDE ADVENTURE TOUR OPERATORS. THE MOT HAS ALSO FORMULATED A SET GUIDELINE OF SAFETY AND QUALITY NORMS FOR ADVENTURE TOURISM AS BASIC MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR SUCH ACTIVITIES minimum standards for adventure tourism activities.

These guidelines cover land, air and water based activities which include mountaineering, trekking, hand gliding, paragliding, bungee jumping and river rafting. Central Financial Assistance is being extended to various state governments/Union Territory Administrations for development of tourism infrastructure in destinations including adventure tourism destinations. These include facilities for trekking, rock climbing, mountaineering, aeroJanuary 2014

sports, winter and water related sports, trekker huts, wildlife viewing facilities, etc. Financial assistance for purchase of water sports equipment consisting of kayaks, canoes, paddle boats, fibre glass boats, hovercrafts, water scooters, etc, is also provided to state governments.

Special efforts are made by the MoT to promote inland water tourism by providing necessary infrastructural facilities.

Financial assistance was extended for construction of double hull boats, construction of jetties, cruise vessels, boats, etc.

The National Institute of Water Sports, another organisation of MoT based in Goa, was also to get a new building and facilities upgraded for training in water sports activities. Apart from this, the ministry has also been working with the Indian Mountaineering Federation and Adventure Tour Operators Association of India to explore positioning India as an adventure destination. In order to enhance the quality of adventure tourism experience in the country, MoT has given ‘in principle’ approval to Indian Mountaineering Federation to

organise training programmes for adventure and mountain guides under the Capacity Building for Service Providers (CBSP) scheme of MoT. Not only this, it has also been following up with concerned central ministries with regard to facilitation for development of adventure tourism. As an outcome, the Government of India has given security clearance for opening of 104 additional peaks in Jammu & Kashmir (Leh area) subject to stipulations and clearances from state government, home ministry and other concerned THE EXPLORER | 43

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THE GOVERNMENT OF INDIA HAS GIVEN SECURITY CLEARANCE FOR OPENING OF 104 ADDITIONAL PEAKS IN JAMMU & KASHMIR (LEH AREA) SUBJECT TO CLEARANCES FROM THE STATE GOVERNMENT AND THE HOME MINISTRY. THIS WILL HELP IN POSITIONING THE INDIAN HIMALAYAS AS AN ADVENTURE TOURISM DESTINATION

agencies. This will help in positioning the Indian Himalayas as an adventure tourism destination. Similarly, MoT had also taken the issue regarding use of GPS and satellite phone by the bonafide adventure tour operators so as to ensure that the safety standards are of international standards.

The first edition of Alpine Premier League (APL) held in February 2012 in the Solang Valley with over 300 participants opened a new window for positioning it as a hub for winter sports activities.

44 | THE EXPLORER

The event was organised by Ski Himalayas Ropeway and Ski Centre with local ski clubs of surrounding Palchan, Kothi, Ruar and Solang villages and supported by the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Mountaineering and Allied Sports (ABVIMAS), Manali and Himachal Pradesh Tourism.

Prem Kumar Dhumal, the then chief minister of Himachal Pradesh had assured that the state government will extend all possible help to promote winter games and adventure sports in association with different organisations.

Moreover, Adventure Himalayas boasts of 19 gondolas with a seating capacity of eight persons in each. The ropeway is the latest state-of-the-art built

by Poma of France similar to the one in Switzerland and France and it covers a distance of 1.3 km having a vertical rise of 500 metres and a top speed of 6 m/s.

It is designed to carry 1200 passengers up the mountain in an hour and provides diversity of natural terrain for all standards of skiers and snowboarders. Adventurists can access the best locations for paragliding, skiing,

snowboarding, zorbing, mountain biking, ski mobile and other adventure sports.

But even though the MoT in general has launched certain initiatives to promote adventure tourism there are still certain loopholes which pose bottlenecks in the segment's growth. With the segment growing, the Indian government has a bigger role to play in terms of promotion of the segment. As India already is an established adventure activities destination, it needs to look out for new avenues and locations and create products for the January 2014

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discerning adventure enthusiast. Apart from this, the segment, needs to aggressively promote and develop adequate infrastructure to reach destinations which do not have direct connectivity.

Soin believes that to really sort out the challenge to promote this segment, the government needs to look at developing wayside amenities and transport must be available to reach remote destinations.

For example Auli in Uttarakhand is an important ski destination but it lacks proper connectivity. Also according to Tejbir Singh Anand, managing director, Holiday Moods Adventures, “India is still largely known as a cultural destination. If we want India to be a 12 months destination, then the only answer is 'adventure tourism'.

Summers are the leanest month and Himalayan Journeys are the perfect answer. We need to brand India as 'The Himalayan Monarchy'. The Himalayas are the playground for adventure and cultural activities such as 46 | THE EXPLORER

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THE FIRST EDITION OF ALPINE PREMIER LEAGUE (APL) HELD IN FEBRUARY 2012 IN THE SOLANG VALLEY WITH OVER 300 PARTICIPANTS OPENED A NEW WINDOW FOR POSITIONING IT AS A HUB FOR WINTER SPORTS ACTIVITIES. THE EVENT WAS ORGANISED BY SKI HIMALAYAS ROPEWAY AND SKI CENTRE WITH LOCAL SKI CLUBS OF SURROUNDING VILLAGES January 2014

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trekking, mountaineering, white water rafting, sailing on the rivers, skiing, mountain biking, high altitude overland jeep safaris and many more.�

Unavailability of insurance products for adventure travel continues to be the roadblocks in the growth of this segment.

The number of visitors will undoubtedly increase over the foreseeable future if available.

Since the nature of this segment is all about the wilderness and remote inaccessible outdoor areas, restrictions on use of life saving electronic equipments such as GPS/ satellite should be lifted. Availability of good maps are essential for venturing out in the outdoors and can be seen as life saving equipments.

However, these are not available to the adventure tourism industry. Presently there is also no such facilities available for evacuation in the Himalayas.

This will boost the image and business to Indian adventure travel.�

Another major problem is accessibility to remote areas.

48 | THE EXPLORER

Areas like Spiti in Himachal Pradesh, Gouchar and Uttarkashi in Garhwal and Pitthorgarh in Kumaon are classic examples of areas which have one small air strip which can be connected with fixed winged full bodied aircraft. This is the reason for the success of adventure tourism in Nepal because of connectivity of Lukla (serving as base camp for trek to Mount Everest) to the international fraternity.

The land bank rules and regulations are inadequate in the country. In order to change the land use, under existing policies, the option available for campsites is to turn to luxury hotels. There are no clear policies for creating campsites/lodges/resorts.

There are concepts like Eco Lodges and Jungle Lodge Resorts which are gaining strength and should be looked at. There is a huge difference between a hotel and an ecolodge. An eco-lodge refers to a structure and using process that is environmentally January 2014

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responsible and resourceefficient throughout a building's life-cycle - from locating the site to design, construction, operation, maintenance, renovation, and demolition.

This practice expands and complements the classical building design concerns of economy, utility, durability, and comfort. The time is ripe to look at a hybrid model comprising of camps and eco-lodges instead of only luxury hotels which can be set up by only big industrialists.

There is an urgent need for identification and development of new adventure destinations and creation of adventure zones whenever a new adventure destination or zone is identified.

It is recommended to identify new adventure destinations.

This does not mean only identifying a new adventure destination and developing hotels and accommodations at various places. What is recommended is the growth of mountain based adventure activities at these destinations.

As a destination will gain January 2014

publicity with the promotion of the activities, facilities like accommodation, etc, will automatically fall into place and complete the jigsaw. Adventure tourism is a national activity as it boosts the national economy.

However, in recent years, the segment has suffered setbacks on account of regionalism.

In the early days, adventure in India was limited to trekking or climbing the Himalayas.

However, today the industry has come of age and offers a variety of adventure travel options.

India, in that context is a 'one stop adventure shop'. Only in India can a person indulge in a camel safari in the deserts of Rajasthan, heli-ski in the Himalayas, raft down the mighty Ganges and trek in the Garhwal Himalayas, all in the same month. In addition, there are various other activities that widen the scope of adventure travel. These include luxury camping, outdoor corporate training programmes, aerosports including hot air ballooning and paragliding, THE EXPLORER | 49

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WHAT IS RECOMMENDED IS THE GROWTH OF MOUNTAIN BASED ADVENTURE ACTIVITIES AT THESE DESTINATIONS. AS A DESTINATION WILL GAIN PUBLICITY WITH THE PROMOTION OF THE ACTIVITIES, FACILITIES LIKE ACCOMMODATION, ETC, WILL AUTOMATICALLY FALL INTO PLACE AND COMPLETE THE JIGSAW

bungee jumping, alpine skiing and ski-touring, kayaking and canoeing, jeep, camel and elephant safaris - the list is actually quite exhaustive.

Destinations in India are more economical. There is more awareness now and hence people are visiting places within the country in large numbers.

Instead of being seen as a small, niche market, a study shows that adventure tourism is a sizeable market with the potential for significant economic growth opportunities.

According to a recent study of PHD Chamber of Commerce January 2014

and Industry (PHDCCI), about 40 per cent of foreign tourists visit the country for adventures.

This coupled with a large number of adventure seeking domestic tourists comprise the market for adventure tourism in the country. The adventure tourism is projected to be one of the major foreign exchange earner for the country with expected revenues of US$ 20 billion (`90,000 crore), provided the potential is fully exploited.

The prime reason for increase in demand for adventure sports is the growth in youth tourism which has been

identified as one of the largest segments of global and domestic tourism. These young travellers are major contributors to adventure tourism revenue. One thing that needs to be taken care while planning any kind of tourism activity is to assess the carrying capacity of the region.

The development needs to be in a sustainable manner.

The future of adventure tourism holds many opportunities. Today, trekking still commands the major share of the pie, but new adventure travel trends and activities are emerging. The opportunities

and changing trends see a shift in the mindset of the clients: Shorter trips but higher spendings: From longer trips of around three weeks, the packages being sold have come down to from seven to 10 days.

But the frequency has gone up.

Over and above one long trip, clients also take couple of short getaways also in a year.

Today’s popular adventure activities include trekking, white water rafting and other related water sports, zip lines, rock climbing, rappelling, ATVs, paintball, zorbing, camel and horse safaris, mountain biking THE EXPLORER | 51

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INDIANS ARE DISCOVERING THE JOYS OF ADVENTURE TOURISM IN POPULAR OUTBOUND DESTINATIONS LIKE MALAYSIA AND NEW ZEALAND. ADVENTURE CAVING IS AN INTERESTING ACTIVITY IN MALAYSIA, BLESSED WITH A VAST NUMBER OF CAVES, SOME OF THE LARGEST AND LONGEST IN THE WORLD

and bike tours, sailing on the rivers, hot air ballooning, paragliding, skiing, high altitude overland jeep safaris.

Changing trends include multi-activity trips - an itinerary encompassing multiple experiences of soft activities which all age brackets can do. A typical example can be of an itinerary of which goes through the experience of wild life, birding, camping, trekking, mountain biking, rafting, zip lines, rappelling/ rock climbing, Yoga, home stays and cultural experiences to top it all.

Family adventure vacations 52 | THE EXPLORER

(including multigenerational) are forgoing theme parks and all-inclusive resorts for more genuine nature-based, cultural, and education and learning excursions. This attribute is in part to baby boomers who have the means to travel coupled with a strong interest in bonding more deeply with families. The top vacation requests are all family friendly.

Interestingly, more women are leaving the men at home.

More than 25 per cent of adventure travellers are women and most fall between ages 35 and 60. Now it's not unheard of

women to be going rafting, mountain climbing, trekking.

Then there is emergence of the adventure honeymoon forgoing the cookie-cutter honeymoon, more newlyweds than ever are celebrating their matrimony with an adrenalinefilled adventure tour. As India is a young country, the new weds are sporty and want active forward to active journeys.

Trekking in Himalayas, each day waking up to the most incredible mountain views, enjoying rich cultural experiences and a great workout is the new recipe of the

honeymoon trips.

OUTBOUND ATTRACTIONS

Indians are also discovering the joys of adventure tourism in popular outbound destinations like Malaysia and New Zealand.

Adventure caving is an interesting activity in Malaysia, which is blessed with a vast number of caves, including some of the largest and longest in the world. These caves, nestled within rich rainforests and mangroves, provide sanctuary to amazing wildlife like fruit bats and swiftlets, and are rich in natural attractions January 2014

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like massive formations of stalagmites and stalactites.

These caves can be explored for their impressive sights, which are made accessible through a heady mix of adventurous experiences like crawling, climbing and swimming through passages. Some of the well known caves across Malaysia include : Kota Gelanggi, Gunung Senyum Caves, Gua Tempurung, Gua Kelam, Mulu Caves National Park (home to one of the longest networks of caves in the world), and others.

Malaysia is also actively

promoting island tourism and deep sea adventure activities.

Hundreds of tropical islands dotting its waters and countless picturesque beaches lining its shores, making it one of the region’s top destinations for sun, sea and sand holidays. Sipadan is an internationally famous dive site surrounded by the Sulawesi Sea. The geographic position of Sipadan at the Indo-Pacific Basin (the centre of the richest marine habitat in the world) makes it a paradise for divers.

Situated just 25 minutes from Sipadan, Mabul is another gem

in the Sulawesi Sea. The diversity of tiny marine life makes Mabul a great site for macro and muck-diving.

Situated about 45 km off the coast of Terengganu, Redang Island is the largest of the state’s islands. It is famous for its picture-postcard views and dive sites. The most popular stretch is the 800m Long Beach.

Visitors can go snorkelling at the Marine Park, explore the 31 dive sites on the island, take a walk along the Long Beach, play beach volleyball, and enjoy a jungle walk to see monkeys,

squirrels and birds.

New Zealand's landscape and temperate climate lends itself to outdoor activity. New Zealand is renowned for its range of adventure activities, including bungy jumping, jetboat riding, rafting and skiing. But adventure means different things to different people, and the best aspect of the New Zealand adventure scene is that it provides activities rated from 'soft' to 'extreme' - from hiking and waterskiing, to mountain climbing and caving. New Zealand's adventure tourism

MALAYSIA IS ALSO ACTIVELY PROMOTING ISLAND TOURISM AND DEEP SEA ADVENTURE ACTIVITIES. HUNDREDS OF TROPICAL ISLANDS DOTTING ITS WATERS AND COUNTLESS PICTURESQUE BEACHES LINING ITS SHORES, MAKING IT ONE OF THE REGION’S TOP DESTINATIONS FOR SUN, SEA AND SAND HOLIDAYS January 2014

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TO MAKE WILDLIFE TOURISM SUSTAINABLE ONE NEEDS TO MAKE TOURISM A NATIONAL PRIORITY. IT IS ALSO VITAL TO SENSITISE VISITORS. THERE ARE SEVERAL ROADBLOCKS TO SUSTAINABLE TOURISM DEVELOPMENT LIKE LACK OF VISION, AMBIGUOUS POLICIES ETC., THERE IS ALSO NO DESTINATION PLANNING

industry makes the most of a landscape surrounded by sea, criss-crossed by rivers and lakes, covered in native bush and with a central spine of spectacular snow-capped mountains. There's something for everyone who enjoys the outdoor lifestyle and the special sense of freedom the relatively sparsely populated land provides.

WILDLIFE TOURISM

Tourism justifies the preservation of dangerous animals and wildlife tourism has been growing fast. Not only that 56 | THE EXPLORER

there is a major growth in foreign tourist arrivals as more than 30 per cent of visitors coming to Kanha and Bandhavgarh are from other countries.

In order to make wildlife tourism sustainable one needs to make tourism a national priority. It is also vital to sensitise visitors. There are several roadblocks to sustainable tourism development like lack of vision, ambiguous policies etc., there is also no destination planning.

Moreover, irresponsible marketing and lack of

monitoring further create a poor destination image. The absence of partnership with the tourism industry is a major hurdle in making wildlife tourism sustainable.

For managing wildlife parks well there is need for proper training of personnel at the management levels and research in the area. Les Carlisle, group conservation manager and beyond-Wildlife Tourism Company South Africa says, “It is important to conserve wildlife as ultimately conservation is for people and the national parks must

provide access to the local people. Active and dynamic management is important.”

According to him, eco-tourism creates social and economic profits by increasing opportunities for the local community. Therefore the law that does not support it must be changed. India is facing a lot of challenges in wildlife conservation unlike many other nations of the world.

Citing Kenya as an example, Cheruiyot said, “The key factors in managing wildlife parks and sanctuaries are inevitable work with the January 2014

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community, addressing human wildlife conflict, wildlife compensation issue and community education and awareness action. Community support is the most important factor and the authorities need to get the same by educating them.”

There is vast potential for wildlife tourism in India, which has rich flora and fauna spanning over 16 major forests types and more than 450 national parks and sanctuaries.

Wildlife tourism in India offers a lot of products to travellers right from adventure safaris,

photography to jungle camping and there is a need to look and explore more opportunities in the wildlife tourism segment.

Wildlife tourism does not only mean big and wild animals. The segment also includes birds, plants etc. So, the stress should be laid on exploring more opportunities.

Acts such as deforestation and especially poaching are creating an imbalance in nature which is leading to extinction of several species and threatening several others leading to a disturbance in the food chain and eco-system that would

ultimately have an impact on human existence as well. An important aspect of wildlife conservation is education. It is important to educate the local communities. Further, the authorities and travel trade need to come together and support wildlife tourism.

Human and wildlife conflict over resource is a major problem and management of conflict situation is vital and there could be different approaches to it.

Wildlife tourism has been growing and this opportunity should be tapped as tourism generates employment for the

local communities. Speaking on the roadblocks to wildlife tourism, Mridula Tangirala, director operations, Taj Safaris stated, “The current roadblock in the segment are poor infrastructure in terms of roads, trains and air connectivity and the demand and supply mismatch. Also there is an immediate need for the tourism department to focus on wildlife.”

Wildlife tourism needs to have a proper and focused branding with distinct identity.

In conclusion, wildlife tourism is a strong and significant segment with a

THERE IS VAST POTENTIAL FOR WILDLIFE TOURISM IN INDIA, WHICH HAS RICH FLORA AND FAUNA SPANNING OVER 16 MAJOR FORESTS TYPES AND MORE THAN 450 NATIONAL PARKS AND SANCTUARIES. THE AUTHORITIES AND TRAVEL TRADE NEED TO COME TOGETHER AND SUPPORT WILDLIFE TOURISM January 2014

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variety of product offerings.

The idea of wildlife tourism is attached to the conservation of forest and wildlife.

Therefore these two should not be looked in isolation rather the various stakeholders should come together to work towards sustainable tourism creating more opportunities for the local communities, conserving the national parks and sanctuaries by educating them and enhancing wildlife tourism as a segment. Apart from this, a well-planned marketing

strategy to promote wildlife tourism is the need of the hour.

AFRICA CALLING

The popularity for South Africa's national parks, wildlife, game reserves, and adventure continues amongst Indians. A case in point is Sabi Sabi, the five-star private game reserve near Kruger National Park, has India as its fourth biggest market in terms of travellers.

Rodney Wyndham, managing director, Sabi Sabi says, “India is an emerging market and a major focus market for us; about

four-six per cent of our annual business market is from India.

We have seen a lot of Indian families opting for accommodation at our Bush Lodge. The chef also understands the Indian food requirements. We have been around for 30 years and have always been in the top ten slot of excellence in game reserve accommodation.” A similar thought was expressed by Cindy Sheedy Walker of extraordinary, “The month of May brings in a lot of Indian guests to our properties. The Mabula Game

Lodge has been popular among Indian families and groups. This is apart from Imbali Safari Lodge and The Cape Miller.” extraordinary represents about 15 diverse collection of luxury lodges and hotels and is a subsidiary of Kingfisher Resorts in South Africa.

Indians still travel in family groups or for honeymoons to South Africa. Shamwari Group, who has been actively taking part in South African Tourism's roadshows in India, and sees India as a potential market for its business.

THE POPULARITY FOR SOUTH AFRICA'S NATIONAL PARKS, WILDLIFE, GAME RESERVES, AND ADVENTURE CONTINUES AMONGST INDIANS. A CASE IN POINT IS SABI SABI, THE FIVE-STAR PRIVATE GAME RESERVE NEAR KRUGER NATIONAL PARK, HAS INDIA AS ITS FOURTH BIGGEST MARKET IN TERMS OF TRAVELLERS January 2014

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SHERATON MALDIVES FULL MOON RESORT & SPA

THE ST. REGIS MAURITUS RESORT

SHERATON KRABI BEACH RESORT

The Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort & Spa offers the complete destination vacation. Escape from the everyday to a tropical paradise where you can be as relaxed or as active as you wish. Choose from a range of day excursions, several water sports activities around the resort's lagoon, scuba diving, or just relaxing by the freshwater pool. If you want a break from all the activity, or are due for a little pampering, visit Shine Spa for Sheraton, set across a bridge on its own small island—a haven of absolute tranquility. Our 176 rooms were designed and built by local craftsmen; carefully chosen floors and timber blinds enhance the warm and welcoming feeling of each room.

With an unrivalled commitment to uncompromising service, The St. Regis Mauritius Resort provides guests with a seemingly endless list of activities and amenities. Find pampering and revitalisation in the exquisite Iridium Spa, lounge by one of our outdoor pools, or keep up with your workout routine in our state-of-the-art 24-hour Fitness Club.

The Watersports Club offers an exhilarating variety of activities at Le Morne Beach while The Kite Flyers Club, Drawing Room, and La Palme D’Or private cinema add to the all-ages offerings. Soothing taupe walls draw guests into our 172 rooms, where colonial-inspired décor harmonises with clean modern lines.

With its long white sandy beach, two inviting beach-front pools and several hammocks plotted in the vast tropical gardens, Sheraton Krabi Beach Resort offers all that guests might desire in a tropical paradise.

Be it high or low tide, the resort's sandy beach leads to refreshing ocean dips and lively beach volleyball games. The on-site Water Sports Centre offers snorkelling, kayaking, wind-surfing and sailing equipment for use at the resort.

Reward and revitalise yourself at the Mandara Spa. The resort’s 240 rooms are tastefully decorated in modern design and have a separate bath and shower.

They offer views of natural vegetation and mangrove gardens.

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Fly higher, plunge deeper with TrawellTag Cover-More’s Adventure Sports Plan Are you a sport enthusiast but worried about the risk?

Does your adventure tourism plan require you to get adventure sports cover? Cheer up! Enjoy a risk free experience of adventure and explore exotic wildlife through TrawellTag Cover-More’s Adventure Sports Plan. It covers all accidents and wide area of adventure sports such as paragliding, bungee jumping, mountaineering, rock climbing, adventure racing on land and water, scuba diving, kayaking, surfing and yachting to name a few.

OTHER UNIQUE SERVICES

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For product information and terms & conditions, log on to: www.karvatgroup.in/trawelltag

January 2014

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MEDICAL & WELLNESS

The healing touch Despite the great potential of being the world's leading medical and wellness tourism destination, the sector in India lacks successful marketing strategies, including effective presentation of treatment packages, that could attract clients from all over the world to visit the country

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rowing at a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 40 per cent, the inflow of medical tourists in India is said to cross 32 lakh by 2015 from the current level of 8.5 lakh, as per latest study of Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM). The Indian medical tourism industry is currently poised at around `4,500 crore and is likely to be worth `10,800 crore by 2015.

And if this report isn't enough to state the segment's potential in the country, FICCI in a report also states that the wellness industry will be a US$ 685 billion industry which is a part of the medical segment gamut.

With numbers and statistics showing the growth of this segment, industries such as

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retail, healthcare, hospitality have also been busy assimilating wellness as part of their value proposition, opening up huge opportunities towards growth.

The other reasons as to why India could in the future emerge as a leading hub for excellent medical treatment is because of its strength of highly qualified medical professionals and equally higher qualities of availability of nurses. India is estimated to have over 7.5 lakh qualified doctors and numbers of qualified nursing graduates and diploma holders are equally good.

As per industry veterans there has yet not been any concrete effort from the Indian government to promote the health sector as a potential medical destination. Patients coming to India still face bottlenecks to obtain M-Visa which takes 15 days to a month.

But if we take Singapore as an example, the government has gone out of its way to promote medical tourism as it thinks of the

sector being as one of the major revenue generators for the country, along with publicising about their products in Indian magazines. Only if the government wakes up and takes corrective measures to get its strategies right and promote medical tourism in a big way then hospital revenues can increase by up to 30-40 per cent which could amount to approximately US$ 1012 billion.

But even though there are bottlenecks where product awareness and effective promotional activities need to be sorted out by the government, according to ASSOCHAM, India holds major advantage as a result of which movement of patients from various developing and developed countries would shift towards India as its hospital infrastructure is not only confined to large metros but is equally getting better in tertiary towns in which the cost of living is still lower with quality of supreme nature.

While top notch healthcare

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MOVEMENT OF PATIENTS FROM VARIOUS DEVELOPING AND DEVELOPED COUNTRIES WOULD SHIFT TOWARDS INDIA AS ITS HOSPITAL INFRASTRUCTURE IS NOT ONLY CONFINED TO LARGE METROS BUT IS EQUALLY GETTING BETTER IN TERTIARY TOWNS

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facilities in sectors like cardiology, joint replacement, orthopedic surgery, ophthalmology, transplants and urology offered at a low price are certain key factors making India a favoured destination in terms of medical tourism, states like Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, West Bengal and New Delhi have been fast emerging as India’s best medical centres with several hospitals and specialty clinics coming up in and around the prominent cities in the past few years. Keeping this positive development in mind, India is definitely at par with its Asian peers in all aspects of medical and wellness tourism.

Patients from across the world also visit India for facelifts, dental treatment, botox treatment, tummy tucks, eye care and other such medical services at hospitals, treatment centres offering modern medical facilities. Also by the next decade hair, cosmetic procedures and cosmetic dentistry will also be widely adopted. The number of 66 | THE EXPLORER

people coming in for surgeries related to cardiac and orthopedic ailments might also increase.

Currently India attracts large number of travellers seeking medical treatments from the Middle East followed by Americans, Europeans and people from neighbouring countries like Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan, Afghanistan and others. But it is still facing tough competition from Australia, Belgium, Cuba, Costa Rica, Hungary, Greece, Malaysia, Poland, Singapore, South Africa and Thailand that are actively promoting healthcare tourism worldwide, as per ASSOCHAM. And as the saying goes, “Outsourcing one's business compared to outsourcing life is a riskier affair,� this has been another major reason for travellers to avoid India for their critical medical treatments.

Given the proximity, issues pertaining to the heart or orthopedic will always be considered to be treated in the neighbouring countries rather than long-haul travel. Hence January 2014

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getting a patient from USA for a heart surgery will be difficult compared to attracting an orthopedic patient. Another interesting aspect is the fact that Latin American countries, Brazil, Mexico are also offering competitive prices for medical treatments. And this is also the reason why India is still not able to receive more number of medical tourists. Given a rough estimate, India would be getting barely 200-500 patients from the USA compared to the potential the country holds of having 15-30

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million population. As psychological aspect comes into the picture of critical illness, about 95 per cent of medical patients still opt to visit Latin American countries instead.

While India barely attracts patients from Middle East, Bangladesh, apart from cities such as Mumbai, Delhi, Vellore, Chennai which are known for best medical treatments, it is the tier two cities which have started offering competitive rates. Hence there is competition within the country itself.

The increase in health GDP ratio would amount to proliferation of new health facilities as well as their centres for patients and such centres of excellence will finally be able to accommodate overseas patients as with increasing health facilities, its health infrastructure would still move for better and find acceptance in great deal of patients.

WELLNESS TOURISM

The spending of urban consumers as well as inbound

tourists on health and wellness tourism has witnessed a steady growth of 10-12 per cent over a period of five years and it stands at around 15-20 per cent currently, is forecasted to be in the range of 35-40 per cent by 2025. Current market trends indicate a trend of 70 per cent outbound and 30 per cent inbound tourists contributing to the Indian wellness industry. In the future there will be a paradigm shift of the inbound market growing up to 40-50 per cent in embracing the spa and

TOP NOTCH HEALTHCARE FACILITIES IN SECTORS LIKE CARDIOLOGY, JOINT REPLACEMENT, ORTHOPEDIC SURGERY, OPHTHALMOLOGY, TRANSPLANTS AND UROLOGY OFFERED AT A LOW PRICE ARE CERTAIN KEY FACTORS MAKING INDIA A FAVOURED DESTINATION IN TERMS OF MEDICAL TOURISM January 2014

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wellness culture.

The major wellness and tourism products offered in India are Ayurveda, traditional Indian therapies, Yoga, Swedish massages, Aromatherapy and traditional Thai massages. There is a younger generation who is well travelled, have already experienced wellness at a personal and peer level who will drive the spa and wellness business over the next decade.

While this was considered exclusively the domain of women, men are increasingly becoming more conscious about their fitness, health and looks and this combination is creating a new audience segment for spa goers.

Social ‘spa-ing’ is also a new trend with small groups of like minded spa travellers going to health retreats for complete detox or rejuvenation while enjoying the sense of camaraderie. Everyone will prefer the wellness culture in the years to come. But the age group of 25-45 years is the main segment. This is the age group that is working very hard to set 68 | THE EXPLORER

up their career or business.

These are the people who are coming or will be coming for spa treatments for complete relaxation and rejuvenation.

EMERGENCE OF MEDI-SPAS

Looking at the growth of this segment, today there are many foreign brands and companies which have entered into the market and comprise of about 2030 per cent of the entire pie.

Growth in medi-spas and therapeutic spas on the back of increasing disposable incomes and accessibility of people has also formed a strong trend in India. Per capita spend on beauty, preventive and health segment has grown steeply. Even the common man has begun to explore options available under the wellness and alternative ambit. Fitness, slimming services, health and wellness food and beverages continue to grow upwards. Rejuvenation is in infancy but is a rapidly growing segment. Alternate therapy is a larger and more established market in India.

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In the future, result oriented wellness therapies will be the drivers of growth in the spa sector and hotels catering to this segment will be the preferred choice for inbound tourists and high end luxury travellers. Body massages like Swedish, deep tissue, Shiatsu, Balinese, Thai massage and Kalari, Abhyanga have their own importance. But apart from these, medi spas are coming up with new technologies. Ready to use products with herbal ingredients with natural preservatives are in demand. Natural mud and marine products are the upcoming spa products, which are in demand because of their valuable benefits. Treatments ranging from plasma therapy (in which a patient's platelet-rich plasma is extracted from their blood and injected into wrinkles), botox, whitening and brightening facials using pearls, caviar, diamonds, etc, and facilities from infrared saunas to oxygen therapy and salt rooms, are also giving a boost to the spa and beauty industry.

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The medical/spa services offered in India are currently as good as any other Asian countries or even at par with many European countries, but still there is a need for a government authority to have regulation in the ever-growing spa and wellness sector to ensure the product quality, hygiene and services are met as per international standards at all levels.

THE CHALLENGES

One of the current problems plaguing the industry is lack of support from banking industry and governmental finance bodies who do not provide loans towards initial capital and working capital expenses. Finding trained staff is also a problem leading to slower growth. While these are being addressed, it is important that the government further strengthens the positioning of India as a wellness destination. In order to promote health and wellness tourism, the government should provide funding for wellness projects on THE EXPLORER | 69

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GROWTH IN MEDI-SPAS AND THERAPEUTIC SPAS ON THE BACK OF INCREASING DISPOSABLE INCOMES AND ACCESSIBILITY OF PEOPLE HAS ALSO FORMED A STRONG TREND IN INDIA. PER CAPITA SPEND ON BEAUTY, PREVENTIVE AND HEALTH SEGMENT HAS GROWN STEEPLY. EVEN THE COMMON MAN HAS BEGUN TO EXPLORE WELLNESS OPTIONS

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THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD PROVIDE FUNDING FOR WELLNESS PROJECTS ON EASY TERMS, PROVIDE TAX BREAKS FOR WELLNESS FACILITIES, PROVIDE LEGAL PROVISIONING FOR INSURANCE COMPANIES TO COVER WELLNESS THERAPIES AND WORK WITH SPA OPERATORS TO PROVIDE TRAINING easy terms, provide tax breaks for wellness facilities, provide legal provisioning for insurance companies to cover wellness therapies and work with spa operators to provide training and thereafter jobs for youth to work as therapists and managers. t is important to have a government licensing authority to implement standards and accreditation of spas and monitor their functioning, to open government accredited spa training institute, to create uniformity in traditional treatments and standardise the import of spa and wellness products and finally the government sustenance to make January 2014

the country a global spa destination.

Multiple central and state taxes, total applicable taxes for all inclusive wellness programmes in several states now stand at 20 per cent, which is a serious deterrent to the global traveller. To compete , there is a need to offer value pricing for the superior services India has to offer and this can only be achieved through lower tax rates.

The fact that the spa industry is not regulated by a common governing authority to maintain standardisation is a key handicap.

Many common therapies are done differently and in different spas with change in techniques

and products, through the origin of the technology is one and common for all. Besides this, the main problem is the lack of educated staff. With spas mushrooming everywhere, untrained people are being hired which is a very dangerous trend.

These novices with no knowledge of the human body or hygiene or any information on the various treatments are taught the basic moves and left to work on guests.

Many hotels and companies tend to poach from more well established brands. A lot of times, staff get lured by higher salaries, but their training and development needs are not met and they tend to stagnate whilst

their peers who choose cutting edge companies develop at a much faster rate.

Another issue that needs immediate check is unauthentic wellness therapies introduced in the market and fast mushrooming wellness and spa outlets in the Indian market.

Even though the accreditation process is stringent enough, the flaw is in implementing the law.

The spa and wellness industry should be placed under one umbrella and create standardised operating procedures for training as well as therapies combined with strict monitoring of the functioning of existing wellness centres.

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THE WESTIN SOHNA RESORT & SPA The 97 guest rooms and suites are spread over 35 lush acres. Overlooking the resort gardens, spacious Premier Rooms offer the ultimate in comfort. Try our new WestinWORKOUT Room to maintain your wellness routine in privacy. The standalone Premier Villa offers comfort and exclusivity. Relax and rejuvenate in natural surroundings with modern amenities including a deep soaking bathtub under a glass roof. Our twobedroom Luxury Villa offers a beautiful and restful sanctuary, which includes a large outdoor terrace with chaise lounge.

The Presidential Villa offers two levels of ultimate pampering with two bedrooms, a private courtyard with landscaped gardens, and plunge pool.

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THE WESTIN SIRAY BAY RESORT & SPA, PHUKET The Westin Siray Bay Resort & Spa, Phuket is idyllically situated on the small and tranquil Siray Island, overlooking Siray Bay on the east side of Phuket. In addition to our private beach skirting the resort, we have a WestinWORKOUT Fitness Studio, our Heavenly Spa by Westin, our non-motorised water sports programme as well as other beach and water activities, and our spectacular choice of pools plus outdoor jacuzzis.

Step into a 257 Sea View Room and surrender to utter relaxation. These modern rooms reflect our secluded island setting with their cool, ceramic tile floors, neutral palettes with sea-inspired accents, supple fabrics and framed artwork featuring a shell motif.

LE MERIDIEN COCHIN Le Revive is an authentic Ayurvedic spa offering a variety of services to refresh the mind and mend the body. The 5,000year-old healing system of Ayurveda is a holistic, natural therapy that aims to restore the wellbeing of the individual through a series of personalised treatments and medicines. Close your eyes, relax, take a deep breath, and feel the tension eased away as gentle hands rub oils deep into your pores. Adorned in a contemporary style with modern amenities, Le MÊridien Kochi’s 223 guest rooms and suites inspire discovery for both business and leisure travellers. Views overlook manicured gardens, picturesque backwaters, and the orchestrated three-tier pool.

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Choose the best medical assistance provider for your next wellness trip abroad!

You have chosen the best wellness destination for you; now choose the best medical assistance through TrawellTag Cover-More’s travel and medical assistance services. Delivering global innovation in the Indian market, TrawellTag Cover-More, Asia’s largest travel and medical assistance provider, will ensure that you get the best medical assistance on offer, in case of emergencies.

The plan will include 24X7 world-wide medical assistance, medical information, service provider referrals on call and much more.

OTHER UNIQUE SERVICES

GLOBAL ASSISTANCE

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TRAVEL INSURANCE

FAMILY PROTECTION

GLOBAL MOBILE SIM

For product information and terms & conditions, log on to: www.karvatgroup.in/trawelltag

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SELF DRIVES

In the driver’s seat While Indians have started embracing self-drive holidays when travelling abroad, availability of a wide variety of vehicles, improved infrastructure, hubs and organised parking spaces across key destinations will drive the self-drive car segment in the country

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R

oads have always been signs of progress and evolution of civilisation. The ability to travel cannot be complete without roads. Using them as means of tourism is also accepted – buses, coaches, cars, etc. The Autobahn in Germany and the Great Ocean Road in Australia invoke images of seamless cruising on tarmac while enjoying picturesque sceneries.

The Great Ocean Road follows the coastline of Victoria’s south-west stretching 300 km past the Twelve Apostles. Work on the Great Ocean Road began in 1919, when about 3,000 returned soldiers from World War I used picks, crowbars and shovels to hew the road from solid rock.

Their achievement became a memorial to those lost in the war.

Located two hours from Melbourne the Great Ocean Road

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NEW ZEALAND OFFERS MANY NICHE SELF-DRIVE PRODUCTS, FOR EXAMPLE CLASSIC NEW ZEALAND WINE TRAIL IS A SELF-DRIVE EXPEDITION FOR FOOD AND WINE LOVERS - TAKING A JOURNEY OF THE SENSES THROUGH SOME OF NEW ZEALAND’S MOST PICTURESQUE COUNTRYSIDE, AND COVERS BOTH THE NORTH AND SOUTH ISLANDS spans from the surfing capital of Torquay to the whale watching town of Warrnambool.

Another case is the US Route 66 or the Will Rogers Highway which went cross country from Chicago to Los Angeles. Work began in 1926; Route 66 was a great way to travel the country and gave rise to many small business ventures in the small towns along the way. The beginning of the end of the Route started in 1956 when the then president Dwight Eisenhower signed the Interstate Highway Act. Route 66 was officially taken off the United States Highway System January 2014

in 1985. Its historical value and relevance wasn’t lost and in 1999 National Route 66 Preservation Bill was signed and in 2008 World Monuments Fund added Route 66 to the World Monuments Watch for sites along the route. Today there are many companies who provide self-drive holiday solutions on the remains of the Route. A rendition of the importance of this Route can be seen in the Disney animation film the ‘Cars’.

The picturesque locales of New Zealand enamoured the Indian outbound traveller in 2005. New Zealand offers many niche self-drive products, for

example Classic New Zealand Wine Trail is a self-drive expedition for food and wine lovers - taking a journey of the senses through some of New Zealand’s most picturesque countryside. At around 380 km, the trail covers both the North and South islands, and is reportedly one of the best wine drives in the world. More than 230 wineries are found along the trail and about 100 have an open cellar door open to wine lovers. An increasing number of vineyards also offer dining, accommodation and visitor tours. Each region on the Classic New Zealand Wine Trail is famous for its own

distinctive wine style thus offering a unique experience for wine enthusiasts.

FANCY CARS

Companies like Sixt, Avis and Hertz have been in the business long and are still growing, the aim is to find out a different experience even in a fairly basic self drive model.

How does one provide a sense of luxury? Why the cars themselves! More fancy the car more fun for the driver to traverse down the highways. In Europe, Germany-based Nostalgic with its fleet of 30 vintage cars, offers private or incentive self drive trips to the THE EXPLORER | 79

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roads of Italy. Nostalgic has been offering the experience with Alfa Romeo classic cars since 2003. The cars are post World War II models and are easy to drive.

The Alfa Romeo cars offered by Nostalgic: ● Alfa Romeo ● Giulietta Spider ● Giulia Spider ● 2600 Spider ● Giulia GTC ● 2000 Spider.

A more contemporary and bigger company is UK based Regency Prestige. They offer luxury sports car and super car for hire. They add the latest models from world renowned brands such as Bentley, Lamborghini, Aston Martin, Audi, Mercedes, BMW, Lotus, and Maserati. The company’s network is also worth being envious of – from Watford to Dundee they have set ups everywhere in the UK and they promise to deliver the car wherever the customer maybe.

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network ranges close to 33 lakh km and is the second largest in the world. Of the total network, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) estimates that that national highways occupy 70,548 km, the state highways 1,31,899 km, major district roads 4,67,763 and the rural and other roads occupies the majority, ie, 26,50,000 km of the overall Indian road network. The potential of self drives need not be spelt out. However the number of companies offering self drive holidays in India is limited. The reasons are a plenty. Indian road conditions generally remain debatable leading to early depreciation of the asset (car). But the network is slowly and steadily growing.

Then there is the insurance policy system for operators who have not been developed and therefore the cost of even the most minor damage has to be borne by the driver making it an expensive affair. Besides the lack of knowledge or education on the consumer’s January 2014

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end is also a dampener.

Brighter side of the picture is that road travel is quite popular and unorganised self drive systems are very much prevalent. Take a trip down to Goa for instance, it is convenient to just rent a car and move around the small state rather than be dependent on public transport; the security deposit is also not exorbitant. It is the conversion of these unorganised players onto the other side that needs to be looked at in the current time. Popularity of the medium will do the rest in the future.

According to Avis India, the Indian car rental industry is expected to grow at around 28 per cent year-on-year, with an expected car strength of around 50,000-60,000 cars on road per year within the next three years. With India becoming an integral part of the global business, there has been a dramatic increase in the demand for the premium car rentals to cater to international travellers (both January 2014

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business and leisure) and the growing expatriate community.

Over the next couple of years, Avis India is looking at new initiatives and expansion of its existing services like the self drive and fleet management segments. The company offers self drive through all major metropolitan cities in the country. It has already launched a self drive holiday campaign to Thailand and Europe and the Avis India self drive holidays. They also have a tie up with Ford India. Avis also offers four wheel drives, SUVs and automatic transmission cars. Cars available include Toyota Innova, Toyota Corolla, Honda City, Ford Fiesta, Mitsubishi Pajero, Ford Endeavour, Tata Safari, among others.

Development of projects like Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor offer immense potential to tap this segment.

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length of 1483 km between Delhi and Mumbai covers six states – Uttar Pradesh, Delhi NCR, Haryana, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Maharashtra. The Delhi - Mumbai leg of the Golden Quadrilateral National Highway also runs almost parallel to the Freight Corridor.

This corridor will be equipped with an array of infrastructure facilities such as power facilities, rail connectivity to ports en route, etc.

Approximately 180 million people, 14 per cent of the population, is said to be affected by the corridor’s

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development. Even though the key focus of the project is industrial in nature it is difficult to take away its impact on tourism. A road trip to Leh Ladakh is on every Indian’s bucket list nowadays. The only road leading to the destination was via Himachal Pradesh. Not anymore - the district of Kargil in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) formally inaugurated two new tourist circuits in the region in 2010. In 2009 the home ministry, Government of India (GoI) sanctioned the opening of these two tourist circuits which was finally passed in March

2010. These circuits are Batalik-Darchiks-GarkoneDah-Khalsi-Leh and KhangralChiktan-Shakar-Sanjak-Leh. CARAVAN TOURISM

In 2009, in an effort to further utilise Indian roads for tourism, MoT GoI announced guidelines for caravan tourism.

Under the guidelines, the caravans would be popularised and promoted by developing caravan parks in PPP mode.

The caravan parks would be approved by the MoT once they develop the minimum required facilities such as parking bays,

tourist amenities centre, landscaping, toilets and adequate measures for safety and security of tourists. The caravan parks will provide electricity, water and sewage disposal facilities to the caravans which are parked.

The caravan parks shall maintain environmental friendly and responsible practices. The MoT shall provide central assistance, which could be up to `five crore per destination to state governments/UT under its existing scheme. Assistance to the level of 25 per cent of the

A ROAD TRIP TO LEH LADAKH IS ON EVERY INDIAN’S BUCKET LIST NOWADAYS. THE ONLY ROAD LEADING TO THE DESTINATION WAS VIA HIMACHAL PRADESH. NOT ANYMORE - THE DISTRICT OF KARGIL IN JAMMU AND KASHMIR (J&K) FORMALLY INAUGURATED TWO NEW TOURIST CIRCUITS IN THE REGION IN 2010 82 | THE EXPLORER

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ACCORDING TO AVIS INDIA, THE INDIAN CAR RENTAL INDUSTRY IS EXPECTED TO GROW AT AROUND 28 PER CENT YEAR-ON-YEAR, WITH AN EXPECTED CAR STRENGTH OF AROUND 50,000-60,000 CARS ON ROAD PER YEAR WITHIN THE NEXT THREE YEARS. WITH INDIA BECOMING AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE GLOBAL BUSINESS, THERE HAS BEEN A DRAMATIC INCREASE IN THE DEMAND FOR THE PREMIUM CAR RENTALS

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SELF-DRIVE HOLIDAYS OFFER ULTIMATE FREEDOM IN THE HANDS OF A TRAVELLER. WITH ITS VARIED COLOURFUL LANDSCAPE, INDIA OFFERS MYRIAD SELF DRIVE OPPORTUNITIES FOR TRAVELLERS, BE IT BY RENTING A CAR OR TAKING OFF IN A CARAVAN. CARAVANS ARE THE INDIAN VERSION OF RECREATIONAL VEHICLES

cost can also be provided for procurement of caravans in public sector corporations.

Caravans are Indian version of recreational vehicles or RVs as they are popularly known.

Madhya Pradesh Tourism has taken upon itself the onus to run and manage caravan coaches in the state. Promoted as 'Holiday on Wheels', there are several packages that the state is promoting in three circuits with base in Jabalpur, Indore and Bhopal. Madhya Pradesh Tourism also boasts 64 hotel properties in the state and these have become the January 2014

parking base for caravans for power backs up, cleaning, etc.

There are all basic facilities available onboard and even internet connection, thereby offering a comprehensive approach to the product. It is at the moment used extensively by honeymooners and small families. The product has been reasonably priced inclusive of 250 km of travel and night stay in the caravan.

Taking up on this untapped potential is Paracoats Products (PCP) who have tied up with Thailand based Vantec World Transport to design motor

home cum office. Model known as the PCP Terra and its kit is manufactured in Thailand and will be assembled in Manesar, Haryana.

The assembly will be done on Mahindra Genio which is small pick-up model car. The entire motor home/ caravan is priced at `35-37 lakh and will include the price of the vehicle as well.

Within the tourism sector PCP is targetting car rental companies.

The challenge however is the lack of caravan parks, there aren't any available yet. The company is looking to have a

project of its own in Neemrana and has created a blueprint based on the directives given by the MoT. As an additional revenue generating model, the park will also function as a club providing leisure facilities to locals. The park will have 10-15 rooms which can be leased out to local hotels as well.

Self-drive holidays offer ultimate freedom in the hands of a traveller. With its varied colourful landscape, India offers myriad self drive opportunities for travellers, be it by renting a car or taking off in a caravan.

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SHERATON MELBOURNE HOTEL We’re located at the Paris end of the Central Business District, offering easy access to dynamic shopping, nightlife, and sporting venues, including the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).

Each of our 174 guest rooms, including 11 Terrace Suites, are exemplified by an LCD flat screen television, a generous work space, and high speed internet access and the inviting Sheraton Sweet Sleeper Bed. Tempt your taste buds at our all-day dining or specialty restaurants, and relax at our Lobby Lounge or bar. Sheraton Fitness Programmed by Core Performance and our Shine Spa offers guests a pampering experience. Plus 669 sq metres of meeting and function space.

88 | THE EXPLORER

SHERATON ON THE PARK

THE WESTIN CAPE TOWN

Our hotel is a hospitable haven where guests can take comfort in the flawless delivery of their function. Absolute commitment to customer satisfaction is one of the hotel’s key distinguishing factors, and the professionalism of our staff makes the difference between a good event and a great one. For those planning a large wedding, the Grand Ballroom can accommodate up to 350 people to toast, cheer and share your 'big day'.

With 557 stylish and comfortable guest rooms and 18 meeting rooms, it’s easy to see why Sheraton on the Park was named Australia’s Best Meetings & Conference Property at the 2013 and 2012 HM Awards, and a Hall of Fame Recipient for Best Luxury Accommodation at the 2012 NSW Tourism Awards.

Cape Town's most vibrant five-star hotel boasts of panoramic views of Table Mountain, the V&A Waterfront, and Table Bay. These unmatched accommodations are situated in the capital's cultural centre, at the waterfront's entrance near bustling Long Street. Our award-winning 19th-floor Arabella Spa overlooks the city and the Atlantic Ocean, while dynamic, on-site dining venues include Louis B's, boasting an outdoor terrace; and Thirty7, a modern brasserie with Asian and French influences. The style and décor of our 483 guest rooms and suites are truly unique to Cape Town and South Africa, offering Afro-chic interiors, panoramic views and the largest collection of specially commissioned local artworks.

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T SPECIAL NEEDS TOURISM

Travel enabled From accessible tourism for people with limited mobility to special interest tours for the elderly, there is a growing market for niche tourism products that attract travellers who are focused on what they want from a destination and seek exclusive products

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hough still at a very nascent stage, barrier free travel is slowly emerging as a segment that few operators in the travel industry are focusing on in response to a growing need among people with limited ability to explore the world. The fact that many countries have made legislations for special arrangements that makes accessible tourism possible, has been driving this segment. Besides the European countries, the US, Canada, Australia, Japan and even some Middle East nations are at the forefront of promoting accessible tourism. Contrary to popular perception, some commendable initiatives have been made in India as well though a lot still needs to be done. The fact that there is a growing perception of the need to cater to diversified segments, including people with disability, will make tourism more accessible for all.

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ACCESSIBLE TOURISM IS A STEP TOWARDS ENSURING EQUALITY OF RIGHTS. THE OUTBOUND MARKET FROM INDIA IS OPENING UP TO THIS SEGMENT AS A LOT OF PHYSICALLY CHALLENGED AND SENIOR CITIZENS ARE BECOMING A BUDDING GROUP OF FREQUENTERS OF TRAVEL, SPORTS AND OTHER LEISURE ORIENTED PRODUCTS & SERVICES

have been a rarity a few companies do customise holiday options for FITs. Accessible tourism is a step towards ensuring equality of rights for these persons and seek to empower people with disabilities to experience tourism in an independent, equitable and dignified manner. Ezeego1 is one of the few OTAs that has a focus on this segment and has been organising customised tours in India and overseas. The accessible environment created for clients with limited mobility has also been provided to the elderly. Neelu Singh, COO, 92 | THE EXPLORER

Ezeego1.com acknowledges that the outbound market from India is opening up to this segment as a lot of physically challenged and senior citizens are becoming a budding group of frequenters of travel, sports and other leisure oriented products and services.

Manjula Godia, CEO, Varun Worldwide Holidays had taken a group of autistic and dyslexic students from JBCN Academy to the UK in 2011. The academy is a school for children with learning disabilities who were representing India at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. The school was also keen to show

them around England and Scotland. “It was a challenge and we knew it had to be done. Our initiative has been acknowledged by a lot of people and hope we will be able to take this one step further,” says Godia, who is working on a plan to take a group of kids who are cancer survivors on a holiday. “We try and ensure that people with limited mobility can function independently and with dignity by delivering to them tourism products without compromising on the services.

We hope our work will be noticed by various tourism boards and authorities,” adds Godia. Varun

Worldwide Holidays is also in touch with institutions in various countries and are planning to jointly come up with programmes that can help such people to be motivated to travel. Godia points out that Indian families with less mobile people are now more open to travel with their families due to the ease with which they can manage the entire trip. Most airlines, hotels, transport companies and eateries are striving to make travel and tourism available to all segments.

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mobility issues, some progress has been made. “The tourism industry in India is increasingly focusing on segmentation as a way to provide better service to specific tourist groups who are differentiated by demographic and psychographic characteristics,” states Singh, pointing out that new market segments are continually being sought by the industry as other segments mature. Focused efforts to sensitise people at the ground level to the needs of tourists with limited mobility is a tough but necessary task.

Anjlee Agarwal, executive director and access consultant, Samarthyam - National Centre for Accessible Environments has been working with the ASI Delhi and Odisha Circle to promote universal accessible features. She avers that despite the growing awareness, it has not translated into visible access so far. "This segment of the society remains a huge untapped market by the tourism service providers. The lack of a cohesive database of requirements for different January 2014

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disabilities and the services and facilities that cater to these diverse user groups is missing. In addition, this diverse user group is not seen as the lucrative market which it can be otherwise.

A lack of sensitivity and understanding further restricts the opportunities available to us," she states. Agarwal has been at the forefront of raising awareness of the need for ‘Tourism for All’.

She has been promoting accessible design through access audits and training workshops and doing advocacy with stakeholder groups and government agencies to ensure changes at a policy level.

Samarthyam has been working with key decision-makers and tourism service providers including travel agents/tour operators to promote accessible and responsible tourism.

Samarthyam’s founders had participated in the Regional Training Workshop on Promotion of Accessible Tourism and Asia-Pacific Conference on Tourism for People with Disabilities, which adopted the THE EXPLORER | 93

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Bali Declaration, 2000. “India is one of the signatories to the Bali Declaration,” reminds Agarwal.

WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE

While better ramps, better signages and rooms that are more friendly to people with weaker or limited motor skills are the basic requirements, greater participation is needed from the travel fraternity. While metropolitan cities in India have made some progress, it is a different scenario altogether for smaller destinations who may have to take bigger steps to remove the barriers that stop less mobile people from visiting them.

“But I do see a great potential for the Indian market to go barrier free, with the right investment and proper planning,” adds Godia. This could range from temples with designated areas for disabled people, monuments with lifts for wheelchairs and special guides for the deaf and mute. Braille must also be made a mandatory.

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'inclusive tourism'. Agarwal points out that an important step is creating awareness and sensitivity, both for service providers who interact with persons with disabilities and also those that provide that service at a holistic level - hotel owners, architects and designers who create usable facilities, transport and tourism professionals involved in the trade and tour operators. This may be done through training and workshops.

Yet another important initiative is access audits of existing and proposed facilities which provide suggestions for further improvements in them. “A team of trained access auditors with diverse disabilities and professionals reviews obstacles in a given facility and prepares a report with graphic illustrations, designs and sketches for effective implementation,” mentions Agarwal, adding that, advocacy with stakeholders and service providers, to promote universal access in built, transport and tourist environment, is important too. Further, policy level changes January 2014

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through an action oriented approach with focused implementation of recommendations/guidelines will find a multitude of benefits.

It is important for the tourism industry to place itself in a position where they can pitch to attract tourist with disabilities and the elderly. “These two categories of people form a large percentage of the world population. Moreover disabled people rarely travel alone. Once it is recognised that attracting this segment of travellers makes good business sense then automatically the rest would follow,� avers Shivani Gupta, who heads AccessAbility, a well known access consultancy.

Having conducted packages like Himalaya on Wheels that cater to the needs of disabled people, she points out to the need for encouraging trained staff to assist and work towards promoting accessibility provisions in tourist areas.

Besides tour operators can cater to groups of hearing impaired tourists by having tour guides January 2014

who are trained in sign language.

Further audio description available of different tourist places can attract travellers with vision impairments.

AWARENESS AMONG HOTEL INDUSTRY

The hospitality sector in India still has a long way to go though awareness has improved in the last decade. It is no secret that apart from a few five - star hotel chains, the budget and midmarket category is yet to implement access friendly features. Gupta who has a double degree in Hotel Management and Architecture, and a PG degree in Inclusive Environments from UK has worked extensively with the ITC Hotel division and with the Park Hotels. “While most fivestar hotels do make genuine efforts to provide at least one disabled friendly room, this is not the case in most budget hotels.

Some business hotel chains have also started ensuring they have disabled friendly rooms. Having said this even today if one wants to host an international THE EXPLORER | 95

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WITH THE BURGEONING ECONOMY, HIGH EARNING AND WELL-SETTLED CHILDREN ALONG WITH SUFFICIENT DISPOSAL INCOME POST RETIREMENT, SENIOR CITIZENS ARE EXPERIMENTING WITH NEW TRAVEL EXPERIENCES conference with a number of disabled participants finding adequate suitable accommodation remains a difficult task,” says Gupta. She feels that the ITC Hotels and Lemon Tree Hotels have made commendable efforts. Besides providing consultancy to hotels to make their infrastructure more accessible, comfortable and safe for use by guests with disabilities, Gupta also audits the existing hotel infrastructure and recommends modifications to make it more accessible. “I do feel that the ministry of tourism must become stricter in ensuring that accessibility is provided in all hotels. Even today I have visited five-star hotels that have a star rating from the government but no facilities for the disabled. They must have proper evaluation system in place to ensure that such things do not happen, especially now that all category of hotels must provide some basic accessible facilities,” states Gupta adding that it is time hotel classifications are revised to specify a percentage of rooms that are accessible for disabled people rather than just talking in terms of one accessible room.

Accessible tourism comprises of a wide range of special facilities – from accessible hotels to transport facilities to approach to tourist and shopping sites - all that incorporates upgrading the whole infrastructure in different regions of the country, which might take another decade or more.

SENIOR CITIZEN TOURS

Worldwide senior citizens are considered among the most affluent segments who are ready to spend well for a leisurely and exclusive 96 | THE EXPLORER

vacation – staying in best hotels, booking premium category tours and they also spend maximum number of nights at a destination. An interesting aspect of tours for senior citizens is the camaraderie and bonhomie that is seldom witnessed in other niche groups. There is a huge demand for senior citizen tours in outbound, inbound as well as domestic sector. With the burgeoning economy, high earning and wellsettled children along with sufficient disposal income during post retirement period, senior citizens are experimenting with various new travel experiences in newer as well as off-beat destinations apart from the traditional religious tourism. With market becoming competitive and the government offering subsidies in rail and air tickets, senior citizens are now opting for various value-for-money offers from tour operators and travelling across the world.

As far as the outbound market is concerned Europe & USA will always remain the top outbound destinations for senior citizens because most of them have their children and relatives settled there. But with increased air connectivity and awareness campaigns by several tourism boards, senior citizens are now opting for short-haul distance particularly to Thailand, Malaysia and Sri Lanka. They prefer comfortable and less tiring journeys with an experience of beaches, heritage, exotic food, nature walk, tea estates and folk music. While dealing with senior citizens during the various tour programmes the stress is primarily on two factors compassion and caring. Custom-made tour itineraries have to be provided for them.

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All 726 of our spacious guest rooms and suites boast of spectacular panoramic river views. Revel in the warm, calming, and contemporary ambiance of these wellappointed accommodations, featuring subtle Thai style and the Sheraton Sweet Sleeper Bed. Enjoy the refined style and modern comforts of a riverside hotel. Take time out at our two pools or book a spa treatment, discover exciting cuisine in our six restaurants and bars, or experience memorable events in 22 function rooms.

The Sheraton Imperial Kuala Lumpur Hotel welcomes you with warm Malaysian hospitality. We are conveniently located within the business and commercial district, making it easy for you to get to your workplace and city attractions. All 385 of our spacious guest rooms and suites are designed with your comfort in mind.

Each space offers scenic views of the city skyline, a luxurious bed, 40-inch LCD TV with cable and satellite channels, and high speed internet access. Work out at our Sheraton Fitness, or rejuvenate at our award winning Mandara Spa. Join the community at the Link@Sheraton experienced with Microsoft and stay connected to what matters most to you during your travels.

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