Travel and Hospitality (TnH) - April 2018

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www.tnhglobal.com

ISSUE 07 | VOLUME IX | APRIL 2018 | `50

PA G E S 5 2

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FROM THE EDITOR

Rising mania of holidaying abroad

Publisher & Editor Srishti Rai Director Bharat S. Rai Managing Editor Prem Kumar General Manager - Marketing Prem Sagar premsagar@tnhindia.com (M) +91 99106 81111 Art Director Sunny Singh Web Designer Mohit Chaudhary Senior Reporter Archana Sharma Correspondent (Kolkata) Swaati Chaudhury Accounts Chander Shakher Balodi Administration Executive Sarwat Jahan

For any query, write to us at: info@tnhindia.com

www.tnhglobal.com Printed, published and owned by Srishti Rai. Printed at Somsons Printing Works, 1/7, DoctorĂŠs Lane, Gole Market, New Delhi - 110001, and published at P- 23/90, Connaught Circus, New Delhi 110001; Editor: SRISHTI RAI

We Indians love to travel abroad for holidays. For several reasons, foreign destinations appeal us more than the domestic ones. With the expansion of the country's middle-class, the increasing number of Indians are travelling abroad every year for holidaying and other purposes. This number is expected to grow exponentially in the foreseeable future. A recent report by aviation consultant CAPA India and leading OTA Expedia estimates that the number of Indians going abroad annually for holidays will triple by 2025.

Other than the growing size of Indian middle-class and aspirational youth, improvement in air-connectivity is the key factor driving international travel from India. This expected jump in the number offers immense opportunity for foreign destinations to attract Indian tourists. Many NTOs have already recognized this fact and giving high priority to this promising market. To know

more read our cover story: 'Quantum Leap in Holidaying Abroad' (Page 18).

With increasing disposable income and appetite to travel, people are also becoming more and more discerning in their tastes and preferences for travel options. To cater to this segment of discerning travellers, there are players who are using their creativity and technology to curate customized travel experiences with unique activities and itineraries. To know how these players are curating holidays for discerning travellers, read our story: 'Indian Brands Promoting Experiential Travel' on page 26.

In this issue, we have featured the exclusive interview (Diplomat's Corner, page 38) of the Ambassador of Austria to India, H.E. MS. BRIGITTE Ă–PPINGER-WALCHSHOFE, who talks about the excellent bilateral relations between India and Austria, besides tourism potential of her country. Her advice for you is that if you are travelling to Austria, stay there at least a week to experience the variety of landscapes and culture of the country.

Enjoy reading!

Srishti Rai Editor

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18 COVER STORY Quantum leap in holidaying abroad 10 NEWS Kempinski Hotels opens GSO in India 11 NEWS Clarks Inn recognised as the ‘Best Hospitality Management Company’ 13 NEWS Preferred Hotels & Resorts kicks off its Asia Pacific series of 50th Anniversary celebrations 14 NEWS 'TAAI's convention in Srinagar to boost tourism in Jammu & Kashmir' 16 INTERVIEW 'FTV brand stands for presenting the best of the latest trends in Fashion & Lifestyle'

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26 17 NEWS There will be 'zero tolerance' on air safety issues: Suresh Prabhu 22 INTERNATIONAL Sharjah expects 10-15% growth in tourist influx from India this year 24 INTERNATIONAL Atlantis, The Palm launches world’s first social media suite

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25 INTERNATIONAL Jordan comes to India…

26 FEATURE Indian brands promoting experiential travel 29 INTERNATIONAL WAT announces unique travel experiences to Cuba and Mexico

34 BITE CORNER Exquisite feast at Infinity, Crowne Plaza Mayur Vihar 38 DIPLOMAT’S CORNER Austria: a perfect destination for every kind of travellers

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43 NEWS TBO and NG group celebrate International Women’s Day

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NEWS

JW MARRIOTT DEBUTS IN RAJASTHAN

JW Marriott’s ninth property in India is a luxurious haven embodying the destination’s regal heritage combined with modern flair Marriott International announced the opening of the JW Marriott Jaipur Resort & Spa, marking the debut of the global luxury brand in India's fabled ‘Pink City’. Nestled among the green hills of the ancient Aravalli Range in the Indian state of Rajasthan, the 200-room, five-star JW Marriott Jaipur Resort & Spa features luxurious amenities and services that celebrate the region's rich tapestry of history, heritage, and culture.

“India is a key market for the JW Marriott brand and we are excited to be expanding into the captivating city of Jaipur”, said Mitzi Gaskins, Vice President and Global Brand Leader, JW Marriott Hotels & Resorts. “The opening of JW Marriott

Jaipur Resort & Spa signifies the brand’s steady and continued global growth.”

"This beautiful city is a serene modern oasis steeped in the ancient traditions and culture of this amazing region and is the perfect setting for the newest JW Marriott in AsiaPacific,” said Bruce Ryde, Asia-Pacific Vice-President for Luxury Brands and Brand Marketing, Marriott International. “Through this elegant hotel’s delivery of enriching experiences that showcase The JW Treatment, which is the brand’s philosophy that true luxury is created by people who are passionate about what they do, the JW Marriott Jaipur certainly embodies and transcends at every level."

The JW Marriott Jaipur is inspired by the regal palaces of Rajasthan featuring grand arches, pleasant fountains, intricate 'Jaali' metalwork,

delicate inlays and hand-painted patterns in a classical blue-and-white palette.

by TNH DESK

ETIHAD AIRWAYS LAUNCHES BOEING 787 DREAMLINER ON GENEVA ROUTE Etihad Airways launched its flagship Boeing 787 Dreamliner on the Abu Dhabi – Geneva route on Sunday, 25 March, beginning with the summer schedule.

Geneva is the second Swiss destination after Zurich served by Etihad Airways’ next generation aircraft which is fast becoming the backbone of the Abu Dhabi-based carrier’s long-haul fleet. The three-class aircraft, featuring eight

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First Suites, 28 Business Studios and 199 Economy Smart Seats, re-

places the Airbus A330s previously operating daily on the route, and offers additional cargo capacity.

Peter Baumgartner, Etihad Airways Chief Executive Officer, said: “We are delighted that Switzerland, one of our most attractive markets for both business and leisure travellers, will now be exclusively served by our flagship Boeing 787

by TNH DESK Dreamliner.”

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NEWS

Air India launches direct flight from New Delhi to Tel Aviv

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ir India has began nonstop flight operations from New Delhi to Tel Aviv in Israel starting March 22 onwards. The carrier confirmed flying thrice a week on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday on Air India’s Boeing 787 Dreamliner that has 18 business class and 238 economy seats. This announcement has come at a time when Israel Min-

istry of Tourism has recorded a whopping growth of 50% in January and 25% in February, 2018 of Indian arrivals to Israel vis-à-vis the same period in 2017.

Hassan Madah, Director, Israel Ministry of Tourism India & Philippines says, “In light of the significant increase in incoming tourism from India over the past few years, the Ministry of

JHARKHAND TOURISM HOLDS ROADSHOW IN DELHI

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harkhand Tourism Department organised a massive road show at Hotel Hindusthan International, in which North India’s prominent travel and trade representatives were invited to witness the impressive presentation from the Jharkhand Tourism Department, which showcased the upcoming Jharkhand Travel Mart to be held at Ranchi from March 23 to 25, 2018.

During the occasion, Jharkhand Tourism announced the plan drawn by the State to celebrate the Inaugural edition of upcoming “Jharkhand Travel Mart 2018”. This year’s event will be one of the most colourful and vibrant editions of the JTM ever seen. M/S Sphere Travelmedia and Exhibitions is organising this travel mart.

Sanjeev Kumar Birsa, IAS, Director – Tourism, Govt. of Jharkhand addressed the gathering. Rohit Hangal Director, Sphere Travelmedia & Exhibitions was also present during the occasion.

Sanjeev Kumar Birsa, IAS Director – Tourism, Govt. of Jharkhand said, “We have a clear vision for the State, with various activities planned to make Jharkhand a tourist friendly destination.” by TNH DESK

Tourism has been in talks with Air India and other airlines to increase their flights and seat capacity into Israel. Air India’s direct flight connectivity from New Delhi to Tel Aviv is great news especially with its shorter

by TNH DESK flight duration.

Hassan Madah Director, Israel Ministry of Tourism India & Philippines

JET AIRWAYS TO ADD 144 WEEKLY FLIGHTS Jet Airways (India) Ltd announced that it will introduce an additional 144 weekly flights as part of its summer schedule, starting March-end.

“As part of the new schedule, Jet Airways will strengthen connectivity between the country’s capital and the northeastern region,” Jet Airways said in a statement. Jet Airways’ move to increase flights comes after the country’s aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) grounded 11 Airbus A320Neo aircraftl.

by TNH DESK

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NEWS

Kamats Restaurants opens new outlet at Nashik –Sinnar Kamats Restaurants that operates chain of quick-service restaurants at various locations on national highways, state highways and cities has now unveiled its new outlet at Nashik Sinnar, in the Pune Nashik Highway.

The restaurant offers pure vegetarian, delicious food that is served in hygienic surroundings. It is ideal place for travellers to take a quick bite and choose from wide of variety of quality food, fresh ingredients and distinctive flavours.

The popular multi-cuisine restaurant serves delicious South Indian, Punjabi, Snacks, Mughlai as well as Maharashtrain delicacies. The restaurant also offers extensive breakfast, lunch and dinner menu. Kamats delights its customers with authentic food cooked fresh, at affordable prices and served in quick speed. It is known for trendy offerings and new innovations in menu to keep it ahead of its competiby TNH DESK tors.

Radisson Blu Pune Hinjawadi unveils Over The Top Bar & Grill An oasis under the Hinjawadi skyline, OTT – Over the Top is Radisson Blu Pune Hinjawadi’s chic rooftop bar and grill, the perfect place to sip with Western Pune’s after-work crowd. Clearly, the property is in expansion mode when it comes to its bouquet of restaurants. At the event, the logo was unveiled by the General Manager Pankaj Saxena. Speaking on the launch, he expressed his pleasure, “This is our second addition to the property and not just looks beyond extraordinary but is also exquisite in its offerings. We are sure that our guests will be pleasantly surprised when they visit OTT.” The launch day saw food bloggers, fashion bloggers and who’s who of the town sampling the exotic food menu, sipping on delish concoctions and indulging in hearty conversaby TNH DESK tions.

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SAROVAR HOTELS LAUNCHES REDESIGNED WEBSITE Sarovar Hotels & Resorts announces the launch of its newly redesigned website.

Guests can now explore the website which has been designed to offer a more user friendly experience and is mobile and e-commerce optiAjay Bakaya MD, Sarovar Hotels & Resorts mized. The initiative further signifies the group’s effort in enabling guests a superlative experience and its strong expansion plans. The website is now live at www.sarovarhotels.com. The new website offer add-on benefits to customers booking rooms from the brand website directly with services such as customized meal by the Chef, takeaway breakfast on early check out, check-in/check-out at your convenience and free high speed internet

by TNH DESK browsing.

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NEWS

Group Concorde: General Sales Agent of the Year International Region – India

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roup Concorde has recently been conferred with “General Sales Agent of the Year International Region – India” award at Air Cargo India 2018 Exhibition and Conference. The award ceremony took place on 21st Feb’18 at Grand Hyatt Bombay.The award was given by Tadesse Tilahun - Regional Director Indian Subcontinent, Ethiopian Airlines to Prithviraj Singh Chug – Director, Group Concorde and Praveen

(L-R) Tadesse Tilahun, Prithviraj Singh Chug, Praveen Kumar Narayanan

Kumar Narayanan – Vice President Business Development, Group Concorde.

Group Concorde is a diversified aviation services group, covering such segments as Airline Representations (GSSA) and International & Domestic Logistics. Since its formation in 1985, Group Concorde

has established its reputation as an innovative company – delivering exceptional performance for its clients, principals, and stakeholders.

Group Concorde has a global presence, having 32 offices in 24 cities in India and 16 globally currently serving more than 20 airby TNH DESK lines.

TATTVA SPA LAUNCHES NEW FACILITY

AT COURTYARD BY MARRIOTT CHAKAN

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iming to rejuvenate and revitalize people’s lives with their specialized service offering, Tattva Spa has launched its new facility at Courtyard by Marriott Chakan. Located in the urban town of Chakan in Pune, Tattva offers a wide and extensive array of wellness therapies to local and international guests.

Courtyard by Marriott Pune Chakan is an award-winning business hotel, conveniently located in the vicinity of the corporate hub of Chakan, being the favorite choice for travelers. The hotel is an ex-

traordinary venue for business as well as social gatherings.

Spread in an area of approx. 750 sq feet, Tattva Spa at Courtyard by Marriott Pune Chakan is a wellness destination for the new-age business traveler. Amidst a contemporary setting, Tattva Spa brings state of the art beauty therapies, luxurious Indian Ayurvedic and international inspired services to the international traveler seeking Indian experiences and the domestic traveler seeking to de-stress from today’s hectic work-life. Amongst the plethora of therapies and treat-

ments charted by Tattva, the company prides itself in offering the most rejuvenating “Tattva Signature therapy” – a combination of stretches & traditional massage techniques,“ Jetlag (reliever) massage” – for the new-age business traveller, luxury spa facials like “Activated charcoal peel-off mask” – for tired skin ,through its well trained healers (masseurs).

by TNH DESK

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NEWS

Kempinski Hotels opens GSO in India Nijhawan Group has been appointed the GSO in India by Kempinski Hotels. Due to growing interest in emerging markets Kempinski Hotels has opened three Global Sales Offices in India, in Mumbai, New Delhi and Bangalore. Since conditions in tourism and travel have changed dramatically over the past years, India has burst on the Global tourism landscape in a big way. As the UNWTO has predicted 50 million people travelling out of India by 2020, Kempinski Hotels clearly felt the important need to cover this crucial market with a dedicated sales force.

by TNH DESK

TOFTigers launches the 5th TOFTigers Wildlife Tourism Awards 2018 TOFTigers has launched the 5th TOFTigers Wildlife Tourism Awards 2018. The theme of this year’s award is ‘Inclusive Conservation – People and Wildlife’. The Awards aim to highlight and reward the very best in the nature and wildlife tourism fields who are leading the way in wilderness destinations in the Indian subcontinent.

by TNH DESK

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K K BEACON HOTEL OPENS IN RAJKOT The Fern Hotels & Resorts has added another hotel to its portfolio with the launch of K K Beacon Hotel, Rajkot. This is the eighth hotel which is managed by the company under the Beacon Hotels brand.

The other Beacon properties are located in Ajmer, Amritsar, Bhopal, Jodhpur, Mumbai and Udaipur. Beacon Hotels (a brand owned by The Fern Hotels and Resorts) are positioned as “Smart & Efficient” hotels in the economy segment, providing value-for-money accommodations and

offering limited services with all the essential amenities for a comfortable stay.

The hotel comprise of 34 elegantly appointed and spacious air-conditioned rooms with all modern amenities including internet facility, cable television, direct-dial telephone, multiple computer/mobile phone charging points, mini bar, hairdryer and multiple dining options.

The hotel is strategically located 3 km from the airport and in close proximity to the railway station and bus stand.

by TNH DESK

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NEWS

CLARKS INN RECOGNISED AS THE 'BEST HOSPITALITY MANAGEMENT COMPANY' Clarks Inn Group of Hotels has been recognised as the ‘Best Hospitality Management Company’ at the ASSOCHAM’s Tourism & Hospitality Awards 2018. The award was bestowed during the ‘National Conference and Awards on Tourism & Hospitality Infrastructure, Finance, Outreach’ organised by ASSOCHAM in the national capital recently. Clarks Inn Group of Hotels’

President & Co-founder, S. N. Srivastava received the award from the Hon. Dr. Mahesh Sharma, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Culture.

Speaking on recognition, Srivastava said, “We have established a leading presence in India by offering consistent and world-class services at business and leisure destinations, providing business and leisure trav-

ellers with impeccable hospitality, comfort and convenience at an unsurpassed value, while ensuring complete customer satisfaction. Fulfilling the individual needs of a clearly defined target group has been a proven recipe for success in the Group’s corporate philosophy for several years.

by TNH DESK

Setting a benchmark in Indian tourism entertainment Imagica, the country’s largest themed entertainment park providing diverse portfolio would surely make all outbound Indian travellers proud of.

For those in search of luxury, entertainment, fine dining, fun, adventure and shopping all under one umbrella, it becomes significant to mention that there’s Imagica reputed as the country’s premier, global entertainment destination.

Lying off the Mumbai-Pune Expressway at Khopoli and owned by

Adlabs Entertainment Limited, Imagica is the largest entertainment destination in India. The theme park sprawls over an area of 300 acres of land and is pegged at an investment of `1,650 crore. Opened in 2013, the destination is replete with a world-standard theme park, Water Park, an integrated luxury hospitality set-up called Novotel Imagica Khopoli and a Snow Park. The oneof-a-kind entertainment park in South Asia is eyeing expansion plans in the coming period. by TNH DESK

Raveendra Singh AVP, Adlabs Imagica

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NEWS

Bird ExecuJet launches base maintenance service at Pune airport

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ird ExecuJet Airport Services Private Limited, a joint venture between Bird Group and ExecuJet Aviation Group, recently announced the launch of its maintenance base at Pune Airport. This expansion is in line with the company’s vision to provide highest level of service excellence and One Stop Solution for maintenance services to its customers in Pune region.

On the launch of Bird ExecuJet

Pune line maintenance base, Anurag Srivastava, Chief Executive Officer, Bird ExecuJet shared, “We aim to provide world class maintenance service with complete transparency to our customers.

With our presence at Pune airport, customers from the region will now have an option to avail our 24hour support service with a minimum downtime and with no compromise in terms of flight safety. Aircraft Reliability and

Kerala Tourism takes steps to cast safety net for tourists Travellers today can let their hair down and wander across the length and breadth of Kerala since Kerala Tourism has taken up an initiative to come up with a novel tourism Jafar Malik policy and set up KerAdditional Director, Kerala Tourism ala Tourism Regulatory Authority (KTRA) with a view to provide security to tourists.

Speaking on the sidelines of Kerala Tourism Partnership Meet 2018 held in Kolkata, Jafar Malik, Additional Director (General), Department of Tourism, Government of Kerala, said “Setting up KTRA is a part of our tourism policy. We are working upon it and plan to bring to function before October 2018. Providing security to travellers is our prime concern and there can be no compromise when it comes to safety and security of tourists.”

by TNH DESK

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transparency in maintenance is our moto.”

Bird ExecuJet provides the expertise and resources to handle virtually any maintenance task, caring for business aircraft in five regions

by TNH DESK around the world.

Radisson Hotel Group brings Radisson Collection The newly rebranded Radisson Hotel Group previously known as Carlson Rezidor Group announces Radisson Collection. Driven by consumer demand for individuality and more personalized experiences, Radisson Collection brings together the finest hotels in the Radisson Hotel Group portfolio.

Radisson Blu, Agra an upper upscale hotel has been officially shortlisted to be a one of the Radisson Collection properties as Radisson Collection, Agra. It is the only hotel from India to be recognized as a Radisson Collection property among 13 others shortlisted from all over the globe.

by TNH DESK

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NEWS

Preferred Hotels & Resorts kicks off its Asia Pacific Series of 50th Anniversary Celebrations Preferred Hotels & Resorts the world’s largest independent hotel brand with more than 650 unique member hotels, resorts, and residences across 85 countries- today kicked off its Asia Pacific series of 50thAnniversary celebrations at The Leela Palace New Delhi with a specially curated afternoon luncheon presentation at Le Cirque, hosted by CEO Lindsey Ueberroth and Executive Vice President, Saurabh Rai. “As we commemorate the Preferred brand’s 50-year legacy of inspiring travel, we are more

committed than ever to providing travelers with even more opportunities to embrace the spirit of independence and to making our pineapple logo synonymous with the ultimate hallmark in world-class hospitality,” said Ueberroth. “It is so exciting and humbling to see how far we have come as a company, and I am delighted to have the opportunity to celebrate this major milestone with our associates, partners and friends from around the world.

Thomas Cook India expands its network Thomas Cook (India) Ltd., strengthened its presence in Mumbai, Maharashtra with the inauguration of a new franchise ‘Gold Circle Partner’ outlet at Opera House, inaugurated by Rajeev Kale, President & Country Head- Leisure Travel & M.I.C.E, Thomas Cook (India) Limited; Daksh Sharma, Vice President – Leisure Travel, Thomas Cook (India) Limited and Anoop Dsouza Associate Vice President – Leisure Travel Outbound.

This expansion augments Thomas Cook India’s total number of outlets to 21 consumer access centers with 9 owned branches and 12 Gold Circle Partner (franchise) outlets in Mumbai and totally 38 consumer access centers with 15 owned branches and 23 Gold Circle Partner (franchise)

by TNH DESK outlets in Maharashtra.

by TNH DESK

Lindsey Ueberroth, CEO and Saurabh Rai, Executive Vice President

Vistara introduces male cabin crew on flights Vistara introduced its first male cabin crew, a mix of experienced and new crew.

The crew took off to the skies following the completion of a rigorous three-month safety and service training program to the exacting standards of Tata and Singapore Airlines. Vistara also unveiled an elegant uniform for its male cabin crew, which is a fine blend of style, comfort, and functionality, designed by celebrated designer label Lecoanet Hemant.

Vistara’s elegant male crew uniform is based on its brand colours. It includes a light lavender coloured shirt, along with midnight blue tailored-fit trousers and a classic, sleeveless Mandarin-collar jacket.

by TNH DESK

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INTERVIEW

'TAAI's convention in Srinagar to boost tourism in Jammu & Kashmir' The 64th Annual Convention & Exhibition of Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI) was successfully held in Srinagar, the summer capital of the state of Jammu & Kashmir, with TAAI and the J&K Government going the extra mile to make the event successful and memorable.

v B ARCHANA SHARMA Y

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he four-day annual convention of TAAI, also known as Indian Travel Congress, was held from 27th March to 30th March 2018 in Sher-I-Kashmir International Conference Centre (SKICC), Srinagar. Located in the scenic valley of Kashmir and also known as ‘Heaven on Earth’, Srinagar is one of the most beautiful cities in India. The occasion was a wonderful opportunity to know Kashmir once again, thanks to the Government of Jammu & Kashmir and TAAI. In an interview to TnH magazine, Neeraj Malhotra, Chairman, TAAINorthern Region, said, "We organized this limited edition of our annual convention in Srinagar to showcase this beautiful Indian State to our members, other professionals from the industry and the media.'

Malhotra averred that nature has endowed Kashmir with incredible beauty, and TAAI through its convention enabled its members to see for themselves the incredible beauty of the state. Having seen and experienced this incredible destination, we are hopeful that our members will promote Kashmir aggressively among their clients.

"There is a misapprehension that Kashmir is an unsafe destination.

The region is completely safe for tourism. Few sporadic incidents

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should not deter tourists from visiting this wonderful place," said Malhotra, adding that this convention will definitely go a long way in allaying the fear about security and safety in the state and promoting tourism. "I am sure Jammu & Kashmir, especially Kashmir, will once again emerge as a favourite destination among travellers after the successful conclusion of this convention in Srinagar," he further said.

The convention, with tourism as its key focus, was focused on promoting various facets of tourism such as domestic, inbound, MICE, golf, speciality events, etc. With speakers from organizations like UFTAA, IATA, CAPA and Travelport, the convention discussed many issues pertaining to agents.

The convention featured many knowledge sessions and presentations, besides gala evenings, city tours, etc. TAAI Golf Tournament was organized at the Royal Springs Golf Course in Srinagar on 27th March. Delegates got a chance to stay overnight in houseboats in beautiful lakes such as Dal Lake.

Regarding the challenges faced by travel agents, Malhotra said, "We in the Northern Region had the challenge to become PCI-DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard) compliant, a ruling given by IATA which we success-

“

Neeraj Malhotra Chairman, TAAI-NR

I am sure Jammu & Kashmir, especially Kashmir, will once again emerge as a favorite destination among travelers after the successful conclusion of this convention in Srinagar. fully managed thanks to the great efforts put by our team." He added that TAAI, both at the national level as well as at the regional level, is trying its best to rope in national tourism boards to educate members of TAAI about their destinations and make them skilled so that they can sell such destinations and generate more revenues for themselves. Many NTOs have organized several roadshows for the members." The Annual Convention of TAAI has been a great interactive platform for its members and industry leaders, and also a leading event to promote different destinations.

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NEWS

Ginger Hotels expands its footprint in Goa Ginger Hotels announced the opening of their second hotel in Goa with the launch of Ginger Goa, Dona Paula. The move is in line with Indian Hotels Company Limited’s (IHCL) focus on increasing its footprint across segments to meet the consumer demand at various price points.

Perched on a hillock overlooking the Arabian Sea, Ginger Goa, Dona Paula enjoys a prime location and is situated between the Dona Paula beach and the Vainguinim beach. The hotel is within a forty-minute drive from the International Airport and is near Panjim city center as well as the Karmali railway station (Old Goa).

The hotel houses 24 beautifully designed spacious rooms with a choice of a private terrace or a

by TNH DESK balcony.

THE Park Hotels launches adults-only property in Goa THE Park Hotels, pioneers of design and boutique hotels in India, has launched its newest boutique hotel in Baga River, one of the most sought after and picturesque areas of the Goan coast.

THE Park Hotel Goa Baga River, surrounded by rich greenery and coconut trees, is just a half an hour from the airport and a ten-minute drive from the beach,

and boasts scenic views across the lagoon.

The property, with 28-bedrooms, will be the first of THE Park Hotels to be an adults-only hotel (over 18) and is one of the few boutique adults-only hotels in all of India. The luxurious interiors hint at Portuguese influences with bold accents of yellow, the traditional colour of Goa.

by TNH DESK

Clarks Inn debuts in Andhra Pradesh Clarks Inn Group of Hotels adds another milestone in its fast expanding network with its debut in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh as it announces the opening of Triguna Clarks Inn in the historic city of Kurnool today.

With the latest addition, Clarks Inn now boasts of a portfolio of 84 hotel properties, including 44 in operation, spread across 18 states in India and one in Kathmandu, Nepal.

Triguna Clarks Inn is strategically located in the city centre in close proximity to city businesses and a mere 10 minutes drive from

Kurnool’s most famous landmark, the historical Konda Reddy Fort.

A distinct hotel property, the hotel boasts of 49 aesthetically designed rooms across different categories to cater to the needs of discerning business as well as leisure travellers.

Speaking on the latest addition, Rahul Deb Banerjee, Associate Vice President – Operations, Clarks Inn Group of Hotels, said, “We are thrilled to announce the opening of Triguna Clarks Inn in Kurnool. The opening also marks our first foray in the state of Andhra and is the culmination of

Rahul Deb Banerjee Associate Vice President – Operations, Clarks Inn Group of Hotels

long cherished dream of the company. Both Kurnool and Andhra presents huge opportunity for the hotel sector here because of the state’s fast growing economy as well as a growing tourism sector.

by TNH DESK

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INTERVIEW

'FTV brand stands for presenting the best of the latest trends in Fashion & Lifestyle' Rajan Madhu, President, Trinity Fashion Broadcasting & Merchandising Pvt. Ltd.

v B PREM KUMAR

Rajan Madhu, President of Trinity Fashion Broadcasting & Merchandising Pvt. Ltd. (The Exclusive Licensor for Fashion TV in India), is credited with crafting the success story of the FTV brand in the country. Under his dynamic leadership, the brand has grown immensely in India, foraying into many new segments such as hospitality, salon & spa, residences, cosmetics, beverages, etc. In an exclusive interview with TnH magazine, Mr. Madhu talked about the growth of FTV brand in India, its o-air oerings and growth potential in the country's fashion & lifestyle industries.

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Please tell us about the growth of FTV brand in India?

Fashion TV brand was already present in India and our association with the brand created various new verticals such as hospitality, salon & spa, residences, hotel & resorts, accessories, cosmetics, beverages to name a few, which created a much bigger traction on the ground.

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What does the FTV brand stand for? What's its philosophy?

The brand stands for presenting the best of the latest trends in fashion and lifestyle through its television, OTT and digital mediums. Extensive coverage of international fashion weeks, fashion shows and product launches in the luxury and other segments provides possibilities to its millions of viewers and access to fashionable global trends.

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What is the current viewership of FTV in India?

How has it grown in the

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recent years?

Current global viewership of Fashion TV is around 500 million and it would be safe to say that more than 20% of the entire global viewership of FTV is in India itself. The viewership is growing year-on-year because of the global interest and awareness in the latest trends and fashion.

It is quite interesting that a global media organization like yours is also in the business of offering lifestyle services. Your comment.

Yes, as mentioned earlier, by creating several new verticals we have managed to create not only linear advantage of FTV but also on ground feel factor, which is so important for our discerning audience to associate with the brand.

Q

Please give an overview of your off-air offerings?

What are the segments you are more focused on?

Segments such as beauty and wellness and hospitality are al-

Q

ready well-established while segments such as F Residences, F Beverages, F Hotel & Resorts, F Parties and F Accessories etc are now becoming the focus for expansion and development.

Is there any new segment you are planning to venture into?

We feel F Events & F Weddings are new segments that can be very interesting and exciting to promote, as also education in the field of grooming, modelling and fashion designing.

Q

How do you see growth potential in India's fashion, luxury and lifestyle segments?

With the growing population and aspirations of young Indians, Indian fashion is growing at a very fast pace and this is evident from the success of the likes of Amazon, Jabong, Myntra etc. in India. In the coming years, we will see much more interest and demand in the fields of fashion, luxury and lifestyle.

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NEWS

THERE WILL BE 'ZERO TOLERANCE' ON AIR SAFETY ISSUES: SURESH PRABHU

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sserting that there will be "zero tolerance" on air safety issues, Civil Aviation Minister Suresh Prabhu has said the aircraft with engine problems will remain grounded till the issues are addressed.

His remarks came against the backdrop of aviation watchdog DGCA grounding 14 A320 neo planes, operated by IndiGo and GoAir, due to problems with their Pratt & Whitney engines. "Pratt & Whitney has done some retrofitting, which has resulted in some challenges in engines. So, when I became the (civil aviation)

minister, it was pointed out to me... I said this is too risky because safety should not be compromised on any account," Prabhu told a news agency.

Prabhu, who took charge of Civil Aviation Ministry on March 12, noted that safety should not be compromised on any account. On the same day, aviation regulator DGCA ordered IndiGo and GoAir to immediately ground 11 A320 neo planes powered with a certain series of P&W engines after incidents of midair engine failures. "Let them rectify this error and till that time they will be grounded and we called the air-

IATA, MoCA and RGNAU collaborate to develop aviation professionals The International Air Transport Association (IATA) is partnering with India’s Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) and the National Aviation University (RGNAU) to enhance human resource development to support the tremendous growth of India’s aviation market.

IATA, MoCA and RGNAU formalized this partnership in the presence of the Minister of State for Civil Aviation, Jayant Sinha, on the sidelines of Wings India 2018 in Hyderby TNH DESK abad.

Suresh Prabhu Civil Aviation Minister

lines and told them to make alternate arrangements," Prabhu said.

by TNH DESK

Classical Heritage Series Music & Folk Arts programme ends in Kochi The performances that enthralled music buffs in Kochi over the past two weekends came to a close on March 18, leaving the audience at the Bastian Bungalow in Fort Kochi asking for an encore.

Organised over the past two weekends, the Classical Heritage Series saw music recitals from renowned classical music exponents and folk arts performances on March 10, and 11, and March 17 and 18.

The Classical Heritage Series organized by the Union Ministry of Tourism in association with SPIC MACAY witnessed

performances by Ustad Shujaat Khan (Sitar), Vidushi Shubha Mudgal (Hindustani Vocal), Kadari Gopalnath (Saxophone), Begum Parween Sultana (Hindustani Vocal), Ranjit Gogoi and team (Bihu), Warsi Brothers (Qawwali), Aao Naga Choir from Nagaland, and Theyyam from Kerby TNH DESK ala.

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QUANTUM LEAP

IN HOLIDAYING ABROAD v B PREM KUMAR As number of Indians travelling abroad for holidaying expected to see quantum jump in the next five to seven years, foreign destinations are enhancing their focus on the Indian market to tap its tourism potential. A recent report says that number of Indian travelling abroad annually for holidays is expected to triple by 2025.

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nternational travel from India is rising exponentially. Recent sluggishness in the economy is not deterring Indians from traveling abroad, and the likelihood of the economic recovery in short to medium-term is further going to spur Indian outbound travel. In recent years, Indian outbound travel has largely maintained a robust growth. Around 18 million Indians traveled abroad in 2014.

Indian outbound travel has continuously been growing at a rate of 10-11% annually. Various reports in the recent past have predicted an exponential growth in Indian outbound travel. An earlier report by the UNWTO had forecasted that annually 50 million Indians would be travelling abroad by 2020, which now sounds unat-

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tainable. A new report by aviation consultant CAPA India and leading OTA Expedia estimates that the annual number of Indian going abroad for holidays is going to triple by 2025.

The growth in India's outbound travel is being driven by the country's expanding middle-class and youth. Besides changing demography, a key factor that is going to drive growth in Indian outbound travel is improvement in connectivity. Many airlines are poised to expand their international operations. Vistara is soon going to start its international operations. Some LCCs like IndiGo and SpiceJet are planning to start long haul international flights to Europe and the United States, which will boost outbound travel and open a multi-billion dollar op-

portunity for carriers, according to the report of CAPA India and Expedia. Low-cost carriers such as IndiGo and SpiceJet have been so far focused on shorter-range destinations such as Sri Lanka and Thailand.

At present something around 20 million Indian travel abroad annually. Most Indians travel for education, business or to visit friends and relatives. The present percentage of Indians travelling abroad annually for holidaying is meager 0.3%, which is a fraction of the estimated 100 million who could potentially afford to travel.

According to CAPA's report, tourism spending by Indians could rise to as much as $40 billion by 2027 from about $16.4 billion in 2016, making India sixth largest tourism spending country in the world

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COVER STORY

Venice, Italy

Indian outbound market.

Taiwan received a good number of tourists from India in 2017, and the country's tourism board has been quite focused on this market. "The Indian market is a very potential market and the travel agencies are very eager to know about Taiwan. The Indian outbound number to Taiwan will keep growing and is expected to show high growth figures. To make Taiwan appealing and familiar to Indians, we believe in educating travel agents as they are "In the coming years we plan to promote the first source of adventure tourism through both B2B and B2C information," said channels. Adventure trips for the Indian Noel Saxena, agents, participation in the adventure expo are Country Head, some of our strategies for Indian market," Taiwan Tourism Ashit Taneja Bureau, India OfCountry Head- India, Jordan Tourism Board fice. Saxena added, "For this we are continuously organizing ily. TnH spoke to spokespermultiple road shows, educasons of some of the India-based tional seminars and webinars in NTOs to know their strategies the cities of Calcutta, Delhi, to tap the immense potential of ahead of Canada, South Korea and Australia. Therefore, huge potential exists for future growth in Indian outbound visits and offers immense opportunities for National Tourism Organizations (NTOs) to tap this market. Top travel destinations presently attracting Indian holidaymakers in large numbers are Dubai, Bangkok, Singapore, Paris, London, and New York. Many countries are simplifying their visa process to enable Indians to get visa eas-

Banaglore, Mumbai, etc. for our travel partners who in turn help us promote Taiwan. Taiwan is also being promoted through new-age technologies like Virtual Reality and 360 degree photos, which are shown at numerous events and campaigns.

Apart from focusing on travel trade, Taiwan Tourism Board is running consumer campaigns such as the TV celebrity endorsement campaign: ‘Retreat Taiwan’. This created a huge leverage for the various attractions in Taiwan through a tour of 7 celebrities who experienced different aspects of this amazing destination. Taiwan Tourism Board is conducting special training sessions for guides in Taiwan to help them understand Indian tourists better.

Among the countries that recognizes huge potential in the Indian market is Jordan, which has developed an elaborate strategy to address Indian travelers. Jordan is a unique mix of history, culture, adventure, wellness, food and welcoming people, therefore, the Country's tourism Board is focusing on promoting tourism segments such as adventure, culture, wellness, weddings and MICE. "In the coming years we plan to promote adventure tourism through both B2B and B2C channels. Adventure trips for the Indian agents, participation in the adventure expo are some

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Thailand

culture encompassing food, heritage and history gives true Middle-eastern feel that is unmatched by any of its competitors. For wellness segment, Jordan has complimented its natural therapeutic sites with first-class resorts offering a diverse range of amenities. "To "We have just introduced Visit Malaysia 2020 name a few, we and our mission is to popularize novel products have the Dead and unexplored destinations in the Indian Sea, Ma’ain Hotmarket. India is our key market and we have springs, an escapade into the done awareness campaigns in Indian metros."

Wadi Rum or a Sulaiman Suip Director - India, Malaysia Tourism Board wilderness retreat in the popular Dana Biosphere Reserve. Wellesque Jordan is a visual treat ness can be a value addition and is popular among the and pull as part of the itinerary, youth. "We are working on simclubbed with other experiences ilar campaigns to be conducted such as culture, gastronomy in new future," said Taneja. and history." Being located at Jordan is truly a hidden treasthe crossroads of three contiure shrouded in the depth of nents makes Jordan an ideal time, which provides the permeeting place for international fect setting for a destination events, the Tourism Board is wedding. Jordan is quite rich tapping this popularity by eduin terms of culture. Its vibrant of our strategies for Indian market," said Ashit Taneja, Country Head, Jordan Tourism Board, India Office. Taneja added their campaign, ‘Xtreme Jordan’ that has already called attention to the idea of working out in the backdrop of pictur-

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cating travel agents across the country through different road shows planned efficiently.

Speaking about the strategy of Tourism Malaysia for Indian Market, Sulaiman Suip, Director of the Country's Tourism Board for India said, "We have just introduced visit Malaysia 2020 and our mission is to popularize novel products and unexplored destinations in the Indian market. India is our key market and we have done awareness campaigns in Indian metros." Suip added, "We are now focusing on tier -2 and tier-3 cities of India through roadshows, product presentations and joint promotions with travel companies." Tourism Malaysia will use social media platforms and online portals for visibility in competitive market. "India has an immense potential in wedding segment, and we intend to boost Malaysia as a wedding destination with the theme- love in India, wed in Malaysia," said Suip.

Shelly Chandok, Country Head, Visit Indonesia Tourism office (VITO) said that their marketing strategy for India will be more visible to consumers through consumer promotion campaigns, food fests and tactical promotion with an aim to boost Indonesia as an attractive tourist hotspot. "We are planning to host familiarization trips for media, travel groups and wedding planners in order to showcase diverse offerings of

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COVER STORY the destination," said Chandok, adding, "We will be focusing on digital, social print and electronic media and intend to make our presence at significant travel fairs, MICE and wedding fairs across India. Besides, we will increase interaction with consumers by attending radio, small screen campaigns and mall promotions.”

Vijaye Haulder, Acting Director of Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority, said that they are quite optimistic and looking ahead to offer a push to the destination in all its facets. "We will reinforce our marketing actions by making ourselves visible in the travel trade world.

We will stress on different aspects of the destination that make Mauritius a complete tourist destination suitable for travellers at any time of the year." He added that MTPA has a target to welcome two lakh Indian travelers by 2020. "We intend to go further in our en-

deavour to embrace more arrivals in the coming year. We are looking forward to have more frequencies in the number of flights in the upcoming period that will facilitate our efforts to pull more number of Indian tourists. We are inviting Indian airline players to explore this avenue,” said Haulder.

Mauritius is well-known as a luxury honeymoon destination in the Indian travel market and the island destination has a lot to offer like amazing scenery, adventure activities, global golf courses, water sports, kite surf spot and cultural tourism. The Indian tourists including honeymooners, leisure tourists, senior citizens and the younger lot can get a wide bouquet of options to choose from round the year.

India is growing as a major outbound destination; and will continue to grow in the coming decade, says Munnmunn Marwa, COO of Think Strawberries, as Indians are widely opting to travel to unexplored

• Annual number of Indian travelling abroad for holidays to treble by 2025 • Growth in India's outbound travel is driven by its expanding middle-class & youth • Another key factor driving growth in Indian outbound travel is improving air-connectivity • Many airlines are poised to expend their international operations.

• Vistara is soon going to start its international operations.

• IndiGo & SpiceJet are planning to start their longhaul overseas flights

destinations and have been experimental with their travelling choice. "We, as a leading travel representation firm believe in educating travel agents as they are the first source of information for a traveller," said Marwa. Think Strawberries has successfully organized multiple road shows, educational seminars for the travel partners who in turn help the organization in promoting Taiwan and Jordan. "Apart from focusing on trade, we are running multiple consumer campaign to create more awareness regarding the destinations to attract more visitor coming year," said Marwa.

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INTERNATIONAL

SHARJAH EXPECTS 10-15% GROWTH IN TOURIST INFLUX FROM INDIA THIS YEAR

v B ARCHANA SHARMA Y

The Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA) is putting a lot of efforts to promote the destination in the Indian market. Indian travel market is very competitive and holds huge potential to attract more traffic to Sharjah.

H.E. Khalid Jasim Al Midfa, Chairman of SCTDA, said, “We have excellent infrastructure in terms of airport proximity and airlines between Sharjah and India.”

As per statistics, Air Arabia offers 112 flights per week plus there are other Indian airlines and airports in the country which offer easy accessibility to Sharjah. Around 1, 38,000 Indian hotel guests stayed in Sharjah in

2017 and a hike of 10 to 15% is expected this year.

Highlighting the promotion plans, he added, “This year, our plan is to work with at least two of the main outbound tour operators and do some joint marketing campaigns with proper packages to attract more Indian travellers from the targeted segment. We are mainly looking for families and experiential travellers. We have a new healthcare city coming up. It is under construction and going to be a valuable addition to the destination. Some of the recent additions to our promotion project include Archeology, Desert experience, Wildlife and Museums.”

“SOME OF THE RECENT ADDITIONS TO OUR PROMOTION PROJECT INCLUDE ARCHEOLOGY, DESERT EXPERIENCE, WILDLIFE AND MUSEUMS.” H.E. KHALID JASIM AL MIDFA, CHAIRMAN, SCTDA

Changi Airport is named the world’s best airport for the sixth consecutive year Changi Airport Singapore achieved great success at the 2018 World Airport Awards, being voted by air travellers as the World’s Best Airport for the sixth consecutive year. This is the first time in the history of the awards that an airport has won this prestigious title for six consecutive years. Changi Airport was also the repeat winner of the award for the Best Airport Leisure Amenities. The awards were held at Passenger Terminal EXPO in Stockholm, Sweden on March 21, 2018.

Lee Seow Hiang, Chief Executive Officer of Changi Airport Group said, “We are extremely honoured to

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be named World's Best Airport by Skytrax for the

by TNH DESK sixth consecutive year.”

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INTERNATIONAL

MPTA focuses on promoting Mauritius with different aspects of travel v B ARCHANA SHARMA Y

Mauritius is stunning gem aesthetically placed in the sparkling turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean. The contrast of colours, cultures and tastes makes this beautiful island so charming that the scene is set for an unforgettable holiday. With its pure air, welcoming people and excellent food, Mauritius offers great hospitality to travellers.

The Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority (MPTA) has rebranded everything to promote the destination in Indian travel market. The change in strategy is attracting repeat visitors to Mauritius from India.

Throwing light on the future plans and endeavors to promote the destination, Vijaye Haulder, Acting Director, Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority said, “We are focusing on

making Mauritius an attractive destination for different aspects of travel such as MICE, Golf, Cruise, Wedding and much more.”

Last year, around 87,000 tourists from India and 13, 40, 000 tourists from all over the world visited Mauritius. “We are not particularly focusing on one product but whole Mauritius under one strategy. We are also doing digital media campaigns to promote the destination. With these practices, a growth of 10% in tourist influx is expected from last year reaching a number of 100,000 from India," Haulder added.

India and Mauritius share a multi-dimensional relationship that is entwined with history, culture, democratic values and intimate ancestral ties.

Connections between India and

Japan Airlines

renews partnership with Sabre Sabre Corporation announced a renewed longterm agreement with Japan Airlines, marking the continuation of a strategic partnership between the companies as Japan Airlines increases their global footprint and caters to the country’s fast-changing

travel industry. Tourism in Japan is undergoing a rapid transition with over 28.7 million inbound visits

by TNH DESK in 2017.

Mauritius date back to 1730, while the diplomatic relations were established in 1948 before Mauritius became an independent state. The cultural and historical symmetry makes it a potential tourist destination for Indian travellers.

Meliá Hotels & Resorts open Meliá Serengeti Lodge, Tanzania Meliá Serengeti Lodge is Meliá Hotels International first state-of-the-art, sustainability focused hotel. It is located in the Serengeti National Park, the oldest National Park in Tanzania, on the western border of Lake Victoria, a World Heritage Site. The property is positioned on the natural terraces of the southern slopes of Nyamuma, offering spectacular views of the

by TNH DESK Mbalageti River valley.

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INTERNATIONAL

ATLANTIS, THE PALM LAUNCHES WORLD’S FIRST SOCIAL MEDIA SUITE In celebration of reaching one million fans on Facebook, the resort will reward followers with free stays in the specially created ‘Atlantis Fan Suite’ In celebration of reaching one mil-

lion Facebook fans, Atlantis, The Palm has rewarded the followers with the launch of the world’s first social media suite. Launched on 18th March 2018 at the destination resort in Dubai, Facebook fans will be invited to book a free one night’s stay in the Atlantis Fan Suite with bookings being taken every day until December 2018.

The unique room offer breathtaking views of The Palm Island and will be specially adapted to suit a social media users every desire. Upon check in, guests can enter their Facebook log in at the door of the

suite to unlock the room and can sit back and tune into the special Facebook Fan channel on the in-room TV. For those that need a little help during their stay, guests can ‘poke’ their personal butler using a special in room intercom system. by TNH DESK

EMIRATES UNVEILS MORE SPACIOUS BUSINESS CLASS SEATS ON BOEING 777 AIRCRAFT Emirates has unveiled a brand new Business Class cabin and configuration on its Boeing 777-200LR aircraft, with new wider seats laid out in a 2-2-2 configuration for the first time. The airline has invested over

US$150 million to refurbish the 10 existing 777-200LR aircraft in its fleet.

The newly refurbished Emirates 777-200LR aircraft is set in a two-class configuration which offers 38 Business Class seats and 264 seats in Economy Class.

While the Business Class seats are in the same design and shape of Emirates’ latest lie-flat seats.

by TNH DESK

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INTERNATIONAL

Oman introduces new e-visa system

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Radisson launches new Asia Pacific online campaign Radisson Hotel Group recently revealed its bold new brand identity, brand architecture and Radisson Rewards, its refreshed global loyalty program. In Asia Pacific, the Group is inviting guests to experience a new era of hospitality with “One Night’s Never Enough,” the region’s new and exciting online campaign.

Making its debut on 12 March 2018, the campaign will see guests being rewarded with 15% off the hotel’s Best Available Rates at any of the Group’s Asia Pacific hotels with a

by TNH DESK minimum of two nights’ stay.

ast year Oman relaxed its visa rules to attract more tourists by granting Visa on arrival (unsponsored tourist visa) for the Citizens of India, China and Russia who reside in or who hold an entry visa to one of these countries – United States of America, Canada, Australia, United Kingdom and Schengen States to enter the Sultanate of Oman. To further facilitate the process, the Royal Oman Police (ROP) has announced that effective 21 March 2018, visas will only be granted electronically via the URL: https://evisa.rop.gov.om and there will be no more hand-processed visas at the airport effective that date. Royal Oman Police, Sultanate of Oman said, “The migration to electronic visas is due to its simplicity and effectiveness, its alignment with modern technology and is in line with the e-government

by TNH DESK project of the Sultanate.

Jordan comes to India…

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is Majesty King Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein of Jordan attended a part of the Jordanian-Indian Business Forum that was held in New Delhi, where he promised potential investors all help possible to facilitate their businesses in Jordan, according to a Royal Court statement during his State visit to India. “... Let’s get things done and, please, do not be bashful with our ministers here. Tell them exactly what you think and what you need, and we will follow up to make sure that happens," His Majesty told an audience of more than 300 business people, investors and company representatives from both countries, who discussed means to enhance cooperation be-

tween Jordan and India.

The discussions focused on various fields, especially investment, trade, education, industry, health, agriculture, mining, telecommunication, tourism and enby TNH DESK ergy.

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FEATURE

Indian Brands Promoting Experiential Travel Pottery session at Andretta during the art trip

Richa Williams

Travel is no longer about ticking off a checklist of places to see and things to do. With practically anyone and everyone on the move, people are becoming more and more discerning in their tastes and preferences when it comes to travel.

We did some research and came up with a list of players in the travel space who are using their creativity and technology to curate customized travel experiences with unique activities and itineraries. v B NEHA KIRPAL Y

TripMyWay: Launched in 2016, TripMyWay is the first heritage experience platform. The platform is built in collaboration with artists, architects, historians, naturalists and journalists to combine storytelling and technology. An iterative approach to building an experience using a variety of multimedia formats like images, text, audio and interactive maps, storytelling by artists and experts is augmented by technology. Users use the TripMyWay app when they reach a heritage site. The mobile app supports a variety of features including offline mode and a nearby feature for visitors to discover sites around them.

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TravelTroovel: TravelTroovel aims to reconnect people with their hobbies by offering them ‘hobbycations’. Each trip has a theme enthused by an interest such as art, music, theatre, dance and so on. So, travellers get a chance to explore their long-sought interests with a touch of freshness through several hobby-based activities and sessions.

All of these are done while exploring a place under the guidance of a hobby mentor. As a result, people get to spend quality time with things they enjoy doing.

Soul Connect Experiences: Soul Connect Experiences creates bespoke cultural experiences that in-

Photo credit : Breakaway

volve music, food, art, textiles and offbeat travel centred around India's rich folk and classical traditions.

Based in Jaipur, its forte lies in the varied tapestry of Rajasthan's traditional lifestyle. Soul Connect Experiences organizes a monthly temple music revival series in Jaipur.

Through this, morning ragas are recreated as a contemporary cultural phenomenon, tracing authentic Indian performing art and artists.

Hour-long music sessions are also

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FEATURE

organized at forgotten historical temples in the city, one Sunday morning a month.

Augtraveler: Augtraveler is an immersive Augmented Reality based travel app through which travellers can explore the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India through various multimedia tours.

The essence is to exploit new-age technology and offer a scaled up platform for visitors of all age groups to experience history like never before using location-based Augmented Reality and Analytics.

Future plans for the app include building world-class experiential tours for all 832 UNESCO World Heritage Cultural sites globally.

Unhotel: A new-age story-led experiences company that provides handpicked accommodation, offbeat tailor-made trips and treks, and authentic local experiences in all parts of India. Refraining from cookie-cutter travel solutions, their experiences-all curated by domain experts and special interest groupsrange from wellness and yoga retreats, adventure trips, wildlife safaris, mountain treks, food trails, cultural and music events. All of its 50-odd Unhotels have been referred by friends or experts in the travel trade. Unhotel (unlike-a-hotel), thus, is a warm, friendly accommo-

Photo credit : Breakaway

dation with lots of character and creativity.

Breakaway: Breakaway offers immersive short and long breakaways for those wanting a break from the done-and-dusted mainstream holidays. Its deep, authentic and profound experiences have a scholarly approach, wherein a travel companion takes one through a destination - helping them “look rather than see and listen rather than hear”. Their trips span across the country and go “beyond the brochure”, including trails focusing on textiles, food, festivals and nature. The focus is art and craft, with a number of itineraries being those of handiwork, weaving, fabric, dyeing, painting and threadwork destinations.

Grassroutes Journeys: A community-based rural tourism initiative, Grassroutes offers responsible experiential holidays. The mission of this award-winning social enterprise is to create sustainable community-centered experiential platforms in order to understand rural living. Currently, their offbeat holidays cover the realms of nature

(forest walks, nature trails, bio-diversity tours and birding), sustainable farming, authentic village experiences, rural games and curated workshops in the villages of Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat.

Matsya Crafts: Matsya Crafts runs conscious and customized craft tours that document heritage, culture, architecture and history.

The primary aim of the tour is to connect the global traveller with India’s artisans and craft communities. The tours involve going into the interiors of rural India and giving travellers a first-hand experience of how the country’s traditional crafts are practiced.

Thus, travellers are exposed to the unique opportunity of interacting with artisans and watching the creative process of crafts being created live. Each tour is customized according to the traveller’s interests, tastes and budget with logistics like transport, accommodation and meals catered for. Currently, their tours cover villages across Gujarat’s Kutch region, and will soon extend to Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal.

TRAVEL AND HOSPITALITY | APRIL 2018

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INTERNATIONAL

Taiwan celebrates its famous Lantern Festival

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he 29th Taiwan Lantern Festival was officially opened, with the lighting of the lanterns in the Main Lantern area. The exhibition scale for this year’s festival reaches 50 hectares, making it the biggest lantern festival ever held in Taiwan. The exhibitions will feature the main lantern which depicts an indigenous child with a Taiwanese dog, portraying the theme of Loyal Auspiciousness. Besides this main attraction, the inno-

vative designs area will showcase various exquisite traditional lanterns that embody traditional customs and auspicious themes; these are sure to dazzle people.

For the first time, full-field spotlights will be used to shine the latitude and longitude beams in the sky and present the Tropic of Cancer going through the mountains, sea and plains of Chiayi County. The design incorporates folk culture and will give people a brand new sensory exby TNH DESK perience.

Sunrise Representations to represent Nilamani Hotels Bali in India Sunrise Representations, a sales and marketing company for International hotels and destinations, has been appointed as the official representative for Nilamani hotels in India.

Nisha Shrivastava The appointment Director, Sunrise Representations supports Nilamani hotels’ strategy to harness the potential of the Indian outbound market. Nilamani Hotels comprisesone five-star property and two four-star properties situated in the legendary and mysterious island of Bali.The Camakila Legian, located in the heart of Legian and directly in front of Legian beach is a rare sanctuary. The Tanjung Benoa Beach Resort is situated at the tip of Tanjung Benoa Peninsula along Bali’s southby TNH DESK ernmost NusaDua region.

SriLankan Airlines becomes official airline partner of Hero Nidahas Trophy 2018 Celebrating the Island’s independence with the spirit of cricket, SriLankan Airlines, the National carrier of Sri Lanka and a member of the oneworld alliance, becomes the official airline partner of the Hero Nidahas Trophy 2018.

The much-awaited series, organized in collaboration with ITW consulting Pvt. Ltd, is going on in Colombo from 6th – 18th March, 2018. Acclaimed cricketers from Sri Lanka, India and Bangladesh will be competing in the upcoming fixture, which will be played out at the R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium in Colombo.

The NIDAHAS Trophy – a tri-nation series between India, Bangladesh and host Sri Lanka will be held to

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commemorate Sri Lanka’s 70 years of independence.

Further, this event also marks the 70th birthday celebrations of SriLankan Cricket, a journey from 1948.

by TNH DESK

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INTERNATIONAL

THAILAND INTERNATIONAL KITE FESTIVAL 2018 HELD AT HUA HIN The ever-popular Thailand International Kite Festival took place on 2325 March, 2018 at the Army Non Commissioned Officer School, Hua Hin, Prachuap Khiri Khan. This year, the event saw 20 kite flying teams from many different countries, including Switzerland, Germany and France. Among the displays of beautiful kites from all over the world will include giant kites in the shapes of super heroes and cartoon characters as well as in geometric forms. In addition, there are stunning musical performance of revolution kites and a show of stunt kites with fliers who’ll compete to show off their high-speed flying skills.

Visitors got a chance to watch Chula and Pak Pao show of unique Thai kites dancing in the sky, accompanied by Thai classical music Pi Phat ensemble. Ringside Kite Tour allows tourists to see kites in

Kite 24.5 meter long Dragon

the kite flying field, stay at close range to the kites, take photos and watch world-class kite flyers. One can try a hand at making, drawing and painting a kite at the Kite Kid Paint corner, create limited edition of art pieces at the Do It Yourself (DIY) section, or learn how to make a boomerang and learn how to throw it at the Boomerang Workshop. Visit the Wind Garden to see how professionals decorate a ground with windplaying arts like kites and materials

Guanaguato, Mexico

WAT ANNOUNCES UNIQUE TRAVEL EXPERIENCES TO CUBA AND MEXICO

Palacio Belles Artes, Mexico

W

orld Architecture Travel (WAT) a global network for guided architectural tours brings a unique travel experience to Mexico and Cuba. Themed ‘Time among the Maya’, the tour coordinated by a team of experienced architects, historians and academicians presents a comprehensively planned experi-

Kite Maskotchen Kette

that can be moved by wind, sound producing pieces like turbines, moby TNH DESK biles, bells, etc.

Metropolitan Cathedral, Mexico City

ence of the ancient and contemporary architecture of Mexico and Cuba through guided city walks, culture trails and academic discussions. The team providing new perspectives about themes and issues that shape global architecture today - from the design of homes, to infrastructure and even further to urban

by TNH DESK landscapes.

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INTERNATIONAL

Engadin Valley to host St. Moritz Music Summit

St. Moritz Music Summit has gained much popularity and will enter it’s fifth year this April.

Music enthusiasts can catch international electronic and dance music artists from across Europe performing live against the majestic snow-capped Swiss Alps. And what’s better, the entry is free for all!

The season end party – At the St. Moritz Music Summit a selection of the Swiss’s best DJs will be playing sets at 2,500 meters above sea level during the three-day inter-

national top-end Electronic Dance Music Festival – April 5 to 8, 2018.

Enjoy live performances of artists from Italy, Switzerland, France, Spain and UK perform across various locations and bars in St. Moritz. To grace the occasion, renowned artists DJ Harriet Jaxxon and DJS Victor Perez and Vicente Ferrer promise to charge up the town with their music.

The St. Moritz Music Summit is 4 days of superior electronic and dance music entertainment. It will

cover over 20 top DJs as live acts with locations in the skiing area and in town get together of the Euby TNH DESK ropean fan community.

Virgin Australia and Sabre expand partnership Sabre Corporation has expanded its technology partnership with Virgin Australia. This agreement further strengthens the long-standing and trusted partnership between the companies while supporting Virgin Australia’s digital moderniza-

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tion efforts with the addition of Digital Experience, Sabre’s next generation e-commerce platform.

“We are extremely happy with the results generated through the Sabre solutions we already

by TNH DESK have in place.

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INTERNATIONAL

Pushing for Macanese cuisine

v B SWAATI CHAUDHURY Y

Owen Zhou Zengrong General Manager-China Eastern Airlines India

Concentrating to rev up yields and market share

v B SWAATI CHAUDHURY Y

Top-ranking global airline player that keeps abreast on the needs of the Indian flyers is definitely China Eastern Airlines.

Serving the Indian flyers since 2002 and rated among the five top-ranking global airline players, China Eastern Airlines has introduced one-of-a-kind programme known as “City Tour”. The programme enables passengers travelling to China and beyond such destinations that do not boast of sound connectivity to avail of hotel or a meal voucher or Maglev High speed train tickets in Pudong district of Shanghai.

Designated as the Creative City of Gastronomy, Macao is all set to emerge as a significant MICE destination in the Arzan Khambatta Asia-Pacific region Head of MGTO India with the support of Macao government and its strategy for prioritizing conventions. The amazing destination of Macao will feature on the bucket list of outbound Indian travellers with a passion for gastronomic delights, food wizards and MICE tourists since the current year has been declared as the Year of Gastronomy for Macao.

The destination has been listed by UNESCO as the Creative City of Gastronomy that is sure to bring a new world of opportunities to offer a push to Macanese cuisine and transform the destination into a world centre of tourism and leisure.

Munich Airport chosen as Europe's Best Airport Munich Airport can again enjoy the title of "Europe's Best Airport" in 2018. The Bavarian hub was selected for the honor in the annual World Airport Awards announced by the respected London-based aviation research institute Skytrax. The announcement was made in a special ceremony on the occasion of the international airport fair "Passenger Terminal EXPO 2018" in Stockholm. This marks Munich Airport's 11th first-place finish in this category. The World Airport Awards are based on a global survey of passengers. This year more than 14 million passengers from 100 countries helped Skytrax produce ratings for 550 airports around the world.

In the global rankings, Munich took the number one position among airports handling 40–50 million pas-

sengers per year, and came sixth among all international airports. Munich Airport's Terminal 2 achieved an outstanding result again this year, placing second in the World's Best Terminal category. Among airport hotels, Hilton Munich Airport scored excellent ratings, ranking first in Europe and third worldwide. by TNH DESK

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INTERNATIONAL

Emirates named ‘Airline of the Year’ Emirates Airline has been named ‘Airline of the Year’ at the 2018 Air Transport Awards. Emirates won the prestigious accolade based the evaluation from a jury comprised of executives and experts from different sectors within the aviation Thierry Antinori industry.

Executive Vice President and Chief Thierry Antinori, ExecCommercial Officer for Emirates utive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer for Emirates received the award on behalf of the airline. Commenting on the win, Antinori said: “We are honoured to be recognised by the Air Transport Awards for our commitment to excellence. We have a strong customer-centric focus across the airline to deliver the best possible experience both in the air and on the ground by continually investing in

by TNH DESK a modern fleet.

MICE tourism gains momentum in Indonesia Wonderful Indonesia has made its foray into the Indian market in a major way with marketing initiatives and has set a big target to receive around 7 lakh Indian visitors.

For Indian MICE tourists flying in and out of India, travel to Bali is inviting since it is growing as one of the major MICE destinations in the country. In an attempt to set the ball rolling for aggressive promotion of tourism in the Indian market, the Ministry of Tourism, Republic of Indonesia has identified two Indian metros including Kolkata and Chennai to host a marketing campaign themed “Sales Mission Greater Bali in India” and the Kolkata chapter of the campaign was held sometime on February 26.

Pupung Thariq Fadhillah, Deputy Director, Ministry of Tourism, Republic of Indonesia commented, “We are going for tourism road shows in Kolkata and Chennai.”

by TNH DESK

Le Palais gets three stars in the MICHELIN Guide Taipei 2018 Michelin unveiled the selection for the very first MICHELIN Guide Taipei, which selects a total of 110 total establishments, spanning 33 cuisine types, including 20 restaurants awarded one or more stars.

Michael Ellis, International Director of the MICHELIN guides, comments, “Taipei is a city that has incredibly rich gastronomic history and the variety of cuisines available is amazing. Taipei has also given birth to a truly dynamic and innovative dining scene - much to the delight of a local clientele that is ever more curious to discover new flavours and different experiences."

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In this first selection of dishes as well as other types of Chinese authentic cooking, Le Palais is helmed by the MICHELIN guide Taipei, Cantonese restaurant Le Palais has been awarded three stars. Serving fine, delicate Cantonese Chef Chan, who moved to Taiwan

by TNH DESK from Macau nearly 20 years ago.

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NEWS

EZEEGO1.COM OPENS FRANCHISE STORE IN DELHI Ezeego1.com, a global travel market place, opened a franchise store in Delhi to cater to the growing travel demands in the city.

Managed by Neha Malhotra, the outlet is located at Spaze i-Tech Park, Sector 49, Gurgaon and will provide a bouquet of travel services from leading travel suppliers from India and overseas. Services like flight tickets, hotels, packages, rail and cruise holidays are provided on a single platform from a diverse mix of travel suppliers offering best in class offerings and services.

Speaking at the launch, Neelu Singh, CEO & Director, Ezeego1, said, “Distribution is the key to

success in the growing travel market and the opening of our new franchise will help us gain a foothold in this market. Our offerings are curated from a slew of travel aggregators and we enable and distribute it through our platform.’’

Ezeego1 will provide the franchisee with an active marketing, technical and store development support. The marketing activity will include print and radio advertising, attractive and preferential commercials. Store development support will include store designing to reinforce the brand’s look and feel. Training and technical support

will be provided to all franchisee staff to effectively address the changing technology and enhance customer interface. Travellers can choose from a wide variety of group tour summer packages to domestic destinations like Ladakh, Andaman, Sikkim, Himachal, Goa and Kashmir and international destinations like Europe, South Africa, Dubai, Thailand, Mauritius, Hong Kong, Singapore, amongst many

by TNH DESK others.

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Bite Corner

Exquisite Feast

at Infinity, Crowne Plaza Mayur Vihar v B PREM KUMAR Y

L

ike any artistic creation, great cuisine comes from the heart and is fuelled by passion. The Chef’s special tasting menu at Infinity, Crowne Plaza New Delhi Mayur Vihar Noida recently made it sure that every guest after relishing the new creations swears this. Infinity is surely one of the best in-house restaurants in east Delhi area which reflects a thoughtful marriage of fresh ingredients and exotic cooking.

Infinity is a cool and contemporary haven of calm on the lobby level of the hotel and has a spectacular outdoor seating. Natural light is in abundance here and Infinity offers an extensive buffet featuring local specialities and international

Chilli parmesan crusted prawn

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favourites. The restaurant has creative dishes and a tempting a la carte menu with a strong Italian influence.

The Chef’s tasting menu is simplistic and covers the best of their cuisines. Fresh elements and ingredients, as well as exotic meats and fish, are offered to give the guests a large variety of options. Delicate preparations, hot and spicy flavours, touches of tangy and sour to sweet are on offer.

The menu is masterly crafted and shows that a lot of thought has gone into

Subz Vilayati potli

Rum aromatised braised lamb shank

Andhra Paneer Tikk

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Bite Corner

Infinity, Crowne Plaza Mayur Vihar

Crowne Plaza Mayur Vihar

ndhra Paneer Tikka

it. The menu looks very condensed, but in the end leaves the guest thoroughly satisfied with the taste, quality and quantity.

As soon as you enter and take your seat, you are treated to an exotic welcome dish i.e. the amuse- bouche.

And it is the artistically presented Andhra Paneer Tikka, with Xalapa Spanish Peppers and Parmesan Crisps. The Tikkas are heavenly and gives you an idea of the kind of food you are going to relish next.

The appetizer follows in the form of Chilli parmesan crusted prawn, served with spiced fig and pineapple vodka chutney for the non-vegetarians and Vilayati Gobhi in clay oven with new age chutneys and rolls for the vegetarians.

The menu is set up for a four-course meal. And for the entree, they have a choice of two different entrees for the non-vegetarians in the form of fillet of salmon, shitake and sesame crust served with mango and tender coconut curry for the fish lovers and rum aromatized braised Lamb shank for the meat lovers.

Vegetarians are served the exotic and divine tast-

ing Subz Vilayati Potli with Khubani Aur Badam pilaf and smoked tomato puree. Inspired Indian breads are served with all the entrĂŠe dishes.

The dishes are so beautifully presented that the guest is amazed as they are served. For sure, silence prevails on the table and the guests simply sit back and enjoy the super meal that is being served.

The best part of this grand meal comes at the end. Its dessert time; and for the desserts too, there are choices, either you can have the Chocolate Dome or the Mignardises. Whatever you choose, you will surely enjoy the royal treats.

Infinity lives up to be as elegant as Crowne Plaza. The staff is cheerful and well-behaved. You certainly will be amazed by the variety of delectable dishes they prepare. The food from the Chef’s tasting menu is perfectly made, well-presented and it is surely an internationally flavoured meal.

Location: Lobby Level Crowne Plaza New Delhi Mayur Vihar, Noida Mayur Vihar Phase-1, New Delhi Phone: 011 41102222

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EVENT ALERT

RIYADH TRAVEL FAIR 2018

WTM

April 10-13, 2018 Location: Al Faisaliah Tower Hotel Riyadh - KSA

Latin America April 3-5, 2018 Location: Sao Paulo, Latin America

WTM - World Travel Market Latin America is an annual business to business exhibition for travel industry professionals. Suppliers of travel and tourism products showcase the latest developments in the travel industry. WTM Latin America brings together the largest global industry gathering of destinations, tour

operators, hotels, airlines, technology and online travel services under one roof and covers a diverse range of sectors within the travel and tourism industry.

This three day must-attend business-to-business (B2B) event which brings the world to Latin America and promotes Latin America to

by TNH DESK the world.

AZERBAIJAN INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL & TOURISM FAIR (AITF) April 5-7, 2018 Location: Baku Expo Center, Baku, Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan International Travel & Tourism Fair (AITF) is an event dedicated to travel and tourism agencies. The event has reached a world level and become one of the leading international exhibitions in the Caucasian region.

AITF reflects dynamic development of the very promising on tourism market in the region and establishes a best

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platform for domestic and international experts and professionals to demonstrate the recent trends in business, incentive, health and

by TNH DES luxury travel.

TRAVEL AND HOSPITALITY | APRIL 2018

Riyadh Travel Fair 2018, convened in Saudi Capital of Riyadh, is considered as a significant annual event where the leading travel and tourism companies in Saudi Arabia With GCC And Other International Companies / Countries gather with exhibitors representing tourist promotion authorities and tourist companies at the Arab and International levels. The Fair is considered as a market for

introduction of the tourist products, services and investments provided the most significant tourist companies in the world. It is open to both travel professionals and the general public looking for in-depth destination information and special deals. by TNH DESK

Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2018 April 22-25, 2018 Location: Dubai, UAE

Arabian Travel Market is the market leading, international travel and tourism event unlocking business potential within the Middle East for inbound and outbound tourism professionals. Tourism destinations from around the world showcase a diverse range of accommodation options, breath taking tourism attractions, travel technology and key airline

routes. The event generates more than $2.5 billion of travel industry deals. The annual business-to-business (B2B) exhibition showcases over 2,800 products and destinations from around the world to over 28,000 buyers and travel trade visitors across four days at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre (DICEC).

by TNH DESK

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TECH CORNER

Amadeus research puts the spotlight on what Indian travellers want India report reveals that 71% of Indian travellers would be open to sharing their personal information in return for a more personalized travel experience. This makes the Asian traveller a force to be reckoned with – one that presents the greatest opportunity for the travel industry. To move the in-

dustry towards a closer understanding of travellers in the region, Amadeus has launched Journey of Me Insights, an Asia Pacific traveller study spanning 14 marby TNH DESK kets.

British Airways bringing Wi-Fi to long-haul fleet British Airways has started powering some of its long-haul aircraft with high-speed Wi-Fi, with its first three connected aircraft now in service. The airline will connect 118 of its long-haul aircraft over the next two years.

Customers will be advised of the availability of

Wi-Fi when they board a connected aircraft allowing them to browse and stream from the comfort of their seat.

by TNH DESK

Newcastle International Airport welcomes new ePassport gates Newcastle International Airport has unveiled the progress on its new international arrival hall, which is on course to open ahead of the summer this year. The multimillion-pound investment in collaboration with UK Border Force, which will enhance the customer expe-

Airtrade Holland BV signs new technology agreement with Travelport Travelport signed content agreement with Airtrade Holland BV in the field of Travel Fulfillment and Travel Technology. Under this agreement, Airtrade will utilize Travelport’s open

Virgin Holidays launches new app for tech savvy travellers

Bihar to get a new taxi rental app

Virgin Holidays has given direct access to a holiday rep in their pocket via the My Virgin Holidays app. The app is one of the first from a UK travel company that provides support for customers at the touch of a button, by phone, email or live chat. It also stores all travel details in one handy place to save cus-

The Bihar State Tourism Development Corporation (BSTDC) is planning to come up with a new user friendly prepaid taxi services to Patna. The new app will be easy for people to hire cabs and taxis for in the city and even the outstation journeys to the nearby states of Bihar. It

tomers the need to print all their documents or remember their travel details.

rience, sees the arrivals hall significantly expanded and improved and includes five brand new ePassport gates.

platform and Universal API technology to deliver its customers informed content in real-time from over 400 airlines, 650,000 hotel properties and 35,000 car rental locations. by TNH DESK

will also have global positioning system (GPS) to track the taxi.

by TNH DESK

by TNH DESK

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DIPLOMAT’S CORNER

Austria A PERFECT DESTINATION FOR EVERY KIND OF TRAVELLERS

One of the most popular holiday destinations in Europe, Austria attracts tourists throughout a year. "Visitors are drawn to Austria as much for the scenic beauty of this Alpine republic's provinces as they are for splendid cities like Vienna, the historic capital, and beautiful Salzburg, birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and scenic Innsbruck," says H.E. MS. BRIGITTE ÖPPINGER-WALCHSHOFER, Ambassador of Austria to India. In an exclusive interview to , the ambassador talks about the excellent bilateral relations between India and Austria, besides tourism potential of her country.

v B PREM KUMAR Y

Please give us some insights into the current relations between India and Austria.

Austria and India enjoy excellent bilateral relations.

The embassies in the capitals of both countries are very active. Steady exchanges are happening between the two. We closely cooperate in multi-lateral organisations such as the United Nations. Both countries are committed to the values of democracy and rule of law and strive for an open, transparent and rule-based international order.

The diplomatic relations between the two countries were established in 1949, shortly after India’s independence when Austria was still controlled by the victorious Allied Powers which had liberated our country in 1945. Austria remains appreciative of the positive efforts by India in bringing about the conclusion of the Austria’s State Treaty in 1955 which paved the way for the emergence of Austria as a neutral country against the backdrop of the Cold War. Throughout his-

Q

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tory, the relations have been very cordial and there have been a number of political visits, including at the highest level.

How are both governments strengthening these relations?

We work at all levels to strengthen these ties. There is, for example, a lot of bilateral exchanges in science and culture, and my embassy contributes its share. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Culture was signed between the two countries in 2016 with an aim to further enhance bilateral cultural exchanges.

Cooperation in science and technology has been formalized through an agreement in 2007. There is a strong tradition of Indian students studying in Austrian universities. Sanskrit has been taught at the University of Vienna since 1845. Yoga is also flourishing in Austria with more than 50 institutes dedicated to its practice; indeed, one of oldest Yoga centers of Europe is

Q

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"To further increase the overnights from India, we will position Austria as a family destination for Indian travellers by showcasing our products in print and online media."

H.E. MS. BRIGITTE ÖPPINGER-WALCHSHOFER Ambassador of Austria to India

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DIPLOMAT’S CORNER located in Vienna. There is also a strong cooperation in the field of heritage preservation through the National Museum Institute of India and the University of Applied Arts of Vienna.

Our economies are closely linked. Bilateral trade in goods and services amounted to 1.8 billion Euros in 2016, with Austrian exports increasing by 11% over the previous year. There are fabulous dynamics to build upon, and with India being among the fastestgrowing economies, there is even more potential to be tapped. Austrian direct investment in India is also on the rise, and, with 7500 jobs created up to now, they also have an important social impact.

Moreover, there is also the people-to-people factor which is very important. There is a strong Indian community of about 20,000 people in Austria; they make positive contributions to our society in different walks of life. The Austrian community in India is much smaller, about 500 strong, yet growing, and it contributes to progress in society in various fields of business, science and culture. Travel and consequently people-to-people contact between both countries have become much easier, not only through improved air links, but also through positive measures in the tourism sector.

Austria: a perfect tourist destination • Austria has places to visit in both summer and winter • Offers some of Europe's finest skiing options in winter • It is a nation of high altitude and lovely mountains • Eastern Alps occupys 60% of Austria • Flowing 350 km from west to east through Austria's northern part, the Danube river enhances Austria's lure as a tourist destination

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Please tell us about the tourism potential of Austria?

Austria is one of Europe's most popular holiday destinations and attracts tourists all over the year, with lovely places to visit in both summer and winter. The country has some of Europe's finest skiing options, and its winter is almost as busy as summer in its spectacular mountain regions. Visitors are drawn as much for the scenic beauty of this Alpine republic's provinces as they are for splendid cities like Vienna, the historic capital, beautiful Salzburg, birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart as well as scenic Innsbruck.

One of Europe's smallest countries, Austria is predominantly a nation of upland areas and high mountains, with the Eastern Alps occupying a good 60 percent of its territory. The River Danube flows for about 350 kilometers from west to east through the northern part of the country, adding to its allure as a tourist destination. From awe-inspiring mountain peaks to be conquered on foot to well-marked bike trails across exhilarating terrain, summer opens up a world of possibilities in Austria. Austria is a perfect destination not only for the individual or business traveler but also for families, weddings and groups.

Q

How many Indians visited Austria last year?

178, 000 Indians visited Austria in 2017, 20% more as compared to 2016. The maximum increase came from the FIT segment. Not only has the percentage of Indian overnights in Austria gone up, we have

Q

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DIPLOMAT’S CORNER

Salzburg City

depth the variety of landscapes and culture in the country. Avail an Austrian railway pass and purchase the city cards for various destinations to save money and make sure not to miss out on any of the magnificent sights in our culture-clad cities. Visit exclusive events, go off the beaten track and discover a veritable array of hidden treasures. A host of opportunities are waiting to be discovered. Or just lean back and enjoy the Austrian hospitality!

How is the Visa process for Indians?

In general, applicants need to book a prior appointment for submitting their applications at any of the 16 Visa Facilitation Centers (operated by VFS Global) in India. At the 'Austrian' counter the application and supporting documents are received and checked. Applicants must carry the originals and copies of all required documents to our visa centres. For further details, please visit the website of the Embassy at https://www.bmeia.gv.at/en/austrian-embassy-newdelhi/.

Applications accepted at VFS Global’s centers other than its center in Delhi are submitted to the Embassy within two working days. Those accepted at VFS Global's center in Delhi are delivered to the Embassy on the next working day in the early morning. The approximate visa processing time is 15 working days (excluding the day of submission at VFS) for all the visa categories. Visa for business travellers is given special priority.

Q

Schönbrunn Castle, Vienna

also seen an increase in our revenue as these FITs tend to stay mostly in 5-star properties. Innsbruck has traditionally been a one night destination and the average duration of stay in Vienna is 2.4 days. However, Salzburg has developed itself as a popular tourist destination amongst Indians and their average duration of stay has increased from one night to 1.9 nights. To further increase the overnights from India, we will position Austria as a family destination for Indian travelers by showcasing her products in print and online media.

How is the connectivity between India and Austria?

Air India operates a flight from Delhi to Vienna three times a week which departs from Delhi at 14.45 pm and arrives in Vienna at 18.45 pm the same day. Relax on board or catch up on work during this comfortable flight. Very popular with Indians travelling to Austria are also Lufthansa and Emirates flights from various metro cities. Basically one can fly to Austria with all airlines that land in the main European cities. There are many daily links between them and the airports in Vienna, Salzburg, Graz and Linz.

Q

What would be your advice for Indians planning to visit Austria?

Plan at least a week to stay in Austria to experience in

Q

Tell us about your experience in India.

I have felt at home in India from the day one of my stay as I have always liked to live in countries with a diverse culture. India is not only interesting from a professional point of view but also fascinating from the touristic point. Whenever I can, I travel within the country. It is also important for me to showcase India when delegations from Austria come. Our guests should return to Austria with good memories. But we are also showcasing Austria in India. There will be many events during the time of Austria’s presidency of the EU, which starts on July 1 of this year.

Q

Ruins of Aksum

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NEWS

MEININGER to open a hotel in Glasgow Cox & Kings owned MEININGER Hotels and investor LGIM Real Assets (Legal & General) have signed an agreement for a hotel in Glasgow.

The hotel will be located on West George Street opposite Queen Street Train Station and will offer 160 rooms and 590 beds. The opening is scheduled for 2020. Due to its strategic location in the centre of Glasgow, opposite to Queen Street Train Station which is currently undergoing a major redevelopment, many of the city's sights, museums and monuments are within walking distance from the hotel. Equally, there are numerous restaurants, pubs and venues nearby. The Gallery of Modern Art is just a 3-minute walk from the hotel and the

by TNH DESK Royal Concert Hall just 9 minutes.

New York City welcomed record 62.8 million visitors in 2017 2017 saw an increase of 2.3 million visitors over 2016, marking the eighth consecutive year of tourism growth.

Mayor Bill de Blasio and NYC & Company New York City’s official destination marketing organization announced that 2017 was the eighth consecutive year for record-breaking tourism, with the City welcoming an estimated 62.8 million visitors last year, an increase of 2.3 million visitors over 2016. Visitation for 2017 was comprised of 49.7 million domestic and 13.1 million international visitors, both all-time highs. by TNH DESK

Air Arabia receives ATN’s Corporate Editor Choice Award The GCC carrier honored at the ‘2018 Air Transport Awards’ Air Arabia has received the ‘Corporate Editor Choice Award’ at the 2018 Air Transport Awards organized by Air Transport News held this year in Dubai, UAE. The accolade is a demonstration of Air Arabia’s continued commitment to passenger satisfaction and development within the industry.

Air Arabia picked up the prestigious award at the Air Transport Awards which remains to be the only international prizes that award all the main categories of the air transport industry. The jury for the judging process comprised of prominent leaders from the field of aviation, government

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Adel Al Ali Group Chief Executive Officer of Air Arabia

and air transport bodies. Nominations submitted were evaluated by jury members with the final winner per category being adjudged on overall consensus.

Adel Al Ali, Group Chief Executive Officer of Air Arabia,

said, “We are very pleased to be awarded the ATN Editor Choice Award recognizing the achievements that Air Arabia has accomplished over the years. We are proud to see that millions of customers continue enjoying our value driven services since we introduced low-cost travel to the MENA region almost 15 years ago. Such prestigious awards remind us of the good work we continue to do over the years. I thank ATN for this award which I dedicate to our customers and staff all over the world.” by TNH DESK

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TBO AND NG GROUP CELEBRATES INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY TBO and NG group celebrated International Women’s Day on the 8th of March with all its female employees PAN India. The day saw celebration of collective achievements of women in company’s workspace. Women employees were pampered with chocolates and flowers.

Speaking on the occasion, Ankush Nijhawan said “it is important to spread awareness and

bring about equality in workspace. Women today are as powerful as men and deserve the

Devesh Rawat, General Manager, Marriott Hotels (L) and Sonal Chauhan, Bollywood Actress (R)

Indore Marriott Hotel titled as ‘Best 5 Star Property of Indore’ Indore Marriott Hotel has been awarded the ‘Best 5-Star Property of Indore’ title by the Times Retail Icon Awards. The award ceremony was held for the first time in Indore on the March 13, 2018.

The Times Retail Icon Award was introduced in 2016 by Optimal

Media Solution, a Times Group Company, which conducts surveys across India in key metros every year to recognise outstanding leadership, firm’s contribution to the respective industry and socioeconomic progress in the state.

On this occasion, Devesh Rawat,

NEWS

same platform. We at our encourage female participation in all deby TNH DESK partments.”

General Manager, Marriott Hotels said, “It’s been only 5 months since the launch of Indore Marriott Hotel and we are really honoured to receive the award for “Best 5-Star Property of Indore 2018”. This award restrengthens our faith and effort in delivering world-class hospitality to our guests for which Marriott brand is known for. We would like to thank Indore and our delighted guests for all the appreciation for this achievement. We promise to keep on reinventing ourself to define new experiences for our guests.”

The event saw the felicitation of awardees from sectors of health, education, retail, and industries, who have contributed to the continual growth of central India ‘s economic hub, Indore. The night was commenced with Mayor Malini Laxmisingh Gaur gracing the occasion along with bollywood actress and Femina Miss India World Tourism 2005, Sonal Chauhan.

Indore Marriott Hotel, the premium 5-Star property is the largest in the state in terms of rooms and

by TNH DESK meeting space.

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FESTIVAL CORNER

Popular festivals around the world to see in the next month May 1, 2018 Location: Kalākaua Park, Hilo, Hawaii

Hilo Lei Day Festival 2018 Celebrated throughout Hawaii, Lei Day commemorates the symbolism of the lei while spotlighting the history and culture of the Hawaiian people. Established in 2005, the Hilo Lei Day Festival brings people together to celebrate the Hawaiian Islands’ multicultural heritage. “May Day is Lei Day in Hawaii Nei.” This popular phrase in the islands prevents anyone from forgetting this special day. The event features live music, a lei contest exhibit, hula performances, demonstrations, craft and food vendors, and more. This event is free and open to the public. Each year, the Lei Queen and her court reside over the festivities. Lei Queen are selected based on their lei making skills, hula proficiency, and Hawaiian language fluency.

May 1-6, 2018 Location: Negril, Jamaica

Tmrw.Tday Culture Fest 2018 Tmrw.Tday is an exercise in natural healing, inner peace and becoming your best self while in Jamaican paradise. Tmrw.Tday Culture Fest is where you can block out the world and live in the present. The serenity of Negril’s Seven Mile Beach will hook you in as you dig your toes into its warm, sandy shores and begin your journey of self-discovery. Redefining the current festival landscape, Jamaica’s Tmrw.Tday Culture Fest announces today the latest additions to its remarkably diverse lineup, welcoming free form movement leader Shiva Rea and musical dreamweavers Bedouin to the sun-drenched Caribbean coastline.

May 11-13, 2018 Location: Austin, Texas

Euphoria 2018 Euphoria Music Festival provides a space where this natural high is abundant, thanks to diverse, bombastic music and a community vibe in a gorgeous, natural setting just outside of Austin, Texas. Austin, Texas is known as the “Live Music Capital of the World,” and despite Euphoria taking place on a sprawling ranch minutes from downtown, the festival does the city’s reputation justice. Built by Austin natives for music fans across the world, the festival has become the region’s largest independent music festival. Finding Euphoria is an intimate electronic music festival on May 12 with two nights of camping, surrounded by a series of music and community events.

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FESTIVAL CORNER May brings a lot of festivity with variety of colorful and music fests for an intrigue traveller. There are many festivals around the world such as Hilo Lei Day Festival 2018 (Hawaii) and Cooper Hill's Cheese Rolling Festival (England). Here are some of the best festivals which a traveller must enjoy!

May 18-20, 2018 Location: New Orleans, LA

Mid-City Bayou Boogaloo 2018 Every year, tens of thousands of people gather at Bayou St. John in New Orleans for one of the city’s most highly anticipated events, the Mid-City Bayou Boogaloo. Since 2006, this family-friendly festival has welcomed every one of all ages to sit and stroll by the water for this free and public event. What started out as a local one-day festival drawing only a couple thousand people has now grown into an all-out extravaganza, in classic New Orleans fashion. Over the course of three days, friends and families gather to eat, drink, and enjoy good tunes along. This festival also brings together the best local craftsmen and regional artisans at its Marketplace.

May 25-27, 2018 Location: Monterey, CA

California Roots Music & Arts Festival 2018 California Roots Music and Arts Festival owes its name to its founder, Jeff Monser, whose clothing line is also called California Roots. The clothes company came first and then in 2010, Monser started this fest as a way to bring people together for good music in a cool spot. In a larger sense, California Roots takes inspiration from that massive musical explosion and shift in consciousness synonymous with late-1960s California counterculture. But don’t be fooled by the name: It’s not all about California bands, nor is it just about roots reggae. It is, however, about quintessential California living—and dreaming: Imagine a laidback experience with sunshine (if it’s not foggy), smiles, and good vibes.

May 28, 2018 Location: Gloucestershire, England

Cooper Hill's Cheese Rolling Festival The Cooper's Hill Cheese-Rolling and Wake is an annual event held on the Spring Bank Holiday at Cooper's Hill, near Gloucester in England.

The event is traditional, and takes its name from the steep hill on which it occurs. Until recent years, it was managed in a quasi-official manner by nominated locals, but since 2010, the event has taken place spontaneously without any management. From the top of the hill, a 9 pounds round of Double Gloucester cheese is sent rolling down the hill, and competitors then start racing down the hill after it. The first person over the finish line at the bottom of the hill wins the cheese.

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EVENT WATCH

S KAL D ELHI M EET Skal International Delhi held its latest monthly meeting on 17th March at The Le Meridien Gurugram.

The event held in the evening was well attended by Skalleagues and their spouses and guests. On the occasion, the members were updated on the activities undertaken by Skal Delhi since the beginning of 2018. The meet concluded with delicious dinner.

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EVENT WATCH

C OX & K INGS C ELEBRATES 260TH ANNIVERSARY To celebrate 260 years in the travel industry, Cox & Kings hosted a glitzy gala on 28th February at Shangri-La Eros Hotel, New Delhi. The evening was graced by K.J. Alphons, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Tourism, who lauded the company for its continuous service to the tourism industry.

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MOVING ON

Samir MC Managing Director, Fortune Park Hotels Ltd. Samir MC has been appointed as the Managing Director of Fortune Park Hotels Ltd. (FPHL). With full responsibility for the leadership and development of Fortune Hotels, he will play a key role in meeting the company’s aggressive growth goals as well as building on the brand’s outstanding reputation for providing efficient service to the customers as well as to the promoters.

As Managing Director of FPHL, Samir would also oversee the functioning of the WelcomHeritage brand. A Masters of Business Administration degree from University of Southern Queensland, Australia and Diploma in Hotel Management from IHMCTAN, Ahmedabad, he has rich and valuable Operational & Sales experience of over two decades across Asia. Prior to joining Fortune Hotels, he worked with InterContinental Hotels Group for 22 years.

Pankaj Saxena General Manager, Radisson Blu Pune Hinjawadi Radisson Blu Pune Hinjawadi has appointed Pankaj Saxena as its General Manager.

Pankaj was last holding the position of General Manager at Country Inn & Suites by Carlson, Mysore. He brings with him 20 years of hospitality experience. As the General Manager of Radisson Blu Pune Hinjawadi, Pankaj will be accountable for all aspects of the hotel including operations. His responsibility would include curating strategic initiatives that will lead the hotel to solidify its leadership position.

Pankaj will develop and implement business strategies for the hotel which are aligned with Carlson Hotel and the hotel owner’s overall mission, vision, values, and strategies.

He would also analyze business results on a regular basis and takes actions to improve results as appropriate. His responsibility also includes ensuring the hotel adheres to all local, state and national employment, licensing, lodging, liquor, insurance, safety, contract and other laws and standards.

Suju Krishnan General Manager, Vivanta by Taj – Blue Diamond, Pune Taj Hotels Palaces Resorts Safaris has announced appointment of Suju Krishnan as the General Manager of Vivanta by Taj – Blue Diamond, Pune. Suju is a Taj loyalist, having spent 24 years with the company. His journey with the Taj began in 1994 when he joined the organization in Front Office as part of the Taj Graduate Training Programme at Taj Bengal, Kolkata. After working across roles and cities, Suju’s first General Manager Posting was at The Gateway Hotel Fatehabad Road Agra.

Prior to Pune, he was the General Manager of the Gateway Hotel Marine Drive Ernakulam. A law graduate from Bangalore University, Suju is passionate about the Taj brand and believes in leading his team by example. He enjoys Indian and Western classical music, reading and most outdoor activities.

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MOVING ON

Sarah Raina Director of Sales & Marketing, JW Marriott Jaipur Resort & Spa Sarah Raina has been appointed as the Director of Sales & Marketing at the JW Marriott Jaipur Resort & Spa. With over a decade of experience in various roles across prestigious hospitality brands, she is a seasoned hotelier. Her last held position was of Director of Sales at the Grand Hyatt Goa. Her strong business acumen and excellent interpersonal skills enabled her to successfully essay her last role as the Director of Sales, Grand Hyatt Goa. At the JW Marriott Jaipur Resort & Spa, her core responsibility will be to maximize the resort’s revenue from various market segments and work with the team to conceptualize and implement innovative sales and marketing strategies. In the days to come, Sarah will also work towards positioning the resort as one of the most luxurious destinations in Rajasthan.

Ankush Sharma General Manager, Aditya Park Hyderabad, Sarovar Hotels & Resorts Ankush Sharma has been appointed as the General Manager of Aditya Park Hyderabad, a Sarovar Portico hotel. He brings with him a diverse experience and expertise of over 16 years in the sphere of hotel operations, sales and marketing, project management and revenue management. In the past, he had also been associated with Taj Group and Intercontinental Hotels Group.

Ankush is a Hotel Management graduate from AMC Bangalore followed by an MBA degree from Amity University specializing in Marketing Management. He is adept in managing diverse manpower owing to his rich exposure. In his current assignment, he is responsible for project management in terms of renovation and refurbishment of the hotel as well as restructuring sales and marketing for maximizing yield.

Amit Kumar Sinha Operations Manager, Lords Inn Somnath Lords Inn Somnath, Gujarat has appointed Amit Kumar Sinha as its Operations Manager (OM). With a Diploma in Hotel Management and Catering Technology, Sinha has more than 19 years of industry experience. Prior to joining Lords Hotels & Resorts, Sinha served as the General Manager of Hotel Amit Park International in Bhilai. He has previously worked at Lords Plaza, Surat among other known hospitality brands and specializes in Front Office & General Operations. A process oriented personnel, Sinha’s key strengths are setting up and maintaining brand standards. He will be responsible for bettering the guest response and recognition processes at Lords Inn, Somnath.

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AROUND THE WORLD

Grand Lion Group inks second contract with Marriott International

Cambodian real estate company, the Grand Lion Group has recently inked a deal with Marriott International Inc., to manage and operate a new hotel in the stunning coastal city of Sihanoukville, located in Cambodia’s southwest re-

gion, a short 35-minute flight from the capital of Phnom Penh.

by TNH DESK

Etihad signs new codeshare deal with Swiss Etihad Airways and Swiss International Air Lines have launched a new codeshare partnership with bookings effective immediately. Under the agreement, Etihad

Airways will have its EY flight code on Swiss services between Geneva and Zurich, two key gateway cities served in Switzerland from Abu

by TNH DESK Dhabi.

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Virgin Atlantic has announced the launch of three new ways to fly economy as part of a multi-million-pound investment in the cabin for the 21st century traveller. Recognizing that one size doesn’t fit all, from spring this year Virgin Atlantic will intro-

duce Economy Delight, Economy Classic and Economy Light tickets.

by TNH DESK

New Muscat International Airport welcomes first Oman Air flights Oman Air has begun operations from the new Muscat International Airport. All incoming and outgoing flights will be transferred from the current terminal to the new airport. The new airport opening has been eagerly anticipated and, as a key stakeholder, Oman Air is proud to be operating up to 200 flights per day from the new

by TNH DESK state-of-the-art terminal.

Marriott reports record European growth for 2017 Marriott International has reported its most successful year for signing development contracts in Europe, adding 35 hotels and signing 12,000 rooms in 2017. The company now operates or franchises more than 547 properties and over 110,000 rooms in 40 countries and territories in Europe, representing nine per cent of Mar-

VIRGIN ATLANTIC SPLITS ECONOMY CLASS INTO THREE TIERS

riott’s global room distribution, across 23 of the company’s 30 brands. by TNH DESK

The Test Kitchen- one of the best restaurants in the world launches in Mauritius International footballer Fernando Hierro has been named ambassador for responsible tourism in a meeting held at the World Tourism Organisation, with its secretary general, Zurab Pololikashvili. Fernando Hierro’s legacy is closely associated with Real Madrid, a team with which

by TNH DESK he played more than 600 matches.

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DL (ND)-11/6167/2017-18-19 | DATE OF POSTING: 5-6 OF MONTH | RNI NO.: DELENG/2010/33723 | DATE OF PUBLISHING: 4 th OF THE MONTH