Travel and Hospitality (TnH) - January 2018

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FROM THE EDITOR

New Year's Resolution: Embrace Change

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

Few would disagree that 2017 has been a roller-coaster ride for India's Travel & Hospitality Industry.

The year was fraught with hardships and confusion. Our trade partners were living in a state of constant disruption and uncertainty caused by some 'revolutionary' government policies. The industry had hardly recovered from the shock of demonetization, when it had to grapple with the roll-out of GST that created extra chaos in some segments of the industry. In fact, it was not only the Travel & Tourism Industry but the whole economy had a tumultuous time in 2017, with economic growth plummeting to its lowest, in recent years.

Nevertheless 2017 is passé now and as we flip the calendar to a new year, it's time we settle into the new economic environment

with aplomb. So how do we do this? The only answer is adapt and change.

In the New Year, let's give up our resistance to the emerging new world order shaped by new technologies and policies. Let’s agree once and for all that change will continue to be a disruptor, as well as enabler for those who embrace it, and the sooner we accept this reality the better it will be for us.

We have enough reasons to be optimistic about the year ahead.

The disturbances caused by demonetization and GST are fading away. The benefits of a more digitized and united country under these schemes should start to manifest. Read our cover story 'What to watch out for in 2018' to get a sense of possible occurrences and developments in the New Year.

Furthermore, in this issue do look out for an exclusive interview with the Ambassador of Vietnam to India, H.E. Ton Sinh Thanh (p.30) and a special in-depth conversation with the Ambassador of Bolivia H.E Sergio Dario Arispe Barrientos (p.40).

Happy new year to one and all!

Here’s to a productive 2018!

Cheers!

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, DoctorÊs Lane, Gole Market, New Delhi - 110001, and published at P- 23/90, Connaught Circus, New Delhi 110001; Editor: SRISHTI RAI

Srishti Rai Editor

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18 COVER STORY What to watch out for in 2018 06 NEWS 95 countries honoured at VFS Global’s ‘Diplomats for Peace’ 08 NEWS Need to do more for peace and harmony vital for socio-economic progress: Zubin Karkaria 10 NEWS Zubin Karkaria wins 'CEO of the Year' at the Masala! Awards 2017 12 NEWS VFS Global wins contract to process Norway visa applications in 39 countries 13 NEWS Jordan Tourism Board conducts B2B Roadshow in New Delhi

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26 14 NEWS A time to bring alive the sacred Pushkar ghats 15 NEWS Abu Dhabi welcomes 443,000 hotel guests to record 16 per cent rise during November 16 BITE CORNER Festive feasting at Cafe Treat 22 NEW YEAR OUTLOOK Industry hopes 2018 to be a fruitful year

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26 FEATURE Top business practices of big brands that every travel company should adopt 28 TECH CORNER Top buzz in the travel technology sector

30 DIPLOMAT CORNER Vietnam: a treasure trove of cultural diversity and natural beauty

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34 IN FOCUS Five fresh ways to see Vietnam in 2018 36 HOTEL REVIEW Kolkata’s outstanding dream destination 38 EVENT ALERT Trade shows around the world 40 DIPLOMAT CORNER Bolivia: an incredible country full of authentic charm

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NEWS

95 countries honoured at VFS Global’s ‘Diplomats for Peace’ Event held for the first time in India

and UNWTO, with VFS Global, the

Germany, Japan, India, Mexico,

to felicitate efforts of diplomatic com-

world’s largest outsourcing and tech-

Rwanda, Spain, Sri Lanka, Switzer-

munity in promoting peace through

nology services specialist for govern-

land, the United Arab Emirates, and

tourism

ments and diplomatic missions, as the

the United Kingdom.

presenting partner.

Representatives from 95 countries

High-level diplomats from 95 coun-

Awardees were selected based on IIPT’s specific set of evaluation criteria

around the world were felicitated at the

tries, representatives from the Indian

and judgment. A total of 15 countries

unique ‘Diplomats for Peace’ event

Ministry of External Affairs, Ministry

were also honoured with a special

held in New Delhi on 7 December

of Home Affairs, Ministry of Tourism,

‘Messenger of Peace’ recognition at

2017, for their countries’ contributions

and prominent senior Indian officials

the event.

towards fostering Peace through

were present at the gathering.

Tourism. At the event organised by the

This is also the first time the diplo-

Speaking about the event, Ajay Prakash, President, IIPT India, said,

International Institute for Peace

matic community was honoured and

“The United Nations declared 2017 as

Through Tourism (IIPT), heads of sev-

acknowledged for its role in support-

the International Year of Sustainable

eral diplomatic missions were also

ing the concept of promoting peace

Tourism for Development and a num-

recognised for their countries’ exem-

across the world through the facilita-

ber of events and programmes con-

plary work in successfully undertaking

tion of tourism.

tinue to be conducted across the world.

various humanitarian and peace initia-

Countries whose representatives

For over 30 years, IIPT has been cham-

tives using tourism, in various spheres

were honoured with the ‘Diplomats for

pioning the cause of Peace through

of political, economic, or environmen-

Peace’ award by IIPT, for particularly

Tourism. The connection between

tal change.

creating humane, sustainable and

Peace and Tourism is twofold – while

peaceful environments, when faced

peace is a prerequisite for tourism, it is

the first time in India by IIPT, which is

with political or socio-economic con-

equally true that the growth of tourism

recognised and supported by the Min-

flicts, or climate change, are Bhutan,

can foster greater peace. The prime

istry of Tourism, Government of India,

Cambodia, Canada, Colombia, France,

function of diplomacy is the preven-

‘Diplomats for Peace’ was held for

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TRAVEL AND HOSPITALITY | JANUARY 2018

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NEWS

LIST OF AWARDEES: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

H.E. Maj. Gen. Versop Mangyel, Ambassador of Bhutan in India H.E. Pichkhun Panham, Ambassador of Cambodia in India H.E. Nadir Patel, High Commissioner for Canada in India H.E. Monica Lanzetta Mutis, Ambassador of Colombia in India H.E. Alexander Ziegler, Ambassador of France in India H.E. Dr. Martin Ney, German Ambassador in India H.E. Kenji Hiramatsu, Ambassador of Japan in India H.E. Melba Pria, Ambassador of Mexico in India H.E. Ernest Rwamucyo, High Commissioner of Rwanda in India H.E. Jose Ramon Baranano Fernandez, Ambassador of Spain in India H.E. Chitranganee Wagiswara, High Commissioner of Sri Lanka in India H.E. Dr. Andreas Baum, Ambassador of Switzerland in India H.E. Dr. Abdul Rahman Albanna – Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates in India H.E. Sir Dominic Asquith – High Commissioner of the United Kingdom in India

tion or resolution of conflict and every diplomat, therefore, is essentially an Envoy of Peace.”

Zubin Karkaria, Chief Executive Officer, VFS Global Group, said, “We have always believed that travel and tourism plays a strong role in spreading peace and understanding, and building bridges across nations. Being in the business of supporting global travel and tourism through visa service management, developing Peace through Tourism is a topic very close to our hearts at VFS Global. Being a part of this event gives VFS Global the opportunity to honour the exemplary work done by several countries and their diplomats in building bridges to foster world peace.”

Representatives from various travel and trade associations like TAAI, TAFI, OTOAI, and various tourism bodies, also attended the event. IIPT was founded by Dr. Louis D’Amore in 1986, the UN International Year of Peace. It was born with a vision of making travel and tourism the “World’s first Global Peace Industry” – an industry that promotes and supports the belief that “Every traveller is potentially an Ambassador for Peace” – and as the world’s largest industry, one that contributes to broader societal goals and objectives. This ‘Higher Purpose’ of tourism paradigm, with its capacity to generate social, cultural, economic, environmental and political benefits, is now broadly recognized and has gained acceptance at the highest levels. Since its founding in 1986, IIPT has organized 17 international conferences and summits in regions throughout the world – as well as a series of other seminars and workshops.

by TNH DESK

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NEWS

Need to do more for peace and harmony vital for socio-economic progress: Zubin Karkaria VFS Global along with the Interna-

visa service management, developing

tional Institute for Peace Through

peace through tourism is a topic very

Tourism (IIPT) recently organised

close to our hearts at VFS Global,

‘Diplomats for Peace’ event in New

said Karkaria. "This is the reason we

Delhi to felicitate heads of several

have decided to play a very impor-

diplomatic missions for their coun-

tant role in today’s function. We also

tries’ contributions towards fostering

believe that travel and tourism is no

Peace through Tourism.

more a luxury, especially in countries

Addressing VFS Global’s ‘Diplo-

like India, it has become more of a

mats for Peace’ event, Zubin

necessity and therefore, the global

Karkaria, Chief Executive Officer,

demand for travel and tourism is

VFS Global said, "We have always

growing every year exponentially.

believed that travel and tourism plays

The growth in outbound travel and

a strong role in spreading peace and understanding and building bridges across the world. It’s exactly the reason we foresaw that visa processing could be one of the primary limiting factors to the growth of travel and tourism from India that we decided to launch this idea of outsourcing visa services."

In all, 95 diplomats including ambassadors and high commissioners in India attended the event. Karkaria, who is regard as the pioneer of the Global Visa Services Industry, said, "I

Zubin Karkaria Chief Executive Officer, VFS Global

"Today, I am proud to say that VFS Global has played a very important, pivotal and catalyst role in the growth of outbound travel and tourism in India over the past sixteen years....Being in the business of supporting global travel and tourism through visa service management, developing peace through tourism is a topic very close to our hearts at VFS Global."

am glad that we have members of 95

every year as people around the world seek new experiences and deeper understanding of different cultures."

Asserting the benefits of peace are multifold, Karkaria said that in current times we can certainly do more for peace and harmony vital for socio-economic progress. "Through the International Institute for Peace through Tourism (IIPT) we will recognize tonight the diplomats for peace based on their evaluation. I am also very keen to know how they

countries here. We have ambassadors,

Global has played a very important,

have done their evaluation but for me

distinguished guests and ministers

pivotal and catalyst role in the growth

every person out here, every ambas-

who are here to encourage tourism

of outbound travel and tourism in

sador, every minister out here is an

through peace. It’s my pleasure and

India over the past sixteen years. We

ambassador for peace today and we

honor to address you at this very

manage applications for 38 govern-

look forward to facilitating these es-

unique event in India where VFS

ment clients in India and until now we

teemed diplomats and looking for-

global started 16 years ago." Karkaria

have processed 30 million visa appli-

ward to see all the representative

founded VFS global in 2001 in India.

cants. Similarly, across the globe, we

countries being honored as the mes-

Today VFS Global is the world’s

manage 57 government clients and till

senger of peace."

largest outsourcing and technology

date we have managed 158 million

services specialist for governments

visa applications," said Karkaria.

and diplomatic missions.

"Today, I am proud to say that VFS

8

tourism is almost in a double digit

TRAVEL AND HOSPITALITY | JANUARY 2018

Being in the business of supporting global travel and tourism through

The event was held for the first time in India to felicitate efforts of diplomatic community in promoting peace through tourism.

by TNH DESK

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NEWS

Zubin Karkaria wins 'CEO of the Year' at the Masala! Awards 2017 Zubin Karkaria, CEO of VFS Global, the world's largest outsourcing and technology services specialist for governments and diplomatic missions worldwide, has been named the CEO of the Year at the Masala! Awards 2017.

The prestigious accolade was awarded in recognition of his outstanding performance as CEO of VFS Global. The Masala! Awards 2017 was the programme's tenth edition, with the ceremony held recently at the Bollywood Parks, Dubai Parks and Resort.

Masala! Awards are recognised as the biggest Asian Awards in the region and honours the most talented people in the field of business, philanthropy, fashion, lifestyle and arts.

This year, the red-carpet gala dinner was attended by Bollywood A-listers including Sridevi Kapoor, Arjun Rampal, Manish Malhotra, Govinda and Pakistani powerhouses Mahira Khan, Saba Qamar and Mawra Hocane. The evening was hosted by Boman Irani and Salman Qureshi.

"I am deeply honoured to receive this award and extend my sincere gratitude to the organizers of the Masala! Awards. I also take the opportunity to thank our dynamic and dedicated team at VFS Global, who work relentlessly to be the world’s leading visa, consular, identity and citizen services provider for governments, organizations and consumers", commented Zubin

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TRAVEL AND HOSPITALITY | JANUARY 2018

Zubin Karkaria Chief Executive Officer, VFS Global

Karkaria on receiving the award.

With a rich experience of close to 30 years in the travel business and in

parent company, Swiss based Kuoni Travel Management Ltd. (Kuoni Group) since 2015.

developing a truly global business, Zubin has taken-on and overcome

VFS Global is the world's largest

several challenges successfully. His

outsourcing and technology services

success lies in his sharp entrepre-

specialist for governments and diplo-

neurial sense combined with organi-

matic missions worldwide. With

sation building skills. Zubin’s

2453 Application Centres, opera-

greatest achievement has been the

tions in 130 countries across five

conceptualisation and the outstand-

continents and over 160 million ap-

ing success of VFS Global. He was

plications processed as on 30 No-

primarily responsible for launching

vember 2017, VFS Global serves

the business in 2001 to serve one

the interests of 57 client govern-

client government with three appli-

ments. VFS Global’s worldwide op-

cation centres in Western India, and

erations are certified ISO 9001:2008

growing it into a world leader in its

for Quality Management System,

space serving 57 client governments

ISO 27001:2013 for Information Se-

with over 2,453 application centres

curity Management System and ISO

across 130 countries.

14001:2004 for Environmental Man-

The company has handled over 160 million applications since its in-

agement System. For more information, please visit www.vfsglobal.com

ception in 2001. In addition to this, Zubin is the CEO of VFS Global's

by TNH DESK

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NEWS

Aeroflot becomes first Russian airline to track bags along their entire journey SITA’s BagJourney will provide accurate real-time information on each and every bag.

Aeroflot has become the first airline in Russia to provide real-time location information for all the baggage it handles, choosing SITA, the global IT provider, to deliver an end-toend baggage tracking solution using its BagJourney system.

BagJourney allows Aeroflot to accurately track passengers’ bags at key points along their journey, including at check-in, loading onto the aircraft, transfer and arrival at the destination airport.

BagJourney provides a precise picture of a bag’s location. It uses baggage data from 400plus airports and 500 airlines that passes through SITA’s global, fully-managed baggage message and distribution service, BagMessage. This makes it possible for the airline to keep passengers informed about the status of their baggage or to quickly trace a bag if it does go missing. Aeroflot’s employees will also be able to provide customers with complete information on their baggage.

Kirill Bogdanov, Deputy CEO for IT at Aeroflot, said, “Baggage tracking is just the latest example of how Aeroflot is focusing on technology innovations that improve the customer experience. We recognize that baggage is such

an important area for passengers, and through this solution we will be able to

provide them with more certainty on where their bags are at every step of the jour-

ney.”

Dmitry Krasnov, SITA VP Russia and CIS, said, “Aeroflot has a great track record of embracing technology to enhance the passenger experience.

by TNH DESK

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NEWS

VFS GLOBAL WINS CONTRACT TO PROCESS NORWAY VISA APPLICATIONS IN 39 COUNTRIES The Royal Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has awarded VFS Global an extension to its global contract for visa processing services. The contract extension covers four regions – Asia and Oceania, Europe & Russia, Middle East & Africa, and the Americas.

VFS Global has been serving the Royal Norwegian Government since 2010 and currently operates 101 Visa Application Centres across 39 countries for Norway.

The contract renewal was signed by Per EgilSelvaag, Director General, The Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Chris Dix, Head – Business Develop-

ment, VFS Global. This is a significant win for the company, which processes approximately 260,000 Norway visa applications globally each year.

Chris Dix, Head – Business Development, VFS Global, remarked, “We are delighted to continue our partnership with the Norwegian Government. This is not only commercially important for VFS Global, but also demonstrates the Norwegian government’s satisfaction with and trust in VFS Global, and further reinforces our company’s position as the leading visa services partner to Schengen member states and to 57 client governments worldwide.”

The Royal Norwegian Government reported the country’s tourism industry had another record year in 2016, following strong growth in the number of visi-

NEW TOURISM POLICY TO BE ANNOUNCED IN EARLY 2018: TOURISM MINISTER K J Alphons, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Tourism told TnH that the Union Government will announce the new tourism policy in early this year. He informed that the Ministry of Tourism is the process of finalizing the new national tourism policy and the draft of the policy will be approved by the Cabinet very soon.

"We will declare the new tourism policy in the early 2018," stated the Minister.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi re-

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TRAVEL AND HOSPITALITY | JANUARY 2018

K J Alphons Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Tourism

cently saw the draft of the policy formulated by the Tourism Ministry, and has made some suggestions. The Tourism Ministry will incorporate those suggestions in the draft before placing

tors in 2015. Figures compiled by Statistics Norway show average annual growth in the number of foreign visitors to Norway have exceeded the international average since 2010. The tourism industry accounted for over 4% of value creation and almost 9% of employment in the Norwegian business community in 2015.

Nearly 160 000 people work in the tourism industry in Norway. Travellers from China, Russia, Thailand and India account for most of the inbound traffic into Norway.

For VFS Global, 2017 has been an eventful year and has outperformed competition by being awarded contracts for seven new client governments this year alone: namely, Bahrain, Cote D’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Georgia, Nigeria, Slovakia and Ukraine.

VFS Global is the trusted partner to 57 client governments worldwide, offering a range of visa, permit, passport, and consular services.

by TNH DESK

it for the consideration of the Cabinet.

Among many things, the upcoming national tourism policy will focus on employment generation and development of tourism infrastructure.

The MoT had released the draft of the new tourism policy in 2015 after consultation with the stakeholders.

The draft policy speaks of developing and positioning India as a ‘must experience’ and ‘must re-visit’ destination for the foreign tourists. The last time the national tourism policy was declared in 2002. However, taking into account the widespread, interrelated global developments and advancements, which have had a strong bearing on the Tourism sector, a new National Tourism Policy is being formulated.

by TNH DESK

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NEWS

ISRAEL EASES VISA PROCEDURE FOR INDIANS To encourage more Indian travellers to visit Israel, the country has simplified the visa application procedure for Indian citizens. The relaxed visa rule involves less documentation for Indians who have availed visas of Schengen countries, US, Canada, Australia or Israel and have completed their travel to these countries. For Hassan Madah these travellers, the doc- Director Israel Ministry of Tourism, India & Philippines uments include a valid passport, completed Visa Application Form, two photographs (5.5cm x 5.5cm), Cover Letter with travel information, Traveller’s Insurance and passport copy (first and last page).

“This is an initiative we have been working very closely with Interior Ministry and Foreign Affairs Ministry to introduce in India and I am happy to see this change for the Indian travellers who wish to travel to Israel.” said Hassan Madah, Director Israel

by TNH DESK Ministry of Tourism, India & Philippines

JORDAN TOURISM BOARD CONDUCTS B2B ROADSHOW IN NEW DELHI

INDIGO REACHES 200 MILLION PASSENGERS MARK Adding yet another milestone to its credit, IndiGo flew its 200 millionth passenger thereby reaching another historic milestone in eleven years of operations. The 200 millionth passenger - Bheeni Kapur who flew from Delhi on IndiGo flight 6E-6929 - was greeted by IndiGo staff on checking in at Delhi airport with a boarding card placard, a bouquet and a hamper of goodies. On board the flight, IndiGo made a special announcement to recognize its 200 millionth passenger Kapur who also received a complimentary on-board meal box.

After our 200 millionth passenger took off, every following customer received a thank you card at the boarding gates across stations. The milestone underlines IndiGo’s position as the country’s largest and fastestgrowing carrier with 149 Airplanes including 1 ATR aircraft connecting 49 destinations.

Jordan Tourism Board recently conducted a Roadshow in New Delhi with 8 partners - Air Arabia, United Travel Agency, Travco Tours, Dakkak Tours, Emirates, Friends Tours, Jordan Tours, Karma House Travel, La Beduina Tours and Oman Air. The aim of the Roadshow was to meet the city’s premium travel agents and tour operators to discuss hotels, transporta-

by TNH DESK

tion, flights and much more to Jordan - to enable the agents to plan the perfect MICE, wedding, honeymoon or holiday to Jordan! The Roadshow were conducted keeping in mind to associate air, land, hotels, excursions and all other arrangements on one platform, and to make Jordan a strong contender in their itineraries for the coming season.

by TNH DESK

TRAVEL AND HOSPITALITY | JANUARY 2018

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NEWS

A TIME TO BRING ALIVE THE SACRED PUSHKAR GHATS

v B SWAATI CHAUDHURY Y

Shree Cement Sacred Pushkar 2017 was an attempt to boost experiential tourism in the backdrop of heritage.

An attempt to rejuvenate the celestial ghats of Pushkar, the significant pilgrim city in India took off with Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation (RTDC) along with Shree Cement Limited making a relentless endeavour to host the Shree Cement Sacred Pushkar 2017 in Jaipur Ghat on the banks of Pushkar Lake. Conceptualized by Performing Arts Entertainment Company and Teamwork Arts of New Delhi, the two-day spiritual and musical festival was a time to explore the heritage of the timeless city of Rajasthan. Held from December 16 to 17, 2017, this was incidentally the third time that the festival took off in Pushkar.

According to Sanjoy K Roy, Managing Director, Teamwork Arts, “We intend to enhance the level of experiential tourism from different cost perspective. We do not discriminate tourists based on their budget and this kind of festival is open for one and all segments of travellers. We wish to reach out to a wide perspective of travellers. The ancient city of Pushkar is not new to music and we

want to create some new offerings for travellers. There is a relation between built heritage, culture, tradition and economy. There are sacred heritage walks for tourists attending the

festival to know the heritage of the sacred city.”

The festival was lively with meditation, morning yoga, chanting of hymns, soulful musical performances and heritage walks organized across the ghats. There are 52 ghats in Pushkar that were lit up during the festival days. There was also the Organic Bazaar where one gets to know about traditional cuisine. Roy said, “The festival is growing organically and there were around 30 per cent global and 20 per cent domestic travellers in 2016 and we have a high flow of tourists from all over the country this year. We hope to plan our festival theme for next year on the lines of sacred healing that exists across the globe right from Ayurveda

by TNH DESK and Veda.”

VISIT MONACO WELCOMES KARAN JOHAR TO THE PRINCIPALITY Monaco Tourism along with Hotel Metropole and Fairmont Monte-Carlo proudly hosted the legendary Bollywood Director & Producer, Karan Johar, in association with Millionaire Asia magazine.

Monaco Government Tourist &

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TRAVEL AND HOSPITALITY | JANUARY 2018

Convention Authority recently had the pleasure to host, the Indian film director, producer, screenwriter, costume designer, actor, television personality and also now a radio show host, Karan Johar in the Principality of Monaco. Perfecting this exclusive

VIP moment for Destination Monaco, acclaimed Jewellery Designer, Maheep Kapoor and the very beautiful, Seema Khan, too accompanied Johar, and graced his visit by their charming presence.

by TNH DESK

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NEWS

Abu Dhabi welcomes 443,000 hotel guests to record 16 per cent rise during November The opening of Louvre Abu Dhabi on Saadiyat Island and the hosting of the Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix contributed to a dramatic surge in hotel guests staying in the emirate during November.

The month saw a 16% rise in guests staying in the emirate’s 162 hotels and hotel apartments compared to the same period in 2016, according to figures released by the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi. contributing enormously to our appeal

With 4.3 million hotel guests staying in accommodation across Abu Dhabi

as a ‘must visit’ destination. The mu-

city, Al Ain Region and Al Dhafra Re-

seum attracted worldwide attention

gion in the first 11 months of the year,

and instantly became a huge draw for

the emirate has witnessed 9% year-on-

domestic and international visitors,

year growth and is on target to reach a

which we anticipate will continue for

record 4.9 million guests by the end of

many years to come.”

China remains Abu Dhabi’s largest

December. sector’s performance during the month

overseas source market with 334,000

to the emirate, HE Saif Saeed

and the 16 per cent increase in hotel

Chinese guests staying in the emirate

Ghobash, Director General, Depart-

guests across all three regions to num-

this year, a dramatic rise of 63%,

ment of Culture and Tourism – Abu

ber 443,000 guests.”

which can be attributed to the lifting of

Welcoming the latest rise in visitors

Dhabi, said, “While November and Q4

“The opening of Louvre Abu Dhabi

visa restrictions and destination mar-

is traditionally a strong period for us,

was a monumental event, not only for

keting campaigns taking place in

particularly with visitors from Europe,

Abu Dhabi but also for the whole of

major Chinese cities throughout the

we are still highly encouraged by the

the country and indeed the region,

year.

by TNH DESK

TRAVEL AND HOSPITALITY | JANUARY 2018

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BITE CORNER

Festive feasting at Cafe Treat If you prefer fine-dining experience during the Yuletide season and the New Year, get ready to pamper your taste buds and eat your heart out at Pride Plaza Hotel Kolkata since the lingering taste remains in the times to come.

By Swaati Chaudhury

It’s the Yuletide season

Christmas buffet lunch

and a trip to your favourite

that was done up with

fine-dining outlet will defi-

Christmas goodies and

nitely be a treat. I happen

there was Santa Claus

to step in at Cafe Treat, an

cheering up the guests.

all-day fine-dining food

Spread over 1,500 sq. ft.

and beverage outlet of the

area, the multi-cuisine

four-star luxury hospitality

Cafe Treat boasts of an 84-

to serve an array of Italian

Baby Corn Orley, Pasta

group- Pride Plaza Hotel

seater restaurant and is

platters both in the main

Salad and a new delight

Kolkata at New Town, Ra-

into dishing out Indian,

course and in the dessert

called Roasted Bell Pep-

jarhat in “The City of Joy”

Chinese and Continental

section. There is one live

per Couscous made of

that came up sometime

delicacies. The Indian

counter and the menu on

soaked semolina. I

back in 2012.

platter comprises recipes

offer was Turkey Duck

switched over to the main

from Awadh, Punjab, Hy-

that goes down well dur-

course comprising a

derabad and West Bengal.

ing the Yuletide season.

plethora of tasty Indian

I checked into a cosy corner of the restaurant for

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TRAVEL AND HOSPITALITY | JANUARY 2018

The restaurant is known

I began with starters like

Jan 2018--final_Layout 1 1/3/2018 8:03 PM Page 17

BITE CORNER

and Continental attrac-

including a dosa counter.

tions and started off with

Atin Das further said,

Shanghai Noodles, Taman-

“We offer personalized ex-

cha Pulao with Papad,

perience and our service

mushroom rissoles,

staff keep up with their

Narangi Kofta, Aubergine

friendly interactions with

Pepper Mousakka- an Ital-

our guests. Most of our

ian platter and the hot,

visitors are family crowd

spicy Tandoori Subj

and hotel guests. There

Chilman. I was totally in

are global travellers halt-

love with Narangi Kofta

ing in our hotel owing to

that was extremely soft

its proximity to Netaji

containing paneer mixed

Subhas Chandra Bose In-

with orange segments and

ternational Airport and

flavoured with orange

sugar syrup that certainly

Kofta and Crespelle- an

they prefer to dine at our

juice in sauce. Tamancha

deserves mention. There

Italian menu made of

outlet. The corporate

Pulao is a Hyderabadi veg-

was a signature dessert

salted crepes, filled with

world forms a large part of

etarian delight made of a

dish offered by the Chef

vegetables, layered with

our visitors including Coal

fusion of spices including

called Angoori Lychee

sauce and baked with

India, Power Grid and

nutmegs (Javitri and

consisting of Lychee

cheese toppings.”

Capgemini.”

Jaiphal). I did not miss

stuffed with mini rasgul-

out on the Raita.

las, topped with rabri and

lot of options ahead and

garnished with saffron and

can start off with Rarah

the main menu, I moved

pistachio that was heav-

biryani, Roasted leg of

on to the dessert section

enly. The dish finds men-

lamb on the bed of legume

and I was obsessed with

tion in the a la carte

and Lagan ka Murgh that

the eight different kinds of

section. For those prefer-

has chicken cooked in

Continental and Bengali

ring traditional Bengali

lagan or copper vessel.

desserts on display. I took

sweets can take their pick

One can savour Saffron in-

in small portions of the

from Nolen Gurer

fused Surmai Steak, a

desserts including Christ-

Sandesh, a winter special-

Continental preparation

mas pudding, Yule Log

ity made of date palm jag-

with Surmai sea fish mari-

and the delightful Cro-

gery.

nated, grilled, layered

After having done with

quembouche- the French

Atin Das, Executive

Non-vegetarians have a

Verdict: The fine-din-

with sauce and saffron

soft dessert made of cones

Chef, Pride Plaza Hotel,

of pastries and tied up

Kolkata said, “Our signa-

with threads of caramel. I

ture creations are Abu

luxury dining outlet at any

headed to savour Tiramisu

Chilly Kebab, green chilly

time and a buffet lunch for

and traditional Bengali de-

chicken and Narangi Kofta

a single person is tagged

light called Chitrakoot –

while the vegetarian

containing a mix of

dishes that move fast in

dinner costs ` 1,200. The

Cheese curd and Mawa

our food outlet are

food outlet has two live

deep fried and dipped in

Tamancha Pulao, Narangi

counters during breakfast

flavour.

One can check into the

at ` 1,150 while a buffet

ing outlet is a perfect choice for hosting yearend parties with Christmas goodies lined up and strains of Christmas Carols resonating in the ambience. For super-busy professionals going out for luxury dining and preferring solitude with personalized service of staff, this is the place to drop in. If you step into the outlet once, it will beckon you again since the menu is a curious choice of Italian and Indian platters. One can dig into traditional sweet delights of Bengal.

The signature creations of the outlet are must-haves.

TRAVEL AND HOSPITALITY | JANUARY 2018

17

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COVER STORY

What to watch

out for in

2018

The New Year 2018 is expected to be an exciting year for India's Travel & Tourism Industry. We can expect many positive developments that will help boost tourism activities. The Government of India will very soon announce a new tourism policy. The presentation of the Union Budget 2018-19 on February 1 will also be an exciting event to watch out for. We can expect the Finance Minister to address some of the industry's concerns. v B PREM KUMAR Y

New Tourism Policy

for the foreign tourists. The draft National Tourism Policy

The Union Government is expected to unveil the much

has been formulated after taking into account the wide-

awaited new tourism policy in the first quarter of the New

spread, interrelated global developments and advancements, which have had a strong bearing on the tourism sector. The last time the national tourism policy had been declared in 2002.

Safety & Security Safety and security of tourists visiting India has been a big concern for travel and tourism industry in 2017. Criminal incidents attacking tourists have been affecting India's image as safe tourist destination. Last year in October, a

Year. Tourism minister K J Alphons said that the draft of the new national tourism policy will be approved by the Government early in the New Year. Among many things, the upcoming national tourism policy will focus on employment generation and community participation in tourism development. The Union Ministry of Tourism has released the draft of the new tourism policy in 2015 after consultation with the representatives of the tourism industry. The draft policy speaks of developing and positioning India as a ‘must experience’ and ‘must re-visit’ destination

18

TRAVEL AND HOSPITALITY | JANUARY 2018

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COVER STORY

Swiss couple was assaulted by a mob in Fatehpur Sikri in

pressed interest in acquiring the ground handling arm of

UP. Such incidents brings bad publicity and dent India's

the Air India. Speaking recently at an event of FICCI, Fi-

image as a safe tourist destination. Tourism minister K J

nance Minister Arun Jaitley said that Air India disinvest-

Alphons has requested Union home minister Rajnath Singh

ment plan is moving expeditiously and is on track.

to call a conclave of chief secretaries and state DGPs to discuss measures to prevent crimes against foreigners visiting

Railway safety

India. We hope that the Government of India and the state

2017 was marred with too many rail accidents in India,

governments work together in the New Year to ensure

which killed many rail passengers. In all, eight major rail

safety and security of foreign visitors to India. In its latest

accidents occurred in 2017. Higher number of accidents

report, the National Crime Records Bureau says 2016 saw a total of 284 incidents of crimes against foreign tourists, which was nearly at par with the number of incidents against foreign tourists registered in 2015.

Disinvestment of Air India The last year on 28th June, the Union Cabinet ‘in-principle’ decided to divest the government stakes in Air India, which is a wholly owned government airline. The government decided to make strategic disinvestment in Air India, and shed a substantial portion of its stake along with handing over the management of the ailing airline to the private sector. The Cabinet also approved strategic disinvestment in five of Air India’s subsidiaries. 2018 is going to be a very crucial year, with government aiming to finalize the disinforced former Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu to offer his resignation. Finally PM appointed Piyush Goyal as new Rail Minister replacing Prabhu. With Piyush Goyal as Rail Minister and Ashwani Lohani as the chairman of the Railway Board, steps are being taken by the government to modernize Indian Railway. We can hope that safety standards of Indian Railways will improve and there would be fewer rail accidents in the New Year. We can hope that next budget will also give utmost priority to rail safety by providing large budgetary support to the Railways. According to a study carried out by IndiaSpend website, excessive traffic and underinvestment in rail infrastructure were main factors for derailments. Accidents of trains have been a key concern of Indian Railways, but safety standards have not improved much despite technological advancements. vestment process in this year. Disinvestment of Air India is the biggest disinvestment decision of the Modi Govern-

UDAN (regional connectivity) scheme

ment for any PSU in its three and half year tenure. Some

UDAN or regional connectivity scheme is expected to get

companies such as Tatas and IndiGo have expressed their

further leg-up in the New Year. Under the scheme, more

interest in acquiring Air India. The Bird Group has ex-

routes are expected to be operational, thus improving the

TRAVEL AND HOSPITALITY | JANUARY 2018

19

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COVER STORY

itive outlook for the Indian economy has led to huge capital inflows that played a key role in strengthening the Rupee.

The comparatively high interest rate in India is one of the reasons of the high capital inflows in the country. The overvalued rupee is hurting Indian exports.

In the New Year 2018, the Indian currency may see a little depreciation in its value due to expected increase in the US interest rate. Value of Rupee will also depend on fiscal deficit target of the government. As the Modi government gears up for the General Elections in 2019 and many state elections before, the government may go slow on its fiscal deficit target and increase public spending on welfare regional connectivity in the New Year. In the first round of bidding as many as 128 routes connecting 70 airports were

schemes to please voters, particularly in the wake of Demonetization and GST. The latest tax reforms in the US

awarded under the scheme that seek to make flying more affordable. The results of the recently held second round of bidding are expected to be announced soon. Launched in 2015, UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik), the regional connectivity scheme of Government of India, aims to make air travel affordable to common man and improve India's civil aviation infrastructure. India's domestic air transport is skewed in favour of big cities. Airlines find economically unviable operating to no-metro cities. There is also lack of aviation infrastructure. The UDAN Scheme is a key part of the National Civil Aviation Policy (NCAP) which was released by the Ministry of Civil Aviation in 2016. The scheme will be jointly funded by the Central government and state governments. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the scheme on 27 May 2017 by flagging off the inaugural regional flights between Delhi and Shimla, and also between Kadapa-Hyderabad-Nanded. Under the scheme participating airlines are compensated under Viability Gap Funding (VGF).

Exchange Rate of Rupees The year 2017 saw strong Indian Rupees against dollars and other foreign currencies. The Indian Rupee has constantly been appreciating since May 2016. Some analysts says that Rupee is overvalued, therefore affecting India's export and current account. India is the only country that has had a consistent increase in its exchange rate over the past few years. The Rupee’s real exchange rate against the US Dollar fell from 114.5 to 112 from 2016–2017. The pos-

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TRAVEL AND HOSPITALITY | JANUARY 2018

that aims to reduce direct taxes may also impact the value of the Rupees. These all factor will determine the value of the Indian currency and Rupees may see a little bit of depreciation which will be good for foreign visitors coming to India but Indians going abroad will have to spend more.

Union Budget 2018-19 Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley will present his fifth budget in the Parliament, most likely on 1st February 2018.

The whole India Inc. and common man have huge expectation from the budget that may try to assuage the pain of every section of the economy who have suffered owing to demonetization and implementation of GST. Since it will be the last full-fledged budget of the Modi government be-

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COVER STORY

fore 2019 general elections, this budget is expected to pop-

nomic growth rate through the budgetary provisions. The

ulist. The tourism Industry is awaiting the presentation of

growth rate in 2017-18 is expected to be lowest in the re-

the Union Budget 2018-19 and expects that the finance

cent year, less than seven per cent.

minister will address some of their concerns. The tourism industry can expect increased budget allocation for the sec-

Rationalization of GST

tor, with focus on Incredible India 2.0 campaign and devel-

Coming as it does shortly after the completion of the de-

opment of new tourism circuits. With private investment

monetization, the launch of Goods and Service Tax (GST)

yet to pick-up the pace, the government will significantly

in July last year dampened the animal spirit of the India's

increase budget allotment for rural, social and infrastructure

economy, with the growth rate plummeting in the first

sectors. The government will also try to accelerate eco-

quarter of the FY 2017-18. The complicated tax slabs and return filing process put a severe stress on the industry and trade, with small and medium scale industry being affected with the GST. India’s hospitality industry was also under stress as a large section of India's hotel and restaurant industry was initially put under the highest tax rate slab.

Later, in November last year, the GST Council brought the industry under 18 % GST rate slab, but now restaurant will not be able to claim refund on input tax credits. Small travel companies have been most affected by the roll-out of GST. They will looking some kind of reliefs from the Budget.

TRAVEL AND HOSPITALITY | JANUARY 2018

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NEW YEAR OUTLOOK

INDUSTRY HOPES 2018 TO BE A FRUITFUL YEAR Post the completion of an eventful year, India's Travel & Tourism fraternity hopes that the New Year 2018 would be a great year for the industry.

v B ARCHANA SHARMA Y

An eventful year has come to an end, wherein the industry saw many ups and downs. The last year witnessed a series of changes of enormous impact like the introduction of GST, the launch of Incredible India 2.0 campaign and decision to constitute new special tourism zones, etc. TnH talked to some of the industry veterans to get their expectations from 2018, and what they are planning to do in the new year.

With the consistent surge Dr. Ankur Bhatia Executive Director, Bird Group in domestic tourism, 2017 started on a positive note for the civil aviation, travel The aviation, travel and hospitality industry will and hospitality industry. be a promising one as doLauding growth of India’s mestic travel and MICE Civil aviation market in pick up resulting in busi2017, Dr. Ankur Bhatia, ness growth.”

Executive Director, Bird Group said, “India became the third largest aviation market [in 2017] as domestic air traffic showed consistent growth. The hospitality industry, however, faced several roadblocks but made an encouraging recovery in the last quarter."

Expressing his expectations from the year 2018, he said that the travel and hospitality industry in 2018 looks promising one as domestic travel and MICE are expected to pick up resulting in business growth.

With other segments of tourism industry, the hospitality sector will surely see a boom in the upcoming year.

On an upbeat note, Ajay K. Bakaya, Managing Director,

“

“

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TRAVEL AND HOSPITALITY | JANUARY 2018

Sarovar Hotels & Resorts said, “We are likely to open hotels in Raipur, Jaisalmer and Mahipalpur in New Delhi in 2018. We expect the growth to be somewhere in the vicinity of 10 per cent across our hotels, Ajay K. Bakaya both in occupancy and in Managing Director, Sarovar Hotels & Resorts harder ARRs.” Also, the demand is expected to strengthen over 2018 and in the next five years. Sarovar Hotels & Resorts is all set to launch Sarovar Premiere in Lusaka, Zambia. Indian travel and tourism industry has a huge growth potential.

Talking about the plans for new year, Piyush Tiwari, Director-Commercial & Marketing, ITDC mentioned that corporation has been a pioneer in hospitality and tourism industry since the time of its inception. “Corporation would continue to aggressively promote and reposition ITDC as ‘One Stop Solution for all hospitality, travel & tourism related needs’ by being more visible in different kind of media including social media to connect with younger generation.” he added.

Technology has emerged as a leading factor, while some say the game-changer in the growth and development of travel and tourism sector. Last year saw many technological developments in travel and tourism industry and beyond. Many apps and tech-based companies were launched. The growth and developments in the new year will also continue to be largely driven by technology. Application of AI will further grow in the new year. In both front end technology (website, mobile interface, online company profile etc.) and back end technology (GDS, API connections, Hardware support etc.), it has become essential for modern day businessmen to access and understand the resources at hand.

Recognizing the need of innovation, well-established technology players like GDS is redefining itself to cater to its customers better and offer new opportunities.

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NEW YEAR OUTLOOK

“

ships of our country with world. Next year will also see growth in number of travelers and holidaymakers as vacationing has become a trend now.” As per the World Travel Market London 2017 Industry Report, three fourth of the travel delegates are expecting the industry to grow significantly. Most of the travel companies have planned to increase their targets to achieve in 2018. Both the leisure and business travel will see a boom as demands of traveling are increasing.

Praveen Chugh, President, Travel Agents Federation of India (TAFI) said, “India’s travel and tourism industry is expected to grow at an average annual growth rate of about 7% from the year 2018 onwards. Tourism is potentially a large employment generator besides being a significant source of foreign exchange earnings.

The tourism industry is Praveen Chugh President, Travel Agents Federation of India looking forward to expan(TAFI) sion of E-Visa Scheme which is expected to douIndia’s travel and ble the tourist inflow to tourism industry is exIndia.” pected to grow at an averPP Khanna, President, age annual growth rate of Association of Domestic about 7% from the year 2018 onwards.

Tour Operators of India (ADTOI) said, “We hope the New Year will bring a new dawn for the domestic market. We expecting Government to announce tourism friendly budget to boost tourism in the country.” ADTOI shall continue to work with State Tourism Boards to showcase the destinations for the domestic tourists to experience Incredible India.

We are also looking forward to promote Northeast sector with the support of DONER and MOT, he added.

Considering its rich and historical heritage, variety in ecology and terrains and places of natural beauty spread across the country, the significance of tourism in India cannot be underestimated. India is emerging as the world’s fastest growing outbound market. It is predicted that India will account for nearly 30 million outbound tourists by 2018.

“

“

Today, GDS provides an advanced technology solution for travel agents as well as for OTAs to perform their bookings and offer more choices for great customer experience.

Anil Parashar, President Anil Parashar and CEO, InterGlobe President and CEO, InterGlobe Technology Quotient (ITQ) Technology Quotient (ITQ) said, “With the rapid progress of the era In terms of product as well as capability, that is termed as the 4th inTravelport and ITQ will dustrial revolution, we are continue to harvest the looking forward to the infull potential of tegrating fusion of techtechnology. nologies that blur the lines between the physical, digital, and biological spheres. In terms of product as well as capability, Travelport and ITQ will continue to harvest the full potential of technology.”

The year 2017 has been a roller-coaster ride for the tourism industry and there is no doubt that it has affected the economy as well. But all, the industry is now wishing is that the coming year should be fruitful.

Subhash Goyal, Chairman STIC Travel Group & Hony. Secretary – FAITH expressed hope that 2018 would be a very good year Subhash Goyal Chairman - STIC Travel Group & Hony. Secboth for Inbound and Outretary – FAITH bound Tourism as the dark clouds of 2017 which had affected Tourism because of demonetization and sudden imposition of GST seems to be over. “We hope that whatever snags still remain in the GST law will be ironed out in 2018 and the Industry will adjust to the new scenario and bounce back.” he added.

Agreeing with Goyal, Nishant Pitti, CEO and Cofounder, EaseMyTrip.com said, “We are expecting year 2018 to be more beneficial and productive for Indian travel industry due to the gradually reforming relation-

TRAVEL AND HOSPITALITY | JANUARY 2018

23

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Jan 2018--final_Layout 1 1/3/2018 8:05 PM Page 24

NEWS

MAKING SINCERE EFFORT TO SHOWCASE TIMELESS HERITAGE AND CULTURE With the opening of Gobindgarh Fort in Amritsar and Jang-e-Azadi memorial at Kartarpur, tourism in Punjab is all set to go great guns in the upcoming period.

Bent upon to offer a massive push to its tourism potential, Punjab Heritage and Tourism Promotion Board (PHTPB) is making an all-out-effort to popularize the unexplored tourist destinations of Punjab across the globe. PHTPB is accentuating to entice the Non-Residential Punjabi populace settled across the country and in foreign shores to come and visit their roots. According to S Shivdular Singh Dhillon, Director, Tourism, Cul-

tural Affairs, Museum, Archives and Archaeology, Punjab, “We intend to make the second and third generations of Non-Residential Punjabi populace who have their roots in Punjab to have a taste of Punjabi experience.

We are opening the doors of Jang-eAzadi Memorial at Kartarpur in the vicinity of Jalandhar in 2017 and apart from these; we are offering a push to Keshopur Wetlands in the district of Gurdaspur among birdlovers and tourists. Keshopur Wetlands has pulled more number of migratory avian species than the renowned Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary this year. We have spruced up the in-

S Shivdular Singh Dhillon Director, Tourism, Cultural Affairs, Museum, Archives and Archaeology, Punjab

frastructure and set up a new watch tower at Keshopur Wetlands.”

The state stands tall with its glorious heritage and a number of heritage and historical conservation projects

by TNH DESK are underway.

THE SONNET LOOKS BEYOND HOSPITALITY The luxury hospitality chain is busy in boosting sports activities; eyeing expansion plans and overhauling its food outlet.

Here’s a luxury hospitality group based out in Jamshedpur that is getting off to a heady start into hosting sports activities and the property that comes to mind is The Sonnet Kolkata. In a first of its kind, the four-star haunt has tied up with Bengal Motor Sports Association and has flagged off Kavi Guru Rally that took off from Kolkata sometime on November 10, 2017 and terminated in Shantiniketan the next day.

According to Rajib Roy Choudhury, General Manager, The Sonnet Kolkata, “We intend to provide support to community-based activities, host football matches and popularise sports among the masses. We are

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TRAVEL AND HOSPITALITY | JANUARY 2018

working on similar Kolkata- Jamshedpur rally in the coming months.” The Sonnet has drawn up a policy to offer an impetus to a wide range of sports activities.

Spurred on by a mission to take its services back to Indian roots, the hospitality group has some ambitious plans to rev up its elegant all-day dining outlet- Aura. Roy Choudhury said, “We have plans to re-launch Aura as

a grilled and Bengali speciality food outlet. We are in the process of innovating Bengali cuisine in our restaurant.”

The hospitality player has some expansion plans in the offing. Roy Choudhury further said, “We prefer to establish ourselves as a chain of luxury, mid-sized business properties.

We are focusing mostly in looking after business properties and we may look at leisure properties in destinations like Puri, Gopalpur-on-Sea and Visakhapatnam with an inventory of 100 rooms. We are eyeing the Northeastern region and places like Raipur and Bilaspur in Chhattisgarh. We are contemplating to manage two luxury properties in the east in the next couple of years.”

by TNH DESK

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FEATURE

Top Business Practices of Big Brands That Every Travel Company Should Adopt v B NEHA KIRPAL Y

T

he best brand strategies are ones that are unique, get users involved directly, and remain true to the brand. Travel companies can learn, apply and adopt business lessons and best practices from big brands.

They can start by prioritizing their customers’ wants and needs, studying the competition, and carving a niche for themselves in a crowded market. We did some research and found the top business practices of big brands that travel companies can adopt and practice.

Make search engine optimization (SEO) work: SEO is quite the buzzword when it comes to the travel business. More and more consumers turn to the internet to find travel information and make travel decisions. Online search is a huge part of looking for travel ideas and planning trips. Travel companies can benefit by making SEO an integral part of their online marketing strategy. By focusing on digital

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TRAVEL AND HOSPITALITY | JANUARY 2018

marketing, improving their search performance and optimizing quality web content, travel websites and brands can attract more travellers and engage their target audience.

Content curation: Content curation is a combination of keywords, web analytics and social media. A travel company can work on keeping its content indexable by search engines, and by making its website design and structure userfriendly. The company can optimize for the right search keywords by targeting low-competition and high-

volume long-tail keywords that are relevant to a company’s customers’ search intents. Some of the most successful brands use web analytics to monitor, track and grow their business. Travel companies should measure and monitor their search performance, and make smart decisions based on website traffic and conversion data. Social activities send strong signals to search engines and reinforce a travel company’s authority and credibility.

Finally, reaching out to high-value corporate clients and influencers is another critical component. Having

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FEATURE

professional or emerging travel bloggers write about a travel brand contributes to its overall digital storytelling, enhancing efforts made on owned, paid and earned media altogether.

Blogging: Blogging is one of the rare tools that best serves both B2B and B2C purposes, as it is core to any content marketing strategy. In the travel and hospitality vertical, blogging is particularly useful as storytelling tool, creating content that can then be shared through various social networks such as Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter or LinkedIn. Experts believe that in order to get traction, a blog should publish on a daily basis, or at least 2–3 times per week. Travel companies should ensure that the niche or specialty they seek to share aligns with their brand’s overarching goals and objectives. It’s important for a company to know how its audience fits in with its other social networks and digital tactics.

The Standard Hotel is one of the few that has a great presence on Tumblr, where photos are shared regularly, aligned with the brand and customer interests. Their site is all about storytelling, lifestyle, culture, galleries, celebrities and so on.

Further, the award-winning blog of Tourisme Montreal employs five bloggers, writing regularly about arts & culture, festival & events, attractions, fashion, family, gastronomy, gay life, outdoor activities and nightlife. Since 2013, Tourisme Montreal also has a destination

blog for its business clientele, with articles focusing on meeting & events, conferences and logistics.

Get a LinkedIn page: There are over 3 million company pages on LinkedIn but very few travel brands efficiently manage their corporate presence on this platform. A good example to follow is Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts that manages its company page well. But company pages are not just for big hotel brands, cruise lines or airlines.

Whether a catering business, a tour operator or travel agency—positioning one’s brand and its services on LinkedIn increases its chances of being found by decision makers.

Using Instagram to your advantage: Instagram is one of the hottest social media platforms available right now, due to its youthful demographics and sharp upward growth trajectory. Owned by Facebook, it has more than 400 million monthly visitors, and brands everywhere are looking to jump into the platform to earn more brand engagements and inbound traffic.

Posting unique, emotionally captivating, functionally useful content, responding to users, and engaging with influencers apply here. If there was ever a perfect brand for Instagram, it’s National Geographic.

With contributors all over the world posting engaging, intriguing images, the company has built up a host of 53 million followers.

TRAVEL AND HOSPITALITY | JANUARY 2018

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TECH CORNER

Top buzz in the travel technology sector Top rankers amongst the Deloitte's fastest growing tech companies

Travelport has an-

A variety of travel software companies scored spots on

of an online PCI

Deloitte's 2017 list of the fastest 500 growing technol-

DSS (Payment Card

ogy companies. Deloitte evaluated revenue growth from

Industry Data Secu-

2013 to 2016 of companies that have been in business

rity Standard) com-

for those four years, are headquartered in Canada or the

pliance referral

U.S., own proprietary technology that contributes to the

service to help its

majority of operating revenue, had a 2013 base-year op-

customers businesses achieve PCI DSS certification.

erating revenue of at least $50,000 and had 2016 operat-

With fraud and hacking in the travel industry on the

ing revenue of at least $5 million. Sabre win best travel

rise, maintaining a set of security standards to combat

technology award. The startup, Dataminr ranked 69th,

this criminal activity is critical when dealing with cus-

Domo took the 71st spot and Yapta made to the list for

tomer credit card information. Furthermore, as from

the first time since its 2006 launch.

March 2018, any IATA agent that accepts card transac-

nounced the launch

tions against its own merchant agreement or issues

Meliá Hotels launches online business-tobusiness portal MeliáPro Meliá Hotels has

Billing and Settlement Plan (BSP) card transactions is required to provide proof of PCI DSS compliance to IATA. Travelport chose to partner with SecurityMetrics, a leading provider and innovator in data security and compliance for organisations worldwide.

line business-to-

Booking.com launches updated Booking Assistant chatbot

business portal which is a crucial step in an on-going

Booking.com has announced the expansion of the pilot

digitalisation process that is expected to enhance sales

version of its new service and support chatbot, the

and relationships with its professional partners.

Booking Assistant, now widely available to English-lan-

MeliáPro, previously the company’s booking tool for

guage bookings worldwide. As the latest evolution of

travel agents, has now been updated to provide online

Booking.com’s messaging platform, the Booking Assis-

services for a variety of different segments. These in-

tant merges proprietary artificial intelligence technol-

cluded corporate travellers, meeting and event organis-

ogy with the company’s already-robust customer

ers, travel agencies and tour operators. The company

service support. No matter which device or preferred

has also created a new website that allows users flexible

communication channel travellers use, they can get the

management and control of their professional activity.

answers they need via the Booking Assistant. The

The new website also provides customers with easy ac-

Booking Assistant was built as a mobile-first experience

cess to specialist hotels, listing diverse choices for host-

and has been adapted to operate natively within the iOS

ing meetings.

and Android versions of the Booking.com app, as well

launched a new on-

as via Facebook Messenger. It can also be accessed via

Travelport launches PCI DSS Certification Wizard Tool for Agency Customers

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TRAVEL AND HOSPITALITY | JANUARY 2018

the Booking.com website on desktop, mobile or tablet.

by TNH DESK

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DIPLOMAT CORNER

Vietnam: a treasure troVe of cultural diVersity and natural beauty

One of the most alluring destinations in Southeast Asia, Vietnam boasts of its huge cultural heritage and natural landscapes. Home to seven UNESCO world heritage sites, Vietnam has a vast cultural treasure of over 4,000 years of history, and more than 44,000 landscapes and historical relic sites.

In an exclusive interview with TnH magazine, H.E. Mr. Ton Sinh Thanh, Ambassador Plenipotentiary and Extraordinary of Vietnam to India, spoke about the tourism potential of his country, and the efforts to promote tourism.

v B PREM KUMAR

Q

Y

30

What does Vietnam have to offer as tourist

world. Vietnam is one of Asia's most attractive des-

destination?

tinations, with having the second highest tourism

With its diverse natural landscapes, unique culture,

growth rate in Southeast Asia. We have huge cul-

and friendliness of locals, Vietnam is increasingly

tural treasure of over 4,000 years of history. The

becoming attractive to visitors from all over the

country has more than 44,000 landscapes and his-

TRAVEL AND HOSPITALITY | JANUARY 2018

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DIPLOMAT CORNER

torical relic sites, including 62 special national,

growth rate in the region (26%). In 2017, Vietnam’s

3,174 national and 7,848 provincial relic sites to-

tourism is expected to attract 11.5 million interna-

gether with seven UNESCO-recognized world her-

tional tourists and 66 million domestic visitors,

itage sites. There are 7,996 festivals in Vietnam.

earning more than 20.24 billion USD in revenue. In

Visitors to Vietnam could not ignore the Hue royal

the first nine months of 2017, the number of inter-

court music, the space of the gong culture in the

national visitors to Vietnam was approximated 9.5

Central Highlands, Bac Ninh love duet singing, Ca

million, an increase of 28.4 per cent year-on-year.

tru (ceremonial singing), Giong Festival, the ritual

In the WEF's 'Global Competitiveness Report 2017',

of worshipping the Hung Kings, southern amateur

Vietnam ranked 67th out of 136 countries and ter-

music, and Vi-Dam folk songs of Nghe Tinh. Sea

ritories, 8 places up from 2015, topping in the

tourism, resort tourism, natural landscape tourism

ASEAN region and ranking fifth among the

and MICE tourism are the most popular types of

economies having the strongest rank improvement.

Q

tourism in Vietnam.

How important is the tourism sector for the country's economy?

Q

What are the new initiative for the development of tourism?

Government of Vietnam has initiated the notion of

In 2016, Tourism sector contributed 6.9 per cent

'Innovative tourism'. While cultural tourism empha-

into the country's GDP, and recorded the highest

sizes 'observing', 'contemplating' and 'meditating',

TRAVEL AND HOSPITALITY | JANUARY 2018

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DIPLOMAT CORNER

Island (Hai Phong city), U Minh national park (Ca Mau province), Con Co Island (Quang Tri province) and Phu Quoc Island (Kien Giang province).

To develop innovative tourism, Vietnam's tourism industry has built new unique tourism products such as night tours of national parks, food and film studio tours as well as agriculture, military and meditation tourism, while applying technology in tourism development and offering incentives to innovative tourism enterprises to create unique products. The sector has regularly organized fairs and conferences or launched competitions for innovainnovative tourism focuses on 'experiencing', 'participating in' and 'learning'. Tourists not only see, visit and enjoy places, but also mingle with the locals. Both of them enjoy and co-produce tourism

32

Q

tive tourism development nationwide.

What factors guarantee Vietnam’s success on its "Innovative tourism" initiative?

products there. This form of tourism stresses inter-

Vietnam is actively implementing smart tourism

action between tourists and indigenous people.

projects in Hanoi and many other tourist cities

Vietnam has many opportunities to develop inno-

across the country. The smart travel project allows

vative tourism, including attractive tourism re-

visitors to find out information about Hanoi via

sources with many famous sites such as the Dong

tourist information portal, social networks, forums,

Van Karst Plateau Geopark (Ha Giang province), the

and information about cultural events, traffic guid-

world natural heritage Ha Long Bay (Quang Ninh

ance, tour designing, online support via positioning

province) and the Trang An landscape complex and

system, tourist assistance services and payment by

a number of world biosphere reserves like Cat Ba

smart card services. With these measures imple-

TRAVEL AND HOSPITALITY | JANUARY 2018

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DIPLOMAT CORNER cities of culture and tourism such as New Delhi, Mumbai, Bodh Gaya, as well as the North East Region. The first direct flight between Ho Chi Minh City and New Delhi is expected to be launched in March 2018, operated by Vietnamese carrier Vietjetair.

We are also keen on doing researches and developing tourism packages and products, which take into account the interests of Indian tourists. In addition, with our focus on Indian tourism market, tourism promotion campaigns will be launched regularly by the Vietnam Tourism. We encourage Indian policymakers, media, journalists, film crews to come to Vietnam to do market research, exchange

Q

views and cooperate making joint tourism products.

How is the visa process for Indians?

Vietnam and India signed Bilateral Consular

Agreement in 1994, in which visa exemption is mented over the past time, Vietnam is increasingly

granted to Diplomatic and Service passport holders

being known as the highlight of Asia in smart and

of two sides, with the maximum duration of 90 days

Q

for each visit. Still, visa is required for Indian ordi-

innovative tourism development.

nary passport holder while traveling to Vietnam.

How important is India as a tourist market

Exceptional Indian Ordinary passport holder is

for Vietnam?

granted 30-day visa exemption for immigration

From 2010 to 2016, Indian visitors to Vietnam have

/stay in Phu Quoc Island. Indian visitors may apply

been increasing dramatically from 33000 to 85000

for visa at the Embassy of Vietnam, or submit their

at the Y-O-Y average growth rate of 17 per cent. In-

documents via travel agencies and authorized drop-

dian visitors to Vietnam in 2016 increased 30 per

off points such as the office of VFS Global.

cent compared to 2015. However, as figure shows, 2 millions Indian visitors visited ASEAN countries in 2016, therefore 85000 Indian tourists visiting

Q

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

Vietnam is equal to only 3 per cent. In the Tourism

The similarity between India and Vietnam is that

Development Strategy by 2020, Vision 2030, the

both countries share the diversity of culture. In Viet-

Government of Vietnam has recognised India to be

nam, where all beliefs and regions are respected,

Q

tourists must choose their clothes carefully when

a top priority market of Vietnam tourism.

visiting temples, pagodas or mosque, as each place How do you plan to attract Indian tourists

has its own requirement for clothes. For example,

to your country?

dress or short clothes should not be worn while vis-

We focus on facilitating the movement of Indian

iting those places. Besides, visitors need to follow

tourists. Vietnamese and Indian companies are

the rules and regulations of the places, do not try

joining efforts to open new direct air services from

to capture pictures or touch the artifacts if it is pro-

Ha Noi and Ho Chi Minh city of Vietnam to Indian

hibited.

TRAVEL AND HOSPITALITY | JANUARY 2018

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IN FOCUS

Halong Bay

FIVE FRESH WAYS TO SEE VIETNAM IN 2018 Decades after opening its doors to international travelers, Vietnam remains one of Asia’s most diverse and alluring destinations. Instagram snaps vibrate with photogenic streets, mouthwatering plates, and epic landscapes. What’s new in 2018? More diversity, in-depth adventures, and enticing escapes.

Urban Vietnam Named among the fastest-growing cities in the world, the explosion of youthful energy in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh

Son Doong Cave

continues to create fascinating by-products.

A city with character to spare, Hanoi is embracing its creative roots via contemporary galleries, artsy cafes, and live

and mossy pagodas where travelers can learn meditation

performances. Travellers can dip their toes into the under-

and take long walks in nature.

ground current through several excellent art tours. Not the

On the other side of the Hai Van Pass, Da Nang boasts

arty type? Hanoi’s atmosphere is most palpable among its

some of Vietnam’s most reputable spas and wellness re-

lakes, markets, and ancient Old Quarter.

sorts, where no one will blink an eyelash at a request for

In Ho Chi Minh City, visitors can sample Saigonese style

sound bowl healing. For an extended retreat, the storybook

in thoughtful boutique hotels and converted apartment

town of Hoi An welcomes weary travelers with yoga

buildings. A raft of insightful new tours are peeling back

classes, soothing countryside and healthy dining.

the city’s frenetic veneer, laying bare everything from Vietnamese calligraphy to underground tunnels.

Lush Landscapes Much has been made of majestic Ha Long Bay and spec-

Central Coast Wellness

tacular Sa Pa, but few travellers scratch the surface of

It may seem counter-intuitive to seek wellness in a nation

Northern Vietnam’s treasures.

once wracked with war; but give it a chance and Vietnam

Only a few hours from the capital, Ninh Binh is more

will prove its remarkable power to heal. The former Impe-

dreamscape than anything else. Sheer limestone cliffs rear

rial City of Hue, also the birthplace of Buddhism in Viet-

up from the plains, and travelers take breathtaking paddle-

nam, is a serene spot to undertake a wellness journey. The

boat rides beneath forested banks and dripping grottoes.

pine-covered hills surrounding the city shelter Zen houses

Even deeper into the wild, Pu Luong Nature Reserve over-

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IN FOCUS

flows with natural springs and tropical jungle.

encounters.

For long-distance motor biking, Ma Pi Leng Pass presents the most spellbinding stretch of asphalt in the country. A

Beach Hideaways

close second in the most photogenic category is Yen Bai

While beachcombing in Vietnam used to mean getaways

Province. More than 31 ethnic minorities live in this area,

such as Mui Ne and Nha Trang, savvy travelers willing to

where rice terraces cascade steeply down the mountain-

venture further will find pristine shores aplenty.

sides in breathtaking symmetry. Thanks to a handful of re-

Near the UNESCO-listed Hoi An Ancient Town, An

mote lodges, travelers can now sleep tight in any of these

Bang Beach is quietly having a moment. Sandy lanes just

fertile frontiers.

behind the shoreline shelter private pool villas and boutique guesthouses, and a handful of cool arrivals have re-

Mekong Delta

cently made space for themselves among the beachfront

A watery maze of dense rice paddies and winding rivers,

restaurants. A short boat ride away, the Cham Islands sug-

the Mekong Delta is a world of its own. The River of Nine

gest castaway nights, complete with campsites and starry

Dragons is where the waterway splinters into nine separate

skies.

branches -- nourishing fruit orchards, flower farms, and floating villages –on its way to the sea.

Also in Central Vietnam, the laidback city of Quy Nhon flies under the radar, despite having some of the nation’s

Often packaged as a daytrip destination, the Mekong

best beaches. Local and low-key, holidays here feature

Delta is more accessible to travelers than ever. Five-star re-

fresh seafood, dips in the ocean, and windswept boat rides.

sorts offer a comfortable base for exploring; but there are

Finally, the calm waters and soft currents of Phu Quoc

also mangrove cruises, weekend camping excursions, and

promise Vietnam’s ultimate beach bliss.

multi-day motorbike tours designed by Vietnamese riders.

Firmly on land or floating with the current, days in the Delta are flush with wildlife, historical sites, and authentic

(More information about Vietnam tourism is available at www.vietnamtourism.vn)

Industry awaits the grand Silver Jubilee edition of ‘SATTE’ South Asia’s leading Travel and

across the travel, tourism and hospital-

tures including a special pavilion of 10

ity industry along with National and

start-ups and venture capital firms to

State Tourism Boards (NTOs and

provide seed investments for captivat-

25th anniversary edition of SATTE -

STOs) to congregate and conduct busi-

ing ideas.

South Asian Travel and Tourism ex-

ness, arrive at solution-driven innova-

change from 31st January to 2nd Feb-

tions to counteract economic

UBM India said, “A diverse country

ruary 2018 at Pragati Maidan, New

uncertainties, and promote inbound,

like India has a huge tourism potential.

Delhi. This year, the exhibition has

outbound and domestic tourism in

The industry is growing at an unprece-

witnessed a tremendous response from

India.

dented pace with the urban middle

Tourism Exhibition by UBM India.

UBM India is all set to bring in the

the industry with participation from

Spread over 3 days, SATTE 2018

Yogesh Mudras, Managing Director,

class taking to every kind of travel –

over 1,000 exhibitors and representa-

will witness to several exciting part-

from conventional package tours to in-

tion of over 50 countries and 28 Indian

nerships and announcements that

dependent and off-beat itineraries.”

states. SATTE will provide a compre-

promise to augur in new trends in the

hensive platform to domestic and inter-

industry. Visitors at the signature expo

national buyers and professionals from

can expect to witness a number of fea-

by TNH DESK

TRAVEL AND HOSPITALITY | JANUARY 2018

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HOTEL REVIEW

Kolkata’s outstanding dream destination Stepping in at The Westin Kolkata Rajarhat, it is the world steeped in luxury, wellness and spirituality for the well-heeled class of travellers. v B SWAATI CHAUDHURY

T Y

he newest global luxury brand in the eastern region of India and particularly

Kolkata is definitely The Westin Kolkata Rajarhat. An invitation from the hospitality group came to me and it was a golden chance to have a day-spend at the dream haunt sometime in the first week of December. It is the five-star, business hotel from the house of Westin Hotels and Resorts that forms a veritable part of Marriott International. Moreover, it commands a robust global presence and with 314 rooms, the hotel takes pride in having the largest rooms in the city.

The 32-storied hotel is the tallest high rise in the hospitality

An outer view of The Westin Kolkata Rajarhat

world of Kolkata. We entered the hotel with a warm welcome and the first thing that attracted our mind was the largest mural in the lobby measuring 105 feet depicting The Face of Spirituality or the Goddess Durga that connotes the fact that the hospitality group is spurred on by a strong belief in spirituality. Another added attraction in the lobby is the presence of library with wellstacked books for guests. The hotel spreads over 8 acres of land area. Nearly 8 km away from

Face of Spirituality

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TRAVEL AND HOSPITALITY | JANUARY 2018

Subhhas Chandra Bose International Airport, the hotel is done

Jan 2018--final_Layout 1 1/3/2018 8:12 PM Page 37

HOTEL REVIEW

up with glitzy interiors and Sanskrit

Tastes that has sparkling interiors

lunch, “It is the service and quality

Shlokas all around.

and serves a blend of global and In-

that distinguishes our hotel from

dian cuisine. The menu keeps on

other luxury hotels in the city. MICE

illuminating interiors spreading over

changing daily and there are dishes

travellers form our major forte. We

50,000 sq. ft that happens to be the

from the Indian states of Rajasthan,

have forayed into the city at the right

largest in the city. There is the

Gujarat, Punjab and West Bengal. I

time. We are now flying high and in-

largest swimming pool in the hotel.

savoured Gatta ki curry, Khandvi

tend to reach out to the Kolkata mar-

Health and wellness forms the high-

and Patra. There are two live coun-

ket. We have picked up the business

point of the hospitality brand and we

ters rustling up delights including the

in the city and we have good footfalls

were taken to the Wellness floor

Continental and Oriental recipes.

in the weekend. We are in close

sprawling over 2,000 sq. metres of

There is another surprise in store for

proximity with the Information

area that provides invigorating mas-

vegans. One can get Jain food

Technology hub and we are having a

sages and rejuvenating therapies to

counter.

good run with the global tourists on

We first visited the ballroom with

keep travel fatigue at bay for trav-

The hospitality group has an edge

a tour to the city. We plan to open

ellers. The bottom line is to stay fit

over other luxury hotels in the city in

the doors of EEST that will have Ori-

and healthy while travelling.

serving as many as 30 desserts. The

ental cuisine and Vedic with exclu-

sleep well menu and super foods on

sive vegetarian platter sometime in

pointed rooms that have been done

offer are the Unique Selling Preposi-

June, 2018. Both the restaurants will

up tastefully with 8 layers of mat-

tion of the restaurant. We were

be on 31st floor.”

tresses that are fire-proof and are

served chocolate tart with ice cream

temperature-regulated. Every room

that was divine. There were Indian

provides panoramic views of the city

desserts like rasgullas, kaju katli and

skyline and the Eco Park in the

sandesh.

Verdict: The hospitality group rides high on a blend of spirituality and luxury and the guest service is beyond comparison. With immaculate service and eclectic range of food, guests remain spellbound in the ambience of The Westin.

We were taken to the well-ap-

vicinity.

Suman Julka, Director, Sales and

We finally made it to the hotel’s

Marketing, The Westin Kolkata Ra-

all-day dining restaurant-Seasonal

jarhat, spoke on the sidelines of the

A view of The Westin Kolkata Rajarhat

TRAVEL AND HOSPITALITY | JANUARY 2018

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EVENT ALERT

Trade shows around the world FITUR (International Tourism Trade Fair) January 17-21, 2018 Location: Madrid, Spain The international tourism trade fair, FITUR, annually takes place in the Ifema trade fair centre of Madrid. It has become one of the biggest tourism fairs worldwide and the no. 1 on the Iberian Peninsula. In so-called national pavilions, the particularities of the regions are presented to the visitors of the fair, mainly consisting of decision-makers in the tourism industry, such as travel agencies and tourism associations. The fair is also considered the most important gateway to the Latin American market. On the whole, the event serves as a global communication platform in order to develop future strategies taking into account the changes in consumer demand and thus generally to promote the tourism business.

OTM Mumbai January 18-20, 2018 Location: Mumbai, India OTM is the gateway to India's largest travel markets. It is the largest and most international gathering of travel trade buyers and professionals in India. Here, you can meet face-to-face at OTM and build long-term business relations. It has the largest exhibiting space and the highest number of participants in any travel show in India. Mumbai is the largest travel market in the country, generating one-third (33%) of all India-outbound travellers. It is scheduled to open at Bombay Exhibition and Convention Centre. Over 1300 exhibitors from 60 countries showcased at OTM 2017.

Over 14,000 trade visitors including 4000 qualified buyers, 445 travel trade buyers and 129 corporate buyers of business and MICE travel attended last year.

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TRAVEL AND HOSPITALITY | JANUARY 2018

SATTE 31 January - 2 February, 2018 Location: New Delhi, India SATTE (South Asian Travel and Tourism Exchange) is a leader in travel trade shows across South Asia, featuring inbound, outbound and domestic travel.

India‘s leading event, presenting you with an appropriate platform to meet & network with top decision makers from hotels & resorts, travel agencies & tour operators and MICE planners serving Indian inbound, outbound & domestic tourism, all under one roof. The SATTE Conference attracts the who’s who in the industry, including leading travel agents and tour operators, state tourism officials, heads of international tourism boards, hoteliers, aviation experts, and many more, from across the globe.

Xantar (Galician Salon of Gastronomy and Tourism) January 31-February 04, 2018 Location: Ourense, Spain Xantar is the only International Fair of Gastronomic Tourism accredited from the Iberian Peninsula. It offers an experience to travel the world through the senses which has made it a benchmark for the most cutting-edge food and wine destinations in Spain and Portugal to which other Latin American countries have joined. After its 19 years of history, Xantar has become a tourist motivation per se, developing actions that stimulate domestic and proximity tourism, thus reinforcing one of the main objectives of this event: to promote tourism through gastronomy based on local products quality. Xantar offers five days of intense activity full of experiences to discover and enjoy included in the XIII International Meeting on Sustainable and Healthy Gastronomy.

by TNH DESK

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EVENT WATCH

O N A FESTIVE NOTE: S KAL D ELHI M EET The month of December 2017 was dipped in the festive cheer of Christmas, and members of Skal Delhi too dipped into the festive spirit of Christmas. They met for Christmas lunch at the lawns of hotel The Imperial, New Delhi, and celebrated the season.

TRAVEL AND HOSPITALITY | JANUARY 2018

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DIPLOMAT CORNER

Bolivia: An Incredible Country Full of Authentic Charm A South American country, Bolivia has been bestowed with pristine natural beauty. Located in western-central part of South America, Bolivia has immense tourism potential, mostly in the forms of historical and cultural heritage sites and stunning natural landscapes that make Bolivia an attractive tourist destination. Bolivia has seven UNESCO World Heritage sites that include Tiwanaku, a preColumbian archaeological site located in western Bolivia.

The ruins of the city of Tiwanaku are the oldest in all America. The site was one of the cradles of human civilization.

Other UNESCO world heritage sites in Bolivia are the city of Potosí, the Historic City of Sucre, the Jesuit Missions of Chiquitos, the Fort Samaipata and the Carnival of Oruro, Qhapaq Ñan (Andean Road System) and Noel Kempff Mercado National Park. Bolivia is a multiethnic and multilingual country officially known as the Plurinational State of Bolivia. The country had been under the different empires at the different period of time. Bolivia became Spanish colony in the 16th century. In an interview with TnH magazine, H.E. Mr. Sergio Darío Arispe Barrientos, Ambassador of the Plurinational State of Bolivia to India, talks about the amazing tourism potential of his country.

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TRAVEL AND HOSPITALITY | JANUARY 2018

Q

v B PREM KUMAR Y

How important is the tourism sector for the Bolivian econ-

omy?

It is up and growing. There have been some logistical development in the country in recent times that will help our tourism sector. We now have better highways, better accommodations and upscale tourism facilities to offer to tourists.

At present most of the tourists visiting Bolivia are backpackers but that is not the kind of tourists we are targeting. We are targeting high-spending tourists, who can contribute significantly in our economy.

Q

How important is Indian market for tourism sector in Bolivia?

Indian market is a big tourism market, an important market for tourism in Bolivia. After Japan and China, India is the most important market in Asia. A large and increasing number of Indian people are travel-

Jan 2018--final_Layout 1 1/3/2018 8:13 PM Page 41

DIPLOMAT CORNER ling abroad. There is a segment of well-travelled Indians who want to travel more and explore something new, something incredible. People want to explore new destinations, new experiences. But as of now, it is hard to promote Bolivia in India because Indian travel industry is more focused on well-known popular destination like France, UK, US, Thailand, etc. At present very few Indians know about Bolivia. I think the challenge before Bolivian tourism to promote itself in India is that there is lack of awareness about Bolivia in India. People are completely unaware about Bolivia and its tourism potential. They know about every European cities, but not much about Bolivia. Bolivia is not at the top of their minds; this is the disadvantage that we have to face.

This is a structural problem that has to do with our education that is more focused on Europe and the other parts of the world.

I think there is need to create awareness about Bolivia and its uniqueness in India. There are many good travel service providers in India. There is need of finding some specialized companies which know Bolivia and its tourism potential and can offer good information and guidance about the country while motivating Indians to travel to Bolivia.

Once Indians start visiting Bolivia, they will have stunning experience.

They will be pleasantly surprised to see our incredible natural beauty, splendid heritage sites and our hospitality.

TRAVEL AND HOSPITALITY | JANUARY 2018

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DIPLOMAT CORNER

Q

Tell us about the tourism potential of Bolivia.

Bolivia offers some atypical experiences to travelers. You don't need to visit Bolivia to see great museums and high-rise buildings. You come to Bolivia for something different. I think what makes Bolivia a unique destination is that it offers an opportunity for genuinely extraordinary holiday experience that few other countries offer. Bolivia is a land of incredible natural beauty. You will find so many beautiful natural sites in Bolivia. We have majestic Salar de Uyuni, which is one of the flattest places in the world, covering 4,000square-mile salt flats. These salt flats are the most stunning after rains when rain-water atop the tiled salt turns into a mirror of the sky reflecting beautiful stars and clouds. The Salar de Uyuni is a unparalleled destination in the world. Bolivia offer majestic experience to those well-travelled visitors who have already travelled to many famous destinations like Europe, Africa and Asia.

And those who are looking for pristine natural beauty and genuine culture experience, they must visit Bolivia.

I bet when you visit Bolivia, get your selfie and place it on the Facebook page, your friends will ask, wow, where is that! Such is the pristine and stunning beauty of Bolivia!

Like India we have a profound legacy of history and culture. We are a country of many ethnic groups, each having its own distinct culture. We have some great anthropological and archeological sites recognized by the UNESCO. Historians have acknowledged our profound archeological legacy. We have the famous archaeolog-

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TRAVEL AND HOSPITALITY | JANUARY 2018

ical site of Tiwanaku, the center of the ancient Tiwanaku state.

Our Tarija region is well-recognized for its wine made from grapes grown at an altitude of 6,000 feet. You can visit the place to get authentic taste of wine. Then we have Lake Titicaca, which is a very large and deep lake located in the Andes. This is the largest lake in South America and highest navigable lake in the world. The large portion of our country is based in the Amazon basin, which is another beautiful attraction. Tourists can enjoy boat service in the Amazon river. We offer many amazing peculiarities to those who want to experience something new and stunning. You will never find such peculiarities anywhere in the world.

We have the Gran Chaco in Santa Cruz in the southeastern part of Bolivia. Gran Chaco is an extensive plain area spreading beyond Bolivia. The largest virgin dry forest on Earth, Gran Chaco is the hottest region of Bolivia, almost uninhabitable due to the lack of water. The area is home to over 1000 species of flora.

Q

How is air connectivity between India and Bolivia?

Connectivity is not a problem. From India you can fly to Bolivia via Dubai or Doha. You can also visit Bolivia via Madrid. Bolivian airlines operate between Madrid and Bolivia. It is worth your time and money to visit

Jan 2018--final_Layout 1 1/3/2018 8:13 PM Page 43

DIPLOMAT CORNER Bolivia. You will feel a never-before kind of experience in Bolivia.

Q

What are the key source markets for tourism in Bolivia?

Spain, France, Germany and Japan are the top four source markets of tourism for our country. China is also growing as it is the largest outbound travel market in the world. I am hopeful that India will also emerge as a key tourism market for us considering its size of population and economic growth. Once Indians get a taste of our unique nature and culture, they will start visiting Bolivia in a large number.

Q

What kind of similarities do you see between Indian and Bolivian cultures?

I think India and Bolivia are among the few countries in the world which have genuine cultures. Cities across the world are almost similar, but it is the spiritual and cultural aspects that distinguish India from the rest of world. It is

its spirituality and multiplicity of people and culture that have attracted people from across the world from ancient times. India still has a genuine culture. The same is true for Bolivia, which also has very ancient culture, immense diversity and amazing natural beauty, just like India. You must visit Bolivia to see for themselves to seek unimaginable pleasure. You should not visit Bolivia just to see great museums and high skyscrapers. That you can see almost everywhere. You should visit Bolivia for its genuineness, incredibleness and pristine beauty; something you cannot find anywhere.

Q

What do you think about India?

I think India is the future of the world. I see here a force of nature visible everywhere and people working day and night. India no longer is seen as backward country. I came here five years ago, and again now as ambassador. I have very positive experience of this incredible country. People are warm and welcoming. Your culture is genuine. I like Indian foods.

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FESTIVAL CORNER

Popular festivals around the world to see in the next month January 7, 2018 Location: Ethiopia, East Africa

Ethiopian Christmas Ethiopia is one of the oldest nations in Africa. It still follows the ancient Julian calendar, so Ethiopians celebrate the grand festival of Christmas on January 7. The Ethiopian Orthodox Church's celebration of Christ's birth is called Ganna. Most Ethiopians don a traditional shamma, a thin, white cotton wrap with brightly colored stripes across the ends. The shamma is worn somewhat like a toga. Urban Ethiopians might put on white Western garb. Then everyone goes to the early mass at four o'clock in the morning. Traditional Christmas foods in Ethiopia include 'wat' which is a thick and spicy stew that contains meat, vegetables and sometimes eggs. Wat is eaten on a 'plate of injera' – a flat bread and pieces of the injera are used as an edible spoon to scoop up the wat.

January 29-31, 2018 Location: Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, India

Desert Festival of Jaisalmer The Jaisalmer Desert Festival is an annual event organized by the Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation at the beautiful Golden Desert City of Jaisalmer. It is held in the Hindu month of Magh, three days prior to the full moon. The festival is celebrated amidst the beautiful dunes of the Thar Desert in the Sam dunes (42 kilometers from Jaisalmer). Romantic, remote and unspoiled, the location comes to life during the three day extravaganza of the delights of the desert. This three-day extravaganza was started as a marketing idea to attract local and overseas tourists interested in exploring the rich and colorful heritage of Rajasthan and its folk culture in a short period of time.

February 5-12, 2018 Location: Odori Park Sapporo, Japan

Sapporo Snow Festival The origins of the Sapporo Yuki Matsuri (Sapporo Snow Festival) date back to 1950, when half-dozen local high school students got together and built a half-dozen snow statues in Odori Park. This sort of activity is historically commonplace in the winter on the island of Hokkaido because of its typically heavy snowfalls. A few years later, in 1955, Japan’s Self-Defense Forces viewing participation as a training exercise, came from a nearby base and built sculptures. The Olympic Games introduced Sapporo’s Snow Festival to the rest of the world.

The staging of nearly 400 spectacular ice and snow sculptures is what draws visitors to the 12-block stretch of Odori Park, home to much of the action and the majority of sculpture activity. This is one of the largest and most distinctive winter events.

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FESTIVAL CORNER February brings a lot of festivity with variety of colorful festival and carnivals for travellers around the world. There are many festivals around the world like, Desert Festival of Jaisalmer (Rajasthan, India) to Splore Festival (Tapapakanga Regional Park, New Zealand). Here are some of the best festivals / carnivals which a traveller must enjoy!

February 12-13, 2018 Location: Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago

Trinidad and Tobago Carnival The Trinidad and Tobago Carnival is an annual event held on the Monday and Tuesday before Ash Wednesday in Trinidad and Tobago. The Carnival festivities start just after Christmas and continue until Ash Wednesdayloaded with dozens of high energy parties and premier cultural competitions. Carnival Monday opens with J’Ouvert at 4am, when revellers parade through the streets immersed in paint, grease and mud until sunrise. Later in the day on Monday and all day on Carnival Tuesday, thousands of masqueraders flood the streets throughout the islands in bold, colourful costumes, dancing through the parade routes to the exhilarating sounds of soca, steelpan and calypso music. Costumes, stick-fighting and limbo competitions are also important components of the festival.

16 February - 4 March 2018 Location: Sydney, New South Wales (NSW)

Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras The Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras is an annual lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) pride parade and festival in Sydney, Australia which is attended by hundreds of thousands of people from around Australia and overseas. It is one of the largest such festivals in the world and includes a variety of events such as the Sydney Mardi Gras Parade and Party, Bondi Beach Drag Races, Harbour Party, the academic discussion panel Queer Thinking, Mardi Gras Film Festival, as well as Fair Day, which attracts 70,000 people to Victoria Park, Sydney.

This festival is one of Australia's biggest tourist draw cards with the parade and dance party attracting many international and domestic tourists.

February 23-25, 2018 Location: Tapapakanga Regional Park, New Zealand

Splore Festival Situated in a beguiling bay on the shores of Tapapakanga Regional Park is an annual, boutique music and arts festival like no other. A three day entertainment extravaganza & New Zealand's greatest dress up party.

We invite you to embrace the theme and join our mindful tribe of party animals! Splore is an annual boutique music and arts three day festival held at Tapapakanga Park, in Orere Point, New Zealand with approximately 8,000 attendees. The first Splore was held on New Year’s Eve 1998 and the festival ran consecutively for four years and then took a year off. In between 2004 and 2014 the festival was a bi-annual event until 2015 where it was it announced that the festival would continue annually.

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EVENT WATCH

VFS G LOBAL ORGANIZES 'DIPLOMATS FOR PEACE’ EVENT

The ‘Diplomats for Peace’ event was held recently in New Delhi where diplomats from 95 countries were felicitated for their countries’ contributions towards fostering Peace through Tourism. The event was organized by VFS Global in association with the International Institute for Peace Through Tourism (IIPT).

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EVENT WATCH

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MOVING ON

H.E. Eliza Jean Reid (First Lady of Iceland) Special Ambassador for Tourism and the Sustainable Development Goals -UNWTO H.E. Eliza Jean Reid, First Lady of Iceland has been appointed as Special Ambassador for Tourism and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The appointment took place at the second UNWTO/UNESCO World Conference on Tourism and Culture, an official event of the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development 2017, held in Muscat, Sultanate of Oman on 11 and 12 December.

UNWTO launched the Special Ambassadors for Tourism and the SDGs programme as a legacy of the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development 2017. The programme aims at advocating for the contribution of sustainable tourism´s to the 17 SDGs and encouraging the full integration of tourism and the SDGs in national, regional and global agendas.

Sunjae Sharma Vice President of Operations for India, Hyatt Hotels Hyatt Hotels in India announced the appointment of Sunjae Sharma as Vice President of Operations for India. A seasoned hospitality professional, Sharma will lead Hyatt’s India operations and will be responsible for executing the company's operational and growth strategy in his new role. He will assume his new position at Hyatt's Gurgaon headquarters effective December 15, 2017, and will report to Peter Fulton, Group President, Europe, Africa, Middle East and Southwest Asia for Hyatt.

Prior to being appointed vice president of operations for India, he was the Area Vice President for South & West India and General Manager of Grand Hyatt Mumbai, where he oversaw the strategic and financial performance of 16 hotels. With diversified hospitality experience of close to 28 years, spanning a number of hospitality brands, Sharma is a graduate of the prestigious Institute of Hotel Management.

Pannkaj Neeraj CEO for Wai Wai City, CG Corp Global CG Corp Global has appointed Pannkaj Neeraj as the CEO for Wai Wai City. He brings along more than 18 years of experience in the QSR and F&B Retail space, which gives him in-depth and a 360 degrees holistic understanding of the Hospitality and Restaurant Business in the country. Neeraj possesses great leadership skills, a passion for excellence and a penchant for developing high-performing teams that deliver expected results within stipulated timelines. After graduating from IHM Bhopal, he has played a pivotal role with management positions with prominent brands in the F&B Industry such as Pizza Hut, Barista Lavazza, Gloria Jean's Coffees, Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, Fish & Co. (a Singapore based QSR chain) and more. While working with the Landmark Group, he was leading the team, which launched the American Doughnuts chain “Krispy Kreme” in India.

He was also instrumental in pan India expansion of the Australian Coffee brand “Gloria Jean’s Coffees”. His last assignment before taking this new role was with Barista Coffee as Chief Operating Officer where he was working closely with the management team to re-launch Barista in its new “Avatar”.

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MOVING ON

Aditya Shamsher Malla General Manager, Double Tree by Hilton Pune - Chinchwad Double Tree by Hilton has appointed Aditya Shamsher Malla as the General Manager at its Pune hotel. An industry veteran with over two decades in the business, he has been a part of some of the best global brands such as Marriott, Hyatt, Oberoi Hotels and Resorts, Starwood Hotels and Resorts, Shangri La International and Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces.

In his new role as the General Manager, Aditya will be responsible for curating strategic initiatives that will lead the hotel to continue its guest focused approach and consolidate its leadership position. He will focus his efforts to deliver year-on- year growth, focus on staff engagement activities and spearhead corporate social activities. Aditya hails from an Army background and is a keen golfer.

Preetham Kiron Managing Director, dnata Travel India dnata Travel India has appointed Preetham Kiron as Managing Director, based at the company’s headquarters in Delhi-NCR. Preetham will join the company early in 2018 from his current role as General Manager of Dunya Travel in Abu Dhabi, UAE, which is a dnata joint venture business. He has led the successful expansion of this company over the last 7 years, and prior to this, he held senior sales roles in the corporate travel and MICE verticals in Dubai. Preetham has also worked in KSA and in Bangalore in travel roles, and brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the business.

Binny Sebastian General Manager, Alila Fort Bishangarh Alila Hotels & Resorts has appointed Binny Sebastian as General Manager ofAlila Fort Bishangarh, located 1.5 hours north of Jaipur. He commenced his role at Alila Fort Bishangarh to manage the operations of the majestic heritage resort with 59 suites.

With 20 years of global experience in hospitality, Binny brings with him a wealth of industry knowledge in the luxury hotel segment. He successfully ran prestigious hotels and resorts in senior management roles in the Caribbean and India. Alila Fort Bishangarh, is the second Alila property in India since opening Alila Diwa Goa 7 years ago. Alila is the luxury brand under the umbrella of Two Roads Hospitality Asia, managed out of the Singapore corporate office.

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AROUND THE WORLD

AirAsia wins two awards at World Travel Awards 2017 AirAsia Group CEO Tan Sri Tony Fernandes received two awards at the prestigious World Travel Awards 2017 Grand Finals. The airline was named the World’s Leading Low-Cost Airline for the fifth year in a row. It also won the WTA’s inaugural World’s Leading Low-

zine, Tina Edmundson, global brand officer, thinks the scale gives Marriott the edge in developing technology that provide meaningful improvements to the guest experience. The numbers of properties for Marriott are impressive when one considers, until 1998 when it acquired a controlling interest in The RitzCarlton, it was a bit player in the segment, known best for its namesake brand and road warrior hotels along the highway like Courtyard and Residence Inn.

Convention Centre Dublin named world’s leading conference venue

Cost Airline Cabin Crew award at the ceremony held at the JW Marriott Phu Quoc Emerald Bay in Vietnam. Fernandes said he was proud to receive the fifth WTA World’s Leading Low-Cost Airline award in as many years. AirAsia edged out budget airlines Southwest Airlines, JetBlue, Ryanair, easyJet, Jetstar Airways, Norwegian Air, West Air, flydubai, Air Arabia, flynas, kulula, Mango and fastjet to bag the award.

Marriott International to open 40 Luxury Hotels in 2018 Marriott International has announced to open 40 luxury hotels in 2018; it will give the hotel brand around 422 luxury properties by the end of the year. The openings will include all of its luxury flagships like The Ritz-Carlton, RitzCarlton Reserve, St. Regis, W Hotels, The Luxury Collection, EDITION, Bulgari and JW Marriott. According to view given in a maga-

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The Convention Centre Dublin (CCD) was awarded as the “world’s leading meetings and conference centre” at the World Travel Awards in Vietnam. The venue beat previous winners in London, Berlin, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Qatar and Singapore to claim the prestigious award.

The convention centre was opened in September 2010 and is Ireland’s only purpose-built international convention centre, hosting some 1,500 events in its lifetime. The World Travel Awards are voted for by travel and tourism professionals and business and leisure travel

by TNH DESK consumers worldwide.

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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