Travel and Hospitality (TnH) - April 2017

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ATM SPECIAL

Experiential travel: New mantra of the globetrotting

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FROM THE EDITOR

Stay optimistic, the worst is behind us

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

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

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

LOVE LONDON Virgin Atlantic flies daily, direct to London from Delhi, so your customers can enjoy a trip to the UK’s lively capital that works for them. With its fascinating historic buildings, exciting nightlife and diverse food scene, it’s the perfect place to be for a holiday.

For more information, call 1800 102 3000 or visit vsýyinghub.com.

The new financial year 2017-18 has begun, and we all have set new targets for the year. The worst of demonetization that hit the industry during its peak season is over. The industry successfully tided-over its impact, and is bouncing back. We can expect that the FY 2017-18 will be better than the last fiscal year.

The much awaited Goods & Services Tax (GST) is all set for roll out from July, which is widely supposed to ease the complexity of multiple taxation. One of the disadvantages that India’s tourism sector has been facing over the years is that it is over-taxed vis-à-vis its neighbouring counterparts. We should hope tourism services will now be taxed modestly to make us a competitive destination.

In this issue, we have featured a growing new global travel trend. People are getting fed-up with traditional

tourism and an increasing number of them are opting for experiential tourism.

Recognizing the importance of experiential tourism, ATM 2017 has also chosen the same as its main theme. You can better understand the phenomenon in our cover story (page 20).

Furthermore, we have featured interviews of the Japanese ambassador to India and the Portuguese ambassador to India in our Diplomat Corner (page 32 and 40 respectively). Both ambassadors have highlighted the great tourism potential of their countries. Also read our Explore India section (page 28) that showcases the state of Karnataka, and Explore the World section (page 30) that showcases Israel. Okay, I don’t want to give the whole issue away; go ahead and enjoy it yourself. As always, we will look forward to your feedback.

I am going to end on a upbeat note, this month the best of the Indian travel and tourism industry are going to be recognized for their outstanding work as we are all set to host the third edition of 'The Travel And Hospitality Awards'.

If you or your company has been doing their work right you should soon be receiving the coveted invite.

Good luck!

Srishti Rai Editor

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A N D

Travel Hospitality

CONTENTS

32

40

20

APRIL 2017 20 COVER STORY

Experiential travel: the new mantra of the globe-trotting

32 DIPLOMAT CORNER

‘Land of the Rising Sun’: an exceptionally awesome country to visit

17

18

23

26

28

30

40 DIPLOMAT CORNER

Portugal: Incredibly simple, yet stunning 'A marked shift: Indian market moves towards experiential travel'

17 INTERVIEW

18 TRADE SHOW

'Travellers looking beyond conventional leisure itineraries, seek uncharacteristic experiences'

23 TRAVEL MANTRA Tips for the perfect road trip

26 TRENDS

Micro-Stay Hotels: The new buzzword in the travel space

28 EXPLORE INDIA

2017 is the “Year of the Wild”for Karnataka Tourism

30 EXPLORE THE WORLD Explore best places in Israel

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NEWS

VFS GLOBAL EXPANDS VISA SERVICE NETWORK FOR CZECH REPUBLIC, LAUNCHES CZECH VISA APPLICATION CENTRE IN KOCHI Newly opened centre in Kochi is the eleventh visa application facility for the Czech Republic in India.

The Embassy of the Czech Republic and VFS Global have launched the eleventh Czech Republic Visa Application Centre in Kochi, India, bringing access to visa application facilities for residents of Kochi in a spacious and comfortable environment.

The centre was inaugurated by Martin Smolek, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic and H.E. Milan Hovorka, Ambassador of the Czech Republic to India and, Mayor of Municipal Corporation of Kochi, Hon. Soumini Jain on 03 March 2017. The inauguration was also attended by other key members from the Embassy and VFS Global. This new centre in Kochi is centrally located at 1st Floor, Coastal Chambers (Manoj Tower), M G Road, Ravipuram, Kochi 682015, Kerala.

In the last one year, Kochi is the eleventh city in India where VFS Global has launched a Visa Application Centre for the Czech Republic, to provide for the growing demands for visas to the country among Indian tourists. A day

earlier, on 02 March 2017, a new Czech Republic Visa Application Centre was also launched in Jaipur, India.

At the launch, H.E. Milan Hovorka, Ambassador of the Czech Republic to India, said he cherished inaugurating such a centre in yet another major city in India where people can submit their Schengen visa applications for travel to the Czech Republic by visiting VFS Global centres.

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic Martin Smolek said he was glad to have the opportunity to inaugurate the Czech Republic Visa Application Centre in Kochi during his very first visit to India. He said, “Indeed, we continue to deliver on our promises and aim to strengthen our relationship by encouraging more and more people to travel to the Czech Republic. This is not yet the end of our endeavors as we will announce the opening of additional Czech Visa Applications Centres soon.”

The setting up of a eleventh visa ap-

plication centre in India in less than a year since commencement of services for the client government in India, signifies the company's strengthening association with the Embassy of the Czech Republic. Before these centres, applicants earlier had to travel to Mumbai or Delhi to apply for Czech Republic visas. Commenting on the launch, Vinay Malhotra, Chief Operating Officer – Middle East and South Asia, VFS Global, said "We are pleased to further enhance the visa services network for the Czech Republic in India, through this modern visa application facility in Kochi. The new centre will serve the ever-increasing volumes of visa applications for the Schengen country, and illustrates the emerging popularity of the Czech Republic as a tourist destination. We are confident that the introduction of professional and hassle-free Czech Republic visa services in Kochi will be well-received by aspiring travby T NH DESK ellers from this city.”

TRAVEL AND HOSPITALITY | APRIL 2017

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NEWS

TRIP 360º POWERED BY COX & KINGS REDEFINES OUTDOOR ADVENTURE TOURISM IN INDIA An online community for adventure lovers curating Safe, Sustainable and Social trips India’s adventure sports enthusiasts have a reason to rejoice! Fuelling the spirit of adrenaline junkies, Trip 360º, a one-stop-shop for all things adventure will revolutionize adventure travel in India. With Safety, Sustainability and Sociable forming the core values of Trip 360º, it aims to establish India as a global adventure destination by crafting high-quality expeditions and catering to the insatiable appetite of thrill seekers. Trip 360º is powered by Cox & Kings Ltd. Rohan Prakash, Business Head, Trip 360º said, “Each of the Trip 360º itineraries is tailored specifically for individuals who love getting out of their comfort zones and embracing new passions and experiences. Our itineraries vary from soft, medium and hard adventures and cater to all levels of adventure travellers. We have handpicked and trained expert guides, leaders and suppliers to offer different adventures of international standards.

We will be introducing most tempting activities like Scuba Diving, Cycling, Diving, Biking and Trekking and more exciting experiences within and outside India.”

He added further, “Trip 360º is the first adventure specialist which will operate as both, an aggregator and tour operator. Our selected partners are locals from the area or specialists in their respective fields with an indepth knowledge of the region and the local environment. We aim to consolidate their expertise with ours and create a platform for travellers to live and achieve their outdoor dream in a safe and healthy environment” Karan Anand, Head, Relationships, Cox & Kings, that is powering Trip 360º said, “With increasing number of travellers shifting focus to 'experienceoriented' vacations, there is an increase in the demand for the adventure travel services. The adventure travel business is huge in India;

however, it is largely fragmented and unorganised. Many independent professionals and local operators offer adventure activities to travellers at low costs and with substandard services defying international norms, compromising on safety and sustainability standards.”

by TNH DESK

‘ENABLE TRAVEL’ POWERED BY COX & KINGS TO MAKE TRAVEL BARRIER-FREE FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES India gets its First Accessible Holiday Specialist In a move to make tourism more inclusive and accessible, ‘Enable Travel’ - India’s first Accessible Holiday initiative was launched to cater to the travel aspirations of people with disabilities. A ground-breaking initiative in the area of accessible tourism, Enable Travel aims to provide tours and carefully crafted leisure outings for people with disabilities across mobility (wheelchairs), hearing, speech and vision impairment. The revolutionary initiative was unveiled by Debolin Sen, Head, Enable Travel, Karan Anand, Head, Rela-

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tionships, Cox & Kings, along with Enable Travel’s panel of experts Rustom Irani (wheelchair), Divyanshu Ganatra (vision), Shama Noorani (wheelchair), Group Captain (Retd) Prabal Malaker (wheelchair), and Dr. Alim Chandani (hearing), thus making Enable Travel a product “made by the disabled for the disabled”. Enable Travel is powered by Cox and Kings Ltd. Speaking at the launch, Debolin Sen, Head, Enable Travel said, “Enable Travel is a long-term commitment to make travel easy and hassle free in India and to empower each and every individual

to celebrate their love for travel.

Through this initiative we are trying to address various barriers like inaccessible travel information, lack of transportation and disable friendly hotel rooms that prevent people from travelling.” Karan Anand, Head, Relationships, Cox & Kings, that is powering this initiative said, “We believe that people with disabilities have absolute right to live a life of equal opportunities, choice and freedom. They have the same desire to travel but the lack of an accessible environment reduces their ability or desire

by T NH DESK to travel outside.”

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NEWS

ITQ SETTING STAGE FOR STUDENT OF THE YEAR 2017 FINALE

Avis India Makes Self Drive More Accessible Introduces 15 new car models along with free doorstep car delivery and pick up.

Avis India, India’s leading mobility solutions provider has introduced a series of product enhancements to its Self Drive fleet. The Self Drive service is now available in 5 major Indian cities, namely, Delhi, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Gurgaon and NOIDA. The Company has also ramped up its fleet size in all these cities and has introduced new and popular variants in 4 categories, i.e Hatchback, Sedan, Multi Utility Vehicles (MUVs) and Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs). One of the major USP’s of Avis Self Drive in India is that all cars are delivered to and picked up from the customer with no additional cost. Sunil Gupta, Managing Director & CEO of Avis India said, “The customer’s response to this recent revamp has been beyond our expectations. We see this as a high growth area and are committed in investing in Self Drive in India. Self Drive market has started to take a shape in India over the last couple of years.”

by TNH DESK

Student of the Year 2017 gears up for the final round.

After receiving an overwhelming response from travel institutions across India, InterGlobe Technology Quotient (ITQ) is all now set to organize the stage for the grand finale of Student of the Year 2017. As a celebration of Sandeep Dwivedi Chief Commercial Officer, ITQ talent, we endeavor to launch dream careers for best of the best candidates and channelize their aptitude in the travel industry in such a way that both the industry as well as the individual gets benefitted.

With a successful history and spectacular response throughout the past few years, we are now geared up to make the event a better showdown, where analyzing the capabilities and delving deeper in the knowledge forum of the young minds become more effective. We appreciate the support we have received till date and look forward to keep up with the trend.

Sandeep Dwivedi, Chief Commercial Officer, ITQ adds, “As a pioneer of travel technology, we understand how important it is to keep the new ideas flowing-in to our industry. In fact, it is the vision and aspiration of the young minds that design the future of any trade and this is a privilege in the form of Student of the Year that we are introducing the best talent to the travel domain. We appreciate the contribution of our partners and travel schools in making this event a success and also thank the

by TNH DESK entire fraternity for their complete support.”

Via.com unveils exclusive app for corporates The exclusive app for its corporate clients—Via Corporate will let corporate users save on business travel transaction costs and time, while benefiting from a unique combination of VIA’s technology expertise and high-touch service in a single, complete solution.

To eliminate clunky search interfaces and make the life of its corporate clients easier, omni channel travel, retail & fintech company, Via.com has now unveiled an exclusive app for its corporate clients—Via Corporate. The Android app

which is now available on Google Play Store is expected to make travel management simpler and faster in 2017.

With Via Corporate, the company expects an upsurge in bookings from the existing pool of over 5000 corporate users.

The company is currently witnessing over 30 per cent growth in its corporate travel business. Via.com is also looking at increasing the corporate client base through the app.

Talking about the new app launch, Manish Raj, Vice President & Business

Head - Corporate Travel Services at VIA.com said, “Via Corporate app is aimed at providing our corporate clients with more choice and control, while reducing the costs associated with managing travel.”

by T NH DESK

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NEWS

AIR INDIA TO COMMENCE FLIGHTS TO TEL AVIV, ISRAEL Air India (AI) has announced that the Indian national carrier will begin flights between India and Israel by May, 2017.

AI is planning to open the New Delhi-Tel Aviv route with three weekly flights.

Yariv Levin, Minister of Tourism - Israel said, “Air India Chairman Lohani was deeply impressed with his visit to Israel and, in his own words, is convinced that the many Indian tourists who will visit Israel will find it an exceptional tourism destination. There is no doubt that the opening of the route, combined with our marketing efforts in India, will generate a significant increase in incoming tourism from India.” Talking about the commencement of the new flight, Ashwani Lohani, Air India Chairman and Managing Director said, “Air India is looking forward to the opening of the direct route to Israel in a few months’ time. I believe that this will have a positive effect on the tourism traffic between our two countries.” The Israel Ministry of Tourism established their India office in 2014 and since then tourist arrivals from India to Is-

(From left to right) Hassan Madah, Director IMOT - India, Ashwani Lohani, CMD Air India, Pankaj Srivastava, Commercial Director Air India

rael has grown by 28%. Regarding the growth in the India market, Hassan Madah, Director of the Israel Ministry of Tourism in India, said, “We are very happy with the growth in Indian travellers to Israel. In 2016, there were 44,672 Indian tourists that travelled to Israel, setting a new record for the highest number of travellers from India. With Air India commencing operations directly to Israel, we are confident of an increased influx of

arrivals to Israel in 2017.”

India and Israel have a long relationship, 2017 marks 25 years of relations between the two young nations, focusing on tourism - Israelis have been visiting India for longer. With the addition of the Delhi - Tel Aviv sector to Air India's roster, travel between the two countries is slated to increase exponentially, strengthening the relationship between

by T NH DESK the two nations.

Israel Ministry of Tourism conducts multi-city roadshow in India Looking to boost tourist traffic from Tier 2 Indian cities, Israel Ministry of Tourism conducted their first roadshow of 2017 in Chandigarh, Ahmedabad and Hyderabad on 18th, 20th and 22nd February respectively. The roadshow was conducted in a networking workshop format with two DMCs from Israel and was attended by over 100 travel agents in each city.

Commenting on the occasion, Hassan Madah, Director - Israel Ministry of Tourism India said, “Israel is an emerging destination for the Indian traveller and tourist arrivals has been growing from India to Israel over the last couple of years. We wanted to tap new mar-

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kets, so we decided to conduct roadshows in Chandigarh, Ahmedabad and Hyderabad this year. The response we received in all three cities has been encouraging and promising. We are working towards increasing our leisure and MICE travellers while continuing our focus on existing segments using

different mediums, including investing in advertising campaigns, and continuing to build and strengthen our travel trade relationships in the Indian market.” Israel achieved a growth of 13% in 2016 over the previous year creating a new record with 44,672 Indian tourists

by TNH DESK visiting the destination.

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NEWS

IT’S UPGRADE TIME AT ROOMSXML.COM

IndiGo & Travelport partner to connect better, together IndiGo (6E), India’s award-winning and largest low cost carrier and Travelport, a leading travel commerce platform, joined hands last year to extend the airlines distribution capability across 68,000+ online and offline travel agents worldwide. IndiGo, which is now serving 45 destinations throughout India, UAE, Malaysia, Nepal, Oman, Thailand and Singapore; have extended its outreach with this step connecting to 180 countries’ travel market.

With IndiGo onboard - Travelport has added another top performing LCC into its bouquet of over 30 LCCs in the Asia Pacific region and aggregated its content into one standardized workflow - shopping comparison, integrated booking and change management capability. In 2016 itself, Travelport had processed 82 billion dollars’ worth of travel that consisted of 117 million airline tickets, about 65 million hotel room-nights and around 91 million car rental days.

Through this unique distribution capability and massive outreach, the Indian LCC can now display its content and ancillaries in the most effective way via API connection, rather than the more traditional fare filing methods often favored by network carriers, and still have their fares and ancillaries displayed, compared and booked in exactly the same way.

roomsXML has always been at the forefront of API technology for hotel distribution. In 2007 it was the pioneer in multiple supplier single feed API distribution.

Hundreds of travel agents and wholesalers globally are connected to the roomsXML API which gives real time access to its inventory Prakash Bang at competitive net rates.

Founder & Executive Chairman, roomsXML Recently, roomsXML has launched its new version of API, which brings significant upgrades to its already reliable API. By upgrading the API, clients now have the ability to search for multiple hotels of their choice in a single request. This allows them complete freedom to only search for hotels they wish to sell.

With use of advanced database technologies and inventory customization, the response times for availability searches is below 1 second. roomsXML has also worked on optimizing the API structure, which significantly lowers the data size and processing times on the client system.

“It is an exciting time at roomsXML with the roll out of all the new upgrades. We have completed 10 years, but we do not like to stop and rest on the laurels. We want to continue being innovative – that’s the DNA we were born with. There are already quite a few projects in the pipeline which will get rolled out over the course of the year to truly give unparalleled user experience to our travel agent partners”, says Prakash Bang, Founder &Executive Chairman, roomsXML.

by TNH DESK

by T NH DESK

Indians can get 20 nights in Bangkok for the price of two in New York City this spring TripAdvisor’s TripMaximiser Report shows Indian travellers where their rupee stretches furthest

The average Indian traveller’s holiday budget could get them 20 nights in Bangkok for two people versus two nights in New York City this spring according to a report from TripAdvisor.

TripAdvisor, the world’s largest travel site, which offers travellers millions of reviews combined with the ability to compare hotel prices before confidently booking, has today unveiled its inaugural TripMaximiser

Report, designed to help travellers choose the holiday that suits them most based on their preferences and budget. The TripMaximiser Report outlines the number of nights affordable for two people at ten of the most popular destinations for Indians this spring (1 March – 31 May 2017), taking into account the average Indian travellers’ holiday expenditure of INR 75,000 on accommodation and flights.

by T NH DESK

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NEWS

VFS Global launches nationwide network of Japan Visa Application Centres With the impending 2020 Tokyo Olympics, VFS Global augments its collaboration with the Government of Japan with new facilities in 13 cities.

VFS Global, in partnership with the Embassy of Japan in India, is expanding the network of Japan Visa Application Centres across the country, bringing visa application facilities to applicants in 13 additional cities in India. As part of the country-wide rollout, VFS Global launched Visa Application Centres in the South Indian cities of Chennai, Bengaluru, Pondicherry, Hyderabad, Cochin and Trivandrum. Earlier this month, on 10 March 2017, a centrally-accessible and well-connected centre was launched in Mumbai, and on 03 March 2017, a full-fledged Visa Application Centre started operations in Kolkata.

So far, New Delhi, Chandigarh, and Jalandhar were the only cities where applicants could submit Japan visa applications through VFS Global centres. Applicants from other cities in India had to submit their visa applications, either in person or through a travel agent, at the Japanese Consulates in Kolkata, Mumbai, Chennai, and Bengaluru or through the submission facilities arranged in Amritsar, Ludhiana, Dehradun, Agra and Guwahati.

The network expansion comes close on the heels of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Japan in No-

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vember 2016. During this visit, Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe expressed his intention to enhance the bilateral relationship with India by expanding the number of Japan Visa Application Centres for Indian nationals.

Speaking about the launch, His Excellency Kenji Hiramatsu, Ambassador of Japan to India, said, “India is an important market for the tourism sector in Japan. In 2016, approximately 1, 23, 000 Indians visited Japan. I see enormous potential in the Indian market.

The opening of multiple centres across India is a major step towards enhancing people-to-people exchanges and the cultural relationship between the two countries.”

Commenting on the launch, Vinay Malhotra, COO – Middle East and South Asia, VFS Global, said, "With the opening of the Japan Visa Application Centres across India, travellers to Japan will now get their visas processed through our professionally managed services. We are confident

that these centres will positively contribute to the strong ties of travel between the two countries, by maintaining best-in-class standards of service quality for applicants.”

The new centres will be a combination of full-fledged Visa Application Centres, where processing will take place at the centre itself, and submission centres, where applicants can submit their application and collect the receipt against the submission.

The applications from the submission centres will then be forwarded to the respective main hubs for processing.

VFS Global has served the Government of Japan since 2010, and also manages Japan visa processing services in Sri Lanka, Russia, Thailand, P.R. China, and Vietnam.

Key features of the centres include: • Conveniently located, easily accessible and spacious centres • Professional and responsive staff with local language capability, dedicated to handle visa queries and applications • Automated queue government system for smoother and quicker submissions • Dedicated website to provide information on visa categories, fees, and other application related details • Contact centre and email support to answer queries • 100% secure handling of documents and personal information • Photocopying and photo-booth facilities • Online tracking of application status available through the website and SMS alerts • Convenient and secure courier-return of visa documents to address of choice • In-VAC feedback forms, and online

by TNH DESK feedback services.

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NEWS

Ola partners with ‘Taj Mahotsav’ to enable smart & hassle free commute for visitors Ola was appointed as the official mobility partner at the annual Taj Mahotsav organised by Uttar Pradesh State Tourism Development Corporation.

Providing smart and sustainable mobility solutions to tens of thousands of visitors at this year’s ‘Taj Mahotsav’, Ola, India’s most popular mobile app for transportation, partnered with the Uttar Pradesh State Tourism Development Corporation successfully. As the festival’s official mobility partner, Ola had rolled out several offers and discounts for commuters across Agra.

Under this association, Ola launched dedicated ‘Ola Zones’ at the festival premises to facilitate mobility solutions to lakhs of commuters.

Manned by Ola representatives, commuters were able to take assistance in booking a ride, thereby making the experience more convenient.

The ‘Ola zones’ also worked as pick up and drop off points for the customers; and also had exclusive parking areas for Ola vehicles. The 10-day long festival that concluded on 27th March 2017 saw tens of thousands of patrons from across the world flocking to Agra. The sheer number of people that attend this marquee event tends to put a lot of stress on the existing transportation infrastructure. The association with Ola enabled easy and affordable trans-

portation for commuters and also reduced the expected time of arrival (ETA) of the vehicles to as low as 2 min-

utes. Ola also rolled out special offers on Ola’s smart mobility solution for intercity travel, Ola Outstation, for

visitors from neighbouring cities like Delhi, Jaipur, Kanpur, Jhansi, Gwalior and

by TNH DESK Lucknow.

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NEWS

Chhattisgarh goes for out-of-the-box adventure With the addition of the first-of-a-kind Jungle Safari and launch of tribal tourism circuit, Chhattisgarh is the destina-

v

SriLankan Airlines welcomes the sophisticated Airbus A320neo to its fleet SriLankan Airlines has commenced the induction of the first of its latest

tion to lust for adventure lovers.

BY Swaati Chaudhury

Airbus aircraft. The A320neo arrived recently was the first of the A320neo

If you are in love with adventure world and have a passion for

and A321neo family aircraft in its fleet. The introduction of these new-gen-

tribal tourism, then the land of Chhattisgarh could be your calling

eration aircraft will help enhance its exceptional service standards for pas-

card. The state is replete with national parks and wildlife sanctu-

sengers and serve to align its fleet to the airline’s new strategic focus on

aries and offers the real thrill of jungle adventure.

Asia and the Middle East. The addition of seven brand new wide-body

In emerging times, Chhattisgarh Tourism Board is quite proac-

A330-300 aircraft in 2016 greatly enhanced its long-haul fleet and passen-

tive in its efforts to draw more number of overseas and domestic

gers can now enjoy more comfortable seats, a state-of-the-art entertain-

visitors into its state. M T Nandy, Managing Director, Chhattis-

ment system, excellent in-flight cuisine, and flight attendants famed for their

garh Tourism Board said, “We are banking on social media to

warmth and caring.

catapult tourists into our state and we are into hosting a slew of

Ajith Dias, Chairman of SriLankan Airlines, said: “Our airline realigned its

activities like bike riding, night trekking, camping and caving to

strategic focus during the last quarter of 2016 to capitalize on market op-

pull young enthusiasts and adventure buffs. For global tourists,

portunities in the rapidly growing travel and tourism industry in Asia, which

we are developing tribal tourism circuit and eco-tourist destina-

included the launch of services to 11 new destinations throughout the Indian

tions.”

Ocean and Middle East regions.

by TNH DESK

Sarovar Hotels continues expansion in Kenya, Africa Sarovar Hotels continues expansion in Kenya, Africa; makes overseas debut of its value brand Hometel with a hotel signing in Nairobi.

In yet another strategic move, Sarovar Ho-

for a first class hotel of international stan-

Ajay K. Bakaya, Managing Director, Sarovar

tels announces the overseas debut of its value

dards. Construction of the project has com-

Hotels Pvt. Ltd, says, “Hometel, our mid-seg-

brand Hometel with the signing of a hotel in

menced and the hotel is expected to open in

ment brand, delivers profitable hotels to

Nairobi. The hotel, Tetezi Hometel Nairobi,

2019. Commenting on the announcement,

owners.

will mark Sarovar Hotel’s fourth offering in Kenya’s capital after The Heron Portico, The Zehneria Portico and The Lazizi Premiere.

With this, Sarovar will exceed a total of 400 keys in Nairobi and 800 keys in Africa.

The 80 keys Tetezi Hometel is located along Riverside Drive, Nairobi and is owned by Tetezi House Ltd. of which the owner and promoter John Mburu is a renowned and established lawyer. The hotel, upon completion, will offer all modern facilities required

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The signing of Tetezi Hometel Nairobi

by TNH DESK

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NEWS

Thomas Cook India creates a strategic annual property to expand India’s holiday market Makes holidays affordable for every Indian- announces ‘The Grand Indian Holiday Sale’ India’s leading integrated travel and travel related financial services company, in a strategic initiative to expand India’s travel market, has conceptualized a unique annual property, “The Grand Indian Holiday Sale”, carefully timed to coincide with the peak booking window for summer vacations- India’s largest holiday season. The focused intent to catalyse holiday demand is delivered via a range of specially curated offers and discounts targeting India’s quintessential ‘value seeker’. With this annual property, Thomas Cook India seeks to make holidays affordable for every Indian and its tag line reads, “Ab Poora India Ghommega!”

This intense 10 day sale offers India’s travellers a range of attractive deals and discounts on both domestic and international bookings, covering flights, hotels and holiday packages. To capture its diversity of customers, digitally native and retail, and ensure convenience and easy access, “The Grand Indian Holiday Sale”, is available across Thomas Cook India’s omnichannel network – its online platforms (mobile & website), call centers & extensive offline outlets.

The 10 day sale period offers customers the advantage of discounts

up to `40,000 on Thomas Cook’s holiday packages, with an added incentive of a ‘child travels free’ offer on select Asia tours. In addition, Thomas Cook’s unique ‘Holiday Pe Holiday Free’ offers a free Indian holiday on select domestic and international tours.

by TNH DESK

VISTARA LAUNCHES #VISTARAWOMANFLYER SERVICE Will inaugurate Mumbai-Amritsar route on International Women’s Day with all-women crew.

In celebration of International Women’s Day, Vistara, India’s fastest growing full service carrier, launched another industryfirst service, #VistaraWomanFlyer, designed for solo women travellers. As part of the new service, Vistara assigned preferred seats to women, and also provided baggage and transport assistance on arrival for women travelling alone.

Customers can pre-select seats during booking, after booking through the ‘manage my booking’ feature as well as during web check-in. For those who have do not pre-select their preferred seats in advance, Vistara ensured only window or aisle seats are assigned to solo women travellers at check-in. In addition, uniformed Vistara staff was available at the baggage claim area holding #VistaraWomanFlyer Arrivals Assistance placards, to assist women travellers with their luggage and with the booking of airport-authorized taxis, as well as escort such customers up to the taxi stand upon request.

On International Women’s Day, Vistara’s inaugural flight from Mumbai-Amritsar UK 735 operated by an all-women crew as part of the #WomenWhoMakeUsFly celebration of women in aviation. The airline’s pilots, Captain Latha Viswanathan and First Officer Shalmalee Joshi, along with an all-women cabin crew operated this flight. With this new flight, Vistara becomes the only full service airline to operate on the Mumbai-Amritsar route.

by T NH DESK

Sarovar Hotels steps into Zambia with Sarovar Premiere Lusaka Expanding its overseas portfolio, Sarovar Hotels Pvt. Ltd. announces the signing of its latest project in Africa, Sarovar Premiere Lusaka in Zambia. This development marks Sarovar’s presence in the five countries in Africa including Tanzania, Kenya, South Sudan, Ethiopia and Zambia.

Sarovar Premiere Lusaka is an 82 key all-suite hotel conveniently located around the city centre. Built in elegant designs with all modern facilities, it is the only all-suite hotel in town which will offer the space and comfort of a personal apartment, an extension of a home. The hotel is being developed

by Neelkanth Group based out of Zambia whose core business lies in steel, lime, copper cables and real estate. Sarovar Premiere Lusaka is expected to open in 2018.

Sarovar Premiere Lusaka represents Sarovar’s exponential growth in Africa. Making its presence in Lusaka, the largest

Ajay Bakaya,MD, Sarovar Hotels (L) with Vishnu Wadhawan, Director, Neelkanth Group Zambia

city of Zambia and one of the fastest developing cities in South Africa, the group hopes to spread the signature Sarovar hospitality across the continent here.

by TNH DESK

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NEWS

MAHARASHTRA TOURISM HIGHLIGHTS THE HISTORIC ‘WADAS’ OF THE STATE AT ITB BERLIN 2017 Maharashtra Tourism participated in ITB Berlin 2017 held from 08th-12th March, 2017. ITB Berlin is the world's largest travel trade fair that provides a unique opportunity to look behind the curtain of the global tourism industry. Each year the ITB (Internationale Tourismus Börse) welcomes around 10,096 exhibitors from more than 186 countries and regions. Cities, tour operators, booking system developers, airlines, hotels and other businesses concerned with tourism introduce themselves and their services and inspire wanderlust.

This year Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation participated with the stall

space of 89 sq meters that effectively promoted the essence of Maharashtra at ITB. The theme of the stall this year was ‘Wada’, which is the traditional residential form of Maratha architecture, evolved

GLORY OF COLONIAL LANDMARK For history buffs and those with a passion for colonial heritage, there is Windamere Hotel in Darjeeling Hills set up on the lines of a private boarding house during the Raj era.

What began as an English boarding hotel for British tea planters during colonial era stands as an authentic colonial, heritage property in the eastern Himalayas. Snuggled on the lap of Darjeeling Hills, Windamere Hotel recreates the ambience of good old house party and is a home away from home for luxury tourists.

Windamere is not any particular hospitality group that stands apart from other luxury hotels in Darjeeling Hills. It took shape in late 1880 during the British period and came to be known as Windamere Hotel in 1939. Elizabeth J Clarke, Managing Director, Windamere Hotel said, “Our hotel exudes the warmth of friendly boarding house and has the charm of bygone times, when British tea planters stayed in our hotel

by TNH DESK along with the royal class and other dignitaries.”

under the reign of Peshwas. A wada is typically a large building of two or more storey with groups of rooms arranged around open courtyards.

by T NH DESK

Floating novel concept-an Island in the sky Air Mauritius lives up to the reputation in being the fourstar airline player that takes care of its flyers with unparallel Mauritius experience both on ground and board.

v B Swaati Chaudhury Y

Rated as the best airline player in the Indian Ocean, Air Mauritius has set out on an interesting re-fleeting programme with an order for six Airbus A350-900 comprising new-age and fuel-efficient aircraft with an updated cabin comfort. Based on the concept of “An Island in the sky”, the focus is on the rich treasure-trove of the island and its marine life. The concept has been portrayed in the design of the new cabins and its promotional stuff. Vinith G, Manager- India and South Asian Sub-Continent, Air Mauritius informed, “Being the national carrier of Mauritius, our biggest highpoint is to boost Mauritius as an evergreen tourist destination in India. We do not believe in entering into any competition with any other global airline players. We are connecting four Indian metros- New Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Chennai with Mauritius. We are operating four-times-a-week flight from Mumbai to Mauritius and we plan to make it into weekly five flights from April to June, this year. We are looking ahead to launch regular flights from Mumbai to Mauritius sometime in November, this year.” Air Mauritius flies down twice-a-week from New Delhi to Mauritius. Vinith G said, “There are plans to increase the frequency of flight operations from New Delhi to Mauritius during the holiday season when the passenger traffic is at its peak. About 83,000 Indian fliers touched down Mauritius last year and we look ahead to have around 1 lakh Indian fliers in the current year.”

by T NH DESK

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NEWS

MAURITIUS OPENS THE DOORS WITH UNLIMITED OPTIONS

Redefining luxury in royal style

v B Swaati Chaudhury Y

A priceless piece of heritage on the outskirts of Bhopal prom-

ises to offer the royal experience of Nawab era.

If you are just wandering around Bhopal and you are up to some luxury heritage destination, then Aaram Baagh Sanchi should be on your wish list. The newly opened luxury property sprawling over 10 acres of land is around 20 km away from Bhopal and is owned by Jaipur’s Pachar Group that has opened its doors sometime on March 15, this year.

Aaram Baagh Sanchi is incidentally the one and only luxury hotel in the Buddhist destination of Sanchi. Jitendra Singh Pachar, Managing Director, Pachar Group said, “A chunk of global tourists visit Sanchi. In an attempt to wean away the overseas visitors and provide them the experience of royal Indian heritage, we have come up with the luxury heritage hotel. It transports the visitors back in the days when the Maharajas along with their families experienced royal lifestyle. There are 10 luxury suites and a separate pool for every four rooms.”

The lure of touching new frontiers in travel is tempting Indian tourists to travel to Mauritius.

For travellers on the look out for pollution-free and secured global destination that can keep them on their toes as long as they want to spend time is definitely the island destination of Mauritius. It is Vivek Anand Country Manager-India, MTPA a favourable option for adventure lovers with a torrent of adventure activities on land and under water. In its latest initiative, Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority (MTPA) is boosting its campaign themed “Mauritius beyond beaches.”

Vivek Anand, Country Manager-India, MTPA, said, “Mauritius has the second cleanest air in the world and ranks as one of the ten safest global travel destinations. We are in parleys with Bollywood and the South Indian film industry to shoot their films in Mauritius and the subsidy offered on film shooting is around 35 to 45 per cent. Moreover, Indian travellers are 4th big spenders in Mauritius.”

With nine golf courses, there are exquisite golf holidays in Mauritius. Anand further said, “The thrill of visiting tortoise park and under water adventure lures tourists. There are an array of casinos, night clubs and discotheques. There are scores of team building activities for those on business trips.”

The destination in recent times has poised itself into hosting

by T NH DESK grand Indian weddings.

Lufthansa and Vereinigung Cockpit (VC) reach comprehensive agreement on a deal to last until 2022 • Long duration and balancesheet reduction through changes to pension liability • In return, Lufthansa guarantees a fixed number of aircraft for pilots employed according to the current group-wide collective bargaining agreement (KTV) • The agreement opens up career prospects for pilots and trainee pilots (NFF)

• A collective bargaining agreements to be worked out in detail by the middle of the year Following constructive talks, which took place last night, Lufthansa and the pilot's union Vereinigung Cockpit reached an agreement regarding all previously unresolved collective bargaining matters. In a declaration of intent, the negotiating partners agreed on forwardthinking provisions for transitional pay-

ments, pension plans, the framework agreement on employment conditions and the collective wage agreement for the pilots of Lufthansa, Lufthansa Cargo and Germanwings.

The recommendation developed in February by mediator Dr. Gunter Pleuger for the collective wage agreement formed one part of the consideraby T NH DESK tions.

TRAVEL AND HOSPITALITY | APRIL 2017

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VIEWPOINT

Emerging trends in Indian outbound travel sector with direct flights to a number of foreign tourist destinations, people are now more likely to spend their extended weekends overseas.

Of course, the demand for packaged tours offered by companies is growing among Indians travelling overseas for the first time but more globe-trolling Indians are turning experimental, looking at customized trips, opting for offbeat destinations and newer experiences.

Despite the growing excitement about the growth and potential of the Indian outbound segment, the currency variation will be a major deciding factor on the number of travellers in this segment.

Keeping the same in mind, short-haul destinations will continue to be more popular amongst Indian travellers as they offer more ‘value for money’. For closer destinations, holidays on festivals such as during Diwali, Christmas and New Year are increasingly being utilized for short vacations. Another trend that is emerging in India is solo travel. With today's youth getting a job and earning at an early age, they achieve a comfortable spending power early in life.

With a population of 1.3 billion, India is the second most popuAnd, with apps and internet making it very easy to gather inforlous country in the world. A favourable young demogramation and make bookings, the urge to travel sets in phy with a median age of 25 years, expanding early. This trend is picking up and would soon beeconomy, bourgeoning middle class with increascome a significant contributor to the outbound ing disposable income and a liberal travel and travel market in the future. aviation economy has helped India emerge as While there is a clear trend of Indians bea major market for outbound tourism. At the coming a major contributor to tourism globally, same time, the potential still remains huge and both in terms of number of travellers and the young, suave Indian traveler will offer huge spending on while travelling, the motivation opportunity for outbound tourism industry in and choice of destination influencing the Inthe coming years. dian outbound sector is open to alignment and According to UNWTO (The World Tourism Orre-alignment in relation to changes in the econManoj Upadhyay Country Manager India, ClubMed ganization), as many as 50 million Indians are preomy and society. The future of outbound travel secdicted to travel overseas by 2020. India’s urban middle tor in India looks promising taking into consideration class is expected to cross the 500 million mark by 2025 while the increasing demand for exotic and unique holiday expethe number of HNIs is likely to grow six fold by 2030. India will riences and the segment is further slated to grow exponentially in

by MANOJ UPADHYAY become the world’s 5th largest economy by 2025. A combination the years to come. of these factors will fuel the growth of Indian outbound travel segment. While business travel dominates the outbound travel market with roughly 40% of all outbound travels, leisure travellers and those visiting friends and relatives form a significant chunk of the outbound travelers as well. The Indian traveller is evolving rapidly and increasingly getting keen on unique experiences and discovering niche destinations. Indian travellers, in both leisure and MICE segments, is veering towards more experiential trips and exploring niche destinations apart from the regular and popular ones. Another trend is the propensity of travellers to rely on third party reviews and ratings while planning their trips like traveler reviews, travel guidebooks, travel magazines/TV shows, facebook & travel blogs etc. Weekend holidays in nearby hill stations are passé and

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INTERVIEW

'A marked shift: Indian market moves towards experiential travel' Concept of experiential travel is an emerging trend across the world including India. Hanneli Slabber, India Country Head – South African Tourism said that the Indian market is definitely moving towards experiential travel.

Q. Do you believe that experiential travel is becoming more important today?

We learned from our annual India roadshows and from our observations of the last few years that the Indian market is definitely moving towards experiential travel i.e. there has been a marked shift from seeing to experiencing.

Slabber Travel has gone beyond the Hanneli India Country Head – South African Tourism passé stay in a beach-side resort followed by local city tours. The modern traveller is hungry for more – he wants to explore, experience and head back home with a bag pack full of thrilling memories. Travel is now increasingly being driven by a need to have varied experiences like explore local culture, indulge in art and history of the place and meet new people and the same has been true for us at South African Tourism.

Q. What is South African Tourism doing to woo experiential travelers? What does South Africa have to offer to woo experiential traveler?

A big part of what makes South Africa special is its diverse, unique cultures and traditions. South Africa is alive with cultural depth and it really is the foundation of this nation’s

beauty! The South African urban and rural settings celebrate the country’s incredible diversity and way of life.

What specially draws the experiential traveller to South Africa are the many buzzing urban markets, townships like Maboneng which is essentially a cultural melting pot on your doorstep, cosmopolitan bars filled with contemporary beats and good times, theatres, jazz clubs and traditional restaurants to mention a few.

Some of the things that should feature on every experiential traveler’s bucket list when visiting South Africa are – • Walk through Robben Island and travel back in time to experience the turning point of South African history. Standing in the jail cell that housed Nelson Mandela for so many years brings to heart the emotional story of the South African struggle for democracy and equality • Play audience to people's history and culture, while being offered traditional food and brew at Lesedi Cultural Village • If you’re into culture, art and crafts, the Maloti-Drakensberg Heritage Route is the place for you. Along the way, you’ll come across more than 22 000 ancient rock art paintings. These etchings of history recorded the daily lives and spiritual adventures of the “First People” – the original South Africans • The art connoisseurs can also throng to The Johannesburg Art Gallery in Joubert Park. It is the largest gallery on the subcontinent with a collection that is larger than that of the Iziko South African National Art Gallery in Cape Town.

• One of Joburgs leading visual arts organizations, the Bag Factory has been alive and kicking since 1991, when the space was set up to provide studios for artists mainly black artist.

• Sure to leave you bewildered are the unique Zulu Cultural Ceremonies like a festival involving snakes, a reed dance with thousands of Zulu maidens or a mass religious gathering of the Shembe- which are exclusively available to the visitors to Esby TNH DESK howe in Zululand.

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Q&A

TRADE SHOW Simon Press Exhibition Director, ATM

Experiential Travel: 'Travellers looking beyond conventional leisure itineraries, seek uncharacteristic experiences' Simon Press, Senior Exhibition Director, ATM elaborated on relevance of 'Experiential Tourism' as the main theme of ATM 2017.

Excerpts

v B Prem Kumar Y

Q. What is the idea behind 'Experiential Tourism' being the main theme of this year’s ATM? How relevant is this in the current scenario?

Travellers are increasingly looking beyond conventional leisure programmes and itineraries to actively seek out atypical experiences that deliver a true taste of local culture. Experiential travel encompasses the adventure, culture, heritage, wellness & spa, and cruise tourism segments, which are currently trending globally.

Today we see brands and tourism industry stakeholders offering their guests intangible and emotional experiences, immersing them in local cul-

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ture, and traditional ways of life. It’s an appeal that can be successfully transferred to backpackers and billionaires alike.

This growing trend is now on the radar of the region’s tourism chiefs.

The Middle East has an abundance of authentic local experiences to offer from overnight stays in a stone house in remote Omani villages to Old Dubai walking tours that search out the best street food.

Elsewhere, the meteoric rise in the popularity of Airbnb and volunteer tourism are just some of the ways the industry has evolved to capitalise on the growing trend, while bringing

new players into the market. At ATM 2017, there will be a focus on converting these concepts into viable commercial realities to broaden the appeal of Middle East destinations and increase their visitor numbers and revenues, which can support sustainable economic development.

Q. How important is it to promote 'Experiential Tourism'?

Experiential travel takes visitors away from the traditional beach and sightseeing holidays to immerse them in culture and custom, Arabic tradition or thrill-seeking activities, such as desert safaris. People no longer want

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TRADE SHOW

Q. What would be the highlights of ATM 2017?

We have four major new additions for the 2017 show: the Digital Transformation Summit, the Halal Tourism Summit, the UNWTO Summit and ILTM Arabia. The Digital Transformation Summit, takes place in the Travel Tech theatre and will explore how the travel businesses is responding to the demands of the digital world. Sessions in the Travel Tech Theatre will include ‘The New Age Travel Agent’, which will assess how smart travel agents are evolving to meet the needs of today’s travellers.

The Halal Travel Summit takes place on the Global Stage and will showcase leading Muslim travel industry experts including, Rafi-uddin Shikoh, CEO of DinarStandard and Faeez Fadhlillah, CEO of Salam Standard and Tripfez who will discuss the big picture, halal destination strategies and how to sell halal travel.

In response to the Middle East’s growing international luxury travel market, ILTM Arabia will showcase the buoyant market for luxury products and experiences that define the region’s outbound travel market. Co-located with ATM 2017, ILTM Arabia will target high net-worth travellers from throughout the GCC and wider Middle East region, with buyers from the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Qatar expected to have a particularly strong presence.

Targeting the region’s highest net

worth travellers, this is an invitation only event. The largest exhibition in ATM’s history, the show will welcome back the Leaders’ Breakfast; Wellness & Spa LoungeTravel Agents’ Academy; Travel Tech Show; the Buyers’ Club; and the Bloggers’ Speed Networking.

Today we see brands and tourism industry stakeholders offering their guests intangible and emotional experiences, immersing them in local culture, and traditional ways of life. It’s an appeal that can be successfully transferred to backpackers and billionaires alike.

“

“

to be observers when they travel, but want to be involved in the destination and educated by its people and ways of life. This behavioural shift among travellers allows ATM 2017 to highlight the unique nuances of the regional industry to present data, and insight, on areas that will become a major focus over the coming years.

Q. How useful has ATM been for Indian exhibitors over the years?

How is their number growing?

The GCC is a relative sleeping giant in terms of travellers to India. It is just over three hours away by aeroplane, which makes for a perfect short break destination. While plans by the Indian Government to issue five-year multiple entry business visas to UAE businessmen from April and, within a couple of months, making the facility available to tourists from the UAE and wider GCC countries, should also see travellers from the region flock to their near neighbours.

India will be under the spotlight at this year’s Arabian Travel Market, with a number of travel and hotel brands present in the hospitality and technology exhibitions. This includes: Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces, The Oberoi Hotels, Spiceland Holidays, India; Ottila International; Cox and Kings, Atmantan Wellness Resort; Tamarind Tours Pvt. Ltd; and Zuri Hotels & Resorts Pvt. Ltd. Technology

companies like Rezlive Fore Representations and Ottila have increased their stand size and companies like Rate Gain are introducing new products at the show.

Q. What would be your suggestions for the first-time exhibitors at ATM? How can they get maximum value for their money?

We offer a simple package to all new exhibitors of additional promotion via the ATM website, email campaign and official publications helping to increase their visibility amongst the mass of seasoned exhibitors.

For exhibitors, the Data Scanner app-loaded iPod can scan exhibitor and visitor badges to make contact details more accurate and follow-ups more convenient.

Exhibitors can also take advantage of the ATM Exhibitor Portal to help promote key messages to the media.

Q. What are the new trends and practices at trade shows like ATM? The show has experienced phenomenal growth of over 70% since 2012 and this year already looks like it’s going to break all previous records.

We have more than 100 new exhibitors signed up and 65 country pavilions, while we expect representation from 140 countries over the course of the event.

Clearly Expo2020 is driving growth in Dubai as the emirate aims to complete 160,000 hotel rooms in time to welcome an additional five million visitors over the course of the event.

However, the GCC countries as a whole are looking towards tourism as a way of diversifying their economies away from their reliance on hydrocarbon receipts.

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COVER STORY

Experiential travel: the new mantra of the globe-trotting This year 'experiential tourism' is the main theme of Arabian Travel Market (ATM), Dubai that is being held from April 24 to 27, 2017. The selection of this theme underlines the growing relevance and popularity of experiential tourism.

v B Prem Kumar Y

Experiential travel is a new mantra in travel and tourism industry. It is emerging as one of the most inspirational reasons to travel these days. "Intense global demand for travel experiences that resonate on a deeper emotional level is driving travel brands to develop product that is more adventurous, more personalized, and more attuned to local culture, inspiring consumers toward a path of self discovery," says a report titled as' The Rise of Experiential Travel', published by a Melbourne based destination management company , PEAK DMC. Experiential travel is having offbeat experiences such as living with local community to understand their culture.

The report states that the demand for 'experiential travel' today is the most significant, systemic trend in worldwide tourism. Experiential tourism is a kind of tourism where experience and memo-

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ries matter more than mere excursion activities and indulgence. It is about how deeply travelers experience destinations that they visit and how lasting memories they return with. Experiential travel reflects a concept of tourism that is more immersive, local, authentic, active, adventurous and participative. Experiential travel can be defined any tourism activities other than traditional sightseeing and conventional indulgence.

Experiential travel is gradually becoming a key element of mainstream tourism. Now people want to travel better, on a deeper emotional and more personal level. Travelers in increasing numbers are opting for customized and bespoke travel package rather than prepackaged. They look for more engaging socio-culture experience. They want to interact with local community and share their culture. Even the options of experiential travel are growing signifi-

cantly.

According to Simon Press, Senior Exhibition Director, Arabian Travel Market (ATM), travelers are increasingly looking beyond conventional leisure programmes and itineraries to actively seek out atypical experiences that deliver a true taste of local culture. "Today tourism industry stakeholders are offering their guests intangible and emotional experiences, immersing them in local culture, and traditional ways of life. It’s an ap-

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COVER STORY

Over 30,000 visitors are expected to attend ATM 2017 2017 show to have additional exhibition hall, with 2,800 exhibiting companies, 100 new exhibitors and 65 country pavilions UNWTO and ATM Ministerial Forum, ILTM Arabia, Digital Transformation Summit, and Halal Tourism Summit are among many highlights peal that can be successfully transferred to backpackers and billionaires alike," said Press. He added that this growing trend is now on the radar of the region’s tourism chiefs. The Middle East has an abundance of authentic local experiences to offer from overnight stays in a stone house in remote Omani villages to Old Dubai walking tours that search out the best street food. At ATM 2017, there will be a focus on converting these concepts into viable commercial realities to broaden the appeal of Middle East destinations and increase their visitor numbers and revenues, which can support sustainable economic development.

One form of experiential travel is volunteerism for a noble cause in a destination. It could be spending some time with underprepared children or at farm and integrating with farmers. These very simple moments some time can turn out to be your greatest memories and experiences. Cooking, photography classes, playing with local village kids etc are be some of other examples of the experiential travel. It is the long-lasting

memories of experiences that make experiential travel highly unique and worthwhile. In the world of experiential travel experiences matter more than amenities, comforts, attractions, recreations etc.

Hanneli Slabber, India Country Head – South African Tourism said that travel has gone beyond the passé stay in a

beach-side resort followed by local city tours. "The modern traveler is hungry for more – he wants to explore, experience and head back home with a bag pack full of thrilling memories. Travel is now increasingly being driven by a need to have varied experiences like explore local culture, indulge in art and history of the place and meet new people and the same has been true for us at South African Tourism." Talking about Indian market, she said that from their annual India roadshows and from our observations of the last few years, "we have learned that the Indian market is defi-

nitely moving towards experiential travel i.e. there has been a marked shift from seeing to experiencing."

Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2017, which takes place in Dubai World Trade Centre from April 24-27, is set to be the biggest in the event’s 24-year history.

More than 30,000 visitors are expected to attend the four-day show, with over 2,800 exhibiting companies, forcing organizer Reed Travel Exhibitions to open up an additional hall this year to cope with the increased demand.

Simon Press informed that the show has experienced phenomenal growth of over 70% since 2012 and this year already looks like it’s going to break all previous records. "We have more than 100 new exhibitors signed up and 65 country pavilions, while we expect representation from 140 countries over the course of the event, said Press, adding, “Clearly Expo2020 is driving growth in Dubai as the emirate aims to complete 160,000 hotel rooms in time to welcome an additional five million visitors over the course of the event. However, the GCC countries as a whole are looking towards tourism as a way of diversifying their economies away from their reliance on hydrocarbon receipts."

The opening session of this year’s event will look at the role Expo2020 plays in delivering the UAE Government’s long-term vision for economic diversification. Now just three years away, high level stakeholders, including Marjan Faraidooni, VP Legacy, Impact & Development, Expo2020; Issam Kazim, CEO of DTCM; Anita Mehra, SVP Communications and Reputation, Dubai Airports; and Deidre Wells OBE, CEO, UK inbound, will take part in a panel discussion about the upcoming event. ATM has witnessed a year-on-year visitor attendance increase of 9% to over 28,500 in 2016, with 2,785 exhibiting companies, signing business deals worth more than US$ 2.5 billion over four days.

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NEWS

EaseMyTrip.com Received “Best Travel Planner Award 2016” EaseMyTrip.com was awarded “Best Travel Planner of the Year 2016” by Ravishing Wedding Awards for the amazing travel planning in wedding industry.

Easy Trip Planners Pvt. Ltd. received “Best Travel Planner of the Year Awards 2016” by Wedding Planning Industry of India for proving itself as a reliable name for travel planning. The award ceremony was held at Orana Hotels and Resorts in Gurgaon. EaseMyTrip.com was cofounded by Pitti brothers, who have established brand recognition for their

The beautiful award ceremony of Rav-

EaseMyTrip was present to receive this

company by offering excellent customer

ishing Wedding Awards was organized

beautiful award. Akshay Sharda, Market-

support and services. There were some

on 18th March, 2017. Many important

ing Head, Easy Trip Planners Pvt. Ltd

other reputed names of the Indian travel

persons from the wedding planning in-

(EaseMyTrip.com) was also there on this

industry which were competing for this

dustry of India and popular faces from

occasion. The award was given by the

award and EaseMyTrip received it leav-

media and entertainment world were also

very beautiful actress Urmila Matondkar.

ing others behind. The entire event was

present at this event. Mr. Rikant Pitti, Co-

Other celebrity present on this event was

organized by Magic Media World.

Founder & Chief Operation Officer of

Malaika Arora.

by T NH DESK

Mayfair Hotels and Resorts to open in Kalimpong The hospitality group has taken over a heritage property in Kalimpong dating back to 1900 in erstwhile Bhutan that stands witness to the bygone era.

For luxury-seekers heading to Darjeeling Hills during summer, here’s a heritage property waiting to open its doors in Kalimpong that will liven up the hilly sojourn of tourists. Bhubaneshwar-based Mayfair Hotels and Resorts has made an enthusiastic effort to acquire a reputed, century-old “Himalayan Hotel” of Kalimpong and offer a makeover to the heritage property. The signature creationMayfair Himalayan Hotel is all set to begin its operation sometime in summer, this year. It enjoys an incredible USP that makes it stand out from other luxury properties in Darjeeling Hills. Bjorn Noel DeNiese, Vice-President (Sales and Mar-

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Bjorn Noel DeNiese Vice-President (Sales and Marketing)

keting), Mayfair Hotels and Resorts, explained, “The walls, artefacts and the ambience of the hotel hide innumerable tales of an era gone by. Once upon a time, the location was a part of Bhutan and formed the resting ground for Dalai Lama, an apostle of peace while escaping from Tibet. We have a commendable presence in Darjeeling and Sikkim Hills.”

The hospitality scene in Darjeeling and Sikkim Hills is quite encouraging. Noel DeNiese said, “Our group occupies a pride of place in the hospitality business and after foraying into Darjeeling and Gangtok, there has been a spike in the overall growth of tourism in both the hill

by TNH DESK resorts.

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TRAVEL MANTRA

TIPS FOR THE PERFECT

ROAD TRIP Whether you are a flyer or road lover, vacations are always fun! There is a luxury in flying to destinations, but traveling to destinations by road is exceptionally amazing. Road trips are supremely awesome experience. I strongly feel that memories of a successful road trip will stay with you for the lifetime. Here you just have to get up and go and enjoy the complete thrill of uncertainties like where you will eat and stay and what will be your next stop. It’s your choice to where to go, when to go and what kind of budget you’ll have. So, no matter where you head or if you’re a pro or a beginner, we have got some smart tips to make your road trip a perfect one…

v B Archana Sharma Y

Choose the ideal car Before starting the journey, you must decide what kind of car you will need as it will depend on the destination you are heading to, type of trip and how many people you will be travelling. If you are renting a car, make sure that you book in advance, choose unlimited mileage and insure yourself to drive as much long you wish to. Also, keep a tight eye on the comfort of the car and its mileage.

Google Maps The next important thing to take up your trip with is ‘Google Maps’. All you need to do is to just enter your start and final destination and get an approx. idea of timing. Here, you can adjust the route and see where you can go and how long it’ll take you. Google maps navigation and GPS (Global Positioning System) will make sure that you’ve got your best route work out, that too in precise time.

Perfect music for the journey Another most important thing to go together on road is your choice of good music. There’s going to be ample of time for tunes, so make sure you’ve down-

loaded some of your favourite playlists on your smartphone (and don’t forget the USB cable). Moreover, it’s wise to check out local radio as well to hear the kind of music you probably wouldn’t get to listen back home, probably won’t think you’ll like at once, but might come to love.

Try local food and stay at local places While on the road, it is very important that you should try local food even if you have no idea what it is. You never know, it might be the only chance you get to taste the food of that area and kind. The same thing goes for accommodation: it might be tempting to stay at the luxurious hotels or resorts, but why not stay at the unique B&B / motel and pop place down the road? You must go for short homestays; you will get to live with essence of the local life.

Choose your travel mate wisely It’s a harsh fact that sometimes road trips can make or break friendships. Sure, they make you laugh, but imagine being stuck in a car with them for six hours straight, when the GPS breaks and they can’t read a map. If that all sounds fine, think tastes are they as interested in local

history as you. So, beware while choosing your travel mate. Make sure you find the right travel mate who matches with your temperament and can do something well that you can’t do at all (like, read maps, speak a local language or have some mechanic skills), and most importantly, the one who can handle you when you’re at your best and worst.

Rules of the road Another important tip for going on road is that you must know the right rules of the road. For instance, which side of the road you should drive and other major rules of the region you will be travelling in. So, it is must for you to make sure you’re down with the rules of the road for the country or region you’re visiting.

Petrol Pumps On road trips, Petrol pumps can be a blessing. The bigger ones have clean toilets, decent food, drinkable refreshments and all kinds of treats for the weary traveller. Some of them might even let you use their facilities and park overnight in their car parking space.

So, pack your bags, get in the car to go for your dream road trip!

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NEWS

Arunachal Pradesh doubles growth in the tourist traffic in last five years Key tourism partners sign MoUs to boost tourism in Arunachal Pradesh.

The department of tourism, Govt. of Arunachal Pradesh held its first Arunachal Pradesh Tourism Conclave 2017 in New Delhi. The Conclave was graced by Kiren Rijiju Honorable Union Minister of State for Home, Government of India and P.D Sona Honorable Parliamentary Secretary Tourism, Government of Arunachal Pradesh and witnessed a compelling programme of anchor events, content for new partners and delegate representation from the entire spectrum of the travel and tourism industry.

The platform was part of the state government’s efforts to boost domestic and international tourist inflow in the state which received over 3.5 lakh tourists in 2016.

The department of tourism, Govt. of Arunachal Pradesh is constantly committed to developing the tourism infrastructure in the state through creation of tourism products that will attract and assist trade partners to provide unique offerings to tourists and put Arunachal Pradesh in the consideration set of holiday makers. Speaking at the Conclave, Dr. Joram Beda, Tourism Secretary, Government of Arunachal Pradeshsaid, “Arunachal Pradesh is investing to become the adventure and exotic tourism hub of India. We have been organising theme-based events like the Tawang festival, Ziro festival of music, Arunachal spring carnival, adventure at Mechuka as also the Kameng river festival. The role of tourism partners in building awareness and encouraging on the unique attractions this state offers is paramount. In 2017, we ex-

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(L) Joram Beda, Tourism Secretary, Govt of Arunachal Pradesh

pect the number of tourist arrivals to grow exponentially. We thank our tourism partners and urge them to continue promoting the rich biodiversity and ecotourism attractions that Arunachal Pradesh offers".

In a pan India bid to formulate strategies and methodologies to develop tourism opportunities in Arunachal Pradesh, the department of tourism has also signed Memorandum of Understanding signaling strategic partnerships between four key partners to work together to promote and attract tourists in the pristine State of Arunachal Pradesh.

OxigenWallet has signed on as the official E-wallet Partner for the department of Tourism and is committed to promote cashless transactions in the tourism sector of the state. Joining hands with them is MakeMyTrip.com who has signed on asits official Partner in the Online Travel Portal Category to drive tourists into the state of Arunachal Pradesh using its online Portal “Makemytrip.com” and its associated digital platforms. Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI), one of the largest Travel and Tourism associations whose primary focus is to protect the interest of the industry and safeguard the travelling public from exploitation have come on board as official Partner in the Travel Agents Association Category. Fly Wings (FWSTC) who has signed on as the official partner for Hospitality Training will lead the initiative to assist the unemployed youth to get trained under the Tourism and Hospitality Manage-

ment programme. This is another initiative under the skill development sector moto of Government of India. The National Film Development Corporation of India (NFDC) is the official Creative and Brand Development partner to the department of Tourism and will provide support in creating effective branding and creative campaigns for the state’s tourism initiatives. The combined efforts of these partners will harness the potential of tourism in Arunachal Pradesh and develop tourism facilities and various tourism destinations as per the master plan.

Arunachal Pradesh displays a wide variety of tourism options today. From being an Eco Tourism hotspot that boasts of rich and diverse biodiversity to allowing for a complete cultural, religious and spiritual immersion, as well as ample options for heritage and adventure tourism. The tourism industry in the state is well poised for growth and is looking for yearly growth of around 20% in the next three years. The department of Tourism in Arunachal Pradesh is working to overcome the inherent infrastructure challenges and transportation bottlenecks as the sector moves from its nascent stage into the country’s tourism foray. Beyond the unique tourism options, travelers are now spoilt for choice with the types of accommodation ranging from star hotels, resorts, tourist lodges and popular

by T NH DESK home stays in the state.

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TRENDS

Micro-Stay Hotels: The new buzzword in the travel space Ever wished that you could pay a hotel based on the number of hours you stayed there, rather than the number of nights? With the new-age concept of micro-stay hotels—a breakthrough revolution in the travel and tourism sector—becoming increasingly popular, this has now become possible. Read on to find out more about this unique business model of hospitality.

v B Neha Kirpal Y

Business travellers, jet-laggers on a layover, roadies, and day-trippers are in for some great news from the world of hospitality! Seeking accommodation on an hourly basis rather than the conventional number of nights has now become possible with micro-stay hotels that allow visitors to do exactly that. Based loosely on the concept of capsule hotels, microstay is also referred to as day-stay, shortstay or capsule stay in many countries.

The concept first became prevalent in Europe during the economic recession in 2008 when fewer people were travelling.

With the recent increase in demand for such short-duration stays in the Americas, southeast Asia and India, it is becoming more and more common over the years.

In the age of home-delivered food and groceries, on-demand hotel bookings with instant confirmations and pay-peruse are now the next big thing. Microstays are a reflection of the changing market dynamics, including online bookings and real-time reviews. According to research, it is observed that nearly 40 percent of room bookings are last-minute check-ins for an approximate duration of six hours. Given today’s hectic work schedules, people find it difficult to plan holidays in advance. Checking into a hotel for even a day and in one's own city—a ‘daycation’—can provide a break from the routine. Realizing the importance of such trends, hotels have taken

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note and have started offering flexibility in the form of micro-stays. Disrupting the traditional 24-hour check-in-check-out cycle, these hotels (ranging from budget to boutique, heritage, resorts, service apartments, lodges, homestays and fivestars) allow travellers to instantly book hotel rooms for fewer hours and pay less too.

Well-known American hotels like the Hilton Garden Inn Chelsea (New York) and the Sofitel (Miami) have been offering these services for some time now. Mar-

riott International has built a “Workspace on Demand” by converting some of the lesser used hotel space into meeting rooms that can be rented by the hour.

Seattle Hotel 1000 offers beverages, snacks, high-speed Wi-Fi and a place to work for $15 and up to $35 a day. Westin Hotels has a program called “Tangent” by which they offer powerful sound systems, printers, whiteboards and Xbox game systems in meeting rooms. Further, websites like dayuse-hotels.com, between9and5.com, hotelsbyday.com and byhours.com also list hotels that offer rooms for certain hours.

Following suit, Indian hotel chains like The Lalit has a ‘day-use’ check-box facility on their website to attract such guests.

Some of the other premium hotels offering the micro-stay option include the Park properties, the Taj group of hotels and Courtyard by Marriott. Further, online

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TRENDS

travel agency Cleartrip offers a section on their website called “Quickeys” for business travellers. Among the apps and websites, there are Frotels, 6Hourly, HotelsAroundYou, MiStay, Stay Uncle, Slicerooms, NightStay and Chatur Musafir that act as aggregators, tying up with hotels to offer packages in cities across the country. Hotels across several cities have hopped on board, eyeing the portals' target audience of pilgrims, concert- and trade fair-goers, sports fans, and transit travellers. With the growing number of smartphone users, the on-demand hyperlocal market itself is growing.

The hotels work best for guests with a

long transit layover or business travellers who have scattered meetings. Alternatively, the guest could be a solo female traveller or short family vacationers to attend a particular event, for example a wedding, concert, conference, exhibition or exam. Many such hotels are also conveniently located near airports or railway stations to cater to people who have a delayed flight or train and are willing to

pay to spend a few hours in comfort rather than at a lounge. The offer is for a minimum of four hours and maximum of eight hours, by charging extra for each hour stayed. If guests exceed eight hours, then the room is considered a full-day.

The rooms are mostly given at discounted and competitive rates from the usual rack rate, and act as a second office (for travellers seeking a comfortable place to catch up on some work and access business facilities, or even rest, relax, refresh and reenergize between meetings), or a second bed (for jet-lagged travellers seeking a shower and a nap between flights). Moreover, guests can even avail of hotel facilities like the complimentary breakfast, gym, health club/fitness centre, swimming pool and spa during their short stay.

It is a win-win situation for both hotels and customers. While customers are happy as they get a bargain—and save money by paying for only what they use, hotels tend to gain and boost revenues in a price-sensitive market by doubling their room inventories when they get to sell the same room twice in the same day.

Moreover, most check-ins happen in the evening and check-outs in the morning, so hotels usually have unoccupied rooms between 9 am and 6 pm. Micro-stays are able to fill up and cater to this segment as well.

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EXPLORE INDIA

2017 is the “Year of the Wild” for Karnataka Tourism

T

oday, more than ever before, travel is becoming less about the destination, less about the journey and more about how and what we do. People are opting for ‘beyond the normal’ approach in whatever they do and are looking for experiential travel.

The new age traveller has become more evolved. He looks for experiences and helps contributing to the local economy rather than just plain sightseeing activities. And Karnataka, true to its tag line of “one state, many worlds” has a variety of unexplored experiences to offer for every type of tourist. In this context, Karnataka tourism is declaring 2017 as the ‘Year of the Wild’ for tourists who not only want to explore the wilderness & wildlife, but also experience the wild side of life.

“The Year of the Wild”, a brand new campaign, to kick-start the year, was launched by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in the presence of Priyank Kharge, Minister of State for IT, BT & Tourism along with Secretary Tourism Naveen Raj Singh, IAS, Dr. N Manjula, IAS, Director-Tourism and Kumar Pushkar, IFS, MD – KSTDC. It celebrates Karnataka’s “wild” side and helps in preserving the environment while engaging with the local economy.

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Karnataka’s forests and wildlife are her priceless natural heritage. The state is home to some of the largest jungle tracts south of the Vindhyas, that make it a dream destination for adventurers and naturalists. From the majestic evergreen forests of the Western Ghats to the scrub jungles of the plains, Karnataka has a wide variety of habitats teeming with diverse flora and fauna, some of them endemic to the region and the best way to explore this is with India’s largest network of eco lodges: Jungle Lodges & Resorts. In many ways, Karnataka is a

trend-setter in the green movement within the hospitality space. Long before it became fashionable to go green, the Government of Karnataka embraced the natural world. In 1980, along with Tiger Tops of Nepal, Govt. of Karnataka established the Kabini River Lodge through Jungle Lodges & Resorts, which since 1987 has been a 100% government owned entity led by many visionaries from the Indian Forest Service. Today, JLR is India’s largest network of jungle and eco-lodges with 17 Jungle Resorts spread across Karnataka and 5 Jungle Camps.

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EXPLORE INDIA

Today, JLR is a laboratory for green pracdo something we won’t be able to leave How to Reach tices as all of you are aware. behind a livable world for our chilBy Air: With 6 airports, Also celebrating Karnataka’s wild dren and grandchildren. There is Karnataka is well connected to the side is a host of activities on land, an environmental crisis at hand. other parts of India and rest of the world through the air network.

It has airports in Benwater and in the sky. KarAnd we are living through it. galuru, Mangaluru, Hampi, Hubli, Belgaum, Bijapur nataka’s jagged coastline, the We at Karnataka Tourism are and Mysore. The Mangaluru international airport and the Western Ghats with its majesdoing our duty in conserving HAL airport in Bengaluru are the two airports that offer international flights to and fro Karnataka. tic peaks, incredible craggy our environment in every formations, expansive water way possible. Today, JLR is a

By Train: Karnataka is also well connected to other parts of the bodies and many rivers that laboratory for green praccountry through a wide rail network. Besides, the state of Karnataka also has an interstate rail network to make commuting criss-cross the state make it a tices. Our endeavor is to eneasy within Karnataka. haven for adventure sports sure that all of these entities and other outdoor activities. are green-compliant, with a

By Road: Owned by the Government of Karnataka, Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) connects the Karnataka Tourism has alpassionate commitment to nastate to other major cities and states.

Besides, NEKRTC ready launched Motorcycle ture and the environment. “ and NWKRTC are the two other road transport corpotourism with a bike ride in Hampi Naveen Raj Singh, IAS, Secretary ration in Karnataka, making commuting more easier by making remote areas and other places with a series of more rides in KarTourism said, “Our objective in demore accessible through the road nataka’s varied destinations. The Govclaring 2017 as the Year of the Wild is network. ernment is actively promoting Mysore as not limited to wildlife alone. With our an aero sport destination especially for unique geographical features, Karnataka sky diving. Also on the cards is an interprovides adventure lovers with every kind national level surfing festival in Mangalore ter Siddaramaiah said “I am happy to of terrain, probably except snow-clad in mid 2017 which will go a long way in know Karnataka Tourism, in its endeavour mountains. We have initiated adventure promoting Karnataka’s beaches as a to promote the state has declared 2017 as activities like aero sports -sky diving in water sports destination. In December the Year of the Wild. We are committed to Mysore, motorcycle tourism in Hampi etc.

2016, jointly with forest department, preserving our precious natural heritage All these activities will help you discover tourism department has identified 9 eco and this is one of the many steps taken to the wild side of Karnataka and yours as trekking routes in western Ghats areas fulfill this objective”. well. And we welcome you all to experiwhich would be open to tourists and Priyank Kharge, Minister of State for IT, ence the many wonders that await you trekkers. All these trekking routes are BT & Tourism said, “Today, most people here.” being created and trained nature guides are passive spectators to the gradual ruSpeaking on the occasion, Dr. N Manwould be accompanying and educating ination of the earth and the extinction of jula, IAS, Director-Tourism said, “The Kartourists about nature conservation. species and habitats that we inherited nataka Government has also established Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minisfrom our forefathers. However, unless we the Karnataka Eco-Tourism Development Board to help the government in protecting wildlife, creating awareness about it, encouraging eco-tourism, forest safaris etc. Along with the Eco-Tourism Board and JLR, Eco-Tourism Zones are being identified with a chain of nature camps and eco-trails. We are also in the process of finalizing the Green Policy for the state,” she concluded.

All this is expected to bring in more tourists to Karnataka and give a muchneeded fillip to tourist footfalls in the state.

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EXPLORE THE WORLD

Explore best places in Home to the world's many famous historic sites, Israel is often thought to be simply as a pilgrimage destination. The Dead Sea is a beautiful natural wonder where you can't sink. The Galilee region's natural beauty will make you want to hike in nature. Israel is remarkably diverse, where you’re sure to witness historic religious sites mentioned in the Bible. Ancient Roman ruins as well as other archaeological ruins dating back thousands of years are also available. Moreover, this country has some great beaches, good al fresco opportunities, and an urbane cultural scene. In this feature, we have mentioned some of the best places you must visit in Israel…

v B Archana Sharma Y

Jerusalem The heart of Israel beats at Jerusalem.

Apart from being the capital of Israel, it is one of the oldest cities across the world. Though it’s known as the ‘City of Peace’, it has a violent history. The city has been attacked 52 times, destroyed twice and besieged around 23 times.

Jerusalem is considered as a sacred city by three major religions including Judaism, Islam and Christianity. Its historic Old City is divided into four quarters: Jewish, Armenian, Christian, and Muslim. Here, you can walk in Jesus’ footsteps on the Via Dolorosa’, pray at the Western Wall, see the Church of the

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fancy taking one of the many different paths that lead up to the hill.

Dead Sea The Dead Sea got its name because it’s almost 10 times as saline as the ocean, which makes it a harsh environment for anything to grow in. At 400 meters below sea level, it’s the lowest elevation on land. For thousands of

Jerusalem

Holy Sepulcher, where Christians believe Jesus is buried, and also take a tour of the Tower of David, a popular medieval citadel.

Masada Masada is located on a high plateau in southern region of Israel overlooking the Dead Sea. It was the last Jewish holdout to fall to Rome at the end of the First Jewish–Roman War. Masada was first fortified by Herod the Great in the late first century BC. In 66 AD, Sicarii Jewish patriots captured the fortress from the Romans. Presently, Masada is a symbol of ancient Israel and amongst the best examples of Roman defenses remaining.

There’s a cable car for those who don’t

Masada

Tel Aviv

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EXPLORE THE WORLD

Dead Sea

Eilat

years; the salt and minerals from its water are very famous in cosmetics.

Dead Sea water and mud have medical benefits, putting severe skin diseases and joint problems into long-term remission. In fact, you must try the health spas available in the luxury hotels along the coast.

Tel Aviv Israel’s second largest city, Tel Aviv is the country’s financial hub. It is known as a party city as one that doesn’t sleep.

This city is home to the national opera and philharmonic orchestra. Numerous travel publication surveys rank the city among the best place to visit in Israel.

Moreover, it’s also famous for being LGBT friendly. Its Mediterranean beaches are some of the world’s best.

Tel Aviv has some outstanding muse-

ums, including Beth Hatefulsoth that informs the story of Jewish persecution over the ages.

Eilat Eilat is a very old city on the Red Sea that’s served as a port city since the days of King Solomon. It is the southernmost city of Israel. Its spectacular beaches and an arid climate contributes make it a major resort city. This place offers some of the best diving experience in the world because of the beautiful coral reef. Some of the other attractions include King City, a beautiful high-tech Bible-based family theme park, enjoy bird watching. Also, Eilat is on the main migration route between Europe, Africa and Timna Valley Park, home to Solomon’s Pillars and the world’s oldest copper mine.

Sea of Galilee The Sea of Galilee of Galilee is the lowest freshwater lake on earth and the second lowest lake in the world for the lowest being the saltwater Dead Sea. Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount was supposedly given on a hill overlooking the sea. It’s an admired destination for Christian pilgrims who want to see where Jesus walked on water. The 65 km long Jesus Hiking Trail that visits places where Jesus worked his ministry.

People also come from all over the world to be baptized at the spot the lake flows into the River Jordan.

How to Reach Israel

By Air: International flights arrive at Ben Gurion Airport at Lod, outside the Tel Aviv.

By Road: Buses leave from the airport for Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and other major cities. To Jordan there are two border crossings from Beit She’an in northern Israel, and from Eliat. To go to Egypt the route is from Eilat to Taba. To Lebanon and Syria the borders of Israel are closed, so one has to go via Jordan.

Ramon Crater Ramon Crater is the largest of three erosion craters located in the Negev Desert. The geological landform is assumed to have started forming millions of years ago when the ocean began receding. It was a few more million years before it became the crater it is at present. Encircled by mountains, the colorful crater is over 450 meters deep and nearly 40 km long. The world’s largest erosion crater is accessible to the public, you can look at the varying terrain as you hike, bike or drive throughout it.

Ramon Crater

Sea of Galilee

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DIPLOMAT CORNER

Q&A

H. E. MR. KENJI HIRAMATSU Ambassador of Japan to India

‘Land of the Rising Sun’: an exceptionally awesome country to visit Japan is an exceptionally beautiful country, an exquisite blend of natural diversity, traditions and modernity and a favorite international tourist destination. In an exclusive interview, His Excellency Mr. Kenji Hiramatsu, Ambassador of Japan to India, spoke about the huge potential of Japan as a tourist destination, and why Indians should visit the country. Excerpts from the interview:

v B Prem Kumar What is extraordinary about Japan as a tourist destiQ nation?

Y

Japan has all the elements that make a country a favorite tourist destination. The country offers something for every kind of tourist. Japan is already a very well-known tourist destination attracting tourists from across the world. The number of foreign tourists visiting Japan is increasing fast. There are several aspects of tourism in Japan, such as nature, culture, heritage, art, shopping and cuisines. The country has a wide range of fascinating tourist attractions, catering to the different segments of tourists. We have a very distinct nature and culture, and many diverse seasons. We offer amazing tourist experiences all over the year. The country is known for its natural beauty, stunning landscapes, heritage sites, traditional ways of life, towering castles, ancient shrines, beautiful beaches, lipsmacking gastronomic experiences, etc. The ‘Land of the Rising Sun’ is a perfect blend of traditions and modernity. Japan is also famous for its cherry blossoms, which are the hallmark of Japan’s spring season. It is an amazing experience to view cherry blossoms in their full bloom.

The arrival of the spring or cherry blossom season varies from place to place. It is January in Okinawa, March-April in Kyoto and Tokyo, and May in Hokkaidō. Japanese people celebrate the cherry blossom festivals to enjoy the beauty of Sakura ( cherry blossoms).

We have a very rich gastronomical culture. Japan is famous for some unique and sophisticated cuisines. We also have a va-

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riety of western cuisines to offer, and Indian tourists have ample options of Indian foods. Besides, Japan is known for being a top shopping destination, having shopping centers in many cities of the country, which offer a wide range of quality and fashionable products at reasonable prices. Some of the Japanese cities are counted amongst the best shopping desti-

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DIPLOMAT CORNER

most favorable destinations for travellers from across the world.

For food lovers, big cities such as Tokyo offers a multitude of food options. There are so many restaurants offering different types of cuisines. Indians can also avail various types of Indian foods, including vegetarian ones. So you don't have to worry at all about food in Japan.

Q

How important is the Indian travel market for Japan?

India is a very important market for the tourism sector in Japan. It is one of the fastest growing tourism markets in the world due to its ever expanding middle-class population. We see here a huge potential and are taking steps to tap this opportunity. In order to facilitate Indian people planning to travel to Japan, we recently decided to open 13 more visa application centers throughout India. As of March 4th, we have already opened the ones at Gurgaon, Jaipur and Kolkata, and expect 10 more to open soon. Last February, we also simplified the nations in the world. The most wonderful thing is that, whatever you try, you will be amazed by the hospitality of the Japanese people.

Q

Which destinations would you advise the first-time Indian visitors to Japan?

My advice for the first-time visitors to Japan is that they should visit Kyoto to experience the traditional facet of Japan. Cities like Kyoto and Nara are well-known for their ancient shrines, culture and traditions. Japan is also famous for its multitude of hot spring accommodations. Indians would surely love these attractions. We also have beautiful mountains, beaches, wonderful luxury hotels and amusement parks for the tourists to explore.

Besides Kyoto, there are many cities and regions of Japan, which Indian travelers should visit. Some of the Japanese cities including Tokyo are very famous and considered among the

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DIPLOMAT CORNER

lion Chinese visited Japan last year.

There is a perception prevailing in India that Japan is an expensive destination, which somewhat inhibits Indians from visiting Japan in large numbers. This is a completely false impression. We are a very affordable destination. I agree that there is a need to remove these misunderstandings. We need to communicate more effectively, and also need to create awareness in India that we are an affordable, hospitable and delightful destination. We have economical accommodations for tourists. There is no language problem. Guides are available in sufficient numbers. Japanese people are especially more welcoming toward Indians. So I see enormous potential in the Indian market, and there is ample possibility of a dramatic increase in the number of Indian visitors to Japan.

The two countries are currently celebrating the year 2017 as the Year of Japan-India Friendly Exchanges, and a series of events are being organized across India, aiming to enhance the people-to-people exchanges and cultural relationship between the two countries. We understand that there is a need to create more awareness about Japan in India. Considering its huge potential, we are organizing cultural events in the country so that Indians can learn more about Japan. Once the Indians fully recognize the value that Japan offers to tourists, the number of Indian tourists visiting Japan will substantially increase. It is my commitment to increase the number of Indian tourists to Japan by 10 times of the current number, during my tenure.

Q

visa application process for Indian university students. Please access our Embassy’s website for more detailed information.

Q

How simple is the Japanese visa process for Indians?

Japanese visa application processes differ, depending on the purpose and duration of travel, but the process is generally very smooth and fast. If you apply for a short-term multipleentry visa, you could get it on the third working day from the day you submit the documents. Even for the first-time travellers, the process is easy to understand since all the guidelines are posted on the websites of our Embassy or visa centers.

Q

How many Indians are visiting Japan annually?

In 2016, the number of Indians visiting Japan was 1,23,000, out of which, 40,000 were tourists. For me, it is surprisingly a very low number. As of now, the number of Japanese tourists visiting India is higher than the number of Indian tourists visiting Japan. Chinese people visit Japan in large numbers; very large as compared to Indians. More than 6 mil-

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How is air connectivity between Japan and India?

Air connectivity is an issue between Japan and India, but I think that, as the number of Indians visiting Japan increases, the air-connectivity between the two countries will also improve considerably. At present, two Japanese airlines operate flights between India and Japan, in addition to Air India, and connect two Indian cities directly to Japan: New Delhi and Mumbai. I think more Indian cities should have direct air connectivity with Japan. For example, there is a pressing need to connect southern cities such as Chennai and Bengaluru to Japan.

Q

What do you like most about India?

I like so many things about India: Indian cities, culture, traditions, food, etc. I have been fond of Indian food even before I came to India. I especially like Indian sweets. World heritage sites such as Ajanta and Ellora caves are extraordinary. I have so far visited 17 states in India, as well as the north-eastern part of the country, including Kohima, Nagaland, which has a special historic relationship with Japan. I have also been to Bihar, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and many more states. On that topic, I could speak forever!

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REPORT

Amadeus reveals the future scenario of online travel Amadeus' paper titled 'Online Travel 2020' asks travel industry players to evolve to meet the future challenges.

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with major OTAs already owning the largest market share, how can they expand and grow even further? Until recently, metasearch companies and OTAs lived separate but complementary lives, simultaneously working together while also competing for the same customers. OTAs are exploring the advertising model and even buying their own marketing channels. OTAs and metasearch companies are converging – and to a powerful effect.

While metasearch companies move on to

“

To remain competitive, online travel players have to think ahead and adapt their product and business models based on anticipated changes and potential disruptions of the ecosystem.

“

Recently, Amadeus has used scenario planning to map trends and to devise likely sequences of events that paint a picture of what the future may hold for our Online Travel Agency (OTA) customers.

Many people are resistant to change. But change is inevitable and the unforeseen can and often does occur. The industry is quickly changing where disruptive business models are blurring the lines between players, and new emerging technologies, such as Chatbots and virtual reality, are taking root.

The main objective of the report is to help us answer the question: “What should travel players be doing today to prepare for the different scenarios unfolding before us?” With this question in mind, it identified the evolution of four different scenarios: • The rise of Mega Online Travel Retailers: The consolidation between OTA and metasearch business models, as well as the rise of online advertising, could lead to a new kind of online travel retailer • Introducing Digital Tour Operators: Traditional Tour Operators and OTAs may merge to become the ultimate travel seller.

From handling complex trips to servicing with new generation travel stores, DTOs could provide a happy mix of digital and human interaction to create a personalised travel experience • The rise of more sophisticated Mobile Travel Retailers: An addictive mobile travel agency app that accompanies the traveller along the entire journey. Mobile could become the only means of distribution and the only app a traveller needs • The new Travel Marketplace: With more and more leading IT players and ecommerce giants creating demand for new and innovative platforms, the players of the travel industry could come together and build their own Travel Marketplace Mega Online Travel Retailers In an increasingly saturated market,

Sébastien Gibergues Head of Leisure & Online Travel, Amadeus IT Group

The future belongs to those who prepare for it today!

assisted booking (metabooking), OTAs are now advertising to customers to increase revenues, and these huge entities allow customers to search, book and pay all in one place. They have become Online Travel Retailers (OTR). Technology transformation required to become an OTR with Revenue Management logic, Ad content sourcing and Referral content sourcing.

Digital Tour Operators OTAs are adopting dynamic packaging technology that allow them to create packages and are therefore, offering the same service to customers online or are giving customers the ability to create their own. They are becoming Digital Tour Operators, providing a happy mix of digital

and human interaction, combined with

convenience and speed. Technology transformation required to become a Digital Tour Operator are Retail point of sale, Sales orchestration and on-trip services.

Mobile Travel Retailer Go to almost any country and look around: people are surgically attached to their mobile. Currently, many Online Travel Retailers make their offer available on a number of distribution channels, including mobile with responsive apps. Mobile is no longer a platform but it’s a way of life and certainly a game changer for everyone. However, mobile with advanced technology and social media will push the boundaries further. The Mobile Travel Retailer would be characterised by new ways of search and engagement, Chatbots and End-to-end service. Technology transformation required to become a Mobile Travel Retailer are Mobile-first, Chatenabled and Open payment platform.

The Travel Marketplace A marketplace is a platform where suppliers connect with and sell directly to consumers. It changes the business models and relationships between suppliers and travellers. In the not too distant future, could we imagine an e-commerce giant, a technology company, or one of the large OTAs like Expedia developing an e-platform for OTAs, airlines, hotels, and other travel companies to sell on? Travellers will have a one-stop e-commerce platform where they can buy anything they want: the ultimate package.

by TNH DESK

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NEWS

KERALA TOURISM ORGANIZES ROADSHOWS IN NEW DELHI The Department of Tourism, Government of Kerala organized B2B Roadshows in New Delhi recently. The roadshow attracted city’s leading travel agents and tour operators, and showcase to them the best of ‘God’s own country’.

The delegation from Kerala was led by K. P. Nandkumar, Dy. Director Kerala Tourism, and will comprise major players from the state’s Tourism & Trade industry.

Besides forging fresh collaborations, the roadshow will introduce new initiatives, experiences and attractions that Kerala has in store for visitors.

The Marketing Initiatives for the year 2016-17 were formulated and executed based on the keen understanding of the unique appeal that 'God's Own Country' holds for its visitors. The cutting-edge marketing measures adopted by the government have elevated the state to the top-tier of ‘must visit’ destinations around the world. There has been a remarkable

increase in the arrival of tourists within a single year as a result of the various initiatives implemented by the Government.

Green Carpet Initiative to spark off community involvement: Launched in September 2016, the Green Carpet Initiative focuses on a 10-point agenda intended to give a facelift to select tourist destinations in the state. The initiative is testimonial to the acknowledgment that concerted

efforts are needed to ensure security, cleanliness, hygiene, and scientific waste management methods, apart from offering unique experiences. The initiative emphasized on the need to spark off com-

munity involvement in tourism development in the state.

On the trail of the Spice Route…

The Spice Route Revival Project is a key initiative undertaken by the state government. Kerala's endeavor to revive and promote, through tourism, the two millennia-old spice route that links the south western coast of India to Europe, has received a boost with the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) pledging support to the venture.

In September, Kerala’s local spice markets amazed those who normally amaze people with their culinary genius.

by T NH DESK

IRELAND EXPERIENCES CULINARY RENAISSANCE With flight connectivity being spruced up from India to Dublin and the destination featured on global screen, Tourism Ireland looks at capitalizing the flow of Indian tourists.

v B Swaati Chaudhury Y

Far beyond the boundaries of the Indian sub-continent, the holiday destination of Ireland has become synonymous with St. Patrick’s Day that forms its national holiday. Tourism Ireland is capitalizing on the vast repository of culture and nature’s bounty gifted to the magnificent European destination.

Beena Menon, Representative India, Tourism Ireland explained, “We intend to stress on raising awareness among Indian travellers and boost the British

Irish Visa scheme enabling Indian tourists to travel to Ireland and the United Kingdom on a single visa. We will emphasize on the Wild Atlantic Way, the Causeway Coastal Route, Ireland’s Ancient East and the Gobbins in the current year. Screen tourism forms one of our topmost priorities. The Game of Thrones series has been shot in Northern Ireland and the Star Wars on the Wild Atlantic Way. We wish to go on with our partnership with HBO in this year and highlight Northern Ireland on the global platform through the episode. We are looking to reach out to the Indian audience viewing Game of Thrones, raise their curiosity about the splendid landscape and eventually explore the destination in order to satiate their wanderlust.” The

Beena Menon Representative India, Tourism Ireland

flight connectivity to Dublin is being overhauled. Menon said, “Etihad Airways and Emirates Airlines are all set to start-off double regular flights to Dublin. Qatar Airlines will be touching down Dublin sometime from June 2017.”

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REPORT

SUMMER TRAVEL TRENDS 2017 Summer vacations are round the corner and the demand for holidays have risen by at least 20 percent compared to the same period last year. Close to 65 percent of outbound travel trips happens during the period April to July. This is primarily driven by family holidays.

More than 60 percent of the outbound travelers prefer group holidays to Europe, USA and the Far East— Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand.

Though Western Europe continues to be an all-time favourite with destinations such as UK, Switzerland, Germany and France attracting the bulk of the travelers, we have seen an increase in demand to destinations such as Greece, Croatia and Slovenia. Apart from our regular coach tours, we have also introduced guaranteed coach tours to England and Scotland. Among long-haul destinations, USA, Australia and New Zealand also continues to get its fair share of tourists. For those who love exotic destinations Japan, South Korea, Israel and Zambia are the top favourites.

An upward trend is observed in people choosing the unconventional destinations as the new-age travellers are making bold choices like Morroco, Machu Picchu (Peru), Jordan and Flanders (Flanders is a rich and lively cluster of cities in Belgium, made up of Antwerp, Brussels, Bruges, Ghent, Leuven and Mechelen). This set of travellers like to go beyond the usual destinations and must-see attractions.

They seek for true experiences and look for itineraries more attuned to local culture.

Domestic destinations also witness huge footfalls and this year we see a lot of interest for destinations such as Kashmir, North East, Goa and Ke r a l a . N a i n i t a l - M a s o o r i - C o r b e t t , Shimla-Manali, North East destinations such as Gangtok-Pelling-Darjeeling and Ladakh are the bestsellers. The dramatic landscapes, monasteries and fortresses (dzongs) of Bhutan also ap-

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peal many travel enthusiasts. Many senior citizens are also opting for pilgrimages such as Kailash Mansarovar, Char Dham Yatra and Vaishnodevi during summers.

With increasing number of travellers shifting focus to 'experience-oriented' vacations, there is an increase in the demand for the adventure travel services. The adrenaline junkies love getting out of their comfort zones and embracing new passions and experiences. Cox & Kings has introduced high-quality expeditions Trip 360Âş to cater to the insatiable appetite of thrillseekers in a safe and healthy environment.

Considering the huge travel demand from tier II & III cities, Cox and Kings has introduced many tours starting from Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Goa,

Kochi, Jaipur, Lucknow and Trivandrum among others.

Cox & Kings has recently launched Enable Travel, India’s first accessible holiday specialist that aims to make travel for people with disabilities, easy and hassle-free. The product includes specially curated itineraries to accessible destinations, for inbound and domestic tourists with disabilities. To make all areas of travel accessible and barrier free, Enable Travel is in the process of partnering with airlines, airports, road transport companies, sightseeing points, hotels, restaurants, entertainment, insurance companies and many more.

Since March is the peak season for summer bookings, Cox & Kings has also announced many attractive offers for

by TNH DESK early bookers.

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NEWS

Priyanka Nijhawan Director - Representations, Nijhawan Group

Joy Ghose General Manager - International Business - iVenture Card International

IVENTURE CARD INTERNATIONAL APPOINTS NIJHAWAN GROUP AS THEIR INDIA REPRESENTATIVE

World leaders in city attraction passes, iVenture Card International has appointed India’s Leading Representation Company, Nijhawan Group as their local representative in the Indian subcontinent. iVenture Card CEO and President Ryan Rieveley states, “having seen dramatic growth in the number of Indian guests enjoying our products world-wide and their propensity to purchase an iVenture Card as an integral part of their holiday before leaving home, we felt it was imperative to ex-

tend our reach in the Indian market and make our products available to more consumers through their preferred travel partner. In doing so we’re delighted to have the Nijhawan group represent and assist us in further developing and strengthening our partnerships with the Indian travel trade”.

Currently operating in 16 of the world’s leading tourist destinations including London, Dubai, Singapore, Hong Kong, Barcelona, Madrid, Sydney and more, iVenture Card recognizes India as a major up-

coming source market. This representation tie up will be executed by iVenture Card Managing Director, Joost Timmer and General Manager – International Business, Joy Ghose overseeing the market from their Regional Head Office in Hong Kong. Announcing this partnership, Priyanka Nijhawan, Director - Representations, Nijhawan Group shared that iVenture Card is the world’s fastest growing attraction pass and envisions greater heights in its engageby TNH DESK ment with the Indian market.

In an attempt to offer a larger number of services to its agents and make them more profitable, Via.com has partnered with Prepaid Payment Instruments (PPIs) licence holders to launch its Domestic Money Transfer (DMT) facility in India. VIA is offering these services through its vast network of partners/agents, who accept cash from customers and get it transferred directly to the bank accounts of beneficiaries using DMT services on VIA

agent portal.

According to Sanjay Gupta, Business Head - India & Middle East, Via.com, the aim of the recently launched service is to facilitate more income generating features for the agents. “Users will now be able to make payments to any bank account of family and friends, shopkeepers by just visiting a VIA agent in the area and depositing the money with them”. The facility is 24X7 and the beneficiary will receive

the money in real time in his bank account, he adds.

As per the present Domestic Money Transfer guidelines of the Reserve Bank of India a person can transfer up to Rs 25,000 per month (by submitting their full KYC) in India. Currently VIA has 17,000 unique agents utilising the DMT services and does over 800,000 transactions a month in India.

Via.com forays into domestic money transfers

by TNH DESK

THOMAS COOK INDIA GOES LOCAL TO TARGET THE STRONG LEISURE SEGMENT IN SMALLER CATCHMENT MARKETS

Witnessed business of `60 Million from a unique Weekend Mega Holiday Sale across 5 key locations in Mumbai-Navi Mumbai, Thomas Cook India now set to target multiple cities.

Thomas Cook (India) has conceptualized a unique customer outreach- going localright to its customer’s doorstep.

To delight its high potential Mumbai based customers, and drive conversions, the Thomas Cook India’s special Weekend Mega Holiday Sale, an on-ground activation across 5 key catchment localities between

March 25-26, 2017, saw unprecedented response: over 3000 walk-ins and bookings of over 550 holidays to popular destinations like Europe, Asia (including Singapore, Malaysia, Bali, Hong Kong), USA, Mauritius etc.

Rajeev Kale, Thomas Cook India’s President & Country Head - Leisure Travel, MICE

Rajeev Kale - President & Country Head - Leisure Travel, MICE, Thomas Cook

said, “In keeping with our promise to deliver a diverse and delightful range of holiday options right at the consumer’s doorstep, we flagged off our hugely successful Weekend Mega Holiday Sale, an extension of our The

by T NH DESK Grand Indian Holiday Sale.”

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DIPLOMAT CORNER H.E. MR. JoĂŁo da Camara Ambassador of Portugal to India

Portugal: Incredibly simple, yet stunning Portugal is a very fascinating tourist destination located in the southwestern part of Europe. The county boasts of having great history and rich culture and heritage. With its medieval castles, scenic landscapes, beautiful countryside, breathtaking beaches, wonderful cities and many more beautiful things, Portugal is a favorite tourist destination for tourists from across the world. The country is known for its incredibly pleasant weather, delicious food and friendly people. In an exclusive interview with TnH magazine, H.E. Mr. JoĂŁo da Camara, Ambassador of Portugal to India elaborated on what make Portugal an attractive tourist destination across the world and why Indians should visit the country. He also spoke about Portuguese visa process for Indian visitors. Excerpts:

v B Prem Kumar What is extraordinary Q tourist destination?

Y

about Portugal as a

If I could answer this question in a word it would be: simplicity. We as a tourist destination offering fantastic weather, delicious food, very friendly and welcoming people. Moreover, we have beautiful white sandy beaches, a typical countryside, historical cities, modern cities and ideal conditions for radical sports, golf and horse riding. Some of the best music festivals in the world are held in Portugal. The country is home to many important destinations for religious tourism. All such places and destinations in the country are connected by one of the best road networks in Europe and by a very good public transport system.

Q

Why do you think that Portugal is good destination for Indian visitors?

Indian people find Portugal quite a familiar destination and feel very much at home. In many ways you can find

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DIPLOMAT CORNER

Q

and identify Indian influence and Indian heritage in our society.

I would also like to underline that as compared with other European destinations, Portugal is much cheaper.

Q

How simple is the visa process of Portugal for Indian travellers? How about the first time travellers?

For travellers who have been to Schengen countries before, the process is very simple. They just need to go to one of the VFS centres that represents Portugal in India and to bring with them all the required documents. For the first-time travellers, they need also to come to the Portuguese Embassy in New Delhi or to the Portuguese Consulate General in Goa (responsible for the States of Goa and Marahastra) for an interview.

Portugal in brief Once you are in Portugal, you will be enamored by the breathtaking beauty of this small country. One of the oldest European countries, Portugal is an amazing tourist destination. Its landscapes are quite spectacular and enchanting. The country is dotted with stunning castles and walled towns, which are fascinating reminiscent of the country's glorious past. Located in MarvĂŁo, the Castle of MarvĂŁo, a well-preserved medieval castle, is perhaps the most magnificent castle in Portugal. The country also has awe-aspiring coastlines and beaches.

Besides its varied and captivating attractions, the country's delicious food and wine and its friendly people make it a preferred destination. Lisbon and Porto boast of some of Europe’s best clubs and most contemporary architecture. From cliffbacked coves to endless sand dunes, you are not often far from stunning beaches in Portugal.

Antique churches located in different parts of the country add further charm to it. Mountains make up the bulk of the country's frontier with Spain. Early Portuguese monarchs fortified the border with a series of walled towns, which make these border areas some of the most fascinating experience while visiting this immensely beautiful country. Apart from beaches and high mountains, the rest of Portugal is an assorted and fertile country with deep valleys and gently sloping hills dotted with stone-built villages. In succinct, this country offers almost everything to entice an intrigued traveller and make you mesmerize on every visit.

How does the Portugal visa service remain competitive?

I don't know much about other services so I cannot compare. I can only say that our visa service is quite straightforward and simple.

Q

What tips can you offer to Indian nationals applying for the Portugal visas?

I will suggest them to plan their trip ahead, give some time to the visa request and present all the required documents.

Q

How important is the Indian outbound market for Portugal ? How many Indian tourists visited Portugal last

year?

India is still not one of our main markets in terms of tourism but we are very much willing to make it. We received about 7000 tourists in 2016. The figure is not impressive but we are encouraged by the fact that it doubled in the last two or three years and that is now three times more than what it used to be 10 years ago.

Q

How is the air-connectivity between the two countries?

We still don't have direct flights between our two countries but we have many different convenient connections with one stopover.

Q

How will you describe the relationship between India and Portugal?

Bilateral relations are excellent but not yet very substantial. We are working to improve it and we have already the first signs of that improvement following a very successful visit of the Portuguese Prime Minister to India.

Q

What do you like the most about India?

I like India's diversity, the warmth of its people, its heritage and also its modernity.

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NEWS

DINNER IN THE SKY BY MONTE-CARLO An exquisite and exceptional place to savour a unique dining experience Hotel Monte Carlo invites you from 7th to 16th July 2017 for a never-before dining experience in the Monaco sky. Get ready to go high up, for a memorable dinner while enjoying an unforgettable view over the Principality of Monaco.

For 10 days, some of the world best Michelin Star rated chefs, including Lucie Pichon; Eric Finon; Virginie Basselot; Paolo Sari; David Hemmerle; Christian Garcia; Jérôme Rigaud; Yannick Franques; Arnaud Tabarec; Benjamin Collombat; Arnaud Faye; Jérôme De Oliveira; Marcel Ravin; Philippe Joannes; François Adamski and Sebastien Broda; will cook in your presence offering the most delec-

table moments to the 22 privileged guests at the table.

Facing the Mediterranean Sea from the Terraces of the Casino de Monte-Carlo, allow yourself to be overtaken by the magic of a scrumptious gastronomy 50 meters high in the sky!

Be among the first ones to register to

this unique event in Monaco.

Price: 990 Euro per person (included private transfers, cocktail, gastronomic dinner, drinks).

Accommodation: http://www.dinnerintheskymontecarlo.com/en/#accommodation.

by TNH DESK

INDIGO TAKES ITS FITTOFLY PROGRAMME TO DIMAPUR; INAUGURATES GYM FOR POLICE PERSONNEL Designed for the police personnel, FitToFly is an ongoing flagship initiative under IndiGoReach – company’s CSR programme.

IndiGo- India’s largest and fastest growing carrier has launched a fully equipped gym for the Police officials in Dimapur today. With an endeavour to infuse IndiGo fitness belief and inspire the police personnel to adopt a more physically active lifestyle, this gym has been set up within the office premise of the local police station in Dimapur.

Appreciating the efforts of IndiGo, S. Bokato Sema, Officer-In-Charge Diphupar Police Station said, “We are grateful to IndiGo leadership for taking an initiative such as this for Police personnel. To have a gym facility within the office premise will push us to exercise and take small steps towards a healthy lifestyle. This is not only encouraging, but is much needed for all to be a part of this transformational process.”

Speaking at the occasion, Aditya

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Ribbon cutting by Deputy Commissioner of Police

Ghosh, President and Whole-time Director, IndiGo said, “We are absolutely delighted to see our FitToFly programme being extended through a collaborative effort. We last week inaugurated a gym for Gurugram police personal, and it was encouraging to see the support we received from the Commissioner of Gurugram Police. At IndiGo we feel for our police force who work day and night to provide us the security we need. Setting up gyms for them is an important move to encour-

age them to start making choices to live a healthier life by choosing to be holistically fit.”

Ghosh further added, “For us at IndiGo, being healthy is not just about physical fitness, but it’s also about creating fitness into everything we do – be it our operations, customer relations or financial stability of the firm. We believe it starts with being fit as individuals.

by TNH DESK

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EVENT WATCH

Srilankan Airlines hosts Agents & Cargo Awards Night in Chennai and New Delhi SriLankan Airlines, the national carrier of Sri Lanka, hosted two separate award ceremonies in North & South India this month to felicitate its best-performing travel agents and cargo team in India. The awards were based on the performance of the Agents over financial year 2015/2016.

The Tamil Nadu Agents Awards were held on 3rd March 2017 at The Taj Coromandel Hotel, Chennai and was attended by 258 guests while the Delhi Agents Awards 2015-2016 held on 17th March 2017 at ITC Maurya, Delhi was attended by equal numbers of agents & who's who from travel fraternity.

The evening commenced with the welcome dance by the Srilankan dancers and the lighting of the traditional lamp by the chief guest of honour & dignitaries which later followed with a speech delivered by CCO Siva Ramachandran, GM Saminda Perrera, Regional Manager Lalith De Silva, Consul General - Saroja Sirisena, Country Manager Chinthaka Weerasinghe and Deputy Manager Karnataka SP

Mohan. The high on glamour evening was attended by the senior management of Srilankan Airline and the staff of the airline’s Sales Department which works closely with the country’s travel agents.

CCO Siva Ramachandran said: “Our heartiest congratulations to all of our Top Ten travel agents, who have been our valued partners for many years and play a vital role in supporting our country’s travel and tourism industry.” Hefurther added, “SriLankan Airlines is fortunate to have such staunch support from our travel community, and we look forward to many more years of fruitful partnerships with each of these travel agents.”

The awards ceremony ended with the vote of thanks taken over by the country manager Chinthaka Weerasinghe at the Delhi event and SP Mohan at Chennai event, who thanked the Srilankan Airlines honorable dignitaries, winners and guest along with Outbound Konnections for the wonderful event put together.

by T NH DESK

TRAVEL AND HOSPITALITY | APRIL 2017

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FESTIVALS AROUND THE WORLD

A look at some the most interesting festivals around the world of this month!

April brings a lot of festivity with variety of colorful and music festivals for an avid explorer. There are many festivals around the world like, Mathura-Vrindavan Holi (UP, India) to Cape Town International Jazz Festival (Cape Town, South Africa). Here are some of the best festivals / carnivals which a traveller must enjoy!

April 9-15, 2017 Location: Antigua, Guatemala

Semana Santa Semana Santa celebrations take place annually the week before Easter, the Christian celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

The festival typically commences on Palm Sunday, one week before Easter, and goes through the week until Good Friday, when devotees remember the Passion of Christ, the suffering Jesus endured on the cross and the solemn anniversary of his death. Most Holy Weeks end on Holy Saturday, a day of vigil in anticipation of the resurrection. The celebrations are predominantly Catholic and celebrated in Latin countries that almost exclusively identify with this religion. In Guatemala, there are many fusions between local beliefs, the Mayans and Catholicism. During Semana Santa (Holy Week) Guatemalans honor the crucifixion and subsequent resurrection of Jesus Christ with parades of floats, elaborate carpet-making, and candlelight vigils.

April 14-16, 2017 Location: Indio, California, US

Coachella Festival The Coachella Festival is an annual music and arts festival held at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California, located in the Inland Empire's Coachella Valley in the Colorado Desert. The event features many genres of music, including rock, indie, hip hop, and electronic dance music, as well as art installations and sculptures.

The main stages are the: Coachella Stage, Gobi Tent, Mojave Tent, Outdoor Theatre, and Sahara Tent; a smaller Oasis Dome was used in 2006 and 2011, while a new Yuma stage was introduced in 2013. Coachella showcases popular and established musical artists, as well as emerging artists and reunited groups. It is one of the largest, most famous and most profitable music festivals in the US and all over the world.

April 13-15, 2017 Location: Chiang Mai, Thailand

Chiang Mai Songkran Festival The Songkran festival is the Thai New Year's festival. The Thai New Year's Day is 13 April every year, but the holiday period includes 14– 15 April as well. The word "Songkran" comes from the Sanskrit word sa kr nti literally "astrological passage", meaning transformation or change. The term was borrowed from Makar Sankranti, the name of a Hindu harvest festival celebrated in India in January to mark the arrival of spring. It coincides with the rising of Aries on the astrological chart, the New Year of many calendars of South and Southeast Asia. The festive occasion is in keeping with the Buddhist/Hindu solar calendar. Rooted in Buddhist tradition, the purification ritual of sprinkling statues of the Buddha with water has evolved into a three-day countrywide water fight known as Songkran.

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FESTIVALS AROUND THE WORLD

April 13-17, 2017 Location: Tyagarah, New South Wales, Australia

Byron Bay Bluesfest The Byron Bay Bluesfest, formerly the East Coast International Blues & Roots Music Festival, is an annual music festival that has been held over the Easter long weekend in the Byron Bay area in Australia since 1990. It features a large selection of blues and roots performers, from Australia and around the world, and is one of the world's leading contemporary music festivals. It took Australia a couple of decades to catch up with the rest of the world when it comes to music festivals, but this is now considered one of the best on the planet. The festival was staged for the first time in 1990 at the Arts Factory Lodge in Byron Bay as a five-day blues music event over the Easter weekend.

April 30, 2017 Location: Edinburgh, United Kingdom

Beltane Fire Festival Beltane Fire Festival is an annual participatory arts event and ritual drama, held on 30 April on Calton Hill in Edinburgh. Light a fire to celebrate the coming of summer among folks who take ancient Celtic festivals seriously—even if it means dancing naked.

The modern Beltane Fire Festival is inspired by the ancient Gaelic festival of Beltane which began on the evening before 1 May and marked the beginning of summer. The modern festival was started in 1988 by a small group of enthusiasts including the musical collective Test Dept, with academic support from the School of Scottish Studies at the University of Edinburgh. Since then the festival has grown, and now involves over 300 voluntary collaborators and performers with available tickets often selling out.

April 28 - May 7, 2017 Location: New Orleans, LA

New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival Jazz fan or not, the annual New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival is the place to celebrate music. During the last weekend in April and the first weekend in May, the Big Easy opens to the page in its history book that’s filled with tribal African beats, harmonic church hymns, and American pop music, filling 12 stages with everything from jazz and blues to rock and folk. This soulful festival has a relaxed vibe, perfect if you want to experience New Orleans culture without the madness of Mardi Gras. Over four decades, the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival is the original Jazz Fest, growing out of humble Creole origins to now regularly surpass 150,000 attendants on a single day. It is held on the last weekend of April (Friday–Sunday) and the first weekend of May (Thursday–Sunday) each year.

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GLOBAL BUZZ

US imposes curbs on taking iPads and laptops as cabin luggage

The Trump administration’s restrictions on carry-on elecsaid they too were yet to receive any advisory from their parttronic devices on planes coming to the United States are exner airlines. US officials said the decision had nothing to do pected to impact hundreds of Indians who regularly transit with President Donald Trump’s efforts to impose a travel ban through airports in the Middle East where the new rules on Iran, Libya, Syria, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. Two are applicable. federal judges have halted parts of the ban, saying On 21 March 2017, the US department of it discriminates against Muslims. homeland security said passengers travelling The airports affected by the restrictions are from 10 airports in Muslim-majority counserved by nine airlines that fly directly to tries would have to bring devices such as the US about 50 times a day. The carriers tablets, laptops and cameras in their – Royal Jordanian Airlines, Egypt Air, checked baggage.

Turkish Airlines, Saudi Arabian Airlines, The restrictions were prompted by reKuwait Airways, Royal Air Maroc, Qatar ports that militant groups want to smuggle Airways, Emirates and Etihad Airways – explosive devices in electronic gadgets, US have till Friday to comply with the new Rakshit Desai Managing Director - India, FCm Travel Solutions officials told reporters. The airports are in policy that will be in place indefinitely.

Egypt, Turkey, Kuwait, Qatar, Morocco, Jordan, The US department of homeland security has Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. The not ruled out expanding the restrictions to other new regulations are expected to impact Indians tranairports. Britain has joined the United States in temsiting through some of these airports, such as Dubai and Abu porarily banning carry-on electronic devices on planes comDhabi in the UAE and Istanbul in Turkey, while travelling to ing from certain airports in Muslim-majority countries in the the US. Middle East and North Africa in response to unspecified security “But what we have learned is that airlines are responsible threats. for imposing the ban. Passengers travelling directly to the US Kapil Kaul, Chief Executive Officer of CAPA, said: “We see the from India are not affected,” the official said. He also added But US government decision causing serious inconvenience to pasif they are travelling via the Gulf or any of the eight countries sengers and nothing more. The decision may result in some where the ban is imposed, then the passengers have to keep business-class traffic shifting out of the Gulf. But, given the very the electronic devices other than mobile phones in the checked high demand, do not expect anything significant.” baggage. We are not issuing any advisory as of now.

Rakshit Desai, Managing Director, FCM Travel Solutions, India An Air India official said the airline only has direct flights to said “At FCM Travel Solutions, our priority is to ensure that travthe US and would not be hit by the restrictions. “However, if ellers are aware of the ban and make their choices accordingly. we receive any advisory, we will act accordingly,” the Air India There are ample opportunities for corporate travellers to fly diofficial said. rect or via European and Far East transit hubs, so one need not

by TNH DESK Some private Indian airlines, which operate flights to the US, worry about their business travel plans”.

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EVENT WATCH

SKAL D ELHI'S EXTRAORDINARY M EET The Extraordinary General Body Meeting of SKAL International Delhi was held on 29th March 2017 at Hotel Crowne Plaza, Okhla, New Delhi. On the occasion, SKAL Delhi's officebearers and the Executive Committee members were elected for the next term. The election was followed by delicious lunch.

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MOVED ON

S. Karthikeyan Vice President - Sales, Sarovar Hotels Sarovar Hotels Pvt. Ltd. has appointed S. Karthikeyan as the Vice President – Sales. An IIM Lucknow Alumnus (2011 Batch), he brings with an experience of over 9 years in Hospitality Sales and Marketing. At Sarovar, he will be responsible for conceptualizing and implement sales strategies, both at corporate and regional level, and will contribute in further strengthening the group’s efforts in driving more business from existing as well as new markets.

Karthikeyan’s previous stint includes experience with ITC Hotels as Director of Sales and Marketing. He has handled roles ranging from growing legacy hotels to opening new ones. His roles included responsibilities of designing Sales & Marketing Strategy, Setting up Distribution Channels, Sales team management.

Mahmoud Al Zaibak Director of Business Development, TIME Hotels UAE-headquartered hospitality company, TIME Hotels, has appointed Mahmoud Al Zaibak as Director of Business Development as the company targets 10 new properties in the Middle East by 2018. A graduate of the Damascus State University, Syrian national Al Zaibak, has over 17 years’ corporate hospitality experience in senior sales positions having established numerous successful sales strategies and implemented business expansion plans for a series of international hospitality brands in the UAE and Qatar.

His career includes senior sales positions with InterContinental in Al Ain, Dusit Thani, Dubai, and latterly Director of Sales for the pre-opening phase for Hilton Garden Inn, Dubai.

Namdev Shinde Purchase Manager, DoubleTree by Hilton, Pune Namdev Shinde has been appointed as the Purchase Manager of DoubleTree by Hilton, Pune. He has over 8 years of experience in Procurement & material management. A graduate in commerce from University of Pune, he is a self driven highly motivated individual, passionate about sports and is an avid traveler.

He started his career with Kamat hotels and he then worked with Hyatt hotels and the Mariott group. He was last associated with JW Mariott in Bangalore. In his tenure with Mariott he has contributed significantly in reducing costs, timely acquisition of collaterals via. Brand approved vendors.

Dinesh Soni Operations Manager (OM), Lion Lords Inn, Rajula, Gujarat Lords Hotels & Resorts has recently appointed Dinesh Soni as the Operations Manager (OM) of its property at Rajula, Gujarat. He has previously served as Operations Manager at two of Lords Hotels & Resorts properties in Kandla and Dahej, besides serving in various capacities with different organizations over a career spanning twenty one years. As OM of the business hotel with 58 keys including five suites, Soni will be primarily responsible for maintaining service quality.

Chef Mahesh Sharma Executive Chef, Radisson Blu Hotel, Dwarka Chef Mahesh Sharma who has culinary experience of over 25 years has been appointed as an Executive Chef at Radisson Blu Hotel, Dwarka, New Delhi. He will take the lead role for all food and beverage operations. Prior this, Chef Mahesh has worked with luxury and 5-star properties like, Hotel Le Meridien Jaipur, Swallow Hotels UK, Rajputana Sheraton as an Executive Chef and General Manager. A culinary expert, food writer and celebrated Chef Mahesh Kumar Sharma is one of the most distinguished faces of Indian hospitality industry.

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MOVED ON Rimal D’Silva Director of Human Resources, JW Marriott Mumbai Sahar Rimal D’Silva has been appointed as the Director of Human Resources at JW Marriott Mumbai Sahar.

Prior to joining JW Marriott Mumbai Sahar, Rimal was the Director of Human Resources at Four Seasons Hotel Mumbai. Rimal D’Silva completed her Post Graduate Degree in Human Resources from Welingkar’s Institute of Management in 2002 and joined JW Marriott Mumbai Juhu as a Management Trainee in Human Resources. During the program she gained exposure to cross functional roles in Human Resources & Training. Soon, she was promoted to Assistant Manager – Training on successful completion of the program.

Sachin Didolkar Director of Business Development, Conrad Pune Conrad Pune has appointed Sachin Didolkar as the Director of Business Development for Hilton first luxury property in India. Located in the heart of the central business district, the iconic Art Deco inspired hotel is Pune’s most coveted address – an epitome of curated experience, services and sophisticated style.

Sachin comes with 12 years of experience in the hospitality industry, having worked with some of the most renowned hotels across the world such as Marriott International, Taj Hotels & Resorts, Jumeirah Hotels, Emirates Palace and Starwood Hotels & Resorts. Prior to joining Conrad Pune, Sachin was a part of the Sheraton Grande in Pune, and Le Meridian Mahabaleshwar as Complex Director of Sales & Marketing.

Sudeep Sinha Executive Chef, Alila Diwa Goa Alila Diwa Goa has announced the appointment of Sudeep Sinha as Executive Chef. Chef Sudeep comes with more than 14 years of experience in the luxury hotel and restaurant space and is raring to add new dimensions to the offerings at AlilaDiwa Goa. Born in Jabalpur, Chef Sudeep secured his degree from the Institute of Hotel Management, Chennai. He began his culinary career with Trident Jaipur and later joined the Taj Westend Bangalore where he climbed the ranks to become Chef de Partie. He has had the opportunity to work alongside Celebrity Chefs around the world for several years like Chef Ahmed Ammouri, Chef Barnidharan, & Chef Kachroo just to mention a few. The highlight of his career has been to serve the Royal Family and his favourite football team, Manchester United during his tenure at Intercontinental Kingston.

Teri Laursen Director of Sales and Industry Partners, Nevada Division of Tourism (TravelNevada) The Nevada Division of Tourism (TravelNevada) has promoted Teri Laursen to the position of Director of Sales and Industry Partners. Teri Laursen joined the TravelNevada team in 2013 as the Southern Nevada representative and sales manager, and will continue building on her 25-plus years of experience in the tourism and hospitality industry overseeing all of TravelNevada’s domestic and international sales efforts. Laursen actively participates in several committees and community boards, including 15 years on the Territory Advisory Committee for TravelNevada as chair of the Las Vegas Territory. She was appointed by Gov. Brian Sandoval to the Nevada Bicycle & Pedestrian Advisory Board, and is an active member of the Las Vegas Museum Alliance, American Marketing Association, Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International, and the Las Vegas Hospitality Association.

Cindy Szadokierski Vice President - Airport Operations and Customer Services, IndiGo IndiGo has announced the appointment of Cindy Szadokierski as Vice President - Airport Operations and Customer Services. With a career in aviation spanning over 30 years, Cindy has held senior leadership positions primarily in the areas of airport operations as well as several other roles in operations, reservations and sales at United Airlines. She brings with her the experience and expertise through a proven record of operational leadership and delivering customer services at a large scale. Cindy will take on the role of Vice President - Airport Operations and Customer Services effective 17th April 2017, and will be reporting to our Executive Vice President, Sanjeev Ramdas.

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TRADE SHOWS AROUND THE WORLD

PTM Peru Travel Mart Lima May 5 - 8, 2017 Location: Lima, Peru

Peru Travel Mart (PTM) is a trade fair for travel and tourism where in Lima the buyers of travel services are meeting with providers from all over Peru. The aim of the exhibition is to promote tourism in Peru. The organizers of the exhibition lay emphasis on creating a balanced relationship between purchasers and providers, so that both sides get their fair share of business.

This annual four day event is for professional visitors only at Lima´s Convention Center.

ITB China Shanghai May 10 - 12, 2017 Location: Shanghai, China

ITB China is a special kind of travel fair. It is targeted exclusively at handpicked B2B visitors involved in China’s travel industry selected strictly in accordance with the interests of the exhibiting companies. This precise matching guarantees an efficient procedure with a high degree of successful business transactions. The trade fair offer refers to both, business travel, MICE and leisure travel to international, partly undiscovered destinations including all aspects and travel-related services.

The venue, the Shanghai World Expo Exhibition & Convention Center is located in the city centre.

Myanmar Hospitality & Tourism Conference (MHTC) May 15, 2017 Location: Yangon, Myanmar

The Myanmar Hospitality and Tourism Conference (MHTC) organized by the Sphere Conferences will take place on 15th May 2017 in Yangon, Myanmar. This conference will specially focus on the advances made in the field tourism and hospitality management. MHTC will gather ministry of hotels and tourism, representatives from the various development boards in Myanmar, hotel owners and investors, property developers, institutional investors, private investors, Myanmar government officials and much more.

KOTFA (Korea World Travel Fair) June 1 - 4, 2017 Location: Seoul, South Korea

The 32nd KOTFA - Korea World Travel Fair 2017 is a travel exhibition. It will be held on 1-4 June 2017 at COEX HALL A, Seoul, Korea.

This fair will provide the pleasant atmosphere for the exchange of views and the latest trends of tourism industry of the world. It is the largest international fair related to travel, tourism resources and cultures in Korea with a huge national and international participation. In addition, the show encourages Korean travelers by offering many information of domestic and foreign tourism attractions.

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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