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Inbound
The city will get direct flights to Udaipur, Jodhpur and Coimbatore and one-stop connections to Leh, Kanpur, Bhavnagar and Jaisalmer from next month with IndiGo and SpiceJet adding several new flights in this sector. The addition of new flights on these sectors will take the number of movements (arrivals and departures) in Kolkata to nearly 390 up from 300 to 350 at present. Currently, the flight count is high on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays when there is no embargo on flight arrivals from Maharashtra, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu. On other days of the week, the count dips sharply.
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India keen to increase international flights under travel bubbles: Report
India is looking to increase the number of international flights operating to and from the country in the upcoming weeks, reported MoneyControl. With the country having administered over 100 crore doses, and 85 percent of its eligible population receiving at least one dose of the vaccine, Indian officials are in talks with domestic and international airlines as well as other countries to increase its flight capacity under travel bubbles, senior officials told MoneyControl. India has established several air bubble travel agreements with countries in Europe, Middle East, North America and others. Air bubbles allow international flights to operate between two countries under certain restrictions and stipulations, even when international flights may be restricted in either of the two countries
In view of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Karnataka government has issued a new set of guidelines for international passengers arriving in the state. According to the notification, passengers coming from countries including the UK, South Africa, Brazil, Bangladesh, Botswana, China, Mauritius, New Zealand and Zimbabwe would need to follow additional measures on arrival in India, including post arrival testing. As per the new guidelines, all passengers planning to travel to Karnataka have to submit a self-declaration form on the online Air Suvidha portal before the scheduled travel. They are also supposed to upload a negative RT-PCR Covid test report on the portal, conducted within 72 hours prior to the journey.
Shri Jyotiraditya Scindia virtually flags off first direct flight on Shillong-Dibrugarh route
Shri. Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, Union Minister of Civil Aviation, General Dr. VK Singh (Retd.), MoS, Civil Aviation, along with Shri Rajiv Bansal, Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) virtually flagged off the first direct flight on the Shillong – Dibrugarh route under the Regional Connectivity Scheme – UdeDeshKaAamNaagrik (RCS-UDAN) of the Government of India.ShriJyotiraditya M. Scindia, Union Minister of Civil Aviation said, “In 2014, only 6 airports were operational in North East which has now risen to 15 airports in 2021. Within a short span of 7 years, we have achieved this ambitious target. I assure you that this is just the beginning; we are further committed to enhancing the interstate and intrastate connectivity of North-East. Apart from promoting flight connectivity, our focus is on developing the infrastructure capabilities along with helicopter services for the last mile delivery. To ensure that, we recently launched the Helicopter policy to further promote Heli Services in North-East. We want to bring the travellers from all over the country to North-East.”
UTDB bags ‘one to watch’ award at WTM, London
In a first of its kind Uttarakhand Tourism Development Board (UTDB) has been recognized internationally for its efforts and contribution in the field of Responsible Tourism by the global forum World Travel Market (WTM), London. UTDB bagged the ‘One to Watch’ award. WTM has been driving the responsible tourism agenda forward in Europe, Africa, Americas, Australia and Asia, since 2004. The WTM Responsible Tourism Awards cover the globe – India and rest of the World. The awards committee expects leaders in Responsible Tourism to have established practices which are Evidencebased, Replicable, Innovative, Sustainable and Committed to Responsible Tourism. Out of the six categories of the awards, Uttarakhand Tourism submitted its entry in the ‘Sustaining Employees and Communities through the Pandemic’ category.
Jyoti Mayal's term as TAAI President extended by a year
TAAI's Extra-Ordinary General Meeting (EGM) held virtually on Monday, 29th November, 2021 at 11:30 am, where the members took call on the functioning of the Association as the Managing Committee recommended to extend the term of the current team. The Managing Committee of the Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI) on behalf of the members has proposed to extend the term of the existing office officers for another year as a tenure of the team neared completion. The same required statutory approval by the General Body of the Association. Jyoti Mayal, Director, New Airways Travels (Delhi) Pvt. Ltd, who got elected as the President of the Association in 2019 for a two-year term will remain at the helm of affairs for another year till September 2022.
39% of Indian adults plan to travel over the next three months
Travel plans have fallen in India, with 39% of Indian adults planning to take at least one trip over the next three months, down from 47% last month, according to Finder.com's Travel Index.
Both domestic and international travel plans have fallen, with 29% of Indian adults having domestic travel plans, down from 37% a month ago. 14% of adults have international plans, down from 18%.
Finder.com's global editor-at-large Angus Kidman says the fall in travel plans follows a spike in travel around Diwali last month. "Roughly half the population had short term travel plans in last month's survey, which coincided with Diwali festivities. "It's not surprising to see a fall in the data this month now that the celebrations have passed." Kidman says we're likely to see another drop in travel plans following the appearance of the new Omicron variant. • 39% of Indian adults plan to travel over
December, January and February • 29% plan to travel domestically, 14% internationally • Finder.com's global editor-at-large Angus
Kidman says travel plans have fallen following
Diwali celebrations, and are likely to fall even further following news of Omicron variant
Travel and tourism industry sees green shoots after Covid-19 shock
Survey shows 70% Indians willing to spend over INR 10,000 on travel
After being the worst-hit sector for nearly two years due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the travel and tourism industry is witnessing a gradual recovery. Several tour operators and travel agencies told Moneycontrol that a strong pent-up demand, reopening of international borders and easing of domestic restrictions have contributed to the recovery. "The recovery is definitely underway; I have taken several tours abroad this year. The industry hit rock-bottom last year so compared to that, people are willing to travel," said Shanti Kohli, managing director of Amber Tours, a Delhi-based travel agency. Kohli said she has been receiving at least 2 enquiries for international travel on a daily basis, compared to 2-3 during the pre-pandemic period.
The world of travel and tourism has a new order in place, post-pandemic. With the spotlight now on consumers and their fastevolving cares, it is important to understand what makes them tick, where their inhibitions lie and what their expectations are anticipated to be. Consumer-centricity is the only way forward, the industry agrees. With the aim of providing a birds-eye view of consumer behaviour, InterMiles, a leading loyalty and rewards programme, has published results of their third travel survey in the ‘Consumer Sentiment Index Report (Travel) 3.0’. Based on responses received from 2,276 InterMilers across India during mid-October 2021, the report showcases insights and changing consumption patterns of the evolved Indian traveller.
EXOTIC INDIA
Gujarat Kem Cho…
The ever evolving, the ever enchanting, the ever enthralling, Gujarat as a tourism desitnation has plethora of touristy offerings. Blessed with myriad hues such as rustic charm of ‘Kutch’ which is one of a kind, the site of the world’s tallest ‘Statue of Unity’, Kevadiya that has emerged as the most modern ensemble of a wholesome tourist destination stands unrivalled. The next time you get a chance to witness this surreal state, make sure you don’t miss out on any of the below mentioned destinations. Happy reading!
Over the past few years, Gujarat has developed substantially as it is one of the policy driven states. A lot of investment has been made and it is the first state to come up with solar energy plants. Being the most sought after destinations, Gujarat, has a lot in its kitty. From border tourism to blue flag beach to RannUtsav Gujarat has something or the other for every traveller. TravelScapes takes it readers on a touristic trail of distinct destinations in the state. A bizarre backdrop and part of the country’s largest district, Kutch hides behind its arid surroundings once-in-a-lifetime experience of landscapes, palaces, wildlife, temples, beach and above all, villages, its people and their crafts, and so much more. Since the unveiling of the Statue of Unity, standing tall at a world record 182 meters (Almost 600 feet), Kevadiya has been ever developing with activities and attractions surrounding the Statue of Unity. Valley of Flowers, Eco Park, Cactus Garden, Dino Park, River Cruise on Narmada, boating, Light & Sound show, and destination has as many as 33 sites of touristic interests.
DHOLAVIRA
Dholavira is the larger of the two most remarkable excavations of the Indus Valley Civilization or Harappan culture, dating back to 4500 years ago. Known locally as Kotada (which means large fort), Dholavira sprawls over 100 hectares of semi-arid land at the north-west corner of the island of Khadir, one of the islands in the Great Rann of Kutch that remain above the flood-plains in months when the rest of the desert is submerged by the monsoon. Placed on an island encompassed by the Greater Rann of Kutch, the remaining parts of Dholavira are a sample of the wonders of hydro-designing aced by the antiquated. Interestingly, the city was, perhaps, configured like a large parallelogram boldly outlined by massive walls with their longer axis being from the east to west. A journey to this stunning trip to the past is worth every minute of your trip as it sails you through the saline desert plains of the Great Rann, where you can also spot wildlife such as Chinkara (Indian gazelle), Nilgai and Flamingos. Around 250 km from Bhuj, Dholavira is reached via Bhachau and Rapar and the nearest airport is Bhuj.
MANDVI
Once a famous port and now a famous tourist attraction in Kutch, Mandvi, famous for its beach and a centuries-old shipbuilding yard, is an ideal place where one gets to see the perfect amalgamation of sand, sun and sea. While the welcoming waters, white sandy shores and bustle of snack stalls make the beaches of Mandvi a must-visit, watching the sunset from here and walking barefoot on the golden sand, is a simple pleasure that one should not miss. Not just a serene place, Mandvi Beach is also known for its various avenues of adventure activities some of which include water sports like surfing, skiing, speed boating, water scooting, parasailing, etc.
NARAYAN SAROVAR
One of the holiest lakes in Hinduism, Narayan Sarovar, is sacred to Lord Narayan, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Located 100 km away from Bhuj and near the Lakhpat Taluka in Kutch, the lake is an agglomeration of five lakes (collectively called Panch-Sarovar; Mansarovar, Bindu Sarovar, Narayan Sarovar, Pampa Sarovar and Pushkar Sarovar) and is considered a sacred pilgrimage destination for the orthodox Hindus. The origin of Narayan Sarovar dates back to the Puranas. According to Hindu mythology, it is said that there was a drought in the region and Lord Vishnu appeared in response to ardent prayers by sages. When he touched the land with his toe, a lake was immediately created, alleviating the locals from their misery and that’s the key reason why the lake has a great spiritual significance.
LITTLE RANN OF KUTCH
The Little Rann of Kutch (LRK), a salt marsh in Gujarat, is a pristine, vast plain that stretches into the horizon. Sprawled over 3,570 sq. km, LRK is a unique landscape with characteristics of both wetlands as well as desert. This biodiversity of the landscape is due to seasonal rivers flowing through the area which goes on to meet the sea from the Gulf of Kutch. . Though a seemingly stark landscape, it is rich in biodiversity and is an ecologically important area for wildlife and many local and migratory waterbirds. It is known to be the world's last refuge of the Indian Wild Asses and acts as a major nesting ground for the gorgeous Lesser Flamingos--the only place outside Africa to serve as a conducive environment for the breeding of these magnificent birds. Additionally, LRK is famous as the last habitat for Asiatic wild ass apart from which, spotting of the desert and Indian fox, Jackal, Striped Hyena, Desert Cat and Indian Wolf is andded attraction in this area.
HANDICRAFTS OF KUTCH
Carried on from generation to generation, the Kutch region is renowned for its handicrafts, produced by the very talented artisans in its villages who have played a crucial role in sustaining the traditional arts due to the authentic, local production. Many of the famous arts, such as bandhani tie-die and ajrakh block printing, originate from Pakistan. Migrants brought these arts with them when they came to Kutch more than 350 years ago. Also, ethnic style arts such as embroidery, weaving, pottery, lacquer work, leatherwork, mud and mirror work and Rogan art, patchwork, terracotta, wood carvings, pen knives and nutcrackers are prevalent in the region. It is also possible to drop into the villages and visit the artisans individually. Many villages have their styles and specialties; the best solution is to explore the area at your own pace and see what you find! Buying directly from the artisans here is a great way of endorsing the aspects of both rural tourism and travel benefiting the locals.
VALLEY OF FLOWERS
The Valley of Flowers also known as Bharat Van, is spread across 24 acres of land and is a haven for colorful flowering plants along the bank of river Narmada. The Valley of Flower began with 48,000 plants in 2016 and has now reached up to 22,00,000 plants. Besides the parks, several photo booths and selfie points have been developed to take back fond memories of the visit. The spot resembles a rainbow of flowers setup on earth. More than 300 types of flowers are grown in this garden. A right blend of ornamental flowers, trees, shrubs, herbs, climbers and creepers are planted along with various shades of foliage, which forms the green cover in this area.
LASER LIGHT AND SOUND SHOW
A Light and Sound show using laser technology projected on the SoU takes place every evening except Monday. The colourful laser lighting system is accompanied by an excellent narration of the history and life of Sardar Patel, his contribution to the Independence Movement and the unification of India as one nation.
MATA NO MADH
Dedicated to Maa Ashapura and located 138 kilometres from the city of Bhuj, Mata no Madh is a temple and one of the most sacred shrines of Gujarat. Ashapura Maa is believed to be the chief deity of Jadeja, the rulers of Kutch state and now well known as Mata No Madh. The original 1200-yearold temple was demolished twice due to earthquakes. This structure has now been constructed with more grandeur and better dimensions. The main temple stands out in the skyline of Bhuj and creates a breath-taking view for visitors. The temple that stands strong today has been built by Sunderji Saudagar. With great faith in goddess Ashapura, thousands of devotees and tourist visit Mata no Madh round the year. Several important religious activities are carried out at Mata No Madh and several Hindu festivals like Diwali and Navratri are celebrated with great fervour.
STATUE OF UNITY
The 182-metre statue is dedicated to SardarVallabhbhai Patel, the architect of independent India. The SoU overlooks the vast surrounds and the river basin of the Narmada River and the sprawling Sardar Sarovar dam. It stands on the Sadhu Bet hillock, connected by a 300 metre bridge, which offers access from the mainland to the statue. More than 50 lakh visitor have come to see the SoU after it was dedicated to the nation and it is catching on after staying closed during the Corona months. It is estimated, as the connectivity improves, about one lakh visitors per day are expected in Kevadiya.
SARDAR SAROVAR DAM
The Sardar Sarovar Dam is the third highest concrete dam (163 metres) in India after Bhakra (226 metres) in Himachal Pradesh and Lakhwar (192 metres) in Uttar Pradesh. In terms of volume of concrete involved for gravity dams, this dam is ranked as the second largest in the world with an aggregate volume of 6.82 million cubic metre; only after Grand Coulee Dam in the USA with a total volume of 8.0 million cubic metre being the largest.
CACTUS GARDEN
The Cactus Garden is a unique botanical garden at the SoU site, created to exhibit a huge variety of Cacti and succulents, the true miracles of adaptation. The thought behind the development of the cactus garden is to provide an experience of the desert ecosystem in the midst of a landmass well entrenched in an aquatic surrounding. There are 6 lakh plants of 450 species spread across 25 acres of open land and inside the dome having an area of 836 square metres.
DINO TRAIL
Recent excavations in the Narmada Valley have revealed that RajasaurusNarmadensis, an endemic species of dinosaur, was existing in the Narmada valley during Cretaceous period. A replica of the endemic dinosaur with the distinctive horn is created and exhibited for the visitors. The replica is about three times the estimated–original size; it measures 75 feet in length and 25 feet in height. This offers the visitors a glimpse into the evolution of the planet and mankind and is an attempt to create public awareness regarding the wealth of ancient flora and fauna of this area.
VISWA VAN
Viswa Van is a Global Forest and offers a natural aesthetic beauty. Vishwa Van is home to herbs, shrubs and trees native to all seven continents signifying the underlying theme of ‘Unity in Bio-diversity’ in global context as well. Vishwa Van symbolises the life sustaining potion of forests in the context of all life forms in the planet. Vishwa Van has a diverse assemblage of flora representing every continent of the world. The vegetation is arranged in a way to resemble the natural forest of a particular zone.
CHILDREN NUTRITION PARK
Children Nutrition Park is unique which has been developed as a part of Kevadiya Integrated Development. It provides a high quality entertainment and vital knowledge to the children on healthy eating habits and nutritional values based on the theme of ‘SahiPoshanDeshRoshan’. Entire park is designed and implemented for the benefits of the children and extensive use of state of the art technology is being made, which gives a fascinating experience to the children visiting the park.
NHCC and HICC
aim to boost MICE offerings in the year 2022
The hospitality sector is rebooting in full swing post pandemic with all the Covid essential SOPs. As a result, this has infused confidence among the travellers while boosting the concepts such as staycation and workation. Mr. Manish Dayya, General Manager, Novotel Hyderabad Convention Centre & Hyderabad International Convention Centre talks about the strengths and USPs, the properties possess that make them stand out of the box. Look what he has got to say in an exclusive chat with TravelScapes… Read here
By Arushi Bajaj
The stalwart of the industry, Mr. Manish Dayya, brings himself with a rich experience of two decades in the hospitality segment. Associated with Accor group since 2013 he has held multiple roles across various locations in India. Being a proficient hospitality professional, he has expertise and valuable insights on augmenting brand standards for the company.
Novotel Hyderabad Convention Centre (NHCC) is a tranquil oasis next to HITEC City, the IT hub of Hyderabad. With 15 acres of sprawling landscaped gardens around a 288-room property, guests can leave the city behind for a while and enjoy a revitalising break surrounded by lush greenery in a serene setting. The offices of IT and Pharma giants are all located within a 6-kilometer radius. Experience the luxury of staying just a few steps away from your next meeting or conference. As its name suggests, our stylish 5-star hotel sits adjacent to India’s most trusted MICE venue, the Hyderabad International Convention Centre (HICC), making it a natural choice for business travellers and MICE delegates. The hotel is also the ideal home base from which to explore Hyderabad – the City of Pearls.
Thus we have a unique business mix which comprises an array of segments, such as Leisure, Corporates and MICE have been the biggest segment considering a combo complex
Manish Dayya
with Hotel and the Convention Centre. Location, expanse, Food and Beverage offerings and 37 meeting rooms clubbed with the largest MICE space for large events and International conferences NHCC & HICC is positioned as the best property in Hyderabad.
Throwing light on the most significant strengths of the property he said, “Hyderabad International Convention Centre (HICC) is managed by Accor, one of the world’s leading hotel operators. Our convention halls are State-of-the-art venue, Pillar-less internal hall spanning 6,480 sq. meters with world-class amenities. This sets the property in a unique league to host MICE events, weddings and much more.”
He also mentions, “One of our strongest suit has been the implementation of the ALL SAFE protocols at the property which has given the confidence to the Social and our corporate clients to host their events with us with peace of mind and not worrying about Covid 19.”
ALLSAFE label, represents their new global cleanliness and prevention standards that have been developed with and vetted by Bureau Veritas, a world leader in hygiene and cleanliness inspection. The ALLSAFE label has 16 key protocols which provide assurance that these standards will be met by the hotels. Every hotel will also have an ALLSAFE Officer to ensure all protocols are followed. All the properties follow strengthened cleanliness protocols. Strict new cleanliness standards are implemented and monitored in all Accor hotels and include an enhanced cleaning program with frequent disinfection of all sensitive high touch areas. Comprehensive safety and hygiene training programs are put in place so that all employees have the skills and training necessary to protect themselves and our customers. Accor has also implemented new standards of social distancing measures in its hotels which also include special measures at the Reception counter when registering guests. In all restaurants, Accor is enriching its healthy and sustainable food charter to better respond to the current context with new food safety standards going beyond government and local regulations. Talking about the plans to reboot, recover and thrive in the long run, he said, “The entire hospitality industry was adversely affected due to the pandemic. We were predominantly focused on socials and leisure travellers. MICE and corporate travel business came to a standstill due to COVID-19. The recovery was also slow yet steady, with most of such initiatives
Some of the world-class features of HICC are: happening either Hybrid or completely virtually.” “Post pandemic, we increased the focus on developing the F&B and leisure business, with local clientele. However as there was minor restriction on • State-of-the-art IT infrastructure, design, hosting weddings and related events, we focused on technology, telecommunications and AV the proposition ‘Vivaah by Novotel’ a modern-day equipment concept, focused on virtual weddings. Unique and • Pillar-less internal hall of net 6480 sq. hybrid model which helped us to host weddings with metres that can hold a 6000-delegate all government protocols. With ‘Vivaah at Novotel’ plenary and can be partitioned into 6 our aim is to bring the couple’s dear ones closer to smaller halls them on their wedding day through a web telecast of • Best Meeting & Conference Venue with a the wedding to their relatives and friends present in spacious pre-function foyer area different cities.” • 37 breakout rooms, including specialized While continuous efforts are being made to meeting rooms, speaker preparatory room, boost our MICE offerings and representing various boardrooms, VIP lounge national and international Tradeshows and Expos • 12.5 metre high ceiling, roof cat walkers both virtually as well as physically wherever travel and truss to withhold heavy suspension is allowed to generate leads in order to strengthen • Service pits every 6 metres, with power, not just for 2022 but also the years ahead, it will be water, internet etc. paramount to continue our focus on heath hygiene • In-house 5-star banqueting service and safety through our ALL SAFE initiatives. All this to boost the business at the Convention Centre.
