December '15 by Editor

Vol XIII

Issue II

Also featuring...

Pages 48

December 2015

Rs 60

KOCHI

KOLKATA

14, 15, 16 January 2016

4, 5, 6 March 2016

CHENNAI

BANGALORE

29, 30, 31 July 2016

5, 6, 7 August 2016

MUMBAI

GURGAON

23, 24, 25 Sep. 2016

30 Sep 1, 2 Oct 2016

HYDERABAD

PUNE

25, 26, 27 November 2016

2, 3, 4 December 2016

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Bidding adieu to 2015 and ringing in the New Year... With every year competing against the previous in terms of racing down to December, the calendar has seen the Tourism Ministry launch a number of schemes and initiatives during the past months. This year, we, at Voyager’s World, brought you some travel features on chocolate tourism, last minute booking, hotel technology, MICE trends, etc. New and emerging countries like Crete, Ethiopia, Tunisia and Armenia made their entry into India while others like Sharjah, Myanmar, Argentina and the European Quartet are having ambitious targets on this country’s outbound tourists group. As the Ministry of Tourism brought a new Secretary on board, the E-visa on arrival saw China joining the bandwagon. The most interesting segment, that has been seeing a proliferation in the country’s urban pockets, is that of travel start-ups. Innovation and the drive to better travel planning and experience have led to a surge in the number of entrepreneurs receiving funds for their start-ups and let’s just say, this is just the start of a long and flourishing micro-economy. Voyager’s World will bring in more relevant new story ideas and inputs from the travel trade next year, in the best interests of you, the travel industry stakeholders. Wish you a prosperous and dynamic 2016!

Warm Regards

PRIYAMVADHA BALARAM

priyamvadha@voyagersworld.in

Managing Editor

Associate Editor

Chief Designer

Web Developer

Advertising & Marketing

Operations Executive

Rohit Hangal rohit@voyagersworld.in

EDIT

ORIA

Priyamvadha Balaram priyamvadha@voyagersworld.in

Shyam Vishnot shyam@voyagersworld.in

10 14

Industry Buzz

Hospitality Last minute hotel bookings through mobile phone

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Mobile +91-9844092150 advertising@voyagersworld.in

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India Outbound Ethiopian Tourism, Crete, European Quartet

Adventure

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Editor’s Pick

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pR in tourism..the people skills factor to promote destinations PRIYAMVADHA BALARAM

The importance of public relations exercises and activities cannot be ruled out when it comes to destination promotions, in an age where people are bound by digital media.

ome months ago, Tourism Australia launched a media campaign, in association with distribution partners like Vacations Exotica, MakeMyTrip, Yatra, TUI and Kesari Tours to increase the number of Indian visitors to Australia. The campaign that was held across major metros in India had showcased premium experiences available in the country through a selection of print, television and online media platforms. This was supported by a public relations (PR) programme to ensure higher impact of the campaign. This is one of the many such campaigns embarked upon by the travel and tourism industry across the globe with them having realised the importance of effective PR as part of their integrated marketing strategy. While destinations are focussing on different types of things to do and experience apart from focusing on segments like MICE, medical tourism, spa and wellness, history and nature, among others, destinations are using PR while advertising their products, services, locations, experiences and events. Public relations, as we can see

Voyager’s World > December 2015

from the above example, has a very significant role in the tourism industry across platforms that include destinations, accommodation, restaurants and eateries, monuments and buildings, establishments, etc. Since each of these components are individually important too, PR is necessary to convey messages about each of them while presenting the destination as a whole.

and Chandigarh with a number of activities lined up for each day. The activities that PHTPB had organised included a Heritage Walk, painting competition for school children and a panel discussion on ‘the state of tourism and heritage in Amritsar’ hosted by the Department of Architecture, Guru Nanak Dev University. The campaign as such had PR in its nature as it involved the public directly.

The main objective behind the same is to communicate what the destination represents and invoke conducive images about it in the minds of the end tourist. This is why tourism boards are deploying separate public relations departments and teams to come up with plans from time to time.

This goes on to show that the function of PR involves attracting customers and leaving memorable impressions on their minds about the destination throughout the stay and even after. A good PR campaign will also lead to a positive wordof-mouth after the customer’s experience. While it is important to have PR as part of your marketing plan, it is worthwhile to say that its main objective is to successfully help sustain the other marketing and sales activities attempting to build a positive image of a company, its services and products.

Last month, Punjab Heritage and Tourism Promotion Board (PHTPB), along with the DRONAH Foundation, UNESCO - New Delhi, INTACH -Punjab Chapter, ASI Chandigarh Circle, Department of Architecture – Guru Nanak Dev University Amritsar and Chitkara University - Punjab Campus, celebrated Heritage Week across Punjab – Amritsar, Patiala

PR in travel and tourism Like any other industry, PR is necessary and has actually become

indispensable in every destination’s promotion and marketing plan and budget. Tourism boards and related bodies must adopt a sound marketing support through PR so as to register increased footfalls and better destination perception in the minds of the customers and help in positive travel purchase decisions. One section of this would be corporate communication which consists of both internal and external communication. PR helps the tourism board have better interactions and engagements with the end travel agents and media to create a wider reach and visibility. Social media on the job… The popularity of social sites is catching up with all age groups without leaving out people between the ages of 26-35 years. According to research by Marvist 2009, worldwide users increased by 25% between June 2008 and June 2009. Linkedln is particularly dominated by ages 26-35 while Twitter is used by 24-33 year olds. This particular age group uses these sites less for social activity and a great deal more for business and formal matters. This is

Editor’s Pick

7>> a fast and cheap way of reaching to this target group. Once the PR team is clear about what kind of perception they want the customers to have of the destination, it is easier for them to engage in a subsequent tourism campaign. In this time and age, it makes sense to be more technology driven so as to ensure quicker understanding of the message. Although the conventional press releases and kits are anyway there, companies are increasingly resorting to webinars, electronic direct mailers, extensive use of social media including Facebook , Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest as well as blogs and the company’s website.

The study noted that over 40% of hoteliers mentioned that they engage with their consumer segments on Facebook. Likewise more than 45% of travellers were open to connecting with hotels on social media channels and found creative interactive content interesting. Social networking website Facebook’s Indian user base has grown over 5% from 112 million monthly active users to 118 million in Q4 2014. 89% of Facebook India’s daily traffic comes through mobile phones as of December

2014. Based on the need of the situation, the PR can come with a mix of the above mentioned media for the activities which can also include YouTube, television commercials, etc. Earlier this year, Thomas Cook (India) Ltd. launched its new TV campaign, #HolidaySortedHai. The TVC aims to capture the last minute hassles travellers have to endure and how having a one-stop solution offering end-end holiday services can be such a relief. The campaign

was aired on major national channels, news channels, movie theatres and during IPL screening through Hotstar. Part of the wider #MyDubai initiative, Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism) ran an exclusive hotel competition in 2014. The competition, spread over a period of three weeks, invited employees of each participating hotel to post images or videos that best defined their #MyDubai experience with

Addition of a few metals make us stronger. And more dependable.

The online medium is more convenient as it is faster, cheaper and reaches a greater number of people in as shorter period of time. This year, Visit Florida had organised the second edition of its Sunshine Contestand chose two winners from more than 200 participants.This annual contest, which commenced on 1 July and ended on 30 August 2015 received entries from more than 25 tour operators from around the country. The contest was open to all tour operators working in India. Contestants were chosen based on the following criteria: completion of the VISIT FLORIDA Specialist program and the Orlando Training program, liking the VISIT FLORIDA India Facebook page and creating a power point of the perfect Florida Itinerary. The contest received an impressive response with more than 200 registrations for the Specialist and Training programs, more than 100 likes on the official Facebook page and more than 25 completed entries, each with its own unique itinerary.

Thanks to our innovations, roomsXML has been recognised across various categories around the world. To test us out, you simply need to log in. 15 044/quiksel.com

As per a recent study by RezNext, social media platforms, especially Facebook, should be looked upon as a two-way communication channel. While posting videos and images on social media channels is important, it is also necessary that hoteliers connect with online community members through engaging content. Asking guests to post their travel pictures on the hotel’s Facebook page with a 5% discount on dinner reward, or hosting a ‘Selfie at the Hotel’ or ‘Best moment at the Hotel’ contest among guests encourages participation from consumers.

The WTM Global Award, presented in London, UK The World Travel Award for Asia's Leading Hotel Booking Solu ons Provider, presented in Hong Kong l The TravelMole Web Award for Best Asia Paciﬁc Travel Wholesale Solu on, presented in Singapore l The Travel Weekly Magellan Award for Best Travel Agent Only Website, presented in Ashland, USA l The India Travel Award for Best Innova ve Product, presented in Pune, India l The Travel & Hospitality Award for the Most Outstanding Room Booking Technology, presented in New Delhi, India l

roomsXML - it shines for you.

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Editor’s Pick

one winner selected from each hotel. The 11 finalists each won an all-expenses paid trip to Dubai for two members of their families to experience the city with them. The campaign and prizes embody the soul of Dubai - uniting families with their loved ones, celebrating their emotions and creating special moments for them to share. It further highlights Dubai’s positioning as a family destination that offers a unique getaway for the entire family with events and activities to entertain all ages. Tourism Australia launched its Restaurant Australia campaign in August 2014 to position the country as the culinary capital of the world. The campaign was conceptualized and developed basis a consumer research which identified ‘food and wine’ as a key factor in holiday decision making and the most important emotive trigger, ahead of world class beauty, for influencing people’s destination choice. The award winning campaign in India adopted an integrated approach through promotions across television, print, cinema, digital and out-of-home mediums combined with attractive tactical co-operative marketing campaigns and activities with airlines, trade partners and Indian restaurants. Through successful media partnerships like presenting sponsorship of the top-rated

Voyager’s World > December 2015

8>>

television reality show ‘MasterChef Australia’, Tourism Australia introduced Indian television audience to the diversity and multicultural aspect ofAustralian food experiences. The $10-million global campaign was been built based on the Consumer Demand Research survey conducted by Tourism Australia across 15 of Australia’s key tourism markets including India which, identified ‘food and wine’ as a key factor in holiday decision making and the most important emotive trigger, ahead of world class beauty, for influencing people’s destination choice. For people who have never visited Australia only 26% associate the destination with a good food and wine offering. But for those who have visited Australia ranks second in the world for its food and wine experiences (60%) after culinary giant France and ahead of Italy. Another example of a PR activity engaged by new player in the market, Fxkart.com is its ‘Wish & Travel’ contest this June for Indians, requiring participants to register online on http://contest.fxkart. com/ and give a description of his/ her dream international destination and as to why they would like to go there. Earlier this year, Kerala Tourism had launched an initiative by conducting

a month-long video sequencing contest that puts people’s technical skills and creative abilities to test by getting them to order video clips of a movie. A total of 30 videos, each of two minutes duration had to be created for the contest, highlighting diverse aspects of Kerala. Each video was then divided into six portions of 20 seconds each and uploaded to the site. These divided portions were to be in jumbled order. Participants had to login to the website and rearrange the jumbled portions of the video into a single continuous sequence which accurately matches with that of the original video. Despite all this and technological advancements, traditional PR tools still hold good and PR planning can include them in their promotional activities. They can reserve a budget for TV, events, trade shows and mall promotions as well as direct mails, celebrity endorsements, newsletters, local sponsorships, etc. As per a research by MaslowLevis in 2004, 90% of the travel is conducted purely online hence creating a web presence is critical for the firms belonging in the travel and tourism industry. Corporate blogs and social media would provide easier communication and access to important information that will create a better service for customers. Other than this the web presence

would be able to link into this ability giving clients a ‘one stop’ travel planner through the main activities of the webpage: online bookings, website customer log in, order processing, online advertising and promotion and service value. This more so for high streets group which basically puts quality on the travel experience itself. As they follow tourism trends, there is an opportunity to capitalise on reviews and testimonials on corporate blogs and social medium to generate the initial interest of high streets. The Tourism Business Toolkit, 2004, stated that the next is the cosmopolitans who are decisive of own tourist destinations. Cosmopolitans tend to value comfort as well as functionality of the tourism spots, for instance. Cosmopolitans aged between 15 and 25 years old and with mean income of 26,004 Euros. This group has a keen interest in arts and culture as they appreciate such more than any other types of tourist activities. Although cosmopolitans are price sensitive, they are willing to pay extra price for quality services. On the whole, once the PR exercise is through, you can evaluate it with surveys to find out what the public has understood about it and their revised perception of the destination. Over a period of time, PR engagement will surely help increase in visitor arrivals, spending, etc. apart from repeat business.

Industry Buzz

10>>

Centre allocates funds for tourism in Northeast

IATA grants time to Chennai agents

eoh Hoy Chin, Regional Director, IATA Regional Office for Asia-Pacific, announced that IATA had granted some agents in Chennai more time to pay and also waived the irregularity/ default actions in the first week of December in lieu of the recent floods. She said, “We at IATA fully understand the difficulties on the ground for Chennai-based agents. Under the force majeure clause as provided for in the resolution, we have been granting some agents a bit more time to pay and also waiver of the irregularity/default actions last week already. We are closely monitoring the situation week to week, and to help with the recovery, we may possibly apply the force majeure clause this week as well.”

r. Mahesh Sharma, Minster for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation said that the government was giving a big push to tourism in the country, with a special focus on tapping the huge potential of the Northeast. The minister said the Centre had allocated INR 1,200 crore to promote tourism in the Northeast, and apart from this the allocations for infrastructure and culture would also help in providing a better environment for tourists. Addressing the Mail Today Northeast Rising Conclave last month , the minister said: “It is high time to use the tourism potential to drive the economy.” The minister lamented that India currently has a mere 0.68% share in world tourism. “Our aim is to raise this share to 1% by 2020,” he added.

Oyo signs MoU with Tourism & Hospitality Skill Coun cil

YO Rooms signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Tourism and Hospitality Skill Council (THSC) on 26 November to train and certify hospitality staff across the country. The MoU was signed at the National Conference on Skill Development in the presence of Rajiv Pratap Rudy, Union Minister of State Skill Development and Entrepreneurship.

This was in response to a request sent by Biji Eapen, President of IATA Agents Association of India (IAAI) on December 7 appealing to all airlines operating in/to/from Tamil Nadu airports for a moratorium of four weeks on the BSP Payment that was due on December 7, 2015.

Maharashtra to draft eco-tourism policy

M Amritsar welcomes Park Inn by Radisson

ark Inn By Radisson has opened doors to its news property in Amritsar. The 89-room property targets business travellers and is located on Airport Road. “We are excited to announce the opening of Park Inn By Radisson Amritsar Airport. The hotel brings to Amritsar a bright, bold, fresh and energetic mid-market brand that provides great value. With this, Carlson Rezidor in India has 74 hotels in operation and 39 in the pipeline,” said Raj Rana, CEO, South Asia, Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group.

aharashtra government will be framing an eco-tourism policy with emphasis on employing the local youth and the forest conservation, Devendra Fadnavis, Chief Minister said. He was addressing valedictory programme of a workshop on promotion of eco-tourism and community nature conservation at Tadoba tiger reserve. He said, “The government had made available a fund of INR 100 crore and the policy would come out within two months. We are trying to bring industry to the Gadchiroli district and develop the city to create more employment opportunities.”

RoomsTonite receives $1.5 mn funding

angalore-based startup RoomsTonite app secured angel funding amount of $1.5 Million from a clutch of investors. The funding was led by Lashit Sanghvi, co-founder of Alchemy Capital; Nikhil Vora, founder of Sixth Sense Ventures; Venkat Vardhan, promoter of DNA Networks; Mohammed Bin Abdul Rehman Al Khalifa, chairman of Caravan Group; and Ralph Berezan of Berezan Group of Canada invested in this round. Vissal Mathew and Balamurali Krishna of IDS Software also contributed to this round in RoomsTonite. The company will use these funds to further expand their services in India and other countries and to strengthen its team to complement their capabilities.

AI starts non-stop Delhi-San Francisco service

ir India commenced its first-ever non-stop flights between Delhi and San Francisco from 2 December, 2015. Slated to be one of the longest flights in the world, Air India will operate this service thrice a week on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays from Delhi, using Boeing 777 LR (long-range) aircraft. The introductory flight will be connected to other metros like Bangalore, Mumbai, Kolkata, Hyderabad etc. to reach out to travellers from these cities wanting a non-stop service to the West Coast of USA.

Voyager’s World > December 2015

Industry Buzz

11>>

IRCTC launches semi-luxury trains

Radha Bhatia to head India chapter of Women in Aviation International

he India Chapter of the Women in Aviation, International, (WAI) a nonprofit organisation that skills and empowers women in the aviation industry, has been launched on the occasion of International Civil Aviation Day at the Embassy of the United States of America. The India chapter will be pioneered by Radha Bhatia, Chairperson, Bird Group and mentored by C J Collins, Senior Representative-South Asia, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The duo will connect, educate and empower women across all verticals in the Indian aviation and aerospace industries.

I Tirun Travel Marketing offers incentives for cruisers

IRUN Travel Marketing, along with the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) and Changi Airport Group, is offering incentives to cruisers. This year, guests who book a Royal Caribbean cruise on the Mariner of the Seas, will avail free passes to Sentosa Island in Singapore. They will also be granted access to five tourist attractions of the island which includes the Trick Eye Museum, Segway Fun Ride, one 4D Adventure Land Show of their choice, the Cable Car “Sky Network” and the Wings of Time show.

Google feature Jordan Queen's video tour

ordan’s Queen Rania Al Abdullah and Google recently collaborated on an international campaign that aims to promote Petra and other wonders in Jordan to the rest of the world. It features a Petra Street View video on the Google search homepage of different countries for 24 hours at a time, alternating across continents over the next few weeks. It features a video tour, available globally on YouTube, of the rosered city and is narrated by Queen Rania.

Norwegian Consulate opens in Mumbai after 40 years

fter 40 years, the Royal Norwegian Consulate General office opened in Mumbai at BKC. Norway had established the first Consulate in Mumbai in 1857 before it was closed down in 1973. Børge Brende, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Norway, inaugurated the office in the presence of Nils Ragnar Kamsvåg, Norwegian Ambassador to India, and Torbjørn Holthe, Consul-General of Norway to Mumbai. The consulate will facilitate services to the western region states of Maharashtra, Goa and Gujarat. The Ambassador, however, stated that the office had not been delegated the power of issuing visas. VFS Global will accept applications, but visa forms would be processed by the Embassy in New Delhi.

ndian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Limited (IRCTC) is all set to start two premier train services to showcase India’s deserts and heritage. The two semi-luxury trains will depart from New Delhi offering deluxe facilities across its five days of round trip dotted with sightseeing facilities. Desert Circuit will cover Rajasthan’s famed cities of Jaisalmer and Jaipur, while Heritage Circuit will take passengers to Varanasi, Khajuraho and Agra. The two trains will run eight trips individually till summer sets in upcountry by next April. Desert Circuit will begin service from mid-December 2015 and wind up on April 21, while Heritage Circuit will commence on December 20.

Thomas Cook launches 'One Currency' travel card

homas Cook India, along with MasterCard, launched its ‘One Currency’ card, which is India’s first prepaid travel card with zero cross currency conversion fees. Benefits are embedded chip and PIN security, valid upto five years, locking of funds to avoid cross currency fluctuations, instant loading, emergency cash disbursement and encashment of residual balance or use for future travel. It can be accessed globally via 2.2 million ATMs and 35.2 million merchant establishments in 275 countries. A 24×7 global emergency aid is provided via toll free access in 80 countries. In case the card is stolen or lost, it will be replaced for free.

India & Korea sign MoU to improve air connectivity

memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between Ministry of Civil Aviation, Government of India and Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport of the Government of Republic of Korea, said Dr. Mahesh Sharma, Minister of State for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation in a written reply to a Lok Sabha question. The MoU enhances the capacity entitlements from six services to 19 services per week for the designated carriers of the two countries and grants two additional points of call in India, one being Chennai and Bengaluru, the other. Apart from that, two additional beyond points of call for Indian carriers, Seattle and Vancouver, have been granted, while Ho-chi-Minh has been added as the intermediate point of call for carriers of both countries. Furthermore, both sides have agreed to allow domestic code-share to any four points in their respective countries.

Tigerair starts direct service to Lucknow

igerair launched its new service to Lucknow with three weekly flights on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays. The inaugural flight from Singapore, TR 2676 landed at Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport at 20:00 hrs on 3 December and the airline’s Sales and Marketing Director, Teh Yik Chuan hosted a ceremony at the airport. Lim Thuan Kuan - Singapore High Commissioner to India, Suresh Chandra Hota - Airport Director of Lucknow and Tourism officials of Uttar Pradesh were present. The flight from Singapore TR 2676 will depart at 17:30 hrs and arrive in Lucknow at 20:00 hrs. The return leg TR 2677 will depart Lucknow at 21:00 hrs and arrive in Singapore at 04:35 hrs.

www.voyagersworld.in

Incredible India

12>>

Karnataka’s ‘Tourist Mitras’ to reinforce secure visitor experience PRIYAMVADHA BALARAM

he Department of Tourism, Government of Karnataka, along with the Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation (KSTDC) and the State Home Department, today launched in Bangalore ‘Tourist Mitra’, a 175-member friendly force, to reinforce smooth and secure experiences for visitors to the state’s tourist spots. The launch was inaugurated by R.V. Deshpande, Minister for Large & Medium Industries and Tourism, Government of Karnataka, along with N.S. Megharikh, IPS, Commissioner of Police, Bangalore City, Kempaiah, IPS, Internal Security Advisor for CM, Kamal Pant, IPS, Additional Director General of Police. S.A. Hussain, Chairman, KSTDC, Asagodu Jayasimha, Chairman, JLR, S. Sampath Kumar, Corporator, Vasanthnagar Ward and senior officials of Home Department and Tourism Department were also present at the event. In the first phase of the project, 175 home guards underwent three weeks of lectures followed by practical training for a month before stationing them across select destinations 13 districts. During the training imparted by KSTDC and the Home Department, the home guards were familiarised with the tourist destinations, tourism sector in general and the work nature of the police department. The training includes imparting basic language

Voyager’s World > December 2015

skills, lectures by senior tourism and police officers and efforts are also underway to teach the guards conversational skills in Russian, Chinese, French and German languages. The respective district tourism councils will decide on the number of people to be deployed in the destinations. The ‘tourist mitras’ will work in co-ordination with the local sub-inspectors in their relevant areas. Selected tourist destinations of the 13 districts have been identified, where a total of 175 tourist friendly home guards will be appointed to provide proper safety and security to the visiting tourist. Under the first phase of this project, trained home guards known as ‘Tourist Mitra’ will be designated at the following tourist destinations. - Mysore Palace, Chamundi Hills, Nanjangud - Mysore District - Abby Falls, Bhagamandal, Iruppu Falls, Raja Seat, Talacauvery Kodagu District Srirangapatna, K.R.S and Brindavan Garden, Ranganathittu, Shivan Samudra, Sangama Mandya District - Hampi Vittal Complex, Virupaksha Temple, Lotus Mahal - Bellari District - Badami, Aihole, Pattadakal, Kudal Sangama – Bagalkot District - Bidar Fort, Gurudwara Nanak, Basavakalyana, Papanashini Shiva Temple, Narasimha Jhira Cave Temple – Bidar District - Gol Gumbaz, Ibrahim Roza,

Basavanbagevadi Vijayapura District - Chitradurga Fort, Chandrvalli, Jogi Math, Vani Vilas Sagara- Chitradurga District - Jog Falls, Keladi, Mandagadde Bird Sanctuary, Agumbe, Sigandhur– Shimoga District -Belur, Halebeedu, Shravanabelagola, Yagachi Jalasaya – Hassan District - Karwar Beach, Om Beach, Gokarna Beach, Sathodi Falls, Dandeli Uttara Kannada District - Suratkal Beach, Thanneerbhavi Beach, Ullala Beach, Someshwara Beach - Dakshina Kannada District - Malpe Beach, Kapu, Marvanthe Udupi District The role of the force would be that of a first-in-line responder to provide assistance to domestic as well as international tourists. They

will be vested with the powers of special police officers according to statutory provisions. While ‘tourist mitras’ would not have any powers of investigation, they can facilitate tourists when in need, help them file a first-information-report (FIR), provide information on tourist guides, timings of tourist spots, etc. The ‘mitras’ will have both static and patrol duties in the tourist locations. Presently, they will be on a 12-hour duty and there would be special helplines as per the needs of the relevant districts. They have been given special livery for tourists to be able to identify them easily. While the first-batch of home guards will have a pan-state presence, training for the second batch is underway; 250 ‘tourist mitras’, including lady guards, are expected to be ready in the next phase.

Incredible India

13>>

New Gujarat Tourism policy aims to be investor-friendly! PRIYAMVADHA BALARAM

The investors meeting, held in Mumbai last week, sought to apprise stakeholders of all the benefits that the tourism industry would now get, besides updating them on PPP initiatives, incentives, etc.

o promote investment in Gujarat Tourism Industry, Government of Gujarat held investors meet to apprise investors on recently announced Tourism Policy. The new Tourism Policy will be into effect till 31 March 2020. With this new Tourism Policy, it is for the first time that tourism sector has been granted status of an Industry and with this initiative, tourism sector will now get all the benefits that an industry gets. The policy will provide investment opportunities in eco tourism projects, beach tourism and water sports projects, heritage tourism projects, international Buddhist Circuit, wayside amenities /cafeteria, cleanliness projects and Greenfield properties for development, PPP in Tourism Projects, Special Tourist Police, etc. The new Tourism Policy will provide many incentives and concessions such as Capital Subsidy, Interest Subsidy, Registration / Stamp Duty Concession, Exemption from Luxury Tax, Exemption from Entertainment Tax, Exemption from Electricity Duty, Support for Sustainable Tourism, Special Package for Mega Tourism Units, Incentive for Promotion of Innovation, Support for Marketing and Promotion, Incentives for Skill Development, Incentives for ICT Enablement, Assistance for Research in the Tourism / Hospitality Industry. All new units which commence commercial operations during the policy period and existing Tourism Unit taking up expansion of over 50% of its existing capacities will be eligible for these incentives under new policy. Saurabhbhai Patel, Minister of Tourism, Govt. of Gujarat said, “The new Tourism Policy will position Gujarat as a vibrant tourist destination, with an emphasis on improving visitor experience, livelihood linkages, environmental concerns and enhancing investment opportunities, thus catapulting tourism as one of the most important economic drivers, leading to sustainable development

and inclusive growth in the state. Kamlesh Patel, Chairman of Tourism Corporation of Gujarat Ltd. said, “Our objective is to make Gujarat one

amongst the top five tourist states of India in terms of local, national and international tourist footfalls by 2025. We want to unlock the

immense untapped/under tapped potential of tourism in the state. The new Tourism Policy will create an investment-friendly framework.”

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Hospitality

14>>

Last minute bookings! now on the run... IRENE SUSAN EAPEN

Last minute bookings on mobile increases as travellers can execute their travel plans and select rooms with a click of a button.

Parag Sawhney, General Manager Hilton Bangalore Embassy GolfLinks

The last minute bookings on mobile is growing year on year with the importance of mobile applications allows a savvy traveller to plan and execute travel plans.

Vinay Singh, Director of Sales and Marketing, The Westin Mumbai Garden City

The traffic and booking trend will continue to grow on mobile with more transactions on these devices. The growth is going to accelerate as consumers make more purchases over their phone.

he last minute bookings through mobile are at a nascent stage in the hospitality industry. The consistent growth witnessed is only through the use of mobile phones to make reservations and social media also plays a great role in promoting special offers. This booking trend on last minute bookings will continue to grow year on year with the mobile applications that actually allows a traveller to plan and select the room. Growth on mobile bookings Vinay Singh, Director of Sales and Marketing,The Westin Mumbai Garden City said, We believe the traffic and booking trend will continue to grow on mobile as people become more comfortable transacting on these devices. We have seen the growth has been very fast. It is going to actually accelerate as consumers are more comfortable making more purchases over their phone. In the opinion of Parag Sawhney, General Manager Hilton Bangalore Embassy GolfLinks, “There is a 96% growth in the contribution through mobile bookings in 2015 versus 2014.” Social media promotions increasing the last minute bookings Vinay says that social media is an essential tool whether it is for promotions or sharing information with the guests. At the same time social media helps communicate the special offers whether it is on

Voyager’s World > December 2015

staycations or some seasonal offers. “Social media activation of attractive stay promotions like the current Save 25% and Get Free Wi-Fi Hilton India offer, especially when the booking period is very short creates a sense of urgency and immediate call to action, this may lead to increase in last minute bookings through mobile.” Parag added. Size of the market Vinay says in recent times we have noticed a change in consumer behavior , the market for last minute bookings has gone up compared to past years. Last-minute bookings, or check-ins within 48 hours, typically account for 10-50 per cent of total hotel bookings in the country. The lastminute bookings are very significant, we are seeing consistent growth in the use of mobile phones to make hotel reservations. The way mobile phone booking and internet booking has gained its popularity for sure is a positive development and shows customer confidence and comfort. Parag states that the market for last minute bookings through mobile is still at a very nascent stage and are growing year on year. Challenges during mobile bookings Vinay says the only challenge is that not everyone is comfortable with booking through mobile and would still go the conventional way to book their stay.

“Our SPG app aides Starwood guests in their last minute bookings and do not have a separate app for individual hotel,” He added. Parag concludes, “The growing importance of mobile applications that allow a savvy traveller to plan and execute his entire travel plans through his phone cannot be denied and is gaining momentum, this is resultant from the need of easy accessibility to any service at the click of a button, reducing the number of steps required to make a decision and execute. Hence, the Hilton Worldwide digital check-in

Facility and Application, wherein a guest can select the room through his mobile is available across the Hilton Worldwide hotels and has been gaining strength as a valuable service offered to our guests.” “A recent observation stated that 72% of business travelers selected their airplane seat on their mobile, 68% picked their rental car, 2 out of 3 guests wish they could choose their room through their mobile and 68% travelers are much more likely to book a brand that offers room selection through a mobile application than one that doesn’t,” he concluded.

Hospitality

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right email communication key to guest satisfaction: reviewpro VW BUREAU

RJ Friedlander, CEO of ReviewPro, shares ideas to improve guest satisfaction in hotels

hese days, hotel guests are inundated with requests to complete online surveys and it’s not easy to get high participation rates. Yet, Guest Intelligence provides hotels with actionable insight into satisfaction levels and what it will take to deliver even better experiences for future guests. It is essential to make sure guests complete your survey in order to take the necessary action to improve results and boost revenue. So how can you avoid survey fatigue and ensure that your survey stands out within a crowded email inbox? Here are 5 tips for increasing guest survey completion rates and prioritizing your internal action plan. 1. Improve email collection Start by putting in place clear processes and tracking to increase the volume and quality of email addresses that you capture. Obtaining the highest percentage

of correct email addresses from guests is crucial to maximize the sample size of your guest feedback. Train your staff to be aware of the importance of collecting correct emails. Incentivize them by setting email collection rate objectives with small rewards, making sure you communicate and share the results within your organization in order to build awareness and motivation.

of the email with the guest’s name and thank them for staying with you. If there is an incentive to complete the survey, make sure this is clear but be aware that if you are using the TripAdvisor Review Collection Programme, it is prohibited to offer an incentive. To prevent invitations from going directly to the spam folder, avoid copy that can trigger filters.

2. Craft a compelling subject line and personalize your email Use a short phrase in the subject line of your email invitation that captures the guest’s attention, establishes your relationship, and is clear.

3. Implement an effective survey design strategy Identify what you wish to accomplish in your surveys. A critical objective should be to gain detailed insight into what guests like and dislike to help prioritize operational and service improvements and positively impact your online reputation. Make the survey visually appealing and choose a Guest Survey Solution that allows you to customize your survey by adding your hotel logo, colours,

Send surveys using the domain name of the hotel or group to avoid confusion amongst guests receiving emails from an unusual address. Personalize the message in the body

etc. Focus on key areas and keep the survey short. Research shows that the shorter the survey, the higher the response rate. 4. Prioritize mobile Don’t assume that guests are completing surveys on a computer. According to ReviewPro research, an average of 60% of emails and 40% of surveys are answered on a mobile device. Make sure that your survey is built with a responsive design to adapt to all types of devices, in both portrait and landscape format. 5. Monitor completion rates and adjust as necessary Identify which features drive the highest completion rates and generate the most valuable feedback. It is essential to have customizable reporting to keep a close eye on completion rates and take action where necessary.

italy is world’s biggest wine producer, france follows suit VW BUREAU

Hotels.com recommends top wine spots across the globe in Italy, France, Australia, California and South Africa that can be experienced withi a budget of Rs. 10,000.

ine tourism has turned into a booming industry in recent times and is becoming increasingly popular amongst the affluent class. Every year France and Italy compete for the top spot among the world’s wine producing countries. Italy was the world’s biggest wine producer, according to preliminary numbers from the International Organization of Vine and Wine, producing over 48 million hectoliters. France is not too far behind with under 47 million hectoliters. Hotels.com has listed some recommendations of top wine spots that can be experienced on a budget below Rs10,000 per night. Every year France and Italy compete for the top spot among the world’s

wine producing countries. Italy was the world’s biggest wine producer, according to preliminary numbers from the International Organization of Vine and Wine, producing over 48 million hectoliters. France is not too far behind with under 47 million hectoliters. Top wine destinations to visit as recommended by Hotels.com Wine lovers definitely know the world’s classic wine regions: Tuscany, Burgundy, Bordeaux, Rioja and Napa Valley. Most are familiar with the “new classics” too, such as South Africa’s Stellenbosch and Australia’s Barossa Valley. France – Bordeaux and Burgundy Bordeaux is the most famous and highly coveted wine blend in the

world. While there are both red and white Bordeauxs, the name Bordeaux is primarily associated with the red wine blend. Burgundy is one of France’s main wine producing areas. It is known for both its red and white wines, mostly made from Pinot noir and Chardonnay grapes. Italy – Tuscany Tuscany is the most enduringly famous of all Italian wine regions. Tuscany’s reputation is founded on such iconic wines as Chianti, Brunello di Montalcinoand Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. Spain – La Rioja (Baja) Spain is home to the largest vineyard acreage in the world.

California – Napa Valley 90% of wine from the USA is from California. Napa Valley is the American capital for wine. Dating back to the early 19th century, Napa has produced world-class wines that compete with the most elite wineries worldwide. South Africa - Stellenbosch South Africa has long been known for its Chenin Blanc and produces the largest volume of brandy in the world. Australia - Barossa Valley The Barossa Valley wine region is one of Australia’s oldest wine regions. With hot, dry summers and cool, moderate winters, Barossa is one of the world’s great wine regions.

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Hospitality

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trends indicate more focus on hotel websites to push bookings... Considering the fact that travellers are increasingly taking their transactions online, going forward, hotels are expected to enhance their own websites to increase bookings. VW BUREAU

s the year draws to a close, the hospitality industry witnessed the merger of two hotel giants last month; when Marriott International, Inc. and Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. announced a definitive merger agreement to create the world’s largest hotel company, the industry only predicted some more acquisitions to take place soon and no sooner than this had taken place, than AccorHotels had announced plans to acquire Fairmont, Raffles and Swissôtel. While such mergers will offer will offer broader choice for guests, greater opportunities for associates, here is what experts and industry surveys have to forecast for the hotel industry for the forthcoming year. Ankur Bhatia, Executive Director, Bird Group says, “Tourism and hospitality is one of the key drivers of economic growth amongst the service sectors in India. The long term outlook for the Indian tourism and hospitality continues to be positive highlighting a huge growth potential. According to the Ministry of Tourism, the industry saw a phenomenal growth of 1073.8% in tourist arrival facilitated by the introduction of the E-visa scheme to 113 countries. The cascading effect of this on the hospitality sector has resulted in an increase in the occupancy

Voyager’s World > December 2015

ratios and average room rates. As per the World Travel & Tourism Council, the tourism and hospitality sectors’ direct contribution to GDP in 2015 totalled US$ 44.2 bn. While the government has implemented several schemes and policies, there lies a huge gap in terms of travel facilities, infrastructure, hotels and recreational outlets. It is imperative to market brand India globally to create a huge impact and attract high-end international tourists.” Top hospitality trends to look out for 1. Millennials will become the core customer within the hospitality and travel industries over the next five to ten years. The majority of airlines, hotels and travel companies will benefit from this sector as they enter into their peak earning, spending and travel years. Within this group of GenY travelers, there are many different markets considering the fact that exploration, interaction and experience are the major focus of Millennials. Willing to pay more for a greater experience, “foodies” are a prevalent subset of this market; looking for an overall gourmet experience for a reasonable price will cause the industry to revamp their lobby bars, restaurants and food service. Internet bloggers, culture buffs, LGBT and Multigenerational travelers all looking for a unique, novel experience will

command change within the market. 2. Speed and precision will be a requirement when it comes to accommodating Millennials in upcoming years according to Hotels. com’s Hotel Price Index report last year. Fast booking, fast check-in, fast WiFi and fast responses to customer service needs will need to be implemented within hotels. Considering Millennials have no problems speaking up, if what they are seeking is not quick enough, they will turn to Twitter, Facebook, Yelp or TripAdvisor to voice their complaints. 3. WOW customer service will become even more influential this year. Service today consists of four levels: basic, expected, desired and WOW. Basic service can be found at the post office whereas expected service can be found at most fast food restaurants and many businesses. Desired service is often found at good hotels and restaurants but WOW Service is the only way to ensure repeat business. By creating an impressive, unique guest experience that exceeds all expectations, you are able to capture the customer. 4. Leadership is modeling the way and showing your management team how critical it is to “walk the talk.” Each and every employee, including

myself, all have something we can work on. Forming a connection with guests can improve dramatically with genuine, individual interaction. It is my goal as a leader to instill the value of building relationships by sharing the knowledge I have and learning from them as well. For instance, I run with our guests staying at the Hilton Garden Inn and Homewood Suites San Diego/ Del Mar and offer personal training sessions for others. 5. Expectation of more international visitors. Average rates and occupancy levels in the U.S. are likely to increase over the next few years, influenced by a very new market. “Leisure demand from abroad, fueled in part by the new Discover America campaign, will stimulate a new demand” according to Arne Sorenson, President and CEO of Marriott Hotels & Resorts. China is preparing to send about 100 million leisure tourists into the international market every year. If the U.S. gets its typical share, that will mean an additional 10 million visitors from China alone. Considering the average Chinese traveler spends a week in the U.S., demand is created for an additional 70 million room nights in a market where prices are steadily rising. The globalization of travel will prove to be a massive force.

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6. Social media and mobile will be inseparable. Social media and mobile already live in symbiosis and we will only continue to see them merge over the course of this year. Mobile activity has allowed social media to live in real time by allowing users to create updates, tag friends and check in on their mobile devices. Smartphones represent 50 percent of new mobile devices being purchased and the growth of connected devices will only continue to rise. Ericsson estimates that there will be over 50 billion connected devices in circulation by 2020, including laptops, tablets and smartphones. Keeping an eye out for authentic ways to make use of emerging social/mobile applications will be of great value to those in hotel marketing. 7. Content marketing will replace traditional advertising. Traditional advertising is rapidly losing value as hotel marketing professionals begin to take advantage of effective content marketing. Marketing’s new mantra, “Brands must now act as publishers,” has come about due to social media and its potential to engage in meaningful conversations with loyal fans and clients alike. You will be able to drastically reduce investments in traditional paid media by implementing media tools such as blogs, social media, newsletters, webinars, eBooks,

photo or video sharing and shared media. If brands begin to “opt out” of being a producer, SEO efforts will be affected. Google is now weighing current content, social proof and author scores in their results ranking. Simply put, you need to create and share content while engaging people if you want to be recognized moving forward. 8. Renewed focus on property websites. Considering travelers are increasingly taking their transactions online, the hotel’s own website needs to become the most important avenue for bookings to gain the highest ROI. Review site tactics. According to The Wall Street Journal, Yelp reports 50 million users across its web and mobile platforms. TripAdvisor has become the world’s most popular travel website with 34 million unique users each month. Google Places is the Yellow Pages of the digital age meaning that business listings also show up on iPhone searches as well as on Google Maps. 9. Reputation Management. There is much anticipation that reputation management will begin to dictate the hotel industry in upcoming years. Considering there are millions of reviews written each day across a plethora of different

platforms, the world wide web has the power of influencing one’s decision making process; being able to manage your businesses reputation will determine success or failure. TrustYou had made it their mission to influence travel decisions in a positive way, developing a technology and software making it simple to monitor, manage and market a businesses reputation. Another company, Flip.to, has been making strides to tap into the market of potential travelers’ family and friends considering 70% of customers take recommendations from their family or friends when choosing a product, brand or business. BYOD is Becoming BYOC (Bring Your Own Content): 99% of guests travel with at least one device. Of those, 45% travel with 2 devices and 40% travel with 3 or more. Guests carrying their own devices have implications for more than just bandwidth; guest devices are home to a lot of rich content, namely entertainment (movies, music, games, etc.). Guests Prefer Automated Services: When offered, over 85% of guests use online service requests for room service to housekeeping. When polled, 91% of guests said they checked in or would check in using an automated kiosk. These services

are no longer peripheral offerings, but expected services. These statistics indicate more universal adoption of automation across most guest services. The Lobby as the Social and Technology Epicenter: Communal tables, outlets, and charging stations are encouraging more than just transactional traffic in hotel lobby spaces. More and more guests are seeing lobbies as a way to get work done while enjoying the atmosphere and networking opportunities. More Investment in Guests and “Free” Wi-Fi: 87% of guests polled think that Wi-Fi should be a free amenity. As posted in our previous article, this movement toward Wi-Fi as a commodity has moved highend hotels like Public Chicago and Viceroy New York to offer Internet access in exchange for email addresses. Most guests also agree that tiered bandwidth plans are more than fair. Remote Office and Meeting Spaces: As workplaces have transformed with technology, so have hotel meeting spaces. Programs like Workspace on Demand and Liquidspace, along with better meeting space design, have enabled more productive use of hotel meeting and convention spaces. With increasingly more available technology, expect this

www.voyagersworld.in

Hospitality

trend to continue with even more redesigns and technology at our fingertips. Service and Social Integration: Social technology continues to be woven into guest engagement and service. Social networks are quickly becoming a standard (if they haven’t already); it will no longer act as a separate arm of businesses. Many of these trends come from a wave of technology-driven guest empowerment (read more in our recent post, Hotel Guests Are Catalyzing Tech Changes). As more guests can be heard through online media and forums, hotels respond with these more guest-centric approaches and trends. Mobile check-in for hotels Already available at a smattering of brands and individual hotels, mobile hotel check-in is poised for rapid expansion this year across the industry. While check-in kiosks and other methods of avoiding the front desk line in recent years have become more commonplace at hotels, integration of mobile technology into the travel process is spurring greater adoption across some major hotel brands. At the same time, some third-party technology suppliers are providing tools for hotels and distributors to offer mobile check-in.

Voyager’s World > December 2015

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Marriott Hotels, for example, during the first half of this year plans to offer mobile check-in at all 500 of its hotels globally, at least for Marriott Rewards members. Guests who are members can check from via the Marriott Mobile App from 4 p.m. on the day before arrival. Upon arrival, their key card is waiting for them at a designated mobile check-in desk. Hyatt Hotels and Resorts has a similar process at select hotels, with kiosks available for incoming guests to retrieve keys. Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide’sAloft brand has taken a slightly different approach at the nine properties currently piloting the Smart Check-In program. Guests receive an Aloft-branded Starwood Preferred Guest Card and, on the day of their arrival, receive a text message telling them their room number. They then can head straight to their room and use the SPG card as their key. Third parties also have been developing mobile check-in technology. Mountain View, Calif.based CheckMate late last year launched a beta version of a mobile check-in platform, which it piloted with a handful of hotels in California. Hotels using the technology, which works with any property management system, receive a daily

report of arriving guests and can send out white-labeled emails the day before a guest arrives. “Guests could send in-room requests, arrival times and add loyalty numbers or special requests,” said CheckMate co-founder Anthony Maggio. “On the day of arrival, hotels access that information and can go in and assign rooms in advance.” Besides individual hotels, hotel distributors including online travel agencies and travel management companies also can use the CheckMate platform, Maggio said. Distributors can field guests’ requests and send them to a hotel prior to arrival, even if that hotel itself is not using the technology. Hotel booking and search toolRoom 77 acquired CheckMate in April 2013 and is among its first distribution partners, along with PointsHound and the Alliance Reservations Network. Maggio said that he would like to work with corporate travel agencies, as “a lot have not had the budget or resources for this type of operation, and we think their travelers would definitely benefit from these kinds of things.” Concur’sKoetting said as more hotels retrofit their properties with the appropriate technology,

it soon could be commonplace to check in online and get a bar code readable by a key dispenser near a hotel’s elevator. As mobile check-in expands, front desk arrangements also could evolve to adapt, he added. Some hotels might move to models like an Apple Store, with roving employees allowing “the front desk to come to you,” he said. Aloft’s mobile check-in capabilities already have spurred rethinking about the front desk, said Starwood vice president of specialty select brands Paige Francis. At the Harlem Aloft in New York City, for example, the desk is in the center of the front lobby. “We took the front desk off the back wall and put our talent in the middle of the space,” Francis said. “Some people do want to bypass the front desk, but with it in the middle, they can interact with them in a more meaningful way when they want to interact with them.” Some previous mobile checkin strategies have been slow to expand. For example, Holiday Inn’s Mobile Room Key program, in which the mobile phone itself becomes a guest’s key, first began tests in 2010but remains deployed only in a handful of hotels. Sabre TripCase director of project management Ben Newell said some early attempts were “a solution looking for a problem.

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Sharjah tourism aims 10 million tourists by 2021 ASHWIN KAMBLE

The Sharjah Commerce & Tourism Development Authority,as part of its recent multi-city roadshow in India, presented its Tourism Vision for 2021, aiming to welcome more than 10 million tourists.

harjah Commerce & Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA) organised a four-city roadshow in Ahmedabad, New Delhi, Mumbai and Kochi from 8 - 11 December, with a delegation from Sharjah led by Khalid Midfa, Chairman of SCTDA. The delegation included Nasser Nasef, Cluster General Manager and Chairman, Hotels Sector Business Group Sharjah; Sheena Randhawa, Account Director, Sheraton Sharjah Beach Resort & Spa; Mamdouh El Hakim, General Manager, Copthorne Hotel Sharjah; Pushpendra Sah, Cluster Sales Manager, Ramada Hotel; Sachin Nene, Regional Manager – India, Air Arabia; Manoj Koshyy John, SATA, Sharjah Airport Travel Agency and Ahmed Al Qaseer, Chief Operating Officer¸ Sharjah Investment Development Authority (Shurooq).

Sharjah, which refers to ‘rising sun’ in Arabic, has a history dating back to more than 6,000 years. The presentation by the visiting delegation showcased Sharjah as the cultural capital of Arab region, offering various cultural and heritage sites such as the Heart of Sharjah that highlights Sharjah as the convergence of civilisation, the transit road for trade on sea and land and the meeting point between people and tribes; and the Sharjah Arts Area that features the 18th century mosque, the Sharjah Art Gallery, the Gulf’s biggest art museum and so on. Sharjah offers a variety of attractions for the entire family, from entertainment shows and carnivals to family-friendly beaches, natural desert landscapes and scenic manmade lagoons. The emirate’s east coast offers water sports, snorkeling, diving, and wide option of accommo-

dation from beach camps, motels, hotels and resorts. Sharjah is also home to some of the prominent museums of the Arab world such as Sharjah Hisn, Sharjah Maritime Museum, Sharjah Calligraphy Museum, Al Eslah School Museum, Sharjah Art Museum, Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilization, Al Mahatta Museum, Archaeology Museum and Sharjah Heritage Museum, Majlis Al Midfa.Sharjah was announced as the Capital of Arab Tourism, which is title awarded annually to a destination that meets specific criteria set by the Arab Council of Tourism Ministers. It is also a popular cruise tourism destination with 35 international cruises bringing around 80,000 visitors to the Khorfakkan port at emirate’s East Coast. SCTDA has been helping

cruise lines cater to the different interests of the visitors by regularly organising cultural events such as traditional dance performances at the port and operating a heritage village during cruise calls. New developments include Al Montazah Park; Sheraton Sharjah Beach Resort & Spa; Novotel Sharjah Expo Al Noor Island; Majlis Grand Mercure Sharjah – Resort & Spa operated by Accor; Aquabike Grand Prix, etc. The Sharjah Tourism Vision 2021, a road map for Sharjah’s future tourism, aims to welcome more than 10 million tourists to the emirate by 2021. The vision focuses on family tourism, innovative tourism approach, world class tourism facilities and capabilities and promoting Sharjah as an international cultural hub.

BRAND USA HIGHLIGHTS NEW POLICIES AT EDUCATIONAL SEMINAR IN KOLKATA VW BUREAU

n order to promote US destinations, Brand USA recently organised an educational seminar for travel agents in Kolkata which is a part of the “DiscoverAmerica” series. The seminar was attended by over 90 travel agents. The objective of this training programme is to update the travel trade about the latest destination

developments and product offerings the United States of America has to offer.

travel agents with the knowledge and skills needed to sell trips to the USA more effectively.

At the seminar; Brand USA also encouraged the agents to become a ‘USA Specialist’ by completing the “USA Discovery Program”. This innovative and interactive online training programme hosted at www. usadiscoveryprogram.in provides

Currently, over 2,400 travel agents from across India have completed the “USA Discovery Program”. Brand USA partners who participated in the Kolkata educational seminar were -Visit California, Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism, Las Vegas

Convention & Visitors Authority, NYC & Company. Josef M. Burton, Consular Officer, US Consulate, Kolkata and Arup Kumar Mitra, Senior Commercial Speciaist, U.S. Commercial ServiceEast India, were also present during the presentation and updated the audience on US visa procedures and new policies.

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India Outbound

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Bulgaria bets big on bollywood! ASHWIN KAMBLE

H.E. Mrs. Nikolina Angelkova, Minister of Tourism, Republic of Bulgaria, is glad the nation has caught the attention of Indian filmmakers and looks forward to welcoming more Bollywood filmmakers.

“

It is very important for us to come to India during this year,” began H.E. Mrs. Nikolina Angelkova, Minister of Tourism, Republic of Bulgaria, when she met the travel trade in Mumbai recently, adding that the ministry was keen to present Bulgaria, an undiscovered treasure, that needs to be unveiled and understood, to the Indian market. Offerings Calling her country as epic, the Minister said, “We have so much to offer. The epic country that can offer really anything from winter to summer, streets to water sports, from wellness and wine to MICE and golf. Though we are a small territory, we have everything in abundance. In fact, we also offer combined tours to Romania. It is something that we are doing currently. We work in Greece, drawing a common cultural product for long distance markets.” The Bollywood connection We have many traditions to attract

the attention of Bollywood and have already hosted three movies in Bulgaria, one of them being Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan’s upcoming Dilwale. The movie’s trailer has generated a lot of interest with 13 million views and we are happy about having convinced filmmakers to shoot here and trust us. We are happy to provide all the relevant conditions for them to feel at home and do their job as in any other country. Shah Rukh Khan is oour ambassador. We have a video of Hollywood actors endorsing our nation and we are also planning to have a similar one for Bollywood including Shah Rukh Khan. The video would be, hopefully, launched next year in the Indian market. Hotel options Bulgaria is known for its summer and winter resorts and is much cheaper than the ones in Austria, France, Croatia or Turkey. Our accommodation options give very good value for money, especially for

the medium and high-end category hotels. Most of the four and five star hotels are housed in historical buildings. We still are identifying in terms of luxury tourism and one of my initiatives is to improve that and attract investment in that segment. This is one my main initiatives to start attracting the high end and luxury hotels. Marketing strategy Our new marketing strategy is based on personal approach. We have mainly individual marketing plan for each of our targeted markets

and we have divided the markets into target markets and prosperous markets. Our targeted markets are top 10 or 15, in our list of arrivals. And the potential markets are India, China and Japan, Middle East and the West. We do direct negotiations with tour operators. We are also promoting the country through international airlines. Currently, we are advertising in National Geographic. In case, if we have budget left, after all these personal operations, we shall use it for awareness through TV.

Germany leverages on affordable stay options PRIYAMVADHA BALARAM

The average room rate per night in Germany begins from as low as €95, making it very affordable for travellers, says Romit Theophilus, Director for India, GNTO. Delhi and Bangalore on 23 and 24 November respectively and will hold the Mumbai edition on 27 November.

As part of its Discover Germany Workshop India 2015, the German National Tourist Office (GNTO) organised roadshows in New

Voyager’s World > December 2015

The Bangalore edition consisted of buyer-seller meetings followed by an interactive presentation on ‘Destination Germany’. The roadshow gave an opportunity to tour operators and dealers to know more about Germany and meet German partners in person. The delegation consisted of members representing Accor Hotels, InterContinental Berlin, Rail Europe, Köln-Düsseldorfer Deutsche Schifffahrt AG, the City Tourism Board of Cologne,

Airberlin Airlines, Lufthansa Airlines, Eurotours, the State Tourism Board of Bavaria, Maritim Hotels, the State Tourism Board of Saxony, the City Tourism Board of Stuttgart, City Tourism Board of Baden- Baden and on behalf of GNTO. The presentation strongly focused on affordable hospitality and incentive travel. “Germany has quite reasonable accommodation options as compared to those available in neighbouring European destinations like France and Switzerland. The average room rate per night in Germany begins from as low as €95, making it very affordable for travellers,” said Romit Theophilus, Director

for India, GNTO. “GNTO has been visiting Bangalore for the last seven years and the city now stands at the third position after Mumbai and New Delhi in terms tourist traffic to Germany. We are delighted to share that Germany has registered over 4,70,000 visitors from India until August this year and is expecting a 8-10% growth by the end of this year,” he added. GNTO’s core marketing theme for this year is ‘Traditions and Customs‘ and next year, it will focus on elaborating the existing subsidies and promoting Germany as a film destination for Indian film makers.“, he further added.

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crete comes calling on mumbai travel fraternity! IRENE SUSAN EAPEN

Michalis Vamiedakis, Commissioner of Tourism for the Island of Crete, Greece says Crete the island offers beaches and history of monuments, and traditional villages for visitors to explore year round. experience for a discerning traveller. The authentic island, having enjoyed over 40 years of tourism development, still remains true to its heritage and traditional roots. Crete’s appeal becomes apparent by its strength in hosting 30% of all 5* beds in Greece, and a staggering 40% of visitors being repeat guests.

Crete as a destination Crete is the largest island in Greece that attracts an array of travellers like families seeking sun, sea and sand, history/archaeology, enthusiasts seeking cultural charm, along with wellness and gastronomy, relaxation and rejuvenation. Crete offers a unique and memorable

Marketing plans for 2016 Crete is welcoming guests from all over the world. In 2015, the top 10 incoming markets are Germany, United Kingdom, Russia, France, Norway, the Netherlands, Poland, Italy, Israel and Belgium. One of the priorities of 2016 is to make the destination known to the Indian market. While continuing its marketing activities to its traditional strongholds, the Region is expected to engage in more activities like the 23rd Novem-

ber 2015 workshop, in India. Segments Crete in comparison to other destinations within Greece, the island offers extraordinary diversity. Moreover, due to its mild climate, Crete offers the longest tourism season of all Greek islands, allowing visitors to explore it year round. The segments promoted are Family Holidays, Culture & History, Activities and Adventure, Five Star Hospitality (including Golf and Spa) , Sea/Sun/Recreation, Gastronomy, Nature/Touring/Agrotourism, Cretan Traditions/Arts and Lifestyle, Mountain/Spring/Winter Activities in Crete The island caters to many different needs and preferences; from a twoweek pampering holiday in one of the most luxurious resorts in Greece

to crossing Samaria Gorge, one of the longest gorges in Europe.The majority of travellers are likely to create a bespoke itinerary including enjoying the sea, the island offers more than 550 beaches, exploring both ancient and modern eras of Cretan history through an abundance of monuments, museums and events, visiting traditional villages. The Cretan diet is considered the archetypal Mediterranean diet where you can taste signature dishes and feel the warmth of the islander’s hospitality, the island boasts of its 40% repeaters rate. Types of accommodation Crete offers a wide range of accommodation that includes 5* resorts 30% of all 5 star beds in Greece are found in Crete, 4* hotels, all inclusive options, traditional guest houses, agro-tourism lodges and rented villas.

Ethiopian Tourism expects growth to double by 2016 IRENE SUSAN EAPEN

Tadesse Tilahun, Regional Director-India, Ethiopian Tourism says India is a potential market for Ethiopia as the people enjoy travelling and India is a growing economy. steadily on the rise. The Indian market as a whole is very price conscious. Ethiopian Airlines has started selling Ethiopia as a tourist destination by opening a separate entity “Ethiopian Holidays” who take care of all arrangements for tourists. There are several newly opened resorts in Ethiopia that offer the discerning traveller with a local experience that includes the local cuisine and spa facilities which is quiet popular . Indian market The tourism and leisure market constitutes one of the largest travel segments from India and the traffic from India in these segments is

Expected growth for 2015-2016 We are expecting the growth to double since we have commenced double daily operation out of

Mumbai and also expecting the daily flights out of Delhi to be twice daily. India has a lot of potential since the economy is thriving and people enjoy travelling.

promoters in India who will represent Ethiopian Airlines in India and work closely with Ethiopian Holiday team at Addis Ababa to jointly promote not only Ethiopian tourism.

New destinations promoted Some of the famous destinations promoted are South Omo Valley, Axum, Bale Mountains and the other tourist destinations are Lake Tana, Danakil Depression, Lalibela, Harar Blue Nile falls, Ras Dashen, Simien Mountains National Park.

Segments focused like culinary, wildlife, adventure The wildlifesafari’s and adventure traffic is our main focus and they constitute a major chunk of tourism segment.

Marketing plans We are in the process of appointing two to three local partners, who are amongst the TOP Leisure/MICE

The labor, business and leisure are the main category of travellers to Africa. Besides these three categories, Sea Men & VFR (Visiting Friends and Relatives) constitute the other two categories of travellers.

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India Outbound

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Tourism Malaysia hosts Mega FAM program & Deepavali open house IRENE SUSAN EAPEN

ourism Malaysia recently organized Mega Familiarisation Programme for 152 international media and travel agents from 17 countries Australia, Azerbaijan, Brunei, China, India, Indonesia, Iran, Korea, Laos, Philippines,Russia,Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, Thailand, USA and Vietnam. Followed by a presentation on Tourism Malaysia,a destination seminar on Kedah and Perlis . The event was attended by YBhg. Dato’ HJ. Azizan

Noordin, Deputy Director General( international promotion) of Tourism Malaysia, Dato’ Abdul Khani Daud, Deputy Director General Advertising & Digital, Tourism Malaysia, Dato’ Razaidi Abd Rahim, Director , Tourism Malaysia Perlis,Dato’ Zulkifli Mohamad, CEO, Kedah Tourism. Discover Kedah 2016 is the first initiative done by the government of Kedah in terms of promoting Kedah. Dato’ Zulkifli Mohamad, CEO, Kedah Tourism, says, “Tourism is about experience and photography. Kedah

is known for its rich history the royal heritage and paddy grain. Tourism is all about experience that people need to talk and come back again.” The next day the Mega FAM participants got to witness the Malaysia Deepavali Open House 2015 celebration at Padang Awam Kulim, Kedah showcasing Malaysian holiday packages to clients. The open house event was graced by the Prime Minister, Dato’ Seri Mohd. Najib Tun Abdul Razak and

wife, Datin Paduka Seri Rosmah Mansor;Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia, Dato’ Seri Dr. Ahmad Zahid bin Hamidi; Kedah State Chief Minister,Dato’ Seri Paduka Hj.Mukhriz Tun Mahathir;Minister of Health, Dato’ Seri Dr. Subramaniam K.V. Sathasivam; Minister of Tourism and Culture, Dato’ Seri Mohamed Nazri bin Tan Sri Abdul Aziz; Deputy Minister of Tourism and Culture, Datuk Hajak Mas Ermieyati bin Samsudin; and Minister of Tourism Malaysia, YB Dato’ Seri Mohamed Nazri bin Tan Sri Abdul Aziz.

1 Malaysia Year End Sale Campaign 2015 in Penang IRENE SUSAN EAPEN

he Tourism Malaysia Mega FAM participants for travel agents and media from 17 countries attends the Malaysia’s shopping festival- 1 Malaysia Year- End Sale or MYES to witness the shopping culture in Malaysia through the launch of the 1 Malaysia Year- end Sale Campaign 2015 and launch of Malaysia shopping maps at G Hotel,Penang, followed by a presentation on “ Malaysia Shopping Landscape” by Head of Secretariat Shopping Malaysia, YB Puan Balzuri Binti Baharum along with a total of 758 retailers and shopping malls

Voyager’s World > December 2015

participating throughout Malaysia. The shopping maps launched are divided in to four separate maps covering Kuala Lumpur/ Selangor, Putrajaya, Penang, Johor/ Melaka,Sabah/Sarawak that will guide tourists to locate major shopping centers. YBrs. Madam Chong Yoke Har, Deputy Director General( Strategic & Domestic), Tourism Malaysia launched 1MYES 2015 at G Hotel in George Town,Penang along with representatives of participating merchants and shopping malls as

well as 152 participants of Tourism Malaysia Mega FAM programme, including travel agents and media who got to experience Malaysia’s vibrant shopping environment. The 1 Malaysia Year-End Sale ( 1 MYES) 2015 offers everyone special deals, duty free offers at entry/ exit points, and events in hundreds of shopping outlets nationwide from 14 November 2015 to 3 January 2016. The Kuala Lumpur Fashion Weekend Preview in Kuala Lumpur from 15 November to 22 November, featured the collections of British designer

Zandra Rhodes. Malaysia’s tourist arrivals for 2014 reached 27.4 million, an increase of 6.7% compared to 25.7million tourists in 2013.In 2014, tourists spent RM21.6 billion on shopping in Malaysia, an increase of 9.3% compared to RM19.8billion in 2013.MyFest 2015 is expected to help Malaysia secure the targeted 29.4 million tourist arrivals and RM 89 billion in tourist receipts for 2015. These figures will help achieve the target of 36 million tourist arrivals with RM 168 billion in tourist receipts by 2020 under the Malaysia Tourism Transformation Plan.

India Outbound

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Discover Kedah, a land of history! IRENE SUSAN EAPEN

Zulkifli Mohamad, CEO, Kedah Tourism says Kedah is a destination offering an assortment of experiences in terms of villages, hills and islands. us many stories about linkages that we have back then not also about the history, the culture and food. The Sungai Batu Civilization Complex excavation by archeologists found Hindu temples back in 487 BC a lot of Indian tourists should visit this not only for knowledge.

Kedah promoted as a tourism destination The Indian market is a market that we should focus on and must focus on. The reason being when i look to all the historical books they are always talking about the Indian sailors and traders who were here years before. So there is a long history of India and Kedah. We have witnessed Indian travellers coming over to Kedah. We need to highlight the Sungai Batu Civilization Complex because it tells

We have seen Indians coming over to Kedah to the main land Langkawi. We need to promote more of Kedah and make sure the air connectivity and convenience is good we need to have a lot more Indians coming over and India is such a big country so we are looking at that tie in terms of archeological and historical values . We are going to focus on India and zoom in with them and do a lot of promotion programmes. Malaysia is well blended as the Indian culture has been with us for years. Discover Kedah 2016 is actually a call for action asking

all to come and discover Kedah. A lot of people know about Langkawi. Langkawi is a part of Kedah and has many more islands we have also got many more villages,royal heritage trail,culture means people,fashion and food. For vegetarians ,we have a lot of vegetarian restaurants in Kedah for the vegetarians. One can discover Kedah through Alor Setar and Langkawi. Marketing Plans 2016 We are going to synergize with Tourism Malaysia to focus on Kedah through various segments like the authentic village experiences of living in Kedah village, recreational activities with nature like white water crafting, visit the cave , royal heritage trail so our main focus is culture ,heritage and nature. For the Indian tourists food is the main factor Malaysia has a lot of

choice in terms of various cuisine. Kedah is a land of history which is about 487 BC with the excavation by the archaeological team found 48 sites like 6 bridges, pots ,melting works, iron works and ancient ships. Homestay is a growing aspect in Kedah through experiential tourism or rural tourism not only by tasting the local food but also dressing like the locals and living with them and indulging in activities like rubber tapping, paddy field experience where you become a culture person based on the homestay unlike any other place . The experience in the homestays of Kedah will be very different from the homestays in South of Malaysia. People prefer to stay at homestays these days rather than hotels we have noticed people coming over for a stay in homestay. Kedah offers multiple experiences like the authentic Kedah lifestyle.

NYC & Company forecasts growth to be 15% for 2015 IRENE SUSAN EAPEN

Christopher Heywood, SVP, Global Communications, NYC &Company says the Indian market is a potential market for New York City and continues seeing a positive growth from India. city’s hotel sector reached 102,000 hotel rooms last year. From India, New York City welcomed an estimated 263.000 visitors in 2014, reflecting a growth of 12 percent since the previous year. The New York City is the number one port-of-entry for foreign tourists. The growth forecast for 2015 is again about 12-15 percent.

Growth of the Indian market In 2014, New York City reached an all-time record of 56.4 million. The visitors to the city generated an estimated $61.3 billion in economic impact to the local economy and the

Marketing and promotional plans New York City will continue to build on the past growth and realize the potential of the Indian market. New York City is evolving with new attractions and hotel openings. New York City is a year round destination that encourages visitors to enjoy brand new attractions along with unique events happening in the city during the holiday season.NYC &

Company announced during World Travel Market (WTM) had a new year-round seasonal promotion and marketing campaign, Unlock NYCTM, with the first iteration to expand visitation to the five boroughs during the winter with the new tagline, ‘Find a Winter Less Ordinary’. For more information on Unlock NYC, visit nycgo.com/unlock. Main segments Some of the segments areFIT leisure and business travel is expected to further grow as well as leisure group movements and also MICE. The NYC & Company is a resource for planning unforgettable MICE programs, connecting to 102,000 hotel rooms, 2 million square feet of event space, and unparalleled dining in 24,000

restaurants, shopping, arts and entertainment. NYC is a destination that both inspires attendees and delivers the results MICE organizers seek. New destinations New York City’s five boroughs Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, Bronx and Staten Island and their individual neighborhoods offersiconic museums and a variety of other attractions for all age groups. Staying patterns The New York City welcomed an estimated 263.000 visitors from India in 2014, reflecting a growth of 12 percent since the previous year. The staying tends of the traveller are longer.

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India Outbound

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european quartet meets indian travel trade, shows new products The tourism boards of the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia made presentations on the region’s leading attractions to the travel trade in New Delhi, Bangalore and Mumbai. ALAN MARIA JOSE

uropean Quartet, an association of the tourism boards of Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia, organised a three-city roadshow called ‘Discover Central Europe’ from 3-5 December in New Delhi, Bangalore and Mumbai respectively. The delegation included András Halász, Commercial Counsellor, Consulate General of Hungary, Mumbai, as well as representatives such as Eastern Europe Tour.net, Europea.travel, Prague Incoming, Flying Wings,

Voyager’s World > December 2015

Pátria Tours, Poznán Tourism Organization, Florian Travel Tour Operator and Vindiatours. The roadshow focused on promoting MICE and leisure tourism. The four distinct countries, linked by the similar geography of Central Europe, offers tourist attractions such as Warsaw, Bratislava, Prague, Budapest and beauty and health spas that contribute to the holistic travel experience. The Czech Republic, bordering on Germany, Poland, Austria and Slovakia, offers

over 50 spa towns, 200 castles and UNESCO World Heritage sites in Prague, Český Krumlov and Telč. Hungary’s leading attractions comprise eight UNESCO world heritage sites as historical buildings in Budapest, caves of the Aggtelek karst, the old village of Hollókő, the 1000-year old monastery at Pannonhalma, etc. Poland, on the other hand, is home to 23 national parks, Gdańsk, a

major economic, cultural and tourist centre, Kraków, one of the country’s most ancient cities, wedding and movie locales, etc. Slovakia has nine national parks, 12 underground caves open to the public. The capital city Bratislava is close to the borders of Austria, Hungary and the Czech Republic. It has five cultural and two natural UNESCO World Heritage Sites; 180 castles; etc. are among the various touristic offerings of Slovakia.

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Travel Events

glimpses of iitm PUNE 2015

The 85th edition of the India International Travel Mart (IITM) took place in Pune at the Deccan College Grounds from 27 - 29 November, 2015. VW BUREAU

‘andariki namaskaram’ to HYDERABAD The 86th edition of IITM took place in Hyderabad from 4 – 6 December at the People’s Plaza, Necklace Road. IITM says ‘Andariki Namaskaram’ to the visitors. VW BUREAU

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Adventure

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India to evolve as an adventure destination... IRENE SUSAN EAPEN

Mohit Poddar, Founder, Shoes on Loose, says adventure tourism is growing at a very fast pace with the rising awareness of Social Media. adventure activities like camping, rafting, cycling and motor biking are picking up fast. The adventure sports like paragliding, kayaking, deep sea scuba, surfing and skydiving schools are flourishing with registrations from people ready to spend 7-10 days to learn the sport and experience it.

Adventure tourism Adventure tourism is in a very nascent stage in India but is growing at a very fast pace and the awareness is rising due to social media and print media. Some of the

India has great potential and we can give strong competition to Nepal if we regularize things and make the end user have a great experience. The new age traveller often does his research online and any such issue/ review posted by tourists with bad experience can jeopardize the reputation which is one of the reasons for lesser flow of inbound tourists. India as a destination has

aplenty to offer to its tourists, be it in terms of spirituality, adventure, nature, culture and more. If we take stringent measures to preserve our assets, promote them well and also assure travelers some safety and security, we can definitely flourish as a tourist hub.We have not witnessedabooming growth as we are still trying to portrait India as a spiritual destination and not an adventure junkie nation like Nepal and regulation in adventure are missing. Exploring new activities People are very keen in exploring new activities and new places for any sport, we have noticed a considerable increase but the facilities are not being developed as

fast as the demand is. Some places like Manali where the facilities are there and the tourist pull is also considerable the sport activities are being hindered due to mismanaged steps by the government - NGT ban of vehicle going to Rohtang without developing alternate infrastructure leading to local union strikes and finally travelers have to suffer as they are not able to get what they had come there for. Promotional plans for 2016 We are in process of developing a customization portal as to empower the user and to plan their own itinerary. Our focus is to develop a knowledge based portal so that users know exactly what they are in for.

ministry extends support to develop adventure tourism in india PRESS INFORMATION BUREAU

Steps taken by the Ministry to promote adventure tourism include issuance of guidelines for Approval of Adventure Tour Operators, formulation of basic minimum standards, etc.

dventure Tourism is one of the emerging segments of travel in India. The Ministry of Tourism extends Central Financial Assistance to State Governments/ Union Territory Administrations for the development of tourism projects including Adventure Tourism, on the basis of proposals received from them subject to adherence of relevant scheme guidelines and availability of funds utilization of funds release earlier. The National Tourism Policy, 2002 and the Report of the Working Group on Tourism for the 12th Five Year Plan lay thrust on development and promotion of Adventure Tourism. The steps taken by the Ministry of Tourism to promote Adventure Tourism, inter alia, include issuance of guidelines

Voyagerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s World > December 2015

for Approval of Adventure Tour Operators, formulation of basic minimum standards for Adventure Tourism activities, etc. The Ministry of Tourism has been promoting Adventure Tourism through its domestic and international campaigns. The Ministry of Tourism had launched a campaign â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;777 days of Incredible Indian Himalayasâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; on 27th September 2013 to promote the tourism potential of the Indian Himalayas. The campaign, inter alia, aimed at promoting Indian Himalayas as an incredible tourism product and to make it as round the year destination. This campaign was conceived after holding a detailed discussion with the representatives of the Adventure Tour Operators Association of India (ATOAI).

The Adventure Tour Operators Association of India has appreciated this initiative of the Ministry of Tourism. The Ministry of Tourism also extends financial support for capacity building/training programmes in the adventure tourism sector. In addition, the Ministry of Tourism in its guidelines for Basic Minimum Standards for Adventure Tourism related

activities has identified the following categories of adventure tourism viz. land, water and air based activities which include mountaineering, trekking, river running, hang gliding, para gliding and bungee jumping. Safety-precautionary measures to prevent any untoward incidents are under the purview of concerned State Governments/Union Territory Administrations.

india among frontrunners in driving up group sizes in 2016 VW BUREAU

A study by Carlson Wagonlit Travel forecasts India and China to drive up prices and group sizes despite fluctuating economic conditions for the MICE industry in 2016.

recent study by Carlson Wagonlit Travel (CWT) forecasting trends in the meetings and events industry for 2016 projects India and China to drive up prices and group sizes, despite the current changeable economy and health-related scares that are likely to threaten to limit overall growth for the region. Indiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s growing interest in organising meetings and events in overseas locations have been on an upward note, thereby encouraging international convention bureaus, PCOs, event planners and tourism boards to come up with attractive packages and concepts for their meetings. The Melbourne Convention Bureau, for instance, and the Thailand Conventions and Exhibitions Bureau are going all out to woo Indian MICE organizers. Thailand is one of the top favoured destinations for Indian MICE movements. The constantly on-the-move business traveller, in the midst of a not-so-strong rupee, rising fuel costs and airfares, struggles to keep pace with technology and other trends that strive to make corporate travel cost-effective.

As far as the APAC region was concerned, business growth would be driven by China and India and more code sharing and LCCs dominating aviation. Some more Asian carriers are likely to join traditional alliances and long haul low cost carriers will also be emerging trends. Asia Pacific cities have the highest occupancy rates in the world for the upcoming year. The law of supply and demand will create interesting dynamics in India and China. In India, the excess construction of global chains has created too much supply, exceeding the demand, thereby creating opportunities for buyers for negotiations. The CWT report states that increased governance and focus on compliance is being driven by the pharmaceutical industry, prompting these companies to look for ways to gain the best control of their overall M&E programs. As of June, there are 2,363 hotels offering 554,532 rooms under contract in the region, representing a 6.7% increase compared to June 2014, and a 0.6% year-over-year increase in rooms under construction. And Indonesia and China are constructing a strong pipeline of hotels, with large global

chains expanding even further into China. Overall, supply is growing in the region, which is helping to moderate the cost increases driven by growing demand. In particular, global M&E clients with a presence in Asia Pacific are becoming more interested in SMM programs, but they seek to balance the improved control and potential cost savings generated by SMM strategies with local business needs.

visitors from driving without a local driverâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s license.

China will continue to experience a surplus of new supply from global chains and emerging brands for Chinese travellers but demand is expected to keep pace.

Challenges According to a survey by Abacus lat year, it identified some key trends that are anticipated to have an effect on business travel in the next few years.

Meetings and Events Projections The strongest overall growth will take place in Asia Pacific, with both group sizes and daily attendees sizes anticipated to increase. The demand will remain strong though supply vs. demand will vary according to the country. Carlson Wagonlit Travel studies and found that car rental prices will increase modestly though options are limited by local restrictions in some locations that prevent foreign

In those countries, such as China, car rental is typically chauffeured by local drivers. Chinaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s continually developing high speed rail infrastructure will garner strong interest from travel buyers in 2014, who are increasingly interested in using this option instead of air travel where applicable.

97% of respondents have received instructions to further tighten business travel policies. There is no relaxation of the rules in sight, despite the more favourable economic outlook acknowledged by all. 73% reported business clients implementing policies to decrease the number of business trips. Six in ten clients are extending economy class thresholds to reduce business class travel.

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47% of travellers are also now encouraged to opt for lowerstar accommodation. 43% of respondents felt that their role had recently shifted more in favour of business procurement. 73% of business clients have increased their preference to use low cost carriers. Other parameters in the policy include the flight time, booking channel, trip changes, etc. 73% of business travel companies have implemented a business booking tool (CBT). 64% of respondents agreed that a good number of travellers wants to deal with travel management companies and agencies, with 55% perceiving business travel itineraries to be too complex a task to undertake themselves. Over 83% of travel management companies and agencies felt that smartphones would have a moderate to significant impact on business. Only 33% had implemented any mobile web or native applications for smartphones, leading with a simple mobile itinerary tool. Though the adoption rates of smartphones and tablets are high in Asia Pacific region, only four in ten enable flight and hotel bookings on mobile. 33% of business travel companies have created a mobile web or native mobile app for smartphones for business bookings. Keeping aside the trends and expectations, let us take a look at the challenges that business travel is burdened with. Rising costs of travel and accommodation seem to be the biggest concern presently. In the last few years, airfares have gone sky-high, so also the room rates, thereby adversely affecting

Voyagerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s World > December 2015

travel budgets. Going beyond complaining, the need to travel is still there. Employees demand access to first class travel and hotel arrangements; hence companies have to design their travel budgets in a way as to keep costs at a certain level.

conditions, the best alternative would be to re-look at their suppliervendor contracts. Business travel planners can reach a deal with longstanding suppliers and bring about contracts that reward loyalty while ensuring a win-win situation for both the parties.

While people talk about technology pervading all levels of travel on the one hand, a lot of people still find it difficult to book a LCC flight. There are several issues pertaining to booking the seat, hand luggage, meals onboard, window seats and making reservations in the first 10 rows, for instance. With varying demands on part of the employees and rising airfare and different airline policies, it is quite a challenge for companies to draw up a costeffective, value for money travel and accommodation plan.

They can negotiate with the airlines and the hotels for a certain number of seats and rooms during a certain period and reach an amicable policy while drafting their request for proposals.

Hence, it is not surprising that businesses these days are resorting to a single-window booking system to take care of all the booking aspects. Some of them also engage a separate travel concierge desk in their organizations. This kind of a set up not only eases the process, but also brings about a lot of deals and discounts in hotels and flights for the employees. Besides this, companies can also formulate a meticulous travel policy in order to keep a lid on costs. These policies can be about fixing a ceiling on the accommodation category like star hotels, guest houses or serviced apartments and also go on to limiting budget on first class travel and opting for economy class. Through this, companies will be able to effect a substantial cut in their travel spending. As for those who face disagreement on such

Other problems encompass increase in the number of new airlines entering the skies, growing passenger numbers, route expansion, need for trained manpower and infrastructure, all required to grow at the same pace. As for price sensitivity, airlines have become cost conscience more than just Passenger Revenue by changing the business models constantly. For instance, carriers generate revenue on sale and lease back (wet lease). Indigo 89 % planes are on lease. Jet Airways is 90%, SpiceJet is 69% and GoAir is 93%. It is expected that the near future capacity will increase in the domestic market. As of today, the entire industry in India is 62 million passengers annually; but the market will add 40 million passengers over the next four years. LCCs have paved for a new trend with the industry going for adding capacity in short haul segments that are usually more profitable. On an average, a Mumbai-Delhi flight is sold at INR 8 /Air Mile and in comparison Mumbai-Ahmedabad is sold at INR 12/Air Mile.

Airlines in India are following models like Air Asia and Southwest Airlines by charging extra for specific seats like by the window or the aisle seat, reducing baggage allowance and increasing cancellation of ticket and no show charges. Indigo is expected to add nearly 10 aircrafts a year over the next decade or so mostly to operate domestic segments. In so far as fares are concerned, Zero Frill Carriers are found to offer a reasonable alternative to the premier carriers. A successful LCC in India is very clear about what it promises to deliver. If the airline charges a fare without any frills, whilst promising a certain standard of service, with â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Arriving on Timeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; being their USP, then it stands to win hands down in terms of running full or almost full. Meals, water and other such add-ons have to be borne by the passenger. This kind of a policy is better than running a LCC and supplying a newspaper, a sandwich and a water bottle. Tiny supplementary costs can go a long way in adding to its overall cost. Business travel managers have implemented compound strategies in order to make sure the lowest reasonable fare is offered to the employee at the time of booking. Here is where policies such as a 7-Advance Purchase, business fare vs. retail fare, day trips and round trip fares are executed. With so many promotions happening every few months, these strategies ensure that the business does not lose out to the retail purchaser when it comes to negotiating bulk deals. Another hindrance faced by businesses while dealing with travel plans for their executives would be

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demanding and insistent travellers. With increasing international travel and exposure to world class travel and accommodation standards, today travellers seek the best arrangements. Irrespective of the nature of the travel, work or the company policy, employees anticipate and desire a four or a five star hotel accommodation. Budget accommodation options remain at a secondary level. A business booking tool or an OTA usually facilitates the work. However, an inefficient and unproductive booking tool will not serve the process. One requires the complete booking options to find out the best and most ideal travel and hotel choices that would not only fit in their budget but also be of a certain standard. Overcoming challenges CWT recommends tips to help get better deals with suppliersConsolidate for control and savings An enterprise-wide SMM program will help you realize cost savings while creating a big-picture strategy that drives efficiencies in other areas of your program. This holistic approach allows you to streamline M&E processes while creating fewer financial and legal risks for your organization. Additionally, you can deploy a consolidated hotel strategy that leverages meetings and business travel spend by identifying opportunities based on travel patterns, key markets and emerging markets. Doing so will also drive savings and operational efficiencies across both your M&E and business travel programs. Plan ahead

Lead time for registration and venue contracts continues to shrink. However, by increasing the lead time for larger events, you can boost your negotiation power, particularly if there is a shift to a buyer’s market in regions like Latin America. Look at your F&B costs Pressure on F&B continues to have a significant impact on cost per attendee per day. In the U.S., we’ve seen an increase of 2.9% year over year for F&B.7 Consider trading down on menu items that don’t heavily impact attendees (eg, moving to tap water vs. bottled) or reducing the number of breaks to contain or even save on F&B despite general cost increases. Limit your risk with hotels We’re seeing continued pressure on cancellation clauses while attrition remains relatively stable. To counter this, establish an addendum for desired cancellation terms with preferred suppliers, using it as a baseline when negotiating. By rolling out preferred supplier programs and strategic partnerships—and establishing compliance KPIs— you won’t only get the best terms, you’ll limit your risk. And you’ll gain visibility to as much spend as possible for better negotiations and increased future buying power. Engage in strategic contract management By streamlining the process for managing all meetingrelated agreements, you’ll get a broader, more connected view of commitments and supplier use across your organization. And you’ll ensure alignment with legal, bypassing lengthy reviews for time-sensitive agreements. Additionally, you’ll benefit from

efficiency and cost savings by aligning your company’s risk mitigation strategies, creating the foundation to roll out or negotiate master service agreements with key suppliers. Finally, consider developing customized negotiation strategies for high-volume markets to increase your buying power and ensure your rates are competitive.

by a business, the regular emails and mailers on the flying miles that one accumulates is sent to the enduser by the airline; again a resultant benefit of access to data.

Looking ahead India still has a very adoption rate for business travel technology in comparison to western markets. An exhaustive travel solution is the need of the hour to ensure the most effective delivery of travel services, be it a simple individual package or complex group itineraries, domestic or international. With online booking tools offering user friendly booking ideas, people still tend to check with their travel concierge or a travel agent over the phone, simply with a need to understand technology by personal communication.

Again the use of smartphones varies from person to person. Not all employees use a smarphone to communicate booking information. Some would much rather prefer the nitty-gritty of travel to be taken care of completely by the company and only the necessary information be communicated to them. Plus, there is the concern of international roaming charges when one is on foreign shores.

While it was mentioned earlier that a single window booking system could alleviate booking hassles, what organizations look for are a comprehensive technology solution that covers all aspects of bookings. A solution that would be a one-stop site listing all the types of travel and hotel choices quickly, including ground transportation, is likely to be adopted by a business. Having said that, today the proliferation of smartphones in our personal and professional lives, have necessitated us, employees to be able to have more access to information. More so, when it comes to dissemination of travel information. While one may have travelled on a particular international airline once, with the booking done

When he uses the same flight the next time, he can utilize these regular miles information to seek upgrades.

In such cases, organizations must look out for those solutions that offer customized or personalized itineraries, like an exclusive app for travel to a particular country. This can help the concierge and the management to effectively be in touch with the executive who is travelling, in real time on their smartphones. For this, they require a cost-efficient, low-cost and secure mobile access platform. The downside of this is that these complications can lead to the organization deciding to go for videoconferencing or tele-conferencing in order to cut down travel. This would mean fewer trips. Alternatively, they can review their expenditure and budgeting. Issues surrounding last minute cancellation, refund, meals, combining more meetings in one trip for maximum value for money, and per diem can all be re-worked to amend the total trip cost.

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Travel Technology

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Trends that have shaped 2015 and what 2016 may bring VW BUREAU

Asian travellers are expected to account for nearly half of the global tourism expenditure by the year 2020 and two out of every five travellers are expected to be from the largest continent on earth.

015 has been nothing short of thrilling for those in the travel industry and especially for us at Amadeus, who are at the centre of the travel ecosystem. In fact, this might be the most inspiring time to be in the industry. By 2020, two out of every five travellers are expected to be Asian and will account for nearly half of the global tourism expenditure. Naturally things are going to change rapidly alongside evolving traveller demands. As the year comes to an end, we take a step back to look at trends that shaped 2015 and what we may expect in 2016 and beyond. 2015- Sharing economy flexes corporate muscle The ‘sharing economy’ started to become a reality in 2015. Now a fast growing multi-billion dollar segment of the global travel industry, the sharing economy is increasingly becoming a consideration for corporate travellers. As the lines between business and leisure travel blur, employees in 2015 started to expect the same type of experience for business travel as they do for leisure. Asian airports respond to the needs of LCCs (Low Cost Carriers) LCCs continue to take Asia by storm, but as they evolve their services, airports have to re-evaluate how they service this new mix of shortand long-haul LCC models in 2015. Why did Asian airports invest in

Voyager’s World > December 2015

serving LCCs? Because a growing share of airline seats today are on LCCs. Airports in Singapore and Malaysia have been trying to woo LCCs not only by building terminals but even airports dedicated to LCCs. Airports are also trying to keep airport fees down to enable LCCs to continue offering low-cost tickets for passengers. When experience trumps money Gone are the days where cost trumps everything else – brands are now looking at offering unique experiences that money can’t buy. We know personalisation is big – but how have brands actually acted on their promise in 2015? Hotels for example, increasingly curated a spectrum of elevated experiences for long-standing members as part of their loyalty programmes. By offering these experiences, brands hope to create a connection to customers that’s more meaningful than just a hotel room or collection of award points. 2015 has all been about building real loyalty, not just transactional loyalty, treating guests like family rather than customers. Virtual finally becomes a reality For a long time, travel has been the only product that people had to “buy before they try”. But new technology in the form of virtual reality (VR) is shaking things up, allowing travellers to experience their potential destination before

deciding if they want to go. Imagine being able to escape the grind of a daily routine, to jump straight into the bustling streets of Shanghai or the sandy beaches of Thailand from the comfort of your living room. What sounds like an experience straight out of a science-fiction movie might soon become reality. Collaboration not consolidation Travel has become more collaborative, both in terms how people travel, as well as how travel providers work together to meet travellers’ needs. In the global travel ecosystem collaboration means bringing the full spectrum of travel players and intermediaries together. Travel players can no longer innovate in insolation but need to enter the next era of travel via collaboration, powered by technology. 2015 truly welcomed the era of collaborative travel! In 2016 rail will go high speed and cross-border A few years back, who would have anticipated that it would one day be possible to travel overland from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore in just 2.5 hours? The era of rail has arrived in this part of the world, with high speed projects zipping through the corridors of Asia – Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, India and China are all on the case. High speed rail is commonly viewed as delivering economic, environmental and social benefits.

Airports as a destination Imagine airports becoming destinations, not just stopovers. As demand for air travel increases, this might become reality sooner rather than later. We have already seen this with airports building their own hotel complexes in an effort to transform themselves from travel hubs into standalone destinations. Let’s see what they hold ready for travellers in 2016! The demise of seat-back entertainment After years of big investment, airlines have already started talking about the plan to toss seat-back entertainment and instead stream to travellers’ devices. Indeed, some airlines in other parts of the world have indicated they may do so as early as next year. It may be a bold move, passengers may end up with a better entertainment experience and a lower cost to the airline. All you need is a well charged device. Robots take over traditional roles While we saw small steps into this space in 2015 it hasn’t taken off – we think 2016 will be the year. Skynet, anyone? We are not talking about robots taking over the world, but we expect to see the use of artificial intelligence to bring about new levels of automation, while allowing “real” people to deliver a personalised service and that human touch.

Flight Talk

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AIRLINES expected to offer increased flexibility in 2016: Expedia VW BUREAU

xpedia analyzed its trove of data to identify key trends in air travel including the importance of timing, start-ups, increased capacity, etc. The data was consolidated primarily from the Airlines Reporting Corporation, with additional source data from IATA (the airline group), Diio Mi (an airport market intelligence company) and ATPCO (the fare filing operation). Here are three things that Expedia has learned from its airfare data analysis — including 8 billion searched across more than 300,000 unique routes. Timing continues to be greatest indicator of fare Suppliers and startups are always angling to tell consumers the best day to book flights to snag the more affordable fares. This information is always useful to those in the industry looking to understand the ebbs and flows of airline fare pricing. Expedia challenges the age-old maxim that earlier purchasers save more money, confirming that a 2 months advance purchase is generally the cheapest. This can lead to 20% to 31% savings on popular domestic routes at around 57 days, although prices tend to increase dramatically within the two weeks before departure.

stable.However, given the continued drop in oil prices, travelers haven’t enjoyed a commensurate drop in average fare prices. This drop might finally be trickling into the world of high-octane aviation fuels, as airline hedges cycle through and airlines realize windfall

profits. The combination of lower fuel costs and demand-matched capacity means that airliners have increased flexibility in 2016. While not necessarily dropping fares across the board, airlines now have a significant lever for competitive price matching. This kind of direct

competition between airlines has been tampered by consolidation over the past decade, meaning that travelers might again see more favorable fares as airlines use the increased margins from cheap fuel to undercut competitors on certain routes.

A B2B Roadshow for International Travel Suppliers with India’s Top Buyers

The savings has shrunk in the past year. In 2014, the comparable figures were a possible 43% to 56% savings on popular domestic routes when booking around 57 days in advance. However, this only holds true for domestic travel. International flights hold to a much lower average ticket price far in advance of travel. Then the price increases dramatically at the 60-day mark and continues to rise. While domestic ticket prices drop in price up until 2 months prior to travel, international fares just continue to rise past that mark. The valley for international travel sits at 171 days of advance purchase. ncreased capacity is meeting demand There are very real fare implications when demand is matched with increased capacity. As the airlines add more seats to meet the increased appetite for air travel, this means that fares are relatively

India’s Only Multi-destination Roadshow Your gateway to the Indian Outbound Travel Market 8th - 11th February 2016 New Delhi & Mumbai For further enquiry and booking, contact: Sphere Travelmedia & Exhibitions Pvt. Ltd., #245, Amar Jyothi Layout, Domlur, Bangalore - 560 071, India Ph: +91-80-4083 4100, Fax +91-80-40834101 Email: otrindia@otrindia.com Website: www.otrindia.com

www.voyagersworld.in

Cover Story

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CYBER SECURITY and the travel business...future ahead! PRIYAMVADHA BALARAM

ETAA organised a knowledge session on cyber security for the Bangalore travel trade to help them understand the world of cyber crime in the context of tourism and help them secure their businesses.

Shubhamangala Sunil, Founder Chairperson, Cyber Security, Global Cyber Security Response Team

There is a high degree of ignorance and unawareness of cybercrimes happening in the tourism domain and this where the importance of such an awareness session lies.

he Enterprising Travel Agents Association (ETAA), representing the retail tour operators or rather the travel industry in India, organised an interactive knowledge session on cyber security for the travel trade in Bangalore in November. Shubhamangala Sunil, Founder Chairperson, Cyber Security, Global Cyber Security Response Team, led the session that enlightened the attendees on how the tourism industry can secure itself from cyber crime. ETAA’s South India Chapter President, ManumalayilPailey Joy said, “We are happy to announce that we have over 700 members across India. ETAA is constantly engaged in training and empowering its members as we stress on ‘Learn and Earn’ and this is our fourth programme on this undertaking.” Jagat Mehta, President of ETAA was also present for the event. The session began with Shubha introducing the concept of cyberspace before delving into

Voyager’s World > December 2015

the various ways hackers indulge in cyber crime. “Cyberspace is a domain characterised by the use of electronics, and electromagnetic spectrum to store, modify and exchange data via networked systems. A cybercrime is an illegally activity that uses a computer as its primary means of commission,” she said. Cybercrime and tourism She further linked the topic with tourism and raised a question to the audience –“Is tourism domain more targeted by the cyber criminals?” To the perplexed audience, she explained that the main reason behind cyber crime was that today everyone plans their travel with the help of technology; people do not go to agents anymore as they prefer Google instead. “There is a high degree of ignorance and unawareness of cybercrimes happening in the tourism domain and this where the importance of such an awareness session lies. There are high risks involved as

everything happens online from reading reviews about a destination to purchasing airline tickets,” said Shubha. Cybercrime includes hacking the server, email and bank accounts; phishing; creating fake websites; social network; Trojan virus, malware; men-in-middle attacks and social engineering. Piracy in tourism can range from fake bookings and scams to identity thefts of your customers and downright disruption of all e-communications emanating to and from your business. As per a recent research, only 4% of tourism and hospitality businesses have taken steps to deal with the problem. Cyber criminals infiltrate the tourism sector too and con agents. An example of a men-in-middle attack would be a booked travel ticket showing as cancelled when the customer reaches the airport when the agent has not done it. The perpetrator picks up the agent’s details, cancels the ticket and transfers the amount to his account

and the transaction will still show in the ‘Sent’ items of the agent’s inbox. Some of the examples that she used for references included both Indian and international perpetrators. In April 2014, an investigation by Europol revealed that almost 300,000 airline tickets were bought across Europe with stolen credit cards each year. Flight fraud accounts for 11% of all spending on counterfeited cards at an estimated annual cost of £136 million. Organised criminals are heavily involved, using fraudulent tickets to hide their identities when travelling to commit other offences, facilitating illegal immigration and setting up fake travel agencies selling cut-price flights bought on bogus cards. Interpol made 118 arrests last November in a massive airline ticket fraud operation. It targeted criminals suspected of fraudulently purchasing airline flight tickets online using stolen or fake credit card data. The international operation, run by Interpol and joined by representatives from the airlines

Cover Story

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and major credit card companies American Express, MasterCard, Visa Inc and Visa Europe, sought targets globally via three satellite Interpol offices in The Hague (Netherlands), Singapore, and Bogota (Colombia). – Over 60 airlines and 45 countries (including the U.S.) were involved in the activity, which took place at over 80 airports across the world. – This international operation was the result of months of detailed planning between law enforcement, prosecuting and border control agencies, airlines and credit card companies, coordinated by Europol’s European Cybercrime Centre (EC3). – Notifications were sent to transport hubs across the world as waiting enforcement officers intercepted and detained suspects attempting to travel using fraudulently-obtained flight tickets. – More than 281 suspicious transactions were reported and 118 individuals were arrested for criminal online services offering credit card credentials and fake plane tickets, some repeat offenders. – According to Interpol, credit card fraud is linked to other forms of serious crime such as drug trafficking and human trafficking. – According to International Air Transport Association (IATA), the banking, airline and travel sectors have suffered huge financial losses as a direct result of such Internetfacilitated crime, with the airline industry alone facing losses of $1,000,000,000 USD caused by fraudulent online ticket booking. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) issued a notice to all travel agents stating that they were fully responsible for any fraud perpetrated on tickets and other documents paid for by a credit card when the cardholder is not present in their office to

sign a credit card receipt. If a card payment was accepted over the phone, email or the internet andt he cardholder subsequently reprted the transaction as fraudulent, the agent would be liable for any ADM that the validating carrier raised to him. What puts your account ‘at risk’…. The top factor that makes your account and transactions most susceptible to risks of hacking is Free Wi-Fi at public spots. Hackers can connect easily through free WiFi. Fake websites – One is also at risk with the number of fake websites on the rise. There are websites created merely with the login page and the payment page with two screens. Such pages won’t go to any other page links and they will be an exact replica of the original website. Alternately, one can see such pages often reporting ‘Website Error’ ‘404 Page Not Found’, ‘500 Internal Server Error ’, etc., thus validating their nature. When making online payments, if the payment gateway page is stuck, do not refresh. Also, it could well be a situation of document diversion if the payment page goes elsewhere. Social engineering – This refers to eavesdroppers gathering information about you in public spaces; be wary of your casual conversations at the airport, cafés, etc.. In 2011, the Indian Rail Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) blocks 460,000 user IDs and 71,484 email IDs on account of e-ticketing fraud committed by some agents using a software to make automated ticket bookings in bulk. The IRCTC stepped up its cyber surveillance measures to verify IDs and suspend suspicious ones after it was found that agents

created fake IDs for booking Tatkal tickets following a rule barring them from making bookings from 8 am – 9 am. Precautions Shubha further explained on the security and best practices to minimize cybercrimes. While we cannot completely shun ourselves from using the virtual world in these times, we can surely secure ourselves to an extent by some precautionary measures. Shuba enlisted useful tips for the travel agents to avoid online payment fraud and illegal access to accounts. Some of them are Do not access your bank accounts or make important online transactions on public Wi-Fi especially in places like the railway station, shopping malls or the airport. Keep changing your passwords once in every 15 days; avoid apps recommended for storing passwords. Use easily memorable sentences interspersed with numbers and special characters as your passwords. Always remember that whenever you download free apps, there is a cost to it; such apps usually flash a disclaimer while asking for access to your phone details. Exercise caution when using One-time passwords (OTPs) for bank transactions and be careful of pop-ups. Decide wisely as to how much of your data you want stored on your phone. Use a secure browser to make important online transactions and if possible, make use of the virtual keyboard option to type your I-pin. While transacting on your phone, ensure to log out after completing the transfer and do not store the password. Make sure that you know where your

server is and secure it. Agents must also make certain that their office local area network (LAN) is firewall protected and use licensed antivirus software to protect it. Do not share your credit card and other important details over social media, What’s App, Messenger, etc. If you have to still share information, send it in the encryption form. Refrain from purchasing second hand phones and laptops. Role of agents and agencies in cyberspace There are cyber complaint boards that help track fake reviews. Agents are now slowly adopting online reputation management to monitor real and fake reviews to prevent damage resulting from online backstabbing by malicious competitors. Safety measures in office We need to have a secure system to avoid becoming victims of cyber crime. Travel agents can appoint an employee, in the ranks of a chief security officer, specifically for data protection. They can also train employees to thwart cyber attacks. They should not hand over sensitive information to hackers presenting themselves as reputable people; stay away from opening suspicious and malicious links and spam mails. It is important to make sure that documents containing personal information of clients are accessed only by the members of staff on a need-to-know basis. It is recommended that you store data on Cloud or Google and not on the phone; if your phone is stolen, you can block the data access on your cloud. “It is always better to have copies of important data and don’t carry it with you that is not needed,” concluded Shubhamangala.

www.voyagersworld.in

Travel Trends

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Travel & Expense software is eating the corporate travel world VW BUREAU

ew products, better integration, and increased funding are setting the stage for heated competition among companies that provide travel-and-expense (T&E) management services. The payoff could be huge: U.S. business travel is expected to top $292 billion this year, according to the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA). Much of T&E processing is still conducted by old-fashioned methods: As much as 65% of large enterprises still use in-home systems, such as spreadsheets and word-processing software, according to research by Matthew Vettel, managing partner at Great Hill Partners. Such numbers are no doubt fueling much of the interest in the space. In December 2014, SAP acquired T&E giant Concur for $8.3 billion. In June, Los Angeles-based Chrome River Technologies received $100 million in funding (led by Great Hill), funds it’s using, in part, to hire key personnel and build out its engineering, implementation, and support staff. The company is also building a team in Canada, expanding operations in Europe, and planning to begin servicing the Asian market with a dedicated office, rather than from the U.S., in 2016. Also in June, e-procurement specialists Coupa Software of San Mateo, Calif., received $80 million in funding led by T. Rowe Price. Citing

Voyager’s World > December 2015

strong growth in Europe and the Asian-Pacific region, the company is using the funds to expand its global operations and has recently opened new offices in Singapore and Stockholm. It also expects to grow sales and increase its productdevelopment capabilities. A month later, Coupa also acquired travel-technology company Tripscanner to “bring more freedom to business travel booking” by incorporating T&E that occurs outside corporate travel programs. Together, the moves speak to an industry in transition, with many other players — from small businesses like Expensify to the major global distribution systems like Amadeus and Sabre (plus companies dabbling partly in the field, like Deem) — aiming to get a share. Originally founded on the premise of simply linking travel booking and expense accounting, the goal now is to provide true endto-end services, foster integration with a wide variety of partners, and gain 100% visibility of all travel spend. Earlier this year, for example, Chrome River unveiled Data Explorer, a Big Data-based analytics tool that allows users to create visualizations in order to uncover compliance issues, critical trends, and cost drivers.The company is also working on improving integration with banks and better image-processing capabilities for submitting expenses.

Says CEO Alan Rich: “We’re looking at all sorts of ways we can make the process a superior experience, so users don’t have to go back and forth between systems.” Coupa, meanwhile, has rolled out SmarterTrip, a mobile app that augments traditional expensereporting systems by automatically recording an employee’s location to predict items that may need to be expensed. For example, when enabled, the app will track a user’s mileage, ask if it’s expensable, and create an expense line item that can be submitted with a single click. “Once the employee turns it on, either via their mobile app or their Apple Watch, it stays with them all day long,” says Donna Wilczek, vice president, strategy and product marketing. “They’re effectively turning on a virtual personal assistant.” But perhaps the largest trend impacting the industry is the pressure to account for all travel expenses in a world of proliferating booking options (e.g., via Google Search), non-traditional travel options (e.g., Airbnb), and other expenses that may otherwise be out of compliance with corporate policy. Says Tim MacDonald, executive vice president, travel, for Concur: “What happens today is that our

customers are seeing more than 50% of their hotels being booked direct with hotel companies and more than 20% of their air being booked direct with airlines. They’re not getting any of the benefit of their managed travel program on those bookings.” To solve that problem, the company launched TripLink in 2013 to ensure such bookings are captured, control program leakage, and create a more seamless experience. Since then, the company has partnered with dozens of travel suppliers to create an app-based ecosystem that integrates with companies ranging from Airbnb to Wally Park. Recent additions include Accor Hotels and Booking.com. Even deeper integration will no doubt continue to be the industry’s focus, whether it’s incorporating new partners or existing internal systems, such as calendars, pre-approvals, and duty of care requirements. Simply connecting a booking tool and an expense solution “doesn’t yield that workflow benefit, that duty of care benefit, that ability to manage your travel across all channels,” says MacDonald. “There are numerous ways that value can be provided in integrating T&E that go well beyond just connecting a booking tool and an expense solution.”

Travel Trends

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measure relevant data points to enhance booking process VW BUREAU

nderstanding the customer journey in its entirety is a puzzle that continues to challenge digital marketers, particularly when it comes to perfecting the process of online travel booking. This is a viewpoint by Tony Gray, senior director of consulting services at Webtrends. The reality is that there are so many factors that influence a consumer before they make their final travel purchase decision. These factors occur on and offline, across multiple devices and over an unpredictable range of time.

users, and do not overlook the increasing number of non-standard booking channels such as set-top boxes, games consoles, smart TVs, etc. 4. Generate traffic and demand for the purchase process. Know where your site traffic

is coming from and its overall quality, since not all traffic sources are created equal in producing conversions. Some demand channels may be better for earlier stages of the travel buyer’s journey, while others may be important to maximize the profitability of the transaction, such as paid channels,

affiliate marketing, etc. 5. Right-size the booking funnel. The overall consensus across the travel industry is that the booking process should be three to four steps. Occasionally, there are regulatory requirements that cannot be avoided.

Below are five best practices that help you do just that: 1. Understand the travel visitor and his or her purchase process. Understand the buyer’s journey and map your digital data accordingly. Ensure you are able to analyze this journey across different channels and create a single view of a visitor. Be sure to understand the different segments of travelers that visit your site – both known and unknown – as well as the attributes that can be used to tailor their experiences with your brand. 2. Measure all relevant data points within the booking process It’s imperative to collect robust data on the full booking process. The first step is to make sure you can identify and separate out each step, and that all entry and exit paths for each step are captured and reviewed on a regular basis. Some steps are common to all channels, but others might vary according to the channel. Error information should be collected so that corrective actions can be prioritized. Don’t forget to look at intra-page activity – such as link usage, form completion and which images are clicked or not – and work out which actions are helping conversions and which are killing the sale. 3.Optimize for device type for the appropriate stage of the journey Once you’ve measured the data points, you can analyze each point in your funnel with an eye toward device type. Identify shortcomings that are specific to one device – and fix them. If you’ve got an app, make sure you know the difference between tablet and smartphone

Your gateway to the Indian Outbound Travel Market

13 – 21 JANUARY 2016 Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi For further enquiry and booking, contact: Sphere Travelmedia & Exhibitions Pvt. Ltd., #245, Amar Jyothi Layout, Domlur, Bangalore - 560 071, India Ph: +91-80-4083 4100, Fax +91-80-40834101 Email: otrindia@otrindia.com Website: www.otrindia.com

www.voyagersworld.in

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FESTIVALS OF 12 - 28 February, 2016

he annual Nice Carnival is a colourful riot of parades, processions and events with endless fun, festivities and entertainment. The Carnival is made up of two distinct events: the carnival parades, both by day and by night and the flower parades. On the “Place Massena”, 18 allegorical or burlesque floats parade with various entertainment elements, street performers and international musical troupes. By night the play of lights gives the floats a magical aspect. Othe highlight includes flower parades, snapdragons and mimosas.

Winter Carnival, Nice, France

March 2016

he Fiesta Nacional de la Vendimia or the National Grape Harvest Festival is an important festival in Mendoza, Argentina . Though the local celebrations start a month before the festival, there are three main days of celebrations with parades, performances, tributes to the Virgin Carrodilla (the patron saint of the vines) and the election of the Queen of the Grape Harvest. A highlight is the Winery Car Rally that sees vintage, classic and sports cars competing in a rally around the vineyards and wineries of Mendoza. Gourmet cuisine and polo matches are other attractions of the event.

National Grape Harvest Festival, Argentina

9 February, 2016

29 November, 2015 - 17 January, 2016

he ‘Festival of Light’ in Osaka is an event where buildings, parks, bridges, and streets will be surrounded by gorgeous illuminations. The ‘Osaka Castle 3D Projection Mapping Super Illumination’ will be held this winter at Osaka Castle Tower. 3D images will be projected onto the five-story castle keep of Osaka Castle, using 12 projectors. Through skillful use of high-tech projections, the castle will be enveloped in flames, and a waterfall will flow out while butterflies float about.

Festival of Light, Osaka, Japan Voyager’s World > December 2015

ardi Gras is a season of revelry, music, parades, comic costuming in the streets and private masquerade balls. It is an intertwining of its centuries-old Caribbean and European roots. The parade routes of St. Charles Avenue and Canal Street see a sea of ‘carnivalistas’ chanting “Throw me something, mister!”, demanding plastic doubloons and cups, trinkets and coveted necklaces tossed by float-borne revellers. King cakes, tasty confections, fill bakery windows and restaurants and music clubs are open into the wee hours.

Mardi Gras, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA

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THE WORLD 1 March, 2016

he Chapchar Kut Festival is an annual harvest festival of Mizoram which observes the advent of spring. It is the time when bamboos and trees that have been cut down to make place for ‘jhum’ (seasonal farming) are awaited to dry to be burnt. It is one of the oldest festivals of Mizoram and lasts seven days; in the inaugural ceremony the elderly locals come dressed in their traditional costumes, representing the tribes of the region and take part in a colourful procession. This is followed by tribal dances, the Cheraw or the bamboo dance.

Chapchar Kut, Mizoram, India

20 - 27 March, 2016

eville has been holding its Easter week celebrations since the 16th century, and they have become universally famous. Some 50,000 people put on traditional robes to parade in the 58 organised processions, while the “costaleros” carry the pasos (religious statues) on statues) on their shoulders. These celebrations are famous for their statues of the Virgin Mary with canopies: they are Baroque statues with silver and gold crowns, embroidered cloaks and velvet tunics which only reveal face and hands.

Easter Week in Seville, Spain

23 January - 9 February, 2016 20 February, 2016

he San Francisco Chinese New Year Festival and Parade is the largest Chinese New Year celebration outside of Asia. It is one of San Francisco’s top festivals and attracts a large number of visitors every year. 2016 is the Year of the Monkey. A San Francisco tradition since just after the Gold Rush, the parade continues to delight and entertain the many hundreds of thousands of people that come to watch it on the street as well as on television.

his congregation of masked people, called Venice Carnival, began in the 15th century, but the tradition can be traced back to the beginning of the 14th century. Later, Venice Carnival attracted foreigners - including princes - from all over Europe, who came to enjoy the wild festivities while spending fortunes. This year’s special themed Grand Ball will continue to take place in a beautiful palace situated along the Grand Canal, following the welcoming response from guests over the past two years. This year’s party will have a hint of mystery and eerie legend.

Carnevale Di Venezia 2016, Venice, Italy Chinese New Year, San Francisco, USA www.voyagersworld.in

Travel Trends

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asian destinations dominate indian travellers’ bucket list VW BUREAU

With Indian outbound travel figures rising by the year, destinations like Dubai, Langkawi and Maldives feature on the top spots of the discerning Indian traveller’s wish list.

ome New Year or summer vacations, the Indian traveller is spoilt for choice with countless holiday options at his disposal. Naturally, there is a pressure on the travel agents and tour operators to cope with the last minute rushes, new packages, late booking queries and yet try to offer something for every customer. In the past one year or so, the perception of a holiday has taken a new dimension. The first thing that a traveller would like to know about a destination is how the experience would be and for the need to be recognized, lauded, liked and commented upon on social media platforms. In view of increasing exposure to international destinations as well as new locations within India itself, niche segments like chartered services, cruises, adventure sports and home stays are some of the trends that are here to stay. Affinity Travel like pilgrimage tours, girlfriend getaways, golf tours, reunions, senior citizen groups,

Voyager’s World > December 2015

etc. is another growing trend. There has also been a lot of focus given to lesser known destinations like Bhutan and Vietnam, so also the Fiji Islands, Maldives and on the other hand, already established popular destinations like Thailand and Sri Lanka are constantly revamping their brand images. For a temporary period, countries like Turkey and Spain witnessed a sudden flurry of tourist activities as a result of Bollywood influences. On the domestic front, there have also been rising preferences for rediscovering cultural tourism in the country. Places that used to be favoured by international tourists are now searched by Indians as well, particularly the urban ones. States like Goa, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh have been going all out to bring in tourists to their hitherto little known destinations. Madhya Pradesh Tourism recently launched its special chartered bus for tourists.

The Indian Millennial likes to travel overseas, at least once every year and nine out of ten use their own savings to fund an overseas trip, divulged the recently concluded ICICI Millennial Travel Study 2015. This is in sharp contrast to the older generation, 88% of whom hardly ever travelled abroad for leisure. The survey, conducted amongst 1,049 respondents across an age group of 25-35 years spread over Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad and Kolkata, reveals interesting trends from the travel habits of the Indian Millennial. Although 90% Millennial are aware of Travel Insurance, only 2 of 5 respondents purchased travel insurance for Overseas Travel, the primary drivers being medical emergency and luggage safety. The biggest problem most Millennial felt that they would face while travelling abroad revolves around safety issues. Problem related to terror attacks or political unrest, travel restrictions imposed by country,

unusual experience like harassment, suspected surveillance, detention, custom inspection etc. bother the new-age traveler. Those who did not purchase insurance were led by myths like lack of requirement, expensive, funds only accident, theft with no medical support etc. Incidentally, Millennial attach more importance to convenience, in terms of standalone hotels and resorts while planning their overseas trip. Family ties continue to hold sway as 52% preferred to travel with their spouses, with Ahmedabad taking the lead among the other five cities. In fact, only 12% of Indian Millennial travelled alone. 79% of Millennial were faced with budget constraints and 39% availed finances for a trip abroad. Going forward, almost 47% of Millennials see an increase in their overseas travel. India will be APAC’s fastest-growing major travel market from 2013 to 2017, achieving a CAGR of 11%, in line with China, says PhocusWright.

Travel Trends

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This is due to loosening of certain travel restrictions, investment in infrastructure supporting growth, and a continuously expanding middle class. “More than anywhere else in the world, Asia Pacific’s – and in particular, China’s – travel growth is coming through mobile channels,” says Maggie Rauch, Phocuswright senior research analyst. “The region’s rapid rise and shift to mobile are fueling intense innovation and competition.” According to a recent study by TripAdvisor, the average number of international trips by Indians is set to increase by 45% in 2015 and this clearly reflects in the latest edition Outbound Travel Trends that were revealed today. The findings are based on the website traffic2 during the period 1 January1 to 30 June, 2015.

being the ‘Top Continent’. Thailand takes number 1 spot in the ‘Top Countries’ category. The data reveals interesting findings in the ‘Emerging Destinations’ category with Zakynthos, Greece topping the list followed by Furanafushi Island, Maldives and Mahe Island, Seychelles.

The results show that Indians definitely prefer travelling closer home with Asian cities dominating the ‘Top 20 Destinations’ and Asia

When it comes to recreational activities at the holiday destination, overall numbers indicate that majority of Indian travellers like

When it comes to accommodation preferences, the trend of Indians moving away from being traditional holiday goers stays more or less steady in comparison to 2014. Statistics show that 29% this year (vs 30% in 2014) favour options such as bed & breakfast, vacation rentals etc., vs hotels (71%). This trend is further reflected in the global room rates data with 31% outbound Indians opting for rooms up to INR 5000.

to indulge in ‘cultural’ activities (22%) followed closely by ‘outdoor’ activities at 21%.

entertainment activities be it amusement, shopping, heritage, food or adventure.

Key destinations likely to be visited by Indians this summer As mentioned earlier, there has been a rising appeal towards international travel in the Indian market. What was a luxury reserved only for the elite in the past, has now figured in the top of the bucket-list of the new-age Indian. This fascination for foreign shores can be credited to increased purchase power, aspirations to discover new places as well as to get a high among peers by way of a status. Likewise, far-reaching hoardings and TV commercials as well as online contests, airline offers and simpler visa regimes have also had a say in this trend.

Offbeat destinations like the Philippines, Taiwan, Langkawi in Malaysia and Seoul have also seen rising interest in the recent months. The Philippines has declared 2015 as the Visit Philippines year. Domestically Coorg, Puducherry, Munnar have been popular.

A trip to short haul destinations like Dubai, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Macau, Bali or Oman bears the advantage of just a few hours on flight, affordability and assorted sightseeing and

According to TripAdvisor, the top destinations projected to attract Indians this year are- Dubai retains its number 1 position third time in a row - Biggest movers are Paris and Mauritius that notched up 4 places to secure 4th and 15th spot respectively this year from 8th and 19th last year - Biggest loss of tourists’ interest is seen by Bali which fell to #9 this year from #5 last year - Destinations from Asia dominate the list

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Travel Trends

- Langkawi and Maldives get knocked off the list to make way for Amsterdam and Las Vegas Accommodation TripAdvisor indicates that hotels still hold the fort with 71% Indians still preferring that option. However, it is interesting to note that a notable (29%) are exploring options such as b&b, vacation rentals etc. This year also hotels continue to take the lion’s share in continents such as Asia, Europe, Middle East and North America. Favourite cuisine Indian cuisine is the favourite among Indians travelling abroad followed by Chinese (#3 in 2014) and Italian (#2 in 2014) on 2nd and 3rd spot respectively, as per TripAdvisor. Relevance of low cost airlines in domestic travel The last few months have witnessed domestic airlines vying with each other by coming up with the lowest fares possible with attractive

Voyager’s World > December 2015

40>>

discounts on bookings made for a travel period over at least the next six months. There was a sudden shift in the bookings, as a result, with these fares coming across as promising for even the emerging middle class. Yet again, these fares are on fluctuating mode and they are often inclined towards hikes than a rare dip in prices. Having said that, the LCC is extremely important for all customer segments. With increased frequency of inter-city travel, companies and entrepreneurs are becoming more conscious of travel costs and hence have adopted and will continue to adopt the low-cost air travel options. The segment on the whole flourished due to affordability. The number of LCCs in the market helps to keep airfare choice very competitive and diverse. While budget is top of mind for every traveller, there is still significant demand for full service carriers (FSC). This where using OTAs helps in identifying the cheapest airfares on a FSC; of course, that depends

on the airlines’ promotions and the time of travel. Airfares often increase during summer holidays and yearending festive holidays and so many book their travel far in advance. Yet, sometimes it is not surprising to find a bargain even during holiday time because of so many options. Challenges One of the major concerns for travelers in the OTA segment is trust. The question is about trusting a computer or a payment gateway with one’s money, plans and holiday. Those OTAs which have a fairly quick refund process and secure payment gateway to keep things addressable and clean will be trusted. Videos are going to matter more in the future as travellers would want to see more about the places they visit and they will also share more of their holidays through the moving images they capture. As mentioned in the beginning, a new trend that has emerged is the growing interest in homestays,

especially in destinations like Coorg, Puducherry and Goa. This choice of alternative accommodation is slowly gaining popularity among Indians. It may be worthwhile to mention about the bed and breakfast campaign promoted across the country in a few states in the past few months. It may be recalled that the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India promoted the ‘Incredible India Bed and Breakfast/Homestay Establishments’ with the aim to provide an altogether Indian ethnic experience of comfortable homestay, local culture, cuisine, customs and traditions with good standards of facilities and services at an affordable cost to the tourists to make their stay a memorable one and also supplement the availability of accommodation. Households approved under this scheme can generate there lively hood and provide employment to the others in the service chain. This helps domestic and foreign tourists to live in a homely environment and take advantage of the scheme.

Meet The World 600

visitors attend to source information on Travel Technology products

More than

1,600

attendees participated in Travel Technology seminars

WTM Latin America 2016 and the 45th Braztoa Business Event 29 - 31 March | Expo Center Norte - S達o Paulo

Enquiry for a stand: wtmlatinamerica.com

US$

363

million of new business generated in 2015

Happenings

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Coorg named 'Emerging Indian Destination'

Kerala remains filmmaker's favourite

arnataka Tourism won the ‘Favourite Emerging Indian Destination - Coorg’ for the third time at Conde Nast Traveller India’s Readers Travel Awards 2015 on 24 November in New Delhi. M. Yuvaraj, DGM, JLR received the award from Vinod Zutshi, Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, Alex Kuruvilla, MD of Conde Nast India P. Ltd., and Divya Thani Daswani, Editor, Conde Nast Traveller India. Zutshi said, “I appreciate and laud the initiative of Conde Nast Traveller for recognizing, inspiring and motivating the leaders of the travel and tourism industry. I congratulate the deserving winners of the CNT Readers’ Travel Awards. Undoubtedly, this is a meaningful recognition to your contribution to the growth and development of tourism.”

Korean Night 'Jumps' off the page!

Punjab Tourism observes Heritage Week across state

orea Tourism Organization (KTO) conducted ‘Korean Night 2015’ in New Delhi recently with a view to facilitate interactions between Korean DMCs and the Delhi travel trade to familiarize the latter on the latest products of Korea. Hotel groups like Accor Hotels and Starwood Hotels also participated in the event which was attended by nearly 200 people. The suppliers included US Travel, Bosuk Tour, Kim’s Travel, Jane Tour and Jangbogo Tour. H.E. Cho Hyun, Ambassador of Republic of Korea to India. The roadshow presented the youthful side of Korea by focusing on Seoul, South Korea’s capital, nature-driven experiences of Jeju and projected the GO GO Fun Ski Festival as the latest offering of KTO for families and honeymooners.The event included performances such as the comic non-verbal martial arts performance called ‘Jump’ to showcase Korea’s cultural offerings, besides presentations to unveil its MICE products.

Voyager’s World > September 2015

oted Telugu filmmaker S S Rajamouli, who had directed the recent blockbuster Baahubali, addressed the media at a press conference organised by Kerala Tourism in Thiruvananthapuram on 28 November, to promote wedding and film tourism in the state. He recalled his stint with ‘God’s Own Country’ dating back to the 1980s when he had visited Sabarimala and fallen in love with the greenery since. He said that it was that love for greenery that made him shoot three of his ventures, Simhadri, Sai and Baahubali, in Thiruvananthapuram, Munnar and Athirapally respectively. He also suggested that Kerala be treated as one of the topmost wedding destinations in the world.

arking the Heritage Week held nationally from 19 - 25 November, Punjab Heritage and Tourism Promotion Board (PHTPB) supported DRONAH Foundation in association with UNESCO - New Delhi, INTACH -Punjab Chapter, ASI Chandigarh Circle, Department of Architecture – Guru Nanak Dev University Amritsar and Chitkara University - Punjab Campus, and celebrated Heritage Week in Amritsar, Patiala and Chandigarh with a number of activities. Activities included heritage walk, painting competition for school children, panel discussions, etc. all aimed at increasing participation of the community in issues related to heritage and culture. The panel discussion in Amritsar, was hosted by Department of Architecture, Guru Nanak Dev University. Bakshi Ram Arora, Honourable Mayor, Amritsar addressed the gathering on the city’s heritage and culture.

Happenings

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SAARC Working Group on Tourism discusses on creating common brand

he South Asia Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Working Group on Tourism which met in New Delhi on November 25 and 26 has discussed issues related to tourism in the region and ways to improve tourism by collaborating and creating a common SAARC brand. According to Suman Billa, Joint Secretary – Tourism, Government of India, the working group discussed among other issues, matters related to “freeing up” borders to allow seamless travel to tourists aspiring to explore and experience the regional products. Although common tourist Visa for SAARC was discussed at the Group, Billa said that “it is still a long-term” agenda. However, the Working Group discussed developing “common itineraries” for thematic and niche tourism like Buddhist Tourism, Ramayana circuit, etc., which span across national boundaries.

Swiss International Air Lines organizes event in Mumbai

wiss International Airlines recently hosted a unique fashion show at the Aqaba in Mumbai, in partnership with fashion icon Narendra Kumar and Mira Nair’s Salaam Baalak Trust Mumbai to build a better future for the marginalized street children of Mumbai. “It is a small yet significant step and an important one indeed for all of us at SWISS. We are now move into a new direction and are looking forward in supporting and making this a fulfilling and worthy journey,” said Markus Altenbach, Head of SWISS India & South Asia.

Ministry assures Sikkim of tourism cooperation

Indonesia tourism explores Indian market

he Chief Minister of Sikkim Shri Pawan Chamling met the Minister for State (I/C) Tourism and Culture Dr. Mahesh Sharma recently regarding proposals of new tourism projects in Sikkim. Chamling appraised Dr. Sharma of the on-going tourism projects in Sikkim and sought his co-operation in setting up a reptile park in Sikkim as four to five types of reptiles are common in Sikkim. He also proposed for a ‘Yak Golf Course’ near Nathula Pass which may be the highest Golf Course in the world. Dr. Mahesh assured him of all cooperation from the Ministry in promoting tourism in Sikkim and said that 10% of the Plan Allocation of the Ministry was earmarked for Northeastern states.

ITO India organized ‘Top Nichemarket –Ecotourism Event’ on 2 December in Mumbai behalf of Ministry of Tourism, Republic of Indonesia and Consulate General of the Republic of Indonesia, Mumbai to meet the Indian media and potential travel agents. The delegation included Taufik Nurhidayat, Assistant Deputy of Market Development Asia Pacific, Ministry of Tourism, Republic of Indonesia; Saut Sriringoringo, Consul General of the Republic of Indonesia in Mumbai; Gilda Sagrado, Executive Director - Promotion & Marketing, Bali Tourism Promotion Board and Shelly Chandhok, Country Manager, VITO India. The Ministry offers the 30 days Tourist Visa Free facility for select purposes to boost Indian tourist arrivals.

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OTA

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take your reviews and rankings more seriously: tripadvisor PRIYAMVADHA BALARAM

Helena Egan - Director of Industry Relations, TripAdvisor met up with Voyager’s World recently to share the company’s findings on the importance of guest reviews. will be rating them higher.

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oday, hotels are taking reviews very seriously and TripAdvisor is one of the top sites from where they grab the reviews. Helena Egan, Director of Industry Relations, TripAdvisor, says, “Review is really exciting. But if there is no management response to it, then it becomes one sided opinion and that is why we give free opportunity for the properties, whether it is good or bad review and the advice we give them is don’t just respond to that review because you would encounter anything negative.” People tend to have high expectations with high rankings. If the rankings are high, their expectations are correctly matched. They read review, they read management response and they understand what to expect from the property. They get there and have a great experience and they

How do you engage with hotels worldwide and help them manage their reviews better? We have a B2B feature in our website and there is also TripAdvisor Insights which is a fantastic platform with hundreds and hundreds of articles where we encourage hoteliers to go and look through various webinars that are happening constantly in many languages. We invite hoteliers to come in to learn more about reputation management and interact with guest speakers who are industry experts. All these webinars are saved in online repository which is also within TripAdvisor Insights. We also work with many associations and enable them to gain expertise about our platform; we have opinion landing pages for their members where they can choose five questions and we can feed in live information for the questions. In our management centre, a property, restaurant or an attraction can sign up as an owner. Once they sign up, there are lot and lots of presets that they can use and the management centre supports them throughout the whole process. “So it talks about the human content on your side, if you want to use snippets of content or if you want to

talk about what is happening around your hotel, what is highest rated photo. With the interest engagement there is a lot because we want to engage very highly with the industry. It is the reason we conducted a research recently that really worked with hotels listing on TripAdvisor.” said Helena. How do you help the properties identify those new areas of improvement? When a client comes to us and says that they want a campaign in spring but are not sure of the exact dates or on how to write a good review, we ask our heavy users who write a lot of reviews and also the ones who read the reviews. We also work with associations like Greece Hospitality Association and the National Tourism Alliance in Australia. We pick a lot of peak markets and asked them about their hotels and good reviews; those are again available on TripAdvisor Insight and thus, distributed widely to the industry globally. If you type in our website or in Google, you can know what the best review is. You will be directed to that part of the site that gives you a lot of hints and tips and examples of great reviews and responses to the reviews. We always keep looking at the consumer and industry partners.

How does TripAdvisor differentiate itself from competitor sites? Our main differentiator in beating our competitor sites is the volume of reviews or the scale at which we are getting reviews, which are around 160 reviews per minute. That tells the amount of content we are choosing to make the product better up in a minute. In terms of how to surface the content the users are looking for, we have featured them in a site that enables the right content on that page, be it an accommodation, restaurant or an activity that they are looking for. Once the user answers a couple of questions on his travel style, hotel preferences and so on, from there on there will be section when the user comes back to the site. We operate on a curated set algorithm. So, the content that is displayed is based upon the user’s personal preference. In our hotel search page, you can also filter hotels based on theme. Whether you want to go to a romantic hotel, or to a hotel meant for families, or hotels where pets are allowed, it is all there in one click of a button. You can filter hotels based on those preferences as well as from a host of other preferences on pricing and location.

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Voyager’s World > December 2015

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Top Appointments

45>> Deepak Tuli

Ashok Vashist

Senior VP–Growth Business, MakeMyTrip

CEO, MiCar

akeMyTrip appointed Deepak Tuli as Senior Vice President - Growth Business. The former Co-Founder and COO of Goibibo will, in his new role, focus on building and implementing strategies for new business lines in the accommodation segment for the company. He comes with 10 years of experience in ecommerce with expertise in mobile platforms, digital marketing, P&L management, etc.

shok Vashist has joined MiCar, the selfdrive car rental company, as the new CEO. He will execute MiCar’s expansion plans, operations management, marketing, customer experience and overall strategy. He has been in the car rental industry for a long time and has held senior positions in sales, marketing and operations in brands like Hertz, Europcar, Easycabs and Wise Travel India.

Sanjay Patti

Soumodeep Bhattacharya

General Manager, Hyatt Place Goa Candolim

Director of Sales & Marketing, Hyatt Place Goa Candolim

anjay Patti has been appointed as the General Manager of Hyatt Place Goa Candolim. Bringing in over 18 years of expertise, of which 13 years belong to Hyatt Hotels, he was most recently Director of F&B at Hyatt Regency Gurgaon, where he was part of a pre-opening team. In his new role, Sanjay is in charge of pre-opening and post-opening experience.

yatt Place Goa Candolim appointed Soumodeep Bhattacharya as the Director of Sales & Marketing. His key responsibilities include overseeing marketing agendas, planning sales and distribution strategies for relevant markets, customer servicing and people management. He has 10 years of experience his last stint was at Hyatt Raipur.

Parag Sawhney

Parmeet Singh Nayar

Hilton Bangalore Embassy Golf Links

General Manager, Shangri-La’s Eros Hotel, New Delhi

ilton Bangalore Embassy GolfLinks appointed Parag Sawhney as its General Manager. He has over 15 years of experience in hotel operations including general management, F&B, front office and guest relations in the Middle East, UK and India. He had joined Hilton Worldwide and most recently, he was the General Manager of Hilton Chennai.

hangri-La’s - Eros Hotel, New Delhi appointed Parmeet Singh Nayar as its new General Manager. With an experience of 20 years in operations, brand augmentation, etc., he had earlier worked with Hilton Worldwide, Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, Marriott Welcome Hotel, Taj Mahal Hotel, etc., apart from hotels and vineyards across the world.

Zubin Karkaria

Jyoti Kumar Saraf

CEO, Kuoni Group

Chief Financial Officer, eRevMax

ubin Karkaria is the new CEO of Kuoni Group – VFS Global’s parent company. He is the first Indian to be appointed as the head of the company and will concurrently continue in his function as the CEO of VFS Global and will be based in Dubai. With Kuoni aiming to accelerate the implementation of its new corporate strategy, and that will be one of Zubin’s key priorities in his new role.

RevMax International appointed Jyoti Kumar Saraf as the Chief Financial Officer.He had joined the company as VP – Finance in August 2015. With 22 years of experience across many sectors, he had worked earlier in Reliance Communications, Usha Martin Ltd and PWC. In his new role, he will oversee financial management and reporting, including corporate accounting for the company globally.

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NETWORKING ISthe THE netwoRkinG is ke KEY Y January 2016

February 2016

January2016

March 2016

Arpil 2016

14, 15, 16 India International Travel Mart Kochi

13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21 Outbound Travel Roadshow Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, New Delhi

22, 23, 24 Holiday Expo Coimbatore

28, 29 Third Annual Africa Hotel Development Summit, Lagos, Nigeria

February 2016 8, 9, 10, 11 Outbound Travel Roadshow New Delhi, Mumbai

11, 12, 13

March 2016 4, 5, 6 India International Travel Mart Kolkata

9, 10, 11, 12, 13

BIT Milan, Italy

ITB Berlin Berlin,Germany

13, 14

17, 18, 19, 20

The Vancouver Golf & Travel Show Vancouver, Canada

Intâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;l Tourism and Travel Trade Fair Sweden

17, 18, 19

29, 30, 31 World Travel Market Latin America Sao Paulo, Brazil

Routes America San Juan, Puerto Rico

April 2016 March 30, 31 April 1 Ukraine International Travel & Tourism Ukraine

May2016 19, 20, 21, 22 World Travel Fair Shanghai

4, 5, 6

24, 25, 26, 27

IBTM Africa Cape Town, South Africa

Next Travel Trade Exchange Mexico

6, 7, 8

18, 19, 20

World Travel Market Africa Cape Town, South Africa

WTM Connect Asia Penang, Malaysia

25, 26, 27, 28

23, 24, 25

Arabian Travel Market Dubai

WTM Connect China Hainan Island, China

May 2016