Vol XIV
Issue I
Pages 52
November 2016
PUNE HYDERABAD
25, 26, 27 NOVEMBER 2016 02, 03, 04 DECEMBER 2016
KOCHI KOLKATA
19, 20, 21 JANUARY 2017 24, 25, 26 FEBRUARY 2017
Rs 60
Voyager’s World
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4>> Demonetization..feeling the pinch! As we are about to close the books for this calendar year, the sudden demonetization of 500 and 1000 rupee notes caught everyone off guard, including those on the road. While there was a concern about tourists being thrown off gear while on road, the general air among the travel trade was marked by a shift to offline bookings. Leisure travel did hit the brakes due to cash crunch for food and transport. The move, though expected to affect local money changers, would sweeten the kitty for online forex dealers. How this would affect outbound travel in the future remains to be seen. In this issue, we have featured the impact of insurgency and war on local tourism as well as what millennials look for in their travel experience and new trends in wayside amenities in the country, besides interviews with industry stakeholders. Happy Reading... Warm Regards
PRIYAMVADHA BALARAM
priyamvadha@voyagersworld.in
Managing Editor
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Industry Buzz India Outbound
22 24
Millennial travel trends
Cover Story Impact of war on tourism
Hospitality Inventory, occupancy, revenue management
Published By
Surinder Hakhu sanjay@voyagersworld.in & Rohit Hangal rohit@voyagersworld.in
27 49
Association TAAI Annual Convention 2016
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EXPERIENCE THE BEST OF
SOUTH AFRICA
If it’s something different you’re looking for – a place with a rich serving of diverse cultures, intriguing traditional cuisine, the buzzing city life that will have your feet tapping to its rhythmic beats, as well as remarkable outdoor and wildlife experiences, then come see the best of South Africa’s tourism products. Four days featuring trade professionals from up to 60 exciting South African products, who will teach you more about successfully packaging and selling #wowSouthAfrica. Join us and experience a country like no other at the 2017 South African Tourism Roadshow.
We look forward to seeing you there! Date
Day
City
Time
Venue
30-Jan
Monday
Chennai
10:00hrs - 14:00hrs
Taj Coromandel
31-Jan
Tuesday
Bangalore
10:00hrs - 14:00hrs
ITC Gardenia
01-Feb
Wednesday
Delhi
10:00hrs - 16:00hrs
Le Meridien
03-Feb
Friday
Mumbai
10:00hrs - 16:00hrs
St. Regis
RSVP: Indiaroadshow@southafrica.net
Industry Buzz
6>>
Booking.com pilots launches new platform for travel agents
Taiwan Tourism organises B2B workshop
T
aiwan Tourism Bureau held an educational workshop for the travel fraternity and the media in New Delhi recently. The aim of the workshop was to educate the travel agents and update their knowledge about Taiwan, the products it has to offer, USP’s of the destination and the how it caters to different segments of the Indian travellers. Stakeholders from the Taiwanese travel industry included its China Airlines, Princess Cruise, DMCs Good Time Vacations and hotels like Grand Hyatt Taipei.
B
ooking.com recently announced the initial test pilot of a platform designed specifically for travel agents featuring a suite of easy-to-use tools that empower travel industry professionals to make and manage accommodation reservations for their clients via Booking.com.
The B2B session was followed by an informative presentation on Taiwan by Noel Saxena, Country Head, Taiwan Tourism Bureau. Delegation from Taiwan included Arthur Hsieh, Director, Taiwan Tourism Bureau, Singapore Office and Richard Y.S. Chiu, Deputy Representative, Taipei Economic and Cultural Centre, India.
We are pleased to now offer professional travel agents a platform and a programme that has been created just for them, with the special features they need to easily book and manage reservations for their clients, as well as the choice, diversity and seamless experience that they’ve come to love and rely on from Booking. com. We’re excited to continue innovating the platform, and are committed to adding even more useful features and functionality for them over the coming months,” said Bryan Batista, Senior Director of Global Partnerships at Booking.com.
VFS Global launches a visa mobile app for visas
T
he Customers of Emirates Airline flying to the UAE can now apply for a visa using their mobile devices. It is the first-of-its-kind initiative in visa application where applicants anywhere in the world can use the app, launched by Dubai Visa Processing Centre (DVPC), to complete the entire visa application process for an UAE visa using mobile devices. Besides this the app involves one-time profile creation and allows data and document upload, payment and service delivery.
Ferrari World honoured at World Travel Awards
T
he Ferrari World in Abu Dhabi was awarded the ‘Middle East’s Leading Tourist Attraction’ for the second consecutive year at the World Travel Awards Gala event.
Ranveer Singh to promote Switzerland
B
ollywood actor Ranveer Singh, who recently returned from his maiden trip to Switzerland, has been named the first Indian ambassador for Switzerland Tourism for its campaign for 2017 - Nature wants you back! He tried an array of activities in Switzerland from wakeboarding on Lake Zurich, ski jumps at the Swiss Museum of Transport in Lucerne, tobogganing on Mt. Pilatus to paragliding and skydiving in Interlaken. He also had a go at chocolate making at the Funky Chocolate Club and visited the FIFA World Football Museum in Zurich.
Jesse Vargas, General Manager at Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, said, “We are honored to receive this prestigious recognition from the World Travel Awards as it reaffirms our dedication towards offering our guests an exceptional Park experience. Having Ferrari World Abu Dhabi named ‘Middle East’s Leading Tourist Attraction’ for the second consecutive year is not only a remarkable victory for Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, but a testament to the world-class entertainment offerings provided on Yas Island and the United Arab Emirates.”
SriLankan Airlines felicitates agents and cargo team
S
riLankan Airlines organized an awards night to recognise the best-performing travel agents and cargo team in India for their performance over FY 2015/2016. It was attended by Siva Ramachandran, Chief Commercial Officer of SriLankan Airlines, Lalith De Silva, Regional Manager – Indian Sub-Continent of SriLankan Airlines and Consul General -Saroja Sirisena. Gold Award was presented to Riya Travels & Tours and Airtravel Enterprises India. Silver Award was given to Akbar Travels India and Schenker India. Bronze award was given to Tek Travels P Ltd and Panalpina Worldwide India.
Tajikistan offers electronic visas for Indians
T
he Ambassador of Tajikistan to India, His Excellency Mr. Mirzosharif Jalolov, highlighted about Dushanbe, Tajikistan, as an upcoming tourist destination at a gala evening in New Delhi. The event was hosted by Aerotrek International, Tajik Air and Sheraton Hotel, Dushanbe. He said, “It is easier to travel to Tajikistan, now that Tajik Air has introduced bi-weekly flights to Dushanbe, our capital city and also mentioned about the possibilities of adventure sports, historical tourism, medical tourism and wild life of Tajikistan. We have introduced E-visa for Indians to visit Tajikistan and can be issued in as short a duration as 3 days.”
Industry Buzz
8>> Kerala finds place in Nat Geo’s ‘Around the World in 24 Hours’
IDS Next launches app for smart hoteliers
P
owered by IDS Next and downloadable on smartphones, Pulze 247 is a mobile analytics app that assists users in accessing daily business critical statics on their smartphones, real-time. With Pulze 247, senior personnel at both large independent and chain or group hotels don’t have to be at the property to keep track of daily activities. They even don’t have to call up different department heads to find out business critical parameters. “In the era of mobile and mobility apps, Pulze 247 would redefine the significance of mobile apps for hotel owners, general managers and other senior personnel in many ways,” said Ronnie Sarkar, COO at IDS Next.
K Etihad to expand services with Jet Airways
E
tihad Airways partnered with Jet Airways to expand services on new routes and additional frequencies from early 2017 between the UAE and India by adding 28 weekly flights and three further Indian cities. The former will launch a fourth daily flight between Abu Dhabi and Kozhikode on 26 March 2017 and double its frequency between Abu Dhabi and Ahmedabad from 1 February 2017 with the launch of a new daily service.
Tourism of Spain organizes three-city roadshow
T
ourism of Spain conducted a three-city roadshow last month in Mumbai at Four Seasons Hotel, in Bangalore at Sheraton Grand Bangalore Hotel at Brigade Gateway and in Kolkata at Taj Bengal Kolkata. The event was attended by 125 tour operators in each city along with 17 Spanish companies who participated at the event.
SpiceJet receives World Travel Leaders Award
S
piceJet received the World Travel Leaders award at the WTM (World Travel Market) Awards in London on 7 November 2016. The airline was recognised for its dramatic turnaround and its use of innovation to rebuild customer loyalty. SpiceJet was the only airline to be recognised this year, globally. The award recognised that SpiceJet, under the leadership of its Chairman Ajay Singh, had recorded consistent profits for 7 quarters in a row, after years of losses. The award was received by Mr Ajay Singh, Chairman and Managing Director of SpiceJet.
Voyager’s World > November 2016
Ascott adds three service residences in India
T
he Ascott Limited announced a contract with Sandhya Hotels to manage three new serviced residences in India while two properties are in Hyderabad and Bangalore and a third serviced residence is in Sri City from Chennai. The upcoming properties are Citadines Financial District Hyderabad, Citadines Sri City will open by later this year and Somerset Bellandur Bangalore will be opened by next year .Besides this Ascott will open few more properties between 2019 and 2021, the AscottIreo City Gurgaon and Somerset Diplomatic Greens Gurgaon are slated to open in 2018 and 2019.
akkathuruthu, a tiny spectacular island in Kerala’s backwaters, has been listed in National Geographic’s ‘Around the World in 24 Hours’, a photographic tour of travel-worthy spots across the world. The charm of the ‘Island of Crows’ with sea green waters, lush coconut groves and absence of tarred roads, located in Alappuzha, has been captured by the magazine photographers during the time of dusk when ‘the shadows lengthen and the sky shifts from pale blue to sapphire’. In a graphic description, the magazine says the sunset in Kerala is greeted by a series of rituals.
MTDC takes special initiative to increase voters in state elections
T
he Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) took a special initiative to create voting awareness amongst the tourists in Maharashtra. A pre-election meeting was conducted recently by State Election Commissioner J.S. Saharia with Secretary State Election Commissioner, Shekhar Channe; Dr. K.H. Govinda Raj IAS. Managing Director, MTDC and Swati Kale, General Manager, MTDC. The meeting was conducted with the Hoteliers & Restaurant Associations, Tour Operators in Maharashtra and the MTDC incentive scheme holders. MTDC suggested its stakeholders to promote the campaign by placing signs and banners around their vicinity, showcasing the importance of voting and use Election Day only by sharing their prestigious vote. MTDC will offer a 25% discount on stay at MTDC resort only to the customer who has voted.
Via.com launches ‘Lite’ for mobile browsing
V
ia.com launched a Lite version of its website for mobile browsing in India to help users browse its website faster on their smartphones in areas with slow or poor internet connectivity. ‘Via Lite’ loads six times faster and provides a better experience to users in urban and rural areas with patchy networks. Other features are personalised notifications for latest deals and vouchers. Offline experience would mean in case of flaky internet connection, you can search offline. Offline experience is currently available only in airlines segment. VIA will extend it to hotels, holidays and bus in the next three months.
Industry Buzz
9>>
Andhra Pradesh beckons international investors acres of virgin land parcels for tourism projects
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ndhra Pradesh being ranked No. 2 in Ease of Doing Business by World Bank (2014-15) beckoned international investors for developing tourism projects in 79 virgin land parcels spread across 13 districts in the state at the UAE – India Economic Forum (UIEF) 2016 in Dubai. Culminating into 1,279 acres of land, the state has categorised these projects under seven major themes such as MICE, beaches, recreation, ecotourism, religious tourism, wayside amenities and heritage/ historic tourism.
best-in-class hotels, most modern rail, road and air network and excel in every aspect of tourism infrastructure development.” “India and UAE share an illustrated history of economic and trade relations. At this august gathering attended by distinguished guests, I would like to take the opportunity to make an appeal to the industry leaders to come and invest in
tourism projects in the sunrise state of Andhra Pradesh. We assure you all round co-operation right from a favourable land lease policy, to fiscal benefits and nonfiscal incentives. With a single desk window in place we assure clearance of all approvals in 21 days. Our focus is on fast tracking projects to enhance infrastructure and tourist engagement.”
The UIEF is the definitive platform to discuss and evaluate UAE-India trade opportunities and aims to address the policy framework and guidelines required to attract investors, sovereign wealth funds, large corporates and industries, focusing on critical sectors like infrastructure, tourism, renewable energy and banking.
Banking on a futuristic Tourism Mission launched by the state last year along with a tourism policy with multiple incentives for investors, the state has so far realized projects worth Rs. 4,019 Cr. in the last one year with another Rs. 10,000 Cr. worth of investments in the pipeline. The state’s Tourism Policy which has won multiple accolades so far offers both fiscal and nonfiscal incentives for the investors. The policy also identifies a clear roadmap of investment approach in infrastructure project development where in majority of the projects would be build either through private investments or through PPP model. Under the leadership of the Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, the tourism department is taking progressive steps towards multifaceted tourism development in the state to ensure that not only the tourists carry good memories each time they visit Andhra Pradesh but also encourage their close acquaintances for a visit.
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As a key note speaker at the UAE – India Economic Forum 2016 in Dubai, Dr. Srikant Nagulapalli, I.A.S., Secretary to Government, Tourism & Culture, said, “Our aspiration is to develop Andhra Pradesh as one of the most preferred destination globally. To fulfill this dream and give a major fillip to tourism we aim to create a world-class tourism infrastructure in the state duly supported by
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Flight Talk
10>>
Regional Connectivity Fund to stimulate growth in civil aviation
Amount collected as Regional Connectivity Fund (RCF) will be used to provide financial support to airlines through Viability Gap Funding (VGF) for operations under the Scheme. PRESS INFORMATION BUREAU
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he Ministry of Civil Aviation held a stake holders conference/prebidding meeting on the Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) in New Delhi on 11 November. Regional Connectivity Scheme -UDAN was launched by P. Ashok Gajapathi Raju, Minister of Civil Aviation on 21 October, 2016 and the final RCS is available on MOCA web site. The objective of RCS is to facilitate/ stimulate regional air connectivity by making it affordable. Regional air connectivity is envisaged under RCS by supporting the selected airline operator(s) through concessions by the central government, concerned state government(s) and airport operators to reduce the cost of airline operation on RCS routes and financial (viability gap funding i.e. VGF) support to meet the gap, if any, between cost of airline operation and expected revenue on such routes. A selected airline operator will be identified to operate on RCS route or network, on the basis of evaluation of initial proposal(s) and counter proposal(s) for VGF, received from airline operators who are having valid Air Operator Permit issued by DGCA. The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has been designated Implementing Agency under the Scheme. The objective of Regional Connectivity Scheme, UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik) is to enhance air passenger traffic in the country by stimulating demand on regional routes. Amount collected as Regional Connectivity Fund (RCF) will be used to provide financial support to airlines in the form of Viability Gap Funding (VGF) for operations under the Scheme. As per the directions of MoCA, RCF will be funded by a small levy per departure on all domestic flights other than the ones on Category II / Category IIA routes under RDG, RCS Routes and aircraft having maximum certified takeoff mass not exceeding 40,000 kg. The RCF would channel funds generated from the sector to stimulate further growth and
Voyager’s World > November 2016
development of the sector itself. A part of the fund will also be contributed to by the states that have signed the UDAN MoU: as of date, 19 states have either signed or given their consent. Interested airline and helicopter operators can start operations on hitherto un-connected routes by submitting proposals to the Implementing Agency. The operators could seek a VGF besides getting various concessions. All such route proposals would then be offered for competitive bidding through a reverse bidding mechanism and the route would be awarded to the participant quoting the lowest VGF per Seat. The operator submitting the original proposal would have the Right of First Refusal on matching the lowest bid in case his original bid is within 10% of the lowest bid. The successful bidder would have exclusive rights to operate the route for three years. Such support would be withdrawn after three years, as by that time, the route is expected to become self-sustainable. The national scheduled airlines providing services on domestic routes where such fee per departure is levied would also be eligible under the Scheme to avail benefits of RCS. Similarly, even the passengers would be benefited through additional connectivity on regional routes at prices which are at or below the airfare caps. Thus, the funds collected from national scheduled airlines will (i) benefit the same airlines and passengers from whom it is collected and (2) is further expected to lead to creation of regional air connectivity / services that would have spin-off benefits within the sector in terms of passengers taking other flights (not under RCS) and using airports / airport services that are not at concessional rates under RCS. The amount collected under the levy will be ploughed back into the sector.
Reducing costs for regional operators UDAN recognizes the challenge of high costs faced by regional operators. Accordingly, the scheme brings down the operating cost for an airline by reducing taxes on aviation turbine fuel (ATF) and airport and other charges. Improving liquidity in the small plane leasing market will make it easy for entrepreneurs and airlines to start these routes. The winning bidder gets a three year exclusivity on the route so that the route can be matured and made profitable. The scheme uses the power of markets to discover to the lowest subsidy on the route. Half the seats can be sold by the winning bidder at market prices – this will also provide good information on the price the passengers on the route are willing to pay as and when the subsidy support goes away (between three and ten years). Social obligation for a network business It is important to put the amount expected to be collected under this levy in context of other businesses which create connectivity and benefit from the network effect, for example, telecom and railways. The telecom industry in India generated an annual net revenue of around Rs 1.8 lakh crores and paid 5% of its net revenues into a Universal Service Obligation (USO) fund, which collected Rs 9,835 crores in financial year 2016. The social service obligations of the Indian Railways manifests itself in the Rs 33,004 cr loss (in FY2015) in the passenger and coaching segment to bring connectivity to the country (this loss is on the base of passenger fares collected of Rs 42,190 cr in the same year). Global examples of promoting regional connectivity The economic importance of promoting regional or remote connectivity is well understood across the world. Geographically large countries like the USA, Canada, Brazil and Australia among
many others support regional and remote connectivity. UDAN is the first-of-its-kind scheme globally which harnesses the power of the markets to provide a public good. The RCF is estimated to collect around Rs 500 cr (or US$ 75 mn) will be roughly one fourth the size of the US$ 290 mn that the US government would spend in promoting its Essential Air Service (EAS) in 2016. According to analyst reports, the aviation industry in India is expected to record revenues of Rs 0.7 lakh crores on domestic travel in this year – this levy could amount to only 0.6% of the total domestic revenues of the industry. If the average viability gap funding required by the industry amounts to say Rs 1,000 per seat, this levy can create 50 lakh UDAN seats or 1 crore seats overall connecting currently underserved and unserved airports. With around 10 crore people expected to fly this year domestically even before the launch of the scheme, UDAN can significantly increase the base of travelers in India introducing large numbers of citizens to a more efficient transport. Ministry’s expectation The Ministry believes that this proposed levy is a small amount but which can go a long distance in bringing more travelers and cities to the Indian aviation network. Given the high growth in the sector we expect that the airlines could be in a position to absorb a part of the levy and not adversely impact the passengers significantly. As per an ICAO study, the output multipliers of aviation is 3.25 which means that every Rupees 100 spent on air transport contributes to Rupees 325 worth of indirect benefits. More important, the employment multiplier is 6.10 which means that every 100 direct jobs in air transport sector results in 610 jobs in the economy as a whole. Therefore, the funds which are collected from national scheduled airlines for RCF can provide a further boost to the development of regional and national economies.
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nature landscapes
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nightlife
Buzzing nightclubs, scintillating shows par excellence
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r-4 387 km
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THinK STRawBERRiES, Taiwan Tourism Bureau india Office: C-41, Gulmohar Park, New Delhi 110049 Tel: +91 11 2653 1733 l Fax: + 91 11 2653 1735 l Email: noel@ttbrep.in Taiwan Tourism Bureau, Singapore Office: 30 Raffles Place, Cheveron House #10-01, Singapore 048622
India Outbound
12>>
MACAO hosts 1st International Film Festival & Awards VW BUREAU
M
acao Government Tourism Office announced its 1st International Film Festival & Awards. Macao (IFFAM). The festival would entail the 12 Asian genre film directors and their chosen genre favourites for the Crossfire section of the official programme. Crossfireis a noncompetitive section introducing the festival audience to influential genre titles from Europe and South Asia. The 1st IFFAM would be held in Macao from Thursday 8 December – Tuesday 13 December 2016. Amongst glitz and glamour, Macao will witness industry world over coming together to celebrate the film festival. Acclaimed director Shekhar Kapur will serve as Jury President at the inaugural festival. Kapur will preside over the Jury of other film professionals; together bestowing awards on the
competition strand of 10 to 12 new international films. He adds IFFAM Jury President to a list of jury positions at prestigious festivals including the 63rd Cannes Film Festival, the London Film Festival, and the Tokyo International Film Festival, as well as a sponsor role with the International Indian Film Festival in Goa. On the announcement of his appointment, Kapur comments, “This is Asia’s time. Over the past few years, consumerism has catapulted the Asian market into international renown, but what we are now experiencing is the renaissance of culture as inspired by the Asian communities. As an Indian director, I’m excited to be chairing the Macau Film Festival as Indian storytelling has so much in common with Chinese forms of storytelling. Hopefully these new
forms of storytelling will bring the world to a better understanding of itself.” With these awards the film and television industry creates a strong momentum for local tourism development and effectively builds up a destination’s colourful image. Not only that, the industry also fosters tourism growths and raises the destination profile. Hosting an international film festival, Macao hopes that the event gather film works across the globe as well as prominent actors and film stars from around the world, thus bringing in world-class exchange opportunities and unleashing a synergistic effect through advancing local cultural and creative industry development and Macao’s destination glamour. Through the film festival, the SAR Government also aims to broaden
the diversity of tourism and cultural products as well as signature events, enriching the cultural elements offered by the destination, in order to produce long-term benefit for the sustainable development of the tourism industry and the creative and cultural industry, which will promote Macao’s endeavour to become a World Centre of Tourism and Leisure. IFFAM is organised by Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) and Macau Film & Television Productions and Culture Association (MFTPA), co-organised with Cultural Affairs Bureau (Macao), Civil & Municipal Affairs Bureau (Macao), supported by Macao Foundation, with the Galaxy Entertainment Group, Sands China Limited, Wynn Macau Limited, MGM as Premium sponsors, and THE 13 as Diamond sponsor.
Mega Maldives Airlines to fly direct from Mumbai to Malé in December
George Weinmann, CEO & Founder of MEGA Maldives Airlines says, India is one of the fastest growing markets for the Maldives in tourism and trade. IRENE SUSAN EAPEN
India a key market for non-stop flights service Our initial plan is to launch direct non-stop Capital-to-Capital services between Delhi and Malé. We will be flying three times a week from Delhi to Maléon every Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays. As for Mumbai, we plan to launch this service in December this year with two flights weekly. The non-stop flights are definitely going to increase Indian tourists
Voyager’s World > November 2016
to Malé as the Indian arrivals were already on the rise in 2014 and 2015. Apart from that, direct connectivity also decreases fare prices for Indian travellers, which will make it more attractive for passengers to travel to the Maldives. Furthermore, tourist resorts and hotels based in the Maldives might find it more appealing to promote packages which include direct connectivity, which in turns provides more holiday options to the Indian traveler. A number of foreign diplomatic missions accredited to the Maldives in a non-resident capacity are located in Delhi are increasing the possibility of diplomatic traffic between Male’ and Delhi. We hope to improve direct connectivity, air travel between India and Maldives that will become much more affordable and practical for
Indian travellers and businesses. India is one of the fastest growing markets for the Maldives in terms of tourism and trade. According to official Maldives tourism figures, India has remained as one of the top ten source markets to the Maldives over the years. During the first and second quarter of 2016 Jan-Jun India had the highest growth in arrivals at almost 18% compared to the same period in 2015.So by starting the direct flights between the two countries this trend will double and the MEGA Maldives Airlines expects this growth to continue throughout 2016 and 2017. Promotional plans We have introduced a promotional fare for our flights to Delhithat is extremely competitive for a nonstop flight. Our fares would be
the most affordable between the two destinations as we hope to establish ourselves as a genuine leisure carrier that can easily carry Indian passengers to their holiday destination in the Maldives. MEGA Maldives Airlines is already a major stakeholder in the Maldives tourist sector, and collaborates closely with the resort brands and tour operators based in the Maldives. We hope to organize a road show in India in 2017 by showcasing the Maldives’ leading resort brands to network with India-based tour operators and customers. Loyalty programmes for the travellers We currently do not have a loyalty programme, but it is something we are seriously looking into given that MEGA has been expanding gradually to a number of new destinations.
India Outbound
14>>
Cosmos and Globus unveils 2017 vacations at early bird offers up to 25%
The Cosmos and Globus offers value added vacations and will continues to grow after 89 years at the service of discerning travelers. VW BUREAU
T
he Globus family of brands is unveiling authentic travel experiences, including new getaways & travel styles, that too with great savings of as much as 25%. As the current travel trends go, both cost-conscious and seasoned travelers are seeking value for money vacations to fulfil their travel dreams. Cosmos, the world leader in budget travel will continue to focus on growing its niche by reaching out to patrons who seek real experiences with options of sightseeing and free time to personalize their vacation experience, whether to Europe, Asia, North or South America. The Globus family of brands focuses on travelers who value international travel experiences and prefer sampling local cuisine instead of seeking Indian fare in overseas destinations. These travellers have grown in numbers over the last decade and also represent a new breed of savvy travel enthusiasts who appreciate more immersive experiences with fellow international travelers and local Tour directors. For 2017, the Globus family of brands will keep focusing on the value it offers. “Our vacations appeal to the evolved traveler and are distinctly different from what any other tour operator is offering in India. Our choice of itineraries, destinations, travel styles, the length of stay, travel dates and prices is unmatched and we will continue to focus on providing value to our travelers and that would mean the best experience at the least cost possible,” says Varesh Chopra, Regional Director – South Asia and the Middle East. “This is one of the reasons that the Indian clientele have chosen our brands as their preferred choice for more than 3 decades now. The repeat clientele factor stays at 60 % as they keep coming back to their favorite way of travelling. The Repeat travelers also get very attractive loyalty discounts. All this adds up to help agents and sellers effectively retain clientele, whilst ensuring they have a superlative experience. “Moreover, we highly encourage selling partners to look out for a host of incredible new benefits also including fully paid FAM & industry discount opportunities for 2017.”He added. Cosmos is also announcing its ever popular collection of 9 great vacations under $1000 that include accommodation at superior hotels, touring by deluxe coaches, sightseeing with local guides, services of a professionally trained tour director, breakfast and even some additional meals!
Voyager’s World > November 2016
The list features British Panorama - 6 days priced from US$999*, Lisbon, Seville & Madrid - 9 days priced from US$999* Best of the Netherlands- 7 days priced from US$999* Highlights of the Canyonlands 7 days priced from US$999* Prague, Vienna & Budapest - 9 days priced from US$999* Irish Explorer - 9 days priced from US$999* Highlights of Morocco - 10 days priced from US$999* Costa Rica Escape - 8 days priced from US$999* Grand Tour of Turkey- 13 days priced from US$999* Cosmos’ 2017 hot list also includes new destinations like Vietnam, China, Japan, Mexico and Cuba that would particularly interest their Indian guests. For more information on Cosmos Vacations check www. cosmosvacations.in Globus offers a choice of vacation destinations covering 82 countries throughout Europe, North & South America & Asia including China and Japan and Australia & New Zealand. Globus travel styles range from the multicountry Panoramas to the in-depth Regional discoveries and from all-inclusive Avalon river cruises to Monograms Independent vacations fitting those who do not wish to travel with a group. For more details on Globus vacations check www.globusjourneys.in Globus family of brands vacations can be booked through your preferred travel agent or any of their General Sales Agents and can be viewed at www.globusfamily.com/india. For more information on the vacations, please call 1-800425-3575 *All of the above prices are land or land and cruise-only.
India Outbound
15>>
Indians prefer six days for international travel: Airbnb
London, Paris and New York remain top choices for the Asian population to visit on international vacations. VW BUREAU
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irbnb looks at the travel trends that have dominated this culturally diverse region in the recent years, with each country displaying unique attributes motivated by varied cultural nuances. With 380% outbound and 390% inbound growth in the last year, the Asia region has been the fastest growing region for the brand, be it the rise of solo travelers from Asia or the love for international destination. The top six travel trends from APAC-Discover how APAC travels this World Tourism Day, with Airbnb are as follows-
Indian travellers tend to travel internationally. - London, Paris, New York: This trifecta
of diverse and cosmopolitan culture features among the top choices for the Asian population to visit on international vacations. The top
international destinations that Indians love to visit are London, Paris, New York, Bangkok, Amsterdam, Dubai, Rome, Copenhagen, Bali, Singapore.
- Every season is a reason (to travel): Domestic travel in this region has been characterized by a distinct seasonality trend that emerges during each holiday period. In India, the top seasons to travel are Eid, Dusshera, Christmas New Year, Good Friday, School holidays in June
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- Journeys of self-discovery: Solo travel is becoming increasingly common among the Asian urban population, as they discover themselves through discovering unique cultures. Be it backpacking or luxurious indulgence. Solo
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- Travelling with the clan: Another key observation has been the tendency for local travel to be a group engagement with either family or friends. Indian families travel the most on Christmas, Good Friday, School Holiday; trips tend to be domestic. More couples were found travelling to international cities during Eid, Good Friday and School Holiday.
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- Love for long distance: While travelers spend more time and money on their international travel, domestic travel is reserved for shorter trips spent at properties available within a lower price range.
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- Quick-fix travel for the spontaneous soul: Domestic bookings in the region see travelers taking quicker and more impulsive decisions to travel with shorter booking times as compared to international bookings. Indians prefer three days for domestic travel and six days for an international trip.
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India Outbound
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Young professionals lead millennial leisure travel in India Millennial travellers are seeking innovative experiences and are passionate about exploring a destination through self-drive holidays or by connecting by train and local transport. IRENE SUSAN EAPEN
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illennial travellers are on the rise these days with the number of their trips and spending patterns over a trip this include the young professionals from India or the generation Y who are in search of new experiences across the globe. Some of the well-knowndestinations areSpain, Greece, UK, US, China and Japan apart from the South East Asian region. These kinds of travellers are alsochanging the outlook on travel in terms of age and exploring a destination at any time which is more of local experiences rather than a normal itinerary of various destinations. According Sam Morrah, Director of Sales and Marketing for Contiki Asia,” India has seen the highest growth throughout Asia over the past year with a 30% rise in millennial travellers joining Contiki trips in 2016 compared with 2015. Both the engagement and feedback we have experienced from these young
Voyager’s World > November 2016
Indian travellers has been extremely positive and is a clear indicator that millennial travel is on the rise.” “The millennial are one of the fastest growing categories contributing to our business growth,” says Rakshit Desai, Managing Director India FCM travel Solutions and Flight Shop. The ‘bleisure travel’, or situations in which employees add personal leisure days to their business trip, again Millennials stand apart from previous generations of travellers. A recent study by the CWT Solutions Group found that a traveller under 25 is two to three times more likely than one aged 40-45 to add a weekend to his or her business trip. It is therefore important for companies start creating travel policies around this trend. Well-designed policies around bleisure travel create opportunities for organizations to drive savings and boost employee engagement and morale, among other benefits.
Technology and mobile technology, in particular, has become a key area of focus in business travel. In a 2015 study by CWT, mobile technology emerged as the top trend, with some 92% of travel managers expecting it to have an impact on their travel programmes. Millennials want to use technology at every stage of the booking cycle and their preferred method is mobile. They are using online booking tools (OBTs) but if you really want them to stick to policy, the next move is mobile. The rise in millennial travellers is likely to increase with the rising middle class population in India are definitely going to be the future of the travel industry over the years. Growth of millennial travellers Sam says, “For us, India has seen the highest growth throughout Asia over the past year with a 30% rise in millennial travellers joining Contiki trips in 2016 compared with 2015.
Both the engagement and feedback we have experienced from these young Indian travellers has been extremely positive and is a clear indicator that millennial travel is on the rise.” Nicholas Lim, President for Trafalgar (Asia) and President of the Travel Corp- India states“The Indian Millennial traveller is second only to the Chinese in terms of spending per trip. There is a continuous rise in the number of millennial leisure travellers from India especially among young professionals travelling around the globe in search of new experiences.Popular travel destinations are Spain, Greece, UK, US, China and Japan apart from the South East Asian region .” Rakshit says, “The average age of Indian travellers is changing, with the exponential rise in travel by millennials.”
India Outbound
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Nicholas Lim, President -Trafalgar Asia, President - Travel Corp India
“The Indian Millennial traveller is second compared to the Chinese in terms of spending per trip. Trafalgar expects 20% annual growth. The rising numbers of double income couples in India is contributing to the growth of travel of Millennial Travellers. A typical Indian MT is single professional or a Double Income No Kids as travel is all about experiences.”
In the opinion of Geeta Jain, CEO, India, Carlson Wagonlit Travel (CWT), “Millennials already comprise close to 40 percent of CWT travelers in India, and this number will continue to rise as more millennials enter the workforce. They are engaging with brands, forming perceptions, and developing travel habits and preferences. These emerging tendencies will solidify as members of this generation age. Travel companies that don’t reach out to Millennials now, seeking to understand and address their unique needs, may miss the boat entirely.” Expected Growth In the opinion of Sam, “In 2017, we anticipate the number of millennial travelling on Contiki trips will likely double, with more and more of such enquiring about the product and forward sales already 100% higher than they were at this stage last year.” Nicholas observes,” With the Rising Middle class population in India the
growth of Indian Millennial traveller is looking promising and Trafalgar expects 20% annual growth. India is pegged to be No 2 in the world for start-up companies and young professional are more keen on spending for their holidays. We also recognise rising numbers of double income couples here in India, contributing to the growth of travel of Millennial Travellers. Millennial Traveller tends to give more importance to quality over quantity and is keen to explore new locations.” Millennial travellers changing the outlook of travel through segments like business and leisure Sam says, “The majority of our clients are travelling for leisure. In recent years we have seen a shift from the traditional family holiday in India to young Indian travellers opting for a more independent experience they can share with like-aged, like-
minded travellers. With Contiki being exclusively for travellers aged 18 to 35 years old, the product lends itself perfectly to this segment.” “Indian Millennial Travellers while travelling for Business generally prefer to extend their stays over the weekend to explore the cities they are in. They are not hesitant to spend out of their pockets while extending their stays. The Indian Millennial Travellers is ready to spend on luxury hotels and premium services. A typical Indian Millennial Traveller is single professional or a DINK (Double Income No Kids), for them travel is about experiences, be it a local vineyard in France or architecture in Rome. Travel is experiential,” Nicholas added. Rakshit says, “Millennials are more experimental in their travel preferences and approach they are passionate about exploring a destination, holidaying in pursuit
of unique experiences or to learn something new, rather than just checking places off a travel list. These travellers are also more open to experiments with cuisines and cultures and we have seen great demand for some of our unique travel experiences from this segment. They are also flexible in context of spending on accommodation and transport, often choosing alternate accommodation options like hostels and local rentals. Millennial travellers are also more likely to prefer selfdrive holidays, and connecting by train and local transport.” In the opinion of Geeta,” For five or six years ago, the best mobile apps offered by TMCs were aggregators that pre-selected the handiest information apps, such as weather, exchange rates, and local news, for business travelers. Later, features such as itinerary management, mobile check-in and flight status alerts were consolidated into Contiki Asia
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India Outbound
18>> Geeta Jain, CEO, India, Carlson Wagonlit Travel (CWT)
“Millennials comprise close to 40% of CWT travellers in India and this number will continue to rise as more millennials enter the workforce by engaging with brands, forming perceptions and developing travel habits and preferences. They expect content to be tailored to them and their needs to be personalized social networks, customized news feeds or music streams.”
Rakshit Desai, MD India FCM travel Solutions and Flight Shop
“The average age of Indian travellers is changing with the exponential rise in travel by millennials. Millennials are more experimental in their travel preferences as they are passionate about exploring a destination. We noticed a great demand for unique travel experiences from this segment and also flexible in spending on accommodation like hostels and local rentals.” a single app. Today, the muchawaited program-compliant booking capabilities are being launched. For example, last year CWT enabled hotel bookings through its CWT To Go app in a number of markets around the world, and this functionality will soon be introduced in India. Air and ground transportation bookings in CWT To Go are also in the pilot phase.” “Another key area of focus when engaging Millennials is personalization. Millennials expect content to be tailored to them and their needs – be it personalized social networks, customized news feeds or music streams that constantly adjust to their changing tastes. In the case of business travel this could mean up-front service notifications such as push messages, email reminders and profile messages. True personalization is more than just customizing a promotional email or newsletter with each customer’s first name; it’s about creating unique experiences for each traveler at every stage of their journey. Technologies
Trafalgar
Voyager’s World > November 2016
such as Near Field Communication (NFC), combined with smartphone capabilities, can proactively push offers and personalized information to travelers. The key to delivering realtime, personal service in business travel is using data in a meaningful and productive way, “she says. “Online reviews having a strong influence on Millennials’ travel decisions, so give them access to review sites for your travel program and let them make sound choices that fit within your travel policy without looking outside. Our CWT Hotel Intel tool, for example, allows business travelers to share hotel ratings and reviews within a secure, companyspecific site. The tool not only gives access to up-to-date information on company-compliant hotels, but also provides trusted advice from fellow business travelers,” she added. Millennial travellers to be the future of travel industry Sam states“ Millennial travellers are constantly pushing the boundaries
of what travel is. They are seeking experiences rather than simply travelling for the sake of it. Compared to older travellers, millennial travellers are driving a demand for new and innovative travel styles and experiences. Contiki in particular recognises this and is constantly changing and evolving its product to keep up with millennial expectations, and in turn young Indian Millennials recognise this and look to Contiki to provide them with such innovation and experiences.” “Trafalgar appreciates everyone is different and the future of the travel industry is about personalisation. We try to ensure we understand and treat each customer differently and have different itineraries to fit different travel styles. Whether a guest is a culinary connoisseur, cultural explorer, natural wanderer or travel-hungry adventurer, there is a trip option that can be easily aligned to these preferences,” Nicholas added.
Marketing Plans Sam says, “For India, nothing works quite like word of mouth. The young India millennials experiencing the Contiki product are returning home and absolutely raving about their Contiki experience and we are finding many of the new clients we are booking have been referred by friends and family.We saw some great success with influencer marketing this year whereby we sent various young Indians with good followings on social media, whose raw, honest accounts of the Contiki experience really resonated with our
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India Outbound Sam Morrah, Director of Sales and Marketing for Contiki Asia
“Travel is addictive as an incredible amount of Indian Millennials travel time again to experience our hundreds of trips throughout the world. The young Indian travellers prefer more of independent experiences to share your travel with like-minded travellers.The number of millennials travelling is expected to double in 2017.” Millennial audience and generated some fantastic engagement throughout India.” “Customers now require a deeper level of connection outside of traditional marketing channels. They seek value-driven products and services, and rely on social media reviews for decisions. We have updated our website to include live reviews from guests mentioning Trafalgar on social media feeds that can help these travellers plan their holidays. Trafalgar has earned 97% guest satisfaction from over 15,000 guest reviews through an independent global feedback engine, Feefo. These testaments from our customers are our best marketing tools and can be found at www.trafalgar. com/reviews.” Nicholas added. Trends in Millennial travellers boosting the tourism market Sam explains, “Ultimately, travel is addictive and we see an incredible amount of Indian Millennials who travel with Contiki coming back time and time again to experience our hundreds of trips throughout the world. Contiki is keeping this segment engaged and excited about the travel experiences the world has to offer and it’s this engagement and excitement that will serve to grow the industry as a whole for a long time to come.” “Millennial travellers are seeking more exotic or less visited destinations and also want to travel with lots of free time to explore new restaurants, go shopping, or just to wander about the city,” Nicholas added.
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India Outbound
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South Africa Tourism ties up with Thomas Cook for packages
Tourists eager to enjoy their holidays in South Africa, now can take advantage of the special, fun-filled, activity and experience rich holiday itineraries from Thomas Cook. VW BUREAU
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s the holiday season approaches, it’s time to put on the planning hats and book those long due vacations. Rising to the occasion, South African Tourism has partnered with Thomas Cook to offer exciting travel packages and deals for Indian travellers. Tourists eager to enjoy their Diwali and Christmas holidays in South Africa, now have the opportunity to take advantage of the special, fun-filled, activity and experience rich holiday itineraries from Thomas Cook in association with South African Tourism. Commenting on this joint marketing activity, Hanneli Slabber, Country Manager, South African Tourism said, “We constantly endeavor to create exciting and innovative experiences for our visitors. We would love for more Indians to come and witness the wonder that is South Africa – to truly experience and know the country like the locals. In close partnership with a leading travel trade partner like Thomas Cook, we hope to ensure that our Indian visitors have the best and most memorable experience from
Voyager’s World > November 2016
the minute they begin planning their trip. With a favorable exchange rate, Indian travellers going to South Africa will get an exceptional value on the ground as they can partake in so many more activities and experiences in their desired budget.” Rajeev Kale – President and Country Head – Leisure Travel & MICE, Thomas Cook (India) Ltd says, “For our Teams at Thomas Cook India, our partnership with South Africa Tourism has had a significant positive impactSouth Africa has now emerged as one of our fastest growth long haul destinations for Indian outbound travelers! Our upcoming campaign is strategic and focused on a 3 pronged delivery: strong growth of over 15%; inspire demand not only for popular choices across individual and group travellers (Cape Town, Garden Route, Johannesburg, Sun City), but equally showcase newer regions like Kruger, Franschhoek, etc., and thirdly, catalyse uptake for fresh new opportunities like self-drives and winter-travel.” Kale added, “Our marcom approach of print and digital intends to
showcase South Africa’s exotic locales and engaging experiences to capture 3 key segments- the family, India’s Gen Y and honeymooners.” As part of their special packages, Thomas Cook showcases the vibrant and fresher aspects of South Africa to the Indian travelers. These specially created packages also incorporate newer regions such as Knysna, Sun City and Kruger under the group package - South African Royale with Kruger, and Cape Town, Knysna, Suncity, Shamwari Game Reserve, Franschhoek under the customized package - South Africa Honeymoon Special. According to the recent tourist arrival figures, an increasing number of Indian tourists have been traveling to South Africa. As per the latest arrival figures for July 2016, 58,876 Indian tourists have visited South Africa between Jan 2016 to July 2016 which is an increase of 28.1% vis-à-vis the same period last year. The growing popularity of South Africa in India can be substantiated with the number of awards and
accolades won by the tourism board in the recent years. South Africa has been voted the Best Destination for Wildlife (International) for five consecutive years since 2012 by Lonely Planet magazine and also at the Safari India National Tourism Award 2016. It has also bagged the Best International Adventure Destination award by Today’s Traveller earlier this year. In addition, the Kruger National Park was awarded the prestigious Best in Wildlife Destination title at the Outlook Traveller Award 2016. South African Tourism board has also received the best National Tourism Organization distinction at Travel Trade Journal Award 2016 and India Travel Awards (West) 2016 for the outstanding support extended towards Indian Trade Partners. All these recognitions not only reiterate the growing popularity of the Rainbow Nation but also encourage South African Tourism to enhance its consumer and trade engagement programmes to continue promoting the destination in India.
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Cover Story
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Conflict Zones and Tourism.. survival of the secured!
Tourist arrivals and hotel occupancies radically take a beating when in times of uprisings as well as during the aftermath.
Palmyra, Monumental Arch, Syria
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War tourism has been defined on the web as a recreational travel to active or former war zones for purposes of sightseeing or historical study. War tourist is also a pejorative term to describe thrill seeking in dangerous and forbidden places. In 1988, P. J. O’Rourke applied the pejorative meaning to war correspondents.
In 2014, Abacus had published metrics on the root causes of disruption across the Asia Pacific region and around the world. While natural phenomena accounted for the largest share of inconvenience at 28% of all travel disruption arising from severe weather conditions or calamities, manmade disruption was secondary but were considered to be more serious. All man-made political and security related events accounted for four in every ten alerts, often linked to each other. From the one-in-seven that warned of localised political activity came 136 riots with 64 curfews in 2013. Looting was a by-product mentioned in a separate 40 alerts.
While there has been a sizeable number of daring travellers going to explore war-torn and abandoned cities on a ‘war-foot’ trip, there are many destinations that have been closed to the public in view of stray threats of security for visitors with rebels often resorting to taking them as hostages. Let us take a look at findings on how security related alerts have impacted travel.
While travel disruption is typically associated with natural disasters, it appears that the real scourge of travel is, more often than not, man-made. In fact, out of a total of 1,451 ‘security’ alerts broadcast by AidCom in 2013, 25% were considered ‘severe’ and led to defensive measures that played havoc with travellers’ plans. Road, airport and even border closures
nsurgency and war has not only a crippling impact on the day-to-day life of civilians but an instant shock on tourism in the destination. In the wake of several days of relentless uprising in Kashmir for the past few months, travellers have been discouraged from considering a trip to the place.
Voyager’s World > November 2016
are a common outcome under such circumstances. Overall, the Middle East was the focus of the most security alerts at 437 last year: Iraq producing 209 and Syria 115. Cairo was the subject of more alerts (of all types) than any other place on the planet. It was top of the list of cities for political alerts and third for those securityrelated, just behind Baghdad and Damascus. In 203, the impact on demand of the oil price spike was associated with the Syrian crisis and disappointing growth in several key emerging markets. In Asia, both India and Bangladesh witnessed frequent clashes and varied protests. Pakistan’s economic capital Karachi produced 25 security alerts during the year, just ahead of Bangkok’s 22 political alerts and nine security. The data from 2013 gave Abacus some indication of the risks for this
year, perhaps explaining the interest in Abacus TripAlert so far, especially amongst corporate travel agencies with clients who travel to the most exposed areas. Recently, Jammu & Kashmir Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti described tourism as an important means of people to people dialogue adding that it gives ample opportunities to people to know each other better and closely. She however, regretted the negative portrayal of the State by certain outside media outlets. Addressing the delegates at an event in Jammu, she said there is no better mechanism to let the outsiders know of the State, its people and the situation on their own than the tourism sector. That is why, she said, every tourist visit to the State is a step towards peace. Asking the Tourism Department and tour operators to work together for improving the tourist footfall to the State, the Chief Minister said the impression about the state would improve consequentially with more and more tourist arrivals as they would be judging the place
Cover Story
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The minister recalled how a boatman in Dal recently rescued a tourist family when his boat capsized and in the process got himself drowned and how some injured Amarnath Yatris were treated by local people during the last few difficult months. But these things were not reflected appropriately, she remarked with regret. She said some media channels unfortunately created gory pictures on both the sides and tourism is the best way to bridge this gap. Giving some food for thought to the delegates, the Chief Minister asked them to sit down and see how Jammu & Kashmir can be marketed in tourism industry for every section of society. Why can’t we have some separate packages for adventure seekers, pilgrimage seekers, women and girls as J&K has remained safest on women’s security count. Mehbooba Mufti said tourist infrastructure needs more and more upgradation and it needs to be made Nature friendly while providing the guests all the requisite facilities. She said the Centre has allocated sufficient funds for tourism development in the State and hoped that in the coming months and years tourist infrastructure would be upgraded exponentially. On the international front, Syria, has been greatly reduced by the Syrian Civil War and its associated refugee crisis. Many former tourist attractions have been destroyed by shelling; flights by all major airlines have been suspended, and many major hotels have closed. It is estimated that considerable investment will be necessary to revive the country’s tourism industry. The Ancient City of Aleppo, the old cities of Bosra and Damascus, the Dead Cities of northern Syria, Krak des Chevaliers and Qal’at Salah El-Din and ancient Palmyra are the six UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the country. Interestingly, the Syrian conflict is reportedly attracting adventureseekers. Tourists are interested in seeing the conflict and go “crazy” when they learn that they are probably being observed by AlQaeda militants.
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Iranian religious tourism was all that remained.
previous year to 15 percent.
2012, tourism revenue was about 12.8 billion Syrian pounds ($178 million), compared with 52 billion Syrian pounds ($1 billion) in the first quarter of 2011, and the number of foreign tourists decreased by more than 76 percent in the 2012 quarter. Employment in the tourism industry was down by “nearly two-thirds” in that period. According to UNESCO, five of Syria’s six World Heritage Sites have been affected by the civil war. In 2012, Syria sent a letter to the United Nations describing the decline of its tourism industry, noting that the country’s hotel-occupancy rate had fallen from 90 percent the
YOUR GATEWAY TO THE OUTBOUND TRAVEL MARKET
for themselves rather than relying on newsroom discussions of some news channels.
As of 2013, overall Syrian tourism revenue had declined by 94%, with Aleppo the worst affected, and the Tourism Minister stated, at the end of September 2013, that 289 tourist destinations had been damaged by conflict since 2011. By 2015, the movement of tourists had declined by more than 98%. The Syrian Ministry of Tourism claimed that 45,000 tourists visited the country in the first half of 2015, but these figures were disputed by observers, according to the Syrian Economic Forum, which stated that
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Regardless of whether it is a far away nation in Western Asia or a paradise in our own nation that has been reduced to a melting pot of pellets and attacks, places whose economy are predominantly dependent on tourists for their local income and economy, this surely calls for global peace emissaries to take action to reinforce security and revive tourism. It will be a long, long time before the average traveller considers including war-torn regions in their bucket-list!
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Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi
MIDDLE EAST EDITION 27 February - 1 March 2017 Dubai, Kuwait, Doha
GLOBAL EDITION 20 - 25 March 2017 Delhi, Bangalore, Mumbai
Since the beginning of the Syrian Civil War in March 2011, tourism has declined steeply. According to official reports, hotel rooms designed for foreign tourists have been occupied by refugees. In the first quarter of
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Hospitality
24>>
India is second biggest market for Hotelbeds
Nikhil Jain, Sales Director – South Asia at Hotelbeds, says India is the second biggest market for Hotelbeds in Asia Pacific. We have witnessed double digit growth in India for 10 years. IRENE SUSAN EAPEN India is the second biggest market for Hotelbeds in Asia Pacific, and Asia Pacific itself is the fastest growth region for Hotelbeds. In the last three years, we have doubled our sales in the country. We have clocked double digit growth in India since we began operations ten years ago.
Growth in Indian market We have emphasized on adding value to our clients as we are not just a bedbank in the market.We actively seek to partner with our clients and collaborate with them so they can offer more value to their own customers with a differentiated product portfolio, best-in-class technology and service. Our strategy is to get the best people on board who could understand the nuances of the market and can connect with our client partners by aligning with their needs. India is very diverse and we have embraced this diversity with local sales managers who are experts in their sub-regions. We have seen tremendous growth at many levels, globally, Asia Pacific and in India. Globally, we have outperformed the market with 26% growth in TTV to €2,78 billion (for year ending 30 September 2015).
Expected growth for 2016 & 2017 We have linked our growth to the overall growth of India which is currently the fastest growing economy in the world. Our growth has been increasing year on year and we expect to maintain this as the economy grows overall. We expect to grow significantly as we expand into the market and increase our visibility and market presence. Expansion plans As the market grows, we hope to expand in India we are doing this in two ways by consolidating growth with our existing client partners so we optimize evolve and move to the next level. And simultaneously, we are creating partnerships and alliances with new clients. We will continue to invest in product, service and technology which reflects the needs and requirements of the market. For example in technology, we offer APItude to the market – the Hotelbeds API suite which is the fastest and lightest hotel distribution
API in the market. Technology has been and will continue to be our key differentiating factor globally as well as in India.In product, for instance, we have expanded our portfolio of product which today includes 100,000 hotels globally, 16,000 transfer routes and 11,000 activities- both of which are hugely popular in the Indian market. Marketing & promotional plans Globally we will be focusing on a transformation via digital marketing which includes a company-wide focus on customer journey methodology and a renewed recognition of the role that big data can play in helping our client partner’s spot opportunities to drive growth across their operations. Digital marketing will also transform the way we showcase our differentiated product to our client partners and in turn, will help our client partners add value to their own customers. In India, we are increasing our visibility and presence by organizing roadshows where our various departments visit the market and meet our client partners one-on-one to learn more about the various ways we can improve what we do and also look for opportunities to work together. We will also participate at local, Asia Pacific and global events to connect with new and existing client partners.
Boosting the hospitality industry We are evolving to emerge as a product bank, not just as a bed bank and we have over 19,000 transfer routes (140 countries +700 destinations) and +12,000 activities (+120 countries and +650 destinations) in our inventory. The activities bank has been well received in India. Activities are hugely popular since packages work for this market. This year alone the Activities bank as a team visited India several times, connecting with our client partners to get first hand feedback on what activities work well and to look at opportunities where we could partner even more with our clients. The Indian consumer seeks a complete travel experience and this is precisely what we as a company offer the market. Aviation is a key metric of how the market is performing and this contributes massively to India’s growth and development. India is important to Hotelbeds not only as an outbound source market but also domestically and we are looking at increasing our domestic portfolio within India as traffic is very high in the domestic segment. India is currently the second largest source market in the Asia Pacific portfolio and the vibrant economic environment and reforms that are being introduced will only further propel its growth.
Hotelbeds celebrates 10 years in India H otelbeds marked the completion of a successful decade in India by outlining an ambitious growth strategy for the coming decade in this high growth market – which has now emerged as the second largest outbound market in Asia Pacific for the company, behind only China.
Highlighting its successful story of innovation and expansion in the market, the key growth drivers were identified as investment in best-inclass technology, cutting edge use of data and analytics, and emphasis on building strong customer relationships. Reiterating its commitment to the Indian market, Hotelbeds has launched a series of customer facing events across India under the banner “10 years together”, starting with an event held in Mumbai to thank clients and celebrate this important anniversary.
Voyager’s World > November 2016
Sam Turner, Sales Director at Hotelbeds commented “Already India is second only to China in the Asia Pacific region for Hotelbeds. Most recently we have moved beyond just operating in the biggest cities and are now working in tier two – and looking to tier three – sized cities where enormous growth potential still exists. ¨In addition we see even greater potential from a growing segment of ambitious and young Indians looking both to travel more and spend more, not just on accommodation but on activities and unique experiences. “That´s why we have such ambitious growth plans for the next decade and will continue with our current successful formula: investing in bestin-class technology to provide our client partners with the data analytical tools they need to drive increased revenues.”
Hospitality
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Revenue Management is both art and science: Revpar Guru
Jean Francois Mourier, CEO of REVPAR GURU, examines the way that many hoteliers think about revenue management.
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he new article of Jean Francois Mourier of REVPAR GURU ‘Revenue Management: Art or Science?’ examines how many hoteliers think about revenue management. Revenue management is a very complex, time-consuming process. There are literally hundreds of factors that need to be considered when setting room rates – and these factors are changing all of the time, sometimes as often as every minute or every hour. Add to that, the data collection, manually updating rates across all of the online channels, strategy meetings with various internal teams, etc. A revenue manager’s list of responsibilities goes on and on… and on… (I’m tired already, just thinking about it all!). But the reality is that humans can only do so much. There are only so many (working) hours in a day. We need to sleep. We go on vacations and enjoy weekends off. We get
sick. And even when we are hard at work, we can only analyze one page of data at a time. And humans make mistakes; whether it’s a small typo or a mathematical miscalculation, mistakes can cost a hotel thousands of dollars in lost revenue. One basic truth remains- data is fantastically useful, but unless you have the tools to use it effectively, it’s just a bunch of numbers. But lucky for all of us, there is an app for that! Revenue management systems (RMS) are what takes a revenue manager’s job from impossible to possible (and successful!) in a very short period of time. They are able to handle the minutiae of data collection and analysis, and the time consuming process of updating rates online. And there are no costly mistakes with algorithms and technology. They can work all day and all night (without taking a break), collecting
and analyzing data, offering rate recommendations and then updating the rates across all of your property’s online channels. They can be easily supervised at any time from any computer or smartphone. Of course, we’re not saying that revenue managers will be replaced by technology. That will never happen… and we wouldn’t want it to. Revenue management technology is important but revenue managers are even more important because they are ones who determine the strategy that the RMS should take, the ones who develops relationships with OTA managers, the ones who creates campaigns and who looks beyond data to make good business decisions that will earn a hotel more money. They are also the ones who supervise the RMS, to make sure that it’s doing its job properly and that the rates that it is setting are appropriate and accurate to the
AMRITSAR COIMBATORE
current market conditions. To answer my original question, revenue management is both an art and a science. The revenue manager is the artist controlling and overseeing the science (as being executed by the RMS). Only with two working together effectively, can a property’s occupancy, ADR and RevPAR increase consistently. The lesson of the day is this: revenue managers are essential to the successful daily operations of a hotel, so if your property doesn’t have a talented revenue manager, get one immediately! Once you’ve found a trustworthy and capable revenue manager, give your him/her the tools necessary to do the job more effectively: a sophisticated revenue management system. Having both will give your property the edge up over the competition, making it just good (business) sense.
: 16, 17, 18 December 2016 : 27, 28, 29 January 2017
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Hospitality
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Wyndham Hotel Group leverages on domestic travel
Daniel Ruff, President and Managing Director, Europe, Middle East, Eurasia and Africa (EMEA), Wyndham Hotel Group, shares the group’s expansion plans in India’s Tier 2 and 3 cities in the near future. IRENE SUSAN EAPEN
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he Wyndham Hotel Group witnessed a growth of 66% in its occupancy in 2015 and it further went up to 68% during this year from January to July. Daniel Ruff, the hotel group’s President & Managing Director for Europe, Middle East, Eurasia and Africa (EMEA), expects an increase by the
year end. “On a year-on-year, it has always been from 66% to 68%. The growth is definitely going to be an increase from last year. In 2017 we are excited about this market for a lot of macro transactions. The e-visa and other markets have increased the interest of the foreign markets to come to India. We have grown the market from eight hotels to 34 hotels in the last five years in Eurasia. 2017 is going to be another great year of growth, we are going to grow the portfolio to another 20% to 30%. We are going to add some great hotels and destinations, the quality of the hotels will be added.” He revealed plans to add more hotels in India with at least seven to eight properties in places like
Darjeeling, Lucknow, Kumbhalgar and Trivandrum by the end of 2017. Citing domestic travel as one of the group’s core strengths, he asserted that they were one of the biggest players in India. “In other markets we have gone early to build our footprint there as our goal was to be one of the biggest players in their market. We are going to be a real power house in the mid-scale and upscale part of the Indian hotels market.” Marketing Plans Wyndham has tied up with inflight magazines of Jet Airways, IndiGo and SpiceJet to run its summer promotions which have helped in creating awareness and bringing more reward members. The hotel group taps weddings in India besides
MICE, in which it affirms to be the best player in the world for having acquired, in 2015, a brand called Dolce and looks forward to launching the first Dolce in India. “Domestic leisure will be a giant focus here in India in 2017. At the same time religious destination is something that is catching up a lot of interest. It is a 100% occupancy destination like our property in Amritsar. We look forward to have a few more properties in religious destinations. We are trying to focus on Tier 2 and 3 cities like Trivandrum, Pali, Lonar, Darjeeling and Jammu and will double our Indian portfolio with 41 hotels over the next three years. We will also focus on corporate groups and medical tourism in Gurgaon, Chennai and Kerala.”
Net impact of consumer spending will boost more hotels
Rajiv Raichand, Director – Virtuous Retail-The Waverly Hotel & Residences, says the property has been evoking interests among a number of staycationers during weekends. IRENE SUSAN EAPEN Virtuous Retail, The Waverly Hotel & Residence. “We have noticed a number of staycationers, who prefer to spend their time with their families lounging during the weekends.”
Growth The Waverly Hotel & Residences was opened in April 2016. “We have been growing steadily over the last few months in terms of occupancy as well as revenues. The Waverly has attracted the corporate traveller on account of the commercial offices in the area. We also have a number of apartments and studios that can be utilized by long stay guests,” says Rajiv Raichand, Director -
Voyager’s World > November 2016
Expected growth The Waverly Hotel & Residences is establishing firmly on Bangalore’s hospitality map as a destination that is seamlessly integrated with retail, world class F&B offerings, luxury spa, rooftop entertainment spaces and co-working space so 2016 and 2017 are expected to be pivotal years. Marketing and promotional plans “We have various online promotions planned with the online travel agents – Expedia, Booking.com, Cleartrip, Agoda etc. We are targeting relocation companies as well as other companies that have a potential for
long stay bookings at our various apartments and studio rooms.” It is also promoting events at the Whitefield Arms which is the pub and microbrewery and The Waverly as well as DJ nights and corporate events at the Alt Bar & Lounge. The SkyDeck on the roof top is promoted events space for weddings, Tedx Talks, rock concerts and large parties. It also offers lifestyle brand partners such as The Tribe, a full service crossfit gym and training center offering personal training and group classes; Spa la Vie by L’Occitane, with luxurious treatment rooms. Trends The consumer sentiment is upbeat and is being driven by introduction of unique and new experiences both by
start-ups and existing players. Also, the government’s impetus to boost growth in the sector has attracted significant investments from global players. Rajiv expects the hospitality industry in India to boom in the next five years with a number of new properties. “With increased consumer spending on travel, evolving choices of travellers, development of niche forms of tourism, expected increase in number of foreign tourists and influx of new players in the market – airlines, tour operators, online booking portals; the net impact will be a major rise in the number of new properties across the spectrum – luxury, boutique, business, budget, resorts, homestays, etc and we feel there is room for all to flourish as long as the consumer is provided a sensorial experience,” he concluded.
Association
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TAAI’s Annual Convention in Abu Dhabi Lights up the desert skies... The convention was ably supported by Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority (TCA). Rohit Hangal
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s a gust of wind soars over the desert skies, the TAAI Annual Convention stood its prominence as a destination of networking, business and aptitude. The day of announcement of Abu Dhabi as its Convention Capital this year to its finality within 60 days, TAAI pulled out all stops to create another memorable event. The ‘Indian Travel Congress’ organized by Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI) from the 14 -16 October 2016 has been a huge success. This 63rd Convention & Exhibition of TAAI was held at the incredible ‘Emirates Palace Abu Dhabi’ and featured about 700 Delegates.
The Convention was also highlighted by the most popular ITTE – India Travel Trade Expo offering an excellent B2B opportunity to the visiting delegates to connect themselves with vendors from all over.
overall support to ensure success of the event.
The convention was ably supported by Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority (TCA) who had inspired TAAI to decide Abu Dhabi as the venue for this most outstanding tourism event of the year. TCA played a key role in hosting the Inaugural evening at the Emirates Palace; free visas to the delegates; Pre-Post tours to the Delegates; City Tours and extending
This year, TAAI Convention will always be recalled for the manner it was presented to the delegates amidst the best of convention venues in the region. Sunil Kumar, President of TAAI remarked “Organizing a Convention of this huge magnitude in less than 40 days strongly reflects the TEAM WORK by TAAI and invaluable support from our Partners
The Emirates Palace had gone all out to offer to delegates greatest of comfort and opulence backed by the rich quality of some great service.
in the Industry. The success of the event is a strong attribute of TAAI and its eminence”. The Bengaluru TAAI team, if I could add brought in its expertise to micro-manage, and more importantly endured its unflinching ability to contribute long man-hours to ensure the event’s unqualified success! The Convention was inaugurated by India’s acting Ambassador Her Excellency Mrs. Neeta Bhushan, Acting Ambassador of India to Abu Dhabi; by the Director General of TCA His Excellency Saif Saeed Ghobash and Sunil Kumar on 14 October, 2016 at the Emirates Palace, Abu
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Association
Dhabi. Sunil Kumar added, “This event brings in a strong partnership between India and Abu Dhabi through the TAAI-TCA relationship and has now inspired the Indian industry leaders to take a closer look at Abu Dhabi for its myriad wonders and huge potential to attract Indians and Indian events.” TAAI presented three prominent industry awards on 14 October. Zubin Karkaria, CEO of VFS Global was presented with “TAAI’s Award of Distinction for his outstanding leadership and growth in the industry; Dev Karvat, Managing Director of Trawell Tag Cover More was presented the “TAAI’s Awards of Excellence” for his most significant contribution to the Industry and
Voyager’s World > November 2016
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Shyam Nijhawan, Chairman of the Nijhawan Group was presented the “Life Time Achievement Award” for his decades of contribution and support to the Industry. On 15 & 16 October, at the Emirates Palace, TAAI held its ‘Knowledge Sessions’ featuring subjects of relevance and importance encouraging the delegates to embrace change and be prepared for a fast evolving scenario that demands newer approaches to service the growing travellers. The Convention theme ‘Tomorrow begins NOW’ with a tag line, ‘rise above the routine’ was well received and served as an excellent focus for the debates held.
On the evening of 15 October, TAAI presented NAMASTE INDIA GALA, promoting India and its significant industry contribution and leadership. The evening was based on the landmark in the history of Indian Aviation, where JRD Tata, had flown the first commercial flight, on 15 October 1932 from Karachi to Mumbai. TAAI honoured the Airlines present at this occasion for their role in making INDIA a country-in-greatdemand for the growth of Aviation. On 16 October, the Farewell Gala Dinner was another striking feature of the Convention. This festive and thrilling event was held at the most incredible FERRARI WORLD Abu Dhabi, in YAS Island and was hosted by Yas Island.
Another special value feature of the Convention has been the large presence of Media. About 40 media personnel from India, representing TV; Digital; Print and Social Media joined the Convention at Abu Dhabi. Airlines that fly into Abu Dhabi & Dubai were a big support to the Convention. They offered special fares for Delegates. Etihad & Jet Airways carried the maximum delegates while there has been valuable support from Oman Air; Emirates; Air India and IndiGO. The call came at a welcome gala reception for up to 600 agents, all members of The Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI) - the ‘voice’ of the country’s rapidly expanding travel and tourism sector
Association
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- which is staging its 63rd annual convention at Abu Dhabi’s signature Emirates Palace this week for the first time in Abu Dhabi. India’s leading travel agents have been urged to seize the potential of Abu Dhabi’s diverse tourism offering to further boost their already growing business relations with the Emirate. Addressing the agents, HE Saif Saeed Ghobash, Director General of Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi), which hosted the gathering, said the outbound Indian market is of paramount importance to the Emirate as it is now the largest overseas source of hotel guests. In the first half of this year 152,423 Indians checked into Abu
Dhabi hotels which were a 20% yearover-year increase. Indian guests accounted for 7% of all hotel stays in the Emirate, with a longer-thanaverage stay of 3.4 nights. Ghobash said with three airlines now operating more than 300 combined flights a week to Abu Dhabi from 15 different Indian cities, the Emirate could be promoted within India as a convenient short-break choice, a luxury wedding celebration destination and a world-class meeting and convention venue in less than four hours flying time. “Abu Dhabi could cater to the various travel segments because of its product diversity which spans capital city luxury, Yas Island
entertainment, UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Al Ain and superb desert and island resorts within Al Gharbia” said TCA Director General. He also pointed to new attractions taking shape on Yas Island and the near completion of the Louvre Abu Dhabi on Saadiyat Island. Abu Dhabi was selected as host venue for the TAAI convention following a successful bid by the Abu Dhabi Convention Bureau – the dedicated TCA Abu Dhabi division which champions the Emirate as a dynamic global business events leader. During their stay in Abu Dhabi, the TAAI delegates were hosted on city tours and visited Yas Island, the Emirate’s entertainment destination, where they will experience Ferrari
World Abu Dhabi – the world’s only Ferrari theme park. As another TAAI Convention came to a close and a new destination uncovered, the Indian Travel-trade will sure be game to log on to another sojourn of networking, business and fraternity! The TAAI Convention is the second major overseas summit being hosted in Abu Dhabi last month. From October 10-12, the emirate hosted the 2016 convention of the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA), which featured decisionmakers from the UK travel and tourism industry, including influential media representatives, held at the iconic, five-star Yas Viceroy.
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Incredible India
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MoT implements Sustainable Tourism Criteria for India
Implementation of Sustainable Tourism Criteria for India and the International Buddhist Conclave in Sarnath were few of the many initiatives taken by the Ministry of Tourism in an eventful October. PRESS INFORMATION BUREAU
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inod Zutshi, Secretary Ministry of Tourism, launched the Implementation of the Sustainable Tourism Criteria for India (STCI) in association with Ecotourism Society of India (ESOI) on 19 October in Delhi. He recalled the MOU signed in March 2016 between ESOI and Government of India to launch the STCI programme across India. He indicated the importance given to sustainable tourism in the National Tourism Policy that is to be released soon. Speaking on the occasion, Steve Borgia, the President of ESOI hailed the commitment shown by Ministry of Tourism. India is one of the few countries in the world to have a criteria of its own. C.B. Ramkumar, Board member ,Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria (GSTC) presented the global picture and also suggested the direction which India could go in this regard. His address also gave a clear picture the way GSTC operates . The Sustainable Tourism Criteria for India (STCI) had been developed for the accommodation, tour operators and beaches, backwaters and lakes sectors of the tourism industry after thorough discussions with the stakeholders. The STCI follow the guidelines set by the Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria (GSTC) that has been evolved under the guidance of the United Nations’ agencies viz. UNEP and UNWTO. The STCI were developed with the need for developing criteria for sustainable tourism specific to India given the specific environment that India’s tourism industry operates in and drawing inspiration from India’s attainments in sustainability. After much deliberations, the STCI were defined finally launched on 26th August 2014 by the then Minister of Tourism in Hyderabad in association with the leading Travel Trade Associations. Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) 13.4% growth in Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) in September 2016 over the same period in 2015.
Voyager’s World > November 2016
Bangladesh accounts for highest share of tourist arrivals followed by USA and UK in September 2016. Rs. 11. 781 crore Foreign Exchange earned through tourism in September 2016. • FTAs during the Month of September, 2016 were 6.15 lakh as compared to FTAs of 5.42 lakh during the month of September, 2015 and 5.09 lakh in September, 2014. There has been a growth of 13.4% in September, 2016 over September, 2015. • FTAs during the period JanuarySeptember, 2016 were 62.07 lakh with a growth of 10.5% as compared to the FTAs of 56.15 lakh with a growth of 4.8% in JanuarySeptember, 2015 over JanuarySeptember, 2014. • Percentage share of Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) in India during September, 2016 among the top 15 source countries was highest from Bangladesh (20.58%) followed by USA (10.96%), UK (7.97%), Malaysia (4.98%), Sri Lanka (3.98%), Australia (3.47%), China (3.36%), Germany (2.83%), Japan (2.79%), Canada (2.58%), Nepal (2.16%), France (2.15%), Singapore (2.08%), Afghanistan (1.57%) and Pakistan (1.36%). • Percentage share of Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) in India during September 2016 among the top 15 ports was highest at Delhi Airport (30.99%) followed by Mumbai Airport (16.28%), Haridaspur Land check post (11.62%), Chennai Airport (8.30%), Bengaluru Airport (6.01%), Kolkata Airport (4.43%), Cochin Airport (3.22%), Hyderabad Airport (3.01%), Gede Rail (2.28%), Tiruchirapalli Airport (1.99%), Ahmadabad Airport (1.72%),Trivandrum Airport (1.49%), Ghojadanga land check post (1.29%), Amritsar Airport (1.01%) and Attari-Wagh Land check post (0.99%). Foreign Exchange Earnings (FEEs) from Tourism in India in Rs. terms and in US$ terms • FEEs during the month of September, 2016 were Rs. 11,781 crore as compared to Rs. 10,415 crore in September, 2015 and Rs.
9,057 crore in September, 2014. • The growth rate in FEEs in rupee terms during September, 2016 over September, 2015 was 13.1% as compared to the growth of 15.0% in September, 2015 over September, 2014. • FEEs from tourism in rupee terms during January- September, 2016 were Rs. 1,12,068 crore with a growth of 14.5% as compared to the FEE of Rs. 97,843 crore with a growth of 10.1% during JanuarySeptember, 2015 over JanuarySeptember, 2014. • FEEs in US$ terms during the month of September, 2016 were US$ 1.765 billion as compared to FEEs of US$ 1.573 billion during the month of September, 2015 and US$ 1.488 billion in September, 2014. • The growth rate in FEEs in US$ terms in September, 2016 over September, 2015 was 12.2% compared to the growth of 5.7% in September, 2015 over September, 2014. International Buddhist Conclave 2016 opens in Sarnath The International Buddhist Conclave-2016, which was officially inaugurated on 2 October, 2016 in New Delhi, opened its sessions in Sarnath, Uttar Pradesh on 3 October. The opening session was addressed by Dr. Mahesh Sharma, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Tourism & Culture. Om Prakash, Tourism Minister, Govt. of Uttar Pradesh, Tourism Secretary Vinod Zutshi, Navneet Sehgal, Principal Secretary, UP Tourism and Commissioner Varanasi. H.E. Assoc. Professor Chavanee Tongroach, Vice Minister of Tourism & Sports, Govt. of the Kingdom of Thailand, Macio Favilla, Executive Director, World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and Mayor of Varanasi amongst others attended the opening session of the conclave. Dr. Mahesh Sharma said, “India is the seat of Spiritual Tourism and that Government of India & Government of Uttar Pradesh are committed to develop the Buddhist Circuits. He also stated that Sarnath
will be made the hub of Buddhist Tourism in India and efforts will be made to bring in air, rail and road connections from Sarnath to various Buddhist sites in India.” Dr. Sharma further outlined the Ministry of Tourism’s investment in tourism infrastructure for development of Buddhist Circuit in India under its Swadesh Darshan Scheme and stated that an amount of Rs. 132.17 crore have been sanctioned till date. He further added that for Uttar Pradesh, the Ministry of Tourism is in the verge of sanctioning an amount of Rs.99.97 crore this year for infrastructure development of Buddhist Circuit covering Saravasti, Kapilvastu, Kushinagar. Zutshi said that this was the first time when the International Buddhist Conclave was being organized in the premises of Sarnath. He further added that India was prepared for developing a trans border Buddhist Circuit across ASEAN & SAARC countries to enhance movement of Buddhist pilgrims in the region from remaining parts of the world. The whole day session included panel discussions on ‘India- The Land of Buddha’ with an objective to showcase India as Buddhist destination and “Creating Buddhayana Sangha” for the worldwide community of Buddhist including the Sangha in supporting India’s vision to develop Buddhist Circuits and awaken the world of Buddha’s India. The day concluded with B2B meetings, a platform for interaction of Indian Tour Operators with the foreign Tour Operators and delegates attending the International Buddhist Conclave-2016. More than 240 international delegates from 39 countries are attending this Conclave this year. The delegates will later travel to Nalanda, Rajgir and Bodhgaya to experience the Buddhist heritage in Bihar.
Incredible India
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Tamil Nadu Tourism makes presence felt at JATA Tourism Expo 2016
Tamil Nadu Tourism Department is undertaking several promotional initiatives to develop places of historical significance. VW BUREAU
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amil Nadu Tourism is taking all steps to make the Dasara Festival in Kulasekaranpattinam more popular worldwide. It is celebrated with great pomp at the Sri Mutharmman temple located at Kulasekharapattinam village near Tiruchendur 55 km south of Tuticorin in Tamil Nadu. Historically, Kulasekaranpattinam was a minor port having trade links with Sri Lanka. But after Tuticorin became a major port, Kulasekaranpattinam lost its status. The Dasara celebrations in September/October every year are second to that of Mysore. The uniqueness of the festival is that the devotees need not spend from their pocket. They are expected to beg alms from door to door and a token offerings only is expected to be offered at shrine after meeting out their expenses. The devotees whoever wants to observe vridham should do so for 41 days continuously, and during the Dasara (10 days) they should dress
like the God/Goddess and should not do any mischief, leaving all bad habits, and should be pure at body, mind and soul. One more thing is that whoever wants to dress up like “Goddess KALI” should be more cautious than others, since people come to them for blessings. People can dress up like any God and Goddess according to their prayers and wishes. Navaraathri Avadharam and their Rewards. On the climatic day the sea shores of this otherwise deserted coastal village turns into a veritable carnival of folk music and folk dance of the devotees in their chosen fancy dresses to either solicit the grace of or to thank for the boon granted by presiding deity Sri Muthramman considered to be the incarnation of Shakthi, the consort of Lord Shiva in Hinduism. More than 1.5 million people gather here year after year on the tenth day after new moon day in the month ‘Purattasi’ (September/October) according to the Tamil calendar. Dasara day is considered a most
auspicious day. In this temple Dasara is being celebrated as a big festival. Lakhs of people are assemble here to celebrate this festival. This temple stands unique amongst the other temples, which celebrates Dasara. The same Dasara itself is celebrated here as a 12-day function instead of 9 days(Navaratri). The occasion of Dasara, which is celebrated with pomp at the temple, folk artistes from all over the state converge here to participate in the last day festival. The beach looked like a fair ground and the performance reminded us “Natyatsavs” at Puri Temple. Towards the development of Kulasekaranpattinam beach, the Tamil Nadu Tourism Department has undertaken several schemes. It constructed a park at the beach in 2007-’08 at a cost of Rs. 44 lakhs. The Rural Development Department is preparing tourism development schemes at the cost of Rs. 500 lakhs. Tamil Nadu Tourism is promoting many activities for sustaining the No. 1 position in tourist arrivals in the country which
was achieved consecutively for two years during 2014 and 2015. IATO Convention in Chennai The Tamil Nadu Government invited the Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO) to hold their 32nd Annual Convention 2016 in Chennai for the first time from 19 to 21 September at ITC Grand Chola. There were more than 800 participants in the convention. JATA Tourism Expo, Japan 2016 Tamil Nadu Tourism participated in the JATA Tourism Expo 2016 held at Big Sight, Tokyo from 22 - 25 September. It promoted the tourism wealth of Tamil Nadu. There was a tremendous response from the industry and tourists. Many visited the Tamil Nadu pavilion for enquiries. T.K. Ramachandran, IAS, Principal Secretary, Tourism, Culture & Religious Endowments Dept, Har Sahay Meena, IAS, Commissioner of Tourism and Managing Director, TTDC and A. Venugopal, Assistant Director of Tourism participated in the Expo. Tourism stakeholders were also encouraged to participate in the Tamil Nadu pavilion.
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Travel Events
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IITM Mumbai 2016 registers record business networking
India International Travel Mart (IITM) Mumbai 2016, from 23 - 25 September at the Bombay Exhibition Centre, had 6700 general visitors and 1038 trade visitors.
IITM Gurgaon 2016 Epicentre was the venue for the 2016 edition of IITM Gurgaon which was held from 30 September to 2 October.
Voyager’s World > November 2016
Rendez-vous en France 2015 - Priyamvadha Balaram
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RESEARCH & INNOVATION PAVE WAY FOR BETTER USE OF DATA Constant research and development are driving the evolution of intelligent reporting to transform the use of data for better travel management. PRIYAMVADHA BALARAM
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From a global perspective, analysts predict GDP growth will be slightly lower in 2017, so now is the time for planners to get the very best value for money and reduce the cost per attendee. Although, there may be decreased client meeting spend in some regions, this year’s forecast still predicts the industry will see overall growth.
buyer’s market with hotel supply expected to surpass demand for the first time since 2009. Be flexible with destinations and dates to take advantage of this market change. - In Brazil, hotel rates are expected to decrease as the recent World Cup and Olympic Games created a solid infrastructure and a supply surplus. - For Asia Pacific, costs per attendee and group size are expected to grow with a 25% increase in the number of meetings. - In Europe, strict company guidelines, reduced budgets, saving targets and increasing industry regulations for buyers could benefit midscale hotels poised to get more M&E bookings.
“Heading into 2017, our forecast predicts significant growth in meetings and events for regions around the world,” said Cindy Fisher, vice president and global head, CWT Meetings & Events. “By being flexible with timing and destinations, planners can take full advantage of the current market to optimize their meetings and events and produce better results.” Key findings from this year’s forecast suggest: - North America will move to a
In Asia Pacific, key findings from this year’s forecast suggest: - No. of meetings in Asia Pacific expected to increase 25%. This will also lead to a rise in costs per attendee (3%) and group size (5%) - Strategic Meetings Management (SMM) is expanding in APAC, but remains one of the least mature regions - In China and Singapore, SMM continues to gain adoption as meeting buyers who have implemented end-to-end meetings
WT Meetings & Events, launched its 2017 Forecast recently. CWT uses data and insights about all aspects of the industry to provide meeting planners essential information they need to successfully plan and budget for the coming year.
Voyager’s World > November 2016
solutions are realizing 12-20% cost savings on average. - The broader Asia region is also seeing increased demand for a fully consolidated approach despite government regulations limiting ownership by non-local businesses. LIMITED BY: APAC consists of many highly fragmented emerging markets. Processes tend to be highly manual because of local nuances, which may not fit a global technology framework. Pharma companies continue to drive M&E trends in the region - Especially in light of a spike in compliance/regulatory requirements for non-APAC companies with a regional presence. - Food & Beverage (F&B) costs is one of the areas increasingly under scrutiny by meeting buyers. Food and Beverage (F&B) prices expected to rise globally, due to increased production prices, changes in imports and exports, and growth of special dietary requests from attendees. Destinations Insights - Singapore is not a low-cost city;
however, it remains attractive given its security, political stability and international connectivity. - Due to the weak Aussie dollar, Sydney is relatively cheaper than previous years. That said, it is still more expensive relative to other emerging Asian cities. - Bangkok, Beijing, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Jakarta are significantly less expensive than other cities in the region. - Thai and Vietnamese cities remain popular; however, demand for Bangkok is suffering due to recent incidents and unrest. - Due to their weak currency, hotel rates in Kuala Lumpur can be competitive as well. M&E trends around the globe - Food and Beverage: Prices are expected to rise globally. Why? Increased production prices, changes in imports and exports, and growth of special dietary requests from attendees. - Safety and Security: Expanding deeper into M&E. How? Beyond traditional tracking of air travelers, to include manifests of all meeting attendees, to facilitate emergency planning. - Virtual Attendance: Increasing use across M&E functions with
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The information and findings in the 2017 CWT M&E forecast supplement are based on: - The market-specific expertise and travel industry knowledge of CWT M&E personnel worldwide and spend data from the CWT global client portfolio The global study, Driving Success in Strategic Meetings Management, conducted by CWT Travel Management Institute (TMI) in partnership with the BTN Group. The study provides unique insights into how to set up and grow a successful SMM program based on practical advice from experts in the field. Visit CWT online for the full publication Thailand is one of the top favoured destinations for Indian MICE movements. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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 skyhigh, so also the room rates, thereby adversely affecting 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. 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 cost effective, value for money travel and accommodation plan. 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 conditions, the best alternative would be to re-look at their supplier vendor contracts. Business travel planners can reach a deal with longstanding suppliers and bring about contracts that reward loyalty while ensuring a winwin situation for both the parties. 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. 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. 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 ‘Arriving on Time’ 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
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technology that enables remote attendees to engage and participate with two-way interaction capabilities. Tips to improve M&E in 2017 - Advance Strategic Meetings Management Program - Focus on the strategy, not the tactics and big impact areas. - Consider outsourcing components of your program to accelerate development and add outside expertise, especially venue sourcing. • Optimize Technology - Re-examine your technology use to ensure support and value for your organization and M&E objectives. - Implement Small Meetings Strategy - Using transient spend with your small meetings program can maximize program benefits and cost.
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Incredible India
when it comes to negotiating bulk deals. Another hindrance faced by businesses while dealing with travel plans for their executives would be 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 suppliers consolidate 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
Voyager’s World > November 2016
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. 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 meeting related agreements, you’ll get a broader, more connected view of commitments and supplier use across your organization. And you’ll ensure alignment with legal, by passing 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. 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. 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. On a concluding note, a new trend that we can look forward to business travel trends would be the emergence of tools that can monitor, predict and drive the performance of a travel programme on a global scale, 24/7. ATPI recently launched the ATPI Analytics tool early this year with an easy to use ‘dashboard’ of information, users can instantly filter, interrogate and gain valuable insights, capturing all travel data in one single platform, ending the reliance on static data reporting which was, historically produced on a monthly basis. Such innovations would help travel stakeholders extract exactly what they are looking for by using the technology and achieve better results.
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Single Digit GST rate will boost Indian Amusement Industry
The amusement industry is highly capital intensive with high operating cost as even electricity is procured at commercial rate that is double than that of industry rate.
16th IAAPI Amusement Expo 2016
16th IAAPI Amusement Expo 2016
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ndian Amusement Industry is hoping for lowest GST rate so that today’s common man, who is under pressure because of hectic lifestyle can look forward to enter Amusement Parks to relieve stress, add a adrenaline rush and place for foster bonding for families and community at affordable price. Amusement Parks, Theme Parks, Water Parks, Family Entertainment Centres (FEC’s) is a Social infrastructure giving out door entertainment to children, youth and families of tomorrow’s India who are otherwise glued to gadgets and television set. Encourage kids and youth to engage in out-door games which is filled with Thrill, Fun, Educative & informative Started way back in 1984 with Appu Ghar, Indian Amusement Industry is still to be recognised as an integral part of Indian Tourism Industry. Globally, Government have invested in amusement parks to attract international tourists in their respective countries (Singapore, Hong Kong, USA to name a few). Given today’s land cost and future development which will be away from city limits , amusement industry is highly capital intensive with high operating cost as even electricity is procured at commercial rate which is double then that of industry rate per unit. Capital investment of Rs 7770 crores in the Amusement industry
is generating revenue of Rs 4000 crores, growing at 20% CAGR is expected to reach to Rs 6000 crores in 2020. An aggregate of 480 Amusement Parks, FECs and allied industries generate around 80000 direct employment and 150000 indirect employments. Implementation of service tax in the Union budget 2015-16 effective from 1st June, 2015 is having a cascading effect on the Indian Amusement industry. The State Government is already charging entertainment tax which varies in states and in addition to the State levy the Amusement sector had to take the burden of service tax of 15% and unlike any other sector the input credit available to set off the service tax paid is negligible. Hence our industry ends up paying a substantial amount of tax which leads to dual taxation. High operation cost, man power cost to render services Input credit available to set off the service tax paid is negligible. Double taxation has hampered growth of Indian Amusement Industry as footfalls to the parks have reduced drastically because of increase in tickets rates. Amusement parks are visited mostly by families of 4 to 6 persons and as they find the price very high , they look at other source of entertainment. The high rate of taxation is dissuading new entrepreneurs from entering the industry with new formats and also
preventing current industry players from adding both capex and new centres. Entrepreneurs, thus, are seeking to explore other investment avenues. Overall, all these factors, hamper tourism in the country. Globally, in markets where GST has been introduced, the tourism rate is half of the GST rate and is under 10%. Everyone recognizes it as very critical. It is important to stimulate tourism demand because it has an economic multiplier effect on GDP and on sectors like jobs. The tax rates prevailing in Asian countries for tourism is lesser i.e. for Malaysia 8.7%, Thailand 8.0%, Singapore 14.7%, China 4.9%, Japan 7.9% and Dubai 4.5%. In most of the countries the tax rates are in single digit where the tourism industry is growing. Countries likes France, Italy and Switzerland, which provide separate tourism tax slabs of 5.5%, 10% and 3.6% respectively compared to the standard GST rates of 19.6%, 20% and 7.6% respectively for other sectors. The CAGR in Amusement industry in Asian countries is 5.1 % (CAGR: Worldwide 2.1%, North America 2.7%, Europe 0.8% & Latin America 2.8%) which is higher as compared to other countries and also worldwide growth. There is a huge potential in Asian Amusement Industry (from 116.8 million to 122.5 million footfalls) from year 2013 to 2014, and the
fact that there are 10 Asian theme parks on the list of top 25 worldwide highest attended demonstrates that the Asian market is continuing its growth pattern. Foreign direct investment (FDI) in India’s amusement parks sector is inhibited by low gate entry fee as the expected footfall growth will be more in those parks. The demographic dividend in India attracts more footfall to the amusement sector which will generate higher revenue and higher tax income to the state because the Indian Rational tax structure to Amusement industry which is stress reliving, adding a rush of Adrenaline and providing foster bonding to families and communities will help:• In increasing footfalls to the amusement park whereby revenues will not be affected because increase in ticket sales will help in collection of more tax. • Amusement Park operators can have dynamic pricing structure to attract more footfalls. • This scenario will attract FDI in Amusement sector which is currently negligible and encourage international players to invest in India. • Handhold this industry which is a social infrastructure for tomorrow India just as special consideration given to entertainment and hospitality industry.
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Cover all bases...for seamless event execution!
When taking an event insurance, do make certain that you have included all pre and post events, the stage, set-up and the dismantle period. VW BUREAU
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vent insurances are usually for the time of the event only, but when taking the insurance make sure all pre-and post events as well as setup and dismantle days are included . When it comes to choosing the right insurance, then the question is what you want to cover. Many convention bureaus and PCOs consolidate ideas and measures to keep event insurance in place for organisers. For instance, INCON, a partnership of companies providing conference, event and destination management by combining global presence and local expertise, listed out effective measures last year for successful international meetings. Consult the Destination Experts, Convention and Visitor Bureaus Develop a relationship with international convention bureaus. Attending industry events
Voyager’s World > November 2016
and tradeshows, both at home and overseas, as a hosted buyer is a cost effective way of researching the meeting offering of a range of international locations. Some trade events to consider are IMEX America, Las Vegas, AIBTM, Baltimore, IMEX Frankfurt, EIBTM, Barcelona AIME, Australia, CIBTM, China Destination Management Companies (DMCs) DMCs specialize in the organization of meetings, incentives, conferences and events for incoming groups. As well as offering impartial destination advice a good DMC will have established excellent relationships with local vendors and suppliers. Take advantage of their local knowledge. Global Hotel Chains Research the hotel chains in your event location. Many international
chains have National Sales Offices who can assist with the RFP process. Remember to research regional hotel chains as well as iconic local properties which may not be part of a global structure. Get paperwork in Order Ensure all event participants are aware of passport and visa requirements for the destination in question. Passport Did you know that only about 30% of Americans have a passport? It may seem obvious but out of a group of 50 conference delegates who do possess passports it is quite probable that at least one passport will be out of date. In addition, many countries require visitors to have at least six months remaining on their passport in order to be allowed entry. Engage with delegates at the earliest possible opportunity
and again before travel to ensure passport ownership and validity. Visa Be aware that even if all your attendees are traveling from the United States they may not all be US citizens. Therefore they, and you, must know the requirements for entry to the country of your meeting that relate to travelers from their home countries. Is a VISA required? Can it be purchased on arrival (e.g. Turkey) or must it be purchased in advance (e.g. Russia). Costs can vary from $5 to $140 so plan for this. Allow sufficient time and resources to arrange visas prior to departure as they can take multiples of weeks to process. Suggest that delegates make photocopies of their passports and travel documentation and keep in a safe place. So if a passport or luggage does get lost
39>> then important information is readily available. Safety First Crisis prevention is important for any meeting. Many destinations around the globe are as safe, or safer, than the United States but in today’s world security considerations must be of paramount importance. No matter where your event is taking place, it is vital to assess the safety risk. The political and financial stability of a destination can change daily but there are a number of considerations which will go a long way towards reducing the risks. When it comes to deciding all the things you want to include in the insurance cover, there are event players who can hurt themselves, they can hurt others or damage things. There is your own staff, but also suppliers who can damage floors and walls while building up your stage, or the exhibition hall. It’s always advisable to consult a specialist, who is familiar with the local jurisdiction, especially if you organize like us meetings worldwide. We run within the next four weeks congresses in the Netherlands, Hong Kong, the United States and France, and believe me, the needs are different in all destinations. First of all, walk the event through with open eyes and open mind. Walk it through like a participant of the event, put yourself in the role of the average participant. You will find all risks easily.” Also very important is to check the emergency plans of the venue. Nothing is more confusing than conflicting emergency plans (your own and the venues). Then have a clear line of command prepared beforehand, who is in charge of what. We always prepare a complete scenario of the event for each team member, where we list each individual function in all details and also the team member in charge. This includes of course also safety measures. Risk management is increasingly becoming a bigger focus area. Conference organizers are facing questions by participants and event owners about increased security measures for the events, and people are also becoming more cautious about daily risks. Factors to take into account before taking an event insurance
First of all, who should be insured, exhibitors, participants, organizers…? What’s the local jurisdiction, what is needed in the country the event is held? How risk averse is the event owner? One can’t insure each possible risk, insurances can quickly become a big cost factor in the budget if every risk is taken care of. Most of the time it’s is much more important to negotiate well with the venues and hotels to mitigate the risk instead of paying an
insurance. Well negotiated attrition and cancellation policies can save you a fortune in case of an imminent crisis. And there should be already an insurance for the venue in place, check that before getting an insurance. Bringing the delegates to destination Most national airlines are part of alliances whereby they cooperate with other carriers. Globally, the three major alliances are StarAlliance (1,160 destinations),
OneWorld (916 destinations) and SkyTeam (871 destinations). The benefits are many to you as a meeting planner. You can establish a single point of contact for multiple carriers and travel routes, secure discount fares and provide end to end solutions for your event attendees. Marketing support may be available if the airline is chosen as the official carrier. Accommodation Determine the type accommodation which
of best
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suits your meeting or event. Consider a range of options to suit different budgets. Many frequent travelers favor the familiarity and consistency of service delivery at global hotel chains which can be sourced relatively easy via the local or regional sales network. Others prefer hotels with a sense of local history and heritage. Know your hotel groups and also your hotel marketing groups e.g. Preferred Hotels, Associated Luxury Hotels International (ALHI). Build relationships with your local national office contacts. Apart from hotels other accommodation providers might include; • Serviced apartments • Bed and breakfast/ guesthouses • University (outside term time) Choosing Suitable Destination Management Companies A DMC will act as your ‘’eyes and ears’ on the ground particularly in an unfamiliar location. Your delegates may be making the trip for business but DMCs can be a great source of help with services including social programs, ground transportation, excursions and tours, gala dinners, etc. With access to unique venues,
Voyager’s World > November 2016
DMCs can create experiences travelers couldn’t have on their own. Broadly speaking there are three categories from which to choose from; 1. Global DMCs Wholly owned DMCs like Allied/PRA, Kuoni or Ovation will offer a single source solution at an extensive number of destinations. If you run international meetings on an ongoing basis then you can expect to benefit from the convenience and time saving perspective in that existing relationships can be leveraged over multiple locations. From a financial point of view, working with fewer DMCs may mean better value. Actual services are still delivered by local experts. A global network of DMCs Many local DMCs will operate as part of a strategic network. Some of the best known are Euromic, Hosts Global Alliance and Global Event Partners. Members of these networks may vary in size and range of service offering but will have been selected as a leading DMC in their destination. An independent local DMC Operating in a specific location only with a fat rolodexes of local contacts, a local DMC can provide a wealth of on the ground
insight and support. To date there are no internationally accepted standards for DMC accreditation. The Society of Incentive Travel Executives (Site) www.siteglobal. com offers its Certified Incentive Travel Executive program to individuals and this designation indicates high levels of competence. The Association of Destination Management Executives (ADME) www.adme.org has done the same. Consider the company’s level of engage Anticipate Communication Anomalies Establish a language for written and verbal communication early on. English is the most commonly used language of business. In most international cities and venues that routinely deal with international business, English is spoken by the sales and conference services teams. If visiting a more remote location where English is not first language or commonly spoken, then it may be worthwhile to hire an interpreter. Being able to communicate in the language of the country will make your event experience smoother. Finances Understand
the
intricacies
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foreign exchange rates. Talk to your Accounting Department colleagues for advice on international currency conversion matters and the safeguards you can put in place to minimize exposure to currency fluctuations. Consider the implications of negotiating payments in US currency to eliminate currency uncertainty. Meetings often take months, maybe years, of planning. It may be worth locking in at dollar exchange rates to have the stability of knowing what the event costs will be up front. The downside is that with lackluster dollar exchange rates you may end up paying more in the European Union than if you paid in Euros. Without a crystal ball you cannot know for sure what political or environmental factors may affect the exchange rate and in turn your final event costs. Explore the duty, customs and excise charges of the meeting location country and the impact on the event budget. For meeting supplies and room gifts, avoid shipping costs and duty by purchasing at the destination. Custom brokers can be consulted
41>> to provide detailed and specific advice on local customs and regulations; appropriate rates, etc. Local culture Your destination of choice and the profile of your event attendees will dictate how much research you need to do on local customs and cultural immersion. Site inspection A site inspection trip will allow you to foster relationships with suppliers and/or DMCs, build the event team and create engagement, present your event objectives, experience the destination, build a bank of local knowledge and see for yourself how the meeting infrastructure actually works locally. Citing references from inputs by shared by Michael Kern - Executive Director, DEKON Group on mitigating risks at conferences, he says that when assessing the risks of your event, you need to walk it through in your mind, first like a delegate, then as an exhibitor, then as the organizer, as a venue owner
and so on. This lets you create a list of possible hazards which could occur before, during or after the meeting. You need to explore what could be exposed to damage, loss or liability, who or what could possibly cause it and who could be affected. You also need to be aware of the legal standards applied in the host country. The CIC (Convention Industry Council) suggests for each event doing a SWOT analysis as the best risk assessment tool. The results will help you to ask the right questions of venues, suppliers and all other involved stakeholders and be prepared before an emergency occurs. It is also crucial to ensure lined up thinking between the venue, the medical assistance providers, the security company and other relevant suppliers to avoid creating even greater chaos by a conflicting plan. Never forget that litigation proceedings could mean that the PCO will be asked if he or she has used due diligence in choosing that supplier, venue or destination.
It is worthwhile consulting a local specialist or lawyer for advice in this regard. Another way of mitigating risks is contractual. Adding force majeure clauses in contracts with venues, hotels and suppliers gives you more control as do clauses relating to indemnification, attrition and cancellation policies. Another contractual risk transfer is the liability waiver. If you want to include zip-lining in the social program, you might be well advised to ask participants to sign a liability waiver. However, waivers should be carefully drafted and translated. Working with a PCO from the early stages in the planning of your event, can help you avoid potential risks and save you a lot of money.
The PCO has to make sure that presentations are not disrupted by technical failures, electrical spikes and faulty projectors. Mitigating risk is only possible by careful management and making sure that the meeting venue use all possible measures to avoid damages and have contingency and back up options in the unlikely case that something goes wrong. Manage it Managing risk means that after your analysis, you need to find
M.I.C.E SCAN Antalya to host Turkish Airlines World Golf Cup finals
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he Grand Final of the 2016 Turkish Airlines World Golf Cup is taking place at Titanic Deluxe Belek Hotel in Belek, Antalya, Turkey from 29 October - 6 November. Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, Turkey’s Minister of Foreign Affairs was present at the launch. With the presence of 8,000 guests invited by Turkish Airlines, the leading tournament will include the participations of many favourites as Willett and Westwood at the Regnum Carya Golf and Spa Resort, Antalya.
8th International Conference of Royal Medical Services in Jordan
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he 8th International Conference of the Royal Medical Services will be held at the King Hussein Bin Talal Convention Center Jordan from 15 - 18 November 2016. Themed, ‘Innovation, Motivation, Integration’ it will be attended by 4000-5000 participants - local and international - from the medical field. There will also be a Jordan Health Exhibition (JoHEX) held alongside the conference to showcase latest advancements in health industry.
VISIT FLORIDA conducts MICE & VIP events in India
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ISIT FLORIDA, along with five partners, hosted over 50 members of the travel trade industry in Mumbai for a MICE event on 16 September at St. Regis Mumbai. The evening witnessed Emirates, Starwood, 7M Tours, Experience Kissimmee and SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment showcase the infrastructural offering within Florida. This was followed by a VIP event in Bangalore on 20 September, attended by over 70 people at ITC Gardenia.
SITE announces 2017 Board of Directors & Foundation Trustees
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ways to reduce the probability that disaster or emergency occurs; reduce its consequences; or get the risk transferred to someone else. There are countless types of event insurance available and the PCO needs to assess which best fits your event and complies with the legal requirements of the host country.
Analyze what you found After identifying the risks and analyzing them, you need to decide how to address them. Nobody can plan for every single risk and natural disasters like earthquakes and tsunamis are unavoidable. However, if the meeting host is risk averse, certain risks can be mitigated or avoided by transferring them to an insurance company. Or in the case of a tsunami, by not choosing a coastal destination. However, many risks cannot be simply avoided.
t its Global Conference in Panama, the Society for Incentive Travel Excellence (SITE) announced the list of global industry leaders that will serve on the SITE International Board of Directors and SITE Foundation Board of Trustees effective 1 January 2017. Rajeev Kohli, CIS, Joint Managing Director, Creative Travel Pvt. Ltd, New Delhi, was elected as SITE Board President for a second term.
CALENDAR 2016 November 13, 14, 15, 16 ICCA Congress 2016, Kuching, Malaysia 16, 17 Hotel Investment Forum India (HIFI) 2016, Mumbai
December 1, 2, 3 Chengdu International Tourism Expo (CITE) China 5, 6, 7, 8 International Luxury Travel Market Cannes, France
January 12, 13 Meetings Morocco Marrakech 16, 17, 18, 19, 20 ASEAN Tourism Forum Singapore
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Wayside Travel
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Tourism Departments make pit stops... By the Way!
The Ministry of Road Transport & Highways as well as state tourism departments in the country are bolstering efforts to develop wayside amenities to aid tourists. PRIYAMVADHA BALARAM
S
ome of the top priorities that travellers, particularly those who are sticklers for cleanliness, specially-challenged and those with medical conditions, have while on the move, are the presence of essential amenities. Termed wayside amenities, these are centres built on the National/State Highways and other district roads, providing a variety of services. Usually, the buildings are planned in such a way that they are situated at frequent intervals on major roadways, providing basic services and amenities, to ensure safe and convenient journey for longdistance travellers. The Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MORTH) has been regularly taking up projects to develop these wayside amenities. They normally consist of first aid,
Voyager’s World > November 2016
restaurants, restrooms, parking spaces, petrol bunks, repair shops, souvenir shops, telephone booths and shopping area. Gujarat Tourism, for instance, has clearly defined in its policy, for the provision of such facilities while stating the key advantages of such amenities which are - Wayside amenities would act as a support infrastructure to facilitate larger tourist segment moving across the road network, even for lesser known locations or destinations. -Expected to generate additional revenue for the government - Potentially give an impetus to economic activities, including trade and employment - Help reduce the incidence of accidents and improve road safety, by providing drivers (especially truckers) a comfortable place to rest
The Tourism Corporation of Gujarat Ltd. (TCGL) too has been undertaking initiatives to provide professionalised services and has carried out refurbishment activities for wayside amenities and cafeterias. The Department of Tourism, Govt. of Andhra Pradesh, recently developed a restaurant and office block at Borra Cave, Vishakhapatnam. Similarly, the Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) is operating two wayside amenities along the Jaipur Bypass section of NH-8 in Rajasthan. Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) is operating and maintaining two wayside amenities on the Ahmedabad-Vadodara expressway. The MORTH has decided to develop
and set up wayside amenities along National Highways. This is an ambitious project spearheaded by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Government of India, which envisages the provision of Comprehensive Wayside Amenities for both car & bus passengers and heavy vehicle drivers across the country, and ultimately intends to ensure that suitable opportunities to stop and rest are available across the National Highways network. National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has been assigned the task of setting up these facilities. The wayside amenities would include parking for cars, buses & trucks separately, restaurant/food court, low cost Dhaba, telephone booth/ATM, fuel station, minor repair shop Rest rooms/ Motels for short stay, toilets, landscaping,
43>> and kiosk for sale of miscellaneous sundry items, village haats to promote local products. Provisions of helipads would also be made where space is available. The facilities for truckers & other road users will be segregated. The NHAI recently invited expression of Interest from interested infrastructure/ commercial/ institutional developers, hospitality chains, restaurant/ budget hotel chains, oil marketing companies, transport associations, leading luxury bus operators and tourism development corporations for construction, operation, and management of wayside amenities on Public Private Partnership (PPP Model) as per proposed site specific plans for identified 33 sites along National Highways in India. The MORTH is working on a project to provide toilet facilities with proper water and light at all 370 toll plazas located on National Highways within the next three months under Swatch Bharat Mission. The Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari directed Regional Officers of NHAI and Road Transport & Highways Ministry in a video conference recently, to start work on the project. He said all toll plazas on National Highways should have separate toilets for men and women with proper signage and banners. PVC tanks should be installed to ensure availability of water and there should be proper lighting. The ROs have also been instructed to ensure that the facilities are maintained well and kept clean. At every 50 km stretch on national highways there would now be stops for refreshments. 50 sites have already been identified and another 100 spots for developing wayside amenities would soon be added to the list. The authorities have written to all the field officers to identify suitable land for developing wayside amenities, which can be acquired, bought and developed. Petroleum companies have been asked to upgrade the toilets in petrol pumps. The NHAI is looking at various other concepts like supporting expansion of existing petrol pumps
with its own resources, provided they can create suitable wayside amenities. For instance, if a petrol pump has additional land and can buy more to make it a five-acre plot for creation of a wayside amenity there, it would be given all sorts of assistance.
The wayside amenity centres known as ‘Take-A-Rest’ will have facilities for refreshment, cloakroom, souvenir shop-cuminformation kiosk, store for essentials, ATM, reservation checkin facilities, medicinal spa and space for parking.
The NHAI demonstrated its firm commitment to the cause of wildlife conservation once again. For the road project of widening of the Madhya Pradesh/Maharashtra border - Mansar section of the existing NH-7 which cuts across the tiger corridor in the state of Maharashtra, NHAI has approved Rs. 186 Crore for wildlife mitigation measures to take care of any possible adverse impact on the tiger population in the Pench – Kanha Tiger Corridor. This is only a part of the amount to be spent for the purpose.
In the first phase of the project, priority will be for setting up amenity centres on the National Highway. The plan is to construct amenity centres of 500 to 1000 sq.ft which would fall in A, B and C categories, depending on the extent of land and the facilities offered. Kerala Tourism will operate the complexes in the beginning with the help of the District Tourism Promotion Councils.
The total length of the project from Nagpur to Madhya Pradesh/ Maharashtra border is 117 Km. Out of this, the work of 4 laning of about 79 Km, which includes the Nagpur Bypass, Kamptee- Kanhan Bypass and Kanhan to Mansar of existing NH-7, was completed in July 2012. However, the work of 4 laning from Mansar to MH/ MP Border could not be taken up for want of tree felling permission and finalisation of mitigation measures to be adopted for wildlife habitat in and around the stretch. With all the statutory clearances in place, NHAI has resumed civil works on this stretch. As per the recommendations of the Wildlife Institute of India and the National Tiger Conservation Authority, also endorsed by the Hon’ble High Court at Nagpur, NHAI is providing elaborate mitigation measures on the stretch. The measures include three elevated sections of 750m, 750m and 300m length, so that wildlife can move across the highway alignment following their natural paths. Besides these, 6 other wildlife crossings of different dimensions are also being provided.
As far as Madhya Pradesh is concerned, in view of the rise in number of tourists and necessary infrastructure in Madhya Pradesh, an ambitious plan has been chalked out to construct Way Side Amenities on highways. These centres will be constructed on the lines of Midway Treats. In the master plan for increasing tourist facilities, over 300 Way Side
Amenities will be constructed in the state. Madhya Pradesh State Tourism Development Corporation will give franchisees on first come first serve basis. This was informed in June this year at an investors meet and road show for exploring immense investment possibilities in tourism sector and establishment of Way Side Amenities in the state. This year, Jal-Mahotsav will be held for one month from December 15. Along with Hanuwantiya, water tourism will also be promoted at Bansagar, Gandhi Sagar, Bargi and Tawa. In the state, a liberal and progressive tourism policy has been chalked out. Participation of private sector has been ensured in it. Tourism is top priority of the state government and constitution of Tourism Cabinet is an important step towards it. The state has good network of roads and proper attention is being paid to infrastructure development. Network of ambitious Midway Treats facility centres will be laid for convenience of tourists.In the road show, investors were apprised about zaaa
Kerala Tourism will soon come up with wayside amenity centres that come with restrooms and food courts across the State. The move will enable travellers to relax and refresh in between their tour of Kerala.
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FESTIVALS OF 14-20 November, 2016
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he San Diego Bay Wine and Food festival happens from 14-20 November in San Diego. This is the largest wine and culinary event where the local and international talent gathers. The event is attended by thousands of people. The festival includes gourmet food, wine and beer tastings, celebrity chefs, cooking demonstrations, wine tasting classes and auctions. The festival organizers do a personal research to invite San Diego’s restaurants and chefs to give you a taste of the region’s latest food trends.
San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival, California
20 November, 2016
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everly Hills Holiday Lighting Celebration takes place from 20th November on Rodeo Drive. The event is free to the public and includes live music and faux snowfall. Beverly Hills is featured a European-style Holiday Bazaar known for the lighting of a 9-foot menorah and visits with Santa.The Rodeo Drive Lighting Celebration includes live musical performances, holiday themed theatrics, and a countdown to the lighting of Rodeo Drive. The event is followed by the Thanksgiving Dining and White Christmas in Beverly Hills.
Beverly Hills lighting event, California
1-25 December, 2016
26-27 November, 2016
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he Thanksgiving celebration happens from 26 -27 November across the United States is a Thanksgiving tradition with colorful Thanksgiving parades. Bands, singers, floats, giant balloons and other entertainers march in the wide streets and boulevards. New York City has the biggest Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade with more than 3.5 million people and over 50 million people at home - watch floats, balloons up to five stories tall, Broadway theater performers, musical acts.
Thanksgiving Celebration, USA
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he New Year 2017 event celebration will start from 1till 25th December with fireworks that are set off from Taipei 101 at the New Year’s Eve and will also display light shows. The building will be decorated with 800 lights and addition of 200 lights in its surrounding areas. The Taipei 101 will introduce France’s famous Strasbourg Christmas Market which is set up outside the skyscraper andwith colorful decorative lights providing you with gourmet food as well.
New Year 2017 in Taiwan!
THE WORLD 2 December 2016- 1 January 2017
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he Hong Kong Winterfest will start from 2 December till 1 January with the lighting of the Christmas tree amidst theglittering skyscrapers in Statue Square. During this festival theHong Kong Pulse 3D Light Show also provides you a spectacular 3D light show with music and dazzling illuminations. The WinterFest edition is anticipated with the return of the beloved Hong Kong Christmas Elves.The Light Show will be staged four times at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre in Tsim Sha Tsui.
Hong Kong Winterfest
3 December 2016
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he Las Vegas Great Santa Run is an internationally celebrated holiday traditionthat takes place on 3rd December every year that attracts families, businesses, individuals and global tourists in Las Vegas. Last year, over 9,000 runners participated in the event and this year we hope to attract over 10,000 Santas.The Las Vegas Great Santa Run is a marathon running event that features a 5K fun run and a 1M walk, with thousands of people dressed as Santa.
The Las Vegas Great Santa Run, USA
31 December, 2016 24-25 December, 2016
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he Christmas in Spain is filledwith lightsand Christmas decorations throughout the streets of cities, towns and villages are decked with colour, lights and Christmas decorations.The New Year’s Eve fiesta and the Feast of the Three Kings are the events one must not miss when in Spain.The clock in Puerta del Sol Square in Madrid is a spot where thousands of people assemble, mainly groups of friends and young people dressed up with hats, party blowers, horns, masks and jokes where you can dance until dawn.
Christmas, Spain
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he New Year’s Eve is generally celebrated with a big party in Madrid in Puerta del Sol Square, when the clock strikestwelve the families in Spain come together to eat 12 lucky grapes as a tradition. Onewho manage to eat the grapes with the striking clock, will have 12 prosperous months the following year. The tradition dates back to the beginning of the 20th century. People also celebrate out in the street, at specific locations such as squares and Town Halls.
New Year’s Eve, Madrid, Spain
Happenings
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Odisha organizes roadshow in Hyderabad
Abu Dhabi TCA launches global destination campaign
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he Government of Odisha organized a roadshow in Hyderabad, along with the Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion (DIPP), Government of India and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) ahead of the Make-in-Odisha Conclave set to take place from 30 November - 2 December, 2016 in Bhubaneshwar. The Odisha delegation, led by Debiprasad Mishra, Minister for Industries of Odisha, also comprised senior government officials and industry members who showcased the manufacturing process of Odisha as well as invited companies to the Make-in-Odisha Conclave.
bu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi) recently embarked on a new worldwide promotional campaign for travellers to experience Abu Dhabi and its cultural authenticity. “The story of Abu Dhabi, from its ancient past to its modern wonders, guides the audiences through breathtaking natural environments and exhilarating experiences,” explained His Excellency Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman, TCA Abu Dhabi. The campaign includes a two-series television commercial dedicated to GCC and international markets which will be broadcasted and run across TV networks, digital channels and in-flight entertainment systems.”
Dubai Parks & Resorts begins historic opening with Legoland, Riverland
Seychelles Tourism organizes Appreciation Evenings
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Raed Kajoor Al Nuaimi, CEO, DXB Entertainments PJSC, the owner of Dubai Parks and Resorts said,“ Riverland™ Dubai and LEGOLAND® Dubai will be unveiled for the very first time and offer unique experiences and entertainments that I genuinely believe will set the bar in this region. Nothing of this magnitude has ever been done before and after three years of hard work it is a great honour to start to show our guests what we have achieved. As the largest entertainment destination in the region, Dubai Parks and Resorts will support the UAE’s tourism vision and grow the family leisure industry in the region.”
The event was attended by Patsy Moustache, Acting Charge de Affairs, Seychelles high Commission and Aswini Krishna, Marketing Manager, Seychelles Tourist Office, Sunil Mathapati, General Manager Marketing & Client Relationships, Blue Square Consultants, followed by the awards ceremony with the famous TV and radio host Siddharth Kannan.
he Dubai Parks and Resorts officially opened on 31 October with the region’s first LEGOLAND® Dubai theme park and Riverland™ Dubai, the multi-themed dining and retail destination.
eychelles Tourism Board hosted Appreciation Evenings in New Delhi and Mumbai for the travel trade, airline, hotel and media partners. The tourism board also conferred appreciation awards to those travel agents and tour operators who have contributed to the increase in awareness and tourist arrivals to Seychelles from India.
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ITDC celebrates Golden Jubilee with Cultural Extravaganza
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ndia Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC), under the aegis of the Ministry of Tourism, organized a grand function on 18 October, 2016 to mark the completion of successful 50 years of ITDC in the field of hospitality and tourism at the convention hall of The Ashok.
Vinod Zutshi, Secretary, Union Ministry of Tourism was the Guest of Honour. Other dignitaries were Umang Narula, Chairman and Managing Director, ITDC; Piyush Tiwari, Director (Commercial and Marketing) ITDC; Pradip K Das, Director (Finance), ITDC along with Ex C&MDs of the organization, ITDC staff and other respected guests. Ashwani Lohani, C&MD, Air India & ex C&MD ITDC also graced the occasion. The highlight of the evening was a 50kg five-storey cake with 50 ingredients made by 50 employees, live entertainment and cultural performances including live performances by the famous poet Surendra Sharma and Ability Unlimited Group, popularly known as ‘notorious’ for their distinctive style of dance-theatre with innovative technology. Making this occasion more significant, ITDC announced free sound and light shows for the Indian Armed forces and their immediate family members at Purana Quila and Red Ford. The free service for the armed forces will be available till March 2017.
Deepavali Train Ride in Singapore
Abhibus appoints Mahesh Babu as brand ambassador
RAKTDA conducts mega Fam trip for Indian agents
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“Biju Mathews, COO, Abhibus.com said, “Mahesh as our brand ambassador will represent a unique blend of panache which are similar to the brand attributes of Abhibus.”
Haitham Mattar, CEO of RAKTDA, said, “In the last 12 months we have signed multiple new strategic marketing partnerships with major tour operators and airlines. This activity is bearing fruit as we see increasing visitor numbers from all of our core markets, as well as new emerging markets.”
ingapore’s Land Transport Authority (LTA), along with the Little India Shopkeepers and Heritage Association (LISHA),launched the Deepavali-themed train that will run on the Singapore Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) system. The ride was launched on 15 October and the train will run till the mid November and sports decorations like Rangoli. GB Srithar, Regional Director, South Asia, Middle East & Africa, Singapore Tourism Board, said, “During the Festival of Lights in Singapore the whole Little India area streets are lighted up, Deepavali bazaars and the eateries serving you great food and lovely music.”
bhibus.com appointed noted Telugu actor Mahesh Babu as its brand ambassador. Mahesh Babu will feature in the marketing campaign `Har Safar Mein Aapka Hamsafar’. He will be also featured in the brand’s upcoming online and offline campaigns and other customer engagement activities. Mahesh Babu said, “Abhibus offers people with enhanced user experience at an affordable price and great reliability.”
as Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA) organized a mega Fam trip for over 70 top-level Indian agents. The trip highlighted luxurious properties as Marjan Island Resort & Spa, Rixos Bab Al Bahr, Waldorf Astoria Ras Al Khaimah, DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Resort and Spa Marjan Island and Hilton Al Hamra Beach and Golf Resort.
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Technology
48>>
IATA predicts airline distribution revolution by 2021 COURTESY: Tnooz.com
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ATA is forecasting a fundamental overhaul of airline distribution within five years, shifting to what it calls an “active distribution” model. In a major report for the global aviation industry organisation, written by Henry Harteveldt of Atmosphere Research, airline distribution is cited as the “commercial future of the airline industry itself” as carriers are urged to anticipate significant changes to passenger behaviour and technology. The report says - “Airlines want to be dramatically more effective in how they sell, so that travelers find the value they seek and airlines can be more successful businesses. “We believe that, by 2021, airline distribution will evolve from its current passive, rigid, and technology-centric state to a more flexible, dynamic, and passengercentric environment which we call active distribution.” Drilling down into specific elements of this predicted switch from the status quo, the report says the next five years will see a range of longstanding processes taken in entirely new directions but all eventually leading towards a wholly different way for the airline-passenger relationship to work (and, in turn, how intermediaries will fit in).
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IATA, of course, has skin in the game when it comes to airline
distribution, given how aggressively it is pushing the New Distribution Capability standard for airlines. Yet very few in the industry are likely to disagree with many of the findings in the report – perhaps just the degree to which they are forecast to change. Harteveldt has identified in the study a number of likely areas of significant movement affecting airline distribution over the course of the next five years. 1) Traveller types - An ageing consumer base and geographic spread of travellers into other emerging economies (second tier, beyond the BRICs) will ensure that airline distribution systems and third party channels will need to accommodate and cater for different types of “shopping experiences”. This change in consumer behaviour will be driven by mobile interaction, with it seen as the dominant consumer channel. 2) New technologies - Airline distribution will need to have the ability to work with and alongside speech and voice recognition software, with artificial intelligencebased processes handling areas such as dynamic pricing and personalisation. Virtual reality will also have to play a part in the allowing airlines to merchandise their products in a way that appeals to potential passengers. 3) Airline direct - Carriers are
expected to see around 45% of reservations coming through their own direct channels by 2021, up from 33% this year. This will be at the expense of online travel agencies and offline agents, although travel management companies will see a small increase. 4) Existing distribution technology - Processes and protocols created over 50 years by the Global Distribution Systems are based on technology, rather than passenger needs. The IT environments of airlines will clash with “outmoded” technology from GDSs from upgrading to incorporating new product attributes. 5) Fare filing - Airlines will no longer need to pre-file huge volumes of fares through third parties and rely on so-called “inventory buckets” to handle capacity and ticket sales. 6) Goodbye PSS, hello retailing Modern internal selling systems will be replaced by modular technology, based on Full Retailing Platform services (dynamic and flexible sales). These will give airlines control over their distribution of fares and where they choose to sell through specific shopping channels. 7) The Mighty G - Google is considered to be the most significant disruptive element in the airline distribution foodchain. The search giant is well-placed to use its own
assets and resources to play a larger role in airline distribution, including potentially becoming an online travel agency in its own right. 8) Splash the cash - The rise of both local or regional payments systems (M-Pesa and Alipay) and new global operators (PayPal, Apply Pay, Google Pay), all inevitably with the mobile device at their heart, will ensure airlines and third parties have to upgrade their existing financial systems and protocols. The report concludes - “The next five years may see more change within airline distribution than the previous 50. “The change may be stimulated by external macro factors that impact the industry, such as politics and trade, global and national economies, technology innovation and access, and airline industry conditions (e.g., airline start-ups and mergers, airport access, and fuel costs).” But much of airline distribution’s evolution, and possible revolution, will stem from events much closer to this function. Airline distribution is no longer insular or isolated. “Airline distribution has ceased to be solely about GDS connectivity. Distribution is, and will continue to be, about building and sustaining a highly efficient marketplace for each airline, so that each airline has the best possible ‘shelves’ on which to sell its products.”
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Voyager’s World > November 2016
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Top Appointments
49>> Gaurav Luthra
Anjali Naik
Country Head Corporate Traveller-FCM Travel Solutions-India
Director of Sales Courtyard by Marriott Pune Chakan
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he FCM Travel Solutions appointed Gaurav Luthra as the Country Head of Corporate Traveller in India. He brings with him an experience of over 20 years in operations and strategic implementation of new revenue lines for all FCM verticals in India. He will be handling operations and expansion of the newly launched brand.
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njali Naik joins Courtyard by Marriott Pune Chakan as the Director of Sales. She brings with her an experience of more than 14 years andworked with some of the brands. She will be responsible to develop and execute sales strategies through preparation of a strategic sales plan, implementation and by monitoring progress.
Prashant Narayan
Ruchika Kakar
Country Head FCM Incoming-FCM Travel Solutions- India
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he FCM Travel Solutions has appointed Prashant Narayan as the Country Head of FCM Incoming in India who will be responsible for inbound holiday solutions. He brings with him an experience of over 22 years with in the service industry. Prior to this, he has worked with Thomas Cook, as COO – Inbound Business.
Regional Marketing Manager Wyndham Hotel Group
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uchika Kakar joins Wyndham Hotel Group as the Regional Marketing Manager across Eurasia, she will be responsible in the marketing strategy for Wyndham Hotel Group. She has over 15 years experience in branding and marketing communication. Prior to this, she has worked as the Marketing Services Manager with the Fortune Hotels.
Suprabath Roy Chowdhury
Raju Shreshta
Executive Chef Le Meridien Gurgaon
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he Le Meridien Gurgaon appoints Suprabhath Roy Chowdhury as the Executive Chef. Prior to this, he has worked with Eros Hotel managed by Hilton, Nehru Place, New Delhi. He has worked with various brands like the Taj Group of Hotels, Hyatt Bangalore and One and Only Royal Mirage, Dubai.
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aju Shreshtra is appointed as the General Manager of Crowne Plaza Pune. He has an experience of more than three decades in the hospitality industry and has worked across the borders of Nepal, Thailand and India. Prior to this, he worked as the General Manager at Crowne Plaza Today New Delhi Okhla.
Rishi Chopra
Narender Singh
General Manager Le Meridien Mahabaleshwar Resort & Spa
Corporate Chef Sarovar Hotels
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ishi Chopra is appointed as theGeneral Manager of Le Meridien Mahabaleshwar Resort and Spa. He brings with him an experience of 20 years in the hospitality industry. He has worked with various brands like Starwood Group as theDirector, Food & Beverage at Le Meridien Pune, Leela Hotels and The Taj Group.
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General Manager Crowne Plaza Pune City Centre
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arovar Hotels appoints Narender Singh as the Corporate Chef. Prior to this, he worked with the Park Plaza Bangalore as the Director Culinary. His previous assignments were with Hilton Mumbai, Hot Brands International in Dubai, Marriott Marble Falls Texas USA, Carnival Cruise Liner and Royal Caribbean Cruise Liner.
Rahool Macarius
Manu Sharma
Director of Global & National Sales-Eurasia Wyndham Hotel Group
General Manager Vivanta by Taj Gurgaon
he Wyndham Hotel Group appoints Rahool Macarius as the Director of Global and National Sales across Eurasia.Prior to this, he has worked at the Lemon Tree Hotel Group as the Assistant Vice President, Sales. He brings with him an experience of 20 years. He has also worked with Intercontinental Hotels Group and ITC Hotels.
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anu Sharma is the new General Manager of Vivanta by Taj Gurgaon, after his last tenure with the Gateway Hotel, Kolkata. With over a decade with the Taj group in the sales function, he has worked in Taj Bengal Kolkata, Taj Lands End Mumbai and was part of the opening the Gateway Hotel at E M Bypass, Kolkata.
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NETWORKING ISThe THE neTwoRkIng Is ke KEY y November 2016
December 2016
November2016
January 2017
February 2017
March 2017
4, 5, 6 Holiday Expo Visakhapatnam
7, 8, 9 World Travel Market London
13, 14, 15, 16 ICCA Congress 2016 Malaysia
25, 26, 27 India International Travel Mart Pune
December 2016 Nov 29, December 1
January 2017 18, 19, 20, 21, 22
ibtm Spain
Fitur Spain
2, 3, 4
19, 20, 21
India International Travel Mart Hyderabad
India International Travel Mart Kochi
2, 3, 4
26, 27, 28, 29
Chengdu International Tourism Expo Chengdu, China
Emitt Turkey
16, 17, 18
27, 28, 29 Holiday Expo Coimbatore
Holiday Expo Amritsar
February 2017 10, 11, 12
March 2017 27 Feb, 1 Mar
Tourest Estonia
Meetings Africa Johannesburg, South Africa
23, 24, 25
27 Feb, 1 Mar
Guangzhou Int’l Travel Fair China
International Luxury Travel Market Japan
24, 25, 26
4, 5
India International Travel Mart Kolkata
The Outdoor Adventure & Travel Show Canada
24, 25, 26
4, 5
Ferie for Alle Denmark
Dive Travel Show Spain
IITM 2016-2017 EVENT'S CALENDAR Pune 25, 26, 27 November 2016
Kochi 19, 20, 21 January 2017
Hyderabad 02, 03, 04 December 2016
Kolkata 24, 25, 26 February 2017
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