Whereabouts

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Volume V Issue VI March 2019

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CONTENTS Editor Rajesh Tiwari rajesh@whereabouts.in +91 9818525672

06

Consulting Editor

08 GOVERNMENT

Shayan Mallick

Correspondents Jai Kishan Kaparwan Nisha Awasthi whereabouts.in@gmail.com

Art Director Mithlesh Gupta

Advertising Commercial Director Dheeraj Anand +91 9560444678 dheeraj@whereabouts.in Advertising Manager (North-West) Solomon Saxeana +91 9999810390 solomon@whereabouts.in Advertising Manager (South-East) Santosh K Mishra +91 8447786636 marketing@whereabouts.in Marketing & Events Manager Lakshman Vashisth +91 9911907050

NEW & BRIEF

12 TRADE 14 TECHNOLOGY 15 AVIATION 18 NTO 24 HOSPITALITY 38 APPOINTMENT

Messe Berlin announces first edition of ITB India in April 2020

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Principal Advisor Anil Prakash

Legal Advisor Advocate Brijesh Tiwari

Production & Distribution Production Manager Subhash Solanki Distribution Executive Anoop Singh

Accounts CA Rishabh Rana

Technical & Web Support Amit Agrahari All information in Whereabouts is derived from sources, which we consider reliable and a sincere effort is made to report accurate and up to date information. All contents of this publication are reserved worldwide. Reproduction in any manner without prior written permission is prohibited. All disputes are subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of component courts and forums in Delhi only.

Whereabouts is own, printed & published by Rajesh Tiwari. Whereabouts is printed at Pritika Printers, A-21/27, Naraina Industrial Area, PhaseII, New Delhi 110028 and published from E-8/401, Nehru Vihar, Delhi 110094. Editor Rajesh Tiwari

SHARJAH Sharjah is home to acclaimed art galleries, buzzy waterfront areas and a sophisticated outlook; as creativity and excitement flow through the emirate. At the same time, the emirate stays true to its Islamic heritage, with a traditional, gracious and welcoming vibe.

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EDITOR’S NOTE

PATA Adventure Travel and Responsible Tourism Conference and Mart 2019

Dear Reader, One of the fastest growing economies and tourism markets across the world – India will now have one of the world renowned travel and tourism fairs organiser Messe Berlin’s maiden event – ITB India in Mumbai next year. Surely, ITB India would be a humongous opportunity for the industry stakeholders as the biggest National Tourism Organisations (NTOs), travel professionals and hospitality companies are set to be part of this fastest expanding market opportunity.

As you know that, Messe Berlin organises more than 100 regional, national and international in-house and guest events each year. Besides the leading international trade shows ITB Berlin/Asia, International Green Week Berlin, IFA, etc. its international programme of trade fairs covers a wide range of events. ITB Berlin – its flagship event is the foremost business platform for global touristic offers. In addition to very high exhibitor satisfaction (over 90%), ITB is the show where supply meets demand.

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The very attractive portfolio of its events give a huge expectation to the Indian suppliers and buyers as well.

In order to get more from this mega event – which has the ability to turn around the growth of tourism, India needs to come up with very strategic focused approach to showcase its products. This is the time for Indian industry stakeholders to come forward and brainstrom to achieve unprecedented growth from this tremendous opportinty at its doorstep.

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NEWS IN BRIEF

Government liberalizes e-Visa, increases duration and multiple entries Increase in duration of e-Tourist and e –Business Visa, Multiple entries among major changes e- Conference & e-Medical Attendant Visas to be new subcategories.

News Desk

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he e-Tourist Visa which was introduced in September 2014 with 46 countries has now been made applicable for 166 countries. Recently, government has made series of amendments in e-visa regime, liberalizing it further and making it more tourist friendly. The Ministry of Tourism has been working very closely with Ministry of Home Affairs for easing of the Visa Regime in the country over a period of time.

Duration of stay in India of e-Tourist and e-Business Visas is maximum up to 1 Year with multiple entry subject to the stay stipulations. Also, the existing restriction of allowing foreigner for a maximum of three times has also been removed.

Changes in e-Tourist Visa On e-Tourist Visa continuous stay during each visit shall not exceed 90 days in case of nationals of all countries who are eligible for grant of e-visa except nationals of USA, UK, Canada and Japan.

In case of nationals of USA, UK, Canada and Japan continuous stay during each visit shall not exceed 180 days.

In all cases no registration will be required.

Changes in e-Business Visa Continuous stay during each visit shall not exceed 180 days in case of nationals of all countries who are eligible for grant of e-visa

and Port Blair) raising the total number of such airports to 28.

Attending Destination wedding under normal e-Tourist visa or Tourist visa- No separate category of Destination Wedding Visa

Other Changes:

Foreign nationals who fall sick during their stay in India can now avail medical treatment without converting their visa into Medical Visa. This would take care of sudden medical emergencies.

E-Visa is valid for entry through 2 (two) more designated Airports (Bhubaneswar

Visa-on-Arrival facility extended to the nationals of Republic of Korea.

No registration will be required if the stay is for a period of less than 180 days.

India Tourism to become a USD 50 billion Industry, Shringi

Rise in travel to UK from India

News Desk

FS Global recorded an 8% year-onyear increase in the number of UK visa applications in 2018. Most number of UK visa applications in 2018 were submitted from Delhi and Mumbai – which accounted for over 40% of UK visa applications from the country.

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ravel and Tourism Industry has emerged as one of the major contributors to India’s GDP. It is flourishing at a rapid pace and is poised to become a USD 50 billion industry over the next few years. In fact with the growth of disposable incomes and travel expense, India will witness 20% growth in the number of air travellers, said Dhruv Shringi, Co-Founder & CEO, Yatra.com while speaking at the outset of Tourism and Travel Tech Conference organised by Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) and Incredible India.

“It is however pertinent to note that the tourism industry is execution oriented hence the operators need to focus on enhancing operational efficiencies in order to capture the opportunities in this industry.” Shringi added.

The speakers at the conference, were unanimous in their view that for travel and tourism industry to really flourish in India, it is really important that all the stakeholders including industry both offline and online

6 March 2019

and the government join hands to create an atmosphere or frictionless travel.

Tourism and travel industry is one of the biggest employment generators and hence it is important that the bottlenecks are removed at the earliest, to be able to contribute to the growing Indian economy, the panel suggested.

With the theme ‘Shaping the Future of Travel in India’ the conference touched upon key aspects of the travel and tourism industry such as building the tourism ecosystem, disruption of digital travel and technologyenabled travel experiences.

Over 630,000 people applied for a UK visa from India in the last year. That included over 475,000 visit visas – an increase of 43,000, the largest absolute increase for any country. In addition, almost 19,000 Tier 4 student visas were granted to Indian nationals – a 32% increase on the previous year – along with over 55,000 skilled work visas – more than the rest of the world combined.

NEWS IN BRIEF

Messe Berlin announces first edition of ITB India in April 2020 The three-day businessto-business travel trade show and convention will take place at the Bombay Exhibition Centre in Mumbai, from 15 to 17.

News Desk

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esse Berlin, one of the world’s leading trade fair companies, has announced that it will be organising the inaugural ITB India in April 2020. It is organised

by Messe Berlin (Singapore) Pte Ltd and supported by the by the Indo-German Chamber of Commerce. The show will bring together key travel industry leaders and buyers from cities across India, and international exhibitors from the MICE, leisure and corporate sectors. ITB India will also have a Hosted Buyers’ programme that will cater to the buyers from first, second, and third tier cities in India.

One of the fastest-growing major economies and with the secondlargest population in the world,

India has vast potential for both inbound and outbound travel.

The Indian travel industry is expected to be valued at US$56 billion by 2020 with UNTWO, the World Tourism Organization, predicting that there will 50 million outbound travellers by then.

ITB India represents a major opportunity for National Tourism Organisations (NTOs), travel, and hospitality companies to be part of this fastest expanding market opportunity.

Dr. Christian Göke, Chief Executive Officer of Messe Berlin said: “From a global and regional perspective, India is a vast source market for the travel industry with a huge growth potential.

We are delighted that ITB India will in future complement the trio of ITB Berlin, ITB Asia and ITB China, making it a quartet and strengthening the global ITB brand.”

India’s economic growth means that its citizens are earning more disposable income to spend on

travel. India’s outbound travel expenditure increased 7% on average year-on-year between 2006 and 2016 and saw an even higher growth rate of 8.5% in travel expenditure from 2015 to 2016. This rate was considerably higher than growth rates seen by other major countries including China, Indonesia, and Brazil for the same period.

“Having successfully run eleven editions of ITB Asia, it is logical for us to progress to the next frontier of travel in Asia. India represents an extremely promising market with a growing purchasing power among travellers from the region. We are optimistic that ITB India will be a prominent platform for attendees from the MICE, leisure and corporate sectors to come together to further grow the Indian travel market,” said Katrina Leung, Managing Director of Messe Berlin (Singapore), the organiser of ITB India.

“As ITB is a renowned international brand, we are

delighted to be a key partner and together, make ITB India the leading travel trade event for the India market,” commented Bernhard Steinrücke, Director General, Indo-German Chamber of Commerce.

Of the buyers at ITB India, 50% are expected to focus on leisure travel, with MICE and corporate travel buyers making up the remainder with 25% respectively.

Almost a third of all buyers at ITB India are expected to have a purchasing power of more than US$1 million.

ICPB announces 12th CIC from 29-31 August Mapping the Sustainable MICE Future of India has been chosen as the theme of the convention.

News Desk

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he Queen of Arabian Sea – Kochi will see the gathering of a large number of Meeting Incentives Conference and Convention (MICE) peofessionals from India and abroad as the India Convention Promotion Bureau (ICPB) has announced to organise its 12th Conventions India Conclave (CIC) from August 29-31, 2019 at Grand Hyatt Kochi.

The Convention venue – Grand Hyatt Kochi Bolgatty perched on 26 acres of plush green land

on the serene Bolgatty Island is a waterfront urban resort overlooking the backwaters of Vembanad Lake. Spanning over 3,000 Sq.m, Grand Hyatt Kochi Bolgatty offers spectacular meeting and event spaces.

The well thought theme of the Convention –‘Mapping The Sustainable MICE Future Of India’ goes well with the importance of MICE and its economic and social impact on the industry stakeholders and the country as well.

Elaborating on the Convention destination – Kochi, Chander Mansharamani, Vice Chairman, ICPB says, “We have chosen Kochi as our forthcoming Convention destination keeping in view of the upcoming MICE

infrastructure, and the city emerging as a preferred MICE destination. We are expecting good number of foreign buyers including two groups of international buyers from USA apart from the domestic buyers/ sellers and corporates.”

Ministry of Tourism Government of India and Department of Tourism Govt of Kerala Kerala are the Platinum Sponsors of the event. Grand Hyatt Kochi which is one of the largest Convention center is the Venue Partner of the forthcoming Convention India Conclave.

ICPB is the only travel industry body with participation from the entire MICE industry, with members from state governments, hotels, airlines,

Chander Mansharamani Vice Chairman ICPB

tour operators, travel agents, professional conference organisers, event managers, educational institutions and more.

March 2019 7

GOVERNMENT

Uttarakhand collaborates with travel professionals to boost adventure segment

More than 300 delegates from 28 countries participated at the PATA event hosted by Department of Tourism, Govt of Uttarakhand.

Jai Kishan Kaparwan

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ttarakhand Tourism Development Board brought together international experts at the forefront of the adventure travel industry from both, the private and public sectors to discuss the opportunities lies in the adventure travel segment of the state. The event – PATA Adventure Travel and Responsible Tourism Conference and Mart 2019, hosted by UTDB brought 300 delegates from 28 countries who engaged with Indian sellers and travel professionals.

Speaking on the ocassion, Satpal Maharaj, Minister for Tourism, Govt of Uttarakhand said that the three daylong event will showcase the great potential of adventure tourism that Uttarakhand boasts.

This is going to be a great opportunity for the participants to have a firsthand experience of the destination. He urged the travel professionals to promote Rishikesh at world front for adventure tourism.

According to Dilip Jawalkar, Secretary Tourism, Religious Affairs and Culture Department, Government of Uttarakhand, the state is truly a paradise for adventure enthusiast which has a lot of potential to attract a large number of travellers from national and international fronts.

“We have noticed that Uttarakhand is quite popular among international travellers for wellness and adventure, and there has been a lot of demand in this segment. So looking at the vast opportunity to get more traffic to our state we decided to invite foreign delegates to showcase our potential and learn the new ideas to attract a large chunk of travellers to the state.”

While elaborating on the event, PATA CEO, Dr. Mario Hardy said that the event aims to be a catalyst for generating new ideas and improving collaboration between public and private sector organisations.

“By bringing together such a dynamic and diverse group of speakers, we hoped to highlight the need to discuss, analyse and share various ideas with both the public and private sector in planning, building and promoting a responsible travel and tourism industry,” he added.

Chief Minister of Uttarakhand Trivendra Singh Rawat innaugurating the PATA ARTCM 2019

47 seller organisations from 10 destinations (Bhutan, China, India, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal and Thailand) and 44 buyer organisations from 18 source markets (Australia, Bulgaria, Canada, China, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, the Republic of Korea, Poland, Russia, Singapore, Spain, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom and the USA) participated at the B2B Mart at PATA RTCM 2019.

In the august presence of Satpal Maharaj, Minister of Tourism, Uttarakhand, Yogendra Tripathi, IAS, Secretary Suman Billa, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, the conference was opened by Dilip Jawalkar, IAS, Secretary Tourism, Religious Affairs and Culture Department, Government of Uttarakhand.

Gujarat Tourism conducts educational trip for domestic tour operators The delegates visited Statue of Unity and Sardar Sarovar Dam, Ahmedabad, Vadodra and Kevadiya districts of the state.

News Desk

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n an attempt to further promote the Statue of Unity at Tent City, Narmada, along with other tourist attractions in the vicinity, the Tourism Corporation of Gujarat Ltd. (TCGL) organised a familiarization trip for the members of Association of Domestic Tour Operators of India (ADTOI) from February 15 to 18, 2019.

ADTOI delegation comprising of 16 officials including chapter chairmen led by its President, P P Khanna participated in the trip. The delegates stayed at Narmada Tent City Kevadiya and visited Statue of Unity and Sardar Sarovar Dam followed by Ahmedabad, Vadodra and Kevadiya districts of the state. They went to see

8 March 2019

Adalaj Step Well, Gandhi Ashram, Siddi Saiyed Mosque and Hateesinh Jain Temple as well.

Statue of Unity is the newly added attraction in the list of Gujarat Tourism products which has become talk of town and poised to attract a large number of tourist from various parts of the country. Statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel – named as Statue of Unity was unveiled

by Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi on 31st October 2018.

Located facing the Narmada Dam, 3.2 kms away on the river island called Sadhu Bet near Rajpipla in Gujarat, the monument along with its surroundings occupies over 20,000 square metres, and is surrounded by a 12-sq-km artificial lake.

It is the world’s tallest statue with a height of 182 metres (597 feet). The Statue of Unity is almost 100 feet taller than China’s Spring Temple Buddha, the world’s current tallest statue at 502 feet. The Sardar Patel

statue is almost twice as high as the Statue of Liberty in New York, which is 305 feet tall. The Nelson’s Column in Trafalgar Square, checking in at a mere 170 feet height, is almost tiny when compared to the new wonder in Gujarat.

Having the firsthand experience of the product, the domestic tour operators fraternity have great expectation that this new attraction will become very popular among the travellers from national and international fronts.

GOVERNMENT

MP Tourism honors industry stakeholders with Awards of Excellence Minister for Tourism and Narmada Valley Development Authority, Surendra Singh Baghel presented the awards in 38 categories.

Jai Kishan Kaparwan

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n an attempt to boost the efforts made by tourism industry stakeholders to promote Madhya Pradesh as one of the most sought after destinations in the country, Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board (MPTB) honored the industry stakeholders with the Awards for Excellence on March 1st, 2019 at Minto Hall in Bhopal.

The Minister for Tourism and Narmada Valley Development Authority, Surendra Singh Baghel presented the awards in 38 categories in the presence of Hari Ranjan Rao, Secretary Tourism, Government of Madhya Pradesh and Bhawana Walimbe, AMD, Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board.

While speaking on the ocassion, tourism minister of the state Baghel said: “The government is focusing on the tourism sector very aggressively. Facilities are being reviewed for the tourism policy/finance, and amendments shall be made as and when required.”

As the minister said that digitalisation is the need of the hour, the department of tourism is ready to take new initiatives in this area. Also, the department is planning

to organise more travel related events at the huge water bodies of the state. The minister further informed that since the state is very popular among international travellers the government of Madhya Pradesh will plan its strategy accordingly to woo more travellers from across the world.

Presented in 38 catagories, the award for Best Tour Operator (National) and Best Travel Agent in Madhya Pradesh were given to Travel Bureau Khajuraho. The objective of this category is to recognise the efforts in increasing the tourists’ inflow and promoting the state at national and international fronts.

Other categories include, Best Travel Agent Madhya Pradesh award was given to Historical India Tour and Travels Orcha. Award for Best Tourist Transport Operator and Best Adventure Tour Operator were given to Madhya Pradesh Travels, Bhopal and Somanipuram Adventure Park and Resort, Indore respectively.

While the award for Best Tourist Guide Madhya Pradesh was given to Lakhanlal Rajak of Datia, the Best Tourist Guide Archaeological Survey of India award was given to Sanjay Kumar Khare of Khajuraho.

In hospitality sector, various awards such as Best Hotel – Radison Blu Indore, Best

Heritage Hotel – Usha Kiran Palace Gwalior, Best Eco-friendly Hotel –Pench Jungle Camp, and Best Eco-friendly Forest Lodge –Kanha Village Eco-resort, Mandla district were given. Best Chef award was given jointly to Jivan Singh and Nathhi Singh Rawat.

The Best Tourist-friendly National Park award was given to Satpuda Tiger Reserve, while the award for Best Tourist-friendly Spot Centre was given to Dadaji Dhuniwala Darbar Khandwa.

Awards such as Best Civic Management City (Municipal Corporation), Best Civic Management City (Municipality) and Best Civic Management City (Municipal Council) were given to Gwalior Municipal Corporation, Chanderi and Bhedhaghat respectively. The Best District Tourism Promotion Council award was jointly received by Mandla and Gwalior.

Karnataka Tourism to conduct series of roadshows in four cities News Desk

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ith an aim to increase domestic footfalls, Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation and the Department of Tourism, are all set to organise multicity roadshows in months of March and April, 2019. The roadshows will be held in Mumbai (March 19), Goa (March 20), New Delhi (April 09) and Lucknow (April 10).

The state is keen to promote itself as a destination for Leisure, MICE, Adventure, Wildlife and Wedding Destination in the Indian market. KSTDC shall be the nodal agency to conduct the roadshows in various Tier 1 and Tier 2 cities of India.

Also, the roadshows aims to promote tourism in the state by extending support to the

private industry stakeholerds such as hotels, resorts, homestays, tour operators and other service providers from Karnataka who can participate at the event and interact with the industry stakeholders at these four cities.

This exclusive B2B Roadshow will have over 20 travel agents from Karnataka interacting with more than 100 travel agents/tour operators of the respective cities.

The roadshow will have B2B interactions and presentations and cultural programmes that will showcase the destination and also open up new avenues in bringing the destination in new light to the travel and trade community.

Cultural performance will be organised to showcase the vibrant art forms that Karnataka is known for. The roadshow will bring together different aspect of Karnataka tourism such as Nature, Wildlife, Adventure,

Pilgrimage, Heritage and cultural heritage, and many more.

SCHEDULE Mumbai, Maharashtra : 19 March 2019 Panaji, Goa: 20 March 2019 New Delhi: 9 April 2019 Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh: 10 April 2019

March 2019 9

GOVERNMENT

Kerala Tourism holds trade meets in USA; draws sound response New Jersey, Chicago, Houston and Los Angeles were the four American cities where Kerala Tourism held trade meets during February.

News Desk

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n an aggressive bid to cement its position as a top international destination, Kerala Tourism held a string of trade meets in major cities of USA, showcasing its signature assets before leading stakeholders of travel and tourism industry that drew an enthusiastic response in American markets.

Kerala Tourism has chalked out a series of trade meets in international markets in a bid to substantially to increase footfalls in the state. Earlier this year, it held trade meets in Rome (January), Vienna (January), Zurich (February) and Prague (February).

“USA is the second largest market for Kerala Tourism after Europe. The four trade meets

that were conducted there were part of a concerted campaign to tap the full potential of American travel market. In particular, the campaign was aimed at tapping the premium segment of travellers from USA,” said Kerala Tourism Minister, Kadakampally Surendran.

“We also wanted to send out a strong message to American travellers and prominent stakeholders of travel and hospitality industry in that country that Kerala has fully overcome the impact of last year’s floods and is ready to receive the guests with an array of new products and fascinating destinations,” he added.

Tourism Secretary Rani George, who led the trade meets, said Kerala may be a longhaul destination but its touristy charm has remained undiminished for travellers from America.

“The trade meets generated a very positive and good response. Kerala Tourism unveiled

new destinations and tourism products during meetings with tour operators to woo American travellers and make them aware of magnificent holiday options in the state which provides not just a vacation but also a lifetime cultural experience,” she added.

There has been a consistent uptick in the number of American travellers visiting Kerala. In 2018, the number of tourists from USA visiting God’s Own Country was pegged at 96,522 compared to 75,773 in 2015. The number of total international arrivals to Kerala in 2018 was 10, 96,407.

TCI taps Odisha’s Growing travel demand, opens outlet in Cuttack

After Bhubaneshwar this is the second franchiese outlet of TCI in Odisha.

News Desk

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homas Cook India has strengthened its presence in Eastern India with the inauguration of its franchise Gold Circle Partner outlet in Cuttack, Odisha. This expansion augments Thomas Cook India’s outlets in Eastern India to 15 consumer access centers, with 2 in Odisha.

Thomas Cook India has observed a growing appetite for holidays from India’s Tier 2 and 3

cities and Cuttack, Odisha, is a case in point.

While Thomas Cook India has an established outlet in Bhubaneswar, strong demand witnessed from its twin city of Cuttack has led to the launch of its Gold Circle Partner franchise outlet.

While the Domestic (India) holiday package demand is high, the introduction of direct flights to international destinations such as Thailand is creating strong fillip to outbound growth from Odisha and East India.

Rajeev Kale, President & Country Head Leisure Travel, M.I.C.E & Visas at Thomas

Cook (India) Limited said: “We have witness a growth from Odisha and our East India markets – upward of 20 %. Considered to be the business capital of Odisha, Cuttack presents a growing opportunity for Thomas Cook India to provide its travel and travel related services to consumers across the state.”

“While our Regional Tours are popular, the growing demand for personalised holidays speaks of the discerning demographic profile from the state of Odisha,” he added.

The Thomas Cook Gold Circle Partner programme is an exclusive franchise partner initiative that increases the brand’s presence/ reach across the country, giving consumers access to the company’s products and services in metros/mini-metros and strongly emerging Tier 2 and 3 markets.

The Gold Circle Partner benefits via brand association with the leading travel company in India, along with knowledge sharing/ training and expertise to manage a travel business. In addition, a Gold Circle Partner is equipped with sales and marketing support to further new business development, and the acquisition/retention of a wider customer base.

10 March 2019

March 2019 11

TRADE

UK visa service introduces new features News Desk

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K visa customers can now fill the visa application form, book regular or priority appointments, self-upload documents prior to visiting the centre, or choose from a range of services, in a single online journey. The intuitive and simplified online visa application system, developed

by VFS Global for UKVI, is part of UKVI’s continuing initiatives to transform the visa application journey for customers around the world.

Shift to an integrated online system Previously, Indian visa applicants applied for a visa via two separate websites – Gov.UK and VFS Glob-al. As part of the new customer journey, customers can access information about, or opt for, all visa services at the outset of their visa application journey. The new system can be accessed via www.gov.uk.

Added Choice and Convenience for the Indian visa customer A range of optional services aimed at providing a stress-free application experience can now be opted for online, at the application stage.

Services include: Convenience: Customers can opt for the ‘Walk-in without appointment’ service (for customers seeking to submit applications urgently), or ‘Keep My Passport While Applying’ (enabling cus-tomers to apply for other visas during the processing of UK visa) at the application stage itself

Comfort: Personalised services at the Premium Lounge Speed: Super Priority Service and Priority Service for fasttrack turnaround times Peace of mind: Document-scanning assistance for customers opting for self-upload Check and Verify: new service offers greater assurance on documents submitted VFS Global, in association with UK Visa and Immigration (UKVI), has also launched a new Check and Verify service for UK visa applicants across India.

How Check and Verify works: For customers opting for the Check and Verify service*, VFS Global staff will undertake the first level of scrutiny on the information / documents submitted – through designated checks on bank statements, income tax returns and employment. VFS Global will provide an independent validation of the documents and submit an official verification report directly to UK Visas & Immigration.

David Ratcliffe, Regional Director South and South East Asia, UK Visas and Immigration, said, “By making better use of digital technology we can make the visa application process easier for the customer, giving them the opportunity to upload documents with their smartphone

or tablet from the comfort of their home or office.

“In addition, this move will make us much more efficient and resilient as we prepare for another busy year – so, as Indians travel to the UK for the Cricket World Cup, they can be confident that they won’t get caught out by the visa service!”

Vinay Malhotra, Regional Group Chief Operating Officer – Middle East, South Asia and China, VFS Global, said, “Customer comfort has always been at the forefront of our efforts, and the new UK visa online application system is a big step in that direction, as it essentially integrates access to convenient visa services in one seamless interface. The United Kingdom is an esteemed client government that VFS Global has served since 2003 in India, and with their support, we have continuously developed flexible solutions aimed at easing the application journey for customers.”

EaseMyTrip joins hands with VariFlight

The companies together are working towards developing integrated solutions to simplify their overall travel experience.

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aseMyTrip has joined hands with VariFlight, a leading aviation data provider, to provide real-time flight information on both EaseMyTrip website and its mobile app. With this, EaseMyTrip customers will be able to track a flight while they are on the move i.e. real-time positional tracking of flights would be available to the customers.

With this partnership, EaseMyTrip will also provide its users with facilities like

12 March 2019

flight on-time performance index, real-time notifications about changing status of flights, boarding intimation, arrival / departure status, gate changes, etc.

Users will also be able to look for updated information of their flights and optimize their travel plan accordingly. VariFlight is set to provide a comprehensive flight dataset which includes flight schedule and live flight status information. Users having EaseMyTrip app in their phones will receive instant pushnotifications of any changes in the status of a flight.

VariFlight has been working ardently towards coming up with innovative application of aviation data. Its data products including flight status API and Flight Happiness Index

(FHI) are helping partners to improve online air shopping satisfactions for end users across their flight journeys.

Speaking on this, Rikant Pitti, Co-Founder & COO, EaseMyTrip said: “Our aim is to make travel bookings smooth-as-glass for our customers. By integrating VariFlight’s aviation data into the EMT app, our users will be able to track everything related to their flight bookings at the click of a button.”

“We will continue to develop more competitive data-driven services for our worldwide partners, especially those from emerging markets, with the hope that morepeople can enjoy an efficient air travel experience,” said Zheng Hongfeng, Founder and CEO of VariFlight.

TRADE

Varanasi, Amritsar, Goa, Jaipur and Coimbatore tops the rank for solo travellers News Desk

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he research done by KAYAK – a leading travel search engine, reveals that Indians are increasingly preferring to travel solo. After evaluating over billions of search queries the search engine has revealed the top destinations that are steadily gaining popularity amongst solo travellers in the past year, basis travel trends and insights seen by the brand.

Speaking about the current trends of solo travel seen, Abhijit Mishra, Regional Director, APAC of KAYAK said: “From our recent analysis of kayak’s data, we have noticed a year-on-year upsurge of 56% in travellers booking single flight tickets in India.”

“Data reveals that Varanasi, Amritsar, Coimbatore, Goa and Jaipur are leading domestic destinations for solo travellers.

To help travellers make effortless travel decisions, Kayak’s various tools likeprice alert and my trips will help travellers gauge the best flight options and conveniently manage their trips,” he added.

Destinations getting pupularity among solo travellers are well known tier 2 cities of country. Varanasi is the perfect spot for travellers who are looking for adventures, colourful festivals and gourmets all together along with the vibrant heritage and history that India has to offer. For its rich history, beautiful phulkari embroideries to mouthwatering delicacies, Amritsar has been attracting solo travellers and history enthusiasts since decades.

For travellers, who are eager to trek solo, Coimbatore is the place to go. It allows travellers to experience the ruggedness of rustic mountains, witness impressive arrays of centuries old sculptures of ancient temples and indulge in the scenic beauty of hill stations.

A visit to the charming flea markets in Anjuna, sunbathing by the Arabian Sea, visiting the beautiful Portuguese churches in Panaji’s Latin Quarters and the historic Fort Aguada in Goa will make your trip an unforgettable experience. Jaipur’s dazzling royal palaces, busy markets and stunning

artwork by local craftsman will make you fall in love with the city.

Destination

flight Y e a r - o n - Avg Year search price (INR)** v o l u m e change (%)*

Varanasi

113%

INR 9357

Amritsar

+78%

INR 7585

Coimbatore

+71%

INR 6876

Goa

+81%

INR 7231

Jaipur

+59%

INR 7656

Trawell Tag Cover-More gears up to achieve unprecedented growth “The next step for us is a deeper dive into the e-commerce sector with enhanced technological know-how and support from the Cover-More and aligning that with the changing business scenarios in India,” informed Karvat.

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ccording to Cover-More CEO, Asia Pacific, Judith Crompton, CEO Cover-More – a leading travel insurance provider, India remains one of the most exciting economies in Asia with growth in travel insurance uptake almost double that of more mature markets. Looking at the size of the market, Cover-More has reaffirmed a strong commitment to driving growth and differentiation for their TrawellTag CoveMore business in India.

“Cover-More remains very positive about the outlook for travel in India, especially international travel. And in recent years, we have also seen significant growth in the number of outbound travellers understanding the importance of quality travel insurance,” Crompton said.

Dev Karvat, Founder & CEO, Trawell Tag Cover-More, India & Emerging Markets, said being part of a global player allowed the

Crompton is in India as part of Cover-More’s new global growth strategy roll-out. She was appointed as Cover-More’s CEO, Asia Pacific in October 2018; previously she was based in Zurich, Switzerland as Cover-More’s CEO for Europe, Middle East and Africa. business in India to intelligently apply CoverMore’s travel insurance capabilities to decommoditise the product offering and grow the share of the traveller wallet.

“In recent years, we have also become the partner of choice for airlines and leading online travel agencies (OTAs) including GoAir, IndiGo and Goibibo which underlines the strength of our integrated travel insurance offer and our ability to deliver differentiated solutions for our distribution partners.”

TrawellTag Cover-More is one of the leading travel assistance and insurance providers in India. Cover-More acquired TrawellTag in 2012 and subsequently Cover-More’s global business became part of Zurich in 2017, making the combined business the third largest travel insurance business in the world.

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TECHNOLOGY

Travelport Digital and BCD Travel extend partnership After almost 1.5 million downloads, TripSource, powered by Travelport’s latest technology leads to renewed partnership.

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ravelport a leading travel commerce platform, announced that it has renewed its long-standing, successful partnership with BCD Travel. With this new agreement, Travelport Digital will continue to collaborate on BCD Travel’s digital traveller engagement solution, TripSource, making it the preferred way to manage all aspects of business travel.

TripSource allows travellers to shop and book air, hotel and car, and to evolve the next generation of self-service corporate travel experience.

Since 2013, Travelport has been a key digital partner for BCD Travel, one of the largest TMCs in the world. As a trusted technology partner, Travelport Digital has collaborated with BCD Travel to develop the award winning TripSource platform.

The collaboration allowed BCD to vastly expand upon TripSource’s early iteration as an itinerary management app to produce a popular destination for shopping, booking, policy guidance and self-service trip management.

TripSource now offers a cuttingedge user experience that drives the best purchasing decisions, allows users to book and manage travel and helps travelers to stay organized.

“We’re delighted to continue our relationship with Travelport, who share our mission to deliver a simple, digital, adaptive and global experience for travellers,” said Will Pinnell, BCD Travel Vice President, Product Strategy.

“Our longstanding alliance offers us immense value as we strive to lead the corporate travel industry in innovation that translates into tangible value for businesses and a superior experience for their travelers,” he added.

“As a key partner for the TripSource platform since its early stages, we’re thrilled to continue to support its future growth with our technology solutions,” said Julie O’Sullivan,

Head of Digital, Business Travel, Travelport Digital. “This renewal is yet another example of our commitment to enabling our partners to continue providing the very best digital experiences for today’s mobile-first global travellers, he added.”

According to the Travelport 2018 Global Digital Traveller Survey of 16,000 travelers from 25 countries, mobile remains crucial, and travelers want a consolidated experience.

They also want technology to continue to simplify and enhance the travel experience.

TripSource uses real-time messaging capabilities to provide travel updates such as flight delays, gate changes, risk alerts and policy reminders as well as company specific information that helps travelers have a seamless, well-informed experience.

SpiceJet partners with Amadeus for global distribution SpiceJet joins 440+ airlines, including 110+ LCCs and Hybrids, whose fares and merchandising content are bookable in Amadeus.

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his is the first time that SpiceJet is working with a distribution partner.

By connecting to travellers through the world’s largest community of travel sellers and buyers, the airline will be able to showcase its products on a global scale, access new markets and partners, and grow its customer base.

SpiceJet is India’s second biggest budget carrier operating, on an average, 516 daily flights to 59 destinations, which includes eight international destinations. The airline will soon start flying to Jeddah, which will be its ninth international destination.

SpiceJet connects its network with a fleet of 48 Boeing 737 MAX and NG jets, 27 Bombardier Q-400s and one B737 freighter.

It is also India’s largest regional player operating 23 daily flights under the regional connectivity scheme, UDAN. Ajay Singh, Chairman and Managing Director, SpiceJet, said, “Our new partnership with Amadeus will help SpiceJet to reach new customers both within and outside India. SpiceJet is in the midst of its most exciting growth phase and I am sure that this new distribution network will enable a large number of customers to connect with our huge domestic and growing international network.”

SpiceJet will be able to define and deliver enhanced offers, including rich content, to both travel agents and travellers. The airline

14 March 2019

will also be able to differentiate its travel offers beyond just price, while ensuring that agencies and travelers have all the information at hand in order to make the right purchasing decisions.

Cyril Tetaz, Executive Vice President, Airlines, Amadeus, Asia Pacific said: “With our partnership including distribution and IT solutions, we are very proud to support SpiceJet in its growth in India and beyond.

The airline will be able to differentiate its offers and empower travellers with the transparency and customization they need through our global travel network.”

“At Amadeus we are constantly innovating to offer solutions helping improve efficiency and productivity with seamless end to end integrations to our partner agents”, said Rakesh Bansal, CEO, Amadeus India.

SpiceJet is a PSS customer of Navitaire, an Amadeus company, and has relied on the New Skies reservation platform to keep pace with the carrier’s strong growth since its launch.

AVIATION

Etihad to introduce A380 on Abu Dhabi-Seoul route

Double-decker 486-seat A380 will offer 70 Business Studios and 405 Economy Smart Seats News Desk

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midst soaring bilateral trade between UAE and South Korea and increasing demand for UAE as a travel destination in the East Asian country, Abu Dhabi based Etihad Airways is readying to introduce Airbus A380 on the Abu Dhabi-Seoul route from July 1st later this year. Seoul’s Incheon Airport will be the next airport served by Etihad’s A380 after London Heathrow, Paris Charles de Gaulle, New York JFK and Sydney.

The UAE and South Korea are major trade partners and the UAE is the largest importer of South Korean goods in the Middle East and Africa region with bilateral currently valued at approximately US$ 15 billion annually. An estimated 200,000 Korean tourists are now also visiting the UAE each year.

According to Robin Kamark, Chief Commercial Officer, Etihad Aviation Group, “Since launching our services to Seoul Incheon in December 2010, the route has proved tremendously successful and we

News Desk

B have welcomed over 1.2 million guests on our flights to and from Korea since then. The introduction of our award-winning Airbus A380 will provide our guests with the most revolutionary inflight experience. The Etihad A380 embodies our ‘Choose Well’ brand promise perfectly, offering every type of traveller a flying experience tailored to meet their requirements.”

The double-decker 486-seat A380 will offer 70 Business Studios and 405 Economy Smart Seats, including 80 Economy Space seats with a seat pitch of up to 36 inches. Other new inflight experiences include The Residence, a luxurious three-room cabin which can accommodate two guests in complete privacy, and nine private First Apartments.

Arkia to launch direct flight from Tel Aviv to Goa, Kochi News Desk

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sraeli airline Arkia will introduce two new routes to India starting from 28th September 2019 using recently acquired Airbus A321LR. The carrier confirmed to begin nonstop flight operations from Tel Aviv to Goa and Kochi with 220 seats and a full flight service on board.

With one-way duration of seven hours, Arkia will fly once a week to Goa on Tuesdays and twice a week to Kochi on Mondays and Fridays. From 27th October 2019, the flight to the latter city will move to Sundays and Thursdays.

The air travel will run all year round except during the monsoon season in India. This announcement has come at a time when Israel Ministry of Tourism has recorded a 21% growth with 70,800 Indian tourist arrivals to Israel in 2018 vis-à-vis 58,700 travellers in 2017 leading India to the 12th position as the source market for the destination.

Speaking about the new development, Hassan Madah, Director, Israel Ministry

George Ettiyil takesover as Senior Director Sales – SA for Lufthansa Group Airlines

of Tourism – India & Philippines said, “In light of the significant increase in incoming tourism from India over the past few years, the Ministry of Tourism has been encouraging of Israeli airlines like Arkia to foray into the Indian market.”

“We see India becoming one of the key source markets for Israel in the coming years and with Arkia’s direct flights to Goa and Kochi, the Indian traveller’s interest will surely increase. Goa attracts many Israeli tourists who visit the Indian state for leisure holidays, while Israel has recorded a notable mix of pilgrimage and leisure travellers from Kochi.

With nonstop operations from the West, North and now South of India; this will help meet the growing demand and enable us to

ased in New Delhi, George Ettiyil is responsible for overseeing all commercial activities for Lufthansa Group Airlines business in India, Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

George brings a unique blend of understanding of the business and cultural landscapes in India and Germany. Born and schooled in Germany, George completed his college education in India. Having spent over two decades at Lufthansa Group, he has worked a decade each in India and Germany. He is Ettiyil George fluent in German, Senior Director Sales English and South Asia Malayalam.

He began his professional career with Lufthansa Group in 1996 as a Management Traineein India and worked over 13 years across Lufthansa offices in Delhi, Mumbai, Pune and Chennai in cross-functional managerial roles.

He moved to Frankfurt in 2009 and held key management positions in account management,controlling and sales within the Lufthansa Group there. Prior to his assignment as Senior Director Sales South Asia, he was Head of Global Sales Product & Programs for the Hub Airlines at the Lufthansa headquarters in Frankfurt.

achieve higher Indian arrivals to Israel in 2019,” he added.

With bookings to commence from 24th March 2019, a one-way ticket price will start at $250 from Kochi and $300 from Goa with priority seating at an additional $35.

In addition to Arkia, El Al Israel Airlines Ltd. (TASE: ELAL) services the direct Mumbai-Tel Aviv sector with three weekly non-stop flights and Air India flies direct from New Delhi to Tel Aviv five times a week.

March 2019 15

AVIATION

Oman Air and Turkish Airlines extend existing codeshare agreement News Desk

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nder the revised agreement, Oman Air will codeshare on Turkish Airlines operating flights to Rome, Copenhagen and Algiers, while Turkish Airlines will codeshare on Oman Air operating flights to Salalah. The codeshare agreement allows guests to benefit from the outstanding products and services offered by both carriers on these routes.

Abdulaziz Al Raisi, Chief Executive Officer, Oman Air commented: “It is an ideal partner for Oman Air, which has justifiably attracted a reputation for offering the highest levels of comfort, luxury and outstanding service. As we continue to expand globally, codeshare agreements such as this help us spread our wings to newer destinations and bring us more partners and guests.”

Turkish Airlines’ Deputy Chairman and CEO, Bilal Ekşi expressed: “Witnessing Oman Air`s direct flights to Istanbul within the scope of our existing codeshare agreement has always pleased us. And now extending this agreement in order to further maximize the travel opportunities offered to our passengers through our networks made us more glad.

We believe that this enhancement with Oman Air will further explore cooperation opportunities for both airlines together with growing relations between our countries.”

Oman Air and Turkish Airlines currently operate one daily flight each on the MuscatIstanbul route under reciprocal codeshare agreement. The schedule of these flights

KAC Chairman Yousef Al-Jassem awarded Best Media Personality News Desk

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nder the patronage and presence of both the Minister of Information and Minister of State for Youth Affairs Mohammad Nasser Al-Jabri and Forum Director Madhi Al-Khamees, the Arab Media Forum has awarded Kuwait Airways Chairman, Yousef Al-Jassem, as the Best Media Personality for the year 2018 during the 6th edition of the “Advertising Creativity

Awards Ceremony” at the Arab Media Forum’s event, which was attended by several companies and influential personalities.

During the event, Kuwait Airways Chairman, Yousef Al-Jassem stated that he was

16 March 2019

delighted to attend the function and being awarded the Best Media Personality for the year 2018. He expressed his gratitude to the Minister of Information and Minister of State for Youth Affairs H.E Mohammad Nasser AlJabri and Forum Director Madhi Al-Khamees, for the valuable recognition.

Al-Jassem also acknowledged the participation of creative Kuwaiti and nonKuwaiti youths in the advertisement field and considered it as an evidence of valuable contribution of talented individuals locally, along with their capabilities and powerful opinion to spread cultural awareness in the society.

Kuwait Airways Chairman, Yousef Al-Jassem dedicated the award in memory of his father in the first place and to the employees of Kuwait Airways, particularly the Public Relations & Media department, Marketing Department and Customer Services for their effective role in achieving this prestigious award. He also appreciated their efforts at work and successful communication with the media channels, as well as the audience to improve KAC’s reputation and maintain its leadership.

are designed to complement each other by allowing same day return trip at Muscat and Istanbul, and offer convenient connections at both hubs through the respective airlines’ network.

Turkish Airlines, a member of Star Alliance, flies to more countries and international destinations in the world than any other airline, currently operates to 306 cities in 124 countries around the world, comprising of 49 domestic and 257 international destinations.

Fly-SAX joins Hahn Air Systems’ network of H1-Air Partners News Desk

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ahn Air Systems has integrated FlySAX into its network of 80 H1-Air partners available in all major GDSs under the H1 code. As the 7th airline from Kenya to enhance its distribution with Hahn Air Systems’ product, Fly-SAX will benefit from additional ticket sales in 190 markets worldwide.

Over 100,000 travel agencies can now book its services via the standard GDS reservation process and issue tickets on the insolvencysafe HR-169 document via the standard GDS ticketing process.

East African Safari Air Express, also known as Fly-SAX, is a Kenyan airline based at Wilson Airport (WIL) in Nairobi. It is a subsidiary of Five Forty Aviation, Hahn Air Group’s Dual Partner also based in Nairobi.

Fly-SAX serves domestic and international destinations in Eastern Africa with a fleet of CRJ-100 ER, DHC-8-100 and DHC-8-300 aircraft.

More information about Fly-SAX and other H1-Air partners is available under Partner Carriers.

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TRAC to represent Shian Tour & Travel in India This tie- up is aimed at providing Indian agents, a diversified product for Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda and South Africa, at value pricing.

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n a recent development, TRAC Representations (India) Pvt. has been appointed as the DMC of Shian Tours and Travel Limited, a leading tour operator offering a wide range of travel solutions in East Africa and beyond.

Established in 1992,Trac Representation is an organization specializing in destination representations, consultancy, marketing communication, and public relations for the travel and tourism industry. The company provides a holistic range of services, through its in-depth insight and approach

encompassing media, airlines and consumers.

trade,

Trac Representation is a pioneer in the field of travel and tourism marketing and media relations, with decades of experience and many successful assignments to its credit. Over the years, the company has developed dynamic national and global alliances for servicing the clients in the most effective manner.

With the objective of strenghtening trade relations and executing marketing initiatives Trac will promote Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda and South Africa as a most favoured travel destinations for leisure and business amongst the Indian travellers.

Speaking on the development, Jane Macharia Gituto, Managing Director, Shian Tours and Travel Ltd said: “We are happy to appoint TRAC

Jane Macharia Gituto Managing Director Shian Tours and Travel Ltd

Representations (India) Pvt. Ltd as our representative for the India market. With the vast Kenyan expertise they have, we know they will be able to support our partners in India and get more on board.”

Commenting on being appointed as the DMC for Shian, Rajeev Nangia, COO, TRAC Representations, said: “Our vast experience in B2B marketing and expertise in region is going to assist us in taking Shian’s product diversity in India Market. This tie- up is aimed at providing Indian agents, a

Rajeev Nangia COO TRAC Representations

diversified product for Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda and South Africa, at value pricing.”

Established in 2003, and backed by a team of well-travelled and experience, Shian Tours and Travel Limited has a wide range of products. Through this venture the company is keen on offering superior, unique and well-priced deals to Indian travellers as well.

When it comes to travel management, the company strives to provide superior service which makes a trip truly memorable.

Sri Lanka’s local wildlife entices travellers to visit in new first-of-its-kind film

The SLTPB released the film to evoke the essence of its new branding ‘So Sri Lanka’.

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he Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB) has engaged an award-winning team of nature documentary filmmakers to create a first-of-its-kind three-minute film capturing the irresistible island of Sri Lanka, from the perspective of

the country’s rich and diverse wildlife.

To entice experience-seeking travellers to visit Sri Lanka – named by Lonely Planet as the best country in the world to visit in 2019 – the film captures Sri Lanka’s stunning landscapes and vibrant culture from the viewpoint of the country’s most extraordinary inhabitants: its wildlife. The film includes ‘up close and personal’ footage shot with (and by!) some of Sri Lanka’s most iconic residents – including elephants, turtles, leopards, blue whales and fishing cats.

The captivating three-minute film takes on a wild journey across the island nation’s stunning landscapes. Footage includes following a newly hatched seaturtle’s journey to the sea on

18 March 2019

the endless white-sand beaches of the south coast, to getting a soaring ‘eagle’-eye view of the spectacular ancient Sigiriya rock fortress; and watching the world’s largest elephants travel in their home in the sprawling Udawalawe National Park, as well as witnessing doves waking with the vibrant sunrise over Colombo.

Director and producer of the short film, Nicola Brown, said: “Sri Lanka is such a beautiful country with incredible wildlife and we thought a great way of telling its story visually would be from the perspective of its animals. To achieve this, we utilised natural history filming techniques and technology to capture an immersive view of Sri Lanka that would put the viewer in their world.”

SLTPB Chairman, Kishu Gomes, said: “Sri Lanka is like nowhere else in the world.

We wanted to visualise what travellers can do, see and feel when they visit Sri Lanka in a way that is as unique as our country – which is why we wanted to tell our story from the viewpoint of our amazing wildlife.”

“Sri Lanka is one of the best Safari destinations outside of Africa, and we also have many other pleasures for visitors to discover; our beaches enjoy sunshine all year round, our people are warm and welcoming, and our food is abundantly flavourful. Sri Lanka must be felt to be believed, and we welcome all travellers to our country for an experience like no other,” added Gomes.

NTO

Macao interacts with Chinese operators at Guangzhou Travel Fair

MGTO participates in Guangzhou International Travel Fair 2019 currently held at China Import & Export Fair Complex in Guangzhou.

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acao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) takes part in Guangzhou International Travel Fair 2019 held from 21 to 23 February, to enhance Macao’s profile as a diverse travel destination and deepen cooperation among travel industry operators from Guangdong and Macao, embracing the occasion to expand visitor source markets and connections with the international travel trade.

Together with 41 industry delegates representing 21 enterprises including hotels, travel agencies as well as travel & MICE venue operators from Macao, MGTO participates in Guangzhou International Travel Fair 2019 currently held at China Import & Export Fair Complex in Guangzhou.

MGTO Director Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes and Head of Destination Marketing Department, Betty Fok, attended the opening ceremony together. This year, MGTO runs a 180-square-meter booth themed around the 20th Anniversary of the Establishment of the Macao Special Administrative Region and ‘Experience Macao Your Own Style’ to showcase the diversity of travel experiences offered by Macao, from the World Heritage Site, events and festivals to culinary delights, to delegates and visitors from across Mainland China and the world.

The booth promotes Macao’s two glamorous calling cards, the Historic Centre of Macao and the Creative City of Gastronomy, with Macao Tourism Mascot ‘MAK MAK’ bringing out a fresh image of the destination. The booth staff provides travel information and promotional materials for local visitors, while Macao industry delegates discuss business opportunities with their counterparts at the Fair.

Riding on the occasion, Director Senna Fernandes and MGTO delegates met with Vice Mayor of Guangzhou, Wang Dong, Director of Guangzhou Municipal Culture, Radio, Television and Tourism Bureau, Liu Yumei, and Commissioner for Tourism of Tourism Commission of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Joe Wong, among others, to deepen tourism exchange and cooperation between the three destinations.

Abu Dhabi’s international arrivals crosses 10 Million mark in 2018 Cultural assets emerges as one of the top draws with over 2.6 million visitors News Desk

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ccording to the latest figures released by the Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), the UAE emirate welcomed more than 10 million visitors, made up of both day-trippers and overnight guests, in 2018. Abu Dhabi’s cultural assets alone have attracted more than 2,672,732 people to the emirate. More than 354,000 cruise passengers visited Abu Dhabi in 2018.

Abu Dhabi has added a slew of tourism projects and infrastructures like Louvre Abu Dhabi at the famous Yas Island, a leisure and entertainment hub in the region, reopening of the iconic Qasr Al Hosn, among others recently that have tremendously added to its destination profile. Furthermore, worldclass events such as Special Olympics that it will host in 2019 or beating off competition to host the World Energy Congress, one of the world’s most important energy forums, have also added to its global reputation.

Abu Dhabi has witnessed an increase of 13.62 per cent in hotel guests to the emirate since the beginning of 2016. Abu Dhabi has recorded an increase of 3.94 per cent in hotel guests in 2018 compared to 2017 at the emirate’s 168 hotels or hotel apartments. In the last three years, Abu Dhabi has posted record numbers of hotel guests every year, regularly exceeding DCT Abu Dhabi’s annual targets.

The key markets of India, the US and China have all posted double-digit growth for hotel guests in 2018. India and China remain the two top markets for overseas visitors, with the UK - the top European source market - rounding out the top three markets for overseas visitors.

firmly established as a world-class cultural destination. With the emirate’s natural beauty as a stepping off point, Abu Dhabi has steadily enhanced its touristic and cultural proposition until today, visitors can now enjoy incredible options in entertainment – both sporting and artistic - retail, dining and hospitality, as well as top class cultural venues for visual and performing arts experiences. The soaring visitor figures we have seen are evidence of the increase in global appeal of our emirate.

According to Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman at DCT Abu Dhabi. “We are now

March 2019 19

NTO

Petra named one of the Top 100 Sustainable Destinations for 2019 The Petra Archeological Park has been selected by the Green Destinations Foundation as one of the Top 100 Sustainable Destinations for 2019 at ITB Berlin 2019.

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he competition was organized by twelve leading sustainable tourism organizations and networks, and destinations were nominated upon submitting a comprehensive application that addresses 30 key criteria.

Applications were then reviewed by an international jury comprising of twelve experts from USA, Germany, Thailand, Netherlands, Australia, Norway and the United Kingdom, with the aim to identify the best sustainability success stories and good practices.

From a total of 100 top-sustainable destinations from around the world, 44 sustainable tourism stories submitted their

applications to this year’s award. Of these 44 stories, 10 award winners have been carefully selected by a jury represented by 12 international organizations.

Majd Shweikeh, Minister of Tourism and Antiquities while receiving the award said: “Petra is one of the Kingdom’s most important and most famous archeological sites and this award underlines our ability as a sector not only to increase demand for our tourism product but to simultaneously maintain and protect our heritage in a sustainable way both for the antiquities and the local communities.”

“Petra provides us with the framework to reflect everything we’ve learned onto every tourism attraction in the country and ensure that our heritage, hospitality and culture lives on for generations to come,” she added.

The event, the 2019 Sustainable Top 100 Destination Awards, not only highlights but also recognizes innovation and best practices in tourism management of

destinations and tour operators whose hard work and perseverance has helped lead the way towards quality, attractiveness, and sustainability in tourism.

Israel hosts 80 travel agents ‘Where Else’ tourism conference 06 top travel companies from India attended ‘Where Else’ – the official tourism conference held annually by the Israel Ministry of Tourism.

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he week-long convention from 7th to 13th February, 2019 was attended by 80 travel agents from 18 countries.

With a grand opening ceremony in Tel Aviv, senior members of the tourism industry from around the world participated in tours of key sites in Israel with support from the regional Tourism Associations, Hotels Association and the Israel Incoming Tour Operators Association.

Israel is a multicultural destination with a perfect mix of modernity and history, culture and religion, innovation and conservation.

The purpose of the conference was to expose attendees to the travel brands in

20 March 2019

Israel alongside the country’s recreation, entertainment and leisure choices.

Elaborating on the event, Hassan Madah, Director, Israel Ministry of Tourism – India and Philippines said, “Israel is currently witnessing tremendous momentum in tourism with a record of 4.12 million tourists in 2018. Arrivals from India have also increased to 70,800 visitors last year making it the 12th source market for the destination.

Bearing this in mind, it was imperative for us to showcase Israel to the travel trade of India through our biggest annual tourism conference in Israel.”

“Travellers today are evolved and informed and are constantly scouting for newer and niche experiences. Through the conference and FAM, it gave us an opportunity to display varied tourism offerings of the country while connecting agents to key stakeholders in Israel,” he added.

In attendance were 6 top travel agents from India such as Odyssey Tours and Travels, A Travel Duet – Celebrating Togetherness, Bigbreaks.com, Gainwell Enterprises Pvt. Ltd., Quintessential Vacations and Swastika Holiday Solutions accompanied by Hassan Madah.

The group explored the culturally rich Old City of Jerusalem, home to the world’s three largest religions with its holy sites and breath-taking biblical landscapes as well as emerging culinary, art and nightlife scenes.

Furthermore, they visited the modern city of Tel Aviv, charming town of Jaffa, Dead Sea and Masada region followed by a tour of Herzliya in the central coast of Israel. In addition to this, business meetings were held between the Indian delegates and Israeli wholesalers and hoteliers.

NTO

Sharjah is home to acclaimed art galleries, buzzy waterfront areas and a sophisticated outlook; as creativity and excitement flow through the emirate.

At the same time, the emirate stays true to its Islamic heritage, with a traditional, gracious and welcoming vibe.

SHARJAH A Culture Capital With A Myriad of Extraordinary Experiences

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estled between two lagoons, the emirate is a global metropolis of modern business and vibrant culture.

UNESCO declared Sharjah a Culture Capital of the Arab World in 1998 for its efforts to maintain and promote Arab traditions. The city shares its heritage with over 20 museums and galleries, local architecture and culture-packed leisure activities.

and the rich culture of Emirati people and Sharjah residents over the past decades. It emphasizes the value of the deep rooted Arabic customs and traditions which are a legacy from the ancestors and a source of pride and joy to the coming generations. There are six galleries covering the landscape, lifestyle, celebrations, livelihoods, traditional knowledge and oral traditions of the emirate.

Sharjah is a prime tourism destination with 106 hotels and hotel apartments, a variety of casual dining restaurants and indescribable experiences that take its guests through its rich and vibrant history.

Find below some of the attractions of Sharjah.

Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilization

Al Noor Island Al Noor Island is home to an architecturally stunning Butterfly House, serene Literature Pavilion and contemporary sculptures by some of the world’s most famous artists. A 3.5 km-long boardwalk snakes through landscaped gardens, while light installations bring the island to life at night.

Al Qasba Crossed by pedestrian bridges, this car-free canal-side complex is packed with cafés, restaurants and shops. Families will love the musical fountain, kids’ fun zone and indoor soft play centre, while art fans should check out the latest exhibition at the Maraya Art Centre.

There are also abra (traditional boat) rides, eco-friendly electric water karts and bikes for hire. The Maraya Art Centre and Masrah Al Qasba Theatre host a variety of cultural events throughout the year.

Sharjah Heritage Museum

The Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilization holds thousands of rare and important Islamic artifacts. Here you can admire the timeless achievements of Islamic civilization and its universality, learn about aspects of Islamic faith, science, discoveries and culture, and cherish the beauty of Islamic art.

Heart of Sharjah Once the hubs of Sharjah’s merchant trade, the original city centre has been reborn as a vibrant heritage and arts district. You can easily spend a whole day exploring the art spaces and museums housed in the traditional barjeel (wind tower) building.

About Sharjah The emirate of Sharjah is well-known for its rich, cultural heritage – an identity that has been recognized a number of times as shown by the winning of the Cultural Capital of the Arab World 1998 and Islamic Culture Capital 2014 awards. It is a vibrant city with an exciting food and arts scene, a heritage area that is the largest restoration project in the region along with various commercial centres and over 22 museums.

The museum is dedicated to highlighting Sharjah’s authentic heritage

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UAE set to welcome 8.92 million visitors from top five source markets by 2023 India, Saudi Arabia and UK top UAE arrivals, while Russian and Chinese source markets lead comparative growth with CAGR of 12% and 8% respectively.

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ooking at the country’s top three source markets, the number of Indian visitors travelling to the UAE will increase at a CAGR of 7% to 3.01 million in 2023, while arrivals from Saudi Arabia and the UK will witness an increase of 2% and 1% to 1.76 million and 1.28 million respectively over the same period.

While the UAE’s top source market rankings are expected to remain mostly unchanged post-Expo 2020 –the latest research from Colliers International, in partnership with ATM, reveals the Russian and Chinese source markets will show above average annual growth rates for inbound passenger arrivals.

Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director ME, Arabian Travel Market, said: “The number of Russian tourists travelling to the UAE will increase at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 12% to 1.6 million in 2023, while the number of Chinese tourists visiting the UAE will increase at a CAGR of 8% to 1.27 million over the same period, according to the data.”

“Regarding Chinese visitors, according to some analysts China’s middle-class will swell to 338 million households by 2020, a 13% increase in just five years. Moreover, by 2030 35% of China’s 1.4 billion population will have $10,000 of annual disposable income, up 10% from 2018. Therefore, the growth potential for both markets is significant.”

With 20 million annual visitors expected to visit Dubai by 2020, plus an additional five million between October 2020 and April 2021 – 70% of which will come from outside the UAE – the overall hospitality supply in the emirate is expected to increase by 39% from 59,561 keys in 2017 to 82,994in 2021 to meet this demand.

Meanwhile in neighbouring emirate Abu Dhabi, the number of rooms across three, four and five-star properties is forecast to grow 13% from 21,782 in 2017 to 24,565 in 2021.

“Just as Dubai and Abu Dhabi have their own unique set of visitor attractions, we are now seeing the northern emirates carving stronger identities, supported by their respective tourism authorities. And, while

Ras Al Khaimah, Sharjah and Fujairah are smaller thanDubai and Abu Dhabi in terms of supply, they are evolving quickly,” Curtis said.

Ras Al Khaimahis working on an unprecedented pipeline, which will more than double the number of hotel rooms, from 4,019 in 2017 to 9,078 in 2021, the largest proportionate pipeline in the GCC. The number of hotel rooms in Sharjah is also expected to more than double between 2017 and 2021, taking the total number of hotel rooms in the emirate to 5,295 by 2021.

Meanwhile, Fujairah will add almost 500 keys over the same period taking its total stock to 2,543 rooms.

ANTO conducts multicity roadshow News Desk

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he Austrian National Tourist Office held its annual roadshow from February 4 – 8 2019 in three cities of India. Started from Mumbai on 5th, followed by Ahmedabad on 6th the roadshows concluded in Delhi on 7th February 2019.

Delegates from local tourist boards, incoming agencies, attractions, hotels and travel partners were part of the roadshow to showcase Austria as a destination for summer 2019. Partners from Vienna, Salzburg, Innsbruck and Swarovski Crystal Worlds informed

22 March 2019

the media about the growth of visitor arrivals from India in 2018 and laid down the plans for 2019.

Christine Mukharji, Director, ANTO, “Austria witnessed 192, 900 arrivals from India in 2018, which was a 8,6% increase from 2017 and the overnights went up to 351,300 which is a 8,4% increase from last year. India is one of the important markets for us. We believe Austria is the perfect destination for Indian families and offers everything for the Indian traveler: from culture, history to shopping, adventure sports and soft sport activities.”

AVIATION

March 2019 23

GOLF

50 national/internationalexhibitors, 500 delegates to participate at IGTE 2019 Identifying Golf as a potential tourism booster Ministery of Tourism Government of India is supporting the event.

News Desk

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ndian Golf & Turf Expo (IGTE) 2019 scheduled to be held on April 26-27, 2019 at Thyagraj Stadium in New Delhi will see around 50 national and international exhibitors display their products to the large number of industry professionals coming to attend the event from India and abroad. About 37 Golf clubs from all over the country have also confirmed their participation at IGTE. England’s Peter Walton, President & Chief Executive, IAGTO - The Global Golf Tourism Organisation; and Australians Bruce MacPhee, Senior Agronomist, and Mike Orloff, Managing Director, Golf Industry Central and ArjunChowdri, Chief Innovation Officer, PGA of America are some of the leading lights of the global Golf industry from among 500 delegates, who will attend South Asia’s largest Golf Industry trade show – 8th Indian Golf and Turf Expo in New Delhi.

Speaking at the curtain-raiser of the event, Suman Billa (IAS), Joint Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, said: “The Ministry of Tourism of the Government of India has long identified Golf as a potential tourism booster and has taken several measures including developing more public courses to grow and promote the sport in the country.”

Talking about the Golf potential of India he informed that India has over 240 golf courses in the country and about 150,000 individuals play the game across age groups. Over the past five plus years, India has attracted over INR 5000 crores of investment in the game.

Rishi Narain, former Asian Games Gold medalist also stated that the Golf Industry Association has set a target to generate revenue of INR 100 crs in next five years through Golf tourism.

While elaborating on the event, Deepali Shah Gandhi, President, Golf Industry Association (GIA), promoters of IGTE said: “The IGE brings together all key partners and contributors to the sport, whose tireless efforts have enabled stars like Anirban Lahiri, Gaganjeet Bhullar and Shubhankar Sharma to name a few, make a name for themselves.”

Among those who attended the launch event were Shaji Prabhakaran, President, Football Delhi and Samir Suhag, Resident Player cum Coach, La Pegasus Polo Centre, Gurugram and one of India’s all time best Polo players.

Other key golf industry bodies represented at curtain-raiser included the Indian Golf Union (IGU), Women’s Golf Association of India (WGAI) and the Golf Course Superintendents and Managers Association of India (GCSMAI).

NTO

Japan organises travel seminar in Delhi Pitches Shinkansen to explore the country News Desk

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apan’s tourism sector has witnessed massive upsurge in international tourist arrivals in the recent years with inbound tourism growing from over 10 million in 2013 to more than 30 million in 2018. With an aim to replicate the same success from Indian market, JNTO (Japan National Tourism Organisation) in collaboration with International High speed Rail Association (IHRA) and Embassy of Japan in India, conducted a travel seminar “The ShinkansenMake your way through Japan with a highspeed Train” in New Delhi recently.

Key agents of New Delhi were invited to the event in order to familiarize them with Japan’s tourism offerings and rich cultural heritage and how can travelers explore the country through Japan’s high-speed train, the Shinkansen, network.

24 March 2019

According to MasafumiShukuri, Chairman, IHRA, “The Shinkansen, commonly known as high-speed train, is the safest and the most reliable mode of transport within Japan. The aim of the high-speed train is to shorten the time people spend on traveling from one destination to another. The high-speed train may change the way tourists travel, leaving more time for them to enjoy the destination.”

Also speaking at the event, KenkoSone, Minister, Embassy of Japan said, “India is a key market for Japan. Recently the 3rdMeeting of India-Japan Tourism Council summit was held in India in early January 2019 to improve our relationship with India.

We have decided to promote Japan in South India and are planning to start direct flights from Chennai and Bangalore as well to Japan, very soon.”

Mamoru Kobori, Executive Vice- President, JNTO made an extensive presentation on the JNTO website, its navigation and features.

He also spoke about The Japan Specialist

Program for the travel industry. Also speaking, Akihiko Tamura, Former Japan Tourism Agency Commissioner, said, “The Shinkansen is the most effective mode of transport within Japan as it cuts down the travel time immensely.”

The event was also attended by SumanBilla, Joint Secretary, Minister of Tourism, Government of India. Several other senior officials from Tourism and Urban Planning and Transportation department of India and Japan were also in attendance at the travel seminar.

HOSPITALITY

Choice Hotels expands in India, launches Quality Inn Ocean Palms Goa Quality Inn Ocean Palms is set amongst peaceful native settlements, just off the main Calangute Road and is a stone’s throw away from the Calangute Beach.

News Desk

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hoice Hotels has added yet another property Quality Inn Ocean Palms, Goa, to its portfolio. Previously called Ocean Palms Goa , the hotel has been operating for last 7 years.

Speaking on the development, Vilas Pawar, CEO, Choice Hotels India that Quality Inn Goa’s warmth of international hospitality will help redefining the service standards offered to the traveller. “The hotel offers 73 spacious and stylish guest rooms, featuring modern bathrooms. All the rooms are tastefully designed and come with attached breezy sit-outs, offering great vistas of

the tropical surroundings and gardens around,” he added.

The resort features a blend of ethnic Goan hospitality and ultra-modern facilities. The oldworld charm of resort and the commitment of excellent staff to guest satisfaction make Quality Inn Ocean Palms Goa, one of the best resorts on Calangute Beach.

The dining options include The Beachcomber’s Grill & Lounge - Artfully executed, the Beachcomber’s Grill & Lounge exudes the signature touch of Quality Inn Ocean Palms Goa in its décor, menu, and meal presentations as the idea is to provide you a one-of-a-kind gourmet experience.

Nautilus Restaurant & Bar – an all day dining multi-cuisine restaurant Located on the first floor overlooking the poolside, this eatery has a sun-drenched deck that is also ideal for al fresco

dining on a starry night. Wafting aromas and fresh seasonal fare synchronize with artistic food displays to create a feast for your senses at the Nautilus. The restaurant serves a melange of Goan, Indian and Continental cuisine and beverages.

of-the-art halls, audio-visual assistance and a deft staff for catering. The resort also has a fitness center for fitness enthusiasts, a swimming pool and a Spa - The Coral Spa offering a multitude of beauty treatments and spa therapies.

Be it a social gathering or a business meeting , Quality Inn Ocean Palms features state-

Chef Prakash Chettiyar joins JW Marriotrt Kolkata News Desk

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ith over 14 years of culinary experience, Chef Prakash Chettiyar brings a dynamic and innovative energy to JW Marriott Kolkata’s diverse culinary scene.

In his current role, he has joined in the capacity of Executive Chef at JW Marriott Kolkata. His responsibilities include getting the newest trends in Kolkata and offer the best and most innovative food offerings in catering.

Armed with a degree in Hotel Management from IHM, Chennai (2000), Chef Prakash started his culinary journey from Trident Cochin. He began his culinary career with specialization in Italian cuisine and began working in the Western section.

Gradually, he expanded his cooking skills in Thai, Chinese, Coastal and Indian cuisine.

In 2007, he became in-charge of the Indian Cuisine section at the Oberoi Grand, Kolkata and participated in Indian Cuisine Focus conducted by Oberoi Groups of Hotels and Resorts in the same year at Oberoi, New Delhi. In 2008, Chef Prakash represented India in an Incredible India campaign at ITB Messe Berlin to showcase Indian cuisine to the visiting functionaries from around the world.

During his tenure at Trident Chennai, he introduced latest culinary concepts in Cinnamon (an all-day dining restaurant) namely – special brunches, theme nights, sit down dinners,

themed breaks and Japanese or sushi kitchen. Simultaneously he kept on improvisingthe menu and concepts in Samudra – a coastal cuisine restaurant in Trident Chennai, which was awarded the Best Coastal Cuisine Restaurant twice under his leadership in 2011 and 2013.

As Executive Chef at The Oberoi Cecil, Shimla, Chef Prakash introduced the classical British cuisine for the European travellers. He also introduced Themed nights likeTex-Mex, French, Thai and other Indian regional cuisines.In 2015, Oberoi Cecil Shimla was voted as the Best Restaurant in Shimla.

In his previous stint at Marriott Kochi, Chef Chettiyar was seen 2016- 2018. He was extensively written about, for his philosophy

and ideology, and received a number of accolades. To name a few, successful F & B concepts like “Jimmy Rocks” (Jimmy takes culinary journey around the world), #ShaadibyMarriott Under his guidance, Cassava( Specialty Kerala restaurant ) was listed among ‘India’s Best Restaurants’ by The Week Magazine in year May 2018 and also voted as the Best Kerala restaurant by “Metro food awards”.

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HOSPITALITY

Wyndham continues swift growth across Europe, Middle East, Eurasia and Africa Anticipated openings (2019) include Crete (Greece), Nicosia (Cyprus), Tbilisi (Georgia) and Yerevan (Armenia), in addition to further expansion in established markets.

News Desk

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yndham Hotels & Resorts has continued to further expand its hotel portfolio across Europe, Middle East, Eurasia and Africa (EMEA), with important new openings,and a series of important brand launches and new market entries over the past year.

The strong growth in EMEA follows the appointment of Dimitris Manikis as President and Managing Director for the region in April 2018, when he joined the company to spearhead strategic development and the performance of Wyndham’s brands and hotel portfolio in EMEA.

Other key corporate milestones in 2018 included the launch of Wyndham Hotels & Resorts as an independent, pure-play hotel company, the decision to endorse all brands in the portfolio with the powerful ‘by Wyndham’ hallmark, as well as the acquisition of the La Quinta brand –further strengthening the company’s position in the mid-scale segment.

Wyndham Hotels & Resorts’ expansion included a number of important markets, such as Greece, Germany, Portugal, Austria, the Netherlands, Georgia and Russia, as well as the Middle East, Africa and India.

In particular, the company continued to broaden its footprint in Turkey, with 13 new openings -including Ankara, Rize, Isparta, Kayseri as well as Diyarbakir amongst more destinations - which has further strengthened its position as largest international hotel operator in Turkey with 76 hotels.

Seyfert Sarovar Portico rebranded as Seyfert Sarovar Premiere News Desk

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eyfert Sarovar Portico is now rebranded as Seyfert Sarovar Premiere, Dehradun. Contemporary and a classified five star hotel which has undergone extensive refurbishment from adding extra facilities to upgrading the existing services.

Elaborating on the development, Anil Madhok, Executive Chairman, Sarovar Hotels & Resorts, said “The decision of rebranding the hotel reflects company’s continues efforts to push for higher standard while driving business growth for the company. The rebranding will bring fresh perspective to the hotel, sturdier base and will offer services at affordable prices for business and leisure traveller alike”.

The added features incorporate Indian specialty restaurantAanch, with a carefully crafted menu offering flavors of North West frontier, State-of-the-art Spa to refresh, rejuvenate and relax oneself and up-gradation in amenities & services quality as per Sarovar’s premiere standard to its 68 beautifully crafted, spacious and well-appointed rooms hotel.

The hotel is conveniently located close to Dehradun Airport, bus stand and railway station providing easy access to tourist and numerous pilgrimage destinations in the upper and lower hills of Himalayas.

Sarovar Hotels Pvt. Ltd. one of the fastest growing hotel chains in India with over 80 operational hotels across 50 destinations in India and Africa has rebranded its hotel in Dehradun.

26 March 2019

Dimitris Manikis, President and Managing Director, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, EMEA, said: “This expansion is a fundamental step in our quest to make hotel travel possible for all, and ensures that wherever adventure leads, there will be one of ourhotel brands nearby to welcome travellers of all types.

With our robust development pipeline and our solid performance over the past year, we see tremendous potential to further expand our footprint in both new and existing markets across EMEA.” Some of the latest Wyndham Hotels & Resorts openings in EMEA include: Ramada Kasauli (India) Bliss Hotel Southport, Trademark Collection by Wyndham (UK) Wyndham Athens Residence (Greece) Ramada by Wyndham, Lisbon (Portugal) Wyndham Grand Kayseri (Turkey)

IHCL unveils a new brand identity for tajsats News Desk

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he Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL), today unveiled a new visual brand identity for TajSATS. TajSATS works with over 40 domestic and international airlines, serving over 65,000 meals a day.

“TajSATS is an integral part of the IHCL ecosystem. It is currently the market leader in airline catering and we look forward to strengthening this further by unlocking its potential in non-aviation businesses as well. The new identity is a bold re-imagination of brand TajSATS and presents the company as modern and progressive.” said Puneet Chhatwal, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, IHCL and Chairman, TajSATS. The new logo brings together the best of Taj and SATS, with an agile and innovative design that resonates across generations. Carefully balancing tradition and modernity, it tells the story of the company’s past and signals the vision for the future. The logo is set against the backdrop of a bold new visual identity that is inspired by the art of plating and the culinary arts.

“The rebranding is an exciting change for us. It not only creates a foundation for new opportunities but also emphasizes on our objective of achieving strong growth and focus towards innovation; as we strive to achieve Aspiration 2022,”said Sagar Dighe, Chief Operating Officer, TajSATS. TajSATS Air Catering Limited is a joint venture of The Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL) and SATS Limited. The company provides in-flight catering at Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata, Goa and Bangalore. Taj Madras Flight Kitchen is a joint venture of IHCL, SATS Ltd. and Malaysian Airlines.

HOSPITALITY

Roseate Hotels & Resorts unveils Roseate Ganges Cygnett Inn Trendz offers firstclass hospitality for business and leisure travellers

memorable stay experience for guests seeking physical, mental and spiritual wellness.

News Desk

The villas at the retreat have been designed with classic elegance in natural colour palettes complementing the natural surroundings. Each villa combines contemporary elegance, a fine blend of minimalism and luxury with state-of-the-art technology, luxurious beds, perfectly appointed bathrooms and private balconies that offer a spectacular panorama of the Himalayan outdoors.

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oseate Hotels & Resorts unveils The Roseate Ganges, an unparalleled, luxury retreat on the banks of the river Ganges in Rishikesh.

The property redefines luxury, boasting impeccable design, architecture and services that ensure an unforgettable experience in the serene, sylvan setting of the Garhwal Himalaya foothills.

Located in Shivpuri, the luxury retreat, overlooking the Ganges glorifies the yoga capital of the world, Rishikesh. The exquisite retreat propounds 16 wellappointed villas, each opening to a private balcony looking over the Ganga valley and the forest. Signature dining options based on the local cuisine and a comprehensive menu of spa and yoga services ensure a

The Roseate Ganges is a 45-minute drive from Jolly Grant Airport, Dehradun which is well connected by multiple flights to and from various cities across India.

“The opening of The Roseate Ganges is a significant milestone in our expansion and is the only retreat in the region to offer an exceptionally luxurious stay

experience. We now offer a collection of six unparalleled stay experiences around the globe,” said Kush Kapoor, Area General Manager, Roseate Hotels & Resorts.

“We are confident that guests at The Roseate Ganges will appreciate the retreat and bespoke services offered, becoming a focal point to explore and experience,” added Kapoor.

Roseate Hotels & Resorts, the uber luxury hospitality brand offers a global collection of one of a kind stay experiences and includes a portfolio of new and existing ultrachic luxury hotels that are carefully curated envisaging the best in design, art, hospitality and personalized service centered around guest experience. Today the brand offers a collection

of 6 uber luxury properties in India and the UK, each having an individual brand identity under Roseate Hotels & Resorts.

Within India, the group has presence with three properties namely The Roseate New Delhi, Roseate House New Delhi and The Roseate Ganges Rishikesh.

Saharsh Vadhera takes over as director of S&M Shangri-La Hotel, Bengaluru News Desk

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hangri-La Hotel, Bengaluru announces the appointment of Saharsh Vadhera as director of sales and marketing.

In his new role, Saharsh will head the hotel’s sales, events, revenue management, reservations and marketing divisions. His key responsibilities will include overseeing all aspects of hotel sales and marketing strategies, optimising the hotel’s revenue and market share.

In his previous role as director of sales, Saharsh has been instrumental in making significant contributions to cross-functional teams.

At Shangri-La Bengaluru, he will continue to train and manage the

hotel’s sales team in maximising revenue opportunities and further promoting the property.

Saharsh began his hospitality career in 2008. With over a decade of rich experience, he has held various roles with notable luxury hospitality brands. He has a proven track record in achieving set targets with expertise in preopening, pricing strategies and market intelligence.

“Saharsh is a dynamic professional who excels both as an individual sales star and a motivating team leader, inspiring those around him to perform to their absolute best.He has made invaluable contribution to the hotel’s business and strengthened his team’s performance. It was only befitting

for him to grow and take on additional responsibilities in the capacity of the director of sales and marketing. We are confident that his experience and expertise will be instrumental in the continued success of our hotel,” said Andreas Streiber, ShangriLa Hotel, Bengaluru’sgeneral manager.

Saharsh is an IHM Lucknow alumnus and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in hospitality and hotel administration. He is passionately committed to nurturing enthusiastic and forward-thinking leadership in a team environment.

Hong Kong-based Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts currently operates over 100 hotels with a room inventory of over 41,000.

Saharsh Vadhera Director Sales & Marketing Sangri-La Hotel, Bengaluru

Shangri-La hotels are five-star deluxe properties featuring extensive luxury facilities and services.

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HOSPITALITY

Cygnett Hotels & Resorts launches property in Itanagar Cygnett Inn Trendz offers first-class hospitality for business and leisure travellers News Desk

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ygnett Inn Trendz, situated in the heart of capital city of Arunachal Pradesh is poised to cater the business and leisure travellers . With exceptional facilities for all age groups, the Inn promises a special stay for its guests. Constructed in a modern contemporary design, this premium Inn offers spacious and stylishly designed rooms with all modern amenities and in-room service.

lunch and dinner with sumptuous buffet options at discounted prices. The restaurant, operating from 7am -11pm, is a gourmet delight offering guests with a global cuisine.

Tailor made conference packages are also available that one can avail to in order to curate customized events.

Elaborating more on this, Sarbendra Sarkar, Managing Director, said, “Cygnett Inn Trendz is a place where guests of all groups can have a wonderful time. With all modern facilities, great dining options, rejuvenation activities, active game zone for kids, Cygnett Inn Trendz aims to provide an unparallel experience to all guests.”

of a metamorphosing world, without compromising the ideals of good hospitality, quality comfort and great service.

The hospitality group is actively working to open 113+ Hotels across 75+ cities in India and to operate in 6+ International locations within the next five years. The company is looking forward to adding 6000+ keys by 2022 and to benchmark “Cygnetture Service & Experiences” in the industry.

The Inn offers a variety of dining options.

Cygnett Pavilion, an all day dining restaurant serves an impressive menu in breakfast,

Cygnett Hotels & Resorts started in 2012 in India with the vision of creating a hotel company that is responsive to the demands

Hilton Washington DC to open for guest from April 2019

Preferred Hotels & Resorts adds 15 new member Hotels News Desk

News Desk

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he new debit Card entitles ShebaMiles members to 5 bonus miles for every 100-birr spending made with the CoBranded Card. Elaborating on the launch of the co-branding, TewoldeGebreMariam, Group CEO of Ethiopian Airlines said: “As we keep building our customer base, the cobrand program gives us edge and enables Sheba Miles cardholders enjoy additional perks including paying all their shopping, dining, travel or any other payments conveniently with the Co-branded debit card on United Bank POS machines.”

“As a customer-focused airline, we will keep leveraging simplified systems and technology solutions that enable our customers enjoy privileges and the luxury of exclusivity,” he added.

TayeDibekulu, Hibret Bank’s President on his part remarked the new co-branding partnership with Ethiopian that unfolded on the New Year’s Day of 2019, will bestow a win-win situation for at least four players, including Hibret Bank, Ethiopian Airlines, the co-branded card holders as well as Merchants.

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referred Hotels & Resorts, the world’s largest independent hotel brand representing more than 700 distinctive hotels, resorts, and residences across 85 countries has announced the growth of its global portfolio with the addition of 15 new member hotels between October 1 and December 31,2018.

From an adults-only all-inclusive resort to a 16th century palace, these exciting new properties deliver authentic, one-ofa-kind experiences that speak to the spirit of independent hotels and encapsulate #ThePreferredLife across exciting destinations including Jaipur, Lisbon, and the Yucatan Peninsula.

Hotel EQ, Kuala Lumpur (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia) Lorenzo Hotel (Dallas, Texas)

The newly added properties include Hotel Clarks Amer (Jaipur, India), Hotel Hendricks (New York, United States), The One Palacio de Anunciada (Lisbon, Portugal), Frutt Lodge & Spa (MelchseeFrutt, Switzerland), and Haven Riviera Cancun (Playa del Carmen, Mexico).

Garza Blanca Resort & Spa Los Cabos (Cabo San Lucas, Mexico)

Other member hotels to join Preferred Hotels & Resorts from October 1 through December 31, 2018 include:

The First Roma – Dolce (Rome, Italy)

Clarks Exotica – Convention Resort & Spa (Bangalore, India)

Can Bordoy Grand House & Garden (Palma de Mallorca, Spain)

Pure Salt Garonda (Balears, Spain) Pure Salt Port Adriano (Palma de Mallorca, Spain) BY 14 TLV Hotel (Tel Aviv, Israel) Stanford Court San Francisco (San Francisco, California)

March 2019 29

IN-FOCUS

30 March 2019

PATA ARTCM 2019,

IN-FOCUS

Rishikesh Uttarakhand

March 2019 31

DESTINATION

limitless

Andhra Top Places to Visit News Desk

Andhra Pradesh is a paradise for visitors, who wish indulge in limitless natural beauty and adventure activities, apart from learning about the glorious history of the region, explore the architectural marvels of temples, mosques, stupas. The magnificent tourist places and cultural heritage of the state are the reasons to attract a large number of travellers from across the country. Whereabouts highlights the 15 top tourist places to visit in Andhra Pradesh.

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Araku Valley Located at a height of 3,200 feet in the midst of the hills of Anantagiri, Araku Valley is a beautiful and enchanting hill station. The salubrious climate, musically gurgling streams, the rainbow-creating waterfalls and lush green landscape can offer a memorable escape from the city life. The valley is located about 112kms from Visakhapatnam. Araku Valley is home to 19 indigenous tribes and offers a wonderful opportunity to get insights into the lifestyle of these tribes and their culture and traditions. Dhimsa dance, a kind of folk dance, is a major attraction for its rhythmic beats and colourful costumes. Itika Pongal is a popular festival that is celebrated in the region and is worth experiencing.

Borra Caves These caves are located at 1,400metres above sea level in Visakhapatnam’s Anantagiri area. The caves are famous for their beautiful stalagmite and stalactite formations. Borra Caves have both religious and historical significance. The locals flock to the caves to worship a Shivalinga and an idol of Kamadenu, the divine bovine goddess of Hindu mythology. This idol is located deep inside caves. The rock formations inside the caves look like udders of a cow and hence, these caves also are called Gosthani

DESTINATION William King George belonging to the Geological Survey of India was instrumental in discovering Paleolithic implements in 1807. It is believed that these implements were about 1 million years old.

Submarine Museum The city of Vizag offers so many creative and unique attractions that visitors will often be overwhelmed by them. One of the innovative attractions of the city is the submarine museum. Located on the Ram Krishna Beach, this museum is housed inside a real submarine. INS Kurusura is a Soviet-built submarine which was decommissioned on February 28, 2001 after serving the nation for 21 glorious years. The submarine with all its weaponry and fittings was hauled on to the beach and placed on a concrete foundation at the Gajapathi Raju Marg on the beachfront.

Dolphin’s Nose & the Port Dolphin’s Nose is a huge rocky headland, around 174metres in height. It is located in the southern part of Vizag. The rock gets its name because of its resemblance to a dolphin’s nose and is located 358metres above sea level. It projects majestically out into the Bay of Bengal and is a natural formation that attracts many visitors. On top of rock formation is a huge lighthouse, which is renowned for its powerful beam. The light beam can be seen far out in the sea, about 64kms from land. This is the oldest lighthouse in the city and offers stunning and panoramic view of the Bay and the city.

Dindi The tranquil and panoramic village of Dindi is about 80kms from Rajahmundry. This village is renowned for its virgin backwaters that ooze of charm and splendour. The serene palmfringed canals, lakes, lagoons and rivulets offer the perfect place to enjoy a soothing

houseboat cruise. The quaint villages nestled amidst coconut groves have pristine beauty that can leave one mesmerised. Dindi is the place where visitors can count the twinkling stars in the ink-blue sky at night, while the moon rays shimmer enchantingly over the surface of the water bodies. The oasis of Dindi and its unspoilt beauty can rejuvenate visitors and offer a memorable getaway from the concrete jungle of the city.

Tirumala Venkateswara Swamy Temple The king of all temples lies in Tirupati. The town is located at the foothills of Tirumala Hills, which is home to one of the most ancient and holy temples of India. This temple attracts millions of devotees each year and is called Sri Venkateswara Temple. It is claimed that the temple get more pilgrims than Mecca and Jerusalem. Tirupati is about 525kms from Hyderabad and is surrounded by seven panoramic hills, which are home to perennial waterfalls, lush valleys and verdant forests. Besides the Sri Venkateswara Temple, other shrines located in the region include the Sri Govindrajaswamy Temple, Sri Kondandaramaswami Temple, Sri Kapileswaraswami Temple and the Sri Kalyana Venkateswaraswami Temple.

Amaravati Amaravati is a small town located on the banks of Krishna River. It is about 33kms from Vijayawada and has historical importance. It used to be the site of an ancient Buddhist settlement, which was known as Chintapalli.

The stupa at this site was said to be bigger than the one at Sachi. This stupa was built in the 3rd century BC during the reign of King Ashoka. It had gateway at each cardinal

point. While these structures are no longer there, one of the gateways was meticulously reconstructed.

The carvings on the gateway highlight the life of Buddha. There is a small museum that has collections right from the 3rd century to the 12th century AD and one of the images of Buddha has lotus symbols on the feet with long ear lobes and tight curls.

Undavalli Caves The Undavalli Caves date back to the 7th century BC and are prime example of rock-cut architecture. The caves are about 8kms from Vijayawada and offer a unique perspective into ancient religious practices.

The caves are carved out of sandstone on the side of a hill. While there are many caves, the largest is the one that is most popular for its huge monolith of Lord Vishnu in the reclining posture. This monolith is made from a single granite block and is located on the second storey of the temple, which has a total of four stories. It is believed that the caves were originally used by Jain monks because of its Udayagiri and Khandgiri architectural styles.

Belum Caves Belum Caves, running a length of 3,229 metres, are the second longest caves in India and are popular for their stalactite and stalagmite formations. The caves have long passages, fresh water galleries, siphons and spacious chambers. These caves have been formed naturally due to constant flow of underground water. At their deepest point, the caves descend to 150 feet from the entrance level and this point is referred to as Pataalaganga. The caves are about 110kms from Kurnool. There is a giant Buddha

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DESTINATION statue located just outside the caves, which is an indication that the Buddhist monks worshipped here thousands of years ago.

However, it is the shivalingam that is present inside the cave attracts devotees and visitors.

Mahanandi The picturesque village of Mahanandi is located east of Nallamala Hills, near Nandyal, in Kurnool District. The village is enveloped by dense verdant forest. About 15kms from the village are nine shrines to Nandi. Mahanandi is one of the nine shrines. The other eight are Shivanandi, Vinayakanandi, Somanandi, Prathamanandi, Garudanandi, Suryanandi, Krishnanandi (also known as Vishnunandi) and Naganandi The Mahanandiswara Swamy Temple is about 1,500 years old and is dedicated to Lord Shiva. The shivalinga in the temple is considered to be unique because it is formed by a rough, uncut rock containing two cavities. Devotees are allowed to touch the shivalinga. There is a huge Nandi located in front of the main shrine. The tower above the shivalinga is what makes this temple unique. It is constructed in the North Indian style of architecture.

Ahobilam Ahobilam is located in the Kurnool District of Andhra Pradesh and is considered to be one of the 108 Vaishnava Divyadesams in the country. The region is famous for its two beautiful temples located in lower Ahobilam and upper Ahobilam. According to local legend, this was the spot where Lord Narasimha, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, blessed Prahlada and Hiranyakshipu. The region gets its name from the local language and is based on a famous shloka.

Yaganti Located in Kurnool District, Yaganti is about 100kms from the city of Kurnool. It is home to a famous temple, Sri Yaganti Uma Maheswara Temple that is dedicated to

Lord Shiva, Goddess Parvati and Nandi Bull, Lord Shiva’s trustworthy steed. The distinctive feature of the temple is the presence of Pushkarini, which is a small pond in the premises of a temple. The water flows into the pond from the mouth of Nandi Bull and comes from the surrounding hills.

While it is not known how the water makes its way into the pond, it is full throughout the year. Besides the marvellous pond, the temple architecture is also worth checking it. It showcases the skills of Viswakarma Sthapathis.

Lepakshi The village of Lepakshi is located in the district of Anantapur, about 13kms from Hindupur. The village is famous for its three shrines, which are dedicated to Lord Vishnu, Lord Shiva and Lord Veerabhadra. The Veerabhadra Temple was constructed by two brothers, Viranna and Virupanna. The temple is built in the Vijayanagar architectural style and has beautiful sculptures adorning the walls.

There is a huge Nandi bull made from a single granite stone. Lepakshi has many murals

from the Vijayanagar era and the famous sculpture of the snake on the Nagalinga. Local legend claims that the naga was carved from a single block of stone while the sculptors were waiting for their mother to cook lunch for them.

Dharmavaram Dharmavaram is well-known for its silk and cotton weaving industry. It is about 47kms from Anantapur and is world famous for its intricate and exquisite silk sarees. The place is also renowned for making puppets out of leather. The beauty of the silk sarees from Dharmavaram is renowned. They have broad borders that are adorned by gold brocade designs. The sarees are heavy and do not follow any colour contrast. Each creation is a masterpiece and people will never find two of a kind.

Puttaparthi Puttaparthi is a small town located in the Ananthapur District of Andhra Pradesh.

It was the home of spiritual guru, Sathya Sai Baba. The town is located on the banks or Chitravathi River and is surrounded by undulating hills. While the small town does not have much to offer in terms of natural splendour and beauty, it is a popular religious destination. The main attraction of the town is Prasanthi Nilayam, or the abode of peace, which was constructed in 1950. The beautiful architecture of the structure and the tranquility can leave visitors spellbound.

Weather Andhra Pradesh experiences three seasons – summer, rainy season (more commonly referred to as the monsoon season) and winter.

In general, the weather in Andhra Pradesh is suitable for travelling and sightseeing.

The daytime can be hot and humid, but the temperatures are not unbearable.

34 March 2019

March 2019 35

Mines shining with diamonds within a national park that’s home to some of the biggest predators and waterfalls of dizzying heights; Panna has the amazing superpower to, both, calm you and thrill you!

A visit to Panna will surely bring alive the child-like awe in you.Whereabouts brings more on this fascinating destination of Madhya Pradesh.

Dazzling P

From the hardest stones to the bigges

T

he city’s royal past dates back to mid of 17th Centuary AD, when it became the capital of Maharaja Chhatrasal’s kingdom. On the other hand, with Ken River passing through Panna hills, the city has a wildlife-friendly present.

You can spot the majestic Tiger, the Ghariyal – a huge reptile found only in the Indian subcontinent, and a variety of flora and fauna in Panna National Park.

THE PARK Panna is the twenty second Tiger Reserve of India and fifth in Madhya Pradesh . The Reserve is situated in the Vindhyan Ranges and spreads over Panna and Chattarpur districts in the north of the state.

Panna National Park was created in 1981.

It was declared a Project Tiger Reserve by Government of India in 1994. The National Park consists of areas from the former Gangau Wildlife Sanctuary created in 1975.

This sanctuary comprised of territorial forests of the present North and South Panna Forest Division to which a portion of the adjoining Chhatarpur forest division was added later.

The reserved forests of the Park in Panna district and some protected forests on Chhatarpur side were the hunting preserves of the erstwhile rulers of Panna, Chhatarpur and Bijawar princely states in the past.

The location of the National Park is also important because it is situated at a point where the continuity of the forest belt, which starts from Cape Comorin in the south, is broken and beyond this the great Gangetic plains begin. This area is also the northern most tip of the natural teak forests and the eastern most tip of the natural Kardhai (Anogeissus pendula) forests.

36 March 2019

Series of undulating hills and plateaus rise on the other side of Ken river in Chattarpur district.

MAMMALS Tiger(Panthera Tigris), the king of the jungle, roams freely in this secure, though a bit small habitat alongwith his fellow beings – Leopard (Panthera Pardus), Wild Dog (Cuon Alpinus), Wolf (Canis Lupus), Hyaena (Hyaena Hyaena) and Caracal (Felus Caracal) and smaller cats.

Sloth Bear (Melursus Ursinus) has his most favourite home in the rock escarpments and undisturbed vales.

PANNA

st cats

The Ken River, which flows through the Reserve from south to north, is home for Gharial and Mugger, and other aquatic fauna and is one of the least polluted rivers and a tributary of Yamuna. It is one of the sixteen perennial rivers of Madhya Pradesh and is truly the life line of the Reserve. Ken offers some of the most spectacular scenery to the visitor while it meanders for some 55 km through the reserve.

The terrain of the reserve is characterised by extensive plateaus and gorges. The reserve which has a bench topography, can broadly be divided into three distinct tablelands on Panna side: the upper Talgaon Plateau, the middle Hinnauta Plateau and the Ken Valley.

The wooded areas are dotted with Sambar (Cervus Unicolor) - the largest of Indian Deers, Chital (Axis) and Chowsingha (Tetracevos Quadricornis). One can easily see Nilgai (Boselaphus Tragocamelus) and Chinkara (Gazella Gazella) in most open areas in the grasslands, specially on the periphery.

BIRDS The avifauna comprises more than 200 species including a host of migratory birds.

One can see white Necked Stork, Bar-headed Goose, Honey Buzzard, King Vulture, Blossom Headed Parakeet, Paradise Flycatcher, Slatyheaded Scimitar Babbler to name a few.

REPTILES Varieties of snakes, including the Python and other reptiles are found here.

FLORA Dry and hot climate, in union with shallow Vindhyan soils has given rise to dry Teak and dry mixed forest. The dominating vegetation type is Miscellaneous Dry Deciduous forest interspersed with grassland areas. Other major forest types are riverines, open grasslands, open woodlands with tall grasses and thorny woodlands.

The characteristic floral species of this area include tree species such as Tectona grandis, Diospyros melanoxylon, Madhuca indica,

Buchnania latifolia, Anogeissus latifolia, Anogeissus pendula, Lannea coromandelica, Bosswelia serrata etc. Major shrub species includes Lantana camera, Grewia sp., Nyctanthus arbortristis, Ixora sp., Zyziphus mauritiana, Zyziphus oenoplea, etc. The dominant grass species are Apluda mutica, Themeda quadrivalvis, Meteropogon contortus, Arishtida sp. etc.

HIGHLIGHTS Panna Tiger Reserve is just 25 km from Khajuraho-a mere half an hour drive.

Tiger sighting is always a matter of chance but regular sightings are reported.

Cheetal, Sambar, Nilgai, Chinkara, Chowsingha, Langoor, Wildboar, Jackal, are frequently sighted.

Gorges and falls along the course of the Ken river in the Reserve are bewholding.

Dynamic dry deciduous forest undergoes dramatic change from lush green in monsoon to desolate dry grey in summer.

Relics of Gondwana period (rule of the tribal people of Central India) are scattered all over the Reserve.

Besides the wildlife watchers (around core area + Ken Ghariyal Sanctuary 20,000 annually), Panna gets visitors (around 35000 annually) who exclusively visit the famous Pandav Fall.

8 Species of vultures and crocodiles in Ken River.

PARK TIMINGS Winter Season, October to February ÂÂ Morning Round: Sunrise to 11:00 AM ÂÂ Afternoon Round: 3:00 PM to Sunset Summer Season, March to June ÂÂ Morning Round: Sunrise to 11:00 AM ÂÂ Afternoon Round: 4:00 PM to Sunset BEST TIME TO VISIT : December to March HOW TO REACH : Park Gate Madla Nearest Airport : Khajuraho (25 km) Nearby Railheads : Jhansi (180 km) for those traveling from Mumbai, Delhi and Chennai.

Satna (90 km) for those traveling from Delhi, Kolkata and Varanasi Katni (150 km) for those traveling from Mumbai, Chennai and Nagpur.

March 2019 37

APPOINTMENT

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Vikram is a seasoned Hospitality Professional with a strong background that boasts of an illustrious and ascending career graph with a rich experience of working with good hospitality brands.

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Having graduated from St. Xaviers College, Kolkata in 2005, she went on to complete her Diploma in Hotel Management from The Oberoi Centre for Learning and Development in 2008. Sabrina initially started her training at The Oberoi Centre for Learning and Development and officially kick started her career with The Oberoi Mumbai as Assistant Manager, Food and Beverage. Her core leadership role included revitalising internal groups, building and managing guest relationships,training and mentoring teams to outperform themselves and competition.

With his 17-year career in the hospitality industry and extensive knowledge and experience of handling multiple brands of ITC at various parts of the country, General Manager Suri is a great asset to Kochi Marriott Hotel. Prior to his current role, Suri was the Hotel Manager of the ITC Grand Chola Chennai. He also worked as the Food & Beverage Manager at the ITC Kakatiya, Hyderabad and ITC Grand Central, Mumbai and in 2014 he was appointed as the General Manager of Welcomhotel Jodhpur.

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